At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[zuluhour]

There was a great skit (for me) of Mr Hill posing as a switchboard operator. He has the Queen on
one line and the town harlot on the other, naturally he.......love to see this again.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Found a nice property on Lifu we might develop.

Golf course? Beach resort hotel and casino? Cave complex for rich retired hermits?

[Cap Mandrake]

**************40 m NW of La Foa, N&IC, 17:30, Feb. 6, 1942(e)*************


A Conestoga wagon burns heavily. A case of Winchesters has been thrown to the ground and lies open. Cookie, chief cook of USMC Pioneer Bn lies next to a still cooking pot of beans, his chest perforated with Lakota arrows. He closes his eyes for a final time. The USMC Pioneer Bn. passes into history.

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

**************40 m NW of La Foa, N&IC, 17:30, Feb. 6, 1942(e)*************


A Conestoga wagon burns heavily. A case of Winchesters has been thrown to the ground and lies open. Cookie, chief cook of USMC Pioneer Bn lies next to a still cooking pot of beans, his chest perforated with Lakota arrows. He closes his eyes for a final time. The USMC Pioneer Bn. passes into history.

Where, oh where are the US Cavalry and General Custer riding to the rescue of the poor pioneers?

[Cap Mandrake]

China: Johnny Jap crosses the Xiang SW of Changsa..they just pile a bunch of Ronsons on a couple of river ferries and sail across to the other side where there are 25K angry Chinamen. One regiment crossed yesterday and inflicted superior casualties on our Little Yellow Baahstards. A whole bunch more cross today.

Ground combat at Siangtan (81,52)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 2261 troops, 8 guns, 137 vehicles, Assault Value = 131

Defending force 20096 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 555

Japanese adjusted assault: 59

Allied adjusted defense: 144

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: preparation(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
495 casualties reported
Squads: 13 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 15 (1 destroyed, 14 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
715 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled

Assaulting units:
20th Recon Regiment
10th Tank Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

Defending units:
4th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps

[Cap Mandrake]

Admiral Lord SPrior has not started his anger management classes yet so he orders a counterattack

Ground combat at Siangtan (81,52)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 19616 troops, 76 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 501

Defending force 1968 troops, 8 guns, 206 vehicles, Assault Value = 94

Allied adjusted assault: 318

Japanese adjusted defense: 32

Allied assault odds: 9 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
225 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 30 destroyed, 19 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 2 (1 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Vehicles lost 72 (40 destroyed, 32 disabled)
Units retreated 4

Allied ground losses:
506 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 44 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

Assaulting units:
4th Chinese Corps
79th Chinese Corps

Defending units:
10th Tank Regiment
20th Recon Regiment
11th Tank Regiment
26th Recon Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

N&IC: La Foa has no airstrip so we blow up the "port facilities" (empty crates floating on empty Jerry cans)

Night Naval bombardment of La Foa at 114,159

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis
DD Van Ghent

Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port hits 3
Port supply hits 1

SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Minneapolis
CA Minneapolis firing at La Foa
DD Van Ghent firing at La Foa

[Cap Mandrake]

Same idea at Efate. Keep the Little Yellow Baaahstards from getting an airfield.

Morning Air attack on Efate , at 120,154

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 5

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
23 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 1
Port supply hits 1


North of La Foa we manage to get the boys some ammo. Too late for Cookie.

The Jap Naval Guard unit from Koumac is marching South to crush our guys. We will try to drop a couple of paras on Koumac today <snicker>

[Cap Mandrake]

Something went awry with the Jap landing at Espiritu Santo. They have 640 troops ashore but they don't attack. Maybe no combat troops got ashore. We will raid with 2 DD's tomorrow.

[Cap Mandrake]

Good day for us in the air. 2 squadrons of Flying Tigers deploy to Changsha and murderize the Sallys.

We lose 2 B-17E's trying to shut down Marysborough airfield

[Cap Mandrake]

Hiryu, Haguro and Nagato still on the sunk list but Zuiho disappears??

Haruna claim is now 3 months old. Might be true which would mean the loss of Repulse was not in vain.

[Cap Mandrake]

So my colleague is from Cincinatti. Big baseball fan. His sister..not so much, but she decides to go to the all star game. She decides she wants some autographs because they have a bunch of famous old players there. She spies a sign and a line of people so she gets in line.

ENTER HERE

INGRESE AQUI

She gets to the front of the line.

Guy behind the counter: How can I help you ma'm?

Bob's sister: Umm...well I wanted to try to get Ingrese's autograph. [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

The famous Aqui brothers, Jesus, Felipe and Ingrese. [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

****************Feb 7, 1942(e)*************


N&IC theater: Nothing like the USS Lewis Luckenback to wipe the smile off Jap faces. Oddly, this fearsome AK has more starch than USS Minneapolis which turned around and went back to Noumea.

Invasion Support action at 111,139

Allied Ships
xAK Lewis Luckenbach

xAK Lewis Luckenbach fired at enemy troops




JJ is landing at Belep Is. (just North of Koumac)

Amphibious Assault at Belep Islands (112,155)

TF 342 troops unloading over beach at Belep Islands, 112,155



Meanwhile, 27 USMC paratroops take back Koumac. [:D]

Ground combat at Koumac (113,156)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 27 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Allied adjusted assault: 2

Japanese adjusted defense: 1

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Koumac !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-)

Assaulting units:
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1

[Cap Mandrake]

Meanwhile, our guys North of La Foa are being slowly ground down.

Ground combat at 114,158 (near La Foa)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7825 troops, 98 guns, 4 vehicles, Assault Value = 233

Defending force 657 troops, 36 guns, 10 vehicles, Assault Value = 2

Japanese adjusted assault: 51

Allied adjusted defense: 4

Japanese assault odds: 12 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker: leaders(-), disruption(-)

Allied ground losses:
56 casualties reported
Squads: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 9 (4 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Vehicles lost 8 (8 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1

Assaulting units:
33rd Division

Defending units:
2nd Marine Defense Battalion
2nd USMC Tank Bn /2

[Cap Mandrake]

JJ takes Luganville (Espiritu Santu)

Ground combat at Luganville (120,150)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 420 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 16

Defending force 0 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 0

Japanese adjusted assault: 5

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 5 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Luganville !!!

Combat modifiers
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), fatigue(-)

Assaulting units:
2nd Indpt SNLF Coy


Our DD raid on the Luganville landing encounters a stronger escort than advertised but we hold our own.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Luganville at 120,150, Range 21,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CL Nagara, Shell hits 1
DD Yayoi, Shell hits 2, on fire
DD Kikuzuki
DD Harukaze
DD Hatakaze, Shell hits 1, on fire

Allied Ships
DD Mugford
DD McCall, Shell hits 3, on fire

[Cap Mandrake]

SBD's from Noumea try to help the lads North of La Foa

Morning Air attack on 33rd Division, at 114,158 , near La Foa

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 12
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed


They do...but an SBD is not a B-17

Morning Air attack on 24th Special Base Force, at 114,159 (La Foa)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 8
SBD-3 Dauntless x 9

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
34 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled



LB-30's try to help out but encounter a CAP, must be carriers about.

Morning Air attack on 33rd Division, at 114,158 , near La Foa

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 7 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 3

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

Yep. This was not the turn to give the CAP a rest. At least they missed with the torpedoes. There goes the last carrier at Noumea for a few days.

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Noumea at 115,160

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 40
B5N2 Kate x 17

Allied aircraft
P-38E Lightning x 1
P-39D Airacobra x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 6
F4F-3 Wildcat x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed, 2 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed

Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis, Bomb hits 6, on fire
DD Kane
DMS Hovey



They lose a bunch of Vals over Norfolk Is trying to sink a lousy AKL. [:'(]

Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Norfolk Island at 113,170

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 23 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A5M4 Claude x 7
D3A1 Val x 14

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 16

Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied Ships
xAKL Mapele
xAKL Kailua, Bomb hits 1
PC Ariadne


Of course, this is going to put a major crimp in reinforcement efforts.

[Cap Mandrake]

Oz: Retreating 11th Brigade from Townsville after walking 800 miles, stop to put their feet up and just get pulverized by Betty raids and then little yellow baaahstards begin dropping from the sky with their silly leggings.

Ground combat at Charleville (88,154)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 1008 troops, 16 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 52

Defending force 1105 troops, 15 guns, 66 vehicles, Assault Value = 10

Japanese adjusted assault: 9

Allied adjusted defense: 1

Japanese assault odds: 9 to 1 (fort level 0)

Japanese forces CAPTURE Charleville !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: disruption(-), preparation(-), morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-)

Allied ground losses:
990 casualties reported
Squads: 36 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 166 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 15 (15 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Vehicles lost 82 (82 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 2

Assaulting units:
Yokosuka 1st SNLF /1
Yokosuka 3rd SNLF /1

Defending units:
2/11th A/Car Regiment
11th Australian Brigade

[Cap Mandrake]

Well, the KB doubled back and I suspect came down the West side of Nouema, ending up 7 hexes from Noumea. The SBD's were on ground attack. Just as well, there aren't enough fighters to escort.

We move the SBD's back to Suva and bring in more fighters as there may be transports with two RCT's mostly unloading at Noumea tomorrow. This is dangerous, of course, but it is better than trying to get 34th RCT unloaded at Koumac.

Minneapolis will be out of the fight for a while. She is porting at Noumea to put out some small fires.