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

[BBfanboy]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

125 fighters and 289 bombers. A serious force.

Sparrow force was embarking aboard landing craft at Endeh. They will go to Koepang and be covered by Canberra and 2 DD. Many fighters fly in to Koepang.

US/RN carriers in the Timor Sea will fall back toward Darwin.

What are they up to? Obviously, a landing at Bima and probably to smash up Koepang. I doubt they will attack Darwin.

You have a Canberra bomber already? Cool! I like how they put the pilot seat and canopy off to the left so the tea kettle could be on the right side of the cockpit. [:D]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: RangerJoe

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

There is a PBS documentary about Chosin on Amazon.

Very good. Mostly about 1st Marine Div but there is some about the poor Army unit east of the reservoir.

Task Force Faith, named after its commander. The 31st RCT which I believe was part of the US 7th Infantry Division.

Yes that man, Lt. Col Faith, deserved the CMOH, which he received, posthumously

[Cap Mandrake]

Wilfred Clouston, despite his somewhat painful first name (by American ears, although it is from the common "William" and "frieden", meaning "free" in high German and thus Saxon) is the supreme Allied ace in the Pacific.

Interesting story. He has overachieved in WWii(e) because he has not been sitting in a Japanese POW camp in but flying the superiority fighter the Kittyhawk III

[RangerJoe]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Wilfred Clouston, despite his somewhat painful first name (by American ears, although it is from the common "William" and "frieden", meaning "free" in high German and thus Saxon) is the supreme Allied ace in the Pacific.

Interesting story. He has overachieved in WWii(e) because he has not been sitting in a Japanese POW camp in but flying the superiority fighter the Kittyhawk III

Actually, "High" German is in the south while "Low" German such as Saxon is in the north. A common vulgar word is spelled with an "i" in High German but with a "u" in Saxon Low German and English. In the High German spelling, it is also the last name of the man who invented contact lenses. He was raised by is uncle with the same last name who also had developed the law of diffusion.

So when someone loses their contact lens and states "I lost that (expletive deleted)ing thing!" they are actually being descriptive.

[Cap Mandrake]

Right...I meant "Old German"

COVID going up again in SoCal. Lots of infants of unvaccinated moms getting sick. One mom was breastfeeding her 8 week old and got sick. I had her stop breast feeding and dad took over with formula feeds. She was locked in her room. Even with all that the baby got sick too but did well. I'm rooting for herd immunity because I am seriously getting tired of this f****** thing. Thanks again, Winnie Xi Pooh

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Right...I meant "Old German"

COVID going up again in SoCal. Lots of infants of unvaccinated moms getting sick. One mom was breastfeeding her 8 week old and got sick. I had her stop breast feeding and dad took over with formula feeds. She was locked in her room. Even with all that the baby got sick too but did well. I'm rooting for herd immunity because I am seriously getting tired of this f****** thing. Thanks again, Winnie Xi Pooh

Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight, Cap!

BTW, did you know I do software QA for our systems at the ABP? [:)]

[Cap Mandrake]

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Right...I meant "Old German"

COVID going up again in SoCal. Lots of infants of unvaccinated moms getting sick. One mom was breastfeeding her 8 week old and got sick. I had her stop breast feeding and dad took over with formula feeds. She was locked in her room. Even with all that the baby got sick too but did well. I'm rooting for herd immunity because I am seriously getting tired of this f****** thing. Thanks again, Winnie Xi Pooh

Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight, Cap!

BTW, did you know I do software QA for our systems at the ABP? [:)]

Haha. I don't have to do the recertification because I am grandfathered in. I went through the oral board exams which were run by professors with sadistic traits. I had to fly all the way to DC to take the thing. They lock you in a room with the inquisitor for about 20 minutes and then they send you into the next room. The first guy says after I give my answer "I'm sure glad you aren't taking care of my grandkids" after I gave a pretty good answer. Maybe he objected to calling in an ortho consultant on the case but it seemed he was purposely being an a-hole. I wanted to tell him to go f*** himself but then it occurred to me....this is a testing situation...maybe he is TRYING to get me to lose it or to rattle me so I fall apart with the next professor..so I just give him a faint smile and a head tilt..and he smiles back a bit...so either I was right and the bastard set me up even after I got the question right or he is gay and he thinks I am flirting with him...and then the timer goes off and we are instructed to go to the next room and as I cross the hall I notice all the other applicants have no blood in their faces and look they are gutshot with bird pellets.

"You sadistic bastards! You did this to every applicant on purpose!"

25% of the applicants were failed after flying to f'ing DC and 3 years of residency and 4 years of medical school

[USSAmerica]

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

ORIGINAL: USSAmerica

ORIGINAL: Cap Mandrake

Right...I meant "Old German"

COVID going up again in SoCal. Lots of infants of unvaccinated moms getting sick. One mom was breastfeeding her 8 week old and got sick. I had her stop breast feeding and dad took over with formula feeds. She was locked in her room. Even with all that the baby got sick too but did well. I'm rooting for herd immunity because I am seriously getting tired of this f****** thing. Thanks again, Winnie Xi Pooh

Thanks for continuing to fight the good fight, Cap!

BTW, did you know I do software QA for our systems at the ABP? [:)]

Haha. I don't have to do the recertification because I am grandfathered in. I went through the oral board exams which were run by professors with sadistic traits. I had to fly all the way to DC to take the thing. They lock you in a room with the inquisitor for about 20 minutes and then they send you into the next room. The first guy says after I give my answer "I'm sure glad you aren't taking care of my grandkids" after I gave a pretty good answer. Maybe he objected to calling in an ortho consultant on the case but it seemed he was purposely being an a-hole. I wanted to tell him to go f*** himself but then it occurred to me....this is a testing situation...maybe he is TRYING to get me to lose it or to rattle me so I fall apart with the next professor..so I just give him a faint smile and a head tilt..and he smiles back a bit...so either I was right and the bastard set me up even after I got the question right or he is gay and he thinks I am flirting with him...and then the timer goes off and we are instructed to go to the next room and as I cross the hall I notice all the other applicants have no blood in their faces and look they are gutshot with bird pellets.

"You sadistic bastards! You did this to every applicant on purpose!"

25% of the applicants were failed after flying to f'ing DC and 3 years of residency and 4 years of medical school

Jeez! I know the written exams now are hard, but I don't think they compare to that experience. [X(]

When I started, my first project was the pilot for MOCA-Peds. By all accounts, those who need to maintain their certification status love it compared to sitting for another written exam every 5 years.

Thanks for persevering and providing the care for our children that too many don't get these days! [&o]

[Cap Mandrake]

*************August 7, 1943(e)***********

Makassar Strait, Sumbawa, Timor..stuff like that:

Did the troopships turn around? This seems to be the same convoy about 280 nm N of Bima. It's almost as if the Jap high command is trying to trick me....naah.

Sub attack near Madjene at 65,102

Japanese Ships
DD Satsuki
DD Fuyo
DD Numakaze
E Kiku
E Hishu
E Kuretake
AMC Gokoku Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Argentina Maru
xAP Tatsuta Maru
DD Wakatake
DD Minekaze
DD Nagatsuki

Allied Ships
SS Pogy

[Cap Mandrake]

Wait..is it back on? Are they just trying to take out the AF?

Night Naval bombardment of Bima at 63,110

Japanese Ships
CL Natori
DD Murakumo
DD Kawakaze
DD Minegumo
DD Kagero
DD Suzunami
DD Takanami
DD Yugumo

Allied ground losses:
129 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 18 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Airbase hits 3
Airbase supply hits 3
Runway hits 18
Port hits 16
Port supply hits 3

[Cap Mandrake]

Oh, look, it's the same highly escorted convoy moving South during the night. It's on. Probably Bima. This is a good example of the mid phase intercept code. Very nice.

Sub attack near Makassar at 64,106

Japanese Ships
E Hishu
DD Fuyo
DD Numakaze
DD Minekaze
E Kiku
E Yugao
AMC Gokoku Maru
xAP Kongo Maru
xAP Argentina Maru
xAP Tatsuta Maru
DD Wakatake
DD Nagatsuki
DD Satsuki

Allied Ships
SS Amberjack

[Cap Mandrake]

Something dangerous over by Kendari too. The zone is flooded with US and Dutch subs

Sub attack near Kendari at 71,106

Japanese Ships
DD Wakazuki

Allied Ships
SS Drum

[Cap Mandrake]

Damned effective attack on our New Guinea to Mindanao air bridge.

Morning Air attack on Sorong , at 82,107

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 60 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 22 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 62
G3M3 Nell x 33

Allied aircraft
no flights

Japanese aircraft losses
G3M3 Nell: 6 damaged
G3M3 Nell: 2 destroyed by flak

Allied aircraft losses
C-46A Commando: 37 damaged
C-46A Commando: 3 destroyed on ground
C-46A Commando: 41 damaged
C-46A Commando: 1 destroyed on ground
Swordfish I: 2 damaged
Swordfish I: 1 destroyed on ground

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 11
Runway hits 68

[Cap Mandrake]

If the IJN wants Bima that bad we will take Ceram while they are busy. The whole idea is to break through to Mindanao

Morning Air attack on 65th Brigade, at 80,110 (Boela)

Weather in hex: Severe storms

Raid detected at 40 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft
Mitchell II x 9
B-25C Mitchell x 3
B-25D1 Mitchell x 6
B-25G Mitchell x 8
F6F-3 Hellcat x 8

Allied aircraft losses
Mitchell II: 1 damaged

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

[Cap Mandrake]

Airfields at Ternate and Lolobato need to be suppressed to effect a landing at Boela

Morning Air attack on Lolobato , at 79,102

Weather in hex: Overcast

Raid detected at 26 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Allied aircraft
B-24D Liberator x 6
B-24D1 Liberator x 6

Allied aircraft losses
B-24D1 Liberator: 1 damaged

Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

[Cap Mandrake]

Most of the Pacific theater B-24's moved up to the level 8 AF at Bolo

[Cap Mandrake]

Hatsusuki-encrusted Halibut. US subs getting better.

Sub attack near Kendari at 71,106

Japanese Ships
DD Hatsuzuki, Torpedo hits 1, heavy damage
DD Wakazuki

Allied Ships
SS Halibut

[Cap Mandrake]

Sumatra: LARP Brigade lads take Djambi by air drop in central Sumatra and now we are trying to fly in troops and aviation support lads. They get bombed from Singapore 3 x a day. This is the second time we took Djambi. I am pretty sure this is annoying for the empire. I have learned the trick is to fly in aviation support troops with some AAA to take the brunt of the air attacks

Afternoon Air attack on 173 Wing Base Force, at 48,88 (Djambi)

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 17 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 27
Ki-48-IIb Lily x 46

No Japanese losses

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

[Cap Mandrake]

An AKL/AK/LST lost in one night/day trying to sneak in to Mindanao by threading their way around Leyte. Time to give up on that route.

[Cap Mandrake]

Maybe we can go West across the Atlantic from..Portugal or something?