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

[Disco Duck]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Front balcony and top floor balcony now have reinforced joists and new plywood. The thing had that new plywood smell until one of the dogs inaugurated the upper balcony with a..well..you know.

The back balcony has some dry rot on a support beam so we have to put in a second beam to increase support. Broody annoying because we hardly use the things.

The front arbor, when you chip off the stucco is just a rectangular collection of sawdust. Current pran is to demo the upper part and stick a couple of beams across real quick and hope Frau Braun doesn't notice.

I am not giving those *-***** another $50 just to wait for them to approve it. I have a track record of making bad decisions about these kind of things but it is beyond my control.

The clause we use is the one that says we have to maintain our home. That way we don't have to ask permission as long as it is not something outrageous.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: Wargmr

It is sometimes better to ask forgiveness than permission.

Yeah..like the Sudetenland [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

***********The Berghof, June 24, 1943(c)***********


<youngish woman reading mail in attractive home>

"...it has come to our attention that you have been installing some bunker ventilation systems without the prior approval of
the Berchtesgaden HOA Architectural Compliance Committee. These are not in compliance with section XIIA of the CCR, "All visible ventilation ducts shall comply with guidelines for 19th Century Bavarian chimney/exhaust vent similarity codes, please see appendix 112.2 for illustrations of Snow White's Castle, Disneyland". You are ordered to stop construction immediately. If you don not comply we will file motions to attach a lien to the property..:


EB: Santa Maria! Was ist das?

[Cap Mandrake]

**********June 24, 1943(c)**********


Okinawa: There are no dedicated CD guns but the enterprising Japan-mens are using their field artirrery.
Here is an example with some LCI/LST unloading suppries onry.

Pre-Invasion action off Naha (95,66)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

69 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
SC-521
LCI-22
LCI-63
LST-16
LST-19
YMS-129

SC-521 fired at enemy troops
75mm Infantry Gun battery firing at LST-16
15cm T96 Howitzer battery firing at LST-16



It is mostly support troops and and trucks coming ashore from AK's and APA's now but JJ is still causing substantial disruption.


Invasion Support action off Naha (95,66)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

290 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
SC PC-1079
SC PC-598
SC PC-597
SC-707
LCI-75
DE Pillsbury
LCI-216
LCI-83
LCI-85
LCI-84

Allied ground losses:
172 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

We torpedo a transport heading to Kyushu? This is actually 80 m SW of Nagasaki. Maybe they are reinforcing Okinawa. Good ruck is all I can say.

Sub attack near Fukue-jima at 100,59

Japanese Ships
xAKL Kashi Maru, Torpedo hits 2, heavy damage
SC Ch 20
SC Ch 19
xAK Shinetsu Maru
xAK Kanzaki Maru
xAK Konsan Maru
xAKL Matsutan Maru
xAKL Momoyama Maru
xAKL Kasui Maru
xAKL Uragami Maru
PB Bisaku Maru
PB Urashio Maru
PB Higashiyama Maru
PB Awa Maru

Allied Ships
SS Flying Fish

[Cap Mandrake]

Here is what it is rike during daytime. No wonder 32nd ID is 99% disrupted. It's more like Iwo Jima than Okinawa.
This is with Wichita to provide counterbattery fire too.

Invasion Support action off Naha (95,66)
Defensive Guns engage approaching landing force

477 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.

Allied Ships
SC PC-1079
SC PC-598
SC PC-597
SC-707
LCI-83
LCI-75
CA Wichita
LCI-85
DE Pillsbury
LCI-216
LCI-84

Japanese ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
325 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 67 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Forget these useless AP's. Sending anyone who still is afraid to get into the landing craft back to Batan Is.
where they will disembark, receive counseling and hot cocoa..and then be packed aboard LST's and LCI's for the trip back.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************Milo Green Beach, Okinawa, 04;20, June 24, 1943(c)********


<a confused and frightened group of men huddle near a disabled 2 1/2 ton truck>


Beachamster: You there! You men, get off the beach and get to your unit.

Apparent leader: We are lost, sir.

Beachamster: Who are you with?

Apparent leader: <stands up and salutes> STENOGRAPHER'S PLATOON, 2nd HUMAN RESOURCES COMPANY, 32nd INFANTRY DIVISION REPORTING FOR DUTY, SIR!

[Cap Mandrake]

The night bombardment by Washington is again underwhelming. Air raids go in well without losses over Naha but the results are also underwhelming. Even so, the bombardment attack by the WJD at the turn in is more favorable to us.

We get another 100 assault points ashore with the clerk-typists.

Ground combat at Naha (95,66)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 27851 troops, 284 guns, 101 vehicles, Assault Value = 1032

Defending force 41403 troops, 807 guns, 762 vehicles, Assault Value = 1175

Japanese ground losses:
57 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
1st/B Division
48th Division
Guards Mixed Brigade
1st Ind.Tank Co
1st/C Division
38th Field AA Battalion
25th Air Flotilla
29th Field AF Construction Battalion
39th Field AA Battalion
5th Naval Construction Battalion
4th Shipping Engineer Regiment
13th Ind.Hvy.Art Battalion
41st Field AA Battalion
58th Field AA Battalion
19th JAAF Base Force
1st Art.Mortar Regiment
50th JNAF Coy

Defending units:
1st Marine Division
22nd Marine Regiment
131st Combat Engineer Regiment
34th Combat Engineer Regiment
32nd Infantry Division
161st Infantry Regiment
8th Australian Division
2nd Eng Amph Bde
2nd Medium Regiment
Southwest Pacific
F Det USN Port Svc

[Cap Mandrake]

We torpedo another tanker off Indochina. Japan-mens crevah AND inscrutah! We crose down Hong Kong so they switch to Cam Rahn Bay. We put subs there they switch to Saigon.


The onry probrem is now we can see Japan-mens ships and we have rots of subs. This one is off Saigon, which is probably the best option for them. They need better ASW units or air ASW air search because we are now lolling about 1 days steaming from port in shallow water like a pod of killer whales picking off seals.



Sub attack near Soc Trang at 58,77

Japanese Ships
TK Sanraku Maru, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
TK Juko Maru
PB Sureboko Maru
PB Chiyo Maru #4

Allied Ships
SS KXVII

[Cap Mandrake]

Japan-mens figure out our "secret" transport route through the Ceram Sea.
There aren't enough escorts to go around.

Submarine attack near Obi at 76,105

Japanese Ships
SS RO-61

Allied Ships
xAK Arkansan, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage

xAK Arkansan is sighted by SS RO-61
SS RO-61 launches 4 torpedoes

[Cap Mandrake]

Burma/Siam: Vengeance drivers are attacking ground troops near Tuonguoo (or however you spell that). Rook rike all Japan-mens fighters move back to Bangkok.

We have air superiority over Burma.

[Cap Mandrake]

This is not really in the Pacific, in fact there is nothing "pacific" about it. Amazing picture.
Porthcawl harbour, South Wales

[Cap Mandrake]

***********Taking stock on Okinawa**********


The Good:

--Disaster is avoided.

--Zero shipping losses.

--No air losses since D-day.

--Prenty of suppry

--JJ bombardment attacks are met with superior counterbattery fire from our guys

--Miyako-jima will be level 6 in 1-2 d

--JJ probabry racks confidence for counter-attack



The Bad:

--Baaaaaad disruption of 2 divisions.

--We have only a trivial advantage in assault value

--It takes essentially a week to make a BB round trip from Naga to Okinawa.

--Damage repair backlog on heavies at Aparri

--Airfields at Naha and Nago repairing.

--JJ can reinforce from Nago by land.


What we have then is a stalemate on land for now.


Solutions:

--Aparri keeps building to level 9 (7.7 now) so the heavies can operate better.

--Miyako keeps building to level 7 some more medium bombers can move in.

--Land and take Kume-jima (if possible) for fighter strip.

--Reform 3rd Marine Div for use on Okinawa (already prepped). Bring in some armor.

--Rest up the divisions for Formosa, then land at Karenko and drive East to capture
Taihoku for slow build to level 9. (this will take at least a month)

--Try rearming BB's at Batan Is, which is now level 4 port with some AKE's.

[sprior]

[quote]ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

This is not really in the Pacific, in fact there is nothing "pacific" about it. Amazing picture.
Porthcawl harbour, South Wales

[quote]
Yeah, it was a bit windy hereabouts last week.

[Cap Mandrake]

Breezy...definitely breezy...definitely..today is Thursday..my show is on at 12:30....[:)]
The amazing thing about that picture is not just the waves and wind. There is also the oblique lighting and the fantastic subdued color values and the dark shapes in the foreground for scale


The Orca pod

[sprior]

He said Willy!

[Cap Mandrake]

The lads on Okinawa are recovering rapidly. Even a nice bunker with rebar and concrete for Lord MacArthur.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

He said Willy!

Willy Wonka
Free Willy
Prince Willy Sound
Willy Nilly
[:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

We also discover there are only 67 troops and a couple of AT guns left aboard the Dutch AP Tabinta.

Everyone else is ashore. Time to switch over to Kume-jima and get 147th RCT ashore. 6th USMC Regt and the USMC combat engineers can go to Aparri and come over with 3rd Div as JJ has no chance of driving us off with the forces in place now.