Gobi Desert Weather Station

Haven't seen the book in question or, indeed, read any of his books (I know, I know, my friends rave about them ... but I'm mainly an SF fan for *fiction* and a history buff for *fact*) ... however, that said, there is a small snippet in Dunnigan and Nofi's 'Dirty Little Secrets of WW2' to the effect that they did, and that the USN raised a Cavalry outfit (!!!) from amongst the personnel in Inner Mongolia to patrol the area and protect the base (!!!).

Bet you never thought the USN had a horsed cavalry unit in WW2!

Phil Phil McGregor

Moderator for Soc.history.war.world-war-ii

FAQ at: www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/world-war- 2-faq/faq.html

Hi all:

I have just finished W.E.B. Griffin's latest work, 'In Dangers Path'. The author goes into some detail about U.S.N.U.S.M.C.personnel who are sent into the Gobi desert during the spring of 1943 to set up a weather station. I realize that Mr. Butterworth's book is a work of fiction, but did this event actually occur? and if so, how accurate does this novel portray what happened. I have tried searching the web to see if the U.S.N. did actually plan a met. station in the Gobi, but have had no luck so far. Does anyone have any info. that they would care to share?

Thanks in advance,

Jamie Whitters

I can't help you with books or printed resources. I just wanted to mention that a wartime movie called 'Destination Gobi' was made aboot a naval detachment setting up a weather station in Mongolia with the aid of Mongolsagainst the Japanese. They supposedly paid for their services with U.S. Cavalry saddles. I believe the movie starred Robert Montgomery.

Keith Heitmann

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Haven't seen the book in question or, indeed, read any of his books (I know, I know, my friends rave about them ... but I'm mainly an SF fan for *fiction* and a history buff for *fact*) ... however, that said, there is a small snippet in Dunnigan and Nofi's 'Dirty Little Secrets of WW2' to the effect that they did, and that the USN raised a Cavalry outfit (!!!) from amongst the personnel in Inner Mongolia to patrol the area and protect the base (!!!).

Bet you never thought the USN had a horsed cavalry unit in WW2!

Phil Phil McGregor

Moderator for Soc.history.war.world-war-ii

FAQ at: www.cis.ohio-state.edu/hypertext/faq/usenet/world-war- 2-faq/faq.html

There was a movie on the USN weather team and '1st Mongolian Cavalry Squadron, USN', called Destintaion:Gobi, starring Richard Widmark. It was also mentioned in Adm Miles' book 'A Diffrent Kind of War' about Naval Intell in China & SACO (Sino-Amercain Cooperative Org). According to the movie, Spanish-American War era McClellan saddles and tack, plus Krag carbines were flown in

Let me correct myself. The star was Richard Widmark and the film was made in 1953.

Keith Heitmann