Now that was bloody [:(]
S! to your opponent, he is one tough fellow...
Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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goodboyladdie
- Posts: 3470
- Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2005 8:35 pm
- Location: Rendlesham, Suffolk
RE: 12 October 1943: Shoho was torpedoed
I have to agree. I really thought he was out of it after the first month of the PJ meatgrinder, but he is still in there exchanging blows.
Art by the amazing Dixie
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
13 October 1943: slaughter in the air over OJ
Well I suffered from another period where I was too busy to post [:(] and even to play for the most part [:@]. Things should come back to the normal in the next days...
13 October 1943
As pointed out by my opponent the Japanese A2A losses were 9% of the A2A total since the start of the war. Ouch….
Northern Pacific
During the night, 12 Betty from Shikka and Toyohara bombed OJ airfield and destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground, did 13 casualties, disabled a gun and scored a runway hit. Ten PT swpet waters off PJ and attacked 5 Japanese barges, sinking two with gunfire.
West of OJ the Japanese transport fleet continued to advance. The SS USS Trigger was chased by 6 MSW of an escorting ASW TF 120 miles north of Shimushiru Jima but escaped undamaged.
At dawn, OJ was covered by clouds and once again Japanese plans were modified by bad weather. These clouds protected the Allied convoy still off the base of KB airmen that should have followed the various raids against OJ airfield launched by Japanese LBA. And so these raids suffered heavy losses but didn’t open the way for KB airmen as was the plan.
The first raid was launched by 9 Ki-49 from PJ escorted by 41 Ki-44, 13 Ki-61, 12 A6M3 and 6 A6M3a. They met a stronger CAP than planned, with 55 F4U-1 Corsair and 17 F4F-4. The result was without surprise: the raid was repulsed with the loss in the air battle of 23 Ki-44, 12 A6M3, 9 Ki-61, 5 A6M3a and 2 Ki-49, while Japanese fighters shot down 7 Corsair.
The next wave should be flown by Helen from Shikka and Betty from Toyohara but for some reason only the first raided OJ, with 17 bombers. 176 Oscar II from both bases escorted the raid and engaged the Allied CAP over the target. The Allied pilots were tired but still had far batter aircraft and the Oscar pilots suffered 98 losses but managed to shot down 13 F4F-4 and 12 Corsair and to cover the bombers (only one Ki-49 was shot down by a Corsair). The Allied airfield was bombed and reported a Corsair and a Kittyhawk I destroyed on the ground, 117 casualties, 1 disabled gun and 4 runway hits. If the planned 80 Betties had taken part to the raid the airfield might have been more seriously hit.
But the worst disaster took place in the afternoon. The KB launched two raids, one against the airfield and the other against the convoy off the base.
The first was flown by 86 Kate, 21 Val, 18 Jill and 5 Judy… and was unescorted!!!! That is probably one of the worst features of WITP… The CAP had been reduced by morning battles to 29 F4U-1 and 3 F4F-4 that shot down without loss 59 Kate, 15 Val, 7 Jill and 3 Judy…. 84 useless losses of precious KB crew… The surviving bombers destroyed on the ground a Corsair and a Kittyhawk I and disabled 124 men, 1 gun and 2 vehicles.
The second raid was flown by 101 Val and 23 Kate and was escorted by 97 A6M5, 6 A6M3 and 6 A6M3a. The escort managed to cover perfectly the bombers and shot down 19 fighters (16 Corsair and the 3 F4F-4) for 49 losses (39 A6M5, 6 A6M3a and 4 A6M3), not a bad ratio against the Corsair. KB airmen then dived on the convoy and sank the DD HMS Fortune and USS Meade, heavily damaged another destroyer and 2 AK and set on fire three other AK without loss.
This afternoon also saw two Allied raids against PJ airfield with 53 PB4Y, 18 B-24D and 18 B-24J from Attu escorted by 27 P-38J and then 7 B-24J from Kiska. Four Rufe and 3 Irving were on CAP and were all shot down by the Lightning. The bombers then hit hard the airfield, destroying on the ground 46 aircraft (12 Ki-61, 10 Ki-44, 8 Irving, 6 Ki-49, 4 A6M3a, 3 G4M1, 1 Emily, 1 A6M3 and 1 Rufe), disabled 96 men and 1 gun and scored 15 hits on the airbase, 9 on supplies and 51 on the runways.
So the attack against OJ was just another disaster for Japan. At the end of the day the airfield was undamaged and if 35 Corsair and 16 F4F-4 were shot down and 2 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk destroyed on the ground, the cost for Japan was 336 aircraft (including losses on PJ): 133 from the KB, 104 from PJ (including 46 on the ground) and 99 from Shikka and Toyohara.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 19 men, Japanese ones 234 men and 10 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 233 225 men (+1231), 2252 guns (+24) and 541 vehicles (+6) for 4345 AV (+51) against 96 912 men (+342), 736 guns (+18) and 4 tankettes for 1760 AV (+9).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 65/11/0 (airbase/runways/port) and fortification of level 5, 12%, 424 engineers (+4), and 23 682 supplies (-1672). At the end of the day PJ had 48 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 15 available. Five units (two of A6M3, one of A6M3a, one of Ki-44 and one of Ki-61) reduced to one serviceable aircraft were evacuated. 35 Oscar II, 11 A6M5 of the Shoho (see below), 9 A6M3a and 5 Rufe arrived from Sapporo and Etorofu Jima, and with the remaining fighters in PJ (10 serviceable, 7 Ki-61 and 3 Rufe) will fly LRCAP tomorrow over OJ. All serviceable bombers were also evacuated.
OJ showed no damage and recons reported 15 units with 30 360 men (-260), 58 guns (-11), 226 vehicles (+0). Recon counted 16 remaining Allied fighters but were probably wrong. At least 13 Corsair were flying at the end of the day, and anyway more may come from Aleutians (including P-38J). And Allied engineers expanded the airfield to size 2 today, allowing more fighters to come. But the main defence of OJ now were the 40-50 PT off the island.
In Toyohara and Shikka the decimated Oscar II units were rested as was the Ki-49 Sentai in Shikka. The Betty crews of Toyohara were ordered to fly unescorted naval attack, in the hope they found an easy target (for example the Allied convoy off OJ trying to escape).
But the main action will be off OJ. During the night 11 barges in five groups will test the naval defences and play a diversion role, to exhaust Allied crew and have them use some ammunition and torpedo. And as usual some Betties will bombard the airfield at night.
The Japanese fleet 120 miles west of OJ was reorganized tonight. The KB CV were grouped in two TF to liberate more DD for the surface attack off PJ. 54 inexperienced A6M3a took from Sapporo to replace losses of the KB. One crashed on the way. Two Val Daitai and two Kate Daitai reduced to one aircraft and one or two crew left the fleet (five other unit had no more aircraft..). These moves brought the KB strength to 281 fighters (268 available), 111 dive bombers (110) and 72 torpedo bombers (72). The KB will sail tomorrow 60 miles west of OJ with fighters flying 90% CAP and attack bombers flying 100% naval search at range 0 to chase submarines. An ASW TF of six fast MSW will remain with them.
The main effort will be done by both big transport TF that will reach OJ tomorrow in daylight and should start unloading in the evening, to allow Japanese warships to engage PT in daylight that should give the Japanese ships more chance to win the battle.
There will be three covering surface TF, one sacrifical (5 PC and 7 MSW that will only use enemy torpedo and fuel) and two sent to kill PT and draw aircraft away from the transport, each with a CA, a CL and 9/10 DD.
And then both convoys had 100 ships each. Each had an empty CVE to draw bombs away from laden transports, an old CL to serve as flagship and 12-16 PC/PG/MSW as close escort. Both convoys carried parts of all involved units as sometimes only one TF will unload on the first phase, and here they will be only one unloading phase, so all units will have parts ashore and will be available to receive attack orders tomorrow evening.
On a sideshow of the landing six small AK were detached from these convoys and will sail directly to PJ with 21k supplies. With all the confusion of the battle they might succeed.
Of the eight submarines patrolling between the Kuriles and the Aleutians, seven will be in a line west of Kiska tomorrow. The Allied CV didn’t move today and may still not move tomorrow as no Allied aircraft or submarine was seen near the Japanese convoys again today, but if they react they will meet probably several of these submarines and a lucky strike could be scored.
The various Japanese ships damaged in the last battles were still fighting to survive. Today two badly damaged CA and a DD reached Shikka and were disbanded in the port. More east the DD Harukaze that left yesterday PJ had sailed 120 miles SW and will now go to Etoforu Jima and will probably survive. In this last base, the CVL Shoho was docked with damage 56/36/3 and unloaded her AC, and 11 A6M5 flew to PJ (AC unloaded from a CV undocked and intact are usually crated, but here from a burning CV they were not…). Both DD that escorted here will now sail to join the KB west of OJ.
That left five damaged ships in PJ that had little chance of survival. The BB Kongo (damage 80/51/0, speed 6) will attempt to escape to the NW and go to Shikka. The DD Namikaze (97/21/0, speed 0) will do the same towards the SW and Etoforu Jima. The last three DD (all with SYS 99 and FLT between 62 and 69) will form a surface TF and cruise off PJ to draw Allied bombers away from the fleet off OJ. By the way it is fairly possible that Kongo did the same but anyway the Naval High HQ had more or less given her as lost…
On the Allied side the damaged MSW USS Velocity sank in Attu due to damage done by CD guns off PJ six days ago, and the DD Kimberly, damaged off PJ some days ago and bombed yesterday by a patrolling Emily, capsized and sank 120 miles west of Kiska.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon 8 B-25C from Kiriwima escorted by 12 P-38G and 21 B-24D, 9 B-17E and 7 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 2 P-38G bombed Rabaul, did 52 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 41 on the runways, while 44 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, did 24 casualties and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on the runways.
Allied airmen continue to sink more barges: four west of Green Island (victims of patrol aircraft and 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima), one off Buka (sunk by a patrolling PB4Y after being missed by 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima) and one off Rabaul (sunk by a patrolling B-17E)
Rabaul reported damage of 100/80/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 724 supplies (-1) for 4681 (-20) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 49%, +4%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 88 remaining supplies (+55).
The CL Naka and her DD reached Noumea refueled and sailed for Auckland where they will be repaired and upgraded in the local repair shipyard.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning a horde of P-38J returned to Kendari today to avenge their defeat during the last raid… and succeeded to do so. 75 American fighters coming from Kai Island engaged over the base 105 Japanese fighters (70 Ki-44, 26 A6M3 and 9 A6M3a) and shot down 45 (29 Ki-44, 11 A6M3 and 9 A6M3a) for 18 losses.
In the afternoon the usual raids targeted Timor. Six Ki-45 were LRCAPing Koepang from Maumere but were unable to shot down any of the 14 B-25C from Derby and 18 B-24D and 8 B-24J from Darwin that attacked the airfield, that reported 14 casualties, 1 gun and 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 31 on the runways. Lautem was attacked by 36 B-17E and 13 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 17 Kittyhawk III and reported 52 casualties and 1 hit on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 30 on the runways. The barge damaged yesterday off Lautem was attacked again by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin and was sunk.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 81% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 60/83/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/26/0, Lautem 77/66/38, other bases undamaged.
After the raid on Kendari today, but also due to the high losses in the north, it was decided to stop to defend the area. The four IJAAF fighter Sentai (3 of Tojo, 1 of Oscar) flew to Balikpapan, The three Zero Sentai flew to Singapore and will be rebuilt here. 24 G4M2 flew to Palau to join the reserve gathered here. Only 6 G4M1 and 12 Dinah III remained to fly recon and naval search. The port was also emptied, the four AP in the port loading an IJA BF before leaving. They will carry it to Banjarmasin, a base in SW Borneo that could be useful in some time. The barge force based here (now reduced to 15 barges) will stop going to Timor and will rather supply Amboina now.
The Nick of Maumere also retreated and flew to Soerabaja.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Kai Island to size 3, so increasing the threat.
11 MC-21 arrived in Menado from Davao to pick up the 15th Aviation Rgt in Amboina. The Ki-54 Sentai will also be used here, to fly from Macassar to evacuate air troops from Kendari. It left Korea today by train and arrived in Saigon.
More east Palau saw also ships leaving. The two CL and 3 DD damaged during Tanaka raid on Madang sailed north to Japan with the (intact and unengaged) BB Yamashiro and 4 other DD.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 396 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 9 B-25J and 8 escorts from Ledo, on the airfield (3 hits on the airbase and 5 on the runways), 15 LRCAP sorties( by P-40N), 128 fighter-bombers, 165 bombers and 71 escorts from Jorhat, Ledo, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions (260 men and 5 guns hit). There was no operational loss today.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 54 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 2156 Japanese AV (-10) faced 3051 Allied (+23)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (117 Allied men hit), where 1082 Japanese AV (-0) faced 1718 Allied (+5).
The evening report showed damage of 81/71 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 746 (-189). Lashio was damaged at 57/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
16 Ki-49 from Kweiyang bombed Chengtu airfield, doing 13 casualties and scoring 1 hit on the airbase and 5 on the runways.
139 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men for no loss.
IJAAF bombers will bomb tomorrow airfields of Yunan, Chengtu and Chungking to use Chinese supplies.
Japan
The “Gold Convoy” reached Hiroshima with 378k resources and 485k oil without being attacked on the way back. The formula had proven its worth. All escort ships were disbanded for small repairs while the transports unloaded their cargo. Several tens of tanker and big AK available in Japanese ports and with SYS 0 were ordered to Hiroshima and will replace the ships with the biggest SYS damage in the fleet (even if the worst has damage 3).
13 October 1943
As pointed out by my opponent the Japanese A2A losses were 9% of the A2A total since the start of the war. Ouch….
Northern Pacific
During the night, 12 Betty from Shikka and Toyohara bombed OJ airfield and destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground, did 13 casualties, disabled a gun and scored a runway hit. Ten PT swpet waters off PJ and attacked 5 Japanese barges, sinking two with gunfire.
West of OJ the Japanese transport fleet continued to advance. The SS USS Trigger was chased by 6 MSW of an escorting ASW TF 120 miles north of Shimushiru Jima but escaped undamaged.
At dawn, OJ was covered by clouds and once again Japanese plans were modified by bad weather. These clouds protected the Allied convoy still off the base of KB airmen that should have followed the various raids against OJ airfield launched by Japanese LBA. And so these raids suffered heavy losses but didn’t open the way for KB airmen as was the plan.
The first raid was launched by 9 Ki-49 from PJ escorted by 41 Ki-44, 13 Ki-61, 12 A6M3 and 6 A6M3a. They met a stronger CAP than planned, with 55 F4U-1 Corsair and 17 F4F-4. The result was without surprise: the raid was repulsed with the loss in the air battle of 23 Ki-44, 12 A6M3, 9 Ki-61, 5 A6M3a and 2 Ki-49, while Japanese fighters shot down 7 Corsair.
The next wave should be flown by Helen from Shikka and Betty from Toyohara but for some reason only the first raided OJ, with 17 bombers. 176 Oscar II from both bases escorted the raid and engaged the Allied CAP over the target. The Allied pilots were tired but still had far batter aircraft and the Oscar pilots suffered 98 losses but managed to shot down 13 F4F-4 and 12 Corsair and to cover the bombers (only one Ki-49 was shot down by a Corsair). The Allied airfield was bombed and reported a Corsair and a Kittyhawk I destroyed on the ground, 117 casualties, 1 disabled gun and 4 runway hits. If the planned 80 Betties had taken part to the raid the airfield might have been more seriously hit.
But the worst disaster took place in the afternoon. The KB launched two raids, one against the airfield and the other against the convoy off the base.
The first was flown by 86 Kate, 21 Val, 18 Jill and 5 Judy… and was unescorted!!!! That is probably one of the worst features of WITP… The CAP had been reduced by morning battles to 29 F4U-1 and 3 F4F-4 that shot down without loss 59 Kate, 15 Val, 7 Jill and 3 Judy…. 84 useless losses of precious KB crew… The surviving bombers destroyed on the ground a Corsair and a Kittyhawk I and disabled 124 men, 1 gun and 2 vehicles.
The second raid was flown by 101 Val and 23 Kate and was escorted by 97 A6M5, 6 A6M3 and 6 A6M3a. The escort managed to cover perfectly the bombers and shot down 19 fighters (16 Corsair and the 3 F4F-4) for 49 losses (39 A6M5, 6 A6M3a and 4 A6M3), not a bad ratio against the Corsair. KB airmen then dived on the convoy and sank the DD HMS Fortune and USS Meade, heavily damaged another destroyer and 2 AK and set on fire three other AK without loss.
This afternoon also saw two Allied raids against PJ airfield with 53 PB4Y, 18 B-24D and 18 B-24J from Attu escorted by 27 P-38J and then 7 B-24J from Kiska. Four Rufe and 3 Irving were on CAP and were all shot down by the Lightning. The bombers then hit hard the airfield, destroying on the ground 46 aircraft (12 Ki-61, 10 Ki-44, 8 Irving, 6 Ki-49, 4 A6M3a, 3 G4M1, 1 Emily, 1 A6M3 and 1 Rufe), disabled 96 men and 1 gun and scored 15 hits on the airbase, 9 on supplies and 51 on the runways.
So the attack against OJ was just another disaster for Japan. At the end of the day the airfield was undamaged and if 35 Corsair and 16 F4F-4 were shot down and 2 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk destroyed on the ground, the cost for Japan was 336 aircraft (including losses on PJ): 133 from the KB, 104 from PJ (including 46 on the ground) and 99 from Shikka and Toyohara.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 19 men, Japanese ones 234 men and 10 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 233 225 men (+1231), 2252 guns (+24) and 541 vehicles (+6) for 4345 AV (+51) against 96 912 men (+342), 736 guns (+18) and 4 tankettes for 1760 AV (+9).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 65/11/0 (airbase/runways/port) and fortification of level 5, 12%, 424 engineers (+4), and 23 682 supplies (-1672). At the end of the day PJ had 48 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 15 available. Five units (two of A6M3, one of A6M3a, one of Ki-44 and one of Ki-61) reduced to one serviceable aircraft were evacuated. 35 Oscar II, 11 A6M5 of the Shoho (see below), 9 A6M3a and 5 Rufe arrived from Sapporo and Etorofu Jima, and with the remaining fighters in PJ (10 serviceable, 7 Ki-61 and 3 Rufe) will fly LRCAP tomorrow over OJ. All serviceable bombers were also evacuated.
OJ showed no damage and recons reported 15 units with 30 360 men (-260), 58 guns (-11), 226 vehicles (+0). Recon counted 16 remaining Allied fighters but were probably wrong. At least 13 Corsair were flying at the end of the day, and anyway more may come from Aleutians (including P-38J). And Allied engineers expanded the airfield to size 2 today, allowing more fighters to come. But the main defence of OJ now were the 40-50 PT off the island.
In Toyohara and Shikka the decimated Oscar II units were rested as was the Ki-49 Sentai in Shikka. The Betty crews of Toyohara were ordered to fly unescorted naval attack, in the hope they found an easy target (for example the Allied convoy off OJ trying to escape).
But the main action will be off OJ. During the night 11 barges in five groups will test the naval defences and play a diversion role, to exhaust Allied crew and have them use some ammunition and torpedo. And as usual some Betties will bombard the airfield at night.
The Japanese fleet 120 miles west of OJ was reorganized tonight. The KB CV were grouped in two TF to liberate more DD for the surface attack off PJ. 54 inexperienced A6M3a took from Sapporo to replace losses of the KB. One crashed on the way. Two Val Daitai and two Kate Daitai reduced to one aircraft and one or two crew left the fleet (five other unit had no more aircraft..). These moves brought the KB strength to 281 fighters (268 available), 111 dive bombers (110) and 72 torpedo bombers (72). The KB will sail tomorrow 60 miles west of OJ with fighters flying 90% CAP and attack bombers flying 100% naval search at range 0 to chase submarines. An ASW TF of six fast MSW will remain with them.
The main effort will be done by both big transport TF that will reach OJ tomorrow in daylight and should start unloading in the evening, to allow Japanese warships to engage PT in daylight that should give the Japanese ships more chance to win the battle.
There will be three covering surface TF, one sacrifical (5 PC and 7 MSW that will only use enemy torpedo and fuel) and two sent to kill PT and draw aircraft away from the transport, each with a CA, a CL and 9/10 DD.
And then both convoys had 100 ships each. Each had an empty CVE to draw bombs away from laden transports, an old CL to serve as flagship and 12-16 PC/PG/MSW as close escort. Both convoys carried parts of all involved units as sometimes only one TF will unload on the first phase, and here they will be only one unloading phase, so all units will have parts ashore and will be available to receive attack orders tomorrow evening.
On a sideshow of the landing six small AK were detached from these convoys and will sail directly to PJ with 21k supplies. With all the confusion of the battle they might succeed.
Of the eight submarines patrolling between the Kuriles and the Aleutians, seven will be in a line west of Kiska tomorrow. The Allied CV didn’t move today and may still not move tomorrow as no Allied aircraft or submarine was seen near the Japanese convoys again today, but if they react they will meet probably several of these submarines and a lucky strike could be scored.
The various Japanese ships damaged in the last battles were still fighting to survive. Today two badly damaged CA and a DD reached Shikka and were disbanded in the port. More east the DD Harukaze that left yesterday PJ had sailed 120 miles SW and will now go to Etoforu Jima and will probably survive. In this last base, the CVL Shoho was docked with damage 56/36/3 and unloaded her AC, and 11 A6M5 flew to PJ (AC unloaded from a CV undocked and intact are usually crated, but here from a burning CV they were not…). Both DD that escorted here will now sail to join the KB west of OJ.
That left five damaged ships in PJ that had little chance of survival. The BB Kongo (damage 80/51/0, speed 6) will attempt to escape to the NW and go to Shikka. The DD Namikaze (97/21/0, speed 0) will do the same towards the SW and Etoforu Jima. The last three DD (all with SYS 99 and FLT between 62 and 69) will form a surface TF and cruise off PJ to draw Allied bombers away from the fleet off OJ. By the way it is fairly possible that Kongo did the same but anyway the Naval High HQ had more or less given her as lost…
On the Allied side the damaged MSW USS Velocity sank in Attu due to damage done by CD guns off PJ six days ago, and the DD Kimberly, damaged off PJ some days ago and bombed yesterday by a patrolling Emily, capsized and sank 120 miles west of Kiska.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
In the afternoon 8 B-25C from Kiriwima escorted by 12 P-38G and 21 B-24D, 9 B-17E and 7 B-25C from Dobadura escorted by 2 P-38G bombed Rabaul, did 52 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 41 on the runways, while 44 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, did 24 casualties and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 40 on the runways.
Allied airmen continue to sink more barges: four west of Green Island (victims of patrol aircraft and 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima), one off Buka (sunk by a patrolling PB4Y after being missed by 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima) and one off Rabaul (sunk by a patrolling B-17E)
Rabaul reported damage of 100/80/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 724 supplies (-1) for 4681 (-20) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 49%, +4%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 88 remaining supplies (+55).
The CL Naka and her DD reached Noumea refueled and sailed for Auckland where they will be repaired and upgraded in the local repair shipyard.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning a horde of P-38J returned to Kendari today to avenge their defeat during the last raid… and succeeded to do so. 75 American fighters coming from Kai Island engaged over the base 105 Japanese fighters (70 Ki-44, 26 A6M3 and 9 A6M3a) and shot down 45 (29 Ki-44, 11 A6M3 and 9 A6M3a) for 18 losses.
In the afternoon the usual raids targeted Timor. Six Ki-45 were LRCAPing Koepang from Maumere but were unable to shot down any of the 14 B-25C from Derby and 18 B-24D and 8 B-24J from Darwin that attacked the airfield, that reported 14 casualties, 1 gun and 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 31 on the runways. Lautem was attacked by 36 B-17E and 13 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 17 Kittyhawk III and reported 52 casualties and 1 hit on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 30 on the runways. The barge damaged yesterday off Lautem was attacked again by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Darwin and was sunk.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 81% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 60/83/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/26/0, Lautem 77/66/38, other bases undamaged.
After the raid on Kendari today, but also due to the high losses in the north, it was decided to stop to defend the area. The four IJAAF fighter Sentai (3 of Tojo, 1 of Oscar) flew to Balikpapan, The three Zero Sentai flew to Singapore and will be rebuilt here. 24 G4M2 flew to Palau to join the reserve gathered here. Only 6 G4M1 and 12 Dinah III remained to fly recon and naval search. The port was also emptied, the four AP in the port loading an IJA BF before leaving. They will carry it to Banjarmasin, a base in SW Borneo that could be useful in some time. The barge force based here (now reduced to 15 barges) will stop going to Timor and will rather supply Amboina now.
The Nick of Maumere also retreated and flew to Soerabaja.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Kai Island to size 3, so increasing the threat.
11 MC-21 arrived in Menado from Davao to pick up the 15th Aviation Rgt in Amboina. The Ki-54 Sentai will also be used here, to fly from Macassar to evacuate air troops from Kendari. It left Korea today by train and arrived in Saigon.
More east Palau saw also ships leaving. The two CL and 3 DD damaged during Tanaka raid on Madang sailed north to Japan with the (intact and unengaged) BB Yamashiro and 4 other DD.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 396 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 9 B-25J and 8 escorts from Ledo, on the airfield (3 hits on the airbase and 5 on the runways), 15 LRCAP sorties( by P-40N), 128 fighter-bombers, 165 bombers and 71 escorts from Jorhat, Ledo, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions (260 men and 5 guns hit). There was no operational loss today.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 54 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 2156 Japanese AV (-10) faced 3051 Allied (+23)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (117 Allied men hit), where 1082 Japanese AV (-0) faced 1718 Allied (+5).
The evening report showed damage of 81/71 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 746 (-189). Lashio was damaged at 57/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
16 Ki-49 from Kweiyang bombed Chengtu airfield, doing 13 casualties and scoring 1 hit on the airbase and 5 on the runways.
139 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men for no loss.
IJAAF bombers will bomb tomorrow airfields of Yunan, Chengtu and Chungking to use Chinese supplies.
Japan
The “Gold Convoy” reached Hiroshima with 378k resources and 485k oil without being attacked on the way back. The formula had proven its worth. All escort ships were disbanded for small repairs while the transports unloaded their cargo. Several tens of tanker and big AK available in Japanese ports and with SYS 0 were ordered to Hiroshima and will replace the ships with the biggest SYS damage in the fleet (even if the worst has damage 3).
RE: 13 October 1943: slaughter in the air over OJ
Hi all,
Welcome back!
BTW, how big is the distance (in days) between AAR and actual PBEM?
Utter disaster... shame that F4U's are so "uber" in WitP game... [:(]
Leo "Apollo11"
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Well I suffered from another period where I was too busy to post [:(] and even to play for the most part [:@]. Things should come back to the normal in the next days...
Welcome back!
BTW, how big is the distance (in days) between AAR and actual PBEM?
13 October 1943
So the attack against OJ was just another disaster for Japan. At the end of the day the airfield was undamaged and if 35 Corsair and 16 F4F-4 were shot down and 2 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk destroyed on the ground, the cost for Japan was 336 aircraft (including losses on PJ): 133 from the KB, 104 from PJ (including 46 on the ground) and 99 from Shikka and Toyohara.
Utter disaster... shame that F4U's are so "uber" in WitP game... [:(]
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
14 October 1943: Japanese troops landed on OJ
Hi, Leo
The game date is 5 November, now. As for the Corsair, well the kill ratio of this beast is awful but what is worse is the fact that in WITP air units can engage tens of opposing units in the same battle. In the last turn (so 5 November) a single Corsair squadron probably scored close to 100 victories in one day...
This turn another Allied uber-weapon strikes...
14 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night there was a lot of confusion off OJ and PJ with surface TF off both sides reacting here and there… but finally there were few contacts. Two groups of 10 PT each engaged small groups of barges sent as a diversion, sank two and heavily damaged another with gunfire. The damaged AK Cape Fear damaged the day before by KB airmen sank off the island during the night and another TF of six damaged Allied ships (a DD and 5 AK) was met SE of OJ by the heavily damaged DD Namikaze trying to escape from PJ under night cover. In this case both sides were too damaged to engage really each other.
All this confusion served well the Japanese Navy as one of the two convoys bringing troops to OJ arrived there before dawn, ahead of the plan (it had a speed of 9, refuelled and had two hexes to sail…. don’t understand how it did it) and alone, without any surface TF to engage the PT. By chance they were on the other side of the island, engaging the barges coming from PJ, and so the convoy began to unload troops without being attacked. Allied defenders fired 564 shells during the night against the invasion force, set on fire 2 PG and 2 AP, and hit the CL Kashii (flagship), 6 PG, 3 AP and 1 AK. Landing casualties were 3437 men and 11 guns on the Japanese side while counter battery fire hit 83 Allied men, 1 gun and 1 vehicle.
After the dawn the other task forces of the invasion fleet reached the planned area… and found the transport fleet already there still unloading. With the perfect Japanese plan (hmmm…) now thrown out of the window the second Japanese transport TF (that should have been the first) was unable to find a place to land troops (another thing I have not seen either before) and only the other continued to land troops. Defenders fired 377 more shells and in daylight their precision increased. A PC, 5 AP and 2 AK were set on fire, and the CL Kashii, 3 PG, 3 AP and 3 AK were hit less seriously. Casualties during the landing were 2244 Japanese and 5 Allied men.
Dawn also allowed both sides to send air patrols and to find the enemy CV. If the KB was seen by a PB4Y near OJ, the Allied CV and CVE were still in Kiska port when a Betty flew over the base. That was good news (even if it cost a Dinah III shot down by Allied CAP over Kiska). During the day about 40 fighters from the KB flew LRCAP over PJ but none over OJ… That was bad news, as Allied aircraft launched several attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet.
The first Allied raid of the morning was flown by 25 B-24J and 21 B-24D from Attu escorted by 37 P-38J. The Japanese LRCAP (29 Oscar II, 12 A6M5, 7 A6M3a and 7 Ki-61 flying from PJ) intercepted it but suffered, and only shot down 5 P-38J and 1 B-24J for 28 losses (18 Oscar II, 5 A6M3a, 2 A6M5 and 2 Ki-61). But the bombers didn’t find the main convoys and attacked one of the diversion TF made of MSW and PC. They sank the PC Ch 32 and the MSW Hakata Maru 7, and damaged three other MSW that were hit by one bomb each.
The next wave was flown by 10 B-24J and 9 PB4Y from Attu, flew without loss trough the dispersed CAP (even shooting down an A6M5 with return fire) and attacked one of the main convoys. Empty CVEs were integrated to this TF to draw bombers and the Kaiyo performed perfectly this role. All bombers attacked her… and she took 3 bombs that set her on fire.
The next big wave saw 19 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska attack this same convoy. They missed the burning Kaiyo, scored a hit that bounced on the CL Kashima and set on fire an AP (doing 53 casualties and destroying a gun aboard).
Several small groups (6 PB4Y and 3 P-38J from Attu, 3 PB4Y from Kiska, 7 PB4Y from Attu) then attacked various TF. CAP was unable to seriously engage them and lost two more Oscar II shot down (by a P-38J and a PB4Y). These bombers hit the CA Takao and Nachi, but the bombs bounced, and also two empty AP (one heavily damaged, another set on fire).
The last attack of the morning was flown by 13 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska that attacked a surface TF, scored another hit on the Nachi that again bounced, and also hit the DD Numakaze, setting her on fire.
In the afternoon clouds covered the KB patrol area, Attu and PJ but Kiska and OJ were in clear weather. So air attack continued with Kiska sending five small unescorted groups (2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y, 12 PB4Y, 2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y and 3 B-24J) against the Japanese fleet. The Japanese CAP (10 Oscar II, 4 A6M5, 4 Ki-61 and 2 A6M3a) was only able to shot down a PB4Y while losing an A6M5 to return fire. Bombers missed both Japanese CVE (Kaiyo and Shinyo) but hit again the DD Numakaze (now heavily damaged) and set on fire an empty AP.
To conclude with air operations in the area four A6M5 were lost operationally while 4 PB4Y hit by Japanese fighters crashed on the way back and two B-24J were destroyed in an air-to-air collision over their base.
There had also been some submarine action in the area. During the night the Japanese submarine I-36 was chased twice by five SC 300 miles west of Kiska but escaped after only one near-miss. In the morning the SS USS Batfish attacked an ASW group of 6 MSW 180 miles ESE of Shikka but missed her target and was then depth charged and set on fire by a hit and five near-misses. In the evening another group of 6 MSW chased the SS USS Trigger 120 miles NW of Shimushiru Jima but she escaped undamaged.
Off OJ, the PT finally attacked in the afternoon. A first group of 10 PT was engaged by a Japanese surface TF made of the CA Takao, the CL Kuma and 9 DD. As planned PT were less dangerous in daylight and 5 were sunk and one set on fire by a 5in shell against only some 20mm hits on one Japanese DD. But then another group of 10 PT used cover of a fog bank and managed to surprise the same Japanese TF… and did the worst DD slaughter I had ever seen. Usually only 3-4 PT engaged per turn. In this battle all 10 fired on surprised Japanese ships and then escaped before any return fire could be delivered, leaving behind them three destroyers sinking (Kagero, Wakaba and Mochizuki), two heavily damaged (Arashimo and Asagari) and two on fire (Kikuzuki and Nagatsuki).
On the ground at OJ the only American combat unit (part of the 138th RCT, with 2805 troops and 25 guns, 198 AV) fired without success on the landed troops (27994 men, 195 guns, 6 tanks, 495 AV).
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 39 men, Japanese ones 317 men and 4 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 234 381 men (+1156), 2289 guns (+37) and 545 vehicles (+4) for 4416 AV (+71) against 97 591 men (+679), 750 guns (+14) and 5 tankettes (+1) for 1778 AV (+18).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 19/0/0 (airbase/runways/port) and fortification of level 5, 12%, 424 engineers (+0), and 22 629 supplies (-1053). At the end of the day PJ had 66 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 33 available. Three were evacuated. All other will continue to fly LRCAP tomorrow over OJ.
OJ showed no damage. Recons and landed troops reported 15 units with 32 040 men (+1680), 76 guns (+18) and 241 vehicles (+15, all bulldozers) and were probably right. Recon counted 43-44 Allied fighters. There were still PT but also 6 AP off the island (probably the damaged ships seen last night SW of PJ did sail at sea for the night because a naval bombardment was expected and returned at dawn).
Off OJ, one convoy had landed almost all troops except 2300 men, the other had not started unloading and was ordered to do so. But before that both CVE (including the damaged Kaiyo with 23/23/22) were detached and received ordered to sail at full speed to Shikka under escort by a damaged DD and 5 modern PC.
Of the first convoy 20 transports had unloaded all troops, were intact and had now less than 150 supplies aboard. They were ordered to form a TF with 4 PC, to finish unloading during the night and then to leave the area. Five damaged small AK/AP were put in their own TF to divert attacks from intact ships. Eight damaged big/medium AP, deemed more valuable, had now only supplies aboard and will sail at once towards Shikka under escort by the five damaged PC/PG of this TF. That leaves the convoy with a CL, 8 PG, 5 MWS and 41 transports having still aboard 2433 men and 35k supplies.
The other convoy had 69249 men and 19k supplies aboard.
The Takao TF was reduced to a CA, a CL and 2 intact DD. 3 damaged DD will try to reach Shikka in one-ship TF, the badly damaged Asashimo will remain off the beachhead to attract Allied attacks, as will do three MSW badly hit by Allied bombers today. The four remaining ships of the Takao TF were too weak to oppose PT at night and were ordered to sweep waters SE of OJ tonght to catch the Allied convoy that will probably retreat here. Two more DD will sweep waters 60 miles more east. Both TF will then retreat southwards.
The Nachi surface TF (a CA, a CL, 9 DD) was still intact and will defend the convoys tonight but with retire orders to be out of this area during the day phase, as this time the Allied CV will very probably come to this area.
Several barges TF will continue to play a diversion role around OJ.
The KB will sail tomorrow NW of OJ, still in full defensive mode. An attack by Allied CV is more than probable. The weather forecast for tomorrow was thunderstorms so for once bad weather could be on the Japanese side but it had been so regularly in the Allied side that it couldn’t be anticipated. Anyway taking the risk to allow more troops to be landed was agreed by all Japanese commanders.
Both damaged ships fleeing from PJ did 120 miles today. The Kongo was now at 58 FLT (+8) and had 420 miles to do. Two fast MSW and an APD were sent to escort her.
Two MSW arrived in Shikka and will escort to Toyohara 2 CA and 3 DD having repaired all FLT damage. So the four AR of the port will concentrate on the ships still having FLT damage: 5 CA, a CL, 2 DD and 2 AO.
Given the troop ratio in OJ (a RCT and rear area units against 4 Div, 2 Eng Rgt and 2 SNLF) it was thought that all serviceable fighters will leave tonight for the Aleutians. So Japanese airmen could have control of the area. Given the heavy losses of KB airmen in the last week they won’t take risks but Betties and Helen from Shikka and Toyohara were ordered to fly ground attack against the garrison of OJ tomorrow, under escort of the remaining Oscar II in these bases. And in the evening 84 Topsy will take off from Toyohara and drop the 1st Parachute Rgt on OJ, while the landed troops will launch a general shock attack.
The I-36 (damage 8) will sail south to operate its Glen and will be replaced by the I-15. All other submarines will remain in place as today. The successful I-174 reloaded torpedoes in Shikka and sailed east at full speed, as did two RO submarines coming from Japan that refuelled today in Etoforu Jima.
Japanese intelligence confirmed today that the LST-461, hit by 45 artillery shells during the last Allied landing on PJ a week ago, had been scuttled by her crew.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night the submarine USS Drum sank a barge with gunfire off Green Island. Kiriwima sent in the morning 32 Beaufighter Mk 21 on anti-barge patrols and four were sunk off Green Island, Rabaul and Kavieng. A patrolling PB4Y sank another SE of Rabaul.
In the afternoon 7 B-25C from Kiriwima escorted by 15 P-38G and 16 B-24D, 9 B-17E and 3 B-25C from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, did 13 casualties, and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 31 on the runways, while 11 B-25C from Madang escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I and 39 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, and scored 2 hits on supplies and 16 on the runways. A B-25J and a P-38G were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/79/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 724 supplies (-0) for 4669 (-12) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 54%, +5%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 29 remaining supplies (-59).
Two Allied TF were seen today by Japanese airmen 120 miles north of Talasea and sailing NE. Their obvious destination is the Admiralty Islands. These islands were not defended, except by some 45 mines. The local commander decided to react to this advance. Given the distance between the Admiralty and Allied bases, there will be no Corsair on LRCAP so sending Japanese aircraft could achieve something.
22 Ki-21 from Kwajalein (one more crashed on the way) and 35 Ki-61 from Truk flew to Kavieng. Bombers will fly naval attack and search under escort by the Tony that won’t fly CAP over the base.
In Truk arrived the 63 Betties that were kept in reserve in Palau. They will also fly naval attack under escort by the Zero and Oscar II of Truk. Truk defence will be left to the Nick Sentai based here and to 20% of the units ordered to escort bombers.
The submarine patrolling NE of Kavieng and two other starting from Truk were ordered to sail close to the Admiralty Islands and be ready to chase damaged ships.
Truk was lacking air support to be fully operational (only 230 squads, and 243 AC here in the evening). The Tina Daitai based in Ponape flew to Kwajalein and will start carrying the 24th Aviation Unit from here to Truk tomorrow.
24 Ki-21 arrived in Lunga from Tarawa.
Three barges off Green Island loaded some squads of the Eng Rgt building fort here (now level 5, 97%) and will carry them towards Ponape.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A PBM Mariner flew recon over Kendari and reported with an enthusiast voice that there was no Japanese CAP over this base, for the first time since its capture by the Imperial forces.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 14 B-25C from Derby and 32 B-17E, 16 B-24J and 7 B-24D from Darwin that did 48 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 62 on the runways, and Lautem was attacked by 7 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 14 Kittyhawk III and reported 5 hits on the runways. A B-24J was shot down by AA over Koepang, a B-17E, a B-25C and a Kittyhawk III were lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 87% (+6%)), Koepang had damage 62/99/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/15/0, Lautem 77/65/38, other bases undamaged.
An Oscar II was lost operationally while flying LRCAP over Morotai but the convoy anchored here finished to unload troops (a Garnison Unit and a small BF) and will continue to unload supplies, while troops will start building fortifications.
SRA
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Georgetown to size 3.
A small convoy loaded 14k supplies in Toboali and will carry them to Banjarmasin.
In Java the Imperial Guard Division (holding Soerabaja) and the 35th Bde (holding Batavia) both sent troops to nearby bases to accelerate fort building in secondary airfields in the area.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 350 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 27 B-25J and 40 escorts from Imphal and Jorhat on the airfield (99 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 39 on the runways), 9 LRCAP sorties (by P-40N), 116 fighter-bombers, 126 bombers and 22 escorts from Imphal and Kohima against 3 divisions and 1 regiment of the garrison (437 men and 6 guns hit). Two P-40N and a Beaufighter Mk 21 were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 128 men and 2 guns at Myitkyina (where 2133 Japanese AV (-23) faced 3075 Allied (+24)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (144 Allied men hit), where 1083 Japanese AV (+1) faced 1713 Allied (-5).
The evening report showed damage of 83/74 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 694 (-52). Lashio was damaged at 48/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
The first Japanese troops will reach the Chinese positions SE of Myitkyina in around one week. Recon aircraft were ordered to start taking pictures of this area.
China
36 Ki-48 from Changsha escorted by 12 Oscar II bombed Chungking airfield and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on the runways but met heavy AA fire that shot down five bombers. 17 Ki-49 from Kweiyang bombed Chengtu airfield, doing 13 casualties and scoring 1 hit on the airbase and 5 on the runways.
147 training and 27 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 13 men for no loss.
All airfields attacked those last days showed some damage but these raids will be stopped as all available IJAAF bombers in the area were ordered to rest and prepare to support the attack SE of Myitkyina in one week.
Japan
Six new air units were created today in Japan:
_ the 88 Sentai in Osaka with 27 Dinah II and 27 crew (exp 55). It flew to Shanghai to upgrade to the Dinah III and continue training.
_ two Daitai with 36 A6M5 each, the F2/261st (exp 63) and F1/263rd (exp 60), in Sasebo. The second flew to Wuhan to start an op training campaign.
_ the F1/254th with 27 A6M5 (exp 62) and the N1/251st with 27 J1N1-S (exp 57) in Hiroshima
_ and in Maizuru was created the first A6M5c units, the FB2/381st Daitai with 48 pilots (exp 57); This unit was also sent to China for more training.
The game date is 5 November, now. As for the Corsair, well the kill ratio of this beast is awful but what is worse is the fact that in WITP air units can engage tens of opposing units in the same battle. In the last turn (so 5 November) a single Corsair squadron probably scored close to 100 victories in one day...
This turn another Allied uber-weapon strikes...
14 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night there was a lot of confusion off OJ and PJ with surface TF off both sides reacting here and there… but finally there were few contacts. Two groups of 10 PT each engaged small groups of barges sent as a diversion, sank two and heavily damaged another with gunfire. The damaged AK Cape Fear damaged the day before by KB airmen sank off the island during the night and another TF of six damaged Allied ships (a DD and 5 AK) was met SE of OJ by the heavily damaged DD Namikaze trying to escape from PJ under night cover. In this case both sides were too damaged to engage really each other.
All this confusion served well the Japanese Navy as one of the two convoys bringing troops to OJ arrived there before dawn, ahead of the plan (it had a speed of 9, refuelled and had two hexes to sail…. don’t understand how it did it) and alone, without any surface TF to engage the PT. By chance they were on the other side of the island, engaging the barges coming from PJ, and so the convoy began to unload troops without being attacked. Allied defenders fired 564 shells during the night against the invasion force, set on fire 2 PG and 2 AP, and hit the CL Kashii (flagship), 6 PG, 3 AP and 1 AK. Landing casualties were 3437 men and 11 guns on the Japanese side while counter battery fire hit 83 Allied men, 1 gun and 1 vehicle.
After the dawn the other task forces of the invasion fleet reached the planned area… and found the transport fleet already there still unloading. With the perfect Japanese plan (hmmm…) now thrown out of the window the second Japanese transport TF (that should have been the first) was unable to find a place to land troops (another thing I have not seen either before) and only the other continued to land troops. Defenders fired 377 more shells and in daylight their precision increased. A PC, 5 AP and 2 AK were set on fire, and the CL Kashii, 3 PG, 3 AP and 3 AK were hit less seriously. Casualties during the landing were 2244 Japanese and 5 Allied men.
Dawn also allowed both sides to send air patrols and to find the enemy CV. If the KB was seen by a PB4Y near OJ, the Allied CV and CVE were still in Kiska port when a Betty flew over the base. That was good news (even if it cost a Dinah III shot down by Allied CAP over Kiska). During the day about 40 fighters from the KB flew LRCAP over PJ but none over OJ… That was bad news, as Allied aircraft launched several attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet.
The first Allied raid of the morning was flown by 25 B-24J and 21 B-24D from Attu escorted by 37 P-38J. The Japanese LRCAP (29 Oscar II, 12 A6M5, 7 A6M3a and 7 Ki-61 flying from PJ) intercepted it but suffered, and only shot down 5 P-38J and 1 B-24J for 28 losses (18 Oscar II, 5 A6M3a, 2 A6M5 and 2 Ki-61). But the bombers didn’t find the main convoys and attacked one of the diversion TF made of MSW and PC. They sank the PC Ch 32 and the MSW Hakata Maru 7, and damaged three other MSW that were hit by one bomb each.
The next wave was flown by 10 B-24J and 9 PB4Y from Attu, flew without loss trough the dispersed CAP (even shooting down an A6M5 with return fire) and attacked one of the main convoys. Empty CVEs were integrated to this TF to draw bombers and the Kaiyo performed perfectly this role. All bombers attacked her… and she took 3 bombs that set her on fire.
The next big wave saw 19 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska attack this same convoy. They missed the burning Kaiyo, scored a hit that bounced on the CL Kashima and set on fire an AP (doing 53 casualties and destroying a gun aboard).
Several small groups (6 PB4Y and 3 P-38J from Attu, 3 PB4Y from Kiska, 7 PB4Y from Attu) then attacked various TF. CAP was unable to seriously engage them and lost two more Oscar II shot down (by a P-38J and a PB4Y). These bombers hit the CA Takao and Nachi, but the bombs bounced, and also two empty AP (one heavily damaged, another set on fire).
The last attack of the morning was flown by 13 PB4Y and 3 B-24J from Kiska that attacked a surface TF, scored another hit on the Nachi that again bounced, and also hit the DD Numakaze, setting her on fire.
In the afternoon clouds covered the KB patrol area, Attu and PJ but Kiska and OJ were in clear weather. So air attack continued with Kiska sending five small unescorted groups (2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y, 12 PB4Y, 2 PB4Y, 5 PB4Y and 3 B-24J) against the Japanese fleet. The Japanese CAP (10 Oscar II, 4 A6M5, 4 Ki-61 and 2 A6M3a) was only able to shot down a PB4Y while losing an A6M5 to return fire. Bombers missed both Japanese CVE (Kaiyo and Shinyo) but hit again the DD Numakaze (now heavily damaged) and set on fire an empty AP.
To conclude with air operations in the area four A6M5 were lost operationally while 4 PB4Y hit by Japanese fighters crashed on the way back and two B-24J were destroyed in an air-to-air collision over their base.
There had also been some submarine action in the area. During the night the Japanese submarine I-36 was chased twice by five SC 300 miles west of Kiska but escaped after only one near-miss. In the morning the SS USS Batfish attacked an ASW group of 6 MSW 180 miles ESE of Shikka but missed her target and was then depth charged and set on fire by a hit and five near-misses. In the evening another group of 6 MSW chased the SS USS Trigger 120 miles NW of Shimushiru Jima but she escaped undamaged.
Off OJ, the PT finally attacked in the afternoon. A first group of 10 PT was engaged by a Japanese surface TF made of the CA Takao, the CL Kuma and 9 DD. As planned PT were less dangerous in daylight and 5 were sunk and one set on fire by a 5in shell against only some 20mm hits on one Japanese DD. But then another group of 10 PT used cover of a fog bank and managed to surprise the same Japanese TF… and did the worst DD slaughter I had ever seen. Usually only 3-4 PT engaged per turn. In this battle all 10 fired on surprised Japanese ships and then escaped before any return fire could be delivered, leaving behind them three destroyers sinking (Kagero, Wakaba and Mochizuki), two heavily damaged (Arashimo and Asagari) and two on fire (Kikuzuki and Nagatsuki).
On the ground at OJ the only American combat unit (part of the 138th RCT, with 2805 troops and 25 guns, 198 AV) fired without success on the landed troops (27994 men, 195 guns, 6 tanks, 495 AV).
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 39 men, Japanese ones 317 men and 4 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 234 381 men (+1156), 2289 guns (+37) and 545 vehicles (+4) for 4416 AV (+71) against 97 591 men (+679), 750 guns (+14) and 5 tankettes (+1) for 1778 AV (+18).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 19/0/0 (airbase/runways/port) and fortification of level 5, 12%, 424 engineers (+0), and 22 629 supplies (-1053). At the end of the day PJ had 66 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 33 available. Three were evacuated. All other will continue to fly LRCAP tomorrow over OJ.
OJ showed no damage. Recons and landed troops reported 15 units with 32 040 men (+1680), 76 guns (+18) and 241 vehicles (+15, all bulldozers) and were probably right. Recon counted 43-44 Allied fighters. There were still PT but also 6 AP off the island (probably the damaged ships seen last night SW of PJ did sail at sea for the night because a naval bombardment was expected and returned at dawn).
Off OJ, one convoy had landed almost all troops except 2300 men, the other had not started unloading and was ordered to do so. But before that both CVE (including the damaged Kaiyo with 23/23/22) were detached and received ordered to sail at full speed to Shikka under escort by a damaged DD and 5 modern PC.
Of the first convoy 20 transports had unloaded all troops, were intact and had now less than 150 supplies aboard. They were ordered to form a TF with 4 PC, to finish unloading during the night and then to leave the area. Five damaged small AK/AP were put in their own TF to divert attacks from intact ships. Eight damaged big/medium AP, deemed more valuable, had now only supplies aboard and will sail at once towards Shikka under escort by the five damaged PC/PG of this TF. That leaves the convoy with a CL, 8 PG, 5 MWS and 41 transports having still aboard 2433 men and 35k supplies.
The other convoy had 69249 men and 19k supplies aboard.
The Takao TF was reduced to a CA, a CL and 2 intact DD. 3 damaged DD will try to reach Shikka in one-ship TF, the badly damaged Asashimo will remain off the beachhead to attract Allied attacks, as will do three MSW badly hit by Allied bombers today. The four remaining ships of the Takao TF were too weak to oppose PT at night and were ordered to sweep waters SE of OJ tonght to catch the Allied convoy that will probably retreat here. Two more DD will sweep waters 60 miles more east. Both TF will then retreat southwards.
The Nachi surface TF (a CA, a CL, 9 DD) was still intact and will defend the convoys tonight but with retire orders to be out of this area during the day phase, as this time the Allied CV will very probably come to this area.
Several barges TF will continue to play a diversion role around OJ.
The KB will sail tomorrow NW of OJ, still in full defensive mode. An attack by Allied CV is more than probable. The weather forecast for tomorrow was thunderstorms so for once bad weather could be on the Japanese side but it had been so regularly in the Allied side that it couldn’t be anticipated. Anyway taking the risk to allow more troops to be landed was agreed by all Japanese commanders.
Both damaged ships fleeing from PJ did 120 miles today. The Kongo was now at 58 FLT (+8) and had 420 miles to do. Two fast MSW and an APD were sent to escort her.
Two MSW arrived in Shikka and will escort to Toyohara 2 CA and 3 DD having repaired all FLT damage. So the four AR of the port will concentrate on the ships still having FLT damage: 5 CA, a CL, 2 DD and 2 AO.
Given the troop ratio in OJ (a RCT and rear area units against 4 Div, 2 Eng Rgt and 2 SNLF) it was thought that all serviceable fighters will leave tonight for the Aleutians. So Japanese airmen could have control of the area. Given the heavy losses of KB airmen in the last week they won’t take risks but Betties and Helen from Shikka and Toyohara were ordered to fly ground attack against the garrison of OJ tomorrow, under escort of the remaining Oscar II in these bases. And in the evening 84 Topsy will take off from Toyohara and drop the 1st Parachute Rgt on OJ, while the landed troops will launch a general shock attack.
The I-36 (damage 8) will sail south to operate its Glen and will be replaced by the I-15. All other submarines will remain in place as today. The successful I-174 reloaded torpedoes in Shikka and sailed east at full speed, as did two RO submarines coming from Japan that refuelled today in Etoforu Jima.
Japanese intelligence confirmed today that the LST-461, hit by 45 artillery shells during the last Allied landing on PJ a week ago, had been scuttled by her crew.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
During the night the submarine USS Drum sank a barge with gunfire off Green Island. Kiriwima sent in the morning 32 Beaufighter Mk 21 on anti-barge patrols and four were sunk off Green Island, Rabaul and Kavieng. A patrolling PB4Y sank another SE of Rabaul.
In the afternoon 7 B-25C from Kiriwima escorted by 15 P-38G and 16 B-24D, 9 B-17E and 3 B-25C from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, did 13 casualties, and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 31 on the runways, while 11 B-25C from Madang escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I and 39 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, and scored 2 hits on supplies and 16 on the runways. A B-25J and a P-38G were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/79/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 724 supplies (-0) for 4669 (-12) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 54%, +5%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 29 remaining supplies (-59).
Two Allied TF were seen today by Japanese airmen 120 miles north of Talasea and sailing NE. Their obvious destination is the Admiralty Islands. These islands were not defended, except by some 45 mines. The local commander decided to react to this advance. Given the distance between the Admiralty and Allied bases, there will be no Corsair on LRCAP so sending Japanese aircraft could achieve something.
22 Ki-21 from Kwajalein (one more crashed on the way) and 35 Ki-61 from Truk flew to Kavieng. Bombers will fly naval attack and search under escort by the Tony that won’t fly CAP over the base.
In Truk arrived the 63 Betties that were kept in reserve in Palau. They will also fly naval attack under escort by the Zero and Oscar II of Truk. Truk defence will be left to the Nick Sentai based here and to 20% of the units ordered to escort bombers.
The submarine patrolling NE of Kavieng and two other starting from Truk were ordered to sail close to the Admiralty Islands and be ready to chase damaged ships.
Truk was lacking air support to be fully operational (only 230 squads, and 243 AC here in the evening). The Tina Daitai based in Ponape flew to Kwajalein and will start carrying the 24th Aviation Unit from here to Truk tomorrow.
24 Ki-21 arrived in Lunga from Tarawa.
Three barges off Green Island loaded some squads of the Eng Rgt building fort here (now level 5, 97%) and will carry them towards Ponape.
Timor-DEI-Australia
A PBM Mariner flew recon over Kendari and reported with an enthusiast voice that there was no Japanese CAP over this base, for the first time since its capture by the Imperial forces.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 14 B-25C from Derby and 32 B-17E, 16 B-24J and 7 B-24D from Darwin that did 48 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 62 on the runways, and Lautem was attacked by 7 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 14 Kittyhawk III and reported 5 hits on the runways. A B-24J was shot down by AA over Koepang, a B-17E, a B-25C and a Kittyhawk III were lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 87% (+6%)), Koepang had damage 62/99/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/15/0, Lautem 77/65/38, other bases undamaged.
An Oscar II was lost operationally while flying LRCAP over Morotai but the convoy anchored here finished to unload troops (a Garnison Unit and a small BF) and will continue to unload supplies, while troops will start building fortifications.
SRA
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Georgetown to size 3.
A small convoy loaded 14k supplies in Toboali and will carry them to Banjarmasin.
In Java the Imperial Guard Division (holding Soerabaja) and the 35th Bde (holding Batavia) both sent troops to nearby bases to accelerate fort building in secondary airfields in the area.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 350 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 27 B-25J and 40 escorts from Imphal and Jorhat on the airfield (99 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 39 on the runways), 9 LRCAP sorties (by P-40N), 116 fighter-bombers, 126 bombers and 22 escorts from Imphal and Kohima against 3 divisions and 1 regiment of the garrison (437 men and 6 guns hit). Two P-40N and a Beaufighter Mk 21 were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 128 men and 2 guns at Myitkyina (where 2133 Japanese AV (-23) faced 3075 Allied (+24)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (144 Allied men hit), where 1083 Japanese AV (+1) faced 1713 Allied (-5).
The evening report showed damage of 83/74 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 694 (-52). Lashio was damaged at 48/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
The first Japanese troops will reach the Chinese positions SE of Myitkyina in around one week. Recon aircraft were ordered to start taking pictures of this area.
China
36 Ki-48 from Changsha escorted by 12 Oscar II bombed Chungking airfield and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 25 on the runways but met heavy AA fire that shot down five bombers. 17 Ki-49 from Kweiyang bombed Chengtu airfield, doing 13 casualties and scoring 1 hit on the airbase and 5 on the runways.
147 training and 27 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 13 men for no loss.
All airfields attacked those last days showed some damage but these raids will be stopped as all available IJAAF bombers in the area were ordered to rest and prepare to support the attack SE of Myitkyina in one week.
Japan
Six new air units were created today in Japan:
_ the 88 Sentai in Osaka with 27 Dinah II and 27 crew (exp 55). It flew to Shanghai to upgrade to the Dinah III and continue training.
_ two Daitai with 36 A6M5 each, the F2/261st (exp 63) and F1/263rd (exp 60), in Sasebo. The second flew to Wuhan to start an op training campaign.
_ the F1/254th with 27 A6M5 (exp 62) and the N1/251st with 27 J1N1-S (exp 57) in Hiroshima
_ and in Maizuru was created the first A6M5c units, the FB2/381st Daitai with 48 pilots (exp 57); This unit was also sent to China for more training.
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Gen.Hoepner
- Posts: 3636
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2001 8:00 am
- Location: italy
RE: 14 October 1943: Japanese troops landed on OJ
The Uber Corsair is a problem related to stock games. Thank God now many mods are putting a stop on this, or at least the corsair is no more a divine weapon, just a very good plane, as should be.
Keep on fighting Amiral, don't let those white people violate japanese sacred land!
BONSAI!!![:D]
Keep on fighting Amiral, don't let those white people violate japanese sacred land!
BONSAI!!![:D]
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
It is good to be able to still win battles in fall 1943... I now think that the northern flank will hold. And the same turn saw Japanese airmen also doing well in the Southwest Pacific... even if they could have done better. Anyway all told the Allied lost 145 aircraft today (34 A2A, 100 on the ground, 2 AA and 9 ops) and Japan only 47 (31 A2A, 13 AA and 3 ops).
By the way this AAR is not dead... I'm just lacking time to update it... But will try to do it more regularly... Game is going on and is now a month ahead of the AAR.
15 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night, both Japanese convoys off OJ unloaded their troops. American defences shot 325 shells and set on fire an AP and a PC, hitting less seriously a CL and 3 AP. The Japanese lost 4077 men and 2 guns disabled during the landing, while counter battery fire hit 15 Allied men and 1 gun.
The American PT boats tried to interfere with the landing operations but could not reach the convoy. The main Japanese surface covering TF (CA Nachi, CL Natori and 9 DD) repulsed two PT TF, of respectively 5 and 10 PT, and sank four of them against cannon damage on the DD Hiyodori that was set on fire. Two other PT groups, of 20 and 10 PT, were diverted from the main landing by the various small Japanese groups in the area and only sank two damaged MSW sailing alone.
There was more action in the area during the night. SW of OJ the submarine USS Redfin managed to penetrate the screen of a retiring TF and hit the CVE Shinyo with two torpedoes, setting her on fire. A DD and five PC then searched the attacked and a PC scored a hit and a near-miss on her.
A Japanese submarine was also successful that night. The I-15 attacked 300 miles west of Kiska a group of 5 SC and sank one before escaping undamaged.
But the main Japanese success was scored by the small TF (CA Takao, CL Kuma and two DD) sent SE of OJ to chase escaping Allied ships. They found 3 AK and 1 DD and sank the DD King and the AK Dukat. The badly damaged AK Caledonia sank during the battle without being fired again and only one Allied ship managed to evade the Japanese warships and escaped.
Just after dawn the SS USS Poggy attacked a Japanese DD NE of Shimushiru Jima but missed and was then chased by 7 DD and depth charged by two that scored 3 near-misses.
During the morning, OJ was covered by clouds and under this cover Japanese troops continued to land. American defences shot 233 shells and set on fire two AP, hitting less seriously a PG and an AP. The Japanese lost 2271 men and 3 guns disabled during the landing, while counter battery fire hit 54 Allied men, 1 vehicle and 1 gun.
In the morning two Ki-44 pilots from PJ flew from their own initiative over OJ. 27 Corsair and 11 Kittyhawk were on CAP over the Allied base. One of the Tojo was shot down by a Kittyhawk, the other managed to escape.
In the afternoon clouds still covered the area and the Japanese ships assured to not be attacked from the air took positions to repel PT attacks… but there was none either.
On the Allied side Attu was closed by bad weather but Kiska sent two B-24J to bomb PJ airfield. They reported 34 A6M5 (of the KB) flying LRCAP here but got trough and even shot down one Japanese fighter before releasing their bombs on the runways, scoring one hit. A PBM Mariner following them was less lucky and was shot down by AA fire.
Still this afternoon the SS I-15 attacked again the SC group 300 miles west of Kiska but this time missed. One of the four SC depth charged her but she escaped undamaged.
Just before dusk, tens of Japanese transport aircraft coming from Toyohara reached OJ. The Allied CAP was kept busy by various Japanese fighters on LRCAP over the base, in a battle that saw 3 Allied losses (2 Kittyhawk I and a Corsair) against 8 Japanese (4 A6M3a, 3 Oscar II and an A6M5). Allied AA fire shot down 9 Ki-57 but tens of other dropped paratroops directly on the airfield.
That was the signal for the Japanese troops having landed by sea to launch a general banzai attack on the Allied base. With 1554 AV x2 for the shock attack, so 3108, against 164 for the defenders. After adjustments the Japanese had 2480 and the Allied 538 and the attack succeeded at 4 to 1. The base, having no fortification, fell in some hours. Japanese losses were 761 men, 11 guns and 2 tanks. The whole Allied garrison was killed or captured: 30 574 men, 33 guns and 124 vehicles were so lost. The involved Allied units were ten Naval Const Bn (3rd, 7th, 8th, 41st, 44th, 45th, 48th, 50th, 82nd and 88th), three small base forces (125th and 128th USN and 127th USAAF) and a part of the 138th RCT (Allied lost 487 troop points this turn). But the Allied also lost 100 aircraft found in various states on the airfield: 82 Corsair, 14 Kittyhawk I and 4 F4F-4.
This victory was celebrated in the whole Empire. Japan was now considered as being safe on its northern front… and Japanese newspapers didn’t speak much of the other (only to report victories in places nobody had ever heard before).
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 17 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 227 men and 3 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 235 476 men (+1095), 2321 guns (+32) and 546 vehicles (+1) for 4471 AV (+55) against 97 629 men (+38), 766 guns (+16) and 6 tankettes (+1) for 1782 AV (+4).
The evening report of PJ showed no damage and fortification of level 5, 23% (+11%), 424 engineers (+0), and 24 433 supplies (+1804, 6 AK were unloading off the island). At the end of the day PJ had 51 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 34 available. All aircraft other than patrol and recon left the base this evening.
OJ was damaged at 2/26/100 (airbase/runway/port) and had 19 082 supplies (a good part of them coming from the States). The 487 engineer squads available will repair damaged and then build fortifications.
Off OJ, the DD Asashimo (FLT 92) and the MSW Fushi Maru 3 (FLT 87) were scuttled. For the other damaged ships news were better. Both damaged Japanese CVE were now 180 miles of Shikka and will be saved (Kaiyo had damage 30/22/8, Shinyo 34/43/18). The BB Kongo only moved 60 miles westwards today but his FLT damage raised only from one point (to 59) and she was now escorted by 3 ASW ships. In Etoforu Jima the CVL Shoho had now FLT 26 and several DD will arrive tomorrow to escort her to a bigger port. Smaller damaged ships were all sailing to Shikka in small groups.
A dozen damaged ships were detached from the transport TF off OJ but only one was really in danger of sinking, a small AP that was sent to PJ. Other will sail to Shikka, as will all ships currently off Shikka. Orders were to leave the area until US PT were gone.
The KB will sail NW and its attack crew will fly extensive naval search at range 4 to chase Allied submarines.
Off PJ, the three damaged DD used as decoys were again disbanded in the port to try to reduce FLT damage. Eight barges survived the diversion missions off OJ and were ordered to sail back to Etoforu Jima to return to supply carrying missions. The 6 AK sent unloading supplies off PJ had unloaded today 2400 tons and still had 18600 but were scattered in one-ship TF and ordered to sail E, NE and NW of the base during the night, as it was feared that before leaving the area PT will sweep PJ waters. Ships will return to PJ at dawn and continue unloading.
More east the Japanese submarines received orders to sail west to be less exposed to Allied aircraft and subchasers.
Bombers based in Toyohara and Shikka received orders to fly naval search, while fighters were rested. Several units were degraded to training status (a Betty Chutai reduced to 2 crews, a Jill Daitai (size 27) reduced to 6, an Oscar Chutai reduced to 1 pilot, a Betty Chutai reduced to 5 crews, a Topsy Chutai reduced to 3 crews), flown to Japan or Manchoukuo and will train rookies to be reconstituted. The two last units had in fact more crews but transferred all damaged AC to other units to bring them back to full staff. Two Daitai of G4M1 were upgraded to G4M2.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Shikka to size 8.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
As planned the sighted Allied TFs arrived off Admiralty Islands during the night. A dozen of DD swept some mines and an AK hit one and was set on fire, but that was the only opposition met during the night. The Allied convoy unloaded troops in the night and the morning, and there were 2140 men disabled during the landing.
But very soon Japanese airmen attacked the landing fleet. The first morning attack was launched by 9 Ki-21 from Kavieng escorted by 29 Ki-61. The Tony engaged the Allied LRCAP (23 P-38G) and scored 7 victories for 6 losses. The bombers were engaged by the CAP but none was shot down and they reached the Allied convoy, heavily damaging the DD USS Monaghan with one bomb and scoring another hit on an AK, killing ten troops aboard but doing no big damage.
Shortly after that the main Japanese raid of the morning came from Truk: 16 G4M1 escorted by 59 A6M3a, 16 Oscar II and 10 A6M2. They were intercepted by 21 P-38G but the Japanese escort repulsed them and shot down 19 for 14 losses: 12 (8 A6M3a, 3 Oscar II and 1 A6M2) in combat and 2 Oscar II lost in accidents. The Betties attacked the convoy and hit two AK with one torpedo each. One was heavily damaged, the other reported no serious damage.
The returning crews reported to have seen BBs off the island, and these were the target of the afternoon raids. Again Kavieng airmen attacked first, with 6 Ki-21 escorted by 22 Ki-61. The latter engaged the 12 P-38G flying LRCAP and shot down 3 without loss. The bombers then attacked the BB HMS Ramillies and Resolution but missed them and two were shot down by AA fire. Truk only sent 9 G4M1 and 10 A6M3a in the afternoon. The Allied LRCAP engaged the escort and 2 P-38G and 3 A6M3a were shot down. The Betties then targeted the BB and scored one torpedo hit on the Resolution. One Betty was shot down by AA fire and another was crippled and ditched on the way home.
In the afternoon 2 B-25C from Kiriwima and 17 B-24D, 7 B-17E and 5 B-25C from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, and scored 1 hit on supplies and 14 on the runways, while 34 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 7 on the runways. A B-25C was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul and a B-24D was lost operationally.
A barge convoy was decimated off Rabaul by Allied airmen. It was attacked in the morning and the afternoon by a total of 37 Beaufighter Mk 21, 10 B-25J and 5 B-25C from Kiriwima and several patrol aircraft that sank a total of 6 barges for the loss of a Beaufighter in an accident.
Two units with 20200 men, 111 guns and 5 vehicles were in Admiralty Islands in the evening.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/76/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 528 supplies (-196) for 4668 (-1) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 59%, +5%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 31 remaining supplies (+2).
Both IJAAF Sentai sent to Kavieng flew north in the evening, the Tony to Truk and the Sally to Saipan. They left behind 11 damaged aircraft (6 Ki-61 and 5 Ki-21).
All three submarines sent to the area will try to achive ships damaged today. The I-1 will sail to the Admiralty Islands while the I-24 and I-171 will sail SW of them.
Truk airmen were ordered to attack again Allied ships tomorrow but also to defend Truk as an attack by Allied heavy bombers was a strong possibility. The three Betty Daitai were all ordered to attack up to 600 miles from Truk (ie up to 120 miles SW of Admiralty Islands) and will be escorted by A6M3a only. All other fighters (A6M2, Oscar II, Nick and Tony back from Kavieng) will defend Truk.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Lae to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 18 B-25C from Derby that did 20 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 17 on the runways.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 93% (+6%)), Koepang had damage 64/77/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/4/0, Lautem 77/58/38, other bases undamaged.
Recon of Kai Island reported 142 aircraft in the island, including 78 fighters. The surface TF defending the island was no more seen today.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 531 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 35 B-25J and 46 escorts from Ledo and Imphal on the airfield (51 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 36 on the runways), 12 LRCAP sorties (by P-40N), 197 fighter-bombers, 190 bombers and 51 escorts from Imphal, Ledo, Kohima, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions and 1 regiment of the garrison (436 men and 8 guns hit). A B-24D, a Blenheim IV, a P-40N and a Thunderbolt II were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 75 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 2104 Japanese AV (-29) faced 3108 Allied (+33)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (100 Allied men and 3 guns hit), where 1084 Japanese AV (+1) faced 1817 Allied (+104). A new Allied unit arrived in Katha and the trail north of the battlefield was now apparently empty. Japanese recon units were ordered to search for other units more north on the trail but didn’t find any. So the 4th Tk Rgt being in reserve between Katha and Myitkyina was ordered to march NW to cut the trail and the supply path of the 84 000 Allied troops engaged in Katha.
The evening report showed damage of 87/77 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 829 (+135). Lashio was damaged at 39/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
20 Ki-21 from Hanoi bombed Yunan airfield, scoring 1 hit on supplies and 7 on the runways.
141 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men no loss.
Japan
The “Gold Convoy” finished to unload in Hiroshima and then 59 transports with SYS damage (1 to 3) were replaced and sent to Osaka for repairs. The convoy was reformed with 25 tankers (16 of 16k capacity and 9 of 9k) and 65 large AK, with SYS 1 or 0, and sailed for Leyte under the same escort as before, 2 CS, 2 DD, 2 APD and 4 PC. Two ASW TF of 6 PC/PG will follow and escort it.
By the way this AAR is not dead... I'm just lacking time to update it... But will try to do it more regularly... Game is going on and is now a month ahead of the AAR.
15 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night, both Japanese convoys off OJ unloaded their troops. American defences shot 325 shells and set on fire an AP and a PC, hitting less seriously a CL and 3 AP. The Japanese lost 4077 men and 2 guns disabled during the landing, while counter battery fire hit 15 Allied men and 1 gun.
The American PT boats tried to interfere with the landing operations but could not reach the convoy. The main Japanese surface covering TF (CA Nachi, CL Natori and 9 DD) repulsed two PT TF, of respectively 5 and 10 PT, and sank four of them against cannon damage on the DD Hiyodori that was set on fire. Two other PT groups, of 20 and 10 PT, were diverted from the main landing by the various small Japanese groups in the area and only sank two damaged MSW sailing alone.
There was more action in the area during the night. SW of OJ the submarine USS Redfin managed to penetrate the screen of a retiring TF and hit the CVE Shinyo with two torpedoes, setting her on fire. A DD and five PC then searched the attacked and a PC scored a hit and a near-miss on her.
A Japanese submarine was also successful that night. The I-15 attacked 300 miles west of Kiska a group of 5 SC and sank one before escaping undamaged.
But the main Japanese success was scored by the small TF (CA Takao, CL Kuma and two DD) sent SE of OJ to chase escaping Allied ships. They found 3 AK and 1 DD and sank the DD King and the AK Dukat. The badly damaged AK Caledonia sank during the battle without being fired again and only one Allied ship managed to evade the Japanese warships and escaped.
Just after dawn the SS USS Poggy attacked a Japanese DD NE of Shimushiru Jima but missed and was then chased by 7 DD and depth charged by two that scored 3 near-misses.
During the morning, OJ was covered by clouds and under this cover Japanese troops continued to land. American defences shot 233 shells and set on fire two AP, hitting less seriously a PG and an AP. The Japanese lost 2271 men and 3 guns disabled during the landing, while counter battery fire hit 54 Allied men, 1 vehicle and 1 gun.
In the morning two Ki-44 pilots from PJ flew from their own initiative over OJ. 27 Corsair and 11 Kittyhawk were on CAP over the Allied base. One of the Tojo was shot down by a Kittyhawk, the other managed to escape.
In the afternoon clouds still covered the area and the Japanese ships assured to not be attacked from the air took positions to repel PT attacks… but there was none either.
On the Allied side Attu was closed by bad weather but Kiska sent two B-24J to bomb PJ airfield. They reported 34 A6M5 (of the KB) flying LRCAP here but got trough and even shot down one Japanese fighter before releasing their bombs on the runways, scoring one hit. A PBM Mariner following them was less lucky and was shot down by AA fire.
Still this afternoon the SS I-15 attacked again the SC group 300 miles west of Kiska but this time missed. One of the four SC depth charged her but she escaped undamaged.
Just before dusk, tens of Japanese transport aircraft coming from Toyohara reached OJ. The Allied CAP was kept busy by various Japanese fighters on LRCAP over the base, in a battle that saw 3 Allied losses (2 Kittyhawk I and a Corsair) against 8 Japanese (4 A6M3a, 3 Oscar II and an A6M5). Allied AA fire shot down 9 Ki-57 but tens of other dropped paratroops directly on the airfield.
That was the signal for the Japanese troops having landed by sea to launch a general banzai attack on the Allied base. With 1554 AV x2 for the shock attack, so 3108, against 164 for the defenders. After adjustments the Japanese had 2480 and the Allied 538 and the attack succeeded at 4 to 1. The base, having no fortification, fell in some hours. Japanese losses were 761 men, 11 guns and 2 tanks. The whole Allied garrison was killed or captured: 30 574 men, 33 guns and 124 vehicles were so lost. The involved Allied units were ten Naval Const Bn (3rd, 7th, 8th, 41st, 44th, 45th, 48th, 50th, 82nd and 88th), three small base forces (125th and 128th USN and 127th USAAF) and a part of the 138th RCT (Allied lost 487 troop points this turn). But the Allied also lost 100 aircraft found in various states on the airfield: 82 Corsair, 14 Kittyhawk I and 4 F4F-4.
This victory was celebrated in the whole Empire. Japan was now considered as being safe on its northern front… and Japanese newspapers didn’t speak much of the other (only to report victories in places nobody had ever heard before).
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 17 men and 1 gun, Japanese ones 227 men and 3 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 235 476 men (+1095), 2321 guns (+32) and 546 vehicles (+1) for 4471 AV (+55) against 97 629 men (+38), 766 guns (+16) and 6 tankettes (+1) for 1782 AV (+4).
The evening report of PJ showed no damage and fortification of level 5, 23% (+11%), 424 engineers (+0), and 24 433 supplies (+1804, 6 AK were unloading off the island). At the end of the day PJ had 51 aircraft able to fly CAP (including Rufe and Irving) and only 34 available. All aircraft other than patrol and recon left the base this evening.
OJ was damaged at 2/26/100 (airbase/runway/port) and had 19 082 supplies (a good part of them coming from the States). The 487 engineer squads available will repair damaged and then build fortifications.
Off OJ, the DD Asashimo (FLT 92) and the MSW Fushi Maru 3 (FLT 87) were scuttled. For the other damaged ships news were better. Both damaged Japanese CVE were now 180 miles of Shikka and will be saved (Kaiyo had damage 30/22/8, Shinyo 34/43/18). The BB Kongo only moved 60 miles westwards today but his FLT damage raised only from one point (to 59) and she was now escorted by 3 ASW ships. In Etoforu Jima the CVL Shoho had now FLT 26 and several DD will arrive tomorrow to escort her to a bigger port. Smaller damaged ships were all sailing to Shikka in small groups.
A dozen damaged ships were detached from the transport TF off OJ but only one was really in danger of sinking, a small AP that was sent to PJ. Other will sail to Shikka, as will all ships currently off Shikka. Orders were to leave the area until US PT were gone.
The KB will sail NW and its attack crew will fly extensive naval search at range 4 to chase Allied submarines.
Off PJ, the three damaged DD used as decoys were again disbanded in the port to try to reduce FLT damage. Eight barges survived the diversion missions off OJ and were ordered to sail back to Etoforu Jima to return to supply carrying missions. The 6 AK sent unloading supplies off PJ had unloaded today 2400 tons and still had 18600 but were scattered in one-ship TF and ordered to sail E, NE and NW of the base during the night, as it was feared that before leaving the area PT will sweep PJ waters. Ships will return to PJ at dawn and continue unloading.
More east the Japanese submarines received orders to sail west to be less exposed to Allied aircraft and subchasers.
Bombers based in Toyohara and Shikka received orders to fly naval search, while fighters were rested. Several units were degraded to training status (a Betty Chutai reduced to 2 crews, a Jill Daitai (size 27) reduced to 6, an Oscar Chutai reduced to 1 pilot, a Betty Chutai reduced to 5 crews, a Topsy Chutai reduced to 3 crews), flown to Japan or Manchoukuo and will train rookies to be reconstituted. The two last units had in fact more crews but transferred all damaged AC to other units to bring them back to full staff. Two Daitai of G4M1 were upgraded to G4M2.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Shikka to size 8.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
As planned the sighted Allied TFs arrived off Admiralty Islands during the night. A dozen of DD swept some mines and an AK hit one and was set on fire, but that was the only opposition met during the night. The Allied convoy unloaded troops in the night and the morning, and there were 2140 men disabled during the landing.
But very soon Japanese airmen attacked the landing fleet. The first morning attack was launched by 9 Ki-21 from Kavieng escorted by 29 Ki-61. The Tony engaged the Allied LRCAP (23 P-38G) and scored 7 victories for 6 losses. The bombers were engaged by the CAP but none was shot down and they reached the Allied convoy, heavily damaging the DD USS Monaghan with one bomb and scoring another hit on an AK, killing ten troops aboard but doing no big damage.
Shortly after that the main Japanese raid of the morning came from Truk: 16 G4M1 escorted by 59 A6M3a, 16 Oscar II and 10 A6M2. They were intercepted by 21 P-38G but the Japanese escort repulsed them and shot down 19 for 14 losses: 12 (8 A6M3a, 3 Oscar II and 1 A6M2) in combat and 2 Oscar II lost in accidents. The Betties attacked the convoy and hit two AK with one torpedo each. One was heavily damaged, the other reported no serious damage.
The returning crews reported to have seen BBs off the island, and these were the target of the afternoon raids. Again Kavieng airmen attacked first, with 6 Ki-21 escorted by 22 Ki-61. The latter engaged the 12 P-38G flying LRCAP and shot down 3 without loss. The bombers then attacked the BB HMS Ramillies and Resolution but missed them and two were shot down by AA fire. Truk only sent 9 G4M1 and 10 A6M3a in the afternoon. The Allied LRCAP engaged the escort and 2 P-38G and 3 A6M3a were shot down. The Betties then targeted the BB and scored one torpedo hit on the Resolution. One Betty was shot down by AA fire and another was crippled and ditched on the way home.
In the afternoon 2 B-25C from Kiriwima and 17 B-24D, 7 B-17E and 5 B-25C from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, and scored 1 hit on supplies and 14 on the runways, while 34 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 7 on the runways. A B-25C was shot down by AA fire over Rabaul and a B-24D was lost operationally.
A barge convoy was decimated off Rabaul by Allied airmen. It was attacked in the morning and the afternoon by a total of 37 Beaufighter Mk 21, 10 B-25J and 5 B-25C from Kiriwima and several patrol aircraft that sank a total of 6 barges for the loss of a Beaufighter in an accident.
Two units with 20200 men, 111 guns and 5 vehicles were in Admiralty Islands in the evening.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/76/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 528 supplies (-196) for 4668 (-1) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 59%, +5%) and Wewak repaired all damage, but only had 31 remaining supplies (+2).
Both IJAAF Sentai sent to Kavieng flew north in the evening, the Tony to Truk and the Sally to Saipan. They left behind 11 damaged aircraft (6 Ki-61 and 5 Ki-21).
All three submarines sent to the area will try to achive ships damaged today. The I-1 will sail to the Admiralty Islands while the I-24 and I-171 will sail SW of them.
Truk airmen were ordered to attack again Allied ships tomorrow but also to defend Truk as an attack by Allied heavy bombers was a strong possibility. The three Betty Daitai were all ordered to attack up to 600 miles from Truk (ie up to 120 miles SW of Admiralty Islands) and will be escorted by A6M3a only. All other fighters (A6M2, Oscar II, Nick and Tony back from Kavieng) will defend Truk.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Lae to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 18 B-25C from Derby that did 20 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 17 on the runways.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 93% (+6%)), Koepang had damage 64/77/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 86/4/0, Lautem 77/58/38, other bases undamaged.
Recon of Kai Island reported 142 aircraft in the island, including 78 fighters. The surface TF defending the island was no more seen today.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 531 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 35 B-25J and 46 escorts from Ledo and Imphal on the airfield (51 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 36 on the runways), 12 LRCAP sorties (by P-40N), 197 fighter-bombers, 190 bombers and 51 escorts from Imphal, Ledo, Kohima, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions and 1 regiment of the garrison (436 men and 8 guns hit). A B-24D, a Blenheim IV, a P-40N and a Thunderbolt II were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 75 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 2104 Japanese AV (-29) faced 3108 Allied (+33)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (100 Allied men and 3 guns hit), where 1084 Japanese AV (+1) faced 1817 Allied (+104). A new Allied unit arrived in Katha and the trail north of the battlefield was now apparently empty. Japanese recon units were ordered to search for other units more north on the trail but didn’t find any. So the 4th Tk Rgt being in reserve between Katha and Myitkyina was ordered to march NW to cut the trail and the supply path of the 84 000 Allied troops engaged in Katha.
The evening report showed damage of 87/77 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 829 (+135). Lashio was damaged at 39/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
20 Ki-21 from Hanoi bombed Yunan airfield, scoring 1 hit on supplies and 7 on the runways.
141 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men no loss.
Japan
The “Gold Convoy” finished to unload in Hiroshima and then 59 transports with SYS damage (1 to 3) were replaced and sent to Osaka for repairs. The convoy was reformed with 25 tankers (16 of 16k capacity and 9 of 9k) and 65 large AK, with SYS 1 or 0, and sailed for Leyte under the same escort as before, 2 CS, 2 DD, 2 APD and 4 PC. Two ASW TF of 6 PC/PG will follow and escort it.
RE: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Congrats for the victory! And thanks for the AAR!
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
16 October 1943: a bad day around Admiralty Islands
You're welcome, Rotor.
16 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the day some of the ships damaged off OJ were hit again by the Allied. The AP Kaifuku Maru sent to PJ to be docked here was sank at the entrance of the port at dawn by the SS USS Trigger. Some hours letter a patrolling PB4Y bombed and hit a burning AK NW of OJ. And in the evening another damaged AP, the Kokuryu Maru, was sunk 120 miles west of OJ by two torpedoes fired by the SS USS Bonefish.
In the afternoon PJ airfield was bombed by 49 B-24J and 24 B-24D from Attu escorted by 20 P-38J. This attacked destroyed on the ground 13 aircraft, most of them unserviceable left behind by units having left the day before (5 Tojo, 3 Tony, 3 Oscar II, a Dinah III and an Emily), disabled 176 men and 3 guns and scored 16 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 49 on the runways. AA fire shot down a B-24D. Another Japanese aircraft was lost when the Allied CAP shot down an Emily over the Aleutians.
On the ground at PJ, Japanese artillery fired on Allied troops that launched a new deliberate attack that failed again at 0 to 1 (4303 Allied AV vs 1903 Japanese, adjusted to 3390 vs 11977) but allowed Allied engineers to reduce fortifications again (to level 4). Allied losses were 2609 men, 144 guns and 11 tanks, Japanese ones were almost as high at 2553 men, 44 guns and 2 tanks.
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 38/11/0 (airbase/runway/port) and fortification of level 4, 27% (-96%), 424 engineers (+0), and 21 765 supplies (-2668, only one of the 6 AK sent there unloaded 400 tons today). At the end of the day PJ had 22 aircraft and 20 available. All aircraft other than patrol and recon left the base this evening.
OJ was fully repaired and enginners also started to build fortifications (level 0, 26%). It had 21 309 supplies (+2227, probably coming from PJ).
Four damaged ships, the CVE Shinyo (44/49/9) and Kaiyo (33/22/3) and the DD Nagatsuki (20/0/1) and Kikuzuki (46/27/0), reached safely Shikka and were docked for emergency repairs. Six DD of their escort were formed as an ASW group and sent to chase Allied subs between Shikka and the Kuriles.
The BB Kongo was now 240 miles from Shikka with damage 80/60/0 (+1 FLT).
A TK fleet unloading fuel in Toyohara (47k reserves here) was ordered to stop and instead will unload in Shikka (57k stock here but the base is more used). The KB will return to Shikka and unload the most decimated air units and recomplete the others.
Allied CVs were still off Kiska and the only ships seen west of the Aleutians were small SC groups and the PT formerly based off OJ that returned to Kiska.
Central Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Guam to size 3.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The Allied landing continued during the night and day on Admiralty Islands with 186 amphibious casualties, while escort DD continued to find and destroy some mines. During the night the SS I-1 tried to attack the convoy and saw 3 AK but was then detected and chased by 4 DD. Two depth charged her and scored 7 near-misses.
In the morning Truk airmen returned to Admiralty Islands with 22 G4M2 and 12 G4M1 escorted by 42 A6M3a, but didn’t repeat their success of the day before… 17 P-38G were on LRCAP and shot down 10 Zero and a G4M2 for only one loss. Anyway 31 bombers attacked ten Allied ships (6 AK and 4 DD) but scored only one hit, heavily damaging the AK Fomalhaut, and lost two of their number to AA fire.
Another attack sent in the afternoon with 7 G4M2 escorted by 33 A6M3a was also a bloody failure. The 14 P-38G on LRCAP shot down 7 A6M3a and a G4M2 for only one loss again. The bombers missed a DD and an AK.
Also during these operations two A6M3a and a P-38G were lost operationally.
In the afternoon, a patrolling PB4Y bombed and hit the SS I-171. A Japanese aircraft identified the BB Ramillies off Lae.
The Admiralty Islands were finally fully occupied during the day by the 1st USMC Div and the 122nd USAAF Base Force.
In the afternoon 8 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 12 casualties, and scored 4 hits on the runways, while 13 B-25C from Madang escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I and 35 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, did 18 casualties and scored 4 hits the airbase, 9 on supplies and 19 on the runways. A B-25J and a Kittyhawk I were lost operationally.
The barge convoy returning to Truk was attacked NW of Rabaul by 16 Beaufighter VIC and 14 Mk 21 from Dobadura and two were sunk against the operational loss of a Beaufighter VIC.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/76/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 1126 supplies (+548) for 4657 (-11) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 64%, +5%) and Wewak had damage as 3/0/0 and zero remaining supplies (-31).
After today’s heavy losses raids on Admiralty Islands were stopped and Betties were evacuated to Palau (at least the serviceable ones) while the fighters were ordered to fly 90% CAP. 27 Ki-21 arrived from Lunga and will be used to raid the island in one or two days (to bomb the port and slow the building of the airfield).
All three submarines also committed against the Allied invasion fleet were recalled to Truk. Both damaged subs (I-1 with 24/0/0 and I-171 with 43/52/0) will be sent back then to Japan for repairs.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby that did 12 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 17 on the runways. A B-25C hit by AA over the target ditched on the way back.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 98% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 65/50/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 79/0/0, Lautem 77/51/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
Ki-48 based in Luzon hit twice the submarine USS Tuna north of Appari during the day.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 745 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 43 B-25J and 48 escorts from Ledo, Imphal, Jorhat and Kohima on the airfield (90 casualties, 2 hits on the supplies and 40 on the runways), 298 fighter-bombers, 274 bombers and 82 escorts from Imphal, Jorhat, Ledo, Kohima, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions of the garrison (524 men and 6 guns hit). Three P-40N, a B-25C and a Blenheim IV were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 51 men at Myitkyina (where 2085 Japanese AV (-19) faced 3128 Allied (+20)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (109 Allied men hit), where 1083 Japanese AV (-1) faced 1816 Allied (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 90/81 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 215 (-614). Lashio was damaged at 30/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
102 training and 30 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 14 men for three operational losses (three Kate).
Japan
One of the new A6M5 units left Sasebo and will fly to Truk. The first step of the trip was to Bonin Islands.
16 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the day some of the ships damaged off OJ were hit again by the Allied. The AP Kaifuku Maru sent to PJ to be docked here was sank at the entrance of the port at dawn by the SS USS Trigger. Some hours letter a patrolling PB4Y bombed and hit a burning AK NW of OJ. And in the evening another damaged AP, the Kokuryu Maru, was sunk 120 miles west of OJ by two torpedoes fired by the SS USS Bonefish.
In the afternoon PJ airfield was bombed by 49 B-24J and 24 B-24D from Attu escorted by 20 P-38J. This attacked destroyed on the ground 13 aircraft, most of them unserviceable left behind by units having left the day before (5 Tojo, 3 Tony, 3 Oscar II, a Dinah III and an Emily), disabled 176 men and 3 guns and scored 16 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 49 on the runways. AA fire shot down a B-24D. Another Japanese aircraft was lost when the Allied CAP shot down an Emily over the Aleutians.
On the ground at PJ, Japanese artillery fired on Allied troops that launched a new deliberate attack that failed again at 0 to 1 (4303 Allied AV vs 1903 Japanese, adjusted to 3390 vs 11977) but allowed Allied engineers to reduce fortifications again (to level 4). Allied losses were 2609 men, 144 guns and 11 tanks, Japanese ones were almost as high at 2553 men, 44 guns and 2 tanks.
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 38/11/0 (airbase/runway/port) and fortification of level 4, 27% (-96%), 424 engineers (+0), and 21 765 supplies (-2668, only one of the 6 AK sent there unloaded 400 tons today). At the end of the day PJ had 22 aircraft and 20 available. All aircraft other than patrol and recon left the base this evening.
OJ was fully repaired and enginners also started to build fortifications (level 0, 26%). It had 21 309 supplies (+2227, probably coming from PJ).
Four damaged ships, the CVE Shinyo (44/49/9) and Kaiyo (33/22/3) and the DD Nagatsuki (20/0/1) and Kikuzuki (46/27/0), reached safely Shikka and were docked for emergency repairs. Six DD of their escort were formed as an ASW group and sent to chase Allied subs between Shikka and the Kuriles.
The BB Kongo was now 240 miles from Shikka with damage 80/60/0 (+1 FLT).
A TK fleet unloading fuel in Toyohara (47k reserves here) was ordered to stop and instead will unload in Shikka (57k stock here but the base is more used). The KB will return to Shikka and unload the most decimated air units and recomplete the others.
Allied CVs were still off Kiska and the only ships seen west of the Aleutians were small SC groups and the PT formerly based off OJ that returned to Kiska.
Central Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Guam to size 3.
New Guinea-New Britain- Solomon Islands
The Allied landing continued during the night and day on Admiralty Islands with 186 amphibious casualties, while escort DD continued to find and destroy some mines. During the night the SS I-1 tried to attack the convoy and saw 3 AK but was then detected and chased by 4 DD. Two depth charged her and scored 7 near-misses.
In the morning Truk airmen returned to Admiralty Islands with 22 G4M2 and 12 G4M1 escorted by 42 A6M3a, but didn’t repeat their success of the day before… 17 P-38G were on LRCAP and shot down 10 Zero and a G4M2 for only one loss. Anyway 31 bombers attacked ten Allied ships (6 AK and 4 DD) but scored only one hit, heavily damaging the AK Fomalhaut, and lost two of their number to AA fire.
Another attack sent in the afternoon with 7 G4M2 escorted by 33 A6M3a was also a bloody failure. The 14 P-38G on LRCAP shot down 7 A6M3a and a G4M2 for only one loss again. The bombers missed a DD and an AK.
Also during these operations two A6M3a and a P-38G were lost operationally.
In the afternoon, a patrolling PB4Y bombed and hit the SS I-171. A Japanese aircraft identified the BB Ramillies off Lae.
The Admiralty Islands were finally fully occupied during the day by the 1st USMC Div and the 122nd USAAF Base Force.
In the afternoon 8 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 12 casualties, and scored 4 hits on the runways, while 13 B-25C from Madang escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I and 35 B-25J from Lae attacked Wewak, did 18 casualties and scored 4 hits the airbase, 9 on supplies and 19 on the runways. A B-25J and a Kittyhawk I were lost operationally.
The barge convoy returning to Truk was attacked NW of Rabaul by 16 Beaufighter VIC and 14 Mk 21 from Dobadura and two were sunk against the operational loss of a Beaufighter VIC.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/76/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 1126 supplies (+548) for 4657 (-11) required, Kavieng had still no damage and was building again fortifications (6, 64%, +5%) and Wewak had damage as 3/0/0 and zero remaining supplies (-31).
After today’s heavy losses raids on Admiralty Islands were stopped and Betties were evacuated to Palau (at least the serviceable ones) while the fighters were ordered to fly 90% CAP. 27 Ki-21 arrived from Lunga and will be used to raid the island in one or two days (to bomb the port and slow the building of the airfield).
All three submarines also committed against the Allied invasion fleet were recalled to Truk. Both damaged subs (I-1 with 24/0/0 and I-171 with 43/52/0) will be sent back then to Japan for repairs.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 19 B-25C from Derby that did 12 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 17 on the runways. A B-25C hit by AA over the target ditched on the way back.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 4, 98% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 65/50/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 79/0/0, Lautem 77/51/38, other bases undamaged.
SRA
Ki-48 based in Luzon hit twice the submarine USS Tuna north of Appari during the day.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 745 sorties today, all in Myitkyina area: 43 B-25J and 48 escorts from Ledo, Imphal, Jorhat and Kohima on the airfield (90 casualties, 2 hits on the supplies and 40 on the runways), 298 fighter-bombers, 274 bombers and 82 escorts from Imphal, Jorhat, Ledo, Kohima, Dimapur and Dacca against 3 divisions of the garrison (524 men and 6 guns hit). Three P-40N, a B-25C and a Blenheim IV were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 51 men at Myitkyina (where 2085 Japanese AV (-19) faced 3128 Allied (+20)). More west Japanese guns pounded Allied troops in Katha (109 Allied men hit), where 1083 Japanese AV (-1) faced 1816 Allied (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 90/81 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were still zero supplies for needs of 11 215 (-614). Lashio was damaged at 30/0 (airbase/runway), other bases were undamaged.
China
102 training and 30 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 14 men for three operational losses (three Kate).
Japan
One of the new A6M5 units left Sasebo and will fly to Truk. The first step of the trip was to Bonin Islands.
RE: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
First of all fantastic to see you back!
Congratulations on great victory - BANZAI!!!
The emperor will be very pleased... [:)]
Leo "Apollo11"
First of all fantastic to see you back!
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Just before dusk, tens of Japanese transport aircraft coming from Toyohara reached OJ. The Allied CAP was kept busy by various Japanese fighters on LRCAP over the base, in a battle that saw 3 Allied losses (2 Kittyhawk I and a Corsair) against 8 Japanese (4 A6M3a, 3 Oscar II and an A6M5). Allied AA fire shot down 9 Ki-57 but tens of other dropped paratroops directly on the airfield.
That was the signal for the Japanese troops having landed by sea to launch a general banzai attack on the Allied base. With 1554 AV x2 for the shock attack, so 3108, against 164 for the defenders. After adjustments the Japanese had 2480 and the Allied 538 and the attack succeeded at 4 to 1. The base, having no fortification, fell in some hours. Japanese losses were 761 men, 11 guns and 2 tanks. The whole Allied garrison was killed or captured: 30 574 men, 33 guns and 124 vehicles were so lost. The involved Allied units were ten Naval Const Bn (3rd, 7th, 8th, 41st, 44th, 45th, 48th, 50th, 82nd and 88th), three small base forces (125th and 128th USN and 127th USAAF) and a part of the 138th RCT (Allied lost 487 troop points this turn). But the Allied also lost 100 aircraft found in various states on the airfield: 82 Corsair, 14 Kittyhawk I and 4 F4F-4.
This victory was celebrated in the whole Empire. Japan was now considered as being safe on its northern front… and Japanese newspapers didn’t speak much of the other (only to report victories in places nobody had ever heard before).
Congratulations on great victory - BANZAI!!!
The emperor will be very pleased... [:)]
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: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
Yep... he must be away (he didn't log in long time - I don't think he even knows about WitP AE [;)])...
BTW, I am surte that PBEM is still on schedule and that only AAR is late!
Leo "Apollo11"
ORIGINAL: VSWG
Bump for a classic!
Yep... he must be away (he didn't log in long time - I don't think he even knows about WitP AE [;)])...
BTW, I am surte that PBEM is still on schedule and that only AAR is late!
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: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
Unfortunately the "Admiral" is still MIA (almost 40 days since last AAR entry)... [:(]
Leo "Apollo11"
Unfortunately the "Admiral" is still MIA (almost 40 days since last AAR entry)... [:(]
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: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
Another month passsed by... MIA turned to KIA... [:(] sadly... <SIGH>
Leo "Apollo11"
Another month passsed by... MIA turned to KIA... [:(] sadly... <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: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Don't worry
You can still smell the Admiral's presence somewhat [:)] Im sure he'll return
Last Login 1/3/2008 12:51:41 AM
You can still smell the Admiral's presence somewhat [:)] Im sure he'll return
RE: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Is this one dead?
RE: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
I don't want to believe it!
RE: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
I think that their game is alive but that this AAR is KIA... it's impossible to return the 2-3 months behind schedule AAR... [:(]
Leo "Apollo11"
I think that their game is alive but that this AAR is KIA... it's impossible to return the 2-3 months behind schedule AAR... [:(]
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: 15 October 1943: Victory in OJ: 34 000 men and 100 aircraft captured
Hi all,
Here is info from one other thread at the beggining of July 2008:
Leo "Apollo11"
Here is info from one other thread at the beggining of July 2008:
ORIGINAL: pompack
Well, Laurent got a new gf, an EXTREMELY intense work environment (something about having to personally ensure that the employer recoups five billion euros or something similar), coupled with even more intense mountain climbing and spelunking adventures to decompress. He still exists, but we have only done 13 turns since early March (the latest a month ago) and that would have been considered a slow week last year. I assume that he is fine (at least he survived his major May cave expedition) but life in the real world finally caught up with him.
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: 12 October 1943: Shoho was torpedoed
Have never played WITP but read a few AAR's because they are so good like reading a war diary. I just spent about 2 and half weeks reading the 29 pages of Admiral Laurent's AAR and I am now sitting here stunned to find that it has ended without a conclusion. I feel like somebody kicked my dog! Does anyone now if there is any chance that Laurent will give a final synapsis of this game? Admiral Laurent if you see this thank you for the first 29 pages of this AAR it has been amazing, what a story!
Cheers,
Zhukov43
Cheers,
Zhukov43
Kelly Mastin