Lest We Forget - Corregidor Surrenders May 6, 1942

[colorado tanker]

Shokaku suffered so much damage she returned to Japan. Her sister, Zuikaku lost most of her aircraft and also returned to Japan. The Japanese did not rotate carrier squadrons like the U.S. did and the pilots and planes were mated to the ship. So, they needed to resupply aircraft and train new pilots.

Because of this, Japan's two best carriers were not present at the Battle of Midway.

[Oatka]

The vastly overrated MacArthur disobeyed a direct order and refused to fortify the Bataan Peninsula.
Not only that, he refused to follow Plan Orange and retreat there, but attacked the Jap landing at Lingayan Gulf and was flanked so quickly he had to retreat post haste and burn or leave behind tons of food that would have prolonged the fight there.

He should have been court-martialed and broken.
I understand there were many who were ready to do that, but the govt felt that we needed a hero so badly, they made him the martyr and Gen. Wainwright the fall guy.

[Jack Hammer]

Yup.

Good history.

[abigkahuna]

Irving did survive the war...I remember hearing about the account from him in a post war interview. Singapore, Tobruk, and then Corriegedor. What blows those days were. But there was a bright light a few weeks alter with the Battle of the Coral Sea. A tactical victory for our side.

[kvanbrunt2]

Around the same time, the Japanese carrier Shokaku was heavily damaged at Coral Sea and almost sank when her captain drove her too hard back to base for repair.>>>. just reading that in the head. May 8th turned the japanese back.

[M1903A1]

One of several published accounts that fill the void between May of 1942 and November of 1944:

http://www.amazon.com/They-Fought-Alone-Modern-American/dp/1626548455/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1462589647&sr=8-1&keywords=They+Fought+Alone

We Americans don’t quit.

[Oatka]

Thanks. Requested it from the library.