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

[kaleun]

June 13th
Kalgoorlie falls!
At Adelaide, the fortunate men of the 132nd regiment find themselves loaded up on transport and heading east, towards Wellington New Zealand. The men do not care, anywhere east is good, the farther from the Japs the better as far as they are concerned.
From Auckland, three B17E hit Raoul Island’s airfield.
Far to the north, Dutch Harbor hit by 25 Sally bombers escorted by 17 Zero. 7 P40E on CAP destroy two enemy fighters and damage four bombers at a cost of one of their number.

June 14th

SS Grayback spots the enemy carrier, CV Junyo, off the coast of Ouv’ea (that’s near New Caledonia for the geographically challenged) The boat takes her time setting up the shot. The torpedoes have been babied since they were loaded, checked almost daily by the torpedomen. The men in the forward torpedo room have also fondled the opulent posterior of the pin up girl that adorns the torpedo room bulkhead every time the pesky fish have been unloaded and checked. This time, at least one of the stroppy machines runs true and does its job once it gets to its target. The torpedo hits its target, and what’s more, it actually explodes! The angry escorts Natsushio and Hatsukaze search for the submarine, but the boat goes deep and evades easily. The contact report proclaims:
HAVE FIRED SIX TORPEDOES AT CV JUNYO STOP ONE EXPLOSION END

[kaleun]

June 16th

The chaos continues in southwest Australia. The enemy controls the air, as it has for the entirety of the war. Its machines rain death on the withdrawing allied forces. South of Kalgoorlie, the 24th Infantry Division repels and attack by three armored battalions.

An enemy float plane spots the Raoul invasion force. Stealth useless, TF 19 is ordered to rush ahead to Raoul Island, intercept the enemy AKs spotted there and bombard the place to soften it up for the invasion expected on the 17th. The covering carrier force will depart Wellington on the 17th.

June 17th

The 1st Marine Raiding Batallion lands on the beach at Raoul Island. The enemy, suppressed by the battlewagons, poses no defense, but they are dug in, and in superior numbers: The 28th Engineer Regiment and the 62nd Naval Guards. The 1st Marine is ordered to re-embark.

Signal intelligence suggests the 30th Infantry Regiment is preparing to invade Dutch Harbor.

“Let them come,” Nimitz says.

June 18th

Under covering fire by the battlewagons, the Marines withdraw from Raoul uneventfully. Enemy ships spotted approaching. The allied carriers speed up to intercept.

South of Kalgoorlie, the 24th is forced to retreat.

[kaleun]

June 19th 1942

A scouting SBD reports enemy ships near Raoul Island. The allied carriers waste no time and a full strike is launched. Eleven Sea Hurricanes, Eleven Martlet II, Fifteen F4F-3 and another fifteen F4F-4 escort the strike package of thirty one SBD-3 and ten TBF. Overkill really. The enemy task force, two xAK and one destroyer, with no air cover, does not stand a chance. Firing all her guns, at full speed, DD Nokaze weaves around the bombs that fall all around her, but not on her. Her guns score on three dive bombers, but the SBDs are tough, damaged, they will return to their carriers. The merchants are not so lucky. xAK Kimon Maru sinks from three bombs and a torpedo; xAK Kogyoku Maru founders after six bomb hits.

The carriers now slow down and head for Tahiti.

There being no drydock large enough for her in Australia, Hermes leaves her airplanes in Melbourne and sails for Cape Town.

[kaleun]

June 20th

A search airplane from New Zealand gives the alarm in the morning. Near Raoul Island, an enemy task force is spotted including at least four carriers. The allied carriers are already steaming away and should be safe, but all over New Zealand the fear that lay festering is suddenly resurrected. All the air groups go on high alert, all the medium bombers load up for naval attack.

In Honolulu, CV Wasp is now ready for service.

The following morning, on the 21st, the carriers are again seen, this time steaming north west, retiring.

[kaleun]

June 22nd

The South Pacific quiets down. Convinced that the US aborted its raid on Raoul, Japan’s naval assets return to base. The allied naval forces proceed to Tahiti to refuel, rest their crews and plan for the next phase of operations. While the slow motion drama of the fall of SW Australia continues to unfold, Allied attention shifts elsewhere. To the India theater where, in the skies over Chittagong and Ledo, the new Tojo IIa fighters are proving themselves invincible against the Hurricanes and P40E that the allies field against them. The Hurricanes are able to slug it out with the Oscar Ic but are completely overmatched by the powerful Tojo. The P40E are not that much better.
The Americna Volunteer Group withdraws from China.

And to add to the allied worries, or in this case the British command, signal intel suggests that the Japanese 14th Division, currently at Warrup in Burma is preparing to invade Colombo. The Royal Navy requests that her carriers return to the Indian Ocean where they belong. Indomitable will need to be withdrawn this time next month.

In San Francisco, the 22nd Marine Regiment loads up for Tahiti while prepping for Raoul Island. When the allies next decide to take Raoul, they will bring a big stick. A really big stick.

[kaleun]

June 25th
Wasp disbands at Pearl Harbor for minor repairs.
Off the North Island of New Zealand, Hudson search aircraft report enemy submarines and attack them killing a few fish.
In the Aleutians, 12 unescorted B26 hit the enemy airbase at Adak Island. Despite the presence of 31 enemy Zero fighters, the plucky bomber crews manage to damage one fighter and destroy one Ki 21IIa Sally bomber on the ground. One Marauder was destroyed and two damaged. On the 26th the 8 B17s of the 28th OG/36 BS will arrive at Umnak.
Indomitable will sail to San Francisco on the morrow while the remainder of the carriers will sail back to Melbourne and attempt a repeat of the rescue operation at Esperance and rescue the 24th.
June 26th
36 Tojo sweep over Ledo, meet 20 P40 E and kill three of them losing only one Tojo. That one is however enough for 2nd Lieutenant Hill to claim ace status.
6 B17 hit Adak. 13 fighters meet them and destroy one bomber damaging five. One Zero destroyed.
Over Chittagong 26 Tojo sweep. 19 P40 rise and two are lost. One Tojo destroyed by 2nd Lt Gibbon who gets his first kill.

Enemy carriers spotted at Perth
The B17s from Umnak fly back to Anchorage to take replacements on the 27th while the Marauders are ordered to attack Adak again. Five do so, meet 13 fighters and lose two bombers.

NW of Esperance an enemy deliberate attack forces the allied units to retreat, in the wrong direction.

June 28th
The tragedy of Esperance unfolds. The defenders are now surrounded
At Wellington, the Americal Division is now reformed.

June 29th

Six B26 sneak into Adak at 10,000 ft. 13 fighters rise to meet them seven are damaged and two destroyed on the ground!

Five B17 from Auckland hit Raoul Island.

Five enemy ground units penetrate the perimeter at Esperance.

At Pago Pago, the 1st Marine Parachute battalion arrives.

June 30th

The 51st FG/25 FS with 25 P40E lands at Canton Island from the CVE Long Island.

In India, bomber assets fly into Chittagong and Ledo. The RAF will try to bring the battle to the Japanese.

The war has been going on for seven long months. Seven months of almost constant, unremitting bad news. And there will be more.
Gen Blaney, closeted with the Prime Minister, informs him about the desperate situation of the 24th US Division, cut off from help north of Esperance. Not only the Americans, but a good number of Australian defenders in the town are also cut off from help. The plight of their compatriots hurt both men, but their main worry is the reaction of their US allies.
“What will the Americans do?” Blaney voices the worry that gnaws at both of them.
“Is there no hope then?” the prime minister asks.
“The carriers are still five or six days away from Melbourne. The soonest they can be on location to protect the transports is eight days. Esperance will not hold for a week.”
“We must hope they will continue to help,” Prime Minister Curtin says, head bent.
An aide knocks insistently at the door. He approaches Gen Blaney, his face serious, downcast, dejected. He hands the General a message slip. Blaney reads it.
“Esperance fell. The defenders have surrendered.”

[kaleun]

Chronicles of the Pacific
Part II
The Hinge of Fate


 
July 2nd 1942
US Consulate, Sydney
Official government business was always done at the Embassy in Canberra, but the US military attaché kept his office in the Consulate at Sydney. Today he was receiving General Blaney. The attaché, retired General Stein, rose to greet his visitor.
“Blaney,” he said extending his hand, “Welcome.”
The Australian general sat on the proffered chair.
“Not too early for a drink is it?” Stein asked gesturing to a tray where a bottle of Jack Daniels and some glasses awaited.
General Blaney hated the concoction the Americans made out of maize, and had the audacity to call whisky, but he dreaded this conversation and needed a drink, even if it was that sickly liquor.
Stein poured dropped a couple of ice cubes on each of two glasses and splashed bourbon on them.
“I must convey my government and my condolences on the loss of your 24th Division,” Blaney began but he was interrupted before he had a chance to finish his studied phrase.
“War is hell, as you and I know it well Blaney. But I must congratulate you.”
Blaney look up from his drink, puzzlement on his face.
“I received urgent information,” Stein continued, “I am not privy to the source, but it is deemed highly reliable.”
Blaney nodded.
“It appears that the Japanese planned to use four divisions and change to take southwest Australia. Your stubborn and skilled defense forced them to commit seven.”
“They are, and were good lads,” Blaney murmured, partly to himself.
Stein continued, “They were just about to give up on Kalgoorlie, when the final attack broke through. Your guys almost made it.”
“To almost win, is almost like losing,” Blaney said.
Stein raised his glass, “I salute you, and your boys. You’ve turned the war around.”
Blaney accepted the toast and sipped his drink, not noticing the foul taste, eager to learn more.
“Yes my friend. We estimate that the losses the enemy suffered in this expedition, which will take quite a while to make good, and the time they lost, which they can never recover, has put an end to their expansion in the South and South West Pacific.”
“Furthermore,” Stein continued, “the spooks at intelligence tell me that the Japanese will not move further into Australia, and if they did, I am authorized to inform you that you may count on the Americal, the 34th, and the first Marine Divisions to teach them the error of their ways, as well as some tanks and assorted artillery.”
Blaney thought that those forces, committed earlier might have meant all the difference.
“We no longer think the enemy can expand further into Pago Pago, Tahiti or New Zealand,” Stein concluded.

[kaleun]

Phase 2 of the Burma air campaign opens.
Well escorted Blenheims hit ground troops north of Akyab while unintentionally poorly escorted B25s hit Akyab itself. The results are underwhelming at best. 16 Blenheim and 28 Hurricanes hit the 16th Guards Regiment. 1 bomber damaged.
The B25C, sporting only a token escort of 5 P40E find 13 Oscar and 24 Tojo on CAP Three allied fighters and one bomber are lost, two additional bombers damaged, for a single airbase hit and twenty runway hits that were repaired even before the raiders had returned to base.
On the third, RAF 251 sq with 16 Wellington bombers hit Mytkyvina airfield
Thirty Tojo sweep Chittagong but no allied fighters rise.
The Blenheim bombers revisit Akyab, this time escorted by 23 Hurricanes, meeting 10 Oscar and 22 Tojo. A single Oscar claimed, at a cost of 3 Blenheim and two Hurricane destroyed, three Blenheim damaged.
The Wellington face opposition from 12 Oscar at Mytkivina. The machine gun armed Oscar only destroy a single lumbering Wellington, but damage eleven.
The B25s hit Akyab in the evening, unescorted. Six B25 versus 9 Oscar and 19 Tojo. Five B25 damaged and one Tojo destroyed on the ground.
35 Tojo sweep Ledo, 9 P40E rise and three allied fighters fall.
The evening raid by 5 stalwart Wellington meets 7 Oscar and loses two Wellington.

[kaleun]

July 6th
Aleutian Islands.
The US has a sizeable air base at Umnak, the Japanese at Adak. Both forces trade jabs. 26 Zero sweep Umnak, find 15 P39D and 17 P40E. One zero destroyed at a cost of four P39s. 12 B17 hit Adak meeting 18 Zero. One Zero destroyed but two B17 lost and two damaged.
In the evening, the functional B17 transfer to Kodiak to allow the mechanics to concentrate on the damaged ones, and to get them out of harm’s way, in case of Japanese retaliation. 13 B26 arrive from Kodiak to take their place.
July 8th
The B26 hit Adak but prove themselves no match for the enemy Zeros 12 bombers find 13 fighters. No enemy fighters fall to the B26 50 cal machine guns, but four bombers fail two return and two more are damaged, only to achieve a mere two bomb impacts on the runway.
35 Tojo will sweep unmolested over Ledo, while Kumming comes under heavy bomber attack.
Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-Ic Sally x 21
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 21
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 59

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 7

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-Ic Sally: 2 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 3 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Hurricane IIc Trop: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
The disruption of the bombers rendered their raid ineffective, but there will be more raids.

[kaleun]

July 10th
Air recon reports a bunch of shipping at Akyab. This in conjunction with allied warnings about a possible attempt on Ceylon rings alarm bells all over the British Raj. A hastily mounted operation is planned for tomorrow to hit these ships.

July 11th
The warning of a possible attempt at Colombo, though probably a red herring, spooks the Admiralty that calls for Illustrious and Formidable to return to the Indian Ocean. The two carriers leave Tahiti for Melbourne. How they will get to India from there remains to be determined. Do they take the shortest route via Diego Garcia, risking interception mid Indian Ocean from Japanese carriers, or do they take the longer, but safer route via the Cape?
In the Aleutians nineteen Zero sweep Umnak. 15 P39D and 10 P40E rise to meet them and kill one Zero, but lose two Airacobras and one P40. Seven B17 hit Adak, two lost and three damaged.
29 Betty bombers hit allied task force landing at Wallis Island. 23 Zero escort the bombers who sink KV Wetaskiwin with one torpedo and hit xAK Manutache with another, but fortunately all the men were ashore already.
54 Sally bombers hit Chittagong airfield escorted by 59 Oscar fighters. The raid is unmolested as the local fighters were away escorting Blenheims in what turned to be a futile attack on the enemy ships at Akyab.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 54,45

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 9

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 8
Hurricane IIc Trop x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Hurricane IIc Trop: 3 destroyed

Japanese Ships
BB Nagato
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Akyab at 54,45

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 18 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 3

Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim IV: 2 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed by flak

Japanese Ships
BB Hyuga
BB Nagato
Of course the Blenheim’s eggs would have cracked against the battleships armor, even if they had hit. The only good thing about this ill fated raid was confirmation that no troop transports were present at the harbor.

[kaleun]

July 13th
Cape Gloucester occupied by Japan. SS K XIV misses on DD Oite near Perth
Near Suva, Wallis Island now sports a level I airfield. The airfield will be expanded to provide a base for attacking Hoorn Island and, ultimately, Suva.
BB Valiant arrives at Cape Town.
RAF 615sq at Kumming is ordered to return to Ledo via Paoshan, as is 23FG/76FS. The Japanese threat on Kumming forces the evacuation of the allied air squadrons.

[kaleun]

July 14
Wallis Island was a simple maneuver, an unopposed amphibious landing on a friendly island; the only threat expected was air from Hoorn or Suva. What was not expected was a submarine.
I-27 attacked and put two fish in the belly of AP Franklin Bell. The ship had already unloaded and was on her way back to Pago Pago, but this was one of the ships scheduled for assault transport conversion. This event generates a swirl of orders out of ComPac. The gist is that APs shall not in the future be used for opposed amphibious landings, nor will they be used near enemy air cover unless there is a compelling reason.
That those orders would not have made a difference in the case of the unfortunate Franklin Bell seems to have passed unnoticed.
As for the Aleutian front, the limitations of the B17 bomber are becoming quite clear. 6 B17 hit Adak, meeting 14 Zero. One Zero destroyed, two bombers lost, four damaged. Undaunted, the orders for the next day have the 43BG/65 BS fly its serviceable B17 to Kodiak, while the 54FG/57FS with 22 P38G will sweep Adak. The 70th FS with 18 P39D will withdraw from Umnak to Kodiak.
Anyone would think that the newest and best fighter in the US panoply would be deployed somewhere important; somewhere where the fate of the war depended on its success. Burma comes to mind. But that was not the case. The P38s found their baptism of fire on the frigid skies over Adak Island. 19 P38E find 25 A6M2. Three enemy fighters fell in flames out of the sky, as did four P38s. A less than stellar, but still creditable performance for the less than veteran US pilots against their seasoned opponents.
Over Ledo, 35 Tojo meet 16 P40E. Seven allied fighters lost

[kaleun]

July 16th
6 B17 hit Norfolk Island and destroy a H6K4 Mavis flying boat stationed there.
In San Diego, the third Marine Division loads up headed for Tahiti.
July 17th
Surprise over, the P38 find themselves at a disadvantage against the Zero fighters over Adak. Seven twin engine fighters sweep, meet fifteen Zero, and lose two of their number.
All of Calcutta’s Blenheim bombers transition to Chittagong. Recon reported an important concentration of enemy forces near Akyab. Fearing a new enemy thrust into Cox Bazaar, the medium bombers will hit the enemy ground forces tomorrow.

[kaleun]

July 18th
A new tactic used on Adak yields some gratifying results. 10 B26 hit Adak at 1000ft. 15 Zero rise to meet them but they arrive too late. Eleven Zero damaged and one destroyed on the ground, at a cost of two B26 damaged. The Marauders return to their just expanded size 6 airfield.
Kumming falls and the hapless defenders flee south instead of north. The result is that they are now cut off and unable to be helped.
29 Tojo sweep Ledo unmolested.
The Blenheims hit the enemy ground forces. Attack footage allows the intelligence boffins to identify the Imperial guards B division as well as the 16th regiment of Imperial guards.
Dimapur and Kohima now sport size three airfields.
July 19th
Aden
The 2nd British Division has reformed and begins to load up in its transports. Not even the higher officers know where they are going.
The 43rd BG/64 BS arrives at Umnak. The plan is for the heavies to coordinate an attack with the B26th on the 21st.
The Blenheims, all 22 of them, escorted by 22 Hurricanes hit Imperial Guard Division A. Nine Tojo engage them. One Blenheim damaged and five Hurricane lost. Eight Blenheim return to the scene to hit Imp Guards B. Unescorted, they meet 5 Tojo fighters. One Blenheim destroyed, four damaged. Fourteen Blenheim come again and, this time, find no enemy fighters. They hit Imp guards B. One bomber damaged by AA.
With the defending fighters otherwise occupied, the enemy visits Chittagong. 27 Sally and 25 Oscars, 27 Sally and 20 Oscar, and finally 31 Sally and 21 Oscar. They lose one Sally bomber to AA. We can say that Chittagong airfield will be less than functional for the next few days.

[kaleun]

Careful plans are laid for an operation against Adak airfield that, it is hoped, will lay the groundwork for further, and more ambitious operations in the future. Two bombing squadrons, the 64th of the 43 group, with 18 B17E under major G Anderson, and the 75th of the 42nd group, with 7 B26, led by Major N Inverson will hit Adak. The B17s will come in at 15000 feet; the B26 will hit low, at one thousand. This will split the Zeros that will be forced to defend high and low at the same time. In addition, prior to the bombers, Major Hammond’s P38E will sweep at 20,000 feet to try to take some of the heat off the bombers.

[kaleun]

July 20th
There is no battle plan that survives contact with the enemy, and the carefully orchestrated operation failed miserably. For a start, the P38s got there too late, after the event, so to speak. While nine B17s attacked from high altitude, only five B26 made it to the party. Against this, a total of twenty nine Zero rose. The result was not pretty, for the allies. One B17 destroyed, seven damaged, two B26 destroyed, one damaged, plus one more B26 that fell to AA. No Japanese losses, and only five runway hits that were probably repaired before the shaken aircraft had returned to Umnak. After the air battle, six P38 arrived to meet with 24 Zero fighters. Two P38 fell claiming only a single A6M2.
The B26 and B17 groups fly off to Anchorage to recover while the P38 will do so at Kodiak.
Wallis Island now has a size 2 airfield. Long Island loads up with VMSB 223s obsolescent 15 SBD-2 and sets off towards Pago Pago where the dive bombers will stage on their way to the new airfield.
CV Hornet is one day away from completing repairs.

[kaleun]

July 22nd
CV Formidable and Illustrious at Melbourne are refueling. They will join CA Australia and Devonshire and head West. The Admiralty has not decided whether to have them head to Diego Garcia and then Colombo, or to go via the Cape, the longer and safest route. In Aden, the 2nd British Division loads up for Colombo while the 118th RAF Base force preps for Comilla.
Confirmation is obtained that Zuikaku did sink on June first.
July 23rd
30 Tojo sweep Ledo. 15 Hurricanes and 11 P40 E meet them. The demons live up to their name killing two Hurricane and two P40. 36 Tojo follow meeting four P40 and killing two.
After these sweeps, the main raids, 27 Sally and 25 Oscar, 58 Sally and 42 Oscar, and 36 Sally proceed to cream the airfield unopposed.
On the other side of the world, 18 SBD-3 from Wallis Island hit the 9th JAAF on Hoorn.

[kaleun]

This game is still going on; I've just been too busy with other things to keep the AAR going, but will try to continue now. Apologies for the delay.
We are about a year ahead on game time so the perspective will be a bit more prescient, which might add some more drama to the tale.

[kaleun]

July 23rd
30 Tojo sweep Ledo. 15 Hurricanes and 11 P40 E meet them. The demons live up to their name killing two Hurricane and two P40. 36 Tojo follow meeting four P40 and killing two.
After these sweeps, the main raids, 27 Sally and 25 Oscar, 58 Sally and 42 Oscar, and 36 Sally proceed to cream the airfield unopposed.
On the other side of the world, 18 SBD-3 from Wallis Island hit the 9th JAAF on Hoorn.

July 24th
The slugging match continues. 18 Dauntless dive bombers from Wallis Island’s new airfield, escorted by 13 F4F hit the 83rd Naval Guards at Hoorn. 7 A6M2 zero rise. 3 dive bombers damaged and one fighter lost for no Japanese losses.
At Adak, 6 B17s hit the airfield from 20,000 feet. 18 zero fighters rise, one B17 destroyed, four damaged.
In the evening the 28th OG/36BS rotates its remaining B17from Umnak to Anchorage. 42ndBG/75BS with 13 B26 flies from Anchorage to Umnak to hit Adak at low level in the morning. Also arriving at Umnak are 18 P38Es of the 70th Fighter Squadron from Kodiak to sweep the skies over Adak at 25,000 ft.
Far to the south, at Pago Pago, eight B24Ds prepare to hit Suva from 20,000 feet in the morning.
But more important, four task forces depart from Tahiti. TF 119 the invasion force for Raoul Island, TF 137 under Radm Hill, the bombardment force, TF 149, Carrier I following 80 NM from the invasion force, and the oilers following 160 nm behind.
TF 91 with the garrison for Raoul Is, the 307 base group and the 22nd Marine regiment load up. Their job will be to occupy the island once the invasion is over.

[kaleun]

Shambles in Oz.