Nagumo has cleared the tawi, tawi passage.
Tomorrow he plans to cross the celebes sea
the reports will reach him today
Dadjangas open
Cotabato open
Malaybala open
cagayan open
davao crushed
Butuan crushed
Suriago cushed
But 55 corsairs gone
The landings at Zamboanga undisturbed....
About him over a dozen SS
Tomorrow the army "will give its biggest air effort"
And taluad?....groaning with allied merchant shipping....
And still no sign of the enemy carriers.
A fleet sent to die
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
Re: A fleet sent to die
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Moulmien
If you look at Moulmien on google maps, its not hard to see what has happened.
The British Army has "come round the corner, and plunged south towards the town of Moulmien itself, down the valley.
And struck an almost impossible defensive position.
Standing in the town itself, looking North, one sees the great river, which curves right around to ones left, splitting into 2 on its journey to the sea.
Between these two great tributies, the endless mud of paddy fields, or swamp.
The river moves due east from the town some 20 miles, before it again is split by numerous other incoming streams, all of them originating from the steep ridges and mountains that run North, defining the valley
This gap is some 15 miles wide, and overlooked by a heavily jungled ridge.
The airfield itself lies directly behind the town
On the other side of the Northern running mountians, deep jungle, hills, and what could be called a parrallel valley.
There is no going around Moulmien
Along the river2nd guards, 4th regiment easily control/prevent entery into the town
And the gap?, to cover just that 15 miles
4 full divisions, 2 in reserve
18th division holds just 4 miles of that ridge, nestled deep in its rock.
Goto and Watambe spend most days moving between the their division, and the other 3 sharing this front, obstensiously
taking the General here and there.
But quietly, this little tankette they drive has carried more trade then you can imagine
Need some cooking oil in 33rd division, don't worry, Goto has a contact in the 25th who will trade some for some boots,
The deal is of course, Goto's delivery fees.....
The enemy bomb the airfield again today, and again injure very little
proper recon, apparently, is not their suite....
The British Army has "come round the corner, and plunged south towards the town of Moulmien itself, down the valley.
And struck an almost impossible defensive position.
Standing in the town itself, looking North, one sees the great river, which curves right around to ones left, splitting into 2 on its journey to the sea.
Between these two great tributies, the endless mud of paddy fields, or swamp.
The river moves due east from the town some 20 miles, before it again is split by numerous other incoming streams, all of them originating from the steep ridges and mountains that run North, defining the valley
This gap is some 15 miles wide, and overlooked by a heavily jungled ridge.
The airfield itself lies directly behind the town
On the other side of the Northern running mountians, deep jungle, hills, and what could be called a parrallel valley.
There is no going around Moulmien
Along the river2nd guards, 4th regiment easily control/prevent entery into the town
And the gap?, to cover just that 15 miles
4 full divisions, 2 in reserve
18th division holds just 4 miles of that ridge, nestled deep in its rock.
Goto and Watambe spend most days moving between the their division, and the other 3 sharing this front, obstensiously
taking the General here and there.
But quietly, this little tankette they drive has carried more trade then you can imagine
Need some cooking oil in 33rd division, don't worry, Goto has a contact in the 25th who will trade some for some boots,
The deal is of course, Goto's delivery fees.....
The enemy bomb the airfield again today, and again injure very little
proper recon, apparently, is not their suite....
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
The alighnments are done
Ban has nothing to do with the fitting of the flexible coupling, for him, its back to the grunt work- a dozen great steam pipes yet to hung, connected, lagged...
Hyuga-35 days
Ban has nothing to do with the fitting of the flexible coupling, for him, its back to the grunt work- a dozen great steam pipes yet to hung, connected, lagged...
Hyuga-35 days
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
9 July 1944
The realities of war are rapidly catching up with Smn Ashishi
It has been a night of terror, of alarms, of constant action stations.
Fatigue rests heavily upon him. As dawn approaches , grittiness fills his eyes, and sheer heaviness fills his limbs
How long, he wonders, will this go on?
Again, over near the horizon, the sound of gunfire, the deep crump of the charges...
Captain Sagaki comes out of the bridge, a dark cursing shadow , glasses raised
"Bukas!" he murmers
Ashishi stiffens..., but the shadow curses just once more, and returns inside.
But there on the horizonthe first faint glimmers of the sun
And below him, the fighters are already warming up
It has been a night of terror, of alarms, of constant action stations.
Fatigue rests heavily upon him. As dawn approaches , grittiness fills his eyes, and sheer heaviness fills his limbs
How long, he wonders, will this go on?
Again, over near the horizon, the sound of gunfire, the deep crump of the charges...
Captain Sagaki comes out of the bridge, a dark cursing shadow , glasses raised
"Bukas!" he murmers
Ashishi stiffens..., but the shadow curses just once more, and returns inside.
But there on the horizonthe first faint glimmers of the sun
And below him, the fighters are already warming up
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
9 July CV Kaga
WO Eto also feels the fatigue.
Kaga prepares her Cap for another day
All round Kaga, the carriers steam, and about them the Destroyers continue to hunt
There is still no news of enemy carriers, just the Cats, prowling, prowling in the dark, the predawn.
They don't prowl now though, in this early morning light, either shot down or driven away
Genda approaches....."Cheer up eto, if we survive this circus today, you, I can guarantee, will be busy tomorrow"
"We strike?"
Genda grins.."Its been , what not since Darwin?, yes my friend, everything we have"
"use it, or lose it?"
Genda's smile only widens, "Not so much lose it we hope, yes?"
Kaga prepares her Cap for another day
All round Kaga, the carriers steam, and about them the Destroyers continue to hunt
There is still no news of enemy carriers, just the Cats, prowling, prowling in the dark, the predawn.
They don't prowl now though, in this early morning light, either shot down or driven away
Genda approaches....."Cheer up eto, if we survive this circus today, you, I can guarantee, will be busy tomorrow"
"We strike?"
Genda grins.."Its been , what not since Darwin?, yes my friend, everything we have"
"use it, or lose it?"
Genda's smile only widens, "Not so much lose it we hope, yes?"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
From Tanaka, to CO Tone.
'what is your status?"
The great lanterns flash, and the return comes quickly in the dawn light
"One torpedo, damage moderate, can do 22 knots"
the reply is equally quick
"Detach for balikapapan"
Tanaka does not command the fast battleships for nothing
Already they are working up to full speed....
'what is your status?"
The great lanterns flash, and the return comes quickly in the dawn light
"One torpedo, damage moderate, can do 22 knots"
the reply is equally quick
"Detach for balikapapan"
Tanaka does not command the fast battleships for nothing
Already they are working up to full speed....
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
To do glorious battle
The japanese fleet moves deep into the Celebes sea
About him the SS hunt in packs, some 16 counted today
There have been no less than 5 attacks overnight, Yamato missed, cruisers missed. But none have penetrated the screens to the carriers
Tone has been damaged by a single hit, just on dawn
japan claims 4 SS sunk.....
Nothing penetrates the cap.
But the allies know exactly what is there
The mission, to get troops into Zamboanga, has succeeded. he should turn for home...
But at 1800 hours, the signal flags go aloft
'attack"
The japanese fleet moves deep into the Celebes sea
About him the SS hunt in packs, some 16 counted today
There have been no less than 5 attacks overnight, Yamato missed, cruisers missed. But none have penetrated the screens to the carriers
Tone has been damaged by a single hit, just on dawn
japan claims 4 SS sunk.....
Nothing penetrates the cap.
But the allies know exactly what is there
The mission, to get troops into Zamboanga, has succeeded. he should turn for home...
But at 1800 hours, the signal flags go aloft
'attack"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
"Kizuka to the bridge"
The climb is somewhat more difficult today, Akizuki leaps from swell to swell, cleaving her path.
She is moving at 27 knots now, and the swells are spaced just right
At any other time it would be exhilerating...
Minobe grins...'happy Engines?, letting the ponies loose"
Kizuka grins..below everything is going almost too well....
Minobe hands him a signal
"This, my friend will be a hard act to follow"
The signal reads"
From DD Oito
To all ships
have swept talaud waters
have surprised and sank 7 PT, no damage to myself
I am remaining
Kizuka hands it back to minobe, joins him .
Together, silently both men view the gathering darkness ahead
The climb is somewhat more difficult today, Akizuki leaps from swell to swell, cleaving her path.
She is moving at 27 knots now, and the swells are spaced just right
At any other time it would be exhilerating...
Minobe grins...'happy Engines?, letting the ponies loose"
Kizuka grins..below everything is going almost too well....
Minobe hands him a signal
"This, my friend will be a hard act to follow"
The signal reads"
From DD Oito
To all ships
have swept talaud waters
have surprised and sank 7 PT, no damage to myself
I am remaining
Kizuka hands it back to minobe, joins him .
Together, silently both men view the gathering darkness ahead
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
Hi pax
turn sent in, no reply today.....sorry
turn sent in, no reply today.....sorry
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
No worries my friend, I too was far too busy. My day started at 0400 and I just finished. For an ol' barsted like me, that's a long day .... tomorrow though will not be like today. I should have time for a coffee ...
Pax
The day, Kaga
WO Eto watches them depart, the fighters, the DBs on strike, the TBDs on ASW.
Watches, counts, waits, frets, and watches them, like Ashsishi, return
Unlike Ashsishi, he can get some feedback
He deliberately seeks out genda as he climbs down from his fighter
Genda, amazingly, looks neither fatigued or stressed
"Bit of a damp squid old man, there was so much smoke, so many fires damn near impossible to see what we were bombing...no opposition, not even flack. I think the big boys messed it up good"
Watches, counts, waits, frets, and watches them, like Ashsishi, return
Unlike Ashsishi, he can get some feedback
He deliberately seeks out genda as he climbs down from his fighter
Genda, amazingly, looks neither fatigued or stressed
"Bit of a damp squid old man, there was so much smoke, so many fires damn near impossible to see what we were bombing...no opposition, not even flack. I think the big boys messed it up good"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
The Day. Akizuki
"Assume damage control state 1, condition zulu"
Kizuka notes carefully the time, 0200 hours, nots it into the action log
About him Akizuki trembles, just ahead, the forced drafy blowers are rising towards full power scream, as they also were aft of this tiny sweat box called damage control central
The reports come in....
"Fwd DC closed up"
Aft DC closed up"
"machinery spaces closed up, all openings closed, all 3 boilers online, all fire pumps online"
Kizuka takes his sound powered phone
"Bridge, ship at DC state 1"
Somewhat to his surprise Minobe himself answers
"hello Engines....we are in shark waters...CL Yanghi and his escorts have apparently engaged a dozen PT boats some miles ahead of us, sank one, the others have fled...I don't need to tell you to be ready"
The phone hangs up with a final sounding click.
And then, ....the waiting.
How does time go forward/ Why, when the action is on, when things go so wrong, does a minute go like a second?
Or like now, why does the clock stop?
Time crawls. The Turbines scream, the ship vibrates
Akizuka heals, the rudder hard over......
The anticipation rises...
It steadies, they are heading west.
Kizuka, tidies his desk, counts the pencils , counts the pins on the board, counts the rivets on the wall....
Nobody speaks.
What, possibly can they say?
They will sweat until well after dawn
"fall out from action stations, assume damage control state 2'
The Bridge
Cool air, a rising sun, on the horizon, a thin line of green, shadows of hills beyond
And Minobe
A face creased by fatigue, and relief.
'they have run away my friend, run away"
Kizuka notes carefully the time, 0200 hours, nots it into the action log
About him Akizuki trembles, just ahead, the forced drafy blowers are rising towards full power scream, as they also were aft of this tiny sweat box called damage control central
The reports come in....
"Fwd DC closed up"
Aft DC closed up"
"machinery spaces closed up, all openings closed, all 3 boilers online, all fire pumps online"
Kizuka takes his sound powered phone
"Bridge, ship at DC state 1"
Somewhat to his surprise Minobe himself answers
"hello Engines....we are in shark waters...CL Yanghi and his escorts have apparently engaged a dozen PT boats some miles ahead of us, sank one, the others have fled...I don't need to tell you to be ready"
The phone hangs up with a final sounding click.
And then, ....the waiting.
How does time go forward/ Why, when the action is on, when things go so wrong, does a minute go like a second?
Or like now, why does the clock stop?
Time crawls. The Turbines scream, the ship vibrates
Akizuka heals, the rudder hard over......
The anticipation rises...
It steadies, they are heading west.
Kizuka, tidies his desk, counts the pencils , counts the pins on the board, counts the rivets on the wall....
Nobody speaks.
What, possibly can they say?
They will sweat until well after dawn
"fall out from action stations, assume damage control state 2'
The Bridge
Cool air, a rising sun, on the horizon, a thin line of green, shadows of hills beyond
And Minobe
A face creased by fatigue, and relief.
'they have run away my friend, run away"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
The day, battleship Ise
The turret is silent, other than the steady hum of the hydraulics.
The great tubes are loaded, the follow up rounds ready. His men are ready, he, Gun captain, is ready.
It is just before dawn, and Ise leads the battleline
The silence is broken. As if in a normal conversation, captain Isuka speaks into his ears
"target will be on a bearing 078, range 9000 metres, 3 minutes, please come to the bearing"
"Acknowledeged"
"Tokiwana speaks into his tube, target bearing 078 degrees, range 9000 metres"
The great machinery reacts, the hum rises, and smoothly, smoothly, hundreds and hundreds of tons of steel moves around th the bearing
The breeches rise, lower, steady
He leans into the scope
The island is a dark shadow, low, unknown.
2 minutes
Time to hit back, to repay the terror of the night
3 ss attacks, 3 ss sunk . Torpedoes dodged.
But no hits
1 Minute
And there, as if on exercise, the pete lays the string of flares across the island's shore
it is a beautiful, yet disapointing sight.
A string of LST's, side by side, smaller ones nestled with them, at anchore in a cove
Isuka almost whispers the order
"Open fire"
The gun crashes, so curiously muffled in this steel box, but the breech makes up for it, slamming back, and the great chant and dance begins
The breech swings open, the stench begins, the trays rise, fold, the shell rises, rolls onto the tray, the rammer pulls his lever, the ram rattles, the shell pushes forward, the shell elevator vanishes, the charges, 1,2,3,4, come up, they roll in, the ram rattles, the tray folds, vanishes.
The breech closes, spun tight,
"port Gun ready!
"'
It fires
isuka is controlling
Isuka cannot, does not miss.
Almost transfixed Tokiwana canfollow the great glowing shell curve away, curve, lower...impact
The Lsts become a blazing row of sinking, twisted mess of metal
'Change to GP please captains, new target, airfield,range 12000 metres"
'Fire"
"we have a good spotter, up 200, Fire"
Ise, yamashiro, fuso pound the LSTs, briefly, and then join the rain of shells from the cuisers , the great sisters onto the field
An hour, and it is done
Ise will turn due west, and steam hard.
Dawn will find them all unharmed, untouched by the PT pests, the ss
Behind, visible even at 50miles- the smoke still rises from Talaud
The great tubes are loaded, the follow up rounds ready. His men are ready, he, Gun captain, is ready.
It is just before dawn, and Ise leads the battleline
The silence is broken. As if in a normal conversation, captain Isuka speaks into his ears
"target will be on a bearing 078, range 9000 metres, 3 minutes, please come to the bearing"
"Acknowledeged"
"Tokiwana speaks into his tube, target bearing 078 degrees, range 9000 metres"
The great machinery reacts, the hum rises, and smoothly, smoothly, hundreds and hundreds of tons of steel moves around th the bearing
The breeches rise, lower, steady
He leans into the scope
The island is a dark shadow, low, unknown.
2 minutes
Time to hit back, to repay the terror of the night
3 ss attacks, 3 ss sunk . Torpedoes dodged.
But no hits
1 Minute
And there, as if on exercise, the pete lays the string of flares across the island's shore
it is a beautiful, yet disapointing sight.
A string of LST's, side by side, smaller ones nestled with them, at anchore in a cove
Isuka almost whispers the order
"Open fire"
The gun crashes, so curiously muffled in this steel box, but the breech makes up for it, slamming back, and the great chant and dance begins
The breech swings open, the stench begins, the trays rise, fold, the shell rises, rolls onto the tray, the rammer pulls his lever, the ram rattles, the shell pushes forward, the shell elevator vanishes, the charges, 1,2,3,4, come up, they roll in, the ram rattles, the tray folds, vanishes.
The breech closes, spun tight,
"port Gun ready!
"'
It fires
isuka is controlling
Isuka cannot, does not miss.
Almost transfixed Tokiwana canfollow the great glowing shell curve away, curve, lower...impact
The Lsts become a blazing row of sinking, twisted mess of metal
'Change to GP please captains, new target, airfield,range 12000 metres"
'Fire"
"we have a good spotter, up 200, Fire"
Ise, yamashiro, fuso pound the LSTs, briefly, and then join the rain of shells from the cuisers , the great sisters onto the field
An hour, and it is done
Ise will turn due west, and steam hard.
Dawn will find them all unharmed, untouched by the PT pests, the ss
Behind, visible even at 50miles- the smoke still rises from Talaud
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
The day, 18th div
WO Goto!, report to the generals tent immediately!
"Come on Watambe, we've got work to do"
"But"
"No Buts, work calls"
The two men wander to the tent
The General awaits, a small package in his hand
"Ahh, Goto, take this to 33rd HQ please"
The Warrent officer hesitates
"Is there a problem?'
"Ahh, we have no fuel sir"
a long pause
"Ahh, I see. Its only 15 KM, stomachs full of rice ney, should have no problem walking that far?"
A long pause
"No sir......"
"Come on Watambe, we've got work to do"
"But"
"No Buts, work calls"
The two men wander to the tent
The General awaits, a small package in his hand
"Ahh, Goto, take this to 33rd HQ please"
The Warrent officer hesitates
"Is there a problem?'
"Ahh, we have no fuel sir"
a long pause
"Ahh, I see. Its only 15 KM, stomachs full of rice ney, should have no problem walking that far?"
A long pause
"No sir......"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
The day, Unryu
Ashishi spends nearly all day on the island
he watches from the bridge wing, he takes turn on the helm, he watches from the bridge wing
He watches the planes come up, he watches them launch, he watches the dive bombers, the fighters fade away
later, he watches them all return.
They head east, and he wishes he could sleep.
But that, apparently, might be for tomorrow
he watches from the bridge wing, he takes turn on the helm, he watches from the bridge wing
He watches the planes come up, he watches them launch, he watches the dive bombers, the fighters fade away
later, he watches them all return.
They head east, and he wishes he could sleep.
But that, apparently, might be for tomorrow
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
Re: A fleet sent to die
I had a huge post, got a character mixed up.
sorry
Its Asada on Shoho who spends all day pushing planes
we will do him, and Tanaka, tomorrow
sorry
Its Asada on Shoho who spends all day pushing planes
we will do him, and Tanaka, tomorrow
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
THE day, cvl shoho
For Asada, the day begins at 0200, with the Bugles calling for flying Stations
Shoho is moving fast, and briefly Asada even gives a moments thought to his shipmates sweating below in the hell of the boiler rooms
Not that the hanger isnt its own version
A few bites to eat, ( the breakfasts are being distributed to the stations today, the cooks struggling through the ship) and then to work
Shoho has 9 Jill, and 18 zeros. All are assigned today, the Jills to ASW, the fighters to CAP
Asada, his fellow crew team will take their places on wings, on wheels, and dannce to the tune of the whistles, 1 whistle, push, 2, stop, 3, right wing forward, 4, left wing forward!
The bombers, laden with its bomb, already fully fuelled, will move reluctantly, tyrews squealing on the hanger steeel when thay swing them
To the elevators, and ride up, then the long push aft, carefully slotting into place
Dawn is a hint on the horizon as the great engines burst into life
Asada will take his post, port wheeel, bomber 3, hand on the rope to the chock, knee bent, leaning against the propblast, the stink, the exhaust, and the almost physical pressure of the noise.
Eyes fixed on the deck officer..
the little flag will point at them, "chocks away ! it flutters
Pull on the rope, scramble clear...the bomber surging away
But no time to view, take position, bomber number 6
The sun will rise, and Shoho's deck will empty.
The battlewagons have vanished, only this motley collection of carriers remain.
But they will not be alone. 3 SS are, apparently, being hunted over there....
This will be Asada's day,this day of "the great blow"
watching the planes return, bouncing down
Of pushing them back , or forward, to elevators , to hanger, and back up again, of chocks and wind, and sun,, heat and noise, and the ever present spinning blades one must avoid.
Shoho turns west on dusk
They will assume state 2 for 4 hours tonight, allowing everyone to get at least 2 hours sleep.
Tomorrow, rinse, and repeat
Shoho is moving fast, and briefly Asada even gives a moments thought to his shipmates sweating below in the hell of the boiler rooms
Not that the hanger isnt its own version
A few bites to eat, ( the breakfasts are being distributed to the stations today, the cooks struggling through the ship) and then to work
Shoho has 9 Jill, and 18 zeros. All are assigned today, the Jills to ASW, the fighters to CAP
Asada, his fellow crew team will take their places on wings, on wheels, and dannce to the tune of the whistles, 1 whistle, push, 2, stop, 3, right wing forward, 4, left wing forward!
The bombers, laden with its bomb, already fully fuelled, will move reluctantly, tyrews squealing on the hanger steeel when thay swing them
To the elevators, and ride up, then the long push aft, carefully slotting into place
Dawn is a hint on the horizon as the great engines burst into life
Asada will take his post, port wheeel, bomber 3, hand on the rope to the chock, knee bent, leaning against the propblast, the stink, the exhaust, and the almost physical pressure of the noise.
Eyes fixed on the deck officer..
the little flag will point at them, "chocks away ! it flutters
Pull on the rope, scramble clear...the bomber surging away
But no time to view, take position, bomber number 6
The sun will rise, and Shoho's deck will empty.
The battlewagons have vanished, only this motley collection of carriers remain.
But they will not be alone. 3 SS are, apparently, being hunted over there....
This will be Asada's day,this day of "the great blow"
watching the planes return, bouncing down
Of pushing them back , or forward, to elevators , to hanger, and back up again, of chocks and wind, and sun,, heat and noise, and the ever present spinning blades one must avoid.
Shoho turns west on dusk
They will assume state 2 for 4 hours tonight, allowing everyone to get at least 2 hours sleep.
Tomorrow, rinse, and repeat
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt