FLOSSIE DIMOND'S SCRAPBOOK

Submitted by her grandson, Jim Dimond
Presentation by Carl Fahnestock

John Nelson Dimond was born on November 19, 1925

John was the seventh sibling of eight children born to Mrs. Flossie Dimond of Charlotte, Michigan. John's father (Walter Dimond) passed away from heart failure in 1927 at age 37 when John was 2 years old. Flossie is remembered as being a strong woman as she remained a single parent with eight children throughout the depression and World War II era.

Flossie and James Walter Dimond

Details of John's life while serving aboard USS Indianapolis were captured and stored in a scrapbook that Flossie created as a memorial to her son. The scrapbook remained in the family following Flossie's death. Her grandson, Jim Dimond, (son of John's younger brother, James Dimond, Sr) electronically scanned photos of the scrapbook's contents and generously donated them for publication of this document on the Project888.org website.

A dedication page to her son John was handwritten by Flossie to open the collection of precious memories that she stored in the scrapbook.

Page 2 in the scrapbook provides a collection of historical details that give the reader an insight into the mixed emotions that Flossie certainly must have experienced with the untimely death of her son. A snapshot of John smiling in front of his home (in uniform and upon his brief return home from Boot Camp) provided a pleasant memory for Flossie. However, the picture is surrounded by other reminders of the trauma and sorrow that she must have felt. (e.g. Postage Stamps picturing FDR, sailors, Iwo-Jima and a copy of a mother's poem: God's Honor Roll).

A Boot Camp photo of her son was placed in her Scrapbook:

During one of his visits home while on leave, he brought along a New Testament Bible that he had received at his Boot Camp in Camp Hill, Farragut, Idaho. This bible (now in the possession of her grandson) includes a message on page two from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. Given that John's active duty enlistment entry date was January 28, 1944; the FDR message provides an inspiring look at FDR's spiritual and encouraging efforts that were extended to young men and women who were just beginning their military service in a war that had been ongoing for over two years.

Flossie's love for her son (and his mutual love for her) was evidenced in a handwritten two page letter she received from John in April 1945 within days of his being wounded during the March 31, 1945 Okinawa kamikaze attack on USS Indianapolis. As a result of his being wounded, he received a Purple Heart. This would be the first of two Purple Hearts that he would ultimately receive. The second Purple Heart was awarded posthumously following the July 30, 1945 sinking of Indianapolis.

While Flossie was advised by her son to "Please Don't Worry", she nevertheless had a lot to worry about. At the time of her receipt of John's letter (through which she learned that he had been wounded and was on a Hospital Ship); she simultaneously had four other sons who were also serving in the military:
Clyde    -   a Coxwain who was wounded and served in Pacific onboard USS Rutherford Hayes (APA-20)
Allison  -   a Private who served in Europe
Artie     -   a Private First Class who served in China-Burma
James    -   a Seaman 1/c who served at Port Chicago, California
Notwithstanding Flossie's receipt of John's April 6, 1945 letter to her which included his advisement: "Please Don't Worry"; she also received an April 10th letter from Father Thomas Conway (Chaplain, USS Indianapolis) which gave her an uplifting message that John had "responded very well to treatment and that he was transferred to a Hospital Ship the same day and the Doctor feels he should be alright in a few weeks".

Father Conway's April 10, 1945 letter to Mrs. Dimond:

However, on April 20, 1945, Mrs. Dimond received a Telegram from the United States Navy which advised her that John's condition was described as "PROGNOSIS SERIOUS"!

Then, on May 25, 1945, Mrs. Dimond received a letter from Lt. McNicol which advised her that "It is hoped that you may find comfort in the knowledge that the very best medical care is being provided for your son and that everything possible will be done to hasten his recovery":

Finally, one month later, on June 22, 1945, Mrs. Dimond received a second (yet "identical") letter from Lt. McNicol. It had been almost three months since John had been wounded at Okinawa on March 31, 1945.
This follow-up letter provided no new or additional information about John's condition:

Flossie's Scrapbook contained three telegrams which she received after the July 30, 1945 sinking of USS Indianapolis. Collectively, these telegrams paint a picture of the emotional stress and anxiety (Down, Up and Down) that Flossie must have experienced when she received each telegram.

The first telegram, dated August 12, 1945, advised her that John had been "Missing In Action" on July 3rd. Flossie, however, knew that John had been home on leave from June 11th until his return to San Francisco on July 2nd. Then, on July 3rd and 4th, he was visiting with his brother (James Dimon S1/c) at Port Chicago, California. So, she knew that he could NOT have been "Missing In Action" on July 3rd. In her mind, she must have concluded that there had been a mistake and that her son was certainly not missing!

Here is that first of the three telegrams that she received on her emotional Roller Coaster experience:

Two days later, in an apparent effort to ease her own mind and confirm what she expected was an administrative error; Flossie personally sent a wire to the Navy to share that her son could not have been "Missing" on July 3rd.
In return, she received an August 14th Western Union Telegram that acknowledged that they had received her wire, but that there had been an error in the August 12th telegram. The telegram advised her that the "correct" date for John's "Missing In Action" status was as of July 30th (not July 3rd).

Finally, a month later, on September 17th, Mrs. Dimond received a 3rd telegram which advised her that "there is no hope for John's survival and that he lost his life as a result of enemy action on July 30, 1945 while in the service of his country".

Other Miscellaneous Scrap Book articles and pictures in FLOSSIE'S SCRAPBOOK:

In closure to FLOSSIE'S SCRAPBOOK, she included a copy of a four page Memorial Tribute Booklet that was printed for John Nelson Dimon's "Tribute of Honor" memorial service which was held in Charlotte Michigan on October 7, 1945.

It is noteworthy to remark that the details of the Tribute of Honor document were collected, prepared and printed in a very brief period of time from September 17th to October 7th, 1945.

In particular, John's Biographical Sketch (pages 3 and 4) contains very accurate and extensive detail that would have been very challenging for Flossie and her family to assemble and replicate in the short time required to prepare for John's memorial service.

But, Flossie Dimond was a very dedicated and determined mother who wanted to honor her son's service to his country and memorialize his ultimate sacrifice!

The Cover Page to the "Tribute of Honor" in Loving Memory of John Nelson Dimond.

Page Two

Page Three

Page Four

On behalf of
The Project 888 USS Indianapolis (CA-35) Committee

We extend our appreciation to Jim Dimond for
his gracious submission of "Flossie's Scrapbook".

and

Special Thanks to Flossie for her
Love and Dedication to her son John!