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Aboard ship on way to States by Carr Hooper

items 25 of 28 items
  • wcu_ww2-494.jp2
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  • Written Sept. 22, following first raid of Sept 21 1944 Insert “The Raid” Over and over the first two years Jap radio and press had shouted that America was licked, that our Navy had been sunk, our airforce could not reach the Philippines, It would take 50 years to reach Asia by the Island to Island techniques. America could not come back. In 1944 after the Marshalls, Gilbert and Saipan had been taken, their propaganda shouted that we’d never penetrate the inner circle, the home front defense. The decisive battle and Japanese victory would be won where we attempted to come into Japanese controlled Philippines Seas. By June the ministers of war information said that it was just highly possible that some one or two of our planes might break through the iron defenses and terror raid Manila and the Philippines. In August they began to encourage people to build air raid shelters, to practice drills and alerts and to dig shelters for themselves. These were however, said the press, merely precautionary measures. About September 1 they began anti air-craft practice and alerts were frequent and the internees were told what to do in case of air raids. The regulations were simple. We were not to make demonstrations under any circumstances. We were to seek shelter and not emerge until permission had been granted. All this of course was mere precaution as the Imperial Air-force guaranted the safety of Manila’s population and no raiders could ever break through the defences. Any attacting force would be met at sea and wiped out before a bomb could be dropped on Manila. Now and for months Japanese zeros had drummed overhead and practiced dog fights and fast twin engined interceptors had climbed and whirled and circled Manila. We seldom looked up, but on the morning of September 21 the Japs were towing a sleeve across the sky and we watched the Anti air-craft. This stopped after awhile and we went about our business as usual. About nine o’clock a great fleet of Japanese planes, we though, were heard in the fleecy clouds over thecity and we watched the approach formations with interest.
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Object’s are ‘parent’ level descriptions to ‘children’ items, (e.g. a book with pages).