EXACTLY OPPOSITE The Newsletter of the Berkeley Historical Society Volume 27, Number 2 Fall 2009 The Great White Fleet’s Visit to Berkeley in 1908 Steven Finacom On May 14, 1908, the streets of downtown Berkeley were of the Fleet meant not only an expression of American manifest thronged with hundreds of active duty servicemen and thousands of destiny—the primary interpretation the event is given today—but locals who turned out to see them. “We shall never forget the treat- also a welcome display of friendly military might that could shelter ment Berkeley has given us…” one sailor told the crowd. “Without a coast that Californians often felt was neglected and vulnerable to any reserve I can say that you have given us the most cordial wel- attack should hostilities break out between the United States and come we have received.” other Pacific powers. It was a special “Berkeley Day” for United States sailors who In an era before air armadas, radar and similar technologies, the were circumnavigating the world as part the “Great White Fleet”, the arrival of an enemy fleet out of the Pacific off the West Coast could armada President Theodore Roosevelt had dispatched around the have potentially wrecked havoc for weeks or months without a world in 1907 to show the flag and exhibit both goodwill and the strong presence of the United States Navy. military might of the United States. Naval force loomed large in that era and bigger battlewagons were the order of the day in all the great—and growing—navies from Britain to Japan. The value of a modern navy had seemingly been validated by decisive American victories in 1898, including Admiral Dewey’s fleet action against Spanish naval forces in Manila Bay and combat off the Cuban coast. In1905, the startling destruction of the Russian Baltic fleet by the Japanese Navy at the Tsushima Straits doubly confirmed the impor- tance of modern battle fleets and also warned the United States of a rising new naval power on the Pacific Rim. Roosevelt didn’t need much encouragement to promote a big The Great White Fleet anchored in San Francisco Bay. ship navy. In 1897, during his stint as Assistant Secretary of the Navy, he had observed target practice on the Iowa. “Oh, Lord! If San Francisco was the original destination of the Fleet, which only the people who are ignorant about our Navy could see those traveled down the east coast of the Americas, around Cape Horn great warships in all their majesty and beauty, and could realize how and up the Pacific. And San Francisco was glad to see the Navy. well they are handled and how well fitted to uphold the honor of The Bay Area was a thoroughly maritime region. The coming America…” he later enthused. CONTINUED ON PAGE 4 The Great White Fleet 1 In Memoriam, Carl Wilson 3 Photo Exhibit 7 Thank you to our Supporters 2 Uncle Gus and Mrs. Miller 6 Spenger Booklet 7 Oral History Update 2 Calendar of Events 8 Oral History Report Therese Pipe, Acting Coordinator of Oral History Ying Lee Oral History Project Much progress has been made on the Kenneth H. Cardwell Oral History, con- Moves Forward ducted by Paul Grunland. Completion is projected for this fall and a reception is Judith Scherr planned for Sunday, November 1, 2-4:30 Ying Lee’s story begins in war-torn Chi- The History Center is located in the pm at the History Center. na, moves through Hong Kong, back to Veterans Memorial Building 1931 Center St., Berkeley, CA 94701 The video equipment at the History Cen- Shanghai and eventually to Berkeley, Mailing Address: PO Box 1190 ter will be assessed and updated for play- by way of San Francisco. During the 20 Berkeley, CA 94701 510 848 0181 ing the DVD videos in the BHS collection. hours or so of interviews, I’ve seen Ying Margot Lind Board member John Hammond is assist- transform with the times, from a shy girl NEWSLETTER EDITOR ing this effort. scarcely able to attend school, to the ma- ture woman whose passion is books and Dale Smith Therese Pipe will resume activity on The learning. DESIGN AND PRODUCTION Berkeley Co-op Oral History Project in the Having completed the initial interviews Board of Directors Fall of 2009. Vangie Buell, former Berke- ley Co-op employee, will be a consultant for the Ying Lee Oral History Project, I’m Margot Lind Carl Wikander on the project. now combing the transcriptions, correct- CO-PRESIDENT CO-PRESIDENT ing typos and omissions, editing gently Judy Kennedy will explore how the BHS so that Ying’s voice remains strong and stefen Steve Finacom can coordinate with Storycorps for future moving around text so that one thought FIRST SECOND oral history recording. VICE PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT flows to the next. The project is moving Phil Gale Judy Kennedy An Oral History Committee meeting was forward, albeit slower than first estimat- TREASURER SECRETARY held in late June. Exploring the video as- ed. At this point, I see the book printed pects of oral histories will be discussed at and in libraries – including the Berke- John Aronovici Ed Herny their September/October meeting. ley Historical Society, of course -- before Buz Cardoza Dale Smith Ken Cardwell stefen Linda Rosen will coordinate completion the end of the year. After the first edits, Tom Edwards Allen Stross of the Paul Spenger Oral History in 2010. Jane Scantlebury of the Berkeley Public Steven Finacom Bart White Library and Lisa Rubens of the Bancroft John Hammond Acting Coordinator Therese Pipe is ac- Library will each read and fine-tune it, as tively recruiting her replacement for her will Ying Lee herself. Then there will be position, effective in December 2010. If one final edit and a read by a proof reader you are interested, please email Therese before it is designed and printed. at [email protected] Thank Some Recent Donations to Our Archives Berkeley Chamber You of A book by Yukiko Jane Adachi: Memories Find Their Voices; Japanese American experiences during and after World War II Commerce for their Business Manuscript from Mary Spivey: Madame Chiang and the Claremont Housing Membership of $100 Convenant, Berkeley Jeremy Knight, Roger Three 1945 newsletters from the Hall Scott Motor Company in Berkeley from Suzaan and Jean Mos and Ann Boettger Tussing for their Contributing Photographs of People’s Park Demonstrations c. 1969 from Sayre Van Young Memberships of $50. A set of original photographs and negatives from Kimberly Brady of the 1923 Berkeley fire, taken by her grandmother. The photographs are labeled with dates, names and The Members of Claremont locations including pictures of their destroyed home Book Club for their contribution of $45 What is in your attic that could donated to the BHS archives? 2 Berkeley Historical Society Newsletter In Memoriam, Carl C. Wilson Carl Wilson, the beloved Berkeley Historical Society docent/ he served as part-time consultant for the California Depart- archivist and “lone” forest ranger, has ridden into the sun- ment of Forestry and for the Ontario (Canada) Ministry of set on his horse named Copper. Born in the small town of Natural Resources. He received outstanding awards in For- Halfway in eastern Oregon, he died in Oakland on August 21, est Fire Management from the Forest Service, the Ameri- 2009 at the age of 94. He had been a professional forester can State Foresters Association and from the California De- for almost four decades and, yes, he did ride a big-toothed partment of Forestry. horse named Copper (not Carl built his home on Silver!) while covering Maybeck Twin Drive in territory as District For- 1971 and became an ac- est Ranger of the Angeles tive president of their National Forest. neighborhood associa- Carl first worked in the Ci- tion. After the 1991 Oak- vilian Conservation Corps land/Berkeley Firestorm, in Idaho. He earned a BS Councilmember Betty in Forest Management Olds appointed him to the from the College of Idaho Berkeley Fire Assessment in 1939 and an MS from Commission from 1992 to UC Berkeley in 1941. Af- 2000, where he worked to ter serving in the Navy, he get rid of the highly com- joined the US Forest Ser- bustible eucalyptus trees vice in 1946 and moved in the hills. Mayor Shirley to Berkeley in 1956 to be- Dean proclaimed Carl Wil- come chief of the Division son Day in his honor on of Forest Fire Research at November 10, 1998. the Pacific Southwest For- Carl volunteered for the est & Range Experiment Berkeley Historical So- Station. During the 1950s ciety starting in 1983 and 1960s, he worked on and served three terms the development and ap- as Board President. Burl plication of chemical fire Willis notes that he kept a retardant, airtanker, He- sense of optimism during litack and fuel-break con- the long search for a per- cepts. He became National manent home for the Soci- Fire Specialist for the ety, which ended with the Washington DC Coopera- Veterans Memorial Build- tive Fire Protection staff ing. “Carl was our first from 1973 to 1978. In ‘pro bono’ docent. Work- 1975, Carl was assigned ing with him was always a to the Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Na- joy. He was a favorite with all our regular visitors, including tions in Rome where he developed fire management plans Country Joe McDonald.” He served as archivist/docent at for the Mediterranean Region, Central America and Central the Berkeley History Center from 1993 to 2001. He wrote Africa. the BHS columns “50 Years Ago” and “75 Years Ago” for the He was a lecturer in “Fire” at UC Berkeley, Riverside, San Berkeley Voice from 1986 to 2001.