From here to...well...it SEEMS like an eternity

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

BTW...anyone know where the Jap 5th Div might have come from? China, I suppose.

Pretend I never really looked at the Jap OOB.

In CHS, it starts off on board a ship in SE Asia area, 100% prepped for Alor Star... i would guess similar in stock.

[Moondawggie]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

********Aru Island Airfield, under construction, March 25, 1943(b)*******

Col. Irvine is dismayed to see an idle bulldozer on the edge of the runway as he approaches, driving his own jeep. He slams on the brakes and slews to a stop on the gravel, bounding out of the jeep almsot before it stops. A group of Engineers stand in front of the dozer.

Col. Irvine: LT.! WHY IS MY DOZER NOT RUNNING?

Lt. Browbeaten: <Stands up froim his squatting position and salutes> Sir! It's a Marsh Tit nest, sir. Sir, they are courting or something!

Col. Irvine: <He strides quickly toward the show, unsnaps his holster and draws his 45. As the men scramble back he empties 5 rounds into the nest. A fine red mist and a cloud of Southern Aru Marsh Tit down fill the air.> I don't see any God damned Marsh Tits. <He replaces his 45> Now get this God damned dozer running and build my God damned runway. NOW!


Aru Airfield now at 91% readiness.

Wow! This Col. Irvine is one take-charge kinda guy! [&o]

[Moondawggie]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

*********Over the South China Sea between Singapore and Hanoi, 13;40, March 24, 1943*********


A single A6M5 sidles up next to a huge Mavis floatplane. The pilot checks the markings, confirming it is the command aircraft of the IJA commander for all of SE Asia and China. The fighter pilot is on a special mission from Borneo, which is unusual, as the field from which he flies is under a different command. He waves, waggles his wings, then peels off to the right of the bigger plane, climbing as he turns.

Two minutes later, the Mavis is in a flaming death spiral, shorn of most of its starboard wing. [;)]

Yikes! M&M Airlines now flys Zeros too?

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: Moondawggie

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

*********Over the South China Sea between Singapore and Hanoi, 13;40, March 24, 1943*********


A single A6M5 sidles up next to a huge Mavis floatplane. The pilot checks the markings, confirming it is the command aircraft of the IJA commander for all of SE Asia and China. The fighter pilot is on a special mission from Borneo, which is unusual, as the field from which he flies is under a different command. He waves, waggles his wings, then peels off to the right of the bigger plane, climbing as he turns.

Two minutes later, the Mavis is in a flaming death spiral, shorn of most of its starboard wing. [;)]

Yikes! M&M Airlines now flys Zeros too?

No, I wish....NIS has it being a 'hitter' from the IJN Pacific Command; the IJA commander was reputed as a defeatist and rumored to be in negotiations with the Allied SEAC command. The IJA land effort for now sits in the hands of the IJN command via a more ...let us say malleable commander.....ok, a sock puppet....you forced it out of me.

[tabpub]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

BTW...anyone know where the Jap 5th Div might have come from? China, I suppose.

Pretend I never really looked at the Jap OOB.

NIS reports that 5th Division, IJA was located at Rabaul 56 days ago.
Also, as of 41 days ago, it was planning an attack on Dunedin, NZ.

Reports are relatively high in confidence; were relayed thru the usual channel for that area. Serving staff gets the info, drops their report container (usually a tin can) in the garbage, fishing crew recovers while sifting the garbage for usable bait for the upcoming trawling, and then fishing boat meets US sub on patrol about 60-120 miles out in the Solomon Sea.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: tabpub

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

BTW...anyone know where the Jap 5th Div might have come from? China, I suppose.

Pretend I never really looked at the Jap OOB.

NIS reports that 5th Division, IJA was located at Rabaul 56 days ago.
Also, as of 41 days ago, it was planning an attack on Dunedin, NZ.

Reports are relatively high in confidence; were relayed thru the usual channel for that area. Serving staff gets the info, drops their report container (usually a tin can) in the garbage, fishing crew recovers while sifting the garbage for usable bait for the upcoming trawling, and then fishing boat meets US sub on patrol about 60-120 miles out in the Solomon Sea.

Wow...so they moved it from Rabaul then? Interesting. I'm betting the Dunedin attack is off.

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[Onime No Kyo]

Fricative sound.....[:D][:D][:D]

[BrucePowers]

Is that another medical term..........................

[Onime No Kyo]

Sounds more like a term of derision to me. [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

************Presidential Daily Briefing, Oval Office, March 26, 1943(b)*************


A very large map of Northern Australia and the Lesser Sunda Islands has been brought into the Oval Office. The shades are drawn.


Admiral King: Mr. President, we are drawing near to the opening of Operation Inchworm. You asked that we brief you in greater detail.

Tall patricain-looking guy: <stands and approaches the map while munching on a pork rind> There is something that has troubled me Admiral.

Admiral King: What is that sir?

Tall patricain-looking guy: These things are made from fried pig skin, right?

Admiral King: <taken aback> I...believe so sir. I'm afraid I don't indulge.

Tall patricain-looking guy: Ah, yes. Nasty habit, no doubt, but here is my question. <pauses in earnestness> Why is it you never find a nipple on one of these thing? Don't pigs have nipples?

Admiral King: <jaw gapes open>

General Marshall: Let me take this, Admiral. <clearly hoping to slavage the meeting> Sir, yes, pigs do have nipples, especially the females. They are mammals, after all. Perhaps the makers simply discard those portions for marketing reasons.

Tall patricain-looking guy: Discard?! Why that's terrible! We have a war on. Please have the Sec. of Agriculture come in after our meeting. I will have to draft an executive order or something.

General Marshall: Yes sir. Now, on the issue of Operation Inchworm.

Tall patricain-looking guy: Ah, yes, splendid! <looks intently at map of Northern Australia with beautifully colored pins and hand drawn arrows> Splendid! Absolutely brilliant! There is just one other thing.

General Marshall: Yes sir? <winces>

Tall patricain-looking guy: Well..I was wondering why the Gulf of Carpenteria is bigger that the Aru Sea.

General Marshall: Sir? <jaw gapes open>

Admiral King: <steps forward to try to save the meeting> Perhaps we can have someone work on that sir. I believe it is historical.

Tall patricain-looking guy: Well it is just WRONG! I won't stand for it. Form some kind of commission or something. Look at THIS! <walks over to map of India and Burma> Look, the Bay of Bengal is WAAAY bigger than the Admanan Sea. That is NOT fair. Since when is a gulf bigger than a sea? Who is in charge of this kind of stuff? You can have a gulf on a sea but no sea on a gulf. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck...............

[Cap Mandrake]

The real O-23 was transfered to Colombo in 1942 and patroled the Malacca Straight until mid 1943. She survived the war.


Sadly on March 25, 1943(b), the damaged O-23, after tangling with a Jap destroyer group on the 24th, was discovered in shallow water trying to make the run back to Rangoon. It ended badly. I am seriously bummed. She was a great boat, on one occaison torpedoing two ships in one night. [:(]

[Onime No Kyo]

Who knew that the tall patrician-looking guy was such an avid geographer. [&o]

[Cap Mandrake]

Stalker Girl bought me a Pampered Chef garlic press. It is cool...don't get me wrong...cast aluminum or beryllium or something..very nicely engineered.

The problem is I am not really sure sure it is for me [X(]

I think it is all over but the surrender ceremony on the Missouri.

Best to start gathering firewood, I think.

[Cap Mandrake]

******Darwin Harbour, March 28, 1943, HMAS Australia, flagship of Force Purple, the main landing force for Operation Inchworm*****


Capt. Dechaineux, RAN, waits on the rail with his XO as a small launch approaches. As the Inchworm assault troops are composed solely of Australian and Dutch troops, there was a natural desire to have an Australian or Dutch officer in command of the task force of landing vessels. Much to the surprise of civilian authorities in Canberra, it was discovered the RAN possesed only two Admirals, Grace and Crutchley, and, as they were both previously committed to a charity golf tournament in Brisbane, that left only the possibility of a Dutch commander. Helfrich was still in the Bay of Bengal and there was a serious concern in Canberra about Doorman. It was feared he might be taken by the salt air and the excitement and order his LCT's to bombard Manila or something.

As a compromise, they had settled on a USN commander, who was now near the side of the ship. As the new TF commander lifted his head and glanced at the officer's above, Cpt Dechaineux understood at once why the name of the Task Force had been changed at the last moment to Force Purple.

[Cap Mandrake]

******M&M Enterprises Regional Offices, Wyndham, Western Australia, March 28, 1943(b)*******


After that annoying night raid on Batchelor Field, through some extraordinary circumstance, the entire 90th BS(M), USAAF, the very next day, received orders from General Short himself at SWPac HQ to "immediately redeploy to Wyndham Aerodrome and undertake antisubmarine and antishipping operations". As nobody at Wyndham had seen a Jap ship or sub for nearly a year, it seemed a rather odd order. Even worse, given its backwater status, there had been only a few squadrons of antique NEIAF fighters stationed there and there was not sufficient ordinance to supply a B-25 squadron. Two men sit in the shade on a small balcony, a rattan fan waving lazily above them.

Hirsute fellow: Milo, why do you figure those crazy sons of bitches sent us here?

MM: Yossarian, you crazy insubordinate SOB, those "crazy sons of bithces", as you call them, are the command staff of all Allied military forces in the the Southwest Pacific.

Hirsute fellow: Yeah, like I said, crazy sons of bithes.

MM: Look, Yossarian, you should try to be a little more understanding. They are doing their best. We can't see the broader strategic rationale for our deployment here.

Hirsute fellow: Well, I am not really complaining. I miss the club at Batchelor, but at least the Japs aren't trying to kill me here...and we don't have those damn winterized quonset huts, either.

MM: There you go, Yossarian.

Hirsute fellow: <after a pause> Milo?

MM: Yes, Yossarian? <takes a sip from an iced mint julep>

Hirsute fellow: I've been wondering. How come you were completely packed BEFORE the order came down?

MM: Yossarian, you desultory son of a bitch. One has to be prepared.

Hirsute fellow: "Desultory"? Is that a good thing? <takes a sip from his mint julep> Hey, Milo, you want to come with us? We are going to take the plane up and strafe the saltwater crocs on the riverbank. It's fun.

MM: No, sorry, no can do. I am expecting a call. Have fun but don't kill them all. I see some commercial opportunities in that strafing idea. <hirsute fellow steps off the balcony and heads toward the aerodrome>

Radio Operator: Mr. Minderbinder, sir, it's General Short......

[Cap Mandrake]

......anywhere it wants to. [:@]

By some little yellow bastard chicanery, the Burma Area Army (with 120,000 troops, 1,100 guns and 350 tanks..not to mention no food or fuel or ammo) managed to move from one contested hex (Rahaeng) to Allied-controlled rail line to the SW [:@]

Now the obvious escape path is toward Krung Thep and subsequent movement to Bangkok. There may also be sufficent Jap forces in Bangkok which now has ca 18 units to dislodge the Allies at Krung Thep and throw open the door.

254th Indian Armoured is ordered to stop them with their piled up corpses or wrkecked Grants if necessary. Transports are flown into Rahaeng to move the two Chindit brigades from Rahaeng to Krung Thep. Meanwhile, 8th Army is gathering forces along the coast. Perhaps they can roll into Bangkok by defeating the 4 Jap divisions west of Bangkok in detail.

[Cap Mandrake]

********SWPac HQ movment column, on the road from Charter Towers toward Darwin, March 29, 1943*******

Behind a security detail there is a command car with the SWPac HQ flag on the fender. <camera moves toward the vehicle. cut to inside>

Gen. Short, CIC SWPac: ...and the field at Aru?

Col. Corleone: Ready. One P-38 squadron is already relocating.

Gen. Short, CIC SWPac: Have we heard anything from...?

Col. Corleone: We capped two. One on the payroll. SPCA is shipping in some mechanic from San Francisco.

Gen. Short, CIC SWPac: I took care of him. I ordered a liquidation.......

[Cap Mandrake]

*********M & M Aviation seaplane dock, Townsville, 09:40; March 29, 1943********


A beautifully painted Coronado taxis to a stop. An equally beautiful stewardess with an ample bosom lowers the stairs. She is startled to see who is on the dock waiting for them.

Large bosomed stewardess: Mr. Minderbinder! I am surprised to see you.

MM: Hi Betty, how is our special guest?

Large bosomed stewardess: Oh, you mean the Skipper? Well, I think, but the man can eat. I thought we were going to have to make some soup out of one of the seatcovers or something.

MM: Yes, so I hear. I have a special gift for him and HIM ONLY. Is that clear? <he hands a silver platter covered with 15-20 chocolates>

Large bosomed stewardess: Yes sir, Mr. Minderbinder.

MM: Great, Betty. Oh...and the lavatory, is that fixed?

Large bosomed stewardess: Yes sir, works like a charm......

[rtrapasso]

Col. Corleone: We capped two. One on the payroll. SPCA is shipping in some mechanic from San Francisco.