tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5438008.post1523881424360289852..comments2024-03-27T06:40:56.148-04:00Comments on EagleSpeak: History mystery: Submarine downs airshipMark Tempesthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18172703868541571574noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5438008.post-8530770592559076102019-02-23T10:27:48.213-05:002019-02-23T10:27:48.213-05:00
Officer Stessel was the brother of my mother, Dor...<br />Officer Stessel was the brother of my mother, Dorothea Stessel. Growing up, I was vaguely aware that he had existed; I do have a memory of seeing a framed medal on the wall of my grandparents’ apartment. However, neither my grandparents, Rose and Sam Stessel, nor my mother, ever spoke of him. Not a word, not once. Whether this was because it was too painful a subject for them to discuss, I was too young at the time to appreciate. While, as mentioned, I was aware of him, it was only recently that by chance I learned of the manner of his demise; that after the blimp settled into the water he was attached and killed by a shark. (Somewhat ironic, as I have been a diver for over 30 years). More importantly, several articles mentioned that sometime between 40 and 54 years after his death his relatives received his medal posthumously. This was news to me that I have relatives out there. Sam Stessel died in approx. 1962. My mother died in 1964 and Rose Stessel in approx. 1970, all long before the medal was awarded. In apparently what was a consistent pattern among those members of my family, there was no mention of other relatives; and I continue to wonder who and where they are.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15531653450446902767noreply@blogger.com