Click on text link or photograph to view Cyril's Bio Page and to read about the SS E.G Seubert in WWII.
Cyril A. Dobrovolc
RM3/C - USN WWII
U.S Navy Armed Guard
SS E.G. Seubert
Click on text link or photograph to view Cyril's Bio Page and to read about the SS E.G Seubert in WWII. Cyril A. Dobrovolc RM3/C - USN WWII U.S Navy Armed Guard SS E.G. Seubert
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Our MAY 2013 "The Avenger" Digital NEWSLETTER is available now! Please download it from the PDF file below:
Click here to Join our Newsletter List! Join Our Newsletter List! Stay in touch with current events, news, and more from the Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum. You can unsubscribe at any time. Click here to view our Newsletter Archives. Please be assured that we don't sell or divulge your information. Simply type your e-mail address below and Submit, and you will be on our next Newsletter! Thank you to Attorney and Author Jon E. Krupnick for his autographed gift!
Mr. Krupnick wrote Pacific Pioneers - The Rest of the Story: A Pictorial History of Pan Am's Pacific First Flights 1935-1946. It is a Hardcover Edition, and it is available now for perusal in our Library. Thank you Mr. Krupnick! The book cover has a beautiful image from artist Bob Jenny, whose original works adorn our Museum. The foreword is by Jimmy Buffett. "...Jon Krupnick's book gives us a wonderful glimpse into one of the great time periods in all of aviation. In a era of fast planes and high tech theme parks, it is truly refreshing to be taken back in time by the pages of a book." -- From the foreword by Jimmy Buffett - song writer - best selling author "To call this volume the definitive work on Pan American's Pacific Pioneering flights seems inadequate. It is by far the most complete reference ever written...." -- Jon Proctor, editor; Airlines Magazine, November 2000.
Check out future site of the South Florida Military Museum or Miami Military Museum. It is going to be awesome!! Miami Military Museum Website HISTORY of Richmond Naval Air Station:
The Richmond Naval Lighter Than Air Station was a South Florida military installation about 18 miles south of Miami. It was an active base during World War II. The base was used as a blimp base. Among the ten LTA bases across the nation, 17 large wooden hangars were built, of which Richmond NAS had more (3) than any other base. Before 1943 German submarines patrolled the entire US east coast destroying over 400 merchant ships in six months. A radio man had received training about radar which had been installed on the blimps. He requested from the Base Commander to use the radar and the US never lost another ship to submarines that they escorted. When the blimp discovered a submarine, they opened fire and often called in fixed-wing aircraft to attack as well. On September 15, 1945, a hurricane caused a fire in one of the hangars. The fire quickly spread to the two other hangars and destroyed the hangars, blimps, 366 planes and 150 cars. The same type of wooden hangar can still be seen today at only four locations: (2) Moffett Field in California, (2) Tustin, California, (2) Lakehurst, NJ, and (1) Tillamook, Oregon. In response to the sudden increase in enrollment resulting from veterans returning to college, the University of Miami leased the decommissioned station to provide classrooms and housing for 1,100 students as its "South Campus." Other areas of the old base were utilized by the Army, Navy and Coast Guard Communications installations, then the Air Force built a MOAD facility. From 1948 to the present the University of Miami has used it as a research facility and storage area. Buildings currently house: the Global Public Health Research Group, Miami Institute for Human Genomics, D.U.I. Laboratory (for analysis of motorist blood samples), and Microbiology & Immunology. Starting in 1956 the railroad tracks on the base were used for the Gold Coast Railroad Museum. In 1984, the museum moved to the area previously occupied by Hangars #1 and #2. From 1962 to 1968, the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) leased a few buildings from the University of Miami under the "front" name of Zenith Technological Services. This "front" company was in fact the intelligence gathering headquarters for the CIA's operation against Fidel Castro's government in Cuba, known as JM/WAVE or the WAVE STATION. Over 400 CIA operatives worked out of this facility. In 1968, after Ramparts magazine exposed CIA operations on other campuses, JMWAVE was moved off the Miami South campus. In 1970, the University of Miami's programs were ordered off the base except for the toxicology department of the UM Medical School. Later, Dade County was deeded 1,000 acres for a new zoo, today's Zoo Miami, and for public access. The future site of the South Florida Military Museum will be located in this historic area. GO TO THE Miami Military Museum Website To NAS Ft. Lauderdale Historical Association:
"Hello, my name is Edward M. Steidler and I was in training at the NAS Fort Lauderdale in WW2. I volunteered for the Navy at the age of 17 and applied for the V-6 program which was the Aircrew. Got accepted, then on October 5, 1944 I was shipped to Millington, Tennessee by train. This was the Naval Air Technical Training Center where we took our boots and learned how to take code, etc. The next step was Air Gunnery School at Miami, Florida. Finally, we went to NAS Fort Lauderdale to Air operations where we were assigned a Pilot and became an Aircrew. Here we combined all the skills including torpedoeing ships, ditching procedures, etc. I was assigned to pilot Harry Allen III, from Richmond, VA. I became the belly gunner, and John Payne was the turret gunner. I thought our training was inconsistent, in that operating the radio gear was skimpy. The TBM had a radio setup called GP which had several coils that you plugged into the radio to set your frequency. Most of us felt that particular session was not very thorough. All during this training, John Payne was chronically airsick and would throw up. Usually on me. I didn't complain because he was the only support for his mother and she needed his flight pay. Remembering Flight 19 incident: On 5 December 1945, the Flight 19 incident occurred. The day was warm, clear, and beautiful. About supper time, a front came through and it became bitterly cold. We were told the lost flight would be in the water about 7pm. I remember how sorry I felt for them ditching in the dark, and even if they got into their rafts they would be soaking wet and freezing cold. Our crew took part in the search. As I remember, the total search was 5 days, and our crew flew 3 of the 5 days. Never saw a trace of them. Hurricane Incident: I don't remember the dates, but a hurricane struck south Florida and destroyed a Blimp Hanger I believe, located in Hollywood. The personnel at the blimp base was set free and NAS Fort Lauderdale was to furnish guards, and we were asked to volunteer. I said I'm not volunteering for anything, but I was watching a movie when an SP came in and selected 12 of us for something. We were put in a dump truck and taken to the blimp base. The local officials put all their equipment in this immense hanger which was destroyed and burned up. The metal equipment was melted. All the food at the blimp base was spoiling, so the mess cooks set the grandest table of all time. From steak to lobster, but we couldn't even make a dent. On the way back to NAS Fort Lauderdale after several days, we were driven through a black district. The people were sitting in chairs out in their yards, their houses were gone, and the mosquitoes were coming out. Transfer out: My pilot transferred to dive bombers which were a two-place aircraft. He kept me and let Payne go. We went into training near Virginia Beach, VA. We were assigned to Bomber Squadron 3, which was on the USS Yorktown. It was proposed to replace the SBD Dauntless dive-bombers with the newer SB2C Helldiver dive-bomber, but the Yorktown got sunk at Midway before the transfer was accomplished. The VB-3 planes were scattered over the surviving carriers, so VB-3 disappeared. We never got another carrier assignment so we stayed in training until discharge. I have included my picture where I look awful young. I am 86 now and in fair health. I have been happily married for 65 years." Ed Steidler Aviation Radioman 3C Hello to our visitors: Diane, Tammy, Cathy, and Jenny.
All native Floridians, on their first visit to the NASFL Museum! Please click on links or photographs to read the profiles Thomas "Tex" Ellison USN, WWII Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Senior Flight Instructor Charles J. Schaus USNR, WWII
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service. There are many stories as to its actual beginnings, with over two dozen cities and towns laying claim to being the birthplace of Memorial Day. There is also evidence that organized women's groups in the South were decorating graves before the end of the Civil War: a hymn published in 1867, "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" by Nella L. Sweet carried the dedication "To The Ladies of the South who are Decorating the Graves of the Confederate Dead" (Source: Duke University's Historic American Sheet Music, 1850-1920). While Waterloo N.Y. was officially declared the birthplace of Memorial Day by President Lyndon Johnson in May 1966, it's difficult to prove conclusively the origins of the day. It is more likely that it had many separate beginnings; each of those towns and every planned or spontaneous gathering of people to honor the war dead in the 1860's tapped into the general human need to honor our dead, each contributed honorably to the growing movement that culminated in Gen Logan giving his official proclamation in 1868. It is not important who was the very first, what is important is that Memorial Day was established. Memorial Day is not about division. It is about reconciliation; it is about coming together to honor those who gave their all.
Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No.11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. The first state to officially recognize the holiday was New York in 1873. By 1890 it was recognized by all of the northern states. The South refused to acknowledge the day, honoring their dead on separate days until after World War I (when the holiday changed from honoring just those who died fighting in the Civil War to honoring Americans who died fighting in any war). It is now celebrated in almost every State on the last Monday in May (passed by Congress with the National Holiday Act of 1971 (P.L. 90 - 363) to ensure a three day weekend for Federal holidays), though several southern states have an additional separate day for honoring the Confederate war dead: January 19 in Texas, April 26 in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi; May 10 in South Carolina; and June 3 (Jefferson Davis' birthday) in Louisiana and Tennessee. We recently had the pleasure to meet Luke, a very bright 4th grader from Tennessee. Luke was amazingly knowledgeable and informed about the Flight 19 story; which he hopes to continue exploring when he grows up. He built a small WWII Naval Aviator from Legos, which he brought to donate to the Museum. We were all very touched by your gesture and generosity Luke, and we wish you all the best!
Kurt Langsenkamp owner of Steel Fabricators, LLC made beautiful bright red torpedo stands, which were designed by Willy Cook of Bromley & Cook Engineering. The torpedoes were secured to the slab which was underneath the guard-house. The dilapidated house was removed by the Airport along with the two most western sections of the fence to improved visibility. They also moved the torpedoes from behind the building onto the stands. Jeff Finder prepared and painted the concrete slab in military gray, and Richard Haddad, John Casey, John Bloom and Ray Rivera helped with its completion. The final touches were applied by member Ben Langley with stenciled insignia. These colorful WWII artifacts definitely stand out as people pass by!
We had a busy and meaningful Luncheon in May! We had a Special Guest: State Representative George R. Moraitis, Jr., who was a Submarine Officer, and is currently in the Navy Reserve. George is also a Real Estate Attorney based in Fort Lauderdale. Our Speaker was George Rafajko, a Sargent in the Marines serving during Vietnam. He worked with Air & Naval Gunfire. George has been in the American Legion for 21 years and is Commander for the South Florida Region for the past 2 years. Also, WWII veteran Charlie Schaus USNR, gave a spontaneous recollection of his war experience while serving aboard the USS Barton. Charlie recalled his participation at Normandy on D-day, Okinawa, and at the Surrender of Japan— an emotional moment for all who attended.
Welcome New Members! Barbara Makris Jacques Renard Randy A. Laser & Family Willard & Connie Conrow Anne de Padro-Bloom James Hoy Bromley-Cook Engineering, Inc. William McGrath Bruce Quailey & Family and Lifetime Member Brad Wood Thank you for supporting your community and your Museum! Become a Member of the NASFL Museum |
Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale MuseumNational Register of Historic Places. A Florida Heritage Site. Only remaining structure from WWII left on the naval base property. Home of Flight 19 one of the great aviation mysteries. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization. The Only Military Museum in Broward County. Support the Museum at Amazon
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Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Museum
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