William Garnett Christian |
USS West Virginia |
William Garnett Christian was born in Bluefield, West Virginia on October 30, 1916. His family moved to Harriman, Tennessee where he was raised. Garnett is the name that he went by. Garnett went into the Navy in 1935. He was a Baker Second Class aboard the USS West Virginia on December 7, 1941. Garnett's family was told that he was in the mess hall preparing food when the ship was hit that morning. He had a wife and a four year old son and the last time he saw them was on January 20, 1941. In a letter to his mother dated November 29th,1941, he wrote: "the ship was supposed to have gone back to the states three times, but something always happened to keep us from going". This was the last letter that he wrote to his mother before he died on December 7th. He was due to get out of the Navy in February, 1942, just 3 months after he died. Garnett was 25 years old when he died. I will send a picture of Garnett at a later date. I just want to see some information under his name--my daughter said when she pulled up his name, "it looked so empty, and her first thought was that it was saying 'someone tell them something about me'". I understood what she meant when I got to his name and the way I feel as I pull up all the names with nothing on them, especially the ones that died on December 7, 1941. Garnett's sister, Jenny says that he was a fun person to be around, always joking, a little mischievous. He played the guitar and sang. Information provided by Garnett's Niece, Sheila Christian Blais. On October 26, 1999, I had a little boy whom I named Michael Garnett in honor of my Great Uncle, William Garnett Christian. Michael was actually due on Garnett's birth date, but he came a few days early (My husband and I had decided upon the name Michael Garnett before we ever knew that information). I also later learned that Michael, the archangel, is the patron saint of soldiers at war. Although I never met my Great Uncle, I feel as if he has let us know that he is watching and approves! Information provided by Garnett's Great-Niece, Michelle Blais Benton |
