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Post by beirutvet on Jul 21, 2021 11:42:59 GMT 8
The Admirals Nimitz, Halsey, Leahy and King-The Five Star Admirals Who Won the War at Sea.
Like most people, I suppose, it is hard to look at WWII pictures of these admirals and not forever think of them as grizzly, weather and battle hardened sailors who had lived a life at sea. But that was never always the case, and what went on during that life at sea?
Where were they born and to whom? What was their childhood like? What were their life circumstances? Who were their siblings? How and where were their schoolings? How did they fare at Annapolis? What did their classmates think of them? And of course, how did their careers develop?
It was fascinating reading the answers to all those questions and more.
Also of note was how all four of these officers careers intertwined and fed off each other. The turn of the century navy was a close, tight knit entity where life's trajectories would naturally collide.
Chronicled were many acts of bravery and examples of leadership. Each of these men were so different and it showed nowhere more than in their own individual leadership styles. But even there, each showed a range that could be different from that man's norm.
A good example of this was cited when Nimitz was captain of the cruiser Augusta: The captain was keen on giving every officer and enlisted man "as much responsibility as he could handle" and never shied shied away from giving young ensigns experience at the conn. One day coming into anchorage, a young ensign named Odale D, "Muddy" Waters approached with far too much speed and "had to back the ship full power and lay out 90 fathoms of chain before he got her stopped, then had to heave back 60 fathoms." Captain Nimitz watched the entire procedure without comment and then asked, "Waters, you know what you did wrong, don't you?" "Yes sir, I certainly do, I came in too fast." Nimitz nodded in agreement-end of lesson. Waters later became a rear admiral.
But Nimitz was also not afraid to teach from his own experiences. Coming alongside the anchored oiler Pecos in exceptionally blustery winds, Nimitz himself took the conn. It seemed like a perfect landing until a freak gust of wind sent the Augusta's bow into the lifeboat davits of the Pecos and snagged an anchor just as the lines were being made secure. A quick strain on the number three line and a fortuitous shift of wind untangled the mess, but Nimitz quickly sent for the lieutenant who had been supervising the lines. "Thompson," Nimitz snapped without his usual calm, "what did I do wrong?" E.M. "Tommy" Thompson gulped and then replied, "Well, sir, you were overconfident and misjudged the effect the wind would have on a ship riding lightly on the water." "That's right," Nimitz affirmed. "Now, Thompson, what should I have done?" "Probably the safe thing to have done, sir, would have been to have gone ahead, drop the starboard anchor, and to have backed down on it." "That's right," Nimitz said with a scowl, "and, Thompson, don't you ever forget it!" It was no coincidence that Thompson, too, became a rear admiral. He had a great teacher.
I believe this book provided a lot of insight into the lives and minds of four men who had an outsized effect on the entire war.
***1/2 Recommended
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Post by beirutvet on Jul 20, 2021 20:42:49 GMT 8
Karl
Very good! I look forward to your critique when you are finished.
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Post by beirutvet on Jul 19, 2021 12:29:43 GMT 8
Hey Karl
So glad to have another contributor to this section. Thank you so much for the post.
I remember seeing a little of this story here in other threads. I recognized the picture of that handsome young man in the white suit in the prime of his life. The extent of the damage to his prime from his captivity can only be guessed at. What needs no guessing is the courage needed by all these captives to want to survive through all the torture, degradation and barbarism heaped upon them by an enemy bent on incalculable savagery.
I will get this book and read it.
From a scale of one to five stars, how would you rate this book?
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Post by beirutvet on Jul 18, 2021 11:01:03 GMT 8
Couldn't agree with you more, Calum.
Full speed ahead!
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Post by beirutvet on Jul 11, 2021 11:20:45 GMT 8
'We Remember Bataan And Corregidor by Mariano Villarin The Story of American & Filipino Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor and their Captivity.
Many of us here have read countless books on this subject by American authors, but this is the first time I remember reading one written by a Filipino. Being separated from the American forces after capture, his viewpoint is certainly unique and enlightening. His accounts of the battles before surrender are very detailed and accurate from a single unit perspective. I was very much enthralled with his narrative of this time period. I was impressed with his attention to detail that he was able to achieve in spite of not being able to keep a diary of his many incursions with the Japanese invaders.
Also of great interest to me was his travels after his parole from the Japanese POW camp.
Of particular note, I would like to detail his opinions, and those of others in theater, both American and Filipino of the special relationship between the Americans and Filipinos, civilian and military.
"Why did the Filipino troops under MacArthur and Wainwright fight so much more effectively than the natives of other Southeastern Asian countries who had earlier given up their territories to the Japanese? "Probably the reason" according to John Gunther, "was that the United States had promised them freedom, and that they fought as equals with white troops. The Filipinos were not looked down upon by Americans as an inferior cast . . The Filipinos were trained by Americans to look forward to independence and to stand on their own feet. They have never been politically exploited on anything like the scale of the Indians, say"
"These experiences are supported by other equally famous Writers, statesmen and soldiers. Shortly before the war, Carlos Romulo, then editor and publisher of DMHM Newspapers, a newspaper chain in Manila, (and also later the "Voice of Freedom" broadcasting from Corregidor during those dark days) embarked on a trip to China and southeast Asia. The result was a series of forty-five articles which won him the Pulitzer prize for "better understanding between nations." The incidents Romulo experienced in Hong Kong, Chungking, Burma, Thailand, Dutch East Indies, French Indochina and British Malaya increased his hatred of imperialism and love of democracy. In Chungking Romulo was waiting in line as Chinese customs officials inspected the traveler's luggage. They attended first to the baggage of two Americans who were in line behind Romulo. The Americans told the Chinese officials to take care of Romulo first as he was ahead of them. The Chinese told Romulo, 'Sorry, but we thought you were Chinese.'
In Hong Kong Romulo was in a crowd of Chinese waiting outside the Queens's Theater to see the inauguration of the new British Governor General. Even after presenting his official ticket, he was waved back. 'British first' was the order. He continued, " I worked at the Manila Post Office for six months long before the war and I could see American civilians and service men waiting in line with the Filipinos for their turn at the window. The Philippines was an American colony but that did not give them the right to cut in ahead of the Filipinos in line".
Romulo had found in Bangkok that the country had been preparing for the the Japanese invasion while the British remained unaware. In Burma Romulo had met some Burmese journalists who confessed to him they were anti-British and pro Japanese. When he argued with them they said, "Any situation is better than to be under the British".
One night Romulo was taken to a secret headquarters in Batavia where he met with leaders who had been educated in Holland England and America. They told him, "How fortunate you are in the Philippines . . . Your condition improved under American Rule. What have we to lose under a change of authority"? But they did not know what was in store for them under the Japanese occupation. In a hotel restaurant in occupied French Indochina, two Japanese officers "persuaded" Romulo to move to another table because they wanted to sit at a table facing the window. When he complained to the manager, the Frenchman replied, "Do you want this hotel closed?"
In a speech made by Dr. Jose P, Laurel (later occupation president) in Tokyo in 1942, months after the fall of Corregidor, at a conference chaired by Premier Tojo is apropos here: " . . . For forty years, through such fair and humane treatment, the Americans won the hearts of the Filipino people. Your Excellency now knows how in Bataan our people fought fiercely and died side by side with their American Comrades . . . The Filipinos cannot be easily harnessed to your crusade against the people who had for forty years befriended them-not as you have done to the other Asiatic peoples, whose Dutch and English masters had treated them ill. You see in us Filipinos the same facial lines . . . and yet you are amazed that the Filipinos had refused to lay down their arms until the Americans surrendered first and told them to do so. But we, Filipinos, had been treated differently by our western mentors. While it is natural for the Burmese, the Javanese and the rest of the Asians to seek revenge against their despoilers, it is equally natural for us to recompense our benefactor in his time of need".
"Added flavor is provided by Clark Lee when he wrote, "I have a special interest in the Philippines, having been there when the war started and when it ended; and because I saw how bravely the Filipinos died for us, I have a special love for them . . . They did not . . . have to fight, but they did because they loved us and believed in us."
Finally, General Romulo sums it all up: "That explains why out of all conquered countries the Philippines alone sprang without question to the aid of its conqueror. Without propaganda or flag-waving, it fought . . . for America."
Who could not be inspired by this, especially in light of the incessant demonization of America as a deeply racist country?
* * * * Highly Recommended
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Post by beirutvet on Jun 16, 2021 12:36:00 GMT 8
Just ordered my copy.
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Post by beirutvet on May 18, 2021 9:24:58 GMT 8
'Clash of the Carriers' The True Story of the Marianas Turkey Shoot of WWII.
Most with a passing knowledge of WWII in the Pacific has heard of the Marianas Turkey Shoot, but what do we really know ?
This book gets right down to the nuts and bolts for those few days as no book I have seen. It details not only the carriers and their compliment of aircraft but the individual squadrons of these carries and the men who flew into history from their flight decks. It even traces how the event got it's nickname Turkey Shoot.
Little does one realize that it wasn't just one big melee but multiple flights from the Japanese side with multiple allied flights to intercept them. It chronicles not only the make up of each flight from the enemy but how many and what kind of aircraft were sent up against them.
Then of course there is the account of the Mission Beyond Darkness where Admiral Mitscher won the undying love and devotion of his aviators for all time.
The exact butchers bill will never be know, but the book gives every effort to give an accounting based on what is known today. The American losses are very well documented but on the Japanese side is where the doubt lies. Even Vice Admiral Ozawa did not know the whole price paid as many of his pilots and planes had orders to attack the Americans and then try to land base on Guam or elsewhere. He had no way of knowing how many of them made it there and survived.
Tillman's writing style takes a little getting used to and made for a few difficult spots to interpret his meaning. But overall a fine book that will hold your interest throughout.
***3/4 Recommended
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Post by beirutvet on May 18, 2021 9:00:29 GMT 8
EXO
Great find!
Could you perhaps give us a little back story on the piece about 6 victory ships to be bringing home the troops? There seems to be a hand printed note (I presume your father's) where it is written "Any good eh!" across the article. Was it perhaps in joy that one of these would be bringing him home?
I also got a charge out of the item about the bugging of Yamashita's HQ. Was this confirmed and did it have any effect at his trial?
_____
Beirutvet, I'll answer what I can here. My father had been attached to the Americans since Nadzab, and was supplied by them. By Manila, about all he had left of his Australian uniform kit was an old slouch hat, the rest of his gear was US supply. So he had actually hoped that he'd be leaving Manila with the unit, whether that was to Tokyo or back with them via the West Coast. He was disappointed when his unit departed first, and it was neither, and so there were a relative handful of the Aussies left in Manila, with no priority. So his comment addressed the many promises given to them, largely with an 'I'll believe it when it actually happens, and not a second before" attitude. He often criticised the Australian Army for its "pinchpenny attitude." There was often a "bloody" in that, too!
I know a little of the backstory concerning Chick Parson's SPYRON, and Col. Smith was connected with Parsons. It's an intriguing possibility, I'll admit. I'll readily believe that the cells where the Japanese senior officers were kept pending trial were bugged. I'll ask Peter Parsons.
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Post by beirutvet on May 15, 2021 20:09:30 GMT 8
Thank you Karl, for for bringing up this rarely debated point. For years we have heard of the tragic internment of Japanese Americans on the west coast. And it was tragic that these presumably loyal Americans were stripped of everything they had and put into relocation camps. But where exactly did their loyalties lie?
I have read of many accounts of occupying Japanese forces being led around by native Japanese residents being shown critical installations, being seen providing important intelligence about allied forces and dispositions and in general aiding and abetting enemy forces. And of course, actually joining the occupying forces as members of it's military.
How many of us have questions to this day about Richard Sakakida?
Yes, at the end of the war these people should have had their property returned to them. But after all, we were at war!
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Post by beirutvet on May 13, 2021 11:32:35 GMT 8
EXO
Another fabulous find!
Incredibly detailed, but one thing that jumped out at me was the depiction of Mile Long Barracks not as one long continuous building but 5 separate buildings. If this was mainly from aerial recon, I think it would have been clear this was one building.
But then again, after some bombing it may have appeared to be a number of buildings in line. Fascinating rabbit hole this entire thread!
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