NWSA COMMEMORATIVE WALL PLAQUE PROJECT

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Naval Weather Service Association

NWSA COMMEMORATIVE WALL PLAQUE PROJECT
Plaque on the
U.S. Navy Memorial Commemorative Wall
within the
Naval Heritage Center, Washington DC.

(Left to Right)
Dan Hewins, Don Cruse, RADM Tomaszeski

BACKGROUND

Dedication Day
We are gathered at the Navy Memorial today to dedicate the wall plaque which will help us all remember the weather personnel who have served in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

We know that during World War I United States weather personnel were assigned to the expeditionary forces because we read of their supporting fleet air operations from coastal stations on the coast of France. Some of those people were undoubtedly Navy. But in 1921 the Bureau of Navigation—predecessor to the Bureau of Aeronautics in Washington—established the rating of Aerographer. Next came the school for weather observers on Naval Air Station Pensacola. Marine Corps personnel were included. There were minimum numbers of people assigned to this specialty until naval and Marine aviation advanced far enough to require dedicated weather support.

Early Aerological Officers such as Orville and Reichelderfer were free ballooners and lighter-than-air enthusiasts. Hence, the word Aerology was adopted for Navy use instead of meteorology. A small quota of Aerologists received training at MIT.

Training of Aerographers was moved to NAS Anacostia in 1928 and then to NAS Lakehurst, where it remained until 1977. With the onset of World War II, classes increased in size from a dozen to more than a hundred each quarter. WAVES attended the school. The warrant rank of Aerographer was created, and we became Aerographer’s Mates in 1942. Every aircraft carrier and seaplane tender carried an Aerology Office. Single-man units went aboard all cruisers and battleships. Afloat staffs included an Aerologist and a small number of Aerographer’s Mates. By the end of that conflict there were more than five thousand weather personnel in the Navy and many additional Marine Corps weather personnel scattered around the Pacific Ocean area.

Those are some of the people we are remembering at this ceremony this morning. But there are others.

Following the rapid drawdown of military forces in late 1945 and 1946, Aerology assumed a size more akin to its size today—although today the term Aerology has undergone a series of changes. The Aerology Branch within the Bureau of Aeronautics became the Naval Weather Service. That became the Naval Oceanography Command which is today the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command. Fighting the Cold War generated these and other changes. No doubt tomorrow will bring further change.

We should not forget the broad variety of duties that have been assigned to our Aerographer’s Mates and Aerologists. Before the earth orbiting satellites and the enormous computer capabilities were developed, we obtained weather data the hard way. Duty in Ocean Station vessels steaming in the North Atlantic was one of the most taxing ways to obtain surface and upper air data. These vessels also acted as Birddog Stations, supporting trans-oceanic flights. Aerographer’s Mates and Aerologists flying airborne typhoon and hurricane reconnaissance missions became standard, after the disastrous fleet losses of 1945 and 1946 in the Pacific. The Aleutians in 1944 and 1945 concentrated the worst possible flying weather. Behind the Japanese lines in China were Aerographer’s Mates, acquiring weather data along with U.S. Army weather personnel. Working in conjunction with communications intelligence agencies from 1941 onward were Aerographer’s Mates. Sometimes these were sub-surface duty assignments.

For fifty years or more the Navy Department supported U.S. scientific endeavors on the Antarctic Continent through Operation Deepfreeze. Weather support to those surface and air operations was vital.

Today there are new ways of doing things and new tools at the disposal of our Aerographer’s Mates and Oceanographers. Weather around the world will always affect military operations and that keeps the challenges before us.

We thank the Navy Memorial and its staff for providing us with this means for recognizing those who have gone before us.

DAC
2/05

R E P O R T 4/12/05
By Don CRUSE

MILESTONES

7-10 June 2004 30th Annual NWSA Reunion in Atlantic City NJ.

Membership Meeting.
Following the initiative voiced by Past President AGCM Bob Frazier, members approved the mounting of an appropriate plaque on the U.S. Navy Memorial Commemorative Wall within the Naval Heritage Center, Washington DC. (Note: The same project was previously voted down during NWSA26/Virginia Beach)

Bob Frazer
(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

Members acknowledged that the Navy Memorial Foundation requires a minimum $2,500.00 donation for each commemorative plaque; and they agreed to support it. Potomac Regional Chapter agreed to coordinate the project. Initial donations were made.

18 June
Project Coordinator Don Cruse initiated the project with Navy Memorial staff, provided required kick-off $500.00 deposit (later reimbursed by Project Sponsor Bob Frazier). Potomac Chapter Secretary-Treasurer Pat McLeod set up financial records required to track donated funds. Captain Neil O’Connor of Gulf Coast R/C agreed to design the plaque in coordination with the Navy Memorial’s contractor.

15 August
The project was publicized via The Aerograph and additional membership . contributions were solicited.

20 August
The NWSA plaque went into the Navy Memorial production center.
A tentative March 2005 dedication date was agreed in coordination with the Navy Memorial staff. This agreed with our plan to wrap up the project during NWSA31.

22 October
Transmitted $1,265.00 to Navy Memorial Foundation (2nd installment).
Received confirmation of Friday, 04 March 2005 as dedication date.

15 November
The Aerograph contained project details and again solicited donations.

21 December
Ordered 100 miniature plaques (paperweights) from Newton Mfg. to augment donated project funds.

January 2005
Originated letters containing information on our plaque project with an invitation to attend the 04 March dedication ceremony to:
Oceanographer NAVY and staff
CNMOC and staff
Oceanography Department USNA
NLMOD PAXRIV
NCOIC WSO MCAF Quantico VA
NavSecGruActy Fort Meade MD
NAVICE Suitland MD
Headquarters, U.S. Coast Guard.

9 February
Miniature plaque order received.
PotChap distribution commenced.
Final installment of $735.00 transmitted to Navy Memorial Foundation.

15 February
All hands in NWSA again reminded of the dedication via The Aerograph. Responses received from key personnel of NWSA.
Final dedication details coordinated with Navy Memorial staff.

DEDICATION
On a breezy, 45-degree day our attendees mustered at the Naval Heritage Center near the Archives-Navy Memorial METRO station in Washington DC. Prior to the 1100EST ceremony, there was an opportunity for all hands to wander through the center and look over the many plaques already mounted on the Commemorative Wall.

Dan Hewins
(Click on Picture to Enlarge)

NWSA President Dan Hewins greeted attendees, while showing little of the wear and tear of his long drive south from Augusta, Maine. He brought two neighbors with him—Beverly and her daughter, Paula. Paula acted as their Navigator during the journey. PotChap President Tom Miovas and Mary Ann arrived from Pittsburgh.

Project Sponsor Bob Frazier also greeted our assemblage, having flown to WashDC from his home base in Palm Springs, CA. Paul Haley of the Navy Memorial staff (chief of fund raising) presented us with a mounted replica of our NWSA plaque for exhibit at Branson MO during our 31st annual NWSA reunion in May.

(Left to Right)
Dan Hewins, Don Cruse, RADM Tomaszeski

Attendees proceeded to the IMAX Theater where we were welcomed by RADM E. K. Walker, SC, USN(Ret), Acting President and CEO of the Foundation. A special welcome went to the Oceanographer of the Navy, RADM Steven Tomaszeski USN, and his Executive Assistant, Commander Bill Nisley USN. They were accompanied by two staff members from the Office of the Oceanographer, AGCM Ray Chappell USN and Executive Assistant for External Communications Bob Freeman.

The dedication ceremony began with the Pledge of Allegiance and a short prayer by Project Coordinator Don Cruse. Don also read a list of contributors to our NWSA plaque project and thanked them (listing to be published in The Aerograph). Bob Frazier and Dan Hewins then offered appropriate comments, the NWSA plaque was projected on the screen for all to admire, and with the sounding of TAPS we terminated the ceremony.

From the IMAX Theater our group adjourned to the compartment housing The Commemorative Wall for a photo session. This also provided an excellent opportunity for renewing acquaintances and chatting. Staff members of the Navy Memorial encouraged everyone to add names to The Navy Log, which is their computerized data base of all Sea Service personnel. Log enrollment forms will be made available during NWSA31 Branson, along with purchase orders for mounted replica NWSA wall plaques.

There was adequate time for each attendee to familiarize with the facilities of the Naval Heritage Center, including the gift shop and historical displays.

D. A. CRUSE
Project Coordinator