News from Allen Hingston. The journey from Ukraine to Canada is exhaustively long, but it is the one to safety for Allen, his wife, Tanya, and their dog. Lucky.
'Arrived in Warsaw at 10 am found our hostel and were settled by noon. Slept the afternoon away. 7 pm Lucky is slept out and bored. Not much to do in a small room. He rode in an elevator for the first time and is now used to it. When we take him for walks he is quite interested in all the new smells, doesn't mind the traffic or the crowds. He wears a muzzle so people aren't so afraid of a big dog.
Leave Tuesday for Frankfurt and will be 7 days at a bnb training him to accept being in a crate. Plan is to ship him out Tuesday 22nd '
Allen receives your messages because I copy and email them to him. He appreciates hearing from you. Thanks to all.
I can see why, when studying battles such as this, it helps to have visuals. My mind shorts out at the details.. what is clear is how the brave combatants gave their all and then some. How sad that the youth of nations pay the ultimate price, over and over
I've read Morison's account and, more recently, Hornfischer's account of this battle and others at Guadalcanal. Tactically, the Japanese were superior in almost all the naval battles, but the sheer abandon and aggressiveness the U.S. sailors showed did a lot to break the confidence of the sailors of the Japanese fleet. They had considered themselves kings of the night but after the battles at Guadalcanal a lot of their confidence was lost.
Awesome story of brave men. More stories about the Pacific War, please.
Just finished The Frozen Chozen. Gave it 10 stars. All I can say is JHFC! The ignorance and egos of senior officers have killed more men than well planned enemy action in wars throughout history.
Damn, This was one of the best pieces of “entertainment” that I have read on Substack. Thank you. Not to diminish from the horror of war saying entertainment, but I’m a lifelong (near 1/2 century) military history fanatic. With little time in recent years to delve into a 300-500 page book, this was spectacular. It has been a while since I’ve read on the Pacific, and didn’t recall much of this. I’ve probably spent 5 or 7-to-1 the amount of time on Europe vs Pacific. This “short story” recap with great visuals & info is fantastic. The history of our U.S. Navy is outstanding and awe inspiring. Its long tradition, and the leadership, determination, creativity, courage, honor, sacrifice, and commitment is 2nd to none, even the Brits ; )
I imagine that for most of the people who read this - we actually have some memories , if not our own, then our fathers, uncles, grandfathers. My dad was, I think, in his forties, at this time, married and two kids, and a plumbing/heating business - he stayed home. How sad is it that I never knew if that was his choice or not. Knowing my dad, I would doubt it. I had 5 uncles in the service, 1 cousin a bombardier & 5 aunts in the WACs. I remember my mom (RN) "rolling bandages"! All but one uncle came home. My family was very fortunate.
This brings home much of how it was - considering the lack of history being taught in many schools - I'm pretty sure far too many young people have NO knowledge of the cost of this "world war". And sadly, that applies to far too many older people!
From reads I don’t recall. The steel from sunken ships in iron bottom sound made compasses on surface ships unreliable. Marines, without resupply survived on rice balls from dead Japanese soldiers. Leckies book is a great read. S/F
Each time I read accounts such as this, they are almost incomprehensible. I read and reread a paragraph, go back and do it again and still it’s nearly unbelievable. Then the photos roll through and the whole thing is a gut-punch. Just awestruck, angry, sad, grateful for all those souls and that you put this on Substack.
News from Allen Hingston. The journey from Ukraine to Canada is exhaustively long, but it is the one to safety for Allen, his wife, Tanya, and their dog. Lucky.
'Arrived in Warsaw at 10 am found our hostel and were settled by noon. Slept the afternoon away. 7 pm Lucky is slept out and bored. Not much to do in a small room. He rode in an elevator for the first time and is now used to it. When we take him for walks he is quite interested in all the new smells, doesn't mind the traffic or the crowds. He wears a muzzle so people aren't so afraid of a big dog.
Leave Tuesday for Frankfurt and will be 7 days at a bnb training him to accept being in a crate. Plan is to ship him out Tuesday 22nd '
Allen receives your messages because I copy and email them to him. He appreciates hearing from you. Thanks to all.
I can see why, when studying battles such as this, it helps to have visuals. My mind shorts out at the details.. what is clear is how the brave combatants gave their all and then some. How sad that the youth of nations pay the ultimate price, over and over
I've read Morison's account and, more recently, Hornfischer's account of this battle and others at Guadalcanal. Tactically, the Japanese were superior in almost all the naval battles, but the sheer abandon and aggressiveness the U.S. sailors showed did a lot to break the confidence of the sailors of the Japanese fleet. They had considered themselves kings of the night but after the battles at Guadalcanal a lot of their confidence was lost.
Awesome story of brave men. More stories about the Pacific War, please.
Just finished The Frozen Chozen. Gave it 10 stars. All I can say is JHFC! The ignorance and egos of senior officers have killed more men than well planned enemy action in wars throughout history.
Thanks!
Damn, This was one of the best pieces of “entertainment” that I have read on Substack. Thank you. Not to diminish from the horror of war saying entertainment, but I’m a lifelong (near 1/2 century) military history fanatic. With little time in recent years to delve into a 300-500 page book, this was spectacular. It has been a while since I’ve read on the Pacific, and didn’t recall much of this. I’ve probably spent 5 or 7-to-1 the amount of time on Europe vs Pacific. This “short story” recap with great visuals & info is fantastic. The history of our U.S. Navy is outstanding and awe inspiring. Its long tradition, and the leadership, determination, creativity, courage, honor, sacrifice, and commitment is 2nd to none, even the Brits ; )
Keep ‘em coming!
I imagine that for most of the people who read this - we actually have some memories , if not our own, then our fathers, uncles, grandfathers. My dad was, I think, in his forties, at this time, married and two kids, and a plumbing/heating business - he stayed home. How sad is it that I never knew if that was his choice or not. Knowing my dad, I would doubt it. I had 5 uncles in the service, 1 cousin a bombardier & 5 aunts in the WACs. I remember my mom (RN) "rolling bandages"! All but one uncle came home. My family was very fortunate.
This brings home much of how it was - considering the lack of history being taught in many schools - I'm pretty sure far too many young people have NO knowledge of the cost of this "world war". And sadly, that applies to far too many older people!
From reads I don’t recall. The steel from sunken ships in iron bottom sound made compasses on surface ships unreliable. Marines, without resupply survived on rice balls from dead Japanese soldiers. Leckies book is a great read. S/F
My former father-in-law, a Guadalcanal Marine, never ate rice after the war. He once said he'd eaten a "lifetime supply" there.
Thank you, TC. I'm a history addict and have read quite a few accounts
of the war in the Pacific. I liked the
way you set the ships, both sides, in
their battle plans, faulty or not. Naval warfare has changed a great
deal since this depicted period in time.
You may want to check here for other reading options:
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=thomas+mckelvey+cleaver&i=stripbooks&crid=3DMM1JA03NCI3&sprefix=thomas+mckelvey%2Cstripbooks%2C379&ref=nb_sb_ss_c_2_15_ts-doa-p
Each time I read accounts such as this, they are almost incomprehensible. I read and reread a paragraph, go back and do it again and still it’s nearly unbelievable. Then the photos roll through and the whole thing is a gut-punch. Just awestruck, angry, sad, grateful for all those souls and that you put this on Substack.
Great telling of a great story TC, thanks.
True exceptionalism, and a lot of luck. Thanks, though I too need some visuals, you’ve brought the battle to life.
Exciting stuff. So many of these naval battles were close run things. And it seems Japanese commanders so often lacked nerve as battles progressed
Savings this one for another read another time. Thanks, TC. Exciting.