1944 May 03
The Empire captured:
The Allies captured:
Pantar
There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:
There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Our subs came up empty.
Same in China. Continued light bombing of our forces in the mountains, indicating either deployment elsewhere or intensive training and R&R.
Same in Burma. We continue to upgrade squads and move units. Our 4EB are undergoing deep maintenance.
Allied bombardments.
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
Allied Ships Bombarding Chichi-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Saumlaki
Allied Ships Bombarding Chichi-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Pagan
Allied Ships Bombarding Rabaul
DAW HQ seems to have a staff infection - they left the guys at Iwo Jima on bombard. The counter-bombardment was as bad as the day before, then our own bombardment did a bit more. Still more than 16,000 Imperial troops there. Loading up of our troops is painfully slow with the port blasted into the water as it is. Only one of the USMC divisions has begun loading while the other waits for either of the two convoys that landed the USA divs to finish offloading supplies. Once again a couple or three enemy fighters showed up over Iwo Jima during the day. More bombardments of Chichi Jima are ordered to hit the gaggle of Imperial fighters there. Back at Iwo Jima, I've decided to add an armor-only attack to the artillery units' bombardment. The two USA divisions are still recovering, but let's see if keeping up the pressure with the armor hastens the securing of the island.
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Ground combat at Iwo-jima (108,77)
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 8375 troops, 52 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 58
Defending force 43474 troops, 706 guns, 607 vehicles, Assault Value = 769
Japanese ground losses:
1189 casualties reported
Squads: 140 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 4 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 18 (16 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
65th Brigade
Iwo-jima Naval Guard Unit
7th Air Division
26th Special Base Force
Defending units:
33rd Infantry Division
1st Marine Division
24th Infantry Division
3rd Marine Division
763rd Tank Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
XI US Corps
225th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment
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Ground combat at Iwo-jima (108,77)
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 744 troops, 139 guns, 62 vehicles, Assault Value = 768
Defending force 11022 troops, 116 guns, 12 vehicles, Assault Value = 43
Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Assaulting units:
33rd Infantry Division
3rd Marine Division
1st Marine Division
24th Infantry Division
763rd Tank Battalion
XI US Corps
225th Field Artillery Battalion
198th Field Artillery Battalion
33rd Medium Regiment
Defending units:
65th Brigade
Iwo-jima Naval Guard Unit
7th Ind.Mixed Brigade
7th Air Division
26th Special Base Force
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Japanese Unit(s) surrounded at Iwo-jima
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Night Naval bombardment of Chichi-jima at 111,74
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
J2M2 Jack: 8 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 7 damaged
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 1 destroyed on ground
Allied Ships
CA Minneapolis
CA Astoria
Japanese ground losses:
76 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 4 (1 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 21
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 2
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CA Minneapolis
CA Minneapolis firing at Chichi-jima
CA Astoria firing at Chichi-jima
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Night Naval bombardment of Chichi-jima at 111,74
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Japanese aircraft losses
J2M2 Jack: 3 damaged
J2M2 Jack: 1 destroyed on ground
Ki-44-IIc Tojo: 8 damaged
Allied Ships
CA Wichita
CA San Francisco
Japanese ground losses:
93 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 3 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 16
Port hits 4
Port fuel hits 1
CA Wichita firing at Chichi-jima
CA San Francisco firing at Chichi-jima
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It looks like the garrison at Saumlaki is finally wiped out; a little more recon to be sure. Next attack at Rabaul is tomorrow. The naval bombardments there have been taking a frightful toll, with pressure kept up during the day by the bomber groups. Imperial troop count at Rabaul is down to a little over 8,000. The attack at Manado made significant progress. Disruption of our troops is up a little bit, but they will continue attacking tomorrow to take advantage of what must be elevated disruption among the defenders.
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Ground combat at Manado (75,99)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 14402 troops, 190 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 422
Defending force 11088 troops, 93 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 213
Allied adjusted assault: 264
Japanese adjusted defense: 249
Allied assault odds: 1 to 1 (fort level 3)
Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), fatigue(-), morale(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
594 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 53 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 13 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
716 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 75 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 12 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Assaulting units:
31st Infantry Regiment
2nd Australian Division
2/6th Armoured Regiment
2nd Regiment
Defending units:
42nd Infantry Regiment
32nd Nav Gsn Unit
23rd Nav Gd Unit
Yokosuka 2nd SNLF
11th Air Flotilla
9th JNAF Coy
53rd JNAF AF Unit
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The weather finally looks cooperative; the B-29 groups are ordered to hit Palembang tomorrow. Target: airfield! Altitude ordered is 12,000 ft, and recon has counted 78 guns on the ground. All groups will hit the airfield with the objective of knocking it out in one blow. Subsequent raids will have a small number of groups hit the airfield to keep it down while most hit the oil. Praboemoelih, 1 hex away, has only a size 2 airfield and may be hit by small groups if it seems that fighter coverage has gone there.
An interesting note, Ternate is now sporting 9 auxiliary type aircraft, either naval search or perhaps transport planes pulling troops there from Sorong and Sansapor. We'll arrange some naval bombardments. The first will be 4x DD tonight.
Many CL with the fleet around the Marianas and Bonins are due for April '44 upgrades and are heading back to Pearl Harbor.
Here are the troops at Iwo Jima.
