Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[ChezDaJez]

Excellent writing once again, CF. I could feel Shoji's resignation of his fate just before he was pulled into the boat.

I wonder if he will have anything to say to Okubo... espeically about handgrips and lifelines.

Excellent...

Chez

[kaleun]

Booker price candidate if I saw one.

[BrucePowers]

I was never in the military, but don't they always use lifelines in heavy weather in real life?

[ChezDaJez]

ORIGINAL: BrucePowers

I was never in the military, but don't they always use lifelines in heavy weather in real life?

The prudent man does....

Chez

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: BrucePowers

I was never in the military, but don't they always use lifelines in heavy weather in real life?

Hey, this is the JAPANESE navy...

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Cuttlefish

October 12, 1943

Location: 50 miles east of Noumea
Course: South
Attached to: TF 4
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 331

Orders: Protect evacuation convoy arriving from Kwajalein

---

Petty Officer Okubo utters a low and vile curse. He is by the aft deckhouse, looking back past the rear 5” turret. Hibiki is rolling in a quartering sea and waves coming in over the ship’s low freeboard have broken a depth charge free from its rack. The heavy depth charge is now rolling back and forth, smashing against stanchions, racks, and the aft y-gun as it does so.

Yet another gripping chapter of the Hibiki saga. And so well written, I'm going to ignore the point that the loose depth charge caused zero system damage. . .[;)]

He feels pain as something grips his hair. He wonders dimly if it could be a shark. Then someone is behind him, grabbing him under the arms and sending them both back to the surface with powerful kicks. He rises to the surface next to the ship’s boat. Hope fills him again and he tries to breath, but can’t. Hands reach out and he is both lifted and pulled into the pitching boat.

Do I detect the redoubtable CPO Shun at work again?

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

He feels pain as something grips his hair. He wonders dimly if it could be a shark. Then someone is behind him, grabbing him under the arms and sending them both back to the surface with powerful kicks. He rises to the surface next to the ship’s boat. Hope fills him again and he tries to breath, but can’t. Hands reach out and he is both lifted and pulled into the pitching boat.

Do I detect the redoubtable CPO Shun at work again?

Yes indeed. Though I never said so, that was Shun in the water with him. Readers with long memories might recall Shun mentioning to Taiki once that he used to swim with sea turtles during his youth in the Ryukyus. He is known to be the strongest swimmer on board.

[Cuttlefish]

October 13, 1943

Location: 50 miles east of Noumea
Course: None
Attached to: TF 4
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 300

Orders: Protect evacuation convoy arriving from Kwajalein

---

The Japanese carrier groups wait east of Noumea. As night falls six heavy cruisers and battleships Hiei, Haruna, and Kirishima enter the Havannah Passage. They thread their way west through the passage past small islands and reefs until they enter the waters around Noumea. There they turn north until they are off the forward American positions at Paita. It is not far from Noumea at all.

Float planes are launched. Soon American troops can hear them droning overhead in the darkness. Then flares ignite, bathing the landscape below in dazzling white light. There is a scattered cracking of rifle fire as Japanese snipers get off a few shots. On the American side veteran sergeants bark commands at their men to get under cover. They know what the flares mean.

A moment later all other sounds are drowned out by the rumble of incoming shells and the crash of explosions. The Japanese ships have their aim corrected by observers on shore and in the air. They adjust their aim, fire, and fire again. They have all the time they need.

To the soldiers enduring it the barrage is an endless period of noise and terror. In reality, however, it only goes on for a little over an hour. The Japanese ships then cease fire and depart to rejoin the rest of the fleet. On shore the Americans emerge from their fox holes and take stock. Actual casualties are fairly low. But supplies have been destroyed, communications severed, and the troops are shaken. There will be no American attack the following day.

The Japanese ships have purchased a delay of only twenty four hours. But the race between the advancing American divisions and the inbound Japanese transports looks as though it will be a close one. Twenty four hours may make a great deal of difference.

---

“Many pardons, Petty Officer Okubo, but may I speak with you?” Okubo looks around. Standing behind him on the torpedo deck is Seaman Shoji, who looks considerably better than he did when Shun, Ensign Izu, and a couple of other sailors helped him back aboard the destroyer yesterday.

“Go ahead,” he growls.

“Yesterday, when the first wave hit, you tried to save me,” says Shoji. “Only your grip kept me from going over the side right then. You would have succeeded if the second wave hadn’t torn me from your grasp. It was a brave thing to do, and I will remember it.” He bows towards the petty officer.

“It was nothing, forget it,” mumbles Okubo. “Anyone would have done the same. Now return to your duties.”

“Yes, Petty Officer,” says Shoji. He turns and leaves.

Idiot, thinks Okubo as he watches him go. You weren’t torn from my grip, I let go of you. To save myself.

But he is the only one who knows that, and no doubt Shoji will spread the tale of how brave Okubo tried to save him. This is good.

Still, something about Shoji’s visit just now bothers him. Irritably he shakes it off. It was the only choice I had, he tells himself. If I had tried to hang on we both might have ended up in the water. Besides, it all worked out.

Any reasonable person would agree, he thinks. There hadn’t been any other choice.

[Lecivius]

F5 for teh win!
 
I'm thinking I see enlightenment in Okubo's near future, however.  This will be obvious to Shun.

[kfmiller41]

why in the world dont you write a BOOK[:D]

[Fishbed]

Ho man!
We absolutely need to ship that book with the next installment of WitP! You'll hardly find any better homage to the game than Cuttlefish's masterpiece...

[kaleun]

He is writing it, actually!

[Feinder]

It's an analogy that probably has no relation whatsoever, except that it somehow seems fitting to share here.

During strikes of Japan with the combined Allied TF-38, late July, the British Pacific Fleet was on the extreme left of the huge armada luanching strikes and bombarding Japan (and under stipuation of their participation, were under the direct control of Halsey and Nimitz).  The whole force was only about 100 miles off the coast.  As the strikes went in, a large fog-bank began to form in the vicinity of the armada, and the wind changed and was now blowing from from the north.

Given that :
a.  If the armada got trapped in the fog-bank, landing the strikes would be extremely hazardous, not only for the planes
not able to spot the CVs, but also the jeopardizing the maneuvering of the CVs during the landing operations.
b.  Many of the CVs would have to turn into the wind to recover their aircraft, bringing them *ever closer* to Japan.
c.  While TF-58 had not yet been spotted (suprisingly enough, and would never happen in WitP), the fog, and moving closer to Japan, and Kamikazis if spotted and combat maneuvering complicating things even worse,

Halsey decided to recall the strikes and cancel those for the rest of day.

However, the days strikes included a squardon of Seafires from the HMS Indefatigible, they were a flight of 12 "Ramrods", essentially fighter-sweeps in WitP terms.  The Seafire was notorius not only for it's high rate of operational losses (plane was too fragile for carrier ops by comparison), but for it's short range.  This group of Seafires for reasons un-explained were late to the return rendesvous point, and behind schedule when the rest of the strikes were landing.  They were able to make contact with them, but they were about 20 minutes behind the rest of the formations, low on gas, and would need time to land.

Halsey sent to Admiral Rawlings (RN CV commander) to leave them; they'd have to ditch and they're try to get subs or Dumbos (PBYs) to pick them up.  Given the threat to the entire fleet over 12 planes/pilots and his responsability as the fleet admiral, his descions would certainly be deemed justified (and any other as reckless).  Halsey actually got on very well with the RN, with much mutual respect.  The implication was that he made gave the order to leave them because that was the correct thing to do, and would have done so if they were American aircraft as well.

The life expectancy of the Seafires was pretty close to nil.  If they landed anywhere near the coast, the pilots would likely be killed if captured (very few downed PoW pilots were spared).  Or if they made it out to sea, the oncoming fog would make it nearly impossible to find them in seas already rough.

However, in would a fitting Hollywood ending, Adm Rawlings commanding TF-38.5 (BPF) never acknowledged the message, and while the rest of the armada turned south, TF-38.5 (Indy, KGV, 2x CLs, and 8x DDs) turned north into the wind to recover the last flight of Seafires.  During the course of the half-hour it took to intercept and land the 12 fighters, the British ships approached with 40 miles of the Japanese coast, and three bogies were picked up on radar but appearently did not see the RN ships (given the point of retrieving aircraft before getting stuck in the fog, Indy was without CAP).

The entire episode managed without event (it would likely have been disastrous if there was one).  For his efforts, Adm Rawlings earned himself a scathing letter from Nimitz and Halsey copied at every level of command for both the USN and RN; and the eternal gratitude of 12 pilots.

Whatever.  Was a interesting story.  THought I'd share.
-F-

[DuckofTindalos]

Very cool story.

[Speedysteve]

Just catching with the past 8 pages CF. As per norm outstanding. Well done and keep it up[8D]

[Capt. Harlock]

If I had tried to hang on we both might have ended up in the water. Besides, it all worked out.

Any reasonable person would agree, he thinks. There hadn’t been any other choice.

There had been another choice, of course. And yet . . . if both men had gone overboard, it's unlikely any cries for help would have been heard.

Of course, the best choice of all would have been to use lifelines as Shoji suggested!

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: Feinder

It's an analogy that probably has no relation whatsoever, except that it somehow seems fitting to share here.

I think it does relate. Thanks for sharing this.

[Cuttlefish]

October 14, 1943

Location: 100 miles southwest of Luganville
Course: Northeast
Attached to: TF 4
Mission: Air Combat
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 254

Orders: Protect evacuation convoy arriving from Kwajalein

---

The recent westerly winds give way to more typical south-easterly trade winds as the Japanese ships head back north. On the bridge Captain Ishii peers at the glass. He nods in satisfaction as he sees it is continuing to rise.

“Sir!” says a brisk voice from behind him. He turns to see Midshipman Konada. His uniform and appearance are, as always, letter-perfect. Konada tucks a clipboard smartly under his arm and snaps a salute.

“Yes, Konada?” Ishii says.

Konada holds out the clipboard. “Sir, Lieutenant Sakati sends these reports with his compliments.” The captain takes the clipboard.

“Thank you,” he says. He flips through the papers. Konada remains at attention. After a moment Ishii looks up.

“Is there anything else, Konada?” he asks.

“Yes, sir,” says Konada. “Sir, I have been going over our damage control procedures. I have some ideas how we can improve our response times.”

“I see,” says Ishii. “That sounds very useful.” Lieutenant Miharu comes onto the bridge. Ishii gives his executive officer a nod, then turns back to Konada. “At the moment, however, I am going to go have some dinner and get some rest. I suggest you do the same. Perhaps we can go over your ideas tomorrow.”

“Thank you, sir,” says Konada. “I am going to stay up here for a while. Lieutenant Miharu has agreed to give me some extra instruction in navigation.” Miharu, now standing nearby, nods acknowledgement.

“Very good,” says Ishii. Lieutenant Miharu steps forward and the two of them go through the brief change of command ritual. Ishii gives the lieutenant a quick status report and then leaves the bridge.

As he departs he wonders if he was ever as young and enthusiastic as Konada. He thinks back to the young midshipman he once was and decides the answer is probably yes. He might have even been worse. He smiles slightly to himself at the memory.

He thinks Konada has potential, but he won’t really know until he has seen him in battle. When no book of rules and regulations can stand between you and death, that’s when the spit and polish gets stripped away and the illusions are shattered. That’s when he will find out what kind of officer Konada might someday be.

Ishii has a feeling it may not be too long before he gets that chance.

[kfmiller41]

in a funny aside to this thread, in my game the battleship Kongo got the snot beat out of it in a gunbattle with the Prince of Whales. The Destroyer detailed to try and get this wrecked ship safely to Japan from Kuching is no other than Hibiki[:D] And now I sure hope she makes it.

[Onime No Kyo]

I'm not sure Kabuki is a good name for a DD. [:)]