More than Scuttlebutt…. - usmcmuseum.org

More than
Scuttlebutt….
3d Quarter FY 2012
National Museum of the Marine Corps, 18900 Jefferson Davis Highway,
Triangle, Virginia 22172
www.usmcmuseum.org
April—June ‘12 Highlights:
 146,746 people visited
the Museum during this
quarter.
 NMMC’s Facebook has
29,617 fans. Like us at
www.facebook.com/
USMCMuseum
 The Museum’s virtual
tour has even more to
see now. Click through
to it from our website at
www.usmcmuseum.com
 Three million visitors
have passed through
the Museum doors
since we open 10 November 2006.
 Mark your calendar for
25 August for our Dog
Days of Summer with
military working dogs
and so much more.
Check our website for
more details.
 NMMC was awarded
TripAdvisor’s Certificate
of Excellence for 2012
for consistently earning
their highest rating.
Visit www.usmcmuseum.org
or join as a fan on Facebook to learn about exciting
events at your community’s
Museum.
MUSEUM TEAM PROVIDES BATTALION-WIDE TRAINING
TO RESERVISTS
Contributing to the training and education of
Marines has been part of the National Museum of the Marine Corps’ mission since its inception, and the Visitor Services Department
fulfilled that mission in a big way for 3d Battalion, 24th Marines, during their annual training
at Quantico.
Battle of Iwo Jima. Captivating the young Marines with his every word, Frank shared his
experiences of nearly 70 years earlier, when
he – like they – served in the same battalion,
of the same regiment, in the same role. Relating humorous and heart-rending tales of his
time on Iwo Jima, Frank told these young Marines that they are the worthy inheritors of a
At the battalion sergeant major’s request, Patproud heritage of the Marines who went berick Mooney, the Museum’s Visitor Services
fore them.
department head, and LtCol Andy Traynor
(Ret), leader of the Museum’s outreach team, A primary focus for the entire event was to
created a primary military education plan for
help the Marines of 3/24 connect themselves
the Marines. The plan included a series of
to their own history. Extensive table-top disfireside chats at various training areas around plays of the combat uniforms and equipment
Camp Upshur, as well as company-sized visits of WWII Marines and Corpsmen helped make
to the Museum during their two-week training. the connection to those men who nearly 70
years ago answered their country’s call and
Focused on the history and heritage of 3/24
traveled thousands of miles from home to
during WWII, the team provided in-depth disdefeat the enemies of their country.
cussions of the four battles the battalion
fought in during the war, as well as an overThrough the efforts of the Museum team,
view of the leaders and heroes of the battalion these Marines, themselves veterans of service
during their 16 months of combat. Joining the in Iraq and Afghanistan, connected with their
team for all of their events was Docent Frank progenitors and gained a deeper insight and
Matthews, who as a young 19-year-old Marine, appreciation for the 3/24 Marines of the
served as a rifleman, BAR man, and flame“Greatest Generation.”
thrower operator with 24th Marines during the
Docent Frank Matthews, a
Marine veteran of 3/24 and
Iwo Jima, shared his combat
experiences with the current
Marines of 3/24 during their
recent annual training at
Marine Corps Base Quantico.
More Than Scuttlebutt….
Page 2
Director’s Log...from Lin Ezell
“Visitors count!” That’s what the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) renamed its well-established visitor survey program.
For the second time since the National Museum of the Marine Corps opened in 2006, we participated in this comprehensive survey, and, again,
we learned much about how our visitors perceive us and just who they are.
The Museum has conducted several surveys since opening, and we will regularly seek to better understand our visitors’ needs and expectations
by asking them questions while they are here, discreetly following them as they tour the galleries, or pinging them on-line after they return
home. “Visitors Count!” has given over 174 organizations the opportunity to pose over 40 questions to their visitors. These are questions that
require thought and time to answer. Survey subjects are chosen by a strict method over two seasons and on a prescribed combination of days
of the week; it’s all “very scientific,” said Michele Flynn of the Museum’s visitor services team, who runs the program. In fact, since it takes
visitors some time to get through the survey, they and their families are offered some incentives. Michele reported that freshly baked cookies
figured highly in getting people to participate.
The program aims to collect perception and performance feedback and to identify those areas that are most critical to visitors. What are our
strengths? Where is there room for improvement? How do we compare to other museums and to our previous results?
Of the 31 attributes or attitudes tested, 27 received top ratings (a 9 or 10 on a scale of 1 to 10). When comparing the Marine Corps Museum to
other participant museums, we “outperformed the group in nearly all of the areas common to all,” according to the Center for Nonprofit Management, which compiles the results. And there were statistical improvements in 12 of our ratings over the 2007 results. We were rated 9.6 for
overall experience and for the value the Museum delivers to its visitors. Those taking the survey rated the staff and volunteers they interacted
with at a 9.5. They believed that the exhibits are a true learning experience (9.5), and the exhibitions got an overall ranking of 9.7. And we saw
an improved score in response to the question about how easy or difficult the galleries are to navigate. It looks like our hard work to improve
that area has paid off. Now we are studying the findings when benchmarked alongside other museums in our budget range, other military and
history museums, Federal museums, and museums in the Mid-Atlantic region.
Who comes to our Museum? The male-female mix is 56% male, 44% female. About one-fourth of our adult visitors are in the 19-34-year-old
range and another one-fourth are 35-54, leaving the remaining half over 55. Over 30% of adult visitors are accompanied by children! And our
visitors drive to get to us: 26% live within 60 miles; 14% come from within 16-120 miles; but about 60% travel more than 120 miles. Of those
visitors traveling more than 120 miles, nearly half reported staying in an area hotel/motel, B&B, or campground—that’s good for the local economy!
Concurrent with collecting the formal survey data, intern Laura Bellas conducted a quick exit survey. Her demographic results were in line with
the AASLH survey. Also of interest, of those who participated in her survey, 42% reported that they were military veterans, and 52% told us that
they had an immediate family member who serves.
As I was writing this, visitor number 3 million will passed through our doors, a milestone for us! We will continue to do everything possible to
entice all our guests to return and to recommend this Museum to others (we got a 9.7 on that, by the way). Yes, our visitors do count, and we
will continue to count them and to listen to what they have to say.
MUSEUM MARINES AND DOCENTS CELEBRATE ANNIVERSARY AT JSOH
The National Museum of the Marine Corps again had a strong presence at the Joint Services Open House and Air Show (JSOH) at Joint Base
Andrews, celebrating 100 years of Marine Corps aviation. The Museum’s traveling exhibit was the anchor to a display of uniforms and equipment spanning Marine Corps history at JSOH, the largest DOD air show in the country.
Museum docents and Marines in historical uniforms shared the stories of our Corps to an estimated audience of nearly 300,000 attendees
during the 3-day event in May. NMMC detachment Marines, led
by Corporal Edward Parker, walked throughout the event in historical uniforms, engaging air show visitors, posing for photographs, and encouraging them to visit our hanger.
NMMC docents assisted with staffing the exhibit, sharing the history of the Corps. Tables containing reproduction uniforms from
early USMC history to modern day were available for visitors to try
on. Museum Marines also offered camouflage face-painting ,
putting war-faces on young visitors of all ages.
Budget cut-backs have forced the JSOH to go to a bi-annual event, This panoramic shot captures only part of the Museum’s display at the
with the next one scheduled for May 2014, and the Museum staff Joint Service Open House at Joint Base Andrews.
is already planning for that event.
More Than Scuttlebutt….
Page 3
NMMC Brings Marine Corps History to Marine Week Cleveland
With a team of staff members, Marines, docents and puppets, the National Museum of the Marine Corps took Corps
history to Ohio for Marine Week Cleveland during the middle
of June.
The traveling exhibit, set up in a tent beside the Rock and
Roll Hall of Fame, drew more than 80,000 visitors during
the week. In addition to the traveling exhibit, which features
combat art and a history timeline, there were plenty of uniforms and equipment for visitors to try on and ask questions
about.
Chesty was hounded for interviews.
Marines in period uniform helped the
Education team teach about Corps
history with a game called “Past and
Present.”
Teaching the area’s children about the Corps’ emphasis on
community and commitment was the job of Brown Bunny
and Lion, the Education team’s puppets. The team visited
four area recreation centers during the week with more
than 500 young people in attendance. The program included the puppet show, a history game, and interaction with
Marines in period uniform as well as Chesty, the Museum’s
mascot.
The Museum is already seeing visitors who first learned
about it at Marine Week
Cleveland.
Ready for Combat? (Top right)
A young visitor tries on a replica Continental Marine coat and
round-top hat. (Right)
NMMC Receives Donation to Montford Point Marine Collection
The National Museum of the Marine Corps continues to enhance exhibits that document the
story of diversity in the U.S. Marine Corps. Recently accepted into the permanent collection are
artifacts associated with U.S. Marine Pfc Willie J. Woods, an original “Montford Point” Marine.
PFC Woods entered the Marine Corps in March 1945. Following basic training, he was assigned to the 49th Marine Depot Company in October 1945. The 49th was the final African
American depot company created and activated by the Marine Corps in the continental United
States.
Mr. Woods’ donation to the Museum included two World War II era Winter Service Garrison
Caps. The headgear was worn by Woods during his time at the racially segregated training
camp at Montford Point in 1945. The artifacts are unique in that one is the standard issue type
given to all enlisted Marines of the time period. The other is a privately purchased officer’s garrison cap.
When donating the objects in the spring of 2012, Mr. Woods recalled that he had obtained the
finer quality officer cap to wear while off post, to enhance his appearance. This practice was
completely against regulations, but not without precedence during the war. Among the vast
numbers of men and women who served in the Corps from 1941 to 1945, there was never a
shortage of those who would do what it took to express their esprit de corps!
"As the museum enhances our exhibit devoted to the men of Montford Point, it is a priority to feature artifacts from the men who were actually there: the original Montford Point Marines who began to break down the walls of segregation in the Marine Corps," Owen Conner,
curator of Uniforms and Heraldry, said.
Mr. Woods’ artifacts are an important addition to the collection of the National Museum of the Marine Corps and will be featured prominently in an enhanced Montford Point exhibit that will open on 12 November 2012.
More than Scuttlebutt….
Page 4
Mameluke Sword Linked to the “Lost Patrol” of WWII
What do a Marine, a football legend, an officer’s sword, an antique store, and the National Museum of the Marine Corps have in common? Typically, nothing would link all these together except when the Marine is a football-playing officer whose Mameluke-type sword
showed up for sale in a Fredericksburg, VA , antique store. Even that wouldn’t usually get a lot of attention from the weapons curators
at the Museum, except that this sword had a very unique name engraved onto the blade.
The Mameluke-type sword being offered for sale was engraved with the name "Frank B. Goettge," a Marine officer
who earned notoriety on the battlefield as well as on the
football field. Goettge was raised in Ohio and attended
Ohio State University where his prowess on the football
field, even as a freshman, was making headlines when the
United States entered World War I.
An astute shopper, and Marine Corps historian, noticed the name engraved
on this Mameluke sword and knew the NMMC would be interested.
He put his education on hold to serve his country, enlisting
in the Marine Corps in May 1917. Geottge was promoted to
corporal on 9 October 1917, and then to sergeant on 19
December. By March 1918, as a first sergeant, he was the senior enlisted man of the USS Vermont’s Marine detachment.
Goettge was commissioned as a second lieutenant in July 1918. He was assigned to the 5th Marines in the Meuse-Argonne Offensive
and then pulled occupation duty in Germany. There he excelled as a fullback on the 2d Division,
American Expeditionary Forces football team.
Goettge served in Haiti, San Francisco,and Pearl Harbor before being noticed for his football skills
again at Marine Corps Base Quantico, where he was enrolled in the Company Officers' Course,
Marine Corps Schools. It was during this period that he won gridiron fame as part of the Marine
Corps Football Team at Quantico. Fans across the region knew him as "The Great Goettge." As a
fullback, Goettge dominated the field and was hailed as one of the greatest players of the day.
From 1921 to 1924, Goettge helped carry the All Marines team to 40 victories and two ties.
Sports writer Walter Camp said of him “Today, for today at least, I saw my greatest all-time football player; for today at least greater than Jim Thorpe on a good day. The big fellow’s name is
Frank Goettge.” He was even recruited by the New York Giants, but he turned them down to remain in the Marine Corps.
He did serve with giants of his time, especially when he was detailed as Aide to President Hoover
and later to MGen Ben H. Fuller, Commandant of the Marine Corps.
Various tours of duty followed until June of 1942 when LtCol Goettge arrived in the Pacific theater
as Intelligence Officer of the 1st Marine Division and was promoted to colonel before landing on
Guadalcanal. It was during this tour that Goettge was killed in action, leading the ill-fated "Lost
Patrol" on Guadalcanal.
When a Japanese soldier captured on Guadalcanal reported that there were other soldiers who
were sick and willing to surrender, Goettge, now the division’s top intelligence officer, asked to
lead a patrol to find them. He packed a 25-man outfit with more intelligence officers, the division’s head surgeon, and a top interpreter, along with the prisoner.
Goettge suited up for battle on the
gridiron at Butler Field, Marine Corps
Base Quantico.
The patrol landed in pitch dark the night of 12 August in a place where they were warned not to go because of a heavy concentration of
Japanese forces. Shortly after the landing, the Japanese opened up with machine gun and rifle fire, decimating the patrol. The first
shots killed Goettge, according to the accounts. Before dawn, the patrol had been wiped out, aside from three survivors who managed
to swim back to friendly lines. They reported seeing Japanese swords “flashing in the sun” as they fell upon the wounded and dead.
One of the survivors removed Goettge’s watch and insignia so the Japanese would not be able to identify him as an officer. The colonel’s remains were never recovered.
In addition to the many awards Goettge earned during his 25-year career, including the Legion of Merit with Combat “V”, he was also
enshrined as a member of the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2001.
Based on the provenance of this important Marine, the Museum was able to purchase the sword and scabbard. The sword and scabbard will be restored in preparation for display in the Marine Corps Sports Hall of Fame gallery, which will be included in the Museum’s
final phase, scheduled to open in 2017.