At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

***********March 20, 1943(e)***********

Sumatra:

Morning Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 28 NM, estimated altitude 26,560 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 40

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 30

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

Raid from Singers. We are low on supply at the AF and we have lots of damaged planes on the ground.

Afternoon Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 13,700 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 27
G3M3 Nell x 20
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 10
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 19

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 12

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 12 damaged
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed on ground
P-38G Lightning: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 22

I hope this isn't a scaled up example of the Sabang adventure.

There is a Jap unit at Benkolen so I evacuate the ar support troops and get all the pilots out and destroy 7 P-38 on purpose.

[Cap Mandrake]

Poorly escorted Kates get slaughtered over Padang

Afternoon Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 10

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 10

Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 5 destroyed

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B5N2 Kate bombing from 11000 feet
Airfield Attack: 2 x 250 kg GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
VF-8 with F4F-4 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 6 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20100 , scrambling fighters between 11700 and 20000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 35 minutes



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 9
B5N2 Kate x 10

Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 1 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed

No Allied losses

Runway hits 1

[Cap Mandrake]

PI: Big furball over Clark. Japs have Tonys now

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 26,430 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-27b Nate x 11
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 55
Ki-61-Ia Tony x 12

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 8
Kittyhawk III x 9
P-40K Warhawk x 15
F4U-1 Corsair x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

[Cap Mandrake]

Morning Air attack on 31st PA Infantry Division, at 79,76 (Clark Field)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 10
Ki-27b Nate x 11
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 18

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 5
Kittyhawk III x 3
P-40K Warhawk x 15
F4U-1 Corsair x 5

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
28 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Nice

Morning Air attack on 11th PA Infantry Division, at 79,76 (Clark Field)

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 2
Ki-45 KAIa Nick x 41
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 12

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 1
Kittyhawk III x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 5 destroyed, 4 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

They brought up the AAA rookies because they sent like 150 bombers to Singers.

Morning Air attack on Clark Field , at 79,76

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

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

Japanese aircraft
Ki-36 Ida x 24
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 2
Ki-51 Sonia x 18

Allied aircraft
Kittyhawk III x 1
P-40K Warhawk x 1
F4U-1 Corsair x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-36 Ida: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged
Ki-36 Ida: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-51 Sonia: 5 damaged
Ki-51 Sonia: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 3
Runway hits 16

[Cap Mandrake]

This is party the point of landing on Sumatra. Draw resources away from the main fight which is the PI.

[Cap Mandrake]

Jap arty still works

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 1188 troops, 79 guns, 86 vehicles, Assault Value = 1361

Defending force 40303 troops, 414 guns, 317 vehicles, Assault Value = 885

Japanese ground losses:
19 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 24 (9 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 15 (12 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
107 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)

Assaulting units:
68th Division
33rd Division
25th Division
16th Division
2nd Division
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
21st PA Infantry Division
627th Tank Destroyer Battalion
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
2nd Constabulary Regiment
51st PA Infantry Division
4th Marine Regiment
11th PA Infantry Division
57th PS Infantry Regiment
71st PA Infantry Division
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
31st PA Infantry Division
4th Constabulary Regiment
1st USMC AA Battalion
4th PAAC Avn Sup
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
35th Avn Sup
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Clark Field AAF Base Force
165th Field Artillery Battalion
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
501st Coast AA Regiment
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp
24th PS FA Regiment
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

We have 31 subs ferrying supplies to Luzon. It's about 5 day round trip from Mindanao, 60 tons per load...1860/5..about 370 tons a day...not enough with the consumption due to the air and ground attacks. We have flown in a smallish Fillipino Army Div and now a brigade of Br 54 Div and are flying out from Bataan the first spent unit to have fewer mouths to feed.

Total supply at Clark and Bataan now down to 12,000 (not counting organic supply with the units)

[Cap Mandrake]

In case you are wondering, self-destroyed airplanes DO show up on the victory point tally. They are listed as "operational" losses.

[Cap Mandrake]

Sundas and New Guinea: There are at least 2 carriers north of Ceram

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Enggano at 41,95

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid spotted at 10 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M3a Zero x 16
A6M5 Zero x 9
D3A1 Val x 25

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 5 damaged

Allied Ships
SC-633, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk

This is a small enough force that it might be vulnerable to a strike.

[Cap Mandrake]

Meanwhile, at lest 6 carriers just transited the Sunda Strait and entered the Indian Ocean. USN carriers are headed away and have a 1000 mile head start and will decline battle if possible. IJN might try to hunt down or transports but they have an even longer head start.

[Cap Mandrake]

*****************March 22 1943(e)************

Sumatra: Benkolen...es ist das Ende. We had about 150 aviation support guys left...got a few out by PBY.

Night Naval bombardment of Benkoelen at 45,91

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CL Kinu
DD Nagatsuki
DD Shinonome
DD Ikazuchi
DD Nenohi

Allied ground losses:
292 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 25
Port hits 57
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 7

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

*****************March 22 1943(e)************

Sumatra: Benkolen...es ist das Ende. We had about 150 aviation support guys left...got a few out by PBY.

Night Naval bombardment of Benkoelen at 45,91

Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
CL Kinu
DD Nagatsuki
DD Shinonome
DD Ikazuchi
DD Nenohi

Allied ground losses:
292 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 23 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 10
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 25
Port hits 57
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 7

Once again, they threw in the towel...

EDIT: It seems the site doesn't like my GIF... [:(] [&:]

[rtrapasso]

...



EDIT - It REALLY doesn't like it...[8|]

[Cap Mandrake]

Yes, this will be the SECOND time the RAF got chased out of Benkolen

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Yes, this will be the SECOND time the RAF got chased out of Benkolen

Third times the charm?

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Yes, this will be the SECOND time the RAF got chased out of Benkolen

Third times the charm?

Three strikes and you are OUT!

[Cap Mandrake]

Yes this will be the second time the RAF guys gave up Benkolen. Not really their fault, though.

Not sure why JJ doesn't just plaster Padang before we get a better foothold. They have 4:1 fighter ratio

Night Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 1 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 6

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 4 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
Kittyhawk III: 1 damaged
Kittyhawk III: 1 destroyed on ground

Runway hits 1