AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Jan 18, 43 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pre-Invasion action off Ontong Java (115,131) 1 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Allied Ships CA Indianapolis DD Moon DD Cummings APA Hugh L. Scott Japanese ground losses: 333 casualties reported Squads: 7 destroyed, 40 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled) CA Indianapolis firing at 67th Naval Guard Unit DD Moon firing at 67th Naval Guard Unit DD Cummings firing at 67th Naval Guard Unit Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 5,000 yards Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amphibious Assault at Ontong Java (115,131) TF 67 troops unloading over beach at Ontong Java, 115,131 Allied ground losses: 17 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 5 (0 destroyed, 5 disabled) Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sub attack near Rabaul at 106,124 Japanese Ships SS I-6, hits 26, and is sunk Allied Ships DD Paul Jones BB Washington BB North Carolina CA Quincy CLAA San Juan DD John D. Edwards DD Copsy DD Stewart DD Chew DD Parrott SS I-6 launches 2 torpedoes at DD Paul Jones DD Copsy fails to find sub and abandons search DD Stewart attacking submerged sub .... DD Chew attacking submerged sub .... DD Parrott attacking submerged sub .... SS I-6 forced to surface! DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... DD Chew firing on surfaced sub .... DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... Sub slips beneath the waves -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Submarine attack near Kavieng at 105,123 Japanese Ships SS I-5, hits 16, and is sunk Allied Ships BB Washington CA Quincy CLAA San Juan DD Edsall DD Copsy DD Stewart DD Chew DD Parrott SS I-5 is sighted by escort DD Copsy fails to find sub and abandons search DD Stewart fails to find sub, continues to search... DD Chew attacking submerged sub .... SS I-5 forced to surface! DD Chew firing on surfaced sub .... DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... DD Chew firing on surfaced sub .... DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... DD Chew firing on surfaced sub .... DD Parrott firing on surfaced sub .... DD Copsy firing on surfaced sub .... DD Stewart firing on surfaced sub .... DD Chew firing on surfaced sub .... Sub slips beneath the waves -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Night Naval bombardment of Kavieng at 106,122 Allied Ships BB Indiana BB South Dakota BB Washington BB North Carolina CA Quincy CA San Francisco CLAA San Juan DD Copsy DD Stewart DD Chew DD Parrott DD Litchfield DD Paul Jones DD John D. Edwards DD Edsall DD Gridley DD Jarvis Japanese ground losses: 30 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Airbase hits 27 Airbase supply hits 9 Runway hits 71 Port hits 29 Port supply hits 2 BB Indiana firing at Kavieng OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB South Dakota BB South Dakota firing at Kavieng OS2U-3 Kingfisher acting as spotter for BB Washington BB Washington firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade BB North Carolina firing at Kavieng CA Quincy firing at Kavieng CA San Francisco firing at Kavieng CLAA San Juan firing at Kavieng DD Copsy firing at Kavieng DD Stewart firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Chew firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Parrott firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Litchfield firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Paul Jones firing at Kavieng DD John D. Edwards firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Edsall firing at 15th GEACPS Brigade DD Gridley firing at Kavieng DD Jarvis firing at Kavieng -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Invasion Support action off Ontong Java (115,131) 2 Coastal gun shots fired in defense. Allied Ships APA Hugh L. Scott DD Moon Defensive Guns fire at approaching troops in landing craft at 1,000 yards -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 104,126 , near Gasmata Weather in hex: Light cloud Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 9 minutes Allied aircraft F4U-1 Corsair x 17 No Allied losses Aircraft Attacking: 17 x F4U-1 Corsair sweeping at 21000 feet * -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 104,126 , near Gasmata Weather in hex: Light cloud Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 7 minutes Allied aircraft B-25C Mitchell x 48 No Allied losses Japanese ground losses: 29 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Aircraft Attacking: 16 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 3000 feet Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb 16 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 3000 feet Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb 16 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 3000 feet Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Morning Air attack on 4th Division, at 104,126 , near Gasmata Weather in hex: Light cloud Raid spotted at 11 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet. Estimated time to target is 3 minutes Allied aircraft B-25C Mitchell x 16 F4U-1 Corsair x 7 Allied aircraft losses B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged Aircraft Attacking: 16 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 3000 feet Ground Attack: 6 x 500 lb GP Bomb -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ground combat at Ontong Java (115,131) Allied Shock attack Attacking force 4948 troops, 94 guns, 45 vehicles, Assault Value = 140 Defending force 477 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 11 Allied adjusted assault: 230 Japanese adjusted defense: 1 Allied assault odds: 230 to 1 (fort level 0) Allied forces CAPTURE Ontong Java !!! Combat modifiers Defender: Attacker: shock(+) Japanese ground losses: 491 casualties reported Squads: 60 destroyed, 0 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Guns lost 14 (14 destroyed, 0 disabled) Units destroyed 1 Allied ground losses: 6 casualties reported Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled Assaulting units: 23rd Marine Regiment Defending units: 67th Naval Guard Unit