deVada, in view of your expansion in the PTO I feel rather inept...
*****
07/12/42
In the CBI area heavy air attacks continue, Calcutta depots were hit heavily by naval bombers operating from Rangoon, Myitkyina and targets in CHina were also attacked. In addition, our naval airforce sank 5 freighters off Calcutta. The enemy responded with a futile night bombing attack against Rangoon.
In the South ground combat at PM continues, supported by air attacks from PM itself and Lae. One enemy submarine has been sunk by air off Lae, one of our submarines sank an enemy AP near PM. Apparently a major effort either to reinforce or evacuate the Aussie troops at PM is under way - at least three enemy carriers have been sighted in the vicinity. Enemy carrier planes struck at Lae airbase but were met by strong CAP (1. strike: fighters/bombers vs. CAP = 30/38 vs. 122, losses 30/35 vs.14 - 2. strike: 50/84 vs. 98, losses 42/78 vs. 20+6 on the ground).
All our planes in the region scrambled to hit back at the enemy CVs. From Lae, 91 Reisen fighters and 30 Hamaki bombers took of, brushed aside a weak CAP of 12 Grumman fighters (eleven shot down for five Reisen lost) and attacked the carriers - three Hamaki were shot down by flak, the rest obtained one lonely torpedo hit on a Saratoga class CV, which left the CV burning but afloat. A second strike by the Lae group repeated the performance on a different carrier, which also started burning, but likewise was able to retreat. Our equally strong Rabaul force of Reisen and Hamaki bombers obtained several bomb hits with no observable effect. The Army dive-bomber group at PM failed to score against the carriers, but on the way back to base discovered enemy troops ships approaching PM. Rearming and refueling in a hurry, the PM force managed to sink four enemy APs. The lone Army dive-bomber unit at Milne Bay finally added a bomb hit on a carrier.
All in all, 2/3 of our Navy Airforce engaged in this battle - with rather poor results. Two enemy carriers have been moderately damaged, but at present are still afloat and retiring towards Australia.
Compared with this rather lackluster performance of our Airforces, the enemy bombers in Australia hit back hard against our bombardment force (see 07/05/42) retiring towards Rabaul. About 90 medium bombers in the first and 40 in the second wave sank two of our DDs outright and damaged a dozen different CAs, CLs and DDs, leaving many burning and listing.
Air losses this week total 116:213. Enemy submarines made no hits on our routine convoys.
Emperor LST and the war council are still pondering over the options.
*****
07/19/42
The usual air attacks against Calcutta, Dacca, Myitkyina and Hengyang continue. The enemy again hit back at Rangoon at night. Off Calcutta, three more enemy freighters were sunk.
Enemy heavy bombers based in Australia bombed PM at night. A long-range attack by Hamaki bobmers from Lae without fighter-cover against an undamaged enemy CV off Cairns has cost us 17 bombers for nothing in return. Our troops at PM report that the enemy has evacuated the area. Air losses this week are quite balanced - 81:89. Enemy submarines sunk but one freighter south of the home islands.
Emperor LST wishes his bomber pilots would start to use their brains.
*****
07/26/42
A rather quite week. Our Navy Airforce at Rangoon bombed Calcutta and scored heavily against enemy CAP (1 attack: 50 Reisen/60 Hamaki vs. 41 fighters, losses 10/4 vs. 36 - 2. attack 30/48 vs. 14, losses 5/0 vs. 14). Dacca, Myitkyina and Hengyang were also hit again. One enemy freighter was sunk by air attack near Calcutta. A small TF of three CL and 2 DDs delivered an H&I bombardment against Calcutta and destroyed a few planes. The enemy retaliated with another night raid against Rangoon.
In the South, 30 B-17s have bombed PM at night and caused heavy damage to supply depots. Only one of our dozens of submarines patrolling off Australia has made contact with an already damaged enemy carrier with unknown results. The score for air losses shows 28:63. Enemy submarines sank one Maru south of Japan.
Emperor LST faces a bleak future - his CVs and BBs sunk or useless, his Airforce inept and now the submarines lack punch, too. That leaves the ground pounders as the first and only line of defence...