5/11/42
Ogawa, Diogawa and Okura are together for the moment on the starboard ‘balcony’.
Once again their view is filled with the vision of Truk lagoon, blue and beautiful.
A welcome breeze is blowing, and the waters are capped with white horses, ships boats scurrying about plow heavy bow waves, spray will soak many a dress uniform today.
‘Just like a bloody fleet review ney?” Diogawa, as usual is impressed with the fleet before them.
In reality, it is an impressive sight.
Yamato, still swings there at her moorings, steadily earning her reputation as the fleet hotel. Behind her, in one great row, Nagato, Mutsu , and the four fast battleships rest as well.
Behind them nearly another dozen heavy cruisers swing at anchor as well.
It is a grand sight. Today we would give eye teeth for some photos of these great dinosaurs.
But , of course, for these men, these battle wagons are a common sight, hardly worth the film. Besides, they will always be there to be photographed…………
About them, destroyers almost uncountable swing at moorings as well.
‘Where do you think we will use this lot?” wonders Okura aloud, “its an awful lot of metal to have sitting around doing nothing”
Ogawa shakes his head. “ battleships Okura, as you well know, are for Admirals to plan their next party in. Us carrier men are to do the real fighting.”
‘A note of cynicism my fighter friend?”
“Just a touch, just a touch”
A fuelling barge is approaching, as this means smokes out, there is little point being out here anymore. They go back inside, and take up the endless card game again.
Somehow, they feel, Truk is only a short stay.
They are correct. But also incorrect in another way.
Zuiho and her task group refuel, and depart again at dusk, and head due east.
Behind her, a hundred funnels shovel black smoke , as many, many boilers are lit of.
The floating ‘hotels’ move silently to sea.
Reception for strangers , I think, could be termed ‘chilly’
Extract from ‘Shattering the Sword” a cantona production
Timing is everything
Despite everything, the losses, the lack of carriers, the political crises over the continuation of the war in Washington and London , Allied High Command refuses to just remain passive.
‘I need no stinking carriers” Admiral cantona had declared. And so he would prove.
Even as Yamato’s great anchors wrench themselves free from Truks sandy lagoon bottom, the Allies next nibble at the empire swing into action.
1st regiment, United states Marines, and all its support forces, swing due west, and begin the run into Majuro, 120 miles due North of Mili………
Private Mitchell , of the 113th Construction Engineers, grips the guardrail tightly, and enjoys the sea air.
The pacific, as always, remains impossibly huge.
Excitement grips him, a low tightness in his belly. This is his third crossing of this mighty waters. Once, heart focused on the Lord.
And then came Tarawa
The second, in mourning, and determined to return, to do his part for his country.
And now, this time, third time lucky.
And fate, it seems, is taking him back to the beginning.
Mitchell , has not made the Marines. But God, it seems, had something better for him.
A Midwestern boy knows tractors. It is only a small step from that to a bulldozer.
Thou shall not kill. But you can serve on the front line……
Mitchell is not the only one at the guard rails, The AP Santa Elena may be large, but 2000 plus men make her feel very small indeed.
They have been told, an hour ago, the target.
Majuro.
“defended lightly”
Mitchell hopes so. But does it matter.? His fate is in Gods hands. But those battleships sailing with them sure are re assuring………….
Despite the best of efforts, spares for the fuel pump simply do not exist at Truk
Nor on the Shoho.
So now they have to do it the hard way.
After the entering harbour action stations, the refueling, the harbour leaving stations, they have been able to begin work.
His suspicion was correct. A broken ring. . Jammed into the head.
The piston is cracked. The cylinder scored. The con rod, busted. (Thank god he has a spare for that!)
Now , near midnight, the pump lies scattered to hell across the boiler room floor.
And Tan looks positively happy.
‘We can sleeve the cylinder chief, I have done THAT before……… Bearings we can pour too…”
He takes one of the shattered rings into hand, holds it up to the light. “Now these, my friend, these will be the real challenge”
His grin becomes almost Cheshire cattish ……….’But that’s what excites us yes?, challenges”
Put that way, is there any doubt that some how they will fix this bloody pump?
The little ship that could.
Moderators: wdolson, MOD_War-in-the-Pacific-Admirals-Edition
two immovable objects meeting........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
battle speed one!........again!
6/11/42
The waiting is very, very quiet
Yamamoto sits, erect, perfectly dressed as usual, awaiting the word to enter HIS lair.
He waits a long time
‘Herbiesan will see you know Admiral”
With a grunt, he stands, and with courage, enters the room
The door closes.
For a moment, the Admiral is taken aback. The Dictator is sitting at his desk, maps spread all around. That is not surprising. The fact that he is nearly naked, barely a loin clothe, is.
“Ahh, Yamamoto, come in!, Scotch?. Take a seat!”
warily, the Admiral declines……..there is actually no seat.
Herbiesan looks up, he has a sheaf of papers in his hand, passes them to Yamamoto.
“Intelligence estimates of Allied production for 1943………..if you look closely, they will again have carrier parity late to mid 43”
yes. Yes they will. And you want me to do something about it.
But of course he keeps silent.
Herbiesan stands. “Admiral. I know, that you would like me dead, like the Emperor, democracy restored. Would like peace.” He grins. There is actually humour behind it ‘Now you know, that I know……..but what to do about it? The public love you too much to see you……………….well, you know”
Yamamoto stiffens. And the grip one his sword tightens. “now” continues the hated little man, ‘many called you to account because you could not do what Yamaguchi was lucky to do……”
‘That took courage sir, courage and boldness”
‘Oh, yes, yes, yes, and luck too” herbiesan passes Yamamoto a scotch. ‘The thing is, the war continues. You continue……and that to me, is a worry. “
‘Sir, my duty is to obey”
The smile, this time, is not warm.
‘And I achieved this, with out spilling blood.”
Herbiesan leans on the table, sweeps his hand across the map “ Do you know, that Combined fleet has no grand plan, no strategy to finish this war?”
Ahh, so he does realize?. He does see all our carriers scattered all over the map?
‘I heard a rumor of that, yes”
‘Well, I do. And I will solve my problem of you, and the war, now.”
He swallows the scotch, pours another.
‘At the moment, we will ‘look busy’ in the pacific, look busy in the IO. But, starting January one, the fleet will withdraw from the war. You will take command of South east area, and I will assign 1st, Combined fleets to you, and 17th Army.
We are going to allow the enemy to climb the Solomon chain Admiral……you will bleed him, but you will not , repeat not risk the fleet. Then, in mid 43, as he crosses the bismark barrier, you will crush him. At any cost. The blow to his moral will be immense. That will bring peace. Bring victory.”
Yamamoto hears the words. Digests them. Fleet command, again. In fact, total command…….
“Will the katsaguri’s be available by then ?”
The question says it all. He has accepted. …..
Herbiesan smiles.
Success. See?, see how easy that was.?. Give the traitor some ships, some new toys, a promise that we will do it his way……….problem neutralized.
“Get to Truk Yamamoto. Start digging. And make my strategy reality………..”
Tanaka lowers his glasses.
He has been observing his sheep, the transports plodding steadily south with them. If he looks closely enough, he can see the men of 4th regiment on their decks.
.
‘Does the Army think a mere regiment is enough?” he wonders aloud
Nobody answers him on the bridge. The answer is obvious to them. A regiment is not enough, never was, never would be. Not unless Narua is all but un defended . But it would certainly make a nice attraction…….
A phone rings on the bridge. Sharp words, Hie!, hie!, yes, yes!
The OOW comes over.
‘Mogami task force has completed bombardment run of narua sir. No return fire reported, but the island is occupied”
Well, there you have it. Maybe a regiment would be enough………
7/11/42
0100 hours
“hands to action stations, hands to action stations!.
Prepare for combat air operations, all departments expedite reports to the bridge!”
‘Zuiho closed up sir!’
‘very good.”
The tannoy crackles
‘This is your Captain speaking. We have a Emily floatplane report of shipping at Mili island, This task force will be in strike range at dawn. Stand by your post, do your duty, and a thousand years of shame to any that shirk their honor. Long live the Empire!’
Kato places the microphone down.
‘Hiyo signals battle speed one sir”
‘Very good. Full ahead all!”
The waiting is very, very quiet
Yamamoto sits, erect, perfectly dressed as usual, awaiting the word to enter HIS lair.
He waits a long time
‘Herbiesan will see you know Admiral”
With a grunt, he stands, and with courage, enters the room
The door closes.
For a moment, the Admiral is taken aback. The Dictator is sitting at his desk, maps spread all around. That is not surprising. The fact that he is nearly naked, barely a loin clothe, is.
“Ahh, Yamamoto, come in!, Scotch?. Take a seat!”
warily, the Admiral declines……..there is actually no seat.
Herbiesan looks up, he has a sheaf of papers in his hand, passes them to Yamamoto.
“Intelligence estimates of Allied production for 1943………..if you look closely, they will again have carrier parity late to mid 43”
yes. Yes they will. And you want me to do something about it.
But of course he keeps silent.
Herbiesan stands. “Admiral. I know, that you would like me dead, like the Emperor, democracy restored. Would like peace.” He grins. There is actually humour behind it ‘Now you know, that I know……..but what to do about it? The public love you too much to see you……………….well, you know”
Yamamoto stiffens. And the grip one his sword tightens. “now” continues the hated little man, ‘many called you to account because you could not do what Yamaguchi was lucky to do……”
‘That took courage sir, courage and boldness”
‘Oh, yes, yes, yes, and luck too” herbiesan passes Yamamoto a scotch. ‘The thing is, the war continues. You continue……and that to me, is a worry. “
‘Sir, my duty is to obey”
The smile, this time, is not warm.
‘And I achieved this, with out spilling blood.”
Herbiesan leans on the table, sweeps his hand across the map “ Do you know, that Combined fleet has no grand plan, no strategy to finish this war?”
Ahh, so he does realize?. He does see all our carriers scattered all over the map?
‘I heard a rumor of that, yes”
‘Well, I do. And I will solve my problem of you, and the war, now.”
He swallows the scotch, pours another.
‘At the moment, we will ‘look busy’ in the pacific, look busy in the IO. But, starting January one, the fleet will withdraw from the war. You will take command of South east area, and I will assign 1st, Combined fleets to you, and 17th Army.
We are going to allow the enemy to climb the Solomon chain Admiral……you will bleed him, but you will not , repeat not risk the fleet. Then, in mid 43, as he crosses the bismark barrier, you will crush him. At any cost. The blow to his moral will be immense. That will bring peace. Bring victory.”
Yamamoto hears the words. Digests them. Fleet command, again. In fact, total command…….
“Will the katsaguri’s be available by then ?”
The question says it all. He has accepted. …..
Herbiesan smiles.
Success. See?, see how easy that was.?. Give the traitor some ships, some new toys, a promise that we will do it his way……….problem neutralized.
“Get to Truk Yamamoto. Start digging. And make my strategy reality………..”
Tanaka lowers his glasses.
He has been observing his sheep, the transports plodding steadily south with them. If he looks closely enough, he can see the men of 4th regiment on their decks.
.
‘Does the Army think a mere regiment is enough?” he wonders aloud
Nobody answers him on the bridge. The answer is obvious to them. A regiment is not enough, never was, never would be. Not unless Narua is all but un defended . But it would certainly make a nice attraction…….
A phone rings on the bridge. Sharp words, Hie!, hie!, yes, yes!
The OOW comes over.
‘Mogami task force has completed bombardment run of narua sir. No return fire reported, but the island is occupied”
Well, there you have it. Maybe a regiment would be enough………
7/11/42
0100 hours
“hands to action stations, hands to action stations!.
Prepare for combat air operations, all departments expedite reports to the bridge!”
‘Zuiho closed up sir!’
‘very good.”
The tannoy crackles
‘This is your Captain speaking. We have a Emily floatplane report of shipping at Mili island, This task force will be in strike range at dawn. Stand by your post, do your duty, and a thousand years of shame to any that shirk their honor. Long live the Empire!’
Kato places the microphone down.
‘Hiyo signals battle speed one sir”
‘Very good. Full ahead all!”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: battle speed one!........again!
Unryu's.
BANZAI!
BANZAI!
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: battle speed one!........again!
ORIGINAL: John 3rd
Unryu's.
BANZAI!
The Unryu was Hiryu class (with some modifications). The later ships were developed further, and there were modifications to reflect alternative power plants.
Harry Erwin
"For a number to make sense in the game, someone has to calibrate it and program code. There are too many significant numbers that behave non-linearly to expect that. It's just a game. Enjoy it." herwin@btinternet.com
"For a number to make sense in the game, someone has to calibrate it and program code. There are too many significant numbers that behave non-linearly to expect that. It's just a game. Enjoy it." herwin@btinternet.com
RE: ouch
Thanks guys, that was a brain fart on my behalf
“ASW patrol!” what do you mean, ASW patrol!”
“Steady down Okura!. Orders are orders. Zuiho will cover the task force,”
Hidaka fairly bristles. He understands totally….there are ships at Mili, ships are targets…….but how do you tell a warrior that they are not to be risked?
How do you leave this sword sheaved when you are sending the rookies?
“there will be other targets…….. of this I am certain. Now prepare to launch, I am to busy to argue the toss now!”
Hidaka makes his way to the bridge. Dawn is still an hour away, but already the first eagles are rising into the air.
Kato is , of course, there.
Hidaka salutes. “recon from Shoho reports what appears to be a convoy at the atoll. Our first strike is getting aloft, 19 zeros, 9 dive bombers. Our fighters are maintaining 6 aloft, 6 on deck, standby.”
‘Opposition?’
‘reports of fighters at Mili”
“A potentially bloody baptism”
Dawn
Overhead, the second Kate rumbles aloft, Hidaka is ordering 4 aloft today. He has thought long and hard about arming some with fish, and dismissed the thought. Far more prudent to keep all that explosive deep in the magazines….
A signalman enters, hands a flimsy to Kato.
Silently he reads it, grunts, hands it to Hidaka
“Maloelap under dive bomber attack. Dauntless bombers, 15 in number”
Hidaka reads it, mind racing. Moves to the chart.
‘Only two possibilities sir………..Mili based, or”
“or there is a small carrier out there”
Another thought:
‘We are in range if they are Mili based”
Almost instinctively they both glance upwards. What could be out there?
By 0630, the second wave is gone, 27 zeros, 9 kates.
Now, now all they can do is wait.
It is going to be a poor day weather wise, a lot of rain about, low clouds, grey dark seas, cold wind. Not a day you expect in the tropics.
A trade wind day. Squalls. White caps. And men almost shivering in the gun pits.
A day that can easily hide a ship, or a fleet.
It is almost two hours to target today, and each minute takes a lifetime.
Fifteen dive bombers!
From Mili?
Surely not?
Damn this visibility!. How in the hell can the search arc find anything in this crud?
Heavens, what if they have missed?
What if we have been spotted, and not seen their search?
What if then ney?
Is there anything we have missed?
This waiting!
The radio crackles at last
‘Target in sight!. Medium size AK’s.at anchor!. We are attacking!”
Another lifetime.
How the imagination can run. Yet here on the bridge, all is quiet, calm, ordered
Again, the crackles “attack complete!. Opposition, light, 2 fighters only. 2 ships hit., am returning.”
Hidaka breaths again. Surprise, it seems, has been complete. A perfect baptism of fire then………
250 miles to the North east of Mili
AP Santa Elena
Mitchell checks his gear a final time.
It is the hundredth time he has done this. He can’t help it. Rifle, check, bayonet , check. First aid kit, rations, ammo, poncho, all of the 1000 and ten items he is meant to take ashore on Majuro tomorrow.
There is , when he stops to think about it, more items in his pack then he has had personal possessions in his life.
He only vaguely understands the gigantic industrial machine that is gearing up at home, that has given him such a heavy pack.
Around him, a thousand or so other men are doing what he is doing.. Thinking, and preparing for tomorrow, and THAT beach.
Beneath his feet, about him, a subtle change . The liners vibrations increase, and she leans ever so slightly.
Soon after, a wet marine enters, apparently it is pouring rain outside. He whispers to a mate……..
Ten minutes later, those thousand men are all wondering, why are they heading due east now, and at full speed?
The second attack finds another two fighters, one of which promptly claws 2 zeros out of the air, before escaping into the clouds. Three bombs strike a third AK.
The task force will recover its aircraft, and turn North, seeking her tankers.
Task force 169, has announced its presence.
“ASW patrol!” what do you mean, ASW patrol!”
“Steady down Okura!. Orders are orders. Zuiho will cover the task force,”
Hidaka fairly bristles. He understands totally….there are ships at Mili, ships are targets…….but how do you tell a warrior that they are not to be risked?
How do you leave this sword sheaved when you are sending the rookies?
“there will be other targets…….. of this I am certain. Now prepare to launch, I am to busy to argue the toss now!”
Hidaka makes his way to the bridge. Dawn is still an hour away, but already the first eagles are rising into the air.
Kato is , of course, there.
Hidaka salutes. “recon from Shoho reports what appears to be a convoy at the atoll. Our first strike is getting aloft, 19 zeros, 9 dive bombers. Our fighters are maintaining 6 aloft, 6 on deck, standby.”
‘Opposition?’
‘reports of fighters at Mili”
“A potentially bloody baptism”
Dawn
Overhead, the second Kate rumbles aloft, Hidaka is ordering 4 aloft today. He has thought long and hard about arming some with fish, and dismissed the thought. Far more prudent to keep all that explosive deep in the magazines….
A signalman enters, hands a flimsy to Kato.
Silently he reads it, grunts, hands it to Hidaka
“Maloelap under dive bomber attack. Dauntless bombers, 15 in number”
Hidaka reads it, mind racing. Moves to the chart.
‘Only two possibilities sir………..Mili based, or”
“or there is a small carrier out there”
Another thought:
‘We are in range if they are Mili based”
Almost instinctively they both glance upwards. What could be out there?
By 0630, the second wave is gone, 27 zeros, 9 kates.
Now, now all they can do is wait.
It is going to be a poor day weather wise, a lot of rain about, low clouds, grey dark seas, cold wind. Not a day you expect in the tropics.
A trade wind day. Squalls. White caps. And men almost shivering in the gun pits.
A day that can easily hide a ship, or a fleet.
It is almost two hours to target today, and each minute takes a lifetime.
Fifteen dive bombers!
From Mili?
Surely not?
Damn this visibility!. How in the hell can the search arc find anything in this crud?
Heavens, what if they have missed?
What if we have been spotted, and not seen their search?
What if then ney?
Is there anything we have missed?
This waiting!
The radio crackles at last
‘Target in sight!. Medium size AK’s.at anchor!. We are attacking!”
Another lifetime.
How the imagination can run. Yet here on the bridge, all is quiet, calm, ordered
Again, the crackles “attack complete!. Opposition, light, 2 fighters only. 2 ships hit., am returning.”
Hidaka breaths again. Surprise, it seems, has been complete. A perfect baptism of fire then………
250 miles to the North east of Mili
AP Santa Elena
Mitchell checks his gear a final time.
It is the hundredth time he has done this. He can’t help it. Rifle, check, bayonet , check. First aid kit, rations, ammo, poncho, all of the 1000 and ten items he is meant to take ashore on Majuro tomorrow.
There is , when he stops to think about it, more items in his pack then he has had personal possessions in his life.
He only vaguely understands the gigantic industrial machine that is gearing up at home, that has given him such a heavy pack.
Around him, a thousand or so other men are doing what he is doing.. Thinking, and preparing for tomorrow, and THAT beach.
Beneath his feet, about him, a subtle change . The liners vibrations increase, and she leans ever so slightly.
Soon after, a wet marine enters, apparently it is pouring rain outside. He whispers to a mate……..
Ten minutes later, those thousand men are all wondering, why are they heading due east now, and at full speed?
The second attack finds another two fighters, one of which promptly claws 2 zeros out of the air, before escaping into the clouds. Three bombs strike a third AK.
The task force will recover its aircraft, and turn North, seeking her tankers.
Task force 169, has announced its presence.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
based on a true story.........
It is, again, well after midnight.
Its how these things go, it seems. You begin pulling the broken piece of machinery apart, promising yourself that come 2200, 2230 at the latest, you will quit, get some sleep. After all, you have been at action stations all day, and dawn action stations is due at 0430 , today, heavens, today.
But, as you strip the bitch down, curiosity, and that drive you have, lets just fix it, leads you on.
But now , you must quit……….for today any way.
There is a spare con rod, and a piston onboard, for this pump, but the stores people have yet to drag it up from whatever dark hole they live in.
So, tomorrow, for them
Most of the other bits, you have too.
The cylinder is , by a miracle, not scored. The failure was a valve dropping, slamming into the head of the piston.
But two rings are snapped. And thanks to the vagrancies of the stores system, none onboard.
They are going to be a right barsted to machine…………
Still, that’s the fun, isn’t it?
But now other things call. There are other defects, and boiler chemistry, and the rest.
And tomorrow, another at sea refueling.
And, of course, the war …………..
Charge makes the call. ‘ok, secure all this crap. It will have to wait until we finish whatever action we are doing. “
He pats the steamer on the back. “Double check everything tonight, if Kato asks for full speed, lets show him what we can do”
Charge, and his small team depart. Some to sleep for the three hours available, him, to work.
Bloody war, getting in the way of work…………..
Dawn
8/11/42
Zuiho, and he r companions, mark time. 120 miles due North of Kwaljien, awaiting the tankers that are now hoving into view.
The seas remain grey, horrid. The white caps are now solid rollers, and she pitches heavily now with every one.
Bridge screen wipers beat steadily, and are needed.
Hidaka, wet to the bone, enters the bridge, shakes himself like a dog.
‘Some body did tell me its winter at home, who the hell bought it with us?’
There are few smiles. It has been an anxious night, it is no easy task navigating these waters, waters filled with a 100 atolls, and how many un charted reefs?
Hidaka turns to the communications officer ‘Any word?”
All twelve of Zuiho’s Kates are out today, fanning in a great search arc to the east.
It will be a hazardous day.
Rain, heavy seas, low cloud, a moving airfield………..
Shoho will lose a Kate today
Her observer, a young man indeed, will glimpse something below the clouds.
All eyes onboard will swivel that way
There will be cries of excitement, and the pilot will wheel the bomber over, dive through the clouds…………
And there will be a wake, many wakes, three at least, driving into that rain bank, grey , indiscernible shapes.
Her radio operator will flash…….’many ships, moving north west”
And they will zoom around that rain bank, that cloud, seeking a better, second look.
And they will fly into cloud, and heavy rain, and low hours, poor training, and inexperience will kill them
No one will see the inverted bomber, pilot hopelessly disorientated, plunge into the ocean
They will be wasted lives.
The message, so important, will be ignored, lost in the days chatter of a hundred similar reports.
9/11/42
(system damage to 5!)
0900
There was no refueling yesterday.
The tanker fails to arrive
Well, it arrived OK, but no fuel was pumped, something, somewhere on that rusty hulk did not work.
Today, today it must.
Too many ships are “in the red”
Now, Kato holds Zuiho 100 yards astern of the tanker, the fuelling hose slowly snaking its way towards his bow.
A silent curse crosses his lips, as that same bow buries itself into the swell, and it breaks across it, great cascades of white water flooding it.
Three men go sprawling.
Coldly….”Drop us 10 revolutions “
Revolutions 080 sir!
Another swell, creaming, creaming, but not quite breaking across………
OK. So, some will, some wont.
He steps outside, and yells to the men below.
‘This is the best I can do Lt Tan!, good luck, and keep an eye out!”
Tan nods. He is, to be frank, completely terrified. The pitching of the deck, the way the wind whips all words away, the freezing cold, and those great green monsters, curling up so high before them, how do they slide past?
In front of him, a dozen men, under a crusty Chiefs eye( and this is no joke –his jacket literally is crusted in salt, some years old) is cursing the seamen.
‘Pull you barsted!, pull!
H e winks at Tan………
And the CPO Chippee leans in, yells into his ear….’Leave this to us Sir, you just smile and wave at Kato, we will get the crude onboard for you”
And so it does happen……..the great hose slides onboard, and soon the fuel flows
They are all soaked, and wet, and miserable by fuel lings end. But get it they do.
The fuel hose has just disconnected, and Tan is looking up towards Kato above him on the bridge, when it happens.
First. Katos face, looking down, animated, looks up………..and freezes
Beside him, the Chippee freezes too……….”OH < OH TRUK”
There is a sensation of the world dropping away under Zuiho’s bow..as if it is taking off……..
Tan turns,
The ocean has disappeared before them, replaced by a canyon.
The other side of the canyon………….a mountain of water, a literal mountain
A vague thought…. The term, rogue wave……….
The Bosuns chief unfreezes them
‘RUN FOR YOUR TRUKING LIFE!”
They do, fleeing before death itself
Tan takes all of fifteen steps, and then it swallows him, a great crushing blow, and his worls is swallowed in a tumbling, swirling smash of sea water, a thudding blow to the ribs, limbs askew, and sputtering he comes up hard against a gun tub.
Stunned………he has been washed twenty metres, at least.
He is lucky………three men are gone over the side.
For Kato, it is like nothing ever seen before. Oh, heard about. Talked about. But he would never have believed it…………
This wall of water simply washes over the bow as if it never existed, and slams full body into the bridge front.
Every bridge window shatters instantly, and the white torrent floods in, flinging men and equipment every way.
As if stunned physically, Zuiho lurches to starboard, water pouring out of her.
Shoho will signal…”Are you OK?”
And she will not answer.
It will take twenty minutes before she truly is under control again,
Her missing men, are, thank the heavens, found, recovered by the chase destroyer
A great deal of kit will never be seen again.
For the remainder of this trip, they will be calling her, the flying carrier.
(Based on a RL that happened to me. I have a photo at home, of my ship, with me running for my life abreast of the bridge with the rest of the fuelling party
From the midship funnel, the entire ship is clear of the water, the bow easily 30 feet clear
The next photo, you cannot see the bridge…….)
Kato stands , the wind whipping into him. The bridge, the focastle, remains a shambles.
‘Do we have any glass at all Chippee?”
The shipwright shakes his head. “No sir, but I am thinking we can jury rig some Perspex we have for the bombers……We will have to make some frames.”
‘And the Capstan?”
‘Busted good sir”
Not that they need it, the anchor is gone anyway………
‘Signal from Hiyo sir”
‘Come due east, speed 20 knots. Zuiho to set 100 % naval strike. Arm with bombs.”
Ahh, so we continue. Good. Convoy hunting it is then.
But we know of course, they will find a lot more than that……….
.
Its how these things go, it seems. You begin pulling the broken piece of machinery apart, promising yourself that come 2200, 2230 at the latest, you will quit, get some sleep. After all, you have been at action stations all day, and dawn action stations is due at 0430 , today, heavens, today.
But, as you strip the bitch down, curiosity, and that drive you have, lets just fix it, leads you on.
But now , you must quit……….for today any way.
There is a spare con rod, and a piston onboard, for this pump, but the stores people have yet to drag it up from whatever dark hole they live in.
So, tomorrow, for them
Most of the other bits, you have too.
The cylinder is , by a miracle, not scored. The failure was a valve dropping, slamming into the head of the piston.
But two rings are snapped. And thanks to the vagrancies of the stores system, none onboard.
They are going to be a right barsted to machine…………
Still, that’s the fun, isn’t it?
But now other things call. There are other defects, and boiler chemistry, and the rest.
And tomorrow, another at sea refueling.
And, of course, the war …………..
Charge makes the call. ‘ok, secure all this crap. It will have to wait until we finish whatever action we are doing. “
He pats the steamer on the back. “Double check everything tonight, if Kato asks for full speed, lets show him what we can do”
Charge, and his small team depart. Some to sleep for the three hours available, him, to work.
Bloody war, getting in the way of work…………..
Dawn
8/11/42
Zuiho, and he r companions, mark time. 120 miles due North of Kwaljien, awaiting the tankers that are now hoving into view.
The seas remain grey, horrid. The white caps are now solid rollers, and she pitches heavily now with every one.
Bridge screen wipers beat steadily, and are needed.
Hidaka, wet to the bone, enters the bridge, shakes himself like a dog.
‘Some body did tell me its winter at home, who the hell bought it with us?’
There are few smiles. It has been an anxious night, it is no easy task navigating these waters, waters filled with a 100 atolls, and how many un charted reefs?
Hidaka turns to the communications officer ‘Any word?”
All twelve of Zuiho’s Kates are out today, fanning in a great search arc to the east.
It will be a hazardous day.
Rain, heavy seas, low cloud, a moving airfield………..
Shoho will lose a Kate today
Her observer, a young man indeed, will glimpse something below the clouds.
All eyes onboard will swivel that way
There will be cries of excitement, and the pilot will wheel the bomber over, dive through the clouds…………
And there will be a wake, many wakes, three at least, driving into that rain bank, grey , indiscernible shapes.
Her radio operator will flash…….’many ships, moving north west”
And they will zoom around that rain bank, that cloud, seeking a better, second look.
And they will fly into cloud, and heavy rain, and low hours, poor training, and inexperience will kill them
No one will see the inverted bomber, pilot hopelessly disorientated, plunge into the ocean
They will be wasted lives.
The message, so important, will be ignored, lost in the days chatter of a hundred similar reports.
9/11/42
(system damage to 5!)
0900
There was no refueling yesterday.
The tanker fails to arrive
Well, it arrived OK, but no fuel was pumped, something, somewhere on that rusty hulk did not work.
Today, today it must.
Too many ships are “in the red”
Now, Kato holds Zuiho 100 yards astern of the tanker, the fuelling hose slowly snaking its way towards his bow.
A silent curse crosses his lips, as that same bow buries itself into the swell, and it breaks across it, great cascades of white water flooding it.
Three men go sprawling.
Coldly….”Drop us 10 revolutions “
Revolutions 080 sir!
Another swell, creaming, creaming, but not quite breaking across………
OK. So, some will, some wont.
He steps outside, and yells to the men below.
‘This is the best I can do Lt Tan!, good luck, and keep an eye out!”
Tan nods. He is, to be frank, completely terrified. The pitching of the deck, the way the wind whips all words away, the freezing cold, and those great green monsters, curling up so high before them, how do they slide past?
In front of him, a dozen men, under a crusty Chiefs eye( and this is no joke –his jacket literally is crusted in salt, some years old) is cursing the seamen.
‘Pull you barsted!, pull!
H e winks at Tan………
And the CPO Chippee leans in, yells into his ear….’Leave this to us Sir, you just smile and wave at Kato, we will get the crude onboard for you”
And so it does happen……..the great hose slides onboard, and soon the fuel flows
They are all soaked, and wet, and miserable by fuel lings end. But get it they do.
The fuel hose has just disconnected, and Tan is looking up towards Kato above him on the bridge, when it happens.
First. Katos face, looking down, animated, looks up………..and freezes
Beside him, the Chippee freezes too……….”OH < OH TRUK”
There is a sensation of the world dropping away under Zuiho’s bow..as if it is taking off……..
Tan turns,
The ocean has disappeared before them, replaced by a canyon.
The other side of the canyon………….a mountain of water, a literal mountain
A vague thought…. The term, rogue wave……….
The Bosuns chief unfreezes them
‘RUN FOR YOUR TRUKING LIFE!”
They do, fleeing before death itself
Tan takes all of fifteen steps, and then it swallows him, a great crushing blow, and his worls is swallowed in a tumbling, swirling smash of sea water, a thudding blow to the ribs, limbs askew, and sputtering he comes up hard against a gun tub.
Stunned………he has been washed twenty metres, at least.
He is lucky………three men are gone over the side.
For Kato, it is like nothing ever seen before. Oh, heard about. Talked about. But he would never have believed it…………
This wall of water simply washes over the bow as if it never existed, and slams full body into the bridge front.
Every bridge window shatters instantly, and the white torrent floods in, flinging men and equipment every way.
As if stunned physically, Zuiho lurches to starboard, water pouring out of her.
Shoho will signal…”Are you OK?”
And she will not answer.
It will take twenty minutes before she truly is under control again,
Her missing men, are, thank the heavens, found, recovered by the chase destroyer
A great deal of kit will never be seen again.
For the remainder of this trip, they will be calling her, the flying carrier.
(Based on a RL that happened to me. I have a photo at home, of my ship, with me running for my life abreast of the bridge with the rest of the fuelling party
From the midship funnel, the entire ship is clear of the water, the bow easily 30 feet clear
The next photo, you cannot see the bridge…….)
Kato stands , the wind whipping into him. The bridge, the focastle, remains a shambles.
‘Do we have any glass at all Chippee?”
The shipwright shakes his head. “No sir, but I am thinking we can jury rig some Perspex we have for the bombers……We will have to make some frames.”
‘And the Capstan?”
‘Busted good sir”
Not that they need it, the anchor is gone anyway………
‘Signal from Hiyo sir”
‘Come due east, speed 20 knots. Zuiho to set 100 % naval strike. Arm with bombs.”
Ahh, so we continue. Good. Convoy hunting it is then.
But we know of course, they will find a lot more than that……….
.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: based on a true story.........
I was in the pilot house of a trawler off San Francisco weathering a full gale, when a bow-on wave took out our radar (up the mast). Afterwards, I was really glad to make Eureka.
Harry Erwin
"For a number to make sense in the game, someone has to calibrate it and program code. There are too many significant numbers that behave non-linearly to expect that. It's just a game. Enjoy it." herwin@btinternet.com
"For a number to make sense in the game, someone has to calibrate it and program code. There are too many significant numbers that behave non-linearly to expect that. It's just a game. Enjoy it." herwin@btinternet.com
RE: ouch
10/11/42
Repairs to the bridge front go exactly nothing like Kato imagined they would..
There is precious little Perspex afterall, and the Chippee is reduced to boarding up the shattered windows with what ever timber he can find.
The bridge is a miserable place tonight.
A large and steady swell is running, and rain regularly sheets across her decks.
The poor navigator has abandoned the bridge, charts are now a problem, so many are…….well just gone.
But there is no time for all this.
Hiyo is rushing them west at high speed, as fast as they dare.
There has been another sighting………a convoy it appears is nearly 300 miles to the east, but moving slowly.
With luck, it can be caught.
Zuiho’s kates are up, wings glimmering in the rain and red lighting.
Hidaka briefs the pilots in the ready room.
“To be blunt, the odds are not good.”
He pauses, Zuiho shudders under them, pitching against the swells. It emphasizes everything this pause. Merely getting aloft will be a task….
“We have a target, 300 miles, maybe more, directly due east of here. A convoy. I have recommended we take the honor of first strike. Command concurs. If we cannot do this, no one can”
His eyes turn to Okura, who coldly returns the stare ‘You will lead the attack”
Okura merely nods
And so, once more I must try to do the impossible ……..
Very well. Okura will do his duty.
But father, I have not forgotten you.
Hidaka turns to his fighter pilots. “Full escort. I have no idea what is out there, No matter the cost, protect the bombers.”
Again Zuiho lurches under their feet.
‘launch is at 0700”
But launch is not at 0700. At 0700, the entire squadron has disappeared in belting rain, rain so heavy the escorts cannot be seen..Captain Beppu drives them on.
By midday, the sighting is many, many hours old. A task force moving at even a mere ten knots is going to have covered 80 miles since dawn. Visibility is 30 at best today……
At 1000 hours Hiyo gets a search out, 6 kates. The two cruisers launch floatplanes.
Nothing is seen
At 1300 hours, Hidaka calls it
‘We launch”
There is no rhyme, or reason to it. It is even foolish in this weather.
But something tells him to.
Okura, as ordered, leads them out, 12 bombers strong, skidding along at 3000 feet under the grey crap, above the grayer sea.
Nestled under him, a single 250 kg bomb.
It is good to be aloft, clear of the stink of Zuiho again.
He flies carefully, barely looking about, eyes fixated mostly on the compass, navigation , accurate navigation is all, is everything today.
The fighters are just above, below, around them. They will keep lookout.
100 miles out, and the clouds break up, and at last the sun shines. There are still patches of foulness about them, he climbs to 5000 feet.
And they crawl on
200 miles, and as far from land as you can imagine. You do not think what would happen if the engine fails now.
250 miles
And the radio crackles.
One of the search kates
‘Contact!, position…………position…..Okura’s fingers trace on the map on his thigh…….position 50 miles dead ahead!”
And then the electrifying news.
‘Contact includes two battleships!, many ships!
And yes, there they are, low on the horizon, wakes streaming behind.
There is no doubt either
Battleships! Nice big fat battleships!
And now there is nothing else, nothing else, but the desire to secure a hit.
“prepare to attack!”
Repairs to the bridge front go exactly nothing like Kato imagined they would..
There is precious little Perspex afterall, and the Chippee is reduced to boarding up the shattered windows with what ever timber he can find.
The bridge is a miserable place tonight.
A large and steady swell is running, and rain regularly sheets across her decks.
The poor navigator has abandoned the bridge, charts are now a problem, so many are…….well just gone.
But there is no time for all this.
Hiyo is rushing them west at high speed, as fast as they dare.
There has been another sighting………a convoy it appears is nearly 300 miles to the east, but moving slowly.
With luck, it can be caught.
Zuiho’s kates are up, wings glimmering in the rain and red lighting.
Hidaka briefs the pilots in the ready room.
“To be blunt, the odds are not good.”
He pauses, Zuiho shudders under them, pitching against the swells. It emphasizes everything this pause. Merely getting aloft will be a task….
“We have a target, 300 miles, maybe more, directly due east of here. A convoy. I have recommended we take the honor of first strike. Command concurs. If we cannot do this, no one can”
His eyes turn to Okura, who coldly returns the stare ‘You will lead the attack”
Okura merely nods
And so, once more I must try to do the impossible ……..
Very well. Okura will do his duty.
But father, I have not forgotten you.
Hidaka turns to his fighter pilots. “Full escort. I have no idea what is out there, No matter the cost, protect the bombers.”
Again Zuiho lurches under their feet.
‘launch is at 0700”
But launch is not at 0700. At 0700, the entire squadron has disappeared in belting rain, rain so heavy the escorts cannot be seen..Captain Beppu drives them on.
By midday, the sighting is many, many hours old. A task force moving at even a mere ten knots is going to have covered 80 miles since dawn. Visibility is 30 at best today……
At 1000 hours Hiyo gets a search out, 6 kates. The two cruisers launch floatplanes.
Nothing is seen
At 1300 hours, Hidaka calls it
‘We launch”
There is no rhyme, or reason to it. It is even foolish in this weather.
But something tells him to.
Okura, as ordered, leads them out, 12 bombers strong, skidding along at 3000 feet under the grey crap, above the grayer sea.
Nestled under him, a single 250 kg bomb.
It is good to be aloft, clear of the stink of Zuiho again.
He flies carefully, barely looking about, eyes fixated mostly on the compass, navigation , accurate navigation is all, is everything today.
The fighters are just above, below, around them. They will keep lookout.
100 miles out, and the clouds break up, and at last the sun shines. There are still patches of foulness about them, he climbs to 5000 feet.
And they crawl on
200 miles, and as far from land as you can imagine. You do not think what would happen if the engine fails now.
250 miles
And the radio crackles.
One of the search kates
‘Contact!, position…………position…..Okura’s fingers trace on the map on his thigh…….position 50 miles dead ahead!”
And then the electrifying news.
‘Contact includes two battleships!, many ships!
And yes, there they are, low on the horizon, wakes streaming behind.
There is no doubt either
Battleships! Nice big fat battleships!
And now there is nothing else, nothing else, but the desire to secure a hit.
“prepare to attack!”
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
“Fire two red flares”
Okura’s voice is calm, flat.
He waves to the kate to his left, to the one to his right.
Left hand pointing that way, right the other.
Swift, precise
“hie!”
‘hie!’
They have done this too many times to make any mistake. They are the best.
The best simply go and do it. Go and get it done.
Hammer and anvil attack
Attack the lead BB only
Four from the left, four from the right.
Okura will take the ahead attack
5000 feet. 5 miles out
No enemy fighters
Throttle forward, full forward.
And now Hollywood would dial in the dramatic music………
This is life or death. There is drama enough
The engine bellow drowns it all out, but does not……….the mind is so beautifully concentrated.
Life is so strong, so vibrant, and he dives the big bird in a shallow swoop, feeling her, feeling every vibration, every bump of the air, he in her, she carrying him, machine and men as one.
The port attack peels way, and so does the starboard.
1000 feet, 3 miles, and now the sky is pocketed, black ugly balls.
The bangs, the thumps vaguely penetrating the bellowing dive.
His observer curses.
Unseen things rattle against them, and the rushing sea below is pock marked in white, fountains rising
Coolly, coolly, he is banking to port, turning slightly away, flying parallel, ahead of the battlewagon
‘target identification!?”
‘West Virginia class!, “
Grunt a reply
The battleship is a volcano of fire…..and she has escorts too.
Right rudder , right stick over, and they peel hard to the right, as if to cross her bows, 700 yards out, wings almost vertical………
The port attack is slicing in, the starboard a little behind
Grunting, grunting, still descending, level her out….as if to head to starboard,…………the gunfire drops, everything turning to the port attack, the battlewagon beginning to swing towards it.
Stick hard, hard over now, swinging in, swinging in, 300 , 200 feet up……..great superstructure looming, guns swinging towards him…..time slowing, slowing.
The port attack being shredded, impressions of falling wings, explosions…..
Over her, BOMB GONE!
Hard left, harder right!, tracer flying above, below, a thud, another thud behind, a cry of triumph! -a hit!……….
A glance over the shoulder …………starboard attack flashing over the bitch –a hit, another!, another!…….OH for a FISH!
Two months of waiting
Of preparation
Attack time, two minutes
“Signal home. ‘Enemy convoy. Many ships, have attacked West Virginia class BB, 4 hits. BB is burning.”
They form up, turn for home, climb to 5000 feet.
The air is calm, the sun is shining now.
Alive, still, Okura settles in for home
Zuiho has lost 4 bombers.
But Shoho has more. They pass shortly after………
Okura grins. Hidaka is going for it. 9 kates
9 gleaming fish
Okura’s voice is calm, flat.
He waves to the kate to his left, to the one to his right.
Left hand pointing that way, right the other.
Swift, precise
“hie!”
‘hie!’
They have done this too many times to make any mistake. They are the best.
The best simply go and do it. Go and get it done.
Hammer and anvil attack
Attack the lead BB only
Four from the left, four from the right.
Okura will take the ahead attack
5000 feet. 5 miles out
No enemy fighters
Throttle forward, full forward.
And now Hollywood would dial in the dramatic music………
This is life or death. There is drama enough
The engine bellow drowns it all out, but does not……….the mind is so beautifully concentrated.
Life is so strong, so vibrant, and he dives the big bird in a shallow swoop, feeling her, feeling every vibration, every bump of the air, he in her, she carrying him, machine and men as one.
The port attack peels way, and so does the starboard.
1000 feet, 3 miles, and now the sky is pocketed, black ugly balls.
The bangs, the thumps vaguely penetrating the bellowing dive.
His observer curses.
Unseen things rattle against them, and the rushing sea below is pock marked in white, fountains rising
Coolly, coolly, he is banking to port, turning slightly away, flying parallel, ahead of the battlewagon
‘target identification!?”
‘West Virginia class!, “
Grunt a reply
The battleship is a volcano of fire…..and she has escorts too.
Right rudder , right stick over, and they peel hard to the right, as if to cross her bows, 700 yards out, wings almost vertical………
The port attack is slicing in, the starboard a little behind
Grunting, grunting, still descending, level her out….as if to head to starboard,…………the gunfire drops, everything turning to the port attack, the battlewagon beginning to swing towards it.
Stick hard, hard over now, swinging in, swinging in, 300 , 200 feet up……..great superstructure looming, guns swinging towards him…..time slowing, slowing.
The port attack being shredded, impressions of falling wings, explosions…..
Over her, BOMB GONE!
Hard left, harder right!, tracer flying above, below, a thud, another thud behind, a cry of triumph! -a hit!……….
A glance over the shoulder …………starboard attack flashing over the bitch –a hit, another!, another!…….OH for a FISH!
Two months of waiting
Of preparation
Attack time, two minutes
“Signal home. ‘Enemy convoy. Many ships, have attacked West Virginia class BB, 4 hits. BB is burning.”
They form up, turn for home, climb to 5000 feet.
The air is calm, the sun is shining now.
Alive, still, Okura settles in for home
Zuiho has lost 4 bombers.
But Shoho has more. They pass shortly after………
Okura grins. Hidaka is going for it. 9 kates
9 gleaming fish
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
I sincerely hope I have not earn't your displeasure John 3rd!
When the klaxons ring, Mitchell finds himself in the most awkward of positions.
Naked, under the poop deck shower.
The fact that he is surrounded by dozens of men in exactly the same position doesn’t alleviate his dilemma at all.
Air attack makes any man feel naked and helpless. Actually being that way is horrendous.
The klaxons ring, and there is a mad scramble of yelling, towel and uniform seeking.
‘All marines get below!”
“Clear the decks!”
Pushing against the traffic jam of brown bodies trying to re enter the ship, he is overwhelmingly aware of the guns on the deck above swinging hard, men racing for helmets.
“JESUS!.It’s the JAPS!”
he never knows who calls, but it stops him in his tracks, and he pulls away from the door, and looks over his shoulder.
Above him the single bofor gun bangs, bangs…and there is a Jap plane right there, right THERE!……and it thunders over head, and another too, and he cowers, barely aware of the hot shell casings showering down upon him, mind gibbering, cover, cover!, Im naked, naked in bloody battle!
The deck heaves, heaves him up, he feels surrounded by light, flying, literally flying across the deck, slamming down, bouncing
Stunned, stunned………and a thundering shower of water crashes down upon him.
Hit?, have I been hit?
The deck feels good………I think I will just lie here a bit…….
Screams.
Men, blackened skin hanging, screaming men, stumble from the door, and black smoke shovels, shovels from its maw
The ship is leaning. Listing
He struggles to sit.
The gun is silent, and the deck is definitely leaning
Water, things, material, towels……………a body slide past
Unconsciously, he hangs onto something……..what, it does not matter
The ship is listing heavily now, and the lower side is already frightingly close to the sea.
AP Santa Elena is still doing 12 knots when she falls onto her side.
Mitchell falls, falls across that poop deck, falls into the maelstrom of the sea, is swept astern of the dying beast, thrust away from the great screws of her.
He takes nothing from her, except his life
And the sound, that sound he will live with forever, of a thousand men, trapped below in her flooding holds
When the klaxons ring, Mitchell finds himself in the most awkward of positions.
Naked, under the poop deck shower.
The fact that he is surrounded by dozens of men in exactly the same position doesn’t alleviate his dilemma at all.
Air attack makes any man feel naked and helpless. Actually being that way is horrendous.
The klaxons ring, and there is a mad scramble of yelling, towel and uniform seeking.
‘All marines get below!”
“Clear the decks!”
Pushing against the traffic jam of brown bodies trying to re enter the ship, he is overwhelmingly aware of the guns on the deck above swinging hard, men racing for helmets.
“JESUS!.It’s the JAPS!”
he never knows who calls, but it stops him in his tracks, and he pulls away from the door, and looks over his shoulder.
Above him the single bofor gun bangs, bangs…and there is a Jap plane right there, right THERE!……and it thunders over head, and another too, and he cowers, barely aware of the hot shell casings showering down upon him, mind gibbering, cover, cover!, Im naked, naked in bloody battle!
The deck heaves, heaves him up, he feels surrounded by light, flying, literally flying across the deck, slamming down, bouncing
Stunned, stunned………and a thundering shower of water crashes down upon him.
Hit?, have I been hit?
The deck feels good………I think I will just lie here a bit…….
Screams.
Men, blackened skin hanging, screaming men, stumble from the door, and black smoke shovels, shovels from its maw
The ship is leaning. Listing
He struggles to sit.
The gun is silent, and the deck is definitely leaning
Water, things, material, towels……………a body slide past
Unconsciously, he hangs onto something……..what, it does not matter
The ship is listing heavily now, and the lower side is already frightingly close to the sea.
AP Santa Elena is still doing 12 knots when she falls onto her side.
Mitchell falls, falls across that poop deck, falls into the maelstrom of the sea, is swept astern of the dying beast, thrust away from the great screws of her.
He takes nothing from her, except his life
And the sound, that sound he will live with forever, of a thousand men, trapped below in her flooding holds
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
11/11/42
Two men stand on the bridge wing of Zuiho
Every minute or to, spray flings itself at them, great sheets of water.
The carriers bow buries itself, the foam creams, the water crashes over the focastle.
And then she rises, shakes the seas off, crests, and does it allover again
Around her, the task group is repeating the exercise, each ship crashing into these seas.
The pacific is not in any way passive today.
The two men, duck, and rise again, and continue staring at Hiyo a thousand yards away.
If sheer will power can affect the physical, any minute now, Hiyo’s signal lamps will flash, flash –advance east!…full speed!
But they remain dark
Hidaka speaks what fills their minds. “We must pursue!.we must!”
Kato allows the next spray to strike him. His grip tightens on the guard rail “ I fear Hidaka, that Captain Beppu believes those battle ships may pursue us!”
Hidaka does not answer. It is true regretfully, it must be true. Somewhere, somewhere in this grey muck, the enemy lurk. Memories of the Tarawa intercept, the terror of that night………
No, Captain Beppu will not risk THAT again.
Almost as if to confirm the thought, Hiyo’s lamps do flash
“ We will await reinforcement of Yamato battle group, then continue destruction of enemy ships. Maintain current speed, course”
Current speed, 10 knots. Course, due west
Away from the enemy.
Below , the Charge, and Tan, continue their battle
Machining of a new piston continues. It will be of the wrong material, but, given luck, it should do for a while
The rings, too, are being machined
Or trying to be
They have to be the right thickness. They have to have the gap. They have to be able to spring out…….
And they should not break when they do.
Deep in the bowels of Zuiho, a steady stream of incentive is rising from a lathe.
The first ring has broken
But Tan won’t give up.
Truk
The Emily is an amazing craft.
The range is phenomenal. The comfort onboard, unheard of.
Yamamoto steps into the small boat that will take him ashore. he feels fresh, clean. young even.
And full of plans
Truk, he see’s has barely changed.
Is that a good thing?
Or are things satisfactory already?
He will have to find out.
He steps ashore, and a small party comes to attention.
Behind them, at what must be the HQ building, flags falls, and his flag rises.
An officer steps forward “Lieutenant Oi sir. Staff officer, South east area Fleet. Welcome to your new command”
Yamamoto takes the salute
Good.
All is good
‘So, Lieutenant, you have heard of our expanded responsibilities?’
The younger man smiles
“yes sir!’
The hulk of Yamamoto moves towards the HQ. “Very good. Now, tell me, where is the fleet!?”
Deep in the Indian ocean
‘message from Combined fleet sir!’
Yamaguchi grunts. Boredom is killing him. Where in the hell are the enemy?
‘Read it”
He shifts in his chair, only vaguely interested
The tea is good at least
‘”from Combined fleet to all assigned units Combined fleet
This command is dissolved.
All ships now assigned to ………South east Area Fleet...!.Admiral Yamamoto Commanding!”
With a clatter, his tea cup smashes to the deck…………
Two men stand on the bridge wing of Zuiho
Every minute or to, spray flings itself at them, great sheets of water.
The carriers bow buries itself, the foam creams, the water crashes over the focastle.
And then she rises, shakes the seas off, crests, and does it allover again
Around her, the task group is repeating the exercise, each ship crashing into these seas.
The pacific is not in any way passive today.
The two men, duck, and rise again, and continue staring at Hiyo a thousand yards away.
If sheer will power can affect the physical, any minute now, Hiyo’s signal lamps will flash, flash –advance east!…full speed!
But they remain dark
Hidaka speaks what fills their minds. “We must pursue!.we must!”
Kato allows the next spray to strike him. His grip tightens on the guard rail “ I fear Hidaka, that Captain Beppu believes those battle ships may pursue us!”
Hidaka does not answer. It is true regretfully, it must be true. Somewhere, somewhere in this grey muck, the enemy lurk. Memories of the Tarawa intercept, the terror of that night………
No, Captain Beppu will not risk THAT again.
Almost as if to confirm the thought, Hiyo’s lamps do flash
“ We will await reinforcement of Yamato battle group, then continue destruction of enemy ships. Maintain current speed, course”
Current speed, 10 knots. Course, due west
Away from the enemy.
Below , the Charge, and Tan, continue their battle
Machining of a new piston continues. It will be of the wrong material, but, given luck, it should do for a while
The rings, too, are being machined
Or trying to be
They have to be the right thickness. They have to have the gap. They have to be able to spring out…….
And they should not break when they do.
Deep in the bowels of Zuiho, a steady stream of incentive is rising from a lathe.
The first ring has broken
But Tan won’t give up.
Truk
The Emily is an amazing craft.
The range is phenomenal. The comfort onboard, unheard of.
Yamamoto steps into the small boat that will take him ashore. he feels fresh, clean. young even.
And full of plans
Truk, he see’s has barely changed.
Is that a good thing?
Or are things satisfactory already?
He will have to find out.
He steps ashore, and a small party comes to attention.
Behind them, at what must be the HQ building, flags falls, and his flag rises.
An officer steps forward “Lieutenant Oi sir. Staff officer, South east area Fleet. Welcome to your new command”
Yamamoto takes the salute
Good.
All is good
‘So, Lieutenant, you have heard of our expanded responsibilities?’
The younger man smiles
“yes sir!’
The hulk of Yamamoto moves towards the HQ. “Very good. Now, tell me, where is the fleet!?”
Deep in the Indian ocean
‘message from Combined fleet sir!’
Yamaguchi grunts. Boredom is killing him. Where in the hell are the enemy?
‘Read it”
He shifts in his chair, only vaguely interested
The tea is good at least
‘”from Combined fleet to all assigned units Combined fleet
This command is dissolved.
All ships now assigned to ………South east Area Fleet...!.Admiral Yamamoto Commanding!”
With a clatter, his tea cup smashes to the deck…………
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
No displeasure at all Sir. Just disappointed those Kates didn't have Torps! Loss of 4 good crews for scratching the paint on a BB. Sad...
I'll bet those ships are FLEEING the area!
I'll bet those ships are FLEEING the area!
Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
RE: ouch
(You have to tell the good with the bad................)[:(]
12/11/42
At dawn, Yamato, Nagato, Mutsu and attendant servants join them.
Hiyo turns them east again, and again the battering into the swell begins anew.
It is a fruitless day. Just before dusk, a single ship is reported by the search , a merchant ship, fleeing east.
The range is to far for action today
At 1900 hrs, the news of Yamamoto’s new command status arrives
At 2000 hrs, his first orders
‘return to Truk’
Majuro island has been spared an invasion, for now. But precious else in the grand scheme of things
And far, far too much fuel has been squandered
Other, more precious things are being squandered as well…………
Extract from “Shattering the Sword” , a Cantona production
Even as the Mogami bombardment force retires from its in effectual effort against Miri, the invasion of Narau island begins.
It is, can only be described as, a fiasco
Poorly reconned, poorly supported by naval gunfire, the invasion fleet drops anchor some 1000 yards offshore, as if the enemy has no defenses at all.
The see bee units waiting for them, hardly need any.
A huge swell is rolling, the same rough seas hampering the carriers to the north.
It deters the Japanese not an iota. If ever there is going to be an example of inflexibility, of following orders blindly, this will be it.
Transferring to the assault craft is slow. Terribly slow. Many men are lost just in this exercise.
The assault does not properly get underway for nearly 4 hours, time, time and a half for the defenders to ready themselves.
The attack, however, founders on the protecting reefs, on the beach itself.
Few, if any men arrive dry. Few boats, if any, arrive intact.
3000 men attack. Ammunition for maybe 100 gets ashore
By midnight the attack is crushed.
4th guards regiment, so painfully rebuilt, has been destroyed again.
The survivors will sail away, to Rabual. And quietly, Japans leadership will excise their memory
It will be many years before this story will be told in the land of Cherry blossoms.
12/11/42
At dawn, Yamato, Nagato, Mutsu and attendant servants join them.
Hiyo turns them east again, and again the battering into the swell begins anew.
It is a fruitless day. Just before dusk, a single ship is reported by the search , a merchant ship, fleeing east.
The range is to far for action today
At 1900 hrs, the news of Yamamoto’s new command status arrives
At 2000 hrs, his first orders
‘return to Truk’
Majuro island has been spared an invasion, for now. But precious else in the grand scheme of things
And far, far too much fuel has been squandered
Other, more precious things are being squandered as well…………
Extract from “Shattering the Sword” , a Cantona production
Even as the Mogami bombardment force retires from its in effectual effort against Miri, the invasion of Narau island begins.
It is, can only be described as, a fiasco
Poorly reconned, poorly supported by naval gunfire, the invasion fleet drops anchor some 1000 yards offshore, as if the enemy has no defenses at all.
The see bee units waiting for them, hardly need any.
A huge swell is rolling, the same rough seas hampering the carriers to the north.
It deters the Japanese not an iota. If ever there is going to be an example of inflexibility, of following orders blindly, this will be it.
Transferring to the assault craft is slow. Terribly slow. Many men are lost just in this exercise.
The assault does not properly get underway for nearly 4 hours, time, time and a half for the defenders to ready themselves.
The attack, however, founders on the protecting reefs, on the beach itself.
Few, if any men arrive dry. Few boats, if any, arrive intact.
3000 men attack. Ammunition for maybe 100 gets ashore
By midnight the attack is crushed.
4th guards regiment, so painfully rebuilt, has been destroyed again.
The survivors will sail away, to Rabual. And quietly, Japans leadership will excise their memory
It will be many years before this story will be told in the land of Cherry blossoms.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
14/11/42
Japanese battle wagons encounter three DD's at narua
A brief, violent affair.
One allied DD sunk, one Japanese hurt.
many reputations ruined.
it is a poor affair indeed.
Another battle japans people will not hear about
Zuiho continues west
Tan, the Charge, the stokers, the Chippies are winning, system damage drops to 4!
(but that bloody pump is fighting every step of the way!)
Ogawa and Diogawa return to the ready room.
They follow the usual routine, hanging gear on the hooks provided, moving towards the kettle for tea.
It has been yet another incident patrol.
And I still wonder at that.
They have been up before dawn, have eaten sparingly, dressed.
Climbed into machines that have now seen hard, hard work, exposed daily to salt, water, over exertion, and battle damage
They have stared down a impossibly short flight deck, one that has been pitching, diving, rising
Rain has beaten into their faces------- rain like bullets.
And they have climbed away, cleared this low rain, this crud, into the blue
For hours they have circled, utterly alone, with the fate of thousands literally depending on their vigilance
They have landed.
Into that muck, into that rain, onto that tiny, tiny slippery deck
How easy to dismiss this skill.
How marvelous the skill of man
They, of course, think nothing of it. It is their duty, Their job
They did it today, tomorrow, they will do it again
Okura is there.
Diogawa calls, he is in a boisterous mood ‘hail, Oh terror of the seas!, we have failed to find you another target to sink”
Okura, however, does not smile
Diogawa frowns, sits down opposite. Something is not well, it seems, with his friend
‘Are you OK old man?”
Okura half smiles, a grimace more than a smile.
“I have looked around us, young friend. Do you realise, after that last little job, that I am the last original Kate pilot left?
There is no answer to that.
Japanese battle wagons encounter three DD's at narua
A brief, violent affair.
One allied DD sunk, one Japanese hurt.
many reputations ruined.
it is a poor affair indeed.
Another battle japans people will not hear about
Zuiho continues west
Tan, the Charge, the stokers, the Chippies are winning, system damage drops to 4!
(but that bloody pump is fighting every step of the way!)
Ogawa and Diogawa return to the ready room.
They follow the usual routine, hanging gear on the hooks provided, moving towards the kettle for tea.
It has been yet another incident patrol.
And I still wonder at that.
They have been up before dawn, have eaten sparingly, dressed.
Climbed into machines that have now seen hard, hard work, exposed daily to salt, water, over exertion, and battle damage
They have stared down a impossibly short flight deck, one that has been pitching, diving, rising
Rain has beaten into their faces------- rain like bullets.
And they have climbed away, cleared this low rain, this crud, into the blue
For hours they have circled, utterly alone, with the fate of thousands literally depending on their vigilance
They have landed.
Into that muck, into that rain, onto that tiny, tiny slippery deck
How easy to dismiss this skill.
How marvelous the skill of man
They, of course, think nothing of it. It is their duty, Their job
They did it today, tomorrow, they will do it again
Okura is there.
Diogawa calls, he is in a boisterous mood ‘hail, Oh terror of the seas!, we have failed to find you another target to sink”
Okura, however, does not smile
Diogawa frowns, sits down opposite. Something is not well, it seems, with his friend
‘Are you OK old man?”
Okura half smiles, a grimace more than a smile.
“I have looked around us, young friend. Do you realise, after that last little job, that I am the last original Kate pilot left?
There is no answer to that.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
15/11/42
The charge is deep, deep in the steering gear room
Its a horrible room, this compartment
The great steering rams continously whine, the motors humming .
The even more impressive steering rams move continously above his head, back and forth, daring you to place a steadying hand on them.
Do this, and you will, one day, lose it.
Directly below them, seperated by that thin layer of steel, the srews beat, swoosh swoosh, swoosh, and the seas hiss and gurgle. The compartment vibrates like a barsted.
Noise. Movement. poor ventilation, the stink of old oil and grease. Poor lighting
Up, and down.........whoosh, whoosh, whooosh, whine, creak, up and down..............
Sick yet?
Charge is hunting in the semi dark.
There is a lot of spare space down here....true
But don't tell the other departments about it.
Down here, here is Aladdins hidden treasures. Pumps. Shafts, bearings, unknown bits. Ancient parcels, all wrapped in wax paper, or boxes.
They occupy every nook and cranny, these bits and pieces.
And, not all of them, in fact a great many, are not on the official stores registers.
All ships do it. All charges do it. Some are Masters at it.
Need a bearing for a job?
Order two. One for the job, one for..............just in case
Stores Officers hate this. Hate that "S&*t hot book the Charges keep. Know that that spare bearing should be in a warehouse, waiting for its call ...........not tucked away traversing the world.
But good charges have the knack of........'We will need that"
"Order six"
'Should we return these parts Chief?'
'No, I'll look after them..............."
Charge is after some valve packing, and a bearing for a potable water pump. (Just another job)
His book says, stowage 16.........
Stowage 16.
The world ceases to exist, as he tackles the parcels, the boxes, ferretting for that bloody bearing.
His right hand reaches into the mass, pulls out a parcel. Flat, quite large..and round
'Rings
Piston"
Oh, you have to be bloody kidding me
He tears the packet apart. A picture of Tan, somewhere above, still cursing the poor metal that refuses to machine into these very rings.
Charge laughs
Should he let him finish ?. No, too cruel.
He clambers away, pocket full of booty, rings in hand.
All that effort, and he finds the bits after all.
But, if you have ever been there, its how it often goes........
The charge is deep, deep in the steering gear room
Its a horrible room, this compartment
The great steering rams continously whine, the motors humming .
The even more impressive steering rams move continously above his head, back and forth, daring you to place a steadying hand on them.
Do this, and you will, one day, lose it.
Directly below them, seperated by that thin layer of steel, the srews beat, swoosh swoosh, swoosh, and the seas hiss and gurgle. The compartment vibrates like a barsted.
Noise. Movement. poor ventilation, the stink of old oil and grease. Poor lighting
Up, and down.........whoosh, whoosh, whooosh, whine, creak, up and down..............
Sick yet?
Charge is hunting in the semi dark.
There is a lot of spare space down here....true
But don't tell the other departments about it.
Down here, here is Aladdins hidden treasures. Pumps. Shafts, bearings, unknown bits. Ancient parcels, all wrapped in wax paper, or boxes.
They occupy every nook and cranny, these bits and pieces.
And, not all of them, in fact a great many, are not on the official stores registers.
All ships do it. All charges do it. Some are Masters at it.
Need a bearing for a job?
Order two. One for the job, one for..............just in case
Stores Officers hate this. Hate that "S&*t hot book the Charges keep. Know that that spare bearing should be in a warehouse, waiting for its call ...........not tucked away traversing the world.
But good charges have the knack of........'We will need that"
"Order six"
'Should we return these parts Chief?'
'No, I'll look after them..............."
Charge is after some valve packing, and a bearing for a potable water pump. (Just another job)
His book says, stowage 16.........
Stowage 16.
The world ceases to exist, as he tackles the parcels, the boxes, ferretting for that bloody bearing.
His right hand reaches into the mass, pulls out a parcel. Flat, quite large..and round
'Rings
Piston"
Oh, you have to be bloody kidding me
He tears the packet apart. A picture of Tan, somewhere above, still cursing the poor metal that refuses to machine into these very rings.
Charge laughs
Should he let him finish ?. No, too cruel.
He clambers away, pocket full of booty, rings in hand.
All that effort, and he finds the bits after all.
But, if you have ever been there, its how it often goes........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
17/11/42
'The following pilots to the ready room"
Okura cocks a half interested ear. It is a beautiful day out here on the balcony, a refuge from his duties.
Regretfully, his name is on the list. With a sigh, he joins his companions in the room.
Hidaka awaits them. His face is passive.
he begins "men, as you know, Yamamoto has effectively resumed command of the fleet"
'You mean bloodleesly taken it in a coup de ta!" Diogawa interjects.
Laughter. Hidaka grins. "I think you need vocabulary lessons Diogawa........., now, if our resident clown will let me continue"
He looks around the room. How will they take this news?. He can guess. Not well I would think........
"Yamamoto has decreed that all units are to post immediately the top 25% of pilots back to Japan to training command. We arrive Truk tomorrow. You are my 25 %. be ready to depart 1200 hrs."
He lowers his note pad.
So, you go home..
"'You mean leave Zuiho?..for good?"
"For good"
'And if we do not want to go?"
Hidaka is right. The news is not well recieved.
But orders, are orders. Tomorrow the cream of Zuiho's pilots will leave by Emily for Japan.
And not one will not feel shame, shame that they are running away from the fight.
'The following pilots to the ready room"
Okura cocks a half interested ear. It is a beautiful day out here on the balcony, a refuge from his duties.
Regretfully, his name is on the list. With a sigh, he joins his companions in the room.
Hidaka awaits them. His face is passive.
he begins "men, as you know, Yamamoto has effectively resumed command of the fleet"
'You mean bloodleesly taken it in a coup de ta!" Diogawa interjects.
Laughter. Hidaka grins. "I think you need vocabulary lessons Diogawa........., now, if our resident clown will let me continue"
He looks around the room. How will they take this news?. He can guess. Not well I would think........
"Yamamoto has decreed that all units are to post immediately the top 25% of pilots back to Japan to training command. We arrive Truk tomorrow. You are my 25 %. be ready to depart 1200 hrs."
He lowers his note pad.
So, you go home..
"'You mean leave Zuiho?..for good?"
"For good"
'And if we do not want to go?"
Hidaka is right. The news is not well recieved.
But orders, are orders. Tomorrow the cream of Zuiho's pilots will leave by Emily for Japan.
And not one will not feel shame, shame that they are running away from the fight.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
RE: ouch
Truk
Okura does not go.
He visits Hidaka late that night.
His argument is good
"herbiesan killed my Father . For duty, for Honour, for Japan. Where would you prefer I be?"
Okura will stay, now senior pilot
Ogawa, Diogawa do not go.
At 0200 hours, they awaken our medic, Commander Korrii. 'Stomach cramps'
He admits them to sickbay.
By 1300, after the Emily departs Truk, there are two miricle recoveries.
Zuiho rests at peace in the great lagoon. But there have been great battles.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt