BY Mona Raskin

July 4th, 2012, Americans were busy celebrating our nation’s 236 birthday

as a free and independent nation free from the English crown!

Our own city of Monterey Park celebrated “Independence Day” at our city’s

Barnes Park with an array of activities<booths of crafts> games and food! Their

festivities began at 3: pm until (9:pm! At 4:pm< a concert band played our national

themes and other classical music as well! At 5Pm A special welcome to our new

citizens and military families! 9:PM, spectacular fireworks concluded the day’s

events!

July 7, 2012 was another special event. The L A seaport in San Pedro had a

special opening of a new floating museum of the BB61 battleship “Iowa” The

“Iowa” is one of the four battleships, BB62 New Jersey, BB63 Wisconsin and the BB64

Missouri (on which the signing of the Japanese surrender) took place! These battleships were known for their quick speed in spite of the heavy armor, cannons and other vital

military baggage!

The “Iowa” was built at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1942! It was commissioned

in 1943! At this point, I am proudly going to add some personal history! It appears

that the Raskin family had a hand at this remarkable operation Mr. Hyman Raskin

WW I veteran and talented craftsman was involved in the construction of this

magnificent battleship BB 61 “Iowa”!

Mr. Raskin was the father of three sons!

The oldest was Murray Raskin who enlisted in the Army Air Core at 18 years old. He was overseas for four years, England and Germany!

The second son (middle one) Sol Raskin (my spouse) also was 18 spent his military history in the army engineers in at Adak, Aleuian Islands!

The third and youngest son, Norman Raskin spent his military service in Korea!

Norman also attended the opening of the new floating museum, the BB61

Battleship “Iowa”! He managed to snap some excellent photos.

Without question, the Raskin family can surely be proud to have shared an

important part of our nation’s military history! July 2012 was a very special

month to celebrate for sure!!