The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5 Podcast

Instead of attacking Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, President Roosevelt believed the Japanese would attack the Far East.    Failing to prepare our country or the military for a possible attack, were seven men - all of whom played a part in missing the signs and failing to believe that the tragedy would occur on U.S. soil that fateful morning.  This episode is based on Chapter 8 in the book "The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5," by Donald J. Young, which is available on Amazon.com .

As the weekend of December 6 and 7, 1941, approached, President Roosevelt's real fear was that Japan would attack the British in the Far East and not the U.S..  If the Japanese had chosen to only attack far off British Malaya, and not Pearl Harbor or the United States, the President  actually had a speech prepared to give before a divided Congress. With the country solidly divided on the issue of getting involved in the war in Europe, its outcome, had it occurred, would not have been predictable. This is the story of what precipitated such as possibility, beginning in August, 1941, in an obscure place known as Argentia Harbor inside Placentia Bay, Newfoundland.  

The story of fighter pilot Charles Lindbergh, and World War II began like it did for thousands of men who couldn't wait to get into it. Twenty-five years after the end of the conflict, he published his wartime journals - an account of the war that began for him on March 11, 1938 and ended on June 15, 1945. Why 25 years? Probably because of what was found in the last chapters in the book. He had, against orders, actually logged 130 combat hours in Corsair's and P-38's, that included shooting down a Japanese plane and bombing and strafing enemy targets every time he went up. This could be the first time his story will be told since its 1970 release.

On the afternoon of April 9, 1942, the doorbell rang at the house on 1230 Milan Avenue, Pasadena, California. The postman, who recognized the return address, said to Mr. Thomas Lee, who answered the door, that maybe it was from his son. In the corner of the envelope it showed that it was from Headquarters Sixth Army, in care of Postmaster, San Francisco. Mr. Lee opened it to find a water-stained envelope inside addressed in handwriting he recognized.  "Mabel," he yelled to his wife, "It's a letter from Henry." Henry, their son, was Lt. Henry G. Lee, who was on Bataan in the Philippines.  The last letter they had received from him, dated November 29, 1941, was in January. This one, dated February 12, 1942, had been en route for two months. Through the poignant letters and poems he wrote, which were regarded as "a remarkable piece of work," this episode shares the first hand account by Lt. Henry G. Lee about his experiences as a soldier and later a prisoner of war during WW2.     

Part 2- On December 7, 1941, Claude C. Bloch was Admiral in charge of the 14th Naval District in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack.  However, Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short were both considered to be responsible for the disaster, and were relieved of command. Without another name to directly associate with theirs, the perception by many was and still is that they alone were to blame for what happened at Pearl Harbor. Was there another name or third man that should have shared the blame for what happened in Hawaii? The answer is yes. The man is Vice Admiral Claude C. Bloch, commandant of the 14th Naval District at the time of the attack. This episode is part two of two parts uncovering the details of that fateful day involving Admiral Bloch.  This week's episode is based on the book "The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5," by Donald J. Young, which is available on Amazon.com .

On December 7, 1941, Claude C. Bloch was Admiral in charge of the 14th Naval District in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbor Attack.  However, Admiral Husband Kimmel and General Walter Short were both considered to be responsible for the disaster, and were relieved of command. Without another name to directly associate with theirs, the perception by many was and still is that they alone were to blame for what happened at Pearl Harbor. Was there another name or third man that should have shared the blame for what happened in Hawaii? The answer is yes. The man is Vice Admiral Claude C. Bloch, commandant of the 14th Naval District at the time of the attack. This episode is part one of two parts uncovering the details of that fateful day.  This week's episode is based on the book "The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5," by Donald J. Young, which is available on Amazon.com .

In this episode....the Army, in July 1944, began its three-month Army Pearl Harbor Board investigation. In examining its results, there was no hesitation to criticize and assign blame for the errors made within the War Department; namely, those of Chief of Staff, General George C. Marshall, and its War Plans director, Major General Leonard T. Gerow. In the summary of the “Top Secret Report Of Army Pearl Harbor Board,” it said, in part, that "Washington was in possession of essential facts as to the enemy’s intentions that showed clearly that war was inevitable and late in November absolutely imminent.” The War Department had the information. All they had to do was either to give it to General Short or give him directions based upon it. This week's episode is based on the book "The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5," by Donald J. Young, and is available on Amazon.com .

This episode continues to unravel the actions of Admiral Kelly Turner- one of three men in the Roosevelt or Washington administration who should have been held culpable for the Pearl Harbor disaster. His correct actions prior to the attack may have led to the Pacific Fleet being aware of the Japanese plans days before it was scheduled. He had the reputation that labeled him, among other things, as “Terrible Turner.” What gave him the right to act as an authority on both Japan and Intelligence is a mystery. This week's episode is based on the book "The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5", by Donald J. Young, and is available on Amazon.com .

This episode attempts to unravel the actions of Admiral Kelly Turner- one of three men in the Roosevelt or Washington administration who should have been held culpable for the Pearl Harbor disaster. His correct actions prior to the attack may have led to the Pacific Fleet being aware of the Japanese plans days before it was scheduled. He had the reputation that labeled him, among other things, as “Terrible Turner.”   What gave him the right to act as an authority on both Japan and Intelligence is a mystery.  This week's episode is based on the book The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5, by Donald J. Young, and is available on Amazon.com .  

The second episode continues the examination of Admiral Harold R. Stark as Director of Naval Operations prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor.   We hear the shocking testimonies given by Admiral Stark and Admiral Kimmel during the questioning by the Joint Committee.  Admiral Forrestal, in a meaningless and denigrating epitaph to the results of the Naval Court’s investigation, on August 15, 1945 – within days of the Japanese surrender – wrote that the tarnished CNO, Admiral Harold R. Stark, “... shall not hold any position in the United States Navy which requires the exercise of superior judgment.” This week's episode is based on the book The Indictment of the Pearl Harbor 5, by Donald J. Young, which is available on Amazon.com.  

This first episode examines the indictment of Admiral Harold R. Stark as Director of Naval Operations prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Secretary of the Navy, James Forrestal lists four charges against Admiral Stark about the critical weeks prior to Pearl Harbor. In his concluding Naval Court of Inquiry report on Stark, he refers to Pacific Fleet Commander Husband Kimmel's letter to Stark dated May 26, 1941, where Kimmel wrote that "he needed to be informed of all important developments as they occurred by the quickest and most secure means available."  Forrestal writes about the four charges, "In my opinion, Admiral Stark failed to give Admiral Kimmel an adequate summary of information available in Washington."