ORIGINAL: John 3rd
March 23, 1942
Indian Ocean
CarDiv2 makes its presence felt near Madras. Having not been seen, the enhanced carrier division appears within strike range of Madras and finds a host of Allied shipping.
No planes fly in the morning (CRAP!!!) but an afternoon strike (42 Zero and 24 Val) sinks two small TK and PC while the major blow falls on Madras with 26 Zero and 76 Kates hitting the Port. Nine AK and 1 AKL are smacked. No Japanese planes are lost.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tanjore at 32,43
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 18,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 47
D3A1 Val x 24
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
TK Sabari, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
TK Lady Myrtle, Bomb hits 3, and is sunk
PC Haideri, Bomb hits 11, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
6 x D3A1 Val releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
12 x D3A1 Val releasing from 10000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb, 2 x 60 kg GP Bomb
Massive explosion on TK Lady Myrtle
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Afternoon Air attack on Madras , at 35,40
Weather in hex: Heavy cloud
Raid spotted at 32 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 26
B5N2 Kate x 78
Japanese aircraft losses
B5N2 Kate: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
xAKL Kalarand, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nirpura, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Texan, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Howra, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Montanan, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Steel Traveler, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Nirvana, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Steel Engineer, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
xAK Oregonian, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Paul Luckenbach, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
Port hits 2
John really hurt me at Madras.