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Relief of pearl continues into turn 2.  no sign of KB and all operation IJ planes and ships have evacuated the AO. 

SCTF NW of Pearl intercepted xAKs and has sank3/4. 

Amphib at kona success w/ blowout of the defender in a level 6 fort.  Contributing factors to success.
a.  Pac oceans HQ prep 100% for Kona.
b.  1st and 11th corp both prep 100% for Kona.
c.  3 div and 4 AR prep100% for Kona.
d.  Amphib Tf of 100 ships w/ 250000 load capacity.  140000t load was APA/AKA w/ 120000combat load for 1st turn drop.
e.  CA Blue Ridge arrives in 20 days.  I have not used an amphib HQ yet in my operations and will have to study the extra effect.
f.  CV TFs where statiosn 1 hex off Kona w/ 3c CVEs into Kona hex.
g.  Bombardment of Hilo suppressed the betties.
h.  Minor bombardment of Lahania also.


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Ground combat at Kona (182,111)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 39742 troops, 940 guns, 1148 vehicles, Assault Value = 1887

Defending force 7036 troops, 70 guns, 8 vehicles, Assault Value = 200

Allied engineers reduce fortifications to 5

Allied adjusted assault: 3747

Japanese adjusted defense: 61

Allied assault odds: 61 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied forces CAPTURE Kona !!!

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), disruption(-), preparation(-)
experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
4985 casualties reported
Squads: 59 destroyed, 132 disabled
Non Combat: 78 destroyed, 25 disabled
Engineers: 15 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 46 (25 destroyed, 21 disabled)
Vehicles lost 11 (11 destroyed, 0 disabled)
Units retreated 5


Allied ground losses:
534 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 61 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 9 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 26 disabled


Defeated Japanese Units Retreating!

This a look at the counterbattery fire from the Japs before i attacked at Kona.  I am very surprised at my final results.
Again I sense I overkilled the situation w/ troop commitment.  In this Case I have to push on to Hilo so I guess no matter if I used too much force.
Ground combat at Kona (182,111)
 
Japanese Bombardment attack
 
Attacking force 5091 troops, 38 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 208
 
Defending force 48558 troops, 1144 guns, 1333 vehicles, Assault Value = 1887
 
Japanese ground losses:
      80 casualties reported
         Squads: 0 destroyed, 8 disabled
         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
 

Different story at Lihu.  Dropped a para frag from Johnson w/ a 30% prep attack.  No naval gunfire support and My tank TF was set to "do not unload".  Bad attack.  Embarrassing.
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Ground combat at Lihue (178,106)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 1150 troops, 102 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 169

Defending force 2455 troops, 22 guns, 2 vehicles, Assault Value = 71

Allied adjusted assault: 2

Japanese adjusted defense: 547

Allied assault odds: 1 to 273 (fort level 6)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), forts(+), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
92 casualties reported
Squads: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 3 disabled


Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 5 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
158th(Sep) Infantry Rgt /1
102nd Combat Engr Rgt /1
2nd USMC Parachute Bn /1
C Det USN Port Svc /1
42nd Aviation Base Force /2
4th Marine Def Bn /1
93rd Cst AA Rgt /1
16th USN SeaBees /1
97th FA Bn /1
2nd USMC Air Wing Base Force /1
6th Marine Def Bn /1
20th USN Naval Const Rgt /2

Defending units:
44th Naval Guard Unit
47th JNAF AF Unit

At pearl Harbor 85000 tons of supply were unloaded in one turn.

4th Aus armor Bde and attachments unloaded this turn at Milne Bay.  IJN BB TF shelled  Woodlark Island same night but did not react into milne Bay.  I was waiting.

8-26-43: Today hawaii becomes a side show as the invasion force a milne Bay comes under counter IJN pressure.
Trap was laid and did bare fruit as as a PT sqn put a torp into the CA Chokia NE of Milne.


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Night Time Surface Combat, near Fergusson Island at 102,132, Range 2,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
CA Chokai, Torpedo hits 1
CA Myoko
DD Yugumo
DD Takanami
DD Kuroshio
DD Shiranui
DD Urakaze
DD Hatsuharu

Allied Ships
PT-288
PT-335
PT-351
PT-352
PT-353
PT-354, Shell hits 1, and is sunk



Poor visibility due to Rain with 17% moonlight
Maximum visibility in Rain and 17% moonlight: 2,000 yards
Range closes to 10,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 10,000 yards
Range closes to 8,000 yards...
Range closes to 6,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 6,000 yards
Range closes to 4,000 yards...
Range closes to 2,000 yards...
CONTACT: Japanese lookouts spot Allied task force at 2,000 yards
CONTACT: Allied lookouts spot Japanese task force at 2,000 yards
Irvine D. gains tactical advantage
PT-352 engages DD Hatsuharu at 2,000 yards
PT-351 engages DD Hatsuharu at 2,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages PT-352 at 2,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages PT-351 at 2,000 yards
DD Takanami engages PT-352 at 2,000 yards
DD Yugumo engages PT-354 at 2,000 yards
CA Chokai engages PT-354 at 2,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages PT-354 at 2,000 yards
PT-354 sunk by DD Urakaze at 2,000 yards
DD Takanami engages PT-288 at 2,000 yards
Range increases to 3,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages PT-351 at 3,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages PT-335 at 3,000 yards
DD Kuroshio engages PT-352 at 3,000 yards
DD Takanami engages PT-351 at 3,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages PT-353 at 3,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages PT-335 at 3,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages PT-352 at 3,000 yards
Irvine D. orders Allied TF to disengage
DD Shiranui engages PT-352 at 3,000 yards
DD Takanami engages PT-353 at 3,000 yards
Range increases to 8,000 yards
CA Chokai engages PT-352 at 8,000 yards
DD Hatsuharu engages PT-353 at 8,000 yards
DD Urakaze engages PT-288 at 8,000 yards
DD Shiranui engages PT-352 at 8,000 yards
Task forces break off...


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I suspect the Japs turned on all the ir trpedo and skip bombers in a failing effort to sink the invasion TF at milne which I had ordered w/drawn the night before.  Instead of the betties hiting my LSTs at milne they all went to Rossell Island and PM instead.  All the torp bombers art rossell missed the 2 xAKs unloading. 

Seems my ship upgrades are having effect on Betty targeting. They cant hit the backside of a barn.

My air response to BB/CAs in the open in range was weak and feable.  Lost some TBFs, Beauforts, b25s and SBDs in uncoordinated attacks on the Kongo class BBs.The B25s were set at 10000ft instead of 1000ft.  The CAP was strong over Milne.
Those IJN SCTFs will have to exit past my PTs agains.

FatR knows my CVs are at Hawaii so I would not be surprised to see the Kongo BBs raid the Coral sea.

FatR has created a tactical guess game for the allies.  The IJN TFs at Milne are ready to strike. if he comes after my amphjibs he will bag about 50 lsit/lsts.  All I have is 3xCLs and some DDs.  Last turn he shot up all my SBDs and Torp carriers...

Milne could become a problem.  The IJN SC TF shelled Port Moresby this turn and sank some landing craft at PM.  I did a hasty retreat w/ all ships in the area.  FatR has placed a strong CAP over milne bay.

At Lihue I achieved a 1-1 assault w/ massive ship bombardment.

Today I landed at Midway w/ one regiment and one CBT eng battalion.  I dont have enough APAs in this TF and I probably will start to have a problem.

FatR did something wrong to get this result.  Not sure what happened over PM. Chokia is reported sunk but i dont believe it. It took only one PT torpedo.

43-9-8: A nasty little struggle has developed at miday as unpreped allied troops try to force a decision against japs in a level 6 fort.


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Ground combat at Midway Island (158,91)

Allied Shock attack

Attacking force 2739 troops, 52 guns, 215 vehicles, Assault Value = 67

Defending force 2330 troops, 37 guns, 14 vehicles, Assault Value = 24

Allied adjusted assault: 18

Japanese adjusted defense: 6

Allied assault odds: 3 to 1 (fort level 5)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 4

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
359 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 3 disabled
Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 46 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 6 disabled
Guns lost 10 (3 destroyed, 7 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
173 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 8 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 8 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Vehicles lost 11 (1 destroyed, 10 disabled)


Assaulting units:
637th Tank Destroyer Battalion
766th Tank Battalion
58th (Sep) Infantry Rgt /1
105th USN Base Force /1
165th Field Artillery Battalion
151st Combat Engineer Regiment
108th USN Base Force /3

Defending units:
Kure 3rd SNLF
33rd JNAF AF Unit
27th Fld AA Gun Co
4th JAAF AF Bn

43-9-9:  We hit midway again w/ a deliberate attck supported by Naval BB.  Not much of an attack but did get a 2-1..





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Ground combat at Midway Island (158,91)

Allied Deliberate attack

Attacking force 2564 troops, 52 guns, 214 vehicles, Assault Value = 51

Defending force 1999 troops, 40 guns, 13 vehicles, Assault Value = 23

Allied adjusted assault: 13

Japanese adjusted defense: 6

Allied assault odds: 2 to 1 (fort level 4)

Allied Assault reduces fortifications to 3

Combat modifiers
Defender: forts(+), disruption(-), experience(-)
Attacker:

Japanese ground losses:
175 casualties reported
Squads: 3 destroyed, 2 disabled
Non Combat: 19 destroyed, 5 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 4 disabled
Guns lost 16 (13 destroyed, 3 disabled)
Vehicles lost 6 (2 destroyed, 4 disabled)


Allied ground losses:
38 casualties reported
Squads: 8 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled


Assaulting units:
58th (Sep) Infantry Regiment
766th Tank Battalion
637th TD Bn /2
165th Field Artillery Battalion
151st Combat Engineer Regiment
105th USN Base Force /1
108th USN Base Force /3

Defending units:
Kure 3rd SNLF
27th Fld AA Gun Co
33rd JNAF AF Unit
4th JAAF AF Bn

At Woodlark i had a small barge TF headed NW and at the last minute I ordered a change back to Rossel island.  Luck for me as a IJN SCTF showed up.  I did have some planes set to night attack but am not gettting any hits.

43-9-10: current VP level starting to move my way...but not much.  FatR has 30000troops at Lahani(or 3000squads).  I forget the VP ratio but I figure to eliminate troops in hex to be worth 3000/6=500VPs.
At Milne bay I have isolated the 18000 troops(1800squads) so 1800/6=300 more VPs if I can push them into the sea.   Intel reports a rifled gun Bat unloaded at rabaul last turn.  I figure this unit headed to Milne bay fast trans to counter my 3 armored regiments now located
in hex.
Last turn I dropped reinforcements into Milne bay uncontested. This turn the IJN BB division at Rabaul responded but no action as I retreated after a 1 turn unload. My bombard AV is over 400 compared to the 100AV defense at Milne.

Looking at this chart the fall of Chungking appears in the top half of the report and the recapture of Kona and Hilo is reflected in the bottom half.

Milne bay is turning into a major struggle.  IJN is attempting sea resupply.


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Milne Bay at 101,133

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 80 NM, estimated altitude 14,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 38 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 12
N1K1-J George x 10
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 23
Ki-84a Frank x 10



Allied aircraft
Beaufort VIII x 6
P-40K Warhawk x 29
F4U-1 Corsair x 3
F6F-3 Hellcat x 23
SBD-5 Dauntless x 11
TBF-1 Avenger x 46


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8 Zero: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Beaufort VIII: 1 damaged
P-40K Warhawk: 8 destroyed
F4U-1 Corsair: 1 destroyed
F6F-3 Hellcat: 8 destroyed
TBF-1 Avenger: 4 damaged

Japanese Ships
CL Katori, Torpedo hits 2, and is sunk
CL Abukuma, Bomb hits 2, on fire
BB Kongo, Torpedo hits 1
AMC Bankok Maru, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 4, and is sunk
CL Kashima, Torpedo hits 3, and is sunk
BB Haruna
DD Tachikaze
CL Kinu

and


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Morning Air attack on TF, near Milne Bay at 101,133

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid detected at 68 NM, estimated altitude 4,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 24 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M8 Zero x 2
N1K1-J George x 2
Ki-43-IIb Oscar x 4
Ki-84a Frank x 4



Allied aircraft
Boomerang C-12 x 16
Kittyhawk III x 7
P-40N1 Warhawk x 19
P-40N5 Warhawk x 18
P-47D2 Thunderbolt x 23


Japanese aircraft losses
A6M8 Zero: 1 destroyed
N1K1-J George: 1 destroyed
Ki-43-IIb Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
Boomerang C-12: 1 damaged
P-40N1 Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-40N5 Warhawk: 1 destroyed
P-47D2 Thunderbolt: 1 destroyed

Japanese Ships
DD Isonami, Shell hits 1, Bomb hits 2, on fire
AV Kamikawa Maru, Bomb hits 6, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Minazuki, Shell hits 2



Aircraft Attacking:
16 x Boomerang C-12 bombing from 100 feet
Naval Attack: 2 x 500 lb SAP Bomb
7 x Kittyhawk III sweeping at 10000 feet *
7 x P-47D2 Thunderbolt sweeping at 10000 feet
17 x P-40N1 Warhawk sweeping at 10000 feet
14 x P-40N5 Warhawk sweeping at 10000 feet

CAP engaged:
253 Ku S-1 with N1K1-J George (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 41010 , scrambling fighters between 4000 and 10470.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 18 minutes
202 Ku S-1 with A6M8 Zero (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
2 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 37100 , scrambling fighters to 18000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 7 minutes
11th Sentai with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
3 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 8540.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 63 minutes
64th Sentai with Ki-84a Frank (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
4 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 4000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 26 minutes
248th Sentai with Ki-43-IIb Oscar (0 airborne, 0 on standby, 0 scrambling)
1 plane(s) not yet engaged, 0 being recalled, 0 out of immediate contact.
Group patrol altitude is 20000 , scrambling fighters to 4000.
Time for all group planes to reach interception is 48 minutes

Pearl was a large prison camp. The 24th and 25th divisions were not formed. SoPac, sopacair, 7th air force, 7th af hq were all located at pearl. The americal was decimated. I suspect that any invasion of Pearl would have caused a mass surrender. This screenprint taken 8-13-43.