Sad Events

Sad events occurred over the weekend.  A heavily modified P-51 was lost and a T-28 was also lost.  Both in air shows.

The P-51 was a heavily modified racer with clipped wings and modified canopy.  He was in Reno and seems to have managed to avoid a greater number of people than the now confirmed nine people.

The T-28 was lost in West Virginia.

Ewa Field, Hawaii

photo from here

On December 7, 1941, a date which will live in infamy, the United States was attacked by forces of the Empire of Japan.  This action resulted in the sinking or disabling of much of the United States Navy's major fleet units.  This action also caused the United States to be catapulted into World War II.  This is a significant event.

I always have found it more interesting to learn about things that I could see, touch, or experience.  As I have mentioned in the past, I have been to the B-Reactor site and stood where Enrico Fermi stood when they brought that reactor on-line in September of 1944.  The ability to stand in the footprints of those who came before allows you to visualize better what those who came before went through and experienced.

The US Navy has allowed many of its ships to be preserved and used as memorials to those who have fought and fallen for this great nation of ours.  However, I do not know of many land installations that have been preserved for the same purpose.  It has come to my attention, thanks to the efforts of John Bond at http://www.december7.com/ , that the small airfield of Ewa near Honolulu, Hawaii, is in danger of being erased.  This field figured prominently in the Pearl Harbor attack.

Should a photo-voltaic power station be constructed on the field, thus cutting it off from the public, or off the field?  I am in agreement with those at http://www.december7.com/ in that it should be located OFF the field.

You can help preserve the field for later generations.  Write a letter, of use this one

COMMANDER, NAVY REGION HAWAII
ATTN: CNRH PAO
850 Ticonderoga Street, Suite #110
JBPHH, HI 96860-5101

Dear Sirs,

I believe the best option for preservation of the December 7, 1941 Ewa Field
Battlefield Site, in a report which has been researched and distributed by
Navy Region Hawaii, is for the proposed Photo-Voltaic Solar Panel farm to be
placed OFF the historic battlefield runway and in an area below it. This
would allow both historic preservation and renewable energy generation and
be a win-win solution for all concerned.

The Photo-Voltaic Solar Panel farm developer, Hunt Corp of Texas, has
already drawn up an alternate location proposal which would meet the same
needs for solar power generation, and which also meets the National Park
Service recommendation as well as the public opinion of many in the local
community of Ewa which would like to see the battlefield site preserved for
a future National Park and National Landmark.
Sincerely,

Your Name
and Organization
Address

FASTEST WAY- EMAIL your text, Doc or PDF TO:  cnrh.pao@navy.mil

I hope you will do this immediately!