So far, so good, mussed the captain nursing a cup of Navy coffee while watching his bridge watch go about their duties. His thoughts included being deep in unfriendly waters, the first carrier group to be in Philippine waters since the start of hostilities.... Abruptly, the captain's train of thought was interrupted by the familiar bark of U.S. Navy 5-inch guns.
"Captain, San Diego fired two rounds from her Mount 51!"
"Captain, blinker from San Diego, submarine periscope..."
As the Captain looked towards the slender anti-aircraft light cruiser, a massive explosion erupted on San Diego's far side.
- - - - - - -
When San Diego took the torpedo, my first thought was she is/was only a couple hexes from friendly Batangas, PI and she might make port. Then San Diego took a second fish from a sub-sequent attack and she sank. Then I realized at least Essex didn't eat any fish. The attacker escaped. Grrrrr. This attack was particularly annoying, as USN Fleet Subs Bashaw and Becuna were both lost to IJN ASW three days earlier. So I'm losing track, have I just lost the same amount of or more Subs in the last 2-3 months than the previous 36 months? This is not the way to win a war.
But the Sub War hasn't gone all Japan's way.
US Subs did some work this month, if at the cost of two more Subs. Eight xAKs/AKLs were sunk for 71 VPs with the fat TKs Kokuri Maru (27 pts), Lee Tung (27 pts) and Ichiyo Maru (28 pts) sunk as well.
The war as well has also yielded some prizes. Most notably, Manila is finally back in Allied hands.
The Battle of the Bone-In Islands is in the book. The USN did not fare well.
A small IJN task force was once again detected at HaHa-Jima, and the flyboys didn't seem to be able to get 'er done. So, the Indomitable MTBs of Iwo were once again sent in to investigate and attack. Meanwhile, a Task Force of 10 LSTs with a single escort would dock and unload precious supplies at Iwo. The MTBs made their attack, sinking one "E" Class escort, one AK and seven AKLs (for 14 pts). The MTBs withdrew to Iwo. The Plan called for Iwo's 50 P-47s to provide an aerial umbrella.
That was the plan. Too bad the IJA/IJN didn't get a copy, or maybe they did. Swarms of Myrt and Betty aircraft attacked the two TFs, ignoring the CAP. Apparently, the CAP were too high or some damn thing. All eleven MTBs were sunk, as well as six of the LSTs (29 VPs) from suicide rammings. Several enemy aircraft were destroyed, almost all through the Kamikazi strikes on the US ships. LST-85 has been nominated for a Navy Unit Commendation. LST-85 only sank after the fourth Betty slammed into her. Not sure what a handful of single engine planes and a dozen or two Betty's are worth in VPs
- - - - - -
18 Aug 44
Office of Commader in Chief, Pacific Ocean, Pearl Harbor.
SGT Dominic, USMC, entered the CinC's office and stopped in front of Nimitz's Admin Chief. He proffered a message to the Chief, and then assumed the position of Parade Rest.
Chief O'Connor took the message. "Thank you, Sergeant, that will be all", said the Chief.
Comming to Attention, "Negative Chief, with respect" the Marine replied, and then returned to Parade Rest.
Admiral Nimitz was listening from across the room, and raised his pencil from his paperwork, listening to the exchange, but staying out of it for the moment.
The Navy Chief addressed the Sergeant. "Excuse me, Sergeant?" enquired the Chief. Did you say negative?"
Coming back to Attention, the Marine replied, "Yes Chief, my orders are to wait for the Admiral's reply".
Before the exchange could continue, Admiral Nimitz rose, still holding his pencil. "Sergeant, what, exactly, were your orders"?
Sergeant Dominic did an about-face, and still at Attention answered the Admiral. "Admiral, the Sergeant was ordered by the Communications Officer to deliver the message, and return with the Admiral's reply, no deviations or stops, to or from, Admiral Sir!"
"Read the message Chief", ordered Nimitz.
The Chief began reading to himself and slowly stood. "Admiral, the message says Bedbug!"
The pencil in Nimitz's hand snapped in two.
- - - - -
It happened a few years before and now happened again. You know, those constant messages about ship sightings, usually in light blue color which generally can be ignored. Then there are the messages, "We've spotted enemy carriers", which are almost always true. This time the report came from near Lahina, Territory of Hawai'i.
On 17 August, Japanese carrier borne torpedo and dive bomber aircraft struck three different merchant convoys headed back to the 'States Northeast of the Hawaiian Islands.
Three tankers were hit. SS Gulfking (20 pts) and SS Herborg (23 pts) were sunk with heavy damage done to SS Missionary Ridge. Cargo ships xAK Charles Goodnight (13 pts), xAK Charles John Seghers (13 pts) and xAK Clarence Darrow (13 pts) were sunk. Two days later, crawling towards Hilo, xAK Amerigo Vespucci, (13 pts) having been in the same cargoTF as the other xAKs would succumb to her damage. Incredibly, just like before, the enemy fleet disappeared, almost.
Almost. The next day, a long-range Mariner patrol plane flying out of Pearl Harbor sighted the enemy task force heading Northeast; consisting of one carrier, one battleship, and six destroyers. The hunt was on.
When the Hood had been sunk a little past three years ago, PM Churchill had ordered out a massive "at all costs" hunt for the Bismark. That was nothing compared to the hunt for this latest mystery IJN Carrier.
From NAVSTA Adak, a carrier force of three diminutive CVEs with four DDs and two DEs headed Southwest. Adak also sent eight subs to set a northern net. NAVSTA Midway sent a CVTF composed of CV Essex, CVLs Independence, and Cowpens with a respectable escort of cruisers and destroyers NNW, as well as two subs.
Further south, Pearl sent a CVTF of CVLs Langley (32 Helldivers) and Belleau Wood (36 Hellcats) escorted by BB North Carolina along with cruisers and destroyers. Pearl also dispatched three CVE groups, each with three CVEs and ASW escorts to backstop a 180° search. Pearl further sortied 22 submarines to make a chain connecting to Adak.
Near California, a CVTF with CV Franklin, CVL San Jacinto plus cruisers and destroyers sortied SSW. This TF would set an offset course for Pearl, but more southerly to rendezvous with CV Hancock's TF inchopping from Balboa in a day or so.
So, more or less, three fleet carriers, five CVLs, 12 CVEs, 12 cruisers, at least 50 DD/DEs, 32 submarines and BB N. Carolina sortied to hunt down a single carrier with five escorts.
First airstrikes were exchanged on 23 August. The Japanese aircraft drew first blood.
While the IJN dive bombers and their Zero escort were largely massacred by Belleau Wood's F6Fs, two bombs were planted on North Carolina - ironically wrecking a fair amount of her AA guns, while bombs also hit CLAA San Juan - knocking out some of her 5" guns as well as her RADAR. The pilots scoring the hits did not survive.
For the Japanese, Langley's unescorted (Grrr!) Helldivers were similarly handled very roughly by Carrier Unryu's CAP. However, two 500 lb bombs were scored on the IJN CV as well as two on CA Maya. Only a handful of damaged SB2Cs staggered back to CVL Langley.
With Pearl's CVLs out of strike sircraft, a daring plan was laid. Seeing the sighted IJN battleship was, in fact, a cruiser, damaged North Carolina - the slowest lady in the group would return to Pearl with damaged San Juan and three tin cans. The remainder of the group would head toward CV Franklin and borrow her SB2Cs. Also, the IJN group had changed course from a NE heading NW, towards Alaska. A Surface Group, from Essex's TF, centered on CAs Portland and Chester with six destroyers would try and force a surface engagement.
Fast forward. There was indeed a brief surface clash, though the US came off the worse. Portland and three destroyers were either on fire and/or moderately damaged. Maya put up a heck of a fight. No torpedo hits were scored by either side. But the US heavy cruisers did score a few 8" hits on both CV Unryu and CA Maya. The battered USN surface force headed back to Pearl, while the IJN continued NE.
The next day, USN Carrier aircraft from Essex's Group struck the IJN. There was no Japanese CAP, but these were Essex's nuggets still getting their bearings. Nevertheless, two air launched torpedoes and a pair of 1000 lb bombs struck Unryu causing explosions and heavy fires. Likewise, Maya also took two torpedoes from Avengers, and two 1000 lb bomb hits dealing fatal damage in my opinion.
The following day, USS Sunfish out of Adak, found the IJN group and put two additional torpedoes in to carrier Unryu, causing massive explosions. There were subsequent sinking sounds. Similarly, USS Batfish, also out of Adak fired four torpedoes into the Maya; surprisingly still floating. CA Maya suffered three hits with massive explosions! Batfish was then set upon by the Japanese destroyers. Nearby US subs reported dozens of depth charge explosions and more sinking sounds.
Subsequent air search from Adak only found three IJN destroyers, which subsequently vanished. No further contact with Batfish.
Elsewhere, submarine USS Stingray hit a mine and was subsequently attacked and sunk near the SE coast of Japan. The sole remaining US submarine in Japanese home waters, USS Besugo, would depart Japanese waters and exit without incident.
In more southerly waters, Japanese submarines RO-37 and RO-41 were sunk near Singapore and Panay, respectively. Another IJN submarine was attacked near Guam but escaped. Post War JANAC records would show this was submarine I-3, which sank near Truk. As a bonus. Chinese Calvary troops stormed and captured Hanoi and then Haiphong. Japanese submarine I-48 was destroyed while under construction when Haiphong fell.
- - - -
Stats as of 31 Aug 44
Allied Bases Controlled: 567
Allied Base points: 19,692
Japanese Bases controlled: 295
Japanese Base points: 2,854
"Not much, Joe, leastways not out here. We got traffic saying Pearl had some excitement a week or two ago. Seems some joker dropped the ball and let a Jap carrier group get past Pearl. Here, read this" he said passing the message.
"No shit!, and another brilliant career is headed to recruiting duty in Wisconsin, ha ha ha!"
"Yeah, no thanks. If I screw up that bad I hope I get sent to someplace like Coco Solo - at least there is water there, ha ha ha"
"Carriers, sir", said a petty officer.
"Steady there Radioman, it was only a single carrier...O'Brian is it?"
"O'Bannon, Lieutenant. I wasn't interrupting you sir. We got enemy carriers! Mayday from some ship called the Kenda. Says she's been hit and is sinking. One of them new flying barracks PBMs or whatever it is also called in a sighting. Two carriers, battleship several destroyers NNE of us!"
"Flash traffic to all HQs and commands especially Pirates' Cove - Enemy Carriers North of Luzon, send it in the clear now now Now!"
"So Jack, Wisconsin or where did you say? Ha ha ha!"
"Shut up. Don't you have something better to do?
- - - - -
So, the ever popular "we've sighted enemy carriers" sounded alarm bells, again. The xAK Amos Kendall (13 pts) unloading at Iba, PI (78,75) was notified enemy ships were close via carrier dropped bomb and torpedo hits. She had been under USMC F4U-1 Corsairs flying CAP out of Manila watching for the occassional twin engine Kamikaze bomber. But the 16 Marine fighters were suddenly and massively overwhelmed by dozens of carrier-borne Zero-escorted Jill and Judy bombers. The unlucky cargo ship was smothered in bombs and torpedoes.
But these nautical interlopers, rounding the North tip of Luzon, could not know the true depth or danger of the waters in which they were cruising. This area is not the wide open spaces of the Central Pacific with widely scattered bases with gaps between search areas. These are relatively confined waters, well patrolled, and in the domain of the former pirate haven of Singapore. These are waters under the purview of the combined Allied Navies based in Singapore, including eight CVs, eight BB/BCs, 12 CAs, and 50+ DDs.
At the time of the sighting, a CVTF including Essex Class carriers Yorktown II, Hornet II, Lexington II, with battleships Massachusetts, Alabama, Aussie heavy cruisers Australia and Canberra and a dozen modern destroyers; was nearing the Forward Base of Brunei to take on fuel. After a quick Halsey-style top the tanks and get back to sea port visit, the hunt was on. CVTF Carrier aircraft included 125 F4Us/F6Fs, 94 Helldivers and 53 TBMs. A second CVTF was emergency sortied out of Singapore, aka Pirates' Cove. The second group was formed around Veteran Yorktown Class carriers Yorktown, Enterprise and Hornet, supported by battleships HMS Prince of Wales, the new French Richelieu, a couple cruisers and another dozen tin cans. Carrier aircraft loadouts very similar but a bit heavier in Helldivers since Enterprise's captain preferred two squadrons of DBs. There were also about 40 Allied submarines patrolling the South China sea between the Marianas and Indo-China, without threat of IJN ASW assets. The subs would play invaluable service as scouts, and hunters.
First air assaults happened about halfway between Manila and Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. The IJN airstrike literally flew into a wall of USN Fighters spewing .50 destruction. Only one Jill got past the CAP. Great, I thought. Another flaming Kamikaze. Nope. Yorktown IIs AA gunners nailed it. Whew!
American strike aircraft got a few hits on two carriers and the battleship, but this was just the first round. At least the players were identified. The great cargo ship killer herself, Yamato, was out! I had expected the BB to be Hyuga, but no, the great mammer jammer herself. She was supporting the new carriers Taiho and Amagi, with six destroyers. The second American strike was pivotal. Yamato was hit by several bombs and a couple torpedoes. Both carriers also took a couple bombs and a torpedo hit. But no sinkings. At least not to the next early morning. As dawn broke, two US Subs found the IJN heavies, and just like last month, hits were made and sinkings were heard. But what sank?
I had dashed forward my two BBs, plus the veteran Aussie CAs and all but four of the of the carriers' destroyers to intercept the IJN force. I knew with Yamato, taking at least two torpedoes, would be slower than my South Dakotas. Further, I was hoping to finish the action surface style quickly as the Indo China coast was getting too close and the US groups were now under the IJA airpower umbrella. However, I was kinda hoping the college boys in their birds had indeed trimmed Yamato's claws. I was not real keen on testing Mammie and Big Bama against 18" guns. There were no surface contacts, but the US scout planes from the surface force had kept tabs on the enemy group. The third morning of the hunt, USN strike aircraft only found one fleet carrier with six DDs. The carrier and a destroyer were sunk in this strike. The second daytime strike actually ignored the remaining IJN tincans, choosing instead to bushwhack and destroy a nearby coastal convoy. The victorious US CVTF, after regrouping, returned to Brunei for another top off, while the second CVTF came about and returned to Singapore. Intelligence confirms Yamato, two fleet carriers, a destroyer, and a handful of merchies were sunk for the loss of a couple dozen USN aircraft.
In the Philippines, Japanese forces in Bataan capitulated while fragmented Japanese forces were driven from Laoag, the northernmost city on Luzon. This marks the entire western coast of Luzon as returned to Allied hands. In fact, there are only five scattered and isolated towns in the Northern three-fourths of the Philippines remaining under the Rising Sun flag.
Further south on Mindanao, the U.S. 81st Infantry Division had engaged Japanese construction and aviation troops in Cagayan. The Imperial forces were easily sent packing.
Also, another high point, USS Batfish, presumed lost last month, drifted into Adak (with 65 floatation damage) on the flood tide. She's not going anywhere else, anytime soon. There are also a few other USN subs still limping home from close encounters in Japanese home waters. Dace, was authorized to depart Iwo Jima, now with only 36 Flt damage, bound for ARD attention at Tinian. Tullibee was authorized to depart Adak, to make room for Batfish. She has 31 Flt damage remaining and is bound for Prince Rupert, Canada. Capelin is still tied up in Brunei with 63 Flt damage as she will sink before she can reach any new berth. She is due for a refit March of '45, but the war will be over by then. Just for experience, a Support TF with AFDB-2 has departed Singapore to see what can be done to get Capelin somewhere safer.
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@2.5084 - 1 victory ratio Allied to Japanese
Attachments
Tidying Up
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First Strike
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First Contact
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Last edited by ChiefOC on Wed Jun 12, 2024 8:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This is likely one of the last half dozen reports before this campaign ends.
October 1944 has been a month of land grabbing and consolidating. Mopping up started in The Southwestern Pacific and has been spreading from the Solomons Northwest to the lower southern half of the Thailand/Indochina peninsula.
In the Solomons, US forces are continuing the development of Lunga at Guadalcanal. Notably, the US 32nd ID landed at and took nearby Tulagi. The 32nd is recuperating (R&R) at Noumea, most likely out of the war. Home alive in '45.
To the Northeast, Australian troops, along with Fiji Commandos, finally liberated Finschhafen (adjacent to Lae) and are developing the area in conjunction with the 3rd RNZAF Base Force. This is likely the furthest extent Australia will reach, as I suspect the war to end in about 6 weeks. However, Intel says there are Japanese stragglers/skeleton units NE in Kavieng, so a "humanitarian" relief force may be sent there. Estimated division strength numbers of IJA troops in Rabaul prohibit any consideration of a landing there.
The Phillipines are all but secured. The southern island of Mindanao is completely returned to Allied hands. Moving up the chain, Japan still has an outpost at Puerto Princesa, which will likely be ignored. Everything else has been liberated up to and through Luzon, with a solitary exception. Intel also says there is a full IJA Division at Calapan, and it too is going to be bypassed as not worth the cost to take it.
The apparent vacant island outpost of Batan Island NE, close to Aparri, is being considered as an objective. However, IJA aircraft still swarm over that area. Again, the potential loss of even a couple of troopships would offset any material gain.
Finally, Saigon and all nearby towns have been liberated by US and Commonwealth forces. During these operations, a routine port bombardment of Cam Ranh Bay was conducted. During the attack, Allied floatplanes noted numerous submarines in port, with a few apparently damaged from the shelling. The word was passed to CVTF 99 covering the bombardment. Strike aircraft from Essex Class Carriers Lex II, Hornet II. and Yorktown II claimed over a dozen destroyed IJN submarines while hitting the port.
Stats as of 31 Oct 44
Allied Bases Controlled: 607
Allied Base points: 23,126
Japanese Bases controlled: 255
Japanese Base points: 2,503
USS Herring on station NNE Point India, tracking "new type Hiryu class carrier with two tin cans as escort".
"Fire 3, fire 4" said the captain. "Carrier and escorts still heading towards...
" BLOOM" came an explosion, close aboard.
"Holy Mackerel, one of our fish exploded on it's way" explained the captain, "secure the tubes down scope, helm, 10 degrees down bubble, ahead full. Maybe that squall topside will help hide us.
"Flood negative!"ordered to Exec. "Well, it is Monday skipper, so par for the course," the XO added.
"Aspect to nearest escort changing course towards us captain", reported the sonar petty officer.
Herring was just passing a hundred feet down when the depth charges started exploding. Then the lights went out, and the screams started.
- - - - - -
I had posted four submarine pickets in an arc NW to NE of Iwo Jima as a screen to help track enemy shipping approaching the vicinity. Herring spotted and reported a Hiryu Class CV w/2 tin cans. Similarly, Tambor Class USS Tuna reported a nutso report of FIVE (5!!) carriers with multiple escorts due west of Iwo!! What in the wide world of sports is going on!
Herring fired four fish with no hits. She was in deep water, so I wasn't too worried about the light escort. Wrong. One Japanese DD dropped a lot of depth charges and 3" mortars(?)! Hit after hit, damage to so many systems, then the Sub took a critical hit, and surfaced! I then cowardly clicked the "X" in the upper right corner so I wouldn't have to watch the coup de grace. No sinking sub sounds! Post Combat report cited 19 hits to the Sub. At the end of the turn, I looked for Herring. Amazing, she was still swimming. All her stats - sys, float and Eng - were red, speed 3(?) knots.
Tuna didn't even get off a shot before also being aggressively depth charged. But she also still swims. Tuna is presently bound for Pearl with 12 Floatation and some sys damage, but I might route her straight to San Fran. She is due to stand down in 117 days. Post Combat report noted four (4!) CVL/CVEs in the IJN task force Tuna tangled with.
So, once again, All Hands on (Flight) decks to unphuq this thing. The first victim of this latest IJN Carrier assault was an unescorted convoy SSW of Iwo Jima with ten LSTs loaded with supplies from California, bound for the Philippines. All 10 were lost, but curiously, they were all sunk via Jill (?) DB Kamikaze attacks. Nearby at Aparri, PI, big fat APAs J. T Dickman (31 pts) and Henry Allen (31 pts) were likewise sunk by Carrier bomber Kamikazes. Further west, while unloading the last part of their supplies for just disembarked Seabees, AP Troopships USS Pres. Fillmore and Pres. Tyler were also sunk by carrier borne Kamikaze attacks. Other vessels in the area seriously damaged included CLs USS Miami, St. Louis (CLAA), DDs USS Bronson, USS Franks and AKA Algol. I feared for Miami because she was getting a severe drubbing and then half her float planes flew off her, never a good sign. But Miami would survive to at least make it to the Manila shipyard. [ Dockmaster says two months for her repairs. But war should be over first.]
In all several warships damaged from light to serious with nearly two dozen ships sunk in the IJN Blitz. While IJN losses totaled @20 fighters (some Kamikaze) and @70 dive bombers! To paraphrase Adm Nagumo (original Midway film), all these DBs could not be from one carrier! Indeed, maybe there are 5(?!) IJN bird farms on the hunt! They no doubt still have "sorties" on hand, but the IJN carriers gotta be running out of attack birds!
sequent attack and she sank. Then I realized at least Essex didn't eat any fish. The attacker escaped. Grrrrr. This attack was particularly annoying, as USN Fleet Subs Bashaw and Becuna were both lost to IJN ASW three days earlier. So I'm losing track, have I just lost the same amount of or more Subs in the last 2-3 months than the previous 36 months? This is not the way to win a war.
next to the coat rack by his desk.
; Julia Child
To paraphrase Adm Nagumo (original Midway film), all these DBs could not be from one carrier! Indeed, maybe there are 5(?!) IJN bird farms on the hunt! They no doubt still have "sorties" on hand, but the IJN carriers gotta be running out of attack birds!
