9 Mar 42
The 3 US PT boats that survived yesterday had moved out of Noumea, and now moved back home during the night, finding the same ships as yesterday, minus the minesweepers. CL Natori and 5 DDs sink 2 of the 3 PT boats, which didn't get to fire.
Just NE of Koumac, sub Seal spots a huge transport TF:
Sub attack near Koumac at 113,155
Japanese Ships
xAP Suwa Maru, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
CL Tama
CL Abukuma
DD Nagatsuki
DMS W-1
APD Shimakaze
AK Ayatosan Maru
AK Kinka Maru
xAP Mizuho Maru
xAP Yoshino Maru
DD Asakaze
DD Yuzuki
DD Mikazuki
Allied Ships
SS Seal
xAP Suwa Maru is a huge ship, part of a TF apparently leaving Koumac, as it is empty. Not enough to sink her, but always nice to get a working torpedo hit from a US sub. I suspect that this TF dropped off the 4th Infantry Division.
Sub Perch misses xAK Nojima Maru near Buin.
I-171 hits and sinks tiny yard oiler YO-14 at Norfolk Island. The ship had taken a bit of fuel to Noumea.
KB did not move directly toward New Zealand. Instead, it moved west toward Norfolk Island, and hit it hard.
First, 21 Zeros swept. 44 P-40E were on CAP. The 2 US fighter squadrons were just moved here from Australia yesterday, planning on moving to New Zealand today. I had them on CAP, which may or may not have been a good idea. The pilots are very poor and it showed in the results. Many lost in this sweep. No enemy downed.
Next, 25 Zeros sweep, finding 19 Warhawks still up. Again, many lost, no enemy downed.
9 Vals with 4 Claudes and 35 Zeros escorting hit tiny AMc Moa at Norfolk and sink the ship. Interesting to see Claudes.
13 Kates escorted by 21 Zeros then hit a small TF inbound to Norfolk, to the west. xAKL Darvel is sunk, carrying 4 vehicles and a radar set for a unit already at Norfolk. The escorting PC Kybra survives.
Finally, in the afternoon, 109 Kates escorted by 4 Claudes and 56 Zeros hit Norfolk's port and airfield. 3 P40Es are on CAP, but can do nothing but get shot down. AVP Pollux is sunk. Damage to the airbase and port is minimal, and is gone already when I see my turn. This attention to Norfolk is obviously part of a plan to isolate Noumea.
In Burma, unoccupied Pegu is captured by the 18th and 21st Divisions, along with the 6th Tank Regiment. Rangoon is minimally manned and evacuations begin. They probably won't get out, seeing the armor approaching. These 3 units alone are enough to conquer Burma. I stick to the plan to delay and defend.
Total air losses today were 29 P40Es. No Zeros were lost. KB had great coordination, getting the 2 sweeps to go before the base attack. I wouldn't be surprised if even a Claude pilot got a kill. Better to keep the planes on the ground when the pilots are this poor. Pilot training is occurring everywhere, but it takes time. And, at best, results in adequately trained pilots, not comparable to the highly trained pilots on Japanese carriers. Every day things get a little bit better. But today wasn't a good day in the air.
