Gentlemen, a while has passed, and frankly there was little but the daily grind of killing for a lot of those days. Over the last few days things have somewhat sped up to the stage where it is worth giving an update or two.
Merak, Northern Java is now seeing the last few days of a clearout of the Japanese forces trapped there. What was at one stage the great invasion of Java with almost 100K crack troops is now a small enclave with an estimate 20K of starving, disease ridden enemy who still prefer to kill with their bayonets rather than surrender. The elimination of this pocket will free up 50K troops for elsewhere - all of them now seasoned veterans.
In China we ejected the Japanese forces who had counterattacked at Hangchow, and have now lead elements of our own forces stationed at Shanghai waiting to make an assault on what must be very demoralised and unsupplied troops. Once Shanghai falls we can turn to the last remaining Japanese holdings in China Proper, at Soochow, Tientsin, Peking and Sining. We are aware that there are significant forces in Manchuria still pinned by the Soviet threat.
In the Chishima Archipelago battles continue to remove the remnants of the invaders of Onnekotan Jima. There are approximately 50K here who, yet again are demonstrating a reckless disregard for the logic of the war. They cannot hope to be relieved, but refuse any offer of terms and will have also to be eliminated. Whilst this invasion cost the enemy a great deal of ships and men it has set back our plans for the invasion of Sakhalin, really this is impossible until the issue of Onnekotan has been settled.
Over recent days troops from the 1st USMC Divn have landed on Naha. The landing was itself unopposed, but the defenders are well dug in and will take more force than originally envisaged to dig them out. Whilst this happens the bulk of our carriers cruise off shore protecting our landing forces. There have been no successful air strikes against this force, though we seem to have encouraged a Japanese STF to form at Kagoshima. This comprises BB Fuso and BB Kirishima, CA Chokai, CA Kumano, CA Aoba, CA Suzuya,CL Kiso, DD Akizuki. We assume they mean to sortie, and look forward to this. In the meantime we are running regular harrying bomb runs on them which are, admittedly more of an annoyance than a real threat given the ranges. When Naha is ours the picture will chance significantly of course.
About a week ago, following landings at Pagan we were able to occupy and eliminate the small defence force there. The Japanese reacted too slowly to the initial invasion but the last two nights have seen significant and fierce raids by their surface forces to attempt to disrupt our supplies and follow up troop landings.
On the first night at ranges of 8000 yards and less the Japanese managed to stage torpedo runs that scored several hits. Although damaged, all of our ships managed to make it back to port safely apart from one destroyer. Theirs were not so foirutnate as our planes caught several of the cripples during the next day.
CL Jintsu, Shell hits 7, on fire
CL Noshiro, Shell hits 4
CL Yahagi, Shell hits 6
DD Asashio, Shell hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hamanami
DD Hayashio, Shell hits 1
DD Kagero, Shell hits 7, on fire
DD Kuroshio, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Maikaze, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
DD Yukaze, Shell hits 1, on fire
BB Indiana, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB New Mexico, Shell hits 5, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
BB South Dakota, Shell hits 3
BB Valiant, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1
BB Washington, Shell hits 6
CA Astoria, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Cornwall, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CA Frobisher, Shell hits 4
CA New Orleans, shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1
CL Hobart
DD Arunta
DD Aylwin, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bailey
DD Blue
DD Caldwell
DD Claxton
DD Dale
DD Dunlap
DD Foote, Shell hits 1
DD Lardner, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD McCalla
DD Reid
DD Vendetta
DD Witte de With
Unfortunately our ships withdrew to replenish and leave the wounded ones in port, a follow up attack by another Japanese force scored some damage - though nothing significant, to our ships offloading.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Pagan at 64,62
Japanese Ships
DD Hayanami
DD Isokaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Oshio
DD Harusame
DD Yugiri
DD Mikazuki
DD Manazuru
Allied Ships
AK Mintaka
AK Murzim, Shell hits 1
AK Sterope
AK Lynx, Shell hits 2
AK Menkar, Shell hits 20, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
AK Lesuth
AK Alhena, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Admiral Wiley, Shell hits 22, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AK Admiral Halstead, Shell hits 8, on fire
AK Timber Rush
AK Empire Cougar
Allied ground losses:
32 casualties reported
Vehicles lost 3
These raiders again were caught by planes as they retired,
DD Oshio, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Manazuru, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Yugiri
DD Harusame, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Tokitsukaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Isokaze, Torpedo hits 1, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Mikazuki
Each time the Japanese attempt offensive action they demonstrate they still have killing power, but each time fewer of them get back to fight again.
