PHOTO

Upper Des Moines News   Oct. 1976        <click here>

King George reviewing the survivors         <click here>

It was not until I web searched the artist of a print of Tuscania's sinking that my father always had with him throughout his MSTS ( Military Sea Transport Service) career in the Pacific that I learned about his father, my grandfather- Sam Hethershaw's role in this World War I event. Thank you for the outstanding information that has been provided on this website. Recently I gave photos of my grandfather Sam Hethershaw, news stories from the local Iowa newspaper, and the print of Tuscania's sinking, as well as a photo my grandfather kept of King George reviewing the survivors of this event to the Swea City Historical Museum. Such an amazing story. I was also pleasantly surprised to learn that Harry Truman, of Mt St Helen's fame, was a shipmate of my grandfather, survived the sinking...and went on to live a forceful life in Oregon. (Mt. St Helen's has been a favorite destination since it's eruption...and of course I was so surprised to read of his part in WWI)

I learned from my father that my grandfather dropped the "a" in Heathershaw-- long ago.....

Cheree Hethershaw
September 11, 2007

Samuel Heathershaw - Swea City, Iowa.

Army Rank: Private (1918).

Assigned Unit: 158^th Aero Squadron

Army Serial Number:

Inducted:

Promoted:

Army Discharge: 1919

Remarks:  Overseas Jan. 24, 1918 – 1919

Torpedoed on the Transport Tuscania Feb. 5, 1918

Surname in some documents as "Hethershaw"

Wife: Faye Wenzel – married 1920 Swea City, IA

Wife: Lela Dolley – married 1934 Sioux Falls, SD

Fathers Name: William Heathershaw

Mothers Name:

Occupation: Barber (56 years) & Musician

Born: March 18, 1900 Swea City, Iowa

Died: Oct. 16, 1976 Swea City, Iowa – (age 76)

Fairmont Community Hospital (Pneumonia)

Cemetery: Harrison Twp. Cemetery, Iowa

Funeral Services: Swea City United Methodist Church

Plot: