Veer
Posts: 2231
Joined: 6/25/2002 From: Excuse me Status: offline
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May 8, 1942 The First Battle for Gilli Gilli, Day 1 Today sees a bevy of activity and numerous air attacks. Once again my carrier strike aircraft refuse to fly, though I guess my assigning both carrier based fighter squadrons to LRCAP could have something to do with it. A total of 24 Nells, 32 Bettys, escorted by at times upto 33 zeros attack my ships. A Zero squad has been assigned to LRCAP Gilli Gilli as well, chewing up my bomber attacks. And despite my assigning both my F-3 squads to LRCAP Gilli, I still have only 10 fighters on station. They make up for their dismal performances yesterday though. Only 4 Wildcats are lost, with them taking down at least 9 zeros and 3 bombers. 2 Transports and 1 CA are hit, with another 12 bombers being downed by flak. Success in the air is overshadowed by failure at sea though. A small Jap TF (3 CLs, 6 DDs), sails down to contest the landings in BROAD daylight. Lee is unable to achieve anything though. In 3 combat rounds with ranges of 18000, 13000, and 19000 yards the allies are surprised twice, and the crusiers mange to put only ONE 8” shell into the CL Tenryu. A golden opportunity, wasted! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 05/08/42 Weather: Clear Air attack on 8th Naval Garrison Unit, at 17,42 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 13 Allied aircraft Hudson x 12 A-24 Dauntless x 12 B-17E Fortress x 12 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 3 damaged Allied aircraft losses Hudson x 4 destroyed *** 3 lost *** Hudson x 1 damaged A-24 Dauntless x 1 destroyed A-24 Dauntless x 1 damaged B-17E Fortress x 1 destroyed *** 2 lost *** B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged Japanese ground losses: Men lost 50 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 33 G3M Nell x 23 G4M1 Betty x 32 Allied aircraft F4F-3 Wildcat x 10 Japanese aircraft losses A6M2 Zero x 9 destroyed *** 11 lost *** G3M Nell x 6 destroyed *** 9 lost *** G3M Nell x 7 damaged G4M1 Betty x 4 destroyed *** 12 lost *** G4M1 Betty x 17 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-3 Wildcat x 3 destroyed *** 4 lost *** F4F-3 Wildcat x 1 damaged Allied Ships AK Rhesus, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage *** 88 sys, 49 Flt, going down*** :( AK Idomeneus, Torpedo hits 1, on fire *** 15 sys, 7 Flt, will survive *** CA New Orleans, Torpedo hits 1 *** 7 sys, 19 Flt *** -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Gili Gili at 17,42 PO1 G.Kurihara of EI-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2 Japanese Ships CL Tenryu, Shell hits 1, on fire CL Tatsuta CL Yubari DD Mutsuki, Shell hits 2 DD Yayoi DD Uzuki, Shell hits 1 DD Mochizuki DD Oite, Shell hits 1 DD Asanagi, Shell hits 1 Allied Ships CA New Orleans, Shell hits 2 CA Astoria, Shell hits 1 CA Minneapolis CA Australia, Shell hits 1 DD Walke DD Phelps, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire *** 26 sys, 49 Flt*** DD Farragut DD Dewey, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Monaghan DD Aylwin, Shell hits 2, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Meanwhile, on the ground things went more satisfactorily. While a part of the 25th Bde was still stuck on the transports, the majority of the 7th Division had landed without a hitch. Maj. Gen. Allen ordered BGen. Pots to lead the 21st Bde on an outflanking maneuver, while the 25th Bde kept the Japanese pinned down at the front. Most importantly the key road leading to the Gilli Gilli port had to secured. After some stiff initial fighting, and under the cover of a large bombardment by 25 pd. Howitzers, 21st Bde cleared the road on Japanese troops and moved into position to launch an assault on the port the next day. See map below: Gilli Gilli Ground attack, Day 1 On a side note, the IJN captured Lunga today.
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In time of war the first casualty is truth. - Boake Carter
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