★ ★ National ★ ★

WWII MemorialVolume 5, Number 1 • A Newsletter of the World War II Memorial Society • Spring 2002

Message From theNationalChairman

Senator Bob Dole

I am pleased to report that work isprogressing on schedule at the

memorial construction site. For thefirst eight months and for severalmonths to come, the focus is belowthe surface—moving utilities,installing utility vaults, and buildingthe foundation.

By this time next year, however,the memorial will begin takingshape as the granite structures areinstalled. It’s an exciting time afteryears of struggle to get the projectunderway. Although still too early inthe construction schedule to pin-point a dedication date, the springof 2004 continues to look good.

Following last September’s ter-rorist attacks, the national focusshifted to helping the victims andtheir families. But the American peo-ple also continued to generously sup-port the WWII Memorial. We nowhave total cash and pledges of $184million, and we continue to hearfrom folks who want to honor theirWWII generation family members.

Your generosity has provided uswith the funds we need to cover cur-rent estimated project costs. At thedirection of Congress, any funds leftover will remain in the WWIIMemorial Trust Fund for use solelyto benefit the memorial in the future.

For now, the only future we arefocused on is the spring of 2004,when we will at long last dedicate aNational WWII Memorial.

Thank you for all you have doneto support our effort over the pastfive years. God bless you and Godbless America.

ConstructionMoving Forwardon Schedule

If construction were tracked by abox score, the National World

War II Memorial line would read: 9down, 21 to go.

Nine months into a 30-monthschedule, construction of thememorial on the National Mall isprogressing on schedule for comple-tion and dedication in the spring of2004. Work began at the construc-tion site in late August 2001.

“We’ve got a great team of con-tractors working on the project, andwe’ve been blessed with good weath-er thus far,” said Barry Owenby, theAmerican Battle Monuments Com-mission project executive. “Theentire design, construction, andmanagement team understands theurgency and is committed to build-ing a world class memorial to theWorld War II generation.”

During the first several monthsof construction activity, the jointventure of Tompkins Builders andGrunley-Walsh Construction com-pleted site preparation (site surveysand installation of project trailers,temporary parking and utilities, andsecurity fencing); tree protection,relocation and removal; erosion con-trol measures; and much of the util-ity relocation work planned in theconstruction area.

The first phase in building the

Workers pour aguide wall that willbe used to guide the

clamshell bucketused to dig the

slurry wall trench.(Photo by Stefano

Terricola) See Construction, p.4

window, and prayed daily that theywould not turn to gold.

Grandpa was an ordnancemanat the Naval Ammunition Depot inPortsmouth, Va. His job was tomeasure the high explosive fill for allcaliber of projectiles. He made surethat each round had his stamp ofapproval on it.

He was also an air raid wardenfor our block. I remember him, inhis white helmet with the CivilianDefense logo, going up and downour street during air raid drillsyelling for people to “turn out thoselights, don’t you know there is a waron?”

Nana did volunteer work as anairplane spotter in the war room atthe federal building in Norfolk, Va.,two or three nights a week. TheArmy sent a staff car to pick her upand take her home. She was wherethe action was and really loved that.

Since Nana was somewhat lamefrom severe arthritis, it became mylot to do the heavy work for her –tending the Victory Garden; flatten-ing cans; going through the neigh-borhood collecting paper, scrapmetal and other items for whichthere was always a drive on; helpingrender fat to take to the butcher foruse in making explosives; and tend-ing her prize roses and flowers.Every weekend I went with her tothe Naval hospital in Portsmouth totake two or three bouquets of freshcut flowers to the wounded boys.

Never did a Thanksgiving orChristmas go by without having ser-vicemen at our table for dinner. Shewould call the YMCA in Norfolkand tell them to “send me a sailor, asoldier, and a Marine. I don’t carewhat color they are or what their

Sixteen million Americans served inuniform during World War II. Manymillions more “went to war” on thehome front, contributing to the wareffort in a variety of ways to supportthose taking the fight to the enemy.This reminiscence by Stanley Morrisonof Chesapeake, Va., describes life athome with two dedicated home front“warriors.” His story is sure to rekindlesimilar memories for many readers.

My grandparents, John and Lil-lie Hohl, were two great

Americans, and I loved them dearly.Circumstances required that I

live with them during most ofWorld War II. I had just turned 10years of age when the war started.My memory of that time is some-what vague, but certain things reallystand out.

Grandpa was the breadwinner,but Nana was the driving force inour small family. She took on thefull support of the war effort as herpersonal quest. “Nothing is toogood for the boys in uniform,” andshe made no bones about it.

I distinctly remember Sundayafternoon, Dec. 7, 1941, when itwas announced over the radio thatthe Japanese had bombed Pearl Har-bor. Nana could cuss like a sailor,and she let out a string of words Ihad never heard before for five min-utes and she never said the samething twice.

Nana and Grandpa had a son,my Uncle John, in the Army, whorose from private to colonel by war’send and was a veteran of AnzioBeachhead. My stepfather, Frank,was in the Navy for the duration. SoNana proudly hung her little flagwith the two blue stars in the front

Chronicles of War

NANA AND GRANDPA “GO TO WAR”

2 • World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002

religion is, just send me three home-sick boys.” She would always havesome little gift for each one of themunder the Christmas tree.

As the war went on and the tideturned for the Americans and theAllies, Nana and Grandpa took greatpride in the fact that they had donetheir part on the home front tobring this about.

Near the end of the war, I joinedmy mother and stepfather on thewest coast for a year, but I returnedhome to Nana and Grandpa after V-J Day to start high school in Sep-tember 1945. Her boys came homealso, and there was much rejoicingin our home for quite some time.Nana took down her flag with thetwo blue stars and prayed to Godthat she would never have to use itagain.

Nana died a young woman bytoday’s standard, only six days after Ileft her for Air Force basic trainingin January 1949. Grandpa survivedthe loss of his lifelong mate for a fewyears, but he eventually passed on tojoin her in a better life.

My grandparents’ love for mesustained and nurtured me in myso-called formative years. Theyinstilled in me their sense of valuesand morals which have served mewell throughout my life. As Iapproach my senior years, I cannotbegin to imagine what I may havebecome without them to guide meon the path to manhood.

May God bless their memory.

(The author is a veteran of the KoreanWar. He spent nearly four years in theU.S. Air Force, then later retired fromthe U.S. Army Reserve as a lieutenantcolonel.)

World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002 • 3

Members of Chapter 142 of theKorean War Veterans Associ-

ation donated $2,000 to theNational WWII Memorial in April.

Buck Wisner led the chapter’sfund-raising efforts, putting a jarout at last year’s Frederick Air Showin Maryland. He collected $700 atthe show, added a $300 personaldonation that brought the amountto $1,000, which then was matchedby his Frederick, Md., chapter.

The donation brought the totalreceived from Korean War VeteransAssociation chapters and membersto more than $10,000, designatingthe association as a Defender Levelcampaign contributor.

The gift was part of an effort bythe Frederick chapter to support otherveterans and bring public notice tothe 50th Anniversary of America’sinvolvement in the Korean War.

American Battle Monuments Commission Secretary, Maj. Gen. John Herrling, USA(ret), poses with Ken Davis (center) and Buck Wisner of Chapter 142, Korean WarVeterans Association, prior to the Frederick, Md., chapter’s $2,000 donation to theNational WWII Memorial. (Photo by Bob Patrick)

Korean War Vets Say Thanks withGift to Memorial

WWII MemorialMerchandise Online!www.wwiimemorial.com

Support your WWII Memorial Fund by purchasing great quality branded WWII Memorial items

Now easier then ever!Go to the WWII Memorial Websitewww.wwiimemorial.com and click the link to the Memorial E-Store!

The WWII Memorial E-Store is the place to shop in 2002!• Great for gift ideas for active or retired military.• A great way to say “thank you”

& show your pride.• See an extensive selection of gift

items for your personal use. • See “real-time” inventory levels

and availability for ALL products.• Buy gift certificates online.

Visit The Store! Great Items AreWaiting For You!

Questions? Contact Customer Service at 1-877-588-8932

Have You Entered aName in the Registry of Remembrances?If you wish to honor someone for their serviceto their country during World War II – per-haps a family member, a buddy you servedwith, or even yourself – you may enter thename in the Memorial’s Registry of Remem-brances. Members of the U.S. Armed Forcesor citizens who helped on the home front areboth eligible. The Registry of Remembranceswill be available for viewing on site at theMemorial and over the internet.

Please see the enclosed entry form for detailsand instructions on how to enter a name inthe Registry. If you wish to enter more thanone name, please make a copy of the entryform for each name and return it to theaddress listed.

4 • World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002

foundation of the memorial – con-structing a concrete cutoff (slurry)wall extending from ground leveldown to bedrock – began in earlyFebruary and should finish in June.The slurry wall serves a dual func-tion of providing a barrier to preventmigration of groundwater under thememorial and anchoring the outsideperimeter of the foundation.

Following a short break for theannual 4th of July celebration on theMall, work will transition into thenext phase in building the founda-tion. The rest of 2002 will be spentdriving steel piles into bedrock toprovide structural support for thefoundation; excavating the memorialplaza, which will be recessed six feetbelow street level when completed;constructing underground utilityvaults; pouring the concrete founda-tion; and reconstructing the Rain-bow Pool in the center of the plaza.

Granite should begin arriving atthe site in February or March nextyear. At that time, the memorial willbegin to take shape as the stonearchitectural elements of the memo-rial are assembled.

Periodic construction updatesand photos are placed on thememorial web site at www.WWIImemorial.com. The updates willbecome more frequent as construc-tion moves closer to completionand changes in the site’s appearancebecome more apparent.

The large clamshell bucket on the rightis used to dig the slurry wall trenchdown to bedrock, a distance of approxi-mately 35-40 feet below ground level atthe construction site. (Photo by Stefano Terricola)

When trenching is completed, a largerebar cage is lowered into the slurry, achocolate pudding-like mixture of ben-tonite and water that keeps the trenchintact until the concrete wall is poured.(Photo by Stefano Terricola)

A construction crewworks on installationof a new water main atthe memorial site. Allof the aged utilitiesthat traversed the siteare being replaced andrerouted as part of thememorial project.(Photo by StefanoTerricola)

National World War IIMemorial Site – Spring 2002

(Photo by Richard Latoff )

Construction, continued from p.1

A lthough granite won’t be seenat the memorial construction

site until February or March 2003,quarrying and fabrication of thestone is well underway.

The memorial will be construct-ed of bronze and granite. Many fac-tors contributed to the selection ofgranite over other possible stones,such as marble or limestone. Designarchitect Friedrich St.Florian chosegranite because of its aestheticappeal, superior strength, durabilityand water resistance.

The two principal granitesselected for the memorial are Ker-shaw, which will be used for all of thevertical architectural elements, andGreen County, which will be the pri-mary paving stone for the main plazaand other horizontal areas. Kershawis quarried near Camden, S.C., andthe Green County quarry is just out-side Greensboro, Ga.

Two green granites – Rio Verdeand Moss Green – will be used foraccent paving on the plaza. Both arequarried in Brazil and were selectedbecause of their vibrant green color.

Academy Black and MountAiry granite will be used to recon-struct the Rainbow Pool in the cen-ter of the plaza. Mount Airy, quar-ried in N.C., is the original copingstone of the Rainbow Pool. An apronof Academy Black, quarried in Calif.,

will be used for vertical interior sur-faces to enhance the aestheticappearance of the water surface ofthe pool. The black granite will alsoform the bottom of the two foun-tains beneath the memorial arches.

New England Stone Industries,the overall granite sub-contractor, hasstone fabrication of the pillars andvertical walls underway at its plants in

World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002 • 5

Smithfield and Quonset Point, R.I. The arches are being fabricated

by Rock of Ages at Barre, Vt. NorthCarolina Granite Corporation isfabricating the plaza and pool stoneat Mount Airy, N.C.

Granite selections wereapproved by the Commission ofFine Arts and the National CapitalPlanning Commission last summer.

Granite Selections Made; Fabrication Underway

Design architect Friedrich St.Florian(center) inspects the rough finish of a pil-lar segment at the New England StoneIndustries plant in Smithfield, R.I.Observing are ABMC Project ExecutiveBarry Owenby (left) and New EnglandStone Industries President Tony Ramos.(Photo by Larry Rebel)

A stone cutter at the New EnglandStone Industries plant in Smithfield,R.I., fabricates the top of a pillar for theNational WWII Memorial. (Photo by Larry Rebel)

National World War IIMemorial Site – Spring 2004 (Rendering by Joowan Lee)

6 • World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002

GERMAN SURRENDER

It was with great interest that Iread the article in the Fall 2001newsletter about the surrender ofthe German division under thecommand of General Elster.

My late husband, then 1st Lt.Isadore Hamlin, was the Order ofBattle specialist for the IntelligenceSection of the 83rd Infantry Divi-sion under the command of Gen.Macon. He told me that when thesurrender was to get underway, hewas in charge of setting up themeans to accurately count every oneof those 20,000 German soldiersand their officers. A turnstile

MAIL CALLWe welcome your letters and will print a selection in the newsletter as space permits. Letters are subject to editing and shouldbe sent to Editor, NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MEMORIAL Newsletter, 2300 Clarendon Blvd., Suite 501, Arlington,VA 22201. Please include a daytime phone number and, if available, an e-mail address.

ALWAYS A SOLDIER; ALWAYS A GENTLEMAN

Lt. Gen. Thomas John HallTrapnell died on Feb. 13, 2002 atFort Belvoir, Va., where he had livedfor many years with his late wife,Elizabeth. He would have been 100in November.

At the time of his death, he wasthe senior ranking and oldest sur-vivor of the Bataan Death Marchand one of the last American offi-cers to command a horse cavalryunit in combat.

Col. G. A. Clausing, a friend ofmany years, remarked that the gen-eral “was always a soldier; always agentleman.”

Nothing exemplified thoseremarks more than Gen. Trapnell’slast public outing, a visit at age 97 toMemorial Day ceremonies at Arling-ton Cemetery in May 2000. Afterstanding patiently in a long line, a

protocol official spotted the generaland moved him to reserved seats nextto Lt. Gen. Willard Scott, formerWest Point superintendent, and hiswife. Shortly after taking their seats,the guests moved to where they couldsee the president lay the wreath at theTomb of the Unknowns.

While standing at the top of thesteps at the front of the amphitheater,Mrs. Scott offered to find Gen. Trap-nell a seat. He declined her offer andstood tall and erect until the presi-dent arrived nearly 40 minutes later.After the ceremony, several generalscame over and paid their respects. Sodid Senator and Mrs. Bob Dole andSecretary of Defense William Cohen.

As he was leaving the ceremony,President Clinton stopped and Col.Clausing introduced him to thegeneral and told him that Gen.Trapnell had survived the BataanDeath March and three and a half

years as a POW. The presidentshook his hand and said, “I’m hon-ored. I am truly honored.”

So are all of us who knew andworked with and loved Gen. Trapnellas a commander, friend, and hero.

John BradleyHouston, Texas

(Mr. Bradley previously contributed a“Chronicles of War” feature on Gen.Trapnell that appeared in the Spring1998 issue of the newsletter.)

Lt. Gen. T.J.H. Trapnell in 1959 U.S. Army photograph

arrangement was set up to do this.He also interviewed the officers andsupervised his staff, who inter-viewed other soldiers for intelli-gence purposes for future battles.

On a trip to Sydney, Australia, Ivisited the newly opened JewishMuseum. On an upper floor dedicat-ed to WWII and the role of theAmerican Army in liberating manyof the German concentration camps,I saw a well-preserved copy of theNew York Times front page of Sept.13, 1944, describing the surrender.

You can imagine my emotionson seeing the article again andrecalling the stories my husband

later shared. I appreciated readingthe article in the newsletter verymuch. I am pleased to be a support-er of the WWII Memorial.

Helen R. HamlinNew York City, N.Y.

85th INFANTRY DIVISION

A memorial honoring the 85thInfantry Division will be placed onthe parade grounds at Camp Selby,Miss., in October. We are seeking allmembers and families interested inattending the dedication ceremony.All are welcome!

See Letters, p.7

World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002 • 7

The division included the fol-lowing units: 85th Division Head-quarters and Headquarters Compa-ny; 85th Cavalry ReconnaissanceTroop, Mechanized; 85th CounterIntelligence Corps (detachment);Military Police Platoon, 85thInfantry Division; 85th DivisionBand; 337th, 338th and 339thInfantry Regiments; Headquartersand Headquarters Battery, DivisionArtillery; 328th, 329th, 403rd and910th Field Artillery Battalions;310th Engineer Battalion; 310thMedical Battalion; 785th OrdnanceLight Maintenance Company; 85thQuartermaster Company; and 85thSignal Company.

For more information, contactFrank Ruth at (419) 774-9802 orMark Mueller at (303) 756-3866.

Mark G. MuellerDenver, Colo.

SEEKING INFORMATION

I am looking for anyone whomay have served on board thedestroyer USS Taylor (DD/DDE468) starting in August 1942.Please contact me at 11020 Wind-ing Brook Court, Manassas, VA20111; at (703) 257-5474; or by e-mail at POZIPF@CS.com.

Otto A. ZipfManassas, Va.

Pvt. Harold E. Mull was myfather. I was five months old whenhe went to war and never got toknow him. He was killed Oct. 27,1944, in Auchen, Germany. He wasin the 9th Army, 30th Division. Iwould appreciate any informationfrom anyone who was with him dur-ing this time. My address is 757 W.Pershing Court, Salem, OH 44460.

William M. MullSalem, Ohio

Letters, continued from p.6

This is the tale of the menWho sailed the seas of the globe,Who stormed across scores of beachesAnd flew many millions of miles.

Many their homes of origin,Many their places of rest;Varied their manner and speech,Thundered with one clear voice.

Six years they grappled with evil,All over the earth they foughtFor country, loved ones and God‘till victory, final and sweet!

Embarked on a journey to hell,Well had they learned their skills;Shoulder-to-shoulder they marched,Hand-to-hand they fought.

Courage they had and strengthTo prevail in the maelstrom of war.Their sacrifice cleared the wayTo binding up wounds and togrowth.

‘Neath the blistering sun,Freezing in snow and ice,Duty and honor came first,Comradeship unto the last.

In foreign soil they spilledTheir blood and left their brokenBones in sand and mud,Not ever to be found.

They sank in streams and oceans;They gasped and swallowed oilAnd choked in powder smokeAnd fell from cruel skies.

In tanks and planes they burned,In foxholes bled to death,Chains they smashed and wallsThey breached and streams theybridged.

The biggest of wars they fought,The greatest of triumphs they won.They shaped our world and livesFor centuries yet to come.

Hallowed their gift of themselves,Sacred their living behest;Ever their glory shines,Never their memory fades.

Freedom and life they broughtTo nations, enslaved and starved;Safety and food they gave,Respect and honor they saved.

Goodness and love won out!Righteousness carried the day!Dignity, hope were restoredAnd brightly was justice done!

Forget not their gift to you,Betray not their simple trust;Forsake not their sacred bequestAnd cradle them well in your heart!

© 1997 Gerald Lewis GeigerChevy Chase, Md.(Excerpted from Mr. Geiger’s book,America, Before the Storm – Portrait of a Nation)

THE WAR OF JUSTICE DONE

My father, PFC Morris N.“Moe” Rothenberg, from Lebanon,Pa., was wounded in the Battle ofSt. Lô on July 30, 1944. He was alight machine gun squad leader,serving in Normandy, northernFrance, Rhineland and CentralEurope. He was with Co. A 388thMP Bn. He arrived in the ETO onMay 24, 1944.

If anyone remembers servingwith him, I would be grateful forinformation regarding his time inthe Army and in Europe. He died in1978 at the age of 55 and I wasnever able to learn much about histime in the service. I can be con-tacted at 1602 Baldwin Lane, Har-risburg, PA 17110 or by e-mail atMAbrams257@aol.com.

Marilynn R. AbramsHarrisburg, Pa.

See Letters, p.8

8 • World War II Memorial Newsletter, Spring 2002

Two memorial arches rise intribute to victory. Fifty-six pil-

lars stand as sentinels of thenation—individual states and terri-tories united in a common cause. Afield of gold stars bears silent wit-ness to those who died that othersmight live free.

Friedrich St.Florian’s powerfularchitectural elements combine tocommemorate and celebrate Ameri-ca’s participation in the SecondWorld War. But his granite symbolswill not stand alone in telling thestory of the U.S. role in history’slargest and most devastating war.Inscriptions and the artistic bronzecreations of sculptor Ray Kaskeywill bring the war years to life.

Kaskey’s contribution to theWWII Memorial is extensive.

Within each arch, four bronzecolumns will support four Ameri-can eagles that hold a suspendedvictory laurel.

A series of 24 bas relief panelsalong the ceremonial entrance willdepict scenes from the war years athome and overseas.

The service seals of the Army,Navy, Army Air Forces, MarineCorps, Coast Guard and MerchantMarine will be sculpted into thebases of flagpoles flanking the cere-monial entrance.

Each pillar will be accentedwith two bronze wreaths of oak andwheat reflecting America’s role asthe arsenal and breadbasket ofdemocracy.

And 4,000 sculpted gold starson the Freedom Wall will commem-orate the more than 400,000 Amer-icans who gave their lives.

Kaskey is a professional archi-tect who began focusing on sculp-ture in 1980. His public commis-sions are numerous and include the

Ronald Reagan Courthouse inSanta Ana, Calif., the OlympicCentennial Park in Atlanta, theNational Law Enforcement OfficersMemorial in Washington, D.C., theHarold Washington Library Centerin Chicago, and the Portland PublicServices Building in Portland, Ore.

“This undoubtedly will be themost important commission I willever work on,” said Kaskey. “I’mdeeply honored to have been cho-sen. I wish my father, a World WarII veteran who died in March, couldhave lived to see the completion ofthe memorial.”

All of the sculptural elementsexcept the bas relief panels havebeen approved by the Commissionof Fine Arts and National CapitalPlanning Commission. The Ameri-can Battle Monuments Commis-sion will seek approval of the basrelief concepts this summer.

Sculptor Brings Symbolism to Life

Ray Kaskey at work in his Brentwood, Md., studio on one of the majestic eagles that willhold a victory laurel aloft within the memorial arches. (Photo © Kaskey Studio, Inc.)

Letters, continued from p.7

I am trying to locate R.D. Hook-er (bombardier) and John Hughes(flight engineer). Both were on B-17crew 34, 447th Bomb Group, 709thBomb Squadron. I can be contactedat 112 W. McGee, Sherman, TX75092; at (903) 892-3990; or by e-mail at tjnurre@texoma.net.

Ted NurreSherman, Texas

My brother, William HenryBaker, known as Henry, served withthe 101st Airborne, Glider Infantryin England and France in 1944. Hewas wounded twice and received aPurple Heart w/Oak Leaf Cluster. Iam searching for anyone whomight remember serving with him.You may write me at Box 585,Payette, ID 83661, or e-mail me atmhartung@uswest.mnet.

Mary L. HartungPayette, Idaho