1944 May 20
Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:55 pm
1944 May 20
The Empire captured:
The Allies captured:
Sansapor
Woleai
There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:
There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Woleai
Our subs got a PB and CV Zuikaku. One sub badly damaged.
Quiet in China.
Pegu hit again by 4EB.
Allied naval bombardments.
Our own fleet carriers are about three days away from Sangi at their cruising speed, with the escort carriers somewhat south of them and three days out from Manado. At cruising speed, the Imperial carriers could be there in two. Bandjermasin was hit by many B-29 groups and almost certainly put completely out of action. Davao was hit hard by B-24s and certainly closed to offensive operations. The fighter sweep of Davao yielded nothing. A number of subs are being dispatched from Babeldaob to the Sulu Sea.
The Empire's death gliders did make another sweep of Tawi Tawi, piling onto damage done in prior days to leave the Marine fighter group there with but one flyable Corsair. This could be to pave the way for their carriers' transit. A little rearranging of fighter assets puts a Corsair squadron at Manado to supplement the two P-38 groups there. A Kittihawk group is at Sidate, and over at Talaud-eilanden there are two P-38 groups and a P-39 group with a Corsair group added. The 4EB in the area are stood down to rest, which will leave almost all fighter activity as defensive. One more sub is being dispatched from Kendari to the Makassar Strait.
The invasion of Woleai was against defenders only ghosts of their previous selves. Not sure what the op mode (-) was about, maybe they were trying to rest down disruption and did not see the invasion coming. Being isolated with no search in the area you see pretty much nothing, and there is no time to change mode for an auto-shock attack.
Here you see that fleeing enemy ship in the Makassar Strait, while the IJN carriers and escorts are hunted by subs sent for that purpose near Jesselton and Kudat.
The Empire captured:
The Allies captured:
Sansapor
Woleai
There were Imperial amphibious or airborne operations at:
There were Allied amphibious or airborne operations at:
Woleai
Our subs got a PB and CV Zuikaku. One sub badly damaged.
Naturally Zuikaku is on the sunk ships list!--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack near Jesselton at 68,85
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Torpedo hits 1
DD Shiratsuyu
DD Michishio
DD Asagiri
Allied Ships
SS Gurnard
SS Gurnard launches 6 torpedoes at CV Zuikaku
Gurnard diving deep ....
DD Asagiri fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagiri fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagiri attacking submerged sub ....
DD Asagiri fails to find sub, continues to search...
DD Asagiri fails to find sub, continues to search...
Escort abandons search for sub
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quiet in China.
Pegu hit again by 4EB.
Allied naval bombardments.
The APD/fast xAKL TF stayed at Tarakan into daylight! In hindsight I should have stopped them unloading and ordered their flight directly. The results were predictable but could have been far worse. Four APD sunk and another two badly damaged. Those two can still supposedly make good speed and will head for Manado in the wake of their faster friends. Heavy rain at Tarakan might be what saved the day.Allied Ships Bombarding Babar
Allied Ships Bombarding Woleai
Allied Ships Bombarding Chichi-jima
Allied Ships Bombarding Woleai
Allied Ships Bombarding Pagan
Three B-24 raids hit Tarakan, doing great damage to the airfield and destroying 5x George on the ground, but it wasn't a factor. Our troops are still recovering in good order but due to the 1/2 preparation they have more disruption to recover. Not to mention 29 disabled infantry squads and a roughly equal number of other devices. Airlifts during the day helped deliver supplies. The second convoy with their remaining heavy equipment and a bunch of supply is heading back to Manado to wait under the presumed safety of P38 CAP, as is the invasion convoy for Jolo. Surface combat units are doing likewise, and empty supply ships from Tawi Tawi will still be over 100 miles from Manado when the sun comes up tomorrow. Destroyer Laws, sent from Tarakan back to station at Tawi Tawi instead chased an undetermined ship contact to the northern entrance of the Makassar Strait but did not catch her.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Tarakan at 67,91
Weather in hex: Heavy rain
Raid detected at 70 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 18 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 45
A6M5b Zero x 9
B6N1 Jill x 18
B6N2 Jill x 50
D4Y1 Judy x 20
D4Y2 Judy x 42
Japanese aircraft losses
B6N1 Jill: 1 damaged
B6N2 Jill: 1 damaged
D4Y1 Judy: 1 damaged
Allied Ships
APD Fox, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD McKean
APD Rathburne, Bomb hits 5, heavy fires, heavy damage
APD Kennison
APD Overton
APD Little
APD Herbert, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Clemson, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
APD Schley
APD Lawrence
APD Noa
APD Gilmer
DMS Ellyson
APD Daniel T. Griffin, Torpedo hits 1, and is sunk
APD Crane, Bomb hits 1, heavy fires
xAKL Masayas
APD Brooks
APD Waters
APD Kane
Aircraft Attacking:
7 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
18 x B6N1 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
5 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
16 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
11 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
17 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
17 x B6N2 Jill launching torpedoes at 200 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 45cm Type 91 Torp
9 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
11 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
3 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 1000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y1 Judy releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
4 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
8 x D4Y2 Judy releasing from 3000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 500 kg SAP Bomb
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Rathburne
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring APD Fox
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Our own fleet carriers are about three days away from Sangi at their cruising speed, with the escort carriers somewhat south of them and three days out from Manado. At cruising speed, the Imperial carriers could be there in two. Bandjermasin was hit by many B-29 groups and almost certainly put completely out of action. Davao was hit hard by B-24s and certainly closed to offensive operations. The fighter sweep of Davao yielded nothing. A number of subs are being dispatched from Babeldaob to the Sulu Sea.
The Empire's death gliders did make another sweep of Tawi Tawi, piling onto damage done in prior days to leave the Marine fighter group there with but one flyable Corsair. This could be to pave the way for their carriers' transit. A little rearranging of fighter assets puts a Corsair squadron at Manado to supplement the two P-38 groups there. A Kittihawk group is at Sidate, and over at Talaud-eilanden there are two P-38 groups and a P-39 group with a Corsair group added. The 4EB in the area are stood down to rest, which will leave almost all fighter activity as defensive. One more sub is being dispatched from Kendari to the Makassar Strait.
Those aircraft came from Cagayan, where over 100 fighters are based.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Afternoon Air attack on Tawi Tawi , at 72,90
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 12 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes
Japanese aircraft
N1K1-J George x 31
Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 4
F4U-1A Corsair x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1A Corsair: 2 destroyed
Aircraft Attacking:
29 x N1K1-J George sweeping at 19000 feet
CAP engaged:
VMF-224 with F4U-1 Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
(4 plane(s) diverted to support CAP in hex.)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 4 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 0 and 15000.
Raid is overhead
VMF-115 with F4U-1A Corsair (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 6 scrambling)
0 plane(s) not yet engaged, 1 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 15000 , scrambling fighters between 19000 and 25000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 9 minutes
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The invasion of Woleai was against defenders only ghosts of their previous selves. Not sure what the op mode (-) was about, maybe they were trying to rest down disruption and did not see the invasion coming. Being isolated with no search in the area you see pretty much nothing, and there is no time to change mode for an auto-shock attack.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Woleai (101,103)
Allied Shock attack
Attacking force 3732 troops, 30 guns, 51 vehicles, Assault Value = 130
Defending force 442 troops, 14 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Allied adjusted assault: 132
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 132 to 1 (fort level 4)
Allied forces CAPTURE Woleai !!!
Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), op mode(-), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+), fatigue(-)
Japanese ground losses:
367 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 17 (17 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
Fiji Brigade
5th AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
Defending units:
24th Infantry Regiment
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here you see that fleeing enemy ship in the Makassar Strait, while the IJN carriers and escorts are hunted by subs sent for that purpose near Jesselton and Kudat.
