As we continue down the Road to Tokyo, and through the Philippines gallery, our final stop is the Battle of Manila exhibit, which will detail one the bloodiest urban fighting scenes in the Pacific Theater.
Aided by Filipino guerrillas, the Allied Forces savagely fought the Japanese for control of the capitol. Rather than engage in house-to-house combat, the Allies relied on heavy artillery barrages to defeat the Japanese. This led to the complete destruction of Manila, once called the Pearl of the Orient, and resulted in the loss of more than 100,000 Filipino civilians. The fierce struggle to wrest the city from the Japanese ended with the Allies securing Manila in March 1945.
The defeat in Manila, though catastrophic, brought the Allies one step closer to liberating the Philippines from Japan’s barbarous control. By projecting their power and escalating the level of violence, the Allies were able to push through the islands and continue on their way toward the Japanese mainland.
The Battle of Manila exhibit has been made possible through a generous gift by Madlyn and Paul Hilliard.
Donor Spotlight: Madlyn and Paul Hilliard
Madlyn and Paul Hilliard
For more than a decade, Museum trustee and WWII veteran Paul Hilliard and his wife, Madlyn, have been two of the Museum’s most active advocates and supporters. They have provided transformative support for several Museum initiatives, including the capital expansion, acquisition and restoration of artifacts, collection of oral histories, and education programs.
Paul is a Marine Corps veteran who served as a radioman/gunner in SBD “Dauntless” dive bombers in the Pacific. He turned 17 in June of 1942 and pleaded with his mother to authorize his enlistment in the Marines, finally, in February of 1943, she relented and Paul was shipped to boot camp in San Diego. After more than a year of training in aviation radio, radar and gunnery, he was sent to the Solomons for assignment to an SBD dive bomber squadron.
In the Philippines the SBDs served as “airborne artillery” for General Krueger’s Sixth Army, assigned to dive bomb and strafe targets assigned by the army units attacking the Japanese on the ground. He flew many “Columbus missions,” named this because “we were unaware where we were going when we took off, we didn’t where we were when arrived at the target and when we returned to base we didn’t know where we had been. We did it all at the government’s expense.”
Paul said that when overseas, he knew little about events in the overall war beyond the view from their tent, their short mission briefings, or the unrecognizable sights from the rear seat of a dive bomber. Aside from that, brief summaries were fed to him about once a week in a crudely mimeographed news letter. He states, “we were mostly teenagers and much of our leisure was spent thinking about food, talking about food or complaining about food. The occasional cans of warm beer were a much-appreciated supplement.”
After being discharged, Paul states that he did not discuss the war for 40 years. He states “to those of us who wore a uniform between 1940 and 1946, it seemed as if nearly every man in America had served and so it was so normal, so commonplace, that the subject seldom surfaced.” He stated that with almost 50% of able-bodied men in the United States in uniform, each played an important role in securing freedom. Paul states that he credits “Stephen Ambrose with reviving the discussion and the interest as his books shed light on specific anecdotes, on small-unit-actions, and on the long-lasting impact the War had and was going to have on world history. Once I began to realize that I had been privileged to play a minor role in an enormous event, I became and still am, an assiduous student of WWII. The National WWII Museum has been and is an incredible opportunity to further my interest and to help tell the story of “the war that changed the world.”
The continuous support of Paul and Madlyn attests to their interest in and commitment to telling the story. Madlyn says, “what is so rewarding about [the Museum], is its growth and the enthusiasm of the young visitors, their amazing knowledge of events in the War and their enjoyment of their visit. It’s contagious!!”
Paul says the Museum “tells the story of America at its best and of not only what Americans did during that War to ensure the freedom of millions around the world but to assure later generations that when fascism tackles freedom, freedom is going to come out on top. And whatever we have done or are doing to assist in spreading and trumpeting that message, is done from a sense of gratitude rather than generosity.”
As we continue down the Road to Tokyo, and through the Philippines gallery, we stop next at the From Leyte to Luzon exhibit, which will detail the invasion of Luzon at Lingayen Gulf, an intense battle with many American casualties.
The US Navy prevented Japanese reinforcement in Ormoc Bay at Leyte, and inflicted severe losses on the Japanese forces. The Japanese retaliated with deadly Kamikaze attacks, which then became a frequent threat to US amphibious operations. Adding to the sense of crisis, Americans began to receive field reports that the Japanese were executing Allied prisoners behind enemy lines. The exhibit will discuss some of the successful military operations used to rescue American prisoners being held at Cabanatuan by the US Rangers with the help of Filipino forces.
From Leyte to Luzon will examine the American re-capture of the Philippines in 1944. Allied forces here would endure some of the toughest fighting of the war, and lost close to 14,000 in the the Philippines campaign. Many more would be lost due to tropical diseases.
The Philippines also saw one of the few successful airborne raids in the Pacific when the 11th Airborne dropped in to help liberate over 2,000 civilian and military personnel from the Los Banos prison camp. The Philippines would be officially secured in January 1945.
From Leyte to Luzon has been made possible through a generous gift in honor of Lt. George R. Cannon and his shipmates aboard the USS DuPage.
As we continue down the Road to Tokyo and through the Philippines gallery, we stop next at the exhibit Destroying the Japanese Navy, which will discuss the invasion of Leyte, one of the key turning points in the Pacific war.
Rendering of the Philippines gallery
DESTROYING THE JAPANESE NAVY
General Douglas MacArthur returned in a joint military landing with Filipino forces, landing on Leyte in one of the largest amphibious operations in the Pacific. The Destroying the Japanese Navy exhibit will describe the beginning stages of the American campaign, the major battles that took place, and how the Allies were able to retake the Philippine Islands.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf proved to be a resounding victory for American forces. The battles of Sibuyan Sea, the Surigao Straight, Cape Engano, and Samar proved to be excellent opportunities for the Americans to strike at the Japanese Navy. After the battle at Samar, the capital ships that had escaped the carnage would never leave their ports for the rest of the war, and the Japanese Navy would never again field a comparable fleet. This was also the first time that the Japanese used kamikaze pilots, a terrifying new tactic which indicated a fanatical Japanese will to resist that would increase the costs of victory and lengthen the war. The invasion of Leyte gave the Americans the presence and force they needed to advance through the Philippines, while simultaneously crippling the Japanese Navy once and for all.
The Destroying of the Japanese Navy exhibit has been made possible through a generous gift by Thomas C. Terrell III In Honor of Lt. Col. Thomas C. Terrell WWII AC B-24.
Over the weekend, we were saddened to hear that Calvin Moret, the last surviving Tuskegee Airman pilot in Louisiana, passed away. Just one month ago on August 15, 2015, he celebrated the End of WWII with us at the Museum on his 90th birthday, singing with his barbershop quartet, the Mardi Gras Chorus.
Moret joined the war effort during a time when African Americans had two wars to fight: the war against tyranny abroad and the war for civil rights at home. In 1943, he joined the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first African American military airmen, where he completed his advanced training in P-51 Mustangs and was preparing to ship overseas to the 332nd Fighter Group when Germany surrendered in May 1945.
Calvin has had a strong presence with our institution since before we opened in 2000. He was a regular speaker and veteran representative at lectures, panels and commemorations.
Most recently, we’ve been humbled to have had his involvement in our current special exhibit Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in World War II, which highlights the contributions and obstacles of African Americans like Moret during the war-era. This past July, he provided remarks at the exhibit’s opening where he shared a remarkable recollection on the recognition of African American servicemembers throughout our nation’s history. His Aviator Bag used to carry his parachute from the equipment issue room to his aircraft while training at Tuskegee, Alabama is on view in this exhibit until May 31, 2016.
Calvin served his country, and our Museum, honorably. We are deeply saddened by his passing, but so grateful to have known him.
Calvin Moret's Aviator Bag used to carry his parachute from the equipment issue room to his aircraft while training at Tuskegee, Alabama is on view in The National WWII Museum's special exhibit Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in WWII until May 31, 2016.
Calvin Moret's Aviator Bag used to carry his parachute from the equipment issue room to his aircraft while training at Tuskegee, Alabama is on view in The National WWII Museum's special exhibit Fighting for the Right to Fight: African American Experiences in WWII until May 31, 2016.
Calvin Moret singing a solo with the Mardi Gras Chorus on his 90th birthday for the Museum's End of WWII Ceremony on August 15, 2015. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.
Calvin Moret singing with the Mardi Gras Chorus on his 90th birthday for the Museum's End of WWII Ceremony on August 15, 2015. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.
Calvin Moret standing the presentation of colors with the Mardi Gras Chorus at the Museum's End of WWII Ceremony on August 15, 2015. Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII.
As we continue down the Road to Tokyo and through the Philippines gallery, we first stop at the America Returns exhibit which will detail General Douglas MacArthur’s return to the Philippines with Filipino forces in a joint military landing on Leyte in one of the largest amphibious operations in the Pacific.
“I shall return!” General MacArthur proclaimed after being ordered to leave the Philippines by President Roosevelt in 1942. As loyal Filipinos endured more than two years of brutal Japanese occupation, MacArthur remained fixed on his objective. The general was determined to avenge his defeat, but also argued that the United States had a clear moral obligation to liberate the American commonwealth. He further maintained that recapturing the Philippines would threaten Japan’s lifeline from Southeast Asia, including its vital oil supplies. Finally, the Philippines would provide bases for future operations—with a willing and able Filipino labor force.
The America Returns exhibit within the Philippines gallery has been made possible through a generous gift by Mr. and Mrs. Harry A. Donovan.
Donor Spotlight: Harry and Fran Donovan
Harry Donovan in Uniform
As a member of the VFW, the Homeless Veterans of Akron, and the American Legion Organization in Ohio, Harry Donovan is quite familiar with the importance of supporting Veterans’ causes. It was through one of these organizations that Harry heard of The National WWII Museum. He and his wife, Fran, first visited the Museum in 2009 for the opening of the Solomon Victory Theater. After becoming a Patriot’s Circle member of the Museum in the years following, Harry pledge a major gift in 2014, choosing to sponsor the America Returns exhibit within the new Road to Tokyo galleries.
Harry served in the South Pacific during WWII. He entered into the Navy at age 17, after begging his mother to sign for permission. He went in “without any skills, a junior in high school, gave up [his] education and went overseas, because [his] country needed as many men as they could get” but states that he has “never been sorry” of his decision. For his two years in service, Harry was on a ship that made 7 invasions to a various islands in the Pacific. His main post was as a Higgins Boat driver, delivering men from the main vessel to shore.
Before the captain would order men ashore, Harry was to surround all Ally vessels the night before the attack and set up smoke pots in the water, so that Japanese aircraft could not see the ships below. On one such night, Harry spent hours setting up the smoke decoys and headed back towards the main ship. However, the entire fleet had left the Island, leaving him and two other men behind in their small craft. Harry and the men spent 4 days without food or water offshore of an extremely dangerous Japanese Island, waiting for the return of their fleet. On the fourth day, Harry spotted an LST boat (Landing Ship, Tank) nearby, and went aboard for dinner and a shower. The Captain of the LST boat urged Harry and the men to stay the night on the ship, but Harry did not want to leave his craft alone at night. When Harry and the men returned to the LST boat the next morning for breakfast, a Japanese attack to their ammunition room left 90% of the crew dead, a reminder to Harry that it was prayer and “his God that got [him]through it.”
Harry Donovan
Harry had another close call during his service as well. The vessel he was on was struck by an enemy attack, and the force threw him against the bulkhead of the ship. He awoke in the Sick Bay, and was told that although he was only 17, he would not be able to walk again. After 3 months of boredom in bed, and sheer determination, Harry got up, walked down to the galley kitchen, and made breakfast for the entire crew. Not only was he able to walk, but from then on, he became a Navy cook, a task he said he adored.
Harry states that he “gives half of his income to Veterans” every year. When asked why he supports the National WWII Museum specifically, Harry states that his purpose in life “is to acquaint people with what WWII did for America. It truly made America the nation it is today.” He said that his involvement with the Museum, from getting lunch with President Nick Mueller in Florida, to his hours long oral history recording with Tom Gibbs, to his correspondence with Major Gifts Officer Abbie Sumners, has been incredibly beautiful.
The Museum is fortunate to have the encouragement of Harry and Fran Donovan. We are grateful for their support of our Road to Victory Capital Campaign and the expansion of the Museum campus.
The National WWII Museum is saddened to learn of the passing of another hero, Ben Kuroki, who died at age 98 on September 1, 2015. Over the years, we have been honored to have Mr. Kuroki here for the opening of the Road to Berlin in December 2014 and in our previous special exhibit From Barbed Wire to Battlefields: Japanese American Experiences in WWII.
Comic about Kuroki "Nisei Hero" from the Collection of The National WWII Museum
Kuroki and Curator Kim Guise at The National WWII Museum
Kuroki and Curator Kim Guise listen to and watch Kuroki's storiy in the Dog Tag Experience at The National WWII Museum
Kuroki in front of the Nebraska labelled train car at The National WWII Museum
Kuroki and friend Joe Duran at The National WWII Museum
Kuroki speaking at Heart Mountain War Relocation Center , April 24, 1944. Courtesy National Archives
Nebraska native Ben Kuroki volunteered days after Pearl Harbor, but was rejected by the Army because of ancestry. Months later, he was inducted into the Army Air Corps, slipping through on a technicality. In 1942, Kuroki fought to be sent to Europe as a clerk with the 8th Air Force. There, with a shortage of aerial gunners, Kuroki became part of a crew. He flew 30 combat missions in Europe including raids on the Ploesti oil fields. Upon returning to the US, Kuroki was asked to visit Topaz, Heart Mountain and Minidoka with recruiters trying to solicit Nisei volunteers. Seeing American citizens like him under armed guard was a shock that Kuroki would never get over. After receiving special permission from Secretary of War Henry Stimpson, Kuroki flew 28 missions with the 20th Air Force over Japan. His crew named their B-29 “Sad Saki” in honor of Kuroki, who they termed “Most Honorable Son.”
His quiet determination, courage, and humility are his legacy. Every day at the Museum, Kuroki’s legacy lives on as visitors to the Museum follow his life during World War II in our interactive Dog Tag Experience.
He was an inspiration to all who came in contact with him, and he will be missed.
Ben Kuroki’s oral history interview conducted by Museum Historian Tom Gibbs in 2013 (one of Mr. Kuroki’s last) can be viewed in our Digital Collections.
The National WWII Museum’s Dr. Keith Huxen, Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Director of Research and History, with President Ma Ying-jeou of the Republic of China.
2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the Allied victory over the Axis powers, as well as the 70th anniversary of the end of Sino-Japanese War—a conflict inextricably intertwined with the American experience in World War II. Now that historical records from China are more accessible, 2015 also marks a new era of scholarship on the role of the Chinese in World War II, a subject of particular interest to The National WWII Museum as it prepares to launch its newest permanent exhibitions: Road to Tokyo: Pacific Theater Galleries.
In recognition of this connection and of the Museum’s ongoing work to reflect current and comprehensive scholarship in its exhibits, Keith Huxen, PhD, the Museum’s Samuel Zemurray Stone Senior Director of Research and History, was recently invited to present at a conference in Taipei, Republic of China, honoring these two anniversaries. The conference, War in History and Memory: An International Conference on the 70th Anniversary of China’s Victory against Japan, was hosted by National Palace Museum, Academia Historica, and Taiwanese president Ying-Jeou Ma. Held July 7–9, the event welcomed 300 attendees and 54 presenters from around the world, including Rana Mitter of Oxford University, Guy Alitto of the University of Chicago, Hans van de Ven of Cambridge University, William Kirby of Harvard University, Nell Calloway of the Chennault Aviation and Military Museum, Arnulf Scriba of the German Historical Museum, and Hsiao-Hing Lin of the Hoover Institute, Stanford University.
President Ma himself attended an opening banquet Monday night and gave a Tuesday-morning opening address, singling out Dr. Huxen as a notable presenter. Later that afternoon, Dr. Huxen’s presentation highlighted ways in which the Museum’s content brings history to the fore for popular consumption—taking research beyond the realm of scholarly study to shape how the American public sees the story of the war. Dr. Huxen was also among a select group of presenters invited to an exclusive banquet at the presidential palace, at which President Ma toasted each guest (“Gumbai!”) with a fiery cup of bao tai over a dinner of prawns, fish, and steak—a fitting endnote to an extraordinary event.
As the Museum continues its work to tell the story of the American experience in every theater of World War II and to share that story with the widest possible audience, this new relationship is a welcome sign of the institution’s growing reputation and influence.
NOTE: Valid Louisiana driver’s license required. Limited to four Museum admissions per guest. Other discounts cannot be used in combination with this promotion. Excludes admissions to Beyond All Boundaries and Final Mission.
As we continue down the Road to Tokyo, and through the China-Burman-India gallery,we stop at our final exhibit of the gallery which will detail the role of the United States Armed Air Forces and their critical assistance in securing Allied success in CBI.
Flying Tigers/Air Power
This exhibit portrays the important role of the USAAF in the China-Burma-India campaign. The exhibit will discuss the successes they had against Japanese air attacks early in the war, and how the 10th AF provided critical transport and air support to British, Chinese, and American forces while conducting raids against key Japanese targets in Southeast Asia. This exhibit will also tell the detailed story of the famous P-40 Flying Tigers. Created under authority of the U.S. government, the Flying Tigers were the most successful Allied fighter squadron in the Pacific at the time, flying under contract with the Chinese government and using a warning network and unorthodox combat tactics. Finally, the exhibit will unveil the history of the “Aluminum Trail,” the air route over Himalayas, which acted as the only means to ferry men and supplies into China.
WWII Veteran being greeted by a youth baseball team upon arrival to New Orleans.
On June 24, an honor flight of 50 WWII veterans arrived in New Orleans to a hero’s welcome, kicking off three red carpet days in New Orleans. Along with the trip’s sponsor, Gary Sinise, the veterans were greeted with jazz music, Mardi Gras beads, and throngs of cheering supporters including members of the Armed Forces and youth baseball teams. It was a headline moment in the Soaring Valor initiative, launched earlier this year by the Gary Sinise Foundation and the Museum with American Airlines, and designed to bring veterans—and their stories—to The National WWII Museum.
All 50 veterans now have their wartime stories recorded as part of the Museum’s oral-history collection, which the initiative also supports through sponsorship of an oral-historian post at the Museum as well as funds to send historians to those veterans who cannot travel. This support helps the Museum accelerate its work to collect as many oral histories as possible—a mission that increases in urgency with each passing year. According to Museum president and CEO Gordon H. “Nick” Mueller, PhD, “Every time we lose a veteran, it’s like losing a library. All of those memories and firsthand experiences are gone.”
For Sinise, that mission touches a personal chord: “My uncle Jack was a navigator on a B-17 Flying Fortress, flying 30 missions over Europe. He was a true inspiration in my life. When he passed away last year at the age of 90, it was comforting to know that his story was part of the Museum’s oral-history collection, and that he had the opportunity to visit such a remarkable institution. I think other families deserve that, and through our educational program at the Gary Sinise Foundation, I’m thrilled to help make it happen for some of them.”
This June, Soaring Valor brought that experience to 50 veterans, whose presence honored our campus, and whose visit left a deep impression on all involved. As he departed with tears in his eyes, Cruz Sartuche, a 99-year-old Navy veteran, said, “Never in my life have I experienced such a welcome. This is the welcome I wish I got when I came home. I could pass tomorrow in comfort knowing this Museum is here for all to see.”
