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wobbly -> (11/5/2003 2:05:04 AM)
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A very eventful day, the battle being fort over an extended area of land and sea from PM to the reefs outside GG.
Despite the weather many of my strike missions manage to launch and find targets. Most importantly for me is the fact Scott reacts to the invasion at GG and makes it in time to add to the attacks the ACs have caused (they actually target the invasion forces today!)
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 11/07/42
Weather: Thunderstorms
Sub attack near Gili Gili at 17,42
Japanese Ships
DD Onami
DD Minegumo
Allied Ships
SS Drum, Shell hits 1, on fire
It's the Minegumo - that d@mn ship has put more of my subs on the bottom than any of his other ships. My terrible luck with my subs continues. Drum is not dead, and being so close to GG she should make it and (as long as I hold the place) be fit to return to Noumea and then Pearl.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Gili Gili at 17,42
Japanese Ships
CA Atago
CA Myoko, Shell hits 2
CA Haguro
CL Tatsuta
DD Onami
DD Hayanami
DD Asashio
DD Minegumo
DD Shikinami
DD Uzuki
DD Fumizuki
DD Nagatsuki
Allied Ships
DD Jarvis, Shell hits 33, and is sunk
I left the Jarvis in the hope I could catch the transport TF undefended, herbie-san sees through this, sending his heavy steel into GG harbour to bombard. On the way the do away with the hapless Jarvis.
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Naval bombardment of Gili Gili, at 17,42
Allied aircraft
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk x 1 destroyed
Japanese Ships
DD Asashio, Shell hits 1
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 24
Everything is fixed by morning.
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Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42
Allied aircraft
TBF Avenger x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 8
Allied aircraft losses
TBF Avenger x 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Hakusan Maru
AP Florida Maru
AP Hikade Maru
AP Heito Maru
The Avengers have suddenly established a case of "no detonators work". Four little puffs of smoke appear but no explosions.
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Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
SBD Dauntless x 37
PBY Catalina x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 42
P-40E Kittyhawk x 8
P-40E Warhawk x 15
no losses
Japanese Ships
DD Hokaze, Shell hits 32, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hibiki, Shell hits 28, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Minazuki, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shiokaze, Shell hits 20, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 184
At first opportunity my airforces will always target the surface units: in this case an FT mission bringing still more units to the battlefield at GG. All are sunk
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Air attack on TF at 19,45
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 17
no losses
Japanese Ships
DD Shiranui, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
One of the victims oif yesterdays attacks - she also sinks.
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Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 35
P-39D Airacobra x 3
no losses
Japanese Ships
AP Heito Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Argentina Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Hikade Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Hakusan Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Canberra Maru
AP Hino Maru #3, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 29
At last some of my bombers decide the trasnport TF is a worthwhile target - I don't sink many of the men though!
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Air attack on TF at 20,45
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 24
TBF Avenger x 9
P-39D Airacobra x 18
P-40E Kittyhawk x 8
P-40E Warhawk x 13
no losses
Japanese Ships
CA Kumano, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Maikaze, on fire, heavy damage
Kumano - still retreating is hit by another torp. I don't know how she fares but I have a sub in her way for another crack. The Maikase sinks from wounds received in the last battle
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Sub attack near Gili Gili at 17,42
Japanese Ships
AG 112, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS Drum, heavy damage
She is just asking for trouble!
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Day Time Surface Combat at 0,0
Japanese Ships
AG 105, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
AG 107, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CLAA San Diego
CL Boise
DD O'Bannon
DD Swanson
DD Buchanan
DD Lardner
DD Barton
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD Dunlap
DD Tucker
DD Porter
DMS Southard
Scott arrives on the scene having pushed his hodge podge armada from Townsville at full speed. This is small fry stuff
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Day Time Surface Combat at 0,0
Japanese Ships
AG 110, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
AG 111, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
AG 113, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CLAA San Diego
CL Boise
DD O'Bannon
DD Swanson
DD Buchanan
DD Lardner
DD Barton
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD Dunlap
DD Tucker
DD Porter
DMS Southard
Talk about save the ammo - 1 shell each should do it!
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Day Time Surface Combat, near Gili Gili at 17,42
Japanese Ships
AP Argentina Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Arimasan Maru, Shell hits 35, on fire, heavy damage
AP Arizona Maru
AP Canberra Maru, Shell hits 2
AP Florida Maru
AP Hakusan Maru, on fire
AP Heito Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hikade Maru, Shell hits 33, and is sunk
AP Hino Maru #3, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CLAA San Diego
CL Boise
DD O'Bannon
DD Swanson
DD Buchanan
DD Lardner
DD Barton
DD Hammann
DD Russell
DD Dunlap
DD Tucker
DD Porter
DMS Southard
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 171
The transport TF at last has to do it tough. The 2 ships hit in this attack sink.
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Ground combat at Port Moresby
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 24973 troops, 331 guns, 8 vehicles
Defending force 11875 troops, 92 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 149
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 172
Guns lost 1
Herbie-san is really trying to break me out of my hole now. The invasion TF holding the 6th Division is ordered to land its men. They should be unloaded in time to welcome the Aussies travelling across from Buna. I hope he can't get 2-1 in that time.
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Ground combat at Gili Gili
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 545 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 10996 troops, 148 guns, 0 vehicles
A sizable increase in troops in GG - the navy and airforce must have whittled them down and I wonder how much in the way of supply is getting off to feed and arm this increased component. Importantly Herbie-san HAS included engineers in the mix: I can't rely on my fortress.
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Lee will also make GG tonight, so if Herbie-san turns his 2 cruisers around they will meet more than he will have bargained for - still only 1 cruiser to 2 but I don't feel so outnumbered now the Airforce has whittle his usable numbers down.
The land based naval pilots are all set up to fly again, I have changed the amount of CAP however, I don't want Herbie turning on his 2E bombers and torpedoing my scant surface force.
The 2 transport tfs in the east have finished unloading and now begin loading the troops I want to return to Noumea. I notice the Mogami, alone, racing to the area. It may look like invasion to Herb but this isn't my intention - yet. Even so, his single cruiser could make a horrible mess of my priceless transport ships with their valuable cargo. I will watch her movements and try and judge if I can finish my loading and scarper before it becomes an issue.
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