1275psi
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Okura breaths deep the cool breeze whipping across the deck.
How privileged to experience such a thing as this. How alive one feels before a battle!
He watches his Kate being pushed into position –and it all enters him, the squeaking of the wheels, the glint of the red lights on the canopy , the whiteness , ghostliness of the crews around his dark, dark beast. It is silent –mostly – this morning, and again, he breaths deep.
He will not fail today.
He knows it
Around him now, the other crews gather, unconsciously huddling together, gathering strength from each other. None speak, all the words that have to be said, have been.
The inward thinking is gone –now all that matters is the attack.
The oceans are still dark – but eyes adjusted can see well enough. The ocean is mostly empty now – a destroyer carves on each flank, another ahead, one behind.
The rest have gone with the invasion.
Now the silence is broken, the whir, the whine of the engines, the cough, the barks, the roar, the steady beat, and excitement shivers down the spines, the blades shimmer, circles of bright cleaving death, and the figures scurry under and around, careful now of the great blades
Hidaka joins them, and they turn to him.
He takes each in the eye in turn.
“we believe that there are no major warships opposing us –but the destroyers are a menace. Those with fish must not waste them –the destroyers must be struck!.
Fly in close, hit your target.
Fighter pilots – defend the bombers!. Do you hear me! –defend the bombers!”
Silence –and those eyes are hard now, and piercing to each mans soul
‘protect the bombers! – history awaits. Goodluck!”
The salute –the salute returned –and they break for the planes.
Above, the great battle flag again breaks free, whipping. It is a little tattered now……..
“Are we ready Hidaka?”
Hasegawa is grave, quiet.
Overcome by the emotion, Hidaka merely nods
“battle speed one! –, all ships –commence launching!”
The sun rises now over the small task group – a great red sun.
The ships stand stark in its rays.
Overhead, the formation circles once, and then turns east, towards the coast –a thin line of haze now hardening on the horizon
Ogawa leads the strike.
21 fighters escort 23 bombers – hardly a massive strike –but sometimes its not all numbers that count
he checks his plane yet again, looking left, looking right, hand easy on the stick, other on the throttle, the ocean still dark below.
The coast is coming–and already things strike him – the transports arrayed in the sound, the boats like beetles streaming from them towards the beach
And the columns
Smoke
Thick heavy, horrid vblack smoke rises from many ships –and even as they flash overhead, bank south towards Cockburn sound proper –he see’s the artillery flash from the beach –the shattering bang on a ship.
Hands grip the stick tightly now –and he forces himself to relax, there is nothing they can do yet about the grim work below –for there –bow waves creaming –are coming the destroyers-charging towards the invasion fleet.
‘Fighters!, Fighters!, Fighters!
The headset screams –some bloody Hosho man for sure--------and yes –and the heart skips, they are slicing down, sleek, pointy nosed –coming in hard at them -a perfect bounce –a dozen p40’s at least……..
“protect the bombers!”
Timing, timing , is every thing……..a black shadow coming in behind, neck craning, craning, , the world slowing, slowing , time now a treacle – waiting, waiting, judging, and its stick hard back, hard over to the left, kicking full left rudder, and his plane, his extension, HE, spins above the diving death, and dances neatly in and behind the enemy, and the cannons crash –but then another is sliding in,, turn, turn into him, , now, swing, swing the other way, scissors, scissors, but the energy is bleeding away, and he is gone………..
“Protect the bombers!”
the kates are turning to starboard now, diving down – he races across the top of them, a p40 takes him on, and misses, the snarl loud even over the roar of his radial, and it is all happening so fast!
Okura leads the kates –diving down, down, racing across the calm waters now –the sound ahead packed with ships.
There is only one thought
The target
The destroyer ahead
A fighter peels in –and begins to fire at him –his gunners fire so timid sounding against this hail coming at them
But there is only the target
A zero whips in, the p 40 falls in flames
But there is only the target
A great transport looms –tracer dancing his way, the ocean exploding in great lines, passing under the wing, and he eases her up, and over the bow –bronzed figures still swinging the guns there way –
And there is only the target
The zero S turns –trying to hold off another fighter –and tumbles, one wing gone, into the sea behind them
And there is the target – shovelling smoke from her stacks, heeling into a turn –and he HAS her –and the Torp slams into the ocean, and only seconds later, takes off the little ships bow,……….
He weaves away – ignoring the delighted cries of his crew, already his eyes seeking what wil be on the next attack, his target
Ogawa’s guns are empty now, and he pulls up and away from the fight –eyeing the chaos of the landings dispassion ally – so many ships burning,………
For Diogawa, it goes quickly –he banks up, and into the diving fighters –one flashes past –he fires, it falls, he banks hard to follow down the attack –white lead flashes overhead –a chatter behind, he flings her down on its back, recovers, and the fight is done –his guns too empty.
Diogawa –quicker than we can tell –has his second kill.
Okura?
Okura leads the next wave in, a mere 6 kate, 4 zeros –but he can take his time –the sky is clear of fighters now –and he picks his target
His fish rips into the tanker –and as they pull away, the cockpit rings to his laughter – Oh how pretty the flames look……………..
The 5 other kates follow orders – they barve the flak –what there is of it – and Pope takes another hit –and Ibis –poor little Ibis, marks her going with a bang heard 50 miles way.
And now they return……….
Hidaka counts them in
First the bombers –and the relief is overwhelming, all have returned –two with damage –but all have returned
But of the zeros………
“ the bombers!”
They have –and paid.
Two are missing, 3 are badly damaged –Number 17 he orders ditched over the side immediately –beyond serviceable repair.
Anxiously they count the cost – and the kills.
The destroyer menace is gone –Zuiho can add them to her score now, plus a tanker, and several AK’s.
8 P40’s confirmed killed –abut Oh so many claims!
But -the fleet is missing 10 type O’s – a grievious loss….
But hasegawa has bigger problems……..
It is midday.
He stares towards the coast –and even from here –hasegawa can see the smoke –the pillars of doom.
Occasionally flashes –the guns? Or another ship hit?
The reports flow in –this is good.
The news bad
The latest.
Does he dare listen to it?
Yes, he must. One must at least appear in command of the situation.
Although everyone knows that chaos must rule over there…….
‘Alright, give it to me” he growls
‘DD Arishio – burning, ammunition expended – am retiring –aft boiler room flooded”
(ammunition expended……….he said he would lead them right in…..)
“DD Ariake - - reported ablaze from end to end –drifting, nil communications.”
(fire –God, I hate fire……..)
“ Nowaki …… -beached sir –also burning end to end”
(another friend gone…………)
“
“And the transports?”
At least seven ships burning, crippled or hit sir……….its hard to get a clear picture”
‘I see”
he cannot show his fear.
Not now.
‘however sir –some good news”
yes?’
38th division reports a mostly un opposed landing –‘most troops ashore’, and –if I may add sir –most ships continue to unload, and we have reports of fighting well inland”
powerless –Hasegawa stares at the land –feeling the crushing weight of command.
Yet, sometimes, once the decisions are made –command is easy –you must just wait
He smiles –one must continue to encourage, mustn’t one?- “we must trust in the soldiers now –they will prevail”
They must.
But tomorrow –how will they support them best?
Bluey risks yet another peek over the casing.
‘Which one now Bert?’ he yells.
A black face –stained with soot and gun powdered stink pops up –the teeth a startling white -grinning.
‘I think that fat barsted Ey?’
Bert points –a twin funnelled transport has suddenly emerged from the smoke –and her decks and sides are swarming with kahaki……..
“OK!!!!!!!!!!” Bluey bends to the comms set – ‘Number one gun shifting target right!’
The voice, still so calm ( he may be fat, he may be Colonel blimp –but by truk –he knows how to remain calm does our commander) returns his call.
‘Very good –what is your ammunition stste?’
“Bloody buckets left sir!”
‘I would prefer a percentage young man if you please………….”
Extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production.
………..and so by 5 pm, the situation begins to change.
Directly in the zone of Lieghton hills guns –a chaotic attack –ships burning, drifting –the destroyers that have engaged the guns –beaten.
But the Japanese soldier follows his orders -and now, with the last beach defences taken –they push inland.
The real disaster for the defenders is to the North.
Undisturbed, the 4 large transports of 38th division get completely ashore.
Ignoring the guns to the south –they form up –and march directly for the airfield.
4th division takes the brunt of the casualties , 21st , very few.
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RE: The little ship that could. - 
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