Thayne News Campaign Reports
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
RE: SCORE: 22 to 0 IN 2 DAYS
I see you seem to have dispensed with MacArthur. Excellent. [:)]
RE: SCORE: 22 to 0 IN 2 DAYS
ORIGINAL: Alikchi
I see you seem to have dispensed with MacArthur. Excellent. [:)]
Shouldn't you be hissing that while stroking a white cat? [;)]
This game does not have a learning curve. It has a learning cliff.
"Bomb early, bomb often, bomb everything." - Niceguy
Any bugs I report are always straight stock games.
"Bomb early, bomb often, bomb everything." - Niceguy
Any bugs I report are always straight stock games.
COLORADO SUNK!
May 20, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
COLORADO SUNK!
(TN – Townsend)A massive Japanese carrier air assault sank the battleship Colorado and damaged the cruisers Chesters and Raleigh off the coast of Port Moresby yesterday.
The first sign of danger came in the morning. Port Moresby reported two Japanese airplanes scouting the port. An intelligence operator questioning those who spotted the airplane soon discovered that the port had been visited by a pair of Val bombers, and inferred that Japanese carriers were about to strike.
News of the sighting was flashed to General Thompson, who responded with orders for the ships to evacuate the area. He ordered the slower ships, including Colorado to Thursday Island. The ships had no way of outrunning a carrier fleet, but carriers on the north side of New Guinea would have to sail around. He ordered the faster ships south.
There was no sign that the Japanese had spotted the carrier force, so Commander Sherman gave his bombers, which had already launched for another strike on Port Moresby, the go-ahead to complete their mission. Instead of precision bombing, the bombers formed up into three large groups to carpet bomb key locations among the Japanese. The pilots followed lead bombers to their targets, dropped their bombs as a group, and returned quickly to the carriers. Once landed, the carriers turned south with their escort.
In the mean time, over 200 Japanese carrier-based airplanes showed up at Port Moresby.
The 46th Fighter Group had nearly three dozen Warhawk fighters in the sky over the city when the enemy planes showed up. They ran up against an equal number of Japanese Zero fighters. The carrier-trained Zeros lived up to the legend. By the time the carrier-based bombers showed up over the port, the Zeros had destroyed two-thirds of the fighters and ran most of the others out of fuel or ammunition. The remaining fighters managed to splash two of the Val bombers, but over 160 airplanes made it through to the ships.
Colorado drew the carrier planes like flies. One torpedo after another splashed into the water aiming for the battleship. One bomb after another fell from the sky. The Colorado attempted to maneuver out of the way. Eventually, one bomb hit near the forward turret. Another took out an anti-aircraft station.
After dodging nearly 30 airplanes, the Colorado ran out of luck. A squadron of torpedo bombers lined up on the battleship. Over the course of less than a minute, three huge explosions burst through the port side of the battleship. It slowed. With lowered maneuverability, the other planes found it an easier to hit their target. Bombs showered the deck of the ship while torpedoes landed against both sides of the battleship. Colorado sank while Japanese planes were still in the air.
The remaining planes went after smaller targets. The heavy cruiser Chester took a torpedo and two bombs. Raleigh took a bomb that penetrated its deck and set of explosions inside the ship, below the waterline.
When the attack was over, destroyers and minesweepers swarmed to the site where the Colorado once floated to pick up survivors.
Officials Suggest Colorado Did Its Assigned Job
Thayne News has learned that Nimitz may have sent the battleship Colorado along for just this purpose. Sources, who insist on being left nameless, state that Nimitz believes that the age of the battleship is over. However, he believed that the Japanese pilots would not be able to resist such a target. Colorado was included in the task force to draw Japanese attack planes away from the other ships.
The source stressed that Nimitz did not expect an attack of the magnitude of that befell the force at Port Moresby. “Nimitz was worried about an attack by fifty Betty bombers.” Against such an attack, Colorado had a chance of surviving and returning back to port for repairs, saving the other ships from the damage they would have suffered. "Against the full might of Japan’s carrier force, if Colorado had not been there to draw off the bulk of the Japanese planes, the rest of the task force would have likely been obliterated," this source said.
Massive Air Attack at Imphal, India
(TN – Dacca) Japan launched the first massive bombardment of a target in India in several weeks yesterday, sending nearly 50 bombers and 20 fighters against the Allied base at Imphal.
The attack on Imphal was one part of a larger operation that involved the Chinese 22nd Division attempting to cross northern Burma. Japan dispatched its 33rd Division to deal with the intruders. Once the Chinese entered the trail to Imphal, the jungle slowed them down, allowing the Japanese to catch up. Imphal’s air force had orders to fly against the Japanese division to aid in the Chinese escape.
A part of Imphal's normal combat air patrol was assigned to escort the attack force, leaving the combat air patrol over Imphal lighter than usual when Japan attacked.
The Japanese Zeros came up against 25 Allied defensive fighters. In a long and fierce fight, the Allies and Japanese each lost five airplanes. While two allied squadrons kept the Japanese fighters busy, another squadron attacked the bombers, destroying 11 Sally bombers.
The surviving Japanese bombers targeted the airstrip, and inflicted more damage than the Japanese had inflicted on any raid in India. They nearly destroyed the runway. The allied raids to aid the Chinese had not yet launched. Allied engineers fired up their equipment and immediately started emergency repairs on the runway. They worked until they had just enough airstrip rebuilt for the planes to take off. Then the flights were launched.
The allies managed to get 50 planes into the air. Their orders were to find targets of opportunity on the trails from Mandalay to Imphal. The pilots were told to take care; that a Chinese division was running away from a Japanese division along the trail.
At the time of the flight, the rear guard for the Chinese division were preparing to fight a delaying action against the Japanese. The fighting was fierce. Japan was throwing large units against high ground that the Chinese had occupied.
To prevent friendly fire against the Chinese, the bombers aimed for the Japanese rear area. They found a knot of enemy soldiers at the head of the trail and plastered the area with bombs.
China suffered nearly 150 casualties in its rear guard action. Many of them were wounded soldiers who could not be carried out of Burma. They were left to the Japanese to take care of. Japan is estimated to have lost nearly 200 soldiers in the fighting, and 150 soldiers as a result of the bombing. By the time the day had ended, the Chinese division had succeeded in pulling away from the Japanese.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
COLORADO SUNK!
(TN – Townsend)A massive Japanese carrier air assault sank the battleship Colorado and damaged the cruisers Chesters and Raleigh off the coast of Port Moresby yesterday.
The first sign of danger came in the morning. Port Moresby reported two Japanese airplanes scouting the port. An intelligence operator questioning those who spotted the airplane soon discovered that the port had been visited by a pair of Val bombers, and inferred that Japanese carriers were about to strike.
News of the sighting was flashed to General Thompson, who responded with orders for the ships to evacuate the area. He ordered the slower ships, including Colorado to Thursday Island. The ships had no way of outrunning a carrier fleet, but carriers on the north side of New Guinea would have to sail around. He ordered the faster ships south.
There was no sign that the Japanese had spotted the carrier force, so Commander Sherman gave his bombers, which had already launched for another strike on Port Moresby, the go-ahead to complete their mission. Instead of precision bombing, the bombers formed up into three large groups to carpet bomb key locations among the Japanese. The pilots followed lead bombers to their targets, dropped their bombs as a group, and returned quickly to the carriers. Once landed, the carriers turned south with their escort.
In the mean time, over 200 Japanese carrier-based airplanes showed up at Port Moresby.
The 46th Fighter Group had nearly three dozen Warhawk fighters in the sky over the city when the enemy planes showed up. They ran up against an equal number of Japanese Zero fighters. The carrier-trained Zeros lived up to the legend. By the time the carrier-based bombers showed up over the port, the Zeros had destroyed two-thirds of the fighters and ran most of the others out of fuel or ammunition. The remaining fighters managed to splash two of the Val bombers, but over 160 airplanes made it through to the ships.
Colorado drew the carrier planes like flies. One torpedo after another splashed into the water aiming for the battleship. One bomb after another fell from the sky. The Colorado attempted to maneuver out of the way. Eventually, one bomb hit near the forward turret. Another took out an anti-aircraft station.
After dodging nearly 30 airplanes, the Colorado ran out of luck. A squadron of torpedo bombers lined up on the battleship. Over the course of less than a minute, three huge explosions burst through the port side of the battleship. It slowed. With lowered maneuverability, the other planes found it an easier to hit their target. Bombs showered the deck of the ship while torpedoes landed against both sides of the battleship. Colorado sank while Japanese planes were still in the air.
The remaining planes went after smaller targets. The heavy cruiser Chester took a torpedo and two bombs. Raleigh took a bomb that penetrated its deck and set of explosions inside the ship, below the waterline.
When the attack was over, destroyers and minesweepers swarmed to the site where the Colorado once floated to pick up survivors.
Officials Suggest Colorado Did Its Assigned Job
Thayne News has learned that Nimitz may have sent the battleship Colorado along for just this purpose. Sources, who insist on being left nameless, state that Nimitz believes that the age of the battleship is over. However, he believed that the Japanese pilots would not be able to resist such a target. Colorado was included in the task force to draw Japanese attack planes away from the other ships.
The source stressed that Nimitz did not expect an attack of the magnitude of that befell the force at Port Moresby. “Nimitz was worried about an attack by fifty Betty bombers.” Against such an attack, Colorado had a chance of surviving and returning back to port for repairs, saving the other ships from the damage they would have suffered. "Against the full might of Japan’s carrier force, if Colorado had not been there to draw off the bulk of the Japanese planes, the rest of the task force would have likely been obliterated," this source said.
Massive Air Attack at Imphal, India
(TN – Dacca) Japan launched the first massive bombardment of a target in India in several weeks yesterday, sending nearly 50 bombers and 20 fighters against the Allied base at Imphal.
The attack on Imphal was one part of a larger operation that involved the Chinese 22nd Division attempting to cross northern Burma. Japan dispatched its 33rd Division to deal with the intruders. Once the Chinese entered the trail to Imphal, the jungle slowed them down, allowing the Japanese to catch up. Imphal’s air force had orders to fly against the Japanese division to aid in the Chinese escape.
A part of Imphal's normal combat air patrol was assigned to escort the attack force, leaving the combat air patrol over Imphal lighter than usual when Japan attacked.
The Japanese Zeros came up against 25 Allied defensive fighters. In a long and fierce fight, the Allies and Japanese each lost five airplanes. While two allied squadrons kept the Japanese fighters busy, another squadron attacked the bombers, destroying 11 Sally bombers.
The surviving Japanese bombers targeted the airstrip, and inflicted more damage than the Japanese had inflicted on any raid in India. They nearly destroyed the runway. The allied raids to aid the Chinese had not yet launched. Allied engineers fired up their equipment and immediately started emergency repairs on the runway. They worked until they had just enough airstrip rebuilt for the planes to take off. Then the flights were launched.
The allies managed to get 50 planes into the air. Their orders were to find targets of opportunity on the trails from Mandalay to Imphal. The pilots were told to take care; that a Chinese division was running away from a Japanese division along the trail.
At the time of the flight, the rear guard for the Chinese division were preparing to fight a delaying action against the Japanese. The fighting was fierce. Japan was throwing large units against high ground that the Chinese had occupied.
To prevent friendly fire against the Chinese, the bombers aimed for the Japanese rear area. They found a knot of enemy soldiers at the head of the trail and plastered the area with bombs.
China suffered nearly 150 casualties in its rear guard action. Many of them were wounded soldiers who could not be carried out of Burma. They were left to the Japanese to take care of. Japan is estimated to have lost nearly 200 soldiers in the fighting, and 150 soldiers as a result of the bombing. By the time the day had ended, the Chinese division had succeeded in pulling away from the Japanese.
-
Hornblower
- Posts: 1361
- Joined: Wed Sep 10, 2003 1:02 am
- Location: New York'er relocated to Chicago
RE: COLORADO SUNK!
Thayne - keep it up....
RE: THAYNE NEWS SABOTAGE
Glad you are back up also. I just love your AAR. Its the first thing I read after the morning paper.
JAPAN CARRIERS WITHDRAW
May 21, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPAN CARRIERS WITHDRAW
(TN- Townsend) After having sunk the battleship Colorado, damaging two cruisers, and driving the resupply ships away from Port Moresby, the Japanese carrier group appears to have withdrawn from the waters north of New Guinea yesterday.
The submarine SS Trigger, patrolling the Dampier Straight west of New Brittain, spotted the Japanese task force moving north yesterday morning. The carrier group's escort of destroyers attacked the submarine, but Trigger escaped unharmed.
In spite of the Japanese withdrawal, Admiral Nimitz and General Thompson agreed to order their forces to continue to safe harbor. Officials at South Pacific Command report that Nimitz was concerned of a repeat of the Japanese tactics at the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. In that battle, Japan appeared to be withdrawing its carriers, only to reverse course just as Nimitz sent supply ships back to the forward islands.
In the midst of the withdraw, the Allied carrier task force, consisting of Lexington and Saratoga, received signs of a Japanese submarine in the area. The destroyers attacked, with the destroyer Van Ghent reporting a hit on a solid contact, and then Stuart reporting a significant series of hits. Sonar picked up additional sounds of the submarine straining under damage. With the Japanese carrier threat still nearby, the task force did not wait to check on the results of their action.
The mission that the Japanese carrier group interrupted succeeded in delivering 7,000 fresh troops to Port Moresby, but retreated with most of the supplies still on the ships. Those transport ships were ordered to Thursday Island, in the company of the two damaged cruisers.
Sources in Southwest Pacific Command headquarters informed Thayne News that the Port Moresby force has a huge stockpile of supplies, and can continue to fight at full effectiveness for at least a month before shortages become a serious concern. However, those same sources stressed that they hope to keep Port Moresby well supplied. "We do not want to get into a position where we are being forced into an ill-timed resupply mission. We want to be able to resupply the city at our convenience."
The Japan action has not interrupted the concurrent mission to resupply Thursday Island, and now it appears that Thursday Island will receive several tons of supplies originally destined for Port Moresby. The success of this part of the plan has given General Thompson the luxury of redirecting air supply from the Australian mainland to Port Moresby. A squadron of cargo planes flying from Cooktown, Australia, has been flying supplies to Thursday Island, trying to keep the base operational. General Thompson has ordered that transport unit to fly its future missions to Port Moresby instead.
Allied Offensive at Port Moresby
With the arrival of reinforcements, General Knox, commander of the army at Port Moresby, launched an offensive action against the Japanese yesterday. Knox sent the newly arrived elements of the 6th Australian division against the Japanese forces that had landed on the beach and unloaded supplies southeast of the city. Knox did not order a massive attack against the Japanese. One of the aims of the operation was to gain information about the Japanese offensives and on how to conduct operations in the jungle, without overly committing allied forces.
Before launching the attack, Knox subjected the Japanese defenses to a massive bombardment. Bombers flying in from the mainland and from Thursday Island and Australia itself added to the preparation plans. Late in the afternoon, the infantry moved in.
The operation proved to be a huge success. The allies suffered approximately 30 casualties in the operation. However, sources in the field claim that the allies killed, wounded, or captured over 200 enemy soldiers. Most of these were killed; allied forces are learning that the Japanese will very rarely surrender.
General Knox was hoping to capture some of the Japanese supply that they had unloaded here. However, the enemy had apparently moved the supply inland.
The two Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces targeted in the assault withdrew deeper in the jungle, joining the South Seas Detachment north and east of Port Moresby.
32nd USA Infantry Division Reaches Australia
Further south, and Rockampton, TF1040 arrived carrying the entire 32nd USA Infantry Division. The Division has been earmarked for Port Moresby, and its commanders have been studying maps of the region and reading reports in preparation for being stationed there. The arrival of the American division at Port Moresby will add another 16,000 troops to the defense of the city.
Allied commanders, however, have expressed concern about the drain that an additional 16,000 soldiers would have on the supplies in the city. Some senior officials have suggested holding the American unit in Australia unless Japan reinforced its attack force and a larger defensive force was needed. In the mean time, the allies would focus on boosting the supply situation at Port Moresby.
Others, including Admiral Nimitz, insist that the American soldiers go to Port Moresby and drive the Japanese away from the town. According to one official, the attitude at the top of the command structure was, “Once we get rid of the Japanese, then we will not need so many supplies.” However, the 32nd USA Infantry Division falls under the authority of General Thompson, who will be making the final decision.
SS Spearfish Damaged By Freighter
(TN – Dacca) Operating off of the coast of French Indochina, the SS Spearfish took on a Japanese transport ship that bit back hard. The submarine fired a torpedo at the merchant ship that bounced harmlessly off of the side of the enemy, then surfaced to turn its deck guns on the enemy ship. The Japanese ship fired back. Only minutes after surfacing, a shell from the merchant ship penetrated the hull just stern of the tower, ripping through several sections of the ballast tanks and exploding between the crew quarters and the mess. The crew were at battle stations, so these sections of the submarine were unoccupied. However, the damage forced the submarine to retreat.
Spearfish has been ordered to the Chinese port of Pakhoi for emergency repairs. Chinese forces reclaimed the port shortly after America entered the war. Since then, Allied submarine command has been using the port as a refueling and emergency repair station behind enemy lines. Once repaired, the submarine will return to Columbo, Ceylon.
The submarine commander reported that they did get three good hits on the merchant ship before being driven off.
Submarines Find Good Hunting Near Rabaul
(TN – Townsend) Allied submarines have found rich hunting grounds in the waters around Rabaul in the Bismarck Archipelago. Two days ago, SS Tambor torpedoed a tanker north of the city. Yesterday, SS Gato surfaced near a Japanese patrol gunboat and struck it with three hits from its deck gun before leaving. Secondary explosions on board the small gun ship and billowing clouds of black smoke suggested that Gato inflicted significant harm in its attack.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPAN CARRIERS WITHDRAW
(TN- Townsend) After having sunk the battleship Colorado, damaging two cruisers, and driving the resupply ships away from Port Moresby, the Japanese carrier group appears to have withdrawn from the waters north of New Guinea yesterday.
The submarine SS Trigger, patrolling the Dampier Straight west of New Brittain, spotted the Japanese task force moving north yesterday morning. The carrier group's escort of destroyers attacked the submarine, but Trigger escaped unharmed.
In spite of the Japanese withdrawal, Admiral Nimitz and General Thompson agreed to order their forces to continue to safe harbor. Officials at South Pacific Command report that Nimitz was concerned of a repeat of the Japanese tactics at the Battle of Santa Cruz Islands. In that battle, Japan appeared to be withdrawing its carriers, only to reverse course just as Nimitz sent supply ships back to the forward islands.
In the midst of the withdraw, the Allied carrier task force, consisting of Lexington and Saratoga, received signs of a Japanese submarine in the area. The destroyers attacked, with the destroyer Van Ghent reporting a hit on a solid contact, and then Stuart reporting a significant series of hits. Sonar picked up additional sounds of the submarine straining under damage. With the Japanese carrier threat still nearby, the task force did not wait to check on the results of their action.
The mission that the Japanese carrier group interrupted succeeded in delivering 7,000 fresh troops to Port Moresby, but retreated with most of the supplies still on the ships. Those transport ships were ordered to Thursday Island, in the company of the two damaged cruisers.
Sources in Southwest Pacific Command headquarters informed Thayne News that the Port Moresby force has a huge stockpile of supplies, and can continue to fight at full effectiveness for at least a month before shortages become a serious concern. However, those same sources stressed that they hope to keep Port Moresby well supplied. "We do not want to get into a position where we are being forced into an ill-timed resupply mission. We want to be able to resupply the city at our convenience."
The Japan action has not interrupted the concurrent mission to resupply Thursday Island, and now it appears that Thursday Island will receive several tons of supplies originally destined for Port Moresby. The success of this part of the plan has given General Thompson the luxury of redirecting air supply from the Australian mainland to Port Moresby. A squadron of cargo planes flying from Cooktown, Australia, has been flying supplies to Thursday Island, trying to keep the base operational. General Thompson has ordered that transport unit to fly its future missions to Port Moresby instead.
Allied Offensive at Port Moresby
With the arrival of reinforcements, General Knox, commander of the army at Port Moresby, launched an offensive action against the Japanese yesterday. Knox sent the newly arrived elements of the 6th Australian division against the Japanese forces that had landed on the beach and unloaded supplies southeast of the city. Knox did not order a massive attack against the Japanese. One of the aims of the operation was to gain information about the Japanese offensives and on how to conduct operations in the jungle, without overly committing allied forces.
Before launching the attack, Knox subjected the Japanese defenses to a massive bombardment. Bombers flying in from the mainland and from Thursday Island and Australia itself added to the preparation plans. Late in the afternoon, the infantry moved in.
The operation proved to be a huge success. The allies suffered approximately 30 casualties in the operation. However, sources in the field claim that the allies killed, wounded, or captured over 200 enemy soldiers. Most of these were killed; allied forces are learning that the Japanese will very rarely surrender.
General Knox was hoping to capture some of the Japanese supply that they had unloaded here. However, the enemy had apparently moved the supply inland.
The two Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces targeted in the assault withdrew deeper in the jungle, joining the South Seas Detachment north and east of Port Moresby.
32nd USA Infantry Division Reaches Australia
Further south, and Rockampton, TF1040 arrived carrying the entire 32nd USA Infantry Division. The Division has been earmarked for Port Moresby, and its commanders have been studying maps of the region and reading reports in preparation for being stationed there. The arrival of the American division at Port Moresby will add another 16,000 troops to the defense of the city.
Allied commanders, however, have expressed concern about the drain that an additional 16,000 soldiers would have on the supplies in the city. Some senior officials have suggested holding the American unit in Australia unless Japan reinforced its attack force and a larger defensive force was needed. In the mean time, the allies would focus on boosting the supply situation at Port Moresby.
Others, including Admiral Nimitz, insist that the American soldiers go to Port Moresby and drive the Japanese away from the town. According to one official, the attitude at the top of the command structure was, “Once we get rid of the Japanese, then we will not need so many supplies.” However, the 32nd USA Infantry Division falls under the authority of General Thompson, who will be making the final decision.
SS Spearfish Damaged By Freighter
(TN – Dacca) Operating off of the coast of French Indochina, the SS Spearfish took on a Japanese transport ship that bit back hard. The submarine fired a torpedo at the merchant ship that bounced harmlessly off of the side of the enemy, then surfaced to turn its deck guns on the enemy ship. The Japanese ship fired back. Only minutes after surfacing, a shell from the merchant ship penetrated the hull just stern of the tower, ripping through several sections of the ballast tanks and exploding between the crew quarters and the mess. The crew were at battle stations, so these sections of the submarine were unoccupied. However, the damage forced the submarine to retreat.
Spearfish has been ordered to the Chinese port of Pakhoi for emergency repairs. Chinese forces reclaimed the port shortly after America entered the war. Since then, Allied submarine command has been using the port as a refueling and emergency repair station behind enemy lines. Once repaired, the submarine will return to Columbo, Ceylon.
The submarine commander reported that they did get three good hits on the merchant ship before being driven off.
Submarines Find Good Hunting Near Rabaul
(TN – Townsend) Allied submarines have found rich hunting grounds in the waters around Rabaul in the Bismarck Archipelago. Two days ago, SS Tambor torpedoed a tanker north of the city. Yesterday, SS Gato surfaced near a Japanese patrol gunboat and struck it with three hits from its deck gun before leaving. Secondary explosions on board the small gun ship and billowing clouds of black smoke suggested that Gato inflicted significant harm in its attack.
RE: JAPAN CARRIERS WITHDRAW
((minor niggle, I guess you ment sonar instead of radar))
LETTER FROM PORT MORESBY
May 22, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
LETTER FROM PORT MORESBY
Thayne News asked one of its reporters who has gone to Port Moresby to describe for us what is going on there, to give us a sense of what our soldiers are going through. He filed this report.
As I write this, I am standing on a hill in an area that soldiers here call the thumb. They also refer to it as 'the sore thumb' or 'bloody thumb' or, recently, 'the stump'.
You can mark the battle lines around Port Moresby by drawing a half circle, with the Coral Sea at our back, with a protrusion extending out of the city toward the Northeast. This bulge in the allied front line extends out over a hill that overlooks the city. When scouts first reported the Japanese army approaching the city, the commander here wanted to make sure that the allies commanded the high ground, and sent a unit to occupy this hill.
From here, we can see down into a valley to the north. This is the valley the Japanese army marched down to attack the city. They are down there right now, hidden in the jungle.
In the other direction, the hillside descends down to the ocean. Up until yesterday, the Japanese were down there too. They landed by boat and unloaded supplies, under the guns of the allied artillery positioned on this hill. They took some heavy casualties. When the supply ships were empty, they sailed off. But the Japanese navy stayed behind and repaid the allies for every shell fired.
Then the allied navy showed up. It happened at night. From here, soldiers could not easily see the battle, but the saw the light from the explosions flash across the sky. When it was over, the Japanese navy was gone.
The landing force is gone too. Two days ago, the 6th Australian division pushed out along the coast and drove the Japanese away. We do not have to worry what is behind us so much any more. The thumb does not sick out nearly as much as it used to.
But the loss of the navy did not bring peace. There were still the airplanes. Air raids are a daily event here. This piece of real estate, with its ability to look down on the Japanese positions, gets more attention than most. It is hard to believe that this whole hillside once was jungle. All that remains are sticks, which had once been trees.
From here, I can see another piece of territory that gets even more attention, the Port Moresby airport. It is below us, to the north and west, just on the edge of town. It is on the Japanese side. They shell the airbase constantly. When the enemy bombers come over, we can expect the dust and smoke to fill the valley.
The engineers struggle to keep the airfield operational. The Japanese have not been able to stop our air force. There are always Warhawks overhead. There is no sound more welcome than the roar of an airplane motor. Every now and then, two or three of them, flying in formation, will buzz the hill. I think they do it to give us hope. We are not beaten yet.
The fighters are not the only planes we see from the hill. Bombers arrive from the mainland daily. They drop their payload into the jungle below. We see the explosions. It is hard to tell if the attack did any good. But, it doesn't do any harm. At least to us.
Recently, we have been treated to a new sound and a new sight. Yesterday, C-47 cargo planes flew in from Australia. Until recently, the only supplies flown in were carried by sea plane, and landed in the harbor and unloaded at the piers. The cargo planes, however, fly right over our hill, and down onto the airstrip. They unload their precious cargo, then take off again. These flights cheer the soldiers even more than the fighters.
We have a good view of Port Moresby itself from here. It did not start off that way. At first, there was too much jungle for us to see the town. The Japanese bombers and artillery took care of that problem.
The town itself is slowly disappearing. As you walk down the street, you cannot find a house that has not been damaged. Many of them have burned to the ground. Larger houses, made of stone, still stand. They are magnates, though, for enemy artillery. The important buildings -- the command centers, the hospitals, the supply depots -- they are all moving underground. The real city of Port Moresby, these days, is below the streets.
There are still civilians here. They refuse to leave. This is home. They are put to work building the trenches, unloading the ships (when there are ships to unload), delivering supplies, carrying water to the troops. Most of the civilians have left. This is an army town now.
The shelling is constant. Even when you can't see what you are shooting at, you shoot anyway. The object is not to blow something up, it is just to keep the enemy from sleeping. The enemy does the same to us. Neither side wants the other to get a good night's sleep. It wears on you. Some of the soldiers here have learned to adapt. They can sleep through anything. But the stress is still there. You can see it in their eyes.
When it comes to fear, the Japanese are masters. Two days ago, a soldier sitting in a foxhole woke up. He had been sharing the foxhole with a partner. They were taking turns; one would stand watch, the other would sleep. This soldier woke up. He had overslept. He found his partner with his throat cut. The knife used to do it was stuck in the ground where he slept. The story got around, as the Japanese knew it would.
It makes it that much harder to go to sleep.
A flock of planes fly overhead. There are twelve 2-engine bombers in four 3-plane 'V' formations. Half of them are B-25 "Mitchell" bombers. The other half are Australian "Hudsons". They use the hill as a landmark, and know their target by direction and distance. To make navigation easy, they head over the hill in the right direction, compute their speed, and count out the seconds, then drop their bombs.
They are aiming for an artillery battery that has been shelling the runway. The Japanese would have heard the planes coming, and taken shelter inside their holes. The guns would be out, however. The bombs drop, and fifty small explosions erupt part way up the hill on the other side of the valley. A second or two later, there is another explosion. A huge explosion sends a mushroom cloud of smoke and fire up into the air. The guns may or may not have been damaged, but a lot of ammunition just went up.
On our side of the hill, in allied foxholes, the Australian soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division cheer.
We hear the hiss and the hum. "Incoming!". Our own soldiers head for their holes, and the hillside erupts in explosions from Japanese artillery. One good bombardment begets another.
That phrase, pretty much sums up life for the soldiers defending Port Moresby.
Van Nes Torpedoed Off Australian Coast
(TN- Townsend) In what may be considered the final shot in the operation to reinforce and resupply Port Moresby, a Japanese submarine torpedoed the destroyer Van Nes and was sunk in turn.
Van Nes was originally a part of the task force made up of the battleship Colorado and four cruisers. The task force's assignment was to screen the transport ships from Japanese attack. The remnants of the task force were returning to Brisbane when the Japanese sub attacked. The assault took place about 200 miles east of Townsend, Australia.
The first sign of the Japanese submarine came when Van Nes suffered a massive explosion mid ship. Spotters apparently had not seen the submarine, nor the torpedo wake, prior to impact. Van Nes immediately started taking on water. While two destroyers, Evertsen and Voyager went to the aid of the stricken destroyer, the other members of the task force started hunting for the submarine.
Morris was the first allied destroyer to report a sonar contact. It dropped a pattern of depth charges in the region. Then Walke reported signs of an oil leak from the region of Morris’s reported hit, heading northeast. Following the oil slick, it dropped its own pattern of depth charges. It then circled around and repeated the process.
While circling around for a third pass, a burst of secondary bubbles erupted on the surface. Sailors believe that this was the effect of the submarine imploding at depth. Minutes later, a large oil slick formed at the sight, then debris started popping out of the water. Military intelligence is counting the attack as a kill.
Japanese Change Air Tactics
(TN - Port Moresby) For the second night in a row, Port Moresby suffered from a night bombing attack against the city.
This is a change in tactics for Japan. Until recently, the Japanese had confined all of their air attacks to daylight hours. The British has had one squadron on nighttime duty since the start of the war -- a squadron of Blenheim bombers currently operating out of Dacca.
Military intelligence is wondering if the recent heavy losses suffered over Port Moresby to Lexington's fighter group Flying Chiefs may be responsible for this change in tactics.
Elsewhere, the Japanese air force has been strangely quiet for the last few days. In northern Australia, both Kai Island and Darwin have been free of Japanese air strikes for nearly a week. India has not experienced an assault since the attacks on the task force at Madras and the air fields at Imphal.
Another option that military intelligence is struggling to confirm is the possibility that Japan may be refitting its air force. According to reports received from inside Japan, the country had been stockpiling modern aircraft, unwilling to move the planes to the front line until they were needed. Approximately one week ago, military intelligence received news that Japan was now moving those replacement air units to the front line. Once the replacement cycle is finished, Japan may be flying into battle with newer, more advanced aircraft.
Allies Refit Heavy Bombers
(TN - Washington) Admiral Patch, announced yesterday that Allied heavy bomber units are starting to receive kits to repair a defect that prevented the planes from flying over 32,000 feet. The defect, first noticed nearly three months ago, was caused by a math error committed by engineers at the factories that built the high-level bombers. Though unwilling to discuss the details of the error, spokesmen for the manufacturers simply said, "We simply failed to carry some of our engineering calculations to the necessary level of precision."
The forces in India are particularly interested in getting their aircraft refitted. By flying missions at 35,000 feet, the allied bombers can fly above all Japanese combat air patrol except the Oscar fighters. Using this tactic, they had inflicted significant damage against the airfields and airplanes stationed at Rangoon. Even with a resumption of high-level bombing against the city, allied command does not expect a return to the levels of destruction noticed on earlier attacks. According to one intelligence official, "Japan has learned to disburse its airplanes better. We are simply not going to be able to take out as many planes as we had been."
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
LETTER FROM PORT MORESBY
Thayne News asked one of its reporters who has gone to Port Moresby to describe for us what is going on there, to give us a sense of what our soldiers are going through. He filed this report.
As I write this, I am standing on a hill in an area that soldiers here call the thumb. They also refer to it as 'the sore thumb' or 'bloody thumb' or, recently, 'the stump'.
You can mark the battle lines around Port Moresby by drawing a half circle, with the Coral Sea at our back, with a protrusion extending out of the city toward the Northeast. This bulge in the allied front line extends out over a hill that overlooks the city. When scouts first reported the Japanese army approaching the city, the commander here wanted to make sure that the allies commanded the high ground, and sent a unit to occupy this hill.
From here, we can see down into a valley to the north. This is the valley the Japanese army marched down to attack the city. They are down there right now, hidden in the jungle.
In the other direction, the hillside descends down to the ocean. Up until yesterday, the Japanese were down there too. They landed by boat and unloaded supplies, under the guns of the allied artillery positioned on this hill. They took some heavy casualties. When the supply ships were empty, they sailed off. But the Japanese navy stayed behind and repaid the allies for every shell fired.
Then the allied navy showed up. It happened at night. From here, soldiers could not easily see the battle, but the saw the light from the explosions flash across the sky. When it was over, the Japanese navy was gone.
The landing force is gone too. Two days ago, the 6th Australian division pushed out along the coast and drove the Japanese away. We do not have to worry what is behind us so much any more. The thumb does not sick out nearly as much as it used to.
But the loss of the navy did not bring peace. There were still the airplanes. Air raids are a daily event here. This piece of real estate, with its ability to look down on the Japanese positions, gets more attention than most. It is hard to believe that this whole hillside once was jungle. All that remains are sticks, which had once been trees.
From here, I can see another piece of territory that gets even more attention, the Port Moresby airport. It is below us, to the north and west, just on the edge of town. It is on the Japanese side. They shell the airbase constantly. When the enemy bombers come over, we can expect the dust and smoke to fill the valley.
The engineers struggle to keep the airfield operational. The Japanese have not been able to stop our air force. There are always Warhawks overhead. There is no sound more welcome than the roar of an airplane motor. Every now and then, two or three of them, flying in formation, will buzz the hill. I think they do it to give us hope. We are not beaten yet.
The fighters are not the only planes we see from the hill. Bombers arrive from the mainland daily. They drop their payload into the jungle below. We see the explosions. It is hard to tell if the attack did any good. But, it doesn't do any harm. At least to us.
Recently, we have been treated to a new sound and a new sight. Yesterday, C-47 cargo planes flew in from Australia. Until recently, the only supplies flown in were carried by sea plane, and landed in the harbor and unloaded at the piers. The cargo planes, however, fly right over our hill, and down onto the airstrip. They unload their precious cargo, then take off again. These flights cheer the soldiers even more than the fighters.
We have a good view of Port Moresby itself from here. It did not start off that way. At first, there was too much jungle for us to see the town. The Japanese bombers and artillery took care of that problem.
The town itself is slowly disappearing. As you walk down the street, you cannot find a house that has not been damaged. Many of them have burned to the ground. Larger houses, made of stone, still stand. They are magnates, though, for enemy artillery. The important buildings -- the command centers, the hospitals, the supply depots -- they are all moving underground. The real city of Port Moresby, these days, is below the streets.
There are still civilians here. They refuse to leave. This is home. They are put to work building the trenches, unloading the ships (when there are ships to unload), delivering supplies, carrying water to the troops. Most of the civilians have left. This is an army town now.
The shelling is constant. Even when you can't see what you are shooting at, you shoot anyway. The object is not to blow something up, it is just to keep the enemy from sleeping. The enemy does the same to us. Neither side wants the other to get a good night's sleep. It wears on you. Some of the soldiers here have learned to adapt. They can sleep through anything. But the stress is still there. You can see it in their eyes.
When it comes to fear, the Japanese are masters. Two days ago, a soldier sitting in a foxhole woke up. He had been sharing the foxhole with a partner. They were taking turns; one would stand watch, the other would sleep. This soldier woke up. He had overslept. He found his partner with his throat cut. The knife used to do it was stuck in the ground where he slept. The story got around, as the Japanese knew it would.
It makes it that much harder to go to sleep.
A flock of planes fly overhead. There are twelve 2-engine bombers in four 3-plane 'V' formations. Half of them are B-25 "Mitchell" bombers. The other half are Australian "Hudsons". They use the hill as a landmark, and know their target by direction and distance. To make navigation easy, they head over the hill in the right direction, compute their speed, and count out the seconds, then drop their bombs.
They are aiming for an artillery battery that has been shelling the runway. The Japanese would have heard the planes coming, and taken shelter inside their holes. The guns would be out, however. The bombs drop, and fifty small explosions erupt part way up the hill on the other side of the valley. A second or two later, there is another explosion. A huge explosion sends a mushroom cloud of smoke and fire up into the air. The guns may or may not have been damaged, but a lot of ammunition just went up.
On our side of the hill, in allied foxholes, the Australian soldiers of the 7th Infantry Division cheer.
We hear the hiss and the hum. "Incoming!". Our own soldiers head for their holes, and the hillside erupts in explosions from Japanese artillery. One good bombardment begets another.
That phrase, pretty much sums up life for the soldiers defending Port Moresby.
Van Nes Torpedoed Off Australian Coast
(TN- Townsend) In what may be considered the final shot in the operation to reinforce and resupply Port Moresby, a Japanese submarine torpedoed the destroyer Van Nes and was sunk in turn.
Van Nes was originally a part of the task force made up of the battleship Colorado and four cruisers. The task force's assignment was to screen the transport ships from Japanese attack. The remnants of the task force were returning to Brisbane when the Japanese sub attacked. The assault took place about 200 miles east of Townsend, Australia.
The first sign of the Japanese submarine came when Van Nes suffered a massive explosion mid ship. Spotters apparently had not seen the submarine, nor the torpedo wake, prior to impact. Van Nes immediately started taking on water. While two destroyers, Evertsen and Voyager went to the aid of the stricken destroyer, the other members of the task force started hunting for the submarine.
Morris was the first allied destroyer to report a sonar contact. It dropped a pattern of depth charges in the region. Then Walke reported signs of an oil leak from the region of Morris’s reported hit, heading northeast. Following the oil slick, it dropped its own pattern of depth charges. It then circled around and repeated the process.
While circling around for a third pass, a burst of secondary bubbles erupted on the surface. Sailors believe that this was the effect of the submarine imploding at depth. Minutes later, a large oil slick formed at the sight, then debris started popping out of the water. Military intelligence is counting the attack as a kill.
Japanese Change Air Tactics
(TN - Port Moresby) For the second night in a row, Port Moresby suffered from a night bombing attack against the city.
This is a change in tactics for Japan. Until recently, the Japanese had confined all of their air attacks to daylight hours. The British has had one squadron on nighttime duty since the start of the war -- a squadron of Blenheim bombers currently operating out of Dacca.
Military intelligence is wondering if the recent heavy losses suffered over Port Moresby to Lexington's fighter group Flying Chiefs may be responsible for this change in tactics.
Elsewhere, the Japanese air force has been strangely quiet for the last few days. In northern Australia, both Kai Island and Darwin have been free of Japanese air strikes for nearly a week. India has not experienced an assault since the attacks on the task force at Madras and the air fields at Imphal.
Another option that military intelligence is struggling to confirm is the possibility that Japan may be refitting its air force. According to reports received from inside Japan, the country had been stockpiling modern aircraft, unwilling to move the planes to the front line until they were needed. Approximately one week ago, military intelligence received news that Japan was now moving those replacement air units to the front line. Once the replacement cycle is finished, Japan may be flying into battle with newer, more advanced aircraft.
Allies Refit Heavy Bombers
(TN - Washington) Admiral Patch, announced yesterday that Allied heavy bomber units are starting to receive kits to repair a defect that prevented the planes from flying over 32,000 feet. The defect, first noticed nearly three months ago, was caused by a math error committed by engineers at the factories that built the high-level bombers. Though unwilling to discuss the details of the error, spokesmen for the manufacturers simply said, "We simply failed to carry some of our engineering calculations to the necessary level of precision."
The forces in India are particularly interested in getting their aircraft refitted. By flying missions at 35,000 feet, the allied bombers can fly above all Japanese combat air patrol except the Oscar fighters. Using this tactic, they had inflicted significant damage against the airfields and airplanes stationed at Rangoon. Even with a resumption of high-level bombing against the city, allied command does not expect a return to the levels of destruction noticed on earlier attacks. According to one intelligence official, "Japan has learned to disburse its airplanes better. We are simply not going to be able to take out as many planes as we had been."
KNOX TAKES OFFENSIVE
May 23, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX TAKES OFFENSIVE
(TN - Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, took the offensive yesterday and ordered a general assault against the Japanese forces besieging the city.
Knox began the day by having the 6th Australian Division, on his far right flank, and the 2nd Australian Division, on his left flank, advance against the Japanese. The units probed for a weak spot in the Japanese lines, and attempted to draw Japanese reinforcements to the area.
Then, shortly after noon, the 7th Australian Division threw itself hard against the Japanese center. Its objective was to take out several artillery batteries that have continued to threaten the airfield.
With cargo planes now using the Port Moresby airstrip, General Knox needed to better secure the airstrip from enemy artillery. This had been a major goal of his for quite some time. Yesterday's assault was only the most recent action aiming at this goal. He has also targeted the area with aerial bombardment and counter-battery fire.
The 7th Australian Infantry Division overran three enemy artillery batteries, permanently silencing nearly a dozen guns. However, the Japanese held their ground tenaciously. The medical centers in Port Moresby were soon overflowing as casualties came in by the dozen.
Ultimately, allied command counted the number of dead, wounded, and missing, at nearly 150. At the same time they reported inflicting over 300 casualties among the enemy, in addition to the three batteries.
The soldiers spent the rest of the afternoon planting mines and booby traps, destroying bunkers and other defenses, gathering intelligence, and destroying communication networks before retreating back to their original fortified positions.
"This is not a battle for territory," General King told Thayne News. "We want to fight from a position of strength. We have that position now. We have deprived the enemy of theirs."
Junior staff members, however, report that General Knox was hoping to route the Japanese. As the advance moved on, the Japanese put up an increasingly stiff defense. As the afternoon grew late, Knox began to admit that he would not obtain his objective, and ordered the troops back to their original lines where they could rest more comfortably.
Nimitz Considers Revised Timeline
(TN - Noumea) Nimitz has asked his staff to investigate an option of launching a part of his invasion plan in early June, a full 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
According to sources in South Pacific Command, Nimitz noted that three of the units he assigned to the mission were already loaded onto troop transports on their way to Noumea. The ports that they are due to land in remain under allied control. "It seems reasonable, then, that we should have the Japanese try to force us off these islands, rather than to wait to where we have to force the Japanese off."
Staff members say that the operation has two significant drawbacks. The first is that the landing zones are under the Japanese air umbrella, and the landing forces may come under attack. There would also be a problem with keeping the units supplied, particularly if the Japanese did attack.
As a compromise position, Nimitz has said that he would be willing to entertain dropping the landing force off on one of the islands until enough resources were made available.
Thompson Orders Occupation of Marauke, New Guinea
(TN - Townsend) Thompson ordered the Dutch 10th DAF Base Force to Marauke, New Guinea, yesterday. The order came as a complete surprise to the unit commander, giving him no chance to prepare for the reassignment.
Marauke is located on the southern shore of New Guinea, less than 200 miles northwest of Thursday Island. According to sources in Southwest Pacific Command, General Thompson grew concerned that the base could fall into Japanese hands since their capture of Babo several days earlier. Japanese control of Marauke would give them the ability to threaten Thursday Island as well as shipping from Brisbane to Darwin along the northern coast of Australia.
Recent reports of Japanese shipping activity around Babo convinced General Thompson that he needed to act quickly to secure the base. Dutch pilots, who had been training in the Dutch flight school established at Darwin, were conscripted to fly the soldiers to their destination. Yesterday, the first 220 soldiers made the trip.
Kimmel Okays Second Gilbert Islands Raid
(TN - Hawaii) Admiral Kimmel ordered his carrier group south to make a second set of raids against the Japanese held Gilbert Islands yesterday. The carriers had just arrived from a raid on Marcus Island and the central Pacific. Kimmel gave them just enough time to replenish their supplies, then sent them out again.
Sources in Hawaii say that Kimmel is seriously considering a plan to occupy Apamama, the southernmost of the Gilbert islands. B-17 bombers flying from Baker Island has been harassing the island constantly. There is no sign that the Japanese have taken any steps to build up the island. Kimmel would like the carrier group to test any Japanese activity in the region.
Kimmel has also ordered his battleship squadron south. If the waters appear safe enough, Kimmel has given the battleships permission to sail in and destroy what they can of Tarawa and Makin Islands, north of Apamama.
While these operations are going on, landing units are scheduled to deliver construction crews to Howland Island, a small allied-controlled atoll near Baker Island east of the Apamama. The new units are to aid in the construction of an airfield on the island which will help to support the attack.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX TAKES OFFENSIVE
(TN - Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, took the offensive yesterday and ordered a general assault against the Japanese forces besieging the city.
Knox began the day by having the 6th Australian Division, on his far right flank, and the 2nd Australian Division, on his left flank, advance against the Japanese. The units probed for a weak spot in the Japanese lines, and attempted to draw Japanese reinforcements to the area.
Then, shortly after noon, the 7th Australian Division threw itself hard against the Japanese center. Its objective was to take out several artillery batteries that have continued to threaten the airfield.
With cargo planes now using the Port Moresby airstrip, General Knox needed to better secure the airstrip from enemy artillery. This had been a major goal of his for quite some time. Yesterday's assault was only the most recent action aiming at this goal. He has also targeted the area with aerial bombardment and counter-battery fire.
The 7th Australian Infantry Division overran three enemy artillery batteries, permanently silencing nearly a dozen guns. However, the Japanese held their ground tenaciously. The medical centers in Port Moresby were soon overflowing as casualties came in by the dozen.
Ultimately, allied command counted the number of dead, wounded, and missing, at nearly 150. At the same time they reported inflicting over 300 casualties among the enemy, in addition to the three batteries.
The soldiers spent the rest of the afternoon planting mines and booby traps, destroying bunkers and other defenses, gathering intelligence, and destroying communication networks before retreating back to their original fortified positions.
"This is not a battle for territory," General King told Thayne News. "We want to fight from a position of strength. We have that position now. We have deprived the enemy of theirs."
Junior staff members, however, report that General Knox was hoping to route the Japanese. As the advance moved on, the Japanese put up an increasingly stiff defense. As the afternoon grew late, Knox began to admit that he would not obtain his objective, and ordered the troops back to their original lines where they could rest more comfortably.
Nimitz Considers Revised Timeline
(TN - Noumea) Nimitz has asked his staff to investigate an option of launching a part of his invasion plan in early June, a full 10 weeks ahead of schedule.
According to sources in South Pacific Command, Nimitz noted that three of the units he assigned to the mission were already loaded onto troop transports on their way to Noumea. The ports that they are due to land in remain under allied control. "It seems reasonable, then, that we should have the Japanese try to force us off these islands, rather than to wait to where we have to force the Japanese off."
Staff members say that the operation has two significant drawbacks. The first is that the landing zones are under the Japanese air umbrella, and the landing forces may come under attack. There would also be a problem with keeping the units supplied, particularly if the Japanese did attack.
As a compromise position, Nimitz has said that he would be willing to entertain dropping the landing force off on one of the islands until enough resources were made available.
Thompson Orders Occupation of Marauke, New Guinea
(TN - Townsend) Thompson ordered the Dutch 10th DAF Base Force to Marauke, New Guinea, yesterday. The order came as a complete surprise to the unit commander, giving him no chance to prepare for the reassignment.
Marauke is located on the southern shore of New Guinea, less than 200 miles northwest of Thursday Island. According to sources in Southwest Pacific Command, General Thompson grew concerned that the base could fall into Japanese hands since their capture of Babo several days earlier. Japanese control of Marauke would give them the ability to threaten Thursday Island as well as shipping from Brisbane to Darwin along the northern coast of Australia.
Recent reports of Japanese shipping activity around Babo convinced General Thompson that he needed to act quickly to secure the base. Dutch pilots, who had been training in the Dutch flight school established at Darwin, were conscripted to fly the soldiers to their destination. Yesterday, the first 220 soldiers made the trip.
Kimmel Okays Second Gilbert Islands Raid
(TN - Hawaii) Admiral Kimmel ordered his carrier group south to make a second set of raids against the Japanese held Gilbert Islands yesterday. The carriers had just arrived from a raid on Marcus Island and the central Pacific. Kimmel gave them just enough time to replenish their supplies, then sent them out again.
Sources in Hawaii say that Kimmel is seriously considering a plan to occupy Apamama, the southernmost of the Gilbert islands. B-17 bombers flying from Baker Island has been harassing the island constantly. There is no sign that the Japanese have taken any steps to build up the island. Kimmel would like the carrier group to test any Japanese activity in the region.
Kimmel has also ordered his battleship squadron south. If the waters appear safe enough, Kimmel has given the battleships permission to sail in and destroy what they can of Tarawa and Makin Islands, north of Apamama.
While these operations are going on, landing units are scheduled to deliver construction crews to Howland Island, a small allied-controlled atoll near Baker Island east of the Apamama. The new units are to aid in the construction of an airfield on the island which will help to support the attack.
KNOX CONTINUES OFFENSIVE
May 24, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX CONTINUES OFFENSIVE
(TN - Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, ordered an all-out attack against the Japanese forces surrounding the city yesterday. The attack failed to drive the Japanese away, but scored another victory in terms of inflicting casualties and weakening the Japanese position around the city.
In an interview with Thayne News before the attack, Knox expressed concern over the effect that the siege is having on his troops. "The constant shelling and bombing and fighting is wearing on their effectiveness. They need some rest, and the best way to buy them some rest is to rid the area of the Japanese."
Two successful attacks against the Japanese within the last week brought Knox to suspect that an all-out assault might force the Japanese to retreat. Four days ago, Knox attacked Japanese positions on the coast and drove the defenders into the mountain. Two days ago, the Allies launched an assault that temporarily forced the Japanese out of their positions around the city.
For the allies, it was one of the bloodiest days of fighting of the Port Moresby campaign. Nearly 200 Australian soldiers were reported killed, wounded, or missing by the end of the day. In exchange, the allies managed to inflict an estimated 400 casualties on the enemy, and destroy two more artillery batteries.
The destruction of the artillery batteries is some compensation for the allied losses in the attack. The hardest part of the battle for the soldiers to live with has been the daily artillery bombardments. Until the Japanese can bring a few more guns up to the front, the soldiers will know a little more peace.
General Knox also reported that he is concerned about the eventual arrival of Japanese reinforcements. "We have a higher numerical advantage now than we will have," said Knox. "It is better to fight them now when we have the advantage."
The day started out well for the allied offensive. Because of the arrival of new supplies at Thursday Island, the air force was able to contribute more support than usual to the campaign. Over 20 allied bombers made the trip across the Coral Sea to soften the enemy in preparation for the attack.
However, the Japanese proved to be tenacious in their defense. By mid afternoon, the allied offensive had bogged down. Afternoon thunderstorms slowed the allied advance even further. By evening, Knox had ordered a return to the original defensive line.
Unable to eliminate the Japanese threat, General Knox has requested that his soldiers be rotated out. The 34th USA Infantry Division is loaded up on boats and ready to travel to Port Moresby. General Knox has ordered that they be delivered, and that the 2nd and 7th Australian Divisions be sent back to Australia for some rest and recovery.
General Townsend has been reluctant to send the transports to Port Moresby. He is concerned about the carrier force that attacked the first resupply mission. The submarine [name] spotted the Japanese carrier force just north of Rabaul yesterday, close enough to inflict significant damage if it intercepted a transport mission.
However, General Knox has suggested that if his soldiers do not find relief in the near future, that they will suffer a loss of effectiveness that would put Port Moresby at risk, particularly if the Japanese were to be successful at bringing in reinforcements.
The threat of Japanese reinforcements rose recently with the discovery of a transport task force at Buna, across the harbor, yesterday. PBY seaplanes flying out of Thursday Island made the report yesterday morning of six troop transports at Buna. Though it would take some time for troops to cross the Owen Stanley Ridge and reach Port Moresby, Allied military strategists expressed certainty that the Japanese will be sending in additional troops.
General Knox has also noted that, in spite of the harsh conditions for the allies, they have been inflicting more damage on the Japanese than they have been suffering. This has given Knox hope that if he can keep the pressure on the Japanese, that he can dislodge them. Knox is also starting to get effective help from the air force at Thursday Island. "We have them outnumbered, and we are inflicting more casualties than we are taking. With these numbers, we are eventually going to win. The question is: can it happen soon enough?"
Japanese Air Force Disappears
(TN - Washington) Allied military intelligence is continuing to worry about what has happened to the Japanese air force.
In the last two days, the Japanese have not flown any missions against allied targets outside of small raids in China. Quiet has descended across the entire Pacific theater.
India has not been subject to attack since the bombing of Imphal, two days ago. In the region of northern Australia, where Japan had been racking up significant kill ratios against allied pilots, there has not been a significant raid in nearly a week. Port Moresby itself has experienced only two weak nighttime raid, in an area where Japan once performed regular attacks that nearly drove the allies from the skies.
Allied forces are taking advantage of this lull to rebuild depleted fighter strength. The Kai Island and Port Moresby fighter groups are feverishly working to rebuild and repair damaged airplanes and make them serviceable.
Some military strategists suggest that the Japanese may be involved in a massive program to upgrade their air combat units. Military intelligence suggests that Japan has been hoarding its newer airplane models, forcing its front line units to rely on older model airplanes.
A recent change in Japanese doctrine, reportedly occurring at about the same time Admiral Patch announced new allied directives and procedures, has eliminated the restrictions on reinforcements and upgrades. Though it would be reasonable to expect that Japan would stagger these upgrades over a period of months, it is possible that recent losses have convinced them to make all of their upgrades at once.
The disappearance of the Japanese air force is one of the factors that General Thompson is weighing in his decision over whether to send transport units to Port Moresby.
Allies to Rebuild Dutch Air Force
(TN - Washington) The United States military has formally agreed to rebuild the Dutch air force, presently serving in northern Australia. According to the terms of the deal, Americans would provide the Dutch air force with new airplanes, including PBY seaplanes, P-40 fighters (to be named Kittyhawks by the Dutch), Hudson bombers (modified from the Electra passenger planes of the 1930s), and the new F-5 reconnaissance airplanes.
The United States promised to deliver the airplanes to northern Australia by July, 1942. Presently, most of the Dutch pilots are engaged in flight training at Darwin, Australia.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX CONTINUES OFFENSIVE
(TN - Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, ordered an all-out attack against the Japanese forces surrounding the city yesterday. The attack failed to drive the Japanese away, but scored another victory in terms of inflicting casualties and weakening the Japanese position around the city.
In an interview with Thayne News before the attack, Knox expressed concern over the effect that the siege is having on his troops. "The constant shelling and bombing and fighting is wearing on their effectiveness. They need some rest, and the best way to buy them some rest is to rid the area of the Japanese."
Two successful attacks against the Japanese within the last week brought Knox to suspect that an all-out assault might force the Japanese to retreat. Four days ago, Knox attacked Japanese positions on the coast and drove the defenders into the mountain. Two days ago, the Allies launched an assault that temporarily forced the Japanese out of their positions around the city.
For the allies, it was one of the bloodiest days of fighting of the Port Moresby campaign. Nearly 200 Australian soldiers were reported killed, wounded, or missing by the end of the day. In exchange, the allies managed to inflict an estimated 400 casualties on the enemy, and destroy two more artillery batteries.
The destruction of the artillery batteries is some compensation for the allied losses in the attack. The hardest part of the battle for the soldiers to live with has been the daily artillery bombardments. Until the Japanese can bring a few more guns up to the front, the soldiers will know a little more peace.
General Knox also reported that he is concerned about the eventual arrival of Japanese reinforcements. "We have a higher numerical advantage now than we will have," said Knox. "It is better to fight them now when we have the advantage."
The day started out well for the allied offensive. Because of the arrival of new supplies at Thursday Island, the air force was able to contribute more support than usual to the campaign. Over 20 allied bombers made the trip across the Coral Sea to soften the enemy in preparation for the attack.
However, the Japanese proved to be tenacious in their defense. By mid afternoon, the allied offensive had bogged down. Afternoon thunderstorms slowed the allied advance even further. By evening, Knox had ordered a return to the original defensive line.
Unable to eliminate the Japanese threat, General Knox has requested that his soldiers be rotated out. The 34th USA Infantry Division is loaded up on boats and ready to travel to Port Moresby. General Knox has ordered that they be delivered, and that the 2nd and 7th Australian Divisions be sent back to Australia for some rest and recovery.
General Townsend has been reluctant to send the transports to Port Moresby. He is concerned about the carrier force that attacked the first resupply mission. The submarine [name] spotted the Japanese carrier force just north of Rabaul yesterday, close enough to inflict significant damage if it intercepted a transport mission.
However, General Knox has suggested that if his soldiers do not find relief in the near future, that they will suffer a loss of effectiveness that would put Port Moresby at risk, particularly if the Japanese were to be successful at bringing in reinforcements.
The threat of Japanese reinforcements rose recently with the discovery of a transport task force at Buna, across the harbor, yesterday. PBY seaplanes flying out of Thursday Island made the report yesterday morning of six troop transports at Buna. Though it would take some time for troops to cross the Owen Stanley Ridge and reach Port Moresby, Allied military strategists expressed certainty that the Japanese will be sending in additional troops.
General Knox has also noted that, in spite of the harsh conditions for the allies, they have been inflicting more damage on the Japanese than they have been suffering. This has given Knox hope that if he can keep the pressure on the Japanese, that he can dislodge them. Knox is also starting to get effective help from the air force at Thursday Island. "We have them outnumbered, and we are inflicting more casualties than we are taking. With these numbers, we are eventually going to win. The question is: can it happen soon enough?"
Japanese Air Force Disappears
(TN - Washington) Allied military intelligence is continuing to worry about what has happened to the Japanese air force.
In the last two days, the Japanese have not flown any missions against allied targets outside of small raids in China. Quiet has descended across the entire Pacific theater.
India has not been subject to attack since the bombing of Imphal, two days ago. In the region of northern Australia, where Japan had been racking up significant kill ratios against allied pilots, there has not been a significant raid in nearly a week. Port Moresby itself has experienced only two weak nighttime raid, in an area where Japan once performed regular attacks that nearly drove the allies from the skies.
Allied forces are taking advantage of this lull to rebuild depleted fighter strength. The Kai Island and Port Moresby fighter groups are feverishly working to rebuild and repair damaged airplanes and make them serviceable.
Some military strategists suggest that the Japanese may be involved in a massive program to upgrade their air combat units. Military intelligence suggests that Japan has been hoarding its newer airplane models, forcing its front line units to rely on older model airplanes.
A recent change in Japanese doctrine, reportedly occurring at about the same time Admiral Patch announced new allied directives and procedures, has eliminated the restrictions on reinforcements and upgrades. Though it would be reasonable to expect that Japan would stagger these upgrades over a period of months, it is possible that recent losses have convinced them to make all of their upgrades at once.
The disappearance of the Japanese air force is one of the factors that General Thompson is weighing in his decision over whether to send transport units to Port Moresby.
Allies to Rebuild Dutch Air Force
(TN - Washington) The United States military has formally agreed to rebuild the Dutch air force, presently serving in northern Australia. According to the terms of the deal, Americans would provide the Dutch air force with new airplanes, including PBY seaplanes, P-40 fighters (to be named Kittyhawks by the Dutch), Hudson bombers (modified from the Electra passenger planes of the 1930s), and the new F-5 reconnaissance airplanes.
The United States promised to deliver the airplanes to northern Australia by July, 1942. Presently, most of the Dutch pilots are engaged in flight training at Darwin, Australia.
KNOX SHIFTS TACTICS
May 25, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX SHIFTS TACTICS
(TN - Port Moresby) In an attempt to secure Port Moresby from the Japanese, General Knox, commander of Allied forces at Port Moresby, has once again shifted tactics. Originally attempting to break the siege with a massive strike against the enemy, Knox has recently decided to apply steady pressure to drive the Japanese back.
Yesterday's operations focused on having the 6th Australian Division push up onto the hills south of town from its position on the coast. The operation was supported by the 7th Australian Infantry Division, which already holds a section of the high ground, and with artillery from the 2nd Australian Division and the Port Moresby Defense Brigade. Bombers from Thursday Island and Australia supported the operation.
General Knox considered the operation a success. Allied forces inflicted another 450 casualties on an already depleted enemy force, suffering another 180 casualties itself.
The biggest cost for the operation continues to be supply. Even with additional supplies landing daily at the Port Moresby airstrip, the allies burned through a considerable amount of ammunition during the operation.
Knox has requested additional supplies, which General Thompson is seeking to deliver. Thompson has ordered the fast transport ships presently on Thursday Island to load up what they could and run it to Port Moresby. He has also called destroyers up from Brisbane to contribute.
General Thompson is also expecting delivery of two fast freighters full of cargo. The allies have four freighters that can travel 50% faster than a normal freighter. Two of those freighters are due in Brisbane in a couple of days. Sources in Southwest Pacific Command say that Thompson is considering a mission to see if one of these freighters can slip into Port Moresby, unload, and return, without being spotted. A fast freighter holds enough supplies to keep General Knox supplied for at least 10 days.
New Evidence Surfaces of Wake Island Attack
(TN - Washington) Military intelligence reports receiving new information yesterday that the Japanese 4th Fleet, stationed in Truk, is continuing to plan for an invasion of Wake Island.
Military intelligence first started receiving these reports near January 1st. They first took the threats seriously, and ordered a buildup of forces on the island respectful of the amount of troops that can fit on such a small amount of land. Kimmel also diverted combat supplies to Wake from Johnson and other nearby islands.
Admiral Kimmel has recently launched a plan for a second set of raids against the Japanese held islands in the Gilbert chain to the south. Considering that this may simply be another diversion, Kimmel ordered the task forces involved in that mission to continue on with their plans.
Since returning to Wake Island, engineers have been busy building up the defenses in anticipation of an allied attack. They have filled the shore with concrete bunkers, planted underwater mines off shore, and lined the beaches with barbed wire. In addition, several units stationed in Hawaii have been preparing to sail to Wake Island either as reinforcements, or to remove the Japanese aggressor before he has had a chance to dig in.
Akyab Defenders Reach Dacca
(TN - Dacca) Allied forces driven out of the east India town of Dacca in late March are finally starting to trickle into Dacca, India.
The units were forced into the jungle after a prolonged battle to defend the town of Akyab from Japanese occupation. The defenders' first goal was to hold the route out of Burma open long enough for units trying to escape. A sudden Japanese attack on the defenders' left flank threatened to cut Akyab off and surround the town; the defenders decided to leave the town instead. Since then, they have been hiking through mud and swamp trying to reach civilization.
The Akyab Defensive Group will join the Mandalay Defensive Group at Dacca, where the units will be built up to their full combat strength.
Pownall Considers North Burma Invasion
Sources at Southeast Asia Command are reporting that Pownall is asking for the formation of two armies to take part in an invasion of Northern Burma later this year or early next. Each army will be made up of approximately 50,000 troops.
These sources state that Pownall will be looking for a way to trap one or two Japanese divisions in northern Burma where they could be eliminated. The plan calls for moving one army into Burma from Ledo, in northeastern India, to threaten or capture the town of Myitkyina. Pownall expects that Japan would move at least two divisions north to answer the threat. At that time, a second army of 50,000 soldiers from Imphal, in central eastern India, would cut the two divisions off.
The mission is still in its planning phases. Sources at Southeast Asia Command have reported that they are just starting to look at the difficulties in such a maneuver.
The units that have evacuated Burma or escaped from China, including the Mandalay Defensive Group and the Akyab Defensive Group, are expected to be key players in the offensive.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason. Report from Port Moresby
KNOX SHIFTS TACTICS
(TN - Port Moresby) In an attempt to secure Port Moresby from the Japanese, General Knox, commander of Allied forces at Port Moresby, has once again shifted tactics. Originally attempting to break the siege with a massive strike against the enemy, Knox has recently decided to apply steady pressure to drive the Japanese back.
Yesterday's operations focused on having the 6th Australian Division push up onto the hills south of town from its position on the coast. The operation was supported by the 7th Australian Infantry Division, which already holds a section of the high ground, and with artillery from the 2nd Australian Division and the Port Moresby Defense Brigade. Bombers from Thursday Island and Australia supported the operation.
General Knox considered the operation a success. Allied forces inflicted another 450 casualties on an already depleted enemy force, suffering another 180 casualties itself.
The biggest cost for the operation continues to be supply. Even with additional supplies landing daily at the Port Moresby airstrip, the allies burned through a considerable amount of ammunition during the operation.
Knox has requested additional supplies, which General Thompson is seeking to deliver. Thompson has ordered the fast transport ships presently on Thursday Island to load up what they could and run it to Port Moresby. He has also called destroyers up from Brisbane to contribute.
General Thompson is also expecting delivery of two fast freighters full of cargo. The allies have four freighters that can travel 50% faster than a normal freighter. Two of those freighters are due in Brisbane in a couple of days. Sources in Southwest Pacific Command say that Thompson is considering a mission to see if one of these freighters can slip into Port Moresby, unload, and return, without being spotted. A fast freighter holds enough supplies to keep General Knox supplied for at least 10 days.
New Evidence Surfaces of Wake Island Attack
(TN - Washington) Military intelligence reports receiving new information yesterday that the Japanese 4th Fleet, stationed in Truk, is continuing to plan for an invasion of Wake Island.
Military intelligence first started receiving these reports near January 1st. They first took the threats seriously, and ordered a buildup of forces on the island respectful of the amount of troops that can fit on such a small amount of land. Kimmel also diverted combat supplies to Wake from Johnson and other nearby islands.
Admiral Kimmel has recently launched a plan for a second set of raids against the Japanese held islands in the Gilbert chain to the south. Considering that this may simply be another diversion, Kimmel ordered the task forces involved in that mission to continue on with their plans.
Since returning to Wake Island, engineers have been busy building up the defenses in anticipation of an allied attack. They have filled the shore with concrete bunkers, planted underwater mines off shore, and lined the beaches with barbed wire. In addition, several units stationed in Hawaii have been preparing to sail to Wake Island either as reinforcements, or to remove the Japanese aggressor before he has had a chance to dig in.
Akyab Defenders Reach Dacca
(TN - Dacca) Allied forces driven out of the east India town of Dacca in late March are finally starting to trickle into Dacca, India.
The units were forced into the jungle after a prolonged battle to defend the town of Akyab from Japanese occupation. The defenders' first goal was to hold the route out of Burma open long enough for units trying to escape. A sudden Japanese attack on the defenders' left flank threatened to cut Akyab off and surround the town; the defenders decided to leave the town instead. Since then, they have been hiking through mud and swamp trying to reach civilization.
The Akyab Defensive Group will join the Mandalay Defensive Group at Dacca, where the units will be built up to their full combat strength.
Pownall Considers North Burma Invasion
Sources at Southeast Asia Command are reporting that Pownall is asking for the formation of two armies to take part in an invasion of Northern Burma later this year or early next. Each army will be made up of approximately 50,000 troops.
These sources state that Pownall will be looking for a way to trap one or two Japanese divisions in northern Burma where they could be eliminated. The plan calls for moving one army into Burma from Ledo, in northeastern India, to threaten or capture the town of Myitkyina. Pownall expects that Japan would move at least two divisions north to answer the threat. At that time, a second army of 50,000 soldiers from Imphal, in central eastern India, would cut the two divisions off.
The mission is still in its planning phases. Sources at Southeast Asia Command have reported that they are just starting to look at the difficulties in such a maneuver.
The units that have evacuated Burma or escaped from China, including the Mandalay Defensive Group and the Akyab Defensive Group, are expected to be key players in the offensive.
DUTCH RAID BULLA
May 26, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
DUTCH RAID BULLA
(TN – Darwin) Dutch patrol boats stationed at Kai Island raided a Japanese force landing at Bulla, 150 miles to the north, yesterday., torpedoing a cargo ship. News came two days ago that Japanese ships had appeared at Bulla and that Japanese forces were moving to take control of the port. With that news, Lieutenant Jensen decided to take his squadron of six patrol torpedo boats across the sea and attack the enemy ships. They left late at night with plans to arrive at Bulla at dawn.
Jensen planned a hit-and-run raid. They would attack the first ship they saw, fire their torpedoes, and then retreat before the captain had the opportunity to summon the help of other attack ships or airplanes.
The Dutch found a single cargo ship leaving Bulla and fired torpedoes at a range of about a mile. Then, they followed the torpedoes in to spray the ship with machinegun fire as they sped past. One of the torpedoes hit the transport, penetrating the hull and sending up a column of black smoke. The PT boats then turned and began their trip back to Kai Island.
Knox Predicts Month-End Victory
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox announced that he is making progress in pushing the Japanese forces away from Port Moresby, and expects to be able to lift the siege before the end of the month.
Yesterday’s fighting resulted in the loss of over 100 allied casualties, but his soldiers claimed to have inflicted over 400 casualties in yesterday’s operations. This was on a day when the weather prevented the air forces from assisting Knox’s army.
As a result of the operations, conditions are already starting to improve in Port Moresby for the soldiers defending the city. With a dramatic decrease in enemy shelling, allied forces are starting to move around the town more freely. Members of the Port Moresby Defensive Brigade were seen playing a game of football on the beach.
The situation at Port Moresby has also been aided by the absence of Japanese bombers. Japanese airplanes have not been seen over the city in over four days.
Aids to General Knox report that the General is considering plans to take advantage of the lack of Japanese air forces in operations against the Japanese ground forces. According to these sources, Knox may ask the 49th Fighter Group to fly strafing missions against Japanese positions around the city.
Weather for the operation is predicted to be good. This would allow a full compliment of bomber support from Australia and Thursday Island as well. With the combined arms, Knox is expecting to make significant gains driving the enemy even further away from the city tomorrow.
Advisors for General Knox quickly pointed out that the prediction hinges on whether Japan can get reinforcements into the area before the siege is lifted. The arrival of fresh Japanese units into the area would but the whole situation in doubt once again.
Allies Reveal New Weapons
(TN – Dacca) Allied Military Command invited Thayne News reporters to an airstrip in Dacca yesterday to take a look at the new weapons now starting to arrive. These weapons include the Seafire and Spitfire Fighters, the F-5A reconnaissance airplane, and the B-24 Liberator bomber.
The Spitfire is expected to replace the existing Hurricane fighters. Compared to the Hurricane, the Spitfire is optimized for air-to-air combat. It is faster, more maneuverable, and climbs faster than the Hurricane. Allied strategists are hoping that the Spitfire will be able to stand up to the Japanese Zero. The Seafire is a navy version of the Spitfire modified for use on British carriers.
The B-24 Liberator is being billed at a new and improved version of the B-17 Flying Fortress. This four-engine heavy bomber can carry 30% more bombs than the Flying Fortress, yet it does not lose a bit of sting heavy machine guns pointing in all directions.
The Dacca airstrip also had a prototype of the F-5A Lightning reconnaissance airplane on display, though officials doubted that India would be seeing any of these airplanes in the near future. The F-5A is a strange airplane that looks like a Siamese twin of two fighters joined at the wing and the tail. The F5-A is said to be able to fly higher and further than any fighter. Unlike the PBY, which is the plane of choice for most reconnaissance airplanes, the F-5A has the ability to get its crew out of trouble faster than its crew got into trouble. This will allow the allies to take pictures of places that are too dangerous for the PBY.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
DUTCH RAID BULLA
(TN – Darwin) Dutch patrol boats stationed at Kai Island raided a Japanese force landing at Bulla, 150 miles to the north, yesterday., torpedoing a cargo ship. News came two days ago that Japanese ships had appeared at Bulla and that Japanese forces were moving to take control of the port. With that news, Lieutenant Jensen decided to take his squadron of six patrol torpedo boats across the sea and attack the enemy ships. They left late at night with plans to arrive at Bulla at dawn.
Jensen planned a hit-and-run raid. They would attack the first ship they saw, fire their torpedoes, and then retreat before the captain had the opportunity to summon the help of other attack ships or airplanes.
The Dutch found a single cargo ship leaving Bulla and fired torpedoes at a range of about a mile. Then, they followed the torpedoes in to spray the ship with machinegun fire as they sped past. One of the torpedoes hit the transport, penetrating the hull and sending up a column of black smoke. The PT boats then turned and began their trip back to Kai Island.
Knox Predicts Month-End Victory
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox announced that he is making progress in pushing the Japanese forces away from Port Moresby, and expects to be able to lift the siege before the end of the month.
Yesterday’s fighting resulted in the loss of over 100 allied casualties, but his soldiers claimed to have inflicted over 400 casualties in yesterday’s operations. This was on a day when the weather prevented the air forces from assisting Knox’s army.
As a result of the operations, conditions are already starting to improve in Port Moresby for the soldiers defending the city. With a dramatic decrease in enemy shelling, allied forces are starting to move around the town more freely. Members of the Port Moresby Defensive Brigade were seen playing a game of football on the beach.
The situation at Port Moresby has also been aided by the absence of Japanese bombers. Japanese airplanes have not been seen over the city in over four days.
Aids to General Knox report that the General is considering plans to take advantage of the lack of Japanese air forces in operations against the Japanese ground forces. According to these sources, Knox may ask the 49th Fighter Group to fly strafing missions against Japanese positions around the city.
Weather for the operation is predicted to be good. This would allow a full compliment of bomber support from Australia and Thursday Island as well. With the combined arms, Knox is expecting to make significant gains driving the enemy even further away from the city tomorrow.
Advisors for General Knox quickly pointed out that the prediction hinges on whether Japan can get reinforcements into the area before the siege is lifted. The arrival of fresh Japanese units into the area would but the whole situation in doubt once again.
Allies Reveal New Weapons
(TN – Dacca) Allied Military Command invited Thayne News reporters to an airstrip in Dacca yesterday to take a look at the new weapons now starting to arrive. These weapons include the Seafire and Spitfire Fighters, the F-5A reconnaissance airplane, and the B-24 Liberator bomber.
The Spitfire is expected to replace the existing Hurricane fighters. Compared to the Hurricane, the Spitfire is optimized for air-to-air combat. It is faster, more maneuverable, and climbs faster than the Hurricane. Allied strategists are hoping that the Spitfire will be able to stand up to the Japanese Zero. The Seafire is a navy version of the Spitfire modified for use on British carriers.
The B-24 Liberator is being billed at a new and improved version of the B-17 Flying Fortress. This four-engine heavy bomber can carry 30% more bombs than the Flying Fortress, yet it does not lose a bit of sting heavy machine guns pointing in all directions.
The Dacca airstrip also had a prototype of the F-5A Lightning reconnaissance airplane on display, though officials doubted that India would be seeing any of these airplanes in the near future. The F-5A is a strange airplane that looks like a Siamese twin of two fighters joined at the wing and the tail. The F5-A is said to be able to fly higher and further than any fighter. Unlike the PBY, which is the plane of choice for most reconnaissance airplanes, the F-5A has the ability to get its crew out of trouble faster than its crew got into trouble. This will allow the allies to take pictures of places that are too dangerous for the PBY.
JAPAN BITES BACK
May 27, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPAN BITES BACK
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox’s plan to drive the Japanese away from Port Moresby stalled yesterday when Japanese bombers returned. The bombers struck on a day when Knox was using the fighters in ground support against the Japanese soldiers, allowing the planes to enter without threat of combat air cover. The air attacks managed to disrupt the allied attacks, allowing the Japanese to inflict heavy casualties on the allied attackers.
The reversal cost the allied forces over 450 casualties, with a loss of only a little more than 150 Japanese troops. General Knox has since returned the 39th Fighter Group to combat air patrol. The forecast for the next 24 hours is for rain, so General Knox has called off all offensive action, allowing the troops to make themselves comfortable and wait out the storm.
Japan Expands East Indies Holdings
(TN – Darwin) During the last week, Japan has been aggressively consolidating its hold on the eastern part of Indonesia. Recent Japanese action involves the occupation of Babo, Bulla, and Sansapor. Japanese troop ships have also pulled into the ports of Wasile and Morotie on the island of Halmahera. Japan is expected to have full control of these ports within the day.
The operations have included a large number of Japanese transport ships in the Ceram Sea. Allied forces have seven submarines operating in these waters specifically to intercept what Allied Command felt was an inevitable move to consolidate these holdings. However, so far the submarines have not been able to get any good shots against Japanese shipping.
Some individuals have expressed the opinion that the lack of allied success against Japanese shipping in recent months is a direct result of the Patch doctrine. Several months ago, Admiral Patch, concerned with allied submarine losses, ordered submarine commanders to stand back from their targets and to better ensure their own safety. As a result, the number of Japanese shipping that has been damaged by allied submarines has reduced significantly. Many senior officials are calling for a review of the Patch doctrine, but so far it remains in effect.
Pownall Redirects Air Attacks to Aid Another Chinese Breakout
(TN – Dacca) Three more Chinese divisions are preparing to break out through northern Burma. However, this time Japan has decided to keep an occupying force in Myitkyina. Approximately 1000 soldiers are holding onto the town, mostly working to repair the damaged airfield.
In order to aid the Chinese breakout, General Pownall has ordered that allied aerial attacks to focus on Myitkyina, shifting their focus away from Mandalay for the time being. General Pownall reports that he hopes to have the force at Myitkyina so badly shaken by the time the Chinese arrive that the Chinese will be able to march through largely unhindered. The Chinese breakout is expected in two to three weeks.,
Nimitz Orders Occupation of Goodenough Island
(TN – Noumea) Admiral Nimitz, commander of allied forces in the South Pacific, ordered units in his command to make preparation to land the 1st and 2nd Parachute Battalions to land on Goodenough Island, off of the east coast of New Guinea.
Admiral Nimitz approved a plan yesterday that called for the 1st USMC Parachute Battalion to go to Cairns, Australia, and for the 2nd USMC Parachute Battalion to go to Cooktown. From Cooktown, C-47 cargo planes will deliver the paratroopers to Goodenough Island, while Sunderland seaplanes from Cairns will transport the 2nd Battalion. The plan calls for Japan to keep the island unoccupied for another month while the units get into position.
Both divisions are presently on troop transports within 200 miles of Noumea. They were due in Noumea to start training for a massive invasion that also would have included a marine landing on Gili Gili (also known as Milne Bay), and Woodlark Island. However, the fact that these islands are still in allied control has caused Nimitz to decide to occupy the islands immediately.
Landings on these islands would have the unfortunately drawback of removing resources from the battle at Port Moresby. However, General Thompson is hoping that the issue at Port Moresby would have been decided by the time the Goodenough Island landings take place. The main issue is whether there will be a force at Port Moresby of sufficient size and sufficiently well supplied to handle the Japanese attackers.
General Thompson is arranging for various methods to deliver supplies to Port Moresby. He has a pair of fast transports on their way from Brisbane with approximately three weeks of supply for the island. He has just shipped in a days’ worth of supply on fast transport destroyers, and is sending a flotilla of regular destroyers with a couple more days’ of supplies. If these transport missions continue to go well, then the C-47 and Sunderland seaplanes can keep the Goodenough Island garrison supplied.
One of the main goals of the Goodenough Island operation is to cut off the Japanese held port of Gili-Gili, on the eastern tip of New Guinea. Gili Gili is the target of an invasion by the 1st and 2nd USMC Divisions late in August. It is hoped that force at Goodenough Island will prevent Japan from sending vital reinforcements and supplies to Gili Gili.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPAN BITES BACK
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox’s plan to drive the Japanese away from Port Moresby stalled yesterday when Japanese bombers returned. The bombers struck on a day when Knox was using the fighters in ground support against the Japanese soldiers, allowing the planes to enter without threat of combat air cover. The air attacks managed to disrupt the allied attacks, allowing the Japanese to inflict heavy casualties on the allied attackers.
The reversal cost the allied forces over 450 casualties, with a loss of only a little more than 150 Japanese troops. General Knox has since returned the 39th Fighter Group to combat air patrol. The forecast for the next 24 hours is for rain, so General Knox has called off all offensive action, allowing the troops to make themselves comfortable and wait out the storm.
Japan Expands East Indies Holdings
(TN – Darwin) During the last week, Japan has been aggressively consolidating its hold on the eastern part of Indonesia. Recent Japanese action involves the occupation of Babo, Bulla, and Sansapor. Japanese troop ships have also pulled into the ports of Wasile and Morotie on the island of Halmahera. Japan is expected to have full control of these ports within the day.
The operations have included a large number of Japanese transport ships in the Ceram Sea. Allied forces have seven submarines operating in these waters specifically to intercept what Allied Command felt was an inevitable move to consolidate these holdings. However, so far the submarines have not been able to get any good shots against Japanese shipping.
Some individuals have expressed the opinion that the lack of allied success against Japanese shipping in recent months is a direct result of the Patch doctrine. Several months ago, Admiral Patch, concerned with allied submarine losses, ordered submarine commanders to stand back from their targets and to better ensure their own safety. As a result, the number of Japanese shipping that has been damaged by allied submarines has reduced significantly. Many senior officials are calling for a review of the Patch doctrine, but so far it remains in effect.
Pownall Redirects Air Attacks to Aid Another Chinese Breakout
(TN – Dacca) Three more Chinese divisions are preparing to break out through northern Burma. However, this time Japan has decided to keep an occupying force in Myitkyina. Approximately 1000 soldiers are holding onto the town, mostly working to repair the damaged airfield.
In order to aid the Chinese breakout, General Pownall has ordered that allied aerial attacks to focus on Myitkyina, shifting their focus away from Mandalay for the time being. General Pownall reports that he hopes to have the force at Myitkyina so badly shaken by the time the Chinese arrive that the Chinese will be able to march through largely unhindered. The Chinese breakout is expected in two to three weeks.,
Nimitz Orders Occupation of Goodenough Island
(TN – Noumea) Admiral Nimitz, commander of allied forces in the South Pacific, ordered units in his command to make preparation to land the 1st and 2nd Parachute Battalions to land on Goodenough Island, off of the east coast of New Guinea.
Admiral Nimitz approved a plan yesterday that called for the 1st USMC Parachute Battalion to go to Cairns, Australia, and for the 2nd USMC Parachute Battalion to go to Cooktown. From Cooktown, C-47 cargo planes will deliver the paratroopers to Goodenough Island, while Sunderland seaplanes from Cairns will transport the 2nd Battalion. The plan calls for Japan to keep the island unoccupied for another month while the units get into position.
Both divisions are presently on troop transports within 200 miles of Noumea. They were due in Noumea to start training for a massive invasion that also would have included a marine landing on Gili Gili (also known as Milne Bay), and Woodlark Island. However, the fact that these islands are still in allied control has caused Nimitz to decide to occupy the islands immediately.
Landings on these islands would have the unfortunately drawback of removing resources from the battle at Port Moresby. However, General Thompson is hoping that the issue at Port Moresby would have been decided by the time the Goodenough Island landings take place. The main issue is whether there will be a force at Port Moresby of sufficient size and sufficiently well supplied to handle the Japanese attackers.
General Thompson is arranging for various methods to deliver supplies to Port Moresby. He has a pair of fast transports on their way from Brisbane with approximately three weeks of supply for the island. He has just shipped in a days’ worth of supply on fast transport destroyers, and is sending a flotilla of regular destroyers with a couple more days’ of supplies. If these transport missions continue to go well, then the C-47 and Sunderland seaplanes can keep the Goodenough Island garrison supplied.
One of the main goals of the Goodenough Island operation is to cut off the Japanese held port of Gili-Gili, on the eastern tip of New Guinea. Gili Gili is the target of an invasion by the 1st and 2nd USMC Divisions late in August. It is hoped that force at Goodenough Island will prevent Japan from sending vital reinforcements and supplies to Gili Gili.
JAP AIR FORCE RETURNS
May 28, 1942
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The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAP AIR FORCE RETURNS
(TN – Port Moresby) The Japanese air force returned to the battle of Port Moresby, tilting the balance of power and threatening to destroy General Knoz’s time table for pushing the Japanese from the area.
Two flights of Betty bombers with Zero escort attacked the port yesterday. The fighters destroyed the 49th Fighter Group, defending the city, shooting down over three dozen airplanes. The American air group was only able to account for a dozen Japanese planes destroyed, giving the Japanese a kill ratio of 3 to 1.
With the CAP neutralized, the Betty bombers were able to focus on the allied ground units. Allied military units reported nearly 150 casualties from the two attacks.
The weather service was predicting rain for Port Moresby yesterday, so General Knox had not planned any ground operations. Instead, he had his artillery units focus on key Japanese positions, in preparation for the next day of good weather.
While Japan has been hammering the allied units for two days, the Allies have not been able to fly any missions against the Japanese due to the weather and other factors.
Supplies Reach Port Moresby
Two naval missions to deliver cargo to Port Moresby harbor in the last two days were able to carry out their missions without a loss.
Three fast transport destroyers from Thursday Island loaded up 270 tons of supplies originally bound for Port Moresby but diverted to Thursday Island when Japanese carriers showed up. They dropped off these supplies two days ago.
Yesterday, the mine layer Preble dropped off a compliment of mines to deter any Japanese attempt to land reinforcements by sea.
General Thompson has ordered a flotilla of destroyers to transport another 800 tons of supplies to Port Moresby in the next two days. In the mean time, two fast cargo ships, Alheana and Formalhaut are on their way north from Brisbane under the protection of the escort carrier Long Island. Each fast merchant ship holds enough cargo to support the Port Moresby operation for 10 days.
JAPAN BOMBS CHUNGKING
(TH – Chungking) Japan also announced the return of its air force with an attack on the Chinese capital of Chungking yesterday. Military analysts categorize yesterday’s raid by 10 Nell bombers escorted by a dozen Zero fighters as an attempt to weaken Chinese morale. The raid focused on government and cultural centers, inflicting no damage on military installations.
Allies Begin Myitkyina Campaign
(TN – Dacca) Southeast Asia Command began a bombing campaign yesterday aimed at weakening Japanese forced in Myitkyina before another three Chinese divisions try to break through. The raid focused primarily on the airport and other infrastructure, rather than on ground units. However, allied command expects to shift its focus onto ground units as soon as the key infrastructure has been destroyed.
According to allied intelligence, the Japanese have a force of about 750 soldiers in the town. The Chinese are coming through with three divisions, but all three units were decimated in a battle near Lashio earlier in the month. The Japanese caught one of the Chinese divisions in an ambush that destroyed half of the unit.
Chinese divisions are also typically much smaller than their Japanese counterpart. A Japanese division has been historically able to stand up to a half dozen Chinese divisions. One senior officer summed up the situation by saying, “The odds of the Chinese units breaking through at Myitkyina are not as good as it may sound.”
Darwin Bombers Attack Shipping
(TN – Darwin) Japanese moves to consolidate its holdings in the eastern portion of the Dutch East Indies have brought their cargo ships within range of Allied bombers. Yesterday, bombers from Darwin struck transports at Bulla, north of Kai Island, inflicting severe damage on one of the transports.
The transport was one of ten transports that sailed into Bulla yesterday. Allied military strategists believe that the Japanese are setting Bulla up as a major base. It will likely be used for staging an eventual attack on Kai Island, which is less than 200 miles away. Surface ships from Bulla will be able to easily launch night bombardment attacks against Kai Island and return before daylight.
In response, General Townsend has ordered allied submarines into the waters around Bulla in order to intercept any Japanese moves.
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The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAP AIR FORCE RETURNS
(TN – Port Moresby) The Japanese air force returned to the battle of Port Moresby, tilting the balance of power and threatening to destroy General Knoz’s time table for pushing the Japanese from the area.
Two flights of Betty bombers with Zero escort attacked the port yesterday. The fighters destroyed the 49th Fighter Group, defending the city, shooting down over three dozen airplanes. The American air group was only able to account for a dozen Japanese planes destroyed, giving the Japanese a kill ratio of 3 to 1.
With the CAP neutralized, the Betty bombers were able to focus on the allied ground units. Allied military units reported nearly 150 casualties from the two attacks.
The weather service was predicting rain for Port Moresby yesterday, so General Knox had not planned any ground operations. Instead, he had his artillery units focus on key Japanese positions, in preparation for the next day of good weather.
While Japan has been hammering the allied units for two days, the Allies have not been able to fly any missions against the Japanese due to the weather and other factors.
Supplies Reach Port Moresby
Two naval missions to deliver cargo to Port Moresby harbor in the last two days were able to carry out their missions without a loss.
Three fast transport destroyers from Thursday Island loaded up 270 tons of supplies originally bound for Port Moresby but diverted to Thursday Island when Japanese carriers showed up. They dropped off these supplies two days ago.
Yesterday, the mine layer Preble dropped off a compliment of mines to deter any Japanese attempt to land reinforcements by sea.
General Thompson has ordered a flotilla of destroyers to transport another 800 tons of supplies to Port Moresby in the next two days. In the mean time, two fast cargo ships, Alheana and Formalhaut are on their way north from Brisbane under the protection of the escort carrier Long Island. Each fast merchant ship holds enough cargo to support the Port Moresby operation for 10 days.
JAPAN BOMBS CHUNGKING
(TH – Chungking) Japan also announced the return of its air force with an attack on the Chinese capital of Chungking yesterday. Military analysts categorize yesterday’s raid by 10 Nell bombers escorted by a dozen Zero fighters as an attempt to weaken Chinese morale. The raid focused on government and cultural centers, inflicting no damage on military installations.
Allies Begin Myitkyina Campaign
(TN – Dacca) Southeast Asia Command began a bombing campaign yesterday aimed at weakening Japanese forced in Myitkyina before another three Chinese divisions try to break through. The raid focused primarily on the airport and other infrastructure, rather than on ground units. However, allied command expects to shift its focus onto ground units as soon as the key infrastructure has been destroyed.
According to allied intelligence, the Japanese have a force of about 750 soldiers in the town. The Chinese are coming through with three divisions, but all three units were decimated in a battle near Lashio earlier in the month. The Japanese caught one of the Chinese divisions in an ambush that destroyed half of the unit.
Chinese divisions are also typically much smaller than their Japanese counterpart. A Japanese division has been historically able to stand up to a half dozen Chinese divisions. One senior officer summed up the situation by saying, “The odds of the Chinese units breaking through at Myitkyina are not as good as it may sound.”
Darwin Bombers Attack Shipping
(TN – Darwin) Japanese moves to consolidate its holdings in the eastern portion of the Dutch East Indies have brought their cargo ships within range of Allied bombers. Yesterday, bombers from Darwin struck transports at Bulla, north of Kai Island, inflicting severe damage on one of the transports.
The transport was one of ten transports that sailed into Bulla yesterday. Allied military strategists believe that the Japanese are setting Bulla up as a major base. It will likely be used for staging an eventual attack on Kai Island, which is less than 200 miles away. Surface ships from Bulla will be able to easily launch night bombardment attacks against Kai Island and return before daylight.
In response, General Townsend has ordered allied submarines into the waters around Bulla in order to intercept any Japanese moves.
KNOX REGAINS INITIATIVE
May 29, 1942
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The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
KNOX REGAINS INITIATIVE
(TN – Port Moresby) In spite of Japanese continued dominance of the skies over Port Moresby, General Knox retook the initiative in the ground war to live the siege of Port Moresby yesterday. Feinting a withdraw on his left flank, Knox drew the Japanese into a trap that resulted in over 500 Japanese casualties and destroyed several elements of the South Seas Detachment.
It was a day of heavy fighting yesterday in which Japanese fighters destroyed two air units brought in to replace the 49th Fighter Group. The American fighters had suffered over 50% casualties the day before; the second time that the unit had taken such a severe beating in a week. Fearing that the unit had been psychologically destroyed, Knox ordered the unit back to Thursday Island, and called up two squadrons of Kittyhawk fighters to take its place.
The next bombing mission, the Japanese Zero escort shot down 11 of the Kittyhawk fighters at a loss of only four Japanese airplanes. The Betty bombers targeted the 6th Australian Division on the allied right flank, inflicting over 100 casualties.
Supply Ship Torpedoed
Two Japanese submarines intercepted an allied destroyer squadron bringing supplies to Port Moresby. The first submarine torpedoed the destroyer Meredith. The torpedo set off some of the ammunition that the ship was carrying. Meredith ended up dead in the water. The rest of the destroyers began hunting for the submarine. Pope and Blue acquired a strong contact and set up a cross pattern over the contact. The captains of the two ships reported that they suspect several hits on the submarine, but none of those hits were confirmed.
Several hours later, while the destroyers were helping the stricken Meredith, picket submarines picked up a second contact. The picket subs went after the submarine. The depth charges drove the submarine to the surface, then the Japanese scuttled the ship before the allies could board it.
Additional Supply Missions On Their Way
The intercepted Japanese supply mission is expected to enter Port Moresby during the night and unload its cargo; over 700 tons of food, ammunition, medical supplies, and mail. A second mission is presently loading up at Cairns to deliver another load of supply. The second mission will be escorted by a half-dozen cruisers. If the Japanese siege had not been listed, the task force will drop off its supplies, then participate in shelling the Japanese positions before leaving.
South Pacific Carriers Enter Refit
(TN – Sydney) Admiral Nimitz South Pacific Carrier Fleet finally entered port in the hopes of getting some much needed refit and repair. The two ships participated in the first Gilbert Islands raids, then went to take up station in Noumea. When Japanese ships were spotted in the Coral Sea, they went quickly into the area to try to engage the enemy. However, the Japanese task force had slipped out of the region. The task force raided some Japanese held ports, then went to Aukland, New Zealand, for refit.
However, Aukland did not have sufficient facilities to handle repairs on something as large as an aircraft carrier. After spending some time in the port, the ships were ordered transferred to Sydney. However, before entering refit, Japanese forces attacked Port Moresby. The carriers were again called into service to cover operations to reinforce allied bases in the Coral Sea. They flew several missions against the Japanese army invading Port Moresby and fought off several Japanese attacks against allied shipping, before retiring.
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Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
KNOX REGAINS INITIATIVE
(TN – Port Moresby) In spite of Japanese continued dominance of the skies over Port Moresby, General Knox retook the initiative in the ground war to live the siege of Port Moresby yesterday. Feinting a withdraw on his left flank, Knox drew the Japanese into a trap that resulted in over 500 Japanese casualties and destroyed several elements of the South Seas Detachment.
It was a day of heavy fighting yesterday in which Japanese fighters destroyed two air units brought in to replace the 49th Fighter Group. The American fighters had suffered over 50% casualties the day before; the second time that the unit had taken such a severe beating in a week. Fearing that the unit had been psychologically destroyed, Knox ordered the unit back to Thursday Island, and called up two squadrons of Kittyhawk fighters to take its place.
The next bombing mission, the Japanese Zero escort shot down 11 of the Kittyhawk fighters at a loss of only four Japanese airplanes. The Betty bombers targeted the 6th Australian Division on the allied right flank, inflicting over 100 casualties.
Supply Ship Torpedoed
Two Japanese submarines intercepted an allied destroyer squadron bringing supplies to Port Moresby. The first submarine torpedoed the destroyer Meredith. The torpedo set off some of the ammunition that the ship was carrying. Meredith ended up dead in the water. The rest of the destroyers began hunting for the submarine. Pope and Blue acquired a strong contact and set up a cross pattern over the contact. The captains of the two ships reported that they suspect several hits on the submarine, but none of those hits were confirmed.
Several hours later, while the destroyers were helping the stricken Meredith, picket submarines picked up a second contact. The picket subs went after the submarine. The depth charges drove the submarine to the surface, then the Japanese scuttled the ship before the allies could board it.
Additional Supply Missions On Their Way
The intercepted Japanese supply mission is expected to enter Port Moresby during the night and unload its cargo; over 700 tons of food, ammunition, medical supplies, and mail. A second mission is presently loading up at Cairns to deliver another load of supply. The second mission will be escorted by a half-dozen cruisers. If the Japanese siege had not been listed, the task force will drop off its supplies, then participate in shelling the Japanese positions before leaving.
South Pacific Carriers Enter Refit
(TN – Sydney) Admiral Nimitz South Pacific Carrier Fleet finally entered port in the hopes of getting some much needed refit and repair. The two ships participated in the first Gilbert Islands raids, then went to take up station in Noumea. When Japanese ships were spotted in the Coral Sea, they went quickly into the area to try to engage the enemy. However, the Japanese task force had slipped out of the region. The task force raided some Japanese held ports, then went to Aukland, New Zealand, for refit.
However, Aukland did not have sufficient facilities to handle repairs on something as large as an aircraft carrier. After spending some time in the port, the ships were ordered transferred to Sydney. However, before entering refit, Japanese forces attacked Port Moresby. The carriers were again called into service to cover operations to reinforce allied bases in the Coral Sea. They flew several missions against the Japanese army invading Port Moresby and fought off several Japanese attacks against allied shipping, before retiring.
RE: SCORE: 22 to 0 IN 2 DAYS
May 30, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPS GAIN ADVANTAGE
(TN – Port Moresby) The ebb and flow of battle around Port Moresby shifted back to the Japanese yesterday. Japanese command of the skies allowed them to attack targets all along the front line. At the same time, weather forced many allied bombers to remain at their base.
Japan launched three large attacks throughout the day; one attack against each of the ground units participating in the attack. Combined, the allies recorded over 360 casualties throughout the day. However, they managed to inflict only minimum casualties on the enemy.
An allied convoy successfully delivered over 700 tons of supplies to Port Moresby, increasing the ability of the defensive force to hold out a few more days.
Japan Targets Hengchow, China
(TN – Chungking) Japanese forces in China have been focusing recently on destroying the airfield at Henchow. Two raids, consisting of two dozen fighters and a dozen bombers, have attacked the airfield in as many days. The fighters have had little difficulty destroying the Chinese fighters. Over a dozen Chinese fighters were destroyed in the first raid.
Allied command has recently started looking at Henchow as a sight for a second allied airbase in the region. Within a few days, Nanning will be equipped to serve as the first allied airbase. Members of the American Volunteer Group, a band of American mercenary pilots in the employment of China, will be flying to Nanning as soon as the airbase is set up.
Darwin Runs Short of Supplies
(TN – Darwin) Sources in Southwest Pacific Command report that the supply routes to Darwin have not been successful at keeping the city as well supplied as had been hoped. Allied military command had hoped to use Darwin to equip an army that will later be used to retake Timor and other strategic targets in the Dutch East Indies. However, the plan requires that Darwin obtain the supplies and reinforcements to build an army. The shipment of supplies along overland has not kept up with this need.
General Thompson is currently considering plans to send a cargo task force to Darwin to deliver the necessary supplies. However, such a force would be subject to air attack from Japanese bases in northern New Guinea and around Kai Island.
Arctic Front Acquires Submarine Fleet
(TN – Dutch Harbor) The submarine tender Griffin and seven submarines have been stationed at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands to operate against the northern Japanese islands. Dutch Harbor is one of the closer allied ports to the main Japanese islands. Submarines have the option of fueling at Kiska and Attu before going on into the Japanese waters. Four submarines are already on patrol in northern Japan, with three other submarines on the way.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
JAPS GAIN ADVANTAGE
(TN – Port Moresby) The ebb and flow of battle around Port Moresby shifted back to the Japanese yesterday. Japanese command of the skies allowed them to attack targets all along the front line. At the same time, weather forced many allied bombers to remain at their base.
Japan launched three large attacks throughout the day; one attack against each of the ground units participating in the attack. Combined, the allies recorded over 360 casualties throughout the day. However, they managed to inflict only minimum casualties on the enemy.
An allied convoy successfully delivered over 700 tons of supplies to Port Moresby, increasing the ability of the defensive force to hold out a few more days.
Japan Targets Hengchow, China
(TN – Chungking) Japanese forces in China have been focusing recently on destroying the airfield at Henchow. Two raids, consisting of two dozen fighters and a dozen bombers, have attacked the airfield in as many days. The fighters have had little difficulty destroying the Chinese fighters. Over a dozen Chinese fighters were destroyed in the first raid.
Allied command has recently started looking at Henchow as a sight for a second allied airbase in the region. Within a few days, Nanning will be equipped to serve as the first allied airbase. Members of the American Volunteer Group, a band of American mercenary pilots in the employment of China, will be flying to Nanning as soon as the airbase is set up.
Darwin Runs Short of Supplies
(TN – Darwin) Sources in Southwest Pacific Command report that the supply routes to Darwin have not been successful at keeping the city as well supplied as had been hoped. Allied military command had hoped to use Darwin to equip an army that will later be used to retake Timor and other strategic targets in the Dutch East Indies. However, the plan requires that Darwin obtain the supplies and reinforcements to build an army. The shipment of supplies along overland has not kept up with this need.
General Thompson is currently considering plans to send a cargo task force to Darwin to deliver the necessary supplies. However, such a force would be subject to air attack from Japanese bases in northern New Guinea and around Kai Island.
Arctic Front Acquires Submarine Fleet
(TN – Dutch Harbor) The submarine tender Griffin and seven submarines have been stationed at Dutch Harbor in the Aleutian Islands to operate against the northern Japanese islands. Dutch Harbor is one of the closer allied ports to the main Japanese islands. Submarines have the option of fueling at Kiska and Attu before going on into the Japanese waters. Four submarines are already on patrol in northern Japan, with three other submarines on the way.
KNOX HALTS OFFENSIVE
May 31, 1942
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The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
KNOX HALTS OFFENSIVE
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, called an end to his offensive operations. Knox blamed Japanese control of the air over Port Moresby for his inability to continue.
Yesterday, Knox summoned another fighter squadron to the front lines to reinforce the No. 75 and 77 Royal Australian Air Force squadrons. The Australians had taken over from the Americans the day before and were badly mauled on their first day. No. 75 Squadron last half of its fighters in that first engagement, and No. 77 did little better.
The American 24th Fighter Group arrived with a compliment of 24 airplanes early in the morning. The planes were quickly refueled and ready for combat. Added to the Kittyhawk fighters already on station, and Knox had three dozen fighters ready to intercept the next Japanese attack.
That next Japanese attack came with 50 Betty bombers escorted by a swarm of nearly 100 Japanese Zero fighters. In the air battle that followed, all three allied fighter squadrons were virtually destroyed. The bombers had free reign to attack their targets. There bombing coincided with a new Japanese offensive retook much of the ground that Knox had captured during the previous week.
It was the bloodiest day of the Port Moresby campaign so far with over 500 casualties reported. Allied military intelligence reported that the losses for the Japanese were “negligible, in comparison”.
Knox has ordered the few remaining fighters to evacuate the base, and ordered his troops back into their entrenchments and fortifications, pending what he called “better fighting conditions”. Allied military strategists fear that it is just a matter of time before the Japanese units are reinforced.
Only a week ago, allied military strategists were said to be confident that they could hold Port Moresby. With these recent reversals, they are now saying that the fate of the port is once again in doubt.
Invasion Fleet Nears Kai Island
(TN – Darwin) Allied reconnaissance airplanes spotted a Japanese invasion fleet only a few dozen miles from Kai Island, about 400 miles north of Darwin, Australia, yesterday afternoon. General Thompson immediately put Kai Island on alert and ordered the air units at Darwin to intercept the Japanese fleet.
Because of other Japanese actions in the area, some of Darwin’s air force was already on alert for possible action against enemy ships. The planes were fueled and armed.
This included the famed Martin bomber pilots who inflicted serious damage on the Japanese ships at Batavia. Records at allied intelligence report that Japan lost 21 ships in its attempt to take Batavia, including a destroyer.
The Martin pilots proved that they did not lose their proficiency against Japanese shipping. Upon returning, they reported that they hit seven of the ten transport ships that they found in the invasion squadron. Five of the ships were on fire. Three of the ships suffered multiple hits, with one ship being hit by at least a dozen bombs. Aerial photographs taken during the raid confirm that the ships were carrying soldiers, many of which also perished in the attack.
The allies were forced to call of the raid at night time. The troops at Kai Island have been told to expect Japanese forces to arrive during the night.
Kai Island was in the midst of switching out its garrison of patrol gunboats. The boats that had participated in earlier raids are returning to Darwin, while a fresh squadron of six boats are waiting at Kai Island. They will be preparing for a night attack on the Japanese boats as they approach.
Kai Island is not the only island on the Japanese line of approach. Their route might also take them to Aru or Tenimbar Islands. Aru is lightly defended, thile Tenimbar has no defense at all against a Japanese invasion. However, they are both closer to Darwin than Kai Island, and within range of more airplanes from Darwin.
If the Japanese succeed in capturing any of these islands, they will be close to shutting the over-sea supply route to Darwin. Darwin is already suffering from a lack of supplies.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
KNOX HALTS OFFENSIVE
(TN – Port Moresby) General Knox, commander of allied forces at Port Moresby, called an end to his offensive operations. Knox blamed Japanese control of the air over Port Moresby for his inability to continue.
Yesterday, Knox summoned another fighter squadron to the front lines to reinforce the No. 75 and 77 Royal Australian Air Force squadrons. The Australians had taken over from the Americans the day before and were badly mauled on their first day. No. 75 Squadron last half of its fighters in that first engagement, and No. 77 did little better.
The American 24th Fighter Group arrived with a compliment of 24 airplanes early in the morning. The planes were quickly refueled and ready for combat. Added to the Kittyhawk fighters already on station, and Knox had three dozen fighters ready to intercept the next Japanese attack.
That next Japanese attack came with 50 Betty bombers escorted by a swarm of nearly 100 Japanese Zero fighters. In the air battle that followed, all three allied fighter squadrons were virtually destroyed. The bombers had free reign to attack their targets. There bombing coincided with a new Japanese offensive retook much of the ground that Knox had captured during the previous week.
It was the bloodiest day of the Port Moresby campaign so far with over 500 casualties reported. Allied military intelligence reported that the losses for the Japanese were “negligible, in comparison”.
Knox has ordered the few remaining fighters to evacuate the base, and ordered his troops back into their entrenchments and fortifications, pending what he called “better fighting conditions”. Allied military strategists fear that it is just a matter of time before the Japanese units are reinforced.
Only a week ago, allied military strategists were said to be confident that they could hold Port Moresby. With these recent reversals, they are now saying that the fate of the port is once again in doubt.
Invasion Fleet Nears Kai Island
(TN – Darwin) Allied reconnaissance airplanes spotted a Japanese invasion fleet only a few dozen miles from Kai Island, about 400 miles north of Darwin, Australia, yesterday afternoon. General Thompson immediately put Kai Island on alert and ordered the air units at Darwin to intercept the Japanese fleet.
Because of other Japanese actions in the area, some of Darwin’s air force was already on alert for possible action against enemy ships. The planes were fueled and armed.
This included the famed Martin bomber pilots who inflicted serious damage on the Japanese ships at Batavia. Records at allied intelligence report that Japan lost 21 ships in its attempt to take Batavia, including a destroyer.
The Martin pilots proved that they did not lose their proficiency against Japanese shipping. Upon returning, they reported that they hit seven of the ten transport ships that they found in the invasion squadron. Five of the ships were on fire. Three of the ships suffered multiple hits, with one ship being hit by at least a dozen bombs. Aerial photographs taken during the raid confirm that the ships were carrying soldiers, many of which also perished in the attack.
The allies were forced to call of the raid at night time. The troops at Kai Island have been told to expect Japanese forces to arrive during the night.
Kai Island was in the midst of switching out its garrison of patrol gunboats. The boats that had participated in earlier raids are returning to Darwin, while a fresh squadron of six boats are waiting at Kai Island. They will be preparing for a night attack on the Japanese boats as they approach.
Kai Island is not the only island on the Japanese line of approach. Their route might also take them to Aru or Tenimbar Islands. Aru is lightly defended, thile Tenimbar has no defense at all against a Japanese invasion. However, they are both closer to Darwin than Kai Island, and within range of more airplanes from Darwin.
If the Japanese succeed in capturing any of these islands, they will be close to shutting the over-sea supply route to Darwin. Darwin is already suffering from a lack of supplies.
THE WAR IN MAY
June 1, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
This is a special edition of the Thayne News Report. Thayne News reporters stayed up late last night working with war officials around the world to bring you a special summary of the war to date. Thayne News is aware of the fact that you, our readers, lead busy lives and do not have the time to pay attention to all of the everyday events in this war. So, once each month, we bring you a special summary of the most important events.
Before we get into the June Summary, Thayne News has a breaking story out of Darwin Australia.
DUTCH DESTROY INVASION FLEET
(TN – Darwin) Dutch pilots, who honed their skills attacking shipping at Batavia, Java, yesterday utterly destroyed the invasion fleet spotted near Kai Island. After the previous day’s attack, the Japanese fleet was last spotted moving away from Kai Island. However, it was not able to move fast enough to be out of the range of allied airplanes before dawn. The thick columns of smoke coming off of some of the ships made the task force easy to spot, and the allied pilots came in at full force.
Aerial photographs taken from the last allied airplanes to leave the scene of the battle showed all ten transport ships burning. Allied military experts say that there is little chance any of the ships will make it back to port. Their loss will also include the loss of the invasion troops that they carried. With every ship in the task force on fire, the troops have nowhere to go but into the sea. Those same strategists say that this victory will put an end to the Japanese threat in this region from somewhere between weeks to months.
THE WAR IN MAY
In May, allied forces were able to fight the Japanese to significantly slow Japanese expansion. The only area where Japan continued to make significant territorial gains was in the eastern portion of the Dutch East Indies. They were able to expand their control of Timor, now occupying the western two-thirds of the island. They also continued to occupy and control ports north of Kai Island. This includes the ports of Babo, Noemfoor, Manokwari, Bulla, Weda, and Morotai.
The Japanese made their greatest gains in the air, where Japanese fighters were able to completely close a gap in the number of planes lost, through superior fighting against Allied fighters. At Port Moresby, Kai Island, and Darwin, sweeps of Japanese Zero fighters obliterated anything the allies put up in the air against them.
At sea, Japan has yet to suffer the loss of any ship larger than a destroyer, except for three light cruisers that Lexington sank in the opening week of the war. However, they continued to lose a number of transport and support ships. An allied raid in the area around Marcus Island in the north-central Pacific netted between eight and ten ships. Some naval battles in the area around POrt MOresby cost the Japanese a few destroyers. However, in the Port MOresby battles, the allies lost the battleship Colorado.
The Naval War
In May, Allied military intelligence was able to add two destroyers to the number of major Japanese combat ships sunk during the war. Allies destroyed both ships in the waters around Port Moresby. This brings the total Japanese losses in major combat ships to eight; three light cruisers and five destroyers. For the allies, the only new major ship to add to the list of those lost is the battleship Colorado. The allies took some significant hits to other combat ships, but none of them sank. Allied losses now stand at two battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 9 light cruisers, and 8 destroyers.
Under the water, the Japanese continued to suffer significant losses. The total number of Japanese submarines on the sunk ship list climbed from 15 at the end of April to 23 at the end of may. Allied submarine losses held steady at five.
Support ships were able to stay out of harm's way for the most part during this fight. The Japanese officially lost one minesweeper in May, and the allies lost a patrol gunboat. This raised the number of Japanese support ships lost to 23; 4 mine layers, 9 mine sweepers, 8 patrol craft, and 2 patrol gunboats. At this level, the allies have lost 10 ships; 1 mile layer, 7 mine sweepers, and 2 patrol gunboats.
It is in the area of merchant shipping where Japan continues to suffer its heaviest losses. The Japanese Sunk Ship List now holds the names of 29 cargo ships and 49 personnel carriers, compared to a combined loss among the allies of 9 freighters and 3 troop transports. Both Japan and the Allies added one additional tanker to the sunk ship list in May, bringing Japan's losses up to 6 and the allied losses up to 3.
The number of losses is believed to increase significantly. Allied bombers have recently inflicted significant damage on a number of Japanese transport ships near Kai Island to add to the list.
The list of sunk Allied ships may not have grown by much, but the list of damaged Allied ships continues to grow. That list contains 5 battleships, 1 battle cruiser, 1 heavy cruiser, 1 light cruiser, 11 destroyers, 13 submarines, and 8 transport ships of various sizes. All of these ships have been knocked out of the war for the foreseeable future.
The Air War
It is in the air that Japan is showing true superiority. At the start of May, allied military intelligence estimated that Japan had lost 150 more planes due to all causes than the Allies. By the end of May, these numbers were nearly equal, with Japan actually estimated to have suffered slightly fewer losses than the Allies.
Japan made its biggest gains as a result of massive fighter sweeps over Darwin and Kai Island early in the month, and Port Moresby late in the month. Japanese fighters also did significant damage to the Chinese air force. There were several major dogfights over India as well. However, in this theater, the allies seem to be holding their own in the infrequent contests.
The official estimate is that both Japan and the allies have lost approximately 1800 aircraft since the start of the war. Japan lost an additional 250 aircraft in May, while the allies lost 400.
The Ground War
Japan completely lost its ability to wipe out large allied units, though it tried to do so at Port Moresby. The battle at Port Moresby has proved to be fierce. However, the allies hold the advantage on the ground, even as Japan controls the air and, to a lesser extent, the sea.
It is hard to tell, actually, which side suffered the greatest loss in terms of ground combat troops in May. The battle at Port Moresby has proved to be nearly a draw. Japan inflicted huge losses on allied soldiers in Burma, particularly the Chinese. At the same time, in Burma, the allies have been bombing constantly and inflicting severe casualties among the Japanese. Between the two, several allied commanders reported that the allies probably did better than the Japanese in terms of inflicting casualties.
CAMPAIGN SUMMARY: June 1, 1942
North Pacific
General Theobald, commander of allied forces in the North Pacific, moved his headquarters from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor, where he has gathered the bulk of his naval and air forces. Allied forces have progressed as far as to build naval and air stations on the farthest islands in the Aleutian chain, Kiska and Attu. From here, PBYs patrol the northern most islands of the Japan chain. With the arrival of the submarine tender Griffin and seven submarines, General Theobald has started to send patrols into Japanese waters, having them top off their tanks at Kiska along the way.
There has not been any enemy activity in this area, and it is still the case that not one bullet has been fired on the enemy. General Theobald is said to be considering options to change this status quo. He is said to be gathering his naval force and is considering sending a reconnaissance mission towards the Japanese “just to see what things are like over there”.
Central Pacific
The Allies under Admiral Kimmel neither gained nor lost territory in the central Pacific. Instead, the Allies have continued to build up their forward bases; Wake, Midway, and Johnson Islands, as well as the twins Howland and Baker Islands further south. Laysen Island, three hundred miles southeast of Midway, acquired an airbase and is now set to serve as a backup station in case of a Japanese attack on Midway.
The most serious problem that Kimmel faces on this front is that he can have only a limited number of soldiers on each island; they are too small to hold as much as a division. Therefore, Kimmel has several reserve units ready to move forward in case of an attack. He has units who practice daily on how to land on Wake or Howland Islands if these places should ever be contested.
Sources in Central Pacific Command have been saying for some time that Kimmel is considering sending a landing force to Apamama, in the southern end of the Gilbert Islands. He launched a raid against these islands early in the war using two carriers, and is about to launch a second. B-17 bombers at Baker Island strike Apamama daily, and report little Japanese buildup of the region. So far this invasion is only in the discussion phase; no allied units have actually been assigned to the attack.
Any planned invasion will wait the first stages of development for Howland Island. Allied units are presently working to build an airstrip on this small Pacific island. Towards this end, they are bringing in a construction battalion, which should arrive sometime midway through June.
As May came to an end, Kimmel had just launched a second raid against the Gilbert Islands consisting of two battle groups. One task force, built around the carriers Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, will strike Japanese bases in the Gilbert Islands by air. The second task force, built around the battleships Maryland, California, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Idaho will shell the Japanese islands. The purpose of the raid is to keep the Japanese forces disrupted pending the opportunity to capture Apamama.
South Pacific
Admiral Nimitz, commander of the South Pacific forces, faced a calm month in May, compared to the destructive raid that the Japanese launched against his section in April. In this time, he has had an opportunity to make significant improvements to his forward bases in the Santa Cruz Islands. The most important development was the completion of an airstrip at Ndini in mid May. Ndini, and its neighbor Reef Island, both hold fairly large seaplane bases and are busy patrolling the southeastern half of the Solomon Islands. There, reconnaissance airplanes have noted a significant amount of Japanese activity.
Nimitz has shifted his attention to the west, offering his assistance to General Thompson. This included the loan of his two aircraft carriers, Lexington and Saratoga, and the transfer of a B-17 bomber group. The loan also included the battleship Colorado which the Japanese sank off of Port Moresby. Nimitz has one other battleship under his command, New Mexico, presently stationed at New Caledonia. However, Nimitz is believed to regard the battleship as “a waste of good sailors”.
The carriers are presently undergoing much needed refit and repair at Sydney.
Nimitz is planning to focus his future efforts on Gili Gili (also known as Milne Bay) and the Australian-held islands to the east. He has ordered his paratroopers to make an attempt to occupy Goodenough Island before the Japanese can show up there. Meanwhile, his two Marine divisions are preparing for an attack on Milne Bay itself, and other units are planning to occupy other nearby islands. The capture of these ports is intended to put a shield around the shipping routes from eastern Australia to Darwin in the north. Japan, however, will still be able to threaten shipping by flying over this line.
Southwest Pacific
In May, the bulk of the action in the Pacific War has occurred in this theater, particularly around Port Moresby on the island of New Guinea. Japan launched a bid to capture the port late in April, sending one attack force over the mountains from Buna while landing a second force by sea. Since then, they have laid siege to the city.
Casualties in the Port Moresby campaign have been high. Over the course of the month, the allies have lost just under 3,000 troops and 67 guns on the ground, while military intelligence estimates the destruction of an estimated 4,000 Japanese troops and nearly 100 guns. In the air, Japan has lost approximately 100 airplanes while the allies lost 150. These casualties do not include the loss of sailors on board ships, such as Colorado, where over 1,000 American servicemen lost their lives.
Ultimately, this is a war of attrition which the allies are capable of winning in the long run. But it is a bloody and tiresome campaign.
Recently, allied forces were able to deliver another 2,000 tons of cargo to Port Moresby, sent on the decks of destroyers and light cruisers that left Cairns, Australia. This is the third successful fast transport mission in the last week of May, suggesting that the allies have the capability of keeping their army supplied, and potentially even reinforcing it to some extent. Allies are also flying supplies in using a squadron of C-47s and bombers stationed on the mainland.
In addition, allied forces are maintaining bombing runs from Thursday Island and mainland Australia. Thursday Island recently acquired enough supplies to make its airbase fully operational. Since then, it has been able to fly effective bombing missions against the Japanese forces. A new squadron of B-17s on loan from the South Pacific has also recently started attacking Japanese forces.
Dutch East Indies
On the other side of Australia, off of the port of Darwin, Japanese forces spent much of the month consolidating their holdings on ports that the allies had abandoned. They are filling their expanding their holdings in Timor, taking ports in Papua, and occupying ports on other major islands.
At the end of the month, it appears that Japan made an attempt to occupy Kai Island. As Java was falling to the Japanese, General Thompson put in motion a plan to occupy Kai Island to serve as a festering sore in Japan’s side as it swept through the Dutch East Indies. He felt that a smaller island would be easier to defend than Timor, and arranged to defend the island that was as far as possible within Japanese territory, while still close enough to be reached by air units in Australia.
The Japanese invasion force showed up in the closing days of the month. As reported in our lead story of the day, Martin bombers who had obtained great proficiency attacking Japanese shipping in the battle at Java destroyed the invasion force. None of these ships have yet been officially added to the Sunk Ships list. However, the pilots involved in the mission and military intelligence personnel reviewing the aerial photographs of the battle agree that most if not all of the ships will be on the list within the next two months.
This success suggests that Kai Island will be safe for at least a few more weeks. With it, the supply route to from eastern Australia to Darwin will also remain open.
Southeast Asia
A total of six Chinese divisions have escaped from China since the start of the war, through northern Burma, and into India. In addition, all of the British and Commonwealth units stationed in Burma have since made the long and dangerous trek to India. India has been further reinforced by remnants of one division and a regiment from the Philippines, which allied forces have been working to rebuild into a fighting force. India has obtained the benefit of the 19th Bomber Group and the 93rd Bomber Squadron, as well as the 21st Fighter Squadron from the Philippines. Cargo ships have so far delivered the 7th Bomber Group, 3 air transport squadrons, and 4 seaplane recon squadrons from the United States. Air units that fled Singapore are also now stationed in Ceylon.
India has been using these air units in a concentrated bombing campaign against the Japanese forces in Burma. Allied airplanes have hit every major city from Rangoon in the south to Myitkyina in the north. Every day, weather permitting, and it is usually permitting somewhere, allied airplanes are attacking Japanese units in Burma.
Japan has so far been unable to get the airbase at Akyab operational. The airbases at Myitkyina and Mandalay are also in a constant state of disrepair from Allied planes. The transportation system and storage facilities in Mandalay which are used to gather resources and ship them to Japan, has been all but destroyed, preventing Japan from taking advantage of this harvest.
On five different occasions, General Pownall has also sent smaller surface combat ships from Chadpur to Akyab to shell the port city, inflicting more damage on the airstrip as well as destroying port and warehouse facilities.
The transport airplanes brought in from the United States, combined with squadrons from India, have been set up at Jorhat to fly supplies to Yunan in China. Each night, approximately 100 C-47 transport airplanes are loaded in Jorhat. They fly to Yunan, unload their cargo, and land back in Jorhat by nightfall. While the pilots sleep, crews at Jorhat load the airplanes, while mechanics perform reapirs and maintenance on the planes. By morning, the planes are ready to fly again.
General Pownall is looking for a way to capture the city of Myitkyina and to hold it, opening up the land route from India into China. However, military intelligence reports that Japan has a minimum of three divisions – nearly 70,000 soldiers – ready to repel such an invasion. If they decided to, Japan may also be able to take control of the skies over eastern India as it did over Port Moresby.
China
Neither the Chinese nor the Japanese have engaged in anything more than harassment bombing since the start of the war. The one exception to this was China’s drive to retake the port of Pakhoi in southern China, which now serves as an emergency refueling and repair port for allied submarines.
In the near future, the town of Nanning, near Pakhoi and captured in the same offensive, will receive the American Volunteer Group from India. The unit is a squadron of American mercenary pilots employed by Chang Kai Shek before America entered the war. Since the start of the war, they have been busy defending northeastern India in order to hold Japanese expansion in check. The growth of British strength in this region means that the AVG can now go to China to do the job it was hired to do.
The AVG is expected to set up shop in Nanning before the month is out.
Expectations for June
Thayne News has once again summoned Dr. Kevin Gaschk, president and CEO of the Gaschk School of Fighting, to discuss expectations in June. Thayne News would like to remind our readers that on May 1st, Dr. Gaschk warned us that “I suspect Japan will continue to throw resources at Port Moresby until it takes the city. Then, it will consolidate that part of the line, while it fights to expand elsewhere. Japan will continue to dominate the air war in Northern and Northeastern Australia, including Port Moresby. Washington had better be sending a steady stream of fighters to Australia because it is going to need them.” The record for May shows that Dr. Gaschk was painfully accurate in his prediction.
For June, Dr. Gaschk told us, “Japan will continue to take the unoccupied ports in the eastern section of the Dutch East Indies, and they will continue to apply pressure on Port Moresby. Somehow, they will try to bring in reinforcements. It may come over land from Buna, or it may come by sea, but it will come. The next 30 days at Port Moresby will be much like the last 30, with a lot of bloody fighting.”
Dr. Gaschk added, “Ultimately, I think that Japan will do better in June than it did in May. It has better control of the skies now than it had before, and it will use that to pound the allied defenses. If the allies try to hold Port Moresby, they will have to sail their ships within range of Japanese air defenses. This is going to cost them. Japan has already proved that it can sweep aside any air defense that the allies try to mount.”
Asked about the rest of the war, Dr. Gaschk said that he does not expect any other Japanese activity except possibly against Wake Island. “I have sources inside Military Intelligence who report that they are continuing to get reports on a future Japanese attempt to take Wake Island. If this happens, it will be a major battle. However, the allies are ready for it. Wake is largely out of range of effective Japanese land-based air for it to be a threat to Allied plans to defend the base. The allies have had months now to prepare for a Japanese attack. Each day they grow stronger. So, I think that this battle will be as fierce, but the allies will eventually prevail.”
We asked Gaschk what he saw as the best and the worst for June. He answered, “Japan is going to continue to pull ahead in the air war. They have the better planes and the better pilots, It will not be until the allies get better aircraft in 1943 that they will be seriously able to hold their own against the Japanese air force. The best is that Japan’s time of expansion is over. They may take one or two forward ports – they make get Port Moresby and Wake Island, but they are not going to get much else.”
Allied plans for June include:
• Raids in the North Atlantic against the northern most Japanese islands
• A carrier and surface-combat raid against the Gilbert Islands
• The occupation of Goodenough Island just east of New Guinea
• The transfer of the AVG from India to China as a part of a plan to take control of the skies there.
Dr. Gaschk said that he expects all of these operations to take place, with the possible exception of the landings on Goodenough Island. “The allies may well discover that they still lack the logistics capability to handle such a move at this time,” Gaschk said.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
This is a special edition of the Thayne News Report. Thayne News reporters stayed up late last night working with war officials around the world to bring you a special summary of the war to date. Thayne News is aware of the fact that you, our readers, lead busy lives and do not have the time to pay attention to all of the everyday events in this war. So, once each month, we bring you a special summary of the most important events.
Before we get into the June Summary, Thayne News has a breaking story out of Darwin Australia.
DUTCH DESTROY INVASION FLEET
(TN – Darwin) Dutch pilots, who honed their skills attacking shipping at Batavia, Java, yesterday utterly destroyed the invasion fleet spotted near Kai Island. After the previous day’s attack, the Japanese fleet was last spotted moving away from Kai Island. However, it was not able to move fast enough to be out of the range of allied airplanes before dawn. The thick columns of smoke coming off of some of the ships made the task force easy to spot, and the allied pilots came in at full force.
Aerial photographs taken from the last allied airplanes to leave the scene of the battle showed all ten transport ships burning. Allied military experts say that there is little chance any of the ships will make it back to port. Their loss will also include the loss of the invasion troops that they carried. With every ship in the task force on fire, the troops have nowhere to go but into the sea. Those same strategists say that this victory will put an end to the Japanese threat in this region from somewhere between weeks to months.
THE WAR IN MAY
In May, allied forces were able to fight the Japanese to significantly slow Japanese expansion. The only area where Japan continued to make significant territorial gains was in the eastern portion of the Dutch East Indies. They were able to expand their control of Timor, now occupying the western two-thirds of the island. They also continued to occupy and control ports north of Kai Island. This includes the ports of Babo, Noemfoor, Manokwari, Bulla, Weda, and Morotai.
The Japanese made their greatest gains in the air, where Japanese fighters were able to completely close a gap in the number of planes lost, through superior fighting against Allied fighters. At Port Moresby, Kai Island, and Darwin, sweeps of Japanese Zero fighters obliterated anything the allies put up in the air against them.
At sea, Japan has yet to suffer the loss of any ship larger than a destroyer, except for three light cruisers that Lexington sank in the opening week of the war. However, they continued to lose a number of transport and support ships. An allied raid in the area around Marcus Island in the north-central Pacific netted between eight and ten ships. Some naval battles in the area around POrt MOresby cost the Japanese a few destroyers. However, in the Port MOresby battles, the allies lost the battleship Colorado.
The Naval War
In May, Allied military intelligence was able to add two destroyers to the number of major Japanese combat ships sunk during the war. Allies destroyed both ships in the waters around Port Moresby. This brings the total Japanese losses in major combat ships to eight; three light cruisers and five destroyers. For the allies, the only new major ship to add to the list of those lost is the battleship Colorado. The allies took some significant hits to other combat ships, but none of them sank. Allied losses now stand at two battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 9 light cruisers, and 8 destroyers.
Under the water, the Japanese continued to suffer significant losses. The total number of Japanese submarines on the sunk ship list climbed from 15 at the end of April to 23 at the end of may. Allied submarine losses held steady at five.
Support ships were able to stay out of harm's way for the most part during this fight. The Japanese officially lost one minesweeper in May, and the allies lost a patrol gunboat. This raised the number of Japanese support ships lost to 23; 4 mine layers, 9 mine sweepers, 8 patrol craft, and 2 patrol gunboats. At this level, the allies have lost 10 ships; 1 mile layer, 7 mine sweepers, and 2 patrol gunboats.
It is in the area of merchant shipping where Japan continues to suffer its heaviest losses. The Japanese Sunk Ship List now holds the names of 29 cargo ships and 49 personnel carriers, compared to a combined loss among the allies of 9 freighters and 3 troop transports. Both Japan and the Allies added one additional tanker to the sunk ship list in May, bringing Japan's losses up to 6 and the allied losses up to 3.
The number of losses is believed to increase significantly. Allied bombers have recently inflicted significant damage on a number of Japanese transport ships near Kai Island to add to the list.
The list of sunk Allied ships may not have grown by much, but the list of damaged Allied ships continues to grow. That list contains 5 battleships, 1 battle cruiser, 1 heavy cruiser, 1 light cruiser, 11 destroyers, 13 submarines, and 8 transport ships of various sizes. All of these ships have been knocked out of the war for the foreseeable future.
The Air War
It is in the air that Japan is showing true superiority. At the start of May, allied military intelligence estimated that Japan had lost 150 more planes due to all causes than the Allies. By the end of May, these numbers were nearly equal, with Japan actually estimated to have suffered slightly fewer losses than the Allies.
Japan made its biggest gains as a result of massive fighter sweeps over Darwin and Kai Island early in the month, and Port Moresby late in the month. Japanese fighters also did significant damage to the Chinese air force. There were several major dogfights over India as well. However, in this theater, the allies seem to be holding their own in the infrequent contests.
The official estimate is that both Japan and the allies have lost approximately 1800 aircraft since the start of the war. Japan lost an additional 250 aircraft in May, while the allies lost 400.
The Ground War
Japan completely lost its ability to wipe out large allied units, though it tried to do so at Port Moresby. The battle at Port Moresby has proved to be fierce. However, the allies hold the advantage on the ground, even as Japan controls the air and, to a lesser extent, the sea.
It is hard to tell, actually, which side suffered the greatest loss in terms of ground combat troops in May. The battle at Port Moresby has proved to be nearly a draw. Japan inflicted huge losses on allied soldiers in Burma, particularly the Chinese. At the same time, in Burma, the allies have been bombing constantly and inflicting severe casualties among the Japanese. Between the two, several allied commanders reported that the allies probably did better than the Japanese in terms of inflicting casualties.
CAMPAIGN SUMMARY: June 1, 1942
North Pacific
General Theobald, commander of allied forces in the North Pacific, moved his headquarters from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor, where he has gathered the bulk of his naval and air forces. Allied forces have progressed as far as to build naval and air stations on the farthest islands in the Aleutian chain, Kiska and Attu. From here, PBYs patrol the northern most islands of the Japan chain. With the arrival of the submarine tender Griffin and seven submarines, General Theobald has started to send patrols into Japanese waters, having them top off their tanks at Kiska along the way.
There has not been any enemy activity in this area, and it is still the case that not one bullet has been fired on the enemy. General Theobald is said to be considering options to change this status quo. He is said to be gathering his naval force and is considering sending a reconnaissance mission towards the Japanese “just to see what things are like over there”.
Central Pacific
The Allies under Admiral Kimmel neither gained nor lost territory in the central Pacific. Instead, the Allies have continued to build up their forward bases; Wake, Midway, and Johnson Islands, as well as the twins Howland and Baker Islands further south. Laysen Island, three hundred miles southeast of Midway, acquired an airbase and is now set to serve as a backup station in case of a Japanese attack on Midway.
The most serious problem that Kimmel faces on this front is that he can have only a limited number of soldiers on each island; they are too small to hold as much as a division. Therefore, Kimmel has several reserve units ready to move forward in case of an attack. He has units who practice daily on how to land on Wake or Howland Islands if these places should ever be contested.
Sources in Central Pacific Command have been saying for some time that Kimmel is considering sending a landing force to Apamama, in the southern end of the Gilbert Islands. He launched a raid against these islands early in the war using two carriers, and is about to launch a second. B-17 bombers at Baker Island strike Apamama daily, and report little Japanese buildup of the region. So far this invasion is only in the discussion phase; no allied units have actually been assigned to the attack.
Any planned invasion will wait the first stages of development for Howland Island. Allied units are presently working to build an airstrip on this small Pacific island. Towards this end, they are bringing in a construction battalion, which should arrive sometime midway through June.
As May came to an end, Kimmel had just launched a second raid against the Gilbert Islands consisting of two battle groups. One task force, built around the carriers Enterprise, Yorktown, and Hornet, will strike Japanese bases in the Gilbert Islands by air. The second task force, built around the battleships Maryland, California, Oklahoma, Nevada, and Idaho will shell the Japanese islands. The purpose of the raid is to keep the Japanese forces disrupted pending the opportunity to capture Apamama.
South Pacific
Admiral Nimitz, commander of the South Pacific forces, faced a calm month in May, compared to the destructive raid that the Japanese launched against his section in April. In this time, he has had an opportunity to make significant improvements to his forward bases in the Santa Cruz Islands. The most important development was the completion of an airstrip at Ndini in mid May. Ndini, and its neighbor Reef Island, both hold fairly large seaplane bases and are busy patrolling the southeastern half of the Solomon Islands. There, reconnaissance airplanes have noted a significant amount of Japanese activity.
Nimitz has shifted his attention to the west, offering his assistance to General Thompson. This included the loan of his two aircraft carriers, Lexington and Saratoga, and the transfer of a B-17 bomber group. The loan also included the battleship Colorado which the Japanese sank off of Port Moresby. Nimitz has one other battleship under his command, New Mexico, presently stationed at New Caledonia. However, Nimitz is believed to regard the battleship as “a waste of good sailors”.
The carriers are presently undergoing much needed refit and repair at Sydney.
Nimitz is planning to focus his future efforts on Gili Gili (also known as Milne Bay) and the Australian-held islands to the east. He has ordered his paratroopers to make an attempt to occupy Goodenough Island before the Japanese can show up there. Meanwhile, his two Marine divisions are preparing for an attack on Milne Bay itself, and other units are planning to occupy other nearby islands. The capture of these ports is intended to put a shield around the shipping routes from eastern Australia to Darwin in the north. Japan, however, will still be able to threaten shipping by flying over this line.
Southwest Pacific
In May, the bulk of the action in the Pacific War has occurred in this theater, particularly around Port Moresby on the island of New Guinea. Japan launched a bid to capture the port late in April, sending one attack force over the mountains from Buna while landing a second force by sea. Since then, they have laid siege to the city.
Casualties in the Port Moresby campaign have been high. Over the course of the month, the allies have lost just under 3,000 troops and 67 guns on the ground, while military intelligence estimates the destruction of an estimated 4,000 Japanese troops and nearly 100 guns. In the air, Japan has lost approximately 100 airplanes while the allies lost 150. These casualties do not include the loss of sailors on board ships, such as Colorado, where over 1,000 American servicemen lost their lives.
Ultimately, this is a war of attrition which the allies are capable of winning in the long run. But it is a bloody and tiresome campaign.
Recently, allied forces were able to deliver another 2,000 tons of cargo to Port Moresby, sent on the decks of destroyers and light cruisers that left Cairns, Australia. This is the third successful fast transport mission in the last week of May, suggesting that the allies have the capability of keeping their army supplied, and potentially even reinforcing it to some extent. Allies are also flying supplies in using a squadron of C-47s and bombers stationed on the mainland.
In addition, allied forces are maintaining bombing runs from Thursday Island and mainland Australia. Thursday Island recently acquired enough supplies to make its airbase fully operational. Since then, it has been able to fly effective bombing missions against the Japanese forces. A new squadron of B-17s on loan from the South Pacific has also recently started attacking Japanese forces.
Dutch East Indies
On the other side of Australia, off of the port of Darwin, Japanese forces spent much of the month consolidating their holdings on ports that the allies had abandoned. They are filling their expanding their holdings in Timor, taking ports in Papua, and occupying ports on other major islands.
At the end of the month, it appears that Japan made an attempt to occupy Kai Island. As Java was falling to the Japanese, General Thompson put in motion a plan to occupy Kai Island to serve as a festering sore in Japan’s side as it swept through the Dutch East Indies. He felt that a smaller island would be easier to defend than Timor, and arranged to defend the island that was as far as possible within Japanese territory, while still close enough to be reached by air units in Australia.
The Japanese invasion force showed up in the closing days of the month. As reported in our lead story of the day, Martin bombers who had obtained great proficiency attacking Japanese shipping in the battle at Java destroyed the invasion force. None of these ships have yet been officially added to the Sunk Ships list. However, the pilots involved in the mission and military intelligence personnel reviewing the aerial photographs of the battle agree that most if not all of the ships will be on the list within the next two months.
This success suggests that Kai Island will be safe for at least a few more weeks. With it, the supply route to from eastern Australia to Darwin will also remain open.
Southeast Asia
A total of six Chinese divisions have escaped from China since the start of the war, through northern Burma, and into India. In addition, all of the British and Commonwealth units stationed in Burma have since made the long and dangerous trek to India. India has been further reinforced by remnants of one division and a regiment from the Philippines, which allied forces have been working to rebuild into a fighting force. India has obtained the benefit of the 19th Bomber Group and the 93rd Bomber Squadron, as well as the 21st Fighter Squadron from the Philippines. Cargo ships have so far delivered the 7th Bomber Group, 3 air transport squadrons, and 4 seaplane recon squadrons from the United States. Air units that fled Singapore are also now stationed in Ceylon.
India has been using these air units in a concentrated bombing campaign against the Japanese forces in Burma. Allied airplanes have hit every major city from Rangoon in the south to Myitkyina in the north. Every day, weather permitting, and it is usually permitting somewhere, allied airplanes are attacking Japanese units in Burma.
Japan has so far been unable to get the airbase at Akyab operational. The airbases at Myitkyina and Mandalay are also in a constant state of disrepair from Allied planes. The transportation system and storage facilities in Mandalay which are used to gather resources and ship them to Japan, has been all but destroyed, preventing Japan from taking advantage of this harvest.
On five different occasions, General Pownall has also sent smaller surface combat ships from Chadpur to Akyab to shell the port city, inflicting more damage on the airstrip as well as destroying port and warehouse facilities.
The transport airplanes brought in from the United States, combined with squadrons from India, have been set up at Jorhat to fly supplies to Yunan in China. Each night, approximately 100 C-47 transport airplanes are loaded in Jorhat. They fly to Yunan, unload their cargo, and land back in Jorhat by nightfall. While the pilots sleep, crews at Jorhat load the airplanes, while mechanics perform reapirs and maintenance on the planes. By morning, the planes are ready to fly again.
General Pownall is looking for a way to capture the city of Myitkyina and to hold it, opening up the land route from India into China. However, military intelligence reports that Japan has a minimum of three divisions – nearly 70,000 soldiers – ready to repel such an invasion. If they decided to, Japan may also be able to take control of the skies over eastern India as it did over Port Moresby.
China
Neither the Chinese nor the Japanese have engaged in anything more than harassment bombing since the start of the war. The one exception to this was China’s drive to retake the port of Pakhoi in southern China, which now serves as an emergency refueling and repair port for allied submarines.
In the near future, the town of Nanning, near Pakhoi and captured in the same offensive, will receive the American Volunteer Group from India. The unit is a squadron of American mercenary pilots employed by Chang Kai Shek before America entered the war. Since the start of the war, they have been busy defending northeastern India in order to hold Japanese expansion in check. The growth of British strength in this region means that the AVG can now go to China to do the job it was hired to do.
The AVG is expected to set up shop in Nanning before the month is out.
Expectations for June
Thayne News has once again summoned Dr. Kevin Gaschk, president and CEO of the Gaschk School of Fighting, to discuss expectations in June. Thayne News would like to remind our readers that on May 1st, Dr. Gaschk warned us that “I suspect Japan will continue to throw resources at Port Moresby until it takes the city. Then, it will consolidate that part of the line, while it fights to expand elsewhere. Japan will continue to dominate the air war in Northern and Northeastern Australia, including Port Moresby. Washington had better be sending a steady stream of fighters to Australia because it is going to need them.” The record for May shows that Dr. Gaschk was painfully accurate in his prediction.
For June, Dr. Gaschk told us, “Japan will continue to take the unoccupied ports in the eastern section of the Dutch East Indies, and they will continue to apply pressure on Port Moresby. Somehow, they will try to bring in reinforcements. It may come over land from Buna, or it may come by sea, but it will come. The next 30 days at Port Moresby will be much like the last 30, with a lot of bloody fighting.”
Dr. Gaschk added, “Ultimately, I think that Japan will do better in June than it did in May. It has better control of the skies now than it had before, and it will use that to pound the allied defenses. If the allies try to hold Port Moresby, they will have to sail their ships within range of Japanese air defenses. This is going to cost them. Japan has already proved that it can sweep aside any air defense that the allies try to mount.”
Asked about the rest of the war, Dr. Gaschk said that he does not expect any other Japanese activity except possibly against Wake Island. “I have sources inside Military Intelligence who report that they are continuing to get reports on a future Japanese attempt to take Wake Island. If this happens, it will be a major battle. However, the allies are ready for it. Wake is largely out of range of effective Japanese land-based air for it to be a threat to Allied plans to defend the base. The allies have had months now to prepare for a Japanese attack. Each day they grow stronger. So, I think that this battle will be as fierce, but the allies will eventually prevail.”
We asked Gaschk what he saw as the best and the worst for June. He answered, “Japan is going to continue to pull ahead in the air war. They have the better planes and the better pilots, It will not be until the allies get better aircraft in 1943 that they will be seriously able to hold their own against the Japanese air force. The best is that Japan’s time of expansion is over. They may take one or two forward ports – they make get Port Moresby and Wake Island, but they are not going to get much else.”
Allied plans for June include:
• Raids in the North Atlantic against the northern most Japanese islands
• A carrier and surface-combat raid against the Gilbert Islands
• The occupation of Goodenough Island just east of New Guinea
• The transfer of the AVG from India to China as a part of a plan to take control of the skies there.
Dr. Gaschk said that he expects all of these operations to take place, with the possible exception of the landings on Goodenough Island. “The allies may well discover that they still lack the logistics capability to handle such a move at this time,” Gaschk said.
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CARRIERS HIT PORT MORESBY
June 2, 1942
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
CARRIERS HIT PORT MORESBY
(TN – Port Moresby) Japanese carriers hit Port Moresby again, sinking the light cruiser Durban and badly damaging the destroyer Hatfield. The two ships were part of a 5-ship task force hunting a Japanese troop transport seen in the area. The submarine Gudgeon spotted a transport rounding the east edge of New Guinea the previous day. The task force went out to patrol the south coast of New Guinea, but were unable to find the ship. It returned to Port Moresby late in the afternoon, then was attacked by approximately 60 Japanese Val and Kate bombers. Part way through the raid, a Japanese bomb set off a forward magazine. The shock wave blew apart some of the nearby docks. Minutes later, a second magazine explosion on the rear of the ship sent it to the bottom of the harbor.
The battle was another part of another day of death in the Battle of Port Moresby. The allies fired the first shot during the night when the task force that had delivered supplies the day before opened up on Japanese positions. General Clark decided to take advantage of the disruption that the naval shelling would cause on the enemy and the predicted good weather the next day to launch yet another attack on the Japanese surrounding the island.
The day brought air attacks from Thursday Island and mainland Australia. Combined, three different bombing raids involving a total of 41 airplanes, including 13 4-engine bombers, attacked Japanese positions. The allies, on the other hand, suffered no bombing damage as the Japanese air force targeted the ships in the harbor instead.
Knox launched his ground attack late in the afternoon. The bloody battle that followed cost the Allies approximately 250 soldiers, and cost the Japanese surrounding the city almost as much. Military intelligence personnel who were there during the fighting noted that the Japanese fired almost no artillery during the conflict. Intelligence personnel estimate that the Japanese are down to less than 20 artillery pieces.
The presence of the Japanese carrier force has caused General Thompson to order the rest of the ships away from Port Moresby. The fast cargo ship carrying supplies to Port Moresby from Cairns is being diverted to Thursday Island. All other ships are being ordered to retreat to Cairns.
Japanese Reinforce Myitkyina
(TN – Dacca) Allied attempts to slip another three Chinese divisions through northern Burma were thwarted yesterday when Japan moved the 56th Infantry Division into Myitkyina. Allied military planners are waiting to see if the Japanese unit will return to one of the southern cities such as Mandalay. However, if not, the Chinese divisions are making plans to return to Yunan, where they can be carried out of the country by air.
In India itself, cargo planes are preparing to carry the 10th Air Force over the Himalaya Mountains and into the Chinese city of Yunan. From Yunan, the unit will march to Nanning. Meanwhile, a Japanese unit capable of offering support to military aircraft is due to stop at Nanning in the near future. This unit will be able to offer support to the American Volunteer Group, which should be flying into a new permanent home in China.
Illustrious Reaches Karachi
(TN – Dacca) The British aircraft carrier Illustrious reached Karachi, India, last night and will soon be starting a trip to Colombo and the east coast of India. There, it will join forces with Hermes and Formidable. Combined, the three British carriers can launch only a few more airplanes than a standard American fleet carrier. However, the carriers are rumored to be able to take significantly more damage than an American carrier.
General Pownall is said to be carefully considering what he could do with three ships. Advisors to General Pownall told Thayne News that the most serious obstacle to any plan is over 60 Betty bombers that once tried to hit shipping in Madras and Diamond Harbor. That number of airplanes could do serious damage to an Allied task force that came too close,.
Thayne's News Network
Editor's Note: In times of war, the news is likely to be filled with all sorts of rumor and exaggeration. The goal of the Thayne News Network is to cut through the fog of war, and provide you, our loyal readers, with as accurate a report of events on the front line as we can.
The Thayne News Network is a special service for the clients in the military industrial complex who need accurate information on the progress of the war. Any disclosure of the contents of these reports is punishable as treason.
CARRIERS HIT PORT MORESBY
(TN – Port Moresby) Japanese carriers hit Port Moresby again, sinking the light cruiser Durban and badly damaging the destroyer Hatfield. The two ships were part of a 5-ship task force hunting a Japanese troop transport seen in the area. The submarine Gudgeon spotted a transport rounding the east edge of New Guinea the previous day. The task force went out to patrol the south coast of New Guinea, but were unable to find the ship. It returned to Port Moresby late in the afternoon, then was attacked by approximately 60 Japanese Val and Kate bombers. Part way through the raid, a Japanese bomb set off a forward magazine. The shock wave blew apart some of the nearby docks. Minutes later, a second magazine explosion on the rear of the ship sent it to the bottom of the harbor.
The battle was another part of another day of death in the Battle of Port Moresby. The allies fired the first shot during the night when the task force that had delivered supplies the day before opened up on Japanese positions. General Clark decided to take advantage of the disruption that the naval shelling would cause on the enemy and the predicted good weather the next day to launch yet another attack on the Japanese surrounding the island.
The day brought air attacks from Thursday Island and mainland Australia. Combined, three different bombing raids involving a total of 41 airplanes, including 13 4-engine bombers, attacked Japanese positions. The allies, on the other hand, suffered no bombing damage as the Japanese air force targeted the ships in the harbor instead.
Knox launched his ground attack late in the afternoon. The bloody battle that followed cost the Allies approximately 250 soldiers, and cost the Japanese surrounding the city almost as much. Military intelligence personnel who were there during the fighting noted that the Japanese fired almost no artillery during the conflict. Intelligence personnel estimate that the Japanese are down to less than 20 artillery pieces.
The presence of the Japanese carrier force has caused General Thompson to order the rest of the ships away from Port Moresby. The fast cargo ship carrying supplies to Port Moresby from Cairns is being diverted to Thursday Island. All other ships are being ordered to retreat to Cairns.
Japanese Reinforce Myitkyina
(TN – Dacca) Allied attempts to slip another three Chinese divisions through northern Burma were thwarted yesterday when Japan moved the 56th Infantry Division into Myitkyina. Allied military planners are waiting to see if the Japanese unit will return to one of the southern cities such as Mandalay. However, if not, the Chinese divisions are making plans to return to Yunan, where they can be carried out of the country by air.
In India itself, cargo planes are preparing to carry the 10th Air Force over the Himalaya Mountains and into the Chinese city of Yunan. From Yunan, the unit will march to Nanning. Meanwhile, a Japanese unit capable of offering support to military aircraft is due to stop at Nanning in the near future. This unit will be able to offer support to the American Volunteer Group, which should be flying into a new permanent home in China.
Illustrious Reaches Karachi
(TN – Dacca) The British aircraft carrier Illustrious reached Karachi, India, last night and will soon be starting a trip to Colombo and the east coast of India. There, it will join forces with Hermes and Formidable. Combined, the three British carriers can launch only a few more airplanes than a standard American fleet carrier. However, the carriers are rumored to be able to take significantly more damage than an American carrier.
General Pownall is said to be carefully considering what he could do with three ships. Advisors to General Pownall told Thayne News that the most serious obstacle to any plan is over 60 Betty bombers that once tried to hit shipping in Madras and Diamond Harbor. That number of airplanes could do serious damage to an Allied task force that came too close,.