AmiralLaurent
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Joined: 3/11/2003
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15 September 1943
An active day on three main fronts (Burma, New Guinea and Kuriles) escpecially in the air.
Air losses of the day were 106 Allied (96 A2A, 5 AA, 5 ops) against 63 Japanese (48 A2A, 4 ground, 1 AA and 10 ops).
Northern Pacific
During the night 26 Betty from Shikka, Wakkanai and Toyohara bombed OJ but failed to hit anything. Two bombardment TF (each with 3 BB, 3 CA and 1 CL) then pounded the base, disabling 311 men, 3 guns and 1 vehicle and scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 14 on the runway, 3 on port and 6 on port supplies. During this attack the 7 DD of one of this TF chased the SS Grouper off the island and the DD Tomozuru scored 6 near-misses on her.
Also during the night the SS USS Scamp attacked an ASW group 120 miles N of Shimushiru Jima and missed a MSW, then escaped without being detected. In the evening the same submarine attacked another MSW ASW TF 60 miels more north and sank one with a torpedo before evading the others.
The morning was quiet but in the afternoon 48 PB4Y from Kiska attacked the airfield. 84 aircraft intercepted them: 22 A6M3a, 18 A6M3, 18 Ki-45, 10 Ki-61, 6 Oscar II, 6 Ki-44 and 4 Rufe. 17 PB4Y were shot down by fighters, and one more by AA but their return fire shot down 5 A6M3, 2 A6M3a and 1 Ki-45 and their bombs destroyed 4 more aircraft (2 Ki-44 and 2 Ki-61), disabled 26 men and 1 gun and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 3 on the runways. AA fire also shot down a PBM Mariner following the raid, but 3 A6M3a and 1 Ki-45 were lost in accidents on the Japanese side, bringing the air losses in the area to 16 Japanese (10 pilots lost, including at least two WIA) and 18 Allied.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 46 men, Japanese ones 192 men and 3 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 194 936 men (+826), 1879 guns (+17) and 422 vehicles (-1) for 3571 AV (+64), against 92 747 Japanese men (+668), 771 guns (+15) and 7 tankettes for 1709 AV (+3).
The evening report of PJ showed no more damage again, 418 engineers (-1) having started to rebuild fortification again (level 5, 26% (+15%)) and 51 282 supplies (+721, as three AK continued to unloaded). At the end of the day PJ airfield had 136 fighters (98 available), 27 Nick (20 available) and 9 Rufe (8 available) to defend itself.
OJ was still damaged by last night attacks and showed damaged 44/54 (airfield/port) and recons reported 9 units with 15 860 men (+380), 47 guns (+11) and 47 vehicles (+0). Oscar flying LRCAP again reported no Allied transport aircraft today.
An Allied fleet was now 300 miles east of PJ. No transport had been seen but the CVL Langley was identified and either it was a purely CV force, or it was covering a bombardment TF to PJ. In all cases it was decided to take risks and keep aircraft in PJ. Of the two bombardment TF sailing together to Shikka to refuel and rearm Tanaka took the fastest and most supplied ships (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL, 7 DD) and will sail to PJ to intercept any bombardment TF. The Oscar Sentai based in Shikka joined by 13 Oscar II evacuated from PJ will LRCAP these ships tomorrow.
Japanese airmen will also try to fly naval attack. 19 Betty flew to PJ to attack raider ships at night, 42 other Betties having similar orders in Shikka and Toyohara. Other Betty units will bomb OJ (14 AC) or fly naval search.
The three AK unloading off PJ were disbanded in the port again. This should increase the chance to draw a bombardment TF that should be less powerful and less well-trained than Tanaka’s ships. The SS RO-64 patrolling just E of PJ was ordered to go to this base to increase the chance to detect a raiding Allied TF.
Tomorrow PJ will have 159 aircraft (fighters, Nick and Rufe) on CAP (113 available), 19 G4M1 Betty ready for night naval attack (19 serviceable) and 9 Dinah III to fly naval search and recon over Kiska (9 serviceable). If the US fleet only attacks with CV aircraft and heavy bombers also attacked Japanese airmen will probably suffer.
But there was not much choice because in Toyohara the KB took much more time than planned to reorganize its air units. For some reasons it used cranes to unload almost all units but didn’t to reload them aboard the CV. So only some AC per unit were flown back aboard the CV. The two IJNAF units created some day ago and a op training unit having finished its tour in China boarded the CV to replace usual CV units now relegated to training in Japan but in the evening the KB had only 225 fighters (222 serviceable), 134 dive-bombers (134) and 97 torpedo bombers (96), while 169 other aircraft of the CV units (143 A6M5, 1 Val, 25 Kates) were unavailable in Toyohara airfield.
Seven Chutai of Oscar II (in fact two Sentai and a Chutai) from the Home Defence Command left Tokyo, Osaka and Hiroshima to fly to Wakkanai and Sapporo and be available as reinforcement. That move left Japan skies defence only to some training units but with Allied CV on the doorstep of PJ no raid on Japan was feared.
Ships able to do so evacuated the port of Etorofu Jima. The CL Tama and five lightly damaged DD will go to Sapporo, a damaged SS will go to Ominato and 9 able ships (2 CL and 7 DD) sailed for Shikka to join the BB TF that will arrive there tomorrow.
Japanese intelligence confirmed today the scuttling of the AK Proteus, bombed by KB dive-bombers on 28 July off PJ.
Central Pacific
Two submarines left PH for Truk to reinforce this theater.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night Lae was again raided by Betties from Truk, but with the main scope now on naval attack only 3 bombers attacked the airfield but hit nothing. Allied defenders scored their first success as one of these bombers was shot down by AA fire.
In the morning 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima attacked barges off Vella Lavella and sank two of them. In the afternoon 26 B-24D from Dobadura and Buna escorted by 28 P-38G and 8 P-38J bombed Rabaul, did 11 casualties, and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 26 on the runways.
Rabaul reported in the evening that all damage taken today had again been repaired and that 2373 (-224) supplies were available for 5005 (-3) required, Kavieng reported also no damage and continued to build forts (level 5, 66% (+5%)).
But Japanese airmen were also active. The Allied TF seen yesterday (now reported at 2 “BB”, 5 “CA”, 1 “CL”) was probably planning a night bombardment of Wewak as it was now 60 miles east of Saidor, at 300 miles of it. Corsairs and P-38G flew LRCAP over it and shot down during the day a Jake on naval search but when 8 Betty from Truk attacked before dusk under escort by 4 A6M2 the tired Allied pilots (17 P-38G and 10 Corsair) only shot down 2 Betties. The other then attacked the BB HMS Resolution and the CL HMS Mauritius, but all torpedo missed. One Corsair was lost operationally during the day.
Wewak was left in the evening by the recon Chutai based here that went to Hollandia, leaving a floatplane behind. Truk airmen will keep the same orders as Allied LRCAP had proven rather incompetent.
In Palau a small blockade runner loaded supplies and will try to reach Wewak in some days.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning a Dinah III from Kendari flying the daily recon of Tenimbar was shot down by an Allied fighter. In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 12 B-25C from Derby and 18 B-24D from Darwin that scored 18 hits on the runways and did 33 casualties, while Lautem was attacked by 7 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 8 Kittyhawk III and reported 7 hits on the runway, 9 casualties and 1 disabled gun. A B-24D was shot down by AA fire over Koepang and a Catalina I suffered the same fate during a recon of Lautem.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 3, 23%), Koepang 48/5/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 96/36/0, Lautem 99/17/38, other bases undamaged. The small AK off Koepang was still unloading and will finish tomorrow.
A Pete was sent to Maumere to “occupy” the airfield and allow to move fighters here with more chances to be undetected. That is, if no Allied raid crushes the base tomorrow.
Burma
Japanese fighters flew in force LRCAP over Myitkyina and the morning saw a series of air battle over the city and the troop positions around it.
The first Allied raid was flown by 14 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 18 P-40N and 16 P-40E. They met 32 Ki-61, 12 A6M3 and 11 Tojo defending the airfield. 14 Japanese fighters were lost (9 Ki-44, 4 Ki-61 and 1 Zero) while Japanese pilots shot down 9 P-40N, 8 P-40E and 1 B-25J, not counting two F-5A shot down roughly at the same time. The bomber hit the airfield and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 18 on the runways, doing 23 casualties.
Air score: 14 - 20 for Japan
The battle then continued over Japanese front lines. 9 B-24D and 7 B-17E from Imphal attacked the 41st Div under escort by 5 P-40N. 29 Ki-61, 11 A6M3 and 6 Tojo intercepted and shot down 2 B-17E, 1 B-24D and 1 P-40N for four losses (2 Ki-44, 1 Ki-61, 1 A6M3). The bombers missed their target.
Air score: 18 - 24 for Japan
The Japanese pilots then intercepted 14 Lysander I, 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 6 Vengeance I from Ledo and Kohima and shot down 3 Beaufighter and a Lysander without loss. The Allied pilots attacked the 33rd Div and hit 22 men.
Air score: 18 - 28 for Japan
The same division was then the target of the biggest Allied raid of the day: 21 B-25J, 18 Blenheim IV, 14 Beaufighter Mk 21, 13 B-24D, 12 B-17E and 12 Beaufighter VIC from Imphal and Jorhat escorted by 37 P-40N. 28 Ki-61, 10 A6M3 and 5 Tojo intercepted and scored 19 victories (9 P-40N, 3 B-25J, 3 Beaufighter VIC, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21, 1 Blenheim IV and 1 B-17E) for 14 losses (9 Ki-61 and all 5 Ki-44). The attacked unit lost 88 men and 3 guns.
Air score: 32 - 47 for Japan
35 Japanese fighters (23 Ki-61, 10 A6M3 and 2 Tojo) then did the most successful intercept of the day when they attacked 16 Lysander I, 16 Beaufighter Mk 21, 13 Vengeance I, 10 Beaufighter VIC and 8 B-25J from Ledo and Kohima and scored 16 victories (8 Lysander I, 3 B-25J, 3 Beaufighter Mk 21, 1 Beaufighter VIC et 1 Vengeance I) without loss. The remaining aircraft attacked the 31st Div and hit 51 men and 1 gun. AA fire shot down another Vengeance I.
Air score: 32 - 64 for Japan
The last attack also targeted the 31st Div and was flown by 21 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat. Exhausted Japanese pilots shot down only 1 Beaufighter, the other hitting 22 men.
Air score: 32 - 65 for Japan
In the afternoon there was a last battle when Allied aircraft on LRCAP tried to intercept Tabby transport aircraft bringing supplies to the besieged city. Japanese fighters on LRCAP defended the transport and shot down 9 Beaufighter VIC and 2 P-40N for the loss of 4 Ki-61.
Air score: 36 - 76 for Japan
Add to that the operational losses for Japan (2 A6M3, 1 Ki-61) and the Allied (1 B-17E, 1 P-40N) and finally 39 Japanese aircraft and 78 Allied were lost. A good score for late 1943.
The details of the four involved Japanese units were the following:
_ 87 Sentai lost 16 Ki-44 and 11 pilots (at least one WIA) to score only 4 victories
_ 65 Sentai lost 13 Ki-61 and 8 pilots, but scored 25 victories
_ 78 Sentai did even better, losing 6 Ki-61 and 4 pilots (at least one WIA) to score 28 victories
_ F1/281 Daitai lost 4 A6M3 and 3 pilots (at least two WIA) and scored 17 victories
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (178 men and 2 guns hit) and Allied guns fired at Japanese lines in Myitkyina (91 men and 4 guns hit). 1631 Japanese AV (+4) faced 1465 Allied (+1) in Katha, and 1867 Japanese AV (-19) faced 3190 Allied (+22) in Mytkyina.
But there was also the opening of another front in Bhamo (the mountain hex SW of Myitkyina). From the troops being between Myitkyina and Katha, the 28th Army HQ, 3rd Tk Div, 23rd Bde and two Tk Rgt had been ordered to attack there to chase the Chinese division holding the area. All troops were following the 3rd Tk Div but it turned to be the slowest and today all other units crossed the river and attacked, achieving only a 1 to 1 ratio (316 Japanese AV vs 75, adjusted as 81 vs 55). Japanese casualties were 104 men and 2 guns, Chinese ones were 99 men. By the way only 2000 able Chinese were here and were already facing 22 000 Japanese, with the 3rd Tk Div being 10 miles behind (5-7 days to reach the battlefield). At the end of the day all units had received supplies from Lashio (they came from an unsupplied area) and were in good shape, except disruption and fatigue (both over 70 for all units). They will wait for the 3rd Tk Div to come (by the way it has only 25% of required supplies) and reorganize in the mean time.
The evening report showed damage of 38/0 (airbase/runways) in Myitkyina. In this town there were 2109 remaining supplies (-24) for needs of 11231 (+269).
In the evening all four fighter units left Lashio. The three having less suffered flew back to Rangoon to Lashio. The 87 Sentai flew to Lanchow China and was demoted to training unit status. It received 34 new Tojo and 27 rookie pilots that will be trained. It just occurred to me that Tojo units will upgrade to Frank and so trying to keep good pilots in these units will be a good idea. I just realized that a bit late. From now on all Tojo units will be used against unescorted bombers.
Japanese bombers will be asked to fly support for the attack SW of Myitkyina and 109 Lily, 51 Helen and 23 Sally were gathered in Hanoi, Saigon and Bangkok, ready to move forward. A recon Chutai flew to Luang Prabang (NW of Hanoi) to fly daily recon of the target. Raids will be launched on the day of the attack. Until now the actions of Allied airmen will be surveyed.
China
A training raid hit 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha with 24 Val, 16 Ki-49, 8 Kate and 3 Tojo from Changsha escorted by 10 Oscar and did 32 casualties for the loss of an Oscar II in an accident.
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