I was interested in Kevin Heimbigner’s article about the radar station at Leadbetter Point. My memory of activity there during the war is pretty fuzzy, but I do remember the slab foundations that remained after the buildings had been removed. And, Vernon Andrews’ recollections brought back the excitement we kids felt when we found shell casings in the dunes.

However, there are several factual matters in the article that should be clarified:

Helen Thompson Heckes (1906-1990) lived on Territory Road in Oysterville, not on Stackpole Road. The “up here” she referred to was Oysterville, which in those days did feel exceedingly isolated. I am curious as to Mr. Heimbigner’s source for the quote by her.

I believe that the “Mart” Andrews to whom the article refers was actually Merton “Mert” Andrews, Vernon Andrews’ uncle.

Millie Sherwood (1911-1992) was the wife of Ed Sherwood; was the co-owner of the Sherwood Cannery in Oysterville; and was the mother of my friend Ann (“Memi” Sherwood) Anderson; Millie was not Memi’s sister.

Fern Whitwell was Millie’s sister. Gary was Fern’s son (not her husband) and was born in 1933, as was his cousin Memi.

Finally, the name “Sherwood Forest” had nothing at all to do with the Sherwood Family. It was a summer camp for boys, owned and operated by Dorothy Elliott from 1926 until just before WWII and later moved to an area north of Nahcotta, adjacent to Elliott’s Camp Willapa for girls. Sherwood Forest at Leadbetter Point was established 12 long years before the Ed Sherwood family moved to Oysterville in 1938. And Camp Sherwood Forest was, indeed, named for the Sherwood Forest of Robin Hood fame, located near Nottingham, England.

Sydney Stevens

Oysterville