The White Falcon - 31.01.1942, Blaðsíða 4

AMERICAN
Pacific Battle
The U. S. Fleet contributed
largely to a battle in the Far
ed the Straits of Macassar.
East this week which has re-
named the Straits of Macassar.
(These waters are now being,
called the straits of Massacre).
The highly successful Jap-
anese forces were moving in
great force early this week
through the straits for an attack
on Java, headquarters of the
United Nations Southwest Paci-
fic command. They made furth-
er landings on Borneo, and took
Balik-Papan. But units of the
U. S. Fleet met the large Jap-
anese convoy and destroyed a
dozen Japanese naval vessels.
Dutch units fought valiantly,
American flying fortresses were
brought into play, and the
Nippon high command was
believed forced to a change of
tactics.
Also into the Massacre were
thrown American Flying for-
tress bombers which flew over
the Japanese convoy dealing
destruction to at least two large
enemy ships. A United States
submarine sunk a Japanese air-
craft carrier. Washington an-
nounced that the total enemy
ships destroyed by American
forces since the wars beginning
had reached fifty.
This week Philippine reports
are merely a continuation of a
story of gallant heroism. A
story of American soldiers and
Marines, and Filipino troops
fighting long hours against
vast numerical superiority and
taking a heavy toll of enemy
troops. The Japanese have at-
tacked repeatedly the American
position on Bataan but each
time they have withdrawn with
heavy casualties.
Two stories of gallantry from
the Philippines have concerned
the torpedo boats operating in
Subic bay. One of these small
craft was reported early in the
week to have sunk a five thous-
and ton vessel during a Jap
laid on the MacArthur flank.
The other story General Mac-
Arthur told in a clipped com-
munique to the War depart-
ment. It spoke of a torpedo boat
which saw two waves of Jap-
anese dive bombers and could
have found cover. Instead the
boat was moved rapidly into
the line of fire of the bombers.
The small craft opened fire on
the second wave of dive bomb-
ers and dispersed them.
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Pacific Ocean
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Chinese rush rein-
forcements
Thai declares war
. attacks Burma
MacArtlnir's forces
hold Bataan
Japs:
Take Balik-Papan
18 miles, to Singa-
pore
Drive on Java
AUSTRALIA PROCLAIMED
A STATION OF WAR
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Roberts Report
“Dereliction of Duty”
Charged in Hawaii Probe
The Boberts commitee in-
vestigating the attack on Pearl
Harbor charged General Short
and Admiral Kimmel with
“dereliction of duty” in connec-
tion with the surprise Japan-'
ese blow on Dec. 7tli. The com-
mittee revealed that the gen-
eral officers had both been
warned repetedlv of an immin-
ent Japanese-American break,
and that in the face of this
the two had never met to co-
ordinate defense . . . that no
long range patrol had been
maintained . . . that a general
alarm was not sounded even
when a Japanese submarine
was sighted outside Pearl Har-
bor an hour before the at-
tack . . . that on the morning
of December 7th both General
Short and Admiral Kimmel
were away from their quar-
ters and could not he reached
with urgent communications
from Washington.
No other officers or men
were found guilty .by the com-
mittee.
Second A.E.F.
The story of the week on the
European front was the arrival
of the second AEF in Europe.
Into a port in Northern Ireland
steamed several thousand offic-
ers and men of an American
infantry division under the
command of Major General
Hartle.
President
On Friday with the annual
march of dines and President’s
Balls the citizens of the United
States celebrated the 60th birth-
day anniversary of Franklin
Delano Roosevelt. In Wash-
ingon, the President had little
time for celebration for he was
helmsman.of a fast moving
ship of state.
The President was planning
a report to the nation on the
state of the war. The address,
says White House Secretary
Steve Early, will he delivered
about February second.
The nation, unde President
Roosevelt’s leadership, advanc-
ed this week toward an unbe-
lievable war production. Don-
ald Nelson took over a supply
job which many believe will
make him a dictator of Ameri-
can industry. OPM Director
William S. Knudsen, whom
Nelson replaces in he chief pro-
duction job,. was consoled with
an appointment as Lt. General
in the United States army.
Knudsen will direct his inval-
uable talents to securing ma-
teriel for the American army.
Marine Commandant Promoted
Also advanced to the grade
of Lt. General was Marine
Corps commandant Thomas L.
Holcomb. General Holcomb is
the first Marine to hold the
rank of Lt. General.
jap Attack Letter
(Continued from page i.)
That sounds rather silly, doesn’t it ? Any-
how you may breathe more easily now
because I’m all right. In fact, I’m in
the pink—if that’s possible in these con-
ditions.
Sunday morning “first call’’ had just
blown. I remember grumbling, turning
over and mumbling something censorable
about people who blow first call so
early on a Sunday morning. This was
at 7 a. m. the morning of the memorable
seventh. Suddenly, I could hear the
roar of planes. “Just Wheeler Field
flights taking off on routine stuff,” 1
thought. Then the ground began to
rumble and shake to the accompaniment
of an unholy symphony of concussions.
I couldn’t quite figure that out, so I
heaved myself out of bed and walked to
the window to see what was the matter.
Well, it wasn’t St. Nick—oh no! But
I wasn’t yet to become aware of that.
All I could see then in the beautiful
morning sunlight was a squadron of
planes, banking, zooming and diving—-
nothing unusual for the skies around
Schofield. I figured then with my
"superior intellect”—ha ha—that the
boys from Wheeler were acting under
orders from our command giving us a
taste of what it was like to be in an air
raid accompanied by appropriate war
noises. Calm in my belief I shucked on
my clothes and left the barracks noting
with amusement that “our boys” were
out in the quadrangle in various stages
of undress gaping at the sky—all in full
view of the fliers. From beyond the
barracks a huge column of smoke arose.
“Smoke pots,” I thought. Then our first
sergeant came dashing back from the
street with an odd look on his face.
“Get in there you — it’s an attack. Break
out the ammunition.” I had orders to
report to school in the event of an alert,
so I proceeded almost leisurely to go
there. As T left the quadrangle 1 could
'hear the soldiers starting sporadic fire
with rifles and machine guns. That
puzzled me. Why should they actually
fire on our planes? Weren’t they taking
this a little too seriously? By this time
1 had reached a street intersection where
I could see without barrack walls getting
into my line of sight. Just across the
street was the post chapel. There I
looked again into the sky. About 30 or
40 planes frolicked around in the blue.
One seemingly detached itself and zoom-,
ed down at me. Suddenly, 1 noticed that
the markings of the thing were orange
disks ! Wow ! I was beginning to wake
up. Tracers started spurting from its
wings and bullets rather spattered around
me (much to my discomfort). He
hadn't picked me out especially. He
seemed to be aiming at the knot of
people congregated at the front of the
church. Early mass had just been com-
pleted. By this time the noise was ter-
rific. They weren’t bombing Schofield.
Just a little playful strafing, but the boys
at Wheeler caught hell. I had a funny
feeling. It was one of amazement ac-
companied by utter disbelief and a ra-
ther empty feeling in the pit of my
stomach. I wasn’t afraid exactly—no, it
wasn’t that. 1 was just numb with
amazement. This couldn’t be true,
sides, we are invulnerable to attack.
Things just did’nt happen this way. Be-
The bullets convinced me, though, and
1 continued my "stroll”—like the pro-
verbial “bat out of hell.” I Reported at
I’ve been ever since working in the S-3
school, then to post headquarters where
office. The days have been hectic. Com-
plete blackout is the order of the day,
but since undav no enemy has reached
us. Tilings seem fairly normal now.
Just like maneuvers—rather grim man-
euvers at that. There has been a lot of
exaggeration concerning the damage
and casualties. I’m sorry, but I’m afraid
I’d overstep my bounds if I elaborated;
however, these days are indelibly im-
printed on my mind, and I'll tell you all
about it when I come home.
1 have the distinction of experiencing
the first air-raid attack in the war. I
Legion or the VFW. The Battle of
guess I’m now eligible .’or the American
Oahu 1 Wow 1
Love,
HARRY.