June 15th thru 17th 1942
Not a lot changed during this time.
China: bombing/bombarding not much else
North: Landings continue at Attu, Forces move to Unmak
India: bombardments/bombing nothing changed
Australia: Evicted from Fenton retreated Aussies from Darwin.
Suva: We flew in a Sally group and it went in without escorts, luckly the fighters went first and knocked down most of the resistance, this was followed by countersweeps that dwindled our fighters strength and fatigue. So we stood down on the 18th. That’s when all broke loose in the south!!!
June 18th
The turn came to me with a happy and angry symbols from Scott, we almost never make comments when turns are sent, so I knew something was going to change.
India
From the 18th thru 20th new fighter planes are escorting his bombers, we have not tried to interfere at the moment. As our force is bombing his units moving around Imphal.
Japanese command is setting planes in place to test these new Hurricanes and Lightnings.
Morning Air attack on 4th Guards/C Division, at 51,34 (Jamshedpur)
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes
Allied aircraft
Blenheim IV x 12
Hurricane I Trop x 3
Hurricane IIc Trop x 11 [X(]
Mohawk IV x 5
Wellington Ic x 6
B-25C Mitchell x 12
P-38E Lightning x 18 [X(]
P-40E Warhawk x 14
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 13 (1 destroyed, 12 disabled)
A armoured unit retakes cuts our supply line to Ledo area.
Allied forces CAPTURE Tezpur !!! Empty base
Assaulting units:...
7th Hussars Regiment...
North Pacific
3 small ships try to interfere with the landings at Unmak and pay the price. A lone liberator is all we see in this area besides float planes.
Day Time Surface Combat, near Dutch Harbor at 170,51, Range 1,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CA Myoko
CA Haguro
CA Nachi, Shell hits 1
DD Kagero
DD Natsushio
DD Amatsukaze
DD Tokitsukaze
DD Ariake
Allied Ships
AM Oriole, Shell hits 26, and is sunk
YP-73, Shell hits 6, and is sunk
YP-92, Shell hits 13, and is sunk
Japanese forces CAPTURE Umnak Island !!! Empty base
The Battle of Fiji heats up on the 18th.
Our planes had stood down on the 18th, they had been fatigued and damaged from last 3 days fighting and needed a rest. The airfield at Nadi had never been attack, the allied command had always concentrated on troops. This day opened with the announcement the Allied and British carriers were in the area, spotted East of Fiji just outside the shoals!
The landbased air went after the troops at Suva
The CV’s went after our Airfield
Afternoon Air attack on Nadi , at 131,160
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 10
Martlet II x 10 [X(]
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 15
SBD-2 Dauntless x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 43
Japanese aircraft losses
H6K4 Mavis: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 8
We estimate 2 American CV’s possible 1 British but no way of really knowing. Immediately orders are given to fly off 2 badly fatigued and damaged Zero’s and to fly in the Ryujo’s experienced fighters and CAP was set to 70% we had to protect the airfield.
June 19th
This day would see both the landbased and CV planes try to reduce Nadi airfield. They knock it pretty hard but pay a price.
Morning Air attack on Nadi , at 131,160
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 38 Veteran CV pilots!
Allied aircraft
Albacore I x 10
Martlet II x 10
F4F-3 Wildcat x 3
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
SB2U-3 Vindicator x 14
SBD-2 Dauntless x 13
SBD-3 Dauntless x 43
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied aircraft losses
Martlet II: 3 destroyed
F4F-3 Wildcat: 2 destroyed
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 destroyed
SB2U-3 Vindicator: 1 destroyed
SBD-2 Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
SBD-3 Dauntless: 5 destroyed, 3 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Airbase hits 9
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 10
Actual day losses reported 2x above 11 Wildcats and 20 Dauntless so we damaged their strike ability.
Then the heavies came in to finish off a tired CAP
Morning Air attack on Nadi , at 131,160
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 19,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 18
Allied aircraft
A-20A Havoc x 3
B-18A Bolo x 3
B-17E Fortress x 5
B-26 Marauder x 3
B-26B Marauder x 5
P-39D Airacobra x 23
P-400 Airacobra x 18
P-40E Warhawk x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed
Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 40
We try to bombard the allied forces at Suva and get a bloody nose, as you can see the island is packed with troops
Ground combat at Suva (132,160)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 50069 troops, 419 guns, 42 vehicles, Assault Value = 1466
Defending force 65168 troops, 959 guns, 1026 vehicles, Assault Value = 1266
Japanese ground losses:
838 casualties reported
Squads: 9 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 7 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 2 (0 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
131 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Vehicles lost 4 (0 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Assaulting units:...
48th Division...
24th Division...
85th Naval Guard Unit...
87th Naval Guard Unit...
52nd Division...
86th Naval Guard Unit...
18th Naval Guard Unit...
51st Naval Guard Unit...
16th Army...
...
Defending units:...
193rd Tank Bn /3...
3rd/102nd Infantry Battalion...
161st Infantry Regiment...
9th Australian Brigade...
132nd Infantry Rgt /3...
32nd Infantry Division...
182nd Infantry Regiment...
7th Marine Regiment...
24th (Sep) Infantry Regiment...
8th NZ Brigade...
New Caledonia Det ...
754th Tank Bn /1...
148th Field Artillery Battalion...
175th USAAF Base Force...
111th USN Base Force...
Nandi Base Force...
114th USAAF Base Force...
131st Field Artillery Battalion...
97th Coast AA Regiment...
4th Marine Defense Battalion...
47th Construction Regiment...
4th Field Artillery Battalion...
147th Field Artillery Regiment...
208th Coast AA Regiment...
Bobcats USN Naval Construction Battalion...
135th USA Base Force...
1st RNZAF Base Force...
115th USAAF Base Force /1...
June 20th 1942
This was a day the Japanese Imperial Navy had high hopes for. The KB had returned to Suva!
The day starts with sweeps over Nadii by landbased followed with the heavies trying to shutdown the airfield. Japanese command had thought it prudent due to the large numbers of holes in the runways to flyout the functioning Zero’s the night before. So there was no resistance over Nadi.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on Nadi , at 131,160
Weather in hex: Severe storms
Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 16 minutes
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
A-20A Havoc x 3
B-18A Bolo x 3
B-17E Fortress x 5
B-26 Marauder x 3
B-26B Marauder x 5
P-39D Airacobra x 16
P-400 Airacobra x 10
P-40E Warhawk x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 14
The KB had moved just North of Suva but scout planes only found one transport convoy heading to Suva, the allied Carriers had withdrawn. Only a partial and uncoordinated strike was launched vs this convoy with good effect. We believe we were not spotted, they must have withdrawn to replenish their planes. Weak capitalist!
Morning Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,161
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
B5N2 Kate x 30
D3A1 Val x 31
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 1 destroyed, 11 damaged
D3A1 Val: 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
xAK Alcoa Prospector, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
APD Little
xAK T. A. Johnson, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Kota Inten, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
AE Mauna Loa
xAP Poelau Laut, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
APD Manley
AM Bobolink, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAP Kota Agoeng, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD McKean
Allied ground losses:
411 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 9 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 12 (5 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Unfortunatly some Kates got separated and went into an alerted landbased CAP that covered the convoy, we lost 20 Kates this day.
orning Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,161
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 27 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes
Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 13
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 14
P-400 Airacobra x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 9
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 8 destroyed [:(]
Morning Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,161
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 48 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes
Japanese aircraft
B5N2 Kate x 9
Allied aircraft
P-39D Airacobra x 14
P-400 Airacobra x 11
P-40E Warhawk x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 3 destroyed [:(]
Our afternoon strike finds all the transports gone under
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Suva at 132,161
Weather in hex: Moderate rain
Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
D3A1 Val x 39
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A1 Val: 6 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-3 Wildcat: 1 destroyed
Allied Ships
APD McKean
APD Colhoun
xAP Tabinta, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires
AE Mauna Loa, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
APD Manley
APD Little, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
Allied ground losses:
79 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (0 destroyed, 1 disabled)
With the KB in the area we wonder will the allied command fight or run!
These fighters were an indication of a British CV!
Historical Fact
Royal Navy "Martlet"
A modified version of the U.S. Navy's F4F, the Grumman Model G-36A provided the Royal Navy with its first high-performance single-seat monoplane carrier fighter.
The 100 "Martlet II" and 30 "Martlet III" types had 1,200 horsepower Pratt & Whitney "Twin Wasp" engines, like the American F4Fs. Most "Martlet IIs" also had folding wings. These early "Martlets" had considerable combat service, flying from shore bases and from aircraft carriers.
