Matrix Games Forums

August 14, 1943

Location: 280 miles east-southeast of Iwo Jima
Course: South
Attached to: TF 46
Mission: Transport
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 418

Orders: Escort tankers to Truk

---

The short-tailed albatross bobs among the waves, waiting for a fish of suitable size to come unwarily near the surface. The bird is quite alone on the wide, wide ocean. It and others of its kind spend years entirely at sea, returning to land only rarely to breed.

The bird, however, is not quite as alone as it thinks. As it paddles slowly along, head erect and alert, it is spied by a lookout aboard tanker Arima Maru. The lookout, more alert than knowledgeable, announces that he has just seen a periscope some 850 meters to port.

The bird hears a distant whooping noise, quite unlike the call of any bird or animal the albatross has ever heard. It turns it’s head in alarm and sees a hard-charging Japanese destroyer pointed straight at it. White water cascades away from the ship’s flaring bow.

While Hibiki charges the contact the crew of Arima Maru’s 3” deck gun swings enthusiastically into action. The gun booms, and suddenly the ocean trembles around the bird as a geyser of water erupts some 50 meters away.

That’s enough for the albatross. With an alarmed squawk it beats its wings and begins to pick up speed. It takes the large bird some time to get airborne, but it does so unmolested and is soon flying off to some quieter part of the ocean.

---

Hibiki’s bridge crew gets a good laugh out the incident afterwards. False sighting reports are not unknown, and they have at times attempted to make war against whales, dolphins, and floating logs.

“Of course,” points out Ensign Izu, “we really should arrest ourselves.”

“Arrest ourselves?” asks Lieutenant Sugiyura. “Why should we do that?”

“That was a short-tailed albatross,” explains Izu. “The Japanese government banned hunting them back in ’33. There are very few left.”

“Then I am glad that one got away,” says Captain Ishii with a laugh. “I would hate to spend the rest of the voyage in the brig.”

“Besides,” says Sugiyura, “is it really hunting when you do it with naval cannon?”

“That’s a good point, Lieutenant,” says Ishii. “And perhaps we should send a message to Arima Maru to switch to bird shot. It might improve their chances of hitting something.” *


*Author’s note: Captain Ishii is unaware at this point that the Imperial Japanese Navy will in fact eventually deploy the 18” san shiki anti-aircraft shell, which might in fact be considered birdshot of a sort.

Good thing they didn't hit the thing. Terribly bad luck to kill albatrosses...[:D]

Yes.....'Tis an ancient mariner that stopeth one of three
          By thy long gray beard and withering eye
          Why wherefore stopeth thou me?
 
          There was a ship quote he.......
 
           you know the rest:).
 
My aplogies to Mr. Colerigde, if I misspoke my lines.  It is no fault of his, but only that of an aging memory.

August 15, 1943

Location: 300 miles northeast of Pagan
Course: South
Attached to: TF 46
Mission: Transport
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 389

Orders: Escort tankers to Truk

---

The convoy reaches the halfway mark of its journey without yet encountering any enemy submarines. The weather, already warm as they departed Tokyo, grows warmer. No word reaches them of what might be happening with the fleet at Truk, but it seems certain that the fuel the convoy carries is still badly needed. With this in mind the tankers and their escorts beat steadily southwards. Truk is now five days ahead.

August 16, 1943

Location: 300 miles east of Saipan
Course: South
Attached to: TF 46
Mission: Transport
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 361

Orders: Escort tankers to Truk

---

The heat strikes Midshipman Tanabe like a blow when he enters the companionway. By the time he reaches boiler room number two he is sweating profusely. Tanabe has been sent to retrieve some fuel consumption reports from Chief Engineer Sakati, and he looks around through the noise and activity for engineer.

There are three crewman on duty here, all of them enlisted men. To Tanabe’s horror they are not only out of uniform, they are hardly wearing clothing at all. The nearest man is peering at some gauges next to a loudly hissing valve. The man frowns, taps a gauge with a wrench, then nods in satisfaction at something he sees.

Tanabe steps up to him. The man finally notices his presence and comes to attention. He is wearing a t-shirt, briefs, and shoes. The shoes seem almost incongruous, but Tanabe can feel heat radiating from the floor through his own shoes. Tanabe feels such indignation at the fellow’s appearance that he forgets his errand for a moment

“Sailor, do you consider this proper attire?” he snaps. The sailor looks at him.

“Uh, sir, yes sir,” the man says. “Your uniform looks quite nice, sir. Very white.”

“Not me, you idiot!” Tanabe says. “Your uniform. Or your underwear, I should say.” The man looks down at himself. He is quite grimy.

“I don’t understand, sir,” he says. Tanabe grimaces. They trust this imbecile to help keep the ship’s boilers in working order?

“What is your name, sailor?’ he barks. “I am putting you on report for…”

“Is there a problem, Midshipman?” comes a gruff voice from behind him. Tanabe turns and sees Lieutenant Sakati standing behind him. To his dismay he sees the chief engineer is hardly better dressed than the sailor, though he does have uniform “tropical duty” shorts on. Tanabe comes to attention and salutes. To his discomfort he can feel sweat building up under his cap. A trickle runs down into his left eye just as he salutes.

“Sir, this man’s uniform is…well, nonexistent, sir,” he says.

Sakati nods kindly. “Midshipman Tanabe, is it?” he inquires. “Just out of the Naval Academy, correct?”

“Yes sir,” says Tanabe.

“Tell me, Midshipman, when and where did you take your training cruise?” Sakati asks.

“This past winter, sir, in the Sea of Japan,” says Tanabe. Sakati nods.

“I see,” says Sakati. “Well, lad, it is what, thirty one degrees topsides right now?” *

“Yes sir,” says Tanabe.

“It’s about thirty-nine and a half degrees down here,” says Sakati. Sweat again courses down Tanabe’s face. More sweat collects under the tightly buttoned collar of his jacket. “And it gets much hotter. I can tell you from experience that a man dressed as you are will last about ten minutes, maybe fifteen, before passing out. Longer if one is just standing there and not actually working, but I think you are perhaps beginning to get the idea?”

Indeed Tanabe is. He feels as though he is beginning to roast. “Yes sir,” he says.

“As a result we who work the engines and boilers aren’t much for wearing proper uniforms,” says Sakati. “It is hard to work effectively when one is unconscious.”

Tanabe is starting to crave water. He almost gets the feeling that Sakati is keeping him standing here near the boiler to emphasize his point, but the older man’s voice remains friendly and informative.

“Yes sir,” he says. “I see have much to learn about some things, sir.”

“Indeed,” says Sakati. “I am sure you will do just fine, Midshipman.” He hands Tanabe a clipboard. “Here are the figures the captain wants. Why don’t you head back topsides now? You are beginning to look a bit flushed.” Tanabe grasps the clipboard gratefully. He snaps a salute with as much vigor as he can muster and almost flees the boiler room. By the time he gets back on deck his jacket is open and his cap is off.


*88 degrees fahrenheit topsides, 103 degrees in the boiler room.

bah -when it reaches 145 f at the watertenders position -then come and talk about it getting hot!

Nice to see the stoker world getting a mention.

ORIGINAL: 1275psi

bah -when it reaches 145 f at the watertenders position -then come and talk about it getting hot!

Nice to see the stoker world getting a mention.

Sakati did say it gets much hotter than that, and it does. He and his men don't get enough attention in this AAR, but that's the nature of the job. It's vital work, especially for a ship such as a destroyer that relies on speed, but it goes on largely unseen and unnoticed. At least until the engines are knocked out in the middle of a battle...

August 17, 1943

Location: 350 miles east-southeast of Guam
Course: South
Attached to: TF 46
Mission: Transport
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 339

Orders: Escort tankers to Truk

---

From the diary of Petty Officer Second Class Taiki Takahashi:

August 17, 1943

We are well on towards Truk now and no sign of trouble. Considering the tales we heard in Tokyo of convoys devastated by submarine attacks it seems to good to be true. Of course, I have already heard whisperings among the crew that this is Benzaiten’s doing. One man even said something about “her hand hovering protectively over us.” Someone else pointed out that Benzaiten is a snake and doesn’t have hands. The answer to that was that the snake is just the symbol of the goddess, who of course can have as many hands as she pleases. I think the Benzaiten idea is just nonsense, but whatever the reason I’m glad things have been uneventful so far.

So far. That’s the thing about war, of course. You can go on for days, even weeks, without a single thing happening, and then without warning you can be plunged from a sound sleep into a fight for your life.

The drills with the gun crew are going well, and I think that by the time we are someplace where there is danger of air attack the crew will be ready. Yesterday a magazine on the number three barrel jammed. It turns out the guide flange was slightly bent. We will have to watch for that, it is not the first time this problem…

August 18, 1943

Location: 435 miles northeast of Truk
Course: Southwest
Attached to: TF 46
Mission: Transport
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 314

Orders: Escort tankers to Truk

---

Message from Southeast Fleet Headquarters at Truk to all Japanese ships in the area:

[font="Courier New"]Very heavy enemy submarine activity has been observed in this area within the last forty-eight hours. This is likely a response to our recent fleet movements. Heaviest concentration of submarines is to the south and southwest, but reconnaissance flights show signs of activity all around the islands. Exercise great caution approaching or leaving area.[/font]

Forshadowing...[:(]

Gulp!

ORIGINAL: tocaff


Gulp!

i suspect you just misspelled "glub"... [:'(]

No, that comes later... first you must swallow the fish. Gulp!

Somebody's gonna hurt someone.
Before the night is through.

I CANT TAKE THE SUSPENSE AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH[:(]

Oh, what are you lads worried about! The Hibiki's group is approaching from the northeast, not the south and southwest. That should lessen the danger, shouldn't it?[;)][;)]

What sub CO would be dumb enough to take on the escorts when there are juicy tankers to be had?  Maybe the AI....

Well, maybe he'd have no choice...

[:@]Hate sub-laid mines...[:@]
Watch out Hibiki-boys! Be carefull...

ORIGINAL: tocaff

What sub CO would be dumb enough to take on the escorts when there are juicy tankers to be had?  Maybe the AI....

I'm not sure I've ever seen an Allied sub go after a Japanese destroyer escorting a merchant convoy. It seems like the merchant ships are always the target.

On another topic, it's been hard to find time to write the last couple of days with the holidays approaching and all. My apologies. It's time we found out what happens to the convoy on approach to Truk.