Post by rickthelibrarian on Nov 28, 2010 10:55:22 GMT -5
amzn.to/2t7kRWC
The complete name of this book is Racing the Sunrise: Reinforcing America's Pacific Outposts, 1941-42. The author's name is Glen Williford, who I recognized from my membership in the Coast Defense Study Group. Glen has published other works, mostly on coast defense, including Defenses of Pearl Harbolr and Oahu, 1907-1950, which is, I believe, published through Osprey Books. This book is published through the Naval Institute
Glen did a monumental amount of research on this book. He looked at virtually all major ships carrying military supplies to the Philippines from about 1940 to 1942. The "Pensacola Convoy" (which just missed arriving in the Philippines in December, 1941) is relatively well-known, but Glen found those convoys which were just in the preparation stages and didn't even get loaded before the outbreak of war.
He also details what Douglas MacArthur wanted and requested, his relations with George Marshall, and the changes made that converted the Philippines from a sacrificial post that it was seen until about mid-1941, to that which got the highest priority on men and supplies until the outbreak of war.
In addition to the major convoys, Glen does a masterful job on attempts to run supplies into the Philippines after the outbre4ak of war. Also, the decision to not make an effort to run the convoys through. He looks into what use was made of the men and supplies that didn't make it.
One of the interesting facts I found was that two infantry units were ready to be loaded onto ships to transport to the Philippines - the 161st Infantry Regiment (which was headquartered in my hometown of Spokane WA) and the 34th infantry. The 34th as to be broken up for replacements to bring the other units up to wartime strength; the 161st was to be used as part of the Philippine Division. Ironically, both units eventually made it to the Philippines in 1944-45 as part of the liberation.
Glen is very detailed in his research and writing. He reports ship-by-ship what was either sent or due to be sent. For example, the USAT Lexington sailed from San Francisco and LA on 11/19/1941 - it carried 20 P-40Es, 11,032 drums of gasoline, ammunition, 92 vehicles, trailers, 1200 spools of barbed wire, gas masks, shoes, signal wire, 35 searchlight trailers and two 26-ton motor mine yawls. The ship was due to reach Manila on 1/10/42. It was diverted back to LA and San Francisco, arriving on 12/23/1941.
Glen has carved a real nitch and has reported on a subject that has not been explored in detail. This book is "must" reading for anyone interested in the efforts made to reinforce the Philippines just befor and during WWII.
It is available through the Naval Institute, but also through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other sources.
