RE: The little ship that could. (Full Version)

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kaleun -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/18/2012 7:57:57 PM)

Awesome, inmmersive writing.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/19/2012 9:20:43 AM)

TRUK.

wrote huge post, and its gone...............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/19/2012 11:42:49 AM)

26 September

Lashio is chaos. The small railhead station, designed to service a few men, their dogs, and the pig for market once a week, is now expected to load 40000 men of 15th army.
Nobody, of course, knows where they are going
Nobody, of course, knows where the trains are, or when they arrive.
Who goes where, and when, absolute creeds for any army, are blowing in the dust and noise with the milling companies and regiments.
Nobody even knows where Divisional HQ, Corp HQ has gone.
Rumours have them in Shewbo, others have them destroyed on the trail behind.
The air is filled with shouts, screams, orders, counter orders

Army organisation at its best
SNAFU.
Into this crowd, Hosho brings his dusty, weary comapany. He casts one bainful eye across the mess of lashio, feels the utter fatigue in his legs.
There is but one thing to do. he leads his men a ways, finds a quieter, cooler spot under some banana tree, and takes a seat.
Quite sensibly, within 5 minutes, he and his entire company are asleep.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/19/2012 11:48:45 AM)

extract from the Hunger war..

and then, as if on que, the bombers in Burma return.
Rebuilt, re formed, re filled, they promise to send a harvest for japan to weep over.
50 heavies hit Shewbo airfield.
They do not close it.

But 50 japanese bombers hit Akyab again.
Thrust
Counter thrust and blow.
The air war continues its savage consumption of men and machines.

Below them, Japanese divisions scurry, some south, some North, some attempting to come west, then south.
Burma has become a gigantic vice.

It is called the pacific war, this war.
But now, it is clear,this war may well be decided here, here in the jungle.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/19/2012 11:49:32 AM)

I would really like to meet you one day kaluen.
You seem such a nice fellow!



kaleun -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/20/2012 4:21:34 AM)

Likewise. PM me, we might be closer than we think.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/21/2012 3:16:35 AM)

Extract from the Hungry war............

and just like that, in less than a week, it all changed.

On the 26th, Shewbo is blasted into oblivion.
On the 27th, meiktila becomes rubble
On the 28th, Mandalaby takes its turn
And on the 29th, magwe too is pounded.

The heaviescome, they bomb. Japanese fighters rise, they die.
A new fighter the p51 sweeps the Ki-43's away.
It has taken less than a week, , like morning mist exposed to the sun, the air cover over Burma Army has evaporated.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/21/2012 3:20:21 AM)

55th divisions train does come.
In one short day, Hosho's men travel from the hills and jungles, across the wide rice crop valey of the irrawady, unloading at magwe.
And all too soon, the familiar hated orders.

Form up, march!

There are no trees now, just wide fields, paddy farms.
And no fighters above........



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/21/2012 3:27:57 AM)

They come in under cover of darkness, seeking moorings in an anchorage now bursting at the seams.
The men of zuiho meet the dawn, and soon ma great many are at the guard rails, taking in the grandest of sights.
It boosts moral as no speach can.
It fills mens chests with pride, with spirit.

Fighting spirit.

13 carriers, 10 battlewagons, 10 cruisers.
Destroyers everywhere.
Great grey mountains, shining, new flight decks.

And soon, the little boats are streaming towards Yamato, flagship of the re invigorated fleet.
Captains taken to recieve orders.
Captains to hear the plan.
The plan for what many have trained for, for a lifetime.
The plan for decisive battle.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/22/2012 1:23:34 AM)

Hidaka and Uto are doing what pilots on Zuiho do frequently, striding her flight deck.
Its a daily thing (weather permitting!) to stroll her stubby length, to study her worn flight deck timbers, to revist the holes, the patches, the new planks that speak of past adventures.
Common rates are, of course, usually banned from the deck, only her eagles attendants, her pilots, may take this walk.
They reach the flight deck end, the curve that falls to the bow, the gun pits below.
Both men pause, and contemplate the new carrier before them, the Amagi, swinging on her mooring.
On her stern, a full strike is loaded, and her eagles throb.
There will be no strike, of course, not from here, not while anchored. But Amagi's captain, his crew, have a long, long way to go to reach Zuiho's efficiency.
There is much work to do.

"A fine ship ney Uto?"
"Hiryu like, yes?"
"Yes, as fast as a leapord too, I would think. I hear Katsaguri joins the fleet within the month as well"
Uto nods. The fleet is growing, growing in numbers, confidence again.
But being the herbiesans Son, allows one to say certain things that others would not dare say.........
"Ahh yes, but have you noticed what I notice Hidaka?"
"What?"
"The planes on her"
"Aircraft, you dolt, her aircraft. What about them?"
'Zeros"
Zeros?"
"yes, they are still zeros"

Hidaka does not turn to Uto. There is no need.
he is so right, you know. Still zeros. And the Americans, hellcats, corsairs, this new P51, improved wildcats...........
And we still fly new zeros, that are really just old zeros..........
"yes" his voice is low, and full of regret "Yes, you are right Uto. We will have to be at our very best to prevail when the battle comes.............."



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/22/2012 1:28:41 AM)

Fuchida and his companions of the 47th stand at the door of their ready room.All are looking up, and all are smiling.
Joining circuit, the dozen fresh KI 44's glimmer and sparkle in the sun, fresh from the factories.

The pilots are not, they are hardened veterans, plundered from training command.
It has been a long wait.
But finally, 47th is recieving new planes for her now approved expansion.
New planes. Old men.
Same war.




1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/22/2012 1:30:32 AM)

CVLs Mizuho, Nisshin, join the fleet.
They too are sent scurrying south.



John 3rd -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/22/2012 6:07:29 AM)

Go GET 'em!

BANZAI!

[sm=character0095.gif]



Gridley380 -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/23/2012 9:28:59 PM)

13 flat tops? More than the IJN ever mustered in real life!

Of course, no more than two of them are of any given class...



sourdust -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/25/2012 12:36:59 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Gridley380

13 flat tops? More than the IJN ever mustered in real life!

Of course, no more than two of them are of any given class...


Not quite: at the time of the Marianas battle, the IJN had in active service the 9 carriers that participated in that battle (Shokaku, Zuikaku, Taiho, Zuiho, Chitose, Chiyoda, Hiyo, Junyo and Ryuho) plus 5 CVL/CVEs that did not participate in that battle (training or convoy escort duties): Hosho, Taiyo, Unyo, Shinyo and Kaiyo.

So total of 14 flat tops in service with IJN. Of course, that didn't last long...



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/25/2012 9:05:37 AM)

been unable to get onto forum for 3 days............

Extract from Shattering the Sword, a cantona production

(and a very good book too.......)


............and thus, plans finalised, the allies prepared.
For the Japanese Fleet, the great question, what to do next?
How to respond?
Yamaguichi, then commander of the Combined fleet (which truth be told, was all but all of the fleet by now) leaves a clear view of his thoughts in his memoirs.
"The problem" he writes " was simple. For this month, maybe the next two, a window of opportunity was available to us. We were now, once again, the stronger. But not for long. that terrible war machine was still growing to a size we could not dare imagine.
I had to find his fleet, bring it to battle, and defeat it. By Christmas, no later.
But how to bring it to battle?
I did not even know where it was!
I suspected, I really suspected that it would not be coming out either..............
I knew, felt in my bones, that I had to force the issue, offer an 'opportunity' he could not refuse.
Thus it was decided. Operation Pearl Diver.............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/25/2012 9:09:47 AM)

3rd of October

The Sallies thunder out from palua, joining the Judy's, the Jills, in the hunt for the killers lurking outside.
They do not have too much trouble finding them...........
12 destroyers hunt as well, they too find targets a plenty. The waters surrounding Mobile fleet swarm with the buggars.
One is caught on the surface, and sunk by gunfire , many others attacked.

As Takeji wirly notes, its much like the sterotype cowboys and Indians from the pocket book dreadfuls.......the submarines the Indians, Palua the little wooden Fort.......



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/25/2012 9:17:37 AM)

Disaster looms in Burma

The Akyab thrust is held, held easily. But Katha looms as 'a right old picnic" as the British troops would gloat. 32 miles. In 10 days, this is how far the Army has with drawn, the bloodied Aussies following.
32 miles.
But now, due North of Shwebo, allied troops have cut the road.
Only one unit -probably the Indian division. But one may be enough.
54th division face them, 54th, 2 naval guard units, a tank unit, some artillery.
Battered, beaten, straffed, disrupted 54th division..............

This is the Division that freed the Emperor, thinking that act would bring sanity and peace to japan.
This is the division that Herbiesan manipulated to his own needs.
This is the division that must win, must win to save the Katha army, to save Burma, and quite possibly save Japan..
What remains of japans airforce will fight here tomorrow, and will almost definately die.
But there is no choice.

54th division, those poor son of bitches...........attack.



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:22:43 AM)

4th October

It is under a blazing sun, in the wide open paddy fields north of Shwebo, that the battle is fought.
Paddy fields. Where a small grove of trees is a major cover, where a cross roads becomes a strategic prize of incalculable value.
The fields are flooded, the embankments the highways.
It is the 77th Chindits who 54th division must figh, hard, hard men.
But allied command lets them down today.
Inexplicably, Japanese fighters prowl all day above the battle, and her bombers strike, strike hard.
Only late, very late, do the allied bombers -Mitchells, came to assist.
They suffer heavily.

54th fight. They are, after all, japanese soldiers, they have been ordered forward, and in ant lines, they swarm those embakments, infiltrating, enveloping.
They could no more disobey the order than to stop breathing........
They have with them a handful of their useless tanks.
But as malaya showed, if the enemy does not..........

The Chindits are thrown back., 35 squads destroyed.
The Road to katha is open again.

But more troops are coming............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:25:35 AM)

"You have got to be TRUKING ME!"
When Hosho swears.............
For a moment, just a moment, discipline wavers in 15th Army.
For a week now, they have marched south towards the battle south of Akyab.

Now, incredibly, new orders.
The divisions will march North to Shwebo.



Order. Counter order. Dis order.
I don't blame him, our Hosho.
I too can only think...........'You have got to be TRUKING ME!"



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:30:47 AM)

It is dusk
That cool, delightful moment, when the Tropics, no matter where you are, can finally be beautiful.
Palua anchorage glimmers, the water mirror calm.
Our Stokers sit in a great gaggle on "the balcony", resting, waiting for the watch change, digesting dinner, smoking, talking.
They are no different from any sailor in any Navy, anywhere.
Faced with so many ships, such evidence of Naval might, the talk ranges widely about favourite ships, the mightest ships, the ugliest ships.
But there is a common theme amongst them all.
It is inconcievable that the allies can prevail against them now..............



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:36:04 AM)

Captains Log
4 OCT

Air groups at 100%
machinery at 100%
I judge moral to be good.
Remaining at anchor. Heavy ASW actions out side anchorage.


a brief entry today.
Takeji hesitates over the pages. There is much more he would like to write. Much more.
But prudence............
There has been an incident. Or has there?
Minobe, you idiot.......you may out rank him, but for heavens sake..........he is Herbiesans Son.....



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:44:33 AM)

Charge examines the pumps wear ring, the cavities in it, the holes worn from cavitation, from sucking air. A good thing that this fire pump has been picked for overhaul now.
"The rings are stuffed yes , Okano?"
"Yes, I thought she was getting a little rattly. I will have her back on line tomorrow I would think."
Charge nods

yes, Okano. I know you will. You have never let me down.
"Don't kill your self. Rumours are we sail soon, sleep is a simportant I think. Tomorrow will be fine"
Charge stands, feels his aching back. I will be in the mess. .........


Okano comes to him 4 hours later. He looks shamed.
'I can't fix it Charge. There are no spare rings to be had"
"You have checked Shoho?''
"And Ryhuo,........all of them."
"Damnation. Alright. We will have to make them. We have stock?"
"a little............"

The fleet sits. But is sits and consumes.
Fuel. spares. food. aviation liquids..........
A gigantic leach, the fleet has sucked palua dry..........



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 9:50:43 AM)

from

Combined fleet
to
14th army

You are commanded to release 14th naval guard unit for offensive operations.
make preparations at Davao, for embarkation in 5 days time.
14th naval guard unit is to prepare for amphib assualt on the Australian port of Broome.
Preliminary planning places D day, 25th October.


From combined fleet
to
25th flotilla

Request latest intelligence and recon , enemy base darwin, bathurst island
Numbers of enemy fighters, bombers, particularily dive bombers required.
request daily flights from now until ordered to cease.

No, R, no effort is to be made to hide nature of recon.



Smoky Stoker -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 12:09:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi
Captains Log
4 OCT

Air groups at 100%
machinery at 100%
I judge moral to be good.


In the USN, the standard boilerplate was "Ready for sea in all respects." Did you ever get to read the bridge log(s) (or CIC log(s), which the IJN did not have) while you were in?



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 12:16:22 PM)

Hi Smokey
Aussie navy -I read the Enginering master Log most days, even at times added comments
ot to sight the captains log very occasionally, and found one from a de commissioned vessel in a museum.
Sometimes captains don't write a lot....sometimes far too much.
Most of the time.....who knows what they think.

last one I had did not give a stuff about his engineering plant, or its men, only that the ship went.
18 months in command, visited the spaces twice, once only because fleet engineer wanted to see the brocken boiler......



Smoky Stoker -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 11:12:54 PM)

Quite right, I should not assume that other ships did it the same as we did, never mind other navies.

On my last tour at sea, I made the bridge log entries on my watches. The Captain had lost interest because he was not going to be promoted again, and everything was run by the forceful and energetic XO, a mustang whose enlisted time had been as a Marine. He gave specific instructions on what should and should not be logged. The XO did not make captain, because very shortly after I left, he mistook the wife of a seaman for a prostitute and loudly and publicly reprimanded him for bringing her on base. The sailor punched him in the mouth and he then gave the sailor a beating. You can take the man out of the Corps, but....



kaleun -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/26/2012 11:17:44 PM)

[:D]



1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/28/2012 12:22:41 AM)

6 Oct 43

Great adventures often begin quietly
I believe, it has been said, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Today, in Palau anchorage, it begins with the raising of a single string of flags from Akagi's bridge.
Within moments, more flags are being raised in reply across the anchorage, and one would see men bend to a hundred voice tubes, and other men then hurry from bridges below.

Through out the fleet, doors will be knocked upon, and Captains stirred.
Broadcasts will sound , and men will be summoned.

And the words will flow down the chain
"raise steam, make all preparations to sail"

A frission of excitement will sweep the fleet.

A frission of excitement will sweep the fleet. Trite words maybe. But how to convey the truth of this, that from the Admiral down to the lowest sprayer puncher, a low powered electric charge will pass, men will shiver, hearts will beat faster.
They are going
Going at last.
And how could you not feel excited?
Look around you.
Nothing, absolutely nothing can fill a man with greater fighting confidence than this:, to see that he is part of a great host.
Japans fleet is one gigantic fist
Yamaguchi is not going to wait for the next enemy blow.
On this bright sunny day, the great mountains of steel stir, and the men smile, joke and banter.
At dusk tonight, they will be free of this place, and embarking on what Jpans Navy has not done for so long, engaging in offensive operations.




1275psi -> RE: The little ship that could. (7/28/2012 12:31:58 AM)

Hidaka joins Takeji on the bridge.
Dusk is falling, the men fading shadows, wisps of movement about the island that is the Captain.

"Are you ready Hidaka?'
'We are sir. all 9 bombers are spotted for ASW operations at first light"
"Good".
The Captain raises his glasses, focussing on the narrow entrance to the anchorage. Through it he can see fading into the dusk the low sleek shapes of the leading destroyers. Yamaguchi is sending 6 ahead of the fleet, another 8 in ASW packs.
"We will need them, I would think. 16 seperate submarines attacked today.........many I think twice. But I fear tonight could be traumatic." he lowers the binoculars, smiles. 'plenty of bigger targets than us though , yes?"

Yes, thinks Hidaka. yes. But we cannot hide here any longer.
Men are going to die on this Adventure. This he feels in his bones.
I will make a great many of them allied though, I swear it.............



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