October 23, 1944
Shanghai--Ningpo
Sea Action
If it is floating and mounting anything of machine gun size or higher, it is ordered to cross the forty miles to Ningpo! Torpedo Boats, Subchasers, 3 Dds, and CA Tone answer the call. Though entertaining nothing is truly accomplished. The Japanese lose CA Tone, 3 DD, 1 E, 11 SC, and 5 MGB is attacking the various TFs at Ningpo. In truth we knew nothing would work but it was worth the ole college try.
Tone fought off CA Pensacola and 8 DDs (hitting 4 of them), to retreat back to Singapore to fight 4 DDs (hitting two of them), to then give up and retire towards Saishu To where SS Gudgeon put a Torp into her, SS Sea Dog MISSED, and then SS Shark hit her with another TT. The valiant Tone didn't sink until the evening phase. Good ship.
Air Action
In yet another example of futility, two massed air strikes come in from Shanghai: 71 Fighters and 38 TB are followed by 79 Fighters and 47 TB. They encounter 232 Allied Fighters flying CAP. Nothing gets through.
Sweeps by the Allied Fighters over Shanghai yield higher losses for them as they encounter 138 Fighters.
A bunch of 4EB--no 2EB--pound ground troops at Ningpo.
Total Air Losses for the Day is 183 Japanese for 65 Allied.
Ground Action
The CD unit at Ningpo smacks more Allied shipping. Those boys did a bang-up job over two days of action.
The Allies land several more Brigade-Sized units and easily take the base in a 64-1 attack.
Two ID move south from the rail-line at Hangchow and will be in the base hex next to Ningpo tomorrow.
Am working on getting pond finished and operational in the back yard today. Expect to get one more turn in at some point when I am in resting/recovering from the heat.
