O. Henry O. Henry William Sydney Porter (September 11, 1862 – June 5, 1910), better known by his pen name O. Henry, was an American short story writer. His stories are known for their surprise endings. William Sidney Porter was born on September 11, 1862, in Greensboro, North Carolina. He changed the spelling of his middle name to Sydney in 1898. His parents were Dr. Algernon Sidney Porter (1825–88), a physician, and Mary Jane Virginia Swaim Porter (1833–65). William's parents had married on April 20, 1858. When William was three, his mother died after birthing her third child, and he and his
USS William D. Porter (DD-579) USS William D. Porter (DD-579) USS "William D. Porter" (DD-579), a "Fletcher"-class destroyer, was a ship of the United States Navy named for Commodore William D. Porter (1808–1864). "William D. Porter" was laid down on 7 May 1942 at Orange, Tex., by the Consolidated Steel Corporation; launched on 27 September 1942, sponsored by Miss Mary Elizabeth Reeder; and commissioned on 6 July 1943, Lieutenant Commander Wilfred A. Walter in command. The ship is predominantly remembered today for the string of extremely unfortunate events that plagued her short three-year career. "William D. Porter" departed Orange shortly after being commissioned. After stops