Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Terminus]

Now that's just mean of Captain Ishii...[:D]

[Onime No Kyo]

Some Ensigns need to be properly welcomed into the Navy's loving arms. [:D] Sure hope the lower decks were clear.

[Cuttlefish]

January 28, 1942

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 2
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 210

Orders: Refuel and then join destroyer Sazanami in escorting heavy cruiser Suzuya to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

---

From the diary of Seaman First Class Taiki Takahashi

So we are to head south. There is a rumor aboard ship that we are to join in the invasion of Australia. I have no idea whether or not this is true. Myself, I have the hope that the British and the Americans are almost defeated and the war is nearly over. That would mean my brother would remain safe and I could go back to helping Father.

Riku asked me yesterday if I envied my brother. I do not. He is older than I am, and smarter, and it is right that my parents sacrificed everything to send him to the Naval Academy when he passed the qualifying tests. I was content to remain helping Father with his small plastering business, and I worry about him a lot since I was drafted. He will have none of that sort of sympathy. Japan needs all her sons now, he says, and I know that he is right.

[Cuttlefish]

January 29, 1942

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

---

TF 47

[Cuttlefish]

January 30, 1942

Location: 240 miles south of Tokyo
Course: South
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 445

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

[Cuttlefish]

January 31, 1942

Location: 100 miles east southeast of Bonin
Course: South
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 409

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

Captain Ishii: That is good, Lieutenant, but I believe we can do better. Repeat the drill twice more.

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: *saluting* Yes sir!

Sugiyura departs. When he returns to the deck he meets Lieutenant Miharu.

Lieutenant Miharu: Let me guess...the Captain ordered you to continue the drills.

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: Yes he did. The men are tired, but orders are orders.

Lieutenant Miharu: Do not be upset. The Captain knows better than to waste the idle time we have been given. When we are in action again you and your men will be grateful to him for the extra seconds these drills will give us.

Chief Torpedo Officer Sugiyura: *nods* I know. Better to be tired now than at the bottom of the sea later.

[Cuttlefish]

February 1, 1942

Location: 350 miles northeast of Saipan
Course: South
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 373

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

[Cuttlefish]

February 2, 1942

Location: 200 miles east of Saipan
Course: South
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 343

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

---

While the Hibiki makes its way to Truk and back into the war let's take a moment and look at the captain of the Hibiki. The game gives Captain Ishii pretty good ratings:

Leadership 60
Inspiration 70
Naval Skill 62
Air Skill 26
Land Skill 26
Admin Skill 34
Aggressiveness 64

His administration skill is low but otherwise he looks like a pretty good destroyer commander.

In real life Lieutentant Commander Ishii served as the captain of the Hibiki until August 1942. At that point he swapped commands with the captain of the Ikazuchi. Two weeks later he was replaced as captain of the Ikazuchi and does not seem to have been reassigned to another ship for the rest of the war. At this point he drops out of the historical record as far as I have been able to tell.

Perhaps somebody with more knowledge or better resources can tell me more about what happened to him. Was he reassigned to some kind of shore duty? Did some sort of injury or illness curtail his career? Did he survive the war?

I am hoping for a longer career for him aboard Hibiki in this version of reality.

[Cuttlefish]

February 3, 1942

Location: 525 miles northeast of Truk
Course: South by southwest
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 313

Orders: Proceed to Truk, where all ships will join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

[Cuttlefish]

February 4, 1942

Location: 160 miles northeast of Truk
Course: Southwest
Attached to: TF 47
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 277

Orders: Proceed to Truk and join Cruiser Divison 6, Admiral Goto commanding.

[Cuttlefish]

February 5, 1942

Location: Truk
Course: None
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Proceed to New Caledonia/Espiritu Santo area via Lunga

---

Aboard heavy cruiser Furutaka:

Admiral Goto: Welcome to Truk, Captain Ishii. Good to see you.

Captain Ishii: Thank you, sir.

Admiral Goto: We are sailing in the morning. I'll be transferring my flag to Suzuya tonight.

Captain Ishii: What is the situation, sir?

Admiral Goto: Our troops have landed at Noumea, but the battle is still in doubt. A few days ago submarine I-8 reported one or more American carriers 100 miles west of Palmyra, heading southwest. It is thought that the Americans may be hoping to strike at our transports there or at Espiritu Santo. We will proceed to the area and join the forces hoping to meet them there for the Decisive Battle. We will stop at a new base we have established in the Solomons to refuel on the way.

Captain Ishii: Very good, sir. Hibiki will be ready.

Admiral Goto: I have no doubt of it. By the way, did you hear about Palembang?

Captain Ishii: No sir.

Admiral Goto: Another victory. Mikuma, Sendai and a handful of destroyers met an enemy force and sank three light cruisers and three destroyers. Palembang is in our hands.

Captain Ishii: Good to hear, sir! Did we suffer any losses?

Admiral Goto: Not that I know of. Sendai and a destroyer were damaged, apparently, but will be back in the fight after some yard time.

Captain Ishii: Very good. With your permission, sir?

Admiral Goto: Certainly. Dismissed. *Captain Ishii salutes and departs*

---

From the diary of Seaman First Class Taiki Takahashi

I have to admit our orders baffled me at first. I was shamed that I did not remember where our destination is on our charts. But then I found out the truth and felt much better. This place is so unknown and out of the way that it does not even appear on our charts at all. It has a strange name, too - it is called Gadarukanaru.

---

TF 6

[bradfordkay]

" I am hoping for a longer career for him aboard Hibiki in this version of reality."

Let's pray that he doesn't get replaced by Warrant Officer 0/0...[;)]

[marky]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

" I am hoping for a longer career for him aboard Hibiki in this version of reality."

Let's pray that he doesn't get replaced by Warrant Officer 0/0...[;)]

lolz[:'(][:D]

[Japanese_Spirit]

Perhaps somebody with more knowledge or better resources can tell me more about what happened to him. Was he reassigned to some kind of shore duty? Did some sort of injury or illness curtail his career? Did he survive the war?

Well, I did a little research and from what I can find, the Ikazuchi did participate in the Battle for Guadacanal and was hit by the Atlanta. About 20 men died and another 21 were injured. This is, I believe but could be mistaken, under Captain Ishii's command (there is no mention of him changing) so, perhaps he was a casualty or replaced due to the damage taken?

Routing through google and there is indeed little information about the man. I'll check through the Hibiki and Ikazuchi later, see what I can find.

Actually, I have several books on the Pacific War, too, so I'll check those out and see if they have anything useful.

Oh, and excellent updates, too!

[String]

Nope, that took place in mid november. Cpt. Ishii was relieved from command on 27th of august.

[1EyedJacks]

Hi Cuttlefish,

I've really enjoyed the read - TY.

I C U R in TF 6 with some CRs... I wuz wondering if maybe someone aboard the Hibiki might find time to share with us the FP operations aboard the CRs. I think that would B fun to read about.

Can I ask a few questions? When DD Hibiki was in for repairs, what did you have available for Naval HQs? And if you have a Naval HQ @ Okayama, can you share the ratings of the HQ Commander? What was the level for Ship Repairs @ Okayama and were all three ships brought in or did you send the CVL Zuiho off to another port?

Again, thanks for a very enjoyable read with this AAR.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Japanese_Spirit


Well, I did a little research and from what I can find, the Ikazuchi did participate in the Battle for Guadacanal and was hit by the Atlanta. About 20 men died and another 21 were injured. This is, I believe but could be mistaken, under Captain Ishii's command (there is no mention of him changing) so, perhaps he was a casualty or replaced due to the damage taken?

For that matter, Admiral Goto was killed and his command pretty well shot up at Cape Esperance. Hibiki could be headed for lots of trouble . . .

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: 1EyedJacks

Can I ask a few questions? When DD Hibiki was in for repairs, what did you have available for Naval HQs? And if you have a Naval HQ @ Okayama, can you share the ratings of the HQ Commander? What was the level for Ship Repairs @ Okayama and were all three ships brought in or did you send the CVL Zuiho off to another port?

Again, thanks for a very enjoyable read with this AAR.

All three ships (2 DDs and 1 CVL) went to Okayama. I would ordinarily have liked to give Zuiho a shipyard to herself, but that wasn't possible. They were the only three ships being repaired there, however. Okayama is a size 8 port with a 104 level repair yard. One AR was present, and there were no HQs in the base. There were two within range, 1st Fleet and Combined Fleet, but I'm not sure if they have an influence on repairs if they aren't right in the port.

[Cuttlefish]

February 6, 1942

Location: 250 miles south of Truk
Course: South
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 451

Orders: Proceed to New Caledonia/Espiritu Santo area via Lunga.

[Cuttlefish]

February 7, 1942

Location: 40 miles north northeast of Green Island
Course: Southeast
Attached to: TF 6
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 415

Orders: Proceed to New Caledonia/Espiritu Santo area via Lunga

---

On the bridge of the Hibiki:

The radio operator contacts the bridge via speaking tube.

Radio Operator: Captain, sir!

Captain Ishii: Yes?

Radio Operator: Message from Admiral Goto, sir. Search planes on Wake Island report American cruisers, transports, and at least one carrier approaching Wake from the east. They are two days out. We are ordered to set course northeast, towards Kwajalein, and accelerate to 24 knots.

Captain Ishii: Very well. Send that we have received and acknowledge the message. Helm, 80 degrees to port. Increase speed to 24 knots.

Lieutenant Miharu: We can't get there in two days, sir, not even close.

Captain Ishii: I know. But if the garrison on Wake can hold for just a few days we will be in time.

Lieutenant Miharu: This was not the battle we were planning on, though. Has not the enemy upset our plans by forcing us to fight the battle of his choosing and not our own?

Captain Ishii: That may be so, Exec, but I look at it another way. The enemy has stuck his head out at last. It is up to us to lop it off.

Lieutenant Miharu: True! I wonder where Kido Butai is?

Captain Ishii: I have no idea. I certainly hope that they are in position to join us there, or this could get ugly. Very ugly.