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tabpub -> Major IJ convoy hit off Morotai; losses large (3/5/2008 12:14:18 PM)
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July 17, 1944
The situation in the Halamhera (Morotai) area is heating up quickly, so we go there first:
SW/South/Central Pacific Area:
As was mentioned before, with the detection of shipping off Morotai, all airfields within range were filled to capacity with strike and escort aircraft. Weather was predicted as rain, but the weather was clear over Morotai, and recon/search planes detected large numbers of ships off the anchorage. Here were the results:
07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
P-40N Warhawk x 38
P-38J Lightning x 49
P-47D Thunderbolt x 12
A-20G Havoc x 80
B-24D Liberator x 35
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Delagoa Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire
AP Kembu Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AK Ryuzin Maru
AP Koshin Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Hamburg Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bengal Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PC Wakamiya, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Teiun Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kiri Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Natsukawa Maru, Shell hits 4
AK France Maru, on fire
AP Sakido Maru, Bomb hits 11, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kumagawa Maru, Shell hits 8
AK Sagami Maru, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Nitiryu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nansin Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AK Taki Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x A-20G Havoc bombing at 5000 feet
3 x P-40N Warhawk attacking at 100 feet
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
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07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 9
Beaufighter Mk 21 x 13
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Kiri Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Nansin Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kembu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x Beaufighter Mk 21 bombing at 2000 feet
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07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 22
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Teiun Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Kitahuku Maru, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nagisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
PC Wakamiya, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Sakido Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 10000 feet
=============================================
07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
P-40N Warhawk x 3
P-38J Lightning x 4
P-47D Thunderbolt x 21
A-20G Havoc x 72
B-24D Liberator x 30
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Nagisan Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK England Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kiri Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Teiun Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Delagoa Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Sakido Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
PC Wakamiya, on fire, heavy damage
AK Bengal Maru, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hamburg Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK France Maru, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage
AK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kaiko Maru
AP Kumagawa Maru
AK Taki Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kembu Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
AK Nansin Maru, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x A-20G Havoc bombing at 5000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
3 x P-40N Warhawk attacking at 100 feet
=============================================
07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
B-24J Liberator x 4
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AK Brisbane Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-24J Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
=============================================
07/17/44
Day Air attack on TF, near Morotai at 43,68
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 19
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
AP Kaiko Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kembu Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AK England Maru, on fire
AK Delagoa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 10000 feet
=============================================
Just left representative examples of a/c attack altitude to shorten report
End of day estimates were about 10 to 15 ships down as the reports came in.
Evidently, there was some sort of mixup, weather or airfield closure that had no fighters over this concentration of shipping; especially as there were fighters over it yesterday. For whatever reason, this is a major blow to shipping capacity; not just in the area, but overall for the IJN.
Elsewhere, most of the former garrison of Amboina is eliminated today, with 7000 casualties; expect that mopping up to wrap up in a day or so.
Kendari strafed by 20+ Beaus; no loss, no significant damage.
Light skirmishing at Koepang; losses 29 vs. 200+ IJA.
SEAC
10 ‘Oscar” type from Georgetown fly against Medan PT patrol; 44 Spitfires shoot them down before reaching the area.
28 Lib J’s bomb Kuala Lumpur from the 7th BG; 11 more hits are recorded. The group is tired and only putting up ½ its planes; stood down and replaced with a British Lib VI squadron for tomorrow.
Light bombing and shelling of IJA Bangkok perimeter.
At Bien Hoa, the 50th Para is added to the Chinese division attacking the rump of the IJA 5th Division; they are unable to achieve a breakthrough, but do reduce the defenders entrenchments to the lowest value; the defenders here are basically lying about in scraped out holes on the airstrip. The armored units have arrived and will go right into the attack. Remainder of infantry not committed, as it is waiting for the push on Saigon afterwards.
Stillwell and two Chinese corps are pressing down from Camrahn Bay tomorrow; it’s reminiscent of Patton and Monty racing for Messina in Sicily.
CHINA
Quiet in China, though buildup of IJ air strength reported at forward airfields that haven’t seen a plane in months. Not sure what is up here as of yet; no increase of land commitment seen as of yet.
Only one IJ airstrike; it is on Homan AF as yesterday, but is only flown from Peking this time. Yesterdays was a combined effort from there and Tienstin AF.
8 ‘Tonies’ escort 17 “Frances’ & ‘Betty’; 31 P40N/47C down 4,7 and 2 respectively for no loss. The rest of strike turns back to Peking paddy hopping down low.
COMMERCE WARFARE
West of the Balabac Strait, which connects the South China and Sulu seas, the Dutch K 14 encounters an AK and MSW, but miss the attack at 36-55.
But, her sister, K 17, finds the same ships at 35-55; torpedoes the AK FUKI MARU, evades the escort and strikes the maru again, sinking her.
STERLET, just north of Kadina, Okinawa, puts one fish in AP MIKAGE #2. She breaks off action from escort and air search.
FLIER, working on estimate of course of the AO group yesterday, finds AO TEIKON at 63-50, 180 nm north of Iwo Jima. Penetrates a screen of 3 modern PC types and strikes home with 2 torpedoes; the AO rapidly burns and then sinks. The PCs shake her up in the counterattack, but she should maintain patrol duties.
TINOSA reports 2 MSW 180 nm south of Kagoshima, Japan; no damage.
Philippine resistance reports a PC (later identified as Ch 4) mined in the Gulf of Davao as she was entering the harbor area; she later sank.
Luzon guerrillas report PCs clearing mines off Legaspi, PI. Presume convoy transiting area; subs off Luzon on patrol expect contact tomorrow if so.
MAP OF THE HALAHAMERA AREA OF OPERATIONS
[image]local://upfiles/9730/9A2E14EF58FB4B9481780A67ED25F4C6.jpg[/image]
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