[center]12-13-42 through 12-19-42[/center]
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/13/42
Pretty quiet turn today, not a lot to report other than an air strike going in at Myitkyina. Damage there was light. Imphal was socked in so no air strikes were launched from there.
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 31
P-39D Airacobra x 21
P-40B Tomahawk x 26
P-40E Warhawk x 19
I-153c x 32
IL-4c x 6
SB-2c x 22
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 6
Runway hits 13
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x I-153c bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/14/42
Both Mandalay and Myitkyina get hit by planes from Imphal this turn. I’ve divided the bombers there to hit both fields in an attempt to keep both closed down. The Chinese bombers and second line fighters from Ledo just don’t do enough damage to keep Myitkyina closed down by themselves.
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 10
P-38G Lightning x 25
B-18A Bolo x 38
A-20B Boston x 11
B-25C Mitchell x 40
Allied aircraft losses
B-18A Bolo: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
17 casualties reported
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 94
Aircraft Attacking:
5 x A-20B Boston bombing at 8000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 31
Kittyhawk I x 3
Blenheim IV x 40
Wellington III x 60
Beaufort V-IX x 15
P-40E Warhawk x 13
P-38G Lightning x 7
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
11 casualties reported
Airbase hits 5
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 120
Aircraft Attacking:
10 x Buffalo I bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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B-17’s from Luganville hit Lunga and cause moderate damage. Almost all of the attacking B-17’s were hit and 4 went down. Morale for the group is shot after taking so many damage results.
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Day Air attack on Lunga , at 67,97
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 30
Allied aircraft
PB2Y Coronado x 3
B-17E Fortress x 38
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
PB2Y Coronado: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 4 destroyed, 30 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
49 casualties reported
Guns lost 3
Airbase hits 11
Airbase supply hits 4
Runway hits 37
Aircraft Attacking:
25 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 8000 feet
9 x B-17E Fortress bombing at 8000 feet
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/15/42
Another very quiet turn with just Ledo’s air strike against Myitkyina and three Japanese routine training raids being launched.
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 36
P-39D Airacobra x 24
P-40B Tomahawk x 26
P-40E Warhawk x 23
I-153c x 45
IL-4c x 9
SB-2c x 23
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 51
Aircraft Attacking:
11 x I-153c bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/16/42
Again only Ledo planes launch this turn. Imphal’s weather has kept the planes grounded there more often than not.
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 36
P-39D Airacobra x 22
P-40B Tomahawk x 28
P-40E Warhawk x 22
I-153c x 44
IL-4c x 11
SB-2c x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
5 casualties reported
Airbase hits 2
Runway hits 67
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x I-153c bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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I finally have sufficient bombers at Cooktown with some P-38’s there now to launch strikes against Port Moresby and Thursday Island. But for some unknown reason the P-38’s didn’t fly escort for either mission and the Port Moresby strike sees my bombers get shredded. Damage caused was pretty good given how badly shot up my groups were.
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Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 13
Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 92
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 8 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
B-24D Liberator: 7 destroyed, 30 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Airbase hits 20
Airbase supply hits 7
Runway hits 52
Aircraft Attacking:
24 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
19 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
9 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
10 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
5 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
12 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-24D Liberator bombing at 8000 feet
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The strike on Thursday Island does a lot better in the air to air losses category and lose no planes. Too bad these mediums just don’t have the range to hit Port Moresby, their added weight might have closed that field down. I’ve been tempted to switch over my mediums to heavy bombers, but I prefer to try and play the game only with the groups that start out as heavies if I can.
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Day Air attack on Thursday Island , at 49,90
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Sunderland x 5
B-25C Mitchell x 94
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 7 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
Sunderland: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 24
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
48 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
5 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
2 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
3 x B-25C Mitchell bombing at 8000 feet
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/17/42
In a very unusual mid-ocean sub attack, the SS Herring surfaces and fires torpedoes twice at AK Nitiran Maru. Both salvoes miss, but then the deck guns open up and score five hits. I doubt they caused much damage.
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Sub attack at 64,74
Japanese Ships
AK Nitiran Maru, Shell hits 5
Allied Ships
SS Herring
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Air strikes from Ledo and Imphal both launch this turn and Mandalay and Myitkyina both get hit and suffer heavy damage.
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 21
P-38G Lightning x 20
B-18A Bolo x 48
A-20B Boston x 15
B-25C Mitchell x 56
Allied aircraft losses
B-18A Bolo: 2 damaged
A-20B Boston: 1 damaged
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
42 casualties reported
Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 5
Runway hits 125
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x A-20B Boston bombing at 8000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 36
P-39D Airacobra x 23
P-40B Tomahawk x 30
P-40E Warhawk x 24
I-153c x 46
IL-4c x 12
SB-2c x 23
No Allied losses
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 47
Aircraft Attacking:
12 x I-153c bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 31
Kittyhawk I x 6
Blenheim IV x 39
Wellington III x 67
Beaufort V-IX x 15
P-40E Warhawk x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 6
Runway hits 84
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Buffalo I bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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Japan’s air strike from Rangoon launches as well and Akyab suffers moderate damage.
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Day Air attack on Akyab , at 30,29
Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIb Tojo x 15
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 15
Ki-21 Sally x 47
Ki-49 Helen x 21
Ki-46-II Dinah x 5
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21 Sally: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-49 Helen: 1 damaged
Ki-46-II Dinah: 1 damaged
Allied ground losses:
26 casualties reported
Guns lost 1
Airbase hits 6
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 54
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Ki-49 Helen bombing at 6000 feet
<snip>
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Given last turns failure to launch, I send my P-38’s from Cooktown on a high altitude sweep over Port Moresby to see if they’ll even fly and they get shredded. I expected them to do much better since the Japanese fighters had to climb to intercept and morale and experience was high (both mid 70’s). Fatigue was non-existent as well.
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Day Air attack on Port Moresby , at 53,91
Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 33
Ki-61 KAIc Tony x 9
Allied aircraft
P-38G Lightning x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
Ki-61 KAIc Tony: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-38G Lightning: 10 destroyed, 2 damaged
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/18/42
My routine strikes at Mandalay and Myitkyina are launched again this turn. Otherwise nothing much else to report today.
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Day Air attack on Mandalay , at 33,30
Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 20
B-18A Bolo x 55
A-20B Boston x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 47
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
3 casualties reported
Airbase hits 7
Runway hits 117
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x A-20B Boston bombing at 8000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
CW-21B Demon x 19
P-39D Airacobra x 10
P-40B Tomahawk x 13
P-40E Warhawk x 12
I-153c x 23
IL-4c x 8
SB-2c x 40
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-15 Babs: 1 destroyed
Japanese ground losses:
8 casualties reported
Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 37
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x I-153c bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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Day Air attack on Myitkyina , at 36,28
Allied aircraft
Buffalo I x 30
Kittyhawk I x 11
Blenheim IV x 36
Wellington III x 66
Beaufort V-IX x 15
P-40E Warhawk x 9
No Allied losses
Japanese ground losses:
6 casualties reported
Airbase hits 5
Runway hits 100
Aircraft Attacking:
9 x Buffalo I bombing at 2000 feet
<snip>
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I do want to let everyone know that I’ve finally got my two VR squadrons back aboard the CVE Nassau this turn. What I did was send the two squadrons to Pearl via AK and when they unloaded I tried rebasing the parent groups to Hilo.
Unlike what happened on the West Coast where both damaged and non-damaged aircraft rebased at the same time, both parent groups moved alone and the large fragment groups remained at Pearl. So I immediately loaded the fragments back aboard the AK’s to prevent them from rebasing to the parent formation as they repaired and sent CVE Nassau to Pearl ASAP.
Well it worked (sort of). I rebased the small parent formations aboard as the CVE was getting close to Pearl and unloaded the two fragment groups from the AK’s. But once the Nassau reached Pearl, the SBD group drew a bunch of air frames to try and flesh out to 54. So when I disbanded it into port and the fragments reformed automatically with the parent groups, I ended up with 39 F4F’s and 95 SBD’s aboard the CVE.
Here’s a screenshot of it:
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 12/19/42
Since my nighttime sweep missions over Mandalay don’t seem to be helping pilot experience, I’ve switched my night fighter group at Imphal to air strikes at Pagan. This is going to be a routine mission so I’ll refrain from further reporting unless something actually happens.
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Night Air attack on Pagan , at 31,31
Allied aircraft
Beaufighter VIF x 6
No Allied losses
Aircraft Attacking:
6 x Beaufighter VIF bombing at 2000 feet
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Nothing else to report really, other than my routine strikes at Mandalay and Myitkyina went in today and the normal three Japanese training raids flew as well. I suspect that with the cease fire in China things are going to be very boring until I can finally manage to launch my first counter-strike.
Here’s a copy of the email I sent Nemrod after my last turn:
Well the air frames on Nassau are balancing themselves out, F4F’s went up to 54 (normal compliment for a VR group) and the 95 SBD’s is down to 60+ this turn. Guess it will eventually get back to 54. Pilots however have stayed on board to the tune of 95 SBD pilots and 76 F4F pilots. Oh well beggars can’t be choosers I guess, at least they’re back aboard.
I spent some time seriously pondering my options this turn. Man the possibilities are endless. Conserving my forces for 43 was a good idea, I just don’t have enough to do everything I want to do, so I have to decide where to strike. If I do well I can move from op to op with my main force using it to get things rolling in all the different theatres. If I screw the pooch and you’re able to smash my force, I’m stuck till 1944 before I can do anything. I’m finding it tough to decide just how to proceed and in what order.
Guess I’ll have to get used to this new phase of the game where I decide the tempo and pace of things. I’ve been reacting to you for a year and a half real time, it’s going to be hard to switch gears at first.
The other big pain is I’ve basically had most of my shipping busy shuttling supply and reinforcements all over the place and I’ve found huge amounts of my lift capacity are far out of place. I’ll have to reorganize a lot of routine convoys to get everything where I need it. I should have been doing this for the past 3 months due to the lead times necessary to get things where needed. Combat forces can be moved rather quickly, but my lift capacity takes months to get anywhere. I’m truly envious of the interior lines you get to operate within. You can reposition and shuttle forces in half the time I can.
Jim
