tocaff
Posts: 4781
Joined: 10/12/2006 From: USA now in Brasil Status: offline
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November 27, 1943 Wake Island Intel 4th AF Construction Battalion is located at Medan. 56th Brigade is planning for an attack on Madras. 217056 men are based at Ominato. 11th Ind. Brigade is located at Ichang. 15th Mixed Brigade is located at Ichang. 37th Division is located at Truk. 13th Army is planning for an attack on Chungking. 6th Ind. Brigade is planning for an attack on Chungking. 14th Naval Construction Battalion is located at Osaka/Kobe. 5th Air Fleet is located at Tokyo. 2nd Army is located at Truk. Recon F-5C Lightning takes recon photos of Bangkok 1 fighter, 3 aux, 4 X AP, 2 LCUs 5000/53/0 PBM Mariner takes recon photos of Bulla vacant PBY Catalina takes recon photos of Lunga 18 LCUs 25220/121/0 F-5A Lightning takes recon photos of Lautem 57 fighters, 76 bombers, 136 aux, 28 LCUs F-5A Lightning takes recon photos of Port Moresby 30 fighters, 36 aux, 24 LCUs Combat The SS Grampus, about 27 miles W of Buka, saw 4 PGs and a PC approaching on her radar and set the trap. When the would be hunters presented themselves a PC was struck by a torpedo. It was assumed that given the small size of the victim that she should be in sinking condition, but the arrival of 2 tin cans, a PG and 2 PCs prevented confirmation and the Grampus underwent a depth charging that rattled her pretty good. The men listened intently as first they were hit by the shock wave of the exploding depth charge, which sounded like a hammer hitting the hull. Then a second or two later they were hit by the sound wave. This was louder and sounded like a WHAM. If you hear both you're OK as the first didn't open the hull. If you hear both together, it's all over. The closer the second sound to the first, the closer the depth charge is to the boat. The advantage that the US subs have is that Japanese depth charges are smaller than the American ones, though still lethal. The biggest fault with the Japanese depth charges is that they have only 2 settings. One is for about 40 ft and the other closer to 200 feet. This enables US subs to dive deep and avoid being killed, unless they're in shallow waters, as even the older boats can dive to about 300 feet. Pagan was targeted by 44 X B-25J and they did light damage to the base, though they did report a large secondary explosion. All of the planes retired undamaged. Mandalay was bombed by 120 X Liberator VI, 8 X Spitfire VIII and 22 X P-38G. No planes were damaged in the attack that caused heavy damage to the base, numerous secondary explosions and heavy casualties. Myitkyina underwent an air raid from 25 X B-24J, of which 4 were damaged by flak. The bombers did light damage, caused some secondary explosions and inflicted light casualties on the troops. Kai Island was raided by 29 X Helen and light damage was done to the airfield and there were light casualties among the troops. It is expected that very shortly there will be fighters stationed at the base for it's protection. Lautem had a CAP up of 9 X George, and 29 X Jack when a fighter sweep comprised of 47 X P-38J pounced on the Japanese aircraft. The Lightnings made their slashing attack and then retired after having downed 7 X George and 7 X Jack at the cost of 6 P-38Gs and 2 others damaged. The 6th Chinese Air Base Force was bombed by 10 X Helen and the unit suffered light casualties. The Chinese troops are strung out in open country, suffering from hunger and desertions are running higher than the casualties of the pinprick air raids. Morale is in the toilet and nobody seems to care as the commanders have melted away leaving the lower level officers to do what they can. The generals seemed to have taken what little food was remaining also. Kwajalein was attacked by 85 X SBD, 45 X TBF, 36 X TBM and 15 X F6F. Except for the AA fire, which was moderate and accurate there was no Japanese opposition. 2 X SBD went down (9 damaged), 4 X TBF were damaged and a TBM was also damaged in the attack which caused light damage to the airfield, moderate damage to the port, many secondary explosions, heavy casualties to the troops and an AG was sunk at the port. Ground combat at Eniwetok witnessed the Americans overrunning the Japanese positions while sustaining very light losses, the Japanese had extremely heavy casualties. Only 6 POWs were taken and 5 of them were wounded. The island has been declared cleared of the enemy. Sam and his pals can't believe that the island was declared secured to quickly. “I guess 2 divisions was enough,” laughs one of the men. Another agrees and adds that there weren't that many Japanese and it still took a few days to root them all out. The first man replied, “I hope the tough nuts are going to be reserves for those crazy Marines. They're the tough guys.” Others silently ponder this and Sam wonders if they'll now be able to get some rest back at Hawaii. A convoy is ready to sail from Wake for Eniwetok with a RCT and many support units to establish a base and enable the assault troops to leave. The USN's CVs will continue to loiter in the area supplying air cover until the shipping has all departed and the airfield is functional and fully staffed. Gil took a test today. The problem was correcting a problem with the radio given only what's normally on board a B-29. He managed to cheat by having a bag of some spare tubes with him that he smuggled onto the plane. The instructor admonished him and Gil replied, “I plan on having this bag of tubes with me whenever I fly so if it's cheating then I'm guilty as charged. Is being prepared for as much as possible a bad thing?” The instructor smiles and passes him. Stick hears some scuttlebutt about the taking of Eniwetok and wonders if that's the cause of so many troops departing from Wake. The CAP duty affords him an eagle eye view of an increase in shipping activity, if that was possible. Things seem to be increasing in tempo and more planes are supposed to fly in today. His squadron was told to expect them and to double check any approaching planes from a certain heading before getting trigger happy. A small formation of PB4Ys arrives during Stick's time in the air and then as his fuel is getting low his flight is relieved and he returns to the airstrip. Hot a sweaty he walks back to his tent when a rain begins to fall. He breaks into a run, arrives at his tent, strips, grabs a bar of soap and runs outside. Many men are doing the same and he lathers up. Before he's done rinsing himself off the rain stops. This is the usual problem with using the rains for a shower. Victory Points Japanese 26988 Allied 17325
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