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And the wolf was among the sheep!

The Japanese had proven themselves masters of aerial warfare so far, but Halsey trumped them as revenging planes from Rabaul, now a major airfield, attempted to strike back but ran into his fighters.

But the Japanese would not be denied and struck again.

And again!

Once again Halsey's aggressive offensive defense came back to bite him. All three of his battleships damaged and it seems now that the Rossel Island attack was merely a feint as Japanese ships steamed towards Port Moresby and Halsey was sadly out of position.

And to make matters worse a troop convoy was hit aggressively in Moresby. Allied land based fighters prove ineffective at stopping them.

Port Moresby unloading troops seconds before the Japanese air raid.

March 27, 1942

Palembang

Wavell had to take the good with bad. Or the bad with the slightly less bad. The Dutch troops on Java were fought desperately and had contained the Japanese.

Singapore still held, but the garrison was almost to the point of throwing rocks supplies had become so scarce. The Admiralty's convoys were steaming south to bring aid to Sumatra and then to Singapore, but the first ships wouldn't be able to enter Singapore for at least a week to ten days yet as the air force and to reestablish parity with the Japanese first.

But now, the worst for last, in a stunning assault the Japanese 33rd Division crossed the river and bested the 1st Burma Division as it was in the process of retiring to Pegu.

And then, in a lightning advance, the 33rd Division entered Pegu and inflicted horrendous losses to the already shattered 1st Burma Division.

Wavell had armored units reinforcing Burma, but he was finding it devilishly tricky to supply with Rangoon's port facilities destroyed by daily bombing.

And despite many sorties from Calcutta and other airfields the bombers couldn't inflict any damage on the Japanese cruisers as they steamed very near to Diamond Harbor.

March 27th, 1942

Perth

The Japanese seem to realize the amount of Allied shipping entering Perth as the Mauritius blocking force engaged their second raider. Australia has a huge thirst for oil and most of that supply is coming from Cape Town. Naval operations off eastern Australia would be seriously threatened if this convoy route were cut.

The Linda

March 29, 1942

South of Milne Bay

Halsey just couldn't help himself. He disobeyed orders to retire and just had to get one more day of air operations in. Japanese ships sighted and he sends his planes off now augmented by the Hornet's obsolete dive bombers.

However, flying the opposite direction are two groups of Japanese bombers looking for Halsey.

The lack of attack coordination by the Japanese allowed Halsey to escape for now.

Some of Halsey's morning raids splinter and find targets of opportunities.

The last morning raid. They better hurry to return and land because Halsey is fleeing!

Halsey's luck runs out in the afternoon when Bettys find the remnants of his SAG. After this final engagement a much depleted USN carrier force returns to the relative safety of eastern Australia zig zagging all the way.

March 30, 1942

Port Moresby

With no Allied ships to attack, Japan flexes her aerial muscles to reduce Port Moresby by bombing day and night.