Nimitz News Dispatch

Visit OurWebsite at PacificWarMuseum.org

“”We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

Newsletter of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and National Museum of the Pacific War,A Property of the Texas Historical Commission --------- Fourth Quarter 2015

Renovations to Japanese Peace Garden Restore Original Designhe restoration work to return the Japanese PeaceGarden to the Japanese architect’s original de-sign is well underway and expected to be com-

pleted in the coming weeks.After the end of the war, Admiral Chester Nimitz

reached out to Japan by starting a fund to restore AdmiralTogo’s flagship, Mikasa, and returning Japanese relics,such as ancestral swords, to their original owners. Thisearned the respect of the Japanese military and people,and in return, they presented the Peace Garden to the U.S.in honor of Nimitz. The garden was dedicated in 1976with dignitaries from Japan and the U.S. present.

During the initial construction, many of the materialsappropriate to a Japanese garden were not available in theU.S. Some of these items, such as black and white gran-ite gravel used in depicting the ocean, are now availableand will replace the old materials.

Other problems were that the stream and pond wereleaking, and the water had to be shut off. The Koi fishhave been placed in a temporary pool on site, while thestream and pond are being sealed.

Only a few plants and trees in the garden were accurateto the original design and will be kept. New landscapingwill be brought in, and while appearing sparse for a shorttime, it will grow in quickly. One garden wall, which wasbowing and possibly unstable, has been dismantled andrebuilt.

Duecker Construction is the General Contractor forthe project.

The Japanese Peace Garden is a key component of theMuseum’s complex. Since the history of the war was vi-olent and destructive, the garden gives visitors a place fora respite and is a tranquil place for solace and reflection.

Annual Symposium Coverage, IncludingSummaries of Presentations: Pages 2-4

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Page 2 Nimitz News Dispatch

Annual Symposium: “In StealthWe Trust”

In September, the topic of our annual Symposium “In Stealth We Trust: Special Forces and Their Originsin WWII,” was discussed by various WWII scholars. This was the second part of a two part series and focusedon Special Operations in the U.S. Army and Army Air Corps. Short summaries of the presentations follow. Tolisten to the entirety of the Symposium presentations, please contact: Rollin’ Recording on (830) 537-5494.

races of the origin of the Special Forces goes back tothe early days of the establishment of the United

States. Modern day Rangers identify with Robert Rogerswho established the famed Rogers’ Ranger units in NewHampshire and fought for the British during the French andIndian War.

In WWII, a number of units provide lineage for the mod-ern day Special Forces. In the Pacific, after the Japanesecaptured the Philippines in 1942, a number of Americansevaded capture and created guerrilla units. These formedspontaneously without the guidance of Washington D.C. orGeneral MacArthur. One of these units was commanded byWendell Fertig, a civil mining engineer who was in the Re-serves, on Mindanao. Fertig had a great sense of vision andkeen sensitivity to the Filipino viewpoint. He even includedCatholics and Muslims in the unit. By February 1943, hehad managed to make contact with MacArthur’s headquar-ters. By 1945, he commanded over 30,000 guerrillas andcontrolled 95 percent of Mindanao. He promoted himself toBrigadier General. On Luzon, Russell Volckmann and Don-ald Blackburn had similar operations which were equallysuccessful. They converted their guerrilla units into conven-tional military units.

Lt. General Walter Krueger, Commander of MacArthur’s6th Army, formed the Alamo Scouts to perform pre-invasionreconnaissance. The most famous of their exploits was theraid on the Cabanatuan prison camp on Luzon, where theyliberated 522 POWs. They also concluded circa 108 mis-sions and lost no individuals killed in action.

Other groups included the OSS’s Detachment 101, whichoperated in Burma with great success, and Merrill’s Maraud-ers, who displayed amazing feats of endurance operating be-hind Japanese lines in Burma. There were also Rangers inEurope modeled after British Commandos who saw action inAfrica, Northwest Europe, Italy and Southern France.

RICHARD FRANK MIKE KRIVDO, Ph.D.

here were three Special Operations units which orig-inated in the Southwest Pacific Theater: the Filipino

Guerrillas, which came about as an accident due to theJapanese victory in the Philippines, and the Alamo Scoutsand 6th Ranger Battalion, which were deliberately createdto fill critical gaps in combat capability.

The Filipino Guerrillas, formed through the efforts ofWendell Fertig, Russell Volckmann and Donald Blackburn,waged war for over three years. They often had to ambushJapanese occupational forces to get weapons and supplies.They mastered hit and run tactics and built an efficient net-work of intelligence and logistics. Leaders depended heav-ily on the secrecy of the indigenous people. The earlyefforts of these groups went largely unnoticed by GeneralMacArthur and his staff. However, radio transmissions werefinally deemed genuine, and by late 1942, it was decided torisk contacting the guerrillas who were ordered to gain in-telligence and remain ready for MacArthur’s return.

Krueger’s 6th Army was made the spearhead ofMacArthur’s drive. Krueger was frustrated at the lack ofintelligence and ordered a unit be formed to provide himwith key information to conduct complex amphibious oper-ations. Small teams rigorously trained in amphibious recon-naissance and raiding and became the Alamo Scouts. Threehundred and seventy five Alamo Scouts were trained. Theyconducted 100 missions behind enemy lines with no fatali-ties.

Another unit was formed by Krueger to conduct largerscale amphibious raids, attacks and diversions. He orderedthe training of the 6th Ranger Battalion in January 1944. Ahigh priority was placed on jungle training, and the groupexcelled in small scale raids. It was heavily involved inpreparing the way for MacArthur’s return. Working with theAlamo Scouts, the Battalion also seized other critical objec-tives which enabled the Army to continue its advance.

Historical Overview ofSpecial Forces

U.S. Army SpecialOperations Forcesin the Pacific

Summaries of Presentations:

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Nimitz News Dispatch Page 3“We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

he story of how the 1st AirCommandos came into being

begins with British Army OfficerOrde Wingate who was interested in

non-conventional warfare. During WWII, he became knownfor his organization of the Chindits, a long range British pen-etration force to fight behind Japanese lines in Burma. Thefirst foray of Wingate’s men was not successful. Many werekilled, others had to be left behind to die miserable deathsand a high percentage became gravely ill. Despite the results,Wingate wanted to try again.

British Prime Minister Churchill, a proponent of com-mando operations, took Wingate to the Quebec Conferencewhere Wingate laid out plans to FDR for another long rangepenetration group. FDR spoke with Chief of the Army AirForces Henry “Hap” Arnold and told him to put together aunit to abet the Chindits. Arnold chose two experiencedfighter pilots to lead the group: Philip Cochran and John Al-ison. Both men were seasoned and colorful pilots -- Alisonwas an Ace with the Flying Tigers, and Cochran was the in-spiration behind the characters in the Terry and the Piratesand Steve Canyon comic strips. They set up organizationalefforts in a room at the Hay-Adams luxury hotel in Wash-ington. They called the unit “CA-281” (the 281 representingtheir room number). Among the planes and other equipmentto be supplied to the Chindits were: P-51 Mustangs, B-25Hbombers, gliders, L-5 Sentinel liaison aircraft, and helicop-ters. Operations included: transporting Chindits behindenemy lines, evacuation of casualties, and supply of foodand equipment. In three days, they managed to haul 9,000British into action. Casualties were high, especially for gliderpilots, probably due to a lack of training. Wingate died in aplane crash three weeks after the first invasion.

The 1st Air Commando group is regarded by many asone of the most colorful units in U.S. military history.I t should come as no surprise that i ts motto was:“Anyplace, anytime, anywhere.”

illiam Donovan, head of theOffice of Strategic Services

(OSS), was a major proponent ofBlack Propaganda, and he had thebacking of FDR and British Prime Minister Churchill. Hedrew brilliant and sometimes quirky people into the OSS.Many of his detractors were distrustful of his interest in un-conventional warfare. This left the OSS poised to dominatepsychological perception, deception and persuasion. No oneelse wanted the field.

By 1943, Allied forces were in a position to go on the of-fensive in the CBI Theater. Goals included the prevention ofthe arrival of additional Japanese to defend their territorialgains; the reopening of the Burma Road to get resourcesinto China; and the weakening of the enemy psychologically.Much of this was to become the mission of the OSS’s MoraleOperations (MO) group.

People recruited to serve in the MO were from variedbackgrounds and often were people who could think outsideof the box. They were all given training in Japanese culture,geography and military ideology. Burma occupied much ofthis effort. After training, the MO team in Washington ana-lyzed intelligence from the field and then came up with ideasand schemes. Captured Japanese diaries, notebooks and sim-ilar material gave insights into the thinking of the Japanesesoldiers. In November 1944, a small MO team went to Indiaand another went to Ceylon -- with one typewriter betweenthem (and no ribbon). The teams’ arrival coincided with therapid reversal of fortune for the Japanese forces in Burma.They were basically on the run, and this presented the perfecttarget for demoralization. Thus, the real war in the area be-came that of propaganda. Intimidation and trickery wereamong the methods employed, as well as bribery. Did any ofthese schemes work? We may never know, but MO in CBIwas a marvel of activity, and there is evidence from POW re-ports that some of these efforts were effective.

DENNIS OKERSTROM, Ph.D.Birth of Project 9 andAir Force Special Ops

ANN TODD, Ph.D.OSS: Black Propagandain the CBI Theater

Project 9:Birth of theAir Commandosin WWIIDennis Okerstrom$29.95;Mbrs: $25.45

OSS in BurmaTroy Sacquety

$22.50;Mbrs: $19.13

Dick Cole’s WarDennis Okerstrom

$29.95;Mbrs. $25.45

Recommended Reading:See Page 9 to Purchase

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Merrill’s MaraudersGavin Mortimer$30;Mbrs. $25.50

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Page 4 Nimitz News Dispatch

n Japan, the origins of suicideoperations were probably a

logical outgrowth of two main fac-tors: First, Japanese culture which revered the emperor as aliving god and the strong influence of Samurai warfare; andsecond, the threat environment Japanese military forcesfound themselves in which made it difficult to carry out mis-sions.

By late 1944, the U.S. had amassed a huge defensive foot-print that made just approaching assemblages of U.S. war-ships and aircraft tantamount to committing suicide. TheJapanese soon realized that pilots had to deliberately sacri-fice themselves to ensure hits on vessels. The initial attacksby Zeroes were promising as they sunk and damaged manyships. Therefore, Japan expanded these attacks because theyworked, and capitulation never entered their minds.

After finding these tactics very effective in the Philip-pines, Japan decided to make a huge effort at Okinawa be-cause it was so close to the homeland. It designated almost2,000 combat planes for suicide missions and using night at-tacks, they inflicted great damage. However, the Japanesealso were losing planes in great numbers. Thus, hits weregoing up, but efficiency was going down. In addition, the at-tacks were not influencing the overall course of the war.

At the end of the war, the U.S. was confronted by anenemy who could not admit defeat and bring the war to aclose. Japan devised an array of suicide weapons and passeda law where the dividing line between military and civilianpersonnel went away (i.e., almost all civilians were specialattack candidates -- meaning Japan was at the pointof nationwide suicide). If the U.S. had had to takeon the homeland, it is probable America wouldhave won, but casualties would likely have beenhorrific.

n WWII, the use of SpecialOperations emerged largely

from necessity and circumstance, aswell as pragmatism. It is likely Special Operations will al-ways be with us. It should be remembered that Special Op-erations are not possible without the willingness of bravepeople who will take great risks and be responsible for thedangerous kind of activity which is inherent to these kinds ofoperations. Heavy casualties are a feature of special opera-tions, but there were always volunteers for such work, andthat remains a constant today. The competition to get intothe Navy Seals and Army Rangers is ferocious and includeswomen. Many of those who used to disparage Special Oper-ations now have concluded they are essential.

Today, these difficult jobs are complicated by dramaticchanges in technology, communications and weaponry.Thus, besides the rigorous physical training, the men andwoman have to deal with sophisticated global communica-tions and complex ordnance packages. All of this creates awhole new ballgame which is good because the situationsthey are facing are also new. The size of the task has forcedthe creation of a whole new infrastructure to sustain thosewho carry out irregular warfare and counter terrorism.

Earlier, special operations were specific to one’s ownservice. Today, it is very different. Emphasis is on what thePentagon calls “purple suiters,” i.e., all on the same team.This is essential and usually under a unified commander. Allthis is very difficult to coordinate and an overall agency wasneeded to do it. Thus, a Special Operations Command(SOCOM) was created in 1980.

Panel for the Topic Wrap-Up(left to right):

Dennis Okerstrom, Ann Todd,Mike Krivdo, Richard Frank,Jon Parshall, Craig Symonds

and Mike Hagee

JON PARSHALL, HistorianEvolution of Kamikazes

CRAIG SYMONDS, Ph.D.Wrap Up

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Annual Symposium: “In StealthWe Trust”Summaries of Presentations:

Cont’d from Page 3

Nimitz News Dispatch Page 5“We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

Exhibit of Tom Lea’sWWII PaintingsFeatures Rarely Seen Original Sketch

he Tom Lea exhibit: LIFE andWorld War II is nowon display in the Temporary Gallery of the George

H.W. Gallery and is an exceptional opportunity to see theWWII work of this accomplished artist, including a newlydiscovered original sketch from which one of the most fa-mous paintings of WWII was painted.

Lea, a native of El Paso, was the first civilian artist hiredby LIFE Magazine as a correspondent during World WarII because of his ability to bring a sobering perspective ofwar to his audience. Lea found a great significance in beingon the ground and experiencing the events he portrayed.He once stated that his job was to “keep from getting killedand try to memorize what I saw and felt.” This led to hisoften stunning and shocking works. Each piece began as asketch while overseas and was later transformed into apainting in his workshop in El Paso.

One painting in the exhibit, which is considered by manyto be the most evocative of World War II, is entitled: TheTwo Thousand Yard Stare. It is displayed with its initialsketch, which was recently found in a private collection ofLea’s work and loaned to Adair Margo, the founder andpresident of the Tom Lea Institute. Margo, in turn, alertedMuseum Director Joe Cavanaugh of its existence and theopportunity to be the first to exhibit the painting and sketchside by side. On the sketch, written in the artist’s handwrit-ing is “Down from BLOODY NOSE -- Too Late -- He’sFinished --Washed Up -- Gone” which clearly showsLea’s interpretation of what he saw on Marines’ faces atPeleliu. In the painting itself, the Marine stands staringstraight through the core of the viewer. With a broken chinstrap, his eyes show signs of what can only be described ashorror, exhaustion and emptiness. In present day terms, itis easy to see he shows clear signs of post-traumatic stressdisorder, a condition suffered by soldiers of all wars.

The exhibition is comprised of more than 26 paintingsand drawings. Museum staff members worked with theTom Lea Institute and Brown Foundation to bring theseworks to the public. Most of these works are on loan fromthe U.S. Center of Military His-tory at Fort Belvoir. No ticket isrequired to view this exhibit.

The author of this article was Erick Roy, who is seenstanding beside the famous painting, The Two ThousandYard Stare. He is the new Assistant Director of Develop-ment and Rentals at the Admiral Nimitz Foundation. Hehas a B.A. in History and is currently finishing his M.A. inPublic History at Stephen F. Austin State University. Royfinds it particularly rewarding to work at this Museumbecause he has family members who served proudly inboth the European and Pacific Theaters of WWII.

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The Two Thousand Yard Stare:Tom Lea’s World War II

$40; Mbrs. $34*****

See Page 9 to Order

ll of us at the Foundation and NationalMuseum of the Pacific War wish you

and your families Happy Holidays and a great2016. With your support and the work of oursuperb Foundation/Museum staff, we experi-enced another strong year in 2015. For thoseof us in Central Texas, the best recent news isthe rain we received in the months of Octoberand November!

As you have read in these newsletters, therenovations started this year at the PacificCombat Zone and the Japanese Garden of Peace are pro-ceeding well in spite of the wet weather. We still believewe will finish the Japanese Garden of Peace in the comingweeks and the Pacific Combat Zone by the end of 2016.

The temporary exhibit:TomLea: “LIFE andWorld WarII ” is a must see. I encourage you to visit if at all possible.

During the past year, we have had several significant

Page 6 Nimitz News Dispatch

From the Desk of the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Admiral Nimitz Foundation:

Dear Members,

Best Wishes,Mike Hagee

Aplaque dedications in the MemorialCourtyard. These are always specialevents including friends, family andmany times, the honoree(s). To me, theseceremonies go to the heart of what weare about: commemorating the serviceand sacrifices of our veterans, especiallythose who served in World War II, byhelping to tell and share their stories.

As a reminder, if you have not had achance to respond to the 2015 AnnualAppeal Drive request, I urge you to do

so. This end of the year appeal is important in helpingus accomplish our important education mission.

With your continued support, we will continue tohonor those who have served our country by preservingand telling their histories.

Celebrating theMarine Corps’ Birthday

On the occasion of the 240th Birthday of the MarineCorps, Marines 1st Sgt Ernesto Garcia, Major BenjaminEarly and Sergeant Edward Gutierrez gave a commemora-tive cake to General (Ret) Michael Hagee, former Com-mandant of the Marine Corps, who shares in thecelebration. General Hagee is President and CEO of theAdmiral Nimitz Foundation.

ur Admiral Nimitz LegacySociety seeks people like you

who want to commemorate the service and sacrifices ofthose who fought in WWII.

Become a member by making a provision in your es-tate for the Admiral Nimitz Foundation and National Mu-seum of the Pacific War and notifying the Foundation ofyour intent.

For more information or to receive a Letter of Intentfor Estate Gift, please contact Marty Kaderli on830-997-8600, x204 or kaderli@NimitzFoundation.org orvisit our website www.PacificWarMuseum.org under“Get Involved.”

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Join the Admiral NimitzLegacy Society

The Admiral Nimitz Foundation was recently ratedFour Star by Charity Navigator -- the leading independ-ent evaluator of non-profit charities in the U.S. A FourStar rating shows exceptional managerial efficiency ex-ceeding industry standard.

Nimitz News Dispatch Page 7“We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

Two Ceremonies Honor Veterans on 11 November 2015

Brigadier General James Bisson, U.S. Army, isshown greeting WWII Army Veteran Leo Itz, withWWII Navy Veteran Forest Rees sitting nextto him. Bisson was the keynote speaker atthe 2015 ceremony honoring veterans of allwars. Present were those who served inWWII, theKorean War, VietnamWar, Gulf War and the Waron Terrorism. Bisson gave particular attention toKorean veterans since he said they are a groupoften underappreciated. He also thanked allveterans for their service and for keeping thenation free. Ambleside students sang patriotic mu-sical selections, and Amber Royea and EmilyAshman sang the poignant Irish ballad, DannyBoy.

French Say “Merci Beaucoup” to AmericansWho Fought in Franceawarded the medal posthumously were: WilliamAlexander, U.S. Army Air Force/USAF (received by hiswidow Geneva Alexander); Alex Grote, U.S. Army (re-ceived by his son, James Grote); Monroe Heinemann,U.S. Army (received by his son, Daniel Heinemann);James Laney, U.S. Army (received by his son,

David Laney); andClarence Nixon,U.S. Army (re-ce ived by hisd a u g h t e r G a i lNielsen).

In honoring themen, Seam com-mented that “todaywe celebrate sol-diers, sailors andan airman whoparticipated in theliberation of France.They fought for

their brothers in arms and for their country, America,and also for France, as if it were their own. More im-portantly, they fought to defend the values of the freeworld, democracy and liberty, against tyranny and op-pression. They fought to give a peaceful world to futuregenerations.” He ended the impressive and movingpresentation by toasting everyone with Frenchchampagne.

ater that day, France honored local veterans whoserved in one or more of the four main campaigns

in France, Normandy, Provence, Ardennes and NorthernFrance, by awarding them medals denoting membershipin the Knights in the French National Order of the Legionof Honor. First bestowed by Napoleon Bonaparte in May1802, the FrenchLegion of Honor isthe highest deco-ration presented byFrance.

The HonorableSujiro Seam, ConsulGeneral of France inHouston, stated inFrench: ”In thename of the Presi-dent of the FrenchRepublic, we awardyou the medal ofKnight in the Le-gion of Honor” as he presented the medals to the sevenliving recipients and a family representative of the fivedeceased honorees.

The veterans who were honored were: Leonard Ed-wards, U.S. Army; Darwin Harris, U.S. Navy; John Hom-righausen, U.S. Army; Paul Kent, U.S. Army/U.S. AirForce; Norris Miertschin, U.S. Army; Milton Pehl, U.S.Army; and William Scott, U.S. Army. Those who were

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Page 8 Nimitz News Dispatch

Geography Lesson: What’s That Place Called Now?by Richard Koone

ttempting to find out what old Pacific War battle-fields look like now can be frustrating at times since

so many of the locations have changed names since thewar. As former colonial possessions and mandated islandgroups gained their independence after World War II, theychose names based on their own language, culture, or his-tory instead of retaining the names bestowed upon themby European mapmakers.

As the Japanese offensive in the Pacific began in late1941 and early 1942, theyquickly overran the Britishcolony of Malaya, nowMalaysia. They conquered theDutch East Indies, now In-donesia, on their way to NewGuinea. The western half ofNew Guinea was part of theDutch East Indies, but theeastern half, a former Germanpossession, was an Australianprotectorate. The eastern halfof New Guinea is now the na-tion of Papua New Guinea andinc ludes the is lands ofBougainville, New Britain, New Ireland, and the Admiral-ties. Much fighting occurred in what is now Papua NewGuinea, as well as on Bougainville and New Britain,where the major Japanese base of Rabaul was located. Theother major Japanese base was at Truk, now known asChuuk, in the Caroline islands, which are now part of theFederated States of Micronesia.

In August 1942, the American first offensive targetedthe island of Guadalcanal, and follow-on offensives con-tinued up the chain of islands which now constitute thecountry of Solomon Islands. Supporting the drives intothe Solomons and Central Pacific were bases at EspirituSanto in the New Hebrides, now the country of Vanuatu;Western Samoa, now the country of Samoa; and in the El-lice Islands, now Tuvalu.

Admiral Nimitz’s drive into the Central Pacific beganwith the assault on Tarawa and Makin atolls in the GilbertIslands, now part of the country of Kiribati which also in-cludes the Phoenix Islands and most of the Line Islands.Following the seizure of the Gilberts, Nimitz’s next movewas on the Marshall Islands which are now the Republicof the Marshall Islands. The main targets were Kwajaleinand Eniwetok atolls. Eniwetok is now spelled Enewetak.

A A final island, assaulted in February 1945, was IwoJima. Its name change is an interesting story. It was dis-covered by Spanish sailor Bernardo de la Torre whonamed it Sufre Island, after the old Spanish term for sul-phur (azufre in modern Spanish). At that time, Iwo Jimaand other islands were the limit between the Spanish andPortuguese Empires in the Far East. In 1779, the islandwas charted as Sulphur Island, the literal translation of itsofficial name, during Captain James Cook's third survey-

ing voyage. The historicalspelling Iwautau had come tobe pronounced (approxi-mately) Iwō-tō by the age ofWestern exploration, and the1946 orthography reformfixed the spelling and pronun-ciation at Iō-tō. An alternative,Iwō-jima, modern Iō-jima,also appeared in nautical at-lases. Tō and shima are differ-ent readings of the kanji fori s land , the sh ima beingchanged to jima in this case.

Japanese naval officers,who arrived to fortify the island before the U.S. invasion,mistakenly called it Iwo Jima. In this way, the "Iwo Jima"reading became mainstream and was the one used by U.S.forces during World War II. Former island residentsprotested against this rendering, and the Ministry of Land,Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's Geographical Sur-vey Institute debated the issue and formally announcedon June 18, 2007, that the official Japanese pronunciationof the island's namewould revert to thepre-war Iō-tō. Moves torever t to the formerp r o n u n c i a t i o n w e r esparked by the high pro-file films, Flags of OurFathers and Letters fromIwo Jima. The changedoes not affect how thename is written withkanji, only how it is pro-nounced or written inhiragana, katakana andrōmaji.

Map © Michael Avanzini

Photo credit: Wikipedia.org

Map © Michael Avanzini

Nimitz News Dispatch Page 9“We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

Spring Break Nimitz Jr. CorpsPrograms

The Living Historyre-enactments are expectedto resume in March 2017after renovations to thePacific Combat Zone

are completed.Please watch future issuesof the newsletter or websitefor updates on renovationsand the dates for theresumption of there-enactments.

To order the booksffeeaattuurreedd iinn tthhiiss iissssuuee::

CCaallll 883300 --999977--88660000,, xx225522On-Line: nimitz-bookstore.comShipping and TX Taxes Extra

Alert Today, Alive TomorrowLiving with the Atomic Bomb, 1945 - 1965

29 April - 11 August 2016**********

Norman Rockwell in the 1940s:A View of the American Homefront16 September 2016 - 13 January 2017

More information on these two exhibits will beavailable in future newsletters and on the website.

Future Exhibits in Bush Gallery

Curators’ Cart is Coming Again18 January 2016!

Talks and Tours with Curatorsoin us for a behind the scenes tour of our Archivesand Curatorial Department on 15 January, 10am.

Groups are limited to ten people, 18 years and up.Cost: $10.

On 20 May, there will be a visit from the curator of theAlert Today, Alive Tomorrow, Living with the AtomicBomb, 1945 exhibit. Please see the website for the timingand other details.

here will be four Nimitz Jr. Corps programs duringthe month of March. Students, between the ages of

six and thirteen, are invited to learn more about how peo-ple lived during WWII.

On 8 March, participants will hear about the inventionswhich came out during the war and also learn to makesynthetic rubber.

On 10 March, students will learn about the impact ofrationing and how many things had to be made by hand asindustry focused on the war effort. Pressed card book-marks and cards will be created.

There will be two other programs on the 15th and 17thof March, and their topics will be listed on the website.

Space is limited for these events. There will be a chargeof $5 to cover the materials. To participate, please con-tact Stefanie Manee-Lebens on 830-997-8600or manee@NimitzFoundation.org.

We are very grateful to Whataburgerfor their continued sponsorship of theseNimitz Jr. Corps Educational Programsfor Youth.

Ambleside School students learn aboutVeteran’s Day

T ome and stop by the Curators’ Cart in the BushGallery on 18 January 2016. The Curators have cho-

sen some special artifacts currently residing in thearchives for you to view and possibly handle. You willlearn new stories and enhance your knowledge of someof the little known features of our collections.

The Curators will be there from 10am to 12pm thatday and will be waiting to unveil some of their treasures.There is no charge so please come and have some fun.

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Page 10 Nimitz News Dispatch

s the centerpiece for a large family reunion, aspecial plaque dedication ceremony was held

in the Memorial Courtyard on 4 September 2015 forfamily members of Chuck Blake, one of our staffmembers. Blake honored his father and two uncles,all of whom served in the Pacific Theater.

Blake’s father was Lee Edward Blake, Jr., Yeo-man, who served aboard both the YMS-123 andUSSFreemont APA-44. He also was in the U.S. AirForce as a Tech Sergeant and went on to serve inboth Korea and Vietnam. An uncle, Calvin DeanWright, served from 31 December 1943 to 1 April1946 as a Corporal, Rifleman, in the U.S. MarineCorps on Guam and Iwo Jima. Another uncle,Charles Madison “Matt” Rich, served from 22 June1943 to 6 March 1946 as a Seaman First Class on theUSS Memphis and USS Kasaan Bay.

Blake Family Honors Their Pacific War Veterans

A fourth plaque honored the YMS-123, Auxiliary MotorMinesweeper, on which Lee Blake served in the Pacific. Theplaque was dedicated to all who served aboard her in WWII.

World War II Special Operations: Navy Beach Jumpers

pon graduation in Janu-ary 1944 from Midship-

man School at Notre DameUniversity, John Max Munnand fellow classmate, JackCarlton, volunteered for a newunit called the Beach Jumperswhich was soliciting men forextra hazardous duty. The U.S.Navy Beach Jumpers were or-

ganized to specialize in tactical deception and psycholog-ical warfare. They were under thedirection of Hollywood actor andnaval officer Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.The latter had been inspired by theexploits of the British Commandos.Fairbanks approached AdmiralErnest J. King about the organiza-tion of a unit in the U.S. Navy, tobe called Beach Jumpers, and in1943, efforts began to recruit 180officers and 300 enlisted men.Their identities and activities werehighly classified as even the mosttrivial leak of information couldimpair deception operations.

The early basic mission of the Beach Jumpers was “Toassist and support the operating forces in the conduct ofTactical Cover and Deception in Naval Warfare.” To ac-complish this, they learned to simulate large amphibiouslandings with limited forces. Using specialized deceptionequipment, a few dozen Beach Jumpers could make theenemy believe they were a 70,000 man amphibious land-ing force, when that force would be usually a great dis-tance away.

In December 1944, a convoy of about 85 ships, includ-ing smaller vessels carrying Beach Jumpers, left Leyte

Gulf to go to the Philippines. Dur-ing the trip, they ran into attacksby kamikazes which managed todestroy ships and inflict massivedamage, including the deaths ofthe Commanding Officer and oth-ers. It was during these attacks thatMunn, who was aboard LCI 1006,tied a line to himself and with theassistance of others saved sur-vivors while under fire fromenemy aircraft circling above. Forthese actions, Munn was awardedthe Bronze Star. In May of thisyear, his family sponsored aplaque in the Memorial Courtyardwhich also honored his bravery.Contributed by Jane Munn Bumpus,

Daughter of John Max Munn

Lee Blake Stands Before His Family’s Plaques

U

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Nimitz News Dispatch Page 11

Our Partnership with the Texas Historical Commission:Working together by agreement as a state agency and a non-profitorganization, the THC and Admiral Nimitz Foundation formed anew public/private partnership created to preserve the historic re-sources of the National Museum of the Pacific War and guide theexpansion of the Museum. It is the only institution in the conti-nental United States dedicated exclusively to telling the story of thePacific Theater battles of World War II.

Nimitz News Dispatch StaffEditor: Lee Price ArellanoMembership Director: Marty KaderliPhotos: Fredericksburg Standard; Dudley Harris,August Faltin, Andy B Photography, Ken Schieler Please send comments or queries to:

The Admiral Nimitz Foundation328 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg, TX 78624

(830) 997-8600 • kaderli@NimitzFoundation.org

MOVING?New Address __________________________________

City/State/Zip __________________________________

Send to: The Admiral Nimitz Foundation328 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg, TX 78624or contact: Kaderli@NimitzFoundation.org

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“We Inspire Our Youth By Honoring Our Heroes”

Admiral Nimitz Foundation2015 Board of Directors

OfficersCase D. Fischer, Chairman

Robert B. Phelps, Vice ChairmanNancy L. Dreher, Secretary

Ronald L. Woellhof, TreasurerGeneral Michael W. Hagee, USMC (Ret)

President and Chief Executive Officer

DirectorsDavid Q. Bates, Jr.

Kenneth L. BurengaJ. Coley ClarkJohn E. Harris

Steven K. HowellJohn C. Kerr

R. Bruce LaBoonRick Lottie

John L. Nau, IIIBruce Nichols

MajGen Angela Salinas, USMC (Ret)Greg Shrader

Sam Bell Steves, IICraig L. Symonds, Ph.D.

Mary Ann TurbevilleRobert F. Wheless

Directors EmeritiJames Avery

Ann BreyJohn R. Goodwillie

Barbara Schmidt HeinenBruce H.C. Hill

Steven K. HowellLTG Neal T. (Tom) Jaco, USA (Ret)

CAPT Thomas H. Murray, Jr., USNR (Ret) Gordon E. SauerJohn Schrock, Sr.Roy E. Stroeher

William A. Wareing

Honorary TrusteesGeneral Billy J. Boles, USAF (Ret)The Honorable George H.W. Bush

U.S.Senator John CornynU.S. Senator Ted Cruz

The Honorable Gordon EnglandU.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (Ret)

Texas Senator Eddie Lucio, Jr.Woodrow F. (Woody) McCasland

Helen McDonaldNancy Brown Negley

John P. Schneider, M.D.George E. Seay, III

Mark Your Calendars forUpcoming Events in 2016:

Living History Reenactments Canceled Due toRenovations to Pacific Combat Zone. They are

expected to resume in March 2017.*********

Tom Lea Exhibit Currently on DisplayBush Gallery

15 January: Talks and Tours with Curators18 January: Curators’ Cart

24 February: Admiral Nimitz’s Birthday8, 10, 15, 17 March:

Nimitz Jr. Corps Programs20 May: Talks and Tours with Curators

29 April - 11 August : Exhibit: Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow

Living with the Atomic Bomb, 1945-196530 May: Memorial Day Commemoration

16 September - 13 January 2017:Exhibit: Norman Rockwell in the 1940s:

A View of the Homefront

Page 12 Nimitz News Dispatch

Nimitz News DispatchThe Admiral Nimitz Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profitfoundation eligible for corporate matching grants. Foundationmembers may forward any forms for matching gift programswith their membership contributions.

The Admiral Nimitz Foundation328 E. Main St. • Fredericksburg, TX 78624

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

2016

A SINCERE “THANK YOU” to OUR PREMIER BUSINESS PARTNERS

Centennial BankFischer & Wieser Specialty Foods, Inc.Security State Bank & TrustWhistle Pik Galleries

Billy Johnson State Farm InsuranceDooley’s 5-10&25c Store, Inc.Edward Jones Financial Advisors of FredericksburgFrantzen, Kaderli & Klier InsuranceHill Country Titles, Inc.Mustard Design

72 Degrees and Champion PlumbingAlexander VineyardsAmerican Bank of TexasAtmos Energy CorporationCentury 21, Sunset RelatorsDick Stuewe InsuranceFredericksburg Funeral HomeFredericksburg Publishing CompanyFrostGrape Creek VineyardsHominick Custom BuildersInn on Barons CreekJames Avery JewelryJoseph Financial PartnersJudy’s LiquorKnopp Assisted Living Center, Inc.Knopp Healthcare Services, Inc.Opa’s Smoked MeatsVirdell Drilling, Inc.VEI Consulting Engineers

Arrowhead BankJanie AtwellEl Dorado RanchFredericksburg Dentistry, Dr. Schmidt and Dr. LindsayFredericksburg Theater CompanyFriends of Gillespie County Country Schools, Inc.Gastehaus Schmidt Reservation ServiceTheodore A. Hargrove, III, Attorney at LawBarbara and Royce HunterKeidel Inn & GastehausLegacy Suite on MainKent MyersJohnny OdomPalo Alto Creek FarmSage - Premium Texas Real EstateSinging Water VineyardsSS Texas Home Builder of Fredericksburg, LLCLarry J. StanleyThe Inside StoryVogel TractorsBobby Watson

When in Fredericksburg, please show your support through your patronage of these businesses.