Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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***********April 23, 1943(c)************* PI: The staff flunkie strikes again! A portion of 7th Aus Div aboard 2 APA's gets lost and lands at San Fernando instead of Lingayen. I was so afraid, Fernando First, Wichita shows up as planned. The same staff flunkie left her floatplanes reconning Clark. Night Naval bombardment of San Fernando at 80,74 Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses D3A2 Val: 2 damaged D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed on ground Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 damaged Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 damaged Allied Ships CA Wichita Japanese ground losses: 40 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 10 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled Runway hits 5 Port hits 1 Port supply hits 1 The roar of guns and cannons almost made me cry Pre-Invasion action off San Fernando (80,74) Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force 75 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Allied Ships CL Perth DD Banckert APA J. Franklin Bell DE Pillsbury Japanese ground losses: 5 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Allied ground losses: 34 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled CL Perth firing at 63rd JNAF AF Unit DD Banckert firing at 24th JAAF AF Bn DD Banckert fired at enemy troops Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 2,000 yards Every hour every minute seemed to last eternity Amphibious Assault at San Fernando (80,74) TF 278 troops unloading over beach at San Fernando, 80,74 Allied ground losses: 562 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 112 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 23 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 104 (0 destroyed, 104 disabled) Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled) D'oh! Of course, they were not prepped for San Fernando. The only good news is JJ may be intimidated into closing the airfield because they have only support troops there.
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