AmiralLaurent
Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003 From: Near Paris, France Status: offline
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30 November 1943: Allied reinforcements were met by heavy fire at PJ Northern Pacific During the night the Allied fleet arrived off PJ and while transports anchored, 6 MSW and 3 DMS started to sweep barges helped by 6 DD and 2 DE. The SS Tarpon patrolling in the are reported seeing three barges that escaped her, but then met a heavy surface TF (BB Colorado and New Mexico escorted by 13 DD) and were all quickly sunk. At dawn, the last Japanese mines were swept by 6 MSW, 3 DMS, 5 DE and 1 DD. Two LCI had hit mines and sunk so far, but now the way was clear for Allied troops to land at two spots on the coast. But by that time the Japanese defenders were fully prepared to receive them and a rain of shells greeted the landing troops: 6466 shells were fired against the first Allied landing. Another LCI was sunk outright, four other, two LST and 2 MSW were heavily damaged, 3 LCI, a LST and a MSW set on fire, and 4 LCI, a LST, a LSD, a DMS and a MSW lightly hit. The Allied escort tired to counter fire but was also targeted and 2 DD and 3 DE were set on fire, and 4 other DE were slightly hit. Allied losses were 9740 men and 38 guns, while Japanese lost 10 men and 1 gun. The second Alleid landing point was better protected from enemy guns and “only” received 1942 shells that hit slightly 3 DE, 1 DD and 1 MSW. Allied ground losses there were limited to 1602 disabled men. The Japanese air force launched no raid during the day against this fleet, their orders being to report how well they were covered by Allied fighters. First reports set the number of CAP fighters to over 100. More precise numbers were given in the afternoon, showing the CAP as 35 FM-2, 27 F4U-1, 9 F4F-4 and 8 F6F, while a new CVE, the USS Casablanca, was reported. During the day Allied fighters shot down there an Emily, a Jake and a Val. The CVE cruising off PJ launched in the afternoon a raid against this base with 50 TBM and 8 TBF escorted by 10 F6F and 8 FM-2. PJ reported 22 casualties and one hit on the airbase, one on supplies and 14 on the runways. On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 6 men, Japanese ones 58 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 265 872 men (+7331), 2904 guns (+93) and 595 vehicles (-1) for 5188 AV (+175) against 124 411 men (-174), 1082 guns (-12) and 7 tankettes (-1) for 2380 AV (-2). So more than half of the Allied troops that landed today were disabled one way or the other (total landing casualties were 11 342 men, while only 7 331 able men were added to the Allied army). In the evening the SS USS Sand Lance attacked a barge on the surface NW of OJ and set it on fire with gunfire. The evening report of PJ showed damage of 89/59/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 62% (+0%)). The base had 33 594 supplies (-498), and 5 aircraft (none available). No more mines were remaining off the base. At OJ engineers finished to work on the port expansion (size 3 (+2%)) and will now build more fortifications (level 3). The base had 25 214 supplies (-265). 69 mines were remaining off the base. If the Allied amphibious fleet anchored off PJ as planned, the number of available CVE and so the CAP was far higher than planned. A daylight attack was so suicidal with the air units of this area and such plans were scrubbed. Instead a night attack was ordered. 110 G4M2 were ready in Toyohara, and also 58 Ki-49 in Shikka, but the latter could only reach OJ in case an Allied fleet ventured there during the night. To guide the bombers, barges were ordered to sail to OJ and PJ during the night. Another surprise was the retirement of the main Allied CV fleet that sailed back towards Kiska, maybe because of garbled orders… Anyway this fleet was seen and reported by a surprised Glen crew 240 miles west of Kiska, just before it was shot down by an Allied fighter. So the plan to move north the five submarines gathered in the area was delayed, as the ASW escort of the CV TF was too powerful if it sailed back again westwards. Only a RO submarine was sent on the way back from PJ to Kiska to chase cripples, the other sailed just south of it, ready to advance if the Allied CV moved to another area. By the way, at least one SC TF was searching these submarines in the area. The Allied reinforcements were not enough to threaten PJ in the High Command opinion, so the chosen strategy was to not waste ships and airmen in desesperate attacks. Central Pacific Japanese engineers expanded Saipan airfield to size 5. New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands Allied airmen flew 176 sorties today, again all against Wewak, with one operational loss (a B-25C): the base was attacked by 74 B-25C, 39 Beaufighter Mk 21, 16 Beaufighter VIC, 12 B-25J and 14 TBF Avenger from Madang escorted by 15 P-38J and 6 Kittyhawk I, and reported 11 casualties, one hit on the port, 2 on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 40 on the runways. Rabaul reported damage of 29/0/28 (airbase/runway/port) and still no supplies (+0) for 2733 (-193) required, Wewak 100/22/2 and had 0 (-41) supplies for 2248 (-7) required, Kavieng was fully repaired and had 42 supplies (-0) for 358 (-23) required and Truk had damage 93/5/0. The convoy sent from Kwajalein reached Ponape and began to load troops evacuated by air from the Solomons, Rabaul and Kavieng to this base: an Eng Rgt, part of a second, a Const Bn and half, a Fleet HQ and parts of an Air HQ. They will be carried to Saipan and then dispatched where needed. Timor-DEI-Australia Allied airmen flew 186 sorties today with two losses (a B-25C shot down by a Japanese fighter and a B-17E operationally): _ Amboina was attacked by 36 B-17E, 15 B-24J, 20 B-24D, 3 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 10 B-25C from Kai Island escorted by 21 P-38J and reported 15 casualties, a disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 74 on the runways. _ Koepang was attacked by 22 B-25C from Derby that were intercepted by 5 Ki-44 of the 47 Sentai flying LRCAP from Maumere. They shot down one bomber and suffered one operational loss, but the pilot was saved. All other bombers reached the target, did 6 casualties, and scored 2 hits on the airbase, one on supplies and 2 on the runways. _ Sorong was attacked by 12 Beaufighter MK 21 from Kai Island escorted by 33 P-38J that scored one hit on the runway. _ a barge was sunk west of Bulla by 5 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai island. The Oscar II from Menado flew LRCAP over other barges north of Amboina but met no Allied aircraft and one was lost in an accident. A Japanese recon showed that 41 Allied fighters flew CAP over Maumere. The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 98% (+4%)), Koepang was OK and had fort 7, 34% (+4%), Dili was OK, Kendari reported damage 6/0/0 (system/runway/port), Amboina 82/99/0, other bases were undamaged. The Ki-44 Sentai left Maumere and flew to Macassar for some rest. Burma Allied airmen flew 327 offensive sorties today and lost 8 aircraft operationally (two Spitfire Vb, a B-25J, a Blenheim IV, a Beaufighter VIC, a Lysander I, a P-40N and a P-40E): _ 36 B-17E, 31 Blenheim IV, 29 B-24D and 29 B-25J from Imphal escorted by 9 fighters bombed Mandalay, doing 54 casualties and scoring 7 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 69 on the runways _ 51 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 12 Spitfire VIII attacked two Japanese units at Katha and hit 57 men and 3 guns. _ 24 Vengeance I and 19 escorts from Ledo attacked one of the Japanese units retreating in the jungle SE of Katha and hit 23 men and 2 tanks. _ 51 fighter-bomber and 16 escort from Imphal and Kohima attacked the SNLF in the jungle SE of Imphal and hit 10 men. _ 14 Beaufighter VIC from Chandpur attacked the 55th Div holding Akyab and hit 3 men. _ 6 fighters flew LRCAP over Katha and SE of Imphal. On the ground there was no firing at Katha, but in Akyab Japanese guns hit 6 Allied men. Mandalay reported damage 100/92 (airbase/runway), Pagan 100/65, Akyab 69/58, Lashio 43/38 and Taung Gyi 72/86. The two Allied units that reached Akyab yesterday were identified as a Chinese Corps and a HQ. The 55th Div was far more powerful than them (477 AV vs 174) and it was decided to launch a shock attack against these Allied units before the arrival of the 3rd Allied unit advancing on the trail. Rangoon airmen were ordered to provide support for this attack. 108 G4M2 and 31 Ki-21 were ready for that and will be escorted by several tens of fighters, even if the majority of the Rangoon-based fighters will remain on CAP over their base. On the northern front, the situation was improving. The 26th Ind Mxd Bde reached Katha and began immediately to build field fortifications. Another unit of the 28th Army, the 6th Tk Rgt, marched out of the jungle and reached Lashio, and was ordered to go to Katha too. China Japanese airmen supported the offensive against Kunming by bombing the base and the Chinese troops. 18 Ki-49 from Kweiyang escorted by 41 A6M3a and 22 A6M5 attacked the airfield and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 22 on the runways, while 65 bombers (31 Ki-21, 20 Ki-48 and 14 Ki-49) and 36 A6M5c fighter-bombers from Kweiyang escorted by 10 fighters (3 A6M3a and 7 Oscar II) bombed 2 Chinese corps and hit 75 men and 2 guns for two losses (one A6M5c shot down by AA fire and a Lily lost operationally). After their successes of the last days, the Japanese troops now launched a banzai charge against the Chinese defences and overwhelmed them. Chinese troops collapsed and had to retire from their first and second lines before the attack slowed down and was stopped (3618 Japanese AV vs 2052, adjusted to 2927 vs 1089, 2 to 1 ratio reducing the fort level from 5 to 3). Japanese losses were not so heavy for a schock attack (2354 men, 89 guns and 9 tanks), while the Chinese lost 1682 men and 32 guns. 45 training and 27 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, hit 6 men and suffered no loss. After the success of the last attack, the Japanese troops besieging Kunming were closing to victory and will again launch a shock attack tomorrow, and even the Eng Rgt that were ordered to leave will join the attack with their few available squads. The air support will be the same as today, but two Ki-57 Sentai will also drop on Chinese lines a part of the 1st Parachute Rgt just brought in Canton by the “Emily flying bridge” from Hokkaido to confuse the defenders. Japan The production of the P1Y Frances was launched. Despite a strong research (134 points) the launch date hadn’t been advanced by Japanese engineers.
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