Battle of Noumea -- An Interactive Story

[SoulBlazer]

Great post, but I made a mistake in my previous postings. I swore that the Lexington was with the Enterprise, but it was the Wasp. Only two carriers. Enterprise and Wasp. Sorry.

Glad to see this finally catching on.

[Admiral DadMan]

Thanks! So tell me, what happened to Wasp?

[SoulBlazer]

Well, that would spoil it, would'nt it?

I have Day two ready to post, which I'll do tommorow (I work nights and have class in the morning). You were dead on with the damage, though -- there were fires but the deck was operational in time to launch planes for the afternoon strike (shown in the combat report allready posted)

[Admiral DadMan]

Ahhhh. Good 'nuff. Until then...

[Grotius]

Well, your AAR mentioned two Japanese pilots by name, one of whom has already told his story. Here's the other pilot's tale. The story has only one part this time, thankfully!

********************************

Lieutenant Joshikai ("Yoshi") Subota, IJNAF, climbed into the pilot seat of his Nakajima B5N and went through his pre-flight checks. The flight crew of Zuikaku buzzed around his plane. Behind him Tamura and Watanabe manned the middle and rear seats, equipped with (among other things) 7.7mm machine guns. Watanabe was an arrogant idiot and a coward, but Tamura was a decent man with good aim. But of course the most lethal weapon on board was the Type 95 torpedo underneath.

He and the other torpedo bombers in EII-3 Daitai launched without incident. The Americans called his plane Kate, as if she were a movie star. Well, thought Yoshi, we are about to become movie stars, in newsreels. We are a group of glamorous girls named Kate, on the way to a date with an American named CL Hobart. We just happen to carry bombs in our purses.

Hobart was the name of the only target that had been positively identified. It was an American light cruiser or some such. A larger, more worthy target would have been more glorious, but that would have to wait. Intelligence had assured them that the big American carriers, Wasp and Enterprise, were partying with geisha girls at Noumea. Before moving to attack Noumea and the flat-tops there, the Empire first had to squash this minor American surface task force.

His squadron leader had argued for a large escort, but his formation of 18 Kates got only 9 Zeroes. They expected no CAP at target -- just flak -- but one never knew. Most of the Zeroes were committed to escort the other formation of bombers: 19 Vals got an escort of 22 Zeroes. This irritated Subota. The Kate was the most fearsome torpedo bomber in the world, but it was no fighter. It was poorly armored and easily outmaneuvered.

The plan of attack, as usual, was to hit naval assets from both sides simultaneously. In Subota's humble opinion, the IJNAF was much better at an organized air attack than its American counterpart. American dive-bombers arrived in dribs and drabs, attacking at random; Japanese bombers carried out their attacks in a more synchronized fashion. This raid, he hoped, would be no exception.

His flight leader took them to a lower altitude and wiggled his wings. Subota peered forward and down, scanning the endless sea. It was getting cloudier, and harder to see. After a moment, he saw the target. As advertised, the main ship seemed to be a light cruiser. But he saw no smaller ships at all. He expected some destroyer escorts or PT boats or sub-chasers. He'd been led to believe this was a minor surface TF, perhaps intended to harass imperial submarines. Something was not right. His leader signalled for a dive, and the other torpedo bombers followed suit. But Subota hesitated.

"Dive!" His crewman Tamura was yelling at him. "Now!"

Subota shook his head. "I want to check for other targets," he shouted back.

"There are no other targets," shouted the coward Watanabe. "We'll lose our escorts!"

But Subota was pointing beyond the light cruiser, at the hazy horizon. "Look!"

His crewmates squinted. In the distance, they saw the unmistakeable outline of an aircraft carrier. Subota changed course toward the carrier. He considered breaking radio silence to seek a fighter escort, but then he saw that a few of the Zeroes and Vals from the original Val formation had also changed course. A jumbled subset of the original strike force was now heading toward the carrier. Presumably the bulk of the force was still focusing on Hobart.

The confusion was compounded by the appearance of new targets: a second aircraft carrier, and at least two heavy cruisers. Subota's new ad-hoc flight group maintained its course for the first aircraft carrier, but already the ships below were maneuvering to protect the carriers. The cruisers interposed themselves, and their anti-aircraft fire, between his new group and the carriers. Suddenly the familiar puffs of flak filled his window. They hadn't yet begun to dive, and already the AA fire was worrisome.

He wanted to climb, or to circle away from the cruisers, to get to the carrier, but the enemy had other ideas. From out of nowhere, enemy fighters appeared around him, filling the skies with bullets. At the same time, the flak intensified, and bits of shrapnel started to hit his plane. He was having trouble maintaining altitude. Now he found himself almost directly over an American cruiser.

"Minneapolis," said Watanabe, peering through binoculars. "A worthy target."

"Enterprise would be a worthier target," said Tamura, as he squeezed off a 7.7mm round at a fighter behind them.

"It will have to be Minneapolis," said Subota. "I can't hold altitude."

He dove. As always, the dive terrified him. The sea rushed up at him, a gray mass of hard water, hard as any rock. Of course, his angle of approach was not as severe as that of a Val, but it was severe enough. His target altitude: less than 100 meters. The flak intensified, and he felt a sudden loss of rudder control. Somehow he got the plane straight and level, altitude 75 meters, 500 meters off the cruiser's port beam. Something was firing bullets at him: shipboard machine guns? He was paid not to care.

They dropped their torpedo into the water just a few meters away from the great armored hull of the cruiser Minneapolis. Subota saw a glorious flash of bright light, and he heard more machine gun fire, and the sound of men dying behind him. He banked sharply away from the cruiser and tried to gain altitude, but he pulled back too far on the stick, and the plane went into a stall. He desperately tried to push the nose back down, but it was too late. He reached for the eject mechanism. The plane splashed into the Pacific with an ear-shattering, bone-crushing roar. He lost consciousness.

He awoke in the presence of a pale white man. An American holding a piece of paper. Subota's English wasn't all it could be, but he could recognize his name on the paper. He saw it in a sentence: "LT Y. Subota of EII-3 Daitai bails out and is CAPTURED."

"Lieutenant Subota," said the man in heavily-accented Japanese. "Let's talk."

[SoulBlazer]

Thanks again, Grotius. The Minneapolis was damaged badly enough that she had to go back to Pearl, but the other CA and CL only suffered minor damage from their bomb hits. I do wonder why the Japanese attack was'nt cordinated, and my PBEM opponent has no clue either.

[DoomedMantis]

Luck of the draw

Also when they only spot a small contingent of a larger TF, especially one with CV's in it, then the attack will naturally be less coordinated.

As the AAR of the Kate pilot summised, they were expected the Hobart, but then found heaps more to attack, as some plans wuold not have seen the CV's they would have seen a CA etc and thought it was a worthwhile target

[SoulBlazer]

Okay, here's another small part -- thanks to all of those who have jumped in and keep it coming!

AMERICAN TASK FORCE
0110 HOURS

All of the planes from the mornings strike had been landed, checked over, and re-armed for a second strike, although there were some problems.

Very few planes had actually been shot down or lost in CAP protection that morning, but a lot more had been damaged. Most of these planes could not be fixed in time to take part of a second strike. Furthermore, the Wasp did'nt have the forward elevator working, and part of the flight deck was damaged, which worked together to severly limit what the ship could actually launch in a short ammount of time, although she had recovered all of her planes without problem. On the Enterprise, which had only suffered one bomb hit, flight operations had not been affected, although the engine was damaged.

Both ships still had small fires raging, and crews were racing back and forth, doing their best to make sure the fires stayed contained, but neither ship was in danger of going down.

Admiral Johnson had more then one asked himself what he was doing out here. Yes, he did like to handle everything personaly, but that's why he had his staff and his Admirals, such as Spurance, who had done a excelent job. Even now the carriers were still sailing south at 20 knots (the Enterprise with her damaged engine was the slowest ship) to close the range for the second strike. Still, during the morning, Johnson had done his best not to speak up except for a couple of times, and had personaly told the Captain of the Enterprise -- and by mail to both the Captain of the Wasp and Admiral Spurance -- that he here for "his own darn joy in seeing the Japs get their butts kicked" and he wanted them to carry on like he was'nt there.

The main reason the carriers were still heading south, luckily almost into the wind, was to close the range. The Americans hd launched their strike first. If they could get the second strike into the air fast enough, they might hit the Japanese carriers before they could launch again. If the reports were to be believed, the Japanese still had one untouched carrier and no teling how badly their ships were hurt. Admiral Johnson had left it in Spurance's hands as to how the ships operated and when they were ready for the second strike.

Finally, after a couple hours, the planes were ready. Although only about half the size of the first strike, they roared into the air, allready having their targets assigned. The best planes were going after the untouched carrier, which was susposed to be a light carrier. The others would try to add damage to to the two big boys.

Admiral Johnson turned from watching the planes to watch to observing a destroyer helping to fight fires on the heavy cruiser Minnanapolis. She had taken a really bad hit and might have to be sent back to Noumea to save her. At the least she was goin back to Pearl. The No 2. Turrent was destroyed totally and the ship belched smoke from internal fires. Near her was the other damaged heavy cruiser, the Australian ship Australia, although her damage was not quite as bad. One more thing the Aussie's can blame me for, Johnson thought with a wry grin. The last ship, light cruiser Hobert, had about the same ammount of damage as the Australia. Both were fit for operations. Johnson realized it must be hard for the dstroyer and the 'Minni' to do damage control efforts at full speed, but they could drop out if need be -- It was Spurance who wanted the fleet at full speed, so full speed it was.

"I wish I could go over to the Wasp" Admiral Johnson said to one of the flight leader commanders, who had been grounded today due to a ear infection, much to his dismay.

"Admiral, with all due respect" the thirty year old man responded, a small smile on his face. "I think Sherman has enough on his plate without you over there. You'd just add to your rep of a Old Man."

Chuckling, Johnson admitted he was probaly right and turned to receive a report just handed to him from a ensign. It seems two Japanese pilots had actually been catured during the battle, and early questioning indicated the Japanese were totally taken by surprise by the prescence of the American carriers, although they were sure they would destroy every ship. Perhaps lady luck had indeed smiled on the Americans. In any case, it was a good sign. Of course, what would happen after punch and counter-punch finished today remained to be seen, but the signs were encourging so far.

He turned to watch the last of the strike planes form up and vanish from the horizon on the clear, hot day then stepped back into the main bridge to look at the newest damage report on the TF. Then, he would go below and talk to the wounded men from the air strike and the bomb hits, try to cheer them up, doing something positive with his presence here. He allready told the staff of both carriers that they were not to do anything special to save his life if it ever came to that. It was his neck out here.

(Note: in case anyone is curious, the Japanese never did manage to get a second strike off for that day. Results of that second strike have allready been posted. None of the US subs I had made contact. Minnanpolis was damaged badly enough to send back to Pearl (about 40 damage) while the other ships had in the 20-30 range.)

Once I get a part from someone, I'll post day two.

[Grotius]

Nice post, SoulBlazer. I think we've got a pretty good novel in the works here! On the other hand, Tom Clancy probably doesn't have anything to worry about from us quite yet. <grin>

One question: are you now describing the final (presumably afternoon) air strike in your combat report? It seems as if that strike encountered no Japanese CAP at all. Is that right? If there was no CAP, I (or someone else) might conjure up something from the point of view of a Japanese naval officer. I'm happy to do so, but I'd first like to encourage others to jump into the fray.

[SoulBlazer]

Thanks, Grotius.

Yes, the part we are at now is the second strike of the day, the afternoon strike. You're right in saying that the strike did'nt meet any Japanese CAP, despite the CVL not being touched. I never asked my opponent why that was. I can only assume both carriers had been badly hurt and unable to launch and the CVL did'nt have any fighters onboard. How weird! I never noticed that before.

Yes, be glad for another part from you or someone else.

[Sgt.Striker]

What positions are open?

[SoulBlazer]

Any. Read all the notes and jump in!

Well, just don't take someone allready played.

[Sgt.Striker]

Post a new report and i will

[SoulBlazer]

Well, right now we're using the second American strike of the first day -- contained in the combat report I posted on the first page.

[Cap Mandrake]

*****After Action Report, Battle of the Bismark Sea, 8/14/42****

.....Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero x 1 destroyed
A6M2 Zero x 4 damaged
A6M3 Zero x 1 damaged

Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat x 5 damaged
SBD Dauntless x 6 destroyed
SBD Dauntless x 13 damaged
TBF Avenger x 1 destroyed
TBF Avenger x 4 damaged

LT M. Hidaka of CII-1 Daitai bails out and is captured

Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 3, on fire
CVL Zuiho
DD Akigumo, Bomb hits 1
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage.......


*********





This is the strange story of Lt. Matsuoko Hidaka of Nagoya Prefecture, a young fighter pilot of the CII-1 Daitai based on the carrier Zuikaku, whose "Zero" was shot down in the Battle of the Bismark Sea in August, 1942. Because of a series of tragic injuries sustained in the battle, he was mistakenly taken prisoner by his own comrades-in-arms, treated as an enemy combatant, and "rescued" from a miserable POW camp on Luzon by US Army Rangers in 1945. Only in 1952, while living in Venice, Calif., was the true story of his identity uncovered by a determined Veterans Hospital psychiatrist.

The story is now retold based on the spotty recolections of Lt. Hidaka, and the testimony of those whose lives were changed by their contact with him.

It was a beautiful August afternoon in the Bismark Sea. From the cockpit of his "Zero" at 10,000 feet, Capt. Hata remembers thinking that the beauty of the day seemed incongruous with his mission, to protect his carrier by causing the death of American dive-bomber pilots whose mission in turn was to cause the death of his carrier. When he spied a fight of American planes headed for the Zuikaku, he ordered his wingman (Lt. Hidaka) to follow him in the attack. After a successful slashing attack on the last bomber in the group, he pulled his plane up sharply and rolled to his right, gaining altitude for another attack. His heart sank as he saw dozens of rounds slam into the engine compartment of Lt. Hidaka's plane. The offending Wildcat nearly collided with his plane, but Capt Hata was transfixed by the incipient destruction of his wingman's aircraft. A fine mist escaped from the engine compartment, perhaps a fuel line had been severed? "Get out, Get out!" he cried over the radio". The canopy of Lt. Hidaka's plane slid back. A figure struggled awkardly to escape. As his head moved into the slipstream, his white scarf oscillated violently. "His speed is to high", Capt. Hata said aloud to himself. At that moment a minature sun seemed to come to life near the front of the Lt's plane. He felt the heat across the intervening distance. The ungodly flare receded quickly, revealing what was once a proud aviator, but was now a base creature, his goggles and helmet torn away, his features remolded by trauma, his flight suit, even his undergarments, reduced to smoldering ruins. Impossibly, a hand feebly reached to deploy his chute. As the newly liberated silk reached the end of its tether, it pulled the unfortunate Lt. violently out of the cockpit and directly into the vertical stabilizer, head first. Though sickened, Capt. Hata was at least consoled that his friend had been spared further suffering.

To Be Continued

[Grotius]

Cap Mandrake: Nicely done! Impressively, we now have two accounts of poor Lt. Hidaka's fate. (See my stories earlier in this thread.) This duality is reminiscent of "Rashomon" and other fine Japanese "memory" films, the theme of which is that the same events may be remembered differently by different people. Like you, I struggled to explain how Hidaka was CAPTURED when he was flying CAP over his own ships, miles from any USN vessel! My solution to this dilemma differed from yours, but I will enjoy reading more of your story.

SoulBlazer: I'm still hoping someone else might give you a Japanese naval commander for your afternoon air strike. Have at it, guys! If no one submits anything soon, I'll write something tomorrow (which, thankfully, is Thanksgiving here in the States).

[Cap Mandrake]

Grotius;

That is indeed a cosmic irony that we both were intrigued by Lt. Hidaka's fate I did not know that you had already posted your very enjoyable story on poor Lt. Hidaka (I didn't realize that the thread had more than one page....duh )

Was Rashomon a Kurosawa film?

BTW Soul Blazer...great idea for a thread.

[Grotius]

Hi Cap Mandrake,

Not to worry, the more the merrier! And yes, "Rashomon" (1950) is Kurosawa at his best. It's the tale of a crime remembered, in starkly different ways, from different perspectives. Poor captured Lt. Hidaka is now the star of his own personal "Rashomon"; I'm sure he is honored. I look forward to your next installment!

[Cap Mandrake]

The Destroyer Kagero had been ordered scour the Bismark Sea some 20 miles from from the scene of the main battle to rescue any aviators they might encounter. After several hours of despiriting search, a ripple of excitement spread through the ship as a human figure was spotted clinging to some flotsam. A launch was deployed. Those crewmembers not manning battle stations lined the rail to assist when the launch came up amidships. What they saw stirred even battle-hardened vets. A humanoid figure clad only in combat boots emitted a gutteral moan as he was carefully rolled supine. Where a face had once been, there was instead a collection of blackened eschar and exfoliating skin.

Belowdecks, in the ship's hospital, Corpsman Yoshimura examined his charge. The man was comatose and had no ID, no "dog tags" like he had seen on American fliers. He was tall, perhaps 5' 11". His boots were new and of a fine American manufacture. He did have a large gold ring on his left hand. He couldn't read English but did recognize the English letters UCLA and the numbers 1939. Perhaps this was the secondary school of this American Officer. He quickly attached a POW barcelet to the man's wrist and secured him in 4-point leather restraints. Then he began to work on the man's burns without morphine, this he would save for his own countrymen.

Some 8,000 miles away, in the Japanese Relocation Camp at Manzanar, California, Akiro Hidaka, felt an odd disquietude as he gazed up at the snow-capped Sierra Nevadas. He thought of his brother, now a Lt. in the IJN. He hoped he was well. Like others, he had forseen the possibility of war. He had tried to dissuade his younger brother from his decision to become a fighter pilot. When his entreaties failed, he sent him a fine new pair of boots from the Sears Catalogue and his prized 1939 UCLA wrestling championship ring. Perhpas the boots would keep his feet dry and the gold Talisman would keep him safe.


(to be continued)

[SoulBlazer]

Holding for anyone else.