At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: witpqs

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: witpqs



China. Was it Shanghai?

Shanghai it was. Must have been some kind of political statement. Crazy idea to put a whole regiment of Marines right in the middle of many tens of thousands of likely potential adversaries where they could have useful military role.

Of course, Luzon did not prove much better.

Somewhere on this forum a few years ago I read that they were not really that unit, but were put together from various smaller units that had been providing security (think like embassy security, only I don't that was what they said). Sort of like a 'presence' or 'show of force' probably aimed mostly at local thugs (even ones in authority) and obviously not an Imperial invasion. IIRC maybe a small number were in the Philippines and added in when the others were pulled out of China as war drew more obviously near.

Ah, well that makes a lot more sense.

[Cap Mandrake]

Many places where it was an unpromising spot to be posted in December 1941.

USS Penguin

Wake Island

Hong Kong

Of course, there were many others although it wasn't immediately obvious at the time.


Somewhere between May 1938 and October 1941, the USN realizes it is not a good idea too put identifying postmarks on mail from ships.

[Cap Mandrake]

[font="Courier New"]

Dec. 9

No attacks on Manila or Clark today. Maybe it was the clouds or maybe the Japs are resting up for another big push. Fleet HQ ordered a number of ships back into the yard yesterday, despite the threat of attack. I gather the plan is to get as many of the subs capable of at least short term submerged running to get them out to Darwin or Java. I have my doubts but it isn't my call. We spent the day caching ammo, getting up cammo netting and sandbagging. No reports of any Jap landing on Luzon yet. Most of the planes are gone from Manila now. I think the AAF has given up against the Zero.[/font]

[Cap Mandrake]

Perhaps this is why a WJD Carrier Division is off Malyasia? After the Allied fighters have been busy with WJD air attacks on the field at Georgetown.

I suspect Admiral Lord SPrior was trying to get the lads likely to be trapped at Georgetown out of there. It didn't really work so far. [:)]

Morning Air attack on TF, near Georgetown at 49,74

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 10
D3A1 Val x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied Ships
xAP Ipoh, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAP Perak
xAKL Circe, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage

[Cap Mandrake]

The Blenheims go after the carriers off Malaysia after the CAP has been depleted. This seems terribly imprudent on the part of the WJD.

What if these were Stringbags? Maybe if we marshalled all the
naval attack aircraft at Singers?

Morning Air attack on TF, near Kuantan at 53,80

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 31 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 6

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 11
Buffalo I x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Buffalo I: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
BB Kirishima

Aircraft Attacking:
11 x Blenheim IV bombing from 15000 feet
Naval Attack: 4 x 250 lb SAP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

Bettys from Indochina sink two more transports at Georgetown. Maybe if we flew down part of AVG we could fend off the attacs?

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Georgetown at 49,74

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IF x 1
Buffalo I x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
G4M1 Betty: 4 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAP Perak, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Pahang, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

It appears that both the KB(minus one division) and a CVL are in or near the Sulu Sea and beating up on the retreating AKL's.

[Cap Mandrake]

LYB's capture Tarawa but we surprise them...we no show up.

They capture Nauru Island along with 1807 poor souls, 3 dinged up RAAF Catalinas and...well....shitload of bird guano.

LYB's landing at Miri.

Turns out KB is probably South of Sulawese now. Looks like a strong early push toward Timor or even Northern Oz..or not.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What if these were Stringbags? Maybe if we marshalled all the
naval attack aircraft at Singers?

The bloody Stringbags were given Naval Attack orders and we even found some torpedogs for them. No duff for the Stringbag drivers tomorrow.

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

I suspect Admiral Lord SPrior was trying to get the lads likely to be trapped at Georgetown out of there. It didn't really work so far. [:)]

That was kind of the idea.

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[Cap Mandrake]

Here is why Nauru Island only has a AV of 1. The concept of camouflage has not sunk in yet.

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What if these were Stringbags? Maybe if we marshalled all the
naval attack aircraft at Singers?

The bloody Stringbags were given Naval Attack orders and we even found some torpedogs for them. No duff for the Stringbag drivers tomorrow.

And no Bugis Street either! Tell them they can have a VC if they put one "up the chuff" of Hiryu. Maybe even bring some Dutch Uglofortresses?

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What if these were Stringbags? Maybe if we marshalled all the
naval attack aircraft at Singers?

The bloody Stringbags were given Naval Attack orders and we even found some torpedogs for them. No duff for the Stringbag drivers tomorrow.

You mean this Duff?

[BBfanboy]

And one of our mighty British pilots .... saaaaay that background looks familiar!

[jmalter]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Here is why Nauru Island only has a AV of 1. The concept of camouflage has not sunk in yet.

Not wanting to be to terribly racist here, but I detect a cargo-cult in the offing. What say you give the folks at Nauru some respect, & promise them "I shall return!"

[sprior]

Our staunch pilots resist the yellow scourge https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4RWh2fnHNTg

[sprior]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

What if these were Stringbags? Maybe if we marshalled all the
naval attack aircraft at Singers?

The bloody Stringbags were given Naval Attack orders and we even found some torpedogs for them. No duff for the Stringbag drivers tomorrow.

You mean this Duff?

No, this duff

[Mike McCreery]

ORIGINAL: sprior

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

ORIGINAL: sprior




The bloody Stringbags were given Naval Attack orders and we even found some torpedogs for them. No duff for the Stringbag drivers tomorrow.

You mean this Duff?

No, this duff

If people cleaned their work area before making bread they wouldnt have all that stuff stuck in it....

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: jmalter

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake
Here is why Nauru Island only has a AV of 1. The concept of camouflage has not sunk in yet.

Not wanting to be to terribly racist here, but I detect a cargo-cult in the offing. What say you give the folks at Nauru some respect, & promise them "I shall return!"

As far as I can tell, the only people to leave Nauru are the RAAF crews who flew their Catalinas over to Ocean Is. when they spotted the LYB's coming.
Not sure who the highest ranking individual was, probably an Lt. Sounds kind of pompous for an Lt. to say "I shall return" but that would sound like a prophesy. In the case of Nauru, it is probably too late for a cargo cult. There have been Europeans mining guano there for decades....to make explosives, ironically.