Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Cuttlefish]

March 11, 1944

Location: 300 miles west of Iwo Jima
Course: North
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 274

Orders: Proceed to Osaka

---

Move and counter move. It is a game of shogi spread out over thousands of miles, with consequences of life or death for the pieces involved on both sides.

The Japanese task force continues to move north. They maintain good speed and a steady course. It has been determined that, for warships at least, speed is the best defense against the enemy’s lurking submarines. All zig-zagging seems to do is to slow fast task forces down enough to enable enemy sub commanders to line up a shot.

Reports of known or suspected enemy submarine locations are brought from Hibiki’s radio room to the chart room, where they are carefully plotted. These locations come from aircraft sightings, from intercepted radio transmissions, and from successful or unsuccessful enemy attacks. The Japanese have gotten better at this as the war has gone on; they have had to. It was initially very difficult to get competent officers to fill anti-submarine warfare positions. Such duty was seen as having little excitement or glory.

But the IJN has worked hard to attach a sense of prestige to commanders who succeed in sinking enemy submarines and to foster competition among the various anti-submarine commands. The result has been more officers willing to serve, better anti-submarine doctrine, and a steady upswing in submarine sightings and sinkings.

All this, however, has not been enough. There are increasing numbers of lurking enemy subs and their depredations are becoming ever more serious. They have better torpedoes now, and better radar, and other tricks besides. Their biggest advantage, however, is one the Japanese do not suspect.

It has never occurred to the Japanese that their codes might be broken. As reports of submarine sightings reach Hibiki and other Japanese ships they also reach Allied naval intelligence. These are quickly decoded and relayed back to the submarines, which shift location as a result. The hunt for them must begin anew, and the game continues.

But for today, at least, the game goes to Hibiki and the other ships in Captain Shibuya’s task force. Despite the fact that the Allies have a pretty good idea of their course and speed no submarines are able to intercept them. The Japanese ships continue serenely on towards home.

[Capt. Harlock]

It has never occurred to the Japanese that their codes might be broken. As reports of submarine sightings reach Hibiki and other Japanese ships they also reach Allied naval intelligence. These are quickly decoded and relayed back to the submarines, which shift location as a result. The hunt for them must begin anew, and the game continues.

But for today, at least, the game goes to Hibiki and the other ships in Captain Shibuya’s task force. Despite the fact that the Allies have a pretty good idea of their course and speed no submarines are able to intercept them. The Japanese ships continue serenely on towards home.

Even the American codebeakers are no match for the blessing of Benzaiten . . . [:D]

My compliments on updating with impressive speed!

[tocaff]

I thought that the Japanese changed the codes after Midway & the Allies had troubles with the new ones.  Not that they didn't get more info out of them too, just not as good.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

I thought that the Japanese changed the codes after Midway & the Allies had troubles with the new ones.  Not that they didn't get more info out of them too, just not as good.

That's not my understanding. There were a fair number of different codes used by the Japanese Empire during the war, some considerably more difficult than others. According to "Codebreakers: The Inside Story of Bletchley Park", the code for Japanese Military Attaches in their various embassies (or JMA code) was read by the Allies pretty much throughout the war. The code used by the Japanese Army Air Force, known as 6633, put up more of a challenge until an intact code book was recovered during the Solomons campaign. (A Japanese officer had buried it instead of burning it per standard procedure.)

Block B, the section dedicated to Japanese naval codes, was always a poor cousin to the mighty effort put forth by the American code-breakers. They managed to make progress nonetheless, according to the book. They did receive a rude shock when Emperor Hirohito issued his declaration to accept a surrender: they were so used to the terse style used in coded messages that they found the wordy language, even though it was in plain Japanese, very difficult to read through!

[Cuttlefish]

March 12, 1944

Location: 300 miles south-southeast of Kagoshima
Course: North-northeast
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 245

Orders: Proceed to Osaka

---

Benzaiten the python has been growing slowly but steadily. She is now close to five feet long, a thick-bodied and powerful snake. She weighs about 35 pounds, and Seaman Oizuma can certainly tell she is there as she drapes quietly and companionably across his shoulders. He is seated on the floor next to her crate, his back against the bulkhead, and he is reading aloud to the snake from a book he is holding.

“In a cave near the village of Koshigoe there lived a dragon,” begins Oizuma. “This dragon was especially ill-tempered and cruel, and he delighted in eating small children. He would emerge from his home in a cave by the sea, snatch up a child or two, and take them back to his cave where he would devour them.

“The people of Koshigoe were filled with woe. Their…” Oizuma pauses to turn the page, “…their tears fell like rain and they prayed to the heavens for some hero to come and spare their children and deliver them from the cruelty of the dragon. But no hero came and the dragon continued to prey upon the children of Koshigoe.

“Finally their pleas reached the ears of the goddess Benzaiten. She looked down from heaven upon their plight and her heart was moved to pity. She herself was the daughter of a dragon and knew something of their ways, and so she left the heavens and descended to the earth upon a cloud.”

Oizuma continues to turn the pages as he reads and the snake twines a little down his left arm and gazes at the book. It looks almost as if she is following along while Oizuma reads.

“The earth itself trembled at her approach. There was an earthquake, and out in Sagami Bay the island Enoshima was lifted up out of the waters. The goddess alighted upon the land and went straightaway to the cave of the dragon.

“The dragon emerged to find out what was going on and was immediately smitten by her great beauty. His wicked heart was transformed, and he begged the goddess to become his wife. Benzaiten said she would only consider his suit if he would from this moment agree to eat no more children and to leave the village in peace. To this the dragon agreed, and so the two were wed. Koshogoe became peaceful and prosperous once again.

“The grateful villagers built a shrine to Benzaiten upon the island she created, and the island and the shrine both are there to this very day.”

Oizuma closes the book and slips it back into his duffel. “That’s all for now,” he tells the snake. He lifts her off his shoulders and deposits her gently into her crate.

“You need to spend more time ashore, maybe go on a date or two,” comments Riku dryly from the door, where he has been listening since he arrived. “I think the strain of the war is getting to you. You are talking to that snake more and more like you think she can understand you.”

“Oh, hello Ariga,” Oizuma says. He chuckles. “I am not sure she doesn’t,” he says. “She seems to like it when I read to her, and she especially likes the stories about Benzaiten from that book of tales I picked up.”

“You’re getting to be as bad as the superstitious ones who leave offerings by her crate,” Riku says, shaking his head.

Oizuma smiles. “Thus speaks the man who was almost murdered by Chief Shun two years ago and who is now dating his daughter,” he says. “Explain that by any logical means, if you can!”

Riku opens his mouth and then closes it again. In point of fact he can’t explain it, but he prides himself too much on being practical to admit it. He is spared from having to find an answer by the noisy entrance of Shoji and Yoshitake. The accident-prone Shoji has a bandage around his forehead and the two men are laughing as Shoji relates the tale of his latest mishap.

Benzaiten ignores the noise, which she is well used to, and curls up inside her crate. There she falls asleep, dreaming whatever dreams snakes might have.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

I thought that the Japanese changed the codes after Midway & the Allies had troubles with the new ones.  Not that they didn't get more info out of them too, just not as good.

As mentioned, the USN/Brits were able to read the Japanese codes pretty much throughout the war... they continued to crack more and more codes, actually, which added to the intel information.

The problem is that after Midway, two self-seeking brothers (the Redman brothers [John and Joseph]), were “claiming sole credit for the victory at Midway”, and managed to get the glory having the actual codebreaker Captain Joseph John Rochefort stripped of his command (and credit).

The Redman brothers, despite having vastly more resources available for codebreaking (literally many 10's of thousand of people in the latter part of the war) managed to mishandle things - badly. Some experts (the charitable ones) feel that the Redman's added at least 6 months to the time of the war.

Imagine how many lives were squandered...[:(]

[kaleun]

Reaching new hights Cuttlefish.

[Cuttlefish]

March 13, 1944

Location: 110 miles southwest of Osaka
Course: North-northeast
Attached to: TF 33
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 210

Orders: Proceed to Osaka

---

As dusk approaches the task force nears the Kii Channel. Barring a last-minute submarine encounter the ships should reach Osaka before midnight. The weather is cool but the skies are clear and the seas calm.

Eight ships return of the ten that departed Japan. The two damaged destroyers sent to Saipan will return later, when sufficient escort can be arranged. All in all the Imperial Japanese Navy considers the mission a success, though it is considered regrettable that the Allied carriers departed before the trap planned for them could be sprung.

For the crew of Hibiki there are no such reservations. They are returning to Japan once again after yet another foray into enemy waters. As far as they are concerned any mission with such an ending is a successful one.

[Cuttlefish]

March 14, 1944

Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Escort duties as assigned

---

“Escort duties as assigned?” says Lieutenant Miharu. “That’s a little vague, sir.”

Captain Ishii shrugs. “It means things are quiet in the Pacific right now,” he says, “and whether we like it or not the initiative is with the enemy. What we do next will be in reaction to their next move. Meanwhile we wait in port until needed.”

His executive officer nods. Captain Shibuya’s task force has been broken up and its component ships are already being reassigned. Hibiki, at least for the moment, has gone into the pool of destroyers waiting at Osaka for escort assignments. Front-line destroyers are not usually chosen for such duties, but many important convoys depart from the Osaka/Kobe area.

“We will probably have some notice before we are sent out again,” says the captain. “You may assign leaves of up to three days at your discretion. Have Lieutenant Sakati coordinate any needed maintenance work with the appropriate officer dockside.”

“Yes sir,” says Lieutenant Miharu. “Will you be taking any leave yourself, sir?”

“Just a couple of days,” says the captain. “I have a granddaughter I am well behind in trying to spoil.”

“Very good, sir,” says the lieutenant. If Captain Ishii detects a wistful note in his executive officer’s voice he says nothing. He knows the lieutenant and his wife are childless and suspects that this is not from choice, but it is not his place to ask about it. It is a sad thing if true, though, he thinks. Lieutenant Miharu would make a fine father.

[vettim89]

Me thinks the LT will have a sruprise waiting for him when he arrives home

[Cuttlefish]

March 15, 1944

Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Escort duties as assigned

---

Lieutenant JG Kataoka, ship’s paymaster, hands Riku a clipboard. “This is the list of provisions I was talking about. If there is any leftover space in the store rooms try to get your hands on another pallet of rice.”

“Yes sir,” says Riku. “I will see to it.” Eighty-pound bags of rice are the mainstay of the ship’s food stores. They can be kept almost anywhere and unless spoiled by vermin never go bad. “Have a good leave, sir.”

“Thank you, Ariga,” Kataoka says. He stands up from behind his desk. “Are you sure you won’t be taking a leave? I think there is a young woman who would be happy to see you.”

“Not this time, sir,” he says. “She and her mother will be remaining in Okinawa. But we will be able to exchange several letters.”

“Letters!” says Kataoka. “After all you’ve been through I would think it would be hard to stick with just writing letters!”

“Yes sir,” says Riku. “But you see, sir, that really the hard part is over. Now all I have to do is survive the war, get married, and raise six children.”

“You think that is the easy part?” Kataoka asks. “Young man, have you ever been married before?”

“No sir,” says Riku. “But have you ever had Chief Shun truly angry with you before?”

“Good point,” says Kataoka.

[Cuttlefish]

March 16, 1944

Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Escort duties as assigned

---

Ensign Izu comes down the gangway and steps ashore. Apart from some crates piled a short distance away the pier is empty. Izu is puzzled. Konada, the officer of the deck, had told him that he had a visitor waiting for him down here.

He decides to wait a moment, in case whoever it is comes back, and then he hears a wet thud nearby. He looks and sees an eel lying a little ways away. It had not been there a moment ago, Izu is sure. He takes a step curious towards it. It lies there with one dead eye looking at him and its jaws open in what seems a mocking grin. Suddenly another eel hits the heavy wooden planks almost at his feet. Izu jumps back, cursing in surprise, and looks up. How can eels be falling from the sky?

Out of the corner of his eye he catches movement and ducks just in time. This eel passes over his head and lands on the pier with another thud. He estimates the serpentine projectile’s trajectory and turns to look over at the crates, his eyes narrowing. Someone behind them is bombarding him with eels.

This is an outrage! A brazen assault with eels on an officer in Imperial Japanese Navy is an intolerable insult. It can only mean one thing. Why, it can only mean…

“Handa!” Izu bellows happily.

---

“It was a little rough there for awhile,” Handa says. The two friends are at a nearby bar, exchanging stories. “I only lost my eyebrows. Others were not as lucky.”

“It sounds horrible,” Izu says, taking a drink.

Handa shrugs. “It’s war,” he says. “If it was a picnic on the beach they would give us bento boxes instead of guns.”

“How long are you going to be in port?” Izu asks.

“We could put to sea now if we had to, but they say we won’t really be ready for battle again until summer. But it’s no vacation, we are working hard on the repairs. How about Hibiki?”

“We could be sent back out any time,” Izu says. “Our luck is still good, the ship is in fine shape.”

“What about my replacement?” Handa asks. “I think I met him briefly when I asked about you.”

“You did, that was Konada,” says Izu. “A real spit and polish type, but he’s an okay kid. Too easy of a target, though. You were a lot more of a challenge.”

Handa laughs. “That crab was your masterpiece,” he says. “To this day I cannot pick up my cap without checking it for traps.” Izu smiles and lifts his glass.

“To old friends and good times,” he says. Handa matches his gesture and the two men drink.

[Capt. Harlock]

For the crew of Hibiki there are no such reservations. They are returning to Japan once again after yet another foray into enemy waters. As far as they are concerned any mission with such an ending is a successful one

For the crew, yes. But I'll bet heavily that Ishii and Miharu are both aware that, while they made the latest Allied victory more costly, it is still a victory. The Japanese are ceding both islands in the ocean and territory on Asia. That's called losing.

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

For the crew of Hibiki there are no such reservations. They are returning to Japan once again after yet another foray into enemy waters. As far as they are concerned any mission with such an ending is a successful one

For the crew, yes. But I'll bet heavily that Ishii and Miharu are both aware that, while they made the latest Allied victory more costly, it is still a victory. The Japanese are ceding both islands in the ocean and territory on Asia. That's called losing.

You are not wrong. I think the difference in perspectives between readers and crew is more than a little interesting and is one of the most interesting things to explore in this AAR.

[Cuttlefish]

March 17, 1944

Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Escort duties as assigned

---

The taxi does not simply pull up in front of the Ishii residence and honk its horn. That would be unforgivably rude. Instead the driver comes to the door and politely informs Captain Ishii that his ride is ready and awaits his convenience. Ishii thanks the man and says that he will be out directly.

His sea bag is already packed and ready by the door. Hibiki’s captain says his good-byes to his wife and daughter and then looks around for Sachiko. The little girl, now two years old, comes into the room and rushes over to him. She wraps her arms around one leg and looks up at him beseechingly.

“Granpa go ‘way?” she asks sadly. Ishii looks down at her. He wonders how she got to be so big. She was not even born when the war started and now here she is, already no longer a baby but a little girl. So much has happened while he has been at sea.

He kneels in front of her. “I must return to my ship, little one,” he says. “But I will be back. Be a good girl for your mother and grandmother.” He kisses her on the forehead. Sachiko looks down at her little kimono, of which she is very proud, and then back up at him. Her lip quivers and there are tears in her dark eyes.

“Miss you,” she says.

He hugs her. “I will miss you too,“ he says gruffly. His eyes sting a little, but this is understandable. It is pollen season, after all. He goes to the door and puts on his shoes, then hefts his sea bag. Wife, daughter, and granddaughter stand in a little knot in the middle of the room. He nods to all of them and then steps outside, sliding the door closed behind him.

It is a fine sunny morning. Out on the street the taxi waits, idling in the shade of the ichou tree Ishii’s great-grandfather planted so many years ago. The captain walks briskly to the taxi. The driver opens the door for him and Ishii climbs in.

“Take me to the train station, please,” he says when the driver slides into the front seat. As the car pulls away Ishii spots a small hand waving from one of the front windows. He waves back, but his house recedes behind him and is quickly out of sight.

[kaleun]

I guess it's pollen season around here too.
Great writing!

[princep01]

War is cruelty and it cannot be refined.
 
                                        Sherman

[whippleofd]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

He kneels in front of her. “I must return to my ship, little one,” he says. “But I will be back. Be a good girl for your mother and grandmother.” He kisses her on the forehead. Sachiko looks down at her little kimono, of which she is very proud, and then back up at him. Her lip quivers and there are tears in her dark eyes.

“Miss you,” she says.

He hugs her. “I will miss you too,“ he says gruffly. His eyes sting a little, but this is understandable. It is pollen season, after all. He goes to the door and puts on his shoes, then hefts his sea bag. Wife, daughter, and granddaughter stand in a little knot in the middle of the room. He nods to all of them and then steps outside, sliding the door closed behind him.

Having experienced many separations from my family due to scheduled deployments as well as “needs of the Navy” all I can say is … you nailed it.

Whipple

[Cuttlefish]

March 18-28, 1944

Location: Osaka
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Escort duties as assigned

---

Excerpt from "Japanese Destroyer Attack!" by Shiro Kurumata, 1958 Ballentine Mori Press, New York, New York. Original Japanese title: "Small Ship, Big War":

Our stay in Osaka ended up being longer than we thought it would. We were there for over two weeks as winter slowly gave way to spring. We sailors read the newspapers, listened to the radio, and picked up gossip at the docks from ships arriving from all over the Pacific, but none of it gave us much idea what was really going on. All we could tell was that the war had suddenly gone quiet.

Strictly speaking, of course, we did not need to know what was happening in the wider war in order to do our jobs. Understanding the large strategic picture takes a back seat to chipping and painting the bulkhead fast enough to avoid a petty officer’s wrath! But our lack of knowledge or qualifications did not keep us from speculating endlessly about it, just as if we knew what was really going on.

Of course, everyone now knows that the long pause in operations in the Pacific in the spring of 1944 was because the Allies were resting their carriers and planning and preparing for Operation Barbican. But at the time not even our leaders knew that. They only knew that we had a respite after months of hard fighting and that they needed to use the time granted to further prepare our defenses. These preparations led directly to Hibiki’s next mission and our first chance to serve as the flagship of a task force.

But all that was still a little ways in the future as we enjoyed the hospitality of the very good people of Osaka. Nothing very exciting happened, although it is possible that Lieutenant Miharu would have disagreed with assessment if one had asked him…

---

“I’m going to have a baby,” the executive officer says in a dazed voice. Captain Ishii refills the lieutenant’s cup from the bottle of sake on his desk. Miharu, not a heavy drinker by any means, picks it up and takes a swallow without tasting it.

“Technically your wife is going to have a baby,” says the captain. “You, my friend, are going to be a father.”

“Yes sir, a father,” says the lieutenant automatically. Captain Ishii smiles.

“Congratulations, Lieutenant,” he says. “I take it this is somewhat unexpected?”

Lieutenant Miharu manages to focus a little and looks at him. “We have tried for years without success. The doctors said we probably never would, and I had all but given up hope.”

“Then it is a blessing indeed,” says the captain.

“Yes…but with the war…the timing could be better.”

“The timing is what it is,” says Ishii firmly. “You will be gone, maybe even when the baby is born. But if you are gone it is because you are fighting to secure the future of Japan. What greater gift could you give your child?”

“The future of Japan...” murmurs Lieutenant Miharu. He takes another drink of sake. “What will that be, I wonder? What kind of country will my baby grow up in?”

Captain Ishii sighs patiently. He can already see that it is going to be necessary to keep his executive officer very busy in the months ahead.

[tocaff]

Has Mrs. Miharu been faithfull?  Sorry to broach that subject, but war does strange things to people who are apart for long periods of time.  [&:]

I root for the baby to be a replica of the good Lt.