Celebrating the life of William Francis Hellstern, GM2C
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Obituary for William Francis Hellstern, GM2C
William, age 20 at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii perished on the 7th of December 1941, USS Oklahoma was sunk by several torpedoes during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
Torpedoes from torpedo bomber airplanes hit the Oklahoma's hull and the ship capsized. Survivors jumped off the ship 50 feet (15 m) into burning hot water or crawled across mooring lines that connected Oklahoma and Maryland. Some sailors inside escaped when rescuers drilled holes and opened hatches to rescue them. A total of 429 crew died when she capsized and sank in Battleship Row.
William is survived by his nephew, Ted Hummell of Castle Rock, Colorado as well as Ted's children. His sister, Jeanne Hummell, passed in 2009 and at her request Bill will be laid to rest with her at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Wheat Ridge, Colorado.
