From: mpcgram-owner@papermoneyworld.net on behalf of MPCgram [mpcgram@yahoo.com] Sent: Thursday, March 23, 2006 9:20 PM To: mpcgram@papermoneyworld.net Subject: MPCGram 1443 ------------------------ / MPC Gram News Letter / ----------------------- =========================================== MPC GRAM =========================================== Vol 7, no 1443 Thursday March 23, 2006 Thurski Travels by Larry Ski Smulczenski Sunday morning at CPMX was dead. Very few collectors had walked thru the door, and the dealers that remained were packing up to leave. Brian Giese had promised me a ride to Midway Airport to catch my flight home to Austin. We decided we might as well leave early and stop for a late breakfast and then head for the airport. When we got there, I still had about two hours until my 1430 flight so I walked the corridors checking out the gift shops. I had been into, out-of, and thru Midway on numerous occasions, but never with time to waste. The thought had crossed my mind in the past, who or what was Midway Airport named after? Was there a famous Chicago politician by the name of Midway or had there been a Captain or Admiral Midway that distinguished himself in World War II? Most likely it was simply a distance measurement such as midway between the lake and the city limits. Somewhere there had to be a plaque with this information, but I sure didn't want to go back thru security to go look for it in the airport foyer. Therefore, I stayed in the concourse area. My flight was leaving from Gate C-1, so I was close to the common area for all three concourses. I strolled around Concourse C, and then up and down Concourse B, and found myself entering Concourse A. Around a bend in the corridor, I saw a Navy World War II aircraft hung from the ceiling. I recognized it as a Navy SBD Douglas Dauntless Divebomber. A light began to flicker in my mind--Midway Airport--Divebombers--Battle of Midway. Could it be that the Chicago Airport was named after the famous Naval Battle of Midway? But what did Chicago have in common with a battle that happened halfway across the world? Well, the walls around craft had all the answers. Pictures and narratives told how "an assault by navy torpedo bombers against overwhelming odds provided an opportunity for SBD Divebombers to destroy three Japanese aircraft carriers in a matter of five minutes. A fourth carrier was destroyed a few hours later, thus turning the tide of the battle and the War in the Pacific." "On June 23, 1949, the Chicago City Council changed the name of the Municipal Airport to Midway Airport in honor of those heroes of the Battle of Midway...the men who turned the tide of the battle of the Pacific." Wow, I thought, that's great, but still why did Chicago choose Midway. I read on. "From 1942 to 1945, Chicago was a central training ground for allied pilots, aircraft carrier officers, ship's deck and flight crews. Aircraft Carrier Qualification training was conducted on Lake Michigan in order to avoid attacks from submarines which frequently patrolled the U.S. coastline. Two former Great Lakes excursion vessels, the 'Sea and Bee' and the 'Greater Buffalo' were fitted with flat tops and commissioned by the Navy as the USS Wolverine and the USS Sable. these two vessels, which operated from Chicago's Navy Pier, provided the platforms for the pilots to prove their ability to land and takeoff from an aircraft carrier after receiving flight training at Glenview Naval Air Station. The Lake Michigan training operation was a great success with over seventeen thousand pilots qualified." Of course, during any training operation, accidents occur. Approximately one hundred aircraft were lost into Lake Michigan. In the late 1980's, a program was launched to recover some of the aircraft, restore them and place them on public display. The SBD on display at Midway is one of those aircraft. It was lost on September 14, 1944 while attempting to takeoff from the USS Sable and recovered on August 26, 1991. It never ceases to amaze me how information of interest to us just pops up. Unfortunately, there was no series of Military scrip that we know of that was issued after the Battle of Midway. I have read that troops in the Pacific were paid with Hawaii overprinted Silver Certificates and FRN's, so that most likely also applied to Midway. World War II Remembered on page 429 illustrates a ration chit which was used on Midway Island. There is also a short snorter that has a picture of a gooney bird on it that I believe comes from Midway. I remember seeing this note illustrated in some publication during the last couple of years, but could not put my finger on it last night. I believe it was in one of Neil Shafer's columns in the Banknote Reporter or possibly some auction catalog, but it has alluded me. If you know where it is let us all know. And if you have one for sale, I'm sure interested. Finally, if you find yourself at Midway Airport with some time to kill, make your way to Concourse A and spend the time reading the display that they have there. You will not regret it. *********************************************************** Championship Question Corner Question: Interesting and rare notes were issued in the Faroe Islands during World War II. What was (is) the political status of the islands? Question 99, difficulty 2. What security printer manufactured the ruble notes prepared for teh occupation of Ukraine. Question 100, difficulty 3. Yesterday's Question: What printer or printers produced Special Army Currency? Question 98, difficulty 3. Answer: The BEP contracted the printing to Forbes Lithograph Manufacturing Corporation, Tudor Press, and the American Bank Note Company. Comments from the field: no comments ========================================== Editorial ========================================== Let me go on the record. I too had a great time at the Fest. I suppose that is obvious, but it is nonetheless true. It was not a perfect Fest. There are some areas needing improvement and we are thinking about those things. Heck, I have some ideas in mind for Fest X and we are still 11 months from Fest 8. The biggest problem from my view is that I did not get to chat enough with enough Festers. Indeed, I do not think that I got to chat enough with ANY Festers. Possibly on the post Fest tour to Wright Patterson I got to chat enough with the Festers in the car, but that was the exception. It would seem that the expansion of the Fest to 60+ participants probably was the root of the problem, but I do not think so. I have felt this way after every Fest so that is probably not the problem. However, since I do not see a way to extend the Fest any more days, it will be hard to solve this riddle. On yet another hand, possibly I am missing something and the Festers out there can give us some answers. ========================================== Mail Call =========================================== Dear Gram, I signed up for Joe's class today, bring the total number of students to four according to Barb. I also signed up for Fred's mini-seminar on MPC. Cheers, Mark Dear Gram; I have to agree with Ray about the punched holed JIM being Red Cross issues. It just doesn't sound right. Being an old Air Force sergeant I understand keeping the troops busy. Punching holes in JIM with an old Army two hole punch would be great "keep em busy" work. I suspect that when the supplies of JIM were captured in Manila, the primary thought was to keep them off the local economy "just in case". I can also understand the GI's ability/capability to scrounge souvenirs. The logical solution was to "dewat" them by canceling them with holes. Take a couple of yardbirds and put them to something useful. The end result, a whole bunch of canceled JIM to give to the troops as mementos. I believe that the Red Cross probably did distribute these memento's in their canteens. Granted, this is a logical explanation and there are those that claim that the Army never did anything logical, but it did sometimes happen. I saw a booklet some years back. Don't know if it was the same as Ray has, but it was nice. Probably turned out by the Filipinos to sell to the GI's much like the Vietnamese coin sets that were turned out by the hundreds in the Nam. Appeared to be local printing on the booklets. Just a logical guess of course since I can't see the Finance Officers doing something like this. Welcome home. Paul Garner =========================================== Calendar =========================================== 2006 1-2 April 2006, "PaperMoneyFair-Maastricht", in the "Polfermolen" in beautiful Valkenburg. Netherlands. The most important and best attended paper money bourse in Europe if not the world! For more information, go to the show's web site at http://www.papermoney-maastricht.org/ or contact the show organizer, Jos Eijsermans, at apnc.eijsermans@wxs.nl 7-9 April ANA convention, Atlanta The London Paper Money Fair has moved to: Victory Services Club, 63 Seymour Street, off Edgware Road, Marble Arch London and the dates are: May 7, July 2 and Nov 26. see: www.britishnotes.co.uk or www.londonpapermoneyfair.co.uk June 1-3 Long Beach, mini fest to be announced 16-18 June Memphis 1-14 July ANA summer seminar 16-20 August ANA convention, Denver September 14th-16th, Long Beach, mini fest to be annuonced The World Paper Money Fair, organised by the London chapter of the IBNS will be September 30/October 1 at the new venue: Hotel Russell, Russell Square, Bloomsbury, London.  see: www.ibnslondon.org.uk Oct/Nov Pcda St Louis ========================================== for dealer Hot Contact list, ANA MPC museum holdings and other static information please click this link: http://www.papermoneyworld.net/Gramattichments.htm ========================================== 2006 scholarship fund Donations of cash and numismatic material will be gladly accepted. Generally the numismatic material is auctioned at MPCFest, but might be sold via ebay or other places. Your scholarship donations help the hobby by sending qualified individuals to the ANA summer seminar military money class. Except for unavoidable charges like ebay fees, 100% of your donation goes to scholarships. Donations are now being accepted for the 2006 scholarship fund. Applications are also being accepted for the 2006 scholarships. Contact me at: "Marcus Turner" mail to: maturner@indy.rr.com Checks should be made out to the "Military Numismatists Scholarship." or Marcus Turner Marcus Turner PO Box 191 Danville, Indiana 46122 USA Contributors to the 2005 scholarship were: Ed Hoffman, Warner Talso, RA Medina, John & Nancy Wilson, Keith & Sue Bauman, Dan Freeland, Tom Koch, Doug Bell, Cuneyd Tolek, David Seelye, Brian Giese, Larry Smulczenski, Joe Boling, Dick & Loretta Freyser, Mark Watson, John Cheney, Roger Urce, Harold Kroll, Al Glaser. (also Memphis Belle note purchasers and summer seminar participants. irie Harris, Robert Connell, William Benton, Ed Beaman, Frank Clark, Howard A. Daniel III, Dick and Loretta Freyser, Dan and Kathy Freeland, Jack Hunter, Harld Kroll, Tim Kyzivat, Leo May, Robbie Robinson, Joel Shafer, Neil Shafer, Larry Smulczenski, Steve Swoish, Roger Urce, Ron Waddell, Pam West, John and Nancy Wilson, Adolf Witzke, Wendell Wolka. IMPORTANT SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION Additional information can be found at the link below. We encourage everyone to print copies of this information and distribute it to those who might be interested. Further you are encouraged to e-mail the pdf document to anyone you see fit. Thank you http://www.papermoneyworld.net/news/Military Numismatists Scholarship Fund 2003.pdf Scholarships from the ANA: See the following location for an application for financial aid to the summer seminar: http://www.money.org/sumsemfin.html ========================================= POST / BASE EXCHANGE(PX/BX/NEX) Dump your dupes! Your classified advertisement for items for sale, purchase or trade will be run here for free. Send your ads to the gram. This service is for everyone, most humble dealer or most advanced collector. The point is to make the gram more interesting. In all cases confirm your order via email first. WANTED SECTION: Collectors may submit lists of items wanted for their collections for listing here. Dealers and collectors who have these items, are then encouraged to list them for sale in the above section as a reply. Wanted listings will run for a period of 1 month. ============================================= MPC Gram Staff: Publisher, editor: Fred Schwan fred@papermoneyworld.net; Subscription Manager:Doug Bell- doug@papermoneyworld.net Tuesday Columnist : JoeBoling- JoeBoling@aol.com Friday Columnist: Warner Talso: wtalso@aol.com Fest Auctioneer: Larry "Ski"Smulczenski - skitex@cox.net, Critic:Harold Kroll - HARBONS@aol.com Scholarship Coordinator: Marcus Turner- marucs@papermoneyworld.net; Webmaster and Technical Advisors:Doug Bell "Wiz" - doug@papermoneyworld.net Russ Walsh - russ.walsh@gte.net Fact Checker: Warner Talso -Calendar Coordinator: John and Nancy Wilson -The Boss: Judy Schwan MPC Gram is published by BNR Press and papermoneyworld.com as a free service to the community of military money collectors. Your suggestions, criticisms, complaints, editorial contributions, letters, and even praise are very welcome. 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