first real blood... Our famous CarDiv 5 along with CVL SHOHO dashed down to the Hebrides to catch the enemy pants down. We bombed several convoys at the piers of Luganville that were seen heading north from the port of Noumea some days ago.
Several AKs plus two MSWs, along with at least five escorts sunk instantly. Own losses are minimal, only one Nakajima B5N attack plane (Kate) and one Aichi bomber (D3A Val) are missing.
On the other side of the map, the allies keep on losing at least 2...5 bomber A/C per days in their ill-fated air "campaign" against PM. In the meantime the Kanga force was driven out to LeaLea.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/09/42
Weather: Clear
Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40
Allied aircraft
Hudson x 16
B-26B Marauder x 36
no losses
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 79
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 40
Attacking Level Bombers:
10 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
2 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
7 x Hudson at 5000 feet
3 x Hudson at 5000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
5 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
6 x Hudson at 5000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
4 x B-26B Marauder at 5000 feet
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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40
Allied aircraft
B-25D Mitchell x 30
no losses
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 41
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11
Attacking Level Bombers:
5 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
6 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
6 x B-25D Mitchell at 5000 feet
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Air attack on Port Moresby , at 10,40
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 12
Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress x 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 31
Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 16
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-17E Fortress at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 5000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 5000 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6
D3A Val x 48
B5N Kate x 36
E13A1 Jake x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate x 1 destroyed
B5N Kate x 1 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Libra
AK Fomalhaut, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
SC 637, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
PG Moa, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AK Asphalion
AK Lycaon, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AK Algorab, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Launceton, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Mungana, Bomb hits 7, on fire, heavy damage
AK Alcyone, Bomb hits 1
AK Alchiba
SC 640
SC 638, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on Kanga Force , at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
G3M Nell x 15
G4M1 Betty x 14
no losses
Attacking Level Bombers:
15 x G3M Nell at 7000 feet
14 x G4M1 Betty at 7000 feet
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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 8
D3A Val x 23
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 3 damaged
Allied Ships
AP Harris, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Largs Bay, Bomb hits 2, on fire
MSW Cessnock, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on TF, near Luganville at 53,53
Japanese aircraft
D3A Val x 22
B5N Kate x 34
E13A1 Jake x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N Kate x 1 damaged
Allied Ships
SC 639, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Adelong, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Betelgeuse
MSW Ipswich, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Fomalhaut, on fire, heavy damage
AK Neleus, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
AK Asphalion, Bomb hits 1
SC 641, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AK Almaack, Bomb hits 1
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Ground combat at Port Moresby
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 6690 troops, 83 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 1244 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles
Japanese assault odds: 6 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 11
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 107
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