Professor Richard P. Abels, History Department Chair; Capt Creekman; Mrs. Beach; Midn Ziminski; Dr. Jennifer K. Waters, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs; Col. Paul D. Montanus, USMC, Director, Division of Humanities and Social Sciences.

On Wednesday, 22 May 2013, Naval Historical Foundation Executive Director Captain Todd Creekman, USN (Ret), traveled to Annapolis for the presentation of this year’s Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr. Naval History Award. This award is given annually to the U.S. Naval Academy graduating midshipman who has contributed the most to the study of naval and military history. Evaluation for award selection is conducted by Naval Academy history department faculty. Beginning in 2003, the award was named for deceased World War II submariner, noted author, and long-time Naval Historical Foundation Board member Captain Edward L. Beach, Jr.

The 2013 award was presented to Midshipman First Class Daniel Ziminski. In addition to a plaque and a copy of the recently published Foundation book In Their Own Words: The Navy Fights the War of 1812 (authored by Vice Admiral George Emery, USN (Ret)), Ziminski was awarded a Lifetime Membership in the Naval Historical Foundation. Accompanying Captain Creekman and presenting a copy of her husband’s autobiography Salt and Steel to Ziminski was Mrs. Ingrid Beach, widow of Captain Beach.

Ziminski, a native of Corvallis, Oregon, will be training as a Marine Corps aviator following his graduation this week. His papers and projects included a study of insurgency during the time of the Roman Empire, and the culture of the Greek martial society.

2013 Beach Award Presented to USNA Midshipman was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 23, 2013.

Navy POW artifacts on display in the Cold War Gallery

With the support of the Naval Historical Foundation, valuable contextual interpretation is being developed for artifact display cases located in the South Hall of the Cold War Gallery of the National Museum of the United States Navy. On display within these glass cases are Vietnam Prisoner of War artifacts including boxer shorts dotted with red hearts, a shoulder board, sandals, a chess set, cigarettes, soap, toothpaste, a toothbrush, and textbooks.

Forty years ago, these items made their way back to the United States as possessions of released U.S. Navy POWs. In the case of a pair of heart-covered skivvies―a Valentine’s Day gift―they were all that were available for Lt. Theodore W. Triebel to don as his laundry was not returned before his mission over North Vietnam that resulted in his shootdown and capture on 27 August 1972. The shoulder board, chess set, and textbooks represent items skillfully crafted, hidden, and often re-created by the prisoners after confiscation by guards, during the years of captivity punctuated with torture.

Part of the negotiated Paris Peace Accords settlement, signed at the end of January 1973, ending the Vietnam War, called for the release of American POWs held in various camps throughout Communist-held territories in Southeast Asia, including the infamous “Hanoi Hilton.”

On 12 February 1973, Operation Homecoming began in earnest with the first flight of 40 released captives from Hanoi who boarded an Air Force C-141A transport. With the longest held prisoners receiving head-of-the-line privileges, Everett Alvarez returned with this group. Shot down on 5 August 1964, as a Lt. (j.g.), Alvarez spent 8 years and 7 months in captivity. Over the next six weeks, the shuttle would continue between Vietnam and the Philippines. As one of the more recent Americans captured, Lt. Triebel returned on the final flight that departed Vietnam on March 29, 1973.

With four new narrative panels explaining the POW experience, and a dramatic 6 minute video, museum visitors will have a better appreciation for the true significance of these items.

For some of the former POWs, adjustments to freedom proved challenging. However, the majority of the released naval aviators continued in their service careers and moved on to success in the civilian sector. In the case of Alvarez, he would retire as a commander and go on to law school. Seven of the POWs would attain flag rank. Jeremiah Denton would retire as a rear admiral and serve a term in the U.S. Senate representing Alabama. John S. McCain III would leave the Navy to represent Arizona in the House of Representatives and in the Senate. Others achieved success in other fields. Following his retirement, Capt. Ken Coskey would serve as Executive Director of the Naval Historical Foundation. One of the textbooks on display in the Cold War Gallery bears his handwriting.

This new signage and POW video will debut at the Naval Historical Foundation Annual Meeting (more info on that event here). For more information on the Cold War Gallery, please visit usnavymuseum.org.

Chess set made entirely of dried bread, constructed by Navy POW

POW artifacts on display, including boxer shorts worn in captivity

New Interpretation of Vietnam POW Artifacts was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 22, 2013.

The book sale will be held May 29 and 30 from 0900 – 1400. It will be located in the Museum Education Center, located in the rear of the Navy Museum (Building 76). Doors will open at 0900, so be sure to get there early for the best selection – popular titles go very quickly!

And please don’t forget – if you have used books about naval and military history that you no longer want, consider donating them to the Naval Historical Foundation. We will first check with the Navy Department Library to see if they need a copy for their collection, and if not, we will sell it at the Used Book Sale, or in our Used Book collection at the Museum Store. The proceeds from the sales go to support the Naval Historical Foundation and our important work with the National Museum of the United States Navy. With all donations, we can provide you with a letter serving as a receipt for tax purposes.

Frank also wants to share news about some of the great sales going on in the Museum Store. Our signature item, the Truxtun Bowl, is on sale until the end of this month. The regular price of the bowl is $175. With this special, you can purchase one bowl for $145, two for $125, and three or more for $110. These prices will never be this low again, so now is the time to buy! They are great for retirement gifts, or just something to place in your home as a centerpiece.

The Navy Museum Store also now carries Chelsea clocks. These are the “Cadillac” of clocks. The Navy utilized this company in World War II to manufacture their shipboard clocks. There are several models available in the store (mostly military replicas), but we also have just purchased a 6″ Ship’s Bell Clock (wind up) which is truly a fine timekeeping piece. This clock retails in the neighborhood of $2500, but Frank will be able to make you a wonderful deal on this or any other Chelsea clock that you might be interested in purchasing. We are offering free engraving for the remainder of the month as an added savings. Please stop by the Museum Store or contact Frank Arre for further information. His phone number is (202) 889-2212 and his email address is farre@navyhistory.org.

The other news is that the store now carries BricTek naval vessels. These are comparable to LEGOs for kids, and the pieces are interchangeable with LEGOs. There are six models to choose from and they are brand new from the manufacturer. The store is running a 20% off introductory sale for this month, so if you want to stock up on early Christmas presents for your kids, this would definitely be one to think about. We have some models prebuilt and on display here at the Museum Gift Shop, and also have them listed on our store website museumstore.navyhistory.org. So don’t hesitate, stop on by and see our wide collection of nautical items for both kids and adults.

We hope to see you on the 29th and 30th for another exciting Used Book Sale!

NHF Used Book Sale at the Washington Navy Yard May 29-30 was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 21, 2013.

Reviewed by Charles H. Bogart

The author has divided this book into six sections. Over half of the book is a reprint of Construction Battalion Detachment 1058′s cruise book covering its tour of duty at Barrow, Alaska, during 1944-1945. The author provides a 5-page introduction into the Navy’s decision in 1944 to explore Naval Petroleum Reserve Number Four. This reserve covered 35,000 square miles at Barrow, the most northern tip of Alaska. The 183 pages following the book’s introduction is a direct reprint of the 1945 cruise book.

The reprinted 1945 cruise book is a fascinating read and contains a wealth of photos. However, as a cruise book written 65 years ago, it presents a number of problems for today’s reader. The book is written by some of those involved in the work of Detachment 1058 for the enjoyment of the fellow members of the Detachment. Thus, the authors use of the cruise book presume that the reader understands various events that are mentioned or photos published thereof.

The 1945 cruise book is divided into sections that discuss components of the Detachment: camp building and maintenance, heavy equipment, shop, sled train operations, commissary, disbursing, laundry, engineering, personnel, medical, chaplain, recreation, and others. Each of these sections contains a written introduction short on hard facts but heavy on listing members of that component. The story of the exploratory oil well they drill takes up but two sentences within the cruise book. Each of these sections is supported by a great selection of photos but all too often lacking captions.

Typical of the frustration a reader encounters in the cruise book reprint is that the book contains a photo of Joseph W. Wallen with the heading “In Memoriam.” This is followed by a paragraph saying that Joe was a good worker and would be missed. There is also a photo of a grave with a cross on it. I assume the grave is Wallen’s but nowhere in the book is there any mention of how he died. I assume this is because the book’s intended readers knew Wallen’s story.

The next section of the book covers Seabee activity elsewhere in Alaska. This section is a summarization of information found in the book Building Naval Bases in World War II. Naval bases covered in this section are Sitka, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Adak, Attu, and Kiska. The text is concise, and the accompanying photos show some of the projects covered in the text. The final section of the book is a photo and textual summary of Alaska in World War II, the construction of the ALCAN Highway, and the formation of the Alaskan Scouts.

Overall, the book is well laid out, and the photo reproduction is quite good. The book is a nice introduction to Seabee operations in Alaska during WWII. I hope that someone will someday flesh out the story of Detachment 1058 beyond that found in this cruise book.

Charles H. Bogart from Frankfort Kentucky is a frequent contributor to Naval History Book Reviews and was named a 2011 Volunteer of the Year.

BOOK REVIEW – The U.S. Navy Seabee Alaskan Oil Expedition 1944, With Additional WWII Alaskan History was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 21, 2013.

Reviewed by Charles H. Bogart

This book is, in reality, three books in one, with the book divided into thirds. The first third of the book gives background information on Iwo Jima, the formation of the Seabees and, in particular, the activation and training of the 133^rd Naval Construction Battalion (NCB). The next third of the book is a historical account of the 133^rd NCB on Iwo Jima, while the final third of the book covers the history of the other Seabee units that served on Iwo Jima.

The book was written to justify why a Presidential Unit Citation (PUC) should have been awarded to the 133^rd NCB. The basis of the claim by the survivors of the 133^rd NCB is that they came ashore in the first assault wave at Iwo Jima. Not only did they offload supplies reaching the beachhead but provided armed, BAR and .30 caliber machine gun, beach security teams that engaged the Japanese. The survivors of the 133^rd NCB thus contend that since all other first wave units received a PUC, they should also have received that award. The 133^rd NCB survivors association has submitted their claim three times over the past decade for a PUC to the Department of Defense (DoD). Each time they were denied. DoD’s position is that too much time has passed, and they will not second-guess why the 133^rd NCB was not nominated for the award in 1945.

The author starts his book by giving an excellent summary of the assault upon and the capture of Iwo Jima using both Japanese and American sources. He follows this with an account of how and why the Navy formed Construction Battalions, Seabees. The reader is then treated to a section from the 133^rd NCB cruise book covering the unit’s formation to movement to the Pacific and its landing on Iwo Jima. The 133^rd NCB came ashore at Iwo Jima over three beaches, Yellow 1, Yellow 2, and Blue 1. Troop strength was 23 officers and 767 men. Overall, the 133^rd NCB suffered 25 percent casualties at Iwo: 40 killed in action, 156 wounded, 2 missing, and 48 evacuated for sickness.

The heart of the book is a recounting by various members of the 133^rd NCB concerning what they saw on Iwo Jima. As might be expected, some of these accounts contain more information than others; however, in total, they present a chilling and descriptive picture of the horror of Iwo Jima. One constant theme in these tales is about the randomness of death. There are numerous accounts of “I survived but these men who were alongside of me were killed.” This section is supported by a great number of photos of the 133^rd NCB.

The book closes with brief histories of other Seabee units that served on Iwo Jima: 8^th, 31^st, 62^nd, 70^th, 90^th, 95^th, 106^th, and 301^st NCB, 8^th Construction Regiment, and 23^rd Special Battalion. The coverage of these units is uneven due to lack of detailed reports on some of the units. Unit cruise books were used by the author to develop the story for all of these units except the 106^th NCB and the 23^rd Special Battalion.

This book is an excellent read for anyone interested in the Seabees, the Iwo Jima campaign, or developing the beachhead during an amphibious operation. The photo reproduction in the book is very good considering that most were copied from printed publications. It is obvious from this book that there is a need for an official history of the Seabees on Iwo Jima that covers the story of the Seabees from the planning of the assault until they were withdrawn from the island.

Charles H. Bogart is a frequent contributor to Naval History Book Reviews and was named a 2011 Naval Historical Foundation Volunteer of the Year.

BOOK REVIEW – Black Hell: The Story of the 133rd Navy Seabees at Iwo Jima was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 21, 2013.

This week, we had the distinct pleasure of welcoming NHF member Mrs. Ruth Rosow to the Washington Navy Yard. In 2000, as we sought to purchase the Arizona model, Mrs. Rosow generously stepped forward to provide the funds needed for the purchase. She traveled from Florida to visit our offices and the Museum, and we arranged for the Arizona model to be carefully transported to the Navy Yard, so that the she and her family could have their first in-person look at the intricately crafted model. We thank Mrs. Rosow once again for her generous support!

Donor Gets First Look at Battleship USS Arizona (BB 39) Model was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 13, 2013.

Admiral Bruce DeMars, our Chairman, and Rear Admiral John T. Mitchell, our President, look forward to welcoming you to the special ceremony for this new exhibit. Former Navy POW Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, who assisted in the preparation of this compelling exhibit, will introduce the premiere of an NHF underwritten video.

Guests will also receive an update on the Naval Historical Foundation’s successful Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and History (STEM-H) program that will be conducted in July 2013 at the Navy Submarine Force Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut. This summer’s program will be our first off-site program, which we plan to offer at other navy museums across the country.

The Foundation’s work is possible only with the participation provided by your membership and contributions for our ongoing work. We appreciate your continued membership and financial support as we build new exhibits for the Navy Museum, expand our STEM-H initiative, support the War of 1812 bicentennial, celebrate the Battle of Midway victory and the Navy’s Birthday, organize historical seminars, and promote naval history through social media and our Pull Together newsletter and e-newsletter.

As we continue to build new exhibits in the Cold War Gallery and export our STEM program to other naval sites across the U.S., we want to ask you to consider making a special contribution to support these important NHF initiatives. Your support makes a real difference in preserving and celebrating naval history. Donations can be made online through our GiveDirect site.

To RSVP, please contact us by phone or email:

Director of Development Leslie Cook, (202) 678-4333 ext 6, lcook@navyhistory.org

Membership Manager Ali Medlin, (202) 678-4333 ext 5, AMedlin@navyhistory.org

We look forward to welcoming you and your guests on June 15^th!

RSVP for Naval Historical Foundation 2013 Annual Meeting was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 13, 2013.

For those who aren’t familiar with the story of the “Sammy B,” it is one of the truly legendary stories in the U.S. Navy’s history. In October 1944, as Allied landing forces swarmed the beaches of Leyte, in the Philippines, the Japanese Navy rallied their remaining forces for one last desperate naval battle. A series of far-ranging engagements covering hundreds of miles around the Philippine Islands, which came to be known as the Battle of Leyte Gulf, saw this massive Japanese force defeated in stunning fashion. But they came perilously close to inflicting major damage to the Allied landing forces, if not for the heroic efforts of “Taffy III,” a small, overmatched American force of escort carriers, destroyers, and destroyer escorts. During this engagement on 25 October, which came to be known as the Battle Off Samar, the deadly Japanese Center Force, comprised of destroyers, cruisers, and battleships – including the superbattleship Yamato – slipped through to the eastern side of the Philippines, and was bearing down on the lightly defended Allied landing forces. The only thing stopping the Center Force from raining destruction on the landing beach was Taffy III. In what amounted to a suicidal charge, the American destroyers and destroyer escorts turned and steamed directly into the face of the Japanese battle line. Pounding away with torpedoes and 5″ gunfire, and supported by aircraft, the ships of Taffy III achieved the impossible, as the Japanese armada turned and headed home before reaching their target.

In achieving this victory, the U.S. Navy suffered terrible casualties. An escort carrier and two destroyers were lost, as was the Roberts. The story of this lightly armed and armored destroyer escort, steaming straight into a force of Japanese battleships, cruisers, and destroyers, has come to epitomize the highest ideals of the U.S. Navy. Along with the larger destroyers of Taffy III, the Sammy B. inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese force, firing hundreds of 5″ shells and scoring hits with her torpedoes. But in a toe-to-toe slugging match with larger ships, the little DE was doomed, and was soon afire and dead in the water. As her crew abandoned ship, Chief Torpedoman Rudy Skau retrieved her battle ensign, and tucked it safely away. The ship went down, and her crew floated for nearly 3 days awaiting rescue, with many survivors perishing from wounds and shark attacks.

Years later, Skau passed along the tattered flag to his employer, James Massick, a 1954 graduate of the University of Washington. Massick had his own personal connection to the Roberts. While a student at the University of Washington, he met Captain Robert Copeland, who had commanded the Sammy B. during the battle, and was awarded the Navy Cross for his inspirational leadership. Copeland was a 1935 graduate of the University of Washington’s Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, and he encouraged Massick to apply for the program, which he did. Massick eventually graduated and was commissioned as an Ensign. Early in 2013, Massick contacted Captain David Melin, Commanding Officer of the school’s NROTC unit, and offered to return the priceless battle ensign to the Navy. Captain Melin contacted the Naval Historical Foundation, and we arranged to have the flag officially donated to the Navy’s collection at the Washington Navy Yard. It is currently in the possession of NHHC, for preservation and framing. It will be loaned back to the NROTC unit for display on the University of Washington campus later this year. We were pleased to play a very small role in finding the best home for this symbol of the U.S. Navy’s finest hour.

USS Samuel B. Roberts (DE 413) Battle Ensign Donated to Navy was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 13, 2013.

Last month, the Naval Historical Foundation was the recipient of a generous donation of approximately 400 books from CNA. The donation was arranged by Captain Peter Swartz, USN (Ret), analyst at CNA, and a loyal member and supporter of the Foundation. Museum Store Manager Frank Arre went down to the CNA office located in Alexandria, and carted out nearly 30 boxes of books that the CNA Library no longer needs. The books will be available for purchase through the Foundation’s Used Book Sale. In addition to the quarterly Book Sale (scheduled for 29/30 May, stay tuned for more details) books are also available on a daily basis on the shelves in the front of the Navy Museum Store, located in the Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard. We hope to see you in the store or at the Book Sale!

CNA Donates Huge Collection of Books to Naval Historical Foundation was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 13, 2013.

Reviewed by Diana L. Ahmad, Ph.D.

Art historians Paula Calvin and Deborah Deacon take readers on a journey through two and a half centuries of American military art as depicted by female artists. They demonstrated that war impacted not only men, but women and their families as well.

Defining art works as paintings, sculpture, textiles, quilts, knitting, needlepoint, and photography, the authors clearly showed the impact of war on American women’s art. The book provided a chronological history of women’s art contributions from the Revolutionary Era through the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan showing how women contributed art works at many levels. They also briefly explained the early history of women referencing “republican motherhood” and the Cult of Domesticity, as well as women crossing the North American continent on the overland trails. Each chapter followed the same format and provided information on the genre of art and the women who provided military art of a particular design. Female artists largely incorporated military art into their repertoire of work, but did not devote their lives to the genre.

During the nineteenth century, female artists often came from elite families that allowed the women to study and travel, most commonly in Italy and Paris with renowned artists, many of them male. The military art done by these women focused on paintings and sculptures and were most often commissioned by states or societies to commemorate historic encounters such as Civil War battles or important generals or admirals, such as Admiral David Farragut. Often the commissions came many years after the event or the death of the person causing the women to seek out photographs or other illustrations to show them what had occurred at the incident in question.

Although generally not permitted on the fields of battle until the conflicts of the Cold War era, women commemorated their feelings for or against a war in needlepoint, quilts, and the like. Many times, these items remained in the family and only recently have found their way into museums. In addition to Anglo-Americans artists, the authors noted the artwork of Japanese-Americans, African Americans, and Native Americans, but only briefly.

The book clearly shows how the role of women grew from housewives who knitted socks for soldiers to women who became part of official military art programs, such as the Navy Art program during World War II, the Air Force Art Program starting in 1950, and military artists in today’s armed forces. They successfully explained that as women’s roles grew, their art became more and more accepted by society as the women were no longer stationed on the home front, but were, instead, stationed in combat areas, such as in Vietnam or Iraq.

Much of the book’s research came from secondary sources and it is unclear whether or not the artists in question left any diaries or papers at historical societies or archives. Generally, the book provides a good overview of the development of female artists throughout American history and provided some excellent choices of illustrations. Many of the sculptures and paintings done by the women were of men. Although not a specific part of this volume, it would be wonderful to see if modern women changed their focus from male warriors to female ones. The book provides a long list of female artists who successfully brought their work into the public world demonstrating that war is not an activity that influences or affects only men.

Dr. Diana L. Ahmad and is on the faculty of the Missouri University of Science and Technology.

BOOK REVIEW – American Women Artists in Wartime, 1776-2010 was published by the Naval Historical Foundation and originally appeared on Naval Historical Foundation on May 13, 2013.