Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)

[String]

Yes, about 5-6k mines should gut any reinforcement attempts.

[AmiralLaurent]

It will be difficult to lay so many mines in sub-infested waters under range of Allied heavy bombers. By the way it was the number of mines that were off PJ at the start of the battle and 20-30 Allied MSW/DMS sweep them in one or two days. They sank 2 or 3 transports, and damaged some other ships, but were not able to seriously disrupt the landing operations.

I will lay mines anyway. I am now confident in holding the base, and will snipe at any Allied effort to either evacuate or reinforce the beachhead, but won't be able to repulse it until the KB air units will be rebuilt and retrained (in some months) and the surface warships will be repaired (same delay).

The game had reached now the 15th of August, but RL and work left me not small amount of time to complete this AAR. Will try to catch up in the next days.

5 August 1943

Northern Pacific

During the night four G4M1 and 3 G4M2 from Toyohara and Shikka tried to bomb Kiska port but hit nothing and lost a G4M1 to AA fire and a G4M2 in an accident.

Off PJ the American submarine Skate stroke twice. During the night she attacked an ASW group and sank the PC Takunan Maru 2 before escaping while two Japanese ships dropped depth charges without success. After dawn she attacked the AK convoy arriving to evacuate damaged fighters from the airfield and heavily damaged with one torpedo the AK isuzu Maru. Two escorts searched her and the PC Ch 2 scored two near-misses on her.
During the day Japanese air patrols reported 4 Allied submarines off PJ and four NW of it, where the KB was yesterday. A Judy bombed and damaged the SS Pargo in this area. The KB was now patrolling west of Onnekotan Jima and its CAP shot down 2 PBM Mariner that went too close of it.

In the morning, PJ was covered by clouds and only recon aircraft of both sides flew. Allied CV were still off Kiska where 71 CV fighters (40 F4F-4, 22 F6F and 9 Wildcat V) were reported flying with the CAP. An AP convoy was seen off Kiska and a PT TF off both bases while 455 docked ships were reported in Attu and 76 in Kiska.

In the afternoon several small Allied raids were sent in PJ area from Kiska and met a CAP flown by 26 Oscar II, 13 A6M3a, 11 Ki-61, 8 Rufe, 5 Nick and 4 Tojo. The first raid was an attack against the airfield by 3 B-17E and 3 PB4Y. The CAP shot down all 3 B-17E and 2 PB4Y but lost 2 Oscar II to AA fire and as usual most of the Oscars and Tonies turned back due to bad morale. The only surviving bomber managed to score a runway hit.
Then 3 B-17E managed to slip past the CAP and bomb the BB Mutsu scoring a hit that bounced on her armor and losing one of their number to AA fire. And then 6 PB4Y attacked an ASW group. The CAP shot down one for the loss of an Oscar II to return fire and the bombers hit twice the APD-34 and set her on fire.

On Paramushiro Jima, the activity was again only reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 5 men and 1 gun on the Japanese side. Report showed 115 745 Allied men (+1400), 1092 guns (+27) and 354 vehicles (+5) for 1815 AV (+49), and 1205 Japanese AV (+8). The evening report of the base listed damage as 0/0/21 (airbase/runway/port), 337 engineers and 59 543 supplies (+4135). A barge convoy will arrive tomorrow with 1500 more men of the 14th Division.

Both ships hit off PJ today were docked in the port, the AK Isuzu Maru with damage 44/61/23 and the APD-34 with 62/43/38. The AP convoy had finished unloading supplies and all Japanese ships will leave the area westwards. Before that surface ships will bombard the Allied beachhead in two TF (2 BB, 3 CA, 2 CL in one and 2 BB, 1 CA and 3 CL in the other). The CV TF will cover this move and patrol 120 miles west of Onnekotan Jima.
All fighters units left also PJ in the evening for Sapporo. One A6M3a disappeared on the way with its pilot. 37 damaged aircraft were left behind, but the three undamaged AK of the last convoy to arrive loaded 14 Nick, 11 Tojo and 8 A6M3a before leaving, and so only 3 Tony and 1 Oscar II remained behind. By the way three small units of Dinah, Emily and Jake remained there to fly recon and naval patrol.

In the rear, Japanese airmen finally expanded Toyohara airfield to size 5 and will continue to build it up to size 6 before switching to port expansion. The convoy carrying the HQ of the Northern Area Force arrived in Etorofu Jima and will unload it tomorrow. Six slow ML arrived with it and will lay mines off this base, where a MLE was now based. The four damaged warships in the port were still repairing FLT damage with the help of both AR of the base.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

During the night 18 Betties were sent from Truk to lay mines off Goodenough Island but met bad weather and didn’t find their target. One disappeared in the storm with its crew.

Rabaul was attacked in the afternoon by 23 B-24D and 9 PB4Y from PM escorted by 55 P-38G that did 22 casualties and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 19 on the runways for the loss of a PB4Y to AA fire and of a B-24D to engine failure. The base reported in the evening that all damage was repaired and fortifications were at level 8, 75%.

Timor-DEI-Australia

In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 37 B-25C from Derby and reported 23 casualties and 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 33 on runways. Lautem was bombed by 64 B-17E, 25 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 13 P-40N, and reported 76 casualties, 1 disbaled gun, 1 hit on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 42 on runways. Two B-25C were shot down by AA fire over Maumereand another was lost in an accident, while a PBM Mariner flying a recon to Kendari was shot down by ace of the 68 Sentai (a Tony unit).

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere 56/50 (system/runway), Koepang 18/12, Dili 99/23, Lautem 55/54/38, other bases undamaged.

Burma

Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 15 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40E that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 19 on the runways, doing 9 casualties. All other Allied raids were sent against two Japanese units (31st Div and 3rd Tk Div) in the Katha-Indaw area 120 miles west of Myitkyina: first 42 Hurricane II, 41 B-25J, 24 Blenheim IV, 20 B-17E and 17 B-24D from Imphal escorted by 17 P-40N and 6 Spitfire Vb, then 43 Liberator VI and 14 B-25C from dacca escorted by 7 P-40N and then 36 B-25C and 33 Liberator VI again from Dacca escorted by 16 P-40N. 16 Ki-61 of the 65 Sentai drifting from Lashio CAP (and later joined by 6 other) intercepted these raids and despite the fatigue of the multiple battle still won the day. For the loss of ten Tonies (7 shot down by P-40N, 2 by Spitfire and 1 by a Liberator) and 6 pilots killed or wounded, they scored 26 victories (6 Hurricane, 5 Spitfire, 5 P-40N, 5 B-25J, 2 B-24D, 2 Blenheim and 1 B-25C) and repulsed 12 B-24D. But the other bombers hit hard Japanese troops and disbaled 589 men, 13 guns and 6 vehicles. Four more Allied aircraft were lost operationally: 2 B-25J, 1 B-25C and 1 P-40N.

Allied troops in Myitkina bombarded Japanese troops and hit 211 men, 1 tank and 4 guns. The report showed 2925 Allied AV (+76) and 1665 Japanese AV (-5) here.

In the Katha-Indaw area Japanese troops rested and bombarded the enemy lines, hitting 70 men. A new shock attack was ordered for the next day, with a new component. To confuse the Allied defenders the part of the 2nd Parachute Regiment still in Hanoi (the other part being used there as infantry) will be dropped on the Allied immediate rear area by 38 transport aircraft tomorrow.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 52/73 (system/runway), Myitkyina 43/14, other bases undamaged. Myitkyina reported that it had no more enough supplies (9200 on hand, 9500 needed).

China

The only activity was two training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha that was attacked by 43 Ki-51 from this base and by 35 Oscar II and 16 Ki-48 from Wuhan, and lost 62 casualties. A Ki-48 was lost in a crash.

Japan

The CA Suzuya, the CL Isuzu and 5 DD arrive in Tokyo from Singapore. The Isuzu was docked to be upgraded, while the other warships will sail to Ominato where they will join the KB.

[AmiralLaurent]

6 August 1943

Northern Pacific

Just after midnight, the submarine USS Skate attacked another Japanese ship off PJ, this time the destroyer Kuroshio, but her torpedo faield and she was then depth charged by the DD Shiranuhi and Arashio that scored a hit and a near-miss on her. But she was still there shortly later when 3 ML arrived to lay another defensive minefield off the base and heavily damaged the ML Hoko with a torpedo. The Japanese ships all turned back without laying mines. Later during the day, the two intact ML were ordered to return to Etoforu and to lay their mines on the way off Ketoi Jima, one of the undefended ports in the area, while the Hoko was deemed not salvable and was ordered to sail to Onnekotan Jima and lay her mines before being scuttled by her crew. ML will return to PJ but under DD escort next time.

On the other side of the island, the Allied beachhead was bombarded by two Japanese TF with a total of 4 BB, 4 CA and 6 CL but Allied defenses were efficient, or Japanese target identification wasn’t, because both attacks only hit 60 men and 2 guns.

Allied airmen soon reported that Japanese ships and fighters had left PJ area. In the afternoon the airfield of this base was bombed by 39 B-24D, 19 PB4Y and 9 B-17E from Attu and Kiska (in two separate raids) and reported 64 casualties, 4 disabled guns, 12 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 53 on the runways.
Japanese airmen flew only recon and naval search, and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska but suffered two losses (a G4M2 shot down by AA fire over Kiska, and a Nell shot down by an Allied fighter). In the morning a Val from the KB damaged the SS USS Ray off PJ.

On Paramushiro Jima, the activity was again only reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 6 men. Report showed 116 337 Allied men (+592), 1106 guns (+14) and 355 vehicles (+1) for 1853 AV (+38), and 1218 Japanese AV (+13). The evening report of the base listed damage as 30/15/21 (airbase/runway/port), 337 engineers and 59 042 supplies (-501). The barge convoy planned to arrive with 1500 more men of the 14th Division had been delayed by bad weather and will unload tonight.

All Japanese CV and BB TF were ordered to sail for Ominato for refuelling and repairs.

The convoy bringing back the 56th Bde and the 24th Eng Rgt arrived off Etorofu Jima and began to unload them. These troops will replace the regiment of the 14th Div that had begun to move to PJ by barges, and will also build an airfield here.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

During the night 10 Betties from Truk laid mines off Goodenough Island. There was no raid during the day.

Timor-DEI-Australia

In the afternoon Lautem was bombed by 26 B-24D and 9 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N, and reported 10 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 6 on runways. A B-25C was lost in an accident.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere 56/39 (system/runway), Koepang OK (fort 6,54%), Dili 99/15, Lautem 57/48/38, other bases undamaged.

Burma

Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 16 P-40E that scored 4 hits on the runways.
Most of the Allied air bases wer closed by clouds and the only other raids were two attacks launched from Imphal against the 41st and 46th Div in Katha area. The first wave was made of 13 B-25J, 10 Blenheim Iv, 9 B-17E, 4 Hurricane II and 4 B-24D escorted by 15 P-40N, the second of 31 B-25J, 29 Hurricane II, 21 B-24D, 17 Blenheim IV and 13 B-17E escorted by 3 Spitfire Vb. 17 Ki-61 of the 78 Sentai drifted from Lashio CAP and engaged both raids. This unit lost 10 aircraft during the day (4 shot down by P-40N, two by Spitfire, two by return fire and two in accidents) and 9 pilots killed or wounded, but scored 17 victories (7 Hurricane II, 5 P-40N, 5 B-25J and 1 Blenheim IV) and replused all 25 B-24D. AA fire shot down 3 more Allied aircraft (2 Hurricane and a B-25C) and Japanese ground losses were limited to 64 men and 4 guns.
So the influence of the Allied air force on the new offensive of the Burma Army was limited. Sadly there was again no air support from bombers based in Akyab, Pagan and Lashio. Transports from Hanoi dropped troops of the 2nd Para Rgt over Allied positions (losing two Tabbies to AA fire) but that was not enough to break the Allied front. The shock attack again achieved a 2 to 1 ratio (1954 Japanese AV x 2 (shock attack) = 3908 vs 1217 Allied, adjusted to 4075 vs 1521) and again all Allied troops held in their field fortifications. Japanese losses were 1305 men, 49 guns and 14 tanks, Allied ones 1595 men and 23 guns. The Burma Army Commander was now wondering if these forts will ever fall but given that Alleid losses today were greater than the Japanese ordered to continue to attack tomorrow, hoping that IJAAF bombes will at least fly and allow Japanese troops to reach a 3 or 4 to 1 ratio.

Allied troops in Myitkina bombarded Japanese troops and hit 36 men and 3 guns. The report showed 2957 Allied AV (+32) and 1658 Japanese AV (-7) here.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 52/64 (system/runway), Myitkyina 40/0, other bases undamaged. During the day a Dinah III was shot down by an Allied fighter over Jorhat. In the evening the 78 Sentai retired to Rangoon from Lashio.

China

The only activity was again two training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha that was attacked by 47 Ki-51 from this base and by 35 Oscar II and 17 Ki-48 from Wuhan, and lost 35 casualties.

Japan

The Kongo TF arrived in Tokyo from Lunga. Two cruisers were docked for upgrades, the CA Mikuma (7/43 upgrade) and the CL Yubari (long-delayed 6/42 upgrade). The other ships (BB Kongo, 2 CA and 8 DD) refuelled and sailed to Ominato to join the KB.

A convoy loaded 21k supplies in Sasebo for Shanghai.

[AmiralLaurent]

At this stage, after 4 attacks at 2 or 3 to 1 ratio against field fortifications, and none of the 11 defending units being repulsed, I think there is something wrong in field forts. Either they can't be reduced or they are rebuilt immediately at the end of the turn.

7 August 1943

Northern Pacific

During the night, 4 G4M1 and 3 G4M2 from Toyohara and Shikka again raided Kiska port but failed to hit anything and lost 2 G4M2 and 1 G4M1 to AA fire. Such raids were then cancelled.
Also during the night the ML Hoko sank off Onnekotan Jima before she managed to release her mine load.

Japanese airmen reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska and suffered no loss today. Allied airmen only launched a small raid againts PJ: 6 B-17E and 2 PB4Y from Kiska attacked the airfield and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 6 on the runways, wounding 9 men.

On Paramushiro Jima, the activity was again only reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 18 men. Report showed 117 499 Allied men (+1162), 1124 guns (+18) and 361 vehicles (+6) for 1887 AV (+34), and 1296 Japanese AV (+78, thanks to the barge convoy unloading 14th Div troops). The evening report of the base listed damage as 0/0/19 (airbase/runway/port), 349 engineers (+12) and 58 054 supplies (-988).

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

There was no warlike activity at all but Allied engineers expanded Dobadura airfield to size 5 and Japanese ones continued to work on Rabaul fortifications (now level 8, 89%).

A convoy arrived in Lunga with a CL, a DD, a MLE and 6 ML. The MLE was docked there and will suppor the 6 ML that will reinforce the minefield in the area (currently 1000 mines at Lunga, 680 off Green Island, 460 off Tulagi and 40 off Shortlands). The CL Naka and her escort DD sailed south and will try to raid the Allied shipping lanes between Gili Gili and Australia.

Timor-DEI-Australia

In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 35 B-25C from Derby and reported 13 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 9 on runways. Lautem was bombed by 26 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N, and reported 17 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 23 on runways. There was no Allied loss for once.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere 56/23 (system/runway), Koepang 1/0, Dili 99/7, Lautem 62/53/38, other bases undamaged.

The only Tony unit in the area, the 68 Sentai, received orders to go to Burma and left in the evening Kendari for Kuching.

Burma

Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 16 P-40E that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 2 on runways. Allied airmen switched targets and attacked again the garrison of this city (specifically the 33rd and 104th Div and the 21st Bde) with 48 Beaufigher VIC, 24 Vengeance I and 16 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Ledo and Jorhat escorted by 24 P-40E. They hit 105 men and 2 guns but lost 3 Beaufighter (2 Mk 21 and 1 VIC) to AA fire.

Neither side received air support in Katha area. The new Japanese shock attack again achieved a 2 to 1 ratio (2052 Japanese AV x 2 (shock attack) = 4104 vs 1195 Allied, adjusted to 4062 vs 1605) and again was repulsed. Japanese losses were 2283 men, 69 guns and 21 tanks, Allied ones 1043 men and 15 guns. The Burma Army Commander considered again stopping the attack, but the IJAAF staff asked for a last effort and sent an Oscar II Sentai to Taung Gyi with orders to join the ground attack. That brought the number of AC ordered to support the offensive to more than 150, but none of the 4 last attacks had been supported, despite the fact that between 3 to 6 recon sorties were flown to this area daily… So an attack will again be launched tomorrow but will be the last if no air support is commited.

Allied troops in Myitkina bombarded Japanese troops and hit 24 men and 1 gun. The report showed 2989 Allied AV (+32) and 1654 Japanese AV (-4) here.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 52/50 (system/runway), Myitkyina 21/0, other bases undamaged.

China

The only activity was again two training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha that was attacked by 49 Ki-51 from this base and by 32 Oscar II and 17 Ki-48 from Wuhan, and lost 6 casualties. An Oscar II was lost in a crash.

Japan

Another A6M3a factory (size 22) upgraded to the A6M5. The Zero production capacity was now the following: A6M5 286, A6M3a 104, A6M3 72.

[AmiralLaurent]

8 August 1943

Northern Pacific

In the morning, a patrolling Liberator VI bombed and damaged the SS RO-67 SE of PJ. With damage 46/40 the submarine sailed back to Japan for repairs.

Japanese airmen reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska but lost a G4M2 shot down by CAP over this island. Allied airmen launched no raid.

On Paramushiro Jima, the activity was again only reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 38 men and 1 gun. Report showed 118 234 Allied men (+735), 1150 guns (+26) and 363 vehicles (+2) for 1927 AV (+40), and 1313 Japanese AV (+17). The evening report of the base indicated that all damage was repaired and that 349 engineers were now rebuilding forts (level 5, 10%). The base had 59 017 supplies (+963, one of this ununderstandable supply management by the AI… I guess it stripped down units to give them to the base, and will do the reverse tomorrow).

The eight submarines sent from Pearl Harbor to chase Allied cripples off Alaska reached the planned area and scatter to form two patrol lines from 360 to 600 miles SSE of Anchorage.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

There was no Allied raid again but the small blockade runner (AK) Etashima Maru was bombed and hit twice in Kavieng port by patrolling Allied AC, by a B-25C in the morning and a B-24D in the afternoon. She reported damage as 46/18/39 but will continue unload at this port.

A convoy arrived in Lunga with a CL, a DD, a MLE and 6 ML. The MLE was docked there and will suppor the 6 ML that will reinforce the minefield in the area (currently 1000 mines at Lunga, 680 off Green Island, 460 off Tulagi and 40 off Shortlands). The CL Naka and her escort DD sailed south and will try to raid the Allied shipping lanes between Gili Gili and Australia.

Timor-DEI-Australia

During the night the Dutch submarine KVIII attacked a barge convoy 120 miles NE of Lautem and set one on fire with 20mm. This convoy was attacked in the afternoon by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that damaged two other barges with bombs.

Lautem was bombed by 21 B-24D and 10 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N, and reported 25 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 15 on runways. A B-24D was lost operationally.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere 56/1 (system/runway), Koepang OK (fort 6, 59%), Dili 98/0, Lautem 65/51/38, other bases undamaged.

SRA

Two convoys were organized today: one will carry 10k resources from Toboali to Singapore, and the other 42k resources from Tarakan to Japan (via Leyte).

An Otori-class destroyer was upgraded to 8/43 standard in Singapore.

Burma

Allied airmen flew 410 sorties today, hitting a base and 5 units in Myitkyina and Katha, while the Japanese bombers and fighter-bombers remained grounded as usual.
Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 12 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 14 P-40E that scored 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 13 on runways, doing 13 casualties. Allied airmen also bombed 3 units of the garrison of this city (33rd and 104th Div and the 21st Bde) with 43 Beaufigher VIC, 21 Vengeance I and 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Ledo and Jorhat escorted by 20 P-40E that hit 91 men and 4 guns.
Allied aircraft also bombed Japanese troops attacking at Katha, 120 miles more west, and hit the 1st Tk Div and 4th Mixed Rgt with 74 Liberator VI, 51 B-25C, 33 B-24D, 31 B-25J, 25 Hurricane II, 25 Blenheim IV and 16 B-17E from Imphal and Dacca escorted by 37 P-40N and 4 Spitfire Vb and hit 562 men, 7 guns and 9 tanks.
The only Allied losses (2 Liberator VI, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21) were operational.

In Katha the fifth Japanese shock attack in 6 days reached only 1 to 1 ratio (1592 Japanese AV x 2 (shock attack) = 3184 vs 1144 Allied, adjusted to 3284 vs 2101) and achieved nothing. Japanese losses were 4093 men, 48 guns and 26 tanks, Allied ones 1032 men and 24 guns. The Burma Army had been decimated for nothing in this offensive thanks to the lack of support of the IJAAF and to the (apparently) unreductible field fortifications. The lesson was learned…. Time of big Japanese offensives was definitely over. All armored units of the group (both Tk Div and 6 Tk Rgt) will go with 2 Army HQ to Myitkyina to reinforce the city before the next attack. At least they will try to do so. They accepted the orders but as they will move from an enemy ZOC to a besieged city I’m not sure it will work (even if between the two there is a friendly ZOC empty of enemy troops). The 2nd Para Rgt, reduced to 3 able infantry squads, will march to Mandalay for R&R.

Allied troops in Myitkina bombarded Japanese troops and hit 105 men, 1 tank and 3 guns. The report showed 3023 Allied AV (+34) and 1651 Japanese AV (-3) here.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 52/13 (system/runway), Myitkyina 31/6, other bases undamaged.

The IJAAF had been unable to support the offensive except the drifting CAP flown by local commanders not following their orders. The local air commander was not pleased at all with this, and decided to restore his honor by striking the enemy air force. If Oscar II and Sonia were recalled from Lashio and Taung Gyi, the Helen and Sally based in Akyab, Pagan and Lashio remained in place and received orders to bomb in the afternoon the base of Jorhat from where Allied Beaufighter operated without CAP cover. And three fighter units were sent to Myitkyina and ordered to fly 100% CAP over the city, in the hope that Allied airmen will again divide their efforts tomorrow between Myitkyina and Katha. If this is the case Allied fighter-bombers will be slaughtered over the first. 55 Tony and 19 A6M3 were sent from Rangoon and landed at Myitkyina in the evening, less one Tony lost in a crash with its pilot.

China

The only activity was again two training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha that was attacked by 49 Ki-51 from this base and by 34 Oscar II and 14 Ki-48 from Wuhan, and lost 62 casualties. This Ki-48 unit received in the afternoon orders to go to Kuriles to fly ASW patrols and flew to Japan some hours later.

Japan

The SS USS Haddo attacked SE of Tokyo a convoy coming from the SRA and hits a oil-laden tanker, but her torpedoes failed. The six escorts of the convoy chased her and the PC Shonan Maru 17 and Kyo Maru 7 scored two hits and one near-miss on her.

[AmiralLaurent]

9 August 1943

Allied score reached the 10 000 point mark. The score is now 59 444 to 10 043, still a long, long, long way to go for the Imperialists.

Northern Pacific

The submarines deployed south of Alaska to chase Allied cripples were quick to find them, but the I-26 (the “lucky” guy) became the hunted rather than the hunder. In morning fog 360 miles SSE of Anchorage she met 8 US destroyers that tried to chase her but she escaped without damage and radioed that all destroyers seemed to have been lightly damaged. Sadly this meeting alerted the Allied and the big game (damaged CV or BB) will probably take another path… A Glen saw 3 “LCM” west of the I-26 and another submarine in the area met a convoy of 10+ “AP” but was too far to attack.

Japanese aircrew reported that at least 2 Allied CV were still off Kiska, where 80+ CV fighters were included into the CAP.

In the afternoon, Paramushiro Jima airfield was attacked 37 Pb4Y, 33 B-24D and 15 B-17E from Attu and then by 11 PB4Y and 10 B-17E from Kiska, and reported 239 casualties, 4 disabled guns, 14 hits on the airbase, 7 on supplies and 88 on runways. One B-24D was lost operationally..

On Paramushiro Jima, the activity was again only reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 15 men. Report showed 119 783 Allied men (+1549), 1201 guns (+51) and 365 vehicles (+2) for 1962 AV (+35), and 1314 Japanese AV (+1). The evening report of the base listed damage as 34/11/0 (airbase/runway/port), 349 engineers and 57 187 supplies (-1830). Barges loaded another 1500 men of 14th Div in Etorofu to bring them here.

The convoy bringing back the 21st Div from Hawaii arrived off Toyohara and began to unload troops here. Their comments about their change of affectation were not recorded…. In the airfield of the same base, 35 Betty crew received orders to bomb Allied troops at PJ tomorrow. It will be an experiment of the difficutly of the task and of the AA defences. It it is successful, more bombers will join them.

All CV and BB TF of the KB returned to Ominato and disbanded. Aboard the CV were 60 pilots or crews that had no more aircraft and those were replaced by new aircraft coming out of the factories, including the first serie A6M5, but almost all KB air units remained under 50% of their OOB.

Central Pacific

Japanese engineers were now busy in the central area of the Japanese possessions in the Pacific and expanded today the port of Saipan to size 4. This base was now finished (port and AF size 4 (AF could be bigger but I won’t do the job of Allied engineers), fort level 9) and the two engineer units here, an Eng Rgt and a Const Bn, boarded ships to go to Tainan.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

During the night 4 Betties from Truk laid mines off Dobadura.

After dawn a patrolling B-24D saw a blockade runner in Rabaul port (the big AK Argun Maru) and damaged her. She was again attacked and hit by a B-17E in the afternoon and in the evening reported damage as 42/26/7 but will finish unloading supplies tonight before sailing back to Truk. Another AK should arrive in two days with badly needed supplies. By the way Rabaul engineers used well these supplies and finally completed Rabaul fortifications (level 9) today.

More south the CL Naka and the DD sent on a raid on Allied shipping lanes were now south of Luoisade Archipelago and receievd orders to go to a patrol area 720 miles south of Gili Gili. From there they will be able to sail at full speed to the path taken by Allied convoys between Australia and Gili Gili. That is, after one of these convoys had been seen by one of the two submarines patrolling in the area with Glens.

Timor-DEI-Australia

Patrolling Allied aircraft sank two barges off Lautem. 14 Brewster 339D and 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 were sent from Darwin to attack this convoy but the latter got lost and the former scored no hit. Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over Kendari.

In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 27 B-25C from Derby and reported 12 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase and 16 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 24 B-24D and 10 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 5 P-40N, and reported 17 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 24 on runways. There was no Allied loss.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere 30/0 (system/runway), Koepang 5/0, Dili 90/0, Lautem 67/52/38, other bases undamaged.

During a tour of Kendari, a Japanese admiral saw in the port a ML and a MLE doing nothing. They were promptly pu to work and the ML will lay mines off the base (going to other bases will be too dangerous due to the numerous Allied submarines in the area).

SRA

It seems to me that the AI suddenly decided this turn (or some days ago) to mess my supply situation in Burma. I had around 80k supplies in Rangoon and 50k in Mandalay but now there were only respectively 20k and 5k in these bases… and Bangkok (that had around 50k) now had 150k, but had little use for them… Arghhh!!!!! How I would like to be able to set manually how much supply needs each land base…

Anyway a convoy was formed in Singapore and will carry 70k supply to Rangoon again (hoping they won’t move to Bangkok the next day…). Four ML were included into the escort and will lay a minefield off Rangoon.

More east, two AK torpedoed off Mindanao had managed to reach Davao those last months and an AR was sent to held to save them. Now that both were safe and that Allied submarines seemed to have left the area, all three ships sailed to Palau (and then to Japan for damaged AK) under escort by a PC.

Burma

Allied intelligence detected the move of Japanese fighters to Myitkyina and the airfield was the target of two well-escorted raids but Japanese pilots were amongst the best and managed to survive… well most of them.
The first raid came from Ledo and was flown by 7 Chinese B-25J escorted by 33 AVG P-40N and 18 Chinese and American P-40E. They were intercepted by 32 of the 54 Ki-61 and 10 of the 19 A6M3 available at the base and in the following air battle 12 P-40E, 5 P-40N and 1 B-25J were lost by the Allied and 7 Ki-61 by the Japanese. The bombers turned back.
Not bad so far but then came a second raid from Dacca with 74 Liberator VI and 54 B-25C escorted by 58 P-40N. Tired Japanese pilots lost the air battle but by a small margin. For 14 losses (11 Ki-61 and 3 A6M3) they shot down 11 P-40N, 2 Liberator and 2 B-25. But this time the airfield was bombed and 14 aircraft destroyed on the ground (8 A6M3 and 6 Tony), 106 men killed and wounded and 3 guns disabled. There were 16 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 183 on the runways.
14 Ki-61 and 7 A6M3 remained on CAP but were too tired and scattered to do much damage to the fighter-bombers that came next to attack 3 divisions of the garrison (17th, 33rd and 104th). Five waves of aircraft attacked from Ledo, Kohima and Jorhat for a total of 53 Beaufigher VIC, 41 Beaufighter Mk 21, 30 Lysander I and 11 Vengeance I escorted by 5 P-40E. Only the two first waves were intercepted and lost 1 Vengeance, 1 Lysander, 1 Beaufighter VIC and 1 P-40 while other P-40 shot down 3 more Tony. The Allied airmen hit 111 men and 1 gun.
In these raids two more Allied aircraft were lost, one Beaufighter VIC shot down by AA fire and a Liberator VI lost in an accident. So the score in the morning was 39 Allied losses for 38 Japanese.

In the afternoon score went in Japanese favor when the Japanese bombers of Lashio, Akyab and Pagan bombed almost without opposition the airfield of Jorhat. In two waves, a total of 71 Ki-49 and 48 Ki-21 escorted by 20 A6M3 bombed the airfield at 7000 feet. There was no CAP and AA fire only hit 4 Helen, but that was enough for 3 of them to crash on the way back! Japanese bombs destroyed 11 Beaufighter VIC and 4 Beaufighter Mk 21, wounded 12 men and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 58 on runways.
So the final score for the day was 54 Allied aircraft destroyed against 41 Japanese in Burma (61 to 43 on the whole). Not a great victory but not many Japanese pilots were lost. The 78 Sentai lost 9 Ki-61 and 5 pilots but at least 3 were only wounded (as they had at least one victory I see them as WIA), the 65 Sentai lost 18 Ki-61 and 13 pilots but at least 6 of them were wounded and the F1/6th Daitai lost 12 A6M3 and 5 pilots, but at least 3 were wounded. So a maximum of 11 fighters pilots were definetly lost in the battle while at least 13 were wounded.
In the evening, all Japanese aircraft except recon left all Central Burma bases for Rangoon (fighters), Bangkok or Changsha (bombers) without any more loss. But 16 damaged fighters remained stranded at Myitkyina and will probably be blasted by Allied bombers tomorrow.

In Katha there was a total lull. No bombing, no artillery fire, no attack. The goods news was that the units ordered to move towards Myitkyina (both Tk Div, 6 Tk Rgt and 2 Army HQ) were not stuck there and moved east.

Allied troops in Myitkina bombarded Japanese troops and hit 133 men and 4 guns. The report showed 3052 Allied AV (+29) and 1643 Japanese AV (-8) here.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 30/0 (system/runway), Myitkyina 53/68, other bases undamaged.

China

The only activity was one training raid against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha by 44 Ki-51 from this base that did 35 casualties.

The Japanese Command waited for several days to see if the Chine will move but they didn’t. 16 units were now 180 miles east of Kweiyang and 16 other were defending the river bank 120 miles WNW of Changsha. Rather than retiring from the area, Chinese troops were reinforcing it. The failrue at Bankha had learned Japanese to not attack Chinese having had time to build field fortifications, and so any plan to capture the Kweiyang-Changsha road were cancelled. The Southern China Army main body received orders to leave its positions 120 miles east of Kweiyang and to return to this city. If another attack on Kunming will be launched later had not been decided yet.

Japan

Two small surface TF arrived in Tokyo in today. The first was the damaged CA Nachi and a DD coming back from Truk and the cruiser was sent to the repair shipyard. The other was the former Burma Naval Squadron (2 CA, 1 CL and 4 DD) and was disbanded in the port where the CA Mogami and the CL Natori will be upgraded.

[jwilkerson]

It seems to me that the AI suddenly decided this turn (or some days ago) to mess my supply situation in Burma. I had around 80k supplies in Rangoon and 50k in Mandalay but now there were only respectively 20k and 5k in these bases… and Bangkok (that had around 50k) now had 150k, but had little use for them… Arghhh!!!!! How I would like to be able to set manually how much supply needs each land base…

I'm curious, where are your HQs?

I have Southern Area HQ at Bangkok and Burma Area HQ at Raheng, and this seems to keep about 50K at each.

[AmiralLaurent]

JW, the Southern Army HQ is somewhere in the Pacific, while the Burma Army HQ is on the battlefield 120 miles N of Mandalay. I know it is not necessary to be so close to have a bonus, but some hundred of support squads with the attacking troop did help too.

10 August 1943

Northern Pacific

21 G4M1 from Toyohara flew an “experimental” raid on Allied troops on PJ. They bombed the 3rd USMC Div and hit only 10 men and 1 gun but Allied AA fire was heavy and damaged all attacking bombers, three of whom ditched on the way back. So this raid won’t be repeated. On Paramushiro the ground, the activity was still reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 23 men and 1 gun. Report showed 120 773 Allied men (+990), 1225 guns (+24) and 367 vehicles (+2) for 2006 AV (+44), and 1328 Japanese AV (+14). One Topsy was lost in an accident during the troop ferry flights to PJ today. The evening report of the base showed all damage repaired, 349 engineers again rebuilding fort (level 5, 14%) and 57 668 supplies (+481, still mindless AI business).

Japanese aircrew reported that at least 2 Allied CV were still off Kiska, and counted 449 docked ships and 81 units at Attu.

The AK bringing the damaged fighters from PJ reached Sapporo and unloaded them. The reconstituted fighter units will R&R here and will return to PJ in some time to cover a convoy bringing more supplies, but this plan is still on the drawboard and not well advanced.

Two ASW groups of 6 DD each were formed in Ominato and sailed eastwards. The first will chase a sub seen 180 miles E of Aomori, the second will go to Etoforu Jima and will then escort ML to PJ.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

During the night 8 Betties from Truk laid mines off Dobadura.

In the morning the small blockade runner Etashima Maru was again bombed and damaged by 2 B-24D in Kavieng port and reported in the evening damage as 95/58/21. She will probably not survive but was ordered to sail to Rabaul and dock here just in case.

In the afternoon came an unexpected raid on Truk by 44 B-24D from Dobadura. Hell, this base should not be in range… damned the stock map. Anyway I had only 21 night-fighter Nick on CAP and they could not do much. For the loss of one of their number to return fire, they damaged some bombers, two of which crashed on the way back. All bombers reached their target that was the port. Most of the warships had left for Japan some weeks ago, but there were still around 30 ships here and they were the main target of the Allied airmen. Only three bombs hit the port installation, but 15 hits 11 docked or anchored ships. An APD, two AP and a MSW were heavily damaged, 3 AP and 2 AK set on fire, and an AP and a PC more slightly hit. AA fire shot down another B-24D.

At the same time Rabaul was attacked by 59 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 13 P-38G that scored 9 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 24 on the runways, disabling 81 men and 1gun, while Kavieng was bombed by 21 PB4Y, 19 B-24D and 18 B-17E from PM and reported 37 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 18 on the runways.

In the evening Rabaul reported damaged of 28/37/0 (airbase/runway/port), Kavieng 13/4/0 and Truk 0/0/7. One of the problems of Truk was that the base had only 27 engineers and the convoy carrying the 1st Eng Rgt from Norfolk Island to the Gilberts was rerouted to bring this unit here.

The raid on Truk could have been more devastating if it had targetted the airfield. A half-dozen of tranport, recon and bombers units had been resting or training there and were scattered in the evening to the bases of Hollandia, Wewak, Palau, Ponape, Kwajalein and Guam, while the defences were reinforced by 3 fighter units from Hollandia and Lunga and two fighter units training in Truk joined CAP. So Truk now had 160 fighters flying CAP (51 A6M3a, 35 Tony, 30 Nick, 28 Oscar II and 16 A6M2) and kept 7 Betties to fly patrol. During these moves an A6M2, a Betty and a Emily were lost in accidents. Only the two ships with more than 50 FLT (including the MSW, the only in danger of sinking) remained docked, the other were scattered in TF in the rade.

Measures were also taken in Lunga (that was in heavy bomber range from Gili Gili). Both damaged SS repairing in the port left for Kwajalein, while the 3 docked AP sailed for Tarawa. The MLE based here will remain to continue to support the 6 ML active in the Solomons.

The 20 Jakes based in Shortland had despite orders never tried to attack barges or PT off Kiriwima. New orders were tried, and they were ordered to bomb that base at night (in ‘Washing Machine Charlie’ style).

Timor-DEI-Australia

In the morning a barge was sunk off Lautem by a B-24D and another by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin.

In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 8 of the 35 B-25C sent from Derby (the 27 other got lost) and reported 2 hits on supplies and 8 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 19 B-24D and 9 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 5 P-40N, and reported 39 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 10 on runways. There was no Allied loss.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 4%), Koepang OK (fort 6, 60%), Dili 82/0 (system/runway), Lautem 68/47/38, other bases undamaged. Maumere was lacking supplies and a small AP and a big AK loaded supplies in Kendari and will ship them to this base.

SRA

An escort of a convoy arriving in Balikpapan reported Allied mines in the area. Three MSW were sent from Kendari to sweep them. This convoy will load there 63k resources and then bring them to Japan via Leyte.

Burma

The bad weather grounded almost all Allied airmen and only one raid was flown. 12 Chinese B-25J from Ledo escorted by 12 P-40E bombed Myitkyina airfield, destroyed 3 Tony on the ground, wounded 5 men and scored 4 hits on the airbase and 7 on the runways. Japanese airmen only flew recon and reported that CAP now flew over Jorhat with 13 Spitfire Vb.

The lull continued in Katha while Allied troops in Myitkina continued to bombard Japanese troops and hit 123 men and 1 gun. The report showed here 3078 Allied AV (+26) and 2591 Japanese AV (+ 948) here. Two Tk Div, three Tk Rgt and 1 HQ arrived from Katha today in Myitkyina. Three other Tk Rgt and an Army HQ were now between Myitkyina and Katha and were ordered to hold the railway here. Two engineers units, the 4th Eng Rgt and a Const Bn, arrived in Katha today but were ordered to continue to Myitkyina where they will be more useful to repair the base and rebuild fortifications.

The evening report gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 47/0 (system/runway), Myitkyina 59/52, other bases undamaged. Three Tony were repaired in Myitkyina and flew back to Rangoon leaving there 10 damaged fighters.

China

The only activity was one training raid against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha by 44 Ki-51 from this base that did 23 casualties.

Two more Chinese units joined the army defending the river bank 120 miles WNW of Changsha, making for a total of 18 units. No Japanese offensive was planned here and the 11th Japanese Army was strong enough to repulse any Chinese crossing.

NW of Ichang the 26th Div continued to march back towards this city and reported no pursuit by Chinese forces.

Japan

Five more Japanese destroyers were upgraded in Tokyo and Maizuru, exploiting the new quiet period on the Northern front.

A survey of the various bases of the SRA showed that they had a total of 474k resources and 574k oil waiting to be carried to Japan. A big convoy will pick them up and orders were sent to several Japanese ports. The convoy will gather in Legaspi but ships will come from three Japanese bases: Osaka (16 16k-ton TK, 10 9k-ton TK), Sasebo (6 16k-ton TK) and Tokyo (60 7k-ton AK). Their combined escort included 16 ASW ships and the CS Mizuho and Nisshin laden with 15-20 Jakes each to fly ASW patrols. Between Japan and Legaspi the submarine threat was not serious and each convoy will sail on his own way but west of Legaspi Allied submarines were more active and there the convoy will gather and be escorted by a swarn of ASW ships (most of the available ships in SRA (15-20 in all) being directed to Legaspi to wait for this convoy).
From Legaspi, the convoy will sail west, send escorted TK to Brunei and Miri, and then reach Tarakan. It will leave there transports that will load (with not unload orders) and wait for its return. It will then go to Balikpapan, Soerabaja, Batavia, Toboali, Palembang, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, doing the same at each base. Then back on the same path to pick up laden ships, and also be joined by some AK from Kendari. It will be a repeat of the Spanish “Gold Convoy” of the piratry age.

[String]

449 ships?

That calls for a series of night harassment attacks on the port.

[AmiralLaurent]

ORIGINAL: String

449 ships?

That calls for a series of night harassment attacks on the port.

I had the same reflex and tried that, but Allied AA is shooting down between 20 and 50% of the bombers for no hit, so I stopped. By the way I only do that in the hope of hitting a CV, damaging DD or transports is not worth it, and no Allied ship will be sunk by just bombs in a big port (except barges, that are not worthy targets).

11-12 August 1943

Northern Pacific

This area saw only one noticeable event. In the afternoon of the 11th, Paramushiro Jima airfield was attacked by 41 PB4Y, 27 B-24D and 25 B-17E from Attu and then by 9 B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Kiska, and reported 192 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 15 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 94 on runways. This same evening the APD-34, still damaged at 71/33, left the port without waiting to repair all her FLT damage, guessing it will be safer to sail like that rather than to remain in a bombed base (even if the port hadn’t been targeted in the last week). She will try to reach Etorofu Jima.

This last base saw on the 12th the arrival of two ASW groups of 6 DD each, after an uneventful trip from Ominato with no enemy submarine sighting. One ASW group was merged into a ML TF of 3 ML sent to PJ, the 6 other will chase a submarine seen NE of the island.

Japanese aircrew continued to report Allied CV off Kiska and CV fighters over it. On the 12th one of these fighters shot down a Dinah III there.

On Paramushiro, the activity was still reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 67 men in 2 days. Report showed in the evening of the 12th 122 174 Allied men (+ 1401 in 2 days), 1259 guns (+34) and 365 vehicles (-2) for 2083 AV (+77), and 1356 Japanese AV (+28). The evening report of the base listed damage as 7/0/0 (airbase/runway/port), 349 engineers and 55 816 supplies (-1371 in 2 days).

South of Alaska, after several days without any sighting, the 8 submarines sent from PH to chase Allied cripples were redeployed closer from Alaskan shores on a single patrol line 480 miles long.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

On the 11th the badly damaged small blockade runner Etashima Maru managed to reach Rabaul but was then bombed by a patrolling B-24D and then sunk by 20 Dutch Beaufighter Mk 21 from Goodenough Island. A big AK on the other side of the port was not seen by the Alleid airmen and unloaded 500 supplies during the day, but left in the evening with 90% of her cargo still aboard. Rabaul is too dangerous now for Japanese transports.

B-24D from Dobadura continued to attack Truk for two days but had no more the advantage of surprise and achieved nothing. On the 11th, 30 bombers were intercepted by 44 A6M3a, 25 Oscar II, 15 Tony, 15 Nick and 12 A6M2 and all turned back after a quick air battle that saw the loss of two Oscar and 4 B-24. The next day 22 B-24D attacked again and met 33 A6M3a, 23 Nick, 20 Oscar II, 15 Tony and 12 A6M2. The Oscar of 248 Sentai did most of the work this day, losing one of their number to return fire (pilot WIA) but shooting down 3 bombers, all the Allied losses. It was a rare event to see Oscars win an air battle against heavy bombers. All bombers turned back again.
With the Cap having proven its ability to protect the base, all Japanese ships were docked again in port in the evening of the 12th, except seven of the ships having received light or medium damage on the attack of the 10th (6 transports and a PC) that had sailed to Japan for repairs on the evening of the 11th (as their FLT and fire damage were both already at 0).

These two days saw American medium bombers start a serie of intense air attack on Rabaul airfield, including attacks at 100feet with guns and parafrags. These attacks were efficient but losses to AA fire were high.
46 unescorted B-25C from Dobadura and 66 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 10 P-38G attacked on the 11th, and 46 unescorted B-25C from Dobadura and 47 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 10 P-38G the next day. These four attacks scored a total 21 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 156 on the runways, and disabled 196 men and 4 guns, but in two days Japanese gunners shot down 8 B-25J and 3 B-25C, and a P-38G was lost operationally.

In the evening of the 12th Rabaul reported damaged of 58/81/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Truk 0/0/1. Kavieng was fully repaired since the day before and continuing to build forts.

Timor-DEI-Australia

On the 11th Koepang was attacked by 35 B-25C from Derby and reported 56 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 6 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 28 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 20 B-24D and 9 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 8 P-40N, and reported 17 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 12 on runways. There was one Allied loss, a B-25C shot down by AA fire over Koepang.

The next day, Koepang was attacked by 22 B-25C from Derby and reported 22 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 12 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 11 B-24D and 6 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 5 P-40N, and reported 13 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 11 on runways. And a patrolling B-17E sank a barge 60 miles SW of Kendari.

The evening area report of the 12th listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 9%), Koepang 26/1 (system/runway), Dili 66/0, Lautem 75/48/38, other bases undamaged.

Tomorrow the 77 Sentai (30 Oscar II) will fly LRCAP over Koepang from Kendari.

SRA

So far the Legaspi area had been quiet and so was chosen to be a transit point for convoys from SRA to Japan and back but that changed in the early hours of the 12th. The old American submarine S-32 met a convoy 120 miles east of Legaspi. She was detected on her first approach and chased by 7 escorts, but was undamaged and came back. This time she scored a torpedo hit on the tanker Ceram Maru and set her on fire (destroying 7k of her cargo oil). She was then again depth charged and again missed. The tanker reported damage as 53/17/18 and left the convoy to sail to Takao (port 9 + AR here). An APD was sent from Legaspi (where ASW ships were concentrating to wait the “Gold Convoy” (see last post above)) to escort her.

More north, the 3 Japanese AP that were hit off Luzon during the battle of the troop convoy (carrying reinforcements for Burma) had been docked in Manila, where their passengers were left behind. These ships had now only SYS system and no Allied submarine had been seen in the area for a while. They were ordered to load back the unit fragments and will bring them to Camranh Bay under a small escort. From there troops will join their mother units in Burma by train and road, while the damaged ships will go the the repair yard in Hong Kong.

Japanese engineers finished to build the base of Palembang (port 4, AF 5, fort 9) by extending the runway. The Const Bn working here then boarded an AK convoy and will be sent to Java, where engineers are far from enough to build fortifications.

Burma

The weather cleared on the 11th enough for Allied airmen to pound the last damaged aircraft on Myitkyina airfield that was attacked by 8 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 15 P-40N and 7 P-40E and then by 62 B-25J, 48 B-24D, 24 Blenheim IV and 26 B-17E from Imphal escorted by 44 P-40N. Bombs ravaged the IJAAF part of the base, destroying the last 8 damaged Tony still there, but the two remaining A6M3 were spared. Both attacks did 112 casualties and scored 13 hits on the airbase, 13 on supplies and 198 on the runways. Allied fighter-bombers (50 Vengeance I, 31 Lysander I, 25 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 19 VIC from Ledo and Kohima escorted by 18 P-40E) then bombed three units of the garrison (1st and 3rd Tk Div, 33rd Div) and hit 285 men, 6 guns and 5 tanks. Allied losses for the day were 3 Vengeance I, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 Blenheim shot down by AA fire, and 2 Vengeance I and a B-24D lost in accidents.
Activity on the ground was limited on the 11th to artillery fire, Japanese guns hitting 218 Allied men and 2 guns on Katha and Allied guns hitting 106 men and 4 guns in Myitkyina. The reports compiled in the evening showed that on these both fronts the Burma Army had 4234 Av (2592 in Myitkyina and 1642 in Katha) and SEAC and NAAC had 4240 (3112 in Myitkyna and 1128 in Katha). Both sides had some smaller concentrations in the area (Allied more than Japanese) but the overall picture was a near-parity, and was analyzed by the Japanese High Command as a slatemate. And Japanese reinforcements had not been sent to Burma to force a slatemate but to achieve a successful counter-offensive. So there were three options:
1) the first was to gather a third of the Japanese troops and then advance in the jungle to cut the trail north of the Katha battlefield and defeat the 4 Allied units being here. Then troops will come back to Katha and try to reduce the surrounded Allied troops. A bold plan, but it was thought that Allied field fortifications will again stop it cold…
2) the second option was to use a smaller part of the Burma Army to defeat the Chinese forces SW and SE of Myitkyina and so reopen a supply path from Lashio.
3) the last option was to retire Japanese reinforcements to send them to their planned garrisons in DEI and let the Burma Army defend Burma alone.
Finally the choise was made due to the bad supply situation in Myitkyina and the safest, second choice was made. Also the renewed Allied offensive in Rabaul area was interpreted as a sign that the DEI were not threatened, as it was thought that Australia alone could not wage two offensives at the same time. So in the evening of the 11th, 2 Tk Div and 1 Army HQ received orders to leave Myitkyina westwards to join the 3 Tk Rgt defending the railway here. Then they will march SE to engage the Chinese division holding the mountains SW of Myitkyina.

Allied air activity concentrated still on Myitkyina on the 12th with 6 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 16 P-40N and 8 P-40E attacking the airfield (and scoring only 3 hits on the runways) and 99 aircraft (43 Vengeance I, 27 Beaufighter VIC, 12 Beaufighter Mk 21, 11 Lysander I and 8 B-25J from Ledo, Jorhat and Kohima escorted by 19 P-40E) bombed five units of the garrison (3rd Tk Div, 17th, 33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde) and hit 106 men and 4 guns, for only one loss this time, a Lysander I shot down by AA fire.
All this activity (probably greatly reduced by bad weather) was to support a new Allied deliberate attack on the city. It was a failure (at 0 to 1, 3154 Allied AV vs 1689, adjusted to 2939 vs 5853) and didn’t reduce the forts (level 7). Japanese units lost 1726 men, 20 guns and 1 tank, Allied ones 3529 men, 130 guns and 17 vehicles.
This attack didn’t change the Japanese plans. In Katha the same day Japanese guns hit 310 men and 3 guns.

The evening report of the 12th gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 29/0 (system/runway), Myitkyina 94/67, other bases undamaged. Myitkyina had now 8989 supplies, and needed 11758... I tried something by ordering the 23rd Bde to leave Katha (where supplies arrived daily from Mandalay, and units were all fully supplied) to march to Myitkyina, to see if it will drop a part of its supplies in the town when it arrived. If it works, then Japanese units will march from Myitkyina to Katha and back to bring supplies.

China

Training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha were flown on the 11th by 44 Ki-51 from this base and by 34 Oscar II from Wuhan, and did 56 casualties. This evening, all flying was stopped for some days as a massive IJNAF training program was started. 81 Zero arrived in Changsha for Singapore, and 63 A6M3a from Japan and 27 A6M3a and 9 Val from Mukden. All were now available for operational training (mean exp of the unit above 55, and all pilots having exp 50 or more). By the way there were 183 other zero still on basic training (with lower experience).

Two Japanese destroyers were upgraded in Shanghai port that was since the start of the war an important repair yard for transports and small warships.

Japan

On the 11th after a long quiet period in the area, two enemy submarines were reported off Japanese shores, south of Shimuzu and Nagasaki. An ASW group was sent from Tokyo to chase them.

A convoy left Sendai on the 11th to carry 84k supplies to Shanghai, from where they will be sent to Changsha to repair the town industrial quarters.

[AmiralLaurent]

13-14 August 1943

Northern Pacific

The only noticeable event in this area in two days was again an air raid on Paramushiro Jima. In the afternoon of the 14th, its airfield was attacked by 49 PB4Y, 31 B-24D and 25 B-17E from Attu, and reported 226 casualties, 6 disabled guns, 15 hits on the airbase, 9 on supplies and 89 on runways. AA fire shot down a PB4Y.

Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians but lost in two days a Nell and a Dinah III shot down by Allied fighters and a Betty shot down by AA.

On Paramushiro, the activity was still reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit 32 men and 1 gun in 2 days. Report showed in the evening of the 14th 123 416 Allied men (+ 1242 in 2 days), 1296 guns (+37) and 366 vehicles (+1) for 2131 AV (+48), and 1443 Japanese AV (+87). The evening report of the base listed damage as 43/7/0 (airbase/runway/port), 355 engineers and 53 831 supplies (-1985 in 2 days). A Tina was lost in an accident during a troop ferry flight to this island, while 1500 more men were dropped by a barge convoy in the period. Also the ML TF laid 350 more mines on the night of the 13th-14th (briging the total to 680) without interference by Allied submarines.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

American medium bombers continued to attack Rabaul airfield on the 13th with 27 unescorted B-25C from Dobadura and 34 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 11 P-38G. They strafed and sank a Alf in the seaplane base (only AC based there were 3 floatplanes), did 74 casualties and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 58 on the runways for the loss of 3 B-25J to AA fire and one P-38G in an accident.

This evening, 32 Ki-61 of the 203 Sentai flew from Truk to Kavieng to fly LRCAP over Rabaul the next day. There was only one raid on the 14th against these bases and it was flown by 25 B-25C from Dobadura but this time they were escorted by 22 P-38G. 15 Tony were on station and tangled with the Lightning, shooting down two for the loss of four of their number and their pilots, and then were unable to attack efficiently the bombers. The attack disabled 40 men and 1 gun, and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 24 on the runways. 2 B-25 hit by AA ditched on the way back, as did a P-38G victim of engine failure.

Kavieng had been bombed on the 13th by 30 PB4Y, 22 B-17E and 15 B-24D from PM (30 casualties, 11 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 44 on the runways) and was again bombed the next day but only by 15 B-24D from Dobadura (4 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on supplies and 3 on the runways) and the 203 Sentai didn’t suffer from this raid. In the evening all 22 serviceable Tony flew back to Truk and the 6 damaged ones were loaded aboard a blockade runner that will sail NE during the night.

In the evening of the 14th Rabaul reported damage of 74/75/0 (airbase/runway/port). Kavieng was fully repaired since the day before and continuing to build forts (level 4, 74%) while Truk was also fully repaired.

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Goodenough Island to size 3 on the 13th.

Japanese airmen reported an AP convoy in Gili Gili port on the 14th and the CL Naka and her escort DD, that were still patrolling 600 miles south of Gili Gili, were informed and told to be ready to try to intercept this convoy on the way back.

Timor-DEI-Australia

On the 13th Koepang was attacked by 26 B-25C from Derby that were intercepted by 8 Oscar II of 77 Sentai flying LRCAP from Kendari. After a short battle that saw no loss on either side, all bombers turned back. Dili was bombed by 28 B-24D from Darwin that scored 35 hits on the runways and did 50 casualties, and Lautem was bombed and missed by 8 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 5 P-40N.

The next day, there was no more LRCAP over Koepang that was attacked by 25 B-25C from Derby and reported 14 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways, Dili was raided by 21 B-24D from Darwin that scored 1 hit on the airbase and 17 on the runways and disabled 43 men and 1 gun, and Lautem was bombed by 8 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 5 P-40N, and reported 17 casualties and 3 hits on the runway. AA fire shot down a B-25C over Lautem.

The evening area report of the 12th listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 19%), Koepang 8/3 (system/runway), Dili 67/38, Lautem 75/39/38, other bases undamaged.

SRA

Three MSW sent from Kendari reached Balikpapan on the 13th and swept all mines laid there by an Allied submarine. These MSW will now remain there.

In the morning of the 13th the SS USS Greenling missed the damaged tanker Ceram Maru 240 miles ENE of Legaspi.

Burma

On the 13th Allied airmen flew 255 sorties over Northern Burma. 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 30 P-40E attacked Myitkyina airfield (scoring 6 hits on the runways) while 70 Liberator VI, 51 Hurricane II and 50 B-25C from Imphal and Dacca escorted by 38 P-40N and 9 Spitfire Vb bombed in the Katha area three Japanese units (31st Div, 23rd Bde and a regimengt of the 30th Div) and hit 459 men, 13 guns and 2 tanks. All three Allied losses (two Liberator and a P-40E) were operational.

The next day Allied airmen only attacked troops in Katha and flew 222 sorties. Two divisions (46th Div and 1st Tk Div) were bombed by 67 Liberator VI, 50 Hurricane II and 47 B-25C from Imphal and Dacca escorted by 41 P-40N and 7 Spitfire Vb and lost 393 men, 9 guns and 4 tanks. A Hurricane was shot down by AA fire and a Spitfire Vb was lost in an accident.

On the ground there was little change. Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina as usual. In two days 78 Allied men and 273 Japanese men and 2 guns were hit. In other news the 1st and 3rd Tk Div marched back to Katha and reached the point where trains from Mandalay were able to bring ammunitions. Once fully supplied both divisions rolled eastwards again.

The evening report of the 13th gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 11/0 (system/runway), Myitkyina 61/0, other bases undamaged. 2206 Japanese AV faced 1158 Allied in Katha, and 1900 Japanese AV faced 2803 in Mytkyina.

China

Training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha were flown on the 13th by 49 Ki-51 from this base (31 casualties) and on the 14th, as the training session opened, by 43 Ki-51, 27 A6M2, 27 A6M3a and 9 A3M3 from Changsha and by 10 A6M2, 3 A6M3 and 3 Val from Wuhan for a total of 47 casualties.

On the ground there was very few to report. As the Southern China Army was marching back to Kweiyang (all contact 120 miles east of the city was broken on the 13th) it left behind a Tk Rgt to patrol east of the city.

Japan

Another A6M3a factory converted to the A6M5, bringing the latter production capacity to 325, and reducing the production of A6M3a to 65 in a last factory. I will leave this factory run as long as the auto-upgrade won’t happen, as having some more long-range A6M3a might be useful.

All production of Tojo and Oscar II was suspended on the 13th as their pools were respectively over 300 and 400.

[AmiralLaurent]

Just an add-on on the above post

[AmiralLaurent]

15 August 1943

Northern Pacific

In the afternoon, Paramushiro Jima airfield was again attacked by 39 PB4Y, 21 B-17E and 6 B-24D from Attu, and reported 25 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 7 hits on the airbase and 52 on runways. A PB4Y was lost operationally.

Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, but at the cost of another Dinah III shot down by Allied CAP near this base.

On Paramushiro, the activity was still reduced to Japanese artillery fire that hit nothing. Report showed 124 091 Allied men (+ 675), 1307 guns (+11) and 365 vehicles (-1) for 2160 AV (+29), and 1450 Japanese AV (+7). The evening report of the base listed damage as 56/9/0 (airbase/runway/port), 355 engineers and 53 502 supplies (-329).

The ML TF arrived back at Etoforu, reloaded, was joined by two more ML (bringing its strength to 5 ML and 6 DD) and sailed again to PJ. Another TF to reach Etoforu was the damaged APD-34 that had managed to sail from PJ without meeting any Allied submarine and was docked with damage 71/55. Three other heavily damaged ships, the CA Tone and DD Kagero and Hatsuzuki, had been patched in Etorofu and were now ready to return to Japan for more extensive repairs. They left in the evening under escort by 6 DD.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

On the morning a Glen saw the BB HMS Ramillies south of Gili Gili. The first idea of the Japanese Command was that the small raiding force (CL Naka, one DD) that was patrolling in the area had been seen by Allied aircraft and this surface TF had been sent to deal with them, and the Japanese ships were ordered to retreat at full speed towards Noumea. By the way Japanese airmen also reported 3 convoys of AP/APD and two other surface TF in Gili Gili port, so probably the CL TF was undetected and Allied ships were just gathering for another operation in the area.

That will be a justification of the intense and costly attacks on Rabaul and Kavieng by American bombers. Today 36 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 11 P-38G bombed and strafed Rabaul, destroying a Alf in the seaplane base, did 15 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 34 on the runways for the loss of 2 B-25J to AA fire. Kavieng was bombed by 24 PB4Y, 13 B-24D and 10 B-17E from PM and reported 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 41 on the runways.

In the evening Rabaul reported damage of 75/74/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Kavieng 11/0/0. 21 Betties arrived in the evening in Truk for Toyohara to reinforce this theater. A 22nd had disappeared during the long flight.

In the Solomons two Japanese ML laid 600 miles off Shortlands… in the morning! Their crews were noy used to operate so close of enemy bases and didn’t plan a night operation. So these ships were spotted and attacked by two waves of aircraft: 19 Dutch Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima, and then 21 B-25J and 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Gili Gili escorted by 6 P-38G. The aiming of the airmen was poor and only one hit was scored by a Beaufighter on the ML Okinoshima setting her on fire (damage 36/13/24). One Beaufighter was lost to engine failure during these attacks.
Both ML will return to Lunga, but this base will cease to be a MLE base. IN fact the local MLE and the four other ML of the squadron left the area in the evening for Kwajalein. They left behind them more than 10 000 mines protecting directly Lunga and some thousand in nearby bases.

Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Buna to size 3.

Timor-DEI-Australia

Koepang that was attacked by 16 B-25C from Derby and by 89 B-17E and 19 B-24D from Darwin and reported 65 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 17 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 64 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 8 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N, and reported 6 casualties and 4 hits on the runway. AA fire shot down two B-17E over Koepang, and a third was lost operationally.

The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 28%), Koepang 37/68 (system/runway), Dili 67/30, Lautem 75/33/38, other bases undamaged.

SRA

In the evening the APD-46, the only escort of the damaged TK Ceram Maru sailing to Takao for repairs, chased east of Appari, Luzon, the SS USS Steelhead before she could attack her charge and scored a near-miss on her.

Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Miri to size 3. One day we will need to have fighters based here…

A convoy loaded 14k resources and 7k oil in Rangoon for Singapore.

Burma

Allied airmen flew 246 sorties today, hitting the base and 4 units in Myitkyina. The airfield was attacked by 7 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 10 P-40E that scored 1 hit on supplies and 9 on runways, doing 15 casualties. Allied airmen bombed 4 units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 4th Eng Rgt) with 56 Vengeance I, 53 Beaufigher VIC, 43 Beaufighter Mk 21, 28 Lysander I and 9 B-25J from Kohima, Ledo and Jorhat escorted by 24 P-40E that hit 92 men and 8 guns. Two Beaufighter VIC were shot down by AA fire, while a Vengeance, another Beaufighter VIC, a P-40N and a F-5A were lost in accidents. Two Japanese reconnaissance aircraft were also lost during the day over India, a Irving being shot down by the CAP and a Dinah III by AA fire.

On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (59 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (37 men and 2 guns hit).

The evening report of the 13th gave the airfield status as: Mandalay 2/0 (system/runway), Myitkyina 43/0, other bases undamaged. 1867 Japanese AV faced 1160 Allied in Katha, and 2104 Japanese AV faced 2854 in Mytkyina. In this town there were 8300 remaining supplies for needs of 11000. The 23rd Mixed Bde arrived fully supplied but didn’t share for the town (and in fact increased the needs). It will march west again and join the troops gathering between Katha and Myitkyina and preparing for a counter-offensive south of Myitkyina. 37 transport aircraft based in Hanoi will begin to fly supplies to Myitkyina.

China

Two training raids against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha were flown from Changsha (by 43 Ki-51, 27 A6M2, 27 A6M3a and 13 A3M3) and Wuhan (by 9 Val, 8 A6M3a and 6 A6M2) and hit a total of 32 Chinese men.

Japan

Two Daitai of Val (27 AC, exp 60) and Kate (27 AC, exp 58) created the day before were sent to Wuhan, China, for operational training.

The only Japanese factory producing the A6M3 (size 72) converted to A6M5. With a pool of 247 A6M3, this type may remain in service for some time. The production capacity of the A6M5 was now 397. By the way, production capacity for the A6M3a was 65 and there were 210 in the pool.

A convoy loaded 35k supplies in Nagasaki and will carry them to Canton to support the Southern China Army operations.

[goodboyladdie]

"Allied score reached the 10 000 point mark. The score is now 59 444 to 10 043, still a long, long, long way to go for the Imperialists."

Aren't the Japanese the Imperialists? [:'(]

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: goodboyladdie

"Allied score reached the 10 000 point mark. The score is now 59 444 to 10 043, still a long, long, long way to go for the Imperialists."

Aren't the Japanese the Imperialists? [:'(]

Of course they were not! [8D]

The brave Japanese soldiers only fight to create co-prospherity sphere where Asian people will be fre and never again ruled by white man - it is defensive and liberational war! [:'(]


Leo "Apollo11"

[goodboyladdie]

An interesting point, my fellow Bloody Pacific addict, but in that case they forgot to change the name of the Imperial Japanese Army and Navy [:'(][:'(]

edit: And the Emperor for that matter...

[AmiralLaurent]

16-17 August 1943

Northern Pacific

In the afternoon of the 16th, Paramushiro Jima airfield was again attacked by 9 B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Kiska, and reported 51 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on the airbase and 11 on runways. There was no raid the next day. In two days, AA fire shot down two PBM Mariner over PJ while a Emily was shot down in the Aleutians by an Allied fighter and a Topsy was lost in an accident.

During the night of the 16th-17th the ML TF (5 ML and 6 escort DD) returned to PJ but was attacked by the SS USS Raton that sank the ML Saishu and missed a DD with a wide torpedo spread and then escaped after the DD Samidare scored a near-miss on her. The TF was badly disorganized by this attack and retired without laying mines. It was ordered to return there tonight and lay the planned minefield.

On Paramushiro, Allied artillery began to reply to Japanese guns on the 16th and won both days. Allied losses were 27 men and 1 gun in two days, Japanese ones 644 men and 7 guns. Reports showed on the 17th 125 489 Allied men (+ 1398 in 2 days), 1338 guns (+31) and 372 vehicles (+7) for 2194 AV (+29), against 73 033 Japanese men, 625 guns and 5 tankettes for 1451 AV (+1). The last troops of the 14th div in Toyohara were flown to PJ on the 16th and the air bridge was then stopped. The only troops lacking to the division were now 3000 men in Etoforu Jima that will be brought in by barges. The evening report of PJ listed no more damage and fort still building (now level 5, 35%), 355 engineers and 52 455 supplies (-1047 in 2 days).

South of Alaska one of the submarines of the patrol line saw a convoy (4+ AP) sailing west 360 miles ESE of Anchorage but did not attack.

Central Pacific

Japanese engineers expanded Guam airfield to size 2.

Southern Pacific

Japanese engineers had finished to build the base in Maloelap (port 1, airfield 4, fort 9) and will finish in some days the one on Wallis Island. Two small AP convoys were sent from Kwajalein and will pick up engineer troops on both these islands to move them to other places.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

In the early hours of the 16th the SS I-21 was chased 420 miles SSW of Gili Gili by 5 destroyers and damaged (22/10/0) by 8 near-misses scored by the USS Converse and Case. These destroyers used Mk 6 and 7 depth charges, and not the Mk 9 used by most DD in the North. It seemed that for the Allied too this theater was low on the priority list for modern equipment. The I-21 left the area and sailed for Lunga.

This same day, Japanese airmen continued to report signs of an imminent Allied operation. A surface TF was seen 120 miles south of Gili Gili, and a recon of this base reported 136 docked ships (only an AVD and several LCM were identified). Nothing new was reported on the 17th.

Allied airmen continued to bomb Japanese bases. Rabaul was attacked on the 16th by 15 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 18 P-38G and on the 17th by 22 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 17 P-38G and 40 B-25J from Gili Gili. These three attacks destroyed another Alf in the base, did a total of 151 casualties and 1 disabled gun, and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 57 on runways for the loss of 3 B-25J and a B-25C to AA fire, and of another B-25J and a P-38 in accidents.
Kavieng was bombed on the 16th by 21 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 3 P-38G and the next day by 20 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 2 P-38G and reported a total of 11 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 28 on the runways. A B-24D was shot down by AA fire the first day.

In the evening of the 17th Rabaul reported damage of 80/32/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Kavieng was fully repaired. Two more blockade runners were ordered to sail to Kavieng, one with 7k supplies and the other with 3500 tons of fuel, to create a barge base here to carry supplies to Rabaul where there are already shortages.

In the rear area, the blockade runner Argun Maru that had been bombed off Rabaul reached Truk with damage 42/55 and was docked for repairs. Another damaged ship, the ML Okinoshima, reached Lunga in the evening of the 17th and was docked with damage 44/26/3. In Hollandia, a 3000-ton AP began to load support troops of the 43rd Div to bring them to Wewak, where the main body of the unit was. Around 5750 men of the division, mainly service troops, were still in Hollandia.

Allied engineers continued to work hard and expanded in two days the airfields of Dobadura (to size 6), Kiriwima (to size 4) and Gili Gili (to size 6).

Timor-DEI-Australia

On the 16th Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby and by 87 B-17E and 24 B-24D from Darwin and reported 116 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 14 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 121 on runways, and Lautem was bombed by 10 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N, and reported 7 casualties and 6 hits on the runway. A B-17E was lost operationally.

The next day the small ML Kurosaki laying local defense minefields off Kendari was surprised by a B-24D on patrol and badly damaged (56/82/13). The fact that 150-160 fighters were flying CAP over this base didn’t bother much the Allied crew… The ship was docked in the port and may be saved (port size 5 with an AR and a Fleet HQ). There was only one day during the day: Koepang was attacked by 15 B-25C from Derby and reported 2 hits on the airbase and 7 on runways

The evening area report of the 17th listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 50%), Koepang 63/92 (system/runway), Dili 67/14, Lautem 75/17/38, other bases undamaged.

Darwin had not been reckoned for a long time and Dinah were ordered to fly there tomorrow just to check what happens here.

SRA

One of the three convoys sailing from Japan to Legaspi to form there the super “Gold Convoy” was attacked in the early hours of the 17th 180 miles east of this base by the SS USS Skipjack that missed a tanker. The submarine then escaped without being detected by the 5 escorts of the convoy. This convoy and the other tanker convoy both arrived in Legaspi this same day, while the AK convoy coming from Tokyo will arrive in two days. An ASW TF was sent from Legaspi to reinforce its escort.

The damaged TK Ceram Maru that had been torpedoed in Legsapi area reached Takao on the evening of the 17th and was docked for repairs with damage 56/38. Takao was a size 9 port with an AR.

Burma

The two days saw very little air activity. On both mornings Myitkyina airfield was attacked from Ledo (by 9 B-25J escorted by 33 P-40E on the 16th, and by 9 B-25J escorted by 37 P-40E the next day) for a total of 70 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on runways. There was only one other raid each day. On the 16th 6 Liberator VI from Dacca escorted by 19 P-40N raided Myitkyina in the afternoon and scored 2 hits on the runways. On the 17th, 51 Hurricane II from Imphal escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb attacked the 31st Div in Katha-Indaw area and hit 67 men and 2 guns.
In two days the Allied lost three aircraft (a Hurricane shot down by AA fire, another and a Liberator lost in accidents) and Japan lost one (a Tabby lost operationally while flying supplies to Myitkyina).

On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (206 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (284 men and 4 guns hit).

The evening report of the 13th showed that all bases were undamaged, and that Myitkyina was rebuilding fortifications (level 7, 27%). In this town there were 8186 remaining supplies for needs of 9951. 1563 Japanese AV faced 1180 Allied in Katha, and 1893 Japanese AV faced 2925 in Mytkyina.

On the 16th the Japanese 28th Army (HQ, 1st and 3rd Tk Div, 23rd Mixed Bde and two Tk Rgt) gathered between Katha and Myitkyina began to march to the SE to open a land supply path for Myitkyina. It will cross the river and attack the Chinese division that held the mountains SW of Myitkyina, then will continue eastwards to engage the Corps holding the trail SE of the city. The next day all troops all only moved of 2 miles, so the “attack preparation” will take a month, and after more reflexion the 1st Tk Div was detached from the army and will remain in reserve along the railway.

On the 16th the 68 Sentai arrived in Rangoon from Kendari with 36 Tony and 37 experienced pilots. The next days Japanese recon units that had been tasked the last weeks to mostly follow the Allied units on the frontline were ordered to recon again Indian bases.

China

The Chinese HQ that hid for months in mountains 120 miles WNW of Sian marched out of them on the 16th, advancing to the SW. Japanese forces that were once only 120 miles NE of Chungking had now totally left this area and their forward positions were now Sian and Ichang. The same day a Chinese unit was seen leaving Chungking to the NE.

A training raid against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha was flown on the 17th from Changsha (by 49 Ki-51, 27 A6M2, 24 A6M3a and 22 A3M3) and hit 26 men.

The Southern China Army HQ in Kweiyang released a new plan on the 17th. About 40% of the army will occupy positions 60 miles east of the city (to be able to defend both the city and the road to the coast) while the remaining troops will advance to Kunming and besiege the city. They won’t be able to take it, and won’t even try, but will so pin Chinese troops and stop supply production (about 80 resource centers were still producing here).

The China Expeditionary Force had been here and then reinforced by units attached to other commands, and now that the Allied were on the move these troops were needed elsewhere. A survey was done to see which units could be so retired from China and 14 were found: an Area Army HQ, an Air Fleet HQ, an Eng Rgt, three parachute SNLF, a Naval Guard Unit, two NLF and five small base forces. These units should be replaced in their garrison roles but will then march to Shangai or Canton to be shipped elsewhere.

Japan

The CVE Shinyo was commissioned in Tokyo on the 16th. With the main CV air units only manned at 50%, the IJNAF had no means to put aircraft aboard its CVE and most were parked in Japanese ports waiting for better days. I even hesitated to cancel this one some weeks ago.

By the way five depleted CV air units lost their operational status and were transferred from their ships to Japanese airfields where they will receive rookie pilots and train them during some months. They were the AII-1 (reduced to 5 pilots), AI-2 (7), DII-2 (5), EII-2 (7) and BI-3 (4).

The Aeronautic Production Minister was very surprise when one of his subordinates asked him where the new A6M5c should be sent. These aircraft were scheduled to be produced in September and only a factory with a capacity of 31 had been built for them. But the factory was apparently great enough for the engineers to release the type at least three weeks ahead of schedule. In fact when I realized the release date had been advanced there were already 6 A6M5c in the pool. That won’t change many things as the first unit to use it will arrive in around two months.

Overall supply situation

A quick check of the Japanese bases showed that a number of bases were lacking supplies and small AK TFs were sent to Funafuti and Nanomea from Suva, Amani, Taan and Kiungshan from Japan, Bali and Maumere from Soerabaja, Bankha, Victoria Point and Andaman Islands from Singapore.
Two other bases were lacking supplies but were on the frontline and difficult to supply: Rabaul and Myitkyina. Military operations will be necessary to solve the supply problems here and there.
A number of bases in China were also lacking supplies but here the AI didn’t do its job correctly as there were good stocks in Shanghai, Changsha and Canton just to list the biggest.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

In the afternoon of the 16th, Paramushiro Jima airfield was again attacked by 9 B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Kiska, and reported 51 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on the airbase and 11 on runways. There was no raid the next day.

Since the Allied heavy bombers must fly unescorted what do you think would be best to protect the base for you fighter vise?

What fighters you have there right now?

During the night of the 16th-17th the ML TF (5 ML and 6 escort DD) returned to PJ but was attacked by the SS USS Raton that sank the ML Saishu and missed a DD with a wide torpedo spread and then escaped after the DD Samidare scored a near-miss on her. The TF was badly disorganized by this attack and retired without laying mines. It was ordered to return there tonight and lay the planned minefield.

Darn... [:(]

How many mines you still have in PJ?

BTW, IMHO, it is much better to lay several minefields than single bigger one (i.e. 4x TF with 1x ML is better than 1x TF with 4x MLs)...


Leo "Apollo11"

[AmiralLaurent]

Hi Leo, in the north I have around 200 fighters available but most of them are Oscar or Nick. I have a Tony Sentai, a Tojo Sentai and a Zero Daitai. Exp is not so good for these units, between 60 and 70, and results the last time they went to PJ were not good enough to stay here. I will rather keep my forces and send the fighters when they will be needed, that is to cover a supply convoy or surface TF.

As for the ML you're right but with so many subs around sending each ML on his own will see too much losses, and I won't send 24 DD to escort 4 ML with Allied CV 700 miles away... So there will be bigger minefields and less of them.

18-19 August 1943

For one reason or the other I had no combat animation on the 18th and nothing I could do changed that, so description of this day will be less precise than usual.

Northern Pacific

During the night of the 17th-18th, the ML TF returned to PJ, meeting SW of the base the SS USS Growler but neither side was hit in the encounter. The ML laid 450 new mines off the base (bringing the total to 1150). This TF reloaded in Etorofu Jima on the evening of the 19th and sailed again towards PJ.

In the afternoon of the 17th, Paramushiro Jima airfield was attacked by 32 PB4Y, 21 B-24D and 20 B-17E from Attu, and reported 110 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 10 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on runways.
They attacked it again the next, first with 47 PB4Y, 29 B-24D and 20 B-17E from Attu, that attacked the airfield (103 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 13 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 73 on runways) and then with 13 B-17E and 10 PB4Y from Kiska that attacked the port, hitting the already crippled AK Isuzu Maru (the only ship still docked here), doing 10 casualties, and scoring 3 hits on the port and 3 on supplies. AA fire shot down during these two attacks 2 PB4Y, 1 B-17E and 1 PBM Mariner, while another B-17E and a B-24D were lost operationally. The badly damaged AK (damage 92/10/9) left the base in the evening. It will sail north first to sail past the submarines surrounding the base and then will sail to Shikka for emergency repairs.

Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, where 60+ CV fighters were reported on CAP.

On Paramushiro, both sides exchanged artillery fire on both days. Allied losses were 20 men, Japanese ones 169 men and 6 guns. Reports showed on the 19th 126 580 Allied men (+ 1091 in 2 days), 1353 guns (+15) and 374 vehicles (+2) for 2237 AV (+43), against 72 689 Japanese men (-344), 619 guns (-6) and 5 tankettes for 1443 AV (-8).

The evening report of the base listed damage as 52/21/8 (airbase/runway/port), 355 engineers and 49 917 supplies (-2538 in 2 days).

Six submarines (3 RO and 3 I-150/160) left Tokyo on the 18th and will sail to a patrol area south of PJ, from where they will be ready to attack Allied ships if they return to the Kuriles.

Japanese engineers expanded the port of Shikka to size 6.

Southern Pacific

A small AP convoy picked up the Const Bn and the IJNAF BF that finished to build the base of Maloelap (port 1, AF 4, fort 9) and will bring them to Wotje to build fortifications here. The latter base is empty with port 1, AF 3, fort 0.

Another small convoy loaded a SNLF in Tarawa and will carry it to Upolou, the little island just NW of Pago-Pago.

New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands

The 18th saw more Allied raids on Japanese bases. 19 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 16 P-38G and 30 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 2 P-38G bombed and strafed Rabaul, did 18 casualties and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 29 on the runways for the loss of 2 B-25J to AA fire. Kavieng was bombed by 14 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 2 P-38G and reported 7 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 9 on the runways, and was fully repaired in some hours.

The 19th was more interesting. It began with an attack by a patrolling B-24D of the blockade raider Atago Maru that was unloading supplies in Wewak and was damaged at 17/11/12 and left for Hollandia without finishing unloading. In the afternoon, 6 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 19 P-38G and 19 B-25J from Gili Gili escorted by 3 P-38G bombed and strafed Rabaul, did 10 casualties and scored 2 hits on supplies and 19 on the runways, while Kavieng was bombed by 26 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 5 P-38G and reported 4 hits on the airbase and 6 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25J and a B-24D.

In the evening of the 19th Rabaul reported damage of 86/18/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Kavieng was undamaged and still building fortifications (level 4, 77%).

The Japanese coastwatcher in Lae reported that a F-5 flew recon over the base, a very rare event, and combined with the fact that a Japanese aircraft saw the BB HMS Ramillies and 9 other warships east of Buna, it was thought fairly probable that this base will be invaded shortly by Allied troops. The area commander had no means to stop it, but will try this best to make the Allied pay for their advance. All 48 Betties based in Truk received orders to fly naval attack at range 13. So they may attack any ships north of Buna, including Lae, but not ships in Allied bases where CAP will be stronger. 25 A6M3a were ordered to escort them but will only reach range 11, and so will be useful only if the Allied TF sailed between New Guinea and New Britain.

More south, the CL Naka and her escort DD refueled in Noumea and sailed NW again to try to raid Allied shipping lanes between Gili Gili and Australia.

Timor-DEI-Australia

On the 18th Koepang was attacked by 20 B-25C from Derby and reported 7 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 12 on runways. Kendari CAP shot down a PBM Mariner this day.
The next day Koepang was attacked by 31 B-25C from Derby and reported 18 casualties, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 32 on runways.

The evening area report of the 19th listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 76%), Koepang 68/62/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 65/0/0, Lautem 74/0/38, other bases undamaged.

Daily recons of Darwin by Kendari-based Dinah III restarted on the 18th and showed a CAP of around 30 P-40 (P-40N and Kittyhawk).

Japanese engineers finished to build the base of Amboina to its planned level (port 4, AF 4, fort 9) on the 18th and two AP were sent from Kendari to pick up both Const Bn of the base and bring them to other bases. These ships will sail independently to avoid air attacks but an ASW group was sent before them to check the path they will take.

SRA

Legaspi area proved to be submarine-infested. On the night of the 17th-18th, an ASW group engaged twice the USS Kingfish 120 miles east of Legaspi, missing here the first time and scoring 9 near-misses the next, while 60 miles more east the SS Skipjack was chased by another ASW group but escaped undamaged. During the day airmen reported three SS in the area and the “Gold Convoy” was rerouted more south. Rather than gather in Legaspi, its various parts will sail to Cebu via Guian (Leyte/Samar area).

A small convoy started to load 10k supplies in Toboali for Rangoon.

Burma

Allied airmen flew 374 sorties on the 18th, hitting the base and 4 units in Myitkyina. The airfield was attacked by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 16 P-40E and by 48 B-24D, 46 B-25J, 39 Blenheim IV and 27 B-17E from Imphal escorted by 24 P-40N that scored a total of 34 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 152 on runways, doing 131 casualties and disabling 2 guns. Allied airmen bombed 4 units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 4th Eng Rgt) with 54 Vengeance I, 26 Beaufigher Mk 21, 24 Beaufighter VIC, 16 Lysander I and 9 B-25J from Kohima and Ledo escorted by 24 P-40E that hit 90 men, 1 tank and 7 guns. Two Vengeance, a B-17E and a Lysander were shot down by AA fire, while 2 P-40E, a B-17E, a B-24D, another Vengeance and a P-40N were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side a Topsy was lost in an accident while carrying supplies to Myitkyina.

The next day 563 Allied sorties targeted Myitkyina airfield and 7 units in Myitkyina in Katha. The airfield was attacked by 9 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 16 P-40E and reported 1 hit on supplies and 15 on runways.
Allied airmen bombed 5 units of the garrison (33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 8th Tk Rgt and 4th Eng Rgt) with 50 Beaufighter VIC, 43 Vengeance I, 41 B-24D, 37 Beaufigher Mk 21, 36 B-25J, 29 Lysander I, 28 Blenheim IV and 25 B-17E from Imphal, Jorhat, Kohima and Ledo escorted by 24 P-40N and 22 P-40E that hit 322 me and 5 guns. And 81 Liberator VI and 52 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40E and 19 P-40N attacked the 31st Div and a regiment of the 46th Div in Katha, hitting 398 men and 16 guns. Allied losses during these raids were a Liberator VI shot down by AA fire and 1 B-25J, 1 Blenheim IV, 1 Vengeance I, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 Lysander I lost operationally.

On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (66 casualties in 2 days) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (140 men, 1 tank and 1 gun hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div left Katha to march to Myitkyina and will relieve one of the divisions lacking supplies here, the 33rd, that received orders to march to Katha on the evening of the 19th.

The evening report of the 19th showed that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 62, runways 82). In this town there were 7249 (-937) remaining supplies for needs of 10130 (+179). 1273 Japanese AV(-290) faced 1198 Allied (+18) in Katha, and 1883 Japanese AV (-10) faced 2978 Allied (+53) in Mytkyina .

Allied engineers expanded Dimapur airfield to size 4.

China

Training raids continued to target the 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 160 sorties were flown from Wuhan on the 18th and 265 from Wuhan and Changsha the next day. A total of 118 Chinese men were hit while 2 A6M2, 1 A6M3a, 1 Kate and 1 Oscar II were lost in crashes in two days.

Japanese engineers expanded Nanning AF to size 6.

A survey of Japanese troops in China showed that the combat troops included 28 Div, 19 Bde, 2 Rgt and 10 Mongol Cav Div, all at full strength (or very close). But of these troops only 17 Div and 1 Bde were available for frontline duties (with the 11th Army west of Changsha or the Southern China Army around Kweiyang). Of the other units, the 116th Div was in Canton and planned to change of command (by the way an AP convoy was sent from Bangkok to pick it up… I will have enough PP in around 3 weeks). And the other (10 Div, 18 Bde, 2 Rgt and 10 Mongol Div) were holding the towns and communications means of the part of China already conquered by Japan.

[Apollo11]

Hi all,

ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent

Hi Leo, in the north I have around 200 fighters available but most of them are Oscar or Nick. I have a Tony Sentai, a Tojo Sentai and a Zero Daitai. Exp is not so good for these units, between 60 and 70, and results the last time they went to PJ were not good enough to stay here. I will rather keep my forces and send the fighters when they will be needed, that is to cover a supply convoy or surface TF.

As for the ML you're right but with so many subs around sending each ML on his own will see too much losses, and I won't send 24 DD to escort 4 ML with Allied CV 700 miles away... So there will be bigger minefields and less of them.

RGR - thanks for info!

BTW, no updates lately?


Leo "Apollo11"