Scott versus Kaleun. Major Victory!

[kaleun]

July 9th 1942. Japanese counterattack in Timor Sea.

As feared, the taskforce standing off Koepang turned out to be a carrier force that chased the retreating allied transports southeast into the Timor Sea. The best that can be said is that the transports, led by light cruiser Danae, almost made it. Only 80 miles away from the comparable safety of the harbor, they were intercepted by enemy carrier air. Not one ship survived.

[kaleun]

July 10th 1942:
It is time to reorganize, resupply and reinforce the new outposts in the Solomons. The 1st Marine Division motorized support crews cannot land at Lunga. They return to Luganville. In any case, 1st Marines will soon be pulled out of Guadalcanal and assigned for duty elsewhere. An army unit will garrison the island.

At Tulagi, the desperate enemy screaming: “Banzai, Banzai,” at the top of their lungs, attacked the invaders and were massacred on the spot. The 1st 102nd Infantry battalion has been assigned to Tulagi to replace the Americal Division.

Meanwhile, in the Timor sea, the Japanese reinforce their beachhead at Koepang. The enemy carrier group comes under air attack from the scanty local air forces. 6 Beauforts and 5 Hudsons with 14 Kittyhawks attempt and attack. The enemy intercepts with 22 Zeros and 7 obsolete Claudes. 6 Beauforts and 2 Hudsons get through the CAP with no success. Later in the day, 4 Hudsons sneak through the CAP and are able to mount an attack on CVL Ryujo, but they score no hits.

July 11 1942: Enemy counterattack?
In Tulagi, yesterday, a group of Kate torpedo bombers attacks the convoy unloading there. One Kate scores a hit on DD Worden. The enemy bombers did not use torpedoes this time, so we are informed that the attack was probably launched at maximum range. Is the enemy mounting a counter invasion of its own?

July 12, 1942 Battle of Guadalcanal!
Allied ships, retreating from Tulagi come under attack by enemy carrier aircraft. A nasty surprise is in store for the enemy pilots as F4F wildcats from the newly operational Henderson field at Guadalcanal fly cover for the withdrawing ships. It is not enough and AGP Janssen, DD Stack, AD Hand and AKE Mormanack sink.

It is now time to return the favor, and the Marine pilots from Lunga do so in spades:

13 SBD Dauntless escorted by 13 F4Fs and 11 P40s attack the enemy carrier force. All the bombers break through the CAP barrier and they score! CV Akagi takes 2 1000Lb hits and CV Soryu takes one.

The enemy carriers manage one more strike against Allied ships. DD Perkins thakes 3 bomb hits, AKL Kertukian sinks, hit by three torpedoes, DD Wordern sinks under 2 bomb hits and two torpedoes, as does AKL Colorado and AKL Tenemin.

[kaleun]

July 13 42.
Just before dawn, Henderson field is rocked by the sound of many aero engines warming up in the dark. As the first light creeps along the Eastern sky, the pilots smoke cigarettes and wait for orders. The scout airplanes have departed before dawn and are now seeking the wounded enemy carriers.

The freshly arrived dive bomber pilots no longer strut as they did in Luganville. They are silent, dragging on their Lucky Strikes, anxious to go yet worried by the sight of the mangled SBD from yesterday’s strike force. The fighter pilots, tired and worn from yesterday’s battles with the numerically superior, faster and better armed Japanese Zeroes are not so sure they want to see the green flare rise from the makeshift control tower (actually, a bucket)

By midmorning, the order arrives:

“Stand down.”

The enemy carriers have withdrawn out of range.

New orders arrive at Lunga:

Americal will garrison the island, while 1st Marines will embark for Luganville ASAP.
In Darwin, the 7th Australian Division begins to prep for Koepang.

In the USA, through all the radio networks, one phrase is repeated on the newscasts:

“It’s payback time!”

In Suva, the US 40th Division embarks. Its destination: Darwin.

It is complex move. The Australians want very much to hold on to Koepang and keep Timor as a bastion protecting their northern cast. The US wants to help her Southern ally but does not want to enmesh US troops in a long battle for the Dutch East Indies. Darwin cannot be left ungarrisoned though.

The solution: The US 40th will garrison Darwin while the Australian 7th will reinforce Koepang.

Only time will tell if this is a gambit, or an error.

[kaleun]

July 15th 42.
Enemy forces invaded and captured Merak at the NW tip of Java. Batavia is surrounded.
Spruance takes Saratoga and Wasp to Sydney for quick repairs.

July 16th 42.
“Up to three divisions.” That was the promise that FDR made to the Australian Prime Minister.

The US will commit up to three divisions to the defense of Australia. The US Navy will also use its forces to escort the Australian efforts to reinforce Koepang and to kick the Japanese out of the island. The 32nd infantry division arrived at Suva. It has been sent along to Port Moresby.

July 18th 42
USS Hornet and Yorktown enter Sidney’s repair shipyards to repair damages.

July 19th 42.
Unconfirmed reports state that SS Pickerel scored a torpedo hit on CV Zuikaku, but the torpedo malfunctioned. The Navy refused to confirm or deny this report.

July 21st 42
Mutsu and Furutaka bombarded Koepang on the 19th prior to reinforcements landing on the 20th.


July 22nd 1942
Saratoga’s repairs in Sidney cancelled. The carriers are hastily prepared for sea duty.

[kaleun]

July 24th 42. At sea.
I share a bunk with three other journalists. We take turns sleeping in it. The sailors call it hot bunking. Admiral Spruance shared his orders with us, so this report will not go out for a while.

The task force will steam to Darwin to escort the 40th Division to Darwin and the Ozzies to Koepang. Under no conditions are the US Navy ships to leave the Darwin land base fighter coverage area. Meanwhile, all the available aircraft will try to attack the enemy carriers. It is the hope of the allied command that a lucky hit, or two, might send the Japanese carriers packing, especially since the LBA hits on Akagi and Soryu.


July 25th 42, at sea.

Good news. SS S 35 hits CV Shokaku with a torpedo, SW of Koepang. SS S 36 gets the heavy cruiser CA Kinugasa with two torpedoes SW of Koepang,

In the island of Celebes, the garrison defending Kendari withdrew to Palopo. Per the Australian liaison officer, an attempt to evacuate them via seaplanes is underway.


July 27 42. At sea.

The task force moves slowly up the east coast of Australia. No enemy in sight. The wireless picks up news that most of the 17th Australian brigade has been picked up by seaplanes from Palopo. Next is the 2/2 Australian pioneer battalion.

July 29th 42. Confined to ship.
We are docked at Darwin, refueling, but the three journalists are confined to the ship and not allowed to send in our reports. It is OK; we listen to the wireless instead. There are reports of an allied raid on the enemy harbor of Rabaul with many enemy tanker ships hit. The US 40th unloads at Darwin.

August 3rd 42. At sea again.
The 7th Australian Division, minus motorized support has loaded and is now en route Koepang. The Wildcats conduct combat patrols and also fly cover over the troop transports.

August 5th At sea.
There is a lot of zigzagging by the transports. They seem to be taking the scenic route. There is much concern about the danger of enemy air attack as the location of the enemy carriers is unknown. Patrol planes fly constantly looking for them. We wonder what our few carriers can do, if KB is located, other than run for the dubious cover of Darwin.

[kaleun]

August 10th 1942 Melbourne off the grid?

While the reinforced combat forces slog it out at Koepang, something weird or, as the Brits would say, a rum thing happened.

A London Times reporter I befriended on board ship, Thomas Richfield, and I debarked at Townsville and prepared to take a train down to Sidney. While in Townsville, Richfield attempted to make a phone call to Melbourne, where he has family. He was not able to reach his relatives in Melbourne, not from Townsville, nor from Brisbane. He was told the lines were down. Tomorrow he will try again from Sidney. Meanwhile, I caught up on the war from the local papers. There has been nothing unusual out of Melbourne. We shall see.

August 14th, 1942 Tragedy in Timor.
A task force of transports, shuttling the 16th Australia brigade from Lautern to Koepang was surprised and destroyed by carrier aircraft on the 12th. The battered ships reached Koepang and began unloading the survivors of the 16th when they were surprised by an enemy task force including BB Mutsu. The allied cruisers tried to protect the transports but quickly succumbed to the heavier broadsides of the Japanese. They did manage to buy time for most of the survivors to escape from the doomed transports. Vincennes sunk and Achilles and Leander were scuttled.

Still no news from Melbourne.

Richfield and I shall try to take a train down there tomorrow and see what’s going on.

[kaleun]

August 17th, 1942 Ambon invaded.

The Japanese have developed an annoying habit. Every time we believe that they are finally on the defensive, content to await our next blow, they come up with something new. This time is the invasion of Ambon. Despite strong resistance from 150mm CD guns, the 41st, 42nd and 43rd naval guards landed to confront the Molukken garrison, the 4th coastal gun battalion and the Ambon base force. An Allied response is expected at any time.

[kaleun]

August 18th 42 Battle rages at Ambon!
An allied destroyer task force sailed from Darwin and hit the enemy transports at Ambon hard. The enemy had to stop unloading to try and defend against the allied ships that fell on them like a swarm of angry hornets. With better fire control and plenty mad, the allied gunners score hit after hit on the enemy transports. All the enemy ships sink by the time the allied destroyers return to base.

[kaleun]

August 19th 42

1st Marines relieved at Lunga, the entire division is on ship to Luganville. Two allied carriers, Hornet and Yorktown wait at Luganville for Saratoga and Wasp that have put in at Sidney for a quick round of repairs.

August 22nd 42Action near Ambon.

The invading forces at Ambon, deprived of supplies by the allied destroyer attack, have been destroyed by the allied defenders. Meanwhile, an enemy surface task force was spotted S of Kendari by allied recon. Hudson and Banshee bombers out of Kendari attacked this surface combat task force. One of the Banshees scored a hit on Mutsu with a 1000 pounder but the battleship’s thick armor repelled the bomb.

The US 40th infantry division aboard TF # 64, is returning to Darwin as the reinforcements it carried were unneeded at Ambon anyway.

August 24 42. Enemy invasion at Tenate.

On the 22nd, the enemy surface taskforce led by Mutsu bombarded allied positions at Ambon. Too late since, as we reported, the Japanese invaders had surrendered on the 21st. SS Sculpin intercepted the battlewagons as they returned to Kendari and scored two torpedo hits on Mutsu. Stingray also scored on Mutsu but its torpedoes were duds.

The 23rd was a great day for allied submarines. The old pig boats had a field day:

S-18 torpedoed xAK Siraha Maru, S of Kendari. S-23 hit Siraha Maru again to finish her off. S-34 scored on xAK Pacific Maru with two torpedoes sinking her. S-35 sunk xAK Tokushima Maru and S-45 sunk xAK Sugiyama Maru with two torpedoes. These last three Marus were found to be carrying troops that will now have to swim to their destination.

Ambon based Banshees scored a hit on xAKL Arizama Maru near Tenate. That ship was also carrying troops.
Despite these setbacks, the enemy landed a significant force at Tenate in the Moluccas.

Wasp and Saratoga are preparing to depart Sidney to refuel at Noumea and join the two allied carriers at Luganville. Adm Halsey will command the task force that will protect the next allied invasion: Operation catapult. The ground forces will be the 2nd Marine Division, 110th US Base force and 1st Marine Raider battalion. The objective has been identified as the enemy base at Shortlands.

[kaleun]

Naval battle at Koepang
August 25 1945.
While allied forces bombard the invaders at Koepang, the Japanese continue to reinforce their beachhead. The Dutch and Australian defenders face three enemy infantry divisions and two regiments plus a Naval Guard unit. Their only hopes rest in the American reinforcements now assembling in Darwin.

In the northern tip of Sumatra, enemy level bombers attack and torpedo allied shipping. A small transport is sunk by enemy torpedoes.
A small allied destroyer force, Selfridge, Paul Jones, Schley and Ward, commanded by LCMDR C. Reynolds approaches Kopeang. Their orders to attack enemy shipping unloading there.
The Japanese capture Tenate.

August 26 42
Reynolds launches a nighttime attack against the enemy amphibious taskforce. He opens fire at 12000 yards and closes to 3000 before the enemy ships manage to escape. Even so, the enemy pays a heavy price:
Japanese Ships
xAK Keihuku Maru, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
xAK Kuwayama Maru, Shell hits 13, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Somedono Maru, Shell hits 12, heavy fires
xAK Kurohime Maru, Shell hits 19, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Koyo Maru, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
xAKL Tientsin Maru, Shell hits 22, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Shun Yuan, Shell hits 22, and is sunk
xAKL Kikuryu Maru, Shell hits 28, and is sunk
xAKL Misaki Maru, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage
There was no damage to allied ships

[kaleun]

The game is proceeding very slowly at the rate of 2 turns a week.
After this long hiatus, I shall continue to update this AAR but I will change the style. I think I will report more on plans and strategy rather than the pseudo journalist style I attempted before.

[kaleun]

August 26 42
In the Coral Sea, four mighty task forces converge to the SE of Rennell atoll. Halsey’s carriers will rendezvous with his cruisers, battleships and invasion fleet, reorganize and proceed to their target.

August 27 42
Japanese forces capture Bandoeng and attack Batavia.



August 28.
Japanese forces capture Muntok.
Allied fighters repel enemy bombers over Sabang.
Halsey’s invasion forces assembled SE of Rennell Is. Invasion of Shortlands launched.





In Darwin, the US 40th Infantry Division loads into its transports; the objective, Koepang is close by, but it could be as far as the moon until the US carriers, released from the Shortlands invasion can cover the crossing.

August 28 42.
Near Rennell Island, Yorktown and Wasp join up with Saratoga and Hornet. With four carriers Halsey feels able to take whatever the Japanese Navy can throw at him.

[kaleun]

August 29 42

Allied High Command might not wish it generally known, but it is clear to anyone listening to the news or reading the papers that the DEI have been written off by the US and Australian leadership. Only Timor has been defended and is being fought for, mostly as a bulwark against a Japanese advance against Australia. The defense of Timor is, really, just a forward defense of Australia. Lip service may be paid to the liberation of Java, to the reinforcement of the heroic defenders that still hold out against the Japanese invaders but everybody who is somebody knows that there are not enough divisions in the SWPAC to make a difference in Java. Sumatra is a different matter. The Royal Navy has began to reinforce the port city of Sabang, at the NW tip of the island despite the strong enemy air presence that inflicts a heavy price for the privilege of supplying the Dutch garrison.

September 1st 1942.

It’s D day H hour for Operation Cornmeal. During the night, the bombardment force, Heavy cruisers Salt Lake city, Chester and Northampton, assisted by the light cruisers Honolulu, Phoenix, Detroit, Raleigh, Ceres and Dauntless creep in unnoticed and pound the Japanese installations. With the first light of dawn, CL Trenton leads CLAA San Juan and Atlanta, and the invasion fleet towards the beaches. The 2nd Marine Division will receive its baptism of fire this morning. The Japanese launch an air attack against the invasion fleet. 5 Betties and 6 Zeros approach and are dealt with by 12 F4Fs on CAP. 4 Betties get through but their bombs, launched from 15000 feet miss their intended targets. Later in the day, 3 Betties and 3 Zeros try again and miss. In the afternoon, convinced that no enemy carriers are nearby, Halsey unleashes his dive bombers against the Japanese defenders. 140 SBDs and 18 Avengers pound the positions of the 7th Indpt. SNLF Coy.

[kaleun]

September 2nd 42.
The 2nd Marine Division takes the weakly defended Shortlands base. Halsey orders his carriers to head southwest towards Darwin where the 40th infantry Division awaits.

September 3rd 42
The Japanese empire is not planning to just roll over and die. In the Ceram Sea a Japanese invasion force attacked the port of Boela on the East side of Ceram. The allies responded with air attacks by Hudsons that missed, followed by a raid by Ambon based Banshees. Unencumbered by fighter cover the allied dive bombers dropped their 1000Lb eggs on 4 enemy transports.

September 4th 42
Despite repeated attacks by the Banshees that score a hit on an APD, the Japanese manage to seize Boela.
Meanwhile, a large secret is revealed. For weeks the naval shipyard at Melbourne had been off limits to civilian and even naval personnel that were not assigned to work there. Early this morning, just before dawn, a large ship slipped its moorings and, without fanfare left the harbor. The ship’s name, finally released was CV Formidable, damaged and reported sunk by Tokyo Rose. It is rumored to be heading to Sidney or Pearl Harbor for further repairs.

[kaleun]

September 5th 42
While allied air attacks enemy shipping in the Ceram Sea, and the Banshees score yet again achieving two hits on xAK Kizan Maru, further east, trouble brews.
Halsey’s carriers are now west of Port Moresby, preparing to enter the treacherous, coral reef strewn waters of the Torres straits.
The airwaves fill with distress calls in the clear:
“SOS, xAP Empire Star, 60 miles NE Palm Island. Under attack by carrier bombers 6 bomb hits. Abandoning ship.”
“SOS, xAP Amra, carrier aircraft attacking. 5 bomb hits. Abandoning ships.”
“DD Fox, 60 miles NE Palm Island, TF under attack by 9 Kate type bombers. Amra and Empire Star sinking. Picking up survivors. Request assistance.”
Despite his captain’s concern for the fuel status of his ships, Halsey orders his carriers about and heads for the Coral Sea at full speed.

[kaleun]

September 8th and 9th 42
Large air battles over Sabang pit the twin engine IJN torpedo bombers and their Zero escorts against Hurricanes moved in from Port Blair. Losses are heavy on both sides.
In the Coral Sea, the enemy carriers are midway between the Australian coast and the Solomons. Their aircraft attack a small TF. DD La Triomphant escorting an ACM to Shortlands takes 2 bomb hits. ACM Trapper succumbs to 3 direct hits. 18 SBD Dauntless from Lunga escorted by 10 P40Es attack the enemy carriers. Only 5 dive bombers get through the CAP and fail to score. A flight of 3 B26 from Lunga, heavily escorted by 29 P40s gets through. The army bombers fail to score but at least one carrier is identified: CV Junyo. Additional uncoordinated attacks cannot get through the enemy fighter cover. In the evening enemy dive bombers finish off La Triomphant with 5 bomb hits; the last one causing a magazine explosion that dooms the destroyer.
South of New Guinea, Halsey pushes his task force as hard as he can to intercept the enemy carriers before they can withdraw.

[kaleun]

Dancing in the Coral Sea.
Enemy carriers move South East instead of North. Halsey’s carriers, between Rabaul and Espiritu Santo move SE. There is not enough fuel for a high speed dash. The enemy carriers may yet get away.

[kaleun]

September 9th
Is this a fumble? The Japanese carrier task force did not swing southeast of the Solomons chain to return to its base at Truk. Instead, the enemy carriers approached Espiritu Santo and launched successful attacks against allied shipping there.
Had they opted to leave the Coral Sea, Halsey, without enough fuel to give chase, would have no alternative but to return to Espiritu Santo to refuel and the Japanese would make a clean getaway.
Is it possible that Halsey’s task force remains undetected?


With the Japanese carriers occupied in the Coral Sea, the US 40th Infantry set out from Darwin under the best available air cover, which wasn’t much. The ships made it to Koepang undisturbed and began to unload the GIs to the relief of the defenders.

Near Torres Island, CL Helena sinks after 1 bomb and five torpedo hits. AKV Hammondsport takes one bomb hit but gets away.
In Luganville, AVD Hulbert and xAKL Surigao sink after seven bomb strikes apiece; xAKL Wawa takes one. The corvette Quesner sinks after two torpedo hits, xAKL Vincent and PC Taney both sink with one torpedo each.
Halsey’s carriers steam South East.

[kaleun]

September 10th Alea Iacta Est.
The enemy carriers are spotted withdrawing to the NE of the Solomon chain. Halsey launches everything he has to attack the hated enemy. As soon as the strike force leaves the deck, the CAP fighters take off and wait for the enemy planes to arrive.
The Japanese hit first.
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 54
B5N2 Kate x 35
D3A1 Val x 34
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 22
F4F-4 Wildcat x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 2 destroyed, 4 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 destroyed, 8 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
CV Wasp, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires
CV Yorktown
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 3
CV Hornet, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
BB California, Bomb hits 2
BB New Mexico
DD Sterett
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 12, on fire
DD Blue, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires.

Wasp struggles to contain the damage. Worse than anything else, two of the bombs hit the bridge taking out the ship’s commander. But the allied airplanes find the enemy carriers.

[kaleun]

Lunga gets into the fight too; 18 TBF Avengers and 14 P40-Es find the enemy task force. 14 torpedo bombers launch torpedoes at the enemy carriers but the inexperienced pilots all miss.
12 P40s escort 18 Dauntless in. The enemy flak scores 5 kills on the dive bombers but the allied aircraft score no hits. They only confirm that Yamato, Yamashior, Junyo and Hiyo are still on fire.
Lunga still attacks and 13 Dauntless and 6 Marauders find the enemy but faced with a CAP of 12 Zeros, they also fail to score.
In the afternoon, 17 unescorted Avengers fail to score but just as the exhausted Japanese fliers think they are safe, a second flight of torpedo bombers, 14 of them, sneak under the fighter cover and score 2 torpedo hits on Junyo.
The Japanese, stricken though they might be, are not taking all of this lying down. They assemble yet one more strike.
A6M2 Zero x 23
B5N2 Kate x 31
D3A1 Val x 29
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 12
F4F-4 Wildcat x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 5 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 1 damaged
D3A1 Val: 8 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
BB Maryland, Bomb hits 2
BB California, Bomb hits 1
CV Hornet, on fire
BB New Mexico, Bomb hits 3
CV Wasp, on fire
CV Saratoga, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Pennsylvania, Bomb hits 7
DD MacDonough
CV Yorktown, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage.

But the American carrier aircraft also find their targets.
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 11
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14
SBD-3 Dauntless x 67
TBF-1 Avenger x 24
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 7 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu, Bomb hits 1
BB Yamashiro, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires
CV Soryu, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
BB Hiei, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CVL Shoho, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
BB Yamato, Bomb hits 2, on fire
DD Akizuki, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Tawakaze
DD Hokaze

And then, it is over. Saratoga sinks taking the body of Admiral Halsey with her.
VADM Mitcher takes command and orders the task force south east, to Luganville.