Sorry to all readers, real life had again intruded. Game has reached 26th of August but AAR won't advance much in the next days.[8|]
20 August 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon, Paramushiro Jima port was attacked by 6 PB4Y and 9 B-17E from Kiska and reported 36 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hits on the port and 2 on supplies. Japanese AA shot down a PBM Mariner taking pictures after this raid.
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, where 50+ CV fighters were reported on CAP, while a TF with two CV and one CVL was seen.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 22 men, Japanese ones 149 men and 1 gun. Reports showed 127 186 Allied men (+ 606), 1362 guns (+9) and 378 vehicles (+4) for 2260 AV (+23), against 72 840 Japanese men (+151), 620 guns (+1) and 5 tankettes for 1443 AV.
The evening report of the base listed damage as 20/0/26 (airbase/runway/port), 355 engineers and 49 004 supplies (-913).
In Ominato 24 new fighter pilots coming from a operational training unit joined the KB. But one more Kate unit (AI-3 reduced to four crew) was unloaded and degraded to training status. The KB now had 209 fighters, 83 dive bombers and 100 torpedo bombers.
The AK Empire Lake, torpedoed on 28 July by KB airmen, had been scuttled according to Japanese intelligence.
Southern Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Wallis Island to size 4.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The Allied fleet moved NE of Buna and was reported to be composed of two TF, a convoy (6 AP, 3 APD seen) and a covering surface TF (1 BB, 8 “CA”, 1 CL), but wasn’t attacked by Japanese airmen. Another AP convoy was reported off Dobadura. Japanese airmen will keep the same naval attack orders tomorrow.
There was no more Allied raid on Japanese bases either, but a patrolling B-24D bombed and hit the blockade runner Murosan Maru off Kavieng, heavily damaging her (42/29/10). The AK launched 15 barges that will carry supplies to Rabaul and then left for Truk in the evening.
In the evening Rabaul reported damage of 22/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and Kavieng was undamaged and still building fortifications (level 4, 85 %).
Timor-DEI-Australia
Koepang was attacked by 24 B-25C from Derby and reported 28 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 4 hits on supplies and 10 on runways.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 0, 91%), Koepang 72/42/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 57/0/0, Lautem 65/0/38, other bases undamaged.
The two AP were sent from Kendari to pick up both Const Bn in Amboina arrived in the evening and loaded them. They will bring them to Sorong and Medano to build fortifications.
SRA
Four Allied submarines were reported today near Legaspi but all Japanese convoys had been rerouted more south and were not attacked or seen.
Six AK were ordered to load 42k resources in Kendari while an AO was sent from this base to Amboina to load oil.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 391 sorties, hitting the base and 5 units in Myitkyina. The airfield was attacked by 10 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 22 P-40N and 19 P-40E that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 7 on runways, doing 11 casualties. Allied airmen bombed 5 units of the garrison (17th, 33rd and 104th Div, 21st Bde, 4th Eng Rgt) with 54 Vengeance I, 48 Beaufighter VIC, 38 Beaufigher Mk 21, 36 B-25J, 35 B-24D, 25 Blenheim IV, 23 Lysander I and 22 B-17E from Kohima and Ledo escorted by 44 P-40N and 25 P-40E that hit 240 men and 8 guns. Two Blenheim, a B-24D, a Vengeance and a P-40E were lost in accidents.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (45 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (111 men and 1 gun hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div arrived in Myitkyina and the 104th received orders to march to Katha to be supplied too.
The evening report showed that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 64, runways 84). In this town there were 8126 (+877) remaining supplies for needs of 11619 (+1489). 1293 Japanese AV(+20) faced 1203 Allied (+5) in Katha, and 2234 Japanese AV (+351) faced 3023 Allied (+45) in Mytkyina .
With the end of the offensive in Katha, Japanese forces concentrated here continued to be scattered. The Burma Army HQ and the 5th Air Division HQ were both in this location to provide support to the attacking troops. Both will go to Mandalay, to draw supplies and provide a command support to the area. An AA Rgt will also leave Katha but will go to Myitkyina.
A convoy bringing 70k supplies arrived in Rangoon and began to unload. Four ML were included in its escort and will lay their mines off the port.
China
Training raids continued to target Changsha. 98 training sorties were flown from Changsha without loss against the 50th Chinese Corps NW of the base and hit 54 men.
After more thinking, all offensive operations in China were cancelled. Troops sent towards Kunming were recalled in Kweiyang, as this move will leave the Japanese flank too exposed and will achieve little.
Japanese troops in China will be reorganized. A number of brigades now keeping roads and railways will be replaced by divisions of the 60-series. Divisions have the same AV, but can be divided in 3 parts and cover more hexes than Bde that hold only two. Also it would be a good thing for all Japanese units to have frontline experience, so rotating troops will help.
Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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AmiralLaurent
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- Location: Near Paris, France
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AmiralLaurent
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- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
21-22 August 1943: Lae and Woodlark Island occupied by Allied troops
21-22 August 1943
Northern Pacific
In the morning of the 21st, the SS USS Gato was seen by the Japanese ML TF (3 ML and 6 DD) NW of Ketoi Jima but escaped after two near-misses scored by the ML Takashima. This TF had laid another minefield off PJ the night before (bringing the total here to 1119 mines). The next night the SS USS Bowfin attacked in the same area a barge convoy coming back from PJ and sank one with gunfire.
South of Alaska, six American DD chased 360 miles ESE of Anchorage the SS I-17 in teh evening if the 21st and she was heavily damaged (15/78/0) by 1 hit and 5 near-misses scored by the USS Guest and Bullard.She will try to return to PH.
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, identifying there the CV Hornet and the BB Washington. On the 21st an Emily was shot down in the area by a Wildcat V of 861 Sqn FAA (5th kill of the pilot).
On the 21st, Paramushiro Jima port was attacked by 5 PB4Y and 4 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the port and 2 on supplies. Japanese AA shot down a PBM Mariner taking pictures after this raid. The next day the base was attacked first by 53 PB4Y, 30 B-17E and 30 B-24D from Attu and then by 9 B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Kiska and reported 136 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 21 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies, 69 on the runways, 1 on port and 6 on port supplies.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire on both days. Allied losses were 36 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 125 men and 4 guns. Reports showed on the 22nd 128 221 Allied men (+ 1035 in 2 days), 1370 guns (+8) and 383 vehicles (+5) for 2293 AV (+33), against 75 075 Japanese men (+2235), 644 guns (+24) and 5 tankettes for 1459 AV (+16).
The evening report of the base listed damage as 30/29/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers (+6) and 45 830 supplies (-3174).
An AK convoy left Tokyo on the 21st for Aomori. It will load supplies here and then be escorted to PJ by the KB.
In Etoforu Jima the badly damaged DD Nenohi (SYS 86) had finally FLT damage reduced to 0 and sailed for a Japanese repair yard.
Southern Pacific
The big AP convoy sent to Japan to pick up troops in the area reached Tarawa on the 22nd, refuelled and then split. Ten AP sailed to Canton to load the division holding the base, while the main part of the convoy sailed to Suva.
The ML squadron evacuated from Lunga (a MLE and 5 ML) reached Kwajalein the same day. The 3 short-range ML will lay mines off this base while the 2 other were immediately sent to lay mines off surrounding islands.
Having finished its work on Jarvis Island, the 3rd Eng Rgt boarded ships to go to the Gilberts.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The Allied fleet seen yesterday NE of Buna reached Lae in the night of the 20th-21st and started to unload the 9th Australian Division in the empty base. The landing, that was covered by LRCAP from nearby Allied bases (around 30-35 Corsairs, P-38G and Kittyhawk depending from time, for the loss of a Corsair to engine failure on the 22nd) lasted without opposition until the afternoon of the 22nd when the troops took the base, and cost a total of 1839 landing casualties. The BB TF seen those last days was off the beachhead to cover the convoy.
At the same time a smaller TF (undetected) landed also in the night of the 20th-21st 3000 men of the Port Moresby Defense Bde on Woodlark Island (midway between Gili Gili and the Solomons). The landing was over in some hours and cost 203 disabled men to the invaders that occupied the empty island the next day.
Rather surprisingly Allied air attacks stopped in the area during these two days. The only Allied attack saw 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Gili Gili bomb and strafe barges off Rabaul on the 21st, sinking one. That enabled Japanese engineers to repair fully Rabaul again. In the evening the base reported that it had 7291 supplies and needed 3307.
As soon as coastwatchers reported landings on Lae and Woodlark Island, the local commander reacted with the tiny forces he has on hand. 22 Betties, 25 A6M3a and 27 Oscar II flew from Truk to Hollandia, and the bombers were ordered to attack ships off Lae while all fighters would escort them. 26 other Betties were sent to Lunga with naval attack orders and max range allowing them to reach Woodlark Island only. The 20 Jake of Shortlands were ordered to fly recon and naval search in the area. All these orders and moves were done in the evening of the 21st, but the next day saw no Japanese air raid in either of the two locations. So for the next day new orders were issued to Hollandia. The A6M3a will sweep Lae and engage Allied fighters tired by 3 days of LRCAP and then the Betties will attack under escort by the Oscar II.
More south the CL Naka and her escort DD were 600 miles south of Louisade Archipelago on their way to raid Allied shipping lanes south of New Guinea when they received orders to sail back towards Solomons. In the evening of the 22nd, they were 360 miles SE of Woodlark Island, undetected by Allied aircraft, and were ordered to sail at full speed to this island and engage Allied ships.
Timor-DEI-Australia
On the 21st Koepang was attacked by 15 B-25C from Derby (9 other got lost) and reported 27 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 12 on runways, while Dili was bombed by 99 B-17E and 36 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 60 on the runway and disabled 65 men and 3 guns. Two B-17E were lost in an mid-air collision.
On the 22nd Koepang was attacked by 23 B-25C from Derby and reported 86 casualties, 1 disabled gun and 19 hits on runways, while Dili was again bombed by 90 B-17E and 32 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 33 on the runway and did 25 casualties. Lautem was also attacked by 14 B-25C from Darwin that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 9 on the runway and did 33 casualties. Two B-17E and 1 B-24D were lost operationally while a B-25C hit by AA over Koepang crashed on the way back.
The evening area report of the 22nd listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 14%), Koepang 73/16/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/60/0, Lautem 59/13/38, other bases undamaged.
Still wanting do something with his Oscar II force (3 Sentai and 1 Chutai in Kendari, all experienced), the local air commander sent a Dinah recon Tenimbar (north of Darwin) on the 22nd. This Allied base was covered by a dozen of Spitfire Vb. A plan was made to send an Oscar high-altitude sweep to this base as a test of this tactic. For now all Oscar unit were ordered to rest and fly minimal CAP (10%) in the hope that the Japanese radar will scramble them if an Allied raid attacked Kendari.
An AO arrived off Amboina and was ordered to load the oil produced in this base before Allied bombers closed it (some months ago for the last time).
SRA
On the 21st the SS USS Wahoo was bombed and damaged by a Ki-48 180 miles north of Vigan, Luzon.
The "Gold Convoy" gathered in Cebu on the 21st and then sailed west to Tarakan under escort by 3 ASW TF. Two other ASW groups were sailing before it, one sailing to Tarakan and the other to Brunei. In the evening of the 22nd, 8 tankers detached from the convoy and sailed to Brunei (and Miri) under escort by one ASW TF.
Burma
The usual Allied air raids targetted Japanese troops there, for a total of 194 bomber and 28 escort sorties on the 21st and 354 bombers and 105 escort sorties on the 22nd. They were more efficient than usal, hitting 1044 men and 21 guns in two days. Half of the casualties were suffered by the HQ Burma Army attacked N of Mandalay by Dacca airmen. 9 B-25J escorted by 41 P-40 also raided Myikyina airfield on the 22nd and scored one hit on supplies and 4 on runways. Allied losses in these two days were 2 Beaufighter VIC, 1 Blenheim IV and 1 Lysander I shot down by AA and 1 Liberator VI, 1 B-25J, 1 Lysander I, 1 Spitfire Vb and 1 P-40N in accidents.
29 Ki-61 flew on the 21st from Rangoon to Tanug Gyi and flew LRCAP over Katha on the 22nd but Allied raids hit other places and the unit returned to Rangoon in the evening. In two days a Topsy was lost in an accident while bringing supplies to Myitkyina and a Dinah III was shot down by the Allied CAP over Dacca.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (92 casualties and 1 gun) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (229 men and 3 guns hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div arrived in Myitkyina and the 104th received orders to march to Katha to be supplied too.
The evening report of the 22nd showed again that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 67, runways 52). In this town there were 4314 remaining supplies (-3812... someone used a lot of supplies) for needs of 8084 (-3535). 1707 Japanese AV(+414) faced 1207 Allied (+4) in Katha, and 1375 Japanese AV (-859) faced 3085 Allied (+62) in Mytkyina .Two divisions left Myitkyina to march to Katha and receive supplies here.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. In two days 68 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 235 training and 63 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 143 men for the loss of an escorting Oscar II in an accident.
Japan
The last A6M3a factory was upgraded on the 21st to the A6M5 bringing the production capacity to 462. The pool of the A6M3a was now at 179.
Northern Pacific
In the morning of the 21st, the SS USS Gato was seen by the Japanese ML TF (3 ML and 6 DD) NW of Ketoi Jima but escaped after two near-misses scored by the ML Takashima. This TF had laid another minefield off PJ the night before (bringing the total here to 1119 mines). The next night the SS USS Bowfin attacked in the same area a barge convoy coming back from PJ and sank one with gunfire.
South of Alaska, six American DD chased 360 miles ESE of Anchorage the SS I-17 in teh evening if the 21st and she was heavily damaged (15/78/0) by 1 hit and 5 near-misses scored by the USS Guest and Bullard.She will try to return to PH.
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska, identifying there the CV Hornet and the BB Washington. On the 21st an Emily was shot down in the area by a Wildcat V of 861 Sqn FAA (5th kill of the pilot).
On the 21st, Paramushiro Jima port was attacked by 5 PB4Y and 4 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the port and 2 on supplies. Japanese AA shot down a PBM Mariner taking pictures after this raid. The next day the base was attacked first by 53 PB4Y, 30 B-17E and 30 B-24D from Attu and then by 9 B-17E and 6 PB4Y from Kiska and reported 136 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 21 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies, 69 on the runways, 1 on port and 6 on port supplies.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire on both days. Allied losses were 36 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 125 men and 4 guns. Reports showed on the 22nd 128 221 Allied men (+ 1035 in 2 days), 1370 guns (+8) and 383 vehicles (+5) for 2293 AV (+33), against 75 075 Japanese men (+2235), 644 guns (+24) and 5 tankettes for 1459 AV (+16).
The evening report of the base listed damage as 30/29/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers (+6) and 45 830 supplies (-3174).
An AK convoy left Tokyo on the 21st for Aomori. It will load supplies here and then be escorted to PJ by the KB.
In Etoforu Jima the badly damaged DD Nenohi (SYS 86) had finally FLT damage reduced to 0 and sailed for a Japanese repair yard.
Southern Pacific
The big AP convoy sent to Japan to pick up troops in the area reached Tarawa on the 22nd, refuelled and then split. Ten AP sailed to Canton to load the division holding the base, while the main part of the convoy sailed to Suva.
The ML squadron evacuated from Lunga (a MLE and 5 ML) reached Kwajalein the same day. The 3 short-range ML will lay mines off this base while the 2 other were immediately sent to lay mines off surrounding islands.
Having finished its work on Jarvis Island, the 3rd Eng Rgt boarded ships to go to the Gilberts.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The Allied fleet seen yesterday NE of Buna reached Lae in the night of the 20th-21st and started to unload the 9th Australian Division in the empty base. The landing, that was covered by LRCAP from nearby Allied bases (around 30-35 Corsairs, P-38G and Kittyhawk depending from time, for the loss of a Corsair to engine failure on the 22nd) lasted without opposition until the afternoon of the 22nd when the troops took the base, and cost a total of 1839 landing casualties. The BB TF seen those last days was off the beachhead to cover the convoy.
At the same time a smaller TF (undetected) landed also in the night of the 20th-21st 3000 men of the Port Moresby Defense Bde on Woodlark Island (midway between Gili Gili and the Solomons). The landing was over in some hours and cost 203 disabled men to the invaders that occupied the empty island the next day.
Rather surprisingly Allied air attacks stopped in the area during these two days. The only Allied attack saw 8 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Gili Gili bomb and strafe barges off Rabaul on the 21st, sinking one. That enabled Japanese engineers to repair fully Rabaul again. In the evening the base reported that it had 7291 supplies and needed 3307.
As soon as coastwatchers reported landings on Lae and Woodlark Island, the local commander reacted with the tiny forces he has on hand. 22 Betties, 25 A6M3a and 27 Oscar II flew from Truk to Hollandia, and the bombers were ordered to attack ships off Lae while all fighters would escort them. 26 other Betties were sent to Lunga with naval attack orders and max range allowing them to reach Woodlark Island only. The 20 Jake of Shortlands were ordered to fly recon and naval search in the area. All these orders and moves were done in the evening of the 21st, but the next day saw no Japanese air raid in either of the two locations. So for the next day new orders were issued to Hollandia. The A6M3a will sweep Lae and engage Allied fighters tired by 3 days of LRCAP and then the Betties will attack under escort by the Oscar II.
More south the CL Naka and her escort DD were 600 miles south of Louisade Archipelago on their way to raid Allied shipping lanes south of New Guinea when they received orders to sail back towards Solomons. In the evening of the 22nd, they were 360 miles SE of Woodlark Island, undetected by Allied aircraft, and were ordered to sail at full speed to this island and engage Allied ships.
Timor-DEI-Australia
On the 21st Koepang was attacked by 15 B-25C from Derby (9 other got lost) and reported 27 casualties, 1 hit on supplies and 12 on runways, while Dili was bombed by 99 B-17E and 36 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 60 on the runway and disabled 65 men and 3 guns. Two B-17E were lost in an mid-air collision.
On the 22nd Koepang was attacked by 23 B-25C from Derby and reported 86 casualties, 1 disabled gun and 19 hits on runways, while Dili was again bombed by 90 B-17E and 32 B-24D from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 33 on the runway and did 25 casualties. Lautem was also attacked by 14 B-25C from Darwin that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 9 on the runway and did 33 casualties. Two B-17E and 1 B-24D were lost operationally while a B-25C hit by AA over Koepang crashed on the way back.
The evening area report of the 22nd listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 14%), Koepang 73/16/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/60/0, Lautem 59/13/38, other bases undamaged.
Still wanting do something with his Oscar II force (3 Sentai and 1 Chutai in Kendari, all experienced), the local air commander sent a Dinah recon Tenimbar (north of Darwin) on the 22nd. This Allied base was covered by a dozen of Spitfire Vb. A plan was made to send an Oscar high-altitude sweep to this base as a test of this tactic. For now all Oscar unit were ordered to rest and fly minimal CAP (10%) in the hope that the Japanese radar will scramble them if an Allied raid attacked Kendari.
An AO arrived off Amboina and was ordered to load the oil produced in this base before Allied bombers closed it (some months ago for the last time).
SRA
On the 21st the SS USS Wahoo was bombed and damaged by a Ki-48 180 miles north of Vigan, Luzon.
The "Gold Convoy" gathered in Cebu on the 21st and then sailed west to Tarakan under escort by 3 ASW TF. Two other ASW groups were sailing before it, one sailing to Tarakan and the other to Brunei. In the evening of the 22nd, 8 tankers detached from the convoy and sailed to Brunei (and Miri) under escort by one ASW TF.
Burma
The usual Allied air raids targetted Japanese troops there, for a total of 194 bomber and 28 escort sorties on the 21st and 354 bombers and 105 escort sorties on the 22nd. They were more efficient than usal, hitting 1044 men and 21 guns in two days. Half of the casualties were suffered by the HQ Burma Army attacked N of Mandalay by Dacca airmen. 9 B-25J escorted by 41 P-40 also raided Myikyina airfield on the 22nd and scored one hit on supplies and 4 on runways. Allied losses in these two days were 2 Beaufighter VIC, 1 Blenheim IV and 1 Lysander I shot down by AA and 1 Liberator VI, 1 B-25J, 1 Lysander I, 1 Spitfire Vb and 1 P-40N in accidents.
29 Ki-61 flew on the 21st from Rangoon to Tanug Gyi and flew LRCAP over Katha on the 22nd but Allied raids hit other places and the unit returned to Rangoon in the evening. In two days a Topsy was lost in an accident while bringing supplies to Myitkyina and a Dinah III was shot down by the Allied CAP over Dacca.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (92 casualties and 1 gun) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (229 men and 3 guns hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div arrived in Myitkyina and the 104th received orders to march to Katha to be supplied too.
The evening report of the 22nd showed again that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 67, runways 52). In this town there were 4314 remaining supplies (-3812... someone used a lot of supplies) for needs of 8084 (-3535). 1707 Japanese AV(+414) faced 1207 Allied (+4) in Katha, and 1375 Japanese AV (-859) faced 3085 Allied (+62) in Mytkyina .Two divisions left Myitkyina to march to Katha and receive supplies here.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. In two days 68 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 235 training and 63 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 143 men for the loss of an escorting Oscar II in an accident.
Japan
The last A6M3a factory was upgraded on the 21st to the A6M5 bringing the production capacity to 462. The pool of the A6M3a was now at 179.
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AmiralLaurent
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- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
23 August 1943: first battle of the Corsair.... it won
23 August 1943
Northern Pacific
South of Alaska, the SS I-26 attacked at dawn 360 miles SE of Anchorage four American destroyers (actually 3 DD and a DE) sailing back to the West Coast after being hit in the Kuriles. The DD USS Dashiell was heavily damaged by two torpedoes, but then the USS Smith and Woodworth depth charged the submarine and scored 1 hit and 6 near-misses. The damaged I-26 (42/57/0) left the area in the evening to return to PH.
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska. Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 18 PB4Y and 5 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 7 on the runways. Japanese AA fire damaged several and shot down two PBM Mariner flying recon missions.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 5 men, Japanese ones 222 men and 8 guns. Reports showed 128 486 Allied men (+ 265), 1383 guns (+13) and 384 vehicles (+1) for 2301 AV (+8), against 75 323 Japanese men (+248), 646 guns (+2) and 5 tankettes for 1464 AV (+5). The evening report of the base listed damage as 26/0/13 (airbase/runway/port), 360 engineers (-1) and 45 234 supplies (-596).
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The CL Naka and the DD Natsugumo arrived off Woodlark Island during the night and surprised the minelayer USS Pruitt preparing to lay a defensive minefield off the new Allied base. The Natsugumo attacked and sank her with 2 torpedoes and 3 shells, while the Naka continued and engaged a gaggle of 58 (sadly empty) LCT and sank four with gunfire.. and torpedoes (speak of a waste...). Both ships then sailed eastwards and were not attacked during the day.
As planned 25 A6M3a from Hollandia flew a sweep to Lae. They first engaged 5 Kittyhawk I and shot down two for one loss but then met the new American fighter reported for months by Japanese recon crew... the Corsair. Two Marine squadrons with 19 aircraft bounced the Zeroes and slaughtered them. In some minutes 15 Zeroes and 1 Corsair were shot down. The last Allied unit, 9 P-38G, then engaged and suffered two losses for shooting down two Zeroes. All told 18 of the 25 attackers were shot down (one pilot rescued unhurt, at least another WIA) and only 5 Allied fighters were shot down. By the way the Japanese pilots were experienced (exp 77), well rested (having not flown for two days) and well led. They expected the Allied pilots to be tired but apparently Allied units flying LRCAP were rotated daily and so were in a good shape to welcome them. Well the Corsair really ruled the sky.
By the way the BB Resolution and her escort were still off Lae but after the bloody end of the sweep no raid was launched again against them.
Allied airmen continued to fly in little numbers. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima missed barges off Kavieng. 8 PB4Y from Dobadura escoretd by 22 P-38G raided Rabaul and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 3 on the runways. And the blockade runner Atago Maru, already hit on the 19th off Wewak, was again damaged (63/33/26) by a patrolling B-17E off Hollandia and will try to reach Palau for repairs.
In the evening, Japanese engineers reported that Rabaul was fully repaired and that fortifications in Kavieng had reached level 5. In New Guinea, all aircraft except a Jake left Hollandia, the fighters returning to Truk while the bombers flew to Lunga to try to hit the "weakest flank" of the Allied advance. An AP began to load in Hollandia the last 2760 men of the 43rd Div still here and will carry them to Wewak. A small blockade runner left Palau for Hollandia with 3500 supplies.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The usual barge convoy arrived at Lautem at dawn to bring supplies but was attacked by the Dutch submarine KXVIII, a patrolling B-25C and 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin. One barge was sunk and three were heavily damaged.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 17 B-25C from Derby and reported 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 4 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 72 B-17E, 32 B-24D and 14 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 3 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 28 on the runway and disabled 84 men and 2 guns. Three B-17E were lost operationally while a B-25C and a Catalina I were shot down by AA over Koepang.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 24%), Koepang 70/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/53/0, Lautem 70/49/38, other bases undamaged.
In the evening the 90 Oscar II pilots in Kendari were gathered and were very pleased to learn that for once they will fly an offensive mission. Tomorrow they will fly a high-altitude sweep to Tenimbar, a small Allied base north of Darwin that was occupied by patrol aircraft and a Spitfire Vb squadron. The aim of the operation was to kill these Spitfire and to achieve this Japanese pilots were briefed to fly above the maximum ceiling of the British (well here Australian) aircraft.
Burma
The only Allied air raid saw 73 Liberator VI and 48 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 40 P-40N attack the Burma Army HQ as it arrived in Mandalay. The raid did 315 casualties but a B-25C and a Liberator were shot down by AA and another Liberator VI and 1 P-40N were lost in accidents.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (53 casualties ) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (146 men and 3 guns hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div arrived in Myitkyina and the 104th received orders to march to Katha to be supplied too.
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 67, runways 12). In this town there were 4583 remaining supplies (+269) for needs of 7365 (-719). 2176 Japanese AV(+469) faced 1207 Allied (+0) in Katha, and 1377 Japanese AV (+2) faced 3113 Allied (+28) in Mytkyina .One of the 2 divisions that left Myitkyina reached Katha and received supplies here.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 87 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 118 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 116 men for the loss of an A6M2 in an accident.
Japan
During the night, the SS USS Snapper attacked south of Shimizu the escort TF sailing back from Etorofu Jima and torpedoed one of the 6 escortingh DD, the Arashi, but her torpedoes failed. The Arashi dropped depth charges on the submarine and scored 2 near-misses.
Eight AO and eight TK carrying a total of 136k fuel left Nagoya for Saipan. From this central position in the Empire they will be ready to support KB operations at sea.
Northern Pacific
South of Alaska, the SS I-26 attacked at dawn 360 miles SE of Anchorage four American destroyers (actually 3 DD and a DE) sailing back to the West Coast after being hit in the Kuriles. The DD USS Dashiell was heavily damaged by two torpedoes, but then the USS Smith and Woodworth depth charged the submarine and scored 1 hit and 6 near-misses. The damaged I-26 (42/57/0) left the area in the evening to return to PH.
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska. Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 18 PB4Y and 5 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 7 on the runways. Japanese AA fire damaged several and shot down two PBM Mariner flying recon missions.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 5 men, Japanese ones 222 men and 8 guns. Reports showed 128 486 Allied men (+ 265), 1383 guns (+13) and 384 vehicles (+1) for 2301 AV (+8), against 75 323 Japanese men (+248), 646 guns (+2) and 5 tankettes for 1464 AV (+5). The evening report of the base listed damage as 26/0/13 (airbase/runway/port), 360 engineers (-1) and 45 234 supplies (-596).
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The CL Naka and the DD Natsugumo arrived off Woodlark Island during the night and surprised the minelayer USS Pruitt preparing to lay a defensive minefield off the new Allied base. The Natsugumo attacked and sank her with 2 torpedoes and 3 shells, while the Naka continued and engaged a gaggle of 58 (sadly empty) LCT and sank four with gunfire.. and torpedoes (speak of a waste...). Both ships then sailed eastwards and were not attacked during the day.
As planned 25 A6M3a from Hollandia flew a sweep to Lae. They first engaged 5 Kittyhawk I and shot down two for one loss but then met the new American fighter reported for months by Japanese recon crew... the Corsair. Two Marine squadrons with 19 aircraft bounced the Zeroes and slaughtered them. In some minutes 15 Zeroes and 1 Corsair were shot down. The last Allied unit, 9 P-38G, then engaged and suffered two losses for shooting down two Zeroes. All told 18 of the 25 attackers were shot down (one pilot rescued unhurt, at least another WIA) and only 5 Allied fighters were shot down. By the way the Japanese pilots were experienced (exp 77), well rested (having not flown for two days) and well led. They expected the Allied pilots to be tired but apparently Allied units flying LRCAP were rotated daily and so were in a good shape to welcome them. Well the Corsair really ruled the sky.
By the way the BB Resolution and her escort were still off Lae but after the bloody end of the sweep no raid was launched again against them.
Allied airmen continued to fly in little numbers. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima missed barges off Kavieng. 8 PB4Y from Dobadura escoretd by 22 P-38G raided Rabaul and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 3 on the runways. And the blockade runner Atago Maru, already hit on the 19th off Wewak, was again damaged (63/33/26) by a patrolling B-17E off Hollandia and will try to reach Palau for repairs.
In the evening, Japanese engineers reported that Rabaul was fully repaired and that fortifications in Kavieng had reached level 5. In New Guinea, all aircraft except a Jake left Hollandia, the fighters returning to Truk while the bombers flew to Lunga to try to hit the "weakest flank" of the Allied advance. An AP began to load in Hollandia the last 2760 men of the 43rd Div still here and will carry them to Wewak. A small blockade runner left Palau for Hollandia with 3500 supplies.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The usual barge convoy arrived at Lautem at dawn to bring supplies but was attacked by the Dutch submarine KXVIII, a patrolling B-25C and 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin. One barge was sunk and three were heavily damaged.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 17 B-25C from Derby and reported 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 4 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 72 B-17E, 32 B-24D and 14 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 3 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 28 on the runway and disabled 84 men and 2 guns. Three B-17E were lost operationally while a B-25C and a Catalina I were shot down by AA over Koepang.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 24%), Koepang 70/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/53/0, Lautem 70/49/38, other bases undamaged.
In the evening the 90 Oscar II pilots in Kendari were gathered and were very pleased to learn that for once they will fly an offensive mission. Tomorrow they will fly a high-altitude sweep to Tenimbar, a small Allied base north of Darwin that was occupied by patrol aircraft and a Spitfire Vb squadron. The aim of the operation was to kill these Spitfire and to achieve this Japanese pilots were briefed to fly above the maximum ceiling of the British (well here Australian) aircraft.
Burma
The only Allied air raid saw 73 Liberator VI and 48 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 40 P-40N attack the Burma Army HQ as it arrived in Mandalay. The raid did 315 casualties but a B-25C and a Liberator were shot down by AA and another Liberator VI and 1 P-40N were lost in accidents.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (53 casualties ) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (146 men and 3 guns hit). The fully-supplied 31st Div arrived in Myitkyina and the 104th received orders to march to Katha to be supplied too.
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 67, runways 12). In this town there were 4583 remaining supplies (+269) for needs of 7365 (-719). 2176 Japanese AV(+469) faced 1207 Allied (+0) in Katha, and 1377 Japanese AV (+2) faced 3113 Allied (+28) in Mytkyina .One of the 2 divisions that left Myitkyina reached Katha and received supplies here.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 87 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 118 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 116 men for the loss of an A6M2 in an accident.
Japan
During the night, the SS USS Snapper attacked south of Shimizu the escort TF sailing back from Etorofu Jima and torpedoed one of the 6 escortingh DD, the Arashi, but her torpedoes failed. The Arashi dropped depth charges on the submarine and scored 2 near-misses.
Eight AO and eight TK carrying a total of 136k fuel left Nagoya for Saipan. From this central position in the Empire they will be ready to support KB operations at sea.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
24 August 1943: Oscar vs Spitfire works better than Zero vs Corsair
24 August 1943
Northern Pacific
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska. Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 48 PB4Y, 32 B-17E and 23 B-24D from Attu that scored 8 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 93 on the runways. Japanese losses were 141 men and 4 guns, while a PB4Y was lost operationally.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 78 men and 4 guns, Japanese ones 245 men and 5 guns. Reports showed 129 168 Allied men (+ 682), 1393 guns (+10) and 385 vehicles (+1) for 2315 AV (+14), against 75 226 Japanese men (-97), 638 guns (-8) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV (-2). The evening report of the base listed damage as 48/12/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers (+1) and 43 165 supplies (-2 069).
Japanese forces in the area were still concentrated on supporting PJ. The barge convoy loaded another part of the 14th Div in Etoforu and sailed to PJ again, while in Aomori 10 big AK began to load 70k supplies to bring them to the besieged base (that is using more than 1000 a day). Last but not least the commander of the Northern Force was changed for another with a better understanding of the land warfare. Traditionnaly it was an admiral and despite the IJA pressure another admiral was chosen (by the way, given the fiasco in Burma the IJA political credit was at a low level..). VADM Hosogawa I. (leadership 35, inspiration 42, land 29, air 22, admin 52) was replaced by VADM Koga M (leadership 53 (+18), inspiration 55 (+13), land 42 (+13), air 43 (+21) and admin 65 (+13)). It was the best admiral for land operations.
The damaged AK Isuzu Maru reached Shikka with damage 98/32/0. After being torpedoed off PJ she survived air attacks here and then sailed alone in sub-infested waters but was not attacked again. She will now be patched in this port before sailing to a repair yard.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The BB Resolution and her escort were still off Lae and covered by 26 fighters (Corsair, P-38G, Kittyhawk I). An APD TF brought a second Allied unit here, probably a base force, but no Allied aircraft was based there for the moment. By the way the base hadn't been built by any side and has still an airfield of size 1.
Japanese forces didn't attack them but hit elsewhere. Just after dawn the SS I-31 attacked on the surface the Allied AK Morazan 300 miles SSW of Gili Gili and heavily damaged her with 2 torpedoes and 3 shells. In the afternoon, 13 Betties from Lunga attacked barges off Woodlark. They didn't hit any (except by strafing that did little damage) but also escaped the 2 P-38G and 2 F4F-4 on CAP and only suffered one operational loss.
Allied airmen continued to fly in little numbers. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima attacked barges off Rabaul and sank 3. Patrolling aircraft sank a fourth there and also damaged the small blockade runner Dainiki Maru unloading fuel in Kavieng to support these barges (she sailed back to Truk without finishing unloading with damage 37/19/33). 4 PB4Y from PM escorted by 19 P-38G raided Rabaul and scored 5 hits on the runways.
In the evening, Japanese engineers reported that both Rabaul and Kavieng were still fully operational. A new blockade runner was ordered to load 7000 supplies in Truk to carry them to Kavieng.
The local commander continued to try to wage a guerilla war. The CL Naka and her escort DD refuelled in Lunga and sailed SW again to try to hit Allied shipping lanes S of Gili Gili as originally planned (PT had arrived off Woodlark Island, a new raid here was out of question). And 22 Betties flew from Lunga to Rabaul with orders to fly naval attack at a maximum range of 6. That will allow them to hit Allied TF off New Guinea but not to reach Allied bases and their CAP.
Timor-DEI-Australia
At dawn 90 Oscar II took off from Kendari. Two turned back due to various problems but 88 reached their target hours later, the island of Tenimbar.13 Spitfire Vb of 453 Sqn RAAF were scrambled to intercept them and despite orders of the Japanese pilots to fly above the Allied maximum ceilling managed to surprise the first Japanese wave. The battle was then more even and finally 10 Oscar and 8 Spitfire Vb were shot down. I will accept this loss ratio at any time with Oscars... These units returned to CAP duty in the evening.
The barge convoy was now sailing back from Lautem and was attacked north of this base by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that heavily damaged a fourth craft of this force. All four will wait off Lautem to be achieved by Allied airmen.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby and reported 2 hits on the airbase and 10 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 67 B-17E, 28 B-24D and 13 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 95 on the runway and disabled 72 men. A B-24D was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 35%), Koepang 50/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/45/0, Lautem 81/68/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
17 small AK left Singapore to sail to Camranh Bay where the Vichy government (the AI, in fact) constitued a big ressource stockpile (> 80k) for no apparent reason. They will carry them somewhere they will be more useful.
Burma
Allied airmen flew only 165 sorties. Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E that scored 1 hit on supplies and 17 on runways, did 50 casualties and disabled 1 gun. 64 Liberator VI and 51 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 20 P-40N returned to Mandalay and bombed the 2nd Para Regiment on R&R here, hitting 286 men and 5 guns. A Liberator VI was lost to engine failure.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (57 casualties and 1 gun) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (156 men and 1 gun hit).
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 61, runways 0). In this town there were 4496 remaining supplies (-87) for needs of 7910 (+545). 2625 Japanese AV(+449) faced 1211 Allied (+4) in Katha, and 1378 Japanese AV (+1) faced 3143 Allied (+30) in Mytkyina .The second division that left Myitkyina reached Katha and received supplies here too. Both divisions (33rd and 41th) were then ordered to return to the besieged base, where the AV ratio was now too much in Allied favor.
On the other hand there were now too many troops in Katha just for defend the area. The 1st Tk Div was ordered to go south to Rangoon. It will recover there, but also serve as a mobile reserve in the area. The SEAC had probably sent most of these troops to northern Burma but an Allied landing so south will meet few defenders...
Also today one of two NLF sent in the jungle months ago finally reached the railway in Indaw region. The few survivors (statut of the unit 1/11....) were sent to Rangoon to to recover. The other NLF is in a better shape (14/18...) but should only reach the railway in one or two weeks. Both these units got close to be annihilated by Allied air attacks and lack of supplies, but were "saved" by supply drops... and the battle of Katha that draw Allied aircraft elsewhere.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 84 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 110 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 124 men for the loss of an A6M2 and an A6M3 in accidents.
Northern Pacific
Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska. Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 48 PB4Y, 32 B-17E and 23 B-24D from Attu that scored 8 hits on the airbase, 11 on supplies and 93 on the runways. Japanese losses were 141 men and 4 guns, while a PB4Y was lost operationally.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 78 men and 4 guns, Japanese ones 245 men and 5 guns. Reports showed 129 168 Allied men (+ 682), 1393 guns (+10) and 385 vehicles (+1) for 2315 AV (+14), against 75 226 Japanese men (-97), 638 guns (-8) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV (-2). The evening report of the base listed damage as 48/12/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers (+1) and 43 165 supplies (-2 069).
Japanese forces in the area were still concentrated on supporting PJ. The barge convoy loaded another part of the 14th Div in Etoforu and sailed to PJ again, while in Aomori 10 big AK began to load 70k supplies to bring them to the besieged base (that is using more than 1000 a day). Last but not least the commander of the Northern Force was changed for another with a better understanding of the land warfare. Traditionnaly it was an admiral and despite the IJA pressure another admiral was chosen (by the way, given the fiasco in Burma the IJA political credit was at a low level..). VADM Hosogawa I. (leadership 35, inspiration 42, land 29, air 22, admin 52) was replaced by VADM Koga M (leadership 53 (+18), inspiration 55 (+13), land 42 (+13), air 43 (+21) and admin 65 (+13)). It was the best admiral for land operations.
The damaged AK Isuzu Maru reached Shikka with damage 98/32/0. After being torpedoed off PJ she survived air attacks here and then sailed alone in sub-infested waters but was not attacked again. She will now be patched in this port before sailing to a repair yard.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The BB Resolution and her escort were still off Lae and covered by 26 fighters (Corsair, P-38G, Kittyhawk I). An APD TF brought a second Allied unit here, probably a base force, but no Allied aircraft was based there for the moment. By the way the base hadn't been built by any side and has still an airfield of size 1.
Japanese forces didn't attack them but hit elsewhere. Just after dawn the SS I-31 attacked on the surface the Allied AK Morazan 300 miles SSW of Gili Gili and heavily damaged her with 2 torpedoes and 3 shells. In the afternoon, 13 Betties from Lunga attacked barges off Woodlark. They didn't hit any (except by strafing that did little damage) but also escaped the 2 P-38G and 2 F4F-4 on CAP and only suffered one operational loss.
Allied airmen continued to fly in little numbers. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima attacked barges off Rabaul and sank 3. Patrolling aircraft sank a fourth there and also damaged the small blockade runner Dainiki Maru unloading fuel in Kavieng to support these barges (she sailed back to Truk without finishing unloading with damage 37/19/33). 4 PB4Y from PM escorted by 19 P-38G raided Rabaul and scored 5 hits on the runways.
In the evening, Japanese engineers reported that both Rabaul and Kavieng were still fully operational. A new blockade runner was ordered to load 7000 supplies in Truk to carry them to Kavieng.
The local commander continued to try to wage a guerilla war. The CL Naka and her escort DD refuelled in Lunga and sailed SW again to try to hit Allied shipping lanes S of Gili Gili as originally planned (PT had arrived off Woodlark Island, a new raid here was out of question). And 22 Betties flew from Lunga to Rabaul with orders to fly naval attack at a maximum range of 6. That will allow them to hit Allied TF off New Guinea but not to reach Allied bases and their CAP.
Timor-DEI-Australia
At dawn 90 Oscar II took off from Kendari. Two turned back due to various problems but 88 reached their target hours later, the island of Tenimbar.13 Spitfire Vb of 453 Sqn RAAF were scrambled to intercept them and despite orders of the Japanese pilots to fly above the Allied maximum ceilling managed to surprise the first Japanese wave. The battle was then more even and finally 10 Oscar and 8 Spitfire Vb were shot down. I will accept this loss ratio at any time with Oscars... These units returned to CAP duty in the evening.
The barge convoy was now sailing back from Lautem and was attacked north of this base by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that heavily damaged a fourth craft of this force. All four will wait off Lautem to be achieved by Allied airmen.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby and reported 2 hits on the airbase and 10 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 67 B-17E, 28 B-24D and 13 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 6 P-40N that scored 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 95 on the runway and disabled 72 men. A B-24D was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 35%), Koepang 50/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/45/0, Lautem 81/68/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
17 small AK left Singapore to sail to Camranh Bay where the Vichy government (the AI, in fact) constitued a big ressource stockpile (> 80k) for no apparent reason. They will carry them somewhere they will be more useful.
Burma
Allied airmen flew only 165 sorties. Myitkyina airfield was attacked by 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E that scored 1 hit on supplies and 17 on runways, did 50 casualties and disabled 1 gun. 64 Liberator VI and 51 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 20 P-40N returned to Mandalay and bombed the 2nd Para Regiment on R&R here, hitting 286 men and 5 guns. A Liberator VI was lost to engine failure.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (57 casualties and 1 gun) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (156 men and 1 gun hit).
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 61, runways 0). In this town there were 4496 remaining supplies (-87) for needs of 7910 (+545). 2625 Japanese AV(+449) faced 1211 Allied (+4) in Katha, and 1378 Japanese AV (+1) faced 3143 Allied (+30) in Mytkyina .The second division that left Myitkyina reached Katha and received supplies here too. Both divisions (33rd and 41th) were then ordered to return to the besieged base, where the AV ratio was now too much in Allied favor.
On the other hand there were now too many troops in Katha just for defend the area. The 1st Tk Div was ordered to go south to Rangoon. It will recover there, but also serve as a mobile reserve in the area. The SEAC had probably sent most of these troops to northern Burma but an Allied landing so south will meet few defenders...
Also today one of two NLF sent in the jungle months ago finally reached the railway in Indaw region. The few survivors (statut of the unit 1/11....) were sent to Rangoon to to recover. The other NLF is in a better shape (14/18...) but should only reach the railway in one or two weeks. Both these units got close to be annihilated by Allied air attacks and lack of supplies, but were "saved" by supply drops... and the battle of Katha that draw Allied aircraft elsewhere.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 84 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 110 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 124 men for the loss of an A6M2 and an A6M3 in accidents.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
25 August 1943: start of a bombing campaign against Rabaul
25 August 1943
Northern Pacific
This day saw no activity except artillery fire at Paramushiro Jima. Allied losses were 25 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 145 men, 1 tank and 5 guns. Reports showed 129 756 Allied men (+ 588), 1393 guns and 386 vehicles (+1) for 2319 AV (+4), against 75 569 Japanese men (+343), 646 guns (+8) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV. The evening report of the base listed damage as 13/0/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers and 43 216 supplies (+51...AI business...).
By the way Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
An Allied PT TF based off one of the islands now under Allied control east of New Guinea reacted to a Japanese TF... off Rabaul. Now that is new for me, I had always seen TF react to defend one's own base, not to attack enemy TFs off enemy bases... Anyway the PT used all their fuel to reach Rabaul and were unable to engage the TF (a barge convoy) they searched.
Allied aircraft were now bases on Lae airfield. Japanese recon reported that 16 F4F-4 and 4 P-38G were flying CAP and identified the BB Ramillies and Resolution off the base. The Japanese submarine I-124 managed to sneak in the area undetected and laid a minefield on the coast SE of Lae to try to catch retiring Allied ships.
For Allied airmen the pause was over and they flew 424 sorties against Japanese ships off Kavieng and the base of Rabaul. 32 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 16 Beaufighter VIC from Dobadura attacked in the morning a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank five of them. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 91 B-25C, 67 B-24D, 61 Beaufighter Mk 21, 39 B-17E, 34 PB4Y and 21 B-25J escorted by 63 P-38G and reported 8 G4M1 Betty (of the 22 that arrived the day before) destroyed on the ground, 254 casualties, 7 disabled guns, 29 hits on the airbase, 12 on supplies and 236 on the runways. Japanese AA defenses proved however to be efficient and shot down 2 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21, a B-17E and a B-24D while 2 Beaufighter Mk 21, 1 B-24D, 1 B-25C, 1 B-25J and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 59/91 (airbase/runway). The five serviceable Betties were evacuated to Truk, leaving 9 damaged behind. No crew was lost by this unit during the bombings.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The sky continued to be busy in the area. recons to Tenimbar showed that the Spitfire Vb flying CAP were reinforced by a Kittyhawk squadron, and that ships were off the base. The Allied airmen tried to retaliate against Kendari and 16 B-17E from Darwin tried to attack ships off this base... It proved to be a bad idea and all were shot down by 67 Tojo and 58 Oscar II flying CAP (there were also 22 Nick on CAP but they didn't engage). Seven Oscar and a Tojo were shot down by return fire.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 17 B-25C from Derby and reported 28 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 10 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 57 B-17E, 30 B-24D and 12 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on supplies and 70 on the runway and did 40 casualties. A B-17E was lost operationally.
Four damaged barges returned to Lautem, were chased unsuccessfully by a Dutch submarine and then attacked by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that sank one.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 46%), Koepang 36/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/37/0, Lautem 86/86/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
The "Gold Convoy" reached Tarakan, left there 2 TK and 1 AK to load 25k oil and 7k resources, and continued to Balikpapan. The part of the convoy detahced to Brunei also reached this port and started to load 96k oil.
A convoy left Kendari for Japan with 42k resources. In Amboina the AO that was ordered to load oil 3 days ago still didn't load any. The base has 0 resource and IIRC needs one to be able to load oil. So the AO will go to Palau, while an AK will come and drop some resources on the island.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 460 sorties: 5 B-25J and 41 escorts against Myitkyina airfield (1 runway hit), 157 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included...), 130 bombers and 69 escorts agaisnt 3 units in Myitkyina (492 men and 7 guns hits) and 51 Hurricane escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb against the 46th Div in Katha (42 men and 2 guns hits). A Vengeance I and a Lysander I were shot down by AA fire, 2 Vengeance, 2 Hurricane, 1 B-25J and 1 Blenheim IV were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side a Dinah III didn't return from a recon over India. It had been shot down by an Allied fighter.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (11 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (168 men and 1 gun hit).
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 19, runways 0). In this town there were 4490 remaining supplies (-6) for needs of 8127 (+217). 2270 Japanese AV (-355, a division marched back towards Myitkyina) faced 1217 Allied (+6) in Katha, and 1373 Japanese AV (-5) faced 3158 Allied (+15) in Mytkyina.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 151 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 56 men for the loss of an escorting Oscar II in an accident.
Northern Pacific
This day saw no activity except artillery fire at Paramushiro Jima. Allied losses were 25 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 145 men, 1 tank and 5 guns. Reports showed 129 756 Allied men (+ 588), 1393 guns and 386 vehicles (+1) for 2319 AV (+4), against 75 569 Japanese men (+343), 646 guns (+8) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV. The evening report of the base listed damage as 13/0/13 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers and 43 216 supplies (+51...AI business...).
By the way Japanese aircrew continued to fly patrols and recon over Aleutians and reported that Allied CV were still off Kiska.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
An Allied PT TF based off one of the islands now under Allied control east of New Guinea reacted to a Japanese TF... off Rabaul. Now that is new for me, I had always seen TF react to defend one's own base, not to attack enemy TFs off enemy bases... Anyway the PT used all their fuel to reach Rabaul and were unable to engage the TF (a barge convoy) they searched.
Allied aircraft were now bases on Lae airfield. Japanese recon reported that 16 F4F-4 and 4 P-38G were flying CAP and identified the BB Ramillies and Resolution off the base. The Japanese submarine I-124 managed to sneak in the area undetected and laid a minefield on the coast SE of Lae to try to catch retiring Allied ships.
For Allied airmen the pause was over and they flew 424 sorties against Japanese ships off Kavieng and the base of Rabaul. 32 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 16 Beaufighter VIC from Dobadura attacked in the morning a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank five of them. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 91 B-25C, 67 B-24D, 61 Beaufighter Mk 21, 39 B-17E, 34 PB4Y and 21 B-25J escorted by 63 P-38G and reported 8 G4M1 Betty (of the 22 that arrived the day before) destroyed on the ground, 254 casualties, 7 disabled guns, 29 hits on the airbase, 12 on supplies and 236 on the runways. Japanese AA defenses proved however to be efficient and shot down 2 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21, a B-17E and a B-24D while 2 Beaufighter Mk 21, 1 B-24D, 1 B-25C, 1 B-25J and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 59/91 (airbase/runway). The five serviceable Betties were evacuated to Truk, leaving 9 damaged behind. No crew was lost by this unit during the bombings.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The sky continued to be busy in the area. recons to Tenimbar showed that the Spitfire Vb flying CAP were reinforced by a Kittyhawk squadron, and that ships were off the base. The Allied airmen tried to retaliate against Kendari and 16 B-17E from Darwin tried to attack ships off this base... It proved to be a bad idea and all were shot down by 67 Tojo and 58 Oscar II flying CAP (there were also 22 Nick on CAP but they didn't engage). Seven Oscar and a Tojo were shot down by return fire.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 17 B-25C from Derby and reported 28 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 10 on runways, while Lautem was attacked by 57 B-17E, 30 B-24D and 12 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on supplies and 70 on the runway and did 40 casualties. A B-17E was lost operationally.
Four damaged barges returned to Lautem, were chased unsuccessfully by a Dutch submarine and then attacked by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin that sank one.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 46%), Koepang 36/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/37/0, Lautem 86/86/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
The "Gold Convoy" reached Tarakan, left there 2 TK and 1 AK to load 25k oil and 7k resources, and continued to Balikpapan. The part of the convoy detahced to Brunei also reached this port and started to load 96k oil.
A convoy left Kendari for Japan with 42k resources. In Amboina the AO that was ordered to load oil 3 days ago still didn't load any. The base has 0 resource and IIRC needs one to be able to load oil. So the AO will go to Palau, while an AK will come and drop some resources on the island.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 460 sorties: 5 B-25J and 41 escorts against Myitkyina airfield (1 runway hit), 157 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included...), 130 bombers and 69 escorts agaisnt 3 units in Myitkyina (492 men and 7 guns hits) and 51 Hurricane escorted by 7 Spitfire Vb against the 46th Div in Katha (42 men and 2 guns hits). A Vengeance I and a Lysander I were shot down by AA fire, 2 Vengeance, 2 Hurricane, 1 B-25J and 1 Blenheim IV were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side a Dinah III didn't return from a recon over India. It had been shot down by an Allied fighter.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (11 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (168 men and 1 gun hit).
The evening report showed still that only Myitkyina was damaged (airbase 19, runways 0). In this town there were 4490 remaining supplies (-6) for needs of 8127 (+217). 2270 Japanese AV (-355, a division marched back towards Myitkyina) faced 1217 Allied (+6) in Katha, and 1373 Japanese AV (-5) faced 3158 Allied (+15) in Mytkyina.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 151 training and 33 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 56 men for the loss of an escorting Oscar II in an accident.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
26 August 1943: a new Allied attack on Myitkyina reduced a fort level
26 August 1943
Northern Pacific
Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 21 PB4Y and 9 B-17E from Kiska that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 21 on the runways, and disabled 44 men and 2 guns.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 26 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 124 men and 2 guns. Reports showed 130 178 Allied men (+ 422), 1400 guns (+7) and 388 vehicles (+2) for 2339 AV (+20), against 75 489 Japanese men (-80), 644 guns (-2) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV. The evening report of the base listed damage as 5/0/0 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers and 42 325 supplies (-1109).
The various fighter units in the area were now well rested, wounded pilots had mostly returned to the units and lost AC had been replaced. They moved forward from Ominato and Sapporo to forward bases in Shikka and Toyohara to be ready to move to PJ to contest the sky to Allied heavy bombers in some days.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
360 miles SSE eight British and Australian destroyers chased during the night the SS I-34 and the HMS Hotspur and HMAS Vampire heavily damaged her with 2 hits and 23 near-misses. The badly damaged submarine will try to reach Lunga for repairs.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 227 sorties. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima attacked in the morning a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank one of them. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 48 B-24D, 40 PB4Y, 34 B-17E, 28 B-25C and 27 B-25J escorted by 40 P-38G and reported the 9 remaining damaged G4M1 Betty and one Alf destroyed on the ground, 55 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 9 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 134 on the runways. Japanese AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 3 B-25J, a PB4Y and a B-25C while 2 B-24D were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 71/91 (airbase/runway). Again all Betty crews survived the bombings and were "teleported" to Truk in the evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The three damaged barges off Lautem sank, two to flooding and one achieved by a patrolling B-25C. A Dutch submarine searched them without success during the night.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 6 B-25C from Derby and reported 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C over this base and a Catalina I taking pictures of Lautem.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 56%), Koepang 13/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/28/0, Lautem 86/81/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
The two tankers detached from the "Gold Convoy" to Miri arrived here and started to load 25k oil.
Burma
Allied forces exploited the temporary lack of Japanese troops in Myitkyina to launch a new deliberate attack here. 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E bombed the airfield, doing 32 casualties and scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 6 on runways. And 46 B-24D, 42 Beaufighter VIC, 27 B-25J, 26 Blenheim IV, 22 B-17E, 16 Beaufighter Mk 21, 11 Vengeance I and 9 Liberator VI from Ledo, Imphal, Jorhat and Dacca escorted by 81 P-40N and 6 P-40E supported the attack, all bombing the 31st Japanese division that lost 270 men and 7 guns. AA fire shot down a Beaufighter VIC, while a B-24D and a Vengeance were lost operationnaly. Allied troops then attacked and their engineers managed to reduced fortifications from 7 to 6 but the attack failed to win ground, but by a short margin (3198 Allied AV vs 1167 Japanese, adjusted to 3302 vs 3321). Japanese losses were 1595 men, 21 guns and 2 tanks, Allied ones 3271 men, 104 guns and 16 tanks.
More west 2 divisions were bombed in Katha by 70 Liberator VI, 47 Hurricane II and 46 B-25C from Dacca and Imphal escorted by 25 P-40N and 8 Spitfire Vb and lost 412 men and 11 guns. A Liberator, a B-25C and a Spitfire Vb were lost in accidents. Japanese guns pounded Allied troops there, hitting 10 men, and reported that a 12th Allied unit reached this front from the trail to Kohima, bringing the Allied AV to 1309 vs 1507 for the Japanese troops.
The evening report of Myitkyina showed that damaged was almost fully repaired (airbase 4, runways 0) and that fort was now level 6 (30% of level 7). In this town there were 4089 remaining supplies (-401) for needs of 9389 (+1262).
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 146 training and 29 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 121 men for the loss of an A6M2 in an accident.
Northern Pacific
Paramushiro Jima was attacked by 21 PB4Y and 9 B-17E from Kiska that scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 21 on the runways, and disabled 44 men and 2 guns.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 26 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 124 men and 2 guns. Reports showed 130 178 Allied men (+ 422), 1400 guns (+7) and 388 vehicles (+2) for 2339 AV (+20), against 75 489 Japanese men (-80), 644 guns (-2) and 5 tankettes for 1462 AV. The evening report of the base listed damage as 5/0/0 (airbase/runway/port), 361 engineers and 42 325 supplies (-1109).
The various fighter units in the area were now well rested, wounded pilots had mostly returned to the units and lost AC had been replaced. They moved forward from Ominato and Sapporo to forward bases in Shikka and Toyohara to be ready to move to PJ to contest the sky to Allied heavy bombers in some days.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
360 miles SSE eight British and Australian destroyers chased during the night the SS I-34 and the HMS Hotspur and HMAS Vampire heavily damaged her with 2 hits and 23 near-misses. The badly damaged submarine will try to reach Lunga for repairs.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 227 sorties. 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima attacked in the morning a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank one of them. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 48 B-24D, 40 PB4Y, 34 B-17E, 28 B-25C and 27 B-25J escorted by 40 P-38G and reported the 9 remaining damaged G4M1 Betty and one Alf destroyed on the ground, 55 casualties, 3 disabled guns, 9 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 134 on the runways. Japanese AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 3 B-25J, a PB4Y and a B-25C while 2 B-24D were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 71/91 (airbase/runway). Again all Betty crews survived the bombings and were "teleported" to Truk in the evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The three damaged barges off Lautem sank, two to flooding and one achieved by a patrolling B-25C. A Dutch submarine searched them without success during the night.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 6 B-25C from Derby and reported 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C over this base and a Catalina I taking pictures of Lautem.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 56%), Koepang 13/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/28/0, Lautem 86/81/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
The two tankers detached from the "Gold Convoy" to Miri arrived here and started to load 25k oil.
Burma
Allied forces exploited the temporary lack of Japanese troops in Myitkyina to launch a new deliberate attack here. 11 B-25J from Ledo escorted by 19 P-40E bombed the airfield, doing 32 casualties and scoring 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 6 on runways. And 46 B-24D, 42 Beaufighter VIC, 27 B-25J, 26 Blenheim IV, 22 B-17E, 16 Beaufighter Mk 21, 11 Vengeance I and 9 Liberator VI from Ledo, Imphal, Jorhat and Dacca escorted by 81 P-40N and 6 P-40E supported the attack, all bombing the 31st Japanese division that lost 270 men and 7 guns. AA fire shot down a Beaufighter VIC, while a B-24D and a Vengeance were lost operationnaly. Allied troops then attacked and their engineers managed to reduced fortifications from 7 to 6 but the attack failed to win ground, but by a short margin (3198 Allied AV vs 1167 Japanese, adjusted to 3302 vs 3321). Japanese losses were 1595 men, 21 guns and 2 tanks, Allied ones 3271 men, 104 guns and 16 tanks.
More west 2 divisions were bombed in Katha by 70 Liberator VI, 47 Hurricane II and 46 B-25C from Dacca and Imphal escorted by 25 P-40N and 8 Spitfire Vb and lost 412 men and 11 guns. A Liberator, a B-25C and a Spitfire Vb were lost in accidents. Japanese guns pounded Allied troops there, hitting 10 men, and reported that a 12th Allied unit reached this front from the trail to Kohima, bringing the Allied AV to 1309 vs 1507 for the Japanese troops.
The evening report of Myitkyina showed that damaged was almost fully repaired (airbase 4, runways 0) and that fort was now level 6 (30% of level 7). In this town there were 4089 remaining supplies (-401) for needs of 9389 (+1262).
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 146 training and 29 escort sorties from Wuhan and hit 121 men for the loss of an A6M2 in an accident.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
27 August 1943: "Oh, Oh... I thought I saw a pussy cat" (Tweetee-san said)
27 August 1943
Northern Pacific
The ML group was ordered to do another run to PJ this night but Allied submarines interfered with it. The first attack was made just after midnight NW of Ketoi Jima by the SS Gato that was chased and sunk by the escort (6 DD) and lightly damaged by 4 near-misses scored by the DD Tanikaze. But when the TF arrived off PJ and scattered before laying mines the SS USS Apagon heavily damaged the ML Shikinami with one torpedo. The DD Samidare counter-attacked and scored 3 near-misses on her but the operation was delayed and then cancelled to allow the ships to leave the area before dawn. The TF was attacked again after dawn by the SS USS Crevalle off Ketoi Jima. She missed the DD Tanikaze and was then depth charged by this ship and damaged by a hit and two near misses. The badly damaged Shikinami (75/87/18) will try to disband in PJ tomorrow.
The same night the SS Growler attacked on the surface NE of Ketoi Jima a barge convoy bringing troops to PJ and sank one with a torpedo, doing 78 casualties.
Paramushiro Jima was bombed by 8 B-17E from Kiska that scored 1 hit on supplies and 2 on runways. On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire as usual. Allied losses were 64 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 176 men, 1 tank and 2 guns. Reports showed 130 855 Allied men (+ 677), 1410 guns (+10) and 389 vehicles (+1) for 2350 AV (+11), against 75 884 Japanese men (+395), 651 guns (+7) and 5 tankettes for 1463 AV (+1). The evening report of the base listed no more damage, 362 engineers (+1) rebuilding fort (level 5, 50%) and 41 113 supplies (-1212). And also 1567 mines (none were laid last night).
But the big news were that Japanese airmen reported two AP convoys 240 miles west of Attu, followed by two TK TF more east. And the daily recon of Kiska showed that Allied CV were gone from there (at the cost of a Dinah III shot down by AA). They were coming again!!
The Japanese Navy reacted immediately. The Kido Butai sailed from Ominato in the evening with 10 CV, 5 CVL, 4 BB, 7 CA, 7 CL and 34 DD. The CV were only carrying less than half of their normal AC complement: 213 fighters, 83 dive-bombers and 102 torpedo bombers. But that was all that was available immediately.
More south 3 CA, 3 CL and 4 DD recently repaired/upgraded left Tokyo to join the KB, while five submarines also left this base towards the Kuriles.
In the north, the ML group that should have tried to return to PJ this night will rather return at full speed to Etorofu Jima, while the 9 submarines in the area will sail closer to the future battlefield.
Round three of the "Battle to Save Civilization" (as the Japanese propaganda is calling the battle of PJ) will be soon on your screens....
Southern Pacific
The AP sent from Japan (via Tarawa) to pick up the 2nd Div arrived at Canton Island and began to load this unit. It was originally a part of the plan to shift Army divisions from the Southern Pacific to Central Pacific closer to Japan (the 2nd Div was preparing for Marcus Island for example) but with the Allies coming back in the Kuriles this unit and others may well finish more north than planned.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The few remaining barges in the area sailed from Kavieng to Rabaul with supplies, escaping an attack by the SS Stingray during the night and then being bombed and strafed off Rabaul by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima that sank one.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 174 sorties (notice the decreasing number, probably due to losses and damage). In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Dobadura, Gili Gili and Kiriwima for a total of 67 B-25C, 49 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 23 B-25J escorted by 43 P-38G and reported 93 casualties, 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 94 on the runways. 30 B-24D took off from PM to raid Kavieng but were scattered by bad weather and only 3 found it, scoring 2 hits on a runway. For the third day in a row Rabaul AA defenses shot down 6 aircraft: 3 B-25C, 2 B-25J and a Beaufighter Mk 21 while 2 B-24D, 1 B-25C, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 78/91 (airbase/runway). Kavieng repaired all damage and engineers continued to build fort (now level 5, 22%).
Japanese submarines reported two Allied TF south of Gili Gili. The Naka TF will be in position to try to intercept them this evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
There was no activity at all in the area. The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 67%), Koepang OK (fort 6, 65%), Dili 72/19/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 86/74/38, other bases undamaged.
15 new barges were launched in Kendari to replace losses and continue to supply Timor. In Palau port, a small AK convoy loaded 14k supplies to bring them to Menado, while two damaged blockade runners, having patched all FLT damage, left for Shanghai for more extensive repairs.
SRA
The "Gold Convoy" arrived in Balikpapan, left there 7 AK and 3 AK to load 98k oil and 21k resources, refuelled and continued towards Soerabaja.
More north the small AK sent to Saigon from Singapore started to load 59k resources and will bring them to Japan via Hong Kong.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 402sorties: 10 B-25J and 44 escorts against Myitkyina airfield (49 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 15 on the runways), 180 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 18 bombers and 24 escorts against 2 units in Myitkyina (218 men and 4 guns hits) and 106 Dacca bombers Hurricane escorted by 22 P-40N against tw divisions in Katha (353 men and 13 guns hits). A P-40E was lost in an accident. On the Japanese side a Topsy crashed in the jungle after engine failure while carrying supplies to Myitkyina.
On the ground it was back to the routine: Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (17 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (138 men and 7 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was now fully repaired and with forts level 6, 32% (+2%). In this town there were 4735 remaining supplies (+245) for needs of 10572 (+2445). 1507 Japanese AV faced 1320 Allied (+11) in Katha, and 2117 Japanese AV (+744 compared to before the attack, but two divisions returned there) faced 2834 Allied (-324 compared to the day before the attack) in Mytkyina.
Around 60% of Rangoon fighters were grounded in the evening to prepare to move to Lashio and Mandalay and LRCAP Japanese troops in some days.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and hit 49 men without loss. None of the classes in the area had finished training (reached 70 exp) but orders arrived for three Zero Daitai and a Chutai (total of 82 pilots with mean exp 63 to 67) to fly to Japan. They did so in the evening (one pilot was killed in a crash during the base shuttle) and learned when they arrived about the new crisis in the north and that they will be sent there. Conflicting rumours abounded about whether they will be used aboard the KB, from PJ itself or from Toyohara...
Northern Pacific
The ML group was ordered to do another run to PJ this night but Allied submarines interfered with it. The first attack was made just after midnight NW of Ketoi Jima by the SS Gato that was chased and sunk by the escort (6 DD) and lightly damaged by 4 near-misses scored by the DD Tanikaze. But when the TF arrived off PJ and scattered before laying mines the SS USS Apagon heavily damaged the ML Shikinami with one torpedo. The DD Samidare counter-attacked and scored 3 near-misses on her but the operation was delayed and then cancelled to allow the ships to leave the area before dawn. The TF was attacked again after dawn by the SS USS Crevalle off Ketoi Jima. She missed the DD Tanikaze and was then depth charged by this ship and damaged by a hit and two near misses. The badly damaged Shikinami (75/87/18) will try to disband in PJ tomorrow.
The same night the SS Growler attacked on the surface NE of Ketoi Jima a barge convoy bringing troops to PJ and sank one with a torpedo, doing 78 casualties.
Paramushiro Jima was bombed by 8 B-17E from Kiska that scored 1 hit on supplies and 2 on runways. On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire as usual. Allied losses were 64 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 176 men, 1 tank and 2 guns. Reports showed 130 855 Allied men (+ 677), 1410 guns (+10) and 389 vehicles (+1) for 2350 AV (+11), against 75 884 Japanese men (+395), 651 guns (+7) and 5 tankettes for 1463 AV (+1). The evening report of the base listed no more damage, 362 engineers (+1) rebuilding fort (level 5, 50%) and 41 113 supplies (-1212). And also 1567 mines (none were laid last night).
But the big news were that Japanese airmen reported two AP convoys 240 miles west of Attu, followed by two TK TF more east. And the daily recon of Kiska showed that Allied CV were gone from there (at the cost of a Dinah III shot down by AA). They were coming again!!
The Japanese Navy reacted immediately. The Kido Butai sailed from Ominato in the evening with 10 CV, 5 CVL, 4 BB, 7 CA, 7 CL and 34 DD. The CV were only carrying less than half of their normal AC complement: 213 fighters, 83 dive-bombers and 102 torpedo bombers. But that was all that was available immediately.
More south 3 CA, 3 CL and 4 DD recently repaired/upgraded left Tokyo to join the KB, while five submarines also left this base towards the Kuriles.
In the north, the ML group that should have tried to return to PJ this night will rather return at full speed to Etorofu Jima, while the 9 submarines in the area will sail closer to the future battlefield.
Round three of the "Battle to Save Civilization" (as the Japanese propaganda is calling the battle of PJ) will be soon on your screens....
Southern Pacific
The AP sent from Japan (via Tarawa) to pick up the 2nd Div arrived at Canton Island and began to load this unit. It was originally a part of the plan to shift Army divisions from the Southern Pacific to Central Pacific closer to Japan (the 2nd Div was preparing for Marcus Island for example) but with the Allies coming back in the Kuriles this unit and others may well finish more north than planned.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The few remaining barges in the area sailed from Kavieng to Rabaul with supplies, escaping an attack by the SS Stingray during the night and then being bombed and strafed off Rabaul by 9 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima that sank one.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 174 sorties (notice the decreasing number, probably due to losses and damage). In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Dobadura, Gili Gili and Kiriwima for a total of 67 B-25C, 49 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 23 B-25J escorted by 43 P-38G and reported 93 casualties, 7 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 94 on the runways. 30 B-24D took off from PM to raid Kavieng but were scattered by bad weather and only 3 found it, scoring 2 hits on a runway. For the third day in a row Rabaul AA defenses shot down 6 aircraft: 3 B-25C, 2 B-25J and a Beaufighter Mk 21 while 2 B-24D, 1 B-25C, 1 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 78/91 (airbase/runway). Kavieng repaired all damage and engineers continued to build fort (now level 5, 22%).
Japanese submarines reported two Allied TF south of Gili Gili. The Naka TF will be in position to try to intercept them this evening.
Timor-DEI-Australia
There was no activity at all in the area. The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 67%), Koepang OK (fort 6, 65%), Dili 72/19/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 86/74/38, other bases undamaged.
15 new barges were launched in Kendari to replace losses and continue to supply Timor. In Palau port, a small AK convoy loaded 14k supplies to bring them to Menado, while two damaged blockade runners, having patched all FLT damage, left for Shanghai for more extensive repairs.
SRA
The "Gold Convoy" arrived in Balikpapan, left there 7 AK and 3 AK to load 98k oil and 21k resources, refuelled and continued towards Soerabaja.
More north the small AK sent to Saigon from Singapore started to load 59k resources and will bring them to Japan via Hong Kong.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 402sorties: 10 B-25J and 44 escorts against Myitkyina airfield (49 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 15 on the runways), 180 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 18 bombers and 24 escorts against 2 units in Myitkyina (218 men and 4 guns hits) and 106 Dacca bombers Hurricane escorted by 22 P-40N against tw divisions in Katha (353 men and 13 guns hits). A P-40E was lost in an accident. On the Japanese side a Topsy crashed in the jungle after engine failure while carrying supplies to Myitkyina.
On the ground it was back to the routine: Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (17 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (138 men and 7 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was now fully repaired and with forts level 6, 32% (+2%). In this town there were 4735 remaining supplies (+245) for needs of 10572 (+2445). 1507 Japanese AV faced 1320 Allied (+11) in Katha, and 2117 Japanese AV (+744 compared to before the attack, but two divisions returned there) faced 2834 Allied (-324 compared to the day before the attack) in Mytkyina.
Around 60% of Rangoon fighters were grounded in the evening to prepare to move to Lashio and Mandalay and LRCAP Japanese troops in some days.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 94 training sorties were flown from Changsha and hit 49 men without loss. None of the classes in the area had finished training (reached 70 exp) but orders arrived for three Zero Daitai and a Chutai (total of 82 pilots with mean exp 63 to 67) to fly to Japan. They did so in the evening (one pilot was killed in a crash during the base shuttle) and learned when they arrived about the new crisis in the north and that they will be sent there. Conflicting rumours abounded about whether they will be used aboard the KB, from PJ itself or from Toyohara...
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
28 August 1943: They're coming!!!!
28 August 1943
Northern Pacific
The damaged ML Shikinami was achieved during the night east of Ketoi Jima by two torpedoes fired by the SS USS Stelhead.
Paramushiro Jima was bombed by 52 PB4Y, 34 B-17E and 24 B-24D from Attu and 8 PB4Y from Kiska that scored 17 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 85 on runways, disabling 166 men and 1 gun. One PB4Y hit by AA ditched on the way back and another was lost to engine failure. On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire as usual. Allied losses were 27 men, Japanese ones 114 men and 5 guns. Reports showed 131 235 Allied men (+ 380), 1414 guns (+4) and 392 vehicles (+3) for 2355 AV (+5), against 76 986 Japanese men (+1002, barges brought another part of the 14th Div), 656 guns (+5) and 4 tankettes (-1) for 1467 AV (+4). The evening report of the base listed damage of 45/21 (base/runway), 362 engineers and 39 661 supplies (-1452).
The Allied fleet was in the evening at 120 miles east of PJ. Japanese airmen reported there seven TF: a CV TF (2 CV, 1 CVL), two surface TF, 3 convoys and a TK TF. Two other TK TF were seen 120 miles more east. By the way a Japanese crew identified a new Essex CV, the Intrepid. It seems that I can't sink Allied CV fast enough to reduce their number...
The The Kido Butai will sail tomorrow to a waiting position 120 miles NW of Etorofu Jima and be joined here by the CA/CL TF coming from Tokyo and the 6 DD of the ML TF based in Etorofu. Half of the 6 ML based here will sail to Wakkanai, the other will be disbanded in the port. Fighters of the KB will be on CAP 90% and the TF will be LRCAPed by 16 Rufes from Etorofu and 29 Oscar II from Toyohara.
Intelligence officers confirmed today that the LST-340 (torpedoed by KB off PJ on 16 July) and the DD Dashiell (torpedoed by I-26 south of Alaska five days ago) were scuttled.
Central Pacific
The Betty Daitai flying naval search from Midway left for Truk and was replaced by a Emily Chutai from PH.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied patrols coming from Lae liberated Salamaua before returning to their base. The daily recon reported that the CAP over Lae was now flown only by F4F-4 (15 of them). There were still ships off the base, and with such a small CAP a raid was thought possible. The plan was to launch a sweep from Hollandia and attack with Betties from Rabaul. This evening while 27 experienced Betty crews arrived in Truk from Midway, 28 A6M3a, 27 Oscar II and 16 A6M2 left Truk for Hollandia. They will first rest some days and fly CAP here.
The last two barges in the area left Rabaul to return to Kavieng at dawn but both were sunk NW of Rabaul, one by the SS USS Stingray and the other by a patrolling B-25C.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 285 sorties. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 60 B-25C, 53 Beaufighter Mk 21, 41 PB4Y, 31 B-17E and 12 B-25J escorted by 21 P-38G and reported 40 casualties, 9 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 159 on the runways. 39 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 28 P-38G raided Kavieng that reported 20 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 6 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 20 on the runways. Rabaul AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 2 B-25J, 2 B-17E, 2 PB4Y and a B-25C, bringing their score to 25 victories in 4 days, while 1 B-24D, 1 B-25C and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 95/90 (airbase/runway), Kavieng of 9/0.
300 miles S of Gili Gili the British-Australian ASW group (7 destroyers) was attacked in the evening by the SS I-35 that missed the old destroyer HMS Thracian (that was damaged at Hong Kong on 7 December 1941). The DD Isis and Griffin then depthcharged the submarine and scored 9 near-misses but she escaped. The Allied crews chased her and the DD Express found her again and attacked, scoring 2 hits and 9 more near-misses. The badly damaged submarine was scuttled by her crew. The SS I-34, hit by the same ASW group two days before, was also scuttled this evening south of Louisade Archipelago (FLT 98 and rising). The two submarines remaining in the area and the Naka TF were ordered to sail more south to find easier targets. On the other hand the Allied AK Morazan torpedoed south of Gili Gili by the I-31 four days ago had been confirmed to have been scuttled.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Gili Gili to size 6 and the airfield of Dobadura to size 7.
A Japanese blockade runner, the large AK Atago Maru, that was hit twice off Wewak and Hollandia, New Guinea, by Allied aircraft, sank before reaching Palau for repairs.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 27 B-25C from Derby and reported 21 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C. The daily recon of Tenimbar by a Dinah III reported that the CAP was now only flown by 7 Kittyhawk I, one of them shot down the Japanese crew seconds later.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 77%), Koepang 10/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/11/0, Lautem 86/66/38, other bases undamaged. Three submarines based in Soerabaja received orders to lay mines off Koepang. This base will also be LRCAPed tomorrow by the Oscar II of the 77 Sentai from Kendari.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 536 sorties: 123 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 136 bombers and 63 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (424 men and 14 guns hits) and 114 Dacca bombers, 51 Hurricane II and 29 escorts against two units in Katha (273 men, 1 tank and 13 guns hits). A B-24D, a Liberator VI and a Hurricane II were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side two Topsy were lost while carrying supplies to Myitkyina.
On the ground it was as usual: Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (30 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (80 men and 3 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 39% (+7%). In this town there were 4663 remaining supplies (-72) for needs of 12021 (+1469). 1511 Japanese AV (+4) faced 1379 Allied (+59, a 13th Allied unit arrived today from the trail of Kohima) in Katha, and 2101 Japanese AV (-16) faced 2876 Allied (+42) in Mytkyina. The HQ of the 17th Army reduced to four able support squads left Myitkyina for R&R in Mandalay or Rangoon. That will reduce the supply needs in the city. Also 44 new transport AC coming from China and PI arrived in Hanoi to join the air bridge bringing supplies.
The plan to move fighters to Lashio and Mandalay and LRCAP Japanese troops was cancelled due to the heavy escorts seen today. And fighters were needed elsewhere. 33 A6M3a left Rangoon this evening to go to Truk, flying to Menado for a night stop.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha but on a reduced scale after the departure of several classes yesterday to Japan. 46 training sorties were flown from Changsha and hit 34 men without loss.
Northern Pacific
The damaged ML Shikinami was achieved during the night east of Ketoi Jima by two torpedoes fired by the SS USS Stelhead.
Paramushiro Jima was bombed by 52 PB4Y, 34 B-17E and 24 B-24D from Attu and 8 PB4Y from Kiska that scored 17 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 85 on runways, disabling 166 men and 1 gun. One PB4Y hit by AA ditched on the way back and another was lost to engine failure. On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire as usual. Allied losses were 27 men, Japanese ones 114 men and 5 guns. Reports showed 131 235 Allied men (+ 380), 1414 guns (+4) and 392 vehicles (+3) for 2355 AV (+5), against 76 986 Japanese men (+1002, barges brought another part of the 14th Div), 656 guns (+5) and 4 tankettes (-1) for 1467 AV (+4). The evening report of the base listed damage of 45/21 (base/runway), 362 engineers and 39 661 supplies (-1452).
The Allied fleet was in the evening at 120 miles east of PJ. Japanese airmen reported there seven TF: a CV TF (2 CV, 1 CVL), two surface TF, 3 convoys and a TK TF. Two other TK TF were seen 120 miles more east. By the way a Japanese crew identified a new Essex CV, the Intrepid. It seems that I can't sink Allied CV fast enough to reduce their number...
The The Kido Butai will sail tomorrow to a waiting position 120 miles NW of Etorofu Jima and be joined here by the CA/CL TF coming from Tokyo and the 6 DD of the ML TF based in Etorofu. Half of the 6 ML based here will sail to Wakkanai, the other will be disbanded in the port. Fighters of the KB will be on CAP 90% and the TF will be LRCAPed by 16 Rufes from Etorofu and 29 Oscar II from Toyohara.
Intelligence officers confirmed today that the LST-340 (torpedoed by KB off PJ on 16 July) and the DD Dashiell (torpedoed by I-26 south of Alaska five days ago) were scuttled.
Central Pacific
The Betty Daitai flying naval search from Midway left for Truk and was replaced by a Emily Chutai from PH.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied patrols coming from Lae liberated Salamaua before returning to their base. The daily recon reported that the CAP over Lae was now flown only by F4F-4 (15 of them). There were still ships off the base, and with such a small CAP a raid was thought possible. The plan was to launch a sweep from Hollandia and attack with Betties from Rabaul. This evening while 27 experienced Betty crews arrived in Truk from Midway, 28 A6M3a, 27 Oscar II and 16 A6M2 left Truk for Hollandia. They will first rest some days and fly CAP here.
The last two barges in the area left Rabaul to return to Kavieng at dawn but both were sunk NW of Rabaul, one by the SS USS Stingray and the other by a patrolling B-25C.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 285 sorties. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 60 B-25C, 53 Beaufighter Mk 21, 41 PB4Y, 31 B-17E and 12 B-25J escorted by 21 P-38G and reported 40 casualties, 9 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 159 on the runways. 39 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 28 P-38G raided Kavieng that reported 20 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 6 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 20 on the runways. Rabaul AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 2 B-25J, 2 B-17E, 2 PB4Y and a B-25C, bringing their score to 25 victories in 4 days, while 1 B-24D, 1 B-25C and 1 P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 95/90 (airbase/runway), Kavieng of 9/0.
300 miles S of Gili Gili the British-Australian ASW group (7 destroyers) was attacked in the evening by the SS I-35 that missed the old destroyer HMS Thracian (that was damaged at Hong Kong on 7 December 1941). The DD Isis and Griffin then depthcharged the submarine and scored 9 near-misses but she escaped. The Allied crews chased her and the DD Express found her again and attacked, scoring 2 hits and 9 more near-misses. The badly damaged submarine was scuttled by her crew. The SS I-34, hit by the same ASW group two days before, was also scuttled this evening south of Louisade Archipelago (FLT 98 and rising). The two submarines remaining in the area and the Naka TF were ordered to sail more south to find easier targets. On the other hand the Allied AK Morazan torpedoed south of Gili Gili by the I-31 four days ago had been confirmed to have been scuttled.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Gili Gili to size 6 and the airfield of Dobadura to size 7.
A Japanese blockade runner, the large AK Atago Maru, that was hit twice off Wewak and Hollandia, New Guinea, by Allied aircraft, sank before reaching Palau for repairs.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 27 B-25C from Derby and reported 21 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C. The daily recon of Tenimbar by a Dinah III reported that the CAP was now only flown by 7 Kittyhawk I, one of them shot down the Japanese crew seconds later.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 77%), Koepang 10/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 72/11/0, Lautem 86/66/38, other bases undamaged. Three submarines based in Soerabaja received orders to lay mines off Koepang. This base will also be LRCAPed tomorrow by the Oscar II of the 77 Sentai from Kendari.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 536 sorties: 123 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 136 bombers and 63 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (424 men and 14 guns hits) and 114 Dacca bombers, 51 Hurricane II and 29 escorts against two units in Katha (273 men, 1 tank and 13 guns hits). A B-24D, a Liberator VI and a Hurricane II were lost in accidents. On the Japanese side two Topsy were lost while carrying supplies to Myitkyina.
On the ground it was as usual: Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (30 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (80 men and 3 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 39% (+7%). In this town there were 4663 remaining supplies (-72) for needs of 12021 (+1469). 1511 Japanese AV (+4) faced 1379 Allied (+59, a 13th Allied unit arrived today from the trail of Kohima) in Katha, and 2101 Japanese AV (-16) faced 2876 Allied (+42) in Mytkyina. The HQ of the 17th Army reduced to four able support squads left Myitkyina for R&R in Mandalay or Rangoon. That will reduce the supply needs in the city. Also 44 new transport AC coming from China and PI arrived in Hanoi to join the air bridge bringing supplies.
The plan to move fighters to Lashio and Mandalay and LRCAP Japanese troops was cancelled due to the heavy escorts seen today. And fighters were needed elsewhere. 33 A6M3a left Rangoon this evening to go to Truk, flying to Menado for a night stop.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha but on a reduced scale after the departure of several classes yesterday to Japan. 46 training sorties were flown from Changsha and hit 34 men without loss.
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goodboyladdie
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:35 pm
- Location: Rendlesham, Suffolk
RE: 28 August 1943: They're coming!!!!
Your opponent will not lie down Amiral...
It will be difficult for him to do anything but cover the supply convoy with so few CVs. He will probably have an all Hellcat CAP this time. Will it make a difference bearing in mind the depleted state of your air units?
It will be difficult for him to do anything but cover the supply convoy with so few CVs. He will probably have an all Hellcat CAP this time. Will it make a difference bearing in mind the depleted state of your air units?
Art by the amazing Dixie
RE: 28 August 1943: They're coming!!!!
Hi all,
Best of luck!!!
Darn... I hoped that Allied CV looses would provide the idle period some more...
I sincerely hope that our brave pilots/sailors/soldiers would prevail again - the faith of the Empire depends on it!
Leo "Apollo11"
Best of luck!!!
Darn... I hoped that Allied CV looses would provide the idle period some more...
I sincerely hope that our brave pilots/sailors/soldiers would prevail again - the faith of the Empire depends on it!
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
29 August 1943: 1500 more Allied AV landed on PJ
29 August 1943
GoodBoy I agree with you about the probable high CAP and you will read how I decide to act below.
Leo, I thought too I will have a longer pause. Worst of it it that my opponent dropped apparently four new divisions (or their equivalent in AV) on PJ... and the base is now far more in danger than before.
Northern Pacific
Allied ships arrived off Paramushiro Jima during the night. While the transport ships dropped anchor, 3 MSW and 4 DD reported the Japanese minefields laid since the last landings and began to sweep them. The landing themselves started at dawn with two Allied convoys unloading troops. A total of 4 MSW, 7 DMS, 2 DE and 4 DD continued to sweep mines but a LCI was sunk by one and an AK damaged by another. The Japanese guns were more troublesome than the mines and fired 6457 shells on the invading forces. Another LCI was sunk, 2 DD, 1 DE and 1 AK set on fire, 6 DD, 1 DE, 2 DMS, 2 MSW, 1 AK and 3 LCI more lightly hit. Landing troops reported 9695 disabled or lost men, and 34 disabled guns.
Paramushiro Jima was not bombarded from the sea, even if the BB Massachusetts and the CA Raleigh were seen off the island. It was bombed in the afternoon by 22 PB4Y, 11 B-17E and 10 B-24D from Attu and 17 PB4Y and 3 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies, 18 on runways, 2 on port and 1 on port supplies, disabling 36 men and 1 gun.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 77 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 198 men and 8 guns. Reports showed 169 201 Allied men (+ 37 966), 1731 guns (+317) and 416 vehicles (+24) for 3791 AV (+ 1436…gulp…), against 77 140 Japanese men (+154), 651 guns (-5) and 4 tankettes for 1466 AV (-1). The evening report of the base listed damage of 59/21/5 (base/runway/port), 365 engineers (+3) and 38 022 supplies (-1639) and 1152 remaining mines (-415). There were now 45 Allied units on the island. You can notice that Allied casualties during the landing amounted to 20% of the landed troops. That may be the sign of a lack of preparation for this battle.
The commander of the 14th Div, the main combat unit in PJ, was relieved today. The general Noda K (leadership 69, inspiration 67, land 67, administrative 55) was not a bad leader but the best possible was needed here and he was replaced by the major-general Sumiyoshi T (leadership 67, inspiration 73, land 85, administrative 62).
The Allied CV fleet (3 CV TF, 2 TK TF) arrived during the day 180 miles ESE of PJ, in the patrol area of the SS I-175. This submarine was chased in the morning by 4 DD and escaped after 11 near-misses, but was less lucky in the evening. She was then chased by 7 DD and sunk by the USS Guest and Chevalier. An Emily was also lost when it flew too close of this TF and was shot down by CAP.
Given the recent Allied CV losses, it was probable that the remaining CV will fly a high ratio of CAP with a bigger proportion of Hellcat than before. So attacking them may decimate the remaining Japanese CV units without much interest. On the other hand, hitting the Allied ships off PJ (two convoys and two surface TF reported here) may delay the landings and also sink enough Allied warships to then allow Japanese surface TF to control the area, with the KB fighters and land-based fighters in PJ to cover them. So orders were given to ignore the Allied CVs as targets and concentrate on Allied transports. To do that Japanese naval search patrols were reduced in range (range 0 from PJ, 9 from Toyohara, etc…) to be sure to include PJ and the ships off the island, but to probably “miss” the CV more east. Also the SS RO-34 was sent off PJ in a “suicide mission” to know more of the Allied TFs.
The Kido Butai will sail tomorrow to 240 miles NW of Paramushiro Jima and be joined here by the CA/CL TF coming from Tokyo (that were late today). KB fighters will fly CAP 70% just in case and be reinforced by 10 Oscar II and 24 A6M3a flying LRCAP from Shikka. CV attack units will have range 4 allowing them to reach ships off PJ. 27 more training fighters arrived aboard KB today bringing the total of experienced units to 240 fighters, 83 dive bombers and 102 torpedo bombers. But also 60 more fighter pilots arrived aboard the CV directly from Japanese schools. They were the CV units degraded to training status and the rookie pilots led by the few veterans of these units will be used only in defensive missions (100% CAP) over the TF. Even them may be able to down a Dauntless, and every fighter may help.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Toyohara just in time to base more aircraft here (air support units were already in place). 111 Betties will attack ships up to PJ (but not east of it) under escort by 55 Oscar II. The new extension of the airfield received 29 Tina, 20 transport Mavis and 16 Topsy that will start tomorrow to bring troops of the 21st Div from Toyohara to PJ.
The 6 DD that were part of the ML TF and were now led by ADM Tanaka were lacking fuel and will sail to Shikka to refuel. In Aomori the supply convoy that was planned to be covered by the KB to go to PJ had now finished loading (70k aboard) and sailed as planned. We will see who will control the sea when it will go close of it…
Central Pacific
The 4th Division, one of the two holding PH, was ordered to prepare to defend Shikka and began to board a convoy that will bring it back to Japan.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied ships left Lae during the night and detected the Japanese minefield SE of the port. Six DD destroyed mines and all ships avoided them and reached Buna where they were seen by Japanese airmen later during the day.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 276 sorties. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 63 B-25C, 50 Beaufighter Mk 21, 33 PB4Y, 18 B-17E and 17 B-25J escorted by 59 P-38G and reported 1 Alf destroyed on the ground, 113 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 7 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 118 on the runways. 28 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 8 P-38G raided Kavieng an scored 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runways. Rabaul AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 4 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and a B-25C, bringing their score to 32 victories in 5 days, while a B-25C was lost in an accident. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/91 (airbase/runway) and 3877 for needs of 4995. Kavieng repaired all damage before the evening. A blockade runner with 6000 supplies was in range from Kavieng but given that tomorrow will see clear weather was ordered to cruise NE of this base.
The British-Australian ASW group that sank two Japanese submarines in 3 days south of Gili Gili was seen by a Glen more south in the new patrol area of the Japanese remaining submarines. So both of them were ordered to leave the area for the time being and will go to Noumea, as will do the Naka TF, to refuel.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Recons to Tenimbar reported that 9 Allied transports were off the island, unloading troops or supplies, and were covered by only a squadron of Kittyhawk. Officers began to make plans to attack them but one problem was the lack of long-range bombers in the area.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 36 B-24D from Darwin. 6 Oscar II of the 77 Sentai flying LRCAP from Kendari intercepted them and for one loss shot down 2 B-24. Another was shot down by AA fire and a fourth lost to engine failure. The base reported 73 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 35 on runways. Dili was attacked by 87 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 13 P-40N that scored 6 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 43 on the runway and disabled 88 men and 3 guns, while 10 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and hit 42 men and 2 guns while scoring 1 hit on a building and 3 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 88%), Koepang 23/15/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 80/41/0, Lautem 87/61/38, other bases undamaged.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 375 sorties: 48 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 112 bombers and 43 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (306 men and 3 guns hits) and 97 Dacca bombers, 47 Hurricane II and 28 escorts against 3 units in Katha (355 men, 1 tank and 9 guns hits). A Blenheim IV was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina while a P-40N, a Liberator VI, a Spitfire Vb and a Hurricane II were lost in accidents.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (14 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (149 men and 2 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 46% (+7%). In this town there were 4612 remaining supplies (-51) for needs of 12005 (-16). 1511 Japanese AV faced 1412 Allied (+33, a 14th Allied unit arrived today from the trail of Kohima) in Katha, and 2092 Japanese AV (-9) faced 2920 Allied (+44) in Mytkyina.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 48 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 144 from Wuhan and hit 181 men without loss. 31 more Zeroes stopped training in the evening and were flown to Japan for the incoming battle.
GoodBoy I agree with you about the probable high CAP and you will read how I decide to act below.
Leo, I thought too I will have a longer pause. Worst of it it that my opponent dropped apparently four new divisions (or their equivalent in AV) on PJ... and the base is now far more in danger than before.
Northern Pacific
Allied ships arrived off Paramushiro Jima during the night. While the transport ships dropped anchor, 3 MSW and 4 DD reported the Japanese minefields laid since the last landings and began to sweep them. The landing themselves started at dawn with two Allied convoys unloading troops. A total of 4 MSW, 7 DMS, 2 DE and 4 DD continued to sweep mines but a LCI was sunk by one and an AK damaged by another. The Japanese guns were more troublesome than the mines and fired 6457 shells on the invading forces. Another LCI was sunk, 2 DD, 1 DE and 1 AK set on fire, 6 DD, 1 DE, 2 DMS, 2 MSW, 1 AK and 3 LCI more lightly hit. Landing troops reported 9695 disabled or lost men, and 34 disabled guns.
Paramushiro Jima was not bombarded from the sea, even if the BB Massachusetts and the CA Raleigh were seen off the island. It was bombed in the afternoon by 22 PB4Y, 11 B-17E and 10 B-24D from Attu and 17 PB4Y and 3 B-17E from Kiska that scored 2 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies, 18 on runways, 2 on port and 1 on port supplies, disabling 36 men and 1 gun.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 77 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 198 men and 8 guns. Reports showed 169 201 Allied men (+ 37 966), 1731 guns (+317) and 416 vehicles (+24) for 3791 AV (+ 1436…gulp…), against 77 140 Japanese men (+154), 651 guns (-5) and 4 tankettes for 1466 AV (-1). The evening report of the base listed damage of 59/21/5 (base/runway/port), 365 engineers (+3) and 38 022 supplies (-1639) and 1152 remaining mines (-415). There were now 45 Allied units on the island. You can notice that Allied casualties during the landing amounted to 20% of the landed troops. That may be the sign of a lack of preparation for this battle.
The commander of the 14th Div, the main combat unit in PJ, was relieved today. The general Noda K (leadership 69, inspiration 67, land 67, administrative 55) was not a bad leader but the best possible was needed here and he was replaced by the major-general Sumiyoshi T (leadership 67, inspiration 73, land 85, administrative 62).
The Allied CV fleet (3 CV TF, 2 TK TF) arrived during the day 180 miles ESE of PJ, in the patrol area of the SS I-175. This submarine was chased in the morning by 4 DD and escaped after 11 near-misses, but was less lucky in the evening. She was then chased by 7 DD and sunk by the USS Guest and Chevalier. An Emily was also lost when it flew too close of this TF and was shot down by CAP.
Given the recent Allied CV losses, it was probable that the remaining CV will fly a high ratio of CAP with a bigger proportion of Hellcat than before. So attacking them may decimate the remaining Japanese CV units without much interest. On the other hand, hitting the Allied ships off PJ (two convoys and two surface TF reported here) may delay the landings and also sink enough Allied warships to then allow Japanese surface TF to control the area, with the KB fighters and land-based fighters in PJ to cover them. So orders were given to ignore the Allied CVs as targets and concentrate on Allied transports. To do that Japanese naval search patrols were reduced in range (range 0 from PJ, 9 from Toyohara, etc…) to be sure to include PJ and the ships off the island, but to probably “miss” the CV more east. Also the SS RO-34 was sent off PJ in a “suicide mission” to know more of the Allied TFs.
The Kido Butai will sail tomorrow to 240 miles NW of Paramushiro Jima and be joined here by the CA/CL TF coming from Tokyo (that were late today). KB fighters will fly CAP 70% just in case and be reinforced by 10 Oscar II and 24 A6M3a flying LRCAP from Shikka. CV attack units will have range 4 allowing them to reach ships off PJ. 27 more training fighters arrived aboard KB today bringing the total of experienced units to 240 fighters, 83 dive bombers and 102 torpedo bombers. But also 60 more fighter pilots arrived aboard the CV directly from Japanese schools. They were the CV units degraded to training status and the rookie pilots led by the few veterans of these units will be used only in defensive missions (100% CAP) over the TF. Even them may be able to down a Dauntless, and every fighter may help.
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Toyohara just in time to base more aircraft here (air support units were already in place). 111 Betties will attack ships up to PJ (but not east of it) under escort by 55 Oscar II. The new extension of the airfield received 29 Tina, 20 transport Mavis and 16 Topsy that will start tomorrow to bring troops of the 21st Div from Toyohara to PJ.
The 6 DD that were part of the ML TF and were now led by ADM Tanaka were lacking fuel and will sail to Shikka to refuel. In Aomori the supply convoy that was planned to be covered by the KB to go to PJ had now finished loading (70k aboard) and sailed as planned. We will see who will control the sea when it will go close of it…
Central Pacific
The 4th Division, one of the two holding PH, was ordered to prepare to defend Shikka and began to board a convoy that will bring it back to Japan.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied ships left Lae during the night and detected the Japanese minefield SE of the port. Six DD destroyed mines and all ships avoided them and reached Buna where they were seen by Japanese airmen later during the day.
Allied airmen continued to be active over Kavieng and Rabaul and flew 276 sorties. In the afternoon Rabaul airfield was attacked by four waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Dobadura, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 63 B-25C, 50 Beaufighter Mk 21, 33 PB4Y, 18 B-17E and 17 B-25J escorted by 59 P-38G and reported 1 Alf destroyed on the ground, 113 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 7 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 118 on the runways. 28 B-24D from Dobadura escorted by 8 P-38G raided Kavieng an scored 1 hit on supplies and 4 on the runways. Rabaul AA defenses continued to be efficient and shot down 4 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and a B-25C, bringing their score to 32 victories in 5 days, while a B-25C was lost in an accident. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/91 (airbase/runway) and 3877 for needs of 4995. Kavieng repaired all damage before the evening. A blockade runner with 6000 supplies was in range from Kavieng but given that tomorrow will see clear weather was ordered to cruise NE of this base.
The British-Australian ASW group that sank two Japanese submarines in 3 days south of Gili Gili was seen by a Glen more south in the new patrol area of the Japanese remaining submarines. So both of them were ordered to leave the area for the time being and will go to Noumea, as will do the Naka TF, to refuel.
Timor-DEI-Australia
Recons to Tenimbar reported that 9 Allied transports were off the island, unloading troops or supplies, and were covered by only a squadron of Kittyhawk. Officers began to make plans to attack them but one problem was the lack of long-range bombers in the area.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 36 B-24D from Darwin. 6 Oscar II of the 77 Sentai flying LRCAP from Kendari intercepted them and for one loss shot down 2 B-24. Another was shot down by AA fire and a fourth lost to engine failure. The base reported 73 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 35 on runways. Dili was attacked by 87 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 13 P-40N that scored 6 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 43 on the runway and disabled 88 men and 3 guns, while 10 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and hit 42 men and 2 guns while scoring 1 hit on a building and 3 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 88%), Koepang 23/15/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 80/41/0, Lautem 87/61/38, other bases undamaged.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 375 sorties: 48 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 112 bombers and 43 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (306 men and 3 guns hits) and 97 Dacca bombers, 47 Hurricane II and 28 escorts against 3 units in Katha (355 men, 1 tank and 9 guns hits). A Blenheim IV was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina while a P-40N, a Liberator VI, a Spitfire Vb and a Hurricane II were lost in accidents.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (14 casualties) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (149 men and 2 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 46% (+7%). In this town there were 4612 remaining supplies (-51) for needs of 12005 (-16). 1511 Japanese AV faced 1412 Allied (+33, a 14th Allied unit arrived today from the trail of Kohima) in Katha, and 2092 Japanese AV (-9) faced 2920 Allied (+44) in Mytkyina.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 48 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 144 from Wuhan and hit 181 men without loss. 31 more Zeroes stopped training in the evening and were flown to Japan for the incoming battle.
- Attachments
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- 19430829_Kuriles.jpg (189.13 KiB) Viewed 155 times
RE: 29 August 1943: 1500 more Allied AV landed on PJ
Hi all,
How could the enemy AV rise so much from just one single day of troop disembarkment?
Darn... [:(][&:][:@]
Leo "Apollo11"
How could the enemy AV rise so much from just one single day of troop disembarkment?
Darn... [:(][&:][:@]
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
29 August 1943: 1500 more Allied AV landed on PJ
Partial reply as seen in the animation screen: too small to show all Allied units but at least a part may be identified.
At least two divisions and three RCT had not been reported before...The equivalent of 1-2 more divisions was probably landed on PJ too
At least two divisions and three RCT had not been reported before...The equivalent of 1-2 more divisions was probably landed on PJ too
- Attachments
-
- 19430829_PJ.jpg (206.77 KiB) Viewed 155 times
RE: 29 August 1943: 1500 more Allied AV landed on PJ
Hi all,
Thanks for info...
<HEAVY SIGH>
I am afraid that this would mark the begging of the end for PJ (and all even more grave consequences that would folow after that)... [:(]
Sadly the lack of high experience air crews crippled the KB when it was needed the most - to stop enemy landings on PJ - although it won every single battle versus Allied CVs so far and had all CVs intact it, unfortunately, was unable to prevent this... [:(]
<HEAVY SIGH>
Leo "Apollo11"
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Partial reply as seen in the animation screen: too small to show all Allied units but at least a part may be identified.
At least two divisions and three RCT had not been reported before...The equivalent of 1-2 more divisions was probably landed on PJ too
Thanks for info...
<HEAVY SIGH>
I am afraid that this would mark the begging of the end for PJ (and all even more grave consequences that would folow after that)... [:(]
Sadly the lack of high experience air crews crippled the KB when it was needed the most - to stop enemy landings on PJ - although it won every single battle versus Allied CVs so far and had all CVs intact it, unfortunately, was unable to prevent this... [:(]
<HEAVY SIGH>
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
RE: 29 August 1943: 1500 more Allied AV landed on PJ
I think it is rather ok - with moutain and defensive bonus, I seriousely believe Japanese forces still have a chance - Laurent has the opportunity to turn PJ into a new "milipoli à la Pauk" [;)]
But Laurent can't afford to do too little/too late. He must muster a big horde, take advantage of the force of its surface combattant, and go for an all-out air assault in the day, and surface strike in the night.
He can still cripple the enemy force and strike a good blow at the US activities there...
But Laurent can't afford to do too little/too late. He must muster a big horde, take advantage of the force of its surface combattant, and go for an all-out air assault in the day, and surface strike in the night.
He can still cripple the enemy force and strike a good blow at the US activities there...
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
30 August 1943: Onnekotan Jima invaded, 3 US BB torpedoed
30 August 1943
Northern Pacific
Two Allied TFs continued to land more Allied troops on PJ during the night and day. 3 MSW, 7 DMS, 2 DE and 7 DD swept almost all Japanese mines off the base (number dropped from 1152 to 8 today) but the AK Norse Carrier hit 3 of them and sank, while two other AK hit one each and were set on fire. Japanese guns fired a total of 3128 shells on the landing troops and ships during the night and day, set 2 AK on fire and hit 6 DD and 1 DE. Allied landing casualties where 3210 men and 25 guns. Before dawn the SS RO-34 attacked one of these convoys and torpedoed the AK Seginus, setting her on fire, but she was then chased and sunk by the MSW Herald and the DMS Hopkins.
But a new development of the situation appeared during the night when an Allied TF arrived off Onnekotan Jima (that will be cited as OJ from now) and began to load troops, continuing during the day. There was no Japanese troop or mine but there were still 1491 disabled men during the landing.
During the night the KB moved north as planned. The SS USS Raton patrolling 180 miles west of OJ saw the BB Kongo and a CL but was chased by 7 DD when she tried to close and damaged by a hit and a near-miss scored by the two DD. At dawn the main fleet was at the planned spot, 240 miles NW of PJ, but the CA TF was still late and was 60 miles more SW… and in range of the Allied CV that had sailed to a position 60 miles SW of PJ. The Japanese were lucky as this stray surface TF was protected by clouds during the whole day while the KB had clear weather nearby to operate.
In the morning, OJ was covered by clouds, but PJ was clear and a BB TF was reported there covering the two convoys, but without any CAP. That cost the Allied dearly today. CV of both sides were out of range of each other and didn’t react towards each other, but while Allied CV launched no raid and only shot down a Jake getting too close from the CAP, the Japanese airmen flew on the morning and the afternoon against Allied ships. By the way they also scored a defensive success, a Japanese pilot bagged a Walrus close to the KB for his 20th kill. Three A6M3a LRCAPing the KB from Shikka were lost today operationally but one pilot was rescued.
So in the morning the Allied ships off PJ were the target. First came 8 G4M1 from Toyohara that hit a convoy and torpedoed two AK (one heavily damaged, one on fire) for the loss of two of their number to AA fire. And then the other convoy was attacked by 73 Kate, 49 Val, 28 Judy and 9 Jill from the KB escorted by 55 A6M3a and 29 A6M5. For the loss of 3 Kate and 1 Val to AA fire, and 1 Kate, 1 Val, 1 A6M3a and 1 Judy in accidents, they sank two AK, heavily damaged 7 other, 1 DMS and 1 MSW and set on fire 11 other AK and a DE. Eight G4M2 from Toyohara also attacked the same convoy and scored one more torpedo hit on an AK already damaged by KB airmen.
But the main raid coming from Toyohara had another target. 41 G4M1 and 8 G4M2 attacked the BB TF off PJ and concentrated on three fast American BBs, ignoring totally their escort ships. AA fire was severe and shot down half of the attackers (20 G4M1 and 5 G4M2) but didn’t stop them and 9 torpedo hits were scored: four on the Washington, four on the Massachusetts and one on the South Dakota. The last was on fire, the two other heavily damaged and at least out of the battle, and maybe doomed.
In the afternoon, clouds moved east from OJ and now covered PJ, saving the American BB from another attack. But OJ was now under clear sky and ships there were attacked by airmen from the KB and Toyohara, but on a reduced scale compared to the morning.
CV airmen attacked the convoy with 55 Kate, 31 Val, 25 Judy and 10 Jill escorted by 50 A6M3a and 11 A6M5. This attack sank the DD HMS Encounter, the DMS USS Long, the MSW HMCS Bellechasse and the LST-451, heavily damaged 1 DD, 1 DMS, 3 AK and 1 LST, and set on fire a DMS and an AK for the loss of 5 Kate to AA fire and 1 Kate, 1 Val, 1 Judy and 1 Jill in accidents. Toyohara airmen attacked the surface TF covering the convoy but only with 3 G4M2. One crew claimed a torpedo hit on the CA USS Houston but she was not much damaged and it might be FOW. One Betty was shot down by AA during this attack.
All told these attacks cost 29 Betties and 17 CV aircraft but sank seven ships, heavily damaged 17 and set on fire 16. The most important being that in the ships damaged today were 3 fast BB, that may be the last operational Allied BB in the area. At least two and probably all three of them won’t be available for the coming surface battles and this should shift the strength ratio decisively in Japanese favor.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 24 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 200 men and 2 guns. Reports showed 194 087 Allied men (+ 24 886), 2145 guns (+414) and 424 vehicles (+8) for 3900 AV (+ 109), against 78 169 Japanese men (+1029), 672 guns (+21) and 4 tankettes for 1488 AV (+22). The evening report of the base listed damage of 38/0/5 (base/runway/port), 375 engineers (+10) and 41 508 supplies (+3486… don’t ask me where they came…the AI knew). The AV ratio was not going in the good way for Japan…
It was no more time to build reserves, but to use them and 175 fighters and fighter-bombers (36 Tony, 35 Tojo, 35 Nick, 27 A6M2, 26 A6M3 and 16 Rufe) flew in the evening from Toyohara and Etorofu Jima to PJ. They will fly CAP at 90%, and cover the base and the garrison against Allied CV airmen and heavy bombers from Attu and Kiska.
Toyohora bomber force’s losses were more than replaced by the arrival of 45 trained Betties from Japan and 54 naval bombers (Nell and Betty) from two Daitai that were training in Manchouoko (and had a mix of veteran and rookies in their rank). They brought the total of bombers in the base to 183. Orders will be the same tomorrow than today: engage anything up to PJ, but don’t target ships east of PJ.
The original plan was to send tonight two BB TF to PJ to chase Allied ships while the KB would switch to full defence (only flying CAP and naval search) and get close to the Allied CV to draw their airmen. But the landing in Onnekotan (that my opponent should have done weeks ago to be honest… I never had troops to send there… or to be more precise three successive units planned to defend it all finished on the main battlefield of PJ) changed the overall situation. Tomorrow the Allied will take it, and some days later will open an airfield here. It was almost as serious as the possible fall of PJ itself.
So while the CV TF will do as planned and sail 120 miles ENE of OJ to wait air attacks (and cover retreating surface TF), both BB TF will chase Allied ships but not together. The BB Hiei and Haruna, 3 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD will go to OJ, while the BB Kongo and Kirishima, 3 CA, 3 CL and 7 DD will sweep waters near PJ. This last part will also protect the air units sent to PJ from a naval bombardment. On the other hand the damaged dealt to 3 BB and one CA today had weakened again the Allied surface TF and both Japanese TFs should be strong enough to deal with anything the Allied can send against them right now.
36 more semi-trained pilots arrived aboard the KB to reinforce the CAP. They flew A6M2. Their arrival brought the air strength of the KB to 339 fighters (319 available), 78 dive bombers (71) and 91 torpedo bombers (83).
More east five submarines sailing south of the Allied shipping lanes between PJ and Kiska and Attu received orders to cut these lanes to chase damaged ships, especially the 3 wounded BBs.
The invasion of Onnekotan Jima had also a big influence on the Japanese overall strategy. This base should be neutralized so long PJ will hold (if PJ should fall in the next weeks OJ will no more be a problem). Japanese ships may close OJ by naval bombardment and then bombers from Shikka and Toyohara could keep it more or less closed, but may have to fight Corsair... while ships will face PT boats… It would be costly, but should be done.
Tonight 9 Allied units had landed on OJ for a total of 17 000 men. Certainly not much are combat troops and so the Japanese plan was to counter-land there and take the base back with KB and LBA support. The only problem in this plan was the lack of troops immediately available… Outside the troops fighting in PJ, only the 21st Div and the 56th Bde were available and both were more or less planned to be sent on PJ to save it. Troops for the OJ operation should come from other theatres.
And that placed the Pacific reorganization in a new perspective. The 2nd Div was already sailing north from Pago-Pago, preparing for Marcus, but may come to this area. The three other divisions planned to be taken out from Pacific (see below for details) all will prepare for the OJ operation, as will the 116th Div awaiting in Hong Kong to change of command (in 11 days, as soon as I will have enough PP). Three Eng Rgt (currently in Wakkanai, Toyohara and Shanghai) also received orders to prepare for this operation as did the 3 parachute SNLF in Shanghai and the 1st Para Rgt of the Army in Hanoi.
A side effect of this operation was that Shikka will be turned into a major IJN base to support the attacks on OJ. The ML squadron and both AR currently in Etorofu Jima received orders to go there immediately, as did a TF with 57k fuel, an AE and an AR that left Tokyo in the evening. Another convoy loaded 90k fuel and 28k supplies in Tokyo and will also go to this base. Also 44 transport aircraft (also coming from the reserve) will ferry two small BF from Ominato to Shikka, so the base may have more fighters defending it (currently 30 AS there).
By the way the two AR in Etorofu had only one damaged ship to work on those last days, an APD which FLT damage stayed around 50. This ship will try to sail to Ominato.
Southern Pacific
The main area concerned by the OJ plan was this one. The big AP convoy sent there to bring back troops arrived in Suva today, a “perfect” timing (well, to be honest, it would have been more perfect if I had judged better the situation in the Kuriles and if I had withdrawn troops from Southern Pacific months ago to have a strategic reserve when I needed it).
What was originally planned was to send a part of the troops of the area to the Solomons-New Guinea front, but now priorities had changed. Anyway Truk had no major combat unit and something had to be done about that. The South Seas Detachment (the original one) boarded 3 AP in Suva and will be brought to this base and defend it. 14 other AP loaded in Suva the Southern Area Army HQ and the 48th Div and will carry them to the Kuriles in the convoy that also included both AR based here. Both units were ordered to prepare for OJ. The remaining AP will sail to Pago-Pago and load the 18th Div, that received today orders to prepare for OJ, as did the 4th Div in PH.
By the way all available transports were used in Hawaii to load the 4th Div, while some will be needed to reorganize the defenses as the garrison will be reduced to three divisions rather than the original number of five. So 30 AP were sent from Tokyo to this area this evening.
The Kuriles front was not only lacking troops but also auxiliary ships. An AD and an AS joined in Kwajalein a convoy returning to Japan and will later sail to Shikka.
On a side note, a TK convoy arrived in Funafuti. This TF was made of 9k TK and was sent there to bring fuel to all Japanese small bases. Finally a TK will unload in Funafuti, one each will sail to Luganville and Efate and the other will sail back to Kwajalein.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
A F-5A flew recon over Hollandia and reported around 40 Japanese flying CAP there. As there was no more Allied ships off Lae and that was the main reason to have fighters based here (to escort bombers on naval attack) and there were not enough fighters in the area to cover efficiently Truk and Hollandia, all fighters returned to Truk in the evening except 20 A6M3a sent to Kendari (see below).
After the heavy losses of the last days Allied airmen flew far less than before and only sent 90 sorties against Rabaul. The airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 52 Beaufighter Mk 21, 6 PB4Y and 10 B-25J escorted by 22 P-38G and reported 16 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 51 on the runways. Despite having less targets Rabaul AA defenses continued to score and shot down 3 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and a PB4Y, bringing their score to 38 victories in 6 days. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/91 (airbase/runway) and 3877 supplies for needs of 4983. Kavieng was still building fortification (now level 5, 29%).
A Jake was shot down by AA fire during a recon of Woodlark Island, east of Gili Gili.
Six damaged ships (either blockade runners hit off Kavieng or Rabaul, or ships hit in the bombing of Truk) left Truk towards the repair shipyard of Shanghai.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A barge convoy going to Lautem was attacked in the morning by the old American submarine S-35 that sank one of them with a torpedo and then by 14 Brewster 339D that strafed one and set on fire her fuel cargo.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby and 26 B-24D from Darwin. Oscar II of the 77 Sentai were still flying LRCAP from Kendari because orders to stop it never reached them (I forgot to give them) but achieved nothing and lost two aircraft and pilots in crashes due to the rising fatigue. Two B-25C and two B-24D were shot down by Koepang AA guns anyway. The base reported 15 casualties, 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 44 on runways. Dili was attacked by 84 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 1 hit on the airbase and 59 on the runway and disabled 48 men and 1 gun, while 11 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and did 19 casualties while scoring 1 hit on a building and 8 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 99%), Koepang 31/29/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 81/58/0, Lautem 88/57/38, other bases undamaged.
Recons to Tenimbar reported that the 9 Allied transports were still unloading off the island, and were covered by only a squadron of Kittyhawk (9 on CAP). Plans to attack them were finally approved and 22 Betties were sent from Truk. One crashed on the way with the loss of its crew but the other arrived in Kendari at the same time than 33 A6M3a from Menado (they left Burma some days ago) and 20 more from Hollandia. All will rest tomorrow and strike the day after.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 375 sorties: 11 B-25J and 41 escorts from Ledo on Myitkyina airfield (8 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on runways), 171 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 134 bombers and 47 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (371 men and 10 guns hits) and 91 Dacca bombers, 44 Hurricane II and 27 escorts against 2 divisions in Katha (254 men and 6 guns hits). A B-25J, a Vengeance I and a Hurricane II were shot down by AA fire while a B-25C and a P-40N were lost in accidents. AA fire shot down two Japanese recon aircraft, a Dinah III over India and a Nell over the battlefield of Katha.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (no casualty) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (101 men and 6 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 47% (+1%). In this town there were 4533 remaining supplies (-79) for needs of 11512 (-493). 1517 Japanese AV (+6) faced 1418 Allied (+6) in Katha, and 2069 Japanese AV (-23) faced 2970 Allied (+50) in Mytkyina.
This evening the three Tony Sentai based in Rangoon moved to forward bases in Central Bumra, 57 Ki-61 flying to Lashio and 26 to Mandalay. Tomorrow they will all fly LRCAP above Katha.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 91 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 88 from Wuhan (+33 escort) and hit 82 men without loss.
The troops in China concerned by the OJ plan were the 116th Div that was waiting PPs in Hong Kong. Its final destination had not been decided yet but was today. It will be OJ. Also four units attached to the Southern Area Army that had been used in China and were now waiting for orders in Shanghai (the 25th Eng Rgt and three parachutist SNLF) received orders to prepare for OJ too and boarded ships that will bring them to Toyohara.
Northern Pacific
Two Allied TFs continued to land more Allied troops on PJ during the night and day. 3 MSW, 7 DMS, 2 DE and 7 DD swept almost all Japanese mines off the base (number dropped from 1152 to 8 today) but the AK Norse Carrier hit 3 of them and sank, while two other AK hit one each and were set on fire. Japanese guns fired a total of 3128 shells on the landing troops and ships during the night and day, set 2 AK on fire and hit 6 DD and 1 DE. Allied landing casualties where 3210 men and 25 guns. Before dawn the SS RO-34 attacked one of these convoys and torpedoed the AK Seginus, setting her on fire, but she was then chased and sunk by the MSW Herald and the DMS Hopkins.
But a new development of the situation appeared during the night when an Allied TF arrived off Onnekotan Jima (that will be cited as OJ from now) and began to load troops, continuing during the day. There was no Japanese troop or mine but there were still 1491 disabled men during the landing.
During the night the KB moved north as planned. The SS USS Raton patrolling 180 miles west of OJ saw the BB Kongo and a CL but was chased by 7 DD when she tried to close and damaged by a hit and a near-miss scored by the two DD. At dawn the main fleet was at the planned spot, 240 miles NW of PJ, but the CA TF was still late and was 60 miles more SW… and in range of the Allied CV that had sailed to a position 60 miles SW of PJ. The Japanese were lucky as this stray surface TF was protected by clouds during the whole day while the KB had clear weather nearby to operate.
In the morning, OJ was covered by clouds, but PJ was clear and a BB TF was reported there covering the two convoys, but without any CAP. That cost the Allied dearly today. CV of both sides were out of range of each other and didn’t react towards each other, but while Allied CV launched no raid and only shot down a Jake getting too close from the CAP, the Japanese airmen flew on the morning and the afternoon against Allied ships. By the way they also scored a defensive success, a Japanese pilot bagged a Walrus close to the KB for his 20th kill. Three A6M3a LRCAPing the KB from Shikka were lost today operationally but one pilot was rescued.
So in the morning the Allied ships off PJ were the target. First came 8 G4M1 from Toyohara that hit a convoy and torpedoed two AK (one heavily damaged, one on fire) for the loss of two of their number to AA fire. And then the other convoy was attacked by 73 Kate, 49 Val, 28 Judy and 9 Jill from the KB escorted by 55 A6M3a and 29 A6M5. For the loss of 3 Kate and 1 Val to AA fire, and 1 Kate, 1 Val, 1 A6M3a and 1 Judy in accidents, they sank two AK, heavily damaged 7 other, 1 DMS and 1 MSW and set on fire 11 other AK and a DE. Eight G4M2 from Toyohara also attacked the same convoy and scored one more torpedo hit on an AK already damaged by KB airmen.
But the main raid coming from Toyohara had another target. 41 G4M1 and 8 G4M2 attacked the BB TF off PJ and concentrated on three fast American BBs, ignoring totally their escort ships. AA fire was severe and shot down half of the attackers (20 G4M1 and 5 G4M2) but didn’t stop them and 9 torpedo hits were scored: four on the Washington, four on the Massachusetts and one on the South Dakota. The last was on fire, the two other heavily damaged and at least out of the battle, and maybe doomed.
In the afternoon, clouds moved east from OJ and now covered PJ, saving the American BB from another attack. But OJ was now under clear sky and ships there were attacked by airmen from the KB and Toyohara, but on a reduced scale compared to the morning.
CV airmen attacked the convoy with 55 Kate, 31 Val, 25 Judy and 10 Jill escorted by 50 A6M3a and 11 A6M5. This attack sank the DD HMS Encounter, the DMS USS Long, the MSW HMCS Bellechasse and the LST-451, heavily damaged 1 DD, 1 DMS, 3 AK and 1 LST, and set on fire a DMS and an AK for the loss of 5 Kate to AA fire and 1 Kate, 1 Val, 1 Judy and 1 Jill in accidents. Toyohara airmen attacked the surface TF covering the convoy but only with 3 G4M2. One crew claimed a torpedo hit on the CA USS Houston but she was not much damaged and it might be FOW. One Betty was shot down by AA during this attack.
All told these attacks cost 29 Betties and 17 CV aircraft but sank seven ships, heavily damaged 17 and set on fire 16. The most important being that in the ships damaged today were 3 fast BB, that may be the last operational Allied BB in the area. At least two and probably all three of them won’t be available for the coming surface battles and this should shift the strength ratio decisively in Japanese favor.
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 24 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 200 men and 2 guns. Reports showed 194 087 Allied men (+ 24 886), 2145 guns (+414) and 424 vehicles (+8) for 3900 AV (+ 109), against 78 169 Japanese men (+1029), 672 guns (+21) and 4 tankettes for 1488 AV (+22). The evening report of the base listed damage of 38/0/5 (base/runway/port), 375 engineers (+10) and 41 508 supplies (+3486… don’t ask me where they came…the AI knew). The AV ratio was not going in the good way for Japan…
It was no more time to build reserves, but to use them and 175 fighters and fighter-bombers (36 Tony, 35 Tojo, 35 Nick, 27 A6M2, 26 A6M3 and 16 Rufe) flew in the evening from Toyohara and Etorofu Jima to PJ. They will fly CAP at 90%, and cover the base and the garrison against Allied CV airmen and heavy bombers from Attu and Kiska.
Toyohora bomber force’s losses were more than replaced by the arrival of 45 trained Betties from Japan and 54 naval bombers (Nell and Betty) from two Daitai that were training in Manchouoko (and had a mix of veteran and rookies in their rank). They brought the total of bombers in the base to 183. Orders will be the same tomorrow than today: engage anything up to PJ, but don’t target ships east of PJ.
The original plan was to send tonight two BB TF to PJ to chase Allied ships while the KB would switch to full defence (only flying CAP and naval search) and get close to the Allied CV to draw their airmen. But the landing in Onnekotan (that my opponent should have done weeks ago to be honest… I never had troops to send there… or to be more precise three successive units planned to defend it all finished on the main battlefield of PJ) changed the overall situation. Tomorrow the Allied will take it, and some days later will open an airfield here. It was almost as serious as the possible fall of PJ itself.
So while the CV TF will do as planned and sail 120 miles ENE of OJ to wait air attacks (and cover retreating surface TF), both BB TF will chase Allied ships but not together. The BB Hiei and Haruna, 3 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD will go to OJ, while the BB Kongo and Kirishima, 3 CA, 3 CL and 7 DD will sweep waters near PJ. This last part will also protect the air units sent to PJ from a naval bombardment. On the other hand the damaged dealt to 3 BB and one CA today had weakened again the Allied surface TF and both Japanese TFs should be strong enough to deal with anything the Allied can send against them right now.
36 more semi-trained pilots arrived aboard the KB to reinforce the CAP. They flew A6M2. Their arrival brought the air strength of the KB to 339 fighters (319 available), 78 dive bombers (71) and 91 torpedo bombers (83).
More east five submarines sailing south of the Allied shipping lanes between PJ and Kiska and Attu received orders to cut these lanes to chase damaged ships, especially the 3 wounded BBs.
The invasion of Onnekotan Jima had also a big influence on the Japanese overall strategy. This base should be neutralized so long PJ will hold (if PJ should fall in the next weeks OJ will no more be a problem). Japanese ships may close OJ by naval bombardment and then bombers from Shikka and Toyohara could keep it more or less closed, but may have to fight Corsair... while ships will face PT boats… It would be costly, but should be done.
Tonight 9 Allied units had landed on OJ for a total of 17 000 men. Certainly not much are combat troops and so the Japanese plan was to counter-land there and take the base back with KB and LBA support. The only problem in this plan was the lack of troops immediately available… Outside the troops fighting in PJ, only the 21st Div and the 56th Bde were available and both were more or less planned to be sent on PJ to save it. Troops for the OJ operation should come from other theatres.
And that placed the Pacific reorganization in a new perspective. The 2nd Div was already sailing north from Pago-Pago, preparing for Marcus, but may come to this area. The three other divisions planned to be taken out from Pacific (see below for details) all will prepare for the OJ operation, as will the 116th Div awaiting in Hong Kong to change of command (in 11 days, as soon as I will have enough PP). Three Eng Rgt (currently in Wakkanai, Toyohara and Shanghai) also received orders to prepare for this operation as did the 3 parachute SNLF in Shanghai and the 1st Para Rgt of the Army in Hanoi.
A side effect of this operation was that Shikka will be turned into a major IJN base to support the attacks on OJ. The ML squadron and both AR currently in Etorofu Jima received orders to go there immediately, as did a TF with 57k fuel, an AE and an AR that left Tokyo in the evening. Another convoy loaded 90k fuel and 28k supplies in Tokyo and will also go to this base. Also 44 transport aircraft (also coming from the reserve) will ferry two small BF from Ominato to Shikka, so the base may have more fighters defending it (currently 30 AS there).
By the way the two AR in Etorofu had only one damaged ship to work on those last days, an APD which FLT damage stayed around 50. This ship will try to sail to Ominato.
Southern Pacific
The main area concerned by the OJ plan was this one. The big AP convoy sent there to bring back troops arrived in Suva today, a “perfect” timing (well, to be honest, it would have been more perfect if I had judged better the situation in the Kuriles and if I had withdrawn troops from Southern Pacific months ago to have a strategic reserve when I needed it).
What was originally planned was to send a part of the troops of the area to the Solomons-New Guinea front, but now priorities had changed. Anyway Truk had no major combat unit and something had to be done about that. The South Seas Detachment (the original one) boarded 3 AP in Suva and will be brought to this base and defend it. 14 other AP loaded in Suva the Southern Area Army HQ and the 48th Div and will carry them to the Kuriles in the convoy that also included both AR based here. Both units were ordered to prepare for OJ. The remaining AP will sail to Pago-Pago and load the 18th Div, that received today orders to prepare for OJ, as did the 4th Div in PH.
By the way all available transports were used in Hawaii to load the 4th Div, while some will be needed to reorganize the defenses as the garrison will be reduced to three divisions rather than the original number of five. So 30 AP were sent from Tokyo to this area this evening.
The Kuriles front was not only lacking troops but also auxiliary ships. An AD and an AS joined in Kwajalein a convoy returning to Japan and will later sail to Shikka.
On a side note, a TK convoy arrived in Funafuti. This TF was made of 9k TK and was sent there to bring fuel to all Japanese small bases. Finally a TK will unload in Funafuti, one each will sail to Luganville and Efate and the other will sail back to Kwajalein.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
A F-5A flew recon over Hollandia and reported around 40 Japanese flying CAP there. As there was no more Allied ships off Lae and that was the main reason to have fighters based here (to escort bombers on naval attack) and there were not enough fighters in the area to cover efficiently Truk and Hollandia, all fighters returned to Truk in the evening except 20 A6M3a sent to Kendari (see below).
After the heavy losses of the last days Allied airmen flew far less than before and only sent 90 sorties against Rabaul. The airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 52 Beaufighter Mk 21, 6 PB4Y and 10 B-25J escorted by 22 P-38G and reported 16 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 51 on the runways. Despite having less targets Rabaul AA defenses continued to score and shot down 3 B-25J, 2 Beaufighter Mk 21 and a PB4Y, bringing their score to 38 victories in 6 days. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/91 (airbase/runway) and 3877 supplies for needs of 4983. Kavieng was still building fortification (now level 5, 29%).
A Jake was shot down by AA fire during a recon of Woodlark Island, east of Gili Gili.
Six damaged ships (either blockade runners hit off Kavieng or Rabaul, or ships hit in the bombing of Truk) left Truk towards the repair shipyard of Shanghai.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A barge convoy going to Lautem was attacked in the morning by the old American submarine S-35 that sank one of them with a torpedo and then by 14 Brewster 339D that strafed one and set on fire her fuel cargo.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby and 26 B-24D from Darwin. Oscar II of the 77 Sentai were still flying LRCAP from Kendari because orders to stop it never reached them (I forgot to give them) but achieved nothing and lost two aircraft and pilots in crashes due to the rising fatigue. Two B-25C and two B-24D were shot down by Koepang AA guns anyway. The base reported 15 casualties, 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 44 on runways. Dili was attacked by 84 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 1 hit on the airbase and 59 on the runway and disabled 48 men and 1 gun, while 11 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and did 19 casualties while scoring 1 hit on a building and 8 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 1, 99%), Koepang 31/29/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 81/58/0, Lautem 88/57/38, other bases undamaged.
Recons to Tenimbar reported that the 9 Allied transports were still unloading off the island, and were covered by only a squadron of Kittyhawk (9 on CAP). Plans to attack them were finally approved and 22 Betties were sent from Truk. One crashed on the way with the loss of its crew but the other arrived in Kendari at the same time than 33 A6M3a from Menado (they left Burma some days ago) and 20 more from Hollandia. All will rest tomorrow and strike the day after.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 375 sorties: 11 B-25J and 41 escorts from Ledo on Myitkyina airfield (8 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on runways), 171 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 134 bombers and 47 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (371 men and 10 guns hits) and 91 Dacca bombers, 44 Hurricane II and 27 escorts against 2 divisions in Katha (254 men and 6 guns hits). A B-25J, a Vengeance I and a Hurricane II were shot down by AA fire while a B-25C and a P-40N were lost in accidents. AA fire shot down two Japanese recon aircraft, a Dinah III over India and a Nell over the battlefield of Katha.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (no casualty) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (101 men and 6 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was still fully operational and with forts level 6, 47% (+1%). In this town there were 4533 remaining supplies (-79) for needs of 11512 (-493). 1517 Japanese AV (+6) faced 1418 Allied (+6) in Katha, and 2069 Japanese AV (-23) faced 2970 Allied (+50) in Mytkyina.
This evening the three Tony Sentai based in Rangoon moved to forward bases in Central Bumra, 57 Ki-61 flying to Lashio and 26 to Mandalay. Tomorrow they will all fly LRCAP above Katha.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 91 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 88 from Wuhan (+33 escort) and hit 82 men without loss.
The troops in China concerned by the OJ plan were the 116th Div that was waiting PPs in Hong Kong. Its final destination had not been decided yet but was today. It will be OJ. Also four units attached to the Southern Area Army that had been used in China and were now waiting for orders in Shanghai (the 25th Eng Rgt and three parachutist SNLF) received orders to prepare for OJ too and boarded ships that will bring them to Toyohara.
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RE: 30 August 1943: Onnekotan Jima invaded, 3 US BB torpedoed
Hi all,
Oh my God - the plot thickens even more!!!
Great success - congratulations!
BANZAI!!!
The BBs will be sorely missed for Allies (coupled with all those already sunk and/or damaged)!
What odds can you expect when they do attack (deliberate and shock)?
Leo "Apollo11"
Oh my God - the plot thickens even more!!!
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
All told these attacks cost 29 Betties and 17 CV aircraft but sank seven ships, heavily damaged 17 and set on fire 16. The most important being that in the ships damaged today were 3 fast BB, that may be the last operational Allied BB in the area. At least two and probably all three of them won’t be available for the coming surface battles and this should shift the strength ratio decisively in Japanese favor.
Great success - congratulations!
BANZAI!!!
The BBs will be sorely missed for Allies (coupled with all those already sunk and/or damaged)!
On the ground, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 24 men and 2 guns, Japanese ones 200 men and 2 guns. Reports showed 194 087 Allied men (+ 24 886), 2145 guns (+414) and 424 vehicles (+8) for 3900 AV (+ 109), against 78 169 Japanese men (+1029), 672 guns (+21) and 4 tankettes for 1488 AV (+22). The evening report of the base listed damage of 38/0/5 (base/runway/port), 375 engineers (+10) and 41 508 supplies (+3486… don’t ask me where they came…the AI knew). The AV ratio was not going in the good way for Japan…
What odds can you expect when they do attack (deliberate and shock)?
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
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goodboyladdie
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:35 pm
- Location: Rendlesham, Suffolk
RE: 30 August 1943: Onnekotan Jima invaded, 3 US BB torpedoed
I cannot understand your opponent. Those fast BBs should have been in his CV tfs providing AA and his CAP should have been protecting the landings. This really is the last roll of the dice for him. Even if he takes PJ he will not have any Naval Forces left to advance down the Kuriles! As an AFB it is very frustrating to see him make so many mistakes and never seem to learn. [&:]
Art by the amazing Dixie
RE: 30 August 1943: Onnekotan Jima invaded, 3 US BB torpedoed
Hi all,
You have to know that, most probably, his opponnet didn't know that KB was around.
Also if he planned for it to be around he might be (as AdmiralLaurent pressumed and I also pressumed) planning a trap to try to kill KB air wing by luring it into attacking 90% CAP CV TF and in that case no other TF would be attacked (this was quite resonable thinking).
But our Japanese commander (AdmiralLaurent) was both brave and cunning! [&o][&o][&o]
This is why war is gamble!!!
The nice thing is that it can be done in game in a way that similarly happened in history and that is fantastic (for example IJN CV sacrifice in 1944)!
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S. [Edit]
Sighted typos fixed.
ORIGINAL: goodboyladdie
I cannot understand your opponent. Those fast BBs should have been in his CV tfs providing AA and his CAP should have been protecting the landings. This really is the last roll of the dice for him. Even if he takes PJ he will not have any Naval Forces left to advance down the Kuriles! As an AFB it is very frustrating to see him make so many mistakes and never seem to learn. [&:]
You have to know that, most probably, his opponnet didn't know that KB was around.
Also if he planned for it to be around he might be (as AdmiralLaurent pressumed and I also pressumed) planning a trap to try to kill KB air wing by luring it into attacking 90% CAP CV TF and in that case no other TF would be attacked (this was quite resonable thinking).
But our Japanese commander (AdmiralLaurent) was both brave and cunning! [&o][&o][&o]
This is why war is gamble!!!
The nice thing is that it can be done in game in a way that similarly happened in history and that is fantastic (for example IJN CV sacrifice in 1944)!
Leo "Apollo11"
P.S. [Edit]
Sighted typos fixed.
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
31 August 1943: fourth battle of PJ, airfield badly pounded
GoobBoy I think you're a bit too harsh for my opponent... although I can understand that reading last report was frustating for an AFB.
I think my opponent did a strategic mistake by attacking an objective out of range by his land-based fighters too early. His advance in Burma was perfectly timed to draw ground troops here - and it worked. What he did not was to draw my Navy away. Maybe his operations off New Guinea were designed for that, but I ignored them more or less totally. And so 80% of the IJN was ready to fight in Japan with no SYS damage and full air units aboard.
Then once the battle was started I guess my opponent didnt' realize how strong I was until it was too late and he had lost the first CV battle. Again it was too early and he should have wiated for more CV and F6F but I understand that time was fleeing for him, with mid-1943 and almost a 6 to 1 ratio for Japan. I think in such a situation (after this ifrst battle) I will have evacuated my troops rather than sending more to the battleground. It is not his style... and the battle is not over.
So the tactical situation now was that he is running out of able CV and BB... faster than I an running out of them. He used his CVs to draw attacks, not to cover other TF, and so had to concentrate CAP. But I didn't play along his rules and ignored CVs this time, while I had attacked them on two other occasions they came. By the way with a little more luck on his side some leaking CAP will have covered his BB at the good time.
As for keeping BB in CV TF, I think the main objective of my opponent now is to take PJ and so he preferred to use his BB to cover the transports and troops off the island. At this stage I doubt he has many reserves and all he can achieve in this mess is to take PJ and then use its AF while he will reorganise troops for the next step. I'm quite sure that the troops currently landing on PJ were preparing for the next step (Shikka?) some weeks ago.
31 August 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night Allied ships continued to land troops on Paramushiro and Onnekotan Jima. Two TF were off the first and received 301 CD shells that set an AK on fire while 1 MSW and 2 DMS swept the last Japanese mines but not before another AK was heavily damaged by one. Allied landing casualties were 133 men and 3 guns here, and 257 men in OJ where landing was uncontested. At least from the ground.
Because as planned a Japanese BB TF attacked ships off both islands. Off PJ arrived the BB Kongo and Kirishima with 3 CL, 3 CL and 7 DD. They met off the beachhead a surface TF of 6 US CA, 7 US DD and 2 Australian DD and fought them between 7000 and 10000 yards before the Japanese ships broke contact. In this initial shock the DD USS John Rodgers was sunk by a spread of torpedoes fired by the CL Oi, the CA Baltimore and the DD USS Radford and Gansevoort were heavily damaged by a torpedo each and shellfire, and more Japanese shells set on fire the CA Indianapolis (hit by two 14in shells) and the DD USS Caldwell and Downes and HMAS Nestor. On the Japanese side two ships were on fire: the CL Sendai (hit by three 8in shells) and the DD Hayashio (hit by two 5in shells).
The Japanese admiral had orders to reach the transports and so retreated and tried to bypass the Allied warships but they engaged him again. The second round of the battle was fought at closer range, between 5 and 8000 yards. Fewer torpedos were used and the only hits were on the DD HMAS Nestor that sank some hours later and on the CA USS Raleigh (on fire). If both Japanese BB had no problem with their opponents, hitting them with several 14in shells (CA Indianapolis heavily damaged, CA Northampton on fire), two of the Japanese CA (Suzuya and Haguro) were hit repeatedly by Allied cruisers and heavily damaged. In fact the Suzuya and the CA Baltimore pummeled each other at close range and both were wrecked. The third Japanese CA, the Atago, was undamaged and heavily damaged the CA Houston with several 8in shells. A new American destroyer, the Sampson, was hit by shells and set on fire. But the Japanese warships were repelled and retired without having reached the transport fleet. The damaged CA Baltimore and DD Radford sank later during the day, so bringing the Allied losses in this battle to 1 CA and 3 DD sunk, 2 CA and 2 DD heavily damaged, 2 CA and 3 DD on fire, while the Japanese left behind the wrecked CA Suzuya and had three other ships damaged, 1 CA, 1 CL and 1 DD. The SS USS Apagon saw before dawn the burning Suzuya still in the area and attacked her but missed.
This Allied surface TF had been seen and attacked yesterday off OJ, and was sent to PJ probably to replace the BB TF badly hit by Betties. The remains of the Allied CA TF (4 CA, two heavily damaged and one on fire, and 6 DD (1 heavily damaged, 3 on fire)) tried to bombard PJ before retiring from the area but between disorganization and Japanese return fire of the CD defenses were unable to reach the airfield and only hit 59 men and 2 guns.
And so the Allied transport off OJ had no more covering surface TF and was surprised by the second Japanese BB TF (Haruna, Hiei, 3 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD). The convoy was composed of 1 LSD, 15 AK and 17 LST escorted by 3 British DD, 2 old US DD, 3 DMS and 6 MSW. A part of these escorts had been damaged the day before by KB airmen and Japanese warships had no problem dealing with them but the heroic Allied crews managed to cover the transports. While four escort were sunk (DD HMS Encouter and USS Chew, DMS USS Wasmuth and Dorsey) and two MSW damaged, only one AK was hit by one shell that did 58 casualties aboard her. The Allied ships then retreated… SW of the island. The Japanese ships were undamaged (only two shells hit a BB and a CA and bounced on their armor).
During this night the KB CV TF moved to their planned patrol area, 120 miles WNW of OJ. They were welcomed by two American submarines, the Bonefish and the Rasher. The first made two attempts to attack, saw the CV Amagi, and missed the DD Oyashio. The second also made two approaches, saw another CV, the CVL Ryuho, and attacked an escort, the DD Amagiri, but her torpedo failed. Each time these submarines were chased away by DDs but slipped away undamaged.
After dawn submarines off both sides tried to attack the retiring warships and for one Japanese submarines were more efficient than the enemy. The SS USS Redfin and Growler attacked the retiring Japanese surface ships 180 miles WNW of OJ. Both submarines missed each a DD, and then the Redfin also missed the unescorted damaged CA Haguro having failed behind her TF. Japanese DD searched both submarines unsuccessfully after their attacks.
On the other hand the Allied CA TF was attacked 180 miles ESE of PJ by the SS RO-105 that hit the CA Raleigh with one torpedo (she already took one during the night off PJ) and reported her on fire. The Allied escort (now reduced to 5 DD) didn’t find her.
Two other Japanese submarines attacked this morning a TF of 4 APD bringing fuel from Kiska, probably to OJ for PTs. The I-156 was the first and sank the APD Herbert with two torpedoes 360 miles west of Kiska but was then damaged by a hit and a near-miss scored by the Kane. 60 miles more west the same TF was attacked by the RO-33 but her torpedo missed. She was depth charged but escaped undamaged.
The main battles of the day took place over PJ that was heavily attacked (more or less as planned) by Allied heavy bombers. Japanese fighters had orders to fly 90% CAP but I had forgotten that Nicks were fighter-bombers, not fighters, and gave them no orders, so they remained on the ground today… Their fellow pilots missed them, but not Allied bombs…
In the morning PJ was attacked by 67 PB4Y and 4 B-17E from Kiska. 72 Japanese fighters intercepted them (23 Ki-44, 17 Ki-61, 13 A6M2, 11 A6M3 and 8 Rufe) and shot down 20 PB4Y and all four B-17E. AA fire then shot down twice more PB4Y and ten hit by fighters in the battle will crash on the way back, so bringing the losses for this raid to 36 heavy bombers (51%). But they still reached the target. Only 3 Japanese aircraft were shot down by return fire (2 A6M2 and 1 Rufe) but 17 were destroyed on the ground: 5 A6M3, 4 Ki-45, 3 A6M2, 3 Ki-61 and 2 Ki-44. The base reported 34 casualties and 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 17 on the runways.
In the afternoon another raid hit the base, this time from Attu with 91 heavy bombers (39 PB4Y, 28 B-24D and 24 B-17E) that were intercepted by 44 fighters (13 Ki-44, 9 A6M2, 9 Ki-61, 7 A6M3 and 6 Rufe). For two losses to return fire (an A6M3 and a Rufe) the CAP shot down or damaged enough for them to crash on the way back 20 bombers (10 PB4Y, 7 B-24D and 3 B-17E). So 56 Allied heavy bombers were lost today over PJ. But this second raid also bombed the airfield and destroyed 40 aircraft on the ground (14 Nick, 9 Tony, 8 Tojo, 4 A6M3, 3 A6M2, 1 Rufe and 1 Helen). The base reported this time 68 casualties and 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on the runways.
Four more Japanese fighters (2 Ki-61, 1 Ki-44 and 1 Rufe) were lost in accidents on the cratered runways of the base, bringing the Japanese losses here to 66 aircraft destroyed today.
The detailed unit situation in PJ was the following:
246 Sentai scored 14 kills and lost 11 Ki-44 and 1 pilot
244 Sentai scored 15 kills and lost 14 Ki-61 and 2 pilots
13 Sentai scored no kill (didn’t fly) and lost 18 Ki-45 and 1 pilot
F4/Toko scored 5 kills and lost 8 A6M2 but no pilot
F1/2nd scored 7 kills and lost 10 A6M3 but again no pilot
FF1/452nd scored 3 kills and lost 3 Rufe and 2 pilots
FF2/452nd scored 5 kills and lost 1 Rufe and 1 pilot
Off this base both Allied convoys continued to unload troops during the day. Coastal defenses fired 130 shells and hit 26 men and 1 gun. In the afternoon both convoys were attacked by Toyohara airmen, one with 9 Nell, 4 G4M1 and 2 G4M2 escorted by 17 Oscar II, the other by 12 G4M2 and 4 G4M1. Four AK were torpedoed (two in each convoy) and set on fire (and heavily damaged for one) for the loss of a Nell to AA fire and of an Oscar II to engine failure. None of these ships sank, but the AK Virgo badly hit yesterday by KB airmen sank off the beachhead in the evening.
By the way what did the KB today? She cruised 120 miles WNW of OJ with max CAP, waiting an attack by Allied CV airmen. She was in range of the Allied CV that were now 60 miles west of PJ, but was not attacked due to clouds in its area all the day. The Japanese CAP anyway scored today 8 victories against Allied patrol aircraft shooting down 6 SBD, 1 TBM and a Mariner. In the evening the SS USS Rasher tried to attack one of the Japanese TF but was chased by 5 DD. She anyway escaped undamaged again.
The Allied CV preferred to launch in the afternoon a huge raid (127 SBD, 65 TBM, 17 TBF and 17 Barracuda escorted by 32 F6F, 20 F4F-4 and 7 Hellcat II) against the burning CA Suzuya 60 miles NW of PJ. She took 3 bombs and 3 torpedoes before breaking in half and sinking. A SBD, a TBM and a Barracuda were lost operationally.
The afternoon was not as good as the morning for Japanese submarines between PJ and the Aleutians. Three of them (I-156, I-166 and RO-105) were seen and chased by Allied DD or SC, but only the last was lightly damaged by 6 near-misses. At the end of the day the damaged RO-105 (12/9) and I-156 (33/71) sailed for base. Five other submarines remained on station to chase damaged Allied ships, especially the BBs. Another submarine with a Glen was patrolling south of the PJ-Kiska path while five other refueled in Etorofu Jima and sailed eastwards in the evening.
Onnekotan Jima was expected to fall today but the Allied troops didn’t move, maybe because some disorganization after the convoy fled. The battered TF was attacked again SW of the island in the morning by 51 G4M1, 31 G4M2 and 18 Nell from Toyohara escorted by 14 Oscar II, and in the afternoon by 3 more Nell from this base. For only one loss (a G4M1 lost in an accident) Japanese pilots sank 3 AK, 2 LST and 1 MSW, heavily damaged two more AK and 2 LST, set on fire an AK and torpedoed once the LSD Belle Grove. Some troops were still aboard and reported the loss of 234 men, 2 guns and 3 vehicles. Men of a Seabee Battalion were saved from one of the sunk AK.
The Allied plan was apparently to take OJ today and to immediately unload fuel there to support PT coming from the Aleutians. This fuel was carried by an AO TF that arrived off OJ in the afternoon…. and saw no other Allied ship in the area, and no sign of Allied troops in the tiny port, from which the Japanese mayor radioed their arrival. 13 G4M2 and 2 G4M1 from Toyohara escorted by 3 Oscar II attacked this TF and set on fire a DE and an AO, each being hit with a torpedo.
To finish a bad day for the Allied navies, the AO Lackawanna torpedoed by KB Kate on 29 July during the 3rd battle of PJ, sank in Attu port. This king of “late sinking” is more usual for Japanese ships.
On the ground at PJ, both sides only exchanged artillery fire as Allied forces were still organizing after their landing. Allied losses were 56 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 307 men, 2 tanks and 5 guns. Reports showed 195 994 Allied men (+ 1907), 2229 guns (+84) and 424 vehicles for 3914 AV (+ 14), against 78 555 Japanese men (+386), 694 guns (+22) and 4 tankettes for 1504 AV (+16). The evening report of the base listed damage of 57/22/5 (base/runway/port), 387 engineers (+12) and 39 546 supplies (-1962). An attack is expected for tomorrow. To answer to Leo’s question about the AV ratio, Allied forces may reach 1 to 1 ratio in their next attack or not… fresh engineers squads will probably reduce fortifications anyway. The next attack will be critical. With fort, mountains and better commanders than at start of the battle, it is fairly possible that Japanese lines held. A failed Allied attack will probably give me enough time to send more reinforcements here. A 1 to 1 attack will probably allow Allied troops to continue attacking and may seriously threaten the base.
On PJ airfield remained at the end of the day 98 fighter and Nick and only 53 were serviceable. Anyway the airfield should be defended at all cost and reinforcements were sent. 37 Oscar II (another was lost with pilot during the ferry flight), 22 A6M3a and 8 Rufe arrived from Toyohara, Shikka and Etorofu Jima.
Tomorrow the Kb will sail to a spot 60 miles west of OJ and will set range of its attack aircraft at 1 to be able to attack Allied ships off the island… that should fall tomorrow logically. Before that during the night a CL and 5 DD will sweep waters off OJ, excepting to meet some damaged ships, while Tanaka with 4 CA, 4 CL and 6 DD will go to PJ to chase Allied ships and cover the base from bombardment TF.
Both BB TF engaged last night were relatively fresh. The three damaged ships (CA Haguro (57/35/9), CL Sendai (36/50/23) and DD Hayashio (46/24/14)) will sail to Shikka with an escort DD, but all other ships won’t go back to Shikka for rearming but will rather join the KB west of OJ. As soon as OJ will be in Allied hands these BB will bombard it to wreck as many engineers as possible and delay the building of the base.
In the rear area the 44 Topsies based in Omanato stopped flying air support personnel to Shikka (where AS increased from 30 to 74 today) and were sent to Toyohara (8 AC) and Wakkanai (36). The first will join the air bridge carrying troops of the 21st Div to PJ, the other will carry the 23rd Eng Rgt to Shikka to accelerate the expansion of the port (currently size 6).
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied airmen continued to attack Rabaul in dwindling numbers: 84 sorties today. The airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 43 Beaufighter Mk 21, 7 PB4Y and 12 B-25J escorted by 22 P-38G and reported 42 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 25 on the runways. Rabaul AA gunners continued their amazing scoring and shot down 3 B-25J and 3 Beaufighter Mk 21, bringing their score to 44 victories in 7 days. Another Beaufighter and a P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/88 (airbase/runway). Kavieng was still building fortification (now level 5, 34%).
The blockade runner cruising east of Kavieng was still waiting for bad weather to come closer, but the weather forecast was still sunny. She launched 5 barges that sailed to Green Island to load supplies for Rabaul.
More south the damaged ML Okinoshima finally repaired all breeches in her hull in Lunga port and sailed for Kwajalein. With SYS 40 it has not been decided yet if she will be used in the Marshalls or sent to Japan for repairs.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Dobadura to size 2.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The barge convoy unloading supplies at Lautem lost a barge sunk by an attack by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin and another sunk by a patrolling B-17E.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 14 B-25C from Derby and 21 B-24D from Darwin. There was no more LRCAP. The base reported 9 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase and 24 on runways. Dili was attacked by 76 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on the runway and disabled 61 men and 1 gun, while 10 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and did 9 casualties while scoring 1 hit on a building and 8 on the runway. There was no Allied loss during these raids but two seaplanes were lost during recon of Japanese bases in the area. A PBY Catalina was shot down by AA fire over Koepang and a PBM Mariner was shot down near Kendari by an Oscar II of 59 Sentai.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 2, 7%), Koepang 37/30/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 88/75/0, Lautem 89/52/38, other bases undamaged.
Recons to Tenimbar showed no change there: Allied ships were still there under CAP by 9-10 Kittyhawk. They will be attacked tomorrow. First 33 A6M3a and 12 Oscar II will fly a sweep to this base to engage and decimate the CAP, then 28 G4M1 and 23 bomb-carrying Oscar II (their first-use in this role, will serve as a test) will attack ships under escort by 44 more Oscar II.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” arrived at Soerabaja and left there 3 TK and 7 AK to load 48k oil and 49k resources. It then sailed to the next stop, Batavia.
A small convoy loaded 21k supplies in Taipei and will carry them to Canton, China. Formosa produced supplies during all the war and didn’t ship many overseas. Now that Japan will support mainly the Kuriles campaign, Formosa supplies will be shipped to China to support Japanese troops and rebuild Changsha.
Burma
Allied airmen flew sorties: 8 B-25J from Ledo and 38 B-24D from Imphal with a total of 63 escorts on Myitkyina airfield (146 casualties, 11 hits on the airbase and 62 on runways), 172 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 106 bombers and 59 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (329 men and 7 guns hit) and 119 Dacca bombers and 42 escorts against 3 units in Katha. But the latter raid met over their target 54 Ki-61 flying LRCAP from Lashio and Mandalay and suffered badly. Before describing these actions, it should be added that the Myitkyina raids cost 1 Vengeance I and 1 Lysander I shot down by AA and a Blenheim IV and a Beaufighter Mk 21 lost in accidents. Both sides flew tens of supply sorties for their troops and 1 Topsy and 3 US and RAF C-47 were lost in accidents (these losses were probably in Burma but I can’t be sure).
The three raids sent to Katha area (120 miles west of Myitkiyna, where the railway turned south towards Mandalay, for the new readers) all came from Dacca. The first was flown by 31 Liberator VI and 25 B-25C escorted by 3 P-40N. 54 Ki-61 intercepted it and for the loss of 7 of their number to return fire shot down 18 Liberator VI, 3 P-40N and 2 B-25C. The B-25 turned back as soon as they were attacked, while only few Liberator imitated them. The other surviving RAF crews bombed the 4th Mixed Rgt and hit 27 men, but lost two more Liberator to AA fire.
The next raid (20 Liberator VI and 7 B-25C) had a better escort (21 P-40N of 23rd FG) and losses were more even. 7 more Ki-61 were shot down against 12 Allied aircraft (8 P-40N, 4 Liberator and 1 B-25C). Most bombers turned back and only 9 Liberator reached the 46th Div and hit 16 men and 1 tank.
18 Chinese P-40N escorted the third and last raid of 25 Liberator VI and 11 B-25C but were no match for the Japanese pilots, even tired. Five more Ki-61 were shot down but the 3 Sentai scored 15 more victories (11 P-40N, 3 Liberator VI and 1 B-25C). Most of Allied bombers turned back again and only 13 Liberator bombed a regiment of the 30th Div, hitting 55 men and 2 guns.
Three more Ki-61 were lost operationally during these LRCAP flights, bringing the total losses of the 3 engaged Sentai to 22 aircraft against 52 Allied losses. All three returned to Rangoon in the evening. Details of their achievements were as follows:
65 Sentai: 7 Ki-61 and 6 pilots lost, 12 kills
68 Sentai: 11 Ki-61 and 8 pilots (including at least one WIA) lost, 27 kills
78 Sentai: 4 Ki-61 and 2 pilots lost, 10 kills
In the afternoon a Dinah III was shot down by an Allied fighter while taking pictures of Ledo.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (no casualty) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (90 men and 3 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was damaged at 22/59 (airbase/runways). In this town there were 4646 remaining supplies (+113) for needs of 11583 (+71). 1525 Japanese AV (+8) faced 1421 Allied (+3) in Katha, and 2053 Japanese AV (-16) faced 2998 Allied (+28) in Mytkyina.
Next month the Royal Navy should withdraw a CA and two destroyers.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 88 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 83 from Wuhan (+33 escort) and hit 103 men without loss.
A Southern Area Army IJNAF BF relieved of garrison duty by a China Force unit arrived at Hong Kong and boarded a transport that will bring it to Shikka.
Japanese engineers finished to build Kweiyang fortifications (level 9) and will now concentrate on the airfield.
Edited: to add the map
I think my opponent did a strategic mistake by attacking an objective out of range by his land-based fighters too early. His advance in Burma was perfectly timed to draw ground troops here - and it worked. What he did not was to draw my Navy away. Maybe his operations off New Guinea were designed for that, but I ignored them more or less totally. And so 80% of the IJN was ready to fight in Japan with no SYS damage and full air units aboard.
Then once the battle was started I guess my opponent didnt' realize how strong I was until it was too late and he had lost the first CV battle. Again it was too early and he should have wiated for more CV and F6F but I understand that time was fleeing for him, with mid-1943 and almost a 6 to 1 ratio for Japan. I think in such a situation (after this ifrst battle) I will have evacuated my troops rather than sending more to the battleground. It is not his style... and the battle is not over.
So the tactical situation now was that he is running out of able CV and BB... faster than I an running out of them. He used his CVs to draw attacks, not to cover other TF, and so had to concentrate CAP. But I didn't play along his rules and ignored CVs this time, while I had attacked them on two other occasions they came. By the way with a little more luck on his side some leaking CAP will have covered his BB at the good time.
As for keeping BB in CV TF, I think the main objective of my opponent now is to take PJ and so he preferred to use his BB to cover the transports and troops off the island. At this stage I doubt he has many reserves and all he can achieve in this mess is to take PJ and then use its AF while he will reorganise troops for the next step. I'm quite sure that the troops currently landing on PJ were preparing for the next step (Shikka?) some weeks ago.
31 August 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night Allied ships continued to land troops on Paramushiro and Onnekotan Jima. Two TF were off the first and received 301 CD shells that set an AK on fire while 1 MSW and 2 DMS swept the last Japanese mines but not before another AK was heavily damaged by one. Allied landing casualties were 133 men and 3 guns here, and 257 men in OJ where landing was uncontested. At least from the ground.
Because as planned a Japanese BB TF attacked ships off both islands. Off PJ arrived the BB Kongo and Kirishima with 3 CL, 3 CL and 7 DD. They met off the beachhead a surface TF of 6 US CA, 7 US DD and 2 Australian DD and fought them between 7000 and 10000 yards before the Japanese ships broke contact. In this initial shock the DD USS John Rodgers was sunk by a spread of torpedoes fired by the CL Oi, the CA Baltimore and the DD USS Radford and Gansevoort were heavily damaged by a torpedo each and shellfire, and more Japanese shells set on fire the CA Indianapolis (hit by two 14in shells) and the DD USS Caldwell and Downes and HMAS Nestor. On the Japanese side two ships were on fire: the CL Sendai (hit by three 8in shells) and the DD Hayashio (hit by two 5in shells).
The Japanese admiral had orders to reach the transports and so retreated and tried to bypass the Allied warships but they engaged him again. The second round of the battle was fought at closer range, between 5 and 8000 yards. Fewer torpedos were used and the only hits were on the DD HMAS Nestor that sank some hours later and on the CA USS Raleigh (on fire). If both Japanese BB had no problem with their opponents, hitting them with several 14in shells (CA Indianapolis heavily damaged, CA Northampton on fire), two of the Japanese CA (Suzuya and Haguro) were hit repeatedly by Allied cruisers and heavily damaged. In fact the Suzuya and the CA Baltimore pummeled each other at close range and both were wrecked. The third Japanese CA, the Atago, was undamaged and heavily damaged the CA Houston with several 8in shells. A new American destroyer, the Sampson, was hit by shells and set on fire. But the Japanese warships were repelled and retired without having reached the transport fleet. The damaged CA Baltimore and DD Radford sank later during the day, so bringing the Allied losses in this battle to 1 CA and 3 DD sunk, 2 CA and 2 DD heavily damaged, 2 CA and 3 DD on fire, while the Japanese left behind the wrecked CA Suzuya and had three other ships damaged, 1 CA, 1 CL and 1 DD. The SS USS Apagon saw before dawn the burning Suzuya still in the area and attacked her but missed.
This Allied surface TF had been seen and attacked yesterday off OJ, and was sent to PJ probably to replace the BB TF badly hit by Betties. The remains of the Allied CA TF (4 CA, two heavily damaged and one on fire, and 6 DD (1 heavily damaged, 3 on fire)) tried to bombard PJ before retiring from the area but between disorganization and Japanese return fire of the CD defenses were unable to reach the airfield and only hit 59 men and 2 guns.
And so the Allied transport off OJ had no more covering surface TF and was surprised by the second Japanese BB TF (Haruna, Hiei, 3 CA, 1 CL and 7 DD). The convoy was composed of 1 LSD, 15 AK and 17 LST escorted by 3 British DD, 2 old US DD, 3 DMS and 6 MSW. A part of these escorts had been damaged the day before by KB airmen and Japanese warships had no problem dealing with them but the heroic Allied crews managed to cover the transports. While four escort were sunk (DD HMS Encouter and USS Chew, DMS USS Wasmuth and Dorsey) and two MSW damaged, only one AK was hit by one shell that did 58 casualties aboard her. The Allied ships then retreated… SW of the island. The Japanese ships were undamaged (only two shells hit a BB and a CA and bounced on their armor).
During this night the KB CV TF moved to their planned patrol area, 120 miles WNW of OJ. They were welcomed by two American submarines, the Bonefish and the Rasher. The first made two attempts to attack, saw the CV Amagi, and missed the DD Oyashio. The second also made two approaches, saw another CV, the CVL Ryuho, and attacked an escort, the DD Amagiri, but her torpedo failed. Each time these submarines were chased away by DDs but slipped away undamaged.
After dawn submarines off both sides tried to attack the retiring warships and for one Japanese submarines were more efficient than the enemy. The SS USS Redfin and Growler attacked the retiring Japanese surface ships 180 miles WNW of OJ. Both submarines missed each a DD, and then the Redfin also missed the unescorted damaged CA Haguro having failed behind her TF. Japanese DD searched both submarines unsuccessfully after their attacks.
On the other hand the Allied CA TF was attacked 180 miles ESE of PJ by the SS RO-105 that hit the CA Raleigh with one torpedo (she already took one during the night off PJ) and reported her on fire. The Allied escort (now reduced to 5 DD) didn’t find her.
Two other Japanese submarines attacked this morning a TF of 4 APD bringing fuel from Kiska, probably to OJ for PTs. The I-156 was the first and sank the APD Herbert with two torpedoes 360 miles west of Kiska but was then damaged by a hit and a near-miss scored by the Kane. 60 miles more west the same TF was attacked by the RO-33 but her torpedo missed. She was depth charged but escaped undamaged.
The main battles of the day took place over PJ that was heavily attacked (more or less as planned) by Allied heavy bombers. Japanese fighters had orders to fly 90% CAP but I had forgotten that Nicks were fighter-bombers, not fighters, and gave them no orders, so they remained on the ground today… Their fellow pilots missed them, but not Allied bombs…
In the morning PJ was attacked by 67 PB4Y and 4 B-17E from Kiska. 72 Japanese fighters intercepted them (23 Ki-44, 17 Ki-61, 13 A6M2, 11 A6M3 and 8 Rufe) and shot down 20 PB4Y and all four B-17E. AA fire then shot down twice more PB4Y and ten hit by fighters in the battle will crash on the way back, so bringing the losses for this raid to 36 heavy bombers (51%). But they still reached the target. Only 3 Japanese aircraft were shot down by return fire (2 A6M2 and 1 Rufe) but 17 were destroyed on the ground: 5 A6M3, 4 Ki-45, 3 A6M2, 3 Ki-61 and 2 Ki-44. The base reported 34 casualties and 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 17 on the runways.
In the afternoon another raid hit the base, this time from Attu with 91 heavy bombers (39 PB4Y, 28 B-24D and 24 B-17E) that were intercepted by 44 fighters (13 Ki-44, 9 A6M2, 9 Ki-61, 7 A6M3 and 6 Rufe). For two losses to return fire (an A6M3 and a Rufe) the CAP shot down or damaged enough for them to crash on the way back 20 bombers (10 PB4Y, 7 B-24D and 3 B-17E). So 56 Allied heavy bombers were lost today over PJ. But this second raid also bombed the airfield and destroyed 40 aircraft on the ground (14 Nick, 9 Tony, 8 Tojo, 4 A6M3, 3 A6M2, 1 Rufe and 1 Helen). The base reported this time 68 casualties and 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on the runways.
Four more Japanese fighters (2 Ki-61, 1 Ki-44 and 1 Rufe) were lost in accidents on the cratered runways of the base, bringing the Japanese losses here to 66 aircraft destroyed today.
The detailed unit situation in PJ was the following:
246 Sentai scored 14 kills and lost 11 Ki-44 and 1 pilot
244 Sentai scored 15 kills and lost 14 Ki-61 and 2 pilots
13 Sentai scored no kill (didn’t fly) and lost 18 Ki-45 and 1 pilot
F4/Toko scored 5 kills and lost 8 A6M2 but no pilot
F1/2nd scored 7 kills and lost 10 A6M3 but again no pilot
FF1/452nd scored 3 kills and lost 3 Rufe and 2 pilots
FF2/452nd scored 5 kills and lost 1 Rufe and 1 pilot
Off this base both Allied convoys continued to unload troops during the day. Coastal defenses fired 130 shells and hit 26 men and 1 gun. In the afternoon both convoys were attacked by Toyohara airmen, one with 9 Nell, 4 G4M1 and 2 G4M2 escorted by 17 Oscar II, the other by 12 G4M2 and 4 G4M1. Four AK were torpedoed (two in each convoy) and set on fire (and heavily damaged for one) for the loss of a Nell to AA fire and of an Oscar II to engine failure. None of these ships sank, but the AK Virgo badly hit yesterday by KB airmen sank off the beachhead in the evening.
By the way what did the KB today? She cruised 120 miles WNW of OJ with max CAP, waiting an attack by Allied CV airmen. She was in range of the Allied CV that were now 60 miles west of PJ, but was not attacked due to clouds in its area all the day. The Japanese CAP anyway scored today 8 victories against Allied patrol aircraft shooting down 6 SBD, 1 TBM and a Mariner. In the evening the SS USS Rasher tried to attack one of the Japanese TF but was chased by 5 DD. She anyway escaped undamaged again.
The Allied CV preferred to launch in the afternoon a huge raid (127 SBD, 65 TBM, 17 TBF and 17 Barracuda escorted by 32 F6F, 20 F4F-4 and 7 Hellcat II) against the burning CA Suzuya 60 miles NW of PJ. She took 3 bombs and 3 torpedoes before breaking in half and sinking. A SBD, a TBM and a Barracuda were lost operationally.
The afternoon was not as good as the morning for Japanese submarines between PJ and the Aleutians. Three of them (I-156, I-166 and RO-105) were seen and chased by Allied DD or SC, but only the last was lightly damaged by 6 near-misses. At the end of the day the damaged RO-105 (12/9) and I-156 (33/71) sailed for base. Five other submarines remained on station to chase damaged Allied ships, especially the BBs. Another submarine with a Glen was patrolling south of the PJ-Kiska path while five other refueled in Etorofu Jima and sailed eastwards in the evening.
Onnekotan Jima was expected to fall today but the Allied troops didn’t move, maybe because some disorganization after the convoy fled. The battered TF was attacked again SW of the island in the morning by 51 G4M1, 31 G4M2 and 18 Nell from Toyohara escorted by 14 Oscar II, and in the afternoon by 3 more Nell from this base. For only one loss (a G4M1 lost in an accident) Japanese pilots sank 3 AK, 2 LST and 1 MSW, heavily damaged two more AK and 2 LST, set on fire an AK and torpedoed once the LSD Belle Grove. Some troops were still aboard and reported the loss of 234 men, 2 guns and 3 vehicles. Men of a Seabee Battalion were saved from one of the sunk AK.
The Allied plan was apparently to take OJ today and to immediately unload fuel there to support PT coming from the Aleutians. This fuel was carried by an AO TF that arrived off OJ in the afternoon…. and saw no other Allied ship in the area, and no sign of Allied troops in the tiny port, from which the Japanese mayor radioed their arrival. 13 G4M2 and 2 G4M1 from Toyohara escorted by 3 Oscar II attacked this TF and set on fire a DE and an AO, each being hit with a torpedo.
To finish a bad day for the Allied navies, the AO Lackawanna torpedoed by KB Kate on 29 July during the 3rd battle of PJ, sank in Attu port. This king of “late sinking” is more usual for Japanese ships.
On the ground at PJ, both sides only exchanged artillery fire as Allied forces were still organizing after their landing. Allied losses were 56 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 307 men, 2 tanks and 5 guns. Reports showed 195 994 Allied men (+ 1907), 2229 guns (+84) and 424 vehicles for 3914 AV (+ 14), against 78 555 Japanese men (+386), 694 guns (+22) and 4 tankettes for 1504 AV (+16). The evening report of the base listed damage of 57/22/5 (base/runway/port), 387 engineers (+12) and 39 546 supplies (-1962). An attack is expected for tomorrow. To answer to Leo’s question about the AV ratio, Allied forces may reach 1 to 1 ratio in their next attack or not… fresh engineers squads will probably reduce fortifications anyway. The next attack will be critical. With fort, mountains and better commanders than at start of the battle, it is fairly possible that Japanese lines held. A failed Allied attack will probably give me enough time to send more reinforcements here. A 1 to 1 attack will probably allow Allied troops to continue attacking and may seriously threaten the base.
On PJ airfield remained at the end of the day 98 fighter and Nick and only 53 were serviceable. Anyway the airfield should be defended at all cost and reinforcements were sent. 37 Oscar II (another was lost with pilot during the ferry flight), 22 A6M3a and 8 Rufe arrived from Toyohara, Shikka and Etorofu Jima.
Tomorrow the Kb will sail to a spot 60 miles west of OJ and will set range of its attack aircraft at 1 to be able to attack Allied ships off the island… that should fall tomorrow logically. Before that during the night a CL and 5 DD will sweep waters off OJ, excepting to meet some damaged ships, while Tanaka with 4 CA, 4 CL and 6 DD will go to PJ to chase Allied ships and cover the base from bombardment TF.
Both BB TF engaged last night were relatively fresh. The three damaged ships (CA Haguro (57/35/9), CL Sendai (36/50/23) and DD Hayashio (46/24/14)) will sail to Shikka with an escort DD, but all other ships won’t go back to Shikka for rearming but will rather join the KB west of OJ. As soon as OJ will be in Allied hands these BB will bombard it to wreck as many engineers as possible and delay the building of the base.
In the rear area the 44 Topsies based in Omanato stopped flying air support personnel to Shikka (where AS increased from 30 to 74 today) and were sent to Toyohara (8 AC) and Wakkanai (36). The first will join the air bridge carrying troops of the 21st Div to PJ, the other will carry the 23rd Eng Rgt to Shikka to accelerate the expansion of the port (currently size 6).
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
Allied airmen continued to attack Rabaul in dwindling numbers: 84 sorties today. The airfield was attacked by three waves of aircraft coming from Kiriwima, Gili Gili and Port Moresby for a total of 43 Beaufighter Mk 21, 7 PB4Y and 12 B-25J escorted by 22 P-38G and reported 42 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 25 on the runways. Rabaul AA gunners continued their amazing scoring and shot down 3 B-25J and 3 Beaufighter Mk 21, bringing their score to 44 victories in 7 days. Another Beaufighter and a P-38G were lost in accidents. Rabaul reported in the evening damage of 100/88 (airbase/runway). Kavieng was still building fortification (now level 5, 34%).
The blockade runner cruising east of Kavieng was still waiting for bad weather to come closer, but the weather forecast was still sunny. She launched 5 barges that sailed to Green Island to load supplies for Rabaul.
More south the damaged ML Okinoshima finally repaired all breeches in her hull in Lunga port and sailed for Kwajalein. With SYS 40 it has not been decided yet if she will be used in the Marshalls or sent to Japan for repairs.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Dobadura to size 2.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The barge convoy unloading supplies at Lautem lost a barge sunk by an attack by 14 Brewster 339D from Darwin and another sunk by a patrolling B-17E.
In the afternoon Koepang was attacked by 14 B-25C from Derby and 21 B-24D from Darwin. There was no more LRCAP. The base reported 9 casualties, 5 hits on the airbase and 24 on runways. Dili was attacked by 76 B-17E from Darwin escorted by 7 P-40N that scored 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 49 on the runway and disabled 61 men and 1 gun, while 10 B-25C from Darwin raided Lautem and did 9 casualties while scoring 1 hit on a building and 8 on the runway. There was no Allied loss during these raids but two seaplanes were lost during recon of Japanese bases in the area. A PBY Catalina was shot down by AA fire over Koepang and a PBM Mariner was shot down near Kendari by an Oscar II of 59 Sentai.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere OK (fort 2, 7%), Koepang 37/30/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 88/75/0, Lautem 89/52/38, other bases undamaged.
Recons to Tenimbar showed no change there: Allied ships were still there under CAP by 9-10 Kittyhawk. They will be attacked tomorrow. First 33 A6M3a and 12 Oscar II will fly a sweep to this base to engage and decimate the CAP, then 28 G4M1 and 23 bomb-carrying Oscar II (their first-use in this role, will serve as a test) will attack ships under escort by 44 more Oscar II.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” arrived at Soerabaja and left there 3 TK and 7 AK to load 48k oil and 49k resources. It then sailed to the next stop, Batavia.
A small convoy loaded 21k supplies in Taipei and will carry them to Canton, China. Formosa produced supplies during all the war and didn’t ship many overseas. Now that Japan will support mainly the Kuriles campaign, Formosa supplies will be shipped to China to support Japanese troops and rebuild Changsha.
Burma
Allied airmen flew sorties: 8 B-25J from Ledo and 38 B-24D from Imphal with a total of 63 escorts on Myitkyina airfield (146 casualties, 11 hits on the airbase and 62 on runways), 172 fighter-bombers (Vengeance included), 106 bombers and 59 escorts against 3 divisions in Myitkyina (329 men and 7 guns hit) and 119 Dacca bombers and 42 escorts against 3 units in Katha. But the latter raid met over their target 54 Ki-61 flying LRCAP from Lashio and Mandalay and suffered badly. Before describing these actions, it should be added that the Myitkyina raids cost 1 Vengeance I and 1 Lysander I shot down by AA and a Blenheim IV and a Beaufighter Mk 21 lost in accidents. Both sides flew tens of supply sorties for their troops and 1 Topsy and 3 US and RAF C-47 were lost in accidents (these losses were probably in Burma but I can’t be sure).
The three raids sent to Katha area (120 miles west of Myitkiyna, where the railway turned south towards Mandalay, for the new readers) all came from Dacca. The first was flown by 31 Liberator VI and 25 B-25C escorted by 3 P-40N. 54 Ki-61 intercepted it and for the loss of 7 of their number to return fire shot down 18 Liberator VI, 3 P-40N and 2 B-25C. The B-25 turned back as soon as they were attacked, while only few Liberator imitated them. The other surviving RAF crews bombed the 4th Mixed Rgt and hit 27 men, but lost two more Liberator to AA fire.
The next raid (20 Liberator VI and 7 B-25C) had a better escort (21 P-40N of 23rd FG) and losses were more even. 7 more Ki-61 were shot down against 12 Allied aircraft (8 P-40N, 4 Liberator and 1 B-25C). Most bombers turned back and only 9 Liberator reached the 46th Div and hit 16 men and 1 tank.
18 Chinese P-40N escorted the third and last raid of 25 Liberator VI and 11 B-25C but were no match for the Japanese pilots, even tired. Five more Ki-61 were shot down but the 3 Sentai scored 15 more victories (11 P-40N, 3 Liberator VI and 1 B-25C). Most of Allied bombers turned back again and only 13 Liberator bombed a regiment of the 30th Div, hitting 55 men and 2 guns.
Three more Ki-61 were lost operationally during these LRCAP flights, bringing the total losses of the 3 engaged Sentai to 22 aircraft against 52 Allied losses. All three returned to Rangoon in the evening. Details of their achievements were as follows:
65 Sentai: 7 Ki-61 and 6 pilots lost, 12 kills
68 Sentai: 11 Ki-61 and 8 pilots (including at least one WIA) lost, 27 kills
78 Sentai: 4 Ki-61 and 2 pilots lost, 10 kills
In the afternoon a Dinah III was shot down by an Allied fighter while taking pictures of Ledo.
On the ground Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (no casualty) and Allied guns Japanese lines in Myitkyina (90 men and 3 guns hit).
The evening report showed still that Myitkyina was damaged at 22/59 (airbase/runways). In this town there were 4646 remaining supplies (+113) for needs of 11583 (+71). 1525 Japanese AV (+8) faced 1421 Allied (+3) in Katha, and 2053 Japanese AV (-16) faced 2998 Allied (+28) in Mytkyina.
Next month the Royal Navy should withdraw a CA and two destroyers.
China
Training raids continued to target 50th Chinese Corps NW of Changsha. 88 training sorties were flown from Changsha and 83 from Wuhan (+33 escort) and hit 103 men without loss.
A Southern Area Army IJNAF BF relieved of garrison duty by a China Force unit arrived at Hong Kong and boarded a transport that will bring it to Shikka.
Japanese engineers finished to build Kweiyang fortifications (level 9) and will now concentrate on the airfield.
Edited: to add the map
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