Hero in Our Midst – Joe Messina of Methuen – Hero in our Midst

By Ted Trip – July 05, 2006  METHUEN – Joe Messina was taking a shower below decks on the aircraft carrier USS Hancock after his Curtis SB2C Hell-diver returned from another grueling mission attacking Japanese shipping in Manila Bay.  Shortly after the ship’s General Quarters sounded, there was a tremendous explosion just over his head and […]