Leandros -> RE: Saving MacArthur - Rookie AAR (5/24/2015 2:51:32 PM)
|
December 21st 1941 An enemy carrier TF has just popped up west of Zamboanga, 16 Kates attack Zamboanga harbor. AS Otus hit by 3 torps. Sinks. In a bombing attack on Manila harbor a Philippine PT is sunk. AK Munlock and AS Canopus are heavily damaged. Repeated bombing attacks on BB’s Haruna and Kongo through the day. No hits. Catalinas flying from Singapore hit AMC Saigon Maru in Kuching. In a second attack by 11 Kates on Zamboanga DD Thracan is torpedoed, heavy damage. PG Isabel sinks. 1 Claude destroyed by P-35’s. Wake is still in US hands in spite of continued attacks. AP Maori is sunk by enemy submarine south of Torres Strait. A convoy escorted by a number of PB’s is reported NW of Jolo Islands, heading SE. RA Purnell, in Ambon, is kept updated by the Dutch. The convoy is shadowed by Do-24’s flying out of Tarakan and Menado. Adm. Hart, in Darwin, is informed by Purnell. Through the day, Hart has been able to squeeze the Dutch and Aussie leadership to follow his recommendations, full support of the new US strategy. The alternative being a US down-scaling of their Far East involvement. The last part of the day is used to arrange for practical command lines and the allocation of Dutch and Anzac resources. Based on a preliminary agreement dispatched to the various parties RA Purnell in Ambon initiates a sea and air offensive for the night and next day against the suspected invasion convoy of Jolo Island and/or Zamboanga with their good airfields. If the enemy obtains a foothold on any of those places the Eastern Relief Route to Manila shall be effectively barred. Fortunately, the Jolo Island defense has presently been strengthened somewhat, hopefully in time. Before the day is over Purnell has been able to scrounge 101 serviceable bomber and scout planes from the various nations and bases for a next-day offensive against the suspected Jolo invasion force. This is later to be known, somewhat jokingly, as the “101-plane mission”. We shall see how it went. Purnell also plans for, and gets the allies’ cooperation, for a naval effort. Ships shall be brought forward into the Celebes Sea for a nightly raid north of Jolo Island, to hopefully catch the enemy invasion convoy or the CV TF. 1 CL, 5 four-stacker DD’s and 4 Dutch DD’s are immediately available. CL Adelaide is just south of Menado, heading north, and CA Australia is a day behind her. CA Canberra, CA Perth and DD voyager has just left Ambon. Looking at this disposition Purnell decides to recommend a day or two’s delay to get the Anzacs into the play before acting in a coordinated manner. In the meantime the bomber forces shall do their thing. That there is little fighter cover in Menado is a problem. What happened in Zamboanga shows that. Several ships are presently unloading fuel, supplies and the Gull and Sparrow Brigades in Menado, all quite vulnerable. The Dutch are requested to transfer the 3 Buffalos in Ambon to Menado. General MacArthur, nominally Brig.Gen. Barnes’ superior, instructs the Pensacola ships that carry army personnel, to proceed directly towards the PI without calling on Brisbane. He is obviously afraid of eventual uncontrollable delays that shall surface in Brisbane. “Time is of the Essence”. As the convoy is now in a relatively safe area, CA Pensacola is ordered to proceed north at best speed, leaving the convoy behind. NZ cruisers Leander and Achilles also separates from their convoy and speed northward. 10 B-17E’s are stranded in Pago Pago and Canton due to lack of fuel. Supply ships are arranged for. Fred
|
|
|
|