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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... on the proposal. “Letme thinkaboutit overnight,”he said.“See me tomorrow.” Eachforenoon, Hart's liaison manwith ... onthe war here from submarines as long aspossible, this denialofthe useofthefacilities withinthe metropolitan area ...
... on the proposal. “Letme thinkaboutit overnight,”he said.“See me tomorrow.” Eachforenoon, Hart's liaison manwith ... onthe war here from submarines as long aspossible, this denialofthe useofthefacilities withinthe metropolitan area ...
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... on the dark mahogany in final reckoning on which unlucky fellow picked up the pile of chits for the afternoon's libations. They listened to my tale with interest. “Brother, you have had a close call!” said an oldtimer, as I picked ...
... on the dark mahogany in final reckoning on which unlucky fellow picked up the pile of chits for the afternoon's libations. They listened to my tale with interest. “Brother, you have had a close call!” said an oldtimer, as I picked ...
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... on the others. “There are enough petroleum products in the Pandacan area of Manila to operatethe Asiatic Fleetfor two years,”saidRock. “WhattheJaps wantis 'alkylate,' an additiveto gasoline that transformsit into high octanestuff ...
... on the others. “There are enough petroleum products in the Pandacan area of Manila to operatethe Asiatic Fleetfor two years,”saidRock. “WhattheJaps wantis 'alkylate,' an additiveto gasoline that transformsit into high octanestuff ...
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... on the night of the twentyfourth, loaded with passengers, including Major General L. H. Brereton, MacArthur's air commander, a 1911 Naval Academy graduate. The big, clumsy flying boat was plowing along at 40 knots, struggling to become ...
... on the night of the twentyfourth, loaded with passengers, including Major General L. H. Brereton, MacArthur's air commander, a 1911 Naval Academy graduate. The big, clumsy flying boat was plowing along at 40 knots, struggling to become ...
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... on. The powder train thus setalight, and the bestwishes ofCommander Whitney accepted, I foundmy way down toMachina Wharf, wherethe Lanikai was moored. The results alreadywere apparent. Monster cockroaches bythe hundreds scuttledfor ...
... on. The powder train thus setalight, and the bestwishes ofCommander Whitney accepted, I foundmy way down toMachina Wharf, wherethe Lanikai was moored. The results alreadywere apparent. Monster cockroaches bythe hundreds scuttledfor ...
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