ALS signed “C. W. Nimitz,” one page both sides, 8 x 10.5, personal letterhead, April 17, 1965. Handwritten letter to "Bill," in part: "Happy Easter to you & yours! The attached news clipping appeared in this morning's S.F. Examiner. It brings to mind the un-explained—never solved—disappearance of Captain Thomas Calloway Latimore, Jr., U.S. Navy, on 19 July 1942. He was captain of a destroyer tender whose name I don't remember—but which was based in Pearl Harbor. He was last seen on 19 July 1942 (a Sunday according to my date finder calendar) passing the Aiea Naval Hospital then under construction on Aiea Heights back of Pearl Harbor. He was dressed in a snappy sport costume—in golf knickers—walking past the hospital site along a trail that lead up to a ridge trail along the top of the Koolan Range. I have walked that trail several times—and always considered it dangerous for a lone walker because it was so narrow. In spots it was only about 15 inches wide—a razor edge ridge—leading into deep canyons. Search parties spent several weeks looking for him—with no trace. To this day—I do not know what happened to him. Perhaps now you have a similar mystery & please let me know how this case ends." In fine condition.
Thomas C. Latimore, a naval officer who was captain of USS Dobbin, was last seen hiking into the undeveloped Aiea Mountain Range in July 1941. His disappearance prompted search parties of hundreds of sailors and local police, but no trace of him was ever found. Initially the subject of much local news coverage and rumor, the mystery was soon overshadowed by the attack on Pearl Harbor and American entry into World War II. Latimore was officially declared dead on July 19, 1942 (the date cited by Nimitz in this letter), and his disappearance remains unsolved to this day.
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