Attack Condor
Posts: 425
Joined: 12/27/2002 From: Chicago Status: offline
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I didn't know whether to title this portion of the AAR as "Return to New Guinea" or "Playing possum in Australia". :) The return to Port Moresby (Operation Pacific Wind) is predicated on the fact that the IJN already has a limited ability to perform engineering tasks. Weakening an already limited capability is the goal. By giving PM away, I let him bring his engineers to me. I kept them busy with air attacks on a base with no ability to support aircraft (he bombed it into submission while I left. His engineers had to fix their own damage. Then the B17s showed up). After the massing of the USN subs in the Slot during the "LQ" phase of Pacific Wind, they withdrew to the Coral Sea to interdict re-supply of PM by sea. With his supplies going into base repair, his combat force had to be feeling the effect. Meanwhile, I had a chocie between combat units from Australia's 7th, 3rd, or the New Guinea [I]divisions[/I] to effect re-capture. The only danger was from the air. IF his CVs showed up to early, then the operation would be hastily cancelled and the APs would scurry back to Oz. With his victory over my CV TF (two carriers sunk and [I]Enterprise[/I] limping home), [I]Hornet[/I] was the only carrier in the area. She was dispatched to support the re-capture of PM. Apparently, my opponent was caught unaware that I had an active CV TF in the Coral Sea. Even [I]Long Island[/I] played her part in the deception, sailing north (well east of [I]Hornet[/I]) - being spotted, and reported as a USN CV by IJN naval avaition.The AP TFs actually sat in the Coral Sea undected for two days waiting on thunderstorms to move into PM and GG. The MSWs went in on 6/28 with the bombardment TFs. Tomorrow, (6-30-42) - the ground attacks begin. Enjoy the two days of prepatory action posted here :) AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/28/42 Weather: Thunderstorms (Perfect!) [I]*** A diversionary attack has disatrous results ***[/I] Night Time Surface Combat, near Shortland Island at 29,34 Japanese Ships CS Chitose CL Isuzu, Shell hits 1 CL Yura, Shell hits 2 DD Murakumo PG Seikai Maru PC Takunan Maru #2 PC Ch 5 Allied Ships DD Mustin, Shell hits 28, and is sunk DD Patterson, Shell hits 23, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 10,40 [I]*** [B]Chicago[/B] escorted the minesweepers into PM's harbor, and took the opportunity to lob a few shells in ***[/I] Japanese ground losses: Men lost 11 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [I]*** Destroyers aren't much good at bombardments, but hopefully something else for the IJN to wonder about ***[/I] Naval bombardment of Gili Gili, at 17,42 Naval bombardment of Rossel Island, at 25,44 [I]*** The IJN locates and launches an attack on my transports (thank goodness for the bad weather!) ***[/I] Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 9 B5N Kate x 14 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 14 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate x 2 destroyed B5N Kate x 7 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 destroyed F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 damaged PO2 K.Nakajima of DII-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2 Allied Ships AP President Hayes AP Katoomba AP Westralia -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** Another attack, this time the pilots miss the transports altogether and send [B]Lismore[/B] to the bottom ***[/I] Japanese aircraft A6M3 Zero x 5 B5N Kate x 9 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 12 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate x 1 damaged Allied aircraft losses F4F-4 Wildcat x 1 destroyed F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 damaged CPO A.Murakami of DII-1 Daitai is credited with kill number 2 Allied Ships MSW Lismore, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage MSW Launceton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [I]On the 29th, my fighters from [B]Hornet[/B] had fatigue in the 50s. I had to stand them down and gamble on the APs surviving without fighter cover......... [/I] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/29/42 Weather: Rain [I]*** The culmination of Pacific Wind begins in the wrong place...what was meant as a harassment bombardment quickly turns into close in knife fight between a USN CA raiding force and a IJN SC TF, with two fat battleships in the harbor. The raiders closed to 2000 yds, and were able to seriously hurt Kirishima, whose main guns were silent and returned fire with anti aircraft guns against Pensacola's armor plated hull. Once the range opened up, two destroyers were caught trying to escape. ***[/I] Night Time Surface Combat, near Russell Islands at 35,39 Japanese Ships BB Kirishima, Shell hits 14, on fire, heavy damage BB Mutsu, Shell hits 5 CA Atago CA Maya, Shell hits 6 CA Kumano, Shell hits 1 DD Makigumo, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Hayashio DD Tanikaze, Shell hits 1 DD Oshio DD Akatsuki DD Isonami DD Asagiri, Shell hits 3, heavy damage DD Amagiri DD Uzuki DD Minazuki Allied Ships CA Pensacola, Shell hits 3 CL Nashville, Shell hits 3 DD Jarvis DD Ellet, Shell hits 38, and is sunk DD Lang DD Gridley, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk DD Craven, Shell hits 3, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 0,0 [I]* An IJN DD is caught in GG as the transports arrive with the invasion force ***[/I] Japanese Ships DD Oyashio, Shell hits 75, and is sunk Allied Ships AP Arthur Middleton AP President Monroe AP Largs Bay AP Kanimbla AP Manoora, Shell hits 1 AP Wanganella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat at 0,0 [I] Steaming past the wreckage of Oyashio, the "battle transports" dispatch another IJN DD in the way ***[/I] Japanese Ships DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 10, and is sunk Allied Ships AP Arthur Middleton AP President Monroe AP Largs Bay AP Kanimbla AP Manoora AP Wanganella -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Woodlark Island, at 22,39 [I][B]Swanson[/B] and [B]Wilkes[/B] take a break from hunting subs to join the harassment of the IJN bases in the Solomons ***[/I] Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 1 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** I-28 tries to defend Port Moresby ***[/I] Japanese Ships SS I-28 Allied Ships MSW Launceton -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on Lae , at 9,33 [I]*** With sketchy intelligence on Lae, the B17s go in at 20000 to try and impact the amount of planes the IJN can launch against the invasion ***[/I] Allied aircraft F-5A Lightning x 3 B-17E Fortress x 5 Allied aircraft losses B-17E Fortress x 1 damaged Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 1 Attacking Level Bombers: 5 x B-17E Fortress at 20000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on Lae , at 9,33 [I]*** The second wave ***[/I] Japanese aircraft Allied aircraft B-17E Fortress x 7 Japanese aircraft losses B5N Kate x 1 destroyed Japanese ground losses: Men lost 22 Airbase hits 1 Runway hits 3 Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x B-17E Fortress at 16000 feet 4 x B-17E Fortress at 16000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Buna at 12,38 [I]*** The 3 DDs assigned to bombard Buna lie directly in the path of the IJN CV TF and the transports unloading at PM. Sorry to see the hits on the destroyers, but I would be even sorrier to see the hits on the transports ***[/I] Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 21 B5N Kate x 18 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 1 destroyed D3A Val x 7 damaged B5N Kate x 5 damaged Allied Ships DD Hutchins, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage DD Monssen DD Grayson -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** Finally, the IJN CVs get a strike at PM. They miss the APs and hit the supply ships ***[/I] Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 47 D3A Val x 16 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 5 damaged Allied Ships AK Demodocus, Bomb hits 3, on fire AK Diomed -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** Fully aware to what is happening, IJN LBA desparately tries to stop the transports from unloading. Fortunately, with the the rain, the amount of aircraft launched is reduced. The attack misses the [B]Cairns[/B] ***[/I] Japanese aircraft B5N Kate x 8 no losses Allied Ships MSW Cairns -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Gili Gili at 17,42 [I]*** The transports in GG aren't as lucky as the PM invaders ***[/I] Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 14 G3M Nell x 12 G4M1 Betty x 12 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell x 1 damaged Allied Ships AP Wanganella, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AP Largs Bay, Torpedo hits 1, on fire AP Manoora, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AP Kanimbla, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage AP Arthur Middleton, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Allied ground losses: Men lost 152 Guns lost 1 Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** Finally, the PM transports are hit by IJN naval avaition ***[/I] Japanese aircraft D3A Val x 25 B5N Kate x 12 Japanese aircraft losses D3A Val x 1 damaged B5N Kate x 1 destroyed Allied Ships AP Moreton Bay, Bomb hits 1, on fire AP Katoomba, Bomb hits 1 AP Crescent City AP Orungal, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage AP Westralia AP President Hayes Allied ground losses: Men lost 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** Another strike, the LBA riding the wavetops, damaging the APs ***[/I] Japanese aircraft A6M2 Zero x 3 G3M Nell x 14 Japanese aircraft losses G3M Nell x 5 damaged Allied Ships AP Ormiston, Torpedo hits 1 AP President Hayes, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Harry Lee, Torpedo hits 1 Allied ground losses: Men lost 7 Guns lost 1 Attacking Level Bombers: 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 2 x G3M Nell at 200 feet 4 x G3M Nell at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** With so many targets in PM harbor, I'm sure the IJN avaitors are hard pressed to pick out the right ships for their bombs... ***[/I] Japanese aircraft G4M1 Betty x 3 Japanese aircraft losses G4M1 Betty x 1 damaged Allied Ships PG Swan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Attacking Level Bombers: 3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** I-28 tries to finish off [B]Demodocus[/B], but fails ***[/I] Japanese Ships SS I-28 Allied Ships AK Demodocus, on fire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Naval bombardment of Buna, at 12,38 [I]*** The remaining USN DD bombardment force puts a few holes in Buna's airstrip ***[/I] Airbase hits 6 Airbase supply hits 1 Runway hits 10 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Port Moresby at 10,40 [I]*** I-28 furiously reloads and singles out [B]Launceton[/B] from the thundering herd of vessels over its head... ***[/I] Japanese Ships SS I-28 Allied Ships MSW Launceton, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More to come....... :)
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"Shouldn't we be leading the shark into shore...instead him leading us out to sea?"
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