Remington700 -> RE: Allied: June 3rd 1945 (9/7/2021 10:36:01 PM)
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Convoy Attacks Task Force 58 tears up Japanese convoys in the Sea of Japan. Eight Merchant Marine units are destroyed virtually assuring convoy traffic will be suspended in the area. Rather than continue with their patrol the taskforce receives new orders. They are to immediately build steam and return to the Pacific Ocean. Hokkaido Operation Downfall begins! The long-awaited invasion of the Japanese home islands will soon begin with the assault on Hokkaido Island. Spies in Japan send word of a sighting of a group of Japanese ships hidden in a cove on the north coast of the island. This is probably nothing more than a diversion however rather than send in an invasion force blind, Task Force 58 is sent in to seek and destroy the enemy vessels. Arriving offshore of Kushiro the enemy fleet is spotted and a massive wave of TBFs and Helldivers are launched, supported by F6F Hellcats. Enemy planes have already been launched and are intercepted on their way to the US carriers. Three enemy SPs are shot down and a fourth is taken out by Akk-Akk well short of any friendly capital ships. Reaching the enemy, the SB2Cs swarm their carriers, diving at 70-degree angles ripping apart flight decks and conning towers. The CVL Hosho takes multiple hits and immediately sinks. The CVL Shoho also takes damage but manages to keep under power breaking off from the group. TBF Avengers isolate the heavy cruiser Tone which does not stand a chance. Hit by multiple torpedoes the ship is broken apart and sinks. Surprise was complete and the ensuing attack viscous. The remaining enemy ships flee to the northwest trying to slip through the La Perouse Strait separating Hokkaido and Sakhalin. After receiving reports of the battle, intelligence agents relay valuable information as to time, direction and location of the enemy fleet. Now is the time to end this menace to the sea. The British Pacific Fleet arrives before the enemy can escape. British bombers target the heavy cruiser Furutaka and sink her. However the CVL Chiyoda and a heavy cruiser are able to slip away. Three US carriers of Task Force 58.2 off Sapporo launch planes searching for the enemy. Spotting the Chiyoda, they swoop in unabated and sink the carrier. The heavy cruiser Aoba along with the damaged CVL Shoho slip through the Strait into the Sea of Japan. British bombers from Task Force 57 off the northeast coast of Honshu find the fleeing ships and inflict heavy damage to the Aoba. However, the ship remains under power and continues deeper into the open water. At the end of their range, the British planes must return to their carriers. The mighty Japanese navy has finally been destroyed! What few ships remain will be of no threat going forward. The invasion fleet with loaded transports arrive on both sides of Hokkaido carrying an infantry corps and two marine divisions. Preparations are underway to put the units ashore to secure the island. [image]local://upfiles/80250/8C8679E52F0E422BA9081250455FC936.png[/image]
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