Summary of Operations 3/9 - 3/11/42
U.S. West Coast/Eastern Pacific:
Enemy mines were reported at Midway - probably laid by Japanese submarines (type 88). AK Haleakala struck one mine when arriving at Midway - moderate damage to the ship, no damage to cargo. Haleakala is returning to Pearl Harbor. This is the first reported Japanese mining activity of the war against an Allied-controlled base. Gotta start using the minesweepers.
SS Bonita reports a Val dive bomber spotted on patrol near Kwajalein - this would suggest one or more Japanese fleet CV(s) are docked or based there. Also several F1M2 floatplanes were spotted by the Bonita near Kwajelein - these are known to operate from some Japanese CS, also from Nagato class BB.
SS Pompano reports a Mavis flying boat near Wake Is. A number of U.S. submarines will shortly be operating in areas of the northern Pacific to survey Japanese air patrol activity and ship movement between the area north and northwest of Wake and the Japanese home islands. With the Japanese emphasis in the South Pacific, a study is underway to consider feasibility of some kind of activity along the Japanese northern flank, especially if the KB is drawn once again into the South Pacific.
South Pacific: Light activity in most sectors. A number of Japanese ships are operating in the area near Suva - several floatplane attacks on Allied ships have been reported, no major damage. Based on Japanese aircraft types and number of aircraft reported (E8N, E13A1) - at least one CS is in the area operating the E13A1, several CA or BB (Kongo, Fuso, or Ise class) that are operating the E8N. AK Rhesus reached Suva, successfully evaded several Japanese floatplane air attacks without damage, The Rhesus picked up the last of 8 New Zealand Brigade from Suva and is now departing there for Auckland.
Australia: Light activity reported.
India: British 7 Armored Brigade now disembarking in Bombay. British carrier TF (CV Indomitable & Fomidable) has been ordered to return to Colombo - no contact was made with the Japanese AV or CVL task force reported east of Ceylon. Removal of excess fuel and resource points from Chittagong by sea continues. All other sectors quiet.
Burma: No detectable Japanese activity reported.
China: Japanese bombardment attacks continue along many sectors of the front lines - this is normal Japanese activity for most areas of the Chinese front lines.
Phillipines: Evacuation of elements of the 31 U.S. RCT from Bataan for rebuilding in Australia underway. The main consideration for this is the need for infantry LCU's in Australia.
DEI: Japanese capture Pamakasan (off Soerabaja) on 3/10, Soerabaja itself also fell on 3/11. AAR follow.
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Ground combat at Pamakasan
Japanese Shock attack
Attacking force 8669 troops, 26 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 414
4th Infantry Division
Defending force 1773 troops, 9 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 60
Barisan Rgt
Japanese max assault: 848 - adjusted assault: 562
Allied max defense: 52 - adjusted defense: 5
Japanese assault odds: 112 to 1 (fort level 2)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Pamakasan base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
400 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
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Ground combat at Soerabaja
Japanese Deliberate attack
Attacking force 57466 troops, 367 guns, 145 vehicles, Assault Value = 1229
2nd & 18th Infantry Divisions; 21 Mixed Brigade; 3, 5,& 14 Mortar Bns; 2, 6 & 14 Tank Rgts; 3 & 18 FA Rgts, 3 & 10 Mountain Gun Rgts
Defending force 14277 troops, 54 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 165
4th & 6th KNIL Infantry Rgts, MLD Marine Bn, 6 CD Bn, 1 Dutch Naval Base Force
Japanese max assault: 1103 - adjusted assault: 1159
Allied max defense: 146 - adjusted defense: 96
Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1 (fort level 5)
Japanese forces CAPTURE Soerabaja base !!!
Allied aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft losses
Brewster 339D: 1 destroyed
F.K.51: 4 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
351 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
11747 casualties reported
Guns lost 69
Vehicles lost 2
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An interesting Japanese dispatch was picked up from my (normally very quiet) opponent Pillager....
"Your Engineers COMPLETELY destroyed Soerbaja. 0/500 Resource centers active. 0/100 Oil centers active. I have never seen anything like it before. It is going to cost me 600,000 supply to repair all of that damage...ouch."
Did we witness a very fortunate Allied "dice roll" here... Was it the "Russian advisors" embedded with the Dutch engineer unit at Soerabaja. Or maybe some Japanese "smoke and mirrors". In any event, some Allied submarine presence at Soerabaja will be needed, especially with the prospect of sinking some of that 600K supply rolling into there (or the oil leaving there if this dispatch is false).
If the resource and oil facilities at Soerabaja were actually damaged to that extent.... How urgent is it for the Japanese to rebuild at Soerabaja? What impact would the supply points required to rebuild have on the rest of the Japanese economy, also military operations in the front lines?
FEAR THE GATOR!!!
