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

various

[snippy_about_it]

US plane over wake 1943

[Victoria Delsoul]

Of course, you do understand that denying knowledge is cause for all sorts of troubles to come as a consequence of your denial. On the other hand, accepting responsibility for something you've done is a good thing but, the best course is to run as fast as you can and don't look back, LOL!!!

[SAMWolf]

This is a typical "propaganda" film put out in the 1940's but it's still a good flick.

[SAMWolf]

US Plane = Douglas SBD Dauntless ;-)

[Darksheare]

Hmm..
Like the pic, wish they were our ships doing that.

[Darksheare]

[snippy_about_it]

Grrr. Thank you.

[PhilDragoo]

For some reason too many people fail to see the threat.

They think that if we can just be more "tolerant" and "diverse" that they won't keep trying to destroy our way of life.

By the time they see the threat it'll be too late.

Feed the alligator in hopes he'll eat you last.

[Darksheare]

That's Neville Chamberlain isn't it.

[PhilDragoo]

The XF4F-3 first production contract was awarded just before the outbreak of war in Europe. Above is the production line for the F4F Wildcat in Bethpage, Long Island.

The F4F Wildcat was used very successfully in the battles of the Coral Sea and Midway, as well as in the operations of Guadalcanal.

Mitsubishi G3M Nell

On 24 August 1942, as the Japanese made their first major attempt to recapture Guadalcanal, Mutuski briefly bombarded U.S. Marine Corps' positions at Henderson Field. The next day, she went alongside the disabled transport Kinryu Maru to rescue that ship's crew and troops. While so immobilized, a formation of U.S. B-17 bombers appeared. Aware of the poor accuracy of high-level bombing, the destroyer's captain elected to continue his rescue efforts. However, in a rare event, the bombers scored well and Mutuski was sunk. Her captain, hauled from the water with his ship's other surviving crewmen, is said to have remarked "even the B-17s could make a hit once in a while!".

Destroyer Hayate

Kawanishi H6K "Mavis"

Val Dive Bomber

Soryu

Hiryu, a 20,250-ton aircraft carrier built at Yokosuka, Japan, was completed in July 1939. Active throughout the first six months of the Pacific War, she took part in the December 1941 Pearl Harbor attack as well as operations in the East Indies and Indian Ocean area. On 4 June 1942, during the Battle of Midway, Hiryu's aircraft inflicted serious bomb and torpedo damage to USS Yorktown (CV-5), causing her abandonment. Later that day, Hiryu was hit by U.S. carrier dive bombers. Though she remained underway for a time, she had been fatally damaged. Abandoned early the following morning, Hiryu sank at about 0900 on 5 June, the last of four Japanese aircraft carriers to be lost in the battle.

Surrender of Wake Island Aboard USS LEVY DE 162 4 September 1945

Left to right, sitting at table:

Japanese Army Colonel Shigeharu Chikamori, Sakaibara, Japanese Paymaster Lieutenant P. Hisao Napasato, Marine Brigadier General Lawson H. M. Sanderson, of Santa Barbara, Cal., Commander of the Fourth Marine Air Wing who accepted the surrender in the name of Rear Admiral W. K. Harrill, Army Sergeant Larry Watanabe of Honolulu, official interpreter at the surrender, and Colonel T. J. Walker Jr., Sanderson's Chief of Staff.

Standing, center back, holding pipe, is Colonel Walter L. J. Baylor, last man to leave and first to return to Wake Island.

The Wake Island POWs

An example of a war crimes trial for mass murder was the trial for the mass execution of 98 Allied POWs on Wake Island in October, 1943.[4] The story of the siege of Wake Island is well known as U. S. military personnel held out against overwhelming odds. When Wake Island finally fell 1,603 Americans (both military and civilian) were captured. Most were sent by ship to a prison camp in Shanghai, China. 98 prisoners of war remained on Wake Island, kept alive to run heavy equipment to build fortifications. In October, 1943, Wake Island was under siege by an Allied carrier force. On October 7, 1943, Rear Admiral Shigematsu Sakaibara, then a captain and commander of Japanese forces on Wake Island, ordered the execution of the 98 prisoners of war without trial. The POWs were marched to a northern beach, blindfolded, and shot. [One POW managed to elude execution, was hunted down, and was executed with a sword by Sakaibara himself.] In 1947 Rear Admiral Sakaibara and a subordinate, Lieutenant Commander Tachibana, were tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. [Tachibana's sentence was later reduced to life in prison.] Rear Admiral Sakaibara was executed on 18 June 1947 on Guam. At the end he maintained: "I think my trial was entirely unfair and the proceeding unfair, and the sentence too harsh, but I obey with pleasure."

[snippy_about_it]

That's from 1943 when we took the island back. Those are our ships. :)

[snippy_about_it]

Good evening and thank you Phil.

[SAMWolf]

Yep, Mr "Peace in our time" himself.

Just like Maddie Halfbright, he had a piece of paper from a murdering dictator promising not to build weapons and attack his neighbors. The Liberals never learn from history.

[SAMWolf]

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, a British Prime Minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time...

"My good friends, for the second time in our history, an American Secretary of State has returned from North Korea bringing peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time...

[SAMWolf]

Evevning Phil Dragoo.

Rear Admiral Sakaibara was executed on 18 June 1947 on Guam. At the end he maintained: "I think my trial was entirely unfair and the proceeding unfair, and the sentence too harsh,..."

That's what they all say.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[Iris7]

No sweat, Snippy. You are very patient with my old fashioned writing style combined with my severely elliptical phrase construction. I guess I have read too much seventeenth and eighteenth century material!

Iwo was something else, though. Relatively untouched by time.

Okinawa was a more severe battle, but Okinawa is all built up, (been there too) and the echos of war are dim. Tokyo is the same way. Tokyo and Yokohama had rubble fields you could drive by for forty five minutes without a break when I was there in 1956 and '57. All gone.

Reminds me of my visit to Chattanooga, the turning point of that other war. Buildings cover everything. Lookout Mountain is the place to go if you want to view the battle scenes with the mind's eye.

[snippy_about_it]

I guess I have read too much seventeenth and eighteenth century material!

Oh no dear, it's not you, it's me. I was up too late and hadn't had my coffee yet and misread you post.

On the contrary, I find our Foxhole "family" very patient of their hostess while she learns history right along with others. ;-)

[Iris7]

Everywhere and way you turn you see fields of fire giving a huge advantage to the defense. Walked the ground as I had time to do so. You wouldn't believe it if you haven't seen it.

Worse than attacking up a mountain. On a mountain there is way more cover and the defense can't really dig in (unless you count the Swiss). Iwo is an amazing place.

If the Japanese had even a little material, say a hundred German 57mm antitank guns, two hundred 4.2" mortars, and a few field telephones, or even a few truckloads of Panzerfausts, who knows what would have happened.

[Darksheare]

OH.
*Chuckle*