December 12th,
4th Fleet Area.
There was no action in this area today, as the USN appears to have withdrawn all it’s surface units from west of Pearl Harbour. The Mobile Striking Force refuelled today from the supply tankers south of Wake Island, and will strike at the airfield on Wake tomorrow. The Carrier force will move well northwest of Wake over the next two days, then it will detach the damage units with a destroyer escort for the Home Islands.
The reinforced Wake Landing Force is still reloading at Kwajalein, and will head toward Wake in two days time. This will give the Mobile Striking Force time to detach the damaged units, and steam south again to soften up the defences on Wake.
6th Fleet Submarines.
No action with these I-boats today, apart from the occasional sighting of patrolling enemy aircraft in the area of Pearl Harbour.
Southeast Fleet Area.
The RNZN cruiser
HMNZS Achilles attacked a small landing convoy off Manus in the Admiralty Islands last night. The escorting Patrol Ship
IJMS Kure Maru bravely sacrificed itself to hold off the Allied cruiser, allowing the 2 small unloaded transports to escape.
Hollandia, Aitape, Wewak, and Manus were all successfully occupied by the naval landing forces today.
16th Army Area.
The American/Filipino Forces at Davao held-off another attack by our SNLF battalion again today, but the enemy did suffer heavier casualties. Our unit is still in good shape so the ground assault will continue here again tomorrow.
Naval medium attack bombers from the Pelelui Islands also struck at the enemy ground defences around Davao today, in support of our assault there.
An American submarine tried to close and attack our heavy cruiser
IJMS Myoko south of Mindanao today, but the submarine was successfully driven off by the escorting destroyers.
14th Army Area.
Allied Fast torpedo boats tried to disrupt our naval landing operations off the Laoag beachheads again overnight. In the first of two engagements; 2 enemy boats were driven off by the close escort, but not before the enemy boats managed to lightly damage 2 of our transports. In the second engagement of the night; a force of 3 American boats attacked our heavy battleship covering force. Unfortunately the enemy managed to torpedo the destroyer
IJMS Asagumo before they were driven off, losing 1 of their number. The destroyer is very heavily damaged, and is being escorted back to Formosa.
Overnight a night bombing raid by naval medium attack bombers on the American airfield at Manila managed to hit and damage the runway. Then in the air over Luzon today an offensive fighter sweep by naval fighters from Formosa, against Clarke Field netted 10 enemy fighters for no loss to us.
The Troop build-up continues at Laoag again today, and they will start to advance south when fully-unloaded in the next few days. But a regiment that has already reached Vigan, will assault the town tomorrow.
Hong Kong.
No ground attack hear today, but we continue to pound the Commonwealth defences with artillery and from the air.
25th Army Area.
An overnight night air-raid on the British airfield on Singapore by Naval medium bombers based in Saigon, managed to damage base buildings and the airfield, and also cause personnel and aircraft casualties.
During the day JAAF medium bombers strike at enemy troops withdrawing from the airbase at Alor Star causing some casualties. Then later in the day Naval medium bombers with escorting naval fighters stuck at enemy shipping off Georgetown. Unfortunately no hits were scored against the enemy light craft, but 4 of the defending RAF fighters were shot down.
Our advance mobile ground forces have have closed up on the British base at Alor Star today, and will assault the town/airfield tomorrow. Meanwhile our advance ground infantry regiments continue to move down the jungle railway line from Kota Bharu to Temuloh.
2nd Fleet Submarines.
I-156 which was operating just southeast of Singapore, was attacked and damaged by what appears to be an enemy ASW force operating in that area. Fortunately the damage to
I-156 is only light, but she will still have to return to Saigon for repairs.
The only other enemy contact by one of I-boats in this command, was off Oosthaven to the south. When
I-164 launched 4 torpedoes at a big British transport identified as the Dominion Monarch, but unfortunately all the torpedos missed their target.
Naval Medium Attack bombers on their way to Georgetown to strike at enemy shipping -
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