SITUATION REPORT: 12-29-43 CENTPAC: INVASION OF KWAJALEIN
The invasion of Kwajalein began with another pre-dawn bombarment:
Naval bombardment of Kwajalein, at 79,79
Allied Ships
CL Glasgow
CL Leander
CA Australia
CA Wichita
CA San Francisco
CA Astoria
CA Louisville
CA Northampton
BB Alabama
BB Massachusetts
BB Indiana
BB Washington
Japanese ground losses:
3261 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 8
Runway hits 94
Port hits 18
Port supply hits 22
As the assault transports approached the beach, the tenacious defenders opened up with everthing they had left after nearly a year of starvation and aerial bombarbment:
TF 1292 encounters mine field at Kwajalein (79,79)
TF 1292 troops unloading over beach at Kwajalein, 79,79
Allied Ships
MSW Penguin
MSW Oriole
MSW Salute
MSW Sheldrake
MSW Dubbo
DD Pope
DD Paul Jones, Mine hits 1, heavy damage
Coastal Guns at Kwajalein, 79,79, firing at TF 1292
1708 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
DD Caldwell
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 6
LCI LCI-335
DD Bailey
DD Warrington
LST LST-474
LST LST-467
DD Farenholt, Shell hits 1
LST LST-461
LST LST-458
DD Hughes, Shell hits 4
LST LST-344
LST LST-343, Shell hits 1
CL Raleigh
LST LST-121, Shell hits 2
DD Kennison, Shell hits 2
LST LST-74, Shell hits 2
LST LST-69
MSW Penguin, Shell hits 2
APD Herbert, Shell hits 7
Allied ground losses:
3465 casualties reported
Guns lost 22
Vehicles lost 7
TF 1292 encounters mine field at Kwajalein (79,79)
TF 1292 troops unloading over beach at Kwajalein, 79,79
Allied Ships
MSW Penguin
MSW Oriole
MSW Salute
MSW Sheldrake
MSW Dubbo
DD Kennison
DD Paul Jones, heavy damage
DD Farenholt, Mine hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Coastal Guns at Kwajalein, 79,79, firing at TF 1292
400 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
APD Herbert
DD Bailey
CL De Ruyter, Shell hits 2
DD Caldwell
CL Raleigh
DD Warrington, Shell hits 2
DD Flusser
Allied ground losses:
1128 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Meanwhile, CENTPAC bombers pummeled the atoll from above:
Day Air attack on 4th Division, at 79,79
Allied aircraft
Hellcat II x 6
F4U-1 Corsair x 18
Avenger II x 8
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x Avenger II bombing at 6000 feet
3 x Avenger II bombing at 6000 feet
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Day Air attack on 4th Division, at 79,79
Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 4
P-38J Lightning x 24
B-25J Mitchell x 101
PB4Y Liberator x 57
B-24J Liberator x 33
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
113 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Over 45,000 thousand assault troops made it ashore on the 1st day and casualties were heavy for both sides as dusk approached:
Ground combat at Kwajalein
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 6377 troops, 86 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 48780 troops, 691 guns, 127 vehicles
Japanese ground losses:
268 casualties reported
Guns lost 47
Ground combat at Kwajalein
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 45940 troops, 691 guns, 127 vehicles
Defending force 13775 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 56 to 1 (fort level 9)
Allied forces CAPTURE Kwajalein base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
1811 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
1602 casualties reported
Guns lost 73
Vehicles lost 3
CENTPAC troops managed to capture the base but fighting still rages on. Additional assault troops will be landed all night and another shock attack is ordered for tomorrow.
DEI:
The RN CVs attack Japanese shipping at Palembang:
Day Air attack on Palembang , at 20,55
Allied aircraft
Barracuda x 25
Allied aircraft losses
Barracuda: 2 destroyed, 11 damaged
Japanese Ships
AK Iwakuni Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
MSW Takasago Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AK Namba Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
MSW Wa 22, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Port hits 1
Port fuel hits 1
and also at Batavia:
Day Air attack on TF, near Batavia at 19,59
Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 2
Hellcat II x 4
F4U-1 Corsair x 2
Corsair IV x 2
Barracuda x 18
TBM Avenger x 6
Avenger II x 5
Allied aircraft losses
Barracuda: 1 damaged
Avenger II: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
DD Hayabusa, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Hokutai Maru, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
