Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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11/25/42 Battle of Singkawang: This two-day-old campaign is really heating up as another Allied combat TF (flagged by CA Pensacola and commanded by RA Spruance) tangles with a Japanese reinforcement convoy: Day Time Surface Combat, near Singkawang at 56,88, Range 20,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Oi, Shell hits 16, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Nagatsuki, Shell hits 2 DD Yuzuki DD Asakaze, Shell hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Turuga Maru, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Tuyama Maru, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Teihoku Maru, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk xAK Yasukawa Maru, Shell hits 12, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Atago Maru, Shell hits 3, heavy fires xAK Montreal Maru, Shell hits 6, heavy fires xAK Venice Maru, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage xAK Meiyo Maru, Shell hits 9, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships CA Pensacola CLAA Juneau CL Detroit DD Mustin, Shell hits 1, and is sunk DD Russell, Shell hits 1 DD O'Brien, Shell hits 1 DD Flusser DD MacDonough, Shell hits 1 DD Dale Japanese ground losses: 2032 casualties reported Squads: 6 destroyed, 58 disabled Non Combat: 46 destroyed, 82 disabled Engineers: 34 destroyed, 16 disabled Guns lost 30 (14 destroyed, 16 disabled) Battle of Singkawang (Continued): Later in the day SBDs from Billiton Island finished off three of the damaged xAK. The stakes are rapidly rising - will Steve attempt to shoehorn in more reinforcements, or will he be discouraged by the setbacks of the last two days? That's a key question. The Allies have staying power in the effort to prevent incoming reinforcements: the CA Pensacola TF has already replenished, the CA Devonshire TF will be available day after tomorrow, and the BB Royal Sovereign is on station and will patrol Singkawang tonight. P-38s from Pontianak are on LRCAP over the base (no sign of air transport into the base). The Allied army marching to Singk is at 29 miles now, having made 11 today (I swapped out commanders for XXXIII Indian HQ, assigning Slim to this important unit). Paratroops are ready to assault undefended (I think) Kuching and Sambas as soon as the time seems right to really "shock" the opponent. (I'm considering even doing this tomorrow, but I'd prefer to wait until the Allied army reaches the hex between Pontianak and Singk for max psychological impact.) Sumatra: The South Dakota/Washington BB TF remains in reserve at Oosthaven. Lexington and Victorious are on patrol well to the south. Lex will make for Colombo today for upgrading. The other four American fleet carriers currently at Colombo will be ready for duty in six days (except Saratoga, which is 10 days from readiness). Right now, combat ships are more important than carriers in the Battle of Singkawang, so I may move as many of those as possible into theater, leaving the carriers in port. Singkep: Allied air transport brought in 40 AV to this hotly contested base, which I'm sure grab Steve's full attention. (I'm hoping his focus here might affect his judgment as to the importance of Singkawang - or at least leave him conflicted and rattled). Malaya: 26th Indian Div. (fully prepped for Singkawang) is enroute from India to Oosthaven. If we determine she isn't necessary, the transports will divert to the Bay of Bengal in anticipation of a landing at Victoria Point. Other troops prepping for such an operation are gathering at Madras, where transports are also reporting. Burma: The Allies pushed back 2nd Raiding Regiment from the jungle hex south (true) of Toungoo. The Allies can now move in force on Prome to feel out the strength of the defenses there (believed to be weak; the Allies should have about 300 AV eventually). NoPac: Enemy patrols caught wind of CV Wasp, so she'll retire to the NE deep into the Bering Sea. She leaves her F4F squadron doing duty at Paramushiro.
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