~Sad Note~

On 7 December 2006 Bill Finucane after a long illness, crossed the bar.  Leon Emerson wrote the following note to Bill's wife Diane:

Dear Diane,

Our sincere condolences on the passing of Bill. You did a very noble job of caring for him during his long last illness. We all commend you for it.

Our best wishes to you and the family for the Christmas holidays. Our life must go on but we can all remember Bill for the wonderful man he was.

We of the Yuma crew remember him best as a young man on the Yuma as an electrician, fisherman and boss of "Scuttlebutt", our beloved mascot. He trained him, fed him, cared for every need. Seeing that he had his life jacket on at General Quarters and at his battle station on the fantail at all times. He made sure that Scuttlebutt was on every liberty boat and got to swim ashore that last 50 yards before hitting the beach.

Bill had such a great sense of humor and was willing to help any of us at any time no matter what the occasion or need. He was affable, funny, great gift of gab, attentive, willing and an all around great shipmate with our own "band of brothers".

We were together from the time we commissioned the ship in 1943 until after the war was over. We were both held over to train the new crew after the war and after most everyone of the original "plank owners" who put the ship into commission, had gone home to be discharged. We were held over to train the new bunch until the skipper released us after the war in 1946.

I personally will never forget Bill not only the time we spent together aboard ship but the time Lora and I visited at your home in Astoria, 2002.

Diane, "Thanks for the memories". Bill was a great shipmate who has now passed over the bar.

We shall not forget.

Leon Emerson