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A number of viewers have contacted us with a correction to the Civil War Bridge story. Stephanie Wilson writes:
In the end of the segment on Sherman's pontoon bridge in Columbia, SC there is mention to Appomattox, VA where Lee surrendered. The narration located Appomattox in Northern Virginia, but it is actually in Central Virginia.
History Detectives would like to thank Stephanie and the other viewers who corrected our geography. The producers regret the error.
To say the films were destroyed by a fire at Betzwood, (by the route 422 Betzwood Bridge) was a bit of an understatement. One of the reasons for the move from Philadelphia to Montgomery county was to create a safer site for the flammable cellulose film. I'm told that as it ages and disintegrates the goo you sometimes find in the film can is very close in chemistry to Nitroglycerine.
What happened to the Lubin films was a large and loud explosion in the vault that was heard for some distance. It was a little more spectacular than a simple fire.
During high school in the sixties, I spent a lot of time with my best friend listening to records in her father's music room. He was a retired navy officer. I loved listening to his system, but I was always curious about the turntable. It was very, very large. My friend only knew that her father had brought it from the military. When I watched (the Tokyo Rose Recording) segment, it answered that question from long ago. Thanks for the show. My husband just discovered it, and now he watches with me.
Kitty F.
(Note: Viewers will recall the Tokyo Rose Recording was on an unusually large vinyl disc. History Detectives had to search to find a turntable large enough to play the recording.)
I thoroughly enjoyed your story on Amelia Earhart's plane. I thought you should know that the International Women's Air & Space Museum in Cleveland, Ohio has part of the landing gear from the plane as well.
In our story on the Manhattan Project Patent History Detectives mentioned inventor Harold Greene. That name rang a bell with viewer Melvyn Halbert:
The other inventor, Harold B. Greene, was someone I knew personally. I have lived and worked in Oak Ridge, TN, since 1955. I worked in one of the Calutron buildings until 1963.
In mid-1973 I bought a Model B Steinway grand piano, made about 1885, and had it shipped to Oak Ridge for one of my sons, who was then taking piano lessons. Mr. Greene advertised his services as a piano technician in the local newspaper, so I asked him to tune and regulate our "new" piano.
Viewer Dr. John F. Hicks expands our appreciation for Railroad Watches:
I was most interested to learn for the first time today about the federal standardization of railroad watches in 1893 because I own just such a watch, made by the Elgin Watch company in 1893, which has the newly mandated 17 jewels and is made of 14 carrot gold.
It is a family heirloom first purchased by my great uncle, Dr. John C. Hick. He was not connected with the railroads but instead was a horse and buggy doctor in Southern Illinois.
Phyllis Behnke had always been puzzled by her great great uncle's obituary.
It reads as follows:
Wooster Daily Republican 15 Oct 1894 p. 4
Death Came Speedily.
The funeral of Samuel Lautenschlager, who was killed by falling from a chestnut tree, took place Saturday and was very largely attended. The remains were interred in the new cemetery at Apple Creek. As the family had fears that ghouls might attempt to raise the body, they had the undertaker, D.Y. Landis, place an immense torpedo in the grave.
"I am thrilled you did a segment on these grave torpedoes. It has answered many questions I had."
Phyllis Behnke
Comment from viewer Pattie Williams:
After I watched your story on the letter from John Wilkes Booth's father to Andrew Jackson, I Googled "Junius Brutus Booth" and found out he was named for Marcus Junius Brutus who was one of the assassins of Julius Caesar!
I just found it ironic that this man had by his name an assassination in his past then his son was to assassinate the President of the U.S.
Thanks for great stories tonight. I am enjoying the show.
Pattie Williams
Viewer Andrew Evridge takes us to the train wreck that changed history:
Thanks for producing an interesting and informative series.
My comment is on the brief segment that ran immediately after the story on the watch fob. Elyse Luray offered a summary of railroad timekeeping in the late 19th century, with specific mention of the accident in 1891 that led to consolidation of time zones, and more importantly, uniform regulations on timekeeping equipment and maintenance for railroads.
Throughout the entire segment, no mention was made of WHERE the accident occurred.
Comment from viewer Barclay Livker
While you are correct in noting that the Punitive Expedition, the military campaign following Pancho Villa's March 1916 incursion into Columbus, NM, featured the first use of airplanes and motor vehicles in a US military operation, it was also the Army's LAST significant mounted cavalry operation.
I would also like to point out that it was the first incursion of foreign troops on US soil since the War of 1812 and the last since that time.
I LOVE YOUR SHOW!!!!
Barclay Livker
Comment from viewer Mike Flynn:
During conversations (with my father) about the war in Europe it once came up that he could "smell" the Germans. I found that odd so I asked him how. His explanation was that the German uniforms, food, tobacco products etc. were different and had their own specific smell. When he entered a bunker that had recently be taken, he could smell their recent occupation of the bunker.
During my stint in Southeast Asia, I also noticed the same thing about the Viet Cong and was told by special forces not to use mouthwash or tooth paste in the bush, because the Viet Cong could track it as well by the smell. I was told the smell could travel for miles in the water.
I had never heard of this show before, and upon viewing the first five minutes, was absolutely riveted. My apprehension initially was that this was being recorded with very little editing, to the point that my worry was that Tukufu would not be able to get to the bottom of the investigation. But to my delight, the mystery was solved. It was the perfect program to watch during my hour lunch break at work. Tukufu did the necessary commentary to keep the story moving without making it too emotional, where the story on it's own already had emotions attached to it! This will keep me coming back for more. I look forward to my Monday lunch break!
Saemlinh Inmany
As a former working cowboy and history buff, I really enjoyed the story on Bill Picket's saddle. Often stories about Bill Picket will have some political spin on them. Years ago, I "punched cattle" with a couple black cowboys and I don't recall any of the racism that most city-folks would expect. It was a place, as they say, "where a man is judged by God and the loop he throws." I wish it were that simple these days. People often call cowboys "rednecks." There is a huge difference, and calling me such is an insult.
Anyway, I loved the story and recorded it to show my kids. I hope you do more like it. I'm sure I could provide you with plenty of mysteries that deal with ranches and cowboys.
Rob Rapose
Maryann K. (Inman) Aniversario wrote:
Just wanted to say thank you. I am over 60 and have been trying to find my father whom I have not seen for over 54 years.With no information but an out of date military ID and no Social Security number, I was hitting dead ends for years, until I saw your show. Then, with help from your website, I was able to track him down through his military papers.
Unfortunately he passed on in 1992. But now at least I have some closure.
Thank you.
Dan Ruggiero from Rutgers Oral History Archives emailed this comment:
I just wanted to take a moment and let you know how helpful this segment was.Just a few days ago I was contacted by someone with a record from World War II. It was a recording of "Your man in the Service" series. The recording had her fathers voice on it.
The record was recently damaged during a move and the owner wanted to have it conserved or repaired.
Having seen your show I was able to direct her towards the Library of Congress's Audio/ Visual Conservation department. They have since been in communication.
Thank you for airing such interesting and relevant subject matter. Please keep up the good work.
James Downard alerted us to errors in BluePrint Special:
This may already have been spotted by others, but if not: the military archivist who showed the original blueprint edition got a few details wrong regarding the composers' subsequent works. Loesser did not write Richard Adler & David Ross' "Damn Yankees", nor did the brilliant Alex North pen Malcolm Arnold's music for "Bridge on the River Kwai".
I make a living playing Irish, Scottish and Folk festivals - and selling records. A few years back I was inspired by one of your stories about James Hamlin, a runaway slave who worked on-board the Charles W Morgan. In those days you did not provide quick access to the details on-line, as you do today - but I followed up with some additional reading on the subject. I didn't remember the young man's name, so I read the shiplists of period voyages and selected a name that sounded close, and one that I liked. I retold your tale in a song I call "The Ballad of Thomas Higgins" using an old Irish melody. Audiences love the song, and I always credit your program for introducing me to the subject. You can get a quick listen to the song here at my record company's Myspace Jukebox:
[ http://www.myspace.com/bostonroadrecords ]
I still watch the show as often as possible. All the best - Jed Marum
Dear Jed,
Thank you for contacting us and for sharing your song.
Best wishes from the History Detectives.
Fred Granata of Portland, OR writes in with a personal story that contradicts the contention that the presence of Japanese Balloon Bombs was "Top Secret."
This concerns the Japanese balloon bomb segment of the History
Detectives program last Monday, July 14, which I understand is produced
by OPB. I was pre-teen aged living here in Portland during that time
and remember the episode well.
The statement that this was "Top Secret" and kept from the
American public is simply incorrect. This is what happened: when it
became apparent that these deadly Japanese weapons were reaching North
America and particularly the Pacific Northwest, the civil defense
authorities, concerned with the safety of the civilian population, knew
that we had to be warned. They devised a scheme whereby speakers came
to every Portland school. (I was attending Kellogg, then an elementary
school) We were called into assembly and told of the balloons and the
danger they posed. We were instructed to spread the word, to warn
everyone we knew about them with this caveat which the speaker said
repeatedly, "do not write it down". Immature children that
we were, we felt thrilled that we had been let in on a military secret.
Sharp eyed viewer Randy Finfrock writes:
On the "Do it Yourself" Overview, 3rd paragraph, 3rd line: the word census is mis-spelled. I love your show and don't mean to be picky, but it requires perfection in order to do each story justice. So, I thought even a little thing on the website can stand out.
I've always found simple typo errors like this. Once I was at a nationally known bank and was getting a cashiers check. The heavy metal plate embossed in beautiful multicolors the name of the bank on the face of my check. I took one look and asked for the manager. She came up to the counter and I asked her quietly: "Do you know that (the name of your bank) is mispelled?" She nearly fainted, and said we had a new one made and we've been using it 3-days. Does this make me an honorary 'detective'?? Ha! Keep up your super sleuthing.
Michael Buhr writes:
I love this show. One negative comment, please stop calling the "Medal of Honor" the "Congressional Medal of Honor". The Medal of Honor is presented in the name of the congress only.
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Where is Appomattox, VA?
The Dangers of Filmmaking - Lubin Studio Photo Albums
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Another Piece of Amelia's Airplane
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