Sunset in the East. DBB 30B. Open to Bibow

[kaleun]

February 23rd

Corunna Downs is captured by the Japanese.
The harbor at Perth fills up with Dutch submarines fleeing the debacle in Java. Their crews are despondent, angry, and eager to get back at the enemy.
On the other side of the world, or rather Australia, an embarrassing event occurred. The battleship task force that escorted the 24th Division to Australia had departed Sidney to return to Tahiti. After the disaster in Noumea, the old battlewagons had made a high speed dash to evade the enemy carrier threat. They were successful but, there’s always something, someone forgot to tell them to slow down. Now, out of fuel, half way to Tahiti, the old ships must wait for a replenishment task force hastily assembled at Tahiti.
At Aden, Australian forces keep arriving, yesterday, two pioneer units, 2/1 and 2/2, today the 21st Australian Brigade, with more to come.

[kaleun]

[8|][X(]

[atheory]

That's my biggest fear for the first time I truly play as allies. Running out of gas. I dread the day

[kaleun]

February 24 42
The long awaited message arrives at several desks, almost simultaneously.
“LARGE ENEMY TASK FORCES SPOTTED NW SUVA”
“It is Suva then,” Ito Watanabe says.
“Suva it is,” Nimitz, too, says.
At headquarters in Tahiti, Auckland, Sydney, and, of course, in Suva itself, the exact same phrase is repeated.
The orders are predictable. All bombers in range set to naval attack. The few fighters available 50% CAP and escort the bombers.
In Tahiti, their few naval assets, CL Trenton, DD Helms, et al, depart under the command of Capt Conolly, Richard H. Their mission will be to stand by within striking distance of Suva and intercept any inferior force, while keeping away from any larger forces. Capt. Conolly curses his luck. There is no glory to be gained here, either humiliation if he avoids combat and returns his command, intact, to his base, or death if he seeks combat, or combat finds him.

Shwebo falls.
The 27th Infantry Division unloads at Anchorage.

[kaleun]

Feb 25th

Battle of Suva

The air alarms rush the few civilians in the city of Suva to their shelters. The natives crouch in their villages happy, for once, not to be in the towns. 18 Zero fighters probe the air sweeping over the port and airfield. 22 eager, but inexperienced pilots drive their P39D to tangle with the enemy. All in all, they did not do too badly. One enemy fighter falls in flames, three allied machines are lost.
A pathetic flight of 3 Marine SB2U Vindicator with 6 P40E escorting seeks the enemy task force near the Yasawa islands. There are 44 Zero on CAP. The dive bombers never even get to see the enemy ships. Fortune, however, shines her capricious light on the attackers and only one dive bomber is lost; the remainder of the flight returns home.
Of course these 3 Vindicators were not the only dive bombers to rise. The remainder of the SB2U bombers arrive over the task force just as their mates leave. 11 unescorted Vindicators, 33 Zeros. The result, could have been worse. 6 bombers destroyed. Five made their attack, all misses. CV Kaga, Hiryu, and Shokaku steam on.

The next day, 6 heroic, obsolete, and stupid Vincent pilots try to attack the enemy carriers. 3 are lost and two actually attack Shokaku and Hyriu, missing, of course.

In the evening, the depleted 35PG/41PS (3 P39D)flies off to Pago Pago to take replacements. The 18 obsolete SBD1 from VMSB 132 stationed at Pago Pago fly off to Suva to try for the enemy ships in the morning

[kaleun]

February 27th 1942

At Aden, the 7th Australian division has reassembled and prepares for departure, but the world’s attention, at least the allied world’s attention, as far as the Pacific theater is concerned is the battle for Suva.
SS Grampus hits Kaga with one fish that fails to explode. She will try later on Shokaku, missing with all of her torpedoes.
On the air, the day starts with a heavy raid on Suva harbor by 88 dive bombers, 90 Kate and 56 Zero.
3 Vindicators, escorted by 20 P40E attack the carrier task force. Despite the puny nature of the attack, the three dive bombers make it through the CAP and miss CV Hiryu. The cost of this exercise in futility was 4 fighters, 2 dive bombers damaged and one destroyed by AA.
3 Hudsons attack Hiryu and miss. 3 B26 with 19 P39D meet 19 Zero fighters, attack the BB Hiei and miss. 1 Zero is destroyed, 1 B26 destroyed by CAP and one by AA, as well as 3 P39D.
Lashio captured by the enemy.

A surface task force led by CA Houston, with CL Java, and 5 old destroyers approaches Exmouth with the intention of attacking the transports unloading there. Indomitable, too will approach and try her luck on the transports.

[kaleun]

February 28th

Houston leads CL Java,and DDs Bulmer, John D. Edwards, Parrott, and Pope towards Exmouth seeking the enemy task force. The sky is partly cloudy and visibility is excellent. The lookouts spot the enemy task force at 25,000 yards. CA Ashigara opens fire at 25,000 yards on Houston and Java. Houston holds her fire until the range closes to 21,000 then her guns open fire too.
It is a free for all and, for a while the battle seems even. The enemy has a heavy cruiser, Ashigara and a light cruiser, Nagara, with four destroyers, against Houston, Java and five destroyers, but at the end, the Japanese must be considered to have the advantage.
Japanese Ships
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 5
CL Nagara, Shell hits 4, on fire
DD Murasame, Shell hits 1
DD Kawakaze, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Umikaze
DD Suzukaze, Shell hits 2

Allied Ships
CA Houston, Shell hits 3, on fire
CL Java, Shell hits 10, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Bulmer, Shell hits 1
DD John D. Edwards, Shell hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Paul Jones
DD Parrott, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Pope, Shell hits 2

In the Philippines, Japan tries a deliberate attack that degrades the allied fortifications to level 2.

[kaleun]

March 1st.
A possible invasion force is reported near Port Hedland. Search arcs all over the remaining bases in NW Australia change to try and find the small KB force known to be in the area. Indomitable changes course and dashes, full speed, for a daring hit and run.
The first strike is for the Royal Navy. 18 Albacore I, 9 Fulmar II, and 4 Sea Hurricanes strike at the enemy carriers. They meet 32 A6M2 Zero on Cap. 8 Albacore get through and launch their fish. CVE Hosho and CVL Shoho. Unfortunately, all torpedoes miss their targets.
The final balance 7 Albacore, 4 Fulmar, and 2 Sea Hurricane destroyed by the enemy CAP. 1 additional Fulmar destroyed by AA. No Japanese losses.

Unplucked, the RN tries again. 2 Fulmar and 3 Sea Hurricanes meet 18 Zero. 1 Sea Hurricane lost before the strike, wisely, turns back.

The Japanese counterattack pro forma, 4 Val, 7 Zero. They meet 2 Sea Hurricanes and score two hits on the paint of Royal Sovereign.

Elsewhere, the enemy carrier arm has a better day.
On N Vava’u near Tonga, KB finds CL Trenton, DD Ward, Helm, and Flusser, and hits them hard. 54 Zero, 45 Kate, 41 Val. The end result Trenton, 5 bomb hits, Ward 2, Helen one, and Flusser 3.
The significance of this two pronged attack does not escape Gen Blarney, however, his assessment may be wrong.
“The enemy’s main thrust is to take Suva, and probably Tahiti, thus isolating us from the US. The offensive on NW Australia is their attempt to establish a solid defensive bastion for their Dutch oilfields.”
“What are we going to do about it?” The prime minister asks.
“We shall reinforce Carnavon with the 6th Division. Let’s see how the basterds like that!”
How to get the 7th to Carnavon is another story.

[kaleun]

March 3rd.
A rash of bad news for the allies. Exmouth invaded on the 2nd despite all efforts. Even SS O24 who scored one torpedo hit on CA Ashigara near Exmouth. The port would fall today.
Pago Pago came under attack from KB. First a sweep by 14 Zero, followed by the real attack, 87 Val, 89 Kate, 43 Zero escorting, met by a 4 P39, 16 P40E and 9 F4F. The offending carriers identified as Shokaku, Kaga, and Hiryu.
Over China, a new twin engine fighter, KAIa Nick shows up strafing Chinese troops and making a general nuisance of itself.
In Burma, an allied armored counterattack fails miserably N of Akyab.
And, finally, for the American mind, the most depressing news of all. The heroic defenders at Bataan finally surrender.
Late in the day, ComSubPAc changes the orders for TF 119, a five submarine transport force shipping supplies to Bataan. They will drop their supplies at Cagayan and proceed to Soerabaja, refuel and on to Perth.
Indomitable will dock at Perth tomorrow. Her airgroup boasts 3 Fulmar, one operational, 1 Albacore, and 2 Sea Hurricanes. First order of business, take replacement aircraft.
Hermes too is approaching Perth and should be there within 2-3 days.

[kaleun]

Hermes approaching Perth

[kaleun]

March 4th.
The 25th Infantry Division loads up, amphibious, destination Suva.
On the East Coast, the first products of the accelerated pilot training scheme transfer into reserve status. Their experience is not precisely what command would prefer, but at least they have a fighting chance to survive and get better at it, or not.
At Wake, the other shoe drops.
A heavy raid of 54 Kate and 45 Val bombers hit the island garrison. The 12 F4F-3 fighters assigned to the atoll prove, naturally, unable to stem the tide. They destroy one Zero, three level bombers and four dive bombers while losing only one fighter, and one of the Vindicators destroyed on the ground.
Through the whole night, mechanics, armorers, and engineers fight to repair airframes and runway, as well as fuel, arm and prepare men and machines to launch an all out attack on the approaching enemy carriers in the morning. It will be a single, do or die attempt since the enemy is sure to bring overwhelming force to bear on the little garrison.

[kaleun]

March 5th

17 Zero fighters sweep over Suva in a fly by attack as their carriers steam by. Only 2 P40 rise and one is lost. The defenders launch a pitiful strike of 4 Marine SB2U dive bombers with an escort of 6 Army P40. The raid meets 38 Zero fighters that savage the attackers destroying 2 P40 and 3 SB2U. The single remaining dive bomber is, however, able to identify three carriers, Kaga, Hiryu, and Shokaku. This task force is identified as KB II.
Later in the days, 2 B26 attempt to penetrate the enemy CAP, and fail.
Over Wake, an eerie calm reigns. Pilots sit in their machines awaiting the order to take off, but the order does not come. The enemy carriers are too far away. They attack two merchants that have run the gauntlet from the Philippines and now, are sunk, almost within reach of safety.

[kaleun]

March 6th

At Perth, the 6th Australian Division loads up for Carnavon.

In Burma, 32 Sally bombers attack allied ground forces, but are bounced by 10 Hurricanes that destroy five and damage four more.

At Balboa, CV Hornet arrives. It is only a matter of time before the Japanese receive this news, despite all efforts to keep reporters, friendly and neutral, from the harbor.

Meanwhile, back at Wake…

10 Marine dive bombers and 8 fighters finally get their orders. The enemy, it appears, is in range. The valiant pilots meet 16 Zero that destroy 2 F4F and 3 SB2U, and damage 2 more. Two more bombers succumb to AA fire and miss their targets, Akagi and Zuikaku (KB I) who steam on, unscathed.

Around the North West coast of Australia, KB III, composed, it appears, of CVL and CVE, patrols. Tomorrow, the 6th Australian Division, finally loaded, departs Perth and will try to sneak into Carnavon, hopefully unmolested by the carriers.

[kaleun]

Australia.

Hermes, after a rapid refueling operation, will depart Perth and travel full speed north in an attempt to strike with her torpedo armed Swordfish.

[kaleun]

March 7th.

Wake.
The PT boats at Wake attempt to tangle with the invasion force, but they achieve nothing, and lose two boats in the scuffle. The island reels under the heavy guns of BB Isa. The three remaining SB2U attack the invasion fleet, meeting 2 Zero fighters that destroy one, and damage the other two. They are however able to score one hit on xAK Ikushima.

Suva

BB Haruna and others bombard Nadi. DD Kagero hits a mine while doing so.

Soerabaja falls.


Aden.
The 7th Australian Division and 2/1 AIF Pioneer are loading up prior to returning to the homeland.

[kaleun]

March 8th.

Wake falls.
Nadi invaded.

Australia.
Hermes finds 4 enemy carriers, Ryujo, Shoho, Zuiho, and Hosho. The plucky carrier launches her obsolete, unescorted biplanes, but they are savaged by the enemy CAP. Hermes escapes the counterattack because the carrier aircraft are busy attacking the transports carrying the 6th Division. One of the transports, xAP Van Rees takes four torpedo hits and sinks, leaving 273 men to be rescued by the remaining ships of the task force.

March 9th.
Nadi falls.
B26 and Hudson bombers from Suva tangle with the invasion task force but all the bombers miss their targets.

At Carnavon, the gamble pays off. The transports unload their cargo of men and materiel. The enemy airplanes target mostly the escorts that suffer disproportionate losses, but most of the transports unload safely.
CL De Ruyter, Bomb hits 4 scuttled.
CA Cornwall, BH 1
CL Emerald, BH 2
xAP Stajen BH 1
xAP Koolama BH 4

The 17th Indian Division is ordered to attack at Katha, occupied by Yokosuka 3rd SNLF.


March 10th

An enemy cruiser force attacks the allied amphibious force at Carnavon.
Night Time Surface Combat, near Carnarvon at 49,133, Range 8,000 Yards

Allied aircraft
no flights

Allied aircraft losses
Walrus II: 2 destroyed

Japanese Ships
CA Myoko, Shell hits 2
CA Aoba
CL Naka, Shell hits 1
DD Natsugumo
DD Harusame, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
CA Cornwall, Shell hits 40, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
CL Enterprise, Shell hits 8, on fire
CL Emerald, Shell hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
DD Paul Jones
DD Pope
DD Vendetta
DD Encounter, Shell hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Jupiter, Shell hits 8, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Ipoh, Shell hits 2, and is sunk

xAP Kota Radja, Shell hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage

xAP Siberg, heavy damage

xAP Koolama, heavy fires, heavy damage

Following this, enemy carrier air attacked the task force, CL Emerald received 7 bomb hits and xAP KotaRadja three.

The enemy carrier forces were busy. DD Dunlap sinks from 4 hits near Kandau Island (KB II) Also sunk were AVP Teal and AVP Pelican.

The 17th Indian Division retook Katha.
The 25th Infantry division will disembark at Pago Pago instead of Suva.

The Hermes task force will proceed to Melbourne.

KB II is presumed to include Kaga, Hiryu, Shokaku, and Soryu.

[BBfanboy]

I don't understand why you thought Carnarvon was worth the gamble of moving the 6th Division by ship instead of marching them on the coast road? I know there were time considerations, but I would write off Carnarvon to a Japanese invasion rather than risk all those precious ships in 1942.

[kaleun]

It was a serious miscalculation, as we shall see soon!

[kaleun]

March 12 42

The allies have conceded the air battle for Suva. In Tahiti, Ensign Kemp Tolley, assigned to the intelligence desk, receives the news, and his promotion to LTJG, Lieutenant, junior grade, on the same day. He decides to celebrate the latter, not the former, at one of Tahiti’s local establishments where, as is often the case, he meets Captain Renault, the police prefect and de-facto governor of the French civilian establishment.
Isolated as the island has been from French civilized society since the beginning of the war, the bar’s offerings are scant. There is no French cognac, or champagne to be had. The last bottles of wine are being treasured by the owner and doled out in small amounts, and only to treasured patrons, and the prefect of police, of course. There is however American beer, obtained in trade from enterprising NCOs, in exchange for local produce and fresh meats. There is abundant pop, but no true Frenchman would drink such a thing.
“You look cheerful captain Renault,” Tolley greets the prefect.
“There is not much to be cheerful about,” the captain replies, “but we survive.”
Tolley wonders if the local Gallic despondency is due to the generally awful war news, or to the scarcity of their favorite libations. He never believed the local’s conversion to the allied cause. It would be as easy to remove Lorraine’s cross from the tricolor as it was to sew it on in the first place.

In Melbourne, the citizenry cheers the arrival of HMS Indomitable. The flight groups, Fulmar, Hurricane and Albacore fly off to Sydney to take replacements. The ship itself disbands and begins minor repairs.

Meanwhile, AVG/1 takes a well deserved trip to Madras. There it will replace its tired, worn out P40B for spanking new P40E.

Christmas Island in the Indian Ocean is invaded by the enemy.
Enemy troops land at Carnavon. The men of the 6th await them, minus their motorized support that went back to Perth. The men have been digging in feverishly and now prepare to repel the enemy at dawn.

[kaleun]

March 13th

The sun rises over the Australian continent and, at first light, the men of the 6th Division launch a deliberate attack against the enemy positions at the beach. Their artillery fires in preparation. To everyone’s surprise, there is no return fire. The enemy mortars are silent. The men launch themselves towards the enemy positions and find… nothing.
The enemy is gone.

The retreating ships that brought the 6th here are still being harassed, and sunk, by enemy carrier planes.

March 14th

At Melbourne, Indomitable flight groups return to the carrier and are set to train.
Two US infantry regiments, the 182nd and the 132nd, components of Americal Infantry Division, arrive at Melbourne. The 164th is at Fort Ord, stateside, traveling to San Francisco and changing its command to SOPAC. At Perth, the 8th Australian Division begins to prepare for Exmouth, although it will take a lot of preparations for the 8th to liberate the small town. Among other important details, air and sea superiority must first be achieved and, at this time, not General Blarney, not Nimitz, not Winston himself can see how this will be achieved; still, the men need to train, and Exmouth is as likely a target as any other.