March 19, 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the bombing of the USS Franklin (CV-13) aircraft carrier near the coast of Japan during WWII. This anniversary was observed during the latest Franklin reunion that was held in Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, fabulously organized and hosted by Susan and Darren Hamm. This also marked the final Franklin reunion that we will film for the documentary.
A memorial ceremony was held for reunion attendees on the morning of March 19 on the USS Yorktown of the Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum.
In the first photo below, Tim O’Laughlin and Caleb McLaughlin of the film crew prepare to record the memorial ceremony. The event began with the presentation of the colors by a local Air Force color guard (2nd photo). Following the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Susan Hamm, Chaplain Baron Miller, USN, from Joint Base Charleston, offered words of remembrance (3rd photo) to honor those who fell on March 19, 1945. A wreath was then laid upon the sea by Franklin veteran Walt Gallagher and honorary Franklin shipmate Captain Gary Schnurrpusch, USN (Ret.) (5th photo). Bugler David Rainville concluded the ceremony with Taps, performed on an authentic WWII-era bugle (4th photo).
The first speaker in the program following the memorial ceremony was Sal Gonzalez of the Wounded Warrior Project. A Marine veteran who was wounded in Iraq in 2003 and ultimately lost his leg, Sal shared his personal story of resilience and recovery. He reflected on the sacrifices made by the crew of the Franklin 80 years earlier and honored the service of all veterans, past and present. He wrapped up by performing an original composition that he has recorded, the song Heroes.
The final speaker in the program was Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina (photos below). She honored the crewmen of the Franklin and spoke about her continued support for all veterans. After her remarks, she stayed for a while to meet with reunion attendees and graciously posed for photos with them.
After the ceremony, lunch was served, and reunion attendees had the afternoon free to explore the exhibits aboard the USS Yorktown, including the Franklin exhibit located on the hangar deck.
The 8 o’clock report was held the following morning, on March 20. The colors were presented by Boy Scouts Adam and Jack Leon, grandsons of USS Franklin veteran Jack Hensel. Before reading the names, Captain Gary Schnurrpusch, USN (Ret.), explained the origins of the tradition—how, aboard Navy ships, the Eight O’Clock Reports are nightly status briefings delivered to the commanding officer. At reunions, this formal ritual has been transformed into a moment of remembrance, carrying forward its spirit of devotion to service, honor, and tradition for those who served.
Gary and Franklin veteran Walt Gallagher then led the tribute to Franklin crew members who have passed away since the last reunion, held in 2023 in Corpus Christi. As each name was read aloud, a small ship’s bell was rung in their memory—a moving and time-honored way to honor the fallen.
In addition to filming aboard the Yorktown and at other reunion events, we also conducted one-on-one interviews in a hotel suite. Tim O’Laughlin (director of photography) and Zach Noblitt (sound mixer) returned as part of the crew, as they have in previous years. Caleb McLaughlin (camera operator) also rejoined us after a three-year hiatus. I was grateful to have all three of them present for what will be the final reunion we film for the documentary.
Walt Gallagher sat down with us for another interview (3rd photo below)—his fourth, I believe—and each time, we’ve learned something new from him. He told a story about the voyage from Ulithi to Pearl Harbor on the USS Oneida (APA-221), and something that happened in transit on April 1, 1945 that resulted in a late-night call to General Quarters. This really shook the guys from the Franklin who had already been through so much. (Fitting that we are at the 80th anniversary of that event as I write this.) I quickly checked the deck logs at the end of his interview and it was all there in black and white — his memory was spot on!
Barb Evans (4th photo) spoke movingly about visiting her uncle, Franklin veteran Jack Hensel, during the final year of his life, and the conversations they shared about his time aboard the ship. Richard Kirkman (5th photo, by Caleb) joined us for his first Franklin reunion and offered a wonderful interview, along with a collection of Franklin memorabilia that had belonged to his father, shipmate Robert Kirkman. And Elaine and Ken Young (6th photo) returned for another interview as well, which felt especially fitting—production on this film began with them in 2018, shortly after their father, Franklin shipmate Ray Bailey, passed away.
We also conducted interviews during the buffet dinner held on the evening of March 20. Among those we spoke with were Rose Stone, great-granddaughter of Franklin veteran Paul Dalton (2nd photo below), and Gary Schnurrpusch (not pictured).
Our final interview of the reunion—and the last of all the Franklin reunion interviews we will film—was with Kathy Dalton Uecker, daughter of Franklin crew member Paul Dalton and grandmother of Rose Stone, whom we interviewed the evening before. We filmed this interview on the morning of March 21, the final day of the reunion. It felt especially meaningful to end with Kathy, as I’ve hoped for a one-on-one interview with her for years. It was a fitting and memorable way to conclude this chapter of the project.
Afterward, we packed up the gear, restored the hotel suite, and returned the rented equipment. Then, as a crew, we went to the beach for a celebratory lunch and a quiet stroll along the water’s edge—marking the end of our final Franklin reunion together as a documentary team.
I want to thank all the interviewees and reunion attendees—at this gathering and at every reunion we’ve filmed since Nashville in 2019—for your generosity and patience. I know I’ve intruded on your reunions with cameras and microphones, and I’ve asked you to do something that’s not easy: to sit in front of a lens and speak openly about deeply personal experiences. And yet, you’ve welcomed me and the film crew with kindness and trust—into your reunion spaces, your homes, and your stories.
As we move from the production phase into post-production, I carry that trust with me. I will do my best to make a film that is worthy of your time, your memories, and the emotion you’ve so generously shared.
The next time we come together, I hope it is for a screening of the finished documentary. Until then, thank you for letting us be part of something so meaningful.