W E B Griffin – Corp 06 – Close Combat

AIRCRAFT. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER INTENSIVE ENEMY NAVAL GUNFIRE FIRE COMMENCED AND LASTED

FOR A PERIOD OF NINETY-SEVEN (97) MINUTES.

4. A MINIMUM OF EIGHT HUNDRED (800) AND POSSIBLY AS MANY AS ONE THOUSAND (1000) ROUNDS

ARMOR PIERCING AND HIGH EXPLOSIVE FELL ON HENDERSON FIELD AND IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT

AREAS. FROM THE NATURE OF THE DAMAGE CAUSED, IT IS BELIEVED NAVAL FOURTEEN (14) INCH

CANNON WERE INVOLVED, MOST LIKELY FROM A JAPANESE BATTLESHIP OR BATTLESHIPS.

5. ENEMY LOSSES:

NEGLIGIBLE, IF ANY. MAIN NAVAL GUNFIRE CAME FROM WARSHIPS BEYOND THE RANGE OF 5-INCH

SEACOAST CANNON OF 3RD MARDEFBN. ACCOMPANYING SMALLER VESSELS, PRESUMABLY DESTROYERS, WERE

ENGAGED WITHOUT VISIBLE RESULT.

6. US LOSSES:

A. FIELD GRADE OFFICER KIA ONE (1)

B. FIELD GRADE OFFICER WIA ONE (1)

C. COMPANY GRADE OFFICER KIA FIFTEEN (15)

D. COMPANY GRADE OFFICER WIA ELEVEN (11)

E. ENLISTED KIA THIRTY-NINE (39)

F. ENLISTED WIA SEVENTY-NINE (79)

G. MISSING IN ACTION: TO BE DETERMINED

H. SEVERE DAMAGE TO HENDERSON FIELD RUNWAY, CONTROL TOWER, REVETMENTS AND SUPPLY STORAGE AREAS. REMAINING AVGAS SUPPLY CRITICAL.

I. EXTENT OF DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT NOT YET FULLY DETERMINED. IT IS OBVIOUSLY SEVERE. FOR

EXAMPLE OF THIRTY-NINE (39) SPD AIRCRAFT AVAILABLE AS OF YESTERDAY, FOUR (4) ARE AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME, AND TWO (2) OF EIGHT (8) B17 AIRCRAFT WERE TOTALLY DESTROYED.

7. AS SOON AS RUNWAY REPAIRS PERMIT REMAINING B17 AIRCRAFT WILL WITHDRAW TO ESPIRITU

SANTO.

8. MOST CRITICAL NEED OF THIS COMMAND IS RESUPPLY OF AVGAS. URGENTLY REQUEST RESUPPLY

BY ANY MEANS AVAILABLE. RECOMMEND NO REPEAT NO REPLENISHMENT OF AIRCRAFT UNTIL SUFFICIENT

AVGAS AVAILABLE HENDERSON FIELD FOR FUELING.

VANDEGRIFT MAJ GEN USMC COMMANDING

=SECRET=

[FIVE]

Mag-21

Henderson Field

“Colonel,” Captain Samuel M. Davidson, U.S. Army Air Corps, said to Lieutenant Colonel Clyde W. Dawkins, “I’m not sure I like this. As a matter of fact, the more I think about it, I don’t like it at all.”

“You don’t have any choice in the matter, Sam,” Dawkins said. “These people are going with you, period.”

“Who the hell are they?”

“Two majors, a lieutenant, and a sergeant. I told you.”

“I told my people they’re going out with us.”

“I’ll find something constructive for them to do,” Dawkins said. And just as soon as I can find space for them, I’ll get them out of here.”

“And what if… ?” He paused a moment and then began again: “I really don’t mean to sound insubordinate, but the first obligation of an officer is to take care of his men. What if I simply say ‘with all respect, Sir, no’?”

“I said no way, Sam. I was shown a set of orders on White House stationery, signed by Admiral Leahy, the President’s Chief of Staff. To repeat myself, you don’t have any choice in the matter.”

“How did they get here?”

“In an R4D. It took a bomb through the wing.”

“The one with that funny landing gear?”

Dawkins nodded.

“You want to tell me what that was all about? It looked like skis.”

“Sorry, Sam. I couldn’t tell you if I knew, and I don’t. I really don’t. But if it makes you feel any better, I was in the Division Command Post, and I saw General Vandegrift shake one of the Major’s hands and thank him. They’re not tourists.”

There was a loud, frightening crash, a long one, along with the scream of timbers being ripped apart.

“What the hell was that?” Captain Davidson asked.

“That was the Pagoda,” Dawkins said. “General Geiger decided that the Japanese were using it as an artillery aiming point. They bulldozed it, I guess.”

“Why didn’t they just blow it up?”

“Probably because there’s a shortage of dynamite, in addition to everything else,” Dawkins said.

“Where are these people, then?” Captain Davidson asked.

“Bill Dunn, Charley Galloway’s exec, has been told to take them to your plane.”

“You know, I’ve only got three functioning engines.”

“That shouldn’t bother the Army Air Corps.”

“I feel like I’m running away, Colonel. I don’t like that feeling, either.”

“You’ll be back,” Dawkins said. He stood up and put out his hand. “Have a nice flight, Sam. It’s been good knowing you.”

“What’s going to happen to you?”

“Who knows? Sooner or later, one side is going to run completely out of airplanes.”

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