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RE: When the giants died - 1/25/2020 7:06:47 AM

1275psi

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I must add a correction guys

I did not write the Hibiki tale

I wrote "the little ship that could"

It is doing the rounds of the publishers as we speak, wish me luck

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big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 31

RE: When the giants died - 1/25/2020 9:37:20 AM

RangerJoe

Posts: 13450
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quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

I must add a correction guys

I did not write the Hibiki tale

I wrote "the little ship that could"

It is doing the rounds of the publishers as we speak, wish me luck

I wish you all of the luck that you need.

Is there any way of contacting a publisher to increase their interest?

_____________________________

Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

�Illegitemus non carborundum est (�Don�t let the bastards grind you down�).�
― Julia Child

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 32

RE: When the giants died - 1/28/2020 5:54:29 AM

1275psi

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Another dawn
The sea, still grey, still angry, curls from Kirishima's bow, that gentle breaking sound of water, the sprinkling of spray darkening her fore peak marking her passage through the restless ocean.
Some stars are still visible, the sun still to show herself over the horizon, the clouds still dark, yet hinting pink underneath
It is Yamaguchi's favourite part of the day, this the quite time just before dawn action stations, before the days work really begins.
It is, of course, the most dangerous time, this the period when the ships, dark blobs begin to take form, solidify into moving shapes and angles, when bow waves and wakes begin to show white.
While the seas, hiding god knows what, remain dark still.
Another dawn

He has seen so many, has Captain Yamaguchi.
Those first sea sick ones, on that tiny torpedo boat off Port Arthur, trying so hard to slot a Russian. He had not been the best of torpedo men.
Then that cruiser, ancient that she was, learning the arts of navigation along the chinese coast.
Learning gunnery, learning steam, learning, learning.

But gunnery, that he liked best of all.
Gunnery assistant officer on the Asashi, another old ship.
XO of the minekaze.
Funny, all his ships seemed to have been old

Some wondered how one leaps from destroyer XO to Battleship command.
Let them wonder.

Here he was. Another old ship. But a good ship. Big guns. Fast, bloody fast, a ship one could handle.
Akagi begins to take shape, ever present of his bow.

"OOW, call dawn action stations "
"Hie"
Another day
Another endless ocean

Kirishima, belly again full, her carrier companions also rejuvenated, press on. Soon these oceans will no longer be empty. Soon land
Soon, the enemy

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 33

RE: When the giants died - 2/2/2020 4:00:17 AM

1275psi

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21/12/41
Captain Koyanagi Tomiji
awakens with a start
A million times now he has awaken like this, one moment deep in sleep, the next awake as the voice pipe beside his head
comes to life
He is sure, well almost, that his mind awakens even at the sound of the messenger opening the tube on the bridge above, so attuned is he to it now.
"yes"
"Captain sir, report from I-26, 3 vessels, moving west towards Kuching, 90 miles south west of us"
"Very well, I am coming up"

Kongo rides easily, riding over the calm seas at nearly 20 knots, the night clear, the moon bright. Too bright really, Haranua, the heavy cruisers accompanying dark, yet distinct about them
The Bridge is quiet, tense, the men..... .expectant?
"Anything else guns?"
His Gunnery officer smiles " A disappointment I am afraid, 3 small vessels only....no Prince of Wales I am afraid"
"But enemy nevertheless?"
"Undoubtedly"

But the enemy just the same. And a chance , maybe to blood some guns.
"We are under orders to save our ammunition sir"
It is the XO. Not one to seek a fight, not one to deviate from orders.
It takes but a moment
"launch a seaplane, lets see just what we have ?"

Dawn is breaking, Kongo at full readiness. Word has spread, action beckons
"Enemy consists of Minelayer Kuung Wa, 2 patrol vessels"

Minelayers. Headed to kuching, or worse. An invasion fleet trailing.
No battleship. But something potentially worse.
"Inform all vessels, increase to battle speed, prepare for battle"

His hands grip the railing around the bridge
Kongo trembles, as if his Mistress already knows.
'Steady old girl, steady, I promise You we won't come to harm"

30 minutes to Singawang
And Singapore aircraft range

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 34

RE: When the giants died - 2/5/2020 7:52:06 AM

1275psi

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For a few minutes, just as the sun rises, you can see the smooth seas in the waters around Singapore reflect red.
The water is still dark, but its surfave glimmers blood red

A fitting setting for this day
Battleship Haranua leads, somewhere below decks a stoker is struggling with air fuel mix, her aft stack streams smoke, foul and
black, sharp in contrast to her boiling wake
A mere 100 yards astern and to her left Flank, Kongo, trembling, plowing these seas, carving her own great white road

Further out, the heavy cruisers, and ahead, steadily gaining, white bones in their teeth, the pack of greyhounds, the destroyers, sniffing for blood
And on everyone of these straining ships, thousands of eyes seek the horizon, and the guns, both great and small, follow them.

There is a slight mist, and the enemy are not sighted until at 22000 yards.
But the sea planes leave little doubt to what they are, they are what have been reported.

2 Ams, a minelayer.
But minelayers can leave deadly, deadly eggs.
It must be killed before it can lay them.

Haranua crashes into life, her guns the crack of doom, her barrels belching fire, the preview of hell.

The cruisers follow.
At 12000 yards, Tomiji can no longer contain himself
Too many years have passed awaiting this moment
"If you please guns, open fire"

A and B fire together over Kongo's bow, the noise great and terrible, as it always is.
And shoot well
The enemy minelayer is there............and then it isn't
Little of her remains.

Both Ams join her in short order.
Kongo has blooded

"Message from Singawang fleet sir, invasion underway"
Good
"Aircraft!, bearing 180 true!"
Not so good
"Hard to starboard!, prepare for AA action!"

And this, thinks Tomiji, could be instructive...........

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 35

RE: When the giants died - 2/9/2020 5:33:53 AM

1275psi

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21/12 41

Battleship Nagato slips her moorings, and begins her long journey

Yamamtao eyes his Flagship with satisfaction. She is, in her captains own words, "feeling remarkably frisky". The long months of preparation pre war have paid off.

War is no small thing, how many times has he warned those hot heads that? So easy to fall into, but damnably
hard to escape from.
Still, Nagumo has given them the dream start, the pacific fleet is gone.
But will the rest fall for the plan?

Probably not
But worth the try.
Nagato's bow rises gently to the first swell. She is ready. Japan is ready. Somewhere, somewhere far south of here, both
must meet their destiny.

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 36

RE: When the giants died - 2/9/2020 5:45:51 AM

1275psi

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Kirishima replenishes.
In these smooth, mirror waters the task proceeds smoothly and with out incident.
As it should.

Captain Yamaguchi�s command has adopted to the thought of war, accepted the new routines, the increased hours, the
sheer uncertainty it all brings.
As it should.

He has inspected his ship today, from her deepest magazine, to the noise of the main spaces, to the look out tops, and examined his men.
Closeley
There is fear deep in many eyes, but fear well controlled, fear not to be shown
Again, things are as they should be.

His ship, old, appears ready.
They are approaching the enemy now. Eager to engage Eager to accompany Nagumo to the next victory, inevitable as it must be under her mighty hammer.
Exactly as it should be .

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 37

RE: When the giants died - 2/9/2020 5:55:23 AM

1275psi

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Kongo belches fire

Her 8 5-inch/40 calibre dual-purpose guns crack at almost 8 rounds per minute , an almost continous canopony of
noise and fury.
The 25 MMs hammer, and amongst them, the single machine guns added by guns also crack away
A ship enshrouded in smoke and flame, spitting defiance.

Of all her crew, its captain Tomiji who feels the graetest shock, as the swordfish, just 4 of them, just 4 SWORDFISH, slow
vulnerable BI PLANES, seemingly float through it all, and plant a bomb against his beloved ships hull...............

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big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 38

RE: When the giants died - 2/14/2020 8:03:08 PM

cantona2

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Herb

please check your inbox and you email inbox as well mate

is your email inbox full?

< Message edited by cantona2 -- 2/14/2020 8:04:44 PM >

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1966 was a great year for English Football...Eric was born

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Post #: 39

RE: When the giants died - 2/14/2020 8:14:24 PM

RangerJoe

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Kongo belches fire

Her 8 5-inch/40 calibre dual-purpose guns crack at almost 8 rounds per minute , an almost continous canopony of
noise and fury.
The 25 MMs hammer, and amongst them, the single machine guns added by guns also crack away
A ship enshrouded in smoke and flame, spitting defiance.

Of all her crew, its captain Tomiji who feels the graetest shock, as the swordfish, just 4 of them, just 4 SWORDFISH, slow
vulnerable BI PLANES, seemingly float through it all, and plant a bomb against his beloved ships hull...............

Just like against the Bismark, too slow to shoot down.

_____________________________

Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

�Illegitemus non carborundum est (�Don�t let the bastards grind you down�).�
― Julia Child

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 40

RE: When the giants died - 2/18/2020 1:12:00 PM

Taxcutter

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Just like Bismarck. Weak flak battery.

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Post #: 41

RE: When the giants died - 2/22/2020 3:09:42 AM

1275psi

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21/12 41
Captain Tonuji inspects his beloved ship.
What he finds pleases him greatly.
The bomb, so deadly looking as it arced down, wobbling , wobbling, whistling death, has struck hard on the armour belt
under the fwd 5 inch cassion.
And done nothing. Old as she is, this is a blow that even this armour can defeat.

"My wife would not be pleased" he murmers to himself,as he leans over the guard rail, looking at the metal splatter, the dark
scorch mark. "I wonder how long before we can paint that out?"

It will be a while, no doubt, this war is going at, it seems, a breakneck pace. High command (those idiots) seemed detirmined to
grab the DEI's ASAP.
Singawang is already occupied, and 22nd flotilla also already moving in.
And somewhere, over the Horizon, two full divisions driving hard across the waters, target palembang

And KB with them............

I paused the AAR to let game get ahead, so OPSEC is not compromised
Cantona has permission to wander in and comment

We are away again

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big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 42

RE: When the giants died - 2/22/2020 9:24:32 AM

cantona2

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Will be interesting to read retrospectively my friend!

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1966 was a great year for English Football...Eric was born

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Post #: 43

RE: When the giants died - 2/23/2020 6:18:18 AM

1275psi

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28th December

It really did not make sense to him
japan, a country already stretched to its limits with its war in China, decides, in its
infinite wisdom, to take on the British Empire, the dutch, and the Americans, in an effort"
to solve the chinese puzzle'
How in the hell does that work?
Captain Tan sighs.
He, and Yamishiro, have been too long snared in the Chinese Briar, to see the answer to that.
One must just deal with the thorns as they come

Wenchow is the latest

Yamishiro, Fuso, Hyuga, Ise.
Old ships (a reasonable description of too many of Japans capital ships).
But ships laden with guns. Lots of guns

And here at Wenchow, armour means nothing, speed means nothing, for nothing fires back.

Captain Tan sighs
It is not easy to order mass murder
"You may commence the Bombardment"

Guns
A great many big guns.
Wenchow shall burn.

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 44

RE: When the giants died - 2/23/2020 6:23:14 AM

1275psi

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" From Akagi sir"
"Read it"
"landings about to commence palembang, please be on utter most alert"

Yamaguchi smiles inwardly
Nagumo, cautious as ever. But of course, if it all goes wrong, the blame can now be spread around.

The waters here are shallow, and already litered with japanese wrecks.
Kirishima must not join them.

"XO. double the lookouts"
"Hie!"

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 45

RE: When the giants died - 2/24/2020 9:01:16 AM

1275psi

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Dec 29th

A hammer falls on Palembang
2 divisions, under the cover of KBs umbrella, intent on siezing the great golden prize.

Kirishima marks time under a deep blue sky, and Captain Yamaguchi marks the day counting the streams of smoke
doting the horizon
There are a few, each the pyre for brave allied airmen.
It will ba a long day, but fruitful indeed

At dusk, the awaited message
"Oil fields and refinery siezed................undamaged"

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 46

RE: When the giants died - 2/25/2020 2:23:47 AM

PaxMondo

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wow. great job. saves a lot of supply ...

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Pax

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Post #: 47

RE: When the giants died - 2/25/2020 7:50:49 AM

1275psi

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Dec 29th

Capt Tonuji is tired.
He is not alone, of course, he only has to look around Kongo's crowded bridge, take in the pale ashen faces around him, to see his face reflected in them.
But, he of course, is the Captain, and Captains have a hidden magic. They should never be tired.
But he, of course is.
But I just cannot show it. Must not show it.

There is every reason to be tired of course, these last 24 hours have been............tense.
Kongo powers at almost full speed towards the heart of the phillipines, Puerto Rico the target of this little adventure, her wake wide and white behind her.
Normally, normally, this is a time Tonjui revels in, Command of 35000 tons of steel , at speed, wind whistling around her pagoda.
But not now.
Not these last few hours

There are reefs here
Submarines lurk
An unknown enemy report awaits at dawn.

And there is the cat.

Out there, in the dark, a black cat.
"Gunnery officer, where is it now?"
"Still astern of us, Hibiki reports it astern of her, 5000 yards, maybe less"
Damn

Four 4 hours now the Catalina has stalked them.
Sighted, faded away, sighted again.
No doubt reporting every move he makes.
But worse, undoubtably armed to the teeth too.
And in this dark, so bloody hard to hit.

No wonder we are tired.. But I am the captain. I cannot show it. 3 am, dawn in an hour.
"XO"
"Sir?"
"How do you feel about breakfast?"

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to PaxMondo)

Post #: 48

RE: When the giants died - 2/25/2020 9:30:34 AM

RangerJoe

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Anonymous crewman "The Captain, he never sleeps!"

_____________________________

Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

�Illegitemus non carborundum est (�Don�t let the bastards grind you down�).�
― Julia Child

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 49

RE: When the giants died - 2/27/2020 3:58:47 PM

BBfanboy

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quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

Dec 29th

Capt Tonuji is tired.
He is not alone, of course, he only has to look around Kongo's crowded bridge, take in the pale ashen faces around him, to see his face reflected in them.
But, he of course, is the Captain, and Captains have a hidden magic. They should never be tired.
But he, of course is.
But I just cannot show it. Must not show it.

There is every reason to be tired of course, these last 24 hours have been............tense.
Kongo powers at almost full speed towards the heart of the phillipines, Puerto Rico the target of this little adventure, her wake wide and white behind her.
Normally, normally, this is a time Tonjui revels in, Command of 35000 tons of steel , at speed, wind whistling around her pagoda.
But not now.
Not these last few hours

There are reefs here
Submarines lurk
An unknown enemy report awaits at dawn.

And there is the cat.

Out there, in the dark, a black cat.
"Gunnery officer, where is it now?"
"Still astern of us, Hibiki reports it astern of her, 5000 yards, maybe less"
Damn

Four 4 hours now the Catalina has stalked them.
Sighted, faded away, sighted again.
No doubt reporting every move he makes.
But worse, undoubtably armed to the teeth too.
And in this dark, so bloody hard to hit.

No wonder we are tired.. But I am the captain. I cannot show it. 3 am, dawn in an hour.
"XO"
"Sir?"
"How do you feel about breakfast?"

Great imagery as usual! But Puerto Rico is such a long way off and fuel will be hard to get in the Caribbean! Perhaps a change of course to Puerta Princessa is in order?

_____________________________

No matter how bad a situation is, you can always make it worse. - Chris Hadfield : An Astronaut's Guide To Life On Earth

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Post #: 50

RE: When the giants died - 3/1/2020 6:29:23 AM

1275psi

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December 30th
Breakfast is delayed
Just before dawn, somebody on that Cat either gathers enough corage, or is forced to make a decision
It is a brave one
it comes in from astern, barely 100 feet above the dark waters, nothing clever, nothing spectacular, just
a sweeping in towards Kongo, her pilot straining every ounce of power from her engines

"Hard to port!, hard to PORT!..open fire!"
Kongo dances, kongo erupts

The cat keeps coming, seemingly oblivious to what ever comes its way.
It barely scraps over the battlewagon, its bombs wobbling as they fall

They miss, miss badly

So, it appears to Tonuji, has Kongo.A shock, a terrible shock to his confidence,
A confidence totally destroyed as a SECOND Cat, unseen, unsighted, screams across her bow from the other direction......
and misses too.

war teaches many things

This is a lesson Kongo cannot miss............

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 51

RE: When the giants died - 3/1/2020 3:25:30 PM

T Rav

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A pleasure to read...

Thanks,
T Rav

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Post #: 52

RE: When the giants died - 3/3/2020 8:20:53 AM

1275psi

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December 31st

East of Batavia

Kirishima's wardroom

There are no comfortable couches in Kirishima's wardroom, no lounge chairs, no benches even. lt Hara sighs as he enters
its sparten interior, another long watch behind him. War is devastating, he thinks, in so many ways. What once (only a few weeks ago!) was a haven of comfort gathered over 20 odd years, of worn but so familiar furniture, wood polished, cloth embroided, pictures sparkling, replaced by steel, , and its seemed, even more steel.
All gone, all that comfort gone, as Captain Yamaguchi had purged the battlewagn of anything that could burn.
But one could still get a decent tea.

Kirishima , as usual, creaks and groans her way, her decks vibrating slightly, The carriers are seeking the wind, and Kirishima
is driving hard.
But then, with the carriers, since day one of this war, had she not been driven hard.

Little wonder the Engineer seemed to be permanently in a state of frown.
The wardroom door opens, and CMDR Ashigari enters. The XO, another with a frown fixed upon that elderly face,
"Busy hey Hara?" It is half statement, half question
"One wonders how Nagumo squeezes so much out of Akagi, he drives the fleet as if we are all destroyers"
The XO smiles.
"His confidence is up, he thinks nothing can harm us here"
"Maybe nothing can"
The Xo's smile fades. "the day of the big gun is not done yet my son, I know you think those ugly bricks are the future,
but we will see. Kirishima has a battle or two left in her, I am sure of it"

Hara does not have time to reply.
The tannoy blasts, the bugles play
"Enemy ships in sight, action stations"

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 53

RE: When the giants died - 3/4/2020 2:52:13 AM

T Rav

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Unfair practices to leave us like that! What happened?

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Post #: 54

RE: When the giants died - 3/4/2020 3:56:14 AM

RangerJoe

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There was a time out called . . .

BATTLEFREEZE!

_____________________________

Seek peace but keep your gun handy.

I'm not a complete idiot, some parts are missing!

�Illegitemus non carborundum est (�Don�t let the bastards grind you down�).�
― Julia Child

(in reply to T Rav)

Post #: 55

RE: When the giants died - 3/5/2020 8:13:34 AM

1275psi

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Captains, it seems, are born with frowns .
Deep frowns, born from a thousand watches, a thousand defects, tens of thousands of decisions,
Some are angry frowns, for when discipline or order ( so important to one ney?) is lost
Frowns for problems unseen
Frowns for orders from above, and orders not followed properly below.

And this frown, the frown of pain.
Captain Tan , Yamishiro wears it now, deep under her main armour belt, here in the casement flat.
Wenchow has been pounded again.
Yamashiro, it seems, has given herself more damage than the Chinese could ever achieve.

So many big guns
So much shock
So many years in her hull, her beams, her pipework, her machinery........in, it seems, everything.
Below decks, there is only one word for it.
Shambles
'How long Engines?"
"Two weeks, at least"
"Thirteenth army will not be pleased"
"F######k" thirteenth Army, look at our ship!"

Yes, thinks the Captain. All this for bloody Wenchow?
Old girl, you deserve better than this.

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to RangerJoe)

Post #: 56

RE: When the giants died - 3/5/2020 8:16:41 AM

1275psi

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Kirishima ever even see's the enemey
The reports flow in from Mogami, 20 miles ahead
The warships "battleships", soon shrink to "destroyers", then, even further to 3 meagre patrol vessels

Sunk, and sunk quickly.

The Grand tour of the Java sea continues.
The enemy, it seems, has a definate tactic

Run away

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big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 57

RE: When the giants died - 3/7/2020 7:03:02 AM

1275psi

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new years day
Cagayan

They are learning
Kongo's AA gunners this time at least do not fire with almost panic tinted frenzy. They are more
deliberate, more diciplined. Directed well.

The still miss
harder targets , P 40 e's racing in , fleeting shapes winding, twisting across the task force,
but still missed all the same.
They, however, dont.
Destroyer Asashiro burns.

Captain Tonuji observes her through his glasses
Is this how high Command thinks the battle line should be used?, as mobile artillery?
So much for the decisive battle.

But then again, Yamamato, a life time of preparing for it...........

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

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Post #: 58

RE: When the giants died - 3/9/2020 7:31:51 AM

1275psi

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Jan 4th
Lt Hara, Kirishima's youngest OOW, enjoys his day
And why would he not?
Here, at almost the best viewing position on the battlewagon, here under the shadow of the main director,
he is living the aviation enthusiasts dream.
Kirishima leads the carriers, and the carriers are launching, each plane passing over her, before wheeling to port to form up.

Nagumo is striking, striking hard.
Target Soerabaya.

Hara counts them out, almost gleefully. What could defy such a sword?
How marvelous to be Japanese this day!

The strike fades to the south, and the lookout routine resumes.
Soerabaya is not that far away, and the strike returns
Hara counts.
Re counts.
And a shiver passes through him.
8 kates missing.
Eight.

A sharp sword, it seems, but this brittle?

_____________________________

big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 59

RE: When the giants died - 3/11/2020 7:32:34 PM

durnedwolf

Posts: 885
Joined: 5/23/2005
From: USA
Status: offline

Hey - I'm going through withdrawals over here! Or maybe I'm coming down with something...

_____________________________

DW

I try to live by two words - tenacity and gratitude. Tenacity gets me where I want to go and gratitude ensures I'm not angry along the way. - Henry Winkler.

The great aim of education is not knowledge but action. - Herbert Spencer

(in reply to 1275psi)

Post #: 60