Russ (aka Mogami) versus Tris (aka TJ)

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]British Blenheim bombers based on Johor Bharu in Malaya attacked Japanese troop transports at Kuantan.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]A British military official in Singapore said, "We hit one of their troop carriers with a couple of bombs, and the report we have is that it was severely damaged."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Clark Field in the Philippines was attacked again yesterday. According to military sources the Allied defenders there are still giving as good as they get.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]19 December[/font]

[font="Times New Roman"]British authorities in Singapore said a Japanese troop transport was torpedoed yesterday off the Malayan port of Kuantan.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The Borneo port of Tarakan was bombarded last night by Japanese warships. Officials in the area said that damage was widespread. No further details were available.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]20 December 1941

Japanese bombers once again roared over Clark Field in the Philippine Islands yesterday. A military official in Pearl Harbor said, "Our reports tell us the enemy keeps coming in strength. Why, I don't know. The place was pretty much evacuated several days ago. But that's okay. As long as the Jap swings at air we're fine with it."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]21 December 1941

The port of Singapore was bombed by Japanese planes yesterday. Reports indicate damage was light, but British authorities said they are concerned this might signal the beginning of a general enemy offensive on the Malaya front.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Swarms of enemy fighters and bombers were observed in the sky over the Philippine capital yesterday.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]"It was tough," said an Army Air Force officer at Manila headquarters over the phone. "We put up everything that could fly--P-40s, P-26s, everything--but those Zeros they have are hard to catch."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]"We're killing our share of the enemy, but losses have been heavy. A few more days of this and we'll not have much left to fight with."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]22 December 1941

Singapore was raided again yesterday. One enemy bomber was knocked down and a number of others were damaged by anti-aircraft fire. Military officials said the airbase was not badly hit, and casualties were light.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The Australian coastal steamer Katoomba was torpedoed by enemy bombers at the port of Kendari on Celebes Island. There was no word on the condition of the ship.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The Katoomba was was built in 1913 for McIlwraith McEachen's Sydney-Melbourne-Fremantle services. She is the second largest coastal steamer under Australian registry, was employed as a troopship from 1918-1920, completing a number transatlantic crossings, and has since been used to operate one-class Pacific Ocean cruises.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The New Britain port of Rabaul was bombarded by Japanese warships last night.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]23 December 1941

The Malayan port of Kuala Lumpur has fallen to the Japanese.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Japanese bombers hit Singapore again yesterday. Casualties were said to be light.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]24 December 1941

The Dutch tanker Augustina (3110 tons) of the Nederlandsch Indische Tankstoomboot Mij was reported sunk yesterday by enemy torpedoes off the southern tip of Sumatra.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]25 December 1941

Dutch military officials said the port of Tarakan on Borneo was bombed by the Japanese. Damage was reported to be light.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Did Santa tinker together something for you this year?[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]And what do you suppose they're doing back home?[/font]