Roughstuff's Korean War Archive
book reviews and summaries, comments, analysis
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Gardella, Lawrence Sing a Song to Jenny Next
DS 921.6 637 1981

readers familiar with SpecOps in military literature know that these undercover, secretive missions can be a great way for the authorities to get rid of enemies and troublemakers alike. The rugged, solitary soldier, manipulated and abandoned when convenient by faceless bureaucrats, is a popular plot line. Is Mr. Gardellas' book proof that truth can be stranger than fiction?

Almost chucked out of the Marines in 1952 when they found he had lied about childhood asthma, his reprieve was to join what turned out to be a top-secret commando unit on a lethal, and colorful, odyssey through Manchuria and Northwest China. The task force was to rendezvous with local insurgents, and blow up laboratories where nuclear materials were stored and research conducted. Dying of leukemia several decades later, Gardella decided to spill his story, for three reasons.
First, the six men sent on the mission were never supposed to get back anyway. A cryptic 'CIA message ' was found when one of the units' training officers was captured in Manchuria by the very insurgents with whom the commandos were working! The message provides both evidence of betrayal, and title for the book.

Six ships sunk. Will not return.
They feel the same as most of us.
But hung his name on anyway.
Sing a song to jenny next.

emphasis by roughstuff.


One of the commandos interprets this message as the six men (ships, in the message) are to be abandoned. Also, the North Korean towns Hungnam and Songjen are probably part of a similar operation that should go forward. The training officer is killed by the insurgents and the commandos secure safe passage back to the US by threatening to reveal the whole operation.
Second, Gardella also feels The US government had not kept him apprised of the risk he would get cancer from the exposure to radioctive materials.
Finally Gardella felt that times had changed and the promises that he made--to then President Truman who came to visit the lad at a hospital-- were no longer binding.



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