Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: Before teleprompters
Why did they not bring a Corps/Army HQ i wonder? If you are going to invest this much in manpower and supplies, would you not be best served by at least having the boost of a HQ unit. I think a HQ unit would have put them over the top, and at least helped the disorganization and morale.
One of the serious problems in planning the fight against American doctrine.... is that the Americans do not read their manuals, nor do they feel any obligation to follow their doctrine
RE: Before teleprompters
The little buggars are certainly trying hard!
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Gridley380
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RE: Aboard RNN KIX
ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
**************Aboard RNN KIX, 30 NE of Port Hedland, 01:23, Nov. 5, 1942(c)*************
An eager voice reports to the Captain.
"Com reprots message sent, sir!"
"Well done, lad." A great sense of satisfaction at the performance of his crew sweeps over the Captain. It hasn't been easy, operating thousands of miles from home with loved ones under Nazi rule. He has had to be counselor and Captain. If the crew is half as excited as he, this should really help morale. The boat has crossed the bow of the drifting lifeboat. He flicks on the light again to examine the starboard side. More letters. "M....A....R....U". Gears gring to a halt in his brain, then a sickening feeling comes to him...."SCHIJT!"
I love this AAR. You have a great gift for the absurd, Cap Mandrake.
But shouldn't the Captain's exclamation have been 'Madre de Dios?'
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CT Grognard
- Posts: 694
- Joined: Sun May 16, 2010 6:42 pm
- Location: Cape Town, South Africa
RE: Aboard RNN KIX
Cap Mandrake is spot on that the captain of the K.IX, being a Dutch boat, would have likely used the exclamation "Schijt!" [;)]
The real-life K.IX was indeed a very unlucky boat.
She was heavily damaged during the night of 31 May/1 June 1942 in a Japanese midget submarine attack of Sydney Harbour.
The K.IX and the K.XII had been offered by the Dutch government-in-exile for use by the Royal Australian Navy on 30 April 1942.
Just after midnight a torpedo intended for the cruiser USS Chicago passed under K.IX which was moored on the east side of the Garden Island Naval Base alongside HMAS Kuttabul, an accommodation ferry. The torpedo detonated against the sea wall, with the concussion ripping the bottom out of the Kuttabul and rolling the submarine K.IX onto her beam-ends and lifting her diesel engines off of their beds and also damaging the aft batteries. Her forward superstructure was also crushed when the Kuttabul rolled over and hit her while sinking.
The Royal Netherlands Navy made a decision that repairing the 20-year-old K.IX would be pointless since it would not be able to support the war effort effectively, and that they needed more trained submarine crew in the United Kingdom for the new submarines being built there.
On 26 June 1942 the Dutch government-in-exile gave permission to the Royal Netherlands Navy to decommission the K.IX and send the crew to the UK.
Despite this, the Royal Australian Navy decided to continue repair work on the K.IX and it was manned by Royal Navy and United States Navy volunteers as officers and completed with Royal Australian Navy volunteers. The K.IX was formally stricken on 27 August 1942.
Repair work continued on her and her main battery was replaced by one salvaged from the scrapped K.VIII. Although the Sydney dockyard installed the main battery, nobody carried out any tests on it to see if it was safe for installation. On 22 June 1943 K.IX was renamed HMAS K9 and commissioned to the Royal Australian Navy. Originally planned to complete its refit on 5 July 1943, more defects were detected and its introduction slipped back first to September and then (due to engine trouble) to November 1943.
In January 1944 a further mechanical defect developed with the starboard main motor becoming inoperative, but due to repair dockyard workload it could not be repaired for at least a month. The K9's commander decided to complete his week of exercises with the boat using only the port main motor.
On 22 January 1944 disaster struck the hapless vessel again - the defective starboard main motor reacted catastrophically with the poorly ventilated and maintained main battery - last overhauled five years before - resulting in a massive battery explosion in the aft section of K9's main battery. 35 battery cells were damaged, 29 cells were cracked, and the battery tank fittings and plates were buckled.
Due to this damage and numerous other defects, a decision was taken by the RAN to pay off the K9. She was decommissioned on 31 March 1944 and returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy as K.IX.
A decision was made to convert K.IX into an oil hulk, which conversion finished in May 1945. Among other things, her conning tower is removed.
While being towed out of Sydney harbour by the Dutch minesweeper Abraham Crijnssen bound for Darwin, the towline broke sometime during the night of 7/8 June and K.IX started drifting ashore. The Abraham Crijnssen only noticed this at sunrise on June 8; an air search spotted the K9 only late that afternoon, not yet stranded, but the search had to be called off because it was getting dark. On the morning of June 9 the K9 was spotted again, but by this time had wrecked on Fiona Beach, Seal Rocks, about 3 miles WSW of Sugar Loaf Point. The Abraham Crijnssen tried to tow the hulk off the beach but due to stormy conditions had to give up.
The Royal Netherlands Navy took the decision to abandon her.
On 20 July 1945 the "Commonwealth Disposals Commission" sold the wreck, still stranded on the beach, for scrap metal to two Sydney-based engineering partners for £985 who intended to refloat her. Locals had already started removing the diesel engine from her manually. The new owners recovered the rest of the estimated 126 tons of diesel fuel but not the hull since it was buried too deeply in the sand to move.
Later locals strip the internal hull of copper pipe and other valuable metals. It appears that the hull of the stranded submarine was largely intact, and locals recall being able to walk the full length of the deck in 1969, and partially as late as 1984.
The beach where she stranded was later renamed "Submarine Beach" in honour of the loss.
The real-life K.IX was indeed a very unlucky boat.
She was heavily damaged during the night of 31 May/1 June 1942 in a Japanese midget submarine attack of Sydney Harbour.
The K.IX and the K.XII had been offered by the Dutch government-in-exile for use by the Royal Australian Navy on 30 April 1942.
Just after midnight a torpedo intended for the cruiser USS Chicago passed under K.IX which was moored on the east side of the Garden Island Naval Base alongside HMAS Kuttabul, an accommodation ferry. The torpedo detonated against the sea wall, with the concussion ripping the bottom out of the Kuttabul and rolling the submarine K.IX onto her beam-ends and lifting her diesel engines off of their beds and also damaging the aft batteries. Her forward superstructure was also crushed when the Kuttabul rolled over and hit her while sinking.
The Royal Netherlands Navy made a decision that repairing the 20-year-old K.IX would be pointless since it would not be able to support the war effort effectively, and that they needed more trained submarine crew in the United Kingdom for the new submarines being built there.
On 26 June 1942 the Dutch government-in-exile gave permission to the Royal Netherlands Navy to decommission the K.IX and send the crew to the UK.
Despite this, the Royal Australian Navy decided to continue repair work on the K.IX and it was manned by Royal Navy and United States Navy volunteers as officers and completed with Royal Australian Navy volunteers. The K.IX was formally stricken on 27 August 1942.
Repair work continued on her and her main battery was replaced by one salvaged from the scrapped K.VIII. Although the Sydney dockyard installed the main battery, nobody carried out any tests on it to see if it was safe for installation. On 22 June 1943 K.IX was renamed HMAS K9 and commissioned to the Royal Australian Navy. Originally planned to complete its refit on 5 July 1943, more defects were detected and its introduction slipped back first to September and then (due to engine trouble) to November 1943.
In January 1944 a further mechanical defect developed with the starboard main motor becoming inoperative, but due to repair dockyard workload it could not be repaired for at least a month. The K9's commander decided to complete his week of exercises with the boat using only the port main motor.
On 22 January 1944 disaster struck the hapless vessel again - the defective starboard main motor reacted catastrophically with the poorly ventilated and maintained main battery - last overhauled five years before - resulting in a massive battery explosion in the aft section of K9's main battery. 35 battery cells were damaged, 29 cells were cracked, and the battery tank fittings and plates were buckled.
Due to this damage and numerous other defects, a decision was taken by the RAN to pay off the K9. She was decommissioned on 31 March 1944 and returned to the Royal Netherlands Navy as K.IX.
A decision was made to convert K.IX into an oil hulk, which conversion finished in May 1945. Among other things, her conning tower is removed.
While being towed out of Sydney harbour by the Dutch minesweeper Abraham Crijnssen bound for Darwin, the towline broke sometime during the night of 7/8 June and K.IX started drifting ashore. The Abraham Crijnssen only noticed this at sunrise on June 8; an air search spotted the K9 only late that afternoon, not yet stranded, but the search had to be called off because it was getting dark. On the morning of June 9 the K9 was spotted again, but by this time had wrecked on Fiona Beach, Seal Rocks, about 3 miles WSW of Sugar Loaf Point. The Abraham Crijnssen tried to tow the hulk off the beach but due to stormy conditions had to give up.
The Royal Netherlands Navy took the decision to abandon her.
On 20 July 1945 the "Commonwealth Disposals Commission" sold the wreck, still stranded on the beach, for scrap metal to two Sydney-based engineering partners for £985 who intended to refloat her. Locals had already started removing the diesel engine from her manually. The new owners recovered the rest of the estimated 126 tons of diesel fuel but not the hull since it was buried too deeply in the sand to move.
Later locals strip the internal hull of copper pipe and other valuable metals. It appears that the hull of the stranded submarine was largely intact, and locals recall being able to walk the full length of the deck in 1969, and partially as late as 1984.
The beach where she stranded was later renamed "Submarine Beach" in honour of the loss.
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Cap Mandrake
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- Location: Southern California
RE: Before teleprompters
It really did happen in the game. KIX attacked Nagato Maru [:)]
Interesting story about KIX. I had read about the midget submarine attack that sank the vessel being used as a dorm, bit I didn't know KIX was damaged too. The subsequent salvage efforts sound like me and my inability to not let go of an old car, even though the driver's side door is frozen closed and and the turn signal clicks at about 20 Hz because I replaced the original condensor with an old VW part instead.
As for the Captain realizing belatedly that he had just signaled HQ of the sinking of Nagato even though he had attacked Nagato Maru...I think anyone would skip right by using the Lord's name in vain and go right to the four letter words of OLd Germanic origin.
Interesting story about KIX. I had read about the midget submarine attack that sank the vessel being used as a dorm, bit I didn't know KIX was damaged too. The subsequent salvage efforts sound like me and my inability to not let go of an old car, even though the driver's side door is frozen closed and and the turn signal clicks at about 20 Hz because I replaced the original condensor with an old VW part instead.
As for the Captain realizing belatedly that he had just signaled HQ of the sinking of Nagato even though he had attacked Nagato Maru...I think anyone would skip right by using the Lord's name in vain and go right to the four letter words of OLd Germanic origin.
RE: Before teleprompters
ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
It really did happen in the game. KIX attacked Nagato Maru [:)]
Interesting story about KIX. I had read about the midget submarine attack that sank the vessel being used as a dorm, bit I didn't know KIX was damaged too. The subsequent salvage efforts sound like me and my inability to not let go of an old car, even though the driver's side door is frozen closed and and the turn signal clicks at about 20 Hz because I replaced the original condensor with an old VW part instead.
As for the Captain realizing belatedly that he had just signaled HQ of the sinking of Nagato even though he had attacked Nagato Maru...I think anyone would skip right by using the Lord's name in vain and go right to the four letter words of OLd Germanic origin.
Or many pilots' last epitaph ... Oh! SCHIJT!!! ..[:D]
"What gets us into trouble is not what we don't know. It's what we know for sure that just ain't so"
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Cap Mandrake
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- Joined: Fri Nov 15, 2002 8:37 am
- Location: Southern California
RE: Before teleprompters
**************Nov. 7***************
Oz: JJ attacked again at PH, after mercilessly pounding our troops with balsa-wood Nells. Almost all of our bombers were on ground attack duty. Again today, there is no LYB CAP. Our B-25's went after Yamato which is standing guard at PH. We failed to get any hits. The LYB attack came off at 1:2 and they suffered greater than 2:1 casualties with heavy inantry losses. They have to be getting discouraged with 3 1/2 divisions there.
CBI: JJ swept over Ledo today. Losses were even.
Oz: JJ attacked again at PH, after mercilessly pounding our troops with balsa-wood Nells. Almost all of our bombers were on ground attack duty. Again today, there is no LYB CAP. Our B-25's went after Yamato which is standing guard at PH. We failed to get any hits. The LYB attack came off at 1:2 and they suffered greater than 2:1 casualties with heavy inantry losses. They have to be getting discouraged with 3 1/2 divisions there.
CBI: JJ swept over Ledo today. Losses were even.
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Cap Mandrake
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- Location: Southern California
A pran is hatched....
***********01;20, Nov. 7, 1942(c), SW tip Rottnest Isrand*********
A well tanned IJN officer: <steps out of rubber raft> Hero Miro!
Young man in fine linen slacks: How the Hell are you Ito-san?
A well tanned IJN officer: Ito good. Ito find new girfriend. Frores gir. Rearry short. Frores gir come up to Ito waist. Ito rearry rike.
Young man in fine linen slacks: Goddamnit Ito-san! That makes me really happy. Nothin' like a waist high woman. What can I do for you, old friend?
A well tanned IJN officer: It Yamashita. Yamashita want herp at Port Hedrand.
Young man in fine linen slacks: You boys need more than help. You need a magician or a wizzard or something.
A well tanned IJN officer: Yes, exactary. Yamashita want Imperiar Wizzard.
Young man in fine linen slacks: Can do, Ito-san, but that is going to cost. I think he is Indiana.
A well tanned IJN officer: Firropino gord?
Young man in fine linen slacks: Fillipino gold, my friend....
A well tanned IJN officer: <steps out of rubber raft> Hero Miro!
Young man in fine linen slacks: How the Hell are you Ito-san?
A well tanned IJN officer: Ito good. Ito find new girfriend. Frores gir. Rearry short. Frores gir come up to Ito waist. Ito rearry rike.
Young man in fine linen slacks: Goddamnit Ito-san! That makes me really happy. Nothin' like a waist high woman. What can I do for you, old friend?
A well tanned IJN officer: It Yamashita. Yamashita want herp at Port Hedrand.
Young man in fine linen slacks: You boys need more than help. You need a magician or a wizzard or something.
A well tanned IJN officer: Yes, exactary. Yamashita want Imperiar Wizzard.
Young man in fine linen slacks: Can do, Ito-san, but that is going to cost. I think he is Indiana.
A well tanned IJN officer: Firropino gord?
Young man in fine linen slacks: Fillipino gold, my friend....
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Cap Mandrake
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Chickenboy
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- Location: San Antonio, TX
RE: Before teleprompters
I wonder if they'll need a "Grand Dragon" to offset their setbacks in China?
RE: Before teleprompters
Let's hope those guys get shot down in transit...
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Chickenboy
- Posts: 24648
- Joined: Fri Jun 28, 2002 11:30 pm
- Location: San Antonio, TX
RE: Before teleprompters
If the crew can escape, I'd root for a problem with the aerial transport. Just so the headline could read:
"Cairns Crash Kills Ku Klux Klansmen. Clever Crew Co-operation Congratulated."
"Cairns Crash Kills Ku Klux Klansmen. Clever Crew Co-operation Congratulated."
RE: Before teleprompters
Caesar and Cicero would both be proud of you!
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Gridley380
- Posts: 464
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RE: Before teleprompters
ORIGINAL: witpqs
Caesar and Cicero would both be proud of you!
You mean "Caesar and Cicero congratulate you copiously."
BTW, 200 pages?!?!
RE: Before teleprompters
ORIGINAL: Gridley380
ORIGINAL: witpqs
Caesar and Cicero would both be proud of you!
You mean "Caesar and Cicero congratulate you copiously."
BTW, 200 pages?!?!
[:D] Very good! You've inspired me:
Caesar and Cicero candidly convey copious congratulations!
Intel Monkey: https://sites.google.com/view/staffmonkeys/home
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Cap Mandrake
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RE: Before teleprompters
We don't want them killed in transit. Their reinforcement of PH can only be good for the Allies.
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Cap Mandrake
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RE: Before teleprompters
***********Bali Hai Dance Club, Perth, Nov. 10, 1942(c)**********
Man in fine linen slacks: <on the phone>
They are NOT Chinamen, they are Japs......
Well, that is the gig you took, my friend......
No chance in Hell. The contract says one month. You are already into me for two weeks of the contract with those stupid asbestos suits you wanted..........
Listen to me. You do NOT want to make Yamashita mad. The guy is incendiary......
Incendiary, you know, a hot head.....
Well, of course they are bombing. It's a seige for Christ's sake. Look, just stay away from 77th Regt and 6th Guards from 08:00 to 10:30 every morning but don't tell the Japs. Mr. Honda lights the smoke pots there every morning to guide the bombers....
Alright, I will have Mr. Honda build you guys a slit trench northeast of town. You can wear your fancy asbesots suits during the raids......
Honda? No, he's not a Chinaman. He's Australian......
No, not Austrian. <rolls his eyes at the hirsute man sitting next to him at the bar>. AUSTRAAAAIIIILIAN. His crew is Mexican, however. I suppose you have a problem with that?......
Here is how I know you are going to fulfill the contract. It is a 300 mile walk to Exmouth and you clowns wouldn't make it 3 miles in those suits. I will send a PBY to pick you up on Pearl Harbor day and I don't want to hear any more whining. Comprende, amigo? <hangs up>
Consanguinity, Yossarian, that's the problem.
Hirsute man: Consan-what?
Man in fine linen slacks: Yossarian, you semi-literate, SOB, consanguinity. It means of the same blood.
Hirsute man: Milo, you are a pedantic SOB, you know that?
Man in fine linen slacks: I should guard against that, shouldn't I?
Hirsute man: Why change now, you entirely predictable SOB?
Man in fine linen slacks: IDI! Give this offensive SOB a drink!
Man in fine linen slacks: <on the phone>
They are NOT Chinamen, they are Japs......
Well, that is the gig you took, my friend......
No chance in Hell. The contract says one month. You are already into me for two weeks of the contract with those stupid asbestos suits you wanted..........
Listen to me. You do NOT want to make Yamashita mad. The guy is incendiary......
Incendiary, you know, a hot head.....
Well, of course they are bombing. It's a seige for Christ's sake. Look, just stay away from 77th Regt and 6th Guards from 08:00 to 10:30 every morning but don't tell the Japs. Mr. Honda lights the smoke pots there every morning to guide the bombers....
Alright, I will have Mr. Honda build you guys a slit trench northeast of town. You can wear your fancy asbesots suits during the raids......
Honda? No, he's not a Chinaman. He's Australian......
No, not Austrian. <rolls his eyes at the hirsute man sitting next to him at the bar>. AUSTRAAAAIIIILIAN. His crew is Mexican, however. I suppose you have a problem with that?......
Here is how I know you are going to fulfill the contract. It is a 300 mile walk to Exmouth and you clowns wouldn't make it 3 miles in those suits. I will send a PBY to pick you up on Pearl Harbor day and I don't want to hear any more whining. Comprende, amigo? <hangs up>
Consanguinity, Yossarian, that's the problem.
Hirsute man: Consan-what?
Man in fine linen slacks: Yossarian, you semi-literate, SOB, consanguinity. It means of the same blood.
Hirsute man: Milo, you are a pedantic SOB, you know that?
Man in fine linen slacks: I should guard against that, shouldn't I?
Hirsute man: Why change now, you entirely predictable SOB?
Man in fine linen slacks: IDI! Give this offensive SOB a drink!
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Chickenboy
- Posts: 24648
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RE: Before teleprompters
[:D]ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
We don't want them killed in transit. Their reinforcement of PH can only be good for the Allies.
Good stuff, Cap'n.
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Gridley380
- Posts: 464
- Joined: Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:24 pm
RE: Before teleprompters
ORIGINAL: witpqs
ORIGINAL: Gridley380
ORIGINAL: witpqs
Caesar and Cicero would both be proud of you!
You mean "Caesar and Cicero congratulate you copiously."
BTW, 200 pages?!?!
[:D] Very good! You've inspired me:
Caesar and Cicero candidly convey copious congratulations!
Curiously, Caesar and Cicero's candid conveying of copious congratulations carries critical consequences for the Cap.
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Cap Mandrake
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RE: Before teleprompters
No turn in the inbox. Got the day off. Running out of money. Too early to drink......so I fire up AE.
Way back when, Admiral Lord Sprior chose to leave Br. 18 Div at Tennant for possible exploitation overland toward Darwin. I thought it wouldn't work because of the supply problems on the crappy track from Alice, but, it seems that after the Beta, supply is slowly accumulating at Tennant and Daly Waters. Evidently, he is bringing up more forces for a push toward Katherine. At the very least, one of the JJ divisions that had previously been in the area is now at PH. He has also assembled the Aussie Paras at Alice...hmmmm? this might actually work. Suppose, 18th Div and some armour pushes on Katherine, perhaps with some Para drops to make some noise...JJ sends help to Katherine, then the USMC lands behind them at Darwin. [:)] We would need the carriers, but it is looking like a massive stalemate (given the current forces and provided the heavies at Meekathara continue to suppress the airfield and disrupt the JJ groudn troops) at Port Hedland.
Way back when, Admiral Lord Sprior chose to leave Br. 18 Div at Tennant for possible exploitation overland toward Darwin. I thought it wouldn't work because of the supply problems on the crappy track from Alice, but, it seems that after the Beta, supply is slowly accumulating at Tennant and Daly Waters. Evidently, he is bringing up more forces for a push toward Katherine. At the very least, one of the JJ divisions that had previously been in the area is now at PH. He has also assembled the Aussie Paras at Alice...hmmmm? this might actually work. Suppose, 18th Div and some armour pushes on Katherine, perhaps with some Para drops to make some noise...JJ sends help to Katherine, then the USMC lands behind them at Darwin. [:)] We would need the carriers, but it is looking like a massive stalemate (given the current forces and provided the heavies at Meekathara continue to suppress the airfield and disrupt the JJ groudn troops) at Port Hedland.
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