Remembrance Spring 2023

AN EFFORT TO CONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE TO

Diamond Head

President & CEO

Aileen Utterdyke

Board of Directors

Jeff Bell, Chairman

Alma Grocki, Vice Chairman, Michael "Swede" Olson, Secretary

Alan Mattson, Treasurer

James M. Boersema

Noel W. Bragg

Patricia A. Lucas

Edward J. Lynch

To support the USS Arizona Memorial and other Pacific historic locations through education and interpretive programs, research, preservation, and restoration, to perpetuate the memory of events and honor the people involved

these sites.

Board of Directors (cont.)

Mark Y. Matsunaga

Dr. Ed H. Noh

Theodore "Ted" Peck

Clif Purkiser

Alby L. Saunders

Directors Emeritus

Neil A. Sheehan

Geoffrey M. White

Joachim P. Cox, Legal Advisor

Publication Advisers

Aileen Utterdyke

Edean Saito

Editor Jim McCoy

Layout & Design

Chase Nuuhiwa

PRESIDENT & CEO MESSAGE

During the Pearl Harbor attack, only 335 of the 1,512 officers, sailors and Marines assigned to the battleship survived.

Ken Potts passing means that Lou Conter, 101, is the last surviving crew member of the USS Arizona. The pair have been friends for decades and spoke regularly.

On the day of Potts death, the National Park Service lowered the American flag over the USS Arizona Memorial to half-mast and intends to present that flag to the Potts family. We will have continuing coverage online, on social media and in the next edition.

In this edition of Remembrance, we revisit a story we had in the Spring 2021 edition involving teenage relatives of one of the sailors killed during the Pearl Harbor attack.

In honor of Black History Month, we bring you the stories of two American servicemen who served our country in World War II years before the desegregation of the military. One was killed in action and was awarded the Navy Cross, while another survived the war and retired as a Vice Admiral.

This edition will also focus on efforts by Diamond Head State Monument to engage young people to enjoy the wonders of the iconic crater.

The annual Kids to Parks Day will be held May 20 at Diamond Head. It’s one of several ongoing programs to connect kids to our state and federal parks.

We also report on the ethnic diversity of the more than 8,000 patients with Hansen’s Disease who lived, died, and are buried on the grounds of Kalaupapa National Historical Park.

In honor of Women’s History Month, we have the fascinating story of a Filipina spy who had Hansen’s Disease and how that helped her save thousands of American lives during the Japanese occupation of Manila during World War II.

Thank you for your continued support of Pacific Historic Parks. Your annual membership fees and donations are vital in meeting our mission to always Remember Pearl Harbor and the sacrifices made by the Greatest Generation.

AILEEN UTTERDYKE President & CEO

activities may be obtained by contacting us at: 94-1187 Ka Uka Blvd., Waipahu, HI 96797, (808) 954-8777. Pacific Historic Parks was formed in Hawaii. If you are a resident of one of the following states, you may obtain financial information directly from the state agency: Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-435-7352 (800-HELP-FLA), OR VISITING www.FloridaConsumerHelp.com. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. Florida Registration #CH17306 Georgia: A full and fair description of our programs and our financial statement summary is available upon request at our office and phone number indicated above. Maryland: For the cost of copies and postage, from the Office of the Secretary of State, State House, Annapolis, MD 21401. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of Pacific Historic Parks may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State's office by calling 1-888-236-6167. Registration by the Secretary of State does not imply endorsement. Nevada: Contributions may be tax deductible pursuant to the provisions of sec. 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C. ¤170(c). New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS CHARITABLE SOLICITATION AND THE PERCENTAGE OF CONTRIBUTIONS RECEIVED BY THE CHARITY DURING THE LAST REPORTING PERIOD THAT WERE DEDICATED TO THE CHARITABLE PURPOSE MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING (973) 504-6215 AND IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT www.state.nj.us/lps/ca/charfrm.htm. REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.

A copy of the latest financial report, registration filed by this organization, and a description of our programs

New York: Upon request, from the Attorney General Charities Bureau, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271. North Carolina: Financial information about this organization and a copy of its license are available from the State Solicitation Licensing Branch at 1-919-814-5400. The license is not an endorsement by the state. Pennsylvania: The official registration and financial information of Pacific Historic Parks may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Virginia: From the State Office of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs, P.O. Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218. Washington: From the Secretary of State at 1-800-332-4483 or http://www.sos.wa.gov/charities/ West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305. Wisconsin: A financial statement of the charitable organization disclosing assets, liabilities, fund balances, revenue and expenses for the preceding fiscal year will be provided to any person upon request. REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT STATE. More information about charity state disclosures and charitable solicitation registrations.

As we were preparing to print this edition of Remembrance, the sad news broke that Ken Potts, one of the two remaining survivors of the USS Arizona, died at the age of 102 in Utah.

and

AN EFFORT TO CONNECT YOUNG PEOPLE TO

Diamond Head

By Matt McConnell Diamond

Coordinator

The world-famous State Monument is bringing communities into the crater by reaching out to the most important audience of all: our keiki.

Hawaiian for “children”, a greater connection to local keiki has been a growing focus for the interpretive staff at Diamond Head. In the past year the park launched a new Junior Ranger Program for younger visitors and started an ongoing collaboration with two local schools–Kaimuki Middle and Waikiki Elementary–dedicated to multiseries field trip visits to the crater as well as off-site education in the classroom. Getting kids connected to Lē‘ahi (Diamond Head) can sometimes feel like an uphill battle: the heavy and constant tourist traffic can make locals’ sense of connection to the park elusive. With up to 3,000 visitors a day and only a stone’s throw from the premier tourist destination of Waikīkī, Diamond Head State Monument can be a difficult space to feel at “home” in, even for people who live within a few miles of the crater.

Participation in the National Park Trust's Kids to Parks Day event series is a great way to foster that connection.  Saturday May 20th, from 9 AM to 12 PM, Kids to Parks Day will be hosted at Diamond Head State Monument. It is not only a great way to give back to locals but a way to showcase that connection to visitors from around the world, as the park is still

fully open to the public during the event. Although this is the second year that Kids to Parks Day has happened at the park, 2023 is in fact the 13th year that the event has been held. Held on the 3rd Saturday of every May and promoted as a “national day of outdoor play”, Kids to Parks day at Lē‘ahi includes soccer games and frisbee in the crater floor supported by Hawai‘i Division of State Parks partner Pacific Historic Parks (PHP).

But this event is about more than outdoor recreation: it is about the need to connect the next generation to outdoor spaces and spark curiosity and care for the natural world.

Lē‘ahi is home to fascinating volcanic geology, intriguing Hawaiian cultural and military history, and a landscape with few remaining native species struggling to survive in a sea of invasives. Some endangered plant species are even found only in the crater and nowhere else in the world. Past activities have included guided tours or presentations performed by park rangers, plant pressing with the Plant Extinction Prevention Program (PEPP), and even using Legos as a tool to learn about the benefits of tree species in the crater courtesy of the Citizen Forester Program.

Interactive lessons about bird biodiversity

Head Interpretive Center

and with PHP and collaborating schools have some kids imagining themselves as an iwa (frigate bird) or a scientist studying albatross at Ka‘ena Pont, while Oahu Search and Rescue (OSAR) and other emergency response speakers inspire others to see themselves as firefighters or flight paramedics.

Although the emphasis is often placed on elementary age groups, the kinds of activities and educational content at Lē‘ahi (Diamond Head) will no doubt appeal to many adults as well.  Hopefully the trail safety lessons in particular ring true for adults heading up the trail: Diamond Head sees multiple rescues a year due to severe dehydration, heart conditions, and slip and fall injuries.    The emphasis this event places on getting children into parks couldn’t come at a better time.

The need to connect kids to the environment grows every day, and the importance of going outdoors to enjoy the many benefits that nature has to offer is increasingly recognized. Students of all ages learn in school, at home, and in every aspect of media the life-or-death challenges that they will face due to Climate Change. The emotional burden placed on young people is very real, and the urge to give up can undermine the work that families, teachers, and experts do to engage young audiences. Making a personal, tangible connection is one way to overcome that. Whether it is to help with the increasingly common symptoms of depression and anxiety among children or just to get kids off the couch and their screens, doctors in more and more states are prescribing parks as a way to reduce stress and increase physical wellness.

The Ethnic Diversity

of Kalaupapa Residents

By Sister Alicia Damien Lau

If you land on the peninsula of Kalaupapa or just flying over, you may have noticed the water on three sides of the land, and the high cliffs on the fourth side. It brings to mind the 8,000 patients with Hansen Disease who have lived, died and are buried there. Papaloa Cemetery, the largest of several cemeteries on the peninsula stretches a mile along the coast from the village of Kalaupapa, almost to the airport. As you pass the Papaloa Cemetery, a feeling of sadness may overcome you and you might wonder, what life was like.

Over the past 60 years, I have known many patients and listen to their stories. There were very little changes in the aina, the landscape, or the houses but out of this place of sadness, there was much joy. The patients and kokua (helpers) band together to help each other. Life was always about building community, sharing aloha and being ohana with one another. About 8085% of the patients were Hawaiian and by nature are happy people, loving their culture, their music and their dance.

Other ethnic groups brought with them their own culture and practices which was a comfort to them. In 1908, of the 791 patients in Kalaupapa, 693 were Hawaiians, 42 Chinese, 26 Portuguese, 6 Americans, 5 Japanese, 6 Germans and 13 other ethnicities. At this time, there existed the Chinese Society, Filipino Meeting House, the Women’s Social Club, and the Americans of Japanese Ancestry (AJA) Benevolent Society. This true multi-culture community became an extended ‘ohana and this bond was their social network. This is how they coped with the emotional stress of living in Kalaupapa. The word ‘ohana means family, and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten. This sense of belonging, helped to bring hau’olihappiness and joy to each other.

The AJA Buddhist Hall, built in 1910 was well used. This former Buddhist temple severed the spiritual needs of the Japanese patients in the community.  They had regular business meetings, social events, informal work and sewing sessions.   They kept the tradition of mochi pounding and bon dancing alive in the settlement.  Later this former Buddhist temple became the meeting place and a repository for the Kalaupapa Historical Society.   The AJA Hall Buddhist Hall is the only ethnic social hall that remains.

Since 1982, it is currently the site of the Pacific Historic Parks - Kalaupapa Bookstore. There is an exhibit of photographs of what life was like in Kalaupapa. Pictures of visitors such as the Von Trapp family, Red Skelton, and Shirley Temple along with multiple pictures of buildings that no longer exist. Many pictures, from the Kalaupapa Historical Society, are on display within the Kalaupapa Bookstore. As you enter the Bookstore you will see the picture of the original AJA Buddhist Hall and the Chinese Society.

We hope you will be able to visit Kalaupapa soon. If you do, you most likely will be stopping at the Kalaupapa Bookstore.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park remains closed to the public. It shut down on March 10, 2020, and even with the pandemic in decline, the patients living there are among the most vulnerable due to their age and medical conditions. The National Park Service and the State Department of Health are considering when to reopen, but no date has been announced.

A FILIPINA SPY

WITH A DEADLY DISEASE SAVED THOUSANDS

By Tamara Zuniga-Brown, PHP Program Specialist

In honor of Women’s History Month, Pacific Historic Parks brings you the richly dramatic and little -known story of a World War II hero of the Pacific Theatre, Josephina Guerrero, a Filipina spy credited with saving thousands of American servicemen’s lives during the Japanese Occupation of Manila from 1941-1945.

For her relentless valor, “Joey”, as the GI’s called her, was awarded the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm by the US War Department in 1948; the highest award that can be given to a foreign civilian. Later that same year, Joey was granted permission to enter the US to get help for exactly what made her such a good spy -but what was also killing her- leprosy,

In 1941 at the age of 24, Joey had been diagnosed with the devastating disease of leprosy, or Hansen’s Disease. Heavily ostracized by her community, Joey’s high society husband left her and took their 2-year-old daughter with him.

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in December 1941 Joey was living as an outcast. With the desire to serve, she decided to use her life-threatening disease as an advantage and work with the Filipino Resistance and the Allied Forces.

This would not be the first hardship in Joey’s life. Orphaned at a young age and raised by the Sisters of the Good Shepard, she must have reasoned that if she was going to die, she would die doing something that mattered. And she did.

The Japanese soldiers were so repulsed by her ‘unclean’ condition they wouldn’t touch her. Joey became invisible, a prized asset in espionage.

So, for almost 4 years, this petite spy with disfiguring lesions and red blotches on her face and hands, was able to move about Manila with relative ease. Joey was able to pick up relevant information for the Resistance by listening in on conversations. Taking on the role of courier to the Allied Forces and US POWs, Joey would hide the intelligence on tiny pieces of paper hidden in her hair bun, between two pairs of socks, and even inside hollowed-out pieces of fruit to deliver vital messages.

Joey also took medicine, food, and clothing to the POWs, and became quite skilled at stashing explosives in spare tires and transporting weapons and supplies. On September 21, 1944, American bombers used her meticulous mapping of Japanese fortifications and gun emplacements on the Manila waterfront to take out the Japanese defenses.

In January 1945, Joey was tasked with the most dangerous mission of her career as a spy. American troops were planning a major campaign to retake Manila from the Japanese and the Filipino Resistance had maps that placed Japanese minefields across the lines the US soldiers were most likely to take.

“You had better go to confession and make a good act of contrition,” her superior was reported to have told her, “for you will not be coming back.”

Without instructions about her destination, and despite debilitating headaches and fatigue, Joey walked 25 miles north from Manila to Malolos on foot; the precious maps taped to her back to the 37th Infantry Division. Enroute to Calumpit, Joey was warned of an active combat zone, so she hired a boat on the Pampagana River to get around it and wound up outrunning river pirates near the town of Hagonoy.

Once in Hagonoy, Joey walked the final eight miles to US Army Headquarters. But when she arrived, she discovered the division had left a few hours earlier. Resilient as always, Joey turned around, caught up with the soldiers on their march to Manila, and delivered the map so they could navigate the minefields.

According to Ben Montgomery’s book, The Leper Spy, Joey was detained and immediately questioned by the Americans. “A CO picked up a Filipino woman who has contact with a Capt. of the guerrilla forces,” wrote a soldier named Dixon with the 129th Infantry attached to the 37th Division. “They have complete info of enemy installations to the South.”

Joey marched back with the 37th, dodging bullets and tending to the wounded.

After the Philippines was liberated August 15, 1945, Joey became an ardent advocate for the destigmatization of leprosy. Eventually, she received the first American visa for a foreign national with leprosy and after facing near deportation, achieved her dream of becoming a US citizen in 1967.

Josefina Guerrero lived in the United States for almost 30 years and died quietly at George Washington University Medical Center in 1996.

Trauma, mistreatment, and discrimination led her to erase any trace of her life in the Philippines. She was so good at disappearing, her obituary never mentioned any of her heroic WWII service as a spy in the Pacific Theatre.

We, however, can honor and remember the legacy of Josefina Guerrero, the indomitable Filipina spy who earned the Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm after saving thousands of American lives that helped turn the tide of WWII in favor of the Allied Forces.

REFERENCES

“From Outcast to Spy to Outcast: The War Hero with Hansen’s Disease,” The National WWII Museum | New Orleans, accessed February 14, 2023, https:// www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/philippines-spy-joey-guerrero.

Montgomery, Ben (October 2016). Leper Spy: The Story of an Unlikely Hero of World War II. Chicago Review Press. ISBN 978-1-61373-433-9.

Retrieved January 23, 2023

A FIGHTING SHIP USS HARMON, NAMED FOR A FIGHTING MAN

By Westin Saito PHP Education and Interpretation Research Coordinator

Little is known about Leonard Roy Harmon but what we do know is that he was born on January 21, 1917, in Cuero, Texas. After four attempts to join the Navy, Harmon was 22 when he enlisted in the US Navy in June 1939. As a person of color at that time like many others, Harmon was only allowed to be trained in specific jobs in the Navy. He trained as a Mess Attendant, one of the few jobs available to Black men in the Navy at the time. This job would consist of serving food to the officers and crew aboard the ship. Mess Attendant First Class (MATT1c) Harmon, like all members of a ship’s crew, Harmon had an assigned station during general quarters, and his station was at damage control.

By October 1939, Harmon had been assigned to the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA-38). The San Francisco would see limited action on the date which would live in infamy when Imperial Japanese Naval Air Forces attacked the Pacific Fleet moored at Pearl Harbor and the surrounding Army, Navy, and Marine Corps air stations. At the time, San Francisco was going through a refit and only had small arms fire to defend herself as she watched torpedo planes strike Battleship Row to the north of her. Some of her sailors crawled over to the adjacent heavy cruiser USS New Orleans to defend Pearl Harbor.

San Francisco received no damage during the attack on December 7th. Crews rushed her refit, so she could join

with Task Force 14 (TF14) to relieve Marine defenders at Wake Island shelled by enemy destroyers on the 7th by the same fleet that attacked Oahu, but when the island fell to enemy hands on December 23, and TF14 diverted to Midway.

For the next 10 months, San Francisco and Harmon would serve throughout the Pacific. San Francisco would serve with TF17 at Gilbert and the Marshall Islands in January. Then she joined alongside the USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) for counter actions in the Southwest Pacific area around New Guinea. San Francisco joined up with USS Wasp (CV-7) to try and save the listing carrier when it was decided to scuttle the hulking wreck instead of letting her fall into Imperial Japanese hands.

In 1942, San Francisco received her new Commanding Officer (CO), and like San Francisco, her CO was a veteran of the December 7th attack at Pearl Harbor. This new CO was Captain (CAPT) Cassin Young, a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions on the 7th as CO of the repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4).

AT THE NAVAL BATTLE OF GUADALCANAL

On the 12th of November, the San Francisco successfully downed an enemy torpedo bomber with her torpedo passing alongside the San Francisco, but the torpedo plane instead of crashing into the water ended up crashing into the San

Francisco destroying the aft control station which put the aft anti-aircraft director and radar system out of commission. One officer and 15 men were either killed outright or died of their injuries soon thereafter. Four officers and 25 men were wounded; most suffering horrible burns.

On the night of November 12-13, San Francisco would find herself in a battle with a larger Japanese naval force including the battleships Hiei and Kirishima, cruiser Nagara, and additional destroyers. In the night battle, San Francisco would take approximately 45 hits from enemy fire ranging from a 14-inch shell to a 5-inch shell with a direct hit killing almost all senior officers including the captain. MATT1c Harmon on this night would jump into action rescuing wounded sailors and evacuating them to a dressing station alongside Pharmacist Mate Third Class Lynford B. Bondsteel (PhM3c). Assisting with the evacuation Harmon would deliberately stand between incoming enemy gunfire shielding his fellow sailors and push Bonsteel to the deck safely at the cost of his own life. His actions that night resulted in the rescue of more than a dozen wounded men including the wounded Executive Officer.

NAVY CROSS CITATION

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Mess Attendant First Class Leonard Roy Harmon, United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty in action against the enemy while serving on board the Heavy Cruiser U.S.S. SAN FRANCISCO (CA-38), during action against enemy Japanese naval forces near Savo Island in the Solomon Islands on the night of 12–13 November 1942. With persistent disregard for his own personal safety, Mess Attendant First Class Harmon rendered invaluable

assistance in caring for the wounded and assisting them to a dressing station. In addition to displaying unusual loyalty on behalf of the injured Executive Officer, he deliberately exposed himself to hostile gunfire in order to protect a shipmate and, as a result of this courageous deed, was killed in action. His heroic spirit of self-sacrifice, maintained above and beyond the call of duty, was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country

FINAL HONORS

MATT1c Harmon posthumously received the Navy Cross in March 1943 for his actions aboard the San Francisco. He would also have a destroyer escort named after him, the USS Harmon (DE-72) but would be renamed before launch and transferred to the Royal Navy in September 1943 and renamed HMS Aylmer. The US Navy would reassign his name “Harmon” to a destroyer escort being constructed, and on August 31, 1943, USS Harmon (DE-678) was commissioned with her sponsor Mrs. Nau-nita Harmon Carroll, mother of MATT1c Harmon. The USS Harmon would be the first warship to be named after an African American, but it definitely would not be the last. While her time in service with the 7th and 1st fleet was less than a year she would still earn 3 battle stars for her service at Luzon and Iwo. A true fighting ship, named for a fighting man, Leonard Roy Harmon.

In 1982, grandson AAMM Leonard Roy Harmon II said about his grandfather, “I feel proud always. I feel he has set us an example to follow.”

VICE ADMIRAL SAMUEL LEE GRAVELY JR., THE FIRST

OF MANY

By Taylor Smith PHP Program Specialist

Pacific Historic Parks would like to showcase Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely Jr. During his 38-year tenure in the United States Navy Vice Admiral Gravely earned the title of the “first African American” for an array of achievements and titles. Often, Gravely shied away from this distinction. In an interview conducted by the Visionary Project in 2002, Gravely described himself as a “mild mannered, meek but strong man” who aspired to “do the best job [he] knew how.”

Born in 1922 in Richmond Virginia, Gravely grew up in a “strict but fair” household. He attended the Virginia Union University for three years before enlisting in the United States Naval Reserves in 1942. Having only opened enlistments to African Americans in 1937, by the early 1940s there were few opportunities extended to black sailors with virtually no chance of promotion. Gravely began his naval career as a fireman apprentice. With the hopes of one day becoming a motor machinist he pursued any opportunity presented to him. It was during this time that he enrolled in Naval College.

While enrolled in Naval College his Commanding Officer (CO) questioned why he had not signed up for the V-12 Commissioning Program test. The V-12 Commissioning

Program was “designed to select and train highly qualified men for commissioning as officers in the Navy.” Speaking to the Visionary Project, Vice Admiral Gravely recalled his reticence to take the exam. “I said Sir, do you realize there are no black officers in the Navy today? And I personally don’t think there will be any anytime soon.” Gravely’s CO ordered him to take the exam. He would be the first African American to pass it.

With no black colleges offering the V-12 Commissioning Program, Gravely enrolled in the University of Southern California. After two days of living in an all-white dorm he was removed from campus and sent to UCLA where a room in the basement was allocated for him. Gravely did not allow himself to be intimidated and dissuaded. After completing a semester at UCLA he transferred to the Midshipmen’s School at Columbia University. Of the 1,000 men in his 1944 graduating class, Gravely was the only black student. He would be the first African American commissioned as officer from the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps (NROTC). When asked how he was able to endure such an experience Gravely responded, “If [white students] could do it I could do it. No excuses…I don’t think it was self-control or anything else, it was a will to do it, and I didn’t plan to fail.” (Visionary Project)

On July 26, 1948, President Harry S. Truman signed executive order 9981 desegregating the United States military. Following his time aboard a segregated submarine chaser USS PC-1264 and a short stint as a Naval recruiter Gravely was ready to return to sea duty. He was assigned to the battleship USS Iowa as a communications officer. While Gravely was “very happy” with the assignment, his white colleagues were briefed about a black officer joining their ranks. The white officers were directed to treat Gravely with respect. A volunteer was requested to room with Gravely in the standard 2-man bunk issued to officers. Only one man raised his hand. Gravely was undeterred by his shipmate’s reluctance. “Maybe it might had been so [when I first boarded] but it wasn’t so by the time I’d been aboard there for 6 months, and they’d seen that I did my job just like they did their jobs.”

This would not be the first instance of racial discrimination and abuse at the hands of Gravely’s colleagues and superiors. While Gravely “never thought” of the racial tensions resulting from the desegregation of the US Navy he was invariably affected by them. “Every once and awhile I’d hear a derogatory remark which would upset me for about 5 minutes, and I’d forget about that one and go on to the next thing. I didn’t have any problems.” Early in his career Gravely cited being barred from entering the Officer’s Club, being taunted and jeered with his very presence at table resulting in arguments and near fights from white sailors and marines. “I had to convince my fellow officers that I deserved to sit, eat, and work alongside them,” he said. Inevitably Gravely would persevere and work harder to assert his place amongst them. This preparedness and unwillingness to be dissuaded or intimated would ultimately pay off.

Regardless of the racial turmoil Gravely never allowed this to dominate his personal narrative and ambitions surrounding his Naval career. “My aspirations were to command, not to be second command, or third in command, but to command. And I wanted to go to a destroyer.” Having never served on a destroyer, Gravely’s goals of commanding one would be difficult. However, like so many instances in his career he did not allow this detail to stop him. Gravely studied hard and enrolled in classes to help facilitate his dream. He joined a destroyer squadron, taking on additional responsibilities and roles. He visited destroyers and learned the inspections protocol of each ship in his command to understand them from “the bottom to the top”. “There were eight ships in that squadron, and I learned every one of them.” In 1960 Gravely would be assigned to the destroyer the USS Theodore E. Chandler as the first African American Executive Officer. A year later Gravely would achieve his goal of taking command of the ship.

Gravely cited his 1961 promotion as Commanding Officer of the USS Theodore E. Chandler felt “like going to heaven.” As the first African American to command a ship in the US Navy the media began to show an interest in him that would last the duration of his naval career. Often Gravely was “frustrated” and uncomfortable by the media attention surrounding his promotions and success. He shied away from the framing of his accomplishment as being “the first African American” Officer, Commander, and Commander to lead a ship during combat. Instead, he cited his ambition and determination that led to his accomplishments. Captain Odom, Commanding Officer of the USS Samuel Gravely Jr, mirrors this sentiment, “His primary goal was to be the best at what he did. It wasn’t about race it was being the best naval officer.” Regardless of civilian attention surrounding his race, Gravely took pride in his achievements especially as a role model for African American Naval officers and aspiring officers. As his wife Alma Gravely reflects, “He was a role model by being himself...That is what he did. He kept going and going and going.”

Samuel Gravely Jr.’s service would span 38 years, 3 Wars, and 7 seas. He would be the first African American to command a Navy Ship USS Theodore E. Chandler (DD 717), Warship USS Falgout (DE-324), Warship under combat conditions USS Taussig (DD-746), a Navy Major Command Warship USS Jouett (CG29) and a Numbered Fleet (Third Fleet). He was

awarded the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Meritorious Service Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. He was also awarded the World War II Victory Medal and Korean Service Medal with two service stars, the United Nations Korea Medal and Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation. In 2004 Samuel Gravely passed away at the age of 82. He was laid to rest at Arlington Cemetery. In 2008 the United States Navy would commission a ship in Gravely’s honor. True to Gravely’s early aspirations the USS Gravely is a destroyer (DDG-107). Discussing her late husband, Alma Gravely smiles to herself, “I’m happy the Navy decided to build a destroyer for him because I don’t know if he’d be too pleased with any other ship bigger or smaller. He loved destroyers. He loved to go to sea with them.”

Vice Admiral Samuel Gravely Jr. was the first to achieve many accolades and accomplishments once thought impossible for an African American Naval sailor. Throughout his career he was faced with countless instances of prejudice, discrimination, and racism. Through it all he remained humble and steadfast in his determination to excel and achieve his aspirations. He was not bitter or hardened by these experiences and never allowed them to blight his sentiments for the Navy. His perseverance would inevitably open more opportunities for inclusion, diversity, and representation. He would act as an inspirational “trailblazer” for countless African American naval recruits and aspiring officers. “They always say we’re standing on his shoulders. All of the time. All of the time,” Alma Gravely said. “He was very persistent.”

Fast forward a generation and two nephews of Robert Knight began making visits to their uncle’s gravesite, the USS Arizona Memorial. John and Roger Knight both served in the Army in Vietnam. During the 75th anniversary of the attack, they met several USS Arizona survivors.

A SPECIAL VISIT TO THE GRAVE OF A WORLD WAR II RELATIVE

By Jim McCoy, Pacific Historic Parks

Like thousands of others, the family of Electrician’s Mate Third Class Robert Wagner Knight was devastated by the news. Two telegrams were sent to his family, the first one four days before Christmas of 1941 saying he was missing, and the second one in late January 1942 declaring him dead. The last correspondence the parents of Knight had received from their son was a poignant Christmas card. In it, he wrote “Don’t spend any money for anything for me. You need it for the doctor.”

Prayer for the Dead

“Eternal rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them and may they rest in peace.”

Fast forward to 2023. John Knight’s two grandchildren made that visit to Pearl Harbor as members of a Texas high school band. “Definitely makes it more real,” said 15-year old Landon Drouet of seeing his great great uncle’s name on the Shrine room wall.

His older sister also said it impacted her and her classmates at Friendswood High School. “They were a little surprised when they found out someone they knew was connected to it and I do believe they also felt sort of connected to it,” Lacey Drouet said.

In addition to visiting the Memorial, Landon and some of his classmates strapped on Oculus headsets and experienced the attack through Virtual Reality. “It feels like you are as close as you can get to being on one of these planes,” he said. Adding “I think it’s a good teaching tool.”

Lacey believes the education system should spend more time on the attack and World War II. “Obviously that’s a very big point in history and changed a lot for the world and sometimes it is just brushed over, like a page in a book, it had a lot of impacts on the entirety of the world,” she said.

Malbert

George

Charles A. Dowd Ford Island NAS Butte, MT

Joseph Norman “Jack” Holder PBY Squadron VP-23, Ford Island Chandler, AZ

“Mal” Middlesworth

USS San Francisco Fort Collins, CO

H. Pann Fort Ruger, 55th Coastal Artillery Saxonburg, PA

Two years ago, Remembrance profiled a teenager from Ohio who was one of the 1,177 members of the USS Arizona crew killed in the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.

Mal Middlesworth Pass and Review 2006 Commemoration

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IN

The Legacy Society

Createalegacythatwillensurehistorywillneverbeforgotten

Since 1980, millions of people from every state of our nation and from 40 countries around the world have seen, experienced, and been inspired by the valor and sacrifices of the Greatest Generation at Pearl Harbor and throughout the Pacific Basin. The Legacy Society was created to acknowledge and celebrate family and friends who desire to keep history alive and to honor the sacrifices of the World War II generation. Members have affirmed Pacific Historic Parks in their estate plans or through other planned gifting arrangements.

Planned gifts provide a unique opportunity to preserve our country’s military heritage through supporting Pacific Historic Parks while possibly receiving tax benefits on income.

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Established in 1979, Pacific Historic Parks is a 501(c)(3), tax exempt cooperating association committed to preserving the legacy of our historic heritage by providing support of research, preservation, restoration, education and interpretive programs to the National Park Service at Pearl Harbor National Memorial (Pearl Harbor), War in the Pacific National Historical Park (Guam), American Memorial Park (Saipan), Kalaupapa National Historical Park (Molokai) and Diamond Head State Monument (Oahu).

Jack Holder Dec. 7, 2022

USS Arizona Memorial