Annapolis Photography Day 1

On the plane to the photo shoot of a lifetime

My next few blogs will be about our trip to Annapolis Maryland to photograph Captain Suzanne Lesko’s retirement ceremony and celebration.  Suzanne was one of the very few chosen women to be admitted to the US Naval Academy over 26 years ago.  She is a combat aviator who has served in multiple conflicts and multiple contingency operations. I am honored to photograph this very special moment in Suzanne’s life.  Somehow, Suzanne found me from a friend Jennifer Lyn Brande who referred me as a photographer she should consider.  I photographed Suzanne’s retirement party in Doral in November.  I will include some of the photos I took for that event.

A surprising offer

Alice mentioned to me wouldn’t it be cool if Suzanne invited me to photograph the official ceremony in Annapolis.  I agreed, but did not really believe it would happen,  Sure enough Suzanne asked me to photograph this event.  I asked her why she chose me for the event.  She mentioned it was not only my photography but my fathers experiences as a Purple Heart US Navy Veteran in World War II.  

Off we go to Annapolis.  Today we will attend an informal gathering and party with Suzanne and tomorrow afternoon will be the official retirement ceremony and celebration.  It should be epic.  It was difficult for me to pack all my desired photography gear in 2 bags.  I will be missing my strobes and large modifiers that produce such beautiful light.  

Camera Gear

For you photography buffs I will be taking 2 camera bodies: Nikon D850 and Nikon Z6 II.  Lenses include 24-70 F2.8, 70-200 F2.8, 50 and 85 1.8, 35 1.4 and of course my fish eye lens.  For lighting I am bringing 3 Flashpoint 200 strobes, and 3 external camera mountable flashes.  If that technical talk bored you, I will provide excitement later.  I am Mr Excitement!

Following the event tomorrow evening we will be spending a couple extra days to take in the sites and history of this incredible place.

Kamikaze Pilots and my fathers PURPLE HEART

Pictured here is my father who is a very proud now 95 year old World War 2 veteran.  As I mentioned previously my fathers naval destroyer was attacked many times by Japanese Kamikaze Pilots.  Two planes hit my fathers ship, one of which injured my father with shrapnel from the plane.  This piece of shrapnel which is about the size of 3-4 silver dollars together he still has and used to proudly show it off.  This WAR injury earned my father the PURPLE HEART which he also proudly displays on his cars drivers license.

Anthony Augustine Schmuki, a proud 95 year old World War II Veteran

My father describes the Kamikaze attack

“My responsibility was in the fore (front) part of the ship.  I loaded the massive machine guns with the BULLET pelts that fired on the attacking planes.  You could hear them coming from miles away.  As they approached the ship and their death defying suicidal attempts you could see the whites of the pilots eyes as they approached…” He mentions it seemed as if they were coming in slow motion, although the planes were stripped of weight to make as fast as possible.

I asked DAD why they called the Destroyer Naval ship a Tin Can…”the HULL was a thin layer of TIN”

As the plane hit the deck of the destroyer, my father was injured.

I have become very intrigued by this whole Kamikaze thing.  

I found the following information on Wikipedia very helpful:

Kamikaze (神風, [kamiꜜkaze]; "divine wind" or "spirit wind"), officially Tokubetsu Kōgekitai (特別攻撃隊, "Special Attack Unit"), were a part of the Japanese Special Attack Units of military aviators who initiated suicide attacks for the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy warships more effectively than possible with conventional air attacks. About 3,800 kamikaze pilots died during the war, and more than 7,000 naval personnel were killed by kamikaze attacks.[2]

Kamikaze aircraft were essentially pilot-guided explosive missiles, purpose-built or converted from conventional aircraft. Pilots would attempt to crash their aircraft into enemy ships in what was called a "body attack" (tai-atari) in planes loaded with a combination of explosives, bombs, and torpedoes. Accuracy was much higher than that of conventional attacks, and the payload and explosion larger; about 19% of kamikaze attacks were successful.[2] A kamikaze could sustain damage that would disable a conventional attacker and still achieve its objective. The goal of crippling or destroying large numbers of Allied ships, particularly aircraft carriers, was considered by the Empire of Japan to be a just reason for sacrificing pilots and aircraft.

These attacks, which began in October 1944, followed several critical military defeats for the Japanese. They had long since lost aerial parity as a result of having outdated aircraft and enduring the loss of experienced pilots. Japan suffered from a diminishing capacity for war and a rapidly declining industrial capacity relative to that of the Allies. Japan was also losing pilots faster than it could train their replacements. These combined factors, along with Japan's unwillingness to surrender, led to the use of kamikaze tactics as Allied forces advanced towards the Japanese home islands.

The tradition of death instead of defeat, capture and shame was deeply entrenched in Japanese military culture; one of the primary values in the samurai life and the Bushido code was loyalty and honor until death.

Another interesting video which helped me understand the psychology and tactics of this pitiful attempt by the Japanese helps me understand….

I also watched a very interesting video which I would highly recommend:

Top 10 Amazing FActs about Kamikaze Pilots

As World War II was coming to an end, American Naval forces were quickly approaching Japan and unless something radical happened, Japan would be defeated. Th...

Some interesting things I learned from this video:

1. Pilots were shamed into volunteering to fly to their death.  Shame would come to them, and their family if the pilots did not accept the mandatory “volunteer”.

2. The Japanese used their best pilots for their first run

3. The Japanese designed the planes specifically for Kamikaze missions

4. The Japanese also designed and attempted suicide torpedo man driven torpedos

5. The German Nazi’s also attempted the Kamikaze tactics - also an utter failure

6. The Japanese pilots were likely drugged … high on Meth to increase their short term intensity and focus 

7. The whole Kamikaze attempt was a major failure… sank 51 ships, only one was an aircraft carrier.  Responsible for the deaths of about 3,000 American and British men.  Japanese losses were 1,300+ planes and submarines lost and over 5,000 Japanese pilots, most of which were their BEST pilots.

8. Today the Kamikaze project is considered one of the biggest blunders of World War 2

As my father is still living, I honor him and all those veterans who have fought for all of us. I cannot imagine what he and his comrades went through. I love you DAD and I am so very proud of you! — Tom