Editor’s Note: Daniel A. Bernath passed away on January 21, 2018
Scotty sent this to us over the weekend and I was holding on to it for a drought, but our own Ex-PH2 was excited that Daniel A. Bernath was a PH2, too. Just by looking at the rank on his sleeve, you can tell he’s a phony since, instead of laying out the bucks for new rank, he had a stripe embroidered on the sleeve. He has service stripes for twenty years of service, but his FOIA tells a different story;
3 years and change in active service, and a couple of years in the Reserves. Now let’s do some math – you’ll need most of your fingers, he’s wearing seven awards in the picture and the FOIA says that he has five. Well, finally we got a Navy phony who is not a SEAL.
ADDED: Look familiar? Courtesy of Sparks to whom I bow for his superior Google-foo belt.
From MCPO;
@99 – Old Sarge, will not stop until this s—st–k ‘fesses up and finds his ‘come to Jesus’ moment.
Go to confession, Bernath. Tell the priest you’re an asshole and you lie like a persian rug. I hear confession is good for the soul.
@101… I’ve read some of your posts on this guy. Keep at it, he’s in your neighborhood so too speak. It’s personal and I understand. It’s kind of like Herbert Williamson for me. Same thing it’s personal. When I see that ass wearing that black Stetson and claiming his bullshit I lose it.
Keep fighting the good fight. Stay on him till he squeals like a little piggy.
@102 3/17AirCav – It’s more than personal.
He made a threat of the kind that only a coward would come up with.
Kind of like Mailahn threatening Jonn or wickre doing a denial of service episode.
Cowards, one and all.
@103……just so I understand, questioning your service or worse?
I was trolling through Bernasty’s “bio” (that larded-up disorganized mess of onanistic self-congratulation) and I saw something that truly pisses ME off. I won’t share it, but suffice to say, this c-sucker is now personal for me too. I did not serve in our Armed Forces, but I have served the Nation in a much more modest capacity, and Bernasty has sullied my service. With his very existence.
Continue unleashing the bowels of hell on him, PH. Love you lots.
More on E-5 Bernasty, courtesy of The Oregonian:
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/06/portland_elevator_tussle_clima.html
Looks like Danny boy likes to play the KKK card and show his ass in court… and has liked about not being reprimanded (and having his law license revoked) in California.
And the follow-up on his trial:
http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/10/portland_judge_orders_social_s.html
Danny-boy also made the news for his skills as a pilot back in September:
http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2013/09/tigard_pilot_uninjured_in_plan.html
What a loser…
And, HMCS(FMF), he “caught the PTSD” somewhere in there too. Guess photography on carriers took a terrible toll on his soul.
@106. According to the judge referenced in the newspaper article, his license to practice was suspended, not revoked. he contends that it was not suspended. Normally, I wouldn’t quibble but the distinction is something that, in this instance, I think ought to made, for reasons you can probably guess. He certainly has issues in more than one arena and Lady Justice seems to have found him.
Ex PH2:
Per your e-mail to me; I would forward that info to the judge mentioned in comment #106. He is in a position to do something about it, is a veteran, and already knows of the asshattery that Bernasty is capable of.
And, HMCS(FMF), he “caught the PTSD” somewhere in there too. Guess photography on carriers took a terrible toll on his soul.
Only if he was on the USS Forrestal during the fire, ExHack.
Frankly O, I’m waiting to see if he plants any more such twaddle on my blog. One incident is obnoxious. More than one, with a continued direction like that, is something else.
There is a VAST difference between what HE said and what the rest of us have said. I have NO interest in putting him out of the business of practicing law. He seems to be aiming at doing that to himself.
He seems to think that the title of Honorary CPO is a promotion in rank, which it is NOT. It’s just a title. The most recent recipient of that is a civilian woman who is a tailor for Navy personnel at the Pentagon, and has been doing that for over 35 years.
In addition, he used my old division officer’s name on one of his phony LORs, and seems to think that I can’t prove that the many was my DO for three years, AND he’s nicked someone else’s image, stuck his own head on it, done a crapass sloppy job of ‘shopping it.
All you get when you are given the HCPO title is a CPO pin, a CPO’s cover and a certificate and it’s handed to you by the MCPO of the Navy. It is NOT a promotion in rank, simply an honorary TITLE.
What he said is a lot nastier than anything anyone has said here, including me. So let’s see if he comes up with more stuff like that and throws it at me. 🙂
Here’s an interesting piece of litigation by Our Boy Bernath.
http://www.aspecialdayguide.com/bernathresume.htm
Considering his history, the way he likes to attack people, and that there was no fire in that crash, this is an interesting byproduct from a crash landing. Almost looks intentional.
Isn’t this just special? Even if it’s a while back, it tells you something.
http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-5118-daniel_bernath.html
I was honored by the US Navy Photographers Association in 2006 as a Chief Petty Officer. and you?
I have served clients in California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho for 30 years as a lawyer.
I have been a newscaster on the biggest stations in LA, Detroit, NYC. and you?
I have had hundreds of clients, with tears in their eyes hug me for saving them and their families. and you?
I have earned my pilots license at age 62.
Every ribbon and medal I wear is because the Navy told me to do so on the DD214 and DD215 form.
As you have pissed away your life and are waiting around for which cancer is finally going to kill you, think about how happy I am, all the honors I have received and how crumbly your life has been.
Daniel A. Bernath, Chief Petty Officer (Hon).
ps. I don’t post anonymously because unlike you, I am not a coward. Call me! 503 367 4204
@115 Liar and Fraud.
Oh HELL NO…..
Here comes the Ex-PH2icane or is that Ex-PH2ornado? How about the TAH Pain Train?
/ducks and runs for shitstorm shelter.
HALL OF COWARDS
who post under anonymous names but actually are wearing women’s underwear, are overweight, sexually frusted, have been convicted and on the registered sex offender list for child molestation.
La-de-da indeed
Ex-PH2
Hondo
2/17 Air Cav
ExHack
Green Thumb
OldSargeUSAR
A Proud Infidel
Brownwolf
MrBill
MCPO NYC USN Ret.
T-Money
Green Thumb
Brownwolf
NavyChief
Don H
Jacobite
Scotty
Andy
GDContractor
Hondo
Tman
Alberich
TwoFiveZulu
CTRC (not a fake)
Anonymous
DaveO
Combat Historian
Lee
NavyE9r
TheCloser
Pinto Nag
Sparks
again, I am Daniel A. Bernath, attorney at law, Chief Petty Officer (Hon) and my phone number is 503 367 4204. Call me up and lets discuss whatever you like. But no. You are there in the women’s underware, in front of your computer, taking a moment out from viewing your child porn to anonomous comment on a real American who has served his country in both the USN and the Dept of Homeland Security.
(by the way, I also drive a new Caddy, have a pretty wife, all my kids have graduated from college and I’m overweight, so I eat well too. and you? Frustrated with all you failures in life and attack the people who actually succeeded at everything he has attempted.) The US Navy Photography Association honored me with the title of Chief Photographers Mate in 2006. I took my head from pic and put it over both the pic of the other Chief and another barrister. I get a real kick out of people saying that the uniform is fake, the crow is fake, fake fake fake! You are a great source of amusement to me as you live in your trailer home-so close to your neighbor you can hear him take a shit and smell it afterwards. I live on a 5 acre oceanfront property so I can go to my 50 foot sailboat when the mood strikes me, or fly off on my Beech Bonanza on my private air strip).
#56, Brings back a lot of memories when I was an Air Force Photograher. Suprisingly I can still answer some of those questions. Some did stump me, if I remember the only film you can process in safelight is either infrared or Hi contrast. Please refresh my memory on that one. Speed Graphic used 4x 5 sheets or a polaroid back.
Anonymous Coward
Someone too cowardly to post their real name next to what they write. — AnonymousCoward
SlashDot uses AnonymousCoward as a social device to encourage – but not require – that posters identify themselves. The result (at SlashDot) is a mixed bag: the level of immature flaming is considerably higher among the AnonymousCoward set, but it also provides a means for some people to provide information or opinions without fear of reprisal from their company. It is also used on occasion by people who can’t remember their damn password. — DaveSmith
Actually, AnonymousCoward used to be a specific user on SlashDot before they had accounts. Now since they didn’t have accounts, there really wasn’t anything to keep anyone from posting as AnonymousCoward, but there wasn’t anything to keep people from posting as DaveSmith either. To my knowledge, at this point on Wiki, AnonymousCoward only refers to one person, who would generally prefer to remain anonymous. I’m not the original SlashDot AnonymousCoward, but I haven’t seen anyone other than me post here using that name. –AnonymousCoward
I have, too! — AnonymousCoward
Don’t think of AnonymousCoward being used in the SlashDot sense (i.e., to encourage people to use their real names), but rather as someone here who wishes to create an AnonymousIdentity. — AnonymousCoward
Of course, RecentChangesJunkies can track anonymous postings by frequent posters. Sometimes I have the urge to reply directly to the person’s identity even if the post was anonymous. I hold back because that would violate their intent. — a rhetorical AnonymousCoward
Well, that works, to an extent. But it is imperfect if that person jumps from internet connection to internet connection frequently. Actually, the reason I first used it was to differentiate my entry in a discussion from the surrounding ones without leaving a name. Otherwise I wouldn’t have put anything at all. Then, the idea of continuing to use it other places stuck. I make revisions with out signing (usually), but new comments on discussions, or new topics I sign. This way people will be able to decide if they think I’m an idiot or not by watching a large number of posts with the same signature instead of anonymous unsigned changes. — AnonymousCoward
Me too. I find this whole AnonymousCoward thing on WikiWikiWeb quite unsettling. Smells like SlashDot in here… — TimVoght
Me three. I’ve never posted to SlashDot simply because I made the mistake of signing up under my real name with my primary email address. It’s amusing to see SlashDot pseudonyms (with a free/throwaway email address) flaming an “AnonymousCoward” for not revealing their real identity. — CliffordAdams (who is usually an unsigned VoiceOfWiki)
N.B.: You can just make up a new account and off you go; don’t be shy. –SomeSlashdotUser?
Sometimes it is nice to be able to put in a sentence but not have to bring along all the associative baggage that comes from one’s name. I prefer seeing someone say, Hey! I’m an AnonymousCoward and I’m willing to tell you that much! It is more bits of information added to the content than no signature. –AlistairCockburn
The established tradition of simply leaving no signature at all is often appropriate, but I see your point about that extra bit of information. It’s just that AnonymousCoward brings it’s own baggage over from SlashDot. A different name that does not have a stigma attached would make me grimace less 🙂 –tv
There’s a discussion about the social effects of anonymity from AdvoGato in http://advogato.org/article/69.html .
I have always felt that we are all anonymous cowards on the web. There are no threats to fear here, and no eyes that can see our faces.
@115, call you? so you can file charges of phone harassment you shyster? no thank you.
@ 114, and 113, nice finds. Again, proof that faking is a symptom of a much larger character problem(s)
@117-This HAS TO BE a troll. No way somebody could mimic Paul Wickre that closely. Caddy instead of jaguars, accusations of perversions/cowardice, bragging about nonexistent wealth.
#117: I’m insulted, you left me out and I agree with the postings of these earlier listed veterans who served with honor.
@121, it could be a troll, or it could be that the faker in question has snapped just like a few other fakers have because when Jonn and his crew have the truth on their side and don’t back down, it can make posers act a little squirrelly.
@119-CPO Bernath, what you’ve just said is one of the most insanely idiotic things I’ve ever heard. At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. Everyone on this blog is dumber for having listened to it. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.
@123-Yes. We won’t know for sure until the IP address is checked. Somebody with admin privileges, could you indulge my curiosity?
Easy, kid, lest you get your knickers sued off.
Now, here is his personal and professional history, as to;ld by him. Included are all sorts of servoce-related goodies. If you are going to read through it, get yourself a drink first.
http://www.aspecialdayguide.com/bernathresume.htm
I made the List! I made the List! I made the List! Hey, folks I have ever made a list before! I am pleased and honored to accept this award. I thank my parents for having me and my producers and directors and all the little people who made this possible. 😀
@126-I went cross-eyed trying to read all that engineering and legalese. Basically what I derived is that he did something unbelievably stupid (starving the engine of fuel) while having very little in the first place, crashed, and is suing the company. True?
I just called him and he did not pick up! 503 367 4204
Whoop whoop, I made it onto Daniel “the Barnacle” Bernath’s list of wrath! After almost three years of reading TAH threads – finally, an embellisher/poser acknowledged my existence.
@128. His claim, in part, is that a manufacturing defect, of which he had no prior notice, caused fuel starvation when, he contends, one tank had fuel in quantity sufficient for him to complete the flight. It’s not interesting reading. Scroll down and read the stuff below.
I think our phony CPO is trying for a higher seed in the next stolen valor tourney
And for the last time, he is not an Honorary CPO.
He is a fraud …
@119
JACKASS!
@ #115 – Why didn’t you list the fact that you are a (TaDa!!!) Oregon Public Notary along with all your other accomplishments? Gosh, I was your biggest fan and you repay me by accusing me of child molestation and wearing women’s clothing? Simultaneously?
@130 Brownwolf I am feelin’ it with you man! I made the list. However, this year I will not be accepting the award personally. In recognition of my protest over the treatment the American Indians, Indian Maiden Cumsalot will be accepting on my behalf. 😀
Doing his best Wickre impression, I see.
“Although a holder of an Oregon Driver License, Daniel Bernath is not an illegal alien…”
Thanks for warning me about that drink, 2/17th. That is a scream.
Wow he is one of those bottom feeding Social Security lawyers, apparently he was practicing illegally in the State of Oregon and got his flacid pee pee wacked.
“The facts are these: In 1998, Bernath was denied membership in the Oregon Bar for “lack of good moral character.” The Oregon decision pointed to Bernath’s one-year suspension from the California Bar in 1995 for failure to pay child support and cashing a client’s settlement check without her permission. Bernath, according to the decision, also failed to report a $34,000 judgment against him for malicious prosecution and destroyed all his case files from California when he moved to Oregon in the late 1990s.”
Dipshit, you aren’t special or even talented. I personally have did a Social Security Appeal for someone by writing a simple hand written paragraph. They got 23,000 bucks.
P.S.
Put me on your hate-list too, you bloviating cock-monger.
What a douche. Hey Bernath, you are a fake and a bad one at that.
Yeah, he is a walking, talking, chest bumping legend. I have seen embellishments, hyperbole, and outright flights of fancy many times, but this guy takes the cake. He is so far ahead of the pack, I need the Hubble telescope to see who is running second.
@117- And I thought nobody was paying attention…
I merely pointed out the silver(pewter) buttons.
Are you claiming those are standard on a Chief’s jacket?
BTW, I’m an actual MCPO (though honored to be one).
Looks like he took offence to a judge calling him out on being a lying sack of shit too. He went full Wickre, posting crap about the judge on his website, then filing several complaints against him. He was able to get the judge suspended for 4 days on one account, disclosing a clients SSN to another lawyer.
Phony Chief Bernath got a slap on the wrist and made to attend anger management, but from the comments of the judge who sentenced him his reputation is shit.
“Papak dressed Bernath down for his behavior — such as lampooning Hyatt on his website as a Ku Klux Klansman and behaving like a preschooler fighting for a swing — and said officers of the court are expected to treat judges with respect.
“This trial,” Papak said, “is an embarrassment, in my mind.”
The tiff on the lift climaxed a three-year war of words between Bernath, a Tigard attorney who represents clients in disability cases, and Hyatt, one of the judges who hears those claims at the Portland hearing office. Their squabbles — which include dueling state bar complaints, claims of slander and a $10 million lawsuit — were chronicled in a July story in The Oregonian.
The spat began in 2007, when Hyatt questioned Bernath’s honesty in a disability hearing. The judge felt Bernath lied when he said he’d never been suspended by bar officials in California, where he holds a law license; Hyatt turned over an audio recording of the hearing to an Oregon State Bar investigator.
Bernath filed six bar complaints against the judge, all dismissed. He also sent letters to tax officials that suggested Hyatt had cheated on his taxes. Bernath mailed letters to a slew of lawyers asking for dirt on Hyatt. He posted accusations against the judge — including claims of cruelty, dishonesty and racism -”
Full Wickre.
What? In some circles I am considered worthy of at least an honorable mention on such an august list of notables. Therefore, I am highly miffed and hereby and forthwith put this snub-nosed idiot on notice that any further slings which are slung generally at posters here which do not include myself may result in an as to reference from legal counsel, aka a lawer.
This may be a good time to clarify a thing or three for posterity. I am not sexually frusted but am indeed sitting here in women’s underwear. What? You would prefer that I wear boxers? Not gonna happen.
So you finally got that pilot’s license? Some of us grew up with airplanes all around us and find you to be quite an underachiever in that regard. Bless your heart.
Silly boy – you really are in the wrong crowd to be looking down that pug nose of yours. But you are amusing, in a sick sort of way. Oh, well, gallows humor comes with the territory among veterans. Thanks for volunteering to be the object of our laughter this week.
@136 Sparks,
I live on an Indian Reservation. Indian Maiden Cumsalot is currently unavailable; however, I’ll send Juanita and her five sisters as part of an entourage to pelt Daniel “the Barnacle” Bernath with rotten fruit and castrate him like the bad sheep that he has been towards others.
Hondo should be pleased that he was also listed twice on that list of lists.
The Commanding Officer of the USS Yorktown, Captain William L. Bennett, regarding the Yorktown’s last combat deployment stated,
“Petty Officer Daniel Bernath frequently volunteered to be the combat photographer on day or night helicopter missions over enemy territory and waters and as the rescue aircrewman on these dangerous flights for which he had been trained.
He taught many of the new recruits to the photography field the fine art of taking an outstanding picture and was an idol for them.
Dan Bernath is the kind of sailor, petty officer and shipmate that every commanding officer hopes to have in his organization, especially in the combat zone.”
Capt. Bill Bennett, USN
Nomination of Daniel A. Bernath to
Honorary Chief Photographer’s Mate
By PHC Milt Putnam
I nominate Daniel Alan Bernath because of all he has done to support and honor the Photographer’s Mates and for all he has done so that the world can know of the accomplishments and sacrifices of the US Navy sailors. There is no person more deserving of this honor because he contributed more and done more to support US Naval Photography throughout the 38 years I have known him..
I served with him in the combat zone in Vietnamese waters. Dan Bernath was a Photographers Mate on the USS Kearsarge and USS Yorktown. During his service time, he photographed sea air rescues of downed pilots in the Tonkin Gulf, the shipping going into and heading toward the communist ports or assisted and his photographs and assistance aided the intelligence community as they planned out future bombing missions. He was so committed to our country, the US Navy and the war that when his fellow shipmates on the USS Kearsarge were looking forward to returning to the US, Bernath volunteered to transfer to the USS Yorktown for another combat zone deployment.
The first time I saw Daniel Bernath I was standing on the rolling deck of USS Hassayampa AO-145 waiting for my turn to be highlined to USS Yorktown and report to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron Four. (Yorktown had just returned to operations in Vietnam waters from the Sea of Japan and I had flown to Hassayampa from Da Nang a week before.) Dan Bernath was photographing the refueling and highlining of personnel. I was able to observe him for quite a while and enjoyed seeing how he covered the event. I don’t remember how many fuel lines or stations there were on Yorktown that day, but Daniel Bernath was running from station to station getting pictures of all the men connecting lines and securing them into place.
Upon my arriving on Yorktown, Dan was standing nearby and I asked where the photo lab and HS-4 offices were. He pointed toward the hanger bay and said, photo lab is the first hatch on the right. He then said, “I’m on my way to the flight deck to get some pictures of the helicopters hoisting stores aboard, I’ll show you the HS-4 office.”
I remember returning to Yorktown from a flight to Hue, South Vietnam. We had taken small arms fire and the helicopter was peppered quite a bit. When we landed, Dan was there to capture on film for the record how much damage we had taken. He follow the helo from the flight deck to hanger bay level shooting the complete operation. After the post-flight inspection, I left to take a shower and Dan was still shooting away. I’m sure those pictures are in the Navy archive.
Another helo returning from South Vietnam to Yorktown was hit by ground fire and on the way out lost its tail rotor thus spinning into a safe landing in the South China Sea a few miles from Yorktown. Within seconds of learning a helo was down the ship began steaming toward the landing site to hoist the HS-4 helo from the sea, Dan had cameras ready and standing on the flight deck waiting to photograph the recovery well before the ship reached the site. Those pictures are in the Naval archive.
During my TAD to Yorktown for the Apollo 8 Astronaut and Command Module recovery, Dan Bernath photographed all the practice recoveries from the ship.
Walter Green a photographer from the Associated Press commented to me that Dan was the best photographer the Yorktown had. Walter used some of Dan’s images on the Associated Press wire service. Those pictures were used in newspapers worldwide.
Recovery Day: Dan was all over the ship shooting the complete recovery operation. Green said, Dan had some great images of the Apollo 8 crew.
During the recovery of the first Men to the Moon, the Apollo 8 mission, Bernath photographed the returning astronauts along with me and his photographs are now a part of the History of the US Navy and of the United States and are on permanent retention at the US Naval Photographic Center. (His photographs, along with mine are on display on the hanger deck of the USS Yorktown today along with the replica of the Apollo 8 space capsule. Bernath donated his piece of the actual space capsule and it is also on display on the USS Yorktown. His photographs are being viewed by the approximately 600,000 visitors to the USS Yorktown who visit annually. Picture: Capt. Fifield, Astronauts, PH3 Daniel Bernath and PH2 Putnam)
Being with HS-4, I was TAD to Yorktown photo lab. After settling into the lab, I noticed that just about every photo job that came in, Dan would ask his leading petty officer PH1 John Starkey if he could shoot the assignment. I mentioned this to the lab chief, Senior Chief Relleve and he told me that Dan was the best shooter he had and Dan tried to learn and do everything. PHCS Relleve also said he tried to work it that Dan shot all portraits, because he did it better.
A large black and white print order came in one day and I remember two or three of the guy’s fussing about who was going to print it. (no one wanted the job) I think it was 8 or 9 35mm negatives that needed 10 or 15 8X10″ prints each. Dan reached over the crowd and took the negatives from Petty Officer Starkey’s hands and said, “I’ll do it.”
While on Yorktown, my skipper wanted me to cover everything HS-4 did. Dan often asked if I needed help covering flight operations and flight missions. Dan Bernath helped on the flight deck and flew several photo assignments with the squadron in the combat zone with HS-4, HS-6 and other search and rescue squadrons as shooting for the squadron as we landed throughout South Vietnam at Hue, Da Nang, Cam Ranh Bay and rescue locations elsewhere in South Vietnam.
He had a particular talent for helping out the new photographers assigned to the photo lab and took great pleasure in finding the talent in every Photographer’s Mate and in turning a raw recruit into an accomplished Naval Photographer.
This affection he felt for his fellow sailors also surfaced when he went into every division on the ship and photographed the working sailors at the often time dirty and tedious jobs so that he could present his fellow sailors as the common-man heroes that his photographs of them revealed them to be for the cruise books and Naval Achieves. He entered every space of the ships, into the boiler rooms, officer’s country, jet fuel and oiler facilities and spaces, voids, CIC, etc.
Photographer’s Mate Bernath is an outstanding individual, unexcelled as a technician in the darkroom and with the ability to place everyone at ease, from Admiral to Seaman, as he photographs the most routine “shipping over” to sensitive and dangerous accident photography with jet fuel splashed everywhere and intelligence photography. During his military career he was one of those rare individuals who receives nothing but the best effort from himself and from those around him.
For all that Bernath has done for Naval Photography while in our Navy’s uniform, he has done far more for the US navy since that time After leaving the US Navy, Bernath became a broadcast journalist at major radio stations in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, St. Louis, New Orleans, etc. and always sought out the local US Navy recruiter for publicity and to talk up the role of the Photographer’s Mate. It would be a fair estimate that Bernath recruited hundreds of young men and women to the US Navy by his broadcasting the US Navy story when he was a radio newscaster and talk show broadcaster.
At about the time that the United States was attacked on 9/11, Bernath sought out new ways to serve our Country, our Navy and the Photographer’s Mate rating. He took over the website http://www.USSYorktown.com and under his command it has grown from a few pages on the internet to one of the most visited sites with over two million four hundred thousand people. His honoring of US Navy Photographers and the US Navy has probably caused hundreds, if not thousands of people to be inspired enough to join the US Navy.
He has taken thousands of US Navy photographs made by Photographers Mates and displayed them to the world. He has exposed our best work by displaying it like this to his audience of over two million;
“OFFICIAL US NAVY PHOTOGRAPH
The most famous picture from World War Two Official US Navy Photograph by Photographers Mate Chief Petty Officer Alfred Cooperman, the USS Yorktown under attack and crew shoots down a torpedo bomber, put on the cover of Life Magazine. Picture autographed by “Jocko” Clark, the Yorktown’s first skipper:
“Victory At Sea”~see movie combat movie footage by Photographers Mate Corey and other US Navy Photographers
“Done in the Face of Grave Danger.” US Navy Photographers Mates record the US Navy in combat in the 21st Century”
Having done so much to show the world of our service to our country and our Navy by displaying over 2,000 official US Navy Photographs, Bernath wanted to go even further. Photographer’s Mate Bernath searched out the history of the Photographer’s Mate rating and posted it on USSYorktown.com. He placed it on the internet to coincide with the end of the Photographer’s Mate rating in the summer of 2006 to honor our rating. On this tribute to Photographer’s Mates (please see attachment), Bernath traced the history and the heroism of our rate.
Many Photographer’s Mates reading the tribute to their own rate say that they learned things about Photographer’s Mates that they never knew before, such as the heroic efforts of the Photographers Mates at Pearl Harbor on December 7th 1941, the story of Photographers Mate Roy who photographed the battle of Midway who had only an aerial camera to photograph the sinking of the US navy ships and thereafter saved the film by taping the film to his body as he abandoned ship-but saving the pictures for future generations to view, Navy Photographer Edward Streichen who went back into the Navy at age 62 and after the war had his photographs sell for nearly $3 million.
Photographer’s Mate Bernath acquired all the “crows” of Navy Photographers through the decades, from the “flying printers” crow, to the bellows camera crow, the light through the lens with and without wings and finally to the new rate of Mass Communications Specialist. Photographer’s Mate Bernath, put it all together for everyone to see like a museum on the internet in honor of our rate and all we Photographer’s Mates have done for our Navy and our Country
Bernath has also acquired and displayed for the world to view pictures of Photographer’s Mates struggling to do their work in the combat zones around the world and even has the uniform patches of Combat Camera Group for both the Atlantic and Pacific Fleets. Bernath, thus not only honors Photographer’s Mates by showing our many tasks around the world but also ends the tribute by revealing that Photographer’s Mates are the “Eyes of the Fleet” and that there is “Thanks from a Grateful Nation” for the Photographer’s Mates for “telling the Sailor’s Story.”
From the People of the United States to the
US Navy’s Photographer’s Mate Corps 1914 to 2006
THANKS FROM A GRATEFUL NATION!
This tribute to photographer’s mate has been received well, quickly becoming one of the most visited features on USSYorktown.com Indeed, when someone types into the Google search engine the words, “Photographers Mate Rate USN”, the living museum to Photographer’s Mates that Bernath has created shows up in first place with over 105,000 other websites mentioning those words coming after. When the words “u.s. navy photographers mate” are typed into Google, Bernath’s tribute shows up in second place after the official US Navy site http://www.news.navy.mil
Not only is the history of the Photographer’s Mate rating preserved and presented in an easily accessible format because of the support of Naval Photography by Bernath but this tribute is being viewed around the world. Tracking shows that the tribute to Photographers Mates is being viewed by US Navy sailors out to sea, US Navy sailors at Navy bases such as Norfolk, San Diego, many visitors from Pensacola Florida, presumably active and retired US Navy Photographer’s Mates, and also visitors from England, Spain, France, Hong Kong, China, Canada, Germany and Japan to name a few.
Not only is Bernath honoring Photographer’s Mates but he is helping retired Chiefs and veteran Photographer’s Mates reunion. On each of the 10 pages of his moving and inspiring tribute there is a link to our Navy Photography Association and a direct call for action and encouragement from Bernath to go to our website and to join our Association!
Here is an example:
National Association of Naval Photography“Don’t let the Photographer’s Mate rating die!
Keep the Photographer’s Mate rate alive. Remember and Honor your service to the US Navy. Join the National Association of Naval Photography”
Photographers Mate Bernath worked under PHCS Emiliano Relleve on the USS Yorktown during a Vietnam deployment. It was Chief Relleve’s wish to nominate Bernath as an Honorary Chief to our Association. But Chief Relleve passed away in 2004 and because of that I have the honor to make the nomination in place of the late Photographers Mate Senior Chief Relleve.
Senior Chief Relleve told Photographers Mate Bernath a few months before he died; “one of my most prized possessions is the photograph you made of me on the Yorktown shaking hands with the First Astronauts to the Moon.
Every since I was a little boy I wondered if the Moon was made of green cheese! I put your picture on my wall and I’ve looked at that picture of me and the astronauts every day since you made it of me 35 years ago.”
With all the efforts of Photographer’s Mate Bernath, I wouldn’t be surprised that the Naval Photographer’s Association receives many, many more new members and will thus continue for many years into the future. His accomplishments are in the highest traditions of the US Naval Service and of our Photographer’s Mate rating.
Photographer’s Mate Bernath’s influence has extended from the Vietnam War/Cold War Era to the present day. From time to time, I’m asked to speak to different groups and show slides of my time in the Navy. The last couple groups were Boy Scouts who had spent the night onboard Yorktown at Charleston, SC. They wanted to know if I had visited the Yorktown website and seen all the Navy pictures. Several told me they are interested in the Navy after finishing high school. Two scouts mentioned that since visiting the ship and looking at all of the official US Navy Photographs found at http://www.USSYorktown.com they will become Naval Officers after college. Because of all that Photographer’s Mate Bernath has done to support and honor our Country, our Navy, Naval Photography and Photographer‘s Mates, I unhesitatingly recommend him for selection as an Honorary Chief Photographer’s Mate.
Respectfully submitted,
Milt Putnam
Milt Putnam, PHC (Ret)
National Association of Naval Photography 03 MAY 2006
Honorary Chief Photographer’s Mate Nomination
Daniel A. Bernath Dan Bernath Daniel Alan Bernath
By Dale Potts, Captain, United States Navy (Reserve, Ret.)
Thomas Gardner
1978 Butternut Street
Charleston SC 29414
Gentlemen,
I am honored to nominate my former shipmate, Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel A. Bernath for Honorary Chief status in your organization. I have known Dan Bernath since our days serving together on the carrier USS Yorktown in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam in 1967, through the cruise around South American and the NATO North Atlantic cruise to Europe in 1969.
I was the Public Information Officer on the USS Yorktown and worked closely together with Photographers Mate Bernath on many projects. I remember that he always presented a good image with his trim squared-away military appearance and easy going manner. One of his quarterly reports states that, “he adds much to the moral of the division” and I can see why that was so because as he arrived on the scene of a photographic assignment, he put the participants at ease even though they might initially be intimidated by the large camera and flash equipment.
He was good at directing all US Navy personnel for the photographs whether they were seaman or the Commanding Officer and thereby presented a good image for all Navy Photographers.
Photographers Mate Bernath left the US Navy and entered a journalism career that had him move constantly from NYC to Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New Orleans, back to New York City and because of that his wish to remain in the US Navy Reserve could not be fulfilled. Bernath’s attitude however is “I was a part of the US Navy. The US Navy will always be a part of me.“
Bernath‘s leadership abilities were recognized by the Navy and he was promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class in three years. I’ve heard him say, “My greatest regret in life is that I didn’t get promoted to Chief Petty Officer. If I could have stayed in the Navy I would have done it. That is one goal I wanted but because of my journalism career could not attain.”
From 1970 to 1982 he was an award winning journalist (using the “on the air” name of Daniel Abernathy) primarily on radio but also on television in such cities as New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, New Orleans, Milwaukee where he won awards for “newscast contributing most to the community”, “best spot news” and the like and to support and contribute to the Navy always looked for and featured US Navy stories to broadcast.
Bernath constantly went out of his way to put the local US Navy recruiters on the air, spoke on the air about the grand life of a US Navy Photographer in talk shows, thus giving the US Navy free publicity that reached millions of young potential recruits.
Photographers Mate Bernath later became a highly successful lawyer but because of his affection for people and love of photography that he gained by working with his Photographers Mate Chiefs James A. Herry and Emiliano Relleve, he also stayed a photographer. He volunteered to completely reorganize our local VFW website and it is now such a professional site that we are a the leading contender to have our VFW website named as the Best VFW Website in the Country (located at http://www.patriothall.com for renters and for the veterans http://www.tualatinvfw.com )
Bernath, using the skills he learned from years before at the direction of Photographers Mate Master Chief Emiliano Relleve of the USS Yorktown, in making portraits of US Navy officers, made US Navy quality portraits of our VFW membership, which increases the morale of the veterans and again enhances the image of US Navy Photographers.
His greatest accomplishment, contribution and action in support of US Naval Photography was his becoming the webmaster of http://www.ussyorktown.com. That is the website of the USS Yorktown Association but it has turned into a useful tool of the current US Navy. When Bernath took command of the website it consisted of 3 pages and a history of the association page. It was rarely visited on the internet.
From that, he contacted US Navy Photographers from around the country and had them donate pictures that they had created or obtained of the men and machines of the US Navy. There are now over 400 pages contained 2,200 pictures almost all photographs made by US Navy Photographers through the decades.
Most amazing is that since taking over this, approximately 2,400,000 visits have been made to that website to view the photographs that the members of your fine organization and all US Navy photographers created through the years. Therefore, Bernath has exposed millions of people around the world to the work and efforts of US Navy Photographers. The website has been a source of veterans to download US Navy pictures to show to classes when they give lectures about US Navy history. Many young men and women have been drawn to the US Navy career because of the US Navy Photos and words of US Navy veterans found at the website that Photographers Mate Bernath created, expanded and maintains. Photographers Mate Bernath has united photographer’s mates and other shipmates who haven’t talked to each other in sixty years as they go onto ussyorktown.com, post their names on the ussyorktown.com forum and find old combat buddies.
Using the famous combat footage of World War Two, he compiled and put into the Academy Award Winning movie “The Fighting Lady”, and “Victory at Sea” converted it to be played on the internet and has posted it on ussyorktown.com. This has permitted the world to see this fabulous combat footage of US Navy Photographers, greatly supporting US Naval Photographers through the decades. He also has obtained US Navy combat photographs from the Gulf Wars of the 21st Century US Navy Photographers Mates and permanently displayed them for the world to see 24 hours a day as well.
Some of the most famous still photographs are from Chief Petty Officer Alfred M. Cooperman, who bravely photographed the “flaming Kate” as it made the kamikaze run on the fleet and was being shot down by US Navy gunners of the USS Yorktown.
Also on display are the Kamikaze attacks filmed by Navy Photographers Mate Jeff Corey (who later went on to be a movie actor with John Wayne, Dustin Hoffman), the dramatic, striking, courageous photography done by legendary US Navy Photographers Lt. Charles Kerlee and Captain Ed Steichen (as compiled in Victory at Sea). It is all on display 24 hours a day for the entire world to see and because of the efforts of Photographers Mate Bernath, and have so far been viewed by over two million four hundred thousand people-thus greatly contributing to and supporting US Navy Photography.
The USS Yorktown Sea Scouts have taken the US Navy Photographs from this website and posted them on their website and encourage the young people to visit http://www.ussYorktown.com where they will view all the history captured by the US Navy Photographers.
He has provided links from this high traffic http://www.ussyorktown.com website to the National Associations of Naval Photography website and has provided a comprehensive history of US Naval Photography using the source material from “Eyes of the Fleet” by PHC Art Gilbertson USN (ret) and in the manuscripts of LCDR George Carroll and Master Chief Photographer’s Mate John Reimer, USN (ret), PHC Milt Putnam (ret.) and other Chief Photographer’s Mates.
The tracking programs show that active duty US Navy personnel regularly visit the website and on the forum page, where people can post comments and send messages back and forth, active duty US Navy personnel regularly post messages after looking at the work of the US Navy Photographers.
US Navy veterans outside of the US Navy Photographer Community have honored him. In 2000 he was unanimously elected to the Board of Directors of the USS Yorktown Association, a group of World War Two, Korean War and Vietnam War naval combat pilots, aviators and crewmembers of the CV 5 and CV 10. In October 2001 he was given an award by the USS Yorktown Association;
“For Exemplary Service in War
aboard the “Fighting Lady”
and unselfish Devotion in Peace to
the Yorktown Association.
From your Shipmates,
a Heartfelt “Well Done”.
Other award to Photographers Mate Bernath for his Contribution and Support of US Naval Photography include;
“Photographers Mate Bernath, you have an impressive site and our editors
are enthusiastic about recognizing your efforts
[The USS Yorktown Association through]
Daniel A. Bernath, Petty Officer 2nd Class PhotograpChief Sez 40-uphers Mate aboard Yorktown has authored an informative site about the history of one of our most renowned aircraft carriers. The site is both serious and humorous with anecdotes that range from heroic to downright funny. I enjoyed myself here. When a site shows the pride that I have in our Navy’s history, it sure does blow the ol’ Chief away. {The website created by Photographers Mate Bernath} “blew me away” and brought a tear to my eye and reminds me what we have in our Great Country, what it has taken to achieve it, retain it and what it will take to maintain it.”
“Congratulations!
Your site has been reviewed by the
PBR-FVA Top Site Award Committee
and has been chosen to receive the
PBR-FVA Top Site Award.
Display it proudly
for your site has earned it!”
US Navy River Patrol Force, Vietnam
the “brown water sailors” honor the
“blue water sailors” of the USS Yorktown
In recognition for the many decades of service to our country in peace and war,
achievements and excellence in WebPage design,
outstanding support for Veterans’ issues,
and continued recognition for Vietnam Veterans,
living, dead, Killed In Action or Line of Duty,
and Prisoners of War or Missing In Action,
Photographers Mate Daniel Bernath
and the USS Yorktown Association
is hereby awarded the
War Stories! Top Site Award!”
During the last six years,
with over 7 million visitors (5,500 daily), the War Stories!
Top Site Award! has been granted fewer than 24 times.
“I am impressed by your thoroughness and dedication to telling the stories and history of the USS Yorktown. Simply outstanding! I often receive requests from other associations or webmasters to be awarded the War Stories! Top Site Award!, and rarely award it even when those homepages are excellent. You are to be congratulated.”
Don Poss Danang Air Base 1965-66, USAF, 366th Security Police Squadron
**
I agree with the other veterans, Photographers Mates and Chiefs who have honored Daniel Bernath and I therefore concur in the nomination of Daniel Bernath as Honorary Chief of your fine Association.
Using the photographs of the US Navy that he created and which the members of your association created and all other US Navy Photographers, Bernath has contributed to and supported US Navy Photography and Photographers Mates, aided in the recruiting of new members of the US Navy, inspired active duty US Navy personnel and millions of other Americans using US Navy Photography and therefore I recommend to you that Photographers Mate Bernath should be honored with this award as Honorary Chief.
Respectfully,
Dale G. Potts
Dale G. Potts
CAPT, USN-ret
Steven K. Freund
Concurring in the Nomination of Daniel Alan Bernath Dan Bernath Daniel Alan Bernath
As Honorary Photographer’s Mate Chief Petty Officer, US Navy
April 30, 2006
I served with Photographers Mate 2nd Class Daniel Bernath aboard the USS Yorktown CVS-10 on her last cruise to the North Atlantic in her hunt for Soviet subs and during her de-commissioning. During that cruise we were often times flown over by Russian Bear bombers and the entire photo lab crew worked to record those events for the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies.
Bernath served aboard the USS Yorktown during her last combat cruise off the coast of North Vietnam and South Vietnam in 1968. He was also a Photographers Mate, recording the recovery of the first men to travel to the Moon, the Astronauts of Apollo 8 and has written extensively, along with his US Navy photographs and the photographs of other US Navy photographers at http://www.aspecialdayguide.com/yorktown/apollofirst.htm Bernath has exposed over 2,400,000 people to US Navy Photography on the website http://www.USSYorktown.com giving great visibility and honor to all US Navy Photographers. Photographers Mate Bernath also inspiring hundreds, if not thousands of young Americans to join the US Navy after viewing the photographs that we, the US Navy Photographers through the decades have created.
I was a Photographers Mate at the US Navy base at Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam, aboard the USS Essex and the USS Yorktown. In my opinion Photographers Mate Bernath was one of the best training Petty Officers in the Navy. He constantly was monitoring the young sailors who were assigned to the photo lab and giving them real-Navy pointers on how to accomplish their tasks in the darkroom, when photographing the change of command ceremonies and turning routine promotions and “shipping-over” ceremonies into artistic works of art. He always tried to find the art in the even the routine photo assignments, he always unleashed the creativity in the new Photographers Mates and that inspiration he provided has no doubt reverberated in the Navy, long after Bernath put down his Navy Speed Graphic and began work as a broadcast newscaster and attorney in the private sector.
His inspiration and molding of the new sailors can best be shown by what he did with one young, raw sailor from Detroit. The young sailor joined the Navy from off the mean-streets of the Motor City, completed boot camp and was then swiftly assigned to the mess decks. After his 3 months as a mess-cook, the Personnel Office routinely assigned him to the Photo Lab. Petty Officer Bernath and myself asked him what his experience was with photography and he stated, “I can take a picture, if that’s what you mean.”
Photographers Mate Bernath and I chuckled because this Airman Apprentice had only taken a picture with a Brownie and had much to learn. Bernath took this raw recruit under his wing and told him and then showed him how to properly expose a negative, how to work with people, from the Seaman to the Admiral to get pleasing results and act with a military demeanor and bearing, how to make portraits for the officer’s service jackets and then how to go into the darkroom and turn the raw negative into photographs that told the “Navy story.” This raw recruit from the streets of Detroit was taught well by Photographers Mate Bernath. He went from mess-cook to Photographer’s Mate 3rd Class in six months because Bernath inspired him and used the recruits enthusiasm and wove it into the vast knowledge and experience that Petty Officer Bernath had acquired serving the US Navy under many Chief Photographer’s Mates in both the Pacific Fleet and Atlantic Fleet. In many ways, Bernath did the work of a Photographer’s Mate Chief Petty Officer-not because he was ordered to. He did it because he saw the need for his leadership and stepped up to provide it to the new sailors and his subordinate. Indeed, when the USS Yorktown transited around South American to go from the Pacific Fleet to the Atlantic Fleet, many senior Petty Officers had already been transferred and Bernath stepped up to fill the leadership gap that should have been filled by a Chief Petty Officer.
During the de-commissioning of the USS Yorktown, many times Bernath was the senior officer of the entire Operations Department and fulfilled the role of a full Commander when reporting to the Commanding Officer regarding the current status of the entire Department.
Petty Officer Bernath appeared to have close friends in every division and at every rank and rate on the USS Yorktown. I recall that he had close friends in the deck crew of 2nd Division, the black-gang in E division, the aviation boatswain mates on the flight deck and pilots and air crew from the squadrons. They all came to be friends and admirers of Photographers Mate Bernath as he went around the ship on his every day assignments in the shooting crew of the Photo Lab and his brief assignment as Master at Arms.
As such, Bernath has inspired a strong military defense posture of the United States, he has greatly contributed to in his deeds while on active duty and as the creator of http://www.USSYorktown.com to support US Naval Photography and his shadow on US Navy Photography started when he became a Photographers Mate in 1967 and continues even now into the 21st Century. His past duty and present work on behalf of honoring US Navy Photographers is in the highest traditions of the US Navy Photographers corps and the US Navy and I heartily endorse the nomination to make Photographers Mate Daniel Alan Bernath, “Honorary Chief Photographer’s Mate.”
Steve K. Freund, Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class
Steven K. Freund PH2
US Navy 1965-1970
Cam Rahn Bay, South Vietnam
USS Essex
USS Yorktown
From: Lt. Commander Ralph Lewis USN (Ret.)
To: Chief Petty Officer Roundup Membership Committee
At the request of PHC Milt Putnam I heartily second Daniel Bernath’s nomination as Honorary Chief Photographers Mate.
I have received Daniel A. Bernath’s distinguished career and his many accomplishments since leaving the US Navy as detailed in his nomination by Chief Petty Officer Putnam.
In addition to an outstanding US Naval Career, his contributions to the USS Yorktown and other web sites with their many displays of Naval Photography have put the contributions of our rate in the public eye and given well-deserved credit to the photographers who did the work.
He is a very accomplished and I am sure, if he had been able to continue his Naval career he would have attained Chief Petty Officer status.
Ralph Lewis LCDR, USN (Ret.)