As my Gundam collection continues to grow over the months and years with a bunch of old books, I'm slowly starting to put together a bunch of odd puzzle pieces in the Master Gundam Timeline that Dyar Straights has online. One entry in particular regarding an incident in Alaska always had me wondering, so I did a little digging...
Now, the later part is typical conjecture on the part of the author because as we all know, if it's not animated, it isn't considered official. However, this particular nod is a reference to the adventure series game book called "Jerid's Deployment Orders". Originally a game book released by Keibunsha in 1987, it was later re-released from Bandai in 1989. The Bandai version differs slightly in some regards to the original, namely with MS model numbers but is considered to be the definitive version. The choose-your-own-adventure style book was rather famous for its large number of original mecha that appear in it.Jerid Messa's profile wrote:Universal Century 0086.06. Having produced good results on his aptitude test for admission into the military academy and a battery of tests afterwards, Jerid is appointed to the Titans. However, after completing a rigorous six month training course, he officially becomes a member. According to one theory at the time, Jerid attended a training school that brought together only promising cadets in the 1% belonging to "Top Gundam". It is said that he settled an incident involving Zeon remnants occupying a base that happened in the middle of his training. As a result of his half year of training, he was chosen as a pilot candidate for the Gundam MK-II, the flagship unit of the Titans and was sent to Green Noa 1 in Green Oasis {Side 7} from Jaburo.
So, with that being said, I shall unveil the mystery that is the Alaska Incident!
* Note that this ship is NOT the same one that was named in Gundam 0080. It's just an odd coincidence and I believe the team that was working on that OVA at the time didn't realize the name was used in a random Gundam book.Zeonic|Scanlations Database Entry wrote:A 23 year old Jerid is undergoing training as a cadet pilot in order to become a trainee under the Titans. Together with Emma and Kacricon, they do nothing but train aboard the Graf Zeppelin*, a hovering aircraft carrier of the Titans Training Academy. However, during an unexpected inspection by Titans leader Bask, information comes in that the Federation Forces Backlund base in Alaska has been taken over by terrorists.
The base is also an experimental facility which is a transceiver for solar energy in conjunction with the military satellite Kerberos. It had been converted into an impregnable and dangerous fortress due to the beam cannon utilizing the vast energy. In order to safely recapture it, it is first necessary to destroy the wave catcher that receives the energy. The most efficent way to execute that was to infiltrate with a single unit. Bask designates Jerid, who had shown outstanding results, to be the agent of this solo mission.
Thus, Jerid was ordered to destroy three wave catchers installed on Alaska’s Seward Peninsula within 24 hours. Landing, Jerid utilizes leftover Federation material, succeeds in cooperating with the local Inuit and crushes the enemy units deployed along the peninsula one by one, ultimately succeeding in the destruction of the wave catchers. Although her turns around to recapture the base, he ends up fighting against a Gelgoog Commander Type and a Gundam Copy Type, piloted by a Cyber Newtype crafted with a true copy of Amuro and Char’s combat abilities.
Despite defeating them, a beam cannon appears from the wall of the dome and he falls into a desperate and dangerous situation. With the arrival of Emma and Kacricon, he is able to escape successfully. The ringleader of the terrorists failed scheme sends out their trump card, the massive mobile suit Dura. The machine, with its product development from the Big Zam, boasts terrible firepower as the reinforcement squadron that was rushing in and theri mothership were sunk in an instant.
In order to protect the Graf Zeppelin which narrowly avoided a direct hit, Jerid and the others charge into their final battle. With the Dura destroyed, Jerid and the others mission is over. Prior to his landing back at the ship, Jerid does a victory roll to the many cheers of his comrades. Approving of their achievements, Bask admits them to the Titans with a rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. UC0087.01.12. The trio are appointed as test pilots of the Gundam MK-II.
Anyways, just thought everyone would enjoy this little random tidbit of Gundam knowledge. Hopefully I'll be able to contribute to the MAHQ entry on this with scans from the book once it arrives in the mail. Until then, I'll be on the hunt for the Bandai edition as well as some of the other mysterious books in the series! Huzzah!
-- Deacky
I can understand the confusion in the names, but it can be hand-waved in the case of actual opposing navies with similarly named ships. For instance, at the 1862 Battle of New Orleans there was a USS Mississippi and a CSS Mississippi.