USS-312 in New Orleans

The photo above is an image from the late Richard 'Dick' B. Hudson (Wilmington, Delaware).  Dick said that he had originally received this from John Rees (Louisville, OH) at a previous reunion.  On the back of the photo he wrote," LST-312 unanchored in New Orleans, waiting to go into dry-dock, 1945"

I came back from Columbia, SC this past Sunday with my uncle Patillo Ainsworth Finlayson's footlocker.  Pat had wanted my brother and I to have it after he died.  It meant a lot to Uncle Pat that I took interest in his story.  He told me several times over the past few years how much he appreciated being able to share his story before he died.  I was honored to do it.

The footlocker is filled with memorabilia from his years spent aboard USS LST-312 during WWII, his service in 1947 in Orlando Florida, as well as documentation from his years as base historian for Warner Robins Air Force Base.  It also had some information of his older brother James Murdoch Finlayson, and plenty of old Cheraw related letters.  I spent the majority of Labor Day going through information trying to find someway to organize it.  I am far from finished.

I will be posting more about LST-312 in future blog posts (as well as other subjects).  I sorted through many-many letters from fellow shipmates that were primarily posted between 1980 to 2003.  Uncle Pat corresponded with many of his old war buddies, and went to as many reunions as he could.  As I scanned many of these letters, I realize that almost all of them are gone...maybe all of them.  It's going to take me a long time to read all of them and gleam from them more of the story of the 312.  I can tell you something they all shared in common, they loved each other and were proud of their service aboard the 312.