DD 409 Sims - Destiny of a Destroyer in WW2

[Barb]

I have some ideas how to pepper this AAR a little bit, but I dont know what you will like )

a) continue like now, with scraps from diaries, rememberances, newspapers, ... from other random unit/places
b) or focus on one pilot (but i dont like this much, as im not expecting a long-live career in this early year...
c) write about some brothers serving in infantry, airforce, or another ships and focus on them more through letters
d) one of the SIMS crew may have a friend in 100Inf.btn(naturalised japanese - my favourite US army unit) in the european theathre posting some letters about news in europe (historcal)

please tell me what do you like and i will write about

kane:
events like engine breakdown is written in earlier (look at Ship Logbook 22/1/1942 - honolulu returning to pearl due to 9 sys dmg),
lack of supplies appeared in PH earlier than Sims arrived

[Kane]

I see.. but that events was an example. Maybe there is a thief aboard or an Spy, even a fight between two or more sailors. Ther are too many events that could happen in a ship, if you take that and develop the histories you can make a good plot including too many people... It was only an idea
 
If you need more examples I can help you (I often play Rolegames) by Private Messages..
 
Oh.. and I select your option B.

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 1/3/1942
Position: 120 miles S of Apamama Atol
Heading/speed: 285deg/25kts
Weather: Clear
Fuel: 362
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

1104 - Plane spotted, Starboard 025deg, range 20,000
1107 - Plane identified as "Mavis"
1113 - CAP drived away enemy scout
1120 - Message from Yorktown: Heading change to 335 deg, maintain speed. Have one's eyes about one.

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 2/3/1942
Position: 120 miles E of Tarawa Atol
Heading/speed: 000deg/15kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 334
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Lt.Sanders diary:
From the early morning, many things starting to happen. Yorktown and Enterprise sailing in distance of 20 miles, each with its own escort, send their CAPs first, then recon planes from VS-5 and VS-6 were sent to scout surrounding waters. Soon enemy flying boats from Kwajalein began to slink around the fleet, but CAP drive them away early.
After our Dauntlesses returned from their scout mission carriers begun to prepare for attack against ground instalations at Apemama. At 1432 bows of Enterprise and Yorktown were heading against the wind and first dive bombers leaved the decks. They formed quickly and head to Apemama.
After an hour and half our lookouts spotted our returning flyboys. One of the dive bombers have one wheel down and drawn slight tail of smoke on the sky. All of us on the bridge were praying the god for lucky landing. But our vows were not heared up there. The plane ended in the water three miles astern. Capitain Reich quickly ordered 180degree turn and we rushed for the crew. Wreck of the plane sink quickly leaving only one men on the surface. We stopped just few yards of him and he quickly swim to us and climb up on the deck. Our doctor dressed his feather arm and we send him in the cage to Yorktown.
Later that day another enemy flying boat was feed us, but nothing else happened. Two beds in Yorktowns pilots quarters will be empty tonight...

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 3/3/1942
Position: 120 miles NE of Nuru island
Heading/speed: 265deg/15kts
Weather: Thunderstorms
Fuel: 290
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Ship Logbook 4/3/1942
Position: 120 miles NE of Namur island
Heading/speed: 165deg/15kts
Weather: Thunderstorms
Fuel: 271
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Honolulu Advertiser 4/3/1942
Japanese cruiser sunk in Sulu strait
Huge detonation was heard as one of japanese heavy cruiser, Kako, blown up after struugle occured in night hours march 7th. Four US torpedo boats which have seen withdraval from philipines and have been in combat almost instantly without any chance to repair deployed from batavia harbour under in the evening to patrol nearby waters surprisingly met enemy task force of three carriers, four cruiser and approximately 8 destroyers. First both sides were surprised, but Japanese quickly gained advantage, illuminated one PT boat and shells begin to crush small ship. Other three US torpedo boats managed to cover in the darknes and fire their torpedoes. Only one of them impacted enemy cruiser in the bow causing some minor fires and flooding.
Then second of the torpedo boats was illuminated and soon had been sunk by almost 100 of enemy shells. Both hited torpedo boats sinked quickly letting alive only 3 of 45 mens aboard. Other two boats hurriedly abandoned the battle scene.
They were almost back in the Batavia harbor when huge explosion illuminated the sky and was heared some 50 miles away as the ammo storages under Kakos forward main battery turrets exploded...

[rogueusmc]

ROCK AND ROLLL!! I love those PTs...[8D]

Lee

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 5/3/1942
Position: 120 miles NE of Nauru island
Heading/speed: 85deg/22kts
Weather: Rain
Fuel: 259
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Lt.Sanders diary:
Today, our carriers launch another strike against Gilberts in spite of the weather, claiming many ground installations destroyed and damaged. One Dauntless was lost due AA fire, another one landed with one landing geer out and gunner wounded. Our recon aircraft reported no signs of enemy shipping in the area...

Same time, another place:
After Action Report ,3/3/1942, A-III-Ld-AA battalion:
We are in our positions instantly for 72 hours yet as the japanese landed in Merak and their bombers are visiting us daily. I want to highlight courage of cpt. Alex der Saar and his AA-gun crew. They were on most exposed position, on the high ground NE of Batavia bay with 40mm Bofors Gun.
Today, in morning hours enemy planes were bombing Batavia Airfield (24 bombers and 14 fighters observed). Flight of enemy fighters spotted position od cpt. der Saars gun and made several starfing runs. Cpt. der Saar and his crew were firing constantly despite enemy fire, damaging one of the starfing fighters before his position was directly hit. For his courage I propose him and his crew to Kruis van Verdienste (Cross of Merit) posthumously...

Ammo expended: 246x 40mm, 1320x12,7mm, 34x76mm
Casualities: 8x soldiers, 1x low-rank officier, 1x 40mm Bofors AA gun
Claims: 1x bomber destroyed, 2x damaged, 1x fighter damaged

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 6/3/1942
Position: 120 miles NE of Tarawa atol
Heading/speed: 80deg/22kts
Weather: Rain
Fuel: 247
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Honolulu Advertiser 6/3/1942
Bataan surendered, 30,000 allied soldiers captured
After long fight against enemy superiority, allied troops in the Bataan peninsula surendered yesterday morning at 6:30. Lt. General Masaharu Homma says this is a great victory that will shine up the japanese sword. Three months long campaign in philipines is close to the end. Only Manila garrison is still fighting in the Luzon with some 25,000 men. But they are ill, without ammunition, medicaments and evacuating option. It is only matter of time that japan will have in their hands all Philipines, Malaya, Bhurma, and Dutch East Indies....


"This picture, captured from the Japanese, shows American prisoners using improvised litters to carry those of their comrades who, from the lack of food or water on the march from Bataan, fell along the road." Philippines, May 1942.

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 7/3/1942
Position: 120 miles N of Baker Isl.
Heading/speed: 42deg/22kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 217
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Ship Logbook 8/3/1942
Position: 480 miles N of Baker Isl.
Heading/speed: 40deg/22kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 188
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Lt.Com.Reich: Not very succesfull action this time, but I have heard some rumors..
Lt.Sanders: What rumors, sir?
Lt.Com.Reich: We are goig to Pearl for some smaller overhaul, and a reorganization of carrier task forces is in the progress.
Lt.Sanders: What kind of reorganization, sir?
Lt.Com.Reich: This is the first time the command will use carriers not separated each in his own task force, but will try to use them paired.
Lt.Sanders: This may add more strike power togeter...
Lt.Com.Reich: Yes, two carriers are more then single one, but ...
Lt.Sanders: What "But" are you thinking about, sir?
Lt.Com.Reich: Are our fly boys and airops coordinators skilled enough to perform operations from more then one carrier?
Lt.Sanders: Only future will show it ...

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 9/3/1942
Position: 540 miles NW of Palmyra Isl.
Heading/speed: 40deg/22kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 165
Damage sys/flt/fire: 2/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Ship Logbook 10/3/1942
Position: 360 miles NW of Palmyra Isl.
Heading/speed: 40deg/22kts
Weather: Overcast
Fuel: 141
Damage sys/flt/fire: 2/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Honolulu Advertiser 9/3/1942
12 Nipps aircraft downed in one day without single loss
Tomorow, Japanese launched an air strike against Akyab base. 10 Bettys covered by 10 Oscars and 7 Zeros were taken by surprise by 24 P-40Es of US 24 Fighter group. Dogfight begun and lines begin to cross the sky as one after another Japanese planes were going down in flames. As much as 7 Oscars, 1 Zero and 4 Bettys were shoted down. All P-40Es managed to land with only two of them lightly damaged. 24FG with 54 kills is the second best Fighter unit, were well-earned awarded by Presidential Unit Citation today. Pilots F/O R.Lindsay, 1Lt C.P.Gies, 1Lt R.T.Hanson, 1Lt J.H.Moore and 1Lt S.Peck are credited with 4 kills each in this time...

[Barb]

Ship Logbook 11/3/1942
Position: 540 miles N of Palmyra Isl.
Heading/speed: 40deg/15kts
Weather: Rain
Fuel: 118
Damage sys/flt/fire: 2/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Pearl Harbor

Ship Logbook 12/3/1942
Position: 240 miles SW of Pearl Harbor
Heading/speed: 47deg/15kts
Weather: Clear
Fuel: 91
Damage sys/flt/fire: 2/0/0
Orders: Escort Yorktown to Gilbert islands

Ship Logbook 13/3/1942
Position: at drydock, Pearl Harbor
Heading/speed: 0deg/0kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 459
Damage sys/flt/fire: 2/0/0
Orders: minor overhaul

Ship Logbook 14/3/1942
Position: at drydock, Pearl Harbor
Heading/speed: 0deg/0kts
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Fuel: 459
Damage sys/flt/fire: 1/0/0
Orders: minor overhaul

Honolulu Advertiser 13/3/1942
Last allied stance at Luzon fell
Another 22,000 allied soldiers were captured by japanese today in the Manila City as last organized resistance ended after Hart send a white flag to Japanese general Homma. There are two more Philipines divisions on the small islands but it is only a matter of time they will be secured by japan...

Tjilitjap, Java, surendered
Units of two japanese divisions entered Tjilitjap today after three days battle on the approaches of the city. Any of the allied units do not escaped. Now, Soerebaja is the last stronghold in Malaya, Dutch East Indies and philipines region. Eastern zone of prosperity declared by Empire of Japan is becoming to be achieved...

Balikpapan, Borneo, Oil fields are burning
Big wisp of smoke covered sky as allied soldiers set fires at Balikpapan oil fields to deny Japanese war machinery to acess them immediately...

[Barb]

I dont know if to continue with Sims, as Im starting a pbem game in BigB mod.
I will try to write new AAR based on that PBEM game (Im ally) so i will think it up a little better then Sims as now i know that it is not as simple as it seems to write something good...
whats your oppinion?

[rogueusmc]

Just came back to read some more...

For what it's worth, I like the narative AARs the best.

Lee

[Barb]

Im starting my new AAR today. I have it written on paper already.
War and Rememberance by barb. i hope you will enjoy it[;)]