AmiralLaurent
Posts: 3351
Joined: 3/11/2003 From: Near Paris, France Status: offline
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Hi Leo, in the north I have around 200 fighters available but most of them are Oscar or Nick. I have a Tony Sentai, a Tojo Sentai and a Zero Daitai. Exp is not so good for these units, between 60 and 70, and results the last time they went to PJ were not good enough to stay here. I will rather keep my forces and send the fighters when they will be needed, that is to cover a supply convoy or surface TF. As for the ML you're right but with so many subs around sending each ML on his own will see too much losses, and I won't send 24 DD to escort 4 ML with Allied CV 700 miles away... So there will be bigger minefields and less of them. 18-19 August 1943 For one reason or the other I had no combat animation on the 18th and nothing I could do changed that, so description of this day will be less precise than usual. Northern Pacific During the night of the 17th-18th, the ML TF returned to PJ, meeting SW of the base the SS USS Growler but neither side was hit in the encounter. The ML laid 450 new mines off the base (bringing the total to 1150). This TF reloaded in Etorofu Jima on the evening of the 19th and sailed again towards PJ. In the afternoon of the 17th, Paramushiro Jima airfield was attacked by 32 PB4Y, 21 B-24D and 20 B-17E from Attu, and reported 110 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 10 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on runways. They attacked it again the next, first with 47 PB4Y, 29 B-24D and 20 B-17E from Attu, that attacked the airfield (103 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 13 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 73 on runways) and then with 13 B-17E and 10 PB4Y from Kiska that attacked the port, hitting the already crippled AK Isuzu Maru (the only ship still docked here), doing 10 casualties, and scoring 3 hits on the port and 3 on supplies. AA fire shot down during these two attacks 2 PB4Y, 1 B-17E and 1 PBM Mariner, while another B-17E and a B-24D were lost operationally. The badly damaged AK (damage 92/10/9) left the base in the evening. It will sail north first to sail past the submarines surrounding the base and then will sail to Shikka for emergency repairs. Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, where 60+ CV fighters were reported on CAP. On Paramushiro, both sides exchanged artillery fire on both days. Allied losses were 20 men, Japanese ones 169 men and 6 guns. Reports showed on the 19th 126 580 Allied men (+ 1091 in 2 days), 1353 guns (+15) and 374 vehicles (+2) for 2237 AV (+43), against 72 689 Japanese men (-344), 619 guns (-6) and 5 tankettes for 1443 AV (-8). The evening report of the base listed damage as 52/21/8 (airbase/runway/port), 355 engineers and 49 917 supplies (-2538 in 2 days). Six submarines (3 RO and 3 I-150/160) left Tokyo on the 18th and will sail to a patrol area south of PJ, from where they will be ready to attack Allied ships if they return to the Kuriles. Japanese engineers expanded the port of Shikka to size 6. Southern Pacific A small AP convoy picked up the Const Bn and the IJNAF BF that finished to build the base of Maloelap (port 1, AF 4, fort 9) and will bring them to Wotje to build fortifications here. The latter base is empty with port 1, AF 3, fort 0. Another small convoy loaded a SNLF in Tarawa and will carry it to Upolou, the little island just NW of Pago-Pago. New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands The 18th saw more Allied raids on Japanese bases. 19 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 16 P-38G and 30 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 2 P-38G bombed and strafed Rabaul, did 18 casualties and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 29 on the runways for the loss of 2 B-25J to AA fire. Kavieng was bombed by 14 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 2 P-38G and reported 7 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 9 on the runways, and was fully repaired in some hours. The 19th was more interesting. It began with an attack by a patrolling B-24D of the blockade raider Atago Maru that was unloading supplies in Wewak and was damaged at 17/11/12 and left for Hollandia without finishing unloading. In the afternoon, 6 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 19 P-38G and 19 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 3 P-38G bombed and strafed Rabaul, did 10 casualties and scored 2 hits on supplies and 19 on the runways, while Kavieng was bombed by 26 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 5 P-38G and reported 4 hits on the airbase and 6 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25J and a B-24D. In the evening of the 19th Rabaul reported damage of 86/18/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Kavieng was undamaged and still building fortifications (level 4, 77%). The Japanese coastwatcher in Lae reported that a F-5 flew recon over the base, a very rare event, and combined with the fact that a Japanese aircraft saw the BB HMS Ramillies and 9 other warships east of Buna, it was thought fairly probable that this base will be invaded shortly by Allied troops. The area commander had no means to stop it, but will try this best to make the Allied pay for their advance. All 48 Betties based in Truk received orders to fly naval attack at range 13. So they may attack any ships north of Buna, including Lae, but not ships in Allied bases where CAP will be stronger. 25 A6M3a were ordered to escort them but will only reach range 11, and so will be useful only if the Allied TF sailed between New Guinea and New Britain. More south, the CL Naka and her escort DD refueled in Noumea and sailed NW again to try to raid Allied shipping lanes between Gili Gili and Australia. Timor-DEI-Australia On the 18th Koepang was attacked by 20 B-25C from Derby and reported 7 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 12 on runways. Kendari CAP shot down a PBM Mariner this day. The next day Koepang was attacked by 31 B-25C from Derby and reported 18 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 32 on runways. The evening area report of the 19th listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 76%), Koepang 68/62/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 65/0/0, Lautem 74/0/38, other bases undamaged. Daily recons of Darwin by Kendari-based Dinah III restarted on the 18th and showed a CAP of around 30 P-40 (P-40N and Kittyhawk). Japanese engineers finished to build the base of Amboina to its planned level (port 4, AF 4, fort 9) on the 18th and two AP were sent from Kendari to pick up both Const Bn of the base and bring them to other bases. These ships will sail independently to avoid air attacks but an ASW group was sent before them to check the path they will take. SRA Legaspi area proved to be submarine-infested. On the night of the 17th-18th, an ASW group engaged twice the USS Kingfish 120 miles east of Legaspi, missing here the first time and scoring 9 near-misses the next, while 60 miles more east the SS Skipjack was chased by another ASW group but escaped undamaged. During the day airmen reported three SS in the area and the “Gold Convoy” was rerouted more south. Rather than gather in Legaspi, its various parts will sail to Cebu via Guian (Leyte/Samar area). A small convoy started to load 10k supplies in Toboali for Rangoon. Burma Allied airmen flew 374 sorties on the 18th, hitting the base and 4 units in Myitkyina. The airfield was attacked by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 16 P-40E and by 48 B-24D, 46 B-25J, 39 Blenheim IV and 27 B-17E from Imphal escorted by 24 P-40N that scored a total of 34 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 152 on runways, doing 131 casualties and disabling 2 guns. Allied airmen bombed 4 units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 4th Eng Rgt) with 54 Vengeance I, 26 Beaufigher Mk 21, 24 Beaufighter VIC, 16 Lysander I and 9 B-25J from Kohima and Ledo escorted by 24 P-40E that hit 90 men, 1 tank and 7 guns. Two Vengeance, a B-17E and a Lysander were shot down by AA fire, while 2 P-40E, a B-17E, a B-24D, another Vengeance and a P-40N were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side a Topsy was lost in an accident while carrying supplies to Myitkyina. The next day 563 Allied sorties targeted Myitkyina airfield and 7 units in Myitkyina in Katha. The airfield was attacked by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 16 P-40E and reported 1 hit on supplies and 15 on runways. Allied airmen bombed 5 units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 8th Tk Rgt and 4th Eng Rgt) with 50 Beaufighter VIC, 43 Vengeance I, 41 B-24D, 37 Beaufigher Mk 21, 36 B-25J, 29 Lysander I, 28 Blenheim IV and 25 B-17E from Imphal, Jorhat, Kohima and Ledo escorted by 24 P-40N and 22 P-40E that hit 322 me and 5 guns. And 81 Liberator VI and 52 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40E and 19 P-40N attacked the 31st Div and a regiment of the 46th Div in Katha, hitting 398 men and 16 guns. Allied losses during these raids were a Liberator VI shot down by AA fire and 1 B-25J, 1 Blenheim IV, 1 Vengeance I, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 Lysander I lost operationally. On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (66 casualties in 2 days) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (140 men, 1 tank and 1 gun hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div left Katha to march to Myitkyina and will relieve one of the divisions lacking supplies here, the 33rd, that received orders to march to Katha on the evening of the 19th. The evening report of the 19th showed that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 62, runways 82). In this town there were 7249 (-937) remaining supplies for needs of 10130 (+179). 1273 Japanese AV(-290) faced 1198 Allied (+18) in Katha, and 1883 Japanese AV (-10) faced 2978 Allied (+53) in Mytkyina . Allied engineers expanded Dimapur airfield to size 4. China Training raids continued to target the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 160 sorties were flown from Wuhan on the 18th and 265 from Wuhan and Changsha the next day. A total of 118 Chinese men were hit while 2 A6M2, 1 A6M3a, 1 Kate and 1 Oscar II were lost in crashes in two days. Japanese engineers expanded Nanning AF to size 6. A survey of Japanese troops in China showed that the combat troops included 28 Div, 19 Bde, 2 Rgt and 10 Mongol Cav Div, all at full strength (or very close). But of these troops only 17 Div and 1 Bde were available for frontline duties (with the 11th Army west of Changsha or the Southern China Army around Kweiyang). Of the other units, the 116th Div was in Canton and planned to change of command (by the way an AP convoy was sent from Bangkok to pick it up… I will have enough PP in around 3 weeks). And the other (10 Div, 18 Bde, 2 Rgt and 10 Mongol Div) were holding the towns and communications means of the part of China already conquered by Japan.
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