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With Canton Island and at Noumea I have forward bases from where patrol planes searching for enemy vessels. So far none of these were spotted, but a few days back an enemy convoy was observed that was moving from Pearl Harbor (or that general area) to Pago^2. Both at Noumea and Canton I have formed small raider squads to intercept such TFs, yet which are fast enough to run if those TFs turn out to have carrier support. The first strike worked out pretty well, although it would have been nice if there were some more Allied ships in the TF. Nevertheless this is a good reminder to Khyberbill to take major detours, which therefore limit all his activities in the far Pacific. For example the defense of Port Moresby. My troops are currently unloading there...

It is quiet in the Pacific. The Japanese 14th Army is still fighting the Allies in the mountains of Mindanao and the Japanese 16th and 25th Army are still battling the Allies at Java. The problem lies with fatigue of my troops, which are taking a rest. The 38th division arrived at Port Moresby unopposed, yet wasn't able to take the base immediately. Now the Allies are sneaking reinforcements in. I have fightercap over Port Moresby to intercept transports and my torpedobombers once in a while sink a transport. B17s raided PM for a couple of days but after I put up a fighter cap, they dissapeared pretty quickly even without scoring any hit. I'm landing lots of troops at Buna, who will march to PM and hold a path of retreat which hopefully will not be necessary for quite a while.

It is june and it seems that the war in turning alive in the Port Moresby area. The Allies have a lot of fighters in the region and have their heavy bombers in place. Occasionally also battleships make it to PM. They do not do a whole lot of damage to may troops, which still have plenty of supplies. Nevertheless taking PM without further reinforcements seems illusive. For now I'm doing nothing. KB is being upgraded and I'm saving fuel. I'm increasing my figher cap over New Guinea though. A squadron of Zeros and the first squadron of Nicks will arive at Rabaul in a few days...

Night Naval bombardment of Port Moresby at 98,130

Allied Ships
BB Warspite
CA Salt Lake City
CA Pensacola
CA Louisville
CA Houston
DD King
DD Sands
DD Stuart
DD Clark
DD Jarvis
DD Patterson
DD Henley
DD Ralph Talbot

Japanese ground losses:
87 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

BB Warspite firing at 144th Infantry Regiment
CA Salt Lake City firing at 38th Division
CA Pensacola firing at 10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
CA Louisville firing at 38th Division
CA Houston firing at 38th Division
DD King firing at 10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
DD Sands firing at 10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
DD Stuart firing at 38th Division
DD Clark firing at 20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion
DD Jarvis firing at 38th Division
DD Patterson firing at 38th Division
DD Henley firing at 38th Division

Afternoon Air attack on 144th Infantry Regiment, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 2

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 25
P-40E Warhawk x 3
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

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

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
5 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
4 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det A with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (1 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 18000
Raid is overhead

Also attacking 87th Naval Guard Unit ...
Also attacking 38th Division ...
Also attacking Kure 5th SNLF ...
Also attacking 144th Infantry Regiment ...
Also attacking 87th Naval Guard Unit ...

Afternoon Air attack on 38th Division, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 2
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 41 minutes
Afternoon Air attack on Kure 5th SNLF, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 4
P-40E Warhawk x 4
F4F-3A Wildcat x 1

No Japanese losses

No Allied losses

Aircraft Attacking:
4 x B-17D Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

CAP engaged:
3rd Ku S-1 Det B with A6M2 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 18000 , scrambling fighters to 10000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 17 minutes

Afternoon Air attack on Yokosuka 5th SNLF, at 98,130 (Port Moresby)

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 12 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6
P-40E Warhawk x 2
F4F-3 Wildcat x 2

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:
6 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 10000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

Although the Allies have quite a cap over Port Moresby, my aircraft easily pinched through. Carriers are on the way though...

Morning Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 98,130

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 58 NM, estimated altitude 24,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12
A6M3 Zero x 6
G4M1 Betty x 9

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 19
F4F-3A Wildcat x 5
F4F-3 Wildcat x 5

No Japanese losses

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

Allied Ships
xAK Cardross, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
DD Maury
xAK Autolycus, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk

Allied ground losses:
394 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 20 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (3 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x G4M1 Betty launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp

CAP engaged:
VMF-111 with F4F-3A Wildcat (5 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
5 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 20000
Raid is overhead
VMF-121 with F4F-3 Wildcat (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 5 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 31000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
49th FG/7th FS with P-40E Warhawk (2 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
2 plane(s) intercepting now.
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 4 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 20 minutes
8th FG/35th FS with P-40E Warhawk (6 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
6 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead
35th FG/41st FS with P-40E Warhawk (7 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(2 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
7 plane(s) intercepting now.
Group patrol altitude is 10000
Raid is overhead