8/4/45
3 women hang from the light poles near the post office, faces black, swaying slightly in the breeze
Small placards hang from their bodies
"I am a thief"
Miori and Mioko (who is 6 months gone now, and really beginning to show) hesitate, and stare at the dead women, faces familiar, yet horribly no longer so.
Quietly Miori whispers..."that, for a cup of rice?"
"For a cup of rice............what is happening to us, to japan sister?"
Miori shakes her head slowly....'I miss my Husband Mioko, gods I miss him"
The two women move slowly towards home, a cold home, a hungry home.
The town is quiet, almost deserted this day, and as usual, the streets are empty of all but the oldest men, and the three they see are in the plain brown uniform of the civil air defence guard.
They have almost made it, when the sirens sound.
Another drill.
As usual, the two ignore the sirens, it is simply too much effort to make ones way back to the "shelter" of the old school building near the post office.
They will go home.
Suddenly, snarling, fighters roar overhead, climbing hard, wheeling out across the bay, climbing, climbing wings glittering in the sun
Eyes follow the snarling beasts............and fix on the horizon.
It is no drill
transfixed, the two women stand on the road, oblivious to the world about them
The rumble rises steadily, as enerringly they come.
Glittering.
beautiful
The B-29's are coming
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
RE: The little ship that could.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Hiroshima takes its time to react, stutteringly at fist, but rapidly growing quicker, the AA guns begin to bark about the bay, peppering the sky about the rapidly approaching bombers with the puffs of black and white.
In the streets, although the sirens now have raised to a howl, few people seek shelter, transfixed by their first real glimpse of war. They all, to the last man, last women, last child, fail to comprehend the danger approaching, the unreality of the crashing of the guns, of the drones above....they cannot affect them, surely, can they?
The fighter pilots know better
Veterans many of battles so recent in the southern phillipines, they fling themselves against the hated bombers.
A hundred thousand voices gasp across the city, as one of the fighters clearly rams the leading bomber, and they both begin to tumble the miles to the bay below.
Mioko and Miori watch too, as the bombers strike at the distant Dockyards, the plumes of smoke, the rumbling crump of the bombs felt even here, 10 miles away
They will remain standing, hand in hand, well after the bombers, (missing no less than 8 of their companions) turn for home
'Are we doomed Mioko?"
"Never, not while our men continue to fight................never!"
In the streets, although the sirens now have raised to a howl, few people seek shelter, transfixed by their first real glimpse of war. They all, to the last man, last women, last child, fail to comprehend the danger approaching, the unreality of the crashing of the guns, of the drones above....they cannot affect them, surely, can they?
The fighter pilots know better
Veterans many of battles so recent in the southern phillipines, they fling themselves against the hated bombers.
A hundred thousand voices gasp across the city, as one of the fighters clearly rams the leading bomber, and they both begin to tumble the miles to the bay below.
Mioko and Miori watch too, as the bombers strike at the distant Dockyards, the plumes of smoke, the rumbling crump of the bombs felt even here, 10 miles away
They will remain standing, hand in hand, well after the bombers, (missing no less than 8 of their companions) turn for home
'Are we doomed Mioko?"
"Never, not while our men continue to fight................never!"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
9/4/45
Hosho rests weary legs
It is near midnight, and he and his men lie huddled in a shallow drain, hidden from view by thick foliage. About them, unseen, 55th division rests as well.
A mile to the North, a river. Not much of a river, in the scheme of things, but deep enough to drown you, if you are foolish enough to try to cross it.
As they, and the entire army, tomorrow, must.
If they can get across................the hills and mountains and jungles of the central ranges will embrace them, where 35th Army HQ will succour them.
If they can get across.
The enemy have , surprisingly, followed, but not attacked. cautios, careful. Content to let the Carrier aircraft, the liberators kill them with little loss, as they have for these last horrible days
But, thse last three have seen few attacks, the carriers, it is rumoured, are on the alert for the Japanese navy (or what remains of it)
Hosho cares little for the Navy, or for what it can, or cannot do.
he is simply grateful that for the last two days at least, he has not been bombed, or straffed.
But tomorrow..............
At dawn, half a dozen rough bridges should have been completed by the engineers, supplament to the main permanent bridge, that somehow the allies have missed.
Tomorrow, the army must cross.
Somehow.........
Hosho rests weary legs
It is near midnight, and he and his men lie huddled in a shallow drain, hidden from view by thick foliage. About them, unseen, 55th division rests as well.
A mile to the North, a river. Not much of a river, in the scheme of things, but deep enough to drown you, if you are foolish enough to try to cross it.
As they, and the entire army, tomorrow, must.
If they can get across................the hills and mountains and jungles of the central ranges will embrace them, where 35th Army HQ will succour them.
If they can get across.
The enemy have , surprisingly, followed, but not attacked. cautios, careful. Content to let the Carrier aircraft, the liberators kill them with little loss, as they have for these last horrible days
But, thse last three have seen few attacks, the carriers, it is rumoured, are on the alert for the Japanese navy (or what remains of it)
Hosho cares little for the Navy, or for what it can, or cannot do.
he is simply grateful that for the last two days at least, he has not been bombed, or straffed.
But tomorrow..............
At dawn, half a dozen rough bridges should have been completed by the engineers, supplament to the main permanent bridge, that somehow the allies have missed.
Tomorrow, the army must cross.
Somehow.........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Susuzuki's Captain makes his broadcast brief, and to the point
"All departments make ready for departure at 0900 hours tomorrow. All departments prepare for surface action. "
That is all"
Susuzuki still has fish.
To the north east, targets more than enough.
"All departments make ready for departure at 0900 hours tomorrow. All departments prepare for surface action. "
That is all"
Susuzuki still has fish.
To the north east, targets more than enough.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
10/4/45
Low on the horizon, the sun descends into the sea.
About them, the world begins to fade into darkness, that almost beautiful half light that the tropics are famous for.
Yamamato stands on Yamatos bridge wing, drinking in the view about him, the grey shapes marching alongside, details rapidly fading, the carriers becoming less block like every minute, the sharpness of a hundred guns softening, melting into the night.
he feels calm.
ready.
A lifetime has come to this.
And he is, almost to his surprise, ready
Behind him, in the pilot house, he can hear yamato's captain, the navigator discussing something, and ears tune in
'What is the issue captain?"
"Sir, navigation is concerned with our fuel levels, we may not have enough to return if we stay here much longer"
There is much in this statement, more than the words spoken
Yamato has but one answer
"navigator.........do we have enough to transit the Sulu sea at full speed?"
"Yes sir..........but barely"
"But enough?"
"Then it will be enough..................inform all ships........we commence our attack run"
Low on the horizon, the sun descends into the sea.
About them, the world begins to fade into darkness, that almost beautiful half light that the tropics are famous for.
Yamamato stands on Yamatos bridge wing, drinking in the view about him, the grey shapes marching alongside, details rapidly fading, the carriers becoming less block like every minute, the sharpness of a hundred guns softening, melting into the night.
he feels calm.
ready.
A lifetime has come to this.
And he is, almost to his surprise, ready
Behind him, in the pilot house, he can hear yamato's captain, the navigator discussing something, and ears tune in
'What is the issue captain?"
"Sir, navigation is concerned with our fuel levels, we may not have enough to return if we stay here much longer"
There is much in this statement, more than the words spoken
Yamato has but one answer
"navigator.........do we have enough to transit the Sulu sea at full speed?"
"Yes sir..........but barely"
"But enough?"
"Then it will be enough..................inform all ships........we commence our attack run"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
A painful order to give guys.............the giants are going to try for his carriers..............wish them luck!
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
10/4/45
extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production
.and thus, the great movements begun
Possibly Japans last naval operation, it typically, was as complicated as any that has gone before
To the East of Minando, a large convoy carrying nearly 50000 tons of supplies would try to dash into cagayan. If it succeeds, 35th Army will fight on. if it fails, it will starve.........
To the North of Cotabato, at San Jose, panay, the cream of their naval air arm, the 100 odd NK2's of Ogowa's eagles shuttle in
The Yamato battle group begins to move south east, destination panay, and if luck has it, the allied fleet, still fixed firmly off the waters of Ctabato.
Finally, the ultimate reason for this action. From Kuching, nearly 20 tankers, heavy with crude and fuel, escorted by 3 CVE's, and some 20 escorts, depart for home
A big plan
Complicated, dependent on esquisite timing.
Its very rare in war, that things go according to plan
extract from shattering the sword, a cantona production
.and thus, the great movements begun
Possibly Japans last naval operation, it typically, was as complicated as any that has gone before
To the East of Minando, a large convoy carrying nearly 50000 tons of supplies would try to dash into cagayan. If it succeeds, 35th Army will fight on. if it fails, it will starve.........
To the North of Cotabato, at San Jose, panay, the cream of their naval air arm, the 100 odd NK2's of Ogowa's eagles shuttle in
The Yamato battle group begins to move south east, destination panay, and if luck has it, the allied fleet, still fixed firmly off the waters of Ctabato.
Finally, the ultimate reason for this action. From Kuching, nearly 20 tankers, heavy with crude and fuel, escorted by 3 CVE's, and some 20 escorts, depart for home
A big plan
Complicated, dependent on esquisite timing.
Its very rare in war, that things go according to plan
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Hosho sleeps, nestled comfortably in the crook of the roots of a giant tree, hidden from the world.
Inexplicably the allies have not pressed them, and now the entire army, battered, bloodied, but still a fighting force, has reached the safety of the hills, the river behind them.
Tomorrow, the retreat into the hills will continue, but hidden now from the bombers.
And heaven help any troops that try to follow them......
So Hosho sleeps. he has a safe bed for tonight, and a full belly.
A soldier needs little else.
Inexplicably the allies have not pressed them, and now the entire army, battered, bloodied, but still a fighting force, has reached the safety of the hills, the river behind them.
Tomorrow, the retreat into the hills will continue, but hidden now from the bombers.
And heaven help any troops that try to follow them......
So Hosho sleeps. he has a safe bed for tonight, and a full belly.
A soldier needs little else.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
San Jose is a barren, blasted place
A great plain, dusty, nominally a an airfield.
On one edge, the remains of shattered buildings, what once were hangers.
About the field, scattered everywhere, wrecked and abandoned planes. If it has flown for Japan in this war, you might find the remains of one of its kind in this bleak place.
Diogowa looks about him with disgus. Is there any support here?, any chance of a meal?, let alone a bed?
Disconcently he wanders over towards the remains of the buildings, his fighter cooling with its tinkling chorus behind him.
And discovers many things.
San Jose has gone underground.........
from a narrow dark gash in the ground figures emerge, ground crews, a smart looking Naval Leutenant. The gash dives deep, an underground bunker......and looking around, there appears to be many more
And those grubby, tangled bushes piled over there, and there............and there. A closer look...........reverents, cunningly camoflaged, fighetrs hidded under the grass, the brush.
San Jose, it seems, is still very much alive
The Officer approaches Diogowa, ........."Welcome!.......Command HQ is at the base of that tree.........do not worry about your fighter, it will be ready for you tomorrow!"
Diogowa almost reels from the enthusiasm, the stunningly correct uniform.......
'And Commander Ogowa sends his regards............can you join him please?"
Commander?.............gods, what next, Cin C air force?
he makes his way to the tree, another slit trench, steps, a descent, a heavy door, a deep, wide, dry electrically lit ole in the ground, radios aligning one wall, the busy sounds of a HQ at work.
Ogowa is sitting on a chair, a sheaf of papers on his lap..........
Diogowa smailes "I do not know whether to salute you, or punch you!"
Ogowa shrugs..........."Live long enough in a war.......you know.........." the smile vanishes. "Business tomorrow. Our fleet is going to pass us tomorrow, make a dash across the Sulu sea......."
"last ride of the valkyries and all that?"
'and all that"
Ogowa waves the papers..........'Long range CAP roster...."
Ogowa hesitates..........."friend, I am asking you not to fly tomorrow, to stay here, co ordinate the flights..........." his voice fades in embarressment
Diogowa, stunned, cannot answer. Not fly tomorrow?, not fight?..........not journey together...........?
"But........."
Ogowa stands, comes close, takes his friend, his brother in arms, this inseperable companion......"The war is winding down , and we have come so far. Do you remember all those who started, our happy little mess on Zuiho?. Now we are all but gone. And I want one of us to live, to tell the world their story, so that they will never be forgotten..........."
Diogowa cannot answer
"I will think on it"
A great plain, dusty, nominally a an airfield.
On one edge, the remains of shattered buildings, what once were hangers.
About the field, scattered everywhere, wrecked and abandoned planes. If it has flown for Japan in this war, you might find the remains of one of its kind in this bleak place.
Diogowa looks about him with disgus. Is there any support here?, any chance of a meal?, let alone a bed?
Disconcently he wanders over towards the remains of the buildings, his fighter cooling with its tinkling chorus behind him.
And discovers many things.
San Jose has gone underground.........
from a narrow dark gash in the ground figures emerge, ground crews, a smart looking Naval Leutenant. The gash dives deep, an underground bunker......and looking around, there appears to be many more
And those grubby, tangled bushes piled over there, and there............and there. A closer look...........reverents, cunningly camoflaged, fighetrs hidded under the grass, the brush.
San Jose, it seems, is still very much alive
The Officer approaches Diogowa, ........."Welcome!.......Command HQ is at the base of that tree.........do not worry about your fighter, it will be ready for you tomorrow!"
Diogowa almost reels from the enthusiasm, the stunningly correct uniform.......
'And Commander Ogowa sends his regards............can you join him please?"
Commander?.............gods, what next, Cin C air force?
he makes his way to the tree, another slit trench, steps, a descent, a heavy door, a deep, wide, dry electrically lit ole in the ground, radios aligning one wall, the busy sounds of a HQ at work.
Ogowa is sitting on a chair, a sheaf of papers on his lap..........
Diogowa smailes "I do not know whether to salute you, or punch you!"
Ogowa shrugs..........."Live long enough in a war.......you know.........." the smile vanishes. "Business tomorrow. Our fleet is going to pass us tomorrow, make a dash across the Sulu sea......."
"last ride of the valkyries and all that?"
'and all that"
Ogowa waves the papers..........'Long range CAP roster...."
Ogowa hesitates..........."friend, I am asking you not to fly tomorrow, to stay here, co ordinate the flights..........." his voice fades in embarressment
Diogowa, stunned, cannot answer. Not fly tomorrow?, not fight?..........not journey together...........?
"But........."
Ogowa stands, comes close, takes his friend, his brother in arms, this inseperable companion......"The war is winding down , and we have come so far. Do you remember all those who started, our happy little mess on Zuiho?. Now we are all but gone. And I want one of us to live, to tell the world their story, so that they will never be forgotten..........."
Diogowa cannot answer
"I will think on it"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
11/4/45
Throughout Susuzuki the alarm bells ring.
Her passageways fill with men........going forward, port side please!going down gives way to going up!
Through out her length doors and hatches clang, helmets appear everywhere, and rapidly the reports race in to the bridge
Okano adds his to the stream."Aft engine room closed up and ready!"
Hirate too, adds his.....'Aft boiler room closed up and ready!"
Old times, again
Susuzuki swings into action, it is not yet dawn, and the first Buka is being hunted, somewhere in the dark waters below.
She is quickly found.
The hammers bang on the hull, again, again, again. Hirate smiles at his pale burner man. Easy to do now, knowing that you are below decks of the hunter, not the hunted...........
Susuzuki does not get to engage, nor will the SS be confirmed killed.
100 miles travelled, and already the first attack.
Japan is a long, long way away.
Throughout Susuzuki the alarm bells ring.
Her passageways fill with men........going forward, port side please!going down gives way to going up!
Through out her length doors and hatches clang, helmets appear everywhere, and rapidly the reports race in to the bridge
Okano adds his to the stream."Aft engine room closed up and ready!"
Hirate too, adds his.....'Aft boiler room closed up and ready!"
Old times, again
Susuzuki swings into action, it is not yet dawn, and the first Buka is being hunted, somewhere in the dark waters below.
She is quickly found.
The hammers bang on the hull, again, again, again. Hirate smiles at his pale burner man. Easy to do now, knowing that you are below decks of the hunter, not the hunted...........
Susuzuki does not get to engage, nor will the SS be confirmed killed.
100 miles travelled, and already the first attack.
Japan is a long, long way away.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Ogaowa circles the fleet below.
he circles, and sweats.
This, he thinks, is bloody dangerous............
About him the grey rain clouds swirl, thick, heavy, low.
Unfortunately, the fleets CAP, and Ogowa's eagles do as well............nearly 200 fighters, terrible visibility.........
Bloody dangerous
The allies do not appear to add to the danger..............
The fleet passes below, glimpses of grey and white, and as Ogowa finishes his patrol, vanishes into the murk, wakes boiling, headed south.
The spear stabs south.
he circles, and sweats.
This, he thinks, is bloody dangerous............
About him the grey rain clouds swirl, thick, heavy, low.
Unfortunately, the fleets CAP, and Ogowa's eagles do as well............nearly 200 fighters, terrible visibility.........
Bloody dangerous
The allies do not appear to add to the danger..............
The fleet passes below, glimpses of grey and white, and as Ogowa finishes his patrol, vanishes into the murk, wakes boiling, headed south.
The spear stabs south.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Yamamato takes the flimsy, and reads the report, reads it twice.
The report comes from search aircraft operating from pagan, reports bought at great cost, no doubt.
The reports are....................incredible
'Enemy carriers and battleships retiring 180 miles south dajangas............course south east, speed 15 knots'
And another
"3 CV, 1 BB operating near cotabato, multiple transports escorts sighted. "
"Where is CV Unryu?"
"200 miles due east Hollandia .Coming north as hard as she can"
retiring.
What does ithat mean?
A lure to bring him in?...........a plan to turn about?
Or a genuine fear of a carrier clash?
No.surely not.
And this, this is command. Abort?...........or go on.
Risk these priceless ships for a few transports?.................
Coldly Yamamato considers................and lets emotion make the choice
'Battle formations as planned. Direct course for Cotabato, all ahead full!"
The men about him stir............and smile.
Battle, as crew on the mightest battleship ever built.
A warriors dream.
The formations shake themselves into shape.
As darkness falls, the rain falls, heavier, heavier.................
There is no moon.
The report comes from search aircraft operating from pagan, reports bought at great cost, no doubt.
The reports are....................incredible
'Enemy carriers and battleships retiring 180 miles south dajangas............course south east, speed 15 knots'
And another
"3 CV, 1 BB operating near cotabato, multiple transports escorts sighted. "
"Where is CV Unryu?"
"200 miles due east Hollandia .Coming north as hard as she can"
retiring.
What does ithat mean?
A lure to bring him in?...........a plan to turn about?
Or a genuine fear of a carrier clash?
No.surely not.
And this, this is command. Abort?...........or go on.
Risk these priceless ships for a few transports?.................
Coldly Yamamato considers................and lets emotion make the choice
'Battle formations as planned. Direct course for Cotabato, all ahead full!"
The men about him stir............and smile.
Battle, as crew on the mightest battleship ever built.
A warriors dream.
The formations shake themselves into shape.
As darkness falls, the rain falls, heavier, heavier.................
There is no moon.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Extract from "falling cherry blossoms" a fighter pilots war
Our mission, now my mission, for the 12th was simple
rain, storm.......regardless..........my eagles were ordered to sweep the skies above Cotabato clear of the enemy, to give the navy what cover I could.
I had 120 NK2's.........120 good men
I worked the men of San Jose with a ruthlessness I never knew i had................a hardness that only now i was discovering. By dawn we were ready, 120 fighters , more in fact, strong.
To battle.
Our mission, now my mission, for the 12th was simple
rain, storm.......regardless..........my eagles were ordered to sweep the skies above Cotabato clear of the enemy, to give the navy what cover I could.
I had 120 NK2's.........120 good men
I worked the men of San Jose with a ruthlessness I never knew i had................a hardness that only now i was discovering. By dawn we were ready, 120 fighters , more in fact, strong.
To battle.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Admiral Yamamato stands quietly at the back of the bridge, calm, passive, eyes half closed.
For many hours he has stood there, indefagable, tireless. Men cannot, despite the fantasies we hold, influence metal, change physics through will power. Cannot force history to bend to our desires.
But men can, do, influence other men.
Like an invisible spring, men enter Yamatos bridge, and drink strength and calmness from this passive figure in the shadows, bathed in the red light.
As long as HE stands, Yamato will win through.
They know it.
Yamato actually follows Musashi, 500 yards astern, and 500 to her port flank, musashi's boiling wake glowing, the phosporous sparkling down Yamato's starboard side
A thousand yards on each flank, utterly hidden in the dark, just four destroyers.
Line abreast, again hidden, two thousand yards ahead, three of Japans AA cruisers.
Only Musashi is faintly visible..........darkness, the light rain hides the rest of the task force, position revealed only by the glowing cathode tubes.
It is just past midnight, and the fleet has turned yard east around the corner, the city of Cotabato lies 100 miles ahead.
Four hours of silence.
Four hours of plowing south in the dark, eyes straining, every nerve at pitch..........
It is almost a relief, when the radar room finally breaks the silence
"Contact!...........bearing 270 degrees.............range 30000 yards!
At last
Battle at last
Ponderously the great guns swing to bearing 270 degrees, rise to 43 degrees.................and wait for HIM to give the word
At the back of the bridge, the shadow barely stirs. Eyes open, a slight smile
"Whenever you are ready captain"
Battle. Battle at last
For many hours he has stood there, indefagable, tireless. Men cannot, despite the fantasies we hold, influence metal, change physics through will power. Cannot force history to bend to our desires.
But men can, do, influence other men.
Like an invisible spring, men enter Yamatos bridge, and drink strength and calmness from this passive figure in the shadows, bathed in the red light.
As long as HE stands, Yamato will win through.
They know it.
Yamato actually follows Musashi, 500 yards astern, and 500 to her port flank, musashi's boiling wake glowing, the phosporous sparkling down Yamato's starboard side
A thousand yards on each flank, utterly hidden in the dark, just four destroyers.
Line abreast, again hidden, two thousand yards ahead, three of Japans AA cruisers.
Only Musashi is faintly visible..........darkness, the light rain hides the rest of the task force, position revealed only by the glowing cathode tubes.
It is just past midnight, and the fleet has turned yard east around the corner, the city of Cotabato lies 100 miles ahead.
Four hours of silence.
Four hours of plowing south in the dark, eyes straining, every nerve at pitch..........
It is almost a relief, when the radar room finally breaks the silence
"Contact!...........bearing 270 degrees.............range 30000 yards!
At last
Battle at last
Ponderously the great guns swing to bearing 270 degrees, rise to 43 degrees.................and wait for HIM to give the word
At the back of the bridge, the shadow barely stirs. Eyes open, a slight smile
"Whenever you are ready captain"
Battle. Battle at last
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
12/4/45
Even as the giants swing their rifles towards their enemies, another naval battle concludes.
Cruiser Nachi, destroyers Onami, Hayanami and Kiyonami have many hours ago detached from yamato and raced ahead, seeking, seeking the enemy carriers.
40 miles due south of dajangas, contact
5 enemy destroyers.
A long running fight, radar controlled mostly, the utter dark split by starshells, the range never below 8000 yards, never above 12000
Nachi leaves one of the enemy destroyers burning, but frustrated at the delay, her captain breaks the action off, turning west again, still searching for the hidden enemy
Nachi will search in vain.
Even as the giants swing their rifles towards their enemies, another naval battle concludes.
Cruiser Nachi, destroyers Onami, Hayanami and Kiyonami have many hours ago detached from yamato and raced ahead, seeking, seeking the enemy carriers.
40 miles due south of dajangas, contact
5 enemy destroyers.
A long running fight, radar controlled mostly, the utter dark split by starshells, the range never below 8000 yards, never above 12000
Nachi leaves one of the enemy destroyers burning, but frustrated at the delay, her captain breaks the action off, turning west again, still searching for the hidden enemy
Nachi will search in vain.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
There are other players this dark, dark night
CV Unryu.
Now off Hollandia, she strains every rivet, her turbines screaming, her boilers thundering. She must be off Biak by dawn.
She will be.
On her deck, her strike package prepares.
Such a shadow of a fleet air arms glory days.......13 zeros, 13 Judys.
The irony of the numbers is not lost on the aircrew.
They do not expect to achieve much, how can they?............but what general has ever been left unshaken to hear the report.........'sir, the enemy are in our rear!"
CV Unryu.
Now off Hollandia, she strains every rivet, her turbines screaming, her boilers thundering. She must be off Biak by dawn.
She will be.
On her deck, her strike package prepares.
Such a shadow of a fleet air arms glory days.......13 zeros, 13 Judys.
The irony of the numbers is not lost on the aircrew.
They do not expect to achieve much, how can they?............but what general has ever been left unshaken to hear the report.........'sir, the enemy are in our rear!"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
12/4/45
"You may fire when ready captain"
Yamatos captain nods, and nods in turn to the gunnery officer
He in turn bends to his speaking tube, and launches yamato's terrible weapons
Simultanously, Musashi fires..........and the night is split by thunder and fire
The darkness crashes back in, the great guns rise and fall, and the next salvo shakes the ship.
The greatest machine ever launched by Japan hums efficiently, dealing death
It is a surreal battle, the enemy totally unseen..........the range nearly 30000 yards, tiny dots on the radar screens
Destroyers?........cruisers?
Steadily, carefully, regularily, the guns roar, the ship shakes, the sea hisses past
On the horizon........a sudden flare, small, intense, fading in gunnery sights to a dull red glow. On the radar, the three dots become two
For ten minutes the battle, if that is what you can call it, thunders on. No enemy shells come back, the range is simply too great.
Yamamato moves to the front of the bridge............"Opinion captain?"
"destroyers.........the enemy..........the enemy it apears, are gone"
Yamamato agrees. The allies have, incredibly, retired. The waters in the sulu sea are empty.
"We are wasting our time Captain, and dawn approaches..........break the action, make for Manilla"
The rifles, blistered, smoking, settle back to ahead, to the almost horizontal. The fleet turns and heads north
And to the east, the sky begins to brighten.
The enemy carries are gone, it appears. But the allied airfields, no doubt, will be ready to seek revenge.
"You may fire when ready captain"
Yamatos captain nods, and nods in turn to the gunnery officer
He in turn bends to his speaking tube, and launches yamato's terrible weapons
Simultanously, Musashi fires..........and the night is split by thunder and fire
The darkness crashes back in, the great guns rise and fall, and the next salvo shakes the ship.
The greatest machine ever launched by Japan hums efficiently, dealing death
It is a surreal battle, the enemy totally unseen..........the range nearly 30000 yards, tiny dots on the radar screens
Destroyers?........cruisers?
Steadily, carefully, regularily, the guns roar, the ship shakes, the sea hisses past
On the horizon........a sudden flare, small, intense, fading in gunnery sights to a dull red glow. On the radar, the three dots become two
For ten minutes the battle, if that is what you can call it, thunders on. No enemy shells come back, the range is simply too great.
Yamamato moves to the front of the bridge............"Opinion captain?"
"destroyers.........the enemy..........the enemy it apears, are gone"
Yamamato agrees. The allies have, incredibly, retired. The waters in the sulu sea are empty.
"We are wasting our time Captain, and dawn approaches..........break the action, make for Manilla"
The rifles, blistered, smoking, settle back to ahead, to the almost horizontal. The fleet turns and heads north
And to the east, the sky begins to brighten.
The enemy carries are gone, it appears. But the allied airfields, no doubt, will be ready to seek revenge.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: The little ship that could.
Boy, you had me geared up for the Clash of the Titans, and you give me this![:-]
Ah well, it is what it is.[:D]
Ah well, it is what it is.[:D]
RE: The little ship that could.
Totally depressing...
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: The little ship that could.
It is, as Lowe (hi!) says, what it is.
The buggar ran away
Dawn, and Yamato steams north at full speed.
Briefly, she and her Sister have again engaged two destroyers, again one at the most incredible range of 30000 yards has been hit.
A brief , yet piognant reminder of what could have been
Her magazines are empty now.
Now she must run.
40 miles to her West, the Carriers run parrallel to her, also running hard North
The seas were empty of the enemy, but the skies are not.
And the enemy fleet has now been sighted, 240 miles south of Dajangas, and its coming for them.
There are no bombers on the carriers, just fighters, and they are all committed to the CAP. japans air arm is but a shadow of what once was, but what remains still is as sharp as ever. Every plane that flings itself aloft is manned by a veteran. They know their business.
They know it well.
At 0700 hours the skies fill with more planes, Ogowa's eagles sweep overhead towards Cotabato, 100 plus strong............and find nothing.
They circle and search fruitlessly for 30 minutes, are forced to return home, frustrated, tired.
Of course, war being what it is, the allied planes appear but 20 minutes later.
Rain hides the carriers.
But I don't think that matters. the battleships prove to be an irresistable lure.
0900 hours, the AA action begins.
Yamamato still remains on the bridge.
'You may manouvre as you will captain..........but " the smile, so incorogous breaks " I would think that every mile we get North would be a good idea"
How many AA guns does Yamato have?
History still debates this..........on this ship, they seem to breed uncontrollably every time she comes alongside.........
One thing we do know. A veritable of forest of barrells point towards the growing black shapes bearing down upon them from the horizon.
This time, this action.........they remain silent.
The fleet cap pounces..............120 plus strong......against 34 corsair and 31 Avengers
It has happened so many times before in this war.....allied strikes coming in pell mell, un co ordinated, getting chewed up, pressing on, falling one after the other, victims to japans elite
It happens again
One Avenger survives the attack.
Just one
The second strike comes, bigger this time....41 corsairs, 10 hell cats, 40 helldivers, 16 avengers
But this time 20 helldivers survive.
From three different directions, they stoop simultanously upon the giant below.
The buggar ran away
Dawn, and Yamato steams north at full speed.
Briefly, she and her Sister have again engaged two destroyers, again one at the most incredible range of 30000 yards has been hit.
A brief , yet piognant reminder of what could have been
Her magazines are empty now.
Now she must run.
40 miles to her West, the Carriers run parrallel to her, also running hard North
The seas were empty of the enemy, but the skies are not.
And the enemy fleet has now been sighted, 240 miles south of Dajangas, and its coming for them.
There are no bombers on the carriers, just fighters, and they are all committed to the CAP. japans air arm is but a shadow of what once was, but what remains still is as sharp as ever. Every plane that flings itself aloft is manned by a veteran. They know their business.
They know it well.
At 0700 hours the skies fill with more planes, Ogowa's eagles sweep overhead towards Cotabato, 100 plus strong............and find nothing.
They circle and search fruitlessly for 30 minutes, are forced to return home, frustrated, tired.
Of course, war being what it is, the allied planes appear but 20 minutes later.
Rain hides the carriers.
But I don't think that matters. the battleships prove to be an irresistable lure.
0900 hours, the AA action begins.
Yamamato still remains on the bridge.
'You may manouvre as you will captain..........but " the smile, so incorogous breaks " I would think that every mile we get North would be a good idea"
How many AA guns does Yamato have?
History still debates this..........on this ship, they seem to breed uncontrollably every time she comes alongside.........
One thing we do know. A veritable of forest of barrells point towards the growing black shapes bearing down upon them from the horizon.
This time, this action.........they remain silent.
The fleet cap pounces..............120 plus strong......against 34 corsair and 31 Avengers
It has happened so many times before in this war.....allied strikes coming in pell mell, un co ordinated, getting chewed up, pressing on, falling one after the other, victims to japans elite
It happens again
One Avenger survives the attack.
Just one
The second strike comes, bigger this time....41 corsairs, 10 hell cats, 40 helldivers, 16 avengers
But this time 20 helldivers survive.
From three different directions, they stoop simultanously upon the giant below.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt