Hill Air Force Base Newspapers | 2012-05-17 | Page 2

2 COMMENTARY fillt.p TIMES May 17, 2012 Asian Pacific American women served in WWII, too TIME Weekly Since 1948 Hilltop Times Editorial Staff: Lee Carter ... Standard-Examiner publisher Mary Lou Gorny Hilltop Times Editor Katina L. Ventura Hilltop Times Writer Krista Starker Hilltop Times Correspondent Deadlines: Editorial and news items are due by noon on the Friday prior to the Thursday print date. To submit news items e-mail [e-mail] or call 801- 625-4273. For Classified Advertising, call 801-625-4300. For Retail Advertising, call 801-625-4388. The Hilltop Times is published by Ogden Publishing Corp., a private firm in no way connected with the U.S. Air Force, under, and in compliance with, a Memorandum of Understanding with Hill Air Force Base. The content of the Hilltop Times does not necessarily represent the views of, nor is it endorsed by, the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Air Force or Hill Air Force Base (collectively, the Government). The appearance of advertising in this publication, including inserts or supplements, does not constitute endorsement by the Government of the products or services advertised. Everything advertised in this publication shall be made available for purchase, use or patronage without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation or any other nonmerit factor of the purchaser, user or patron. Editorial content is edited, prepared and provided by the Standard-Examiner, 332 Standard Way, Ogden, Utah, 84404. Additional editorial content is provided by various military and civilian wire services and Hill Air Force Base public affairs departments. Call 801-625-4273 with story ideas or comments, or contact the editor, Mary Lou Gorny, at [e-mail] . Call 801-625-4300 for Classified Advertising or 801-6254388 for Retail Advertising. BY RUDI WILLIAMS American Forces Press Service F ALLS CHURCH, Va.— Most people are surprised when they find out that Asian Pacific American women, particularly Japanese Americans, served in the U.S. military during World War II, said Judy Bellafaire, curator of the Women in Military Service for America Memorial. "Many Japanese women served in the armed forces while their families were in internment camps during the war," Bellafaire said. "Lots of Japanese and Chinese women were trained as interpreters and translators, and some Filipino American women put their lives on the line as members of the underground resistance in the Philippines." Asian Pacific American women first entered military service when the Women's Army Corps, or WAC, recruited 50 Japanese American and Chinese American women to be trained as translators at the Military Intelligence Service Language School at Fort Snelling, Minn., Bellafaire said. After training, 21 of them were assigned to the Pacific Military Intelligence Research Section at Camp Ritchie, Md. They worked with captured Japanese documents, extracting information on military plans. In 1943, Chinese American women were recruited to serve with the Army Air Force as "Air WACs," Bellafaire noted. They were often called the Madame Chiang Kai-Shek Air WAC unit. Hazel Toy Nakashima and Jit Wong were the first two women to become "Air WACs." They served in such jobs as photo interpretation, air traffic control and weather forecasting. Chinese American Hazel Ying Lee was one of 38 Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASPs, who died in the line of duty. Lee died in a two-plane crash resulting from receiving identical instructions from an air traffic controller on their approach to Great Falls Air Force Base, Mont., Bellafaire noted. Another Chinese American, Maggie Gee, took male military pilots up for qualifying flights to renew their instrument ratings and co-piloted B-17 Flying Fortress bombers through mock dogfights staged National Archives to train bomber Chinese American gunners. Hazel Ying Lee was "Although the among 38 members of Navy refused to the Women Airforce accept Japanese Service Pilots, or American women WASPs, killed in the throughout World line of duty during War II, some ChiWorld War II. nese American women volunteered to serve," Bellafaire noted. Among them was Honolulu-born Marietta Chong Eng who enlisted in the WAVES, or Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, because her brother was in the Navy. Trained as an occupational therapist, Eng helped rehabilitate sailors and officers who had lost arms and legs in the war. Filipino American women performed some of the most daring feats during the war as members of the Philippine underground. These women helped American forces in the Philippines throughout the three-year period of Japanese occupation. They smuggled food and medicine to American prisoners of war and carried information on Japanese deployments to Filipino and American forces working to sabotage the Japanese army. Bellafaire said she stumbled upon fascinating stories about the exploits of two Filipino American women while researching information for a pamphlet and exhibit for U.S. Army After the war, 13 Japanese American WACs were sent to Japan to show the Japanese what Americans of Japanese ancestry were like and to help build bridges across a cultural gap. Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Josefina V. Guerrero supplied American POWs with food, clothing and medicine and passed them contraband messages, Bellafaire said. "In the early days of the Japanese occupation, she was asked to map Japanese fortifications at the Manila waterfront. Her map included information on secret tunnels, air raid shelters and a number of new installations in which the allies were interested." Shortly before the American invasion of Manila in 1945, Guerrero carried a map through Japanese-held territory that showed the location of land mines along the planned invasion route, Bellafaire said. "She walked most of the way with the map taped between her shoulder blades," Bellafaire said. "She strapped a pack on her back, distracting the enemy, who concenSee SERVED I page 3 Shortly after the Nazi surrender, Japan would quickly follow suit after our use of the atomic bomb. With the end of the war, demobilization dominated Hill Field's early postwar years. From its peak war strength until 30 September 1945, right after the war, how many civilian personnel did Hill Field decrease by because of demobilization? A. 6,657 B. 2,450 C. 11,980 D. 10,546 A GLIMPSE BACK May 7-9, 1945 Mass produced B-17s, B-24s, B-25s, B-29s, P-38s, P-40s, P-51s and C-47s led to Victory Day in Europe. On May 7, the German High Command surrendered unconditionally at Reims, effective May 9. With that surrender, Air Transport Command began Projects Green and White, for personnel and aircraft, respectively, to move 250,000 people and 5,900 aircraft from Europe and the Mediterranean theaters to the U.S. HAWC Nest Fitness Tip from the Health and Wellness Center Up to 12 weeks of FREE tobacco cessation medication is available to federal employees and up to 6 months is available for active duty, dependents and retirees when attending the tobacco cessation series. Call the Health and Wellness Center at 801-777-1215 for further information. by September 1945. AN ¿SWER 086`11 .0 THINK SAFETY Hill's Total 2012 DUIs: 7 Hill's Last DUI: "Optee 27 U.S. Air Force Hill Field personnel gather to commemorate and celebrate the Allied victory in Europe, V-E Day, May 14, 1945. At its peak during WWII, Hill Field employed 15,780 civilians. But even with the sharp decline in numbers after WWII, they quickly ramped back up again during the Korean War — reaching 12,166 bodies by 1953. Unit Involved: 72% ;Vet &lotted Sveeeteezefra Airmen Against Drinking and Driving provide rides when designated drivers are unavailable. Call 777-1111 to request a ride anytime. Hours of operation: Fridays-Saturdays 10 p.m.- 6 a.m. Sundays 9 p.m.-midnight. J._\Eltrid Phone numbers — The base agencies listed can be contacted directly if you have a complaint or a problem with their services: Security Forces 24-hr, Crisis Information Force Support Squadron Base Restaurants Retirement/Compensation (civilian) Equal Opportunity Office Employer Relations Military Pay Civilian Pay Air Force Suggestion Program 777-7000 777-3056 777-3056 777-4134 777-2043 777-6142 777-5455 777-7129 777-1851 777-6246 777-6901 [e-mail] Hill Straight Talk 777-9696 Hill Pride Hotline [phone] IG Complaints 777-5305 Public Affairs 777-5333 Military Housing 825-9392 (for appointment) IG Complaints 777-5361 Maintenance Safety Office 777-3333 (after hours) 586-9300 Fraud, Waste or Abuse 777-5361 Safety Office Hotline [phone] Sexual Assault Response (recording) Coordinator (or) 777 1964 Loud Noise 1-877-885-9595 Union 777-3257 (complaints) AFOSI Narcotics Hotline [phone] 75th Medical Group 777-3090 Civil Engineering 777-1856 Family Assistance Center (when activated) - SUICIDE PREVENTION ASSISTANCE Mental Health Clinic 777 7909 Chaplain 777-2106 Military OneSource [phone] [phone] National Suicide - - Prevention Line TriWest Crisis Line [phone] TriWest Behavioral [phone] Health Contact Center EAP [phone] 777 1163 Occupational Medicine Services Wingman Advocates 777-2255 - -