CINCSoPac/SWPac

[Hartmann]

Thanks!

Hartmann

[Rob Roberson]

It appears a major Japanese effort to close off the the supply route to Lae is underway. The transport group there was savaged by at least 2 battleships and their escorts. Two destroyers were sunk, and at least two transports failed to escape the carnage. The battleship group then proceeded to bombarded my ground forces at Lae. I have ordered the Colorado task group back to Noumea to resupply and refuel for a possible deployment to the area. If the Japanese are making a major naval effort at Lae I will meet them.

The destroyer Fletcher, heavily damaged in the last few days of fighting caught 3 Japanese transports 90 miles off of Lae. The Fletcher's crew made short work of the transports. It appears the Japanese are also trying to resupply their troops at Lae. They could be settling in for a long seige there.

Heavy fighting at Lae as both sides launch attacks. My troops have been unable to dislodge the Japanese. Both the American and Australian troops are exhausted from the fighting and I am looking into rotating some fresh troops into the area now.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

15 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Japanese soldiers have landed on the Beach of Salamara! THis is stunning to me. I now believe those transports Fletcher attacked were involved in this operation. Once again I have sacked an army-air general for failure to do his duty. Where is the Army air while the Japanese fleet wrecks havok on my soldiers and naval forces?

The attack at Lae has ground to a halt. I have ordered my soldiers there into defensive positions until I can land more troops and supplies. They are worn out. The battle here has turned into a much longer campaign then I first imagined. I have ordered the 2nd Marine at Noumea to begin to make preparations to deply there. I will have to push them through the area now that it appears to be a Japanese Naval sailing ground. I have no idea where the enemy carriers are, but if they also remain in the area, my troops could be in deep trouble at Lae.

My submarine forces continue to sink everything that gets near Guadalcanal. What I would give to find out what condition the Japanese garrison is in there. I still havent seen an aircraft fly out of there since Colorado begin to shell it.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

16 December 1942

[Ron Saueracker]

Rob. After sacking your air jocks, promote Ralph Waldo Christie!! Not only is he the guy responsible for the "BRILLIANT" performance of your sub's Mk 14 torpedoes and rust bucket S boats, he's also now in charge of the subs based in Brisbane!!

I hope my sarcasm is taken the way it was meant (hic...hic!) Man, I hope the effectiveness off subs is fixed next.

[brisd]

If I were the Japanese player I would welcome an attack at Lae in your current situation. You don't have the forces to achieve Naval or Air superiority at that location and your attempts to supply your invasion will be costly, giving the enemy easy victories. Sending the Marines in will only give the enemy more troops to march into the POW camps. That's how it appears from this admiral's point of view. Lunga would have made a better target, easier to supply for you and harder for the Japanese. Good luck!

[Rob Roberson]

USS Fletcher sinks just shy of Buna adding to the ships knocked out of the war at the Huon disaster. That chapter is now behind me and the lesson will guide me as I continue to keep my supplies flowing into Lae.

USS Cleveland led a destroyer group into the Lunga area and smashed a group of Japanese cargo ships. The Japanese continue to try to force supplies through in the area with unescorted ships...madness.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

17 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Army air crews out of Gili rise and attack a reported Japanese carrier group just North of Gili. The army pilots might be brave but couldnt hit the barn standing next to it.

Great news at Nomea, two more battleship groups have arrived. I will put USS Indiana and USS Maryland to very good use in and around the waters of Guadalcanal.

This frees up Colorado and South Dakota for the SWPac command. The will join the Marines on the transit to the theatre. My staff has grave doubts about my abilty to supply Lae or land marines there. Despite the placement of the Japanese carrier (in a perfect blocking position) group they can only stay at sea so long. When they are out of area I rule the skies as long as my newest Air General can manage to put cap over my transports. The Marines will land and supplies will get through.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

21 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

The Army is claiming two hits on the carrier Hiyo. If its true bravo! Maybe the army can hit that barn standing next to it.

My fighter strip at Vila is paying big dividends. They attacked and wrecked several transports (and thier escorts) trying to get into Guadalcanal. On days when no Japanese transports try to make the run...they hammer Shortland and any ships that might be in port. Of the many decision that I have made...seizing this island may have been the best (only) decision.

Lae has degenerated into an artillary duel between both sides. My forces there are exhausted and the enemies are not great enough to push them back. THose 4000 troops at Salamara could give me some problems if they move towards Lae, but I have begun to march 7th Aussie down the Owen Stanleys and though it is a tough march I hope they keep those Japanese troops tied down right where they are.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

23 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

The battle for the South Pacific continues to rage on this holiest of nights. It is my second Holiday season at war...a war which feels like it started another lifetime ago.

USS Maryland and USS Indiana spent Christmas eve shelling the Japanese at Lunga. Earlier in the day my B-17s out of Luganville also payed the airfield on Guadalcanal a visit. The airfield there is completely out of commission and my aircraft, submarines and minefields continue to batter any Japanese ships that try to pass the blockade. I honestly feel like the Japanese there must be starving.

My dive bombers attacked a Japanese Battleship task force at SHortland. Again this airfield pays off...as I continue to remind my staff over and over...we must take chances to beat the Japanese.

For yet another day my Army air rises out of Gili after that enemy carrier blocking force. Different day, same results. This time the attack was a combination of B-17s and British Wirraways. Blind leading the blind.

Lae was not silent. Another artillery duel raged throughout the day, still no movement from the Japanese lines. I am begining to get concerned about the supplies there..I have been able to snake a transport or two into harbor under the carrier air nose, but soon the surplus I h ad there will expire. I have to figure out how to move those carriers.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

24 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

My new air General gave me a wonderful Christmas gift. Army-air bombers rose out of Port Moresby and struck the Japanese carrier blocking force. Army pilots are claiming hits on all three enemy CVs. Earlier the pilots out of Gili attacked the task group twice no hits. If true, this will open up the Gili gap sea lanes and allow me to resupply and reinforce my embattled troops at Lae.

My PT boats at Lae were in action again interdicting Japanese supply efforts. The troops there hunkered down on this holy day. No fighting from either side of the line.

The Japanese celebrated Christmas day with a battleship bombardment of Gili Gili. First time in a very long time I had seen Japanese battleships, never mind Japanese battleships bombarding Gili.

In the Solomons, my twin battleship bombardment force hammered Lunga again. Nothing is flying out of that area.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

25 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

The enemy carrier blocking force north of New Guinea has begun a retreat north. The Brisbane express to Lae is back in business, already my transports are headed north through the Gili Gap full of supplies and fresh troops for Lae.

Once again the army pilots out of Gili went after the enemy flattops and once again they failed to score a single hit. Though I am dissappointed with today's missions I am still extremely pleased with yesterday's effort. Striking those carriers and forcing them north will allow me to win at Lae.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

26 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

A Japanese Battleships stumbled into my twin battleship force off Lunga. In what has to be the worst example of gunnery in naval history, neither side did any significant damage to the other despite the scant 6000 yard range. The battle off Guadalcanal granted the enemy troops there a night of respite from the guns of my navy. My intelligence did not report any transports with the Japanese task group and so the blockade there continues.


Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

28 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

My surface group arrived off of Lae this morning. They bombarded the Japanese airfield there and then beat off two attacks by enemy bombers. The South Dakota took a torpedo (despite heavy army air presence) and is now retiring home.

My Kanga force marched down the Owen Stanelys and into Salamaua and were met by enemy troops. After a fierce battle the Kangas were driven back into the jungle. No word on losses. but the Kangas are in a bad position exhausted after the march I did not expect the enemy to be at Salamaua and it was too late to countermand the Kangas orders.

The 14th Australian has arrived at Nazdab and found it abandoned.

The Colorado Battlegroup is once again approaching Lunga. They fought off a Val attack without any problem. I believe the anti-aircraft gunners are becoming quite proficent now.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

29 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Mostly a quiet day theater wide.

Japanese bomber out of Rabaul staged a major effort to sink my marine transports off Lae. Without success. My army air pilots annihilated all the Bettys...Nells...everything the Japanese threw up against them. No leakers. No hits on my transports. No repeat of the Huon Harbor disaster.

2nd Marine is ashore at Lae. I intend to attack the dug in Japanese positions in the next 48 hours. The Lae airfield will fall.

It may also be time to consider what to do next. Suddenly the list of ships streaming in theater is growing. In the next week I will see four "escort" carriers. Not the big flattops that I havent seen since earlier in the war, but their smaller cousins essentially floating fighter fields. Able to protect my shipping from enemy bombers. I will also pick up USS Tennessee which will mean I will have 7 battleships in theater. It could be time to turn lose my battleship sailors and let them seize their moment. I still covet Shortlands and I may take a hard look there, but I have also begun to consider a landing on Guadalcanal. Despite my believe I can starve it out I believe I have hurt the troops there so badly that my marines could seize it very rapidly.


Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

30 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

My forces celebrate this New Year's Eve in better fashion then the last one. We are advancing on all fronts. We have taken the battle to the Japanese and we have shown them that they can lose. I believe there is a lot of fighting ahead of us, but I believe that my forces will be in Rabaul before I celebrate the next new year.

The Japanese are again hitting my transports off Lae with bombers out of Rabaul. This time they got two leakers through and put torpedos into a transport and the destroyer Jarvis. A second strike later in the day failed to get through my cap...scattered as it was.

Enemy Vals out of Guadalcanal attempted to hit my base at San Cristobal. They were mauled by the marines there...none achieved any hits.

The Japanese tried something new today. Air supply of their forces at Lae. I have the beach area covered by torpedo boats so nothing is getting to their troops by sea there. It was a disaster for them as my fighters pounced on their transports.

I have begun to consider a force build-up for a simultaneous invasion of both Lunga and Shortlands once the resistance at Lae has been quelled. I will soon be receiving a new type of ship...something called a LST. Suppose to ease the landing process...some of the warships that are headed my way were only a sailor's dream a few years ago...

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

31 December 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Lae Falls

The 1st and 2nd Marine Regiments delivered their own New Year's fireworks to the Japanese. An attacked spearheaded by both regiments the Marines seized not only the airfield, but drove the Japanese out of Lae. Army and Australian troops bogged down by days of endless fighting in Lae added support to the Marines drive through Japanese lines. It is my intention to immediately withdrawal both regiments and send them to Port Moresby for rest and refit. They will be at the spearhead of any landing at Shortlands or Guadalcanal. It seems once again if you want a job done right...send in the Marines.

Through out the day at Lae Japanese air continued to attack the transports anchored off the coast. In a massive 6 hour air battle Army-air claimed more then 25 kills to just 4 losses. No transports were hit and I must once again give an attaboy to the Army and their work over New Guinea.

Marine dive bombers have begun to work over the airfields at Guadalcanal. Japanese air is once again harassing shipping around that island and must be neutralized prior to any landing at Lunga.

The USO put on a show which included a screening of the John Wayne movie "Flying Tigers" from the deck of the USS Washington. Such is the way the war is going for us now that the men can now take time for such small pleasures of life.

I still have not decided where to go or when. I think it will take me between a month and two weeks to gather the necessary transports (despite the sudden influx of ships from Pearl) to pull off this duo landing. For this to work I believe I must strike and strike swiftly. I do not want to become involved in a long struggle in both places. If I did I would not be able to support the troops and would have to withdrawal and that is something I can not live with.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

1 January 1942

[Rob Roberson]

Major airstrikes from PM and Lae today. B-17s out of Lae (who landed a mere 3 hours after the Marines overran the airfield there) struck the port of Rabaul today. Recon reported minimum damaged, but now that I have landbased air well within range of Rabaul I hope to properly reduce it to uselessness.

My air groups out of PM pounded Madeng. Air recon reports heavy damage there, it seems we caught the Japanese unaware that we could strike there.

Japanese troops stranded at Lae made a charge at Marines lines in what could only be called suicidal bravery. Brandishing swords the Japanese officers led their remaining troops against army and Marine lines to their deaths. The remaining Japanese troops have been routed and the area has been declared secure.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

2 January 1943

[Hartmann]

Congrats on Lae, Admiral!

Hartmann

[brisd]

Congrats Admiral, I had my doubts as to the wisdom of that move but you have pulled it off. Guess that's why they put you in charge!

[Rob Roberson]

The backslapping and congratulations for the success at Lae has been short but sweet. The wisdom of that move, while a stretch when proposed, has once again proven my motto "He who dares succeeds". I feel that the entire theater will now enter a phase of aerial attacks and counterattacks, while I race to keep my new gains supplied and the enemy races to consolidate his holding, block my supplies and predict my next attack.

To me, the most amazing thing about my successes to date was my complete lack of carrier air.

I have expanded the list of possible landing sites to three now. I feel that I will have the necessary assests in less then a month to make a duo landing within the theatre, but where that will be is in doubt still. I think Shortlands is primed for a landing. Naval traffic there has been kept to a minimum thanks to my fighter strip at Villa.

I also believe that Lunga could fall easily and quickly. The Japanese there have got to be hurting and hurting badly. I do admire the enemy's guts. His planes continue to rise out of the airfield there to contest my incoming strikes, as few as they are. He even attacked my Airbase at Irau with 4 Vals. His attacks are becoming increasingly desperate there as are his attempts to supply Lunga. My Dauntlesses descended on a single transport today in an orgy of bombs, death and fire literally blowing a hole in the water. The entire area around Guadalcanal is just target practice for my pilots. The Japanese are in serious shape here.

I am also considering Gasmata again. I will bypass enemy troops at Finschafen and Salamaua. They are now cutoff from anything but the most desperate attempts at supply. THey will be left on the vine to die.

I also have serious doubts about seeing anymore large engagements of naval forces. The airplane clearly rules the skies over both the Solomons (where I have complete superiority) and New Guinea where we will continue to trade blows. I cannot not see the enemy trading naval salvos with me in the future. He must now save his naval forces to help him defend the inner defense line.

A couple of small events today, one of my submarines reported the torpedoing of a enemy battleship off of Rabaul. For the first time since the campaign started my fighters were able to escort bombers during a raid on Rabaul as P-38s out of Kiriwini went to work.

Admiral Robert Roberson commanding

4 January 1943