<takes Nik to the highest building in Seattle and sees if he can fly.....nope, he can't>
March 22, 1942
The Japanese spearhead has moved to within 60 miles of Vancouver; this move and heightened recon efforts by smaller bomb groups intensifies the attacks. Most of the planes in the NW USA fly today through gaps in the horrid weather to punish the Jap Divisions. Morale is generally high in the air groups and the ones that are having problems are rotated south and replaced with fresh groups.
The 3 northern AF are at capacity now; 400 in Vancouver, 450 in Portland and 500 in Seattle. Reserve bases have about another 500-600 planes in various states of repair and morale conditions.
Here are the results of the last two days of strikes against the Jap 14th and 16th Armies:
03/22/42
Day Air attack on 14th Army, at 134,37
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 46
A-20B Boston x 1
No Allied losses
TWO SQUADRON SWEEP FINDS NO JAP AIR COVER OVER FRONTLINE
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03/22/42
Day Air attack on 48th Division, at 134,37
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 25
PBY Catalina x 2
Blenheim I x 2
P-36A Mohawk x 36
P-39D Airacobra x 57
B-25C Mitchell x 75
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
358 casualties reported
Guns lost 18
Vehicles lost 2
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03/22/42
Day Air attack on 48th Division, at 134,37
Allied aircraft
P-36A Mohawk x 51
P-39D Airacobra x 72
P-40E Warhawk x 52
B-26B Marauder x 26
B-17E Fortress x 99
LB-30 Liberator x 29
Allied aircraft losses
P-39D Airacobra: 1 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 5 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
434 casualties reported
Guns lost 20
Vehicles lost 1
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03/22/42
Day Air attack on 18th Division, at 134,37
Allied aircraft
SBD Dauntless x 14
Hurricane II x 29
Kittyhawk I x 15
P-39D Airacobra x 61
B-18A Bolo x 12
A-20B Boston x 14
B-26B Marauder x 42
Allied aircraft losses
SBD Dauntless: 4 damaged
P-39D Airacobra: 13 damaged
B-18A Bolo: 1 damaged
A-20B Boston: 1 damaged
B-26B Marauder: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
294 casualties reported
Guns lost 6
AIRACOBRAS WERE STRAFING ON THIS RUN; LOT OF DAMAGES AND THE UNIT WAS NOT HAPPY. TRANSFERRED SOUTH TO SD TO RECOVER (and to clear all the damaged a/c out of the way for the new group)
Meanwhile, 10000 miles away, the British Commonwealth forces are starting to make their presence felt on the enemy in Thailand (Siam). In addition to the reports below, the 13th Indian Brigade has captured Krung Thep, 60 miles NE of Bangkok. Additionally, British ground forces are at the doorstep of Bangkok to the west:
03/21/42
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,40
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 22
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 54
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 12 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Tomahawk: 1 destroyed, 6 damaged
=============================================
03/21/42
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,40
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 18
Allied aircraft
Vildebeest IV x 11
Blenheim I x 15
Blenheim IV x 55
P-40B Tomahawk x 13
F-5A Lightning x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed, 3 damaged
Ki-15 Babs: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest IV: 2 destroyed, 2 damaged
Blenheim I: 3 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
120 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 33
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03/21/42
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,40
Japanese aircraft
Ki-27 Nate x 5
Allied aircraft
Wirraway x 7
Buffalo I x 10
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
Wirraway: 7 damaged
03/22/42
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,40
Allied aircraft
P-40B Tomahawk x 43
No Allied losses
THE NATES APPEAR TO HAVE LEFT THE BANGKOK AREA FOR THE MOMENT.
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03/22/42
Day Air attack on Bangkok , at 29,40
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 13
Hudson I x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed
Ki-27 Nate: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Hudson I: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
64 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 21
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In the Celebes, outstanding news from the Dutch; their 5 battalions have been able to wrest control of the airstrip at Menado from the Jap SNLF battalions that were holding it.
The ground commander attributes it mainly to prodigous supply for his troops and the relative effectivness of the DAF in the ground support role.
03/21/42
Ground combat at Menado
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 5569 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 3922 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 0)
Allied forces CAPTURE Menado base !!!
Japanese ground losses:
256 casualties reported
Allied ground losses:
126 casualties reported
Guns lost 7
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03/21/42
Day Air attack on Sasebo 1st SNLF, at 39,67
Allied aircraft
Brewster 339D x 10
Martin 139 x 26
Hudson I x 1
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
71 casualties reported
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Martin 139 bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Martin 139 bombing at 2000 feet
5 x Martin 139 bombing at 2000 feet
7 x Martin 139 bombing at 2000 feet
4 x Martin 139 bombing at 2000 feet
April approaches, bringing new hope to the Alliance. New AAA mounts are moving by rail to the west coast repair yards; more new air groups are forming in the east every day (note, was worried about some of the groups that were scheduled as B24D earlier; worry has been reduced, as they fit out with LB30 instead, due to the unavailability of the 24D model). No new ground forces though; the German offensive in the North African desert has the Combined Chiefs worried and ground forces are slated to ship to Europe to forestall the collapse of the British position there. West Coast HQ is confident that they have sufficient forces to blunt the Jap advance now, though.
Here is a picture of the USS Atlanta, moving to join the Fleet.
