The following is a
list of current projects or programs currently be conducted by
the California State Military Museum, the California Center for
Military History, The US Army Museum Activity (California), or
their associated museums:
San Francisco's
Roll of Honor for the Vietnam War: The California Center for Military History is compiling
a list of San Franciscan killed in the Vietnam War. Project
Manager: CW2 John Garvey
San Francisco
in World War II: The
California Center for Military History is in the process of preparing
the third in a series of books on California’s Military
History. This historical work will focus on the history of "The
City" during the Second World War. Project Manager:
CW2 John Garvey
USS San
Francisco: The
California Center for Military History is developing a comprehensive
program documenting the history of the heavy cruiser, USS San
Francisco. Project Officer: CW2 John Garvey. Some
of the projects underway or being considered are:
Oral histories of surviving
crew members
A permanent display in
San Francisco's Civic Center and the California State Military
Museum in Sacramento
A comprehensive website
commemorating the San Francisco.
Nike Batteries
in the San Francisco Bay Area: The California Center for Military History has
received a request for any information concerning the former
Nike-Ajax and Nike-Hercules missile batteries in the San Francisco
Bay area. Project Manager: CSM Dan Sebby at daniel.sebby@us.army.mil
California
Military History Online. This
is the website of the California State Military Museum, the US
Army Museum Activity for California and the California Center
for Military History. We are trying to be a major research tool
for historians, educators, students and the military. The California
Center for Military Museum offers small, government affiliated
or California Historical Society recognized military museums
or historical societies with a military focus, that do not have
the capability to produce their own, a website of two to four
pages. Project Manager: CSM Dan Sebby at webmaster@militarymuseum.org
California
Military History Publication Program: The Adjutant General of the State of California
has directed that the California Center for Military History
produce written histories dealing the state's military experience.
Currently, there are hundreds of manuscripts being review for
consideration. Project Manager: CSM Dan Sebby at daniel.sebby@us.army.mil
The California
Military History Educational Project: The California Military History Educational Project
(CMHEP) is a California State Legislative Grant-funded joint
effort of the California State Military Museum, California State
University Los Angeles, and the University of California at San
Diego Supercomputer Center to develop, distribute and maintain
a cutting-edge, web-based, cost-free educational tool for the
California Public Schools. The Project is aimed at teaching K-14
students about the importance of the military in our nation’s
history and the critical role California has played in that history.
Complete lesson plans
have been developed strictly according to the California State
Content and Performance Standards and include supplementary materials,
relevant website links, teacher rubrics and strategies, discussion
questions, and examinations. The lessons are cross-disciplinary,
use the latest research-based teaching techniques, and may be
followed easily by teachers with little or no knowledge of the
topic. Written by teachers for teachers, the lessons have been
field-tested in real classrooms. The lessons may be taught as
a complete unit or individually, using only the curricular materials
supplied on the website. Additional supplementary materials will
be added periodically, ensuring that the website stays current
and relevant. All of the lessons focus on California’s diversity
in a wide range of topics.
The first unit of eighteen
lessons, entitled “California’s Contributions to World
War II”, has been written to conform to the State Standards
for eleventh grade. Subsequent units will concentrate on eighth
grade and fourth grade.
Oral histories of California’s
World War II veterans are being assembled for use on the Project
website as well as to preserve important memories while there
is still time. These oral histories also have transcribed text,
and many of the histories are being recorded on digital video.
The Oral History phase of the CMHEP is being undertaken largely
by the California Military Museum. California State University
Sacramento is giving course credit to students assisting with
the Oral Histories.
The CMHEP website is located
at www.cmhep.org.Project Manager: Mr. Bill Davies at
California
Aviation History Video Project: The California Center for Military History is now
in the process of producing four videos: From Cruisers to Carriers
(National Guard’s first aviator – Eugene Burton Ely);
The Glenn Curtiss Story; The Thomas Selfridge Story; and, The
Aerial Experiment Association. Project Manager: CW2 Mark
J. Denger
Californians
in Aviation History: The
California Center for Military History is in the process of preparing
a biographical work on Thomas Selfridge – the U.S. Army’s
first aeronautical designer and pilot. Project Manager:
CW2 Mark J. Denger
National
Guard Aviation History: The
California Center for Military History has just completed an
extensive five year research project and is now in the process
of preparing a biographical work on the National Guard’s
first aviator – Lt. Eugene Burton Ely. Project Manager:
CW2 Mark J. Denger
World War
II Submarine Veterans History Project: The California Center for Military History proudly
introduces a unique history project geared toward documenting
the true-to-life stories of Americas submarine veterans of World
War II, produced in consort with the California Military History Educational
Project, and in
cooperation with the California State Military Museum. The World
War II Submarine Veterans History Project will collect and preserve
digital video-taped oral histories, along with documents such
as letters, diaries, maps, and photographs of America's submarine
veterans and those who served in support of them during World
War II (as a Collecting Partner for the Library of Congress’s
Veterans History Project). This "Primary Source" material
will then be made available to teachers and students through
the California Military History Educational Project, complete
with on-line lesson plans and study units, examinations and discussion
questions, teacher resource kits, oral histories, photo archives,
data banks and special collections to promote the study of areas
of historical importance. Project Director: CW2 Mark J.
Denger
History of
Camp Roberts: The
California Center for Military History and the Camp Roberts Historical
Museum are in the process of preparing the second in a series
of books on California’s Military History. This historical
work will focus on the history of Camp Roberts. Project Manager:
COL (R) Norman S. Marshall.
State Defense
Force Units: The California Center for Military
History is preparing a history of the various state defense forces
that replaced the National Guard during both World Wars, the
Korean War, and the Cold War. These forces were known as the
California Home Guard (1917), California Military Reserve (1918-1920),
California State Guard (1940-1946), California State Militia
(1940-1943), California Security and Defense Corps (1948-1950),
California National Guard Reserve (1950-1954) and finally the
California State Military Reserve. Project Manager: CSM
Dan Sebby at daniel.sebby@us.army.mil
California
Militia History Digitization Program Phase II: 1861-1866: The California Center for Military
History will begin to digitize the histories of California Militia
that were formed during the Civil War. Originally compiled by
the Works Progress Administration in 1940. Project Manager:
CSM Dan Sebby at daniel.sebby@us.army.mil
Upcoming
Projects
California
High School Cadets and Cadet Corps: The California Center for Military History will
begin to document the history of the California High School Cadet
and Cadet Corps for the period beginning with their establishment
in 1911 through the present. Project Manager: TBA
California
Indian Wars: The
California Center for Military History will begin to document
California's Indian Wars for the period beginning with the establishment
of the Spanish colony in 1756 through the end of the Modoc War
in the 1870s. Project Manager: TBA
Recently
Completed Projects
Installation
Histories: The
California Center for Military History has provided research
support to a Department of Defense agency conducting historical
researc hon the following installations:
Fort McDowell
Naval Air Station Livermore
Hammond General Hospital
Mill Valley AFS/AWS Radar Site B-78
Red Bluff AFS
Camp Flint
Arbuckle Prisoner of War Branch Camp
Naval Auxiliary Air Station
Vernalis
Winters Davis Flight Strip
Redding Army Air Field
Oroville Army Air Field
Marysville Army Air Field
DeWitt General Hospital
Camp San
Luis Obispo Museum. The
Camp San Luis Obispo Military History Detachment of the California
Center for Military History has converted Building 885 into the
Camp San Luis Obispo History and Visitors Center. For more information
contact WO1 Saundra Peralta at Saundra.Peralta@ca.ngb.army.mil
California
Military History Digitization Program: Camp Roberts – Phase
I: The California
Center for Military History has completed the first phase of
digitization of Camp Robert’s photographic history. Selected
photographs from this project will be found in our book on Camp
Roberts. Project Manager: WO1 Brett A. MacDonald.
Military
History Library Catalog Project: Six members of the Naval History Research &
Study Element of the California Center for Military History have
contributed over 2,500 hours of volunteer hours at the Sons of
the Revolution Library and Museum in an effort to catalog this
unique collection of military and state histories spanning the
periods of Colonial America, the American Revolution, War of
1812, Mexican War, Civil War, Spanish-American War, and both
World Wars. Project Participants: COL William W. Huss,
Jr., COL Norman S. Marshall, LTC John R. Justice, CW2 Mark J.
Denger, WO1 Brett A. Landis and WO1 Brett A. MacDonald.
California
Militia History Digitization Program Phase I: 1850-1851: The California Center for Military
History completed digitizing the histories of California Militia
companies that were formed from California's entry into the Union
until the Civil War. These histories were initially completed
by the Works Progress Administration in 1940. To view these records,
CLICK
HEREProject
Manager: CSM Dan Sebby
California
Military History Digitization Program: Camp San Luis Obispo: The California Center for Military
History has recently completed the first phase of digitization
of Camp San Luis Obispo’s photographic history. Selected
photographs can be found in our recently published book on Camp
San Luis Obispo. Project Manager: WO1 Brett A. MacDonald.
History of
Camp San Luis Obispo: We
are very proud to announce that the California Center for Military
History's first book is now available for purchase. The book
written by a team led by CW2 Mark Denger of our Naval History
Section has worked long and hard to produce what is hoped to
be the first of many such books dealing with California Military
History. To order this book, CLICK
HERE
Vehicle Restoration
Program: M151A2: The California Center for Military
History's Vehicle Restoration Team completed their first project,
the restoration of a Marine Corps M151A2 "Jeep". This
classic vehicle was fully restored through the considerable efforts
of Captain George Cooper and Sergeant Ron Crouch. The Federally
owned artifact was transferred to the US Army Museum Activity
from the California Army National Guard. The vehicle, which was
originally procured by the US Marine Corps, was returned to its
1970's camouflage paint scheme and fording equipment was reinstalled.
It was "debuted" at the 2004 Sacramento Museum Day
on 7 February 2004. Project Participants: CPT George Cooper
and SGT Ron Crouch
Sergeant Ron Crouch
(seated) and Captain George Cooper (standing) show off the museum's
newly restored M151A2 "Jeep" (Photos by CW4 David Crippen)
California State Military
Department
