Back in a blog written in November of 2013 I introduced you to Stephen Harding, senior editor of Military History magazine and author of the best-selling book The Last Battle.  One review on Amazon.com says this about Steve and his career writing about military topics:

“As a defense journalist Stephen Harding covered the conflicts in Northern Ireland, the Middle East and, most recently, Iraq. The author of seven (now eight) books and some 300 magazine articles, he specializes in military, aviation and maritime topics.” 

Steve is a war veteran himself.  When he writes, he does so from the perspective of someone who has been there.   In the blog I related that Steve was preparing to write a book about the DD 467 and Hugh Barr Miller, Jr.'s ordeal on Arundel Island.  Before he could begin work on this book, he had another book commitment.  He recently turned in the finished manuscript for the book he wrote telling the story of Anthony Marchione, the last American military man to die after the accords were signed with Japan in August of 1945.  This book will be released in August of 2015, on the 70th anniversary of the death of Tony Marchione.  Now finally, he is busy pulling together the story of STRONG and Miller, set for release some time in 2016.  It seems though, that The Last Battle, released in May of 2013 is enjoying a deserved second wind. 

Within a few short weeks of its release, The Last Battle ended up on the New York Times best-seller list.  Concurrent with Steve writing the book, a screenplay was developed for the story by Bryce Zabel, an accomplished screenwriter from Los Angeles, responsible for many television and movie projects.  For more information about Bryce and his work click here: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0007233/

Shortly after the screenplay for The Last Battle was developed, the rights were optioned for a major motion picture.  More than a few “major players” in Hollywood have had the script in hand (I wish I could reveal some of these folks, but until one of them steps up with a commitment, I must stay mum) and there has been an increase in these discussions lately.  Also, as part of the promotion for the book last year, Steve gave a number of interviews with various radio stations and these are available on line.  Recently these interviews are being rerun by these stations and it has caused an uptick in sales of The Last Battle, bringing the story of Jack Lee and the allied forces, the castle Schloss Itter and the French honor prisoners back into the public eye.  I asked Steve about the impact of these types of interviews and got a nice quote to share with you.  According to Steve, "Doing interviews with national media outlets—whether radio, TV or print—does two things for an author. First, of course, it makes people aware of the book. But I think, more importantly, it allows the author to explain why he or she wrote the book in the first place— to explain what drew the author to the story. The author can also tell prospective readers about the researching and writing of the book, which is a part of the process most readers won't hear about except in an interview."

There is no doubt in my mind that the story of The Last Battle will have its day in front of a camera with a major director giving it life.  I've discussed this with Steve many times, and while he's very hopeful and genuinely pleased at the response to his work, he is not worried in the least if it doesn't happen.  He loves telling the stories that no one has heard before, such as the story of STRONG.  Everyone knows about Iwo Jima, Pearl Harbor and the Battle of the Bulge.  Bringing the little known or never told stories to life is a mission he takes very seriously, as there are ordinary heros in our own families that never got the respect and honor they should have after surviving (or not surviving) tragic circumstances. 

These past interviews give the public an idea of what to expect from the books, and they can give us a taste of things to come, and things to hope for when we think of telling the story of the men of STRONG and their various experiences.  There will be the same such interviews when it's time for the release of this book he is writing that tells our story.  Because I want us all to understand and know the caliber of the person we are trusting with this story, I'm posting links to some of these interviews for you to watch and listen to.  Please click and enjoy!  And don’t forget to read The Last Battle!

Clay and Marty Show Segment 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnLk7jl6I-Q

Clay and Marty Show Segment 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsQgJOli_YU

Vimeo Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=un2aEXwh720

-Tammi

In honoring STRONG DD 467, I cannot omit the contributions of the men and families of the DD 758.  I can’t help but realize that if the second STRONG had never been commissioned that I may not be doing this at all.  The men of the original STRONG felt strongly enough about the ship, her crew and command that they wanted to all serve together again.  If their efforts had failed, this joint organization would not exist and the men who were later scattered throughout the fleets after being assigned to other ships may have let the memories of their time on the DD 467 scatter to the wind as well.  These folks and the joint organization they manage have kept the memory of the DD 467 alive over the decades, and enough cannot be said about their congeniality, their companionship and willingness to share information and memories.  To this end, it's time to give them a little space in print.

STRONG the 2nd, or the DD 758 came about because the surviving men of the 467 couldn't stand the thought of losing their ship forever.  Within a few days of the sinking of the 467 they had drawn up a petition requesting a second STRONG be commissioned, in the hopes of being able to serve under Gus Wellings again and with their remaining crew.  Their efforts paid off, and the keel was laid down at Bethlehem Steel in San Francisco (not the original Bath Iron Works in Maine) on July 25th of 1943. A reunion of the original crew was not to be however, as the DD 758 sailed out of dry-dock as an Allen M. Sumner class-destroyer instead of a Fletcher-class on March 8, 1945.  The war effort was winding down as Commander C.M. Howe took charge with none of the original crew aboard, they having been scattered among other ships such as the ST. LOUIS CL-49 and USS STEPHEN POTTER DD-538 over the nearly two year period since the sinking.

After her shakedown cruise near San Diego she ended up at Pearl Harbor, then serving in the Pacific in late May and early June of 1945.  Once Japan surrendered, STRONG served until being mothballed in May of 1947.  Two years later in May 1949 she came back into service, which continued through the Korean War and Viet Nam era.  She was finally decommissioned and struck from the US Navy list on October 31st, 1973.  The government of Brazil purchased the ship and renamed her the RIO GRANDE DE NORTE (D-37).  Brazil decommissioned the ship in December 1995 and sold the ship for scrap.  The men who served on her endeavored to get her back home to the US, but failed.  En route to the European country that intended to break her down for scrap in 1997, she foundered and sank off the coast of South Africa near Durbin – a more fitting end for an iron lady who had served two countries in war and at peace.

For more on the history of the DD 758, check out the Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships, Naval History and Heritage Command:   http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/s19/STRONG-ii.htm  The Destroyer History web site has a photo and more information as well: http://destroyerhistory.org/sumner-gearingclass/0_allnum/

Since the history has been covered completely by others, as usual I am more interested in the human perspective.  To this end, I talked recently with a couple of men who served on the 758 during her early years.  When you come onto a ship like this, a ship built to honor one lost, do the new men realize the importance of the history?  Is there any awareness of the tragedy that occurred previously or was this just some ship you got assigned to?  Those were the types of questions I had, and this is what these men had to say.

Ron Cohen served in relative peace time for the US just prior to the being drawn into the Viet Nam War.  On the ship from 1955-1958, he served as a radioman during his tenure on board.  “I was a radioman striker”, and I asked what a striker was.  “It means you get to try out for it, but when you get aboard the ship you become a radioman.”  As for seeing action while on the 758, he told me,   “We were aboard when Israel and Egypt were fighting, the Sinai War.  I wasn’t picked to go onto the landing parties, we had it set up for certain people from different departments to go. I got lucky and didn’t have to go ashore.”   When I asked him if he had been aware of the history of the 758 and the ship that came before he said, “We didn’t know anything about it at the time.  When I found out there had been a second Strong, I tried to find out as much as I could about the first one, of course it was very difficult.  We didn’t have the internet like we do now.  I didn’t really get into checking on the 467 until my first reunion which was down in Virginia Beach.”  After this reunion, he became more active.  “I got to be real good friends with Jim Merriman”, he tells me and about the STRONG Association, “It’s a close organization.”  Of those I know, I couldn’t agree more. 

 “I knew nothing (about the 467) fresh out of boot camp,” says Bruce “Scotty” Morrison.  Scotty was on the 758 from 1967-1969.  “I took her to Viet Nam.  My rank was sonar technician.”  He manned a 5 inch mount as a fuse setter/sight setter.  In the heat of battle it was possible for the guns to get a round off every 4 seconds.  “When it got hot and heavy in North Viet Nam, we really had to shoot!”  Scotty finally learned about the association in 1995, and very soon joined up.  It was then that he learned of the 467, met some of her men and became involved in helping to preserve the history along with the brotherhood of men from all the years of the 758 that he met. 

Whether they learned of the history of the first STRONG right away or decades later, these men of the 758 and their dedication are the reason I’m able to make this project work.  I want to make sure they know that I know, and that I thank them from the bottom of my heart.   

-Tammi

I want to acknowledge the memories of our sailors, our soldiers and all others in service to our country and military over the past 3 centuries.  Individually my family: my Dad Charles and his service in the Air Force in the Korean War, Uncle Glen for his time in the Army in Viet Nam, my Uncle John who served in the Navy in WW2, my cousin Patrick who was career Air Force and is now retired, my father-in-law Charlie and his service in the Army during the Korean War, my great-aunt Stella, a WAC serving in WW2, and of course my great-uncle Billy who is the focus of this web site and project.   My husband and I will be attending the services at the Lexington Cemetery here tomorrow, something I have come to truly enjoy.  I've met some amazing people with their own stories to share. 

May all of you have a wonderful holiday weekend and enjoy this time with your families remembering the reason for this holiday. 

-Tammi

If this JPEG is too difficult to read, message me through the Contacts form on the Strong Contacts page and I will send you a PDF via email.  Thanks!!!

We have many wonderful museum ships across the country from the east coast, to the west and even in Hawaii.  These ships are aircraft carriers, light cruisers, battleships and one or two Fletcher-class destroyers even.   I believe in keeping these ships alive and active, in maintaining them as repositories of our history at war and using them to educate and inform people, from toddlers to gray haired grannies and grandpas.  This takes visitation and it takes money from tourists who pay the fees to get on board and who purchase items from the gift shops.   So I’d like to focus on a ship every so often, give you an idea of what’s there to be seen and invite you to visit and support them.  You can’t help but be moved emotionally by walking the decks of these amazing ships and walking with the spirits of the men and women who served on them.  To begin, let me introduce you to the USS KIDD DD 661.   

My husband Greg and I visited the USS KIDD DD 661 Museum in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in May of 2011.  I had always envisioned visiting a Fletcher-class destroyer like the one my Uncle Billy was on, and set about trying to locate a suitable ship.  After searching Google I learned there aren’t many left.  The ships that have survived sinking, the scrap yard or sale to foreign countries can be counted on one hand, and only a couple are available for the public to visit.  Of the ships still around, the KIDD is the only ship of its kind and era that is still in close to original condition.  Aside from the repair job she underwent after a kamikaze attack and a very few adornments from the Korean War era she is the same ship launched at the Federal Shipbuilding and Dry-dock Company of Kearny, New Jersey on February 28, 1943.  

KIDD is docked on the Mississippi River there at 305 South River Road, next to the River Center and just a stone’s throw from the Louisiana Old State Capital.  To set up a visit I first contacted then director of the museum, Mr. Maury Drummond, who directed me to his assistant Mary Fish.  It’s already humid and sultry in Baton Rouge in May, but being overcast the day we visited helped keep down the heat.   On an all metal ship, that was a small blessing.  I had explained in advance my reasons for visiting, such as needing to see where Billy worked in the CIC and chartroom area, and to scope out the ship for possible use in a future documentary.  Mary was exceedingly accommodating and gave us VIP access to the ship.  We got into areas most visitors never have access to.  This provided me with an amazing perspective on life aboard the ship while she’s underway, which I needed in order to understand more about my uncle and the last 6 months of his life on STRONG.  The area my uncle and his crew worked in was not much bigger than a large walk in closet.  At full capacity and under battle conditions there might have been 16 men in that space; hot, cramped, loud and unpleasant on the best day.  To orchestrate navigating the ship and executing battle orders under these conditions is unimaginable.  This is what I wanted to see and understand.  This was a necessary step in the journey to bring life back to the STRONG, and give the ship and her men the proper platform for telling their stories. 

We were able to take some amazing photographs that day and I will share some of them with you.  I won’t go into the larger story of KIDD, her battle history and such as someone else has already done that.  Links are posted below.  I heartily encourage any of you who want to feel closer to your sailor to plan a visit to the USS KIDD DD 661, for starters.  The new director is Alexandra Juan, and I’m sure a phone call to her staff there at the museum would insure wonderful experience for you as well (225-342-1942).  

 From there, branch out and visit the many other wonderful floating museums we host in this country.  It’s a shame we don’t have the funds or support to keep every ship in the fleets as repositories of our military history.  But the ones we do have constantly need our support, our visitation, and dollars if you have them.  Knowledge of our history is priceless, maintaining it, not so much.  It’s worth it, and I hope anything that happens as this project goes forward can benefit these ships and their museums.  I believe our sailors would appreciate that.  Just one more way they will always be remembered.

Main web site: http://www.usskidd.com/

History of the ship:  http://www.usskidd.com/hist661.html

Additional info:  http://destroyerhistory.org/destroyers/index.asp?r=7300&pid=7303

List of museum ships: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Museum_ships_in_the_United_States

-Tammi

There were many heroes the night Strong went down, even some not on the ship.  In the wee moments after she was struck by the torpedo on July 5th, 1943, another destroyer captain in DESRON 21 rescued 240 men while taking fire from shore batteries.  It took just around 7 minutes to accomplish this feat before Captain Ephraim McLean had to pull away from the sinking Strong in order not to become a casualty himself.  As it was, Chevalier was damaged when she rammed into Strong in the dark in order to get close enough to rescue the crew.  It didn’t help that in the melee of ships scrambling in the dark to get into position, the USS O’Bannon hit Chevalier causing a surge forward, and she slammed into Strong a lot harder than planned, and this increased the list of the sinking ship in the water while ripping a hole just above the water line in Chevalier’s hull.  While joined, the Strong’s men scrambled aboard Chevalier any way they could, via lines thrown across to secure the decks or cargo nets thrown down the sides to aid men coming in from the oily black water.  On that dark and disastrous night, Captain McLean helped 240 men live to see their future.

I’ve recently become acquainted with a grandson of “Eff” McLean, Mike Hoffman.  Mike has shared an article, some photos and a couple of web links with information about the career of this man who, “smiles easily, talks softly and avoids fuss.”  I have posted the article, “New Boss of Naval District” from the Philadelphia Inquirer by Hugh Scott, dated November 11th, 1956 on the Memories of Strong web page.  The photos that accompanied the article are there as well.   While the article is wonderful and gives great details on the life and military history of McLean, you will notice that he listed the wrong date for the Strong sinking and I believe we can overlook that (he has it happening in June, not July).  I’m also going to share a couple of links that Mike has provided.  One link is to a YouTube video produced by Mike about his grandfather.  The video is titled “United States Navy Heroes, USS Chevalier DD 451”, and is 13 minutes of tribute to a man he admired.  About 3 minutes in you will see a depiction of the Strong sinking, and do keep in mind that the night fighting represented is not from the actual event.  We are working to see if any such film exists, possibly from one of the light cruisers.  There is a still shot on the Memories of Strong page that was taken from Helena and perhaps it’s possible there could be film.  The second link is a page describing the Naval history of Captain McLean, and I invite you to have a look at both. 

Without the quick thinking and courage under pressure of McLean, many Strong families would not have seen their men again and those of you younger than 69 or so would not have been born.  So thank you Captain McLean, we truly appreciate what you accomplished that night over 70 years ago in spite of the danger to your own ship and crew.  It made a difference.  And thanks Mike Hoffman, for sharing.

-Tammi

Youtube video link:     http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wbjTUtoiN4

Davis-Monthan Aviation Field Register: http://www.dmairfield.com/people/mclean_er/index.html

I love opening my email that's attached to the web site.  It's like an Easter egg with great information inside and 99% of the time the message is from a person who had a man on board the Strong DD 467.  The email I opened yesterday was from a gentleman searching for a friend named Hedrick, and he happened upon the web site.  After having a look around, he felt compelled to send a message to the families of Strong and beyond, and it's a message worth sharing.  Below, the tidings of Dr. Robert F. McVicker:

"My father was navigator on a B17 for 28 combat missions over Germany, and father in law was XO of an oil tanker in the Pacific, kamikaze filled theater, both to the end of the war. In an unrelated search for a friend named Hedrick, I found Ensign William Hedrick, the story of the USS Strong, and the recounted memoir of its loss and struggle of the survivors. As the son of a WWII airman, and a descendant of that GREATEST GENERATION, I would request that you please send my sincere appreciation and thank you for their service to any surviving USS Strong crew, and, absent that (my Dad is long passed, and I suspect so have the crew), please relay these tidings to the families of all generations since.

 God Bless America, and all those men and women who defend her.

 Robert F. McVicker MD"

So thank you Dr. Bob.  Come back any time, and thank you for sharing your story.

-Tammi   

Anticipation is more than a hit song by Carly Simon.  It’s what I’m living with every day now, and patience is not one of my favorite virtues, but I’m learning.  That said, I’m also learning that there are many aspects to completing research for a well written, well rounded account of an historical event.  While I’m a person who loves to share and to educate others, I’m finding that one of the most important tasks is safeguarding your resources.  I tend to be very eager and impulsive, and with this project I feel a bit like Alice fallen down the rabbit hole.  Thanks to Stephen Harding I’ve ended up at the ultimate tea party.  Learning and sharing information is a huge geek-out moment for me, and the blog gives me the most awesome forum.  People are reading it, and again that appeals to the ego of someone like myself who is a newbie at this with a lot to learn.  Dialing back my enthusiasm a notch or two is essential to this process.  I wish it were possible to share the intimate details of what we are about to experience, when we experience it.  Sharing too much could endanger the endeavor, so in the interest of keeping the information and the project safe I will pass along some tidbits along the way while keeping things fairly general. 

Part of the process that I can share involves translation of the Japanese script that was on many of the artifacts Hugh Barr Miller, Jr. brought back with him from Arundel Island.  I was allowed to take photographs of the artifacts, many with Japanese script covering the surface.  I’ve included a couple of photographs of these artifacts, but only those without script.  Protecting the work means keeping the items safe from outside translation or contamination from others not involved with the project.  Within the script could be information that adds depth and character to the story.  In the interest of extracting the information, a translator has been secured who will endeavor to unlock any mysteries within the script.  So far some really wonderful information has come to light, including personal insights into the men in the Japanese troops.  When the book comes together and all the pieces are woven together it will produce an amazing story.

Many of you are somewhat familiar with more external aspects of the story of Miller’s ordeal on Arundel Island.  Through the research and story-telling abilities of an author experienced in making history come alive on paper, we will all see a whole new side of the story of both the ship and the man.  This is the journey we are undertaking and the result will provide closure for many of us who have worked on this for many years, even decades. 

On a more current note, I have nearly completed the cleaning of some rather moldy documents from Miller's family, and am securing them in archival plastic. No translations needed here, but you can't work with documents that have the potential to make you sick.  Lots more data to extract here and it must be done safely.

- Tammi

I’ve been at this long enough that I appreciate it when I meet people who share my mindset; people who may have a family member they never knew or knew for a short time, someone who was lost to the circumstances of war.  Over the decades of research there have been many, but few who came close to my actual situation, a true kindred spirit.  A recent article in the January issue of Air Force Times comes so close it’s scary.

My buddy Andy Hoder (son of Stanley Hoder of Strong) found this article and sent it to me, claiming that the similarities were uncanny and he was not kidding.  Titled A Homecoming: Returned letters, Purple Heart open book on deceased WWII vet’s life, the article covers a box of letters and mementos found by a stranger, a woman’s life long journey to know an uncle she never met and a woman working in a museum whose mission was to reunite this family with the precious box.  Sgt. Kendall Morrow was a waist gunner on a B-17 Flying Fortress with the 351st Bomb Squadron, 100th Bomb Group when his plane was shot down over Germany December 11th of 1943.  His niece Nancy Cederman was born two years after his death and recalls her Aunt Averill, sister to Kendall, talking about him her entire life.  I had a similar situation with my great-aunt Stella, sister to Billy.  Another cousin of my fathers related to me that his mother and aunts, other sisters of Billy’s, would discuss him at length.  Recalling memories of their brother would make them cry and the loss of this beloved brother was something they never quite got over.  Cederman’s aunt, “….grieved for Kendall her whole life.  Her whole life.  Every time she talked to us, she talked about him.  All that stands out is her sorrow from losing him.  All of her stories were about his death.”  When her aunt died in 2012, she thought the last connection to Kendall was lost.  This is where Linda Hastreiter comes on.

Linda is a volunteer for the Iron Island Museum in Buffalo, New York.  The man who found the letters and other items found them in a basement in Rochester, NY.  The letters indicated they were sent to a family in the Buffalo area, so he turned to her for help.  Linda used internet resources and her love for research and veterans causes to track down the family.  Long story short, she connected with Nancy Cederman on Facebook, and they set up to meet.  At the museum, Nancy was presented with the letters, his diary and Purple Heart award among other things.  For her uncle, Nancy felt this was a form of closure.  For her family, she now has some historical documents that tell her about the life of this man, and possibly enough information to write a book about his short life.  His remains were never recovered.  For the entire story and details, click here:  http://www.airforcetimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2014301140002

On February 5th I had the opportunity to speak with Linda on the phone, and she is another kindred spirit in many ways.  Her love of the chase, her desire to track down clues and bring a cause to completion is akin to my own.  In her community she is the go to person for bringing closure and has had a wonderful success rate.  If you are in the Buffalo area, check into visiting the Iron Island Museum and read the stories here on the web site about her work to properly bury the abandoned cremated remains of veterans which were stored in a closet of the building that is now the museum: http://www.ironislandmuseum.com/

I never knew Billy, but am well aware that his sisters grieved his loss profoundly.  Stella expressed to me time and again how much she appreciated that I was taking an interest in Billy and his life because everyone else had forgotten him.  I feel close to fulfilling my mission.  Much remains to be done but wheels are in motion to bring some closure for him, and perhaps for others.  I know Stella and the others are counting on me to finish this for them, and for Billy.

-Tammi

 

Anytime you work with old documents there are a lot of concerns to address.  In particular, the documents I have been working with from WW2 era have condition issues such as brittleness, yellowing, ink decay and mold damage.  Many of you may have documents from this time period as well.  Perhaps they have been in an attic, basement or closet for decades, someplace where environmental conditions were not ideal for the preservation of precious papers. Ink fades, paper degrades and much of the information can be lost.  Those precious letters, photographs and other papers saved from your father, grandfather or uncle need to be preserved in a condition that allows descendants to learn from them as well.

If the only issue you have is aging of the paper, the solution is simple.  There are many companies that provide archival grade materials such as those used in museums and libraries.  These materials help to preserve precious documents and photographs.  When I received a box of letters, photographs and other documents that had belonged to my great-uncle Billy, I used two of these suppliers to get hold of acid-free archival boxes and acid-free plastic page protectors.  It's not cheap, but not super expensive either.   You need to shop around and compare prices between companies to get the best price.  It's well worth the cost at any rate, to be able to slow down or stop degradation of paper goods.  The two companies I use are Gaylord Brothers and Light Impressions.  See the links below:

Gaylord Brothers: http://www.gaylord.com/

Light Impressions: http://www.lightimpressionsdirect.com/

There are other archival supply companies of course, but these are the two I am most familiar with.  You may want to check locally to see if any office suppliers carry similar materials, and this would save on shipping.

All of Billy's letters, his officer's commission and hand written poems are now safe in page protectors to insure there will be no further damage from the elements.  These are together in a 3-ring binder that I pull out from time to time when I want to be inspired, and to remember why I'm pursuing this project in the first place.  

Mold damage is a huge issue.  When I met Fitz Miller in Pensacola recently, he shared some documents of his father's (Hugh Barr Miller, Jr.) that had barely survived Hurricane Ivan in September of 2004.  Mold was all through them and the binder was rusted shut.  I had to break the rings with pliers to extract the papers.  I have a bit of work to do before I can even begin to scan or extract any information from them that might be useful for Stephen Harding and his book.  Thanks to a little bit of research and conferring with conservation specialists at the University of Kentucky Special Collections and a web site I was referred to, I know what I need to do.  The web site is below, and offers a lot of free information to anyone with preservation needs:

Northeast Document Conservation Center:  http://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/preservation-leaflets/overview

  As soon as we got home from Pensacola, I knew to put the binder and other documents in the freezer.  Encased in a large plastic bag, I kept them there for most of a week.  The usual requirement for freezing is 2-3 days, but I wanted to make sure the spores were dead as they could be.  I am just beginning to work with these documents, so there is still much to do.

Just because the mold is dead doesn't mean the papers are safe to work with.  No one wants to breathe in mold spores, dead or alive they can cause damage to the lungs. The plan to prepare them involves a nice warm day, a large table, my carport and a few other pieces of equipment.  I will need a pair of latex-free nitrile gloves, face mask and my trusty Dyson vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment.  It's recommended to use a vacuum with a HEPA filter, but the Dyson will have to do.  Each page will need to be vacuumed and then inserted into a page protector.  From that point, they should be safe enough for me to scan and read. 

If you have any other questions concerning documents or other materials of your own, I would be happy to help you find a way to keep them from becoming moth fodder.  The life of paper is short, but there are ways to preserve your family history for generations to follow. 

For more information on preservation of documents, check out this link to the Smithsonian Institute: http://www.si.edu/mci/downloads/RELACT/paper_documents.pdf

Tammi