A recently rediscovered WW II POW flag (photo above; actual
size of flag is 29" x 38") is now on display in the
new Americanism Museum of the House of the Temple.
"I will never forget the harsh, brutal,
and horrible conditions our POWs in Japan had to endure for many
years. Their writings and scratching on the walls of their confinement
rooms were so sad and forlorn, pointing to their eventual and
certain doom. Few expressed any hope of ever surviving their ordeal
or in being rescued. Looking back, I wish that someone had the
vision then to have had those walls removed intact as examples
of man's inhumanity to man." Ill.
Richard C. Delsi, 33°
On September 2, 1985, Ill. Richard C. Delsi, 33°, a retired
Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Army and Personal Representative
in the Valley of Santa Rosa, California, donated three flags to
the Supreme Council, 33°. One was a makeshift American flag
made by prisoners of war in Japan; one was a five-star general's
flag which belonged to General Douglas MacArthur, 33°; another
was MacArthur's four-star flag, which was also used by another
four-star general, Bro. Robert L. Eichelberger, 32°.
The September 2 date of Ill. Delsi's donation was significant
because it marked the 40th Anniversary of VJ Day (Victory over
Japan Day). He was pleased to donate these items and wrote to
Grand Commander Henry C. Clausen, 33°, stating, "I
pass on to you these tokens of one of America's sons bestowing
like honor and respect upon you." Ill. Clausen retired
as Grand Commander one month later.
Recently, Ill. Delsi began to wonder what had become of the
flags following Clausen's death in 1992 and contacted the museum
at the House of the Temple. He wrote, "I recall transmitting
by hand these items to Clausen in a brown envelope about 12
by 14 inches in size. I know that the chances of finding them
is now remote as we really do not know what Clausen may have
done with them."
| Lt. Col. Richard C. Delsi,
33°, discovered the POW flag discussed in this article
while serving in Japan with the U.S. Eighth Army as part
of the Allied Occupying Forces. |
|
The flags had seemingly disappeared. The House of the Temple
staff searched, but never found anything. They had unfortunately
never been given to the museum staff. Even Grand Commander Clausen's
personal estate was searched in order to find the lost flags,
but nothing was ever found. That is, until recently.
While digging through a closet filled with old lockers and
boxes, Bro. Robert L. Sansbury, 32°, K.C.C.H., Building
Superintendent, House of the Temple, and his assistants found
what looked like American flags. In a brown envelope, about
12 by 14 inches in size, were the three lost flags. Inside was
a copy of the thank-you letter written on October 1, 1985, to
Bro. Delsi by Grand Commander Clausen. Ill. Clausen stated,
"These will occupy permanent places in our museum as memorabilia
with appropriate credit to you." Somehow, in the midst
of Clausen's retirement, the flags never made it to the museum,
but were stored away until they were found in 2002.
The flags were immediately handed over to the museum staff,
as they were in the midst of planning the new Americanism Museum,
which opened in the summer of 2002. We had no idea of the story
behind these artifacts, so we immediately contacted the Brother
Ill. Clausen thanked in the letter. Perhaps he would know the
flags' history. Ill. Delsi was thrilled that the flags were
found! He shared his story of the flags with us, and we informed
him that the flags would be featured in the new gallery. These
flags now occupy a significant place in our Americanism Museum.
Each flag has a unique story to tell, one of which (pictured
on the previous page) is told here. Ill. Delsi describes how
he found the POW flag in the following statement.
"In 1945, I landed in Japan with the U.S. Eighth Army
as part of the Allied Occupying Forces. The instruments of surrender
had been concluded aboard the battleship USS Missouri ending
3 years, 8 months, and 25 days of bitter hostility between the
United States of America and the Imperial Government of Japan.
My unit took over a former Japanese Army camp in Shinagawa,
which was in the suburbs of Tokyo in the direction of Yokohama.
I was among thousands of U.S. Army infantrymen who were ordered
to carry out the directive of General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme
Commander of the Allied Powers, Japan, to 'destroy the Japanese
war machine.'
"The task of my unit was to collect or accept from other
US units all Japanese military items and supplies and to destroy
them. Among the sources of such material were Japanese military
camps used to confine U.S. and other Allied prisoners of war.
"It was our practice to carefully inspect all field packs,
dispatch cases, cartridge belts, ammo pouches, etc., for explosives
or ammunition which could injure or kill our personnel who were
doing the burning. We also searched all packs, pouches, and
pockets for documents or other matter that could be of value
to our Intelligence agencies who had been assigned to assess
and evaluate the Japanese war effort.
"Prisoners of war possessed limited items of clothing,
personal effects, and field gear. Going through the packs and
pouches, I noticed a thick lining slightly sticking out at the
bottom. I pulled it out, paying little attention to the pack
it was in. The item concealed a slit, purposely cut in the lining
of the pack."
Inside the pack was the POW flag that is now on display in
our Americanism Museum. Ill. Delsi surmised, "The flag
must have been a source of courage and strength to someone or
to some group of Americans." While his assessment is true,
the flag continues to be a source of courage to generations
of American heroes."
World War II's duration, as set by the U.S. government, was
1,364 days, 5 hours and 44 minutes. The flags donated by Illustrious
Richard C. Delsi, 33°, are only a few artifacts found in
the Supreme Council's new Americanism Museum. The gallery also
features other items from WW II veterans, including Audie Murphy's
dog tags and Douglas MacArthur's cane. Freemasons have served
our country in a variety of capacities as servicemen, businessmen,
politicians, ministers, inventors, and more. The courage of
Masonic Brethren who served our country will never be forgotten.
The House of the Temple's new Americanism Museum honors all
Masons. Please stop by and visit the gallery on your next trip
to Washington, D.C.
|
Heather K.
Calloway
is currently studying Library Science as a graduate student
at the University of Maryland. She has a Master's Degree
in Theology, specializing in religious and fraternal organizations.
Originally from Albuquerque, New Mexico, Heather is the
daughter of Bro. Danny R. Calloway, 32°, K.C.C.H., P.G.M.
of New Mexico, and sister of Bro. Nathan "Nate"
R. Calloway, 32º, Valley of Santa Fe, New Mexico. |
