Scratchweaver

SteveMiamiBeach,

  Today I saw your reply to my posting.  I am very glad to see that you are willing to communicate.  I would prefer to actually speak to you about Commander Wead.
  One fact I think is correct is that F.W.W. basiclly "set himself up" (with some limitations), when Ceiling Zero was made into a movie.  At least, I think that is correct. 
  Do you have a phone number at which I can talk to you?  I recognize that giving out your phone number over the internet may be hazardous.  If you would be willing to talk, but not willing to have your number "out there," is there an office I could call? They could either connect me to you, or I could leave my number there.  I looked on Google and I saw there was a gentleman at the University of Michigan in 2005, I think it was.  Is this you?  (I guess that you are no longer there.)  
  Anyhow, let's talk!  David, Raleigh, N.C.  Scratchweaver (talk) 17:00, 25 May 2010 (UTC)

Frank Wead

Is the masters thesis to which you referred on Talk:Frank Wead available on line? I don't mind that it may be flawed. It would be a starting point. Most of what I've found about Wead is statistical: Graduation dates, promotion dates, etc. The bio supposedly published by the Navy does not show up on the naval history web page; I wouldn't expect the Navy to publish a bio about a commander (grade O5) under normal circumstances.--Jim in Georgia Contribs Talk 14:49, 24 August 2015 (UTC)

Frank Wead, yes!

Dear Gaarmyvet:

  Your post is so surprising. I tried to communicate with the other person YEARS ago, received no reply, and gave up.  I do have some information on CDR Wead.  I don't know if the Master's thesis is on-line, but I doubt it.  It's from the University of San Diego. I'm not surprised there's not an N.H.C.(now the N.H.H.C.) biography of him on-line, but I know one exists; I've got a copy. Incidentally, it seems to have been written when the studio indicated they wanted to make the film about him.
  About the thesis: with respect to the author, in my opinion, it seems to have been written hastily, in a short time (as in overnight).  The bibliography of what CDR Wead wrote is not entirely accurate.  In defense of the author, he may have had a source (or list) and used it without checking the sources - which in this instance was often wrong.  There are numerous apostrophe errors in the work - for example Weads works (instead of Wead's works). I can go on and on, but I want to be somewhat brief.  
  I do not remember the year, there is an American Aviation Historical Journal article on Commander Wead that is good, as well as factual. (About 2000 ? - I'm sorry I don't remember when.)  I found it cited on line - perhaps you can do the same. 
 As I posted to the other fellow - I'd like to talk to you over the phone about Mr. Wead.  Without giving out too much info, I'm not sure how to do this.  I'll certainly respect your privacy.  
 Looking forward to a reply, David.Scratchweaver (talk) 16:13, 24 August 2015 (UTC)

I think Wikipedia discourages private conversations. If you have that bio of Wead, go ahead and edit the page, making sure you use a template so you get all the highlights. I'll be working there as well. There's still a lot of fluff to be removed. There's probably tons of stuff in the "Frank Wead Papers," but they're just that — papers. The bio on John Ford gives some insight to Wead but primarily in his screenwriting role. I need to check on some of those admirals who were his classmates. Maybe they wrote memoirs that mentioned Wead. I think Wead might have made admiral if he hadn't taken that tumble.--Jim in Georgia Contribs Talk 20:12, 24 August 2015 (UTC)

More Wead

Gaarmyvet:
  While I've got the biography, I am reluctant to put it on-line.  Send me your name and address, and I'll send it to you.  
  On Frank Wead's academics:  He finished 19 of 177 in the class of 1916.  I believe this same year at West Point is referred to as "the class the stars fell upon."  This group, in my opinion, were no less outstanding, but they get very little publicity.  Some of the more famous graduates of 1916: Number 1: Henry M. Mullinix, killed in the sinking of the escort carrier Liscome Bay (off of Tarawa). #3: Ralph E. Davison, who was an escort carrier division commander, moving up to a fast carrier task force commander. (He's on the Franklin [CV-13]on 19 March 1945, when they were hit by two bombs, and all heck broke loose.)#5: Russell S. Berkey who was famous, but I can't remember for what, at the moment. #9: Osborne B. Hardison. C.O. of Enterprise in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942, he was promoted in 1943 to Rear Admiral. #16: Laurance F. Safford - famous for helping to break the Japanese codes in the war. #18: William M. Fechtler C.N.O., eventually. #26 Gerald F. Bogan - an escort carrier and fast carrier task group admiral. Forced into early retirement in 1950 by Secretary of the Navy Francis P. "rowboat" Matthews. #58 - Robert B. Carney - Admiral Halsey's chief of staff 1944-1945, later became C.N.O. #59 - Arthur W. Radford - worked in the Bureau of Aeronautics in 1941-1942, a carrier task force admiral in 1943-1944-1945, eventually rose to be Chairman of the J.C.S. in the 1950's.  Well down the list of graduates: Charles Turner Joy helped to try to negotiate the treaty to end Korea, had a class of destroyers named after him, and John Dale Price, who was a flying admiral.  He flew the torpedo bomber with Wead, setting records for time of flight and mph and kph in 1924.  In 1944, he flew the four engine PB2Y Coronado against Wake Island on two raids (I believe), and post war was the DCNO (Air) in 1949-1950.  He's also the source (albeit in my opinion not always an accurate one), about Wead in a "letter" I think it is, at the U. of Southern Cal.  (I tried to get a copy sent to me, but the librarian said he could let me type out a copy there, but could not send me one.) If I remember correctly, I think it's about 100 pages.)  I think this Price letter is what most of the Master's thesis is based upon.           
 Own opinion department: Don't believe much of what's in the movie.  It's a mix of a bunch of stuff, and is meant, to me, to try to be funny and semi-serious.  If you're familiar with John Ford films, this makes more sense, but is not quire correct, either.  The famous statement "the testimony of two men" is hard to verify, in this instance, to me.  
 Wead's papers - I don't know where they are, if they exist.  I'd love to find them and look at them.  I looked today, and the A.A.H.S. Journal article is in the Winter 1997 issue.  From my own research:  Wead's name is "the name below the title" on I think, 38 movies.  There are another 3 to 5 where he might be a screenwriter, or author of something the movie used. To me, his most important film is the one from his play, Ceiling Zero.  I think he made about (give or take) $35,000 for that, when Hollywood made it a movie (an amount that was a "nice piece of change" in the mid-1930's).  That amount,plus his Navy retirement pay, plus his scriptwriting, made him "well off," so to speak.  
  Let me know what you want me to do.  That half-way bio I have seen recently on Wikipedia (maybe elsewhere), is not good enough.  
 Regards, David A. 2602:306:32BB:2AD0:71C8:F2C7:C57E:5F68 (talk) 22:36, 24 August 2015 (UTC)