The Battle Under: The Allies Fight Back

[tocaff]

December 24, 1941 Washington DC

Bill stares blankly at the wall map in his office.  Cagayan has fallen and Georgetown is now under attack.  How can the Japanese seem to be everywhere at once in force he wonders?  Why hasn't the US relieved the PIs as yet?  What's the Pacific Fleet doing sitting in PH instead of seeking out the IJN and giving battle?  He sees communication that are deemed important before his office passes then on, but he still doesn't see the bigger picture of what the US and her Allies are really up against.

Phil reports in to get his assignment, thinking this will be a great Christmas present.  He stares blankly at the orders in a state of shock.  He's to report to Pensaola Naval Air Station for training!?!  Surely this must be a mistake!  The clerk just tells him, "I just pass out what given to me.  I have nothing to do with what the Navy wants from you.  Sorry.  You don't have to return here as we'll inform you about tranport."  Phil has a low priority for transport back to the States so he'll have to await for a space on a departing ship.  He'll return to the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and wait.

The Tarpon moves towards it's new patrol area without the slightest sniff of a ship, friend or foe, in these waters.  Red tries to sleep during the day while the sub is submerged. 

George gets to Denver so he'll be spending Christmas Eve trying to find a place to sleep and then resume the trip on Christmas Day.

The large convoy bound for PH is making slow but stready progress and appears to have slipped through the IJN's net, for now.  They expect PH to send out additional ASW support and hope for some heavier units also as you can assume that the enemy will do what you least expect of him.

Malaya is a rapidly deteriorating situation as more and more IJA troops land.

The only bright spot seems to be that the shipping that's escaped from the DEI have safely made it to their assigned ports or are continuing on to PH.  The Allies aren't able to form an effective convoy system at this point in time so the chance is being taken with sending individual ships on their way.

Aircraft are beginning to fill out the strength of the Army Air Corps.  The pilots are pretty green and training, training and more training is the order of the day.  The AAC has managed to evacuate the P-40Es and B-17s from the PIs to Oz.

[tocaff]

December 25, 1941  Washington DC

Winston Churchill is putting the finishing touches on the speech he will give to a Joint Session of Congress tomorrow.  He'll be happy to mention that British forces have retaken Benghazi. 

Bill sifts through more reports and sees:

Allied shipping loses in the Atlantic for the year are approaching 500 ships at the cost of about 35 Uboats sunk.

The Axis air offensive against Malta continues.

Over 3K have starved to death in Leningrad.

Hitler has relieved Guderian from command of Panzer Group 2. 

Reports continue of a typhus outbreak among German troops in Russia.

Goebbels continues the appeal for winter clothing for German troops on the Eastern Front.

The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution are now in Fort Knox, the US Gold Depository, Kentucky for safety.

Nauru Island has fallen while Tarawa is invaded.  Georgetown, Rabul, Mendo, Khota Bharu and Changsha continue to hold.

IJN carrier aircraft and BBs are operating in the waters of the DEI so Captain K I Riker of the CA Houston, who commands the TF in that area has retired to refuel and rearm.  "The Galloping Ghost of the Java Coast" will continue to hit the Japanese as opportunities present themselves, but with prudence.

Aboard the Tarpon the war patrol continues to be boring as the sub moves to the SW.  There is no Christmas dinner for the crew, but morale remains high.

Phil receives notice that he'll be sailing in the first convoy heading to the US. 

George has himself a nice meal with other officers who are also in transit.  Nobody seems to know what's going on so George tells them what he can, none of which is good.

The Russians are filling out their Far Eastern LCUs with a repositioning of troops also in the works.  A plan is being drawn up for the attack on the Japanese forces in this area though nothing is firmed up yet.

The convoy bound for Pearl continues on with a course change to throw off any IJN plans to intercept it.

*As a footnote I'd like to mention that events mentioned in this AAR that happen outside of the Pacific really did happen and I'll try to weave them into this story.

[tocaff]

December 26, 1941  Washington DC

Winston Churchill gets a huge ovation after his speech even though he says that an Allied offensive must wait until 1943. 

Bill is having a typical day as he shuffles more paper than he ever thought existed.  It's Friday and he thinks about how pre war almost nobody would be working today.  He has applied for a transfer as he wants to escape a desk and get back to sea, where he belongs. He spots a report that the Russians have landed on the Kerch Peninsula as they try to break the seige of Sevastopol. 

Victoria Point has fallen.

The Tarpon has almost reached her assigned area.  Red can think of nothing other than getting off of this sub.  He thinks that it's so much worse than the tenament his family was squeezed into before he left home.

George is on a train to SF with his ultimate destination being Mare Island.  The sound of the train's wheels on the track lulls him off to sleep.

Phil is doing what he now does best, have a drink and enjoy the beach.  Life for a bachelor naval officer with nothing to do isn't all that bad he's decided.  He jokes with anyone who'll listen that he's in training for New Year's Eve.  The boredom is killing him. 

The large convoy of badly needed supplies plods on towards PH.  The escort screen is much smaller than anyone would care for, but that's the way things are for now.  Reports of IJN sub activity in the waters surrounding Hawaii continue and despite a large effort the USN has failed to find and effectively mount an attack on them.

[tocaff]

December 27, 1941  Washington DC

Bill sits at his desk and silently reads the reports of the surrender by the British at Khota Bharu and the 11K+ POWs.  So many men captured.  How can this be going so wrong as the Commonwealth troops are in such large numbers?  The IJA can't be so strong everywhere that sheer weight of numbers can sweep away all opposition.  Is it possible that the British are so poorly trained, supplied, equiped or are their officers bad? 

There are reports that Georgetown's collapse is immeninet. Landings are being made by the Japanese at Jesselton.  Rabul reports additional Jap troops arriving and help is needed.

Bill now decides to compile a list of ship sinkings that are confirmed that he's been keeping a tally of.

TYPE             Allied       Japanese

AK                  15               1
AO                  4
AP                   1                4
AS                   2
MSW                4
PC                                     1
PG                   2
PT                   5
SS                   4

This doesn't seem as bad as the daily reports once he considers that it's been 3 weeks of war for which America, Britain and the Dutch were unprepared for.  Tomorrow he thinks that he'll try to tally aircraft loses.

The large convoy continues unmolested towards PH.  Commander J Wells, aboard the DD Humphreys is in command of it and he's stressed as they approach their destination because he knows that the Japanese know that supplies must be sent to Hawaii.  He hopes that additional assets are deployed from PH to assure a safe arrival.  The convoy is made up of the following ship types:

AE    1
AK   25
AO    6
AP   11
AS    1
AVD  1
DD    6
TK   11

There is an ASWTF made up of 4 DDs and a CVTF centered on the Saratoga, 1 CL and 4DDs providing additional cover against any would be intruders.

The Tarpon has another patrol area change issued within hours of their arrival of the old one.  Commander Wallace wonders what's going on that would cause such a rapid change of orders.

Phil has taken to making phone calls to anyone he can think of that might be able to help him get assigned to a ship.  He knows that once he's on a ship bound for the US that getting an assignment a warship will become almost impossible.  Some of his classmates from The Academy had friends in high places so maybe there's still some hope.

George will be extremely well rested when he finally reports for duty at Mare Island.  He anticipates that there will be plenty of activity there and hopes to land an interesting assignment.

[tocaff]

December 28, 1941  Washington DC

Bill is finding it difficult not to get depressed as he reads more bad news.

Rabul and Georgetown are both reporting that the situation is all but lost and they don't expect to hold on for another day.

Nanning is still the scene of sporadic fighting.

Jesselton has fallen.

Kuching was bombarded by the IJN and Japanese troops are landing.

A train has pulled into the station in SF and a naval officer continues to sleep.  The conductor tries to wake him up only to discover that the man is dead.  Commander George Phillips has died peacefully in his sleep.  The police are notified and they'll handle notifying the Navy.  Normal everyday life and death continues, even during a war.

Phil is still calling and recalling everybody he can think of.  The responses have ranged from "I'll see what I can do" to "Sorry, there's nothing I can do."  If Phil is anything it's having a never say die attitude.

[tocaff]

December 29, 1941 

Commander Wells is getting increasingly nervous as the convoy approaches PH.  So far there have been no contact with any Japanese subs or search planes and that, of course, is a relief to all those who sail on the ships bound for Pearl.  A CVTF of 2 CVs 5 cruisers and 8 DDs has sortied from Pearl with the sole purpose of helping to insure the convoy's safe arrival.  An ASWTF of 6 DDs has also been dispatched to help sheppherd the convoy to a safe delivery of it's badly needed supplies and LCUs.

Bills has received news of George's death and is saddened by it.  There's nothing he can do about it as it's busy every day in his communications section.  He has reviewed many messages for a change and has noted that Rabul has hung on for another day despite determine Japanese assaults.  The remnants of Lark Force, the bulk of which was air lifted to PM, has distinguished themselves in the battles around Rabul.

It hasn't gone so well for Georgetown, San Marcelino and Moulmein though as all of these bases are now held by the Japanese.

Soviet troops have made an amphib landing at Feodosiya in an attempt to relieve Sevastopol.

The TF centered around the Houston has sailed from Darwin in the hopes of lurking undetected and pouncing on unsuspecting Japanese targets.  Captain Riker of the Houston has been considering a strategy that suits his orders and leaves a line of retreat open to a harbor with ample fuel stocks to keep the TF going.  They've managed to burn lots of fuel since the start of the war and have only encountered those 3 APs a while back. 

The Tarpon continues to cruise and sights nothing.  Commander Wallace thinks that soon he will be getting orders to retire to a base for fuel.  He'll put Red ashore at the first opportunity as the poor boy is not made of the stuff required of a sub's crew.

[CaptDave]

To this point, and presumably beyond, an enjoyable read. No advice or questions -- just encouragement to keep it up!

[tocaff]

Thanks for the kind words.  I'm trying to do this AAR in a way that gives a fairly complete view of the war from various angles.  I'm also trying to make it as enjoyable a read as I can.

December 30, 1941

Aboard the Tarpon Commander Wallace studies his charts.  They have arrived at the assigned area and so far there are no contacts.  This is the life of a submariner, lengthy periods of absolutely nothing except the mind numbing routine. The sudden action that is usually followed by the terror of a depth charge attack is the only "relief" of the boredom.  According to the last set of orders Menado is the expected target of another amphib try by the Japs. 

The naval TF headed by Houston cruises towards their destination of the Amboina area.  Captain Wallace calmly scans the horizon, studies the navigational charts and just by his presence keeps everyone on their toes.  He is the commander of the TF and is keeping a wary eye on the status reports from the various ships under his command, watching for the inevitable problems that will crop up when dealing with machines. The ships in this TF are on the hunt, yet it's easy for the hunter to become the prey.

Commander Wells knows that they convoy is now entering the area where sub attacks are most likely to occur.  The CVs in the area continue to fly large CAPs with their fighters, ASW patrols with the Devastators and the SBDs conduct naval searches.  There have been no contacts as of yet but he just feels it in his bones that all hell can break loose at any moment.  He's confident that the only real threat this close to Hawaii is from subs, but you never know for sure.

In the bowels of the Pentagon Bill has just been on the receiving end of a joke about his current assignment by a couple of naval officers passing by.  Bill is upset as he's starting to realize just how important his job really is.  If he doesn't pass long a comm to the proper destination tagged with the appropriate urgency bad things can happen and people could die needlessly.  He is sure that he'll go blind from all of the reading that he's been doing on a daily basis.  He has put in a request for additional staffing and office space as the number of comms are literally flooding his people and it's getting heavier as more commands and units become active or expand.  He anticipates that the US military is going to grow at a pace that prior to the war wasn't even imaginable.  Yes, Bill is starting to think of the Comms Sction as his own and until someone else arrives, he's relieved or is tranfered it is indeed his.  Enough of the daydreaming and back to work.

Lamon Bay has been invaded and Kuching has fallen.  Rabul gets a day of relative quiet as both sides are catching their breath.  In China the usual air raids and bombardments have ocurred in places such as Changsha, which appears to be a major focus of the IJA.  It's clear to Bill that the PIs, though under heavy pressure, aren't the main focus of the Japanese.  He suspects that Malaya and Borneo are the primary targets for now.  In China the Japanese haven't been very aggressive, but will troops from Manchuria be shifted to China?

Phil continues to burn up the phone lines and it's starting to look like he's going to be bound for the States.

The Soviets are busily building the forts at their bases as they don't trust the Japanese.  At the same time the ground and air units are being brought up to full strength as rapidly as possible though the fight against the Germans has priority on everything.  The time will come when Stalin will order the attack on Japanese held Manchuria and it will come with no warning. 

[tocaff]

December 31, 1941

Commander Wells scans the reports of increased Japanese sub activity in the approaches to PH.  This doesn't bode well for the convoy as it plods on towards it's destination of Pearl.  They're still to far out for LBA to be of help in ASW so the escorts are on their own.  There is a sonar contact and the DDs race off to prosecute an attack which succeeds in driving off I-3 before she can make an attack.  Just as the escorts are resuming their stations another contact is reported and they race off again, this time driving off I-168 before an attack on the convoy is made.  This routine happens again as I-8 was detected trying to sneak into attack position.  Wells wonders how long their luck of the past 7 hours can hold and is answered by the rumble of a distant explosion.  I-3 has managed to launch torpedos and one has hit AS Fulton.  The Fulton has suffered heavy damage to her systems, moderate flooding and light fires.  She can't keep up with the convoy so she's left behind to do her best to reach Pearl on her own.

In Moscow Stalin is told that the Germans have evacuated Kerch.  The Germans have decided to halt offensive operations in the Sevastopol area due to winter.

Bill reads that Tarawa and Lamon Bay have been taken by the Japanese.  Changsha and Malacca continue to be bombarded by the IJA.  He decides to tally loses since the start of hostilities and see that the Allies have lost 253 aircraft of all types to the Japanese loses of 189.  Not as bad as one would expect for the first month of the war, he thinks.  The Allies have lost 44 ships and the Japanese 10, confirmed to date.

The Tarpon continues her fruitless patrol.  Red Gaffney can't get used to life aboard a sub, no matter how hard he tries and can't wait to reach a port where he can get off of the Tarpon.

The Houston nears it's destination where the TF will refuel and commence patrolling the waters around Amboina.

Phil has given up his efforts with the phone and he heads off to the Royal Hawaiian's Bar for a beer.



AS Fulton

[tocaff]

January 1, 1942

Phil is awakened by somebody shaking him.  "Get yer ass up Lt", a SP enlisted man says.  "You've had a bit to much to drink last night and we picked you up for your own protection so you could sleep it off.  There's a jeep waiting outside to take you to pick up your stuff as you've got orders to report immediately aboard the Benham."  Like a rocket Phil is up and gone.  A night in the brig for any reason is nothing he wants on his record.  He jumps into the jeep where a sailor drives off while informing him that Phil is the new exec aboard the Benham.  It seems the Benham's exec has appendicitis and the ship has orders to set sail within the next couple of hours.  Her skipper LCDR J Worthington is eager to welcome Phil aboard as the Benham is part of a newly formed ASWTF with orders to clear the convoy's route into PH of any Jap subs.  Worthington tells Phil that there's no time to get himself squared away as they are preparing to leave Pearl immediately.

CDR Wells continues to pace the bridge of the Humphreys.  The Fulton has managed to stop her flooding and is currently pumping out water while the fires are almost out.  She's making 9 knots and an ASWTF is shadowing her in the hopes of bagging an unsuspecting sub.  I-170 tries to attack the convoy and the escort drives her down and prosecutes an unrelenting DC attack that results in debris, oil and some bodies floating to the surface.  I-4 tries to attack the convoy and is attacked by the esorting DDs before it can get into position.  Another sub, the I-7, has been spotted and attacked by an SBD out of Pearl.  The pilot reports hitting the sub, but nothing is confirmed.  The convoy is 120 miles from Pearl.   

Bill sees that the Japanese have used naval forces to bombard Rabul while it also suffers an air attack which is immediately followed by an assault that results in it's fall.  Taytay and Apamama, which is taken, both are hit with Japanese troops landing.  The Japanese continue to hit Changsha with air raids and artillery bombardments.  Malacca suffers an artillery bombardment.  Mersing, Tarakan, Singapore and Clark are all hit by air raids.  Happy New Year Bill thinks to himself.  A report sent from HK states that a Japanese vessel, the ML Hatsutaka has hit a couple of mines and sinks.  Well that nice he thinks as he wonders who the hell is left in HK with a radio and how they are managing to avoid the Japanese.  A Dutch sub, the KXVII, has managed to put some fish into a Jap AK, which promptly breaks in half and slips beneath the waves.  More good news is always welcome.

The Tarpon continues it's fruitless patrol while the Houston's TF refuels at it's destination.



DD 397 USS Benham

[tocaff]

January 2, 1942

The Tarpon is again shifting it's patrol area as the only thing they've done since leaving Manila is fish a 17 year old out of the water and burn fuel.

The Houston and her group have refueled and are moving again. Ships are accumulating sys damage and accomplishing nothing since running into those 3 APs.

The convoy has arrived without further mishap and ships are unloading or moving off to other bases. These supplies will enable the USN to commence limited offensive ops against exposed Japanese bases and maybe even some convoys.

The AS Fulton has limped into Pearl and is scheduled to be repaired immediately. Her skipper, CDR ES Sheetz, and the crew are up for commendations for saving their ship.

The three USN CVs currently at Pearl have upgraded their fighters to Wildcats (two with -4s and one with -3s). The Brewster Buffalo will no longer grace the decks of USN CVs unless something goes terribly wrong at the Gruman plant at Bethpage, NY.

Phil is keeping very busy as exec of the Benham as their TF tries to sweep the PH area clear of subs. The are plenty of sightings, but finding and attacking them is a cat and mouse game that takes skill and luck.

Bill reads of the Japanese invading Lae and of the fall of Taytay. The Japanese continue their air raids and bombardments as they are concentrating on the same targets on a constant basis. Maybe an ambush of two can be attempted in the air. There is also a Soviet breakthrough of the German lines at Rzhev. The British took 8K POWs when Bardia fell to them yesterday. Maybe things aren't as bad as they seem, Bill thinks.

People on the streets reading their newspapers see the story of the "United Nations" of 26 allied countries signed a declaration of co-operation and no separate peace.

Churchill is informed that the troops in Burma and Malaya continue to retreat in front of superior numbers of Japanese troops. His briefing also makes mention of the successful insertion of Jean Moulin, mayor of Chartes, France by parachute. He has returned to France in an attempt to unify and organize the various Resistance factions who are feuding among themselves.


USS Houston

[Hornblower]

nice read

[tocaff]

Thanks, glad you're enjoying it.  I hope to have more meat to work with once I can semi stabilize the situation. 

If anyone wants to drop me a line here concerning how to post screen shots and resizing them, please do.  I've lost my notes on how to do it and my old feeble mind doesn't remember much.

I'll be back later today with the next installment after dealing with real life, keeps getting in the way, and doing the turn I just got from Steve.

[tocaff]

January 3, 1942  Washington DC

Bill gets ready to leave the office and go home for a much needed rest when one of the clerks brings him a comm.  Bleary eyed he looks and walks to the map on the wall and puts a pin in at Lae, it's been taken by the Japs.  That's it for him and leaves.

The Benham continues searching for subs with no contacts.  Aircraft basesed at Pearl are constantly reporting subs and Phil suspects that green aircrews are seeing shadows from clouds thinking that they see subs.

USS Houston's TF has refueled and now heads for Kendari, which it'll reach tomorrow.

The Tarpon has new orders and her skipper wonders if anybody at HQs knows what they're doing.  Now the sub is off to Cotobato to pick up some troops and take them to Brisbane.  Red has never been to Australia and is exited at the news.  What he doesn't know is that the sub will be even more cramped than it is now.

The large convoy continues to unload at Pearl Harbor and merchantmen of many different types begin arriving there after a long transit from points west in the Pacific.  There will be many ships heading back to the States when it's time.  The USN has been busy trying to work up a schedule for transport of men and material from the West Coast of the US to far flun bases.

In the meantime smaller convoys are taking troops and supplies to Midway, Johnston Island, Lahaina, Palmyra and Hilo.  It is hoped that this is the beginning of a strategy to halt Japan's expansion eastwards.  It's also intended as part of a plan to secure the route to Australia.

[tocaff]

January 4, 1942 

Bill is back at his desk studying reports, deciding which will go upstairs and what priority tags they will get.  He sees that the Japanese are bombarding and conducting air raids in the usual places.  Why don't the higher ups do something about this?  Shouldn't they rebase some fighters to counter the onslaught?  He supposes that force conservation is the name of the game for now, but damn it would be nice to spank the Nips a bit.  He see that Zeros have swept PM and that doesn't bode well for the base.

Chiang Kai-shek has been made Supreme Allied Commander in China.

Houston's TF has refueled and awaits orders to move.  In the meantime some minor repairs can be conducted as these ships have been on the move for the better part of a month and machines get tired, as do the men.  The USS Boise, a part of this TF has been having some system problems and she especially will benefit from this brief respite.

Tarpon continues towards her destination sumerged by day and surfaced by night.

Ships continue to arrive at PH gathering for a huge convoy back to the US.  A smaller convoy is planned to make a run to NZ and Australia as soon as enough supplies are stored at Pearl.

The Benham's TF has been ordered, with other ASWTFs, to sweep the southern approaches to Pearl so that these lone merchantmen can have a good chance to arrive unharmed.  Phil is thriving with the duties as exec and getting to know the ship are keeping him very busy.  LCDR Worthington is a good skipper and seems to know how to handle his crew well.

CDR Wells is seeing to the Humphreys as they ready her for whatever the brass have in store for them next.  He's hugely pleased with the results of the massive effort that got the convoy through without the loss of a single ship.  He also thinks that if the Japanese had known where they were earlier in the trip and had made a greater effort things could've been very different.

The Dutch have transfered a few of their Base Forces and and Infantry Rgt to SWPAC's command and they are on their way to various locations.  The bulk to the Dutch forces are readying themselves for the inevitable fight with Japanese troops as the "Yellow Peril" advances despite the Allies best efforts to stop them.

The USAAC has virtually no flyable planes left in the PIs and those that can are being sent elsewhere to fight another day.  The bulk of the B-17s and P-40Es are already in Australia training for future fights.





USS Boise

[tocaff]

January 5, 1942

Rain and heavily overcast skies protect the Houston and her sisters of the Surface TF that is resting in the harbor at Kendari. All ships are making minor repairs, have full fuel bunkers and are making steam for a hasty departure if needed.

Miri was easily taken by the Japanese as the only troops there were survivors of the retreat from Brunei. They now face the Japanese brutality that only POWs will come to fully know.

Japanese troops land at San Jose and Bill thinks back to more peaceful time when he was based in the PIs.

Rangoon has been isolated and unless the Brits have a Dunkirk like op already in the works the troops there are doomed. The RN actually had and has no plans to risk any ships in the Burma area considering that Nells and Bettys are about.

The Tarpon quietly slips into Cotabato and takes on fuel and her passengers. Red takes the time to stretch his legs on the dock and have a smoke. Nobody is around to tell him about the cigarette burning being highly visable, but he already knows to cup it well. He overhears soldiers in the area talking about the Japanese troops that are a stone's throw away from Cotabato now. Red isn't religious, but he silently prays now that he may safely reach a port from where he can ship out on a merchantman again. He strolls back aboard the Tarpon and she slips her moorings 15 minutes later for the long, perilous trip to escape the hostile waters that they're in.




Tarpon

The Benham and many other DDs continue their weeps to the south of Pearl. It's like the IJN subs are magical as none can be found, but the air patrols keep seeing them. In the meantime AKs, APs and TKs continue to stream into Pearl as the assemble for the huge convoy back to the USA.

The AS Fulton has been completely pumped out and repairs are well under way. Once she's seaworthy it's likely that she'll be sent back to a yard in the US to complete her repairs, depending on the damnds of the yard at PH.

There are no sightings of the KB or it's planes so planned CV raids by the USN have been put on hold.

[tocaff]

January 6, 1942

Aboard the Tarpon a message is passed to the skipper that reads as follows:  "Cotabato has surrendered.  7.4K POWs taken by Japs.  Where is the relief form the US?"  CDR Wallace tells the radio operator to keep this just between the two of them for now as it won't go over well with the men that have just left their unit behind.

Kendari's harbor continues to shelter the TF waiting for targets of opportunity.  Capt Riker reads the reports again and thinks to himself that there's no way his ships can do anything at this time but hide.  The IJN has CVs covering the area to the NW and the NE and it seems that BBs are roaming everywhere too.  His TF is no match for this kind of force.

Bill sees the usual bad news and notes that San Jose and Cotabato have capitulated.  Gasmata has been invaded.  Subs are still in the Frisco area and the waters around PH aren't safe either.  What in the world is the USN doing?  Isn't it supposed to go out and clobber the Japanese fleet?  More importantly where in the hell is the KB?

Phil has been relieved on the bridge and as he makes his way to the wardroom for a bite to eat before some sleep he runs into the skipper.  LCDR Worthington asks Phil if he would be kind enough to stop by his cabin after Phil grabs some shuteye.  We all know that this kind of "invitation" is really an order and Phil responds with an "Aye Aye skipper."  He wonders what's up, but doesn't worry about it as he's just to tired.

In Washington DC Secretary of War, Stimson has had a meeting with Chief of Staff, Marshall and the Deputy Chiefs of Staff:
Gens. Bryden, Moore, Arnold and Smith.  They are working on a plan to try and slow the Japanese advance down before losing the whole of the Pacific Ocean to them.  Stimson and Marshall will meet with FDR tomorrow and present the general ideas being formed.  It looks as if the USN will be a very busy service as great demands will be made of it shortly.

Winston Churchill has confered with his ministers and they tell hin that the Australians are virtually on their own, the Dutch are collapsing and the British and Indian troops protecting India are falling back befor the Japanese who are advancing in Burma.

[Capt]

You have missed your calling Todd, you ought to be writing novels.
Sounds like your Jap player is pushing hard.

[jonreb31]

Best of a luck. I like the style so far, keep it up!

[tocaff]

Thanks for the kind words guys.  I'll try to keep it interesting.

January 7, 1942  Washington DC

FDR sits listening to his Chief of Staff make the presentation of a revised battle plan for the Pacific War.  Marshall states that to try anything other than raids at this point in time would be suicide.  He goes on to state that a strengthening of bases to shield Pearl Harbor from attack is a priority.  Another priority is doing whatever is possible to keep the lines of communication open to Australia.  As to the Alaska area Marshall states that sending a TF centered on 2 or 3 BBs would be a prudent move in case the Japanese decide to make a move there.  "These far flung bases could become a springboard for a push of our own in the future" he says.  FDR tells them to go ahead with these plans.  The Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox arrives late with CNO Admiral Stark.  Mr Stimson brings them up to speed and Stark submits a rotational plan for Naval ships to proceed at various dates to designated harbors for system upgrades.  Out of hand the plan is approved and the USA now appears to have something solid to work with after a month of war.  They all agree that it seems much longer than a month.  The meeting breaks up and everyone returns to their offices as there's much to do.

Bill reads that Gasmata and Jolo have fallen and with that news he goes to lunch. 

An ASW TF has been dispatched from SF to Seattle to escort some AKs back to SF in preparation of another westward bound convoy.  As a bonus these DDS stumble upon I-26 and hit her very heavily.  It's not a confirmed kill, but an oil slick indicates that it very well could be a sub in dire straits with slim chances of getting to a safe harbor.

Tarpon continues her journey with barely enough room aboard for someone to move.  Red stays topside as CDR Wallace recognizes the boys stress levels increasing.  He give Red a pair of binoculars as has another set of eyes scanning around them as they cruise on the surface at night to recharge the batteries and freshen the foul air.  In another 100 miles or so they will try to cruise on the surface during the days too.

Capt Riker keeps his TF at anchor, but has decided that to sit here at Kendari for another day or two would be to dangerous.  He has summoned the other ship's captains to join him for lunch and a strategy session.  He believes that a smart commander takes advantage of this subordinate's skills and minds if he is to be successful.

There's a knock at LCDR Worthington's cabin as Phil reports as requested.  "Come" and Phil enters.  His skipper proceeds to tell Phil to relax as he asks how Phil is settling in.  Phil tells him that Benham is a good ship with a good crew.  He'd like to run some additional drills once the ASW situation slackens and Worthington agrees.  He tells Phil that he's pleased with his performance and to keep up the good work.

The planes are starting to arrive with additional pilots at various US bases bring formations up to their full strenth levels. Training of the crews is a priority and the one of the problems now is a lack of adequate support facilities to keep all of the planes in the air. This will be corrected as new units start to arrive.