John 3rd
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Joined: 9/8/2005
From: La Salle, Colorado
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It is late-February 1942 and the first major raid by the Kido Butai has gone on swimmingly to this point. Over the previous days Admiral Nagumo had snuck his massed force of 7 CV/CVLs to a point between the Line Islands and Hawaii. A convoy of large (but empty) APs had been mangled and Japanese Emily's had spotted shipping at Christmas Island to the South.
Electing to spend a 2nd day sinking cripples from the Troop Convoy, Nagumo decides to send a strong STF of BB Yamato, a new BC, 1 CL, and 5 DD towards Christmas. As they move south the CVs finish off the American shipping and then point their bows south as well.
To the astonishment of the Admiral commanding Yamato and her TF, the STF runs smack into the ENTIRE American Carrier Fleet! Yamato and her consorts get FIVE gunnery rounds attacking CVs Lexington and Saratoga (as well as the new BB South Dakota), Unfortunately very little damage is inflicted (on EITHER side--TERRIBLE Gunnery!) and the TFs break apart only for Yamato to move right into a second CTF comprised of CVs Enterprise, Hornet and Essex! WOW! This time the American CVs manage to run away before the Japanese can seriously react...
Upon receipt of the Action Message, Adm Yamamoto seriously ponders ordering Yamato's commander to commit Seppuku. With great certainty he knows an opportunity like this MUST be taken advantage of. As the day's battle develops, he changes his mind due to the ramifications of the surface engagement.
The wild brawl, featuring much shooting but little hitting, forces the American CTF to split apart into two grooups of ships spread out with nearly 75 miles of sea room between them. They are no longer concentrated. The Carrier cannot mass their CAP. It IS a HEAVEN-SENT opportunity which the Japanese work to take advantage of...
Dawn has barely broken when Admiral Nagumo orders his Fleet to launch its First Wave. Only about 225 miles separate the forces and Nagumo deems it best to throw everything he has into the Opening Attack. A Strike Force of 54 Zero, 77 Val, and 104 Kate lift from the seven decks and arrow SW.
The Americans desperately try to bring their TF into supporting range of each other but it does not happen. The initial Japanese attack bores in on the TF featuring Enterprise, Hornet, and Essex. In a long aerial battle the Zeros manage to shoot down or drive away nearly 50 Wildcats. The bombers and torpedo planes within the Strike, without having suffered major air-to-air losses, attacks. The result is carnage!
Commander Fuchida watches and attempts to keep track of the hits scored. This is what he thinks he saw:
Enterprise 5 Bombs--4 Torps---SUNK!
Hornet 6 Bombs--2 Torps---Severely Damaged
Essex 6 Bombs--3 Torps---Possibly SUNK!
CA Augusta 1 Bomb--2 Torps---Heavily Damaged
CL Brooklyn 2 Bombs--2 Torps---SUNK!
While this attack is going on, the Japanese manage to get a Second Strike into the air before any American response. This Wave consists of 24 Zero, 47 Val, and 49 Kate. It bores in on the other Carrier TF.
This TF's CAP puts up a serious fight. Over 40 F4F rise up to challenge the assault. The Japanese lose 4 Zero, 6 Val, and 11 Kate to the Wildcats. A similar amount is damaged and unable to attack. The remainder of the Wave (25 Val and 27 Kate) launch their attack upon the Lexington and Saratoga.
Covering both CVs aft quarters is the massive BB South Dakota. In an amazing event at the very start of the attack a single Kate releases its Torpedo and the the Battleship EXPLODES in a massive magazine explosion!!! BANZAI!!! Perhaps the explosion is so massive that it stuns the rest of the Strike because the results are fairly meager. Strike Leader Tomonaga reports the following:
CV Lexington 3 Bombs---On Fire
CV Saratoga 1 Torp
BB South Dakota 1 Torp---SUNK!
The two strike hit every American CV with at least three in sinking condition. It LOOKS glorious. Now for the American riposte. It comes in Two Waves as well:
Wave One (Lex and Sara): 39 F4F, 52 SBD, 15 TBD vs. 77 Zero
A fast and furious aerial battle occurs starting at 25 miles from the Japanese 3 CTF. If tallies are to be believed, 15 Wildcats, 12 SBD, and 8 TBD are shot down before reaching their drop points. The rest, however, do. Results:
Shokaku 3 Bombs--Heavy Damage
Zuikaku 2 Bombs
CVL Shinyo 1 Bomb
BC Kongo 1 Bomb
Wave Two (Ent, Horn, and Essex): 31 F4F, 85 SBD, and 34 TBD vs. 59 Zero
A repeat of the first Wave with the Zeros doing well but not well enough. Down fall 11 F4F, 15 SBD, and 11 TBD. Here come the remaining! Results:
Shokaku 2 more Bombs--H.D.
CVL Shinyo 1 more Bomb--H.D.
Soryu 6 Bombs--SUNK!
BC Kongo 7 more Bombs--On Fire
BC Ashitaka 3 Bombs
For the morning the Japanese lose one CV, have another severely damaged, and a CVL slightly damaged. OK....
Each side draws in towards the other closing the range to just 125 miles: THE AFTERNOON
Two Japanese Strikes and One American roundout the afternoon. The Japanese send up 44 Zero, 49 Val, and 69 Kates and 24 Zero, 23 Val, and 5 Kate to the American 20 F4F, 37 SBD, 18 Vindicator, and 15 TBD.
The Japanese Strike fights its way through 28 Wildcats to deliver a formidable attack. Results:
Lexington 7 Bombs--2 Torps (Total now 10 Bombs and 2 Torps) Probably SUNK!
Saratoga 4 Bombs---On Fire (Total 4 Bombs and 1 Torp)
CA Northampton 3 Bombs--2 Torps---Sinking Condition
The smaller Strike heads for where the Enterprise TF was and it only finds CA Salt Lake City and 2 DD. Several bombs hit the CA and one DD takes a pair of bombs.
The American Attack runs into 42 Zero. Here the Wildcats are chewed up and spat out! ALL are shot down or knocked out of the fight. The Zeros get into the bombers and savage them. Down go 14 SBD, 6 Vind, 8 TBD. The remaining bombers bore into the Japanese TF like Samurai:
Zuikaku 3 Bombs--Heavily Damaged
BC Kongo 6 Bombs (Total 14 1,000lbs for the day_---On Fire
DD Yukikaze 2 Bombs---SUNK!
These are the results of the day.
AMERICAN: Conservative estimates are 3 American CV sunk, 1 more Crippled, and the last On Fire. Add to that Battleship South Dakota, CL Brooklyn, and--perhaps--CAs Northampton and Salt Lake City.
JAPAN: Soryu sunk with Shokaku and Zuikaku heavily damaged but able to make 20 Knots. They make for Canton with HOPE that one or the other may make it. The Japanese have BC Kongo damaged and lose DD Yukikaze.
IF I can get one or the other (won't be lucky enough to get both) home intact then this will be a HUGE victory. If we lose both of them then I will still have a strike force of 3 CV and 1 CVL with another 2 CV and CVL on the way to Truk right now.
The Americans (at best) will have a Cripple and a Damaged CV to use for the next six months or so...
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< Message edited by John 3rd -- 7/29/2010 5:01:45 AM >
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