::Felix, Ferdinand and FRUPAC:: obvert (A) v Greyjoy (J)

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

You will need this....

Engineers:
The “name” of a device does not matter, only the device data matters. Any Eng unit can always build, but if it has Anti-Armor <1, it cannot reduce forts. If it has Anti-Soft <9, it cannot AV. If it is “named” Construction or Labor Eng, but is a Type = 23 (squad), it will not build. If it also has a-a <1, and a-s <9, it won’t do anything but eat (i.e., nothing but ‘bodies’). So there is a matrix of different Eng squads that represent a mix of abilities; build stuff, reduce forts, able to AV, some of the above, none of the above. DaBigBabes uses this matrix (according to our appreciation as to how it falls out) to help limit in-game tempo, by limiting in-game infrastructure.

Shore Party:
Shore Party is a sub-set of Nav Sup. Shore Party devices assist in loading/unloading but do not assist in repairing or rearming. Repair/rearm bases were very far and few between, for both sides, and thus with BigBabes, but both sides recognized an imperative for stevedoring and non-integral lift capability. Thus Shore Partys and a skoosh of code that lets them give an unload bonus to TFs. A Shore Party switch may be set for a Vehicle, such as an LVT-2 Amph Trac; It may be set for a Type = 24 Eng squad, like USA Port Srvc Sq, in which case it may also help build; It may be set for a Type = 23 Squad, like USA Amph Sup Sq.

Check the editor often, and become familiar with all the different kinds of units available. For example:

USMC Pioneer Sq – Squad type – No Build, Yes AV, Yes Shore Party, No Reduce Forts
USN Constr Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, Yes AV, No Shore Party, No Reduce Forts
USN Spec Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, No AV, Yes Shore Party, No Reduce Forts
USN Base Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, No AV, Yes Shore Party, No Reduce Forts
USA Port Svc Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, No AV, Yes Shore Party, No Reduce Forts
USA Amph Sup Sq – Squad type – No Build, Yes AV, Yes Shore Party, No Reduce Forts

IJA Shipping Eng Sq – Squad type – No Build, No AV, No Reduce Forts, Yes Shore Party, LC = 17
IJA Cmbt Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, Yes AV, Yes Reduce Forts, No Shore Party, LC = 17
IJA Const Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, No AV, No Reduce Forts, No Shore Party, LC = 17
IJA Const Labor Sq – Squad type – No Build, No AV, No Reduce Forts, No Shore Party, LC = 20
IJN Const Eng Sq – Eng type – Yes Build, No AV, No Reduce Forts, No Shore Party, LC = 17
IJN Const Labor Sq – Squad type – No Build, No AV, No Reduce Forts, No Shore Party, LC = 20

So IJ Const Labor doesn’t 'do' anything and, what’s more, has a larger load cost. This represents the large manual labor component (Chinese/Korean) that results in 1000 man Eng Bns/Rgts without giving much additional capability. Typical IJA Const Bns/Rgts have 32 Const squads (590 ‘men’, 1088 total with the support, etc.), but 16 squads are Const Eng, while 16 are Const Labor. It's a way to have 32 squad (1000 man) Bns/Rgts with half the capability of a corresponding 32 squad Allied unit.

Even though many squad devices don’t ‘do’ anything (and many Eng devices can’t assault), they are still marginally useful (apart from the Eng devices being able to build). Anti-Soft = 8 (typically) so these units may still ‘shoot’ during the pre-assault fire phase. They ‘shoot’ better than the default firepower of a 251 Eng or 252 Sup device, so that’s something.

Different load costs also allow Const Bns/Rgts to be tailored as to troop count and, therefore, loadability and troop population on atolls and small islands.

Thanks! I will need this. I will struggle to get it all until actually playing and seeing what happens, I'm sure. Looks like a real drain on the IJ to have those big construction units that function at half strength but eat full rations.

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[font="Times New Roman"]November 24, 1941

Cavite Naval Base, The Philippines

Lieutenant Murrow leaned against the 3 inch deck gun and watched the activity picking up along the docks. Torpedo carts rolled out along the pier to waiting lighters. Men hauled sacks of provisions onto wagons down to the waiting subs. A late afternoon breeze picked up over the waters of Manila Bay. The big tender Canopus lay just to their port side beyond the Sealion. Workers moved with increased purpose on and off of Seadragon, Sealion and Shark, all in the process of getting a refit.

The air was heavy and everyone felt tense as news of impending war with the Japanese spread through the ranks. Admiral Hart, the commander of the Asiatic Fleet, had received word this day from Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Stark to prepare for conflict sooner than later. Orders were given immediately and both cruisers, the Houston and Marblehead, along with the destroyer tender Blackhawk and all but four destroyers moved south to areas of the Dutch East Indies. They had pulled out before noon and disappeared out of the harbor mouth to the west. It felt deserted now, somewhat ominously, with subs leaving throughout the day as well to assume patrol locations along the Philippine archipelago.

Andrew Murrow stood and rested for a moment, thinking of the future, and trying to take in the immensity of what seemed about to happen.
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[BBfanboy]

Hey, obvert! Are you trying to tell us that there were some leaders in the West who didn't think of the Japanese as funny little nearsighted men with buck teeth
who operated paper airplanes and ugly ships? What about War Plan Orange that assumes the Pacific Fleet can just sail from PH to Manila and squash the upstart Japanese, returning
home for Christmas!? Gotta have some characters with illusions to be shattered. Some uppity British commander from the upper classes, perhaps?

[Lowpe]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Gotta have some characters with illusions to be shattered. Some uppity British commander from the upper classes, perhaps?

Air Marshall Brooke-Popham comes to mind.

You could give us some lurid Singers nightlife stories...

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

Hey, obvert! Are you trying to tell us that there were some leaders in the West who didn't think of the Japanese as funny little nearsighted men with buck teeth
who operated paper airplanes and ugly ships? What about War Plan Orange that assumes the Pacific Fleet can just sail from PH to Manila and squash the upstart Japanese, returning
home for Christmas!? Gotta have some characters with illusions to be shattered. Some uppity British commander from the upper classes, perhaps?

Don't we all have illusions to be shattered? [:D]

Just playing so far with some ideas, trying to get a feel for what the build-up to war might have been like in areas that would be on the front lines, or knew they could be soon. But you make a fair point. Not everyone was worried about war with the Japanese.

[JocMeister]

Sorry for not dropping by more frequently. No baby yet but since Ida started kindergarten we have all been sick pretty much from day 1...

Have you formed any rough ideas on how you will deploy your reinforcements? If you boil it down it basically comes down to 2 options. Start building defensive lines in both places from day 1. I usually start with my "last stand" line and then move forward as forts reach 4-6 depending on location.

There are some locations that are absolutely critical on the map. I wont tell you which ones I consider as such in case we end up playing against each other again though! [:D] But look at the map and decide from day 1 on your "will fight to the death" locations. Start sending ENGs and reinforcements there as they arrive. Having decided on such locations beforehand will make it a lot easier to focus. If you don´t have a rough plan you might end up sending stuff all over the map as they trickle in.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: JocMeister

Sorry for not dropping by more frequently. No baby yet but since Ida started kindergarten we have all been sick pretty much from day 1...

Have you formed any rough ideas on how you will deploy your reinforcements? If you boil it down it basically comes down to 2 options. Start building defensive lines in both places from day 1. I usually start with my "last stand" line and then move forward as forts reach 4-6 depending on location.

There are some locations that are absolutely critical on the map. I wont tell you which ones I consider as such in case we end up playing against each other again though! [:D] But look at the map and decide from day 1 on your "will fight to the death" locations. Start sending ENGs and reinforcements there as they arrive. Having decided on such locations beforehand will make it a lot easier to focus. If you don´t have a rough plan you might end up sending stuff all over the map as they trickle in.

Hey Jocke, I've been meaning to check in with you about the new one, so I'm glad i didn't miss it yet! Good luck in the coming days, as I know it can be any time and it'll be a bit different with Ida already there do have to take care of as well. I'm sure you guys have a battle plan ready for that though too! [:)]

I have formed some ideas. I'll be very conservative with my transport routes in the beginning. I will ship some things through So Pac to OZ, but most likely as lures to see what moves that way. Most important troops will head to Cape Town off map, and in So Pac I'll begin with only basic defenses until I know more about my opponent's strategy. The ball is in his court of course, and I want to have a flexible but ready defense. If something seems under observed, I may sneak in some units early forcing him to try atoll invasions to get them out.

My can't lose bases will be Calcutta and Karachi. Columbo will be reinforced but not heavily.

Of course a few in China I'd like to keep for a while, too, but there I'll mainly focus on getting troops into defensive lines and staying put, with reserves a few hexes behind to avoid retreats into overstacking.

In the Pacific I'd like to fight up North, and get more IJN units farther out from home, burning fuel and working away from easy reach of shipyards. I'll be vigorous and aggressive early with subs until the air defenses get going in earnest, then re-think as needed. In the South naval units wil compete if opportunities present themselves, but I won't be sending ships on intended 'volunteer' missions unless he target is worth it. Like sigint on a moving division for instance. FRUPAC and FRUMEL might give me something good and then the plan could change.

In OZ I think Perth is another can't lose base. I'll fortify that extensively, and a few points around it. I have a feeling that GJ won't go big with PDU-off, but I could be completely wrong, too, as Japan will still be about normal through the end of 42 in fighting ability, and the Allies might be worse off than usual. So plans will be in place for any all-in moves to OZ or India.

It's going to be fun to see it from this side, and have a few shots to slow the progress. I think i know the right spots to make some attempts, but it all depends on GJ's style moving forward. I haven't researched in his Q-Ball AAR so I don't even remember what he did before, but I'm sure he will change it up anyway. It'll be more fun to try to read the tealeaves. He knows I'm an Allied rookie, but also that I can be aggressive with the navy, so he has to think about that. Force Z will not simply be saved for a later date. It will be used somewhere early. [:)]

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[font="Times New Roman"]November 25, 1941

Marine Corps Air Station Ewa, Hawaii

Edwin Robinson sat though the briefing Tuesday morning without much interest. The 231st Scout Bombers were heading to the boonies, or at least that’s how he saw it. Midway Island was little more than a nub of land rising to barely break the surface of the Pacific hundreds of miles from anything. He wasn’t too happy about the assignment. Firstly, there weren’t likely to be any women on the island, and secondly there was no place to take them even if there were. Honolulu and Waikiki beach had been kind to Eddy, as he’d always been called, and he would have liked this assignment to last a bit longer. Or at least to head out to the Philippines where the girls, the bars and the opportunities to enjoy both would be no less plentiful.

Eddy, a high school baseball star from just outside Cleveland, Ohio, had signed up to the Marines after exhausting his chances of making it to the big leagues in his late teens. There had simply been too many distractions during his stint with the single-A Bradenton Braves in Florida. Still only 22, he had been through naval air training at Pensacola and settled into a rear gunner position in an SB2 Vindicator scout bomber squadron. They’d been drilling for days and he was tired of studying Japanese plane and ship identification books. It was only Tuesday, but he needed a night out, and wouldn’t get one until Friday if they were lucky. It might be the last in Honolulu for a while, and he was ready to make the most of it before they had to load up on the Lexington and ship out.

The Marine base at Ewa was to the west of Pearl Harbor, but close to the beaches on the West coast and only an hour to the nightlife of Honolulu. They had moved here from San Diego earlier in the year and gotten the new SB2U Vindicators to replace the floatplane Seagulls they’d been flying. A huge improvement and one in which Eddy had switched to rear gunner instead of observer, a change he was very in favor of making. He had already won every gunnery challenge in the unit, and it was obvious his athletic background translated to this task well.

After the briefing they had some time to kill and played catch in the yard, just like the old days, with his pilot and friend Terry O’Hanlon. They did most things together, pushed to limits neither would likely take on their own, but they were a good match in a plane. Precise, skilled, with good communication and willing to take a calculated risk to get the job done.
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[jmalter]

hi obvert,

I've decided to look at this AAR from your side only, mebbe comment 1 or 3 times, too.

The only useful advice I have right now - start shipping fuel from EC/Cristobal to Cape Town right away, & don't stop! Use half-capacity xAKs, as well as TKs. You'll probably have a lot of on-map transports fleeing to CT at start, don't let them refuel at CT when they arrive - refuel them when you form up new TFs there. If you let CT run dry of fuel, you'll wish you hadn't!

Good luck to Edwin Robinson & VMSB-231. I've always had good results from my Midway-based Vindicators.

[obvert]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

hi obvert,

I've decided to look at this AAR from your side only, mebbe comment 1 or 3 times, too.

The only useful advice I have right now - start shipping fuel from EC/Cristobal to Cape Town right away, & don't stop! Use half-capacity xAKs, as well as TKs. You'll probably have a lot of on-map transports fleeing to CT at start, don't let them refuel at CT when they arrive - refuel them when you form up new TFs there. If you let CT run dry of fuel, you'll wish you hadn't!

Good luck to Edwin Robinson & VMSB-231. I've always had good results from my Midway-based Vindicators.

Thanks. I will have a lot to learn about this side, but I have played it a bit to try things out, and didn't seem to totally destroy the campaign. I did definitely notice the game is a lot easier with a lot of stuff coming to Cape Town.

Who knows where the Vindicator's will end up. I'm trying to set the stage, but then it's up to how the campaign develops. A few more posts to make before the PH strike. Have to get em finished!

[obvert]

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[font="Times New Roman"]November 26, 1941

Pearl Harbor Naval Base, HI

The HQ building at Pearl Harbor was intimidating to say the least. Admiral Kimmel’s staff believed in protocol to the most minute detail, and Harry immediately felt scrutinized and in danger of rubbing a superior the wrong way. Harry Weiss was half Japanese, born to diplomat Michael Weiss and Mizuko Takawa in Tokyo in 1916. He was raised in Japan for his first seven years. His parents moved back to Washington before his father was assigned to the London embassy in 1925. He had mostly grown up in London, still spoke English with a slight British accent, and he looked more Japanese than Caucasian in spite of his athletic 5’11” frame. He had his father’s green eyes set against the jet-black hair of his mother, and with a hint of the eye fold characteristic of most east Asians.

He had been accepted at Annapolis and graduated fourteenth in his class in 1938, and he had subsequently specialized in communications intelligence focusing on the Japanese. As tensions increased across the world in the build-up to the war in Europe he’d been instrumental in the work of interpreting messages encrypted in the diplomatic code of the Japanese government. He was now reporting to work with a newly formed intelligence unit here in Pearl Harbor as the deterioration of the situation in the Pacific grew critical.

“Please wait here.” The desk clerk looked him up and down skeptically. The formal procedure of the Navy was nothing new to him, but each place he went he felt he had to earn trust all over again. There were few Asian-Americans in the US Navy, and it was an organization slow to change its attitudes and beliefs. After his stint in London Harry spent a final year in Tokyo with his mother’s brother, reaffirming his grasp of the language and learning more of the culture of Japan, and he’d been increasingly distressed by the prevailing aggressive attitudes of the Japanese military leadership culminating in their full invasion of China after the Marco Polo bridge incident in 1937. He’d seen way the public got behind this move, the fervor of the Japanese populace uniting in a nationalist cause, and he knew that any future conflict with the Japanese should not be taken lightly.

Harry was an American through and through, but he sympathized and worried about the Japanese attitudes of superiority and the near fascist control the military was having over the country. Intelligence was not only his specialty, but it was the only way he felt he could contribute to avoiding an armed conflict between the two nations that both created and divided him. If it could not be avoided, then he would fight to make it shorter, to lessen the damage done to both sides.

“LCDR Rochefort will see you now.”
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[jmalter]

I'm enjoying your short fiction, along w/ the photos. Please keep 'em coming!

Beg you to be v. careful w/ your USN TKs, you won't want to lose too many of these. Early-war airgroups will be enough to cover the entire Canada/USA west coast w/ ASW patrols, but you'll only have enough adequately-trained pilots to staff half of them. Defend the major ports w/ experienced guys, Train the rest for 2-3 months and gradually establish coastal ASW from Prince Rupert down to San Diego, in addition to Pearl Harbor.

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[font="Times New Roman"]November 27, 1941

Central Pacific SE of Truk

As evening fell the USS Boise cruised slowly alongside the five transports in its care nearly halfway from Hawaii to its destination in Manila. The convoy was bringing supplies and equipment to the Asiatic fleet base in Manila and the US troops in the Philippines. The Boise had never been to this area, and the islands were new and exotic to the new crew members. They were currently approaching the major Japanese naval base at Truk on the south of the Marianas chain. Oliver Wilson stood watch in the crow’s nest of the fore mast and scanned the horizon as the territories nearby were under Japanese control. The relations between Washington and Tokyo were going more sour by the day. He was on the forward damage control team and when at sea and not engaged at the starboard hose pump he was often up here with a pair of 7 x 50 binoculars. If there was a fight he would be needed elsewhere, but that seemed far off today.

A flock of frigate birds had moved into their wake and hovered before diving into the roiling white froth foam stirred up fish behind the stern. He could watch them for hours, curved wings outstretched, hanging, then folding their wings and diving full force into the water with scarcely a splash.

At around 6:35pm Oliver noticed a darkened area with his normal eye scan of the horizon. He trained the lenses to the northwest and spotted a dark gray ship of undetermined type. It was certainly not American, and it was definitely a large warship. Oliver picked up the handset and related a sighting call to the bridge;

“Ship bearing zero four five!”

The Boise swung into action. The call was confirmed by other lookouts and direction speed and bearing were calculated optically and checked. The ship followed the course of the convoy for the next twenty minutes before fading away over the horizon to the North.

After coming off watch and having a meal, the ship sighting call was made again at almost 11pm. The Boise was ordered to the far edge of the convoy in the direction of the intruder, but again it disappeared into the night. The Boise resumed course and led the convoy on toward Manila, where they would arrive safely on Thursday, December 4, 1941.
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[font="Times New Roman"]November 28, 1941

Dutch Harbor, AK

A cold wind blew snow across the mountainsides and down to the port as most huddled inside what shelter was provided by the USN base at Dutch Harbor. Mike Mitchell ran the dredge platform working along the edge of the inner channel putting some finishing touches on the improvements being made up here. Most the men in the base were administrative or naval shore crew. S1c Mitchell was part of the Dutch Harbor USN Base Force and had the unenviable task of improving the port in spite of the weather and the time of year. This was not a fun time to be in Dutch harbor, and ice moving in from open water threatened to cut the dredging work short at any time, and the daylight hours were short.

As the low sun began to drop lower behind the mountains, Jim Short, a burly six foot Irishman from Boston put the day’s work to a stop and they secured the dredge before heading in for a much needed cup of hot coffee. Dinner wouldn’t be on for another two hours. A couple of guys had a game of Acey-Duecy going in the mess.

“Get that channel deep enough for the Arizona yet?” quipped Danny Silverman. A quick talking New York Jew, Danny had something to say about everyting. A good portion of the lower forty-eight were represented up here. In the room were also Chris Johanssen, a pale blond from Wisconson who seemed enveloped in the folds of his uniform, Dwight Harrison from Ashville, NC, and Johnny Blackmon from Missouri.

“Yeah, and the Russians just flew some caviar in for dinner, too,” Jim shot back. He had little patience for big city sarcasm. “Maybe you’d like to run the dredge box tomorrow.”

“Thanks Jim, but I’ve got a date with a John Deer and pile of gravel over next to the fuel tanks. Maybe next time.”

“Still don’t know what the hell we’re up here for. Even if we do end up fightin’ the Japs, all the action’s gonna be down Manila way. Ain’t nothing up here for ‘em and we’ll have ‘em licked in a few months anyway.” Dwight had nothing but contempt for the Japanese.

“Maybe this is just gonna be a fuel stop on the way to Tokyo. I hope they do start something. They’ll get a rude awakening went the USN shows up in Tokyo Bay. Heard the Colorado’s on her way to Pearl with some Brit battlewagon, too.”

“If they do start something I guarantee we’ll be off this rock in a flash. I could use a few months diggin’ out the harbor at Guam.”

“Hell, yes!”
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[font="Times New Roman"]November 29, 1941

Pearl Harbor, HI

The USS Solace swung lazily at anchor in the wide bay of Pearl Harbor. The ship was a fully equipped hospital, white with a large red cross painted on each side and on the funnel to indicate it’s non-military status.

Nurse Sally Furgussen made the rounds of beds for the morning, trying to perk up the few patients here, most of whom had minor accidents or surgeries. One an appendectomy, one had fallen off a painting scaffold in a dry dock and fractured both legs. Another simply slipped on a ladder and landed face first on a railing. There were never a shortage of non-combat related injuries, even in peacetime. She’d noticed an increase in activity lately though, and the doctors and nurses of the ship had been passing rumors about the US getting involved in the European war, or even possibly fighting against Japan in the Pacific, or both.

Sally had been raised in California, in small agricultural community in the San Fernando valley, called Irwin. Irrigation had made the valley a verdant kaleidoscope of vegetables, fruits and grain crops stretching between the Sierra Nevada mountains to the East and the coastal mountains to the West. She had thought it oppressive and conservative, especially during the lean years of the depression in the 30s. Although her family made it through as well as any, she yearned for the glamour and intrigue espoused by the feature film industry of Los Angeles.

After graduating from Irwin high school Sally tried every avenue to get into nursing school and out of the valley, but money was still tight and the only option was to join a branch of the US military. She chose the navy to see the world, and she had begun to do just that. Hawaii was not bad at all, but now she wanted more. Still, excitement was in the air, and she was looking forward to being in the middle of it.
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[Lokasenna]

ORIGINAL: obvert

Where do you go to find all these pictures?

[veji1]

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

ORIGINAL: obvert

Where do you go to find all these pictures?

Funny, this one looks like a model, not a real one.

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[font="Times New Roman"]November 30, 1941

Toungoo, Burma

“Hey, Bielzhevsky, get a load of this!” George was sauntering back from HQ where he’d been asking again about parts for the Allison engines of the P-40s on base, three of which were inoperable until various replacements arrived.

“The Brits are having a pow-wow with the Colonel in HQ. I overheard a lot of it. Ya never heard such big-headedness. As if their s*** don’t stink like the rest of us.” He stopped in front of Daniel with a big wry grin on his face.

“What’s it all about?” Daniel knew the Brits had only begrudgingly allowed the US planes on their base here at Toungoo, and still kept a security presence of troops led by British officers on the base. There had been a lot of unrest in the past few years and the Burmese were none too happy about how the Brits handled it, which led to more demonstrations, even some fighting. Daniel had only heard snippets, but could see the mutual contempt when the local Burmese encountered British officers on the base.

“They’re talking about us heading up to Kunming. Might even start sending trucks up the Burma road soon. The Brits want us out, and Chennault says we’re not ready, and Stillwell’s not ready either, so we can’t go yet. They said Chungking’s gettin’ a lickin. Chennault asked how ready they were down in Malaya and you shoulda heard ‘em. Sounded like the damn Romans talkin about their Empire. Guess they don’t like it much we got out when we could.”

George finished with a wide grin. Daniel smiled and looked up at the hills and jungle fading to the horizon. As bad as it could be here between the heat, the bugs and the untrustworthy diet, they’d gotten used to it. The routines were getting familiar, and the accidents and been decreasing steadily. Daniel didn’t look forward to a long rough drive up the foothills of the Himalayas in the back of a ten-ton truck, and moving closer to actual fighting. They’d had enough deaths already in training, and fighting for the Chinese just didn’t have the same glamorous ring to it had had back in the States.

They walked into the mess where everyone was buzzing about the prospective move. Regardless of the impending decision, everyone was behind Chennault. He’d whipped them into a unit through a charismatic authority, a regular discipline, yet still played softball with the men in the evenings, usually pitching high loopers out over the plate. It was tough to get much curve on a softball, but the men were all sure he’d figure out how to throw one to the Brits, and only take them into combat when he knew they were more than ready.
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[font="Times New Roman"]December 1, 1941

Kanoehe Bay, HI

December dawned like any other month in the tropics with a soft orange glow working it’s way over the horizon. PBY 14-P-1 was already pulling into the Bay and testing flaps before take-off. Frank was in the port dimple and Joe Chodl sat head back and eyes closed across the plane. He was a Chicago guy, from a Czeck family background. He had a wild streak but was as dependable as they came. Always early, always prepared and a dead-eye shot with a 30cal machine gun.

As the big boat left the water the last slaps and bangs of the fuselage against the waves transitioned to the smooth even climb to patrol height. They would bank right and toward the West over Waikiki, past Pearl Harbor and toward Johnston Island, although they would not make it that far today. Their arc had no prospect of land, just endless blue ocean, and on this kind of a day, with no cloud in sight, it could almost make a man start seeing things that weren’t there to look at it for too long. Joe called it “seeing the people,” like those stars that float over a cartoon character that was hit in the head. The camera always allowed Frank to change the perspective, see things in a different way, but even he struggled to stay interested on these long peacetime patrols.

As they pulled past Pearl a destroyer moved out past the harbor mouth on it’s morning patrol. They had a riding pool on who would first spot a Japanese sub out here. By now the pot was substantial, upward of $40 now that all this noise was buzzing through the base about the Japanese getting ready to start something. Everyone knew it would happen far to the West, probably around the Philippines, but they also knew they’d be stupid not to keep a watch on the assembled Pacific fleet at Pearl if they did act. There had been rumors of contacts from the destroyers, but no one had seen anything yet. This at east gave some interest to the patrols, and every man made sure to make frequent sweeps with the binoculars after clearing Oahu.

This part of the ride never failed to impress, with the double row of battleships lined up on the side of Ford Island but only one big carrier in base, the Lexington, after Halsey took the Enterprise to reinforce Wake Island with a group of Wildcat fighters. There was also a huge assortment of cruisers and escorts fanned out around the bay as well as the big support ships and the thin slivers of the subs over near the oil tanks. The sun was just starting to hit the observation towers on the battleships, making them glow an orange that looking like champagne diamonds sitting on the dark water of the bay. Too bad the government didn’t issue any of the new color film for these missions, Frank thought as they edged past the island and out into the seemingly endless Pacific.
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ORIGINAL: veji1

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

Where do you go to find all these pictures?

Funny, this one looks like a model, not a real one.

Over the past few years as I research I collect pics. So I've got a decent archive, but most of these I'm trying to make more specific, so I just search around a bit. It's amazing how many are out there if you look hard enough.

For ships there are some big archives, but this is one of the more common Boise pics. She does look unreal, but also menacing with the dark paint job.