Scouts support Summer Reading Program Finale

Several scouts from Troop 97 volunteered with the JBPHH Library's Summer Reading Program finale.   The library celebrated the theme, HAVE BOOK WILL TRAVEL.

Colonel Kirkendall, commander of the 647 ABG, praised the library's recent renovations.

Phyllis Frenzel, the library director, cut the ribbon with Colonel Kirkendall.

One of the scouts offered a "blessing":

Books are of the people, by the people, for the people. Literature is the immortal part of history; it is the best and most enduring part of personality. But in a library, you can at any moment converse with Socrates or Shakespeare or Carlyle or Dumas or Dickens or Shaw or Barrie or Galsworthy. And there is no doubt that in these books you see these men at their best. They wrote for you. They "laid themselves out," they did their ultimate best to entertain you, to make a favorable impression. You are necessary to them as an audience is to an actor; only instead of seeing them masked, you look into their innermost heart of heart.

William Lyon Phelps – 1933
The Pleasure of Books

Inside the newly renovated library, a magician entertained children of all ages.

A good time was had by all!

After the magic show, Scouts from Troop 97 served pizza and drinks to the families.  Mahalo, Scouts, for volunteering!

Troop 97 earned the Reading Merit Badge in April.

Task Force Smith Heritage Trail (Korea)

 

Aloha from Korea!   On Saturday, June 1, the Lowe Family joined Boy Scout Troop 86 on the Task Force Smith Heritage Trail.  The Scouts hiked two segments of the 86 mile trail created by BSA's Far East Council to commemorate the American Forces' entrance into the Korean Conflict.   

From this link,

Task Force Smith was the first U.S. Army ground maneuver unit to enter combat in Korea. The initial force was to make contact with the enemy and fight a delaying action. This was Task Force Smith, "that arrogant display of strength" that MacArthur hoped would fool the North Koreans into thinking a larger force was at hand. Some officers assumed that even this small force would give the North Koreans pause once they realized whom they were fighting.

Task Force Smith was named for Lieutenant Colonel Charles B. Smith, commanding officer, 1st Battalion, 21st Regiment, 24th Infantry Division. It comprised 406 officers and men: half of the battalion headquarters company, two understrength rifle companies (B and C), a communications section, a recoilless rifle platoon and two mortar platoons. In addition to its rifles, the task force had two 75mm recoilless rifles, two 4.2-inch mortars, six 2.36-inch "bazooka" rocket launchers and four 60mm mortars. Each man was issued 120 rounds of ammunition and two days' C-rations. Most of the men were 20 years old or less; only one sixth had seen combat.

 

The trail ends at the Task Force Smith Memorial in Suwon where the first battle between the American Forces and the North Koreans took place.   

Andrew and David pose by the original trenches on the hill above the memorial.  The troop also visited the UN Forces First Battle Memorial.   

The scouts received the trail patch plus the two segments.   Mahalo, Troop 86, for hosting scouts from Troop 97! 

More from Makahiki ...

These scouts demonstrated Native Hawaiian skills ....

... rendering a beautiful grass decoration!

Cub scouts played with noodle swords ... 

  
.... and adults played hockey!

Several troops used lashings to create catapults!

Scouts spend time with ohana.

Quinton won a prize from the Fly Fishing exhibition booth ... and deployed personnel received goodies with the cards made at Troop 97's booth. 

Makahiki - Military Demonstrations

Makahiki offered several military demonstrations ... including dental care!

This Coast Guard Lieutenant demonstrated how to throw a safety line to these scouts.

The Mobile Diving Salvage (MDS) offered underwater tic-tac-toe!

These scouts inspected the EOD robots!

The JPAC tent included a dad from Troop 97!   We chatted about H50 filming with the agency.

The soldiers from Schofield Barracks attracted the large crowd with their big guns!

Makahiki - A Celebration of Scouting

 

Makahiki kicked off with a Bag Piper calling the units to the flag ceremony.

Troop 97 demonstrated flag protocol, including folding a garrison flag.

Our tent was next to Troop 201's very popular Rope Bridge and Zip Line.

Scouts from Troop 24/Schofield Barracks treated us to Apple Cobbler made in the dutch oven.

We folded the garrison flag several times throughout Makahiki.

We were lucky to have the extra room!

  
The USS Missouri recruited "sailors".

 The Order of Arrow visited our tent ... 

... the tee pee contrasts with the modern Honolulu skyline.

 

We collected 88 cards for deployed personnel!   Stay tuned for more pictures from Makahiki!

Hickam Heritage Trail - Finale and Presentation

Volunteers completed the final leg of the Hickam Heritage Trail.   They left the Big Barracks and walked towards the traffic circle.

The Douglas RB-26C Invader sits proudly in front of the 15th Wing Headquarters.   The Invader earned the distinction as the only aircraft to serve in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

The traffic circle has several monuments, including the WWII Flyers Memorial ... 

 ... with the P40 Warhawk. 

Several historic buildings are located around the traffic circle, including the 15th Medical Group.  From eye witness accounts on Hawaii Aviation (at this link),

“We ducked under the operating tables as the bombs fell, dropping our scalpels. There was no time to change hypodermic needles. This was a case of giving relief from pain as fast as possible.”

1Lt. Robert T. Garrett, MD AAF Medical Corps

The Wing Headquarters has a distinctive Arc Deco flare ... 

... and overlooks the Freedom Tower!   The Scouts presented the Hickam Heritage Trail to the base library.  Families seeking to walk/run/bike the trail can request a guide from the library staff.  Upon completion, families can claim a special prize from the library staff!

An Eagle Project continues - Hickam Heritage Trail

Volunteers continued with the Eagle Scout Project to create the Hickam Heritage Trail.   From the Missing Man Formation, the scouts marked a trail along Vickers Avenue.

The historic hangers in Art Deco are now home of several squadrons.

The hangers lead to the Big Barracks - home of 3000 airmen on December 7, 1941.

The Japanese bombed the Big Barracks and Hickam Airfield.   The building is now the headquarters for Pacific Air Forces, but it maintained the strafing marks to honor its history.

The Japanese Zeroes aimed for the building interior ...

 ... this metal stair case still has the bullet holes.

   

The Big Barracks hosts the Courtyard of Heroes to remember those who served in World War II, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

  

  
Above is the original flag that flew on the Hickam Flagpole on December 7, 1941.   We still have one more segment of the trail ... stay tuned for more photos!