Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: Terminus

YEAH! Grandma Shun kicks righteous butt![:D][:D][:D]

Somehow I am picturing an Okinawan version of Granny Clampett.

[tocaff]

Large weapon for a little old lady to handle.  Only Shun's mom could've pulled it off.

[kaleun]

As usual, great writing.
Kudos to you cuttlefish.

[John 3rd]

VERY enjoyable and full of surprises.
 

[Cuttlefish]

January 24, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders.

---

Capt. Harlock’s recent reminder about the dramatis personae posted back on page 57 prompted me to take a look at it. It’s useful but badly out of date now, so without further ado here is a revised version.

Officers:

Lieutenant Commander Hagumu Ishii, Captain. We know quite a bit about his character but little of his home life, except that he is from Hyogo Prefecture and has a granddaughter, Sachiko, who he has never seen.

Lieutenant Sakamoto Miharu, Executive Officer. His home is in Kanazawa. Taught Japanese at Annapolis for a year in the 1930’s.

Lieutenant Sakati, Chief Engineer. Trained at the University of Glasgow in Scotland.

Lieutenant Sugiyura, Chief Torpedo Officer. Martial artist and the most aggressive of Hibiki’s officers.

Lieutenant Kuwaki, Chief Gunnery Officer. Recently promoted to full lieutenant.

Lieutenant JG Nakagawa, ship’s medical officer.

Lieutenant JG Kataoka, paymaster.

Ensign Handa, small boat specialist. His war of practical jokes with Ensign Izu got out of hand for a while, but the two are now good friends. Transferred to battleship Musashi in 1943.

Ensign Tomio Izu. Amateur ornithologist, his father is a colonel in the Kwangtung Army.

Midshipman Konada. Handa’s uptight replacement, is trying to overcome the perception that he is more style than substance.

Petty Officers:

Chief Petty Officer Shun. From Okinawa. Terror of the ship’s enlisted men. He and Captain Ishii go back a long ways.

Constructor Chief Petty Officer Shinoda. Baseball player and master of the machine shops.

Senior Petty Officer Toshio Aikawa. Appears in the narrative only rarely, but Shun respects him.

Petty Officer First Class Okubo. A bully and all-around jerk.

Petty Officer First Class Taiki Takahashi. Began the war as an enlisted man. Remarkably intelligent. Has lost much of his naïveté during the war but not his sense of honor. Married Sayumi Komatsu in January 1944.

Enlisted Men:

Leading Seaman Riku Ariga. A former rogue and con man who is trying very hard to reform after having the bad luck to fall hopelessly in love with Shun’s daughter.

Leading Seaman Shiro Kuramata. A woodcarver and gentle soul from Tendo. Close friend to Riku and Taiki. We know he will one day write a book about his experiences during the war.

Leading Seaman Yoshitake. Bunks with Shiro, Riku, and Oizuma.

Leading Seaman Hosogaya. Torpedoman and baseball player. Joined the crew in 1943.

Seaman Senior Oizuma, “Snake Man.” Owner of Benzaiten.

Seaman Senior Kinsei. Torpedoman. Joined the crew in 1943, started out in Sugiyura’s doghouse but has since won approval.

Seaman Senior Chuyo. Torpedoman, friend of Kinsei and Hosogaya.

Seaman First Class Itokawa. Cook and baseball player.

Seaman First Class Hikaru Shoji. Another bunkmate of Riku and Shiro, is plagued by bad luck.

Seaman Second Class Moshizuki. A heavy drinker and frequently in trouble.


Others:

Kojima Miharu, Lieutenant Miharu’s wife.

Morito Miharu, the lieutenant’s brother. A member of the Communist Party, which is a criminal activity in and of itself. Killed on Okinawa by Umeda.

Rin Shun, CPO Shun’s mother. A wise and tough old woman, seriously ill for a time but recovered. Shot and killed Umeda when he invaded the Shun home in an attempt to kill her son.

Nanami Shun, CPO Shun’s daughter. Beautiful but fiercely protected by her father.

Ensign Noboro Takahashi, Taiki’s brother. Serves aboard battleship Mutsu. Injured off Wake in ’42, has burn scars as a result.

Benzaiten, a Borneo blood python. The ship’s unofficial good luck charm.

Lieutenant Umeda of the Tokeitai. Held a grudge against Chief Shun and Captain Ishii, killed on Okinawa by Shun’s mother.

Sayumi Komatsu. War widow who attempted to continue running her family’s plastering business. Married Taiki in January 1944.

Frank Barnwell of the RAF, Blenheim gunner and radio operator. Picked up by Hibiki when his plane was shot down in the early days of the war. Escaped and after many adventures is now in India with his unit.

Lieutenant Colonel Richard Marson of the Australian 7th Infantry Division. Appeared in the battles of Timor and Port Moresby.

Gordon McNair, merchant seaman. His tanker was torpedoed and he was left adrift by Kido Butai off New Zealand.

Ensign Mark Turnby of PT-62, son of a friend of Lieutenant Miharu’s. Rescued by Hibiki and now a resident of Kawasaki POW Camp 2-B.

Jack, torpedo boat commander. Captured along with Ensign Turnby and also a resident of Kawasaki POW Camp 2-B.

Seaman Ralph Bethke. A crewman on the US destroyer La Valette. He writes messages and tosses them overboard in bottles, one of which gets Yoshitake into trouble.

[Terminus]

Superb!

[Capt. Harlock]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo


Its amusing the way folks in any way interested in military history and living on this side of the pond try to find parallels to the Civil War. [:D]

Not too surprising: the U.S. Civil War has been called the first "modern" war. (Mobilization of industry, troop transport by railroad, aerial observation, etc.) When the American troops arrived in France during WWI, the allied high command assumed they'd take months to get up to speed. Pershing informed them that the U.S. Army had learned all about trench warfare half a century before -- at Petersburg.

Cuttlefish: Brilliant! Like Umeda himself, I never saw that coming.[:D]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

ORIGINAL: Terminus

YEAH! Grandma Shun kicks righteous butt![:D][:D][:D]

Somehow I am picturing an Okinawan version of Granny Clampett.

Minus the chewing tobacco, I hope. [:)]

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo


Its amusing the way folks in any way interested in military history and living on this side of the pond try to find parallels to the Civil War. [:D]

Not too surprising: the U.S. Civil War has been called the first "modern" war. (Mobilization of industry, troop transport by railroad, aerial observation, etc.) When the American troops arrived in France during WWI, the allied high command assumed they'd take months to get up to speed. Pershing informed them that the U.S. Army had learned all about trench warfare half a century before -- at Petersburg.

I'm with Paddy Griffith on that topic.

[bradfordkay]

ORIGINAL: Onime No Kyo

ORIGINAL: bradfordkay

ORIGINAL: Terminus

YEAH! Grandma Shun kicks righteous butt![:D][:D][:D]

Somehow I am picturing an Okinawan version of Granny Clampett.

Minus the chewing tobacco, I hope. [:)]

As long as she keeps the Rheumatiz medicine nearby... [;)]

[rjopel]

[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]
 
WOW
Just finished reading all 93 pages of this.  What wonderful writing.  I can't wait to see more of it.
 
 

[Onime No Kyo]

ORIGINAL: rjopel

[&o][&o][&o][&o][&o][&o]

WOW
Just finished reading all 93 pages of this. What wonderful writing. I can't wait to see more of it.

Hey CF, another satisfied customer. [:D]

[rjopel]

[font=arial]CPO Shun is gonna kill me if he survives.[/font]
[font=arial][/font] 
[font=arial]AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/10/41[/font]
[font=arial] [/font]
[font=arial] [/font]
[font=arial]--------------------------------------------------------------------------------[/font]
[font=arial]Night Time Surface Combat, near Kota Bharu at 24,45[/font]
[font=arial][/font] 
[font=arial]Japanese Ships[/font]
[font=arial]BB Kongo, Shell hits 2[/font]
[font=arial]BB Haruna, Shell hits 1[/font]
[font=arial]CA Takao, Shell hits 6[/font]
[font=arial]CA Atago, Shell hits 2[/font]
[font=arial]CL Jintsu, Shell hits 2[/font]
[font=arial]DD Asashio[/font]
[font=arial]DD Oshio[/font]
[font=arial]DD Michishio[/font]
[font=arial]DD Arashio, Shell hits 7, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage[/font]
[font=arial]DD Akatsuki, Shell hits 4,  on fire[/font]
[font=arial]DD Hibiki, Shell hits 26,  on fire,  heavy damage  [/font]
[font=arial][/font] 
[font=arial]Allied Ships[/font]
[font=arial]BB Prince of Wales, Shell hits 17,  on fire[/font]
[font=arial]CL Danae, Shell hits 7[/font]
[font=arial]CL Dragon[/font]
[font=arial]CL Durban, Shell hits 8, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage[/font]
[font=arial]DD Tenedos, Shell hits 5,  on fire,  heavy damage[/font]
[font=arial]DD Vampire, Shell hits 4,  on fire[/font]
[font=arial]DD Electra, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire[/font]
[font=arial]DD Encounter, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage[/font]
[font=arial]DD Express[/font]
[font=arial]DD Jupiter, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage[/font]
[font=arial] [/font]
[font=arial] [/font]
[font=arial]The Hibiki was sunk by the POW.  I feel so guilty.  I am so sorry.[/font]

[histgamer]

The japanese did pretty well in your battle I think. I mean sure they had 2 BBs 2 CAs and 1 CL and their DDs to 1 BB and 3 CLs but those BBs armor is like paper and the british one is modern compared to the 30 year old japanese ones... My Kongo's never do well in surface fights vs other cap ships even with massive numerical advantages. 

[histgamer]

bump back to the top.[&o][&o][&o]

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: rjopel

[font=arial]The Hibiki was sunk by the POW.  I feel so guilty.  I am so sorry.[/font]

Glad you enjoyed the read! Don't feel too bad; going down in battle against Prince of Wales is a noble fate, much better than getting mined or being torpedoed by a submarine.

[Cuttlefish]

January 25, 1944

Location: Tokyo
Course: None
Attached to: Disbanded in port
Mission: None
System Damage: 0
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Await further orders.

---

It’s been a busy last few days for me, so for this entry I will present you with the unedited English notes from the Pit-Road 1/700 scale model of Hibiki. I found them interesting because they contain some information on the differences between the Fubuki and Akatsuki classes that I had not previously known.

---

[font="Times New Roman"]Hibiki was completed in March 1933 as one of the last four ships of Fubuki class destroyers built under the 1927 project. These four were also called Type To-Ku III. As the type had more efficient boilers, her front smokestack became thinner than the former types. Also, her bridge structure became larger, with her compass bridge, torpedo director, and fire director disposed stepwise. At the beginning of World War II, Hibiki, as a member of the 1st Destroyer Squadron, the 1st Fleet, participated in the invasion of Philippines and Java. In the Aleutian Operation of June 1942, she was damaged receiving air attacks by U.S. PBYs. In Sep. 1944, she received a torpedo attack and her bow was nearly broke off. Moreover, in March 1945, she struck a mine and was damaged, giving up the participation in the Special Sortie to Okinawa led by BB Yamato. After the war, Hibiki was used as a repatriation ship and handed over to the Soviet Union, renamed Pritky. Hibiki, along with Yukikaze of Kagero class, is known as an indomitable ship who survived fierce battles.[/font]

[John 3rd]

VERY Cool!  Where did you track down the I-700 waterline model?  I cannot find them anymore and used to build them a BUNCH when I was a kid.
 

[Cuttlefish]

ORIGINAL: John 3rd

VERY Cool!  Where did you track down the I-700 waterline model?  I cannot find them anymore and used to build them a BUNCH when I was a kid.

This is a new model of Hibiki, just introduced last fall. It can be built waterline or full hull and in either the two or three 5" turret configuration (the Dixie-created picture in my sig is from the box art). I ordered mine from Hobby Link Japan.

[Cuttlefish]

Speaking of 1/700 scale models, here is a nice page of pictures of a beautifully detailed model of Hibiki built by Japanese model-builder Takumi Akiharu: http://www.geocities.jp/takumifile15/hibiki100.html.