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Posted on 05/29/2004 12:02:43 AM PDT by snippy_about_it
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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 Washington, D.C. National Mall  The memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S. during World War II, the more than 400,000 who died, and the millions who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people to the common defense of the nation and to the broader causes of peace and freedom from tyranny throughout the world. It will inspire future generations of Americans, deepening their appreciation of what the World War II generation accomplished in securing freedom and democracy. Above all, the memorial stands as an important symbol of American national unity, a timeless reminder of the moral strength and awesome power that can flow when a free people are at once united and bonded together in a common and just cause.  The National World War II Memorial design recognizes that the site itself pays special tribute to America's WWII generation. The memorial design creates a special place within the vast openness of the National Mall to commemorate the sacrifice and celebrate the victory of WWII, yet remains respectful and sensitive to its historic surroundings. The vistas from the Washington Monument to the Lincoln Memorial and the site's park-like setting are preserved, and the double row of elm trees that flank the memorial have been restored. Above all, the design creates a powerful sense of place that is distinct, memorable, evocative and serene.   The memorial plaza and Rainbow Pool are the principal design features of the memorial, unifying all other elements. Two flagpoles flying the American flag frame the ceremonial entrance at 17th Street. The bases of granite and bronze are adorned with the military service seals of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Army Air Forces, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine. Ceremonial steps and ramps lead from 17th Street into the plaza. A series of 24 bronze bas relief panels along the ceremonial entrance balustrades depict America's war years, at home and overseas. Announcements of the memorial are located at the 17th Street ceremonial entrance. Curvilinear ramps at the north and south approaches provide access to the plaza for visitors walking along the existing east-west pathways between the Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument. These ramps provide a gentle entry to the plaza. Granite benches follow the curvilinear rampart walls.  Two 43-foot pavilions serve as markers and entries on the north and south ends of the plaza. Bronze baldacchinos are an integral part of the pavilion design. Four bronze columns support four American eagles that hold a suspended victory laurel to memorialize the victory of the WWII generation. Inlayed on the floor of the pavilions are the WWII victory medal surrounded by the years "1941-1945" and the words "Victory on Land," "Victory at Sea," and "Victory in the Air." These sculptural elements celebrate the victory won in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters.   Fifty-six granite pillars celebrate the unprecedented unity of the nation during WWII. The pillars are connected by a bronze sculpted rope that symbolizes the bonding of the nation. Each state and territory from that period and the District of Columbia are represented by a pillar adorned with oak and wheat bronze wreaths and inscribed with its name. The 17-foot pillars are open in the center for greater transparency, and ample space between each allows viewing into and across the memorial.  Within a commemorative area at the western side of the memorial is recognized the sacrifice of America's WWII generation and the contribution of our allies. A field of 4,000 sculpted gold stars on the Freedom Wall commemorate the more than 400,000 Americans who gave their lives. During WWII, the gold star was the symbol of family sacrifice.  The historic waterworks of the Rainbow Pool are completely restored and contribute to the celebratory nature of the memorial. The design provides seating along the pool circumference for visitors. Semi-circular fountains at the base of the two memorial pavilions and waterfalls flanking the Freedom Wall complement the waterworks in the Rainbow Pool.  Two-thirds of the 7.4-acre memorial site is landscaping and water, allowing the memorial to nestle comfortably within its park-like setting. The ceremonial entrance has three large lawn panels between the monumental steps. The double row of elm trees has been restored to their original splendor, and a replanting plan replaced unhealthy trees. A landscaped contemplative area is located at the northwestern corner of the site. Canopies of flowering trees augment re-seeded lawns.  The memorial is constructed of bronze and granite. Granite was chosen for its aesthetic appeal, superior strength, and durability. Water resistance was another important criterion. The two principal stones selected for the memorial are “Kershaw” for the vertical elements and “Green County” for the main plaza paving stone. “Kershaw” is quarried in South Carolina, while “Green County” is quarried in Georgia. Two green stones – “Rio Verde” and “Moss Green” – were used for accent paving on the plaza. Both are quarried in Brazil. "Academy Black" and "Mount Airy" were used to reconstruct the Rainbow Pool. “Mount Airy,” quarried in North Carolina, is the original coping stone of the Rainbow Pool. To enhance the aesthetic appearance of the water surface of the pool, an apron of “Academy Black,” quarried in California, were used for the vertical interior surfaces.  Length (back of arch to back of arch): 384’ Width (back of basin behind Freedom Wall to bottom of ceremonial entrance): 279’ Plaza: 337’-10” long; 240’-2” wide; 6’ below grade Rainbow Pool: 246’-9” long; 147’-8” wide Ceremonial entrance: 148’-3” wide; 147’-8” long (curb to plaza) 2 Arches: 43’ above grade; 23’ square 56 Pillars: 17’ above grade; 4’4” wide; 3’ deep Freedom Wall: 84’-8” wide; 9’ high from plaza floor; 41’-9” radius      |
But one individual, my father's cousin, deserves special memory today, because if it is indeed a day for heroes, he was one. Here is his story, and all I can say is, Aunt Florence, I wish Richard was still with us, and you too Sweetheart. We love you all, and I don't know why God wanted the ultimate sacrifice from one of your brilliant sons.
"He (Richard Cowan) was a heavy machinegunner in a section attached to Company I in the vicinity of Krinkelter Wald, Belgium, 17 December 1944, when that company was attacked by a numerically superior force of German infantry and tanks. The first 6 waves of hostile infantrymen were repulsed with heavy casualties, but a seventh drive with tanks killed or wounded all but 3 of his section, leaving Pvt. Cowan to man his gun, supported by only 15 to 20 riflemen of Company I. He maintained his position, holding off the Germans until the rest of the shattered force had set up a new line along a firebreak. Then, unaided, he moved his machinegun and ammunition to the second position. At the approach of a Royal Tiger tank, he held his fire until about 80 enemy infantrymen supporting the tank appeared at a distance of about 150 yards. His first burst killed or wounded about half of these infantrymen. His position was rocked by an 88mm. shell when the tank opened fire, but he continued to man his gun, pouring deadly fire into the Germans when they again advanced. He was barely missed by another shell. Fire from three machineguns and innumerable small arms struck all about him; an enemy rocket shook him badly, but did not drive him from his gun. Infiltration by the enemy had by this time made the position untenable, and the order was given to withdraw. Pvt. Cowan was the last man to leave, voluntarily covering the withdrawal of his remaining comrades. His heroic actions were entirely responsible for allowing the remaining men to retire successfully from the scene of their last-ditch stand."
His brother is a famous Physicist at Los Alamos and the other brother was an Army Surgeon during the War, and after.
The Gaffer when he returned to Alaska for a visit. He was treated as a VIP (which of course he was). He was tickled that he got to eat with the officers. :^)
The Gaffer returns to Alaska.
Thank you Regulator for 'falling in' at the Foxhole and sharing your story with us. You must be very proud. We thank your father's cousin for his service.
It was wonderful that at least some of the surviving from the "greatest generation" are still living to see today's ceremony.
The clip has been played on some of the news broadcast. Fox has shown it.
Are you still awake?
Sorry Samwise, all I can get are the dreaded red x. :-(
I can see that there is no extension on your link to the pictures. No .jpg or .gif at the end. You are either copying the wrong URL or most likely not all of it. It needs to end in .jpg or something like that depending on your host. Holler if you need more help.
Thanks for sharing the story about your father's cousin with us. I thank him for his sacrifice and the sacrfices of your family.
I may be wrong but I have an idea. Sam points out that there is a .jpg in the middle of it but even stopping there it still doesn't work. I have a thought. Back when we used to use imagestation for a host if we used the URL on the thumbnail of our pictures we got a URL that didn't work. If we clicked on the thumbnail and copied that URL one the pic was larger, it worked. Just a thought. Also some web host don't let you link. Try fotki, it's free and you can store tons and link to them. Just remember to stop after the .jpg :-)
This from Sig Hecker then LANL Director (1996):
The Inside Story by Sig Hecker
Fred Reines Neutrino Day
Last Friday we celebrated the remarkable discovery of the neutrino by Fred Reines and Clyde Cowan 40 years ago while working for the Laboratory. The neutrino was exceedingly difficult to detect. Since it has little or no mass and no charge, one can only infer its existence through its interactions with matter, such as its reaction with protons to yield a neutron and a positron. However, the mean free path for reactions with hydrogen is approximately 1,000 light years of liquid hydrogen. This led Wolfgang Pauli, who postulated the existence of the neutrino in 1930 to ensure conservation of energy and momentum in nuclear beta decay, to say "I have done a terrible thing. I have postulated a particle that cannot be detected." Hans Bethe later added, "there is no practically possible way of observing the neutrino."
Fred joined the Manhattan Project in 1944 upon completion of his doctorate in physics from New York University. He worked in the Laboratory's Theoretical Division during and after the war, doing a stint as test director in the Pacific as well. In the early 1950s he asked Carson Mark, then T Division leader, for permission to work on the detection of the neutrino. Initially, Fred planned on using an atmospheric nuclear detonation as a neutrino source but decided instead to use reactors.
Fred, Clyde and their team built the sophisticated "Herr Auge" detector (on display in the main lobby of the Administration Building), which was 300 liters of liquid scintillator with 92 photomultiplier tubes surrounded by hundreds of tons of lead shielding. This new type of radiation detector was a spin-off from Wright Langham's work on radioactive tracer experiments to study the metabolism of tritium in the body. The neutrino team first saw a slight excess of neutrinos above background at a Hanford reactor and then confirmed it with an even larger detector at a more powerful Savannah River reactor. The Cowan, Reines, Harrison, Kruse and McGuire paper "Detection of the Free Neutrino: a Confirmation" in the July 1956 issue of Science proved to be the seminal paper that opened up a new field of research.
Fred Reines was here on Friday, accompanied by his wife, Sylvia, and his son, Robert. Betty Cowan Reed, widow of Clyde Cowan, was here with three of her children and many of her extended family members. We paid tribute to both Fred and Clyde. Their photos will join those of other Laboratory luminaries such as J. Robert Oppenheimer, Hans Bethe, Enrico Fermi, Norris Bradbury and Harold Agnew on the walls of the Study Center. A bronze bust of Fred, by artist Garth Tietjen, will join those of Fermi, Bethe, Edward Teller and Willy Zachariasen at the University House. UC President Richard Atkinson approved Fred's recognition as a Laboratory Senior Fellow Emeritus. All of this, of course, is in addition to the 1995 Nobel Prize for physics that Fred shared with Stanford Linear Accelerator Center physicist Martin Perl (for the discovery of the tau lepton).
One of the most impressive parts of last Friday's activities was a review of the progress made in neutrino physics over the past 40 years. The Reines Neutrino Symposium featured several current and former Laboratory researchers describing the Laboratory's contributions to the search for and understanding of neutrinos. Other invited speakers covered the current understanding of neutrinos in the grander scheme of astrophysics and cosmology. Los Alamos research includes theory and a variety of experiments that study neutrinos by tritium beta decay, neutrinos from the sun, and neutrinos produced at the LANSCE accelerator. Our researchers have continued to be at the leading edge of this exciting field of science.
The Reines and Cowan Nobel Prize-winning research on neutrinos was also a great demonstration of the synergy of mission-oriented and basic research. On Friday afternoon, this topic was the principal focus of a panel discussion chaired by John Browne. The panel included Martha Krebs, DOE assistant secretary and director of the Office of Energy Research; Gil Weigand, deputy assistant secretary for strategic computing simulation in the DOE Office of Defense Programs; Gerald Garvey, currently on assignment to the Office of Science and Technology Policy; David Campbell, chair of the physics department at the University of Illinois; and me.
There was agreement that the benefits of mission-oriented and basic research go both ways. Basic research provides the necessary underpinning for our government missions. Concurrently, the challenging technological problems associated with our missions provide the basis for fruitful problems for basic research. This synergy is especially strong at Los Alamos where the immense challenge of our defense missions has allowed us to establish in one place an impressive array of people and facilities, which, in turn, allows us to continue to make major contributions to solving fundamental problems in science. Our strong association with universities (University of California and other research universities) and our continuing compelling national missions have made this possible.
It was a great honor to recognize Fred's and Clyde's contributions to science and to the Laboratory. Both of them went on to university teaching and research careers in the late 1950s. I had the great pleasure of taking a physics course from Fred while he was physics department head at Case Institute of Technology in the early 1960s. In 1966, Fred moved on to the University of California at Irvine. From there he continued to serve the university in many ways. When I became director, Fred chaired the UC academic oversight committee for the Los Alamos and Livermore laboratories. In 1988, Fred officially retired from the university. He is now professor emeritus at UC, Irvine, and as of last Friday, Senior Fellow Emeritus at the Laboratory. Many thanks go to the symposium organizers Tom Bowles, Geoff West and Hywel White, as well as to Fran Talley, Bud Whaley and many others for helping to arrange a fascinating day. And to Fred Reines, many thanks for what you have done for us over the years.
Fred Reines and Clyde Cowan at the control center of the Hanford experiment (1953).
Now we honor the greatness of the bravery and sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of our countrymen.
When monsters on a mammoth scale menaced our world, these Americans sent those monsters to hell.
Thank God for them and God Bless Them.
Good Morning Phil Dragoo.
Thanks for all the info on Clyde Cowan. That's the kind of stuff RA can relate to. I'm lucky I can pronounce half the words.
BTTT!!!!!!!!
Has that been issued already or just a proposal?
This young man was born in Nebraska to an ordinary, middle class family. It still stuns me that out of that we get people who go on to end up with the Congressional Medal of Honor. First they hung in through the Depression, then through the war, doing things like this. No riots, no mass complaining -- when it was time to go, they just did it.
Snippy mentioned that it was great to see that some of the WWII people at the memorial. Obviously, I agree, but...they are leaving us now. It was their votes and their beliefs that made the country what it is. Now, more than ever, it will be the country of their children...and that's a little more ominous. All I can say is that when I think of that, I thank God the Vietnam vets are mostly still with us, because they know the price. And the kids who are fighting now...well, they do too. But they are far fewer in number.
Thanks for the comments again. BTW, the other day my father sent me some letters from another cousin who was a B-29 bombardier on Saipan, just a Nebraska farmkid, who I had never heard say much about the war. He wrote that after the Enola Gay A-bombing of Hiroshima, the Army Air Force people on Saipan were afraid that the Japanese would retaliate with poison gas bombing. Don't hear that much in all the discussions, do we? They knew it was a credible threat. The fact that it did not happen told them that the A-bombs had been effective in destroying the Japanese will to fight.
Morning regulator.
It worries me some that fewer and fewer politicians have every served in any capacity.
Thanks snopercod.
Wow
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