Roger Neilson II
Posts: 1517
Joined: 7/16/2006
From: Newcastle upon Tyne. England
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Gentlemen, as historians look back on this war they may well spend many hours arguing about who 'won' the battle at Menado. Indeed we feel the battle has not yet ended, but may well simply have moved to another phase. Looking back we may well ask why fight at Menado at all? How vitally important is it? Well from our perspective its a good place to annoy the enemy at Davao, and it must be surmised that the enemy got annoyed and decided to remove the inconvenient base. In order to land the Division tasked with this the Jap has had to throw a massive force at this place, and has paid a price for it. This is not to say we have not also, indeed looking at the 'score' to date we certainly have. However this is not the full picture, we have seen the battle line of the Imperial Japanese navy on four separate occasions, we have seen wave after wave of bombers, we have seen transport after transport attempt to land the invasion force. As of two nights ago we also saw the full Japanese carrier force arrive to subjugate our brave defenders. We are now aware that over 20K of troops have been landed, in what combat condition they are in remains to be seen. We are also aware that the Japanese battleships are on course for another attack, and the KB is hovering within strike distance. We must now leave the defenders to acquit themselves as best they can, they are well supplied, well fortified, and have significant air support to call upon. Our business is elsewhere!
As we draw a line under the Allied naval defence of the area we must make special mention of the BB Pennsylvania. This formed the flagship of the several reformed, and reformed again surface forces that sought to stop the landings. The crew put up a tremendous fight, at times out numbered five to one. You will see from the summary of action the toll that she helped to take, and the amount of punishment she took before finally slipping beneath the waves. In summary, a portion of the allied fleets, possibly 20% has stood and held almost the entire Japanese navy for four days.... and whilst this was happening were able to do what they will anywhere else on the map.... more of that later. For now we should salute the brave fallen and relfect upon what we have learned from this engagement.
Firstly the current state of damage reported:
Japan:
AP Aikoku Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AP Anyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Anyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Banshu Maru #21, Bomb hits 19, on fire, heavy damage
AP Buyo Maru, bomb hits 3 Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AP Ceylon Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Giyu Maru, Shell hits 1 bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Izumo Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Manila Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Miike Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire
BB Fuso, Bomb hits 4, shell hits 5
BB Haruna, Bomb hits 1 Shell hits 8
BB Hiei, Shell hits 17
BB Hyuga, Shell hits 4
BB Ise, Bomb hits 5, Shell hits 7
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1
BB Kongo, Shell hits 16, on fire
BB Mutsu, Bomb hits 1 Shell hits 1
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 2, on fire
BB Nagato, Bomb hits 5, shell hits 11 on fire
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 4, Shell hits 6
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 2 Shell hits 3
CA Chokai, Shell hits 2
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 1 Shell hits 3
CA Kumano, Shell hits 2
CA Maya, Shell hits 1
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 1
CA Mogami, Shell hits 3
CA Nachi, Shell hits 3
CA Tone, Shell hits 4
CL Kiso, Shell hits 4
CL Tama, Shell hits 19, on fire, heavy damage
DD Akatsuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Nokaze, Shell hits 2, heavy damage
DD Oyashio, Shell hits 2
DD Shirakumo, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MSW W.3, Shell hits 5, on fire
PC Ch 13, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PC Ch 14, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
PC Ch 30, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
PG Kure Maru #5, Bomb hits 1, on fire
PG Shinko Maru #3, Shell hits 21, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PG Takunan Maru #8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
PC Ch 32, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Usugumo, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Asagumo, Shell hits 76, and is sunk
DD Hatsuharu, Shell hits 29, and is sunk
DD Namikaze, Shell hits 18 , Torpedo hits 1and is sunk
AP Kaika Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kaishi Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1 on fire, heavy damage
AP Kaisho Maru, Bomb hits 4 torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hokutatsu Maru, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
AP Aki Maru, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
AP Awajisan Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy damage Shell hits 46, and is sunk
AP Biyo Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage, sunk
Allied:
AK West Isleta, Bomb hits 1
BB Tennessee, Shell hits 4, on fire
CA Australia, Bomb hits 8, Shell hits 16, Torpedo hits 2, on fire
CA Canberra, Shell hits 10, on fire, heavy damage
CA Houston, Shell hits 2
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1, on fire
CL Dragon, Shell hits 13, on fire, heavy damage
CL Durban, Shell hits 4, on fire
CL Honolulu, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
CL Marblehead, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CL Phoenix, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
DD Bagley, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
DD Case, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Cummings, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Cushing, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Dewey, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Evertsen, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kane, Shell hits 1
DD Le Triomphant, Shell hits 1
DD Litchfield, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Meredith, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Monssen, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Peary, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Ralph Talbot, Shell hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
DD Selfridge, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Smith, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Van Ghent, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Voyager, Shell hits 2, on fire
MSW Colac, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Maryborough, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Warrnambool, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DM Pruitt, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
DM Sicard, Shell hits 17, and is sunk
BB Pennsylvania, Shell hits 105, Bomb hits 63 torpedo hits 3 on fire, sunk
DD Walke, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
MSW Cairns, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Parrott, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Lawrence, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
DD Grayson, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Gwin, Torpedo hits 1, sunk
DD Jarvis, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
DD Edsall, Shell hits 8, and is sunk
CL Sumatra, Shell hits 25, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CLAA Atlanta, Shell hits 15, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
CL Concord, Shell hits 20, and is sunk
CL Detroit, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CA Northampton, Bomb hits 2, Shell hits 21 on fire, torpedo hits 1 heavy damage
What must be borne in mind here is that many of the Allied ships are within striking distance of repair facilities and the highly trained crews are using their damage control skills well. It is expected that very few of the damaged ships will not be back in action. The same cannot be said about the Japanese, where we know from intelligence that their damage control is much more rudimentary. We also know that many of the bomb hits were from 1,000lbers. we are realistic to know that their Battleships are mainly gong to have minor damage but this will still entail port time. We also know that the Kb has to venture dangerously close to our land based air now,, and one or two lucky hits and the picture changes. What must also be borne in mind is the air battles that have raged alongside this have resulted in a loss of 280 enemy planes in 9 days. Given the enemy's lack of oil - they only hold Brunei, Tarakan and Miri as working fields in the DEI, their industry and pilot training will be hard put to replace these soon.
Whilst this has been going on the war rumbles on, with some moves as yet too secret to reveal. In Burma Mytinkia, Mandalay, Pagan and Rangoon are now getting daily work overs by our bombers with no opposition form their planes. In the DEI our bases are strengthening and Sabang is cut off from any seaborne supplies now. In the islands round Kwajalein there are few opportunities for the Japs to move any supplies, troops or aircraft in as we tighten our grip with our bases on Majuro, Mili, Makin, Tarwa and Abemama. Look for more news soon of developments here.
In China there are three crucial areas developing, and following the relief of the siege of Kungchang our northern front has become mobile again.
We have, as yet, no news of the Russian situation.
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< Message edited by Roger Neilson II -- 2/8/2007 11:43:59 PM >
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Briefing 1st to 5th August 1942 - 
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