8 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded airfields of Kiska and Attu respectively to size 4 and 3.
Central Pacific
NTR
Southern Pacific - New Zealand - New Caledonia – New Hebrides
A convoy with 10k fuel left Auckland to bring them to Christchurch where some ships were based waiting for the evacuation of the island by engineer troops once the fort building will be done. Both AS based in Auckland left for Suva where they will be more valuable and less exposed.
The 1st and 2nd Para Rgt that both were in Suva as a theater reserve boarded ships and will sail to Haiphong, Indochina, from where they may be used in Burma or China.
Bismarck and Solomon Islands-New Guinea
The SS RO-67 that was ordered to patrol between Port Moresby and Australia to attack Allied shipping had not reached her patrol area when she was attacked and damaged in the afternoon 180 miles south of Gili Gili. The submarine reported damage of 31/53/0 and turned back to return to Truk via Shortlands for repairs.
One F-5A Lightning was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The only raid of the day was an attack by 13 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin againt Lautem. They left 5 holes in the runway and hit a building, wounding 6 men.
Southern Resource Area
In the evening the American submarine S-32 attacked an ASW group 60 miles east of Balikpapan and hit the PG Akitsu Maru when one torpedo. Two PC charged and dropped depth charges on her, scoring one hit. The PG reported damage of 15/47/24 and sailed to Balikpapan. It will probably survive.
Burma
During the night 5 Nells from Rangoon tried to attack Kohima airfield. As usual 4 Beaufighter VIF were flying CAP and they had their first success when a crew of 176 Sqn RAF shot down one of the incoming bombers. The other missed the target. After this the night raids on Kohima were stopped.
In the morning Myitkyina was bombed by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40E and reported 13 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 5 on runways, while Taung Gyi was attacked by 42 B-25J, 40 B-24D, 27 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 32 P-40B that scored 17 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 68 on runways, disabling 22 men and 1 gun. And the 31st Div reported losses of 236 men and 4 guns under attacks by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire Vb and 43 Beaufighter VIC, 40 Vengeance I and 24 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kohima.
In the afternoon, 57 B-25C, 12 Blenheim IV and 11 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 9 P-40E attacked Akyab and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 30 on runways.
In the evening 23 A6M3 and 11 Nick left Rangoon to Myitkyina. The A6M3 will LRCAP the 31st Div 120 miles west of the city, the Nick will patrol over the Allied troops north of the city to intercept Allied transport aircraft if they come.
The 3rd Tk Div finished unloading in Bangkok and received orders to march to Mandalay.
China
Due to bad orders, 16 Ki-49 from Lanchow bombed the town center of Chengtu. They achieved little and one was shot down by AA fire.
39 A6M2 and 9 Val from Kungchag flew a training mission against a Chinese Corps NW of Sian and hit 90 men.
Japan
Two minelayer submarines left Osaka for Truk. A convoy with 21k supplies left Sasebo for Palau.
Japan supply stockpiles were very high and forward bases had no big needs, so a major industrial subject was again possible. The repair shipyard of Hiroshima (size 46) was increased twin in size and will have a size of 184 (in 5 months) enabling it to repair any Japanese ship while being away from the Allied menace coming from the east.
Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
9-10 May 1943: two air ambushes
9-10 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Japanese recon flights reported 23 Allied units on Kiska and 7 on Attu. On the Japanese side, Paramushiro Jima had now more than 200 air support squads, but still only 30 aircraft, and no air reinforcements were planned. Two new submarines left Tokyo to sail to Etorofu Jima and be used in this theater.
Central Pacific
NTR
Southern Pacific - New Zealand - New Caledonia – New Hebrides
A convoy carrying 58k supplies from Osaka arrived in Kwajalein and was ordered to continue towards Noumea.
Bismarck and Solomon Islands-New Guinea
There was no raid on the 9th but a F-5A was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul. Another was lost for the same reason the next day that saw also a raid on Rabaul by 51 B-24D and 36 PB4Y from PM escorted by 36 P-38G that scored 20 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 62 on runways and disabled 133 men and 1 gun without loss.
Allied engineers expanded Port Moresby airfield to size 8.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The 9th was again a quiet day with only one Allied raid, Dili being missed by 9 PB4Y from Wyndham. In the evening 33 Ki-61 of 68 Sentai flew from Kendari to Maumere to fly LRCAP the next day over Koepang.
The next day Amboina airfield was attacked by 85 B-17E and 26 B-24D and reported 80 casualties, 12 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 73 on runways. One of the B-17 damaged by AA fire ditched on the way back. A raid by 7 PB4Y from Wyndham again did no damaged on Dili.
At the same time 151 B-25C and 63 B-25J raided Koepang. This air armada was intercepted by six Ki-61 that had more targets than what they ever dreamed. Without loss, the Japanese pilots shot down 9 B-25J and 4 B-25C. The airfield was again severely hit and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 115 on runways, with the loss of 119 men and 2 guns. Another B-25J was lost operationally.
In the evening, all able Ki-61 left Maumere to return to Kendari, while the damaged ones were loaded into an AK that sailed to Macassar.
Recon of both sides flew over enemy bases, Betties from Kendari reporting 10 Spitfire Vb over Tenimbar, 10 Hurricane over Wyndham and 5 Boomerang over Broome, while two PBY Catalina were lost by the Allied on the 10th, one to AA fire and another to bad weather.
Southern Resource Area
Before dawn on the 9th, an ASW group searched unsuccessfully the SS USS Gurnard north of Kuching.
Burma
On the 9th Myitkyina was bombed by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 21 P-40E and reported 11 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 8 on runways, while Taung Gyi was attacked by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca that scored 5 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 52 on runways. Then 44 unescorted Vengeance I from Kohima attacked the 31st Div but were intercepted by 16 A6M3 of F1/6th Daitai on LRCAP. 12 Vengeance were shot down by the Zero and another lost in an accident. Japanese losses were 69 men and 2 guns on the ground, and nil in the air.
Nick patrolling N of Myitkyina reported no Allied air activity and all Japanese aircraft flew back to Rangoon in the evening.
The next day 47 B-25J, 41 B-24D, 28 B617E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 43 P-40B attacked Taung Gyi (3rd day in a row that this base was bombed) and scored 19 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 202 on runways. The recon unit based here lost its two remaining Ki-15 and was evacuated by train to Rangoon later. 41 Hurricane II escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb from Imphal attacked the 31st Div but missed totally it, pounding jungle away from its real position.
In the evening 11 Nick again left Rangoon, this time for Mandalay. They will fly LRCAP over Allied units N of the 31st Div.
These two days saw most Japanese units in Burma receive orders to apply the plan exposed some days ago (see map in a post above). The HQ 28th Army, the 33rd and 104th Div and two Tk Rgt left Rangoon for Mandalay, while the HQ 15th Army left Mandalay to go to Myitkyina (that will bring the number of support squads in the city above the required number). The two NLF planned to advance in the jungle on the western flank (SE of Imphal) also left Rangoon northwards.
The evening report of the 10th showed 11 Allied units north of the 31st Div on the trail from Kohima and 21 north of Myitkyina with 5 more north on the trail to Ledo. Extensive recon was ordered on this latter group, to know which units might be late, as the planned paradrop from Kungchang will have to fall on them. The few Nells available in Rangoon were also ordered to bomb these troops.
By the way Japanese transport aircraft flew to Kungchang to be ready for this operation. 65 Topsies and 36 Tabbies arrived there. Another Topsy was lost in a crash while a Tabby unit didn’t decode well the orders and flew from Clark Field to Amboina rather than to Kungchang and lost an aircraft and a crew in a crash-landing on the battered runway (I ordered the base by AS value and clicked on the wrong line…).
The convoy carrying the 1st Tk Div from Pacific reached Bangkok on the 9th and started to unload. The convoy carrying the 4th Tk Rgt will arrive tomorrow.
China
A new Chinese unit marched out of the mountains NW of Sian and reached the road 120 miles W of the city on the 9th. The regiment of the 27th Div holding the road defeated it the next day with air support from 48 Ki-51 from Sian (2 operational losses). The Chinese, beaten at 154 to 1, lost 26 killed and around 100 POWs and fled westwards. Japanese losses were 24 men and 1 gun.
Operational training units flew twice from Kungchang and one from Wuhan for a total of 301 sorties, 154 Chinese casualties and 4 operational losses (2 Ki-44, 1 Oscar II and 1 A6M3a).
Japan
Two Allied submarines were reported on the 9th near Japan and two ASW groups were sent to deal with them. The submarine seen off Nagasaki was not seen again, but the USS Bonefish was chased by 6 DD during the night of the 9th-10th south of Osaka and depth charged. She escaped unhurt and came back with a vengeance some hours later trying to attack this DD group but was detected and depth charged by the DD Hatsuzuki that scored on her 6 hits or near-misses with her new Type 2 depth charges. Contrary to Japanese expectations the Allied submarine survived and escaped.
Two convoys were formed and both will carry 42k supplies, one from Kitakyushu to Palau and the other from Takamatsu to Canton, China, for support of the incoming offensive and repairs in Wuchow.
Northern Pacific
Japanese recon flights reported 23 Allied units on Kiska and 7 on Attu. On the Japanese side, Paramushiro Jima had now more than 200 air support squads, but still only 30 aircraft, and no air reinforcements were planned. Two new submarines left Tokyo to sail to Etorofu Jima and be used in this theater.
Central Pacific
NTR
Southern Pacific - New Zealand - New Caledonia – New Hebrides
A convoy carrying 58k supplies from Osaka arrived in Kwajalein and was ordered to continue towards Noumea.
Bismarck and Solomon Islands-New Guinea
There was no raid on the 9th but a F-5A was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul. Another was lost for the same reason the next day that saw also a raid on Rabaul by 51 B-24D and 36 PB4Y from PM escorted by 36 P-38G that scored 20 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 62 on runways and disabled 133 men and 1 gun without loss.
Allied engineers expanded Port Moresby airfield to size 8.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
The 9th was again a quiet day with only one Allied raid, Dili being missed by 9 PB4Y from Wyndham. In the evening 33 Ki-61 of 68 Sentai flew from Kendari to Maumere to fly LRCAP the next day over Koepang.
The next day Amboina airfield was attacked by 85 B-17E and 26 B-24D and reported 80 casualties, 12 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 73 on runways. One of the B-17 damaged by AA fire ditched on the way back. A raid by 7 PB4Y from Wyndham again did no damaged on Dili.
At the same time 151 B-25C and 63 B-25J raided Koepang. This air armada was intercepted by six Ki-61 that had more targets than what they ever dreamed. Without loss, the Japanese pilots shot down 9 B-25J and 4 B-25C. The airfield was again severely hit and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 115 on runways, with the loss of 119 men and 2 guns. Another B-25J was lost operationally.
In the evening, all able Ki-61 left Maumere to return to Kendari, while the damaged ones were loaded into an AK that sailed to Macassar.
Recon of both sides flew over enemy bases, Betties from Kendari reporting 10 Spitfire Vb over Tenimbar, 10 Hurricane over Wyndham and 5 Boomerang over Broome, while two PBY Catalina were lost by the Allied on the 10th, one to AA fire and another to bad weather.
Southern Resource Area
Before dawn on the 9th, an ASW group searched unsuccessfully the SS USS Gurnard north of Kuching.
Burma
On the 9th Myitkyina was bombed by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 21 P-40E and reported 11 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 8 on runways, while Taung Gyi was attacked by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca that scored 5 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 52 on runways. Then 44 unescorted Vengeance I from Kohima attacked the 31st Div but were intercepted by 16 A6M3 of F1/6th Daitai on LRCAP. 12 Vengeance were shot down by the Zero and another lost in an accident. Japanese losses were 69 men and 2 guns on the ground, and nil in the air.
Nick patrolling N of Myitkyina reported no Allied air activity and all Japanese aircraft flew back to Rangoon in the evening.
The next day 47 B-25J, 41 B-24D, 28 B617E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 43 P-40B attacked Taung Gyi (3rd day in a row that this base was bombed) and scored 19 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 202 on runways. The recon unit based here lost its two remaining Ki-15 and was evacuated by train to Rangoon later. 41 Hurricane II escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb from Imphal attacked the 31st Div but missed totally it, pounding jungle away from its real position.
In the evening 11 Nick again left Rangoon, this time for Mandalay. They will fly LRCAP over Allied units N of the 31st Div.
These two days saw most Japanese units in Burma receive orders to apply the plan exposed some days ago (see map in a post above). The HQ 28th Army, the 33rd and 104th Div and two Tk Rgt left Rangoon for Mandalay, while the HQ 15th Army left Mandalay to go to Myitkyina (that will bring the number of support squads in the city above the required number). The two NLF planned to advance in the jungle on the western flank (SE of Imphal) also left Rangoon northwards.
The evening report of the 10th showed 11 Allied units north of the 31st Div on the trail from Kohima and 21 north of Myitkyina with 5 more north on the trail to Ledo. Extensive recon was ordered on this latter group, to know which units might be late, as the planned paradrop from Kungchang will have to fall on them. The few Nells available in Rangoon were also ordered to bomb these troops.
By the way Japanese transport aircraft flew to Kungchang to be ready for this operation. 65 Topsies and 36 Tabbies arrived there. Another Topsy was lost in a crash while a Tabby unit didn’t decode well the orders and flew from Clark Field to Amboina rather than to Kungchang and lost an aircraft and a crew in a crash-landing on the battered runway (I ordered the base by AS value and clicked on the wrong line…).
The convoy carrying the 1st Tk Div from Pacific reached Bangkok on the 9th and started to unload. The convoy carrying the 4th Tk Rgt will arrive tomorrow.
China
A new Chinese unit marched out of the mountains NW of Sian and reached the road 120 miles W of the city on the 9th. The regiment of the 27th Div holding the road defeated it the next day with air support from 48 Ki-51 from Sian (2 operational losses). The Chinese, beaten at 154 to 1, lost 26 killed and around 100 POWs and fled westwards. Japanese losses were 24 men and 1 gun.
Operational training units flew twice from Kungchang and one from Wuhan for a total of 301 sorties, 154 Chinese casualties and 4 operational losses (2 Ki-44, 1 Oscar II and 1 A6M3a).
Japan
Two Allied submarines were reported on the 9th near Japan and two ASW groups were sent to deal with them. The submarine seen off Nagasaki was not seen again, but the USS Bonefish was chased by 6 DD during the night of the 9th-10th south of Osaka and depth charged. She escaped unhurt and came back with a vengeance some hours later trying to attack this DD group but was detected and depth charged by the DD Hatsuzuki that scored on her 6 hits or near-misses with her new Type 2 depth charges. Contrary to Japanese expectations the Allied submarine survived and escaped.
Two convoys were formed and both will carry 42k supplies, one from Kitakyushu to Palau and the other from Takamatsu to Canton, China, for support of the incoming offensive and repairs in Wuchow.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
11 May 1943: nothing special
11 May 1943
Northern Pacific
A recon Chutai arrived in Paramushiro Jima with 9 Dinah III, that have enough range to reach Kiska and Attu.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Unmak Island to size 4.
Central Pacific
A Pearl Harbor-based Emily found an Allied convoy (reported as 2 AP and 2 escorts) 1320 miles north of its base, sailing eastwards back to the West Coast of USA. It was probably a convoy returning from the Aleutians.
Southern Pacific - New Zealand - New Caledonia – New Hebrides
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Tongapatu to size 3.
Bismarck and Solomon Islands-New Guinea
In the afternoon, Rabaul was bombed by 54 B-24D and 23 PB4Y from PM escorted by 42 P-38G and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 85 on runways and the loss of 71 men and 2 guns. AA fire shot down a B-24D while a PB4Y was lost to engine failure.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
Angry airmen flew a number a raids during the day but the Tonies successful the day before were gone. While 125 B-25C and 48 B-25J from Derby returned to Koepang, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 152 on runways and disabling 87 men and 4 guns, Maumere was attacked by 93 B-17E and 35 B-24D from Darwin and reported 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 74 on runways and the loss of 92 men and 1 gun.
Less important raids saw 27 B-17E fly from Darwin to Amboina to find the area covered by clouds and return to base with bombs, while 15 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin raided Lautem (10 casualties, 7 runway hits) and 6 PB4Y from Wyndham attacked Dili (14 men and 1 gun hit, 7 runways hits).
Allied losses were 1 B-25C shot down by AA and 1 B-17E, 1 B-25C and 1 B-25J lost in accidents.
Southern Resource Area
Two convoys were organized today, to carry 9k oil and 10k resources from Rangoon to Singapore and 27k oil from Brunei to Japan.
Burma
In the morning Myitkyina was bombed by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and reported 10 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on runways, while Taung Gyi was attacked by 47 B-25J, 34 B-24D, 28 B-17E and 6 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40Band by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca that scored 15 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 156 on runways and did 10 casualties. The 31st Div was only bombed by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire V and lost 39 men, while a Hurricane was shot down by AA fire. A P-40E and a B-25J were lost in accidents.
The Nick Chutai based in Mandalay reported no Allied transport aircraft north of the 31st Div and returned to Rangoon in the evening.
China
The 37th Div was holding the most advanced Japanese positions in China, only 120 miles NE of Chungking. The main body of the Chinese troops retreating from Kungchang was still in the mountains NE of it and the goal of the 37th Div was to attack them as they marched trough the area. Today a Chinese unit went out of the mountains and the 37th will attack it tomorrow.
Japan
In fact the American submarine south of Osaka was the Bowfin, not the Bonefish (my own notes were so badly written that even I couldn’t read them….). During the night she sailed eastwards back to base but at dawn she met another ASW group SE of Tokyo and was again depth charged and near missed by a PC. She again survived and escaped.
Northern Pacific
A recon Chutai arrived in Paramushiro Jima with 9 Dinah III, that have enough range to reach Kiska and Attu.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Unmak Island to size 4.
Central Pacific
A Pearl Harbor-based Emily found an Allied convoy (reported as 2 AP and 2 escorts) 1320 miles north of its base, sailing eastwards back to the West Coast of USA. It was probably a convoy returning from the Aleutians.
Southern Pacific - New Zealand - New Caledonia – New Hebrides
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Tongapatu to size 3.
Bismarck and Solomon Islands-New Guinea
In the afternoon, Rabaul was bombed by 54 B-24D and 23 PB4Y from PM escorted by 42 P-38G and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 85 on runways and the loss of 71 men and 2 guns. AA fire shot down a B-24D while a PB4Y was lost to engine failure.
Timor-Amboina-Australia
Angry airmen flew a number a raids during the day but the Tonies successful the day before were gone. While 125 B-25C and 48 B-25J from Derby returned to Koepang, scoring 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 152 on runways and disabling 87 men and 4 guns, Maumere was attacked by 93 B-17E and 35 B-24D from Darwin and reported 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 74 on runways and the loss of 92 men and 1 gun.
Less important raids saw 27 B-17E fly from Darwin to Amboina to find the area covered by clouds and return to base with bombs, while 15 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin raided Lautem (10 casualties, 7 runway hits) and 6 PB4Y from Wyndham attacked Dili (14 men and 1 gun hit, 7 runways hits).
Allied losses were 1 B-25C shot down by AA and 1 B-17E, 1 B-25C and 1 B-25J lost in accidents.
Southern Resource Area
Two convoys were organized today, to carry 9k oil and 10k resources from Rangoon to Singapore and 27k oil from Brunei to Japan.
Burma
In the morning Myitkyina was bombed by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and reported 10 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on runways, while Taung Gyi was attacked by 47 B-25J, 34 B-24D, 28 B-17E and 6 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40Band by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca that scored 15 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 156 on runways and did 10 casualties. The 31st Div was only bombed by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire V and lost 39 men, while a Hurricane was shot down by AA fire. A P-40E and a B-25J were lost in accidents.
The Nick Chutai based in Mandalay reported no Allied transport aircraft north of the 31st Div and returned to Rangoon in the evening.
China
The 37th Div was holding the most advanced Japanese positions in China, only 120 miles NE of Chungking. The main body of the Chinese troops retreating from Kungchang was still in the mountains NE of it and the goal of the 37th Div was to attack them as they marched trough the area. Today a Chinese unit went out of the mountains and the 37th will attack it tomorrow.
Japan
In fact the American submarine south of Osaka was the Bowfin, not the Bonefish (my own notes were so badly written that even I couldn’t read them….). During the night she sailed eastwards back to base but at dawn she met another ASW group SE of Tokyo and was again depth charged and near missed by a PC. She again survived and escaped.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
12-13 May 1943: 38 Allied units in north Burma jungle
12-13 May 1943
Northern
The Dinah III sent to Paramushiro Jima flew their first missions on the 13th and reported 9 units and 202 aircraft (89/18/95) in Attu and 5 TF off this base (one PT flotilla, two convoys with transports, two unknown). Kiska will be reconned tomorrow.
New Guinea
Rabaul was bombed on both days by B-24D (53 on the 12th, 54 on the 13th) and PB4Y (23 and 22) from PM escorted by P-38G (24 and 42) and reported a total of 184 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 16 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 148 on runways. The only Allied loss was a PB4Y shot down by AA on the 13th.
SRA
During the night of the 11th-12th, the SS USS Hake attacked 120 miles west of Taiwan a convoy of tankers carrying oil to Japan. One was hit but the torpedo failed to explode. The two escorts of the convoy were unable to find the submarine.
On the 13th a convoy started to load 25k oil and 49k resources in Balikpapan and will carry them to Japan.
Timor
Most Allied air units rested these two days and only Lautem and Dili reported minor activity. On the 12th 15 Beaufighter Mk 21 attacked the airfield while 14 Brewster 339D attacked barges near the base. The next day the same targets were attacked by the same number of aircraft. In two days, no barge was seriously hit while the base reported 2 hits on buildings, 15 on runways and the loss of 23 men and 1 gun. Dili was attacked only the on 12th by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham that missed the base. Two Beaufighter were lost in an air to air collision on the 13th.
Two AK were unloading supplies in Amboina and the base went again over 10k so repairs of the oil centers (only 2 were still working) were restarted. By the way all resource centers of the island were disabled.
In the evening of the 13th, the last Japanese aircraft in Koepang (an Emily) flew back to Kendari. An Oscar II Chutai flew from Batavia to Kendari and will be used to fly LRCAP over Timor in some days.
Burma
On the 12th Allied airmen attacked Myitkyina (11 B-25J and 21 P-40E from Ledo, 11 casualty, 1 hit on the airbase and 8 on the runways), Taung Gyi (38 B-25J, 33 B-24D, 24 B-17E and 14 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 43 P-40B, 11 casualties, 4 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 121 on runways), Akyab (51 B-25C, 28 Blenheim IV and 16 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 20 P-40E, 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on runways) and the AA Bn now attached to the 31st Div (43 Hurricane II and 9 Spitfire from Imphal, 60 men and 3 guns hit). Allied losses were 1 P-40E, 1 P-40B, 1 B-17E and 1 B-25J in accidents.
But there was also a Japanese raid: 3 Nells from Rangoon attacked the 28th UK Field Artillery Regiment between Ledo and Myitkyina and the surprised Allied gunners lost 35 casualties.
The evening report of the 12th reported 11 Allied units north of the 31st Div and 26 north of Myitkyina so all identified units were now in contact with Japanese patrols. This day the 4th Tk Rgt finished unloading in Bangkok and started to march north to Mandalay.
It was also decided to include in the daily report the state of all Burmese airfields. This first report showed that Akyab was damaged at 46/26 (system/runway), Pagan 2/0, Taung Gyi 100/94, Myitkyina 21/0, while Mandalay and Lashio were intact.
Only two Allied raids took place on the 13rd and hit the 31st Div (that lost 37 men and 1 gun under attack by 41 Hurricane from Imphal escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb) and Akyab that reported 75 attacking aircraft (30 B-25C, 17 Blenheim IV and 11 B-25C from Chandpur escorted by 17 P-40E), 2 hits on the airbase and 20 on runways. A B-25C was lost operationally while an Allied fighter shot down a Dinah II over Ledo.
The evening report of the 13th reported a new Allied unit south of Ledo and recon units were ordered to identify it. It will be a fine target for the paradrop scheduled to cut the Allied forces from their rear area. The report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 48/16 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/88, Myitkyina 5/0, other bases undamaged.
China
The 37th Japanese Divisions defeated 120 miles NW of Chungking three Chinese Corps retreating from the NE and chased them towards Chungking (at 59 to 1). Japanese losses were 96 men and 3 guns, Chinese ones 170 killed and wounded and more than 1500 POWs.
Operational training missions were flown on both days from Wuhan for a total of 453 sorties, 6 operational losses (2 Val, 1 Ki-44, 1 Oscar II, 1 A6M3a and 1 A6M3) and 187 Chinese casualties.
Japanese airmen expanded the airfield of Canton to size 9.
Japan
After a new survey of the aircraft reserve pool, the production of four models (Ki-49, Ki-45a, Ki-45b and J1N1-R Irving) was stopped, while the factory producing the L2D2 Tabby was restarted.
Northern
The Dinah III sent to Paramushiro Jima flew their first missions on the 13th and reported 9 units and 202 aircraft (89/18/95) in Attu and 5 TF off this base (one PT flotilla, two convoys with transports, two unknown). Kiska will be reconned tomorrow.
New Guinea
Rabaul was bombed on both days by B-24D (53 on the 12th, 54 on the 13th) and PB4Y (23 and 22) from PM escorted by P-38G (24 and 42) and reported a total of 184 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 16 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 148 on runways. The only Allied loss was a PB4Y shot down by AA on the 13th.
SRA
During the night of the 11th-12th, the SS USS Hake attacked 120 miles west of Taiwan a convoy of tankers carrying oil to Japan. One was hit but the torpedo failed to explode. The two escorts of the convoy were unable to find the submarine.
On the 13th a convoy started to load 25k oil and 49k resources in Balikpapan and will carry them to Japan.
Timor
Most Allied air units rested these two days and only Lautem and Dili reported minor activity. On the 12th 15 Beaufighter Mk 21 attacked the airfield while 14 Brewster 339D attacked barges near the base. The next day the same targets were attacked by the same number of aircraft. In two days, no barge was seriously hit while the base reported 2 hits on buildings, 15 on runways and the loss of 23 men and 1 gun. Dili was attacked only the on 12th by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham that missed the base. Two Beaufighter were lost in an air to air collision on the 13th.
Two AK were unloading supplies in Amboina and the base went again over 10k so repairs of the oil centers (only 2 were still working) were restarted. By the way all resource centers of the island were disabled.
In the evening of the 13th, the last Japanese aircraft in Koepang (an Emily) flew back to Kendari. An Oscar II Chutai flew from Batavia to Kendari and will be used to fly LRCAP over Timor in some days.
Burma
On the 12th Allied airmen attacked Myitkyina (11 B-25J and 21 P-40E from Ledo, 11 casualty, 1 hit on the airbase and 8 on the runways), Taung Gyi (38 B-25J, 33 B-24D, 24 B-17E and 14 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 43 P-40B, 11 casualties, 4 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 121 on runways), Akyab (51 B-25C, 28 Blenheim IV and 16 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 20 P-40E, 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on runways) and the AA Bn now attached to the 31st Div (43 Hurricane II and 9 Spitfire from Imphal, 60 men and 3 guns hit). Allied losses were 1 P-40E, 1 P-40B, 1 B-17E and 1 B-25J in accidents.
But there was also a Japanese raid: 3 Nells from Rangoon attacked the 28th UK Field Artillery Regiment between Ledo and Myitkyina and the surprised Allied gunners lost 35 casualties.
The evening report of the 12th reported 11 Allied units north of the 31st Div and 26 north of Myitkyina so all identified units were now in contact with Japanese patrols. This day the 4th Tk Rgt finished unloading in Bangkok and started to march north to Mandalay.
It was also decided to include in the daily report the state of all Burmese airfields. This first report showed that Akyab was damaged at 46/26 (system/runway), Pagan 2/0, Taung Gyi 100/94, Myitkyina 21/0, while Mandalay and Lashio were intact.
Only two Allied raids took place on the 13rd and hit the 31st Div (that lost 37 men and 1 gun under attack by 41 Hurricane from Imphal escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb) and Akyab that reported 75 attacking aircraft (30 B-25C, 17 Blenheim IV and 11 B-25C from Chandpur escorted by 17 P-40E), 2 hits on the airbase and 20 on runways. A B-25C was lost operationally while an Allied fighter shot down a Dinah II over Ledo.
The evening report of the 13th reported a new Allied unit south of Ledo and recon units were ordered to identify it. It will be a fine target for the paradrop scheduled to cut the Allied forces from their rear area. The report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 48/16 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/88, Myitkyina 5/0, other bases undamaged.
China
The 37th Japanese Divisions defeated 120 miles NW of Chungking three Chinese Corps retreating from the NE and chased them towards Chungking (at 59 to 1). Japanese losses were 96 men and 3 guns, Chinese ones 170 killed and wounded and more than 1500 POWs.
Operational training missions were flown on both days from Wuhan for a total of 453 sorties, 6 operational losses (2 Val, 1 Ki-44, 1 Oscar II, 1 A6M3a and 1 A6M3) and 187 Chinese casualties.
Japanese airmen expanded the airfield of Canton to size 9.
Japan
After a new survey of the aircraft reserve pool, the production of four models (Ki-49, Ki-45a, Ki-45b and J1N1-R Irving) was stopped, while the factory producing the L2D2 Tabby was restarted.
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AmiralLaurent
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14 May 1943: a quiet day
14 May 1943
Timor
The only Allied raid was the daily attack of Lautem by Darwin-based Beaufighter Mk 21 that scored 1 hit on supplies and 7 on the runway. Two Allied aircraft were lost flying recon over Japanese base. Koepang AA shot down a PBY Catalina and a Catalina I disappeared in a storm.
SRA
Japanese engineers expanded Kuala Lumpur port to size 4.
Burma
The day was also quiet, with only one raid. The 31st Div was bombed by 46 Beaufighter VIC, 42 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 42 Vengeance I from Kohima and lost 244 men and 4 guns while a Vengeance and a Beaufighter Mk 21 were lost in accidents. This raid was escorted by 5 P-40N. It was the first time this new fighter was reported over Japanese positions in Burma.
Japanese recon aircraft identified the solitary Allied unit south of Ledo as the 225 RAF Base Force. It will provide a good target for a mass paradrop but has more chance to repulse an attack than an HQ or an artillery unit…
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 41/0 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/81, other bases undamaged.
China
Two more Chinese units going from the NE reached the positions of the 37th Div NE of Chungking and will be attacked tomorrow.
77 aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan and hit 45 Chinese while losing a Kate in a crash.
The 9th Aviation Rgt coming from Kwantung Army (paid with PPs, of course) arrived in Kungchang. Two small Base Force that were active there but were attached to the Southern Army and Burma Army were so made available and received orders to march to Shanghai to be shipped elsewhere.
Timor
The only Allied raid was the daily attack of Lautem by Darwin-based Beaufighter Mk 21 that scored 1 hit on supplies and 7 on the runway. Two Allied aircraft were lost flying recon over Japanese base. Koepang AA shot down a PBY Catalina and a Catalina I disappeared in a storm.
SRA
Japanese engineers expanded Kuala Lumpur port to size 4.
Burma
The day was also quiet, with only one raid. The 31st Div was bombed by 46 Beaufighter VIC, 42 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 42 Vengeance I from Kohima and lost 244 men and 4 guns while a Vengeance and a Beaufighter Mk 21 were lost in accidents. This raid was escorted by 5 P-40N. It was the first time this new fighter was reported over Japanese positions in Burma.
Japanese recon aircraft identified the solitary Allied unit south of Ledo as the 225 RAF Base Force. It will provide a good target for a mass paradrop but has more chance to repulse an attack than an HQ or an artillery unit…
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 41/0 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/81, other bases undamaged.
China
Two more Chinese units going from the NE reached the positions of the 37th Div NE of Chungking and will be attacked tomorrow.
77 aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan and hit 45 Chinese while losing a Kate in a crash.
The 9th Aviation Rgt coming from Kwantung Army (paid with PPs, of course) arrived in Kungchang. Two small Base Force that were active there but were attached to the Southern Army and Burma Army were so made available and received orders to march to Shanghai to be shipped elsewhere.
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AmiralLaurent
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15 May 1943: Allied troops landed in Gili Gili
15 May 1943
Northern Pacific
One of the convoys off Paramushira Jima had finally finished to unload troops and supplies and began to load the 22nd Eng Rgt. It will carry it to Etorofu Jima.
SRA
In the evening the American submarine S-32 was chased east of Tarakan by an ASW group of 4 PCs and was damaged by a near miss.
A convoy started to load 45k oil and 84k resources in Singapore to carry them to Japan.
Timor
An Oscar II Chutai will fly tomorrow LRCAP over Lautem from Kendari.
New Guinea
During the night the Japanese coast watcher in Gili Gili was awaken by a big din coming from the beach. Coming out of his hut he saw many people on the beach and thought that at least the Empire had sent troops here to relieve him. But when he came closer he heard two men speaking English and speedily came back to his hut, reporting by radio that Allied troops had landed in Gili Gili. Later in the day he sent a bird with a message saying that, according to the natives, 3000 Allied troops had all landed before dawn and suffered 393 disabled men in the heavy surf and darkness.
The state of Japanese forces in the area didn’t allow for any reaction. Almost all air units were in Truk training inexperienced crews (mean exp of the units going from 43 to 56), the forward bases of Truk and Kavieng having only some short-range floatplanes while a Sentai of Ki-21 was flying naval search from Lunga.
The main Japanese force was a strong surface TF based in Truk with the BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD. They left in the evening for Shortlands under command by Adm Nishimura. 38 Zeroes flew from Noumea to Lunga and will provide air cover to this TF. Also three submarines left Noumea to join the two already south of New Guinea. And Betties and Emilies based in Truk were ordered to fly naval search even if they have exp around 50.
Also a convoy carrying the 9th Eng Rgt arrived in Truk from New Caledonia. It was planned to send it to Kavieng and this wasn’t changed, the convoy left as planned Truk for Kavieng in the evening.
Burma
In the morning, Myitkyina was bombed by 4 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E but reported no hit. In the afternoon 49 B-25C, 24 Blenheim IV and 15 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 18 P-40E attacked Akyab and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 63 on runways. AA fire shot down a B-25C.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 58/31 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/74, other bases undamaged.
In the evening the main body of the Burma Army (HQ, 28th Army, 33rd, 41st and 104th Div and 14th Tk Rgt) left Mandalay northwards to occupy positions in Myitkyina and on the railway west of it, according to the battle plan displayed above.
Air units also were on the move this evening. 32 Ki-44 flew from Rangoon to Myitkyina to fly local defense, while 23 A6M3 were sent to Mandalay to fly LRCAP over the 31st Div.
The Japanese Command began to wonder if it was not possible to win air superiority over Burma in the incoming battles, rather than just laying ambushes here and there. The Allied air forces had numerous bombers, including a little under 100 heavy ones, and ground attack aircraft but not so much fighters. Japanese recon units were ordered to recon tomorrow all main Allied airfields tomorrow to have a more precise idea of their defenses.
China
120 miles NE of Chungking, the 37th Div defeated the retreating 16th and 56th Chinese Corps at 154 to 1 and with no loss. Chinese lost 53 wounded and killed and around 150 POWs (these two corps were in a very, very bad shape).
39 A6M2 and 9 Val flew a training mission from Kungchang against Chinese troops NW of Sian and hit 58 men.
Oscar II will fly tomorrow LRCAP over Yunan, Chengtu and Chungking.
Japan
The newly-formed 155th IJA Base Force boarded ships in Tokyo and will sail to Naga, Luzon, where it will replace the Naval Guard Unit garrisoning the city (home rule: all resource centers in PI should be garrisoned with the same rule as in China). Then the available infantry unit will go to the Solomons for occupation duty.
In around a month roughly ten divisions, brigades and regiments will be created in Korea and Japan (the great reinforcement of June 1943). Many AP will be necessary to carry them to their assigned bases, and not so much were in Japan this evening. So all Japanese main bases were checked for available APs and they were sent to Japan: 18 left Shanghai, 22 Singapore, 25 Soerabaja, 17 Truk, 26 Kwajalein and 32 Pearl Harbor.
Northern Pacific
One of the convoys off Paramushira Jima had finally finished to unload troops and supplies and began to load the 22nd Eng Rgt. It will carry it to Etorofu Jima.
SRA
In the evening the American submarine S-32 was chased east of Tarakan by an ASW group of 4 PCs and was damaged by a near miss.
A convoy started to load 45k oil and 84k resources in Singapore to carry them to Japan.
Timor
An Oscar II Chutai will fly tomorrow LRCAP over Lautem from Kendari.
New Guinea
During the night the Japanese coast watcher in Gili Gili was awaken by a big din coming from the beach. Coming out of his hut he saw many people on the beach and thought that at least the Empire had sent troops here to relieve him. But when he came closer he heard two men speaking English and speedily came back to his hut, reporting by radio that Allied troops had landed in Gili Gili. Later in the day he sent a bird with a message saying that, according to the natives, 3000 Allied troops had all landed before dawn and suffered 393 disabled men in the heavy surf and darkness.
The state of Japanese forces in the area didn’t allow for any reaction. Almost all air units were in Truk training inexperienced crews (mean exp of the units going from 43 to 56), the forward bases of Truk and Kavieng having only some short-range floatplanes while a Sentai of Ki-21 was flying naval search from Lunga.
The main Japanese force was a strong surface TF based in Truk with the BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD. They left in the evening for Shortlands under command by Adm Nishimura. 38 Zeroes flew from Noumea to Lunga and will provide air cover to this TF. Also three submarines left Noumea to join the two already south of New Guinea. And Betties and Emilies based in Truk were ordered to fly naval search even if they have exp around 50.
Also a convoy carrying the 9th Eng Rgt arrived in Truk from New Caledonia. It was planned to send it to Kavieng and this wasn’t changed, the convoy left as planned Truk for Kavieng in the evening.
Burma
In the morning, Myitkyina was bombed by 4 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E but reported no hit. In the afternoon 49 B-25C, 24 Blenheim IV and 15 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 18 P-40E attacked Akyab and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 63 on runways. AA fire shot down a B-25C.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 58/31 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/74, other bases undamaged.
In the evening the main body of the Burma Army (HQ, 28th Army, 33rd, 41st and 104th Div and 14th Tk Rgt) left Mandalay northwards to occupy positions in Myitkyina and on the railway west of it, according to the battle plan displayed above.
Air units also were on the move this evening. 32 Ki-44 flew from Rangoon to Myitkyina to fly local defense, while 23 A6M3 were sent to Mandalay to fly LRCAP over the 31st Div.
The Japanese Command began to wonder if it was not possible to win air superiority over Burma in the incoming battles, rather than just laying ambushes here and there. The Allied air forces had numerous bombers, including a little under 100 heavy ones, and ground attack aircraft but not so much fighters. Japanese recon units were ordered to recon tomorrow all main Allied airfields tomorrow to have a more precise idea of their defenses.
China
120 miles NE of Chungking, the 37th Div defeated the retreating 16th and 56th Chinese Corps at 154 to 1 and with no loss. Chinese lost 53 wounded and killed and around 150 POWs (these two corps were in a very, very bad shape).
39 A6M2 and 9 Val flew a training mission from Kungchang against Chinese troops NW of Sian and hit 58 men.
Oscar II will fly tomorrow LRCAP over Yunan, Chengtu and Chungking.
Japan
The newly-formed 155th IJA Base Force boarded ships in Tokyo and will sail to Naga, Luzon, where it will replace the Naval Guard Unit garrisoning the city (home rule: all resource centers in PI should be garrisoned with the same rule as in China). Then the available infantry unit will go to the Solomons for occupation duty.
In around a month roughly ten divisions, brigades and regiments will be created in Korea and Japan (the great reinforcement of June 1943). Many AP will be necessary to carry them to their assigned bases, and not so much were in Japan this evening. So all Japanese main bases were checked for available APs and they were sent to Japan: 18 left Shanghai, 22 Singapore, 25 Soerabaja, 17 Truk, 26 Kwajalein and 32 Pearl Harbor.
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AmiralLaurent
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16 May 1943: small victories in the air over Burma
16 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Attu to level 4.
Central Pacific
A Glen reported another Allied convoy (2 AP, 2 other ships) 1500 miles west of San Francisco and sailing east. It was probably another TF returning from Aleutians. This sighting was only 1300 miles north of Hawaii and the commander of the Pearl Harbor Naval Base decided to act against this shipping line. Five submarines left PH towards this area: four will patrol on the line west of San Francisco, the fifth will patrol west of them and try to report convoys in advance with her Glen. The BB Yamashiro and 5 DD will follow the submarines tomorrow and try to engage a convoy at sea.
Southern Pacific
A convoy loaded with 49k supplies sailing to Noumea was rerouted to Tarawa, as New Caledonia has enough supplies.
New Guinea
The Port Moresby Defense Brigae occupied the empty base of Gili Gili and was the only unit reported by the last radio message sent by the Japanese coast watcher. The increased naval patrols only reported LSM and a submarine off Gili Gili. Two Glen-carrying submarines south of New Guinea were ordered to sail closer from Gili Gili, that will be reconned by Truk aircraft. Emilies based in Norfolk Island (west of Noumea) will recon Townsville tomorrow.
Rabaul was almost repaired (2/0) but no air unit moved here.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning, 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin attacked Lautem. 3 Oscar II flying LRCAP from Kendari were on station at the time of the raid and one intercepted a Beaufighter but failed to score any hits. The raiders scored 1 hit on supplies and 5 on the runway and escaped without loss. The Oscar II had no operational loss during the day but were nevertheless grounded for rest in the evening.
In the afternoon, Maumere was bombed by 129 B-17E and 20 B-24D from Darwin and reported 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 102 on runways and the loss of 56 men and 2 guns, while two PB4Y from Wyndham bombed and missed Dili.
Both sides continued to exchange recon flights. AA fire shot down a Betty over Wyndham and a PBM Mariner over Kendari, while a Catalina I was also lost in a crash.
Burma
Allied recon flights probably reported the move of Japanese fighters to Mandalay and the airfield was bombed three times during the morning, first by 46 B-25J, 39 B-24D, 29 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40B, then by 49 B-25C, 18 Blenheim IV and 15 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 21 P-40E and in the end by 50 Liberator VI from Dacca. These raids disabled 362 men and 4 guns and scored 36 hits on buildings, 21 on supplies and 336 on runways but failed to destroy any Japanese aircraft on the ground. The A6M3 of F1/6th were away, flying LRCAP over the 31st Div 120 miles more north, and 17 of them intercepted 42 Hurricane from Imphal escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb, followed by 42 Beaufighter Mk 21, 32 Vengeance I and 24 Beaufighter VIC from Kohima escorted by 11 P-40 (N and E: only N appeared on the report and screen, but E appeared on the text of the combat animation). P-40N shot down two A6M3 and a Hurricane a third (two pilots were lost, a third bailed out unhurt) while other Japanese pilots shot down 4 Hurricane, 2 Vengeance, a P-40E and a Beaufighter VIC. AA shot down another Hurricane and the 31st Div lost only 54 men and 2 guns.
It was not the only place to see heavy air fighting. All 32 Ki-44 sent to Myitkyina were operational and intercepted first 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E attacking the airfield, then 11 Beaufighter VIC and 9 Vengeance I from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E, and 11 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat attacking the 17th Div (the main combat unit holding the town). For the loss of 1 Tojo in the battle and 3 in crashes (one pilot survived unhurt) the 87 Sentai shot down 7 Vengeance, 3 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter VIC and 1 P-40E. The airfield reported one hit on a building and 3 on the runway, while the 17th Div lost 80 men and 2 guns.
Operational Allied losses were a P-40B and a Beaufighter VIC. In the evening Japanese fighters flew back from Mandalay and Myitkyina to Rangoon. The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 58/10 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/66, Mandalay 75/77, other bases undamaged.
Japanese airmen flew extensive recon of Allied airfields and reported 9 fighters on CAP and 150 aircraft (28/54/68) in Imphal, 16 and 109 (51/11/47) in Kohima, 12 and 87 (35/20/32) in Chandpur, 23 and 226 (75/19/132) in Ledo and 18 and 55 (23/9/23) in Dacca. One Dinah II was shot down by AA over Chandpur.
These recon and the day results showed that Allied fighters were not enough on this front to escort raids and cover Allied airfields and the concentration that was in planning for some days was ordered. 71 A6M3 (one more crashed on the way) and 25 A6M3a arrived in the evening in Rangoon, while Bangkok saw the arrival of 102 Betties (2 more crashed on the way), 57 Ki-21 and 21 Nell, while 27 Ki-49 had not the range to reach this base and stopped for the night at Taan. These reinforcements came from the operational training schools of China (Wuhan was empty at the end of the day), or from the strategic reserve based in Singapore and Clark Field.
In Southern Burma, fortifications of Moulmein were almost completed (nearing 9) and one Const Bn working here was ordered to march to Taung Gyi to help repairing the airfield here.
China
Oscar II of the 24 Sentai flying LRCAP over Yunan intercepted Allied transports and shot down 3 C-47 and a Dakota I. Another Dakota and an Oscar were lost in accidents.
Japanese airmen flew 51 training sorties from Kungchang and 155 from Wuhan, hit 69 men and suffered four operational losses (1 A6M2, 1 A6M3a, 1 Kate, 1 Ki-44). All units left Wuhan in the evening for Burma or Japan.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Wuchow and Sian respectively to level 8 and 5.
Three more Chinese units going from the NE reached the positions of the 37th Div 120 miles NE of Chungking and will be attacked tomorrow.
Japan
The ASW group (6 DD) patrolling south of Osaka was ordered to sail to Okinawa and will be used to patrol between Luzon and Formosa, as several Allied submarines were seen in the area in the next days.
The map of the day: strategic view of the Empire
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Attu to level 4.
Central Pacific
A Glen reported another Allied convoy (2 AP, 2 other ships) 1500 miles west of San Francisco and sailing east. It was probably another TF returning from Aleutians. This sighting was only 1300 miles north of Hawaii and the commander of the Pearl Harbor Naval Base decided to act against this shipping line. Five submarines left PH towards this area: four will patrol on the line west of San Francisco, the fifth will patrol west of them and try to report convoys in advance with her Glen. The BB Yamashiro and 5 DD will follow the submarines tomorrow and try to engage a convoy at sea.
Southern Pacific
A convoy loaded with 49k supplies sailing to Noumea was rerouted to Tarawa, as New Caledonia has enough supplies.
New Guinea
The Port Moresby Defense Brigae occupied the empty base of Gili Gili and was the only unit reported by the last radio message sent by the Japanese coast watcher. The increased naval patrols only reported LSM and a submarine off Gili Gili. Two Glen-carrying submarines south of New Guinea were ordered to sail closer from Gili Gili, that will be reconned by Truk aircraft. Emilies based in Norfolk Island (west of Noumea) will recon Townsville tomorrow.
Rabaul was almost repaired (2/0) but no air unit moved here.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning, 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin attacked Lautem. 3 Oscar II flying LRCAP from Kendari were on station at the time of the raid and one intercepted a Beaufighter but failed to score any hits. The raiders scored 1 hit on supplies and 5 on the runway and escaped without loss. The Oscar II had no operational loss during the day but were nevertheless grounded for rest in the evening.
In the afternoon, Maumere was bombed by 129 B-17E and 20 B-24D from Darwin and reported 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 102 on runways and the loss of 56 men and 2 guns, while two PB4Y from Wyndham bombed and missed Dili.
Both sides continued to exchange recon flights. AA fire shot down a Betty over Wyndham and a PBM Mariner over Kendari, while a Catalina I was also lost in a crash.
Burma
Allied recon flights probably reported the move of Japanese fighters to Mandalay and the airfield was bombed three times during the morning, first by 46 B-25J, 39 B-24D, 29 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40B, then by 49 B-25C, 18 Blenheim IV and 15 B-25J from Chandpur escorted by 21 P-40E and in the end by 50 Liberator VI from Dacca. These raids disabled 362 men and 4 guns and scored 36 hits on buildings, 21 on supplies and 336 on runways but failed to destroy any Japanese aircraft on the ground. The A6M3 of F1/6th were away, flying LRCAP over the 31st Div 120 miles more north, and 17 of them intercepted 42 Hurricane from Imphal escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb, followed by 42 Beaufighter Mk 21, 32 Vengeance I and 24 Beaufighter VIC from Kohima escorted by 11 P-40 (N and E: only N appeared on the report and screen, but E appeared on the text of the combat animation). P-40N shot down two A6M3 and a Hurricane a third (two pilots were lost, a third bailed out unhurt) while other Japanese pilots shot down 4 Hurricane, 2 Vengeance, a P-40E and a Beaufighter VIC. AA shot down another Hurricane and the 31st Div lost only 54 men and 2 guns.
It was not the only place to see heavy air fighting. All 32 Ki-44 sent to Myitkyina were operational and intercepted first 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E attacking the airfield, then 11 Beaufighter VIC and 9 Vengeance I from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E, and 11 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat attacking the 17th Div (the main combat unit holding the town). For the loss of 1 Tojo in the battle and 3 in crashes (one pilot survived unhurt) the 87 Sentai shot down 7 Vengeance, 3 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter VIC and 1 P-40E. The airfield reported one hit on a building and 3 on the runway, while the 17th Div lost 80 men and 2 guns.
Operational Allied losses were a P-40B and a Beaufighter VIC. In the evening Japanese fighters flew back from Mandalay and Myitkyina to Rangoon. The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 58/10 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/66, Mandalay 75/77, other bases undamaged.
Japanese airmen flew extensive recon of Allied airfields and reported 9 fighters on CAP and 150 aircraft (28/54/68) in Imphal, 16 and 109 (51/11/47) in Kohima, 12 and 87 (35/20/32) in Chandpur, 23 and 226 (75/19/132) in Ledo and 18 and 55 (23/9/23) in Dacca. One Dinah II was shot down by AA over Chandpur.
These recon and the day results showed that Allied fighters were not enough on this front to escort raids and cover Allied airfields and the concentration that was in planning for some days was ordered. 71 A6M3 (one more crashed on the way) and 25 A6M3a arrived in the evening in Rangoon, while Bangkok saw the arrival of 102 Betties (2 more crashed on the way), 57 Ki-21 and 21 Nell, while 27 Ki-49 had not the range to reach this base and stopped for the night at Taan. These reinforcements came from the operational training schools of China (Wuhan was empty at the end of the day), or from the strategic reserve based in Singapore and Clark Field.
In Southern Burma, fortifications of Moulmein were almost completed (nearing 9) and one Const Bn working here was ordered to march to Taung Gyi to help repairing the airfield here.
China
Oscar II of the 24 Sentai flying LRCAP over Yunan intercepted Allied transports and shot down 3 C-47 and a Dakota I. Another Dakota and an Oscar were lost in accidents.
Japanese airmen flew 51 training sorties from Kungchang and 155 from Wuhan, hit 69 men and suffered four operational losses (1 A6M2, 1 A6M3a, 1 Kate, 1 Ki-44). All units left Wuhan in the evening for Burma or Japan.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Wuchow and Sian respectively to level 8 and 5.
Three more Chinese units going from the NE reached the positions of the 37th Div 120 miles NE of Chungking and will be attacked tomorrow.
Japan
The ASW group (6 DD) patrolling south of Osaka was ordered to sail to Okinawa and will be used to patrol between Luzon and Formosa, as several Allied submarines were seen in the area in the next days.
The map of the day: strategic view of the Empire
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RE: 16 May 1943: small victories in the air over Burma
This AAR gives me an appreciation why you are invading Australia "whole hog" in our game.
"Life is tough, it's even tougher when you're stupid" -SGT John M. Stryker, USMC
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
17-18 May 1943: two quiet days again
ORIGINAL: denisonh
This AAR gives me an appreciation why you are invading Australia "whole hog" in our game.
Well, Harvey, the plan I use against you is far different than what I did here, but in both games I always try to attack with enough strength to succeed.
17-18 May 1943
Northern Pacific
A Betty flying recon over Kiska was shot down by AA fire on the 17th.
Southern Pacific
The CL Naka and a destroyed left Noumea for Pago-Pago and will try to intercept Allied convoys in the deep Pacific ocean east of this base.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Naval patrols and recon reported on the 17th that all Allied ships had left Gili Gili and only LSM were again reported. So the BB TF sent from Truk received new orders, to refuel in Shortlands and sail to Lunga, where they will be covered by 38 Zero and 9 Emilies.
There was no raid on Rabaul these two days and the airfield was totally repaired. On the 17th a F-5A was shot down by AA fire over the base.
Timor-DEI-Australia
On the 17th, and for the first time, the 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 raiding Lautem from Darwin were escorted by 13 P-40N but there was no more Japanese fighter in the area. The raiders scored 1 hit on supplies and 1 on the runway and did 11 casualties. In the afternoon, 163 B-25C and 45 B-25J from Derby attacked Koepang, scored 17 hits on the airbase, 10 on supplies and 154 on runways and disabled 167 men and 5 guns, while Dili was pounded at the same time by 119 B-17E and 72 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N and 3 PB4Y and reported 124 casualties, 9 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 89 on runways. Four Allied aircraft (a B-25J, a B-17E, a PBM and a PBY) were lost in accidents this day, while a Betty was shot down by AA fire during a recon of an Australian base.
On the 18th, 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N raided Lautem and scored 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runway. In the afternoon, Dili and Koepang were attacked. The first was the target of 96 B-17E and 24 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 83 on runways and disabled 53 men and 1 gun without loss. But over Koepang the raiders (141 B-25C and 47 B-25J) were intercepted by the 77 Sentai (34 Oscar II) flying LRCAP from Kendari. Seven Oscar intercepted the raid and shot down 6 B-25C and 2 B-25J (in fact shot down one on the spot, the seven other were damaged and crashed on the way back) but 77 Sentai lost 7 aircraft (5 to return fire, 2 in accidents) and 5 pilots during the day. One more B-25C was lost to AA fire and 3 more in accidents, but the raid again hit hard the base, scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 123 on runways and doing 41 casualties. The same day 3 Allied seaplanes used in recon flights didn’t come back to base: a Mariner was shot down by a Japanese fighter over Kendari, another and a PBY were shot down by AA fire.
SRA
During the night of 16th-17th, the SS USS Sunfish tried to attack an ASW group 180 miles north of Pontaniak, Borneo, but failed to reach a firing position. She was not detected by the Japanese ships.
Burma
After the heavy losses of the day before, there was no Allied raid on the 17th and only one on the 18th, an attack by 40 Beaufighter Mk 21, 28 Vengeance I and 26 Beaufighter VIC from Kohima escorted by 13 P-40N against the 41st Heavy AA Bn that lost 157 men and 10 guns while shooting down 1 Vengeance (another was lost in an accident).
Japanese pilots continued to fly recon over Allied bases and more precise numbers were reported: 246 aircraft in Chandpur (71/91/84), 128 in Dacca (41/46/41), 188 in Kohima (77/20/91) and 264 in Ledo (70/33/161). A Dinah II was shot down on the 18th over Kohima by a Spitfire pilot of 136 Sqn that scored his 5th kill.
The evening report of the 18th gave the airfield status as: Akyab 24/0 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/50, Mandalay 75/53, other bases undamaged. This evening the 65 Sentai (36 Ki-61) left Rangoon for Mandalay, losing one fighter and its pilot in a crash on the way. Tomorrow it will fly LRCAP over troops 120 miles north of the city.
Japanese forces continued to prepare for the incoming battles. The 8th Tk Rgt returning from the Salween reached Lashio, enabling the half of 21st Bde holding the town to leave it and march to the northern front via Mandalay. And the warships available in Singapore (2 CA, 1 CL and 4 DD) left the port and sailed to Georgetown, to be ready to react to an Allied naval invasion. 36 Oscar II left Palembang for Georgetown to cover them. One crashed on the way but its pilot was saved.
China
On the 17th, the 37th Div fought a new battle 120 miles NE of Chungking and defeated at 11 to 1 the retreating Red Army HQ and the 14th, 47th and 60th Chinese Corps. Japanese lost 210 men and 8 guns, Chinese 204 wounded and killed and around 1500 POWs.
The 24 Sentai had not received the order to stop LRCAP over Yunan and intercepted again on the 17th transports over this city, shooting down a C-47 and a Dakota I, but losing two Oscar II in crashes due to the high fatigue of the pilots.
With the departure of many units to Burma, only one training mission was flown, by 41 A6M2 and 9 Val on the 17th from Kungchang, hitting 11 Chinese NW of Sian and losing a Zero in a crash.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sining to size 4 (+ 100 points).
Japan
I read recently several books about the naval war and saw many cases of training exercises at sea by task forces. I decided to try to simulate it off Japan, where most of the Japanese warships were. Seven CA, 4 CL and 9 DD, all with 0 SYS, left various Japanese ports and sailed for Nagato. There they will be combined under the command of a good admiral and will sail from this base to Wakkanai and back for some time. The crews’ experience level will be noted before the TF sailed for the first time and results will then be communicated in this AAR.
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AmiralLaurent
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19 May 1943: 65 Sentai scored 30 victories for 6 losses
19 May 1943
Central Pacific
The BB Yamashiro and 5 DD left PH northwards to operate against Allied convoys coming back from Aleutians.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
After a lull of several days, 82 B-24D and 37 PB4Y from Port Moresby bombed again Rabaul under escort by 44 P-38G. They did 93 casualties, disabled 6 guns and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 74 on runways for one loss, a P-38G lost to engine failure.
On the Japanese side, recon flights still reported only one Allied unit in Gili Gili. The surface TF sent to Solomons (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD) arrived in Lunga and refueled here. Five submarines cruising south of Gili Gili were ordered to patrol closer from Australia to keep an eye on Allied moves.
Timor-DEI-Australia
During the night, an ASW group chased twice the submarine USS Sturgeon 120 miles SW of Menado and scored two near misses.
During the day, the only Allied air raid was an attack on Dili by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 10 P-40N. They left 3 holes in the runway.
A convoy left Palau for Amboina with 21k supplies destined to repair oil and resource centers.
Burma
There was only one Allied raid and it turned to be a bloody affair. 39 Beaufighter Mk 21, 24 Beaufighter VIC and 24 Vengeance I escorted by 13 P-40 (E and N) were sent from Kohima to attack the 31st Div 120 miles more south but met 23 Ki-61 of the 65 Sentai flying LRCAP over this unit. The Tonies scored well and destroyed 30 Allied aircraft (8 Vengeance I, 8 Beaufighter Mk 21, 5 VIC, 5 P-40E and 4 P-40N) for the loss of 6 Ki-61 (two in air combat and four in accidents on the cratered runways of Mandalay from where they were flying) and 3 pilots. The Allied pilots reached their target and hit 100 men but lost one more Vengeance to AA fire.
In the afternoon, an Allied pilot took a tiny revenge by shooting down a Dinah II flying a recon over Chandpur.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 2/0 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/42, Mandalay 75/20, other bases undamaged. The 65 Sentai returned to Rangoon at dusk.
China
37 A6M2 and 9 Val flew an operational training mission from Kungchang against the 5th Chinese Group Army NW of Sian and hit 78 men.
The part of the Japanese Army gathering in Canton that had already arrived (5 Div, 1 Bde, 2 Tk Rgt, 4 ART units, 1 HQ) received orders to move to Wuchow to draw supplies here, so that resource centers will be repaired in the later city.
Japan
Just after dawn the two escorts of a convoy reported the American submarine Muskellunge 60 miles west of Nagasaki and compelled her to dive. An ASW group of 6 MSW sailing nearby came to this spot but saw nothing more. Unknown to the Japanese crews the submarine actually tried to attack them but was unable to reach a good firing position.
A convoy loaded 70k supplies in Osaka to bring them to the Chinese port of Canton, both to repair Wuchow resource centers and to supply the incoming Japanese offensive.
Central Pacific
The BB Yamashiro and 5 DD left PH northwards to operate against Allied convoys coming back from Aleutians.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
After a lull of several days, 82 B-24D and 37 PB4Y from Port Moresby bombed again Rabaul under escort by 44 P-38G. They did 93 casualties, disabled 6 guns and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 74 on runways for one loss, a P-38G lost to engine failure.
On the Japanese side, recon flights still reported only one Allied unit in Gili Gili. The surface TF sent to Solomons (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD) arrived in Lunga and refueled here. Five submarines cruising south of Gili Gili were ordered to patrol closer from Australia to keep an eye on Allied moves.
Timor-DEI-Australia
During the night, an ASW group chased twice the submarine USS Sturgeon 120 miles SW of Menado and scored two near misses.
During the day, the only Allied air raid was an attack on Dili by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 10 P-40N. They left 3 holes in the runway.
A convoy left Palau for Amboina with 21k supplies destined to repair oil and resource centers.
Burma
There was only one Allied raid and it turned to be a bloody affair. 39 Beaufighter Mk 21, 24 Beaufighter VIC and 24 Vengeance I escorted by 13 P-40 (E and N) were sent from Kohima to attack the 31st Div 120 miles more south but met 23 Ki-61 of the 65 Sentai flying LRCAP over this unit. The Tonies scored well and destroyed 30 Allied aircraft (8 Vengeance I, 8 Beaufighter Mk 21, 5 VIC, 5 P-40E and 4 P-40N) for the loss of 6 Ki-61 (two in air combat and four in accidents on the cratered runways of Mandalay from where they were flying) and 3 pilots. The Allied pilots reached their target and hit 100 men but lost one more Vengeance to AA fire.
In the afternoon, an Allied pilot took a tiny revenge by shooting down a Dinah II flying a recon over Chandpur.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Akyab 2/0 (system/runway), Taung Gyi 100/42, Mandalay 75/20, other bases undamaged. The 65 Sentai returned to Rangoon at dusk.
China
37 A6M2 and 9 Val flew an operational training mission from Kungchang against the 5th Chinese Group Army NW of Sian and hit 78 men.
The part of the Japanese Army gathering in Canton that had already arrived (5 Div, 1 Bde, 2 Tk Rgt, 4 ART units, 1 HQ) received orders to move to Wuchow to draw supplies here, so that resource centers will be repaired in the later city.
Japan
Just after dawn the two escorts of a convoy reported the American submarine Muskellunge 60 miles west of Nagasaki and compelled her to dive. An ASW group of 6 MSW sailing nearby came to this spot but saw nothing more. Unknown to the Japanese crews the submarine actually tried to attack them but was unable to reach a good firing position.
A convoy loaded 70k supplies in Osaka to bring them to the Chinese port of Canton, both to repair Wuchow resource centers and to supply the incoming Japanese offensive.
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AmiralLaurent
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20-21 May 1943: again two quiet days
20-21 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Japanese airmen flying recon over Kiska suffered these two days. Allied CAP shot down a Mavis and a Dinah III, while a Betty fell to AA fire.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Cold Bay to size 2.
Southern Pacific
Mavis from Norfolk Island began to fly recon over Brisbane and reported about twenty Boomerang and Beaufighter Mk 21 flying CAP here.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The only event in two days was that an Allied patrol from Gili Gili received words from the natives of Ferguson Island that their island was empty and that they were willing to return to Australian control. The message included the head of the local Japanese coastwatcher.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The only raid on the 20th was an attack on Lautem by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N and only one runway hit was scored. The next day Amboina was the target of 41 B-17E and 29 B-24D from Darwin that disabled all oil centers (3-5 were still working) at the cost of two B-17E (one to AA fire and one to engine failure). Lautem was attacked as usual, by 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 escorted by 10 P-40N and reported 18 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runway. In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 151 B-25C and 53 B-25J from Derby that scored 8 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 166 on runways and disabled 232 men and 2 guns for the loss of a B-25C to AA fire, while 6 PB4Y from Wyndham raided Lautem and scored one runway hit.
In two days, 3 Allied seaplanes were lost flying recon in the area: a Mariner and a PBY were lost to AA fire and another PBY in an accident.
SRA
In the night of 20th-21st, an ASW group chased the submarine USS Gurnard 60 miles SE of Singapore and the DD Usugumo scored two near-misses.
A tanker began to load 9k oil in Bankha, Sumatra, and will carry them to Singapore.
Burma
Allied air raids restarted on the 20th. Mandalay was attacked by 44 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N and reported 57 casualties and 7 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 51 on runways. A Liberator was shot down by AA fire. Near Myitkyina the 33rd Div was bombed by 22 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat and lost 14 men and 1 gun, while 120 miles more west the 31st Div was attacked by 17 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 6 P-40N and lost 16 men and 1 gun.
The next day Mandalay was again attacked, this time by 40 unescorted Liberator VI from Dacca. They destroyed a J1N1-R Irving on the ground, did 82 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 37 on runways. At the same time Lashio was bombed by 48 B-24D, 45 B-25J, 29 B-17E and 16 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40B and reported 63 casualties, 19 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 117 on runways, while 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40E attacked Myitkyina and scored 2 hits on supplies and 6 on runways. 22 Vengeance I from Ledo and 22 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat attacked the 17th and 33rd Div in Myitkyina and hit 80 men and 3 guns while losing a Vengeance from AA fire. 120 miles more west the 41st AA Heavy Bn was attacked by 38 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 19 VIC from Kohima escorted by 8 P-40N and lost 211 men and 5 guns. Four Allied aircraft (a B-24D, a Vengeance, a Beaufighter Mk 21 and a VIC) were lost in accidents during the day while a Dinah II was shot down over Kohima by an Allied fighter.
The evening report of the 21st gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 100/26 (system/runway), Mandalay 92/60, Lashio 71/42, other bases undamaged. In the evening 33 Ki-61 and 21 A6M3 left Rangoon for Myitkyina to defend the airfield and troops here.
China
Two new Chinese units (72nd and 94th Corps) reached on the 20th the positions of the 37th Japanese division 120 miles NE of Chungking and were defeated the next day at 23 to 1. Japanese losses were 72 men and 1 gun, Chinese ones 13 killed and wounded and more than 500 POWs.
41 A6M2 and 9 Val flew a training mission from Kungchang against Chinese troops NW of Sian and hit 38 men while losing a Val in a crash.
Japan
The Kaga was the last Japanese CV to receive the early 1943 upgrade. The six “Pearl Harbor” CVs now have SYS damage between 1 and 7, all other Japanese CV and CVE have 0 SYS.
The training squadron gathered in Nagato with 7 CA, 4 CL and 9 DD. The day crew experience was between 94 (CA Ashigara) and 67 (DD Onami), the night one between 78 (CA Chokai, CL Sendai) and 66 (CL Nagara, DD Nowaki). The first training cruise will see the squadron go to Wakkanai (in N Japan) and back. I have on file the experience level of all crews and will check after they returned.
Three convoys left Japanese ports: one will carry 93k fuel from Hiroshima to Tarawa, another 17k fuel from Takamatsu to Batavia (and come back with resources) and the last one will bring a Const Bn from Nagasaki to Marcus Island (to build fortifications here).
Northern Pacific
Japanese airmen flying recon over Kiska suffered these two days. Allied CAP shot down a Mavis and a Dinah III, while a Betty fell to AA fire.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Cold Bay to size 2.
Southern Pacific
Mavis from Norfolk Island began to fly recon over Brisbane and reported about twenty Boomerang and Beaufighter Mk 21 flying CAP here.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The only event in two days was that an Allied patrol from Gili Gili received words from the natives of Ferguson Island that their island was empty and that they were willing to return to Australian control. The message included the head of the local Japanese coastwatcher.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The only raid on the 20th was an attack on Lautem by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N and only one runway hit was scored. The next day Amboina was the target of 41 B-17E and 29 B-24D from Darwin that disabled all oil centers (3-5 were still working) at the cost of two B-17E (one to AA fire and one to engine failure). Lautem was attacked as usual, by 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 escorted by 10 P-40N and reported 18 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runway. In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 151 B-25C and 53 B-25J from Derby that scored 8 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 166 on runways and disabled 232 men and 2 guns for the loss of a B-25C to AA fire, while 6 PB4Y from Wyndham raided Lautem and scored one runway hit.
In two days, 3 Allied seaplanes were lost flying recon in the area: a Mariner and a PBY were lost to AA fire and another PBY in an accident.
SRA
In the night of 20th-21st, an ASW group chased the submarine USS Gurnard 60 miles SE of Singapore and the DD Usugumo scored two near-misses.
A tanker began to load 9k oil in Bankha, Sumatra, and will carry them to Singapore.
Burma
Allied air raids restarted on the 20th. Mandalay was attacked by 44 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N and reported 57 casualties and 7 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 51 on runways. A Liberator was shot down by AA fire. Near Myitkyina the 33rd Div was bombed by 22 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat and lost 14 men and 1 gun, while 120 miles more west the 31st Div was attacked by 17 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 6 P-40N and lost 16 men and 1 gun.
The next day Mandalay was again attacked, this time by 40 unescorted Liberator VI from Dacca. They destroyed a J1N1-R Irving on the ground, did 82 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 37 on runways. At the same time Lashio was bombed by 48 B-24D, 45 B-25J, 29 B-17E and 16 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40B and reported 63 casualties, 19 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 117 on runways, while 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40E attacked Myitkyina and scored 2 hits on supplies and 6 on runways. 22 Vengeance I from Ledo and 22 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat attacked the 17th and 33rd Div in Myitkyina and hit 80 men and 3 guns while losing a Vengeance from AA fire. 120 miles more west the 41st AA Heavy Bn was attacked by 38 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 19 VIC from Kohima escorted by 8 P-40N and lost 211 men and 5 guns. Four Allied aircraft (a B-24D, a Vengeance, a Beaufighter Mk 21 and a VIC) were lost in accidents during the day while a Dinah II was shot down over Kohima by an Allied fighter.
The evening report of the 21st gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 100/26 (system/runway), Mandalay 92/60, Lashio 71/42, other bases undamaged. In the evening 33 Ki-61 and 21 A6M3 left Rangoon for Myitkyina to defend the airfield and troops here.
China
Two new Chinese units (72nd and 94th Corps) reached on the 20th the positions of the 37th Japanese division 120 miles NE of Chungking and were defeated the next day at 23 to 1. Japanese losses were 72 men and 1 gun, Chinese ones 13 killed and wounded and more than 500 POWs.
41 A6M2 and 9 Val flew a training mission from Kungchang against Chinese troops NW of Sian and hit 38 men while losing a Val in a crash.
Japan
The Kaga was the last Japanese CV to receive the early 1943 upgrade. The six “Pearl Harbor” CVs now have SYS damage between 1 and 7, all other Japanese CV and CVE have 0 SYS.
The training squadron gathered in Nagato with 7 CA, 4 CL and 9 DD. The day crew experience was between 94 (CA Ashigara) and 67 (DD Onami), the night one between 78 (CA Chokai, CL Sendai) and 66 (CL Nagara, DD Nowaki). The first training cruise will see the squadron go to Wakkanai (in N Japan) and back. I have on file the experience level of all crews and will check after they returned.
Three convoys left Japanese ports: one will carry 93k fuel from Hiroshima to Tarawa, another 17k fuel from Takamatsu to Batavia (and come back with resources) and the last one will bring a Const Bn from Nagasaki to Marcus Island (to build fortifications here).
RE: 20-21 May 1943: again two quiet days
Hi all,
Are you concerned about your opponent's Aleutian expedition at all?
Leo "Apollo11"
Are you concerned about your opponent's Aleutian expedition at all?
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
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AmiralLaurent
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22 May 1943: another slaugther over Burma for Allied airmen
ORIGINAL: Apollo11
Hi all,
Are you concerned about your opponent's Aleutian expedition at all?
Leo "Apollo11"
No, I don't think it is a serious threat. Most of the Japanese Navy is in Japan and if my opponent tries to advance further west to the Kuriles or even more west he will receive a bloody nose. Paramushiro Jima is held in force and will resist enough time for the fleet and air reinforcements to arrive. Other bases nearby may be taken more easily but have no AF and will not be very useful for the Allied forces.
22 May 1943
Northern Pacific
A Glen saw a convoy south of Alaska but the Japanese trap was one day late to intercept it correctly and it was decided to not attack it but wait for the following convoy (see map below for details).
Allied engineers expanded the port of Unmak Island and the airfield of Atka Island both to size 3.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
A DD was seen off Gili Gili. The submarine I-175 cruising nearby was ordered to sail to the base and try to attack Allied shipping here. And the surface TF based in Lunga (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD) sailed to attack the base under LRCAP by 19 A6M2.
11 Oscar II flew from Truk to Rabaul to fly LRCAP over Gili Gili and check if Allied transport aircraft flew reinforcements or supplies here.
In Kavieng the 9th Eng Rgt finished to disembark from the ships carrying it without being attacked and the convoy left and sailed back to Truk.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A barge had a really bad day north of Lautem. It was hit by a patrolling B-17E in the morning, then strafed by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that set on fire its fuel cargo and bombed and hit again in the afternoon by another B-17E… but was still afloat (with damage 99/95/65) at dusk. Probably the most enduring barge of the world’s history…
The only raid of the day was flown by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N that attacked Lautem and scored 2 hits on buildings and 4 on runways.
Burma
Allied airmen launched five raids, all against the area of Myitkyina in the morning. The two Japanese fighters that moved here yesterday evening intercepted all this raid (with 32 Ki-61 and 15 A6M3) and had a field day. The first raid was flown by 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and targeted the airfield. The P-40 shot down two Zeroes (one pilot survived unhurt) but five of them were shot down, and then the bombers were attacked and turned back after losing 3 of them. Then four raids arrived to attack Japanese troops: first 9 Vengeance I from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E, then 10 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat, then 10 Vengeance I from Ledo and in the end 10 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat. 16 Vengeance, 12 Beaufighter and the 3 P-40E were shot down, while two Ki-61 hit by return fire from the Vengeance crashed with the loss of their pilots before returning to base. The badly scattered Allied airmen either fled or missed the troops of the 17th and 33rd Div. Both fighter units returned in the evening to Rangoon and were replaced by 2 Ki-15.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 100/11 (system/runway), Mandalay 92/31, Lashio 42/63, other bases undamaged. 28 Allied units were reported north of Myitkyina, while the Chinese unit coming from Yunan crossed the Salween and arrived SE of Myitkyina.
China
A new Chinese unit coming from the NE reached the positions of the 37th Div 120 miles NE of Chungking and will be attacked tomorrow.
41 A6M2 and 9 Val flew a training mission from Kungchang against Chinese troops NW of Sian and hit 37 men. In the evening this school was disbanded and the various units scattered. Two A6M2 units still needing operational training were sent to Nanchang to receive reinforcement aircraft (as Kungchang had not enough supplies, while Nanchang has) and will then fly from Wuhan. Two other (a Daitai and a Chutai) flew to Japan to be upgraded to A6M3a and will be used to defend Paramushiro Jima or to reinforce the KB units depending of what will be needed first.
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AmiralLaurent
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23-24 May 1943: again two quiet days
23-24 May 1943
Northern Pacific
PBM Mariner from Kiska started on the 23rd to fly recon over Paramushiro Jima and reported a CAP of 8 Rufes.
Allied engineers expanded both the port and airfield of Anchorage to size 9.
Southern Pacific
The CL Naka left Pago Pago on the evening of the 23rd for a raid into the deep Pacific. A destroyed was escorting her in case an Allied submarine was in the area but left her the next day to return to Pago Pago. Two submarines with Glens will patrol the area where the Naka will search for Allied convoys.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon of the 23rd, Rabaul was attacked by 88 B-24D and 38 PB4Y from Port Moresby escorted by 20 P-38G that hit 293 men and 5 guns and scored 17 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 113 on runways. AA fire shot down a B-24D while a PB4Y and a P-38J were lost in crashes.
This same day the Oscar II flying LRCAP over Gili Gili reported no Allied air activity here. One lost his bearings and disappeared during this mission. The other flew back to Truk in the evening.
This same day, two minelayer submarines left Truk southwards with Shortlands scheduled as their first stop. And two Allied submarines were seen SW of Truk and an ASW group of 5 DD and 1 PC was sent after them.
The next day was quiet until the evening where the Japanese ASW group tracked unsuccessfully the SS USS Scamp 180 miles SW of Truk.
During these two days the fleet of Adm Nishimura (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD) had sailed westwards from Lunga without being detected. It was now in range from Gili Gili, that had been heavily reckoned for several days. They were now 2 Allied units here, so the base received reinforcements from the sea, but no ships had been seen there or by the 3 Glens of the submarines cruising south of it. So the raiding TF received orders to bombard the base while the original plan was to have it transformed to surface TF once it was in range for a night dash.
Timor-DEI-Australia
On the morning of the 23rd, Darwin airmen were active around Lautem. 13 Brewster 339D attacked barges off the base and sank one, while 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 escorted by 10 P-40N attacked the runways and scored two hits. In the afternoon the barge badly damaged yesterday was achieved by a patrolling B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Wyndham attacked Lautem and scored 1 runway hit.
The next day an Oscar II Chutai from Kendari flew LRCAP over the retiring barges. 14 Brewster again attacked and evaded the 3 Oscars on location, but then missed the barges. Lautem was attacked in the morning by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N and in the afternoon by 133 B-17E and 44 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 11 P-40N and by 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 68 casualties, 9 hits on the airbase, 10 on supplies and 60 on runways. Koepang was bombed by 41 B-25J from Derby that scored 2 hits on supplies and 29 on runways and disabled 64 men and 1 gun. Allied losses were 2 B-25J and 1 B-24D shot down by AA and 2 B-17E and 1 B-25J in accidents.
SRA
Before dawn on the 24th a destroyed escorting a Japanese convoy saw the SS USS Grenadier north of Luzon and tried to attack her but missed.
A convoy carrying 14k resources left Kuala Lumpur for Singapore. And 3 submarines kept in reserve in Batavia sailed north to Kuala Lumpur to be ready to attack any Allied TF trying to bypass the Burma Army by landing troops south of Rangoon.
Burma
On the 23rd Myitkyina was attacked 3 times, by 9 B-25J and 2 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 15 P-40E, then by 6 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat escorted by 21 P-40B and by 41 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N. The base reported 421 casualties and 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways. 120 miles more west the 31st Div was bombed by 28 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 13 P-40N and lost 36 men and 2 guns. Allied operational losses were 1 Liberator VI, 1 Beaufighter VIC and 1 P-40E.
The next day the same targets were attacked, Myitkyina by 12 Beaufighter VIC and 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 15 P-40E and by 48 B-24D, 47 B-25J, 29 B-17E and 16 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B (for a total of 87 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 25 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 175 on runways), and the 31st Div by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire Vb that hit 29 men. One B-25J was lost in an accident.
The evening report of the 24th gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 93/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 59/0, Lashio 42/16, Myitkyina 60/75, other bases undamaged.
Japanese recon aircraft identified the 18th UK Div north of Myitkyina (among 28 Allied units) and the 66th Chinese Div SE of it (where it is alone).
The troops in Myitkyina were lacking support and an IJA BF left Pagan to go to this city and help for this matter.
China
On the 23rd, the 37th Div fought a new battle 120 miles NE of Chungking and defeated at 43 to 1 the retreating 21st Chinese Corps. Japanese lost 54 men and 2 guns, Chinese 46 wounded and killed and more than 500 POWs.
Japan
A convoy left Tokyo to carry an IJNAF Base Force to Shortlands, Solomon Islands.
Northern Pacific
PBM Mariner from Kiska started on the 23rd to fly recon over Paramushiro Jima and reported a CAP of 8 Rufes.
Allied engineers expanded both the port and airfield of Anchorage to size 9.
Southern Pacific
The CL Naka left Pago Pago on the evening of the 23rd for a raid into the deep Pacific. A destroyed was escorting her in case an Allied submarine was in the area but left her the next day to return to Pago Pago. Two submarines with Glens will patrol the area where the Naka will search for Allied convoys.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon of the 23rd, Rabaul was attacked by 88 B-24D and 38 PB4Y from Port Moresby escorted by 20 P-38G that hit 293 men and 5 guns and scored 17 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 113 on runways. AA fire shot down a B-24D while a PB4Y and a P-38J were lost in crashes.
This same day the Oscar II flying LRCAP over Gili Gili reported no Allied air activity here. One lost his bearings and disappeared during this mission. The other flew back to Truk in the evening.
This same day, two minelayer submarines left Truk southwards with Shortlands scheduled as their first stop. And two Allied submarines were seen SW of Truk and an ASW group of 5 DD and 1 PC was sent after them.
The next day was quiet until the evening where the Japanese ASW group tracked unsuccessfully the SS USS Scamp 180 miles SW of Truk.
During these two days the fleet of Adm Nishimura (BB Kongo, 5 CA, 1 CL and 8 DD) had sailed westwards from Lunga without being detected. It was now in range from Gili Gili, that had been heavily reckoned for several days. They were now 2 Allied units here, so the base received reinforcements from the sea, but no ships had been seen there or by the 3 Glens of the submarines cruising south of it. So the raiding TF received orders to bombard the base while the original plan was to have it transformed to surface TF once it was in range for a night dash.
Timor-DEI-Australia
On the morning of the 23rd, Darwin airmen were active around Lautem. 13 Brewster 339D attacked barges off the base and sank one, while 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 escorted by 10 P-40N attacked the runways and scored two hits. In the afternoon the barge badly damaged yesterday was achieved by a patrolling B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Wyndham attacked Lautem and scored 1 runway hit.
The next day an Oscar II Chutai from Kendari flew LRCAP over the retiring barges. 14 Brewster again attacked and evaded the 3 Oscars on location, but then missed the barges. Lautem was attacked in the morning by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N and in the afternoon by 133 B-17E and 44 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 11 P-40N and by 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 68 casualties, 9 hits on the airbase, 10 on supplies and 60 on runways. Koepang was bombed by 41 B-25J from Derby that scored 2 hits on supplies and 29 on runways and disabled 64 men and 1 gun. Allied losses were 2 B-25J and 1 B-24D shot down by AA and 2 B-17E and 1 B-25J in accidents.
SRA
Before dawn on the 24th a destroyed escorting a Japanese convoy saw the SS USS Grenadier north of Luzon and tried to attack her but missed.
A convoy carrying 14k resources left Kuala Lumpur for Singapore. And 3 submarines kept in reserve in Batavia sailed north to Kuala Lumpur to be ready to attack any Allied TF trying to bypass the Burma Army by landing troops south of Rangoon.
Burma
On the 23rd Myitkyina was attacked 3 times, by 9 B-25J and 2 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 15 P-40E, then by 6 Beaufighter VIC from Jorhat escorted by 21 P-40B and by 41 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N. The base reported 421 casualties and 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways. 120 miles more west the 31st Div was bombed by 28 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 13 P-40N and lost 36 men and 2 guns. Allied operational losses were 1 Liberator VI, 1 Beaufighter VIC and 1 P-40E.
The next day the same targets were attacked, Myitkyina by 12 Beaufighter VIC and 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 15 P-40E and by 48 B-24D, 47 B-25J, 29 B-17E and 16 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B (for a total of 87 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 25 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 175 on runways), and the 31st Div by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire Vb that hit 29 men. One B-25J was lost in an accident.
The evening report of the 24th gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 93/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 59/0, Lashio 42/16, Myitkyina 60/75, other bases undamaged.
Japanese recon aircraft identified the 18th UK Div north of Myitkyina (among 28 Allied units) and the 66th Chinese Div SE of it (where it is alone).
The troops in Myitkyina were lacking support and an IJA BF left Pagan to go to this city and help for this matter.
China
On the 23rd, the 37th Div fought a new battle 120 miles NE of Chungking and defeated at 43 to 1 the retreating 21st Chinese Corps. Japanese lost 54 men and 2 guns, Chinese 46 wounded and killed and more than 500 POWs.
Japan
A convoy left Tokyo to carry an IJNAF Base Force to Shortlands, Solomon Islands.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
25 May 1943: preliminary moves for big battles
25 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded Kiska port to size 4.
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded Luganville port to size 4.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the BB Kongo, 5 CA and 1 CL bombarded Gili Gili and disabled 201 men and 4 guns. They then left the area at full speed towards Shortlands. In fact they had missed for some hours a good target. After dawn the SS I-175 patrolling SE of Gili Gili saw a group of 9 APD and attacked it, sinking the APD Manley with one torpedo. She was carrying men of the 12th USAAF Base Force and 62 were lost with her. I-175 evaded the research initiated by the other APD and remained in the area, reporting that at least 3 Allied TF were there (one of APD, one of LSM and another with a “CA”).
So Adm Nishimura decided to pay another visit to Gili Gili. He sent back to Shortlands his ships with the less fuel (a CL and 5 DD) and turned back with the Kongo, 5 CA and 3 DD. This TF will be covered by LRCAP from 19 A6M2 from Lunga and 28 Oscar II that flew from Truk to Rabaul in the evening.
Another air unit leaving Truk was a Betty Daitai (exp 61) that flew to Lunga. One was lost on the way with its crew, but 26 bombers arrived and were ordered to fly naval search and attack to range 15 (so enabling them to reach Gili Gili but not PM).
An Australian patrol from Gili Gili reported that Goodenough Island was not occupied by any Japanese force and that inhabitants were now favorable to the Allied cause.
Japanese engineers expanded Lunga port to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Timor continued to be hard hit by Allied airmen. Koepang was attacked by 102 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 124 on runways, and the loss of 93 men and 5 guns. Dili was bombed by 102 B-17 and 44 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 14 P-40N and reported 6 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 118 on runways, and the loss of 105 men and 3 guns. And Lautem was the target of 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 and later 54 B-25C from Darwin and of 6 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 49 on runways, and the loss of 48 men and 1 gun. Allied operational losses were a B-17E and a B-25J.
A Japanese convoy arrived off Amboina and started to unload supplies that will be used to repair the local oil facilities.
SRA
During the night an ASW group attacked the American submarine S-32 120 miles SE of Tarakan, Borneo, and the PC Ch 12 scored one hit on her. The submarine escaped with a fire aboard.
After dawn the SS USS Shard attacked a small convoy 120 miles SE of Takao, Formosa, and missed a tanker. She easily evaded the only escort of the convoy, a DD. In the evening 6 DD left Okinawa to chase this submarine.
The increasing submarine activity decided the Japanese command to adopt new shipping routes. The northern one will see shipping from Singapore and DEI sail to Hong Kong, then to Japan north of Formosa. The other path will go trough the middle of the Philippines. Both should so avoid submarines patrolling north of Luzon and east of Mindanao. To cover this second path, 24 Ki-49 training in Manila flew to Jolo this evening.
The 3 convoys organized today received orders to follow these new paths. Two, carrying 64 oil and 35k resources from Palembang and 63k resources from Singapore will sail to Hong Kong and receive new orders here. The third will load 36k oil in Brunei and sail to Cebu to receive orders for Japan here.
Burma
Lashio was bombed by 37 B-24D, 37 B-25J, 22 B-17E and 13 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 104 on runways, and the loss of 94 men and 2 guns.
Myitkyina was attacked by 12 Beaufighter VIC and 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 18 P-40E that scored 3 hits on the airbase and 16 on runways.
120 miles more west the 31st Div was attacked by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire Vb and by 28 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 15 P-40N, and lost 42 men, 4 guns and 1 tank.
Allied operational losses for the day were 1 B-25J, 1 P-40E and 1 P-40N.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 84/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 26/0, Lashio 59/59, Myitkyina 63/56, other bases undamaged.
In the evening, the local air force commander gave the order to start the offensive prepared for some time. 188 fighters (68 Ki-61, 43 A6M3a, 31 Ki-44 and 26 A6M3) left Rangoon for Mandalay. Two, a Zero and a Tony, were lost in accidents on the way, the others received orders to fly CAP at 90% over the city and were supposed to decimate Allied attackers. Rangoon still had 220 fighters (about a third of them being Oscar II, the other good fighters) and 35 Nick night-fighters to defend it, and 180 bombers advanced from Bangkok to this base (AF 9 with 510 air support squads, so no overcrowding) and will rest at least tomorrow before being used to attack Allied bases and troops.
China
146 aircraft from Wuhan flew an operational training mission against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 101 men. Two Kates and a Val were lost in accidents.
In Southern China, the 6th Div arrived in Canton as the first unit of the second batch of troops of the Northern China Army transferred there. Four other Div and the HQ of the 23rd Army were following it and will arrive in the next days.
Japan
A convoy of empty transports (13 16000-ton TK and 20 7000-ton AK with 6 escorts) left Osaka to pick up oil and resources in SRA. To avoid Allied submarines they will sail trough the middle of the Philippines. Their first destination will be Cebu.
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded Kiska port to size 4.
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded Luganville port to size 4.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the BB Kongo, 5 CA and 1 CL bombarded Gili Gili and disabled 201 men and 4 guns. They then left the area at full speed towards Shortlands. In fact they had missed for some hours a good target. After dawn the SS I-175 patrolling SE of Gili Gili saw a group of 9 APD and attacked it, sinking the APD Manley with one torpedo. She was carrying men of the 12th USAAF Base Force and 62 were lost with her. I-175 evaded the research initiated by the other APD and remained in the area, reporting that at least 3 Allied TF were there (one of APD, one of LSM and another with a “CA”).
So Adm Nishimura decided to pay another visit to Gili Gili. He sent back to Shortlands his ships with the less fuel (a CL and 5 DD) and turned back with the Kongo, 5 CA and 3 DD. This TF will be covered by LRCAP from 19 A6M2 from Lunga and 28 Oscar II that flew from Truk to Rabaul in the evening.
Another air unit leaving Truk was a Betty Daitai (exp 61) that flew to Lunga. One was lost on the way with its crew, but 26 bombers arrived and were ordered to fly naval search and attack to range 15 (so enabling them to reach Gili Gili but not PM).
An Australian patrol from Gili Gili reported that Goodenough Island was not occupied by any Japanese force and that inhabitants were now favorable to the Allied cause.
Japanese engineers expanded Lunga port to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Timor continued to be hard hit by Allied airmen. Koepang was attacked by 102 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 124 on runways, and the loss of 93 men and 5 guns. Dili was bombed by 102 B-17 and 44 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 14 P-40N and reported 6 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 118 on runways, and the loss of 105 men and 3 guns. And Lautem was the target of 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 and later 54 B-25C from Darwin and of 6 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 49 on runways, and the loss of 48 men and 1 gun. Allied operational losses were a B-17E and a B-25J.
A Japanese convoy arrived off Amboina and started to unload supplies that will be used to repair the local oil facilities.
SRA
During the night an ASW group attacked the American submarine S-32 120 miles SE of Tarakan, Borneo, and the PC Ch 12 scored one hit on her. The submarine escaped with a fire aboard.
After dawn the SS USS Shard attacked a small convoy 120 miles SE of Takao, Formosa, and missed a tanker. She easily evaded the only escort of the convoy, a DD. In the evening 6 DD left Okinawa to chase this submarine.
The increasing submarine activity decided the Japanese command to adopt new shipping routes. The northern one will see shipping from Singapore and DEI sail to Hong Kong, then to Japan north of Formosa. The other path will go trough the middle of the Philippines. Both should so avoid submarines patrolling north of Luzon and east of Mindanao. To cover this second path, 24 Ki-49 training in Manila flew to Jolo this evening.
The 3 convoys organized today received orders to follow these new paths. Two, carrying 64 oil and 35k resources from Palembang and 63k resources from Singapore will sail to Hong Kong and receive new orders here. The third will load 36k oil in Brunei and sail to Cebu to receive orders for Japan here.
Burma
Lashio was bombed by 37 B-24D, 37 B-25J, 22 B-17E and 13 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 104 on runways, and the loss of 94 men and 2 guns.
Myitkyina was attacked by 12 Beaufighter VIC and 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 18 P-40E that scored 3 hits on the airbase and 16 on runways.
120 miles more west the 31st Div was attacked by 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 9 Spitfire Vb and by 28 Vengeance I from Kohima escorted by 15 P-40N, and lost 42 men, 4 guns and 1 tank.
Allied operational losses for the day were 1 B-25J, 1 P-40E and 1 P-40N.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 84/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 26/0, Lashio 59/59, Myitkyina 63/56, other bases undamaged.
In the evening, the local air force commander gave the order to start the offensive prepared for some time. 188 fighters (68 Ki-61, 43 A6M3a, 31 Ki-44 and 26 A6M3) left Rangoon for Mandalay. Two, a Zero and a Tony, were lost in accidents on the way, the others received orders to fly CAP at 90% over the city and were supposed to decimate Allied attackers. Rangoon still had 220 fighters (about a third of them being Oscar II, the other good fighters) and 35 Nick night-fighters to defend it, and 180 bombers advanced from Bangkok to this base (AF 9 with 510 air support squads, so no overcrowding) and will rest at least tomorrow before being used to attack Allied bases and troops.
China
146 aircraft from Wuhan flew an operational training mission against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 101 men. Two Kates and a Val were lost in accidents.
In Southern China, the 6th Div arrived in Canton as the first unit of the second batch of troops of the Northern China Army transferred there. Four other Div and the HQ of the 23rd Army were following it and will arrive in the next days.
Japan
A convoy of empty transports (13 16000-ton TK and 20 7000-ton AK with 6 escorts) left Osaka to pick up oil and resources in SRA. To avoid Allied submarines they will sail trough the middle of the Philippines. Their first destination will be Cebu.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
26 May 1943: silly mistake in Burma
26 May 1943
This day Japanese aircraft losses were higher than the Allied ones, and it was the fault of the Japanese commander...
Northern Pacific
A Japanese submarine finally reported an Allied convoy (2+ transports) south of Kodiak, just in range for a night interception by the BB Yamashiro and here escort. This convoy will be attacked during the night.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the BB Kongo, 5 CA and 3 DD returned off Gili Gili to attack any Allied TF that would not have turned back. The APD and the other surface TF reported apparently had both fled but a barge TF of 55 LCT had continued to the new Allied base with fuel and supplies aboard. The Japanese sailors enjoyed the easy shooting, sinking 19 barges, heavily damaging two other and hitting slightly a last one. 14in shells, torpedoes and everything else were used on the barges, and no return fire was experienced. The Japanese ships then sailed east at full speed. Few crew gained night experience for this slaughter (Konga 69 to 70, Takao 72 to 73 and Nachi 76 to 78). The Japanese TF was not attacked during the day but an A6M2 was lost operationally while LRCAPing it.
Between Kavieng and Truk, the SS USS Lapon was attacked three times during the day by an ASW group and finally hit on the third time and damaged by a hit and 12 near-misses scored with Type 95 DC by the PC Ch 21 and the DD Suzukaze.
In the evening the port commander in SHortlands reported that the CL and the 5 DD that arrived during the day from the first attack on Gili Gili used all the fuel available there. So the Kongo TF was ordered to sail directly to Truk, and a convoy was formed in the latter base to carry 10k fuel to Shortlands. The Kongo TF will no more be covered by LRCAP. Zeroes from Lunga will rest while the Oscar II detached in Rabaul flew back to Truk in the evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Timor continued to be hard hit by Allied airmen. Koepang was attacked by 93 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 110 on runways, and the loss of 36 men and 1 guns. Dili was bombed by 113 B-17 and 43 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N and reported 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 55 on runways, and the loss of 48 men. And Lautem was the target of 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 and later 50 B-25C from Darwin and of 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 1 hits on the airbase and 8 on runways, and the loss of 32 men. Allied losses were a B-25C shot down by AA and a B-17E, a B-25C and a B-25J in accidents.
In the evening the 77 Sentai, based in Kendari with 29 Oscar II, received orders to fly LRCAP over Lautem tomorrow.
SRA
In the morning, the SS USS Shad was tracked by 6 DD 120 miles SE of Takao but escaped without being depth charged. A little more west, the SS USS Tresher saw in the evening a little convoy escorted by a MSW 120 miles north of Vigan but was unable to reach a firing position. She was not detected by the Japanese.
Burma
The previous evening, 188 fighters had flown from Rangoon to Mandalay. The plan was this concentration couldn’t escape the Allied commanders’ attention and heavy raids will target the city but the heavy CAP will be able to decimate them. Well, two things were not planned.
The first was that despite good weather forecasts, Imphal, Kohima and Ledo were closed by clouds and so no attack was launched from there. The two active Allied bases, Chandpur and Dacca, both launched most of the available aircraft against Mandalay.
And there is the second point. The orders given to the advancing Japanese fighter units were garbled and three full units (one of Ki-61, one of A6M3a and one of A6M3) had orders to rest… so depriving the CAP of 45% of its strength and giving the bombers plenty of targets on the ground. A bad move on my part…
The first raid was flown by 63 B-25C, 24 Blenheim IV, 14 B-25J and 12 Beaufighter VIF from Chandpur escorted by 19 P-40E. The CAP at the time was flown by 31 Ki-61, 21 A6M3, 20 Ki-44 and 3 A6M3a. They shot down 16 P-40E, 12 Blenheim IV, 11 B-25C, 10 Beaufighter VIF and 8 B-25J for the loss of 2 Ki-44, 2 Ki-61 and 1 A6M3, but didn’t stop the bombers. AA shot down another B-25C but then the bombs began to fall on the base and destroyed 47 aircraft (16 Ki-61, 16 A6M3a, 8 A6M3, 5 Ki-44 and 2 J1N1-R Irving), disabled 62 men and 1 gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 80 on runways.
Just after they left, a new raid arrived with 52 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N. 14 Ki-61, 10 A6M3, 9 Ki-44 and 1 A6M3a tried to intercept but suffered heavy losses. The P-40 shot down 4 Tojos, 3 Tonies, 3 A6M3 and 1 A6M3a for only two losses. The Japanese pilots were only able to shot down two Liberators and lost one more A6M3 to return fire. The RAF bombers then destroyed 8 more aircraft on the ground (3 A6M3a, 2 J1N1-R Irving, 1 A6M3, 1 Ki-44 and 1 Ki-61), disabled 49 men and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on runways.
During these battles, a Tony and a B-25C were also lost in accidents.
A smaller raid was also launched from Chandpur against Akyab airfield with 14 Beaufighter VIC and 3 P-40E. They scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 4 on runways, and wounded 9 men.
The evening report showed that Mandalay airfield couldn’t be held as was the original plan. The losses of the various units were as follows:
65 Sentai (didn’t fly): 15 Ki-61, 7 pilots
78 Sentai (did fly): 9 Ki-61, 3 pilots
85 Sentai (did fly): 12 Ki-44, 6 pilots
F1/281st Daitai (did fly): 5 A6M3, 3 pilots
F1/6th Daitai (didn’t fly): 9 A6M3, no pilot
F3/Yokosuka Daitai (didn’t fly): 14 A6M3a, 1 pilot
F4/Chitose Chutai (did fly): 6 A6M3a, 1 pilot
R3/Yamada Chutai (did fly): 4 J1N1-R Irving, no pilot
Except the two units with the less damage (78 Sentai and F1/281st), all fighters were evacuated in the evening by air and train to Bangkok and will be recompleted there. The two other units flew back to Rangoon at the same time.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 75/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 53/72, Lashio 59/49, Myitkyina 63/29, other bases undamaged.
The furious commander of the Burma air force couldn’t wait to avenge his losses and ordered that Imphal (where 459 Allied aircraft (123/117/219) were reported by recons, with a CAP of 10-20 fighters) was attacked the next day by Rangoon airmen. 102 Betties, 57 Ki-21 and 26 Nell will fly the raid under escort by 68 A6M3, 47 A6M3a and 17 Oscar II.
China
140 Japanese aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 117 men but lost 3 aircraft (a Nick, a Kate and an Oscar II) in crashes.
Japan
After a one-week long cruise at normal speed between Nagasaki and Wakkanai and back, none of the 20 warships used in the experiment didn’t gain any experience either at day or night. Another attempt will be done at max speed, but my guess is that training of warships didn’t work like that at all.
In Osaka port, a new AK was converted to AR.
This day Japanese aircraft losses were higher than the Allied ones, and it was the fault of the Japanese commander...
Northern Pacific
A Japanese submarine finally reported an Allied convoy (2+ transports) south of Kodiak, just in range for a night interception by the BB Yamashiro and here escort. This convoy will be attacked during the night.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the BB Kongo, 5 CA and 3 DD returned off Gili Gili to attack any Allied TF that would not have turned back. The APD and the other surface TF reported apparently had both fled but a barge TF of 55 LCT had continued to the new Allied base with fuel and supplies aboard. The Japanese sailors enjoyed the easy shooting, sinking 19 barges, heavily damaging two other and hitting slightly a last one. 14in shells, torpedoes and everything else were used on the barges, and no return fire was experienced. The Japanese ships then sailed east at full speed. Few crew gained night experience for this slaughter (Konga 69 to 70, Takao 72 to 73 and Nachi 76 to 78). The Japanese TF was not attacked during the day but an A6M2 was lost operationally while LRCAPing it.
Between Kavieng and Truk, the SS USS Lapon was attacked three times during the day by an ASW group and finally hit on the third time and damaged by a hit and 12 near-misses scored with Type 95 DC by the PC Ch 21 and the DD Suzukaze.
In the evening the port commander in SHortlands reported that the CL and the 5 DD that arrived during the day from the first attack on Gili Gili used all the fuel available there. So the Kongo TF was ordered to sail directly to Truk, and a convoy was formed in the latter base to carry 10k fuel to Shortlands. The Kongo TF will no more be covered by LRCAP. Zeroes from Lunga will rest while the Oscar II detached in Rabaul flew back to Truk in the evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Timor continued to be hard hit by Allied airmen. Koepang was attacked by 93 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 110 on runways, and the loss of 36 men and 1 guns. Dili was bombed by 113 B-17 and 43 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 12 P-40N and reported 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 55 on runways, and the loss of 48 men. And Lautem was the target of 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 and later 50 B-25C from Darwin and of 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported 1 hits on the airbase and 8 on runways, and the loss of 32 men. Allied losses were a B-25C shot down by AA and a B-17E, a B-25C and a B-25J in accidents.
In the evening the 77 Sentai, based in Kendari with 29 Oscar II, received orders to fly LRCAP over Lautem tomorrow.
SRA
In the morning, the SS USS Shad was tracked by 6 DD 120 miles SE of Takao but escaped without being depth charged. A little more west, the SS USS Tresher saw in the evening a little convoy escorted by a MSW 120 miles north of Vigan but was unable to reach a firing position. She was not detected by the Japanese.
Burma
The previous evening, 188 fighters had flown from Rangoon to Mandalay. The plan was this concentration couldn’t escape the Allied commanders’ attention and heavy raids will target the city but the heavy CAP will be able to decimate them. Well, two things were not planned.
The first was that despite good weather forecasts, Imphal, Kohima and Ledo were closed by clouds and so no attack was launched from there. The two active Allied bases, Chandpur and Dacca, both launched most of the available aircraft against Mandalay.
And there is the second point. The orders given to the advancing Japanese fighter units were garbled and three full units (one of Ki-61, one of A6M3a and one of A6M3) had orders to rest… so depriving the CAP of 45% of its strength and giving the bombers plenty of targets on the ground. A bad move on my part…
The first raid was flown by 63 B-25C, 24 Blenheim IV, 14 B-25J and 12 Beaufighter VIF from Chandpur escorted by 19 P-40E. The CAP at the time was flown by 31 Ki-61, 21 A6M3, 20 Ki-44 and 3 A6M3a. They shot down 16 P-40E, 12 Blenheim IV, 11 B-25C, 10 Beaufighter VIF and 8 B-25J for the loss of 2 Ki-44, 2 Ki-61 and 1 A6M3, but didn’t stop the bombers. AA shot down another B-25C but then the bombs began to fall on the base and destroyed 47 aircraft (16 Ki-61, 16 A6M3a, 8 A6M3, 5 Ki-44 and 2 J1N1-R Irving), disabled 62 men and 1 gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 80 on runways.
Just after they left, a new raid arrived with 52 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N. 14 Ki-61, 10 A6M3, 9 Ki-44 and 1 A6M3a tried to intercept but suffered heavy losses. The P-40 shot down 4 Tojos, 3 Tonies, 3 A6M3 and 1 A6M3a for only two losses. The Japanese pilots were only able to shot down two Liberators and lost one more A6M3 to return fire. The RAF bombers then destroyed 8 more aircraft on the ground (3 A6M3a, 2 J1N1-R Irving, 1 A6M3, 1 Ki-44 and 1 Ki-61), disabled 49 men and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on runways.
During these battles, a Tony and a B-25C were also lost in accidents.
A smaller raid was also launched from Chandpur against Akyab airfield with 14 Beaufighter VIC and 3 P-40E. They scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 4 on runways, and wounded 9 men.
The evening report showed that Mandalay airfield couldn’t be held as was the original plan. The losses of the various units were as follows:
65 Sentai (didn’t fly): 15 Ki-61, 7 pilots
78 Sentai (did fly): 9 Ki-61, 3 pilots
85 Sentai (did fly): 12 Ki-44, 6 pilots
F1/281st Daitai (did fly): 5 A6M3, 3 pilots
F1/6th Daitai (didn’t fly): 9 A6M3, no pilot
F3/Yokosuka Daitai (didn’t fly): 14 A6M3a, 1 pilot
F4/Chitose Chutai (did fly): 6 A6M3a, 1 pilot
R3/Yamada Chutai (did fly): 4 J1N1-R Irving, no pilot
Except the two units with the less damage (78 Sentai and F1/281st), all fighters were evacuated in the evening by air and train to Bangkok and will be recompleted there. The two other units flew back to Rangoon at the same time.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 75/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 53/72, Lashio 59/49, Myitkyina 63/29, other bases undamaged.
The furious commander of the Burma air force couldn’t wait to avenge his losses and ordered that Imphal (where 459 Allied aircraft (123/117/219) were reported by recons, with a CAP of 10-20 fighters) was attacked the next day by Rangoon airmen. 102 Betties, 57 Ki-21 and 26 Nell will fly the raid under escort by 68 A6M3, 47 A6M3a and 17 Oscar II.
China
140 Japanese aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 117 men but lost 3 aircraft (a Nick, a Kate and an Oscar II) in crashes.
Japan
After a one-week long cruise at normal speed between Nagasaki and Wakkanai and back, none of the 20 warships used in the experiment didn’t gain any experience either at day or night. Another attempt will be done at max speed, but my guess is that training of warships didn’t work like that at all.
In Osaka port, a new AK was converted to AR.
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RE: 26 May 1943: silly mistake in Burma
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Japan
After a one-week long cruise at normal speed between Nagasaki and Wakkanai and back, none of the 20 warships used in the experiment didn’t gain any experience either at day or night. Another attempt will be done at max speed, but my guess is that training of warships didn’t work like that at all.
It does work, but only up to 55 or so experience, not beyond.
Still a very impressive performance.
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AmiralLaurent
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27 May 1943: Imphal bombed but for no nothing
Thanks, ctangus. I will search my navy to see if any ship (PC, MSW, etc...) may benefit of it. I really hate this training limitations.... training should be harder when exp grows, but not impossible.
27 May 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night, the BB Yamashiro and her escort (5 DD) found and attacked the convoy reported the day before by submarines. The latter had reported two transports and they were only two, the AK George D Prentice and B F Shaw, unescorted. Both were quickly dispatched under the waves without any damage on the Japanese side. The TF then remained in the area but neither it nor submarines reported other Allied ships in the area. It was ordered to return to PH in the evening.
Attu hadn’t been reconed for some days and the Dinah III sent there reported a CAP of 68 P-38G and 24 Corsairs, and 34 units in the base!
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers finished to build fortifications in Wellington (level 9 reached) and the 24th Eng Rgt and 56th Bde left this base to go by train to Auckland.
It was planned to evacuate New Zealand in the summer and this started today. A convoy sailed from Christchurch with all available ships to pick up the 23rd Eng Rgt in Dunedin. This unit will then be brought to the Pacific or the Solomons.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the SS USS Scamp attacked 180 miles SW of Truk the ASW group returning to this base and missed a DD. She was then depth charged by two other DD but escaped undamaged.
In the morning the Kongo TF was off Kavieng and was attacked by 6 B-24D from PM that missed two CA but suffered no loss.
The two LCT badly hit the night before sank off Gili Gili.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin flew a sweep to Lautem, engaged over this base 5 Oscar II of 77 Sentai flying LRCAP and shot down one without loss. 3 other Beaufighter Mk 21 were also flying LRCAP over this base but reported to Japanese transport AC.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 89 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 119 on runways, and the loss of 83 men and 1 gun. Dili was bombed by 106 B-17 and 42 B-24D from Darwin and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 112 on runways, and the loss of 60 men and 1 gun. Lautem was still LRCAPed by 7 Oscar II of 77 Sentai that intercepted 47 B-25C from Darwin and later 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and shot down 3 B-25C for 3 losses (2 fighters hit by return fire ditched on the way back, another was lost in an accident). The base reported 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 42 on runways, and the loss of 45 men and 1 gun. Allied operational losses were 2 B-25C, a Beaufighter Mk 21 and a B-25J in accidents.
Japanese AA fire shot down two PBM Mariner flying recon in the area.
SRA
Formosa waters were becoming a real battlefield. In the evening a convoy of empty AP returning to Japan was attacked 180 miles west of Takao by the SS USS Kite that hit with one torpedo the Hayo Maru and left her on fire. The escort (3 PG) searched the attacker and depth charged her but missed. The damaged AP was in no danger of sinking but will sail alone to the nearby port of Hong Kong for repairs.
120 miles SE of Takao, the SS USS Shad was less lucky and was attacked by an ASW group of 6 DD but escaped after two DD scored 5 near-misses.
A huge convoy started to load 139k of oil in Palembang. To avoid most of the Allied submarines it will sail to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, and then be redirected to a Japanese port. One Allied submarine was seen between Muntok and Sinkep waiting for ships to sail out of Palembang and an ASW group of 6 MSW was sent to chase her.
Burma
Allied airmen continued to attack Mandalay, with 48 B-24D, 33 B-25J, 23 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B and 18 P-40N and with 50 Beaufighter VIC, 44 Beaufighter Mk 21, 41 B-25C, 12 Blenheim IV, 3 B-25J and 2 Beaufighter VIf from Chandpur escorted by 6 P-40E. Most Japanese AC had left the battered airfield and only 2 J1N1-R Irving were destroyed on the ground by these raids, that disabled a total of 109 men and 2 guns and scored 24 hits on the airbase, 12 on supplies and 371 on runways. One Beaufighter VIF hit by AA crashed on the way back, while 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 B-24D were lost in accidents.
At the same time a Dinah II from Akyab was flying a recon over Imphal and reported a Cap of a dozen Allied fighters before being shot down by one of them. This was good news for the incoming Japanese raid. 85 Betties, 56 Ki-21 and 23 Nells from Rangoon escorted by 47 A6M3, 33 A6M3a and 17 Oscar II reached the target area and were intercepted by 11 Spitfire Vb, 2 P-40B and 1 P-40N. The Japanese escort lost 11 Oscar, 4 A6M3 and 2 A6M3a (only one of the 17 pilots was saved) but covered perfectly the bombers and shot down 8 Spitfire and both P-40B. The bombers reached the airfield but it was almost empty and Japanese recon reports proved to be far too much higher. At the cost of a Ki-21 shot down by AA and another lost in an accident, the bombers destroyed on the ground only 5 F-5A and 1 Spitfire Vb, scored 12 hits on the airbase and 102 on runways, and did 39 casualties. Another Japanese recon in the afternoon reported that more than 50 fighters were now flying CAP over it.
In the evening, almost all bombers returned to Bangkok or Singapore from Rangoon (96 Betties, 55 Ki-21, 21 Nells) while all Japanese fighters received orders to fly local CAP over the Burmese capital.
Other Allied raids saw 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E bomb Myitkyina (47 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 20 on runways), 10 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E attack the 17th Div in Myitkyina (32 men and 1 gun hit) and 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb attack the 31st Div 120 miles west of it, hitting 25 men at the cost of a Hurricane shot down by AA fire.
For once there was no evening report for the airfield status, but a more interesting one about the troops holding the line in Myitkyina and west of it along the railway. Myitkyina itself was held by 900 AV (assault value), the armored group just west of it had 1030 AV and the main body of the Burma Army was 60 miles more west, when the railway turns south, with 1700 AV.
China
141 Japanese aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 107 men without loss.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Kweilin to size 8.
Japan
Plans began to be made to prepare a defense in depth in the Pacific. A convoy left Nagoya with 14k supplies for Saipan as a first step.
27 May 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night, the BB Yamashiro and her escort (5 DD) found and attacked the convoy reported the day before by submarines. The latter had reported two transports and they were only two, the AK George D Prentice and B F Shaw, unescorted. Both were quickly dispatched under the waves without any damage on the Japanese side. The TF then remained in the area but neither it nor submarines reported other Allied ships in the area. It was ordered to return to PH in the evening.
Attu hadn’t been reconed for some days and the Dinah III sent there reported a CAP of 68 P-38G and 24 Corsairs, and 34 units in the base!
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers finished to build fortifications in Wellington (level 9 reached) and the 24th Eng Rgt and 56th Bde left this base to go by train to Auckland.
It was planned to evacuate New Zealand in the summer and this started today. A convoy sailed from Christchurch with all available ships to pick up the 23rd Eng Rgt in Dunedin. This unit will then be brought to the Pacific or the Solomons.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the SS USS Scamp attacked 180 miles SW of Truk the ASW group returning to this base and missed a DD. She was then depth charged by two other DD but escaped undamaged.
In the morning the Kongo TF was off Kavieng and was attacked by 6 B-24D from PM that missed two CA but suffered no loss.
The two LCT badly hit the night before sank off Gili Gili.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin flew a sweep to Lautem, engaged over this base 5 Oscar II of 77 Sentai flying LRCAP and shot down one without loss. 3 other Beaufighter Mk 21 were also flying LRCAP over this base but reported to Japanese transport AC.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 89 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 119 on runways, and the loss of 83 men and 1 gun. Dili was bombed by 106 B-17 and 42 B-24D from Darwin and reported 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 112 on runways, and the loss of 60 men and 1 gun. Lautem was still LRCAPed by 7 Oscar II of 77 Sentai that intercepted 47 B-25C from Darwin and later 7 PB4Y from Wyndham and shot down 3 B-25C for 3 losses (2 fighters hit by return fire ditched on the way back, another was lost in an accident). The base reported 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 42 on runways, and the loss of 45 men and 1 gun. Allied operational losses were 2 B-25C, a Beaufighter Mk 21 and a B-25J in accidents.
Japanese AA fire shot down two PBM Mariner flying recon in the area.
SRA
Formosa waters were becoming a real battlefield. In the evening a convoy of empty AP returning to Japan was attacked 180 miles west of Takao by the SS USS Kite that hit with one torpedo the Hayo Maru and left her on fire. The escort (3 PG) searched the attacker and depth charged her but missed. The damaged AP was in no danger of sinking but will sail alone to the nearby port of Hong Kong for repairs.
120 miles SE of Takao, the SS USS Shad was less lucky and was attacked by an ASW group of 6 DD but escaped after two DD scored 5 near-misses.
A huge convoy started to load 139k of oil in Palembang. To avoid most of the Allied submarines it will sail to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, and then be redirected to a Japanese port. One Allied submarine was seen between Muntok and Sinkep waiting for ships to sail out of Palembang and an ASW group of 6 MSW was sent to chase her.
Burma
Allied airmen continued to attack Mandalay, with 48 B-24D, 33 B-25J, 23 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 22 P-40B and 18 P-40N and with 50 Beaufighter VIC, 44 Beaufighter Mk 21, 41 B-25C, 12 Blenheim IV, 3 B-25J and 2 Beaufighter VIf from Chandpur escorted by 6 P-40E. Most Japanese AC had left the battered airfield and only 2 J1N1-R Irving were destroyed on the ground by these raids, that disabled a total of 109 men and 2 guns and scored 24 hits on the airbase, 12 on supplies and 371 on runways. One Beaufighter VIF hit by AA crashed on the way back, while 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 B-24D were lost in accidents.
At the same time a Dinah II from Akyab was flying a recon over Imphal and reported a Cap of a dozen Allied fighters before being shot down by one of them. This was good news for the incoming Japanese raid. 85 Betties, 56 Ki-21 and 23 Nells from Rangoon escorted by 47 A6M3, 33 A6M3a and 17 Oscar II reached the target area and were intercepted by 11 Spitfire Vb, 2 P-40B and 1 P-40N. The Japanese escort lost 11 Oscar, 4 A6M3 and 2 A6M3a (only one of the 17 pilots was saved) but covered perfectly the bombers and shot down 8 Spitfire and both P-40B. The bombers reached the airfield but it was almost empty and Japanese recon reports proved to be far too much higher. At the cost of a Ki-21 shot down by AA and another lost in an accident, the bombers destroyed on the ground only 5 F-5A and 1 Spitfire Vb, scored 12 hits on the airbase and 102 on runways, and did 39 casualties. Another Japanese recon in the afternoon reported that more than 50 fighters were now flying CAP over it.
In the evening, almost all bombers returned to Bangkok or Singapore from Rangoon (96 Betties, 55 Ki-21, 21 Nells) while all Japanese fighters received orders to fly local CAP over the Burmese capital.
Other Allied raids saw 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E bomb Myitkyina (47 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 20 on runways), 10 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E attack the 17th Div in Myitkyina (32 men and 1 gun hit) and 42 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 10 Spitfire Vb attack the 31st Div 120 miles west of it, hitting 25 men at the cost of a Hurricane shot down by AA fire.
For once there was no evening report for the airfield status, but a more interesting one about the troops holding the line in Myitkyina and west of it along the railway. Myitkyina itself was held by 900 AV (assault value), the armored group just west of it had 1030 AV and the main body of the Burma Army was 60 miles more west, when the railway turns south, with 1700 AV.
China
141 Japanese aircraft flew an operational training mission from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha and hit 107 men without loss.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Kweilin to size 8.
Japan
Plans began to be made to prepare a defense in depth in the Pacific. A convoy left Nagoya with 14k supplies for Saipan as a first step.
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AmiralLaurent
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28 May 1943: both sides resting
28 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Attu to size 5. Now the question is when will heavy bombers begin to fly from here.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night, the minelayer USS Pruitt sailing to Gili Gili met two submarines, the I-10 at 240 miles south of this base and the I-31 120 miles south of it, but in both cases saw them first and evaded them.
In the afternoon, Rabaul was attacked by 10 PB4Y and 8 B-24D from PM escorted by 20 P-38G and reported 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 17 on runways, and the loss of 20 men and 2 guns.
In the evening, the Kongo TF returning to Truk was attacked 120 miles SW of this base by the submarine USS Scamp that torpedoed the CA Takao. The three DD of the escort reacted immediately and the Scamp was hit and damaged by a depth charge dropped by the Tamanami. The Takao reported he had been hit once and had damage 39/39/22. He should reach Truk without problems. The TF’s other ships will escort her, and an ASW group left in the evening Truk to cover them.
Japanese engineers expanded Kavieng airfield to size 2.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin flew an uneventful sweep to Lautem. In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 80 B-25C and 56 B-25J from Derby and reported 9 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 114 on runways, and the loss of 74 men and 3 guns. Dili was bombed by 34 B-24D from Darwin and reported 2 hits on supplies and 24 on runways. Lautem was attacked by 99 B-17E and 39 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 8 P-40N and by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham and reported the destruction of a Pete on the “ground”, 8 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 112 on runways, and the loss of 81 men and 2 guns. There were 3 Allied losses during the day, all to AA fire, a B-25C and a B-25J over Koepang and a PBM Mariner over Kendari.
SRA
The SS USS Harder attacked at dawn an ASW group 180 miles west of Takao and hit the DD Yamagumo with one torpedo but it failed to explode. The DD Arashio dropped DCs on the attacker but missed.
A convoy loaded 14k resources and 5k oil in Rangoon for Singapore.
Burma
Allied airmen rested today and only launched two small raids from Ledo against Myitkyina, 14 B-25J escorted by 22 P-40E hitting the airfield, disabling 34 men and 1 gun and scoring 1 hit on supplies and 22 on runways, and then 10 Beaufighter VIC attacking the 33rd Div and hitting 33 men and 1 gun while losing one of their number in an accident.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 57/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 98/88, Lashio 50/0, Myitkyina 66/7, other bases undamaged.
In the evening 9 Oscar II flew from Hanoi to Taung Gyi and will fly tomorrow LRCAP over Allied troops N of Myitkyina to check if Allied transport aircraft do drop them supplies.
China
Japanese troops will very soon be ready to launch the offensive on Kweiyang, Kunming and Yunan scheduled for the summer. All five divisions of the second batch of troops from the Northern China Army to be transferred south had reached Wuchow via the coastal road and they received orders to go to Wuchow by train. The only unit still late of this group was the HQ of the 23rd Army. Also the 19th Eng Rgt received orders to leave Kweilin to join the army in Wuchow.
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AmiralLaurent
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29 May 1943: a Japanese convoy was devastated
29 May 1943
Northern Pacific
Japanese recons continued over Kiska and Attu. AA fire shot down a Betty over the former, while the latter was covered by a weaker CAP than the day before, only 14 P-38G being reported. 41 Allied units were reported in Attu.
The presence of numerous P-38G in the Aleutians was a surprise but as they don’t have the range to reach Paramushiro Jima it won’t be a problem in the near future.
Southern Pacific
The convoy sent to evacuate troops arrived in Dunedin and started to load the three construction units (an Eng Rgt and two Const Bn) being in the city. The latter will only be held by a small Base Force. The ships will sail to Efate and then Truk before carrying the troops to the DEI.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The minelayer USS Pruitt probably returning from Gili Gili met during the night again a Japanese submarine (the I-31) but again evaded her.
In the afternoon, a PB4Y on patrol SE of Gili Gili saw the I-175 and damaged her with bombs (damage 33/34/0). The submarine limped away towards Shortlands for emergency repairs and then Truk.
Rabaul was bombed by 72 B-24D and 25 PB4Y from PM escorted by 61 P-38G that scored 24 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 66 on runways. Japanese losses were 172 men and 5 guns, Allied ones were 2 B-24D lost in accidents.
In the evening, both parts of the Kongo TF and the ASW group sent to assist it were in Truk port and were disbanded. The CA Takao was safe but will spend some months in a repair shipyard.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin flew an uneventful sweep to Lautem. And then came a nasty surprise. The local commanders had became overconfident lately and as Amboina was supplied without problems by TF of 1-2 ships had sent there 5 7000-ton AK that were unloading supplies for some days. But today Darwin sent 51 B-17E and 21 B-24D to attack them with devastating results. Three AK were sunk outright and the two other were docked in sinking condition in the port for no Allied loss. Scuttling the wrecks was considered but it was finally decided to use then to draw more bombers into an ambush. 35 Tojo and 34 Tonies were flown from Kendari to fly CAP over Amboina and intercept bombers if they return to finish the cripples.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 58 B-25C and 29 B-25J from Derby and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 50 on runways, and the loss of 47 men and 1 gun. Lautem was attacked by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 3 on runways, and did 37 casualties. The only Allied loss was a B-25C shot down by AA over Koepang.
SRA
During the night, the SS USS Sturgeon tried to attack an ASW group 120 miles SW of Menado but was seen and depth charged by the PC Ch 4. She escaped undamaged. More north, the SS USS Harder was chased by 6 DD 180 miles west of Takao and depth charged by two of them but they only scored a near miss. And NE of Palembang the SS HMS Truant tried to attack 6 MSW sent to chase her SE of Sinkep Island but was unable to find a firing position. Japanese sailors didn’t detect her.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 6 raids over the country. 4 Beaufighter VIF from Chandpur escorted by 9 P-40E bombed Mandalay and scored 5 runway hits but lost one of their number to AA fire and another in an accident. Lashio was bombed by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N and reported 8 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 42 on runways and the loss of 71 men and 1 gun. Myitkyina was attacked first by 8 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and then by 45 B-25J, 36 B-24D, 26 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 21 P-40B and 20 P-40N that scored 21 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 119 on runways and disabled 165 men and 5 guns. One of the units holding the city, the 33rd Div, was attacked by 9 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E that hit 9 men and 1 tank while 120 miles more west the 31st Div was bombed by 38 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb and lost 51 men and 2 guns.
Japanese recon identified the 25th Indian Division north of Myitkyina. Among the Allied units here, three divisions had been identified and the total number of Allied troops had not been determined, while the 11 units coming on the trail from Kohima have only 62 000 men and only a HQ had been identified here. The Japanese command started to wonder if this group was not a diversion. The only AC “supporting it”, ie attacking troops in the area, were short-ranged Hurricane and Spitfire, while all aircraft able to reach Myitkyina attacked it. So it was judged fairly possible that the Kohima group will never advance to the railway until all Japanese troops had left or had been chased after Myitkyina fell. But a confirmation was needed. Recon aircraft were ordered to concentrate on this area, while the 9 Oscar II from Taung Gyi will fly ground attack on these troops.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 47/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 88/81, Lashio 58/44, Myitkyina 92/58, other bases undamaged. In the evening 22 A6M3a left Rangoon for Pagan. They will LRCAP the 31st Div group 120 miles N of Mandalay tomorrow.
China
A new IJAAF training class graduated in Wuhan and left for Rangoon with 36 Oscar II. One crashed on the way with the loss of its pilot.
Northern Pacific
Japanese recons continued over Kiska and Attu. AA fire shot down a Betty over the former, while the latter was covered by a weaker CAP than the day before, only 14 P-38G being reported. 41 Allied units were reported in Attu.
The presence of numerous P-38G in the Aleutians was a surprise but as they don’t have the range to reach Paramushiro Jima it won’t be a problem in the near future.
Southern Pacific
The convoy sent to evacuate troops arrived in Dunedin and started to load the three construction units (an Eng Rgt and two Const Bn) being in the city. The latter will only be held by a small Base Force. The ships will sail to Efate and then Truk before carrying the troops to the DEI.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The minelayer USS Pruitt probably returning from Gili Gili met during the night again a Japanese submarine (the I-31) but again evaded her.
In the afternoon, a PB4Y on patrol SE of Gili Gili saw the I-175 and damaged her with bombs (damage 33/34/0). The submarine limped away towards Shortlands for emergency repairs and then Truk.
Rabaul was bombed by 72 B-24D and 25 PB4Y from PM escorted by 61 P-38G that scored 24 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 66 on runways. Japanese losses were 172 men and 5 guns, Allied ones were 2 B-24D lost in accidents.
In the evening, both parts of the Kongo TF and the ASW group sent to assist it were in Truk port and were disbanded. The CA Takao was safe but will spend some months in a repair shipyard.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin flew an uneventful sweep to Lautem. And then came a nasty surprise. The local commanders had became overconfident lately and as Amboina was supplied without problems by TF of 1-2 ships had sent there 5 7000-ton AK that were unloading supplies for some days. But today Darwin sent 51 B-17E and 21 B-24D to attack them with devastating results. Three AK were sunk outright and the two other were docked in sinking condition in the port for no Allied loss. Scuttling the wrecks was considered but it was finally decided to use then to draw more bombers into an ambush. 35 Tojo and 34 Tonies were flown from Kendari to fly CAP over Amboina and intercept bombers if they return to finish the cripples.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 58 B-25C and 29 B-25J from Derby and reported 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 50 on runways, and the loss of 47 men and 1 gun. Lautem was attacked by 6 PB4Y from Wyndham that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 3 on runways, and did 37 casualties. The only Allied loss was a B-25C shot down by AA over Koepang.
SRA
During the night, the SS USS Sturgeon tried to attack an ASW group 120 miles SW of Menado but was seen and depth charged by the PC Ch 4. She escaped undamaged. More north, the SS USS Harder was chased by 6 DD 180 miles west of Takao and depth charged by two of them but they only scored a near miss. And NE of Palembang the SS HMS Truant tried to attack 6 MSW sent to chase her SE of Sinkep Island but was unable to find a firing position. Japanese sailors didn’t detect her.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 6 raids over the country. 4 Beaufighter VIF from Chandpur escorted by 9 P-40E bombed Mandalay and scored 5 runway hits but lost one of their number to AA fire and another in an accident. Lashio was bombed by 48 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N and reported 8 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 42 on runways and the loss of 71 men and 1 gun. Myitkyina was attacked first by 8 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E and then by 45 B-25J, 36 B-24D, 26 B-17E and 15 Blenheim IV from Imphal escorted by 21 P-40B and 20 P-40N that scored 21 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 119 on runways and disabled 165 men and 5 guns. One of the units holding the city, the 33rd Div, was attacked by 9 Beaufighter VIC from Ledo escorted by 3 P-40E that hit 9 men and 1 tank while 120 miles more west the 31st Div was bombed by 38 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb and lost 51 men and 2 guns.
Japanese recon identified the 25th Indian Division north of Myitkyina. Among the Allied units here, three divisions had been identified and the total number of Allied troops had not been determined, while the 11 units coming on the trail from Kohima have only 62 000 men and only a HQ had been identified here. The Japanese command started to wonder if this group was not a diversion. The only AC “supporting it”, ie attacking troops in the area, were short-ranged Hurricane and Spitfire, while all aircraft able to reach Myitkyina attacked it. So it was judged fairly possible that the Kohima group will never advance to the railway until all Japanese troops had left or had been chased after Myitkyina fell. But a confirmation was needed. Recon aircraft were ordered to concentrate on this area, while the 9 Oscar II from Taung Gyi will fly ground attack on these troops.
The evening report gave the airfield status as: Taung Gyi 47/0 (system/runway), Mandalay 88/81, Lashio 58/44, Myitkyina 92/58, other bases undamaged. In the evening 22 A6M3a left Rangoon for Pagan. They will LRCAP the 31st Div group 120 miles N of Mandalay tomorrow.
China
A new IJAAF training class graduated in Wuhan and left for Rangoon with 36 Oscar II. One crashed on the way with the loss of its pilot.