Washington 11/01/46 0500 local time.

The reports from the west coast and the one from New York solidified the resolve of the President and the cabinet as they met in an unusual nighttime session. The result of that meeting was definitive orders to the atomic forces including the aircrews on Midway and the bomb laboratories in Los Almos. Maximum effort was the watchword.

A second set of orders was sent to the west coast submarine bases. They were needed to make an attack on anything Japanese that floated in the Pacific and the rocket launchers would make attacks on any tactical targets. The Japanese assault from both sea and land must be stopped at any cost.

What the orders to the various forces did not reflect was the desire of President Dewy to end the war quickly. He was elected as a backlash to Roosevelt and Truman’s handling of the war, and had been unable to make significant changes. He and his cabinet agreed, the war must end before middle of 1947, if it did not, there could be a revolt. The country was suffering under the weight of the economic impact of a protracted war and the negative impact of continual defeat.

Pearl 11/01/46 0800 local time.

The Peoria, Scranton and Cleveland sailed to the north east at full speed with the Erie and Harrisburg following as escort. They were all at Pearl when the raids occurred, they put to sea within four hours of receiving orders. The three rocket boats had full rocket holds and all five boats had full loads of a new 8 inch ammunition that had a 35 mile range. In addition, all were given extra torpedoes before they sailed. They must reach the coast within three days to hit their assigned targets. A Japanese ground assault force was heading south and the weather had hampered aircraft attacks and would most likely continue to do so for several days. The submarines must do what the aircraft were unable to accomplish.

The Fargo, Salem, Billings and the newly constructed Tulsa were also loaded and would follow to the others to the coast. They were given as much 8 inch anti-aircraft ammunition as was available. Nearly every submarine was being pulled out of the Pacific to protect the west coast.

Four new boats that were either in final sea trials or in transit to the Pacific were put to hunting the German submarines in the Atlantic. The menace to our shores was real and had to be eliminated. The American people would no longer tolerate any material being sent abroad if it could be used to protect our own people.