The “Lucky” Hat

[RobesonsRme.com]

Attended funeral services today for Joseph Walter Stone, a ninety-four year old WWII Navy vet and the father of a good friend.

Heard this story for the first time:

The thirteen men in the photo below were all high school classmates at Woodlawn High School in Birmingham.

After Pearl Harbor was attacked and they graduated high school in 1943, they each enlisted, over time, in various branches of service; Navy, USMC, Army and Army Air Corps.

Mr. Stone is the individual over who they are holding the hat. The man to his immediate left was the first to leave. He departed Birmingham for The Great Lakes Naval Training Station. As they were bidding him goodbye at the train station, he stated that he had forgotten his hat. Mr Stone removed his hat, put it on his head and told him to just send it back to his parents when he was settled in at Great Lakes.

He sent it back, but he had written his name on the hat.

In turn, the other twelve men all wore the hat to their various training stations. They all wrote their names on the hat.

All thirteen men returned safely from the war.

Korea came and went without the hat being used, but when the sons of these men started shipping out for service during Vietnam, their fathers insisted they wear the hat to their initial training camps, put their names on the hat and send it back.

Fourteen men did that. They all returned home safely.

Then, the grandsons of the original thirteen started off to serve in Desert Storm and subsequent post 9/11 conflicts.

In all, somewhere between thirty-five and forty men have worn the hat, signed it and sent it back to Mr Stone.

All have come home safely.

The thirteen men remained fast friends throughout their lives.

Mr. Stone’s brother, Robert, who I met today, is the last man living of the original thirteen.

The photo is from a newspaper article published in the 1950’s.

[steve99f]

What are the chances? Great story! I hope the hat and the story are preserved.

[Quick Steel]

A fine story and what blessed friends and families.

[RobesonsRme.com]

The hat is hanging on a hook at Mr. Stone’s home.

His ninety-two year old wife of seventy-one years is still living, but debilitated and in a wheelchair.

I may actually get to see the hat at church tomorrow.

If so or when I do, I will photograph it and post here.

Mr. Stone was diagnosed with liver cancer a week ago yesterday, May 31st and passed away, at home, on June 6th, D-Day.

Charlie

[Tony_Wood]

I’ll be back here looking for a pic of the hat.

Great story.

[Doc B]

Enjoyed the story, Charlie.

[FRJ]

A terrific story, Charlie. Thank you.

[bighomer]

Great story and one lucky hat. thanks for posting.

[RobesonsRme.com]

THE HAT:


Photos should expand and turn upright with a left mouse click.

It was an absolute pleasure to hold it in my hands.

Charlie

[RobesonsRme.com]

Due to a misunderstanding of the facts and dates, I have amended the original post to reflect that these men did not enter service until after HS graduation in May of 1943. My error.

They were too young in 1941.

Charlie

[jerryd6818]

Ain't that some "stuff". A super cool story for the ages. They should make a movie. They could call it "The Hat".

[zoogirl]

I agree about the movie idea. Even if it doesn’t get taken up as a Hollywood movie, it would be a great short documentary.
Holding it must have felt like a real honour.
I’m sorry for the loss of your friends father.

[Tony_Wood]

I can back to see it, as promised!
What a great story. What a neat hat. Definitely needs to be kept up with for preservation purposes.
At the very least, a book could be written.
Thanks for posting.

[RobesonsRme.com]

I was amazed at how well-made and heavy the hat is.

It even had an inner lining.

Nobody makes them like that anymore.

I wish I could just find a plain one in an antiques store or flea market; one that fits, of course.

Charlie.