Historical AE. Cantona2 (A) vs Fletcher (J)

[cantona2]

As mid February approaches and the Pacific war enters its thrid month, US commanders can be happy with the level of build up in the New Caledonia - Espiritu Santo area.

[Alfred]

You do realise that the QE cruises at 28 knots but her escorting DDs only cruise at 15 knots. Not being slowed down by escorts should allow the QE to return to the West Coast and pick up the rest of the Americal Division before she has to be withdrawn.

Alfred

[cantona2]

ORIGINAL: Alfred

You do realise that the QE cruises at 28 knots but her escorting DDs only cruise at 15 knots. Not being slowed down by escorts should allow the QE to return to the West Coast and pick up the rest of the Americal Division before she has to be withdrawn.

Alfred

Yep.

She'll be part of a massive convoy ferrying troops, planes, fuel, supplies etc to Austrlaia. If it was just moving the Americal id have her half way to Oz by now.

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 17th February 1942

Things are certainly hotting up in New Guinea. Landings were finally made on Buna but the Aussie troops bottled up there gave the landing Japanese infantry a hot reception. The RAAF Catalinas were pulled out to Cooktown to carry out their search duties from there. Hudson recon planes confirmed the presence of at least one chutai of enemy fighters at Port Moresby while camaflouged float planes have also been identified in the recon photographs.

Further landings have also been made at Dili on Timor while General MacArthur is now holed up in Bataan after Clark Field had finally been taken by the IJA. Evacuation of key personnel and flyers with combat experience continues and despite the dire straits 6 USAAF fighters still remain operational!

Ki-43s were finally spotted in Burmese skies as they tussled with Hurricanes in the skies over Magwe. This means that the Japanese have started to deploy the forces that were formely engaged in Malaya. I expect most of the regiments to be moved towards Java along with most of the bomber support. As of yet no sighting of any enemy carrier for over a fortnight. Will they support the attack on Java, or will they go hunting for the Enterprise in the Coral Sea?

Allied carriers meanwhile are approaching the southern tip of Sumatra. Daily recon by 139WH-3s from Batavia have spotted several IJN destroyers and light cruisers at Oosthaven, the CL Natori being positively identified this morning. The CV Indomitable and the CVL Hermes will be within range of Oosthaven by midday the day after tomorrow. It is hoped that the Albacores and Swordfish of the FAA can strike and sink the enemy vessels there and then the task force can head into the Indian Ocean and away from any nasty Betty and move north back into Colombo. Our historical HRs prevent RN carriers from being deployed into the Pacific itself but the Indian Ocean is fair game!

[cantona2]

Operation Arklight had been a resounding success. It was designed as a follow up to Operation backstage, carried out in late Decemeber earl January. The RCN Prince Henry braved the Sea of Okhst for a second time. Wintery blizzards, extremely heavy seas and hostile enemies assailed the brave ship and its crew as it made its way from Dutch Harbour all the way to the shores of Hokkaido. Its first sweep of the Shikuka sealanes met with failure as only one convoy was spotted way off in the distance and as the order to engage was given it was swallowed up by a snowy swell.

The 16th February proved more fruitful. As the weather settled some what lookouts spotted a second convoy approaching from the SW. The ship was made ready and using the rising sun as cover to blind Japanese lookouts, the Prince Henry lobbed its first six inch shell at 06:15 scoring a direct hit on the only escort vessel accompanying the merchants. A second six incher sent the Cha-1 class escort to the bottom. The Henry then engaged three transports at the vanguard of the convoy. The remaining ships started to scatter but the Prince had these three squarely in its sights hitting all three and damaging one quite severley. The weathe began to close again, quite firecely at that, and LCDR Middleton gave the order to disnegage and to set a course NNE into the heavy clouds coming from Russia. The ride for his crew would be hard and bumpy but at least no Japanese plane would find him in that soup!

(Daylight xp up to 62)

[cantona2]

The men of 9th Bomber Squadron, 7th Bomber Group gathered outside the main hangar at Townsville. Their B-17s lay off to the left, dispersed due to the threat of air attack, and funnily enough not being prepped for operations. The group commander, Major Robinson, stood before them and addressed them.

"Gentlemen as from today 9th Squadron has been removed from operations and put on an extensive training programme."

Groans and several expletives met the Major's statement.

"Stand down men," he continued. "Let me introduce you to your new horse."

With that he gestured for the men to turn around and face the slowly and noisily opening hangar doors. As the light streamed into the darkened hangar the nose of a very large, and rather ugly looking plane emerged. Gradually more of the plane was revealed. Like the Fortress it also had four engines but it was altogether more massive in bulk and shape. A .50 cal machine gun poked out of its plexi glass nose and the cockpit was hunched above it. The fuesalge of the plane looked more like that of a freight train and the initial thoughts of the pilots was, will that fly? The tail was different in design to that of the B-17. It had two fins rather that the one shark like protusion of the Fortress. None of the pilots could see a turrent anywhere on the plane but they could see the many 50 and 30 cals all around it. The engines were massive and looked majestic.

"Gentlemen this bird is the LB-30 and from now on will carry you in and out of battle and be able to pour 4,000lbs of Uncle Sam's HE on those yellow bastards over there in New Guinea..." Major Robinson carried on reeling off a number of technical data to the crews as they stared in awe at the new weapon.

8 of them had been crated from the States and had arrived at Brisbane last week. In utmost secrecy they had been moved up to Townsville and assembled by the ground echelon of the 9th Squadron.

Their musings were suddenly cut short by the roar of engines as an LB-30 flew overhead at 500 feet, its engines gunning at top speed. The pilots and crews watched as the pilot wheeled over the field and turned the plane gracefully onto its landing approach. Many a pilot thought it handled smoother that it looked. With a screech of rubber the wheels touched down on the Australian tarmac and a few minutes later the whirr and roar of the engines died down and the pilot alighted off the massive plane.

"9th, meet your newest member and the pilot he will be training you on these new beasts. 2LT Finley here has more hours in combat in the B-17 than any other pilot in the USAAF. He was serving in the Phillipines when the Japs struck on Decemeber 7th. He has had a hell of a long journey to get here and as far as I am concerned his word is law as regards these planes and their use. I shall leave you ladies to get acquainted with each other and your birds..."


PS 2LT Finley has 19 missions to his name and an experience of 72. He originally flew with the 14th Bomber Squadron, 19th Bomber Group. He started the war posted on Clarke Field and was soon in the thick of the action. His first mission was bombing Japanese landings on Vigan and he also participated on the strikes on the ports at Takao, Cam Rahn Bay, Samah and Kagi. His squadron then transferred to Singapore for a while and there attacked Japanese landings on Singkawang and carried out two raids on Saigon harbour. His plane was damaged by flak over Saigon and only just made it back to Singapore. His pilot was killed and he brought the damaged Fortress down himself. At the end of December he was transferred out of the 14th to the Reserve Pool and then onto the States. For most of January he was posted to the Boeing factory test flying the new LB-30 bomber, By the start of February the first 25 planes were ready and the 9th Bomber Sqaudron was earmarked to receive them and 2LT Finely in Townsville.

(Proof the request veteran works like a charm)

[cantona2]

High Priority Message received at CINCPAC, Pearl Harbour from CV Saratoga

"Lexington hit by two submarine launched torpedos approximately 200nm north of Pago-Pago. Heavy flooding reported and she is lying low in the water. She is making 18 knots and heading to Pago-Pago for emergency repairs under escort. Saratoga continues on journey back to Pearl."

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 19th February 1942

The most important event was the torpedoing of the Lexington. She has 65 flotation damage (40 Major) and I am hopeful she can make Pago-Pago! Fingers crossed.

Several Japanese task forces have been spotted off Billiton on a SW heading, is this the invasion of Java. A S-Boat lurking off Singapore sunk a Japanese Aden Class transport ship that was part of a larger convoy. Ramon is obviously redeploying his Malayan forces for further ops.

5 FAA Fulmars launched an unscheduled sweep over Oosthaven and were chewed by a CAP of A6M2s. A coordinated strike escorted by Sea Hurricanes and supported by RAF elements in Java is ordered for tomorrow.

In Burma a Japanese battalion was ejected from Meiktila, the 1st Burma Brigade spearheaded the counter attack and is now marching to Magwe as an enemy column approaches.

In the North Pacific, the Prince Henry has just cleared Paramushiro Jima and is heading to Dutch Harbour to rearm and refuel.

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 20th Febraury 1942

A disaster for the FAA over Oosthaven. A strong CAP of A6M2 tore the Albacore and Swordfish squadrons of the Indomitable and Hermes to shreds. The attempt at coordination with forces from Java was a total failure and the 9 Sea Hurricane escorts were soon overwhelmed by the Zeroes and the outdated biplanes became a cake walk for the Japanese fighter pilots. The torpedoing and heavy damage inflicted on the CL Natori was very insignificant compenstaion. The RN carriers are now in great peril as only 6 Sea Hurricanes remain to augment the Fulamrs that were on CAP yesterday. A full steam ahead course has been set due west into the Indian Ocean to put as much water as possible between the carriers and Oosthaven.

Better news were received by CINCPAC. The Lexington had made Pago-Pago safely and was already pumping out flood damage. CV Entrprise has just left Sydney for the West Coast and she will pick up the Lexington enroute and escort her to the large shipyards in Los Angeles for extensive repairs. Her dive bomber sqaudrons will find a new temporary home on the CV Hornet enroute to the Panama Canal from New York. Her current complement of SBC-4s will be left on land until enough replacement Dauntless appear in the pool while the Lexington's SBDs will carry on the fight from the decks of the Hornet

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 21st February 1942

The Turn of the Dud! Every single torpedo hit, and there were plenty, was a dud. It is extremely frustrating to keep on intercepting his shipping lanes only to have dud fish hit his ships. I feel for the RL captains!!!!

Despite the lack of exploding ordinance at sea there was plenty of action in the air!

The first gratifying news of the day came from the HMS Indomitable that had made its first waypoint deep in the Indian Ocean free from harrasment from Japanese bombers. A second waypoint has been set further west before the course back to Colombo is set. Less welcome news came from Pago-Pago where damage control parties were struggling to keep several fires in the Lexington's hangars under control.

Darwin was attacked for the second time in succession. The enemy raid was spotted coming from the direction of Timor, most likely Koepang. P-39Ds of 41st Pursuit Squadron were up early however and met the raid in force. 20 A6M2s were escorting a flight of G4M1s and our fighters engaged the enemy as they flew over Bathurst Island. A tense and long dogfight then ensued as more and more scrambled fighters joined the fray. Though the Zero outmatches the Airacobra, the distance being flown by the Japanese pilots impaired their performance. Two enemy planes were shot down and two P-39s were lost in air to air combat, but a great many enemy planes were left damaged. Unfortunately the bombers were not attacked and they proceeded to bomb Darwin's main airfield though damage was extremeley light. An attempt at coordinating air defence with a small flight of P-40s at Wyndham came ot naught as the Warhawks failed to make contact with either the P-39s or the enemy. This second day of raids indicates a willingness on the Japanese side not to allow us a free reign across the Northern Austrlaian coast. A constant garrison of fighter units will have to be maintained in our Northern bases to keep them open.

A second day of raids over Darwin.

[cantona2]

An equally hard fought day was in evidence over the skies of Magwe. This small Burmese airstrip has become the focus for intensive air battles for the past week. The 1/AVG has provided the backbone of the main resistance tussling with great success with Ki-43s. Ithad been ably supported by the Hurricanes of 258 and 232 Squadrons of the RAF. IJA troops have begun to encroach on the outskirts of Magwe and recon suggests enemy forces at regiment or brigade strength. 1st Burma Brigade will arrive tomorrow to reinforce 10th Burma Rifles Battalion. Burma command has also received a report from 2nd Royal Tank Regiment. It will leave the jungle trails tomorrow and reach the Myitkyina-Shwebo road tomorrow and proceed post haste to Shwebo. The 7th Hussars Regiment is close behind. Their tanks will be welcome reinforcement. Burma Command also received the report from 27 Squadron in Port Blair. It had finished loading on the steamer Jalatrang and was being redployed to Trincomalee.

A week of air battles over Magwe

[cantona2]

The Americal Division has started loading onto the Queen Elizabeth at San Francisco. She is part of a large convoy that is also ferrying AA units, fuel and supplies to Australia. If Japanese actions over Darwin are anything to go by a reinforcing of Australia's AA capacity is in order!

The LB-30 made its operational debut over the airfield at Lae. The inclement weather did not allow for accurate bombing but the pilots were pleased with the handling of the plane and the increased range, however they found the Fortress faster. A second raid has been ordered for tomorrow as the weather clears up around the Solomon Sea.

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 24th February 1942.

Java has become the focus of Japanese aggression. Minesweepers were observed clearing the minefields lain at Merak. A PT Boat squadron based at Batavia engaged with no success. It is expected that the main Japanese assault will make landfall on Java here and probably be supported by redployed airborne assets from Sumatra. Palembang fell a few days ago meaning that oil and fuek will soon flow from here to the Home Islands.

Japan is also on the offensive in China. A disastrous battle for Nayang saw over 20,000 Chinese casulaties and he now presses north towards Sian. Redployed armies from Loyang will use the favourable terrain to the south of Sian to stop the Japanese advance. There has also been a marked increas in IJAAF activity and the CAF has withdrawn from the battle of attrition it has not got a hope of winning.

2nd Marine Regiment has started to unload at Efate and and EAB has started building the first airstrip on Luganville. The first stones for a counter thrust in the Solomons have been set.

Yet the most interesting nugget of information was gathered by Dornier float planes operating out of Sabang. They seem to have found something in Georgetown!

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 27th February 1942

Japanese forces have landed and secured a beachead in Semarnag in Java. At least one division and supporting elements have made landfall and ahve secured a landing zone. An armoured regiment has already been spotted moving along the coast road in the direction of Soerbaja. The carrier Zuiho has been identified supporting this operation. Likewise both Soerbaja and Batvia have been subject to heavy aerial assault from bases on Sumatra and Borneo. Two KNIL regiments are redploying from Merak to move onto more favourable defensive terrain around Batavia. Any attempts by the Dutch Air Force to intercept the landing ships have come to nothing as A6M2s on CAP out class and outmatch anything the Dutch can throw at them.

The A6M2, however, has been found lacking when escorting bombers at the limits of its range. 24 G4M1s from Port Moresby carried out a raid over Cairns today escorted by a number of Zeros. P-40e's on CAP over Cairns performed admirably against the Japanese planes. Tehy shot down four fighters and four bombers with a further bomber claimed by the flak gunners. It was clear to the pilots that the Zero was working at stretched ranges and this, together with the inveitable pilot fatigue impaired the performance of the Japanese flyers. This action has certainly helped to bolster confidence and morale on the Eastern Australian sea board!

Off Port Hedland a naval action was fought between three RAN and one RNN destroyers against four heavy IJN cruisers escorted by a hunmer of destroyers. Shipping in the Broome and Port Hedland area had been moving supplies and resources around for the past week or so. For the past couple of days Japanese float planes had been seen droning in the area. No doubt the reports of so much ship traffic had spurred the ships at Kendari into action. Intially the attack came from the air. A raid on Broome had caught the CL Java dead in the water, the port facilities at Broome could not handle a ship of her tonnage. She was hit repeatedly and sunk. The aforementioned destroyers were leaving the Broome area when they stumbled across the IJN Cruiser Division. However depsite being outgunned they fought a very valiant and exciting action that left one IJN DD heavily damaged, two on fire and even had the audacity to hit a couple of the enemy cruisers. All this for some very light damage on the Electra. As the task force engaged the allied destroyers made smoke and set a course for Perth and alerted the Houston and Marblehead task force, slightly to the north, to the presence of the enemy cruisers and wished them good hunting!

Day Time Surface Combat, near Port Hedland at 56,128, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako, Shell hits 2
DD Oboro, Shell hits 2, heavy fires
DD Uzuki, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Kikuzuki, Shell hits 1
DD Yuzuki

Allied Ships
DD Piet Hein
DD Tenedos
DD Electra, Shell hits 1
DD Express, Shell hits 1

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 27th February (Part II)

The IJN cruiser force off Port Hedland wrought its revenge against a small coastal convoy that was skulking near the coast to avoid the enemy. Four small freighters were sunk and also an AVP that was destined to have maintained a small group of search planes at Port Hedland. Seagulls from the Marblehead launched an unsuccessful attack on the Aoba losing one of their number to flak. Nonetheless Captain Riker (not of Starship Enterprise fame :p) has ordered an intercept course after Hudsons out of Broome confirmed that the Japanese ships has set a course to the NE. Despite being outgunned Riker is aware that the Japanese ships are running low on ammo after two consecutive engagements and the damaged destroyers will slow the enemy down as well.



On Java Japanese troops are fanning out from their bridgehead. An armoured column heading to Tjepoe was attacked by Martins from Soerbaja while advanced elements also entered Djorkjakarta. Surface units were seen moving north up the Java Sea. The presence of the carrier Zuiho is still evident after the last two remaining RAF Buffaloes on Java were shot down by its A6M2s.



Happier news off Sydney where DESRON 5 confirmed the sinking of an enemy Type KD6A Class submarine. A wolfpack has been hunting off Sydney for a while but sterling efforts by RAAF Wirraways and a number of USN and RAN destroyers have kept the sinking to a minimum. Having pinged and successfully depth charged the enemy vessel, it subsequently was forced to surface and then blasted to pieces by the DD Shaw. This now makes two submarines sunk on consecutive days after the DD Encounter sunk a sub off Perth. Heres to a hatrick tomorrow!

[cantona2]

Quick post of end of February Scoreboard

[cantona2]

Allied top pilots, February has seen a lot of intensive air-air action, particularly in Burma.

[cantona2]

edit bad post

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis 3rd March 1942


The Battle of Java is well and truly on. The Dutch Air Force has tried, largely in vain, to interrupt and attack the Japanese landing areas. However, the Zuiho's Zeroes and the Yamada Detachment at Oosthaven have provided sterling effective CAP over the landing zones. A secondary landing has been made at Merak while the Semarang Force has already occupied Djorkakarta and Madioen, Sorebaja will become Bastion South while Batavia Bastion North. It is also hoped that the mountainous terrain around Bandoeng and Buitenzorg can be put to good use as the Japanese move on Batavia.

Similarly the action is hotting up in Burma. A regiment of the 33rd Infantry Division is trying to outflank Meiktila as a quick way in Mandalay. A combined RAF and USAAF strike hit the leading elements of the Japanese column and left many trucks burning and caused the enemy substantial casualties. Hurricanes of 605 Squadron out of Shwebo provided escort, that drove off a flight of Ki-43s trying to intercept the bombers. Recon over Magwe has suggested that the Japanese are now basing fighters from here. Both 605 Squadron and 1/AVG will aggressively sweep Magwe inviting the IJAAF to take to the skies.

Morning Air attack on 33rd/B Division, at 58,46

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 7



Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 13
Hudson IIIa x 2
Hurricane IIa Trop x 14
B-26 Marauder x 2


Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 2 destroyed


Japanese ground losses:
123 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Over 30 Nell and Betty torpedo planes attacked shipping at Broome. The Euro K Cargo Class Empire Condor was sunk as she was delivering war material and a small cargo of fuel to Broome. Her escorts (DDs Jupiter and Bankert) were also attacked but the maneouverable, swift craft were able to avert all torpedos launched at them. A second transport is hugging the coast past Derby carrying a resupply cargo to Darwin.

In China a local counter attack has been able to relieve Liuchow. A regiment of the Japanese 102nd Infantry Division was investing the city from the south west. The fact it had to cross the Liu River meant that no assault had been forthcoming yet. The Generallisimo ordered 35th Army Group to attack the Japanese troops from their river and crush them against the anvil of the river bank. These orders hid a more worrying recent deployment of the 35th Army Group. Until a few days ago the Corps of the 35th Army Group had been tasked with defedning the border with French Indo-China. The Japanese capture of Pakhoi and the subsequent fall of Wuchow meant that both Nanning and Liuchow were in great danger if the IJA decided on carrying out a pincer movement on both cities. A ssuch orders were given to evacute Nanning and bring its two Corps into a stronger position at Liuchow. The fact that this strategic redployment meant the relief of an invested city came as bonus to the forces of Chiang Kai Chek.

Ground combat at Liuchow (74,55)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 24690 troops, 166 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 958

Defending force 4185 troops, 34 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Allied adjusted assault: 500

Japanese adjusted defense: 84

Allied assault odds: 5 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: leaders(+), supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
611 casualties reported
Squads: 30 destroyed, 22 disabled
Non Combat: 21 destroyed, 23 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 5 (4 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (1 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Units retreated 1


Allied ground losses:
178 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

SIGINT picked up a very interesting nugget of information that might have very serious implications for our intentions in Espiritu Santo:

78th Infantry Regiment is planning for an attack on Luganville.

The 78th Infantry Regiment is part of the 20th Infantry Division, now I wonder where it is?!?!?!?!!?

[cantona2]

Turn Synopsis March 6th 1942

Allied resistance on Luzon finally came to a close after the garrison at Bataan was decisively beaten by a combination of superior arms and hunger. General MacArthur, villified in the Press, managed to steal away the night before the final Japanese push claiming he was needed to plan the counter attack from Australia. Yet many feel he should have stood with his troops at eh final curtain. Needless to say he has become a very unpopular character and how the President deals with him will be very interesting indeed.

Fighting continues on Java. Japanese troops are approaching Soerabaja having mopped up the remaining troops outside the city proper. Dutch PT Boats once again tried to disrupt enemy landings with no success. Batavia has been fortified and will become the Dutch redoubt on the island. Japanese troops that landed on Merak have started to fan out. SS S-36 was able to hit two transports unloading at Merak on the night of 4th March, sinking one. Still the enemy troops continued to pour ashore. Japanese landings on Sumatra have also captured most of the ports on the Malaaca Stratits side of the island.

Fighting continues in and around Mandalay and Magwe. Once again RAF fighters and the AVG have bested the IJAAF in the air. Yet as the intell pictures gets better it is obvious that the Japanese hold the advantage on the ground. At least one division (33rd Infantry) has been identified and no doubt reinforcements are enroute from Malaya.

Japanese submarines have made their presence made again with a vengeance. Two transports and a tanker have been sunk in the last 48 hours near Colombo and another ship was caught leaving Noumea. ASW efforts have once again intensified and the complaints of the squadrons tasked with these missions will fall on deaf ears as their planes are needed to scour the seas of these pirates. Our Silent Service continues to find ideal firing solutions only to have poor marksmanship or dud fish spoil the fireworks. SIGINT however reported that the escort vessel Kaki was sunk by a submarine launched torpedo to the south of Rabaul, the kill has thus been credited to the SS Seadragon whose patrol zone covers the area of Sum Sum Bay.

In China fierce and bloody battles are being fought along the Nanyang-Sian Road. The battered and shattered Chinese infantry corps are fighting a valiant rearguard action that is allowing fresh and powerful units construct a new front in the wooded hills to the south of Sian.

Finally, the main Japanese carrier force showed itself today. It launched a powerful strike on Darwins port and air installations. The second time this Northern Australian city feels the wrath of Yamamoto's planes. 3 ships were sunk, SS KX, xAKL Proteus and AVP Reiger. The Euro K Cargo Class freighter Empire Baxter was sunk by Kates as she was trying to abort unloading supplies at the dock. 41st Pursuit Squadron (P-39d) provided sterling CAP cover achieving a 1-1 loss ratio with the escorting Zeroes. However they were unable to make any dent into the mass of naval bombers that clouded the sky. The 41st has been withdrawn to Katherine to recover and has been releived by the 7th Pursuit Squadron (P-40e) from Townsville.