Canoerebel -> RE: Here come the Rebels! (Canoe v. Q-Ball) (7/22/2010 3:45:12 PM)
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12/31/41 Happy New Year's Eve...and it was for the Allies! Stingers: The last remaining Stinger TF waited until the last minute to find, engage, and rough up the enemy. Five US Navy DDs cruising west of the Kuriles paid a visit to Shikuka and engaged five enemy TFs as follows: (1) 3 xAK "heavy fires"; (2) 5 xAKL and PB heavily damaged; (3) 2 xAKL and PB heavily damaged; (4) 5 xAKL sunk; (5) low on ammo, the TF fails to engage the fifth TF of little transports. I know what happened - Brad saw the previous Stinger TF withdrawing east of the Kuriles and figured the coast was clear. He hadn't counted on a second group lurking behind. I'll guarantee you that NoPac has his attention now. He'll have to detail some cruisers (at a minimum) to patrol these waters. I wouldn't be surprised if he sent some carriers this way. He may also decide on (or expedite) an Aleutians campaign. So I think the Stingers North mission was roughly the equivalent of the Doolittle Raid. Good for Allied morale; bad for Japansese morale. Now if it can just have the beneficial side effects that occurred in real life (a decisive victory in a carrier battle would be wonderful). Payback: Way down south, the Mini-KB cruised south of Timor and sank six xAKL and one xAK. Japanese Advances: Lae, Kuala Lumpur, and Saumlaki fall. Cribtop: J.E.B. Stuart personally directed the gentleman pictured at left when placing the 23rd Georgia Regiment near Catherine's Furnace, Chancellorsville, Virginia, on May 2, 1863. The gentleman was Col. Emory F. Best, who had recently recovered from a severe injury suffered at Sharpsburg. Best's regiment was part of Gen. Alfred H. Colquitt's Georgia Brigade in Stonewall Jackson's Corps. Jackson ordered Stuart to post a regiment at a critical location on the day that Jackson made his famous flanking march - the same day that he would be mortally wounded. For several hours, the 23rd Georgia withstood an attack by Gen. David Birney's Brigade including Berdan's Sharpshooters. Eventually, most of the 23rd Georgia was taken prisoner. Emory Best and about twenty of his men escaped. For leaving behind the rest of his regiment, Best was charged with cowardice, tried, convicted, and dismissed from the Confederate Army. His is an interesting, thought-provoking, and little-known story.
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