Phil Poisoon (1942-2011)

I took the above two pictures while I was on the USS NEWPORT NEWS in January 1965. In the picture with the three men looking at the camera the one in the middle is Phil Poisson. In the other picture that is Phil guiding a “horse” onto the deck. The picture of the older man is Poisson too, later in life.

The two years I was with the Squadron HU-4 I think Phil was out to sea about 80% of the time. I heard some wild things about him. He was something of a legend.

In late September of 2011 Phil emailed me wanting to talk about HU-4. Our common Navy co-squad member Robert Elliott told him about Chicken-fat and sometimes mentioning the squadron HU-4. He also wanted me to send him the decal symbol of HU-4, which I did. He said he was going to have jackets made up with the symbol, would I want one? Yes, I told him.

I think he stayed in the Navy for the long haul and retired as a Warrant Officer. And maybe he made a career afterwards as a Naval Contractor. He lived in San Diego.

To be honest, he could not remember my face. That’s OK, my face is so dull and plain (or invisible) I have a hard time remembering it too.

We have an on- going correspondence for a few weeks then it suddenly stopped. I was the last one that wrote.

Yesterday I got an email form Robert Elliot. He said Phil Poisson was in the San Diego Union Tribune obituary, which I found:

POISSON, PHILLIP T. Nov. 27, 1942 to Dec 31, 2011 Phil, retired CWO3 USN, passed peacefully at home with his wife, Serena, at his side. He is also survived by his mother, Dorothy Poisson, of Southwick, MA; his sisters, Alberta (John) St. Germaine and Ann (Mike) Cameron; brother Harold Delava; sons Edward (Denise) Young and Phillip (Lynn) Poisson II; daughters Amanda (D'Arcy) Rigby, Andre (Tom) Raden and Carolyne (Earl) Harris; grandchildren: Mark Taylor, Samantha Taylor, Alaina Brooker, Kathryn Young, Kristen Young, Elexus Harris, Helen Rigby, and Ian Rigby. He was predeceased by his father, John, and son, Lyn Young. Interment will be at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery at a time to be announced later.