*************May 6*************
The US carriers lay off the Russell Is and the battle is on. Jap recon finds the bad (good) guys first.
Shoho is nearly sunk by a scout SBD and one of the IJN CV's is hit too. [:@]
1)
Morning Air attack on TF, near Russell Islands at 112,137
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 45 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 23
B5N1 Kate x 6
B5N2 Kate x 17
D3A1 Val x 33
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 21
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N1 Kate: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Chicago, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Perkins
CA Chester, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CA Astoria, Bomb hits 5
DD Morris
As Lexington is not spotted, over half the raid attacks the cruisers and DD's.[:@]
2) USN counterattack is already in the air and is very well coordinated. Jap CAP is poor, perhaps the scout hits account for this.
Morning Air attack on TF, near Auki at 115,134
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 3
A6M2 Zero x 22
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 19
SBD-3 Dauntless x 60
TBD-1 Devastator x 24
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
CA Kako, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Kagu Maru
xAK Kamikaze Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 2
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Chicago Maru
xAK Canberra Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Ariake
xAK Ikushima Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
DD Yugure
xAK Asakaze Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
Japanese ground losses:
887 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 18 disabled
Non Combat: 13 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 4 (4 destroyed, 0 disabled)
3) Payback. At least one of the Jap carriers (
Shokaku I think)has an operable deck.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Russell Islands at 112,137
Weather in hex: Light rain
Raid detected at 120 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 51 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
B5N2 Kate x 17
D3A1 Val x 16
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 4
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
D3A1 Val: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Yorktown, Torpedo hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
CV Lexington, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Dewey
DD Phelps
4) Lexington's bombers come back and finish off
Shokaku
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 40 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 1
A6M2 Zero x 14
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 6
SBD-3 Dauntless x 26
TBD-1 Devastator x 8
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBD-1 Devastator: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
CA Kinugasa
DD Shigure
CA Furutaka
CA Haguro, Bomb hits 2
CV Zuikaku, heavy fires, heavy damage
