Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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7/21/42 Battle of Cocos Island: The Japanese carrier TF closes to within three hexes of the Allied carrier TFs, which took post just NW (true) of Cocos Island. The resulting carrier clash is a one-sided Allied victory. Morning strikes by massed waves of Allied torpedo aircraft and divebombers cripple or sink CV Hiryu (three bombs, one torpedo), cripple CV Akagi (two bombs, two torps), and set CA Aoba and several destroyers afire. A sizeable Japanese counterattack of 22 Zeros, 37 Kates and 56 Vals gets mauled by a stout, but not overwhelming CAP. Essentially all IJ strike aircraft are downed with none of the survivors scoring any hits against targets Hornet and Formidable. Afternoon strikes find no sign of Hiryu and little to no CAP, finishing off Akagi (confirmed sunk), Aoba (she took a second 1,000-pounder, but a magazine explosion finished her), and probably three DDs. One IJN CL was left burning. Air Losses: On the day, the Allies lost 37 aircraft (10 a-2-a) while Japan lost 159 (132 in a-2-a). Tactical Impact: The American carrier TFs have 75% to 85% mission sorties remaing, so they can remain on station to handle anything that might develop. When Ent and York return from Colombo in ten days, I will dispatch two or perhaps all three of Hornet, Lex and Sara to retire to Colombo to replenish torps, upgrade, and repair accumulated, though light, damage. Operational Impact: A Japanese TF is south of Java, hugging the coast, in a position where I can only guess she might have been headed for Christmas Island (IO). The carriers must have been acting as a shield, but how many players would send a two-carrier TF to within two hexes a size three enemy airfield (at Cocos Island)? The battle should cause Steve to cancel any invasion plans, but the Allied carriers will move a bit to the east just in case they are needed. Strategic Impact: Until today, I was concerned that Steve could still pull everything together in one big effort to handle Sumatra. Combing the full might of the KB, combat ships, air force, and amphibious landings might have resulted in a Japanese victory at sea and in the air, followed by a successful campaign on the ground in Sumatra. Such a results, while by no means assured, would have been devastating to the Allies - especially the loss of some 4,500 AV and any capital ships lost in the equation. I no longer think this is possible. The full KB no longer exists, so it will be very hard for Japan to close on eastern Sumatra by sea. Any attempt to do so will meet with a comparatively strong Allied carrier and combat ship response. In the event Steve does pull all remaining carriers into theater to try such a gambit belatedly, it should be too late. It will be weeks or more before he could do so, and stripping the Pacific of his assets at this point will allow the Allies to move forward pretty readly there. Also, this will make it much more difficult for Steve to mop up critical areas still in Allied hands - mainly Port Moresby, Darwin, and Port Blair. The Allies will begin to consider more offensive operations now, including occupation and building of the two islands off Sumatra's northeast tip. There may still be a long war to wage - Japan can fight for a long time on the defensive - but I think the war ended today for all intents and purposes. What was Steve Thinking? I don't know. I haven't asked him, and his only email comment was: "Note to self. Leave CVs in port. They are useless." I can only guess that he thought the Allied carriers had been moved to the Pacific. Or perhaps a Glen caught wind of Ent and York at Colombo, and he thought they were there (with their squadrons stripped and in Sumatra as he and I discussed via email a few weeks ago). But sending two carriers into hostile waters close to a level three airfield when you aren't dead certain you know where enemy carriers are? Yikes. SoPac: Marine shore guns at Pago Pago damaged at least five IJN DDs in a fast transport convoy. Later in the day, SBDs from that base sank one of those destroyers after it stopped at Savaii Island. CenPac: An IJN TF reported to include two CLs sighted well to the eat of Tarawa. This is behind my front lines, though currently I don't have any shipping in the area. NoPac: Wasp is on the move from Kodiak to the Bering Sea.
< Message edited by Canoerebel -- 9/28/2011 4:58:15 PM >
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