15-16 Dec 42
Highlights – Good day in Burma; quiet returns to Kirakira
Jpn ships sunk:
SS: 1 (I-35)
SSX: 1
Allied ships sunk:
PT: 1
Air loss:
Jpn: 72
Allied: 62
Subwar:
Jpn: 0 Attacks, 0 ships hit
I-35 claimed sunk by DD Hamman off Kirakira
Allies: 3 Attacks, 0 ships hit
Jpn Amph Inv: None
Allied Amph Inv: None
Bases lost: None
Bases Liberated: None
SIGINT/Intel: SS Grunion spots big TF (2BB, 2CA, CL, 6+DDs) north of Kavieng – question is whether they are headed north or south. BBs perhaps to hit Kirakira??
West Coast/Admin. NSTR.
In NOPAC, NSTR.
In CENPAC, after US CVs take on fuel, they move between Baker Is and Vaitupu – will sortie NNW to strike at reported shipping in the Tarawa-Ocean Is areas next turn. Carriers will then head back to port as sorties avail are getting low.
In SOPAC, its pretty quiet. Lone remaining PT near Kirakira is sunk by CA TF (3CA,4DD) before the IJN withdraws. US CA TF sortie from Ndeni to Kira finds the IJN long gone, and only accomplishes one sub sunk by its escorts. Small Fast TR TF (DMS, 2APD, 2xAKL) bring supplies into Kirakira without issue. IJN air strikes are limited to a few Kates at night, which accomplish little. Kirakira damage all repaired and engineers resume expanding facilities. LB-30s return to Shortlands Port, this time at night, and put 2 bombs on the CL Tama, leaving her on fire.
In SWPAC, Merauke convoys begin closed on staging port at Portland Roads without issue. They will move on to stage at Ndeni, along with the CL TF (2CL, 4DD) next turn, covered by about 100+ LB fighters. Taking a risk here, but curious to see if there is any reaction – figure L_S_T’s recon/searches has noticed the large amount of shipping gathered – but hopefully doesn’t know its target yet, and just might figure it’s a heavy reinforcement of Horn Island. One bomb group of B-17s hit Milne Bay with moderate effect and no loss. B-17s hit both Merauke and Milne Bay targets with moderate effect. Next turn, all assets focus on Merauke in support of the landing – as long as the KB isn’t all of the sudden sighted coming into the Arafura Sea.
In WAUS, NSTR.
In China, IJA forces, 20 units strong enter the outskirts of Chungking. The final drama for the Capital has begun – and with only 939 supplies in the city…not good.
In India/Burma, a good two days. Allied airpower masses to support B-25 and B-24 attacks on the IJA’s 21st Div. I try something new – LRCAP in addition to sweeps. While the sweeps coming in one squadron at a time, they are augmented each time by the fighters on LRCAP. So despite a very robust LRCAP over the 21st ID – better parts of 3 Tojo, 2 Zero and a Tony Sentai, the sweeps and LRCAP do very well at eliminating the LRCAP by the time the bombers come in. Total tally after the two days are: 36 Tojo, 18 AM3a, and 11 Tony (65 total) against 16 P-40K, 11 Martlet, 7 P-39, 10 Hurri, 4 Kittyhawk III and 2 P-38Es (50 total). I’ll take that exchange, especially with no bombers lost to fighters. First time the Allied fighters inflicted heavy loss on Tojos. Nice. Will follow up with a heavy night air attack on Magwe (I’m allowed one 8 squadron raid from L_S_T, since he did the same at Carnavon – we normally have a 1 squadron limit at night bombing in ’42 – figure now is a good time to call in that debt, perhaps catching a few damaged a/c on the ground). On the ground, the 4 Div Brit/Indian attack succeeds in pushing the IJA’s 21st ID back with heavy loss (2863 casualites, including 77 squads and 32 guns destroyed). Will now move one of the divisions to support (and later hopefully relieve) the adjacent US 27th ID. Lastly, the IJA has advanced out of Akyab toward Cox’s Bazaar – will hit this stack with the bombers next turn. Below screenshot shows the front on the India-Burma border.
