War stories...

[Truckman]

I find it a compelling argument wherein the dominant thought of the Japanese military adopted a American Naval historian & theorist’ view of one decisive battle determinative of war’s fortunes (Kuntai Kessen) written by Alfred Thayer Mahan resulting in the Pearl Harbor attack designed to even the odds presented by pre-war treaty constraints in preparation for the Kuntai Kessen.

You may find the opinions and conclusions reached in John Toland's "The Rising Sun" (both volumes), Tony Tully's "Shattered Sword", Livingston/Moore/Oldfather's "Imperial Japan 1800-1945," James Bradley's "Flyboys" and most particularly Saburo Sakai's "Samurai" to be even more insightful as to not only the pre-war Japanese mindset, but the pre-war American interpretation of the Japanese mind......Ben

[wacojoe]

“Too many notes.”
I’m a kibitzer at this stage rather than a student like you, Ben.

I have been mulling over what similarities are to be seen of the elements that drove the Japs into attacking a beast that might be prevalent in the seeming same direction the Iranians are headed today. Maybe you have some thoughts on the zealotry similarity although the Japs had no identifiable religious motivations, which I detect at the heart of the Iranians’ motivations.

[Truckman]

Maybe you have some thoughts on the zealotry similarity although the Japs had no identifiable religious motivations, which I detect at the heart of the Iranians’ motivations.

I thought the legal mind reveled in detailed notes...Maybe the retired legal mind takes a different tack...

The Japanese and Iranians did indeed both use religious zealotry as a motivating principle...Iran has its Moslem culture which began to be whipped into a frenzy at the behest and encouragement of A. Hitler and his Nazi toadlings...All it took was to find the right would be politician among the desert dwellers to convince the more simple-minded of the sect to take time out from their prayer rugs to destroy a few infidels and get the ball rolling...They may have taken some direction from the Japanese who turned their line of emperors into a succession of gods...That line now extends back 3,000 years, considerably longer than than Allah has been used as a worshiping point...

In each case, it was politicians (sometimes prodded by the ambitious military) who encouraged the simpler of minds to sacrifice all they had of property, family and self to attain the political (read power) goals which they had set..."Flyboys" has a particularly descriptive narration of this process...In order to read his book successfully, you'll have to understand that Mr. Bradley's narration is made from the viewpoints of both the Japanese and the White Devils...To ignore that point might cause his readers to misinterpret the vantage point of the historian......Ben

[Truckman]

I think this story may have been presented here before, but there are new details in this updated version which are simply astounding...Just a few numbers that have come to light:

The special operations soldier, unidentified for privacy reasons, had been hit when an improvised explosive device detonated, fracturing his pelvis and gravely injuring his abdomen, arms and legs. It took three aircraft, 24,000 gallons of fuel and about two dozen gallons of blood to sustain the soldier during the 8,000-mile non-stop journey back to the U.S., where he required specialized care.

Regardless of the costs involved in this, and all other cases in which a member of our armed forces is injured, the taxpayer gets many times that amount returned with the service of our people......Ben

[wacojoe]

The largest aircraft carrier sinking in history —

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/bu...-carrier-74541

A follow-up to the sinking of the Shinano, this one much more detailed, including the chase and tactics used by the captain of the U.S.S. Archer Fish —

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/bu...-carrier-9740]

[Mike]

That was a good read!

[Truckman]

Not all stories of CMoH recipients are confined to ground or sea action...Some take place in the air, and although the expectation might be to hear of flying officers carrying the nation's highest military honor, enlisted men rise to the need also...

Maybe it was because of the roller coaster airplane, or the loss of blood, or the partial loss of feeling in his right leg, but Levitow just couldn't grab the rolling flare with his hands. Instead, he dove on the burning flare and hugged it to his body as he dragged himself to the cargo door.

We've all read of the heroic actions of men throwing themselves on a grenade knowing their lives would be instantly extinguished in a split second, but this man instinctively covered a flare with his body knowing it was set to immolate him at 4,000 degrees in the next moment...The complete citation reads follows:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Levitow (then A1c.), U.S. Air Force, distinguished himself by exceptional heroism while assigned as a loadmaster aboard an AC-47 aircraft flying a night mission in support of Long Binh Army post. Sgt. Levitow's aircraft was struck by a hostile mortar round. The resulting explosion ripped a hole 2 feet in diameter through the wing and fragments made over 3,500 holes in the fuselage. All occupants of the cargo compartment were wounded and helplessly slammed against the floor and fuselage. The explosion tore an activated flare from the grasp of a crewmember who had been launching flares to provide illumination for Army ground troops engaged in combat. Sgt. Levitow, though stunned by the concussion of the blast and suffering from over 40 fragment wounds in the back and legs, staggered to his feet and turned to assist the man nearest to him who had been knocked down and was bleeding heavily. As he was moving his wounded comrade forward and away from the opened cargo compartment door, he saw the smoking flare ahead of him in the aisle. Realizing the danger involved and completely disregarding his own wounds, Sgt. Levitow started toward the burning flare. The aircraft was partially out of control and the flare was rolling wildly from side to side. Sgt. Levitow struggled forward despite the loss of blood from his many wounds and the partial loss of feeling in his right leg. Unable to grasp the rolling flare with his hands, he threw himself bodily upon the burning flare. Hugging the deadly device to his body, he dragged himself back to the rear of the aircraft and hurled the flare through the open cargo door. At that instant the flare separated and ignited in the air, but clear of the aircraft. Sgt. Levitow, by his selfless and heroic actions, saved the aircraft and its entire crew from certain death and destruction. Sgt. Levitow's gallantry, his profound concern for his fellowmen, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Air Force and reflect great credit upon himself and the Armed Forces of his country.

...Ben

[wacojoe]

As an aside to the heroic actions by Sgt. Levitow, which stands on its own, I note with curiosity how his airplane was hit by a mortar shell. Either that was grievously bad luck or the crew fell victim to some remarkably skillful shooting by the Viet Cong/NVA mortar crew. Never heard of that one before.

[Truckman]

Never heard of that one before.

I was reading last night of Japanese mortars hitting US Navy warships 1,500 yards offshore in Okinawa...If they can do that, then a lucky shot at a low-flying gunship is also feasible......Ben

[wacojoe]

Guadalcanal’s place in the history of the Pacific War front —

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/bu...d-death-133232

[Sandman]

https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Pu...00314200_1.pdf

https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Pu...00314200_2.pdf

Found on Marines.mil... USMC record of occupation of Japan.. Father (2nd MarDiv) and Grandfather (6th MarDiv) were both there..

One document in two parts.. would suggest downloading PDF, USMC is always moving their history documents making them hard to find..

[Truckman]

Presented without my usual fanfare...

[mgrist]

SOB!

[Sandman]

USMC History.. back in the late 50s to early 60s the USMC attempted to document WWII, from their point of view..

The majority of the documents are on the following index link..

https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/index.html

I’m a USMC brat (and son of a USMC brat)so I grew up with a lot of the info in the above link..

[Truckman]

"Happy New Year...Are we alive?"...That may have been the question asked of themselves as members of two fallen aircrews awoke to their first morning in a German prison camp...

Thirty-seven heavy bombers took off with the 100th Bomb Group that day. Only 25 planes returned to England.

Of those that didn't return, two landed together, the hard way - fused together...1st Lt. Glenn H. Rojohn and his co-pilot, 2nd Lt. William G. Leek Jr., not only survived the crash of their aircraft, but were reunited in 1987, shortly before Leek's death, with other members of the 100th Bomb Group......Ben