SPRING 2019 New budget process in the works FMHA membership continues to grow DE Goes to War set for April 27 New museum items available FMHA honored for volunteer services Fort Miles Historical Association received the 2018 Governor’s Outstanding Volunteer Service Award in the Arts/Culture category. During 2017, FMHA volunteers consisting of board members, Bunker Busters, docents, gift shop personnel and others contributed more than 17,000 hours of volunteer service. The dedication of these volunteers has enabled our partnership with Delaware State Parks to flourish and grow. Our goal to establish the best World War II museum at an authentic World War II site has made great progress over the past 15 years, with the best still in front of us. FMHA has formed a continuing partnership with the Delaware Governor's Office; the Department of Natural Resources and Gov. John Carney presents the 2018 Governor's Environmental Control; and the Division of Parks and Recreation. Outstanding Volunteer Service Award to Dr. Gary Wray, We send our gratitude to: FMHA board members, Bunker Busters and dedicated volunteers. Delaware Governor John Carney Delaware Secretary of DNREC Shawn Garvin Delaware Division of Parks and Recreation Division Director Ray Bivens 1 1 BE AN ACTIVE MEMBER 2 GIVE A DONATION 3 REMEMBER A HERO AND VOLUNTEER TO SUPPORT OUR ON THE WALL OF HONOR RESTORATION WORK WAYS TO GET INVOLVED Welcome to the 16th year of Fort Miles Historical Association. We have been very busy. We’ll start with great news: Late last year, we Jeff Dibella, a Bunker Buster, was chosen to JROTC cadet unit were chosen by Delaware Gov. John Carney serve on the board to replace the Every organization looks to get younger, and as the state’s Volunteers of the Year. The hardworking Will. Jeff will help us secure FMHA is no different. We have one large governor presented our award at a wonderful more guns for our artillery park (we are on the advantage and that is a local JROTC cadet ceremony at Dover Downs in November. hunt for a 1917/1918 GPF 155mm, among unit at nearby Cape Henlopen High School. That’s quite an honor for our group and it others) and will continue to work with our Last summer, Fort Miles hosted for a day nine shows the power of our Fort Miles teamwork. Bunker Busters. Will has done yeoman work Maryland and Delaware high school JROTC One key reason we were selected is the with our docent program in scheduling and groups. That led FMHA to consider a formal number of volunteer hours FMHA gives to the training and will continue that important job. partnership with the closest group at Cape state each year, usually more than 17,000 Welcome, Jeff. Henlopen. We reached out to the hours. Bunker Buster banquet commander, Colonel Earle, and his team to Two new board members work out details. As I mentioned, board In December, we held our annual Bunker members Merritt Cooch and Jim Pierce took I would like to express my gratitude to our Buster awards banquet at Irish Eyes in the lead and worked with Cape JROTC hardworking FMHA board of directors. We Lewes. This event celebrates the work of our leadership. One day a month, up to 20 Cape have welcomed two new board members. volunteers at Fort Miles and recognizes the Henlopen JROTC cadets travel to the Fort The first is Merritt Cooch. She is the contributions of the many folks who keep our Miles Historical Area to work with our Bunker granddaughter of Lt. Ned Cooch, who was in well-oiled machine working. This year we Buster team. The cadets eat lunch with our charge of the mine detail at Fort Miles during recognized the contributions of Coast Bunker Busters, then resume their work in the the war. Defense Study Group to our success and afternoon. As a result of the partnership, gave it a well-deserved plaque for its support. Ned was a great supporter of our efforts at FMHA will present two Cape Henlopen Fort Miles from our beginning. His family farm Terry McGovern of CDSG attended to accept JROTC cadets each with $1,000 scholarships near Newark, Del., is the only place in the the award (see Terry’s wonderful article on at the May 2019 JROTC awards ceremony. state where an actual battle was fought (in the FMHA website). Our Delaware State Film, lecture series the Revolutionary War) and he was a Parks partners were presented a plaque for wonderful resource for Delaware history and their constant and continuing partnership in For the third year, FMHA presented a film/ Fort Miles history. His granddaughter Merritt the effort to restore Fort Miles and build Fort lecture series on World War II topics during hit the ground running with FMHA and is Miles Museum. Eric Dawson of DSP was the winter. Every presentation has been packed with interested audiences. Topics this working with FMHA secretary Jim Pierce to recognized for his efforts in leading the Parks/ year included the history of the battleship make our partnership with Cape Henlopen FMHA Working Group. Missouri; George Patton and the Ardennes JROTC work seamlessly. Merritt has also Tom Anderson, a veteran Bunker Buster, was campaign; and Adm. Ray Spruance and worked hard to make the second year of the chosen for the Lee Jennings Award for his victory in the Pacific. Over the years, topics “Big Gun Run” on April 7 a great success. great work over the years as a super have ranged from the German submarine Welcome, Merritt. contributor to FMHA. Linda Jennings, Lee’s attack on the East Coast to Delaware’s A second new FMHA board member was widow, presented Tom with the award and it George Welch, one of our Army Air heroes at elected March 23 to take the seat of retiring hangs in the Fort Miles Museum Art Gallery Pearl Harbor. board member Will Short. for all to view. 2 Continues on page 4 BOARD OF DIRECTORS By Larry Boyer, FMHA Treasurer President As FMHA grows physically, so grows our obligation Dr. Gary Wray, President to perform additional fiduciary responsibilities. Bob Frederick, Vice President Areas requiring our attention are operating expenses and budgeting. Jim Pierce, Secretary Larry Boyer, Treasurer By the end of the fiscal year June 30, we will have Joe Johnson, Assistant Treasurer instituted a new budget process that better assigns accountability for expenditures that support the Board Members daily operation of FMHA. Frank Ali Merlin Beil A budget issued for the fiscal year that begins July Merritt Cooch 1 will be reported and monitored quarterly. As new information is available, the Bev Dalecki budget will be modified to better reflect the latest revenue and expense Cliff Geisler projections. Joe Kosaveach Mike Dunkes Seeking future grants and funding John Roberts Will Short We are nearing the end of construction of new museum areas, including the venue, parking and roads. These improvements were funded by our Longwood Executive Director and Crystal Trust grants and line-item funding from Delawareʼs budget for state Mark Chura parks. Total expenditures for these improvements will near $1 million. We are planning more improvements and will apply for more grants this year so we donʼt miss a beat completing Fort Miles Museum. MISSION The basis of Fort Miles Museum Fort Miles Historical Association is a nonprofit group that works FMHA and Delaware State Parks have agreed upon mission and vision to preserve, protect and defend all statements that, with our Value Proposition, will form the basis of the Fort Miles aspects of Fort Miles, working with Museum strategic planning. community and state stakeholders and other interested parties. Mission: Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area shares personal stories of FMHA also partners with defending coastal Delaware by U.S. military forces and civilians, and how their the State of Delaware to develop actions shaped and influenced community life in Delaware. the historical potential of Fort Miles. Vision: Fort Miles Museum and Historical Area uses a unique WWII coastal To learn more, visit battery complex and artillery park, representative artifacts and activities to interpret Delawareʼs role in coastal defense. www.fortmilesha.org Value Proposition: People can physically experience Fort Miles. Programming is unique and varied. Veterans can transfer their experience to their families and loved ones. We have formed a steering committee to guide the direction taken by FMHA and DSP to create Fort Miles Museum. Facebook: FortMiles1942 3 From the Desk of The President (Continued from page 2) Tour, gift shop hours Saving the barrels Beginning June 13, FMHA will have our Fort Miles Gift Shop open We have been working with Coast Defense Study Group and others every day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the museum. Our parks since 2011 to save from the scrap yard the final eight Iowa class partners will give tours at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. daily Tuesday through 16” 50cal Mk 7 barrels near Norfolk Naval Base at the St. Juliens Saturday. FMHA will conduct tours every Sunday during the Creek storage area. Working with our contacts at Dahlgren Surface summer. Many days we will have the Fort Miles kiosk open near the Warfare Center, we started the process with the Navy to secure a Orientation Building in the historical area. Fort Miles items will be Missouri barrel for Delaware in 2011. We wanted one of three for sale in the Brush Factory on Kings Highway in Lewes. Drop in barrels from the battleship Missouri (four were from the New Jersey and shop. and one barrel was the proof barrel of the series).