Operation Ivy
US Atomic Veterans
Jack S. Holtwick Jr.
Jack Holtwick sent email about his grandfather, Jack Sebastian Holtwick
Jr., Commander of the USS Estes during Operation Ivy.
From: "Jack Holtwick" jack.holtwick@alz.org
To: pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation IVY film
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
Dear Keith,
I was referred to you by George Cowan, who I have been corresponding with via email. My grandfather, Capt. Jack S. Holtwick Jr. was the Commanding Officer of the USS Estes, the Lead Ship in Operation IVY. From what George tells me, you have the film for Operation IVY and that I might be able to obtain a copy on VHS. He says that most of the footage was shot aboard the Estes and I may be able to see my grandfather in some scenes. It would also be interesting to see what he was involved with. Thank you very much for your help.
Sincerely,
Jack S. Holtwick IV
From: "Jack Holtwick" jack.holtwick@alz.org
To: "Keith" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Re: Operation IVY film
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999
I will tell you as much as I know. My grandfather, Jack Sebastian Holtwick
Jr. was born in Indian Territory (not yet the state of Oklahoma) in February
of 1907. He moved to San Pedro, CA as a boy and worked with his father as a
photographer. When he was 17 years old, he entered the Naval Academy ( he
lied about his age) and to this day maybe the youngest ever to enter the
Naval Academy. He was commanding officer of the USS Estes and the USS
Platte. On-board, he was known as a bit of an eccentric ( which he seemed to
thrive on) wearing a monocle and bringing a sewing machine on-board to sew
his own curtains. In the mid to late 1930's before his command of these two
ships, he was involved with OP20-G at Pearl Harbor in Code Breaking
activities regarding JN-25 (The Japanese Diplomatic code). He is credited
with building the "Purple Machine" used in deciphering this code. After his
retirement from Naval life, he served with the National Security Agency
(NSA) in Laurel, MD as Chief of Staff and Staff Engineer of Haller, Ramond
and Brown (HRB Singer) in State College, PA. In the early 1960's he retired
to Kaneohe, HA where he dabbled in his hobbies of photography, raising
guppies, botany and playing host to his family for summer vacations. "Capt.
Jack", as he was known by friends, suffered a stroke in the late 1970's and
progressively worsened after his wife's (Mary Holtwick , nicknamed Dinty)
death in May of 1982. Capt. Jack Sebastian Holtwick Jr. died in January of
1987 and is buried at the Punchbowl in Honolulu.
I'll see if I have a nice photo to put with his bio. I wish I knew more
about IVY and his duty at that time.
I would very much like to have a copy sent to me of the Operation IVY film.
Thank you,
Jack S. Holtwick IV
From: "Jack Holtwick" jack.holtwick@alz.org
To: "Keith Whittle" pdxavets@aracnet.com
Subject: Operation IVY video
Date: Tue, 7 Sep 1999
Thanks Keith!
I very much appreciate the film of Operation IVY. About 5 minutes into the film is a Captain barking orders, that's my grandfather!
Sincerely,
Jack Holtwick
Email: jack.holtwick@alz.org
Keith Whittle
September 19, 1999
[ Operation Ivy ]