[The littlest things in this museum can have big stories behind
them. Note the yellow framed document with white strings in a bundle
at the bottom. They are parachute strings cut as a token from a
German parachute. A local man was on the battleship Essex when it
was dive-bombed by a kamikaze that crashed his plane into the deck.
As was standard custom, everyone rushed on deck and, working
together, pushed the plane off. Our local man noticed before it went
over, though, that there was something just a little peculiar in
this kamikaze cargo. Kamikaze were not expected to return or have
any safety procedures. (They were usually manned by 14- 15-year-old
youth ready to give up their lives.) This one had a parachute
though!]
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[A memorial plaque hangs in the museum,
commemorating members that have "flown west." "It is
the one display we don't like to add to," says member John
Burke.]
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[Look closely at this picture in the
Korean display and you will see John Burke sitting in a Jeep.]
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