▁Ell s berg ▁describing ▁salv age ▁operations ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁ships ▁sc utt led ▁by ▁the ▁It ali ans ▁to ▁block ▁the ▁port ▁of ▁Mass awa ▁on ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea ▁coast ▁of ▁E rit rea ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁ ▁Mass awa ' s ▁excellent ▁har bor ▁was ▁vital ▁first ▁to ▁the ▁Italian ▁then ▁to ▁the ▁British ▁war ▁effort . ▁ ▁Ell s berg , ▁a ▁sk illed ▁writer , ▁described ▁how ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁workers ▁under ▁his ▁direction ▁accomplished ▁an ▁almost ▁Her c ule an ▁task ▁with ▁virt ually ▁no ▁resources . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁story ▁is ▁an ▁entertain ing ▁account ▁of ▁the ▁b ureau cr atic ▁politics ▁of ▁working ▁in ▁a ▁remote ▁back water ▁far ▁from ▁support ▁and ▁assistance . ▁ ▁Ell s berg ▁pain ts ▁a ▁real istic ▁picture ▁of ▁confusion ▁and ▁in comp et ence ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁days ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁He ▁was ▁particularly ▁ca ust ic ▁about ▁the ▁American ▁civil ian ▁contract or ▁building ▁facilities ▁at ▁Gh inda ▁and ▁As m ara , ▁where ▁it ▁was ▁much ▁cool er ▁than ▁at ▁Mass awa ▁but ▁was ▁too ▁far ▁away ▁for ▁the ▁facilities ▁to ▁ever ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁har bor ▁personnel . ▁ ▁The ▁company , ▁Johnson , ▁Dra ke ▁& ▁Pi per , ▁Inc ., ▁itself ▁claimed ▁credit ▁for ▁clear ing ▁the ▁port ▁in ▁the ▁priv ately ▁printed ▁book , ▁" Middle ▁East ▁War ▁Project s ▁of ▁Johnson , ▁Dra ke ▁& ▁Pi per , ▁Inc ., ▁for ▁the ▁Corps ▁of ▁Engine ers , ▁U