Cape Fear History Symposium-- Part 3: Speakers

Lectures:

JOHN R. WEAVER II

Nationally known expert on masonry fortifications (Until a few years ago I thought it was spelled masonary) and is author of the highly acclaimed "A legacy in Brick and Stone: Coastal defense Forts of the American Third System, 1816-1867."

LT.COL, QUENTIN SCHILLARE

History of the architecture and layout of U.S. Army forts from 1890 to 1917.

GLEN WILLIFORD

His interest in Coast Artillery led whim to co-found  the Coast defense Study Group, an organization specializing in American harbor defense.His most recent project is identification guides to American field and coast defense guns.

DALE FLOYD

He specializes in military architecture, military education and 19th century military history.

VINCENT MELOMO and TOM BEAMAN

They have worked on four archaeological schools in Brunswick County North Carolina,  N.C. State Historic Site Brunswick Town/Fort Anderson and Fort Caswell.

ROBERT KELLY

"Fort Monroe: How Documentation, Physical Investigation and Archival Research Informs Preservation Initiatives."

Sounds Like Quite a Lineup of Experts.  --Old B-R'er

Cape Fear History Symposium-- Part 2: "Focus On Forts"

Participants will hear from the nation's leading experts on U.S. Coast defense history through a series of lectures and seminars and witness a live artillery demonstration (always better than a dead one, I think.  Just like I enjoy live bands better than dead ones.) and tour the campus (Fort Caswell) with experts.  Fort Caswell is usually off limits to visitors as it is part of a religious group.

You will get up close to relics and ruins as you learn about them.

Speakers include John Weaver, Lt.Col. Quentin W. Schillare, Glen Williford, Dale Floyd as well as Vincent Melomo and Tom Beaman on the archaeology of Fort Caswell.

Someplace I'd Really Like To Be This Weekend (But Since This Is Our 45th Anniversary, I Think Not.) --Old B-Runner

Role of Blacks at Fort Fisher-- Part 2: World War II

During World War II, Fort Fisher was again occupied by the Army, this time as part of the Coast Artillery and anti-aircraft training was carried on at the fort.

One of the first unites to arrive at Fort Fisher was the 54th Coast Artillery Regiment formed in 1941.  This unit was comprised of Blacks from the Midwest.  They trained in classrooms and had target practice.  Eventually the regiment was ordered to San Francisco.

In October 1942, the 2nd Battalion of the 54th was shipped out to the Southwest Pacific Theater.  Many of the 54th's men settled in California after the war.

--Old B-Runner