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. |
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... alongside a Manila pier coveredwith camouflage netting, with only a few feetof water under her keel. If holed,she could settlecomfortablyto thebottom and carry on business asusual,servicing submarines fromsuch ofher shops as remained ...
... alongside a Manila pier coveredwith camouflage netting, with only a few feetof water under her keel. If holed,she could settlecomfortablyto thebottom and carry on business asusual,servicing submarines fromsuch ofher shops as remained ...
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... alongside dock thebusy afternoon of 24December 1941. As per Hart's instructions, Adair sought himout early Christmas morning.With Adairwas Lieutenant Commander Harry Keith, whohad been skipperof the destroyerPeary and on her bridge when ...
... alongside dock thebusy afternoon of 24December 1941. As per Hart's instructions, Adair sought himout early Christmas morning.With Adairwas Lieutenant Commander Harry Keith, whohad been skipperof the destroyerPeary and on her bridge when ...
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... alongside thepier at Marivelesat2:10 P.M.,with instructions todump the Manila contingent and hurry back for any lastditchers who might be strandedin Manila orCavite. Butin a sortof military musical chairs, several dozen Army officers ...
... alongside thepier at Marivelesat2:10 P.M.,with instructions todump the Manila contingent and hurry back for any lastditchers who might be strandedin Manila orCavite. Butin a sortof military musical chairs, several dozen Army officers ...
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... alongside a temporary ramp, awaiting the first light to shine on the box labels. Between almost hourly air alarms, we filled up with tools, rope, canvas, flour, salmon, rice, toilet paper, lumber. The major problem was what not to take ...
... alongside a temporary ramp, awaiting the first light to shine on the box labels. Between almost hourly air alarms, we filled up with tools, rope, canvas, flour, salmon, rice, toilet paper, lumber. The major problem was what not to take ...
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... alongside Canopus to topoff diesel tanks.Lying under the bigship's overhanging stern, Lanikai was not much larger thanseveral motor launches that swung attheboat booms. An interested group of Canopus bluejackets lounged overthetaffrail ...
... alongside Canopus to topoff diesel tanks.Lying under the bigship's overhanging stern, Lanikai was not much larger thanseveral motor launches that swung attheboat booms. An interested group of Canopus bluejackets lounged overthetaffrail ...
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