Sunday, March 6, 2011
People Treasures from the Shelby Foote Estate Sale!
Posted by Vance Lauderdale on Sun, Mar 6, 2011 at 1:04 AM
The house was packed with precious books (many signed by Foote himself), lovely sculptures, beautiful paintings, vintage photographs, old guns and canes and pottery and even a stunning collection (more than 40 glass cases) of butterflies.
The trouble is, I already have all that stuff, as anyone who has tried to walk through the Lauderdale Mansion can attest (along with the fire marshalls).
So instead, I concentrated on the odd and unusual, such as this old decal that carries the cryptic message, "It's TOTEM POLE." The pretty blonde lady seems to be landing in some form of helicopter (look out for those whirling blades!), and the fellow on the ground seems to be wearing an army uniform. But what it means, and being a decal, where it was supposed to go — well, that's a mystery.
If anyone can explain this, I would be mighty grateful.
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Totem Pole was the design of rotor mast initially introduced to very early designs of "heli-transporters" by hovering flight pioneer Raul Pescara's. As a generic term it was never trademarked, yet the term stuck even though the initial design was very long, which provided the ability of the early prototypes to incorporate multiple coaxial torque-neutral blades - vastly different from the single helicopter blade which eventually dominated the design - and thus needed a much shorter "totem-pole" rotor mast.
The term was incorporated, during the latter phases of the Korean conflict, by emergency medical evac units designated WAC SMEER Unit (Women's Army Corps Special Medical Emergency Evac Resource), primarily because the utilization of Rotary Flight to effectuate emergency and combat "CRAC-VAC" (Critical and Acute Evacuation) scenarios. WAC SMEER's enlisted and officer contingents advocated the utilization of Airborne female medical personnel in a wide range of theatres, most interestingly Hostile Operational Environment Situations (HOES), which came very close if not violated the Armed Forces Gender Directives (AFGD) prohibition on women serving in combat.
WAC SMEER implemented a public relations-like effort to sway both military leadership and politicians to recognize their hereto unsung activities and clear the way to officially serve - using banners, adhesive adornments on medical bags and equipment, and non-official cards and letterhead, using the "Tatum Totum" cartoon character - an airborne female dutifully serving the armed services with "Skills and Smiles" - Members of Congress, and over 3,000 top officers of Army, Navy, and Merchant Marine received the Tatum Totem comic book, which romanticized the efforts of the WAC SMEER in HOES for CRAC-VAC while downplaying the actual dangers of the operations. This failed to initiate serious institutional change for women in combat roles, but is the pre-cursor of recent and proposed revisions for HOES in the modern military.
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I feel as though I have missed out on the most significant literary event likely to occur in my lifetime.
No, not the estate sale - the chance to meet Vance Lauderdale!!!!
moondoggie, I believe you have definitely and completely answered my question about "Totem Pole." Many thanks. I'm very impressed. Now why would Shelby Foote, I wonder, have such a decal in his collection ...
And as for you, Jeff, it would have been pleasant to meet you, but difficult under the circumstances because the place was so very crowded, and every time I turned around, it seems I swept something off the mantle with my cape, or poked someone in the rear with my swordcane.
I had been so excited to look at the fascinating artifacts Mr. Foote left behind, yet I found myself standing in his yard watching Charlie Sheen on my Blackberry.
Whew! That's a relief.
I was truly worried that you were flirting with me Vance, which would definitely put you in either the blind or deranged category.
Hello. Female units wants to change regs for HOES. Low-hanging fruit waiting for COTW. Is this thing on ... ?
I was obsessed with following Michael Donahue's hair around the house. I bought one Balzac paperback. It's in French, which I can't read.
I met Shelby by accident one night. I was going to a party at my professor's house next door, and knocked on his door by accident. I was a history major in undergrad so I thought that was kind of cool.
Frau Steppendackel and I arrived at the Foote house about 11:30 Sunday morning. The line was out to the street, but it moved pretty quickly and we were inside by noon. Only the cheap stuff and the expensive things were left (I'd like an original Cloar as much as the next guy, but 45 large? Please).
I interviewed Mr. Foote at his home about 15 years ago. He graciously answered my questions in his workroom for about an hour and a half. Knowing I was an academic, he had me sit in a very soft, very low easy chair, which put my knees about on the level of my clavicle.
He stated unequivocally that he had destroyed the research and reference notes for his historical magnum opus, and I believed him! It will be interesting to see what Rhodes got in that category.
Phlo: what is it about the Sheen saga that's so riveting? I've never watched his sitcom and yet I'm still fascinated watching him unravel. I'm starting to think, though, that he may be getting a raw deal, the same way I felt about Blago. Having his kids forcibly stolen from him in the middle of the night was one step too far. I'm about to join the chorus of Britney Spears-like "leave Charlie alones."
Marty: I regret bringing the Sheen saga into this thread. That topic is so yesterday. Have you seen the TMZ video of Gary Busey pole dancing at a strip club Sunday night? That's where it's at, baybee!
The nomenclature for Hostile Operational Environment Situation (HOES) for WAC SMEER Unit (Women's Army Corps Special Medical Emergency Evac Resource), was obviously originated without thinking about the connotations, since females were precluded from Critical and Acute (CRAC) Evacuations (CRAC-VAC). in effectuation for war theatres. There is a growing sentiment however to update the rules for CRAC HOES in the military.
Congrats, Vance. I think you have the most twisted (in more ways than one) post trail in the history of blogs.
I got to the Foote estate sale at 7:40 and braved lightning & downpours and thunder to get into my favorite historian's house. Mind you, Vance, there were items from three or four other estates intermingled. So, folks who didn't see ML or BB, or X on the tag probably did not get a Foote object. I bought a "40th Anniversary Narrative (Fort Donaldson to Memphis)" and "Charleston to Vicksburg" for $10 each and "Shiloh" for $3.00. The narratives were never opened, and I had to presume these were his personal stash to sign and give to friends. The Shiloh book was not marked, but had to be one of his copies. Nevertheless, I loved being in that house and wished I could afford the $495 Majolica stork pottery. Gorgeous.
My mother designed a needlepoint piano seat cover for Shelby when I was little. It was a black panther sitting in marigolds. Did it ever actually get finished and if so was it at the sale? Just curious, does anybody know? I got to go in and walk around the house which was awesome, but that was many many years ago.
