8 Dec 41
Bataan was mined by enemy subs. I anticipated this and sent 4 AMs from Manila at full speed, and they got there before the great Manila exodus occurred. All mines swept.
Near Malacca on the west side of Malaysia, I-121 spots AMC Kanimlba fleeing at high speed from Singapore. One torpedo hits. Then I-121 reengages and gets another hit with a torpedo, sinking the AMC. Subs on the west side now, good to know. I just dropped some mines in the area. Could get a sub.
Mersing is invaded, as expected. Mersing starts with 2 units, but neither has any combat value. Nothing can be done with this opening gambit. Singapore will be cut off and eliminated quickly, having no chance to even build any fort levels.
Clark is effectively swept by Zeros again. Air defense is just about gone.
Bettys and Nells attack Singapore's airfield and port. No CAP flew.
Allied aircraft losses
Vildebeest III: 4 damaged
Buffalo I: 15 damaged
Buffalo I: 2 destroyed on ground
Hudson I: 1 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 damaged
Blenheim IV: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
DD Encounter, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
TK British Judge, Bomb hits 1
xAK Silverbeech, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AMC Manoora, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
AG Pangkor, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AMc Rahman, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16
Port hits 1
Clark is then bombed by Bettys and Nells. Zeros escorted, but they weren't needed. Almost all B-17s are damaged and will remain so. I take a chance and rail transfer one squadron to Batangas, hoping to fly out a few after repair, if Aurorus doesn't catch on. I disbanded the other squadron.
Some Allied ships fled Singapore to Bengkalis, but didn't get away. Nells flew a long sortie and sank a few ships.
Then lots of Kates from KB hit Singapore's port. All ships other than the tiny ones were already damaged.
Allied Ships
ML No. 311, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
ML No. 310, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
xAK Silverbeech, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Demodocus, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AMC Manoora, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Wulin, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
AG Vyner Brooke, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
DM Stronghold, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
TK Mobilfuel, Bomb hits 2, heavy damage
AM Ballarat, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DD Encounter, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK British Judge, Bomb hits 1, on fire
MMS-51, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
The Allies did have one positive combat today. B-17s from Mindanao hit Babeldaob's port. There was no CAP and there were ships in port.
Japanese Ships
AD Gyoko Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS W-7, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAKL P-11, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
CM Yaeyama, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
CM Itsukushima, Bomb hits 1, on fire
ARD Meyungs ARD, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
Japanese Ships
PB Edo Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Macassar Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DMS W-8, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Shinsei Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
AO Iro, Bomb hits 1
CM Itsukushima, Bomb hits 1, on fire
The B-17s will try again today. Aurorus has been so aggressive with his moves, he may not be able to backfill Babeldaob with fighters in one day. If he even trys. The B-17s will probably evacuate after this repeat attempt.
Bettys, Vals and Kates then sank more ships near Singapore.
Allied Ships
xAKL Pahang, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Circe
xAKL Lipis, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CM Willem v d Zaan, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
Allied Ships
CM Kung Wo, Bomb hits 13, and is sunk
xAP Hong Kheng, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
xAKL Marudu, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
AG Ban Hong Liong, Bomb hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
TK Spirilla, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAP Klang, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires, heavy damage
TK Pleiodon, Bomb hits 7, heavy fires, heavy damage
PG Herald, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAKL Kuala, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
xAK Zannis Cambanis, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires
TK Pinna, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
Allied Ships
AMc Klias, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
AMc Jarak, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk
Allied Ships
AMc Gemas, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
My plan for today was to have all remaining fighters escort bombers from Singapore to hit shipping that would undoubtedly go to Mersing. Everything was set to range 2. This worked. KB was at range 3. However, no fighters flew, but the bombers did. Enemy CAP may not have been enough if 20 or so Allied fighters would have helped, but the Zeros were more than enough for Vildebeest, Hudsons and 139WH-3s. No bombers made it to target, and most if not all were shot down.
More KB bombers hit more shipping near Bengkalis.
Allied Ships
TK Spirilla, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Matang, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
xAK Zannis Cambanis, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
PG Herald, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
Allied Ships
xAKL Circe, Bomb hits 4, and is sunk
Then Kota Bharu was captured.
About 55 Allied ships have been sunk so far, with another dozen or so stuck at Singapore, too damaged to move. Repulse and a light cruiser. Nothing significant beyond that. Just most of what starts at Singapore and Hong Kong.
The positive spin is that KB did not go south toward Java. The Allied big tankers are making it to safety. Many are loading up at Java.
The other spot of interest is near Ambon, where many enemy task forces approach. None have arrived yet, and they may be going somewhere else, like Kendari. With carrier support, I decided not to risk combat shipping. BB Prince of Wales joined with 4 US destroyers and will eventually join up with a carrier task force. Nice AAA.
It is worth noting that there has been no Philippine landing so far. Nothing at Wake, nor Tarawa. I wonder where those troops are headed. It does look like the northwestern corner of Borneo is about to be invaded.
