John 3rd
Posts: 17178
Joined: 9/8/2005 From: La Salle, Colorado Status: offline
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May 8, 1945 Yamamoto Isoroku spends the morning attending to business and then sees the paper's announcement of the Army parade. Typical ham-handed action by the Army. Yamamoto snorts, then bows his head, and prays. The Japanese Heavy Cruisers have had liberty given to the sailors and nearly 2/3 of the crews have a GREAT time enjoying the 'pleasures' of Tokyo. Army observations, initially concerned of the warships presence, relax. Looks like a wild shore leave is in action! They don't happen to COUNT the sailors as they return to the their vessels. If they had, they might have noticed nearly 150 sailors AWOL from EACH ship. It becomes known that the TF shall be leaving for Fusan, KOREA on the evening of the 9th. As the ships move away from the pier to refuel and re-provision on the afternoon of the 8th, the Army doesn't notice that they move to area of Tokyo Bay not usually used by the Navy. The ships carefully arrange themselves, drop anchor, and await orders for the action on the 9th. To their immense surprise Battlecruiser Ikoma (6 14" Guns) and Heavy Cruiser Hikari arrive from Yokohoma. Rear-Admiral Yatsushiro Sukeyo's pennant flies from the Ikoma. Yatsushiro's allegiance is to his Admiral and Naval Minister. He is privy to sealed orders that get delivered after docking. As he reads them, his hands begin to tremble. After a calming cup of tea, he requests all ships Captains to meet him in his Flag Quarters. These additional warships also anchor in the same area of the harbor with their fellow warships. More sailors depart these ships as shore leave is granted to nearly 400 men. It is a 24 hour pass. After they depat, the gangways are raised and no one will leave be allowed to leave the ships. Rather strange considering all those sailors have to return at some point...
< Message edited by John 3rd -- 2/25/2018 3:16:44 PM >
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