WWII WW2 Merchant Marine

Joe Camperson - Skipper

Joe Camperson lived in an orphanage for eleven years. After graduating at the age of 17, he had several jobs before joining the Merchant Marine shortly after his eighteen birthday. “It was while I was in the Merchant Marine that I earned enough money to go to college. I am forever indebted to them for making this possible." Joe graduated from the University of Pennsylvania. After serving in the Army, He embarked on a career in sales and advertising. He and our past Skipper, Al D'Agostino, who was Senior Vice President of Operations, worked together at Sky Chefs, then a subsidiary of American Airlines. Joe was the Director of Communications. When Al committed to saving the stories of Merchant Seaman in WWII, Joe volunteered to help. He edited several stories and solicited material from the families of seamen who had served during the war. It is interesting to note that he wrote the poem, "We Were There," which appears in the book. He tells how he woke up early one morning, went to the computer and wrote what came to him. Afterwards, he went back to bed. When he awoke the next morning and did more work on it, he could not believe the result. Joe says, "The contribution of these brave sailors has not been realized. I am moved when I attend the meetings and look around at the ever decreasing attendance. They were there, they served, and they deserved what they were promised. People have no idea of the magnificent bravery of these men."

Willard Byrd - First Mate (deceased 10/25/2011)

Willard Byrd joined our chapter in 1997 and became our First Mate in 2002. He also belongs to the American Legion. He joined the Maritime Service in May 1944 and served in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean that same year. The last 7 months of the war was spent in the Pacific supplying the Navy with ammunition for the invasion of the islands. He married Mildred Rowland Byrd in 1951 and made his home in Texas after marrying. Since he's from Virginia he will tell you he's the only "Virgin" in his family.

R. Nelson Smith - Second Mate

Nelson Smith joined the chapter in 2005 and was elected an officer in 2006. He was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He has three grown children, five grand-children and one great grand-child. He also belongs to the Dallas Veterans Day Parade committee and the American Legion. After serving in the Merchant Marine he joined the Texas Air National Guard 181st Fighter Squadron for five years. He retired from Nelson’s Service who sold and serviced Little Beaver earth drills in 2009.

John McSpadden - Chaplain

John spent the waning months of World War II delivering supplies to troops. The 17-year-old merchant mariner's first shipment was 125,000 barrels of Navy oil destined for the South Pacific. The T-2 tanker he was on was in harm’s way as they moved from the Gulf of Mexico through the Panama Canal out to the War Front in the Pacific since the enemy always tried to destroy vital supplies first. John joined the Merchant Marine when he was 17 and completed his required time in 1946. He has been a member of the SS Stephen Hopkins Chapter since 1989. The chapter was about 7-months old when he joined and John has held various positions from Skipper to Purser to his current position as Chaplain. He is also the AMMV National Chairman of the Nominating Committee. John and his wife, Jimmie, were married in 1948 and have been blessed with two children, nine grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren, of which 12 are boys.

Udell Bell - Director

I grew up in Vashti, Texas in 1927, the nearest large town was Wichita Falls. My older brother joined the Air Force and my brother-in-law was in the Marines. They both talked me into the Merchant Marines; they said that I could make more money and if I didn’t like it I could get out and join the service. So after I graduated from high school in Bellevue, TX, I joined the Merchant Marine at the age of 17. In January 1945, I was sent to St. Petersburg, FL for six weeks of training. I trained on the American Sailor and in March 1945, I was assigned as a Fireman aboard the S.S. Oklahoma. After one voyage, I was transferred to Ft. Mason (San Francisco), where I was assigned to Army transport vessels. These included the S.S. Shawnee, the General Autman, and the General Rhea. I finished my service in February 1947 and returned to Wichita Falls and married my high school sweetheart, Patsy, We have two daughters and four grandchildren who all live near us. In 1966 I opened my own business, The Bedroom Shop, where we make mattresses, and I have five retail stores.

Allen Holt - Director

Allen Holt is one of our directors has been a member of our chapter for a number of years. After moving away for a few years he returned in 2005 and became a director shortly thereafter. He’s 89 years old and joined the Merchant Marines in April of 1942 as an ordinary seaman and got out in May of 1946 as Second Mate. He spent most of the time on the North Atlantic. The ship he was on during the Invasion of Normandy was confiscated by the English so he was in the English Merchant Navy for 8 months shuttling back and forth from England to Belgium during the invasion.

Jay Seals - Director

I joined the Merchant Marine in Denton, Texas in November 1944. I was put on a train to St. Petersburg, Florida and I made it through training just fine, being used to strong discipline at home. After training, I was put on a tanker for Aruba, when we arrived the harbor was on fire from a sunken tanker. In a day or two we went in and loaded, then sailed back up the coast to Charleston, South Carolina. Later, I was on two Liberty ships and more tankers. After sailing to Le Harve, France, in August, 1945, I came home and received my discharge. I was shocked to learn we did not qualify for benefits as the other services. I married Fondell Shearer in November 1947, the luckiest day of my life. We had a daughter born in 1950, Barbara, and a son born in 1954, Donald. They are parents of three girls and two boys. I worked at LTV Aircraft for 30 years and retired to my first love, horses and cattle. We now live in Grapevine, Texas and are retired.

Mike Pixler - Purser

Mike Pixler has been a member of our chapter since 2006 and was elected Purser in 2010. He’s also a member of the American Legion. He was in the 82nd Airborne Division, 18th Airborne Corp from 1972 – 1993. Mike was born and raised in Fort Worth but chose to live near Granbury. He has two children: Michael Jr. and Michelle, and two grandchildren – Malania and Madux, and six dogs. Even though he did not serve during WWII, his father and uncle were Merchant Mariners and Mike has continued his support with our chapter even after his father passed away in 2009.

Barbara D'Agostino - Recording Secretary

Barbara D’Agostino has been the official chapter secretary since 2007. She is a grandmother of six, originally from New York State and has lived in Texas since 1979. She volunteers as a Eucharistic Minister for St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, active in the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary; as well as manning the reception desk for the KWVA General Walton Chapter 215.