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The numbers are in and I would like send a heart-felt "THANK YOU" to all our supporters who contributed to our end-of-the-year fund raising campaign. Because of you it was a huge success with over 100 supporters contributing over $17,000 to get our new year off to a great start. Thank you again for being our friends and supporters!
Our evening events are back this month. In honor of Black History Month, we will be holding an evening event where we will tell the story of Carl Brashear, the first African American to become a Master Diver. Please join us for the this free event on February 24 from 7 p.m to 9 p.m.
Captain Sheldon Margolis
USN (Retired)
Executive Director
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What's going on at your museum? (Museum events or museum partners)
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Feb. 9: Free Tuesday admission to the museum for San Diego County residents
- Feb. 9: Arts for All (2 to 4 p.m.) and Arts for Veterans (6 to 8 p.m.)
- Feb. 9: War Dogs to Recovery Therapy Dogs (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
- Feb. 23: Movie day at the museum - The Alamo (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.)
- Feb. 24: Evening event - Honoring Black History Month (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
- Feb. 27: United Veterans Council meeting (9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.)
- Feb. 27: San Diego County monthly veterans memorial service (noon)
- Mar. 12-13: Thursday Club rummage sale
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This month
Black History Month
As we celebrate African Americans and their accomplishments, we will host an evening event to remember Carl M. Brashear
. You may remember Cuba Gooding, Jr. playing the Master Diver in the movie, "Men of Honor."
Carl M. Brashear was 75 years old when he passed away at Portsmouth Naval Medical center. He was the Navy's first black master deep-sea diver and who later successfully fought to continue his undersea career after he became an amputee.
In 1966, he lost half of his left leg in a shipboard accident. After a long struggle in physical therapy and using an artificial leg, he became the Navy's first amputee diver. He retired in 1979 at the top enlisted rank of Master Chief Petty Officer.
Please join us Wednesday, Feb. 24 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. to hear about his remarkable story. The event is FREE and open to the public!
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Last month
Boy Scouts Bridging Ceremony
Every month we host many kinds of ceremonies from retirements to change of commands to promotions and advancements. We are always pleased when the next generation wants to rent the museum for their special day
. We enjoyed hosting a bridging ceremony for a local boy scout as he continues on in the chapter of his journey.
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Museum members Tom and Nancy Crosby represent us at The National WWII Museum
We are so fortunate to have amazing museum members who like to spread the news of the great things we are doing in San Diego. Last month, Tom and Nancy Crosby were invited to New Orleans for the grand opening of new exhibits, "The Road to Tokyo" and the U.S. Merchant Marine Gallery. Tom also represented San Diego POW's for the new exhibit.
T
o learn more about The National WWII Museum:
Click here!
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Museum News
We are raising our events rates
As operating costs increase so must our rental rates. Effective Feb. 1st, our facility rental rates will increase 10%
. For military-affiliated patrons the cost to rent the main chapel area begins at $400.
The rental rates include
3 hours of reserved event time; plus 1 free set-up hour and 2 free rehearsal hours, corded or wireless sound system as well as set-up and tear down of tables and chairs.
Military ceremonies include use of USS Rocky Mountain bell, 6 ceremonial bullets, and an 18' long red carpet which is included in the rental.
All events include personalized attention to detail and one-on-one service from museum staff, free ample parking for guests and free admission to the museum.
Any patrons who have ceremonies booked prior to Feb. 1st will receive the 2015 rates. Members always receive a 10% discount on the facility rental.
To book your next event, contact the museum at (619)239-2300 and ask to speak to the Events Director.
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Thursday Club Rummage Sale benefits our museum this year - March 12 -13
The museum was selected as one of the 18 local charities to receive a portion of the proceeds from the weekend rummage sale. San Diego's largest rummage sale, started in 1927, will be held March 12 and 13 in the Activity Center (2145 Park Blvd., east side of Balboa Park) in Balboa Park. New and gently-used merchandise, including antiques, furniture, sporting equipment, holiday décor, kitchen appliances, toys, computer ware, books and clothing will be sold. More than $120,000 was returned to the community through last year's sale.
The Thursday Club, a group of volunteers dedicated to educational, cultural and civic community involvement and leadership for more than 90 years in San Diego, has returned well over $2 million to the community through club activities. Each year members of the non-profit organization assess community needs to reach as many groups as possible. Our goal this year is to raise more than $120,000 to help those in need.
Saturday, March 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Sunday, March 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Clean out your closets, donate items and bring cash to shop! For more information or to donate call (619) 224-5264.
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Do you know about FREE Tuesday in Balboa Park and all the activities at the Veterans Museum?
Balboa Park is a wonderful place to visit each month, especially every Tuesday! Every month more than 16 Balboa Park museums and cottages offer FREE admission to San Diego residents and active duty military.
To find out which museum is offering free admission: Click Here!
So what do we do at the Veterans Museum? Our FREE Tuesday is always the second Tuesday of the month. We have Fleet and Family Support Services with an information table, we show a movie, have art classes and puppet shows and have therapy dogs at the museum!
Our most recent partnership is with
Aztec Doberman Pinscher Club of San Diego  who does a program called, "War Dogs to Recovery." The display and information describes the history of how dogs have helped our soldiers, from the first platoons of Dobermans used officially in WWII to how we use dogs in war today. This program also explains how dogs are helping in the recovery effort after war. Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs play such an important part in recovery. Come meet some of these dogs in person, every second Tuesday of the month!
To find more information on Aztec Doberman Pinscher Club of San Diego: Click Here!
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Arts for All and Arts for Veterans!
The second Tuesday of each month, also known as FREE Tuesday, Anthony "Tony The Vet" LoBue, Artist and Educator facilitates FREE creative arts activities for the public. Here is a description of the programs he offers:
2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Arts for All (on upper level):
Activities for all ages regardless of skill level include Craft Kit giveaways, Children's Puppet Show and Make-A-Card for VA Patients.
6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Arts for Veterans (on lower level):
Activities for adults regardless of skill level. This month's Open Forum presents the "New Plays Production Program (NP3)" by A.A. LoBue and performance of a one-act play by Patrick Castaneda (Vietnam combat veteran). Actors, directors, playwrights and producers are welcome!
For more information on the museums arts programs,
contact Tony at (619) 806-2075 or via email at [email protected]
Veterans! Register now! Free workshops!
Create & submit your artworks to National Veterans Creative Arts Competition NLT 29 February 2016!
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Voices from the archives -
Ace Hoffman, the Museum's Volunteer Oral History Videographer
Ace's volunteer work for the museum started at the Encinitas Library's Storytelling Festival in 2013. He had heard that Capt. Norman Elder, a retired Navy helicopter pilot, would be describing his Vietnam war experience. Ace recorded Elder's story and has volunteered ever since with the museum's oral history program. Fifteen oral histories later, Ace continues as the museum's primary videographer.
Coming from a military family with an interest in oral history as well, Ace is perfectly suited for the job. His mother is an oral historian in Pennsylvania, and his dad saw infantry combat duty in World War II in the Battle of the Bulge. Members of his extended family have served in the military from World War II back to the Civil War.
Ace feels the urgency of capturing veterans' stories. While doing videography for the museum, he was most impressed when hearing one Vietnam-era soldier state: "I had more in common with the enemy soldiers than with the generals who put us there. He and I were both soldiers, trying not to get killed." Or maybe it was the pilot describing: "I had to bomb a railroad tunnel in North Korea; but the first time I tried, I let the bombs go too late and only barely managed to pull up in time to avoid the concussion of my own bombs-and the side of the mountain. I went back the next day and finished the job, and the smoke was pouring out of the tunnel two days later." Ace wants these stories remembered through his videography.
Ace currently owns his own business, The Animated Software Company in Carlsbad.
Big thank you to Ace for all he does to capture these pieces of American history!
You can read more of the oral histories for which Ace has provided the video recordings, by visiting the museum library's oral history collection.
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Recent Donations to the Museum's Artifact Collection
Rick Appleton of Vista donated an Iraq War "blood chit" with Arabic, Turkish, Persian (Farsi), Kurdish and English text explaining asking help in returning to Allied lines.
Francis Bolyn of Santee donated her father's WWII first aid kit and brass button polish protector (button stick), and a military 10 cent military payment certificate from Vietnam.
Button Sticks are used to protect your uniform so you can put a final polish on your buttons while wearing your uniform.
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10 cent MPC certificate used in Vietnam. MPC was used to pay military personnel and reduce the black market for US dollars while protecting the local economy.
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JoAnn Caster of Leeds UT donated a collection of John Eric Woods, T/Sgt, Army Air Corps with B-26 photographs from the 8th AF, a B-26 Pilots operating manual, and a framed signed artist proof of "Misty Marauder" by James Taylor.
Merrily Brower of Phoenix AZ donated her fathers WWII & Korea Navy artifacts and uniforms
, including a unique certificate documenting his initiation into the
High and Royal Order of Timberline Lemmings issued in 1957 by the Chief and Majestic Lemming, Lloyd G. Smith, during an assignment with the Canadian Forces at Fort Churchill, Manitoba Canada.
The certificate talks about an International Geophysical Rocket Project and cautions LCDR Diehl to never volunteer for anything, again.
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David Edelblute of San Diego donated a children's book given to him in 1942, "Scuttlebutt Goes To War," the story of a little dog who becomes a ships mascot in the pacific.
 Scuttlebutt Goes To War cover, published 1942. |
 An Inside page showing an example of the text and drawings throughout the book. |
James Graham of San Ysidro donated a pre-WWII Philippine Panabas given to his father during WWII.
Pre-WWII Philippine Panabas
with worked blade and metal bound handle donated by James Graham.
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Paula Haughey Friga of El Cajon donated a framed signed lithograph by James Crowley of the USS Colorado (BB-45)
Kim Huggett of Hayward, CA
donated a collection of WWII photographs and documents from her father, Laurence J. Huggett, who served in the Army Air Corps with the 23rd Service Group, 11th Air Force, in Adak Alaska.
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Larry Huggett (left) with three friends outside a tent which were later replaced by Quonset huts due to the weather. Photo c. 1943.
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A
large hanger under construction at Adak, c. 1943.
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Sgt. Larry Huggett with a salmon and some ducks in Adak, Alaska, c. 1943. The hunting and fishing was good if you had the time.
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Top to bottom: Larry7's photos of a P-38, B-24B, & B-26 at Adak airfield, c. 1943.
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Anthony Ionio of Carlsbad donated a collection of "After The Battle" WWII history magazines
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vol. 1 - 158.
Lemon Grove Historical Society
donated two Richard DeRosset signed lithographs of "Battleship Row December 7, 1941"
Sheldon Margolis of La Jolla
donated 20 new books to our military history library.
Patty Marn of Bonita donated a Navy BUAIR winter Nylon Flight Jacket
Sam McGovern of Lemon Grove donated one framed print of the USS Oklahoma by James Flood and three framed prints by Al Helner from his America At War series.
 James Sessions Lithograph of a WWII submarine sinking a merchantman, donated by Helen and Jack Ofield of El Cajon. |
Set of 5 Civil War tin cups discovered in
Columbia County, NY by Helen and Jack
Ofield.
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Clayton Moore of Victorville, CA donated an Russian tropical hat, "Panamka" of the type worn during their Afghanistan War.
Helen and Jack Ofield of Lemon Grove donated a framed lithograph by James Sessions of a WWII submarine attack in the Atlantic, Five Civil War era tin cups used by soldiers and medical personnel, 18 books on the revolutionary war and WWII, two limited edition signed prints of the Star of India and two signed prints of Battleship Row by Richard DeRosset.
Tom Splitgerber of San Diego donated 103 books to the library, and his brother's undress blue enlisted uniforms with Seaman 1/c stripe on right shoulder.
Terry Truitt of Vista donated a historical magazine with article on the Normandy Landings.
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Arts, entertainment and culture collide for Macy's Museum Month in San Diego. This February the San Diego Museum Council and Macy's have teamed up again for Museum Month, giving patrons a chance to discover what's new at more than 40 area museums with savings only seen once a year.
Participants can pick up a Museum Month Pass at any area Macy's store to enjoy half-off admission to all of the participating museums through the entire month of February. Plus, with 2016 being a leap year, you get an extra day to enjoy museum going.
Passes will be available beginning February 1 at all San Diego, Temecula and Imperial Valley Macy's.
Guests with a pass can bring up to three people to participating museums to receive half-off admission for the entire party. Additional fees may apply for special exhibitions. Each pass also features an exclusive $10 coupon off any $30 or more at Macy's.
Kick off Museum Month by stopping by Family Fun Days:
- Saturday, February 6 1-4 pm, Westfield North County Fair
- Saturday, February 13, 1-4 pm, Simon Fashion Valley Mall
Remember to keep your pass all month long and LEAP to a few new museums!
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STAY CONNECTED ON UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION ON OUR
SOCIAL MEDIA SITES
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Know someone who would like to see this email?
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The Veterans Museum at Balboa Park, 2115 Park Blvd., San Diego, CA 92101
| (619)239-2300 |
[email protected] |
www.veteranmuseum.org
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