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All Forums >> [New Releases from Matrix Games] >> War in the Pacific: Admiral's Edition >> After Action Reports >> RE: The little ship that could.

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RE: The little ship that could. - 5/21/2012 11:02:56 AM

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14/7/43

Zuiho steams over a calm, moonlit sea.

She knows these waters
In those halcyon days of early 42, here she hunted, and killed the enemy.
The war may have changed, but this little ship continues on.

deep in her bowels, feedwater is steadily drawn from the De aerating tank by booster pumps, and driven upstairs to the feed pumps, that whine endlessly. (Zuiho is having a good run with them lately ney?. Thats what happens when you keep a steam plant humming, things don't break nearly as often. Its those damn refit and maintenace periods alongside that cock everything up)

The feed, at nearly 600 PSI, passes through the big, and surproisingly crude feed control valve, and enters the boiler.
A quarter ton of fuel every four minutes burns in the furnace, the flames bright and strong, 4 feet long, or more, heating the fireside tubes cherry red.
The feed races down the down comers, into the drum at boiler bottom, the mud drum, races back up the fireside tubes, or the myrid banks of uprisers, changing to steam, and cooling those tubes just enough to prevent failure.

it strikes a difuser plate, races through it, leaving the water behind.
Out, out through the main stop at full pressure.

Now the steam will take many paths.
Much, a great amount, renters the boiler superheater, drying, gaining yet more energy and power.
Unseen, it pulses to the throttle valves, and bursting, expanding, surrenders the energy into the turbines.

The condensers capture it, gather it as water, and the condensate pump pushes it to the de areator.

And repeat.

Some steam goes to the blowers, the fuel pumps.
More is reduced, goes to the oil pumps, the condensate pumps.
Some drives the ejectors, those ****s of machines that maintain the vacuum in the condensor.
yet more drives that bitch of a fuel pump set., the fuel heaters, the gland steam controllers.

used, it all returns in a million drains.

Water/ Steam. Zuiho's heart. A hundred different pipe runs, dozens, upon dozens of valves to control and isolate it.
Some, huge things, 18 inches or more across, some mere tap size.

Charge knows them all.
So do his Petty officers
So do his leading seaman
As does the ables
All, every stoker on this little ship can find them now , un erringly, in the dark, in chaos, in calamity.
If you want to be a stoker, then you to, had better be able too.

Your life depends on it.

(in reply to koniu)

Post #: 1111

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/21/2012 11:22:36 AM

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Balikapapn

"Destroyers reporting periscope 1000 yards, bearing 320 degrees sir!"
'Very well. Sound action stations"

Yet again, the bells ring, the alarms sound.
Yet again, the men tumble from their hammocks, from their mess dacks, from a thousand holes, and Zuiho swiftly begins the process of buttoning up.
Kato takes his glasses, walks swiftly to the port bridge wing.
Below him, Zuiho trembles. Fans winding up, as Tan has the banked boilers brought on line.
About him, doors clang, and the clatter of ammunition being loaded into the twenty fives drifts to him,.

The horizon glows pink.
dawn in minutes.
The wind is cold upon his face
"Ship at action stations sir, 2 minutes 28 seconds"
Good. very good.

Kato hunts the horizon. There, just there. A kagero class, wheeling hard.
Fountains of water bursting behind her.
Good, keep the barsted down......
The clang of the charges against the ships side.

'Destroyer passing astern sir"

One of the new Akitsuzuki class..........big, fast, beautiful.......her bow wave big, bad, beautiful, a giant bone, racing past, fans audible from here, her captain, stark white on her bridge, glasses trained ahead.

Get the buka...

The kagero is still swinging, charging back towards the white waters......
The sun peeks over the horizon, sunburst on calm sea.
And that black hated shape of a American submarine bursting uncontrollably to the surface........

For a moment.
Stillness

a potrait for war.

Water streaming from the black hulll, water splitting aside from the kagero's bow.

And then she is firing, and the black shape is sliding back down again, fountains rising about her like picket fences, blossoms of fire, of flowers bursting on her tower..........and she is gone.

Charges, more charges hammer down.

Zuiho slides past the action, her men staring across the still dark waters, destroyers now brilliantly lit in the dawns rising sun.
The Charges fountains so crisp and white
Did they really see the enemy then, those hidden bukas?

yes, they did.

And unlikely to see them again.

Zuiho travels on.
It is a brilliant way to start the day.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1112

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/21/2012 11:24:56 AM

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Hosho wearily turns to Bando
"I will give them this, they are persistant"

'At missing, yes"

A good thing too.

28 B17s bomb 55 division, hidden deep in the jungle, marching steadily north.
They miss.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1113

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/21/2012 11:27:24 AM

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Near Ominato

54th division moves into the fields for exercises.

The exercises will see a selected regiment a mere 3 miles from where Japans hidden emperor, is being held.

herbiesan must have been a fool to think that he could just hide the son of heaven.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1114

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/21/2012 11:31:20 AM

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Yamamoto slips on his new boots.

they are uncomfortable, tight, terrible for walking in.

But for this meeting, alone with the dictator, they will do.
After all, 6 inches of cold steel tends to stiffen a boot awfully.

He does not intend to be walking far.
Dawn is rising as he climbs into his staff car.
Its an hours drive to HQ.
He closes his eyes, and sleeps.

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Post #: 1115

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/22/2012 11:42:52 AM

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15/7/43

Yamamoto awakens abruptly.
His body is being thrown violently against the door of the car, the air filled with the screech of sliding rubber, the clang of clashing metal.

It all happens fast.
The horror crowds in , the looming guard rail, the smashing timbers, the drivers despairing wail, the sickening plunge off the bridge

"what???"

The waters, smashing in, the slam to the head........darkness

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1116

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/22/2012 11:56:26 AM

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LGEN Katamura waits nervously for the appearance of the son of heaven

It has been to easy.

The regiment has marched to the gates of this minor castle, marched straight to its gates, and through them.

They have been open, guardless.

Only here, at the outer chamber, have they met anybody.
But not just anybody, LT Ashigara, personal secretary to his Highness.

'Ahh, General, we have been expecting you..........."

Expecting us?

But there is no time to ponder this, for the doors are opening.

It is true, he look a mere man.

Ashigara speaks
'His Highness has this statement to make.

"To the men of 54th division. I thank you in this time of the Empires great trial.
I thank you for awakening me to Japans desperate plight, for encouraging myself to once again take my place at the nations head, as we bring peace to the peoples of the greater prosperity sphere.
I thankyou, and now look forward to working with herbiesan, in the further and ultimate successful conclusion of this war, which we intend to prosecute to our nations fullest strength."

And behind Katamura, that so familiar voice.

And he knows, knows now, that all is lost

herbiesans voice is dark, and hard. " So many won't fight for me neh?. But how many for our emperor?
Japan will never surrender, not while the son of heaven breathes.............."

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1117

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/22/2012 12:05:16 PM

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Kato passes the signal to Hidaka. His hands tremble.

The words are beyond belief.

An American Company, dressed as Japanese soldiers, has attempted to kill the Emperor.
Only through fate, and the 54th divisions intervention, has the Emperor been saved.

Monstorous.

Obscene

To attack the son of heaven!

Rage fills Hidaka's heart

"they will pay for this.............."
"There is more, the Emperor is coming back to Tokyo. And he has released a statement"
"A statement?, the emperor?"
"Yes. he asks Japan to rise as one, to root out all traitors, and to fight for our nations place in the sun........"

Hidaka stares out over the Java sea.
There can be no peace now. Not ever. Yes, they will fight. Fight as one.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1118

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/22/2012 12:11:16 PM

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Burma

North east of Akyab

The shattered remains of the british 23rd brigade struggle away from the river.
Something has gone terribly wrong. A recon in force, has found far, far more force than it anticipated.
Japans 56th division, and the heavy artillery of the Tone heavy gun battalion , has smashed it.

two crossings
two defeats.

But if the british high command thinks these actions are pinning Japanese forces to this line, they are wrong.

From the pacific, to rangoon, Singapore, from Lashio, from reserve, japanese divisions move.
Will 7 be enough to plug the hole?
Soon we shall find out.

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Post #: 1119

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/24/2012 11:25:41 AM

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16/7/43

As political and popular storms wrack Japan, real storms play there part in the bitter skies over Burma

From Akyab, to Mytkyina, they sweep south, great mountains of moisture, towering white into the upper heavens, clear and clean, yet with dark hearts and even darker bottoms.
Below many, great curtains of rain frequently lash the jungles and armies struggling through the green hells.

Amongst these giants, the two airforces play a deadly game of seek and kill.
6 Tojos blast through the edges of one of these great mountains, one becomes seperated, and shortly later encounters 18 hunting 38's
The Tojo will simply, for all intents and purposes, vanish from history.
3 liberators will encounter 9 oscars. No one hurt.
Hurricanes will come south, see nobody.
Ten minutes later, Wellingtons following them, will meet a hell of diving japanese fighters..........

from West to east, the battles will rage, unseen mostly by the troops below.
13 allies lost. 8 japanese.

And yet, despite the losses, the blood shed, these were good times for the fighter men.
Free to hunt, free to seek battle.
Free to roam the skies, and to try themselves, young man against young man.

The warriors fight.
Japans high command begins to feed in the reinforcements. So far, they feel, they are winning.

The battle for Burma is racing to a decision.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1120

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/24/2012 11:31:39 AM

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17/7/43

Few in singapore will see them.
They arrive in the roads after dusk, each carrier nestling against the sides of the waiting oilers.
Fuel is sucked greedily aboard, and all ships top their tanks.

The decks are readied, crowding with fighters, dive bombers, and now on several ships, the new TBDs.
Before dawn, japans carrier fleet has cleared the roads, and begins the perilous journey north.

Troops are being delivered to Port Blair - Indians mostly. they will relieve the 4th division, destined for Burma itself.

This is the mission. Yamaguchi is planning more.
It is time to again turn the Bay of Bengal into a Japanese lake.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1121

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/25/2012 8:40:15 AM

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18/7/43

Marching is hard.
Marching in the tropics, under the canopy, in 100 percent humidity, is harder still.

But now, slowly, subtletly, the ground is changing under Hosho's feet.
The trees are thinning, and the path climbs, and climbs.
To the east, on the horizon, the rampnets of the Himalayas crouch, heads eternally capped with snow.
Occasionally, 55th division now enters the sun, and the cooler airs.
Tonight will be brisk.

When time allows, the beauty of this area, is stunning.

42 miles to Bhamo, as the crow flies. Many more with each ridge, each twist and turn of the track.
The grapevine is in ful swing. Where the information comes from, who knows.
Some is obviously false, that a million chinese are coming.
Other rumours, Hosho feels, have the feel of truth in them.

At Myitkyina, 6th and 7th Aussie divisions await them.
Plus god knows how many more British units.

The British concern them not at all. They have beaten them before, will beat them again.
The Aussies however, have a reputation already.

There is still a long way to go. A long way.
It would be interesting to see how these bronzed warriors fight.
But in the meantime, there is the march.
Nothing but the march.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1122

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/25/2012 8:44:52 AM

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From
24th flottilla, Kavieng
To
11th Air Div

'Invasion convoy, containing at least 6 small carriers, one battleship, many transports, sighted moving North towards Munda area, 100 miles south east of Munda

Current strength, 27 Torpedo bombers, 90 fighters.

Heavy raids on Rabual, Manus today.
Enemy T bolts over rabual
Tonies adequate to the task.

We will make them bleed..

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Post #: 1123

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/26/2012 1:33:24 PM

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19/7/43

As always, damage control central remains the usual noisy , hot humid cell it always has ben.
Zuiho has been at war for 18 months now, or more, but some things never change

Charge will take his place, sitting on the plotting table, legs a dangling.
The Engineer, will take his, on the Technical writers chair, he will as usual commence intensive doodling.
The CPO Chippee, the CPO Aviation support, the other section heads will take their usual spots.
as it always has been, as it always will be, ahmen.

Around them, the steady whine of the blowers forward, the higher pitch of the turbines aft, the rumble of the ventilation fans above.
The evening meeting.
The usual crap, the usual discussion on defects, on personal who need "attention", the usual gossip.
Work is reported completed, assigned.
Notes for night orders are put together.

Soot blows tonight. Work on No 3 arrestor cable.
A fresh water pump u/s, does Shoho have a spare?, could Tan please get a message to her via light tomorrow?
(if of course, Kato deems it important enough)

Overall, Zuiho is travelling well. The long voyage from palua has been incident free, the fuel recieved at Singapore of good quality.

Imperceptably, but then with growing vigour, Damage central begins to rise and fall. Zuihos bows are biting into swells.
No words are spoken, none need to be.
The Indian ocean.
They don't need to be told again, they will check their areas automatically, check foe security, check the damage control equipment
Zuiho shudders as she bites the next swell.

Tiger country.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1124

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/26/2012 1:44:56 PM

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Hidaka is grinning despite himself.

Around Zuiho, a glorious blue and white sea, endless white caps from a steady 30 knot breeze, a wonderful cooling breeze at that.
Zuiho's bows are cutting through the swells, slicing across the tops of them, the wind occasionally throwing salt and spray back down her flight deck, biting his face, gritting his hair.
Three of his birds are away, Uto, Diogawa two of them, flying CAP.
Nobody was going to deny them this today.
It has been too long.
Below, Hidaka has a full strike loaded. A good feeling, no pissing about on naval search this time for this ship. Shoho has that wieght. This time, this time, Zuiho will be part of the thrust, the point of the rapier.

If, of course, there is anything to strike.

Somewhere ahead, Port blair, and a very large, very fat convoy, certainly spotted already by the british.
A nice, tempting, fat target indeed.
It has been too long.
Time for another fight. time to spill some blood.
Time to remind everyone, of the power of Combined Fleet.

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Post #: 1125

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/26/2012 1:53:58 PM

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Extract from falling cherry blossoms...........

And thus we entererd the Indian ocean once again.
Around us, those mighty ships.
Akagi
Shokakau
Zukakau
Hiryu, Soryu, Hiei, Haranua, Kongo, Kirishima...........

Household names every one. subjects of songs, of collectors cards, paintings, movies.....
Famous ships.
Mighty ships.
Symbols of Japan, of her defiance to the world.

But of Zuiho? that little tub?. The ex oiler?
Who could recall her?.
What mighty stories were told about her?

few, very bloody few.

Despite everything we had done, we would always be just another ship, destined to serve, to fight, to slip into the pages of history as a mere foot note.
But for us, as we launched of those stained and cracked timbers, joined our bigger brothers in the air, i can tell you this.
Nobody could take us away from her.
She was more than a ship, more than our home.
She was by now, the very sinews of our life.

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Post #: 1126

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/26/2012 2:07:08 PM

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18/7/43

Extract from shattering the Sword, a cantona production

Allied air power grows is strength, and reach

Namatanai, satelite field to rabual, is pounded again
Rabual is hit, hard.
26 B17 blast straight through a CAP of 80 plus fighters near lashio.
kavieg is hit
Shanghia is hit
Hong kong too.

It costs them 11 heavy bombers and 11 fighters this days work, to Japans 33, (mostly on the ground) destroyed craft.
Another non remarkable day.

The bombers will keep coming.
And so far, the fighters will keep rising to meet them. Are they weakening?, are they really chewing Japans forces up?
or will this just go on forever?
We are past mid 43, and not just the pilots of the bombers are thinking, it is such a long way to Tokyo.............

Allied high command needs a short circuit, something, anything to give to their troops, their people,something to show that this is not the endless war, that victory is attainable.

And so, on this day, the president lets it slip. 'Something big is coming..........."

Japan, of course, makes her own plans.
She has her sticks. Now she seeks spokes to thrust them into.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1127

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/26/2012 2:22:26 PM

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20/7/43

Imperial HQ

There is a large fly in the room tonight. Nothing special to note about that. it is summer after all.
But I think, well, I will conjecture, that this fly may have been a sailor in a previous life.

An admiral perhaps?

Conjecture I know, but we humans do tend to project ourselves onto anything.

So, this fly,in the imperial HQ.
What does he see?

Well, there is a map.
A very large, slightly stained map. Up in one corner, marked Burma, his legs scurry over, and around a mass of flags. Some red, some green. Quite a a lot actually, all converging.
The stains are thick here, and the map well dotted with holes.
Those pins are all being moved, it seems, a lot lately.

There is a different pin, down near port blair.
Combined fleet
our fly tastes it, i think, and drops a turd

(I really do wonder about this fly)

The fly takes a short flight, circles a dot, a dot called cocos island. Another flag here.
he lingers here a while, Mushuai, Hiyo, Yamato, ryujo, .............
yes fly, what the hell are those ships doing out there?
a mystery yes?

another flight, timor sea.
More flags. Lots of ships, japanese cruisers, headed south.
Do you know where thay are going little friend?
No, of course not. You are only a fly.

Shoo!

but he lands again, right up there, near the top of the map
Parishimo?
Why are battle ships up there?
You think herbiesan is nervous about the northern route?
Yes.
I agree.
I think he is.

Now, thanks for the tour fly. Anything i have missed?
Oh, those?. That great mass of green flags West of Munda.
that my friend, is an invasion fleet.
I think.

But you know what fly. I think Cantona wants me to think that thats the real threat.
Thats why I am scattered all over the place
Stupid tactics?
look fly, concentration is good, but sometimes..............

Are you sure you are not the ghost of yamamoto?.................

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Post #: 1128

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/27/2012 6:29:09 AM

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21/7/43
Endless rain pounds down from a dark grey sky that whips mere 100's of feet above Zuiho's bridge

It beats upon her bridge windows, it runs in rivers down from the deck above
It dances as it beats upon her helplessly grounded planes, and churns the ocean into a white broth.

It plunges the bridge into gloom, into darkness.

A different darkness stalks her bridge.
One of despair, of dis belief.

"All of them?"
Kato barely croaks the words, the pain deep in his voice, "All of them?", as if he can merely change it all by denial.

Hidaka, face streaming with tears, can merely nod
"all of them sir, none have escaped"

The british have raced in, cutting in, in all probability, just behind them during the night, and slaughtered the Port Blair convoy
A division, the 4th, exists no more.

Zuiho will soon be racing due west, through the dark, the gloom, the rain.
Despair of defeat stalks her decks.

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 1129

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/27/2012 6:37:17 AM

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It rains toonear Munda
Great squalls, that the Allied fleet tramps slowly through, again now headed towards whatever target it aims for, Vella?, shortlands?
Occasionally, the fleet breaks into the sunshine, islands of calm before the next storm covers them again.
A perfect day to hide in, for the fleet, and for those who hunt it.

80 plus hellcats are aloft, but no one piloting them, would be fool enough to fly into the storms about them.

16 betties will burst from a rain bank, flying low, hard, fast. They will burst into sunshine, bright, clear sunshine, actors on this stage.
Battleship South Dakota, that unlucky ship, is turning to port at the time, literally the rest of the fleet in the rain astern.
Alone, she has no chance, for the betties are a mere 1000 yards away.

The hellcats will get 6, after the damage has been done

Three fish slam her.
Ship staggers away, into the rain, and into her own darkness.

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Post #: 1130

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/29/2012 10:21:07 AM

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22/7/43

Liberators bomb Samah
Liberators pound rabual
Liberators attack at 6000 feet Manus, and run smack into a balloon barrage
B17s attack the 55 div, but miss hoshos division again
B17s attack 15th army HQ, and do NOT miss
And yet more liberators attack manus, rabual

There seems to be nowhere they cannot reach, no field they cannot crater

But 15 go down today, an encouragement at least for the ragged defence flaying at them.

The allies approach Shortlands, and the rain continues to fall

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Post #: 1131

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/29/2012 10:33:22 AM

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Watch keeping, as I am sure many of you can attest, is a mind numbing thing at times.

Your mind does laps. Home. Work, the next cup of tea, home again
Wondering where they are, when the next port will be, when the watch will end.

The machinery melds into the background, oh, one part of you never turns its back on it, that is too deadly, but another part, the You part, your soul part, it finds freedom, somewhere other than here.

Its a common joke, that Nay time, is harder than jail time.
The accomodation is worse, the food at tmes worse, the privacy less, the work harder.
And usually, nobody is trying to kill you in Jail.

Few men drown there, that is for certain.

Hirate has the watch in Port engine room. His mind however, is fully here, here in this screaming hell.
For eight hours now, they have been at full power, pushing Zuiho as hard as she has ever been pushed.
Kato has told them they seek revenge.
It has been pitifully small, a pair of PGs sunk at dawn by the search planes.
The cruisers have escaped.

Hirate cares nothing about that.
For three hours now, it has been oil pressure, vacuum, steam pressure, condensate pressure, oil pressure, vacuum..........
He stands, seemingly relaxed, his arms above him swinging o the handle of the main steam guard valve, the great big 6 inch barsted that guards the gate of the yawning turbine inlet.
But his eyes are hard, and they sweep endlessly.

At 1832 hours exactly, the telegraphs ring, half ahead, revolutions 179.........
carefully, slowly, they back the old girl down, it is frighteningly easy to put a boiler 'over the top' at moments like this.

Visibly relaxing, Hirate drops his hands, reaches for the log board.
"How about a cup of tea Lurch?"
Lurch nods, puts down his round board.......

And then, seemingly, the world explodes.

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Post #: 1132

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/29/2012 1:36:26 PM

PaxMondo

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ahh! Sub?

_____________________________

Pax

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Post #: 1133

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/29/2012 1:48:05 PM

John 3rd

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WHAT?

Foul!

Next entry NOW...please...

_____________________________

Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.

Reluctant Admiral Mod:
https://sites.google.com/site/reluctantadmiral/

(in reply to PaxMondo)

Post #: 1134

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/29/2012 3:32:20 PM

kaleun

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Second that.

_____________________________

Appear at places to which he must hasten; move swiftly where he does not expect you.
Sun Tzu

(in reply to John 3rd)

Post #: 1135

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/30/2012 9:08:40 AM

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23/7/43

The war in the Solomons continue.
Allied forces begin landing at shortlands, and the opposition is light.

The weather covers them for the fore noon, but lifts after lunch

It is a brutal day from here on.
29 zeros escort 20 Betties from Kavieg. The zero pilots have but one order, sell your lives as dearly as you can, get the bombers through.
21 hellcats intercept, with the usual mix of other villans thrown in, corsairs, P 38's, T bolts to add to the slaughter.

The truth is there now. Plain to see. The zero is not up to it anymore, especially in the hands of these rookies.
They die like flies.
It is not a pointless death.
The enemy fighters have only a short window on the bombers, following them all the way through the attack run, a mad dance at 50 feet across the waters.
Courage is displayed everywhere, the bomber men, the pursuing fighters, the gunners firing at anything coming their way.

2 fish strike the CVE Sangamon, and only 2 bombers escape.
A brutal day. kavieng has had its teeth pulled.
In the solomons, Japans sword arm lies on the floor, shorn clean off........

Japans surface ships, that one would expect to be racing to shortlands, are pounding targets of their own.
Merauke takes 110 hits from three cruisers, and suffers 50 planes damaged.
It is but a flesh wound..................

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Post #: 1136

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/30/2012 9:09:09 AM

1275psi

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(Zuiho tomorrow, time short..........)

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Post #: 1137

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/31/2012 12:18:57 AM

Wirraway_Ace

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From: Austin / Brisbane
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Truly beautiful writing, as always.

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Post #: 1138

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/31/2012 8:28:27 AM

1275psi

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How about a cup of tea Lurch?............

The bang directly above Hirates head is a sloud a noise he will ever hear, a gigantic terrifying sound of a million tin cans slamming into another million simultaneously.

'What the..........?'

Dust and dirt explodes about him

'Duck..............!'

The bang replaced by the shrieking screaming hell of high pressure steam bursting down and above him

'Steam leak....................shi#!............shi#!.....still alive...........heat on the back............'

he crabs down and sideways, a million things crowding upon him
..............and horror, he can see the paint being peeled visibly away from the guage board the steam blasting its strength against it.

The noise, the overwhelming noise crushes him,.................

And yet he moves, swinging into the drills so ofeten, so often practiced.

Lurch, Heavens bless him, remains crouched, looking directly to him, seeking leadership...
Hirate does not fail him.
It is I think, there finest moments
Hirate cuts his arm across his throat..."Kill everything!" and Lurch , crouching still, races aft to the turbo generator......

The Third hands head pokes abruptly up from the plates below...........again.Kill everything!

Now Hirate hits the emergency oil pump starter, turns, and braves the steam, crabbing low, desperately reaching for the telegraphs.

"Hot!, and getting hotter................there is not much time!"

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Post #: 1139

RE: The little ship that could. - 5/31/2012 8:30:54 AM

1275psi

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Kato feels the thump even from the bridge
It shakes the dust, rings through the soles of his feet

Instictively he knows, he can feel it, that whatever THAT was, it is bad, very bad.
Even as his hand slams the Emergency alarm, he is not surprised to hear the shriek from below..........

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Post #: 1140

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