Cruise of the Lanikai: Incitement to WarIn early December 1941 in the Philippines, a young Navy ensign named Kemp Tolley was given his first ship command, an old 76-foot schooner that had once served as a movie prop in John Ford's "The Hurricane." Crewed mostly by Filipinos who did not speak English and armed with a cannon that had last seen service in the Spanish-American War, the Lanikai was under top-secret presidential orders to sail south into waters where the Japanese fleet was thought to be. Ostensibly the crew was to spy on Japanese naval movements, but to Tolley it was clear that their mission was to create an incident that would provoke war. Events overtook the plan, however, when Pearl Harbor was bombed before the Lanikaicould get underway. When Bataan and Corregidor fell, she was ordered to set sail for Australia and became one of the few U.S. naval vessels to escape the Philippines. In this book Tolley tells the saga of her great adventure during these grim, early days of the war and makes history come alive as he regales the reader with details of the operation and an explanation of President Roosevelt's order. Tolley's description of their escape in Japanese warship-infested waters ranks with the best of sea tales, and few will be able to forget the Lanikai's 4,000-mile, three-month odyssey. |
From inside the book
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... Luzon were the submarines andatender, thepatrol planes, and most unfortunately, about 2,000 naval personnel. Healsoleft the 67ton auxiliary schooner Lanikai, whichsuddenly hadbecome the subjectof secret orders from Washington. The ...
... Luzon were the submarines andatender, thepatrol planes, and most unfortunately, about 2,000 naval personnel. Healsoleft the 67ton auxiliary schooner Lanikai, whichsuddenly hadbecome the subjectof secret orders from Washington. The ...
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... Luzon, fighting a retrograde action, togetupto and around Manilabefore beingcutoff. On that fateful day, the twentyfifth, the northern U.S. forces were stretched thin across thestrong defensive line ofthe Agno River. Behind that were ...
... Luzon, fighting a retrograde action, togetupto and around Manilabefore beingcutoff. On that fateful day, the twentyfifth, the northern U.S. forces were stretched thin across thestrong defensive line ofthe Agno River. Behind that were ...
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... Luzon,destination unknown. * Subtractone dayfromall Philippine andLanikai cruise dates toarriveatPearl Harbor dates. † 1960–63. * A 23 December U.S. Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE) message predicting the early retirement of all Army ...
... Luzon,destination unknown. * Subtractone dayfromall Philippine andLanikai cruise dates toarriveatPearl Harbor dates. † 1960–63. * A 23 December U.S. Armed Forces Far East (USAFFE) message predicting the early retirement of all Army ...
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... Luzon, replied “not understood.” On our first forenoon in Manila—4 December 1941—the welcome change from Shanghai's bleak winter found us basking in the warm sunshine under aturquoise sky, digesting the first solid meal in daysand ...
... Luzon, replied “not understood.” On our first forenoon in Manila—4 December 1941—the welcome change from Shanghai's bleak winter found us basking in the warm sunshine under aturquoise sky, digesting the first solid meal in daysand ...
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... Luzon. Aboard the little ferry DapDap, in a wicker chair under the awning, a cool breeze blowing, thefortyminute crossing gave time for reflection.My thoughts were divided— the adventureon which Iwas imminently tobe launched, and about ...
... Luzon. Aboard the little ferry DapDap, in a wicker chair under the awning, a cool breeze blowing, thefortyminute crossing gave time for reflection.My thoughts were divided— the adventureon which Iwas imminently tobe launched, and about ...
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