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| The Coastwatcher
and the Scout (Working Title) |
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I wanted to take advantage
of my research and library by staying with the
World War II years, but I also wanted to branch
out in the type of story.
I had become fascinated by the Australian coastwatchers
who volunteered to stay behind on islands that fell to
the Japanese and report on activities. To do this, they
had to have the trust and loyalty of the natives, and
alliances were formed that extended into lifelong
friendship.
This will be a work of fiction, although inspired and
loosely based on the incredible true story of Martin
Clemens and Jacob Vouza. This incredible team played a
key role in the American victory on
Guadalcanal. |
| Martin Clemens on Guadalcanal
with his scouts in 1942 |
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I
want to explore the unique comradery that comes
out of shared danger in wartime, even among
people of vastly different backgrounds. Some of
the coastwatchers maintained this relationship
for years after the war. Martin Clemens was
largely responsible for Jacob Vouza being
Knighted for his courage.
When Vouza was captured by the Japanese, he
refused to talk even after brutal torture,
including multiple bayonet wounds. His
questioners finally gave up and bayoneted him
twice more in the chest and an officer slashed
his throat with a Katana sword.
Left for dead, he chewed through his bindings
and crawled three miles through the jungle to
the American lines where he gave the Marines
vital information that helped win the Battle of
the Tenaru River. He wasn't expected to live and
received 16 pints of blood (the average human
has about 11 pints in total). Remarkably he was
back on duty twelve weeks later.
In my fictional story, the two men will come
back in contact during key events during their
lives until in the end they have only each
other. |
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| Jacob Vouza before his night
of horror that eventually won him a Knighthood
and an American Legion of Merit |
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READ A BRIEF SAMPLE |
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