V-mail Spring 2013 - The National WWII Museum

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V-MAIL
News from The National WWII Museum
2013 International Conference
on World War II
The Victory Still Lies
Some Distance Ahead:
One Down, Two to Go
LOYAL FORCES: THE AMERICAN
ANIMALS OF WWII
Page 9
Volume 14, Number 1: Spring 2013
70TH ANNIVERSARY SPOTLIGHT
November 21-23, 2013
Mark your calendars now for the third
installment of the Museum’s 70th
Anniversary of World War II Conference
Series, November 21-23, 2013 in New
Orleans. Presented by the Tawani
Foundation in association with Pritzker
Military Library, the conference is expected
to feature sessions on "Sicily: The First
Invasion of Europe"; "Tarawa: 76 Hours
of Hell"; "Kursk: The Epic Armored
Engagement"; "The Air War Rises: The
Bomber Offensive against Germany"; "The
Broken Road to Rome" and "The Silent
Service: Submarine Warfare in the Pacific."
We hope you will be able to join us for an
exciting and informative weekend next
November.
Registration is limited. For more information,
please call 877-813-3329 x 511.
APRIL 18, 1943
In February 1943, the United States emerged fully victorious at Guadalcanal as the
remaining Japanese forces withdrew from the island. The Americans hoped to keep
up their momentum in the Pacific War by bringing pressure against the Japanese
stronghold on Rabaul. The Japanese Navy prepared to defend Rabaul, and its combined
fleet headquarters at Truk, through aggressive defense of the Solomon Islands, only
to find that the Imperial Army wished to focus on defending New Guinea as a better
staging area for ground operations. On March 25, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was
directed to provide support for the Japanese Army’s plans on New Guinea.
Within the Japanese military establishment, Yamamoto was a legendary figure who
had successfully changed Japanese strategy at the beginning of the war. He had
argued that a crippling first strike, followed by a “decisive battle,” would more likely
bring success against the Americans than the current Japanese strategic doctrine
which sought to pursue the decisive battle as a first, singular event. The first part of
Yamamoto’s plan had in many ways succeeded brilliantly with the attack he led on
Pearl Harbor in December 1941. However, when he attempted to lure the Americans
into a decisive battle at Midway in June 1942, it was the Americans who emerged as
the decisive victors. Now, nearly a year later, Yamamoto and the Japanese Imperial
Navy found that their Army colleagues held the upper hand in setting strategy for
the war. Yamamoto was ordered to devise plans and then carry out strikes to destroy
Allied air and naval forces across the Solomons in preparation for the Army’s plans
in New Guinea. He accordingly moved his operations to Rabaul in early April 1943.
But after a few days of personally directing Japanese offensives in the area,
Yamamoto decided to take a one-day inspection tour of the Solomon defenses to
thank and inspire the troops before returning to headquarters on Truk. He refused
to consider the warnings proffered by General Imamura and Commander Watanabe.
YAMAMOTO continued on page 15
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
1
A Letter from the President
The National WWII Museum tells the story
of the American Experience in the war that
changed the world – why it was fought, how
it was won, and what it means today – so that
all generations will understand the price of
freedom and be inspired by what they learn.
The National WWII Museum, Inc.
Stephen E. Ambrose, PhD (1936-2002)
Founder
Board of Trustees 2012-2013 Officers
Herschel L. Abbott, Jr., Chairman of the Board
Richard Adkerson, Vice Chairman
Philip G. Satre, Immediate Past Chairman
James A. Courter, Secretary
Harold J. Bouillion, Treasurer
Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, PhD, President & CEO
Board of Trustees 2012-2013 Members
Michael L. Ashner
David Barksdale
Brandon B. Berger
Donald T. “Boysie” Bollinger
Drew Brees
Michael S. Bylen
Jeffrey R. Carter
The Honorable Elaine L. Chao
Thomas B. Coleman
Jed V. Davis
Robert M. Edsel
H. M. “Tim” Favrot, Jr.
James R. Fisher, Sr.
Peter J. Fos, PhD
Peter N. Foss
Louis Freeman
John D. Georges
William A. Goldring
John M. Hairston
Terence E. Hall
Robert Tucker Hayes
David P. Hess
C. Paul Hilliard
William H. Hines
Col. Jack H. Jacobs, USA (Ret.)
James W. Jacobs
John E. Koerner III
Mark R. Konjevod
Kevin J. Lilly
Deborah G. Lindsay
E. Ralph Lupin, MD
Suzanne T. Mestayer
Dennis A. Muilenburg
Robert J. Patrick
Richard A. Pattarozzi
M. Cleland Powell III
Robert Ready
Kevin P. Reilly, Jr.
Todd Ricketts
William P. Rutledge
Robert “Bobby” Savoie, PhD
Carroll W. Suggs
Col. Leo Thorsness, USAF (Ret.)
David R. Voelker
Ted M. Weggeland
Bruce N. Whitman
Governor Pete Wilson
Fred S. Zeidman
2
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
A compelling essay by J.R. McNeill, a vice president for the American Historical Association,
in a recent issue of the organization’s magazine raises a concern familiar to all of us at
The National WWII Museum.
Time is running out for the WWII generation, as an average of nearly 700 American
veterans of this world-changing struggle pass away each day, and only a tiny percentage
have recorded their experiences. McNeill calls for a determined campaign to gather more
WWII oral histories, stressing the importance of digitization—so they can be accessed
online by researchers.
I certainly echo these sentiments, but would point out an omission in the essay: the
foundational work begun long ago, and continuing today, by our Museum’s staff in
collecting, preserving and sharing personal accounts from the “greatest generation.”
Based originally on interviews with WWII veterans conducted by the Museum’s founder,
Stephen Ambrose, long before the institution’s opening in 2000, this rich collection now
totals more than 7,000 oral histories, including video and audio recordings and transcribed
interviews. The interviews cover every theater of the war, as well as the Home Front,
and reflect the wartime experiences of women, minorities and individuals from every
corner of our nation.
Five historians representing the Museum travel the country to interview individuals whose
stories are critical to the broad war narrative—and to filling gaps in our existing assets.
Our Research and History Department added 120 high-definition video oral histories in just
one recent six-month period.
Among those recently interviewed by our team: Joe Medicine Crow, the last of the
traditional war chiefs for the Crow tribe who fought with the 103rd Infantry Division in
Europe, and Robert Rosendahl, a survivor of the Bataan Death March and Japan’s Mukden
Prison Camp.
Meanwhile, the Museum is launching a broad digitization effort that will provide
anyone access to our oral histories via the Internet. Thanks to grant support from the
federal Institute of Museum and Library Services, we are now placing online 150 oral
histories that are indexed and can be searched according to topic of interest—just a
sampling of what will ultimately be posted. The National History Day program is our
partner in this exciting initiative.
As McNeill reminds us, there is a great deal of work to be done, and on a compressed
timetable. You can rest assured that “America’s National WWII Museum” is deeply
committed to playing a lead role in gathering and passing on these powerful stories.
Nick Mueller
President and CEO
The National WWII Museum
945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
www.nationalww2museum.org
504-528-1944 or 877-813-3329
HOURS OF OPERATION
Museum Exhibits and Museum Store
Open seven days a week, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
Find out more about the Museum Store at
www.SHOPWWII.org or call 877-813-3329 x 244.
Solomon Victory Theater
www.nationalww2museum.org/victory-theater
504-528-1942, Showing Beyond All Boundaries
Seven days a week, hourly,
Sunday – Thursday from 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Friday and Saturday from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm
Stage Door Canteen
www.stagedoorcanteen.org | 504-528-1943
View the entertainment schedule online.
Dinner and brunch packages available.
Reservations are strongly recommended.
Medal of Honor Wall and Interactive Stations
The Museum is now able to honor WWII Medal of Honor recipients and share their
personal stories thanks to a generous gift from the Goldring Family Foundation & The
Woldenberg Foundation. The Medal of Honor Wall and Interactive Stations within the
newly opened US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center is a tribute to the heroes of the
“greatest generation.” The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valor in action against
an enemy force that can be bestowed upon an individual serving in the Armed Services of
the United States of America. It is generally presented to recipients by the President of the
United States in the name of Congress.
This exhibit features the portraits of all 464 WWII Medal of Honor recipients. Located on
the second floor of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center, the massive wall of faces
measures more than 70 feet in width and 32 feet in height. The Medal of Honor interactive
database compliments the wall by providing an opportunity for visitors to explore the personal
stories of bravery and valor of these distinguished servicemen and women. Using a touchscreen monitor, visitors can explore a digital representation of the Medal of Honor Wall in
order to access each of the 464 veterans featured. By selecting an image, visitors will learn
more of the story that led to the awarding of the Medal of Honor to these brave individuals.
Visitors will be able to search for information about a particular Medal of Honor recipient by
recipient name, theater of action, military rank at time of award, branch of service, dates of
service (years), dates of action (range, start to finish) and location of service.
The National WWII Museum is grateful to the Goldring Family Foundation & The
Woldenberg Foundation for their generous gift, which furthers the Museum’s mission to share
the stories of the brave men and women who sacrificed so much.
American Sector Restaurant
www.american-sector.com | 504-528-1940
A Chef John Besh restaurant
Open seven days a week,
Sunday – Thursday, 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Friday – Saturday, 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Call or go online for reservations.
Jeri Nims Soda Shop
www.american-sector.com | 504-528-1940
Open daily, 7:00 am – 5:30 pm.
All venues are closed Mardi Gras Day,
Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day.
GROUP VISITS
To schedule your reunion, church, school
or tour group, call 504-528-1944 x 222 or go to
www.nationalww2museum.org/plan-a-visit.
Ask about our Call of Duty and Behind the Lines
VIP tour options!
E-MAIL UPDATES
Sign up for free e-mails about Museum events
and exhibits and special discount offers at
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ACCESSIBILITY
All areas of the Museum are wheelchair
accessible. A limited number of wheelchairs are
available for use on site at no charge. Service
animals are welcome.
V-MAIL is published quarterly by The National WWII Museum, Inc.
as a benefit to Museum members. Contact us at The National WWII
Museum, Attn: V-MAIL, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130
or 504-528-1944 x 357 or email info@nationalww2museum.org.
15192
For more information on the exciting opening of the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center
please visit our website www.nationalww2museum.org.
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
3
Q&A with
Pulitzer Prize winning Author and Journalist
rick atkinson
The Guns at Last Light, Rick Atkinson’s long-awaited third and final
book in his “Liberation Trilogy,” about the US military in Europe in
World War II, is being released to the public on May 14th. Rick has
long been a friend and supporter of the Museum and we are honored
that he and his publisher have selected the Museum to host his official
book release event on Wednesday, May 8, 2013 – V-E Day!
As we approach this much anticipated event, we wanted to ask Rick
some questions and share his answers with our members.
WWII Museum: Congratulations on the upcoming release of The
Guns at Last Light. Could you tell us where the book picks up, what is
covered and where you conclude the final volume?
Rick: Thanks so much to The National WWII Museum for
supporting this project. I feel that we’ve come of age together: the
Museum opened in 2000, shortly before the first volume of my trilogy
was published.
The Guns at Last Light opens on May 15, 1944, at St. Paul’s School in
London, where Eisenhower, Montgomery, Churchill, Patton, Bradley,
and several dozen other American and British commanders gather to
review the final plan for the invasion of Normandy. It’s a wonderfully
cinematic scene, full of color and high drama. For the next twelve
chapters we live and die with those determined to obliterate the
Third Reich, at places like Omaha Beach, St. Lô, Hill 314, Falaise,
the Hürtgen Forest, Antwerp, Nijmegen, Arnhem, and on through
the Bulge, the crossing of the Rhine, the encirclement of the Ruhr,
and the final drive across the Elbe through V-E Day on May 8, 1945.
As in An Army at Dawn and The Day of Battle, we periodically shift
from a tactical, foxhole view of the battlefield to the wider aperture
of operational and strategic perspectives; much of chapter 7 is set in
Malta and Yalta, for instance, in the company of Roosevelt, Churchill,
Stalin, and the Allied high command. And we often peek in on the
other side of the hill, to understand what the Germans are doing.
I also recount at some length the invasion of southern France in midAugust 1944, as well as the subsequent drive up the Rhône Valley and
the Franco-American lunge through the Vosges Mountains to capture
Strasbourg and reach the Rhine, four months before other Allied
forces arrive on the river. That controversial campaign in southern
France is unknown to many Americans, and it’s an important part of
the liberation of Europe.
WWII Museum: Tell us something about the Normandy Campaign
that we don’t know.
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V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
Rick: The Americans secretly
considered invading France by
digging a tunnel under the English
Channel; engineers calculated that it
would take 15,000 men a year to excavate 55,000 tons of soil,
but they couldn’t figure out how to avoid having the entire German
Seventh Army waiting for the first tunneler to emerge. Did you know
that? The US military alone stockpiled 160,000 tons of chemical
munitions for potential use in Europe and the Mediterranean; I
found Eisenhower’s target lists for phosgene and mustard gas attacks,
including a plan described as “involving risk to civilians” because it
required spattering deadly chemicals from St. Lô to Le Mans, as well
as on rail junctions and enemy garrisons at Avranches, Versailles, and
elsewhere. Did you know that Allied planners worried about German
planes dropping rats infected with bubonic plague over English
cities? Or that Geiger counters were secretly stockpiled in London in
case the Germans used “radioactive poisons?” Did you know that the
US military’s need for draftees had become so pressing by 1944 that
a man could be inducted if he had no teeth—the original standard
had been at least twelve—or was missing an eye, both external ears,
a thumb, a great toe, or three fingers on either hand, including his
trigger finger? I could go on and on.
WWII Museum: Your trilogy really brings personalities of the war to
life, both for senior officers and GIs. Tell us about a couple of favorite
individuals you’ve written about—both those who are famous and
those lesser known individuals.
Rick: I’ve traveled for nearly fifteen years and through three volumes
with a platoon of personalities to whom I’m deeply attached, not just
Eisenhower, Patton, Montgomery, Bradley, Churchill, Brooke, and
their ilk, but the likes of Ted Roosevelt and Lucian Truscott, who
are less known to many readers. The narrative writer’s true calling
is to bring such folk back from the dead. I try to do that not only for
soldiers of all ranks and across various nationalities, but for other
personalities who help propel the story, including gifted journalists
like Alan Moorehead, Ernie Pyle, Martha Gellhorn, Robert Capa, A.J.
Liebling, Eric Sevareid, and Osmar White.
In The Guns at Last Light, a number of arresting new personalities
come on stage with that Franco-American army group in southern
France, including Jacob Devers, Alexander Patch, and Jean de Lattre
de Tassigny, the flamboyant French First Army commander who is
beyond the inventive power of any novelist. I also get to pick up stories
from the earlier volumes. For example, we’ve last seen Lieutenant
Colonel John K. Waters, a fine officer who happens to be Patton’s
son-in-law, being hustled off to a German prison camp after his
capture on the first morning of the Kasserine Pass debacle in
Tunisia. Now we’ll be reunited with him as a consequence of Patton’s
hare-brained raid on the camp at Hammelburg, in upper Bavaria,
during which Waters is shot and severely wounded. Through the
generosity of his son, I have Colonel Waters’s diary and camp logs
to draw from, giving us his view for the first time, as well as an
absolutely mesmerizing photo of him.
WWII Museum: Is there a story, or a “hidden gem” that you
uncovered, whether you were able to include it in one of
your books or not, that has really stuck with you?
Rick: Even amid the clash of army groups, my eye is
always drawn to the small, particular catastrophe that
somehow illuminates the larger tragedy. The death of
General Sandy Patch’s son, Mac, still sears me. I tell
that story using the general’s letters to his wife, and it’s
unspeakably heartbreaking; even while continuing
to do his duty as Seventh Army commander, General
Patch never got over it. How could you? I recount
the suicide of Rear Admiral Don P. Moon, who had
commanded the naval forces at Utah Beach, and blew
his brains out shortly before the invasion of southern
France; the stress unhinged him, and the note he left
for his wife and four children is haunting. Having been with Ted
Roosevelt through two previous volumes, I hated, just hated, to say
goodbye to him in Normandy. I spent considerable time researching
the new C-46 transport airplanes used for the airborne drop of
Operation VARSITY PLUNDER in March 1945; for misbegotten
reasons of cost and weight, self-sealing fuel tanks were not used
in those C-46s, and the result was catastrophic. I still hear men
screaming in those burning planes. I also did a lot of rummaging
through the archives to find the full story of the “pozit” fuze, the
highly secret invention that allowed much more accurate field
artillery and anti-aircraft gunnery. On a quite different subject, I
found a detailed narrative written by the Georgia mortician who
prepared Franklin Roosevelt’s body for burial after the president
died at Warm Springs in April 1945—the document is as powerful
and moving as it is clinical.
WWII Museum: Why do you think WWII is a subject that still
fascinates the American public, 70 years after the fact, and that it is
important The National WWII Museum shares that story?
Rick: The Second World War is the greatest self-inflicted
catastrophe in human history—60 million dead, one life snuffed out
every three seconds for six years. As John Updike once wrote, it’s the
20th century’s central myth, “a tale of Troy whose angles are infinite
and whose central figures never fail to amaze us with their size,
their theatricality, their sweep.” The war’s legacy is so profound and
ubiquitous that we almost don’t recognize those influences, from the
shape of the geopolitical map today to the way the war influenced
our national evolution on racial and gender equality. I believe the
war will transfix people a millennium from now. It’s that powerful
and compelling.
Of more than 16 million American veterans of World
War II, fewer than 2 million remain alive. When we
contemplate what is lost to us culturally as they slip
into the shadows at the rate of 700 a day, foremost
perhaps is the ability to bear witness, to tell the story
firsthand, to attest with authenticity and authority,
why they fought, suffered, and died. For all the
stories told and retold, countless others will now
go untold. So as the primary storytellers die off, it’s
important for their survivors—for us—to sustain
the story, to keep it a vivid narrative that lives and
breathes, rather than something desiccated, rapidly
receding into the past with ever diminishing power
to stir us. The National World War II Museum has a pivotal role in
that profound task. For the Museum, this has become a calling, and
we’re a better country and a richer culture for it.
WWII Museum: Thank you Rick, the Museum is greatly looking
forward to hosting your book release party on May 8th!
Rick: I can’t wait. Thanks again to the Museum and its superb staff
for supporting me, but more important, for helping to preserve our
common heritage.
We hope that many of our friends and members from around the
country come down to New Orleans for the special presentation by
Rick on May 8th. The event will be free and open to the public, but
registration will be required. Guests can register by calling 877-8133329 x 412 or by emailing jeremy.collins@nationalww2museum.org.
If you would like to pre-order the book from the Museum,
please contact the Museum store at 877-813-3329 x 285,
email museumstore@nationalww2museum.org or visit
www.SHOPWWII.org. (See page 16.)
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
5
O R A L H I S TO RY S p otli g ht
OLEN
"REB"
GRANT
546 Bombardment Squadron,
th
384th Bombardment Group,
8th Air Force
Olen “Reb” Grant was never one to avoid trouble. As a matter of
fact, Reb was the type who generally went looking for trouble,
whenever and wherever he could find it. Reb joined the Army in
1941 for reasons that most young people did in the latter stages of the
depression—good food, new clothes, and steady pay. He found that
Army life suited him as he steadily made his way through the ranks
until he reached sergeant and was shipped overseas with the 384th
Bomb Group’s ground detachment. After several months serving
as an armorer, Reb and some of his friends decided that life on the
ground was far too boring. Being rather proficient with a firearm,
Reb decided to volunteer as a spare gunner for combat missions.
He recalled, “I finally grew restless and grew tired of going to town
every night and getting drunk, plus I thought that being on a combat
crew would get me home sooner.” The average life expectancy for
combat crewmen in the 8th Air Force during 1943 was five missions.
In the fall of 1943, crewmen had less than a twenty percent chance
of completing their allotted twenty-five combat missions before
finishing their tour of duty. Reb was fully aware of the chances he was
taking by volunteering as a spare gunner, but it was a risk that he was
willing to take.
September 6, 1943 dawned very early for Reb. The previous night
he had been squiring his Irish girlfriend around the local town and
had visited several bars throughout the night until he was found by
the Military Police early on the morning of the 6th. Arriving back at
Grafton Underwood, home of the 384th, he was driven directly to the
6
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
parachute shed and told to dress for combat because he was slated to
go on a mission. Reb joined the crew of the B-17 “Yankee Raider” at
their hardstand, prepared his weapon and flight gear and boarded the
plane. He wasn’t even aware of where they were headed until he asked
his friend, Daudelin, the other waist gunner on “Yankee Raider.”
Their target was Stuttgart, Germany.
All the way into the target, German fighters nipped at the bombers
and reaped a devilish harvest of burning B-17s. When the formation
arrived over Stuttgart, the flak took over and started dropping B-17s
left and right. In the ensuing flak barrage, Reb was wounded in the
left arm by shrapnel.
Unable to visually locate the target, General Robert Travis, the
mission commander, decided to take the formation over the target
area three separate times in hopes of being able to drop the bombs
on the assigned target. Stuttgart was at the maximum range of
the B-17 in 1943 and by circling the target three times, Travis ate
up precious fuel and also caused the formation to become strung
out and loose. Reb recalled, “By the time we came out of the third
pass we were last in the formation and on the outside. That’s one
of the reasons we got shot down, sitting out there like we were. We
were sitting ducks for the fighters. It was a matter of time until we
couldn’t take it anymore.” As the pilot put the “Raider” into a dive to
avoid incoming fighters, the airplane was raked from nose to tail by
twenty-millimeter rounds. The aircraft caught fire and the order to
bail out was given, but Reb was unable to hear as his interphone
had been shot out during the fighter attack. The other waist
gunner, Daudelin, motioned for Reb to bail out and as he turned
away Reb immediately found himself on the floor of the aircraft.
He recalled, “I didn’t feel a thing. It was paralyzing. I was on my
feet one second, on the floor the next.” Reb had been hit in the
right side of the head with a twenty millimeter round, his right eye
was blown out, and half of his cheek had been shot away. Daudelin
looked at his friend and was amazed at the gruesome sight. Reb
continued, “I was conscious and told him to get the hell out of
there, I couldn’t do anything, and he did. The ball turret
gunner, Redwing, attempted to help me by dragging
me to the escape door, but when he did, he got hit
in the chest and he rolled out of the ship when it
lurched. After that I don’t remember anything.”
The B-17, now pilot-less, plunged earthward with
the unconscious Reb Grant stuck inside the waist
compartment. The pilot-less aircraft made an
almost perfect belly landing on its own and came
to a stop outside Entrepagny, France with Reb still
in the waist.
Germans immediately swarmed over the aircraft and pulled Reb
from the wreckage. What happened next is a vague memory to
Reb as he slipped in and out of consciousness for days. After trips
to several hospitals and many operations, he finally regained full
consciousness two weeks later in a German hospital near Paris.
Reb remembered, “I could see the Eiffel Tower way off in the
distance, and used to look out in the streets and watch the people
move around. I envied them.” He continued, “The German doctor
told me that my wound was infected and I would be in the hospital
for a few months, but I knew I was going to live. After everything I
had been through, I knew I would live.”
In November 1943, Reb was shipped to Stalag 17 in Krems, Austria
and would remain there for over a year. “The food there was scarce
and life was really boring. The good thing was that I ran into several
members of my crew when I got there including Daudelin. They all
thought that I had been killed in the plane. They were amazed to see
me alive, minus an eye and half a cheek, but alive none the less.” Life
in the camp was unsanitary to say the least. Bed bugs, lice, dysentery
and disease were commonplace. After his wound again became
infected, Reb was sent to Vienna where he was operated on yet again
and sent back to Stalag 17.
In late December 1944, Reb’s name was put on a list
of prisoners who were to be repatriated back to the
United States. With half of his face shot away,
the Germans felt that he could cause them no
further harm and would not re-enter service. On
February 20, 1945, Olen “Reb” Grant arrived in
New York a free man. He had survived combat
as a gunner in the 8th Air Force at the air war’s
deadliest time, survived being shot in the head by a
twenty millimeter wielding Focke Wulf 190, rode his
flaming B-17 to the ground, survived German hospitals,
operations, infections and a prison stay in Stalag 17. If Reb was
nothing else, he was a survivor. Several reconstructive surgeries
awaited him in the United States, and following those, Reb attended
college at the University of Arkansas, graduating with degrees in
Journalism and Political Science. After working several jobs, Reb
finally retired from the Army Corps of Engineers and settled in Hot
Springs, Arkansas where he still lives today.
Olen “Reb” Grant was interviewed on June 21, 2011 at his home
by the Research Department’s Joey Balfour. This article was written
by Seth Paridon, Manager of Research Services.
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
7
arti fac t S p otli g ht
WARTIME LOG OF
CHESTER "CHET" STRUNK
describing the daily life he had sketched of the camp and acting
as interpreter and translator for the barbed wire world that he
experienced as a POW in Stalag Luft III. Strunk described how he
carried his girlfriend Pauline’s photograph with him the duration
of the war. That photograph was reproduced as a portrait by
another POW in Strunk’s journal. Along with the many colorful
drawings, Strunk’s book contains lists of fellow POWs, of cards
and letters written, and of books read—the library at Stalag Luft
III housed thousands of volumes for POWs. The
Wartime Log also contained a 10-month calendar
beginning in July 1944 when Strunk bailed out.
The last three months were left blank, a sign of the
harsh conditions endured on the forced marches
to evacuate the camps and of the uncertainty
surrounding the war’s end. Strunk’s journal kept
his mind engaged throughout his imprisonment
and it stands as a testament to the American spirit
and a window into the life of those Strunk termed
“Victims of German Hospitality.”
Prior to the November opening of our special exhibit, Guests
of the Third Reich: American POWs in Europe, we received the
fortuitous donation of additional European theater POW artifacts.
On October 21, former POW Mr. Chester “Chet” Strunk visited the
Museum from Houston with his family—wife Pauline, daughter
Paula, and son Chester, Jr.—accompanied by their neighbors,
Patriots Circle members, Les and Donna Haulbrook. Mr. Strunk’s
visit was an increasingly rare opportunity for Museum staff
to learn about WWII artifacts gifted to the collection from the
veteran to whom they belonged.
Strunk, a navigator on the B-17 “Heaven Can Wait,” was forced to
bail out on a bombing mission to Ploesti, Romania. He and his fellow
crew were captured and, after a harrowing month of interrogation
and transfers, were assigned to Stalag Luft III, the camp on which the
film The Great Escape is based. It was there that Strunk received the
YMCA Wartime Log which he donated to the Museum this October.
Through the Red Cross, the YMCA distributed over 20,000 of these
volumes to POW camps throughout Europe. It is unknown how many
exist today, although they are certainly rare.
With Museum staff and Strunk’s family and friends present,
Mr. Strunk thumbed through every page of his Wartime Log—
8
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
Guests of the Third Reich is on view through July 7, 2013. The
exhibit is presented by The Helis Foundation with support from
the Eugenie & Joseph Jones Family Foundation and The James
R. Moffett Family Foundation, with special thanks to Betty B.
Dettre. An online presentation of the exhibit is available at
www.guestsofthethirdreich.org.
Loyal Forces:
The American Animals Of World War Ii
Toni M. Kiser and Lindsey F. Barnes
“In the frightening and uncharted world of war, servicemen and women could count on the
transport given by horses and mules, the protection offered by dogs, the communication
delivered by pigeons, and the solace provided by mascots and pets.”
—from Loyal Forces
Elephant in BurmaGift of Dorothy Buzek,
2008.514.001
At a time when every American was called upon to contribute to the war effort—whether
by enlisting, buying bonds or collecting scrap metal—the use of American animals during
World War II further demonstrates the resourcefulness of the US Army and the many
sacrifices that led to the Allies’ victory. Through 160 photographs from The National
WWII Museum collection, Loyal Forces captures the heroism, hard work and
innate skills of innumerable animals that aided the military as they fought to
protect, transport, communicate and sustain morale.
From the last mounted cavalry charge of the United States Army to the
36,000 homing pigeons deployed overseas, service animals made a significant
impact on military operations during World War II. Authors Toni M. Kiser
and Lindsey F. Barnes deftly illustrate that every branch of the armed forces
and every theater of the war utilized the instincts and dexterity of these
dependable creatures who, though not always in the direct line of enemy fire,
had their lives put at risk for the jobs they performed.
The Museum is excited to have such a publication in its catalog, and looks
forward to the response from readers. Loyal Forces will be released in March 2013.
Toni M. Kiser, Assistant Director of Collections and Exhibits/Registrar at The
National WWII Museum, earned her master’s degree in museum studies at the
George Washington University.
Lindsey F. Barnes, Senior Archivist/Digital Project Manager at The National
WWII Museum, earned her master’s degree in library and information science
from Louisiana State University.
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
9
News from your ent
m
t
r
a
p
e
D
n
o
i
t
Educa
2013 Robotics
Challenge:
“Tin Can Do It!
”
HISTORY DAY
National History Day students across Louisiana are busy
preparing their research projects for Regional Contests this
March in hopes of advancing to the State Contest held at the
Museum on April 20, 2013.
This year’s theme, “Turning Points in History,” offered a wealth
of topic choices for students to choose from in crafting their
research papers, exhibits, documentaries, web sites and live
performances. We’ve heard from students around the state and
country who are researching the Battle of Midway, D-Day and
the cracking of the Enigma code. At each Regional Contest,
students will meet with a panel of three judges to discuss their
research and receive evaluation forms. Top projects advance to
the State Contest, and the best projects in Louisiana will compete
against those of every other state at the National History Day
Contest held at the University of Maryland from June 9-13, 2013.
10
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
On May 11, 2013, excited midd
le school students from across
Louisiana
and Mississippi will fill the US
Freedom Pavilion: The Boein
g
Center as
they demonstrate their expert
ise in robotics. An integral par
t
of
our STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineer
ing and Mathematics) educat
ion initiative,
The National WWII Museum’s
Robotics Challenge represent
s
an exciting
opportunity for 4-8th grader
s to design, build and program
an
autonomous
robot to complete tasks based
on real-life scenarios from WW
II.
Using the popular LEGO® MI
NDSTORMS® robotics platfo
rm, student teams
will complete Home Front-rela
ted missions like scrapping me
tal, collecting
crops from a victory garden and
building military equipment
all on a
four by eight tabletop playing
field. Focused on the enduring
the
mes
of innovation, teamwork, com
munity and cooperation, the
rob
oti
cs
program at The National WW
II Museum provides a unique
exp
erience
for both established teams and
newcomers to the quickly gro
win
g field
of student robotics.
The Museum takes seriously
the challenge of teaching studen
ts 21st
century skills, while at the sam
e time helping them understa
nd that
with teamwork, creativity and
a lot of hard work, most any obs
tacle can
be turned into a victory.
Learn more by visiting www.n
ationalww2museum.org/robo
tics.
n
g
i
s
e
d
s
s
e
r
p
x
E
l
l
a
B
New Red
r
a
w
f
o
s
r
e
t
a
e
h
t
e
e
r
h
t
s
honor
k this fall, with a
press, got a new, revamped loo
Ex
ll
Ba
d
Re
the
,
icle
veh
ch
rea
utions of Americans on
The Museum’s educational out
ages that celebrate the contrib
im
nic
ico
ee
thr
ng
asi
wc
sho
to classrooms,
full, floor-to-ceiling wrap
er. The Red Ball Express rolls
eat
Th
ific
Pac
the
and
er
eat
ean Th
the Education Department
the Home Front, in the Europ
New Orleans region. In 2012,
r
ate
Gre
the
oss
acr
nts
eve
y
, delivering handslibraries and communit
und New Orleans and beyond
aro
s
ool
sch
ent
fer
dif
30
at
ts
studen
. With its new eye-catching
visited more than 2,000 K-12
War That Changed the World
the
of
es
aci
leg
and
s
son
les
on programs exploring the
Orleans.
streets and highways of New
the
ng
alo
ds
hea
g
nin
tur
is
design, the van
much-needed fuel and
rmandy, France, to transport
No
in
4,
194
25,
st
gu
Au
on
d
ate
s—hauled
The Red Ball Express was cre
75% of them African American
s—
ver
dri
ck
tru
of
s
and
ous
ied armies. Th
ion of the Express
supplies to the advancing All
ber of 1944. By the time operat
vem
No
to
st
gu
Au
m
fro
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-sto
non
supplies to the front!
cargo through France almost
ed more than 500,000 tons of
ort
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had
it
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mb
stopped in mid-Nove
ool, check out
Ball Express delivery to your sch
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ati
For more inform
g/redballexpress.
www.nationalww2museum.or
Docents open the door
to WWII explorNaatiotinaol nWWII Museum opened to the
even before The
visiting school
In the spring of 2000,
ed to provide tours for
in
tra
ly
ial
ec
sp
re
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rs
an 150,000 students
public, select voluntee
cents have led more th
do
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,
en
bits. Some of these
groups. Since th
eum’s world-class exhi
us
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e
trained to
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h
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ns
little. Our docents are
ry
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ow
kn
r
on insightful exploratio
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ot
e;
arriv
n that students
out WWII when they
and with the expectatio
t
en
students know a lot ab
em
cit
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of
de
itu
about
with a positive att
gerness to learn more
ea
an
,
ry
sto
approach every group
hi
of
ion
grow.
with a greater appreciat
ll inspire them as they
wi
will leave the Museum
at
th
ce
ifi
cr
sa
or
e
e story of courag
ining.
WWII, and at least on
but some rigorous tra
it,
e
ar
sh
to
e
sir
de
a
d
II an
d outs of the
s not only a love of WW
WII history, the ins an
W
rn
lea
To be a docent require
ey
th
e
er
wh
g
kids”).
ven weeks of trainin
fancy for “how to teach
s
at’
(th
gy
go
da
Docents must attend se
pe
of
y dose
Docents are
d artifacts, and a heav
to an eleventh grader.
g
in
lk
ta
Museum’s exhibits an
m
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.” Students
Talking to a sixth grad
not the sage on the stage
e—
sid
e
th
at
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id
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e
exhibits
instructed to “Be th
In other words, let the
ol.
ho
sc
at
e
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th
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ey
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don’t want a lecture; th
d above all, docents ar
An
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ow
sh
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th
of
rs
sta
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tween
and artifacts be th
em find connections be
th
ng
lpi
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by
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to stu
ing master
make history relevant
all the training, shadow
ter
af
ly
On
t.
en
es
pr
ent, is a
the past and their
e Education Departm
th
by
on
ati
alu
ev
an
ng
r young visitors.
docent tours, and passi
WII exploration for ou
W
to
or
do
e
th
en
op
to
new docent ready
all of our
useum heartily thanks
M
e
th
,
job
nt
rta
po
im
For this most
volunteer docents!
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
11
D O N O R S p otli g ht
BETTY B. DETTRE
The National WWII Museum was fortunate to have a special visitor
join us for the “Meet the Curator” event and special exhibit opening
of Guests of the Third Reich: American POWs in Europe in November.
Betty B. Dettre was among the more than one hundred guests
in attendance, but for her the experience was particularly
personal. The exhibit features a jacket worn by her
late husband, Major General Rexford Herbert
Dettre, which Mrs. Dettre had generously
donated. We were fortunate to have Mrs.
Dettre with us that evening and to hear
more of her husband’s remarkable story.
“Rex” Dettre graduated with honors
from West Point on January 19, 1943
in the first accelerated wartime
class. He was assigned to the 428th
Squadron of the 474th Fighter
Group, and arrived in England on
March 11, 1944. Rex was selected
as a flight leader in his squadron.
On his third combat mission
on April 9, 1944, flying with the
79th Squadron of the 20th Fighter
Group, the electrical system of
his P-38 failed and he was forced
to bail out, landing near Zwolle,
Holland. A Dutch boy and an older man fishing in a lake
nearby were the first of several civilians and underground workers
to aid Rex in his evasion from the Germans, which lasted until early
August before he was captured in Brussels and sent to Stalag Luft
III. During the evacuation of the camp in late January 1945, Dettre
escaped, but was recaptured a month later in Czechoslovakia. From
there, Dettre was sent to Theresienstadt concentration camp, where
he spent several weeks before transfer to a POW camp in Southern
Germany, likely Stalag XIIIB, where he was liberated by American
forces in early April.
Eventually Major General Dettre made it back to the US and went
on to have a very successful military career, including serving
as the deputy director for plans and policy, J-5 in the Joint Staff
Organization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Dettre retired from the Air
Force in April 1973 after service in Korea and Vietnam.
Mrs. Dettre has also gifted the Museum with a generous donation
toward the future Prisoner of War Gallery within the Liberation
12
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
Pavilion. Guests of the Third Reich: American POWs in Europe,
which will be on view through July 7, 2013, shows a glimpse of
what is to come for this permanent exhibit as part of the Museum’s
expansion. Mrs. Dettre looks forward to inviting Rex’s
classmates from West Point to join her at the Museum to
see the gallery as soon as it opens.
We are thankful to Mrs. Dettre for her
generous donation that allows us to
insure that future generations will be
able to access the important stories
of those who served in World War II,
including that of her husband.
Image: Museum Chairman of the Board
Herschel Abbott and Betty B. Dettre.
Gift of Betty B. Dettre, 2007.266
MuseuM To Take ITs
INITIaL JourNey To
RussIa THIs SuMMer
Images of epic struggles come to mind when the words
“Stalingrad” or “Leningrad” are voiced. World War
II was fought on a grand scale, and the 900-day siege
of Leningrad, along with the savage urban battle of
Stalingrad, are examples of a level of warfare that was
unique to the Eastern Front. This “Great Patriotic War,”
as the Russians refer to it, touched every family with
emotions of fear and sorrow, but eventually lead to acts
of heroism and victory.
In August, the Museum will journey to Moscow. This cosmopolitan city is home to the
Kremlin, the historic political center of the country. Here we will visit numerous museums,
government buildings and the famous tomb of Vladimir Lenin. In December 1941, the
German Army advanced to within eye-sight of the Kremlin’s famous red brick buildings, only
to be pushed back before supplies and reinforcements were able to be delivered for the final
offensive. History repeated itself, as in 1812, when Napoleon and his Legionnaires suffered
the same fate after facing the Russian Army at a battle site nearby called Borodino. We will
venture to both of these sites and continue on to the Soviet space complex called Star City.
A guided tour with a Cosmonaut will bring the Russian space program to light as we
learn about the strong influence that German rocket development played during the
Cold War and the so-called “Race Into Space.”
World War II historians often agree that the turning point of the war occurred at Stalingrad.
For six months, two great armies slugged back and forth in a ruined urban landscape. The
Germans drove all the way to the Volga River and captured most of the city, but in the end,
were encircled and abandoned. The entire German 6th Army was cleared from the field of
battle, with very few soldiers surviving the prison camps that were to follow. We will tour the
city, see the scope of the struggle and visit with Russian veterans and civilians who survived
this epic battle.
An overnight train through the vast Russian landscape will bring us to St. Petersburg. This
city was the crown jewel of Czarist Russia—built by the best architects and artisans that 16th
Century Europe could provide. But for 900 days during World War II, this magnificent city
was laid to siege by the German Army. Against all odds, and driven to the brink of starvation,
the citizens of Leningrad were somehow able to hold strong. Our visit will include beautifully
restored buildings, fountains and gardens, and a venture out to the sites where the Russian
Armed Forces made their triumphant stand.
Our tour to Russia and the Eastern Front will operate August 2–14, 2013 and features
Dr. Keith Huxen, the Museum’s Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Director of History &
Research. Please call our travel department at 877-813-3329 x 257 more information on
this exciting tour.
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
13
(Please Print Clearly)
BRICK TEXT
it’s not just a brick.
it’s their story.
WITH A BRICK AT THE NATIONAL WORLD WAR II MUSEUM,
you can create a lasting tribute to loved ones who served their
country. These fathers and grandfathers, sons and daughters,
friends and neighbors overcame a once-in-a-generation
challenge and they deserve a memorial that will last for
generations to come.
Learn more at www.nationalww2museum.org.
THE ROAD TO VICTORY BRICK CAMPAIGN
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Telephone (Day) ____________________________ (Evening) _____________________________
PLEASE RESERVE MY PERSONALIZED BRICK(S)
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The National W WII Museum reserves the right to refuse to engrave any message or material that it determines to be inappropriate, such as telephone numbers,
political messages and suggestive wording. If you need additional information, please call 877-813-3329 ext 500 or email bricks@nationalww2museum.org
Fax orders to 504-527-6088 or mail to: The National W WII Museum, Road to Victory Brick Program, 945 Magazine Street, New Orleans, LA 70130.
14
14
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
V-MAIL News from The National WWII Museum
YAMAMOTO continued from page 1
It was Watanabe who took Yamamoto’s tour itinerary to be
coded and sent by courier, but his protest was overruled
when a communications officer insisted that Japanese radio
traffic was safe from American code breakers and radioed
the message.
The message was in fact intercepted shortly after
transmission and delivered to the American Navy’s Combat
Intelligence headquarters at Pearl Harbor, where code
breakers labored through the night. By the next morning,
April 14, they had identified Yamamoto’s tour, including the
symbols RXZ which indicated his intention to visit Ballale.
Commander Edward Layton delivered the message to
Admiral Chester Nimitz at 8 a.m. that morning. The two
men agreed that Yamamoto held a unique place within the
Japanese Navy, and his loss would be a devastating blow to the
confidence of their younger officers and enlisted men. After
initiating operational planning by Admiral William Halsey,
Nimitz obtained approval for the mission from Secretary of
the Navy Frank Knox and President Franklin D. Roosevelt,
who simply instructed, “Get Yamamoto.”
Exactly a year after Doolittle’s Raiders had bombed Tokyo,
at 6 a.m. Tokyo time on Sunday, April 18, 1943, Admiral
Yamamoto boarded his Mitsubishi G4M bomber, along
with another bomber and an escort of six Zero fighters. At
8:34 a.m., as his plane approached Bougainville, sixteen
American P-38 Lightning fighters, led by Major John Mitchell,
intercepted the Japanese aircraft. In the ensuing fight, the
Americans targeted and downed both Mitsubishi bombers.
Yamamoto’s plane crashed in the jungle. His body was
recovered the following day by a Japanese search and rescue
team, cremated and returned to Japan.
The American pilots performed barrel rolls to signal the
mission’s success to their ground crews upon returning to
Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Admiral Halsey received
a confirmation message of the demise of Yamamoto, the
architect of Pearl Harbor, which began: “POP GOES THE
WEASEL.” The next morning, Halsey read the message to
the cheers of his fellow officers at their regular morning
conference, but ordered the story withheld from the
American press to protect the Navy’s code-breaking
operations. The Japanese continued to believe that their
codes were not compromised until the end of the war.
This article was written by Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior
Director of History and Research Keith Huxen. For more 70th
anniversary news, follow our blog at www.nww2m.com.
www.NationalWW2Museum.org
15
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Experience the Victory!
Grand Opening Celebration
A selection from our NEW Museum Store in
The US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center!
C
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BMignon Faget B-17 Bar Pin
B
D
Item # 16485.............................$16.00
CPropeller Necklace - 18" Chain
Item # 16482............................$110.00
DShooting Star Glasses - Set of Four
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For a full listing of WWII titles by Rick Atkinson
and Robert Edsel, visit SHOPWWII.org.
E
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Item # 16492............................$28.95
G Add-a-Kid Military Toddler Tee
Specify: Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine
Sizes: 2T, 3T, 4T
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HLeather "100 Missions" A-2 Jacket
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Don't forget about Mom, Dad & Grad! Thousands of great gifts to choose from at www.shopwwii.org.
The National WwII Museum Store Order Form
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