July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
The 'rest of the story' (9/26/03)
Editor's Mailbag
By To the editor:-
Life can be a real mess at times. We can make the right decisions but end up with bad results, or we can make the wrong decisions and have a good result. Sometimes it takes a whole lifetime to decide what the results will be from minor decisions.
If the 600 men written about by Alfred Tennyson in the “Charge of the Light Brigade” had known one hour earlier the end result, there would have been no poem. Those that died in the San Francisco earthquake never knew what choice put them at death’s door. The 1,200 men on the Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941, had no clue what that Sunday morning was to bring. They died before they knew a reason. The same can be said for the 3,000 who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The simplest choices placed all these people into history without their ever knowing why. Some of us who survived these events don’t know what led to the awful events.
Many who served in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam wonder why we survived. Some lived, some died. The questions is whether there was a reason why the dice went one way or another. Those that have “been there” and “done that” go through life asking for an answer.
Just a few weeks ago a meaningless event on Guam in August of 1945 suddenly had a reason to some of us who were there. We had waited 57 years for the key words to appear. These words were revealed in a book, “The Last Mission,” written by Jim Smith who was one of the participants. On Sunday night, Sept. 28, this year, a two-hour documentary of the same name will be on the History Channel. What appeared in 1945 to be a monumental stupid act of war was unraveled.
It all started that summer in 1945, when we were part of the 315th Wing, 20th Air Force, Northwest Field, Guam.
There were 12,000 Air Corps men involved, flying and servicing 180 B-29 bombers. Ours was a super-secret aircraft because of a new bomb sight. In Europe, B-17 and B-24 bombers used the Norden bomb sight. If they put 5 percent of their bombs in a target, they got a presidential citation. With our equipment, we put 95 percent of our bombs in the target, a 20 fold change. Japan then, as now, had no oil or coal, and their ambition to become a world trading force led them into World War II. Our task was to destroy the petroleum industry that they had built for their trade ambitions. Due to our bombing and the blockade set up by the Navy, Japan was becoming paralyzed by their lack of oil. We had raided their industry every other night for weeks to the point that our commander came to our movie theater about Aug. 1, and stated that unless we were given a new target that our war was over. Japan was dry, and there would be no need for an invasion. We had seen enough of war — death, destruction, fear, loneliness, disruption of lives. All was ending, we could go home and quickly!
Totally unknown to us, another chapter was opening up in front of us — the atom bomb. Actually the B-29 that we were using had been developed to carry the atom bomb. It was the only equipment in the world that would do that job. The decision to use the bomb was made by President Truman on July 16, 1945. I can’t detail all that led to this decision. But the enormity of that decision rested on the projected invasion in the fall of 1945. At the same time it was planned to keep Hirohito as emperor to preserve a stable government. (Look at the mess in Iraq today where there is a poor government residue.)
At the Potsdam Conference in Germany that week, the Russians were not surprised at our announcement of our bomb — their spies had already informed Stalin. On Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima met its fate. Smith’s airplane and many others were returning from Japan that day and heard the announcement. That was one more reason to know it was over, and it was only a little more time before we came home. In fact as they were enroute back to Guam, they had seen three planes going the other way — the Enola Gay and its support planes. Those three planes had been part of the stream of planes over Japan that night to conceal their special purpose.
It took a couple of days for Japan to evaluate and decide what their course would be. They had been working on a similar bomb and realized what they faced. Emperor Hirohito had decided it was time to quit. But there were a significant number of his military that planned to resist to the bitter end and force the invasion which they felt might finally give them victory.
On Aug. 9, Russia jumped on the band wagon to grab their share of any spoils. While Japan was arguing over the surrender, the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki that same day. The second bomb added to the emperor’s feelings, and early on Aug. 10 he announced to the military what he was going go do — do a national broadcast. There was still a raging battle in his cabinet and military while a message was sent to Washington of the impending surrender.
President Truman ordered a continuation of routine activities all over the Pacific until a final formal peace was announced. At the same time the U.S. was clearly aware that the Russians were doing their utmost to get a foothold on Japan. (Remember the Berlin Wall?)
The question was how we would fit into this scenario.
On Aug. 14, everyone in the 315 Wing wakened with a hangover from celebrating the end of the war and thoughts of going home soon. But, out of the blue came an order for one more raid. It was more than an order — it stated that this would be the longest combat mission ever flown (nearly 3,800 miles) with the heaviest loads that the planes had ever lifted to Akita, an oil refinery 300 miles northwest of Tokyo. The planes would go directly over Tokyo enroute and returning. Dismay, anger, and disbelief struck immediately.
Why was there to be such a mission when the war was over? What idiot decided this? Despite much grumbling and griping with second guessing, the orders stuck — do it! Was this to be another “Charge of the Light Brigade”? Crews were cautioned not to make an emergency landing in Japan. If they had to ditch to go in the ocean, try to make it to Iwo Jima (700 miles away) or go on to Siberia because landing in Japan would be more than a problem.
Take off was scheduled for 4 p.m. The ground work was done, the air crew had passed inspection, a full load of fuel was on board, the chaplains had given their last rites and prayers for the crews. At 4 p.m. a Jeep came by with verbal orders (radio silence) to hold for further orders. No one was to leave the area. We huddled under the wings until 5 p.m. when the Jeep came back with orders to go. It took 57 years to find out what that delay was about. Smith reveals that President Truman was with his staff deciding for the raid to go as scheduled.
During that hour we hashed and bashed our guesses as to why the raid and why the delay. At 5 p.m. it was time to go. One hundred and forty-three planes loaded up and left. We ground crew waved and saluted as they rolled out while wondering if they would make it back one more time. We went back to the barracks for an 18-hour wait, knowing that 11 men’s lives hung on the last twist of a wrench.
Smith’s book and the documentary to be run at 7 p.m. on the History Channel on Sept. 28, tells the “rest of the story.” It was December 2002 before we knew what and why. Smith made six trips to Japan and spent 20 years finding the answers.
That raid accidentally avoided the invasion of Japan, gave them a stable government and kept Russia out of Japan. Quite a night’s work.
Eugene Gillum
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
If the 600 men written about by Alfred Tennyson in the “Charge of the Light Brigade” had known one hour earlier the end result, there would have been no poem. Those that died in the San Francisco earthquake never knew what choice put them at death’s door. The 1,200 men on the Arizona on Dec. 7, 1941, had no clue what that Sunday morning was to bring. They died before they knew a reason. The same can be said for the 3,000 who died on Sept. 11, 2001. The simplest choices placed all these people into history without their ever knowing why. Some of us who survived these events don’t know what led to the awful events.
Many who served in World War I, World War II, Korea and Vietnam wonder why we survived. Some lived, some died. The questions is whether there was a reason why the dice went one way or another. Those that have “been there” and “done that” go through life asking for an answer.
Just a few weeks ago a meaningless event on Guam in August of 1945 suddenly had a reason to some of us who were there. We had waited 57 years for the key words to appear. These words were revealed in a book, “The Last Mission,” written by Jim Smith who was one of the participants. On Sunday night, Sept. 28, this year, a two-hour documentary of the same name will be on the History Channel. What appeared in 1945 to be a monumental stupid act of war was unraveled.
It all started that summer in 1945, when we were part of the 315th Wing, 20th Air Force, Northwest Field, Guam.
There were 12,000 Air Corps men involved, flying and servicing 180 B-29 bombers. Ours was a super-secret aircraft because of a new bomb sight. In Europe, B-17 and B-24 bombers used the Norden bomb sight. If they put 5 percent of their bombs in a target, they got a presidential citation. With our equipment, we put 95 percent of our bombs in the target, a 20 fold change. Japan then, as now, had no oil or coal, and their ambition to become a world trading force led them into World War II. Our task was to destroy the petroleum industry that they had built for their trade ambitions. Due to our bombing and the blockade set up by the Navy, Japan was becoming paralyzed by their lack of oil. We had raided their industry every other night for weeks to the point that our commander came to our movie theater about Aug. 1, and stated that unless we were given a new target that our war was over. Japan was dry, and there would be no need for an invasion. We had seen enough of war — death, destruction, fear, loneliness, disruption of lives. All was ending, we could go home and quickly!
Totally unknown to us, another chapter was opening up in front of us — the atom bomb. Actually the B-29 that we were using had been developed to carry the atom bomb. It was the only equipment in the world that would do that job. The decision to use the bomb was made by President Truman on July 16, 1945. I can’t detail all that led to this decision. But the enormity of that decision rested on the projected invasion in the fall of 1945. At the same time it was planned to keep Hirohito as emperor to preserve a stable government. (Look at the mess in Iraq today where there is a poor government residue.)
At the Potsdam Conference in Germany that week, the Russians were not surprised at our announcement of our bomb — their spies had already informed Stalin. On Aug. 6, 1945, Hiroshima met its fate. Smith’s airplane and many others were returning from Japan that day and heard the announcement. That was one more reason to know it was over, and it was only a little more time before we came home. In fact as they were enroute back to Guam, they had seen three planes going the other way — the Enola Gay and its support planes. Those three planes had been part of the stream of planes over Japan that night to conceal their special purpose.
It took a couple of days for Japan to evaluate and decide what their course would be. They had been working on a similar bomb and realized what they faced. Emperor Hirohito had decided it was time to quit. But there were a significant number of his military that planned to resist to the bitter end and force the invasion which they felt might finally give them victory.
On Aug. 9, Russia jumped on the band wagon to grab their share of any spoils. While Japan was arguing over the surrender, the second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki that same day. The second bomb added to the emperor’s feelings, and early on Aug. 10 he announced to the military what he was going go do — do a national broadcast. There was still a raging battle in his cabinet and military while a message was sent to Washington of the impending surrender.
President Truman ordered a continuation of routine activities all over the Pacific until a final formal peace was announced. At the same time the U.S. was clearly aware that the Russians were doing their utmost to get a foothold on Japan. (Remember the Berlin Wall?)
The question was how we would fit into this scenario.
On Aug. 14, everyone in the 315 Wing wakened with a hangover from celebrating the end of the war and thoughts of going home soon. But, out of the blue came an order for one more raid. It was more than an order — it stated that this would be the longest combat mission ever flown (nearly 3,800 miles) with the heaviest loads that the planes had ever lifted to Akita, an oil refinery 300 miles northwest of Tokyo. The planes would go directly over Tokyo enroute and returning. Dismay, anger, and disbelief struck immediately.
Why was there to be such a mission when the war was over? What idiot decided this? Despite much grumbling and griping with second guessing, the orders stuck — do it! Was this to be another “Charge of the Light Brigade”? Crews were cautioned not to make an emergency landing in Japan. If they had to ditch to go in the ocean, try to make it to Iwo Jima (700 miles away) or go on to Siberia because landing in Japan would be more than a problem.
Take off was scheduled for 4 p.m. The ground work was done, the air crew had passed inspection, a full load of fuel was on board, the chaplains had given their last rites and prayers for the crews. At 4 p.m. a Jeep came by with verbal orders (radio silence) to hold for further orders. No one was to leave the area. We huddled under the wings until 5 p.m. when the Jeep came back with orders to go. It took 57 years to find out what that delay was about. Smith reveals that President Truman was with his staff deciding for the raid to go as scheduled.
During that hour we hashed and bashed our guesses as to why the raid and why the delay. At 5 p.m. it was time to go. One hundred and forty-three planes loaded up and left. We ground crew waved and saluted as they rolled out while wondering if they would make it back one more time. We went back to the barracks for an 18-hour wait, knowing that 11 men’s lives hung on the last twist of a wrench.
Smith’s book and the documentary to be run at 7 p.m. on the History Channel on Sept. 28, tells the “rest of the story.” It was December 2002 before we knew what and why. Smith made six trips to Japan and spent 20 years finding the answers.
That raid accidentally avoided the invasion of Japan, gave them a stable government and kept Russia out of Japan. Quite a night’s work.
Eugene Gillum
Portland[[In-content Ad]]
Top Stories
9/11 NEVER FORGET Mobile Exhibit
Chartwells marketing
September 17, 2024 7:36 a.m.
Events
250 X 250 AD