Subject: WWII-L Digest - 13 Aug 1994 to 14 Aug 1994

From: Automatic digest processor <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 15 Aug 1994 00:00:52 -0400

There are 15 messages totalling 576 lines in this issue.

Topics of the day:

  1. DOC: Re: "Interview with Ralph T. Briggs...Winds Message"---
  2. DOC:Re: "Interview with Ralph T. Briggs...Winds Message"--
  3. DDay-CD Rom
  4. INF: 50 Years Ago - 14-AUG-1944 (3)
  5. 50TH: WAR IS NOT ALL COMBAT
  6. HIST: POWs
  7. WEAP Japanese Cruiser Names
  8. war's end in japan
  9. INF: 50 Years Ago - 15-AUG-1944
 10. German squad vs. U.S. Squad (2)
 11. 50TH: WAR IS NOT ALL...
 12. Re[2]: German squad vs. U.S. Squad

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Date:    Sat, 13 Aug 1994 23:37:45 EST
From:    "CARL WERNKE (TCWERNC@VCCSCENT)" <[email-masked]>
Subject: DOC: Re: "Interview with Ralph T. Briggs...Winds Message"---

                    Congressional Investigation Pearl Harbor Attack (Pt 1 of 2)
 X-TO: [email-masked]
 TO: Multiple Recipients of List WWII-L ([email-masked])

                         DOCUMENT

 Congressional Investigation Pearl Harbor Attack, pages 154-155:

     From: Tokyo
     To: Washington
     19 November 1941
     (J19) [A high grade code system later replaced by PA-K2, a code much
            simpler for CDR Rocheford and his men to break]

     Circular #2353

 Regarding the broadcast of a special message in an emergency.
 In case of emergency (danger of cutting off our diplomatic relations), and the
 cutting off of internationalcommunications, the following warning will be
 added in the middle of the daily Japanese language short wave news broadcast.
         (1) In case of a Japan-U.S. relations in danger: HIGASHI NO KAZEAME
             [East Wind rain]
         (2) Japan-U.S.S.R. relations: KITA NO KAZE KUMORI [North Wind cloudy]

         (3) Japan-British relations: NISHI NO KAZE HARE [West Wind clear]

 This signal will be given in the middle and at the end as a weather forcast
 and last sentence will be repeated twice. When this is heard please destroy
 all code papers, etc.This is asyet to be a completely secret arrangement.
                 Forward as urgent intelligence
 25432
 JD-1:6875       (Y) Navy Trans.11-28-41 (S-TT)

 The above from p.A-81 of the "Magic" Background of Pearl Harbor, Vol. IV
 appenddix (8 Vols., Washington, D.C.: Department of Defense, 1977).

          From:Tokyo
          To: Washington
          19 November 1941
          (J19)
          Circular #2354

 When our diplomatic relations are becoming dangerous, we will add the
 following at the beginning and end of our general intelligence broadcasts:
          (1) If it is Japan-U.S. relations, "HIGASHI."
          (2) Japan-Russia relation, "KITA."
          (3) Japan-British relations, (including,Thai, Malaya, and Netherland
              East Indies N.E.I.); "NISHI"

 The abve will be repeated five times and included at beginning and end.
 Relay to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Mexico City, San Francisco.

 25392
 JD-1: 6850                                 (Y) Navy Trans. 11-26-41 (S)

 The following from National Archives Record Group No.457 13W3 4/27/C Box 14
                                                                 SRH-051

 Interview with Mr.Ralph T.Briggs [CWO,USN (ret)

                            13 January 1977

                        Declassified per Sec.3, E.O. 12035 by Director,
                          NSA/Chief,CSS        Date 11 MAR 80

 After considerable recollection over the years since December 7,1941, I have
 finally reached the conclusion that I am the sole individual who initially
 intercepted and handled the winds code executive tip-off...assigned as one
 _____________ watch supervisors.In fact, I was chief watch supervisor and a
 Kata Kana instructor.
 Although we had been anticipating the tip-off code phrase for impending
 diplomatic break with Great Britain, that is the code phrase NISHI NO KAZE
 HARE---West Wind Clear---I soon discovered I had copied HAGASHI NO KAZEAME,
 which meant in Japanese, East Wind Rain. And also meant a break between the
 United States and Japan.

 Now, not withstanding the foregoing, my intercept on 4 December appears to
 remain the single and only intercept of the true winds execute message
 signifying a break between the United States and Japan prior to the attack on
 Pearl Harbor. It should be also noted that after the attack had commenced at
 0730 a.m., Honolulu time, at 0800, precisely on schedule, Tokyo came up on its
 regular news broadcast and inserted the same winds execute code that I had
 previously intercepted on 4 December as part of their routine news broadcast.
 This was repeatedtwice.

 I then made a writtenentry on the upper right-hand margin of this log sheet
 concerning the fact that I, as officer in charge, on the date in question had
 sighted and verified that this was a recorded original entry of the winds
 execute message. I also suggest today that the NAVSECGRU dig through our many
 files to see if they can recover this log sheet; it is still there. I wish
 today I had made a copy and brought it back with me to Washington.

 Continued on part two.

 Carl Wernke
 [email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 00:28:36 EST
From:    "CARL WERNKE (TCWERNC@VCCSCENT)" <[email-masked]>
Subject: DOC:Re: "Interview with Ralph T. Briggs...Winds Message"--

                   Congressional Investigation Pearl Harbor Attack.(Pt 2 of 2)
 X-TO: [email-masked]
 TO: Multiple Recipients of List WWII-L ([email-masked])

 Page 17 of the log sheet attached to the Ralph Briggs interview transcript
 stated: Mr.SCHMIDT, who might have been hurt by some kind of revelation of
 that nature? [A directive sent down that Briggs was not to appear at the
 Congressional Investigation Pearl Harbor Attack]. Would it have hurt the
 intelligence business? Would it have hurt the Navy?
 Mr.Briggs: I don't think it was a question of who it would hurt. I think it
 was a question of who it would reveal had not acted properly upon receipt and
who had failed to take the necessary measures to prepare for eventual
 confrontation with Japan, which this message clearly was an indication of.
 I think that is the real concern. Somebody, some person or persons unknown to
 me this day, must have been responsible for the actual withholding of this
 message, or destruction of this message, or its failure to be revealed.

 [End of interview transcript]

 All comments and questions regarding this post are welcome and encouraged!

 Carl Wernke                  History Instructor
 [email-masked]      Tidewater Community College
                              Portsmouth,VA

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 07:25:24 -0600
From:    Tony Schuler <[email-masked]>
Subject: DDay-CD Rom

I saw some software previewed on CNN about DDay. Can not remember the
name of the CD Rom, but it dealt with all aspects of DDay. I bought
a different one by Simon and Schuster. Could anyone supply me with the
title and where to get the software?

Thanks,

Tony Schuler
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 08:20:48 PDT
From:    Jim Brady <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INF: 50 Years Ago - 14-AUG-1944

---------------Original Message---------------
On 14-AUG-1944, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
[deletions]
The Homefront
-------------
Kennedy's Son Killed - Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., 29, son of the former U.S.
     ambassador to Great Britain, was lost in action on August 12th in the
     European war theater on a special air mission, the Navy announces.

[deletions]
----------
John Davis  ([email-masked]/[email-masked])
Cary, N.C.
----------

What was the mission, again? It was discussed here late last year or early this one;
 seem to remember it had something to do with a modified aircraft or bomb load.
Anyone?

Thanks,

-- Jim Brady
----------End of Original Message----------

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 15:13:02 +0200
From:    JOHN AUSLAND <[email-masked]>
Subject: 50TH: WAR IS NOT ALL COMBAT

  Contrary to the impression I may have given thus far, war was not all
combat.  I will illustrate this with two excerpts from LETTERS HOME.

          EXCERPT
          Once the German counteroffensive (at Mortain) was repulsed, the 4th
          Division took a breather for several weeks. I took full
          advantage of the situation to relax, have fun, and think
          about the future.

          Dear Folks, August 13, 1944, Somewhere in France

          Lt. George De Meyers and I - he's one of the forward
          observers who works with me - are living in the home of
          an elderly French couple.

          Yesterday we both took our section swimming in a nearby
          lake. Then we had a duck and chicken dinner cooked by
          the madam and several of her neighbors. After the
          dinner, George and I went to visit some of the neighbors.
          The couple in question lives just across the road. The
          husband is Russian, the wife French, her sister a
          peroxide blonde. We had quite a time talking to them.
          Their home is in Paris, and they told us a great deal
          about living conditions there.

          The chocolate we gave them was the first in four years.
          Everything costs a small fortune. The Germans have
          taken everything to send back to the Reich.

          You might send stationary in your next package. Include
          in it shaving cream, some Ox Blood shoe polish, some
          Persona blades, and the type candy you sent before.
          Another thing that keeps and always goes well is a box
          of assorted nuts.

          I'll enclose my promotion notice, in case you're interested.

          Must go now, I have a three o'clock date for cocktails!

          Love, John
          END EXCERPT

  The promotion was to captain, the rank for liaison officers to infantry
battalions.

  In a few days, I will upload the text of a letter about adventures George
De Meyers and I had on a one day pass to Rennes.

  Regards, John Ausland/Oslo, Norway

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 08:48:32 -0700
From:    Ed Kettler <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INF: 50 Years Ago - 14-AUG-1944

If I remember correctly, the code name for the mission was APHRODITE, and
it involved a television guided B-24/PB4Y heavily laden with explosives.
The plane was flown off by a skeleton crew, who were supposed to bail out
after takeoff.  The plane would then be guided by a mother plane, and
crashed into an important target, such as a factory manufacturing V
weapons.  The guidance system was basically radio controlled, with the TV
camera in the nose for terminal targeting by the radio control operator.

I don't remember the specific circumstances regarding Kennedy's death,
and I don't have any books to dig through.  Hope this helps you find the
right trail.

regards,
Ed
 Ed Kettler
[email-masked]

On Sun, 14 Aug 1994, Jim Brady wrote:

> ---------------Original Message---------------
> On 14-AUG-1944, the following occurred -
>
> World War II - The Battlefronts
> -------------------------------
> [deletions]
> The Homefront
> -------------
> Kennedy's Son Killed - Joseph P. Kennedy Jr., 29, son of the former U.S.
>      ambassador to Great Britain, was lost in action on August 12th in the
>      European war theater on a special air mission, the Navy announces.
>
> [deletions]
> ----------
> John Davis  ([email-masked]/[email-masked])
> Cary, N.C.
> ----------
>
> What was the mission, again? It was discussed here late last year or early this
> one;
>  seem to remember it had something to do with a modified aircraft or bomb load.
> Anyone?
>
> Thanks,
>
> -- Jim Brady
> ----------End of Original Message----------
>

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 12:26:48 -0500
From:    "Danny G. Cox" <[email-masked]>
Subject: HIST: POWs

During WWII there were some Italian POWs housed here in Springfield MO.
There was also an army hospital (O'Riley) here, and most of these POWs
were used as orderlies in the hospital.  For extra credits, as I remember
it, in the form of military MPC chits, the ones who wanted to and could
entertained the officers at night at the officers club.  This club was a
large old building on the grounds and had belonged to a local club at one
time.  There was a small stage in it where the POWs did their thing.  I
want to make it clear THIS WAS TOTALLY VOLUNTARY and they were given some
kind of chit which could be redeemed for candy, soft drinks, cigarettes,
whatever, for doing this.

A few of them worked on some of the larger farms in the area, and after
the war a couple of them returned with their families to resettle
and work for these same farmers.

I'm writing this from memory of a the local newspaper article written
about a year ago.  The old officers club is registered as a national
historic landmark and the article was about it's sale and what was
required of the prospective buyer before he would be allowed to acquire it.

Shortly after the war the hospital was closed, some of the buildings
(they were all prefab) were auctioned off, and the rest along with most of
the land was purchased by the Assembly Of God church and became the
original buildings of what is now Evangel College.

+==================================+
|   DAN COX                        |
|   REPUBLIC, MO                   |
|   [email-masked]   |
+==================================+

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 14:31:52 -0400
From:    [email-masked]
Subject: WEAP Japanese Cruiser Names

The Isuzu was a Japanese light cruiser used in WWII, one of 6
ships in the Nagara class.

I remember reading somewhere that either this class or maybe
Japanese cruisers in general were named after rivers in Japan.

After perusing the National Geographic, and the Comprehensive
Times Atlas of the world, I cannot find an Isuzu R. (or river named
Notori for that matter).

In partial confirmation of this idea, the other crusiers in this class,
 the Nagara, Abukuma, Yura and Kinu, are rivers in Japan.
In addition, I have been able to verify that the names of some other Japanese
cruisers are rivers, viz. Mogami, Tone, and Chikuma.

Can anyone confirm or deny (preferably with some references) the
general point that cruisers are named after rivers?

In any case, does anyone know the source or significance of the name
Isuzu?  Does the name Isuzu have any particular significance in
Japanese history, mythology etc. in the same sense the Yorktown or
Bunker Hill are significant historical events in an American context?

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 16:32:56 -0400
From:    Dan Ford <[email-masked]>
Subject: war's end in japan

Gov't reports describe confusion around end of war
Source: JN      Date: Aug 12, 1994              Time: 09:12 am

  TOKYO, Aug. 12 --
  The confusion and bewilderment among Japanese people just before and
after the end of World War II are well depicted in detailed reports by
local police to the central government, a university professor who has
found the reports said Friday.
  The reports, discovered recently in the National Archives in Washington,
describe, for instance, how part of the military officers and
right-wingers tried to prod people into continuing the war with the United
States even after Emperor Hirohito's radio broadcast announcing Japan's
surrender, said Kentaro Awatsu, the history professor at Rikkyo (St.
Paul's) University who discovered the reports.
  The reports, about 2,000 pages in total, were mostly compiled by
prefectural police for the Interior Ministry and cover the period between
Aug. 14, 1945, the day before Japan's surrender, and October of the same
year.
  In Nagasaki, which was atomic bombed on Aug. 9, some military police
officers went around the town in trucks immediately after the emperor's
radio message on Aug. 15, shouting that the message was a fake.
  Nagasaki citizens on the streets applauded and shouted back "banzai" to
the officers, the reports said.
  But the citizens' resistance fever cooled rapidly after newspapers
reported the end of the war the following day, they said.

[With a tip of the virtual hat to DowVision and the original provider. In
the spirit of the Internet, this copyrighted material has been re-posted
for no personal gain. Deletions are shown with ellipses, thus: . . . .]

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 13:34:13 -0700
From:    John Davis <[email-masked]>
Subject: INF: 50 Years Ago - 15-AUG-1944

On 15-AUG-1944, the following occurred -

World War II - The Battlefronts
-------------------------------
Western Front - In Brittany, the 83rd Division enters Dinard. The position of
     the German garrison at St Malo grows more critical. In the US 1st Army
     sector, the V Corps reaches the hills that dominate Tinchebray from the
     south.  The British VIII Corps joins up with the US V Corps. In the
     Canadian 1st Army sector, the 4th Armoured Division (II Corps) advances
     towards Falaise. Northeast of Falaise the Polish 1st Armoured Division
     secures a bridgehead on the east bank of the river Dives. In the
     Avranches-Mortain sector, the German armoured divisions of the XLVIII
     Armoured Corps, which carried out the counter-attack on Avranches, now
     withdraw eastwards towards Falaise. They occupy a strip about 30 miles by
     12 miles and are in danger of being encircled as a result of the
     simultaneous pressure of the Allies towards Falaise from the north and
     towards the Tinchebray-Argentan road from the south. Their predicament is
     made all the more worst by a sudden inexplicable disappearance of General
     von Kluge, Commander-in-Chief of the Western Front. This news sends
     Hitler into a frenzy, because he thinks von Kluge has gone over to the
     enemy. The facts are very different though. While traveling towards the
     headquarters of General Heinrich Eberbach's headquarters his car is
     attacked by enemy aircraft. Von Kluge escapes death but goes into hiding.
     He waits until twilight hidden in a cornfield, then manages to return to
     headquarters.

Southern France - Allied forces land on the south coast of France. The
     invasion fleet is composed of some 2,000 transports and landing craft,
     escorted by 300 warships. At dawn, the US 1st Parachute Division is
     dropped in the region betwen Draguignan and Le Muy, about 20 miles west
     of Cannes. The American special troops (Sitka Force) and the French and
     Moroccans land on the islets east of Port Cros, at Cap Negre and at Point
     Esquillon. At 8:00 after heavy naval and air bombardment, the US VI Corps
     come ashore in Provence between Toulon and Cannes. There is hardly any
     resistance from the Germans. At least 94,000 men land during the course
     of the day and quickly establish a solid beachhead. Allied loses amount
     to only 183 men. Churchill who has come along to observe the operation
     from aboard a destroyer, seems bored by the lack of action.

New Guinea - On Numfoor Island, the main Japanese garrison break off contact
     with the Americans and take refuge in the area of Pakriki.

Naval Dispatches
----------------
US LST-181 sunk by radio-controlled bomb, Southern France.

Submarine chaser SC-1019 damaged by explosion, Southern France.

Foreign Affairs
---------------
Rome Returned To Italians - Allied headquarters in Rome has announced that
     Rome and the Provinces of Littoria and Frosinone have been returned to
     the jurisdiction of the Italian Government of Premier Ivanoe Bonomi.

The Homefront
-------------
Nazi Prisoners Strike - About 500 of 1,800 German prisoners of war employed at
     the Army Ordinance Depot in Stockton, California call off a strike begun
     yesterday in protest against the War Department's order increasing the
     work day to nine hours.

=============================================================================

Sources: "2194 Days of War" by Cesare Salmaggi and Alfredo Pallavisimi, "The
World Almanac Book Of WW II" by Peter Young, "United States Naval Chronology,
World War II" by Naval Historical Division - United States Navy, "Facts On
File Yearbook 1944, Person's Index Of World Events" edited by R.L. Lapica.

----------
John Davis  ([email-masked]/[email-masked])
Cary, N.C.
----------

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 16:03:29 -0700
From:    Jim Benn <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: German squad vs. U.S. Squad

The problem here seems to be the term "typical"; I've just started
Stephen Ambrose's D-Day book, and early in it he makes the point that 1
in 5 Wehrmacht troops in France on D-Day were non-German, including some
*Koreans* who had been captured by the Russians in border skirmishes w/
the Japanese, impressed into the Russian army, and then captured by the
Germans and impressed in their service.

The non-mobile defense units in the Wehrmacht were certainly below U.S.
levels, but the attack/defense issue should also be taken into account.
Some of the lower-grade German units may have been up to standing up to
U.S. troops in a defensive mode, but I doubt they could stand up and
attack U.S. troops as the Americans so often had to do in France.

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 16:27:04 PDT
From:    Sidney Allinson <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: INF: 50 Years Ago - 14-AUG-1944

Lt Joe Kennedy was killed by an acciedental explosion of his Liberator
bomber, en route to be used as a guided (un-manned) flying bomb against
german coastal guns in France. The aircraft's equipment included television
guidance systems, an un-smart-bomb, as it it turned out.
There is a good description of the USN modified bomber, and the circumstances
of Lt Kennedy's death in book entitled:  OPERATION APHRODITE.
Regards -- Sidney.

--

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 20:16:39 -0400
From:    Emery Ford <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: German squad vs. U.S. Squad

Hi,

On August 14, Jim Benn wrote:
>
>
>The problem here seems to be the term "typical"; I've just started
>Stephen Ambrose's D-Day book, and early in it he makes the point that 1
>in 5 Wehrmacht troops in France on D-Day were non-German, including some
>*Koreans* who had been captured by the Russians in border skirmishes w/
>the Japanese, impressed into the Russian army, and then captured by the
>Germans and impressed in their service.
>
I have read that there was a Korean population in The Soviet Union, from
before 1939, on the border with Manchuria that Stalin had relocated because
he believed they might be sympathetic to the Japanese (which seems
absurd).  Does anyone else know of this?

Emery

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 20:43:13 EDT
From:    John Sloan <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re: 50TH: WAR IS NOT ALL...

Many thanks to John Ausland for sharing his first hand - eye witness -
information about WWII. However, I would venture to say that not only is war
not all combat - actually war is MOSTLY not combat. Seen in the perspective
of the number of hours consumed over the course of a campaign, the number
actually spent in killing enemy is pretty small, even the time spent THINKING
about killing enemy is relatively small compared to thinking about other
things - dare I say (Women) ?
looking forward to more great memoir material

john sloan
[email-masked]

------------------------------

Date:    Sun, 14 Aug 1994 21:40:43 CDT
From:    Tim not Timothy Scherrer <[email-masked]>
Subject: Re[2]: German squad vs. U.S. Squad

It seems absurd the Koreans would be sympathetic to the Japanese for
anything in this period.  My former sister-in-law is Korean and has no
love lost for the Japanese.  Don;t forget the comfort girl stpry out a
couple of years ago.  I can't confirm the Stalin story, but the premise
seems unlikely.

Did anyone see the "Search for Hitler" special Satiruday night on ABC.
I caught the tail end of it.  THEY FOUND HITLER'S BRAIN!  AHHHHH TAS

************************************************************************
*  Tim A. Scherrer          "You'll be fighting WWII for the rest of   *
*  Facilities Supervisor     your life", Ron Scherrer, 1971            *
*  WP:816-785-5253                                                     *
*  HP:816-665-6704                                                     *
*  ID# [email-masked]                             *
************************************************************************

------------------------------

End of WWII-L Digest - 13 Aug 1994 to 14 Aug 1994
*************************************************