Firing the 16 inch guns

USS Iowa (BB-61) was the lead ship of a class of battleships built during World War II. The four ships of this class, Iowa, Missouri, New Jersey, and Wisconsin, were designed to operate as an integral component of a “fast carrier task force.” This meant their primary focus would be defending aircraft carriers against surface and aerial attacks, providing gunfire support for invasion forces storming a beachhead, and interdicting enemy supply and transportation systems along coastlines. While they were not designed to be “heavyweight brawlers,” they carried the armor and firepower needed to fight toe-to-toe with the capital warships of the Axis powers.

The 887-foot long ships could steam at high speed (33 knots) yet, having a 45,000 ton displacement, were protected by heavy armor. The main gun battery consisted of three turrets, each with three massive 16-inch guns, which could hurl crushing salvos of nine 2,700 pound projectiles at targets up to twenty-three miles away. During World War II, the Iowa class ships carried a massive array of 5-inch, 40mm and 20mm anti-aircraft guns. As an unintended by-product of the Navy’s design considerations, these ships are not only the most powerful battleships ever built by the U.S., but are among the most elegant as well.

Overhead view of the Iowa

At the beginning of 1945, she left the war zone and entered an overhaul period at Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard in San Francisco. In March, she rejoined the naval forces off Okinawa and participated in the invasion of that strategic island. Several months later, Iowa served as the flagship for Admiral William “Bull” Halsey during the Japanese surrender in Tokyo Bay. She was briefly decommissioned after the war.

Clearly shows the size of Iowa's 16 inch guns relative to the men who operated them,

In early 1958, she was decommissioned and placed into the Navy’s mothball fleet in Philadelphia, where she stayed for many years. Iowa was modernized in 1983 as part of a major naval expansion program and upgraded with the most advanced weapons systems available. These included Harpoon long-range anti-ship missiles, Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles, and Phalanx gatling guns for close-in anti-missile and anti-aircraft defense. Iowa was the first battleship to receive the RQ-2 Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicle, which was useful for aerial reconnaissance and gunfire spotting. Her firepower was unmatched by any other ship in the world short of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. She operated in both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets to counter the recently expanded Soviet Navy.

During a practice gunfire session with her main gun batteries in April 1989, a horrific explosion wrecked her #2 gun turret and killed 47 sailors. The reason for the explosion remains somewhat of a mystery today, and the turret was never repaired. Initially, the Navy investigation pointed towards a homosexual sailor who was having problems with his partner. However, subsequent evaluations demonstrated that the powder bags, manufactured during World War II, had become unstable and may have simply spontaneously exploded when rammed into the gun’s breech before firing.

Iowa was decommissioned for the last time in 1990, and was initially struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1995. She was reinstated from 1999 to 2006 to comply with federal laws that required retention and maintenance of two Iowa-class battleships as possible gunfire support platforms for the U.S. Marine Corps.

Iowa was berthed in Newport, Rhode Island when, in 1999, Senator Boxer, Senator Feinstein and Representative Pelosi secured a three million dollar grant from Congress to transport her to the west coast. They envisioned having the famous capital warship become a major San Francisco waterfront museum attraction, boosting the city’s economic environment.

In March 2001, Oakland-based Crowley Marine Services used the powerful ocean going tug Sea Victory to tow her 6,500 miles via the Panama Canal. The canal transit alone took three full days, with only eight inches to spare on either side of the Iowa as she was maneuvered through the locks.

To the delight of thousands of onlookers, the sleek battleship arrived in Suisun Bay on April 21, the most unique ship to be part of the local mothball fleet in decades. Having her become part of the “ghost fleet” is analogous to having Madonna move into your neighborhood. What once was a fairly quiet, unobtrusive group of gray ships now became a major tourist attraction in its own right. Passengers (and drivers) inside cars, buses, boats and trains passing along the Suisun Bay area, craned their necks to get a look at her distinctive clipper bow sticking out upriver at the end of row “G.”

Little did the Navy, or the ship’s former crew, realize that new battles were looming on the horizon. In an astonishing mid-July 2005 decision, the SF Board of Supervisors voted against allowing the Iowa to be berthed in the city, citing their opposition to the war in Iraq and the military’s policies regarding homosexuals (i.e., “don’t ask, don’t tell”). This paved the way for other California communities to bid for the battleship – and reap the resulting financial rewards.

USS Iowa passing thru the Panama Canal in 2001 on its way to the west coast

By March 2007, several competing groups formed to obtain the Iowa for their community. The Historic Ships Memorial at Pacific Square (HSMPS), the same group who attempted to place the Iowa in San Francisco, now advocated locating her at the former Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo. Another group from Stockton led by Navy Captain Jim Dodge (who was instrumental in saving the USS Hornet) also submitted a proposal to the Navy. In October 2007, the Navy sent a letter to HSMPS stating that the Vallejo group was the only remaining viable candidate to acquire Iowa but their application would be further reviewed only after evidence of firm financing.
Unfortunately, our major nationwide recession soon took hold and the city of Vallejo wound up in serious financial difficulty. HSMPS was unable to raise enough money to persuade the Navy to make a final donation decision in their favor.

The magnificent battleship patiently waited in Suisun Bay, with her teak deck slowly rotting, as various organizations continued to spar over her fate. In September 2011, the Navy decided to donate Iowa to a non-profit group in Los Angeles called the Pacific Battleship Center. Late this year, the ship will be permanently moved to the Port of Los Angeles (berth 87 in San Pedro) to serve as a museum and memorial to battleships.

The USS Iowa has many historical connections to the SF Bay Area, including the Hunter’s Point Shipyard, FDR’s presidential yacht M/V Potomac and her WWII combat companion USS Hornet. One the surface, it would seem logical to keep her here as a museum. However, Iowa deserves to be cared for by people who understand the rich heritage of American battleships, and their role in protecting the democratic principles citizens of our country enjoy today. While the SF Bay Area has an impressive maritime legacy, much of its populace does not readily acknowledge nor embrace it. In the end, the Navy felt the Los Angeles area had a better chance of ensuring long term success of the museum.

Farewell Iowa, we enjoyed having you in our mothball fleet and we will miss you!

* * *

Commemorate Veteran’s Day on November 11 at the USS Hornet Museum. For more information, visit the museum website at www.uss-hornet.org or call (510) 521-8448, ext. 282.

Immediately following the end of World War II, Congress voted to establish a National Defense Reserve Fleet (NDRF) to serve as a reserve cadre of ships for national defense and national emergencies. The Maritime Administration (MARAD) maintains this fleet so it can provide surge sealift capability whenever required. MARAD is also responsible for disposing of reserve ships, and other non-combatant Government ships, as they become obsolete.

At its height in 1950, the NDRF (aka “mothball fleet” or “ghost fleet”) consisted of 2,277 ships kept at one of eight anchorages around the U.S. Over time, the NDRF has dwindled to just three anchorages: Fort Eustis, Virginia, Beaumont, Texas, and Suisun Bay in Benicia, California. As of March 31, 2011, there were only 183 vessels left, primarily dry cargo ships along with some tankers and military auxiliaries.

In 1976, an additional Ready Reserve Fleet component was established to provide rapid deployment of military equipment. The Ready Reserve Fleet comprises 48 vessels, some of which are kept with the “mothball” fleet. An additional 28 non-NDRF ships are held in storage for other government agencies. The Suisun Bay fleet contains all of these various categories of ships. For instance, the WWII battleship USS Iowa languishes in row “G” on a donation hold from the Navy until it becomes a museum in California.

Since 1950, NDRF vessels have supported emergency shipping operations during war and national emergencies. During the Korean War, 540 vessels were activated to support the military forces. During the Vietnam War, 172 vessels were activated to support military operations in southeast Asia. More than seventy-five percent of the RRF ships provided support to the U.S. effort’s in the Persian Gulf between August 1990 and April 1991.
In 2005, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) used five RRF and four NDRF ships for relief operations in the aftermath of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The ships provided messing and berthing functions for refinery workers, oil spill response teams, and longshoremen, providing about 83,000 berthing nights and serving roughly 270,000 meals.

MARAD activated six vessels in response to the devastating earthquake that struck Haiti in January of 2010. Three of the six vessels played a direct role in the relief efforts, with two providing logistical support from Port au Prince’s harbor. Another operated as a high speed freight and passenger shuttle between the continental U.S. and Port au Prince.

In addition to maintaining a fleet of active and inactive ships, MARAD is the government’s disposal agent for Federally-owned obsolete, merchant-type vessels, and naval auxiliaries that are equal to or greater than 1,500 gross tons. MARAD disposes of vessels through a variety of methods including domestic recycling and sinking for use as artificial reefs. Due to environmental concerns, the disposal process has been accelerated over the past two years. Of the 72 non-retention vessels currently in the NDRF, 60 are in the disposal process or are ready for disposal and 12 are being reviewed for their historical significance.
By 2017, only a few Ready Reserve Fleet ships will remain in the Suisun Bay fleet.

Suisun Bay Fleet – USS Hassayampa

Many of the ships in the Suisun Bay NDRF have made significant contributions to American history, often behind the scenes rather than in the headlines. July 2011 is the 42nd anniversary of the epic Apollo 11 flight to the moon. So it is fitting for this article to focus on a key contributor in the recovery of that first lunar landing flight.

In the early 1950’s, the U.S. Navy needed combat logistics ships fast enough to keep up with aircraft carrier task forces but with the cargo capacity to provision all the ships of that group. To accomplish this, the Navy created the Neosho class fleet oiler. Their mission was to transport bulk petroleum products, minor freight, mail and personnel from shore depots to these forces at-sea, and effect delivery to them while underway. The term for this latter operation is “underway replenishment” or “UNREP” for short. While logistics support is not considered a glorious mission, it is the cornerstone that allows combat forces afloat to maintain peak readiness and efficiency.

Navy fleet oilers are historically named after American Rivers bearing Indian names. The third Neosho-class ship built (of six total) was named USS Hassayampa (AO-145) after an interesting and historical river in Arizona. The river begins just south of Prescott, flows south through Wickenburg and empties into the Gila River. Except during the rainy winter season, the river bed is dry but the water keeps flowing via an underground channel.

Hassayampa was built in Camden, N.J. and launched in 1954. The vessel is 655 feet long, has a 38,000 ton displacement and can carry over 7.5 million gallons of petroleum products including naval special fuel oil (for ships), aviation gas (for helicopters and propeller aircraft) and jet fuel (for high performance jet aircraft). She was commissioned at the Philadelphia Naval Yard on April 19, 1955 with Senator Barry Goldwater proving the primary remarks at the ceremony.

Hassayampa served 23 years in the “regular” Navy with her home port in Pearl Harbor as part of the Pacific Fleet. From 1955 until 1964 she made many cruises to the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean. During the Tonkin Gulf crisis in August 1964, which jump started the Vietnam War, Hassayampa supported ships of the Navy’s Pacific and Seventh Fleets in that area. She was recognized for being involved with fourteen naval campaigns during the Vietnam War. In one astonishing two-week period in November 1966, Hassayampa refueled 67 ships!

In July 1969, she was a member of Task Force 130, the small group of ships assigned to recover the Apollo 11 spaceflight. On July 22, forty hours before splashdown, Hassayampa refueled the primary recovery ship USS Hornet in the designated landing area 1,200 miles southwest of Honolulu. The next day, a large storm system affected the area, forcing NASA to move the target site 240 miles northeast. Thanks to the refueling, Hornet was able to steam through the night at high speed and was in position when the Apollo spacecraft splashed down early the next morning. In November 1969, Hassayampa was at it again, refueling Hornet the day before Apollo 12 splashed down in the mid-Pacific.

In 1978, she was decommissioned from the Navy and transferred to the Military Sealift Command (MSC) as the USNS Hassayampa (T-AO 145). Based in Sasebo, Japan as the “duty oiler” in the Far East, it was not uncommon for the ship and its civilian crew to ride out a dozen typhoons every year. In addition to her national defense duties, she handled many special missions. These include the 1983 search and salvage mission associated with Korean Airlines Flight 007 that was shot down by the Russian military. In 1990 and 1991, she was a key member of the naval forces executing the Desert Shield and Desert Storm operations in the Persian Gulf.

In October 1991, Hassayampa was placed out of service by MSC. Spanning her career with the Navy and MSC, she was the most decorated fleet oiler in U.S. history. In May 1999, title to the ship was transferred to MARAD who placed her into the NDRF in Suisun Bay. As ships are slowly withdrawn from that fleet now, only time will tell what the ultimate fate of the “Humpin’ Hass” will be. Her former crewmen are hopeful she will become an artificial reef rather than being cut up for scrap.

San Ramon Valley residents who are interested in the Apollo 11 recovery or in gaining further knowledge of fleet oilers or the mothball fleet, have a unique opportunity the weekend of July 23/24. On Saturday the 23rd, the Hornet Museum in Alameda will be commemorating the anniversary of the Apollo 11 recovery with special guests and activities. On Sunday the 24th, the SS Jeremiah O’Brien in San Francisco will hold one of its rare “Ghost Fleet” tours with a cruise to the NDRF in Suisun Bay. O’Brien’s Master Pat Moloney was the longest serving commander of the USNS Hassayampa and is willing to share his wealth of knowledge with anyone who asks

In his 1998 best-selling book The Greatest Generation, journalist Tom Brokaw argues that men and women born between 1910 and 1925 were America’s greatest generation. As youngsters, they grew up having to endure the great depression, an economic time far worse than the recession we have just experienced.

Before these Americans had regained a reasonable level of employment and confidence in their society, World War II was thrust upon them. This global conflict was far worse than our low intensity actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. Brokaw believed these men and women fought not for fame or recognition, but because it was the right thing to do. Their perseverance created the vibrant democracy and superpower that America is today.

This generation is now passing into the history books. Whether we learn from them about positive values such as respect for the rule of law, self-reliance tempered by good teamwork, and service to community and country is now up to us. The world has, of course, changed during the ensuing generations. Our most bitter enemies in World War II have now become some of our staunchest allies. While the geopolitical situation evolves over time, the noble sacrifices of this generation remain. They should be a beacon for us all. In 1961, one of those people said in his presidential inauguration speech, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” That’s what America is really all about.

One of the most famous “touchstone” groups from that generation was 80 U.S. Army Air Forces personnel involved in the legendary mission called the “Doolittle Raid.” This event occurred only 130 days after the calamitous attack on Pearl Harbor and our entry into World War II. The newspaper headlines catalyzed all Americans in one of their most desperate hours. The morale of the entire nation was lifted. An unconscious bond was forged among all citizens to support the war effort, in whatever capacity they could serve.

This group is now dwindling to a precise “handful” – only five members remain. This month, on April 18, they will commemorate the 69th anniversary of their flight into mythology with their annual reunion in Omaha, Nebraska. In February 1942, when they were first approached about volunteering for a “highly dangerous missions from which half would not return” these young men were in their early twenties. Many were married, some with kids. Few had planned to make a career in the military. The majority were “citizen soldiers.” But they all stepped forward, knowing their country needed them to “man up” at this moment and consider the greater good. The operational part of this mission began in San Francisco bay, so here is an insight into their story.

The Daring Tokyo Raid of 1942

On Thursday, April 2, 1942, San Franciscans awoke to a normal spring morning, with the night’s fog slowly dissipating over the bay. By 10 a.m., sunshine was breaking through in patches. As the visibility increased to 1,000 yards, strollers along the Embarcadero, dog walkers in the Marina, and drivers crossing the Golden Gate Bridge were treated to an unusual sight.

Eight U.S. Navy warships had weighed anchor that morning and were slowly working their way past Alcatraz Island, heading toward the Golden Gate. In the lead were four destroyers, followed by an aircraft carrier, which itself was trailed by two cruisers and a fleet oiler. The Pacific war effort was just getting ramped up so there was a general increase in military traffic of all sorts throughout the Bay Area. Most citizens would have watched this parade of ships with a mixture of general curiosity about where they were headed and apprehension for the safety of the crews. Those with a more discerning maritime eye would have been drawn to the strange sight of sixteen olive-drab U.S. Army Air Forces bombers scattered across the flight deck of the aircraft carrier. By 11:30 a.m., the ships had faded into the mist beyond the Golden Gate, on their way into the American lore.

One particular naval officer, Captain Donald Duncan, silently watched the procession from the Embarcadero. As he turned to enter a staff car for the ride to San Francisco airport, he smiled ruefully to himself and thought “well, if all goes as planned, we’ll have some great news for President Franklin Roosevelt in a few weeks.”

The war in the Pacific was not going well. Immediately following the enormous destruction wrought by the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the United States and its allies suffered additional setbacks. Both Guam and Wake Island had been seized and the Philippines had been invaded. The American public was both stunned and outraged at these defeats. They were frustrated at the apparent inability of the supposedly powerful U.S. military to stop a small island nation’s assault on our outposts in the Pacific. A common theme in newspaper editorials was “where is the Navy?”

Prior to the Pearl Harbor attack, President Roosevelt had secretly agreed with our European allies that the “arsenal of democracy” would commit the bulk of its initial military and industrial effort in fighting the Nazis to liberate Europe. FDR now faced a dilemma – without committing major resources in the Pacific, he had to respond to the Japanese attack, both to improve the morale of the American public and let the enemy know they would be sharply dealt with in due time. For many weeks after Pearl Harbor, FDR pressed his military leaders about organizing a bombing strike against Japan itself.

The Navy couldn’t do this alone – its small single engine bombers did not have the range to carry out a raid without the probable loss of the fleet that launched it. While the Army had bigger bombers with a longer range, they had no bases in the orient from which to launch them.

Finally, in early January of 1942, Navy Captain Francis Low had an inspiration – why not launch Army bombers from an aircraft carrier? He discussed this with his boss, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Ernest King. King asked his senior adviser for aviation operations, Captain Donald Duncan, to look into it further. He did several days of research, even asking Lieutenant Stephen Jurika, who had recently returned from duty with the American Embassy in Japan, to help identify high value targets.

After a finishing a 30-page feasibility study, Duncan presented his plan to the head of the Army Air Forces, General “Hap” Arnold. After approving the general concept, he selected Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle to head up “Special Aviation Project #1.”

Doolittle, who was born in Alameda, was a well known pioneer aviator of his era, often mentioned in the same context as Charles Lindbergh. Doolittle energetically threw himself into the project since the weather in mid-April provided the optimum timeframe. With full backing of “Hap” Arnold, Doolittle worked many miracles.

He agreed with Duncan’s assessment that the best medium range bomber for the job was the twin-engine B-25 Mitchell. The 17th Bombardment group selected twenty-four of these aircraft to be modified for this unique mission. Doolittle also handpicked the aircrews from this same outfit since they were familiar with the new bomber. All the men were volunteers and only knew that it was a very dangerous mission; they did not know what it entailed.

For the floating airbase, the Navy offered up its brand new aircraft carrier, the USS Hornet (CV-8), just finishing sea trials off the east coast and soon to relocate to the Pacific. Captain Marc Mitscher and his crew successfully test launched two B-25s from the Hornet off the coast of Virginia on February 2, proving the concept was valid.

The two project officers, Duncan and Doolittle, now set their respective operational wheels in motion. The bombers were modified with extra gas tanks to fly further than normal while the USAAF pilots and aircrew were trained in carrier-deck launches. They practiced these unusual take-off techniques at Eglin airfield in Florida, under the tutelage of Navy flight instructor Lieutenant Henry Miller. Most of the crews learned quickly and only two aircraft were damaged beyond field repair.

Meanwhile, the Hornet steamed through the Panama Canal into the Pacific Ocean. It stopped in San Diego to embark its own air group, since it would be assigned combat duty shortly after finishing the Tokyo raid mission. After the Hornet had arrived in San Diego, the Army aircraft and crews flew across the country to McClellan airfield. Final engine and other maintenance checks were performed at the Sacramento Air Depot. At the same time, Hornet was ordered to travel up the coast, entering San Francisco Bay on March 31 and tying up at one of the piers on Alameda Naval Air Station.

Just before flying to Alameda, several of the Army crews managed to get in some practice take-offs at the small airfield at Willows, in the central valley. It was the final chance to make sure their short-field technique was good – the next time would be the real deal.

Finally, all the puzzle pieces came together. On March 31 and April 1, the remaining twenty-two B-25s arrived at Alameda Naval Air Station. The 16 aircraft that were in the best operating condition were craned aboard the Hornet and tied down to the flight deck. That evening, the Hornet relocated to berthing area #9 in San Francisco Bay, just south of Yerba Buena Island.

At 10:18 a.m. on April 2, the Hornet raised her anchor, dropped in line behind the escort ships in the task group and headed out to sea. Their final contact with the Bay Area occurred later that afternoon. Just beyond the Farallon Islands, the Navy anti-submarine warfare blimp L-8 hovered over her deck, lowered down two boxes of navigator’s domes for the B-25s, and then picked up the last mail call for the Doolittle Raiders.

During the ensuing two week journey, Hornet’s Intelligence Officer LT Jurika helped the pilots select the most effective military and industrial targets to maximize the impact of the raid. The bombers were launched on April 18 while the Hornet was 650 nautical miles east of Tokyo. In spite of overwhelming odds, the 80 airmen completed their mission. Fifteen of the bombers crashed after getting into Chinese airspace due to a shortage of fuel and one landed in Russia. Most of the B-25 crews that came down in China eventually made it to safety with the help of Chinese civilians and soldiers.

Three of the airmen died as a result of their aircraft running out of fuel and eight more were captured by the enemy. Of these, three were executed and a fourth died in captivity. The remaining airmen continued to fight for the U.S., both in the Indo-China and European theaters. Twelve of them were killed in other combat actions. Jimmy Doolittle was promoted to Brigadier General and awarded the Medal of Honor by President Roosevelt.

In the final analysis, this “first joint action” by the Navy and the Army significantly affected the course of the war, just as Duncan and Doolittle had planned. These 80 members of the greatest generation can rest easy knowing the final epitaph will read – “Mission Accomplished.”

Notes: Bob Fish is a Trustee of the USS Hornet Museum and author of the book Hornet Plus Three. The USS Hornet Museum will be commemorating the 69th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid on Saturday, April 16.

Path into the Fog

What separates the masses of snap-shooters from those who create great photographs is the ability to think outside the box. In this case, the small green box located on the “mode” dial of any reasonably functional camera. Most of us know it as the “auto” mode, where we just point, shoot and hope we caught whatever it was that momentarily interested us. Other than framing the subject, there is little creativity here—just the programming injected into the camera functions by the manufacturer’s technicians.

Ducks taking off from pond on Grizzly Island

In many ways, this little green box can be a metaphor for the lives of many East Bay residents. We start careers, get married, and raise a family in the comfortable confines our local communities. For those who choose to be stay-at-home moms (or dads) there is the added structure of volunteering at our children’s school, coaching a sports team or just helping out with community events. For most of her life, Susan Wood was just such a person with her family being the centerpiece of her life. She has a “giving” personality, and was always volunteering for one thing or another as her children grew up.

Susan Wood

Susan grew up admiring creative people and had been an amateur photographer for many years, shooting school activities, sports events and family travel adventures. She had a knack for capturing fascinating subjects at just the right moment and gained a lot of satisfaction from getting a great shot. Susan decided to center her new “life” around being a professional photographer. This was a long-held interest which brought a measure of continuity to her world that had changed so dramatically.

“My camera skills gradually improved while my kids were in school but once I turned professional, I energetically threw myself into becoming a great photographer,” Susan recalls. “It required a lot of patience, persistence and hard work, but my self-confidence grew dramatically and resulted in higher quality photos.” There were endless hours of on-the-job training as Susan shot a variety of subjects and then painstakingly critiqued the results. In only a few years, she has become an accomplished local shooter with a broad range of interests, including wildlife, aviation, public events, corporate functions, weddings and family portraits.

Susan realized that great photographers spend all their time operating outside that green “auto” box. Creativity and flexibility are the keys to success in the photo kingdom in addition to planning ahead and maximizing the odds of capturing just the “right” image. Like all artists, photographers see more than just the subject in front of them. They envision how to capture the essence of that subject from the best aspect. At the time of shooting a picture, lots of technical details must be closely managed—focusing properly, getting the best lighting, framing the subject, etc. But that’s still only part of what makes a photographer like Wood special.

“I love what I do,” Susan says. “For me, photography is as much a journey of self discovery as it is of building a successful career. I learn something new every day plus I meet wonderful people while doing it. I explore interesting new places and things all the time. As if it can’t get any better, I get to share unforgettable moments in time with others through my photos. It’s like having Christmas all year.”

Along the way, Wood had a few epiphanies that greatly improved her photographic skills. In the wildlife arena, she had often taken pictures of ducks in local ponds—floating, standing, and even flying away. Fortunately, she received some timely mentoring from Rich Radigonda, an award winning waterfowl artist.

Armed with new insight, she ventured into the expansive delta marshland. Dressed in camouflage gear, and hanging around with a group of hunters, she learned techniques for getting close to wild ducks. She now captures much more dramatic shots of a variety of waterfowl, whether taking off, in flight or landing on the water.

Susan explains, “Rich made me realize that I had to change my perspective. I needed to visualize my final photo not as I would see it mounted on a wall, but as my customers would see it. Spending quality time with seasoned duck hunters allowed me to learn a lot more about what elements made a waterfowl picture special to them. As a result, I’ve captured some wonderful moments and learned a valuable lesson that has improved my entire approach to taking photos.”

When working with people, Susan’s passion is interacting with her subjects rather than handling the follow-up photo processing in a computer. She spends a lot of time getting to know the people who hire her and understanding what feelings or activities they are trying to capture. A growing number of photographers choose to shoot a reasonably good photo and then heavily post-process it with computer-based tools. Susan prefers to be more flexible. She adapts the photo shoot activity to the existing environmental conditions so only minor tweaks might be needed afterward.

In the studio and portraiture arena, Wood uncovered an essential secret to success. The majority of subjects who came to her studio were either in a hurry because of a full day’s schedule or nervous because they felt they were not very photogenic. Establishing a positive relationship with the subject is critical in order to capture the essence of their personality. “Studio work is an interactive process,” Susan relates. “I have to gain the subject’s trust in order to get them to relax. In a family setting, it’s also important to “see” the children though the eyes of their parents. My goal is to make great memories during the photo shoot, not just have a family picture at the end.”

Joe Ovick, the Superintendent of Schools for Contra Costa County, appreciates this approach. “Susan has the unique ability to capture the energy and spirit of her subjects,” Joe recalls. “This is aptly demonstrated in her portraits of my grandson Rory, where you can see his real personality shining through. My family has had the pleasure of having Susan take both individual and group portraits.”

Wood’s approach to weddings is similar; she starts by learning all she can about the clients and their expectations. Susan is particularly fond of shooting destination weddings, where members of the wedding party and guests travel some distance to the site. Since most of the individuals are away from home, they tend to be a little more adventurous. Susan describes a recent wedding event in San Francisco. “The bride really wanted some photos that involved Irish coffee served at the Buena Vista café while the groom was very interested in getting shots involving the cable cars. Because of the great weather, both were attracted to the beach nearby. So we adapted to the situation and worked it all in. Everyone had a great time while we were shooting these photos and it shows in the end product.”

Lanzon wedding in San Francisco

Amy and Jesse Lanzon, the bride and groom, definitely agree. “Susan exceeded our highest expectations. Her attention to detail, high energy and dedication to her clients make her service unique and exceptional. We have the most wonderful memories of our wedding day.”

Because of her basic personality, Wood is very interested in capturing human interactions when she spends time at events such as town festivals, corporate parties or museum celebrations. She’s always watching people, looking for that special shot. She was inspired by her daughters Jessica and Laura as they grew up so she has a special affinity for kids. Wood relates, “I get an amazing sense of satisfaction in capturing a photo that shows a genuine depth of feeling between two humans. I’m very proud of several taken at the Hornet Museum this summer when Buzz Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, took time out of his hectic day to chat with some young children.”

Acclaimed local plein air painter and teacher Sylvie Carr notes, “Susan pursues all her subjects with passion and expertise. Her work reflects an artistic eye, clear vision and contagious enthusiasm. I have confidence in the quality of her work, which is why I recommend her.Susan is a photographer without boundaries!”

Wood, a member of the Pleasant Hill Chamber of Commerce, is also devoted to improving communities in the East Bay, not just working for corporations and businesses. Some of the non-profit organizations she works with include: California Waterfowl Association, Ducks Unlimited, Wardrobe for Opportunity, and the USS Hornet Museum. She is currently working on an assignment for the CALSTAR air ambulance service.

Woman selling papayas in Mexico

Little Cowboy Roping

Just three years into her new career, Susan already considers herself a success largely because she places a different value on the term than most people. She doesn’t measure success in terms of cash flow or profitability, but in terms of personal growth, daily satisfaction (aka “smileage”) and expanded personal relationships. Most of her clients end up being friends and advocates, the best measure of success ever invented.

It’s abundantly clear that she not only lives, but thrives, outside of the green box.

In addition to selling large photographs suitable for framing and display on a living room wall, she has also created an excellent line of photo cards. Susan Wood can be contacted at 925-939-7060 or via her online photo gallery at www.susanwoodphotography.com.

When Randy was selected by the Peace Corps to go to Tanzania in 2006, my wife Jennifer and I hatched a plan to visit him halfway through his two-year “tour of duty.” Our goal was Two-fold—to get him out of his remote village for a while and for us to experience Africa, since we’d never been. We decided to break our trip into three segments—three days of traditional safari activities in national parks, three days in Randy’s village of Dawar and then four more days of safari to wrap things up.

As the trip approached this past fall, we read guide books and studied web-based sources to learn more about what we could expect. The abundant and amazing wildlife at parks such as Ngorongoro and Tarangire was well documented. Their tourist lodges had all the amenities—bathrooms with flush toilets, running water, hot showers and electric outlets; first class dining rooms with salads, soups and recognizable meat products; and lounges with excellent selections of good wine and cold beer. Now, that’s a vision any Danvillite can appreciate!

But Dawar was noticeably absent from the web, other than a few Christian missionary sites. We knew it was on the southern flanks of Mt Hanang, but it was not on our detailed map of Tanzania. The only nearby town shown on the map was Katesh where Randy gets his mail, does his shopping and has limited access to the internet—and that’s several miles away from Dawar. Randy’s village was clearly not considered a popular tourist destination.

Because of our unique itinerary, Randy handled most of the incountry schedule by working with a Tanzanian company named Safari Makers. We also needed help arranging our international flights. The reduced number of airline flights with tight connections, new baggage fees and restrictions, upgradeable airline seats, airport overnight stay hotels, etc. made it more complex than we could handle via the web. The professional travel planners at Danville Travel smoothed everything out for us.

The flight segments were long and we were very happy when we finally arrived at Kilimanjaro airport. That very afternoon we headed to Lake Manyara and saw a wide assortment of wildlife. We spent the following two days at Ngorongoro Crater, photographing every African animal that anyone could hope to. Even outside the main safari areas, there was always something fascinating to see right next to the road whether plant, animal or human in nature (sometimes, up close and personal). The sunsets were glorious, the lodges were comfortable,
and the food was great. It was clear this was going to become one of those “lifetime adventures.”

On the appointed day, we headed south towards Dawar. After just a few miles on route A104, the pavement ended—our first hint that we were heading away from the amenities of civilization. We endured a three hour drive over the most bumpy, dusty, narrow roads imaginable. Dust-devils swirled over our car and oncoming cargo trucks hugged the center of the dirt road, forcing us to often drive on the shoulder. It was a bone-jarring, teeth- rattling ride in our hired 4WD Land Cruiser, but our guide Welking persevered and we made it through.

When we finally arrived in Randy’s village, we unloaded our bags and walked into his house. It was a small rectangular concrete slab with mud-covered cinder block walls and a tin roof. The reality of our situation jumped on Jen and I like a hungry leopard on its prey. We watched through the long cracks in the front door as a calf walked by outside. The only furniture was a mattress on the floor and a handbuilt book case, which doubled as Randy’s dresser. There was no electricity (the power lines stopped a few miles away when the TZ power company ran out of money). There was no running water (the community between Dawar and a nearby natural springs took most of it for their use). During the dry months, Randy joined the villagers on their trek to the springs to fill up a 5 gallon plastic container every few days, although he occasionally hitched a ride on a passing ox cart. Obviously, there was no flush toilet, no hot showers, no microwave oven nor refrigerator, etc. The only light at night was provided by a few candles. Frankly, we were shocked at his living conditions—even our most modest expectations were not met. While we’d traveled only a few hours by car, it seemed that we’d stepped centuries back in time.

Both Jen and I needed to take “a moment” and get a grip on this unexpected situation. She went outside, found a shady spot under an acacia tree and composed herself. I grabbed a broom and swept the dust and rodent droppings off the floor. Randy chased down the mice with a pair of salad tongs and ejected them from the house for our benefit (I’m sure they punished him for this indiscretion after we left).

Each of our days began with Randy boiling a pot of water over a small brazier outdoors. To maintain a hot flame, he used dried corn cobs and charcoal for fuel. From this small pot we made cups of tea, washed our faces and brushed our teeth. I was constantly reminded of emotions from my USMC survival school days—a huge difference from life in Danville, or even our safari lodges! Our trip had abruptly shifted gears from being a majestic wildlife safari to one of intense cultural interaction with tribal villagers.

The people of Dawar and the surrounding region still share their home with a variety of “original residents.”

We soon learned that a few of the locals lived in better houses than Randy’s—but many were worse. This area was a tough place to eke out a living, either as a farmer or a cattle herder. Yet, as difficult and primitive as their daily living conditions are, we found the Barabaig and Iraqqw tribal people to be extremely friendly and engaging. Jen and I were welcomed with the gift of a live chicken, a considerable portion of the donor’s net worth. We were pleasantly surprised by a village-wide welcome celebration thrown in our honor the first evening. During an incredibly lively and colorful dance ceremony, we were given traditional dress costumes and made to feel at home. During the walk home that night, however, we had to mentally balance between watching the fantastic night sky, with zillions of bright stars, and the path ahead, which might harbor snakes and hyenas looking for easy prey. Based on thousands of years of tribal knowledge, villagers are aware they must fully live for today—tomorrow is not guaranteed.

Over the next two days and nights, we were ushered into many homes with the greeting “karibuni sana,” which means “you are most welcome” in Swahili. The family father or mother would motion for us to sit on wooden stools, sometimes with a baby goat nestled under it to protect it from hyenas at night. We were always served a cup of chai (hot tea) and often a meal of ugali (corn porridge) or hard-boiled eggs. A lengthy conversation would then ensue, with Randy doing an excellent job of interpreting between English and Swahili.

Randy introduced us to a wide variety of people. We met with various community leaders such as the local doctor, church pastors, Christian missionaries, school principals, teachers and business people. We also spent quality time with a brickmaker, cattle herders, farmers and ox-cart drivers. During one late afternoon stroll, we came upon the local blacksmith, who hand-made fashionable bracelets as gifts for us, working all evening to finish them.

The genuine hospitality of all the villagers was heart-rending, considering this inhospitable countryside with such scarce resources to draw from. While their material possessions are few, their spiritual wealth is great.

A village ceremony to make Randy an honorary member of the Barabaig tribe (Randy is barely visable in back).	This colorfully-dressed group helped coordinate the welcome festivities for the Fishes.
Bob and Jennifer Fish are welcomed to Dawar on their first day with much fanfare.

The Peace Corps is currently helping the villagers obtain funding to dig a well and to expand their basic community clinic. Also, the few relatively-wealthy villagers created an economic assistance co-op program to help others get started with businesses (the average loan is around $20). So far, it has resulted in the opening of a new butcher shop, a corn seed store and a “fast food diner” whose specialty is a mixture of scrambled eggs and grilled potatoes. It is amazing how so little money (to us) can be put to such great use in a village like this.

While Jen and I were happy to get back to a safari lodge after our three-day stay in Dawar, we were psychologically “conflicted.” We had been granted a rare and valuable experience by interacting with these rural villagers on a personal level, leveraging friendships created by Randy to penetrate the veil that normally lies between cultural strangers. We discovered that the true measure of “civilization” lies not with a society’s level of sophistication or technology, but with their human interaction and social support systems.

With Mt. Hanang as the backdrop, we leave the blacksmith shop which can be seen in the background.

Randy, Mama Jeni, blacksmith Tumanne and Jennifer pose while two bracelets (on small rock) are being prepared for inscription with traditional tribal symbols.

The magical appearance of a Frisbee generated an hour’s worth of joy for several youngsters.

While villagers have little food, visitors are always welcomed into their homes with heartfelt greetings.

I hope that we who live in Danville will be as civilized as the Dawar folks when that 8.0 earthquake disrupts our transportation system, shreds our electric power grid, and destroys
our ability to communicate with the outside world. If our citizens overcome their personal hardships and assist each other as the Dawar villagers do every day, then we will pass the real test of humanity.

Randy has made the transition well, albeit not how we expected when the Peace Corps first signed him up. Perhaps the ultimate test for a “social services worker” is the respect given him by those he is trying to help. Randy is held in such high regard that he was inducted into the tribe as an honorary warrior during that village-wide ceremony our first day. He may be the first Chico State graduate “licensed” to carry a spear when he goes for a walk in the bush—and it’s not just for show. While this was never on the parental list of career expectations, we are very proud of him.

To assist Randy with his clinic expansion project, visit www.peacecorps.gov, click on “Donate Now”, and do a “Search by Volunteer” using the name “Fish”.

Since 1994, the founders of two American sister companies, the AMIAS Project and Another Land, have been working with the Barabaig tribe to foster cultural pride, conservation and innovation. To provide adventurous travelers with a once-in-a-lifetime cultural opportunity, Another Land offers tours where guests interact with people that live in Randy’s area (www.anotherland.com). For those who prefer assisting the tribal craftspeople from the comfort of their home, the AMIAS Project has an online gift shop with a wide range of fair-trade Barabaig jewelry and accessories (www.amias.org).

BOB FISH