Finneran: Two Authors & Fitzie’s Secret

Friday, August 31, 2018

 

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Stephen Puleo

Author #1: His name is Stephen Puleo. He is a local and prolific author. He has a keen eye for very pretty and very intelligent women and some years ago he made a brilliant decision. He married my beautiful and brilliant cousin. Wise move Steve.

He has written six fabulous books—Dark Tide (about the great Boston molasses flood of 1919), Due to Enemy Action (about the German U-boat menace and the Battle of the Atlantic), The Caning-The Assault That Drove America to the Civil War (about the violent floor attack on Mass. Senator Charles Sumner), American Treasures (about the top-secret mission to preserve and save the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Gettysburg Address from harm during the early and uncertain months of World War II), The Boston Italians( about the great migration and success of Italian immigrants in Boston), and A City So Grand (my personal favorite, about the history of Boston from 1850-1900). They are all fascinating stories, wonderfully told. Do yourself a favor and read all of them.

Author #2: Liza Mundy. A former reporter for the Washington post, she is the author of Code Girls-The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II. And what a story it is……

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Fitzie: She’s a Southie original. More about Fitzie later…….

Steve and I talk from time to time, usually about family, sometimes about politics, and always about books. During one of those chats, Steve mentioned Liza Mundy’s book Code Girls as a recent favorite of his. I scribbled myself a reminder note and lo and behold, I got myself a copy for some late summer reading.

Wow. What a book. What a story. The title raises the topic. The book itself will raise the hair on the back of your neck. It’s about panic within America’s armed forces, a panic based upon being under-staffed, under-equipped, and utterly un-informed about enemy forces and enemy battle plans. In short, America was desperately and negligently ill-prepared for the “gathering storm” of which Churchill had so persistently warned.

A particular American weakness was the black hole of cryptanalysis, the ability to intercept, de-code, and read the enemies’ communications to and from its far-flung armies and navies. With virtually every available man either enlisting or being drafted in the run-up to and the aftermath of Pearl Harbor, there was a desperate shortage of labor across the country. In response, many American women entered the factories and ran the production lines which were churning out guns, bombs, planes, tanks, and ships by the thousands. Others—very bright and eager to help the nation in its peril—were quietly but energetically recruited from all corners of the country.

Their task? To decipher the complex communications systems of the Japanese Nay and Army as well as the multiple German codes. These were America’s smartest “girls”, many from poor backgrounds but showing a brilliance in language or music or math. They were recruited into a totally classified mission, sworn to the utmost secrecy, and threatened with court-martial and imprisonment for any breach of confidentiality. Many went to their graves, taking their secrets and their wartime achievements silently with them. The lives of many thousands of American men rested upon these women’s shoulders…………

Back to “Fitzie”, the oldest child in a family of nine children. The eleven Fitzgeralds lived in a three-decker on West Broadway in South Boston, above a tailor shop which was located on the ground floor. She went to Nazareth High School and was the valedictorian of her class. She won citywide debate and spelling championships. She gave the Memorial Day Address at Cedar Grove Cemetery reciting John McRae’s epic poem “In Flanders Fields”. In short, Fitzie was a brilliant engaging student.

By tradition, the top male student at Nazareth High School was awarded a college scholarship by a very generous and anonymous South Boston benefactor. In Fitzie’s case the school’s nuns apparently argued that to deny Fitzie a scholarship simply because she was female would be a travesty. The anonymous benefactor agreed and Fitzie was awarded a four year scholarship to Emmanuel College. Keep in mind that this was during the height of the Depression when there was little if any disposable household income in a family with eleven mouths to feed. The scholarship was essential. Once at Emmanuel, Fitzie double-majored in physics and chemistry. Apparently she had no interest in basket-weaving courses.

Fast forward to May or June of 1942 some six months after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor……Fitzie graduates with honors and is quickly recruited by the Army Signal Corps, going to work at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. And here the trail goes cold………and silent. Fitzie never talked about her wartime work, not with her own large and growing family, not with anyone. But eventually, many years later, she left a clue, a tantalizing hint…………

Fast forward again and Fitzie has raised her family, passed her 92nd birthday, and is living out her days in an assisted living home. She has tons of visitors---sons, daughters, sisters, brothers, and friends. She is the home’s resident Jeopardy champion and her mind remains sharp, be it math, sports, or Shakespeare.

And then, one quiet afternoon, as she knowingly nears the end of her life, she says to a visiting son that she wished that she had studied “German and math” at Emmanuel. Not physics and chemistry but “German and math”. An interesting comment for sure, but not very illuminating at the time.

The illumination arrived just last week when I finished Code Girls. Thanks to Steve Puleo’s book recommendation, I think that I now know what Fitzie did in the Army Signal Corps. I think that she was part of a large team of American girls that helped break German codes and that in doing so, they saved countless American lives. They were amazing and brilliant pioneers. And they kept their secret. You should read the book.

Disclosure: You might wonder how I came to know so much about Fitzie, the beautiful Southie scholar. That’s easy—I am one of Fitzie’s seven kids. Well done Mom.

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Tom Finneran is the former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, served as the head the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council, and was a longstanding radio voice in Boston radio.

 

Related Slideshow: GoLocal Statewide Poll - Conducted by Harvard’s Della Volpe - June, 2018

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Registered Voters

Q1: Are you registered to vote in Rhode Island?

Total 501 100%
Yes: 501 100%
No: 0 0%
Don't know: 0 0%

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Gender

Q2: Are you ...
Total
Total: 100%
Male: 44%
Female: 56%

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Age

Q3: In which age group are you?

18-24:  7%
25-34:  16%
35-44:  15%
45-54:  20%
55-64: 17%
65+      25%

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Political Party

Q4: When it comes to voting, do you consider yourself to be affiliated with the Democratic Party, the Republican Party, Moderate, or Unaffiliated with a major party?

Democrat: 38%
Republican:14%
Moderate: 6%
Unaffiliated: 39%
Don't know/Refused: 3%

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Likely Voters

Q5: Next year, in November of 2018, there will be a statewide general election for Governor and many other state offices.  How likely is it that you will vote in this election?   Will you definitely be voting, will you probably be voting, are you 50-50...

 

Definitely be voting.............................. 81%

Probably be voting............................... 19%

All others.............................................   0%

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Top Issue

Q6: What would you say is the number one problem facing Rhode Island that you would like the Governor to address?
 

Taxes.................................................. .18%

Jobs and economy.............................. 16%

State budget.........................................11%

Roads...................................................10%

Education............................................  8%

Healthcare...........................................  5%

Corruption/Public integrity.................... 4%

Immigration..........................................  4%

Housing.............................................. ..2%

Governor............................................. ..2%

Homelessness.......................................1%

 

Other.. ............................................... 14%

Don’t know..........................................   6%

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Direction

Q7: In general, would you say things in Rhode Island are headed in the right direction or are they off on the wrong track?
 

Right track........................................... 19%

Wrong track......................................... 36%

Mixed.................................................. 45%

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Optimism

Q8: Thinking ahead several years, is your outlook about Rhode Island more optimistic or more pessimistic?   
 

Optimistic............................................ 52%

Pessimistic...........................................48%
 

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Finances

Q9: Over the last three years or so, has your family's financial situation improved, gotten worse, or not changed at all?
 

Changed for the better......................... 24%

Changed for the worse......................... 33%

Not changed at all................................ 43%

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Governor

Q10: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Gina Raimondo, a Democrat

I am sure to vote for her:  9%

There is a good chance I will vote for her:  19%

It is possible that I vote for her:  24%

It is unlikely that I will vote for her:  18%

I will never vote for her:  31%

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Governor

Q11: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Matt Brown, a Democrat

I am sure to vote for him:  4%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  8%

It is possible that I vote for him:  40%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  30%

I will never vote for him:  17%
 

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Governor

Q12: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Spencer Dickinson, a Democrat

I am sure to vote for him:  3%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  7%

It is possible that I vote for him:  37%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  35%

I will never vote for him:  18%

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Governor

Q13: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Paul Roselli, a Democrat 

I am sure to vote for him:  2%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  7%

It is possible that I vote for him:  35%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  37%

I will never vote for him:  19%

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Governor

Q14: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Allan Fung, a Republican 

I am sure to vote for him:  7%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  18%

It is possible that I vote for him:  28%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  25%

I will never vote for him:  21%

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Governor

Q15: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Patricia Morgan, a Republican 

I am sure to vote for her:  3%

There is a good chance I will vote for her.:   9%

It is possible that I vote for her:  32%

It is unlikely that I will vote for her:  35%

I will never vote for her:  21%

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Governor

Q16: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Giovanni Feroce, a Republican 

I am sure to vote for him:  2%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  5%

It is possible that I vote for him:  24%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  35%

I will never vote for him:  34%

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Governor

Q17: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Luis-Daniel Muñoz, an Independent

I am sure to vote for him:  3%

There is a good chance I will vote for him: 6%

It is possible that I vote for him: 33%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him: 38%

I will never vote for him: 21%

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Governor

Q18: Which of the following comes closest to your view regarding each of the following potential candidates for governor of Rhode Island?

Joe Trillo, an Independent

I am sure to vote for him:  1%

There is a good chance I will vote for him:  8%

It is possible that I vote for him:  37%

It is unlikely that I will vote for him:  34%

I will never vote for him:  19%

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Governor

Q20: If the election for Governor were held today and the candidates were: Democrat Gina Raimondo, Republican Allan Fung and Independent Joe Trillo - for whom would you vote?        

Allan Fung, a Republican..................... 33%

Gina Raimondo, a Democrat................ 33%

Joe Trillo, and Independent.................. 16%

Don't know     18%

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Governor

Q20: If the election for Governor were held today and the candidates were: Democrat Gina Raimondo, Republican Patricia Morgan and Independent Joe Trillo - for whom would you vote?         

Gina Raimondo, a Democrat................ 39%

Patricia Morgan, a Republican............. 20%

Joe Trillo, an Independent................... 19%

Don't know ......................................... 22%

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Governor

Q21: If the election for Governor were held today and the candidates were: Democrat Matt Brown, Republican Allan Fung and Independent Joe Trillo - for whom would you vote? 

Allan Fung, a Republican..................... 35%

Matt Brown, a Democrat...................... 25%

Joe Trillo, an Independent.................... 14%

Don't know .......................................... 27%
 

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Governor

Q22: If the election for Governor were held today and the candidates were: Democrat Matt Brown, Republican Patricia Morgan and Independent Joe Trillo - for whom would you vote?        

Matt Brown, a Democrat...................... 30%

Patricia Morgan, a Republican............. 20%

Joe Trillo, an Independent.................... 18%

Don't know .......................................... 33%

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U.S. Senate

Q23: If the election for the U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were: [ROTATE] Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican Robert Nardolillo - for whom would you vote?

Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat........... 53%

Robert 'Bobby' Nardolillo, a Republican.. 31%

Don't know............................................... 16%

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U.S. Senate

Q24: If the election for the U.S. Senate were held today and the candidates were: [ROTATE] Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse and Republican Robert Flanders - for whom would you vote?           

Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democrat........ 54%

Robert Flanders, a Republican............. 32%

Don't know.......................................... 14%

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Schools

Q25: If there was an election today, would you vote to approve or reject issuing $250 million in financing supported general obligation bonds to repair Rhode Island's deteriorating school buildings and bring them up to minimum standards called "warm, safe and dry"?

Net: Approve...................................... 74%

Definitely approve............................... 36%

Probably approve................................ 38%
 

Net: Reject......................................... 17%

Probably reject....................................   9%

Definitely reject....................................   7%


Don't know..........................................   9%

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PawSox

Q26: The Rhode Island General Assembly is in the process of negotiating a $40 million public financing deal with the Pawtucket Red Sox for a new stadium, hoping to bring a vote before the House and Senate this summer.  

In general, do you favor or oppose the use of public funds to help finance a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox?
 

Net: Favor.......................................... 33%

Strongly favor...................................... 13%

Somewhat favor.................................. 21%
 

Net: Oppose....................................... 59%

Somewhat oppose.............................. 21%

Strongly oppose.................................. 38%
 

Don't know..........................................   8%

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Fane Tower

Q27: The City of Providence and the state of Rhode Island are considering a proposal by New York developer Jason Fane to build a 46-story luxury residence tower in Providence, next to a public riverfront park.  The developer will invest $250 to $300 million of his own funds.  The project is called the Hope Point Tower, it would be 170-feet taller than the Superman building and would require waiving height restrictions and the use of state tax credits.

In general, do you favor or oppose development of the Hope Point Tower?

 

Net: Favor.......................................... 39%

Strongly favor...................................... 13%

Somewhat favor.................................. 27%


Net: Oppose....................................... 50%

Somewhat oppose.............................. 23%

Strongly oppose.................................. 27%


Don't know.......................................... 11%

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Elorza/Traffic Cameras

Q28: How would you rate the job that Mayor Jorge Elorza has done managing issues related to speed cameras in Providence?

Net: Excellent/Good.......................... 26%

Excellent.............................................   6%

Good................................................... 20%

Net: Fair/Poor.................................... 74%

Fair...................................................... 29%

Poor.................................................... 45%

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Q29: Since it was launched in 2016, UHIP -- the Rhode Island program designed to improve customer service for those who receive federal benefits -- has run into significant problems, including long lines, cost overruns, lost applications, over- and under-charging of patients and families.   

Based on what you know at this time, what percent of 
blame for this do you assign to:
 

Deloitte, the consulting company who
produced the system........................... 53.3%

Governor Gina Raimondo, who has
been governor since the system
launch in September 2016................... 47.1%

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NIMBYism

Q30: Presently, there are local groups opposing the development of a natural gas facility in Burrillville, solar projects in Exeter, a LNG facility in Providence and wind projects in North Kingstown. 
Some people say that it is important for local groups to play a role in opposition 
of projects like these that could be dangerous or harmful to citizens; 

Others say that local groups have gone too far to the detriment of the state’s long-term energy needs. 

Which statement comes closer to your own view?

 

Local groups play an important role...... 46%

Local groups have gone too far............. 31%

Not sure................................................. 24%

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Corruption

Q31: Compared to other states, do you think there is:

More political corruption in RI................. 63%

Less political corruption in RI................   7%

About the same level as other states..... 30%
 

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Income

Q32: The next question is about the total income of YOUR HOUSEHOLD for the PAST 12 MONTHS.  Please include your income PLUS the income of all members living in your household (including cohabiting partners and armed forces members living at home).  

$50,000 or less.................................... 33%

More $50,000 but less than $75,000..... 18%

More $75,000 but less than $100,000... 16%

More $100,000 but less than $150,000. 13%

$150,000 or more................................ 10%

Don't know/refused.............................. 10%

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Ethnicity

Q33: What particular ethnic group or nationality - such as English, French, Italian, Irish, Latino, Jewish, African American, and so forth - do you consider yourself a part of or feel closest to?  

Net: White, Non-Hispanic..................... 82%

Black or African American....................   6%

Latino/Hispanic....................................   5%

Other....................................................   7%

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Geography

Q34: City/Town Into Region.

West Bay............................................ 28%

Metro-Providence................................ 28%

Blackstone Valley................................ 21%

South County...................................... 10%

East Bay............................................. 13%

 
 

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