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thantis -> (8/15/2002 7:45:13 PM)
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Dateline USS Bunker Hill - November 13th, 1943 1700 Zulu
Navy censors have prevented me from writing until Operation Knockout had been completed. I am now watching the recovery of the last of our strike aircraft (most badly damaged by AA fire), but Admiral Spruance seems pleased.
With the destruction of the last Japanese naval presence in the South Pacific two months ago, along with the capturing of their remaining bases in New Guinea & the Solomons, CINC-PAC ordered the heavy units of the US Navy back to Noumea for rest and repairs for a major upcoming operation.
On October 14th, recon aircraft detected Japanese ships leaving Truk, task force composition unknown. The USS Essex & CVLs Belleau Wood, Independence, & three CVEs were sent to investigate. Poor weather kept our aircraft at Kavieng & Rabaul grounded, but the carrier pilots were able to report that Mushashi, one light cruiser and three destroyers had come out to play.
Tracking these ships, it looked as though they were going to proceed to bombard our new base at Rabaul. This was entirely unacceptable. The carriers got off a strike of Torpedo bombers that put three torpedoes into the large battleship, but she kept on coming. They had reached the bend near Kavieng, preparing for the run to Rabaul, when the next flight of torpedo bombers came in.
The Mushashi took three more torpedoes, with the light cruiser and two destroyers taken one apiece. Two destroyers reached Rabaul, but Admiral Callaghan was waiting for them with five battleships and many destroyers - in a surface action that lasted less than ten minutes, both Japanese destroyers were wiped from the face of the earth.
The next day our carriers went looking for the Mushashi, but found only the single light cruiser. We hammered the cruiser all day, finally sending her to the bottom in flames. We had to assume that the battleship had been sunk, bringing our total to at least 8 Japanese battleships sunk during the course of the campaign.
One of our submarines found a badly damaged Japanese destroyer near Truk, and put three torpedoes into her. The submarine commander was watching the tracks through his periscope and was able to report that the destroyer was obliterated on impact. The entire bombardment force, one BB, one CL, and three DDs were destroyed during the two day ordeal.
With no further naval activity seeming likely, CinC-Pac ordered the majority of our units back to Noumea. By the end of October, we had concentrated 3 CVs (Wasp, Essex, & Bunker Hill), 3 CVLs, 3 CVEs, 7 BBs, 10 CAs, 3 CLAAs, 9 CLs, and 45 DDs. An additional CLAA & 11 DDs were docked at Bonis. Supply convoys continued to restock our forward supply bases, while we waited for word on our next target.
On November 1st, Admiral Spruance called us together for our briefing. We were told that we were going to launch the largest raid of the war against Truk, to eliminate any remaining Japanese air and sea presence & reduce the bases their to rubble. CinC-Pac had already decided that an amphibious invasion would be too costly, as the Japanese had over 200,000 men on the island. Our raid would isolate the base and remove any further threat to our positions in the South Pacific.
There were more than a few men at the table who were eager for revenge & payback for Pearl Harbor. The plan - Operation Knockout, would consist of three parts - 1st, all our ships would steam at full speed to Bonis, where they would be reorganized into component task forces.
2nd- A carrier task force, commanded by Spruance himself, made up of 9 carriers (3 CVs, 3 CVLs, & 3 CVEs - 520 aircraft) with escorts would move to within 90 miles of Truk and allow the Japanese to attack with all of their remaining bombers. With a potential CAP of 150 Hellcats & Corsairs, we doubted any would penetrate the screen to even get close to the carriers.
3rd - After absorbing the Japanese bomber strength, three separate bombardment task forces would move in and pummel the Japanese bases (one made up of 7 BBs & 18 DDs, one of 10 CAs & 15 DDs, and last one of 1 CLAA & 15 DDs).
On November 2nd, we set sail for Bonis. The trip was uneventful, and after resupplying and refueling, Spruance sailed north with his carriers on November 7th. On November 9th, the first Japanese planes attacked - a total of 75 fighters and bombers. These were met with a CAP of 105 Hellcats & 12 Corsairs. Every single Japanese plane was shot out of the sky - with Ensign Cross of VF-71 getting his 13th kill.
By this time, our bombardment forces had left Bonis and were moving into position. On the 10th, the remaining Japanese bomber strength was unleashed on our carriers, but these were met with an even more powerful CAP (140 Hellcasts & 24 Corsairs) and every Japanese plane was again shot out of the sky.
As our carriers remained on station, our bombardment groups moved into position. From November 10th to the 12th, Truk was battered from end to end - a rotating bombardment schedule smashing facilities, supply depots and devastating the remaing Japanese ships in port (mostly subs, minelayers, & aviation ships). By the morning of the 13th, ten submarines had been sent to the bottom, followed by three minelayers, and two AVs.
Spruance then unleashed his own attack, with 98 Dauntlesses, 30 Helldivers, 121 Avengers, and 105 Hellcat escorts. A pitiful number of Japanese fighters rose to meet them and were swatted out of the sky. Our bombers ranged in on the remaing intact Japanese airfields, depots, and ships, sweeping across the Japanese positions like vengeful demons.
Concentrated Japanese antiaircraft fire shot down many of the attacking planes and damaged many more, but enough got through to cripple Truk as an effective Japanese base - more subs were sunk, and damage was evident on all remaining Japanese ships in dock - and no surface warships were in evidence.
Attacks continued through the end of the day on the 13th, with the carriers inflicting more damage and covering the retiring bombardment forces. From our positions 120 miles south of Truk, we can still see the smoke rising from the devastated landscape. In all, we suffered minor damage to a dozen ships, though none particularly serious.
The results of our raid were sent to CinC-PAC, and new orders have us sailing south to Bonis for refueling, then southeast to Noumea to rest and refit. Our aircrews are planning a celebration when we hit port, the likes of which have rarely been seen.
I do not believe that additional operations will be necessary before the end of the year, as all damage possible has been inflicted on our Japanese enemy. Why risk our crews and ships when there is nothing left to destroy? I am looking forward to a nice stretch of R&R, and rumor has it that we will be proceeding to join the Central Pacific campaign after the 1st of the new year.
Up Next - Final Totals & Results.....
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