SierraJuliet
Posts: 2319
Joined: 2/23/2009 From: Brisbane, Australia Status: offline
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01 January 1942 Malaya Air: A sweep of Mersing by 19 Oscar bags the 2 Buffalo sent up as CAP. A sweep of Singapore by 15 Zero brings down 2 of the 4 Buffalo doing CAP duties. A further sweep by another 21 Zero finds 2 Buffalo on patrol and claims 1 as destroyed. 15 Nell attack Malacca and cause 53 casualties and 2 guns lost to SSVF Brigade. 16 more Nell also target SSVF Brigade and cause a further 37 casualties and 1 gun lost. Land: Allied troops at Malacca are bombarded and lose 99 casualties and 4 guns lost. China Land: Land bombardment at Changsa causes 160 casualties and 1 gun lost. Air: At Changsa 44th Chinese Corps is hit by 8 Ann and suffers 22 casualties. 3 I-16c defends but causes no damage to the attacking Japanese. Bombardment attack south of Canton results in 9 casualties and 2 guns lost for the Japanese and 111 casualties and 3 guns lost for the Chinese. Philippines Air: At Clark Field 56 Betty target 71st PA Division and cause 82 casualties and 2 guns lost. Land: Troops are ashore at Taytay. South East Pacific Air: At Rabaul No. 101 RAAF Base Force is targeted by 18 Nell out of Truk which cause 20 casualties and 1 gun lost. Sea: Bombardment attack at Rabaul by CAs Kako, Furutaka, Kinugasa and Aoba causes 126 casualties, 2 guns lost, 4 airbase hits, 1 airbase supply hit, 7 runway hits, 1 port fuel hit and 2 port supply hits. The day time bombardment causes 48 casualties, 1 gun lost, 1 runway hit, 1 port hit, 3 port fuel hits and 2 port supply hits. Land: Troops are shore at Apamama and the undefended base falls. At Rabaul Japanese troops execute a shock attack and storm the base. Rabaul falls for the loss of 140 casualties and 2 guns lost. The allied forces retreat after suffering 76 casualties and 1 gun lost. Subs My plan to wreak havoc on the incoming American shipping at Pearl comes to naught and another loss. This time SS I-170 is absolutely walloped with 20 hits from DMS Southard and DDs Allen, Ward, Litchfield and Schley. The message reporting her sinking came as no surprise. SS I-4 finds a juicy convoy containing 3 AK, 2 AP, 3 TK and 1 AO, however, runs afoul of the escort containing AVD Williamson and DDs Humphreys, Brooks, Kilty, Crane, Kennison and Crosby. Without getting a shot in she is hit 5 times then avoids further attack and sneaks off to lick her wounds which stand at 15 01 00. SS KXVII locates near Kuantan AK Boston Maru and hits her with 1 shell and 3 fatal torpedoes. Naval Losses for the Day SS I-170, AK Boston Maru Comments I had hoped for something from all the subs north of Pearl. Seems to me that 2 lost subs for 1 reported hit is way too high a price to pay. The fall of Rabaul will allow me to base fighters and bombers out of this base in the near future. An invasion force is bound for Lae. Further forces are enroute to deal with the allied forces that retreated from Rabaul. Japanese eyes are turning toward the logistics of mounting an attack on Port Moresby.
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Kido Butai, although powerful, was a raiding force, and this is exactly how the Japanese understood its usage. 'Shattered Sword'
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