August 12, 1943 - Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Japanese are fighting a war of attrition. American POWs have begun to shed light upon the true scope of the atrocities played out by Japanese forces. Desperate to get an edge up on the Imperial Japanese Navy…desperate to prevent another massacre like the one in Changjiao, China…the U.S. Navy has enlisted the help of the nation’s premiere scientists to develop a device to make their ships ‘invisible’ to enemy radar – known as "Project Rainbow". After a failed attempt in July, the Pentagon has threatened to pull their funding and concentrate on another promising project: The Manhattan Project. Rainbow scientists know they have one more shot. Secretly, they’ve procured documents from the Manhattan Project and used that knowledge to build an experimental nuclear generator. This generator is capable of producing far more energy than the Philadelphia power companies can provide and should take their experiment to a much higher level. Unknown to the brass at the Pentagon, the scientists have their own definition of ‘invisible’ and this Philadelphia experiment is about to change everything.
"Time and space are like the braids of a rope - together they make reality. We believe we can unravel that rope and twist it back together again...thus recreating reality." Dr. Henry Baecker at a mission briefing with senior staff - August 5, 1943.
"Time and space are like the braids of a rope - together they make reality. We believe we can unravel that rope and twist it back together again...thus recreating reality." Dr. Henry Baecker at a mission briefing with senior staff - August 5, 1943.
USS Eldridge DE 173
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The Eldridge is a Cannon class destroyer escort named for LCDR John Eldridge, Jr. who was awarded the Navy Cross (posthumously) for his heroic role in the U.S. invasion of the Solomon Islands circa November 1942. Its keel was laid down on February 22, 1943 in Newark, New Jersey. Launched on July 25 of this same year, the Eldridge - being the newest and most advanced ship in the fleet - was chosen to field test a top secret radar 'invisibility' device. The ship is earmarked to become the single most deadly ship in the fleet due to this device and several advanced weapons that will be installed after this experiment. The assignment to this top secret test is due largely to the involvement of Commander Malachi Gail - the ship's first Executive Officer (second in command) - and his ties to the Office of Naval Research.
"[The USS Eldridge] is the most advance ship in the fleet and today we set sail for Philadelphia to become the most feared ship in the world." CMDR Gail at the commissioning ceremony - July 25, 1943. |
USS Eldridge launches from dry-dock
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