The FReeper Foxhole Remembers Harold Campbell & the USS MISSOURI - (4/11/1945) - May 5th, 2004

humboldt.cox.net ^ | 4-28-2004 | B.J. REYES

[SAMWolf]

Lord,

Keep our Troops forever in Your care

Give them victory over the enemy...

Grant them a safe and swift return...

Bless those who mourn the lost.
.

FReepers from the Foxhole join in prayer
for all those serving their country at this time.

...................................................................................... ...........................................

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Son Seeks to Have Father Credited for Famous World War II Photo of Kamikaze Plane Attack

A Japanese Kamikaze is shown just before colliding with the USS Missouri during the Battle of Okinawa in the Pacific Ocean, April 11, 1945. Recent findings suggest the historic photo was taken by Baker 2nd Class Harold ``Buster'' Campbell, one of the ship's cooks.

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- When the air alert sounded aboard the USS Missouri that day in 1945 off Okinawa, one of the battleship's cooks raced to a bridge armed not with a gun, but a camera. From his perch some 70 feet above the action on the main deck, Baker 2nd Class Harold "Buster" Campbell captured the fierce air battle, snapping away with a specialized 161 mm aerial photography camera as a single Japanese kamikaze pilot penetrated the ship's formidable anti-aircraft fire.

"He kept coming through the greatest ack ack I've ever seen," reads Campbell's journal entry of that day, April 11, 1945. "He then came direct at the ship and hit us on the starboard quarter on the main deck, burst into flames. I was shaking but felt relieved after he hit."

The entry continues: "I took a beautiful shot of him as he hit ... "


The Kamikaze left his Machine Gun in the Barrel of the 40mm Gun

But the photo for years has been credited to someone else.

The image of the A6M Zero kamikaze taken at the moment of impact has become one of the most recognized photos from the Battle of Okinawa. It is featured prominently in books, souvenirs and aboard the decommissioned Missouri, now anchored off Ford Island as a museum and memorial.

The photo has long been credited the late Len Schmidt, one of the Missouri's official photographers who also shot the April 11 battle and the kamikaze's collision.

Navy historians say photos weren't credited to individual photographers until 1973. Schmidt has been given credit since then based on his body of work and firsthand account of the attack, said Mike Weidenbach, curator for the USS Missouri Memorial Association.



It wasn't until last year, when Campbell's son saw the photograph in a souvenir book his daughter brought back from a Hawaii vacation, that Missouri historians were alerted to the possible discrepancy.

Dan Campbell, a 52-year-old government worker from Baltimore, contacted Weidenbach about his father's story. If the curator wanted more proof, the son had his late father's entire collection of Missouri memorabilia _ a small suitcase full _ that he wanted to donate.

The collection included his father's handwritten journal, a letter opener made from the kamikaze debris and more than 200 pictures. Dan Campbell scanned some of the photos and sent them to Weidenbach on a CD.

Now, with the complete collection in hand, Weidenbach has seen enough to believe the son's claim is credible.



"We saw there was photographs of the kamikaze attack that we had never seen before," Weidenbach said.

Using the photos, Missouri historians matched features and sight lines to pinpoint the exact spot from where the photo was taken: a bridge eight levels above the main deck.

"We went back to Lennie Schmidt's description of where he was," Weidenbach said. "He tells it himself that he's below that level. He couldn't have taken this picture from the perspective he says he was at. All the pieces just started to fall in place."

Weidenbach, who's still cataloging and preserving the collection, said the next step is to convince the Naval Historical Center of who deserves the credit.


USS Missouri (BB-63)
Photographed during her shakedown cruise, circa August 1944. This image was retouched by Wartime censors to remove radar antennas.

Officials at the Washington-based center said Friday they were unaware of the Campbell collection and the possibility that the photo was miscredited.

Spokesman Jack Green, who also was the center's photo curator for six years, said the claim sounds like something that would be "very, very difficult to validate."

If the center receives more information and documentation, its photographic section could study the matter and issue an opinion on who should get credit, Green said.

"But that cannot be a definitive thing," he said. "I'm not saying the fellow is wrong, but this would be something that would be difficult, if not impossible, to prove."

Schmidt died a few years ago. Pat Ferrigno, another of the ship's official photographers who raced to the bridge with Campbell during the April 11 battle, died sometime in the 1970s, Weidenbach said.

Buster Campbell died in 1966 at age 43, but not before sharing his wealth of war stories with his son.



Dan Campbell said his father, who persuaded a friend in the photo shop to let him shoot pictures as a hobby, was more concerned with the finished product than the credit.

Buster Campbell reveals that trait in a May 17, 1945, journal entry about a conversation with Ferrigno.

"He said the 'ex' (executive officer) told him the picture of the plane hitting the ship was said to be the greatest picture so far of any action on a ship to be taken in this war," Campbell wrote. "And to think I took it. ... Of course no one knows I took the picture except some of my friends as I told Pat to take the credit. I don't care much."

Thanks to Freeper Tubebender for suggesting this thread

[Valin]

GOD IS BUSY



A college professor, an avowed Atheist, was teaching his class. He

shocked several of his students when he flatly stated he was going to

prove there was no God. Addressing the ceiling he shouted: "God, if you

are real, then I want you to knock me off this platform. I'll give you

15 minutes!"



The lecture room fell silent. You could have heard a pin fall. Ten

minutes went by. Again he taunted God, saying, "Here I am, God. I'm

still waiting." His count-down got down to the last couple of

minutes when a Marine just released from active duty and newly registered in

the class - walked up to the professor, hit him full force in the face,

and sent him tumbling from his lofty platform. The professor was out

cold! At first, the students were shocked and babbled in confusion.

The young Marine took a seat in the front row and sat silent. The class

fell silent...waiting.

Eventually, the professor came to, shaken. He looked at the young Marine

in the front row. When the professor regained his senses and could

speak he asked: "What's the matter with you? Why did you do that?"



"God was busy. He sent me."

[Colonel_Flagg]

Ordinarily I am not awakened by having my eyes pop out of my skull, but there's a first time for everything!

Thanks, PE!

[Colonel_Flagg]

Good morning!

Back to work ... yesterday was a train wreck. Hoping for significant improvement today :)

Great job on the thread as always - I hope the West is agreeing with you, Snippy!

[Professional Engineer]

Ordinarily I am not awakened by having my eyes pop out of my skull, but there's a first time for everything!

ROFLMAO! Glad to oblige.

[Professional Engineer]

Oh WOW!! Great Flag-0-gram today!! I love it. Thanks.

I'm glad you liked it. ;-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning Diver Dave.

I was able to visit the MISSOURI when it stopped at Astoria on the way to Pearl Harbor. I know what you mean about standing on her deck and reading the Surrender Plaque. Sent a chill down my spine.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Gator Navy. When she was at Astoria, we were limited to the bow and the surrender deck. I would have loved to be able to take a complete tour.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Aeronaut.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C. Updated my virus definitions this morning. :-)

[SAMWolf]

Morning Mayor.

Beautiful sunrise, that's what our sun sets look like.

[SAMWolf]

Good morning GailA.

OOOOOOOO! Donuts!

[SAMWolf]

Morning Feather. Any meetings today?

[SAMWolf]

Morning PE. Nice Flag-O-Grams this morning. :-)

[Soaring Feather]

Hi Sam!!

No meetings today. Thank goodness. I conked out for hours last night. Must be Spring fever. I must have slept for twelve hours. Sheeeesh.....

[SAMWolf]

1962 "West Side Story" soundtrack album goes to #1 & stays #1 for 54 weeks which is more than 20 weeks longer than any other album

When you're a Jet,
you're a Jet all the way!
From your first cigarette
To your last dyin' day.

[SAMWolf]

"God was busy. He sent me."

LOL!

[Aeronaut]

Hey Sam.

[SAMWolf]

Ordinarily I am not awakened by having my eyes pop out of my skull, but there's a first time for everything!

Morning Colonel Flagg. I know what you mean, what a neat HumVee! :-)

[SAMWolf]

I feel like I could sleep for 12 hours.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Umm .. that's .. well, two ways to put it, I guess :)