The case of the Missing Lieutenant

 Pearl Harbour

                                          The Japanese Error

Several years ago, I came across an intriguimg missing person case involving the attack on Pearl Harbour.

The case centers on the disappearance of a Naval Lieutenant. 

Timeline

27th, November, 1941, after returning from his daily walk along the hills around Pearl Harbour, he reported to the doctor "claiming" he'd slipped, and injured his arm. The doctor put his arm in a sling, and excused him duties for the rest of the week.

December 4th, 1941, the officer, now fit, went for his regular walk, but never returned to base. The world knows what happened a few days later, a date known as The Day of Infamy.

We have two scenarios here

A - He went for a walk, and had another accident which left him unable to return.

B - He came across a Japanese spotter crew whose task was to guide the planes for the attack the next day. 

You could make a valid argument for either scenario, yet, one thing remains fact - his body was not found.

I go for scenario B, if he'd had the accident, his body would have turned up at some time.

Other than the attack what was their error?

Despite the superior knowledge of Japanese Intelleince networks, the news that the 7th Fleet was on an exercise, and not at harbour, was ignored.

After the attack, there was an argument between the Air Commander, and the Naval Commander of the force.

The Air Commander wanted an immediate second raid to hit the US twice, and hopefully cripple the oil supply needed for the ships coming back.

The Naval Commander argued he'd need every ounce of fuel for his planes to give air cover on their return to Japan. The Naval Commander was correct. Hitting the base a second time so soon would have been suicidal; the raid worked because of its surprise, now the US Forces would be ready, and the loss of aircrews would be horrorific. Not only that, the second wave would be flying into the fires, and fuel explosions from the opening raid.

As was proved later, getting good pilots for the Japanese air force was to be an impossible task during the War in the Pacific.

Later in World War 2, the USAAF were to experience the same dilemna when attacking Schienfurt, Germany. The first raid went well with heavy damage to the ball bearing factories, however, the raid the following week, was as the US would say a "turkey shoot." On their return, the Americans found the site proyected by flak guns, some on rails, and gunners capable of inflicting heavy losses