Tonight, CPT. Kogure had orders to fight the remaining allied ships off Irau. And quite a good job he did...
At day, despite bad weather, some allied heavy bombers took off from GG strips and bombed Russell harbour. There they found poor CV JUNYO, which was still repairing flood damage... Unfortunately the medium carrier sunk that afternoon. [:(] But I was unable to pull her out earlier since she would have most probably sunk anyway then. Her sys wasn´t too bad actually (65), but a waterlogged flattop is a very juicy target for the US subs around...
But revenge came right on - my bombers made short work of an allied cruiser/destroyer task force heading for Irau... I guess almost all vessels were sunk or are goners.[:)]
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 07/27/43
Weather: Thunderstorms
Night Time Surface Combat, near Irau at 42,43
Japanese Ships
BB Yamashiro
DD Terusuki
DD Hatsuzuki
DD Niizuki
DD Kuroshio
DD Michishio
DD Hibiki
DD Ushio
Allied Ships
DMS Long
DMS Zane
AP Pierce, Shell hits 9, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
AK Bellatrix
AK Titania, Shell hits 2, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AK Demodocus
AK Sterope, on fire
AK Serpens, on fire, heavy damage
AK Alkaid, Shell hits 7, and is sunk
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 367
Guns lost 1
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Air attack on Russell Islands , at 35,39
Japanese aircraft
A6M2-N Rufe x 1
A6M2 Zero x 3
Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 21
PB4Y Liberator x 7
B-24D Liberator x 11
no losses
no losses
Japanese Ships
CV Junyo, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 24
Port hits 4
Port supply hits 2
Attacking Level Bombers:
0 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
1 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
6 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
4 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
6 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
3 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
0 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x B-17E Fortress at 15000 feet
1 x B-24D Liberator at 15000 feet
0 x PB4Y Liberator at 15000 feet
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Air attack on 16th Regiment, at 42,43
Allied aircraft
B-25J Mitchell x 146
no losses
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 56
Attacking Level Bombers:
5 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
1 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
1 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
5 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
1 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
2 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
0 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
4 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
3 x B-25J Mitchell at 8000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Rennell Island at 38,45
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIC x 16
no losses
Japanese Ships
AG 5090, Shell hits 12, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AG 5087, Shell hits 8, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
AG 5051, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AG 363, Shell hits 4
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 43,44
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5
A6M3 Zero x 17
D3A Val x 25
D4Y Judy x 9
B5N Kate x 1
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 9
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 2 destroyed
D3A Val x 7 damaged
D4Y Judy x 1 destroyed
D4Y Judy x 1 damaged
B5N Kate x 1 damaged
Allied Ships
DD Pringle
DD Laffey, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Sigourney, Bomb hits 3, on fire
DD Morris, Bomb hits 2, on fire
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 43,44
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 1
D3A Val x 8
B5N Kate x 2
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 1 damaged
B5N Kate x 1 damaged
Allied Ships
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF at 43,44
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 15
A6M3 Zero x 5
D3A Val x 61
B5N Kate x 13
G4M1 Betty x 3
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 11
Ki-45 KAIb Nick x 16
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 8
Ki-49 Helen x 14
Japanese aircraft losses
D3A Val x 4 damaged
Allied Ships
CA San Francisco, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Bush, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Pringle, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
DD Laffey, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
DD Stanly
DD Sigourney, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
DD Morris, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Shaw, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage
Attacking Level Bombers:
4 x Ki-49 Helen at 8000 feet
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
4 x Ki-49 Helen at 8000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen at 8000 feet
3 x Ki-49 Helen at 8000 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Air attack on TF, near Woodlark Island at 22,39
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 4
A6M3 Zero x 13
G4M1 Betty x 3
Ki-43-IIa Oscar x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 4 damaged
Allied Ships
AK Shaula, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x G4M1 Betty at 200 feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 43,44
LCDR R.Baldwin of No. 7 Sqn RAAF bails out and is RESCUED
Japanese Ships
SS I-15
Allied Ships
DD Sigourney, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sub attack at 42,40
Japanese Ships
ML Ikitsushima
Allied Ships
SS S-37
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Irau
Japanese Bombardment attack
Attacking force 2603 troops, 89 guns, 0 vehicles
Defending force 32875 troops, 396 guns, 127 vehicles
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 27
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ground combat at Irau
Allied Deliberate attack
Attacking force 23468 troops, 369 guns, 72 vehicles
Defending force 36008 troops, 539 guns, 0 vehicles
Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 4
Allied assault odds: 0 to 1 (fort level 4)
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 219
Guns lost 2
Allied ground losses:
Men lost 394
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I like this kind of a night battle! [8D]
