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RE: The little ship that could.

 
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RE: The little ship that could. - 12/27/2014 2:17:56 AM   
sanch

 

Posts: 421
Joined: 10/30/2004
Status: offline 		I just got done reading this AAR - start to finish. Took me the better part of 3 weeks with more than one night deep into the wee hours.

A great story!! You are fortunate - you have the gift of writing.

You also are playing a great game - scene 1 no less! Gives me encouragement, as I'm turning the corner into 43 in my first game as Japan.

Thanks for all the time you've put in; much appreciated!

(in reply to hosho)
Post #: 3481
RE: The little ship that could. - 12/28/2014 11:55:15 PM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Thankyou Sanch
Welcome aboard!


July 4th

dawn
Okano is just ascending the ladder from the bottom plates back to the throttles platform when the telegraphs ring
The watch is almost done, all is good below, his experienced eyes have picked out no new problems to pass onto the next watch.
'damnation!"
Breakfast was so close.........
The telegraphs have swung to Flank

Even as he places his hard hands upon the throttle wheel, Susuzukis's alarms ring, action stations!, action stations!, the rudder indicator is wheeling over to hard to port.

"Steady hands!".........a sharp warning to his throttle watchkeeper, as he hands the great wheel to him, it too swings steadily, flashing chrome, feeding the steam into the turbine, the whine and scream already beginning to rise

"On the second condensate!".third hand scuttling away., and quick turns, on the second air ejector, on the second lube oil pump, and Susuzuki is vibrating hard, heeling hard under his feet, the world a great shuddering, banging, clashing symphony as she shoves aside the ocean with her lean flanks, great blades churning the sea into foam

And at the back of the mind..........'what now?, plane, sub?.......enemy ship?...exercise"

The broacast garbles over the canocopony of noise."stand by depth charges.enemy SS, gun crews train to port, port port!"
Submarine then.........and it must heve missed, or he would already be dead then.

The revolutions climb, the rudder swings again.........boiler pressures good......."You good Hirate?"
"You owe me a bloody smoke, just dropped my last in the bilge you barsted!"........vacuum good, temps good.........oil pressure....flickering a little.bloody pump relief, no doubt, again.........

Susuzuki straightens, revolutions 260, 262.............heels hard again, ..what the truk is going on upstairs?.a
CLAAAANG!..CLAANG!.........CRAANGCLAAANK!!!.charges knock, slam against the hull...........the hunt must be close....
Dust falls, the madhouse continues, the helm goes hard the other way............so easy to lose machinery in this s%$T!..........and on cue as the next charges slam against the hull the Turbo generator overspeed trips......and is almost instantly reset by the third hand.......Susuzuki charges on

The guns begin.......the heavy thump of the mains, and now too, the crack crack of the 25's

Okano grins at his watch."always a good sign my friend........









Susuzuki is missed by a russian ss. is engaged...........and sunk!


(in reply to hosho)
Post #: 3482
RE: The little ship that could. - 12/29/2014 12:06:19 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Russian/manchurian border, 350 miles north of Vladivostock

Lt Nakijima leans against his sand bags, glasses raised.

For three minutes he ramains oblivious to everything else in the world, the scream of the endless artillery overhead, the crump of the motars 100 yards before and slightly below him smashing his first line of trenches.
He remains oblivious to the roar of the bombers roaring overhead, to the shattering explosions of their bombs on his artillery positions behind him

The glasses are not even diverted to the mass of russian infantry bursting from the forests, flowing towards the river that has so long peacefully flowed here on the border

No. Lt Nakijima knows his duty. he counts, steadily, carefully.
Finally, he lowers the glasses, picks up the phone.

"This is 76th infantry regiment...........we are under attack. The Russians are attacking the river crossing at Lope"
'Numbers sir?.........yes, yes, I have counted them.
I count 400 T 34's sir............yes, that is correct.....400.and sir....... " he looks again carefuly over the sand bags, at the mass of armour approaching the river, now plowing through it, climbing towards shattered trenches.........".tell HQ, that 76th infantry regiment has been utterly destroyed".......

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3483
RE: The little ship that could. - 12/29/2014 12:13:24 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		General Sugiyama reads the reports.

The Russians advance, but cautiously.

Manchuria will be lost..........inevitable. Burt we can hold a lot, yes?
4 japanese divs to move towards Vladivostock........and to occupy multiple enemy divisions in the forests
They will die.....but the dieing will be long

Just like at Minando..........where 35th army ties down so many buka's
We will defend the river running north south Changhun, Kirin, we will build heavy troopp concentrations in the forests, in the woods, the hills.
Let him have the towns
manchurian army has gotten fat over 4 years yes?
Now it will fight.
and fight
and fight
and fight

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3484
RE: The little ship that could. - 12/31/2014 1:49:31 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		July 5th

Extract from "A japanese navy fighter pilots war"

The news that we were now at war with the russians as well came like a thunderbolt to 401st sentai
The Russians?
How in the hell did we end up at war against the Russians?

But at war against them as well we were.
And so on the 5th of July I found myself leading the eagles North east, a long flight across the Sea of japan to the remote out post of Yenkin.
All, as i half expected, was not good at yenkin
Little fuel
Very little ammunition
And no chance in hell of conducting repairs

It would be a short stay.
nevertheless, I ordered 3 sentais to fly for the 6th, mine, the 401st, I would keep on the ground (much to Diogowa's disgust) as reserve
It was a decision, that i now must say, I would very much regret.

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3485
RE: The little ship that could. - 12/31/2014 1:53:53 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Minando


The allies deliberate attack the marooned 35th and 15 th armies

They fling 4 full divisions, mass armour, heavy artillery into the assualt
The hold up Japanese have been bombed for literally months now, day after day, after day


Surely, the marines must think, they will crack these barsteds in the mountains.

They do not

35th army, this army of pale ghosts, will haunt Allied command for a lot longer yet.

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3486
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/2/2015 3:22:07 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		The rain grounds nearly everybody on the 6th.

On the seventh the skies clear, and the russians come again

Japanese pilots have to learn new names, recongnise new types now, Yak, Laag, SB1, SB2......
The russians will just have to learn how to live

Aided by a sentai of Oscar 3's, 210th, S407th and S701 Sentais engage (if that can be the word) the enemy formations

They tear them apart.

By days end, the tally, 114 russians shot down, for 5 lost

Diogowa has but one word for missing the day, ordered to remain on the ground

"TRUK!"

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3487
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/4/2015 2:52:47 PM   
Heeward


Posts: 343
Joined: 1/27/2003
From: Lacey Washington
Status: offline
quote:

ORIGINAL: 1275psi
Diogowa has but one word for missing the day, ordered to remain on the ground

"TRUK!"


Note quite the what I thought he would say.....
"Your to kind boss; for a relaxing day off"


< Message edited by Heeward -- 1/11/2015 4:57:52 PM >

_____________________________

The Wake

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3488
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/5/2015 5:22:47 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Hi heeward

Diogowa may be a slightly overwieght clown

but in his heart he is all fighter pilot

And killer.

(in reply to Heeward)
Post #: 3489
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/5/2015 5:38:21 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		July 8th

We have said it multiple times now.
It takes many things, a great many things to get a fighter into the sky

Oxygen bottles for a start
Fuel for second
parts for a third

Yenkin has Nix, none, zip of any of these things

The Russians come again.
Only s-701st gets airborne today, and only in poor numbers
From another base to the south, Oscars fly

4 of Ogowa's eagles are lost, the pilots recovered
13 oscars
80 allied planes destroyed

Ogowa contemplates the situation
I have no fuel, no oxygen, no chance of flying into combat tomorrow............and these barsteds are endless.
Another day............and I will be destroyed here, on the ground, crushed
The thought of 100 bombers, no matter how bad their aim, is not a pleasant one

I have no choice
We return to Japan.





(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3490
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/5/2015 5:45:58 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Susuzuki pitches violently. Today the pacific is wild, steep swells pushing north east, driven 100's of miles by the great storm now pounding okiwana.
The swells come up on her port fwd quarter, great white peaked rollers, hissing.
She rises, the water creams, slams her flanks, rattles against the bridge and structure in sheets of white, the top, the tilt, the corkscrewing plunge, the bury into the next, and the rise again to the next one.
She is riding light now, fuel at just 30%, Kobe is near, and none too soon

Hirate is alone, on her starboard side, braced against the roll, watching the rollers emerge from under the destroyer, eyeing them as they come up periously close to his position.
The sea stretches into the grey, mile upon mile, upon mile.
Empty

Like his heart

Kobe tomorrow.

Too much to hope for. Too much to dream, yes?


Kobe
So close, really, to home


The baby is due...............

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3491
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/5/2015 5:46:35 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Cantona on holidays
turns stopped until??????

buggar

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3492
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/7/2015 5:15:27 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		i take it back, his computer died
back online again



10th of July
Ogowa's eagles return to Hiroshima
They stand down, others will fly north and take up the load
The NK2's, however, simply require too much support to be sustained in manchuria.

Not spoken aloud, but there, a deadly foretaste of the future, Hiroshima is now almost the only place in the Empire able to support them.

The fuel situation, the supply situation is getting this bad................


Combined fleet docks, disperses
The great ships are scattered about the bay at Kobe.
Also, ominously, a great many are assigned berths against the shores, and camoflaging ordered.
It is a bitter order to follow.

Destroyer Susuzuki does not berth.
maybe the gods smile upon her.............
She is ordered to continue on..........home to Hiroshima.

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3493
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/7/2015 5:42:42 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		A secret location

Bigglesworth sits on the HQ's porch, contemplating the setting sun.
The strip is quiet, and the row of B-29's are glittering in the dying rays, the dust a thin sheen on the great wings.
They have flown little these last weeks, this squadron.
They sit, waitng, very much like the men who fly them have been for so long.

Bigglesworth sips his Scotch. Here, away from the front, away from the war, he is content to wait.
Coming down the strip Longpig walks, head down.
He has done this, without fail, every night this week, deep in thought, deep in mental torture.

Bigglesworth can appreciate the struggle.
He has struggled with it himself..............but now, now he can live with it.
Long pig, he thinks, will come to his, in his own time, own way.
And whatever it is, he, bigglesworth, will accomodate it.


The special weapon, apparently, works.
Its power, apparently, is almost incomprehensible. The whispers are, it will end the war.
The cost in innocent lives however.................


The arguments are clear.
japan fights on, and on, and on......................
Victory seems so far, far away...........who would not grasp a chance to end this nightmare now.

But then...........what of the innocents that will surely be underneath the gaze of Longpigs bombsight?

Little wonder, thinks Bigglesworth, that he prowls the field, waiting, waiting for the "special weapon"

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3494
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/7/2015 12:10:32 PM   
Lowpe


Posts: 22133
Joined: 2/25/2013
Status: offline 		Oh, No! Say it isn't so!

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3495
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/9/2015 7:33:26 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		9 th July 1945

Japan lands another division at Okha
The russians barely interfere.....large numbers of float planes attack, they hit two transports, they in turn die like flies from the oscars on long range CAP
Two more divisions cross the border at saklin, and prepare to engage the fortess guarding the road to the north

And on the Manchurian border, 4 japanese divisions also cross , and head towards Vladivostock, again a fortess guards the way.


The forgotten army, 35th, fights on at Minando
There are 4 enemy infantry divisions, 4 tank regimants, 4 artillery regiments locked in battle against them, and a great more surrounding them on every side

Divisions that cannot be used elsewhere......................


There are heroes here, men who fight on every day with no hope of victory, with death the only possible outcome
But this Minando army may well be winning the war in its very extended dying.

Transports, a mere handful, fly nightly over the hills from the central phillipines. The drop bullets, some food.
They drop something else.
A message
The empire has not forgotten you.
And so they fight. Again the allies attack today

And again, they fail.




(in reply to Lowpe)
Post #: 3496
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/9/2015 7:58:48 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Mioko and Miori sit on the rocks on the bays edge, watching the sun settling into the sea

It is that little period where things fade to grey, the sea mist begins to gather, when things a minute ago vclear and sharp fade to indistiction, when lights begin to become bright.

The sea is smooth, the air calm

The two women sit close, holding hands.
Father has returned an hour ago, the catch sufficient
The promises of Ogowa continue to be carried out, there is food enough.
There is hope.

The baby is very close to being due now
Very close

On the horizon, a grey shape advances across the bay towards the Naval base
Minutes ago, plainly a destroyer.

The thought that their men could be onboard THAT particular destroyer..........no, impossible

But they are not too worried.
This is the sailors bane, the father absent birth.

Mioko and Miori are philosophic about the days ahead. They wont be the first, nor the last yes?
Just as long as the absent father gets home , yes?

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3497
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/12/2015 5:38:03 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		10 July

Fighting continues at Okha, sahklin islands, the russian front
18 oscars are lost for 36 russians claimed

Japan is rotating units every day to the battle, returning them to Japan for replenishment. This is better than any training program you can devise.........the ineffective die, the good get better.
Franks, oscars, the NK2's have all had a go now, tomorrow, zekes, and zeros.
There are, however, too few bombers available to deploy, they must be held for the final battles.........





Susuzuki lies alongside, Hiroshima.


"Petty officer Hirate, captains cabin"
A new Captain
The same old cabin
The same old dangers.........


"Please sit, Hirate"
warily...........
Susuzuki's captain, the former executive Officer, smiles.
"I have been relieved of my command petty officer..........a promotion...........I think......some sort of PT boat flottilla project.........but before I go, I am curious............Just what happened in russia?"

Hirate pauses
What does this man know?.all, or only a little........all I am sure, there are too many spies here on this boat........and who does he work for?..........godam this...........I need to get ashore, I need to get ashore, Mioko is so close in so many ways........

"Ahh.you saw sir, we were ambushed"
"Yes, that I know.........but what really happened, what were you, of all people, doing ashore with the Captain?"

"I..........I do not know sir"

Suddenly the eyes opposite Hirate narrow, and harden.
""Oh, I think you know.............but will not say"


Silence descends, Hirate remains mute.

"Your wife is expecting, yes?"
The question is a knife to Hirate's heart
"yes sir, any hour now, i would think"

"And you wish to be there, of course?"
"of course ............sir"

"Why were you ashore, Hirate............truly?'


'I think sir, the Captain was under a mis understanding that I had knowledge of something valuable, something he wanted.........."
'And you do?"
"No, I do not........"
(and how little you seem to realise.............that murder is so easy...........captain)

'You are positive?"
'I swear sir"

Again the silence descends
The captain seems to come to a decision.........
"I think, petty Officer, that you are a brave man...I think, that my posting to God knows where, is my punishment , because of you.

A smile breaks out. "But I also think the war is nearing its end, and we will need all the friends we can get.............I am going to tell my masters that you know nothing, are totally innocent.........
"Sir?"
"and maybe, when the dust settles, you can look me up, yes?"

Hirate looks at him, almost in shock
"I think I can do that sir"
"Good.............now get ashore, get to your wife..............and remember me"

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3498
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/15/2015 5:44:57 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Hirate stands on Susuzuki's quarterdeck .
With him a dozen other lucky men who will have leave this evening.
The gangway is down, and the clock drags agonisingly slowly towards 1630 hours, whence it will "open"
His stomach churns.these are cruel minutes

The CPO Coxswain stands before them, a critical eye passing over each man one at a time. A man's collar has a stain..........permission to go ashore withdrawn until the "next boat ashore".not due until 1530 hours.
Another man. he passes the inspection
Another.
He fails.....
And now the eyse fall upon Hirate........and terror strides through his viens. What has he missed?, is his uniform not spotless?.......the creases sharp?.........gods, to miss the birth for a cracked button?
I must,, must get ashore

The eyes scan...........and move on.

And now it is almost 1630.............."your attention is drawn to the regulations, leave is from 1630 hrs, until midnight, Hiroshima citizens excepted, leave for those men expires at 0700 hours 11 July, 1945"

"Do not be late"

"Dismiss"
Eagerly, more than eagerly, the men gather at the gangway, begin to depart, the steel clanging, clattering under them

Hirate's feet rise, step upon the bridge

"FIRE< FIRE< FIRE!..............Fire reported engineers workshop!" the tannoy blasts

hesitation
Home
Duty
baby
leave
time
duty
wife

shipmates, ship, Susuzuki
duty

Hirate drops his bag, turns back aboard, and sprints towards the hatch leading down to the workshop.............

< Message edited by 1275psi -- 1/15/2015 6:45:38 AM >

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3499
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/15/2015 5:49:43 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		11 july 1945

Tolun falls to the mongol hordes in Manchuria.
The first inciling of the Russian plan.........a violent thrust from the north is coming down towards northern Korea

It will apparently be behind what might be the Japanese eastern line.

It rolls south, barely impeded at all by the regiment it has crushed under its tracks.........

29 zeros die in manchuria today, for 29 russians
The zero is long, long obscelecent........but we have a lot of them still.............

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3500
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/17/2015 4:42:12 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		The fire takes but minutes to extinguish.
But the cleanup nearly an hour
The changing into another clean uniform another painful 30 minutes
Waiting for the next leave "boat" an agonising 25 more

.
It is late, late indeed in the night when Hirate steps upon his doorstep.

The night still, quiet

Broken by the healthy sound of a newborn in full force..................

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3501
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/17/2015 4:48:40 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		12 July

new air units rotated to the Manchurian front

Another day of bloody conflict,
Today 92 russians destroyed, a bare 12 japanese.

If war was for points, this would be a profitable day.
But it is not, of course.
This is twelve planes Japan finds increasingly impossible to replace

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3502
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/17/2015 5:18:17 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		13 July
The Imperial Palace

The room is quiet.

The emperor, figure head to a 100 million "human bullets' stands at the map table, and notices the silenc

Almost as quiet a a tomb,..........as well that it may be..........

The intelligence officer is giving a briefing.

"at this stage, we can confidently claim the following enemy carriers sunk:
Lexington
Enterprise
Hornet
Saratoga
Two, as far can be detirmined, Yorktowns
Bennington
and , five light carriers.
12 enemy battleships have been sunk, 1 battle cruiser..........30 plus cruisers, and ..."
the officer pauses
"35 escort carriers"

"Thirty five?" ...............how can a navy suffer to lose so many ships, and yet keep fighting?..........and yet they do...............


And yet.
35 escort carriers.so may battleships. And for every carrier sunk how many still in the yard hands?. And my brave soldiers still hold so many at bay in Minando.
The allies must be despairing............must be. They cannot hope to keep on like this, can they?

Alright then.........
"Thank you Commander............your news is good"

Yes, the lid of the coffin closes, the light dims.
But the news is "good'

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3503
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/19/2015 7:21:23 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		15 July
her name will be Akari
But Hirate will have but one day to meet his new daughter, the war calls Susuzuki again
She has a new captain........how many has Hirate and Okano served under now?

Does it matter?
Another Captain...........Watanabe Yasuma, a short, bloody short bulldog of a figure. And, as her crew will find out shortly, his attitude matches his looks.
Rumours have it he has lost destroyers under him.....in battle, surface battle at that.
The crew gather on the focastle to hear from him.

he stands, hands on hips......and Okano cannot think that he fairly bristles.
"I understand this ship can do 36 knots...........good, you can expect that..many times"
"I understand that this ships guns are fast and accurate..............good again..........they will need to be"
'And I believe still in our fish..........and I pray that we get a chance to use them again..........this ship, men, is built to steam fast, fight hard.and this I intend to do."

Silence. The Captain eyes his men.
We sail for Nago, escort for a fast transport run..........this ship will be ready for sea at 1800 hours"

The Short man steps down.
vanishes, the quiet deep behind him

Another captain, yes.
Another glory seeker?.........we will see, thinks Okano, we will see

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3504
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/19/2015 8:00:51 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		DD Susuzuki and one other will sail from Hiroshima, then at dawn meet 4 APD's south of Kagoshima. The mission calls for a dash to Nago ( north Okiwano), an overnight unload, and return.
Once a mission barely worthy mentioning.
Now............
The SS are still thick.

Most of the southern coast of China is now in back in their hands............and there are many airfields well in range of the plotted course
Enemy destroyers are active at Hong kong.
But most importantly............a enemy CV task force is near Legaspi, striking targets at will, and coming north.

Coming north
Coming hard.

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3505
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/19/2015 11:24:17 AM   
Mike McCreery


Posts: 4232
Joined: 6/29/2013
Status: offline 		You are doing excellent in the game. Nobody can resist the allied advance in '45 if done properly.

_____________________________


(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3506
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/20/2015 8:58:11 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		16th July
Susuzuki spends the day finishing preparations, final ammunitioning, a final topping of the tanks
Like a rash of measles, sandbags sprout all over her, around the bridge, the guns, the searchlights.
She comes to full steam, burning and turning..............and then the word comes down, a delay.
The other destroyers are not ready, or some damn thing.
It doesn't matter, for most of the crew this delay is in fact a blessed relief, a chance for rest, for tonight at least

But Watanabe places her on one hours notice for sea.

For the stokers this means the watches remain, the two boilers remain online, the turbines remain warm on reduced vacuum, on turning gear. The majority of the auxiliary machinery will remain running.
Four on, 2 at defence stations, 4 off.

And the four on will drag, and drag, and drag. The two at defence stations will not be much better.

So what are these four hours like?
These days are gone now, a memory in greying bodies.

In the boiler room the watch will begin with a walk around the space by all of them, the steamer (hirate has the firsts) more concerened with the system alignments, the furnace flame(is it bright, even, no "frazzle"), the smoke mirror clear, the fuel pump strking nicely, the log filled correctly.
The water tender will check his pumps, roll the standby to confirm its ready to go, prove the guage glass, stroke the fed controller.
The sprayer punchers will check and drain the oils, vent the coolers, turn the striners

And then, all that done, the tedium will begin

The blower will hum, the fans whir, the sweat stream. The fuel pump will throb.
Once an hour, a set of rounds
there is brass to polish (and thank the gods that there is at times like this), but little else can be done, the ship a such short notice
At 2200, sprayer change out, this gives 15 minutes work, they have to be scrubbed, dis assembled, inspected, re assembled, the plunger on them proved.

But the tedium will remain.
And with it, the mind must turn to the future
Susuzuki will sail soon, and yet again face the ever strengthening enemy.

And what will that bring?

Better, one would think, to concentrate on the brasswork.






(in reply to Mike McCreery)
Post #: 3507
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/20/2015 9:02:33 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		Tsinan is lost
Tientsin too
Northern china is being swept clear of Japanese.
The enemy CVs strike again, vigan today.
4 tankers are lost near Manilla, submarines this time

And everywhere through out the empire, the signals come

Supplies all but exhausted...................

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3508
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/20/2015 9:22:07 AM   
Long pig

 

Posts: 26
Joined: 6/6/2013
Status: offline 		The noose is tightening, how long do you think you can last at this stage?

(in reply to 1275psi)
Post #: 3509
RE: The little ship that could. - 1/21/2015 7:40:09 AM   
1275psi

 

Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
Status: offline 		I will fight forever!!!!

(in reply to Long pig)
Post #: 3510
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