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23 Jul 43

6 Allied cruisers and 2 destroyers bombard Kendari. Walker had wisely pulled out all of his air units, leaving just a few damaged planes on the ground. They were damaged some more. Over 500 casualties caused, moderate to severe damage to the airfield, and some port damage.

A US Corp HQ is successfully unloaded at Munda by APAs.

PT boats, based at Vangunu, made a run to Torokina, and find a single patrol boat. The PT boats get 6 gun hits on the enemy ship, doing very minor damage. PT boats will return to base, passing thorugh Buin on the way, where I see a couple of ships today.

Today was sub Grayling's day. Near Manus, northwest of Rabaul, Grayling finds a task force with a patrol boat and an xAKL. First, 2 torpedoes hit xAKL Gyoun Maru, undoubtedly sinking it. Grayling then immediately makes another attack, and gets a torpedo hit on PB Shuko Maru #5, probably sinking it also.

B-25s bomb enemy troops at Koepang again. Enemy flak here is tough. 4 flak units are here, including one of the big units. I lose a plane or two to flak with most every strike.

Lots of heavies bomb Kendari's airfield.

US troops attack again at Koepang, get 1 to 1 odds, and reduce the forts to 1. Over 2000 enemy casualties, with 741 US. Normally I would reattack immediately, but I notice an increase in the troop strength here and the number of units. Unfortunately, the units that were kicked out of Dili long ago just arrived from their long walk through the jungle. With high fatigue and disruption, I'll rest a few days. Koepang will still be captured, just not tomorrow. Koepang still has supply.

Yesterday US troops captured Makassar. Today they eliminated all enemy units still at Makassar. The Japanese 9th Infantry Regiment is no more. About 3000 casualties.

Today the Makassar support units will arrive and unload, with the battleship Prince of Wales and escorts guarding Makassar. Allied carriers will be one hex away to the east, flying ranged CAP.

I'm sending significant base support units to Palopo, northeast of Makassar. The ships will move to Kolaka today, to be guarded by CAP, and then move to Palopo tomorrow.

I got SigInt that the 33rd Regiment is moving to Ternate. Ternate is a future target, but not my next target. I'd like to build the bases that I now have on Celebes to support a move to the north part of Celebes, and to Balikpapan and Ternate.

24 Jul 43

US YMS continues to sweep mines at Koepang.

PT boats pass through Buin and find an xAKL, hitting it 7 times with guns, but doing no noticeable damage.

My big effort at Mandalay turned out poorly. The CAP was heavy, with 19 Zeros, 38 Oscars, and 27 Nicks. Early sweeps by P-40Ks and P-39s took heavy losses. Bombers then hit the airfield, taking heavy damage from CAP, but not too many planes lost. A late sweeps by P-39s and P-40Ks did very well.

Allied carriers will move southeast toward Timor. Kendari will be bombarded by the Prince of Wales task force. Cruisers will start shuttling from Lautem to Koepang, bombarding the base.

A number of fighter squadrons, including P-38s and P-47s, will sweep Boela.

25 Jul 43

Prince of Wales, 5 cruisers, and 6 destroyers bombarded Kendari, with very good results in the clear terrain. Allied troops are marching from Kolaka to Kendari.

Two cruiser task forces bombard Koepang, with good results. All bombardment groups are basing out of Lautem, where I have plenty of AKEs. They can bombard Koepang daily, if I remember to put them on refueling orders. Forgot to do so with Prince of Wales. Allied troops at Koepang will attack, knowing that the enemy is a bit stronger now, with troops arriving from a long retreat from Dili. No matter, the base will be taken, sooner or later.

A third US infantry regiment is delivered to Munda. US troops will attack today.

P-47s, P-38s, and F4Us sweep Boela, with excellent results. Air losses are 27 Nicks and 10 Oscars for the price of 5 P-47s and 1 P-38.

B-25s bomb enemy troops at Kendari.

Some heavies bomb enemy oil at Magwe. Fewer than 10 oil are hit today, in thunderstorms, and against a moderate CAP. Flak was tough, tougher than the last raid. More AAA may have been shipped in.

Today a lot of shipping heads to Darwin, including the Allied carriers.

Intel confirms the sinking of Shokaku in the carrier battle north of Denpassar.

SigInt still shows the enemy Southern Army HQ prepping for Calcutta, which is bogus, but importantly, it shows the info for a fragment of the HQ. The HQ has been at Singapore, and is undoubtedly being loaded on ships. Its destination will tell me a good deal about Walker's intentions. I don't know what the destination is right now.

Probably no turn today from Walker.

I spent some extra time planning. I think that Boela will be the next target. It will be a fairly easy landing. Ambon will be suppressed. The only sizable enemy airfield in range will be Sorong. With carrier support, landing shouldn't be a problem. The Americal Division will be used. It is about to be picked up at Townsville to travel to Darwin, then combat load for the invasion.

This will give me 10 days or so for ships to do minor repairs at Darwin.

I considered going for Ternate or Manado or Balikpapan next, but I will wait until after Boela. My airfields aren't built on Celebes yet. It would be nice to have some land based support.

After taking Denpassar, I've intentionally not gone to Java. Walker has definitely reinforced here, as I figured he would. New troops have been sent to Batavia. There's a tank division on Java. And now Soerbaja has 223 fighters and 88 bombers.

I've pulled all of my air power out of Denpassar. I would have to really load up the airfield with CAP to protect it, and then his battleships would bombard easily from Soerbaja. Of course, he's had a problem with destroyers hitting mines at Denpassar, so he might be a little reluctant to do that again, but with the chance to take out a couple of hundred planes, he would do so.

So Denpassar is currently just there for him to target. Anything short of a counter invasion doesn't bother me. It has his attention.

Once Koepang is cleared, the two divisions there will start prepping for new targets. Probably on Mindanao.

At some point, the US division at Makassar, and support, will land at Banjoewangi, on the eastern tip of Java. They will take the base and hold. I hope to draw in enemy troops to that area. There are mountains between Banjoewangi and Soerbaja that I absolutely know that Walker will reinforce and hold. They are great defensive positions. After I see enemy troops there or approaching Banjoewangi, then I will invade Soerbaja directly with the huge Chinese corp and a couple of Indian divisions, and lots of support. By the time this happens, US troops may augment this move.

So my attacks at Koepang will continue, and troops still march to Kendari from Kolaka. The fleet will generally rest a bit, other than bombardment task forces used for those attacks.

Thanks for the update again.

I try to place myself in your shoes... so very interesting...

--

Ambon / Boela / Ternate seem like a bit of a priority ?? No ? Differing opinions ?

You have mentioned a strong left shoulder (Denpassar) but I assume these three bases: (1) give you a strong right shoulder from attacks sourced from Truk / Rabul / Pelieu ? (2) allow you to turn the corner - or at least threaten to turn the corner on Sorong and Hollandia ?

Don't those three bases sort of offer the trifecta ? Arm / Shoulder / Neck...

Again I realize the progress in the Coral Sea is strong / slow / secondary but I assume there are assets that direction to threaten you.

Sorong is being prepped for. That would come after Ternate and Boela. Being on the northern tip of New Guinea does threaten to the east. Babeldaop could be targeted. So could the coast of New Guinea, from the top down. Not in my plans though.

I have feared that Walker could do something big at Milne Bay. Rabaul is still loaded with troops, and lots of planes, and a cruiser task force. Lots of smaller ships. But no sign of offensive activity. I have been doing recon of Truk almost every day, and it has become a bit of a backwater port. Not a lot of troops, planes, or ships. And not much coming and going. Walker has a task force there that never leaves. Support ships, like AEs. I think that my regular recon has him fearing a port strike here.

I don't see anything happening here. That may change when I invade Buin and Torokina, but maybe not. From those bases I will be able to sweep Rabaul. Combined with the usual heavy bomber attacks, Rabaul will become worthless to the enemy. Just the threat of the attacks will do that. I'm considering a landing at Kavieng after Buin and Torokina, to isolate Rabaul.

Sorong will hold the right shoulder, Denpassar the left. The priority will be north, toward Mindanao and progress up the eastern coast of Borneo. I would be extremely happy to be on Mindanao at the end of 1943.

I think that Walker is loading up Java and Sumatra, and some on the northern part of Borneo. I will give battle on Java, eventually, and I'll even accept a bit of a stalemate there. I will encourage him to reinforce more. It may look like he has stopped me there, and that I didn't send enough forces to do the job, but I'm heading to Mindanao. I'll take what I can get in Java, but I want to tie down forces there.

ORIGINAL: apbarog

Sorong will hold the right shoulder, Denpassar the left. The priority will be north, toward Mindanao and progress up the eastern coast of Borneo. I would be extremely happy to be on Mindanao at the end of 1943.

Great explanation.. thanks [8D]

As I think of it more ... you have a winning strategy..

Any and all re-allocations to stalemate you are: (1) subject to loss in transportation (2) troops from a front where you are committed to strong / steady / slow advancement and (3) potentially doomed to failure unless he can "bring enough" to be a stopper... without much of the KB to support.

Very wickedly methodical of you [8D]

Remind me not to challenge you once I learn to master this game [:D]

My thinking is that Japan cannot effectively counter the island hopping strategy, where the Allies land on islands that they can take, and avoid the islands that are heavily defended. They can, however, fight a tough battle on the bigger land masses, like Java and Mindanao. Using terrain, Java could be very tough to take, without a huge Allied commitment.

So I've taken Timor and islands nearby, up to Denpassar, landed on the southern part of Celebes, where the defense was not strong, and will go as briefed earlier. Since I want to go to Mindanao, it would be nice if Walker reinforced Java instead. Mindanao could be tough also. Hopefully I'm moving quickly enough to avoid a huge defense.

If I see that Mindanao is going to be too tough, I'll adjust and go to Jolo and nearby islands, and approach Mindanao and Luzon from the islands to the west and southwest. As always, big Allied air bases equals game over.

(Picture is of B-29s on Saipan)

26 Jul 43

Two Allied cruiser task forces again bombard Koepang with weak results this time.

Sub Mingo finds an xAK task force near Shikuka, on the resource route from the north of Japan. 2 torpedoes miss.

APAs heading home from the Celebes stop off at Koepang and unload some supply.

All mines are swept from both Koepang and Kendari today.

P-47s sweep Boela, again, accidentally. No CAP today.

B-25s bomb troops at Koepang. Heavy rain means little damage done.

Allied troops attack at Koepang, get 1 to 1 odds and drop the forts to 0. Enemy casualties are 1501, with 20% destroyed squads. Allied losses are 429. I could have attacked again, and may have been successful, but I decided to rest one day, with my infantry divisions having over 50 disruption. Base will fall the next day, I think. Steady bombardments have to be helping the enemy disruption.

3 US regiments attack at Munda, getting 1 to 1 odds and reducing the forts to 2. 729 enemy casualties to 190 Allied. We reattack today.

Allied carriers will make it to Darwin today.

The following carriers are now listed as sunk, with only Hiyo being unconfirmed:

Akagi
Shokaku
Hiryu
Soryu
Hiyo
Junyo

27 Jul 43

Sub Harder spots I-168 south of Mindanao, but 2 torpedoes miss.

A US cruiser task force bombarded Koepang in preparation for a deliberate attack.

Sub Pompon spots an odd task force south of Cam Ranh Bay. 3 tankers with 3 light cruisers, 5 destroyers, and 2 subchasers. Torpedoes miss a destroyer.

Munda is captured. Cleanup operations begin immediately.

Lots of combat ships disband into Darwin's port in order to fix up some system damage.

The Americal Division begins loading at Townsville to head to Darwin. It will invade Boela.

28 Jul 43

Sub Mingo finds an xAK task force in the waters north of Japan. 2 torpedoes miss xAK Nitiren Maru.

The Allied attack at Koepang went at 1 to 1 odds and lowered the forts to 0. 1717 casualties for the Japanese, 529 for the Allies. With disruption around 50 again for the attackers, we'll rest for one day. Then the base may fall. Ship bombardments will continue.

US troops attack again at Munda. 2 of the 4 enemy units are destroyed by attrition after the combat. With no engineers here at the newly conquered base, some are being loaded at Luganville for deployment here.

Ships continue to repair at Darwin. I'm sending battleships North Carolina and Washington to Sydney for an upgrade and repairs. The upgrade requires a size 5 shipyard and won't cause any FLOT damage, so I "think" that the ships can upgrade at Sydney, even though the shipyard is too small for the ships. I am basing this on heresay, so I can't be sure if this is the case. North Carolina does have some damaged small AA that needs repair too.

Troops continue marching to Kendari. Kendari is now cut off completely.

Namlea, adjacent to Ambon, will be invaded by paratroopers. The Indian 77 LRP Brigade will drop in, using 118 C-47s flying from Saumlaki. The base will be bombarded by ships and troops will be bombed by B-25s.

apbarog: so I "think" that the ships can upgrade at Sydney, even though the shipyard is too small for the ships.

This is correct. As long as the upgrade does not involve flotation damage the ship does not need to use the drydock. Think of the Shipyard level 5 requirement as being for cranes and machine shops.

I must say this is going rather well here in the DEI .. at some point the IJ have to build a line of defense. Do you plan to breath that line . or find the next place to shake the bowel of jello ?

Boela is next. Then a combined operation for Ternate and Manando, along with a para drop on Talaud-Eilanden. Then probably Balikpapan and Samarinda, then Ambon. Then the operation for the tip of Java and the big Indian/Chinese invasion of Soerbaja, if conditions are right. In the meantime, stuff is prepping for Mindanao.

All of this assumes that Walker does nothing, of course, which is not a wise assumption to make. He has to be aggressive somewhere. He has to. It could be that he thinks that he is being aggressive by reinforcing Java. His carriers haven't been seen in a long time. They could be in Japan. They could be anywhere. But lately I've been able to just move from one operation to the next, helped with heavy bomber support in most cases.

It will be looking pretty bad for the Japanese if Balikpapan falls in about a month. And if I get bases on Mindanao by the end of the year, this whole thing could be over before 1945.

He has to strike somewhere and try to upset my plans. In my opinion.

29 Jul 43

Southwest of Manila, sub Salmon spots a tanker convoy, lines up the small tanker Chinkai Maru, gets a torpedo hit, but it is a dud.

Kendari is bombarded by 2 US cruisers and 6 destroyers. Results are very good. Over 700 casualties and moderate airfield damage.

Namlea is bombarded by 6 cruisers and 2 destroyers. There are 3 small enemy units here. 181 casualties and moderate damage to the airfield and port.

At Loewoek, a small unoccupied base well north of Kendari, and southwest of Manado, a small raiding unit lands by APD. It will take the base today.

Troops at Namlea are bombed by B-25s. Heavies hit airfields at Namlea and Ambon.

Clearing operations on Munda start with a 5 to 1 attack. Enemy losses are 390 with most being destroyed squads. Friendly losses are 234, all disablements. One enemy unit is destroyed by attrition. Just one remains.

At Namlea, the Indian 77th LRP Brigade is dropped by almost 120 C-47s. 3 small enemy units defend.

********************************
Ground combat at Namlea (76,108)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1152 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 88

Defending force 1453 troops, 8 guns, 6 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Allied adjusted assault: 44

Japanese adjusted defense: 31

Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
morale(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), leaders(-), disruption(-)

Japanese ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
77 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
77th LRP Bde /1

Defending units:
7th Indpt SNLF Coy
45th Field Const Co
73rd JAAF AF Bn
**************************************

77 combat value was dropped in the LRP unit. The rest of the unit, with 55 combat value, will be dropped today. I think that the base should fall. Cruisers will again bombard the base before the attack.

A fragment of another LRP unit will drop on the dot base on the same island as Namlea, to prevent retreat.

Allied carrier task forces are forming up and moving to the west of Darwin to disappear from enemy reconnaisance for awhile. The carriers aren't needed until the Boela invasion. Some ships are still at Darwin repairing. They will join the task forces as they get repaired. Most will get completely repaired, some not.

No turn from Walker today. Hopefully tomorrow.

A bunch of CVEs just arrived at Luganville from the West Coast. There are 4 slow battleships with them. 2 new CVs are about a week east of Pago Pago.

One thing that I've neglected to talk about in the past week is the buildup of Allied troops at Chittagong. Many Indian divisions, some Brit, and some Australian troops are marching south from Chittagong now. A small Allied armor unit has held the hex south of Chittagong, but just south of that, on the road to Cox Bazar, is a Japanese armor division, and a few other units. It is in jungle terrain. Lots of troops are headed there now. So many, in fact, that Chittagong was overstacked in preparation.

We'll at least have a battle of attrition here. I plan on fighting for the road to Cox Bazar, and hopefully for Cox Bazar itself.

Inland, 2 small Chinese units have left Ledo, and are proceeding into the mountains to the southeast. They will flank the eastern end of the Japanese line.

I don't expect more than a battle of attrition, but I accept that battle. I'm using lots of restricted Indian units, so I figure, why not. Air units are starting to hit Cox Bazar and Akyab now.

30 Jul 43

Prince of Wales and escorts bombard Koepang effectively.

Namlea is bombarded by two separate cruiser task forces, with moderate effect.

Enemy subs have reappeared in the Coral Sea. I-10 spots an AO task force south of Rossel Island, but elects not to engage. Fine with me.

Near Jolo, sub Crevalle finds two ACMs, and hits one of the ACMs with two torpedoes, obliterating it. Don't know which way the ships were going.

Cox Bazar is heavily swept and bombed. No enemy CAP. The enemy tank division is bombed but results are poor in the jungle. No CAP here either.

In a desparate attempt to save Namlea, Walker orders many Nells and Bettys to bomb the Indian paratroopers there. The bombers came a long way, flying from Balikpapan and Soerbaja, I believe. Damage was light to the paras in the jungle. 33 Nells and 41 Bettys attacked.

Heavy bombers hit Boela again.

B-25s hit enemy troops at Namlea, finding 6 Oscars on CAP. Multiple Oscars were downed.

Well out in the South China Sea, between Hong Kong and the Philippines, sub Triton found a huge AK task force. Lots of AKs, and some xAKs. 2 torpedoes miss xAK Brisbane Maru.

Koepang was captured with 3 to 1 odds. None of the enemy troops retreated or were destroyed. The Allied troops will rest a bit, then start to eliminate the enemy in the jungle. A big port support unit is on ships that have been waiting at nearby Roti, and will move to Koepang and start to unload. I list the combat report to identify the enemy units.

***********************************
Ground combat at Koepang (68,116)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 27032 troops, 457 guns, 516 vehicles, Assault Value = 703

Defending force 12850 troops, 215 guns, 105 vehicles, Assault Value = 87

Allied adjusted assault: 337

Japanese adjusted defense: 87

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 0)

Allied forces CAPTURE Koepang !!!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ia Tony: 3 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

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

Japanese ground losses:
1048 casualties reported
Squads: 70 destroyed, 26 disabled
Non Combat: 101 destroyed, 16 disabled
Engineers: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 129 (117 destroyed, 12 disabled)
Vehicles lost 87 (87 destroyed, 0 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
323 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 17 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Vehicles lost 26 (8 destroyed, 18 disabled)

Assaulting units:
24th Infantry Division
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
34th Cmbt Engineer Regiment
1st Marine Division
193rd Tank Battalion
New Guinea Force
98th Field Artillery Battalion
1st RAA Med Arty Regiment

Defending units:
11th Garrison Unit
24th Infantry Regiment
12th Garrison Unit
21st Port Unit
3rd Naval Construction Battalion
14th Garrison Unit
41st Air Defense AA Regiment
1st Medium Field Artillery Regiment
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
40th Field AA Battalion
58th Field AA Battalion
1st Base Force
9th Infantry Regiment
45th Field AA Battalion
14th JAAF AF Coy
2nd Port Unit /1
48th Div /1
16th Recon Rgt /2
20th Infantry Rgt /1
****************************************

Munda continues to be cleared of enemy troops left in the jungle.

With more paras dropped on Namlea, the base is taken, and the enemy destroyed. At nearby Bara to the northwest, a small part of another para unit is dropped, and the base is taken. Support units are on the way for both bases.

The last enemy base on Australia is finally taken. Nookanbah, an inland empty base south of Derby, is taken.

I was surprised to see that Allied carriers were spotted to the west southwest of Darwin today. That area had been a safe spot to hide in the past. I don't know if there is a Glen sub in the area, or if it was just a lucky long range search. Regardless, this may look like I'm moving west, so I change direction, and will move to Gove for awhile. Ship repairs continue at Darwin.

Many US subs are due refit on August 1.

31 Jul 43

Near Jesselton, at the northeastern tip of Borneo, sub Sealion spots a tanker convoy. Probably the same one spotted a day or two ago to the northeast. 2 torpedoes are fired at TK Tsukuba Maru. One hits and badly damages the small tanker. It is possibly sunk. The tankers were not loaded. It appears that Walker is running small tankers from the north coast of Borneo to Manila.

At Munda, cleanup operations continue, and the last fragment of the enemy 21st Division/A is eliminated. The island is now cleared. Support troops are inbound, and the regiments here begin to prep for new targets.

The Allies attack at Koepang with only artillery. The enemy is still numerous here, but having lost Koepang, there's no supply here. The enemy will be around for awhile, but they are doomed.

Allied carriers moved from west of Darwin to east of Darwin, and are not seen. They will continue south to Groote Eylandt, and stay there, hopefully unseen, until the Boela operation.

I've noticed that the enemy troop numbers at Taberfane have continued to drop. I've flown LRCAP over the base from adjacent Dobo, and I have SCs there, hunting for subs. The airfield has been damaged and continues to get hit. But somehow, Walker is still getting troops out. This isn't the end of the world, but I've been trying to prevent this, and been unsuccessful.

With it about to become August, I can start to count down to September, when the torpedo dud rate penalty goes away. I'd always thought that this occurred in October, but a check of the manual shows that it goes away in September. Something to look forward to.

Can Mavis/Emily seaplanes do troop pick-up at night?