The Nation of Hollywood has put all available warships to sea following an attack on the merchant ship SS Marta Green which sent the cargo vessel to the bottom of the Pacific with all hands. The ship carried a crew of 47 merchant sailors and 25 Naval Armed Guard, none of whom survived to be rescued by escort ships.

The Marta Green was a tanker carrying a full load of aviation fuel to the Kingdom of Hawai'i as part of an interim trade agreement, and was accompanied by five warships and a military zeppelin for aerial cover. She exploded and sank approximately 250 miles west of Los Angeles, leaving a fiery slick on the ocean's surface which could be seen by ships a great distance away.

In a statement this morning, an obviously angry President Dunbar made it clear that he does not believe that this was an accident. "It has become increasingly obvious that there are certain powers willing to engage in dirty tactics to bolster their hold on the Pacific. Now it seems that murder is not beyond them. The Hollywood Navy will continue an aggressive patrol pattern in an effort to find the submarine responsible for this attack."

Dunbar refused to name the nation responsible, but only Japan and Germany have significant submarine forces in the Pacific, and only Japan has any interest in cargo traffic headed to Hawai'i. Deadlines are quickly approaching for various states to submit bids to the King of Hawai'i for use of the Pearl Harbor naval facility. This delivery of aviation fuel was a critical component in the terms of Hollywood's bid. It is unclear whether the nation will be able to meet the terms in time under the circumstances.

Japan's Ambassador refuted the allegations strongly. "The ship was escorted by military vessels from the Hollywood Navy. How could a submarine sink her and escape without being seen? Impossible. A tanker of fuel is quite dangerous. This is surely an accident."