Broken Spears: January through February 1943
Temporary Command Headquarters Philippine 2nd Army, Escuela Municipal de Manila, Manila
"Your request for transfer to front line duty has been approved. You do understand that your pay grade will drop, which is to be expected with Quezon reshuffling staff officers and forcing our more aged generals into reserve commands. But i'm sure you could care less and besides Colonel Borbón has a nice ring too it." General Valdez, Chief of Staff for the Commonwealth, appreciated Borbón's cooperation in recent administrative reforms initiated by President Quezon. With more generals than divisions to command, Quezon had adjusted ranks to ensure experienced officers were given commands while those of the old guard shifted to reserve duty. "And this will be all for the better. The Assembly raised some questions about the conduct of the war in Indonesia; concerns mostly dealing with losses incurred during the initial landings in New Guinea. Though this will not effect your standing or eligibility for promotion in command... heads had to roll. And interestingly enough your 'demotion' has awakened the hawk in some Assembly doves, you've gained quite a reputation in your short time in the Commonwealth Army. That being said is there any thing else?"
"Permission to speak freely sir?" Luis Borbón did not miss his old rank but did take some offensive to Quezon and company using him as a scapegoat for setbacks early in the New Guinea campaign."
"Granted. Speak your mind."
"If I may humbly suggest the following course of action. Instead of launching a bombing campaign against Japan might the Army Air Corps efforts be best geared towards close air support for the upcoming campaign in Malaya?"
"Quezon wishes to 'take the war to Japan' and an the Roosovlet Administraion is pressing him along that path. As Clemenceau put 'La guerre! C’est une chose trop grave pour la confier à des militaires.' Utter hogwash in my opinion but we live in a democratic society so military necessity must be subordinated to political expedience."
"I find though to have been the most grounded of the delegates at Versailles. Tainted with a dose of whimsy but grounded when it counted. A pity his countrymen and the world did nothing to enforce the peace he created. I should hope that our political leaders construct a peace after this war that lats."
---
Kagoshima, Kyūshū, Morning
Traveling from Clark Field under the cover of darkness four groups of Commonwealth B-17s began to take up position for a high altitude bombing run. Lacking the aircraft to field an effective screen, a smattering of escorts were attached the bombers. The goal was to damage the naval anchorage and to strike at industrial centers in the city. Though sunlight at dawn was lacking the fires that began to break out below provided light enough for the crew. At this point the Japanese launched their counterattack.
Inexperienced Commonwealth gunners and pilots were no match against even the smattering of Japanese reservists arrayed against them. Several planes began retreating from the combat zone, triggering confusion in the ranks and as a result the B-17s and their escorts broke formation. At the end of the day only one flight of B-17s arrived in Clark Field. The mission from a strategic standpoint had been successful; the Japanese now had one less harbor to work with. But from a tactical standpoint it was a disaster but with the US and British experiencing the same attrition rate among bomber crews in Europe, the Quezon was encouraged to pour more men into the gaping hole now filling the skies over the Japanese Home Islands.