Cape May County’s other history: World War II

Although the beautiful architecture and quaint social mores of an older era dominate Cape May County tourism, history didn’t stop with the end of the Victorian years. Though far removed from the fighting, the County played an important role during World War II – as visitors this weekend found out aboard the MAC World War II trolley tour. Tour-goers got to see the bunker at Cape May Point (which used to be hidden under the sand, although erosion has since exposed it) the soon-to-be-restored Fire Tower 23 at the point, and even a special flag ceremony at Sunset Beach with World War II veterans.
It’s important to point out that all of these things, including the trolley tour itself, can be seen and experienced all summer; including the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum at the County Airport. The Aviation Museum houses an incredible collection of planes from World War II, like the TBM Avenger, the Vultee Bt 13, and the Boeing Stearman Kaydet.
Calling it World War II Weekend is, I think, a little misleading simply because there are even more events in the pipeline even after the official weekend has passed. If you happen to be a person with a strong interest in that time-period, there’s so much to see beginning in June. Sunset Beach will be having even more special Sunset Flag Ceremonies (they have on every night of the summer, but often plan something a little extra – go to their website at sunsetbeachnj.com for more detailed information… or, better yet, just stop by and ask them! They’re the friendliest people you’ve ever seen.
Our buddies at MAC are also offering more to do for fans of the “Greatest Generation” – and it can’t be said enough what a huge deal it will be for historical conservation when Fire Tower #23 is restored. These towers (there were many: one now houses the air-conditioning/electrical storage at the Grand Hotel, several more on the island of Wildwood have been torn down, and there were dozens more in Delaware) protected the Delaware Bay and River from German U-boats during the war. One can only hope more people learn the amazing story of how these towers protected the Homefront. For one thing, many people alive today have no idea just how many U-boats were spotted off the coast of New Jersey: the enemy reaching the Naval Base at Philadelphia was a real threat. The 1940’s version of Homeland Security (rather than being an Orwellian misnomer, as it is in many ways today, back then it really meant keeping the homes of this country secure from attack) began with civilians keeping watch overnight in the windy heights of a barebones, concrete tower. The towers could talk to each other, and then (and this is kind of key) talk to very large, very scary, very effective cannon-type guns… which could then blow said U-boat clear out of the water.
How this incredibly effective coverage of the waterways jives with the popular folk-tale of a certain Cape May baker delivering sticky buns to the Nazis on the beach at night is up to you and your skepticism. I think it was another newspaper writer (and later, Prime Minister of England during World War II) who said “A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth gets its pants on.” Amazing, and just think: Churchill never even saw Cape May. How did he know us so well? The fact is: no one likes it when a great yarn gets disproved. It just takes some of the fun out of scaring the tourists… For more information about the Fire Tower, the trolley tours, and all the other fun things MAC has planned, go to capemaymac.org.
By far the most visually amazing, and emotional, way to learn about the era is to travel to the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum. I risk sounding like a broken record, but the place just could not be cooler. For one thing: it’s located in the hangar where young airmen trained to fly Helldiver dive-bombers in the South Pacific. In the two years the facility was operational, forty-two men were killed in training. The rest went on to win significant victories against Japan. The scale of the place is incredible, especially when you consider the rooms lining the upstairs of the hangar were classrooms back then for hundreds of young pilots. The old photographs are compelling, the old propaganda lining the walls is at times hilarious, and the music has a good beat you can bug out to.
Did I mention the planes? Besides the Avenger, the Boeings, and the Vultee, and more; the Museum makes sure to bring more planes in for special events. You know, planes the B-17, the B-24, and the B-25 – which will be flying in for a little visit this August 27 and 28th. A recent distinguished Lecture Series host, talking to the survivors of the Battle of the Bulge, pointed out he had never actually gotten to see those famous planes during the War… he was in the infantry! But he finally got to see them at last year’s Bomber Weekend, which should give you some idea of just how cool this event is to anyone with any interest in the era. Check out the Museum’s website and calendar of events at usnasw.org, and don’t miss their remaining lectures this summer! We’ll have video highlights of the Battle of the Bulge Lecture soon… We’re churning out videos lately at ye old Herald (there was a scrum for the camera on several occasions this week) so feel free to give us some feedback on these features videos. (And then email mine around to everyone you know – I wanna be most popular! C’mooon!)