December 1943

The Harrisburg was again in Japanese waters. Three times on this patrol they used their underwater speed to perform an end around to make a second attack on a convoy that would have easily gotten away from the older boats. They were depth charged once but they were able to use their speed to evade the two destroyers. Several times they galloped away after an attack, came to periscope depth, recharged the batteries, ventilated the boat and went back to attack. Any other boat would have had to slip away slowly and would have had little chance of making a second attack.

Her torpedoes gone, the Harrisburg returned to Midway for reprovisioning. She would do this one more time before she returned to Pearl. While in Pearl at the end of this patrol she received two new devices, one a radio in the 450 megacycle range, the 2/3 meter band. The Japanese had nothing to receive that band so the US Navy could use it ship to ship and ship to air without any risk. It could only be used line of sight, so the range was limited but it allowed ships to meet and conference. Even if they had the facility to receive it, because of the range the chances of an enemy picking it up were nil. The second item allowed two submerged subs to communicate in Morse code or voice using modulated sound above the audible range, at about forty five kilocycles. The equipment was fickle, the voice quality was bad and the range limited to five miles for voice and just under ten miles for code but it was the first real underwater communications available.

1/6/44 Washington DC

The president met at the White House with General Marshall and Admiral Nimitz. The mood of the meeting was foul. The American people were demanding direct and immediate action against the Japanese homeland. The war had become unpopular, there was dissent on all sides. The president could no longer count on his own party to support his policies. With the casualties from the bombing in the northwest, the Japanese on the move in Canada, and the lack of offensive action, all that was seen was defeat. Even the president sometimes wondered if it would be best to sue for peace. Some wished to have our government approach the Japanese and determine what terms could be negotiated to make a speedy end to the war. Those who would advocate peace would concede the South Pacific to the Japanese. Others demanded immediate attack, take the war to the home islands. Most people in either faction would support the other action, all were opposed to doing nothing, which is how the American people perceived the current situation. Clearly there must be some action before the election in November if FDR were to be reelected. The discussion was heated but before the men left one thing was clear, the President demanded that they find some way to strike the Japanese at home. The war must be brought to the Japanese and the home islands must be the target. Both men left wondering what could be done. Marshall was aware of the effort to conduct flights over the Japanese islands but knew the bomb loads they could carry would be pathetic. The only effective use of these planes would be recon. Later in the day he and Chester met to discuss the problem. Nimitz was made aware of the impending recon flights. They would be able to select targets, if they could just find a way to hit the Japanese. They parted with no solution.