Speech transcript details Pearl Harbor attack

Created on Friday, 07 December 2012 Written by THE BELLEFONTAINE EXAMINER STAFF

Few Logan County residents were actually stationed at Pearl Harbor when the naval base was attacked Dec. 7, 1941. ´ Most, if not all, have since died. Such is the case for brothers Richard and Bud Steinhelfer.

Bud Steinhelfer was a cook aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu, while Richard Steinhelfer was a fire controlman.

Although Bud died aboard the U.S.S. Honolulu after being bitten by a spider in February 1944, Richard saw the war through to the end, being reassigned to the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Augusta, then to battleship U.S.S. Massachusetts, and in 1944 reassigned to the Pacific fleet aboard the carrier U.S.S. Shangri-La.

Eventually, in 1975, Richard also passed away. But the transcript of a speech the Bellefontaine seaman delivered at a Sandusky high school in April 1942 remains.

Richard Steinhelfer’s son sent a copy of that speech to the Examiner and it is being published in its entirety today, the 71st anniversary of the event. (see below)

In addition to Laban Steinhelfer of Marysville; Richard’s wife Norma, a daughter Geraldine Kosakowski of Toledo and a second son, Tom Steinhelfer of Bellefontaine also survive. Tim Steinhelfer of Bellefontaine is Bud Steinhelfer’s only son and he resides in Bellefontaine. 

Read the transcript in Friday's Examiner. CLICK HERE to subscribe today!

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