Worldwide Terrorism & Crime Against Humanity   Index USS Lanikai The case of the USS Lanikai in connection with the attack on Pearl Harbor has been a source of speculation for years.  But, the Lanikai story seems to confirm the idea that Roosevelt felt the war with Japan would start closer to Southeast Asia or in the Philipines themselves. On December 5, 1941 Lieutenant Kemp Tolley took command of the schooner USS Lanikai for a special mission ordered by President Roosevelt.  Roosevelts mission tasked the Lanikai with patroling the waters of the South China Sea; either to serve as a 'provocateur' to initiate hostilities with Japan; or as an obscure observer to Roosevelt's theory of Japan's target for aggression. The Schooner's history and it's skippers were both colorful stories. Kemp Tolley enjoyed a widely varied and unique naval career of 34 years. Twenty-five of these years were spent abroad or at sea. Before WWII he served in the battleships Florida and Texas, cruiser Houston, He also served with the Asiatic Fleet in the submarine tender Canopus, and river gunboats Mindanao, Tutuila, and Wake. The gunboats were assigned to the Yangtze Patrol and South China Patrol. He also completed the navy's Russian course in Shanghai, China and Riga, Latvia in the mid-1930's which made him one of the few qualified Russian speakers in the pre-war navy. In addition to shipboard assignments he was also detailed as French language instructor at his alma mater, the U.S. Naval Academy. Evading Japanese clutches in China in late November 1941 he arrived in Manila via the river gunboat Oahu as the guest navigator just three days before the outbreak of WWII in the Pacific under orders from FDR. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor this intelligence mission became moot and the Lanikai joined the Inshore Patrol. This assignment lasted until Lanikai was detached 26 December 1941 with orders to attempt to escape with passengers to friendly waters. During this cruise Lanikai transited from Manila in the Philippine Islands, to Surabaya on Java in the then Netherlands East Indies. Lanikai participated briefly in the doomed defense of Java. Just prior to the fall of Java then Lt. Commander Tolley took his ship to Tjilatjap on the south coast of Java where she served as a last gasp exit for allied stragglers. The Lanikai departed Java 26 February 1942 just prior to the Dutch surrender and arrived at Fremantle, Australia on 18 March 1942. Built as schooner Hermes by W.F. Stone & Co., Oakland, California for Wiliams- Diamond Co. agents for Jaluit Gesellschaft of Hamburg, Germany and launched in 1914. As Hermes engaged in inter-island copra trade in the German held Pacific Islands until being interned in Hawaii at the outbreak of World War I. Commissioned as USS Hermes April 1, 1918. Hermes engaged in patrolling the westernmost Hawaiian islands until the end of World War I. Decommissioned January 23, 1919 and laid up at Pearl Harbor where it was used variously as an Air Detachment, Pacific Fleet depot ship and yacht until being stricken from the Navy List July 1, 1926. Sold to Lanikai Fish Co. and renamed Lanikai in 1926. Converted to fishing trade purposes by installation of new diesel engine and a 40-ton capacity freezer room. Sold to Hawaiian Sea Products Co. in 1929 and used in the pearling and fishing industries in Hawaiian waters. Laid up in 1931 due to poor economics of the fishing industry. Sold to Northrup Castle in late 1933. He used Lanikai as a commercial charter yacht based at Honolulu. Sold to Harry W. Crosby in early 1936 and homeport shifted to Seattle, Washington. Engaged in Alaskan salmon fishery trade during the summer of 1936. Sold in early 1937 to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios for use in making Hurricane, starring Jon Hall and Dorothy Lamour. Following completion of the film Lanikai was used as the MGM yacht. Sold April 6, 1939 to George W. Simmie acting as agent for E.M. Grim, an American resident of Manila, Philippine Islands. Assigned to Luzon Stevedoring Co. and used as Mr. Grim's yacht and inter-island trading ship. Chartered to the U.S. Navy on or about December 4, 1941 for an indefinite period for $1 per year with the ship to be returned in the same condition as when chartered. Commissioned as USS Lanikai, an auxillary schooner, December 5, 1941, at Cavite, P.I., Lt. Kemp Tolley commanding. USS Lanikai, a 67 ton wooden hulled motorized schooner rigged ship. Armament: one 3" 1898 Spanish iron sighted rifle!, one .50 Cal Anti Aircraft Machine Gun and one .30 Cal Water Cooled Machine Gun. Complement on commissioning was one officer and 18 crew members