Families of USS Arizona's Unknowns Press for Identification

From the November 2021 Military History magazine.

I knew about the USS Oklahoma's unknowns but had never thought about the unknowns of the USS Arizona.  Everyone knows of the ones entombed in the hull of that stricken ship, but what about those whose bodies were recovered, but were too messed up to identify?

The remains of 85 USS Arizona sailors are entombed at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (aka Punchbowl Cemetery) in Honolulu.  They are buried as "Unknowns."

The Defense POW/MIA  Accounting Agency (DPAA)  has announced plans to reinter ths group's remains on the wreck of the ship.  What galls the families of the 85 is that there are no plans to attempt to identify  them like was done with the Oklahoma unknowns.

--GreGen

Minelayer Was Converted Into a Brewery During WW II

From the May 5, 2023, The WarZone "This minelayer was converted into a floating brewery during World War II" by Oliver Parken.

In 19544, the British converted the HMS Menestheus into an amenities ship for Allied forces in the Pacific, complete with a brewery.

The Menestheus was originally a Blue Funnel Line shipping company vessel launched in 1929 by the same name.  The British Navy requisitioned it for use as an auxiliary minelayer early in the war.

As conflict in the European Theater waned and ended, the war in the Pacific was going strong and it was determined that some of the now unneeded minelayers could be altered into so-called amenities ships to help with Allied morale in the Pacific.  One of those amenities was to provide freshly brewed beer.

Before this, beer often spoiled that came from Britain or Australia.

At the behest of Winston Churchill himself, the Admiralty ordered the Menestheus and sister ship Agamemnon be converted for such duty in 1944.  Both ships sailed to Vancouver, British Columbia where their conversion began.

--GreGen

Newly Restored WW II Tower in Delaware

After 15 years and nearly $2 million in renovations and repairs a World War II-era  watch tower is now open to the public at the Delaware  Seashore State Park.

The newly rehabilitated tower, known as Tower  3, is  one of 15 fire control towers built as part of Fort Miles to defend Delaware Bay and River from German attack and ultimately Philadelphia.

There are elevenof these towers still standing.

Fort Miles had 16-inch naval guns, 12-inch and 8-inch guns as well.

These towers were expected to last just ten years.  Each tower took 8 days to complete.  They ranged in height from 40 to 90 feet.  They were built to keep watch on the ocean and direct gunfire in case of an attack (which never happened).

GreGen

USS Oklahoma Survivor George Coburn Dies at Age 103-- Part 2

George Coburn and those others that he escaped with were the luckyones of the battleship.  Because 429 of their shipmates remained trapped inside and died.

Coburn continued to serve in the Navy after that in many of the Pacific Campaigns  He was aboard the heavy cruiser USS Louisville afterwards and received a Purple Heart during a kamikaze attack on his ship during the Battle of Okinawa.

The Louisville was struck by two kamikazes on consecutive days.  The first one struck on 5 January 1945 and hit the No. 2 main battery (turret) of 8-inch guns, knocking it completely out of commission.  It killed one and injured/burned 17 others, including the ship's commander Captain Rex  LeGrande Hicks.

The second kamikaze hit the starboard side of the signal bridge 6 January 1945.  Rear Admiral Theodore E. Chandler, commander of Cruiser Divisin  4, was fatally injutred while helping the sailors to man fire hoses to put out the massive fires.  Forty-two were killed and 125 wounded.

George Coburn left the Navy in May 1946,  but then worked as a civilian with the Navy  doing contractor and electrician work.  He and his wife Jenny settled in San Diego.

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma Survivor George Coburn Dies at 103

From the April 29, 2023, Honolulu Star Advertiser "George Coburn, who served throughout  Pacific Campaign, dies at 103" by Kevin Knodell.

USS Oklahoma survivor, George Coburn died April 19 in Oceanside, California,  at age 103.

He was born in Mankato, Minnesota, on October 26, 1919, but his family moved to San Diego shortly after he was born and he grew up in Southern California.  Enlisting in the Navy in 1939, he was eventually assigned to the USS Oklahoma and was on board completing an inspection of the ship when the attack came

As he and his shipmates began climbing  to the ship's main deck, several torpedoes hot the ship.  The men became  trapped beneath a sealed hatch as the ship quickly listed  45 degrees to its port side.  The blast also ruptured onboard  oil tanks and they found themselves slipping in oil that had pooled on the floor.

The lights went out and Coburn could hear water pouring into the ship as sailors on the ladder tried frantically to open the hatch to the deck above.  They eventually got the hatch opened and he and the others managed to escape through a side porthole that by then was overhead.

--GreGen

When Did It Become World War II (Second World War)?

From the September 1, 2018, History "Were they always called World War I and World War II?" by Elizabeth Nix.

We call it World War II in the United States.  England refers to it as the Second World War.

It is hard to pinpont exactly when the names came into use.   During World War I, of course, no one knew there was going to be a second one, so there was no reason to distinguish it.  Often, it was referred to as the Great War.

After initially calling the first one, the European War, U.S. newspapers adopted World War after the country entered the war.

The term "World War II" first appeared  in print all the way back to  February 1919, when a Manchester  Guardian article used the term, much in the same way people today refer to a World War III.  But in 1941, it was President Franklin D. Roosevelt who labeled the conflict the "Second World War."

Even so, in 1942, he asked for name submissions from the public and over the next several weeks, the War Department received 15,000 names ranging from "The War for Civilization" to "The War Against Enslavement."

However, it was World War II and The Second World War that stuck.

Now You Know.  --GreGen

Death of Ken Potts, One of USS Arizona's Last Two Survivors-- Part 2

Several dozen USS Arizona surivivors have had their ashes interred on the sunken battleship so they could rejoin their shipmates.  But Ken Potts did not want that.

"He said he got off once, he's not going on board again,"  according to Randy Stratton,  son of Donald Stratton, another USS Arizona survivor.   Stratton said that many Arizona survivors shared a dry sense of humor.  

That included his own father, who was severely burned in the attack and also did not want to return to the ship as ashes in an urn.  "I've been cremated once.  I'm not going to be cremated twice," Donald Stratton joked, according to Randy Straton, before his death in 2020 at the age of 97.

"They had that all through their lives.  They had the sense of humor, and they knew sooner or later they would pass," Randy Stratton said.  "Our job now is to keep their memories alive."

A Passing.  --GreGen

Ken Potts, One of Last Two USS Arizona Survivors, Dies at Age 102

From the April 24, 2023, ABC News.

Howard Kenton Potts died Friday, April 21 at his home in Provo, Utah, that he shared with his wife of 66 years, Doris.  The announcement was given by Randy Stratton, whose late father, Donald Stratton, was Potts' USS Arizona shipmate and close froend.

According to Stratton, Mr. Potts "had all his marbles" but lately was having a hard time

Potts was born and raised in Honey Bend, Illinois, near Litchfield and Route 66.  He had enlisted in the Navy in 1939

He was working as a crane operator shuttling supplies  to the Arizona that morning of attack.  He said that a loudspeaker ordered sailors back to their ships, so he got on a boat.

"When I got back to Pearl Harbor, the whole harbor was  afire.  The oil had leaked out and caught on fire and was burning," according to him.

Sailors were tossed or jumped into the oily muck below and Potts and the others pulled them to safety.

The only remaining survivor now of the USS Arizona is Lou  Conter, 101, living in California.

--GreGen

How Many Are Left?-- Part 2

Currently, an average of 180 World War II veterans die each day in the United States.  Over the next year, the number of WW II veterans is expectted to fall by half (from 167,284) and by 2034,  a little more than 1,000 will still be alive.

These figures are according to projections by the National World War II Museum.

Number of  living WW II veterans in 2022 in selected states.  (To see the list of all states, go to this site in my April 18 post.)

California   15,946

Florida  14,823

Illinois   6,114

North Carolina  5,061

Wisconsin  3,700

Georgia  3,299

Iowa  1,767

Hawaii  672

Alaska  99

The Greatest Generation.  --GreGen

The Greatest Generation: How Many of Them Are Left?

Of the estimated 16.3 million  Americans who are estimated to have served in WW II, more than 400,000 were killed in action.  Today, only 167,284 American veterans who returned home are still alive.

According to the National  WW II Museum, there are an estimated 3,845  veterans living in Minnesota, the 16th most of all states.  World War II veterans comprise 1.4% of the state's total veteran population of 265,920.  

Nationwide, WW II vets account for 1% of the overall veteran population.

Nearly 80 years have passed since the war's end so that means even the youngest and latest joining members are in their 90s and 100s.

(Growing up, WW II veterans were everywhere among my parents' friends. I could never imagine them becoming so rare at the time.  My dad did not serve as he graduated from high school in 1947.)

--GreGen

'The Great Arsenal of Democracy' and American Mobilization

From the April 15, 2023, The Center Square: Minnesota "This is how many  World War Ii veterans live in Minnesota" by Samuel Stebbins.

Dubbed "The Great Arsenal of Democracy," the United States manufactured more than 96,000 bombers,86,000 tanks, 2.4 million trucks, 6.5 million rifles and billions of dollars worth of supplies in WW II.

The United States also mobilized more troops for the Allies other than the USSR.  In the final year of the war, the number of active -duty Americans totaled 12.2 million, up from 500,000 in 1940.

--GreGen

Why Was the USS Utah Never Raised-- Part 3: Expense and Obsolete

After the attack, efforts were made to salvage the USS Utah and return it to service.  However, it was quickly determined that the damage to the ship was too extensive and that raising it would be  difficult and expensive.

The Utah was an older battleship, having been commissioned in 1911, and its design and construction made it less suitable for  salvage than some of the newer battleships that had been sunk.  The ship's position on the bottom of the harbor also made it difficult to access and  work on.

In addition to the practical difficulties of salvaging the Utah, there were strategic considerations thast weighed against the effort.  In the early years of the war, the U.S. Navy was still building up its naval forces and was focused on  more pressing  priorities, such as building new ships and training new sailors.

The ship was already old and obsolete.  After all, it was a target ship by then.

--GreGen

Why Was the USS Utah Never Raised?-- Part 2

Like with the article on why the USS Arizona stayed where she was, this article had a whole lot of pictures of the USS Utah from when it was being built, to its conversion into a target ship and Pearl Harbor.

Well worth going to the article and looking at them.

Also, there are a lot of pictures of the USS Arizona in the article.

--GreGen

Why Was the USS Utah Never Raised?-- Part 1

From Rebellion Research.

The USS Utah (BB-31) was an American warship (formerly a battleship) sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December7, 1941.

Despite efforts to salvage the ship after the attack, it was ultimately decided to leave it where it was.

This decision was based on a number of factors, including the extent of the damage to the ship, the cost of salvage operations,  and the strategic  priorities of the United States in the early days of the war.

The Utah was moored on the far side of Ford Island from Battleship Row and though just a target ship at the time, was attacked because of its large size.  Hit by two torpedoes it quickly began to list to one side and despite efforts to save her, capsized.  

Fifty-eight sailors died on her.

--GreGen

Two More USS Oklahoma Unknowns Identified: Cecil Barncord and Glen Cyriak

February 16, 2023

The DPAA today announced that Navy Electrician's Mate 3rd Class Cecil E. Barncord, 24, killed during the attack on Pearl Harbor was accounted for on October 14,  2016.

He was on the USS Oklahoma.

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February 17, 2023

Glen Cyriak of Lake  Benton, Minnesota,  was on the USS Oklahoma that day and his remains could not be identified until now.

He will be buried at a cemetery near Verdi, Minnesota.

--GreGen

Why Did They Leave the USS Arizona Underwater-- Part 2:

The USS Arizona was a Pennsylvania-class battleship commissioned by the U.S. Navy in 1916.  At the time, it was one of the most powerful warships in the world.  It had twelve 14-inch guns (three each in four turrets).

It saw action in World War I and in the years following the war served as a training ship and was modernized on several occasions  to keep pace with new develoments in naval architecture.

Sadly, its most  significant moment in history came at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, when it was struck by several bombs, one of which exploded in a forward magazine causing a huge explosion.

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THE BOMB

The Japanese had turned an obsolete  16 inch shell from a Nagato-class battleship into a special bomb.  They also had  modified obsolete  Type 88 shells in 1939-1940 to create the Type 99 Number 80 Mk 5 armor piercing bomb.

You really need to look at this articles for pictures and other information.

--GreGen

Why Did They Leave the USS Arizona Underwater?

From the March 31, 2023, Rebellion Research.

This article has a whole lot of pictures of the USS Arizona dating from its construction to its end.  Well worth checking it out for that reason alone.

The battleship was left where it sank for several reasons.

1.  Salvaging the ship would have taken a whole lot of resources, time and manpower, something that was needed elsewhere in the war effort.

2.  The ship had become the tomb for over 1,000 crew members.  Moving it would have disturbed the remains of them and been disrespectful to their memory.

3.  Leaving the ship where it was serves as a symbol for their sacrifice.

--GreGen

About That Flying Fortress Atop the Oregon Gas Station-- Part 3: A $10 Fine and Not There Any More (Being Restored)

He promisd the truck drivers that he would pay any ticket fines they received during the trip.  When the local authorities learned about what Art Lacey was up to, they fined him $10.

Calling the plane "The Lacey Lady" he placed it over his gas pumps as a canopy where it became an instant hit with locals and travelers alike.

By 2000, the weather and elements had taken its toll and the "Lacey Lady."  It was falling apart and a favored nesting area for birds.  After Mr. Lacey's death in 2000, his family created the non-profit B-17 Alliance Foundation several years later to preserve the aircraft.

Today, the Lacey Lady can be seen at the B-17 Alliance Foundation Museum & Restoration hangar at Salem Municipal Airport in Oregon.

Sure beats the blah canopies over gas stations these days.

I love it when business owners do something like Mr. Lacey.  It fits right in with the Route 66 push to attract customers with something, the more oddball, the better.  I'd sure stop there to fill up.

Thanks Art Lacey.  --GreGen

About That Flying Fortress On Top of Oregon Gas Station-- Part 2: Getting It to Oregon

Every thing went well until it was time to land the plane.  The landing gear failed to deploy and Art Lacey had to land the aircraft on its belly. Luckily for Lacey, the bill of sale had not been signed yet and the base commander took pity on him telling him  that it was "the worse case of wind damage he had ever seen" and offered Lacey another B-17 that had only accumulated 50 hours flight time so it was in much better shape.

Not wanting to make the same mistake again, Lacey convinced two of his friends, one of whom had flown B-17s during the war, to come to Oklahoma and help fly the plane back to Oregon.  After a refueling stop in Palm Springs, California, the plane took off on the final leg of its journey to Troutdale-Portland Airport.

After landing, the aircraft was taken apart and loaded onto flatbed trucks for transport to his gas station in Milwaukee, Oregon.  The problem was that loads needed to be shorter and not as high to permit the journey.

Knowing that he would not be able to obtain a license to do it, Lacey hired a motorcycle escort usually used for funerals and set off for Milwaukee.

--GreGen

About That Flying Fortress On Top of the Gas Station in Oregon-- Part 1: A Surplus Bomber

From the April 2, 2023, Simple Flying "Lacey Lady:   The Second World War bomber that sat atop a gas station for almost 70 years" by Mark Finlay.

Boeing B17 Flying Fortresses dropped more bombs on Axis targets than any other Allied aircraft.  Many people know that tidbit, but not many know that another one sat atop a gas station in Oregon for 70 years.

After learning that the U.S. government was selling surplus B-17s for a very minimum price after the war, Milwaukie, Oregon, service station owner Art Lacey decided he wanted one as it would make an ideal attraction and provide shade at the pumps.

In 1947, while attending a party he told friends of his plans and a $5 bet was made that it would never happen.  Eager to make a point, Lacey borrowed the money needed and went to Altus Airfield in Oklahoma where B-17s were in storage.

He bought one for $13,000 and was told it would be fueled and ready to go the following day.  Lacey was an experienced pilot, but had never flown a plane with more than one engine.  B-17s, however, had four powerful engines.  Undaunted, Lacey made several taxi runs before taking of for a short practice flight.

So, What Happened?  --GreGen

Remains of WW II Veteran to Be Reburied in St. Louis

From March 28, 2023 KSDK (St. Louis, Mo.) by Sam Clancy.

A World War II soldier from the St. Louis area will finally return home more than 80 years after he was killed.

The remains of Army Private James R. Tash will be interred  at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery on April 7.  Tash was a St. Louis  native and member of F Company, 2nd Battalion,  31st Infantry Regiment.

He was among the thousands of American and Filipino service members captured and taken prisoners of war when the Phillipines surrendered.  He endured the Bataan Death March.  After the march,  he was held at the Cabanatuan  POW camp and died  on July 19, 1942 at the age of 20.

Private Tash was buried in a common grave and his body was exhumed at the end of the war and eventually reburied at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial as an unknown.  In early 2018,  the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency moved the unidentified bodies to Joint Base Pearl Harbor for identification.    In September, his remains were identified.

Again, so happy the U.S. government and military is doing this.

--GreGen

World War II Veteran 'Dancing Chuck' Dies

From the March 30, 2023, WISN 12 ABC Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Waukesha, Wisconsin.

The World War II veteran known to many as "Dancing Chuck" Franzke has died.  He turned 100 years old two days before Christmas 2022.  He had begun dancing in his younger days, "When jitterbugging was the big thing, I was jitterbugging."

With his wife of 77 years, Bev, by his side, he just kept on dancing until earlier last year when a fall made him put up his dancing shoes.

He became a world-wide sensation in April 2020 when his dance on his front porch to Justin Timberlake's song "Can't Stop the Feeling" generated hope and optimism during the lockdowns.

Before his birthday last year, word got out that he was turning 100.  People sent him birthday cards from around the country.  Some schools even sent him videos of the students singing "Happy Birthday" to him.

"I'm the most fortunate old man in the whole world," Franzke said.

--GreGen

Montana's Last Pearl Harbor Survivor Dies at Age 99: Charlie Dowd

From the March 21, 2023 7 KBZK, Bozeman, Montana.

Charlie Dowd of Anaconda, 99, died.  He was Montana's last-known living Pearl Harbor survivor.  He was just 17 years old when the Japanese attacked.

He recalled being ordered to duck under some tables, and when he heard volunteers were  requested to fight back and that he and another sailor grabbed rifles, climbed to the roof of a building and started shooting at the attacking planes.

He died Friday, March 17, 2023.

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From the Helena Independent Record.

He was born in Rochester, New York, on December  23, 1923.  In March  1941 of his senior year in high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a radioman.  Stationed at Pearl Harbor, he reported to duty at 11:30 pm on December 6 and worked through the night at a radio-direction finder installation on Ford Island before returning to his barracks.

When he started shooting at the Japanese, he was about fifty yards from the USS California.

Afterwards, he served for 4 years and 10 minths in the Navy and earned two Bronze Stars.

--GreGen

Another USS Oklahoma Unknown Identified and Buried: Harvey Herber

From the March 25, 2023, Fox 25  "U.S. sailor laid to rest 81 years after dying in attack on Pearl Harbor"  by Mitchell Doening.

Lubbock, Texas.

Electrician's Mate 1st class Harvey Herber entered the Navy from Washington and served on the USS Oklahoma for eleven years before he died on his ship.

For decades his remains were at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

--GreGen

Kansas Man Killed in Germany in World War II Identified

From the March 18, 2023, AP News.

The remains of U.S. Army Sgt. Gregory V. Knoll, 22, of Hill City, Kansas,  were idenntified in january by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA).

He was assigned to Company M, 3rd Battalion,  112th Infantry regiment, 28th Infantry Division during the war.  In November 1944, his battalion was overrun by German forces as they tried to capture Schmidt, Germany, in Hurtgen Forest.

Surviviors of the attack withdrew to Kommerscheidt, where Knoll was reported killed in action on November 7, 1944.

The American Graves  Registration Command conducted several investigations  in the Hurtgen area between 1946 and 1950, but were unable to find his remains.  

His remains had been found, but unidentified and buried in the Ardennes American Cemetery in Belgium  in 1949.  They were disinterred in 2021 and sent to the DPAA  laboratory  at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, where scientists used DNA and other analysis to identify his remains.

He will be buried on July 7 in Garden City.

I am so glad that the United States makes this effort to find our missing military people.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Sailor Coming Home for Burial in Monticello: Donald Stott of USS Oklahoma

From the March 20, 2023, Monticello Gazette (MIssissippi) by Dick Hogan.

Donald Stott died on December 7, 1941, on board the battleship USS Oklahoma.  He was 19 at the time.

He is returning home to Montcello for burial this Saturday, March 25.

At the time of his death he was  Seaman 1st Class.

He had joined the Navy at age 17 after his father agreed and signed the papers to allow him to do so.

His nephew,  Tom Brokaw, Jr., of Monticelloe said his remains were in Omaha, Nebraska, earlier this month waiting transport by hearse to Monticello.  The remains will be laid to rest March 25 at Oakwood Cemetery in Monticello with full military honors provided by the U.S. Navy.

Donald Stott was born February 27, 1922 in Monticello.

--GreGen

Death of Pearl Harbor Survivor Leslie George 'Bud' Hollenbeck, 90 (On USS Pennsylvania)

From the December 28, 2021, Port City (Wilmington, N.C.) Daily.

Died on September 16, 2021, in Massachusetts, formerly of Hamstead, N.C.

Born in Cooperstown, N.Y.  Enlisted in the Navy at age 18 and served during World War II as signalman on the battleship USS Pennsylvania (BB-38) in the Pacific Ocean from 1940-1946.

He was at Pearl Harbor and told his stories many times.

The Greatest Generation.

Pearl Harbor Survivor Jack Holder Dies at 101-- Part 4: 'Two Scotch and Sodas Every Night'

Jack Holder was at Pearl Harbor for the 75th anniversary of the attack.  There he shared his thoughts about the event 75 years later.

"You relive the moments.  You're so grateful for our wonderful country in which we live," he said.  You regret the scarifices, but you also exhilirate from the victory that we made and how we're doing now."

Speaking about his longevity in life he attributed it to "good heart exercise and two scotch and sodas every night."

He also shared a message to today's youth of America:  "I tried to stress with them the need to stay in school, learn all the education you can and remember that we live in the greatest country in the world, learn to respect it, and be willing to protect it."

The Greatest Generation.  --GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivor Jack Holder Dies-- Part 3: Became a Pilot in Pacific and European Theaters

From where he was on Ford Island, he could see the damage wrought by the attack.  He saw the USS Arizona, USS West Virginia,  USS Tennessee, USS Nevada, USS Oklahoma and USS California, battleships all,  on fire and sinking to the bottom of Pearl Harbor.

He survived World War II in tact and as the war progressed, so did Holder's Navy career.  He went into training to fly aircraft and by June 1942, he was behind the stick of a fighter, meeting the Japanese approach to Midway Island where he got his vengeance for the Pearl Harbor attack.

Missions over Guadalcanal and the Solomon Islands were next.  Then he trained to fly the B-24 Liberator bomber and was transferred to the European Theater.

For his distinguished Navy service, Holder was awarded two  Distinguished Flying Crosses, six Air Medals,  a Presidential Unit Citation and six commendaton medals before being honorably discharged  in 1948.

After the war, he became a commercial and corporate airline pilot and retired to Arizona where he died February 28, 2023.  He will eventually be buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Quite A Life.  --GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivor Jack Holder Dies-- Part 2: Got Strafed

"I wondered if  this was the day that I  would die.  That morning I watched as Japanese  dive bombers  devastated Pearl Harbor.  I knew that we could no longer sit on the sidelines of the war ravaging Europe."

Holder began his naval career as a machinist's mate.  When he and his shipmates heard the explosions, they ran outside.  A Japanese pilot immediately tried to kill them.  As they dove into a ditch, a bomb hit a hangar by them.  The pilot then strafed the ditch.

"I could see him making his approach with the grinning white teeth and the leather helmet.  It's a memory I will never forget."

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivor Jack Holder Dies at 101 Years Old-- Part 1

From the March 8, 2023, "We Are the Mighty."

Jack Holder joined the U.S. Navy in 1940 at age 18.  Born in Texas to a farm family, he would become a naval aviator and fly more than 100 missions during World War II.  He flew these in both the European and Pacific Theaters of the conflict.  And, he also survived the attack on Pearl Harbor.

In December 7, 1941, he was on Ford's Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor when the attack came. He had to dive into a ditch to survive Japanese strafing.  He remembered praying, "God, please don't let me die  in this ditch."

"The first bomb that fell on Pearl Harbor was about 100 yards from me."  He later "saw guys swimming through burning oil in the water."  After the strafing, he took cover behind sandbags in a machine gun pit, a position he would maintain for the next three days.

--GreGen

About Those Unused Battleship 16-Inch Cannons-- Part 4

In addition to these successes, another USS New Jersey barrel was moved from St. Julien's Creek Annex to Trophy Park at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in the 1990s.

********************

The final barrel at St. Julien's is #270 which was on the USS Iowa during World War II and the Korean War.    (This barrel is also the first production barrel of the Mark 7 series.)  The fate of this historical barrel is currently being decided as the USS Iowa  Veterans  Association and the CDsG have been fundraising the $150,000 needed to move and display the barrel at the Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story (to be placed near the Old Cape Henry Lighthouse) at Virginia Beach, Virginia.

The USS Iowa 16-inch Battleship Barrel Memorial will honor Navy veterans who homeported in Hampton Roads, Virginia,  as well as the Army troops who defended the Cheseapeake Bay during World War II at Fort Story.

Thos effort so far has rased $90,000  and corporate sponsorships are still being sought.

Let's Hope They Get It.  --GreGen

About Those Unused Battleship 16-Inch Cannons-- Part 3

**  Another USS Missouri barrel went by rail to the Arizona Capitol Museum to become part of its World War II Memorial.  It joined a 14-inch barrel from the USS Arizona.

**  A USS New Jersey barrel went by rail to the Hartshorne  Woods Park in Monmouth County Parks in New Jersey (location of the former Battery Lewis at the Navesink Highlands Military Reservation), to be placed in the battery's casemate.

**  Another New Jersey barrel went to the Philadelphia Navy Yard in Pennsylvania for display on its parade ground.

**  Yet another USS New Jersey barrel went to the Battleship New Jersey  Memorial in Camden, New Jersey, to be on display next to the ship.

**  Another New Jersey barrel went to the Mahan Collection Foundation in New Jersey where it will be displayed with a transportation truck and trailer that was used during World War II to move barrels to coast defense batteries.

--GreGen

About Those Unused 16-Inch Battleship Cannons-- Part 2:

As these barrels  also saw wartime service in World War II and the Korean War, organizations that might want to preserve them were approached.

These barrels were placed at St. Julien's Creek in the 1980s as replacements when the four Iowa-class battleships were brought back into active service.

Now, in 2022, we have good news. Seven of the barrels now have found a new home despite the challenge of raising the money to do so.  The remaining barrel hopefully will be preserved soon.

Here are relocations since 2011:

**  A USS Missouri barrel to Cape Henlopen State Park (location of the former Battery Smith at Fort Miles) in Delaware to be part of the Fort Miles Museum

**  Another USS Missouri gun to the U.S. Fish  and Wildlife Refuge at Cape Charles, Virginia, (location of the former Battery  Winslow at Fort John Custis) to be placed in the battery's casemate.

--GreGen

About Those Unused 16-Inch Battleship Cannons-- Part 1

From the December 2022 U.S. Naval Institute  "Homes for the big guns:  Preserving U.S. Navy Heritage" by Terrance McGovern.

In June 2011, the Coast Defense Study group (CDSG) was asked to find homes for  eight historic 16-inch Mark 7 barrels located at St. Julien's Creek Naval Annex in Chesapeake, Virginia, or the barrels would be auctioned off  through the internet with the requirement that they be cut into six-foot sections.

At the time, the Navy was purging all the Iowa-class materials in its inventories.  They had already liquidated another 14 similar 16-inch barrels in storage at Hawthorne, Nevada.

The CDSG was able to convince the Navy to allow more time to find homes for the barrels who would pay for the cost of relocating each of the  68-foot long objects weighing in at about 119 tons.

As these barrels were similar to the ones that were once located in World War II coast defense sites, the owners of those sites were first approached.

--GreGen

USS Arizona

From the February 14, 2023,  KTAR News.  "5 things you should know about Arizona as it celebrates 111 years of statehood."

USS ARIZONA

Almost half the casualties suffered at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, occurred in the USS Arizona.  The battleship took four direct hits from Japanese bombers.  The last bomb ignited stored gunpowder.  When it blew up, the ship split into two and sank.

It became the final resting place for 1,777 officers and crewmen.

The USS Arizona was commissioned in 1916, but had been ordered to be built in 1913, a little over a year from when its namesake state was admitted to the Union.

The ship did not see action in World War I, but was eventually stationed in Hawaii in April 1940 as war with Japan became a real possibility.  It had been in drydock for repairs shortly before the attack.

Fuel still leaks from the wreckage, spilling into the harbor from the memorial site built over the ship.

The Tears of the Arizona.  --GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 8: What Happened to the Akutan Zero and Koga's Body

Nine wrecked Japanese Mitsubishi Zeros were recovered after Pearl Harbor and were studied as well.

Sadly, the Akutan Zero was destroyed in a  training accident in February 1945.  While it was taxiing for a takeoff, a Curtis Helldiver lost control and rammed into it.   The Helldiver's propeller sliced the Zero into pieces.

From the wreckage, several gauges were salvaged and donated to the National Museum of the United States Navy.  The Alaska Heritage Museum and Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum also have some pieces of it.

A search was led to Akutan Island in 1988 in an attempt to find Ensign Koga's remains.  It was found that the remains  had been exhumed by an American Graves Registration Service team in 1947 and reburied at  Adak Island, further down the Aleutian Chain.

The team, unaware of Koga's significance or identity, marked him as unknown.  The Adak cemetery was excavated in 19553 and the 236 bodies returned to Japan.  The unidentified remains were cremated and it is likely that is what happened to Koga.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 7: Testing Its Capabilities

Data from the captured Zero showed that the United could match or surpass Zeros in most respects except  range without sacrificing pilot armor, self-sealing tanks and fuselage  structure.  The new  F6F  Hellcat would compensatefor the extraweight with additional power.

On September 20, 1942, two months after the Zero's capture, Lt. Commander  Edie R. Sanders took the Akutan Zero  up for its first test flight.  He made 24 test flights between September 29 and October 15

The important thing was that knowledge was gained in how to fight the Japanese plane.

In early 1943, it was transferred to Anacostia Naval Air Station for more tests, including a wind tunnel.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 6: Recovery and Reconstruction

The crash site remained undiscovered for over a month.  On July 10, 1942, an American PBY piloted by  Lt. William Thies spotted the wreckage accidentally.  They returned the next day and recovered Ensign Koga's body from the plane and buried him in a shallow grave.

It took several attempts to get the Zero uprighted and to get it off the muddy land before they were able to get it to a barge and transported to Dutch Harbor where it was loaded onto the USS  St. Mihiel and transported to Seattle.

From there it went to the Naval Air Station near San Diego where repairs were carefully carried out.  The Zero's red Hinomaru roundel was was repainted with American insignia.  The Zero was fit to fly again on September 20. (Imagine had they left the red ball on the plane and a civilian saw it being flown over the U.S. mainland.)

The whole time the plane was under heavy guard.

The United States now had a flyable Zero to test.

--GreGen

Akutan Zero-- Part 5: The End of Koga

Continued from February 14, 2023.

The Japanese claim the shot that caused Ensign Tadayoshi Koga's plane to crash came during the attack on Dutch Harbor.

The fatal shot severed the return oil line and Koga's plane  immediately began trailing oil.  He  reduced speed to keep the engine from seizing for as long as possible.

The three Zeros flew to Akutan Island, 25 miles east of Dutch Harbor which had been designated for emergency landings.  Waiting near the island was a Japanese submarine assigned to pick up downed pilots.  

At the island, they circled until they found a fairly flat piece of ground, but as Koga began his descent they saw there was water on the ground and it was too late for him to pull up.  The landing gear mired in the mud and the plane flipped over and skid to a stop.  

Although the arcraft survived nearly intact, Koga was killed instantly, either due to a broken neck or blunt force to his head.  Koga's wingmen circling above had orders to destroy the plane to prevent its capture, but did not know if Koga was alive or not so did not strafe it.

They left and later the Japanese submarine was driven off by the USS Williamson.

--GreGen

Wreck of USS Albacore (SS-218) Found Off Japan

From the February 17, 2023, Fox Weather "Wreckage of US Navy submarine from World War II found off Japan's coast" by Andrew Wulfeck.

The wreckage of a U.S. submarine found off the northern coast of Japan has been identified as the USS Albacore--  a vessel the Navy believes was sunk by a mine.

Japanese surveys were conducted on the site in 2022.  Dr. Tamaki  Ura and a team from the University of Tokyo used a remotely operated vehicle to obtain video of the wreckage site which is believed to be hundreds of feet under the sea.

The submarine had only been in service for just over two years when she disappears off of one of Japan's northernmost islands.

The last time the ship or crew of 80 was seen was late in October 1944 in Pearl Harbor and Midway.  Just over a week later, a Japanese patrol boat reported seeing  a great deal of oil amidst a debris field not far from Hokkaido, Japan.

It was a Gato-class submarine and credited with sinking ten Japanese ships.  Six of them were combat ships which makes her one of the war's most successful subs.

The United States lost 52 submarines during the war.  Many of their final resting places are not known.

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma Unknown Herman Schmidt to Be Interred at Arlington National Cemetery-- Part 2

More than 81 years after his death, Schmidt's body is finally nearing the end of its earthly journey.  On February 24, 2023,  the young Wyoming man, whose remains were interred for decades in a national cemetery in Hawaii, albeit unknown, will be interred with highest honors at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

Gary Bishop of Buffalo was born twenty years after his  great uncle Herman Schmidt, died.  He recalls hearing his grandfather's brother growing up about the tragic loss that left a mark on his family.  But he didn't know much more about his mother's uncle.

"We knew that he was on the Oklahoma and that he called Sheridan his home.  Gary's grandfather Ed (Herman's brother) had moved to Buffalo in the 1930s.

Bishop shared a postcard that was sent to his grandfather in 1937 by Herman Schmidt after he had been assigned to the Oklahoma.

"Dear  Brother," reads the postcard dated  Sept. 24, 1937.  "Arrived yesterday.  Leave in the morning on U.S.S. Longely to San Perdo.  Will be stationed on the  U.S.S. Oklahoma.  Will write all about my trip after I get straightened out.  Herm."

The postcard was addressed simply to "Mr. Edward Schmit, Clearmont, Wyo."

The USS Longely Herm was referring to was actually the USS Langley, the Navy's first aircraft carrier, which by 19397 had been converted into a seaplane tender.

At the time he was killed, Herman Schmidt had a wife and a one-year-old son, Nick..

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma Unknown Herman Schmidt to Be Buried at Arlington National Cemetery-- Part 1

From the February 14, 2023, Cowboy State Daily (Wyoming) "Sheridan sailor killed at Pearl Harbor to be buried in Arlington National Cemetery" by  Wendy Corr.

In 1941,  28-year-old Herman Schmidt of Sheridan, Wyoming,  was a Gunner's Mate  3rd Class on the battleship USS Oklahoma, a Nevada-class battleship moored in berth Fox 5 on Battleship Row at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

Schmidt, who grew up in Sheridan had joined the Navy in 1937 and had been assigned to the USS Oklahoma.  On the morning of December 7, 1941, he and his crewmates on the ship were enjoying a quiet Sunday morning when his and many others had their world came to an abrupt and terrifying end.

At about ten minutes to 8 that Sunday morning, three torpedoes struck the Oklahoma, dropped from Japanese planes from the carriers Akagi and Kaga.  The Oklahoma immediately began listing to,its port side and eventually capsized, trapping hundreds below deck.

A total of eight torpedoes hit the ship and  429 servicemen died.

--GreGen

The USS Montgomery (DD-121)

In January, I gave a presentation "RoadTrippin' Through History;  The Continuing Saga of the USS Montgomery" at the College of Lake County (Illinois).  I talked about six ships in the U.S. Navy by the name of USS Montgomery.  There was a ship by that name in the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II and the current U.S. Navy.

Right now, I am writing the presentation in my Running the Blockade:  Civil War Navy blog.

And, I am currently writing about the World War I and II destroyer USS Montgomery (DD-121). It was named after John B. Montgomery who was an officer in the War of 1812, Mexican War and Civil War.  It was at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.

--GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 4: Attack on the Aleutians and Shooting Down of Koga's Zero

Nine Zeros were shot down during the attack on Pearl Harbor and from those wrecks, the U.S. learned that the Zeros lacked armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, but little about their combat abilities.

Prior to the recovery of the Akutan Zero, information had been obtained  from three other Zeros.  But none of them were flyable.

In June 1942, as part of Japan's Midway operation, the Aleutian Islands were attacked.  A Japanese task force bombed Dutch Harbor twice, once on June 3 and again the following day.

Tadayoshi Koga (September 10, 1922-June 4, 1942) was a 19-year-old Japanese Navy flight petty officer  first class, was launched from the aircraft carrier Ryujo as part of the June 4 raid.  He was part of a three plane section.

They attacked Dutch Harbor and are believed to have been the three Japanese planes who shot down an American PBY-5A Flying and then strafed the survivors in the water, killing all six of them.

In the process, Koga's plane was damaged by small arms fire.

--GreGen

What Is North Carolina's Order of the Long Leaf Pine?

In the last post I wrote that Wilmington's Wilbur Jones had been given this honor.

It is one of the top honors that the state can bestow.

It is granted to those individuals who have shown extraordinary service to the state and is the highest award granted by the governor.

Nominations can be made for those with 30 or more years to the State of North Carolina.  A request formit must be made by a human resources officer for state emplyees.

Some others who have received the award:

Ricgard Petty

Andy Griffith

Charles Kurault

Billy Graham

Dean Smith

--GreGen

Wilbur Jones Receives North Carolina Order of the Long Leaf Pine

From the February 8, 2023, WWAY 3 ABC Wilmington, N.C.

The Order of the Long Leaf Pine was presented to Wilmington resident  and native Wilbur Jones on Tuesday night  during the City Council meeting.

Captain Jones received this prestigious honor for his  service to the Tar Heel State.

Jones is a veteran, author and historian.

He also plays a role in having Wilmington named as the first American World War II Heritage City.

The amount of knowledge this man has on Wilmington during the war is amazing.  He is to World War II as Chris Fonvielle is to Wilmington's Civil War history.

A Well-Deserved Honor.  --GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 3: About Those Zeros (Or Is It Zeroes?)

The Japanese Zero fighter plane first flew in 1939, and quickly proved  to be exceedingly agile and lightweight. It also had range superior to any fighter.   As early as 1940, Claire Lee Chennault reported to the U.S. military of the Zeros performance.  It was ignored.

However, wih the coming of the war, we soon learned that the Zero's  maneuverability outperformed any Allied fighter it encountered in the first two years of war with the United States. It was bad news to fight a Zero in a dogfight.

However, to achieve this dogfighting  agility, Japanese designers had traded off durability.  The Zero was lightly built and had no armor or self-sealing fuel tanks.  And, they proved to be the easiest fighter to take down.  The Japanese were also unable to compete with the numbers of U.S. fighters nor their increased quality.

During the course of the war, Japan built roughly 10,500 Zeros.

Is It Os or Oes?   --GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 2: 'A Prize Almost Beyond Value'

The Akutan Zero has been described as "a prize almost beyond value to the United States", and "probably one of the greatest prizes of the Pacific  War."

Japanese historian and lieutenant general Masatake Okumiya stated that the acquisition  of the Akutan Zero "was no less serious" than the Japanese defeat at the Battle of Midway and that it did much to hasten Japan's final defeat.

The Akutan Zero was destroyed in a  training accident in 1945.  Parts of it are preserved in several museums across the United States.

And, here I am not knowing much about it before now.

-GreGen

The Akutan Zero-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

Also known as Koga's Zero and the Aleutian Zero.  It was a Type 0 Model 21 Mitsubishi A6M Zero Japanese fighter aircraft that crash-landed on Akutan Island in the Aleutions which was in he Alaska Territory at the time during World War II.  The crash took place on June 4, 1942.

It was found intact by the Americans in July of that year.  It was the first such plane captured and even better, could be restored to flyable condition.  It was repaired and flown by American  test pilots.  As a result of the infirmation obtained  Americans were able to devise ways to combat these very good warplanes.

It was the  the Japanese Navy's primary fighter plane throughout the war.

--GreGen

The Last Time the U.S. Has Shot Down a Foreign Aircraft Over American Air Space Was ....

From the February 4, 2023, London Daily Mail "Downing of Chinese spy balloon is first time military hasshot down foreign aircraft over US soil since World War II" by Paul Farrell.

That balloon was pretty much all you heard about this past week. Was it a weather balloon that got away of spy balloon?  Don't know.

A military fighter plane shot it down about 8 miles over the Atlantic Ocean on Saturday.

Not since a Japanese aerial attack on U.S. ships in Dutch Harbor in Alaska on June 4, 1942, when a Japanese fighter was shot down, has the military done this.

The incident has come to be known as Akutan Zero.  

--GreGen

What Made the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor So Devastating?-- Part 2

Torpedo planes coordinated their assault with aircraft carrying Type 99 anti-ship bombs, which were converted artillery shells.  When dropped from an attitude, the streamlined projectiles could pierce  steel armor, penetrate through a ship's decks, and explode.

One such bomb caused the  massive fatal explosion on the USS Arizona, killing 1,177 servicemen in seconds.

To strike targets further inland,  dive bombers carried the Type 98 general-purpose bomb, wreaking havoc on airfields, structures, vehicles and parked aircraft.

--GreGen

What Made the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor So Devastating?-- Part 1

From January 30, 2023, History Net by ParaagShukla.

Some of the bombs and torpedoes were custom-designed.

For their surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese utilized a mix of torpedoes and bombs --  some specially customized for the job.

By December 1941, the Japanese had  refined their "Type 91, Modification 2" torpedo to be extremely reliable.  But, Pearl Harbor's shallow 45-foot deep waters posed a problem: when dropped. a torpedo would typically plunge at least 90 feet before rising to attack depth.

After extensive testing, the Japanese atached wooden tail fins and slipped wooden  sheaths over the torpedoe's side anti-roll tabs.  Both additions -- which increased  surface area, added bouyancy, and broke away upon impact with the water -- proved decisive.

--GreGen

USS West Virginia (SSBN-736): The Third USS West Virginia

USS WEST VIRGINIA (SSBN-736)

(1989 to Present)

The USS West Virginia nuclear submarine was commissioned in 1990 with a Blue Cews and a Gold Crew.  Although it has been most active in tests  and strategic deterrance patrols, the submarine made headlines in October 2022 when General  Michael "Eric" Kurilla, commander of  U.S. Central Command,  made a public visit to the ship while it was in the Arabian Sea.

The public visit was made after Russian President  Vladimir Putin threatened to use  nuclear weapons with his forces losing ground in the war with Ukraine, and the Navy Times called it "a rare  move that highlighted U.S. underseas nuclear capabilities during tense times with Iran and Russia."

The USS West Virginia (SSBN-736)  is still active in the U.S. Navy today.

--GreGen

The Second USS West Virginia (BB-48)-- Part 2: The One at Pearl Harbor

USS WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48)

(1923-1959)

It was launched in 1921 and commissioned in 1923 and was the last battleship to be launched before World War II.  It traveled the world and received six  of the "MeatBall," or battle Efficiency Pennants in the 1930s, an honor given to the battleship achieving the best score in gunnery, communications and engineering combined.

In 1940, it was sent to Pearl Harbor and during the attack, was hit by seven aircraft torpedoes and two bombs.  It sank, despite frantic attempts by the crew to prevent it.  Sixteen of the crew died.

However, the ship was raised in 1942 and after many repairs, was able to rejoin the fight in May 1943.  It was present during the battles of Iwo Jima and Okinawa.

On August 31, 1945, the USS West Virginia steamed into Tokyo Bay, Japan and two days later was anchored a few miles away from the USS Missouri.  Thus it became the only ship that was present at both Pearl Harbor and the official Japanese surrender.

The mast of the ship was later moved to West Virhinia University in Morgantown where it sits in Memorial Plaza.

--GreGen

Three U.S. Navy Ships Named USS West Virginia: The First (ARC-5)

From the January 27, 2023, 12 BOY (West Virginia) "From 1905 to now:  How the 3 Navy ships called 'West Virginia' served the US" by Sam Kirk.

The versions of the USS West Virginia served in both World War I and World War II and continues as a deterrent to Russian aggression in the Ukraine.

USS WEST VIRGINIA (ARC-5)  1903-1920

The first-ever USS West Virginia was an armored cruiser that was christened with a bottle of champagne and launched at Newport News, Virginia, on April 18, 1903.  It served  on fleets in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and was renamed the USS Huntington in 1916 to give the name West Virginia to a new battleship (the one at Pearl Harbor).

Under the name Huntington, the cruiser served in World War I.  After the war, it helped transport American soldiers home from Europe.  The ship served until1930 when it was stricken according to the London naval Treaty and sold.

The bell from the ship  is engraved "USS West Virginia 1905" and is in Memorial Plaza at West Virginia University.  The masthead from the USS West Virginia (BB-48) is also there.

--GreGen

DNA Helps Family Bury Pearl Harbor Relative 82 Years Later: Maurice Spangler

From the January 3, 2023,  Fox 31, Colorado's Own by Jeremy Hubbard.

Navy Seaman 1st Class Maurice Spangler was born and raised in Defiance, Ohio, and was just 19 when he died aboard the USS Oklahoma on the morning of December 7, 1941.

A total of 429 crew members died that day, but only 35 were identified when the ship was finally uprighted after being sunk for two years.

In April 2015, the Pentagon ordered Project Oklahoma.  As one of Maurice's few living relatives, Jerry Spangler gave DNA samples to help with his uncle's identification.

Maurice Spangler will be laid to rest again at the Punch Bowl in Oahu  on January 4.

--GreGen

Chillicothe Sailor Killed During Attack on Pearl Harbor Finally Laid to Rest: Joseph Hoffman of the USS Oklahoma

From the  10 WBNS News by Kevin Landers.

Musician First Class Joseph Hoffman was preparing to play the National Anthem on the deck of the battleship USS Oklahoma when it was slammed by torpedoes.

One of the surviving members of the Oklahoma's band recalls hearing the explosions and hearing over the intercom, "Air raid, man your battle stations."  Unfortunately for the band, their battle stations were  below decks passing ammunition.

The ship capsized within 12 minutes.  Hoffman was among the unaccounted for and buried as an unknown.

He was a graduate of Chillicothe High School in 1936 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1937  In 1949, the Joseph W. Hoffman Post #757 was named for him.

A memorial ceremony took place August 20 in his hometown of Chillicothe and he was laid to rest beside his family at Grandview Cemetery.

--GreGen

Sangamon Ordnance Plant-- Part 4

Six warehouses were  dismantled and reassembled at Springfield Airport (Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport).

Numerous wood frame buildings were dismantles  so that the surplus lumber could be used for the  veterans emergency housing program.

In January 1948,  it was announced that  553 acres of the site and eight buildings were sold to the DeKalb  Hybrid Seed Company for $98,000 to be used for a poultry  breeding operation.  (See January 17 post.)

This company has the famous winged ear of corn for its logo and is quite popular among students at Northern Illinois University in DeKalb.  It is now called DeKalb Genetics Corporation.

The last surplus property was sold by April 15, 1948.

--GreGen

Sangamon Ordnance Plant-- Part 3

In October 1942, $20,000 cash intended for payroll was stolen  en route from a courier enroute to the Farmers State Bank of Illiopolis from the post office.

In August 1943, an artillery shell exploded at the Oak Ordnance Plant, killing Maurice Pryor, age 22, of Springfield, Illinois. Ten others were injured.

**********************************

Following the end of the war,  the facility closed and most of it dismantled, though some parts still remain.  A large portion of the site has been returned to farmland.  By June 1949, 90% of the farmland had returned to production.

The land had cost the government $3,186,922 and it was sold for $2,126,490, mostly to former owners (so they did well).

The Federal Works Agency received 359 buildings which were dismantled and removed, many for use as schools and colleges.

--GreGen

Sangamon Ordnance Plant (Illinois)-- Part 2

Around 15,000 workers were employed and construction was largely completed by  September 1942 at a cost of  $35 million.  It employed thousands during the course of the war, including many Woman  Ordnance Workers (WOW) and produced 20, 57, 75, 90 millimeter shells as well as 3 inch armor-piercing and high-explosive artillery shells.

It also produced  bomb fuses and  the core of fire bombs known as "Bursters."

****************************

Transporting Workers to the Plant

The plant used  IRT  Second Avenue Elevated coaches to get workers to it from Springfield.  Some photographs show that the IRT cars were riggesd with trolley poles for the job to obtain power for car heating and lighting.    At the end of the war,  the Defense Plant Corporation discarded these cars from the various plants.

--GreGen

Sangamon Ordnance Plant (Illinois)-- Part 1

From Wikipedia.

In the last post I wrote about the Dekalb Corn Company buying some of this ordnance plant in Central Illinois (near Springfield) as war surplus after the war was over.

The Sangamon Ordnance Plant  was a United States Army amminition manufacturing facility constructed and operated during World War II.  It was located west of Illiopolis in Sangamon County, Illinois, encompassing 20,000 acres.

It began as two separate plants, the Sangamon and the Oak Ordnance Plants, separated by Illinois Route  36 and operated by  Remington Rand and Johnson & Johnson respectively.  Prior to the end of the war, they were consolidated into the Sangamon Ordnance Plant operated by Remington Rand.

Construction began in early  1942, following the acquisition of local farms through eminent domain with the groundbreaking occurring in April 1942.

--GreGen

   

DeKalb Corn Buys War Surplus Property in 1948

From the January 10, 2023, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back.

1948, 75 Years Ago

"Purchase of 553 acres of land and eight major buildings at the Sangamon Ordnance Plant, Illiopolis, Illinois, by the  DeKalb Hybrid Seed Company of DeKalb, was announced today by the War Assets Administration.

"The land and buildings were only a portion of the huge ordnance plant which loaded artillery shells for the Army services during the war.

"The portion purchased by  the DeKalb Company was  four of the nine shell-loading lies.  The newly acquired property will be used for expansion of the company operations, officials said today, with inbred chicken breeding to use a major portion of the facilities."

Getting Rid of War Surplus.  --GreGen

Youngest WW II Vet? Bill Stewart, 93

From the Bluefield Daily Telegraph

World War II veteran Bill Stewart, 93, participates  in an event celebrating the upcoming birthday of fellow veteran Joseh Eskenazi,  who at 104 years and 11 months old, is considered to be the oldest living veteran to survive the Pearl Harbor attack.

The event was held at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans, Wednesday,  January 11, 2023.

According to the museum,  Stewart served in the Occupation of Japan.  And, he is believed to be the youngest living World War II veteran.

He remembers going aboard the battleship USS Arizona  as a Boy Scout when its home port was in Long Beach, California.

He is one of the last three people living who were on the Arizona.

--GreGen

USS Blue (DD-387)-- Part 4: Sunk Off Guadalcanal

After patrolling off Noumea, New Caledonia,  from 13-17 August, 1862, the Blue returned to Guadalcanal, arriving  21 August.  59, 22 August, while patrolling "Ironbottom Sound" she was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Kawakaze.

("Ironbottom Sound" was the name given by U.S. sailors for the sea area near Guadalcanal where dozens of ships were sunk and many planes shot down.)

The explosion wrecked the Blue's engines, shafts and steering gear, as well as killing  nine men and wounding 21 others.

Throughout 22 and 23 August, unsuccessful attempts were made to tow the Blue to Tulagi.  

She was scuttled  at 2221  on 23 August 1942 after all attempts to save her failed.

--GreGen

USS Blue (DD-387)-- Part 3: Guadalcanal

1942

The USS Blue joined the USS Enterprise  for air attacks on Wojte, Maloelap, Kwajalein Atolls, Marshall Islands on 1 February.

 During March-June she escorted convoys between Pearl Harbor and San Francisco and then proceeded to New Zealand, where she arrive  18 July.

Blue joined Task Force 62.2 (TG 62.2) for the Battle of Guadalcanal on 7 August and provide fire support and screening.  Although present, she took no part in the Battle of Savo Island on 9 August, but helped with evacuation of survivors of the HMAS Canberra that was severely damaged in the battle.

--GreGen

USS Blue (DD-387)-- Part 2: At Pearl Harbor

After spending her first year in shakedown and training cruises along the east coast and Caribbean, the Blue sailed for the Pacific Ocean  in August 1838 to become the flagship of Destroyer Division 7, Battle Force.  She exercised with the Battle Fleet in west coast waters until April 1940 when she accompanied her division to Pearl Harbor.

Except for an overhaul at Puget Sound Navy Yard (February-March 1941) and exercises  out of San Diego during April of that year, she remained based out of Pearl Harbor serving as the flagship of Destroyer Division Seven of Destroyer Squadron Four.

PEARL HARBOR

The Japanese attack on December 7, 1941, caught the USS Blue in port, but she safely made her way out tio sea  with only four ensigns on board.  She served  with the offshore patrol  in the approaches to Pearl Harbor during December 1941-January 1942.

--GreGen

USS Blue (DD-387)-- Part 1

In the last post I wrote that Walter Becker had been a survivor of the USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor and also survived the sinking of two ships later in the war.  That would make a total of three ships that sank while he was on them.  Quite a record.

The second ship was the destroyer USS Blue (DD-387),

From Wikipedia.

USS BLUE (DD-387)

The USS Blue was a Bagley-class destroyer and named after Rear Admiral  Victor Blue (1865-1928). She served in World War II.

Launched  27 May 1937 by Norfolk Navy Yard; sponsored by  Miss Kate Lilly Blue, sister of  Rear Admiral Blue.  Commissioned  14 August 1937.

GENERAL CHARACTERISTCS

LENGTH:  341.8 feet

BEAM:  35.6 feet

COMPLEMENT:  158

ARMAMENT:  

four 5-inch guns, four .50 cal guns, 16 torpedo tubes,  two depth charge racks

--GreGen

Walter Becker, USS Oklahoma Survivor-- Part 2

It is so nice to write about men who survived the capizing of the USS Oklahoma, especially one who went on to do so well in life.

After Pearl Harbor, he was on the destroyer USS  Blue which was sunk at Guadalcanal on 22 August 1942.  So, he was on two ships that sank.  Unfortunate, but fortunate.  The Blue had also been at Pearl Harbor, but got underway.

After that, he was assigned to an aircraft carrier  that was attacked and sunk by Japanese kamakaze planes.  Unfortunately, the article did not say which one.  But, I did find a list of U.S. aircraft carriers sunk by kamakazes and the ones listed were Ommaney Bay (CVE-79), USS Bismarck Sea (CVE-95) and USS St. Lo (CVE-63).

That would make three ships he was on that sank.  I would have given up going to sea.

After the war, Becker eventually moved to Casper where he founded the Becker Fire  Equipment Company

Walter Becker died  December 4, 2015, at the age of 94.  His remains are interred at the Oregon Trail Veterans Cemetery north of Evansville.

--GreGen

Herman Schmidt Wasn't Only Wyoming Native on USS Oklahoma: Walter Becker-- Part 1

From the January 3, 2023, K-2 (Wyoming) "Late Casper resident survived USS Oklahoma attack, founded fire truck company" by Tom Morton.

Sheridan native Herman Schmidt was the only Wyoming resident on the battleship USS Oklahoma when it was sunk on December 7, 1941.

Longtime Casper resident Walter Becker, founder of the Becker Fire Equipment Company, was also aboard.

Becker was doing laundry in the engine room when the torpedoes hit.  He ran up four or five flights of stairs and jumped off just as the ship began capsizing.

He swam under then harbor's surface which was covered with burning oil and then picked up by a raft, reached the shore, then went back to the Oklahoma where he and others drilled through the ship's hull in an attempt to find other survivors.

After a couple days it became apparent that no one was left alive in the hull.

--GreGen

Nation's Oldest Pearl Harbor Survivor (105) Goes to WW II Museum in New Orleans: Joseph Eskenazi

From the January 6, 2023, CBS News Los Angeles.

Joseph Eskenazi, 105, was treated to a  heroic sendoff at Union Station Friday as he embarked on his journey from Los Angeles to the National  WW II Museum New Orleans.  This was part of the Gary Sinise Foundation's Soaring Valor  Program.  For the last eight years it has invited World War II veterans to visit the museum built in their honor.

He was joined by several other WW II veterans on the trip.

Eskenazi, a Redondo Beach-resident, is the oldest-living survivor of the attack on Pearl Harbor.  He joined the Army in 1941 and was stationed at the Schofield Barracks during the December 7, 1941, attack.

He drove a bulldozer across an open field while being strafed and nearly hit by Japanese planes.

He was heading to repair train tracks for the expected invasion of Oahu and Hawaii.

--GreGen

Remains of Illinois Airman Identified

From the January 7, 2023, ABC Eyewitness News (Chicago)  "Remains of World War II airman from Illinois finally identified thanks to new technology."

The remains of a WW II airman have finally been accounted for.

Harold Kretzer, a 32-year-old Odin man in downstate Marion County, was a U.S. Army  Air Forces  tech.

In the summer of 1943,  he was on board a bomber that was hit by enemy fire and crashed in Romania.  He was buried there as an unknown hero,  but new technology has allowed his remains to be identified.  

He will be reburied in Springfield, Illinois.

--GreGen

Obituary for Herman Schmidt (Died on the USS OKlahoma)

From the previous post.

MAN KILLED IN ACTION HONORED

SHERIDAN--  Sheridan's first Memorial services for one of her sons who died in action  in World War II were held this week at the Immanuel Lutheran church.

The services were in honor of Herman Schmidt, 28, gunner's mate 3rd class, U.S. Navy, who was lost in action at Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7, while he was on duty on a U.S. warship.

The body was not recovered.

--GreGen

Remains of USS Oklahoma Unknown from Wyoming Identified

From the January 3, 2023, Casper (Wyoming) Star Tribune "Remains of Wyoming sailor killed at Pearl Harbor identified."

Navy Gunner's Mate 3rd Class Herman Schmidt, 28, of Sheridan, Wyoming, was on board the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941.

His remains were officially identified two years ago, but announcement was put off by the Defense Department  until his family could be briefed.

He will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery as some future date.

Since 2015, the remains of six other fallen  soldiers from Wyoming have been identified, including three killed in WW II, two from the Korean War and one from the Vietnam War.

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma-- Part 5: Pearl Harbor

On Sunday, December 7, 1941, the USS Oklahoma, along with about half of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, consisting of some 150 vessels, was at anchor in Pearl Harbor on the Hawaiian island of Oahu when the Japanese came a-calling with a surprise attack.

Moored on Battleship Row alongside the USS Maryland, the Oklahoma was one of the first vessels hit.

Sadly, the Oklahoma was actually supposed to be out at sea patrolling, but the crew had been told there was to be an admiral's inspection on Monday.  So there they were in harbor.

When the attack began at around 8 a.m., Sunday morning, most of the crew were sleeping in their racks below decks and never made it up to the main deck.

At approximately 7:55 a.m., the first wave of Japanese attack planes struck the Oklahoma with three torpedoes.

The Oklahoma began capsizing as enemy planes strafed the decks.  The stricken ship was then struck by six more torpedoes and the port side was torn open.  Within fifteen minutes of the first torpedo, the Oklahoma rolled completely over, trapping hundreds below decks.

--GreGen

USS Oklahoma-- Part 4: Timeline

**  JULY 1929:  Maneuvers were greatly reduced during the Depression because of lack of fuel oil.

**  1933:  An earthquake hit Long Beach, Califirnia, while the Oklahoma was docked there.  Her crew deployed ashore to maintain order.

**  1933:  She  participated in a civil defense drill in Tacoma, Washington,  using the ship's generators to provide all electric power to the city for 24 hours.

**  JULY 1936:  Sailed to Spain to rescue American citizens and refugees during the Spanish Civil War.  While en route to France, a woman gave birth, the first time a baby was born aboard an American battleship.

**  DECEMBER 6, 1940:  Based at Pearl Harbor for patrol and exercises.

**  DECEMBER 7, 1941:  Pearl Harbor attacked by the Japanese.

--GreGen