Where WAS Brick House...The First Eight Years

If you walk the shores of Tarawa today, 66 years after that thunderous day, you can easily see why so many Japanese did survive and returned the terror on U.S. Marines wading ashore when their landing craft hung up on coral reefs. Large fixed Japanese guns standing along the beach were easy targets quickly blown to pieces. In fact nearly anything above ground was leveled or made inoperative. It was the concrete bunkers sunk into the ground, expertly constructed, that saved so many Japanese soldiers. Only the domed roofs of the bunkers arched slightly above ground. It took a direct hit from a large explosive to blast a perfect 4 foot diameter hole into the 12 inch, reinforced with strong rebar steel, concrete. With a perfect hole in the roof, the rest of the concrete structure shows no crumbling or cracks, no damage, not even 66 years after that terrible day. An adjacent bunker, sharing a common wall, would be unscathed. Certainly in that bunker the occupants eardrums would be damaged but no one died. To think foundations of homes in America crack and leak ground water for no apparent reason but this concrete withstood heavy bombardment.

Of over 4,000 Japanese on Tarawa, only 17 were captured alive. It was a disgrace for a Japanese soldier to be taken alive. Tarawa was the most south eastern step in overrunning Japanese held islands to the north, on the way to capturing Tokyo and ending war in the Pacific. Tarawa atoll would be our first port in the country of Kirabati (pronounced Kirabass).

Vessel Name:	Brick House
Vessel Make/Model:	Valiant 40 #134
Hailing Port:	Middletown, RI USA
Crew:	Patrick and Rebecca Childress
Extra:	Patrick completed a solo-circumnavigation on Juggernaut, a Catalina 27 in his younger days. He has been published in most U.S. and many foreign sailing magazines, for both his writing and photography. He co-authored a book titled "The Cruising Guide to Narragansett Bay and the South Coast of [...] Massachusetts". He holds his 500 Ton Masters Captains License, and is an active delivery captain and instructor. Ham license is a General. Patrick owned a home improvement business in Newport, RI but retired in June 2007 to cruise a second time around the world on Brick House. He is also, most importantly, Captain of Brick House, AND married to Rebecca! (July 4, 2007) Rebecca Childress (formerly Rebecca Taft) is an accomplished sailor as well. She has owned many boats ranging from a 17' MacGregor, a Catalina 27' and a 36' Catalina, and now the Valiant 40 that she purchased a few years before meeting Patrick. Before they head out on their circumnavigation, she had completed numerous blue water passages between Rhode Island and the Caribbean and passages across the Gulf of Mexico. Cruising has included the Bahama Islands, New England, Nova Scotia, the Florida coast all in preparation for the day she could circumnavigate. Rebecca holds her 50 Ton Masters Captains License with towing and sailing endorsements. She is also a General Licensed Ham Radio Operator. She met Patrick on her first NARC Rally from Newport to Bermuda. She had always dreamed of sailing around the world, and knew that a passage to Bermuda in November would teach her more about heavy weather sailing since it is usually rough that time of year. Several years later when Patrick and Rebecca got together, they set their sites on earning enough money to cruise around the world together! Three years later, they had saved their money and were ready to move aboard! Rebecca was a very successful Realtor in Newport, RI, and has an extensive list of Computer Certifications and experience as well. Together now, they make a great team to take their home around the world for several years! More
Home Page:	http://www.whereisbrickhouse.com
Social:

Brick House 's Photos - (Main)

Malaysia Animals

19 Photos

Created 8 October 2015

Where WAS Brick House...The First Eight Years

The damage on shore

Brick House Crew

Gallery

Where IS Brick House?!?

Most Recent Posts

What Brick House Chose