After completing a half-block-long mural at the corner of Fourth and Main streets depicting high points in local history, Searcy-based artist Jason White came back to Fordyce to construct another larger-than life portraiture honoring one more of the town's famous native sons, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral Jimmy Thach.
White has recently completed a large, wrap-around, U.S. flag on the east and south walls of "The Cut'n Edge" beauty salon located at 139 W. Fourth St. at Fordyce. Unlike similar, flowing red, white and blue, stars and stripes images of the nation's emblem found around the state, the Fordyce version contains an inset likeness of a young Lt. Commander Thach following his rise to prominence in 1942.
Additionally included in the flag mural along with Thach's visage wearing his M-450 aviator cap and AN6530 goggles, is the USS Thach and a pair of F4F Wildcat fighter planes soaring overhead performing the deadly maneuver, the "Thach Weave."
Using the beauty shop's block structure as his canvas, White seamlessly incorporated the building's existing electrical service into his rendering of the ship's bridge and superstructure.
Candace McCollum is Fordyce Mayor John MacNichol's daughter and a founding member of the "For Fordyce" civic group. She recruited White to paint a pair of murals.
"I had seen Jason's work a couple of years ago and knew he needed to come to Fordyce to help tell what our town is made of," McCollum said. "With these two works of art, he has turned an empty parking lot into a destination."
FAMOUS MEN
Fordyce, a small Southeast-Arkansas city boasts being the childhood home of three senior military officers, an Army major general and two Navy admirals. The Dallas County Museum is one block south of the new mural at the corner of Third and Main streets. It contains a myriad of historic exhibits, including an extensive display of military photos, documents and artifacts pertaining to two-star Gen. Roy E. Porter and a pair of Thach brothers who earned their fame as Navy flag officers.
According to information contained in these displays, Porter was a highly decorated officer in World War I and II. He assumed command of the 75th Infantry Division in December, 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge. Following the Second World War, Porter took command of the U.S. Army of the Caribbean and Panama Canal Zone.
Admiral James Harmon Thach served as commander of the battleship USS Missouri from Feb. 24, 1948, to Feb. 5, 1949. He was the first of two Fordyce brothers who attended the Naval Academy at Annapolis.
A class of 1923 Fordyce Redbug, Vice Admiral John "Jimmy" Smith Thach followed in his older brother's footsteps, graduating from Annapolis in 1927. He spent the next two years aboard battleships until transferring to the aviation wing of the Navy.
As a test pilot and flight instructor for another 10 years, he built a reputation as a proficient flier and aerial gunnery expert.
FLIGHT LEADER
In 1940, Thach became the flight leader for Fighting Squadron 3 (VF3) aboard the USS Lexington. Following the outbreak of war in the Pacific on Dec. 7, 1941, U.S. fighter pilots in their F4F Wildcats proved outgunned and outmaneuvered by the nimble Japanese Mitsubishi A6M Zero fighter aircraft. The Zero was faster, more lethally armed and had a much higher rate of climb. Something had to be done to counter mounting losses due to the dire discrepancy.
Along with wingman Ensign Edward "Butch" O'Hare, Thach developed the now famous aerial maneuver known as the "Thach Weave" or beam defense position, "a tactical formation maneuver in which two or more allied planes wove in regularly intersecting flight paths to lure an enemy into focusing on one plane (the bait), while the targeted pilot's wingman (the hook) would come into position to attack the pursuer. When an enemy aircraft chose one fighter as his target the two wingmen turned in towards each other. After crossing paths and once their separation was great enough, they would then repeat the exercise, again turning in towards each other, bringing the enemy plane into the hook's sights. A correctly executed Thach Weave left little chance of escape to even the most maneuverable opponent," according to historical documents in the Dallas County Museum.
During the first two major naval engagements between U.S. and Japanese aircraft carriers in the Pacific at the Battle of the Coral Sea and Battle of Midway, Thach employed his dogfighting technique to blast six deadly adversaries out of the sky, proving the value of his freshly formed flight formation. Both U.S. aircraft carriers Thach flew from during the two engagements, the Lexington and Yorktown, were sunk by Japanese aerial assaults in the consecutive battles. Despite the significant pair of U.S. losses, the Empire of the Rising Sun lost five vital aircraft carriers at the same time.
Soon after that major turning point in the war, largely brought about by Thach's newly developed tactic, the lieutenant commander returned to the mainland to instruct fresh pilots in aerial combat. Based on his and other Navy and Marine aviator's first-hand experience recommendations, caused major changes to come about, adapting the F4F Wildcat airframe to upgrade to the F6F Hellcat. The Hellcat was heavily armored with greatly increased horsepower due to a powerful new radial engine. It more than overcame deadly discrepancies experienced by Allied fliers early in the contest.
WELCOME HOME
Along with his wife and young son, the Thachs were welcomed home to Fordyce with great fanfare on July 25, 1942.
Quoting from a July 30, 1942, Fordyce Weekly News article, "Between 2,500 to 3,000 enthusiastic spectators greeted Naval air ace and Pacific theatre hero at his homecoming rally held in Fordyce this past Saturday. Mayor B.G. Hickey acted as master of ceremonies, introducing Arkansas Selective Service Director General E.I. Compere. Referring to flier Thach's areal feats, Compere said, 'They are an inspiration to others to do their best in the fight for liberty and freedom and raise the morale of the nation'."
During the Korean War, Thach became captain of the escort carrier USS Sicily (CVE-118) before being promoted to vice admiral in 1960. He retired in 1967. Following Thach's death at age 75 on April 15, 1981, the USS Thach (FFG-43) was named in honor of the legendary Naval aviator. Commissioned into service on March 17, 1984, it was an Oliver Hazard Perry-class, guided missile frigate. It was tasked with providing anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine protection for carrier battle groups serving in the Persian Gulf.
The artist, White, has works that include 100 pieces of art between windows and wall murals. In addition to elaborate murals containing every kind of scene imaginable, he has so far painted enormous American flags for five cities. Details: whitesartworks@gmail.com.
The Dallas County Museum is open to the public Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Traveling artist Jason White stands before the image of the 819 steam engine in his first Fordyce mural. (Special to The Commercial/Richard Ledbetter)