November 23/24, 1942
Highlights: Magwe sweeps defeated, P-38s doing better over Lae
Allied ships lost:
SC PC-578 sunk by KB near Duff Islands
Enemy ships sunk:
xAK Yamayuri Maru is reported to have been sunk by SS Tarpon near Ominato on Nov 23, 1942
CBI:
Another round of sweeps against Magwe didn't go too well:
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 8 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 3 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 5 destroyed
Hurricane IIc Trop: 28 destroyed
Enemy ground forces in the Lashio area got bombed but only light losses caused due to terrain.
Allied ground forces then launched a general attack and pushed-back the Japanese on the road between Bhamo and Lashio.
S-10 has torpedoed xAK Benledi near Koggala, the merchantship is struggling to remain afloat.
Northern Australia:
In the first attack of the gutted 4E bomber force since the Lae debacle, the ground forces at the dot base of Gove provided a milk run target for training.
SWPac:
Milne Bay bombarded by old USN CLs twice, the IJN bombarded Salamaua again with little effect.
P-38s swept Lae:
A6M2 Zero: 9 destroyed
A6M5 Zero: 4 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 5 destroyed
Ki-45 KAIa Nick: 1 destroyed
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed
P-38G Lightning: 4 destroyed
P-38F Lightning: 1 destroyed
Allied ground attacks at Wau and Salamaua continued to weaken the enemy.
SoPac:
La Foa has reached 87% for the first airbase level, next turn we should be able to provide some local CAP.
Enemy submarines begin to gather between Noumea and Brisbane, Allied ASW reports many contacts.
One brigade of the IJA 14th Division has marched into La Foa either from Koumac or Noumea, and got kicked-out with heavy losses.
Submarine S-42 has encountered a potential fast transport TF near Luganville - CLs, DMS, AMC, AV plus escorts - reinforcements for Noumea or a counter-landing?
AVPs and AVDs have been ordered to base at La Foa to support Catalinas. I-173, I-175, I-8 and I-160 all tried to attack off La Foa but had no success.
Two weak Betty attacks - half a dozen planes each - failed to score as well.
SC PC-578 which had been sent north from Suva to sniff for KB promptly got sunk by Vals - aha!
Intel:
Previous report of sinking of DD Satsuki incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
Previous report of sinking of SS RO-64 incorrect. Intelligence reports ship is still in service
16/21st Ind.Mixed Brigade is loaded on a Japanese LB moving to Lae.
Selected action reports:
Code: Select all
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Night Naval bombardment of Milne Bay at 101,133
Allied Ships
CL Detroit
CL Raleigh
DD Tucker
DD Reid
DD Downes
DD Flusser
Japanese ground losses:
137 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Port hits 9
CL Detroit firing at 18th/C Division
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CL Raleigh
CL Raleigh firing at Milne Bay
DD Tucker firing at Milne Bay
DD Reid firing at Milne Bay
DD Downes firing at 18th/C Division
DD Flusser firing at Milne Bay
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Night Naval bombardment of Milne Bay at 101,133
Allied Ships
CL Marblehead
CL Trenton
CL Concord
DD Case
DD Drayton
DD Cummings
DD Smith
DD Dunlap
Japanese ground losses:
35 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 4
CL Marblehead firing at Kure 5th SNLF
SOC-1 Seagull acting as spotter for CL Trenton
CL Trenton firing at 18th/C Division
CL Concord firing at Milne Bay
DD Case firing at 18th/C Division
DD Drayton firing at 18th/C Division
DD Cummings firing at 18th/C Division
DD Smith firing at 18th/C Division
DD Dunlap firing at Milne Bay
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Morning Air attack on III/124th Infantry Battalion, at 82,127 (Gove)
Weather in hex: Clear sky
Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 16
B-17F Fortress x 23
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
27 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
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ASW attack near Luganville at 119,148
Japanese Ships
DMS W-16
CL Oi
CL Natori
CL Kashima
PB Chiyo Maru #4
AMC Aikoku Maru
CM Itsukushima
DMS W-13
AV Akitsushima
DD Okikaze
DD Hayate
DD Uzuki
Allied Ships
SS S-42
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Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Duff Islands at 123,143
Weather in hex: Overcast
Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zero x 45
D3A1 Val x 19
No Japanese losses
Allied Ships
SC PC-578, Bomb hits 5, and is sunk
Aircraft Attacking:
19 x D3A1 Val bombing from 1000 feet
Naval Attack: 1 x 250 kg SAP Bomb
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Ground combat at Salamaua (98,127)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 11441 troops, 207 guns, 206 vehicles, Assault Value = 388
Defending force 9132 troops, 81 guns, 17 vehicles, Assault Value = 289
Allied adjusted assault: 283
Japanese adjusted defense: 355
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), fatigue(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
361 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 21 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Vehicles lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Allied ground losses:
220 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
27th Infantry Division
763rd Tank Battalion
134th Field Artillery Battalion
Defending units:
18th/B Division
85th Naval Guard Unit
2nd Raiding Regiment
4th/C Div /14
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Ground combat at Wau (98,126)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12871 troops, 225 guns, 225 vehicles, Assault Value = 423
Defending force 8101 troops, 35 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 241
Allied adjusted assault: 370
Japanese adjusted defense: 679
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 2)
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), leaders(+), leaders(-)
preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
291 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 30 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Allied ground losses:
169 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 28 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Assaulting units:
32nd Infantry Division
762nd Tank Battalion
205th Field Artillery Battalion
Defending units:
65th Brigade
I/84th Naval Guard Unit
31st Field Const Co
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Ground combat at La Foa (114,159)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 32047 troops, 436 guns, 600 vehicles, Assault Value = 1066
Defending force 4437 troops, 38 guns, 15 vehicles, Assault Value = 141
Allied adjusted assault: 1176
Japanese adjusted defense: 88
Allied assault odds: 13 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), op mode(-), preparation(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
1521 casualties reported
Squads: 31 destroyed, 27 disabled
Non Combat: 28 destroyed, 15 disabled
Engineers: 2 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 22 (7 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)
Units retreated 1
Allied ground losses:
45 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 15 (2 destroyed, 13 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
1st USMC Tank Battalion
2nd Marine Division
1st Marine Division
131st Cmbt Engineer Regiment
2nd USMC Tank Battalion
2nd AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
369th Coast AA Regiment
1st Pioneer Battalion
802nd Cmbt Engineer Battalion
1st AmphTrac Engineer Battalion
3rd Pioneer Battalion
1st USMC Field Artillery Battalion
2nd Pioneer Battalion
I Marine Amphib Corps
2nd USMC Field Artillery Battalion
1st USMC AA Battalion
Defending units:
14th/C Division
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Ground combat at 61,45 (near Lashio)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 12110 troops, 184 guns, 136 vehicles, Assault Value = 394
Defending force 8487 troops, 92 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 254
Allied adjusted assault: 71
Japanese adjusted defense: 1093
Allied assault odds: 1 to 15
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), fatigue(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
154 casualties reported
Squads: 2 destroyed, 20 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Allied ground losses:
397 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 59 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 7 disabled
Assaulting units:
17th Indian Division
23rd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
XV Indian Corps
20th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
24th Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
22nd Indian Mountain Gun Regiment
Defending units:
21st/B Division
21st/C Division
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment
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Ground combat at 62,45 (near Lashio)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 20851 troops, 364 guns, 505 vehicles, Assault Value = 699
Defending force 4151 troops, 41 guns, 104 vehicles, Assault Value = 161
Allied adjusted assault: 496
Japanese adjusted defense: 103
Allied assault odds: 4 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), fatigue(-), morale(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker:
Japanese ground losses:
687 casualties reported
Squads: 52 destroyed, 29 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 22 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 8 (4 destroyed, 4 disabled)
Vehicles lost 57 (27 destroyed, 30 disabled)
Units retreated 3
Allied ground losses:
228 casualties reported
Squads: 4 destroyed, 33 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 8 (3 destroyed, 5 disabled)
Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!
Assaulting units:
7th Armoured Brigade
2nd British Division
26th Indian Brigade
Burma Corps
Defending units:
14th Tank Regiment
7th RTA/C Division
6th RTA/C Division
18th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
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Ground combat at 62,43 (near Katha)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 3270 troops, 18 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 147
Defending force 266 troops, 1 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 1
Allied adjusted assault: 74
Japanese adjusted defense: 1
Allied assault odds: 74 to 1
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+), leaders(-), disruption(-)
experience(-), supply(-)
Attacker: leaders(+), leaders(-)
Japanese ground losses:
356 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 37 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 1 (1 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units destroyed 1
Assaulting units:
77th LRP Brigade
Defending units:
7th RTA/A Division
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Ground combat at 63,45 (near Bhamo)
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 8564 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 289
Defending force 4120 troops, 34 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 129
Allied adjusted assault: 240
Japanese adjusted defense: 442
Allied assault odds: 1 to 2
Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker: leaders(+)
Japanese ground losses:
37 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Allied ground losses:
406 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 62 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 4 disabled
Assaulting units:
5th Chinese Corps
Defending units:
21st/A Division
