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Rob Roberson -> 23 January 1943 (7/11/2002 4:33:01 PM)
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"Every man must do his upmost." Japanese admiral says, standing on the bridge of his flagship the cruiser Atago. 15 of the IJN's cruisers and destroyers are making steam towards Admiral Ray Spruance's Battleship group. A floatplane had spotted the American's a half an hour before headed for their base at the Shortland Islands. Every gun on the Japanese ships are armed and ready.
On this moonless night the American warships are also armed and ready. They don't expect a fight this night, for them this would be another milk run. Sail past the base, paste it with 16 and 14 inch shells and then slip off like thieves in the night. Poor intelligence would cost a lot of bluejacket lives tonite.
Spruance is just 8 miles south of his intended target when lookouts aboard the destroyer Blue spot the closing Japanese columns. The two forces had closed to 5000 yards before the first torpedoes strike Maryland staggering the mighty battleship. The volley of torpedoes causes the American line to separate, half the ships following the Light Cruiser Cleveland the other half following the Canberra. All of the trying to avoid the deadly Japanese torpedoes arcing through the dark water.
The two destroyers, Blue and Helm plow straight towards the Japanese ships, guns blazing and all the while dropping torpedos in the water.
The lead Japanese column makes a quick turn to port and bring their guns to bear on the illuminated USS Portland. The cruisers Takao, Atago and Maya, pump shell after shell in the Portland and she quickly falls out of line burning furiously. Portland is then struck by two torpedos and begins to capsize before her captain can give the abandon ship order.
Canberra begins to take evasive action as lookouts report more torpedoes in the water. Her manuvering brings her directly into two torpedoes and she loses speed causing the battleship Colorado (who was following her) to make an emergency evasive manuever to get around her. While Colorado is turning three Japanese destroyers pound Canberra aided by the guns of the IJN Myoko. Soon she begins to list and sailors begin to pour over her sides.
The action is just 10 minutes old and already two American cruisers are out of action.
Colorado's massive guns bark and her shells find the Cruiser Takao. Flames roar up from the port side and her searchlights go dark as Colorado's guns strike her over and over. The American destroyer's torpedoes find their mark, only to break up against the sides of Atago and Maya. Duds.
Tennessee has somehow managed to turn the wrong direction in the chaos of the battle and is not seen by the Japanese, but cannot aid the flailing Americans ships. Spruance is now out of contact with the American ships and orders the Tennessee to come about quickly hoping to get a handle on the situation before it is too late.
It already is.
Maryland manages to get back into the action and begins to exchange volleys with the cruisers Takao and Maya. Maryland's heavier guns begin to take their toll on both cruisers and soon they too are blazing.
Blue crosses between the Americans and the Japanese making smoke so the American vessels can withdraw. This action succeeds, but Blue pays for it as the search lights of several of the Japanese destroyers find her and their guns rain shells into her leaving her burning to the waterline guns silent.
Spruance aboard Tennessee finally gets turned around and soon her guns are felt by the Japanese. It is now 45 minutes since the battle has started and the Japanese believe they have attacked a cruiser column, not realizing they have instead engaged 3 American battleships.
Cleveland untouched so far in the battle turns what is left of her column and steams south taking advantage of the smoke. Both Maryland and Wichita follow her. Helm continues to engage the Japanese destroyers and and somehow avoids any damage. Colorado's gunners find and knife through cruiser Kinugasa. Very quickly the heavier American guns from Colorado and Tennessee are breaking up the Japanese lead column.
The Japanese admiral, realizing that these are Battleships he is facing gives the order to withdrawal and the Japanese ships come about and begin to steam away from the battle.
Tennesse virtually unscathed joins with Colorado and the two American battlewagons put Kinugasa beneath the waves.
Helm begins rescue operations of the stunned sailors of the Portland and Canberra. Picking up as many as possible before Spruance orders the remaining American warships to reform up and moves quickly south before the sun, and enemy airplanes find him in these bloody waters.
Aftermath: The Americans lose the cruisers Canberra and Portland. The Battleship Maryland and destroyer Blue are heavily damaged and are retreating south under the escort of the destroyer Helm. Tennessee, Colorado, Wichita and Cleveland were lightly damaged. Only Helm escaped the battle unscathed. My intel says we sank Kinugasa, heavily damaged the Takao, Maya, and 1 of the destroyers. About two hours later a pair of my subs attacked the Cruiser Myoko putting at least two torpedoes in her. About a half hour later these same two subs caught and claim to of sunk a Japanese destroyer. Despite this, the action was a decisive victory for the Imperial Japanese navy and will likely delay any plans I had for moves into the Shortlands. Spruance has already been relieved of his command.
More Japense soldiers have come out of the Jungle at Lae. I have ordered more army troops into secure the area. My lofty plans of a quick victory have vanished into the bloody Solomons morning.
Admiral Robert Roberson Commanding
23 January 1943
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