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HARD_SARGE -> Death of the Yamato (6/11/2002 10:45:31 PM)
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8-24-43
the Flying Fish, reports a TF leaveing Truk, tries to sneak into range but can only get a shot off at a DD, is attacked and takes a few hits, dives and hides on the bottom till the TF passes
TF 250 gets orders to sail, leaves Rabaul, early morning of the 25th, heading north, TF 205 trails for support (TF 205 3 CV's, 1 BB, 2 Claa, the rest DD's, TF 205 4 CVE's, 1 Claa, the rest DD's)
8-26-43
lost the IJN TF, TF 250 order to head north
8-27-43 (rain)
24's flying out of Buka report a IJN TF north of Buka (oops, must of sailed past each other) 25's flying out of Borin report a DD and later spot the Yamato, panic grips the Allied High Command, the Yamato is loose
later afternoon, 45 SBD and 26 TBF's find the TF, 3 SBD's and 2 TBF's are shot down by flak, 15 more are damaged, but ...
the DD Susuzki takes a bomb hit
the CL Noshio takes 2 bombs
the BB Mutsu takes 4 bombs and 3 Trop hits
the BB Yamato takes a Bomb and a Trop
2nd strike, 52 SBD's and 15 TBF's
the Mustu takes 4 more bombs
the Noshio takes another bomb
the Yamato takes 8 bombs and 1 Trop (and is only lightly smokeing)
3rd strike 15 TBF's
Mutsu takes a Trop
Noshio takes 2 Trops
4th strike 33 SBD's and 18 TBF's
Noshio takes 2 more bombs
Mutsu takes 2 bombs and 3 Trops
the DD Murakama takes 1 bomb hit
Susuzuki takes a Trop
Yamato takes 4 more bombs
5th strike (land based) 8 Beaufighters
Murakama takes 3 more trops
Susuzuki takes a Trop
(strange after the pounding the Flak did to the first strike, no more damage is reported during the rest of the raids)
night falls
8-28-43(rain)
ASW patrols report the Yamato is still comeing, 2 B-24's report hits, 3 B-25's report hits, TF 250 and 205 are shut down by rain, Jaba and Bruin are also shut down
8-29-43 (rain)
again ASW patrols spot the monster and still it is comeing, but where ?, Buka to pound the field or Shortland to try and protect the beaches ?, TF 250 and 205 cut the angle but had to set up as if the TF's would be headed home or headed south, so are still north of the monster, no matter, well with in Strike range
rain shuts down the Carriers, and the bases as well
8-30-43 (rain)
the IJN TF is slow, plot TF's to intercept the bugger before he gets to his target, 16 DD's are sent to where I hope he is headed, 6 are sent to where he may go, 4 subs are out hunting
0:darkthirdy S-45 sights the beast, putting 2 more trops into her, then dives as the DD's start there runs
0:darkthirdy and then some, 16 DD's cross the Burning T of the monster, 7000 yards and the battle starts, all the DD's fire on the Shirayuki (ah guys) 2 trops and 2 5 inchers and she blows up, 6000 yards, shells are landing left and right, turrets are being blown off the ship, but she still comes on, 8000 yards, more hits, 9000 yards and still the pounding goes on, then the ship is gone, off into the night (half the ocean is on fire, but the ship slips away ?)
the DD's put 54 hits into the beast, and another Trop, with no damage done in return
again the monster sails into sight, lock and load, nevermind it is over, the beast sides under the waves with out a final shot being fired
HARD_Sarge
guess High Command is happy, in the morning they release 3 CV's and a CVL
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