15 Feb 44
Submarine Bang hit sub chaser Ch 45 with a torpedo near Toyohara, but it was a dud. No bang. Since the torpedo penalty went away in late 1943, there have been 10 duds out of 123 torpedo hits, for the applicable US subs.
Hong Kong and Foochow were bombarded. Decent damage the enemy. 4 YMS swept mines at Hong Kong. 2 of them were hit by coastal guns and will retire to Takao with 42 and 37 FLOT damage.
Lot of air activity today. 36 Oscars swept Kanhsien and found 19 P-38s. The Lightnings did well. 20 Sallys, 29 Helens and 21 Peggys, escorted by 5 Oscars, attacked troops at Kanhsien. Only 7 P-38s were still on LRCAP. A few Helens were shot down, and the troops got pounded in the clear terrain. Then 20 more Helens and 7 Oscars finding just 4 P-38s. A few Helens went down.
Still at Kanhsien, the US planes then attacked, with lots of B-25s arriving and just 9 Oscars on CAP. Now the enemy troops got pounded.
At Sian, 36 Sonias were escorted by 10 Oscars, and they found 31 Hurricanes on LRCAP over the enemy base. Lots of Sonias downed and some Oscars too, with no Hurricanes lost. More Sonias then arrived, unescorted, and the 18 remaining Hurri's shot them all down.
In the backwater area of Rabaul, Allied planes swept Rabaul for the first time in a long, long time. 16 Corsairs found 36 Tojos, and the Tojos went down in droves. 16 Wildcats then swept and had a bad time with the 11 Tojos still flying. I didn't notice that they were Wildcats and not Hellcats. 14 Spits then followed and did well. P-47s and Thunderbolts then swept but there weren't any Tojos left in the air.
Total air losses were 24 Oscars, 17 Tojos, 14 Sonias and 8 Helens, for the cost of 9 P-38Js, 8 F4F-4s and 2 Hurricanes.
South of Kukong, Allied troops attacked.
Ground combat at 80,58 (near Kukong)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 38695 troops, 296 guns, 149 vehicles, Assault Value = 1301
Defending force 10323 troops, 68 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 339
Allied adjusted assault: 729
Japanese adjusted defense: 439
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), fatigue(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
820 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 96 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
565 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 40 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Assaulting units:
1st USMC Tank Battalion
73rd Chinese Corps
33rd Infantry Division
79th Chinese Corps
I Marine Amphib Corps
205th Field Artillery Battalion
Defending units:
64th Division
Allied troops also attacked at Kanhsien, getting good results from poor odds.
Ground combat at Kanhsien (81,57)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14848 troops, 211 guns, 207 vehicles, Assault Value = 457
Defending force 15078 troops, 87 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 468
Allied adjusted assault: 105
Japanese adjusted defense: 218
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 3)
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
483 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 45 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Allied ground losses:
186 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 43 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Assaulting units:
1st (Spec) Cavalry Division
102nd(Sep) Infantry Regiment
2/5th Armoured Regiment
I US Corps
Defending units:
70th Division
6th Ind.Infantry Brigade
34th Const Co
1st JAAF AF Coy
A big shock attack river crossing at Ichang didn't go well but the Chinese should be able to hold their position in the enemy town.
Ground combat at Ichang (83,48)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 71488 troops, 271 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 2364
Defending force 13113 troops, 121 guns, 24 vehicles, Assault Value = 400
Allied adjusted assault: 214
Japanese adjusted defense: 239
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 5)
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), disruption(-)
Japanese ground losses:
674 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 86 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 2 disabled
Guns lost 6 (1 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
2904 casualties reported
Squads: 11 destroyed, 314 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 36 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 10 disabled
Assaulting units:
18th Chinese Corps
53rd Chinese Corps
84th Chinese Corps
97th Chinese Corps
20th Group Army
Defending units:
34th Division
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
My mini-offensives in central and northern China are meant to keep the enemy's attention there while the Hong Kong/Canton pocket is eliminated. Supply is now plentiful in China, making this possible.
