War begins for U.S. December 7, 1941 Ends: May 8, 1945 ► VE Day declared.		August 14, 1945 War ends in Japan ► VJ Day declared Lest we Forget!
Speakers on for musical tribute to our military Click on topics to advance: 1. About the Memorial   2. Personal Photos of visit  3. WWII old Photos of veteran Harvey Chambers and his brother J.S. 4. Before you go -- a musical tribute to WWII Veterans   The World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home. Symbolic of the defining event of the 20th Century, the memorial is a monument to the spirit, sacrifice, and commitment of the American people. The Second World War is the only 20th Century event commemorated on the National Mall’s central axis. The memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004 and was dedicated one month later on May 29. It is located on 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues, and is flanked by the Washington Monument to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west. It is located on the National Mall in Washington, DC, and commemorates the sacrifice and celebrates the victory of the WWII generation. The World War II Memorial creates a distinct, evocative and serene tribute yet remains respectful and sensitive to its historic surroundings.    Dedication President George W. Bush delivers remarks to thousands of veterans at the National World War II Memorial on the National Mall, Saturday, May 29, 2004. White House photo by Eric Draper Prayer for Peace, Memorial Day, 2004 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation ▪ Click here to read President Bush's   Prayer for Peace ▪ View more Memorial Photos from   the White House Web Site   Panorama of the Memorial, seen from the east, with the Lincoln Memorial in the background Back to top of page Personal Visit On March 18, 2006, Harvey and Bettye Chambers along with daughter Lisa Hoover visited the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. for the first time. Harvey is a veteran of WWII and very much wanted to make this visit.  Bettye and Lisa were in Washington for the spring board meeting of the NFRW.  It was a very cold day and the fountains had been turned off. It is a most impressive memorial to our WWII Veterans -- America's greatest generation.   WWII Memorial Dedication by President George W. bush   Flag at entrance to memorial The war to end tyranny Looking down National Mall from Memorial entrance   Harvey stands by Entrance Inscriptions   Freedom Wall Field of 4,000 Gold Stars honors more than 400,000 lives lost during the war Harvey by Bias Relief Panel Read more Harvey and Lisa Atlantic Pavilion with Pillars D-Day Marker   D-Day, Normandy, France June 6, 1944   Pearl Harbor A day that shall live in infamy How well we remember! Listen to President Franklin D. Roosevelt's address to Congress, December 8, 1941. PART 1. Read more   Midway Battle of Midway, 4-7 June 1942 -- Overview and Special Image Selection FDR Quote Gen. Marshall Quote War's End - Gen. MacArthur Quote Pacific Pavilion D.Day Gen. Eisenhower Quote State Pillars at Night ▪ Read about World War II on the History Channel   WWII Plaza at night      Take a 360 degree i-Pix tour 360 ° Tour 1 360 ° Tour 2 360 ° Tour 3 ▪ View Additional Photos from WWII Memorial Web sites ▪ View Bias Relief Panels   ▪ Dedication Photos - 2004     Back to Top of Page   Harvey E. Chambers In World War II 5th U.S. Army Air Force Served in the Philippines, New Guinea, and Okinawa 1942 - 1945           ▪ Visit the National Museum of the             U.S. Air Force          ▪ WWII Combat in South pacific   Harvey E. Chambers January 1944  Photos taken in Australia during World War II click thumbnail photos to enlarge   Harvey's Witness to the Crash of the P61 Black Widow into Mt. Cyclops January 10, 1945 I was there when the crash occurred and witnessed the entire event from start to finish. My unit,  the  Hdqs Squadron Service Command 5th Air Force was located at the foot of Cyclops Mt. between the air strip and the mountain. We were quite accustomed to the aircraft,  which were assembled and tested at the strip, flying over our area.   At about noon on January 10, 1945 one of the P61s' had flown over the area several times and then came over us at low level and started up the side of the mountain.  The aircraft was very low to the side of the jungle and it became obvious that the pilot had made a serious error in judging the power of the engines to climb that high and almost straight up.   The sound of the engines changed all at once and the aircraft began to stall. The pilot made an effort to pull out of the stall to his right. It was too late and the aircraft just pancaked into the side of the mountain.  It was obvious that  the aircraft was not badly torn up even at that point.  I am sure it never entered anyone's mind that the P61 would ever come off that mountain and it is just unbelievable that the plane was retrieved many years later, is being restored and is expected to soon fly again! Read more about the retrieval and rebuilding  of the P61 "Black Widow" on the Widow's Web web page of the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum site. Many interesting photos are available here. click on thumbnail photo to enlarge             Harvey with Japanese gun at Neilson Field, Manila 1945   Harvey and friend, Andy Coriale with Japanese anti- aircraft gun Japanese pillbox Manila 1945            Harvey's brother J.S. also served in the Pacific during WWII Left: J. S. in Marine Corps during WWII where he served in Iwo Jima and spent a number of months in a hospital in Hawaii Note on back of photo on left to his Brother Harvey Chambers who was serving in the Philippines during WWII Visit Memory Page for J.S. who passed away on January 19, 2005      Back to top of page   Before you Go (Please read the following and then click the link below to view and listen to the moving music. . . ) Sam  Bierstock, 58, and John Melnick, 54, of Pompano Beach - a member of Bierstock's band, Dr. Sam and the Managed Care Band - have written a song inspired by that old soldier in the airport parking lot. The haunting  "Before You Go" does more than salute those who fought in WWII. It encourages  people to go out of their way to thank the aging warriors before they  die. "If we had lost that particular war, our whole way of life would  have been shot," says Bierstock, who plays harmonica. "The WW II soldiers are  now dying at the rate of about 2,000 every day. I thought we needed to thank  them." The song is striking a chord. Within four days of Bierstock placing it on the Web , the song and accompanying photo essay have bounced  around nine countries, producing tears and heartfelt thanks from veterans,  their sons and daughters and grandchildren. "It made me cry," wrote one  veteran's son. Another sent an e-mail saying that only after his father  consumed several glasses of wine would he discuss "the unspeakable horrors" he  and other soldiers had witnessed in places such as Anzio, Iwo Jima, Bataan  and Omaha  Beach. "I can never  thank them enough," the son wrote. "Thank you for thinking about  them." GOD BLESS EVERY veteran... and THANK you to those veterans who may receive this  !   CLICK  THE LINK BELOW TO HEAR THE SONG AND SEE THE  PICTURES: www.beforeyougo.us   <http://www.beforeyougo.us>       Informative Web sites: Army Air Corps - Army Air Forces Historical Association Air Forces in World War II The Army Air Force, WWII Resource Guide WWII AAC / AAF Squadron Insignia Patch Page ~ units below 200   ▪ Bettye and Lisa at the White House Tea - March 2006
Back to top of page

 

Right Webs 2 Go
by Bettye Chambers