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

Interstate TDR-1-- Part 1: Drones the Brainchild of Lt. Delmer S. Fahrney

From Wikipedia.

The Interstate TDR-1 was an early unmanned combat aerial vehicle referred to as an "assault drone" and developed by Interstate Aircraft  and Engineering Corporation  during WW II for use by the Navy

It was capable of being armed with bombs or torpedoes and 2000 were ordered, but only 200 built.  They saw some service in the Pacific Theater against the Japanese, but continuing developmental problems along with the success of more conventional weapons, led to the decision to cancel the building program in October 1944.

The idea to use drones was first put forth by Lt. Delmer S. Fahrney in 1936, but due to limitations in technology at the time, nothing came of it until the early 1940s with the development of the radar altimeter and television made the project more feasible.

Trials were made using converted manned aircraft and the first operational test of a drone against a naval target was conducted in April 1942.  That same month, following trials at Naval Aircraft factory TDN, Interstate Aircraft received a contract  from the Navy for two prototype and 100 production aircraft to a simplified and improved design to be designated TDR-1.

--GreGen

The USS Arizona and Two Other Pearl Harbor Museums Close Due to the Virus

From the March 17, 2020, Honolulu Star-Advertiser "USS Arizona, three other Pearl Harbor museums closing due to coronovirus worries" by William Cole.

Along with the Arizona, which gets 4,000 to 5,000 visitors a day, the USS Bowfin (Submarine)  Museum and Park is now closed.

The Battleship Missouri Memorial has also closed.

The fourth museum in Pearl Harbor, the Pearl Harbor Aviation Museum, is also closing.

This has been an especially rough time for the Arizona Museum Memorial after falling attendance and revenue resulting from the 15-month shutdown of onsite visits to the memorial from 2018-1019 because of problems at the pier by the sunken battleship.

A total of 1,177 men lost their lives when the USS Arizona blew up which still ranks as the U.S. Navy's biggest loss in a single action.

In 2019, nearly  1,8 million people  visited the Pearl Harbor site.

--GreGen

John S. McCain, Jr.-- Part 2: Strong Family Presence in the U.S. Navy

His father, John S. McCain  Sr. was an admiral in the U.S. Navy and a naval aviator, and the two became the first father-son pair  to achieve the four-star rank of admiral.

His son, John S. McCain III, was a former naval aviator (and USNA graduate as was his father and grandfather) who was a prisoner of North Vietnam during his father's time as CINCPAC  who retired with the rank of captain and became a U.S. senator from Arizona and was the 2008 Republican nominee for president.

Two grandsons are now in the U.S. Navy and Marines.

--GreGen

Admiral John McCain, Sen. McCain's Grandfather-- Part 1: World War I Service and Interwar

From the United States World War I Centennial Commission  "Remembering the World War I service of John "Slew" McCain" by Chris Isleib.

A few weeks ago, our country lost one of our greatest heroes, Senator John McCain.  He was in the U.S. Navy and his father and grandfather were both admirals in the Navy and both fought in World War II.  All three men were named John McCain with the senator being the III.

This is his grandfather's role in World War I and the interwar:

After his service in World War I, which was primarily convoy duty in the Atlantic Ocean aboard the USS San Diego (which was sunk by a mine placed by a U-boat off Long Island, New York two months after he transferred off it) he advanced in rank and became an expert in the budding field of Naval Aviation.

These skills would prove critical to American efforts when World War began.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivor Who Pushed for a USS Pearl Harbor Dies-- Part 1: Gordon Jones

From the August 28, 2018, San Diego Union-Tribune "Gordon Jones, Pearl Harbor survivor who pushed Navy to name ship after the attack dies" by John Wilkens.

Gordon Jones, a naval aviation mechanic who was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked sent letter after letter to the Navy over a 15 year period of time, requesting they name a ship after the attack was turned down over and over again, but persisted until he got his wish, has died at age 96.

The Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship was commissioned in 1998 and is still in use.

He was born in 1922 in Philadelphia and went to high school in New Jersey and joined the Navy while still in school.  At his graduation, he wore his uniform.

--GreGen

Pearl Harbor Survivor Melvin Heckman Dies in Wyoming

From the February 13, 2018, Sheridan (Wtoming) Press  "Heckman leaves a lasting legacy in Sheridan" by Michael Illiano.

Melvin Heckman died last week at age 94.  He was 17 and based at Ford Island as an aviation machinist serving on the firefighter staff when the attack came. While he and others were rushing to a firetruck, a bomb landed 20 feet away, and he received shrapnel in his back but continued fighting, later receiving a Purple Heart for it.

After the attack, he was transferred to Palmyra, an atoll a thousand miles south of Pearl Harbor.  One day while there, he was assigned to escort a group of Naval officers around that island.  He got into a talk with one and said he would really like to be a pilot.  A moth later, he was transferred to Naval Flight School at Pensacola, Florida.

The officer he had been talking to turned out to be Admiral Chester Nimitz, Commander-in-Chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet.

At Pensacola, he completed Officer Candidate School and after more training, became a pilot, but by then the war had ended.

In later years, he was the chairman of the Wyoming Pearl Harbor Survivors Association.

--GreGen

The Naval Aviation Photographic Unit

Back on May 23rd, I wrote about the death of Wayne F. Miller, a World War II photographer who was a member of the U.S. Navy Combat Photo Unit.  I'd never heard of it so Wiki there I go.  I found information on this unit.

It was a group of military photographers under the command of Edward Ward Steichen and established in early 1942 to publicize naval aviation activities with a main objective to recruit pilots who were in short supply.  The Navy had to compete with the Army for these men.

The Navy had a quota of 30,000 new pilots each year.

Wayne Miller, who just died recently, remembers Steichen's instructions: "I don't care what you do, Wayne, but bring back something that will please the brass a little bit, an aircraft carrier or somebody with braid; spend the rest of your time photographing the man.

It was Steichen's prime concern, don't photograph the war, photograph the man, the little guy, the struggle, the heartache, plus the dreams of this guy.  Photograph the sailor."

They did.  I'd sure like to get ahold of the photographs taken by this group.

"Photograph the Man."  --GreGen

Jim Landis' Pearl Harbor Dive Bomber

From 2011 WKRG News 5, Mobile, Alabama.

The dive bomber Jim Landis was assigned to when the attack came at Pearl Harbor is on display at the Naval Aviation Museum at NAS Pensacola (Florida).

Jim Landis on the attack:  "I was posting the watch that morning on Ford Island.  When I realized we were under attack I ran to one of the SBD planes that I knew was loaded with ammunition.  When I pulled back the canopy to get out the guns, a bullet went through my hand.  Somehow I managed to get the guns out and did some shooting."

The Pearl Harbor Survivors Association was trying to organize a trip for seven of its remaining members to Pearl Harbor for the 70th anniversary.

I see that they made it to the anniversary.

The Greatest generation.

Navy Dive Bomber recovered

May 2010

In an operation costing $125,000, a SB2C-4 Helldiver was brought up fronm the bottom of Lower Otay Reservoir in San Diego, and will be on display after conservation at the National naval Aviation Museum in pensacola, Florida.

A took off from an aircraft carrier May 28, 1945, and develped engine failure causing pilot E.D. Frazer of Texas and gunner Joseph  Martz of Ohio to crash in the water.  They both swam to shore, but unfortunately, have since died.

The plane's final resting place was forgotten until March 2009 when fishermen using an electronic fish-finder found it in 85 feet of water.

Only six Helldivers are in existence which makes this a rare find.

Always Glad to hear of Recoveries Like This.  --GreGen