Malaysian Reader goes ballistic and does a Re-write of the O'Bannon Story
 |
Weng Wah (whose Christian name is Michael) is a student in a school in Malaysia with a class assignment that is probably a first for the Internet. His assignment was to find a site on the Internet and adapt it to meet his needs as directed by the instructor. Judge for yourself how he made out. For a start, his correspondence will be shown continuing until he finishes his assignment and then that will be posted -- if Michael doesn't object. Latest word from Michael is that he will have the story completed in time to present it to the instructor when school resumes shortly. (September) |
Shown above: Michael and two distractions prior to the start of his story.
How did it all get started? Below are a group of e-mails from Michael directed to this site to see if he could do a re-write of the HORROR AT GUADALCANAL story for a class assignment. Sounded good to me. He choose to make the story into a series of letters between the sailor in the story and his fiancé.
From: "Weng Wah" <wah17@yahoo.com>
To: "Ernest Herr"Date: Thursday, June 26, 2003 12:36 AM
hello, Ernest
I have seen your website and I heard your amazing stories about the war. I am Michael and I am living in Malaysia, I have been assigned to do an assignment on World War 2. Do you mind if I ask you several questions on it? Please let me know if you are willing to help me with it.
ThanksThis writer agrees to help Michael with his assignment. After such a nice compliment, what else could I do?
Subject: Re: To Ernest
Date: Thursday, June 26, 2003 10:34 AM
Thanks , Ernest I am glad to received your reply. My name is Wong Weng Wah. My surname is Wong. Just letting you know since you were curious. The weather here is quite nice. Sometimes is cold and sometimes is too warm.But now is the monsoon season, so is been raining everyday. I have read the 11 stories you wrote. It was great, as I visualized on the things that happened. Okie, here's my question. Did u joined the marines because u had to or because you were so young?
What food did they serve in the ship?
Did u manage to send letters to your family when u were on duty? How the letters managed to reached to them? Alright that's it for the moment, I'll be having more but I want to give u some rest.
Cya
Michael
Subject: Re: My work
Date: Sunday, June 29, 2003 9:45 PM
Okie just some background of myself..
I am 18 years old studying in an advertising college. This is my 1st year 2 semester. I live in Selangor, Malaysia where Muslim is the national Religion. We have 4 different races here, Muslim, Chinese, Indian, and 1 more i can't recall.
Regarding about the story, I was given several choices for the assignment. And I chose life in war between 1940-1945. So after doing some research, I chose to take ur character for my assignment.
I'll start with being in the Navy (I'll start straight away without telling how I joined the Navy). From there the audience will think that I have served in the Navy for some time..
Then later, Julia is the girl I use, she's my girlfriend. She will tell about her situation and her life during the war. She will ask me questions in the two letters. The 3rd letter I'll be replying her questions and I'll add in some more of the incidents that happened on the ship and so on.. I need to get the 2 letter done , only I can plane for my upcoming letters. Couldn't think of any at the moment. I have 4 weeks for this assignment, starting from 2day.
Requirements for the project-
1) 5 pages or more
2) Include trends, lifestyles and major current issues of the chosen period.
That's all ..
I hope you can help me, because i haven't been in a war and have not experienced those *feelings that are beyond description*..
Thanks a lot. I really appreciate your help..
Michael
Date: Saturday, June 28, 2003 12:28 AM
I need to have at least 10 pages so Ii will need to have at least 5 letters .. here's my 1st work (I used ur name ) I did add certain stuff, feel free to edit or add things u want to add into it.. The second piece of work. I am running out of ideas, maybe u can give me some ideas..
Thanks A lot..
Subject: Re: New questions
Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 11:11 PM
Wow~ just can't stop myself from reading ur letter many times. it is just far too great ~. How many years were u onboard serving?? Can u give me a fake address ? for my research..
ha ha.. I am not good in my geography.. did u have a girlfriend when u left to serve?
Subject: Re: To Ernest
Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 10:00 PM
Haah~ that was funny, having no weapons on board.. Was the prisoner on the ship being tortured? Did the ship stink?
Hey ernest, I seriously think you should write down your life journey from the beginning to the end and pass it down to your grandchildren or publish it~ Such experience is a time experience and can never be brought back..
Technology makes war easier.. You can do it, don't let your age stop you. When u write and others read your story. You'll be living forever in their mind..
thanks a lot.
Michael
Subject: Re: New questions
Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 9:50 PM
Wow, what a great story ~.. emm~ it's questions time~..
Do u still remember the island name where u called starvation island? Did ur ship have a prison? can't think any yet~ ah ha.. I'll let u know when i able to think of any..
Cya
Michael
Subject: Re: New questions
Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 1:35 AM
Thanks a lot. Do u know of any places that were on curfew? Were soldiers seen around all the places, patrolling? Did the government force people to join the military? What was the yuckiest food u ever had in the ship? do they have varieties or just the same old food?
Were there any fights on the ships? there were no women onboard right? Were there any big bullies? Was ur ship attacked many times?
thanks
Michael
Date: Friday, June 27, 2003 1:28 AM
That was great that you volunteer to join. Anyway my names comes in pair ie, Weng Wah. Michael is my Christian name. I love to join the military if i ever had that chance, just that joining the military here will be kinda of sucky because the majority of the soldiers are malay and you will never get promoted- racist is what they are called.
Did the training camp that u went, taught u self defense or did they give u any weapons? Were there any Prisoners of wars in ur ships? How often did u guys bathe? Who was your captain in the ship? What's in the ship? (just a rough idea w ill do). i am trying to visualize myself in a war now which is gonna be tough~ those war movies just don't help that
much.
that's it for 2 day..
Thanks
Michael
Date: Thursday, June 26, 2003 11:16 AM
Where was your hometown? Were there any curfews? Was there any food rationing in the states? I think I ought to give u an idea of what am I doing? I have been assigned to write an essay and I picked the World war 2 essay. (I ran out of choices) ah ha.
So the lecturer was asking us to write an account of ur life during those times. Write about the lifestyles, trend & major current issues of the chosen period. And I was asked to do some research and state my resources. And I'm glad to reach at ur homepage door step and went in and see, and got what I wanted.
I chose to present my essay in a letter format, and my character was to be a radioman in the war. I am you in this letter. But I'll be changing some of the facts too unless my lecturer wants me to be exactly the same.
Thanks a lot,I'll let u c my work when is done.
From: "Weng Wah" <wah17@yahoo.com>
To: "Ernest Herr" <e.herr@worldnet.att.net>
Subject: Re:
Date: Sunday, July 27, 2003 10:39 AM
Yeap thanks a lot. i really want to get it done. sometimes i think u need the mood.... if u have the right mood and feeling u'll be able to create a piece of writing which really shows how u felt when u write it.. i prefer to do it slowly, if i rushed it, i'll be doing it badly.. Cool.. i have a friend who lived in Alaska too. He enjoys fishing too.. so have u try fishing without using modern tools?
just fish with a stick?
Date: Friday, July 25, 2003 1:47 AM
September~ still long time more, but i planned to get it done asap... right now, i am trying to get the right feel b4 i proceed to write it. so how are u ? and ur site going on?
Date: Thursday, July 24, 2003 12:03 AM
wow. that's an old old picture.. emm, haven't gotten any inspiration yet, maybe later, just finished the show gangs of new work, hopefully i can write 1 in no time..
Thanks for the picture.
Date: Saturday, July 19, 2003 10:27 AM
Thanks, I'll get it done soon. I am having a headache now.. haha~ cya.
Date: Saturday, July 19, 2003 5:07 AM
When ur ship approaching Guadalcanal. is there any special news or news about things that happen to the Japanese? or something like the war news?
Subject: Re: The attachement
Date: Thursday, August 28, 2003 9:19 AM
haha okie,
I am working on the last part soon.
thinking how to end it, i'll get it done by tonight since u requested it.
Cya,
Thanks a lot for all the help.
I'll include a page of ur autobiography in my work, to show respect and also to honour your service towards your country.
Subject: Re: Back to school, eh?
Date: Sunday, September 07, 2003 4:18 AM
ahahha, don't know about the grades yet. will ask my lecturer about it. anyway thanks a lot for all of ur help.
Now i am doing 2 projects, one for a cinema , and an aromatherapy shop~
having headache now and i am helping in church for a church camp thingy~.
wow my life is just so tiring at the moment
Here, finally, is the story just as Michael wrote it in the format of a series of letters between the serviceman and his fiancé.
Horror at Guadalcanal
Michael has decided to tell his story in the format of a series of letters between the serviceman and his fiancé.
119 Arch Avenue
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Dear Julia,
I have received your letter 6 months ago, I’m sorry for the late reply. I have been very busy for the past few weeks since joining the warship O’Bannon as a radioman. I am glad that I was given the honored position as second-class radioman. My battle station will be the 4 metal walls surrounding me in the radio room. It was fun at first to be able to get such an experience and being able to join this warship to fight for my country. I still remember the first time I came onboard. Everything is very new to me but life in the Navy is getting more boring each day. The wide endless sea seems to be my stress-reliever because of the beauty of nature and it has made my heart more open and more relaxed. But everything starts getting dull when you realize you are nowhere when you are in the middle of the ocean.
November 13, 1942, that day I had my first crisis and perhaps a bit frustrated with my Chief. It was midnight when I was relieved from duty and it felt as if a big rock was removed from my bare shoulders because I had been on duty for four hours copying radio traffic from Honolulu. My eyes were getting heavier and every part of my body was aching like mad. I headed toward the stern of the ship to my sleeping quarters with absolutely no idea that there was a large Japanese naval force just over the horizon and heading our way. We in the radio gang had not heard a word at all about the impending battle, so we thought we had nothing to worry about but I was wrong.
Most of the time, I’ll head to the emergency radio room where I have pretty nice sleeping quarters and more comfortable than the one I was assigned in crew's quarters. I felt the extra responsibilities that came with being assigned there was worth the price for getting a good night's sleep. But tonight I was totally wrong. Tonight just wasn’t my night. “Bang, Get up and go back to take over the incoming radio traffic,’’ the Chief yelled at me. "For your information Chief, I just had four straight hours on duty and you want me to get back there." “This is an order,’’ the Chief yelled again.
All I could do was just to obey rather to fight back if not he might have punched me, I guessed. He could have told me politely and I’ll go and do my duty. How I wish this war would end and I wouldn't need to tolerate this. All my frustrations and anger dissolved in the thin air when I realized that our ship was ready for an impending battle. I heard the dreaded words from the speaker, “General quarters, all hands man your battle station,’’ Shortly after this announcement it was followed by a loud blaring siren that can even wake up the dead.
Sigh, All hell broke loose on our ship as the battle started and we were the lead ship heading directly into the waiting arms of two Japanese battleships, the four destroyers ahead of us already having been blown into oblivion. Their sacrifice provided our ship sufficient time to get close to the first battleship, Hiei. Suddenly, my ship was torpedoed and the explosion shook the ship and caused me to hit my head against the wall. I was unconscious till the next day. When I was reprimanded by the 1st class radioman for being clumsy and was told to be more alert and careful because my duties affect the destiny of the rest of the crew.
The loud alarm just sounded, I need to go now. I hope to write to you soon. Take care.
With love,
Ernie
157 Clairhaven Street,
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Dear Ernest,
I was very happy to hear from you again, I have been praying for you the whole time hoping that God will protect you and look after you with great care.
There has been food rationing since 8 January 1940, the government has been introducing ration cards for butter, sugar, bacon and ham. I have lost a bit of weight, and am no longer as fat as I used to be. I hope you will like my new look too. Everything is fine here, just that I am not very used to seeing so many servicemen around. Things have changed, you don’t see many young men on the street anymore and all the automobiles are getting to look old.
Have I told you about that irritating and nosy John who lives across the street, do you still remember him? He was drafted into the army, thank God. He is gone and I no longer have to look at that irritating young man who loved to spit at my garden. My mother mentioned you last night and remarked how things weren’t the same anymore. Our house is much quieter now without your jokes and dad is having trouble looking for a chess player to entertain him. I will be coming over to your house soon to help your parents.
Please don’t worry about me. Although you are at sea now whenever I look at the ocean, I feel as if you were right beside me. Nothing can keep us from loving each other. I will always love you. Please take of yourself. I’ll be waiting for you to come back so that we can get married as you have promised before you left. I remember your promise everyday. Don’t disappoint me. God Bless.
Love,
Julia
119 Arch Street,
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Dear Julia,
There were tears rolling down my cheek when I received your letter, I am sick of being in this ship. I can't wait to see you and be holding you by my side. I have been having a bad time on the ship. There are thieves around on board.
This morning, while I was busy brushing my teeth, I remembered that I had left some money in my jacket. When I went to check on it, I found that the jacket that you gave me was gone and I am so upset about it because whenever I put that jacket on, it reminded me of you. I miss those sweet moments being with you. How I wish I can be there for you, but I can't. All I could do for you is to leave my heart with you and wait patiently for our hearts to be reunited..
Something happened again onboard. The ship's sound gear was damaged. A ship without a sound gear is like a ship without a compass. For 4 hours the ship was blind to any submarine activity. I was ordered by Chief Radiomen Guess to fix the gear .Oh, my God! I wondered, of all people, why me? I guess I was just the last resort since there were no maintenance men provided for sound gear so when repairs are needed, it was the radio's group responsibility to fix them. As usual, I was rebellious, I stood up and asked him: "Sir, of all people, why do you choose me to go? He answered me with sarcasm, "Of all people, why can't I ask you to go,”
I stood there, speechless. He patted me on my shoulder, and ordered me to get ready and said he would instruct me how to fix the problem. The sound gear was inoperable due to an underwater explosion that smashed the radio tubes. Someone would need to go down deep into the bowels of the ship, at the keel and the bow of the ship to fix the equipment and the person was me. This place was also the most dangerous place on the ship to be as we were roaring through the water at high speed.
After getting ready for the assignment, he gave me excellent instructions as to what I might find and how I might fix it. In addition, he said he would be on the phone circuit to guide me as I replaced the tubes. So off I went and whispered a short prayer as I descended down. Each level required me to open a hatch and to close it after passing through. That was very tiring. As I descended, the air pressure got heavier and made my breathing heavier. It was hot and humid below.
I moved like a rat, not that I want to get it done quickly but I was feeling scared to be alone. It wasn't long until I realized I was standing in front of the Sonar equipment. As promised, I picked up the phone and contacted the Chief Guess, (sigh). I felt much better then, at least there's someone that knew that I was down here. Quickly and carefully I removed the front panel from the gear and as the Chief had guessed, the vacuum tubes were smashed. I removed the two tubes carefully and cleaned up the broken glass as much as I deemed necessary for a quick fix. Later, I replaced the tubes and gave a heavy sigh, as the mission was accomplished.
Happily and feeling better I proceed back to the main deck. Whistling a tune, I walked clumsily and accidentally slipped on patch of oil and fell on my face. My nose was bleeding and was painful. The next thing I knew, thanks to a shipmate's big mouth, everyone around the ship was laughing at my accident. That’s all for today, I am so tired after taking another radioman's watch because he had fallen ill. God Bless and take care.With love,
Ernie
News Item in Local Newspaper
It is hot and it is miserable, it is Guadalcanal at dawn on August 7th, 1942 . The Marines have landed and, as usual, soon have the situation well in hand. The small force of Japanese troops and laborers at the airstrip has been taken completely by surprise and is heading for the hills. From a military view point, the only real estate of value on the island is the unfinished airstrip and it is now in American hands. On the nearby tiny islands of Tulagi and Gavutu, also part of this operation, the Japanese are putting up a furious battle but are being whittled down rapidly. On the whole, the operation is going better that expected. Casualties are light and stacks of Japanese supplies are taken intact. This includes such luxury items as canned crab meat, cold beer and a refrigeration plant. The Battle of Guadalcanal begins this day and by afternoon, the man in charge of this operation, Major General Vandegrift, moves his command post ashore. Whether or not anyone had the foresight to save the General a cold beer is not known.
119 Arch Street,
Bellevue, Pennsylvania
Dear Julia,
Time flies, and now it has been 6 months that I have been in the navy. Don’t worry too much about me. I am fine here, just some bruises here and there because of my clumsiness. This few weeks have been very quiet. There’s no sign of the Japanese for the moment. There’s an emptiness in my heart and the lost of warmness that you provided for me is no longer able to keep me warm.
I wish that I could see you now, the picture of you in my mind is slowly dissolving as time passes. Our ship is approaching the shoreline at Guadalcanal and our captain is expecting an attack any moment. I’m afraid that I can’t make it back to see you. Here’s something that I wrote for you.
Beyond is the sea that separates usBut there is nothing, not even the sea,That can hold us apartAlthough the moon is beginning to lose its brightnessThe stars shine on,Reflections of you,Appear among the ripples in the waterMemories are beginning to fadeSounds of mourning disturb the nightAs the sea whispers what I do not want to hear,For though the sea does not part us, The soul does not know its eternity Eternity will soon lead the way lead us to our love, Where our journey does not end.....With Love,Ernest
Dear Ernest,
I will be waiting for you here. For my heart and hope is not here with me anymore but is on you and with you. I hope to see you back soon. You still have a promise to fulfill. Please, come back.
Love,
Julia
The End