Bullwinkle58
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Joined: 2/24/2009
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July 17, 1942
Pick Your Image; Big Day in the IO
If you're of a classic bent you might imagine the two USN "naked" carriers in the Marshalls as the Charge of the Light Brigade. If you're like me, picture Curly Joe from The Three Stooges: slapping the face, prancing on twinkle toes, "Whup, whup whup!!!" The two ride loaded for bear back to the NE and once again . . . nothing. The KB goes its own way, creams a bunch of needed APDs heading in to Roi-Namaur to try to lift off the Seabees, but either does not see the carriers or thinks the APDs are more tasty.
So, for at least another day, no new "Pull a Bullwinkle" legend is born.
1) The IO is where most of the action is today.
--night phase, and the Wasp TF, running west to where I last saw a retreating, damaged Junyo TF, runs into this. The IJN does slightly better, but only because North Carolina only gets off one shot as the two disengage.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Car Nicobar at 42,61, Range 11,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 1
CA Atago, Shell hits 2
CA Maya
CA Chokai, Shell hits 1
DD Inazuma
DD Isonami
Allied Ships
CV Wasp
BB North Carolina
CLAA San Juan
CL Detroit, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Lang
DD Stack
DD Sterett, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Wilson, Shell hits 1
--during the day much of the air power focused on Rangoon shifts to naval attacks on the TF unloading at Tavoy. All of the men and gear is ashore except a little motorized support and about 1500 supply. The Indian unit there now has a bit of support, and bit of engineering, and some mortars to supplement the 60 squads of shooters. It won't hold, but it's a plug for now on some of the supply Rangoon desperately needs.
--Morning Air attack on TF, near Tavoy at 54,60
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 27
G3M3 Nell x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 4 damaged
Allied Ships
xAP Rohna, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
KV Thyme
xAP Malda
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tavoy at 54,60
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
G3M3 Nell x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 6 damaged
Allied Ships
xAP Rohna, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Indora, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
xAP Malda, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
KV Thyme, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Rajula
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tavoy at 54,60
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 3 damaged
Allied Ships
xAP Rohna, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Malda, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Rajula, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
This TF being crushed costs ships and VPs, but it also keeps the torpedo Netties off the Wasp and NC. Worth it? I think so.
2) IO continued. The big boys beef.
--As above Wasp and Co. go west with HMS Indomitable one hex behind, following. This is one of those AE stories. She is scheduled to withdraw in three days. She also left Colombo with light damage, and only 12 TBs aboard. No fighters. Her air wing is scattered all over the theater right now. I'll take stiff PP hits not withdrawing on time. Yet I still wanted her. As torpedo bait I'll admit, but she's with Oklahoma and some valuable escorts too. I just had a feeling I wanted those dozen old biplane crates.
No sign of Junyo; maybe she sank. Can't break plane losses out from the carnage in the Marshalls, plus Hiyo might have landed some and overloaded. Any Kates probably could make Sabang as well. But in a series of wheeling fights the two carriers dish out some revenge for the USN loses in Mid-Pac.
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Great Nicobar at 38,65
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 46 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes
Allied aircraft
Swordfish I x 7
F4F-4 Wildcat x 8
SBD-3 Dauntless x 13
Allied aircraft losses
Swordfish I: 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 4 damaged
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
CV Hiyo, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
7 x Swordfish I launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 18in Mk XII Torpedo
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Hiyo
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Great Nicobar at 38,65
Weather in hex: Partial cloud
Raid spotted at 37 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-26B Marauder x 4
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Great Nicobar at 40,66
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes
Allied aircraft
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9
TBF-1 Avenger x 11
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed by flak
TBF-1 Avenger: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Atago
BB Kirishima
CA Maya
That's four fish in Yamato in two days. I somehow still don't think that's enough. But Hiyo should be a goner. Will see what tomorrow shows location-wise. One hit on Yamato showed as loss of a main turret. If she survives that's months in the HI after a run past lots of subs in the Malacca, or a pass by more subs at Oosthaven.
3) Just to document what happened in the Marshalls. I bugged more ships out to the north, to shape courses for Pearly once in open water. The APDs got creamed as I said. The big surface TF full of old BBs did not fight. More strikes on Wake; I think he's feeling out how an air campaign there might let him have this base at this point. It has two USMC defense units, plus a couple of other units (overstacked), and is almost to Forts 6.
--Afternoon Air attack on Wake Island , at 136,98
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 17,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 21
Allied aircraft
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2
F4F-4 Wildcat x 2
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
--Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Taongi at 134,106
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 43
B5N2 Kate x 31
D3A1 Val x 45
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 5 damaged
Allied Ships
APD Gregory, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
APD Little, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Schley, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Humphreys
APD Crane, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
APD Waters, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
Tomorrow I will continue the general withdrawal of non-essential ships from the Marshalls. I'd like to get at least some of the men off Roi-Namur, but they might be POWs. Will see if I have a locate on the KB. The two carriers will try to get north and pick up some escorts. My replenishment TF is gone, so the carriers need to be economical to get home. Then it'll be "we'll see" as to his moves on Eniwetok and Wake. I don't think spending a lot of fuel and men is worth it for him to try to stabilize the islands more than they are--with him holding all originals except Eniwetok--but he may beat on Eniwetok for awhile. If so, so be it. He should be focusing on Java and PBang; I think he's focused on Marshalls and Rangoon. Only one of those can really harm his position.
4) One reason I think Eniwetok isn't his biggest problem is Rabaul v. Truk. Many of my Forts were damaged yesterday in the intro attack, but I saw four CVLs in port refueling today, so I flew what would go. It's extreme range and there won't be daily raids, but when I can. The B-17s run into Zeros this time, some on Training, but still plant a couple of really good hits on Truk.
--Morning Air attack on Truk , at 112,108
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 24
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 11
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Bomb hits 1
AD Koshu Maru #2, Bomb hits 1, on fire
5) Elsewhere the Soerbaja air force hits Kendari and other bases on the Celebes and Timor for light air field damage and a couple of Oscars on the ground. Strat attacks on oil do not score.
No Night Bombing Today
< Message edited by Bullwinkle58 -- 9/4/2013 7:00:47 PM >
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