AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/07/43
2 days ago my recon planes spotted some TF near Baker Island, which they identified as 3 AKs. The raiding force, ready in Tarawa, immedietly sortied just to find out, how wrong the recon report was:
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Baker Island at 94,92
Japanese Ships
CL Tenryu
DD Tsuga
DD Hayabusa, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Hato
DD Kari
DD Kiji
Allied Ships
PT PT-367
PT PT-372, Shell hits 23, and is sunk
PT PT-373
PT PT-374
PT PT-375
PT PT-376
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Night Time Surface Combat, near Baker Island at 94,92
Japanese Ships
CL Tenryu
DD Tsuga
DD Hayabusa, Shell hits 21, and is sunk
DD Hato
DD Kari, Shell hits 9
DD Kiji
Allied Ships
PT PT-323
PT PT-324
PT PT-325
PT PT-364, Shell hits 3, and is sunk
PT PT-365
PT PT-366
Instead of transport ships, 2 TF of PTs were engaged. 2 PTs were sunk at the cost of old DD. The whole raiding TF is made of old and sacrificial units, but still I don´t like loosing DDs against PTs.. At least there was only 12 of them in 2 TF exactly according the HRs, which is very refreshing.
My patrol sub near PM engaged one of the retreating LCT and used it as training target for all it weapon systems:
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Sub attack at 52,91
Japanese Ships
SS I-15
Allied Ships
LCT LCT-466, Shell hits 1, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Tell me about overkill..
During the day my badly damaged airfields on New Guinea finally get the break from allied bomber raids. It is the most welcomed, but also it makes me a bit nervous, because instead of them, the Timoeka garrison was targeted:
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Day Air attack on 30th/C Division, at 45,81
Allied aircraft
B-25J Mitchell x 21
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
62 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Only a small force, but does it mean, that Joe will attack here? After the base was reconquered, I have repositioned the whole navy to Solomons, which means I would be badly out of position in such case. LBA would have to fight alone at least for a week. It should be doable. Especially when the allied shipping near Port Moresby was hit hard today. KB finally strikes!
At first damaged AK was finished:
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Day Air attack on TF at 52,90
Japanese aircraft
Ki-49 Helen x 7
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
AK Idomeneus, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
Then came the KB strike :
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Day Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 27
A6M5 Zeke x 47
D3A Val x 99
D4Y Judy x 21
A6M3a Zero x 90
B5N Kate x 120
Allied aircraft
P-40N Warhawk x 16
P-38G Lightning x 7
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3 Zero: 1 destroyed
A6M5 Zeke: 3 destroyed
D3A Val: 1 damaged
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
B5N Kate: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40N Warhawk: 23 destroyed
P-38G Lightning: 12 destroyed
Allied Ships
LCT LCT-367, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-142, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-368, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-136, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-67, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-363, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
LST LST-340, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-370, Bomb hits 6, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-140, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-64, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-372, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-62, Torpedo hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tanager, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-66, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-148, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-366, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-375
LCT LCT-135
LCT LCT-374, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-145, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-362, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LST LST-17, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-371, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-147, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Champion, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
Only a handfull of allied fighters tried to protect the ships and they were easily overwhelmed by japanese escort. At a very low cost (6:35 in A-A) all bombers made it through and crucified the invasion TF consisting mainly from landing crafts.
And more strikes were coming from Lae and Rabaul:
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Day Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
J2M Jack x 6
G4M1 Betty x 11
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 18
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 7
Ki-21 Sally x 3
Ki-49 Helen x 11
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty: 2 damaged
Allied Ships
LCT LCT-135, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-376
LCT LCT-134
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Day Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 36
G4M2 Betty x 29
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 37
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 1 damaged
Allied Ships
LCT LCT-145, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LST LST-340, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-144, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-375, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-134, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
MSW Tanager, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LST LST-17, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-143
A succesfull day so far. Joe can easily replace those lost ships, but the "KB show" should scare him a bit. And the afternoon strike was even better:
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Day Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M3 Zero x 35
A6M5 Zeke x 30
D3A Val x 219
D4Y Judy x 41
A6M3a Zero x 92
B5N Kate x 246
B6N Jill x 31
Allied aircraft
P-40N Warhawk x 4
P-38G Lightning x 1
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40N Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-38G Lightning: 2 destroyed
Allied Ships
LCT LCT-135, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-373, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LST LST-19, Bomb hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-376, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
LCT LCT-143, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
260 DB and 277 TB escorted by 152 fighters makes total of 694 planes launched. With about 300 fighters dedicated to CAP, it means that was the full strike the KB is capable of. Pity there was no more targets in this TF because 99% of this strike was "unable to locate.."
I doubt I will find some more ships near PM in following days, so KB is now heading back to Rabaul to refuel and rearm. Or will TRY to refuel, because I have found I´m bit on dry in this area. I had more then 200k fuel between Rabaul and Truk two weeks ago, but I have only about 15k now [X(] Operating KB in one area longer then 2 weeks is very expensive in a meaning of burned fuel. Some TKs are already on the way, but much much more is neccessary."
In India I still hold the line, but decided to be more active. Main allied army is (or was) moving towards Lahore and their supply path is guarded only by very weak Chinese cavalry corps (probably only at 30% strengh). I have despatched 3 tank regiments to cut them off. I expect Joe will then try attack along the whole line, so I hope to hold on. In 2-3 week two fresh division will arrive.
Joe send his bombers against Bombay, which now closed again:
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Day Air attack on Bombay , at 20,10
Japanese aircraft
J2M Jack x 3
Allied aircraft
PBY Catalina x 2
Catalina I x 4
Wellington III x 37
Liberator VI x 26
B-25J Mitchell x 15
B-24D Liberator x 13
Japanese aircraft losses
J2M Jack: 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
PBY Catalina: 1 damaged
Catalina I: 1 damaged
Wellington III: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
Liberator VI: 2 damaged
B-25J Mitchell: 1 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
197 casualties reported
Guns lost 9
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 25
I would prefere to have it open, but it is better when he uses his air force here, then as a support of his advancing army..
