SqzMyLemon
Matrix Legion of Merit

Posts: 4239
Joined: 10/30/2009 From: Alberta, Canada Status: offline
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Sept. 13/44: The main news today is the naval battle of Biak. There has been a Japanese SCTF stationed at Biak for some time and I've been trying to figure out a way to get at it. Initially, I had been contemplating a carrier strike, but after positioning task forces for a full speed run, I either lost my nerve or felt there were too many unknowns to risk the carriers. So I mothballed the idea of attacking the Japanese ships at Biak. With the threat of naval bombardment against the airbases at Hollandia and Sarmi there had been a reduction in Japanese air search which allowed me to position an Allied SCTF to within seven hexes of Biak without being detected. Allied air search on the 12th indicated only a five ship enemy TF at Biak, when previously the total had consistently shown 10. I decided to attack anyway and ordered a full speed run. At 18,000 yards CL Cleveland started the battle landing a 5" shell hit on CL Kinu. After that, all hell broke lose. AAR follows: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Time Surface Combat, near Biak at 87,110, Range 18,000 Yards Japanese Ships CL Yura, Shell hits 24, heavy fires, heavy damage CL Kinu, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Nenohi, Shell hits 8, and is sunk DD Hatsushima, Shell hits 17, and is sunk DD Wakaba, Shell hits 13, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Ariake, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Ikazuchi, Shell hits 7, heavy fires DD Inazuma, Shell hits 11, heavy fires, heavy damage DD Usugumo, Shell hits 28, and is sunk DD Shirakumo, Shell hits 3, on fire DD Murakumo, Shell hits 18, heavy fires, heavy damage Allied Ships CL Cleveland DD Knapp, Shell hits 1, on fire DD Laws DD Longshaw, Shell hits 5, on fire DD Luce, Shell hits 3, on fire DD Marshall, Shell hits 2, on fire DD Nicholas, Shell hits 1 DD Thatcher, Shell hits 3 DD The Sullivans, Shell hits 3 DD Walker, Shell hits 7, heavy fires Maximum visibility in Partly Cloudy Conditions: 28,000 yards Range closes to 24,000 yards... CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 24,000 yards CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 24,000 yards Range closes to 18,000 yards... At first the Japanese DDs were effectively scoring hits, but then the Fletchers really started hitting home. CL Cleveland handled the Japanese CLs while the two destroyer forces hammered away at each other. Three enemy destroyers sunk outright in the first fight with another sunk in a follow up engagement. Further sinking sounds were heard during the replay. There were no mine hits, no Japanese submarines and more importantly, no Japanese naval air attacks against any of the damaged Allied destroyers that couldn't withdraw from the area. A decisive Allied tactical victory on the day.
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Luck is the residue of design - John Milton Don't mistake lack of talent for genius - Peter Steele (Type O Negative)
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