Sculpture of Famous Times Square Kiss Comes to Pier 45, San Francisco, August 6-7, 2011

Posted: August 3, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

San Francisco, CA — A 6-foot version of Seward Johnson’s famous sculpture depicting the “Times Square Kiss” will be displayed  August 6-7, 2011, at Pier 45 located at the foot of Taylor Street on San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf.

 The sculpture was inspired by the iconic black and white photograph taken by Alfred Eisenstadt of a young nurse, Edith Shain, being kissed by an unknown sailor in Times Square on August 14, 1945 – V-J Day – the day America learned that World War II in the Pacific was over.

The SS Jeremiah O’Brien and the USS Pampanito are jointly sponsoring the viewing of the sculpture,” said Dennis Koller, Executive Director of the SS Jeremiah O’Brien. “The Times Square Kiss reminds us all of the values and accomplishments of America’s ordinary heroes — the Greatest Generation — who fought in WWII to defeat the greatest tyranny in history, and then went on to rebuild their shattered world in an unprecedented effort to help assure a better future for both friend and former foe alike.”

The event is free. The public is invited to view the “Times Square Kiss” sculpture and enjoy live music. Active military personnel and their families are especially welcome. Photo opportunities with the sculpture will be available.

Event Details

August 6 and 7, 2011, 11am to 4pm

Kissing Contest w/ celebrity judges, Saturday, Aug 6, from 12:00pm to 1:30pm

Veterans Tales, Sunday, Aug 7, from 12:00pm to 1:30pm

Noted World War II Military Historian William L. McGee Selects National Museum of the Pacific War as Permanent Home for Archival Materials

Posted: July 15, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II, Books by William L. McGee, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

The National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg, Texas. (Photo courtesy of the Museum)

San Francisco, CA, July 18, 2011 –The National Museum of the Pacific War  (formerly The Admiral Nimitz Museum) in Fredericksburg, Texas has added the research and writing files of military history author William L. McGee to the Museum archives.

The Museum was selected by McGee for “dedication to perpetuating the memory of the Pacific Theater of WWII in order that the sacrifices of those who contributed to our victory may never be forgotten”.

The William L. McGee Research and Writing Files consist of archival materials collected by McGee over a twenty-year period as research material for four books on World War II military history in the Pacific.

The archival materials include ship deck logs, Action Reports, interviews and oral histories, documentation on the 1946 Bikini atomic bomb tests (McGee participated in these tests), rolls of microfilm and microfiche, and hundreds of photographs. There is also an extensive collection of WWII books.

Dennis Blocker reviews the McGee collection with Museum staff (left) Mike Lebens, Chief Curator of Collections, and (right) Robert Elder, Artifacts Registrar. (Photo courtesy of Dennis Blocker)

Dennis Blocker II, Pacific war historian for the USS LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry) National Association, created a detailed inventory of all the materials. “This project was an honor for me,” said Blocker. “William McGee’s materials are a treasure trove and will be a huge asset to The Pacific War Museum’s efforts to become a world-class WWII research facility.”

McGee is currently at work on his seventh (and final) book, “Lucky Me: A Memoir”. For more about books by William L. McGee, visit BMC Publications .

67th Anniversary of D-Day Normandy Invasion Observed Aboard Historic Liberty Ship

Posted: June 6, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

 June 6, 2011 —  Today is the 67th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy invasion on 6 June 1944.

Flashback to 1994…  For the 50th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy invasion, World War II historian William L. McGee was invited to join the crew that sailed the WWII-era Liberty ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien from San Francisco to Normandy.

The O’Brien participated in the June 1944 Normandy invasion and would be the only vessel to return to Normandy as part of the 50th anniversary celebration. On her return voyage, the crew would include many veterans of WWII.

 However, as you can see by the photo, Bill McGee and his co-author wife, Sandra McGee, sailed to Normandy on the Royal Viking Sun. Most of the passengers aboard the Sun were World War Two veterans who had participated in the Normandy invasion. 

During the voyage, Bill McGee, representing the U.S. Navy Armed Guard, and Captain Ernie Murdock, Merchant Marine, led several informal story-telling sessions with the other veterans.

William L. McGee Joins Admiralty Board of Historic Liberty Ship

Posted: June 4, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

 

San Francisco, CA, June 4, 2011 – William L. McGee, president of BMC Publications and author of World War II military history, has joined the Admiralty Board of the National Liberty Ship Memorial, the organization that manages the SS Jeremiah O’Brien, the historic Liberty ship berthed at Pier 45 in San Francisco.

The Admiralty Board will serve as a strategic advisory board providing direction to the Board of Directors in matters of marketing, fundraising, education, relations with the Port of San Francisco, and America’s Cup.  Heading the Admiralty Board is Major General J. Michael Myatt, USMC (Ret), President and CEO of the Marines Memorial Association in San Francisco.

National Maritime Day Observed on Historic Liberty Ship

Posted: May 27, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

 

San Francisco, CA, May 22, 2011 – In recognition and remembrance of merchant mariners and the Naval Armed Guard, the WWII-era SS Jeremiah O’Brien went on its annual Seaman’s Memorial Cruise to honor the men and women who built, sailed and protected Liberty ships during World War II.

Flashback to 1943…. Military history author William L. McGee recalled his first voyage at sea in 1943 on another Liberty ship, SS Nathaniel Currier. As the Currier inched its way out to sea under the Golden Gate, McGee, then a 17-year old Gunner’s Mate , recalled being headed for “destination unknown”, later revealed to be the Solomons Islands.

Helping to Secure the Future of the Historic WWII Liberty Ship, SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Posted: April 11, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

William L. McGee with Dennis Koller, Executive Director, National Liberty Ship Memorial. Photo taken at Sam's Restaurant, Tiburon, Calif.

 San Francisco, CA, April 2010 — World War II military historian William L. McGee became a Founding Member of The Admiral Thomas J. Patterson Society. Named for the man responsible for organizing The National Liberty Ship Memorial, and thereby saving the World War II Liberty shipSS Jeremiah O’Brien from the scrap heap, the Society will help assure that the “O’Brien” will continue to be a living memorial and historial landmark for generations to come. 

SS Jeremiah O’Brien facts

  • The O’Brien is the world’s last unaltered Liberty ship of the 2,710 that were constructed during World War II.
  • In June 1944, she provided logistical support in history’s largest invasion, making 11 shuttle runs between England and Ireland, and the Omaha and Utah beachheads.
  • Fifty years later, she was the only vessel that participated in the June 1944 invasion to return to Normandy as part of the 50th anniversary celebration – and with a crew that included many WWII veterans.
  • The O’Brien was used in the filming of the major motion picture Titanic.

65th Anniversary of D-Day Normandy Invasion Observed Aboard Historic Liberty Ship

Posted: May 30, 2009 | Author: | Filed under: Amphibious Operations in the South Pacific in World War II, Books by William L. McGee, SS Jeremiah O'Brien, Historic WWII Liberty Ship, U.S. Merchant Marine and Naval Armed Guard, Veterans | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »
Bill and Sandra at the 50th anniversary of D-Day.
Authors William L. McGee and Sandra McGee at the 50th anniversary of D-Day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

San Francisco, CA, June 6, 2009 — World War Two military history author William L. McGee and his wife, Sandra McGee, will be signing books aboard the historic World War II Liberty ship, SS Jeremiah O’Brien, in commemoration of the 65th anniversary of the D-Day Normandy invasion.

  • Saturday, June 6, 2009
  • 0900-1500
  • SS Jeremiah O’Brien, Dockside Pier 45, San Francisco, CA
  • Call  415-544-0100 or visit www.ssjeremiahobrien.org

SS Jeremiah O’Brien facts:

  • The O’Brien is the world’s last unaltered Liberty ship of the 2,710 that were constructed during WWII.
  • In June 1944, she provided logistical support in history’s largest invasion, making 11 shuttle runs between England and Ireland, and the Omaha and Utah beachheads.
  • Fifty years later, she was the only vessel that participated in the June 1944 invasion to return to Normandy as part of the 50th anniversary celebration – and with a crew that included many WWII veterans.
  • The O’Brien was used in the filming of the major motion picture Titanic.
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