Sir Tom
New in Town
- Messages
- 18
- Location
- Heart of Dixie
If you have just a tiny interest in WWII and the lifestyles of that time I urge you to get a copy of Clark Lee's book They call it Pacific.
Lee was a reporter for the AP. His adventures start in November 1941 where he is working in the AP office in Shanghai. He was warned by some high ranking Japanese officers to leave which he does. The Japanese had control of the area outside Shanghai. The city itself was divided into districts. Lee recounts this in Shanghai. A Japanese sentry clubbed a Chinese man with his rifle for not removing his hat as he walked by. The sentry is a representative of the Japanese Emperor and anyone who passes must show respect. Lee states, "I kept my hat on as I briskly walked by."
Lee evacuates from Shanghai to Manila and witnesses the fall of Manila and the Battle of Bataan and Corrigador. He was on the last ship out before the fall of the Philippines.
He then goes on to Australia, Hawaii a mission on a US carrier task force and then home.
Lee's adventures include being nearly being caught by the Japanese on Luzon, being bombed in Manila, crossing the mined Manila Bay at night, missions on Buckely's PTs, and flying missions over Guadalcanal in a Dauntless dive bomber. This guy was a real life Indiana Jones.
One thing I really enjoyed about it was the way it took me back to that time and place.
Its a good read.
Another good read is a recent book about the Battle of Leyte Gulf where a few small Destroyers and even smaller Destroyer Escorts with heavy loss take on and turn back a Japanese task force of Cruisers and Battleships. They saved the MacArthur's beachhead on Leyte. This book is called The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.
Lee was a reporter for the AP. His adventures start in November 1941 where he is working in the AP office in Shanghai. He was warned by some high ranking Japanese officers to leave which he does. The Japanese had control of the area outside Shanghai. The city itself was divided into districts. Lee recounts this in Shanghai. A Japanese sentry clubbed a Chinese man with his rifle for not removing his hat as he walked by. The sentry is a representative of the Japanese Emperor and anyone who passes must show respect. Lee states, "I kept my hat on as I briskly walked by."
Lee evacuates from Shanghai to Manila and witnesses the fall of Manila and the Battle of Bataan and Corrigador. He was on the last ship out before the fall of the Philippines.
He then goes on to Australia, Hawaii a mission on a US carrier task force and then home.
Lee's adventures include being nearly being caught by the Japanese on Luzon, being bombed in Manila, crossing the mined Manila Bay at night, missions on Buckely's PTs, and flying missions over Guadalcanal in a Dauntless dive bomber. This guy was a real life Indiana Jones.
One thing I really enjoyed about it was the way it took me back to that time and place.
Its a good read.
Another good read is a recent book about the Battle of Leyte Gulf where a few small Destroyers and even smaller Destroyer Escorts with heavy loss take on and turn back a Japanese task force of Cruisers and Battleships. They saved the MacArthur's beachhead on Leyte. This book is called The Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors.
