USS DeHaven DD-469
Message Board

2.
Nov. 13, 2021

My father, John L. Bibbo, was on the DeHaven when it sank. I was wondering if there is any information on him? He was from Brockton, MA.

Thank you,
Michelle Grady
 
Reply 1
Nov. 16, 2021

He was a survivor from DeHaven. Here is the information I have on him.
Service number ### ## ###
Seaman 2nd Class, U.S.N.
Enlisted Aug. 7, 1942.
Joined DeHaven DD-468 from receiving station, Boston, MA on Sept. 26, 1942 as an Apprentice Seaman.

I hope this helps,
Michael W. Pocock
Webmaster
 
1.
May 11, 2020

Thanks for your website on the USS DeHaven, a big help. My maternal uncle Gilbert Vieira was on that ship and have had conflicting  info over the years. My late mother (Gilbert's older sister) had all  the stuff the Gov. sent along with another brothers things who was KIA in the Navy. Infamous for throwing things out, my younger brother said he last saw them after left home in 1958. Anyway on family papers it shows his death date as 12 Feb 1944. Mom had told me the ship sank near Kwajalein Island, so got a lot of misinformation.

On a side bar. Checking on the corectnest of things on Ancestry found they had two listings for Gilbert both giving same date of 2 Feb 1944, but dying in different places. One in the Marshall Islands the other (and unbelievible) at Ft. William McKinley, Manila, PI. Know a lot of things on that site are wrong I often find errors, wrong mother listed, grandson and grandfather born the same year, etc.

Ron Hollerand
Reply 1
May 11, 2020

The inconsistency in the date of death is caused by the way the Navy records deaths. His body was not recovered and therefore he is officially listed as Missing in Action. Since his body was not recovered his date of death is officially listed as Feb. 2, 1944. Casualties are declared dead one year and one day after they went missing. Secondary sources often use the "official" date of death given by the Navy. The reference to Fort William McKinley refers to the location of the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial where his name is inscribed on the tablets of the missing, not to where he died.

Michael W. Pocock
Webmaster
 


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Page published Oct. 23, 2015