At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

Many more attacks of equal effectiveness. No fighters over Bangkok now.I think they are getting read to defend Sumatra

Morning Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 13 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 4
B-24D Liberator x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 2 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 8

We also hit the AF at Kiri Khan further South

Morning Air attack on Prachuap Khiri Khan , at 54,64

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D1 Liberator x 6

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 5 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
9 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 14

[Cap Mandrake]

And Chumphon AF

Morning Air attack on Chumphon , at 52,66

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 14 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-25D1 Mitchell x 10

Allied aircraft losses
B-25D1 Mitchell: 2 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 5

[Cap Mandrake]

1st Burma "Brigade" has cut the highway South of Pakse back to Saigon. All sorts of LYB's coming up the road.

Ground combat at 63,66 (near Pakse)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 336 troops, 36 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 40

Defending force 1245 troops, 2 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 43

Allied ground losses:
7 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd Mobile Engineer Regiment
4th Raiding Rgt /1
2nd Mobile Field Artillery Regiment
2nd Mobile AA Battalion

Defending units:
1st Burma Brigade

[Cap Mandrake]

Solomons: 18th Army HQ at Auki are real hardcores. They don't give up.

Ground combat at Auki (115,136)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 7302 troops, 116 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 316

Defending force 2154 troops, 0 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value = 1

Allied adjusted assault: 177

Japanese adjusted defense: 4

Allied assault odds: 44 to 1

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(-), disruption(-), fatigue(-)
supply(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
53 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Assaulting units:
2nd Marine/B Division
2nd Marine/C Division
2nd Marine/A Division
640th Tank Destroyer Battalion
102nd Cmbt Engr Rgt /3
1st USMC Tank Bn /1
4th FA Bn /1

Defending units:
16th Army

[Cap Mandrake]

Situation with Sumatran AF's and environs. Some 40 Zekes and 92 Netties are missing from Kendari and the Sundas in one day. I suspect they are at Singers. Lots of Vals around too. Looks like 2 carriers headed down the sot between Sulawese and Borneo too.

Looks like a giant cluster-**** in the making. Landing is off. I will try to bait the Netties into a CAP trap.

[Cap Mandrake]

************Royal Chambers, London, 1014**********


Aelfigifu of York: Art thou ready yet? Thine guests wilt consumeth all of the finest pickled lark's tongue!

Aethelred: Not quite, mine mourning dove. I shan't be but more than a trifle.

[Cap Mandrake]

********Old Norse Lessons, Roskilde, 1003 AD*****

Ragnar the Pedant: Right. Let us try spelling your name again.

Cnut the Slow Learner: Ummmm........C......ummm

Ragnar the Pedant: Great! You are doing great! Keep going!

Cnut the Slow Learner: Ummmm.....U...

Ragnar the Pedant: No, no, no, no NO! N! N comes next! By Odin! What in Valhalla is wrong with you? Why must you switch the letters around like that? Do you want the other princes to make fun of you?

[Cap Mandrake]

Skip forward a few days. I missed some.

***********Feb. 28, 1943(e)**********

Phillipine Sea: I try to send 2 empty AP's and some smallish AK's back to Wake from Mindanao and they run into Hiryu, a CVL and 3 CVEs and they are all sunk over two days. About 40 VP's. Wah crime.

[Cap Mandrake]

****************March 1, 1943(e)**************

Sumatra: Fighter sweeps over Padang. Nobody is fixing the damaged P-40's. Either we have to reinforce with F4F's from the CVE's in the IO or give up. I favor the latter. Let them waste resources on the place.

Morning Air attack on Padang , at 44,85

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 23,560 feet.
Estimated time to target is 10 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 10

Allied aircraft
P-40K Warhawk x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-44-IIa Tojo: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40K Warhawk: 2 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

SE Asia: JJ has moved most of the A/C in the area back to Saigon so they can hit Pakse easier and get a break from the heavy bombers at Moulmein. We are flying in another Indian brigade to Pakse. JJ are starting to cut the place off. The relief forces marching down from Burma will have to hurry.

Morning Air attack on 77th LRP Brigade, at 62,64 , near Pakse

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 17
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 6
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 23

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 5 damaged

Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

[Cap Mandrake]

The Japs at Nakon are just getting murdered by air. They have no fighter cover.

Morning Air attack on 16th Garrison Unit , at 58,61 (Nakhon Ratchasima)

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 20 NM, estimated altitude 13,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 15
Vengeance I x 49
B-339D x 1
Mitchell II x 9

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
290 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 16 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 21 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

and

Morning Air attack on 21st Division, at 60,61 , near Nakhon Ratchasima

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft
Blenheim VD x 12
Wellington Ic x 15

Allied aircraft losses
Blenheim VD: 1 damaged
Wellington Ic: 3 damaged

Japanese ground losses:
138 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 3 (1 destroyed, 2 disabled)

[Cap Mandrake]

This is only about half of it. It's hard to watch. They have some more targets moving East from the jungle.

[Cap Mandrake]

Numerous effective raids over Bangkok.

Morning Air attack on Bangkok , at 56,62

Weather in hex: Clear sky

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 14 minutes

Allied aircraft
Liberator II x 5
B-24D Liberator x 14
B-24D1 Liberator x 7

Allied aircraft losses
Liberator II: 4 damaged
B-24D Liberator: 6 damaged
B-24D1 Liberator: 4 damaged

Airbase hits 7
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 9

[Cap Mandrake]

PI: I start the retreat toward Bataan with the hope of getting the forts up to 4 at Bataan before we give up Clark.

[Cap Mandrake]

*************March 2, 1943(e)**********

Philippine Sea: Arcata gets good intel on the carriers and then they all get posthumous medals when the sun comes up.

Night Time Surface Combat, near Babeldaob at 94,90, Range 12,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CV Hiryu
CV Shokaku
CVE Taiyo
CVE Unyo
BB Hyuga
DD Akizuki
DD Teruzuki
DD Satsuki

Allied Ships
xAKL Nicarata

[Cap Mandrake]

Q: What does one call it when one develops deadly intestinal gasses after enjoying pureed chick peas and garlic?

A: Post-hummus gas.

[Cap Mandrake]

PI: Big push in the air over Clark but we knock some down with fighters flying from Bataan

Morning Air attack on 21st PA Infantry Division, at 79,76 (Clark Field)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 16
Ki-48-IIa Lily x 11

Allied aircraft
Spitfire Vc Trop x 1
F4U-1 Corsair x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 destroyed, 13 damaged
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 2 destroyed, 7 damaged
Ki-48-IIa Lily: 1 destroyed by flak

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
18 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

and

Morning Air attack on 51st PA Infantry Division, at 79,76 (Clark Field)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 19 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 8
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 11
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 8

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 2

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 5 damaged
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 8 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 3 damaged

No Allied losses


and

Morning Air attack on 31st Infantry Regiment, at 79,76 (Clark Field)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 39 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-36 Ida x 12
Ki-49-IIa Helen x 24

Allied aircraft
F4U-1 Corsair x 1

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-36 Ida: 1 damaged
Ki-36 Ida: 1 destroyed by flak
Ki-49-IIa Helen: 22 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
47 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

.

[Cap Mandrake]

Avengers and RAF Vengeance from Mindanao hit some ships that get too close.

Morning Air attack on TF, near Talaud-eilanden at 78,95

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 5 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
TBF-1 Avenger x 9

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Kurohime Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Kyokko Maru
xAK Gyokuyo Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires

Aircraft Attacking:
9 x TBF-1 Avenger bombing from 7000 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb

Heavy smoke from fires obscuring xAK Kurohime Maru


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morning Air attack on TF, near Talaud-eilanden at 78,95

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Allied aircraft
Vengeance I x 11

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships
xAK Kokuryu Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Tempei Maru
xAK Kurohime Maru, on fire

[Cap Mandrake]

Massive assault at Clark. Believe it or not, this is close to their most successful attack, inflicting nearly equal KIA's but 4x the disablement. Huge number of IJA infantry squads wrecked.

Ground combat at Clark Field (79,76)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 40203 troops, 417 guns, 119 vehicles, Assault Value = 1114

Defending force 40691 troops, 455 guns, 298 vehicles, Assault Value = 1007

Japanese adjusted assault: 662

Allied adjusted defense: 2671

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 4 (fort level 0)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), leaders(+)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4540 casualties reported
Squads: 53 destroyed, 338 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 62 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 19 disabled
Guns lost 48 (8 destroyed, 40 disabled)
Vehicles lost 5 (2 destroyed, 3 disabled)

Allied ground losses:
1101 casualties reported
Squads: 44 destroyed, 84 disabled
Non Combat: 6 destroyed, 45 disabled
Engineers: 5 destroyed, 0 disabled
Guns lost 16 (1 destroyed, 15 disabled)
Vehicles lost 28 (13 destroyed, 15 disabled)

Assaulting units:
21st Ind.Mixed Brigade
302nd Ind.Infantry Battalion
68th/C Division
28th/A Division
301st Ind.Infantry Battalion
28th/B Division
48th Division
68th/B Division
303rd Ind.Infantry Battalion
28th/C Division
2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion
3rd Medium Field Artillery Regiment
1st Hvy.Artillery Regiment
3rd Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

Defending units:
26th PS Cavalry Regiment
71st PA Infantry Division
91st PA Infantry Division
632nd Tank Destroyer Battalion
21st PA Infantry Division
51st PA Infantry Division
4th Marine Regiment
1st Constabulary Regiment
11th PA Infantry Division
31st Infantry Regiment
35th Avn Sup
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
4th Constabulary Regiment
86th PS Field Artillery Battalion
88th PS Field Artillery Regiment
!/23rd PS FA Battalion
III/Prov'nl SPM Grp
I/Prov'nl SPM Grp
165th Field Artillery Battalion
24th PS FA Regiment
200th & 515th Coast AA Regiment
Clark Field AAF Base Force
II/Prov'nl SPM Grp
1st USMC AA Battalion
501st Coast AA Regiment
4th PAAC Avn Sup
301st PA Field Artillery Regiment

[Cap Mandrake]

SE Asia: Couple of platoons of USAAF security guys left behind at Udon get plastered. 99% of the troops there have made Pakse.

Morning Air attack on 51st Base Group , at 62,63 (Ubon)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 13 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 3 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIb Sally x 3
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 28
Ki-48-Ib Lily x 23
Ki-49-Ia Helen x 19

Allied aircraft
Hurricane IIc Trop x 4

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIb Sally: 1 damaged
Ki-48-Ib Lily: 5 damaged

No Allied losses

Allied ground losses:
99 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 4 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 1 disabled
Guns lost 3 (2 destroyed, 1 disabled)