IdahoNYer
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Joined: 9/6/2009
From: NYer living in Boise, ID
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5-6 Feb 43
Highlights – Bad day for fighters over Broome this time; Entire IJN in Arafura Sea!
Jpn ships sunk:
DD: 1 (Arashio)
SS: 3 (I-25, I-33, I-38)
Jpn ships un-sunk:
SS: 3 (RO-33, RO-103, I-27)
Allied ships sunk:
DE: 1 (Parrott)
PT: 1
AM: 1
Air loss:
Jpn: 117
Allied: 96
Subwar:
Jpn: 4 Attacks, 1 ship hit (DE Parrott sunk; also, CV Lex hit by a dud!)
Allies: 2 Attacks, 1 ship hit (xAK dam)
Jpn Amph Inv: None
Allied Amph Inv: None
Bases lost: None
Bases Liberated: None
SIGINT/Intel: I think I’ve accounted for every significant (CA or better) operational warship in the IJN in the Arafura Sea!
West Coast/Admin: Still waiting for the B-25C factories to convert to the B-25D1
In NOPAC, NSTR.
In CENPAC, NSTR.
In SOPAC, US CA TF (3CA, 2CL, 5DD, DMS) get a “nuclear bombardment” result in hitting Munda – my first! 35Z, 20V, 17K destroyed on the ground, with heavy damage to the facilities, although they are likely still operational. Enroute, the CA TF also destroyed a barge flotilla (1MGB, 11 barges) heading back from Tassafaronga. The CA TF will head back to Ndeni to replenish. CV TF heads SE to lay off Tulagi, and IJN sub I-38 puts a fish into the CV Lexington, which is very fortunately a dud  . The sub is brought to the surface and sunk by escorts. Allied ASW a/c have a bonus day, claiming a good 4 hits on subs in the area. Lunga AF now operational, and the US CVs will clear the “sub zone” - Two CV TFs will head toward Ocean and Naura and search for game while one will head north of Ndeni to replenish. BB South Dakota will then detach w/escort and head to Auckland to refit. Troops and supplies continue to land at Lunga without issue, although waters are still heavily infested with subs. Squadron of Corsairs take up residence on Lunga as the air threat from Munda, Buin and Rabaul remains heavy. A small US CA TF (2CA, DDs) that was protecting transports at Lunga, will hit Munda before heading back to Kirakira to replenish.
In SWPAC, major bombardment effort by the IJN – in fact, I think the entire IJN is here! Overwatched by the KB, Groote (BB, 6CA, 4CL, DDs), Gove (3CA, DDs) and Merauke twice (2BB, 2CL, DDs and 3BB, 2CL, DDs) are all heavily bombarded. Groote and Merauke AFs are shut down, with heavy a/c loss at Merauke (9 P-400, 8 Mitchells, 8 B-25s, 8 PBYs, 6 Beauforts, 3 Beaufighters, 3 B-26s, and 2 SBDs lost) despite Fort level 4 and 300+ mines. The mines at Merauke did claim a DD. Gove lightly effected, and supplies remain good at both Merauke and Groote. IJN apparently has withdrawn – at least what PBYs were still able to fly didn’t see anything. US subs came up empty, no sightings, no attacks. IJN surface elements heading to bombard, also caught a number of Landing craft TFs off Groote, sinking AM, PT, 2LCT, 5 LCM), but the pair of xAKLs at Groote remain intact. Remaining PT squadron at Groote accomplished nothing but expending torps and fuel – and will have to move back to Horn to rearm. Big question now is will L_S_T sustain this effort, or will he send ships elsewhere? As long as the IJN fleet is concentrated here, moving supplies in to both Gove and Groote is extremely hazardous, and for now, the air bridge is the best method. US subs remain thick and a/c may still get lucky with night attacks. This is the kind of response I expected to the Merauke landings, and had reinforced airpower with land based carrier aircraft then – now, planes are in short supply. Still, unless L_S_T decides on a major counter landing, knowing where the IJN is concentrated, does have its benefits.
In WAUS, another bad day over Broome. I’ve GOT to pay more attention to airframe fatigue!!!! That’s the best reason I can think of for the poor showing of P-38Gs with excellent, well rested pilots over Broome. Two P-38G squadrons at 13 hexes (normal range with drop tanks), one on LRCAP and the other sweeping, lose 15 plane to only 14 Oscar IIbs and 5 Nicks on CAP. Ugly. Very ugly. P-38Gs will now need to rest and recover, but I’m not inclined to try this again over Broome anytime soon – I just can’t afford these losses right now. A small CA TF (2CA, CL, DDs) at Exmouth protecting transports, will attempt to bombard Broome on a high speed run next turn. On the ground, the slow advance to Port Hedland continues, with the majority of Allied forces concentrated in a single hex now – protected by two US AA Bns.
In China, I kept the P-40Es up on CAP which proved to be a mistake as Chungking was heavily swept. 11 P-40Es were lost to a pair of Oscar IIb and a single Tojo. P-40s will pull back to Kumning to rebuild and await another chance. On the ground, the Chinese pocket at Lanchow is slowly being reduced, and Changsa is being threatened from the south. Lack of supplies are the usual problem – only troops at Chungking have anything near adequate supplies.
In India/Burma, Warazup is held against a single attack and forts remain at level 2. In the center, an Indian Tank Bde has managed to slip through the lines and reach Shwebo, which is reportedly lightly defended – they will attack next turn. Shwebo is a reach here – and I’m over extended, with heavy IJA concentration both north and south – but, taking Shwebo even temporarily could really disrupt IJA supply flow to troops in the Warazup/Myitkyina areas. After a long rest period, B-24s will hit Akyab next turn – less one squadron refitting with the newly available B-24D1.
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