Halsey's Carrier Raids in the South China Sea-Episode 411

[@Scoobs3240]

An impressive podcast covering TF-38's daring foray into the South China Sea! I particularly appreciate your recognition of the pioneering efforts of Night Air Group 90 aboard the legendary USS Enterprise (CV-6). My father's cousin, AMM3c Richard J. Hall, was one of the "Batmen" of VT(N)-90 and perished while flying on a daring long range night strike against Kiirun Harbor, Formosa on 22 January 1945 - his service and sacrifice would inspire my father, and eventually myself, into careers in Naval Aviation where night and all weather operations are now routine.

[@greyowl7869]

YOU GUYS ROCK 'n ROLL!!! My Dad (God rest his soul) served on the Canadian Tribal Class destroyers for 13 yesrs beginning in 1953! I absolutely LOVE these "chats" so chockful of historical data. Myself, I was a Signals Officer (YES, we ARE nerds and PROUD nerds at that) with the 73 Comm Regt with LFWA (Land Force Western Area) for ten years. My Dad's Dad (my grandpa born 1896) was a Sapper in WWI and came to Canada after The Armistice with a 40oz/day habit of Scotch (the Whiskey of the Highlands). I often wonder if Military might not be a genetic imprint in our family. Blessings to you guys and our fellow enthusiasts. Velox Versutus Vigilans

[@salonicah]

Greetings from Honiara Central Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands

[@darrelllovett4722]

Your podcast SHOULD become History curriculum! Love you guys!

[@marchuvfulz]

One of the best things about your podcast, gents, are the deep dives into these corners of the war that did not get much love from postwar historians. I’ve read a few histories of the Pacific War but this episode and the Formosa raids are mentioned in most accounts in a passing sentence or two or in the footnotes, if at all. Thank you for doing what you do, you are the S.E. Morisons of the podcast era.

[@wkbigfish]

I had never really read about T38 going into the So. China Sea to the extent of so much more in depth info from you both. As they say…You learn something everyday…. Thanks again!

[@slimeydon]

Amazing episode as always guys. When I first became interested in the pacific war as a young teen, I read Halsey's autobiography at least twice and he had always been a hero to me. I HAVE come to the point of view as I got older that every hero has its faults and Halsey certainly had those. Rampaging and raiding was him at his best, along with his strategic thought process. Thanks again guys, the best part of my Tuesdays.

[@ph89787]

FINALLY! I have been waiting for this one.

[@aheyrnfalco2345]

Love the archive footage. Thanks for sharing.

[@TerryNelson-k6t]

This is an operation that I've never heard about. Thanks again for the education. Best of health to you gentlemen.

[@73Trident]

Same with me. I found this highly educational.

[@terryemery7839]

A full episode on Pappy Gunn would be awesome. To see pictures or video of him putting his magic to work would definitely be fun.

[@billyhouse1943]

Thank you.. This was one of the best episodes. Subject was great as I had no clue of these raids. The presentation was great. Both of you were outstanding…

[@73Trident]

Ditto

[@jammininthepast]

Thanks for your hard work Captain Toti & Seth. This is very interesting history, well done. You're appreciated.

[@toms6213]

Thank you, Bill and Seth. I did not know of these raids.

[@73Trident]

Ditto

[@davidgallion3167]

I truly hope you realize what excellent work you do. I know great work when I see it, and I see it on this channel. Whenever I hear the theme music I know I am in for a wonderful adventure. Thank you!

[@73Trident]

Ditto

[@jovianmole1]

We know it, but Seth and Bill are so humble they would not acknowledge it.

[@cragnamorra]

For Seth, since this is right in your backyard: 25 years ago, I visited USS Kidd at Baton Rouge. In terms of material condition and upkeep, by FAR the most impressive museum ship I've ever seen. Everything worked, according to spec. Fresh grease and full range of motion on all the topside gun mounts, etc. Perhaps even more impressive, the engineering spaces were not open to public access (specifically because it was only vertical ladders...safety concern I guess). But hearing of my own USN service as an engineer, they let me go down. Those propulsion spaces...not even open for general viewing...were still absolutely immaculate, looked better than some then-currently-active US warships I'd seen. Not a speck of rust anywhere. The ship was just gorgeous, and appeared able to take on a load of fuel, light fires, and steam down the Mississippi to the Gulf, no problem. But that was 25 years ago. My understanding is that the ship looked so good because of a Destroyerman's Association of old salts who volunteered to spend occasional weekends doing all the maintenance "per the book" ("IAW the MRC" would be the jargon) to keep her in fighting shape. Obviously there's far far fewer of such gents today than in 1999. Do you know if KIDD still enjoys that level of attention and upkeep?

[@McFFMICP]

Another GREAT episode--thanks to you both for all your hard work!!

[@jeffreymartin8448]

Love this channel. Not sure what I'm gonna do when this is over...

[@jeffhooper933]

Great episode. The reference to VFA should be VBF. By Feb, the fast carriers were double-loaded with fighters: one squadron VF and the second VBF. For the reasons you cited! VBF’s were dedicated to ground attack, but they wound up flying sweep and CAP missions along side their VF comrades.

[@paulfarace9595]

Thanks for the great plug skipper! I'm sorry if your tour didn't result in enough video to make a submarine tour... between the crew's enthusiasm to meet you and our visitors wanting pictures with you, we may have robbed you of valuable time for recording. All I can say is you're more than welcome to come back and do it again, perhaps after hours when the public is aboard. And Seth, visit your sister! 😂

[@73Trident]

Bill and Seth are quite the celebrities because of their sucess here.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Thank you. Sorry haven't edited the Cod video yet.

[@Jan-v7d8i]

Second time through this episode and learned so much more. Great job.

[@lindabrashear57]

Thanks for the great shoutout to my local museum ship, USS Cod! She is a beauty of a boat! You should have seen her when she came back from drydock a couple years ago, with the tug positioned beside the boat so that people on shore couldn't really see the tug well--it looked like Cod was sailing herself across Lake Erie, and it was glorious! She also made a great platform for watching the total eclipse last April, with the deck gun firing to mark the start and end of totality--super awesome and unforgettable experience!

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Thanks! Stay Hydrated

[@xflyingtiger]

As usual, a great episode. Thanks guys.

[@douglaskillock3537]

Another fine episode. Thank you gentlemen

[@SamAlley-l9j]

Thank you Bill and Seth.

[@buzzyhardwood2949]

Absolute kudos to you both for presenting this major success of our naval forces. It took every sailor, no matter their job, to do their jobs to the utmost to make this entire operation so effective in breaking Japanese military power. They were our greatest generation. Thanks Seth and Bill for honoring these great Americans.

[@islandhopperstuart]

Yet another fabulous episode. Thanks for recounting some history of which I was completely unaware.

[@theeducatedgrunt2087]

The Damage control parties and Capt Dusty are much unappreciated Heroes. Thank you for teaching me about them.

[@GrahamCStrouse]

Have y’all considered spending an episode discussing the trials, tribulations & eventual evolution of the USAAF’s medium/heavy bomber anti-shipping tactics? Aviators can’t resisting getting high on their own supply sometimes & the Army Air Force spent a fair bit of time & energy at the beginning of the war trying to convince the world (and themselves) that Norden-equipped heavy level bombers would be formidable anti-shipping weapons. Sadly the Norden bombsight was less the cat’s meow & more the dingo’s dine-dong & the heavies never really worked out as useful anti-ship weapons. Medium bombers, on the other hand, actually turned out to be pretty handy weapon in the naval commerce war. Y’all mentioned the development of the B-25 gunship-Maybe it’d be worth discussing in more detail? Even though their roles were quite different I’ve always thought of the B-25 as the spiritual predecessor of the AC-130. The machine gun & autocannon-equipped versions of the B-25 were the most effective ship-killers but I’ll always hold a soft spot in my heart for the mad lads who decided that they could make a Mitchell frame & a Sherman tank gun go together like chocolate & peanut-butter.

[@JohnnySmithWhite-wd4ey]

Always outstanding work gentlemen.

[@v.mwilliams1101]

Thank you for the talk. This is an event I was unaware of. So much to learn. Keep up the talks.

[@GeorgePhillips-g2v]

Great program! Love the way you two keep the interest high! Fantastic deliver!

[@73Trident]

Seth and Bill this my second favorite episode. The Nights the Giants Rode being first. I've been a student of WWII history since I was a kid. I'm 68 now and in all my studies, I had never heard about this wild raid into the South China Sea. I have never been an absolute fan of Halsey. I thought he was great early on but like you I felt the ocean going war had passed him by. He did a fantastic job on this venture into Japans back yard. I have to say my opinion of Halsey is not as harsh as it has been in many years after this episode.Thank you for uncovering and showing this to all of us out here that wait for your podcasts.👍

[@squid0013]

Another excellent conversation

[@anonaki-mt6xb]

New subscriber here. What a Wonderful conversation with these two gentlemen. Keep up the great content guys!

[@Alexander-dt8sk]

Incredible feats by Halsey and his force. Never even heard of this operation before this exposé. excellent work, gentlemen.

[@Hillhouse1956]

Thank you thank you thank you for the maps! It is so much easier than me pausing the video, and googling South China Sea, etc etc etc…then returning to the show. ;)

[@Christopher-os7eo]

As always gentlemen great content and thoroughly entertaining. I appreciate your efforts!

[@gregcollins7602]

This is my second viewing of this episode of Torpedo Tuesday. Absolutely love it. Great job Seth and Bill. Btw Seth, I would love a Pappy Gunn episode.

[@cragnamorra]

Great episode as always! I think my favorites are these which highlight lesser-known and/or less-frequently-discussed events. I was generally aware that between typhoons and "big-name" battles, TF38/58 ranged all over the place, but wasn't specifically aware of this SCS operation. William Trimble published a recent biography of J.S. McCain (USNI Press, 2019), in which he discusses at quite some length the development of the Big Blue Blanket doctrine, and also the increasingly-fighter-heavy carrier airwing composition as the war progressed into 1945. McCain and other seagoing air admirals reached a point in 1945 where they were pushing for exclusively all-fighter carrier wings, to just get rid of the Helldivers and Avengers entirely (at least from TF38/58's fast carrier decks). The way Trimble presents it, King and Nimitz stopped short of that final step, not because of any operational/tactical concerns, but rather they just didn't want to deal with headaches from the Curtiss company, not to mention various congressmen and other government civilians about why their pet aircraft weren't being used in the fleet any more. Yup, the "military-industrial complex" was already taking root.

[@ReverendScaleModeler]

Great episode! Have read about this operation in passing but hadn't taken a deep dive; good stuff! Didn't realize just how much damage was done to Japan's forces in that area.

[@RachelMckinit]

Couldn't sleep. Saw the notification for this episode. Much happier.

[@bobbiecrider6964]

I'm up daily before sunrise. coffee and cigarettes. 69 years old watching a deep recession set in.. How are you?

[@RachelMckinit]

@@bobbiecrider6964 I'm well. How are you friend?

[@James-qi3tb]

Another awesome episode. Congratulations on you shows.

[@cenccenc946]

Another great one guys!

[@CdT-fb1pt]

Thanks!

[@おだいふく-x6t]

太平洋戦争の日米の将官達は個性的で面白いですね。　近現代的な合理的な采配が必要とされる一方、その将官の個性が勝敗を決する事が多くて、エレクトロニクス過剰の現代の戦争とは違った、ドラマ性が人間の生き様にも闘いのあり方にもあってユニークだと思います。たぶん何千年後かの歴史家は太平洋戦争のドラマを伝説上の闘いが真っ青な空と青い海の広大なチェス上で行われたことを英雄叙事詩の如く語っていかれるのではないのかなと思います。　ハルゼーも古武士然とした勇ましさがある反面甘えん坊の少年の様な天真爛漫さがあって、その点が皆に愛されて大艦隊の指揮を執るカリスマ性があったのではないのかなと思います、たぶん合理的な采配の部分は周辺の有能なスタッフに支えられていたのではないでしょうか、太平洋戦争を将官たちの人間ドラマとして見るのも面白いのかもしれません。

[@christopherj.osheav5807]

先生、よく言ったね！

[@davidlavigne207]

I often view the Pacific War as a 20th Century version of an ancient Greek Tragedy, much like the Iliad in a way, with Japan representing the Trojans and the Allies as the The Greeks. Halsey reminds me of the singlemindedness of Agamemnon in his pursuit of victory at all costs, or maybe as a type of Achilles. It says to me "There is no new thing under the sun." Proverbs. I beg pardon for my lack of language skills.

[@おだいふく-x6t]

ご返信ありがとうございます。　僕は先生ではないです。歴史マニアではありますけれど、、、、

[@おだいふく-x6t]

ご返信ありがとうございます。トロイ戦争の逸話と太平洋戦争のお話、確かに似てますね、トロイ戦争から数千年経ってますが、当時の悲惨なギリシャ人とアカイア人の闘いだったものも今では神話めいた伝説の闘いになっている観ありだと撲は思います。事実と伝説の織り合わせがあればこそ、歴史は面白く興味深いのかもしれません。

[@Eric-rb7rg]

​@@おだいふく-x6tHopefully not.

[@jamesthompson8133]

I’ve listened to this podcast four times just to hear Bill say putt putt putt putt putt!! Great video guys!!!!💯

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Haha

[@karinschultz5409]

Very informative as always. Couldn't have followed the action without those maps, Bill. Thank you.

[@MadMax-bq6pg]

Gentlemen, this is outstanding! It scratches both the naval history and the logistics itches. Captain Bill, I wasn’t sure if you ascertained where Cape St Jacques was. Thus I offer the answer 125 km SW of Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City). Now because I don’t know the practical geography of North America, I don’t have an idea on how USS Cod got to Cleveland. I know Cleveland is on the Great Lakes (L Erie?) but not knowing what infrastructure there is between there and Blue Water, so did they dissemble/move/reassemble or was it relatively plain sailing upstream? Or was it just catch a Greyhound bus?

[@lesmoore6443]

Another fantastic episode. Like Seth and BIll and many others here, I didn't know much about this operation and find it fascinating. And perhaps the best example in the war of what Seth describes as the purpose of TF38/58 - to be an unstoppable force that could rampage at will in any given area, ravaging Japanese forces and assets. About the F-4U as a strike aircraft. A deceased great friend who was USMC aviation ordnance in WWII said when the Corsairs first were fitted with bombs, the technical manuals on the topic hadn't reached the ground crews yet. I think it was at Roi-Namur, he said a furious pilot or squadron skipper had berated him and the other ordnance guys after having to return from a mission with his bombs still attached - he threatened them with a court martial (which of course never happened). As you both noted, the F6F and F-4U were early examples of a trend that continued until today - fighter aircraft eventually becoming strike aircraft. Even those developed specifically to just be fighters (the F-16), or mostly so (F-15). Think the F-22 is the last pure fighter we've built - but it would probably do just fine dropping bombs, too, if that's what was needed.

[@neilgin1]

Good Morning, Seth and Skipper Toti, got my Navy coffee here, black as night, and thanking you both.......i know the following should be in an email, but i am of the opinion that the Pacific War did not end on 15 Aug 45, merely resuming on 25 June 1950 in Korea. As "Unauthorized" is the top shelf presentation of military history, i wonder if , maybe, 1. cover the post war occupation.....2. segue into the Korean War?....which would give Bill further opportunity to smash "Dug Out Doug", for which i stand with you Skipper ...into the segment, thank you

[@MrTScolaro]

Actually, Inchon was brilliant. Moving to the Yalu River was ... questionable.

[@robert506007]

Ok was your starting this off with Good Morning supposed to be a Good Morning Vietnam Reference. Great if it is and even if not talk about syncing up

[@d5r8u2e7]

Better yet, take the podcast all the way back to Commodore Perry's adventures in the 1850's to de-isolate Japan, thus igniting it's century-long expansionist ambitions, all the way to Honolulu. Aloha.

[@robmax4416]

No, it did end and your disregarding a lot of Korean history in the Korean War and why the war was actually fought by the two koreas.

[@VIDEOVISTAVIEW2020]

The korean war is more of a land war hence, it's not a pacific war like the war with the Japan.

[@christophermancini7380]

Another excellent show gentlemen! Amazing how by this point in the war, the Third/Fifth Fleet could operate with the (near) impunity that it was able to, and to be supplied. As horrendous as the casualties were from kamikaze attacks, improved damage control saved even the most heavily damaged carriers, and new Essex class flatops were coming online to more than compensate for any damaged carriers being repaired. I would love to have an episode totally focused on the Navy fleet train, the underway replenishment ships such as fast oilers, ammunition supply ships, tenders and other auxiliaries, without which these wide ranging operations would not be possible.

[@73Trident]

Drach had a great episode on logistics. I'm confident Seth and Bill will do one too.

[@christopherqueen3194]

Thanks, guys. Another great episode!

[@johnstewart7022]

Bravo Zulu the presentation, men. You have filled in many details I never knew. Thank you and carry on.

[@kilcar]

Excellent Gentleman. One of your best!

[@fredjones554]

God bless, and thank you for this wonderful series

[@MrFrikkenfrakken]

Interesting and informative as always, great job.

[@martinpower2439]

Another great episode 👍

[@albertococchis]

Great episode! I take you by your words, and believe most of the subscribers are now waiting for episode(s) on Pappy Gun and his team on the re-shaping of the B25s

[@BernardMann-nf1ks]

Another great episode Seth. Skipper toting

[@denniscahill9683]

Maps are good (my two germane atlasses are always out for your episodes). And I LOVE Bill's sea stories and modern explanations.

[@JP-sw5ho]

Another great episode

[@davidwatson8118]

Absolutely brilliant gents 👍😎 Love your work.🇦🇺

[@mikeryan7468]

If I had teachers like you guys in the 70s 80s I wouldn't have rushed to get out of school

[@uberduberdave]

So many things to say about this episode. I believe it's one of the most important one yet. I must have read dozens of accounts on the carrier war in the Pacific, but this is the first I've learned of the raid into the South China Sea. I always learn something new (to me) from you guys.

[@billechols7136]

Great show gentlemen.

[@stevenpage9269]

Outstanding, as usual.

[@michaelwolf564]

Again - Brilliant

[@CutGlassMan-CTI]

The USS Silversides is sweet. Overnighted on it with the Boyscout troop. Great new museum there.

[@genenoud9048]

I think they started her diesels last month.

[@williampage622]

A really great episode this is a part of the war that is very little discussed. It was good to hear that Halsey did not fall victim to another typhoon.

[@randallcarpenter5313]

My father-in-law, Robert Fedor, was an electrician aboard the Drum during the beginning of the war. He later transferred to the Queenfish. I have his diary from his time aboard the drum and it begins with a defective torpedo and a terrifying depth charging.

[@ph89787]

Task Group 58.5's motto: "We don't sleep and you don't either."

[@GrahamCStrouse]

Enterprise & Independence were basically the Batman and Robin of the US Navy during the final months of the Pacific War. The only things missing were a red, green & yellow dazzle camo scheme for Independence & and uncomfortable homoerotic undertones…

[@kimj2570]

These less often talked about battles are real treat of this channel. Bit more clear cut success. Okinawa is coming. 2 episodes? Or 3 if one is dedicated to Kamikaze. I would also love episode on Force Z. You could cram other ABDA action in same episode.

[@hdfoster5507]

Bill, Cape St Jaques is in Vietnam (Vung Tau) SE of Saigon /HMC and NE across the bay from the mouth of the Mekong River.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Thank you

[@bkjeong4302]

Possibly the single most underrated USN operation of WWII.

[@KMN-bg3yu]

What a great episode, it's almost criminal that so little is written about this operation. The Navy's achievements during the war fill me with pride and then I see an article that the USN is currently laying up 17 more ships for lack of crews. So sad

[@jovianmole1]

Thx for bring to light this little known action in the Pacific. Halsey was the commander for this job. I wonder how Spruance would have fought it? Regarding the Corsair as a dive bomber- The pilot had the option to slow the aircraft by lowering only the two main landing gear during flight (not the tail wheel) to act as dive brakes. I do not know how often it was used, but the option was there. If you notice any photos of the Corsair, there is a small cover on the main gear front facing perpendicular to flight. It often had the aircraft number on it. The manufacturer beefed up the gear to allow this attribute. The Corsair was awesome, but give me a Hellcat. Easier to fly and land on a carrier. By 1945 we had the men, women, equipment and brains to win this war asap. There was no stopping us. Thx for a great channel.

[@Titus-as-the-Roman]

Vietnam, I was on the Tarmac at Wright-Patt when the C-141 Starlifter set down & stopped with the first round after Dover of POW's.

[@11bravocrunchie22]

1:14:20 The F4U Corsair could and did use its main landing gear as dive brakes.

[@frankrosati6403]

Thank you for the great map!

[@russfranck3491]

I hope this goes on forever 🙈

[@LordJuan4]

If you go to mobile, you should definitely consider making your way to Pensacola as well, the naval aviation museum at NAS Pensacola is amazing. Met Drach there earlier this year.

[@roberttrout3588]

Thank you so much for this presentation 🙏 my father was there I believe as a Petty Officer on a minesweeper AM 102 the USS Motive. I’m remembering his war stories as I watch and cherishing his memory 🙏 I now live in the Philippines every day I gaze upon the waters he sailed

[@timborchers6303]

You did touch on a good point regarding the air groups though. About 25 years ago I pitched a book proposal to the USNI on the US Navy's air groups in the war. No one has written a monograph on the composition and evolution of them. We know in 1941 they started with 4 squadrons of 18 planes with a double Dauntless, and by Midway had pulled off 3 TBD to add 6 F4F. This continued to change during the Guadalcanal campaign and by mid-1944 the Navy was stuffing as many fighters on board as they could (a) build; (b) convert bomber pilots and (c) deploy to the Western Pacific. This continued as you mentioned to the point in 1945 where carriers were deploying with around 72 fighters in 4 squadrons and only two squadrons of a dozen pure bombers. How the Navy recognized the issue, communicated it through BurAer, reorganized constantly during the war, changed the makeup and leadership, trained and deployed has not been covered. Lundstrom touches on this to some extent but that is only through late 1942. Its a big, important story that has never been told in any way, by a professional or amateur historian, and as I said the USNI passed on the opportunity to do this many years ago. Perhaps some day.....

[@garypillischafske1425]

Spent a lot of hours at Cam Rohn in 69. Great harbor. Had no idea of it’s implications…Thanks!

[@scotthix2926]

A little history of the F/A-18 build. The design group started out wanting to build a universal fighter/attack aircraft, at some time the plan was to split the F/A-18 into F-18 and the A-18 when the design for each came into conflict with each other. They did not want to compromise the fighter for the attack and vice versa. After going through the design the only thing that compromised the other was software not body shape, or weapon attachment point etc. So to go from fighter mode to attack mode was pushing a button to load the other software.

[@waynewolfe8817]

Bill, I grew up in south Akron, (we called it LA, Lower Akron), good to hear you visited Cod, and tell your sister in the Magic City, we said Hey!

[@shaunjay6942]

Cape St Jacques was the name given by the French Indochina government to Vung Tau, according to Wikipedia.

[@TerryDowne]

You probably already got this, but Cap Saint Jacques is apparently at Vung Tau. Great show as usual, too.

[@rossdawgsbrokenspirit9038]

Long Live the great independent country of Taiwan

[@chadrowe8452]

Independent would mean they don't need the US for defense

[@troycarpenter3675]

Not true. Many sovereign states have required help by their friends

[@mynamejef7963]

West Taiwan isn’t gonna like that

[@mynamejef7963]

-6,000,000 credit score

[@davidtrindle6473]

Yes, but hopefully we don’t go to war over it.

[@mikeat2637]

Gentlemen, I have two things I'm curious about. As you are getting close to Okinawa, will you be doing an episode on how the BPF assisted the USN during the violent kamikaze attacks. I know the BPF had been doing raids in the East Indies and at one point did raids on Formosa to whittle down the number of kamikazes while still on the ground. I've two excellent books, David Hobbs's History of the BPF in the PTO and The Kamikaze Hunters by Will Iredale, which chronicled the training of FAA pilots in the US on the Corsair and Hellcat and their attempts to destroy kamikazes on the ground. The other thing is something I have never seen, a book about or any other publications about the summer of 1943 when the USS Robin/HMS Victorious joined the USS Saratoga to cover the South Pacific while the Enterprise was back in the US getting a complete overhaul. The story itself is fascinating, give Admiral Ernest King's attitude towards the British. I've downloaded some monographs and articles, but they are rather rudimentary. Would it be something you might do an episode on ?

[@tmcmsail1]

Love your show. You need to reach out to the silversides group and see if you can document their annual startup of the diesel engines. It I’ll make for an awesome show. I spent a February night aboard with a scout troop this year. It really hurt my pride as a brown shoe to sing the praises of bubbleheads to the scouts all weekend

[@chuckhillier4153]

Thanks so much again! With the Europe First strategy operating, I think most assume that the bulk of the U.S. industry's contribution to the war went east. Looking at film of the Pacific Fleets and hearing your detailed descriptions makes me think that most of our war-time economy was pushing resources west. Wonder what you think.

[@patrickshanley4466]

Excellent

[@billyshakespeare17]

My company commander at Great Lakes RTC in 70 was fresh off a PBR in Nam. He was a Senior Chief (E8), which was unusual as most co commanders were E6s or E7s. Had an outbreak of spinal menegitis when I was there. Remember hearing about a little mutiny on the Kittyhawk off Yankee Station. Mess cookers seized the XO. Had some A school classmates on CV 63 who told me about it. I was on the big E.

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Bill responding-- mine was indeed a PO1

[@timcross2510]

I have been so involved in current events , I haven't enjoyed your work in at least 6 months. I can't help but notice a change in Capt. Bill. I pray you are well Bill. I, myself, am not. But I look great!

[@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar]

Bill responding. Sorry Tim you are not well. I'm fine. Will pray for you.

[@timcross2510]

@@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar, I wish I knew more active duty people that matched the knowledge and judgement that I find in retired people.

[@wgowshipping]

War is all about logistics and economics. This strike by Halsey, in concert with Lockwood's submarine offensive was aimed to cut the Japanese supply of oil. One of the reasons for Japan's China offensive of 1944 was to develop an overland trade route to Japan, akin to China's modern Belt and Road.

[@jeffreymartin8448]

Kudos to Capt. Toti for mentioning the McCain 's family tradition on USS Hancock and USS Forrestal at 1:31:33

[@lapaprofundous3788]

I love your program...keep up the great work! It is slightly amusing, however, to listen to discussion of the events late in the war when you mention the "Kamikaze" attacks on the fleet in the same program in which you discuss the typhoones - yet you don't connect the two. Whether or not we believe in the efficacy of this weapon, we should acknowledge that the enemy was praying for the Devine Wind to save them as it did against Kublai Kahn's fleets in 1278 and 1281. At the same time that the IJN is sending Kamikaze planes, 2 typhoones hit the big blue fleet, and one missed by a hair. Yes, we know this is probably a coincidence, but we shouldn't ignore that the enemy thought of it as a weapon, prayed for it, it materialized, and was quite effective. Maybe prayer can work!? I we can acknowledge that the enemy uses nature as a weapon, like a river, a mountain, or a jungle .... why not a storm?