wneumann
Posts: 3768
Joined: 11/1/2005 From: just beyond the outskirts of Margaritaville Status: offline
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Summary of Operations 4/25 - 4/26/42 First dateline, San Francisco... A TF of six submarines arrived here from the Philippines transporting elements of 120 USN Base Force that were evacuated before the fall of (wherever they came from) to Japanese forces. A seventh U.S. sub is still enroute with another small detachment of 120 Base Force. The unit was reassigned to HQ South Pacific and is to be rebuilt in the U.S. The subs are going in to repair light system damage (5-15 range) and then undergo 4/42 upgrades. The first batch of DD's have completed 4/42 upgrades and are now being attached to carrier TF's. They are replacing DD's in these TF that will now go in for their 4/42 upgrades. Another Jap submarine caught by ASW forces about 800 miles off San Francisco - AAR follows. The I-172 only took 13 "flesh wounds" and last reported still afloat - with a lot of luck it's crew might get back to Tokyo for extended shore leave. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack at 131,53 Japanese Ships SS I-172, hits 13 Allied Ships DD Talbot MSW Pelican DD Kennison DD Schley DD Chew DD Litchfield ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ South Pacific: Two Jap LCU's (probably engineers) occupy Ndeni. Appears that Pillager's next move is on Noumea and Luganville. A light Japanese surface combat TF is operating in this area and intercepted a TF of three Allied ML northeast of Noumea - one ML sunk, one critically damaged (expected to sink), the third ML is continuing to its objective (Luganville) undamaged. AAR follows. Minelaying operations have been underway for several weeks and a substantial number of mines await the Japs in Efate and Luganville. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat at 67,113 Japanese Ships CL Natori CL Kinu DD Satsuki DD Minazuki DD Fumizuki DD Nagatsuki DD Harukaze DD Sawakaze Allied Ships DM Stronghold, Shell hits 16, on fire, heavy damage DM Thracian ML Kung Wo, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ There are no Allied LCU's are defending either Luganville or Efate - this due to the general shortage of ground combat units in the ANZAC area which pretty much dictates these forces are deployed as a priority to defend the east coast of Australia and New Zealand itself rather than forward bases. A NZ Infantry Brigade had been garrisoning Noumea but has been pulled back to Auckland since the fall of Suva. Needless to say, the Japanese push deep into the South Pacific will factor into future Allied offensive plans. Hopefully in a way that will not be to Pillager's liking. Australia: A (unidentified as of now) Japanese LCU is reported south of Wyndham, looks like an overland move in the works to outflank Darwin. Just from my own ground movement along the Katherine-Wyndham road, Pillager will find this march slow going. And I have LCU's in front of him. Otherwise, air bombing continues at Darwin. The last three U.S. submarines operating from Darwin are leaving Darwin after refuelling for the last time. They will be proceeding to Townsville, from there to the U.S. for repairs (12-15 system damage each) and 4/42 upgrades. The subs were based in Manila before moving south and had been engaged mostly in submarine transport operations to evacuate LCU elements from bases in the Philippines and DEI. Their final sortie from Darwin was to evacuate remnants of Makassar Garrison Bn from Pinrang (Celebes) which is still in Allied hands (though with no supply or fuel on hand there). Philippines: Ormoc and Roxas captured by the Japanese on 4/25 in mop-up operations. AAR's follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ormoc Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 9453 troops, 29 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 170 65th Infantry Brigade Defending force 658 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 19 93rd Reserve Rgt Japanese max assault: 150 - adjusted assault: 290 Allied max defense: 14 - adjusted defense: 1 Japanese assault odds: 290 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Ormoc base !!! Allied ground losses: 1281 casualties reported (93rd Regiment eliminated) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Roxas Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 9457 troops, 60 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 285 56th Infantry Division Defending force 1002 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 24 61st Reserve Division, 11 PAF Air Base Force Japanese max assault: 222 - adjusted assault: 105 Allied max defense: 19 - adjusted defense: 1 Japanese assault odds: 105 to 1 (fort level 0) Japanese forces CAPTURE Roxas base !!! Japanese ground losses: 19 casualties reported Allied ground losses: 1569 casualties reported (Both units eliminated) ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ China: The Battle of Hex 48,31 drags on. AAR's follow. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 48,31 (4/25/42) Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 110815 troops, 383 guns, 124 vehicles, Assault Value = 1504 26th, 32nd, 35th, 37th, 41st & 59th Infantry Divisions; 13 & 15 Tank Rgts, 6 FA Rgt; 5 & 13 Independent Brigades, 15 Mixed Brig Defending force 21815 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 358 9th, 13th, 12th, 76th & 84th Chinese Corps Japanese max assault: 1440 - adjusted assault: 1440 Allied max defense: 205 - adjusted defense: 13 Japanese assault odds: 110 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 480 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Vehicles lost 1 Allied ground losses: 3713 casualties reported (76th Chinese Corps eliminated) Guns lost 18 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at 48,31 (4/26/42) Japanese Deliberate attack Attacking force 111112 troops, 383 guns, 127 vehicles, Assault Value = 1523 26th, 32nd, 35th, 37th, 41st & 59th Infantry Divisions; 13 & 15 Tank Rgts, 6 FA Rgt; 5 & 13 Independent Brigades, 15 Mixed Brig Defending force 18322 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 306 9th, 13th, 12th & 84th Chinese Corps Japanese max assault: 1477 - adjusted assault: 1858 Allied max defense: 175 - adjusted defense: 17 Japanese assault odds: 109 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 746 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Vehicles lost 3 Allied ground losses: 1157 casualties reported --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All other sectors quiet - no significant activity to report.
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