Shadow of the Condor
Posts: 394
Joined: 2/9/2004
From: Chicago
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7 Jul 42
Wx: Partly Cloudy
0020L…Task Force “Ripper”…onboard the US cruiser Astoria…15 miles NE of Townsville harbor…
Captain Scanland was reading a letter from Rear Admiral Spruance. On the other combat ships in the task force, their men were being similarly briefed.
Scanland spoke into the annunciator:
“Men of Task Force Ripper, the enemy has been invading the sovereign land of Australia. The Allied forces in which you serve responded to the attack of overwhelming strength as best it could. To date, no less than 30 Allied ships have been sunk trying to repel the invasion. Up to now, the Japanese have had the advantage in this operation. All we could do was oppose the invaders with the piecemeal forces we had on hand, and try to build up a sufficient force to eliminate the menace.
Men of Task Force Ripper, you are part of that sufficient force. You are the answer to the prayers of the people of the nation of Australia in their hour of need.
Men of Task Force Ripper, I send you in harm’s way with full confidence you will prevail.”
Scanland folded the message in half and stepped back from the bulkhead. He nodded to the yeoman who stepped up, and held down a switch.
Throughout the ship, the klaxon sounded three times, followed by the words…
“All hands, man your battle stations…this is not a drill…”
0221L…Task Force “Ripper”…inside Townsville Harbor…
On the bridge, Scanland was sizing up the situation. With the departure of the enemy carriers, and the previous day’s attack by the Allied carriers, the IJN was in a vulnerable position. The IJN had, no doubt, noted the withdrawal east of Spruance’s carriers, but it was hoped they did not notice the 10 cruisers and 4 destroyers who split off and continued into Townsville. They expected opposition, but the enemy was most likely low on ammunition, having bombarded the base two nights ago with minimal results, and fighting off an air attack yesterday.
As the Allied force drew closer to the IJN, fires from still burning ships helped pinpoint the destroyers and cruisers in one of the enemy bombardment task forces. Once they closed to 9000 yards, Scanland ordered his cruisers to open fire…
0330L…Task Force Ripper…inside Townsville harbor…
The attack against the enemy cruisers and destroyers went almost flawlessly. Seven destroyers were observed to be fully engulfed in flames, and one cruiser was also on fire. Three Allied cruisers had minor fires onboard, but they had been brought under control almost immediately. The destroyers scattered, and Task Force Ripper continued into the transports loading up the invading army. The transports had only two destroyers for protection, but one of them got a torpedo into Northhampton. Once the Allied ships were alerted that threats still were out there, every cruiser concentrated their 8 inch and 5 inch guns on the two destroyers until they were sunk in the action. Two Japanese minesweepers were also present, but they played no part in the battle. Once the Allies swept through the transports, one had been sunk outright, and six more were fully afire…
2100L…Townsville COIC plotting room…
Major Jefferies smiled for the first time in almost a month. The mood in the room – and throughout the Townsville area in general – was upbeat. Three IJN destroyers and three transports were confirmed sunk, but many more - perhaps as many as twenty - were reported to be seriously damaged. And at 1700L, an aide from the land force commander – Major General Morris of the New Guinea Division – reported that the attack forced the last of the Japanese ground forces out of Townsville and they were seen retreating northwest along the coast road towards Innisfail and Cairns. The ground forces had reportedly killed or captured over 5500 enemy troops. Four entire anti aircraft regiments, along with an enemy coastal gun unit were completely destroyed.
They had done it.
2200L…Aitkenvale Wier airbase…near Townsville…
Lt. McGee closed his eyes as he lay on his cot. Earlier that night, the Australian Wirraway pilots had been celebrating their success. The air attack had been so one-sided, that even the trainer aircraft had claimed ten bomb hits on Japanese ships. He knew that number would be lowered, but the effects of today’s strikes could not be denied. And when they heard that the New Guinea Division and 3rd Australian Division had attacked and virtually wiped out what enemy ground forces remained, the men had become almost giddy with relief that they had survived this attempt to invade their homeland.
But McGee smiled for another reason. The base was completely repaired and operational. The defenders, himself included, were due to be sent back to Brisbane for a much needed rest and refit.
His last thought was that he would get a full night’s sleep for the first time in a very long time……
The CR:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/07/42
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Night Time Surface Combat, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese Ships
CA Mogami, Shell hits 4, on fire
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 1
CL Sendai, Shell hits 4
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 17, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hatsukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hamakaze, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Natsugumo
DD Minegumo, Shell hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 12, on fire, heavy damage
DD Samidare
DD Wakaba
DD Inazuma, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Isonami
DD Yukaze, Shell hits 1
DD Nokaze, Shell hits 2, on fire
Allied Ships
CA Northampton, Shell hits 3
CA Chester, Shell hits 1
CA Louisville, Shell hits 1
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1
CA Salt Lake City
CA Astoria, Shell hits 1
CA Minneapolis
CA Vincennes
CL St. Louis
CL Phoenix
DD Craven, Shell hits 1
DD Mahan
DD Conyngham
DD Cushing
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Townsville at 10,62
Japanese Ships
DD Oboro, Shell hits 15, and is sunk
DD Satsuki, Shell hits 24, and is sunk
MSW Noshiro Maru #2
MSW Toshi Maru #2
AP Heiwa Maru, Shell hits 22, on fire, heavy damage
AP Hikade Maru
AP Hirokawa Maru
AP Kamoi Maru, Shell hits 20, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kanayamasan Maru
AP Kasuga Maru #2
AP Katsuragisan Maru
AP Keizan Maru
AP Kembu Maru
AP Kimishima Maru
AP Koei Maru
AP Mikage Maru #20, Shell hits 16, and is sunk
AP Muko Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Nagisan Maru
AP Neikai Maru
AP Otori Maru
AP Ryotaku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Shinko Maru, on fire
AP Shinkoku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
CA Northampton, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Chester
CA Louisville, Shell hits 2
CA Pensacola, Shell hits 1
CA Salt Lake City
CA Astoria
CA Minneapolis
CA Vincennes
CL St. Louis
CL Phoenix
DD Craven
DD Mahan
DD Conyngham
DD Cushing
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 1212
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Sub attack at 11,60
Japanese Ships
DD Yugiri, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Allied Ships
SS S-41
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Sub attack at 10,59
Japanese Ships
DD Kagero
Allied Ships
SS Greenling
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Air attack on Cooktown , at 6,53
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 14
B-25D Mitchell x 23
B-26B Marauder x 11
A-20B Havoc x 6
no losses
Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Port hits 2
Port supply hits 4
Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
5 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet
3 x A-20B Havoc at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x Hudson at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
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Air attack on TF at 10,59
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 16
Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway x 1 destroyed
Wirraway x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Yamafuku Maru, on fire, heavy damage
AP Meiyo Maru, Shell hits 4
AP Shinai Maru
DD Oshio, Shell hits 4
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 3
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Allied aircraft
P-400 Airacobra x 11
P-39D Airacobra x 14
A-24 Dauntless x 4
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Heito Maru, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Kano Maru, Shell hits 4
AP Josho Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 1
AP Tarushima Maru, Shell hits 4
AP Hakonesan Maru
AP Toyo Maru #2
AP Kinugasa Maru, Shell hits 4
AP Keisho Maru, Shell hits 16, Bomb hits 2, on fire
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 261
Guns lost 1
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 10,61
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 3
no losses
Japanese Ships
DD Kuroshio, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF at 10,61
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 13
P-40E Kittyhawk x 13
no losses
Japanese Ships
DD Minegumo, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hamakaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Kuroshio, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF at 10,59
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 22
P-400 Airacobra x 8
P-39D Airacobra x 22
P-40E Kittyhawk x 6
A-24 Dauntless x 4
no losses
Japanese Ships
AP Zukai Maru, Shell hits 4
AP Gosei Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AP Hokuyo Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AP Kiyozumi Maru, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Asashio, Shell hits 8
AP Naniwa Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Tama Maru
DD Oshio, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AP Kyokusei Maru, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1
DD Oyashio
AP Ryuko Maru
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 234
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Air attack on TF, near Townsville at 10,62
Allied aircraft
SOC-3 Seagull x 3
Allied aircraft losses
SOC-3 Seagull x 1 destroyed
SOC-3 Seagull x 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Matsukaze
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Townsville
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 25548 troops, 205 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 14231 troops, 170 guns, 22 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 5511
Guns lost 184
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 188
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< Message edited by Shadow of the Condor -- 6/26/2004 8:49:29 PM >
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