A Memorial Day Tribute: Okinawa Story - One from 'The Greatest Generation'

April 1st 1945 U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine forces invaded the Japanese Island of Okinawa.  The ensuing struggle became the bloodiest and most difficult battle of the Pacific war.  My dad was there. A few years ago, my brother gave me a call and asked if I would write something about my dad's war time experiences.  A good friend of his, who was the editor of the local newspaper, wanted to print the story as a surprise to my dad and in honor of all those from The Greatest Generation. The following is from that article.

The well known journalist Tom Brokaw once coined the phrase ‘The Greatest Generation’ referring to the young men and women of this country who were thrown into a world conflict in the 1940’s known as The Second World War.  For those who have been counted as such, few would ever acknowledge claim to that title.  For them, well…they simply were doing what they had to do.

One of the great privileges of my life is to have known someone from that generation. A few months prior to the start of the year 2000, I sat down with my dad, Kenneth L. Bridgman of Okmulgee, Oklahoma, with a microphone and tape recorder and for several hours recorded his memories and experiences of his military service during World War II.  Even though I grew up hearing stories about those years and times, my dad rarely ever spoke of the events that challenged his young adult life.  As he began to revisit those memories, they seemed as fresh and clear as if from more recent times and yet his words resonated with a nostalgic clarity born from having personally experienced the horrors of war and the satisfaction of having done ones duty during those traumatic and dangerous years.

Reflecting on what my dad experienced during the war years generates mixed emotions as many of America’s young men and women today are once again in harms way engaged in overseas fighting.  There is a kindred spirit of sorts that connects their generation with those from the Second World War.  It is a spirit worth sharing.

He was barely 19 years old when he shipped off to the South Pacific as a corporal in the U.S. Army attached to the 321^st Engineer Combat Battalion as part of the 96^th Infantry Division (The Deadeye Division).  He scored well at the gunnery range receiving at the time the second highest score ever recorded in the battalion, second only to the sergeant in charge of the outfit.  As a result he was given special training in defensive preparations and was assigned the responsibility of being in charge of all the unit’s machine gun operations.  That responsibility included not only maintaining the 30 caliber light machine guns but the heavier water cooled 50 caliber guns as well, plus making sure they were transported, operational, manned, and supplied.  He often found himself manning those emplacements as well.

His unit was actively involved in General Douglas MacArthur’s ‘Return to the Philippines’ as they landed on the shores of Leyte in 1944 to support the combat units reclaiming territory the Japanese had taken earlier in the war.  The 321^st Engineers were more than a support unit. They were actively engaged in combat rolls and many times went in ahead of the infantry to prepare the way.  

Sometimes they took out seawalls that blocked exits off a landing beach, other times repaired or built bridges, often under fire.  Their charge one day might be to support an offensive, or assemble Bailey Bridges across a ravine or river, or to remove or mark a mine field, and to even take out concrete bunkers.  Whatever their call, my dad’s unit was often upfront in the thick of deadly fire.

As tough as the Leyte campaign was, Okinawa proved to be the largest and most difficult battle of the Pacific theater.  The 96^th Infantry along with the U.S. Army 7^th and U.S. Marines 1^st and 6^th divisions invaded Okinawa on April 1, 1945.  Being one of the home islands of Japan, it was defended with fanatical tenacity by one of Japans toughest and best lead military units…the Japanese 32^nd Army.  

The Japanese all through the Pacific proved themselves as tough fighters, and Okinawa proved just how tough, disciplined, and well trained they were.  Their underground fortifications positioned along a series of ridges and escarpments traversing a narrow pinch on the southern end of the island were specifically designed to inflict heavy casualties. What was encountered along this Shuri Line was the largest concentration of Japanese firepower that confronted the American forces anywhere in the Pacific theater.

The 96^th was a major contributor to the breaching of that line and name places such as Kakazu, Tombstone, Nisharu, and Hacksaw Ridges…Conical Hill and Charlie Hill…are forever engrained into the history and exploits of the battalion.  The 321^st Combat Engineers were there through it all.

Although during our recording session, my dad spoke of many experiences, there was one experience he spoke about in a more subdued manner.  His unit had stopped moving forward and setup for the evening.  As was his duty, he setup several machine gun emplacements around the perimeter as a defensive measure and assigned himself on point…the area most likely to encounter any kind of an attack during the night.  As it turned out, his commanding officer indicated that my dad needed to head back to the landing beach area and help unload supplies which was an all night, physically challenging thing in its own right.  Although he argued the point about needing to stay, the officer told him to head out and get someone else to take his post on the point.  That evening the Japanese attacked their position and the point location took heavy fire and the man he appointed to take his place was severely wounded and later died.  Many years after the fact, as he recalled the incident, I could still see in his eyes just how moved he was by what had happened.

One of the most revealing things I learned during our recording session was just how often the Good Lord protected my dad.  Indeed, my grandmother often told me when I was younger how she and my grandfather would every morning and every evening kneel next to their bed and pray for the safety of their son…their only child.  Those prayers were most certainly answered more than once.

There was one incident where it appeared his unit was going to stop moving for an extended time, so he gathered a bunch of timbers and old tin roofing material and built a make shift bunker of sorts…one that would protect him from just about anything except a direct hit.  Shortly before sundown, the sergeant came by and told all of them to gather their gear for they were moving out pronto.  During the night an intense artillery duel ensued with shells flying from both sides over their position. 

By morning, things had calmed down, and he needed to return to his make shift bunker to get some supplies he had left behind as they had moved out so quickly the day before.  When he found his bunker…it had taken a direct hit by a Japanese artillery round destroying everything in and around it.  Had his unit not moved out, he would have been in that bunker…and I would not be writing this article now.

His unit was manned by a bunch of tough characters many of them coming from construction and heavy equipment operations before the war.  During the blur of combat difficult moments and snap decisions are often made, sometimes with tragic results…sometimes with uncanny insight.  In all of the carnage…during all of the stress of combat…my dad’s humanity saved the life of a Japanese soldier.  His unit had captured a scared and confused young Japanese private not much older than he was.  Things had been rather chaotic and some of the guys in his unit wanted to shoot the guy and be done with it for they didn’t have time to deal with him.  My dad stepped in and argued against doing so, saying that the guy was no longer a threat to anyone…couldn’t they see that he was scared to death.  They just needed to hang onto him for a while until they could find an officer to take him back for interrogation.  Before too long an officer did drive by in a Jeep and he flagged him down…and turned over the Japanese soldier to him...saving the life of not just a foe…but another human being.

Notice the camera?
 It's an old Argus C3

With the anniversary of the Okinawa campaign on the horizon and in light of the recent earthquake and tsunami disaster in Japan, it somehow seems fitting to reflect on just how much the world has changed since those tumultuous times.  Those who were once a bitter enemy are now a trusted friend and our hearts and prayers go out to the Japanese people and nation.

The legacy of the greatest generation and my dad is less about the political environment of the world in the 1940’s, and more about the character of a nation as experienced through the lives of those who lived it.  They were ordinary men, thrown into an extraordinary situation…and changed the world for the better.  We are all part of that legacy and are forever indebted to that generation…Although my dad would never say it…I will say it for him…I am proud that he can be counted as one from ‘The Greatest Generation’.

(My dad passed away several years ago as he approached the age of 92. He remained in relatively good health for most of his life, always active and athletic up until the last few years, he always lived his life with courage and honor caring for my mother until her death a few years before his. The stories of his WWII exploits were first told to me by my grandmother as a very young boy growing up in Oklahoma. I've always treasured those stories and after we made the recordings, copies of them along with this same article were sent to the Oklahoma Historical Society Oral History Department and archived along with other war stories from that same generation. About a year and a half before my dad passed away, my brother unexpectedly passed away from complications sustained from exposure to Agent Orange received during his stint in Vietnam. My grandfather, having served during WWI as part of an artillery unit, sustained damaging injuries to his lungs from poison gas which gave him great distress as he grew older. I spent four years performing search and rescue operations off the Oregon Coast while serving in the United States Coast Guard during the tail end of the Vietnam War Era. It was an experience I would not trade for anything.)

Keith Bridgman 

Shoot the Sky

A few years ago I discovered a place that afforded a wonderful view of a large stately tree silhouetted against the sky.  I passed by it numerous times each time thinking that I needed to return someday and give it try.  The day came one cold February evening when I finally did give it a try.  As luck would have it, a crescent moon hovered above the tree and some light wispy clouds drifted across the sky and were gently illuminated by the glow from the moon.  I stood in the cold air for close to an hour making several shots as the conditions changed.  Once I finally downloaded the images it became evident that it was the sky that made this moment special.

Kentucky often gives birth to some of the most wonderful sky and cloud formations I've ever seen.  I am continually amazed at the quality and diversity of what is presented through the elements found here.  Oddly enough, I have never fully taken advantage of the opportunity.

It is easy to overlook the sky as a photographic opportunity.  Most photographers I venture to guess tend to migrate toward shooting those blazing sunsets or glorious morning sky shots.  It is natural to do so...I certainly do my share of it...but the sky can often make or break a landscape photograph.  Photographing the sky can be a challenge, but doing so opens up a whole new avenue of potential.  I'm far from being an expert on the subject, but there are a few things I have learned about how to accomplish this...Let's take a look.

What to Avoid:  As in almost everything there are very few examples of things to always avoid.  That holds true in photography as well.  But, if there was a consistent error that I see many photographers make, one of the most common is photographing against a white sky.  White skies are generated on those days when a thin layer of clouds obscures the color, but not the brightness in the sky...there's no texture...no color...it's well, White.  A camera will capture this as a bland, flat, and uninteresting sky.  The thing to avoid is including too much of the sky in your image.  It doesn't mean to not include any of it because a clever composition can effectively use a white sky.  White skies are not always so bad because even though the sky itself may be bland, the soft white light it generates creates a wonderful lighting condition without all the harsh contrasts and shadows...that makes it a good time to photograph people and in areas where a bright sun would generate too much contrasts between light and dark areas.

Bad usually means good:  When it comes to photographing the sky, bad weather opens up all kinds of great photo possibilities.  The sky can be full of texture and drama...and that is what we want.  Rolling dark clouds are wonderful for landscapes as they generate that sense of place, moment, and mystery.  The dramatic effect of dark skies can produce wonderful results.  So...when the weather turns bad...don't always hide indoors...head out and take advantage of the great cloud textures...but do be careful and use a bit of common sense and discretion.

Place something in the Sky:  Even a bright blue sky can look rather bland if there is nothing there to break up the view.  A sky with something in it makes for a much more interesting composition.  Clouds are the most obvious...but, its how you use the clouds that are most important to the composition.  The clouds must be a meaningful element within the composition.  What you place in the sky...or maybe I should say place against the sky...is really up to you.  A building or tree or another structure taken from an angle that creates a sense of height can be very effective.  The idea is to use the sky to highlight the boldness of your subject.

Use the Sky as your main subject:   Often times it is the bigness or uniqueness of the sky that captures your attention.  Using the sky as your main subject can be very effective.  Again, it's all a matter of composition.  the angle of the light is important...time of day...and of course the textures and colors.  When using the sky as your main subject it begins to blend your composition into the realm of graphic design.  Think of it as less a photograph of the sky and more as a photograph of the shape, forms, and color you see there.  Use a wide angle lens and include less of the ground to impart that sense of openness.

Use a filter to darken the sky:  Two of the most useful tools to use are a polarizer and a neutral density graduated filter.  Both contribute their own unique characteristics to the sky.  For instance, both will darken the sky and bring out textures that might otherwise be lost in the exposure.  The sky is generally brighter than the landscape under it and so will often skew the exposure one way or the other.  If you expose for the sky, the landscape portion may be too dark...expose for the landscape and the sky will be washed out.  A neutral density  (ND does not affect the overall color) graduated filter is designed to eliminate or reduce this problem.  The top half of the filter is darker and gradually becomes lighter toward the center portion until the bottom half is clear.  This allows you position the filter to cover the sky with the darker part and allow the landscape portion to remain unaffected.  

I use this kind of filter more than any other...it can add a great deal of drama to your sky especially during stormy weather. 

 A polarizer on the other hand is great for those bright blue sky days...or really on just about any kind of day as they remove the glare and will darken the sky and bring out a lot of detail in cloud formations.  Polarizers also reduce your effective exposure by about 2 full stops so be aware of how your exposure settings are falling when using one.  Another useful filter is what is called a tobacco filter...or more specifically a graduated tobacco filter.  Where the ND filter does not affect the overall color, the tobacco filter will impart a reddish or orange hue to the scene.  This can often be used to enhance those sunset shots, but use one with discretion as it adds a powerful and dramatic look to your shots.  Also, take note that any graduated filter can be used right side up, upside down, sideways, or stacked with other filters to give you the effect you want. 

Shoot the Moon:  Try something really fun and challenging...include the moon in your sky shots.  There are three things to consider when including the moon in your composition: Time of Day, Position of the Moon, and Capturing the Detail.  Timing is essential.  Too early and the moon looks pale and indistinct.  Too late and you lose detail in everything else and the moon becomes a bright blob.  The best time I've discovered to shoot the moon is right at twilight...both morning and evening...when the moon is hovering above the horizon and there is still some lightness in the sky.  If you must tilt your head to see the moon, it's too high in the sky...if the sky if totally black or if the sky is filled with daylight...it's too late.  Exposure can be tricky and may require some experimenting.  One technique that I've used is to make two exposures...one for the landscape and one for the moon...then use a bit of Photoshop magic to blend the properly exposed moon onto the properly exposed landscape shot where the moon sits.  It's not easy...but it's a lot of fun to do and you can get some amazing results..

Don't forget Black and White:  Many times when I am out photographing the sky, I often try to visualize what it will look like in black and white.  Black and White even in today's digital world is still a powerful and amazing form of photography...What is so cool is that with Photoshop...you can easily convert any color image into black and white.  Use a polarizer and the ND filter to darken the sky...a dark sky in black and white can be very dramatic. 

Shooting the sky can add a whole new level of complexity to your photographic endeavors.  It's challenging...but the opportunity is just to tempting to pass up.

Keith

Capturing Movement

Nature photography by its very nature involves capturing not only places and moments, it involves capturing movement.  Movement can be represented in various ways. We've all seen those great sports images where the running back is frozen as he turns a corner or the basketball player is locked in mid-air just as he releases the shot.  Who can forget those great nature shots where the eagle is caught snatching a fish from the water, or the humming bird hovers outside a flower.  But movement doesn't always have to be frozen.  Often, allowing the subject to be blurred can generate a wonderful effect and sense of movement.

So how do we do capture movement?  Well, three things come into play; shutter speed, depth of field, and timing.


Your shutter speed is what determines when a moving object is either frozen or blurred.  To freeze an object, a fast shutter speed is required...something in the range of a minimum 1/250th of a second upwards to over 1/1000th of a second depending on the circumstances.  For everyday situations...walking people, playing children, things that are moving but not so rapidly that you have a hard time following them, a shutter speed somewhere around 1/250th of a second will freeze most activity.  But, for those objects that are traveling faster such as athletes in motion, or vehicles, and animals, a shutter speed more like 1/500th of a second is required to freeze the action.

You may be asking, what does depth of field have to do with capturing movement?  Depth of field as you might recall is that portion of the image from the foreground to the background that remains in focus and is primarily controlled by the aperture.  A small aperture like f/16 generates a wide depth of field where most of the image will be in focus from front to back. A large aperture like f/2.8 generates a very tight depth of field where the subject is primarily in focus and the foreground and background is blurred.  The type of lens you use also comes into play. A 50mm lens will react differently than a 500mm lens.  Depth of field comes into play primarily for those close up images when you want to isolate your subject from all the background clutter.  Also, if you use a small aperture, f/16 or so, you might find it difficult to obtain a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the action simply because the smaller the aperture the less the volume of light is allowed in.  A larger aperture will allow in much more light thus allowing you use a faster shutter speed.  ISO setting is also important in that you may need to boost the ISO up to 400 or even 800 in order to get a fast enough shutter speed to lock in on movement.

Timing makes all the difference. When capturing nature, especially flying birds, timing is critical as you want to not only capture their movement, but you want to capture them doing what they do naturally within their environment. Taking a photo of hawk sitting on a telephone pole isn't very inspiring to a viewer, but capturing a hawk as it flairs just before it alights, or just after it takes off makes for a more interesting image.

As I mentioned previously, capturing movement doesn't always mean freezing the action.  Often, allowing the object to have a blurred effect can be quite striking.  The best way to accomplish this is to use a tripod and set your camera with a small aperture and low ISO, which will usually generate a slow shutter speed.  The slow shutter is what is critical.  Depending on what is moving, a shutter set from 1/30th of a second down to as low as a full second will generate some wonderful blurring effects.  The best time to capture blur is on a cloudy windy day when the light is generally lower.  You can also attach a polarizer filter which will effectively reduce the light gathering ability of your lens by one to two full stops which will also slow your shutter down.

So, capturing movement can be quite fun to try as it can add a whole new level of complexity to your photography.  Here's a list of some potential movement capture opportunities:

Tall field grasses blowing in the wind
Birds at the feeder
Bumble bees and flowers
Moving water or waterfalls
Sporting events
Night photography of vehicle lights
Amusement park rides...especially at night

Give it a try..I think you'll enjoy it.

Keith