Ahhhh, the good ole' 321st.....I served with them before the war stationed in Greenland.......memories.....so many memories.......
Are you sure you aren't confusing them with the 321st Sledded Canine Company?
Cap. your right.....I have a memory like a sieve........how could I forgot the Husky's....and the many nights we spent warming each other on the tundra.........
The Jap 33rd Div takes heavy casualties crossing the Irrawaddy West of Mandalay, but manages to secure a bridgehead. Time to fall back on
the Mandaly defences. Lest their Hurricanes be slaughtered, The RAF plays hide and seek with nearly 100 zeroes flying fighter sweeps out of Rangoon.
[font="Arial"]February 3...The news grows more dire by the hour. We are now told that 8th Indian have collapsed and that Jap recon units are on the outskirts of town even now. I have also had word the Captain was killed today by enemy artillery fire. He was the finest man I have ever known. I believe his loss was propitious as his constitution would not have adapted well to surrender.
A number of us, the walking wounded, have offered to defend the hospital, but the doctor forbade it, fearing the Japs might take retribution on the helpless, of which there are many. I have not seen my wife or child for 4 days. They are said to be sheltering in the Anglican church north of town, which has lost a roof but still has sound walls. I have failed them. I have failed to meet the minimum responsibility as a husband and father, to provide for their safety. May God forgive me. Others have failed as well. The Generals have failed. Mr Churchill has failed. May God forgive us all.
There are angry foreign voices in the courtyard now. The doctor has gone out to negotiate. There is shooting now! Andrew, my son, I hope that you may have a chance to read this someday. Know that I love you with all my heart. I am sorry I could not be with you. Obey and respect your mother. Be a good man. Good bye.[/font]
********Office of CINCUS, Pearl Harbor, Feb 10, 1942*******
Capt. Donald Ho, aide to Adm. Kimmel: Sir, I have that transcript of last night's Tokyo Rose broadcast you requested. The exact statement reads, "To the peace-loving people of Canton Isle:
The Japanese Empire wishes to bring to you the beneficence of it's enlightened rule. Throw off the Imperialist Americans shackles and join the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere.
Emperor Hirohito".
Adm. Kimmel: I wasn't aware there were any citizens of Canton Island.
Capt. Ho: There aren't any sir, just a Marine CD unit and some USN ground support people who are being evaced by Raleigh, Bagely and Blue as we speak.
Adm. Kimmel:Well, the Royal Geographer may be joining his ancestors when this gets out, but really, its the ARROGANCE that bothers me. Set up a joint CentPac/SouthPac planning meeting ASAP. We need to stop these bastards before they make a grab for Panama.
<USAAF officer with neatly oiled hair and a crisply pressed uniform enters>
"Hop Sing, I've got a tough one for you. This is the floor mat from a P-40. Its got a spot from hydraulic fluid up here but the real problem is it smells like vomit. We had to take the thing off the flight line it is so bad."
"What vomit?"
"Oh, you know, like tossing cookies, ralphing, saluting the porcelain <he spoke more loudly as foolish people often do
when trying to communicate with someone who doesn't speak their language well>
"Cookies?"
"You know <he resorted to pantomime, thrusting out his tongue and making a universal retching sound, which could be understood even by headhunters in New Cuinea>.
"Ah! Sure, Sure Capt. Cartwright. We fix". <He called back to his assistant in Cantonese> "Rush job. Get throw-up spray. Primadonnas have big party again".
[font="Times New Roman"]****Office of Adm. Sir James Somerville, CIC, Far East Fleet, Trincomalee, Ceylon****
**********************Feb. 13, 1942***********************
Captain Winterton: Sir, Dutch Dorniers operating from Kuala, Sumatra and Soerabaja can find no trace of the Jap CVLs spotted in Batavia Harbor yesterday. Adm. Somerville: And the Sunda Straight? What have we there? Captain Winterton: RNN KXVIII reports no shipping of any type although they did reposition themselves last night. Adm. Somerville: Damn it all! That means they may have escaped to the Indian Ocean undetected. All Australia-bound convoys South of Ceylon will have to be redirected northward and anything bound for India North of Perth that cant make at least 25 kts will have to turn back to Perth. I want a second squadron of Hurricanes at Colombo and more recon aircraft for the Ceylon bases. I have no confidence that Hermes and Indomitable can defeat Zuiho and Ryujo unless they come north within range of the RAF. Captain Winterton: I'll see to it sir.[/font]