Okinawa and the neighborhood: JJ has apparently surged in bombers and fighters to Naha to try to get Yorktown which is parading about near Horrycrappo-jima. We trick them. We brow them up. The distance was trimmed to 3000 yds.
This is the most epic night bombardment of the game I think. Somebody rolled boxcars.
Japanese Ships
AMC Akagi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Maebasi Maru
AK Hirokawa Maru
xAK Zuisyo Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DMS W-7
xAK Tokyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Arima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Followed by a USMC squadron and USN replacement squadron?
Morning Air attack on TF, near Yakushima at 101,62
Weather in hex: Thunderstorms
Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Another task force? This one with troops. 60% hit rate.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Amami Oshima at 100,66
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 8
SBD-3 Dauntless x 22
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
xAK Uji Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Fukko Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
PB Kyo Maru #10, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Tokusima Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Akitsushima Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Tofuku Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Bunzan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
308 casualties reported
Squads: 12 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 17 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (3 destroyed, 8 disabled)
Ouch, what carnage.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Amami Oshima at 100,66
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 3 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 0 minutes
Allied aircraft
SBD-5 Dauntless x 20
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
xAK Kotobuki Maru #5, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Biyo Maru
xAK Somedono Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tokusima Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Tofuku Maru, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
xAK Jinshu Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
Japanese ground losses:
339 casualties reported
Squads: 26 destroyed, 41 disabled
Non Combat: 20 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 11 (9 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Hardly cricket at this point.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Amami Oshima at 100,66
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 19
SBD-5 Dauntless x 14
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese Ships
xAK Uji Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Akitsushima Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kotobuki Maru #5, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Kashiwara Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
Japanese ground losses:
246 casualties reported
Squads: 23 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (7 destroyed, 10 disabled)
Aircraft Attacking:
2 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
12 x SBD-5 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Uji Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Akitsushima Maru
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Kotobuki Maru #5
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Amami Oshima at 100,66
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
I think you have to conclude things are getting more desperate on Okinawa to try to run these ships in like that. Either that or they failed to see the threat from Kume-jima. Maybe they were reinforcing Amami-Oshima? A bombardment ordered for all 4 Allied divisions doesnt cause one Japanese casualty. We lost a B-17 and a Beaufort over Naha even at higher altitudes.
Bombardment by WJD arty at Okinawa. This can't be helping.
Ground combat at Naha (95,66)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 14436 troops, 153 guns, 74 vehicles, Assault Value = 947
Defending force 43452 troops, 802 guns, 760 vehicles, Assault Value = 1307
Japanese ground losses:
231 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Vehicles lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Back at Moulmein we spend the day unloading with JJ having withdrawn his ships from the Fray. The DC parties on Reso and Ramillies have a busy night, not sure Reso will make it; speed 3 knots, 80% flooding.
"Grown ups are what's left when skool is finished."
"History started badly and hav been geting steadily worse."
- Nigel Molesworth.
Are you sure of your mission?
"Yes sir! Parachute into Japan, assassinate Tojo, impersonate him & then surrender Japan to the British"
Well done, got everything you need?
"Yes sir, parachute, false moustache, fake glasses & a Japanese phrase book"
Good man, off you go then.
"Grown ups are what's left when skool is finished."
"History started badly and hav been geting steadily worse."
- Nigel Molesworth.
Are you sure of your mission?
"Yes sir! Parachute into Japan, assassinate Tojo, impersonate him & then surrender Japan to the British"
Well done, got everything you need?
"Yes sir, parachute, false moustache, fake glasses & a Japanese phrase book"
Good man, off you go then.
Utoh.....the elbowing begins for the postwar land grab. Somebody already has a lease-back agreement on Honshu. [:)]
By ra way, are you really sending that poor baaahstard in without prastic surgery?