Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[thegreatwent]

Patrick O'Brian fan here, but I do remember a BBC radio dramatization of this Hornblower story. It actually sparked my interest in the genre.

[Alikchi2]

Interesting stuff.. you've been doing your research, I see.

If Hibiki runs out of 5" shells, those 80 pound sacks of rice might do in a pinch. Imagine one of those to the gut. [X(]

[bradfordkay]

" But back to talking about rice. Properly cooked it is nice and sticky,"

THis reminds me of a story my mother liked to tell about a family dinner right after WW2. Her uncle, who had just gotten out of the army, was lifting a fork of rice and letting the grains fall one by one back onto the plate. When he realized that every one was watching him curiously, he explained: " I had forgotted that rice comes in individual grains!"

[Capt. Harlock]

Rice is more than just the mainstay of the Japanese diet. It is a mainstay of our culture as well. It is very difficult for us to imagine a meal without rice in some form being involved.

If my information is correct, the Japanese words for the three meals of the day translate literally to "morning rice", "afternoon rice", and "evening rice".

[Onime No Kyo]

I'm sorry CF, but this was the first image that jumped into my head....[:D]

[Cuttlefish]

October 18, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

After pounding Iwo Jima for three days the enemy carriers withdraw. The major damage on Iwo is to the airfields, though gun emplacements and other positions are also hit. The only Japanese planes lost are a few search planes destroyed in their revetments; most of the aircraft there were withdrawn when the B-29 raids started. Losing planes while contesting the airspace over the island is not part of the Japanese plan.

Just what the plan is, however, is unknown. Rumor has it that Admiral Yamamoto and his staff have worked many days and nights on a response to the coming invasion. But operational security has been tight and while ships and aircraft are on the move all over the Home Islands no one can see enough of the big picture to tell what is going on.

There are many, even in the military, who do not understand just how wide the gulf in firepower has become and who count on this plan to reverse Japan’s fortunes. Those with a deeper understanding of the odds they face can only hope that somehow a victory results. Everyone, however, understands what enemy aircraft based on Iwo Jima would mean.

For the moment everybody waits. The most common wish, from enlisted men to the highest offices of the Naval Ministry, is for the enemy to strike soon and bring the waiting to an end.

[Andav]

Must not let let the Small Ship fall from page one!

For the moment everybody waits. The most common wish, from enlisted men to the highest offices of the Naval Ministry, is for the enemy to strike soon and bring the waiting to an end.

This makes ALL of us! Keep up the GREAT work CF.

Walter

[Marc gto]

It cant,,,they have a snake

[Cuttlefish]

October 19 - 31, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

The rest of the month passes more or less quietly for Hibiki and her crew. There are, however, a few events during this period that are worthy of note:

October 22: Yuriko Miharu is born in Kanazawa on a rainy afternoon. The baby survives the ordeal of coming into the world in good health, as attested by her robust and indignant cries. Kojima, the mother, is also fine. Word is immediately sent to Hibiki, where Lieutenant Miharu receives the news early the next day.

October 23: It is not common for fathers in Japan to be present at the birth of their children. Childbirth is the province of women. Even the typical American scene of the era, with the father pacing nervously in the waiting room while the birth takes place, would seem puzzling to most Japanese men. Still, Lieutenant Miharu finds it difficult to be so far away at this time.

He gravely accepts congratulations from his fellow officers and, as custom demands, signs a chit for several bottles of scotch and sake to be served that evening in the officer’s mess. Only Captain Ishii, who knows that Miharu and his wife never expected to be able to have children, knows how much this event means to his executive officer.

“I would let you go if I could, Exec,” he tells him. “But orders to sail may come at any time.”

“I understand, sir,” says Lieutenant Miharu. “My place is here. Besides, if my daughter is to have a future we must win this war. I can help her best right now by staying at my post.”

Captain Ishii nods. “That may be true,” he says. “But I know that doesn’t make it easier.”

“There will be time enough to see her after the battle,” says the lieutenant quietly.

October 26: Yamato and Musashi enter Tokyo Bay and anchor nearby. Word quickly spreads through Hibiki that the big battleships have been assigned to their own task force. When this is confirmed there is no longer any doubt at all that whatever is about to happen will find Hibiki on the tip of the spear Japan aims at her enemies. Pride and tension spread throughout the ship, but of the two emotions pride is by far the stronger.

October 27: American and British carrier forces once again appear off Iwo Jima. This time they station themselves to the northwest of the island as they launch air strikes against Japanese forces there. A few light probing attacks by Japanese long-range bombers based in the Home Islands are easily brushed aside. Is this the invasion at last?

October 30: To the frustration of most of Hibiki’s crew the enemy carrier forces withdraw after several days of attacks against Iwo. The waiting resumes.

[Onime No Kyo]

October 22: Yuriko Miharu is born in Kanazawa on a rainy afternoon. The baby survives the ordeal of coming into the world in good health, as attested by her robust and indignant cries. Kojima, the mother, is also fine. Word is immediately sent to Hibiki, where Lieutenant Miharu receives the news early the next day.

....and promptly passes out, having to be revived by having a jug of water upended over his face. [:D]

[whippleofd]

I know what Miharu is going through. I missed the births of all three of my children due to being on deployments; and what turns out to have been a habit of my wife to go into labor 7-10 days before the due date. Silly woman, you think she could get something this important done in a squared away Navy fashion. [:D]

Whipple

[John 3rd]

With Yamato and Musashi present this makes a for a bunch of firepower.  If I read the last page of the AAR correctly, the CVs are elsewhere.  What warships are in Tokyo Bay CF?

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

With Yamato and Musashi present this makes a for a bunch of firepower.  If I read the last page of the AAR correctly, the CVs are elsewhere.  What warships are in Tokyo Bay CF?

Right now there are two battleship forces present, one built around Ise and Hyuga and the other (Hibiki's task force) built around Yamato and Musashi. In addition to the usual collection of auxiliaries and patrol craft Hibiki's crew can also see fifteen to twenty other light cruisers and destroyers scattered around the bay. Aside from one CVE none of the carriers are visible, nor have they been seen in some time.

[Cuttlefish]

November 1, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Shun holds up another card. Though the sailors around him have already been at this for some time no one lets their concentration flag. Not only do they have the possibility of impending battle to sharpen their wits, no one in his right mind gives Shun anything less than complete attention.

“Battleship, Nevada class,” says Yoshitake. Shun puts down the card and holds up another.

“Heavy cruiser, Northampton class,” says a sailor. With mechanical efficiency Shun replaces this card with a new one. There is a brief pause.

“One of ours,” says Shoji. “That’s a Mogami-class cruiser.”

A new card appears. After several shouted suggestions the men finally agree it is a Tribal class destroyer. Shun merely nods. “Correct,” he says. “I guess even a blind monkey sometimes finds a coconut.” He sets down the stack of cards. “Do you monkeys feel like you’re ready to fight?” he snaps.

“Yes, Chief Petty Officer!” the men chorus. Shun looks them over and sneers. No one can sneer like Shun.

“We’ll see,” he says. “Meanwhile look at this deck! What is this, a destroyer or a garbage scow? Man the sweeps! I want to see this deck shine!” The deck looks perfectly fine but no one argues. The men snap to attention and then scramble off in various directions. Shun listens to their cheerful chatter as they go and nods to himself in silent satisfaction.

[Capt. Harlock]

“Battleship, Nevada class,” says Yoshitake. Shun puts down the card and holds up another.

“Heavy cruiser, Northampton class,” says a sailor. With mechanical efficiency Shun replaces this card with a new one.

For once, I think Shun is not doing his job as well as he could be. Neither the Nevada class nor the Northhampton class are the cutting edge for the USN. Or could it be that High command doesn't even want to admit the existence of the Iowa and Baltimore classes?

[Mike Solli]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

“Battleship, Nevada class,” says Yoshitake. Shun puts down the card and holds up another.

“Heavy cruiser, Northampton class,” says a sailor. With mechanical efficiency Shun replaces this card with a new one.

For once, I think Shun is not doing his job as well as he could be. Neither the Nevada class nor the Northhampton class are the cutting edge for the USN. Or could it be that High command doesn't even want to admit the existence of the Iowa and Baltimore classes?

.......or maybe no one who's seen them has lived to tell the tale......

[tocaff]

The new recognition card set for Allied warships hasn't been distributed to the fleet yet so the old one has to do.

[vettim89]

ORIGINAL: tocaff

The new recognition card set for Allied warships hasn't been distributed to the fleet yet so the old one has to do.

Kinda like fleet codes?

[Cuttlefish]

November 2, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

“Torpedoes have been launched,” announces Lieutenant Sugiyura. “Commence reloading.” In fact no torpedoes have been launched and Hibiki remains placidly at anchor. Nonetheless the chief torpedo officer’s command is relayed to the torpedo crews and men at all three torpedo mounts spring into action.

With much grunting and effort and the clatter of machinery and chains torpedoes are moved from the reload tubes to the mounts. These are dummy torpedoes, the same weight as Type 93s but without the warheads or the volatile oxygen tanks. Each torpedo weighs slightly over half a ton, making the operation difficult and on occasion dangerous even using the dummies. Fortunately the machinery behaves itself –sometimes it doesn’t – and one by one each tube is reloaded.

It takes long minutes to complete the operation. In the forward torpedo mount, nestled between the stacks, Kinsei checks each torpedo and makes sure it is ready to launch. He signals a petty officer as soon as he is done.

“Forward mount loaded and ready to fire!” bawls the petty officer. Eight seconds later the same call comes from the aft mount. The center mount lags behind by another twenty-three seconds.

“All tubes loaded and ready to fire,” says Sugiyura, checking his watch. “Thirteen minutes, forty-three seconds. Excellent.” The praise is relayed and down at the forward mount Kinsei grins at Chuyo. Chuyo grins back, then wipes sweat from his brow despite the cool weather.

“Let’s do it one more time,” Sugiyura says next. As the order comes down petty officers bark commands to pull the torpedoes and reset everything for the next drill. The torpedomen jump to it, though even the powerful Hosogaya looks tired.

When everything is ready Sugiyura looks at his watch. “Reload all tubes,” he orders, and they begin again.

[tocaff]

Imagine how difficult it must've been to reload the tubes while under way and in action.