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FeurerKrieg -> Action EVERYWHERE! War Report 4/7/42 (11/30/2006 10:27:50 AM)
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Wow, what a day.
War Report 4/7/42
Standard airstrikes across China/Burma, of course.
The main event for today was a nighttime running surface engagement near Palembang. The British were back, showing up with two Battlecruisers and escorts. Not sure if they expected to meet resistance or not, but the Kongo, Mogami, Takao and escorts were ready for the challenge.
[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/kongo.jpg[/image] [image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/royalsovereign.jpg[/image] Kongo (top) versus Royal Sovereign.
The British task group came from the east and then moved in closer to the coast. The Kongo group moved out to attack from the west, but the British detected them early, firing off starshells to gauge the targets. The Japanese cruisers and destroyers fired off a full spread of torpedoes, every ship in the group fired. Unfortunately none of them connected. In return the British launched a couple torpedoes, one of which found the Kongo. Flames started aboard the Kongo and immediately the British took the advantage, pounding the Kongo with nearly a dozen 15in shells from the Royal Sovereign. Warspite was further to the east and not in position to attack at this point in the evening.
While the British concentrated their fire on the Kongo, the cruisers and destroyers moved east to seek shelter in the dark. As they did so, they fired off numerous torpedos and kept their guns blazing. Several 8inch shells hit the Royal Sovereign, but could not penetrate the ships armor, even at 2000 yards. One torpedo caught the DD Palading, and several primary and secondary shells hit the DD's Paladin, Napier, Electra, and the CLAA Columbo.
The Kongo was developing a heavy list and had ceased firing when the first torpedo hit. It attempted to turn about and head for the harbor. The British pursued west and hit the Kongo repeatedly with the big 15in shells, until finally the big ship was driven under.
As the Kongo was being sunk, the Paladina and Napier lost their struggles with fires and floods and went under also. The Japanese task force was out of range to the east, and the British began to head northwest, presumably to check the channel for targets.
The commander of the Japanese group now knew he was severly outgunned, two Battlecruisers against two heavy cruisers. However, in true samurai style, he turned to the northwest and headed for the British. As the British looked for targets to the north, ahead of them, they did not detect the cruisers coming up from the southeast. They took a large sweep across towards Muntok, and then headed southeast when they were caught off guard by the Mogami, Takao and their escorts.
Again, the cruisers fired off many torpedoes, but at the shorter range, many more of them hit. The Royal Sovereign took 3 torpedoes immediately and was dead in the water. The Columbo took a torpedo that lit it up as well. The DD Electra, already on fire from earlier, was an easy target and took many 5 & 8inch shells until it sunk. The destroyers ran in for more torpedo shots and managed to hit the Royal Sovereign again, and also put one into the Warspite which had by now moved into range. The fourth torpedo was too much for the Sovereign and it went under. The cruisers and detroyers steamed at full speed to the west to get away from the Warspite before it could get a good fix on them, while the DD Shirayuki and DD Hatsuyuki, slowed from damage, turned north to head for Singers. The Shirayuki sunk before dawn however.
[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/surface7.jpg[/image]
The 2nd Battle of Palembang.
2nd Battle of Palembang (1st was the battle with the Ashigara)
BB Kongo, CA Takao, CA Mogami and 6 Destroyers
vs
BB Warspire, BB Royal Sovereign, CLAA Columbo, and 3 Destroyers
Results:
Japan: 1 BB Sunk, 1 DD heavily damaged. 1 DD sunk.
British: 1 BB Sunk, 1 BB damaged (torpedo), 1 CLAA heavily damaged, 3 DD sunk.
While this battle raged in the approaches, on the coastline, transports continued to unload troops and supplies for the land battle.
South of Borneo, the SS Sealion attacked the AK Dainiti Maru on the surface with its deck gun, landing a hit with the 4incher. However, the AK did managed to drive the sub off with a hit from its 3inch gun.
[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/sealion.jpg[/image] Sub attack near Balikpapan.
Feurer Krieg Area Report
As if the surface battle in Sumatra wasn't enough, a US carrier launched a raid against Wake Island! In the morning, Liberators attacked as they have been the last few days, but today Oscars were on hand to meet them. The first strike got by easily enough, but the second Liberator attack was turned away due to damage inflicted by the Oscars. Later in the day, a large group of SBD Dauntlesses attacked from the northeast. While only one was shot down bythe Oscars, the strike was made less effective by the CAP. Flak brought down two more SBDs. The SBD hit both the airfield and a couple ships at the port. A small Wa class MSW and a cargo ship. Both were hit with 1000lb bombs and scuttled.
[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/wake2.jpg[/image] SBD's attack Wake Island.
On New Caledonia, things were no less surprising. As the 38th moved took positions outside the main base at Noumea, Catalina transports were spotted taking off to the north. A short time later, reports of American paratroops floating down onto Koumac base were heard! The two base forces there easily withstood the assault, and now those Marines are cut off from supplies. Also, recon shows a rising troops count at Noumea, so it is clear that the Allies have drawn a line in the sand here. No LBA attacks today though.
Normanby Island was checked and secured by a small SNLF contingent today as well.
Sub Ops:
The sub fleet was on its toes also today, scoring 4 hits, and one big kill in various action.
The RO-61 added to its kill scores with an assist when it found the damaged CA Canberra near Milne Bay, as expected. It manage to put a torpedo into the cruiser, causing the ship to lose what little hold it had on its damage control. It sunk rapidly.[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/canberraattack.jpg[/image] The RO-61 finishes off the heavy cruiser Canberra.
The RO-34, near Noumea, caught a convoy of reinforcements heading into the port and managed to hit a cargo ship carrying troops and supplies. Although not sunk, the cargo certainly took some damage.
The I-174, was the first sub of the war to claim to hits in one night, as it patroled the retreat route of the ships hit at Milne Bay. It put one torpedo into each of the AK's Empire Hartebeeste and Kwangtung. The I-174 did take some light damage from the escorts DC's, but it will stay on station for now.
The subs have all been ordered to continue to track with the damage ships as they head for Australia.
[image]http://bfeurer.home.comcast.net/sopacsubs.jpg[/image] Sub activity for 4/7/42.
Non-Ops Air Losses
Allies
SBD Dauntless - 3
Walrus - 1 (On the Canberra?)
Imperial Air Force
Ki-43-Ib - 3
Ki-46-II Dinah - 1
F1M2 Pete - 1 (On the Kongo)
At-Risk Damaged Ship Report
AP Shinko Maru 52/72/0 (Balikpapan)
PC CH32 41/37/0 (Balikpapan)
AP Matsukawa Maru 44/61/0 (Balikpapan)
BB Hyuga 27/34/1 (Balikpapan)
BB Mutsu 48/35/5 (Balikpapan)
AK Dainiti Maru 29/6/12 (Balikpapan)
AP Tacoma Maru 42/52/0 (Koumac)
AP Gyoko Maru 80/77/0 (Koumac)
AK Kinugasa Maru 36/8/0 (Koumac)
AP Ume Maru 23/10/0 (Kagoshima)
DD Hatsuyuki 70/44/25 (Palembang)
DD Akatsuki 32/4/16 (Palembang)
SS I-174 12/8/0 (Gili Gili)
Ships sunk today:
MSW Wa2 - Scuttled at Wake
AK Delagoa Maru - Scuttled at Wake
BB Kongo - Lost at Palembang
DD Shirayuki - Lost at Palembang
AP Atsuta Maru (Koumac)
The following made it back to Rabaul today:
DD Urakaze (Koumac), may still sink - at 92 flood.
CL Kashima (Koumac)
AP Tsuruga Maru (Koumac)
AP Seattle Maru (Koumac)
[image]local://upfiles/17027/1593BA1169374EEBB48CB10342DA1E9E.jpg[/image]
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