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) after the order to abandon ship went out, "William D. Porter" heeled over to starboard and sank by the stern. Miraculously, her crew suffered no fatal injuries. The warship's name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 July 1945. "William D. Porter" received four battle stars for her service in World War II. 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