Small Ship, Big War - The Voyages of the Hibiki

[Cuttlefish]

March 8, 1945

Location: Saigon
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: None

---

The crew of the Ki-21 that attacked Chub the previous day was not wrong; the bombs did indeed rattle fillings. Once crewman even has a loose tooth and a swollen jaw from being thrown against a bulkhead. But Chub’s combat effectiveness is not impaired and the submarine is waiting as Ryujo and her escorts approach Saigon Harbor under cover of darkness.

Chub’s commander wants the carrier. As the target’s flanks have a tight screen he elects for a bow shot, six torpedoes straight ahead at the oncoming carrier. It’s tricky but the light carrier is not the most maneuverable of opponents and any panicked attempt to dodge the attack will almost surely lead to disaster.

Chub executes the attack flawlessly and immediately dives. The crew waits – and no hits result. Within moments the submarine picks up the sound of destroyer screws approaching at high speed and Chub goes deeper, seeking to evade the inevitable depth charge attack. They don’t have to wait long for it to begin. Explosions shake the ship, two of them close enough to cause damage. It is the long, claustrophobic nightmare that all submarine crews dread but that is an inevitable part of the job.

Eventually the attack ends and the sound of screws recedes. Chub is denied her prey but lives to fight again.

Hibiki does not take part in the counterattack but remain behind to shield the carrier. Not long afterwards the Japanese ships reach the relative safety of the harbor.

When day comes Ryujo is detached to join a carrier force that already includes Junyo, Hiyo, Katsuragi, and Ryuho. Hibiki and the other five destroyers have accomplished their mission and now await further orders. Speculation runs high aboard the destroyer – will they remain out here to fight the British or be ordered back to Japan?

[Feinder]

Hibiki continues to be the good luck charm of the IJN!
 

 
-F-

[Hornblower]

i'm impressed that there are still 4 CV/CVL's left to Japan

[Capt. Harlock]

When day comes Ryujo is detached to join a carrier force that already includes Junyo, Hiyo, Katsuragi, and Ryuho. Hibiki and the other five destroyers have accomplished their mission and now await further orders. Speculation runs high aboard the destroyer – will they remain out here to fight the British or be ordered back to Japan?

If my opinion is wanted, it's safer to fight the Brits. I wonder how much risk there is of muddled orders having Ryujo and Ryuho in the same TF?[;)]

[Cuttlefish]

March 9, 1945

Location: Saigon
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: None

---

“We’re heading home?” torpedoman Hosogaya says. Kinsei nods. The three friends are standing on the torpedo deck.

“I heard it from the lieutenant himself,” he says. To the torpedo men “the lieutenant” always refers to Lieutenant Sugiyura. “And he heard it from the captain.”

“Then home we go,” says Chuyo. “I hope we have at least a few days here in Saigon, though.”

“I don’t know,” says Kinsei. “We might. The other thing the lieutenant said is that there are reports that a huge enemy carrier force has appeared in the Ryukyus and that there is a fierce air battle going on. Getting home might not be easy. You might wish you had stayed in that hospital, Chuyo.”

“No,” says Chuyo with a grin, “this ship will get through, I am sure. Besides, I would rather take my chances with you guys than have those doctors poke more needles into me. I hate needles.”

“How is the battle going?” asks Hosogaya. “Any word?” Kinsei shrugs.

“It’s too soon even for the usual Radio Tokyo reports that the enemy carriers have all been sunk,” he says. “We’ll probably hear that tomorrow. Then we will have to try and get home past a gauntlet of all those sunken carriers.”

“Well, then,” says Hosogaya, “let’s try to get passes ashore from the lieutenant tonight. I hate to face enemy carriers completely sober.”

---

Ensign Ito is nineteen years old and knows he will not live to be another day older. He lay awake last night, unable to sleep, tormented by thoughts of failure and knowledge of his own impending death. And now that death is upon him.

He banks his A6M5 model 52c fighter-bomber around in a tight turn high above the American fleet. It is an amazing sight. The ocean seems covered in ships. Everywhere there are planes and bursts of anti-aircraft fire. Streaks of flame cross the sky as Japanese planes plunge towards the water

But there are so many planes. Today for the first time the Special Attack Corps has been unleashed full force, hundreds of them, and not even the enemy fighters can stop them all. As if of its own will Ito’s plane lines up on an enemy carrier and Ito pushes his plane into as steep a dive as it can handle. This ship is his target.

Oddly enough, here in the last minute of his life, he is very calm. The regrets and fear have fallen away and there remains only the determination to get a hit. His plane rocks as enemy shells begin to burst around him. He jinks the plane a little to try and throw off their aim.

The carrier grows larger and larger below him. His plane is hit and shrapnel tears into his right arm and shoulder. Ito grips the stick with his left hand as best he can and as fire billows around him he utters a long scream of pain and defiance.

The tower of the enemy carrier looms in front of him until it fills the world.

---

Admiral Raymond Spruance knows that Intrepid, his flagship, has been hit hard. Smoke and flames billow from yawning hole in the flight deck just ahead of the forward elevator where one of those crazy kamikazes hit just a moment ago. But fighting fires isn’t his job, directing the battle is. He leaves damage control to the brave and capable people assigned to the job and studies the latest reports to reach him.

“Admiral!” calls an urgent voice. An ensign is pointing. Spruance looks up to see a flaming Japanese plane heading right for the flag bridge on which he is standing. Already it is so close that he can see the screaming face of the pilot.

“Oh hell,” is all he has time to say.

[tocaff]

[X(]  It'll be a shame when this tale ends, as they all do.

[TAIL GUNNER]

“Admiral!” calls an urgent voice. An ensign is pointing. Spruance looks up to see a flaming Japanese plane heading right for the flag bridge on which he is standing. Already it is so close that he can see the screaming face of the pilot.

“Oh hell,” is all he has time to say.

Reminiscent of the great scene from Return of the Jedi when the out of control A-wing smashes into the bridge of the Executor....taking the Imperial flagship and it's commander; Admiral Piett, with it.

"Too laaaate!!"
[8D]

[Alikchi2]

Oh, no, not Spruance! [:(]

Good lord. Out come the Kamis and Japan is burning.

[Hornblower]

ORIGINAL: Alikchi

Oh, no, not Spruance! [:(]

Good lord. Out come the Kamis and Japan is burning.

OH no is right!!!!!!

[John 3rd]

Cool....

BANZAI!!!

[Shark7]

It sounds as if CF has managed to sink himself an Essex class. Great Job!

[rjopel]

Cuttle fish,
 
Write faster....the suspense is killing us out here.
 
[:D]
 
Love the story

[Canoerebel]

Uh oh; I wanted to tour Intrepid on my next trip to New York City...

[Cuttlefish]

March 10, 1945

Location: Saigon
Course: None
Attached to: TF 27
Mission: Surface Combat
System Damage: 1
Float Damage: 0
Fires: 0
Fuel: 475

Orders: Return to Japan

---

Intrepid is lost and Bunker Hill is damaged, as are light carriers Monterey and Cabot. But the Americans absorb their losses and carry out their mission to pound airfields in the Ryukyus, including those on Okinawa and Amami Oshima. This accomplished they turn for home, though many are shocked and saddened by the loss of Admiral Spruance.

On the islands they leave behind there is fear and confusion.

---

Nanami Ariga, as is her habit, takes a small snack down to the four soldiers in the bunker on the beach below her cottage in the afternoon. To the south she can see a haze in the air from the fires that were started yesterday. While no bombs fell anywhere near this remote stretch of coastline she and her grandmother have talked to several people passing by on the road. Their accounts of what happened are garbled and contradictory but from what Nanami can gather the airfields near Kadina and Naha were heavily bombed and many people were killed.

The four soldiers are usually relaxing and happy to talk to her. Today, however, they are tense and irritable. They keep a far sharper eye out to sea than they usually do and several times they snap at her to stay out of the way.

Nanami turns to leave, somewhat downcast. She takes only a few steps when she is hailed by Private Aoki, the youngest and friendliest of the four.

“Mrs. Ariga!” he says, coming up behind her. She turns.

“Please forgive us,” he says. “Yesterday was a bad day. These attacks mean an invasion is surely coming. It has us all on edge. Until yesterday it was possible to pretend that maybe the war would not come here. Now that is no longer the case.”

“I understand,” she says. She is still a little hurt but her cheerful nature does not allow her to stay upset. “You do not need to apologize.”

“But I do,” Aoki insists. “You and your grandmother have been so kind to us. It has made being stuck out here bearable. Please ignore our mood.”

“Of course I will,” she says. “You are soldiers and have a job to do.”

“Thank you,” says Aoki. He smiles. “More miso soup tomorrow?”

“Of course,” says Nanami. She is thoughtful as she returns up the path to the cottage. The enemy is coming. What is she supposed to do now? How can she protect her grandmother? And of course there is the question she asks herself each day, several times a day: where are her husband and her father, and are they safe?

[Capt. Harlock]

Intrepid is lost and Bunker Hill is damaged, as are light carriers Monterey and Cabot. But the Americans absorb their losses and carry out their mission to pound airfields in the Ryukyus, including those on Okinawa and Amami Oshima. This accomplished they turn for home, though many are shocked and saddened by the loss of Admiral Spruance.

Personally, I'd worry more about the loss of a fleet CV than an Admiral. (Especially if they're both electronic data.[:D])

If I were the Americans, I might decide to seize Amami Oshima and starve out Okinawa. (Granny Shun's probably worth an extra battalion.)

[Shark7]

ORIGINAL: Capt. Harlock

Intrepid is lost and Bunker Hill is damaged, as are light carriers Monterey and Cabot. But the Americans absorb their losses and carry out their mission to pound airfields in the Ryukyus, including those on Okinawa and Amami Oshima. This accomplished they turn for home, though many are shocked and saddened by the loss of Admiral Spruance.

Personally, I'd worry more about the loss of a fleet CV than an Admiral. (Especially if they're both electronic data.[:D])

If I were the Americans, I might decide to seize Amami Oshima and starve out Okinawa. (Granny Shun's probably worth an extra battalion.)

At this point in the war, the American's can build them faster than they can be sunk. They have a 'CV Tree' growing somewhere in Michigan I think. [:D]

[Hornblower]

The CV tree is next to the DD shrub.. Yes its in the UP of Michigan i hear.  protected by the woodland critters...  Much like the Poland Spring...   

[DW]

ORIGINAL: Hornblower

The CV tree is next to the DD shrub.. Yes its in the UP of Michigan i hear.  protected by the woodland critters...  Much like the Poland Spring...   

I think you're confusing the "CV Tree" and the "DD Shrub" with the endless fields of M-4 Shermans and M-18 Hellcats they were growing here in Michigan.

Those were bountiful years.

[Hornblower]

My Botany is off. 

[John 3rd]

I sank an Essex and severely damaged a couple more in Dan and I's game.  There is sweet satisfaction in hearing of CF's success!

BANZAI!