as Frank already mentioned, there was a little party at Cairns recently. Actually it was intended as holiday trip recommended from one of Tokyo´s finest travel agencies. However, something went wrong in the path of my FT TF - spotted too early and pounded too bad. I don´t know why my little flotilla made it that fast close to Oz coast, since they actually should have been still far out at Sea instead some hexes east of Cairns. I should have known better and cancel the operation, but me dumb pressed on. The bill for this fault came promptly - 1CL + 3DD sunk, the troops sacrificed in vain. [:(]
Few days later, some morons at Vunakanau airstrip decided to end their boredom: more than a dozen Betty´s took off, not to return to base since they attacked without any escorts...

And they did this masterpiece of dumpishness during very bad weather!
At least one relief - the fishes into the enemy CA![8D] And since this cruiser was already damaged and crawling back to Noumea from an earlier battle north of Luganville where he attempted to evac some troops, I suspect this ship will make it on the "Sunk" list.
AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 08/12/42
Weather: Thunderstorms
Naval bombardment of Port Moresby, at 10,40
Allied aircraft
Allied aircraft losses
no losses
Airbase hits 4
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 9
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Sub attack at 55,64
Japanese Ships
SS I-4
Allied Ships
CA Vincennes, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Air attack on Luganville , at 53,53
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 23
F4F-4 Wildcat x 18
B-25D Mitchell x 28
B-26B Marauder x 15
no losses
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 40
Airbase hits 2
Airbase supply hits 2
Runway hits 29
Attacking Level Bombers:
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
6 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
6 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
4 x B-25D Mitchell at 6000 feet
3 x B-26B Marauder at 6000 feet
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Air attack on 228th Regiment, at 53,53
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 3
P-39D Airacobra x 15
no losses
Japanese ground losses:
Men lost 24
Guns lost 1
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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 14
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 14
P-39D Airacobra x 16
P-40E Kittyhawk x 22
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 16 destroyed
G4M1 Betty x 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 damaged
FLT F.Chadwick of No. 76 Sqn RAAF is credited with kill number 3
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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
E7K2 Alf x 4
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
P-39D Airacobra x 11
P-40E Kittyhawk x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
E7K2 Alf x 5 destroyed
FO L. Meng of 36th FS is credited with kill number 2
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Air attack on TF, near Port Moresby at 10,40
Japanese aircraft
G4M1 Betty x 6
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 13
P-39D Airacobra x 11
P-40E Kittyhawk x 26
Japanese aircraft losses
G4M1 Betty x 2 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Kittyhawk x 1 damaged
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Sub attack at 19,45
Japanese Ships
CA Mogami
Allied Ships
SS Greenling
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