Rest assure guys, this was only a small set back for Andy. I think he's just drawing out
our CAP fighters. No invasion fleet in sight. So we're standing down a bit.
Guam was hit hard today: mainly because only 135 of 300 fighters were on CAP despite being put
on 90%. So we lost 160 ac on the ground and 130 in A2A combat. The enemy lost another 45 Hellcats
and 30 Wildcats, some 120 ac in all. So not a bad result, but I have to figure out how to increase
the number of fighters in the air when the attacks come in. Both Guam and Tinian are partly closed,
but Andy will have to continue hitting them both constantly. So let's see if he will and whether an
invasion is imminent or not. I will consider moving all remaining ac out of the Marianas if it's not.
The enemy fleets are quite vulnerable to attacks by surface groups. They stay in one place and launch
strikes and no ac are put on naval attack. Will put some ships in Saipan under a massive air umbrella
and try to taunt them to launch.
Today another 100 B-29's hit Guam and Tinian. I asked Andy whether all these operated from
Kwajalein, a size 5 AF 23 hexes away? Thought they had a reduced range from such a small field?
Franks are coming off the production lines in a steady stream. So the more time Andy uses, the stronger
we will become. Despite of our losses - which can be replaced relatively quickly.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 06/02/44
Air Combat
Day Air attack on Tinian , at 62,65
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 20
TBM Avenger x 16
Japanese aircraft losses
No Japanese losses
Allied aircraft losses
TBM Avenger: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Guns lost 2
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Tinian , at 62,65
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-29 Superfortress x 52
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 2 destroyed
H8K Emily: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-29 Superfortress: 2 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
147 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 68
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Guam , at 62,66
Japanese aircraft
A6M5 Zeke x 64
N1K1-J George x 6
A6M5c Zeke x 11
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 65
Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 109
F6F Hellcat x 138
SB2C Helldiver x 53
TBM Avenger x 145
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 83 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 7 destroyed
A6M5c Zeke: 18 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 50 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 3 destroyed
B6N Jill: 8 destroyed
H8K Emily: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
FM-2 Wildcat: 30 destroyed, 11 damaged
F6F Hellcat: 46 destroyed, 21 damaged
SB2C Helldiver: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 12 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
159 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Airbase hits 30
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 71
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Guam , at 62,66
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
F6F Hellcat x 88
F4U-1D Corsair x 49
SB2C Helldiver x 64
TBM Avenger x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5 Zeke: 7 destroyed
Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 destroyed
A6M5c Zeke: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 4 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
SB2C Helldiver: 1 destroyed, 4 damaged
TBM Avenger: 3 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
60 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 23
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on Guam , at 62,66
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
B-29 Superfortress x 43
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M5c Zeke: 2 destroyed
A6M5 Zeke: 2 destroyed
Ki-43-IIa Oscar: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-29 Superfortress: 1 destroyed, 8 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 56
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The small strikes were failures. Lured to the 'big targets' like gnats to fire.
What about all the valuable secondary targets without CAP? Safe as usual...
Day Air attack on TF at 63,67
Japanese aircraft
B6N Jill x 8
Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 94
F6F Hellcat x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
B6N Jill: 6 destroyed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 63,67
Japanese aircraft
P1Y Frances x 8
Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 94
F6F Hellcat x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
P1Y Frances: 8 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F6F Hellcat: 1 damaged
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF at 63,67
Japanese aircraft
G4M2 Betty x 3
Allied aircraft
FM-2 Wildcat x 94
F6F Hellcat x 25
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 3 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F6F Hellcat: 3 damaged
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Day Air attack on TF, near Kwajalein at 79,79
Japanese aircraft
G4M2 Betty x 9
Allied aircraft
F4U-1D Corsair x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M2 Betty: 8 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
F4U-1D Corsair: 6 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Susana
Aircraft Attacking:
1 x G4M2 Betty bombing at 7000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
