U. S. NAVAL INSTITUTE
Naval History/Proceedings: In November’s traditional Marine Corps issue of Proceedings, Lieutenant Colonel Merrill L. Bartlett takes an entertaining look at “The Road to Eighth and Eye”-—more precisely the home of the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) at the Marine Barracks, 8th and I Streets, Southeast, Washington, D.C. At the turn of the 19th century, Commandant William Ward Burrows, the first “real” CMC, rode on horseback with President Thomas Jefferson toward the mud flats of the Anacostia River to pick a barracks site within easy marching distance of the Capitol. Ever since, “Eighth and Eye” has jealously guarded its centerpiece role as the oldest post of the Corps and the site of the Commandant’s House, the oldest public building still standing in Washington. Bartlett, twice winner of the Marine Corps Historical Foundation’s prestigious Heinl Award, traces the often-tumultuous history of the Marine commandants and their civilian overseers. He discovered a pattern of increased—and usually unwanted—civilian involvement whenever untoward events and a politically inept CMC combined to cast the Corps in an unfavorable light. Bartlett concedes that others—the late historian Colonel Robert Debs Heinl, Jr., included—might take issue with this analysis.
Also in November, Colonel Lawrence G. Karch looks ahead to obstacles the Marine Corps will face in the 21st century, and how—with new hardware and doctrine leading it toward an over-the- horizon amphibious assault capability— the Corps expects to overcome them.
The November Proceedings will be “must” reading for Marines and for friends of the Corps.
Oral History: A most interesting group of former naval officers has been interviewed a second time to extend the historical record of their trailblazing service. The first black naval officers—known as the Golden 13—were originally interviewed in 1986. There has been such great interest in their story that a second, more intensive round of interviews was conducted this summer. It is hoped that their reminiscences will eventually be the basis for a published book, as well as being part of our oral history collection.
Among oral history projects nearing completion this fall are the recollections of three of Admiral Elmo Zumwalt’s staff officers. Admiral Worth H. Bagley, Captain W. Lewis Glenn, and Captain Howard J. Kerr discuss their service under the Vietnam naval commander and 1970-74 CNO.
The lending library program is now two years old. Our goal was to make our collection of oral history transcripts available to a greater number of readers, and the response has been gratifying. More than 150 memoirs are available to be borrowed through the mail, either as primary source material for research or for the pure enjoyment of firsthand sea stories. The charge per volume is $12. For more information about this, or any other aspect of our program, contact the director of oral history, U. S. Naval Institute, Annapolis, Maryland 21402.
Naval Institute Press: Dr. Samuel Hynes’s popular memoir of life as a young World War II aviator. Flights of Passage, received an unexpected promotional boost recently: the enthusiastic endorsement of Vice President George Bush, whose wartime experiences were strikingly similar to the author’s. Both flew TBMs in the Pacific theater, though Vice President Bush was in the Navy, Hynes in the Marines.
Because of the similarities, the Naval Institute Press sent a copy of Flights of Passage to Bush shortly after it was published last March, hardly expecting he’d have time to read it in the midst of his rigorous bid for the Republican presidential nomination. Some weeks later Bush sent off a self-typed letter to Hynes, thanking him for bringing back memories of those wartime years.
Now, with the November election at hand. Flights of Passage remains on Bush’s mind. In a recent Time magazine profile of the Vice President, Gary Wills reports, “Bush loves Hynes’ book, and sent him fan letters, though they have never met, saying the only difference between his war (Navy Air Corps) and Hynes’ (Marine Air Corps) was clean linen. Navy carriers have decorum as well as dangers.”
Dr. Hynes has received numerous letters from his book’s readers, and finds it very touching to be in contact with members of his own generation who served in the war. “Judges, lawyers, doctors, engineers—no matter their current profession they all seem to have shared the same feelings, sung the same songs,” Hynes comments.
Hynes has been called upon to talk about his book on many occasions. A Naval Academy lecture to hundreds of midshipmen, sponsored by the Churchill Society, was followed by an author panel discussion at the Naval Institute’s annual meeting. He has also been a guest on several radio talk shows and spoken at the annual Aviation Authors Night in New York City, sponsored by The Wings Club and the Greater New York Chapter of The Ninety-Nines, an organization of women pilots.
Lieutenant Commander Tom Cutler, whose history of coastal and riverine warfare in Vietnam, Brown Water, Black Berets, is already in its second printing, has also been in demand as a speaker. A Vietnam veteran and member of the history department faculty at the Naval Academy, he has been praised for his dramatic lecture on the war—given several times a year at the Academy—which always draws a huge audience of midshipmen, naval personnel, and civilians. In addition, Cutler has spoken to high school students and addressed the American Culture Association in Montreal, and the Frederick, Maryland, chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, among other groups. On Veteran’s Day this year he will speak to the Maryland Arms Collectors Society about the war and his book.
Early next year both Flights of Passage and Brown Water, Black Berets will he available on cassette tapes for those unable to read the books for themselves.
NAVY HISTORY
By Carolyn Stallings, Naval Historical Center
The Naval Historical Center (NHC) deployed a second group of historians to the Persian Gulf in June and July as part of its ongoing effort to document the U. S. presence in that region. Commander Charles C. Chadbourne, USNR, professor of strategy and director of the Naval War College’s off-campus program in Washington, D.C.; Dr. Michael A. Palmer, historian with the NHC’s Contemporary History Branch; and PHCS Terry Mitchell, an instructor at the Navy’s photographic school in Pensacola, Florida, conducted interviews with Rear Admiral Anthony Less, Commander Joint Task Force Middle East, and his staff, as well as with enlisted personnel ashore and afloat. Dr. Ronald H. Spector, director of the NHC, joined the team during the final week of their deployment. He visited the Conquest (MSO-488), Halsey (CG-23), Halyburton (FFG-40), and Inflict (MSO-456), interviewing officers and personnel.
The Navy Memorial Museum will hold its second annual “Sea Faring Celebration” on Saturday, 5 November from noon until 4 P.M. This free family festival celebrates the traditions and lore of the sea with stories, songs, demonstrations, and workshops for children. For more information call (202)433-4882.
The museum will open the second section of its comprehensive exhibit on World War II in December. The new section will focus on the Pacific theater.
The first conference of personnel in naval museums, archives, and historical offices was held in October at the Washington Navy Yard. Those who collect, preserve, and interpret materials dealing with the Navy’s past met for the first time to discuss and compare notes on their work with collections that vary from documents to buttons, and from uniforms to battleships. Among topics discussed were the value of collecting history through interviews and using computers to improve the management of a collection.
Dr. Lynne Dunn, a historian in the contemporary history section, in pursuing research on the role of women in the Navy, attended the national conventions of the WAVES and the Navy Nurse Corps Association this past summer. Dr. Dunn distributed more than 1,200 questionnaires to gather details for her comprehensive study. Her work will focus on the role of women in the Navy from the establishment of the Navy Nurse Corps in 1908 until the present. She is examining why women chose to join the Navy, what duties they performed, and what their experiences were in the service.
Dr. Dunn was recently appointed to the history committee of a new Chief of Naval Operations task force on equal opportunity. The group will examine the role of minorities—particularly blacks, Hispanics, and Filipinos—in the Navy, and will make recommendations based on their findings.
Dr. Jeffrey Barlow and his father, retired Captain John F. Barlow, are writing a history of the Navy’s heavy attack program. During the Association of Naval Aviation convention this past April, several retired aviators were interviewed regarding their roles in the development of the Navy’s atomic bombing capability. Among those interviewed were Rear Admiral James D. Ramage and Captain Joseph M. Tully, Jr., both former commanding officers of Heavy Attack Wing One, and two early skippers of Heavy Attack Squadron One, Captain Paul F. Stevens and Captain Sidney N. Baney.
Dr. Malcolm Muir, who currently holds the Secretary of the Navy’s Research Chair in Naval History, accompanied Vice Admiral Diego Hernandez in a tour of RIMPAC ships in July. They visited the USS Nimitz (CVN-68), Missouri (BB-63), Long Beach (CGN-9), and Antietam (CG-54), the Canadian ship RCN Huron, and the Australian ship RAN Hobart. Dr. Muir, a visiting professor of history at West Point, is gathering information for his study of naval surface warfare in the post-World War II era.
The Navy Department Library has published a three-part bibliography on the modem Chinese Navy. Among the topics covered are the modernization of the navy, military education, strategy, nuclear capability, weapon sales to the Chinese, and Soviet influence. Bibliographic Bulletin #24 covers the formative years of the Chinese Navy from 1950 to 1980; Bulletin #25 includes the period from 1981 to 1985; and Bulletin #26 covers 1986 to the present. The last two bulletins include descriptive annotations for each item. Requests for The Chinese Navy: A Selected Bibliography should be made in writing to Navy Department Library, Building 44, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 20374.
The operational archives recently acquired several personal accounts by individuals who served during World War II. These reminiscences are especially valuable in adding a human dimension that is often lacking in official documents. New collections include Chief Quartermaster John E. Shields’s account of his service in the amphibious forces and his participation in the Sicily and Salerno invasions; Ensign Gerald F. Child’s recollections of the landing on Guadalcanal; and a transcript of the diary of Lieutenant Commander Phillip Garretson McLellan, describing his experiences in the Medical Corps after the Battle of I wo Jinia until his departure from occupied Japan.
Official records relating to World War II that have recently been transferred to the archives include lists of American civilian internees detained by the German and Japanese governments and the Pearl Harbor burial log and name index. These records will complement the extensive collection of casualty files currently held. The archives received the following research papers for its files: “Evacuation of Casualties During World War II Amphibious Operations,” by Ensign Colin Berry, MC, USNR; “Dr. James E. Talley, Lieutenant Commander, Medical Corps, U. S. Naval Reserve: A Navy Doctor in France,” by Major R. W. Morgan, USMC; “Employing Reservists as Naval Historians: Lessons Learned From World War II,” by Captain William R. McClintock, SC, USNR; and “The Corey Story: Exploring Four Frontiers in the Antarctic with Admiral Byrd’s Second Antarctic Expedition, 1933-1935,” by Allan Piper. Mr. Piper also donated his interview with Stevenson Corey conducted on 29 July 1987.
Dr. Spector and Dr. Dean C. Allard, senior historian at NHC, will deliver papers at the French Naval Historical Service’s conference on 20th century naval history in Paris on 23-25 November. Dr. Spector will speak on American and Japanese submarines in the Pacific in World War II, and Dr. Allard will discuss the Navy-Air Force rivalry following World War II.
Dr. Michael A. Palmer’s book, Stoddert’s War: Naval Operations During the Quasi-War with France, 1798-1801 (Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina Press, 1987), continues to attract the attention of scholars. He was awarded the Samuel Eliot Morison Prize for Naval History from the Naval Order of the United States, and the annual prize awarded by the American Revolution Round Table of New York.
Naval Historical Center Announces 1989-1990 Grants
►The Secretary of the Navy’s Research Chair in Naval History, a one year fellowship, allows research and writing on a major monograph concerning the history of the U. S. Navy. Monographs on the Navy since 1945 are especially desirable, but the applicant may choose his or her own subject. The award amounts to approximately $50,000 plus allowances, as regulated by the Inter-governmental Personnel Act. Permanent employees of the federal government are not eligible. Applicants should be diplomatic, military or naval historians, or specialists in national security affairs, foreign relations, or the history of science and technology, with an interest in naval history.
► Two Vice Admiral Edwin B. Hooper postgraduate grants, offering up to $2,500 apiece, are for individuals undertaking research and writing on U. S. naval history. Applicants should have a Ph.D. or equivalent credentials, and be residents of the United States.
►The Rear Admiral John D. Hayes pre-doctoral grant of $7,500 is for a candidate writing a dissertation in the field of U. S. naval history. Applicants should be U. S. citizens enrolled in an accredited graduate school who will have completed all requirements for a Ph.D. except the dissertation by 1 September 1989.
The deadline for all applications is 31 March 1989. Grants are subject to the availability of funds. Inquiries should be made to Director, Naval Historical Center, Building 57, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 20374.
MARINE CORPS HISTORY
By Ann A. Ferrante, Marine Corps Historical Center
Colonel Marguerite J. Campbell was recently selected as Deputy Director for Marine Corps History and Head, Historical Branch of the History and Museum Division at Headquarters, Marine Corps. Colonel Campbell replaces retiring Colonel James R. Williams, who served in that capacity for two years. The first woman Marine to head the Historical Branch, Colonel Campbell, a recent graduate of the National War College, came to the Marine Corps Historical Center after service on Okinawa with the III Marine Expeditionary Force.
Four histories are nearing publication. “U. S. Marines in Vietnam, 1969: High Mobility and Stand-down,” by Charles R. Smith of the Histories Section, is in the last stages of preparation. This will be the sixth volume in a nine-volume operational series. Previously published volumes on the Marines in Vietnam cover the years 1954-1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, and 1970-1971.
In the regimental series, “A Brief History of the 14th Marines,” by Lieutenant Colonel Ronald J. Brown, USMCR, a member of the division’s affiliated Marine Reserve Mobilization Training Unit DC-7, is now being edited for final review. This will be the 14th volume in the series of published regimental histories. Captain John C. Chapin, USMCR (Retired), recipient of a research grant from the Marine Corps Historical Foundation, has written “A History of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115.” This latest addition to the squadron history series should be available by year’s end. Finally, retired Colonel Verle E. Ludwig, also a recipient of a Foundation research grant and the co-author of the first volume of History of U. S. Marine Corps Operations in World War II, recently completed “Marines at Twentynine Palms.” This publication should also be out in late 1988.
The Marine Corps oral history program is attempting to catch up on its backlog of untranscribed interviews while still maintaining its impetus. It is currently transcribing the interviews with Major General Raymond L. Murray, a much-deco- rated combat veteran of three wars. Also in various stages of processing are interviews with former Commandant of the Marine Corps, General Leonard F. Chapman, Jr.; Lieutenant General Robert E. Keller; Major General Carl F. Hoffman (a one-time historical branch writer); and Brigadier General Austin R. Brunelli. The collection recently accessioned a lengthy interview with Colonel Justin M. “Jumping Joe” Chambers, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for bravery on Iwo Jima, and a short interview with Mrs. Frances Neville Vest, the only daughter of former Commandant Wendell C. Neville, who recalled events of her father’s career in which she played a part.
In addition to processing more than 6,000 requests for historical information each year, the center’s reference section is also responsible for a number of special programs and projects, including the Marine Corps Lineage and Honors Program. The objective of this group is to record the history and service of Marine Corps units through certificates of lineage and authentication of battle honors and awards. Recently, 22 new sets of certificates, all signed by the Commandant, were presented for display to Marine Corps units in the field.
A new exhibit, “The Women Marines, 1946-1976,” opened at the Marine Corps Museum on 10 September with a reception sponsored by the local chapter of the Women Marines Association. It covers the history of women in the Corps from the Women’s Reserve of World War II until they became “just Marines” in 1976. The museum also observed August as Purple Heart Month, with a modular exhibit on the history of this decoration. The exhibit highlighted the establishment of the Purple Heart by General George Washington as the new nation’s only award for valor during the Revolution and its reinstitution in 1932 as recognition for wounds received in action against the nation’s enemies.
A 30-piece salon photo exhibit of David Douglas Duncan photographs of Vietnam was shown in late summer at the Sawhill Gallery at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. The photos were selected from among 101 prints of Korea and Vietnam that Duncan donated to the Marine Corps Museum in 1971.
Several of Colonel Charles H. Waterhouse’s historical paintings are currently on display around the country. The “Marines in the Conquest of California” series is in the command museum at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego. “Marines in the Revolution” is exhibited at the New Hall Museum in Philadelphia. “Marines in the Frigate Navy” will be on view at the Treasure Island Museum in San Francisco through November 1988. Waterhouse is a retired reservist on extended active duty.
This past summer, the Marine Corps History and Museum Division received several notable gifts. Mr. Glen Hyde of Roanoke, Texas, a former Marine aviator, donated a fully restored and operational Chance-Vought F4U-5N Corsair, which was flown to the Air-Ground Museum at Quantico, Virginia, on 22 July. Captain David W. Fumett, Jr., donated a rare Japanese model 02 paratrooper's rifle—the only one to date in the museum’s collection.
The personal papers collection received the 1944 diary of a prisoner of war, Sergeant Frederick T. Stolley. The diary records the daily activities and the hardships of Marines working as laborers in a Japanese coal mine. It was donated by Stolley’s widow and son, First Lieutenant Brian L. Stolley. Stolley, who eventually retired as a warrant officer, had a second career on the staff of the Naval Institute.
The archives section recently accessioned a valuable collection of official files of retired General Paul X. Kelley, Commandant of the Marine Corps from 1983 to 1986. The archives section has also received monthly official command chronologies and operational reports from the Contingency Marine Air-Ground Task Forces, currently deployed to the Persian Gulf.
Among the recent professional development seminars was “U. S. Operations in the Persian Gulf,” featuring Mr. Alfred R. Hales III, a civilian advisor on the staff of the commanding officer of the Middle East Force. Colonel John Lee, U. S. Army Reserve (Retired), presented “A Native’s View of Marines in Pre- and Post-War China.” Colonel Lee, who was born in Shanghai and lived in Peiping from 1937 to 1949, has vivid memories of the Marines there and life in China during that period. Another presentation was “Breaker Morant: A Case Study of Military Morality and Justice” with noted author Byron Farwell and Colonel W. Hays Parks, USMCR, Chief of Inter- national Law, Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Army. The seminars are sponsored by the History and Museums Division and the Marine Corps Historical Foundation.
The Marine Corps Historical Center welcomes serious researchers and scholars to use its reference and research facilities. In recent months, students and instructors of The Basic School and the Command and Staff College at Quantico were among the many visitors to the center. For a pamphlet describing available facilities and resources, write to the History and Museums Division, Marine Corps Historical Center, Building 58, Washington Navy Yard, Washington, D.C. 20374.
COAST GUARD HISTORY
By Robert L. Scheina
During the last few months, the historian’s office has significantly added to its Election of lighthouse materials. The bulk of these records came from district offices as a result of a recent reorganization. The collection is arranged alphabetically by light station. It contains materials related to about 2,000 lighthouses and is a mixture of documentation and photography. These records are available to anyone wishing to use them at Coast Guard Headquarters.
Two books have been forwarded to the Government Printing Office as part of our bicentennial reprint series. They are Horatio Smith’s Early History of the United States Revenue Marine Service 1789- 1849 and Record of Movements Vessels of the United States Coast Guard 1790- December 31, 1933. The first was originally issued in 1932 by the Naval Historical Foundation, which has generously granted the Coast Guard permission to reissue the work, and the second is a long out of print WPA project. The Coast Guard will distribute copies of these works to nonprofit institutions within the maritime community. The service has also suggested that the Government Printing Office offer each for sale to the public. We are pleased to report that the Government Printing Office has exhausted its initial supply of Florence Kern’s book, U. S. Revenue Cutters in the Civil War; GPO has been restocked from the Coast Guard’s inventory and the book is once again available to the public.
“The Coast Guard in the Pacific Northwest” has been released. This is the first of six pamphlets focusing on the history of the Service on a regional basis. The second, “The Coast Guard on the Great Lakes” will be released at the end of the year. All are being written by Dennis Noble. Interested parties may obtain copies from Historian, U. S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C. 20408.
Historical Naval Ships Association
By James W. Cheevers
A number of years ago the Massachusetts Battleship Memorial at Fall River, Massachusetts, originated overnight programs for Boy Scouts, Campfire Girls, and other youth groups. The program has taken off—this year more than 14,00 kids will experience the thrill of sleeping on board the battleship. High praise is continually received from parents for the fine educational sessions arranged by the staff, and the best tribute is that this program has been imitated by other historic naval vessels. The Massachusetts state purism conference recently recognized Carol Taylor, the program’s booking agent, for her tremendous services. The entire crew at Battleship Cove should be proud of its efforts.
The newest historic ship on the Baltimore waterfront, the former Coast Guard cutter Taney (WPG-37), has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the Secretary of the Interior. Dr. Harry Butowsky, historian for the landmark program, has been instrumental in obtaining national recognition for historic naval and coast guard vessels.
Under the supervision of Ron Weinstein, director of education, the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum presents a series of workshops designed for different age levels. Some of the offerings include, “How Boats Float,” “Wings and Things,” and “Kids in Space.” A major permanent exhibit was recently opened on Intrepid—“The Underseas Frontier”—featuring submersibles used for research and exploration and an underwater habitat created by the State University of New York.
As the museum and visitors center at the Louisiana Naval War Memorial celebrated its first anniversary, the yearlong visitor tally reached 60,000. The building, constructed through the Federal Great River Road project, contains exhibits augmenting the Kidd (DD-661) that were provided by the Louisiana Maritime Museum, the Baton Rouge Ship Modelers Association, and artifacts from the destroyer, herself. A special feature is a restored P-40 fighter plane and material on the World War II China-Burma-India theater led by General Claire Chennault, a Louisiana State University alumnus.
A newsletter is available for those interested in Civil War living history programs, reenactments, and resources for uniforms and equipment. Information on subscriptions to “Casting the Lead” can be obtained by writing to John Kensington, Ships Master, 111 Backshell Drive, Savannah, Georgia 31404.
Also in Savannah, Historic Fort Jack- son has received a grant to reconstruct a portion of the armor-plate casement of the ironclad CSS Georgia to house and exhibit two cannons—a 24-pounder howitzer and a rifled and banded 32- pounder—recovered from the wreck of the ironclad.
Last year the Croaker (SS-246), which had been on exhibit at Groton, Connecticut, was reclaimed by the Navy because of her deteriorated condition. The Man- itowac Maritime Museum learned from that lesson, and has launched a campaign to preserve and maintain its exhibit submarine, the Cobia (SS-245), which was built in Manitowac. Called “Manitowac Submarines: Pride and Memorials Run Deep,” the effort commemorates the 28 World War 11 submarines built in this Wisconsin city. The museum is using a unique fund-raising technique that is proving very successful: pledges are made in honor of the 52 U. S. submarines lost during the war.
A group of LST veterans would very much like to obtain and to exhibit a vintage World War II LST in reasonable condition. Recently they have located LST- 859 in Taiwan, and are exploring the feasibility of moving her to Seneca, Illinois, for a memorial and museum. For more information or to offer assistance, please contact William Erwin, 5509 Panorama Drive, Huntsville, Alabama 35801.
The liberty ship John W. Brown— currently in the James River reserve fleet—is being reconditioned by World War II merchantmen for movement to Baltimore to become the east coast Liberty Ship Memorial Museum. (The liberty ship Jeremiah O’Brien can be visited in San Francisco.) A major reunion of all persons who served in or were involved with liberty ships was held on 14-15 October at the American Merchant Marine Museum at the U. S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York.
At a meeting of the National Trust for Historic Preservation this past June, the National Maritime Alliance was formally established to promote awareness of America’s maritime heritage. Peter Neill, president of South Street Seaport Museum in New York City, was elected as chairman of this new group. Membership is open to all organizations whose purposes include the perpetuation of maritime heritage through historic resources, artifacts, crafts, music, seafaring, and experience on the water. The National Trust, through its vice president for maritime preservation, will serve as the secretariat, and Sea History Gazette, journal of the National Maritime Historical Society, will provide communication for the alliance in its initial stages.
HINAS’s annual meeting was held in Erie, Pennsylvania, on 7-9 September. Details of the meeting will appear in this column in the next issue. The highlight of the gathering was inclusion in the festivities surrounding the launching of Oliver Hazard Perry’s restored flagship, the brig Niagara, on 10 September, the 175th anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. The day began with a memorial service, parade, and luncheon for the ship’s sponsor, Mrs. Robert Casey, wife of the Pennsylvania governor. After the traditional bottle of champagne was struck across the brig’s bow, she was gently lowered into the water and saluted by a gathering of more than 500 private boats. The day ended with a ball featuring Nelson Riddle’s orchestra. Thanks go to Michael Ripton, director of the Niagara restoration project and HINAS vice president, for allowing the group to share in the culmination of 12 years of hard work- The Niagara will eventually sail the Great Lakes as flagship and goodwill ambassador of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.