racndoc
Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004 From: Newport Coast, California Status: offline
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SITUATION REPORT: 12-29-43 CENTPAC: INVASION OF KWAJALEIN The invasion of Kwajalein began with another pre-dawn bombarment: Naval bombardment of Kwajalein, at 79,79 Allied Ships CL Glasgow CL Leander CA Australia CA Wichita CA San Francisco CA Astoria CA Louisville CA Northampton BB Alabama BB Massachusetts BB Indiana BB Washington Japanese ground losses: 3261 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Airbase hits 9 Airbase supply hits 8 Runway hits 94 Port hits 18 Port supply hits 22 As the assault transports approached the beach, the tenacious defenders opened up with everthing they had left after nearly a year of starvation and aerial bombarbment: TF 1292 encounters mine field at Kwajalein (79,79) TF 1292 troops unloading over beach at Kwajalein, 79,79 Allied Ships MSW Penguin MSW Oriole MSW Salute MSW Sheldrake MSW Dubbo DD Pope DD Paul Jones, Mine hits 1, heavy damage Coastal Guns at Kwajalein, 79,79, firing at TF 1292 1708 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Allied Ships DD Caldwell CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 6 LCI LCI-335 DD Bailey DD Warrington LST LST-474 LST LST-467 DD Farenholt, Shell hits 1 LST LST-461 LST LST-458 DD Hughes, Shell hits 4 LST LST-344 LST LST-343, Shell hits 1 CL Raleigh LST LST-121, Shell hits 2 DD Kennison, Shell hits 2 LST LST-74, Shell hits 2 LST LST-69 MSW Penguin, Shell hits 2 APD Herbert, Shell hits 7 Allied ground losses: 3465 casualties reported Guns lost 22 Vehicles lost 7 TF 1292 encounters mine field at Kwajalein (79,79) TF 1292 troops unloading over beach at Kwajalein, 79,79 Allied Ships MSW Penguin MSW Oriole MSW Salute MSW Sheldrake MSW Dubbo DD Kennison DD Paul Jones, heavy damage DD Farenholt, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Coastal Guns at Kwajalein, 79,79, firing at TF 1292 400 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Allied Ships APD Herbert DD Bailey CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 2 DD Caldwell CL Raleigh DD Warrington, Shell hits 2 DD Flusser Allied ground losses: 1128 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Meanwhile, CENTPAC bombers pummeled the atoll from above: Day Air attack on 4th Division, at 79,79 Allied aircraft Hellcat II x 6 F4U-1 Corsair x 18 Avenger II x 8 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 5 x Avenger II bombing at 6000 feet 3 x Avenger II bombing at 6000 feet -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Day Air attack on 4th Division, at 79,79 Allied aircraft PBY Catalina x 4 P-38J Lightning x 24 B-25J Mitchell x 101 PB4Y Liberator x 57 B-24J Liberator x 33 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 113 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Over 45,000 thousand assault troops made it ashore on the 1st day and casualties were heavy for both sides as dusk approached: Ground combat at Kwajalein Japanese Bombardment attack Attacking force 6377 troops, 86 guns, 0 vehicles Defending force 48780 troops, 691 guns, 127 vehicles Japanese ground losses: 268 casualties reported Guns lost 47 Ground combat at Kwajalein Allied Shock attack Attacking force 45940 troops, 691 guns, 127 vehicles Defending force 13775 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 56 to 1 (fort level 9) Allied forces CAPTURE Kwajalein base !!! Japanese ground losses: 1811 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Allied ground losses: 1602 casualties reported Guns lost 73 Vehicles lost 3 CENTPAC troops managed to capture the base but fighting still rages on. Additional assault troops will be landed all night and another shock attack is ordered for tomorrow. DEI: The RN CVs attack Japanese shipping at Palembang: Day Air attack on Palembang , at 20,55 Allied aircraft Barracuda x 25 Allied aircraft losses Barracuda: 2 destroyed, 11 damaged Japanese Ships AK Iwakuni Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire MSW Takasago Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Namba Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire MSW Wa 22, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Port hits 1 Port fuel hits 1 and also at Batavia: Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59 Allied aircraft F6F Hellcat x 2 Hellcat II x 4 F4U-1 Corsair x 2 Corsair IV x 2 Barracuda x 18 TBM Avenger x 6 Avenger II x 5 Allied aircraft losses Barracuda: 1 damaged Avenger II: 1 damaged Japanese Ships DD Hayabusa, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Hokutai Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
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