10/25/2024
We just learned of the passing of World War II shipmate, Belvin M. Wells. He died on March 2nd of this year.
Belvin enlisted in the Navy at age 17 and he was a Fessenden "plankowner" serving from the time the ship was commissioned until the end of the war. After the war, he returned to Pennsylvania and used his GI Bill to learn how to fly. He was always passionate about aviation and there are many pilots out there who benefitted from having him as their flight instructor. When flying wasn't paying the bills, he moved on to a distinguished career with Asplundh until his retirement in 1986. Brilliant with most anything mechanical, Belvin had a knack for carpentry, and a natural curiosity which always led him to be a problem solver in life.
We also recently learned of the loss of another Fessenden friend. Although he wasn't a crewmember, he was the brother-in-law of one and he was a regular attendee at many of our reunions. Dom DePoalo was the brother-in-law of World War II shipmate, Gerard "Chad" Scaran. Dom passed in January of 2020. He served as a Master Sergeant in the Army during World War II. Some of you might remember Dom for the "Dollar bill vests" that he lovingly made and donated as raffle prizes at Fessenden reunions.
Belvin and Dom were American heroes and they were part of the generation that saved the world. May they rest in peace.
