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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... and the word that there was plenty more—perfect for covering Lanikai's high visibility white hide. “Get some swabs, too!” called Bosun Kinsey. “We ain't got time fer paint brushes.” For a man whose jaw had dropped so low on first seeing ...
... and the word that there was plenty more—perfect for covering Lanikai's high visibility white hide. “Get some swabs, too!” called Bosun Kinsey. “We ain't got time fer paint brushes.” For a man whose jaw had dropped so low on first seeing ...
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... andthe transformerwas evenheavier. Whenwe were loading at Mariveles, youmay remember that the airraidwarning was soundedandyou orderedusto get underway.Frenchy LeCompteandIhad to choose—we couldstayonthe dock withthe equipment, orget it ...
... andthe transformerwas evenheavier. Whenwe were loading at Mariveles, youmay remember that the airraidwarning was soundedandyou orderedusto get underway.Frenchy LeCompteandIhad to choose—we couldstayonthe dock withthe equipment, orget it ...
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... 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 safetyas bags of rice and cases of salmon ...
... 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 safetyas bags of rice and cases of salmon ...
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... and the sea smooth as glass andiridescently glowing the paddle. Marcia, and witheach dip of May,and Tina, and that ... andthe modern battleship Prince of Wales. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert BrookePopham, British commander in chief, Far ...
... and the sea smooth as glass andiridescently glowing the paddle. Marcia, and witheach dip of May,and Tina, and that ... andthe modern battleship Prince of Wales. Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert BrookePopham, British commander in chief, Far ...
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... anda yearin the pokey, so the researcher's task isa delicate one. In 1929, Secretary of State Henry Stimson's pious ... andthe State Department's “Black Chamber” underthe remarkable Herbert O.Yardley. From about 1932through 1938 the ...
... anda yearin the pokey, so the researcher's task isa delicate one. In 1929, Secretary of State Henry Stimson's pious ... andthe State Department's “Black Chamber” underthe remarkable Herbert O.Yardley. From about 1932through 1938 the ...
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Common terms and phrases
aboard Adair Admiral Hart aircraft Allied alongside American anchor andthe Army arrived ashore Asiatic Fleet attack atthe Australia Bali Bandoeng boat bombers bombs British bythe Captain Cavite coast Corregidor crew crewmen cruisers December deck deckhouse defense destroyers Dutch East enemy engine Filipino fish forces Fremantle fromthe Geraldton Glassford gunboat guns hadbeen Hart’s headed heavy Helfrich Houston inthe Island itwas Japan Japanese Java Kimmel Lanikai later LCDR Lieutenant Commander Luzon MacArthur Manila Mariveles miles Naval Operations Navy’s night Oahu officer ofthe onthe Pacific patrol Pearl Harbor Pecos Philippines planes President President’s radio Rear Admiral Rockwell Roosevelt sail ship ship’s Singapore skipper soon Stark submarine Surabaya thatthe theJapanese Therewas Tjilatjap tobe Tolley torpedo tothe U.S. Naval U.S. Navy United USS Lanikai vessel Walruff warship wasa Washington wasnot witha withthe wouldbe wrote Yangtze Yangtze Patrol Yard