John 3rd -> January 28-30, 1942 (3/27/2012 4:08:23 PM)
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Combat Report January 28-30, 1942 This week is Spring break out here and so I have been busy. Took the family last weekend to Denver March Pow-Wow on Saturday, stayed in Denver, and went to the Butterfly Pavillion: VERY popular with 8 and 6 year-old children! With the boys home it is hard to get a sane, quiet moment to write! We're headed to Cheyenne on Thurs-Fri to see the Union Pacific train museum. That should be pretty cool! Busy times in the Pacific. North Pacific I sent a STF of 2 CL and 6 DD towards Dutch Harbor and get action! The TF runs into hapless DD Hatfield two hexes west of DH and sink it very quickly. They then move into the harbor and find BB Warspite and 4 DD. A close-range knife fight ensues with the CLs pounding the big boy with shells (No TORPS!) while the DDs sink the USS Kane and cripple another DD. For very little damage the TF gets away. Would lvoe to have placed a TT into Warspite but perhaps I can do that when she approaches Attu next time. Take Atka on the 29th. Central Pacific My small band of DDs should reach Christmas tomorrow. They have not been spotted by air search. South Pacific Take Koumac and La Foa, New Caledonia on the 28th. The Koumac victory is made sweeter by getting the 2nd Marine Defense Bn to surrender with the other two small units. Noumea is undefended and it will fall tomorrow. The 3 CVs of the KB don't see anything on the 28th, sink DD Parrott on the 29th, and move towards Suva on the 30th. Hit PM everyday. Landings: Have three small SNLF Coy working the area and they take Aitape, Tagula, Nadzab, and Rossel. Philippines The great sealift commences as four Japanese Inf Div are loading at Manila to head for Rabaul and then Noumea. The Mindanao garrison is lifted with 90th Inf Reg about the end the fight at Tarakan, 16th ID headed for Java, and the 65th Birgade is now loading to deal with the Central Philippines. Pull some Oscars and Sallys from Clark and begin the process of moving them to Rabaul. Need to buttress my aerial forces here until the 9th Air Fleet arrives from the Home Isles. Java Soerabaja will be attacked by 2nd ID tomorrow. Cocos has been quiet for the last couple of days. Have five CVs now at Batavia. Am resting Hiryu and Ryujo to let them take some Sys Dam off. DEI Take Jesselton, Tawau, and 45,75 (Sumatra). Burma The 55th crosses the river north of Moulmein and shall attack the 3 units defending that hex tomorrow. China Attack Wenchow again and get a 1-2 result. This place is proving to be a lot tougher then I planned. Move two more Inf Div to reinforce the attack. That should do it. Take hex 87,46 and inflict another 5,000 casualties on the Chinese. Sorry for the brevity of this report but wanted to make sure I got SOMETHING Posted while I had some peace and quiet. Strategy: I had the thought that since Lew is busy reinforcing Suva, I wonder if I should stage a DIVERSION by landing there with my two Inf Brigades to draw more US Troops and reinforcement up there while I plan for the Australia Campaign? Would it be worth it to do this? Those units were/are earmarked to help the China Inf Div at Rabaul with the Cairns Landing. Could pretty much assume that they will get trashed if sent to the Suva area...
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