AllenK
Posts: 7259
Joined: 2/17/2014 From: England Status: offline
|
It isn't all one sided. The CL Phoenix, recovering from the initial surprise, puts several devastating broadsides into the CA Nachi, sending her to the bottom. Facing far superior odds, the surviving US CA's head back to port. The sub stays around for a crack but searches are unsuccessful. In the Marshalls, the US Nav spots the patrolling Jap Ftr and tries to flee. It is in turn spotted and engaged (Japs 4, US 3). It is caught and shot down for no loss (US 8, Jap 6; +2:-3). With the air patrol taken care of, the Jap subs engage the US CP. They sneak in plant their torpedoes and are gone before the US escorts can react. Scratch another convoy (searches Jap 4, US 7; surprise used to reduce damage). The Japs elect to fight so as to keep their subs in the sea area (they would then decline to commit them). With nothing to escort, the US Commodore heads back to port. When he gets there, he gets a severe dressing down from the Admiral as their presence would have been needed to provide protection to the replacement convoy. As word gets out about the Japanese success in the Pacific, the RN subs hope to emulate their performance in the Med. They fall at the first when unable to locate the enemy, who likewise are similarly ocularly challenged.
|