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Remembrance Summer 2015

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A Pacific Historic Parks Publication


THE CEO CORNER Gene Caliwag

President & Chief Executive Officer Pacific Historic Parks

Aloha Friends & Supporters,

As you know, the single biggest event of the year for the National Park Service, the U.S. Navy and Pacific Historic Parks is the annual Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration Ceremony on December 7th. The last edition of Remembrance did not include images or stories of the ceremony because the magazine went into print before the event. We will revise our print schedule so that we can share the day’s event with our readers within several weeks following the ceremony versus several months. This past year’s 73rd Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony also welcomed four of the remaining eight USS Arizona survivors for their last reunion, which is the highlight of our cover page. Aside from the morning main event, they subsequently participated in an afternoon ceremony on the Memorial that paid a “final toast” champagne tribute to their fellow shipmates whose remains lay beneath them. It was a special but emotional and somber moment for the survivors. It was a historic event that certainly may never be repeated given the age, health issues and limited mobility of each survivor. It is the sad reality of our Greatest Generation. In a related topic, the 75th Anniversary of Pearl Harbor Day is rapidly approaching and less than 18 months away. To that end, a state committee has been established and is being chaired by retired Admiral Thomas Fargo. The four Pearl Harbor Historic Sites partners: Pacific Historic Parks, USS Bowfin Submarine, Battleship Missouri Memorial and the Pacific Aviation Museum; the National Park Service, the U.S. Navy, State of Hawaii and several tourism and business leaders comprise the 75th Anniversary Committee. Several subcommittees have also been established and planning meetings are under way. A website will be established to provide a calendar of events in 2016 leading up to the commemoration ceremony. As more information is developed, we will send an update to our members and constituents.

As part of our educational mission, we are committed and continue to make progress on the development of our Pearl Harbor Institute. In January, our executive

director Terri Watson, PHP board chair Neil Sheehan and I traveled to Washington D.C. to meet with several National Park Service executive leaders, including Director Jon Jarvis and Deputy Director Peggy O’Dell, to provide them with a progress report on the Institute’s strategy and framework. Their reaction was positive and met with interest and support. Meanwhile, Terri has been in the program-planning mode and by the time this edition goes to press, she will have implemented at least two pilot program courses. On page 32, Terri provides a glimpse of the Institute’s educational focus and will keep you posted on our continued progress. I also want to take this opportunity to say mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) to a couple of key partners.

I have worked collaboratively with Superintendent Paul DePrey for the past 18 months on projects, initiatives and programs with a focus on improving and enhancing the visitor experience at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument. I have enjoyed the partnership and teamwork between our two organizations and wish Paul, Carrie and their children best wishes on their transition to his new job assignment and their life in Massachusetts. A few weeks ago, I attended the change of command ceremony of Rear Admiral Richard Williams, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific. Part of his overall command is the operation of the white boats that shuttle visitors to and from the Pearl Harbor visitor center and the Memorial. It goes without saying that this is a critical component of the visitor experience. He was a staunch supporter of our mission and a firm believer in partnerships to accomplish our best work together. I appreciate his friendship and wish Rick and Suzie a warm aloha on their move to San Diego where he will become Commander, Carrier Strike Group 15. And, finally, thanks to you, our friends and supporters. I sincerely wish you and yours an enjoyable and funfilled summer season. Remember. Honor. Understand.


TABLE

of CO NT E NTS

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A Hui Hou

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Last Voyage Of The Oklahoma

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73rd Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration: December 7, 2014

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In Pursuit Of History

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Iwo Jima 70th Anniversary Commemoration

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Ambassadors Without Portfolio: George Nace And The Graduates Of The Japanese Language School

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Letter From The PHSA President Emeritus

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Tribute To Our Pearl Harbor Survivor

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Pearl Harbor Institute Topic: Organizational Leadership

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Asan Bay Overlook

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Presidential Proclamation -Establishment Of The Honouliuli National Monument

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Museum Object Conservation: Saving The Stories Of Kalaupapa

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Celebrating National Park Week at Pearl Harbor

FRONT COVER: A final tribute, flyover by Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37, MCBH Kaneohe Bay during the final reunion of returning survivors of the USS Arizona onboard the USS Arizona Memorial. Sunday, December 7, 2014.

ON THE WEB facebook.com/PacificParks twitter.com/PacificParks

LEFT: Boy Scout Troop 135 and Pacific Historic Parks volunteer Brody Cook work to restore the USS Nevada mooring quay at Pearl Harbor. The goal of the Eagle Scout project was to beautify, upkeep and prolong the life of the mooring quay.

google.com/+PacificHistoricParksOrg PHPStore.org 3


A BRAND NEW STORE IS AT YOUR FINGER TIPS. www.phpstore.org

Own a piece of history, visit our online store for gifts, books, and commemorative items.

Free shipping on all orders over $75. No code needed. Proceeds from your purchase provide critical funding to national and state parks in the Pacific. 4


A Hui Hou By: Paul DePrey, Superintendent, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument, National Park Service

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n June, I will be moving to New England to oversee two national historic sites in the Boston area. Despite my status as a “National Park Service nomad,” departing Oahu will be, as you can imagine, a difficult experience. My children attended elementary school here and are having a hard time grasping the concept of snow. It’ll be a challenge. My family has enjoyed the paradise lifestyle that no one in Hawaii wants anyone on the mainland to know exists. Otherwise, everyone would want to move here and then traffic would be even worse!

Pacific Historic Parks is a critical part of preserving the significance of places like the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Utah Memorial and the USS Oklahoma Memorial. They represent one of the strongest National Park Service partners and continue to demonstrate their commitment to preserving the USS Arizona Memorial and other internationally significant sites. My advice to my replacement will be to continue the great collaboration with Pacific Historic Parks. My request to all of you is to extend your trust in those who work on your behalf to improve conditions in so many ways. A paltry ‘thank you’ seems insufficient. Instead, look to the appreciative eyes of millions of visitors.

One of the best parts of living on Oahu has been, by far, welcoming the millions of visitors who have come to Pearl Harbor and left with an inspiring, life changing experience. My work with the many talented and professional park rangers, volunteers and partners has made heavy work lighter. Their passion for ensuring that the story of the Pacific War is told in a meaningful and relevant manner provides a great example to the National Park Service as a whole. The work of preserving history is in the good hands of an excellent staff.

The recent designation of Honouliuli National Monument as a new unit of the National Park Service shows how important community support is in preserving history. Monsanto Corporation and the Japanese Cultural Center of Hawaii deserve our thanks for working so hard for so long to make this happen. The military on Oahu, primarily Navy Region Hawaii and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, have demonstrated the first-class attitude to supporting our nation’s legacy of defense and sacrifice. It has been an honor for me to work closely with the many fine sailors, Marines, soldiers, airmen, guards and officers who protect our country.

The Pearl Harbor Historic Sites partners (the USS Bowfin, Battleship Missouri Memorial and Pacific Aviation Museum) have worked integrally with the National Park Service to ensure that history comes alive and inspires millions. This partnership, which has become a model for similar sites nationally and internationally, is why Pearl Harbor is the most-visited destination on Oahu. A focus on customer service and meaningful storytelling has been a great match for this area.

Last, I thank you for allowing me to act as steward for six and half years to one of the nation’s most important sites. Mahalo nui loa and a hui hou. 5


Last Voyage of The Oklahoma The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it will exhume the bodies of nearly 400 unidentified sailors and marines killed aboard the USS Oklahoma and buried in the National Cemetery of the Pacific in order to identify the remains. According to The History Channel, the unknowns are buried in 61 caskets at 45 gravesites.

According to Stars and Stripes magazine, the US Navy opposes the exhumation and prefers that the bodies remain undisturbed. However, many of the families of sailors who died on board the Oklahoma have pushed for the remains to be identified. The Department of Defense estimates that the project will take five years to complete.

The article below by author Ernest Arroyo tells the story of the remains of the USS Oklahoma after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In the opening minutes of the attack on Battleship Row, December 7, 1941, the then 25-year old battleship Oklahoma was struck with devastating effect by nine torpedoes that opened up her portside. The ship began to list rapidly from the flooding and at about 8:10 rolled over till her masts and superstructure settled into the mud of the harbor bottom. Some men, still alive, were trapped inside the capsized ship. Thirty-two sailors were eventually rescued safely through openings hastily cut into the exposed bottom of the hull. Tragically 429 of the ship’s crew were lost including many trapped inside the overturned ship. The ship was finally righted in June of 1943 and efforts to re-float her began. After extensive temporary repair work and barely afloat, Oklahoma was moved into Dry Dock Two on December 28, 1943. By that time any plans for restoring the ship to active service had been abandoned. The ship’s armament and many of her fittings were removed and the Oklahoma was de-commissioned on September 1, 1944. For the next two years the hulk of the Oklahoma was relegated to the quiet backwaters of Pearl Harbor, not far from the spot where she was sunk on December 7, 1941. In 1946 the ship was sold for scrap to the Moore Dry Dock Company of Oakland, California. The remains of the old battleship Oklahoma awaited the arrival of two tugs that would tow her to a ship-breakers yard on the West Coast. There the destruction begun six years earlier by Japanese torpedo planes would be completed. The buyers negotiated a contract with the Puget Sound Tug & Barge Company of Seattle for delivery of the hulk to San Francisco. The tugs Monarch and Hercules were dispatched for the job. They were considered excellent sea boats and well suited for the task. On their arrival at Pearl Harbor the crew of the tugs found that their tow bore little resemblance to a battleship. Masts, stack and most of the superstructure had been removed. The main deck was almost clear except for an 8,000-gallon oil tank placed aboard to refuel the tugs for the return trip since fuel consumption would be increased due to reduced speed by the heavy tow. Capt. George O. Anderson, in command of the Monarch tells of the departure from Hawaii and subsequent events. “We left Pearl Harbor on May 12th with both tugs each joined to Oklahoma by 1,000 foot 2-inch thick wire cables. After the Navy tugs assisting us out of the harbor left, we found that the Oklahoma 6


was towing well and we calculated our speed at about 5 knots against the moderate trades and a light swell. Though the ship had been badly damaged, the underwriters had inspected the vessel and given approval of the voyage, we didn’t expect any trouble. For the first 24 hours everything seemed to be going well and we were beginning to relax when it was noticed that the Oklahoma was developing a list to port. During the next four days the list steadily increased.” At 2:30 in the morning of the 16th, Capt. Kelly Sprague of the Hercules turned on the tug’s searchlight on the Oklahoma, surging along at the end of the now 1,400 foot cables. He saw the huge hulk was listing badly, nearly 30 degrees to port. The tugs radioed the Coast Guard at Honolulu for instructions and were advised to return immediately. Swinging around, the tugs settled down to retrace their course at full throttle. The dead warship’s list was growing steeper and was becoming increasingly hard to handle. “We were some 500 miles out at sea,” Capt. Anderson relates, “when we turned around and headed back. I would say we had returned some 100 miles or so when at the end of my 6-to-midnight watch May 17th, I saw her (Oklahoma) unaccountably straighten up. Then suddenly I was aware that we were going astern and gaining speed in the wrong direction! Behind us the lights of the Oklahoma had disappeared.” Down in Hercules engine room, Engineer Robert Freiner couldn’t believe his eyes. For hours the tugs diesel engines had been humming away ahead at full towing speed. Suddenly they stopped and began turning in reverse. The sinking bulk of the Oklahoma, bound for the deep waters of the Pacific Ocean, was dragging the two tugs backward to join her. Solid walls of water plowed over both of the tugs broad sterns, swamping the crews who tried desperately to loosen the now deadly towlines. The Monarch was being pulled backwards at over 15 knots when her drum brake broke and the unanchored tow wire went whipping overboard in a shower of sparks leaving the tug still afloat. The Hercules, still held in Oklahoma’s death grip, was being pulled in reverse and passed her sister tug at high speed. Her afterdeck was completely underwater, which made it impossible for the crew to reach the towing winch. At the last moment the towing winch literally exploded into pieces. The crew of the Hercules breathed a thankful sigh of relief as they watched the cable slip under the loosened clamps and snake overboard to follow the Oklahoma to the quiet depths of the Pacific. The Hercules stayed pitching and rolling on the surface. To a man they agreed that their experience that night might reasonably be classed as “a close call.” At the request of the Coast guard, the two tugs stayed in the area until daylight to determine if there was any wreckage that might menace navigation, but nothing was found. The tugs, which came very close to sharing Oklahoma’s watery grave, eventually returned to Puget Sound. Whatever led to the loss of the unmanned Oklahoma was never officially determined. A routine investigation established that there was no negligence involved on the part of anyone involved. It was significant that a port list had developed, indicating that water was flooding into the side of Oklahoma that was damaged in the torpedo attack. Sadly destined for the scrap yard, decommissioned and shorn of almost everything that identified Oklahoma as a once proud fighting ship, perhaps in 3,000 fathoms under the Pacific she found a more appropriate grave for an old warrior.


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73rd Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration: December 7, 2014

Seventy-three years since the December 7, 1941 attack, Pearl

Harbor Survivors, their family and friends, and representatives from the National Park Service, Pacific Historic Parks and the

Hawaiian community came together to honor the lives of those who survived this day of infamy and to fulfill the mission to “Remember Pearl Harbor.�

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More than 4,000 guests—both invited and general public—attended the ceremony at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center, including 60 Pearl Harbor Survivors from across the U.S. This year, the National Park Service recognized a special group of men who made the trip to Pearl Harbor—four of the remaining eight USS Arizona survivors.

December 6, 2014 Every year, on December 6th, the National Park Service and U.S. Navy hold a joint ceremony honoring the men of the USS Utah. The event is a unique opportunity to honor the 58 men who died on the ship, as the USS Utah Memorial is only accessible to those with military base access due to its location on Ford Island.

As always, the National Park Service and the United States Navy are dedicated to and understand the great responsibility they hold in ensuring the events of December 7, 1941, are remembered by future generations.

Similar to the USS Arizona, the National Park Service and U.S. Navy allow USS Utah survivors to be interred on the ship. On December 6, 2014, Cecil Calavan, USS Utah survivor and past president of the USS Utah Reunion Association, was interred with his shipmates.

December 2, 2014 On December 2, 2014, members of the local and national press interviewed the four attending USS Arizona survivors at a press conference organized by the National Park Service at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. The men shared their Pearl Harbor stories with reporters and the USS Arizona Reunion Group, family members of the visiting survivors and those survivors who have already passed on. The survivors stressed the importance of continuing to come back to Pearl Harbor and, for some, the importance being interred with their shipmates after they pass away. Utilizing teleconferencing equipment, National Park Service divers gave a live, interactive tour of the USS Arizona to survivors and members of the media. The dive team pointed out the USS Arizona’s teak wood deck and spoke about the active sea life to which the ship is now home. The survivors watched in amazement as they reminisced about their ship and about the time that has passed. 9

Calavan was a 17-year-old Seaman 2nd class on the day the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. As he was getting ready for the day, he heard the airplanes fly overhead and assumed they were PBYs until an explosion knocked him off his feet. He abandoned ship with the majority of his shipmates, but the experience shaped the rest of his life. It was his mission to keep the memory of the USS Utah alive. A few years ago a reporter asked Calavan why he is so passionate about the USS Utah. He replied, “These people and that ship are important to me. I want to keep the memory of that ship alive. That’s the job they gave me and that’s what I want to do.” Left: Presentation of Colors by Joint Service Color Guard, U.S. Pacific Command

Above Left: NPS Dive Team place one empty champagne glass into gun turret four. Above Right: Four of the eight remaining USS Arizona survivors toast to their fallen comrades. L to R: Donald Stratton, Lou Conter, John Anderson, and Lauren Bruner.


December 7, 2014 On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 2014, tents and chairs lined the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center lawn and National Park Service rangers and military volunteers, who had arrived in the early-morning hours, were busy working to ensure that the commemoration lived up to its theme, “Preserving the Memory.” The joint National Park Service and U.S. Navy commemoration focused on how Pearl Harbor stories, artifacts, and living history are being preserved for future generations.

USS Arizona Last Toast After the main December 7, 1941 commemoration, the National Park Service and U.S. Navy held a private ceremony on the USS Arizona Memorial to honor the USS Arizona survivors who returned to Pearl Harbor as well as their lost shipmates. Prior to the event, the survivors had announced that this would be the final, official gathering of the USS Arizona Reunion Association, although they plan to continue meeting socially. Attending USS Arizona survivors included Donald Stratton, Lou Conter, John Anderson, and Lauren Bruner. All of the men had traveled to Pearl Harbor from the U.S. mainland.

Commemoration speakers included Paul DePrey, Superintendent, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument; Rear Admiral Rick Williams, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific; Admiral Harry Harris, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and keynote speaker General Lori Robinson, Commander, Pacific Air Forces. Their speeches reflected on the survivors who lived through the attack as well as the stories of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice.

Daniel Martinez served as master of ceremonies for the event and explained his long-standing relationships with the survivors. “They become like family,” he said. “When they are gone, we feel the loss, but we are honored to hold these ceremonies that they and their families can treasure.” Mirroring the “last toast” ceremony of the Doolittle Raiders, the USS Arizona Survivors toasted their fallen shipmates with a bottle of Spanish sparkling wine that was gifted to them by President Gerald Ford in the 1970s and original champagne glasses from the USS Arizona. After they poured their glasses of wine into the well over the USS Arizona and saluted their fallen shipmates, John Anderson, the oldest living USS Arizona Survivor at 97, spoke to the crowd: “This is for our fallen shipmates. We will always remember you.”

The ceremony included a pass in review by the USS Chung-Hoon; cannon salute by the 3rd Battalion, 7th Field Artillery, U.S. Navy; flyover by the 199th Fighter Squadron, Hawaii Air National Guard and the 19th Fighter Squadron, U.S. Air Force; and a tug boat water tribute. The day continued with the annual USS Oklahoma Memorial remembrance ceremony, which honors the 429 men who were lost when the ship turned over in the harbor during the attack.

After the toast, the USS Arizona survivors, Daniel Martinez, and Admiral Rick Williams, Commander, Navy Region Hawaii and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific, presented an empty champagne glass to members of the National Park Service dive team. The glass was taken to the hull of the USS Arizona and released into gun turret four.

The National Park Service and U.S. Navy were honored to host three USS Oklahoma survivors and keynote speaker Stanley Keeve, Commander of Joint Base Pearl Harbor Hickam. At the end of the ceremony, guests were encouraged to walk around the white marble masts while the names of those who were killed were announced over the loud speaker.

The ceremony ended with a moving flyover tribute conducted by Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 37 of MCBH Kaneohe Bay, flying the American flag. 10


Sharing their wine with their shipmates, Lauren Bruner, 11 John Anderson, National Park Ranger Scott Pawlowski, Lou Conter, and Don Stratton pour their glasses of wine into the well over the USS Arizona.


In Pursuit of

History

The USS Arizona Casualty Project Part 1

By Daniel Martinez

Chief Historian WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument By mid-morning of December 7, 1941, the fate of the USS Arizona and its crew was no longer in doubt. Fires roared from the amidships to the bow. Thick black smoke billowed out in large volumes, cloaking the details of the vessel’s terrible destruction. It was evident that there were few survivors of the celebrated battleship Arizona. Three days later the fires went out and the mangled remains of the ship gave mute testimony to the successful attack on the Pacific Fleet. Over the next few days, Pearl Harbor and its survivors began to restore order out of the chaos that was brought about by the raid. The command soon understood the losses that Arizona had suffered. She had lost more men than any warship in United States Naval history. Of the 1,514 men attached to the ship’s company, 1,177 were killed. Of the Marine detachment of 88 men, only 15 survived. The math was horrifying, 77.7% of the crew was dead. Only 337 of the crew survived. Most were from the ship and a small number were on leave, liberty, or detached duty.

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A week later a young Ensign named Joe Langdell was having breakfast at Bachelor Officers Quarters when a naval officer interrupted the meal by shouting out: “Is there an officer here from the Arizona?” Joe raised his hand. Langdell was ashore during the attack, assigned to the Fleet Camera Party. He was aware the ship was lost but had no idea what had happened to his shipmates. The officer took him aside and explained his task. Joe was to lead a party of some 20 men, most of them survivors from the ship, to recover bodies. They were chosen because they were familiar with the ship and its crew. This knowledge could be helpful in the duty assigned to them. The men marched down to the landing and got into a large whaleboat. They were issued sheets and pillowcases to collect human remains. Author Paul Stillwell noted in his book, Battleship Arizona, An Illustrated History: “On the other hand, the emotional impact of seeing dead shipmates was even more profound than would be the case for men who had never known the crew of the USS Arizona. The recovery party wrapped the


complete corpses up in sheets and took them to a waiting motor launch for further transfer. The men retrieved portions of bodies and sometimes swept up ashes; storing them in pillowcases for the trip to the cemetery…The memory of those days has bothered him (Langdell) many times since then. He thinks of the many who would now be grandfathers but never got the chance.” In the weeks that followed, the Navy moved forward in retrieving the personal effects of the officers and the removal of the dead. A total of 235 bodies were found and buried primarily at the newly established cemetery at Halawa Valley. Officer country was located in the aft section of the ship. This area was virtually untouched by the fatal explosion of the forward magazines. Pay records were vital. Many families had been notified that their loved one was either missing in action or declared dead. Without these records, the families could not receive the money owed to them. Dealing with grief was hard enough without the additional financial burden the dependents would suffer if they couldn’t be paid or receive Navy Relief. These valuable documents would later be preserved in the service jackets of the fallen and those who survived, becoming part of a legacy of those who served on the Arizona. Chief Commissary Steward Ralph Byard took a personal and professional interest in preserving these records. His meticulous work helped preserve the papers of his fallen shipmates. Arizona survivor Yeoman Jim Vlach went to work compiling a muster role of the 350 men who survived, but he could only confirm 80 names. In February of 1942, salvage divers found the ship’s muster roll in the executive officer’s office. With those records in hand an accurate count of the dead and living could be constructed. Twenty years later the USS Arizona Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, May 30, 1962. A key feature of the Memorial is the shrine room wall. Alfred Preis understood the importance of listing the names of those who lost their lives. He

designed a wall made of Vermont marble and had each individual casualty engraved with name and rank or rate. How the names were collected and what database was used is still a mystery. The wall was replaced twice in its history. Verification of those names has been the grist of controversy and confusion. In 2015, after much discussion about historical accuracy regarding the names on the replacement wall, Superintendent Paul DePrey, Chief Historian Robert Sutton and I made a decision. A comprehensive research study on the casualties of the USS Arizona would be conducted at the National Personnel Record Center in St. Louis, Missouri. The center is operated as a division of the National Archives (NARA). The project was daunting to say the least. The first order of business was to put together a comprehensive research plan, beginning with finding an expert. Enter Mr. Mike Wenger. Mike is one the finest researchers of World War II documents in the nation and his specialty is personnel records. Over the years, Mike has been contracted to do a number of research projects for the monument. With completion of the research plan, the team traveled to St. Louis in January of 2015. During that time, discussions with Mr. Eric Kilgore and Mr. Whitney Mahar began in an effort to coordinate the research and scanning of the Arizona crew records. The first trip to the record center in St. Louis would determine how this project would unfold. From the start, there were a number of questions that needed to be answered. Listed below are some of the issues we faced.


OBJECTIVES OF INITIAL RESEARCH TRIP IN JANUARY 2015 • Discuss logistics of the Arizona Casualty Research Project with the NARA/NPRC staff. • Determine the daily rate at which researchers can scan the files. • Determine the percentage of records that cannot be found.

It became evident that Mike Wenger’s expertise would play a major factor in the planning and execution of this project. Over the years he has developed relationships with the NARA staff and understands the culture of this National Archive Center in St. Louis. He paved the way for success. Upon my return from St. Louis, my discussions with Mr. Wenger now centered on developing a research team. What would it take to scan thousands of documents? How many people were needed to scan these records? How would they be organized?

• Determine the percentage of records that are unavailable due to oil impregnation, etc. • Familiarize the team with various microfilmed records.

During our visit we scanned and reviewed more than 30 service jackets commonly referred to as “bricks” because the paper record holder is red and square. After looking into these records and seeing what information they contained it dawned on me that this project was not just about the accuracy of their name or rate/rank, it was also about an individual’s life and death. These records spoke to me. They disclosed the place of birth, their parent’s names, where they grew up, went to school, and the age when they enlisted, some as young as seventeen years of age. Some of the men were single; some were married with children. One young Marine reported to the Arizona on December 6,1941and would perish in less than 24 hours. One sailor’s birthday was on December 7th.

My meetings with the officials at NARA went well. I soon found out that a research project of this size was unprecedented in the history of the records center. How do you organize and pull 1,177 service jackets from the millions of records that exist in their holdings? How many staff members would be needed to observe the work being done by the research team and how would the records be dispensed? How much workspace would the National Park Service research team require? And finally, once the records had been reviewed and tabbed, how much time would be needed for staff to prep the records for scanning? (Prepping includes the process of flattening the documents and determining their condition. If the record is too fragile, Mylar sleeves are used to protect the document.) Other factors would come up later as we began the project in mid-March.

And the letters inside these records, hand written to President Roosevelt or to the Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox, pleading and begging as to where was their boy, husband, or father might be. For a great many dependents, the only communication was a telegram or letter declaring them “Missing in Action.” This left loved ones to wonder or speculate: were they dead or alive? I cannot think of another phrase that could be so emotionally troubling. Oh yes, there was one… “Declared Dead.” Those messages came too.

Another criterion was the cost. The funding source for such a robust research project was vital. Could diminished NPS funds be used or was there an alternative source? We were fortunate to have the interest and support of Pacific Historic Parks, the monument’s non-profit association whose funds are primarily raised from sales in the visitor center’s bookstore. The President and CEO Gene Caliwag and CFO Aileen Utterdyke were briefed about the project and committed their financial support. It is safe to say that without PHP’s support, the USS Arizona Casualty Project would not have happened.

One can only imagine the fear that Americans felt when the Western Union Telegram truck drove down their street in 1941. Note: Part II of this article will appear in the next issue of Remembrance. 15


Iwo Jima 70 th Anniversary Commemoration By Gene Caliwag

President & Chief Executive Officer, Pacific Historic Parks


When the words Iwo Jima are mentioned, what image do you envision? If the historic photograph of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising the flag atop Mt. Suribachi immediately comes to mind, then I would say you are in good company. It is an image immortalized by Joe Rosenthal and recognized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as an excellent symbol and theme for the seventh war bond drive to help pay for the war. It would also help boost the American spirit during a time when the war-weary public grew increasingly disillusioned with the seemingly unending battle in the Pacific. The Bond Tour was a success and raised more than $24 billion dollars.

I was among the group of Americans that participated in the 70th Anniversary Commemoration Ceremony to pay tribute to the 26,000 American casualties; of which 6,800 died. Joining me on the one-day excursion was Clif Purkiser, PHP board member, and Jackie Balajadia, PHP Education Specialist for both War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam) and American Memorial Park (Saipan). A major milestone year, the numbers are almost triple the usual annual attendance requiring three United Airline chartered 737 aircraft to transport the visitors from Guam. Interesting and appropriate, our inflight movie was “Flags of Our Fathers”, directed by Clint Eastwood. There was nervous excitement in the cabin as we made the approach. The pilot circled the island a couple of times giving passengers on each side of the plane an opportunity to view the volcanic island, approximately a third the size of Manhattan.

On February 19, 1945, some 30,000 Marines landed on the Western Pacific island of Iwo Jima – now called Ioto on Japanese maps – where they encountered ferocious resistance from Japanese forces. The Americans took control of the strategically important island after 36 days of battle. It was a turning point in World War II. Fast-forward 70 years, there is a much different invasion of Iwo Jima. On March 21, 2015, more than 500 American and Japanese visitors comprised of veteran survivors, their families and caregivers, active-duty and retired military veterans, historians, educators, government officials, WWII history enthusiasts and media descended on the volcanic island situated 600 miles south of Japan. 17


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Arriving early in the morning and having a few free hours before the commemoration ceremony, we hiked about a mile from the ceremony site on a dusty dirt road leading to a trail toward the top of Mt. Suribachi. Once at the summit, it was a spectacular view of the island, especially of the D-Day landing beaches. I brought a flag to raise using the existing flagpole adjacent to the 5th Marine Division memorial. As I begin to raise my flag, visualizing the infamous photo in my mind and standing at the same spot where Rosenthal’s photo was taken, I realize what a surreal experience and sight to see Old Glory waving at the top of the flagpole.

As an American patriot whose job it is to help preserve history, it was a privilege to be a part of a special ceremony that commemorates a significant milestone in WWII history. Special thanks to Pacific Historic Parks for giving Clif, Jackie and myself an opportunity to remember and honor the gallant effort, courage and sacrifice made by our brave U.S. Marines and Navy servicemen at Iwo Jima 70 years ago.

“Among the Americans who served on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue”. – U.S. Navy Fleet Adm. Chester W. Nimitz

Did you know… • The Battle of Iwo Jima accounted for 27 of the 464 Medal of Honor awards in World War II. Twenty-three awarded to Marines and four to Navy servicemen for gallantry in action. Take for example Pfc William Caddy and Pfc James La Belle, both of whom threw themselves on Japanese grenades to save the lives of fellow Marines. Or Sgt. William Harrell whose defense of a post cost him both hands by two different grenades and even got him stabbed by a saber-wielding Japanese soldier. Citations can be read at the Congressional Medical of Honor Society website (cmohs.org). • Two Japanese soldiers didn’t surrender until 1949. The complex labyrinth of underground tunnels allowed two soldiers to live and remain undetected by occupying U.S. forces for almost five years.

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• Navajo code talkers were credited with winning the Battle of Iwo Jima. Major General Howard Connor, signal officer for the Navajos at Iwo Jima, said, “Without the Navajos, the Marines never would have taken Iwo Jima”. Lt. General Seizo Arisue, the Japanese chief of intelligence, admitted after the war that while they broke the Air Force code, they failed to break the Navajo code, making it one of a select few codes in history to remain unbroken.

Awaiting departure at the Guam International Airport with Navajo code talker Samuel Holiday. He was with the 4th Marine Division, 25th Regiment, H&S Company. This was his first trip back to Iwo Jima since the battle.

Iwo Jima By the Numbers …

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Own a flag that’s flown on the USS Arizona Memorial

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Ambassadors Without Portfolio: George Nace and the Graduates of the Japanese Language School By: William Sutherland-Keller

The Pacific War began as a military emergency at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines, but from the onset the Pacific Theater presented war planners with an endeavor vast in geographic, logistic, diplomatic, and operational scope. To meet the strategic and tactical demands of coordinating intelligence with amphibious and aerial operations across thousands of miles of ocean and dozens of sweltering, far-flung archipelagos of the South Pacific, as well as the eventual extended occupation of Japan, the administration of the Pacific War became a massive civil, economic and military project. Commanders and staff of the rapidly expanded American Navy, Army and Marine Corps, unfamiliar with the languages and problems they would be forced to confront, were forced to place a premium on delegation to imaginative subordinates and extemporaneous solutions. Frequently very junior officers would be allowed to make decisions and carry out surprising responsibilities that would not be the case in future wars.

One example of this characteristic of the Pacific War can be seen in the military use of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Japanese language officers ( JLOs). The war’s predicaments were foreign to the hastily recruited American troops, and at all levels these problems were complicated by tremendous language and cultural barriers. After an abbreviated education in the Japanese language, the graduates of the U.S. Navy Japanese Language School ( JLS) entered this dynamic environment with unaccustomed freedom of action. Because of the size and the novelty of the tasks associated with defeating and occupying Japan, and because of their ability to speak Japanese, their experience with this military tendency to delegate responsibility to knowledgeable subordinates was exaggerated. In this way, Japanese language officers of the ranks from 1st Lieutenant through Captain in the USMCR and Lieutenant, J.G. through Lieutenant in the Naval Reserve found themselves responsible for matters far above their pay grade, and became unofficial delegates to Japanese prisoners of war, displaced persons, and conquered populations in the Pacific.

Left top: Some of the displaced children who would have attended Telfer Mook’s school eating sugarcane, Tinian, 1944.

Left middle: Japanese Language School Graduate Lt. Ernest Beath translating during a surrender negotiation. Ō Shima, September 1945. Translators like Olafson and Beath were needed at each of the numerous surrender negotiations which had to be carried out in Japan, China, and the Pacific.

Left bottom: Lt. Paul Desjardins, a graduate of the Japanese Language School, talking with a work party of Japanese prisoners of war, Tientsin, October 1945.

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Rapid education and expansion characterized the early part of the war. In 1939 the United States military, in both manpower and know-how, fell abysmally short of being able to carry out a two ocean war, and put into operation plans for a massive expansion in personnel and resources in preparation for its potential involvement. This massive expansion and acceleration of the American Military structure had a distinct effect on the way troops and officers operated. Immediately following Pearl Harbor, and continuing on to the major campaigns of the southwest and central Pacific, authority seemed suddenly to flow downward from an inundated command structure. One of the small military groups so affected would be the graduates of the Japanese language school. Armed with their critical knowledge of the language, they felt the effects of this phenomenon most keenly.

other radio intercept, translation and intelligence tasks as needed. The students were largely drawn from the civilian population, and many of them were unable to pass the Navy’s physical examinations. Furthermore, the Japanese Language School taught them very little in the way of soldiering, and virtually nothing about leading other soldiers. The interpreters were, like many Americans entering the Pacific in first years of the war, hastily organized and relatively unprepared. Because of the speed of their education, and because they had been pulled from the civilian population, the Boulder graduates found a great many situations for which they had not been trained. When Boulder graduates began to arrive at the Joint Intelligence Center Pacific Ocean Area ( JICPOA) at Pearl Harbor, the volumes of documents that needed translation seemed monumental and the procedures and organization for processing them was still largely undeveloped. The translators’ work varied across the spectrum of impromptu tasks, and often they carried a basic Japanese dictionary as well as one of engineering, electrical, chemical, and military terms. Harry Muheim, when he discovered that he was listed as a naval officer, explained to his commanding officer that he was not an authentic naval officer, but only a Japanese language officer. His commanding officer told him frankly: “Muheim, we Americans are new at this occupation business. We are just going to have to do the best we can.” Due to the scope of the problem of military operations and occupation, and the multiplicity of its predicaments, the language officers often found themselves improvising.

Prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy had become aware of a pressing need for Navy personnel who could act as Japanese translators, and placed Commander Albert E. Hindmarsh in charge of organizing a school to train them. He organized two Japanese language schools at Berkeley and Harvard, but because of Hindmarsh’s personal disagreements with the Harvard professors, and the exclusion of Japanese-Americans from the West Coast, both schools programs were cancelled, and the entire operation moved to Boulder, Colorado in 1942, where it remained until 1946. The students learned Japanese over the course of a grueling 14-month program, after which they were assigned to posts across the Pacific to translate captured documents, interrogate prisoners of war, and perform many

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the Mayor of Kokura, the Mayor put Kramer up in a hotel and he began a one-man occupation of the city, which extended for over a week. Kramer recalled that “there was in the very early days of the occupation an informality and a requirement for individual resourcefulness, which quite belied the majestic tones of MacArthur in Tokyo.”

Portrait of Lt. George Nace

As capability with Japanese was in such high demand, the language officers completed many uncomfortably important assignments. Admiral Richard Byrd, of Antarctic expedition fame, requested Lt. George Nace, a 1943 graduate of the Japanese Language School, to be his aide in a project inspecting various parts of Japan prior to the arrival of the bulk of the American occupation force. Nace and Admiral Byrd traveled around in a Jeep, inspecting and making the first reports about the conditions in Japan, and in most of the places they visited, they were the first American soldiers to arrive. Admiral Byrd reported directly to CNO Admiral Ernest King, bypassing intervening command structure, showing the haste and independence afforded to the operation. It was on this assignment that Nace translated the report of the Chief of Police of Nagasaki, providing the first detailed report on the damage incurred by the atomic bomb. Paul Kramer, a graduate of the Japanese Language School who worked as an intelligence officer, found a similar level of independence in the first days of the occupation. He had orders to accompany the 126th Infantry regiment in the occupation of the town of Kokura, a center of industry in northern Kyushu. Due to a complication with the regiment’s orders, Kramer showed up in Kokura alone. After an amicable discussion with

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The Pacific theater also presented numerous novel logistical problems, which were often out of the ken of the U.S. Military. Lt. J. G. Telfer Mook, a 1944 JLS graduate, arrived on the island of Tinian to find a camp of several thousand displaced children. Faced with the possibility of a multi-year occupation, he put the problem of the displaced Okinawan and Japanese children to his commanding officer, who happily allowed Mook to set about creating a school. He was authorized to erect Quonset huts, build extensive blackboards (by painting discarded plywood packing crates black), and recruited teachers from the adult displaced person camps on the island. He had the Japanese teachers rewrite new texts, leaving out the Japanese imperial propaganda that was in the old textbooks. The Tinian school was tremendously successful and the Navy eventually offered to put Mook in charge of revamping the entire Japanese education system in order to reapply it in the occupation, a responsibility he declined in order to return home. Problems like that of the children of Tinian percolated down through ranks of recently recruited and extraordinarily busy American officers until they reached somebody like Telfer Mook, who was not a long-time expert, but had a hastily acquired knowledge of Japanese, and the initiative to solve the problem.


As informal ambassadors, a line of work that pervaded almost all of the language officers’ activities in the Pacific, they were somewhat more prepared. Since the first decade of the twentieth century, the Navy had assigned officers to acquire foreign languages and the literary classics with the idea that as they traveled in the course of their service, they would fill a quasi-diplomatic role to foreign cultures. The graduates of the abbreviated JLS in Boulder did not undergo the typical Navy training, and unlike many of the Army’s interpreters, they were not themselves of Japanese heritage. However, they had been selected for the school on their academic record, and, of course, for their capability with foreign languages. Furthermore, many of them were selected for their family backgrounds in Japan, China, or elsewhere in Southeast Asia. Specifically many of them had attended the Shanghai American School, or the North China American School. Others had attended American schools in Japan, or had lived there for other reasons.

In this way the language officers were diplomats to the larger population of Japanese people, but also in the military and political strata of American and Japanese interaction. In September of 1945, immediately following the Japanese surrender, George Nace took an opportunity to mediate between the rapidly converging populations of American servicemen and Japanese civilians.

One of the small military groups so affected would be the graduates of the Japanese language school. Aboard the Mount Olympus, on-route to Manila and from there to Japan, George Nace realized that the Americans and the Japanese were entirely uncommunicative. Fraternization was strongly discouraged, but Nace realized that Americans would have to communicate in order to meet basic needs. In order to ease these interactions, he created and distributed a handbook of Japanese terms designed to allow Americans to communicate with locals. The guide covered pronunciation, various common expressions, and some cultural advice. It suggested that Americans take off their shoes before entering Japanese homes, and that they both bow and shake hands. It also warned American servicemen against trying to tell jokes, which would likely be misunderstood.

George Nace had grown up the son of a missionary, and had lived in Japan as a child in the 1920s. Although the militarized culture of World War II Japan contrasted sharply with the brief spell of egalitarianism that characterized Japanese politics in the 1920s, his experience provided him a familiarity with Japanese culture and an easy way with the Japanese people. While working in counter-intelligence for the occupation forces in Yokosuka, Nace described in a letter home how he acquired an informant simply by starting a conversation with a man on the street. After eating dinner with the man, Nace gave him a few cigarettes and, having found him intelligent, agreed to pay him for any rumors or other information Nace could not get through official channels.

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In the course of their interactions with the Japanese, and because of the absolute necessity of translation work in the Pacific, the interpreters often became unofficial representatives of the United States. While working in Yokosuka, George Nace pursued an investigation with a number of informants who happened to be communists. One of them handed him an envelope containing a large amount of money, but, recognizing this as a bribe, Nace returned the envelope to the man. The next afternoon he discovered that a large number of posters had been put in the streets, which read “Lt. Nace Yokosuka Naval station staff officer has donated 200 yen to the communist party.� As intermediaries, the language officers could not help but involve themselves inadvertently in the political melee of post-war Japan.

Lt. Edward Seidensticker working as a translator. Most likely during surrender negotiations in Kyushu.

Measuring the success of the occupation of Japan is a much-argued topic, centered on the various interactions of Japanese and American cultural values. Allied officials at the time and historians since have argued that American influence on the Japanese people was mixed, precisely because the vast majority of Americans could not speak Japanese, and also because most fraternization was of a sexual rather than philosophical nature. It is clear that the graduates of the Japanese language school were able to accomplish some level of personal and political diplomacy in Japan, but their introduction of Japanese culture in America is a somewhat less discussed topic. Many of the officers maintained connection in Japan throughout their careers, and brought a familiarity with Japanese culture back with them, becoming in turn Japanese ambassadors in America. Even when veterans of the JLS did not specialize in Japan-related academic

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disciplines, their academic, business, professional, and social worlds drew them toward Japan. George Nace became a biologist after his time in the Navy and facilitated a Japanese student exchange program for many years, cooperating extensively with Japanese professors of medicine and microbiology. In the rapidly expanded military administration of World War II, a tendency to delegate difficult and complex problems to junior officers with initiative and ideas developed where issues were unfamiliar, unanticipated and unfathomable. The Japanese language officers became useful delegates to an alien language and culture in the unregulated atmosphere of the war and occupation. JLOs’ responsibilities frequently multiplied and differentiated into myriad forms depending on the place and the most immediate problems, but in every operation of the Pacific theater they necessarily became representatives of both the Americans and the Japanese. This position between the two belligerent forces often put them at the focal point of political and cultural events in the Pacific theater of World War II.


Letter From The PHSA President Emeritus Fellow Survivors, In my previous Remembrance article, I mentioned that I wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Interior dated February 17, 2015, outlining Pearl Harbor Survivors’ concern with the status of the USS Arizona Memorial in Hawaii. Today’s mail contained a letter, which is included below, from the National Park Service in response to my correspondence. We will continue to monitor and address the problems and look forward to working with the new, yet-to-be-named National Park Service superintendent at World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument.

Bill Muehleib National President Emeritus PHSA

In the last issue of Remembrance, I gave a count of our current Pearl Harbor Survivor Association members. We have since learned that we have 502 members in count. We were obligated to make this correction due to additional information received. Our current count is 2,058. In that group, we have a large number who are very active in the social activities of their former chapters and also in programs for civic organizations, military posts, and local schools. The Sons and Daughters welcome the attendance of our Survivors in their scheduled events. Take advantage of their hospitality. My best wishes to all. Mahalo and Aloha, Bill

Letter from the United State Department of the Interior, National Park Service Dear Mr. Muehleib, I want to thank you for your letter dated February 17, 2015 to the Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell requesting her attention to the management of conditions of WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument. I’ve been asked to respond to your message on behalf of Secretary Jewell. As you know, I am the National Park Service Superintendent in Pearl Harbor. I would like to share with you some of the actions taken on my part, as well as to remind you of the support from Pacific Historic Parks (the non-profit partner of the National Park Service in Pearl Harbor) that we discussed by phone last fall prior to the Pearl Harbor Day Commemoration. Over the past several years since the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center was dedicated, a number of facility management concerns arose as a result of increased maintenance needs and the design of the facility. With a flat federal budget and limits on expanding staffing, the National Park Service needed to seek ways to prioritize operations and maintenance needs at the site. The primary concerns surround the 28


health and safety of our many visitors and staff. As a consequence, a greater degree of attention was spent on custodial and sanitation management (i.e. bathrooms and garbage/recycling). These needs, as you can imagine, do not relent and, short of closing the visitor center, are constant. More visitors mean more custodial and sanitation needs. Our visitation numbers have increased by 100,000 a year, each year from 2011 through 2014. In addition, there was an increase in the extent of the grounds maintenance needs as more lawn and perimeter planting had been added to staff responsibilities. This means that more grounds, and more complex plantings stretched my staff to try to accomplish the growing needs of the site. The difficulty of managing a facility such as the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center is relieved, in part, through the tremendous financial assistance, in-kind assistance, and organizational support of our non-profit partner, Pacific Historic Parks. Pacific Historic Parks’ leadership and staff are key to a successful partnership operation that supports almost 1.7M visitors in Pearl Harbor as well as almost 40,000 school children who receive direct place-based learning experiences at our site. The generosity of Pacific Historic Parks lightens the responsibilities of making sure that the USS Arizona Memorial, the USS Utah Memorial and USS Oklahoma Memorial are well cared for. For example, as a result of Pacific Historic Parks’ fundraising efforts, over $750,000 has been raised and expended to improve the USS Arizona Memorial. They supported a complete replacement of the Shrine Room Wall with a re-dedication on November 11, 2014. They have also supported significant employee and visitor safety improvements as well as helping to remove non-original structural elements from the USS Arizona Memorial and restore architectural details of the memorial. The three large circular plastic sky lights were replaced with new plastic sky lights. Safety railings were attached more securely to the memorial wall openings. The aluminum dedication plaques were treated and cleaned. The lighted fixtures were all cleaned and protected and re-wired. The entire memorial was repainted. New terrazzo flooring was installed in the area immediate adjacent to the Shrine Room Wall. A new anchor harness system that allows employee access to the top of the memorial was installed. More work is anticipated on the USS Arizona Memorial and Pacific Historic Parks has committed to supporting this work. The concerns expressed in the local paper and carried elsewhere regarding the condition of the grounds have not escaped our noticed and are being responded to…though the response may not be as prominent as a new marble wall on the memorial. National Park Service staff have worked to redesign the grounds so that maintenance of the grounds will be lower so that poorly designed features can be removed. For example, a species of tree was installed that, due to the proximity of the water table, does not grow well. These trees appear in poor condition and will be removed. A fast-growing palm species was installed in close proximity to the exhibit halls and have overgrown their limited space. These sorts of design elements needed to be carefully addressed so that park staff didn’t replace one problem with another. There are costs to making these sorts of changes and Pacific Historic Parks has been steadfastly supporting the National Park Service’s needs in this area. I’m heartened that they have committed $100,000 in support to assist the National Park Service’s efforts to do a better job in managing the grounds. My staff and my many partners are committed to ensuring that each visitor who comes to Pearl Harbor knows that they are visiting a place of significant sacrifice. We want them to feel inspired by the story of December 7, 1941 and the period that followed. We understand that the facilities play an important role in setting the mood for their experience and we are committed to continually improving the condition of these facilities. The support from you and from other Pearl Harbor Survivors makes our work easier. It reaffirms our efforts to honor those whose lives were lost. I want to thank you for your expression of concern about how the National Park Service mission is achieved in Pearl Harbor. Sincerely, Paul DePrey Superintendent Cc: NPS Pacific West Region, Regional Director Gene Caliwag, Pacific Historic Parks

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Tribute To Our Pearl Harbor Survivors

Marshall E. Action USS St. Louis Columbus, IN

Michael T. Cossack Wheeler Field Struthers, OH

Hayes E. Drum USS Whitney Catawba, NC

Raymond N. Hale USS New Orleans Dayton, NV

Bernard Berner Schofield Barracks South Seatauket, NY

Thomas B. Crump Marines Louisville, KY

Charles E. Ebel USS Curtis Albany, NY

Ansel Hammonds, Jr. Schofield Barracks Anderson, SC

Alec C. Boatman USS Tennessee Hemt, CA

Glenn W. Cummings Kaneohe NAS Laguna Woods, CA

James G. Edwards, Sr. USS New Orleans Louisville, KY

John A. Hancock Camp Malakole La Mesa, CA

Allen Bodenlos Schofield Barracks San Diego, CA

Ernest P. Davenport Kaneohe NAS Virginia Beach, VA

Charles E. Ellis USS Pennsylvania Ponte Vedra Beach, FL

Edgar L. Harrison USS San Francisco Valley Center, CA

Frank J. Castronovo Schofield Barracks Elmont, NY

Thomas E. Decker USS Hull Zion, IL

James Emerson USS Pelias Grass Valley, CA

Dale Hendricks Submarine Base Pensacola, FL

Robert E. Cewe USS West Virginia Port Byron, IL

Leon DeKeyser Wheeler Field Kewanee, IL

Frank H. Gibbons USS Detroit Harwood Heights, IL

Ed Johann USS Solace Lincoln City, OR

Stanley L. Clark USS St. Louis Pinole, CA

Fred H. Dietrich USS Phoenix Redondo Beach, CA

Henry Grathwohl, Jr. U.S. Marines Mint Hill, NC

John E. Joniec Schofield Barracks Woodlyn, PA

James A. Coleman Fort Shafter Silverlake, WA

George S. Drace Fort Ruger Sinking Spring, PA

Charles L. Gregoire, Sr. USS Honolulu Summerville, SC

Lawrence C. Katz Ford Island NAS Dallas, TX

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“This is for our fallen shipmates. We will always remember you.” John Anderson, oldest living USS Arizona survivor.

Harry R. Kerr Hickam Field Union City, GA

William R. Martin USS Tennessee Langley, WA

Robert F. Parker Ford Island Palo Verdes, CA

Richard B. Shenk Schofield Barracks Lancaster, PA

Marion R. Kesler USS Hulbert Taylorsville, Utah

James McClure USS Case Napa, CA

Edward L. Peery Camp Malakole San Diego, CA

Floyd A. Sparrow USS Raleigh Norfolk, VA

Lewis LaGesse USS West Virginia Houston, TX

Bronsil L. Metz Schofield Barracks Iva, SC

Harold S. Placette USS Phelps Port Arthur, TX

James O. Stansell USS Hull Bellingham, WA

James V. Landis Ford Island NAS Pensacola, FL

Herbert W. Meyer USS Oklahoma Berlin, WI

Alex G. Prochnow USS Montgomery Canyon Lake, TX

John Toy Schofield Barracks Mount Sterling, KY

Joseph Langdell USS Arizona Marysville, CA

Michael Montelione Schofield Barracks East Meadow, NY

Leo A. Proteau USS Maryland Wouthworth, WA

Walter F. Tucker Schofield Barracks Fountain Valley, CA

Ralph Lindenmeyer Ford Island Lemont, IL

William H. Mullins USS Tangier Manhattan Beach, CA

Harry R. Reed Kaneohe NAS Mesa, AZ

Olin M. Whitten USS Pennsylvania Roseville, CA

Herb Louden USS Solace Petaluma, CA

Floyd W. Nelson Schofield Barracks Dayton, OH

William A. Rodda USS Nevada Sutter, CA

Roy L. Wynn USS Mugford Corydon, IN

Howard M. Love USS Case Selden, NY

Elmer E. Parker Ford Island NAS Chula Vista, CA

Charles Sellentin U.S. Coast Guard La Pine, OR

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Pearl Harbor Institute Topic: Organizational Leadership Radar was a new technology in 1941. Having produced significant results in the Battle of Britain, the US military was integrating the technology. By early December 1941, six operating radars were installed on Oahu. They were to become part of an integrated aircraft warning communications net feeding data to a centralized command. While the pieces were in place, the integration of these radars into a working system was not. By: Terri Watson, Executive Director Pearl Harbor Institute

As the radar technician based on the North Shore, Private Elliot detected the Japanese invasion squadron at 7:02am on December 7, and reported the inbound aircraft to the temporary information center at Ft Shafter. Lieutenant Tyler, a pilot serving only his second shift at the information center as part of familiarization training with radar capabilities was alone on duty. Lacking training, as well as any other information source, he concluded that this must be a flight of B-17 aircraft due in from California. His directive “not to worry about it,� made sense as the privates continued to watch the invading squadrons approach until they were too close to track at 7:40am. The rest, as they say, is history.


But of what use is history if we don’t consider a story and consider what it might teach us about how to approach our future? In this instance, what is your reaction? Do you blame LT Kermit for his error? Or do you place the error with a commander, who placed him in a position of such responsibility with only the briefest of introductions to the technology? Is the culture at your work one where mistakes breed a hunt for the scapegoat and demands for their punishment? How are mistakes viewed and handled on your team? Do we blame “the system” because the integrated warning system was, in fact, not integrated at all? Do we shrug and blame it on the technology? Or curse the bureaucracy that caused the situation? Or do we each look to see what our own part of the failure might be? We could band together and determine adjustments, corrections and training that prevent future recurrence---and ask, “what else could cause a critical failure?” As leaders, we can choose how we and our teams respond to errors in judgment and execution. On a different note, the failure to adequately integrate a new capability or invention into the daily

function of an organization to improve performance has not changed. How many of us fully use or understand all of the functions available to us on our smartphones, work computers, and even home DVRs? It is important to an effective organization to be able to recognize the difference between an invention and a true innovation enabling a team to do better work. Simply buying new software and installing it on everyone’s computer is not going to improve customer service. The leader who not only ensures everyone is fully trained in new technologies, but also makes sure that the use of the technology is fully integrated into all ways that the company does business is the one who will find success. Effective leadership can be mastered. At the core of that learning is a solid grasp of fundamental principles providing guideposts and maps for navigating the ever-changing complexities of our lives, both personally and professionally. Starting with these Corporate Leadership Seminars, the Pearl Harbor Institute will expand programs in the future to include targeted programs for professionals, higher education, and secondary educational groups.

The Pearl Harbor Institute develops leadership and citizenship by creating seminars and programs around the stories and metaphors of Pearl Harbor and World War II history. We are currently piloting a variety of programs to find some “best fits” to achieve our mission. This column will highlight an initiative in each issue.


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Asan Bay Overlook In July 1994, in commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of Guam, a dedication ceremony at the Asan Bay Overlook unveiled the completed memorial wall containing the names of 16,142 islanders and servicemen etched in bronze. The memorial wall honors the U.S. Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Coast Guardsmen who died during the Battle for Guam from July 21, 1944 to August 10, 1944 and the people of Guam who died or suffered atrocities, personal injury, forced labor, forced march, or internment during the occupation of Guam from December 8, 1941 to July 21, 1944.

On a rainy Friday, January 16, 2015, after years of planning the extensive rehabilitation, the Asan Bay Overlook Memorial Wall was rededicated. In partnership with the Office of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo, the island community was invited to the ceremony. The redesign of the wall allowed for the addition of missing names and spelling corrections. During the ceremony, War in the Pacific National Historical Park Superintendent Jim Richardson thanked the park staff, volunteers and the Junior Rangers, our special young stewards, who refurbished the bronze sculptured bas relief panels that depict touching scenes of the war experience on Guam.

Over the years, typhoons and the tropical environment caused damage to the bronze panels at Asan Bay Overlook. Many options were considered in an attempt to save the damaged memorial wall. In 2007, vandals removed 34 panels and sold them to a scrap yard. The devastation was irreparable and the island community outraged. As a temporary solution, large acrylic pieces were installed as place holders.

Congresswoman Bordallo stated, “I commend Superintendent Richardson and his staff for their work in completing the renovation phase of this memorial. This memorial honors the memory of the people of Guam who endured enemy occupation during World War II as well as the liberators who sacrificed on our behalf. We hope that this memorial serves as a reminder of the stories and sacrifices of our island’s greatest generations.�

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PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION -HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONOULIULI NATIONAL MONUMENT ESTABLISHMENT OF THE HONOULIULI NATIONAL MONUMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION The Honouliuli Internment Camp (Honouliuli) serves as a powerful reminder of the need to protect civil liberties in times of conflict, and the effects of martial law on civil society. Honouliuli is nationally significant for its central role during World War II as an internment site for a population that included American citizens, resident immigrants, other civilians, enemy soldiers, and labor conscripts co-located by the U.S. military for internment or detention. While the treatment of Japanese Americans in Hawai‘i differed from the treatment of Japanese Americans on the U.S. mainland in ways that are detailed below, the legacy of racial prejudice, wartime hysteria, and failure of political leadership during this period is common to the history of both Hawai‘i and the mainland United States. Early on December 7, 1941, Japanese air and naval forces attacked Pearl Harbor and other military installations on O‘ahu. Before martial law was invoked, government officials began selectively rounding up Hawai‘i residents on suspicion of disloyalty. They were confined at local jails, courthouses, and other facilities on six of the main Hawaiian Islands before being transported to the U.S. Immigration Station and Sand Island Detention Camp on O‘ahu. Nearly all of the internees were of Japanese descent, including leaders in the Japanese American community who were educated, were teachers 36


or priests, or were distinguished by virtue of their access to means of communication with Japan or to transportation from Hawai‘i. Most would be sent to the mainland to be held for the duration of the war in Department of Justice and War Relocation Authority camps. Despite the government’s allegations of disloyalty, none of the Japanese American internees from Hawai‘i was ever found guilty of sabotage, espionage, or overt acts against the United States, and all later received formal apologies and many received redress compensation from the United States. On the Island of O‘ahu, the U.S. War Department sought a place removed from the active combat areas of Pearl Harbor for internment of individuals. The War Department chose Honouliuli Gulch, the bottom of which was hidden from view by the gulch’s steep walls. The Honouliuli Internment Camp opened on March 2, 1943, with the transfer of internees from Sand Island and rapidly swelled in population with the influx of prisoners of war. Managed by the U.S. Army, it was the largest and longest used confinement site in Hawai’i. Honouliuli is significant for having been used as both a civilian internment camp and a prisoner of war camp, with a population of approximately 400 civilian internees and 4,000 prisoners of war over the course of its use. Honouliuli was divided into seven compounds: one compound for administration and guards, one for civilian internees, and eventually five compounds for prisoners of war. The civilian compound was further divided into sections for male civilian internees of Japanese ancestry, female civilian internees of Japanese ancestry, and civilian internees of European ancestry. Historic documents indicate there were 175 buildings, 14 guard towers, and over 400 tents among the 7 compounds on 160 acres. Many internees referred to Honouliuli as Jigoku-Dani (Hell Valley) because its secluded location at the bottom of a deep gulch trapped heat and moisture and reinforced the internees’ sense of isolation and unjust confinement. The majority of Honouliuli’s civilian internees were American citizens or permanent resident aliens -predominantly Japanese Americans who were citizens by birth -- interned on suspicion of disloyalty. The remaining group comprised predominantly German Americans, though there were also Americans and aliens of Italian, Irish, Russian, and Scandinavian descent. Honouliuli also held women and children who were Japanese civilians displaced from the Pacific. 37


The 4,000 prisoners of war in Honouliuli included enemy soldiers and labor conscripts from Japan, Korea, Okinawa, Taiwan, and Italy. The prisoner of war compounds were guarded by an African American infantry unit as well as units of Japanese Americans from the mainland. Honouliuli closed in 1945 for civilian internees and in 1946 for prisoners of war. With the closing of the camp, fast-growing vegetation quickly took over the site. Honouliuli was forgotten as Americans celebrated the victories of World War II and focused attention on the valor displayed by Americans at Pearl Harbor and abroad. While both mainland and Hawaiian internment camps are sobering examples of wartime prejudice and injustice, Honouliuli reminds us of the differences in the way that forced removal was approached in Hawai‘i and on the mainland. The primary difference between the Japanese American experience on the mainland and on Hawai‘i is that the internment in Hawai‘i targeted a relatively small percentage of the ethnic Japanese population on the islands. Less than one percent of Hawai‘i’s ethnic Japanese population was interned in Hawai‘i. This contrasts with the mass exclusion of all 120,000 Japanese Americans on the West Coast of the mainland. In Hawai‘i, the Japanese American citizenry and immigrant population were over one third of the territory’s total population. Without their participation in the labor force, the economy of the territory could not have been sustained and the war effort in the islands would have been crippled. Both the policies in Hawai‘i and those on the mainland devastated Japanese Americans and their families and created a social stigma that was borne by Japanese Americans during and after the war. The selective nature of the internment in Hawai‘i also sowed division within the Japanese American community in Hawai‘i, leading to ostracism and other backlash against the targeted individuals and their families that would last their lifetimes. The declaration of martial law served as the basis to authorize internment in Hawai‘i, as opposed to the mainland where mass exclusion was authorized by Executive Order 9066. During the period of martial law from December 7, 1941, to October 24, 1944, the U.S. Army issued hundreds of military orders, some of which were applicable only to persons of Japanese ancestry and enemy aliens. For example, people of Japanese ancestry were restricted from residing in certain areas of O‘ahu and were forcibly removed from their properties. These types of discriminatory policies created an atmosphere of fear and suspicion.

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Finally, Honouliuli is significant because of the comparatively lower level of public understanding and awareness of the history of internment of civilians in Hawai‘i during World War II. On the mainland during World War II, mass exclusion was well known. In contrast, the internment in Hawai‘i was largely kept secret during World War II, and has only recently become the subject of scholarship and awareness campaigns. It was not until 1998 that information about Honouliuli resurfaced. After 4 years of research and exploration, the site was uncovered in 2002. In 2008, an archeological research survey was conducted at the site. Honouliuli remains an object of archeological interest. Honouliuli serves to remind every American about the critical importance of safeguarding civil liberties and maintaining our values during times of crisis. It is important to recognize Honouliuli as a part of our shared national heritage and national consciousness. It is a place to reflect on wartime experiences and recommit ourselves to the pursuit of freedom and justice. WHEREAS section 320301 of title 54, United States Code (known as the “Antiquities Act”), authorizes the President, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government to be national monuments, and to reserve as a part thereof parcels of land, the limits of which shall be confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected;

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WHEREAS Honouliuli’s objects of historic interest were listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2012 as nationally significant for their association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of our history; WHEREAS, for the purpose of establishing a national monument to be administered by the National Park Service, the Monsanto Company has donated certain lands at Honouliuli to the United States, and the University of Hawai‘i-West O’ahu has agreed to provide access across its property to those lands; WHEREAS it is in the public interest to preserve and protect the historic objects at Honouliuli; NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by the authority vested in me by section 320301 of title 54, United States Code, hereby proclaim the objects identified above that are situated upon lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government to be the Honouliuli National Monument (monument) and, for the purpose of protecting those objects, reserve as a part thereof all lands and interests in lands owned or controlled by the Federal Government within the boundaries described on the accompanying map entitled, “Honouliuli National Monument,” which is attached to and forms a part of this proclamation. The reserved Federal lands and interests in lands encompass approximately 123.0 acres, together with appurtenant easements for all necessary purposes. The boundaries described on the accompanying map are confined to the smallest area compatible with the proper care and management of the objects to be protected.

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All Federal lands and interests in lands within the boundaries described on the accompanying map are hereby appropriated and withdrawn from all forms of entry, location, selection, sale, leasing or other disposition under the public land laws, from location, entry, and patent under the mining laws, and from disposition under all laws relating to mineral and geothermal leasing. The establishment of the monument is subject to valid existing rights. Lands and interests in lands not owned or controlled by the Federal Government within the boundaries described on the accompanying map shall be reserved as a part of the monument, and objects identified above that are situated upon those lands and interests in lands shall be part of the monument, upon acquisition of ownership or control by the Federal Government. The Secretary of the Interior (Secretary) shall manage the monument through the National Park Service, pursuant to applicable legal authorities, consistent with the purposes and provisions of this proclamation. The Secretary shall prepare a management plan for the monument, with full public involvement, within 3 years of the date of this proclamation. The management plan shall ensure that the monument fulfills the following purposes for the benefit of present and future generations: (1) to preserve and protect the objects of historic interest associated with Honouliuli Internment Camp, and (2) to study and interpret the history of World War II internment and detention in Hawai’i. The management plan shall set forth the desired relationship of the monument to other related resources, programs, and organizations associated with World War II internment, detention, and exclusion. The National Park Service shall use available authorities, as appropriate, to enter into agreements to provide for access to the monument. The National Park Service shall also use available authorities, as appropriate, to enter into agreements with governmental and nongovernmental organizations to provide for research, preservation, interpretation, and education at Honouliuli and additional sites associated with World War II internment in Hawai‘i and exclusion elsewhere. The National Park Service shall also coordinate management with World War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument, which commemorates the broader story of the war in the Pacific and its impacts on Hawai‘i. Nothing in this proclamation shall be deemed to revoke any existing withdrawal, reservation, or appropriation; however, the monument shall be the dominant reservation. Warning is hereby given to all unauthorized persons not to appropriate, injure, destroy, or remove any feature of this monument and not to locate or settle upon any of the lands thereof. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth. BARACK OBAMA

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Museum Object Conservation: Saving the Stories of Kalaupapa By Carrie Mardorf and T. Scott Williams Kalaupapa’s museum collection, first managed in 1987, contains more than 364,000 objects and archival documents, primarily representing the late twentieth century experiences of residents within the Kalaupapa Settlement. The collection has several objects related to the Hansen’s disease patients’ experiences and stories, including modified spoons, woodcarvings, artwork, and jewelry, much of which was handcrafted by patients.

Parks, two National Park Service conservators from Harpers Ferry Center, Curtis Sullivan and Theresa Voellinger, completed work at Kalaupapa in March 2015. Over the course of two weeks, they completed much-needed conservation treatment on highly significant museum objects. A total of nine objects associated with Kalaupapa were conserved, including a crib from Bishop Home, an end table, a large poi board, three ledger books from the American Japanese Association Hall, a sketch by deceased patientresident Ed Kato, and the birth certificate and passport of a Hansen’s disease patient.

Throughout much of the 1980s and 1990s, Kalaupapa National Historical Park continued to acquire objects and holdings as part of the museum collection, but did not have a suitable space to preserve and protect those One of the most unique and collections. As a result, museum compelling pieces to receive objects were stored in various conservation treatment was a The Kenso Seki end table buildings and air-conditioned 1920s wooden crib collected from after conservation trailers. Heat, humidity, salt air, the Bishop Home Nursery. treatment. NPS photo. and pests took their toll on the Throughout the twentieth century, objects as the park struggled to secure funding infants at Kalaupapa were separated from their for a curatorial facility and full-time curator. parents after birth for fear that the babies would contract Hansen’s disease. Hundreds of babies The first phase of the park’s museum collection were born at Kalaupapa only to be removed from storage/research facility was completed in 2005. the settlement and raised by ohana (family) elseAptly named Hale Malāma, which translates to where. The crib is the last of its kind and serves as “house of care,” the facility has become an icon a powerful reminder of this story. for cultural resources within the park. The second and final construction phase was finished in 2012. Prior to conservation treatment, the crib was in In 2015, for the first time in the park’s history, unstable condition with substantial wood loss the majority of the collection is housed under one from past termite infestations. Termite activity roof and the park is working to conserve museum within the wooden legs caused the crib to stand objects damaged by previous years of environmenout of square, causing constant stress to the joinery tal conditions and inadvertent pest damage. and threatening the material integrity of the structure. Sections of the crib were tied together A Partnership to Conserve Museum Objects with string to secure loose joints and prevent the With financial assistance from Pacific Historic structure from collapsing. 43


To correct these issues, Sullivan, a wood conservator, first cleaned the surface of the crib using special solvents to remove dirt and grime, but protect the historic paint. Next, he consolidated the fragile wood, allowing B-72, an acrylic polymer, to soak into termite tunnels, infill gaps, and harden paper-thin wood. This provided extra weight and sturdiness, and allowed the conservator to move forward with the next stages of treatment.

Like a puzzle, Sullivan slowly put the pieces of the table together, recreating missing pieces as parts were glued into place. A thin wedge-shaped wood piece was crafted to recreate the missing wood along the eaten glue joint. Magazine holders were manufactured out of plexi glass to give the piece more structural stability. Other damaged areas were infilled with B-72 and epoxy and, once hardened, the repaired areas were colored and stained to blend in with the original wood. Though Sullivan was unable to repair all of the damaged areas, the end table is back in one piece and in more stable condition.

The crib’s legs were also consolidated and restored back to their original height. Some legs had lost nearly two inches of original wood material from termite damage, but Sullivan was able to recreate the missing wood with epoxy, restoring the original leg profiles. Missing crib components, including the bedding slats, were refabricated and installed to add extra strength, and the entire crib was realigned to its original square shape.

While Sullivan worked on the wood objects of the collection, Voellinger worked on paper documents, ledgers, and patient sketches. She first concentrated on the birth certificate of a former patient-resident. Before conservation treatment, the birth certificate showed signs of surface grime, staining, discoloration, and minor tears on some pages. The black and white silver gelatin photographs also showed signs of silver mirroring, a degradation of the photo where silver ions migrate to the surface of the photograph and transform into metallic silver when in contact with the atmosphere. The mirroring shows up as a reflective cast to the photograph and is a sign of improper storage and high levels of humidity.

Though the crib was the largest object to be conserved, the most challenging object Sullivan treated was a small wood end table, previously owned by Kenso Seki, a deceased patient-resident of Kalaupapa. Decades of fluctuating humidity levels along with termite infestations split the table into three large pieces. Sullivan started by assessing the table and removing large amounts of termite frass from joints and damaged areas. It became obvious that termites ate along glue joints, preferring the protein in the glue and softer birch wood, as opposed to the adjacent mahogany.

Top L): Extensive termite damage on the interior of the leg of the Bishop Home crib. Bottom L): B-72 fills the voids left behind by termites and hardens fragmented wood. R): Epoxy is used to restore the crib legs back to their original height. NPS photo. 44


Kalaupapa National Historical Park is currently planning their next conservation project. Follow their social media sites to stay up to date: facebook.com/KALA.NPS and twitter.com/KalaupapaNPS

Voellinger was able to carefully remove the sketch from the original cardboard backing and identify the type of adhesive that needed to be reduced from the sketch. From there, the sketch was given acetone baths to reduce the residual rubber cement adhesive and then blotter-washed to reduce the staining and discoloration. Additional conservation treatments included mending surface tears with Japanese paper and infilling losses with paper toned acrylic paint to closely match the surrounding paper color. Lastly, an archival quality window mat was created to house the completed sketch.

Voellinger cleaned the surface of the birth certificate with Absorene dirt eraser sponges, removing much of the grime and dirt. The photos were also cleaned with a Mars Staedler vinyl eraser and a thin piece of Renaissance Microcrystalline Wax. The eraser removed the reflective mirroring and the wax prevented the silver ions from migrating to the surface of the photo. Tears along the edges of the paper were mended and filled with strips of Japanese paper adhered with wheat paste starch. Sheets of archival acid-free paper were interleaved between the pages of the birth certificate to prevent further deterioration.

Public Outreach & Future Partnerships While most of the work that Sullivan and Voellinger performed was behind closed doors in Hale Malト[a, email blasts, articles and social media posts kept park staff and the public informed of their efforts.

After cleaning the birth certificate, Voellinger focused her attention on a charcoal and pencil sketch of St. Francis Catholic Church, drawn by deceased Kalaupapa patient-resident, Ed Kato. Prior to conservation, the sketch had been glued to a sheet of cardboard in an attempt to stabilize the drawing. Unfortunately, over time the glue and acid from the cardboard migrated into the sketch and stained the paper.

Long-range interpretive plans and additional funding is needed before any interpretive displays are developed; however, this project is the first step toward showcasing museum artifacts to the public and ensures that the stories of Kalaupapa are saved for future generations.

Curtis Sullivan of Harpers Ferry cleans the surface of the Bishop Home crib. NPS photo.

NPS conservator, Theresa Voellinger, finalizes treatment on an Ed Kato sketch of St. Francis Catholic church. NPS photo. 45


C E L E B R AT I N G

National Park Week at Pearl Harbor

Jr. Ranger Day

April 18, 2015 was the kick off for an exciting week of celebrating National Park Week. This week was also the kick off of the year-long celebration and count down to the National Park Service Centennial. Saturday, April 18, Jr. Ranger Day was filled with fun Jr. Ranger activities with Scavenger Hunts, the USS Arizona Documentary film, a special boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial, and of course the Jr. Ranger badge pinning ceremony upon completion of the Jr. Ranger activity book. New Jr. Ranger products were developed to encourage our visiting youth to embrace the concept of being a Jr. Park Ranger. This fun day was complete with a special treat, a movie on the Lawn night. Visitors brought dinner and refreshments, beach chairs and blankets and settled in for the showing of Disney’s “Planes; Fire & Rescue”.

Living History Day

Sunday, April 19, was Living History Day. We had our Pearl Harbor Survivors and Witnesses talking to guests. We borrowed flight suits from the Pacific Aviation Museum and guests were able to try them on with REAL helmets! We had swing dancers entertaining and models on display courtesy of the International Plastic Modelers Society Hawaii. Monday, April 20, learn all about all of our Pacific Island Network Parks, not only in Hawaii but across the Pacific Ocean on Find Your Park Day. Tuesday, April 21, learn about the different ways you can volunteer and make a difference in your Park! Volunteer In Your Park Day. Wednesday, April 22, Earth Day. In a private ceremony, the team assisted the US District Court to proudly swear in our newest American Citizens.

Find Your Park Day

Thursday, April 23, Pearl Harbor Colors. Celebrate with an early morning continuation of Earth Day and learn about what the Navy is doing to go green. Enjoy the music put on by one of the many amazing military bands here at JBPHH. Join in and play Tic-Tac-Toe with a member of the dive team in the dive tank with a Live Dive. Friday, April 24, Hawaii’s Newest Park. Meet with the Internment and Education committee from our newest National Park, Honouliuli National Monument. We folded cranes and shared stories with our visitors. We were joined by many for a special showing of “The Untold Story” about the Japanese American families of Hawaii affected by Martial Law, Executive Order 9066 and life at Honouliuli Internment Camp. Saturday, April 25, Career Day. Meet with the Park Rangers of WWII Valor of the Pacific NM and get to hear about how and why they do what they do for the National Park Service. Rangers from Business Services and Administration, Law Enforcement, Maintenance, Education and Interpretation, Dive Team and Cultural Resources.


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