Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Cuttlefish]

June 4, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

The sound of sirens comes thin and shrill across the water. It is an eerie sound in the warm tropical night. Lieutenant Miharu orders combat stations and steps out onto an observation platform, where he trains his binoculars inland and tries to figure out what is going on.

Throughout the ship, and throughout every warship in the harbor, sleeping men tumble out of bunks and hammocks and scramble to their posts. Weapons are manned and the canvas covers are stripped from anti-aircraft guns, which are trained skyward. Everywhere men peer into the darkness for some sign of the enemy.

The sirens stop, and as the noise fades the men aboard Hibiki can hear another sound. It is the distinctive deep drone of American four-engine bombers, somewhere high overhead in the darkness. As the noise gets louder the anti-aircraft emplacements inland begin to fire. It is a battle those aboard Hibiki can hear but not see. Before long the sound of explosions from falling bombs is added, distant but distinct. The scattered explosions go on for a while, and then quiet gradually returns.

The next morning reveals that very little damage has been done. Most of the enemy bombs fell harmlessly into the jungle. There is one bomb crater at the edge of one of the runways, and down in the town a weaver’s shack has been destroyed by an accidental direct hit.

The Japanese are left unsure whether this was an unsuccessful experiment or the beginning of a campaign. As a precaution the Army orders some Ki-45 twin-engine fighters to Rabaul. These have been modified for night combat and the hope is that they will be sufficient to discourage further night attacks. As harmless as the previous night’s attack was, it is recognized that there is no point in letting the Americans keep practicing such attacks until they become proficient.

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Barb

Cuttlefish: I have no words to your outstanding mastery over this story. I am strongly willing to obtain a full copy (signed) of Small Ship, Big War written in a *.doc when it will be completed (after the story ends). 

Thanks for the compliment, Barb. And that’s an interesting idea about printing this thing (I liked Feurer Krieg’s PayPal idea, too, but fear it would not support me in the style to which I would like to become accustomed). If people are still interested when it finally finishes I might consider something like that.

[Cuttlefish]

June 5, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Petty Officer Okubo is in a foul mood. He has just lost half a month’s pay in a card game, most of it to that pet of Shun’s, Takahashi. As he stalks along a street near the docks in Rabaul he thinks of half a dozen ways of extracting revenge on the young PO2 but discards them all. Shun would find out, Shun always finds out everything, and Okubo fears Shun.

Up ahead he sees a work party of sailors from Hibiki. They are wrestling some crates out of a warehouse and onto a hand cart. Their leader is Seaman Ariga, and Okubo’s lips curl in a sneer. Perfect. He dislikes Ariga, and best of all he knows Shun hates him. He doesn’t know why Shun hates him, but the important fact is that if he oversteps his bounds a little bit he isn’t likely to get in trouble for it. And he needs to work off some anger.

The sailors see him coming and snap to attention, but they were concentrating on their work and do it a bit late. Two of them, Ariga and another man, are wrestling a heavy crate into position atop the load and can’t let it go without letting it fall, so they are later still.

“Imbeciles!” snaps Okubo. “Is this how you were taught to show respect? Is it?” He points at one of the men. “Do you consider your response to a superior in any way adequate?” The man stares stonily ahead.

“No, I do not, Petty Officer,” he says. “Please accept my abject apologies.” Okubo snorts. He gestures at the load on the cart, in particular the hastily balanced crate.

“And this!” he says. “What a sloppy job! A bunch of Osaka schoolgirls could do better! Who is in charge of this mess?” Ariga takes a prompt step forward.

“I am, Petty Officer,” he says. “I accept all responsibility for any problems you may find.”

“There are too many problems with your work to list, idiot,” says Okubo. “So here is what you will do. While the rest of these men stand at attention - there, by the street - you will unload this cart and stow its contents back in the warehouse. By yourself. Then you will load the cart again, by yourself, and do it properly.” He addresses the others. “Only when he is finished can the rest of you stand down from attention. Is that clear?” Okubo listens to the chorus of assent and nods, satisfied. He doesn’t know what is in the crates, but it is obviously very heavy.

“I will be keeping an eye on you,” he says. While the other men form a line in the hot tropical sunshine and come to attention once again Ariga begins to take the topmost crate off the cart. His teeth are gritted and the muscles in his neck and arms stand out like knots. Okubo watches for a moment and then walks off. He feels quite a bit better now.

[Cuttlefish]

June 6, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Riku slips out of his hammock in the morning with a practiced roll. He regrets doing so immediately. Every muscle in his upper body screams in protest, and as soon as his legs take his full weight his left calf knots in a charley horse and pitches him to the deck. The pain as his abraded hands contact the deck plates is insufficient distraction from the agony in his calf, and he rolls over and slowly massages the muscle until it unclenches.

From the adjacent hammock Shiro peers down at him, concern on his face.

“You need to go see Lieutenant Nakagawa,” he says. Nakagawa is the ship’s medical officer, and an okay guy. But Riku shakes his head. He slowly stands, gingerly resting his weight on his left leg until he is sure it will support him.

“I’ll be all right,” he says. Shiro looks dubious.

“You are a wreck,” he says.

“Going to Nakagawa would be the same thing as complaining about it,” says Riku with a sigh. “Even if I told him nothing of how it happened word would get around. And you know what Shun would think if he gets the idea that I am a whiner.” Shiro looks frustrated. Two years in the Japanese Navy has not defeated his deeply rooted belief that if one is virtuous one will be rewarded in kind.

“This is not fair!” he bursts out. “Just because you were there when Okubo picked the wrong time to throw his weight around and Shun slugged him, you must suffer!”

“You too,” grunts Riku, rolling his shoulders a little and wincing. “And just because you are my friend.”

“What’s going on?” asks Oizuma, waking up and peering at them.

“It’s a long story,” says Riku. “Come on, you guys, get up. We need to get moving if we want to get any food before we go on duty.”

[princep01]

Hopefully, if Hibiki ever plunges into the depths, Okubo will be the first man eaten by sharks.

[1EyedJacks]

ORIGINAL: princep01

Hopefully, if Hibiki ever plunges into the depths, Okubo will be the first man eaten by sharks.

Nah... The sharks would just have to eat two more sailors to get the taste out of their mouths... And I kinda like the rest of the crew.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish


Reconnaissance photos following the attack on Gili Gili show disappointing results. The airfield is still useable, so sending bombers in to finish the job and restore control of the air over the base to the Japanese would be futile. By this time no one has any illusions about the fate of any force sent against the American gull-winged fighters.

To add to the Japanese woes enemy B-25 bombers struck at the bombardment force as they returned to Rabaul and Yamato suffered six bomb hits. While none of them penetrated the big battleship’s armor, casualties were inflicted and there was some damage topsides.

I imagine the B-25's couldn't carry the 2,000-pounders that far, fortunately for the pride of the IJN. Gili Gili is still operational after two poundings by a pair of 18.1-inch battlewagons? They must have buried the emergency supplies deep.[;)]

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish


Reconnaissance photos following the attack on Gili Gili show disappointing results. The airfield is still useable, so sending bombers in to finish the job and restore control of the air over the base to the Japanese would be futile. By this time no one has any illusions about the fate of any force sent against the American gull-winged fighters.

To add to the Japanese woes enemy B-25 bombers struck at the bombardment force as they returned to Rabaul and Yamato suffered six bomb hits. While none of them penetrated the big battleship’s armor, casualties were inflicted and there was some damage topsides.

I imagine the B-25's couldn't carry the 2,000-pounders that far, fortunately for the pride of the IJN. Gili Gili is still operational after two poundings by a pair of 18.1-inch battlewagons? They must have buried the emergency supplies deep.[;)]

No kidding. There will be more on this issue very soon.

[Cuttlefish]

June 7, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Excerpt from the diary of Petty Officer Second Class Taiki Takahashi:

It had not occurred to me until I heard someone mention it, but today the war is a year and a half old. Eighteen months. That doesn’t sound like a very long time, but somehow it feels almost like forever. I know that when we set out from Mako at the start of the war I expected to be home by now and getting on with my life.

It is strange, but I have changed so much that I have a hard time remembering who I was back before the war. I mean, I can remember what I thought and what I did and what I wanted, but looking back now it almost seems as though it was someone else who thought and did those things.

It does not seem like the war will end any time soon. We all used to talk about when we thought the Americans and the British would surrender, but I haven’t heard anyone talk that way in months. Everyone seems to accept that the war will last for some time. Until both side are tired of fighting and come to some kind of agreement, I suppose. I don’t think that we could invade America and it seems even less likely that they could threaten Japan.

[Cuttlefish]

June 8, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Captain Ishii is ashore most of the afternoon, attending a briefing called by Southeast Fleet commander Vice Admiral Kusaka. Lieutenant Miharu greets the captain as he climbs back aboard ship. Captain Ishii returns his greeting crisply, but the executive officer thinks the captain looks a bit tired and drawn.

“How did it go?” Lieutenant Miharu asks as they stroll along the deck. Captain Ishii sighs.

“Let us say that Admiral Kusaka is not a happy man,” he says. “He has received harsh words from Admiral Yamamoto regarding the failure to suppress the enemy airfield at Gili Gili, and he did not hesitate to pass that displeasure along to the rest of us.”

“Ah,” says the lieutenant. “Does that mean we will be going back?”

“No,” says Ishii, “at least not soon. So far we have lost four destroyers in these attempts and suffered damage to several battleships. The results have not justified the cost.”

“It is not easy to make those runs, opposed by torpedo boats and shore batteries and harassed by enemy aircraft,” comments Miharu.

“It isn’t that difficult, either,” says Ishii. “I’m as baffled as Admiral Kusaka, actually. On the last run our ships had over an hour to make their bombardment, an hour in which they faced no opposition of any kind. Those Ki-46’s flying out of Lae have taken so many photographs of the enemy base that we know their dispositions down to the last latrine.” He stops and makes a gesture to the southeast, in the general direction of the enemy. “We know the enemy has some three hundred aircraft there, with very little room to disperse them properly. Those planes should have been pounded into scrap.”

“So what went wrong, sir?”

“The best guess,” says Captain Ishii, “is that the bombardment group mistook one hill for another when registering their fire. Not too difficult to do, especially at night. Photos taken the next day show that we pounded the hell out of a grove of trees 700 meters southwest of the airfield. You can see, looking at the maps, which hill the bombardment group thought they were looking at and which hill they probably were looking at instead.”

“Unfortunate,” comments the lieutenant. Captain Ishii laughs a little.

“Yes,” he says, “though Admiral Kusaka put it a little more harshly than that.”

[Cuttlefish]

June 9, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 1
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

If the Japanese have been frustrated by the failure of their efforts against Gili Gili it seems likely that the Allies have been equally frustrated by their efforts against Rabaul. Their efforts to bomb the Japanese stronghold have met with a series of problems and disasters that have resulted in a good many lost aircraft but little damage to the Japanese. The failure of either side to damage the other has resulted in an uneasy stalemate, turning the Solomon Sea between the two bases into a kind of no-man’s land.

The morning, however, brings with it a heavy and well-coordinated American air raid. One hundred heavy bombers come in escorted by seventy of the “fork-tailed devils”. These are met by an almost equal force of Japanese fighters, and the result is an epic air battle in skies over Rabaul.

The target is the Japanese airfield. This leaves the gunners aboard Hibiki without targets for their anti-aircraft guns, and so all the crew can do is watch and try to make out what is going on high overhead. Black bursts of anti-aircraft fire mingle with trails of smoke or smears of flame from stricken planes, and here and there a parachute blossoms open. As the bombers pass over their targets explosions and fire can be seen from the direction of the airfield.

The actual attack lasts only a short while, though for those under the bombs it seems considerably longer. The Japanese pilots performed well in the air. They are credited with over twenty kills, most of them against the tough American fighters, while losing only fifteen planes. The bombers do heavy damage, though. The airfield and facilities are damaged, and worst of all over fifty aircraft are destroyed on the ground. The Japanese grimly get to work repairing the runways and scrapping the planes, salvaging what parts they can for the aircraft that can still fly.

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

“It isn’t that difficult, either,” says Ishii. “I’m as baffled as Admiral Kusaka, actually. On the last run our ships had over an hour to make their bombardment, an hour in which they faced no opposition of any kind. Those Ki-46’s flying out of Lae have taken so many photographs of the enemy base that we know their dispositions down to the last latrine.”

An interesting observation: during the war, Allied Intel was able to accurately estimate numbers of Japanese troops at various bases, because the Japanese had a standard procedure about how many latrines to dig per hundred men.

Have I mentioned lately that this is the best written AAR in the Forum?

[Cuttlefish]

June 10, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

The man aboard Hibiki responsible for assuring that the crew has enough of everything from uniforms to food to fresh water is the Paymaster, Lieutenant JG Kataoka. Kataoka is earthy and intelligent, a cheerful and slightly plump man who is good at his job. Right now he is overseeing two sailors who are stowing crates of fresh vegetables in the main galley storeroom.

One of the two sailors is Leading Seaman Ariga. Kataoka thinks quite highly of Ariga. Over the past year Ariga has become his indispensible right hand, and he has come to rely on the young man’s energy and skill. Ariga’s work ethic is remarkable even among the Japanese and he has a real talent for logistics. He also has a genius for ferreting out supplies. Kataoka is convinced that if Ariga was put ashore on a tiny desert island he would come back to the ship with a case of sake, a hundred pounds of canned beef, and several tins of salted sea urchin eggs.

Today, however, Ariga is noticeably less energetic than usual. His movements are slow and careful, almost like an old man’s. Kataoka has been around long enough to know what this usually means. When the work is done he takes Ariga aside.

“Seaman Ariga,” he says, “Are you feeling well?” The young man makes an effort to square his shoulders as he looks Kataoka in the eye.

“Yes sir, quite well,” he says.

“Ah,” says Kataoka. “That is good. If you have your health you have everything, eh?” He gives the sailor a hearty clap on the shoulder. Ariga winces and his breath hisses between his teeth. Kataoka regards him levelly.

“It must have been quite a beating,” he says quietly. Ariga says nothing. “You know I will respect your confidence,” Kataoka continues after a moment.

“Sir, I know you would,” says Ariga. “But you have my word I have not been beaten.”

“Hm,” Kataoka says. “All right. Something happened to you, though. I won’t push it. But if you need any help do not hesitate to talk to me. I do not wish to be deprived of your services, after all.”

“Yes sir, thank you,” Ariga says. “I will.”

“You’re off duty for the rest of the day,” Kataoka says. “Go get in some extra sack time. You do the work of two men as it is, you’ve earned it.”

“Thank you, sir,” says Ariga in genuine gratitude. Kataoka dismisses him and watches thoughtfully as the sailor hobbles off.

[Cuttlefish]

June 11, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

The big American bombers return in the morning, coming in above the sparse cloud cover to try and wreak more destruction on the Japanese airfields. Unlike the raid two days ago, however, this one is unescorted. The Japanese fighters take advantage of this to try and break up the raid before it reaches its target.

It is not a slaughter; the massed defensive firepower of the bombers commands respect. But the enemy losses mount as they near the Japanese base. Of the nearly one hundred bombers in the raid half are shot down or forced to turn back. The remaining bombers execute their attack under pressure and do not succeed in doing a great deal of damage. This is fortunate, since the damage from the attack two days ago is still far from repaired.

[Cuttlefish]

June 12, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Once again the air raid alert is sounded. Shiro runs forward and climbs nimbly up the rungs into the forward 25mm gun tub. Other crewmen pile in behind him and take up their positions. Taiki is already there, helmet on, scrutinizing the sky with his binoculars.

“It looks like they are after the airfield again,” he says as the anti-aircraft guns inland begin to fire.

“They’re becoming persistent, aren’t they?” comments someone.

“Eager to die at the hands of our pilots is more like it!” says another. An American twin-tailed fighter, one wing ablaze, comes slanting down high over the harbor and plunges into the side of Mount Tavurvur.

Unlike the previous day’s raid this one is heavily escorted. The Japanese Zero-sen and Ki-44 fighters are waiting high overhead and ambush the escort, inflicting heavy losses. Only a handful of bombers are downed, however, and those aboard Hibiki wince as they hear explosions and see smoke rising from the direction of the airfields. The raid has obviously done heavy damage.

“The enemy can’t keep this up,” says someone. “They are losing too many planes.” Taiki looks at him.

“Let’s hope so,” he says. “If they knock that airfield out of action the ships here in the harbor will be the next target.”

---

Excerpt from “Japanese Destroyer Attack!” by Shiro Kuramata, Ballentine Mori Press, 1963. Translated by Captain Ben Packard, USN (ret.). Original Japanese title: “Small Ship, Big War”:

The enemy bombing campaign against Rabaul, to which we were just spectators, was the first taste we had of the kind of power our foes could bring to bear on a target. We kept expecting that they were losing too many planes and would have to stop. It is, after all, what we would have to do. But we still had no real idea how many planes the enemy had, how many men and how many ships.

We would learn. At this point, though, it was a surprise to us. The fact that the enemy possessed a ruthless will to win this war equal to our own shook our assumptions. Most of us were still confident of the ultimate outcome, of course. But we began to glimpse what a difficult road we had ahead.

What those of us aboard Hibiki did not know, as we watched the bombs fall, was into what grave danger these raids would soon lead us…

[Capt. Harlock]

What those of us aboard Hibiki did not know, as we watched the bombs fall, was into what grave danger these raids would soon lead us…

Nice little cliffhanger there! I assume the actual game is still considerably ahead of the postings?

[Admiral DadMan]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

What those of us aboard Hibiki did not know, as we watched the bombs fall, was into what grave danger these raids would soon lead us…

Nice little cliffhanger there! I assume the actual game is still considerably ahead of the postings?

Most likely.

The bigger question: Is Hibiki still considerably ahead of the bombs?

[cantona2]

...and i off for a week tomorrow, will i be able to cope without finding out what happens?

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

What those of us aboard Hibiki did not know, as we watched the bombs fall, was into what grave danger these raids would soon lead us…

Nice little cliffhanger there! I assume the actual game is still considerably ahead of the postings?

Yes it is. The current date in the game is July 24, 1943, so I'm almost six weeks behind right now.

[Cuttlefish]

June 13, 1943

Location: Rabaul
Course: Docked
Attached to: TF 36
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders

---

Riku lugs a big bucket of gray paint across the deck to where two sailors are chipping and painting the center torpedo mount. He sets it down on the deck beside them.

“There you go,” he says cheerfully. “You guys need anything else?”

“No, we’re okay,” says one of them. “Thanks, Ariga.” The other man stops working for a moment and looks over at Riku.

“How are you feeling, Ariga?” he asks.

“Just fine,” Riku says. “I just needed a little rest.”

“Good,” says the other. Riku departs, and the two men resume work.

“What happened to Ariga?” asks the first man. The second sailor glances around. He sees no one nearby, but lowers his voice anyway.

“Six of us were ashore the other day bringing some stuff back to the ship,” he says, and proceeds to recount the story. “Ariga damn near killed himself so we wouldn’t bake there in the sun,” he says after telling the tale. “Did the job over almost as fast as the six of us did it in the first place. It was one of the bravest things I ever saw. I really thought he might drop dead right there.”

“He’s a good guy,” comments the first man.

“He is,” agrees the second. “Hey, give me that chipping hammer for a moment.” The two men continue working. Neither of them notices a large, silent figure emerge from the shadow of the nearby anti-aircraft platform pillar and walk away.

---

To the relief of everyone, especially the Korean laborers being driven to repair the airfields, enemy planes do not appear over Rabaul during the day. Some two dozen bombers do make an attack that night, however. They are met this time by Ki-45 night fighters. These manage to harass the enemy bombers enough that all that gets bombed is a patch of nearby jungle.