 THOSE
WHO ALSO SERVED
The
Civilian Construction Men of Wake Island
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These are the men that history almost forgot.
In 1941, more than 1,100 civilian
men ventured 4,000 miles across the Pacific to
desolate Wake Island to build a U.S. Navy
base. Just hours after Pearl Harbor was bombed, Wake
Island was attacked and these men were thrust
into the forefront of the war in the Pacific. |
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Despite
their civilian status, the construction workers pitched
in to help the under strength Marine contingent hold
off the Japanese attackers. For 16 days, the
defenders of Wake Island provided inspiration
and hope for an America shocked by the devastation
at Pearl Harbor. |
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This
is the story of the civilians of Wake Island.
Barely a footnote in the annals of the battle for
Wake, their contribution on the guns and on the bulldozers
during the battle could not have been more significant.
This is the story of why these men were sent there,
who they were, what life was like on Wake prior to
the war and then when war came what were their experiences. |
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This
film accomplishes this through the use of Marine
Corps and civilian survivor interviews, still photos
and motion pictures. The photography is from U.S.
military archives, rarely seen captured Japanese
military film and combat art and even Pan American
Airways historical footage. Pan American Airways
had a flying boat base on Wake before the war. |
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At the
request of the Wake survivors the film does not go
into the time these men spent as POWs. At the time
of filming there was a pending lawsuit against the
Japanese manufacturers, similar to the ones filed
against German corporations |
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