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Manhattan Project Heritage Preservation Assoc., Inc. Newsletter |
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| Manhattan
Project - May & June 2003 Newsletter |
July 26, 2003 |
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Welcome to our third newsletter for the year 2003. This
newsletter is being brought to you by our e-mail distribution
service called Constant Contact. In a time when all of us are being
bombarded by unwanted junk mail, we need to take extra precautions
to insure that only those interested in the history of the Manhattan
Project receive this newsletter. If you have received this
newsletter in error and are not interested in preserving the history
of America's atomic bomb effort during World War II, please "click"
on UNSUBSCRIBE at the bottom of this newsletter and that will
permanently remove you from further distributions. For those of you
who wish to continue to receive this newsletter throughout the next
year, please "click" on Edit Your Interests at the bottom of this
newsletter and review the information there. You may update the
information as you see fit.
Much has been happening with our organization over the past two
months. Please take a moment to read each of the included articles.
Each of the thumbnail photos throughout the newsletter represent new
photos sent into us over the past 2 months. If you have any
information that you would like included in our next newsletter,
please let us know prior to August 31, 2003. Also, we would like to
thank all of the individuals who have become members and those who
have contributed historical content to our organization.
Special Engineer Detachment
(Photo at left: Cover of Oak Ridge SED Yearbook) Many will be
interested to know that we have embarked on a major new section of
the web site that will fully explore the contributions made by the
Special Engineer Detachment toward the successful completion of the
atomic bomb project during World War II.
Sub-sections will be developed for each of the primary locations
of the Manhattan Project as well as some of the lesser-known
locations.
We are in the process of forming an ad-hoc commitee comprised of
former members of the SED to assist in the development of this
section. Many of you have already been contacted and have accepted.
Others will be contacted within the next week. If you are interested
in helping us to insure that the content of this new section is
accurate, please drop us an e-mail at gadget1945@stny.rr.com.
We are in the process of adding the Oak Ridge Special Engineer
Detachment Yearbook from 1945 to the web site. This yearbook has the
photos of close to 1,200 members of the Oak Ridge SED along with
their assignment and university affiliation. Many other photos are
also included. This is about 25% done and close to 10 pages (135
total) will be added each day until complete. We have had requests
from many descendents of deceased members and collectors if we would
be willing to sell one of the 3 original yearbooks in our
collection. The answer is no since we are obligated to preserve
these precious artifacts. However, we have produced a limited number
of copies of the yearbook if anyone is interested. This is not just
a photo copy - each page was scanned at a hi-resolution and then
enhanced to bring out the quality of the photos. Then each image was
imbedded in a Word Document and then printed using an expensive
Xerox printer on 28# heavy-weight ultra-brite paper. The book was
then spiral bound like the original. If anyone is interested in
purchasing one of these historic books, please contact us. For a
limited time only we will be selling this book for $45.00 (our cost
is about $30.00) plus S&H of $5.75 (it weighs 2#). You may view the
book at our Atomic Bomb General Store - See the seventh article in
this newsletter. Please contact us if you would like one of these
historic books!
Visit the New SED Section HERE!!!
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New Members |
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(Photo at left: Inside a 'Green Hornet' C-54 of the 509th
Composite Group & Photo at lower right: Army ASTP Training Class
at Ohio State) Since our last newsletter, we have completed a
large mailing to close to 600 former members of the Oak Ridge
SED and have received close to 40 new members with a dozen more
on the way. We also had close to 100 returned with an out-dated
address. If anyone has received our mailing and not yet joined
our organization, we ask that you consider joining...we can use
your help.
Here are the Oak Ridge SED's that have recently joined our
organization: Robert Alvarez (K-25); Howard Austin (Y-12); Henry
Alter (Y-12); Charles Bachman (K-25); Edward Bailey (K-25); John
Beecher (Y-12); Seymour Bernstein (K-25); William Bowland
(Admin); Robert Brown (Castle); Ralph Buehler (K-25); Lyman
Brenneman (Power Plant); Arnold Cogan (Y-12); Julian Culvern
(Y-12); Ray Dandl (Clinton Labs); Mary Davidson (Wife of Jackson
Davidson); Robert Dyer (K- 25); Leonard Fromm (K-25); Robert
Goodell (Y-12); Richard Guenther (K-25); Richard Harrison
(K-25); Myron Hawkins (X-10); John Helms (Castle); Margaret Hess
(Daughter of Raymond Hess K-25); Harold Hoover (Y-12); Dwight
Jones (Y-12); Earl Kelso (K-25); James Knight (Y-12); Charles
Latimer (K-25); Richard Leonard (Y-12); Rex Leuze (X-10);
Richard Lowrie (K-25); Bernard Manowitz (X-10); Samuel Miller
(Castle); Adolph Molin (K-25); Kenneth Peterson (X-10); Arthur
(Joe) Preslar (Y-12); James Sealy (K-25); Meyer Steinberg
(Unknown); Arthur Sucsy (Y-12); Jim Ballou (S-50); Attilio 'Tee'
Topazio (K-29); and Henson Stringfield (X-10).
Others joining during the last two months: Toney Allman
(Daughter of Oak Ridge SED member William Allman and Frances
Carroll of Columbia Univ.); Sharon Bartholmew (Daughter of Maj.
John Healey - Asst. Dist. Engineer - MED - Wash DC); Steve
Crawford - Son of Oak Ridge Y- 12 veteran); Laurie Fawley
(Daughter of Los Alamos MP Marvin Davis); William Bunnell (Los
Alamos Security Guard); and Victor Yack (Los Alamos Military
Police).
We now have 221 members of which 171 are Manhattan Project
veterans. This is about 50% of where we thought we would be
after 12 months of operation. We need more members, especially
the children of veterans who can help keep the legacy of the
Manhattan Project alive. Please encourage your children to
become actively involved in preserving the history by becoming a
member of this very important project.
Please Take a Moment to Join HERE »
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Manhattan Project Reunion and Symposium |
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(Photo at right: Women of the Los Alamos WAC Detachment) We have
decided to postpone the planned reunion and symposium in
Washington DC until the Spring of 2004. A final date will be
decided within the next 6 weeks. The postponement was necessary
for a couple of reasons: We were not happy with the hotel
arrangements and other options were not available and we were
hearing from several who would like to attend but not until it
was too late to commit to the hotel.
In addition we need more time to develop some sources of
funding for approx. 20% of the $100,000 cost for the
reunion/symposium. The remainder would be covered by
registration fees. We have aleady made approximately $3,000 is
deposits for entertainment and special events which will be held
over until the Spring.
We thought that we would get a lot more support for this idea
and have been disappointed at the lukewarm response from many
well-known companies and agencies. We are hoping that an
additional 8 months will allow us to develop adequate support.
Any suggestions are needed. |
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New Material on the Web Site |
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(Photo at left: Special Order Transferring 16 Men from Ohio
State ASTP to the Special Engineer Detachment at Columbia Univ.
& Photo at lower right: Los Alamos Security Guards on way to
Hanford to pick up plutonium) Since our last newsletter, we have
continued to receive several collections of memorabilia. These
include photos, letters, oral histories, and documents related
to the Manhattan Project between 1942 and early 1947.
Since June 1st, we have posted more than 400 new photos and
documents. Most of these have been under our Digital Library
section in the following collections: Operation Crossroads;
509th Composite Group Pictorial Album (Special thanks to Gen.
Tibbets for his permission to reproduce here); James W. Osborn
Collection - Los Alamos SED; Lawrence O'Rourke Collection - Oak
Ridge Collection; and the Richard Skancke Collection (Los Alamos
Security Guard). In addition, special thanks to Carolyn Vickio
who has completed the listing of more than 3,700 Oak Ridge
veterans and has them categorized according to the 40+ entities
that were at Oak Ridge.
In the next month or two, we will begin adding the material
that was donated by the family of Joseph Gorman, the Records
Administrator for the Manhattan Engineer District. Joseph Gorman
was at the New York Office of the MED and then transferred to
the Oak Ridge site. This collection contains some very rare de-
classified documents, mostly related to personnel. This is a
first class collection and will add immeasurable value to the
content of our digital library.
Also coming in the next few months will be an enormous
collection of mementos related to the WAC detachments of the
Manhattan Engineer District. We will notify you when this is
completed.
Check out Digital Library HERE... »
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Web Site Growth and Ratings |
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(Photo at left: Group photo of the men of the 390th Air Service
Group on Tinian Island & Photo at lower right: 9 Page Bulletin
for new residents at Oak Ridge - 1943) Many of you will be
interested in the fact that we were contacted by Ratings.com, a
part of Yahoo.com, and told that our web site was rated as "one
of the most popular on the Internet". For the 6 month period
ended June 30, 2003, we ranked as the 212,986th most popular
site. We were told that to be in the top 500,000 web sites
signifies being amongst the most popular as there are hundreds
of millions of web sites world-wide.
You might also be interested to know that approximately 15%
of our web site traffic comes from foreign countries. In June we
had more than 3,500 visitors from 74 different countries with
Canada, Germany, UK, Australia, and Japan being the top 5. We
had two visitors from Iraq for the very first time.
We did not have a link available in another section of the
newsletter to take you to the new Oak Ridge Veteran Tables where
we have the names of close to 4,000 Oak Ridge veterans. Please
click on the link below.
Oak Ridge Veteran Tables »
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Please Support Our Mission to Preserve and Exhibit |
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(Photo at left: Los Alamos Security Handbook & Photo at lower
right: Maj. Gen. Groves awarding medal of merit to the atomic
bomb 'brain trust') We desperately need more members. The cost
of joining is $25.00 for veterans and $30.00 for family members
and friends. Those with the means and the willingness to donate
more, we have special recognition areas to reflect your support.
Please help us achieve new heights during the remainder of 2003.
Our mission is to preserve, exhibit, interpret, and teach the
history of the Manhattan Project. This is a major endeavor and
one which is critically important. Up to this point we have been
successful beyond our expectations. However, until we receive
major funding we are dependent upon the generosity of
individuals.
We are is particular need for a new computer for one of our
volunteers to use. If you have one that you would like to
donate, please contact us.
Remember that we are a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax- exempt
organization and your contributions are 100% tax deductible.
Please make checks payable to MPHPA and mail to: Manhattan
Project Heritage Preservation Assoc.; P.O. Box 366; Montour
Falls, NY 14865-0366 OR 'Click" on the link below to sign up
on-line.
Please 'Click' HERE to Support Our Historic Endeavor! »
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New Manhattan Project Material Wanted |
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(Photo at left: Los Alamos Post Baseball Team & Photo at right:
Men of the 509th Composite Group relax onboard the USS Deuel on
way home from Tinian Island) Now is your opportunity to be
included in the Manhattan Project Digital Library. We are
averaging more than 1,000 visitors per day and this number
increases by about 15% each month.
We can use any photos, documents, letters, etc. Everything
provided is being digitized, enhanced, and optimized for
presentation on the Internet. Space is not an issue; our web
site is a little over 500 MB in size and we have unlimited space
available.
Please consider donating your mementos to our non- profit
organization or simply provide them to us temporarily so that we
may add quality material to the web site.
Most people interested in the history of the Manhattan
Project have seen all of the 'official' photos. What we are
interested in primarily is the personal photos and documents.
These lend a whole different perspective to the history and our
visitors love them. Please contact us with any questions that
you have.
New Material Wanted »
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Atomic Bomb General Store |
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Photos show two of our most popular shirts: "We Invented Shock &
Awe" with photo of K-25 Plant and "They Started It - We Finished
It" with photo of the Enola Gay). For an additional $2.00 we
will include a different photo and a slogan of your choice.
Anyone ordering a shirt during the next 10 days (EXPIRES AUG.
10, 2003) may deduct 20%. Mention the fact that you saw it in
the newsletter. Click here to see a few of the designs available
on our web site: http://www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org/NPO/Cat
alog/CAt-000_1.htm (Hint: copy and paste the URL into your
browser)
As most of you know we have established an eBay store with
the name: The Atomic Bomb General Store. In this store we sell
Photos, Books, T-Shirts, Sweat Shirts, and other itmes all
related in some fashion to the Manhattan Project. All proceeds
from sales go toward maintaining the web site. NOTE: ALL ITEMS
ARE AVAILABLE WITH A SPECIAL 20% DISCOUNT FOR THOSE RECEIVING
THIS NEWSLETTER - OFFER EXPIRES AUGUST 10, 2003.
Please contact us at gadget1945@stny.rr.com with any
questions.
Atomic Bomb General Store on eBay »
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Veteran Archives; Veteran Message Board; Books, and What's Next! |
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(Photo at left: Little Boy rests in the pit awaiting loading &
Photo at lower right: WAC Members of the Manhattan Engineer
District - New York City) As always, we are looking for
information on many Manhattan Project veterans. We have close to
200 messages posted on our message board. Please click on the
link at the bottom of this section to go to our message board. A
few of the veterans that have been recently listed are as
follows: Francis Frederick (Los Alamos - Worked with a woman
named 'Teddy' - Unknown whether military of civilian); Larry
McCarthy (Engineer at Los Alamos); Richard Blohm (Civilian
Operator - K25 Oak Ridge); William Dennison Kelley (Civil
Engineer - Oak Ridge); and William McBane (Columbia Univ.). If
anyone has any knowledge of or information about the
aforementioned veterans, please contact us.
In our Veteran Archives section of the web site you will find
the profiles of veterans that have been submitted to us. This is
one of the most important things that we do. We have over 160 so
far and you will find historical information that you won't find
anywhere else. Since our last newsletter, we have added the
following profiles: Julia Wynne (Chemist at Y-12 Oak Ridge);
Ward Bouvier (Machinist - Chicago Met Lab); Bardolph Storaasli
(Electrical Engineer - Allis Chalmers); August 'Dutch' Anton
(Plumber K-25 Oak Ridge); Karl Larsen (Physicist - MIT); William
Allman (Chemical Engineer - SED K-25 Oak Ridge); Emerald Lyons
(Electrical Engineer - Oak Ridge); Roland Modlin (Right Scanner
- B29 'Dave's Dream' - Operation Crossroads); Thomas Braswell
(Uranium Purification - Mallinckrodt Chemical); Edward Cichy
(Commissary Mgr. - Los Alamos); Antoinette Cichy (Nurse - Los
Alamos); Victor Yack (Military Police - Los Alamos); Barthalomew
Rivers (Instrument Tech - Hanford); Frances Carroll (Supv -
Gaseous Diffusion Project - Nash Bldg - NYC); and Bryant
Braswell (Electrician - A.S. Schulman Co. - Oak Ridge).
John C. Pennock, a former member of the Oak Ridge SED, has
completed a new book, "Please God, US First", about his
experiences with the Special Engineer Detachment at Oak Ridge.
To receive a signed copy of the book, please send a check or
money order for $13.95 to John C. Pennock, PO Box 1187, Harwich,
MA 02645.
Between now and when the next newsletter comes out in a
couple of months, we will be working diligently on the new
Special Engineer Detachment section. Also, the Library of
Congress - Veterans History Project has asked us (as a national
partner) to commit to recording 100 oral histories of Manhattan
Project veterans during the next fiscal year ending 6/30/04. We
have recorded 20 over the past year. We have the question
formats put together and conduct the recordings over the
telephone. If you are interested in participating in this very
important endeavor, please contact us for more information
Go to the Manhattan Project Veteran Archives »
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Quick Links... |
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email:
support@childrenofthemanhattanproject.org
voice: 607-535-5596
web:
http://www.childrenofthemanhattanproject.org
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