Tiger, Tiger, Tiger! タイガー、タイガー、タイガー！Nine unique lessons on the planning and attack at Pearl Harbour (WW2). By Wiliam Van Zyl - Dec 2021

The Extravagant Podcast

Introduction - Excerpt.

Weeks earlier.

A tiny reed protrudes out of the water – hardly visible – slowly moving from ship to ship. His eyes are wide open; his brain is making notes. He breathes slowly and carefully through the curved reed.

As Takeo’s body moves slowly through the transparent sapphire coloured water in the harbour, he sinks downwards, kicks, and then moves forward, constantly circling around the ships. The golden sand captures his shadow. The fishes know he is there. However, the US Navy has no idea that they are being monitored. The first thing that catches the spy’s eyes is the large metal-whales – riveted together, sheet upon sheet – lying calmly in the cool saltwater of Hawaii. The large destroyers and plane carriers float lazily in the bay; the smaller ships bob slowly up and down. They are at ease. The large propellers and rudders are resting, ready to awake at a moment’s notice

The sun forces its way through the shallow water and lights up the white sand that lines the bottom. A ray of light rests for a moment on the closest section of the destroyer close to Takeo, highlighting the silhouettes of the large US warship. He scans for nets and barriers that protect the ships from torpedoes and possible underwater sabotage. The nets and barriers are the first lines of defence against underwater torpedoes.

The moving reed started its spy-work weeks earlier. Classified intelligence is being relayed to the headquarters of Japan in Tokyo. Photos, sketches, and diagrams mixed with secret codes followed.

Takeo Yoshikawa is undetected....

Credit: http://www.mybaycity.com/scripts/P3_V2/P3V3-0200.cfm?P3_articleID=10655

Excerpt:

8. Never put all your planes in one basket.

General Short, serving under Admiral Kimmel – the US commander in Hawaii – was obsessed with the idea that sabotage by agents in the islands’ Japanese community posed the greatest threat to their air force. He ordered that all aircraft be lined up wingtip to wingtip on their airfields. This combination of planes would make them easier to protect. All the ammunition was centrally stored and guarded.

On the morning of the attack, the planes – grouped beautifully together – made the perfect target for the Japanese fighter planes. The Japanese bombs shredded the wing-to-wing parked planes of the Americans with devastating results. Wiping out and crippling about 300 US planes during the attack.

Placing all your planes in one basket means you could lose it all. Like in business, look at different baskets. You never know what can happen! Think strategically; view all possible options.

Above, SB2U Vindicators were lined up at the outer edge of Ewa Marine Corps Air Station in 1942, parked wingtip to wingtip for security against sabotage. In the distance are the slopes of the Waianae mountains. Below, planes were lined up at Hickam Field in an undated photo. Credit: https://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/11/30/hawaii-news/u-s-aircraft-and-fighters-were-sitting-ducks/

More eBooks and articles are available at https://fivehousepublishing.com/

More about the author at http://williamvanzyl.com/

Novella by the author: Based on Pearl Harbour facts.

'The Encoded Pen'

Link to ebook: https://fivehousepublishing.com/product/the-encoded-pen/