LETTER: Letter about WWII makes erroneous claims regarding U.S., Japanese navies

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by Oliver Doe

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To the editor:

During my visit to what was our last Parent's Weekend, I picked up a copy of the student newspaper ( Thresher, Sept. 29, 1995).

Upon returning home, I misplaced the newspaper.

This past week I chanced upon it and found a multitude of excellent articles.

However, I am compelled to comment on one of the letters on page four.

The letter in question was printed under the banner "Japan no foreign upstart in WWII."

The specific catalyst prompting this letter is the rank of the author, a full professor of chemistry, and two completely erroneous statements concerning the U.S. Navy in WWII.

Sufficient research would have revealed evidence quite to the contrary.

First, he states that the Japanese destroyed the entire U.S. Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor.

Hogwash. A very significant part of the U.S. Pacific fleet, i.e. every aircraft carrier, was at sea on Dec. 7, 1941.

Further, the majority of the cruisers in the Pacific fleet were also at sea, protecting the carriers.

Secondly, he indicates that the opposing (Japanese) carrier force was sunk at the Battle of Midway in June 1942.

While we mortally wounded the Japanese carrier fleet at Midway, we did not sink all of their ships.

The Japanese carrier force continued to plague us through several significant engagements, inflicting major damage.

It is interesting to note the second statement actually contradicts the first.

If the entire U.S. fleet were destroyed at Pearl Harbor, how could we have rebuilt it in six months?

While we eventually were able to launch pre-fabricated Liberty ships in rapid order, we were never able to do likewise with battleships, carriers, cruisers, etc.

Oliver P. Doe, Jr.

University of Illinois '63

TSUM '74

Wichita Falls, Texas

This item appeared in the Opinion section of the March 15, 1996 issue.

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