obvert
Posts: 14050
Joined: 1/17/2011 From: PDX (and now) London, UK Status: offline
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Jan 14, 1945 On the 14th the undetected amphibs drop troops at Mersing in good order and the covering bombardments devastate Singers fields with nearly 150 planes destroyed on the ground. Two of the four scheduled had an impact, while the other two tangled with mines and limped home. I'll lose probably two DD with another 10-12 due yard time in Soerabaja and one cruiser slightly damaged as well. Altogether very acceptable losses. It looks like the Japanese had no idea this was coming as there were no return air strikes and Mersing was vacant. The Malacca landing goes in tomorrow, and anything already in strat mode could be caught there trying to evacuate if he decides to bail rather than defend. Since there was no bombardment he has no idea the extent of the landing, but I'm sure can see from search rollovers that something major is being dropped here. Within the next week landings and paras will hit another handful of bases. The next on the list are Kota Bharu, Patani, Victoria Point, and the three Southern bases in Indochina, Soc Trang, Rachgia, and Kompong Trach. Ampibs will then load up for Hue, Tourane and Quinhon, followed quickly by Kwangchowan and Pakhio, with the smaller base opposite Samah on Hainan, Kiungshan, targeted as well. This will give a good foothold on the mainland and threaten to cut off a lot of IJA troops pushed well forward into Burma and on Malaya, as well as entrenched int eh Chinese mountains. I'll also target some mountain bases like Luangprabang with paras from Burma. That one at least has a field so I can add more after capture, possibly. The LOC continues to be strengthened as well, with Jesselton being invested and threatened with capture tomorrow, and the feisty garrison at Jolo threatened by a reinforced landing of three armoured units there. I hope to get both within the next week. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 14, 1944 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tandjoengpinang at 52,85, Range 4,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships BB Maryland, Shell hits 4 DE Engstrom DE Mitchell DE Sanders AM Herald APA Zeilin APA W.A. Holbrook APA Hunter Liggett APA Heywood APA Monrovia APA James O'Hara APA Comet APA Alpine APA Bolivar AK Iran Victory AKA New Hanover AKA Torrence PF San Pedro PF Ogden Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 4,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tandjoengpinang at 51,85, Range 4,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships DD Evans DD Hall DD Hickox, Shell hits 1 DD Hudson DD Kimberly DD Morrison Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 5,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 283 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84) Allied Ships DD Barton, Mine hits 1, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Singapore at 51,84, Range 6,000 Yards Japanese Ships DD Yuzuki, Shell hits 7, and is sunk Allied Ships DD Evans DD Hall DD Hickox DD Hudson DD Kimberly DD Morrison Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 6,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Singapore at 51,84, Range 4,000 Yards Japanese Ships APD T-3, Shell hits 18, and is sunk APD T-7, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk SC Ch 30, Shell hits 4, and is sunk Allied Ships DD Albert Grant DD Gregory DD Heermann DD John Henley DD Howorth DD Rowe DD Norman Scott DD Wedderburn Reduced sighting due to 0% moonlight Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions and 0% moonlight: 2,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 210 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84) Allied Ships DD Wedderburn, Mine hits 1 DD Norman Scott, Mine hits 1 DD Rowe, Mine hits 1 DD Howorth, Mine hits 1 DD John Henley, Mine hits 1 DD Heermann, Mine hits 1 DD Gregory, Mine hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 275 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84) Allied Ships CA Exeter, Mine hits 1 DD Thomas O'Malley, Mine hits 2, heavy damage DD Smalley, Mine hits 1 DD Schroeder, Mine hits 1 DD Laws, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage DD Fullam, Mine hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Naval bombardment of Singapore at 50,84 Allied Ships DD Wedderburn DD Norman Scott DD Rowe DD Howorth DD John Henley DD Heermann DD Gregory DD Albert Grant DD Wedderburn firing at Singapore -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Naval bombardment of Singapore at 50,84 Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 7 damaged Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 2 destroyed on ground Ki-84r Frank: 19 damaged Ki-84r Frank: 4 destroyed on ground J2M3 Jack: 1 damaged J2M3 Jack: 1 destroyed on ground Ki-48-IIb Lily: 27 damaged Ki-48-IIb Lily: 3 destroyed on ground Ki-45 KAId Nick: 16 damaged Ki-45 KAId Nick: 2 destroyed on ground Ki-100-I Tony: 7 damaged Ki-100-I Tony: 3 destroyed on ground Ki-49-IIa Helen: 8 damaged Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed on ground Ki-83: 16 damaged Ki-83: 2 destroyed on ground H8K2-L Emily: 40 damaged H8K2-L Emily: 5 destroyed on ground J2M5 Jack: 18 damaged J2M5 Jack: 1 destroyed on ground H8K2 Emily: 18 damaged H8K2 Emily: 2 destroyed on ground N1K5-J George: 11 damaged N1K5-J George: 2 destroyed on ground Ki-46-III Dinah: 2 damaged Ki-49-II KAI Helen: 1 damaged Ki-49-II KAI Helen: 1 destroyed on ground Ki-21-IIa Sally: 6 damaged E13A1 Jake: 8 damaged E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground B6N2 Jill: 7 damaged B6N2 Jill: 1 destroyed on ground Allied Ships CL Nigeria CL Perth CL Gambia Japanese ground losses: 294 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 33 disabled Engineers: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled Guns lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled) Airbase hits 24 Airbase supply hits 6 Runway hits 68 CL Nigeria firing at Singapore Seagull V acting as spotter for CL Perth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TF 270 encounters mine field at Singapore (50,84) Allied Ships BB Valiant DD Racehorse DD Paladin DD Norman DD Nizam DD Tjerk Hiddes DD Van Galen DD Quiberon 11 mines cleared -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Singapore at 50,84 Japanese aircraft no flights Japanese aircraft losses H8K2-L Emily: 17 damaged H8K2-L Emily: 4 destroyed on ground N1K5-J George: 27 damaged N1K5-J George: 3 destroyed on ground Ki-83: 32 damaged Ki-83: 9 destroyed on ground Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 13 damaged Ki-45 KAIc Nick: 2 destroyed on ground J2M3 Jack: 7 damaged J2M3 Jack: 3 destroyed on ground Ki-49-II KAI Helen: 2 damaged Ki-49-II KAI Helen: 2 destroyed on ground J2M5 Jack: 29 damaged J2M5 Jack: 5 destroyed on ground Ki-84r Frank: 31 damaged Ki-84r Frank: 3 destroyed on ground H8K2 Emily: 8 damaged H8K2 Emily: 4 destroyed on ground Ki-45 KAId Nick: 52 damaged Ki-45 KAId Nick: 8 destroyed on ground Ki-49-IIa Helen: 18 damaged Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 destroyed on ground Ki-100-I Tony: 13 damaged Ki-100-I Tony: 1 destroyed on ground Ki-48-IIb Lily: 16 damaged Ki-48-IIb Lily: 2 destroyed on ground Ki-21-IIa Sally: 11 damaged Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 destroyed on ground E13A1 Jake: 10 damaged E13A1 Jake: 1 destroyed on ground A6M8 Zero: 5 damaged A6M8 Zero: 4 destroyed on ground Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 damaged Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 destroyed on ground Allied Ships BB Queen Elizabeth BB Valiant Japanese ground losses: 414 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 14 destroyed, 13 disabled Engineers: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled Guns lost 4 (2 destroyed, 2 disabled) Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled) Airbase hits 20 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 38 BB Queen Elizabeth firing at Singapore BB Valiant firing at Singapore -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amphibious Assault at Mersing (51,82) TF 123 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 51,82 Allied ground losses: 32 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled) Vehicles lost 97 (0 destroyed, 97 disabled) 12 troops of a USMC Rifle Squad 44 accidentally lost during unload of 1st Marine Div /4 12 Support troops lost from landing craft during unload of 1st Marine Div /6 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amphibious Assault at Mersing (51,82) TF 130 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 51,82 Allied ground losses: 39 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 22 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 79 (0 destroyed, 79 disabled) Vehicles lost 79 (0 destroyed, 79 disabled) 13 troops of a USA 44 Rifle Squad lost overboard during unload of 40th Infantry Div /8 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amphibious Assault at Mersing (51,82) TF 147 troops unloading over beach at Mersing, 51,82 Allied ground losses: 234 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 62 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 192 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 83 (0 destroyed, 83 disabled) Vehicles lost 175 (1 destroyed, 174 disabled) Motorized Support lost overboard during unload of 1st Cavalry (Spec) Cav Div /3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amphibious Assault at Singkep (49,87) TF 181 troops unloading over beach at Singkep, 49,87 Allied ground losses: 62 casualties reported Squads: 1 destroyed, 13 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled 12 troops of a US 44 Cmbt Eng Sqd lost in surf during unload of 34th Combat Engr Rgt -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Jesselton (68,86) Allied Bombardment attack Attacking force 6736 troops, 88 guns, 49 vehicles, Assault Value = 569 Defending force 8205 troops, 58 guns, 33 vehicles, Assault Value = 97 Assaulting units: XIV Corps Combat Engineer Regiment 364th(Sep) Infantry Regiment 2/6th Armoured Regiment 15th NZ Brigade Defending units: 63rd Infantry Group 774th Ind.Infantry Battalion 111th Naval Construction Battalion 18th Field AF Construction Battalion 31st JAAF AF Bn 7th Naval Construction Battalion 79th JAAF AF Bn 24th Field AF Construction Battalion 97th JAAF AF Bn --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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< Message edited by obvert -- 3/7/2019 8:47:51 AM >
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"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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