Arrowhead • Fall 2009 1 Arrowhead Fall 2009 • Vol. 16 • No. 4 The Newsletter of the Employees & Alumni Association of the National Park Service Published By Eastern National FROM THE DIRECTOR Port Chicago Naval Magazine s I write this A column, my first as National N MEM Added to Park System Park Service direc- tor, I am remember- he National Park System has gained cisco, hurled debris in the air, obliterat- resume loading ships for the war effort. ing my confirmation ed both ships and killed everyone at the just a few weeks Ta new park: Port Chicago Naval Many refused to continue their work ago. Although I Magazine National Memorial in Con- waterfront. To this day, because of the without safety training, and the U.S. accepted this re- cord, Calif. With President Obama’s tragedy, ignition sources for bombs and Navy charged 50 of these men with sponsibility humbled by its impor- signing of the Defense Authorization guns are loaded separately on carriers. “conspiring to make mutiny.” They tance and excited about the Act, on Oct. 28 Port Chicago became The disaster caused the greatest loss of were tried, convicted and imprisoned. possibilities, something happened the 392nd unit of a system fondly life on the home front during World War After the war, they were released, grant- that has happened countless referred to as “America’s best idea.” II. Three-hundred-twenty men died, and ed clemency, allowed to complete their times throughout my career—when “The addition of Port Chicago demon- almost 400 others were injured. Of the military service and given honorable dis- I thought it couldn’t get any strates a commitment to make America’s 320 killed, 202 were African Americans. charges. Only one was ever pardoned. better—your words of encourage- best idea even better—more relevant to In the nation’s then-segregated mili- Thurgood Marshall, chief counsel for ment, commitment and hopefulness tary, enlisted and drafted African Amer- Americans, more expressive of our the National Association for the Advance- have made me even more deter- nation’s history and more representative icans could work in kitchens, cooking ment of Colored People (NAACP), mined and energized about what we of our diversity,” said NPS Director meals for fellow servicemen, or as steve- attended the trial and took advantage of are embarking on together. Jonathan B. Jarvis. dores, loading and unloading ships. the occasion it presented to speak with I appreciate this forum because On July 17, 1944, crews at the mag- The stevedores at Port Chicago lacked journalists several times about racial dis- it reaches our colleagues and our azine in the San Francisco Bay area were training and thought they were han- venerable alumni who have blazed loading two Pacific-bound naval vessels dling inactive munitions. In reality, they crimination in the armed forces. The navy the trail for our work and inspired with active munitions when the explo- were working at top speed to load began to integrate its regiments in June us with their wisdom. It’s because sives ignited in a terrific series of blasts. bombs equipped with warheads. 1945. Desegregation of the entire U.S. of his respect for this knowledge Felt throughout the area, the explosions After the explosion, African-American military came in 1948. and experience that Secretary Ken broke windows as far away as San Fran- survivors were sent to a nearby base to continued on page 10 Salazar chose a career employee to serve as director, and I am thankful for his confidence in us. NPS employees will be my focus as director.Your safety, your job Jonathan Jarvis is 18th NPS Director satisfaction, ample training, and advancement opportunities, and a diverse workforce are essential to the onathan B. Jarvis was sworn in on future of the National Park Service JOct. 2 as the 18th director of the and to our ability to care for Ameri- National Park Service. Secretary of the ca’s special places. Interior Ken Salazar administered the My commitment to this mission oath of office. is unwavering. We will improve our “We knew Jon Jarvis had the vision stewardship using the best science and the energy and the capacity to bring available. I have appointed Gary the National Park Service into the next Machlis, Ph.D., as senior science century,” Secretary Salazar said of the advisor to the director, and he will new director. “Jon Jarvis will help us lead us in creating a Servicewide move forward to develop the 21st Cen- science strategy. tury Great Outdoors America Agenda Along with research, teaching is [and] the Treasured Landscapes Agen- an important part of our work, and da. And it will mean first of all that our I will emphasize education as inte- national parks will continue to be Amer- gral to our mission. I will create an ica’s best idea into the second century associate director for education (of the National Park Service).” and interpretation to bring the “You are absolutely a great find for appropriate prominence to this us,” Secretary Salazar told Jarvis in front work—work that enriches people’s NPS lives, for a lifetime. of about 30 employees of the NPS and JONATHAN JARVIS takes the oath of office. Pictured left to right: Secretary of the Interior continued on page 10 If we do all this well, and I know Ken Salazar, Director Jarvis’ brother, Destry, and NPS Director Jon Jarvis. it’s no small task, we will capture the key to the future—that elusive word “relevance.” We must help people make their own connections Great Smoky Mountains NP Celebrates to our work. With such a variety of parks and community programs, there are innumerable ways for 75th Anniversary With a Rededication people to find meaning. And, we will do it—because we believe in our work, because we know how it By Nancy Gray, Information Officer, Secretary Salazar was joined on the Perdue and Tennessee Governor Phil changes people’s lives, because Great Smoky Mountains NP speaker’s platform at the historic Rock- Bredesen, among others. However, the places entrusted to us need efeller Memorial by Deputy Assistant most in attendance agreed that the people to preserve them. eventy-five years ago on June 15, Secretary for Fish, Wildlife and Parks event headliner was country music star Again, four areas in which we will S1934, Great Smoky Mountains NP Will Shafroth, Acting NPS Director and Sevier County, Tenn., native Dolly make great strides together: work- was established as a place worthy of Dan Wenk, NPS Southeast Regional Parton, who served as special ambassa- force, stewardship, education and national recognition and protection. Director David Vela, Great Smoky dor during the park’s anniversary. relevance. I am building our Nation- “The visionaries who created Great Mountains NP Supt. Dale Ditmanson Supt. Ditmanson, serving as master of al Leadership Council discussions Smoky Mountains National Park under- and Deputy Supt. Kevin FitzGerald and ceremony, said in his opening remarks, around these ideas, and I ask you to stood the power of place,” said Secretary the park’s entire congressional delega- “To celebrate our past and focus on join us in thinking about and acting of the Interior Ken Salazar to a crowd of tion: U.S. senators Richard Burr (R- stewardship for the future have been our toward these goals in your work 2,000 people during a rededication cere- NC), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Lamar primary goals throughout this anniver- every day. mony on Sept. 2. The event, the culmi- Alexander (R-TN) and Bob Corker (R- sary year.We are so thankful today for so With my thanks and best wishes nation of a yearlong 75th anniversary TN) and representatives John Duncan many ... for those of you who gave so for a great 2010. celebration, was staged at the same spot (R-TN-2), Phil Roe (R-TN-1) and much, our heartfelt thanks.” He used the —Jonathan B. Jarvis that President Franklin D. Roosevelt Heath Shuler (R-NC-11). Also present opportunity to direct his remarks to dedicated the park in 1940. were North Carolina Governor Bev continued on page 11 2 A rrowhead • Fall 2009 Focus on the Parks • On four Saturdays this past summer, entitled “Trains, Riverboats and Log- • On July 10, Secretary of the Interior school students from the area Lakota Effigy Mounds NM held its annual ging,” covered this subject matter. For Ken Salazar visited Jefferson National Tribe volunteered to help set up and teachers’ workshop series. This year’s more information on the teachers’ Expansion Memorial along with Acting participate in the event. series was entitled “Seeds of Change: workshops at Effigy Mounds NM, visit NPS Director Dan Wenk, Senator Claire •A celebration of the completion of Insuring Our Future by Understanding www.nps.gov/efmo. McCaskill and St. Louis Mayor Francis Our Past.” The 2009 summer work- Slay. During the visit, the party was five miles of new trail through the heart Whiskeytown NRA shop provided 241 teachers from 34 • On July 3, nearly 700 people attend- escorted around the Arch grounds by of was held on the ning of Aug. 15. The trail project districts in four states with opportuni- ed a dedication ceremony for the new Supt. Tom Bradley, traveled to the top of mor was planned in 2000 as part of the ties to learn about the history of Amer- Tule Lake Unit of W WII Valor in the the Gateway Arch, walked to the Old National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, ican Indians, the fur trade, pioneers and Pacific NM on the site of the former Courthouse and held a press conference and Conservation Assistance Program farming and the railroads and riverboats Tule Lake Segregation Center in on the use of Stimulus money for park in cooperation with the City of Red- that built this part of the Mississippi Newell, Calif.