The commander of 112th division barely dares to raise his eyes.
"relax general, a cup of tea?'
trembling, almost un believing, the General takes the offered tea from the divine prescence, the Emperor himself
'thankyou sir"
A long silence, pregnant with possibilities........
"Who do you serve general?"
You sir, you and the empire...........I would die for both"
"And our esteemed leader, herbiesan?"
A long silence
"Good. That man has hurt me general. Virtually imprisoned me, now he uses my name , my absolute presence to further the war, not for Japan, but for himself. The man is a traitor, and a fraud."
The gentle clink of the tea cup placed upon the table
'He must die. Do you agree general?"
Oh, to live in such sweet times. To have been blessed to be part of the Emperors plans, to serve him directly!. I am so unworthy.........
Tears stream from the newly promoted general of the 112th division
"HIEI!"
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
December 11th
And finally
IT BEGINS
Enemy destroyers near ternate.
Multiple SS/ASW actions in the waters around Jolo island
The bombings rise to a fever pitch:
Kendari......9 libs
Donggala......24 heavies
namlea,,,,,,,,,,32 heavies
Palua, ........9 heavies
Namlea, another 14
Sorong, 25 B25's
Ternate, more heavies
All of these bases are closed.........and are for good
6 kate from the southern phillipines attack the DDs near ternate, 2 are lost, no hits
And finally, in the pM, the sightings begin to flow in
East of Waigo, a fleet of LSTs
And to the south of them, about 100 miles behind, multiple task forces, carriers, more carriers, and the multiple task forces Cantona loves to form, APA's, LSTs, AOs..........you know the usual picture
And behind them, battleships..........
And finally
IT BEGINS
Enemy destroyers near ternate.
Multiple SS/ASW actions in the waters around Jolo island
The bombings rise to a fever pitch:
Kendari......9 libs
Donggala......24 heavies
namlea,,,,,,,,,,32 heavies
Palua, ........9 heavies
Namlea, another 14
Sorong, 25 B25's
Ternate, more heavies
All of these bases are closed.........and are for good
6 kate from the southern phillipines attack the DDs near ternate, 2 are lost, no hits
And finally, in the pM, the sightings begin to flow in
East of Waigo, a fleet of LSTs
And to the south of them, about 100 miles behind, multiple task forces, carriers, more carriers, and the multiple task forces Cantona loves to form, APA's, LSTs, AOs..........you know the usual picture
And behind them, battleships..........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Tanaka see's the flags first. He has stepped out to Kongos bridge wing for air, to see the sunset, to think
On Zuikaku, they stream upwards.
'All units raise steam"
At last. At last Abe has decided to move.......we should have moved three days ago, no?,,,,,but we move.
Tanaka turns to his Captain :How fast did you say this old girl can go?"
"fast enough, even for a destroyer captain"
A good answer............for I intend to drive her like one.
On Zuikaku, they stream upwards.
'All units raise steam"
At last. At last Abe has decided to move.......we should have moved three days ago, no?,,,,,but we move.
Tanaka turns to his Captain :How fast did you say this old girl can go?"
"fast enough, even for a destroyer captain"
A good answer............for I intend to drive her like one.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
At midnight, Japans navy reacts.
from soerabaya, 2 heavy cruisers, 6 destroyers
from manilla, 5 seperate task forces
TF 30, 4 CVs, 4 CVL, 10 DDs, Admiral Abe, commander in chief, possibly japans last.
few aircraft are set to CAP, he intends to do but one thing, strike
TF96, 1 CV, taiho, with 72 fighters on CAP, escorting 4 BBs, 1 CA, 3CL, 16 DDs. Admiral Morita is the spear
TF 133. BB ise, 6 DD, to sail as the decoy. Takeda will sell his life to free the spear
TF 324, Tanaka to take 3 BC in, and he intends one final ride to glory
TF 327, 1 BB, 1 CL, 4 dd. Imazato's orders, simple, direct. attack!
23 fighter units, 9 TBD, and 20 bomber units have been assigned to this battle, they will recover in manilla as the battle chews them up.
There remains in japan equivelant forces still
But pools are terribly low.
let there be no mistake. High command knows this is a decoy, it must be. But, he hopes Cantona will believe I must react to what ever else is coming.
I won't.
A chance for a final battle on my terms, at odds maybe at 1 to 1
Good enough for the end of 44
I will attack!
from soerabaya, 2 heavy cruisers, 6 destroyers
from manilla, 5 seperate task forces
TF 30, 4 CVs, 4 CVL, 10 DDs, Admiral Abe, commander in chief, possibly japans last.
few aircraft are set to CAP, he intends to do but one thing, strike
TF96, 1 CV, taiho, with 72 fighters on CAP, escorting 4 BBs, 1 CA, 3CL, 16 DDs. Admiral Morita is the spear
TF 133. BB ise, 6 DD, to sail as the decoy. Takeda will sell his life to free the spear
TF 324, Tanaka to take 3 BC in, and he intends one final ride to glory
TF 327, 1 BB, 1 CL, 4 dd. Imazato's orders, simple, direct. attack!
23 fighter units, 9 TBD, and 20 bomber units have been assigned to this battle, they will recover in manilla as the battle chews them up.
There remains in japan equivelant forces still
But pools are terribly low.
let there be no mistake. High command knows this is a decoy, it must be. But, he hopes Cantona will believe I must react to what ever else is coming.
I won't.
A chance for a final battle on my terms, at odds maybe at 1 to 1
Good enough for the end of 44
I will attack!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
BANZAI!
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: The little ship that could.
12 December 1944
The fleet powers south, 20 knots, through darkness and rain
Abe sits at the back of Zuikaku's crowded bridge, the shadows of her crew empherical in the red lights.
He has little to do, this is the busines of individual captains, of navigators.
Almost ruefully, he is glad that it is..
These are dangerous, crowded waters. The fleet is taking the channels and passages through the myriad islands of the archapelago, and, gods willing, will burst into the pacific via the Suriago straights.
It is a navigation task of the highest order.
That it will be accomplished with out incident reflects the skill of these men. The ravages of war has not destroyed this vital, unknowable craft yet.
There has been just two messages, two reports.
And they give him enough to think about.
The first.
The soerabaya task force, reinforced, now 4 cruisers strong, has charged towards macassar, and been bombed heavily.
Undamaged , fortunately, it has retired, how many search planes will it divert?
Not enough, probably.
The second message .............
The enemy are landing at sorong, Waigeo, the top , the tip of PNG.
A devilish choice, almost brilliant
Just out of range of Davao's air, and cutting of the Biak forces.
(not that there are many left, cantona old friend)
The enemy carriers linger east of waigeo, the battle wagons near Boela
The plan, has been, always was, wear him down with LBA, then, then strike.
This invasion negates that.
And can he afford to lose sorong, is it a war losing base
No.
But.
But
There can be no allied LBA here either.........
A chance to strike at long range, with no strike back.
Oh to hell with it.
Abe stands, moves to the centre of the bridge
"captain"
'sir?"
"Signal all ships..........full ahead Flank"
The fleet powers south, 20 knots, through darkness and rain
Abe sits at the back of Zuikaku's crowded bridge, the shadows of her crew empherical in the red lights.
He has little to do, this is the busines of individual captains, of navigators.
Almost ruefully, he is glad that it is..
These are dangerous, crowded waters. The fleet is taking the channels and passages through the myriad islands of the archapelago, and, gods willing, will burst into the pacific via the Suriago straights.
It is a navigation task of the highest order.
That it will be accomplished with out incident reflects the skill of these men. The ravages of war has not destroyed this vital, unknowable craft yet.
There has been just two messages, two reports.
And they give him enough to think about.
The first.
The soerabaya task force, reinforced, now 4 cruisers strong, has charged towards macassar, and been bombed heavily.
Undamaged , fortunately, it has retired, how many search planes will it divert?
Not enough, probably.
The second message .............
The enemy are landing at sorong, Waigeo, the top , the tip of PNG.
A devilish choice, almost brilliant
Just out of range of Davao's air, and cutting of the Biak forces.
(not that there are many left, cantona old friend)
The enemy carriers linger east of waigeo, the battle wagons near Boela
The plan, has been, always was, wear him down with LBA, then, then strike.
This invasion negates that.
And can he afford to lose sorong, is it a war losing base
No.
But.
But
There can be no allied LBA here either.........
A chance to strike at long range, with no strike back.
Oh to hell with it.
Abe stands, moves to the centre of the bridge
"captain"
'sir?"
"Signal all ships..........full ahead Flank"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
malaria can kill.
It can kill a long, long time after you get it
Winter is covering Japan with a coat of snow, of purity, the cold settling in
In a camp bed, just outside Kagoshima, Hosho lies, sweat streaming from a fever wracked body.
There is pitifully little quinnene in japan.
It can kill a long, long time after you get it
Winter is covering Japan with a coat of snow, of purity, the cold settling in
In a camp bed, just outside Kagoshima, Hosho lies, sweat streaming from a fever wracked body.
There is pitifully little quinnene in japan.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Long pig taxi's to stop, kills the wellingtons engines
Bigglesworth turns to him. No words need to be said.
The tour has been finished.
But even as they walk across the tarmac, Long pig cannot remove the thought from his mind.
This war is not finished. Not yet.
Is it right to retire from the fight before its finished?
Bigglesworth turns to him. No words need to be said.
The tour has been finished.
But even as they walk across the tarmac, Long pig cannot remove the thought from his mind.
This war is not finished. Not yet.
Is it right to retire from the fight before its finished?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Friday 13th, 1944
Dusk
The rain is belting down, beautiful thick wet, grey, rain, blanketting the fleet, covering it with a shroud, hiding it, a magicians cape.
Nearly a million tons of shipping, steaming south.
Still unsighted.
Suriago straight cleared at dawn, the turn south by south east, the waters south of palua the target.
The enemy continue to land at sorong, at waigeo.
The enemy fleet, fixed.
Abe smiles.
Its the cantona way..........again
An endless stream of individual task forces, landings from the APAs, the APs, the AKs.............and few, very few LSTs
And the great joke, the massively important fact
There are but three starving, crippled, crushed japanese base forces at waigeo.
The allies are landing the 2nd marines, the 5th marines, the 5th USMC tank regiment, endless support troops..........forces one would expect must go for something more important than this!
There are no signs of anything coming anywhere else..............
He bends to his diary
'tomorrow the fleet will gather near palua, then, utilising our superior range, strike a blow at the enemy. There well may be no need for a decisive final all out strike, but a chance to inflict losses without crippling ourselves...........
and then, a thought , almost too hopeful to contemplate.
What if the enemy has so totally committed to a thrust up through the DEI towards davao that he cannot now re orientate himself.....?
What if this is the only way he can go?
Gods......this war could go on for another year yet!
Dusk
The rain is belting down, beautiful thick wet, grey, rain, blanketting the fleet, covering it with a shroud, hiding it, a magicians cape.
Nearly a million tons of shipping, steaming south.
Still unsighted.
Suriago straight cleared at dawn, the turn south by south east, the waters south of palua the target.
The enemy continue to land at sorong, at waigeo.
The enemy fleet, fixed.
Abe smiles.
Its the cantona way..........again
An endless stream of individual task forces, landings from the APAs, the APs, the AKs.............and few, very few LSTs
And the great joke, the massively important fact
There are but three starving, crippled, crushed japanese base forces at waigeo.
The allies are landing the 2nd marines, the 5th marines, the 5th USMC tank regiment, endless support troops..........forces one would expect must go for something more important than this!
There are no signs of anything coming anywhere else..............
He bends to his diary
'tomorrow the fleet will gather near palua, then, utilising our superior range, strike a blow at the enemy. There well may be no need for a decisive final all out strike, but a chance to inflict losses without crippling ourselves...........
and then, a thought , almost too hopeful to contemplate.
What if the enemy has so totally committed to a thrust up through the DEI towards davao that he cannot now re orientate himself.....?
What if this is the only way he can go?
Gods......this war could go on for another year yet!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
December 14th
Extract from shattering the sword.........a cantona production
The day begins brutally, I-33 attacks the Cleveland, misses, and is promptly sunk in retaliation.
RO- 60 sinks an AK at Wiageo
I-34 begins what will be a heroic ]day for her, in 30 minutes, she sinks 2 APs, then, later in the day, she will also claim an LST
other japanese ss are not so lucky, 2 others are sunk in these crowded waters
The landings continue, the rain continues to fall.
In the celebes sea, 5 destroyers are attacked by nearly 250 aircraft over a period of 12 hours.........."the hottest AA action of the war"
No less than 100 fish are launched at them...............and all miss
The once feared miss betty is now a useless old crone.
The allied fleet swings around to the east of sorong, and over 400 sorties fly against the islands, when the attacks go in, there is little resistance
Soraong, waingapoe both fall
And the Japanese fleet?
Undetected, it lingers near palua..........and hesitates.
Extract from shattering the sword.........a cantona production
The day begins brutally, I-33 attacks the Cleveland, misses, and is promptly sunk in retaliation.
RO- 60 sinks an AK at Wiageo
I-34 begins what will be a heroic ]day for her, in 30 minutes, she sinks 2 APs, then, later in the day, she will also claim an LST
other japanese ss are not so lucky, 2 others are sunk in these crowded waters
The landings continue, the rain continues to fall.
In the celebes sea, 5 destroyers are attacked by nearly 250 aircraft over a period of 12 hours.........."the hottest AA action of the war"
No less than 100 fish are launched at them...............and all miss
The once feared miss betty is now a useless old crone.
The allied fleet swings around to the east of sorong, and over 400 sorties fly against the islands, when the attacks go in, there is little resistance
Soraong, waingapoe both fall
And the Japanese fleet?
Undetected, it lingers near palua..........and hesitates.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
I wanted to strike
I said I would strike
I have botched it
Too many destroyers low on fuel, a guarrantee that ops points tomorrow, if I charged, would see too many ships fall short of the targets......
I am a day late, a dollar short
I need, I must have my LBA assist, its impossible to attack the juggernaught near sorong, 200 escorts will not get through 400 hellcats he can bring to his CAP.
We must retire north, await fuel.
And try again.
damnation
damnation!
Abe retires to his cabin, too ashamed to face his captains.
There are too many faces that convey the one word
coward
I said I would strike
I have botched it
Too many destroyers low on fuel, a guarrantee that ops points tomorrow, if I charged, would see too many ships fall short of the targets......
I am a day late, a dollar short
I need, I must have my LBA assist, its impossible to attack the juggernaught near sorong, 200 escorts will not get through 400 hellcats he can bring to his CAP.
We must retire north, await fuel.
And try again.
damnation
damnation!
Abe retires to his cabin, too ashamed to face his captains.
There are too many faces that convey the one word
coward
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
[:(]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
RE: The little ship that could.
Ach ... shortlegged DD's create this kind of mess all the time for me. [:(]
Never have enough +5000 range DD's, of course as the IJ we never have enough DD's period. [;)]
Never have enough +5000 range DD's, of course as the IJ we never have enough DD's period. [;)]
Pax
RE: The little ship that could.
Argh!
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
-
CV Zuikaku
- Posts: 442
- Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:25 pm
- Location: Legrad, Croatia
RE: The little ship that could.
Been away for a long, long time.
Needed almost a week to catch up with the story.
And all what i can say is: SUPERB WRITING!! [&o] [&o] [&o]
Some producer shoul'd look at this gem AAR! Somebody shoul'd put this onto the big screen. This is just epic!
P.S. And Zuikaku is still afloat [:D]
Needed almost a week to catch up with the story.
And all what i can say is: SUPERB WRITING!! [&o] [&o] [&o]
Some producer shoul'd look at this gem AAR! Somebody shoul'd put this onto the big screen. This is just epic!
P.S. And Zuikaku is still afloat [:D]
RE: The little ship that could.
Dec 15
In the phillipines!
Admiral Abe, the fleet, every damn thing in the phillipines!
Did he not, specifically, order the battlewagons to the North!
Herbiesan stares at the great map in baqrely contained fury............and cold fear
It is no small thing to be a dictator, and have your Admirals disobey you.
"Where, and what, exactly, is he doing now.......?" the question drips, like ice, into the room
"he is near Leyte sir, awaiting tankers...and a chance"
And a chance............a chance to do what?............
Eyes dart across the great map.............and freeze
A cold , cold shiver fills him
"General Sugiyama..............is that the 112th division?, here in Tokyo?"
The Commander of HQ, general defence Army frowns, and leans closer to examine the unit counter. A frown creases his brow
"I have not ordered that movement sir"
I see.
But I don't
But I suspect...........gods, i suspect............
"Who commands that division general?"
A staff officer steps forward, papers rustle." A LT gen Nakamura sir"
Herbiesan searches his Generals face........'Do you know this man?"
"A manchurian man sir.............."
"Yes, and ,..............and, BUKA!............I saw his name on a list last week..........
The Navy disobeys me
And now, I have a Unknown, un accounted for division, here, here in Tokyo, 5 days after its barnyard commander has had an interview with the emperor itself...........
herbiesan turns, walks away from the table, lest they see a face gone white
And he wonders where the Chiburi is.
In the phillipines!
Admiral Abe, the fleet, every damn thing in the phillipines!
Did he not, specifically, order the battlewagons to the North!
Herbiesan stares at the great map in baqrely contained fury............and cold fear
It is no small thing to be a dictator, and have your Admirals disobey you.
"Where, and what, exactly, is he doing now.......?" the question drips, like ice, into the room
"he is near Leyte sir, awaiting tankers...and a chance"
And a chance............a chance to do what?............
Eyes dart across the great map.............and freeze
A cold , cold shiver fills him
"General Sugiyama..............is that the 112th division?, here in Tokyo?"
The Commander of HQ, general defence Army frowns, and leans closer to examine the unit counter. A frown creases his brow
"I have not ordered that movement sir"
I see.
But I don't
But I suspect...........gods, i suspect............
"Who commands that division general?"
A staff officer steps forward, papers rustle." A LT gen Nakamura sir"
Herbiesan searches his Generals face........'Do you know this man?"
"A manchurian man sir.............."
"Yes, and ,..............and, BUKA!............I saw his name on a list last week..........
The Navy disobeys me
And now, I have a Unknown, un accounted for division, here, here in Tokyo, 5 days after its barnyard commander has had an interview with the emperor itself...........
herbiesan turns, walks away from the table, lest they see a face gone white
And he wonders where the Chiburi is.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
The fleet may have with drawn for a better day, but other forces have not.
5 japanese SS, almost her last, slip into Dilli harbour
Horror ensues..........
6 large fleet tankers are struck, a sea of fire is a totally inadequate description.
Hell in liquid form.
two strikes by Lilly dive bombers add to the carnage, 4 AK, 3 APA, the Westralia are all bombed, for little loss, these guys still know their work
The allies, eyes fixed north, have missed the impudent gathering of forces almost under their noses.
We will continue to punish their arrogance!
5 japanese SS, almost her last, slip into Dilli harbour
Horror ensues..........
6 large fleet tankers are struck, a sea of fire is a totally inadequate description.
Hell in liquid form.
two strikes by Lilly dive bombers add to the carnage, 4 AK, 3 APA, the Westralia are all bombed, for little loss, these guys still know their work
The allies, eyes fixed north, have missed the impudent gathering of forces almost under their noses.
We will continue to punish their arrogance!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
December 16th
(cantona slips a VERY interesting tit bit....the Westralia apparently was loaded with the 1st marine Division........this means 3 marine Divs in this theatre. Conclusion...........this is THE thrust vector..........perfect!)
Dilli
Destroyer Hamanari races across the anchorage, two dozen pairs of eyes searching the darkness, her electronic one invisibly sweeping.
There is nothing here, no transports, no tankers, just the stink of fule oil, of burning
If there was an invasion fleet here, it has left, or fled.
"Contact sir!, range 12000, bearing 130!"
The orders crack."Starshell!, shoot!.torpedoes, prepare to engage, prepare for long lance attack!"
The lithe destroyer leans hard, the horizon bursts into daylight.
Four ships, unmistakable.DE's, an ASW hunting group
"Launch fish!, hard to port, engage!"
Hamanari has fullfilled her mission, these are not worth tangling with, not with daylight coming.
The DE's fire, the sea cracks, but this is a race horce, they plow beasts.
A single destroyer, a single mission. Duty done
(cantona slips a VERY interesting tit bit....the Westralia apparently was loaded with the 1st marine Division........this means 3 marine Divs in this theatre. Conclusion...........this is THE thrust vector..........perfect!)
Dilli
Destroyer Hamanari races across the anchorage, two dozen pairs of eyes searching the darkness, her electronic one invisibly sweeping.
There is nothing here, no transports, no tankers, just the stink of fule oil, of burning
If there was an invasion fleet here, it has left, or fled.
"Contact sir!, range 12000, bearing 130!"
The orders crack."Starshell!, shoot!.torpedoes, prepare to engage, prepare for long lance attack!"
The lithe destroyer leans hard, the horizon bursts into daylight.
Four ships, unmistakable.DE's, an ASW hunting group
"Launch fish!, hard to port, engage!"
Hamanari has fullfilled her mission, these are not worth tangling with, not with daylight coming.
The DE's fire, the sea cracks, but this is a race horce, they plow beasts.
A single destroyer, a single mission. Duty done
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Abe reads Hamanari's dispatch. Brave ship, a brave ship indeed
The fleet awaits the tankers, still 100 miles east of Davao, still, apparently undetected.
The decision not to engage........has been the correct one..
The first Marines.........but what target?
The enemy fleet lingers near Boela, probably waiting for them.
Ternake?, manowaki?, or somewhere else?
Does it matter?, the next landings must be within our LBA range........and the fleets.
patience
patience
What Japanese are good at, yes?
The fleet awaits the tankers, still 100 miles east of Davao, still, apparently undetected.
The decision not to engage........has been the correct one..
The first Marines.........but what target?
The enemy fleet lingers near Boela, probably waiting for them.
Ternake?, manowaki?, or somewhere else?
Does it matter?, the next landings must be within our LBA range........and the fleets.
patience
patience
What Japanese are good at, yes?
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
In China, the allies attack at wunchow, and are rebuffed violently.
The tanks have made it here, too, in time.
two thrusts. two defeats
The chinese south western offensive has failed, failed utterly.
And in Thialand, apparently, the Japanese one is succeeding
The tanks have made it here, too, in time.
two thrusts. two defeats
The chinese south western offensive has failed, failed utterly.
And in Thialand, apparently, the Japanese one is succeeding
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt