Remembrance Summer 2012

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A PAC I F I C H I S TO R I C PA R K S P U B L I C AT I O N

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Kalaupapa, Moloka‘i EDITOR Ray Sandla

Inside

ASSISTANT EDITOR/

LAYOUT & DESIGN Sarah Safranski

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In service at Kalaupapa The National Park Service detailed Chief of Interpretation Eileen

Martinez to the remote Moloka‘i peninsula to plan for the critical times to come.

Museum Curator Scott Williams contributes information on the latest NPS efforts to preserve

and protect Kalaupapa’s history.

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The past and future Kalaupapa A look at the National Park Service’s latest General

Management Plan for Kalaupapa.

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Eddie Connecting Pearl Harbor and Kalaupapa history is an incredible story written by Pearl

Harbor Survivor Herb Weatherwax.

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Memorial Day 2012 This year marked the 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial.

Manning the rails A tradition in the best sense of the word.

Make-a-wish Pearl Harbor Survivors make the wishes of seriously ill children come true.

A turning point in history Admiral Donald “Mac” Showers was a key participant in decrypting

the intentions of the Japanese during the crucial early months of 1942.

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Wing and a prayer The saga of Bert Earnest and Torpedo Squadron 8’s Midway Detachment

during the battle that would determine the course of WWII in the Pacific.

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The Pearl Harbor Gram News from Pearl Harbor Survivors in Hawaii, and from around the country.

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Narrating Pearl Harbor: History, Memory, and Education Professor Yujin Yaguchi has

participated in the Summer Teacher Workshop since 2005. A new book details the practical

results Japanese teachers took home.

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WRITERS Sarah Safranski Ray Sandla

PHOTOGRAPHY Donny Chambers Ray Sandla National Park Service Remembrance is a publication for members of Pacific Historic Parks.

Pacific Historic Parks is a non-profit cooperating association working with the National Park Service to provide funding for interpretive and educational programs for WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument on Oahu, Hawaii; Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Molokai, Hawaii; War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam; and American Memorial Park on Saipan.

A painful journey Jackie Townes visited where her two brothers were lost on December 7, 1941.

Above: An early photograph of Kalaupapa with Siloama Church in the foreground and St. Philomena, just down the road on the left.

Front cover: A view of Kalaupapa from the pali cliffs.

Back cover: Pearl Harbor Visitor Center back lawn with the USS Nimitz docked nearby.

facebook.com/ PacificHistoricParksPage twitter.com/ PacificParks r e m e m b r a n c e

Letter from a Pearl Harbor widow Before officially disbanding in 2011, the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association voted to entrust Pacific Historic Parks with its remaining financial resources, historical records, and membership. Since that time, the staff of Remembrance (there are two of us), as well as the development staff, have been hard at work updating mailing lists, communicating with former members, answering questions about the Pearl Harbor Gram transition, and generally attending to the myriad of details concerning our special responsibilities.

The other day, however, we stopped and read a letter from a Ms. Valma DeVall, widow of a Pearl Harbor Survivor. Ms. DeVall has been a loyal Gram subscriber and wanted a copy of the winter Remembrance to put with her husband’s papers. The letter is a short history of a generation and a hand-written reminder that our mission to expand the understanding and appreciation of the War in the Pacific, and those who fought it, is a worthwhile endeavor.

He was a Seaman stationed on the USS Argonne at Pearl Harbor on 12-7-41. He was going to church, then the pineapple fields. He didn’t get to go. I was a junior in high school, doing my homework with the radio turned on low. My mother, a former teacher, didn’t approve. The program was interrupted; up went the sound.

My mother told me to turn it down. The first and only time I ever disobeyed. I told her and my dad we were in a war.

In the next week the senior boys enlisted and were gone. The next year some of my classmates were gone. We collected aluminum, had bond drives; all in a small farming town. I met my husband in a neighboring town. First date, on his birthday and a year later got married on his birthday. [After the war] he had two weeks training in the reserves and in 1950 asked for mothball duty at Bremerton and got it. ... in December he was called up for the Korean War. Our son was in the Vietnam war on the USS Enterprise. I have a grandson on the Enterprise. ... I have another grandson who is on submarines and stationed in Hawaii right now.

Yours truly, Valma DeVall Widow of a Pearl Harbor Survivor This issue of Remembrance features stories related to Kalaupapa National Historical Park on Moloka‘i. While different in many respects from the WWII parks we support: WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument at Pearl Harbor; War in the Pacific National Historical Park on Guam; and American Memorial Park on Saipan, the sites, and their stories, have much in common. As Kalaupapa NPS Superintendent Steve Prokop wrote, despite the imposed limitation on tourism (100 people per day) to protect the privacy of the patients still living there, people visiting the peninsula, “...are still able to experience this unique place, where so many suffered, yet were able to overcome tremendous adversity, and in many cases triumph by living life to the fullest.” Much the same can be said of Pearl Harbor Survivors; people who overcame tremendous adversity to triumph in a world torn apart by war.

Kalaupapa has had its share of selfless individuals who attempted to alleviate the mental and physical anguish of the outcasts: Saint Damien, the soon to be canonized Mother Marianne, Brother Joseph Dutton, and others whose names we may never know. Pearl Harbor also had its heroes. Medal of Honor recipients whose stories continue to inspire those seeking a reason to remember. As Herb Weatherwax’s story reminds us, history has a way of intertwining seemingly disparate stories.

With stories on Station Hypo and the USS Hornet’s detached Torpedo Squadron 8, the incredible story of Midway comes to life in two distinctive ways. We are fortunate that the USS Arizona Memorial continues to attract veterans of the War in the Pacific, allowing personal interaction with witnesses to some of the most critical times in American, and world, history.

The 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial was celebrated this past Memorial Day as efforts to restore and refurbish one of the world’s beloved icons of remembrance continue. If you can, please help the Memorial heal and inspire for many more generations to come by donating to this worthy cause. Please see www.restore.arizonamemorial.org for more information.

In the spring 2012 issue, we ran an article featuring Danny Crane. Since that time, the validity of his story has been questioned. Moving forward, we will be more diligent. We sincerely apologize for this error and will continue to highlight true stories of selflessness and heroism. s u m m e r

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From top: St. Philomena church on the Kalawao side of the Kalaupapa peninsula was a small Catholic Church when St. Damien arrived in 1873. He worked with patients to enlarge and improve the church, and Brother Joseph Dutton finished the work after Damien’s death in 1889.

Admiral Mac Showers received an extended and rousing ovation when introduced to visitors on the USS Arizona Memorial.

Pearl Harbor Survivor Al Rodrigues volunteers regularly at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Here he hosts a Make-a-Wish tour of the USS Arizona Memorial for the Williams family.

The Shrine Room of the Memorial, Memorial Day 2012.

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Paschoal Hall in 2003 before the recent National Park Service restoration.

In service at Kalaupapa

By Eileen Martinez, Interpretive Specialist on Detail, Kalaupapa National Historical Park

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s this publication goes to print, I am writing from my new home for the summer, Kalaupapa National Historical Park [KALA in the NPS vernacular].

I will serve three months as a NPS Interpreter at this revered site and there is much to accomplish. As my proposal for this detail explains, “As the patient-residents pass into their twilight years and the responsibility for telling the KALA story transitions to the National Park Service, attention to community relationships and residents’ desires must be carefully considered.”

The enabling legislation for Kalaupapa National Historical Park directs the NPS: ...to provide that the preservation and interpretation of the settlement be managed and performed by patients and Native Hawaiians to the extent practical, and that training opportunities be provided such person in management and interpretation of the settlement’s culture, historical, educational and scenic resources.

Formal tours and interpretive services are currently provided by Damien Tours, operated by Gloria Marks, a patient-resident.

As the park’s general management plan is finalized, the interpretive program will be further developed in harmony with the patients’ vision and community involvement.

For the time I am here, I have a number of tasks. I am a member of the Mother Marianne Canonization celebration planning committee. She will be canonized as a Catholic Saint in Rome on October 21, 2012. The community celebration, open to a limited number of invited guests, is planned for January 12, 2013. We are also planning 2

a rededication ceremony for Paschoal Hall, the social hall and community center in the heart of the settlement, which was built in 1916. Paschoal Hall has been restored to its early elegance by the NPS and the ribbon cutting ceremony is tentatively planned for fall 2012. Finally, I hope to support the interpretive efforts of Damien Tours, as well as other partners providing interpretive and transportation services to the general public.

Living in Kalaupapa is a unique experience. Having spent five years on O’ahu at busy Pearl Harbor, the tranquility and peace of this peninsula is a refreshing change.

Walking to work instead of commuting in heavy traffic on the H-1 is a treat. Working with the dedicated staff, kokua and resident patients is an honor. With gratitude, humility and respect I spend my days in wonder at the powerful history and stunning beauty of this sacred place.

Life in the Settlement Family and friends are curious about what it is like to live and work here. I am fortunate to reside in what were once the nurses’ quarters on staff row. I bring in most of my food/ personal items as shopping is very limited.

The store at Kalaupapa is open Monday– Friday, 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m., and is only for residents. The gas station is open from 8:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Fuesaina’s Bar serves beer, soda, ice cream and snacks from 4:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m., Monday–Wednesday and Saturdays.

We stay busy in the evening with hula and yoga Monday and Thursday night, Hawaiian language class on Tuesday, and volleyball on Wednesday and Saturday. Catholic church services are offered every morning and both

Protestant and Catholic services on Sunday.

Many residents leave for the weekend to go “topside” Moloka’i and even fly to neighbor islands. Although most staff members have a living arrangement at Kalaupapa, some hike the trail every day to work. This is an amazing achievement as the trail is almost 3 miles in length one way, with 26 switchbacks and a climb of 1,700 feet. I plan to hike the trail periodically to get to Kaunakakai, the main town, for grocery shopping and restaurants.

Everything I purchase will go in my backpack for the journey down.

The entire settlement participates in a well-developed recycling and composting program. Trash has to be flown out on Kamaka Airlines. Once a year, the barge docks at Kalaupapa, bringing large items such as cars, stocks of food and gasoline. This year the barge delivery is planned for July 14th.

A festive day for residents, “barge day” is kind of like Christmas in July.

Kalaupapa is regulated and controlled by the Department of Health and the NPS. These agencies are dedicated to maintaining the privacy and quality of life for the remaining patients that call Kalaupapa their home.

Visitors to the community must be permitted by the State and strict rules govern all activities on the Peninsula. The park website states, “Kalaupapa is a place where many families in Hawai’i can reconnect with a grandparent or relative once considered “lost.” It is a place where past suffering has given way to personal pride about accomplishments made in the face of great adversity. ...” Kalaupapa is a very special national park and I am honored to serve the patients and the rich tapestry of natural and cultural resources.

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Kalaupapa NHP Museum Collections Program: Hale Malama North Wing Project

By T. Scott Williams, Museum Curator, Kalaupapa National Historical Park

In July of 2011, Kalaupapa National Historical Park received National Park Service 20% Fee Demonstration funds for the interior completion of the North Wing of the Museum Collection Storage Area. The park’s curatorial storage building, affectionately known as Hale Malama, was constructed in 2004 and also serves as office space for the staff of the Cultural Resource Management Division. The work within the North Wing of Hale Malama consisted of the installation and connection of the fire suppression system to the main water system; installation of the air-conditioning system and sheet rock; interior painting; and, the final step, installation of the rolling compact storage units to house the over-sized museum objects within the park collection. Hale Malama is now in compliance with NPS standards for the museum collections. Since the completion of this work in fall 2011, the park museum collection staff has been busy freeze-treating collections to eradicate insects (primarily termites) before the move into the newly finished wing.

The collections move is now completed and the museum staff is double checking the physical location data that is kept within the collection database. The park staff is excited to provide museum collection tours for settlement residents and to continue to document stories and information generated by community residents, friends, and family members of Hansen’s disease patients past and present that capture the history of Kalaupapa.

Kalaupapa National Historical Park maintains its museum collection to illustrate and document the compelling story of separation forced by a devastating disease and the nationally significant natural and cultural resources found within its boundaries. The museum collection, first managed in 1987, contains more than 290,000 objects including 70 Linear feet of archival documents and photographs, primarily representing and preserving the history of Hansen’s disease patients’ daily lives at Kalaupapa during the 20th century. It also provides baseline data for cultural resources pertaining to historic structures and the history of the people within the Kalaupapa Settlement. A growing portion of the collection is made up of archeological assemblages and representative natural history specimens as the NPS continues to inventory resources associated with the park. The collections stored in the completed North Wing of Hale Malama provide information to help retain the context of the patients’ legacy and life ways for current and future park staff, researchers, and visitors.

Broadband internet access coming to Kalaupapa Hawai‘i Senator Daniel Inouye’s office announced in a June 22 press release: For the first time ever, broadband internet service will be available to the residents of Kalaupapa, Senator Daniel K. Inouye announced today.

Oceanic Time Warner Cable is providing this service by extending its fiber network down to the previously inaccessible peninsula.

Oceanic will also be providing additional video services to Kalaupapa including digital feeds and High Definition programming that parallel the service offerings on the “topside” of the Island.

“I greatly appreciate Oceanic’s efforts to bring broadband internet ser-

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vice to Kalaupapa. Making broadband internet service available will help to improve the quality of life for the residents and workers of the Kalaupapa community. Telecommunications and technology should be made available and accessible to everyone.”

“We are pleased to be working with Senator Inouye and his team on these important initiatives,” said Bob Barlow, President of Oceanic Time Warner Cable.

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The past and future Kalaupapa ational Park Service management of never been a shortage of ongoing scientific Moloka‘i’s Kalaupapa peninsula has fieldwork. Restoration of the settlement’s N been relatively recent and brief when viewed historic structures has also been a focus of within the grand sweep of the area’s historical context. Yet this management responsibility has come at a crucial crossroads for the natural resources, fragile ecology, and, most importantly, for the people who call this beautiful spot home.

The population of patients who reside at what was once a forbidding and isolated place now stands at less than 15. Their overriding concerns continue to be the Hansen’s disease settlement’s historical legacy and the future of the only home that most have ever known.

As the chart above illustrates, the Park Service has been active in the pursuit of knowledge relevant to the archeological, biological, and cultural history of Kalaupapa since the national park was established in 1980. Home to the highest sea cliffs in the world, one of the earth’s deepest bodies of water, rare and threatened plant and wild life, and fragile ecosystems, there has

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the Park Service’s preservation and protection mission. The work continues on many fronts.

The main focus of the NPS General Management Plan (GMP) now being formulated is the future. The patchwork of land ownership challenges the development of future policies, however. As the NPS June 2011 Foundation Statement explains,

“Kalaupapa National Historical Park differs significantly from most other national parks in that nearly all of the 8,725 acres of land, 2,000 acres of water, and improvements within the authorized boundary may remain in non-Federal ownership to be managed by the National Park Service through cooperative agreements. Land within the National Historical Park boundaries is owned by the State of Hawai‘i, Departments of Health, Land and Natural Resources, Transportation, and Hawaiian Home Lands; and small

private holdings at the top of the cliffs.

The National Park Service owns only 23 acres that includes two historic houses and four outbuildings that surround the Moloka‘i Light Station.”

Despite the difficulty of coordinating with so many government agencies, the Park Service has made great strides in reaching preliminary consensus on four possible plans for the future management of Kalaupapa NHP. Foremost in the minds of those conceiving the plans is the well-being of the patient community. Public Law 96-565 (1980), the enabling legislation providing the legal framework for NPS management, states one of the principal purposes of the park: “...to provide a well-maintained community in which the Kalaupapa leprosy patients are guaranteed that they may remain at Kalaupapa as long as they wish; to protect the current lifestyle of these patients and their individual privacy; to research, preserve, and maintain the present character of the community...” r e m e m b r a n c e

The NPS held meetings throughout the Hawaiian islands from 2009 to 2011 seeking input from interested agencies and individuals, including the patients themselves and the Kalaupapa Patients Advisory Council. NPS conclusions were recently released as a spring 2011 Planning, Environment, and Public Comment newsletter. Presented as alternatives A to D, the plans diverged mainly in the amount and type of visitation allowed. The charts below visually indicate where visitors would be allowed to go.

Those attending the meetings and providing feedback generally seem to favor the continuation of NPS management as a way to guarantee continuing interpretation of the their history while limiting tourism. In response to the question, “What do you value most about Kalaupapa?” answers ranged from “Preservation of culture, style, history, and remoteness” to “The power of the human story and how it can touch people’s lives” to simply, “The people.”

In gathering their reactions, comments, criticisms, and hopes for the future, the Park Service recorded how many of the remaining patients felt. Their testimony provides the most emotional, and the most compelling statements of all.

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Scoping meetings for the NPS general management plan were held throughout Hawaii, giving patients and the general public alike a chance to weigh in on the future of Kalaupapa National Historical Park. Here’s what a few individuals had to say: “One of the most beautiful places in the world. At Kalaupapa, there is beauty ...“ Sebastiana Fernandez “Visitors should know that life wasn’t easy. It was a miracle when the medicines came.”

Cathrine Puahala “When we are not here, open it up so people can come and learn. People can come and stay for a few days, so they can learn about Kalaupapa. They will learn about history, take pictures, and learn some of the stories.”

Elroy (Makia) Malo “Don’t desecrate what happened here, not because of my lifetime, but because of those who came before me ... I would really like to see this place stay sacred... sacred in honor of those who died here because of the disease, those who fought for allowances, fought for their clothing, fought for their medication, fought for their freedom.”

Henry Nalaielua

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My brother Edwin or Eddie (as he was usually called) and I didn’t live together very long. Our family couldn’t afford to give us many things and because our house was so crowded he left home when I was about 11 to live with my aunt Rose and her family.

However, even before he moved out, we did not have a strong connection. He was two years older and in those early years he never wanted to associate with me. I guess he considered me to be mostly a nuisance. I used to want to accompany him and would try to follow, but he’d throw rocks at me and keep me back. I laugh about it now, but that was how our relationship was back then.

Eddie was popular when he went to school.

His classmates liked him and, as a nice-looking young man, he attracted the girls.

Eddie Remembering a brother exiled to Kalaupapa

from the unpublished book Papa’s Escapades

by Pearl Harbor Survivor Herb Weatherwax

All of that changed suddenly when he was just 15 years old. The day he was diagnosed with Hansen’s Disease, his whole world changed virtually overnight. In those days there was no cure or vaccine for the dreaded affliction. Leprosy was thought to be extremely contagious and as soon as someone was known to have it they were immediately isolated. So it was with Eddie. He was immediately put in quarantine in a facility in Hilo and a short while later he was shipped over to Honolulu to Kalihi Settlement, which was specifically set up for people who suffered from the disease. It had full facilities for those who had to stay there, but it was in many ways like a prison.

It was fenced in to keep the patients and general public from mixing. He was there for two years before finally being moved over to the more humane isolation settlement of Kalaupapa on Moloka’i. There, with the exception of a few shorts stays in hospitals in Honolulu, he lived out the rest of his life.

My mother stayed in contact with Eddie through letters but because the two of us hadn’t been close prior to his illness, not surprisingly, we fell out of contact. I did think about him once in a while and my mother mentioned him now and again, but I was not in contact with her much either.

By 1939, when I decided to try and see him, we had not communicated since he was shipped over to Honolulu in 1930. I was still panhandling on the streets of Honolulu in 1939 when I managed to get free passage on a boat to Moloka’i. When I arrived at the island, I hitchhiked up the pali (cliff)

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A view of Kalaupapa peninsula from the pali cliff trail.

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overlooking Kalaupapa. From the top of the pali you had to go down a trail to get to the settlement. Because of its location—on the flats encircled by the pali on one side and the ocean on the other—the settlement is totally isolated. To this day, there is no other way to get there by land except to go down the trail. You can go down, like many do, by horseback or mule, or you can hike down as I had to. The trail is steep so you have to be careful that you don’t miscalculate your step and topple over the cliff.

When I arrived at the bottom of the trail that day and came across some of the patients, their deformed faces startled me. It was a complete shock to me to see what the disease does to people.

The patients I met had a guttural tone of voice because their voice box was affected by the disease. After we greeted one another, I explained, “I’m here to visit Edwin Weatherwax.” And they replied in their raspy, guttural voice, “Oh yeah, Weatherwax. He’s down there.” So, I continued on in the direction they had pointed.

When I found my brother, I discovered that his voice had already been affected and he had the same gravelly tone. We were happy to see each other again after such a long separation and we had a pleasant time catching up on things. I stayed only one day before climbing back up the trail and into the socalled “normal” world. Before I left, he gave me something. At the time, you must remember, I was flat broke and being a smoker I could always use a few cigarettes. Knowing this, when I left that day, my brother gifted to me a carton of Camel cigarettes to take with me. It seems such a small thing now, but at that time it meant a lot to me and I never forgot it.

Circumstances saw to it that I didn’t get to see Eddie again until after the war. I used to fly over there with my mother to visit every now and again. After my mother died, I continued to visit, albeit not often, so that he would know that I was still around and that I cared. Although, I have to admit that he had to remind me that I should come visit every once in a while.

Kalaupapa always had an airstrip, but it was not very long and could only handle small planes like the Beechcraft that we flew in on, which made regular flights to Moloka’i.

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as I always did. They had facilities for visitors. In most settlements, the patients were isolated, but at Kalaupapa the patients had the run of the place and the visitors were isolated. They had a little visiting area. That was the way it was.

Thankfully, in later years, they were able to change that policy when they found out that leprosy isn’t that contagious, and after a vaccine was developed for anyone who exhibited any trace of the disease. If it was caught early enough, the vaccine would stop its progress and at the same time make you immune to it. So, as a result of that advance, they could then safely allow visitors to intermingle. I never had the need to get vaccinated myself.

In later years, Eddie was brought over to Honolulu now and again for treatments and medical testing. They had a hospital on Kalaupapa, but at the time they were doing a lot of testing on those who had an advanced stage of the disease to find a cure and prevent it from spreading. By then the damage to his physical body, as a result of the disease, was too far advanced for treatments to make much of a difference. His hands and fingers were shrunk and deformed.

Eddie was one of the guinea pigs, in a medical sense. He agreed to be experimented on, if not to help himself, then to help others.

Towards the end, when I visited him in Kalaupapa, he was hospitalized and had his own room. They had operated on him to remove his eyeballs, which had been affected by the disease, and he was totally blind.

Since that happened, his sense of hearing became pretty sharp. He could hear footsteps and know who was coming. One time, I went to visit him and didn’t tell him I was coming. I was walking towards his room and all of sudden I heard his familiar guttural voice yell out, “Herbert! How the hell are you?” That made me smile.

When I visited, we’d talk and despite his unfortunate circumstances he had a good sense of humor and philosophy. I gained a lot from him by observing what he had to go through. It made me appreciate what I had. Despite his affliction, he never seemed despondent or depressed. He gave me the impression that he was living each day as best he could. I began to count my blessings.

I knew that could just as easily have been

me. Why he got it and not me, no one will ever know. Realizing that fact gave me the fortitude to carry on and realize how fortunate I was in comparison to other people. I realized that I should be more grateful for what I had. My experiences with my brother made a big difference on my outlook on life.

In this way, something tragic benefitted me by making me appreciate things more.

However, when I first started visited my brother he admitted that in the beginning he was really upset about his diagnosis. No one can accept that sort of thing in the beginning. He told me that he used drink a lot and, as a result, was often in trouble in the Kalaupapa community. Kalaupapa is similar in many ways to any outside community; it has individuals who drink and raise hell just like anywhere else.

He said that he eventually straightened up, stopped drinking, and began to get along in life. He explained that he had accepted the fact that there was a higher power and that realization changed his life for the better.

One day in 1965, when he was already having all kinds of complications, he was brought to a special unit they had for leprosy patients at The Queen’s Hospital (now The Queen’s Medical Center). I went to visit him and again was reminded of how fortunate I was.

By then, he was in bad shape, with all kinds of tubes and such things hooked up to him.

Nevertheless, he seemed to have a good attitude. That was the last time I saw him. They took him back to Kalaupapa where, not long after, he passed on at the relatively young age of 50.

They say he died of natural causes, but, specifically, he died from liver failure. They say people don’t actually die from leprosy, but it is a factor. For instance, a person might drink heavily to try to drown their sorrows and eventually develop liver problems as a result. In that sense, the disease is never the direct cause of death.

Eddie and I never really had what you could call a close relationship, but we were blood brothers and in the end that is what bonded us together. I’ve never forgotten him or the lessons I learned through him. He is now entombed in the same vault with my father’s urn at Oahu cemetery.

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National Park Service commemorative wreath in the USS Arizona Memorial Shrine Room. Flowers were provided to guests for floral tributes to those who gave their lives at Pearl Harbor.

Top: Sterling Cale salutes the Shrine Room wall. (Photo by Tech.Sgt.MichaelHolzworth) Bottom: Presentation of colors during the 50th anniversary ceremony.

USS Arizona Memorial 50th anniversary commemoration A

long with traditional Memorial Day ceremonies, 2012 marked the 50th Anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial.

The Alfred Preis-designed Memorial was dedicated on Memorial Day, 1962, and has been an icon of remembrance for millions of people around the world ever since.

Invited to speak at the ceremony were Rear Admiral Frank Ponds, current Commander, Navy region Hawai‘i and Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific; former Hawai‘i Governor George Ariyoshi; Hawai‘i congressional representative Colleen Hanabusa; and Paul DePrey, National Park Service Superintendent, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument.

DePrey began the proceedings with a short history of the memorial, outlining the conception and genesis of the Pearl Harbor memorial and the subsequent fundraising efforts necessary to complete it.

“As stewards of this memorial and the history it represents, it is our responsibility to carry on the enduring legacy of those we memorialize today.

“For 50 years now, the USS Arizona Memorial has served as an international symbol of remembrance, honoring a generation of Americans known for their collective courage and sacrifice.

This sacred place represents the lessons of a generation, which will continue to evoke reflection and contemplation for many years to come.”

Admiral Ponds sought to include all of the Pearl Harbor memorials in his speech, saying, “This memorial, these memorials, are proof positive that the men and women who fought and who fell on that fateful day, that their sacrifices were not in vain and that we will always remember their indomitable spirit.”

Former Hawai‘i Governor George Ariyoshi, who was a Hawai‘i state senator in 1962, described his feelings about the intentions of those who built the memorial: “Those who were there wanted to be sure that Pearl Harbor was not forgotten. That the men who died on the Arizona now lying entombed here will be honored.”

The USS Arizona Memorial evokes strong emotions from those who visit the quiet dignity of its beautifully arched space. While architect Alfred Preis’ design has purposefully encouraged a great diversity of ideas, sentiments, and reactions, the fundamental, original objective remains. Fifty years of incredible change has left the memorial as beautiful, meaningful, and timeless as ever.

“A man gives his life in battle, he’s done everything that he can and even all our Pearl Harbor Survivors who are all 85 and 95, we will soon be gone and just wonder if they’ll ever remember us like the people that we remember.”

Pearl Harbor Survivor Sterling Cale 8

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U.S. Marines stand guard at the USS Arizona Memorial United States Marines from 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Division deserve a special recognition for their unique role in the commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial. An honor guard detachment stood on a 48-hour vigil watch on the Memorial. “It’s a special opportunity for these Marines to be connected to their past,” said Sgt. Major Dennis Collins. One Marine was on constant watch in the shrine room while two Marines were able to talk with the visitors on what this site means to the Marine Corps. 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Division are stationed at Kaneohe Bay. Thank you for your service!

US Marine Pvt. Michael Bazinau standing guard on the USS Arizona Memorial.

May 30, 2012 declared Alfred Preis and USS Arizona Memorial Day

Tickets to ride Narrated boat tour offers riders rare views of historic Pearl Harbor

Jan Peter Preis, Alfred Preis’ son, and Governor Neil Abercrombie pose with the official proclamation declaring May 30, 2012, Alfred Preis and USS Arizona Memorial Day.

State of Hawaii Governor Neil Abercrombie declared May 30, 2012, Alfred Preis and USS Arizona Memorial Day. The official proclamation recognizes Preis’ “contributions to the design of one of the world’s more recognizable memorials of World War II.” The proclamation also recognizes his work as Executive Director of the Hawaii State Foundation for Culture and the Arts and champion of the one percent law, which requires companies to donate one percent of construction costs for public art.

The official proclamation was signed and presented to Jan Peter Preis, Alfred Preis’ son, in the Executive Room at the State Capitol. Representatives from the National Park Service and Pacific Historic Parks were also in attendance.

The proclamation coincided with the 50th anniversary of the USS Arizona Memorial, which was celebrated over Memorial Day weekend of this year.

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The special narrated May 27 and 28 boat tours took USS Arizona Memorial restoration fund contributors around Ford Island, out to the mouth of Pearl Harbor, and down Battleship Row. The fascinating hour-long tour provided unparalleled views of historic sites few get to experience.

Top: The USS Utah Memorial honors the only other ship still in the waters of Pearl Harbor. Attempts were made to right the ship but the efforts failed and the ship remains at a 38-degree angle on the bottom of Pearl Harbor.

Middle: The Hickam water tower, built in 1938, survived the Japanese attack on December 7, and still serves its original function today.

Bottom: The Pacific Aviation Museum control tower shows off its recent refurbishment as picnickers enjoy the waterfront.

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Paxton Turner Carter’s photo album was donated to the National Park Service by the Carter family. Born in 1912, Carter was killed in action aboard the USS Arizona on December 7, 1941.

Left page, lower photo: Paxton Carter and wife Edyth Carter Right page, top photo, Paxton Carter SK1c.

Taking Donations

By Scott Pawlowski, Museum Curator, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument

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orld War II Valor in the Pacific National Monument relies primarily on donations of family heirlooms, memorabilia, photographs, and diaries to tell the Pacific War story. Thanks to these donations, the USS Arizona Memorial has a world-class collection of Pearl Harbor artifacts and hopes to build a similar collection for the Pacific War story.

The National Park Service has limited funds and must stay focused on keeping a high standard of care for very special artifacts. Therefore, we are selective when accepting donated materials. Items that are already represented in the collection or fall outside our Scope of Collections statement will be turned away.

To help guide you through our collection acquisition process, consider the following: uniforms, guns and ammunition are only interesting to us when associated with an important figure, event or story. For instance, we would be interested in General MacArthur’s uniform but not a hypothetical Private Jones. That is unless Private Jones received a silver star for gallantry in action at Midway Island dressed in that exact uniform. Similarly, we would be interested in a SPAR uniform as we do not currently have one. SPARS are an interesting story and the uniforms rare.

For items that do not fit our collections, we will always recommend alternative places for donation. There are many museums, archives and libraries that might have an interest in artifacts we do not need. Please take a look at our Scope of Collections Statement1 and Library Catalog2 to get a better perspective of our collections.

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Valor in the Pacific National Monument visitors often want to know what types of material we collect for the museum. Below is a short list of items, themes, and background for artifacts the National Park Service desires. If you are interested in donating such items below, please contact the Museum Curator3 and read the Donor Information Packet1.

• WAVE, WAAC (or WAC), SPAR, ROTC and Marine Corps Women Reserve oral or written histories as well as period photographs, diaries, accounts, letters and collectibles that reflect on the individual experience.

• Varsity Victory Volunteers, Red Cross, USO, HI Chamber of Commerce, YWCA and other civic or fraternal organizations active from 1940-1945 preparing or provisioning Hawaii for war. We are interested in these organizations and how they prepared, functioned and survived in the Pacific War. Archival materials, documents, photographs, diaries, speeches and ephemera would add substantially to our collection.

• Plantation civil defense, plantation police or plantation medical unit information, photographs, oral histories, publications and accounts created from 19401946.

• Witness art is very interesting to us.

We seek pieces created from 1941-1952 in the Pacific Theater and Japanese Occupation executed by witnesses. Pen or pencil sketches, paintings and crafts will all be considered.

• Volunteer defense force or civilian voluntary militia unit participants located

on all Hawaiian Islands. We would like to expand our oral history collections and artifacts in these areas.

• Unit, base, air wing, battalion and ship newsletters from the Pacific Theater provide great insight into daily life experienced during the war. Please see our online examples and list of known unit newsletters here.

• Atka, Attu, Canton, Kiska, Johnston, Midway and Wake islands period photographs, diaries, accounts, letters and collectibles created from 1941-1945. Oral and written histories are highly important.

• Army and Air Force oral histories, written experiences, period photographs, diaries, accounts, letters and collectables from Alaska or Eastern Pacific areas that tell the Pacific War experience.

• Military and civilian Aleutian period photographs, diaries, accounts, letters and collectables created from 1941-1945.

• Library books published about the Pacific War that we do not currently own would be greatly appreciated. There are a number of firsthand accounts and histories written between 1942 and 1980 that we’d like to collect on the Pacific War. Cruise books for ships serving in the Pacific War would also be useful. We do not need additional copies of At Dawn We Slept, though it’s a great book. Four copies are enough. Please contact the museum curators’ office about our current holdings. www.nps.gov/valr/historyculture/preservation.htm www.library.nps.gov/ 3 scott_pawlowski@nps.gov 1 2

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Welcome Make-A-Wish families

The USS Arizona Memorial hosted throughout the month of June multiple families from the Make-A-Wish Foundation, a non-profit organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions.

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3 1: Pearl Harbor Survivor Al Rodrigues provides details on the attack on Pearl Harbor to Maxwell Bestvina of Illinois, age 16, on the USS Arizona Memorial.

2: Kyle Williams of Georgia, age 15, in Remembrance Circle at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

3. Michael Terrey, Donna Euler and Ryan Euler, age 15, of Pennsylvania in front of the USS Arizona anchor.

4: Mark Clay, Tyler Clay, age 15, Clinton Clay, and Julie Clay of Mississippi with Pearl Harbor Survivor Herb Weatherwax in the flag room on the USS Arizona Memorial.

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More photos at facebook.com/PacificHistoricParksPage.

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Left: Admiral Mac Showers in front of the USS Arizona Memorial on a recent visit to Pearl Harbor.

The retired Navy Admiral generously donated to the Memorial’s ongoing restoration effort while at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

Above: National Park Service, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument Chief Historian Daniel Martinez interviewed Admiral Showers in his Hale Koa hotel room.

Below: Station Hypo was located in the basement of building one, the old administration building at what is now Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The building, and the basement, still exist.

Right: Donald “Mac” Showers in an undated photograph.

A turning point in history Daniel Martinez, Chief Historian, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument interviewed Admiral Donald “Mac” Showers during the Admiral’s recent visit to Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. The former US Navy intelligence analyst was a key participant in the remarkable cryptologic triumphs that led to the US victory at Midway.

needs to be replenished.”

The reason being of course is that atolls have no natural fresh water supply. The water has to be manufactured and anybody interested in an atoll would be vitally concerned about the water supply. Rochefort listened to his plan and his comment was, “Very good, Jasper, very good.” He turned

Daniel Martinez: Admiral, you’re here for the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. When you look back at those years, what is the one moment that always comes to mind?

Admiral Showers: I was sitting at my desk one day and Commander Jasper Holmes was standing beside my desk.

He was my immediate boss under Commander Rochefort. We were talking about something that he wanted me to do when Commander Rochefort walked up and said to him, “Jasper, we need to do something to prove to the world that AF is Midway.”

And Jasper said, “I’ve been thinking about that. I have an idea of something we can do.

I know that there’s still an undersea cable that operates out to Midway Island so we can send a message out there that won’t be intercepted by anybody. We can instruct the Commanding Officer of Midway to send a plain language message so it will be intercepted and understood that he suffered a major casualty to his water distillation plant and he has only enough fresh water for a two week supply and needs to be reinforced, 12

a lot of people. They didn’t know that we were doing this. They didn’t know it was deception. So, we had to tamp out those fires, which we were able to do.

We waited for the results from the Japanese. The next day, we intercepted and enciphered JN-25, which we were by then reading relatively well. A message from Wake Island, where there was a Japanese intercept station, was sent back to Tokyo stating that the Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Station at AF had just

“...it seems impossibl riences because they

and walked back to his desk and got on the telephone back to Commander Layton and told him of the plan and Layton said he wanted to run it by Admiral Nimitz.

The rule was that a deception measure has to have high-level approval. Nimitz agreed to it. Layton got back within relatively few minutes and said, “go ahead.” We sent the message via cable that afternoon. This happened about 10 o’clock in the morning.

The next morning the Commandant of the 14th Naval District received a plain language message saying that Midway had suffered distillation plant problems and had a short supply of water. Well, that aroused

reported to his superiors in Hawaii that he suffered a casualty to his distillation plant and had only a limited supply of fresh water. Well, that message by itself proved that AF was Midway, proved it conclusively.

We at Hypo were confident from the beginning that AF was Midway. And we had good reason for that. Admiral Nimitz wanted to be sure that we were on the right track before he started making any plans. He sent his Plans Officer, Captain McCormick, who later became an Admiral, over to review our evidence. He spent the better part of a day looking over our evidence and our analysis, and he agreed that we were on the right track. He went back and told Admiral Nimitz that. So, Admiral Nimitz proceeded with his tentative plans.

Meanwhile, Washington was looking at the very same intelligence and they didn’t r e m e m b r a n c e

agree, on the premise that the Japanese would not send such a large combat fleet to capture this small atoll in the mid-Pacific.

There must be a bigger target. They speculated that it was probably Pearl Harbor. Some people thought it might well be a target on the West Coast of the United States. The U.S. Army in Washington, looking at the same intelligence, speculated that it might be the Panama Canal. That installation was a vital concern to the Army because they were responsible for protecting it at that time.

So, there was no agreement in Washington as to the fact that AF was Midway.

Various people were skeptical for various reasons and one way or another they were all advising Admiral King, who became skeptical himself. When Admiral Nimitz said, “prove to the world,” he really meant Washington DC. When we intercepted and translated that message, Commander Rochefort said, “Let’s

DM: Could you describe for us station Hypo.

What was it like? Where was it located?

DM: This is the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Midway. What does that mean to you?

MS: Well, station Hypo was in the basement of the admin building in Pearl Harbor Navy Yard. The basement of that building was never intended to be office space. It was intended to be a storeroom or whatever. The basement really wasn’t ever finished. It had a rough concrete floor and it didn’t have any siding or office arrangement. It didn’t have very good lighting and no ventilation.

When it was decided to move Rochefort’s operation down into the basement for security purposes, they had to install an air conditioning system, which was primitive. It cooled but it didn’t dehumidify and there was no natural fresh air being introduced into the basement. So, the environment was cold and damp. The air conditioning was very effective at cooling, but it was a damp cold. And everybody who worked there had to wear extra clothing for comfort.

Rochefort wore a smoking jacket—a red, maroon corduroy smoking jacket. I had a tan sweater, myself, that I kept at my desk and put on every time I was there. And everybody else had extra clothing too, to be comfortable. Rochefort also wore slippers.

As a result, some people, having heard all that, felt that Rochefort was eccentric. He was not eccentric in any respect, but he wanted to make himself comfortable when he was working there. Whenever he left the office, he left in proper uniform. We didn’t have any renegades down there at all.

We called it the dungeon. We referred to it among ourselves as the dungeon because we were the only people down there. When

MS: First of all, it seems impossible to me that 70 years have elapsed since I went through these experiences because they are just as fresh in my memory as if they had happened yesterday. I’ve been to previous observances of the anniversaries ever since the Navy started doing it a few years ago and I was glad they did. I was aware that the Australians observed the Battle of the Coral Sea almost as a national holiday every year.

And we participated in their observances for several years and they still do it. So, I was pleased when the Navy started having annual observances of the Battle of Midway.

DM: What does the USS Arizona Memorial mean to you?

MS: A lot. I get emotional when I think about it.

DM: Why is that Admiral?

MS: Well, I’m not sure I can put it into words. We lost an awful lot of Navy on December 7th. And we recovered in a far different way than a lot of people would think.

DM: What did you think of the design of the Memorial when you first saw it?

MS: Well, I was a little surprised and disappointed. It didn’t convey to me what I thought a Memorial should, at a distance.

This is before I ever was onboard the Memorial. Once I got to see the Memorial and go

le to me that 70 years have elapsed since I went through these expey are just as fresh in my memory as if they had happened yesterday.” sit on this for a few minutes, a little while.

Let’s see if somebody else doesn’t report it first.” It would have seemed very self-serving if we had reported it. Well, within an hour, fortunately, Melbourne had gotten the message, translated it, and reported it. That was exactly what Rochefort wanted and, of course, everybody received that message and that ended the debated about whether or not AF was Midway. Then the planning proceeded on a solid basis from then on.

DM: Is it safe to say, Admiral, that the trap was set by that message. It allowed the planes to ambush the Japanese …

MS: Absolutely. Absolutely. It was on that basis that Admiral Nimitz finalized his defensive plans and issued his planning op order in which he directed three carriers, one under Admiral Fletcher and the other two under Admiral Spruance. s u m m e r

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I got there, there were probably not more than 20 or 30 people total.

onboard, I could see why it was a distinctive thing.

DM: Did you men realize at the time the importance of the work you were doing?

DM: The Battle of Midway, how would you like that remembered?

MS: I think that the senior people did. As a newly commissioned ensign, I don’t think that I did at the time. It was interesting work. I knew it was unique. It was unique to me because I was not prepared for that assignment at all.

MS: Well, I’d like it remembered as it has been up to now, as the turning point of the war. Of course, my job with Hypo was to keep track of the Japanese Navy—what the ships were doing, where they were, how they were organized, the order of battle and their movements, and so forth. I’m not a linguist.

I’m not a cryptographer. I’m an intelligence analyst and I learned that at Hypo. I learned it from Jasper Holmes and … watching Joe Rochefort. Those are the people that I consider to be my mentors ... particularly Jasper Holmes. He’s number one. But the fact that we sank four aircraft carriers in one day is just unheard of.

DM: What did you think of all this destruction in Pearl Harbor?

MS: Well, it was just mind-boggling. I couldn’t believe it. A lot of the damage ... was still evident. It was the first of February 1942 and none of the salvage work had commenced yet. ... [A]long Battleship Row, it was a pretty bad appearing mess.

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Wing and a prayer

The Saga of Torpedo Squadron 8 The Midway Detachment (VT-8) June 4, 1942

HHH

By Daniel Martinez, Chief Historian, National Park Service, WWII Valor in the Pacific National Monument.

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he brand new Grumman TBF (Torpedo/Bomber) Avengers had literally missed the boat. The detachment of 19 TBFs had been assigned to USS Hornet’s Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) and had flown from Norfolk to the West Coast and then ferried to Hawaii. Unfortunately, they arrived at Pearl Harbor a day after the Hornet went to sea on May 28, 1942 and, despite the fact that the aircraft were not combat tested, were ordered to fly to Midway Island from Hawaii. On Monday June 1, 1942, Bert Earnest’s TBF was the first of six to take off from the Pearl Harbor Naval Air Station at Ford Island. As the large lumbering aircraft rolled down the runway and lifted into the air, Bert could still see the damaged and sunken battleships from December 7th.

He wanted revenge for what the Japanese had done six months prior. The plane he now flew was named with that intention-Avenger!

The flight to Midway was more than 1,200 miles. For Ensign Earnest and his two crewmembers, it was a daunting task. This was the first time he had flown out of sight of land. With just 90 hours of flying time with the TBF, he felt confident that this plane was the finest he had ever flown.

As they approached Midway in the late afternoon, the dazzling sight of two small islands with aqua colored lagoons appeared below them. Details became evident as they approached Eastern Island. The runway bristled with aircraft of every type and branch of service. Many called it the “Big Show.”

One June 4, 1942, at just after 6:00 a.m., VT-8 stood ready for takeoff to strike the Japanese fleet. Moments before, the air raid siren had sounded, signaling that all aircraft were to take to the air immediately so they would not be caught on the ground like at Pearl Harbor or Clarke Field in the Philippines.

The Japanese inbound aircraft were now just 47 miles out. Ensign Bert Earnest was briefed that the six TBFs of VT-8 would link up with Marine bombers and fighters and form one cohesive strike force. That didn’t happen. Lieutenant Fieberling, commanding the detachment, led Torpedo 14

Squadron 8 straight for the last known position of the Japanese fleet. Within five minutes they met enemy fighters headed for Midway.

The Japanese fighters made a pass, firing at the group and then continued on. The attack was so sudden, the TBFs did not shoot back.

Members of the group had just experienced their first test of combat and survived.

Ensign Earnest and Charles Brannon, flying to his right, exchanged a salute, noting the moment of battle.

The TBFs were in two sections heading 320 degrees with an air speed of 160 knots.

The enemy was believed to be about 150 miles away and, as time passed, Ensign Earnest felt the fleet should be sighted soon.

However, nothing but a vacant sea was below. Suddenly, at 7:00 a.m., a ship was sighted. Soon, another, and within minutes the entire Japanese fleet came into view.

Ernest notified everyone of his sighting.

Suddenly, his turret gunner, Jay Manning, shouted out a warning that enemy fighters were closing in behind them. Lieutenant Fieberling signaled to attack the two carriers within sight. As they dropped in altitude to make their torpedo run, the trailing Japanese fighters closed in and began to pick them off. Walter Lord describes that historic moment vividly in his award-winning book, Incredible Victory*: At the second enemy pass, Manning’s turret gun stopped firing. Working the tunnel gun, Radioman Harry Ferrier looked back over his shoulder. He was horrified to see Manning’s body slumped at his post. In all his 18 years, Ferrier had never seen death before and here in a single shattering instant he was staring right at it. All at once, he felt very scared and old.

He turned back to his own gun, only to find it useless. By now the TBF’s hydraulic system was shot away, dropping the tail wheel and blocking his field of fire. Another burst raked the plane, and a bullet tore through the bill of

the baseball cap he was wearing. It creased his scalp, and he fell back dazed.

In the cockpit Ensign Earnest was having his own troubles. First the radio went … next the compass … then the controls began to go.

He glanced out the canopy–large holes appeared in the wing. A sliver of shrapnel caught his right jaw and there was blood everywhere.

At 200 feet he was still boring in, when another burst got the elevator wires. The stick went limp; nothing responded, and Earnest was sure this was the end. There was no hope left of getting the carrier–no hope of coming out alive–but he still had rudder control, and he would do something with that. He gave it a hard kick and swerved toward the only Japanese ship near him, a three-stack light cruiser.

He let the torpedo go. After that in a matter of seconds he took stock … the TBF had been hit by 70 odd 7.7 bullet and 20mm canon rounds, bomb bay doors hanging open, compass inoperative, his gunner dead and he and his radio man wounded.

Now he was down to 30 feet and steeling himself for the crash. At this point some instinct made him put his hand on the wing tab–perhaps to adjust for hitting the water– and to his surprise the plane responded with an upward lift. In a flash he realized he could fly the plane this way, even if the stick was gone.

As he later put it, “Suddenly it was a brand new ball game.”

He zipped up and away from the scene.

The Zero’s, having written him off, were gone.

Looking back, Earnest couldn’t see what had happened to his torpedo or to the other TBFs. r e m e m b r a n c e

“Another burst raked the plane, and a bullet tore through the bill of the baseball cap he was wearing. It creased his scalp, and he fell back dazed.”

-Walter Lord

He was all alone. He had no compass, no radio, and was on the far side of the Japanese fleet. But he hadn’t come this far to give up now. He headed east toward the morning sun, as Ferrier – an old man at 18 – crawled up through the wreckage and nestled down behind him.

He had guessed right; flying east would bring them home. In the distance, a smudge of smoke could be seen on the horizon. He figured where there’s smoke, there are people. On they flew. He had made it; Midway was below. His trial, however, was not over. Not wanting to ditch into the sea with a wounded crew, he decided to land with one operable landing gear. Easing the TBF around, he landed it with a thud as the plane ground looped on the runway. They had come home on a wing and a prayer.

Later, pictures were taken of Bert Ernest’s TBF 8-T-1 (Bu No 00380). Those images showed the heavy damage done to his TBF Avenger. That day, Torpedo Squadron 8 was wiped out. Aboard the Hornet, the 15 planes that launched did not return–only Ensign George Gay survived. On Midway, a shattered and crippled TBF gave mute testimony to the intensity of the battle. It was the only plane of Torpedo Squadron 8 Midway Detachment to survive. Ensign Earnest and Radioman 3rd Class Harry Ferrier made it back, but sadly they brought with them the body of 17-year-old Seaman 1st class, Jay Manning.

A few years ago I called Bert Earnest, who lived then in Virginia Beach, and asked him to comment on his role in the Battle of Midway. He said, “I will never forget that day and I am so very lucky and happy to be alive.” Bert Earnest has since passed away but Harry Ferrier is still alive and lives in Oak Harbor, Washington.

Top: US Navy#17063 Midway—25 June 1942. Damaged TBF at Midway Island. Taken by USS Pensacola. (This is Ensign Bert Earnest’s plane.)** Bottom: US Navy#17056 Midway—Damage on Midway Island before the Japanese raiders were repelled, June 4, 5, 6, 1942. Burning oil tanks hit by Japanese bombs: gooney birds in the foreground.** Right: US Navy#17054 Midway—Navy SBD’s during the attack on the Japanese fleet off Midway, June 4th to 6th 1942. In the center is visible a burning Japanese ship (Photograph was enlarged from the original 16 mm. motion picture color film).** **National Archive photo caption.

*Incredible Victory is currently only available as an e-publication. Pacific Historic Parks is working to re-publish this important War in the Pacific history. s u m m e r

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Pearl Harbor Gram OUR MOTTO: REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR – KEEP AMERICA ALERT! Published Quarterly with Remembrance, Pacific Historic Parks’ Member Newsletter

Pearl Harbor Survivor Sterling Cale’s lost Eagle Scout medal replaced

Virginia War Memorial features panel of WWII veterans at teacher’s institute Submitted by: Bill Muehleib

Local Eagle Scout troop leader Al Ruiza presents a new Eagle Scout medal to Pearl Harbor Survivor Sterling Cale. Ruiza’s troop, shown in the photo, learned that Mr. Cale had misplaced his medal when the former Navy corpsman spoke to them about his Pearl Harbor experience.

Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors host first national convention The Sons and Daughters of Pearl Harbor Survivors announced that they will hold their first 2012 national convention in San Diego, California from December 4-7.

The convention includes a tour of the Air and Space Museum, a Pearl Harbor Memorial ceremony, a tour of San Diego and Coronado, and more. A December 7th memorial program will be held aboard the USS Midway.

Pearl Harbor Survivors are invited to attend and connect with their comrades.

For more information or to register, contact Donna Madeira at madeira.donna@gmail.com.

Panel participants at the Virginia War Memorial’s See Freedom Speak Teacher Institute held on June 20th.

As part of the See Freedom Speak Teacher Institutes, the Virginia War Memorial at the end of June sponsored a six hour program featuring a panel of WWII veterans.

Select middle and high school teachers from throughout the state attended the program, along with ten WWII veterans and Pearl Harbor witness Eloise Myers, who was living in Navy housing at the time of the attack.

The program began with a tour of the Virginia War Memorial and a film on D-Day. Lunch followed; teachers and veteran attendees were seated together. After lunch, the veterans were seated as a panel, each relating their experiences. The panel was then open to questions.

According to its website, the Virginia War Memorial, located in Richmond, “honors the memory of Virginia’s men and women who demonstrated a willingness to serve and fight to defend our way of life from World War II to the present. It serves as the Center of Excellence for the Commonwealth in education of Virginian’s experience of war from the birth of our nation to the present.” They invite citizen and student groups as well as professional organizations to participate. The organization also distributes DVDs to US history classes and middle and high school libraries throughout the state.

Chapter 6 Pearl Harbor Survivors participated in a Memorial Day parade in the Sacramento area. Pictured above are Chapter President Sam Clower Sr., Bob Castle, Bob Hodenson, and Vice President Bob Addobati.

From the State of California Pearl Harbor Survivors newsletter.

The Teacher Institute was held in partnership with the National D-Day Memorial, National Museum of the Marine Corps, Valentine Richmond History Center, Virginia Aviation Museum, Hampton Roads Naval Museum, and the Library of Virginia.

For more information about the Virginia War Memorial, visit vawarmemorial.org

PRAYER FOR THE DEAD Eternal rest grant unto them and let perpetual light shine upon them and may they rest in peace.

Armstrong, Earl H. USS Nevada Manchester, MO

Fisher, Albert USS Medusa Winner, SD

Jensen, Robert H. USS Maryland Sun City, AZ

Sebastian, Louis F. YO-21 Reynoldsburg, OH

Barton, Leonard F. USS New Orleans Corydon, IN

Goddard, Lawrence J. USS Maryland San Diego, CA

Johnson, William R. Ford Island Buena Vista, CO

Sisak, Nicholas A. Sudbury, MA

Browning, Carl USS Phelps Mattoon, IL

Gordon, Donald E. USS Arizona San Diego, CA

Kreek, Dean R. USS Nevada Oregon, MO

Strobak, Edward P. USS Pennsylvania Orlando, FL

Browning, Jr., Leonard T. USS Antares Colorado Springs, CO

Halcomb, Carrol Schofield Barracks Redding, CA

Leighty, Walter W. USS Tucker Mt. Vernon, OH

Sutton, Sr., William M. Schofield Barracks Tipton, IN

Chebetar, Frank A. USS Phelps Chesapeake, VA

Hannaha, Sr., Edward E. USS Blue Columbus, OH

Lindenmeyer, Ralph E. Ford Island Vista, CA

Voso, Edward Schofield Barracks Spring Valley, CA

Cruz, Henry M. USS Arizona Chula Vista, CA

Harrer, Lynn L. USS Pennsylvania San Diego, CA

Middleton, William E. Hurst, TX

Dahmke, William L USS Tennessee Columbus, OH

Hettinger, George A. USS Utah North Aurora, IL

Polascak, Stephen R. Schofield Barracks Cambridge, OH

Dennett, Roger J. Hickam Field Westfield, MA

Hursh, Christopher S. Watertown, MA

Rougeau, Joseph L. USS Medusa Orange, TX

Donnelly, Lowell E. Camp Malakole San Diego, CA

Jaekel, Haile H. Navy Yard Citrus Heights, CA

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renewed For his 69th wedding anniversary, Pearl Harbor Survivor Sterling Cale renewed his vows with wife Victoria Cale aboard the USS Arizona Memorial.

Top: Victoria Vienna Ventula, age 19, and Sterling Cale in 1943.

Bottom: Sterling and Victoria celebrated their vow renewal with a reception.

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Narrating Pearl Harbor History, Memory, and Education

By Yujin Yaguchi, Associate Professor, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo

The seventieth anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor in 2011 drew considerable attention in Japan as well as in the United States. Popular and scholarly discussions focused on various dimensions of the attack, from military strategy to the failure of diplomacy to avoid the war, to the lives of men who perished as well as those who survived to tell their stories. Most of these focused on Japan and the Japanese—what the attack meant and continues to mean from the perspective of Japan.

Amidst these discussions, my colleagues, Morimo Takeo and Kyoko Nakayama, and I published a book on Pearl Harbor that placed the attack within a more international and global framework. Entitled Shinjuwan wo Kataru; Rekishi, Kioku, Kyoiku or Narrating Pearl Harbor: History, Memory, and Education, the book is a direct offspring of the international teachers’ workshop that was held every summer between 2005 and 2009 in Honolulu, with support from the Pacific Historic Parks and other organizations. During those years, a total of almost sixty teachers from Japan were invited to attend the workshop, where they joined their U.S. counterparts in deepening their understanding of Pearl Harbor and World War II. The Japanese and American teachers engaged in daily discussions, went on fieldtrips together, and collaborated in making lesson plans to teach secondary school students about Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese teachers took the lessons they learned in the workshop back to their classrooms. They devised new ways to teach Pearl Harbor from a variety of perspectives.

Their students now learned not only about the Japanese attack but also about such topics as Japanese American internment and Hawaiian society during the war. The students were also encouraged to reflect on the meaning of war memories in today’s world. Some were able to communicate with American high school students, shars u m m e r

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ing their understandings of World War II, thanks to their teachers who became friends with American teachers during the workshop. One Japanese school also took advantage of the “Witness to History” program offered by PHP, enabling its students to meet with American survivors of the attack through video conferencing.

In October 2010, with the financial support of PHP, these Japanese teachers held an “alumni meeting” on the campus of the University of Tokyo, where they shared with each other how they had incorporated the workshop experience into their teaching.

Paul Heintz, Education Director of PHP, and Dr. Geoffrey White, a University of Hawai‘i professor and PHP board member, also attended this meeting. The presentations by the Japanese teachers illustrated how profoundly the weeklong workshop in Hawai‘i had impacted not only their understanding of the attack on Pearl Harbor but also their philosophy on teaching history.

These presentations became the basis of the book Shinjuwan wo Kataru, the publication of which was supported by PHP. The lesson plans written by the Japanese teachers show their attempt to teach the Pearl Harbor attack from multinational and multilateral perspectives rather than simply discussing the attack from a Japanese political and military perspective. Some also put a strong emphasis on peace by paying special attention to those sailors who lost their lives on the USS Arizona and to the memorial erected in their honor. Collectively, these lesson plans indicate the value of the international teachers’ workshop by showing how the individual teachers’ experiences were powerfully channeled into classroom settings.

In addition to the lesson plans contributed by the teachers, the book also includes essays by some of the scholars who participated in the workshop as lecturers, such as Keith Camacho, Tessa Morris-Suzuki, Yuma

Totani, Geoffrey White, and Lisa Yoneyama. These essays provide a theoretical underpinning to the politics of war memory by discussing how Pearl Harbor and other events in World War II have been represented both in the United States and Japan.

Their academic style serves as an effective balance against the more pragmatic writings of the secondary teachers, thereby creating a book that ranges across both theoretical and practical approaches to the significance of remembering Pearl Harbor.

The book was published on December 8, 2011, the date of the seventieth anniversary of the attack in Japan, by the University of Tokyo Press, which is one of the most reputable presses in Japan. The reception has so far been favorable, with references and positive reviews appearing in such venues as the Asahi Shimbun and the Okinawa Times.

There was also a three-hour forum dedicated to the book at a meeting of the Japanese Association of American History, where two of the editors (Nakayama and Yaguchi) introduced the book to some of the leading US history scholars working in Japan.

The book’s real significance, however, will lie in the impact it may have in the longterm future. This book challenges its readers not simply to remember what happened on December 7, 1941, but also, and more importantly, it urges them to consider and analyze how the attack has been remembered within the increasingly complex and highly fraught global politics of memory, and how it should be taught to and explored by future generations. The book will, hopefully, serve as an inspiration for secondary school teachers as well as professional historians in Japan, encouraging them to continue thinking about the meaning of history and memory by focusing on Pearl Harbor.

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Jackie Townes was 10 years old when her brothers died aboard the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor. More than 70 years later, she visited their final resting place.

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1 1. From left to right, Greg Townes, Jackie Townes, Suzanne Townes and Lauren Wagner in front of the Shrine Room wall on the USS Arizona Memorial. Greg Townes points to the names of Jackie’s brothers--D. L. Keniston and K. H. Keniston--who died on the ship on December 7, 1941. In the foreground, a wreath dedicated to the Keniston brothers was provided by Pacific Historic Parks and the National Park Service.

2. Jackie Townes and National Park Service Staff Historian Amanda Carona stand in front of the Shrine Room wall.

3. Suzanne Townes and Jackie Townes looking toward the bow of the submerged USS Arizona.

4. From left to right, Lauren Wagner, Suzanne Townes, Greg Townes and Jackie Townes pose for a photo in front of the USS Arizona Memorial before the boat ride back to the visitor center.

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“THE NAVY DEPARTMENT DEEPLY REGRETS TO INFORM YOU THAT YOUR SONS, DONALD LEE KENISTON, APPRENTICE SEAMAN US NAVY AND KENNETH HOWARD KENISTON FIREMAN THIRD CLASS US NAVY ARE MISSING ...”

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6 5. Jackie Townes at age 10, with her mother, read letters from her brothers Ken and Don Keniston sent shortly before the attack on Pearl Harbor. The photo was staged for the local newspaper.

6. A Western Union telegram sent from Ken Keniston to his mother asking her to keep his brother Don out of the military.

7. Ken Keniston, Fireman Third Class, in his US Navy uniform. He was stationed on the USS Arizona and was a casualty of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

8. Don Keniston, Apprentice Seaman, in his US Navy uniform. He was stationed on the USS Arizona and was a casualty of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

9. The official Navy telegraph informing the Keniston family that Ken and Don were missing in action following the attack on Pearl Harbor. The telegraph is dated December 20, 1941.

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Townes shared photographs, telegrams, certificates and other historical documents with National Park Service historians.

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Happy Birthday, Uncle Herb!

Pearl Harbor Survivor Herb Weatherwax celebrated his 95th birthday recently at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center.

Uncle Herb is an honored and beloved figure to all who work and visit the USS Arizona Memorial.

Much love and aloha to one of the island’s great gentlemen.

On the lanai of the Royal Hawaiian Hotel, 1943

“Life is in the moment.

It’s history after that. We can never change the past, but we can learn from it.”

From his unpublished book Papa’s Escapades

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Classic books and new releases

Tinian: A Brief History

The Unknown Battle of Midway

The long-awaited new edition of this one-ofa-kind look at the history, culture, and stunning beauty of one of the most historic places on earth. Written by historian, author, and long-time resident of Tinian, Don Farrell.

“The Unknown Battle of Midway is the clearest and most persuasive story of the Battle of Midway I have ever read or heard.”

-Donald Kagan, Yale University

Retail: $14.95 | Member price: $12.71

#4549

Retail: $15.00 | Member price: $12.75

#400585

USS Arizona Memorial Baseball cap Colorfully embroidered and designed in Hawaii, the cap’s back features wording commemorating the 71st anniversary of Pearl Harbor.

Pilgrimage & Exile Mother Marianne of Moloka‘i Pilgrimage and Exile is the result of years of careful research into the life and virtues of Mother Marianne. The book is the inspiring story of a truly great and holy woman.

Retail: $19.95 | Member price: $16.96 #4095

71st Anniversary keychain Commemorate the date with this limited edition anchor keychain.

Retail: $5.50 | Member price: $4.68

Retail: $17.95 | Member price: $15.26 #40065

To place an order, please visit the Pacific Historic Parks’ online bookstore or call toll-free 1-888-485-1941.

#400643

Remember Pearl Harbor Women’s T-shirt Emblazoned with J. Howard Miller’s famous “We Can Do It!” illustration.

Retail: $18.95 | Member price: $16.11 #400594

www.pacifichistoricparks.org

Thank you for your support!

Platinum members Irving Albrecht Rick Allen Shannan Arney Raymond A. Brittain Kristin G. DeCoster Mark and Karen Einck First Shot Naval Vets Mr. and Mrs. Phillip J. Gray Mr. and Mrs. George H. Harrison

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Mr./Ms./Miss/Mrs./Mr. & Mrs./Dr./Other Name (please print) We are honored by the many supporters who have joined us in our mission and represent Pacific Historic Parks around the world. Together, we are committed to preserving history. Your support will further our mission of preserving the stories of Pearl Harbor, WWII in the Pacific, and Kalaupapa. In partnership with our members, Pacific Historic Parks supports the interpretation and visitor service activities of the National Park Service at four NPS sites throughout the Pacific, benefitting millions of park visitors and more than 30,000 students.

At Pearl Harbor, your membership supports the interpretation of the events that took place during WWII in the Pacific, provides funding for the preservation of artifacts related to the history of Pearl Harbor, and funds education programs for our visitors, students, and educators.

In Kalaupapa, your membership supports the preservation and protection of significant sites including renovation and maintenance of St. Damien’s own St. Philomena Church.

Your membership designated to Saipan supports and funds educational programs and museum displays and exhibits in honor of the American and Marianas people who gave their lives during the Marianas Campaign of WWII.

Address City State Zip Email address Home phone Information for Memorial Registry (name, rank, branch, dates, location) Donation information q Yes! I would like to support Pacific Historic Parks by joining/renewing (circle one) member at the following level: q Brass ($25) q Copper ($50) q Bronze ($100) q Silver ($250) q Gold ($500) q Platinum ($1000+) At the following park: q USS Arizona Memorial q Kalaupapa, Molokai q American Memorial, Saipan q War in the Pacific, Guam q Where most needed q Yes! I would like to make an additional donation to further support the restoration of the USS Arizona Memorial. I have enclosed the following donation: $

Your support in Guam funds educational and interpretive programs at the T. Stell Newman Visitor Center, commemorating the sacrifice and bravery of those who fought in the battles of the Pacific War Campaign.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

• 15% bookstore discount • 1-year Remembrance subscription • e-newsletter Brass ($25)

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4 Memorial Registry Honorees, Lapel Pin + Key Chain

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4 Memorial Registry Honorees, Donor Coin, Recognition in Remembrance, Annual Calendar, Guided USS Arizona Memorial Tour for 4 + Audio Tour for 4

Platinum ($1000+) 4 Memorial Registry Honorees, Recognition in Remembrance, Annual Calendar, U.S. Flag Flown over USS Arizona Memorial, Flag Certificate, Guided USS Arizona Memorial Tour for 6 + Audio Tour for 6

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For more information about the membership program: Phone: 1-888-332-1941 (toll free) Email: membership@pacifichistoricparks.org Online: www.pacifichistoricparks.org Pacific Historic Parks is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

Your contribution is tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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1 Arizona Memorial Place Honolulu, Hawaii 96818