1944 March 26
The Empire captured:
The Allies captured:
Boeton
There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:
There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Sidate
Our subs got a PB.
1,461 AV at Chungking.
Burma is still quiet. That convoy is still at Tavoy, along with 2 dozen fighters. 117 fighters are at Chiang Mai so the Empire might be trying something soon. Our B-24J groups at Diamond Harbour are well reseted, but those in and around Dimapur are still (stood down) conducting long term maintenance on airframes. In a day or two we will order P-47 sweeps over Chiang Mai and 4EB strikes to beard the lion in his den, if he cooperates by waiting.
Allied bombardments in the Pacific.
Allied Ships Bombarding Pagan
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding Pagan
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Allied Ships Bombarding enemy troops at Tinian
Burke's Bow Wows ran into the two retiring IJN DD that caused convoys to stop unloading yesterday, but that was bad news because it left his TF in range for many air attacks during daylight. Hammann was eventually hit by a torp, and much later hit by two more. It seemed that all the attacking aircraft came from Soerabaja. Unfortunately our Spitfires at Kalao, even bolstered by their new ground-based radar system, did not make any intercepts. Before too long Salajar and Watampone should both be sporting their radars (via Kendari) and their own fighter squadrons as their airfields near completion.
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Sepandjang at 59,107, Range 5,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
DD Oshio, Shell hits 2
DD Arashio
Allied Ships
DD Gansevoort
DD Gillespie
DD Kalk
DD Hammann
DD Mustin
DD Conyngham
DD Shaw
DD Cushing
Reduced sighting due to 7% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Clear Conditions and 7% moonlight: 6,000 yards
Range closes to 24,000 yards...
Range closes to 18,000 yards...
Range closes to 12,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 12,000 yards
Range closes to 9,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 9,000 yards
Range closes to 7,000 yards...
Range closes to 5,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 5,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 5,000 yards
Burke, Arleigh A. crosses the 'T'
DD Shaw engages DD Oshio at 5,000 yards
Range closes to 3,000 yards
DD Arashio engages DD Shaw at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 5,000 yards
DD Cushing engages DD Oshio at 5,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Cushing at 5,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Oshio at 5,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Gillespie at 5,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
DD Cushing engages DD Oshio at 8,000 yards
DD Kalk engages DD Oshio at 8,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Gansevoort at 8,000 yards
Range increases to 12,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Cushing at 12,000 yards
DD Shaw engages DD Oshio at 12,000 yards
DD Arashio engages DD Kalk at 12,000 yards
DD Oshio engages DD Gansevoort at 12,000 yards
Task forces break off...
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Tinian is secure. The assault and landing units are now tasked to prepare for Amami Oshima, to the NE of Okinawa.
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Ground combat at Tinian (108,94)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 26648 troops, 563 guns, 602 vehicles, Assault Value = 1080
Defending force 7802 troops, 55 guns, 11 vehicles, Assault Value = 10
Allied adjusted assault: 1325
Japanese adjusted defense: 7
Allied assault odds: 189 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
2052 casualties reported
Squads: 153 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 51 destroyed, 29 disabled
Engineers: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 19 (19 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
37th Infantry Division
5th USMC Tank Battalion
38th Infantry Division
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
3rd Regiment
347th base Group
V Amphib Corps
868th Aviation Engineer Battalion
223rd Field Artillery Battalion
7th USMC Field Artillery Battalion
82nd Mortar Battalion
868th Aviation Engineer Battalion
2nd AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
26th USN Naval Construction Regiment
226th Field Artillery Battalion
29th USN Naval Construction Regiment
19th US Naval Construction Battalion
20th US Naval Construction Battalion
4th Field Artillery Battalion
145th Field Artillery Battalion
23rd USN Naval Construction Regiment
16th US Naval Construction Battalion
860th Aviation Engineer Battalion
4th AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
23rd US Naval Construction Battalion
26th US Naval Construction Battalion
855th Aviation Engineer Battalion
97th Field Artillery Battalion
30th USN Naval Construction Regiment
Defending units:
54th Division
Southeast Area Fleet
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Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Tinian
The opposition at Sidate is a naval guard unit but our troops are highly disrupted by the low-preparation landing and are in no condition for an immediate attack. The regiment should finish unloading tomorrow and then the Bn will be shuttled in.
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Ground combat at Sidate (75,100)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 1860 troops, 19 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 61
Defending force 1722 troops, 10 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 109
Assaulting units:
23rd Nav Gd Unit
Defending units:
31st Infantry Regiment
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Meanwhile the loading and transfer of troops for Iwo Jima continues. Opportunistically, so does the repair of minor damage to the fleet carriers.
The invasion forces for Koepang will be met by a fleet oiler TF tomorrow to tend to the short range craft, then the whole movable feast will set off for Roti and Koepang.
Lots of units are still being transferred from the eastern coast of Australia to Darwin and the eastern DEI
There appears to be a major reinforcement of Haha Jima underway.
