Review of E. B. Sledge, With the Old Breed

This was a fascinating but painful read. E. B. Sledge has been in the worst of combat that man can endure (in fact, most cannot endure it) and writes with the quiet, unembellished confidence of a survivor who managed to retain his sanity--and decency. Sledge is one of the few writers I have ever read who exposes the raw brutality of war--and hates war and all its wanton destruction--and yet admits to the sad fact that war is sometimes the only solution.

With the Old Breed tracks the actions of K Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division at Peleliu and Okinawa. Once the narrative gets to the actual extended battles, it is a horrific exposition of a meat-grinder beyond what our imaginations are even capable of conceiving. Sledge writes as an enlisted man: the perspective of the jarhead in the foxhole. He manages to convey to the reader the mud, the bone-weariness, the filth, the stench, and the terror of extended battle under constant shelling and nightly attacks from an opponent for whom suicide raids were standard operating procedure.

I understand that With the Old Breed is required reading in officer school--and it should be. It should also be required reading for every politician at the federal level.

May we all come to hate war with the passion, logic, and reasonableness of Sledge--even while understanding that in a fallen world filled with evil, war is sometimes the only way to restrain the worst of men and societies. Five stars, highly recommended.

Memorial Day Time Travel

So, what’s the last half of your month of May been like? Rainy weather, a few days kind of chilly, maybe fighting traffic on the way to work?

What say we do a little time travel on this Memorial Day weekend, to the pitching flight deck of the USS Belleau Wood, CVL-24, in the last part of May, 1945, as the war in the Pacific closed in on Japan. You’re in the “Fighting Thirty,” with Ensign Lewis M. Cobb. It was mostly an unremarkable time for VF-30, sandwiched in between much hotter fighting and a horrific typhoon that occurred in early June.

Since the F6F Grumman Hellcat is a single-seater, you’ll have to be content with looking over Lou’s shoulder. . .

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Monday, May 14, 1945 At Sea

One of the roughest days of my life. Off at 0445 for two fields on the northern tip of Kyushu, had to fly up the inland sea and across 30 miles of mainland to hit them. AA was terrific saw 7 Jap fighters airborne but they didn't attack nor did we because we were low on gas. AA was very heavy. We were shot at during our whole retirement, for over 30 miles. Every second was living hell. Because of a crash we had to land on the Bennington. We were on the deck 30 minutes when we were launched again, this time to Shikoku. We hit two fields, straffing & bombing, AA fairly heavy. Carried 1 ton of bombs total and damaged two planes on the ground was in my plane from 0425 till 1400 except for 30 min. 8 hrs. flight time, am I tired?

Tuesday, May 15, 1945 At Sea

Refueled today. Weather was bad so all CAPS cancelled. I was so tired that I slept all day long without cracking the sack except to eat lunch. No mail, no "hot skinny."

Wednesday, May 16, 1945 At Sea

Still with logistic support group. Big meeting of squadron commanders over on the Hornet. Skipper brought back lots of news. We are supposed to lay around Okinawa for about 2 weeks and then we go to Leyte where Admiral Halsey will probably relieve Admiral Mitscher. All the Task Group commanders will be relieved also. There is a possibility that we will be relieved at Leyte though a air group shuffle isn't expected. Many air groups that came out at the same time we did have already gone back. We are now the senior CVL air group out here. If we aren't relieved at Leyte we are stuck with a long cruise because Halsey is expected to go on a rampage. Flew a 4 hr. CAP today.

Thursday, May 17, 1945 At Sea

Flew another 4 hr. CAP today, guess it will more of same for next 10 days. Sure wish we'd get some mail. Like to know how my honey is! I'm not counting too heavily on getting back on good time now.

Friday, May 18, 1945 At Sea

Flew a 3 3/4 hr. Rap CAP today. All quiet, nothing doing.

Saturday, May 19, 1945 At Sea

Was scheduled for two hops today, because of weather only got one 3 3/4 hr. CAP in. Flew at least an hour on instruments. Let down from 20,000 to 200 ft on instruments. Had heavy ice on our wings and wind shield. Ran through thick snow flurries. My radio went out but still had YE, came in on that. Was really a rugged hop. Two teams went on a strike to Tokuno but they did not find anything.

We refuel tomorrow, sure hope we get some mail.

Sunday, May 20, 1945 At Sea

Spent a peaceful Sunday. Did not have to fly, I spent the day playing cards, reading and this PM had some beer up in Jakes room. Just before chow we got plenty of mail I got 6 letters and some snapshots from Helen. Letters from everyone so I'm really happy.

Monday, May 21, 1945 At Sea

Lousy weather today but I flew two hops regardless. Had a 3 3/4 hr. I CAP around Amami this AM. Weather was very bad 1-200 ft ceiling & rain. Went on a strike against Tokuno this PM. Weather was zero-zero. To avoid my crew crashing into the mountains, I got my team separated from the skipper's and was unable to find him again, we returned. As bad a weather as I ever flown in.

Tuesday, May 22, 1945 At Sea

Led two divisions on a 3 3/4 I CAP today. Sturdy was shot down on a preceding hop against Koniya seaplane base, we stood by him until he was picked up by a PBM. Made one run on some warehouses and two runs on a radio station on Amami. Weather lousy.

Wednesday, May 23, 1945 At Sea

Day of rest for me and mine. Refueled today - weather very bad. Scuttlebutt is running rampant as to whether or not we will be relieved at Leyte. We are due in Leyte either on the 27^th or 28^th. Gosh how I'm hoping. have the 4 AM hop which means that I'm up at 0215 guess I'll hit the sack.

Thursday, May 24, 1945 At Sea

Weather bad today but I still got in two hops. We didn't take off as early as scheduled though because of weather. Got in a total of 8 hrs. both ICAP's. No business, tired rear end.

Friday, May 25, 1945 At Sea

Didn't fly today because of weather, only 4 teams flew. Pixton shot down a Frank and Skipper got a betty. The expected air attack took place today but because of weather it didn't bother us much. I think many Jap planes were shot down around Okinawa.

Saturday, May 26, 1945 At Sea

Off the deck at 5 AM for one of the most harrowing hops I've ever had. It was black and rainy with ceiling from 0-100 ft. Before we were launched the Hornet squadron commander, who was airborne, told them not to launch anymore planes because of terrible weather. We were launched on instruments and climbed to 4,000 ft before breaking out. Soon after the order came to land and we let down and landed. There were 2 mid air collisions and 2 planes that spun in. Upwards of 150 planes jettisoned bombs and rockets in the drink, what a farce!

Sunday, May 27, 1945 At Sea

Refueled today, did not have to fly. Rec'd 15 letters, 4 of them from Helen. I'm afraid she will be in for a disappointment because I don't see relief in sight for us yet. Guess its back to Okinawa for more support missions tomorrow. A jap plane landed wheels up on Yontan and 21 japs jumped out and blew up many planes and aviation gas before they were shot. Guess thats the reason we aren't going to Leyte on schedule.

Monday, May 28, 1945 At Sea

Did not fly today because of weather. One hop got up. As of midnight last night we became the 3^rd fleet. Halsey has taken over though the change in command is not complete yet. Believe we will go into port for that. We are now Task Group 38.1. That really will ream us if we don't get relieved before he runs amuk.

Tuesday, May 29, 1945 At Sea

Flew a 4 hr TCAP this AM over Okinawa, weather was better but no business.

Wednesday, May 30, 1945 At Sea

Bad weather, no flights today. Refuel tomorrow.

Thursday, May 31, 1945 At Sea

Refueled today so I spent a peaceful day in the sack. Was surprised to get 4 letters, didn't expect any today. Weather pretty bad.

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Whew! We survived! But for a little perspective, what were you doing when you were twenty-two years old? You’re probably like me—very grateful for those who showed up to fight when the call came.

To all those who gave the last full-measure of devotion, and to all those who risked everything but came home alive: THANK YOU!

Book Review of Stephen Ambrose, Ike's Spies

Ambrose is an expert on Eisenhower, a fact which is quite apparent in Ike’s Spies, a heavily researched, fascinating book about the beginnings of the CIA. A very good read, the volume is a good representation of the quality of Ambrose’s writing and story-telling. Though the author is favorably disposed toward Eisenhower, he does not sugar-coat Ike’s miss-steps, nor those of his agents.

The book begins with Churchill informing Eisenhower of the ULTRA secret in 1942, and then moves into the gradual development of an Allied spy network in North Africa, whose purpose was both to keep an eye on the Germans and their troop strength and dispositions, and to enlist the allegiance of the French for the coming Allied invasion.

Ambrose carries the reader through TORCH, then the Italy campaign, then OVERLORD. After working his way through the rest of the European theater of the war, Ambrose unfolds the founding of what would become the CIA, and traces America’s spying, assassination plots, and efforts to overthrow foreign governments right through the Bay of Pigs fiasco.

Two things I am taking away from having read this book are (1) the messiness of the spy business, generally, and (2) the fact that America has intruded, at times, into matters of other sovereign nations in ways that are hard to justify. Having admitted that, however, it’s all-to-easy for a civilian reader, fifty years removed, to pass judgment and play armchair quarterback of an era when a violent and repressive communism was sweeping the world, and the reader has neither the full data nor the crushing responsibility to act upon it. Ike’s Spies is an eye-opener into a world most of us will never have to deal with.

In Memory of an American Hero

Think the weather is bad here in Greenville? Tired of the rain?

Let's take a trip to the USS Belleau Wood, CVL 24, the week of Memorial Day, 1945, which was a week of bad weather, and listen in on the personal diary of Lewis M. Cobb. His job was to fly a Gruman F6F Hellcat whereever he was ordered and come back again, preferably in one piece. And preferably with his airplane, which didn't always happen.

Friday, May 25, 1945, At Sea

            Didn't fly today because of weather, only 4 teams flew. Pixton shot down a Frank and Skipper got a Betty. The expected air attack took place today but because of weather it didn't bother us much. I think many Jap planes were shot down around Okinawa.

Saturday, May 26, 1945, At Sea

            Off the deck at 5 AM for one of the most harrowing hops I've ever had. It was black and rainy with ceiling from 0-100 ft. Before we were launched the Hornet squadron commander, who was airborne, told them not to launch anymore planes because of terrible weather. We were launched on instruments and climbed to 4,000 ft before breaking out. Soon after the order came to land and we let down and landed. There were 2 mid-air collisions and 2 planes that spun in. Upwards of 150 planes jettisoned bombs and rockets in the drink, what a farce!

Sunday, May 27, 1945, At Sea

            Refueled today, did not have to fly. Rec'd 15 letters, 4 of them from Helen. I'm afraid she will be in for a disappointment because I don't see relief in sight for us yet. Guess its back to Okinawa for more support missions tomorrow. A jap plane landed wheels up on Yontan and 21 japs jumped out and blew up many planes and aviation gas before they were shot. Guess thats the reason we aren't going to Leyte on schedule.

Monday, May 28, 1945, At Sea

            Did not fly today because of weather. One hop got up. As of midnight last night we became the 3^rd fleet. Halsey has taken over though the change in command is not complete yet. Believe we will go into port for that. We are now Task Group 38.1. That really will ream us if we don't get relieved before he runs amuk.

Tuesday, May 29, 1945, At Sea

            Flew a 4 hr TCAP this AM over Okinawa, weather was better but no business.

Wednesday, May 30, 1945, At Sea

            Bad weather, no flights today. Refuel tomorrow.

Thursday, May 31, 1945,  At Sea

            Refueled today so I spent a peaceful day in the sack. Was surprised to get 4 letters, didn't expect any today. Weather pretty bad.

Good weather was an opportunity to fly sorties, complete with a good chance of getting your plane shot out from under you, or worse.

Bad weather was a chance to get some rest, or, unfortunately, an opportunity for your CAG [Carrier Air Group commander] send you up, but be unable to get you back down.

The amazing thing is that those men put their lives on the line every day, good weather or bad, and then got up the next day and did it all over again, until the war was over and the Axis was defeated.

My dad was one of those men, and was decorated numerous times for exploits of courage. He survived getting shot down, survived landing Hellcats so shot-up that they flipped upside down into the barrier, survived the war, and ultimately survived a distinguished career in the navy, retiring as a full Commander in 1966. By this time he had served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

He went on to enter Virginia Theological Seminary, and had a distinguished second career serving the Episcopal Church, retiring once again in 1988.

My brother, Lewis M. Cobb, Jr., has a good turn of phrase. In Louie's words, Dad experienced his final pre-dawn launch at around 5 AM, February 21. [Correction: it was actually my sister Georgia who first said that - she loved the imagery it connotes.]

This picture of the Commander and his bride of 66 years, my mom, was taken this past fall at the wedding of their grandson, Louie's son, Jake. Dad had not worn his uniform in years. Still looked good on him.

Miss you, dad. Remembering you on this Memorial Day. In my book, you're an American hero.