Freedom Rock Countdown

CRESCO - Meet Jim Perry. He is the Freedom Rock Chair, Commander of American Legion Post 135. 

Perry is also a retired SeaBee in the U.S. Navy.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, a need arose for a militarized Naval Construction Force to build advance bases in war zones. Therefore, Rear Admiral Ben Moreell wanted to organize Navy construction units. Admiral Moreell gained authority from the Bureau of Navigation, Yards & Docks to recruit men from the construction trades for assignment to a Naval Construction Regiment composed of three Naval Construction Battalions. 

This is the actual beginning of the renowned Seabees, who obtained their designation from the initial letters of Construction Battalion. Admiral Moreell personally furnished them with their official motto: Construimus, Batuimus — “We Build, We Fight.”

• Everyone know there’s no “fun and games” when it comes to war, but Perry wants to tell you about one game that helped thousands of Allied POWs, escape German camps. Monopoly. Yes, the board game. 

Germany allowed the Red Cross to send care packages to POWs and among the items were board games. Special Monopoly boxes were created that contained items to help prisoners escape. 

German, French and Italian currency was hidden within the Monopoly money. A metal file was hidden within the board. A small compass was hidden as a play piece, and silk maps of the prison and its location  were hidden inside hotel pieces.

• Perry also shared that the Air Force was part of the Army in WWII and didn’t become a separate branch of the military until 1947. 

• During WWII, hamburgers in the United States were named “Liberty Steaks” to avoid the German-sounding name.

• William Hitler, nephew of Adolf Hitler, joined the U.S. Navy during WWII. He changed his name after the war.

Jim Perry invites you to learn more about WWII and eight other wars/conflicts, each of which will be depicted on granite slabs in the park. They will include facts and interesting tidbits. 

[This weekly countdown will feature members of the Freedom Rock Committee and information about military history.

The Howard County Memorial Park, with the Freedom Rock as a focal point, is located at the crossroads of Hwy. 9 and 3rd St. West in Cresco. Make sure to check them out before, during and after the dedication on June 23, 2018.]