Essay 19
STRIKE YOUR COLORS!
World War II left a good many relics scattered over the world. There was a congressional law that “new” machinery and equipment manufactured for the war and exported overseas could not be imported into the US again. As a result, I myself saw many brand new road graders and bull dozers being pushed over the cliffs of Guam into the Pacific Ocean! But there was a surfeit of equipment scattered over the atolls of the Pacific, and particularly in the Marshall Islands.
So when the Joint Task Force Seven arrived in the Marshalls for the nuclear tests of l952, many relics were placed into task force service--specifically many T-boats and M-boats were used for task force duties.
When we were working on the “up” islands (islands to the north) of Bikini Atoll in 1956, we lived in T-boats, anchored in the lagoon, and traveled to and from the islands in M-boats. Occasionally we would return to the island of Bikini for supplies, transportation to Enewetak, or Kwajalein.
Although the lagoon was normally quiescent, certainly compared to the open sea, there was sufficient motion that after two or three weeks on the T-boat the whole world developed a beautifully regular roll, soothing even to landlubbers like myself. But a trip to Bikini was welcome. There were movies there, and ice cream!
On one occasion several of us in my Group J-15 were to return to Bikini for some reason or other, and the two hour trip was quite welcome. The M-boat was run by an employee of Holmes and Narver, H&N, an AEC subcontractor. They were the equivalent of a civilian navy. The regular Navy was one of the elements of the Task Force, and they oversaw the Navy interests and activities. In truth, the civilian scientists were in charge of the show, but all principal support of airplanes, ships and communications came to us from the military.
The commander of the task force at this time was a navy two-star admiral, and his scientific deputy commander happened to be my group leader, Gaelen Felt. These two men ran the show, one for the military and one for civilians. There were other deputy commanders, one for each of the armed services.
The Navy had present at this time in the Bikini lagoon a ship to aid with task force aircraft, also commanded by an admiral--anyway, there was an admiral on board. I believe it was the USS Curtis.
It happened that J-15 was a pretty good crew, and at one time there were l5 of us in the group. So we had a group flag. It was of standard size, blue, and it had on it one white star (painted) for each of us. By coincidence of course, the flag looked a little bit like the Admiral’s flag. His two stars were sewn on so surely there was no possibility of someone thinking that we had a l5 star admiral!
On the way to Bikini, we were flying our flag on the M-boat, as we almost always did. On our way to the dock, we sailed directly past that enormous ship. By the purest chance, I was the “ranking” person aboard the M-boat, since I had a PhD. My “simulated” military rank was that of major. Everybody had to have a simulated rank for otherwise the military would not know how to treat us. But majors were sufficiently plentiful and discredited during WWII that nobody with any standing ever pays any attention to them.
Anyway, as we were drawing near--very close, actually--to the ship, it was a most impressive sight. It towered many stories above us, and was huge! Further, we observed several officers on the bridge, way up there in the sky, observing us through their enormous binoculars. And as we drew closer, the number of men on the bridge increased. We scrounged up our one pair of binocs, and looked back (really, UP!). Sure enough, they were looking right at us. I confess that at this moment the thought of the flag being the problem had not yet occurred to me. But then the radio on our M-boat crackled with our call letters, coming from the H&N communications office near the dock. We were told that they had just received an order from the carrier for us to STRIKE YOUR COLORS!
Sure enough, our flag was flying, but by what stretch of the imagination could our stars possibly outrank the admiral’s two? The M-boat operator hollered to me, “Do I have to take down the flag?” I thought hard, and for a time, too! My years of military training flashed before my eyes. The niceties of the situation were rare in precedent, requiring thought. My immediate boss was the deputy commander of the task force, and the situation was exactly the same for the admiral on the carrier, as his boss was another deputy commander! Also I knew Galen pretty well, and I had a hunch that he would not really see things the same way as admirals did.
So-o-o, after a pause, I responded “No”. There is no exclamation mark here, for I was keenly aware that I was treading new territory. It turned out that the H&N’ers were absolutely delighted by my answer, and I was not given the opportunity to reconsider. The word NO was trumpeted, first to the harbor, then to the ship. They explained that the flag belonged to the “users”, over which H&N had no jurisdiction, so of course they were helpless. We sailed on, waiting for the sky to fall.
It never did! I became a trouble-making celebrity. Galen was delighted, and no doubt he and his admiral enjoyed the story over martinis. There were ramifications, however, as I was never invited aboard that ship! (Actually, I would have been afraid to go!)
Sometime later, on Enewetak where I was in residence, I was lying on my bunk in a metal building immediately next to the building housing Gaelen and the commander. The metal window was open, as always except during a rain. There appeared a face in this window--a face belonging to a new navy commander who had just arrived on the island. He inquired about the l5-star flag flying on a pole at the door of our barracks. What was it? (Not “whose”!) We explained that it was our group flag. The commander suggested that it must be insulting to the task force Commander. (His flag was flying outside his quarters, immediately to the north.) We were surprised to hear this, and said surely not. He then asked us to take down the flag. Having survived this kind of irresponsible thinking before, I was much more confident. I politely told him that we would do so when ordered to do so by our boss, Dr. Galen Felt. We heard no more.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Essay 8 My Participation in preparing and giving testimony before The National Commission on Space
Essay 8
MY PARTICIPATION IN
PREPARING and GIVING TESTIMONY BEFORE
THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE
At Washington, D.C., on September 1, 1985
As written in October, 1985
Some time ago I was asked to serve as a member of a LUNAR SETTLEMENT WORKING GROUP in conjunction with the activities of the NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE.
The commission, established by the Congress at the request of the President, and appointed by the President, is currently holding hearings around the country gathering suggestions for national goals in space, where the US should be going, etc. I believe the motivation for its creation was the realization that we continue to make plans, authorize expenditures, and accomplish whatever, without any agreed-upon view as to our ultimate purpose. The idea to form a national commission was a very good one, and I was pleased to have been asked to be a member of any working group, even a lunar settlement one, whatever the reason. I have been told that I was asked in order that I might contribute to the working group a modicum of common sense and pragmatism--not a ringing endorsement, but one sufficient for the day.
The working group met in Washington early Monday morning on the 16th of September to prepare our testimony. Those present were a remarkable collection of very special people, each one tremendously talented in the ability to think broadly and deeply. We could have spent days in each other's company, for our disciplines and experiences were quite diverse, and the rate of learning was consequently very high. Those present included lawyers, Joanne Gabrynowicz from New York City, a very special lady indeed who should be in the United States Senate, George Robinson, Assistant General Counsel at the Smithsonian, and Sydney W. Falk, a lawyer from Austin, Texas, who also has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics! They were certainly not your run-of-the-mill lawyers, and I learned to have great respect for their ability to rise above the reputations they have these days to heights of amazing idealism. They pointed out to us the many legal problems that await us in space, but were marvelous in encouraging us in the belief that ways could be found to solve the problems, and to get on with development and evolution of human society. What wonderful people they were. There were two anthropologists, Ben Finney, from the NASA Ames Research Center, and Paul Bohannan, chairman of the Social Sciences Department at USC. Each of these is an expert on the historical migrations of the earth's peoples. Stephen Haycox, an historian from the University of Alaska, had all of the wisdom that the meeting needed and I am really in awe of him. Phil Quigg is a former Editor of FOREIGN AFFAIRS, and sufficiently intellectual that I was never quite sure that I understood what he was saying, and if I had, I might very well have disagreed. Wendell Mendell is really a great guy from the Johnson Space Center in Houston who forced us to be more practical than we would have liked to be. He and I could talk the same language, and that helped. William K. Hartmann is from the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, and can he ever write! Chris Joyner of George Washington University, Department of Political Science and Julie Anne Ford, wife of Falk and a professional, were also participants. Chris is the co-author with former Senator and Astronaut Harrison Schmitt of a proposal for a management system for our missions to Mars. Eric Jones, astrophysicist here at Los Alamos, a long time friend and colleague, was chairman.
Could people of such diverse training, experiences and views of the future arrive at any common position in advising the government about its goals? Boy, could we!! I have not heard such glowing idealism since I was young. Almost all participants are authors of books, popular articles of one kind or another, and I am forced to concede that they are authentic visionaries, and have me seriously outclassed. Nevertheless, the conversations and ideas were so stimulating that I have vowed to turn a corner, and become much more heavily involved in these kinds of activities. Every group needs help, and perhaps I can give some which can be of value. But I digress.
On Tuesday afternoon, September 17, the l98th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, we made our presentation before the Commission, Joanne reading our brief and appropriately pompous summary statement. Then each of us made an individual statement. As we became aware that almost all previous testimony to the Commission had been technical in nature, usually a plea for specific needs in terms of various parts of NASA's budget, we concentrated on the long-term goals and objectives of such programs, and the philosophy with which the United States should approach such endeavors. Our excitement grew as we realized that we were trying to emphasize what could only be described as a natural extension of the history of mankind in attempts to break away from the past by charting a course into the future. We concluded, probably as a result of massive delusion, that our activities were closely allied to those of the signers of the Constitution, who had a vision amidst problems of all kinds, a very uncertain, even bleak future, no money, very little support at home, and an unconquerable will to promulgate ideals and to push ahead. They were the Federalists (and eventually they broke on the rocks of distrust, internal dissention and sectionalism. There were, in some sense, elitists, and I remember that.) I now quote from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The name Federalists was first given to those who championed the adoption of the Constitution. They brought to the support of that instrument "the areas of intercourse and wealth" (Libby), the influence of the commercial towns, the greater planters, the army officers, creditors and property-holders generally--in short, of interests that had felt the evils of weak government of the Confederation--and also of some few true nationalists (few, because there was as yet no general national feeling), actuated by political principles of centralization independently of motives of expediency and self-interest.
The objectives of the Federalists were achieved to a considerable extent through The Federalist papers, a series of eighty-five essays. The encyclopedia says that they were distinguished more for their insight into problems of government and for their cool logic than for their eloquence, but they became a classic statement of American governmental theory. They were highly influential to legislators who voted on the constitution. It was Jefferson, however, who emphasized and urged individual freedom, and to a very large degree this was our emphasis as we tried to outline importance of the individual and to the individual in the expansion of mankind into the solar system, and beyond.
In a very real sense, the multitude of tasks awaiting those who plan and prepare for planetary settlements are not unlike those faced by the Federalists in so far as government is concerned, but because of the much greater consequences of planetary migration, every small step is much more important, and more complex. But start where you are! We are toying with the idea of trying to establish the SPACE SETTLEMENT PAPERS as a parallel to THE FEDERALIST PAPERS as a means of attracting support and understanding of those issues which must be addressed if the U.S. is to play a significant role in the migration of peoples into the solar system. Please remember, that if we abdicate interest and concern for this endeavor, others will gain control of human history, and this nation will become an archaic backwater, called upon to respond to whatever demands are made upon us. We can lose our heritage, our dreams and the opportunity to participate in the future in any meaningful way.
When we appeared before the National Commission on Space, the members of the commission themselves had a tendency to be a bit awesome. Their chairman is Dr. Thomas O. Paine, former administrator of NASA and a direct descendant of Tom Paine, a personage of some note. The vice chairman is Dr. Laurel L. Wilkining, a planetary scientist. Other members are Dr. Luis W. Alvarez, Nobel Laureate physicist--the man who suggested why the dinosaurs disappeared; Neil Armstrong, of whom you may have heard; Dr. Paul J. Coleman, a geophysicist: Dr. George B. Field, an astrophysicist: Lt. Gen. William H. Fitch, U.S. Marines; Dr. Charles M. Herzfeld, ITT Corp.; Dr. Jack L. Kerrebrock, M.I.T.; Ambassador Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick, former U..s. ambassador to the U.N.; Dr. Gerald K. O-Neill, famous advocate of space colonies; Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, astronaut; Dr. David C. Webb, space development consultant; Brig. Gen. Charles E. Yeager, U.S. Air Force test pilot, and Gen Bernard A. Schriever, U.S. Air Force. All of these people were present except for Kerrebrock and Kirkpatrick.
When it came my time to speak, I chose to focus on the spirit with which the "migration" of which I am a product was accomplished. After mentioning that all four of my grandparents homesteaded on the prairies about a hundred and ten years ago, I chose to tell a story of my Grandmother McComb's first airplane ride. The stewardess was quite impressed that she was having her first ride at age 94, and after talking down to her a bit, finally asked if Grandmother didn't think it was quite impressive what man had been able to do, and what progress had been made? Grandmother treated this question seriously, turned away from the window where she had been trying to see everything, thought for a moment, and then replied. "We should have made some progress! After all, we have been working on it for more than 50 years!" I pointed out that she had used the word "we", and had felt a part of all the progress that had been made. She was a participant. From there I tried to make the point that each person needed to feel that he was a participant, and that our space program would ultimately succeed only if the hopes of the people of the United States, and of the entire world, were at the core of space program planning. Eric also spoke to the dreams which fuel our drives for progress. We added this dimension in an attempt to get the Commission to understand that there is a lot more to the space program than the development of technologies and science, and that there is a lot more at stake than national prestige and next year's budget.
Because we spoke on the 198th anniversary of the signing of the constitution, we finished by having Joanne Gabrynowicz speak on the significance of the day. She was terrific, giving a speech without notes, and drawing a parallel with where we stand today compared with where the signers stood, not so long ago. She did it much more eloquently than I was able to do, and when she finished, there was applause from everyone! Now that is virtually unknown in that particular environment. Ah, the power of the spoken word!
Will we have any impact at all upon the way this nation will move? I wouldn't blame anyone for saying no, for there is ample evidence that one person's hopes and dreams are easily swamped by the complexities of life, whoever he may be. But never underestimate the ultimate result of the twists and turns of national policy--and many if not all of those shifts are caused by an individual dedicated to the dream he has for what is possible. And that's where we sit at the moment.
We are supposed to have a draft of a written submission to the Commission by October 1, and the final document ready on November 1. One of the Commissioners told Eric, Joanne, and me that our presentation was quite unlike any which they had had so far, that he was very impressed with what we were trying to say, and that he would get as much of our report as he could into the document that goes to the President and to the Congress next March. He asked us to get all of our points into the document, for then he could reference them. Well, that's progress of a type. We are going to give it the old college try, but we are also looking to find ways to get the issues before the public. Prof. Haycox explained how a number of individuals in Alaska were able to get the majority of people in the U.S. to support Alaskan statehood when there were all kinds of opposition and apathy, and the number of Alaskans was few indeed. It was almost entirely an individual effort. (Incidentally, Gov. Walter Hickel is a member of our group, but was not present at our meeting.) So, we will finally come to plotting and scheming, you may be glad to hear.
And one of these days we're going to get organized!
Additional note: Our SPACE SETTLEMENTS PAPERS were published in 1994, and had an utterly trivial impact on the public.
MY PARTICIPATION IN
PREPARING and GIVING TESTIMONY BEFORE
THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE
At Washington, D.C., on September 1, 1985
As written in October, 1985
Some time ago I was asked to serve as a member of a LUNAR SETTLEMENT WORKING GROUP in conjunction with the activities of the NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE.
The commission, established by the Congress at the request of the President, and appointed by the President, is currently holding hearings around the country gathering suggestions for national goals in space, where the US should be going, etc. I believe the motivation for its creation was the realization that we continue to make plans, authorize expenditures, and accomplish whatever, without any agreed-upon view as to our ultimate purpose. The idea to form a national commission was a very good one, and I was pleased to have been asked to be a member of any working group, even a lunar settlement one, whatever the reason. I have been told that I was asked in order that I might contribute to the working group a modicum of common sense and pragmatism--not a ringing endorsement, but one sufficient for the day.
The working group met in Washington early Monday morning on the 16th of September to prepare our testimony. Those present were a remarkable collection of very special people, each one tremendously talented in the ability to think broadly and deeply. We could have spent days in each other's company, for our disciplines and experiences were quite diverse, and the rate of learning was consequently very high. Those present included lawyers, Joanne Gabrynowicz from New York City, a very special lady indeed who should be in the United States Senate, George Robinson, Assistant General Counsel at the Smithsonian, and Sydney W. Falk, a lawyer from Austin, Texas, who also has a Ph.D. in Astrophysics! They were certainly not your run-of-the-mill lawyers, and I learned to have great respect for their ability to rise above the reputations they have these days to heights of amazing idealism. They pointed out to us the many legal problems that await us in space, but were marvelous in encouraging us in the belief that ways could be found to solve the problems, and to get on with development and evolution of human society. What wonderful people they were. There were two anthropologists, Ben Finney, from the NASA Ames Research Center, and Paul Bohannan, chairman of the Social Sciences Department at USC. Each of these is an expert on the historical migrations of the earth's peoples. Stephen Haycox, an historian from the University of Alaska, had all of the wisdom that the meeting needed and I am really in awe of him. Phil Quigg is a former Editor of FOREIGN AFFAIRS, and sufficiently intellectual that I was never quite sure that I understood what he was saying, and if I had, I might very well have disagreed. Wendell Mendell is really a great guy from the Johnson Space Center in Houston who forced us to be more practical than we would have liked to be. He and I could talk the same language, and that helped. William K. Hartmann is from the Planetary Science Institute in Tucson, and can he ever write! Chris Joyner of George Washington University, Department of Political Science and Julie Anne Ford, wife of Falk and a professional, were also participants. Chris is the co-author with former Senator and Astronaut Harrison Schmitt of a proposal for a management system for our missions to Mars. Eric Jones, astrophysicist here at Los Alamos, a long time friend and colleague, was chairman.
Could people of such diverse training, experiences and views of the future arrive at any common position in advising the government about its goals? Boy, could we!! I have not heard such glowing idealism since I was young. Almost all participants are authors of books, popular articles of one kind or another, and I am forced to concede that they are authentic visionaries, and have me seriously outclassed. Nevertheless, the conversations and ideas were so stimulating that I have vowed to turn a corner, and become much more heavily involved in these kinds of activities. Every group needs help, and perhaps I can give some which can be of value. But I digress.
On Tuesday afternoon, September 17, the l98th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution, we made our presentation before the Commission, Joanne reading our brief and appropriately pompous summary statement. Then each of us made an individual statement. As we became aware that almost all previous testimony to the Commission had been technical in nature, usually a plea for specific needs in terms of various parts of NASA's budget, we concentrated on the long-term goals and objectives of such programs, and the philosophy with which the United States should approach such endeavors. Our excitement grew as we realized that we were trying to emphasize what could only be described as a natural extension of the history of mankind in attempts to break away from the past by charting a course into the future. We concluded, probably as a result of massive delusion, that our activities were closely allied to those of the signers of the Constitution, who had a vision amidst problems of all kinds, a very uncertain, even bleak future, no money, very little support at home, and an unconquerable will to promulgate ideals and to push ahead. They were the Federalists (and eventually they broke on the rocks of distrust, internal dissention and sectionalism. There were, in some sense, elitists, and I remember that.) I now quote from the Encyclopedia Britannica.
The name Federalists was first given to those who championed the adoption of the Constitution. They brought to the support of that instrument "the areas of intercourse and wealth" (Libby), the influence of the commercial towns, the greater planters, the army officers, creditors and property-holders generally--in short, of interests that had felt the evils of weak government of the Confederation--and also of some few true nationalists (few, because there was as yet no general national feeling), actuated by political principles of centralization independently of motives of expediency and self-interest.
The objectives of the Federalists were achieved to a considerable extent through The Federalist papers, a series of eighty-five essays. The encyclopedia says that they were distinguished more for their insight into problems of government and for their cool logic than for their eloquence, but they became a classic statement of American governmental theory. They were highly influential to legislators who voted on the constitution. It was Jefferson, however, who emphasized and urged individual freedom, and to a very large degree this was our emphasis as we tried to outline importance of the individual and to the individual in the expansion of mankind into the solar system, and beyond.
In a very real sense, the multitude of tasks awaiting those who plan and prepare for planetary settlements are not unlike those faced by the Federalists in so far as government is concerned, but because of the much greater consequences of planetary migration, every small step is much more important, and more complex. But start where you are! We are toying with the idea of trying to establish the SPACE SETTLEMENT PAPERS as a parallel to THE FEDERALIST PAPERS as a means of attracting support and understanding of those issues which must be addressed if the U.S. is to play a significant role in the migration of peoples into the solar system. Please remember, that if we abdicate interest and concern for this endeavor, others will gain control of human history, and this nation will become an archaic backwater, called upon to respond to whatever demands are made upon us. We can lose our heritage, our dreams and the opportunity to participate in the future in any meaningful way.
When we appeared before the National Commission on Space, the members of the commission themselves had a tendency to be a bit awesome. Their chairman is Dr. Thomas O. Paine, former administrator of NASA and a direct descendant of Tom Paine, a personage of some note. The vice chairman is Dr. Laurel L. Wilkining, a planetary scientist. Other members are Dr. Luis W. Alvarez, Nobel Laureate physicist--the man who suggested why the dinosaurs disappeared; Neil Armstrong, of whom you may have heard; Dr. Paul J. Coleman, a geophysicist: Dr. George B. Field, an astrophysicist: Lt. Gen. William H. Fitch, U.S. Marines; Dr. Charles M. Herzfeld, ITT Corp.; Dr. Jack L. Kerrebrock, M.I.T.; Ambassador Jeanne J. Kirkpatrick, former U..s. ambassador to the U.N.; Dr. Gerald K. O-Neill, famous advocate of space colonies; Dr. Kathryn D. Sullivan, astronaut; Dr. David C. Webb, space development consultant; Brig. Gen. Charles E. Yeager, U.S. Air Force test pilot, and Gen Bernard A. Schriever, U.S. Air Force. All of these people were present except for Kerrebrock and Kirkpatrick.
When it came my time to speak, I chose to focus on the spirit with which the "migration" of which I am a product was accomplished. After mentioning that all four of my grandparents homesteaded on the prairies about a hundred and ten years ago, I chose to tell a story of my Grandmother McComb's first airplane ride. The stewardess was quite impressed that she was having her first ride at age 94, and after talking down to her a bit, finally asked if Grandmother didn't think it was quite impressive what man had been able to do, and what progress had been made? Grandmother treated this question seriously, turned away from the window where she had been trying to see everything, thought for a moment, and then replied. "We should have made some progress! After all, we have been working on it for more than 50 years!" I pointed out that she had used the word "we", and had felt a part of all the progress that had been made. She was a participant. From there I tried to make the point that each person needed to feel that he was a participant, and that our space program would ultimately succeed only if the hopes of the people of the United States, and of the entire world, were at the core of space program planning. Eric also spoke to the dreams which fuel our drives for progress. We added this dimension in an attempt to get the Commission to understand that there is a lot more to the space program than the development of technologies and science, and that there is a lot more at stake than national prestige and next year's budget.
Because we spoke on the 198th anniversary of the signing of the constitution, we finished by having Joanne Gabrynowicz speak on the significance of the day. She was terrific, giving a speech without notes, and drawing a parallel with where we stand today compared with where the signers stood, not so long ago. She did it much more eloquently than I was able to do, and when she finished, there was applause from everyone! Now that is virtually unknown in that particular environment. Ah, the power of the spoken word!
Will we have any impact at all upon the way this nation will move? I wouldn't blame anyone for saying no, for there is ample evidence that one person's hopes and dreams are easily swamped by the complexities of life, whoever he may be. But never underestimate the ultimate result of the twists and turns of national policy--and many if not all of those shifts are caused by an individual dedicated to the dream he has for what is possible. And that's where we sit at the moment.
We are supposed to have a draft of a written submission to the Commission by October 1, and the final document ready on November 1. One of the Commissioners told Eric, Joanne, and me that our presentation was quite unlike any which they had had so far, that he was very impressed with what we were trying to say, and that he would get as much of our report as he could into the document that goes to the President and to the Congress next March. He asked us to get all of our points into the document, for then he could reference them. Well, that's progress of a type. We are going to give it the old college try, but we are also looking to find ways to get the issues before the public. Prof. Haycox explained how a number of individuals in Alaska were able to get the majority of people in the U.S. to support Alaskan statehood when there were all kinds of opposition and apathy, and the number of Alaskans was few indeed. It was almost entirely an individual effort. (Incidentally, Gov. Walter Hickel is a member of our group, but was not present at our meeting.) So, we will finally come to plotting and scheming, you may be glad to hear.
And one of these days we're going to get organized!
Additional note: Our SPACE SETTLEMENTS PAPERS were published in 1994, and had an utterly trivial impact on the public.
Essay 9 Statement made to the National Commission on Space
Essay 9
STATEMENT MADE
TO THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE
By the Lunar Settlement Working Group
On September 17, 1985
We stand today at the threshold of a strategic departure in the history and evolution of human culture--the opportunity to begin the human settlement of space, the Moon, and the planets; the beginning of a new direction and a new vision for humankind.
This is a critical juncture--a fundamental departure--because as a species we cannot stand still--we cannot mark time. If we fail to seize this opportunity--the challenge--to expand human options, then we abdicate elemental responsibilities. If we do not go forward as a human culture, then we go backward, we regress, we begin or continue a tragic decline.
Moreover, if we here in the United States, with our resources, our energy and our commitment to basic human values, do no seize this opportunity, others in the world will. And the new direction of humanity will be plotted for us, not by us.
With the establishment of agriculture, humanity moved from local to regional communities, and with the age of exploration we moved into the global society. With the space age we are moving into inter-planetary society. By clearly and intentionally committing ourselves and our resources to the development of space for the long term, we can and should return to the Moon to stay. We can and should move on to Mars. We can and should mine the asteroids. We can and should build laboratories and hospitals, cities and civilizations in space.
The quest is: Why should Americans take a leading role? No other nation is so well situated to uncover economic opportunity, encourage the flowering of human diversity, and discover new dimensions of the human spirit. Nevertheless, we cannot succeed in space without considering the well-being of all the world's peoples--today's and tomorrow's. Our responsibility is to better the human condition. Standing for political freedom, technological advances, and entrepreneurial endeavors, the American people have been leaders in the past. The present allows that leadership, and the future demands it. Our potential is positive and without limit; we have an obligation to turn it into reality.
The following are the goals identified by our group:
1. We believe that a central goal of our space activities must be the establishment of permanent planetary settlements, communities of women and men who will ultimately achieve self-sufficiency and control of their own destinies. Achievement of this goal will present an immense challenge and will require the accumulations of considerable experience.
2. As a means of achieving this goal we must determine what resources are available in space for human use, promote the technological means of acquiring these resources, and explore means of directing the benefits of those resources into the terrestrial and interplanetary economy.
3. One indication of the maturity of space development will be the emergence of lively commercial activities. During early phases commerce could be encouraged by reliance on the private sector for the supply of goods and services, but we should encourage enterprises which arise independently of public needs.
4. Although we believe that the United States is especially qualified by tradition and interest to provide the human resources and leadership required for space settlement, we agree it is of great importance to encourage global participation among those who feel able, as well as the cooperation of all who are interested. None should feel excluded from the possibilities or potential rewards of space settlement and development.
5. A sense of personal involvement among individuals and peoples will be a great asset. Not everyone will have the opportunity or training to be an explorer or early settler. However, we must convey the sense that everyone has at least some chance of being a direct participant, or can identify with those who are.
6. The firm goal of planetary settlement should serve to spur the basic scientific research remaining to be done and give a further push to the relevant technology--much as major scientific efforts of the past have spun off new technologies and a broad range of applications of benefit to people everywhere.
7. The experimental and demanding nature of human settlements in space will require constant monitoring of experience as well as analysis of the social forces in an isolated environment that is without precedent. Progress will depend heavily on learning from this process of feedback.
8. We should acknowledge an obligation to protect the interests of humankind in preserving the environment of the Moon and planets and to consult the global community on the environmental implications of settlement. We urge a preliminary survey of areas and objects that might merit permanent protection as important historic sites or scientific preserves.
9. Present trends in the growth of space activities show more clearly than ever before the need for the value of a strong civilian space program. Inspirational goals for human achievement in space can serve to vitalize the civilian sector of space development. Setting our sights on lunar and planetary settlement can fuel the aspirations and ambitions of American youth, and ensure an essential continuity to national policy in space.
The Commission has indicated that it was particularly interesting in specific recommendation for implementing our goals, especially ones amenable to present implementation. The areas we have identified involve legislative policy choices. Timely attention to three is critical.
We therefore make the following basic recommendations:
1. That we commit ourselves to significant involvement of the private sector in the commercial development and explorations of space resources in a free market environment. To this end, we should consider not only the provision of economic incentives, such as tax incentives and tax-free financing, that will encourage private sector involvement in this high-risk enterprise, but also to involve and coordinate to a greater degree existing private sector groups;
2. That we reevaluate the proper role of large-scale government subsidization of key industries, perhaps based on the Japanese or #SA-Arianspace models;
3. That we seek to utilize new institutional forms which can serve to insulate the long-term commitments necessary to space settlement from the vagaries of political opinion or of economic cycles.
4. That we seek to utilize institutions which emphasize cooperative policy input and implementation from government, academia and the private sector. ("Centers of Excellence")
5. That an expert commission be formed to make recommendations respecting the need for specific legislation to define a comprehensive and streamlined legal regime for the space context. These should include all major areas of law which concern commercial activities and planning, including tort law, insurance law, criminal law, and questions of jurisdiction;
6. That a basic commitment be made to develop inexpensive and plentiful means of transportation, easily accessible, in which the private sector plays an important role;
7. That particular environmental concerns be expressly and explicitly articulated;
8. Recognizing the opportunity to settle the solar system in an environment free from fear and that settlement is inherently a civilian activity, that we commit ourselves to finding ways of shifting our technological focus to predominantly civilian priorities. An interagency council with a primarily civilian composition may be appropriate to coordinate this aspect of our settlement program.
9. That, consistent with our own nation's historical concern with human dignity and liberty, of guaranteeing basic human civil rights, we recognize the necessity which might otherwise be compromised in the potentially harsh and vulnerable environment of space and planetary habitats;
l0. That we explicitly encourage the inhabitants of these settlements to evolve their own social order requirements, recognizing that we on Earth are not likely to be able to accurately predict what will ultimately be suitable for the space environment, and that it would be inappropriate to impose artificially an Earth-derived values system. We should actively document and study such evolution.
11. That we commit a significant present level of economic and intellectual resources to study the biological and social effects of what we can predict will be the social and physical privations of the space environment, including, for instance, low-gravity, social isolation, and cramped habitats.
We have tried to list some areas of immediate concern. Each represents a major problem area for which we believe a significant present effort is appropriate, so that the policy choice implied may be informed and so that impediments to the speedy success of our initial space enterprise--lunar and planetary settlement--can best be fostered.
STATEMENT MADE
TO THE NATIONAL COMMISSION ON SPACE
By the Lunar Settlement Working Group
On September 17, 1985
We stand today at the threshold of a strategic departure in the history and evolution of human culture--the opportunity to begin the human settlement of space, the Moon, and the planets; the beginning of a new direction and a new vision for humankind.
This is a critical juncture--a fundamental departure--because as a species we cannot stand still--we cannot mark time. If we fail to seize this opportunity--the challenge--to expand human options, then we abdicate elemental responsibilities. If we do not go forward as a human culture, then we go backward, we regress, we begin or continue a tragic decline.
Moreover, if we here in the United States, with our resources, our energy and our commitment to basic human values, do no seize this opportunity, others in the world will. And the new direction of humanity will be plotted for us, not by us.
With the establishment of agriculture, humanity moved from local to regional communities, and with the age of exploration we moved into the global society. With the space age we are moving into inter-planetary society. By clearly and intentionally committing ourselves and our resources to the development of space for the long term, we can and should return to the Moon to stay. We can and should move on to Mars. We can and should mine the asteroids. We can and should build laboratories and hospitals, cities and civilizations in space.
The quest is: Why should Americans take a leading role? No other nation is so well situated to uncover economic opportunity, encourage the flowering of human diversity, and discover new dimensions of the human spirit. Nevertheless, we cannot succeed in space without considering the well-being of all the world's peoples--today's and tomorrow's. Our responsibility is to better the human condition. Standing for political freedom, technological advances, and entrepreneurial endeavors, the American people have been leaders in the past. The present allows that leadership, and the future demands it. Our potential is positive and without limit; we have an obligation to turn it into reality.
The following are the goals identified by our group:
1. We believe that a central goal of our space activities must be the establishment of permanent planetary settlements, communities of women and men who will ultimately achieve self-sufficiency and control of their own destinies. Achievement of this goal will present an immense challenge and will require the accumulations of considerable experience.
2. As a means of achieving this goal we must determine what resources are available in space for human use, promote the technological means of acquiring these resources, and explore means of directing the benefits of those resources into the terrestrial and interplanetary economy.
3. One indication of the maturity of space development will be the emergence of lively commercial activities. During early phases commerce could be encouraged by reliance on the private sector for the supply of goods and services, but we should encourage enterprises which arise independently of public needs.
4. Although we believe that the United States is especially qualified by tradition and interest to provide the human resources and leadership required for space settlement, we agree it is of great importance to encourage global participation among those who feel able, as well as the cooperation of all who are interested. None should feel excluded from the possibilities or potential rewards of space settlement and development.
5. A sense of personal involvement among individuals and peoples will be a great asset. Not everyone will have the opportunity or training to be an explorer or early settler. However, we must convey the sense that everyone has at least some chance of being a direct participant, or can identify with those who are.
6. The firm goal of planetary settlement should serve to spur the basic scientific research remaining to be done and give a further push to the relevant technology--much as major scientific efforts of the past have spun off new technologies and a broad range of applications of benefit to people everywhere.
7. The experimental and demanding nature of human settlements in space will require constant monitoring of experience as well as analysis of the social forces in an isolated environment that is without precedent. Progress will depend heavily on learning from this process of feedback.
8. We should acknowledge an obligation to protect the interests of humankind in preserving the environment of the Moon and planets and to consult the global community on the environmental implications of settlement. We urge a preliminary survey of areas and objects that might merit permanent protection as important historic sites or scientific preserves.
9. Present trends in the growth of space activities show more clearly than ever before the need for the value of a strong civilian space program. Inspirational goals for human achievement in space can serve to vitalize the civilian sector of space development. Setting our sights on lunar and planetary settlement can fuel the aspirations and ambitions of American youth, and ensure an essential continuity to national policy in space.
The Commission has indicated that it was particularly interesting in specific recommendation for implementing our goals, especially ones amenable to present implementation. The areas we have identified involve legislative policy choices. Timely attention to three is critical.
We therefore make the following basic recommendations:
1. That we commit ourselves to significant involvement of the private sector in the commercial development and explorations of space resources in a free market environment. To this end, we should consider not only the provision of economic incentives, such as tax incentives and tax-free financing, that will encourage private sector involvement in this high-risk enterprise, but also to involve and coordinate to a greater degree existing private sector groups;
2. That we reevaluate the proper role of large-scale government subsidization of key industries, perhaps based on the Japanese or #SA-Arianspace models;
3. That we seek to utilize new institutional forms which can serve to insulate the long-term commitments necessary to space settlement from the vagaries of political opinion or of economic cycles.
4. That we seek to utilize institutions which emphasize cooperative policy input and implementation from government, academia and the private sector. ("Centers of Excellence")
5. That an expert commission be formed to make recommendations respecting the need for specific legislation to define a comprehensive and streamlined legal regime for the space context. These should include all major areas of law which concern commercial activities and planning, including tort law, insurance law, criminal law, and questions of jurisdiction;
6. That a basic commitment be made to develop inexpensive and plentiful means of transportation, easily accessible, in which the private sector plays an important role;
7. That particular environmental concerns be expressly and explicitly articulated;
8. Recognizing the opportunity to settle the solar system in an environment free from fear and that settlement is inherently a civilian activity, that we commit ourselves to finding ways of shifting our technological focus to predominantly civilian priorities. An interagency council with a primarily civilian composition may be appropriate to coordinate this aspect of our settlement program.
9. That, consistent with our own nation's historical concern with human dignity and liberty, of guaranteeing basic human civil rights, we recognize the necessity which might otherwise be compromised in the potentially harsh and vulnerable environment of space and planetary habitats;
l0. That we explicitly encourage the inhabitants of these settlements to evolve their own social order requirements, recognizing that we on Earth are not likely to be able to accurately predict what will ultimately be suitable for the space environment, and that it would be inappropriate to impose artificially an Earth-derived values system. We should actively document and study such evolution.
11. That we commit a significant present level of economic and intellectual resources to study the biological and social effects of what we can predict will be the social and physical privations of the space environment, including, for instance, low-gravity, social isolation, and cramped habitats.
We have tried to list some areas of immediate concern. Each represents a major problem area for which we believe a significant present effort is appropriate, so that the policy choice implied may be informed and so that impediments to the speedy success of our initial space enterprise--lunar and planetary settlement--can best be fostered.
Essay 45 A Conversation in Nanking
Essay 45
A CONVERSATION IN NANKING
In our first visit to Nanjing China in 1986 we happened by chance to spend an evening with Madam Fang Fei. She was the minister of education for the Nanjing district, and on that occasion she was the only woman we saw that was dressed in a skirt rather than the padded garb that all women wore.
The conversation began with my question, “I apologize for not remembering, but was the sacking of Nanjing in 1936 or 1937?” Madam Fang immediately became very enervated, confirming that it was in 1937, and then started telling me the whole story.
She was in an American mission school, and was 13 years old when the Japanese arrived. I was the same age when that event occurred.
It happened that on the day of the Japanese arrival her school was out, and the girls were in a neighboring village—a common practice. I had read the book “The Rape of Nanking” so I was aware of that awful moment in history, but Madam Fang began to tell me her first hand experience. She said that 70,000 people were slaughtered that first day, and the rapes, tortures and beheadings were really beyond description. On that day she became a guerilla fighter, and never spent two consecutive nights in the same village until 1945. She carried guns, and killed Japanese whenever she had the opportunity.
Her husband was the governor of the Wuxi at the same time she was the minister of education for Nanjing, and how did that come about? He had been on the long march with Chairman Mao, and together they had credentials that were difficult to match.
Madam Fang told me with great glee about her official state visit to Australia. The Minister of Education of Australia was her host. Shortly after they met, he asked her how many students she had in her district. She replied “Twenty five million”. The Australian, living on a continent where the entire population was only twenty million, then told her that perhaps she was confused by the English, and the number was surely different that 25 million. It happened that she was taught American English in her mission school, and she used that as an excuse. But then she said, “What I mean is twenty five followed by six zeros!” The Australian minister was now somewhat better educated!
We continued our conversation for about four hours, and discussed all manner of things. She wanted to hear all kinds of things about America, and of course was intensely interested in Los Alamos.
One of her stories was about the books that her students had in the schools. Traditionally all the school books used in China were required to have so many Chinese characters per page that the students had difficulty in reading them without magnifying glasses. She therefore had made a trip to Beijing and met with the proper authorities—I would have loved to have been there—and the result was that the Nanjing district was the only district that had readable school books. I’ll bet she wore the dress, too.
At the end of the evening, she told me that if there were ever anything whatsoever that she could do for me, all I had to do was to ask. I was very appreciative of the offer.
An American who was with us and who had heard most of the evening’s discussion was tremendously impressed by her words, and asked me what request I might have. I responded to him by saying “I really don’t have anybody that I need to have rubbed out!” This remark was meant to convey my appreciation for her 8 years as a guerilla fighter: a feature of her life that I will never forget.
The time spent with Madam Fang was worth our cost of the entire trip to China
A CONVERSATION IN NANKING
In our first visit to Nanjing China in 1986 we happened by chance to spend an evening with Madam Fang Fei. She was the minister of education for the Nanjing district, and on that occasion she was the only woman we saw that was dressed in a skirt rather than the padded garb that all women wore.
The conversation began with my question, “I apologize for not remembering, but was the sacking of Nanjing in 1936 or 1937?” Madam Fang immediately became very enervated, confirming that it was in 1937, and then started telling me the whole story.
She was in an American mission school, and was 13 years old when the Japanese arrived. I was the same age when that event occurred.
It happened that on the day of the Japanese arrival her school was out, and the girls were in a neighboring village—a common practice. I had read the book “The Rape of Nanking” so I was aware of that awful moment in history, but Madam Fang began to tell me her first hand experience. She said that 70,000 people were slaughtered that first day, and the rapes, tortures and beheadings were really beyond description. On that day she became a guerilla fighter, and never spent two consecutive nights in the same village until 1945. She carried guns, and killed Japanese whenever she had the opportunity.
Her husband was the governor of the Wuxi at the same time she was the minister of education for Nanjing, and how did that come about? He had been on the long march with Chairman Mao, and together they had credentials that were difficult to match.
Madam Fang told me with great glee about her official state visit to Australia. The Minister of Education of Australia was her host. Shortly after they met, he asked her how many students she had in her district. She replied “Twenty five million”. The Australian, living on a continent where the entire population was only twenty million, then told her that perhaps she was confused by the English, and the number was surely different that 25 million. It happened that she was taught American English in her mission school, and she used that as an excuse. But then she said, “What I mean is twenty five followed by six zeros!” The Australian minister was now somewhat better educated!
We continued our conversation for about four hours, and discussed all manner of things. She wanted to hear all kinds of things about America, and of course was intensely interested in Los Alamos.
One of her stories was about the books that her students had in the schools. Traditionally all the school books used in China were required to have so many Chinese characters per page that the students had difficulty in reading them without magnifying glasses. She therefore had made a trip to Beijing and met with the proper authorities—I would have loved to have been there—and the result was that the Nanjing district was the only district that had readable school books. I’ll bet she wore the dress, too.
At the end of the evening, she told me that if there were ever anything whatsoever that she could do for me, all I had to do was to ask. I was very appreciative of the offer.
An American who was with us and who had heard most of the evening’s discussion was tremendously impressed by her words, and asked me what request I might have. I responded to him by saying “I really don’t have anybody that I need to have rubbed out!” This remark was meant to convey my appreciation for her 8 years as a guerilla fighter: a feature of her life that I will never forget.
The time spent with Madam Fang was worth our cost of the entire trip to China
Monday, September 29, 2008
Essay 27 My Conversation with Sergei Khrushchev
Essay 27
MY CONVERSATION WITH SERGEI KHRUSHCHEV
When Stalin died in 1953, Bulganin was chosen to head up the government but it was clear even to young guys in Los Alamos that the Soviets were a mystery, and no one could predict anything. We believed that the contest between our two nations was vital but did not yet realize just how traumatic it would all become. The Soviet’s first nuclear test was an eye opener, for it came much sooner than most people expected.
When Nikita Khrushchev took over there was lots of speculation that a full-blooded peasant might do incredibly impulsive things. There was concern everywhere.
One of the outstanding events that emerged as truth was that Laventry Beria was no longer the head of the MVD (The MVD became the KGB after Beria’s death). Just how did that happen?
As the story goes, Khrushchev and the others realized with perhaps only a few days to go that Beria planned to kill them all and, being a megalomaniac and in complete control of the Soviets’ nuclear stockpile, might be tempted to do all he could to rule the world.
The Russians’ official story is that in a meeting in the Kremlin, with Beria completely in charge of security, each member of the politburo was strip-searched three times before they assembled. Then, they placed Beria under arrest, tried him and found him guilty, and subsequently had him executed in a Kremlin courtyard.
There seemed to be some credibility in the beliefs of some that in truth, Khrushchev and the others first killed Beria with their bare hands, as that was all that was available, and then the guards changed sides. Whatever the facts are, it must have been a truly amazing moment in world history.
When the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas was getting under way, Sergei Khrushchev, Nikita’s son, was invited to participate in the dedication ceremony. His lecture was on the Cuban crisis, and an interesting one it was, too. I waited for the opportunity to meet him, introduced myself as an ex-Los Alamos person, thanked him for his lecture, and then asked him the following question.
“What can you tell me about the relationship of your father and Mr. Beria? I am quite curious about it.”
Mr. Khrushchev did not answer immediately, not understanding my pronunciation of “Beria”. But after some moments of reflection, his answer was mostly like this. Well, Beria and my father were never near each other very much during the war, for my father spent most of his time away from Moscow, though they did meet in Georgia. Ultimately they were together for a long time, and—well, you see—my father—at one time—it is difficult—Beria—my father—“well, it was either one or the other!”
Those last eight words are a quote. I’m quite certain Mr. Khrushchev spoke the truth!
A couple of weeks passed, and one day my phone rang. I had a great difficulty in making out who the caller was, as there was an accent. And a heavy one! The accent was definitely Russian.
“Is this Mr. Khrushchev?” I asked. It was, and we had a delightful discussion.
I’ve been asked “why did Mr. Khrushchev call you?”
Well, Mr. Khrushchev is now a capitalist. And he wanted money. Isn’t that simple?
He wanted speaking engagements.
MY CONVERSATION WITH SERGEI KHRUSHCHEV
When Stalin died in 1953, Bulganin was chosen to head up the government but it was clear even to young guys in Los Alamos that the Soviets were a mystery, and no one could predict anything. We believed that the contest between our two nations was vital but did not yet realize just how traumatic it would all become. The Soviet’s first nuclear test was an eye opener, for it came much sooner than most people expected.
When Nikita Khrushchev took over there was lots of speculation that a full-blooded peasant might do incredibly impulsive things. There was concern everywhere.
One of the outstanding events that emerged as truth was that Laventry Beria was no longer the head of the MVD (The MVD became the KGB after Beria’s death). Just how did that happen?
As the story goes, Khrushchev and the others realized with perhaps only a few days to go that Beria planned to kill them all and, being a megalomaniac and in complete control of the Soviets’ nuclear stockpile, might be tempted to do all he could to rule the world.
The Russians’ official story is that in a meeting in the Kremlin, with Beria completely in charge of security, each member of the politburo was strip-searched three times before they assembled. Then, they placed Beria under arrest, tried him and found him guilty, and subsequently had him executed in a Kremlin courtyard.
There seemed to be some credibility in the beliefs of some that in truth, Khrushchev and the others first killed Beria with their bare hands, as that was all that was available, and then the guards changed sides. Whatever the facts are, it must have been a truly amazing moment in world history.
When the Atomic Museum in Las Vegas was getting under way, Sergei Khrushchev, Nikita’s son, was invited to participate in the dedication ceremony. His lecture was on the Cuban crisis, and an interesting one it was, too. I waited for the opportunity to meet him, introduced myself as an ex-Los Alamos person, thanked him for his lecture, and then asked him the following question.
“What can you tell me about the relationship of your father and Mr. Beria? I am quite curious about it.”
Mr. Khrushchev did not answer immediately, not understanding my pronunciation of “Beria”. But after some moments of reflection, his answer was mostly like this. Well, Beria and my father were never near each other very much during the war, for my father spent most of his time away from Moscow, though they did meet in Georgia. Ultimately they were together for a long time, and—well, you see—my father—at one time—it is difficult—Beria—my father—“well, it was either one or the other!”
Those last eight words are a quote. I’m quite certain Mr. Khrushchev spoke the truth!
A couple of weeks passed, and one day my phone rang. I had a great difficulty in making out who the caller was, as there was an accent. And a heavy one! The accent was definitely Russian.
“Is this Mr. Khrushchev?” I asked. It was, and we had a delightful discussion.
I’ve been asked “why did Mr. Khrushchev call you?”
Well, Mr. Khrushchev is now a capitalist. And he wanted money. Isn’t that simple?
He wanted speaking engagements.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Essay 36 A Truck for Emmaus High School
Essay 36
A TRUCK FOR EMMAUS HIGH SCHOOL
Sometime in the summer of l977 I received a letter from Billy Kaurtei, the principal of the high school for boys on Koror, in the Palau Islands. Palau is now the independent nation of Balau. These islands are located a few hundred miles north of New Guinea.
Addie Leah and I first met Billy in l970 on the island of Koror. He was then a college student. Subsequently he made his first trip to the US via Guam, and when he first arrived there he thought there had been some mistake, and that he was already in the US! He attended Asbury Seminary, became a minister, and returned to Palau as the principal of the Emmaus High School. He had spent some time with us in Los Alamos, and still called us Mom and Dad.
Billy’s letter explained that the school desperately needed a truck. Clearly, he was expecting me to provide one. The need probably requires a little explanation.
The biggest Island by far in Palau is Babelthaup. It is about 40 miles long. But Koror, an island immediately south of Babelthaup, is where the action is, and evidently always has been. It has the shape of a big X--lots of shoreline, but little land. It served as the headquarters island for the Japanese Navy prior to and during much of WWII, and was of course the objective of the American Navy-Marines during the latter period of that war. The island still serves as the seat of government, commerce, and tourism. For example, there is now a five-star hotel there, built of, by, for, with and about Japanese, with, for, and the object of, YEN. Of course, the island is also the site of the public schools, and of Emmaus High School. The latter was founded by German missionaries prior to WWI, when the Germans pretty much ran that part of the world. They were supplanted by the Japanese after WWI; but the German missionaries came back after l946. The original Missionary group was supported by German Christians in the eastern part of Germany. Most of them fled to the west from the Russians, and eventually many of them found their way to New Jersey. It is there that their missionary efforts are now headquartered. Emmaus’ heritage was, and still is, German. And that is why Emmaus is pronounced E-mouse, not E-may-us!
The two main islands, Babelthaup and Koror, are separated by a narrow part of the sea--waters absolutely filled with many species of marine critters, and swarms with countless numbers of fish. The minds of Kansas fishermen would be boggled at the sight! These waters were traversed by a ferry boat.
There being no place to have a farm on Koror, the school had one on Babelthaup. Getting to and from the farm was a real chore. Up early, off to the dock, a slow ferry that was casually run (and one that cost money besides), followed by the need to hitch-hike some miles to the farm, tend and harvest available produce, then make the long journey back--these duties were good outings for the boys, but was a wildly inefficient way to farm. Also, since all commercial products suffered from the same difficulties because only Babelthaup had room for an airstrip, there was naturally a plan to build a causeway and cantilevered bridge (it was to be the largest cantilevered bridge in the world, so maybe one should not say “naturally”) between the two islands, and across the fabulous waters so filled with fish. When the bridge was completed, and if Emmaus had a truck, then it would be possible to take the boys directly from the school to the farm and back whenever necessary. Farm production would go up, food costs would go down, and efficiency--a German and an American concept--would triumph!
When the letter arrived, we were just preparing (!) to send Chip and Elimelek off to college. I had no money for a truck. I could also guess that it would have to be purchased in Japan, then shipped, and the cost would run about $40,000, even for a pickup. This was an amount that I was not capable of seeing as an incremental cost for the family budget. So my response was made orally. I lifted my eyes heavenward, and said “Lord, you will just have to find some other sucker to get a truck for Billy. I can’t afford it, nor do I know anybody who can. So, I’m putting this out of my mind!” And I did.
In early February, l978, I was on Johnston Island, located about 750 miles west-southwest of Honolulu, serving in the capacity of the Scientific Advisor for Safeguard C. I had started wearing this hat in 1970, first for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), then the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), and subsequently the Department of Energy (DoE). I believe it was still the ERDA in l978. Safeguard C was a promise of the Executive branch of government to the Congress that we could return, promptly, to nuclear testing if the Limited Test Ban Treaty should ever go sour. I made frequent trips to the island, a principal part of our program, constantly struggling to see if this promise could be kept.
On this particular occasion, I was about to leave the ERDA cottage (swank accommodation for that environment and those times) when Bill Stanley, the ERDA representative on the island, said “Brownlee, you have done so much for us, is there anything we can do for you?” “No”, I said, “I don’t know how you could do anything for me. But thanks, anyway!” Then Bill repeated the offer, amplifying a bit as to why he felt indebted. Again, I had no request to make, and thanked him. A bit later, we rose to catch the Military Air Command flight that was to return to Honolulu in a few minutes. Bill made the offer again, this time in the “if ever you--” mode. At that moment, and to my own surprise, a thought flashed to mind. “As a matter of fact, I need two trucks!” “What for?” asks Bill. “For Palau”, came the reply. It had instantly come to me that I should ask for two trucks, and that such a request was easily justified. If there were two identical trucks, one could be pillaged to keep the other one running. Any observer in the entire Pacific knew that one of anything was always waiting for a part before it could be used! Two identical trucks might have been a magnificent idea, and the only proper one, but even so it was an outrageous request.
A quick explanation to Bill, and he understood the problem perfectly. He promised to see what he could do. Without any real thought, I committed myself to supply the shipping costs for trucks from Hawaii to Palau. Really, I would probably only need the money for just one truck, that being most likely. But Bill said he would see if he could get two surplus trucks from the military somewhere. This too was a great idea.
A couple of weeks later, Bill called me in Los Alamos, saying that he had found two surplus trucks, but they were piles of junk, and of little worth. My reply I recall precisely. “Whatever would we do with two worthless trucks?” They could never be made to run in Palau. Bill agreed, said he would keep trying. Since this was really the only expected result, I dismissed the whole matter one more time.
Again, some weeks pass. Then wonder of wonders, Bill reports that he has found a couple of identical and very good trucks, with brand new tires, excellent mileage, etc, etc. They can be shipped immediately! He does not yet know, however, what the shipping costs might be. I told him that I would start raising money.
The costs were going to be these:
1. Stevedore costs for loading the trucks onto a ship in Honolulu. Expensive, no doubt.
2. Transportation from Honolulu to Guam. Also expensive.
3. Off-loading the trucks in Guam. Unknown Cost.
4 Perhaps, storage costs in Guam. Unknown Cost.
5. Stevedore costs for reloading trucks. Probably costly.
6. Transportation to Palau. Probably costly.
7. Off -loading costs in Palau. Probably Inexpensive.
When I first realized that there might actually be trucks, I immediately embarked on a many-faceted money raising scheme. I went to the church mission board, and asked them to intercept and/or divert whatever contributions might be ethical to a “truck fund” for Emmaus. (Since I had previously made a couple of pitches for the school, and some money occasionally arrived, this seemed to be another good idea. I made known to friends at work that I was going to need money. When they asked how much, I didn’t know, but promised to keep them informed. For a few people, I merely said “I have you down for $100!” They said “OK”. One of my friends had probably never given a dime to anybody in his life, but I hit him up anyway, making a plea that was so emotionally moving that even an old Scottish Presbyterian would cough up something. He gave me $5.00. I noted that thereafter he took a personal interest in the cause, and, being a good administrator, asked repeatedly for progress reports. Truly, where your money goes, there will your heart go also.
Meanwhile, Bill calls. He has arranged to have the Army keep title to the trucks so they can be returned if anything falls through. And now, he has learned that there is a government ship that sails on occasions from Honolulu to Guam, and if they would happen to have any deck space, they would be willing to take trucks that belonged to the Army to Guam for free!! Should he go ahead and ship the trucks commercially, or should he wait to see if there was any deck space! “Wait!” I cry!
The loading costs must still be found. I called a friend who was the president of an old AEC contractor company. He had work, and people, and offices in Honolulu. Could his company pick up the stevedore costs in the Honolulu port? He groaned, and said Yes. Cost 1 is OK. If there is deck space, so is cost 2. And there was!!
For the first time since the original letter, I communicate with Billy. I am expecting to send two trucks to him, and I need to know his costs when they arrive in Palau. As I noted above, this cost was expected to be the least of any so I was relatively relaxed about it. A few days later I got a phone call from a friend of Billy’s in Guam who said that Billy had told him to call me and have me send him $1400. I thought that was a bit high, but I made the rounds, called in money as promised, counted the take, and had as I recall $1420. So I send $1400 to Billy, sighing about how much more was going to have to be found, from where I knew not. But anyway, Cost 7 was covered.
Funny thing happened on the way to Guam! The instructions, ownership papers, etc., had been attached TO the trucks. The ship encountered several big storms, and the papers had all washed away! When the ship arrived in Guam, nobody knew quite who they belonged to, or what should happen next. There being nobody to bill for costs, the trucks were off-loaded to the dock, where they sat, and the ship sailed away. So much for costs 3 and 4.
Now Billy had heard that the trucks were coming, and he had $1400, but he had heard nothing else. (Neither had I!) It is at this moment that he receives a letter from the High Commissioner of the Trust Territories. The HC wants him to attend a meeting in Saipan, and encloses an air ticket. Of course it is not possible to fly directly from Palau to Saipan. It is necessary to spend the night in Guam. Billy arrives there, is met by a friend with a car. They drive to the docks, and there sit two trucks. Whose are they? Nobody knows. Billie claims them. Then he goes to the US Coast Guard Station, and asks to see the Admiral. He does this because the Coast Guard has a LORAN station in Palau, manned by the Coast Guard, and there are sailor types there. They have adopted the boys at Emmaus for ball games, and baseball caps, etc., and the Admiral is proud of the whole works, and on one occasion has told Billy that if there is ever anything he can do for them, to let him know. So, now, Billy does!
The tag end of this story is easy to see. The Coast Guard loads the trucks on their ship, sail to Koror, and off-load them there. (Costs 5 and 6 AND 7) Billy now has $1400 in cash!
Guess what! The trucks arrive just a few days before the bridge opens! That event was to have happened long before, and of course it had been unavoidably delayed. When the bridge did open, there was a huge formal ceremony, with a line of cars filled with officials and dignitaries waiting to cross. When the ribbon was cut, the entire population surged onto the bridge to fish. There was no vehicular traffic for hours.
Billy had had the boys praying for a truck more than a year. The general community became aware of these prayers, and the kids from the public high school were making fun of the Emmaus boys. Obviously, anything that had not happened in a year would never happen. Then TWO trucks, big Army ones at that, arrived on a Coast Guard Ship! The reputation for prayer was secure. The status of the boys had been dramatically enhanced!
Believers, rejoice!!
Non-believers, we welcome your silence!
Postscript: When the trucks arrived only one of them had a carburetor. Somewhere along the way, someone was amazed to see just what he needed. So his prayers were also answered.
Another postscript. Sometime around 1996 or so the cantilevered bridge was inspected, given a clean bill of health, and shortly thereafter it fell into the ocean. The entire economy of the nation was destroyed. Ultimately the bridge was replaced, but Japan footed the bill. This happened because it had something to do with all those fish! On our trip to Palau in 2000, one truck was still doing yeoman (so to speak) service, just the plan we had in mind.
Now for the required commercial message; I write this story as a confession that when I gave the Lord my original quick response, I had not been very receptive to the message. While I had instantly felt that the burden had been laid on me, and that I did not deserve it, I had failed, as usual, to remember that I am never asked to do everything, only what I can. If I do my part, others will do theirs. I am embarrassed to admit that I have to relearn this lesson repeatedly.
A TRUCK FOR EMMAUS HIGH SCHOOL
Sometime in the summer of l977 I received a letter from Billy Kaurtei, the principal of the high school for boys on Koror, in the Palau Islands. Palau is now the independent nation of Balau. These islands are located a few hundred miles north of New Guinea.
Addie Leah and I first met Billy in l970 on the island of Koror. He was then a college student. Subsequently he made his first trip to the US via Guam, and when he first arrived there he thought there had been some mistake, and that he was already in the US! He attended Asbury Seminary, became a minister, and returned to Palau as the principal of the Emmaus High School. He had spent some time with us in Los Alamos, and still called us Mom and Dad.
Billy’s letter explained that the school desperately needed a truck. Clearly, he was expecting me to provide one. The need probably requires a little explanation.
The biggest Island by far in Palau is Babelthaup. It is about 40 miles long. But Koror, an island immediately south of Babelthaup, is where the action is, and evidently always has been. It has the shape of a big X--lots of shoreline, but little land. It served as the headquarters island for the Japanese Navy prior to and during much of WWII, and was of course the objective of the American Navy-Marines during the latter period of that war. The island still serves as the seat of government, commerce, and tourism. For example, there is now a five-star hotel there, built of, by, for, with and about Japanese, with, for, and the object of, YEN. Of course, the island is also the site of the public schools, and of Emmaus High School. The latter was founded by German missionaries prior to WWI, when the Germans pretty much ran that part of the world. They were supplanted by the Japanese after WWI; but the German missionaries came back after l946. The original Missionary group was supported by German Christians in the eastern part of Germany. Most of them fled to the west from the Russians, and eventually many of them found their way to New Jersey. It is there that their missionary efforts are now headquartered. Emmaus’ heritage was, and still is, German. And that is why Emmaus is pronounced E-mouse, not E-may-us!
The two main islands, Babelthaup and Koror, are separated by a narrow part of the sea--waters absolutely filled with many species of marine critters, and swarms with countless numbers of fish. The minds of Kansas fishermen would be boggled at the sight! These waters were traversed by a ferry boat.
There being no place to have a farm on Koror, the school had one on Babelthaup. Getting to and from the farm was a real chore. Up early, off to the dock, a slow ferry that was casually run (and one that cost money besides), followed by the need to hitch-hike some miles to the farm, tend and harvest available produce, then make the long journey back--these duties were good outings for the boys, but was a wildly inefficient way to farm. Also, since all commercial products suffered from the same difficulties because only Babelthaup had room for an airstrip, there was naturally a plan to build a causeway and cantilevered bridge (it was to be the largest cantilevered bridge in the world, so maybe one should not say “naturally”) between the two islands, and across the fabulous waters so filled with fish. When the bridge was completed, and if Emmaus had a truck, then it would be possible to take the boys directly from the school to the farm and back whenever necessary. Farm production would go up, food costs would go down, and efficiency--a German and an American concept--would triumph!
When the letter arrived, we were just preparing (!) to send Chip and Elimelek off to college. I had no money for a truck. I could also guess that it would have to be purchased in Japan, then shipped, and the cost would run about $40,000, even for a pickup. This was an amount that I was not capable of seeing as an incremental cost for the family budget. So my response was made orally. I lifted my eyes heavenward, and said “Lord, you will just have to find some other sucker to get a truck for Billy. I can’t afford it, nor do I know anybody who can. So, I’m putting this out of my mind!” And I did.
In early February, l978, I was on Johnston Island, located about 750 miles west-southwest of Honolulu, serving in the capacity of the Scientific Advisor for Safeguard C. I had started wearing this hat in 1970, first for the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), then the Energy Research and Development Administration (ERDA), and subsequently the Department of Energy (DoE). I believe it was still the ERDA in l978. Safeguard C was a promise of the Executive branch of government to the Congress that we could return, promptly, to nuclear testing if the Limited Test Ban Treaty should ever go sour. I made frequent trips to the island, a principal part of our program, constantly struggling to see if this promise could be kept.
On this particular occasion, I was about to leave the ERDA cottage (swank accommodation for that environment and those times) when Bill Stanley, the ERDA representative on the island, said “Brownlee, you have done so much for us, is there anything we can do for you?” “No”, I said, “I don’t know how you could do anything for me. But thanks, anyway!” Then Bill repeated the offer, amplifying a bit as to why he felt indebted. Again, I had no request to make, and thanked him. A bit later, we rose to catch the Military Air Command flight that was to return to Honolulu in a few minutes. Bill made the offer again, this time in the “if ever you--” mode. At that moment, and to my own surprise, a thought flashed to mind. “As a matter of fact, I need two trucks!” “What for?” asks Bill. “For Palau”, came the reply. It had instantly come to me that I should ask for two trucks, and that such a request was easily justified. If there were two identical trucks, one could be pillaged to keep the other one running. Any observer in the entire Pacific knew that one of anything was always waiting for a part before it could be used! Two identical trucks might have been a magnificent idea, and the only proper one, but even so it was an outrageous request.
A quick explanation to Bill, and he understood the problem perfectly. He promised to see what he could do. Without any real thought, I committed myself to supply the shipping costs for trucks from Hawaii to Palau. Really, I would probably only need the money for just one truck, that being most likely. But Bill said he would see if he could get two surplus trucks from the military somewhere. This too was a great idea.
A couple of weeks later, Bill called me in Los Alamos, saying that he had found two surplus trucks, but they were piles of junk, and of little worth. My reply I recall precisely. “Whatever would we do with two worthless trucks?” They could never be made to run in Palau. Bill agreed, said he would keep trying. Since this was really the only expected result, I dismissed the whole matter one more time.
Again, some weeks pass. Then wonder of wonders, Bill reports that he has found a couple of identical and very good trucks, with brand new tires, excellent mileage, etc, etc. They can be shipped immediately! He does not yet know, however, what the shipping costs might be. I told him that I would start raising money.
The costs were going to be these:
1. Stevedore costs for loading the trucks onto a ship in Honolulu. Expensive, no doubt.
2. Transportation from Honolulu to Guam. Also expensive.
3. Off-loading the trucks in Guam. Unknown Cost.
4 Perhaps, storage costs in Guam. Unknown Cost.
5. Stevedore costs for reloading trucks. Probably costly.
6. Transportation to Palau. Probably costly.
7. Off -loading costs in Palau. Probably Inexpensive.
When I first realized that there might actually be trucks, I immediately embarked on a many-faceted money raising scheme. I went to the church mission board, and asked them to intercept and/or divert whatever contributions might be ethical to a “truck fund” for Emmaus. (Since I had previously made a couple of pitches for the school, and some money occasionally arrived, this seemed to be another good idea. I made known to friends at work that I was going to need money. When they asked how much, I didn’t know, but promised to keep them informed. For a few people, I merely said “I have you down for $100!” They said “OK”. One of my friends had probably never given a dime to anybody in his life, but I hit him up anyway, making a plea that was so emotionally moving that even an old Scottish Presbyterian would cough up something. He gave me $5.00. I noted that thereafter he took a personal interest in the cause, and, being a good administrator, asked repeatedly for progress reports. Truly, where your money goes, there will your heart go also.
Meanwhile, Bill calls. He has arranged to have the Army keep title to the trucks so they can be returned if anything falls through. And now, he has learned that there is a government ship that sails on occasions from Honolulu to Guam, and if they would happen to have any deck space, they would be willing to take trucks that belonged to the Army to Guam for free!! Should he go ahead and ship the trucks commercially, or should he wait to see if there was any deck space! “Wait!” I cry!
The loading costs must still be found. I called a friend who was the president of an old AEC contractor company. He had work, and people, and offices in Honolulu. Could his company pick up the stevedore costs in the Honolulu port? He groaned, and said Yes. Cost 1 is OK. If there is deck space, so is cost 2. And there was!!
For the first time since the original letter, I communicate with Billy. I am expecting to send two trucks to him, and I need to know his costs when they arrive in Palau. As I noted above, this cost was expected to be the least of any so I was relatively relaxed about it. A few days later I got a phone call from a friend of Billy’s in Guam who said that Billy had told him to call me and have me send him $1400. I thought that was a bit high, but I made the rounds, called in money as promised, counted the take, and had as I recall $1420. So I send $1400 to Billy, sighing about how much more was going to have to be found, from where I knew not. But anyway, Cost 7 was covered.
Funny thing happened on the way to Guam! The instructions, ownership papers, etc., had been attached TO the trucks. The ship encountered several big storms, and the papers had all washed away! When the ship arrived in Guam, nobody knew quite who they belonged to, or what should happen next. There being nobody to bill for costs, the trucks were off-loaded to the dock, where they sat, and the ship sailed away. So much for costs 3 and 4.
Now Billy had heard that the trucks were coming, and he had $1400, but he had heard nothing else. (Neither had I!) It is at this moment that he receives a letter from the High Commissioner of the Trust Territories. The HC wants him to attend a meeting in Saipan, and encloses an air ticket. Of course it is not possible to fly directly from Palau to Saipan. It is necessary to spend the night in Guam. Billy arrives there, is met by a friend with a car. They drive to the docks, and there sit two trucks. Whose are they? Nobody knows. Billie claims them. Then he goes to the US Coast Guard Station, and asks to see the Admiral. He does this because the Coast Guard has a LORAN station in Palau, manned by the Coast Guard, and there are sailor types there. They have adopted the boys at Emmaus for ball games, and baseball caps, etc., and the Admiral is proud of the whole works, and on one occasion has told Billy that if there is ever anything he can do for them, to let him know. So, now, Billy does!
The tag end of this story is easy to see. The Coast Guard loads the trucks on their ship, sail to Koror, and off-load them there. (Costs 5 and 6 AND 7) Billy now has $1400 in cash!
Guess what! The trucks arrive just a few days before the bridge opens! That event was to have happened long before, and of course it had been unavoidably delayed. When the bridge did open, there was a huge formal ceremony, with a line of cars filled with officials and dignitaries waiting to cross. When the ribbon was cut, the entire population surged onto the bridge to fish. There was no vehicular traffic for hours.
Billy had had the boys praying for a truck more than a year. The general community became aware of these prayers, and the kids from the public high school were making fun of the Emmaus boys. Obviously, anything that had not happened in a year would never happen. Then TWO trucks, big Army ones at that, arrived on a Coast Guard Ship! The reputation for prayer was secure. The status of the boys had been dramatically enhanced!
Believers, rejoice!!
Non-believers, we welcome your silence!
Postscript: When the trucks arrived only one of them had a carburetor. Somewhere along the way, someone was amazed to see just what he needed. So his prayers were also answered.
Another postscript. Sometime around 1996 or so the cantilevered bridge was inspected, given a clean bill of health, and shortly thereafter it fell into the ocean. The entire economy of the nation was destroyed. Ultimately the bridge was replaced, but Japan footed the bill. This happened because it had something to do with all those fish! On our trip to Palau in 2000, one truck was still doing yeoman (so to speak) service, just the plan we had in mind.
Now for the required commercial message; I write this story as a confession that when I gave the Lord my original quick response, I had not been very receptive to the message. While I had instantly felt that the burden had been laid on me, and that I did not deserve it, I had failed, as usual, to remember that I am never asked to do everything, only what I can. If I do my part, others will do theirs. I am embarrassed to admit that I have to relearn this lesson repeatedly.
Essay 37 Our Love Affair With The Marshallese
Essay 37 OUR LOVE AFFAIR WITH THE MARSHALLESE
I first saw the Marshall Islands in the summer of 1945 on my way to the Marianas. We landed in Kwajalein to refuel, but spent a couple of days there for reasons that I cannot recall.
From Kwajalein we flew past Enewetak to Guam, then on the Tinian. I did see some Chamorro people on Guam, but on Tinian we only saw prisoners of war—a few Japanese and quite a few Koreans. I do not remember very much distinction being made between the latter groups, and I had to learn in time that the Koreans and Japanese were mortal enemies. The Koreans we found on Tinian had in effect been slaves of the Japanese. In truth, there were very few Japanese, as they had mostly killed themselves rather than surrender.
After the war’s end, we still flew regularly, and I was fortunate to visit Guam on a number of occasions, to visit Truk and Ponape, and to see a good many Pacific islands from the air. Their beauty was very striking, and I vowed to bring Addie Leah to that part of the world as soon as I could.
After the war the entire Pacific Basin was under the control of the United States Navy. For example, a Navy plane flew to Ponape at regular intervals with a medical doctor aboard who treated patients after setting up an office under one of the palm trees.
The Navy doctor wanted to have an office with some shelter, and also a place where patients could be examined with some privacy. So the request was made to purchase some land where a small facility could be build. The offer included a survey that would enable deeds to be made, questions of ownership solved, and order would prevail. Explanations of each facet of the proposal were made. The Navy asked how soon they could do this. The Ponapeans deliberated for some time, and finally returned with their answer. It would take a hundred years. It was of course news to the Americans, for they did not know that whereas the land was owned by someone, the coconut trees were owned by someone else. For someone to have full and complete ownership in the manner described to them in the American concept of a deed, one would have to wait until the palm tree died, one hundred years being their anticipated lifetime.
Now, here’s a pretty mess. What we want is to be fair in the simplest way. We are just trying to helpful here. Anybody should be able to see that! How do we continue the discussion? This is but a tiny illustration of the inevitable complications when we try to interact with Pacific Islanders.
Herein lies the first lesson; our culture is not their culture, and whatever we propose, it will take a lot more time to accomplish than we can imagine. And Americans are not patient.
The Navy’s control over this area of the world ended in 1951 when the Trust Territory was established by the United Nations.
Continental Airlines began regular service to “Micronesia” in February of 1971. I fulfilled my vow to take Addie Leah to that great part of the world, the two of us arriving in June. The air route was established for the Department of the Interior who administered the Trust Territory and the air passengers were almost entirely government employees. So it happened that we were the first genuine tourists on Ponape and Truk. One lady took her entire staff aside and pointing to us, said, “See? I told you that real tourists would arrive!” This is an honor lost in history but we remember it well.
We also visited Yap and Palau, and it was in Palau that circumstances led us ultimately to have a Marshallese family of our own.
It was a Sunday, and we found a church on Koror, the principal island in Palau, a country now called Balau. It was a mission church founded by a group of German Christians when Germany controlled that part of the world prior to World War I. The area was controlled by Japan after that time until we arrived during World War II. After church we met the pastor, who invited us to his home, being doubtless quite curious about his Sunday morning visitors. We immediately heard a fascinating history. The pastor was Herbert Lang, and his father was an SS trooper who was executed by freedom fighters in German occupied territory before the war’s end. Herb’s pregnant mother and two children (Herb was the oldest) made their way afoot to East Germany, and to avoid the Russians made their way from there to West Germany soon after the war ended. The original church was the Liebenzell Church, and they had had a mission effort in several parts of the world including Palau. Their church was reestablished in New Jersey after the war, from where they still function. Herb was supported by the New Jersey office and received a very small sum each month to operate a high school for boys, named Emmaus School. The boys came from a good many parts of the Pacific area, including the Marshall Islands. We heard of the many good things that the school was accomplishing, and were especially touched by the great need for help. We resolved to send Herb some money each month recognizing that a sum not so very considerable to us could make a huge difference in Herb’s budget.
We also heard about the girls’ school that was on the island of Bablethaup, and how marginal they were.
One of the great problems was that whenever a young man would happen to make it to the US, the cultural shock was such that he tended to isolate himself from everyone, pine for home, and fail in assimilating any valuable part of American culture. Herb mentioned there was need was for a boy to live in an American home for some time before college was attempted.
From our trip to Palau grew a plan, and it unfolded like this. The following year, 1972, our son Chip, just thirteen, went to Palau to go to school for one semester. This was a tremendous learning experience for him, but when he brought Elimelek home with him, it was a learning experience for all of us. Our lives were changed forever.
Elimelek joins the family
Elimelek was Marshallese, his father’s original birthplace being Likiep Atoll. During the war his father was a scout for the Japanese Army in Kwajalein Atoll, and was living on the island of Roi or Namur at the northern part of the atoll. During the invasion by the American Army of those two islands, he decided that the Americans were going to win, and awaited his chance to surrender at a moment when he thought he might not be shot. That worked out fine, and within a few days he became a scout for the American Army. Thus began a long tie of Elimelek’s family with Americans and it lasts until the present moment.
The boys left Palau, and then flew to Guam, Truk, Ponape, Kwajalein, Majuro, Johnston Island, and Honolulu. Concerned that we might lose track of them somewhere along the way, I had friends check on their arrival and departure at each of their stops. As soon as they left one spot I had a message to that effect, usually by telephone. A long time friend, the manager of Honolulu’s AEC office, Bill Hills, met the boys in Honolulu and put them up at a high-rise hotel. They stayed up all night watching television! Oh the joys of being in America!
Elimelek lived with us for almost seven years, graduating from high school in Los Alamos and then going to Sterling College with Chip. He returned to the Marshall Islands in 1977, and lives on Ebeye, an island in the Kwajalein atoll.
The story has not yet stopped, for two of Elimelek’s daughters spent a school year with daughter Nancy and John Bonnema in 2005.
Suffice it to say that we now have Marshallese great-grand children!
I first saw the Marshall Islands in the summer of 1945 on my way to the Marianas. We landed in Kwajalein to refuel, but spent a couple of days there for reasons that I cannot recall.
From Kwajalein we flew past Enewetak to Guam, then on the Tinian. I did see some Chamorro people on Guam, but on Tinian we only saw prisoners of war—a few Japanese and quite a few Koreans. I do not remember very much distinction being made between the latter groups, and I had to learn in time that the Koreans and Japanese were mortal enemies. The Koreans we found on Tinian had in effect been slaves of the Japanese. In truth, there were very few Japanese, as they had mostly killed themselves rather than surrender.
After the war’s end, we still flew regularly, and I was fortunate to visit Guam on a number of occasions, to visit Truk and Ponape, and to see a good many Pacific islands from the air. Their beauty was very striking, and I vowed to bring Addie Leah to that part of the world as soon as I could.
After the war the entire Pacific Basin was under the control of the United States Navy. For example, a Navy plane flew to Ponape at regular intervals with a medical doctor aboard who treated patients after setting up an office under one of the palm trees.
The Navy doctor wanted to have an office with some shelter, and also a place where patients could be examined with some privacy. So the request was made to purchase some land where a small facility could be build. The offer included a survey that would enable deeds to be made, questions of ownership solved, and order would prevail. Explanations of each facet of the proposal were made. The Navy asked how soon they could do this. The Ponapeans deliberated for some time, and finally returned with their answer. It would take a hundred years. It was of course news to the Americans, for they did not know that whereas the land was owned by someone, the coconut trees were owned by someone else. For someone to have full and complete ownership in the manner described to them in the American concept of a deed, one would have to wait until the palm tree died, one hundred years being their anticipated lifetime.
Now, here’s a pretty mess. What we want is to be fair in the simplest way. We are just trying to helpful here. Anybody should be able to see that! How do we continue the discussion? This is but a tiny illustration of the inevitable complications when we try to interact with Pacific Islanders.
Herein lies the first lesson; our culture is not their culture, and whatever we propose, it will take a lot more time to accomplish than we can imagine. And Americans are not patient.
The Navy’s control over this area of the world ended in 1951 when the Trust Territory was established by the United Nations.
Continental Airlines began regular service to “Micronesia” in February of 1971. I fulfilled my vow to take Addie Leah to that great part of the world, the two of us arriving in June. The air route was established for the Department of the Interior who administered the Trust Territory and the air passengers were almost entirely government employees. So it happened that we were the first genuine tourists on Ponape and Truk. One lady took her entire staff aside and pointing to us, said, “See? I told you that real tourists would arrive!” This is an honor lost in history but we remember it well.
We also visited Yap and Palau, and it was in Palau that circumstances led us ultimately to have a Marshallese family of our own.
It was a Sunday, and we found a church on Koror, the principal island in Palau, a country now called Balau. It was a mission church founded by a group of German Christians when Germany controlled that part of the world prior to World War I. The area was controlled by Japan after that time until we arrived during World War II. After church we met the pastor, who invited us to his home, being doubtless quite curious about his Sunday morning visitors. We immediately heard a fascinating history. The pastor was Herbert Lang, and his father was an SS trooper who was executed by freedom fighters in German occupied territory before the war’s end. Herb’s pregnant mother and two children (Herb was the oldest) made their way afoot to East Germany, and to avoid the Russians made their way from there to West Germany soon after the war ended. The original church was the Liebenzell Church, and they had had a mission effort in several parts of the world including Palau. Their church was reestablished in New Jersey after the war, from where they still function. Herb was supported by the New Jersey office and received a very small sum each month to operate a high school for boys, named Emmaus School. The boys came from a good many parts of the Pacific area, including the Marshall Islands. We heard of the many good things that the school was accomplishing, and were especially touched by the great need for help. We resolved to send Herb some money each month recognizing that a sum not so very considerable to us could make a huge difference in Herb’s budget.
We also heard about the girls’ school that was on the island of Bablethaup, and how marginal they were.
One of the great problems was that whenever a young man would happen to make it to the US, the cultural shock was such that he tended to isolate himself from everyone, pine for home, and fail in assimilating any valuable part of American culture. Herb mentioned there was need was for a boy to live in an American home for some time before college was attempted.
From our trip to Palau grew a plan, and it unfolded like this. The following year, 1972, our son Chip, just thirteen, went to Palau to go to school for one semester. This was a tremendous learning experience for him, but when he brought Elimelek home with him, it was a learning experience for all of us. Our lives were changed forever.
Elimelek joins the family
Elimelek was Marshallese, his father’s original birthplace being Likiep Atoll. During the war his father was a scout for the Japanese Army in Kwajalein Atoll, and was living on the island of Roi or Namur at the northern part of the atoll. During the invasion by the American Army of those two islands, he decided that the Americans were going to win, and awaited his chance to surrender at a moment when he thought he might not be shot. That worked out fine, and within a few days he became a scout for the American Army. Thus began a long tie of Elimelek’s family with Americans and it lasts until the present moment.
The boys left Palau, and then flew to Guam, Truk, Ponape, Kwajalein, Majuro, Johnston Island, and Honolulu. Concerned that we might lose track of them somewhere along the way, I had friends check on their arrival and departure at each of their stops. As soon as they left one spot I had a message to that effect, usually by telephone. A long time friend, the manager of Honolulu’s AEC office, Bill Hills, met the boys in Honolulu and put them up at a high-rise hotel. They stayed up all night watching television! Oh the joys of being in America!
Elimelek lived with us for almost seven years, graduating from high school in Los Alamos and then going to Sterling College with Chip. He returned to the Marshall Islands in 1977, and lives on Ebeye, an island in the Kwajalein atoll.
The story has not yet stopped, for two of Elimelek’s daughters spent a school year with daughter Nancy and John Bonnema in 2005.
Suffice it to say that we now have Marshallese great-grand children!
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