Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Naval Cruise Book

Text from Pages 1 - 56 of the 1995 volume:

Carl Vinson Chronicles Volume IX PEACE DN EARTH The front page tij i .S.S KAMH IJ ' H ' S WWII-era special effects edition newspaper. United States Ship Carl Vinson CVN-70 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 93085332 2 All I— It ' Ciinair (iiiil hid I IS ixciiilc ii jlyhy over tin- ship. f n alen efnSutmce September 1-3, 1995 Fifty years ago today, on the other side of this Paci fic Ocean, the war ended. With a war that erupted in smoke and horror aboard the battleship ARIZONA, and concluded with peace and honor aboard the battleship MISSOURI ' - President Bill Clinton 11 Mi L. 1 Tii li 1 ■ i£ li .4( ' :| H 11 f vt ' ' i hI . k p v?i !itr 5j The photos in this book contain great footage of our commemo- ration to those who fought before us and defended our country during some of its darkest hours. From the rare opportunity to view vintage World War II aircraft to our solemn remembrance of our great veterans, this was a truly proud moment in our Navy and country ' s history. The scenes captured in this photographic record arc a truly wonderful collection of this once in a lifetime experi- ence. Rear Admiral Edward Moore, Jr. Commander, Cruiser Destroyer Group Three This book will be a great remembrance of what we did during the 50th VJ Day celebration in Hawaii. It is a fitting tribute to all the hard work and effort put forth by the ship ' s crew. This book is also a continuation of our commitment to those honored veterans who went before us 50 years ago whose struggles and sacrifices made peace possible in our lifetime. We are living in wonderful times and this memento will bring back those times for us. Captain Larry C. Baucom USS CARL VINSON Commanding Officer A preflighl conference ahnut field qualificaliiins takes place in from of North American B-25 Mitchell. Prelaunch Testing On August 29. it was Up, up and away for 1 1 vintage World War II aircraft as they were launched from CARL VINSON ' S flight deck as part of the ceremony commemorat- ing the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II in the Pa- cific Theater of Operations. It was the first time that these type of aircraft were launched from the flight deck of America ' s favorite aircraft carrier. The property of Yankee Aviation Museum, Pomona, California, the aircraft were flown in by private civilian pi- lots. Ex-WWII aviator Jack Carson piloted the TBM Avenger, an aircraft once flown by former President George Bush. Before the event, the planes were tested at Naval Air Station Alameda runway to ensure they could take off in the required flight deck dis- tance. On August 16, air depart- ment personnel brought on board and packed 12 aircraft into Hangar Bay One where 1 1 of these warbirds awaited be- ing launched off the flight deck of San Francisco ' s Own. While in Hangar Bay One, the word safety took on a whole new meaning due to the highly volatile AV gas used by these classic planes. To minimize the danger of fire, batteries were disconnected, as this type of gas has a low flash point in comparison to JP-5, the fuel used by air wing planes. Thirteen days later, the planes took to the skies at about 9:30 a.m., amidst flashbulbs popping on cameras used by the more than 1 ,000 spectators who turned out for the event. Crew members cheered as these historic relics kicked off the first day of a week-long celebration. Similar to the Doolittle Raid reenactment on board USS RANGER (CV 61) in 1992, the planes started at the stem of the ship, went to full throttle and, upon receiving word from a launch officer, shot down a pre-marked cen- ter line. In addition to the much talked about B-25 Mitchell bomber, three Army Air Corps bombers, one TBM Avenger torpedo bomber, two F-4U Corsair fighters, two JRF Grumman Goose amphibious aircraft patrol planes, one SNJ trainer aircraft, one Wildcat fighter and one Albatross am- phibious aircraft patrol plane were part of the aerial perfor- mance. Though this was the first time ever these type of aircraft were launched from CARL VINSON ' S flight deck, the crew wanted more from these wonderful birds. They got their wish during the return trip home when the warbird pilots conducted tours of the aircraft along with brief explanations of the aircraft ' s history and op- erability. Upon CARL VINSON ' S return to Alameda, the warbirds were craned off the ship and, after a preflight in- spection, flew back to their home base in Pomona. PiZ M mjM P ipBLri mmmm ' - - . -- __f - - Members of CARL VINSON ' S air department discuss their strategy prior to field qualifications. An F-6F Wildcat prepares to taxi at NAS Alameda. Prelaunch Testing .1 nSM AvLiijier (f(iref;r iuiid) and an I— 11 ( Drsair are piisitiiined on the pier before heinn loaded aboard the CARL VINSON. A THM .Avenger, owned by Mr. .lack I arson, awaits repair oj a raptured oil line. Captain Larry C. Baucom, (far right) confers with warbird owners prior to the start of field qualifications. The North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber owned by Bill Klaers. coordinator of the events, rests on CARL VINSON ' S fiight deck. . HHI llnydj. IIiikIivs mis a hird ' s i e view of the San rrancisco Hay. Prelaunch Testing 13 ijwBjr .-™ 14 North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber, Buck U, is craned onto elevator three. On Loading WarBird Fly Off With the transit to Ha- waii complete, CARL VINSON was now prepared for the historic launch of the vintage warbirds. The coast of Waikiki provided the per- fect backdrop as launch prepa- ration began under morning skies, on August 29. Pilots for the WWII air- craft conducted preflight checks and warm-up of their engines as the Gold Eagle air department conducted final launching briefs and prepared VINSON ' S flight deck. The entire ship was elec- trified in anticipation of this historic event. In addition to the warbird pilots and crew members, hundreds of guests were flown aboard to witness this once-in-a-lifetime event. VADM Robert J. Spane, Commander. Naval Air Force Pacific and Captain Larry C. Baucom, commanding officer, provided brief opening com- ments before the command Pilots, man your planes was given. With that command, it was up, up and away into history. It ' s up, up and away for the B-2S Bomber Buck U as CARL VINSON begins a historic launch of WWII warbirds off the coast of Waikiki. Pilots undergo last minute checks prior to receiving order to launch. Vintage WWII aircraft impatiently awaits their turn for launch off CARL VINSON ' S flight deck. 16 The Wildcat ' s engine powers up. A tow tractor pushes the l ' -6F into its launch position. Fly Off A F-4U Corsair sits in its chocks on elevator one before being raised to the flight deck. The JR-5 Goose tests its propellers prior to take off. 19 20 21 CliUJ of Naval Opaatiom ADM .lereniy Mike Koorda takes lime out to reenlist shipmates on hoard CARL VINSON. CNO Reenlistment 23 Parade of Ships and Planes 20 Ships and planes from various nations, led by the U.S. Navy, sailed and flew past CARL VINSON on September 1, during an International Parade of Ships and planes. The parade kicked off the first of a two day ceremony commemorating the 50th anniver- sary of the end of World War II in the Pacific. About 1,500 World War II veterans and the families, active duty retired military personnel and DOD civilians attended the event - a reenactment of the first flyover celebrating the end of the war five decades ago. Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John Dalton was present for the festivities, and Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff. Army General John Shalikashvili, was the reviewing officer. Prior to the event, Shalikashvili said the parade was a fitting tribute to be- gin ceremonies honoring our war dead and those who served in World War II.. As CARL VINSON departed Pearl Harbor in route to the waters off nearby Waikiki, World War II veterans on the flight deck saluted the USS ARIZONA Memorial in honor of their fallen comrades who perished in the December 7, 1941 Japanese air attack on Naval Sta- tion Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. As CARL VINSON readied itself for the parade. Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Jeremy Mike Boorda, reenlisted six sailors on the flight deck. They were OSCS(SW), Ronald Vann, Commander, Cruiser- Destroyer Group Three Staff; FCC(SW) Harold Higgins, opera- tions; HTl Joseph Comer, engineer- ing; MSI Evello Fernando, supply; ET3 Jason Prestridge and MM3 Ryan Everett, reactor. Stationed about three-quarters of a mile off the shores of Waikiki, CARL VINSON served as review- ing platform for the event marking the signing of the Japanese suiren- der document on board the battle- ship USS MISSOURI two genera- tions ago. It also was the first time the Gold Eagle participated in the pa- rade which included ships from Canada, France, Russia, and New Zealand. Led by the Bremerton. Washington home-ported nuclear guided missile cruiser USS ARKANSAS, ships participating in the event included: USS CALIFOR- NIA, USS SHILOH, USS CLE- VELAND, USS VALLEY FORGE, USS JOHN McCAIN. USS CROMMELIN, USS INGERSOLL, USS RUEBEN JAMES. USS RUSSELL, USS WIL- LIAM H. BATES, USS PINTADO, USCGC RUSH, RS MARSHAL SHAPOSHINIKOV, FS PRAIRAL, HMNZS WAIKATO, RS ROPUCHA, HMCS ANNAPOLIS. The parade also included a flyover of U.S. and foreign aircraft lead by Carrier Air Wing 14. The tlyover occurred approximately 700 yard out from CARL VINSON ' S port side between the passing of each ship. Lieutenant Hunter Ellis, Strike Fighter Squadron 113, flew the Hor- net aircraft in the flyover in honor of his grandfather, a retired vice admiral, who 50 years ago was one of the pi- lots who participated in the original tlyover commemorating the end of the war. Following the parade, folks dis- persed about the flight deck and han- gar bay for a personal, self-guided tour and return look at yesteryear. World War II vets thanked Sailors for their support and services to their country, and encouraged them to never forget those who did, making it possible for them to be here today. As folks departed the ship, the vote was unanimous; No one puts on a better parade or commemoration than USS CARL VINSON. 24 e« ife.- yff Q. f7SS VaZ f.v Forge (CGN-70) passes on the CARL VINSON ' S porlside to begin the International Parade of Ships. 25 Commander, U.S. I ' acific I ' leel, VADM Ronald.!. Zlatoper (foreground) and R. DM Moore (background) greet Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, CKN. John Shulika hviU. Secretary on the Navy John Dalton returns a salute as he passes through the rainbow sidel)avs. 28 ADM Boorda greets visiting WWII veterans Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three, RADM Edward Moore, Jr. welcomes veterans and guests on hoard CARL VINSON for the International Parade of Ships. WWII veterans join the ranks of CARL VINSON Sailors. 30 CARL VINSON Commanding Officer, CAPT Larry C. Baucom greets GEN Shalikashvili. WWII veteran proudly displays his awards during the Parade of Ships festivities. GEN Slialikaslnili (right) and Russian VADM Oleg Mikhailovich return honors to passing ships. Waikiki beach front provides a scenic background, as USS CROMMELIN (PEG 37) passes in review to the thousands of guests lining CARL VINSON. 31 United States Arriving — The clanging of the ship ' s bell, the shrill sound of a bosun ' s pipe and IMC announcement UNITED STATES ARRIVING! served as the soundtrack for the arrival the nation ' s 42nd Com- mander-in-Chief, President Bill Clinton, who on September 2. par- ticipated in a ceremony com- memorating the 50th anniversary oftheendofWWII. Arriving by motorcade shortly after 1 1 A.M., President Clinton and his wife. First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton, were wel- comed on board by several senior Navy officers. Flanked by secret service agents and White House Press Corps, the president was es- corted to the flight deck where thousands of guests waited to greet the leader of the free world. Also attending the com- memoration were Secretary of the Navy, the Honorable John Dalton; Chairman. Joint Chiefs of Staff. Army GEN John Shalikashvili: Commander-in-Chief Pacific, ADM Richard Macke and Com- mander-in-Chief. U.S. Pacific Fleet. VADM Ronald Zlatoper. Dalton introduced retired RADM Eugene Fluckey. who was awarded the Medal of Honor and four Navy Crosses for serving as a submarine skipper during five wartime patrols - a remarkable achievement that stands unchal- lenged. Dalton said. Sporting a blue and gold CARL VINSON ball cap. Clinton reflected on the war that erupted in smoke and horror on board the battleship USS ARIZONA, and concluded with peace and honor with the signing of the surrender on board the battleship USS MIS- SOURI. Clinton said that these vets and their deeds will forever remain the greatest tribute to the 32 American Naval service. He stressed never to forget the mil- lions of Sailors, aviators, subma- riners and Marines who joined in the effort against Japan - an effort which saw a nation bond together as one. Following his remarks. Clinton, U.S. Navy Commander Daniel Wick and WWII veteran and Medal of Honor winner retired Navy LT John Finn observed a wreath laying, as a CARL VINSON Sailor and Marine tossed a flowered wreath into the water honoring the men who died on the ARIZONA. A moment of silence, fol- lowed by a single trumpet playing taps, concluded the ceremony. Afterwards. Clinton told crew members that the late Carl Vinson would be proud of the ship that bears his name and of the crew that serves on it. On departure, Clinton once again thanked the nations ' s uniformed sons and daughters for their services to the country and reminded them never to forget the WWII vets who, through their ac- tions, made it possible for them to be here today. Following the wreath laying, Clinton and Postmaster General Marvin Runyon unveiled com- memorative WWII stamps, de- signed to pay tribute to the men and women who served the nation in its armed forces and to those who served on the home front. After his remarks. Runyon asked Clinton and WWII vet LT COL Herbert Carter, a highly decorated Tuskegee Airman and Com- mander Rita Howard, a former Navy nurse, to unveil the stamps. The commemoration culmi- nated that evening with a I940 ' s style dance in the hangar bays. The Commander-in-Chiefs, U.S. Pacific Fleet Big Band launched into a medley of big band sounds, including Glen Miller classics, such as, ; the Mood. . Guests took to the dance floor as the band belted out numbers from the swing era. Also attending the dance and receiving a standing ovation, was retired Navy Captain Jim Lovell, mission commander for the ill- fated Apollo 13. Veterans who attended the events recalled their service in WWII, thanking CARL VINSON and the nation as a whole, for re- membering their services to their country. IWI V 33 34 United States Arriving 35 36 United States Arriving Admiral Ronald J. Zlatoper Commander-in- Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet 38 Mr. President, honored guests, my honored American hci ' oes from World War II, dis- iiiiiZLiished veterans, I can ' t ex- press what a great privilege it is to be able to address you here on behalf of the officers and crew of this wonderful warship USS CARL VINSON in this most hallowed place. Pearl Harbor, with the memorial o er my shoulder. If your heart ' s not pound- ing and your throat not drying out, you ' re not in the same place that I am. Because fifty years ago today, a war that began with an attack on American battleships in this beautiful harbor ended in a surrender ceremony aboard another American battleship in Tokyo Bay. Ad- 1 miral Chester Nimitz, who was the second Commander-in- Chief of the Pacific Fleet, led the great naval campaign across this ocean, shared these thoughts at war ' s end. And his quote is: We must make certain now before the future that peace is secure. We must remain strong. Never again should we risk the threat which weakness invites. We owe this to those who have fought and to the youngsters who are growing up today. And 50 years later, I am happy to report to all of Admi- ral Nimitz ' s shipmates down in this audience this morning and to all of the other veterans with us this afternoon, that we in fact have remained strong. There is no question, that the United States Navy is the most powerful naval force in the Pacific and ,in fact, the world. Mr. President, Secretary Perry, Secretary Dalton, we in the Navy in uniform thank you and the other leaders in Con- gress for your support of our armed services during this critical time. Among the honors that I ' m allowed this morning, is to introduce you to John Dalton, our 70th Secretary of the Navy. He ' s a Naval Academy graduate and nuclear submari- ner. After serving with the Navy, he went to work on a distinguished career in banking and finance, and most impor- tantly, in my book, public ser- vice. His diverse background makes him uniquely qualified to lead our Navy and our Ma- rine Corps during this most in- teresting period. It ' s my great privilege to introduce the honorable John H. Dalton. -ADM Ronald J. Zlatoper John H. Dalton Secretary of the Navy 40 We are here to remember a remarkable period in our nation ' s history, to recall not only the heroic deeds and vic- tories, but the blood, sweat and sacrifice which together repre- sent the strength of our great country. That we sit here today 50 years after the most challeng- ing and costly war in our his- tory on the deck of the world ' s most powerful warship makes it clear: the Navy and Marine Corps learned the right lessons from the war in the Pacific. It was largely a naval war, in which the Navy and Marine Corps team was engaged from beginning to end. From Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay from the sinking of the ARIZONA, to the signing of the surrender on the MISSOURI. It seems to me to be par- ticularly appropriate that vic- tory in the Pacific was con- firmed at sea on board one of the greatest U.S. warships of all time. For victory at sea is our Navy ' s heritage. For the officers and crew of the USS CARL VINSON and your shipmates serving the nation around the world, this legacy of success is passed to you. It is your responsibility to follow the traditions which have made our sea service the best the world has ever known. The traditions I speak of are not rituals or doctrine, rather the legacy left by the men and women we honor to- day; a statement of success in desperate times. Times which demanded determination, in- novation, honor courage and commitment. No one performed on duty with more daring or greater sense of honor than Rear Admiral Gene Fluckey. Sailing bravely in the tra- dition of John Paul Jones, George Dewey and Arleigh Burke, Gene Fluckey held the Navy ' s torch for our brief, but critical period in the life of our nation. In five wartime patrols as commanding officer of the submarine BARB, Gene Fluckey was awarded the medal of honor and four Navy crosses. A remarkable achieve- ment for a 30 year old subma- rine skipper. Some might suggest that Gene Fluckey and the BARB had a little luck on their side. But, let me tell you that Gene Fluckey made his own luck in the seas of China and Japan. Under his leadership, BARB boldly attacked 30 ships and sunk more enemy tonnage than any submarine in World War Two. Gene Fluckey ' s medal of honor citation says it all: for conspicuous gallantry at the risk of his life above and be- yond the call of duty. I beseech the men and women of today ' s naval service to carry on Gene Fluckey ' s legacy. I was a newly commis- sioned ensign serving on one of the submarines under Rear Admiral Fluckey ' s leadership in my first duty assignment at this same naval base a genera- tion ago. So I am particularly proud to be present at the pass- ing of the torch to you young Sailors and Marines from our distinguished veterans. Ladies and gentlemen it is my honor and privilege to present to you a lege ndary na- val officer, an American pa- triot. Rear Admiral Gene Fluckey. - John H. Dalton 41 Eugene Fluckey Rear Admiral United States Navy, Retired It ' s very kind of you and I ' m very honored standing for my superb crew. Now, I want to tell you, actually, the only thing I ever won on my own in my life was when I was six years old, I won a freckle contest. All the rest of it is teamwork from superb crew, and a crew that was molded into being professional warriors. Today we honor those who served and those who kept the home fires burnin ' and in- dustries turnin ' . World War Two was the first lime since the War of 1812 thai our home soil was attacked. America Rose as one, de- termined to fight and win - and that we did. We won through persistence, determination and bravery. As commanding officer of the submarine USS BARB in the Pacific from April 1944 to August 1945, I could not have asked for a better crew or officers, as great as any man I ' ve ever known, all trained and competent as they went into battle. There were many great patrols during the various stages of this war. Some prob- ably unknown and a tremen- dous number of unsung heroes that died ashore and lie in the deep. But all these were at- tended by young men. Average age on the sub- marine BARB was 23, whose spirit and love of country was the guiding force that kept us moving forward. They were always ready, eager and ready to fight again, patrol after patrol. We ' re here to honor those men, and all women, who con- tributed to that great spirit. Along with that spirit went a little bit of luck. I ' ve always believed that luck is where you find it, but by God, you got to get out there and look for it. One of the more memo- rable returns to Pearl Harbor occurred in 1944 after losing both my wolf pack mates, USS GOLET and USS HERRING. I brought USS BARB in, five ships sunk, only to be met by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, a man committed to protecting our rights to life, lib- erty and the pursuit of happi- ness. And here I stand today, with a man committed to pre- serving those very rights, a man whose goal is to provide a better world, whose interest is in the welfare of our popu- lation and the problems we as a nation are facing today. A man who, like those who have come before us, must work together for freedom but freedom with responsibility. I have found that life holds many secrets, many phi- losophies. My experiences in the war enriched my life and gave me my philosophy. We don ' t have problems, we just have solutions. Ladies and Gentlemen, I am honored to present to you a man who is devoted to find- ing those solutions, a great American and statesman, de- termined to protect those ide- als for which we fought so val- iantly, the President of our United States, Bill Clinton. - Retired Rear Admiral Eugene Fluckey 42 « 1 ' - MflM ... S— -J ■ M H - L 1 . 1 . ,j ft . Imgm. ' H pR H S| 1 • !; F jl J D ff r ■ J jW 43 1 United States President Bill Clinton Thank you very much, thank you Admiral Fluckey for your kind words, and far more, for your astonishing service to our country. Secretary Dalton, Secre- tary Perry, Secretary Brown, Admiral Boorda. Admiral Macke, Admiral Zlatoper, Ad- miral Moore, Captain Baucom, all the distinguished veterans who are here, from the United States Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine, to th e crew of USS CARL VINSON, it ' s good to be back. 1 was on board in San Francisco in August 1993 and now 1 have two of these caps I can proudly wear when tour- ing around the United States. Fifty years ago today, on the other side of this Pacific Ocean, the war encied. With a -M war that erupted in smoke and horror aboard the battleship ARIZONA, and concluded with peace and honor aboard the battleship MISSOURI. Today, we gather to offer a commemoration and renew a commitment. We com- memorate the men and women of the Navy and Marine Corps and their sister services who gave everything they had to the cause of freedom. And we commit ourselves to their legacy, by meeting great de- mands of this age with the same determination and forti- tude. More than 2,000 years ago, Peracles gave a funeral o ration in which he said, it was the actions of his I ' ailcn soldiers and not his own words that would stand as their memorial. Today we say the same about our own beloved war dead, and you, their brothers and sisters still living who served alongside them. Your deeds in the Pacific will for- ever remain the greatest trib- ute to the American naval ser- vices. Millions of Sailors, avia- tors, submariners and Marines joined in the effort against Ja- pan. They steered, and stoked, flew and fought aboard thou- sands of ships and planes and boats. They were transported ashore by the Coast Guard, sustained by the merchant ma- rine, supported by the WAVES and healed by the medical corps. You who serve lived in a world of gray steel and salt water, coarse sand and endless skies, violent rain aiui hard wind, white coral and precious I red blood. Long days and endless nights pass between hard battles, but the front line was usually no further away than the bow of your ship. The Pacific journey started where we stand today in Pearl Harbor - our darkest dawn. Here in the span of an hour as they struggled to put out the fires and struggled to save their ships, farm boys be- came sailors and teenagers, men. They fought in a war un- like any previous war, gone to places most Americans had never heard of, in disease-filled jungles and an ocean we once thought to huge to fight across. It was a war of battles dominated by aircraft carriers. first at Coral Sea then at Mid- way, when a superior Japanese force was undone by American code breaking and courage of our pilots who dove into im- possible odds to sink enemy carriers. It was a war where for the very first time soldiers, sailors, aviators and leathernecks all worked together. At Guadalcanal, the Navy, Ma- rines and Army began to turn the tide in freedom ' s favor. Before the were done, sunken ships had transformed the sea floor into a steel carpet. The surrounding waters actually were renamed Iron Bottom Sound. In the Gilberts, the Marshalls, the Marianas, the Carolines, amphibious forces shot to shore with a prayer and the cover of their comrades in the air and at sea. It was a war that required unparalleled courage - at Leyte, where PT boats took on cruisers, where battleships damaged at Pearl Harbor re- turned to break the back of the Japanese fleet, at Iwo Jima where more that 6,800 Marines gave their lives to have our flag snap in the wind atop Mount Suribachi, and finally on Okinawa, the war ' s final bloodiest struggle. In the Pacific no two battles were the same, but each was fought for freedom, in the Pacific, our leaders were col- orful and could not have been less alike, but all shared a cer- tain American greatness. Nimitz and Halsey, Spruance and Hollingsmith, and Admi- ral Arleigh Burke who honored me with his presence at dinner in Washington just a few weeks ago. In the course behind them all was President Roosevelt who had been Assistant Secre- tary of the Navy in World War One, and who remained the guardian inspirations to the Navy from his first day to his last as president. In the Pacific, each ship was an outpost of liberty, in the Pacific, each American demon- strated that as Admiral Nimitz said, they had uncommon valor as a common virtue. In the Pacific we won a war we had to win, but at a ter- rible cost of tens of thousands of lives never lived fully out. That sacrifice touches all of us today. But those of you here more than anyone who lost a shipmate or friends, someone with whom you refueled a plane or scraped a railing, or reloaded and overheated a 40mm gun. You endured, and the ba- sic American values of cour- age, optimism, responsibility and freedom all triumphed, and all of us are in your debt. I would like to ask all the veter- ans of the Pacific war who are here to stand, or if you can ' t stand, to wave your hand and recognized. We also owe you a very great day because of what you did with your re- markable victory. You did not leave your ideals at the wars edge - you brought them home. You carried them to col- lege on the G I bill and into work, and together you created the prosperous nation on earth. You extended our vision across the globe to rebuild our allies and former adversaries. To win the cold war, to advance the cause of peace and freedom. So to all of you who brought us from the ARIZONA to the MISSOURI, all of us who followed will al- ways remember your commit- ment, your deeds and your sac- rifice. They are as constant as the tides, and vast as this great Pacific Ocean. May God bless you and God bless America. - President Bill Clinton ii fjipm 1 m , gj BPL . SCc Sj JM r ■ 5 46 ! ' ( .S liiniiue JancK (ceiiler), iiiul oilur pasldl iltrks cancil commemorativi ' programs and stamp series for nuesls anil crew with the historic date stamp - Sept. 2, W5. ' resident Clinton, roslmuster (leneral Marvin Riinyon (center), presents framed commemorative stamp series to visitinn i;iiest. The end of WWII commemorative stamp President Clinton unveils one of several series depicting the end of the war and the End of WWII commemorative stamps. nation ' s celebration of its victory. USA ; -. Jand Napasaw- At Atomic bomb: 1995 fi Hiroshima. Aug nd Maqasai t. Atii ' ' , more than 12. i to schodl under Gl FIRST BAYTOF ISSUE- — Pn . M i ' n; . f . Vn I.I niu ! ,i, 7 . f i f i nry-r;pi i :r heavy lossr n Baltic of Prrhn. April 1 6- May 2 Allies breach w ' r- Wall and ct across Gertn t] defeat Germans in Italy Boosm lt. Church iiMnd SfJf mwf a: Yalta in FcoKary to structure arid OCEAN _, -  - 7) and JajMTiese surrender (Augilst 14). Several Axis controlled areas are not shown at this scale.) 2 SEP1995 1945:Victoryiitla3t Commemorative Stamps Unveiled Hanger Bay Dance 48 • ■• ■ ,:: -; ■Ml