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

[Cap Mandrake]

Port Hedrand: Another big attack. LYB units are starting to vanish. The end is nigh for the last LYB's in Oz.

Ground combat at Port Hedland (57,129)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 14229 troops, 199 guns, 815 vehicles, Assault Value = 533

Defending force 15448 troops, 16 guns, 20 vehicles, Assault Value = 140

Allied adjusted assault: 383

Japanese adjusted defense: 5

Allied assault odds: 76 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
3277 casualties reported
Squads: 56 destroyed, 7 disabled
Non Combat: 385 destroyed, 98 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units destroyed 4

Allied ground losses:
332 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 39 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Went to the Watermarc in Laguna last night. Fantastic lamb chops, mussels in saffron sauce, bacon wrapped dates. Very, very good. Right on PCH. Drinks are pricey. I swear the bartender was Danny Bonaducci.

Went out on the boardwalk afterward and there is this muslim woman in full black burkha. Meanwhile there are all sorts of feminine fashion disasters all over the beach. Breastesses hanging out all over the place, camel toes, thong suits. And her hirsute husband, or keeper, is walking 5 paces in front of her staring at the
other women. What she should have done is take that little piece of fabric they cut out for her eye slit and staple it to her husbands forehead to cover his eyes.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************July 28, 1943(c)**************

Kyushu: IJN DD shoves off from Sasebo trying to get to Kanoya or the transport stream headed in to port.
They encounter one of the 10 subs in their path.

Sub attack near Nagasaki/Sasebo at 101,59

Japanese Ships
DD Tamanami

Allied Ships
SS Amberjack


And some AM's on ASW duty.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Tanegashima at 102,62, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Tamanami

Allied Ships
AM Heed
AM Advent, Shell hits 1, on fire


and then....I guess...they lose interest and go back

[Cap Mandrake]

Formosa: More LYB DD's at Karenko in Formosa...in broad daylight...the bombers there are not on naval attack.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Karenko at 87,64, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
DD Hagikaze
DD Arare
DD Usugumo

Allied Ships
PT-66, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-74
PT-106
PT-108
PT-109
PT-243, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

Operation Sticky Green: Never, EVER name a carrier after a battle that we actually lost.

Sub attack near Shimushiri-jima at 133,51

Japanese Ships
SS I-159, hits 6

Allied Ships
CV Bunker Hill, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Charles Ausburne
DD Foote
DD Dyson

Ammo storage explosion on CV Bunker Hill
Ammo storage explosion on CV Bunker Hill


Bunker Hill never fired a shot. Her planes never fired a shot in anger. She JUST reached the Kuriles. I think she will survive but will miss the war.

[Cap Mandrake]

Kyushu again: The CAP failed over Kanoya. Probably the LRCAP from Fuk-u-jima was socked in. The runway at Kanoya is still rubble.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kanoya at 102,61

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 79 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B6N1 Jill x 7
N1K1-J George x 2

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk IV x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 3 destroyed, 1 damaged
B6N1 Jill: 1 destroyed by flak
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAP Van Cloon, Torpedo hits 1, on fire

[Quixote]

Sorry about Bunker Hill, but let's face it - you guys really don't need her at this point anyway.

On the bright side, the menu at Watermarc does look good (they do seem to know food.) A bit self-congratulatory, perhaps, but it does look like fun [:)].)

[Wuffer]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Operation Sticky Green: Never, EVER name a carrier after a battle that we actually lost.

ehm, you did not win?

many clever britain minds have thought otherwise, but perhaps they were as many clever minded british officers around as decisive american victories in battle.
see it otherwise - you have more ships than names, this is how America wins her wars.

[Cap Mandrake]

According to the classic definition, the victor is the side that holds the field at the end.

In that sense the British won, but paid a high price.


**********July 29, 1943(C************

South China Sea: Some staff flunkie left USS Steelhead parked off Hong Kong for a month or two.
A very potent WJD surface group runs across her and sinks her but she does get the alert out. My guess this is the group from Singapore that active in the Andaman Sea. They are probably headed for the Formosa Strait and then Shanghai which has a heavy CAP

Submarine attack near Hong Kong at 77,62

Japanese Ships
DD Yugure
CA Myoko
CL Kuma
DD Hatsuyuki
DD Isonami
DD Susuzuki
DD Mochizuki
DD Mikazuki
DD Nagatsuki
DD Fumizuki

Allied Ships
SS Steelhead, hits 7, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

Nagasaki: "Fighter Sweep" weather today. [:)] Not sure why so few were assigned to CAP duty...
there are almost 50 fighters at Nagasaki

Morning Air attack on Nagasaki/Sasebo , at 102,58

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 13 NM, estimated altitude 33,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 3
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 12

Allied aircraft
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 13

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed


And then the Corsairs and that is the end of the CAP over Nagasaki today. Looks like the bombers go in tomorrow

Morning Air attack on Nagasaki/Sasebo , at 102,58

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 35,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 26 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 2

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses



Even when from the same Air HQ, fighter squadrons of different plane types will generally not act cooperatively on sweeps.

[Cap Mandrake]

Andaman Sea: Some WJD transports try to get into Rangoon which no longer has a CAP. They are clobbered by Vengeance and even a Beaufighter gets a hit.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Rangoon at 54,53

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
Beaufort I x 4
Vengeance I x 14

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Kizan Maru, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Miyadono Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
PB Chitose Maru, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

Balikpapan: Not sure if JJ is using Balikpapan now but we don't have the ground troops to take it right now.
So, better to break it. Quite a few other raids go in from Miri, which is now level 6 and from Manado.

Afternoon Air attack on Balikpapan , at 64,97

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 11
PB4Y-1 Liberator x 8

No Allied losses

Oil hits 15

[Cap Mandrake]

Hokkaido: Nothing bad happens.[:)] Our guys are unloading at Bihoro..slowly.
Carrier bombers find some transports near Sapporo. They never seem to have troops aboard. I can't tell if Hokkaido is being reinforced or evacuated
All the carriers are out of torps now.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Sapporo at 120,51

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid detected at 51 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 39
SBD-5 Dauntless x 13
TBF-1 Avenger x 33

Allied aircraft losses
SBD-5 Dauntless: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships
xAK Tatuha Maru, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Borneo Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Nitiren Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAK Nitimei Maru, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Singapore Maru, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Mitsu Maru #3
xAK Tatuha Maru, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk


More near Kushiro then another raid at Sapporo (not shown)

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Kushiro at 123,53

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 34 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes

Allied aircraft
F6F-3 Hellcat x 8
TBF-1 Avenger x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAKL Eiwa Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Himalaya Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires

[Cap Mandrake]

Skip ohn down...nothing to see here. You are getting sleepy.

[Cap Mandrake]

China: Absolutely MASSIVE WJD attack near Chungking. Wherh arr of rittah yarrow bastards come from

Ground combat at 76,46 (near Chungking)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 180137 troops, 1767 guns, 856 vehicles, Assault Value = 6631

Defending force 16509 troops, 149 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 709

Japanese adjusted assault: 7958

Allied adjusted defense: 424

Japanese assault odds: 18 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
10381 casualties reported
Squads: 30 destroyed, 1084 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 120 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 124 disabled
Guns lost 86 (2 destroyed, 84 disabled)
Vehicles lost 26 (1 destroyed, 25 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
7066 casualties reported
Squads: 356 destroyed, 130 disabled
Non Combat: 167 destroyed, 51 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 54 (34 destroyed, 20 disabled)
Units retreated 3

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
15th Division
3rd Division
3rd Tank Regiment
23rd Ind.Mixed Brigade
36th Division
13th Division
19th Ind.Mixed Brigade
37th Division
59th Infantry Brigade
32nd Division
35th Division
3rd Tank Division
138th Infantry Regiment
1st Ind.Inf.Group
40th Division
110th Division
9th Ind.Mixed Brigade
66th Infantry Regiment
4th Ind.Mixed Regiment
39th Division
66th Infantry Brigade
8th Armored Car Co
71st Infantry Brigade
104th/B Division
22nd Ind.Mtn Gun Battalion
21st Mortar Battalion
23rd Army
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
52nd Ind.Mtn.Gun Battalion
12th Army
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
4th Mortar Battalion
5th Mortar Battalion

Defending units:
63rd Chinese Corps
72nd Chinese Corps
67th Chinese Corps
92nd Chinese Corps

[Cap Mandrake]

Another pincer. If I didn't know better I would say they are trying to capture Chungking. Oh, the humanity! Think of all the crappy canned "Chinese" food we lose!

Ground combat at 77,47 (near Chungking)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 25681 troops, 184 guns, 176 vehicles, Assault Value = 947

Defending force 4211 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 154

Japanese adjusted assault: 1006

Allied adjusted defense: 25

Japanese assault odds: 40 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
110 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
2712 casualties reported
Squads: 150 destroyed, 64 disabled
Non Combat: 47 destroyed, 33 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 22 (11 destroyed, 11 disabled)
Units retreated 1

Defeated Allied Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
12th Tank Regiment
41st Division
17th Ind.Mixed Brigade
2nd Ind.Mixed Brigade
1st Militia Regiment

Defending units:
84th Chinese Corps

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Operation Sticky Green: Never, EVER name a carrier after a battle that we actually lost.

Sub attack near Shimushiri-jima at 133,51

Japanese Ships
SS I-159, hits 6

Allied Ships
CV Bunker Hill, Torpedo hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Charles Ausburne
DD Foote
DD Dyson

Ammo storage explosion on CV Bunker Hill
Ammo storage explosion on CV Bunker Hill


Bunker Hill never fired a shot. Her planes never fired a shot in anger. She JUST reached the Kuriles. I think she will survive but will miss the war.

Nice shootin', Tex-san! [&o]

Oops, wrong AAR...

[Chickenboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

According to the classic definition, the victor is the side that holds the field at the end.

In that sense the British won, but paid a high price.

Well, technically, the battle for Bunker Hill was fought on Breed's Hill anyways, so you're both wrong. [:'(]

[Crackaces]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

According to the classic definition, the victor is the side that holds the field at the end.

In that sense the British won, but paid a high price.

Well, technically, the battle for Bunker Hill was fought on Breed's Hill anyways, so you're both wrong. [:'(]

Actually the British would leave Boston after the Battle of "Bunker Hill" so who really held the field of battle when the smoke cleared? [8D][8D]

[Cap Mandrake]

There is a bagel place by me that has good fresh bagels and good breakfast bagels but apparently there is a severe shortage of Jews around here..or..more likely, they are all internists and esquires.

Somewhat hilariously, the staff are all Mayan. The girls are all 5ft 1 and the guys 5 4. Hugo, Jose, Carmen, Oswaldo. Good, enthusiastic workers all but they can't say "bagel". They call them "BAY-goes". I, of course, had no trouble understanding what they were saying because this is exactly how Savina used to say "bagel". It is a laugh riot to watch the customers ask them to repeat the question "BAY-go or breakfast wrap?" [:)]

This morning I ordered a Denver bagel.

Hugo: DEN-bear?

FAM: Si, DEN-bear.