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RE: January 31, 1942 - 6/9/2011 10:07:15 PM

Cuttlefish

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January 31, 1942

Darwin, Australia

Almost two months after the start of the war the town of Darwin remained almost completely unprepared and undefended. Most women and children had been sent away the previous week by boat, but that was about the only step towards defense that had been taken. Emergency plans had been drawn up but had not been released. The Administrator of the Northern Territory, Charles Aubrey Abbott, whose residence was in Darwin, had ordered the plans shelved so as not to spread concern and panic.

Abbott was tall and handsome. He had been a soldier in World War I, where he had been wounded and risen to the rank of Captain. Since his appointment as Administrator in 1937 he had managed to alienate or offend most factions in the territory. His special feud, though, was with the "wharfies," the local dock workers.

To be fair to Abbott, it did not take much to get on the bad side of the wharfies. Mostly, one merely had to ask them to work to draw their ire. Despite the obvious emergency facing the region, personified by a flood of refugee ships and cargo from the Dutch East Indies, the wharfies not only failed to pick up the pace but went on repeated strikes. Many frantic ship captains had engaged in screaming rows with them in a desperate but futile effort to get their ships unloaded. The harbor at Darwin was crowded with over forty ships when the Japanese planes began to arrive on the morning of 31 January.

The first wave consisted of around thirty twin-engine "Nell" bombers, who unloaded their bombs along the waterfront. This was followed by two waves of strikes from the Japanese carriers. There was little defense. Shipping was attacked at will and over twenty ships were left sinking. The waterfront and town were heavily damaged and fires raged everywhere. Over 200 civilians died in the attack.

Administrator Abbott rose to the occasion by directing the military police to secure and pack his valuable collection of wine, sherry, and glassware and send it out of the danger zone. In the wake of the attack panic spread through the town, followed by looting. Most residents believed the air raid to be a prelude to invasion and soon the only road into the interior was crowded with refugees, their vehicles raising blinding clouds of red dust. Darwin had no phone service and the only telegraph cable was severed in the attack; in the leadership vacuum that followed many RAAF men also pulled out and followed the civilians. The rout out of Darwin would come to be known in local lore as the "Adelaide River Stakes."

There were many examples of heroism during the attack, on shore and at sea. Men risked their lives repeatedly to rescue the crews of stricken and sinking ships and to battle the fires ashore. But these tales, like the other details of the attack, were destined to go unremarked. When Abbott's report would finally get through to Canberra the Australian government would decide to suppress it; as far as the rest of Australia was to know for some time the Japanese attack had been a nuisance raid that caused little damage and few deaths.

***

Darwin burns following the Japanese attack:

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 181

RE: February 4, 1942 - 6/10/2011 8:14:37 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 1 - 4, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: 100 miles south of Kangaroo Island
Course: Northeast
Attached to: TF 406
Mission: Air combat
Ship's Status: Sys damage 3, engine damage 0
Fuel: 525 (100%)

The Great Australian Walkabout continues, bringing Gridley and the other ships east along Australia's south coast and then to the northeast. The journey takes them past Perth and Adelaide and is both hot and dull. The war seems far away, here; everything seems far away.

On the morning of 4 February Admiral Halsey orders the task force to turn north, towards a place called Kangaroo Island. The three carrier groups begin to draw together, and soon Gridley's crew can see the Saratoga group on the horizon to the west. The Lexington group under Admiral Spruance begins to close the distance from behind as Enterprise orders all ships to slow to 16 knots. Something is clearly going on.

Captain Stickney comes up to the bridge and takes his chair, nodding to Steubens, who has the conn. He has not been there long when a call comes from one of the lookouts; ships are approaching from the northeast. Steubens turns and looks at his captain, a question in his eyes, but Stickney just shrugs. He doesn't know what is going on either but since Enterprise and the lead ships are showing no signs of alarm it is clear that the newcomers are both friendly and expected.

"Hey, they're ours!" calls someone. Steubens steps outside, binoculars in hand, and returns after a moment.

"It's the good old US Navy!" he says. "Fleet oilers, a bunch of them." The ships draw closer, shepherded by a handful of tin cans, and soon the men can recognize specific ships; Sabine, Platte, Kanawha, and other familiar friends. As word spreads through the ship the crew perks up a little. A rendezvous with friends in this distant place is like a breath of fresh air. And the oilers may not only have badly needed fuel aboard; there is a good chance they contain mail as well.

"Enterprise is sending, sir," Signalman Jenks reports to Steubens. He translates the message, slowly, a pause after each word. "What...brings...nice...ladies...like...you...to...a place...like...this." The reply comes quickly and brings grins to the men on the bridge. "Hey...sailor...can...we...buy...you...a...drink."

The oilers are fully laden and have enough fuel, and more, to top off every ship. The refueling goes smoothly and when Gridley's turn comes they do indeed also receive two bulging sacks of mail. Mail call is deferred until after all refueling is complete, but Stickney does not delay it a second longer. Nothing else, he knows, could give his crew's morale a badly needed boost like news from home.

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Post #: 182

RE: January 31, 1942 - 6/10/2011 8:28:07 PM

Capt. Harlock

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quote:

Shipping was attacked at will and over twenty ships were left sinking. The waterfront and town were heavily damaged and fires raged everywhere. Over 200 civilians died in the attack.

Administrator Abbott rose to the occasion by directing the military police to secure and pack his valuable collection of wine, sherry, and glassware and send it out of the danger zone. In the wake of the attack panic spread through the town, followed by looting.

Outstanding writing as per usual. I assume that much of that was based on the historical raid in February? (Though IIRC only eight ships sank.)

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 183

RE: January 31, 1942 - 6/10/2011 8:41:40 PM

ny59giants

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In the early 80s, I was aboard a USN Fast Frigate (DE) in the Med chasing Soviet subs back and forth from Israel to Gibraltar. We had AOs maneuver along aside of us to deliver fuel and supplies, not the other way around. We also were able to maintain sonar contact with the Soviet subs during this time. Needless to say, our CO was able to be promoted to Captain after that cruise.

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Post #: 184

RE: January 31, 1942 - 6/10/2011 8:43:32 PM

Cuttlefish

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

quote:

Shipping was attacked at will and over twenty ships were left sinking. The waterfront and town were heavily damaged and fires raged everywhere. Over 200 civilians died in the attack.

Administrator Abbott rose to the occasion by directing the military police to secure and pack his valuable collection of wine, sherry, and glassware and send it out of the danger zone. In the wake of the attack panic spread through the town, followed by looting.

Outstanding writing as per usual. I assume that much of that was based on the historical raid in February? (Though IIRC only eight ships sank.)

You are correct. Since Cribtop's raid was almost identical in timing (two weeks early, but close) and substance to the actual first Japanese attack on Darwin I didn't have to do any inventing for this one. What I described is what actually happened, except that I lost more ships.

For those interested in the subject I recommend "An Awkward Truth" by Peter Grose. It came out in 2009 and is a good account of the attack. Grose really pillories Abbott, who was an interesting guy. Other sources I've read have had some praise for the man, but Grose's book is well researched and I leaned towards his version of the guy in my retelling.

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Post #: 185

RE: February 5, 1942 - 6/21/2011 8:04:33 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 5, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: 100 miles south of Kangaroo Island
Course: Northeast
Attached to: TF 406
Mission: Air combat
Ship's Status: Sys damage 3, engine damage 0
Fuel: 522 (99%)

Jake Reedy was the happy recipient of four letters. None of them were recent, of course - the oilers departed Pearl three weeks ago - but they were the first letters he had received since the war began. There was a letter from his mother, one from one of his sisters, and two from his girl Cathy. Each letter was a small treasure and Reedy had already read each of them twice. He wasn't alone. All over the ship men had taken what quiet moments they could to read their letters, the first words from home they had received in weeks.

Fortunately there was ample time to do so. The Enterprise task force was holding position while the oilers refueled the other carrier groups and there was little danger in these remote waters. Tonight, when all refueling was complete. the ships would once again head back towards the war. Word was that the next destination would be Sydney, news that had almost as much of a positive effect on morale as the bags of mail.

Jake looked over his letters again. There was news from home from his mother and sister. His sister, Ellen, was the oldest of his two younger sisters and had gotten married last year. She wrote that she was now pregnant and that sometime this coming summer Jake would be an uncle. His mother talked about the war and the effect it was having on everyone. She also urged her son to stay safe. Jake could not disagree with that. Staying safe was a priority for him, too, though he imagined that the Japs might have a different view. There was nothing to be gained by pointing that out to his mother, though.

The letters from Cathy were his favorites, though. They were full of affection and chatty little news about her life and her daily doings, and about mutual friends. Frank Putney, a close friend, had enlisted in the army. Jake tried to picture the tall, skinny, bookish Putney as an infantryman and failed. Still, it was war now. People were going to have to rise to the occasion.

Jake went back to reading one of her letters for a third time:

Dearest Jacob,

As I write these letters to you I try to picture where you are and what you are doing. I know you can�t tell me, but I do wish that I would hear something from you. I haven�t heard anything since that first letter you wrote, a couple of weeks after the war started. Your mother is worried too, I know, though she says she�s sure you�re at sea somewhere and perfectly safe. The papers haven�t said anything about any big battles, at least.

But I can tell you that I�m fine. Things are changing every day, though. More and more men are going off to the war. We�re having to make changes at the bakery, too. Sugar is getting more expensive and harder to get. There�s talk about some kind of rationing. I guess we used to get a lot of it from the Philippines but that isn�t happening any more. And cargo ships from Hawaii are being used for the war now, so less is coming from there.

They�re talking about shortages of meat, too, and rubber and gasoline and steel and all sorts of things. But everyone knows that we all have to do our part. And it�s hard to complain when I read about those brave men of ours still fighting in the Philippines. Maybe that�s where you and your ship are, on the way to save them. The papers say that�

I wish we were, Cathy, Jake thought to himself. I wish we were on our way to the Philippines. Whatever the folks at home still thought, though, there wasn�t a man at sea in the Pacific right now who still thought those men could be saved. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

Jake finally put the letters away and turned in to get some sleep. He would read them again tomorrow, though, and again the day after that. Home was very far away, and in more ways than just distance, but the letters made it feel closer.

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Post #: 186

RE: February 6, 1942 - 6/22/2011 10:07:49 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 6, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: 75 miles southeast of Portland, Australia
Course: Northeast
Attached to: TF 406
Mission: Air combat
Ship's Status: Sys damage 3, engine damage 0
Fuel: 492 (93%)

Conversation in Gridley�s mess rooms was more lively than it had been in some days. Letters from home and the knowledge that they would soon be in Sidney had acted as a tonic on morale. Earl �Fish� Herring, an old hand, was holding forth on the topic of Australian women.

�They�re good-looking,� he said, waving a fork in the air, �athletic, you know. All that sun and outdoor living. And they�re always ready for an adventure, if you know what I mean.�

�I have some adventures in mind,� said Tanner. �Christ, I haven�t even seen a woman in almost two months.�

�Marbles says he saw one on the shore at Darwin,� said Becken.

�Marbles also says he saw a mermaid in the Moluccas,� Tanner said scornfully. �What he saw in Darwin was an oil drum with a palm frond on it.�

�Anyway,� Fish continued, �yeah, the women are adventurous, but you gotta be careful. They�re tough, too. They can shoot and fight like men, a lot of them. Cross the wrong one and you�re likely to get cut. I knew a guy once, he was on leave in Brisbane, and he got to know this really tall, pretty�� Herring�s tale was cut short by a squawk from the loudspeaker. Conversation all across the mess room stilled as men turned towards the sound of Captain Stickney�s voice.

�Now hear this,� came the captain�s voice, laconic despite the mechanical distortion. �The Japanese are attacking Canton Island. We have been ordered to proceed directly there. That is all.� There was click, then silence. Canton Island was almost two weeks away, most of the way back to Pearl Harbor.

�So what happened with your friend, Fish?� asked Becken after a moment.

�Aw hell,� said Herring bitterly. �Never mind. It doesn�t matter now.�

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Post #: 187

RE: February 6, 1942 - 6/23/2011 8:30:04 PM

Capt. Harlock

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From: Los Angeles
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quote:

�Now hear this,� came the captain�s voice, laconic despite the mechanical distortion. �The Japanese are attacking Canton Island. We have been ordered to proceed directly there. That is all.� There was click, then silence. Canton Island was almost two weeks away, most of the way back to Pearl Harbor.

Ever feel like you're always late to the party?

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 188

RE: February 8, 1942 - 6/23/2011 10:21:08 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 8, 1942

Aboard IJN submarine I-15 and USS Gridley

Location: 180 miles southeast of Sydney
Course: East
Attached to: TF 406
Mission: Air combat
Ship's Status: Sys damage 3, engine damage 0
Fuel: 442 (84%)

Commander Murakana�s I-15 had been on patrol off Sydney for many long, uneventful days. On the morning of 8 February, however, Murakana saw what he had been waiting for, what he had been sent out here to find. A big American aircraft carrier, surrounded by escorts, led by two cruisers and trailed by a third.

It was a beautiful morning, with hardly a cloud in the sky and relatively calm seas. The enemy ships were to the south, not close and moving fast. It was not an ideal shot but Murakana knew he would not be able to overtake the carrier and get a better one.

�Load all tubes!� he barked. He gave the carrier�s bearing, speed, and distance and waited impatiently for the firing solution. It would take more than skill to score a hit at this range and angle, it would take Heaven�s own luck, but had not Heaven smiled upon Japan so far in this war? The torpedo room announced that all six tubes were loaded and a few seconds later they were ready to fire.

�Fire all tubes,� said Murakama. His torpedo officer marked the time. The Japanese sub captain did not wait to see if he had scored a hit, however, he immediately ordered all tubes reloaded and had a firing solution started on the next best target, the trailing heavy cruiser � a Northampton class, unless Murakama missed his guess.

�Should we not prepare to for a depth-charge attack?� asked his exec. Murakama did not remove his eyes from the periscope.

�No,� he said. �The American crews are inexperienced. They will not react with maximum efficiency. We have time.� He watched the enemy carrier tensely, waiting for explosions. The time passed, and they did not come. The Americans had seen the torpedoes, though. Murakama could see the screening destroyers begin to swing around, seeking his submarine. The carrier was turning away.

There was little time. The enemy cruiser was turning away too, making a difficult shot even harder. He should really save the torpedoes, but�

�Fire all tubes!� Murakama barked again. The submarine shuddered as six more torpedoes shot forward. This time the captain did not stay to watch. He brought the periscope down and shouted orders to dive.

***

One instant it was the usual routine, nothing much to see except the ocean and the other ships of the task force, and the next instant everything was chaos. Enterprise, a few hundred yards to port and slightly ahead of Gridley, suddenly began swinging to starboard, right across their path. Signal lights blinked frantically from her tower.

Captain Stickney jumped up as Steubens, who had the conn, issued frantic orders to the helm. Stickney opened his mouth to take the conn but then shut it again. It would be better not to risk confusion, he thought; Enterprise hitting Gridley would be like a milk truck hitting a squirrel. And besides, his exec was doing all right. Gridley heeled into a sudden turn; Steubens overdid the turn a little but quickly guided the destroyer back to its accustomed position on the carrier�s flank.

�Enterprise reports a torpedo attack!� bawled a signalman at almost the same instant a lookout reported torpedo wakes astern. The attack had come from the north, on the other side of the task force. Several destroyers, led by Dunlap and Fanning, were peeling off to seek the attacker.

Shortly afterward Chicago also reported torpedo wakes, fortunately these too were well astern. Stickney longed to join the search for the enemy submarine, whose commander obviously did not lack for guts, but he was on the wrong side of the task force and his ship�s place was right here, protecting Enterprise.

No contact was made with whatever submarine had launched the attacks. The seeking destroyers broke off, frustrated, and hurried to rejoin the task force. Stickney favored Steubens with a brief nod of approval for his performance. In a way he was almost grateful for the attack. It would help wake up the men a little and remind them that there was an enemy out here other than boredom and the orders of their own high command.

***

Japanese submarine I-15:

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 189

RE: February 22, 1942 - 6/24/2011 10:42:07 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 9-22, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: Pearl Harbor
Course: None
Attached to: TF 406
Mission: Air combat
Ship's Status: Sys damage 9, engine damage 3
Fuel: 525 (100%)

On 22 February, more than two months after she had departed, Gridley steamed at last through the channel and into Pearl Harbor. The voyage home had been uneventful. The reason for their expedited return, the Battle of Canton Island, was over by the time they reached the waters nearby.

The Japanese, it turned out, had landed at both Canton and unoccupied Baker Island and taken possession of the latter. Their conquest of Canton Island would have been nearly as easy, but a few days before the Japanese arrived a USAAF base force with 1500 men had joined the nearly unarmed support troops there. With them came a battery of twelve 75 mm artillery pieces. The transports were still unloading, in fact, when the Japanese invasion force appeared, causing the American ships to hastily weigh anchor and flee to the east.

Canton is a large atoll enclosing a lagoon. 14.5 kilometers in length and shaped roughly like a pork chop. It is composed largely of coral and has little cover other than grass, scrub, and a few trees. The Japanese landed on northwest shore of the atoll and swept south. In a series of attacks they were just barely beaten back. The 75mm guns were decisive. The effect of their fire on the flat coral terrain was devastating.

A few days later the Japanese ships were themselves forced to flee when an American task force, led by battleship New Mexico, arrived from Pearl. With the ships came the 8th Marine Regiment. The Marines quickly took over the front lines from the battered USAAF troops and began to press forward.

By 17 February the remaining Japanese troops were out of food and almost out of ammunition. They knew they could not resist a determined attack, so that night they assembled and launched a screaming charge against the Marine positions. They swept out of the darkness and despite the firepower arrayed against them their attack was so ferocious that the forward Marine positions were overrun. But determination and desperation are only so much use against massed firepower; the attack was soon contained.

In the morning the Marines mopped up the few survivors. Over 1000 Japanese had died in the final assault. The Marines ended up with eleven prisoners. Canton Island, for the moment at least, was secure.

Gridley and the other American ships swept past the island the day after it was declared secure and continued on to Pearl. They got there not ahead of time as far as Gridley was concerned. Not only had the men been aboard for over two months, the ship itself was showing the effects of prolonged steaming. The carbon packing on the main feed pump was showing definite signs of wear now and systems were beginning to fail all over the ship as spare parts ran low. Ship and crew both needed a rest.

The carriers and their escorts had accomplished little enough for their efforts. They had sunk four Japanese ships. At best they may have forced the Japanese to delay or revise some of their operations, but this was uncertain. They had been attacked only twice, by a handful of Betty bombers and a submarine. The submarine had survived; the bombers had not.

It had been a very long and frustrating voyage. It was good to be home.

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Post #: 190

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 3:29:11 AM

Cuttlefish

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February 23, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: Pearl Harbor
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
Ship's Status: Sys damage 9, engine damage 3
Fuel: 525 (100%)

Gridley ties up pierside at Pearl Harbor. Workers swarm aboard as the refit begins and the air is soon filled with the sound of hammers, torches, riveters, and more. Few hands are idle as a host of minor repairs need to be accomplished in addition to the major changes being done. Not that the full crew is aboard; the ship�s officers are generous in handing out leave to the long pent-up crew.

The major changes being done are, first, the replacement of the ship�s .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns with 20mm Oerlikon mounts. Already in the war the .50 caliber machine gun has been found to be inadequate for stopping enemy planes. Everyone aboard is happy to see the much more potent Oerlikons installed.

The second major change to the ship is the installation of both SG (surface search) and SC (air search) radar sets. This change is a profound one, giving Gridley eyes capable of piercing darkness, murk, and distance. Quite a bit of training will be required with the new equipment but the men are eager to begin.

The refit will take two weeks, or perhaps a bit less. As far as most of the crew is concerned the biggest consequence is that they are unlikely to be rushed back out to sea before the work is done. After two months at sea even chipping paint in port seems like a vacation.

***

The two shots below show Gridley at the start of the war (top), and at the beginning of the refit (bottom). Note that while the crew�s daytime experience is unchanged the night experience has jumped 11 points already, from 37 to 48.

Attachment (1)

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Post #: 191

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 4:38:53 AM

princep01

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Wow, that is quite a jump in night experience. Was the ship ever involved in any kind of night action? I wonder why it jumped so acutely?

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Post #: 192

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 4:50:54 AM

Cuttlefish

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quote:

ORIGINAL: princep01

Wow, that is quite a jump in night experience. Was the ship ever involved in any kind of night action? I wonder why it jumped so acutely?

No night actions, except for a couple of submarine attacks (and Gridely was not one of the responding destroyers). I was curious about the experience jump myself.

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Post #: 193

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 5:07:49 AM

PaxMondo

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Steaming will increase crew experience up to a certain point. Forget the exact values and depends upon ship type, but call it about 50%. after that, really only fighting will increase crew exp.

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Post #: 194

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 11:03:21 AM

Smeulders

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quote:

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Steaming will increase crew experience up to a certain point.� Forget the exact values and depends upon ship type, but call it about 50%.� after that, really only fighting will increase crew exp.

55 for a destroyer IIRC. There should be a chance of 1/7 to increase night exp every turn if under that level. An 11 point increase corresponds with about 77 days of steaming, so that is just about right.

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Post #: 195

RE: February 23, 1942 - 6/28/2011 8:38:13 PM

Capt. Harlock

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quote:

The two shots below show Gridley at the start of the war (top), and at the beginning of the refit (bottom). Note that while the crew�s daytime experience is unchanged the night experience has jumped 11 points already, from 37 to 48.

The downside is that a knot has been shaved off of Gridley's top speed. Let's hope that doesn't make the difference in combat.

_____________________________

Civil war? What does that mean? Is there any foreign war? Isn't every war fought between men, between brothers?

--Victor Hugo

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Post #: 196

RE: February 24, 1942 - 7/1/2011 12:33:15 AM

Cuttlefish

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From: Oregon, USA
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February 24, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: Pearl Harbor
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
Ship's Status: Sys damage 9, engine damage 2
Fuel: 525 (100%)

The very large young man came aboard, the latest in a steady stream of new men to join the crew. Unlike the first draft of new sailors aboard Gridley, shortly after Pearl Harbor, these men were as green as paint. Some had had a few weeks of training, some had had none at all.

Harry Starkweather, gun captain of turret 54, looked down from the after deck as the new sailor reported to the OOD. One of his loaders, Dan Rucker, came up beside him and followed his gaze.

�My god, what a moose,� said Rucker. �Don�t think there's any fat there, either.� Starkweather nodded. There was no competition aboard ship more spirited than that among the crews of the four 5� guns. Turret 54, uncovered and frequently exposed to rough seas, traditionally came in last in speed drills. It was sometimes all they could do to keep the equipment working.

�Go find out who he is,� Starkweather told Rucker. With much of the crew ashore he was the only gun captain currently aboard. �I want my request in before anyone else even sees him.� Rucker nodded and went to obey. Starkweather watched the new arrival stride off, a large duffel slung effortlessly over one shoulder.

�Whoever you are,� Starkweather said, "you�re mine now.� And he smiled.

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Post #: 197

RE: February 8, 1942 - 7/1/2011 5:21:36 AM

Fishbed

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From: Beijing, China - Paris, France
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quote:

�Load all tubes!� he barked. He gave the carrier�s bearing, speed, and distance and waited impatiently for the firing solution. It would take more than skill to score a hit at this range and angle, it would take Heaven�s own luck, but had not Heaven smiled upon Japan so far in this war? The torpedo room announced that all six tubes were loaded and a few seconds later they were ready to fire.

�Fire all tubes,� said Murakama. His torpedo officer marked the time. The Japanese sub captain did not wait to see if he had scored a hit, however, he immediately ordered all tubes reloaded and had a firing solution started on the next best target, the trailing heavy cruiser � a Northampton class, unless Murakama missed his guess.

�Should we not prepare to for a depth-charge attack?� asked his exec. Murakama did not remove his eyes from the periscope.

�No,� he said. �The American crews are inexperienced. They will not react with maximum efficiency. We have time.� He watched the enemy carrier tensely, waiting for explosions. The time passed, and they did not come. The Americans had seen the torpedoes, though. Murakama could see the screening destroyers begin to swing around, seeking his submarine. The carrier was turning away.

There was little time. The enemy cruiser was turning away too, making a difficult shot even harder. He should really save the torpedoes, but�

�Fire all tubes!� Murakama barked again. The submarine shuddered as six more torpedoes shot forward. This time the captain did not stay to watch. He brought the periscope down and shouted orders to dive.

***

Marvelous, handsome writing, as usual Cuttlefish.

Still I will have a (very rare) objection over this one. Loading a tube in a WW2 submarine is quite an endeavor, and reloading a single tube could very well take between 15 and 30 minutes, not to mention little known ops like the warming up of the torpedo. There is simply no way the I-11 could have attacked again with a full broadside within the hour. This is (a little bit, just a tiny little bit) spoiling my enjoyment with the story

So maybe the first command ("load all tubes!") can be recycled with the idea that the Captain ordered to flood all the tubes (which is the first step before opening the doors if you want to keep it not too noisy, or can be considered the same if you're in a rush) before firing them.

Well it's all up to you if you think it's ok like that when it comes to realism

but from my point of view I'd rather go for another attack happening later that day, maybe around noon?

We could say that because of the first attack, the TF started to zig-zag, and its limited experience had her actually zig or zag into the sights of I-15 again later the same day!

< Message edited by Fishbed -- 7/1/2011 5:24:47 AM >

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Post #: 198

RE: February 8, 1942 - 7/1/2011 10:05:47 AM

Cuttlefish

Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007
From: Oregon, USA
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Fishbed

Marvelous, handsome writing, as usual Cuttlefish.
Still I will have a (very rare) objection over this one. Loading a tube in a WW2 submarine is quite an endeavor, and reloading a single tube could very well take between 15 and 30 minutes, not to mention little known ops like the warming up of the torpedo. There is simply no way the I-11 could have attacked again with a full broadside within the hour. This is (a little bit, just a tiny little bit) spoiling my enjoyment with the story

So maybe the first command ("load all tubes!") can be recycled with the idea that the Captain ordered to flood all the tubes (which is the first step before opening the doors if you want to keep it not too noisy, or can be considered the same if you're in a rush) before firing them.

Well it's all up to you if you think it's ok like that when it comes to realism but from my point of view I'd rather go for another attack happening later that day, maybe around noon?

We could say that because of the first attack, the TF started to zig-zag, and its limited experience had her actually zig or zag into the sights of I-15 again later the same day!

I was kind of on a cleft stick on this one. As you point out, two attacks that close together is stretching things a bit. But I also couldn't see any reasonable way an I-boat was going to get two attacks at different times on the same fast-moving carrier task force. As far as the game is concerned, of course, they're all still in the same 40-mile hex so the two attacks are possible. If I recall from the combat report the two attacks were separated in time, so it probably should have been written as you suggest.

Call the way I did it artistic license.

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Post #: 199

RE: February 8, 1942 - 7/1/2011 11:31:20 AM

Blackhorse

Posts: 1983
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From: Eastern US
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A small nit: at the time, x12 75mm guns on Canton would have been a battalion, not a battery.

I enjoyed the Starkweather vignette. It's true-to-life, and brought back memories.

As a brand-spanking-new-lieutenant I took over an understrength tank platoon, with only 12 of 20 billets filled. During the year, we were brought up to strength. My platoon sergeant had a connection at squadron (i.e. batallion) HQ who would tell him whenever the next group of recruits was due to be assigned to our company. My platoon sergeant would make it a point to hang out in the company wardroom that evening to size up the recruits as they were processed. If nobody looked great, he'd let the other platoons split the recruits, so our platoon was generally a couple soldiers more understrength than the others. So whenever he would ask the First Sergeant to assign him a specific soldier, Top would usually grant his request.

The platoon had finished last or next-to-last in squadron gunnery and maneuver exercises for three years running. Within a year we were first in both categories. At the time, with all the accumulated wisdom of a typical 22-year old, I figured that the dramatic improvement was solely due to my Pattonesque leadership and natural charisma. With the benefit of hindsight I'm willing to concede that my platoon sergeant's skills, and the quality of the soldiers he hand-picked, might have played some small part as well.

Thank you, SFC Frank Graw. The best platoon sergeant a butterbars could have hoped for.

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Post #: 200

RE: February 8, 1942 - 7/1/2011 2:28:06 PM

Menser

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Hey CF,
Since Gridley is in port for a few days can we see LCDR Stickney's Bio?

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Post #: 201

RE: February 8, 1942 - 7/1/2011 9:57:56 PM

Cuttlefish

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Blackhorse: thanks for sharing that!

Menser: yeah, we'll get to that while Gridley is in port. But first, a stirring tale of romance and tragedy...

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Post #: 202

RE: February 25, 1942 - 7/1/2011 10:02:06 PM

Cuttlefish

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February 25, 1942

Aboard USS Gridley

Location: Pearl Harbor
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
Ship's Status: Sys damage 9, engine damage 0
Fuel: 525 (100%)

Jake Reedy, Gus Becken, and Bill Bonderman were strolling along the Honolulu waterfront. It was still too early for serious drinking and the men were enjoying being ashore. There was solid ground under their feet, shops of all kinds around them, and, best of all, there were women.

Young ones, old ones, pretty ones, they were everywhere. All three men walked with their heads constantly swiveling about, just taking it all in. Never before, thought Reedy, had he truly appreciated just what marvelously esthetic creatures women were. The way they walked, the way they moved, everything about them was a wonder. He thought with a pang of Cathy, so far away in Scranton.

Suddenly all three men slowed, and then stopped. Sitting on a bench in a small park across the street was a strikingly beautiful woman. She was wearing a floral print dress and had long dark hair that tumbled across her shoulders. She was sitting with her hands clasped in her lap, looking down at the ground with a sad expression on her face. Gus smoothed back his hair.

�Boys,� he said, �there sits a lonely woman. A dose of the famous Becken wit and charm, that�s what�s called for here. Wish me luck!�

�Luck,� said Reedy in amusement. Gus was only okay looking, but he was fearless where women were concerned. He thought nothing at all about getting shot down nine times if he succeeded with the tenth. Becken strolled across the street and approached the woman.

�Come on,� Reedy told Bonderman. �This should be interesting.� The two men moved to the shade of a nearby tree and watched to see what would happen.

Gus spoke to her, and she looked up and answered. They talked, and after a moment Becken sat on the bench beside her, giving her his full attention. Their conversation became more animated. The woman did most of the talking, encouraged every now and then by a question or gesture from the sailor. Her hands became animated, at one point seeming to describe swooping planes.

Finally Gus stood. He patted the woman on the shoulder and came back over to his two friends.

�Come on,� he said, �Let�s go.�

�Struck out, did you?� asked Reedy as the men began walking again. Becken shook his head.

�I want no part of that,� he said. �That woman has more problems than even I want to deal with.� When he said nothing more Bonderman spoke up.

�Well?� he said. �What did she tell you?�

�She�s a nurse,� said Becken. �She got involved with some air force pilot before the war. Well, it seems the boyfriend wasn�t willing to wait for war to start, so he went and joined the RAF.�

�Wait, what?� said Bonderman.

�I thought there were regs against�� Reedy said, but Becken continued.

�So to hear her tell it the boyfriend practically beats the Luftwaffe single-handedly�� he said.

�The English will be so glad to hear that,� murmured Reedy.

��but he gets shot down over the Channel and is reported killed.�

�No wonder she�s sad,� says Bonderman.

�No, wait,� Becken said. �It gets worse. She takes up with his best friend, another pilot, to console herself, you know?�

�It happens,� Reedy noted.

�Well, what do you know,� continued Becken. �The first boyfriend shows up, alive, right here at Pearl the day before the Japanese attack. No letter, no cable, no phone call, he just appears.�

�Wait, what?� said Bonderman.

�The woman only has time to realize that she�s in a real pickle when the Japs attack,� Becken said. �Both boyfriends take off, and both shoot down a lot of Japs.�

�I thought none of our planes got off the ground that first day,� said Reedy.

�Look,� said Becken, �I�m just telling you what she told me. Anyway, now she�s torn between two men. She really wants boyfriend number one, but she discovers that boyfriend number two has knocked her up.� Reedy whistled softly.

�So she�s trying to figure out what to do,� Becken finished. �To make matters worse, both boyfriends have disappeared, assigned to some kind of top secret bombing mission.�

�I thought they were fighter pilots?� said Reedy. Becken shrugged.

�I guess if you can fly one kind of plane you can fly them all,� he says.

�I think you were right to walk away from that one, Gus,� said Reedy. Lanky Bill Bonderman just shook his head.

�That,� he drawled, �is the stupidest story I ever heard.�

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Post #: 203

RE: February 25, 1942 - 7/1/2011 10:18:16 PM

Blackhorse

Posts: 1983
Joined: 8/20/2000
From: Eastern US
Status: offline

ROTFL

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Post #: 204

RE: February 25, 1942 - 7/1/2011 11:27:48 PM

nashvillen