Summary of Operations 10/06/42
Japanese Home Islands: US fleet sub patrol intercepts possible Jap surface combat TF south of Honshu, no available information on its movement. Position of this contact indicates the Jap TF could be moving to or from either Truk or the Marshall Islands area, this assuming Tokyo as the Jap TF’s destination or point of origin. AAR follows.
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ASW attack near Chichi-jima at 111, 71
(N of Chichi Jima)
Japanese Ships
DD Kazegumo
BB Hiei
CA Mikuma
CL Agano
DD Hibiki
DD Shikinami
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Shinonome
DD Ikazuchi
Allied Ships
SS Sturgeon
SS Sturgeon launches 2 torpedoes at DD Kazegumo
DD Shinonome attacking submerged sub....
Escort abandons search for sub
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US sub Trout reports ASW air attack by Ki-49 Helen at hex 106, 73 (NW of Iwo Jima). No hits or damage to SS Trout.
Central Pacific: Sigint entries for 10/05 report intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Maleolap and Jaluit. No visible Japanese forces detected at either location.
A Sigint report entry for 10/05 indicates 88 Japanese planes based at Kwajalein.
South Pacific: Sigint entry for 10/05 reports heavy volume of intercepted Jap radio transmissions from Rabaul. Detected status of Rabaul base shows undetermined Jap aircraft based there and ship(s) anchored in port. No other visible Japanese forces or activity.
Coastwatcher entries from the 10/04 and 10/05 Operations report indicate that as many as 28 Japanese ships had been in Rabaul on 10/04 and showing the harbor in Rabaul is now empty on 10/05.
Daily coastwatcher entries from 10/05 Operations report follow.
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Lunga
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Salamaua
Coastwatcher Report: harbor at Rabaul is reported empty
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Noumea
Coastwatcher Report: 4 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Tanna
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Shortlands
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Tulagi
Coastwatcher Report: 1 ship in port at Finschhafen
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Lae
Coastwatcher Report: xAK Chojun Maru reported in port at Rabaul
Coastwatcher Report: 3 ships in port at Luganville
Coastwatcher sighting: 2 Japanese ships at 106,125 near Rabaul, Speed unknown
Philippines: Jap amphibious landing operations underway at Culion (island base N of Palawan). Culion is actually the last US-controlled base remaining in the Philippines – Pillager is still mopping up. AAR follows.
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Amphibious Assault at Culion (76,80)
TF 63 troops unloading over beach at Culion, 76,80
Japanese ground losses:
85 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
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Burma: Detected status of Jap base in Rangoon from British aerial recon – no Japanese ships anchored in port, no Jap TF in harbor (-3 from last report), 64 aircraft (40 fighters, 24 bombers), 8 Jap LCU’s.
Unidentified Japanese TF or TF’s detected off Moulmein. Composition and movement of the Jap TF’s is not known. No Allied submarines currently operating in the immediate area.
China: Japanese capture the last remaining Allied-controlled base in southern China, this action basically the end of Chinese resistance in the southern area. The capture of Paoshan also effectively completes the (overland) link-up of Japanese forces in Burma with southern China.
The three Chinese LCU pushed southward out of Paoshan in this action are being marched towards the nearest Allied-controlled base at Ledo, this despite the fact all three of the Chinese LCU are restricted command and non-transferrable. If they can be salvaged by marching across northern Burma… fine. If not, there’s nothing else to be done with them anyway.
AAR and situation map follow.
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Ground combat at Paoshan (65,45)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 28528 troops, 339 guns, 285 vehicles, Assault Value = 990
Defending force 1446 troops, 74 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 30
Japanese engineers reduce fortifications to 0
Japanese adjusted assault: 631
Allied adjusted defense: 10
Japanese assault odds: 63 to 1 (fort level 0)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Paoshan !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
54 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
863 casualties reported
Squads: 47 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 39 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 67 (40 destroyed, 27 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Units destroyed 1
Defeated Allied Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
13th Tank Regiment
104th Division
38th Division
10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
23rd Army
2nd Mortar Battalion
3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
Defending units:
54th Chinese Corps
**
11th Group Army
**
52nd Chinese Corps
(eliminated)
16th Chinese Base Force
**
** now marching overland to Ledo
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Japanese probing attack continues along Kweiyang-Chungking highway south of Chungking. AAR follows.
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Ground combat at 75,47
(S of Chungking)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 13032 troops, 156 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 461
Defending force 51778 troops, 274 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1964
Assaulting units:
39th Division
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
46th Chinese Corps
2nd Chinese Corps
32nd Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
45th Chinese Corps
68th Chinese Corps
49th Chinese Division
26th Group Army
3rd War Area
23rd Group Army
27th Group Army
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Chinese repel Japanese ground assault on Sining in the far western area. AAR follows.
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Ground combat at Sining (80,32)
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 36947 troops, 355 guns, 111 vehicles, Assault Value = 1330
Defending force 17279 troops, 77 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 646
Japanese adjusted assault: 1950
Allied adjusted defense: 1981
Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 0)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2496 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 155 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 28 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 24 disabled
Guns lost 50 (16 destroyed, 34 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
673 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 63 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
6th Division
17th Division
37th Division
12th Army
1st Mortar Battalion
Defending units:
17th Chinese Corps
9th Separate Brigade
259th Brigade
303rd Brigade
82nd Chinese Corps
8th War Area
5th Chinese Base Force
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