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The Filmaker
I never knew my Grandfather, MM3C Joseph LaValle. I was a toddler
when he died but my parents told me how much he loved me and
how enamored he was with me. Something must have stuck because
this many years later I am still fascinated by stories about
him and can never get enough from those who knew him. It is
hard enough to get to know someone that is not around any more
but to get a feeling or a sense of the man who was quiet and
reserved while here is almost impossible. I used to sit and
stare at a picture of his ship and try to draw it on every visit
to my Grandmother's. I loved it there and still do. I finally
moved past the view from afar this year when I got in touch
with a great person named Nate Cook. Nate served with my Grandfather
on the ship and has been the torchbearer of the ship's history.
He was instrumental in getting me involved.
Why The Project?
When I got in touch with Nate it opened a whole new world to
me that until that time, was simply a drawing on the wall and
a few meager written histories on the ship. I was at first interested
in finding someone who might have known my Grandfather on the
ship and may have been able to tell me about him and his service.
I circulated a picture to several shipmates that Nate put me
in contact with. I was not very successful. It seems my Grandfather
was as quiet and reserved on the ship as on land. But it did
get me fired up. The more I learned and researched the more
I came to realize that no one would ever take on the history
of this ship in the media I wanted to. Everything on the ship
was written, and in pictures. This serves academics and intellectuals
well but what about us bubble gum, self proclaimed historians?
I am a big fan of the documentary. It can tell a very thorough
story and add visuals that might keep a person's interest who
otherwise might not care. I wanted to do a project that would
give a clear understanding of the ship, the crew, and their
actions.
My Resources and the project format
It is clear to see from this site that a good deal of my resources
will be coming from domeisland.com and Nate Cook. The script
and other info will come directly from Nate Cook's personal,
first person account at http://www.domeisland.com/fletcherclass/ussnewcomb/
. Nate was also kind enough to give me the ship's log on disc
and another disc full of great material, written and visual,
that he has compiled over the years. I have been able to acquire
various other media but footage of the Newcomb is rare and will
have to be represented by reasonable facsimilies. I attended
the ship's last reunion in Oct 2004 and did some interviews
and plan on going to Pennsylvania and Louisville to do a few
more. I will also be doing some of my own graphics using Flash
animation and hope to possibly do a few 3D animations as well
so that a clear picture of the battle on April 6, 1945 can be
obtained. The format of the project will be documentary style
with footage of the Newcomb and comparable ships, photos, and
interviews as well as graphics that will help give a clearer
picture of the events that helped shape the 586's history. A
narrator will accompany the material but a lot of the description
will be left up to the men themselves.
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