HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE UPPER MOJAVE DESERT
Vol. 16 No. 3
March 20, 2001
MARCH PROGRAM: CROWD EXPECTED FOR NAVAJO CODE TALKER
So compelling is the topic we're presenting this month that we're expecting an overflow crowd. Come early to get a seat - and get ready to learn about a fascinating and significant aspect of the history of World War II.
The meeting will begin at 7:30 on Tuesday, March 20, with the doors to the Maturango Museum opening for advance seating at around 7 p.m.
Our speaker will be Joe Morris, Sr., a full-blooded Navajo, who will describe his 1944- 46 experiences as a code talker on Guadalcanal, Guam, Saipan, Okinawa, and Tinstao, China.
Morris and around 420 other Navajo code talkers served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II to fulfill the need the Allied forces had to communicate sensitive information across the thousands of miles of ocean in the Pacific Theater.
Morris and the others used a code based on the Navajo language to transmit vital communications with remarkable speed and accuracy - using the only battlefield code never broken by the enemy.
Our speaker was born in 1926 and raised on a Navajo reservation at Indian Wells, Ariz. He lied about his age to obtain a draft registration card and join the Marines in 1944 at the age of 17.
After passing physical and written tests in Phoenix, he was sent for basic training to the San Diego Marine Recruit Depot, then assigned to the Navajo Communications School at Camp Pendleton. There he was trained for five months in code communication skills and terms for military hardware, battlefield sites, and key officials.
The code was especially difficult since Navajo is a spoken language with no reference to the terms that needed to be communicated. Furthermore, for security reasons, the 500 or so terms in the code were not written down, but needed to be memorized to be recalled at a moment's notice.
The Navajos solved that by adapting traditional words to suit their new purposes. A submarine, for example, was called an "iron fish," and a helicopter was a "hummingbird." Letters were also used to spell out terms, and to confuse the enemy further, the most commonly used consonants and vowels in English were assigned several Navajo letters. Because of such complexities, Navy cryptologists testing the code tried in vain to decipher it. Even Navajos untrained in the code couldn't break it.
After serving as a code talker in some of the hottest battles in the Pacific Theater, Morris was discharged in August 1946. His awards include combat ribbons for the Pacific Theater and China Occupation medals. He also holds a Rifle Expert medal, as well as certificates of appreciation from both the President of the United States and the California Senate.
Morris and his wife Charlotte live in Daggett. The couple has three children and three grandchildren.
Once again, our meeting will be at 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, March
20, in the Maturango Museum. Don't miss it!
Liz Babcock
UP SAND CANYON
With weather conditions twice causing rescheduling for the first 2001 SEEP program in Sand Canyon; and with a heavy cloud cover over the mountains, Monday March 5 saw well over a hundred students, teachers and parent escorts in the canyon by 8:30 a.m. In spite of all the dire weather predictions this outing in the canyon was really nice.
For those of us living in the Indian Wells Valley, we have learned to heed what clouds hanging tight over the Sierras can portend for weather conditions. But on this day it seems that the Almighty decided, in the words of John DiPol, "enough bad weather already."
Thanks to the corralling effort of Charlotte Goodson, HS members
Don and Dale Lane, Jenny Miller, John DiPol, Hank Schuette, Fred
Weals and myself arrived before 10:00 AM and set up the various
stations for the History
Walk. Because of the rescheduling, four members who normally are
present, Lois Carr, Bob Ramsey, Litha and Joe Mattis, were absent.
But with a can-do attitude we adapted to the manpower shortage
and processed five groups through the walk in the allotted time.
When I say allotted time it becomes more understandable when you
see each group who have been up-canyon for at least two hours
arrive in a timed sequence. You quickly realize that their goal
is to get to their lunch. Quite an incentive to move right along!
Our effort is to call their attention to what they had seen in
the Sand Canyon Station video and to lead them along the sign-posted
trail. Each person is given a Sand Canyon History Alive brochure
that lists and describes the purpose for each of the nine signs.
There are six more SEEP trips for this year and about 400 students will experience on-site lessons. The dates and the expected student count are: 3/16-20, 3/21-99, 3/30-96, 4/27-82, 5/11-85, 5/25-45. Five occasions are on a Friday and one on a Wednesday. Other than the satisfaction we personally derive from this task, there is the great conversation we have during our lunch under the cottonwoods.
You all are encouraged and welcome to volunteer! We can always use more help! Lou Pracchia
Linda Sappington
Bob Ramsey demonstrates washing clothes in the 1920's and '30s to a recent group of SEEP children
NEW EXHIBIT FEATURES SEEP HISTORY WALK
New exhibits in the vestibule cases at the Maturango Museum feature some very familiar faces - maybe even yours! As you enter the museum, the display at left is by Marcia Nevins, the new coordinator for the Sand Canyon Environmental Education Project. Marcia's exhibit gives an overview of the SEEP program, with abundant pictures and even some wildlife from the museum's collection illustrating what SEEP is all about.
The display at right is by Liz Babcock for HSUMD, with help from Bruce Wertenberger, Charlotte Goodson, and Lois Carr. The case features many pictures of our SEEP superstars -- Lois, her brother Bob Ramsey, Litha Mattis, and Hank Schuette. Also on display are historic pictures of aqueduct construction and life in early Sand Canyon.
The new displays will be in place through mid-May. Why not take a look when you come to this month's meeting? Then you can return at your leisure to study all the material - there's a lot to see, and this season of SEEP trips is a good time to educate yourself about this important aspect of HSUMD's contributions to the community. Liz Babcock
IN MEMORIAM
A belated recognition of the passing of Jerry Smith, long-time Historical Society member and retired teacher. Our condolences to her husband, Bob Anderson, and her family.
BUSINESS MEMBERS
Our business members are the Swap Sheet, Granite Construction Company -Sand and Gravel and Farris' at the Heritage. Please patronize them whenever possible.
HISTORICAL SOCIETY HOME PAGE ** U R here....adding to our count total!! ;-)
Our home page (the URL is on the back page of this newsletter) continues to get accessed well over 100 times per week. We are up to 10,611 hits so far since our wonderful web mistress, Janet Westbrook, constructed it in July 1996. The page contains information about the Historical Society, articles from our newsletters, and a historical chronology of our area. It is continually updated. Janet also puts this newsletter on-line, pictures and all!
APRIL MEETING TO FEATURE HISTORY OF THREE SERVICE CLUBS
In recognition of the long, colorful, and distinguished histories of the clubs so central to the development of our community. George Silberberg, our program chair, is starting a series of panels featuring representatives from prominent local clubs.
The first of these panel presentations will occur April 17, when we'll hear representatives from the Optimists, Kiwanis, and Rotary discuss their histories. George is lining up knowledgeable speakers from each of these clubs.
Doesn't that sound like a great way to learn about an important aspect of our history? Mark your calendar now for Tuesday, April 17, 7:30 p.m. at the Maturango Museum. Liz Babcock
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Tues., Mar. 20, - General Meeting, Joe Morris, Sr. ,
"Code Talkers" at the
Maturango Museum, 7:30 p.m
Wed., Mar. 21, - Steve Benson, Museum Lecture
Tues., Apr. 3, 1:00 p.m. - Monthly meeting of the HSUMD
board of directors,
203 Station Street
11 Apr., 7:30 p.m. - Dr. Lorraine Blair, History of Randsburg, Museum lecture
Saturday, May 12, 6:00 p.m. - Annual Dinner Meeting,
Historical Society,
Farris' at the Heritage
DUES, DUES, DUES
Our membership year is the same as the calendar year. It's time to send in your membership renewal check, if you haven't already done so. If the address label on this copy of your newsletter has your name highlighted and an envelope preaddressed to our treasurer is enclosed with this newsletter, it means you haven't sent in your renewal check. Why not send in your check now? Membership dues are our main source of revenue to support our activities and projects, including our newsletter, so it is important to renew promptly. Thank you.
NEW MEMBERS
We wish to extend a hearty welcome to the following new members: Bill and Marcia Nevins, Florabell Anton and Ron Schiller.
ELECTION TIME
Election of members to serve on the Society's board of Directors is upcoming. The terms of office of five Board seats will end this year at the annual meeting. The Nominating Committee consisting of Kathy Armstrong (375-2643), Harold Platzek (375-5620) and John Di Pol (375-2610) has begun its work. Call any of them should you be interested in being considered for nomination or obtaining more particulars.
ANNUAL MEETING
The date for the annual meeting has now been firmed up for Saturday, May 12. Details about the meeting, which is expected to start at 6:00 p.m., will be in upcoming newsletters.
HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT
We are happy to report that another tour of "The House That Jack Built" is in the planning stage. It will be either Saturday, April 21 or April 28. Full details will be in the next newsletter.
EARLY DAYS AT CHINA LAKE
Following is the fourth installment of an autobiographical account written in 1996 by Chris Hinzo about his early experiences working for the U.S. Navy at China Lake. Spelling and punctuation are as in the original, with only minor editorial changes. Ed.
I took a lN34 diode, some wire, and earphones, and made a crystal radio, which I built into my hat. I guess I was the only person walking around with his own radio back then. Remember: this was 1955, before the Walkman.
Lucky for me, I had a friend that had a hearing aid that wasn't any good anymore, and he gave me the earphone. Thus my radio was kept small. Later on I found some 1-inch speakers and mounted them in my hat. Now I had stereo! People sure looked at me funny back then. Now it's common to see someone with a radio on his hip and an earphone in his ear.
Well, from testing transistors for Mickey, we were moved into Room 148A, and I was made the Head Technician for the Test Equipment Section.
I graduated from the apprenticeship program as a journeyman Electronics Mechanic. I also graduated from Bakersfield College with an Associate of Arts degree in Electronics. It took me 4 years of hard work and study-especially when you consider that Electronics training started out with algebra, not sign numbers! I was self taught in all my math, and I really felt good that I always said, "You're better than that! Try!"
I was building test equipment for use with the Sidewinder missile and building the first units (models.) So I went up to Personnel again and said, "I want some Model Maker's pay!" I was transferred on paper to a 30¢-per-hour better job.
Well, I worked on the 342 Tester, put launchers on airplanes, built the ASM-20 and the 149. Then one day I passed the shop next door to our office and decided to look in. An engineer had wires all over one bench and some tables (this was before transistors.) I had been testing transistors, but they weren't being used yet.
I asked him what was he doing? He said, "We have a contract to build a transmitter to be shot to the moon."
I told him, "We have an Electronics Scientist in our section. Bet he can do it!"
Well, they had a meeting, and our section got the job. Robbie designed the transmitter, and I cut out the printed circuit from some double-sided copper-coated micarta. I did this cutting out of the circuit all by hand and a lot of one-sided razor blades. The transmitter had a small antenna built around the transmitter tube, and we glued the wet-cell batteries together with 5-second glue. This was also the first time for 5-second glue. We got the first model from Kodak.
Our transmitter worked fine. Plenty of power. It was installed into Explorer II. We were all awaiting lift-off and a chance for NOTS to be represented. The rocket took off and blew up before it reached orbit.
Now, all this time was in the Engineering Department, and my job was building test equipment. We also repaired launchers for use on planes. I gave classes to the Air Force, Navy, Marines and British officers, and anyone of our allies. I went to other Navy bases and instructed there on the test sets and launchers.
I built a tester that would check out the launcher power supplies. With it you could pinpoint the section where the problem was.
In the meantime I built a tester that would check out the Sidewinder missile head. It had high pressure (3,000 lbs.) and a 175 volt supply and a 28-volt supply. With this you would put on a missile GNC unit, and by holding a cigarette in front of the missile (about 30 feet away, or more) you could tell if the head was seeking the heat source.
Everywhere I went I took Marie, my wife, and she understood
what I was working on. I'd take her to SNORT track, and while
I was checking out the
GNC missile and the rockets, she would be in the tower. She could
then watch the firings. Beautiful at night!
I showed her how to demonstrate the GNC tester, and any time we had open house, she would demonstrate how the Sidewinder could seek out a heat source. She would explain it also.
We'd go out to NAF, and we'd take "the doghouse" and Marie would make lunch for us.
I was in charge of the "Hot Line." We'd assemble the missile, put on flares, and weight it. Then we'd take it out to the planes, and I'd check out the launcher and the plane to see if there was any stray voltage on it. If there was, I had to find the problem because stray voltage could accidentally fire the missile while it was being put on the launcher. This work was done every time we had a shoot.
About this time we had a new GNC configuration, and it needed 3-phase power, not just single-phase like the old I-A missile. This was now called the I-C. My boss showed me the drawings and said, "Do you think you could build a power supply that would run this missile?"
I thought: where would I get the transformers? Oh! I threw away a lot of old 3B power supplies out in the Salt Wells dump not long ago. I'll use them! If...!
So out to Salt Wells, and I picked up about 15 of these old power supplies and took them to my shop. I put them on my power supply tester and found some that had good transformers. These I de-canned and salvaged the transformers. I put out on my work bench all the parts need to build a new power supply that could power the I-C missile. Wow, sure a lot of parts! And this all had to go into a unit 22 inches long.
You see, they had the launcher shell they wanted the missile to be mounted on, but they had no power supply. Up to now all tests were done with commercial power supplies. We had to have a power supply that could fit in the launcher tube and on an airplane. "I can do it!" Famous last words?
The drawings for the power supply were already drawn; there just wasn't any transformer or a layout of the parts to build one. I looked at the drawings and started by using the old transformers I had salvaged from the Aero 3B power supply and collected all the other parts needed.
I took the drawings of the base of the power supply to machining. I told the progress man what I needed and said I needed it yesterday. He said, "OK, Chris. You're #1 Priority. We'll have it soon as possible."
I then drew my own configuration of mounting brackets on which to mount the parts, took my drawing to [the] sheet metal [shop], and they started on my brackets right away.
In the meantime I'd started laying out all the parts as I would mount them on the brackets. Then I began to wire in the parts according to the drawings. I had a 5-foot work bench, and that power supply was spread out. After I'd wired it all up, I applied bench power to the front of the power supply and checked out the end result. It worked!
Then came the job of putting all those parts into a space of 22 inches. First thing was to mount the parts onto the brackets which the sheet metal shop had made for me, then mount the parts and brackets onto the base the machine shop had machined for me. Looked pretty good!
After mounting, I started wiring-a real rat's nest of wiring, but I had been an apprentice Electronics Mechanic, and everything had to be short as possible and straight as possible.
After all was completed, another test. All went as before: OK! Now came the final shop tests. Would the new power supply fit in the launcher? Well, it did!
Now the real test. We took the launcher to NAF. Checked out the rail and an airplane, and put the launcher in place. Started the plane and, using an ASN-20 tester, checked out the whole unit. A OK! Let's put a Sidewinder on that rail and fly!
Everything worked out fine. All my drawings and my prototype supply was turned over to Benrus Watch Co. to make more power supplies for the LAU-7 launchers. That was another job where I'd said, "I can do it," and I did it!
These power supplies are used throughout the world, wherever Sidewinder missiles are flown. I'm proud to say I did it. After saying, "I can do it!"
In the year 1964 we lived on the base, and we had a nice duplex to live in. I'd been working on the base so long that I was always #1 on the housing list. When Marie and I decided to get married, I went to housing and I had the pick of three duplexes. We decided on 105-A Byrnes, and that was to be our home till 1976, when we moved to our present home.
While at 105-A we had no wheels, so I bought a 1951 Chev and did a valve job on it and put a transistor ignition, which I made, on it. Then I sold it.
Again, no wheels. Well, in the meantime I'd hurt myself and had double hernias and had to be operated on. Mary, my first wife, had left me a piece of property at California City, and I had $1,000 from a piece of property Bob and I had bought in 1946 for $425. We sold it for $3,000, and I had $1,000 in the bank plus the property at Cal City.
Well, there was a man in the next bed to me [at the hospital] who had a '59 Impala 4-door hardtop. Marie made the trade, and now we had wheels: a '59 4-door HT 2-tone automatic with a 348 cu. in.engine. A real bomb!
Well, that beautiful paint job didn't last too long, as in 1962 we were having lots of sand storms here. One day, going home, one side got it really bad. The insurance company would only pay for a new windshield and half of the car. Imagine that!
So I took it to Charlon's, and the painter there said, "Sure, I can paint it." Since it was 2-tone, it would take more paint.
I said, "OK, paint it anniversary gold. " He did. It was the most beautiful car you ever saw: a hunk of "reflecting gold." Marie is a redhead, and her hair was almost as bright as that car. She was a real knockout!
About this time, we decided to go to Yuma. We took Alice and Lupe Reyes, and off we went. We picked out a motel just across from a garage where I had driven the Chev to, as we had sprung a leak in the fuel pump. Lucky for us, we made it to Yuma!
After getting the car fixed, we went to San Luis and had fun looking around. Marie and Lupe had clam cocktails. Not me!
We decided to get some booze to take home. We were allowed 1 gallon each, so: "I want 2 of these, 1 of those, and 1 of these. How about you?" Well, we got our 4 gallons of various types of booze and took them back to the entrance gate.
Now, all we bought was some booze. OK, go ahead: this was June 30th. Next day we went shopping in Old Town Yuma. Then, about 1:00, someone said, "Heck, let's go back to San Luis and get some more booze."
Lupe said, "Yeah, I want to stock up my bar with different kinds." So off we went again. The man at the store was real happy that we had come back. We loaded the car, and Marie drove. Now, her hair was a color called Fire Silver Red. Knocked your eyes out!
We got to the gate, and the same guard was on [duty.] "What did you buy?"
"Nothing, just some booze."
"Let's see. Sorry, you have to take it back." "How come? You're allowed 1 gallon each, each month, and today's July 1st."
"Lady, it's every 30 days, and you were here yesterday."
Now, how did he know that we had been there yesterday? Marie is an Anglo among 3 Mexicans. Her hair would stop a fire engine. And our car, all gold. How could he have known!?
So we took it back, and the fellow there did buy it back. Nice of him. He could have said no.
OK, back to the gate. By now it was 4:15 p.m., and would you believe it: there was a new guard on duty. We could have brought the booze over if we had remembered that the shift changed at 4:00 p.m.
Oh, me! We drove [a while,] and I said, "Stop!" We did. Each of us had held out 1 pint of booze. We all laughed. Oh, well: can't win them all. We tried.
So back to China Lake, since the new laws there at Yuma said that one had to wait 72 hours and get a blood test before getting married. So we said we could have gotten married at home. We came back to China Lake, and we decided to go see the judge at Trona.
In the meantime, Lupe was playing softball and broke her ankle. So we waited. Finally in October we said, "OK, let's go to Trona and get married!" So off we went.
The judge told Marie, "Since you've both been married before, shall we make this quick?" Marie said she wanted it all. This was going to take, so make it good; give it all to us.
Well, the judge did his job, and I paid him. I told Lupe and Alice and Marie, "Let's stop at that little bar and have a drink to celebrate our marriage." We got to the bar, and the judge was already there. He had beat us there. That's why he wanted to get it over with so quick!
Marie and I and Rhonda lived there on the base in a nice duplex next to the Sturdys. Rhonda was 9 and a real cute kid. She went to school there on the base, and most of her friends went swimming at the Officers' Club. I belonged to the Chiefs' Club, but was really qualified to go to the "O" Club. So I joined the "O" Club so Rhonda could go swimming with her friends. Marie and I liked to go to the EM Club and had lots of friends.
We'd go to the ball games, and Marie would make a large pot of Spanish rice to contribute, as we'd have a little get-together after the games. The sailors liked it so much they'd take paper cups full back to the barracks with them.
(To be continued)
DIRECTORS
Lou Pracchia, President, Co-Dir, Mbrshp .............................Liz
Babcock, Dir. Exhibits & Public Relations
375-7385 e-mail: ldpracc@ridgecrest.ca.us ...........................375-7900
e-mail: lizbab@ridgenet.net
George G. Silberberg, Vice President, Co-Dir. Program.s ....Bill
Burns, Director at Large
377-5241 e-mail: ggs@ridgenet.net .......................................375-8566
e-mail: bburns@ridgenet.net
Bruce Wertenberger, Secretary, ............................................Susan
Hueber, Dir. History and Collections &
375-2369 e-mail: brucew@ridgenet.net ................................Liaison
to Maturango Museum Board
Fred Weals, Treasurer, Co-Dir. Programs & Mbrshp. ...........375-2165
e-mail: hueber@ridgenet.net
375-5249 e-mail: weals@ridgenet.net ...................................Don
Lane, Director at Large
................................................................................................375-8146
e-mail: lane@iwvisp.com
Bruce Wertenberger and
Chet Creider (375-5725) Bulletin Co-Editors e-mail: ccreider@ridgecrest.ca.us
Janet Westbrook, Webmistress jwest@ridgenet.net
HSUMD Web site: http://www.Maturango.org/Hist.html
PHONE NO. (760) 375-8456
E-MAIL ADDRESS: To be announced
Annual dues are $15.00 for the calendar year