The Projects
The Stories Being Told
Each project begins with an object and ends with a person. Below is the current and completed work — every story documented, every veteran remembered.
U.S. Navy · World War II Era
Francis W. Davison
A Navy Chief Motor Machinist's Mate. A weathered footlocker. A story being pieced back together.
A footlocker arrived at an estate sale bearing stenciled markings and the weight of decades. Inside were only two things: the stencil kit used to label the footlocker itself, and a Western Union telegram dated 1945 — sent from Baltimore by his wife, addressed to him at Treasure Island, California.
Treasure Island was a major Navy processing station in San Francisco Bay. A wife in Baltimore. A husband on the Pacific coast. 1945. Through the National Archives, Facebook, Google, school records, newspaper archives, and genealogical research, I have built a complete picture of Francis W. Davison — his ship history, his family, his career, and his life. His full biography is written and ready. I am awaiting his official service record from the National Archives to confirm final details before publishing his story alongside photographs, documents, obituaries, and images of his wife, father, and naval career.
What Was Found
- Navy footlocker with stenciled markings
- Stencil kit used to label the footlocker
- Western Union telegram from his wife
Research Status
- Identity confirmed
- National Archives, Facebook, Google, school records, and newspapers searched
- Ship history researched
- Family history researched — wife, father, and personal background documented
- Full biography written and ready
- Official service record requested from National Archives — pending
- Bio, documents, obituaries, and photographs to be published upon service record confirmation
More Projects
Coming Soon
The Davison footlocker is only the beginning. There are additional artifacts in queue and more stories waiting to be told. Check back as new projects are added.
Project #002
George Edward Vielhauer Jr., U.S. Navy — Boatswain's Mate Second Class. His name, home address, and a hand-drawn anchor were written inside a Navy Blue Jacket. Identity known. Story being built.
Project #003
Edward Dominic Indigaro, U.S. Navy — Chief Boatswain's Mate. No documents survive. What remains are the stories passed down through his nieces and nephews — and a family that wants to know the man behind the uniform.
Project #004
Emilio Dominic Caruso, U.S. Navy — Seaman First Class. One surviving family photograph and the stories carried by those who knew him. A family searching for the full picture of the man they never got to meet.
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