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Thursday, January 22, 1942

 
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Thursday, January 22, 1942 - 3/28/2005 1:14:40 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Thursday, January 22, 1942

Henry:

I’m not certain whether to count the battle at Diamond Harbor this morning as a win or a loss.

Losses

Naval

• Sunk: DD Panther
• Heavily Damaged: DD Paladin, PG Hollyhock

Air

• 7x Hurricane
• 5x Buffalo

Damage Inflicted

• 21x Betty
• 3x Nell
• 3x Zero

I am certainly not complaining about the destruction of 27 Japanese airplanes. Up until today, only 4x Betty had been shot down in air-to-air combat. The new numbers are quite an improvement.

However, the battle report gave details that give me a cause for concern.

(1) The Japanese Zeros came in first in order to sweep allied CAP out of the way. My first item of concern is that they continued to do an excellent job. As you can see by the numbers, they shot down 13 allied airplanes at a loss of 3 of their own. This is a 4:1 margin of victory. The only good news here is that some of our pilots actually learned how to hit a Japanese Zero.

(2) Half of the enemy bombers shot down (17 total; the rest were brought down by flak) were shot down by two pilots. G2 credited FLT U. Greenwood and PO K. Kirkpatrick, both of 232 Squadron, each with 4 kills. We cannot have the fate of Diamond Harbor rest on two pilots.

A high-altitude strike would have probably had the same results as other Japanese strikes. They would have mauled our air force, but yet still done little damage with the bombers. This means that I have no reason to hope that the air war has taken any type of turn for the better. Japan tried a new strategy, and it cost them. They still have the option of going back to their old strategy.

The good news is that, if they go back to their old strategy, we do not have to worry so much about how much damage they will do to ships in places like Diamond Harbor. I am certain they cannot afford those types of losses for long. I think that the sting of this defeat will keep them from making many low-altitude strikes against allied harbors in the future.

Air Reinforcements in India

The air defense of India improved somewhat when the 6th Fighter squadron unloaded their new P-39D Airacobra fighters. Right now, the squadron has 10 pilots that flew in from Bataan in a couple of PBY’s – right over enemy territory. New pilots are on the way to bring the 6th up to strength as a fighter squadron. They have enough airplanes for a full squadron. These had been originally intended as lend-lease airplanes for Russia, but we needed them in India instead.

The 21st Fighter Squadron has also been scrounging up spare airplanes. I have been told that the problem with the Warhawks is that we just do not have enough of them for all of our commitments. The 55th fighter group in Seattle is being converted over to Warhawks in order to free up Tomahawks for the Tomahawk squadrons flying in the Pacific. The greater range of the Tomahawk makes them a much better choice here in the Pacific. More importantly, we have commitments to reach to keep the AVG flying in China. They exclusively use Tomahawks.

Another area where the India Air Force has squadrons without planes is the Buffalo squadrons. The four Buffalo squadrons in India have 27 airplanes between them. This is another plane that we do not seem to be able to produce fast enough.


Dutch Attack at Ambonia

Naval Losses

• Sunk: PT Boats: TM 14, 15
• Damaged: PT Boat TM 13

Japanese Zeros strafed a Dutch PT Boat squadron at Ambonia this afternoon, destroying two of the boats and damaging a third. The squadron was trying to get out of enemy controlled waters, hopping from port to port that had fuel. Ambonia was just the next port along the way.


Dutch Air Force prepares to return

The Dutch are looking for the best way to get their air force back to Java. They have filled out three fighter squadrons and two torpedo bomber squadrons from the replacements that arrived earlier this week. However, since they are in Adelaide (at the request of the Australians) it will be difficult to get these planes to the front line. They do not have remarkable range.

It will probably take until early February until the Dutch air force can rejoin the fight for the Dutch East Indies. However, they are determined to try. They have named Derby as their assembly point. From there, they will attempt to fly to Bali through the best route available.


CV Saratoga Leaves American Samoa

As I write this, CV Saratoga is just pulling out of the harbor here at American Samoa, bound for San Francisco. She had been patched up well enough to make the trip. Captain Ramsey tested her just outside of port to see how she would handle if she had to fight. They got it up to 27 knots. Right now, they are inspecting the repairs and, if it looks like they will hold, the task force will head out.


Reinforcements Heading for Canton Island

Admiral Nimitz is preparing to deliver the support troops for the 2nd USMC Defense Battalion and 2nd USMC Division to Canton Island by emergency transport. The Australian navy is due here in a couple of days. They will join up with the ships that we have left to transport the support staff from here to Canton Island.

Canton Island is also going through supplies remarkably fast. I am beginning to get an appreciation of how much it takes to keep a Marine division in the field for any length of time. TF1179 with AK Makiki is a couple of days away with 7,000 tons of supply. TF1260 with 1700 tons of supply loaded up on a dozen cruisers and destroyers will probably arrive the day after, if the weather holds.

That will help a lot. Hopefully, there will be no more interference from the Japanese carrier fleet.

Why is it that I suspect that they do not wish to cooperate?


Japanese Carriers

We gave no idea where the Japanese carriers are at this point in time. If the Japanese had intended to sail from Canton Island to Johnson or Midway for a strike, they would have reached their destination by now. Submarines near Wake Island and in the Marshalls have not picked up any signs of the carriers either. They have truly vanished.


That is it for today.

Thayne






Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Thayne -- 3/31/2005 5:02:22 PM >

(in reply to benway9)
Post #: 121
To Mr Thayne - 3/28/2005 2:41:21 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.


Mr Thayne.

The position of the Australian Government remains unchanged in regards to the current situation of the war and the conduct thereof. I am sure that any inconsistencies between allied strategies will be ironed out with the arrival of General Macarthur.


Sincerely

John Downer.

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 122
Friday, January 23, 1942 - 3/29/2005 7:50:03 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Friday, January 23, 1942

Henry:

Buna occupied

I just received a report that the Japanese are in Buna, near Port Moresby. They took advantage of a local storm. It was pouring on the north side of the Owens Stanley Ridge for most of the day.

According to a radio broadcast we got from a contact at Buna, the Japanese simply slipped into port, disembarked from their ships, and took over all key facilities within a couple of hours, while a steady, heavy rain poured down on the town.

It’s not really a town. If you think of a town of a main street lined with houses on both sides, then this would not qualify. Buna is a collection of large farms, really, with bunk houses and a few other shops and facilities nearby. Plus, it has an airstrip. I expect Japan will be putting that to use quickly.

Reports suggested that the Japanese involved less than 1,000 soldiers in the operation. It was all they needed.

Japan is moving incredibly fast. I suspect that we might only have a month or so until an attack comes against Port Moresby. Esprito Santo or Efete, near New Caledonia, may become occupied before that.


CV Saratoga Passes Inspection

CV Saratoga passed inspection and headed home.

Captain Ramsey decided that he would not head straight home from American Samoa, but took his carrier south about sixty miles before turning east. It turned out to be a wise move. A Dauntless left behind at Pago Pago found a Japanese submarine along the normal route home. We have no indication that the Japanese saw the carrier leave, which leaves Japan in the dark as to where the carrier is now.

Nimitz sent a destroyer squadron out to try to find the submarine, though it will probably move by the time the ships get there.


24th Fighter Group

I am afraid that, even though the rational part of me says that it is a wonderful idea and I really should do it, I can’t find the heart to pull the 24th Fighter Group out of the Philippines just yet. I can’t let Japan have control of the skies that easily.

There has not been much enemy air activity around Clark AFB. I can only believe that this is due to the 24th Fighter Group. Japan is afraid of them. Japan does not want to risk the losses in planes and pilots that this group has inflicted. So, as a result, their air crews stay home, and the ground units get to fight free of Japanese air attacks.

Besides, the recent air battle at Diamond Harbor suggests that we have the luxury of a few more days. I have to believe that, in addition to the 24 bombers shot down, a lot of the bombers that made it back were badly damaged. These units will be out of the war for a while – maybe a week. That is how long it would take us to rebuild an air group after those losses.

It is too bad that Japan did not lose fighters. Pownall could then use the opportunity to pummel the Japanese bases. However, with the bombers unable to run, there is little else for Japan to do with the fighters but fly CAP over the base.

We are taking advantage of the opportunity to ship a group of AKs out of Diamond Harbor. We might as well get this done while Japan has 24 fewer bombers than it would have otherwise had.


Air Operations Planned for Burma

However, I talked with General Pownall about a plan to teach Japan of the need to defend in depth. We are re-activating the Mandalay air force and flying in about 70 bombers – mostly Hudsons and Blenheim IV. The bomber squadrons will fly in at first night. At Mandalay, ground crews will work quickly to refuel the airplanes and arm them with bombs. Hopefully, before noon, we can get about 40 planes in the air to fly the length of Burma to Tavoy.

Their target is the tin mine near Tavoy, to try to interfere with Japan’s use of those resources. If the tin mines are unavailable, their secondary target is the sawmills and lumber yards on the edge of the city.

At the same time, B-17s from Diamond Harbor will be targeting the airbase at Rahaeng, which is actually in Thailand. This is mostly being offered as a training mission for the bombers – something to improve their bombing skills by using them on a relatively safe target. We will return to Rangoon eventually.

Another reason for these missions is to see if we can draw the fighter cover in the Rangoon area out a little too thin. If we can get the Japanese to send fighter cover all over the map, this will leave less over the crucial bases at Rangoon. If Japan keeps its air cover over Rangoon, it gives us the opportunity to fly freely over the rest of the country. We shall see what the future brings.

Incidentally, construction crews are working on building airstrips at Dacca that are capable of servicing the heavy bombers to their full effectiveness. General Pownall reports that he expects the fields to be ready somewhere around the first of the month.


That’s it for today.

Thayne




Attachment (1)

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 123
RE: Friday, January 23, 1942 - 3/29/2005 10:44:16 AM   
Andy Mac

 

Posts: 15222
Joined: 5/12/2004
From: Alexandria, Scotland
Status: offline 		Diary Entry 24th January General Alan Brooke

3 Days ago a renewed DAK offensive began from El Agheila. Intel reported no possible threat until late February. Rommel has advanced over 50 miles so far and last night engaged and if initial reports are to be believed destroyed 2nd Armoured Bde.

No warning was recieved and the Bosche have achieved tactical surprise.

I am not sure Ritchie is up to the job we shall see.

We have lost all the forward airfields and if we lose Benghazi and the airfieds in Libya re supplying Malta will be a chancy business.

We were going to try to force a fast convoy through the Med with Spitfires for India and the Middle East but that will be impossible without those Libyan Airfields.

In fact we have been forced to stop the diversion of 2 RAF FB Sqns to India as Benghasi needs aircover.

Several Brigades that were due to be returned to India have been held at the Delta and the sailing of the convoy with 6th Australian Division has been temporarily delayed.

7th Divison has already sailed and will continue. 6th has been held at Aden/Cairo until Auchinleck can bring 4th Indian Division back from Syria to provide additional security.

They will embark within the next two or three weeks if we can stabilise the front in the Desert.

I expect the PM to hear from the Australian High Commisioner regarding the delay.

It does mean that we can beef up the close escort for the convoy when it does sail it will be accompanied by one 'R' class BB which will divert to Colombo after the convoy arrives in Australia.



< Message edited by Andy Mac -- 3/29/2005 11:01:17 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 124
RE: Friday, January 23, 1942 - 3/29/2005 1:28:28 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		**FLASH MESSAGE**

TO: THAYNE

FROM: J DOWNER

30 BDE TO MAKE BEST POSSIBLE SPEED DIRECTLY TO PORT MORESBY STOP REQUIRE URGENT RPT URGENT REINFORCEMENT OF PORT MORESBY BY US FORCES STOP IMMEDIATE REQUIREMENT FOR FIGHTERS TO BE BASED IN PORT MORESBY STOP PM REQUESTS URGENT MEETING WITH GEN D MACARTHUR IN CANBERRA ASAP STOP

END OF MESSAGE


**FLASH MESSAGE**

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Andy Mac)
Post #: 125
RE: Friday, January 23, 1942 - 3/29/2005 1:35:50 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		**FLASH MESSAGE**

TO:GEN ALAN BROOKE

FROM: AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSSION

REQUEST URGENT CLARIFICATION RE DISPOSITION OF 6TH DIV 2ND AIF STOP AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT REQUIRES IMMEDITATE EMBARKATION RPT IMMEDITATE EMBARKATION OF UNIT FOR REPATRIATION STOP

END OF MESSAGE

**FLASH MESSAGE**

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 126
RE: Friday, January 23, 1942 - 3/29/2005 3:33:52 PM   
Andy Mac

 

Posts: 15222
Joined: 5/12/2004
From: Alexandria, Scotland
Status: offline 		CABLEGRAM

TO: AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER

CC: GENERAL MARSHALL, GENERAL BLAMEY

FROM: GENERAL ALAN BROOKE

RE 6th DIVISION

CRISIS IN DESERT ROMMELS NEW OFFENSIVE MAKING IMPRESSIVE GAINS STOP BENGHAZI THREATENED STOP

ON MY AUTHORITY WARNING ORDERS PREPARED FOR 6TH DIVISION REDEPLOYMENT TO COVER DELTA STOP NO ORDERS ISSUED PENDING COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIAN GOVT STOP NO INTENTION TO DEPLOY DIVISION OUTSIDE OF DELTA AT THIS TIME STOP

CONVOY WAS DUE EMBARK ON 12TH FEBRUARY TO DEPART PORT SAID 14TH FEBRUARY NO CHANGE ORDERED YET STOP INTENTION TO HOLD 16TH/ 19TH BDE AT PORT SAID AND 17TH BDE PLUS DIVISIONAL CAVALRY/ ARTILLARY AT ADEN UNTIL RELIEVED BY ELEMENTS OF 4TH INDIAN DIVISION STOP. 4TH INDIAN CURRENTLY TRANSPORTLESS IN SYRIA STOP CANNOT RETURN TO DELTA BEFORE 27TH FEBRUARY AT EARLIEST STOP

MAY RESULT IN TWO TO THREE WEEK DELAY IN EMBARKATION 6TH DIVISON STOP

PM WILL BE IN DIRECT TOUCH OVER NEXT FEW DAYS

EMPHASISE WARNING ORDERS ONLY AT THIS STAGE STOP

ALAN BROOKE
(CIGS)

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 127
Letter: Sec. Downer 01/24/1942 - 3/30/2005 3:14:33 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		To: Secretary John Downer
From: Secretary Ethan "Thayne" Lynde

RE: Port Moresby

Please inform the Prime Minister that, in negotiation with others in the Pacific Theater, I have arranged for the following:

(1) AP Barnett pulled into Sydney late last night. It has orders to refuel and to undergo inspection, then to load as much of the 30th Australian Brigade as possible. It is then to carry those units to Cairns, Australia where they are to be disembarked. According to my reports, you have two task forces with minesweepers heading to Sydney. I trust that some of them will be made available to provide anti-submarine escort.

(2) Two US Destroyer Squadrons (12 ships total) presently performing submarine sweeps off of Australia's coast have been ordered to Cairns. They should arrive well before AP Barnett arrives. While waiting for AP Barnett, their instructions are to perform submarine sweeps in the waters off of Cairns, and to transport any men and supplies you have arranged to have shipped to Cairns destined for Port Moresby.

(3) When AP Barnett arrives, they are to disembark the 30th Australian Brigade. The destroyers will then take whatever troops they can carry to Port Moresby, while AP Barnett returns south to pick up the rest of the unit.

(4) I have arranged emergency air transportation for MacArthur, his family, and his senior staff. It is my expectation that they will be in Australia within 48 hours.

(5) I have transferred authority over New Caledonia from Australia to Nimitz. New Zealand, as well, will be considered a part of the Pacific Command. You will receive no more requests to participate in these operations in this theater. However the security of the supply route to Australia cannot be assured.


Fighters

As for fighters, please be aware that there are simply no fighters available.

(a) The Dutch have their own issues to deal with and can scarcely afford to lend fighters to Australia.

(b) I loaded the 8th Fighter Group onto the only attack transport I have available to me in the entire Pacific Theater -- they cannot arrive any earlier than the date I posted in my earlier communication.

Thus, you must rely on your own Whirraway squadrons as well as the Hurricans that England has provided until mid February (the time required to unload and reassemble the fighters of the 8th Fighter Group).


808th Engineer Aviation Battalion

The only uncertainty is with the 808th Engineer Aviation Battalion. At your request, they have been all but imprisoned (confined to their quarters) in Brisbane. Their only release has been to participate in projects aiming at improving fortifications around the city. As I understand it, there are plans to construct facilities at Brisbane for tending to submarines and mine layers -- to which these men could also make a contribution. However, I do not now, nor did I ever, believe that this was the best use of their skills.


Evacuation

I would also like to encourage you, once again, to order all civilians out of Northern and Northeastern Australia. If the fear is of causing a panic, I assure you, it is better to have that panic now rather than later.

When Germany invaded France, one of its most powerful weapons was the Frech citizen, all fleeing away from the Germans, packing the roads, and limiting the ability of the French army to maneuver.

At the very least, I would recommend incentives for the civilians to leave these areas by offering jobs in war-related industries to the south, and putting them and their families up in temporary housing near Sydney and Melborne.

I am certain your advisors could come up with other plans to relocate civilians away from what, in all likelihood, is going to become a battleground.


Sincerely,

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 3/30/2005 4:07:04 AM >

(in reply to Andy Mac)
Post #: 128
Movement orders - 3/30/2005 1:13:30 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

Mr Thayne

The efforts that you and your country are making is not lost upon this government. However you must understand the dire need that we now find ourselves in, and I am sure that you fully understand. Just stop and consider for one moment what your country would expect of you if your homeland was under direct threat as mine now is. I am sure that I have aged a full ten years more in these last ten days, yet I will not shrink from the duty that my country demands of me.

The planned movement of the 30th Bde is agreed, you plan is sound, however please do not waste a single moment for if you tarry by even one hour I fear that the chance to hold Port Moresby will be lost.
No 24 Squadron RAAF is ordered to move to Port Moresby as is the 453rd Squadron as soon as their Hurricanes have been un-crated. while 2/6 flight RAAF is to retire to Brisbane.
Seeing as General MacArthur is still in transit, I would prepare orders for the embarkation of the 808th for Port Moresby. It seems that this war has caught us all short of qualifed fitters for the servicing of our airforce so any stop-gap units that you have would be well used in helping to support the build-up in Port Moresby.

If we can hold Port Moresby in the short term then I am sure that after the emergency has past we can look at the possibilty of prehaps using the 9th Division 2nd AIF in support of your efforts in New Caledonia.

Sincerely

John Downer.

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 129
RE: Movement orders - 3/30/2005 1:24:52 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		CABLEGRAM

TO: GENERAL ALAN BROOKE

CC: GENERAL MARSHALL, GENERAL BLAMEY

FROM: AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSIONER

RE: 6TH DIVISION 2ND AIF

ORDERS FROM CANBERRA UNCHANGED STOP ALL POSSIBLE HASTE IS TO BE MADE FOR EMBARKATION OF 6TH DIV 2ND AIF STOP IF 6TH DIV NOT ABLE TO BE RETURNED THEN 9TH DIV MUST RETURN IN ITS PLACE STOP

AUSTRALIAN HIGH COMMISSION
LONDON

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 130
Letter: Sec Downer, 01/24/1942 - 3/30/2005 11:41:15 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		From: Thayne
To: Secretary Downer

Sir:

You seem to have mis-spoke in our previous communication. You asked me to imagine "what [my] country would expect of [me] if [my] homeland was under direct threat..."

You seem to have forgotten that my country is under direct threat. The Philippines is a U.S. Protectorate, Hawaii is a U.S. Territory, and American Samoa is just one of several Pacific islands that are very much a part of my country. There are over 10,000 soldiers stranded in the defense of territory over which the United States is sovereign whom I cannot reach with any type of aid or assistance.

I know very much what my country would expect of me if my country was under direct threat.

I regret that there will be nothing to embark the 808th EAB onto in the next two days, at which time MacArthur will be in command of the units and able to implement his own plans.

Please note that two allied troop transports left Perth a day or two ago that will be assigned to MacArthur's command once they reach Sydney. In the mean time, troop transport ships are at a premium. Seven weeks into the war and I still have soldiers assigned to protect Hawaii stuck in San Francisco.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 3/31/2005 5:14:54 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 131
Saturday, January 24, 1942 - 3/31/2005 5:17:46 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Saturday, January 24, 1942

Henry:

New Caledonia Garrison

I have been looking over this manual you gave me about what the allies were going to do in case of a war with Japan and Germany. I hate to say this but somebody seems to have torn out the pages discussing the part about Australia declaring war on England.

I know. It's my problem. It's in my job description to handle diplomatic issues between theater commanders national leaders.

However, I need you to realize that the Australian infantry divisions are Australian property. If you want to buy or lease something that belongs to somebody else -- particularly something that they desperately need -- you have to give them something in return.

I am afraid that I wrote Australia a check as partial payment for the continued use of its 6th Division, and I signed your name to it. Nimitz is now responsible for the protection of New Caledonia and New Zealand, and Nimitz is going to need American units to handle this responsibility.

You have to have something sitting around your shelf of divisions and battalions that is worth leasing the 6th Division for a few more weeks.


South Pacific Offensive

The next trick up my sleeve has to do with the fact that Nimitz has been clamoring for some sort of offensive operation. Australia wants something it can use to defend Port Moresby. This is one of those two-birds-per-stone situations.

I'm going to give Nimitz permission to run his operation out of the South Pacific. At the same time, I am going to tell the Aussies that I am moving two carriers into the waters east of Australia to be used in the defense of Australia if the need arises. In exchange, I hope to buy you a couple weeks' rent for the 6th Division.

However, this has to include a promise that the Division will be transported to Australia the instant that the current emergency has passed.

And, again, I am warning you of what would happen if the impression is ever given that MacArthur was able to secure the release of any units that I was not able to secure. MacArthur will be in Australia in two days.

I am allowing the carriers to complete their current mission, which is penetrating Japanese waters near Marcus Island looking for ships. CV Enterprise will be staying around Pearl Harbor. It is going to dump its airplanes off on Midway on the way back to Pearl. Then, it is going to get some of that damaged fixed from that plane that crashed on its deck a couple of weeks ago.


Borneo Invasion

I received cables today reporting Japanese forces landing at Pontianak and Benjarmasin in Southern Borneo. General Wavell had moved the Pontianak garrison to Singkawang, and the Benjarmasin forces to Balikpapan. He reported that he wanted to prevent the Japanese from taking easy control of the more important locations -- such as the larger airbase at Singkawang and the oil fields near Balikpapan.

I am wondering if Japan might have suffered from the same false information that I had. The maps provided to me suggested an easy road from Pontianak to Singkawang. Once the troops started out along that trail, it was discovered that the road is not as good as was promised. If Japan is intending to use the landings at Pontianak as a springboard to Singkawang, they will be sorely mistaken. In the mean time, the Singkawang garrison will have some additional opportunity to dig in.

I would like to know if that sounded as confusing to you as it did to me. I'll send along a map.


Jap Sub Sunk at Noumea

Oh, and we killed another Jap submarine. This one was just off the coast of Noumea. This is actually one of those fortunes of war story. General Puttick, commander of the army in New Zealand, informed me that he had four Patrol Gunboats sitting in Aukland that were just collecting rust.

I told Nimitz. Nimitz sent them orders to go to Noumea and look for submarines.

They arrived in Noumea today. According to the report that I got, they were almost in port. The ships were cruising along looking forward for some time ashore, when one of the radio operators on GP Swan thought he heard something suspicious. He told Lt. Bandham, commander of the squadron, who made an unpopular choice to check it out.

Well, they got a solid contact and dropped some charges on it. One of the rounds sent a fountain of water into the sky that was far larger than a depth charge produced. My experts suggest that the results may have been an underwater magazine explosion. I don't care what it was.

However, G2 is giving me some headaches on this. The crew reports that there was no way the submarine could have survived. The sonar operators report hearing the sounds of the submarine breaking up as it sank. Yet, G2 is not yet counting it as a lost Japanese ship.

One of the main reasons is that there continue to be reports of submarine sightings off the coast of Noumea. Nimitz has ordered the gunboats out again for another sweep, before he is willing to grant the crews shore leave.


Reinforcements

For your records, the list of additional units that will become available to forces in the Pacific Theater during the next week are as follows:

Sunday, January 25, 1942

• AK Forbes Hauptmann, San Francisco
• TKs: Republic, Ardmore, San Francisco
• APD Mackinac, Seattle

Monday, January 26, 1942

• AK Hollywood, San Francisco
• TKs: La Brea, Huguenot, Malacca, Gulfcrest at San Francisco

Tuesday, January 27, 1942

• TK Chas Kurz at San Francisco

Wednesday, January 28, 1942

• No. 7 RAAF Squadron, 16x Beaufort at Brisbane
• DD Foxhound at Karachi
• AK Wind Rush, San Francisco
• TKs: District of Columbia, Gulfking at San Francisco

Thursday, January 29, 1942

• 111th Base Force for North Pacific at San Francisco
• 810th Engineer Aviation Battalion for Southwest Pacific at San Francisco
• 117 Squadron, 16x Dakota I at Madras
• 89th Bomber Squadron, 16x A-20B at Los Angeles
• SS Grampus at Los Angeles
• TK Robert E. Hopkins at San Francisco

Friday, January 30, 1942

• AKs: West Portal, Potter at San Francisco

Saturday, January 31, 1942

• 71st Base Force for Central Pacific at San Francisco
• 222 RAF Base Force at Karachi
• TKs: David McKelvy, W.S.Miller, Topila, Hugoton at San Francisco


Tomorrow, you get your seventh weekly report.

Until then

Thayne




Attachment (1)

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 132
Letter: Sec Downer 01/25/1942 - 3/31/2005 5:22:43 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		To: Sec. Downer
From: Sec. Ethan "Thayne" Lynde

Sir:

I have been informed that it is imperitive that the 6th Australian Division remain in Egypt until the current crisis has passed. I have been asked to intercede on their behalf.

I am intentionally looking into a TEMPORARY solution because, if I find a perminant solution, it may signal to certain parties that they can perminantly keep the 6th Division - an outcome to which I am opposed.

I have already placed New Caledonia in Admiral Nimitz realm of responsibility, and have been in conversations with him as to how to best defend it. If I were to request it, Adm. Nimitz will move two carrier groups to New Caledonia. This will include a compliment of over 150 carrier-based fighters and bombers, and whatever support ships are necessary to maintain a carrier fleet.

At this point, I believe that the presence of two carrier groups will serve your interests far more than an infantry division -- which can only be used after the Japanese have landed, and must be in the right place to be used.

If I were to request moving the carrier groups to New Caledonia, Adm. Nimitz is also expected to communicate to me a plan for some sort of aggressive action against Japanese facilities in the region around Rabaul to further deter Japanese moves.

At present, those same carriers are preparing for aggressive action elsewhere in the Pacific, and will continue to execute those orders unless and until advised of a change in plans.

Please advise.

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 133
RE: Letter: Sec Downer 01/25/1942 - 3/31/2005 6:35:38 PM   
Andy Mac

 

Posts: 15222
Joined: 5/12/2004
From: Alexandria, Scotland
Status: offline 		Diary Entry General Alan Brooke 25th January 1942

War Cabinet met this morning given situation in Desert and the imminent departure of 6th Australian Division we need to find additional forces to deploy.

De Gaulle is talking about a Free French Brigade but it didnt work out to well in Syria and the Vichy forces for the most part decided not to join him.

Inspected Wimberly's 51st Highland Divison yesterday with PM they are earmarked for the Desert as are 44th (East Anglia) Division. Both are raw but looked impressive they just need some battle seasoning.

We will be sending them out over the next 6 months as shipping becomes available. In part they will replace the two Australian Divisions being sent home.

The Australian Government is unhappy with Auchinlecks decision to delay shipping the 6th Division home by a few weeks but the German offensive that has kicked off from Agheila has caught him un ready. To many of Ritchies formations had been shipped to India or are already on route to Australia. It is shades of last year when Archie (Wavell) had to divert forces to Greece and we lost the Agheila position to Rommels first offensive.

I fully support Auchinleck's decision but it has the PM very unhappy after the last communication from the Australians. I think the PM secretly hoped to convince the Australians to allow the division to be deployed on Java despite Archie's cable indicating it would be a waste of time so anything that upsets them before he tried to spring that little surprise has him upset !!

Until 4th Indian can get back from Syria 6th Australian is the only battle ready Division in the Delta and we cannot afford to completely strip that area until we check Rommel.

I know the PM is going to sit down with the High Commissioner and is planning to send a cable to the Aus PM who has been quite vociferous over the whole issue but if we lose the Delta we lose the war its that simple.

More bad news PM did apparently promise Stalin 8 Sqns of aircraft on southern front and a corps of 2 Divisions to cover southern front. Tried to explain in War Cabinet that they dont exist but he doesn't listen to reason. PM also has been got at by Dickie Mountbatten they are cooking up some sort of scheme in Norway. PM keeps coming back to these diversions

Noises coming form US about a plan called Sledgehammer apparently they want to invade France in 42 if it looks like the Russians are going to collapse I have asked Dill to find out more about this plan as it appears to be over optimistic.

Overall not a very good day......


(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 134
Sunday, January 25, 1942 - 4/2/2005 3:53:27 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Sunday, January 25, 1942

Henry:

I has been 50 days since the war began. 49 days and 18 hours, actually. A lot has happened in 50 days. Coincidentally, I can talk about it, because it happens to coincide with my weekly summary report.


Losses

Naval Losses: 25 Ships. In the last week: 1x CL, 1x DD, 3x PT

• BC Repulse
• CAs: Houston, New Orleans
• CLs: Du Ruyter*, Danae
• DD Panther*
• SSs: S-38, KXV
• Ass: Otus, Canopus
• MSW Penguin
• PTs: PT-21, PT-31, PT-32, PT-34, TM-13*, TM-14*, TM-15*
• AP President Madison
• AKs: Steel Voyager, Taurus
• TKs: Gertrude Kellogg, Manataway

* represents a newly sunk ships

In addition, it is significant enough to report that CV Saratoga suffered light damage from a Japanese torpedo at American Samoa. Its proximity to a port meant that the damage was brought quickly under control.

Air Losses: 832 Planes - 56 in the last week

• 305 planes shot down (+39)
• 381 planes destroyed on the ground (+4)
• 21 planes destroyed by flak (+1)
• 125 planes lost due to accident and wear (+12)

Top 12 Air Losses by Type

• 127x P-40B Tomahawk (+3)
• 89x Buffalo (+13)
• 57x P-40E Warhawk
• 43x PBY Catgelina (+1)
• 37x Hurricane (new to list)
• 35x Hudson (+1)
• 33x Martin
• 33x Brewster 339D (+1)
• 28x SB-2c
• 28x Blenheim IV (+1)
• 27x P-36A Mohawk
• 24x P-26A

The biggest losses were inflicted against the Hurricanes and Buffalos on the India/Burma front. Together, they account for 42 of the 56 losses in the last week.

Damage Inflicted

In the past week, we have scored a couple of successes.

• 21x Betty, 3x Zero, and 3z Nell shot down over Diamond Harbor
• Submarine sunk at Noumea
• Submarine sunk at American Samoa

Other than that, we have not been able to do much.


North Pacific

the biggest change in the North Pacific is the arrival of a troop transport, AP Name. This transport dropped off elements of the 11th Air Force at Dutch Harbor this week, then headed off for Anchorage. Anchorage, Alaska, has a number of units that would better serve our defense if they were relocated to Kodiak Island and Dutch Harbor, and other forward bases. It will start a regular ferry service between the islands.

In the mean time, Canadian sea planes continue to receive orders for reassignment to India.


Central Pacific

Pearl Harbor is not as well defended as I would like. I tend to think that an attack on the islands is not possible. However, that is a dangerous assumption to make.

A tank brigade is heading toward Pearl Harbor, and an infantry division is on its way to Big Island. Engineers have built an airbase on French Frigate Shoals and plan on completing another airbase at Laysan Island sometime in early March. These airstrips will be useful in relaying planes to Midway in case of attack.

CVs Enterprise, Yorktown, and Lexington are northeast of Midway at this time, considering a raid into the Japanese shipping lanes near Marcus Island. However, negotiations with Australia mean that we may be forced to move at least two of the carriers into the South Pacific.


South Pacific

At the start of the war, we gave Nimitz an order to secure the bases from Pearl Harbor to Samoa, as a part of securing the supply line to Australia.

At this point, I am willing to say that he has accomplished his job. In the last week alone, reinforcements have landed on Johnson Island, Palmyra, and Christmas Islands. Canton is will defended with the 2nd USMC Defense Battalion and the 2nd USMC Division.

Samoa is still week. The Marines that were supposed to be stationed here are on Canton Island. However, I suspect that Japan may not know how weak these bases are.

Japanese submarine-based airplanes have just watched a task force with a half-dozen troop transports entering American Samoa. Those transports were carrying the remnants of the Marine division on Samoa. However, Japan has no reason to think that this is the case. They could just as easily be regular reinforcement. The transports were escorted by a carrier, which suggested that they held a very important cargo. They stayed for a few days. Then, the transports started back to the USA West Coast, meaning that they were now empty.

The Saratoga has also left. However, VF-3, VT-3 and VB-3 all stayed behind to contribute to the defense of the island.

Eventually, I want to get some of the Marines off of Canton Island and over here to Samoa. However, I do not think that we need to rush, except to east the burden of the daily lives of the soldiers at Canton Island.

At Fiji, TF1154 just arrived carrying two New Zealand brigades. This means that the New Zealand part of the supply line is secure as well.

This still leaves a weak spot at New Caledonia. We have recently received news of the construction of a Japanese airbase at Guadalcanal in the southern Solomon Islands. I can only expect that once these bases are built up, Japan will use them as part of a plan to strike south through the Santa Cruz Islands, Espritu Santo, and on to New Caledonia. I still have nothing to defend these islands with.


Australia

I am going to say this one more time, just fbecause it has now become habit. Whatever units are sent to Port Moresby are lost. Japan is going to surround the city, isolate it, and then destroy it, as well as all military units still in the city when it falls.

The casualty list will not only include the defensive units meant for Port Moresby. Australia is determine that the 30th Australian Infantry Brigade, and the 804th US Engineer Aviation Battalion will be counted among the units lost.

I would rather see them used to defend the Australian mainland. However, I am not going to overrule MacArthur on this matter. Perhaps I am wrong.

Australia is beginning to suffer a serious shortage of supplies. The naval base at Sydney has almost used up its fuel stores. Fuel is also being rationed in northeast Australia. The nearest relief is a set of tankers filled with oil about 2 weeks away from Sydney.

Douglas MacArthur should arrive in Brisbane sometime tomorrow to take command of the Southwest Pacific. I have a letter that I am drafting to Sec. Downer that I certainly will see gets delivered before he gets to meet with MacArthur. It will be my last chance to talk to him without Douglas whispering in his other ear.


ABDA Command

Japan is expanding its control of the Dutch East Indies. These include:

• Jambi, in central Sumatra. The landing force is moving east to Palembang.

• Merak, on Java, just south of Batavia. Japanese forces have moved north and now stand on the outskirts of Batavia.

• Pontianak and Benjarmasin on the south coast of Borneo.

• Samarinda, on the east coast of Borneo, just north of the oil center at Balikpapan.

• This morning, I received reports of a Japanese invasion force approaching Toboali, an island about 250 miles north by northwest of Batavia.

From these locations, we can expect that Japan will take at least a few of the major cities this week. Tobali, Palembang, Batavia, and Balikpapan are all under threat. I would not be surprised to see all of them gone by the end of the week.

The Dutch air force is starting to return from Australia. Many air units went to Australia to get replacement airplanes. The Dutch airforce is now focused at Macassar on the southwest part of Sulawesi, where they have been attacking the Japanese force threatening Balikpapan.


India/Burma

Japan is staying put on this front. It is continually moving reinforcements into Rangoon, but none of those reinforcements are yet moving north to take the rest of Burma.

Chinese divisions are getting closer to Myitkyina in northern Burma. The forward elements are expected to reach the city perhaps as early as the end of this week. Other units are a week or two behind.

The Japanese air force had forced the British to temporarily withdraw from the country. However, after a brief rest and some additional training, as well as the arrival of replacement pilots and planes, the British returned to Mandalay in central Burma with a sizable air force of 100 planes, ready to challenge the Japanese.

General Pownall is no longer moving supplies by sea to Diamond Harbor. A sizable stockpile had been built up. However, recent raids on Diamond Harbor which has sunk one destroyer, and badly damaged a destroyer and a patrol gunboat, suggest that Diamond Harbor has been closed down to all but a few ships. The occasional cargo ship may still make the trip, but the days of the large convoys are over.


China

Japan captured Kweilin, in central China, with its huge army of 200,000 soldiers. Most of the defenders were able to retreat in good order, leaving a substantial force capable of defending Kweiyang further west.

There is now a threat of the army at Wuchow, south of Kweilin, being cut off, so that army has been ordered to retreat. The bulk of the Kweilin army, still in good shape, has stopped on the crossroads north of Wuchow to prevent Japan from cutting off the latter force. If they can hold until the end of the week, the evaluation of Wuchow would have succeeded.


Philippines

All seems to have calmed down here. Japan has not launched any major offensive. Rather, it has shown itself to be content to shell allied lines in the region north of Manila.

The 24th Fighter Group has continued to perform exceptionally well. The top six pilots are in this group, including the first double-ace on the allied side. Captain G.M Mahoney has shot down 12 enemy airplanes. He is followed by:

• 1st Lt. J.H. Moore: 9 kills
• F.O. N. Young: 6 Kills
• F.O. P. Arnold: 5 Kills
• F.O. O. Hubble: 5 Kills
• F.O. D. Wirth: 4 Kills

I still hope to be able to withdraw this unit to India before all of these pilots get shot up. However, right now they are needed to defend the allied forces on the ground. If these units are withdrawn, Japan will have unrestrained control of the air. I am not willing to see them granted that luxury just yet.


This is the status so far.

I will write again tomorrow.

Thayne




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Thayne -- 4/2/2005 5:33:30 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 135
Letter to Thayne - 4/2/2005 4:54:13 AM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

To: Secretary Ethan "Thayne" Lynde

Sir,

Having spoken with the war cabinet this morning it is agreed that the 6th Division 2nd AIF can be delayed for further use in the middle east. This change of heart is a direct result of the support shown by the US in the form of 2 aircraft carriers that will be stationed in this region.

The war cabinet is not disposed to make any other decisions until General Macarthur has arrived and given his briefing.

The fuel situation here on the east coast is now a critical point that may have a huge impact on Australia's ability to not only conduct operations, but also in it's ability to support the US in future operations. Could this issue be looked at with some urgency?

Regards

John Downer



_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 136
Letter: Sec. Downer 01/26/1942 - 4/2/2005 6:07:46 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		To: Sec. Downer
From: Thayne

Greetings:

Items of import:

(1) Gen. MacArthur is expected to arrive in Brisbane, Aus. at 2:00 PM local time. Please make sure that air defense at Brisbane has been alerted to his arrival.

(2) Gen. MacArthur will arrive with a full briefing map of the Pacific Theater. I would like to direct your attention to Japanese movements in the Dutch East Indies.

(3) TF1154 at Fiji is presently dropping off two New Zealand brigades. When finished, it will pick up the 26th USA FA Brigade for delivery to Australia. The Australian/New Zealand navy will escort TF1154 on this trip.

(4) Sec. Henry Stinson has informed me that he will make available the 102nd USA Regimental Combat Team for the defense of New Caledonia.

(5) In 3 days, the 89th Bomber Squadron (16x A-20B) will be loaded at Los Angeles to ship to Australia. At the same time, the 810th Engineer Aviation Battalion will load up also to ship to Australia for the purpose of supporting American air units employed in defense of Australia.

(6) On or about February 15th, the 22nd Bomber Group (64x B-26) will be loaded at Los Angeles to ship to Australia

(7) Three additional troop transports are sailing to Sydney by way of Tasmania. They will be made available to MacArthur for use in positioning troops in the Southwest Pacific Theater.

(8) I have been informed that the Dutch are releasing a significant stockpile of fuel that they deposited at Perth, Australia to keep it out of Japanese hands. If it is not possible to arrange transportation by rail to Sydney, the USS Pecos, presently nearing Perth, will be made available to transport fuel by sea.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 4/2/2005 6:08:34 AM >

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 137
Meeting between MacArthur and Curtin - 4/2/2005 1:54:34 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		Classification

*Top Secret*

*Not to be opened before 27th January 1992.*



Printed copy of meeting between

John Curtin
Prime Minister

and

General Douglas MacArthur
Supreme Commander
South West Pacific Command

19:00Hrs 27th January 1942


PM: Welcome, welcome General MacArthur !

DM: Good afternoon Mr Prime Minister.

PM: Well no need for formalities while it is just the two of us here, please, just call me John.

DM: Why thankyou John, and please feel free to call me General.

PM: er? Yes.........erm.... yes now I trust you had a good trip..er General?

DM: Yes.

PM: I see, and your wife? She had a comfortable trip also?

DM: Yes.

PM: Ah very good, very good.

PM: A drink perhaps General? Tea?

DM: Yes. Yes to the drink and no to the tea.

PM: Indeed, whiskey?

DM: Yes.

PM: Perhaps you would like some supper General?

DM: No.

DM: Thankyou.

PM: Ah I see. Well then.

****Three full minutes of no conversation*****

PM: Is there something the matter General?

DM: No.

PM: Well this is very odd.

DM: Odd? No nothing is odd.

PM: Are you sure that there is nothing the matter General? Your housing is suitable? Your not feeling poorly after your trip? Maybe you are in need of some rest?

DM: No.

PM: General ! What in the blazes is the problem? I've not travelled all the way up from Canberra to sit here and baby sit a sulking general !

DM: SULKING ! What do you know of me! Here I sit in colonial comfort while my men are still dying in Bataan. I was yanked from my command in the middle of an invasion and more or less accused of incompetence when it was infact that moron Brereton whom lost damn near all of my air force in one raid! And you say that I am sulking?
And to add insult to injury I am sent to this this this Colonial backwater to find that I have nothing, and I mean NOTHING with which to defend it!
I should be with my men on Bataan ! I should still be there goddamnit! Not in this place, not at this time when history is being written. And here I stand the highest decorated soldier of the US army in world war one sent packing to watch over the demise of this British outpost. I am a man of greater deeds than this!

PM: mmmm.

DM: I am sure that there are those in Washington whom are rubbing their hands in glee over this, just as they did when my father was pushed out, I tell you it is happening all over again, cowards in Washington with nothing better to do than to bring great men down because they fear to stand in the shadow cast by men such as my father and I ! I should be with my men! I should be writing the history in a brave last stand on Corregidor ! Instead those communist back-stabbers in Washington have plotted to have me sent here, of all places, to die with my boots on ! I know that Roosevelt planned this, he fears me you know, he thinks that I would be a threat if I were to run for office. So what does he do? He humiliates me by stripping me of my command MY command and then sends me here ! Politicians !
they disgust me ! No there is nothing for me here except further shame, infact I know that I have been sent here to fail. That would suit those communists back in Washington just fine, the final nail in the career.

PM: mmm

PM: You know it was infact me.

DM: You? You what?

PM: Asked for you, to come here.

DM: YOU?

PM: Yes. You see we are in a bit of a bind. And as things were not working out well with ABDA, well infact it was a bloody shambles, we thought that there should be a single unified command in this region and were given four names to select from, and I chose you.

DM: Why would you drag me here ! There is nothing for me here !

PM: Oh and I suppose you were over whelmed back in the US?

DM: *snorting sound*

PM: General, it is here that history is going to be written and it is here that history will judge how well we of the western world stood in the darkest hour. We are the last outpost to stand against the yellow peril's southwards push, if we fail here then it is all over.
It is here that only a great man can make his mark. I dare say that Generals are a dime a dozen in Washington, but here there is only you. Here you have a situation that cries out for someone with your abilities, backs to the wall the Australian people have no one to turn to for help. Britain has all but abandoned us, and we are having to beg Washington for troops and aircraft, and what do they send us? Engineers! Meanwhile the japs are flooding over our northern territories, Papua New Guinea, and our best fighting men are stuck in the middle east !

PM: Fight back I keep saying, hold the yellow buggers in the jungles of Papua and push them back north. Fight back north through PNG and fight back north through the Dutch east Indies, north and onto the Philippines, but I am afraid that it is just my single and hollow voice. I am afraid that others in the US think that fighting up through the Islands of the central pacific is the best course.

DM: The Philippines...yes.

PM: But first they waste time and men flirting around in places such as New Caledonia, "oh we have to protect the sea lanes", well on pox on that! What's the point in that if we fall to the bloody japs? No I tell you we need to push north through PNG and then onto the Philippines and then hit the jap Islands. But know one in Washington will listen.

DM: Yes the Island strategy is what the Admirals would be pushing for....

PM: But it does not make sense to simply push on a single thin front.

DM: I can see that Nimtiz and King pushing hard for the Island route.

DM: But they are wrong, that course will take years, they will have to first build up the navy, and being Admirals that is exactly what they would want.

DM: Japan needs to be hit from the south.....

PM: ..........Through the Philippines?

DM: Yes the Philippines.

PM: But for that we need a man who can carry this, one whom can lead..

DM: Very clever of you John....did I tell you that I detest politicians?

PM: *laughs* Well yes, but there is little that I would be doing. I am after all as you correctly say, a politician. No the fighting part is your part, I am here to simply support you. General, let me be frank, our needs are mutual, you want to return to the Philippines, and to do that you need....

DM:.......to control New Guinea.........

PM:.........exactly !

DM: And in doing so protect Australia, yes John very clever of you indeed.

PM: I am not a General, but even a blind man can see that this is the only hope that Australia has, if Port Moresby falls then we are next, no ifs or buts. But I can't seem to get this message through to Washington, and for better or worse, the US is our only hope. But you General.....you have the contacts and the sway in Washington.

DM: Oh I am not so certain about that now John.

PM: But you still have contacts on the inside, which is a bloody lot more than we do at this point..

DM: Well yes......Marshall is still talking to me.

PM: There!

DM: I need to work with no political interference.

PM: I'm not a General, you run the war and I'll run the country.

DM: I'll need full and unrestricted command of all Australian forces.

PM: MMmmm.

DM: Well it's not like your soldiers in the middle east and under your direct control is it?

PM: And it is for those reasons that I am hesitant.

DM: I would not ask your troops to do anything that I would not ask of my own.

PM: But I need to be consulted.

DM: Agreed.

PM: Then we are of a single purpose?

DM: Yes John we are.

PM: Then General, go and write your history and blast those japs back to the dark ages!
















_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 138
Letter to Thayne - 4/2/2005 2:25:10 PM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

To: Secretary Ethan "Thayne" Lynde

Sir,

Thankyou for your last correspondence and thankyou for your efforts. I must inform you that I have been advised by thePM that General MacArthur has now taken command of all allied forces in the South West Pacific reqion and therefore all future correspondence should be directed through his HQ currently located in Brisbane.
I shall from time to time be needing to talk with you on matters of a more domestic nature, but all military matters must, I am told, be addressed to SouthWestPacCom.

Best regards for your future and don't forget that you still have a standing invitation to meet with me at a time that is convenient to you.

Sincerely

John Downer.

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 139
Monday, January 26, 1942 - 4/3/2005 12:49:05 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Monday, January 26, 1942

Henry:

New Home

I received a strange, but very welcome present today. Back near the start of the war, when I was in San Diego, I met one of the officers from Consolidated Aircraft Company -- the company that makes the PBY. His name was Bradford Kay. I did not actually have a lot of time to go visiting. However, he sought me out. He was pleased to see me using one of his company's airplanes as my command ship. However, it seems he thought I could do better.

Anyway, today, a huge four-engine flying boat came into the bay here at Pago Pago. It was huge. I would not have believed that something that big could stay in the air. I have seen B-17s. I thought they were pretty amazing. But the PB2Y was bigger. It touched down in the bay and taxied up to the pier.

I went about my work. I was shocked with I was told that there was a Captain Fredrickson to see me. I never met anyone in my office -- too many sensitive documents around. So, I went out on the pier. He was still decked out in his flight jacket. The heat of the island had not yet melted the cold of flying.

He shook his hands, then he held out his hand with a set of keys dangling from them.

"What's that for?"

He cocked his head toward the huge flying boat that had just landed.

The keys were symbolic, of course.

Anyway, it appears that Bradford Kay talked his company into giving me a bigger office.

It's a strange looking bird, with a high wing and four big engines. The tail has a very shallow "V" shape, which is different.

I liked the bubble windows on my PBY. I admit, I like to look around when I fly, even if we are just flying around over the ocean. But, I guess the pilot won't mind if I sit in the nose turret.

Since the plane came with a full crew -- pilot, copilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, gunners -- I can only assume that you already knew something about this. You don't drag people with a full security clearance off the street.

I have to say, I will be sad to let little Lesley go. But, with this thing, I can even have a real staff.

I hope this means that you approve of the work that I am doing. I hope that I live up to your expectations.


Another Jap Sub Sunk

We got another Japanese submarine today. It fired torpedoes at CA San Francisco as it was carrying extra supplies to Canton Island. They missed. CA San Francisco is fine. The other ships that were taking part in the transport mission found and sank the submarine.

G2 keeps a list of Japanese ships that it thinks we have sunk so far. Eight of the eleven ships on the list are Japanese submarines. There is a possibility of a ninth submarine sunk near New Caledonia. However, while the boats involved in sinking the sub report a certainty that the submarine was sunk, G2 has not put the name on the list.

I am going by the G2 list. That's their job, after all.


Japan Opens Another Front in the Dutch East Indies

Scout planes have reported what appears to be the start of another offensive in the Dutch East Indies. Two task forces are heading south from Menado on the northeast coast of Sulawesi. There is no carrier group with this task force, but there is a bombardment/surface attack force and a landing force.

My guess is that they are going to Kendari. It is certainly the most useful port in the region, and it is in the direction that the Japanese task force is sailing.

Wavell has a fairly sizable task force in the area. We know that the Japanese carriers are not around. Therefore, we are having some discussions as to whether or not to challenge this group.

At the moment, the task force is carrying supplies to Bali, so that it can better withstand the Japanese assault to come. Once it gets done with that, it may be able to move on to interrupt the attack.

Wavell is also now starting to rebuild his air force. Two fighter squadrons (8x Brewster 339D each) have rejoined the Dutch air force at Macassar in the southwestern corner of Sulawesi. This doubles the number of fighters that Wavell has available to him in the Dutch East Indies.

Another squadron of 16x Brewster 339D, and 2 squadrons of 8x TIVa torpedo bombers are making their way to northern Australia to return to the battle as well.


Japan Sails Malacca Straight

With the control of Singapore under its belt, Japan is starting to brave the Macassar Straight -- between Malaya and Sumatra. Reconnaissance planes report two task forces. A smaller task force consisting of a few troop transports with destroyer escorts is presently nearing Georgetown in the northwest corner of Malaya. A second task force is much larger.

We have been using Banka on the north coast of Sumatra as a base for flying boats patrolling the waters around Singapore and the South China Sea. These transports could appear at Banka any moment, so Wavell is sending the flying boats to Ceylon instead of having them lost.


MacArthur

I haven't heard from MacArthur since he got to Australia. I hope he is not trying to arrange any deals behind my back. I warned you, Henry -- if this position that you put me into means anything, it means that the theater commanders work through me. If that does not happen, you might as well send me home for all of the good I can do around here.


I will talk to you later.

Thayne




Attachment (1)

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 140
RE: Monday, January 26, 1942 - 4/3/2005 3:45:35 AM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: John Downer

Principle secretary to the Prime Minister

Department of the Prime Minister. Canberra.

To: Secretary Ethan "Thayne" Lynde

Sir,


Thankyou for your offer of the use of USS Pecos. yes we will require this ship to load fuel at Perth and to then transport it to Sydney.

John Downer

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 141
Orders to Thayne from SWPC HQ - 4/3/2005 4:13:31 AM   
Raverdave


Posts: 6520
Joined: 2/8/2002
From: Melb. Australia
Status: offline 		From: General D MacArthur

Supreme commander Allied Forces
SouthWest Pacific Command
Brisbane



To: Secretary Ethan Lynde


Mr Lynde


Having arrived in Australia and noting that the situation does require my skills, I have decided to stay and lend my numerable talents to help push back the japs. However I find the current situation in regards to men and material to be in a somewhat parlous state. In fact the situation is so deperate here that I would not be at all surprised if the japs landed in Hobart. (For your information Hobart is the capitol city of a small Island state at the far south of Australia.)
Where are the troops and equipment needed to defend this area? Have not the Australians been asking for such ? And if so why have we failed ti deliver? Just what have you been doing these last two months of the war?
To be successful in war a Gerneral needs supplies and men, and Mr Lynde, that is your job, to supply and support the machinery of war to where it is needed, and at this point it is needed right here and right now.

The following list is what is needed for the successful winning of this war, and needs to be sent here now.


1/ The 41st Div is to be sent to Brisbane

2/ The 7th US Div is to be sent to Townsville

3/ The 30th, 40th and 147th US FA regiments are to be shipped to Brisbane.

4/ The 51st Base force and the 51st Aviation regiments are to be shipped to Brisbane.

5/ The 32nd Div is to be ready for overseas service in two months, not the currently projected 4 months.

6/ The Australian 6th Div is to be sent back to Australia now, not later.

7/ A further 6 fighter groups are to be made available.

8/ A further 4 heavy bomber groups are to be shipped to Brisbane.

9/ Two million tonnes of fuel is to be shipped to Australia.

10/ Five million tonnes of supplies is to be shipped to Australia.

11/ 30 transport ships (cargo) and 10 troop carring ships are to be put at my command.

12/ The immediate access to 3 Aircraft carriers for use in the Coral sea, with at least two Battleships task groups, all to be placed at my command.

13/ All Dutch forces are to be now placed under the overall command of SWPC.

Gen Douglas MacArthur
Commanding.






< Message edited by Raverdave -- 4/3/2005 4:17:48 AM >

_____________________________




Never argue with an idiot, he will only drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 142
Tuesday, January 27, 1942 - 4/3/2005 5:44:43 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Tuesday, January 27, 1942

Henry:

• Batavia falls, as do several other bases in the area
• Japan air supremacy over the British in Southeast Asia continues

Batavia Falls

Japan took Batavia, on western Java, today -- much faster and easier than I expected. Japan brought in what seemed like a full division of combat engineers that systematically reduced the defenses built around the city, one after another, until the defenders were forced into retreat.

Japan gave heavy support to the attack. Battleships and cruisers opened up on the defenders during the night. At dawn, the offensive began, though Japanese infiltrators had already found holes through the allied defenses and were gathered in small pockets behind allied lines as well. Throughout the day, carrier-based planes reduced allied strongpoints.

Gen. Wavell expected Batavia to fall, but hoped that the garrison would at least delay the Japanese by two or three days before making an orderly withdraw to the east. His plan was to make his stand at Soerabaja under the protection of the air force stationed at Bali.

Hopefully, by the time the army retreats to Soerabaja, there will be an air force. That is yet to be seen. Wavell's plans were made under the assumption that we would be providing the ABDA command with new airplanes. Our efforts in that regard have been less then stellar. It has only been recently that spare planes and parts have made it to Australia.

We are adding new airplanes now by the day -- tripling the size of the Dutch fighter force. Bombers are scarce, and the Aussies took the B-25s sent to Australia for use in Port Moresby, rather than sending them on to Java. However, in fairness, they have offered Number 2 squadron in exchange. I believe that I will take them up on that offer.

TF1242 carrying about 1700 tons of supplies should arrive at Bali tomorrow. That will help the island fortify itself.

In my conversations with Gen. Wavell, we are clear that there is nothing ultimately that can be done to stop the Japanese from taking all of Java. They have approximately 500 combat airplanes to throw into the fight, and about 150,000 soldiers. They are well equipped, with shorter supply lines. Ultimately, Java will fall.

After Java falls, Bali will become the victim of the most severe air and naval bombardments. There is no place on the little island to hide. All the Dutch can do is to dig in.

Eventually, that will not be enough. Japan will take the island.

However, rather than retreat to Australia, the Dutch are determined to make a fight for their homeland.

In addition:

• Teloekbetoeng (eastern tip of Sumatra) falls to the Japanese
• Japanese land at Singkawang (southwest corner of Borneo)
• Japanese occupy Tobbali (island between Teloekbetoeng and Singkawang)

With these moves, Japan is rapidly securing the west side of the Java Sea. They have now opened a second gateway into the Indian Ocean as well, the thin sea lane between Java and Sumatra. We will now have to watch out for the possibility that Japan could enter the Indian Ocean from that direction.

This also puts at risk shipments that are being made to India across Australia -- particularly air reinforcements for India and China.


Mandalay Score: Japs 10: England 0

A Japanese raid on the newly reformed Burma Air Force has produced typical results -- with Japan shooting down ten allied planes without a loss. The specifics were: another 6x Buffalo fighters were shot down, as were 4x Hurricane fighters.

General Pownall was expecting a large Japanese raid and pulled many of the bombers out of the city, back to Chadpur, India. However, he need not have bothered. As good as the Japanese fighters are, the bombers have not been able to hit much of anything since this air dual opened up.

It must frustrate the Japanese fighter pilots to no end. They go to all this work to skillfully open a bombing route for the Bombers, only to have the Bombers miss their target and go back without damaging much of anything.

The only exception so far has been the raid on Diamond Harbor that sank an allied destroyer, at the cost of 27 Japanese planes.

Note: The other two ships badly damaged in that raid, PG Hollyhock and DD Paladin, are recovering from their wounds. They are expected to make a full recovery and, eventually, to return to the war.

In light of these developments, I am moving the Americans to Mandalay. The 21st Fighter Squadron, recently brought in from the Philippines, will be defending Mandalay air base in the future. We will see what the Americans can do with their Warhawks.

In spite of opening up this airfield, we have not been able to run any bombing missions out of Mandalay just yet. There have been repeated thunderstorms and there has been a desperate shortage of supplies. A general rain storm is settling in for the next couple of days that may keep all of the planes on the ground.

In addition, I think that the leaders of the two Hudson squadrons are being a bit too cautious about executing their orders. Recall, I told you that the mission is intended to attack the tin mines and lumber yards at Tavoy. Repeated patrols of the area do not reveal any enemy combat air patrol. However, Rabaul and Moulmein lie between the bombers and their target. I believe the squadron leaders are waiting for a safe opportunity to make that flight. Either that, or the Aussies flying those planes are on strike pending delivery back to their home country.


Until tomorrow,

Thayne




Attachment (1)

< Message edited by Thayne -- 4/3/2005 5:48:33 PM >

(in reply to Raverdave)
Post #: 143
Letter to MacArthur 01/28/42 - 4/3/2005 8:59:08 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		To: Gen. Douglas MacArthur
From: Thayne

Greetings:

Allow me to welcome you to your new station and to take this opportunity to brief you on the situation, so that you may be informed as to the overall plan and your place in it.


(1) Our duties are to execute the will of the Government of the United States. That government has decided, in consultation with our allies, to focus its efforts first on the defeat of Germany, and then on Japan.

Specifically, this means that there are no reinforcements available for the Pacific Theater. We are to contain the Japanese as best we can with the forces at our disposal, until such time as Germany has been defeated and a counter-attack against Japan can be launched.


(2) Consistent with the item above, please provide me with a plan of battle if Japan should make an attempt to capture Port Moresby. Assume that Japan moves against Port Moresby with the following assets:

• 100 fighters stationed in Rabaul and Lae
• 100 light and medium bombers stationed in Lae and Buna
• 50 two-engine torpedo bombers (Betty, Nell) in Rabaul
• A landing force consisting of a reinforced army division
• A surface combat/bombardment force of 10 capital ships
• An escorting light-carrier group consisting of four light and escort carriers
• A covering fleet carrier group consisting of four fleet carriers

Japan has shown a tendency to move against major targets with substantial resources. Witness the attacks on Kuching, Borneo; Tarakan, Borneo; western Java, and its army movements in south-central China for examples. Also note the gathering of its force in Rangoon which, no doubt, is intended for a push northward, and the overwhelming number of soldiers (covered by land-based air) used against Singapore.

Also, please make note of the Japanese strategy of isolating its target from possible reinforcements and resupply, as they did to the Philippines with the capture of the poorly defended southern islands of Julu and Mindanao.


(3) Prime Minister Curtin has previously agreed to a delay in shipping the 6th Australian Division pending a resolution of the crisis in North Africa. On the basis of that prior agreement, two carriers are being dispatched to New Caledonia to be used to deter the Japanese from attacking Australia. Those carriers will remain under the command of Admiral Nimitz.

Prime Minister Curtin, or his assistant Sec. Downer, can brief you on the terms of this arrangement.

Furthermore, the negotiations over the eventual fate of the Australian divisions in Europe to be a political matter best left to professionals trained in the art of negotiation. It would not be in your interests or the interests of Australia to see these negotiations go poorly.


The ultimate fact is, General, that there are other Generals and Admirals in this war, and the leaders have explicitly and intentionally placed our region low on the order of priorities.

That is a reality within which we must live.

I wish you the best of luck, and please let me know when I can be of further service.


Ethan "Thayne" Lynde
Assistant Secretary of War for the Pacific Theater

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 144
01/28/42 Supplemental - 4/3/2005 10:09:46 PM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		To: All Commands
From: Thayne

GENERAL ALERT!

We have received preliminary information that Japan is planning a division-level assault on Dutch Harbor, Alaska.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 4/3/2005 10:13:07 PM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 145
RE: 01/28/42 Supplemental - 4/3/2005 10:22:28 PM   
String


Posts: 2661
Joined: 10/7/2003
From: Estonia
Status: offline 		*Enters an intelligence officer*

The japanese might be using some deceptive measures to make us think that they are planning an attack on Dutch Harbor, they might be giving instructions and orders to a unit that is nowhere near Alaska or in a position to assault Dutch harbor. We must check if the division ordered to attack it is really available to IJN and is not in china or Manchuria

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 146
Wednesday, January 28, 1942 - 4/6/2005 6:54:05 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Wednesday, January 28, 1942

Henry:

• Dutch Harbor warning considered a fake.
• Japanese destroyer sunk by mine at Batavia
• Japan expands its control of the Dutch East Indies
• Australia continues plans to reinforce Port Moresby
• Nimitz Revives Baker Island Occupation


Dutch Harbor

Concerning that alert that I sent out today concerning Dutch Harbor.

I got a coded message yesterday from an intelligence officer, code name STRING, suggesting that the information might be a fake, and that it would be worth my while to verify or falsify the report.

Following his advice, we went through some old communications. It appears that the unit that was designated to attack Dutch Harbor was last seen in Chiamussu, China, on December 26. It is our belief that the unit is being referenced in fake orders. So, I don't think that anything is going to come of this.

Anyway, we are not paying the alert much attention. We have a troop transport in the North Atlantic that has started operations moving some of the combat units in Anchorage onto the islands in the Aleutian chain. For its first trip, it is carrying 37th USA Regimental Combat Team to Kodiak Island. It is scheduled to do quite a bit of work before its job is done. The movements that Nimitz has ordered include the delivery of the 4th USA Regimental Combat Team, and 75th USA Coastal Anti-Aircraft Regiment, to Dutch Harbor.

However, we do not really have much in the way of a navy up north. We have a few minesweepers, a patrol gunboat, and that is about it. So, Nimitz has decided to make a slight improvement in the forces available up here -- sending up a destroyer and a minelayer. Other reinforcements will be sent as they become available.

We have got a healthy amount of supply up here. Once we get the troops in position, Dutch Harbor and Kodiak should be able to hold out for quite a while against a Japanese invasion, if there ever is one. The supply situation includes Nome, which has received a generous stockpile over the course of the last couple of months.

However, I have talked Canada into making a bit of a contribution to the war effort in India. Cargo ships are picking up Canadian seaplane squadrons (as well as transport squadrons from Seattle) for shipment to India. Roosevelt wants China to stay in the war and, for that, they will need supplies. With Japan in control of Rangoon, almost the only way this is going to happen is through air transport.

In addition:

• MSW Oriole is stationed at Kiska Island. Every once in a while it goes out on a patrol into the north Pacific to see if it can intercept anything from the Japanese Navy.

• AVD Gillis is stationed at Amchikita Island where it is tending to a squadron of PBYs keeping a watch over the northern Pacific.

Reinforcements sent to the North Pacific include:

• AVD Mackinac
• DD Russell
• DM Preble
• DD Tucker (once it finishes repairs at Seattle)

Most importantly, when Nimitz sends the North Pacific Headquarters north from Pearl Harbor, it will travel with at least a half dozen combat ships that will remain in the northern theater.


Japanese Destroyer Sunk

On the 53rd day of the war Japan has lost its first and only large combat vessel today. A story came from our contacts in Batavia that one of the Japanese destroyers hit a mine in Batavia harbor. The damage set the boat adrift. While the crews fought to save the ship, it drifted over another mine, which lifted the destroyer out of the water according to our contact. In the course of about 14 minutes, the destroyer sank by the stern.

That was a nice welcome piece of news.


Japan Expands Control of Sumatra, Borneo

• Japan took control of the port of Madan in northwestern Sumatra.

• The battle is continuing at Singkawang, in southwestern Borneo. Japan supported its attack with a bombardment from a half dozen capital ships.

• Japan launched another major airstrike against the defenders at Balikpapan in eastern Borneo. Two Brewsters were on station over the city when the raid came in, damaging a few of the bombers.

• Wavell tried to interdict the supply lines for the Japanese with an attack on Samarinda, north of Balikpapan. They were intercepted by 7x Nates, who shot down five of our planes at a loss of one of their own.

• TF1242 has arrived at Bali with an additional 1700 tons of supplies.

• An enemy task force was spotted just a few miles east of Kendari. We are well aware of the fact that this is the next target on the Japanese agenda. The Dutch air force at Macassar is hoping for a chance to damage a few ships.


Australian Reinforcement of Port Moresby underway

The Australians are starting the operation to move their 30th Brigade to Port Moresby. The units are loaded up in their transport and have started off heading north. Two American destroyer squadrons are waiting around Cairns to carry the unit the final leg of the journey. Additional transports are on their way to Sydney to pick up the rest of the unit, then to Brisbane to pick up the 804th Engineer Aviation Battalion.

The Australians have been able to continue to fly military operations out of Port Moresby. This morning, they sent a dozen bombers against Lae, northwest of Port Moresby. The Australians have been selecting different targets -- Lae, Buna, Gasmata -- to keep the Japanese guessing. I do not think it will be long, however, before Japan decides that it is time to take care of this pesky little base.

thunderstorms and there has been a desperate shortage of supplies. A general rain storm is settling in for the next couple of days that may keep all of the planes on the ground.

In addition, I think that the leaders of the two Hudson squadrons are being a bit too cautious about executing their orders. Recall, I told you that the mission is intended to attack the tin mines and lumber yards at Tavoy. Repeated patrols of the area do not reveal any enemy combat air patrol. However, Rabaul and Moulmein lie between the bombers and their target. I believe the squadron leaders are waiting for a safe opportunity to make that flight. Either that, or the Aussies flying those planes are on strike pending delivery back to their home country.


Nimitz Revives Baker Island Occupation Plan

Admiral Nimitz today informed me that he is reactivating plans to occupy Baker Island.

• He is sending VMR-252 military air transport squadron to Canton Island where they will be assigned the task of flying supplies to Baker Island.

• TF1295 at Christmas Island, consisting of 5 destroyers, has been ordered to load elements of the 40th USA Infantry Division for fast transport to Baker Island.

The elements of the 40th USA Infantry Division involved in the operation has been preparing to hold Baker Island for more than a month. They are well prepared for the mission.

This unit will be followed by the 115th USAAF Base Force. Once this unit is set up on Baker Island, it will become the home of VMF-221 Fighter Squadron.


That is it for today.

Thayne

< Message edited by Thayne -- 4/6/2005 6:57:08 AM >

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 147
Jan. 28 Addendum - 4/6/2005 7:10:29 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Jan. 28 Addendum

Henry

I have decided to keep Lesley with me. This PB2Y is way too big to be lumbering all around the Pacific with. I can keep it here in Bora Bora as my main base, and use Lesley for travelling around to nearby islands.

I want to go back to Canton Island. Then, I want to fly to Baker -- if the occupation goes well. I want to meet the troops.

We have no idea where the enemy carrier fleet ism, so the Baker Island occupation is a bit of a risk. But, Nimitz insists on pushing the frontier. I will let you know how things go.

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 148
Thursday, January 29, 1942 - 4/7/2005 5:32:28 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Thursday, January 29, 1942

Henry:

• The invasion of Kendari started
• Battle for Palembang Begins
• Another Air Slaughter at Mandalay


I am back at Canton Island. I am watching TF1295. This is the task force delivering about 1000 soldiers from the 40th USA Infantry Division to Baker Island. It will take two more days to get the troops there.

When I got to Canton Island, there was a squadron of C-47s parked beside the runway. Baker Island is about 500 miles away -- well within range of the transport planes. Between the cargo planes and the fast transports, we might actually be able to build a real base at Baker Island.

At the mess tent, I met some of the pilots. I met a First Lieutenant Gregory Jones, who the records say has flown the most missions of anyone in the squadron. The squadron has been ferrying supplies to French Frigate Shoals, west of Oahu, since the war began -- even when it did not have a runway just yet.

They had worked out an interesting way of getting supplies to the Shoals. First, when they got to their destination, the captain would make a low pass over the island to get a feel for the wind and the lay of the land, and to warn the people below. Then, he would fly around and come in again. The crew behind him would drag a palate up next to the door. Then, three of them would get behind the palate, bracing their backs against the wall of the plane and putting their feet against the palate. One of them would stand at the door. The captain, then, would pull out all stops to slow the plane down without stalling it. Then, when they were over the target, the three crewmen would push the palate out the door. The supplies would tumble out and crash onto the ground.

I actually thought they would drop off the supplies by parachute. But, they say, things like toilet paper, clothes, soap, bags of potatoes, pots, pans, chocolate bars, cigarettes, and most of the stuff they deliver can take a pretty rough landing.

That's not to say that they don't use parachutes. They use these for the more sensitive gear. You don't want to drop mortar shells or machine guns out of an airplane. Parachutes have their own handicap, though. A gust of wind comes up, and the parachute takes its cargo off into the sea.

The same thing happens with the dropped cargo, however. If the crew doesn't get good leverage during the pass, the palate goes out the door late.

They don't take any chances with the mail. They throw that down separately. If they have any doubts that the mail might not hit spot on the drop zone, they don't throw it. More important than food or ammunition, the mail has to make it to the troops.

Baker Island, however, has an airstrip -- as did French Frigate Shoals for the past few weeks that this unit was in Hawaii. This mission will be a cakewalk.

At least, until Japan starts patrolling the skies over Baker Island with long range CAP from Tarawa.

I talked about that with the crews. They know that the war has just gotten a lot more dangerous for them. I wished them luck.


Kendari Invaded

Today, Japanese forces poured out onto the beach near Kendari, formed up, and moved on the town.

I had hoped that General Wavell's air force would give the ground troops here some assistance. However, as far as I can determine, only a few of Wavell's fighters got off the ground today. They were in charge of flying CAP over Balikpapan. Two Brewster 339Ds met about three dozen Japanese Sally bombers flying against the city, but were not able to inflict any significant damage as far as we can tell. The rest of the Dutch air force stayed on the ground.

I can only assume that Wavell had his reasons, or there were circumstances beyond his control. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now.

However, I will tell you now that of Pownall does not do something about his fighters in India, his days of service may be numbered.

I will get back to this a little later.


Battle for Palembang Begins

Japan knows how to use air power to aid a ground battle. Before the Japanese launched their attack on Palembang, the Japanese air force showed up with over 100 bombers. The first strike was with only a dozen or so Bettys. They seemed to be after some of the gun emplacements overlooking the best avenue for the Japanese approach, but they did little damage.

The main attack came an hour and a half later with over 75 Sally bombers targeting the length of the allied defensive lines.

The army itself stayed back today. I expect that they will spend a day or two softening up the defenses before they go in. Japan has actually been launching 100-plane raids against the port every day now for almost a week.


Another Mandalay Massacre

The Japanese Zero fighters that have been menacing the British in India and Burma struck again today. At Mandalay, they brought down 16 British planes at a loss of only 4 Japanese planes, and no damage to the bombers.

I am beginning to be concerned about the course of the air war. I have asked logistics officers to look into how many replacement planes and pilots that I can expect.

I take it as a given that if America and England provide me with air squadrons that they will provide the airplanes and replacement pilots to keep these units flying. It may have been a rash assumption on my part, but I am sticking with it.

I am serious about the level of concern that I have over the air war against the British. The Brits simply seem incapable of shooting down a Japanese airplane. In the mean time, they lose 20 airplanes a day. That would turn out to be 600 airplanes a month if they keep this up. We cannot continue to sustain those types of losses in terms of either planes or pilots.

Something has to be done.

I have commanded Wavell to move the 232 Squadron to Mandalay to see how much good they can do. This is the squadron that took part in the battle of Diamond Harbor a few days ago where we shot down 27 Japanese airplanes. Three pilots in that squadron scored a total of 10 kills. Even if nothing else goes well for us, I hope that we can at least get a few of the Japanese Zeros -- and start teaching a few others in that and other squadrons how to fight.

Like I said above, I have told General Pownall that he is responsible for getting these units into fighting trim. Ultimately, I hold him responsible. We are suffering a 20 to 1 loss ratio at Mandalay. If he does not reverse this in the near future, I will find somebody who can get the job done.

I will warn the British about this tomorrow.


Until then,

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
Post #: 149
Friday, January 30, 1942 - 4/8/2005 5:06:49 AM   
Thayne

 

Posts: 748
Joined: 6/14/2004
Status: offline 		Friday, January 30, 1942

Henry:

It was a good day for Japan today.

• Philippine defenders retreat to Bataan
• Japan occupies Major Dutch Bases
• Japan consolidates hold over China railroad

Our success stories pale in significance
• We occupy Baker Island tomorrow
• Australian/American Air Force continue operations out of Port Moresby


Japan Forces Allied Retreat in Philippines.

The Allied forces in the Philippines were forced back into the Bataan Peninsula in a new Japanese offensive today. It was a fierce day of fighting. My cable from General Thompson reported over 2,000 allied casualties. Damage inflicted among the Japanese appeared just as high.

However, the Japanese have the numbers that allow them to absorb these types of losses. They have about 140,000 soldiers all well supplied facing an allied army of 40,000 ill-supplied troops. Over the past several days they have been slowly reducing the allied defenses to rubble, leaving the allies nothing to hide behind.

While the main army has been fighting in the area around Clark AFB, General Thompson has been using his engineers to build a defensive line across the Bataan Peninsula. He had been hoping to make his last stand here. However, he encountered a significant problem getting supplies behind this line. Most of the army's supplies had been drawn into the fight at Clark AFB, and he could not find any way to get the supplies moved to the rear. Thus, when Clark AFB fell, most of his supplies fell into Japanese hands as well.

I can tell you from my repeated communications with him throughout the campaign that he tried everything in his power to get those supplies moved from Clark AFB to Bataan. At one point, he had only two divisions holding the front line, while the rest of his army worked on moving supplies. Japan launched an assault then, and the two divisions barely held the line. But they did hold. Still, Thompson could not get the the supplies moved.

I do not condemn him for this. The jungle in that part of the world is particularly thick, and the roads are not good. Still, we must face the facts, that Battan will likely be in Japanese hands before February 10th.

We must plan accordingly.

I need to give a special mention to two fighters from the 24th Fighter Group. Captain Mahoney and First Lieutenant Moore each continued to rack up impressive scores against the Japanese. Mahoney scored his 13th kill of the war, and Moore became the war's second double-ace with 10 confirmed kills.

These are the types of people that we need in India. They are the one thing that gives me hope that we may soon be able to challenge Japan's supremacy of the air.


Japan attacks succeed at Kendari, Singkawang, Bankha; fail at Balikpapan

6,500 Japanese soldiers belonging to Sasaebo 2nd SNLF and 21st Special Base Force overwhelmed the 1500 Dutch defenders at Kendari today. This was expected. This is another one of the major resource centers now in Japanese control. It also gives the Japanese air force more control over the eastern part of the Dutch East Indies.

General Wavell reported today that he launched missions against the Japanese invasion fleet yesterday. When I asked him about why these attacks took place after the Japanese landed their troops rather than before, he gave me a story about the weather and the right type of supplies not being available. It does not matter much anyway. The planes did not do any damage.

Japan's 4th Mixed Brigade seized control of Singkawang today in a major assault against the town, taking control of the major airbase there. This amounts to just finishing up some loose ends as far as the Japanese go. 1700 Dutch soldiers ended up surrendering the town to Japan at the end of the day.

The 21st Japanese Mixed Brigade also captured Bankha today. This was a lightly held base -- less than 1000 defenders holding out against 12,000 Japanese attackers.

The Japanese also launched a heavy assault against the defenders at Balikpapan today. The reports that I got though say that the defenders held out well. According to the report, Japan simply sent wave after wave of soldiers against the Dutch lines. The Dutch were able to mow down Japanese soldiers by the hundreds, loosing less than 100 of their own troops.

Hopefully, it will take a while for Japan to recover its wounds.

Still, the Japanese forces outnumber ours by 2 to 1. Most importantly, they have air power. Wavell is still down to less than a dozen bombers in the entire ABDA Theater, and no ships to speak of.

We are quickly being forced back into our final strongholds.

• On Java, the Dutch are preparing their final stand at Soerabaja.
• Bali is now as well supplied and well garrisoned as it is going to get.
• Timor has a sizable air force made up of units that can cover the distance back to Australia when they need to.
• The forces on Aru Island are still working on fortifying their base.


Japan Further Secures Shanghai/Hanoi Railroad

Japan captured the town of Wuchow today, after Shang Kai Shek abandoned it. G2 informs me that the 50th Japanese Mixed Brigade 51st Japanese Division were involved in the attack.

In all fairness, after Japan captured Kweilin, it would have been easy for them to surround the army at Wuchow. In fact, it appears that this is what they were trying to do. Evidence suggests a massive movement west out of Kweilin toward the only avenue of escape for the army at Wuchow. That army was faced with a choice between abandoning the city and facing its own destruction.

With these two options, nobody who is the least bit familiar with Chang Kai Shek could think that he would allow his army to stand fast against the Japanese. "Best to run away and learn to fight another day."

I am wondering what Chang Kai Shek will do if he runs out of places to run.

With the Chinese army leaving Wuchow, the Japanese army actually retreated back to the city. This suggests that Kweiyang is in no immediate danger.

I am actually thinking that Chang Kai Shek might actually fight over Kweiyang. This is the only road available for supplies coming from the west. If Japan decides to threaten that road, Chang Kai Shek may form the opinion that Japan is going too far.


Baker Island to be Occupied Tomorrow

TF1295 reported in just a few minutes ago that it was starting its run to Baker Island. As soon as it got dark, they revved up the engines to full speed and headed west.

No, we did not break radio silence. We sent a PBY out to find the destroyers and report back.

Now, even if the Japanese carriers pop up, they will not be able to stop us. We will have 1000 troops on the island by morning.

The next part of the mission will be to build Baker Island into an actual base of operations. We still have a number of units prepared to set up home on this rock.

It's not very big. It's an oval about 1 mile long and a half mile wide, but it is long enough for a squadron of medium bombers and a squadron of fighters.

Of course, looking at how our fighters have done elsewhere, I have my worries. This means we will have a hundred more airplanes for Japan to shoot out of the sky.

It's progress.


Port Moresby Air Attacks

I don't know how long Japan is going to let us keep this up, but we have been flying regular missions out of Port Moresby against Japanese bases at Lae, using a squadron of B-25s and another squadron of Beauforts. Bomb assessment reports do not suggest a lot of damage. However, I have some hope that they are postponing any serious Japanese offensives in the area.

Eventually, though, I expect that Port Moresby will start to see the same kind of treatment that Mandalay has seen -- a few dozen Zero fighters escorting 100 bombers or so, until the base falls.


Until tomorrow

Thayne

(in reply to Thayne)
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