The little ship that could.

[1275psi]

5/5/42

‘So you declined the transfer to Junyo?. If I may be so bold Captain, why?’
Hasegawa smiles, a wry one, the wrinkles at each eye deepening even further
‘I suppose you can Hidaka’. He opens a small cabinet in the corner of his cabin, with draws two glasses, and a golden bottle
‘First –I hate traveling –it’s a long flight back to Tokyo”
The glasses are gently filled
“second –the thought of learning a new ship now –just when I am starting to get the feel of this little cow……..”
The Scotch is smooth, and strong, warming
‘thirdly, and I think most importantly……….Junyo means Combined Fleet, combined Fleet means Yamamoto, and I really do not want to be his lap dog.
No. No, I think I prefer the little Freedom we have.”

Hasegawa turns to his desk, takes a sheet of paper. ‘Our operational orders. We sail 0500 hours –destination port Blair area. Close enough for the convoys, but far enough for the Hunt”
‘If they come out?’
‘yes, there is that –if they come out”




Captain Hara gently guides the great bulk of Akagi out of truk lagoon, turns her south, as if driving a destroyer, and takes his station.
Combined Fleet, once again, sails to challenge the Americans
His Executive officer joins him ‘A grand sight yes?”
Hara has to admit, to himself, that yes, it is a grand sight indeed.
‘yes, yes it is. I only hope that……….”
‘They come out and fight” his friend finishes for him.

A mighty sight indeed, but useless if they do not come out and fight………..

[PaxMondo]

Action coming?

[1275psi]

6/5/42
112th regiment take a break . the regiment is still spread over several miles, lining each side of the railway line that pierces the jungle.
It is beyond hot.
It is beyond humid.
Merely lifting your rifle taxes you –especially if you are not in condition.
But 112th is in condition. The long marches, the strict rations. There is no fat anywhere in this regiment.

The men seek shelter in the shade of the trees, and almost to a man, every eye is turned south.
Even from here, the column of smoke from Rangoon looks monstrous, evil.
Japans bombers are back.
Rangoon burns.


Mr Iwaya may be the new man in town
He may be getting rich on the industrialists backs
He may be ‘the new broom”
But nothing really has changed
Japanese aircraft production this month, actually falls…………..


Sail 0500
This means Special sea duty men 0450
Walk that back, Immediate notice for sea – 2 burning, 2 turning –0430
Four hours to flash up.
The charge passes his orders to Minobe for signature ‘Full watch below 0001 hours.’
‘Its going to be a long day charge……..”
‘Sir –if I may……..I would like to begin at 2000 hours –give us some lee way”
Minobe looks up sharply. “.problems ?’
‘None anticipated sir .but”
Minobe takes the orders, signs them “No Chief – stay confident ney? –midnight start –that will allow some of us to get a little extra rest .”

0216 hours, and the main steam isolation valve to the forced draft blowers is cracked, the system warmed through, and the valve opened wide.
(as anticipated by those of us who just know) that improper nut lets go…………

Lets go
Lets go –such an innocent engineering term, able to describe a valve slowly leaking, to a gigantic machinery act of self destruction…….

The valve lets go –the nut flying away to heavens knows where –another universe probably –the gland follower tilting up –the packing shredding out.
Bang!
Men duck
A great stream of steam blasts across the space, evil, and noisy –invisible at the valve, a great white cone at 5 paces.
Okano utters just one word
‘TRUK!”

Lurch –feet away, ducks, then calmly –for really –what steam sailor has not seen a leak like this before? Bends under the stream of steam, takes the master valve in hand, and great muscles flexing, slams it shut.
The shriek of steam falls to a whistle, to a whisper.
“Truk!”

The Charge appears –as always.
‘What happened?’
‘packing blew”
‘is it truked?’
A quick look ..’No”
‘Well fix the bloody thing –times ticking!’

Fix the bloody thing.
Red hot metal.
Bare fingers
No time

But its what they do
They fix the bloody thing
Zuiho, swift eagle, sail to the war again –on time, defect free.

[1275psi]

7/5/42

Malacca straight

Midday

Zuiho steams north, the waters dirty and brown creaming from her bow.
On each side –somewhere on the horizon, there should be land.
They cannot see it –the tropical mist is heavy, merging sea and horizon into one.
On the bridge, Hasegawa sweats.
War may have come to the far east –but the timeless task of the fishermen has not missed a beat –and their small wooden boats , and their cursed nets, cover the waters.
The boats,, swift eagle cares not a little about –they will either get out of the way……

But the nets…….

Hasegawa sweats – to be helpless in this submarine hunting ground.


Hidaka prepares for the day, now finally they have sea room, and enough wind.
He has 13 zero pilots, 12 fighters to fly
10 kate crews, 9 kates.
And although he suspects it –(but does not know it) this little band is Japans very, very best carrier group –both in Kills, and tonnage.
And now –as they begin to sniff the Indian ocean – Indian in name –Indian in potential hostility, he feels it, feeds of it –the excitement rippling through them all.

The hunt is on.




Mitchells hole is deep now.
Deep, reinforced, solid lined.
The heavy cruiser shells whistle and crump into the island again - creating holes they will fill tomorrow.
But as scared as he is –he knows that this is a good hole –one only a direct hit will fill.
Otherwise –why would De Bashio be sharing it with him?


It happens in a moment
The kate lurches forward –not far, a foot.
The deck man -head turned –momentarily distracted by something –fails to notice –or some fool thing.
The great blade, his head –the fan of blood and gore…………..

Is happy phoenix really cursed phoenix?

[1275psi]

ORIGINAL: PaxMondo

Action coming?

(Given time Oh yes........[:D])

[hosho]

nice work!
and what is our favorite dictator been doing lately? [;)]

[kaleun]

Great stuff. Can't wait.

[1275psi]

May 8th
1942

the waters under her bow are no longer brown, but green, flecked with white, sharp contrast to the grey horizons.
The routines of war are again in place. On the flight deck –the kates depart, searching for whatever danger may be out there.
They will fly all day toady –and see nothing. This will, of course, simply add to the tension
As any child will tell you –those monsters under the bed are the more scary, simply because you have not seen them yet.
Eying them of would be far preferable.
Minobes department works its day –soot blows after securing from dawn action stations, then a routine boiler swing.
She gains her first defect for this deployment -a bridge nut in a feed pump throttle valve strips its thread –you can spin the handle –but nothing happens.
It is a routine defect –a days work
(but of course –for the poor barsted fixing it –in the heat –its no routine job)

About Midday, Hasegawa makes a general broadcast –japanese troops have entered Rangoon at last, and the city is expected to swiftly fall.

The routines stop at 1400, the ship going to action stations until dusk.
They are within flying range of Port Blair - and it has an airfield.
What is on that field is unknown.

As are so many things……….




144th regiment stands on parade at Truk
a special regiment this – specifically selected men .
Not a man of this regiment stands under six feet –a fact that would astonish those ignorant of Japans army
Brutally trained
Brutally honed in China
Brought to razor sharpness in the PNG campaign .
There is little pity or mercy in these men –indoctrinated , brutalized men..

‘men of the 144th…….we load today to take back the Imperial island of Tarawa..
we will take this island, we will kill its defenders, or we will not return!. Attack the enemy. If ninety nine of one hundred should fall –then the one will continue the attack!”
Board your ships- banzia!”

If sheer will was to win this war, then nothing will stop this regiment.

[1275psi]

extract from 'Shattering the sword' a cantona production


May 9th

And the pieces for what becomes the 2nd battle of the Gilberts begin to move.
Combined fleet , enroute to rabual
CVL Junyo departs Hiroshima
144th, and the mixed guards regiments begin to load at truk

and the allied fleet commences its movements as discussed prieviously.

The first action occurs many miles away from tarawa however -6 B17's bomb Lunga - and discover there is no opposition, no airfield there.
Nothing
No opposition, no Flak, in fact, little sign of any japanese forces at all.. To say this is not what they expected to find is no small understatement..............







Swift eagle sails a mere 80 miles east of port blair, her fighters circling overhead.
All day they will circle - daring the enemy to strike, hoping to spy a target of their own.

Well to the east of them, the 25th army sails, undisturbed.
day two, and the tension has merely gone up another notch.

[1275psi]

May 10th

0400 hrs

Hasegawa enters the bridge, his form barely recognizable in the pre dawn light, he shuffles to his usual place near the starboard binnacle
‘Captain on the Bridge!’
The OOW, the navigator, the assistants nod towards him, he nods the morning greeting back.
Carefully, he takes up his binoculars, raises them, scans the ocean about them.
‘A quiet night gentlemen?”
‘Nothing to report sir, Shoho has lost a boiler for a reported another 30 minutes. BB Ise reported a possible submarine contact at 0300”
‘Where are they now?”
‘Still hugging the coast, just of Victoria point”
Hasegawa grunts. All good, so far.
He raises the glasses again, now as his eyes adjust better to the pink on the horizon-he can –just, make out the shadow of Port Blair. Port Blair –a poisonous snake lying curled against his flank………..
He sighs, glances at the clock, the growing dawn. ‘Time for action gentlemen, lets start the day”
“Hie!”
The navigator leans over a voice tube –speaks calmly. ‘call the ship to action please.”


‘Ship at state one sir”

“‘very good”
Dawn
The moment when the hunted are at their weakest.
The moment when senses are tired, eyes weary, reactions at the slowest.
Where half light can expose the hunted, and hide the hunter.

Zuiho sails the still pitch dark sea, pitch dark enemy land to her West, and waits.

Below those dark waters, hunters lurk.. You just know they are there – and every moment below decks, every moment below the water line, can be an eternity –if you let your mind dwell on it.
Everybody knows, that at the moment, Zuiho is the hunted…………..

Above decks, Hidaka drives his department. The kates bellow, oil temperatures rising.
Soon, soon he intends to turn this situation their way………soon they will hunt them.



Below decks, waiting, the men work.
Not physical work, watchkeeping. The boilers are watched, the turbines watched, the auxillories tended. At action stations, the engineering department has but one task –answer the revolution counters, obey the telegraphs.
At whatever cost.

But for the moment, all is quiet (as the machinery lets it be)
The Charge is in the Port Engine room, and he is at work.
Different work. He bends to the communications circuit again
‘Question number 13. What is the minimum lube oil pressure at the remote bearings?”
He waits two minutes
“Question number fourteen. Where is the pump suction remote reach valve located for the Starboard boiler room?”

And so it goes, until twenty questions are asked.
‘Bring your answers to the port Engine room please, winning space one bottle of sake”
The quiz has taken nearly an hour.
One hour less to think of those hunters outside………..


0600 hours.
Now the sky is clear, and the ea going from grey, to green, and soon, blue.
No SS attack.
But now, now the sky is scanned, and scanned.
Zuiho falls ouut of action, goes to state two –her guns still loaded, half manned, the crew grabbing breakfast at their posts, the rice pots and baskets being brought to them –good sticky white rice today.
The men eat it with their fingers, licking them clean, eyes still cocked at the sky.
And nobody says it.
Despite the fighters overhead – they still feel hunted.


1200 hours.
And now the sun bakes her decks, her gun bays, her hanger becomes an oven again.
The watches change, men silent mostly.
Some relieved to get above, others, as they go below, intensely aware of the steel enclosing them , surrounding them, slamming shut above their heads, hatches screwing down.
And still, there is no sign of the enemy

1430 hours, a break in the tension.
A Kate reports “many ships bearing 280 degrees” – and excitement breaks out –until, minutes later, it is obvious some one has reported swift eagle itself as the enemy……

1600 hours, and now the sun is sliding down, and the third shift of search planes are departing, the second being struck below.
Tired, sweaty pilots and crew wearily make their way to the ready room.
Nothing sighted, nothing at all.
Two zeros have even swept over Port Blair field –and nothing stirs
But everyone still feels………..hunted

2000 hours, and now the sun begins to sink – and Hasegawa, who has not moved from the bridge, calls dusk action stations.
A day .
Nothing sighted.
Nothing, apparently gained.

Hasegawa does not think so.
They know we are here –they must. And as long as we keep between them and the coast, 25th army is safe.
We may want to hunt, we may boast of the hunt. But this is what navies are for –to steam the oceans, and to deny safe passage to them, and keep safe passage for us.
This is our mission Hidaka –if you could only see it. Hunt, when we can, when we must. But for now, we play the shepherd. The good Shepherd.
Idly, Hasegawa considers that thought.
The Good shepherd. Its would make a great name for a book about the war at sea…………


Grand Dictator Herbiesan considers the meal before him (and his ‘guest’)
Lobster –fresh.
Prawns –fresh.
A nice rice, a good wine.
It will be a good meal, and she will make a lovely desert……..
There is a knock at the door, discreet, but insistent
Damn…….
‘’One moment my dear…….a war to run and all that – can you leave us a moment?’
It is General Tokiwa – a flighty barsted , but bendable and obedient……”yes general?”
‘’Sorry sir….a message from our sources in Gibraltar “strong indications of an enemy offensive in southern Pacific about to be launched ***”


***(Strong E mail hints from cantona)

‘Anything else?”
‘Our source also believes that we are about to strike at Tarawa………”
‘he does?’
‘yes sir.

Interesting. Good. Now, can Yamamoto use this –or will the buffoon flub it again?

[PaxMondo]

Spy action!  pesky varmits ... 

[cantona2]

I have clearance to read AAR again. I am sure Herb will fill you in but suffice to say I lose, he loses, I win, he wins! Blast those IJN subs

[1275psi]

May 11th

Mitchell sits in his hole today –and stares at the sky more in awe than fear.
Overhead, way, way overhead, like some ancient dragons, 5 giant flying boats circle Tarawa

“What the hell are they De Bashio?’
‘Japs – we call em Mavis. Damn cocky to float around like that. A single fighter would have a picnic amongst that lot”
But of course, there are no fighters on Tarawa yet.
The great seaplanes take up a line astern and ponderously pass over the island –a stream of black eggs descending-which mostly fall into the lagoon,.

A string of them (and this will be very important later) crash into the reef itself, and blast a series of craters from its edge, right along the reef to south point of the island –a series of holes and displaced coral.

Ignoring the light fire, they pass overhead, and head north.

Its been an interesting half hour, but the excitement is gone, and life can resume.
De Bashio turns again earnestly to the topic ‘so what in the world do you mean by grace then?’

Mitchell smiles. Spread the gospel to the natives. Why in the world didn’t he just go to New York.
“look, this is………..



Hidaka faces his pilots.
It is 3 am, he is tired, and he is –frankly, pissed.
‘patrols again today gentlemen. And if I get one more false sighting, there will be trouble!. Four months of war –and some of you still cannot identify a tin can from a battleship!. Captain Hasegawa -and myself –are going to die of heart failure at this rate!’

May 11th will be another long day – of nothing


Captain Hara guides Akagi to its anchorage.
Rabual harbour –an evil place indeed –the great volcano brooding over it –the jungles surrounding it..
‘Engines ! –when is the fuel barge expected?’
An awkward silence
‘Sir –from what I can gather –there is none…………”


Hosho lies in a small ditch.
His friend beside him. Between them a small tin can bubbles something vaguely edible over a very small fire indeed.
Hosho has finally been able to ditch the machine gun, and his favorite weapon, a plain rifle, lies beside him. Overhead –oblivious to them (and they almost to them as well ) –the artillery shells scream at asteady rate –landing some thousand yards ahead
Toungoo contains –apparently – some British troops.
Numbers unknown
Condition unknown

Hosho stirs his tin can – gives it a smell –wrinkles his nose.
‘What do you think friend?’ he asks
Bando raises his head over the ditch –watches another round slam into the village.
“”it will fall – just hope the artillery leaves something edible for us – lizards are getting very stale you know”
So, you don’t what some?’
‘No, you bumpkin –of course I do –think I want to die tomorrow on an empty stomach!’

Zuiho gains another system point of damage

The news comes to DCC via telephone
‘The after Sh**ers are blocked again”
‘Ah, Sh*t
The news passes to the chippies shop

The chippie detailed, departs to the after heads
Yep – they are blocked
He goes in search for a long piece of wire –and his plunger.

Sometimes – Sh#t just happens
But for the poor lad involved –that’s small comfort when your world becomes full of it………

[hosho]

ORIGINAL: 1275psi


Hosho has finally been able to ditch the machine gun, and his favorite weapon, a plain rifle, lies beside him.

Sometimes – Sh#t just happens
But for the poor lad involved –that’s small comfort when your world becomes full of it………

very nice, thanks for the gun...

feel sorry for the poor soul that will get to unplug those sh...ers - that lizard seems less bad compared to this [;)]

nice writing my frend

[1275psi]

12th may

Swift eagle continues to ‘trail its coat”, whilst 25th Army, now safely delivered, begins to unload at Moulmien.

Hasegawa continues to fulfill his mission-tied to Army and its cursed demands.

Hidaka flies today.
He has too few opportunities to fly –and takes today as a rare treasure.
There is –I think, for any pilot – always that moment of excitement and anticipation as the straps go over your shoulders, and you settle into ‘the office’
Hidaka is no different

He launches his fighter just after lunch, and like every one before him, spends a quiet 4 hours cruising over the task force –almost mentally commanding the enemy to come out and attack.
But they don’t.

However, Hidaka is the Flight leader of this little band of men, and thus he has certain privileges, and with the day being just so pleasant, the opportunities so few……….


Hasegawa stands on the starboard bridge wing looking up.
He cannot help but smile.
When you get down to it –all his pilots were really just big children –unable to resist the toys a nation gives them…….

Swift eagle is given a show.
For nearly thirty minutes, the lone zero commands attention over the fleet, looping, stall turning, rolling, stunting.
Morale wise –its an injection of pure speed into the sinews of swift eagle
For Hidaka’s men –a reminder.
Hidaka flies infrequently.
But when he does –he truly can.


Zuiho takes another system hit.
More serious than poo this time.
A condensate pump on a Turbo generator fails –halting in a cloud of blue smoke and screeching metal.
It will have to be fixed – and ASAP.
It will be a tricky job.
The Charge pulls Hirate and Okano of watch keeping, he needs good men for this.


Hosho spends another day in the mud, watching the village ahead slowly turn into smaller pieces.
There will be pitifully little loot to be had here tomorrow.


Nagumo addresses his captains

“Gentlemen –operation A1 ‘
he sweeps a hand over the map , “The Tarawa invasion force is now well at sea, and approaching Tarawa from the Northwest, it should arrive in 4 days time.
We will sail tomorrow, and assume a patrol east of Milne bay –and await.
If Yamamoto is correct, our esteemed friend will do one of two things.
Either try to relive and rescue the troops trapped north of Port Moresby, or, more likely, try for a strike against Lunga.
Either way – Yamamoto expects his carriers to come North –while Junyo plays the role of KB”

The briefing is met by silence.
‘Questions?’

Hara asks the obvious ‘ What if Yamamoto is wrong, and the allies come in from the east, from pearl?
‘The invasion force is ordered, that at ANY sign of enemy carriers, they will cancel landings, and bug out.”
He takes them all in the eye.
‘Captains – you know the situation. We must kill his carriers. Let us hope he takes the Tarawa bait. We believe he will. I believe he will..
One thing. Fuel –as you know, is tight. Our tankers are still coming from Tarakan.
We must trust in luck –and , if it comes, strike hard.
We get under way, 0400 hours. Good luck.”

Hara makes his way to his bridge. He likes –for once-this plan. At least it concentrates on the real enemy, the one the Navy must bend every sinew too. Kill the enemy carriers.
Kill them.

[kaleun]

Awesome.

[PaxMondo]

Oh, can't wait to tomorrow ....

[1275psi]

Sorry pax -be patient! -zee action will come..........[:D]

May 13th

Another blazing day in the ‘tropical paradise’ called Tarawa.
Morale is good – a small cargo vessel has gotten in, delivered its beans, got out.
The daily Mavis raid again has done little except kill fish.

Paradoxically, moral is also rising because of one other thing, the most important thing.
The waiting, the wondering, is over.

The Japs are coming

No need for radio intercepts.
No need for the cats to find them in the vast oceans that surround them.
No. No need for any of that.
Tokyo Rose has filled the air.
We are coming GI.
We come to kill you.

Mitchell again sits in his hole, contemplating the ocean.
Soon he will have to fight….and fight for his life.
Possibly kill to save himself.

“thou shalt not kill”

Gods command.

But then –‘no greater love, than to lay his life down for another…..”

In the hole beside him, a string of curses –De Bashio struggling with something .

Mitchell sighs.
The questions, simply , are too deep.
. He would just wait and see what happens. But he is sure of this. Soon, very soon, he would have some answers.


112th regiment take Toungoo virtually with out resistance or loss.
A hollow victory, for there is nothing here to fill equally hollow stomachs.


Swift eagle refuels, her tanks receiving the black gold with thanks.
The oil is good, highly processed -straight from the recently captured refineries at Palembang.
It will be quarantined for 24hrs, to let any water in it separate and settle out.
Then stripped of the same.
Then, eventually, pumped to a ready use tank.
Drawn from there, through strainers, to a large pump, heated by steam, pumped again, and sprayed into the furnace, burning brightly, powering Zuiho’s heart.
Every hour today, she will burn about 4 tons of this liquid gold, as will her companions
All over the empire, over this now vast area Japan holds, her fleet too burns this gold –thousands of tons of it every day.
It is the blood of the empire.
There will never be enough of it.


Combined fleet too greets the dawn, and like swift eagle, will spend a day with out contact.
It steams due south from rabual, unseen, undetected (they assume), and dawn tomorrow, will see them in position 180 miles due east of Milne bay.
Her sword unsheathed, she seeks her dragon

[kaleun]

How poetic.

[Insano]

Hi 1275psi. I'm really enjoying your AAR. Thanks for the effort and keep up the good work. I've also been inspired to implement a repair assessment method similar to the Charge's in the wind power business. I love it.

ORIGINAL: 1275psi
...
He reports to Minobe –and in a few words every day lets him know the true state of the ship.
When things go wrong, its his job to fix it.
There are various levels of ‘wrong’ for the charge
‘Its F%$#ed’ –fixable in five minutes
‘Its F$#@#ing F&^%$#ed” fixed in a day at the most
And the dreaded –‘its totally fu$#@ed -meaning they can fix it –but don’t plan your wedding yet.
...