Speedy vs Fabertong: Death to the Penguin!

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

The subjugation of Burma continued today with further bombing raids on Myitkyina and it's troop postiions.

Mandalay could not attack Pagan due to bad weather preventing take off.

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SS Blackfish performed well again today, north of the Mariana's, in hitting TK Itsukushima Maru with a torpedo.

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2 x AK and an LSD arrive at San Francisco tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Pagan is hit for the first time from the air. 50 Libs unloaded their cargo destroying 4 Nick's on the ground. More of a message than anything substantial. They return ro Mandalay tomorrow (hopefully).

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SS Thresher found success in her new hunting ground 240 miles east of Camranh Bay. She hit the oil laden TK Hokki Maru with a torpedo leaving her heavily damaged and listing by the bow.

3 of my subs were spotted near Wake today. Hope he doesn't think something 'is up'

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2 x AK, 1 x LCI and 1 x SC arrive at San Francisco tomorrow.

What's this all about? Probably a hoax:

"52nd Division is planning for an attack on Midway"

I'd love him to attack there [8D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

A lot of sub action today! Firstly several of my subs were spotted by LBA across the theatre - even around Wake, the Mariana's, SRA etc. It proves Faber is now spreading his air search assets further afield.

SS Spearfish was tracked throughout the day by 2 x PC's 60 miles east of Batavia. In the afternoon she managed to get the better of her attackers and sank PC CH 11 with a torpedo.

SS Sculpin missed the TK Amatsu Maru 120 miles east of Tarakan.

SS Blackfish fired her final 4 fish at TK Manju Maru which all missed. She is returning to Midway for replenishment.

SS Balao sank the empty freighter AK Toyama Maru with 3 torpedo's in 2 separate attack near the Lower Kuriles.

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CV Enterprise down to 12 SYS damage.

1st USA Cav Division is due in 6 days time.

2 x AK and an LCI arrive at San Francisco tomorrow.

[Rob Brennan UK]

your subs seem to be getting in a heck of a lot of action, is it that you have tons of them or are you using them in dangerous waters round japan itself?

[Speedysteve]

Hi Rob,

Neither really. I don't have loads of them yet. I try to keep 1/3 on station, 1/3 moving to and from and 1/3 in port for R & R.

I do tend to have always analysed submarine warfare and ASW a lot in WiTP. As such I do tend to move my subs a lot and place them in high probability areas = more chance of sub action I guess.

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SS Rasher found joy today. 60 miles NE of Tori Shima she heavily damaged the empty troop transport Kembu Maru with a torpedo.

SS Spearfish was tormented throughout the day by PC CH 10, the sister of the fallen CH 11. My boys even let off 4 fish which all missed unfortunately. The cat and mouse game continues 60 miles east of Batavia.

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Heavy bombing by me across Burma and over Kendari. He seems to have retsed his CAP as 1 Tony met my massed force. Heavy damaged was achieved on the remaining resource production. For a change they are ordered to hit Koepang's airfields tomorrow.

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CV Enterprise down to 10 SYS damage[8D]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

The raid on Koepang went fairly well. 139 Heavies encountered 29 fighters on CAP (Zero/Tony). They performed well in shooting down 14 Heavies for the loss of 2 Zeros. However the heavies did the job on the airfields destroying 22 planes on the ground (11 Zeros/11 Betties).

Raids across Burma against IJA troop positions.

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SS Spearfish again played cat and mouse with PC CH 10. This time the Patrol Craft came out on top and some of her DC's came close to the Spearfish leaving her moderately damaged. She is to return to Darwin for repairs.

SS Steelhead located the TK Ceram Maru north of Pagan. She let loose 4 fish but the detonators failed to work properly [:-]

SS Balao was attacked by a couple of MSW and a PG in the southern Kuriles. No damage was sustained.

SS Pollack on patrol 360 miles WSW of Wake Island found a troop convoy! She heavily damaged AP Kamikaze Maru with a torpedo but was herself fairly heavily damaged by DC's dropped by DD Oyashio.

This is interesting. I assume he is reinforcing Wake Island?!? This sighting coupled with increased air activity against my subs (Betty reports all around the Mariana's) makes me think he is perhaps relocating from the North to the Centre.

I will think on this. I'll still go for Wake since I should be strong enough now to take him on. Maybe I should allocate more LCU's though just in case? I will once more think on this.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

A lot of sub action today.

SS Balao was tracked an attacked by 2 x MSW and a PG in the south Kuriles. She later on missed one of her attackers with 4 fish....she is moving 60 miles further east tomorrow.

SS Haddo heavily damaged PG Kaikei Maru with a torpedo south of Okinawa.....

SS Pike missed AP Jouban Maru west of Wake. It is assumed this is the same convoy that SS Pollack tracked yesterday sinde the damaged AP Kamikaze was found later on in the day by SS Pike. She hit her with a further torpedo sending her to her doom...........

SS Sturgeon avoided several ASW ships 300 miles south of Okinawa

SS I-15 was sank by 3 of my APD's today NW of Dutch Harbour. I have been tracking this g*t for a week now....not no longer[8D]

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Intel picked up this:

"Yokosuka Reserve Coastal Artillery Regiment is located at Wake Island"

I don't like this. The more info I receive the more it indicated Faber heavily garrisoning his forward bases. Gili Gili for example has a brigade on it at least. Lunga ha as HQ unit and an Brigade.

I am now tempted to throw the kitchen sink at Wake to ensure it's capture. I have the 7th and 25th Infantry Divisions spare as is. I may even allocate these to the attack. I'll think on it.

CV Enterprise down to 8 SYS damage[8D]

[DuckofTindalos]

What about 1st Cav?

[Mike Solli]

1 Cav doesn't arrive until 26 Apr 43, according to a previous post.

[Mike Solli]

It's just more fodder for the Japanese anyway.[:D]

[DuckofTindalos]

Three days from now, and he said he considered using them against Wake... Three divisions, with adequate naval cover... Have fun holding that, Penguin-boy!

[Mike Solli]

Go Penguin, go!

[Speedysteve]

Pffft. No JFB allowed in here. Go Allies go [;)]

At present the following is assigned to Operation Falcon:

XIV Corps
37th Infantry Division
40th Infantry Division
24th Infantry Division
1st US Cav Division
47th Engineer Rgt
1st MAW Aviation
78th AA Rgt
250th Coastal Artillery Rgt

Backup for invasion:

112th US Cav Bde
14th NZ Bde

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I know it seems a lot but i'd rather go in wih overkill. You think I should use the 7th and 25th ID's too? Or TOO much overkill?

[DuckofTindalos]

Better overkill than no kill... Sealift and escorts should determine your loadout...

[Mike Solli]

Damn, you would have to use the 37 ID here. That's the Ohio National Guard. The unit I've spent my entire career in is what used to be the 37 ID.[:(]

[Speedysteve]

Agreed T. Good point. Lets see what AP, LST, LCI and LSD's I can muster.......

Mike - sorry mate. Needs must and all. I'm sure the boys will be ok. I'm a good commander you know[;)]

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Speedy

I'm a good commander you know[;)]

Yeah, I know. I feel for the poor ol Penguin.[:(]

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Bad weather prevented a lot of air action other than bombing iof IJA troops at Chungking and troops in Burma.

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SS Balao found a troop convoy after moving 60 miles further weast in the south Kuriles. She hit the empty AP Otori Maru with a torpedo.

SS Nautilus found gold today. Japanese Tankers are crucial to winning the war effort. Without them he can't transport oil to make fuel in the HI. She usreturnign to PH due ot low fuel but found a convoy 300 miles NE of Pagan. She hit the empty TK Kyokuto Maru with a Mk XIV.

SS Tambor patrolkling in the narrow osf the Macassar Strait fired 4 torpedo's at AK Aobasan Maru which all missed........

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CV Enterprise down to 7 SYS damage now.

In preparation for Falcon CV Lexington, Saratoga and BB North Carolina sortied from Seattle today with escorts bound for San Francisco............

SS Paddle arrives at San Fransisco tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Not much happened today.

Koepang's airfields were raided from Darwin again. The enemy CAP performed well though in destroying 13 Forts and 9 Libs. Over 30 enemy planes were destroyed on the ground though.

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The Akizuki ASW group are now operating around the Mariana's since SS Albacore was attacked today 180 miles west of Saipan!

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An LST arrives at San Francisco tomorrow.

[Speedysteve]

Hi all,

Bad weather once mnore prevented many air raids from taking off. Mandalay airfields were bombed as were IJA troops on the rail line.

I've decided to go for the remaining resources on Kendari tomorrow. 93 remain..........

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My subs performed poorly today.

2 key targets were missed:

SS Haddo missed TK Shoyo Maru east of Batan Island

SS Drum missed TK Akatuki Maru 300 miles east of Luzon [:-]

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Intel picked up this today:

"4th Division is loaded on AK,Ushio Maru moving to Bangkok"

Interesting. Probably a reinforcement for Burma. Fine by me. Suck them boys in whilst the US advances from the east......

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Talking of the US. CV Enterprise is down to 6 SYS damage now. The time is nearing I think.

Here's an overview of my CV's............CVL Bellau Wood is just off the bottom of the list.