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Mike Solli -> RE: Logistics in the Pacific - USSAmerica (A), Mike (J) (10/25/2021 1:44:03 AM)
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14 Dec 41
Sub War
The I-157 drew first blood putting a torpedo into TK Iris south of Kendari. She’s only a little tanker, but every one helps at the beginning of the war. I heard sinking sounds immediately after the attack.
The Dutch quickly retaliated. KX put a torpedo into Chokai’s tough old hide. Her damage isn’t bad at 19-22(16)-1-0. She’s headed to the barn for repairs.
Not to be out done, the S-36 put a torpedo into the big Yusen-N Keisyo Maru. She was part of the 56 Division TF. She unfortunately went down later in the day.
5 Fleet
The Adak invasion force is 2 days out. I see no US activity other than a couple of small craft (YP or AM) at Dutch Harbor. The DDs escorting the invasion TF may be detached to check out Dutch Harbor should the invasion go smoothly.
4 Fleet
Another shock attack at Guam was unsuccessful. The I/33 regiment isn’t taking any losses, but they are getting disrupted. I’m going to rest them and send an SNLF company to show them how to do it. I’m not really in any hurry here, but this is getting ridiculous. I thought these guys were good?!
Wake Island finally fell. I’m sending a little AS and some engineers to build forts.
SE Fleet
Kavieng was liberated pushing the Aussie rabble out. Some AS and engineers are on their way.
The Shortlands Island assault force (II/66 Naval Guard and an AS unit) escorted by 4 Aobas will land tomorrow. They are unspotted.
Rabaul’s invasion force (144 Regiment and 15 Base Force) will land in 3 days. They are being escorted by Mutsu and Yamashiro.
Kavieng invasion force will land a day or two after Rabaul’s invasion.
Finschafen and Buna have small invasion forces leaving Babeldaob.
Port Moresby’s invasion force (4 Division) is a week out.
Finally, KB is about 6 days out from scouring the area of any shipping foolish enough to attempt to disrupt our liberation forces.
The 23 Air Flotilla is allocated to this AO. Their Betties are resting at Truk. Zeros will arrive tomorrow and some Babs will arrive the day after.
5 Air Division is also allocated, but won’t leave Luzon AO until they’re no longer needed there. (That means the fighters will leave when the US planes are gone one way or another but most of the bombers will stay until Bataan falls.)
SRA
Luzon: Zeros swept Bataan today in another attempt to deplete the US fighters in Luzon. It was a bit painful. Seven enemy fighters were destroyed for a loss of 4 Zeros. I still see 24 Allied fighters between Manila and Clark Field. When will they finally be destroyed?
The Allied frontline is shrinking. Lucena flipped to Japanese control, Naga was liberated and Batangas will be taken tomorrow. That will complete the liberation of the southern peninsula. The bases still controlled by the Americans is now Manila (5 units), Clark Field (11 units with some moving toward Bataan) and Bataan (19 units). Iba is till US controlled, but there are no enemy units there so it may flip before I land a unit there to take it. There are still 4 US controlled bases in the north, but they are cut off and will soon be taken by the Japanese.
Mindanao: Two DDs, attempting to hunt down Allied shipping, instead found 6 US PT boats, sinking 3 of them.
The Claudes swept Cagayan’s airfield again hitting no planes. The bombers have been withdrawn. The two tank regiments will reach Cagayan in a couple of days then attack the rabble there.
The Dutch Air Force is beginning to come into play. SW of Mindanao, 4 139WH-3s went after a small surface force but were intercepted by 4 Zeros and a Claude from the SRA Carrier Group (Kaga and Ryujo, soon to be increased by Zuiho and Hosho). Three bombers were shot down and the remaining one fled.
Malaya: There were Nells still on night airfield attack of Singapore. They’ve been pretty ineffective, so I stopped it for the future. Anyway, it was just an interim attack until I could neutralize the Buffalos and start day bombing with 3 Air Division, which began today.
Sweeps were made against Georgetown and Singapore to clean up the last few remaining enemy fighters. Only one Buffalo rose over Georgetown and was damaged by the sweeping Nates. Seven rose over Singapore. Two were shot down and the remaining were damaged. I see no fighters at either base, but I will continue to sweep until no Buffalos rise.
Singapore was hit in daylight by 63 Sallies, all going after the airfield, which was targeted for two reasons. First, I want to destroy/damage planes on the ground. Second, I want lasting airfield damage so no more forts can be built. The attack was successful on both counts, costing 2 Sallies to flak. The current airfield damage is 28 and a Buffalo, Hudson, Blenheim and S.19 were destroyed on the ground with an additional 3 Buffalos damaged. I’ll work on the airfield some more tomorrow.
I see no fighters at either base, and 5 bombers at Georgetown and 2 dozen bombers and a dozen auxiliary aircraft at Singapore. I expect Mike to withdraw whatever he can tomorrow. I hope he doesn’t so I can kill more.
On the ground, a Naval Guard reached Malacca and will take it tomorrow. I am on going to drop paratroops Temuloh in two days. That will clear the rail line to Johore Bahru. The only thing left will be to clear the rabble that fled from Kota Bharu (8 Indian Brigade and FMSV Brigade), which should happen in a few days. Then IG Division will be able to rail all the way to Johore Bahru instead of marching. I’m bombing those units daily, which is damaging a lot of the squads.
At Singkawang, a few Hudson attacks (15 planes total) out of Singapore went after a supply TF losing 3 to Zeros and one to flak. The few who stuck it out missed.
Burma
Nothing yet. The AVG is still at Rangoon.
China
I sent a force out of Ichang into the clear hex to the SW and trashed the Chinese corps there pushing it down the road.
Two Japanese divisions trashed 2 Chinese corps just west of Changsha. They fled to Changsha.
My early goals in China are to trash anything I can without destroying them while I maneuver in an attempt to surround as many Chinese as I can.
Other Stuff
I shut off 200 merchant shipyards. There are currently 1,916 points in the pool and it increased by over 200 today. Not sure what I’ll accelerate. I’ll look at that tomorrow.
The CVE Shinyo is accelerated and I may accelerate another one. Maybe Unyo? She would come late March, early April 1942. *Shrug*
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