John Whitman - in memoriam

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bob hackett
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Passing of John Whitman

#1

Post by bob hackett » 30 Jul 2014, 06:48

John Whitman's wife Barbara just informed me that John died today, 29 July of a massive stroke at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesa, MD. He was a retired Army Lt Colonel and former paratrooper.

Mrs. Whitman said he had been living on borrowed time for the past 4 years. I know we will all miss his contributions to this and other related boards.

Bob Hackett

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Passing of John Whitman

#2

Post by Eugen Pinak » 30 Jul 2014, 07:59

Sad news, colleagues :(

From here: http://www.j-aircraft.org/smf/index.php?topic=14985.0
John Whitman's wife Barbara just informed me that John died today, 29 July of a massive stroke at Walter Reed Hospital in Bethesa, MD. He was a retired Army Lt Colonel and former paratrooper.

Mrs. Whitman said he had been living on borrowed time for the past 4 years. I know we will all miss his contributions to this and other related boards.

Bob Hackett


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Wellgunde
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Re: Passing of John Whitman

#3

Post by Wellgunde » 30 Jul 2014, 08:25

Sad news indeed. John is going to be missed.
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hisashi
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Re: Passing of John Whitman

#4

Post by hisashi » 30 Jul 2014, 08:48

He have been so eager to get the truth, but I realized why. May his soul rest in peace.

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Leo Niehorster
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Re: Passing of John Whitman

#5

Post by Leo Niehorster » 30 Jul 2014, 09:42

Indeed, I always looked forward to his questions and answers.
RIP

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fontessa
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Re: Passing of John Whitman

#6

Post by fontessa » 30 Jul 2014, 12:24

It is very sad news.
John was my good friend.
May his soul rest in peace.

fontessa

Jerry Asher
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Re: Passing of John Whitman

#7

Post by Jerry Asher » 31 Jul 2014, 07:20

Very sad indeed. I loved his contributions, he enriched my life. Condolences to Barbara.

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Wellgunde
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John Whitman - in memoriam

#8

Post by Wellgunde » 07 Aug 2014, 02:49

Lieutenant Colonel JOHN WILLIAM WHITMAN, USA (Ret.) of Alexandria, VA devoted, patient and supportive husband of Barbara Bowie-Whitman, died July 29, 2014 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Colonel Whitman suffered a massive hemorrhagic stroke consequent to a long illness. His wife drove him to Walter Reed for what they thought would be an outpatient appointment on July 28, but he became so ill during the day that he asked to be admitted as an inpatient. His wife remained with him throughout that final night at Walter Reed. Colonel Whitman was an Airborne Ranger, an infantry officer, a military historian, and a gentleman. He was born in San Francisco on September 23, 1946. While still an infant, he moved to Hawaii with his Navy father George William Whitman and mother Charlotte Marguerita Fehlen Whitman. As a blond haired blue eyed boy, he went shirtless and shoeless at play and at school, where shoes were not required. Sunday School was a torture because he had to wear shoes. John keenly felt his minority status as the rare blond child in his Hawaii community, and grew up to be genuinely respectful of people of all backgrounds. He did not return to the U.S. mainland until he was ten. His parents settled in Alameda, California, where he graduated from Alameda High School. He played little league baseball, and always said that his batting average was higher than it should be on his actual hitting, because he ran so fast that he could always get on base. He was a competitive marksman from early days, and was once invited to the final trials for the US Olympic rifle team. John always wanted to be a soldier. He joined high school ROTC, and was a Distinguished Military Graduate of San Jose State University with a degree in history. He was the President of the Pershing Rifles fraternity at San Jose State. He entered active duty upon graduation in 1968, and was a "Winter Ranger" completing Ranger training in the 1968-69 course. "Did I ever tell you how tough it was in Ranger School?" was a favorite remark for the rest of his life. In his 24 year career, he regarded his Combat Infantry Badge to be his highest award though he earned many. He served three tours in Korea, one in Vietnam and one in Panama. In 1984, he graduated from the Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, with a Master of Military Science degree and a thesis on the Bataan campaign. His 1990 book, Bataan Our Last Ditch, based on his MS thesis, is considered the preeminent work on the Bataan campaign. It is out of print but in such demand that it commands $87 for a recycled "new" condition copy on Amazon. He was invited to address the American Historical Association annual meeting in 1990. His second and third books remain unpublished, but his publication of articles runs in the hundreds. He had his third book, on Japanese logistics in World War II, on a thumb drive in his pocket when he went to Walter Reed on July 28. He was a frequent contributor on many military history websites. Shortly after returning to the Pentagon from his assignment as Executive Officer of the 2d Brigade of the 2d Division in Korea, he met Barbara Jean Bowie, a Foreign Service Officer who had just returned from a tour in Mexico. They were married March 23, 1991. After his retirement in 1992, he developed proficiency as a fine carpenter and built intricate decorative woodwork in his home, with coffered and cathedral ceiling trim in hardwoods, and a 14 by 20 paneled sunroom. He was a skilled handyman in many fields, working to maintain his several rental properties. The first flowers to be sent in his memory came from a former tenant. He was a generous man, often giving in ways that did not allow the recipient to know the source of the gift. It was common for him to buy meals for soldiers in a restaurant, asking the waitress to advise them that someone who appreciated their service was picking up the tab, but demanding that she not let them know who had bought the meal. He wanted to give, but not to be acknowledged. He was a gracious host. He was noted for his wry humor. During his long illness he always prepared a joke of the day for his appointments, setting his medical team at ease before they discussed his situation. Colonel Whitman was a member of the University Club of Washington and the Pentagon Athletic Club, where his last workout was on July 26. His father and mother preceded him in death. His wife, Barbara Bowie-Whitman survives him; as do his aunt, Eleanor Treadwell; and his cousins, Patricia Zona and Rick Treadwell of California; his sister and brother-in-law, Nancy Bowie Wrenn and her husband, Dr. Christopher Wrenn of Tyler, Texas; sister and brother-in-law, Katherine Bowie Dooley and husband Homer "Buddy" Dooley of Azle, Texas; and nieces, Kristina Elizabeth Wrenn of Dallas, Texas and Courtney Bowie Wrenn of Germantown, New York. A service celebrating his life will take place at Georgetown Presbyterian Church, 3115 P Street, N.W. on August 16 at 9:30 a.m. A military burial will take place at a later date. Visitation hours will be at Joseph Gawler's Sons, 5130 Wisconsin Avenue, NW from 5 to 7 p.m. on August 14. Memorial contributions for Lt. Col. John Whitman may be made to the U.S. Army Military History Institute, Carlisle Barracks, PA, 17013-5008. (Telephone: (717) 245-3611) Web site: http://carlisle-www.army.mil/usamhi/
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Eugen Pinak
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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#9

Post by Eugen Pinak » 07 Aug 2014, 10:11

Thank you! It was really nice to find out more about John Whitman and to see his face.

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fontessa
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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#10

Post by fontessa » 07 Aug 2014, 12:49

Thank you very much Wellgunde.
He was true TROM god.

fontessa

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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#11

Post by ijnfleetadmiral » 07 Aug 2014, 16:00

R.I.P. and thank you for your service, sir.
MSG, MS State Guard (Ret.) - First Always!

bob hackett
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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#12

Post by bob hackett » 08 Aug 2014, 23:33

What I best remember about meeting John was his height. I'm 6'2" or so, but John was about 6' 8"

Bob

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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#13

Post by James A Pratt III » 09 Aug 2014, 01:32

RIP His book on Bataan was fine reading. If his other two books get published I would like to read them as well.

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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#14

Post by Joan Pinyol » 12 Aug 2014, 16:40

A very sad new that grieves my heart. I shared with him a lot of topics in this forum. My condolences to his widow.

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Sewer King
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Re: John Whitman - in memoriam

#15

Post by Sewer King » 14 Aug 2014, 04:19

This is sad news indeed, the more for me since I’ve been away from the Forum for awhile.and it was the first thing I just saw.

I had considered contacting the Colonel since he was not so far away from me, but it would have been quite formal and I always imagined him as busy at his research.

One of the educational sides of our Forum is that lesser members like myself can hear from authorities on many subject areas. A particular question or questions can often be answered. But approaches to a particular subject and its sources can be harder to speak to. I always pictured Colonel Whitman as one of those authorities who could do that well, as a good teacher.

My late father (d. 2012) had been a Bataan PoW survivor, but in his fading years it became difficult to talk wartime history with him as he once did. He did like what he read of Bataan: Our Last Ditch, however, and for a brief moment thought he recognized Whitman from his own civilian service in Vietnam. It seemed unlikely, though anyone would surely remember an officer who stood 6ft 8 inches tall.

Hopefully the Colonel’s last work can be published in some near future. Posthumous editing can sometimes be a tricky job when needed, unless he managed some arrangements for it. Or so I hope, because that would be a legacy he could rest easy with. It would be all the more of interest, since IJA / IJN logistics are relatively little studied in English.

Did he learn any Japanese language? I inferred this because, like many of us, I was impressed by the depth of his IJA transportation study. It seemed one of recent examples of modern Japanese and US scholarship about the Pacific War working well together, inside or outside the Forum. For his work I could only contribute one very small item of interest, about one of the Japanese convoys reinforcing the Marianas. He in turn added something for my interest in food of the Japanese forces.

Besides his book on Bataan, is there a bibliography of his articles and other published work?

We salute and sound Taps for a fine contributor to our Forum,

COL John W. Whitman, USA, retired
Soldier, historian, author, Renaissance gentleman

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