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Acknowledgments
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Acknowledgments T hisstoryismainlybasedonthepersonalexperiencesofhundredsof individuals,Americans and Japanese alike. Fortunately, I started my researchinthemid-1970s,whenmostwerestillalive.Ithuswasableto learnoftheirprewarandDecember8experiencesviacorrespondence, telephone conversations and interviews, narratives they prepared for me,anddiariesandprewarcorrespondencetotheirfamiliestheyshared withme.Thisdirectinputexpandedmyknowledgeoftheiractivitiesand thoseofotherparticipantsderivedfrominterviewsconductedin1945for thepreparationofWalterD.Edmonds’s1951epic,TheyFoughtwithWhat TheyHad.Almostallofthemaregonenow. Singlingoutparticularindividualsfromthisgroupforanexpressionof gratitudeisnoteasy.OntheAmericanside,thehelpofindividualpursuit pilotshasbeenacknowledgedearlierinmybookDoomedattheStart,but forthebombercrewsincludedinthisvolume,Iwouldparticularlyliketo thankRayTeborek,EdJacquet,Edson“Spon”Sponable,andMelMcKenzie forlongyearsofassistancerenderedinrelatingtheirexperiences.Among theJapaneseparticipantsinthisstory,Iamparticularlyindebtedtothelate HidekiShingōforfouryearsoffaithfulresponses(uptothetimeofhis deathin1982)tomyunendingquestionsaboutZerofighterpreparations andoperationsduringtheattackheledonClarkField. AnimportantcontributionwasmadebyallthoseFarEastAirForce personnelwhodidnotsurvivethewar,havingbeenkilledeitherincombat orinaccidentsorhavinglosttheirlivesinprisonerofwar(POW) campsoronhellshipstakingthemtoKorea,Formosa,orJapan.Some wereabletorelatetheirexperiencestofellowPOWswhointerviewed themfortherecord,suchasCapt.WilliamPriestley,whomanagedtobury ack 4/2/03,1:02PM 11 hismaterial(laterexhumed)beforehehimselfperishedonahellship. Otherssentlettershomedetailingtheiractivitiesandfeelingsin1940–41. Theywouldbesurprisedtoknowhowtheirinnermostthoughtshave nowbecomepartofhistory!Iamhighlyindebtedtotheirfamiliesfor sharingsuchpersonalmaterialwithme. Inthisconnection,Iwouldparticularlyliketothankthewidow(since deceased), daughter, and grandson of Maj. Kirtley J. Gregg for making availablehiscorrespondencetohiswifethatopenedthedoorformeon thegoings-onatthestafflevelinthePhilippineDepartmentAirForce (PDAF) and its successors from November, 1940, to November, 1941. Additional inside information on PDAF activities in 1941 was gleaned fromlettersofGregg’scolleague,Maj.BillMaverick.Iamindebtedto hisdaughter,LauraMaverickGriswold,formakingcopiesforme.Bythe sametoken,IwouldliketothankMiriamPachacki,widowof28thBomb SquadronpilotTedFisch,formakingavailablecopiesofallofhis1941letters toherthatcapturehisfeelingsandthoseoftheotherfrustratedsenior pilotsinhissquadron. FortheinsidepictureofwhatwasgoingoninWashingtonatArmy AirForcesheadquartersin1940–41,IoweadebtofgratitudetoCol.William R.Burt,USAF(Ret.).Hedevelopedmyinterestinunderstanding howthedecisionsoftheAirStaffandMaj.Gen.HenryH.“Hap”Arnold, withwhomhewasservingatthetime,shapedthefutureforairforceofficers andmenstationedinthePhilippines.ItwaswithgreatsadnessthatI learnedhepassedawayjustbeforeIcompletedthismanuscript. OtherstowhomIamindebtedwerefacilitatorsinmyefforttogain knowledgeoftheeventscoveredratherthandirectorindirectcontributors ofpersonalexperiences.Inthiscategory,Iwishtoacknowledgethe assistanceofDuaneReedattheAirForceAcademyLibrariesforyearsof unstintingsupportinobtainingdocumentarymaterialintheAcademy’scollections ,particularlyontheAirWarPlansDivision’sAirAnnextothe1941 VictoryProgram.JustastheydidforDoomedattheStart,EdwardBooneand hissuccessor,JamesZobel,archivistsattheMacArthurMemorialinNorfolk, Virginia,respondedtomyeveryrequestfortheUSAFFErecordskeptinits archives.TheGeorgeC.MarshallFoundationinLexington,Virginia,proved tobeanunexpectedlyvaluablesourceofrecordsnotfoundelsewhere,and Iamindebtedtoitsstaffforhelpinobtainingthemduringmyvisitthere. RogerG.Miller,ahistorianat...