From here to...well...it SEEMS like an eternity

[Cap Mandrake]

I WWII(b)...this seems perfectly reasonable. No hype whatsoever.

[Cap Mandrake]

With the Jap carriers recently tasked with covering the Pago pago operation, 100+ Jap ships at Noumea and transports in the pipeline are an attractive target.

Unfortunately, Noumea proves to be an R&R station for elite Betty bomber crews. Given the size of the Jap strike, it could have been worse. 10 torpedoes hit their mark out of 47 Bettys. San Francisco goes down, but the other cruisers are in remarkably good shape and Saratoga gets an inkling of trouble ahead and decides to turn tail. Jap carriers are seen the same day transiting the Louisiades (by some kooky birdwatcher) to the east and moving west from Fiji.

[HMS Resolution]

It seems like the Allies are being pretty heavily hit. Do you have any plans for turning things around?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

It seems like the Allies are being pretty heavily hit. Do you have any plans for turning things around?

You are being too kind. [:)]
I'm pulling for Enrico and J. Robert [:)]

Seriously though, we lost 2 carriers on the 3rd day of the war. This enabled a very aggressive Jap schedule in the South Pacific. Hawaii was on it's own for a month at least. They have us 3 to 1 on points. Despite this, all is not lost. One Jap fleet carrier is sunk. The Pago Pago fight diverted 6 1/2 Jap divisions and all his fleet carriers. He lost a confirmed 30 AK's and AP's at Pago Pago. His total confirmed AP losses are 100 and 70 AK's. At least another 20-30 are wrecked. This has to be putting a dent in his sealift capacity. It now appears all 5 of his fleet carriers, 2 CVL's and Junyo are in the South Pacific. Noumea has nearly 100 ships.

Possbile future Jap targets for this concentration of forces are Palmyra and Johnston..or even Hawaii. More likely, however, is New Zealand and the 1750 pts for Auckland. Eastern Oz is possible, but unlikley owing to the excellent Australian Divisions and our ability to shuttle forces by rail. We are endeavoring to get US planes and ground forces to the SWPac. We considered a rescue mission for Pago Pago, but declined rather than lose the war.

Something is up on Timor. There are 34 Jap units at Koepang.[X(] That suggests a Jap attack on Northern Oz or Perth. We will try to stop this with Beauforts and Hurricanes. [8|]

[Cap Mandrake]

*************PM's Briefing, Canberra, May 28, 1942***************

Curtin: Gen. Blamey, can you explain to me how Japanese carriers are able to approach Perth with so little warning?

Blamey:Yes sir. Quite simply, we have no naval search capacity between Perth and Broome.

Curtin:That seems rather an oversight to me, General.

Blamey: I agree with you sir, but it comes down to green dots.

Curtin: Green dots?

Blamey: Yes sir. In order to construct a seaplane base or airfield, there needs to be a green dot on the map. There are none between Broome and Perth.

Curtin: Why don't we get a new map?

Blamey: Yes sir, we have debated a map mod, but, I am afraid that would be very dangerous.

Curtin: How so?

Blamey: Well sir, if we install new green dots, we will have a greater need for shore batteries and garisons. It seems, under the Naval Treaty of 1922, invasions are only allowed on green dot hexes.

Curtin: Hexes?

Blamey: Ah, yes. Imagine a matrix a hexagons.......

[rtrapasso]

[:D] [:D] [:D]

[BrucePowers]

ORIGINAL: AU Tiger

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"Yesterday, he shot his brother in the buttocks with the pellet gun. They were playing Manassas."

Obviously, his brother was playing the boys in blue...

Bull Run is the Yankeefied name for the heroic victory(s) at Manassas by Southern arms.

Yankeefied[X(] I think I resemble that remark[:D]

[AU Tiger_MatrixForum]

ORIGINAL: BrucePowers

ORIGINAL: AU Tiger

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

"Yesterday, he shot his brother in the buttocks with the pellet gun. They were playing Manassas."

Obviously, his brother was playing the boys in blue...

Bull Run is the Yankeefied name for the heroic victory(s) at Manassas by Southern arms.

Yankeefied[X(] I think I resemble that remark[:D]

I don't know if I would go around admitting that if I were you.[;)]

Do you know what the difference between a Yankee and a Damnyankee is?

A Yankee is someone from the north who comes down South. A Damnyankee is someone from the North who comes down South, and stays.[:-]

[bradfordkay]

Like half the population of Atlanta...[:(]

[HMS Resolution]

Nonsense. A Yankee is someone who eats pie for breakfast.

[Cap Mandrake]

***********Office of the Foreign Secretary, Whitehall, London, May 22, 1942********


Sec. Eden: Oglethrope, I need you to make nice with the Grand Poobah of the Maldives. If memory serves me correctly he is a Sultan of some sort. Adm. Phillips wants to put a seaplane base and airfield on Addu Atoll to keep the Japs out of the Arabian Sea. Give him some cheap baubles or something and promise him the protection of the Royal Navy. You might intimate about the possibility of a Jap invasion. That should get his attention. Be a good Undersecretary and take care of that for me, would you?

[HMS Resolution]

So Admiral Somerville has not taken command of the Eastern Fleet yet?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

So Admiral Somerville has not taken command of the Eastern Fleet yet?

Not yet. I haven't found anything about him to make fun of yet [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

***************Aboard HMAS Nizam, Arabain Sea, May 28, 1942**************

Captain Whistler took one more look at his navigation chart. He rechecked his navigational calculations. He shook his head in disbelief. There was no way around it. Despite his initial incredulity, the Maldives were simply gone. No reefs, no islands, not even some flotsam. He rang the radio room.

"This is the Captain speaking. Send this....The Maldive Islands are gone...stop...Returning to Colombo with diplomatic personnel ..end

[HMS Resolution]

Well, Somerville was noted for having a swearing problem...

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: HMS Resolution

Well, Somerville was noted for having a swearing problem...

You mean he had a potty mouth or he didn't like others swearing? The writers are working on it now.

Meantime, the pace of the Jap advance is beginning to undermine confidence at home. The war has been on for 6 months and the Allies are winning yet [:@]

[HMS Resolution]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

You mean he had a potty mouth or he didn't like others swearing? The writers are working on it now.

Known for being a bit of a cusser.

[Cap Mandrake]

************Briefing Room, 12th K.Lu. ground support Bn., Perth, May 25, 1942*******

Warrant Officer Brannon, RAAF, leads a lecture on aircraft engine maintainence for the replacement Dutch airmen. Sure, they are green, but he is confident hsi years of experience will serve them well.

Warrant Officer Brannon:...OK <holds up a box wrench> What is this called in Australia?

Class: SPAHHHNER

Warrant Officer Brannon:Excellent! And the Americans. What do they call it?

Class: CHHHWRENCH

Warrant Officer Brannon: Excellent! Now, many beginner mechanics find themselves wondering which way to turn a nut. After all, it wont say on the nut. YOU have to know. I want you to repeat after me. RIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Class: Chhrighty tighty....lefty...left loosey

Warrant Officer Brannon: Good! Again! RIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Class:CHHRIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Warrant Officer Brannon: Good! Again! RIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Class:CHHRIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Warrant Officer Brannon: GREAT! AGAIN!

Class:CHHRIGHTY TIGHTY...LEFTY LOOSEY

Warrant Officer Brannon: EXCELLENT! Now you...Private Van Skyke, is it? Which way do I turn a nut to tighten it?

Pvt. Van Skyke: Yes sir! Ummmmm.....ummmm...up sir?

Warrant Officer Brannon:<mumbles to himself> Oh dear God. <now to the group> We have work to do. <looks towad ceiling and raises voice> PLEASE GOD, IF THE JAPS COME, LET IT BE IN QUEENSLAND!

Class:<class looks toward ceiling. they recite with hesitancy> Please God..if the Japs come...let it be in Queensland.

Warrant Officer Brannon: NO, NO, NO!

Class: NO, NO, NO!

Warrant Officer Brannon: NO, STOP!

Class: NO, STOP!

Warrant Officer Brannon: NO! <Waves hands then puts hand over mouth of nearest student> The repeating is over. Are we clear?
Right, let's try reviewing tire inflation pressure regulations, then. <someting catches his attention among the students>......Van Skyke, please tell me those aren't bathing trunks you are wearing....



Cool website on what happened to the NEI Air Force evacuees from Java

http://home.st.net.au/~dunn/nei-af.htm

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[Cap Mandrake]

..