Russ (aka Mogami) versus Tris (aka TJ)

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]". . . the Jacob Luckenbach, steaming frantically away to escape her tormentors, was strafed with no pity . . . "[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]". . . while Kates roared in low and deadly, and with uncanny accuracy pierced the side of the helpless cargo ship Honoma."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Japanese bombers ravaged Singapore twice today, first targeting troops manning the island's perimeter . . .[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]. . . then the fortess installations.

"I'm afraid this is it," said a British military spokesman in Rangoon. "I don't see how the garrison there can hold out much longer. The enemy's outside the gates now in overwhelming numbers, and it's just a matter of time."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]12 January 1942

Enemy sappers led the way as a major attack was launched at this beleaguered fortress. Casualties were reported to be significant.

"From what we know of it here the Japanese made a major effort to storm into the city proper," said the British liaison officer at Rangoon headquarters. "The attack was repulsed, but the defensive perimeter was almost breached and the losses were fairly high. I don't give the city another day before it's overrun."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]A Japanese tanker supporting the enemy effort around Makin and Tarawa Atoll was torpedoed today by an American submarine.[/font]

[mogami]

Hi

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The American light cruiser St. Louis was hit by two enemy torpedoes earlier today about midway between the Hawaiian and Line Islands. Naval authorities in Pearl Harbor said the ship was severely damaged but in no immediate danger of sinking.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Enemy warplanes from carriers based somewhere to the north bombed tiny Makin Atoll. Shep McAll of Amalgamated News, currently stationed on Tarawa some 100 miles to the south, had this to say in his daily broadcast.

"The reports from Makin are that a horde of Japanese bombers arrived overhead about mid-morning and began to dig up the sand. There is no concrete word yet regarding American casualties, but the grapevine here on Tarawa says they were light.

"On this atoll the defenders are busy cleaning up the mess caused by enemy action over the past few days. The morale of the men seems to be high everywhere I go, and the feeling prevalent that the Japanese will be hard-pressed to take this lump of coral reef away from those who occupy it today.

"The Navy tells me the true significance of this place lies in its strategic situation along the most direct convoy route from Pearl Harbor to Australia. Whoever occupies it can to a great extent control who will and who will not pass along that route. And so, a line has been drawn and the fight continues each day.

"Earlier this afternoon more Zeros were observed overhead, but they didn't molest anyone here, instead flew on by. Later we heard they'd been on a hunt for PT boats, believed to be making a new base on Abemama Atoll to the south of us. There has been confirmation that one of our boats was damaged by enemy fire in that action."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]13 January 1942

Japanese carrier-based bombers attacked Tarawa Atoll today. On the scene with an eyewitness account is correspondent Shep McCall for Amalgamated News.

"The Japs hit us hard today. They plastered everything around and kept coming in waves, one after another. Our fighters went up and opposed, and they fought bravely, but at the end of the day I'm afraid we lost more planes up there than they did."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]"The damage to the base itself was inconsequential. A handful of bombers were roughed-up pretty good on the ground, but I talked with the mechanics and they assured me those planes will be up and flying in the morning.

"And so the garrison here waits for another day, isolated from the outside world of free men, but absolutely resolute in defense."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The tiny oil-producing port of Bulla on Seram Island was bombarded last night by Japanese warships. No civilian casualties were reported, though destruction of property was said to be widespread.

"Yes, the Nippers slipped in there last night and did a jolly-good job of it," said a military official in Darwin. "We've periodically used that port as a seaplane base--for observation purposes, you know. I suppose the enemy knew that all along and finally decided to put a stop to it. But we saw him coming well beforehand and buggered out before he arrived.

"I guess this means we'll just have to find another base in that area for our PBYs."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The British fortress of Singapore was once again subjected to air attack by the Japanese. Authorities in Rangoon, in contact with the island city's defenders by radio, typified the results of this raid as minor.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]14 January 1942

The Japanese army continued to reduce the defenders of Singapore with constant shelling.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]While on Borneo, the open port of Miri was occupied by enemy troops.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]An American submarine was reported sunk today in the early morning hours some 250 miles west of Tarawa Atoll.[/font]

[mogami]

ORIGINAL: Tristanjohn

[font="Times New Roman"]The American light cruiser St. Louis was hit by two enemy torpedoes earlier today about midway between the Hawaiian and Line Islands. Naval authorities in Pearl Harbor said the ship was severely damaged but in no immediate danger of sinking.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]Enemy warships bombarded Tarawa Atoll again early this morning. Amalgamated News correspondent Shep McCall has the report.

"The enemy ships arrived silently from out of the dark. Then the mouths of their guns opened up and breathed thunder and orange death. The shells fell all over this tiny Pacific atoll, with men cowering for their lives wherever they could find a niche or crevice to hunker down in. It was like hell on earth. The shelling lasted for about an hour, and then, as they had come, the Japanese warships secretly slipped away, to leave our casualties to be mourned and the carnage to be set right again."[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]15 January 1942

Naval authorities in Pearl Harbor reported today that the Japanese destroyer Oite has sunk west of Makin from damage sustained at the hands of American shore batteries in yesterday's bombardment of Tarawa Atoll.

There was a further report that the enemy tanker Akebono Maru sank north of Makin as a result of being torpedoed by an American submarine two days ago.[/font]

[Tristanjohn]

[font="Times New Roman"]The British naval base of Singapore fell today to Japanese forces. Over thirty-thousand prisoners surrendered after a day-long battle according to military authorities in Rangoon.

"I'm afraid the Singapore garrison was overwhelmed," said the liaison officer. "After successfully crossing the narrow channel to the island a few days ago, the Japanese began to reduce the city's defenses in a systematic fashion. Today the enemy attacked in waves, and after several hours it became clear that further resistance was futile."[/font]