The little ship that could.

[1275psi]

12th of June

Captain Takao takes the signal, stares at in silence for a good minute
To a man on Hosho's tiny bridge, they all notice the grimace.

Silently he hands the flimsy to his navigator
'You thoughts nav?"

Hosho's bridge falls silent, the breeze blows, below the faint whine of the turbines beat on as they have for so many years now.
This is a tight ship. welded together over so many battles, and then over yet so many more convoys.
There is little this small group of men don't know about each other, and nothing they would not now do for each other.
trust on Hosho's bridge is as it can only be found amongst those who have fought and faced death together.
Trust here, is total.
So is respect.

On Hosho's bridge, it is not unusual for her captain to seek advice. Nor is it often rejected.
"that they will enter the south China sea there is no doubt sir.......but after that........."
"Miri?.....manilla.......or Takao?......"

"manilla would be the best for us...........a left turn towards Miri."
"Would be bad" The Captain Grins........."Its not 42 anymore, somehow I don't think that we really have the capacity to take on allied carriers anymore"
But none doubt on this little bridge, that should fate demand it, Takao would hesitate to turn Hosho at the enemy, and call for her ancient engines to come to full speed............

But the mission is get the tankers to palembang, and that will rule all above all................
"The coast nav?"
"yes sir........let us make for takao, then hug the coast , siagon perhaps........I am willing to risk the british.....our eagles have the skill for that."
"Agreed..........we will know I guess by tomorrow"


Whether we we live another day, or die

[1275psi]

Susuzuki escorts her convoy from Ominato.
91st division for the North

Today a signal "for captain Asada's eyes only"

"I-184 is in position"

[1275psi]

Kwajalein

Wearily Long pig and Bigglesworth climb from the Coronado's passenger door, ready, more than ready to stretch legs after such a long, long flight from hawaii.

Their destination is not yet revealed, although Longpig is beginning to suspect China.........it is the only place in range of the Japanese homeland, and likely to be so for some time..

The pier is long, and hot, and crowded.
A large number of marines are guarding a thin line of men
With some surprise, Longpig see's that they are Japanese, prisoners..........a rare sight indeed.
They are waiting, obviously, for a boat to take them to one of the inumerable transports in the harbour.
The sun is hot, the wait has been long

One of the prisoners sags, and almost collapses

A marine cries out, and a rifle butt hammers down

A face snarls in hatred, but does not resist, waiting, undoubtably for a better chance

And Longpig knows that face..........a face from another world, another life
Hosho
"Corporal!......do that again and I'll see you in the front line , at the front of every attack, all the damn way to Tokyo!"
he bends
"Are you alright..........friend?"

[pws1225]

[:)]

[british exil]

ORIGINAL: pws1225

[:)]

And Longpig knows that face..........a face from another world, another life
Hosho
"Corporal!......do that again and I'll see you in the front line , at the front of every attack, all the damn way to Tokyo!"
he bends
"Are you alright..........friend?"

You really made my day yesterday when I read that post.

Glad to see him still alive and that Longpig's luck was around to save him from a severe beating.

Mat

[Long pig]

The eternal wheel of Karma has saved both Longpig and Hosho, I hope their story continues 😄

[hosho]

it`s a small world indeed [:)]

[1275psi]

13 June

the allied fleet does enter the south China sea

Most of it turns left towards Miri, catching 2 AKs north of there. At least one CVL turns right, and proceeds towards manilla

For today the convoys remain (mostly) safe Some Mozzies attack one, but fail to hit any of the tankers
CVL Hosho crawls now towards Siagon, as do most of the ships now in this suddenly dangerous ocean
.

Of japanese aircraft, shipping, to oppose this mortal threat?
Nothing
5 E class escorts refuel at soerabaya. They do not yet know what their orders will be, but they cannot be good...............

[1275psi]

Susuzuki pitches steadily into the 2 metre swell, the white foam hissing from the bow, the first hint of sea spray sprinkling the deck
The wind is rising, 15 knots or so, soon the first white caps.
Periscope hiding weather

There have been problems below.

Just after 1 pm, Okano has been raising his first cup of tea to his lips, when his ever alert eyes have seen the needle on the second most prominent guage twitch, and slowly, but steadily begin to wind backwards
29, 28, 27, 26...........inches of main engine vacuum

Falling fast

His movements, honed by so many years of watchkeeping now, are swift and decisive
'Bridge, FWD engine!....loss of main engine vacuum casualty......cause yet known, please standby!"
Now the orders.to the throttle watch keeper...."On main circ!, on second gland steam!.check the air ejector steam and cooling water!
To the third claw.
'Gland steam controller!.and check the drain tank"

'Bridge , fwd engine room, vacuum 22 inches, request reuction to revolutions 096, Chief engineer to the space!"
The telegraphs ring.and 096 revolutions is repeated.
21 inches.........and from the bottom plates, "I have found it Petty officer!.its the drain tank float!"
"Isolate it.......!"
"All spaces fwd engine room, swinging all drains to the aft unit, open cross overs at baulkhead 99!
22, 23, 24 inches.........

The problem is solved, for now. It is a common one, in the drain tank there is a float. It has either gotten a hole in it, or collapsed in the vacuum
(I think we have seen this before!)
Its a common problem.

But its still going to be a bitch to fix

""Problem resolved Bridge, full power available."

"Get the spanners boys, I would rather get this done before the bitch starts bouncing too much"

[1275psi]

14 June 1945

Diogowa awakens bleerily......it is still half dark, the hour before dawn

Ogowa hands him a steaming mug, a great fat grin on his face
"get your crap together.......we are off"
Off?...again?"
"Again........seems like the Navy wants our services still.........we have to be at Naha before the day is out"


Ogowa's eagles are stirring again

By 0700, 100 plus strong, he leads them thundering south.

[1275psi]

15 June

South China sea


The Allied carriers race north
There is no mercy, no pity

CVE Hosho does not even have time to be heroic before the third 1000 pounder makes its way to the main magazine

CVE Taiho lies burning

7 AO's 11 tankers, a dozen E class, 3 old DDs sunk............a sea of flames.



Oil, drifting upon the waters
Colours, as bright as a rainbow
As bright as japanese blood
Fading, in the glare

Of the consuming flames.

[1275psi]

Ogowa's eagles settle into Takao.

The place remains almost the same as it was in 1942, wide expanses of concrete, the hard pens, the hangers.
But some things have changed.

About the field the AA guns are aimed at the sky, and the crews, if not on instant alert, are ready.
Over the field, the constant drone of CAP.

The enemy are expected any day, in China the allies are approaching each city in turn along the coast east from Hong kong.
Takao, soon, will be in fighter range...........

Ogowa sends his men to rest, he will risk it.
There are spare planes in the pools a plenty. Planes you can replace
Pilots, pilots you cannot.

[1275psi]

16th June

The allied carriers continue north towards Samar.
There is nothing left to sink.............

For now, the oil routes, the fuel routes south are cut.

Its hopeful words those, for now.................

[1275psi]

16 June
Susuzuki anchors at Shikuka, comes to auxilliary steaming while the transports begin unloading 91st division.

All is quiet, and here, in this beautiful bay, its hard to imagine a world at war.


Hirate leans against the guardrails, watching a small school of mullet feeding at the galleys drain
They eat anything, those fish.............probably bodies as well.............

It seems a dream, that moment, that journey.
But those crates were real enough, that track leading into the green wastes as well.

So, obviously, others know of the bay, of the mission..........of the crates and gold. But the trail?
maybe not.
Maybe so.
In his heart, he knows that he could find it again.

And there of course, lies the danger.

Almost reflectively, he glances up and forward towards the bridge

And Capatain Asada is on the bridge wing, looking straight at him
A smile , humourless, passes across the Captain face........yes, I know you know Hirate, that smile says, I know you know............

[1275psi]

Cantona has a very sick child, hospital, drips, the lot

Turns, naturally, are on hold...........

[kaleun]

Best wishes for his child, and him.

[1275psi]

18th June
Susuzuki remains at anchor, the days passing quietly while 91st's equipment is transported ashore
She lies still, the water mirror calm about about them, deep green, mysterious.
Both Hirate and Okano will spend no little time leaning on the guard rails, and thinking.
The ocean, of course, gives no answers

[1275psi]

Valiant heroism

the last stand
The battle against impossible odds

The heroiuc last stand, the battle against impossible odds.
how many times have you read of these things in fiction?, how many times?
South Java sea
19 fat transports desperately straining for Balikapapan.
Their escort.........a scratch group of rusty patrol craft, small escorts, patrol vessels

Coming over the horizon, 6 allied shapes.......the deadly Fletchers perhaps?
It does not matter, they must turn towards them nevertheless.......and buy time for the cargo ships while they die.

But this time, they are not fletchers, 6 DE's instead, still, compared to a PB, battleship in strength..........
Sometimes, sometimes, fact matches fiction...........

3 PB will be sunk, 2 SC as well.
3 others lie motionless now, burning
But the convoy escapes..........



For now.

[1275psi]

Enemy carriers of Kuching, sinking the SC task force, sinking the AV stationed there.
Surface task forces operating off Soerabaya
Overwhelming forces at Johore baru, gate to singapore

And the stake to the heart, pressing now against Japans life blood


Landings, un opposed.at Loemadjang

The reconquest of Java has finally, finally, began.

[1275psi]

19 June

Captain Yakabe of I-184 takes a last sweep of the russian bay.
Again, no signs of life in the cold grey dawn

""take her down EX, to the bottom"
He descends the ladder into the foul smelling control room, trying not to catch the eyes of any of the crew.
How long, he knows, they are asking, do we hang around in these damn empty waters, what possible good for Japan can this mission be doing?

Captain Yakabe cannot answer.
His orders come from General Sugiyama, Imperial Commander in chief himself...........

Duty orders them to stay
Stay here, they will.