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Contact Info
Home Town Buffalo, New york
Last Address Brooksville, Florida
Date of Passing Jul 03, 2002
Location of Interment Forest Lawn Cemetery - Buffalo, New York
Clarence "Bill" Abendschein had entered the US Navy at age 16, with a forged birth certificate. I knew him as "Uncle Bill". Not a blood relative, but instead he was a local neighbor who my parents selected as my Godfather.
He entertained me at a young age with stories of his Navy flying. I picked up snippets here and there as I grew older, and I just wish I had more details now. I missed out on getting to know him better while I was an adult, as he moved to Florida after his retirement from the Niagara Mohawk Power Company, where he worked as a "Lineman" and "Line Crew Foreman".
With my growing interest in Navy history, I feel I cheated myself out of a great learning opportunity by not keeping in better contact with him after he moved to Florida. I cherish the interest the man took in me. This sight gives me a small chance to honor him.
AW1 Carl Mottern, USNR, RET
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Other Comments:
Last Duty Station: Naval Air Reserve Unit Niagara Falls NY
1943-1943, AD-0000, NATTC (Staff) Memphis, Naval Air Technical Training Command (Staff)
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Worst Moment Getting hurt falling off a firetruck on the way to battle forrest fires at Shelby State Park.
Other Memories He told the tale of the local Congressman "Krupp", who allocated land for the base. The old saying was "Join Krupps Navy and you'll never go to sea!".