Trip to Normandy-- Part 4: Two More WW II Veterans

If Frank Kohnke's story isn't remarkable enough, down the hallway from him in the nursing home are two other World War II veterans.

Sverre Vinje is resting after physical therapy for a broken hip.  At 99, he had been living independently and still driving until a recent fall.  He was on the USS Donaldson when the atomic bombs were dropped and Japan surrendered.

He remembers sailing into Yokohama Harbor days later.  "We saw all the guns lined up," Vinje says.  "We would have lost so many Americans if we'd had to invade.  My God, we'd have lost good men."

Gordon Walstrom hears the war talk and scoots over in his wheelchair.  He served in the Army's 25th Infantry Division during the final months of the war in the Pacific and remained as part of the occupation force.

In regards to the atom bombs, he said:  "You're 18 and still a daredevil.  But I can tell you they got our attention real quick when we got briefings about the dangers of radiation from the bombs."

--DaCoot

"Atomic Attack" At NIU in 1968

From the August 8, 2018, MidWeek  "Looking Back."

1968, 50 Years Ago.

"The United States will be under 'atomic attack' for 24 hours this weekend as nearly 30 Northern Illinois  residents take shelter in a university dormitory here.

"The shelter is in the basement of the 13-story Stevenson Towers on the Northern Illinois University campus will house participants from age three to adults during a drill  conducted by NIU's disaster preparedness committee."

Better Prepared Than Sorry.  --Cootbomb

Ten Things About Harvard-- Part 3: Eight Presidents Attended

4. The Chairman of the National Defense Research Commission was Harvard President James Conant. This group oversaw scientific research that led to the Manhattan Project and the development of the atom bomb.

3. In a speech at Harvard in 1947, Secretary of State George C. Marsahll presented his MARSHALL PLAN.

2. The Crimson of Harvard fought in the Civil War with 1,662 donning the Union blue and 304 the Confederate gray. On the Union side, 100 were killed or died of wounds, 63 died of disease and 3 from accidents. On the Confederate side, 57 were killed or died of wounds, 12 died of disease a 1 died in an accident.

EIGHT PRESIDENTS went to Harvard: John Adams, John Quincy Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, FDR and JFK received their bachelor degrees. George W. Bush received his MBA and Rutherford B. Hayes and Barack Obama received their law degrees.

Quite a History. --DaCoot

How'd I Miss That Date? Japan's Surrender

OK, yesterday, I wrote about some thngs that happened on that date back in history and I missed the biggest thing of all, Japan's official surrender, August 15, 1945.  Japan's Emperor Hirohito announced that his country had accepted terms of surrender,ending World War II.

Japan was doomed even by the beginning of 1945, but was committed to fight to the bitter end, last person.  Then, came the atom bombs.  Unfortunately, the first one didn't decide it for them, but Nagasaki did.  As sad of a thing it was, the deaths from Hiroshima and Nagasaki saved millions more, not to mention all those Americans who would die and be maimed with that final invasion of Japan.

Liz showed me the movies someone in Hawaii had taken with the impromptu celebrations that broke out when the announcement came through back then.  If you get a chance to see it, do so.  You can find it at Vimio, VJ Day, Honolulu, Hawaii August 14, 1945.

Too Bad It Wasn't the War to End All Wars.  --Cooter

I Heard Tell: Japanese Thanks for the Atom Bomb-- Pacific Bomber

1. JAPANESE THANKS FOR THE ATOM BOMB-- Wednesday, a friend of mine was talking about a trip he'd made to the USS Missouri Memorial at Pearl Harbor. being a historian himself, he had lots of questions to ask of the tour guide.

Afterwards, the guide called my friend aside to tell him a story. A few weeks earlier, an elderly Japanese man and his family were on the tour. Afterwards, the man had called the guide aside and thanked the United States for dropping the atomic bombs.

Now this would absolutely be one of the last things you'd expect a Japanese person to say.

The man said he had been a kamikaze pilot and scheduled to fly a few days after the surrender. he then pointed to his family and said that if Japan had not surrendered, they would not be there.

2. PACIFIC BOMBER-- Earlier today, we were at Popeye's in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, and had one of the best fish fries you'll find anywhere. On the way out, I stopped at a giant map of the world and saw two other gentlemen closely inspecting it and talking about the Marianas Islands and World War II.

The older one had been a tail gunner on an American bomber and had been on raids over Japanese cities. He said that the planes were actually hot from all the fires and destruction below during their bombing runs.

Plus, there was a certain smell that bombers got after missions, that they were never able to clean away.

Talk to Those World War II Vets. --Cooter

A Short History of Bombers-- Part 3

From the June 16th Chicago Tribune.

1940s and WORLD WAR II

EARLY 1940s:

Two medium bombers, the North American B-25 and the Martin B-26 are produced. The B-25 is used primarily throughout the Pacific Theater,including Doolittle's Raid). The B-26 is used in the European Theater.

1942:

The Boeing XB-29 Superfortress makes its initial flight. This long-range bomber is capable of carrying bomb loads as much as 20,000 pounds against targets as far away as 1,500 miles.


MID-1940s:

Jet engines are incorporated into the design of new bombers. The dual-jet engine Douglas XB-42A reaches a top speed of almost 500 mph.


1945:

The B-29s Enola Gay and Bochscar drop the first atomic bombs used as weapons on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, respectively.

Ended the War. --DaCoot

Enola Gay Hangar to Be Restored

From the Dec. 19, 2008, Salt Lake City (Utah) Tribune.

The hangar in Wendover used by the crew of the Enola Gay will be restored with a $450,000 grant.

The 509th Composite Group trained at the site in June 1945 for the August 6th mission to drop the atom bomb on Hiroshima.

The metal hangar, offices and shop at the historic Wendover Airfield are to be restored. This is part of the Federal "save America's Treasures" program, a public/private effort.

The Wendover Airfield began in 1940 when the Army needed additional bombing ranges. In 1943, there were 2,000 civilian employees; 17,500 military personnel; 8,100 feet of runways and 7 hangars.

It is a civil airport today.

Always Good to Hear Something Like This Happening. --Cooter

I'll Have an Old Shipwreck and an A-Bomb-- Bikini Atoll

The name always brings a smile to my face. Was the swimsuit named after the atoll or the atoll after the suit?

Evidently, the place in the Pacific Ocean is safe to dive as it is a very popular site, but back in 2008, it was closed because of mechanical problems and rising fuel prices. For thirteen years divers had been coming for the fish viewing and especially the sunken warships in the lagoon.

The Bikini Atoll is a Micronesian Island and part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands which consists of 23 islands.

The name Bikini comes from natives from the words "Pik" which means surface and "Ni" which means coconut. The name became famous after 23 nuclear devices were exploded there between 1946 and 1958 in testing, and, then the new swimsuit was named after it. (So, that answers my question.) In March 1, 1854, the first hydrogen bomb was exploded at Bikini.

Prior to the testing, the lagoon of the island was designated a ship graveyard as many surplus warships were sunk there including large ones like the USS Saratoga aircraft carrier, USS Arkansas battleship and submarine USS Apogon. Captured Japanese World War II ships were sunk as well.

I'd Sure Like to See Some of Those World War II Warships. --Cooter

Dead Page: Survived Both Atom Bombs

I accidentally posted this entry on my Down Da Road I Go blog today. Tsutomu Yamaguchi of Nagasaki was on a business trip to Hiroshima when the first one fell and recovering at home when the second one hit.

He died of stomach cancer January 7th.

To see the full story, go to http://downdaroadigo.blogspot.com.