Bring me the head of Diego Garcia...and the Mayor of Addu Atoll too!

[Cap Mandrake]

Allied losses. Embarrassing number of B-17E losses on the ground. I think most of that was one disastrous naval bombardment on New Scotland.

Also note we are kicking their LYB asses 6116 to 6112

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

Simple rules for the Fleet Air Arm

19. In the ongoing battle between objects made of aluminum going hundreds of miles per hour and the ground going zero miles per hour, the ground has yet to lose.

I didn't know the FAA [in WWII] had objects made of aluminum! Pilot's clipboard?? Vacuum flask of hot tea??

[Chickenboy]

Today's "Dr. Grumpy":

Thursday afternoon

Mr. Answer: "My parents are doing great. They're both in their early 90's, and quite healthy."

Mrs. Answer: "Honey, your dad is 89, and your mother is 87."

Mr. Answer: "Yeah, early 90's."

Mrs. Answer: "No, that's late 80's."

Mr. Answer: "That would be 85."

Mrs. Answer: "You're not rounding this properly."

Mr. Answer: "Who's the retired math teacher here?"

Mrs. Answer: "I am."

Dr. Grumpy: (Sigh) "Are you allergic to any medications?"

[Cap Mandrake]

I think we need to consider the possibility that Mr. Answer is related to MC Patrol.



So we we are going down to Lagunga for dinner and SG comes in some tight pants and asks, "Are these too camel toe?"


So I look where I need to look to answer the question and she says, "STOP LOOKING!"


Women...bah..

[Moondawggie]

Who said she had a bikini on?

The Englishman finished a sentence with a preposition!

ORIGINAL: sprior

Okay -

Who said she was wearing a bikini?

or

Who said she had on a bikini?

Ah, the English: so erudite, whereas a Yank would choose to be gramatically correct and still get off a stinging verbal riposte at his heckler.

Lord Adm Spri, try this form of retort next time: "OK. Who said she had a bikini on, asshole?" Works every time...

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I think we need to consider the possibility that Mr. Answer is related to MC Patrol.



So we we are going down to Lagunga for dinner and SG comes in some tight pants and asks, "Are these too camel toe?"


So I look where I need to look to answer the question and she says, "STOP LOOKING!"


Women...bah..

"Camel toe", eh? Never heard that before...[:D]

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Moondawggie


Who said she had a bikini on?

The Englishman finished a sentence with a preposition!

ORIGINAL: sprior

Okay -

Who said she was wearing a bikini?

or

Who said she had on a bikini?

Ah, the English: so erudite, whereas a Yank would choose to be gramatically correct and still get off a stinging verbal riposte at his heckler.

Lord Adm Spri, try this form of retort next time: "OK. Who said she had a bikini on, asshole?" Works every time...

Yes, I was thinking of that very punchline as I typed in the post. The Texan who goes to Harvard, looking for the library, what what...

[sprior]

Devonshire in not too bad a state given the size of her erstwhile opponent:

[sprior]

My UK Veterans badge arrived today. I only ordered it so I could get on site parking and a private enclosure at the RAF Waddington Air Show.

[Cap Mandrake]

MC Supervisor SPrior...when do we get to know where the missiles were aimed? You can just say the first letter if you will have to kill us or if Scotland Yard will be after you. [;)] Is it an "M"? [:)]



No landing at Darwin on the 26th. Somebody thought it was a good idea to drain all the fuel out of the tanks of the BB in the amphibious group. The much feared Torres St. Bn will land at Bathurst today, God willing and the creeks don't rise.

The carriers will move into range of Kopeang for the first time. <makes Dominican good luck sign>

[Cap Mandrake]

The latest offer from the Apaches is a hot dog stand at Tempe stadium and 20 Winchester repeating rifles. Still too high. Looks like Admirar Rord Nerson will be staying with the Apache for a while longer.

[Cap Mandrake]

The situation as of Dec. 26. No sign of Musashi or the LYB carriers. Extra PBY's to Gove so they don't sneak up on us again...maybe.

Wyndham is still dangerous and we will be within range of Koepang with Zero escort today. Still, we cant sit around on our thumbs forever. The defeat of Yamato is a big relief.

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

MC Supervisor SPrior...when do we get to know where the missiles were aimed? You can just say the first letter if you will have to kill us or if Scotland Yard will be after you. [;)] Is it an "M"? [:)]

Seems a bit daft if you ask me. Why would the Brits want to shoot up Minneapolis? Mobile? Memphis?

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The situation as of Dec. 26. No sign of Musashi or the LYB carriers. Extra PBY's to Gove so they don't sneak up on us again...maybe.

Wyndham is still dangerous and we will be within range of Koepang with Zero escort today. Still, we cant sit around on our thumbs forever. The defeat of Yamato is a big relief.

I'd feel a whole lot better about your incoming amphibious group if you could tell me something about Timor and your broad Northern flank. Any last minute recon on Lautem, Koepang or other SW DEI IJ FOBs?

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

MC Supervisor SPrior...when do we get to know where the missiles were aimed? You can just say the first letter if you will have to kill us or if Scotland Yard will be after you. [;)] Is it an "M"? [:)]

Seems a bit daft if you ask me. Why would the Brits want to shoot up Minneapolis? Mobile? Memphis?

Maybe they are still sore about our sharpshooters targeting their officers at Saratoga? It was a bit unchivalrous, although entirely justified with that stupid tea tarrif, if you ask me.

I predict he will either pretend he didn't see the question or pretend he didn't know or pehaps use something scripted like, "Her Majesty government declines to disclose that information"

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

The situation as of Dec. 26. No sign of Musashi or the LYB carriers. Extra PBY's to Gove so they don't sneak up on us again...maybe.

Wyndham is still dangerous and we will be within range of Koepang with Zero escort today. Still, we cant sit around on our thumbs forever. The defeat of Yamato is a big relief.

I'd feel a whole lot better about your incoming amphibious group if you could tell me something about Timor and your broad Northern flank. Any last minute recon on Lautem, Koepang or other SW DEI IJ FOBs?

The PB4Y's were supposed to fly over Koepang yesterday. I don't think it happened...weather...union work stoppage? I am having trouble keeping the damn things in the air. Dobo was supposed to be operational by now but that didnt quite work out as planned.

Lautem is only level 1. I think the crusier group near Babar came from Kendari. Sorong and Ambon only have submarine pickets. There are 3 Catalinas at Merauke. I realize that is skimpy but Merauke is packed with B-17's. It is, after all still 1942 and we have been pushing hard for some time. We are essentially out of opeartional P-38's, Beaufighters, and have dwindling numbers of B-17's. In retrospect, I might have sent a surface picket up toward Dobo.

There is a planned smackdown of Wyndham today but the raid yesterday got weather scrubbbed. There is significant risk to this but the payoff could be big.

[Cap Mandrake]

****************18:00 Dec 26-18:00 Dec 17************


Darwin/Bathurst: Previosu reports of no minefield at Darwin were erroneous. Also, Oyoshio is snooping around on a suicide mission...but lives to fight another day.

TF 392 encounters mine field at Darwin (76,124)

Allied Ships
YMS-94
YMS-84



20 mines cleared


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 76,124, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio

Allied Ships
YMS-84, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
YMS-94, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

Note that there are no CD guns at Darwin.

[Cap Mandrake]

Apparently, Oyoshio tries to exit to the West and runs into USS Kane trying to do the squat and run.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 75,123, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio

Allied Ships
DM Kane, Shell hits 2, on fire



Don't know if the squat protion of the mission was a success. The "run" part was executed flawlessly.

Next Oyoshio is back at Darwin and USS Montgomery is trying to run East.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Darwin at 75,124, Range 8,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Oyashio

Allied Ships
DM Montgomery

Just noticed it's Oyashio not Oyoshio. Maybe there are two of them. Thankfully, at least one seem out of ammo.

[Cap Mandrake]

Previously damaged CM is likely finished off.

Submarine attack near Koepang at 71,120

Japanese Ships
CM Wakataka, Torpedo hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS Pike

I think these are the escorts fo the cruiser group hit off Babar yesterday and now retreating toward Kendari.

ASW attack near Lautem at 73,113

Japanese Ships
DD Tanikaze
DD Hibiki

Allied Ships
SS S-46

[Cap Mandrake]

Looks like damged ships fleeing Darwin.

Submarine attack near Darwin at 75,123

Japanese Ships
DD Kuroshio, heavy damage

Allied Ships
SS S-32


This is the surface escort for the 85 ship Amphbious Group. They should have picked on the merchies.

ASW attack near Bathurst Island at 78,122

Japanese Ships
SS I-157

Allied Ships
BC Repulse
CL Concord
CL Hobart
CL Perth
DD Sterett
DD Stack
DD Nestor
DD Encounter

USS Kane was being a good citizen, going back to port and then this happened.



Japanese Ships
SS I-30

Allied Ships
DM Kane, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage