FeurerKrieg
Posts: 3397
Joined: 6/15/2005 From: Denver, CO Status: offline
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War Report 12/23/41 A busy night as the Allies engage our force in two surface battles. The major battle occurred at Kuching between a IJN convoy and the British Force Z. Although our fleet was heavily out gunned and out classed (2 CL's and 4 DD's versus POW, Repulse, 2 CL's and 5 DD's) our ships inflicted a significant amount of damage to the enemy. Although most shells bounced off the heavily armored POW and Repulse, one torpedo managed to hit each ship and inflict heavy damage. It may now be possible to sink the heavies before they make it back to a friendly port, and at worst, they will be out of action for some time. Unfortunately a CL and a DD were sunk, and more ships may follow. Thankfully the escorts worked as a solid screen and only one AP took a minor hit. Details: Night Time Surface Combat, near Kuching at 28,56 Japanese Ships CL Naka, Shell hits 11, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk CL Natori, Shell hits 5 DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1 DD Samidare, Shell hits 19, and is sunk DD Ikazuchi DD Inazuma AP Teiyo Maru AP Tsunushima Maru AP Ume Maru AP Yoshinogawa Maru AP Yuzan Maru AP Meikai Maru, Shell hits 2 AP Tamatsu Maru AP Amakusa Maru Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire BC Repulse, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire CL Danae, Shell hits 1 CL Mauritius, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire DD Stronghold, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Tenedos, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Electra DD Express DD Jupiter -------------------------------Gunfire lights the night off Kuching. Other activity mainly involved B-17's hitting more cargo ships in the PI, Changsha was evacuated by the allies, Rangoon was captured by an airdropped SNLF group. One other interesting engagement occurred near Mersing. The SS Swordfish attacked and hit a DD with a torp, but apparently it was on the surface as it took some shell hits from the other destroyers in the group. Hopefully another allied sub is out of action for a while. A Dutch sub (KXIV) hit a MSW near Taan, sinking it instantly. Changsha, Miri, Finschafen, and Rangoon captured today. Non-Ops Air Losses Allies Wirraway - 4 P-40B Tomahawk - 2 Blenheim IV - 1 Vildebeest IV - 1 Buffalo - 1 Imperial Air Force Ki-27 Nate - 4 Ki-51 Sonia - 1 Feurer Krieg Area Report No attacks from the Enterprise today. Didn't spot any ships near Wake at all, and given the weather was only partly cloudy, I suspect they retreated their CV, maybe for fear of KB. With the apparent departure of the Allied threat at Wake, a base force has been sent to provide AV support for a Mavis patrol unit. Nearly all the damaged cruisers are within range of the Zero's at Kwaj. The main fleet, consisting of Ise, three CA's and some DD's is now safely in port in Kwaj. They will wait there until the other cruisers catch up, and then they will all head for Truk, then on to the home islands for some major repairs. Some of these cruisers have been operating nearly nonstop since 12/7, and several AA guns and turrets are inoperable and need repairs. An allied surface fleet consisting of the CA Austalia, CA Canberra, CL Perth and two DD's came in to bombard Lunga, first attacking the small transport fleet docked at the island. The PG boats sacrificed themselves and drew plenty of hits and torpedoes, allowing the AP's to disengage with only minor damage. The PG's were obliterated however. The AP's will stay on station, hopefully to bait the Cruisers back for another run, KB is moving towards Lunga full speed and will be there in two days. If the cruisers come back, we can bag them in short order. Finschafen was captured, and the transports for that group attacked from PM. The main Rabaul invasion fleet is now out of Zero range from Wewak, so the Zero's will cover this group instead as it moves to capture Lae. Fuel has finally reached Makin, some will be dropped there, the rest will go to Baker to fuel up the Canton Island invasion TF escorts. Sub Ops: RO subs moving northeast to cover any move by allied CV to Midway. I-154 was attacked by Destroyers near Trincomalee, hit by two depth charges, has 60 flood, but no fires. Will make for Rangoon. I-157 took a shot at another tanker south of Tjilitjap, but the torpedos missed. At-Risk Damaged Ship Report PC Takunan Maru #10 99/93/20 (Wake) DD Oshio 52/65/14 (Borneo, Kuching) SS I-154 48/60/0 (Trincomalee) CL Natori 28/35/3 (Borneo) AP Kasima Maru 69/45/0 (PI) AP Nichiai Maru 77/48/15 (Wake) PG Shoei Maru 70/48/15 (Wake) PC Ch 24 96/56/17 (Wake) AP Marsue Maru 73/35/11 (Wake) CL Tatsuta 72/54/5 (Wake) CL Kitakami 51/46/2 (Wake) CL Yubari 75/37/4 (Wake) CL Tenryu 49/7/2 (Wake) AP Jinshu Maru 29/6/3 (PI) AP Kowa Maru 4/4/2 (Lunga) The CL Naka and DD Samidare were lost in the battle at Kuching. The PG's Keijo Maru and Heijo Maru were lost in the battle at Lunga. AP Tafuku Maru and PC CH30 both expired about 180 miles from Wake island. The Humburugu Maru sunk in the PI from B-17 hits. MSW Banshu Maru #51 sunk by Dutch sub near Taan. AP Miyako Maru in port at Saigon. CA Kinugasa and PG Kanko Maru are down to 0 float & fires.
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