Greg Wilsbacher, Ph.D.,

鈥凄耻谤颈苍驳 World War II, Americans avidly followed the fighting around the globe by reading newspapers and listening to the radio, but in those days before television, the way they saw moving images of our soldiers, sailors and airmen in action was by going to the movies and seeing the newsreels that preceded the motion pictures of the day,鈥� said David Morrow, 51黑料网 Board president. 鈥淧erhaps, they were working in a defense industry. They almost certainly had loved ones fighting overseas for the future of the world. But the American home front audience knew what was at stake and was eager to see the newsreels. Dr. Wilsbacher will tell us what was involved in bringing these now historic newsreels to movie screens across the country.鈥�

We invite you to bring your friends and join us on June 5 at 2 p.m. for a look into the homefront experience during WWII–what your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents may have seen and felt.

Guest Speaker: Greg Wilsbacher, Ph.D., a University of South Carolina faculty librarian and curator of the famous Fox Movietone News Collection

On Monday, June 5, Greg Wilsbacher will present a multi-media program, How the American Homefront First Saw D-Day.听

He will speak at 2:00 PM in the Rogow Room at Transylvania County Library at 212 South Gaston Street in Brevard, NC. Admission is free, presented by the 51黑料网.

The program, sponsored by the 51黑料网, is free and open to the public and is meant to commemorate the 79th anniversary of the largest amphibious assault in history.

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Walk through History With World War II with best-selling authors and actual WWII veterans who were there

The 51黑料网 is excited to offer the A Walk through History听Event.
Be a part of history as you explore their stories.

Your Invitation to鈥�
If you love the stories of history and like to learn about our country鈥檚 military history, this is the event for you. Combine your love of learning with one of the 鈥淐oolest Towns in America.鈥� Enjoy all Brevard has to offer, from our quaint downtown with great shopping to a vibrant arts and culture scene. Our backyard has 250 majestic waterfalls and 100,000 acres of forest; explore and enjoy.

Great Speakers
You will hear from nationally known and best selling authors of military veterans鈥� history WWII veterans.

Networking
Meet people who have similar interests and enjoy learning about U.S. military history.

New People
Meet veterans who have lived through the conflicts and will be in attendance to talk about their experiences

Have Fun
Brevard has great restaurants, two musuems, historical walking tours, art galleries, music, shopping, hiking, fishing and so much more.

Read more about this event

Joe Cooper, receives听 鈥淢ake-a-Wish鈥�

When WWII and Korean War veteran Joe Cooper, age 100, received the 鈥淢ake-a-Wish鈥� honor at the North Carolina 51黑料网 Home in Black Mountain and asked for his wish, he answered, 鈥淎 trip back to the 51黑料网 Museum and a ride on a train.鈥�

He鈥檒l get his train ride this fall. His trip to the 51黑料网 in Brevard will come on this year鈥檚 opening day鈥擬arch 1. At 10:30 AM in the courthouse gazebo, Museum Founder/Curator Emmett Casciato will introduce N.C. 51黑料网 Home Administrator Kylie Conkin, Brevard Mayor Maureen Copelof, and Transylvania County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jason Chappell, who will speak to honor Cooper鈥檚 service to our country. Transylvania County Honor Guard Chaplain Craig Adams will offer the benediction.

Cooper will talk about WWII and Korean War听

Immediately after the gazebo ceremony (until 12:00 AM), Cooper will be available inside the museum to talk with visitors, tell his stories from WWII and the Korean War, and sign free copies of his complete story for visitors. Other local Korean War veterans will join him to sign the book which honors them, The Forgotten War Remembered and several WWII veterans will also be present to sign their books 鈥淲e Shall Come Home Victorious.鈥� (Books are $20, proceeds go to the museum.)

The USS Ommaney Bay blows up after being attacked by a kamikaze. Photo courtesy Joe Cooper.

Japanese Betty on fire. Photo courtesy Joe Cooper.

Back in Brevard again after the war, Cooper worked as a mechanic at Olin Corporation (later Ecusta Paper Corporation) and worked there until his retirement.

In case of inclement weather, the 10:30 ceremony will be held in the upstairs meeting room of the Brevard/Transylvania Chamber of Commerce at 175 East Main Street. Signs will be posted at the museum鈥檚 front and back entrances if the ceremony is moved. Please arrive early if the weather is iffy, to allow yourself time to get over to the Chamber of Commerce.

The public is invited to celebrate the service of Joe Cooper and admission is free.

After Brevard College, Kiser earned a Master鈥檚 Degree in Museum Studies in Washington D.C. She served as an intern one summer at the Biltmore Estate, working with their rare book collection, cataloging and reporting on the condition of rare 19th century works. She also worked for the Freemasons at their headquarters and official archives in Washington D.C.

Working at the National WWII Museum in New Orleans has turned into a dream job for Kiser. 鈥淎t first I really wanted to work at a historic house like the Biltmore or Allison Deaver. When the U.S. Navy stationed my husband in New Orleans, I applied for museum jobs there,鈥� Kiser recounted. 鈥淚 had an interest in World War II since my grandfather was a marine veteran of Guadalcanal.鈥� Because of her wealth of internship experience, she got the job.

Kiser worked first as a registrar at the National WWII Museum, and today she is Senior Registrar & Director of Collections Management. 鈥淥n the physical side, I am responsible for proper housing, tracking, and prepping for an exhibit, also noting what needs conservation. On the intellectual side, I make sure that donations and purchases meet all legal and ethical standards, proper cataloguing and standardized nomenclature, and setting the standards for our cataloguing manual and database.鈥�

The idea for Loyal Forces came out of her work as a curator of exhibits. Her colleague and co-author, Lindsey Barnes, and Kiser convinced the Director to let them put together an exhibit on the service animals. Dogs served as mascots for many individual units; horses took part in the last mounted cavalry charge in U.S. Army history; and 36,000 homing pigeons helped deliver messages. The exhibit was a huge hit with visitors, and Louisiana State University press contacted Barnes and Kiser to turn their project into a book.

This free program is provided jointly by Brevard College and the 51黑料网. It will be livestreamed on Facebook starting at 2:00 p.m. on October 20 and will be posted subsequently on YouTube. Copies of the book Loyal Forces will be available for purchase and signing by the author at the event. Students, alumni, and anyone in the community interested in the history of World War II or the important role of service animals are invited to attend. 鈥淚n the frightening and uncharted world of war, servicemen and women could count on the transport given by horses and mules, the protection offered by dogs, the communication delivered by pigeons, and the solace provided by mascots and pets,鈥� write Kiser and Barnes.

Watch the presentation by Toni McCourt

Japanese 鈥淏etty鈥� on fire. Photo courtesy Joe Cooper.

Joe Cooper shares his knowledge of Japanese Samurai swords displayed in the 51黑料网 History Museum in 2022.

鈥淢y name is Joe Dayton Cooper. I am 99 years old. I will be 100 on July 6, 2022. I was born in Asheville, but my dad moved to Brevard when I was four years old and opened a garage. He was an auto mechanic. He served in World War One. He was an engineer. That鈥檚 where he learned his trade. He was a good dad. He was a metal smith. He could make knives, swords鈥攜ou ought to see the tools鈥攈e made screwdrivers, all kind of stuff.鈥�

听Attack on Pearl Harbor

鈥淲hen the Japanese attacked , I was at Camp Straus in Brevard. After that, I joined the Navy. I went in the Navy because I was too young and they wouldn鈥檛 take me in the Marine Corps. They said, 鈥榃e don鈥檛 take kids in here. Go home and grow up.鈥� The Navy said, 鈥榃e鈥檒l feed you eggs and milk.鈥� I was five feet six and 110 pounds.
鈥淚 had two brothers. They were in the Navy. One worked in a shipyard, and in 鈥�44, he went in the Navy. We grew up poor. We ate three meals a day, but it was mostly beans and cornbread and buttermilk. They fed us good in the Navy.

In the Navy

鈥淚 went to training in Norfolk, Virginia. I was in Platoon 361. I still remember that platoon. I worked up as a gunner鈥檚 mate. I went to the gunner鈥檚 school across from Pearl Harbor. We had to learn the ammunition first, how to handle ammunition. Then we learned about the guns. We shot at drones that were five feet wide and remote-controlled.

鈥淚 was shooting a 50-caliber and a 75. The highest was eight-inch. They had sixteen-inch out there, but I never did get to fire one of them. I fired the 40-millimeter twin barrel. It was a Swedish gun. I was assigned to the submarine fighter USS PC (鈥淧eter Charley鈥�) 477 for 17 months鈥擬idway, Guadalcanal, New Guinea. It was built like a destroyer.鈥�

Hunting Submarines

We hunted submarines. We took our training in the Gulf of Mexico dropping depth chargers. Later on, they put rockets on the bow鈥攖wo of them鈥攐ne on port and one on starboard. We鈥檇 fire, and they wouldn鈥檛 go off till they hit something under the water.

鈥淭hey sent us to New Guinea, then to Cairnes, Australia. I took a train to Sydney, then went on to troop ship Mount Vernon. It was on the USS George Washington luxury liner before it was converted to the Mount Vernon troop ship. Then to San Francisco and was assigned to the USS Ommaney Bay. That was one of the escort carriers.鈥�

I Was a Plank Owner

鈥淚 met Henry Kaiser, who built the escort carriers, during the commissioning. I got papers that showed I was a plank owner of the USS Ommaney Bay. I was one of the first crew members on the ship when it was commissioned in San Francisco. I became a twin 40-millimeter gunner on the left side.鈥�

鈥淲e were bringing a P-61 2-wing night fighter Blackhawk to Brisbane. We made an emergency cruise to Sydney, Australia. We were testing the boiler run wide open to avoid submarines. Took some P-47 Thunderbolts to Brisbane and a P-61 back with us. The twin night fighter had radar. Then we went to Alaska and then to the Hawaiian Islands. Then we took the Army 81st Wildcat Division and went to Guadalcanal and picked up the First Marine Division. We landed in the Palau Islands, south of Leyte. Palau means 鈥榯all tales鈥� in Spanish.鈥�

The USS Ommaney Bay blows up after being attacked by a kamikaze. Photo courtesy Joe Cooper.

CliPart two of Joe Cooper鈥檚 story will appear in a future issue.We Got All the Japanese Planes Down

鈥淚t was September 1944. We were close support. We went in 14 days before the landing craft. The cruisers and battleships bombarded, and we offered air cover for them and bombed inland. That was the first time I fired the 40-millimeter in combat. The Japanese planes were attacking.

The planes were attacking, but we got 鈥榚m all down. They didn鈥檛 do any damage. Bill Halsey said to bypass the island because it wasn鈥檛 worth it. Admiral Nimitz overruled him and we attacked anyway. The Marines were mad about it because it cost lives.

The Battle of Leyte Gulf

鈥淚 have a picture of a Japanese 鈥楤etty,鈥� just like a B-25 and B-26. [Mitsubishi Navy Type 1 attack bomber]. We were there about a month. Then we had to go to The Philippines鈥擫eyte, October 24. We were softening up Leyte for the invasion of The Philippines鈥擬acArthur鈥檚 return. There the Japanese started the kamikaze鈥攕uicide bombing. And then we had that big sea battle out there, at the Battle of Leyte Gulf. They wasn鈥檛 modernized like our battleships.鈥�

The Battle of Surigao Strait, The Philippines

鈥淲e couldn鈥檛 tell what was a bomber and what was a kamikaze. They鈥檇 come there three and four at a time and one would go back and report what they鈥檇 done. Three of them would dive on us. They dropped torpedoes. In the picture of the plane we shot, it鈥檚 on fire, it did a barrel roll and hit about 200 yards from us in the ocean. The Ommaney Bay didn鈥檛 suffer any damage during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. We stored 24 torpedoes on the bulkhead down there. That was the closest call we had, but we were lucky. A lot of ships got hit. Our destroyer escort got sunk.鈥�

Battleship Yamoto Destroyed

鈥淭he big Japanese battleship Yamoto was destroyed鈥攅ight Jap battleships in the battle off Okinawa. The planes from our carrier were attacking it. We were attacking it. We saw it happen.
鈥淚n December of 1944, we pulled out of The Philippines, went back to Admiralty Islands and got supplies to go through the strait to Mindoro to support the Marines. That鈥檚 where we got hit. When the sun went down, we launched planes to look for submarines. We changed positions with another aircraft carrier. The aircraft motors were running鈥攁nti-submarine.鈥�

Kamikaze Attack

鈥淗ere come the 鈥楤etty鈥� kamikaze, making an attack on us. It dove, trying to hit the island [of the ship]. It missed it and went right through the middle of the ship. One 1400-pound bomb went in the engine room and knocked the power out. The other one hit the hangar deck. It was on fire in the stern of the ship.

鈥淚 was finishing a meal when it happened. A friend of mine saved my life. He said, 鈥楲et鈥檚 go down to the crew compartment. We鈥檇 just got down there, and there was a big BOOM, I thought it was a torpedo. Smoke started coming out of the bulkhead and the lights went out. We went up to the hangar deck and saw a plane exploding, hitting the bulkhead. We tried to get up to where the pilots were. We heard hollering up there. The pilots must鈥檝e been trapped. Most of the people on the hangar deck were killed. We couldn鈥檛 get through because the doors were locked. So we went back down and then back up through another hatch on the port side.鈥�

鈥淲e started throwing ammunition off.鈥�

鈥淲e started throwing ammunition off and everything. I saw one man laying there with his leg off. I couldn鈥檛 help him. I saw one with a hole in his throat and blood was gushing out. He was running, hollering. There were explosions happening everywhere. I knew I had to get out as quick as I could. We had a lot of ammunition and thousands of gallons of gas on that ship. I said to myself, 鈥業 better get off before it blows up.鈥�

鈥淭hey were passing the word to jump. They said it wasn鈥檛 no good鈥攅verybody over the side. It was about 65 feet, so I just went over the side. I wasn鈥檛 scared of heights, I just wanted to get off of there. I didn鈥檛 have a life jacket on. My life jacket was down there by my gun. I jumped off the port bow.鈥�

Joe Cooper will be honored by the 51黑料网 during and after Brevard鈥檚 Memorial Day parade on May 30. Cooper will ride in the WWII Jeep during the parade and meet members of the public in the museum after the parade to sign free copies of his story.

Click here to read Part two of Joe Cooper鈥檚 story

Joe Cooper, WWII and Korean War Veteran
Interviewed by Andrew Biggio & Michael McCarthy
Written by Janis Allen for the Transylvania Times