A Family's Recollection

A family remembers a loved one who perished on the 469

John D. Oliver is/was a family member. He died when the DD469 sunk that day in February 1943. What a surprise that 56 years have passed and by sheer accident, we find your site. My cousin (Jacquelyn Oliver-Trubac) actually found your site. Her father (John) was on the DD469 and perished onboard. My mother (Cecilia Oliver-Fisher) is still living and her family was never given any details as to what you have on your site. It's great that you "wrote it all down." My uncle or mother's brother has two daughters that are thankful for this information; Jacquelyn or Jackie the youngest (mentioned above) and the oldest child, Shirley Oliver-Arvia. The younger (Jackie) of which was not born until 3 months after the sinking of DD469 and the death of her father. They truly have an interesting story with their mother being Hawaiian and she being force or told to relocate to the home of her husband's family who she had never met.

I'm sure Jackie Oliver-Trubac will also contact you. She is the family historian and keeps the family tree for us all. One of the family stories that was passed down, was that John Oliver worked in the boiler/furnace room (?) as an engineer. The man who worked by his side made it off the ship, but Jack did not. As the man scurried out of the ship he turned and Jack was behind him, when he made it out or into the water, Jack was not there. My Grandmother, Cecilia L. Beland-Oliver; (mother to John/Jack) could never rest and repeatedly asked to speak to this man who worked by my uncles side until he finally said he would speak to her and recount the last moments. We do not have any info on that conversation, as my Grandmother rarely spoke of it. That man's name is also unknown now, but he too was from Chicago, Illinois.

Again I thank you and my mother does too.

Ida Fisher-Hentig
E-mail: violet369@yahoo.com

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