racndoc
Posts: 2519
Joined: 10/29/2004 From: Newport Coast, California Status: offline
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SITUATION REPORT: 3-11-44 THE GREAT MARIANAS TRANSPORT SHOOT Evidently the massive kamikaze and surface TF intervention by the IJN were meant to cover an even larger IJA transport reinforcement operation of the Mariana Islands. While the USN CVs raced north to pummel the IJN BBs, the IJN transports were heading south towards Saipan and Tinian....opposed only by Allied land based air. ALL USN CVs, CVLs and CVEs were now ordered to strike the scores of transports and the RN BB TF was ordered to Tinian where a series of surface actions continued throughout the night: Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AP Hakozaki Maru, Shell hits 49, and is sunk AP Fukko Maru, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1 CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Kenkon Maru, Shell hits 5, and is sunk AK Chile Maru, Shell hits 29, and is sunk AP Heito Maru, Shell hits 17, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 1 BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Japanese ground losses: 186 casualties reported Guns lost 10 Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AP Heiwa Maru, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk AP Huso Maru, Shell hits 36, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk AP Kiyoshima Maru, Shell hits 47, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Japanese ground losses: 27 casualties reported Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK China Maru AK Clyde Maru, on fire AP Kitano Maru, Shell hits 20, and is sunk AK Naples Maru, on fire AP Nissho Maru, Shell hits 25, and is sunk AK Menado Maru AK Bisaku Maru, Shell hits 10, and is sunk AP Taijima Maru, on fire AK Tsukuba Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire AK Sansho Maru, on fire, heavy damage AK Shino Maru, Shell hits 1 AK Naruo Maru AK Junpo Maru, Shell hits 13, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Japanese ground losses: 24 casualties reported Guns lost 2 Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AP Burisuben Maru, Shell hits 9, and is sunk AP Hakuyo Maru, Shell hits 44, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Kenkoku Maru, Shell hits 63, and is sunk AK Minato Maru, Shell hits 61, and is sunk AK Kakuzan Maru, Shell hits 12, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk AK Taikei Maru, Shell hits 14, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex, Shell hits 1 CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins, Shell hits 1 CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Koho Maru, Shell hits 6, on fire, heavy damage AK Katsukawa Maru, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk AK Reikai Maru, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk AK Tsurushima Maru, Shell hits 8, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall, Shell hits 1 CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Kinmo Maru, Shell hits 48, and is sunk AK Rokkosan Maru, Shell hits 30, and is sunk AK Oita Maru AK Shinshu Maru, Shell hits 1 AK Bunzan Maru, Shell hits 18, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth, Shell hits 2 BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Horei Maru, Shell hits 3, on fire AK Narita Maru AK Teisen Maru, Shell hits 37, and is sunk AK Arisan Maru, Shell hits 2 AK Misaki Maru, Shell hits 9, on fire, heavy damage Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign, Shell hits 1 BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java, Shell hits 1 CL Newcastle CA Hobart DD Gillespie DD Vampire -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Time Surface Combat, near Tinian at 62,65 Japanese Ships AK Nissyo Maru, Shell hits 5, on fire AP Reiyo Maru, Shell hits 47, and is sunk AP Sanko Maru, Shell hits 22, and is sunk AK Thames Maru, Shell hits 1, on fire Allied Ships BB Prince of Wales BB Queen Elizabeth BB Royal Sovereign BC Renown CA Shropshire CA Sussex CA Devonshire CA Cornwall CA Hawkins CA Frobisher CL Java CL Newcastle CA Hobart 23 Japanese APs and AKs sink during the night. As dawn arrives, the Allied naval and land based bombers gather to continue hammering the transports: Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft SB2C Helldiver x 124 TBM Avenger x 118 Allied aircraft losses TBM Avenger: 1 damaged Japanese Ships AP Taijima Maru, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AK Sansho Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK China Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Clyde Maru, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AK Shino Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Menado Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Naples Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Naruo Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AK Tsukuba Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Japanese ground losses: 31 casualties reported Guns lost 5 Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft F6F Hellcat x 2 TBM Avenger x 8 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Clyde Maru, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft F6F Hellcat x 3 TBM Avenger x 8 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Menado Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft SB2C Helldiver x 20 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Menado Maru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 F6F Hellcat x 31 SB2C Helldiver x 14 TBM Avenger x 14 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Bunzan Maru, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 63,65 Allied aircraft B-24J Liberator x 4 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Tsurushima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 62,65 Allied aircraft PB4Y Liberator x 6 B-24J Liberator x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Oita Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft PB4Y Liberator x 3 B-24J Liberator x 3 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Misaki Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage AK Horei Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft SB2C Helldiver x 27 TBM Avenger x 12 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Thames Maru, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 62,65 Allied aircraft P-38J Lightning x 45 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Batavia Maru, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage AP Buenos Aires Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 62,65 Allied aircraft P-38J Lightning x 18 B-24J Liberator x 10 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Sanwa Maru, on fire AK Taiko Maru #3, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage AK Noborikawa Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire Day Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 62,65 Allied aircraft P-38J Lightning x 12 B-24J Liberator x 18 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Risen Maru, Bomb hits 8, on fire, heavy damage AK Eizan Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire AK Fukuyo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AK Chosen Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 62,64 Allied aircraft SB2C Helldiver x 17 TBF Avenger x 12 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Nissyo Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF, near Tinian at 62,65 Allied aircraft FM-2 Wildcat x 38 F6F Hellcat x 3 Hellcat II x 2 F4U-1D Corsair x 18 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AK Shinshu Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 66,66 Allied aircraft F4F-4 Wildcat x 2 FM-2 Wildcat x 29 F6F Hellcat x 36 Hellcat II x 1 F4U-1D Corsair x 6 SB2C Helldiver x 185 TBF Avenger x 12 TBM Avenger x 192 Allied aircraft losses SB2C Helldiver: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged TBM Avenger: 1 damaged Japanese Ships AP Chicago Maru, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage AP Enju Maru, Bomb hits 8, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Bokuyo Maru, Bomb hits 9, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Daigen Maru, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AP Chihaya Maru, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage AP Daifuku Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage AP Fusemi Maru, Bomb hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 66,66 Allied aircraft FM-2 Wildcat x 4 TBM Avenger x 4 Avenger II x 8 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Daifuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Day Air attack on TF at 66,66 Allied aircraft TBM Avenger x 6 No Allied losses Japanese Ships AP Daifuku Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage Another 22 Japanese transports sink throughout the day and many more will continue to sink over the next few days. Interestingly, the P-38s drop 1000lb bombs while the Corsairs and the heavy bombers drop 500 lb bombs. Ground combat on Guam is again inconclusive but the airfield there is now operational: Ground combat at Guam Allied Shock attack Attacking force 100008 troops, 1058 guns, 569 vehicles Defending force 7671 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles Allied assault odds: 260 to 1 Japanese ground losses: 641 casualties reported Guns lost 1 Allied ground losses: 254 casualties reported Guns lost 4 Vehicles lost 4
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