JACK ARMY

Fading History: Marine Corps Air Station Ewa

After my run on 2 February, I became interested in the railroad history of the line that runs from Honolulu around Pearl Harbor and through Ewa and Barbers Point.  The railroad grad is still there and from Ft. Weaver Road to the west the tracks are still there, at least as far as Kapolei, I'm not sure beyond that.  Anyway, my internet search for maps lead me to this very interesting site about abandoned airfields on Oahu.  Of particular interest was the section about the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Ewa.  There are some great historical photos of the MCAS there and a little bit of history. 

My curiosity piqued, I dug a little more and found this awesome site, www.december7.com, with some fantastic photos. I highly encourage you to cycle through the various pages on that site.  From there and a few other websites, I learned that the MCAS Ewa was abandoned by the Marines in 1952 when they consolidated their aviation activities at Kaneohe on the east (windward) side of Oahu, primarily because the runways at Ewa were too short to accommodate the new jet aircraft and due to how close the Barbers Point NAS was the Ewa runways could not be lengthened.  MCAS Ewa was absorbed into the Barbers Point NAS though the runways were not used and eventually two of them were torn up to build the Barbers Point golf course. 

Back to WWII, MCAS Ewa was likely the first location attacked during the Pearl Harbor raid by the Japanese on 7 December 1941.  Marines at Ewa fired on the Japanese aircraft and four lost their lives fighting there.  In fact, two Japanese pilots parachuted into the Ewa area.  More here and here.

There are folks interested in preserving MCAS Ewa.  Not only the guy that runs www.december7.com mentioned above, but others as well.

COL Lewis Millett

COL Millett earned his Congressional Medal of Honor during the Korean War.  While all MOH Recipients are tough as nails, COL Millett must have eaten nails for breakfast and chewed on raw steel as a snack.  As a Wolfhound, he's one of the heroes immortalized on the walls of our battalion headquarters.  I've read his MOH citation several times, I'm impressed every time.  I just can't imagine doing what he did, much less living through it.

As of Saturday, 14 November 2009, the world has one less hero in it.

More on COL Millett:

Military History: Interview with COL Lewis L. Millett

Citation and Info at Kolchak.org (Wolfhound Association Website)

Photos of COL Millett at homeofheroes.com

I personally did not have the honor of meeting COL Millett, though some members of my battalion did at the end of our NTC Rotation in APR/MAY 2006.  I heard a few stories about the conversations during that visit and of the stories COL Millett told.  He was a tough dude even at 85.  I imagine he was harder than woodpecker lips in his prime.

Rest in Peace, sir.  No Fear!

Documentary: "Understanding the Surge"

Understanding the Surge:

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) will host the world premier screening of their new documentary, The Surge: the Untold Story. This is the only documentary of its kind offering audiences a look into the real story of the Surge in Iraq, as told by top U.S. military commanders. These never-before-seen interviews tell the ground truth of a failing mission transformed into one of the most successful military operations in a generation of war fighting.

What are your impressions of "The Surge" and its effectiveness?  Did you have an idea of how it would work out before it was implemented?  What do you remember of the media coverage?  What milblogs were you reading during "The Surge."

By the way, I feel like "The Surge" should be copyrighted by the Pentagon or something.  Doesn't it sound like it a rock concert tour or something?