Howard was the nephew of Clarence Hicks who was President of Rockefeller Foundation during WWII. Howard volunteered for the mission which was top secret. The family did not know the circumstances of the missing USS Bonefish until a family member who was a Naval Officer traveled to Washington DC and the Naval Headquarters to seek information. He was then advised of the suspected sinking of the Bonefish just two months before the end of the war. There are family members today (8-21-15) who know Howard's story although only one living person, now 87 years old, who knew Howard personally. She was Howard's cousin and according to many family members in 1945 likely the last person to receive a letter from Howard which he wrote just prior to departing for the mission. She fondly remembers Howard to this day. She is my mother and she stills talks about Howard every once-in-a-while. She will never forget him and I will always recall her story of his loss.