Category Archives: military

Pea Island Lifesavers

Thirty years ago, I was president of Chicamacomico Historical Association. As a board member, I had been involved with the group since 1982. Our job was historical preservation and promoting the legacy of the United States Lifesaving Service. There were numerous other lifesaving stations along the coast. 

One of those was Pea Island Station several miles north of Chicamacomico. It was the only station in the country manned by an all African-American crew. On October 11, 1896 they responded to the shipwreck of the E.S. Newman. An account of this event is found in the following United States Naval Institute publication. 

https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/1997/february/against-raging-storm

On October 11, 1996 we celebrated the one hundred year anniversary of this rescue by gathering descendants of the rescuers and rescued together. It was somewhat emotional knowing that without that 1896 crew at Pea Island, some of the attendees would never have been born. Pea Island Keeper Richard Etheridge and his crew were awarded Gold Lifesaving Medals posthumously for heroism.

During the gathering I was taken by one particular individual. William C Bowser was descended from Surfman Benjamin Bowser who took part in the rescue. Speaking with Mr. Bowser, I found him to be a true gentleman, handsome, humble and accomplished. I asked if he would mind if I photographed him and he obliged. He passed away ten years later in 2006. He was the last surviving crew member of the all-black Pea Island Coast Guard Station.

Aircraft

Dad was a career Navy officer so my family flew military transport to various bases overseas. At 7 years old, I remember flying a DC-4 (or something similar) to Newfoundland. A few years later, we were on long round trip flights to and from the island of Guam on a (MATS) Lockheed Constellation. Ever since, I’ve had a fascination for airplanes.

On a west coast trip recently, we visited the Palm Springs Air Museum in California, where there was plenty to see.

Highlights for me included a replica Memphis Belle used in filming the 1990 movie of the same name.

The B-17 is powered by 4 nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engines. This bomber is undergoing extensive maintenance to be flown again for a living history experience.

Who wouldn’t love the graphics on this P-40 Warhawk Fighter?

During World War II at 18 years old, our 41st President flew and bailed out of a TBM Avenger like this one.

Of personal interest was the museum’s extensive collection of POW/MIA Vietnam era bracelets. During that war, my brother-in-law flew as a navigator aboard an A-6A Intruder off the USS Kitty Hawk. Returning from a mission over North Vietnam, Jim and his pilot were lost and listed MIA. After years of searching, remains were located and verified through DNA testing. 2006 he was brought home and buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

It was emotional to see 2 bracelets with Jim’s name and missing-in-action date. My family wore these for years in hopes of his coming home alive. He was 23 years old and the loss changed our family dynamic forever.

 

For Valor

A hundred and six years ago today, one of the most daring rescues in Coast Guard history occurred. August 16, 1918 during World War l, the British tanker Mirlo exploded offshore after being targeted by a German U-boat. The crew at Chicamacomico Coast Guard Station launched their 25-foot surfboat offshore to where the Mirlo, loaded with fuel, was an inferno. Despite the danger, Keeper John Allen Midgett and 5 Surfmen maneuvered among the flames. Miraculously, they rescued 42 out of a crew of 51 and brought them to shore.

As a result, Captain John Allen Midgett, Zion Midgett, Arthur Midgett, Prochorus O’Neal, Clarence Midgett, and Leroy Midgett received highly prestigious awards.

All six men were decorated with United States Gold Lifesaving Medals.

In 1921, King George V of Great Britain bestowed specially minted Gold Lifesaving Medals to each of them.

July of 1930 the same lifesavers were awarded the American Cross of Honor. At the time only 11 had ever been given. Six of them belong to those men at Chicamacomico.

 

Captain John Allen Midgett was also presented a silver cup by the British Board of Trade.

As a past board member and president of Chicamacomico Historical Association, I kept personal photographic records of events at the station over many years. I photographed these awards in 1993, when we displayed them in celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Mirlo Rescue.

For a detailed account of this heroism go here:

https://chicamacomico.org/mirlo-rescue/

A Legacy of Bravery

Moving to Rodanthe decades ago, I noticed how common the name Midgett was. Businesses were owned by Midgetts or their descendants. My first 3 landlords were Midgetts, and ultimately the property that I bought to build my house, was purchased from the Clarence Midgett family. Many of my friends have had, or descended from families with, that same last name. It’s believed that the first Midgett to arrive here in the 1600’s was likely a shipwreck survivor.

The family is engrained in local history. Many enlisted in the early US Lifesaving Service, and later the Coast Guard. Heroic deeds of the Midgetts on the Outer Banks have been well- documented. Most renowned is the Mirlo Rescue of 1918 led by John Allen Midgett, Jr. from Chicamacomico Station.  For this act of valor, Midgett and his 5-man crew were awarded prestigious Gold Lifesaving Medals and Grand Crosses of the American Cross of Honor. In 1921, the British government bestowed Gold Lifesaving Medals to the men as well as a silver cup to Keeper Midgett from the Board of Trade.

In 1971, to honor the former keeper at Chicamacomico, a 378-foot Hero-class Coast Guard Cutter was launched, named John Allen Midgett, Jr. Since then it has served the varied missions of the modern day Coast Guard. It continues to do so, currently using the name,  John Midgett.

Earlier this month a new US Coast Guard Cutter was docked at Nauticus in Norfolk for a pre- commissioning ceremony. Midgett descendants and friends were invited to tour the newly christened John Allen Midgett, Jr. At 418 feet, it’s a Legend-class cutter whose mission is maritime homeland security, law enforcement, marine safety, environmental protection and national defense. It is the successor to the first Midgett Cutter and is to be based in Honolulu where it will be commissioned next month.

Everything about the John Allen Midgett, Jr. is strictly business.

A 57 millimeter gun turret sits on the foredeck.

Gunner’s Mate Patrick Reinholz displayed a mounted machine gun and took questions on the port side.

Maritime Enforcement Specialists Francisco Rubio (in front) and Michael Midgette explained their roles and weaponry. Midgette, originally from Manteo, is a descendent. There have been several spelling variations of the Midgett name going back to common ancestry.

The stern launch held one of two cutter boats. This is the 35-foot Long Range Interceptor.

A state-of-the-art control panel on the bridge reminded me of a powerfully sophisticated video game.

Captain Alan McCabe addressed visiting guests and crew on the ship’s helicopter pad.

The ship’s Sponsor is Jazania O’Neal, granddaughter of Captain John Allen Midgett, Jr. She initialed the keel plate as the  John Allen Midgett, Jr. was being built. Jonna Midgette is Jazania’s daughter and Matron of Honor. They will travel to Hawaii for the commissioning.

From the bridge, I photographed the assembled family descendants and crew. At 98 years old, the eldest was Lovie Midgett of Rodanthe. She attended the commissioning of the original Cutter in 1972.

Despite the new Cutter’s actual namesake, it is a tribute to all Midgetts with connections to the Coast Guard, as well as all Outer Bankers who take pride in local history and lifesaving.

Touring the ship was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

 

 

The Liberty Memorial

Last year when Denise and I visited relatives in Kansas City, Missouri, we were treated with a great tour of downtown. There were so many interesting things to do and see.

One of the finest museums that I’ve ever visited is prominent in the landscape. The National World War I Museum was opened in 1926 and features a 265 foot stone spire as a tribute to those that served in the First World War.

One can spend days, weeks or longer going through the complex. Our second day visit was on a rainy morning and as we went in, I was attracted by the glass ceiling over the lobby entrance, so I went back out in the drizzle and made two exposures over the wet glass panels. One was vertical and another horizontal. They were quick, handheld shots with my current camera of choice, a Lumix mirrorless body with interchangeable lenses.

One of the most prestigious local art shows here is the annual Frank Stick Memorial Art Show hosted by the Dare County Arts Council. It began 41 years ago and I’ve entered a piece in nearly every one.

This year I decided to print the above mentioned photograph and apply an age old photo technique. I remembered experimenting with solarized prints in my darkroom around 1980 and the results were usually surreal and unpredictable.

Tones are often reversed resembling a negative. Photoshop made this easy to accomplish and turned a drab day into one looming and dramatic. I entered a 16×20 print and was given an Excellence Award. There were over a hundred entries and ribbons for me have been rare in this venue.

This year’s show was poignant in that it was dedicated to my friend and prolific Nags Head artist Glenn Eure who passed away last September at the age of 86. He was a well-known and gifted artist. A Purple Heart recipient, he served combat tours in Korea and Viet Nam. I think he would have liked my print entitled TRIBUTE IN KC.

The inscription on the monument reads: IN HONOR OF THOSE THAT SERVED IN THE WORLD WAR IN DEFENSE OF LIBERTY AND OUR COUNTRY