World War II

Tip Your Hat

November 10, 2017 by denisefrisino 1 Comment

In my research I am constantly reminded of those who served by the military caps they wear. Be it the increasingly rare survivors of WWI and WWII, or the Korean War, Vietnam, perhaps our most recent skirmishes, these hats are a symbol, proudly worn, representing those whose lives were altered in defense of our country.

That is why we should understand and observe Veterans Day.

The horrors of World War I formally halted when the Armistice with Germany went into effect. This prodigious day arrived on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.

One year later, on November 11, 1919, in conjunction with the other countries who celebrate the anniversary of end of WWI, Woodrow Wilson spoke these prophetic words from the White House to his countrymen in observance of the first Armistice Day.

”…We (The Americans) were able to bring the vast resources, material and moral, of a great and free people to the assistance of our associates in Europe who had suffered and sacrificed without limit in the cause for which we fought. Out of this victory there arose new possibilities of political freedom and economic concert. The war showed us the strength of great nations acting together for high purposes, and the victory of arms foretells the enduring conquests which can be made in peace when nations act justly and in furtherance of the common interests of men.”

On May 13, 1938 the US Congress approved a resolution to mark November 11th as “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated and known as ‘Armistice Day’.”

As World War II came to an end in 1945, Raymond Weeks proposed to General Dwight Eisenhower that Armistice Day should celebrate all veterans. Time marched on, as did the increasing parades for veterans, and in 1954 congress amended the bill and replaced “Armistice” with “Veterans.” The persistent Weeks became known as the “The Father of Veterans Day.”

So it is that on Veterans Day we celebrate those who served in the United States military. On Memorial Day, in May, we remember those who gave their lives during service.

Either day, and every day, we should give thanks to those who selflessly dedicated their time in order to provide us with the freedom we now enjoy. We should honor this day as it was intended “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace” and those who help us maintain that precious gift of peace.

Remember, when you see a veteran wearing their cap which signifies their service, tip your hat at them in thanks.

Denise

Operation Detachment—The Battle of Iwo Jima

February 17, 2017 by denisefrisino

The U.S. Marines fought for five weeks to establish control over Iwo Jima. From February 19, 1945 to March 26th, the brave men assigned to Operation Detachment struggled across the rough volcanic ground to destroy the radar stations and capture three airfields from the Japanese Imperial Army. They had expected the battle to last one week, but what they found there was different from any other island they had attacked.

Iwo Jima, a mountainous island situated directly off Japan, 2 miles wide by 4 miles long, was seen as the last stronghold before the Allies reached the mainland. The Japanese realized they could not win the battle on this island, but they could inflict great losses on their enemy and, hopefully, deter an invasion on Japan’s homeland. Beginning in March of 1944, under the command of Lieutenant General Tadamichi Kuribayashi, over 20,500 Japanese soldiers arrived on Iwo. They began excavating eleven miles of the Nanpo Bunker out of volcanic rock–creating underground tunnels supplied with ammunition, food, water, gasoline and, most importantly, the ability to quickly move troops to different locations. Tanks, pill boxes, land mines, mortars and kamikaze pilots all waited for the U.S. Marines to land. Yet, over 18,000 of the Land of the Rising Sun forces would perish either from battle or by seppuku, Japanese ritual suicide.

The Japanese were a fierce opponent, loyal to their Emperor Michinomiya Hirohito, and fed propaganda which portrayed American soldiers as animals who would deliver a slow horrific death on all who surrendered.

The U.S. threw everything they had into this battle, Navajo code talkers, Sherman tanks with flamethrowers, flying P-51 Mustangs for close air support, battleships and nearly 70 thousand U.S. Marines.
“We should not have attacked all those small islands,” Captain Richard (Dick) McNees told me once, shaking his head with the memory. “We should have gone straight into Japan. All those men lost.”
Dick and his brother were among the lucky ones to live through those weeks of hell. In fact, Dick was flying his bomber over the same beaches his brother was approaching with the Underwater Demolition Team.

For the U.S., the tally of those not so lucky over those 36 days resulted in more than 26,000 American causalities, of which 6,800 souls were lost.
Many sided with Dick’s interpretation, because the island was rendered useless for Army or Navy bases. However, the Seabee’s reconstructed the airfields as emergency landing for the Air Force B-29s.
In a perfect world, Japan would not have attacked the United States on December 7, 1941, drawing us into a horrific battle. They finally capitulated, having been ‘shocked’ into surrendering by the U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, announcing their intent to surrender on August 15, 1945, ending World War II. However, during those four years and eight months, millions of lives were lost around the globe, making this truly a world at war.

When we hear about Chichi Jima, Iwo Jima, and the other islands where battles raged, we must continue to remember, and to thank, the courageous Americans who spilled their blood, and who remained dedicated against heavy odds, to provide us with freedom. Peace came at a great expense.

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Captain Richard McNees

December 6, 2016 by denisefrisino

In the fall of 1941, a young U.S. Navy Ensign, Richard McNees, had time on his hands while he waited at the San Diego Naval Base to be shipped to Hawaii for duty. Originally from Salem, Oregon, then Washington State, Dick had just completed his training at the navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, situated in northern Chicago. Restless, he spent his three weeks back on the West Coast reading navy regulations on how to handle top secret information. Boredom was directing his future.

Dick was fascinated by cryptography, board coding and decoding. Communication between the naval departments was getting heavy and they needed willing hands and agile minds. So, as the three weeks flew by, he eagerly amassed the knowledge of the codes. Then on the six day trip aboard the USS Tangier to paradise, the young sailor continued his studies until he arrived at Pearl Harbor on November 3, 1941. He took a required test and was given top security clearance.

He was assigned to a brand new air station at Kaneohe, which was being referred to as the “Country Club of the Navy–all new and beautiful.” Dick had a two room suite with bath in between, all to himself. The base was half empty. Life was good.

Being a Sunday, at 7:00 a.m. the morning of December 7, 1941, most of the sailors were still in bed. Dick and three others were in the mess hall enjoying their breakfast as the duty officers were returning from their scouting missions in their PBY’s. They had canvased the southern portion of the island and were back to give their reports. The first two pilots sauntered in, relaxed, it had been a beautiful sunrise with the ghost of the full moon suspended over the Pali Mountains. But then the third scout arrived breathless. Ensign Bill Tanner, commander of a PBY, had patrolled the shore to the north of Pearl Harbor and spotted a submerged submarine. He dropped a depth charge which brought the sub to the surface, and radioed in his findings. (Later it would be discovered that the USS Ward, patrolling nearby, received the transmission and sunk the Japanese Ko-hyoteki class two-man midget submarine as it was attempting to enter Pearl Harbor.)

“Are we at war?” Bill asked the few men gathered at the table. And then all hell broke loose.

Dick heard airplanes and was the first to rush out the door as a Japanese Zero came straight for him firing deadly bullets. He ducked as chips from the strafing pounding the building fell on him. Armed with a wooden spoon and pan, he ran into the BOQ, Bachelors Officer Quarters, to rally the men. In just a few moments their lives had changed forever.

McNees would continue to use his top security clearance at Pearl Harbor, where due to his specialty, one early morning, he was charged with delivering an important package at 2:00 a.m. to Admiral Nimitz, shortly after the Nimitz took over for Admiral Kimmel.

“He came out of his bedroom wearing a white channel robe. Took the package and then told me I was dismissed.” Dick beamed at his brief encounter with the man who would lead the U.S. to victory in the Pacific Theater.

As a fighter pilot, Dick led formations in several battles. He survived the battles of Midway, Tinian, Le Shima, (now Lejima), Iwo Jima, where his brother was going ashore as a navy seal, and Okinawa, to mention a few. His career spanned 35 years and he flew over 40 different types of planes.

I had the honor of going to Boeing’s Museum of Flight with Captain McNees and watch his eyes brighten as he spoke of the various aircrafts he had flown and taught generations of pilots to maneuver.

There is no replacing such a man who constantly sought knowledge and gave back to his community so generously. He was a soft spoken gentleman, a hero and one of the true “Greats” of that generation. I will forever hold dear the time and stories he shared with me, and of course, continue to give thanks for his bravery and love of America.

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