OTHER ORCHESTRAL WORKS
OTHER ORCHESTRAL WORKS
Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra, Kay Lowe, soprano, Scott Tilley, conductor
Port Chicago letters
The Port Chicago letters are transcriptions of typewritten letters my father, Lt. Richard James Rendleman, wrote to his family, with several copies per letter sent to his mother and various family members. The Rendleman family has donated the original letters to the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and to the Port Chicago National Monument. The poem and book chapter are transcriptions of originals found in my father’s WWII trunk after he died.
This short letter informs Richard's parents that he is safe.
A short letter describing the immediate aftermath of the explosion at Port Chicago.
This letter describes the human element of the loss of Richard's best friend, Lt. (jg) Robert Raymond White (Bob) and other officer friends, helping Bob's wife, Inez, prepare to return home to Springfield, Illinois, and facing Bob's father who had come to Port Chicago to try to find Bob's body.
This letter provides a very detailed description of the immediate aftermath of the explosion.
A short letter that follows up on the preceding letter.
This very long letter, originally 15 single-spaced typewritten pages, describes Richard's train trip to Springfield, Missouri to escort Bob's body back home.
A short letter that forewarns of the potential mutiny among the African American enlisted men.
This short letter, marked "Save Forever" by Richard's mother, Allie B., is his last before going overseas.
This poem about Richard was written by enlisted man Ernie Oliver.
This is a short chapter from a novel, The Port Chicago Story, that Richard started to write about his Port Chicago experience. It provides insight into the dangerous conditions on the loading docks and the competition among officers to load the most ammunition.