March 17, 2008

ARTIST TO UNVEIL PAINTING FOR FORD PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY

On March 28^th, Palm Desert artist Stan Stokes, will be unveiling his second painting commissioned by the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. The painting is of the aircraft carrier USS Monterey, the ship that a young Lieutenant Gerry Ford served on heroically in WWII. The unveiling will take place at the Richard Danskin Gallery in Palm Desert at 2:00 PM and is open to the public. Mr. Stokes has paintings in the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library, the Palm Springs Air Museum, the National Museum of Naval Aviation, the Air Force Art Collection, the Smithsonian and a painting of the USS Gerald R. Ford in the Ford Library.

The painting that Mr. Stokes will be unveiling depicts an event in the life of the late President that few people are aware of. The USS Monterey was a part of Admiral William "Bull" Halsey’s 3^rd Fleet which in the early hours of Dec. 18, 1944, found itself enveloped in a horrible typhoon. The storm was so violent that 3 destroyers had already sunk from beneath their crews. Airplanes inside the Monterey’s hangar deck had broken loose, smashing into each other and were ablaze. The fire had quickly spread to the point that Adm. Halsey was advising the Captain of the Monterey to abandon ship. The ship was in danger of exploding!

Lt. Ford had been officer of the deck through the long night and had just climbed into his bunk when general quarters sounded. As he dashed back toward the Captain’s bridge, he could smell the smoke. When he stepped onto the flight deck to climb the ladder to the bridge, the ship was hit by a huge wave knocking Lt. Ford on his back. He slid across the flight deck just barely escaping being thrown into the raging Pacific. When he reached the bridge, the Captain ordered him to lead the fire fighting crews into the blazing inferno. Donning gas masks and grabbing hoses, he and his crews fought the fire for 5 hours, ultimately winning the battle, saving the ship.

The painting will soon be permanently displayed at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library and visually tell the story of a young Gerald Ford’s little known, heroic act.

To find out more about Stan Stokes go to www.stanstokes.net.