On 10 March 2021, Tammi Johnson from Project USS Strong DD467 contacted the South Pacific WWII Museum.
Tammi, a long-time supporter, had a personal connection to the USS Strong – her great-uncle, Ensign Billy Clay Hendrick Jr., was lost when the ship sank in the Solomon Sea on 5 July 1943.
After learning about her plan to place a memorial plaque on the wreck of the *Strong*, Covid restrictions complicated matters, forcing Tammi to find an alternative way to honour the crew.
Tammi worked with Museum Project Manager Jimmy Carter to find the right location for the plaque, eventually deciding that the museum would be the ideal home. The *Strong* had made its final stop at Base Button, Santo, before its fateful mission. The plaque would be well-protected here, preserving the memory of the 46 crew members who lost their lives.
In May, Jimmy and Museum Chairman Bradley Wood worked on finding materials for the memorial. After scavenging at a shipyard, they found an old ship door and frame, which would serve as the perfect mounting base. Thanks to Andrew Hibgame from RecycleCorp, the door was cut and transported to the museum for assembly.
At the 81st anniversary of the *Strong*’s sinking, the plaque and memorial were ready for the commemoration. The simple yet moving ceremony was led by Father Kami Huri and attended by locals, expats, and museum representatives. Tammi spoke on behalf of the Strong families, and the museum proudly became part of the USS *Strong*’s legacy by hosting this important memorial.
The memorial is situated in our new exhibit space where a short video built into the ship’s door will tell you more about the USS Strong.
A more detailed account of the story of the memorial can be found in the July 2024 issue of our newsletter, that you can find on our website here.
