#forthancock

[sandyhookhistory]

Justice Is Served... 'Extra Crispy'

'Evening, folks. We have a very dark chapter of New York City's WWII-era History to share with you tonight.

80 Years Ago Today - (Saturday) March 4th, 1944:

(From left to right, going clock wise) Seen here, in Photo 1, in their mug shots, are Mafia members Louis Capone, Emanuel "Mendy" Weiss (top right), and Louis "Lepke" Buchalter (bottom right) But, these aren’t just ANY mobsters. These creeps are members of "Murder, Inc," the contract killers who worked for the Italian and Jewish mobs, primarily in New York. Buchalter, in fact, was its first President. All three of them are nothing but cold-blooded killers.

Buchalter, in fact, had a hand in The Hit on Dutch Schultz in Jersey City, NJ in October, 1935.

Each man has a bone-chilling record that is too numerous to list here. After years of crime and a body count to match, all three were ultimately caught, convicted, and given the death sentence in New York City on December 2nd 1941 - five days before Pearl Harbor. Capone and Weiss were sent 'Up The River' to Sing Sing Correctional Facility on the Hudson River while Buchalter ended up back at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in Kansas on a previous racketeering charge. The State of New York wanted him back - BAD. Following the loss of a long string of appeals, he was extradited to New York on January 21st, 1944.

All three got a seat in "Old Sparky," the Electric Chair at Sing Sing on Saturday, March 4th, 1944 around 11:00 pm, EST - hence while we waited until now to do our post.

Capone, who had been sentenced last among the three, was slated to go first. Ironically, he had a heart condition, and the State was worried he would have a heart attack and "cheat the hangman." Weiss went second, and Buchalter, sentenced first, and being known as a "tough guy," was intentionally made to go last - forced to watch his two henchmen go before him.

Regular... Or Extra Crispy?

Macabre as this you might think this to be, they earned it, and they got what was coming to them. This story plays a unique part of the WWII timeline within America's 1940s Home Front culture as the Mobs were being consistently hunted down and dismantled by the FBI. The glory days of the Depression and the "Public Enemies" in the 1930s were long over, and the Federal Government had little patience or mercy for thugs like these as it had to execute and fight a War that was raging around the planet.

But... quite paradoxically, in the "Fog Of War," American Organized Crime wove itself in and out of America's War Effort - both here, and overseas - with the blessings and absolution of that very same US Government. But that's an incredible story for another day. 😉

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲

#visitmonmouth #newjerseybuzz #thejournalnj #locallivingnj #journeythroughjersey #centraljerseyexists #discovernj #yesnj #newjerseyhistory #newjerseyforyou #sandyhookbeach #sandyhooknj #sandyhookhistory #forthancockhistory #forthancock #themafia #publicenemies #murderinc #oldsparky #singsing #deathpenalty #federalprison #federalpenitentiary #electricchair #newyorkhistory #newyorkcityhistory #hitmen #contractkiller #extracrispy #crimedoesntpay

[hebighammer]

Reflection: 03/19/2020 Rebirth and renewal are the normal signs of spring...today, however, feels as if those qualities may be gone forever. I take solace in my relative solitude because I had to do it as a caregiver & can do it now to help others virtually get through this dark time in our 🌎 #TBT: 2012 #FirstDayOfSpring: my mother, Madalyn Hammer (1942-2018) #SandyHookLighthouse at @GatewayNPS #NJ. Mom loved the breezes, the views of the natural beauty on the beach (but NOT Gunnison 🤣🍆🍑🤣)‼️ On that day, we walked in silence, listening to the birds, absorbing the solemnity of all the buildings at the adjacent #FortHancock. Mom (and I) want/ed to see all of the historic #OfficersRow houses preserved...she also wanted to make one of them a respite home for veterans and active duty military and their families who suffered from #PTSD) ♥️ I hope one day the miniature city will come back to life. We used to go to the @NJSeaGrantConsortium HQ OpenHouse on the Hook every May; we were fascinated by the research @NOAA did & the variety of organizations who had tables and booths and resources for children. We loved the touch tanks and the aquariums which showcased the local aquatic life. It's impossible to overstate the economic impacts that the quality of water and managing catch limits has to allow #RaritanBay / #SandyHookBay & the #TwoRivers region to survive/thrive for commercial fishermen, boaters and anglers, birdwatchers, and tourists. I share all this through my historic #rosecoloredglasses tint to recall a simpler time when the 1st day of spring meant for us to get outside and enjoy life...(and yes 🍋 @strolloslighthouse homemade #ItalianIce on the way home...) ♥️ Mom, I pray to you & to all our loved ones with you 🙏: PLEASE continue to watch over us all, especially the elderly, those afflicted by #cancer, those who are isolated, or feel hopeless. You made me a stronger man by giving me #strengthcourageandwisdom to carry us through our journey. I miss my co-pilot and class trip buddy. Now, more than ever before, we MUST be like #MADALYN and #MakeADifferenceAndLoveYourNeighbor‼️ #TheShowMustGoOn. Love, your favorite son, Christopher XO (at Gateway National Park, Sandy Hook) https://www.instagram.com/p/B967pNAAjGv/?igshid=mfw3ieaa8qwv

[njworldphoto]

Lost Sandy Hook trip. Spent a morning in December taking photos around the peninsula then got sidetracked by work and other projects. [📷 December 2021] • • • • #sandyhook #sandyhooklighthouse #lighthousesofinstagram #lighthousephotography #forthancock #jersey_shore_exposure #jshn #njisntboring #njbeaches #njspots #scenicnj #jerseycollective #coastaljerseyadventures #njisbeautiful #njshooterz #just_NewJersey #yesnj #visitsouthjersey #truejersey #myjerseylife #simplynjshots #jerseysbestcreators #southjerseyadventures#onlyinnewjersey #amazingnewjersey #blackandwhitephotography #bnw #monochrome #silversaltcollective #njinbnw (at Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District) https://www.instagram.com/p/CancwHzPz9X/?utm_medium=tumblr

[thehistorygirlnj]

Today we visited Sandy Hook, a unit of @gatewaynps in Monmouth County, #NewJersey. If you've never been to Sandy Hook, it is home to the nation's oldest continually operating lighthouse, built in 1764. This weekend was also the annual NJ Lighthouse Challenge. Sandy Hook is also home to History House, known as Lieutenant’s Quarters No. 1. History House is decorated to portray what life was like for an officer and his family stationed at Fort Hancock during the World War II-era, circa 1943. Built in 1898, it is one of eighteen homes that make up Officers’ Row. Sandy Hook became a unit of Gateway National Recreation Area in 1975. #nj #njhistory #SpreadTheHistory #historygirl #history #archi_ologie #travelblog #travelblogger #blogger #blog #ushistory #americanhistory #jerseycollective #explorenj #heritagetourism #njlighthousechallenge #sandyhook #sandyhooknj #FindYourPark #nps #nps101 #OptOutside #nationalparkservice #goparks #nationalparkgeek #monmouthcountynj #historyhouse #forthancock (at Sandy Hook History House Museum)

[georgelstein]

Like a reed #urbex #military #base #newjersey #sandyhook #quarters #forthancock #monochrome #blackandwhite (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/BwVA-MKAgH1/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=r88bhrws4uht

[b-cazart]

Entering Fort Hancock at Guardian Park, Sandy Hook Unit #forthancocknj #forthancock #gatewaynationalrecreationarea #gatewaynps #jerseyshore #sandyhook (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey)

[neversettlephotography-blog]

257/365 Canon T6i 10-18mm #nj #njspots #njdotcom #njisntboring #scenicnj #njphotographer #newjersey #forthancock #militaryarchitecture #oldworld #history #sandyhookbeach #canon #canont6i #canonusa #canonbnw #bnwphoto #bnwmood #bnw_life #blackandwhite #365challenge #neversettlephotography #day257 (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey)

[sandyhookhistory]

“Tragedy At Sea - The Loss Of Texas Tower 4”

Good evening, everyone. Today is a terrible anniversary, both in the history of our military, and the Jersey Shore.

63 Years Ago, Today - (Sunday) January 15th, 1961, 76.8 miles east of Barnegat Light, NJ:

In the 1950’s, with the Cold War well underway, the military wanted to extend our visibility deep into the Atlantic ocean. To accomplish this, large radar platforms would be built far offshore. With an additional 300 mile increase in range, the towers’ would give the United States additional response time in the event of a nuclear attack by Russian aircraft.

Five towers were planned, from New England to New Jersey. Towers 1 and 5 were never built; Tower 2 was placed on George’s Shoal northeast of Cape Cod, Tower 3 was built on Nantucket Shoal east of Montauk Point, LI, and Tower 4 was built on an unnamed shoal 76.8 miles nearly due east of the Barnegat Lighthouse, in New Jersey. The large platforms earned the nickname “Texas Towers,” due to their similarity with oil drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico.

Texas Tower 4 was assigned to the Highlands Air Force Station, here in Monmouth County (present day Hartshorne Woods County Park), with the call signs “Jitney” and “Dora,” as part of the 646th Radar Squadron.

Regrettably, it had a terrible reputation from the start, beginning in 1957. Built on land, it was transported to its shoal via barge. Enroute, two of the three legs were damaged, and the decision was made to repair them at sea - this was never properly done.

The whirring of the massive radar dishes, and their diesel generators, caused extreme reverberation through the entire platform. Due to the depth - 185 feet of water - the Tower’s hollow legs reverberated with the flow of the sea. Not only did the Tower shudder with the waves, it rocked violently, earning it the unenviable nickname of “Old Shaky.”

Repeated pleas for substantial repairs were deferred, and only small piece-meal work was done over time. Requests to abandon the Tower were declined, because of Russian patrol vessels who were ready to swoop in and strip the Tower of its secret materials.

The Tower endured one massive storm after another. It took Hurricane Daisy in August, 1958, and then was battered by Hurricane Donna in September, 1960..

Refusing to the abandon the Tower, the Air Force removed non-essential troops and left a skeleton crew of 14 Air Force personnel and 14 civilian contractors aboard. With the powers-that-be finally acknowledging that the Tower was in danger of collapse, their flash of brilliance to temporarily stabilize it was to mix concrete and dump it straight down the hollow shafts of each legs. As winter of 1960-61 approached, the helipad on the tower filled up with pallets of cement bags. As late as January 7th, Navy Divers, assessing the legs, found the supporting structures were damaged and letting go

As these stories always do, tragedy awaited. A storm arrived in full force - the forecast on January 14th called for winds as high as 60 mph. On the morning of the 15th, the Tower groaned and twisted in ways no one had seen before - another support brace had gone. All day the men on Texas Tower 4 called in damage reports and pleas for rescue.

The Air Force finally relented - but it was too late. At 4 pm, at the height of the storm, they authorized an evacuation, but the weather was too rough for helicopters. All US Coast Guard and Navy ships in the area - including an aircraft carrier, the USS Wasp (CV-18) - made for the Tower at full speed.

At 6:45 pm came the bone-chilling radio message “WE ARE BREAKING UP.”

Texas Tower 4 presented a massive blip on surface radars. Around 7:30 pm, with some ships just miles away - it vanished.

One of the damaged legs finally buckled, and the entire structure crashed into the sea. Texas Tower 4 was gone. And with it, all 28 men. Only two bodies were recovered; the rest were claimed by the sea.

We pause to honor and remember the lives that were lost 63 years ago today off the Jersey Shore. It must be remembered that our Cold War veterans served - and sacrificed - without a shot ever being fired in anger.

28 US Air Force Personnel and Civilian Contractors Lost their lives that day. Of note, many of the civilian contractors were veterans themselves, of several branches. Out of respect so as to prevent confusion, they are listed here without rank, simply by name and age.

They Are:

Abbott, David - 48

Bakke, Roald - 35

Brown, Vincent - 43

Bucherri, Samuel - 45

Cudnick, Chester - 47

Evans, Thomas - 54

Foster, Bishop - 35

Giurastante, Domenic - 19

Green, Kenneth - 27

Haroutunian, Aram - 45

Ide, William - 38

Jones, Leland - 22

Kovarick, Wilbur - 36

Kruse, William - 27

Laino, Louis - 21

Leo, Milton - 50

Martel, Raymond - 34

Opalka, Anthony - 46

Parker, David - 22

Phelan, Gordon - 33

Robertson, Edward - 39

Schutz, Henry - 57

Shaffer, Harry - 37

Smythe, William - 61

Waitt, Donald - 39

Williams, Troy - 39

Wolford, Larry - 24

Yavorosky, Vincent - 44

You Are Not Forgotten

🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

🇺🇲🇺🇲 ** Please Like & Follow "Sandy Hook History" on Facebook & Instagram for more amazing maritime and military histories of the Garden State and New York Harbor as well as a day by day review of the 80th Anniversary of the Battle Of The Atlantic and World War 2** 🇺🇲🇺🇲

#visitmonmouth #newjerseybuzz #thejournalnj #locallivingnj #journeythroughjersey #centraljerseyexists #discovernj #yesnj #newjerseyhistory #newjerseyforyou #sandyhookbeach #sandyhooknj #sandyhookhistory #forthancockhistory #forthancock #texastower4 #texastower #coldwar #coldwarveteran #lostatsea #thepricewepay #coldwarriors #thisreallyhappened #newjerseyhistory #njshipwreck #honorourveterans #honorourfallen #youarenotforgotten #missinginaction #unitedstatesairforce

@followers

[jonchinn]

Getting in trouble with this girl. #vsco #vscocam #sandyhook #forthancock #urbanexploring #armyfort #newjersey #nj #parkrangercaughtus #urbanexploration #abandoned (at Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District)

[jellyfortunecookie-blog]

Everything in gold. 

April 2017 @ Fort Hancock, © Anjelica Fortunato

[jerseyshoredogs]

Larger than life... Stella and Stanley. #olddogs #dog #labradorretriever #olderlabs #love #rescuedog #dogsofinstagram #takesofalab #jerseyshoredogs #dogsofnj #outdoors #dogwalk #forthancock #officersrow #dogphotography #monmouthcounty #nj (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4lDhGzlBLh/?igshid=b3fuslnnesnd

[colonialcapitaltours]

The U.S. has an impressive military history, one that is evident by the great number of forts that fill our country’s landscape. Many of these historic bunkers have been restored and repurposed into museums that are filled with incredible stories of the military strongholds they once were.

In 1798, the birthplace of The Star-Spangled Banner, Fort McHenry, was constructed in Baltimore. This coastal fortress was bombarded by the British during the War of 1812 in an attempt to gain access to Baltimore Harbor. The shelling continued until the next morning when the British depleted their ammunition. Francis Scott Key, a lawyer on a nearby truce ship, was inspired by the fort’s valiant defense and penned a poem later renamed “The Star-Spangled Banner” and set to music as the American national anthem. The fort remained active during both World Wars, and was made a national park in 1925.Atop an ancient trail used by travelers and traders,

Fort Stanwix proudly identifies as the place where the “American flag was first flown in battle.”According to local legend, on August 3, 1777, the first stars and stripes were created out of “a soldier’s white shirt, strips of fabric from a woman’s red petticoat and the blue straps from Captain Abraham Swartwout’s cloak.”  Known as “the fort that never surrendered”, Fort Stanwix successfully repelled a prolonged siege in August 1777 during the Revolutionary War. A new multi-million dollar visitor’s center opened in 2005 at the Rome, New York fort.

The first shots of the Civil War were fired at Fort Sumter, a fortification located in Charleston Harbor, South Carolina. Originally constructed after the War of 1812 to protect important harbors and ports, the Fort is now part of the Fort Sumter National Monument and features a Visitor Education Center and museum. In order to build up the sand bar where the fort is built, 70,000 tons of granite was imported from New England, although the fort remained unfinished until the Civil War broke out.  

Fort Hancock, part of The Sandy Hook Unit in Middletown Township, New Jersey, defended the Atlantic coast and entrance to New York Harbor, with its first gun batteries operational in 1896. The Unit encompasses Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook Proving Ground National Historic Landmark District, the Sandy Hook Lighthouse and natural areas and shorelines.  Fort Hancock’s defenses waxed and waned with the needs of the nation from the end of the Spanish-American War through the end of World War II. Fort Hancock and Sandy Hook Proving Ground National Historic Landmark cover the entire peninsula, including what is now under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard. Visitors may tour gun batteries and the historic lighthouse as well as Sandy Hook’s trails and beaches.

Fort Ticonderoga is an 18th-century, star-shaped fort near Lake Champlain. Perhaps one of the most beautiful forts, Fort Ticonderoga is set amidst the tall pines of the Adirondacks across the water from Vermont and surrounded by the historic King’s gardens. Originally known as Fort Carillon, the Fort was constructed by the French-Canadians during the Seven Years’ War. Held by the French and British over the years because of its important location at the southern end of Lake Champlain, the fort is most storied, however, for its surrender. On the morning of May 10, 1775 Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys coerced a surrender from the fort’s nightshirt-wearing commander and took control without firing a shot. The fort was eventually abandoned in 1781. Today, the fort is a museum, teaching and research center, and tourist attraction.

Colonial Capital Tours 800.334.3754 www.ColonialCapitalTours.com info@ColonialCapitalTours.com

#forts #usforts #fortticonderoga #forthancock #fortmchenry #fortstanwix #fortsumter #militaryhistory #historyteachers #daytrips #studenttours #educationaltours #schooltrips#fieldtrips #studentgroups #schoolgroups #grouptours #nycdoe#nycdoevendor #doe #multidaytrips #studenttrips #educationalprograms#colonialcapitaltours

[edrazen]

Fort Hancock in Sandy Hook, NJ #photography #scenicphotography #hdrphotography #hdr #photomatrix #photomatrixpro #sonya7iii #sonyalpha #sonyalphasclub #sonyalphaphotos #sonyalphapro #sandyhook #forthancock #forthancocknj #tamron2875

[thehistorygirlnj]

Happy #IndependenceDay! #4thofJuly #america #americanhistory #SpreadTheHistory #fourthofjuly #americanflag #sandyhook #forthancock #sandyhooknj #gatewaynps (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey)

[wordsforthew0rdless]

Throwback tuesdayyyyyy @kariselle • • • • • #throwback #lookingback #blondeshavemorefun #orsomethinglikethat #abandonedplaces #forthancock #biggunsbigbuns https://ift.tt/2x6Ya7O

[b-cazart]

Guardian Park, Fort Hancock, Sandy Hook, NJ. #gatewaynationalrecreationarea #gatewaynps #sandyhook #forthancock #forthancocknj #snapseed #jerseyshore (at Fort Hancock, New Jersey)