1275psi
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Joined: 4/17/2005
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The battle for Iwo
Day two
Dawn
Miyazuki begins his watch, the sky changing rapidly from darkness to a brilliant dawn red, then into a grey, gloomy overcast.
Scattered showers. Even a couple of heavy thunderstorms fill the horizon, and Yamato’s decks glimmer from the nightly rain
The sea reveals itself in the morning light, oily smooth, dark, malevolent
For the hundredth time, he nervously checks his equipment, his personal gear.
The great director hums, and conditions are terrible –less than 10000 yards visibility in any direction.
Things are busy, one after another, Yamato launches her little chickens, and the director team becomes very busy indeed as communications with the Petes is established.
Should the rifles be needed, they will become critical if Yamato is to take the advantage of her long long reach.
The airwaves are full of chatter, and the picture takes considerable effort to follow.
So many ships east of Iwo.
How can they fight them all.?
Yamato enters a heavy rain storm – and visibility becomes almost zero – a blessing, yet a curse.
Wrapped in grey –she presses south.
‘Enemy carriers -270 miles –south west’
Yamamoto has three small CVE’s with him, supposedly to provide CAP.
Today is no day to be anything but bold
Their decks hold just 9 dive bombers, 18 torpedo bombers, and the rest elderly fighters.
By 10 am, the decks are clear – attack!
And now every eye is keenly looking upwards –and blessing the rain now.
Many carriers – Fleet included – are now in range
Time crawls, the radio chatter increases.
The lieutenant grins – “somebody on Iwo has done well, a CVE has been sunk”
The men do not smile. A single CVE is nothing –not with the Essex out there……
The lieutenant nods as he listens into his headset. The grin IS infectious “ That will make em mad. Apparently the ALF floatplane is once again a ship killer!”
This, thinks Miyazuki, is more like it.
He wonders aloud “Where is Tanaka sir?
‘In the rain –like us? –and praying it does not clear –he missed the intercept apparently.
If it clears ………..”
Midday.
And the rain, suddenly, almost as if a tap has turned, clears.
And Tanaka on Ibuku, breaks into bright sunshine
Tanaka stands, wind whipping his uniform in the 30 knot breeze.
It is good to be alive on such a day……….
Behind him -3 other light cruisers, nearly a dozen destroyers –and there –on the horizon –his target, hunted so elusively all night – the low fat silhouettes of fleet oilers –the fat tubby CVEs , and the sleeker escorts.
35000 yards.
A long, long way.
‘Signal Yamato- enemy in sight!
“hard to port, full ahead Flank!, all ships, follow me!”
“Enemy aircraft! –directly overhead!”
Damn
Damn , to die so close, so damn close!
Yet his voice remains calm. A rock in the coming storm.
60 torpedo bombers, 30 odd dive bombers………..
‘Steady helmsman – steady –OK, hard to starboard, full astern Stbd engine!
The first dive bombers begin to stream down, and the guns begin to bark
And so it begins………………………….
Extract from Shattering the sword, A cantona production.
……….and there is little doubt this first attack from Yamato’s taskforce –coming in from the WEST –was mistaken as allied aircraft by the radars, the CAP patrol
It had easily penetrated the screen well before anyone reacted, and the Hellcats had time for only one desperate intercept pass –matched by the zekes frantic determination to protect the few bombers ……….
A great number of zekes fell –and flak –what was bought to bear –pitifully few guns, tore 4 torpedo bombers out of the sky right under her bows –but for CVL Belluea wood – it was all too late.
3 500 lb bombs, 2 60 lb bombs find there way deep into her guts……..
The carnage of Iwo had begun………………
“Where is the enemy sir?’
“Steady Miyazuki. Be glad. From what I can gather, Tanaka is taking the heat.
All the enemy are concentrating on him, and not us………..”
The LT is correct. The sun shines. Yamato’s little hens re gather their remaining chicks, and for the rest of the day, they remain undisturbed.
As night falls, her great bulk eases gently over –and works to full speed……….
“From Yamamoto
To Nagumo
Enemy fleet CV’s spotted.
Still remain convinced that plan is still good –especially in light shipping sighted port blair.
1 enemy CVL crippled.
My planes exhausted
Enemy task force coming south from Attu
Intend to return full speed to sendai –please provide aircover –reception committee for any pursuit
Fate of Tanaka unknown –
Direct CVL Junyo to attack from south west
Remain convinced that a patient approach will give victory……….
Dusk
Ibuku steams hard still.
Where once a AA mount sat on the port side –now a ugly gash burns.
But he lives still
Tanaka has lost the other CLs, and a DD
Yet now night falls, and the fat Tankers are still only 30000 yards away
Himself, and 6 DD’s –undamaged
And 80 long lance torpedo’s.
He is alive still
Weary, tired, but every nerve alive!
He has brought his ship through.
Overhead, in the fading light, the aero engines are fading away
Over there –the sleek destroyers are turning towards him….
He is Japanese
The enemy are there
What other order is there to give?
‘Port ten
Remain at flank speed.
Standby all ships –Long lance attack”
(The game mechanics)
Tanaka TF spent entire day in same hex as massed allied TF’s –mainly tankers –but one reports three CV’s. Am phase –clouded in. PM phase –all allied planes, including belluea woods-attacked him.
After PM phase, was a bit annoyed that 7 warships did not engage anyone!
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