Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Cuttlefish]

September 25, 1944

Location: 105 miles east-southeast of Tori Shima
Course: South
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 432

Orders: Proceed to Bonin

---

Admiral Tashiro’s task force receives a slight change in orders. Instead of Iwo Jima the ships will go to Chichi Jima and rendezvous with their reinforcements there.

“Why the change, sir?” Lieutenant Kuwaki asks Ishii as the ships alter course slightly.

Ishii shrugs. “It could be any of several things,” he says. “There might be more fuel or provisions available there. My guess, though, is that is a bit further north and maybe less subject to air attack.”

“I haven’t heard anything about Iwo Jima being bombed,” says Kuwaki.

“No,” says Ishii, “but I doubt that we would. Bad news does not travel fast these days.”

“One does not speak of rope in the house of a hanged man,” says Kuwaki. “That’s what my grandmother used to say, sir.”

“That gets tricky if the occupants are supposed to be making mooring lines,” says Ishii.

“Sir?”

“Nothing, Kuwaki. Never mind.”

[Cuttlefish]

September 26, 1944

Location: Bonin
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 410

Orders: Proceed to Bonin

---

The Japanese ships anchor in Chichi Jima’s Futami Harbor. Around them rise rugged green-clad slopes, scarred here and there with signs of recent construction. In other places the pristine appearance of the hillsides has been carefully restored to avoid giving away the location of defensive emplacements that have been built over the past year.

On Hibiki’s bridge Ensign Izu looks up when he hears a flutter of wings. Out on the rail of the starboard observation platform perches a small bird. It has a yellow underbelly and is olive-drab on top. When it cocks its head at Izu he sees that there is a white ring around each eye with striking black markings around the white.

“It’s a Bonin white-eye!” he exclaims in delight. Lieutenant Sugiyura, standing nearby, looks over at him.

“What’s that, Ensign?” he asks.

Izu points out at the observation platform. “Uh, the bird out there, sir, it’s a Bonin white-eye,” he says. “They are found only in these islands.”

Sugiyura glances out just in time to see the bird fly away. “Birds?” he says. “They’re noisy and dirty. Who cares about birds?”

“But sir, haven’t you ever seen a raptor strike?” says Izu. “It’s the most amazing blend of speed and power. They must calculate their dive exactly and strike at precisely the right moment. It’s like watching a perfectly executed torpedo attack.”

Sugiyura looks impressed. “I admit I have never seen that,” he says. “I would like to. Are there such birds here?”

“Well, no,” says Izu. “Sadly many of the bird species here were wiped out by feral pigs and other animals introduced by Westerners.”

Sugiyura’s lip curls. “Now there is a nice analogy,” he says. “Western pigs wiping out loyal Japanese birds. It sounds like what we face if the enemy wins, doesn’t it? The destruction of our essence by foreign swine.”

“Um, yes sir, I guess so,” says Izu.

“Luckily we are raptors and not songbirds,” says Sugiyura. “Not so easy to catch and eat, eh?”

“Actually, sir, the pigs eat the eggs and destroy the nests…” begins Izu, but Sugiyura holds up a hand to stop him.

“Don’t mess up a good analogy with facts, Ensign” he says. “At least not a superior officer’s analogy.”

“Of course not, sir,” says Izu. “They may be larger but we have sharper talons, right?”

“Now you’re talking,” says Sugiyura approvingly.

---

Bonin White-eye:

[Cuttlefish]

September 27, 1944

Location: Bonin
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 410

Orders: Proceed to Bonin

---

Riku accompanies Lieutenant JG Kataoka ashore in the morning. As they have just come from Japan there is nothing the destroyer really needs but Chichi Jima is a new place and Riku wants to have a look around. He likes to meet people and establish contacts before he really needs something, anyway. That way when something does come up he already has a foot in the door.

He meets a navy man down by the docks, a seaman second class who works in the base’s mess. The man is oddly reluctant to be drawn into conversation at first but brightens when Riku asks to have a look at the large ice-making facility. It is brand new and the man is very proud of it, having helped set it up. He shows Riku various features and talks about how many cubic feet of ice it is capable of producing per hour. Ordinarily, he says, a base this size would not rate such an installation but two regiments of infantry and additional support units have recently been moved to the island.

“Of course the enemy has noticed this activity,” the man tells Riku. “There was an air raid a couple of weeks ago that fortunately missed the ice plant. Some enemy planes were shot down, though, and they haven’t been back since.”

“That’s good,” says Riku. “Say, what kind of food do you have here? Anything good? We usually carry some extra food aboard Hibiki, and drink too. If you guys have anything to offer I’d be happy to work out a trade. I have a case of scotch I might be willing to let go of, for example.”

The man’s face closes down like a door slamming shut. “I have to go,” he says, and walks stiffly away.

“Hey!” says Riku, trotting after him. “What is it? Look, there’s nothing wrong with some trading, not if our superiors approve everything.” The man stops as Riku catches up to him but looks down at the ground and will not raise his head. There is an odd tension radiating from his body.

“What’s wrong?” says Riku more quietly. For clearly something is. He wonders if the man might be a little off his rocker. It happens, in the war.

Then the man looks up at him. Riku does not think he has ever seen such haunted eyes. He wants to take a step back but doesn’t, even though for some reason he is suddenly afraid.

“Don’t,” says the man in a whisper.

“Don’t what?” says Riku. Without thinking he too whispers.

“Don’t touch our food,” says the man. There is strain in his voice. “Don’t eat anything here.”

“What is it?” says Riku. “Why not?” But the man just shakes his head.

“Leave me alone,” he whispers, then walks swiftly away. This time Riku does not follow him. The man walks so quickly he is almost running and soon is out of Riku’s sight.

[Capt. Harlock]

“Don’t,” says the man in a whisper.

“Don’t what?” says Riku. Without thinking he too whispers.

“Don’t touch our food,” says the man. There is strain in his voice. “Don’t eat anything here.”

Now there's a major "uh-oh" . . . [&:]

[tocaff]

A base with a cursed mess?

[kaleun]

Or a mess of a cursed base.

[Alikchi2]

Hibiki sails away, and the island disappears into the mist.. Ishii checks his map: Chichi Jima is actually supposed to be a hundred miles to the west... oh I give up.

[Heeward]

Uh oh - Apparently history has repeated itself here.......
 
 

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Heeward

Uh oh - Apparently history has repeated itself here.......

I think Heeward has it figured out.

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

ORIGINAL: Heeward

Uh oh - Apparently history has repeated itself here.......

I think Heeward has it figured out.

Would he mind sharing with the rest of us? [:'(]


EDIT: Ah, I get it now......[&o]

[String]

hmh, interesting, is chichi jima out of supply then?

[Marc gto]

someone struck a nerve

[Mobeer]

From The Daily Mail:

"Portions of a beheaded American flier were served to senior Japanese officers on the Pacific island of Chichi Jima in February 1945, not because they needed the food, but to promote their own virility."

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/colum ... Japan.html

[Cuttlefish]

September 28, 1944

Location: Bonin
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 410

Orders: Proceed to Bonin

---

Taiki stands at the rail watching a light cruiser – he thinks it is Yahagi – and four destroyers enter the harbor. Beside him Riku is describing his encounter ashore.

“It was kind of creepy,” Riku says in conclusion. “But I think the man was probably just a little mad.”

“It can happen,” says Taiki. “They know they are likely to be invaded here, sooner or later. The waiting must be rather stressful.”

“Maybe,” says Riku doubtfully. “Still, there was something…ah, I don’t know.”

Taiki turns his gaze from the arriving warships to his friend. “Maybe the stress of the war is getting to you, too,” he says, looking amused. “You seem a bit jumpy. Or perhaps you just miss Nanami.”

“I certainly do miss her!” agrees Riku. “Maybe you are right. Well, thank you for listening to me, Petty Officer. I’d better get back to work.” Taiki watches him depart and then heads for the radar room. He is not on duty but wants to see what the approaching ships look like on the display.

---

Taiki had not planned on leaving the ship. He is still fascinated by the new radar equipment and is busy training with it and learning everything about it he can. But when Lieutenant Kuwaki offers him a chance to accompany him ashore that afternoon he acts on impulse and takes it.

The drab new military structures dispersed around the harbor do not offer much in the way of sightseeing and the facilities are pretty utilitarian. While he waits for the lieutenant Taiki strikes up a conversation with a petty officer from the dock force. The two swap stories for a while and then Taiki, remembering his conversation with Riku that morning, asks him if he is worried about an enemy invasion.

“The enemy will not have an easy time if they want to come here,” the man tells him. “The only real beaches are very small. The island is all cliffs and ridges, ideal for defense. The harbor itself is protected by concealed batteries.” He points inland. “You see that ridge there? And over there? Those are both covered with hidden anti-aircraft emplacements. Any planes trying to bomb the harbor have to run a gauntlet between them. That’s how we shot down nine planes in the attack a couple of weeks ago.”

“It sounds like a good place to defend,” says Taiki.

“Yes, and even the Army might prove useful for a change,” laughs the petty officer. “There are a lot of soldiers here and their commander, General Tachibana, is very savage. His own men fear him more than they fear the enemy.” His smile disappears. “To tell you the truth, he scares me too.”

“Oh?” says Taiki.

The petty officer looks around. “I should not talk about it,” he says, lowering his voice a little. “But one hears things. I don’t know if they are true, and I don’t want to know. Let’s just say he is a good man to avoid.”

“Why?” says Taiki. “What sort of things?” The petty officer just shakes his head.

“I am back on duty soon,” he says. “It has been nice talking to you, Takahashi. Good luck to you and your ship.”

[Onime No Kyo]

I think you stole SF'd thunder, Mobeer. [:-]

[Heeward]

I thought about saying Long Pig for dinner.... The issue was covered in James Brady's book "Flyboys".

[thegreatwent]

"Looks like meat is back on the menu boys!"

LOTR Two Towers

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Heeward

I thought about saying Long Pig for dinner.... The issue was covered in James Brady's book "Flyboys".

"Flyboys" was in fact my source material for this bit. I will post more tomorrow...it's interesting stuff, I think you guys are going to just eat it up...

[Marc gto]

cant wait

[kaleun]

I thought about saying Long Pig for dinner.... The issue was covered in James Brady's book "Flyboys".

I read it too. It was awesome, and thought provoking.
Makes you think, it was different back then.
Sobering thoughts.