wneumann
Posts: 3768
Joined: 11/1/2005 From: just beyond the outskirts of Margaritaville Status: offline
|
Summary of Operations 3/7/43 Countdown to CV Essex arrival: 71 days. Central Pacific: Jap air patrols (G4M Betty) reported by U.S. subs operating near Canton Is. No detected Jap air activity near Kwajalein. SS Bonita spots three Jap TF's at Sydney Is. SS Gar engaged and sunk by Jap surface ASW TF at Pago Pago, SS Barracuda damaged in attack at Gardner Is. AAR's of both actions follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack near Pago Pago at 96,113 Japanese Ships DD Karukaya DD Fuyo DD Sanae DD Kuretake Allied Ships SS Gar, hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Pago Pago at 96,113 Japanese Ships DD Kuretake DD Karukaya DD Fuyo DD Sanae Allied Ships SS Gar, hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (2 direct hits, reported sunk) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Gardner Island at 96,101 Japanese Ships AK Shohei Maru PG Oi Maru APD Patrol Boat No. 37 APD Tachikaze Allied Ships SS Barracuda, hits 3, on fire (system damage 29, float damage 32, returning to base) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- U.S. subs off the Japanese home islands also busy. Pillager is beginning to throw in Jap ASW forces - E13A1 Jake & F1M2 Pete aircraft reported, also one Jap surface ASW TF. Several Jap transport ships torpedoed, one sunk. AAR's follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 62,47 (near Tori Shima) Japanese Ships AK Arizona Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire PG Toyotsu Maru DD Tanikaze DD Tokitsukaze Allied Ships SS Tautog, hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 67,47 (Delagoa Maru also torpedoed on 3/6) Japanese Ships AK Delagoa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships SS Sunfish -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 62,47 Japanese Ships AK Arizona Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire PG Toyotsu Maru DD Tanikaze DD Tokitsukaze Allied Ships SS Tautog, hits 2 (minor damage, remaining on patrol) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASW attack at 65,46 Japanese Ships DD Hatakaze DD Kisaragi DD Ushio Allied Ships SS Scamp -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 67,47 Japanese Ships AK Delagoa Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (confirmed sunk) Allied Ships SS Sunfish ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jap recon flight over Penhryn. South Pacific: Jap recon flight over Auckland, otherwise quiet. Australia: Jap recon flight and fighter sweep over Tennant Creek. AAR follows. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on Tennant Creek , at 34,95 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 27 A6M3a Zero x 67 Allied aircraft Hurricane IIb x 18 Kittyhawk I x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hurricane IIb: 7 destroyed, 4 damaged Kittyhawk I: 7 destroyed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catalina I recon over Port Moresby reports fighters on CAP, no Jap TF's (-1 from last report), 2 ships disbanded in port, 6 Jap LCU's. Hudson I recon over Exmouth reporting A6M3a fighters on CAP, 1 Jap TF, 101 aircraft (10 fighters, 29 bombers), 5 Jap LCU's. Hudson I recon over Darwin reporting 2 Jap TF's (+1 from last report), 5 Jap LCU's. DEI: Light Jap air patrols reported by Allied subs, several engagements between U.S. subs and Jap shipping. AAR's follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 23,54 (near Singkep) Japanese Ships TK Moji Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage (no report of sinking) PC Ch 16 PG Santo Maru PG Nikkai Maru Allied Ships SS Shad -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 25,65 (near Bandjsermasin) Japanese Ships AG AG-5188, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage (sunk) Allied Ships SS Grunion -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- India/Burma: Jap recon flight over Chittagong. Jap air bombing attack on airfield facilities at Imphal - no significant damage or casualties reported. Ground strikes by RAF and Chinese air units on the Jap LCU detected moving towards Myitkyina on 3/6. This LCU identified as 123 IJA Base Force - previous known location was Magwe on 4/16/42. Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon - heavy industry 44(149), 9 Jap LCU's. China: Jap recon flights over Chungking, Pakhoi, Tuyun. Otherwise quiet.
|