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D-Day

Shorthop transports hit the beaches and the 15th SeeBees run ashore establishing the initial beachhead. That was the only pert of the operation that run smoothly on day 1. A day of intenese air battles began with an attack on Wewak by aircraft based at Coen. The raid arrived over the target at approximately 10am, braved the CAP and delivered their loads on the runways.



Half an hour later the heavies from Cooktown arrived over Lae, a target very familiar to these pilots and after their, now customary, dance with the Nakajima's managed to get several of the enemy's fighters on the ground.



The most intensive battles however were to be fought over Merauke itself as the Japanese air force tried its best to sink all the transports approaching the beaches. Corsairs, Kittyhawks and Warhawks put up a desperate fight that saw the Marine pilots take a beating.

A progressive view of the lessening CAP over Merauke.

A summary of losses for the day. Tomorrow battle hardend P-38's of the USAAF will be flying over Merauke and hopinf the Jap decides to come over again!

Just a litlle pop'in to say that you keep readers [:)]

Thanks gladiatt and any other readaars!

Update later today. As a snippet, CAP performs much better today. Main attack forces land at Merauke. BB Valiant takes two Judy launched torps. Less intensity from IJAF today. Maybe ops losses and exhaustion are taking thier toll.

ORIGINAL: gladiatt

Just a litlle pop'in to say that you keep readers [:)]

Ditto! This is highly entertaining stuff, and a very interesting comparison with our game (the dates of both must now be very close).

Those are long haul flights the Japanese are having to make across New Guinea, so I would guess their fatigue levels are probably rising quite fast. Flight times between Northern Malaya and Sabang/the Andamans are quite a bit shorter [;)]

Thanks for the comments John.

D-Day +1

The 1st Austrlaian Division makes its operational bow by storming the beaches of Merauke and reinforcing the 15th SeeBees holding the beachhead perimeter. THe US 197th RCT also accompanies the aussie squaddies. Overhead the P-38's of the USAAF drone menacingly awaiting the arrival of the IJAF. They are not putting up a fight today. maybe the exertions yesterday have caused their squadrons to be over exhausted. The only notable air action over Merauke today has been the slughter of Japanese transport planes that were flying into the base unescorted and into the cannons of the P-38's. The 331st Pursuit Sqaudron recorded its 87th kill of the war. Instead Thursday Island is the target as Japanese army bombers target, and fail to interrupt the CAP missions being based from there. The landings carry on unpeterurbed and the assault orders for tomorrow are given.

A second dimension to the Battle of Meruake is playing itslef out to the north of Portland Roads. The CVL Hermes is providing the only carrier borne planes in this operation. So far she has not had to bring her torpedo bombers into action and carried out a rais on Port Moresby's airfield yesterday. Unfortunately her task. force was spotted by B6N2 bombers. A sqaudron launched an attack and hit the BB Valiant with two torpedoes. True to her name her flak gunners brought down three enemy planes dispute the blows. The ship herself is only lightly damaged and a destroyer has been detached from the Hermes escort to shield the Valiant as she makes her way to Brisbane for emergency repairs. The Hermes will also reitre as it is now clear that the IJN will not sally to protect Merauke.

D-Day+2

Today the Japanese Air Force returned to Merauke with renewed vigour. A mass of planes from Wewak, Hollandia and Medan struck at the shipping unloading men and supplies at Merauke. In the air to meet them were the 9th Pursuit and 331st Pursuit Squadrons and the N0.75 RAAF Squadron. In running battles that lasted the whole morning the allied pilots shot down 50 enemy planes for 20 losses on thier own side. Only 5 ships were hit, the largest hit by a 100lb bomb on an empty transport. It felt to the Allied pilots that the Japs were putting in a maximum effort as even the Zeroes were armed with bombs under their fuesalges, hindering their maneouverability. The 331st reported its 99th confirmed kill, an A6M3a.



Despite the efforst of the Japanese air forces the bulk of the 1st Australian Division was ashore and very qucikly brushed aside the light Japanese garrison, whose remnants fled into the jungle and were being persued by Australian foot patrols. By nightfall a squadron of Boomerangs and a second one of Kittyhawks stood on the Merauke airstrip. Poignant that Australian pilots would be the first to fly from the recently liberated base.



Aussie artillery targetting the last Japanese resistance on Merauke.

Game is now at 6th May 1943 and attention now shifts to Burma. Indian III Corps has begun to reach Akyab after rolling through the blocking force on the road leading from Cox's Bazaar. Burma has been characterized off late by an intensive effort by the Japanese fighter arm, navy and army. Its a throw back to late 1942 and for a few days the Libs and Forts were grounded. Yet P-38's and newly arrived Spitfires have made the Japanese bull retract his horns. That and brave night time raids by Beaufighters out of Chittagong that have been constantly harrassing Magwe for weeks now.

On the ground British units continue to move down the coastal road to Akyab. The 3rd Carabiners Regiment has been given orders to carry out a flanking maneouver to cut Akyab off while the main body of III Corps assaults the town. Already 16th Chindit Brigade had reached the outskirts and is preparing to lay down an initial bombardment.

After two days of assaults Akyab has been recaptured by the 14th Indian Division and assorted Gurhka and Indian Brigades. Another decently sized airfeild now comes into play as the assault on the strong Jap line on the Irrawady begins. In China Changsha has seen a withdrawal of the massive Japanese force besieging it. USN subamrines have also reported a large number of AP sightings aroung Shanghai and have engaged 3 successfully. Is the IJHQ redploying its forces?

Hightime for an update.

Its been very quiet of late as the forces for Operation Retribution have been gathering. Whats left of the Pacific carrier force will be spearheading a 4 Division attack on the Solomon Islands. The veteran Yorktown, along with the Royal Navy Victorious and the new Essex will provide the main fleet flight decks. A further 3 light carriers and 6 escort carriers will also aid the larger carriers. The Santa Cruz Islands all host fighter strips capable of putting P-38's over the southern Solomons while B-24's from Efate, Lugnaville and Koumac will bomb Japanese positions on Lunga. It is expected that the Japanese carrier force, not seen since their victory in the Gilberts and known to have been hurt, will sally. Attention must also be paid to the airfields at Munda and Shortlands. 25 submarines will also be deployed in recon and hunter roles. Intercepts of Japanese communications suggest that the enemy expects an attack at Timor or a continuation of operations in Burma. The 14th Indian Division has pushed its lines forward 60 miles south of Akyab in order to further reinforce this belief. As Retribution approaches the air attacks on Timor will increase and so will the arial pressur on Port Moresby in order to further confuse the enemy. 3 divisions will make an immediate landfall on Lunga while subsiduary landings will be made on Tulagi and Tassafaronga. One division will be held as a floating reserve and be deployed accordingly. A further two infantry regiments will also accompany the main landing forces as well as assault engineers, support troops and See Bees.

Update! Please!

Update coming soon, promise. Americal has hit lunga but i made the school boy error of not capping the Essex. She got hit by Sallys but still in the fight!

War Diary - South Pacific Command

June 25th 1943 Operation Wasp D-Day +1

Initial beach landings carried out by spearhead from Americal Division under heavy fire from beach and coastal defences. Small beachhead consolidated by nightfall. Main invasion body begun landing at 03:00 this morning. Still under fire but this time under the protective guns of TF 172 that plastered the enemy positions on Lunga as the 3rd Marines and the 1st Cavalry landed.

aval bombardment of Lunga, at 67,101 - Coastal Guns Fire Back!

Japanese aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-46-III Dinah: 1 destroyed

55 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Allied Ships
CA Wichita, Shell hits 13
CA Vincennes
BB Massachusetts, Shell hits 13
BB Tennessee
BB California
BB Pennsylvania

Japanese ground losses:
334 casualties reported
Guns lost 8

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 8
Port hits 5
Port supply hits 14

Minesweeping Task Force 1082 reported presence of defensive laid minefield and clearing operations begun at 03:45. As yet no ships report impacts from mines.

Landings continued all morning as Americal Division expanded beachhead for support troops and two artillery battalions.

Aerial attacks begun at o9:15 but targetted the enemy airfiled at Munda further north, this attack was supported by an attack by B-24's from Cooktown on Woodwark Island. VB-101, VB-103 and VMD-154 (PB4Y's) all hit Munda without loss.



Japanese positions on Lunga themselves were targetted at around 11:34 by B-17 Fortresses and Liberators from Lugnaville. 38 bombers attacked in four waves over 25 minutes dropping high explosive ordinace before turning back without loss. Maximum effort is being asked from the pilots. 63rd Bombardment (B-17) joined 320th, 321st and 372nd (B-24) Bombardment Squadrons over Lunga.



The Japanese response came in the form of Ki-21's escorted by Ki-43 II's. A bloody and lengthy battle was fought by the enemy fighters and our own with 20 aircraft on both sides being reported shot down. 330th Fighter Squadron (P-38G) and 48th Fighter Squadron (P-38F) operating from the newly established fighter base at Ndeni flew LRCAP while the Wildcats of VCF-21 (CVE Nassau), VCF-31 (CVE Altamaha) and VF-60 (CVE Suwannee)provided the close in support. No ships were hit and it seemed the Navy learnt the lesson yesterday when the CV Essex was damaged by Ki-21's. CV's Yorktown, Victorious and a damaged Essex and CVL's Bellau Wood, Princeton, Independence, Cowpens and Hermes stand-by should the IJN carriers sortie. As of yet no reports of enemy surface or carrier units have been received from picket subs around Truk, Rabaul or the Solomon Sea.



By sunset the main elements of three divisions were ashore, along with support troops and artillery. Engineers and See Bee units were unloading tomorrow and an advance element of the US XI Corps was directing the battle straight from the beaches.



Ground combat at Lunga

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 8637 troops, 50 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 225

Defending force 22769 troops, 276 guns, 43 vehicles, Assault Value = 888



Allied ground losses:
6 casualties reported

By nightfall news had been received by SOPAC Command at Noumea that the 46th Naval Construction Battlaion had successfully occupied the empty Japanese base at Taktaka on the right flank of the attack. Two more See Bee Units were enroute to an empty Tassafaronga to seal off any escape from Lunga.

The main priority for tomorrow is to finish unloading the assault units and start escorting supply ships into Lunga. Three BB TF's remain on station to guard against an enemy sortie.

Synopsis of the Battle so far:

It seems that I have achieved operational surprise as the enemy was not expecting a landing at Lunga. THe recent moves in Burma along with the attack and consequent raiding from Merauke was intended to further thicken the fog of war and divert Japanese attention elsewhere. For the time being he has been caught flat footed but now the cat is out of the bag I expect an instant reaction. His carriers will surely sortie and he at least outnumbers my fleet decks by 2-1. I have a plethora of small carriers that can bring something to the battle but I am really relying on my veteran sqaudrons of PB4Y's to damage his carriers as well as a veteran sub force deployed enforce. Hopefully he Goddess of Luck will shine over our side in this battle!

Extract from 'Gudalcanal '43', by Captain Reynolds RN (ret).

"...the carnage wrecked on the Liberty ships by the shore gunners was immense. Fortunately the docks at Portland were churning them out faster that the Japs could sink them and handy reserves of ships at Sydney and Abemama were standing by.

The early part of the battle came to ahead the night of July 4th, a poignant day for our American allies. A cruiser led IJN force stole into the harbour at Lunga the night of the 3/4th July. It silently stole past the burning and sinking hulks of the landing force, shilouetted by the fighting and bursts from the shore. Unbeknownst to the Japanese Admiral a task force headed by the battleships Nevada and Oklahoma had taken station at Lunga, relieving the Colorado task force. Radar once again proved crucial as we landed the first blows on the enemy ships. Two quick and rough engagements followed which saw two destroyers aside lost and the Nevada take two Long Lances, she made it though.

The Japanese cruisers, on the other hand, fared off badly as the heavy guns on the Oklahoma and the Nevada tore through their belt armour. The Mikuma fared off the worst and was later caught heading north by the strike wing of the Yorktown and sunk. This venerable and battered carrier, wounded veteran of the Battle of the Gilberts, took a bomb from a Sally later in the day, to add to a submarine fired torpedo she had already suffered. Yet she stayed in the line battered but never beaten or broken.

The 4th July also saw the first signs on land that the Marines were starting to win the battle..."

FROM: CINPAC, PEARL HARBOUR
TO: MGEN HALL, O/C XI CORPS, LUNGA, GUADALCANAL
SUBJECT: BATTLE OF LUNGA

HALL,

NAVY AND AIRFORCE HAVE KEPT YOUR FORCES FIGHTING AT A GREAT COST. GET THE JOB DONE!

CINPAC

After all the noise, chaos and blood of war comes the unearthly quiet that follows a battle. Veterans of Majuro would know what I mean but the ones of Lunga did not have the bitter taste of defeat, rather the hard won, yet somewhat empty, feel of victory. The lessons of the Gilberts had been learnt. This was a full on operation, using concentrated force and combined arms. As expected the Japs had fought hard, and still they fought in the jungle, but Lunga was in American hands and Marine Wildcats and Dauntlesses flew from its patched up fields.

War torn American flag raised on Lunga, July 9th 1943 by Trooper J.G.Green, 1st US Cavalry Division.

CV-5 USS Yorktown

Battle Honours

Operation Rapier 1942
Battle of Tarawa 1942
Battle of the Gilberts 1942
Gudalcanal 1943

So far she has been hit by two aerial torpedoes, Gilberts and Lunga, a submarine, Lunga, and a 250lb bomb off a Sally. Her motto after Lunga 'Bowed but never beaten'

CV Yorktown


Nursing damage during the Battle of Lunga