Arrowhead Summer 2004 • Vol. 11 • No. 3 fhe Newsletter of the Employees & Alumni Association of the National Park Service Published By Eastern National MARSH-BILLING S- ROCKEFELLER NHP NPS Commemorates Anniversary aurance S. Rockefeller, 94, a of the WWII Battle of Saipan Lchampion of American conserva­ tion and national parks, died July 11 merican Memorial Park, a park of 1944 led the way to secure Guam in "William Manchester, noted historian in his home in New York City. Mr. A located in the Commonwealth of July and to move up the island chain to and author who wrote his memoir of this Rockefeller was the fourth child of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) Iwo Jima. It also led to the creation of part of the war in the Pacific...suggested John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Abby North Field on adjacent Tinian Island that most soldiers during the war didn't Greene Aldrich. John D. Rockefeller, and managed by the National Park Ser­ Jr. was an enthusiastic supporter of vice, hosted the 60th Commemoration where the B-29s, Enola Gay and Bock's know where they were in the Pacific," park-building and historic preserva­ of the Liberation of Saipan, June 12 Car, took off with their payload of Jarvis said. "The National Park Service tion. The Great Smoky Mountains, through 17. Partners in the commemo­ bombs for Hiroshima and Nagasaki. wants to correct that with future genera­ Shenandoah, Grand Teton, Acadia ration were the government of the American Memorial Park in Garapan, tions knowing the significance these and Redwood national parks are tes­ CNMI and the Arizona Memorial Saipan, was the site for returning VFW islands played in the fight for freedom." timony to his generosity. Museum Association. members to share memories and create an Saipan is located in the western Pacific, As teenagers, Rockefeller and his "This World War II battle was a turning oral history of the events of June 1944. A 160 miles north of the Island of Guam. brothers toured Yellowstone, Grand point in the Pacific Theatre," said NPS history conference with the Arizona Tinian is a mile south of Saipan. A visitor Canyon and Mesa Verde with their Regional Director Jon Jarvis as he headed Memorial Museum Association was held center with exhibits is being constructed father, under the guidance of Horace from June 14 through 16, with field trips on the park lawn and amphitheatre in Albright, Yellowstone NP's visionary to Saipan to thank the returning veterans superintendent, and later director of for their service and efforts to recognize to North Field. General Paul War field American Memorial Park. Educational the NPS. The conservation ethic the significance of the retaking of Saipan. Tibbets, Jr., pilot of the Enola Gay, was material is available on www.nps.gov/ acquired in his youth stayed with The month-long fight in the summer the guest speaker for the events. wapa and www.worldwarII.info. Rockefeller throughout his life. Rockefeller was instrumental in the establishment of Virgin Islands NP, and worked closely with national park directors behind the scenes to National Park Service Celebrates Dedication support and strengthen the NPS. His interest in conservation reached beyond national parks. In 1958, of National World War II Memorial President Eisenhower asked him to chair the Outdoor Recreation resident George W. Bush joined for­ Resources Review Commission and Pmer Presidents George H. W. Bush devise a comprehensive plan to and William Jefferson Clinton, DOI meet the future recreational needs of Secretary Gale Norton, NPS Director the American people. The commis­ Fran Mainella and thousands of World sion's landmark report, submitted to War II veterans and their families on President Kennedy in 1962, pro­ May 29 for the official dedication cere­ posed a sweeping agenda including monies of the National World War II recommendations for a wilderness Memorial on the National Mall. The system, a national system of protect­ ed rivers and trails and a program of NPS welcomes the memorial as the federal recreation grants to states 388th unit of the National Park System. and localities. The National World War II Memorial Rockefeller later served as chair was constructed under the direction of of the President's Advisory Com­ the American Battle Monuments Com­ mittee on Recreation and Natural mission (ABMC) with donated funds. Beauty and its successor, the Advi­ ABMC staff and hundreds of its volun­ sory Committee on Environmental teers, many of whom are World War II Quality, and he chaired the White veterans, worked tirelessly to make the House Conference on Natural monument a reality. Beauty, becoming a close advisor NPS The memorial opened to the public on and confidant of President and Mrs. NPS PUBLIC AFFAIRS CHIEF DAVID BARNA (right) and his father, Peter Barna, attended Lyndon Johnson. April 29 with national park rangers and U.S. Park Police officers staffing rite site. the dedication of the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. on May 29. Peter In 1992, Rockefeller and his wife, Barna was a lieutenant on the submarine USS Trutta (SS-421) for three years in the Pacific A visitor information station is located off Mary French, gave their long-cher­ theatre during the war, earning three war patrol stars and medals for individual heroism. ished country estate in Woodstock, of Home Front Drive, just south of the Vt. to the nation as Marsh-Billings- Pacific Arch of the memorial. This station linked to a database with the names of more information on the memorial, visit Rockefeller NHP, the only national also houses computer touch screens those who served during the war. For www. nps. gov/nwwm/index .htm. park telling the story of conservation history and evolution of land stew­ ardship in the U.S. Rockefeller served five presidents Trustees of George B. Hartzog, Jr. Educational as an advisor on national conserva­ tion and environmental policy. Throughout his career, he articulat­ Loan Program Approve $117,500 in New Loans ed a comprehensive approach to land stewardship that combined he trustees of the Employees and declined to 13 applicants and amounted year's result and believe that their objec­ preservation with public access. In TAlumni Association's George B. to $24,900. In an effort to increase tives of increasing interest and utilization 1991, he became the first conserva­ Hartzog, Jr. Educational Loan Program interest and utilization of the program, have been more than met. The only con­ tionist to receive the Congressional approved $117,500 in new loans at their the trustees increased the maximum cern for the future would be the ability Gold Medal, awarded by President recent meeting on May 26, 2004. This amount of loans available to an individ­ George H. W. Bush "in recognition to sustain this level of new loans given of his leadership on behalf of marks the second year in a row that ini­ ual from $5,000 to $10,000; and the current level of resources in the trust. natural resource conservation and tial applications for the interest-free edu­ increased the maximum available to a The trust is currently in excess of historic preservation." cational loans for members' dependents family from $10,000 to $20,000. In $400,000. The ability to sustain this lev­ exceeded the $100,000 mark. The new addition, repayment terms became "Concern for the environment el of participation will be dependent on loans will assist with the fiinding of high­ more flexible. In the new program, pay­ and access to parks is not frivolous enhancing the cash flow of the Employ­ or peripheral; rather it is central to er education for 47 member-dependents. ment of an interest-free educational ees and Alumni Association and, of the welfare of people—body, mind The recent trend in new educational loan is due in equal installments over 60 course, the timely repayment of current and spirit." - Laurance Spelman loans appears to be the result of changes months starting 12 months following outstanding loans. Rockefeller. made to the program in 2002. Up to graduation. Under the old plan, the The E8cAA is a not-for-profit organiza­ —Supt. Rolf Diamant, that time the trend in new loans was total amount of the loan was due a year tion that funds its services and operations Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller NHP declining. In 2002 for example, new after the dependent's graduation. solely through the dues and contribu­ loans to members' dependents had The trustees were gratified with this tions of its members. 2 Arrowhead • Summer 2004 Focus on the Parks • Rosie the Riveter/World War II given for outstanding contributions to Home Front NHP was authorized by the war effort, poetry written during Congress in 2000 to honor the contri­ the war and even a work uniform—all butions of all Americans on the home dating back to the early 1940's. All of front supporting World War II. Recy­ the Rosie stories will be preserved in the cling and rationing affected every park and will become available to the household. Millions of Americans vol­ public on the web in the future. The unteered their time to support USO stories and artifacts will become the events, Red Cross work and other heart of the exhibits planned for the efforts. One of the most famous of park's future education center. these efforts involved the women who went to work in the factories making • Many people think of "fun in the ships, planes, tanks and ammunition. sun" when they think of Gulf Islands These women were known collectively NS in Florida. What they don't realize as "Rosie the Riveter." Ford Motor is that the park holds several batteries Company, in partnership with the that served as coastal fortifications dur­ National Park Foundation and the NPS, ing World War II.