Q-Ball
Posts: 7336
Joined: 6/25/2002 From: Chicago, Illinois Status: offline
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Combat Report, Jan 6,7 1942 Operation Retribution I have to imagine the captain of the Sendai dropped his teacup when reports of Dauntlesses overhead came in! And I am sure Cuttlefish had a bit of a surprise, or he certainly said he did from the turn e-mail. Although we didn't get the carnage we expected, I am happy to say that OPERATION RETRIBUTION was a success. We launched against the Japanese invasion fleet, and there was no aircover. All planes made it back to carrier except 1 SBD. The results: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kuching at 57,87 Weather in hex: Partial cloud Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 12 minutes Allied aircraft F4F-3A Wildcat x 13 F4F-3 Wildcat x 7 SBD-2 Dauntless x 39 TBD-1 Devastator x 15 Allied aircraft losses SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 damaged TBD-1 Devastator: 1 damaged Japanese Ships DD Uranami DD Ayanami CL Sendai, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Shikinami, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Isonami Aircraft Attacking: 15 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb 15 x TBD-1 Devastator launching torpedoes at 200 feet Naval Attack: 1 x 22in Mk 13 Torpedo 9 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb GP Bomb 15 x SBD-2 Dauntless diving from 2000' Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CL Sendai... Heavy smoke from fires obscuring DD Shikinami... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- That should give Cuttlefish something to think about as he gets closer to Java. As for our CVs, we're not going to hang around and find out if this brings out KB; we are getting out of here. We will top off fuel and Soerbaya, and move the CVs back to Perth. Well done boys! DEI: Aside from retribution, Kuching did fall to an attack by 2 Japanese units. A large invasion fleet is approaching Ambon, there isn't much I can do about it though. Chickenboy: Regarding Java and Timor, on Java, I have all units resting. I airlifted the Barisan Regt from Pamakasan to beef up Soerbaya. Additionally, all Dutch bombers and B-17s are training for Nav Bomb; most are in the 30s now, which means they might actually hit something once the Japanese make a move. I won't commit the KNIL air though until Java is under attack. As for Timor, I haven't reinforced or anything; it's his for the taking at this point. Might change that though if he doesn't pick up the pace. Capt. Harlock: Good question. Obviously nothing that would mess with my CVs. He has both bases, but I haven't seen a Netty attack from either yet. At this point, his Nettys are all at Jolo, Khota Bharu, Bangkok, but that's probably about to change. british exil: Thanks for checking in....this operation was a success. Although we probably only sank a CL and DD, the point was to make Cuttlefish move slower in the DEI. He now has to account for CVs around Java; that means he either needs to bring over KB, or move methodically. Either would be fine with me.
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