Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll Summary
Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, a Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor" by Mark Harmon and Leon Carroll, Jr. is a non-fiction book that delves into the world of espionage in Hawaii during World War II.
The book highlights the work of the precursor to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) in combating Japanese spies. A significant figure in the narrative is Douglas Wada, the only Japanese-American counterintelligence agent in Hawaii at the time.
Wada's task was to monitor the local Japanese population, although he and his colleagues primarily focused on the Japanese consular agents as the real spies. The book describes the covert activities and challenges faced by Wada and his team, especially after the Pearl Harbor attack, which was facilitated by information from a spy in the Honolulu consulate.
Wada's career, spanning through the Cold War and into the formation of the NCIS, is depicted against the backdrop of a spy-vs.-spy battleground in WWII-era Hawaii.
Imagine a serene Sunday morning in Honolulu. Douglas Wada, a local resident, is getting ready for a fishing excursion with his friends at the rugged Diamond Head Beach. As they get set to fish, their attention is diverted by a plume of smoke in the sky. The smoke seems too intense for a typical field fire, leaving them puzzled about its source. Wada and his friends speculate whether it's a military drill or an aircraft accident from the nearby Bellows Field. The situation becomes more intriguing when the Diamond Head Lighthouse keeper arrives in a panic, announcing, "We're at war!"
This revelation is a shock to Wada, who promptly demonstrates his allegiance by presenting his US Navy identification. Unbeknownst to them, a major assault is underway at the base.
Wada, secretly serving with the Office of Naval Intelligence, is unaware of the turmoil unfolding at Pearl Harbor, just a short distance away. This incident marks Wada's first encounter with the unexpected Japanese air strike on the Pearl Harbor Naval Base.
This prologue ushers in a captivating narrative of wartime espionage, concealed secrets, and a man entangled in the midst of it. The story promises an exploration of covert operations, translation duties, and a distinctive view on a crucial historical episode. Prepare to delve into the lesser-known tales of a Japanese-American intelligence officer amid a period of conflict.
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