Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Terminus]

"Krakatoa, North of Java", eh? Well, the eruption was very powerful...[:D]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

"Krakatoa, North of Java", eh? Well, the eruption was very powerful...[:D]

Well, that would be off by only 90 degrees as opposed to ... "Krakatoa East of Java" - (180 degrees off) [:D]

[mdiehl]

Author’s note: this could have been even more interesting. I found a C. Grant in command of one of my patrol craft. My theory is that Cary Grant was in the Dutch East Indies doing location filming for the never-completed film “Krakatoa, North of Java” when war broke out and that he was captured and subsequently brainwashed by the Japanese, then placed in command of a minor warship as a propaganda ploy.

That has some plot potential. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. wound up as a Naval Reserve officer on a USN warship in the Med during the invasion of Sicily and eventually rose to LtCdr. So I can see a version of reality where, after doing something notable in the Med, he gets promoted to command of a USN Destroyer Escort, and winds up sinking a Japanese PG commanded by the alt-universe turncoat Carey Grant.

[Capt. Harlock]

The only problem is that the enemy carriers seem to have disappeared. It is uncomfortable to be trying to spring an ambush when for all you know your proposed quarry is stalking you instead.

VERY interesting. Is the base on Wolei already capable of defending itself? If not, maybe the Americans have already got wind of the Japanese trap. It's highly unusual to bug out so soon after an invasion -- okay, they did it at Guadalcanal, and that was because of a very successful IJN raid.

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: mdiehl

Author’s note: this could have been even more interesting. I found a C. Grant in command of one of my patrol craft. My theory is that Cary Grant was in the Dutch East Indies doing location filming for the never-completed film “Krakatoa, North of Java” when war broke out and that he was captured and subsequently brainwashed by the Japanese, then placed in command of a minor warship as a propaganda ploy.

That has some plot potential. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. wound up as a Naval Reserve officer on a USN warship in the Med during the invasion of Sicily and eventually rose to LtCdr. So I can see a version of reality where, after doing something notable in the Med, he gets promoted to command of a USN Destroyer Escort, and winds up sinking a Japanese PG commanded by the alt-universe turncoat Carey Grant.

Now that would be interesting. I think the swashbuckling Fairbanks would have an edge over the suave Grant.

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

The only problem is that the enemy carriers seem to have disappeared. It is uncomfortable to be trying to spring an ambush when for all you know your proposed quarry is stalking you instead.

VERY interesting. Is the base on Wolei already capable of defending itself? If not, maybe the Americans have already got wind of the Japanese trap. It's highly unusual to bug out so soon after an invasion -- okay, they did it at Guadalcanal, and that was because of a very successful IJN raid.

You have cut to the heart of the matter. I am not saying anything either way, but the question you pose will occupy a lot of our attention in the near future.

[Cuttlefish]

February 25, 1944

Location: 240 miles west of Guam
Course: West
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 354

Orders: See below

---

Across the Central Pacific half a dozen Japanese task forces mark time, waiting to spring their trap. The Americans and their British friends have become arrogant and complacent in their new-found power, and it is time to teach them that the Imperial Japanese Navy still has teeth. Sharp teeth.

The only problem is that enemy ships seem to have disappeared from the region. Where are they, and what are they up to? Further carrier attacks against Japanese bases in the Carolines and the Marianas have been expected, but so far the enemy does not seem to be following the script prepared for them.

---

Warrant Flying Officer Toshio Ohta pilots his Type 0 small reconnaissance seaplane across the Solomon Sea. He is on the northern leg of his morning search pattern; his home base, submarine I-21, is already some 50 miles behind him. Behind him his observer, Petty Officer Fujita, is humming a popular tune as he looks out over the ocean.

Ohta does not blame him. The freedom of the skies they are currently enjoying is a sharp contrast to the cramped, stinking interior of the submarine. Ohta lives for the few hours a day he gets to spend in the air.

Ahead a squall casts a dark, rain-streaked shadow on the ocean below. Ohta steers around it. The sea beyond sparkles with sunlight. It is also covered with long gray shapes.

Fujita cries out in surprise. Ohta himself is too stunned to speak. Never has he beheld such a fleet. The ships seem to stretch from horizon to horizon. There are battleships, carriers, innumerable smaller ships, and the dark dots of airplanes cruising above it all. The ships are all moving in the same direction, to the southeast.

“Count them, Fujita!” Ohta says, finding his voice. “How many carriers are there?”

Suddenly his airplane shudders violently. A dark shape roars close by overhead. American F6F fighters! Ohta hurls his small, frail plane into a turn.

“Broadcast the sighting, Fujita!” says Ohta. “Quickly, we may not get another chance!” There is no response. Ohta takes a quick look back and sees that the canopy of the observer’s compartment is starred and splashed with blood. Fujita is collapsed in a shattered, motionless heap.

Ohta swears and pushes his plane to full speed, a pathetic 125 knots at this altitude. He makes for the nearby squall, jinking his plane to make it a more difficult target. The enemy fighter comes around and roars in from behind. Tracers zip past Ohta and his plane. Bullets tear through the fabric-covered left wing. Miraculously they do not hit any of the support struts but tracers set the wing on fire.

The plane’s Hitachi engine screeches in protest but Ohta reaches the squall before the enemy can make another pass. Ignoring the air currents buffeting his damaged plane Ohta broadcasts a terse report of what he has just seen, then repeats it. He glances at the wing. The flames are spreading, there is not much time. He set the controls and climbs back into the observer’s compartment, where he snags the camera and stuffs it quickly into a waterproof bag just in case Fujita had the presence of mind to take any pictures before he was killed.

“Farewell, Fujita,” Ohta tells him sadly. He ties the bag to his belt and then he checks his parachute and pushes back the canopy.

The battered seaplane emerges suddenly into the sunlight on the far side of the squall. Off to the left two F6F fighters are lurking. Ohta does not wait for them. He bails out, falling towards the blue ocean far below.

He counts as he has been taught, then pulls the cord. To his immense relief he suddenly feels yanked upwards as the chute deploys. He looks up and can see his little plane slanting away, trailing smoke, with the two enemy fighters in pursuit. He looks down at the approaching ocean and wonders if his submarine will be able to find him. He hopes the sharks aren’t hungry.

On the whole, Warrant Flying Officer Ohta reflects, he really has had better days.

[kaleun]

Wow. You had me on the edge of my seat there Cuttlefish.

[Onime No Kyo]

If anyone caught wind of the Kapitän's dissatisfaction with the Fuhrer he would probably find himself somewhere in Kourland. [:)]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: mdiehl

Author’s note: this could have been even more interesting. I found a C. Grant in command of one of my patrol craft. My theory is that Cary Grant was in the Dutch East Indies doing location filming for the never-completed film “Krakatoa, North of Java” when war broke out and that he was captured and subsequently brainwashed by the Japanese, then placed in command of a minor warship as a propaganda ploy.

That has some plot potential. Douglas Fairbanks Jr. wound up as a Naval Reserve officer on a USN warship in the Med during the invasion of Sicily and eventually rose to LtCdr. So I can see a version of reality where, after doing something notable in the Med, he gets promoted to command of a USN Destroyer Escort, and winds up sinking a Japanese PG commanded by the alt-universe turncoat Carey Grant.

Kapitän

That sounds a bit more involved than a fist fight at the Brown Derby. [:D]

[Onime No Kyo]

On the whole, Mr. Ohta strikes me as an optimist. [:D]

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

On the whole, Warrant Flying Officer Ohta reflects, he really has had better days.

Better days, perhaps, but that's probably the most significant day of his life.

So that's where the US CV's disappeared to. Ah, those inscrutable Americans![;)]

[Cuttlefish]

February 26, 1944

Location: 55 miles west of Saipan
Course: East
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 321

Orders: See below

---

“So now we are returning to Saipan,” Taiki observes to no one in particular. “I wonder why?”

“I know as much about that as I do about why we came out here in the first place, Petty Officer,” Shiro says. They are in the forward 25mm gun tub.

“Which is to say, nothing,” Taiki says with a smile.

“Exactly,” says Shiro.

“At least we are no more ignorant than we were before.”

“But no wiser.”

“The Imperial Navy does not require us to be wise,” says Taiki, “just competent and brave. Wisdom is for philosophers.”

“And admirals,” adds Shiro.

“So we hope,” says Taiki.

[Cuttlefish]

February 27, 1944

Location: Saipan
Course: None
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: See below

---

“The enemy carriers and battleships have been spotted withdrawing into the Coral Sea,” Ishii tells his officers. “I don’t know what the Imperial Navy’s plan is, but we are not returning to Japan. I suspect we will be back at sea in the next day or so. The crew may be granted brief leaves ashore, but keep the ship ready to sail on an hour’s notice.”

“Do we have any idea what the enemy is up to?” asks Lieutenant Sugiyura.

Captain Ishii spreads his hands across the wardroom table. “I do not have a clue,” says Ishii. “Perhaps Admiral Yamamoto does. It is his problem, not ours. But I think they may have given us an opening at Woleai. Even the Americans cannot have turned that miserable little atoll into a well defended base yet. I want everyone study the charts we have of the area, because I suspect we will be paying a visit there soon.”

“It really is too bad the enemy carriers left,” says Sugiyura wistfully.

Lieutenant Kuwaki chuckles. “Personally, I am not so fond of getting a nose-on view of enemy dive bombers,” he says dryly. “Maybe the enemy has left some cruisers or something behind for us to fight instead.” Sugiyura brightens.

“Ah, that way we can get a nose-on look at some 8” shells instead,” says Chief Engineer Sakati.

“The Americans and British have a saying,” says Lieutenant Miharu. “It goes something like ‘those who give gifts have more blessings than those who receive them’. Perhaps we should resolve to bring the enemy our gifts but take nothing from them in return.”

“A housewarming gift,” says Lieutenant Sugiyua. “I like that. What better way to say ‘welcome to Woleai’ than with lots of ordnance?”

[Terminus]

Oooh, hubris...[X(]

[princep01]

The warrior essence that is Lt. Sugiyura cannot be stilled. His courage is undaunted, if a bit misdirected at times, but does not translate as false bravado in any sense.  Quite believable.   A nice bit of writing there, Mr. Cuttlefish. 

[Cuttlefish]

February 28, 1944

Location: Saipan
Course: None
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 472

Orders: Prepare to sortie

---

Hibiki is anchored off Saipan. Yoshitake and Shoji are at the bow working on the capstan motor there when a flight of six fighters roars by a few hundred feet overhead, climbing and heading out to sea on patrol. The two sailors stop working for a moment to watch them.

“What kind of planes are those?” Yoshitake asks. “I have not seen those before.”

Shoji shakes his head. “I do not know,” he admits. “Those are not Model 52’s. The markings are navy markings, though.” He breaks off at a slight shushing motion from Yoshitake and looks around. Chief Shun is coming around the 5” turret and walking towards them. The two men stand and come to attention.

“Those are good looking planes, are they not?” Shun asks pleasantly as he draws near. Both sailors agree. Shun regards them for a moment. “It almost seemed to me like the two of you were asking each other what kind of planes those were,” he says. “But that can’t be right. It would mean you have not been studying the new aircraft recognition cards. And surely two smart, hardworking sailors such as yourselves would not neglect that duty. Would you?”

The two sailors hesitate for a second, unsure how to answer. Shun waits. Yoshitake sighs inwardly. This will be unpleasant, but he knows by now that it will not be as unpleasant as trying to bluff the large Chief Petty Officer.

“This sailor is shamed to admit that is the case, Chief Petty Officer,” he says.

“Ah,” says Shun mildly. He turns a piercing gaze on Shoji. “And you, Seaman Shoji?”

Shoji swallows. “His shame is also mine, Chief Petty Officer.”

Shun shakes his head in mock sorrow, a father saddened by his errant children. “Then I must assign you both four hours of extra duty to be served at the end of this watch. Report to Senior Petty Officer Aikawa. He will drill you on the cards until you see them on the inside of your eyelids when you try to sleep.”

“Yes, Chief Petty Officer,” both men chorus. Shun bids them to carry on, then departs.

“Not that we will be sleeping any time soon,” says Yoshitake after he is gone. “Shun seems to be in a better mood these days, though, don’t you think?”

“Yes,” says Shoji. “But we are still going to be tired and hungry tonight.”

---

Aikawa holds up another card. “Shiden,” say both men immediately. After two hours of this drill they now immediately recognize the plane that cost them this duty, the N1K-J.

Aikawa nods and puts down the card. “Good,” he says. “We had some at Truk when the enemy hit the base there,” he says. “They were a bit of a shock to the American and British carrier pilots, I hear, but there were not enough of them. Now we have more, almost all of them here on Saipan.”

“It is a better plane than the Model 52, Senior Petty Officer?” asks Yoshitake. Aikawa can be a hard man but unlike Shun he is fond of conversation and can sometimes be diverted for a time by a subject he finds interesting.

“Yes,” says Aikawa. “I have talked to some of the pilots. The landing gear sometimes has problems, but they say it is a fine plane and matches up well with the American F6F.”

“What sort of problems?” asks Shoji, picking up on Yoshitake’s cue.

“It sometimes snaps off when the plane lands,” Aikawa says. “This does the plane little good, as I am sure you can see.” The two sailors manage to keep the landing gear subject going for a while, then Aikawa once again shuffles through his cards. When he holds up the next one both men furrow their brows.

“Hien?” says Yoshitake hopefully. The card stays up.

“P-51!” declares Shoji. Aikawa waits another moment, then puts it down.

“That one was a bit of a trick,” he says. “It is a German plane, the Me 109 fighter. Try this one…” The cards go by one after another, black silhouettes on white paper. When the two sailors stagger to their hammocks at last Shun’s prediction is proved correct. They continue to see the cards even after their eyes are closed.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

“A housewarming gift,” says Lieutenant Sugiyua. “I like that. What better way to say ‘welcome to Woleai’ than with lots of ordinance?”

In the spirit of raising fine writing to ever higher levels of . . . okay, more along the lines of nit-picking. [;)]
"Ordinance" is a decree or regulation, such as the ban on discharging firearms within city limits. "Ordnance" is the word for weaponry, both projectiles and the devices that launch them.

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

“A housewarming gift,” says Lieutenant Sugiyua. “I like that. What better way to say ‘welcome to Woleai’ than with lots of ordinance?”

In the spirit of raising fine writing to ever higher levels of . . . okay, more along the lines of nit-picking. [;)]
"Ordinance" is a decree or regulation, such as the ban on discharging firearms within city limits. "Ordnance" is the word for weaponry, both projectiles and the devices that launch them.

Gah! A blunder...um, unless the Japanese are planning on issuing lots of regulations banning the Allies from developing the base. Yeah, that's it. Kind of like (and as effective as) the 1897 measure in the Indiana House of Representatives altering the area of a circle and the value of pi.

Fixed it.

[kaleun]

Kind of like (and as effective as) the 1897 measure in the Indiana House of Representatives altering the area of a circle and the value of pi.

Would have loved to be a fly on the wall at that debate!