FIPOA

WHERE DOES YOUR MONEY GO?

Bob Davidson, Treasurer and Kate Hines, General Manager

Until recently, it seems no one in South Carolina questioned what his or her homeowners' association did with their money. Recently however, practices of these non-profit associations became of more interest as expenses have increased, often outpacing income. According to a recent article in The State newspaper, many homeowners were left questioning what was happening. Sometimes homeowner boards tried to use shortcuts to keep the budget balanced.

Bob Davidson, the incoming Treasurer of the FIPOA, wants you to know more about FIPOA expenses now so that the POA Board can rely on your help for future financial decisions. "After all, it's your association and you should be up-to-date on what and why it costs what it does to keep Fripp Island beautiful and debt-free."

As a starter, do you know what are the major contributors to then POA's $1,853,100 budget for 2008? In order of expenditure, they are:

• Security—$557,800
• Roads—$311,000
• Administration—$285,200
• Grounds maintenance—$193,400
• Bridges—$173,000
• Insurance—$130,350
• Crossovers—$61,800

Why do they cost what they do?

Security

The 2008 Budget calls for 13 full time and three part time officers and staff to support all Security operations. $287,000 of the Security budget is dedicated to patrol operations and $270,800 is spent on gate operations.

We provide 24-hour coverage both on the gate and on patrol. We currently have one truck, two 4-wheel drive SUVs, one moped and one golf cart. In the high season, between Memorial Day and Labor Day, as population on the Island swells, so does the need for an increased Security presence.

There are three primary shifts with at least one gate officer and one patrol officer on each shift. Weekend shifts have two patrol officers on each shift and an additional Gate officer between 11:00am and 7:00pm.

In 2007, there were over 3,500 incidents requiring a Security officer to file a report. These range from House Watch checks to larceny and vandalism. There were over 1,300 traffic interactions. Security responded to almost 1,000 requests for service as well. To get an up to date view of the Security statistics, go to http://www.fipoa.org/FISec/Stats.html

Roads

Traffic on POA roads causes wear and tear and a frequent need for repair. In 2007, approximately 330,000 vehicles entered the Island. In 2006, that number was over 400,000. 622 annual passes were purchased by contractors and 54,000 daily/weekly passes were issued for all categories.

Most of the roads on Fripp were built in the early 1970s. They weren't paved at the time, but many have been paved over the years. We have 26 miles of road to maintain. Approximately four miles of those roads are unpaved and are re-graded twice a year, depending on conditions. Of the other 22 miles, the Road Committee looks at a life span of each road to determine what needs to be resurfaced and when. For 2008, we budgeted to repave Marlin Drive, Rock Beauty Road and Dolphin Annex. We also budgeted to correct Crooked Creek Road, which was initially placed in the wrong area - on private property. And, of course Tarpon has been widened from Skipjack to Rock Beauty. As we all know, the cost of petroleum continues to climb which in turn makes the costs for paving go up.

Administration

The costs covered under Administration include salaries for three full time employees and one part time bookkeeper who works two days a week. The Administration line item also includes all postage, telephone, printing, computers and other office equipment. The General manager oversees all day-to-day responsibilities for the FIPOA including security. The Assistant GM is responsible for Crossovers, HR, The Trawler, and handles appeals of citations.

Grounds Maintenance

The FIPOA maintains most common areas that are not owned by the developer. This includes the front entrance to the Island, Davis Love Park, Audubon Park, and all rights-of-way. POA's responsibilities include planting annuals in flowerbeds, keeping the same beds mulched and weeded, keeping trashcans for pet waste clean and full of bags, and mowing grassy areas where homes are not constructed. We have a contract to have side roads blown and main roads mowed. Location dictates how often we maintain each area. We also trim palm trees in the POA common areas once every two years. This line item also includes removal of dead animals, irrigation, and electricity for the irrigation and lights in common areas.

Bridges

The FIPOA sold the Inlet Bridge to the FIPSD, but we continue to pay for all inspections, maintenance, and now insurance on it. We also own the Maxwell Bridge, which goes over the canal to Bonito Road, the small bridge in Fiddler's Trace and the bridge on Tarpon just beyond the FIPOA office building. All of the bridges are inspected on a regular basis and repairs are made as needed.

Insurance

The 2008 Insurance budget includes Worker's Compensation, Security Guard liability and umbrella coverage, auto, general liability, property, wind, flood, crime, Directors & Officers, and overall umbrella coverage. This year, the POA also started to reimburse FIPSD for insuring the Inlet Bridge at a cost of $45,000. Before we transferred the bridge, the quoted cost for POA to insure the Inlet bridge was over $100,000.

Beach Crossovers

The Crossovers are one of the POA's most used yet undervalued assets. We have a contract to maintain all 31 of them monthly. Major repairs are scheduled yearly as needed. The occasional storm can cause a great deal of damage and closure of the crossovers can throw the whole budget out of whack.

The above explanations should give you a better idea of exactly where your FIPOA assessment money is going. If you have any questions, please contact General Manager, Kate Hines.

* * *

---

* * *
(TOP)

---

Island Services

CHIEF'S CORNER

Chief of Security, Mike Binkowski

A

Over the Memorial Day weekend, several problems were identified at the gate as a result of improperly submitted guest passes, I am asking for your help now so that your guests will have a wonderful time while on the Island.

Guest passes should be requested at least 24 hours in advance and cannot be submitted more than 30 days in advance. Guest passes will not be issued for more than a 30 day period

When you request a pass, make sure that you have the proper PIN number, the guests last name, the number of vehicles that will be arriving, the arrival date, and the departure date.

There are several ways for owners to obtain guest passes. They are:

1. 1. On-line - If you go to the POA web site at www.fipoa.org you will see a button marked Gate Passes. You can choose from Guest passes, rental passes, and access fee buttons. Click on the appropriate button, fill out the form completely and submit it. If you have included an Email address you will receive a response from our office advising you that your request has been received and processed.
2. 2. Telephone - You can call the Security office at (843) 838-2334 or (888) 838-2334 and request the pass from the officer that answers the phone.
3. 3. Pass Line - you can call our Pass Line at (843) 838-1437 or (888) 838-2461 and leave your request there. It is important that you leave a phone number where you can be reached in case we were unable to understand any part of your request.
4. 4. FAX - You can send your request to (843) 838-2101; make sure that you include the phone number where you can be reached.
5. 5. Personally - You can stop by the Security Office, located at 225 Tarpon Blvd. between the hours of 8:00 am and 4:00 pm on weekdays and request the pass in person.

It is necessary that you have the last name of your guest and the number of vehicles that they will be arriving in, so that they will not be delayed when they arrive at the Front Gate.

If your neighborhood or group has a particular question or concern, let me know and I would be happy to meet with your group to answer any questions and discuss your concerns.

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. If you have any suggestions on how we can improve the quality of life on the Island, or wish to discuss a particular problem, please contact me in person, telephone at 838-4113, or .

* * *

Know Your Officers

by Chief Mike Binkowski

This issue we would like to highlight Officer Dwight (Jolly) Messinger. Officer Messinger has been a member of the Fripp Island Patrol since October of 2007. He is assigned as a gate relief officer.

Officer Messinger was born in Panama, Central America. His father was in the Army and he moved extensively around the country. He joined the U.S. Air Force and retired as a Master Sergeant after 22 years of service. He and his wife Trudy live on St. Helena Island and they have two married sons and four grandchildren.

In his off time Officer Messinger enjoys woodworking.

* * *
(TOP)

---

Nature

ALLIGATORS

Tina Reeves, CMCA, AMS, Assistant General Manager

Forget everything that you have seen on the Animal Planet regarding our natural neighbor the alligator. There are many myths and untruths regarding our scaly friend. They are mainly mild mannered creatures that play a major role in our ecological system. However, they are wild animals and should be treated with respect.

The American Alligator is one of South Carolina’s most misunderstood, yet ecologically valuable wildlife species. It maintains a unique place in the natural history of our world; it has maintained essentially the same body form for 180 million years. The alligator’s harmony with its environment has only recently been upset by man, possibly putting these animals in danger.

Why are alligators important?

Alligators are important because…

1. 1) They help other wildlife by creating burrows (holes) for them to live in, as well as help keep their population at a balanced, healthy level by preying upon the ones that are most abundant, sickly, or over populated.
2. 2) They help humans by decreasing some aquatic vegetation. Decreasing this vegetation allows us to maneuver our boats in the Fripp canal, as well as give us a nice view of the water’s edge near lagoons.
3. 3) Alligators also help us determine mercury levels in the water. Since alligators eat aquatic animals they may obtain a high mercury level in their blood. Too much mercury could kill a person, so South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) can test these alligators to make sure the fish we eat are mercury free.

Our Fripp community can help these alligators and ourselves by ALWAYS being alligator safe.

How to be Alligator Safe:

Knowing what to do and what not to do when visiting or living in the coastal areas of our state is important. An alligator will not usually attack a human. Still, a few individual alligators that have become accustomed to the presence of humans can prove hostile to the unwary and uneducated.

Leave Alligators Alone - Do not approach basking alligators. Do not nudge, hit or poke alligators with rocks, sticks, golf clubs or golf balls. Beware, they are not tame! They are creatures of the wild and should be treated as such.

NEVER feed an alligator - Feeding a wild alligator is illegal, dangerous, and could result in a $200 fine and 30 days in jail! Alligators lose their natural fear of humans when fed, and become accustomed or attracted to people. A FED GATOR IS A DEAD GATOR!

Inform Others – If we educate others how to be alligator smart, there will be fewer conflicts with alligators and fewer of them will have to be killed.

Dispose of scraps properly - Though not intentional, throwing scraps in the water is still feeding alligators. Please throw fish scraps, crab bait, picnic waste, and trash in designated trash bins.

Don’t swim with alligators - Please do not swim outside swimming areas or in places where alligators have been sighted! This includes the lagoons and the canal on Fripp! Alligators may not recognize a swimming human, and an accidental nudge could prove harmful to you and the alligator.

Don’t leave children unattended - Closely watch children when they are playing near water. Do not let your children play in the lagoons on the Island.

Don’t allow pets near alligators - Dogs and other small pets are more likely to be approached than humans because they resemble a natural prey item for the alligator. Therefore, pets can attract alligators to swimming areas and create a danger for humans as well.

Never catch an alligator or accept one, as a pet - Capturing alligators is illegal and dangerous. Alligators do not become tame in captivity, and handling even small ones could result in a bite and a $200 fine with imprisonment.

HABITAT

Although they are primarily freshwater animals, alligators will venture into brackish salt water. Alligators live in swampy areas, rivers, streams, lakes and lagoons.

BREEDING

Alligators are active year round, but they are most active in the warmer months in Georgia and South Carolina. With the start of their breeding season in May, males "bellow" to females and other males in the area. By June, pairs have mated, and females begin building mound nests out of marsh reeds or other vegetation.

Sometime during late June or early July, females lay between 20 and 60 eggs. The hard-shelled, white eggs are about 3 inches long and resemble goose eggs. The mother defends the nest against predators throughout the incubation period, about 65 days. When the eggs are ready to hatch, the mother alligator digs into the nest mound, opens any eggs that have not hatched and carries the young down to the water. Females sometimes aggressively defend their young for more than a year.

Safety Note: Never disturb nests or small alligators. Some female alligators protect their young and may become aggressive if provoked. A baby alligator should never be captured, even if the mother is not visible. She may be watching you and decide to take action to protect her baby.

Feeding

Alligators are opportunistic feeders; adults eat fish, turtles, wading birds, snakes, frogs and small mammals they find near the shoreline of their habitat. Young alligators feed on small fish and aquatic insects, but in turn, they can be food for raccoons, crabs, various types of wading birds and even fish.

Remember, alligators are wild creatures and should be treated as such. With the information provided in this article, living side by side with our reptilian neighbors should be effortless. Let us protect the elements that make Fripp such a great place to be by abiding by the natural boundaries that have been set by Mother Nature herself. With a certain amount of respect, we can coexist with our natural neighbors.

Thanks to Dean Harrigal of SCDNR for providing information for this article.

* * *

---

Orphan and the Seven Bucks

John E. Dayner

You probably remember from seeing it a long time ago yourself, or more recently with your children or grandchildren, that in Disney’s Bambi, a hunter shoots Bambi’s mother and Bambi wanders desperately through the forest calling for her, but no answer comes. Bambi is startled by the sudden appearance of his father, the great prince of the forest, who tells him his mother can no longer be with him. The film then skips forward in time to the spring, when Bambi, Thumper, Flower, and Faline are adults. Bambi and Faline become a couple, and after living through a series of trials that includes a forest fire, Faline gives birth to twin fawns. And they live happily ever after…

You probably also remember that the title of last year’s Trawler article about Fripp’s deer program was "Look, Grandpa. It’s Bambi!" and that it included a photo of a fawn. Life imitated art: that fawn and his mother lived on Sawgrass Bluff at the time of the article’s writing, but a few weeks after its publication, the mother died, apparently of natural causes, leaving the fawn, whom Sawgrass residents renamed "Orphan." A day or so after the doe’s death, Orphan disappeared from the marsh and woods, only to reappear a few weeks later with two full-grown bucks. They cleaned him, let him walk with and under them, run with them, and sleep with them. Bucks habitually scuffle over bits of food, but these two stepped aside when Orphan went for a morsel. Eventually, another five bucks joined the group that accepted and protected Orphan. Orphan not only survived, he thrived all winter. He’s a healthy yearling now, part of the group of young and old bucks who inhabit Sawgrass. They’re still taking care of him, but there are no new fawns or does running with them.

And a third thing you might remember is some of the history of the Fripp deer fertility program. Here’s a bit of a recap to tickle those brain cells. Since Fripp is an isolated island environment, Tufts University and the Humane Society of the United States agreed to do an experimental study of deer immunocontraception here. The program is currently in its fourth year. The deer team darts does, found at bait stations or on the streets, with a sedative. The radio-transmitter darts allow personnel to follow the animals until the sedative takes effect. As a scientific experiment, upon capture, they treat the eyes with an ophthalmic ointment, check vital signs, monitor pulse and respiration, remove the dart and treat the wound with antibiotic ointment. Then they tag the ears, and to insure the general health of the deer, measure and weigh the animal, examine it for prior injuries, inject another antibiotic, take a blood sample and inject a contraceptive. You will recall that one of the experimental contraceptives failed and, as a result, there was only a slight decrease in pregnant does in 2005. Those deer treated in 2006, however, had only a 15% pregnancy rate in 2007 (80% is normal).

Dr. Allen Rutberg, who heads the program at the Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine, says that there are currently 170-175 tagged females on Fripp, a number that represents about 90% of the doe population. Workers originally fitted twenty does with radiocollars to track and monitor movement; they are currently removing those collars. Dr. Rutberg says they are still maintaining 15-20 untreated and ear-tagged control females. There are also probably 10-20 others whom they haven't gotten yet, so there are 30-40 fertile females out and about.  In addition, he says that signs are good for a significant drop in deer population in 2008: fawns are scarce on the island, but since fawning continues through July, an accurate count won’t be available until late summer or fall.

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources report indicates that high deer population density, accompanied by few multiple births, high rates of fetal loss, neonatal mortality, parasitism, and food scarcity all contribute to high Fripp deer mortality. The original estimate was a 50% reduction in the deer population at end of six years, but according to Dr. Rutberg, sterilization and the high death rate should reduce population more quickly than that earlier estimate.

Fripp owners have consistently donated money and housing; the housing-use donations for the deer team workers have been wonderful, even if Kate Hines has to wear an innkeeper’s hat on occasion. We need to continue to be generous with housing, and to let Kate know when she can schedule workers to sleep in our beds.

The need for money to defray expenses is still with us, so you knew this article was headed toward the topic of the other kind of bucks. All the gifts, housing and monetary, are tax-deductible. The budget for 2007 was about $44,000, which included vaccine, travel, deer population surveys, blood sample processing, HSUS consultant payment, and miscellaneous equipment and supplies. The 2007 donations, however, were just under $5,800, and to date this year we have just over $1,000. No fundraisers take a percentage of your contribution: 100% of the donated money is spent on the operating expenses. In the shortfall, the Humane Society essentially has been funding the project. Since Fripp property owners are the ultimate beneficiaries, it’s time again to show our gratitude to HSUS and to help ensure the program’s successful completion. Most important is that the contraceptive experiment is solving the deer problem. If we keep supporting this six-year program, it can move from research to long-term management of a reduced deer population.

This year, the procedure for making donations has changed: the money now goes directly to Tufts. Before you forget, please write your generous, tax-deductible check to "The Trustees of Tufts University," accompanying it with a note or letter specifying use of the gift to support the Fripp Island deer contraception research of Allen Rutberg. Mail it to:

The Center for Animals and Public Policy
Tufts-Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine
200 Westboro Road
North Grafton, MA 01536
Attn: Patricia Bonner

Research says that in the wild, the more well-fed deer are, the more likely are multiple births (Bambi and Faline have twins), but their numbers there are subject to natural and human predators. As close to nature as it may be, Fripp isn’t the wild: here in our wildlife refuge, too few predators control deer population. We are, though, beginning to see significant results from our deer program: the survivors, like Orphan and his buck buddies, have more food and are healthier than before, but because the fertile females are getting scarcer, those boys won’t be fathering masses of little ones. A healthy, manageable population can be another of Fripp’s unique attractions for owners, visitors, and renters, supporting our property values in an uncertain real estate market. And that, to use the current vernacular, is all good.

* * *
(TOP)

---

Island Clubs

Audubon Club Speaker Urges Members to "Live Lightly on the Land"

by Arlene Jacquette

Coastal Carolina presents particular challenges for those who seek to respect its ecology and protect its natural resources in the face of development. According to Patricia Richards Kennedy, director of the Palmetto Bluff Conservancy and speaker at the March Audubon Club meeting, the key is sustainability, that is, the involvement of all interested sectors in the protection of the environment. In her illustrated talk, "Living Lightly on the Land," Kennedy used the example of Palmetto Bluff to show how sustainability is achieved in a new development.

As part of the annexation process, development restrictions on the Palmetto Bluff tract, which is 2/3 the size of Hilton Head, were mandated: no private docks; a minimum 100-ft. setback from the rivers for building, and an untouched parcel of 5,000 acres. Kennedy cited the vital importance of a strong regulatory framework and the willingness of the developers to honor both history and ecology in planning the community. The findings of both archeological and environmental research that revealed prior human settlements and habitats vital to wildlife—especially those species whose health is an ecological bellwether—have been incorporated into the tract’s master plan. "Green" innovations have also been factored into construction of homes and daily operations.

Kennedy explored tangible ways in which Fripp residents could "live lightly" on the Island. Habitats of specific species, such as rookeries, should be documented in maps and shared with the sales offices. Residents could create backyard habitats that provide shelter, food and nesting sites for local wildlife. Native landscaping, such as ornamental grasses, will reduce water consumption. An "audit" of community operations, including waste water management, use of pesticides, and disposal of dog waste, could be conducted in collaboration with the POA. Most of all, Kennedy noted the importance of education as a key to citizen involvement.

* * *

---

Fripp Island Women's Club

Betsy Koehler, Patty Patek, and Sandy Buschur hard at work.

Bonnie Coombes

On April 4th a group of more than twenty Fripp Island Women's Club members met at the Community Centre and under the guidance of Sheila Tindall sewed and "stuffed" almost 200 "Cool Ties"-cotton neckerchiefs filled with water-absorbing polymer granules which, when submerged in water and worn around the neck or as headbands provide hours of cool relief through evaporation. The majority were made in neutral-colored prints to be sent to our American troops in Iraq, but some were fashioned out of colorful fabrics with the intent of selling them at the July 4th Cake Walk as a way of defraying the cost of the project.

The final meeting of the FIWC 2007-2008 season was held at the Beach Club Pavilion on April 16th and members enjoyed lunch followed by a performance by the Sea Island Sound Quartet. Officers for the coming year were installed: Nancy Richman and Bonnie Combes, Co-Presidents, Micki McCormick and Lorraine Tarczynski, Co-Vice Presidents; Sara Thompson, Secretary; and Jane Cuffe, Treasurer.

Every two years the Women's Club undertakes a major task: reprinting the Fripp Island Telephone Directory. This year Gerri Burson leads the effort, and with the assistance of other volunteers will complete the project by the end of summer with the new directory ready for sale at our October meeting. Residents are encouraged to notify the FIPOA office as soon as possible if their address or Fripp Island phone number has changed since 2006.

Over the summer months the FIWC Board will organize another year of entertaining, informative programs and service-oriented projects. There will be an expanded Health Fair in the fall and our sponsorship of female Marines in Iraq and the "Cell Phones for Soldiers" program will continue. Meet your neighbors and make new friends by joining us the 3rd Wednesday morning of the month, October through April, for fun and fellowship.

* * *
(TOP)

---

Pesonality

The Greatest Generation - Jim Purcell

John Dayner

In Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation, he writes, "They came of age during the Great Depression and the Second World War and went on to build modern America - men and women whose everyday lives of duty, honor, achievement, and courage gave us the world we have today." Fripp is home to twelve WWII veterans; this piece is the first in what we hope will be a series of short biographies of those who served their country and us during that war.

Then Lt. James Purcell, now of Fripp Island, recalls his half-hour chase with a Japanese bomber over the Pacific in February 1945:
"I was vectored and maneuvered behind a twin-engine Tabby. The trouble was, by the time I got on him, I was so far away from the fleet that I lost radio contact. I picked the Tabby up on my scope; he was really moving fast back to Japan. I began to close the distance on him and a pair of wings grew in my scope. As soon as the wings touched two vertical lines, I was in range. I opened up with all six .50-calibers and saw smoke and flames coming from one of the Tabby's engines. As I closed for the kill, we flew into a cloud. I lost him! I never saw him hit the water, so I claimed a 'probable'."

Jim, like all of the carrier-based night fighter pilots - Batmen - itched for combat with Japanese aircraft. He had another confirmed kill, but says the senior pilots got the good attack assignments. The Batmen, Jim says, had combat air patrol and bombing and strafing missions. Since there were more pilots than planes, all the men wanted to fly as much as they could. Aboard the Enterprise, however, they had to deal with the hazards of taking off and landing aircraft on a moving, pitching deck at night and of the Kamikaze attacks during the day.

Jim grew up in Barryville, New York, population 200, one of four boys whose father died when Jim was four. After high school, he worked on a surveying team and was surveying on top of a hill on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. In July 1942, an 18 year-old friend enlisted to become a Navy aviator, so Jim, 19, enlisted with him. He soloed in a Piper Cub in 7½ hours, even though he had never even driven a car. He spent a month in pre-pre-flight school at Colgate, went on to pre-flight school at Chapel Hill, NC, and made it through the intensive physical training that 40-50% of the men failed. He says he went from 135 pounds to 152 pounds of muscle. He got his commission and wings on December 7, 1943 with less than a year's training under his belt.

Then came the assignment of flying Hellcats on the Enterprise, the first night carrier, in the South China Sea. Although most of us have seen the World War II newsreel clips, it's almost impossible to imagine take-off - being catapulted 55 feet at night with the plane's engine roaring, praying that there's enough speed to lift the fighter into the air and out of the way of the carrier, or of landing on a somewhat erratically moving flight deck in the dark, guided in by a signal officer with two light batons and only six signals. Jim believes God was with him, as he always took off and landed safely. On the landing, if the Hellcat's hook missed all five of the cables intended to stop it, the result was sure disaster and casualties. Planes crashed into others on deck, slammed into the deck itself, or went over the edge into the sea. The ready room was immediately below the flight deck; during one landing, a propeller blade came through the deck and the ceiling of the ready room. Of the eight planes attempting to land one night in a typhoon, one crashed into the sea behind the ship, one sailed out past the fleet, apparently with no radio contact. Of the other six, five crashed on deck and one made it safely, but all six of those the pilots survived. The signal officer who guided them in, probably 22 years old, came into the ready room and cried, relieved of monumental tension. Jim says skill like this young man's and great rescue operations were important factors in our pilots' survival.

In February and March 1945, Jim fought in the air over Iwo Jima. For 35 days, fighters were in the air day and night, with pilots having a week in combat, a break, and then another week in battle. Those night flights let Jim see the constant blasts of the flamethrowers, which the Marines used against the Japanese soldiers fighting from caves. Over 6,800 Marines and almost 21,000 Japanese lost their lives in that battle; the Allied casualty total of killed, wounded and missing -26,504 - was far greater than the estimated 10,000 Allied casualties on D-Day.

The Kamikazes were Japan's attempt at slowing or stopping US forces' progress towards the Japanese homeland. Those Zeroes - "Zekes" - carried 550-pound bombs. In combat, Jim says the American pilots could rely on their planes' armor, which the Zekes didn't have. Those Kamikaze Zeroes, however, caused considerable damage even if they didn't sink the ships. One Zero missed the Enterprise in April, but did enough harm to necessitate a trip back to port. The Navy then assigned Jim to the Essex, where he spent a month until the Enterprise completed repairs, and took part in the battle of Okinawa. Jim was back on the Enterprise again in May, in time for it to take a May 14 direct Kamikaze hit on the number one elevator, used to bring planes from below to the flight deck. That attack killed thirteen men, wounded 68, destroyed 23 planes, and blew eight men, who were rescued, over the side. The destroyed flight deck, elevator and catapults sent the Enterprise home, having seen its last combat.

Jim came home on June 6, 1945. In his memoirs, he writes:
"We left Pearl on June 1 and arrived Bremerton, Washington on June 6. I called Mom and Rita. A Navy captain spent time trying to coerce us into staying in night fighters. I was one of many who refused. My orders were to report to VF97 at Grosse Pointe, Michigan, after a thirty-day leave. During that time, I truly fell in love with Rita Cantwell."

Jim proposed to Rita, his hometown sweetheart, on August 9, and married her on September 8, 1945. During his early flight training in Rhode Island, he buzzed Barryville, 40 minutes away by plane, four times, once causing a friend's chickens to stop laying and one woman to give birth to a baby a month ahead of time. And always Jim buzzed the local bar in Shohola, PA, where the proprietor stood outside waving his apron. Jim got at least one free drink and a cigar there each time he came home on liberty. After the war, stationed in Atlantic City, he did the hometown run again, sort of for old time's sake.

Jim discharged from the service on January 6, 1946, and moved home. He enrolled in Cornell in March to get an engineering degree, and became a father: a daughter, Mary, in June 1946, a son, Tom, 1947, and four more - Susan, Theresa, James, and Mike - over the next eleven years. He still wanted to fly, though, and he got to do it in F8Fs in Norfolk, Virginia, staying in the reserves until 1958. His career as a civil engineer in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Saudi Arabia put him on projects including the New York Thruway, the New Jersey and Connecticut Turnpikes and the Garden State Parkway. His Connecticut-based engineering firm, Purcell Associates, is still in business today.

In 1979, Jim and Rita bought a two-week timeshare on Hilton Head and used it again in 1980. In 1981, they explored Fripp and in May, bought a Newhaven condo here, using it for family vacations. Jim retired completely in 1985, and the next year, they purchased their Fripp house. Basing themselves on Fripp, they traveled the world with family and friends for the next twenty years. Rita passed away in 2006. Again, in his memoir, Jim writes:

"I thank God every day…most of all, for the girl I married, who raised my family, stuck by me through thick and thin, and, looking back, in all these scribblings, was the main reason for the thousand or more wonderful times we had through the sixty years we were together…I will miss her forever."

World War II took men and women of Jim's generation from ordinary lives and placed them in extraordinary, almost unfathomable, situations. We know we owe them an incredible debt, something infinitely more than a simple Thank You can repay - because they literally saved our world. Nothing "probable" about that, Jim.

* * *
(TOP)