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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... radio equipment, sailthe Lanikai toJava where theAdmiral was going in a dayor sotoestablish a new headquarters. Ramrodstraight and Napoleonsized, Hart was noncommittal on the proposal. “Letme thinkaboutit overnight,”he said.“See me ...
... radio equipment, sailthe Lanikai toJava where theAdmiral was going in a dayor sotoestablish a new headquarters. Ramrodstraight and Napoleonsized, Hart was noncommittal on the proposal. “Letme thinkaboutit overnight,”he said.“See me ...
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... Radio Electrician C.A. Walruff and twoassistants, veteran chief radiomen C. T. McVey and J. W. LeCompte. Things had reachedthe desperate point whereLanikai seemed themost reliable meansof transportingaoneton “portable” radio transmitter ...
... Radio Electrician C.A. Walruff and twoassistants, veteran chief radiomen C. T. McVey and J. W. LeCompte. Things had reachedthe desperate point whereLanikai seemed themost reliable meansof transportingaoneton “portable” radio transmitter ...
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... radio we weresupposedto take towhatever our destinationmightbe. Thirtyyears later, McVey reported on Lanikai's radio installation. “Idon'trecall the type transmitter, but it was some ancient 'pooperdyne' that defied all treatment.” Then ...
... radio we weresupposedto take towhatever our destinationmightbe. Thirtyyears later, McVey reported on Lanikai's radio installation. “Idon'trecall the type transmitter, but it was some ancient 'pooperdyne' that defied all treatment.” Then ...
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... radio refusingtoemit a singlebeep, although signals could be received. The journalentry for thatday was again short: Moored port side to starboard side ofUSS Tanager,Machina Wharf, Navy Yard, Cavite. Receiving electricity fromyard.At ...
... radio refusingtoemit a singlebeep, although signals could be received. The journalentry for thatday was again short: Moored port side to starboard side ofUSS Tanager,Machina Wharf, Navy Yard, Cavite. Receiving electricity fromyard.At ...
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... radio. I had already dropped off my will and a last letter home the day before, entrusted to a good friend and classmate, Francis Jordan, executive officer of the Luzon. Aboard the little ferry DapDap, in a wicker chair under the awning ...
... radio. I had already dropped off my will and a last letter home the day before, entrusted to a good friend and classmate, Francis Jordan, executive officer of the Luzon. Aboard the little ferry DapDap, in a wicker chair under the awning ...
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Common terms and phrases
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