The FReeper Foxhole Revisits - The Defense of Wake Island - December 20th, 2003

various

[snippy_about_it]

Your welcome.

I like the idea that we are redoing some older threads. Gives it a new look and preserves the pictures.

Not to mention I can always learn more than I did the first time around. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Darksheare.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Mayor. I was up way past my bedtime last night so I really am looking forward to my first cup of coffee today.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Professional Engineer. Cute tagline.

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning feather. Thanks for the pretty poinsettia graphic for the Christmas season.

[Professional Engineer]

Thanks Snippy

[The Mayor]

You and me both.. It must be the holidays

[Darksheare]

Morning.
Been a weird evening and morning.

[Light Speed]

Good Morning Snippy...Sam

Wake Island is a defiant yell at the Japanese...

"We will not go meekly and quietly into your grasp"

The days following Pearl Harbor found this defiant Spirit break out

The Dutch and the British began to blow the oil installations and info structure which the Japanese overconfidently calculated would be theirs.

The fight was one of withdrawl..but with a strong sense of gratification and morale.

Wake Island could not be seen as anything but a costly chess move by Japan.
If this is what resulted by limited resources of the enemy...what would it cost when they could put equal strength into battle.

Japans plans to obtain a outcome which would see a deal cut with the U.S. Government were beginning to go wrong.

In so many ways..the aftermath of battle saw the Japanese demonstrate their cruelty...in a sense..a national tantraum..and a marker as to what these people were made of.

Japans command structure revealed petty contention and rivalry....the Army looking to zenith the Navy as per the Glory that was supposed in their twisted minds.

Wake Island hurt the Naval commands voice before the Emperor...the Army garnering the nod to go out and secure Glory for the Empire.

Hong Kong..Singapore,

The Army would bring a better prize before their Emperor and bolster the Nations momentum or sense of Superiority over the Allies.

Yet from this early period..Japans doom was to be seen in the unfolding.

Bizarre thinking saw military asset and strength assigned to useless Islands and atolls.

"Their confused....we've got them"!

Late 42 and early 43 would see a high percentage loss ratio for the U.S. in the Pacific...mostly old Naval assets and battle outcomes managed by Commanders whose thinking was not up to par with the fluidity of modern war.

Yet in a few months ..the new thinking would appear...The carrier Battle Group...the Jeep carrier and aviation projection.

America would smash Japan at every turn...and rout them were ever they stood.

Keeping Japans population decieved as to what was occuring was the margin now for the Emperor.

His guts would turn at every report comming in.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning Feather.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Iris7.

I agree with you about Iwo, we paid a high price for that island. I've never been there but just seeing pictures of gives me the creeps. You can't help but notice how exposed any tropps on the beaches would be.

[Soaring Feather]

Hi Sam!!

I am writing as fast as I can!! I am sending Christmas Cards to wounded Soldiers!

They need so much support from us. Thank You Sam for your service to our nation.

[SAMWolf]

Morning E.G.C.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Samwise

Wake Island

circa WWII  

 

December the seventh we heard about Pearl,

We knew we'd be next on the list.

The men of our Corps, four fifty, no more

All swore to the death to resist.



Chorus: 



Wake Island, Wake Island,

It's not even marked on the maps

Our Corps raised her name to honor and fame

When they stopped the advance of the Japs.



Cut off from supplies with no hope of aid

We sighted the first Japanese,

With thousands of troops and a task force of ships

They thought they could take us with ease.



They sent in their subs, their ships and their planes

They shelled us by day and by night,

Surrender they said, we laughed at their threats

We're only beginning to fight.



Our four hundred fifty cost six thousand Japs

Our fighters downed twenty eight planes,

We sank two destroyers and one submarine

Six others got shelled for their pains.



Our plan was to fight to the very last man

But Deveraux gave this command,

There's a thousand civilians I can't sacrifice

We'll have to surrender our band.



Yes, we lay down our arms on the twenty-third day

The Japs cheered the news of defeat.

But they could not believe a few crummy Marines

Had stopped the whole Japanese fleet.

[SAMWolf]

Morning Darksheare.

[SAMWolf]

Hi Mayor. Good coffee this morning.

[SAMWolf]

Good Morning PE.

[The Mayor]

Thanks Sam, it's the holiday brew..

[snippy_about_it]

oops. My response to you was about Wake and you were talking about Iwo Jima being given back. My mistake. ;)

[snippy_about_it]

Good morning Light Speed. Good post.