Canoerebel
Posts: 21100
Joined: 12/14/2002 From: Northwestern Georgia, USA Status: offline
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12/8/41 An action-packed day with some exciting moments for the Allies plus one event that has me pulling out my hair in self-recrimination. Pearl Harbor: The KB moves to the northwest, where it tangles with a four-DD Allied TF that manages to score single 5" hits on Akagi, Soryu, and Shokaku. None of the other Allied TFs manage an intercept. After the Minneapolis TF returns to Pearl, it draws (and fends off with almost no damage) a sizeable strike from the KB. Another KB strike force hits a four-DD TF NW of Pearl, sinking two. None of the Kates involved in these strikes was armed with torpedoes, and there wasn't a second day of strikes against Pearl, much to my surprise. Alot of Allied subs are in the general vicinity of the KB, so I'll continue to try for an intercept. During the surface combat, Shokaku didn't show any smoke from yesterday's torpedo strike. West Virginia: This has me pulling out my hair. BB West Virginia suffered moderate damage on 12/7, including 33 FLT that lowered her speed to 14 knots. I chose her as a good candidate to flee to the port to the east, along with a variety of other ships. But on the way her pumps failed and her FLT damage is in the mid 80s now. She's at the port two hexes east of Pearl, so I'm sending her back tomorrow. I am filled with self-loathing at this event considering there wasn't a KB strike (though there's a small chance Steve might return to Pearl tomorrow). Lexington: After sending her Vindicator squadron to Midway, Lex took on the Marine F43 sqadron from Wake. Patrols have also reported a TF well to the NW of French Frigate Shoals (and very distant from the KB too). I assume this is a replenishment TF. Lex will steam NW to try for an intercept. Enterprise: She was steaming SSW towards Tarawa, but Steve's troops got there already. Ent is too far away to make the chances of an intercept likely, so she'll probably circle around and make for either Pearl or the West Coast. Saratoga: She's steaming north along the West Coast, bound first for Seattle and eventually for NoPac. Philippines: The "flight of the bumblebees" seems to be going pretty well. DD Pope hit a mine (she was on sweeping duty with three MSW) and went under. The Japanese picked off a few ships here and there. But Boise (nearing Brunei) and Houston (well to the east of Luzon) seem to be in good shape. A port raid damaged an AD and AV, but the Japanese lost alot of Bettys over Manila. Only one landing so far, though SigInt showed several troops bound for Iba. Rangoon: The AVG plus some Buffaloes ate up an unescorted raid by Sallys, downing at least ten. Malaya: A hodge-podge of Allied bombers managed a few paint scratching hits on BB Kongo and a CA. SigInt reports an engineering regiment aboard a Maru bound for Mersing. Whether that TF is two days away or ten I have no idea, but Force Z augmented by two CL will steam midway between Pontianak and Mersing tomorrow to be in position in case an opportunity arises. Boise and three American DDs will arrive in the area in two or three days. Mini-KB: A force reported as two CVE, but which may be Ryuho and Zuiho, moved north from yesterday's position and is now midway between Palau and Davao. This group didn't launch any strikes and didn't have many targets. I'm keeping an eye on it because I have a cruiser force at Ambon that I'd like to use to raid Babeldaob if no carriers are around. Air Losses: For the day, Japan suffered more than 70 aircraft down to 60 for the Allies. That's a rare treat.
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