30/12/42
Midnight.
Hirate hesitates at the top of the hatch.
Once, in a time that seems to be another life, they used to laugh at Minobe. At the way he would hesitate at these hatches going below.
Now he understands.
Zuiho pitches again, shuddering as she punches into another swell, and his body sways with the movement.
The ladder down seems so long now.
With a deep breath, Hirate wins the battle, and descends into the boiler room.
Another watch through the night.
He has not really slept for two days now. Sleep, sleep is an impossible dream.
Zuiho pitches again, and men in the ready room curse. The room now has, as Diogawa so humorously puts it –a nice combat smell.
It reeks.
Four days of closed up hatches, four days of continuous flying, many in wet gear –gear that has not been removed for the shortest time.
Sweat. And stale smoke, and half eaten food.
A lovely smell.
Now, as Zuiho crashes and bangs and rolls in her own pig ugly way, another unpleasant smell joins them.
It is the rookies first vile weather.
And stomachs are beginning to empty.
Only Okura finds it amusing.
Uto is one of them
Kato still stands, as solid as ever, in his position.. His XO stands with him, as does Hidaka. Unconsciously they are moving in time together, riding each swell, knees bending in time.
“Worsening?’ It is Hidaka who breaks the rhythm
“No, it seems to have settled into this. Foul enough, but not getting fouler”
Kato peers through the water streaming screen, as if his eyes could penetrate where so many others cannot “ I think you will be flying tomorrow”
‘the plan continues?”
“the plan continues”
‘At least “ notes the XO, “those barsteds in the submarines will not be able to find us”
Hidaka snorts. “ In my experience, submarines are not the only things that lurk in the dark”
Hirate finds the Charge on the bottom plates, standing easily in the steaming position.
“I’ve got it Hirate, why don’t you make the tea?”
Somewhat surprised, he does. One of the burnermen passes by, doing his rounds.
How long has he been down here,?
All night, apparently.
Heavens!. When does the man sleep?
Almost warily, he brings the tea over to the Charge.
Has he smelt his fear?. What brings him down here…………now?
The Charge takes the tea, smiles.
“So Hirate, are you ready for your Engine room ticket yet?”
Ticket? Now?.
But the Charge must think this is peacetime, or something, that this night is no different from the rest….
He launches into questions. .”I am losing vacuum main engine, give me twenty things that you can check?”
And despite himself, Hirate knows the answer. And gives it.
And the Charge sips tea, and listens
0100 hours
He should sleep. He must sleep. He can be here on the bridge in a minute from his cabin. Bridge, bed. If the fish strikes, it strikes. In this weather he will not be able to do anything about it.
Another wave crashes over her bow. For a carrier, this sow can roll………
0115 hrs. Damn to hell. I will retire…..
‘Captain sir!”
Apparently not
‘Yes, here!’
‘Akagi reports enemy surface target, 4000 metres dead ahead, putting it 20000 metres ofF our starboard beam”
Surface target?
A damaged SS. Or one charging her batteries. No. Not in this weather, no one is going to sight a submarine in this crap. So, a surface ship then. A probe to see what is out here perhaps?
20000 metres?. Do we go to action ney? Do I awaken my tired men again?
No. Not yet. I think, Kato, this battle is only young……..
“very good. We will maintain course. Signal Hibiki to move to investigate.”
Hibiki……a good ship, if anyone can find a needle in this haystack, she can
“Officer of the watch, I am going to bed. You have the ship. Wake me at 0300”
Charge fires questions at Hirate, again, and again.
Eventually, many cups of tea later they end. But the charge remains. He launches into a story about a girl he once knew, a rather perverted (but funny) story involving a bed, handcuffs, and a father coming home un expectantly……….
And suddenly, it is four O clock, and the relief is coming down the ladder.
The Charge leans closely to his ear “Death is only fearful, when we dwell upon it Hirate. If it takes us, it takes us. In the meantime, do your duty, and in your duty, live”
And then he is gone.
Duty
Yes.
I will do my duty.
It is the last time he will hesitate at the hatch.
0400
dawn action stations
The fleet is exactly where it has planned to be, 80 miles east of narua island
It is about the only thing going to the plan
Unseen, in the dark, the rest is quietly going to Truk
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: ouch
Through gritty eyes, Kato peers through the water streaked screens
Once, once I was able to sleep but a half hour, and awaken instantly ready to go.
No age takes me, and I need to kick my mind into gear…
But I live to see the dawn, what we can make of it.
The weather has worsened, and they steam through dark rolling seas.
A viscous wind again whips at them, and water streams from her flight deck.
But they must do what they must do.
Over a tension, anxious hour, Zuiho launches her Kates, Okura again leading them aloft.
Orders are orders. ASW patrol, maximum effort.
Zuiho fulfills hers.
Other ships struggle to comply with theirs. Am Cootumundra, she of the unknown contact of last night, has grown from a small patrol vessel, to a battleship at least in the minds of the carrier men over night. Now four of the big carriers steam with fish on their bombers bellies, eager to strike.
They will be disappointed.
No enemy ships will be sighted today, not in this muck.
1000 hours
“Hidaka, bridge!’
Diogawa laughs. “Your master calls!’ Hidaka chucks a withering glance his way. Tiredness is taking its toll “ Just get your Arse in the air!”
Diogawa grins. ‘I think, my friend, you take this war business far too seriously. Alright, I’m going, I am going!”
Grabbing the inevitable soft roll, Diogawa goes to work, seemingly unconcerned with the weather, the pitching, or the chance of encountering the enemy.
But ignorance is bliss. Unknown to him, the chances of that, have risen dramatically.
Kato hands the signal to Hidaka. ‘it seems, Hidaka, that standards are slipping since we left naval college”
From
TF 407
Due to heavy weather, and very poor visibility, regret that planned
Bombardment of narua island delayed.
We will shortly make another attempt
“ Who commands?”
“I have no idea. I hope we have enough birds aloft, if they find us in this………”
1100 hours
Seven zeros weave through the towering valleys of the storm and squall clouds.
All seven are from Hiyo, carrier nearest to the almost indiscernible rock below
Things are not going to plan, the expected bomber strike is missing, not surprisingly in this crap.
Unsure of what to do next, they are circling over the island, instinctively seeking the clearer patches of sky.
All but one of them, are rookies
Rookies. Rookies are men, who fundamentally have to think about their flying. Who have to think…….to turn, bank: stick, rudder, stick back, keep the nose up, .
Thought that takes an eternity up here.
Rookies don’t look out. Oh, they see the sky, they see the clouds, the planes with them.
They remain ever concentrated on the ground –a ground that to a fighter pilot is usually meaningless
They don’t look.. They never see that tiny cross that is the enemy fighter, or that glint of aluminum that would save a ace
The P39 is not a good plane.
But in this valley of clouds, it does not have to be.
One pass, one swift chatter of guns
And five rookies fall………..
1230 hrs
Those torpedoes remain strapped to bellies.
The weather does not help.
Thus, a mere 17 kate, and 22 zero go with the strike
The p39’s wait, and attempt to intercept –if chasing shadows is an attempt.
The bombing is equally useless.
1310
Diogawa licks his lips.
It is an unconscious action. He would be amused to know, that under great concentration, that tongue of his sticks out ever so slightly.
It sticks out now, as he makes his attack.
It is a quick, flashing head on attack, the bomber looming larger, larger, his tracer stretching out, touching, striking, dancing on the Liberators flank.
And then he is in the white blankness of the cloud again,.
Bombers are so bloody hard to shoot down.
1400
The cruisers arrive of narau island at last. It has been a hard journey. But now, finally, it seems, luck is with them. The seas are calming here, and the rain, so heavy these last hours, clears.
They are old, these ships. Classified as light cruisers, these ships are no match for modern kin. Two of them, Oi, Kitikama, really should not be here, those multiple torpedo tubes should be with the main body.
But Yamamoto has looked at their AA, and found it wanting .
But even these old guns, with crews exposed on the decks, are good enough for this.
The term, “shot up’ does not justify this bombardment.
They are late. 12 hours late. They have failed to meet a sailing. They will atone
The guns bark, and bark, and bark, until the lockers, the magazines, the men hauling the shells, are done.
1500 hrs
From
TF 407
Narau island neutralized
Am retiring to Truk
‘A poor beginning”
“yes. But tomorrow we will do better”
Once, once I was able to sleep but a half hour, and awaken instantly ready to go.
No age takes me, and I need to kick my mind into gear…
But I live to see the dawn, what we can make of it.
The weather has worsened, and they steam through dark rolling seas.
A viscous wind again whips at them, and water streams from her flight deck.
But they must do what they must do.
Over a tension, anxious hour, Zuiho launches her Kates, Okura again leading them aloft.
Orders are orders. ASW patrol, maximum effort.
Zuiho fulfills hers.
Other ships struggle to comply with theirs. Am Cootumundra, she of the unknown contact of last night, has grown from a small patrol vessel, to a battleship at least in the minds of the carrier men over night. Now four of the big carriers steam with fish on their bombers bellies, eager to strike.
They will be disappointed.
No enemy ships will be sighted today, not in this muck.
1000 hours
“Hidaka, bridge!’
Diogawa laughs. “Your master calls!’ Hidaka chucks a withering glance his way. Tiredness is taking its toll “ Just get your Arse in the air!”
Diogawa grins. ‘I think, my friend, you take this war business far too seriously. Alright, I’m going, I am going!”
Grabbing the inevitable soft roll, Diogawa goes to work, seemingly unconcerned with the weather, the pitching, or the chance of encountering the enemy.
But ignorance is bliss. Unknown to him, the chances of that, have risen dramatically.
Kato hands the signal to Hidaka. ‘it seems, Hidaka, that standards are slipping since we left naval college”
From
TF 407
Due to heavy weather, and very poor visibility, regret that planned
Bombardment of narua island delayed.
We will shortly make another attempt
“ Who commands?”
“I have no idea. I hope we have enough birds aloft, if they find us in this………”
1100 hours
Seven zeros weave through the towering valleys of the storm and squall clouds.
All seven are from Hiyo, carrier nearest to the almost indiscernible rock below
Things are not going to plan, the expected bomber strike is missing, not surprisingly in this crap.
Unsure of what to do next, they are circling over the island, instinctively seeking the clearer patches of sky.
All but one of them, are rookies
Rookies. Rookies are men, who fundamentally have to think about their flying. Who have to think…….to turn, bank: stick, rudder, stick back, keep the nose up, .
Thought that takes an eternity up here.
Rookies don’t look out. Oh, they see the sky, they see the clouds, the planes with them.
They remain ever concentrated on the ground –a ground that to a fighter pilot is usually meaningless
They don’t look.. They never see that tiny cross that is the enemy fighter, or that glint of aluminum that would save a ace
The P39 is not a good plane.
But in this valley of clouds, it does not have to be.
One pass, one swift chatter of guns
And five rookies fall………..
1230 hrs
Those torpedoes remain strapped to bellies.
The weather does not help.
Thus, a mere 17 kate, and 22 zero go with the strike
The p39’s wait, and attempt to intercept –if chasing shadows is an attempt.
The bombing is equally useless.
1310
Diogawa licks his lips.
It is an unconscious action. He would be amused to know, that under great concentration, that tongue of his sticks out ever so slightly.
It sticks out now, as he makes his attack.
It is a quick, flashing head on attack, the bomber looming larger, larger, his tracer stretching out, touching, striking, dancing on the Liberators flank.
And then he is in the white blankness of the cloud again,.
Bombers are so bloody hard to shoot down.
1400
The cruisers arrive of narau island at last. It has been a hard journey. But now, finally, it seems, luck is with them. The seas are calming here, and the rain, so heavy these last hours, clears.
They are old, these ships. Classified as light cruisers, these ships are no match for modern kin. Two of them, Oi, Kitikama, really should not be here, those multiple torpedo tubes should be with the main body.
But Yamamoto has looked at their AA, and found it wanting .
But even these old guns, with crews exposed on the decks, are good enough for this.
The term, “shot up’ does not justify this bombardment.
They are late. 12 hours late. They have failed to meet a sailing. They will atone
The guns bark, and bark, and bark, until the lockers, the magazines, the men hauling the shells, are done.
1500 hrs
From
TF 407
Narau island neutralized
Am retiring to Truk
‘A poor beginning”
“yes. But tomorrow we will do better”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
31/12/42
Extract from “Shattering the sword” a Cantona production
Despite the unsuccessful attack of the SS Tuna overnight against the Hiei, the fleet retains formation, and Yamamoto presses on with the plan
He continues to steam the Japanese fleet south east, and at dawn, launches a heavy strike on Narua, 100 plus Kate bombers completing the job of closing the field
The allies however, have already abandoned it.
Japan recovers her planes, losing just one fighter for the day.
With seas moderating, Yamamoto orders the next phase of the operation.
Just on dusk, the three very heavy cruisers, Takao, Chokai, and Atago depart for Tarawa.
It is at best, a unprofitable day.
Gently, almost reverently, Hidaka pulls the shattered remains of his pilot from the still smoking remains of the cockpit.
There is , truth to be told, very little to extract. Fuel burns hot, very hot indeed, and the remains are little more than the torso, a blackened skull, white teeth showing in deaths grin.
An evil smell sweeps across the still smoldering flight deck.
Another man joins him in this the most unpleasant of tasks, big gentle hands. To Hidaka’s surprise, it is Uto.
No words are spoken. None are needed.
They place the Rookie into the canvas sack, and the circle of silent men about them break into action.
The shattered zero has left a trail of destruction from its impact point on the flight deck fan tail to here near the port aft 4.7 inch .
Men sweep its remains over the side, and others, a great many others rush to replace the broken timbers in the deck.
Nobody else has been injured in this “op loss”
Zuiho has been lucky
Not unless, of course, you have to live the rest of your life with that smell, that sight, that true cost of the war in your head.
Extract from “Shattering the sword” a Cantona production
Despite the unsuccessful attack of the SS Tuna overnight against the Hiei, the fleet retains formation, and Yamamoto presses on with the plan
He continues to steam the Japanese fleet south east, and at dawn, launches a heavy strike on Narua, 100 plus Kate bombers completing the job of closing the field
The allies however, have already abandoned it.
Japan recovers her planes, losing just one fighter for the day.
With seas moderating, Yamamoto orders the next phase of the operation.
Just on dusk, the three very heavy cruisers, Takao, Chokai, and Atago depart for Tarawa.
It is at best, a unprofitable day.
Gently, almost reverently, Hidaka pulls the shattered remains of his pilot from the still smoking remains of the cockpit.
There is , truth to be told, very little to extract. Fuel burns hot, very hot indeed, and the remains are little more than the torso, a blackened skull, white teeth showing in deaths grin.
An evil smell sweeps across the still smoldering flight deck.
Another man joins him in this the most unpleasant of tasks, big gentle hands. To Hidaka’s surprise, it is Uto.
No words are spoken. None are needed.
They place the Rookie into the canvas sack, and the circle of silent men about them break into action.
The shattered zero has left a trail of destruction from its impact point on the flight deck fan tail to here near the port aft 4.7 inch .
Men sweep its remains over the side, and others, a great many others rush to replace the broken timbers in the deck.
Nobody else has been injured in this “op loss”
Zuiho has been lucky
Not unless, of course, you have to live the rest of your life with that smell, that sight, that true cost of the war in your head.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
1/1/43
Out here, near the equator, darkness falls swiftly, but late.
It is after 9pm new years eve when the last zero lands, floating through the dusk , a shadow in the gone light.
Weary men, very weary men push the bird down to the elevator. For the 100th time today, the ting, tings will ring.
The seas are clam now, and the sky clear.
Humidity is soaring. In the hanger, the men work on, repairing the damaged birds, servicing the rest. The TBDs are again armed with bombs. Every single one of them
The sharks are back, must come back.
‘ALL SHIPS TO REFUEL DESTROYERS’
There is not going to be any rest this night.
Nor any chance to ring in the new year.
The Aircrew men are tired. The air group mechanics are weary to the bone.
They are not alone. Men who have been manning lookouts, or gun tubs, or even the mundane things, storerooms, writers bins, gather in the dark preparing for the refueling exercise
Below, our stokers too are weary. They scatter through the ship, prepare the tanks, align the systems. Giving fuel is even more complicated than receiving it.
White bow wave glowing in the dark, the first destroyer prepares to approach.
DD Asagari slides past in the opposite direction, she will come about, take station astern, prepare to receive.
She never does.
CV Hiyo shoots the first flares, arcing beautiful and terrible into the dark.
“SUBMARINE!, BEARING 060,!
Kato curses, even as his hand thuds the action alarm
060, quartering onto Hiyo………..she must, dammit, must be inside the screen already…………
“Order Asagari to attack” a moments calculation. “hard to starboard”
And minutes later, those now familiar hammer blows against her hull as Asagari makes her attack.
‘Admidships, get me back on course navigator!’
‘One moment sir……..”
But then, ahead.. More flares. And tracer, and kahthump of charges.
ss-021 is making an attack
Damnations…..another baka! Alright then. “Hard to Port, 180 degree, emergency turn!”
This is going to be a long night……………….
SS dolphin attacks this hour, and misses
SSO21 attacks the Atago, and misses
Destroyers attack her in kind
SS42 joins the party, more crashes, more flares, more wild exertion to avoid This attack………..
Kato maneuvers Zuiho in this mad house. Once, many years ago, he watched a fox in a hen house. Now, that image just won’t escape him..
There was blood then. Surely, surely, there must be blood here soon.
He brings her Admidships. Around them, the darkness is split. Over there, destroyers making an attack. Over there, 120 degrees further around the horizon, flares………….Atago under attack again?!
And beneath him, through his feet, the thud of charges from yet another attack.
And in him, something entirely new………..doubt.
And yes. Fear. The sea is crawling with them……………
He glances to his left. And see’s Tan.
“Why are you not in DC central engines?”
And the Engineer is smiling!……..
‘Oh, I wanted, needed to see the fireworks sir. You know, new years Eve and all that!”
Fireworks?
Yes, I suppose they are that………..
‘”Happy new year Captain.”
Kato hesitates.
The fear is gone.
“Thank you Tan. And happy new year to you as well.”
He bends to the voice pipe again. ‘Port ten, half ahead, lets make for the dark again “
Happy new year. Lets see if I can just make it happy new day………..
Out here, near the equator, darkness falls swiftly, but late.
It is after 9pm new years eve when the last zero lands, floating through the dusk , a shadow in the gone light.
Weary men, very weary men push the bird down to the elevator. For the 100th time today, the ting, tings will ring.
The seas are clam now, and the sky clear.
Humidity is soaring. In the hanger, the men work on, repairing the damaged birds, servicing the rest. The TBDs are again armed with bombs. Every single one of them
The sharks are back, must come back.
‘ALL SHIPS TO REFUEL DESTROYERS’
There is not going to be any rest this night.
Nor any chance to ring in the new year.
The Aircrew men are tired. The air group mechanics are weary to the bone.
They are not alone. Men who have been manning lookouts, or gun tubs, or even the mundane things, storerooms, writers bins, gather in the dark preparing for the refueling exercise
Below, our stokers too are weary. They scatter through the ship, prepare the tanks, align the systems. Giving fuel is even more complicated than receiving it.
White bow wave glowing in the dark, the first destroyer prepares to approach.
DD Asagari slides past in the opposite direction, she will come about, take station astern, prepare to receive.
She never does.
CV Hiyo shoots the first flares, arcing beautiful and terrible into the dark.
“SUBMARINE!, BEARING 060,!
Kato curses, even as his hand thuds the action alarm
060, quartering onto Hiyo………..she must, dammit, must be inside the screen already…………
“Order Asagari to attack” a moments calculation. “hard to starboard”
And minutes later, those now familiar hammer blows against her hull as Asagari makes her attack.
‘Admidships, get me back on course navigator!’
‘One moment sir……..”
But then, ahead.. More flares. And tracer, and kahthump of charges.
ss-021 is making an attack
Damnations…..another baka! Alright then. “Hard to Port, 180 degree, emergency turn!”
This is going to be a long night……………….
SS dolphin attacks this hour, and misses
SSO21 attacks the Atago, and misses
Destroyers attack her in kind
SS42 joins the party, more crashes, more flares, more wild exertion to avoid This attack………..
Kato maneuvers Zuiho in this mad house. Once, many years ago, he watched a fox in a hen house. Now, that image just won’t escape him..
There was blood then. Surely, surely, there must be blood here soon.
He brings her Admidships. Around them, the darkness is split. Over there, destroyers making an attack. Over there, 120 degrees further around the horizon, flares………….Atago under attack again?!
And beneath him, through his feet, the thud of charges from yet another attack.
And in him, something entirely new………..doubt.
And yes. Fear. The sea is crawling with them……………
He glances to his left. And see’s Tan.
“Why are you not in DC central engines?”
And the Engineer is smiling!……..
‘Oh, I wanted, needed to see the fireworks sir. You know, new years Eve and all that!”
Fireworks?
Yes, I suppose they are that………..
‘”Happy new year Captain.”
Kato hesitates.
The fear is gone.
“Thank you Tan. And happy new year to you as well.”
He bends to the voice pipe again. ‘Port ten, half ahead, lets make for the dark again “
Happy new year. Lets see if I can just make it happy new day………..
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
0100 hrs
The attacks have temporarily ceased. Zuiho remains fully closed up, her decks and spaces below humid hell holes.
All know the menace that stalks them
The plans for refueling have been abandoned.
It hurries south east now, attempting to out run this trap it has blundered into.
Submarines are not the only menace now.
Atago, Takao, Chokai have detached. They run in towards Tarawa, float planes already lighting up the base with strings of flares.
Zuiho is only 20 miles away, from here the flares can been seen occasionally broaching the horizon..
And then, abruptly the horizon erupts in flashes . Distant thunder rumbles towards them.
“What do you think Hidaka?’ Kato passes his glasses to him
“Surface action?”
“It must be. The bombardment is not due for another hour”
Surface action.
But against what?
But then the flares and gunfire erupts astern of the force, another SS attack. The bombardment group has to be forgotten.
Extract from Shattering the sword, a cantona production.
This first action by the United states Navys newest weapon is in auspicious .
PT boats are no open ocean warships.
Six attempt to slow the bombardment group, three are sunk.
Valor tonight is not enough.
The cruisers , barely slowed, pound the island.
At last, one article of the plan seems to have bee n full filled.
These cruisers join the ever growing numbers of ships retiring to Truk, ammunition lockers empty.. Their crews, as exhausted as any, glad to be escaping the menace about them.
0430 hrs
And the hint of dawn
Some how they have survived the night. Somehow, the destroyers have kept the sharks at bay.
But there is one thing absolutely certain.
Behind them, between them and Truk, must be a veritable wall of submarines.
Returning that way, is not an option, luck cannot hold forever.
If one cannot go back, one must go forward.
Even as the carriers launch every Kate they can on ASW duties, Yamamoto orders the final phase of his operation
Majestically, the battle ship and cruiser task forces remaining peel away, and begin to steam at full speed.
Tarawa, Makin, Milli, Maleolop .
They must be crushed
Mighty hammers spearing out.
The carriers increase speed too, determined to get east of these islands, free of the tormentors below
And many miles east, but within combat range, Admiral Cantona, always a gambler, rolls his dice again.
Japan once again has shorn its carriers of heavy surface protection, seemingly forgetting the last battles in these waters..
Cantona has not.
The attacks have temporarily ceased. Zuiho remains fully closed up, her decks and spaces below humid hell holes.
All know the menace that stalks them
The plans for refueling have been abandoned.
It hurries south east now, attempting to out run this trap it has blundered into.
Submarines are not the only menace now.
Atago, Takao, Chokai have detached. They run in towards Tarawa, float planes already lighting up the base with strings of flares.
Zuiho is only 20 miles away, from here the flares can been seen occasionally broaching the horizon..
And then, abruptly the horizon erupts in flashes . Distant thunder rumbles towards them.
“What do you think Hidaka?’ Kato passes his glasses to him
“Surface action?”
“It must be. The bombardment is not due for another hour”
Surface action.
But against what?
But then the flares and gunfire erupts astern of the force, another SS attack. The bombardment group has to be forgotten.
Extract from Shattering the sword, a cantona production.
This first action by the United states Navys newest weapon is in auspicious .
PT boats are no open ocean warships.
Six attempt to slow the bombardment group, three are sunk.
Valor tonight is not enough.
The cruisers , barely slowed, pound the island.
At last, one article of the plan seems to have bee n full filled.
These cruisers join the ever growing numbers of ships retiring to Truk, ammunition lockers empty.. Their crews, as exhausted as any, glad to be escaping the menace about them.
0430 hrs
And the hint of dawn
Some how they have survived the night. Somehow, the destroyers have kept the sharks at bay.
But there is one thing absolutely certain.
Behind them, between them and Truk, must be a veritable wall of submarines.
Returning that way, is not an option, luck cannot hold forever.
If one cannot go back, one must go forward.
Even as the carriers launch every Kate they can on ASW duties, Yamamoto orders the final phase of his operation
Majestically, the battle ship and cruiser task forces remaining peel away, and begin to steam at full speed.
Tarawa, Makin, Milli, Maleolop .
They must be crushed
Mighty hammers spearing out.
The carriers increase speed too, determined to get east of these islands, free of the tormentors below
And many miles east, but within combat range, Admiral Cantona, always a gambler, rolls his dice again.
Japan once again has shorn its carriers of heavy surface protection, seemingly forgetting the last battles in these waters..
Cantona has not.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
Midday, new years day
Exhaustion grips them all now
Limbs feel like wood. Fingers unwieldy clubs. Thought comes through layers of cotton wool. Actions, any actions, take three times as long as usual.
You speak to a man, and his eyes are glazed, distant. Twice today Tan will meet men on his rounds through the ship, talk to them, and find them falling asleep standing up.
No matter how harsh the discipline, the threats of punishment, men reach limits, reach the depths of the well, and draw last waters.
Only duty keeps them going. If others work on………then I must too.
Fear no longer drives them. They are beyond caring.
If death comes, then they can finally sleep.
Fatigue begins to kill
Below, a man slices a thumb off in the workshop. He cannot even remember the job he was supposed to do.
Another man in the hanger is crushed by a torpedo trolly….he will live, but Commander Korrii will remove a leg.
Zuiho loses a kate. It launches with every other plane, joins the hunt for the hidden stalkers.
It is never heard from again.
But Zuiho is not alone. Fleet wide five zeros are lost today, all to accidents.
Fatigue begins to kill.
And Kato sums up all feelings as day slides again into night.
‘Fifteen submarines tracking us at least, God knows how many more we did not keep down. Hidaka, this is , as a mission, the grand Truk up of truk ups. We have got to get our arses out of here”
Exhaustion grips them all now
Limbs feel like wood. Fingers unwieldy clubs. Thought comes through layers of cotton wool. Actions, any actions, take three times as long as usual.
You speak to a man, and his eyes are glazed, distant. Twice today Tan will meet men on his rounds through the ship, talk to them, and find them falling asleep standing up.
No matter how harsh the discipline, the threats of punishment, men reach limits, reach the depths of the well, and draw last waters.
Only duty keeps them going. If others work on………then I must too.
Fear no longer drives them. They are beyond caring.
If death comes, then they can finally sleep.
Fatigue begins to kill
Below, a man slices a thumb off in the workshop. He cannot even remember the job he was supposed to do.
Another man in the hanger is crushed by a torpedo trolly….he will live, but Commander Korrii will remove a leg.
Zuiho loses a kate. It launches with every other plane, joins the hunt for the hidden stalkers.
It is never heard from again.
But Zuiho is not alone. Fleet wide five zeros are lost today, all to accidents.
Fatigue begins to kill.
And Kato sums up all feelings as day slides again into night.
‘Fifteen submarines tracking us at least, God knows how many more we did not keep down. Hidaka, this is , as a mission, the grand Truk up of truk ups. We have got to get our arses out of here”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
2/1/42
Some things are almost indescribable
Some things, I wish, every man could experience.
But, this is something reserved for sailors.
This is something special.
Battleship Kongo, all 30000 plus tons of her, steams at full speed towards Tarawa.
The seas are calm, the moon rising.
Excitement stalks her decks.
30000 tons at full speed, and great guns turning to bear upon the rock ahead, the rock bathed in flares.
Already this great ship has brushed aside the PT boats trying to slow her.
Now, now she and her 3 other companions prepare to deal out what only battlewagons can do.
High speed, heavy, heavy bombardment.
It begins.
Indescribable. Incredible. The night split asunder.
A bombardment that assaults the senses, leaves ears ringing.
A bombardment that brings smiles to all onboard.
Years of training, justified at last.
Tarawa trembles. Tarawa again feels the wrath of Japanese heavy guns. The island bucks and heaves, burns.
This bombardment is good. Very, very good.
An hour later, they turn away, plotting a course for Truk.
What happens next, transforms this night.
‘Hidaka to bridge!’
he stumbles into the red glow of the bridges light, eyes still adjusting from the glare of the hangers.
Kato hands him this latest missives.
Kato, who suddenly does not seem tired at all.
And Hidaka picks the body language at once.
Kato is hunting………..
The first message is brief.
‘From BB Kongo. Have been attacked by 9 Torpedo bombers, of a new type.
Enemy planes were all, repeat all, of a carrier borne type”
The second even shorter
“From I-26”
‘carrier borne aircraft sighted 280 miles due east Milli”
Hidaka barely breathes the words
‘carriers?’
‘Yes!”
from CV Hiyo
all ships
new course, 090, battle speed one!
Some things are almost indescribable
Some things, I wish, every man could experience.
But, this is something reserved for sailors.
This is something special.
Battleship Kongo, all 30000 plus tons of her, steams at full speed towards Tarawa.
The seas are calm, the moon rising.
Excitement stalks her decks.
30000 tons at full speed, and great guns turning to bear upon the rock ahead, the rock bathed in flares.
Already this great ship has brushed aside the PT boats trying to slow her.
Now, now she and her 3 other companions prepare to deal out what only battlewagons can do.
High speed, heavy, heavy bombardment.
It begins.
Indescribable. Incredible. The night split asunder.
A bombardment that assaults the senses, leaves ears ringing.
A bombardment that brings smiles to all onboard.
Years of training, justified at last.
Tarawa trembles. Tarawa again feels the wrath of Japanese heavy guns. The island bucks and heaves, burns.
This bombardment is good. Very, very good.
An hour later, they turn away, plotting a course for Truk.
What happens next, transforms this night.
‘Hidaka to bridge!’
he stumbles into the red glow of the bridges light, eyes still adjusting from the glare of the hangers.
Kato hands him this latest missives.
Kato, who suddenly does not seem tired at all.
And Hidaka picks the body language at once.
Kato is hunting………..
The first message is brief.
‘From BB Kongo. Have been attacked by 9 Torpedo bombers, of a new type.
Enemy planes were all, repeat all, of a carrier borne type”
The second even shorter
“From I-26”
‘carrier borne aircraft sighted 280 miles due east Milli”
Hidaka barely breathes the words
‘carriers?’
‘Yes!”
from CV Hiyo
all ships
new course, 090, battle speed one!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
2/1/43
The gigantic folly continues.
Kato, his crew, have been lucky these last few hours.
Many have slept.
Many have even had over an hours worth.
But today, as yet another dawn rises, the ultimate pick me up drags many from the fog of exhaustion.
Battle is being joined.
By 0700 hours, every fighter Zuiho has is aloft, circling at 7000 feet. Hidaka has given firm orders. Do not stray far. Do not be seduced away. Protect the carrier at all costs!
She is particularly vulnerable now. Her Bombers sit aft on the flight deck, engines warm, the shining gleaming torpedos slung underneath.
The day begins well. Heavy cruisers hit Makin island, and report it closed.
Yet others strike Mili, and report it closed. The remaining ships –the Yamato battle groups, will strike malaelop tomorrow. And with all the carriers now operating east of mili, the submarines seem to have been left behind.
And out there, somewhere to the east, the allies have a task force.
Kato can smell it.
So can Hidaka
And above all, so can Yamamoto.. Even as his battlewagons peel away to head north, he begins to push Akagi and his heavies hard due east.
The allies, however are fighting back.
‘Alarm!, aircraft, bearing 100 degrees, height, 15000 feet, range, ten kilometers!’
Kato, Hidaka race to the port bridge wing
Baka’s!
Somewhere, some report of closed airfield is very, very wrong!
Well old man, lets see how much we have forgotten in the fair art of iron brick dodging……
‘battle stations!, full ahead flank!, action port, AA, open fire when ready!”
Zuiho tenses itself………..
Below, deep, deep below, you cannot help it. You look up, as if you could see through those decks of steel, and watch death swoop down from above.
Then you turn back to your work, those gauges, the steam pressure.
Duty will bind you to this spot, no matter what comes.
The gigantic folly continues.
Kato, his crew, have been lucky these last few hours.
Many have slept.
Many have even had over an hours worth.
But today, as yet another dawn rises, the ultimate pick me up drags many from the fog of exhaustion.
Battle is being joined.
By 0700 hours, every fighter Zuiho has is aloft, circling at 7000 feet. Hidaka has given firm orders. Do not stray far. Do not be seduced away. Protect the carrier at all costs!
She is particularly vulnerable now. Her Bombers sit aft on the flight deck, engines warm, the shining gleaming torpedos slung underneath.
The day begins well. Heavy cruisers hit Makin island, and report it closed.
Yet others strike Mili, and report it closed. The remaining ships –the Yamato battle groups, will strike malaelop tomorrow. And with all the carriers now operating east of mili, the submarines seem to have been left behind.
And out there, somewhere to the east, the allies have a task force.
Kato can smell it.
So can Hidaka
And above all, so can Yamamoto.. Even as his battlewagons peel away to head north, he begins to push Akagi and his heavies hard due east.
The allies, however are fighting back.
‘Alarm!, aircraft, bearing 100 degrees, height, 15000 feet, range, ten kilometers!’
Kato, Hidaka race to the port bridge wing
Baka’s!
Somewhere, some report of closed airfield is very, very wrong!
Well old man, lets see how much we have forgotten in the fair art of iron brick dodging……
‘battle stations!, full ahead flank!, action port, AA, open fire when ready!”
Zuiho tenses itself………..
Below, deep, deep below, you cannot help it. You look up, as if you could see through those decks of steel, and watch death swoop down from above.
Then you turn back to your work, those gauges, the steam pressure.
Duty will bind you to this spot, no matter what comes.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
There are 8 bombers in all, dauntless hell divers as many call them.
Almost certainly refugees from the terrible carrier battles of the months before.
Survivors.
Hate filled survivors, determined to avenge their sunken ship, their sunken friends.
But they have, some how (as is the manner of things in this war so far), lost their escort.
It does not deter them at all. They come straight in
Only ten fighters intercept------every one of them Zuiho men.
For the fleet, there could be no better.
Diogawa leads them, Ogawa on his wing
They dive down from the flank, curving into them, there is the chattering of guns, the crash of cannons, the scream of aero engines.
Diogawa , almost casually, sweeps in. There is no tensness, no fear, no nerves. Just cool, calm confidence in himself, his plane.
He fires but briefly, and rolls down and away.
The bomber lurches, sprouts fire, folds up.
By the time the new ace, for that is what he is now, climbs back into the attack, the fight is over.
The bombers are re united with their friends, in death
Hidaka lowers his glasses, smiles at his captain.
“the Americans remain brave “
Kato merely grunts. “if bravery was all we fought, I would not be worried. It’s the amazing propensity to just keep attacking that astounds me…… Hiyo is launching CAP. Damnation. We have a deck full of bombers, and fighters with out ammunition…..”
Hidaka does not need to be told. The enemy to the east have not yet been sighted. This mornings gamble has failed.
‘I will order the Kates below at once sir”
BB Hiei is attacked at this time, some 100 miles away. The enemy miss.
16 more dive bombers attack the main body……..also unescorted
A few escape.
An hour later Zuiho begins to recover the last of her fighters
Po Kumugraha, who has 7 kills to his name now, is angling in for the flight deck, when 4 wildcats, unseen in the now thickening sea mist/haze, burst across the ocean at 200 feet.
Zuihos leading pilot dies, unable to fight back just 500 yards astern of her
The enemy die, but so do we.
Almost certainly refugees from the terrible carrier battles of the months before.
Survivors.
Hate filled survivors, determined to avenge their sunken ship, their sunken friends.
But they have, some how (as is the manner of things in this war so far), lost their escort.
It does not deter them at all. They come straight in
Only ten fighters intercept------every one of them Zuiho men.
For the fleet, there could be no better.
Diogawa leads them, Ogawa on his wing
They dive down from the flank, curving into them, there is the chattering of guns, the crash of cannons, the scream of aero engines.
Diogawa , almost casually, sweeps in. There is no tensness, no fear, no nerves. Just cool, calm confidence in himself, his plane.
He fires but briefly, and rolls down and away.
The bomber lurches, sprouts fire, folds up.
By the time the new ace, for that is what he is now, climbs back into the attack, the fight is over.
The bombers are re united with their friends, in death
Hidaka lowers his glasses, smiles at his captain.
“the Americans remain brave “
Kato merely grunts. “if bravery was all we fought, I would not be worried. It’s the amazing propensity to just keep attacking that astounds me…… Hiyo is launching CAP. Damnation. We have a deck full of bombers, and fighters with out ammunition…..”
Hidaka does not need to be told. The enemy to the east have not yet been sighted. This mornings gamble has failed.
‘I will order the Kates below at once sir”
BB Hiei is attacked at this time, some 100 miles away. The enemy miss.
16 more dive bombers attack the main body……..also unescorted
A few escape.
An hour later Zuiho begins to recover the last of her fighters
Po Kumugraha, who has 7 kills to his name now, is angling in for the flight deck, when 4 wildcats, unseen in the now thickening sea mist/haze, burst across the ocean at 200 feet.
Zuihos leading pilot dies, unable to fight back just 500 yards astern of her
The enemy die, but so do we.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
2/1/43
0400
Once again, tired men are working in the glare of harsh overhead lighting
The kates again are being loaded with bombs
This time, every man wishes that this strike will go ahead, just to get rid of the damn things!
Mili is being pounded by Japanese cruisers. The weather is good.
Today there must be battle, this madness, this nightmare must have a reason for continuing
Below, The Charge, Tan, all our other stokers are doggedly continuing with duty.
Everything now (for everyone onboard) has been stripped down to this.
No time for personalities, no time for individual vanities, egos or petty human arguments.
There is no energy left for any of that crap.
Just duty.
Feed the fires. Tend the water level, watch the vacuum. Arm the bombers, man the guns, steam and steer the ship.
Weaker men break at these times.
Not Zuiho’s men.
Luck is with Zuiho tonight. Luck they will not know bout for many months.
Even as the first bomber is again hauled to the flight deck, HMNZS Leander, and a pack of destroyers, hunts her.
They will pass a mere 40 miles to the south, then turn away, completely undetected.
The strike is due to go at 0600.
Yamamoto has already decided. If today brings further poor results, then he will cancel the mission, and recall the ships to Japan.
But first, one last great effort.
Few on Zuiho could imagine just how great that effort will be.
0400
Once again, tired men are working in the glare of harsh overhead lighting
The kates again are being loaded with bombs
This time, every man wishes that this strike will go ahead, just to get rid of the damn things!
Mili is being pounded by Japanese cruisers. The weather is good.
Today there must be battle, this madness, this nightmare must have a reason for continuing
Below, The Charge, Tan, all our other stokers are doggedly continuing with duty.
Everything now (for everyone onboard) has been stripped down to this.
No time for personalities, no time for individual vanities, egos or petty human arguments.
There is no energy left for any of that crap.
Just duty.
Feed the fires. Tend the water level, watch the vacuum. Arm the bombers, man the guns, steam and steer the ship.
Weaker men break at these times.
Not Zuiho’s men.
Luck is with Zuiho tonight. Luck they will not know bout for many months.
Even as the first bomber is again hauled to the flight deck, HMNZS Leander, and a pack of destroyers, hunts her.
They will pass a mere 40 miles to the south, then turn away, completely undetected.
The strike is due to go at 0600.
Yamamoto has already decided. If today brings further poor results, then he will cancel the mission, and recall the ships to Japan.
But first, one last great effort.
Few on Zuiho could imagine just how great that effort will be.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
0300 hours
The ready room is quiet. Okura eats his breakfast with out tasting it. His mind and attention fully on the flight plan board on his hip. Attached to it, the latest photos of his target on Milli island, the fuel pumping station hidden away near one of the taxi ways.
The Americans have tried to hide it, unsuccessfully. One of the advantages, if you could call it that, of having once just occupied the place. He is sure he can hit it.
Ogawa too eats at the table, his eyes two dark rings of fatigue. He too tastes little of the fuel that is feeding his body. He needs it for today, he will eat it.
Once, we would have called him a man of good humour. None of that exists today. Merely a deep, deep tiredness. Action will come today, and he does not care.
Diogawa eats, and wonders where he can get seconds. The looming battle exists not at all in his mind
Hidaka enters the room. Today he is in his flight gear, a sure sign of the importance of what lies ahead.
“ I will lead the attack. You know your targets, hit them. We launch at 0400 hours. That is all, follow me, and strike”
That is all. Yes, follow me into the lions den, and strike.
But for this, is anything else required?
There is a brisk breeze blowing, the hint of dawn on horizon. Zuiho trembles beneath them, Tan is getting her to full speed again. The men gather in a small group, dark shadows, pale faces.
The wind whips the fur of the suits. About them, pale figures, the white overalls of the deck crews, gathering around the birds. The crack of cylinders firing fills the air, the stink of aero fuel. Few notice it, it has been part of their lives for so long now.
The flagship –still a mere shadow in the dark, flashes its signals.
‘launch the attack!’
Our pilots move swiftly to the planes, dodging with easy familiarity the deadly spinning arcs of the blades.
Mechanics have got them all going now, and that beautiful beat of radial engines fills the air.
Flags rise. Whisps of steam from the bow, zuiho again, how many times now in this war?, seeks the wind, sniffs it out.
Hidaka leads them away.
Twenty minutes later, her decks are empty, and 19 Val, 52 kates, 70 zeros, wheel away towards milli island.
Time to target, 30 minutes
And thirty five minutes later, even as the first Val wheels over to the attack, kato receives the message
‘from Akagi”
Two battleships, one carrier, bearing 090, range 360 miles sighted, speed 26knots, course 270 degrees.
“Launch strike as soon as possible”
The ready room is quiet. Okura eats his breakfast with out tasting it. His mind and attention fully on the flight plan board on his hip. Attached to it, the latest photos of his target on Milli island, the fuel pumping station hidden away near one of the taxi ways.
The Americans have tried to hide it, unsuccessfully. One of the advantages, if you could call it that, of having once just occupied the place. He is sure he can hit it.
Ogawa too eats at the table, his eyes two dark rings of fatigue. He too tastes little of the fuel that is feeding his body. He needs it for today, he will eat it.
Once, we would have called him a man of good humour. None of that exists today. Merely a deep, deep tiredness. Action will come today, and he does not care.
Diogawa eats, and wonders where he can get seconds. The looming battle exists not at all in his mind
Hidaka enters the room. Today he is in his flight gear, a sure sign of the importance of what lies ahead.
“ I will lead the attack. You know your targets, hit them. We launch at 0400 hours. That is all, follow me, and strike”
That is all. Yes, follow me into the lions den, and strike.
But for this, is anything else required?
There is a brisk breeze blowing, the hint of dawn on horizon. Zuiho trembles beneath them, Tan is getting her to full speed again. The men gather in a small group, dark shadows, pale faces.
The wind whips the fur of the suits. About them, pale figures, the white overalls of the deck crews, gathering around the birds. The crack of cylinders firing fills the air, the stink of aero fuel. Few notice it, it has been part of their lives for so long now.
The flagship –still a mere shadow in the dark, flashes its signals.
‘launch the attack!’
Our pilots move swiftly to the planes, dodging with easy familiarity the deadly spinning arcs of the blades.
Mechanics have got them all going now, and that beautiful beat of radial engines fills the air.
Flags rise. Whisps of steam from the bow, zuiho again, how many times now in this war?, seeks the wind, sniffs it out.
Hidaka leads them away.
Twenty minutes later, her decks are empty, and 19 Val, 52 kates, 70 zeros, wheel away towards milli island.
Time to target, 30 minutes
And thirty five minutes later, even as the first Val wheels over to the attack, kato receives the message
‘from Akagi”
Two battleships, one carrier, bearing 090, range 360 miles sighted, speed 26knots, course 270 degrees.
“Launch strike as soon as possible”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
Today, some how, we are going to put you into the cockpit of Okura’s plane.
You can be tail gunner, swinging that small gun as you like.
Just don’t fall out.
He is a quiet one, is Okura. He does not laugh very much any more. But he is still the best, and in war, that is what gets you home.
You settle into your seat, facing backwards. A disquieting action, this moving down the flight deck with out being able to see ahead.
To hide the fear, you wave to the men dispatching you .
You hope to see them again
Climbing, climbing to 5000 feet, the sea still dark, but the sky brightening.
The wind whips past, but you feel no cold.
The great noise covers all. The engine beats down conversation, beats down communication.
It numbs, forces a mind into itself.
But there is more than enough to keep you alert.
The kates are strung out in three great wedges, vics of three , arrayed across the sky.
It is a stirring sight, yes?
And look, above them, the Vals. They will pave the way.
And cutting above them, and out on the Flanks, the fighters..
You can, with difficulty, swivel in your seat, try to peer down the length of the cockpit, past the observer, and over okuras shoulder.
There it is, Milli.
And the sun is just starting to rise.
And now, of course, the fear, the tension must rise, does rise.
The vals are pulling ahead, and Okura is banking gently, gently.
Still no fighters.
A few black puffs. Not many. But then it only takes one, doesn’t it?
And now the vals are swooping down and Okura has throttle full, and you vibrate to hell.
The field is below, still no fighters!
She lurches, the bomb is gone!
The observer taps you on the shoulder, a thumbs up
You have survived another day………….
You climb down from the eagle, and wonder, how weak your legs feel, how wet you are from perspiration
Okura speaks to you………. Another mission. Get a drink, relieve your self, grab some food.
Another mission.
But this time, before you board, Okura addresses you ,others.
‘A long range strike. A very long range strike . Already the main carrier fleet is enroute. We must go, as soon as we can.”
They fade away, your home, your comrades, small marks of white marring the never ending sea.
There are just eighteen of you.
And no fighters.
Somewhere, somehow we have lost the fighters.
You will resettle. There is nothing for it. You fly with Okura. He will never , ever turn back
Bridge
Akagi
Captain Hara, does what he has done so many times before
Curses fate.
Below him, his Kates are forming up, refueled, re armed from the Milli strike.
Too long, too long.
Doctrine says –strike with your full weight.
Everything at once.
How to hell that has gone now!
Somewhere to the east, his Vals wing towards the unseen enemy.
Following, hopefully, the other task forces strike.
A straggling, unco ordinated cluster……………
You can be tail gunner, swinging that small gun as you like.
Just don’t fall out.
He is a quiet one, is Okura. He does not laugh very much any more. But he is still the best, and in war, that is what gets you home.
You settle into your seat, facing backwards. A disquieting action, this moving down the flight deck with out being able to see ahead.
To hide the fear, you wave to the men dispatching you .
You hope to see them again
Climbing, climbing to 5000 feet, the sea still dark, but the sky brightening.
The wind whips past, but you feel no cold.
The great noise covers all. The engine beats down conversation, beats down communication.
It numbs, forces a mind into itself.
But there is more than enough to keep you alert.
The kates are strung out in three great wedges, vics of three , arrayed across the sky.
It is a stirring sight, yes?
And look, above them, the Vals. They will pave the way.
And cutting above them, and out on the Flanks, the fighters..
You can, with difficulty, swivel in your seat, try to peer down the length of the cockpit, past the observer, and over okuras shoulder.
There it is, Milli.
And the sun is just starting to rise.
And now, of course, the fear, the tension must rise, does rise.
The vals are pulling ahead, and Okura is banking gently, gently.
Still no fighters.
A few black puffs. Not many. But then it only takes one, doesn’t it?
And now the vals are swooping down and Okura has throttle full, and you vibrate to hell.
The field is below, still no fighters!
She lurches, the bomb is gone!
The observer taps you on the shoulder, a thumbs up
You have survived another day………….
You climb down from the eagle, and wonder, how weak your legs feel, how wet you are from perspiration
Okura speaks to you………. Another mission. Get a drink, relieve your self, grab some food.
Another mission.
But this time, before you board, Okura addresses you ,others.
‘A long range strike. A very long range strike . Already the main carrier fleet is enroute. We must go, as soon as we can.”
They fade away, your home, your comrades, small marks of white marring the never ending sea.
There are just eighteen of you.
And no fighters.
Somewhere, somehow we have lost the fighters.
You will resettle. There is nothing for it. You fly with Okura. He will never , ever turn back
Bridge
Akagi
Captain Hara, does what he has done so many times before
Curses fate.
Below him, his Kates are forming up, refueled, re armed from the Milli strike.
Too long, too long.
Doctrine says –strike with your full weight.
Everything at once.
How to hell that has gone now!
Somewhere to the east, his Vals wing towards the unseen enemy.
Following, hopefully, the other task forces strike.
A straggling, unco ordinated cluster……………
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
Hidaka leads them
18 kates.
9 are from Zuiho, the rest from Shoho
The sea below is a brilliant blue, and the sky filled with scattered cloud. The bombers bounce gently in the air, as they drone ever eastward, ever eastward.
It is a big ocean, the pacific.
An even bigger sky
They fly on, and on, all most lost in the never ending blue
Diogawa too flies east, leading another rag tag collection of zeros..
Todays first missionb took 2 hours.
Already he has been in the air for four hours.
The sky about them is thickening, the clouds getting closer, darker.
Where is the target. Where are the bombers.
Sweat streams down his back. None from exhurtion.
Shame fills him.
Diogawa, unflappable Diogawa, swears aloud.
They can go no further, fuel is at its limit.
Reluctantly the fighters turn back.
They will get home safe. Utterly exhausted, filled with fear for the bombers.
But they will get back.
Hidaka too curses.
For the tenth time, he glances at the fuel guage, mentally calculates.
They have but fifteen minutes before they have to return.
An unthinkable thought.
The main body locates them.
First, small smudges on the horizon, growing rapidly into multiple streaks of foam, wakes like arrows heading towards the west.
Two great shapes in the middle. Unmistakable shapes of battleships.
One they know, the Washington, the other………..unknown. Reported as a KGV class.
Does it matter. It is the enemy.
No fighters.
Hidaka has turned back
‘Enemy contact report sir!, 80 miles to our south!, our bombers attacking”
Hidaka does not hesitate.
Flares fire. ‘Follow me.’
The kates wheel south.
What decides battles?
Technology-yes
Numbers-yes
Training, skill…..yes
Moral, leadership. Many things, yes.
Men can decide battles too.
KB mens are tired. Very, very tired.
The battleships, the escorts fling an umbrella of fire above them, and these great battlewagons are wonderfully commanded.
27 Bombers dive…………
No hits.
None.
And the wreckage of 8 bombers mar the beautiful waters.
The Americans cheer.
On the horizon, a new threat
Hidaka is in command
But it is Okura who again leads Japans finest
Engines snarl as they swoop in to attack
18 kates.
9 are from Zuiho, the rest from Shoho
The sea below is a brilliant blue, and the sky filled with scattered cloud. The bombers bounce gently in the air, as they drone ever eastward, ever eastward.
It is a big ocean, the pacific.
An even bigger sky
They fly on, and on, all most lost in the never ending blue
Diogawa too flies east, leading another rag tag collection of zeros..
Todays first missionb took 2 hours.
Already he has been in the air for four hours.
The sky about them is thickening, the clouds getting closer, darker.
Where is the target. Where are the bombers.
Sweat streams down his back. None from exhurtion.
Shame fills him.
Diogawa, unflappable Diogawa, swears aloud.
They can go no further, fuel is at its limit.
Reluctantly the fighters turn back.
They will get home safe. Utterly exhausted, filled with fear for the bombers.
But they will get back.
Hidaka too curses.
For the tenth time, he glances at the fuel guage, mentally calculates.
They have but fifteen minutes before they have to return.
An unthinkable thought.
The main body locates them.
First, small smudges on the horizon, growing rapidly into multiple streaks of foam, wakes like arrows heading towards the west.
Two great shapes in the middle. Unmistakable shapes of battleships.
One they know, the Washington, the other………..unknown. Reported as a KGV class.
Does it matter. It is the enemy.
No fighters.
Hidaka has turned back
‘Enemy contact report sir!, 80 miles to our south!, our bombers attacking”
Hidaka does not hesitate.
Flares fire. ‘Follow me.’
The kates wheel south.
What decides battles?
Technology-yes
Numbers-yes
Training, skill…..yes
Moral, leadership. Many things, yes.
Men can decide battles too.
KB mens are tired. Very, very tired.
The battleships, the escorts fling an umbrella of fire above them, and these great battlewagons are wonderfully commanded.
27 Bombers dive…………
No hits.
None.
And the wreckage of 8 bombers mar the beautiful waters.
The Americans cheer.
On the horizon, a new threat
Hidaka is in command
But it is Okura who again leads Japans finest
Engines snarl as they swoop in to attack
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
Thankyou for comment , I am trying my best.
Lt Akashiba bounces down hard onto Zuihos deck, and men run quickly to his side. The Kate has a dozen ugly holes down the side of her, and the cockpit canopy is crazied up, several more ugly holes punched into it as well.
His deck crew race up the wing, expecting the worse.
The three men who emerge are not injured, nor despondent at the damage. They are smiling, jubilant even.
Out there, on the edge of the fleet, an enemy float fighter has had the cheek to attack them……….and lost.
Akashiba stands in the cockpit, arms aloft in a V victory salute. ‘Inform Diogawa , he has a rival now!’
(A kate pilot with a kill………well I never…………….)
‘What is the fuel state Charge?”
Tan is tired. They all are tired. Yet he is deeply proud. Deeply.
Six days now, six days of almost constant action stations, of high speed steaming, of battle.
And Zuiho has not missed a beat. Not once has she failed to answer the bells.
Soot blows, Chemistry, a failed pump, men collapsing from heat and exhaustion..
The thousand and one things that have needed urgent attention, and got it.
And yet every morning, kato has simply asked ‘All available Tan?’
And he has been able to say, ‘Yes, all machinery available sir”
And they told him at the academy that this was a cursed ship…………..
‘We are at 35% sir, if we fuel another destroyer we will be in the …”
“yes, and a nasty lot too. I will inform Kato. “
Charge turns to leave, his back sweat streaked as usual, the dirt of bilges still clinging to it (yet another leak investigation this day)
Tan stops him “ Charge”
“Sir?’
‘We finish this battle, you will go to bed for three days’
“Three hours would do sir”
Tan laughs, a short, sarcastic snort
‘as if that is going to happen today”
At 6000 feet, Okura leads them in.
Washington has them on her Starboard bow, the South Dakato (for that is who this new enemy is) has them dead ahead.
It is a battle of standard doctrine.
Turn to port, open the gun arcs
Open fire
Bank to Port……hard, and even harder wing over to starboard, and attack from the rear……..
South dakato will have them flash past her starboard flank, aft to ahead, the bombers at 6000 yards, Washington, from astern..
Washington tries to swing again, even as the bombs, dropped 3 kates at a time, leader attack, plunge down
She vanishes in a forest of exploding bombs, water spouts erupting left, right, astern.
The sky is peppered with flak.
And curses
Two hits. Negligible for a beast like this .
But no kates lost.
They turn for home
Hidaka glances at his fuel guage
Forty percent.
I have survived another attack.
Okura stares at the horizon, his compass.
Impossible to survive such flak.
But they have.
The hunter in him speaks ……’if only we had torpedos……
Ahh, but we would be dead now……….
Yes. Yes , the inevitable would have happened 20 minutes ago.
He would be dead.
And out of this ……….
Ahhhhh, he is so tired………
His observer taps him on the shoulder, silently points to one of Zuiho’s Kates to his left.
Its one of the rookies. Not that you could call them that now……..
A steady stream of fuel is trailing, a vapour cloud streaking across the heavens. A foretelling of doom.
Three holes scar her port wing, and the Observer lies slumped. Red splashed about him
There is nothing they can do, of course.
Presently, the vapour trail becomes intermittent. And then the great shining blade slows, stops.
The rear gunner, stands, and as if on parade, salutes.
What point, out here, for a parachute?
Okura watches them glide down, away and behind.
And soon they fade into the blue.
Ahh yes. Death. Death feels very close now, doesn’t it?
Captain Hara again tries to contain his temper.
Yamamoto can be such a pig at times.
‘Sir, I must remind you………the last time we were here, like this, fleets spread out all over the ocean, we lost a carrier to battleships flung our way.
Now we have two undamaged beasts a mere 240 miles from us, and dark is falling.”
He sweeps his arm over the fleet about them “ We seem, I would think, to be short of heavy ships with us!’
“They will retire……..there are no carriers with them”
‘And if they do not?’
A long silence on Akagi’s bridge.
Wearily, Yamamoto takes the Captains Chair.
‘You are right Hara. Order all ships to the tanker point. I will order the battle ships to cancel the bombardment mission, and head east.
Whatever happens, this mission is…………” (I cannot say failure. I cannot.) …..completed. We are going home”
Lt Akashiba bounces down hard onto Zuihos deck, and men run quickly to his side. The Kate has a dozen ugly holes down the side of her, and the cockpit canopy is crazied up, several more ugly holes punched into it as well.
His deck crew race up the wing, expecting the worse.
The three men who emerge are not injured, nor despondent at the damage. They are smiling, jubilant even.
Out there, on the edge of the fleet, an enemy float fighter has had the cheek to attack them……….and lost.
Akashiba stands in the cockpit, arms aloft in a V victory salute. ‘Inform Diogawa , he has a rival now!’
(A kate pilot with a kill………well I never…………….)
‘What is the fuel state Charge?”
Tan is tired. They all are tired. Yet he is deeply proud. Deeply.
Six days now, six days of almost constant action stations, of high speed steaming, of battle.
And Zuiho has not missed a beat. Not once has she failed to answer the bells.
Soot blows, Chemistry, a failed pump, men collapsing from heat and exhaustion..
The thousand and one things that have needed urgent attention, and got it.
And yet every morning, kato has simply asked ‘All available Tan?’
And he has been able to say, ‘Yes, all machinery available sir”
And they told him at the academy that this was a cursed ship…………..
‘We are at 35% sir, if we fuel another destroyer we will be in the …”
“yes, and a nasty lot too. I will inform Kato. “
Charge turns to leave, his back sweat streaked as usual, the dirt of bilges still clinging to it (yet another leak investigation this day)
Tan stops him “ Charge”
“Sir?’
‘We finish this battle, you will go to bed for three days’
“Three hours would do sir”
Tan laughs, a short, sarcastic snort
‘as if that is going to happen today”
At 6000 feet, Okura leads them in.
Washington has them on her Starboard bow, the South Dakato (for that is who this new enemy is) has them dead ahead.
It is a battle of standard doctrine.
Turn to port, open the gun arcs
Open fire
Bank to Port……hard, and even harder wing over to starboard, and attack from the rear……..
South dakato will have them flash past her starboard flank, aft to ahead, the bombers at 6000 yards, Washington, from astern..
Washington tries to swing again, even as the bombs, dropped 3 kates at a time, leader attack, plunge down
She vanishes in a forest of exploding bombs, water spouts erupting left, right, astern.
The sky is peppered with flak.
And curses
Two hits. Negligible for a beast like this .
But no kates lost.
They turn for home
Hidaka glances at his fuel guage
Forty percent.
I have survived another attack.
Okura stares at the horizon, his compass.
Impossible to survive such flak.
But they have.
The hunter in him speaks ……’if only we had torpedos……
Ahh, but we would be dead now……….
Yes. Yes , the inevitable would have happened 20 minutes ago.
He would be dead.
And out of this ……….
Ahhhhh, he is so tired………
His observer taps him on the shoulder, silently points to one of Zuiho’s Kates to his left.
Its one of the rookies. Not that you could call them that now……..
A steady stream of fuel is trailing, a vapour cloud streaking across the heavens. A foretelling of doom.
Three holes scar her port wing, and the Observer lies slumped. Red splashed about him
There is nothing they can do, of course.
Presently, the vapour trail becomes intermittent. And then the great shining blade slows, stops.
The rear gunner, stands, and as if on parade, salutes.
What point, out here, for a parachute?
Okura watches them glide down, away and behind.
And soon they fade into the blue.
Ahh yes. Death. Death feels very close now, doesn’t it?
Captain Hara again tries to contain his temper.
Yamamoto can be such a pig at times.
‘Sir, I must remind you………the last time we were here, like this, fleets spread out all over the ocean, we lost a carrier to battleships flung our way.
Now we have two undamaged beasts a mere 240 miles from us, and dark is falling.”
He sweeps his arm over the fleet about them “ We seem, I would think, to be short of heavy ships with us!’
“They will retire……..there are no carriers with them”
‘And if they do not?’
A long silence on Akagi’s bridge.
Wearily, Yamamoto takes the Captains Chair.
‘You are right Hara. Order all ships to the tanker point. I will order the battle ships to cancel the bombardment mission, and head east.
Whatever happens, this mission is…………” (I cannot say failure. I cannot.) …..completed. We are going home”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
