There was some confusion and mystery to me about my father's Date of Birth and our name.

While he said that he was born in Carnes Cross Roads, SC, November 24, it wasn't clear if it was 1904 or 1906. There were no official birth records, but various civil records said both 1904 and 1906. It turns out that he lied about his DOB because he was too young, by 2 years, to join the US Coast Guard. I later on discovered that was the case when I examined his Enlistment Papers. He lived in Summerville, SC for 4 yrs and then Charleston until he was 20yrs old.

Related to that, there was little said of his father William Henry Huff, whom he said died when he was young. I discovered by the words of a 90 yr old woman who knew our family, that it turns out to be more than that. My Grandfather died before my Dad was born. Grandpa Huff died at the age of 32 on "Indigestion" in the morning of November 24, 1906, and by 3pm the same day, 28yr old Grandma Addie Matilda Driggers Huff gave birth to her 5th child.

Add to this the issue that our family name in Brooklyn became Hoff instead of Huff.

My father explained it was a typographical error in the USCG. Examine the 12 yr Service records, and you'll find that is not so, he was HUFF from enlistment to discharge. We find the first use of Hoff was when he applied for a Marriage License Dec 28, 1934 which was not records until Jan 1935. His SC family was confused, if not hurt that he would change his name. He stayed in touch with his brothers, sisters, Mother and cousins, and brought us on visitations to SC, which are rich memories.

Don Hoff's View

Source Documents

Related (Forces War Records Members)