The little ship that could.

[pws1225]

This is getting interesting ... [&:]

[1275psi]

5 June
Fuelling.

Fuelling at Fusan

'This place sucks" Hirate and Okano share a guard rail overlooking the most dismal wharf that they have seen in many a year.
"is it the place, or the people?'
Okano eyes the drab men that are scattered around the wharf, all sharing what appears to him the same characteristics. Thiness, greyness, idleness.................and hate.
"You know brother. I do not think our prescence here is welcome, its been a while since I have seen such a collection of unhappy people'
Hirate nods in agreement. 'How long has Korea been Japanese?"
"Forever, I think...........and it will be forever too"

Dismal or not, workers who cannot move any slowler if the tried or not, Fusan manages to refuel them and the rest of task force 44.
By dusk they are at sea again moving East across the sea of japan.
And below decks, a very common feeling.
The war is south. Moving to the North can only be good.

[1275psi]

General Sugiyama flies north
Below him the beautiful patchwork of Japan slides slowly past.

All my life, I have planned and worked, and yes, schemed, to be here, in the seat of power.
To be able to guide this land, to set its path.
And only now, now when it is mine, do I realise the terrible responsibility I have taken.

War on Russia!
My gods..........do they really know what that means?

There is my land below, my Japan. Three and half years of war, and barely a bomb has scarred it. The Enemy remain out of range, held at more than arms length, and now these fools want to bring the giant to the North into the fight?

Have they forgotten the bear has wings as well?


General Sugiyama flies north, bound for Ominato, and the fleet. Surely the Admirals, who have bled so much, would see sense, would appose this idiocy?
Surely?

[1275psi]

June 5th 45
japan retreats everywhere in china, desperate to establish a perimeter around Shanghia
In malaya, its army retreats again for a final stand in Singapore, the allies seeking to surround them at Johore.

In Minando, the army there is lost, trapped in the mountains, doomed for starvation.

But , and this is vital, tankers still carry oil and fuel from Miri, and from the vast stores in manilla and takao
Air group HQ's are safely evacuated back towards japan from Siagon, from manilla.
The factories continue to produce planes, the divisions continued to be raised.

And the enemy remain placid, bombing lost units, lost bases.................
And the days keep marching on.

[1275psi]

6 June 45

"petty Officer Hirate..........captains cabin"

About him, fellow crew members glance at Hirate.........what, say the expressions.......what crime has Hirate done?
"If only they really knew............."

Cautiously, mind racing, hirate makes his way towards the bridge.
This, of course, could be about anything, but some how, some how, he knows what this is really about.

He knocks upon the door, here's the "come' and enters the sweat box of the cabin

Asada sits at his small desk, Hirate's thin file before him
'Sir!" the salute is correct.

'At ease, petty Officer"

For a minute, silence fills the cabin, Asada leafs through the few pages...........pay slip, a medical sheet, all but blank, next of kin....

Outside, the noises of Susuzuki refuelling, hard workers here at Ominato.

'You have a thin file Hirate"........Asada looks up, the smile is thin, humourless. (yes, yes, this is not about my file is is Captain?.but you cannot trap me ney?)......."very thin"

Hirate smiles, tries the humourous approach.........'My files have had a habit of getting drowned sir.................."

'Yes......................the eyes speak, but there is more than that, no?...............".I believe Zuiho, Hiyo?........a term on Yamato.....and a E class............what was its name?"

(Oh, you know, I am sure)
"Chubiri, yes?"
'That is correct sir"

"A varied career............but I want to know, how did you end up here, on the Susuzuki?...........there are no orders in your file?
Hirate does not answer. There is danger here. But how will it be revealed?

Asada stares at Hirate hard.
"in general the Imperial fleet does not allow its sailors to pick and choose their ships...........or leave those about to sail to the front..........."

Ahh..............the threat reveals itself.........

"We will speak of this further"

[1275psi]

The Allied bombers, finally turn to more worthwhile targets.
B-29s from China strike Miri, damaging the oil derricks. Liberators follow, hitting the refinery. There is no opposition. More bombers hit manilla..opposition a plenty there though.

There are reports of carriers south of Minando.

Iwo Jima jakes strike what may be a wayward AK.

And this is high summer............invasion season.
Centuries ago, the mongols ried to invade Japan.
Destroyed by a "Divine wind"

We have our own Divine wind now , waiting on a hundred airfields, gathering skill by the day.
But a solid winter gale would do just as well...............

[1275psi]

7th June

Sapporo, Northern japan

Susuzuki is sliding through mirror calm waters, her bow barely disturbing the sea. Stand on her stern on this cold mist filled morning, and you can actually hear the water gurgling about her stern.
The waters are clear, bright green, alive

Around them, the fog , reason for this slow, slow passage , is brightening, in moments now, the morning sun must break through.
On her focastle a team of stokers is at work preparing yet again the fuelling station. There are shock mats to gather, dip tapes, buckets, comms to check. Spanners, tank charts.
The men move slowly, the morning air is too good to waste, as long as this job is ready by the time the wharf appears there is no need to hurry.
Gently from above them, they can hear the telegraph bells, and knowing glances are exchanged. 'Asada has already gotten his name below decks....'Mister Many bells"
Asada has proven one thing already, he cannot drive.

The Engineer appears to many of the stokers surprise, he should, normally, be on the bridge at this stage.
"Sir?, any idea where we are?
" I believe we have been delayed a fair bit with the fog, by last look at the map, we are only just entering the roads. Apparently, there is.............a..............little shipping here.."

Gloriously the sun breaks through, and like a curtain raising, sapporo roads reveals its residents

"so" whispers the engineer' "the rumours are true......we do still have a fleet"

They may be rusty. their paints may have faded.
But guns still gleam. The propellers still glimmer

In two great rows, the fleet rides at anchor, carriers in one, the two giants in the other

Akagi, Taiho, Zuikaku, Ryhyo, Unryo...............

Yamato, Musashi................
Destroyers fading into the distance

Rusty, silent now, resting, waiting.
But still nonetheless........................lethal.

[1275psi]

8th of June
General Sugiyama has never been comfortable with ships.
he is one of those poor unfortunates who get sea sick on basically anything that floats.
Today, it doesn't matter how steady Yamato is in these calm waters, his mind has no trouble imagining that she is moving under his feet.
It is hard enough to concentrate on the matters at hand , as they are, with out adding the strange bewildering array of corridors, heavy doors and ladders, and even a lift that has bought him here so far above the waters of Sapporo

He does not know who this latest Admiral of the fleet is. has never met him, hardly heard of him in all his years. This war has been particularily hard on its leaders.......
But would it have mattered?

The Navy, it seems, has already decided.

The Admiral speaks 'The russians are massing. Our intelligence says that they will attack Mid summer, August 1 is a date that we here frequently now.........thus we must strike first"

General Sugiyama's heart falls.........'when?"
The Admiral turns to his map. "We intend to land a Division here, at Shahkew.....' he smiles wirly.'I do not expect the attack to succeed, merely divert the russians from THEIR attack on Shikuka"
The Admiral turns, looks across the bay, the lines of ships. 'I only have lift for a division.........so first, I need to run two divisions to Shikuka first, the 91st, and another from western japan yet to be assigned..........> When that is done>."
"The madness will begin" Sugiyama interrupts
"Yes, the madness will begin"

[Lowpe]

Banzai!

[1275psi]

9th of June

Extract from Shattering the sword, a cantona production

It had taken too long to tear down the myth of Japanese invincibility. Too long to reveal that now, literally, the emperor wore no clothes.
B-29's have struck miri...........no opposition
Then in turn, Soerabaya, Kendari, Miri again. And still no opposition
Allied troops enter Johore baru, and in China Hankow falls. Other troops penetrate to the coast of the yellow sea, sieze almost un opposed Haichow
The bubble has burst.

Cautiously, but now with growing conviction that little opposes them, the allied carier fleet sorties at last
The first strikes hit Jolo island, tarakan,.
The Allied fleet enters the Sulu sea.
Course North West

Straight for the jugular

[1275psi]

Susuzuki fuels , and sails again for Ominato.
Convoy escort.
Unknown , yet to Hirate, Okano, the wheels of destiny and fate have begun to turn.

[1275psi]

Russian waters

I-184 surfaces, the heavy rain hiding her from any prying eyes in the heavy woodlands on the coast five miles away.

"patrol, and await your orders, and avoid any contact with ANY vessel"
Strange orders

But they will be easily followed
2 hours later, batteries re charged, she slides to the bottom again.

Strange orders indeed.

[1275psi]

There are four major convoys entering or sailing the South China sea

CVL Hosho, with her brood of fat tankers sails south of takao, bound for Miri
Another tanker filled convoy lies to the south west of her, 500 miles north of Jolo island, also headed south
A third, with CVE escort is clearing palembang.

The fourth approaches Miri, a mix of tankers and AKs .

(Two others are arriving in Japan tomorrow, filled to the brim, another two large tanker convoy sucks at Manilla's tit)

The report of the allied death star, long expected, long anticipated, still comes as a frightening shock. There is simply NOTHING to bring against it.
There is but one order to give

Helms come hard over, and boiler fuel taps are turned to full

Flee

[kaleun]

Still a great yarn

[ny59giants]

Its bad enough to see the SBDs carrying their single 1000 pounders. Its worse to see all those Helldivers carry the 1000 pounders, but they also have those two 250 pounders to add more carnage to those thin hulled tankers and transports. Ouch!!

[1275psi]

11th June
The enemy carriers move slowy (cautiously?) further into the Sulu sea. Fighters sweep over Tarakan, Puerto panciesa, Miri, a great number of now empty fields in the central phillipines.
They meet no opposition

Its a bad day for Japan. For almost all of the war, 3 AV vessels have served quietly at Palembang. They are now retiring towards manilla.

In one short horrible hour, all three fall to a ss pack..............

The Convoys head as fast as they can away from the threat, but there is only so much ocean.....

[1275psi]

Susuzuki spends the night making for Ominato.
An almost (if war can ever allow it) relaxed passage, sailing at dusk, arriving at dawn.

But the work continues.
Ogowa and Hirate have the middles watch (yet again!)
After a full day of work, cleaning, drilling, storing ship, both men spend 1900 to 2000 hrs at action stations, then manage to grab an hours sleep.
Its a valuable hour, this hour.

Do you have trouble falling asleep?. toss, turn?. need, heavens above, a bed?, a pillow.
Stokers can sleep anywhere. Stokers who have been at war, anywhere, any time, and in a matter of moments too.

Both men will simply leave their action stations, make their way to the messdeck, find a patch of deck, and be asleep in moments.
its a skill we will never, ever lose...........

2300 will see them awake again, there is a chance of a meal, midnighters it is called, the cooks will put on soup, (the british put on cocoa that a spoon can stay upright in, the yanks hot dogs, the aussies meat pies )and with luck, a good noodle dish.
Luck is good.

Then its down the hold.
The spaces are comfortable in these climes, only in the mid 70's F.
Hirate the boiler room, Okano no 1 engine.
Both will do a quick walk around, both will be satisfied, Engineering wise, she's a tight ship.
Then Hirate will take the blower throttles, the fuel pump throttle, crack a joke with the burner man, and start his first cup of tea.
Okano updates the machinery log, reports in to the bored bridge, and waits for whatever comes next..........

The four hours go slowly enough.
Relief after a watch filled with nothing much at all will be followed by two hours at defence stations, and before you know it, dawn action stations.

An hours sleep in twenty four.
Not even worth a mention.............

[1275psi]

I ntell tells me the allies build 180 hellcats alone this month........

Japanese production this day:

5 betties
4 grace
3 oscars
3 zeros
2 tonies
2 peggies
2 george
2 judy
2 frank
1 francis

make of it as you will

[DanSez]

wow...

Late arrival here. Just starting page 16 so it is going to take all month for me to catch up. A very good read and thanks for all the great first hand knowledge you give wrapped up within the flow of the game.

Just wanted to post and say you got at least 1 new reader - I am sure there are many others.

[&o][&o][&o]

[1275psi]

hello Dan Sez, thankyou for comment, hope you enjoy the rest.