Warren J. Clear

Warren Joseph Clear (April 17, 1895 - March 17, 1980) was a lifelong American military diplomat and soldier. His relationship with Japan was complicated. Stationed as a military attaché at the American Embassy in Tokyo in the 1920s, Clear also became a member of the staff of the War Department during World War II, where he was devoted to an American victory over Japan. He was deployed to the Philippines when they got invaded, and had to survive in the jungles of Bataan. In 1934, Clear found a message in a bottle which he did not read for fifteen years, surprised to later discover that it was possibly the original 1578 land claim of Francis Drake, claiming California in the name of England before Spain.

Early life Clear attended a Catholic high school in Newton, Massachusetts. In January 1915, Clear attended Boston College where he studied international relations as an honors student. He was also a writer and assistant editor of the Boston College school magazine, and was set to become the Senior Editor of the magazine before his education was interrupted by World War I. During that time, as a "young man," Clear was "tricked" into an arranged fight with a jiu-jitsu fighter in the Japanese Army. Clear knocked the man out with a haymaker. After the bout, General Kazushige Ugaki arranged for Clear to teach 300 of his men the basics of American boxing.

Ugaki later wrote to Clear:

On April 11, 1942, Clear gave a national radio broadcast on NBC's "Army Hour," where he again recounted the events of the invasion of the Philippines to the American people, and this is where many Americans first heard the quote: "We prayed, and after the attack, the sergeant observed that there are no atheists in foxholes."

Clear returned to duty at the War Department, and then was assigned as an instructor at the United States Army Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth for the rest of the war.

The land claim read:

"IN NOMINE ELIZABETH HIB ET BRITANNA RIARUM REGINA

I DO CLAIM THIS GREAT LAND AND THE SEAS THEREOF

THERE BEING NO INHABITANTS IN POSSESSION.

IN WITNESS THERTO THIS BOTTLE AT GREAT TREE BY SMALL RIVER AT LAT 36d. 30m. BEYOND ALTA HISP.

FOR OUR MOST FAIRE AND PUISSANT QUEENE AND HERRE HEIRRS AND SUCCESSIRS FOREVER UNTO THEIRR KEEPING.

BY GODS GRACE THIS FIRST DAY OF MAY 1579.

FRANCIS DRAKE GENERALI

FRANCIS FLETCHER Scri"