Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Xenocide]

If I remember the Japanese had a letter-writing program similar to the Dear Abbey one in America where letters were written by students to random servicemen. Cynically, it's a program to keep morale up. I prefer to call it kindness.

[Cuttlefish]

August 17, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 4
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 442

Orders: Hold position and wait.

[Cuttlefish]

August 18, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 4
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 411

Orders: Hold position and wait.

[Cuttlefish]

August 19, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 380

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

Chief Engineer Sakati is in the starboard engine room. The stocky engineering officer is listening to the rumble of the starboard engine as the Hibiki idles along at 18 knots. To Sakati the sound the engines make is as full of nuances and clues as a symphony is to a student of classical music. Right now Sakati is hearing a faint vibration in the engine noise that was not there the day before.

It is nothing serious, he knows. By the sound of it one of the shafts is just slightly out of alignment. These things happen after enough miles at sea, and it is the sort of thing that is easily fixed when the ship is in port. Not that it seems as though the ship is likely to see port any time soon, the engineer grumbles to himself.

Sakati does not care a great deal about grand strategy. He cares about his engines. If the Hibiki is to steam in circles for weeks on end there is no doubt a good reason for it, but such activity is very hard on a ship’s machinery. Ah well, he thinks, there is nothing to do but keep the equipment in as good a shape as possible so that full power it is there when called upon. A destroyer lives or dies on its speed, after all, not its armor.

The engineer also wishes that if they had to linger somewhere it was someplace cooler. It is brutally hot in the boiler and engine rooms. Sakati has issued orders that his men spend no more than an hour below decks before going above for some fresh air. The men have limits just like the engines, and he wants to make sure they are also ready for action whenever it should occur.

[Cuttlefish]

August 20, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 348

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

Taiki has settled into his new duties fairly well so far. He has had happy reunions with his old friends, with things being only slightly awkward as everyone adjusts to his new status. At the moment, however, it those new duties that are concerning him. There are things he felt free to ignore previously that he feels he must now act upon.

After wrestling with his conscience for a bit he seeks out Riku and succeeds in catching him alone. Riku sees him coming and after only a second’s hesitation braces to attention.

“Petty Officer Takahashi, sir, how may I help you?” he says. Taiki clears his throat and pauses for a moment. He has not looked forward to this.

“Seaman Ariga,” he says, “I need some answers from you.” Without further comment he draws out a copy he has made of the letter he saw from Riku to one Milo Minderbinder in Auckland. As it is in English Taiki has no idea what it says, but he does not think it can be anything good.

Riku looks curious as he opens and reads the letter. Taiki watches him carefully, and sees his friend wince as he sees what is written. Riku slowly lowers the letter.

“I do not know what it says,” says Taiki, “but I wish you would tell me. I wanted to talk to you about it privately before I take this to Lieutenant Miharu.” Riku remains silent, looking down. His face is unreadable. “You…you aren’t spying, are you?” asks Taiki.

At this Riku looks up in surprise and then suddenly starts to laugh. Taiki hisses in annoyance.

“Seaman Ariga!” he snaps. “Give me your report!” Taiki stops laughing with an effort and pulls himself to attention again. He begins to speak, slowly at first but with increasing speed, as if it is a relief to be finally talking about it. He tells Taiki the entire story, leaving out nothing.

[Procrustes]

Good stuff!!!

[Cuttlefish]

August 21, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 317

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

Mail, while welcomed by all aboard the Hibiki, was not the only or even the most important thing Hiyo brought to the task force. The carrier also carried large stocks of water and food. Hibiki’s nearly dry water tanks are replenished. Because it is not known when the destroyer will next see port, however, Captain Ishii extends the ban on using water for anything other than essential purposes. Non-essential purposes include bathing, among other things. The below deck areas of the destroyer acquire a distinct aroma in the equatorial heat, an aroma that fortunately most of the crew becomes accustomed to.

Food is another matter. Hibiki is better off than some of the other destroyers in the task force, largely thanks to Riku’s connections. Acting as the ship’s purchasing agent he was able to acquire more and better food than the standard fare, and as a result his status among the crew has risen as the cruise is extended. Nonetheless the relatively fresh fare doled out by the Hiyo is quite welcome.

The islands of Espirtu Santo and New Caledonia, with their lush plantations and farms, are only a day’s travel away. Yet the luxuries they possess might as well be in China for all the good they are currently doing the crew of the Hibiki. Sometimes when the wind is right the men aboard the destroyer almost think they can smell the tropical orchards there. But then the wind shifts, and once again the only smell is stack gas.

[Cuttlefish]

August 22, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 286

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

From the diary of Petty Officer Third Class Taiki Takahashi:

I really have no idea what to do now. Riku is a smuggler! I have enough information to have a dozen men arrested, many of them officers. The scoundrel told me everything and then just left it up to me to decide what to do about it. He seems strangely calm about it all. I don’t know if that is because he is resigned to his fate, because he trusts me, or what the reason is.

It is obviously my duty to report this. Trafficking with the enemy is a serious offense. Making a profit in a war where thousands are fighting and dying seems very wrong. Perhaps there are those who would say this is an ancient tradition, but I somehow do not think I could explain that to my father if I had to stand before him and justify my actions were I to do nothing.

And yet if I say even one word Riku is finished. Arrested and imprisoned, perhaps tortured if he will not give up the names of all his contacts. All of his dreams dust. Even if Shun were to fall off the face of the earth it is unthinkable that a woman like Nanami would ever have anything to do with a convicted criminal.

This is going to require some thought.

[Cuttlefish]

August 23, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 254

Orders: Hold position and wait.

[Cuttlefish]

August 24, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 222

Orders: Hold position and wait.

[Cuttlefish]

August 25, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 191

Orders: Hold position and wait.

---

In the dispensary aboard the Hibiki:

Lieutenant JG Nakagawa removes the splints from Lieutenant Sugiyura’s fingers. The ship’s chief torpedo officer holds up his hand and experimentally flexes them.

“How do they feel?” asks Nakagawa.

“Not bad,” answers Sugiyura. “They are a little stiff, though.”

“That will work itself out soon enough,” says the medic. “Here, take this.” He hands Sugiyura a tightly wrapped ball of cloth bandages. “Squeeze this when you have the chance. Apply pressure slowly, then release. That will build strength and flexibility back into the hand.”

“Thank you very much,” says Sugiyura. “Have you any other advice for me?” Nakagawa grins. By tradition he does not have to acknowledge rank while treating patients.

“Yes,” he says. “Work on your technique before striking someone again, Sugiyura.”

[kaleun]

Anxiously waits...

[Barb]

I think ships were equiped with some kind of water destilation equipment. Maybe the larger ships ones only?

[kaleun]

IIRC submarines had an effective distillation equipment, since they needed distilled water for the batteries. Also larger ships had it too, but the emount of fresh water obtained was limited.

[princep01]

War is waiting, interrupted occasionally by stark terror.  Apparently, this is the waiting part.
 
 

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: kaleun

IIRC submarines had an effective distillation equipment, since they needed distilled water for the batteries. Also larger ships had it too, but the emount of fresh water obtained was limited.

They need distilled water for the boilers, iirc. So, this could use up most of the distilled stuff, and ships always had a relatively limited supply of drinking water. Ships did carry drinking water tanks filled at port - including subs. There were some outbreaks of disease that happened when the tanks got contaminated.

[kaleun]

Ships did carry drinking water tanks filled at port - including subs. There were some outbreaks of disease that happened when the tanks got contaminated.

And, how would that be different from cruise ships?[;)]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: kaleun

Ships did carry drinking water tanks filled at port - including subs. There were some outbreaks of disease that happened when the tanks got contaminated.

And, how would that be different from cruise ships?[;)]

Usually put the hurt on an entire crew of young, otherwise healthy young men (as opposed to the typical cruise ship bunch of older folk). Usually a lot more virulent bugs involved. Otherwise similar... [;)]

[kaleun]

[8|]I wonder if Cuttlefish will incorporate the cruise ship diarrhea (diarrhoea for the Brits) concept in the AAR.....

[Capt. Harlock]

August 25, 1942

Location: 100 miles west of Reef Island
Course: Holding position
Attached to: TF 79
Mission: Air combat
System Damage: 6
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 191

Orders: Hold position and wait.

It's beginning to look as though the Americans have their own spies -- or possibly a deciphering of a coded message. Any "radio intercepts" from Wake?