28 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the submarine USS Tarpon fired torpedoes at a “destroyer” off OJ but missed. In fact it was an APD and the flagship of a 6-ship ASW group but the attack went unnoticed and the submarine escaped.
After dawn another American submarine was not so lucky. The Bonefish was surprised on the surface by a G4M2 and damaged by bombs off PJ. And in the afternoon another American submarine, the Trigger, was hit by a Dave in the same area
In the afternoon 40 B-24D and 39 B-24J from Attu escorted by 30 P-38J attacked PJ and met no CAP. The bombers did 158 casualties and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 62 on the runways, without loss.
Japanese patrols reported that the Allied CV were still off Kiska, and identified the CV USS Yorktown here.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 164 men and 5 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 242 406 men (+886), 2430 guns (+26) and 566 vehicles (+1) for 4703 AV (+30) against 124 913 men (+966), 1033 guns (+3) and 10 tankettes (-1) for 2386 AV (+9). Two of Ki-57 Topsy ferrying troops from Toyohara to PJ were today lost in an air-to-air collision.
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 5/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 620 (+1) engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 36 947 supplies (+5127) and 10 aircraft (all available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port, that now reached size 2 (size 2, 4% (+8%)). It had 31 199 supplies (-159).
A small AK loaded supplies in Toyohara and will sail to PJ.
With the crisis in the Kuriles now under control, and most of the Japanese Navy in Japanese repair yards rather in the area, the Japanese AR were more needed there than in the North. Two AR left Toyohara for Hiroshima, one Ominato for Osaka and two other Shikka for Maizuru. Four heavily damaged destroyers sailed with them.
F2/Kanoya transferred most of its pilots and A6M5 to F1/261st in Shikka and was sent to Osaka as a training unit to be rebuilt with rookie pilots.
Central Pacific
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Guam to size 4. They will stop expanding it and will now expand the port (now size 2) and continue to build fortifications (now level 1, 57%).
Six submarines left Pearl Harbor to patrol 1200 miles south of California and try to attack Allied convoys.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 13 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield but did no damage.
In the afternoon 25 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 23 casualties, and scored a hit on the airbase and 17 on the runways, 24 B-25J and 15 TBF Avenger from Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Corsair and 5 F4F-4 attacked Kavieng, did 12 casualties and scored 2 hits on the and 10 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C over Rabaul.
During the day Allied patrol aircraft sank a barge off Rabaul while another loaded with troops was strafed and destroyed west of Buka by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima and sank with the loss of 47 men.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/84/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 873 supplies (-4) for 4211 (-281) required, Kavieng repaired all damage and was still building fortifications (6, 99%, +2%) and Wewak also repaired all damage but still had no supplies.
The barges evacuating men from Rabaul will unload them tonight at Buka rather than to go to Green Island. Mavis transport seaplanes based in Ponape may evacuate them from either base and there were more supplies in Buka.
In Western New Guinea several blockade runners will reach tomorrow Noemfoor, Sarmi and Hollandia to unload troops and supplies.
East of Palau the ASW group found no submarine but one was seen by an aircraft 60 miles SW of Palau. It was possible that the submarine reported these two days was just sailing by and going to the Philippines but the ASW TF will continue to chase her.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was bombed by 14 B-25C from Derby and reported 13 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 4 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down one of the attackers.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 54% (+4%)), Koepang had damage 39/0/0 (system/runway/port), Dili 31/0/0, Lautem 90/20/38, Amboina 41/31/0 and Kendari 28/27/0, other bases undamaged.
Off Macassar two APD arrived from Banjarmasin (Borneo) and will escort to Balikpapan an AP laden with 1500 air force personnel and two AK loaded with 7000 ressources each, all coming from Kendari in the last days as 1-ship TF.
Japanese troops continued to land on Wasile without being attacked or even detected as far as they knew. Oscar II from Menado were anyway providing them with LRCAP and one was lost in an accident during the day.
SRA
Ships sent to Miri and Brunei from the “Gold Convoy” reached these ports and will load thre respectively 41k and 128k oil.
Two big AK laden with supplies left Soerabaja and will sail respectively for Macassar and Koepang.
Burma
Today saw a maximum effort of the IJAAF over Myitkyina to help the ground troops under attack. At dawn the pilots of 65 and 78 Sentai took off from Lashio and began patrolling over Myitkyina. A total of 42 Ki-61 were flying over the battlefield when the first Allied aircraft arrived.
They were a flight of five F-5A from Jorhat that were tasked with taking pictures of the whole battlefield and were surprised to be intercepted. One of them was shot down while the other escaped as the Japanese pilots found more interesting targets.
As usual the Allied airmen attacked in several waves various parts of the frontline. They had become reckless and had very few escorts, an error that cost them dearly.
The first wave of 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kohima was bounced by 65 Sentai that shot down half of them in some minutes before the other retreated.
Then 42 Liberator VI from Dacca arrived and were attacked by both Japanese units that shot down 17 of them for two losses. 3 other turned back and so only 22 reached their target and bombed the 33rd Div, hitting 25 men. Four more Liberator badly hit by the Tony crashed in the jungle on the way back.
The Tony pilots then faced a third group, 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 16 Thunderbolt II coming from Kohima. Sadly for the Allied airmen, the Thunderbolt were wearing bombs and their pilots were more busy seaching ground targets than watching the sky. In a perfect bounce the 65 Sentai shot down 9 Thunderbolt and scattered the survivors that fled. Both Japanese units then fell on the poor Beaufighter and shot down all of them.
The next Allied wave (16 Lysander I, 16 Thunderbolt II, 10 Beaufighter VIC and 7 B-25J) was a little more successfull. The Japanese pilots shot down 6 Lysander, 6 Beaufighter, 2 Thunderbolt and a B-25J but no Allied aircraft turned back and the return fire of the tight B-25J formation shot down 3 Tony. This raid hit the 46th Div and disabled 51 men and 1 gun.
But at least the desesperate calls of Allied airmen drew some fighters and the next group (64 bomb-laden P-47C, 38 Liberator VI, 34 Beaufighter VIC, 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 and 11 B-25C from Jorhat) was escorted by 22 P-40N. The latter managed to shot down 5 Tony for 3 losses but were too few to cover all the attack aircraft and the Japanese pilots shot down 9 (4 B-25C, 3 Beaufighter VIC, 1 Liberator and 1 Beaufighter Mk 21) for two more losses to return fire. This raid again hit the 46th Div that lost 157 men and 2 guns.
The exhausted Japanese pilots then engaged 6 B-25J from Dimapur escorted by 18 P-40N but the escort shot down 9 of them. 3 P-40N and a B-25J were also shot down. The bombers missed the 46th Div lines.
Most of Japanese pilots were then out of ammo and/or fuel and turned back. 18 Liberator VI from Dacca were so almost not intercepted and bombed without loss the 46th Div, doing 47 casualties.
At the end of the day, the 65 Sentai reported a total of 46 claimed victories for the loss of 12 Ki-61 shot down. Five of its pilots had bailed out with wound and seven other were missing or reported killed. The 78 Sentai was a little less successful but still claimed 33 victories against the loss of 9 Ki-61, 3 pilots killed and 3 other wounded.
To add to the Allied losses, a Thunderbolt II was lost operationally in the area during the day.
This strong LRCAP over the battlefield was only one part of the IJAAF effort. During the day 31 Ki-21 and 28 Ki-49 from Lashio and Mandalay bombed 3 Allied divisions near Myitkyina and disabled at total of 174 men and 6 guns for two losses, a bomber of each type being shot down by AA fire.
The last part of the IJAAF plan was the less successful. 24 Tabby from Mandalay dropped 450 Japanese paratroops on the trail NE of Myitkyina to cut the Allied supply. It was a suicide mission, but the odds were even worse than planned. AA fire shot down 3 Tabby over the dropzone and the paratroops soon discovered they faced 35 000 Allied men (an Indian Div, a Chinese Cavalry Corps, 2 Bde, 1 Eng Rgt and 2 base forces) and the drop was a costly failure (34 Japanese AV vs 693, adjusted to 0 vs 1115). Without losses, the Allied troops killed, wounded or captured 269 Japanese soldiers. The other gathered in the jungle in small groups.
Outside the Myitkyina area, there was one Allied raid as 18 P-40N from Dacca escorted by 21 other bombed the SNLF holding the trail NE of Akyab and hit 8 men. So the total of the Allied sorties over Burma today was 402, with 82 losses (20% losses), while the IJAAF flew 101 sorties (transport excluded) and lost 23 aircraft (23%).
This effort of the IJAAF was done as the Allied troops were resting and reorganizing in Myikyina, where neither side attacked or bombed the other. The only shots fired by ground troops were in Katha where Japanese guns pounded Allied troops (36 Allied men hit), where 647 Japanese AV (-227, as another division had moved east towards Myitktyina) faced 1991 Allied (-3).
The evening report showed damage of 100/92 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 10788 (-1568). The fortification level was still 2, 158%, and probably will not go back to 3 until the airfield is repaired, and so never. Other bases were undamaged.
The 1st Tk Div reached Myitkyina today and the 17th Div should follow tomorrow. The 4th Eng Rgt was ordered to leave Mandalay to go to Myitkyina to accelerate the repairs of the base.
All fighter, bomber and transport units engaged today in Central Burma flew in the evening to rear area bases (Rangoon, Bangkok, Hanoi and Moulmein), except 21 Ki-21 that transferred from Lashio to Taung Gyi.
China
19 Ki-48 from Kweiyang bombed Yunan airfield. The raid was a milk run and they scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 19 on the runways.
132 training and 31 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 36 men for three operational losses (a Val, an A6M5 and an Oscar II).
In Wuhan and Changsha, several fighter operational training units will now fly escort rather than ground attack in case the Allied airmen tried to avenge there their defeat over Burma.
Bloody Pacific: Pomphat (Allied) vs Amiral Laurent (Japan)
Moderators: wdolson, Don Bowen, mogami
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AmiralLaurent
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RE: 28 October 1943: maximum effort and victory by the IJAAF over Myitkyina
Oh yeah! Back on, 
Glad to have you back Admiral [:D]
Glad to have you back Admiral [:D] "Alea iacta est." Caius Julius
"If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing." Emo Philips
"Caedite eos! Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." Abbot Arnaud Amalric
"If you can't beat your computer at chess, try kickboxing." Emo Philips
"Caedite eos! Novit enim Dominus qui sunt eius." Abbot Arnaud Amalric
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AmiralLaurent
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29 October 1943: Japanese parachutists slaugthered north of Myitkyina
29 October 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 40 B-24D and 40 B-24J from Attu escorted by 32 P-38J attacked PJ and met no CAP. The bombers did 71 casualties and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 44 on the runways, without loss. A B-24D was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 186 men and 1 gun. Allied troops on the island numbered 243 427 men (+1021), 2459 guns (+29) and 567 vehicles (+1) for 4740 AV (+37) against 124 383 men (-530), 1029 guns (-4) and 10 tankettes (-) for 2389 AV (+3).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 14/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 620 engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 37 504 supplies (+557) and 10 aircraft (9 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 9% (+5%)). It had 31 014 supplies (-185). Eight barges arrived from Etorofu Jima and will be based there to bring troops and supplies to PJ.
All transports had finished to unload supplies off PJ and reformed a convoy to sail to Etoforu Jima.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 11 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground, did 36 casualties and scored 2 hits on the runway.
In the morning two barges were destroyed and another disabled off by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
In the afternoon 28 B-24D, 12 B-25C and 10 B-17E from Dobadura, 25 B-25C from Kiriwima and 18 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 4 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 12 casualties and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 62 on the runways, 24 B-25J, 32 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair, 5 P-38G and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak and scored one hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 15 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 2 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 6 Corsair and 25 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 12 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on the runways.
No Allied aircraft was lost today against 3 Japanese. Two Jake based in Kavieng were shot down by Allied fighters, while a Mavis transport evacuating troops from Green Island from its base of Ponape was lost in an accident.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 777 supplies (-96) for 4431 (+220) required, Kavieng repaired all damage and was still building fortifications (level 7) but will stop building there to save supplies (around 800 remaining there) and Wewak also repaired all damage but still had no supplies.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Saidor to size 3 today.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 80 P-38J flew a sweep from Kai Island to Kendari, saw nothing as usual and returned without one of their number lost to engine failure. In the afternoon, 30 B-24D, 27 B-24J and 26 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari, did 160 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 73 on the runways. Koepang was bombed by 10 B-25C from Derby and reported one hit on supplies and one on a runway, while Lautem was attacked by 11 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 14 Kittyhawk III that did 12 casualties and scored 6 hits on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally but the Japanese AA fire was the main problem of Allied airmen today: two B-17E and a B-24J were shot down over Kendari and a B-25C over Koepang. Today, several undefended islands around Maumere were reckoned by Allied floatplanes.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 59% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 8/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 77%, Dili 21/0/0, Lautem 90/20/38, Amboina 41/24/0 and Kendari 43/66/0, other bases undamaged.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Kai Island to size 4 today.
SRA
A patrolling Ki-48 damaged the submarine USS Triton 120 miles WNW of Batan Island, north of Luzon.
The “Gold Convoy” reached Balikpapan and left there enough ships to load 114k oil and 42k resources. The convoy then sailed to Palembang (and will on the way send ships to Soerabaja and Batavia).
More north, Singapore sent a TK to Bankha, 3 big AK to Toboali and 6 big AK to Kuala Lumpur. They will load in these bases and then sail back to Singapore to join the “Gold Convoy”.
In Palembang, the 25th Ind Mixed Bde was created today (with 148 AV, at 76% TOE). It immediately received orders to prepare for Mandalay and boarded AP (that were sent there some days ago) to be shipped to Burma. Another Bde will be created in two weeks here and this one will remain there and defend the base.
Burma
After the heavy losses suffered the day before, most Allied air units were grounded. The only raid was launched by 51 Liberator VI and 37 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N against Mandalay airfield. The attack did 146 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 64 on the runways. A B-25C hit by AA fire crashed on the way back and another was lost operationally.
On the ground all was quiet in Katha and Myitkyina but northeast of the latter, the Allied troops were searching the jungle to track the small groups of Japanese paratroops remaining from the disastrous drop of the day before. Disorganized and almost without ammunition, the Japanese were easy prey and at the end of the day they had been annihilated. The Allied troops reported that 454 Japanese bodies and a gun were found in the area, while they had not a single dead to report!
The evening report showed damage of 100/84 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 10598 (-190). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 26/61, other base were undamaged
The 17th Div reached Myitkyina today and the city should then repulse the next attack. The situation in Katha was now more serious than in Myitkyina and the 8th Tk Rgt was ordered to leave Mandalay to reinforce this area. The 20 Ki-21 in Taung Gyi will bomb Allied troops in Katha tomorrow.
China
181 training and 39 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 24 men for two operational losses (an A6M3a and an Oscar II).
Japan
The new PC Kanju was commissioned in Tokyo, while the big AK Menado Maru was launched in Nagasaki.
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 40 B-24D and 40 B-24J from Attu escorted by 32 P-38J attacked PJ and met no CAP. The bombers did 71 casualties and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 44 on the runways, without loss. A B-24D was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 186 men and 1 gun. Allied troops on the island numbered 243 427 men (+1021), 2459 guns (+29) and 567 vehicles (+1) for 4740 AV (+37) against 124 383 men (-530), 1029 guns (-4) and 10 tankettes (-) for 2389 AV (+3).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 14/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 620 engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 37 504 supplies (+557) and 10 aircraft (9 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 9% (+5%)). It had 31 014 supplies (-185). Eight barges arrived from Etorofu Jima and will be based there to bring troops and supplies to PJ.
All transports had finished to unload supplies off PJ and reformed a convoy to sail to Etoforu Jima.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 11 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground, did 36 casualties and scored 2 hits on the runway.
In the morning two barges were destroyed and another disabled off by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
In the afternoon 28 B-24D, 12 B-25C and 10 B-17E from Dobadura, 25 B-25C from Kiriwima and 18 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 4 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 12 casualties and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 62 on the runways, 24 B-25J, 32 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair, 5 P-38G and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak and scored one hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 15 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 2 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 6 Corsair and 25 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 12 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on the runways.
No Allied aircraft was lost today against 3 Japanese. Two Jake based in Kavieng were shot down by Allied fighters, while a Mavis transport evacuating troops from Green Island from its base of Ponape was lost in an accident.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 777 supplies (-96) for 4431 (+220) required, Kavieng repaired all damage and was still building fortifications (level 7) but will stop building there to save supplies (around 800 remaining there) and Wewak also repaired all damage but still had no supplies.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Saidor to size 3 today.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning 80 P-38J flew a sweep from Kai Island to Kendari, saw nothing as usual and returned without one of their number lost to engine failure. In the afternoon, 30 B-24D, 27 B-24J and 26 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari, did 160 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 73 on the runways. Koepang was bombed by 10 B-25C from Derby and reported one hit on supplies and one on a runway, while Lautem was attacked by 11 B-25C from Darwin escorted by 14 Kittyhawk III that did 12 casualties and scored 6 hits on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally but the Japanese AA fire was the main problem of Allied airmen today: two B-17E and a B-24J were shot down over Kendari and a B-25C over Koepang. Today, several undefended islands around Maumere were reckoned by Allied floatplanes.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 59% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 8/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 77%, Dili 21/0/0, Lautem 90/20/38, Amboina 41/24/0 and Kendari 43/66/0, other bases undamaged.
Allied engineers expanded the airfield of Kai Island to size 4 today.
SRA
A patrolling Ki-48 damaged the submarine USS Triton 120 miles WNW of Batan Island, north of Luzon.
The “Gold Convoy” reached Balikpapan and left there enough ships to load 114k oil and 42k resources. The convoy then sailed to Palembang (and will on the way send ships to Soerabaja and Batavia).
More north, Singapore sent a TK to Bankha, 3 big AK to Toboali and 6 big AK to Kuala Lumpur. They will load in these bases and then sail back to Singapore to join the “Gold Convoy”.
In Palembang, the 25th Ind Mixed Bde was created today (with 148 AV, at 76% TOE). It immediately received orders to prepare for Mandalay and boarded AP (that were sent there some days ago) to be shipped to Burma. Another Bde will be created in two weeks here and this one will remain there and defend the base.
Burma
After the heavy losses suffered the day before, most Allied air units were grounded. The only raid was launched by 51 Liberator VI and 37 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N against Mandalay airfield. The attack did 146 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 64 on the runways. A B-25C hit by AA fire crashed on the way back and another was lost operationally.
On the ground all was quiet in Katha and Myitkyina but northeast of the latter, the Allied troops were searching the jungle to track the small groups of Japanese paratroops remaining from the disastrous drop of the day before. Disorganized and almost without ammunition, the Japanese were easy prey and at the end of the day they had been annihilated. The Allied troops reported that 454 Japanese bodies and a gun were found in the area, while they had not a single dead to report!
The evening report showed damage of 100/84 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 10598 (-190). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 26/61, other base were undamaged
The 17th Div reached Myitkyina today and the city should then repulse the next attack. The situation in Katha was now more serious than in Myitkyina and the 8th Tk Rgt was ordered to leave Mandalay to reinforce this area. The 20 Ki-21 in Taung Gyi will bomb Allied troops in Katha tomorrow.
China
181 training and 39 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 24 men for two operational losses (an A6M3a and an Oscar II).
Japan
The new PC Kanju was commissioned in Tokyo, while the big AK Menado Maru was launched in Nagasaki.
RE: 29 October 1943: Japanese parachutists slaugthered north of Myitkyina
Hi all,
Great stuff! [:)]
I sincerely hope that IJA troops succeded in detruction of Allied units trapped on PJ (the suspense is "killing" us)... [8D]
Leo "Apollo11"
Great stuff! [:)]
I sincerely hope that IJA troops succeded in detruction of Allied units trapped on PJ (the suspense is "killing" us)... [8D]
Leo "Apollo11"
Prior Preparation & Planning Prevents Pathetically Poor Performance!
A & B: WitW, WitE, WbtS, GGWaW, GGWaW2-AWD, HttR, CotA, BftB, CF
P: UV, WitP, WitP-AE
RE: 29 October 1943: Japanese parachutists slaugthered north of Myitkyina
I can't see how they would destroy them... It would require forces that Laurent can't muster. The best bet is to have it reinforced a bit, and hope that he can bring Forts back up.. and force the alliest to come and reinforce and resupply it on his terms, risking their fleet in the process...
Adieu Ô Dieu odieux... signé Adam
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AmiralLaurent
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30 October 1943: another still day before the storm comes
Sadly veji1 is right: destroying Allied troops in PJ is impossible. The Allied fleet will always be able to supply them, even with losses, and it will require the whole Japanese Army to defeat the Allied forces already there.
30 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the SS USS Flasher attacked on the surface a barge convoy off PJ and sank one with two torpedoes and some shells…
In the afternoon 40 B-24D and 38 B-24J from Attu escorted by 22 P-38J attacked PJ, did 81 casualties, disabled 4 guns and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 55 on the runways. A P-38J was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 26 men, Japanese ones were 152 men, 1 vehicle and 4 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 244 105 men (+678), 2484 guns (+25) and 572 vehicles (+5) for 4770 AV (+30) against 124 712 men (+329), 1037 guns (+8) and 11 tankettes (+1) for 2397 AV (+8).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 14/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 620 engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 36 815 supplies (-689) and 10 aircraft (all available). The local Emily Chutai had now 7 crews but only two aircraft and flew to Etorofu Jima to receive replacement aircraft.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 15% (+6%)). It had 30 832 supplies (-182). Six Topsy arrived from Toyohara and will ferry troops to PJ.
The barge convoy coming from OJ unloaded supplies in PJ and loaded 690 men of the 6th Aviation Rgt, as more air support was needed in OJ.
The ML squadron in Toyohara had finished laying the planned minefields off this base (10 873 counted today) and sailed with 1 MLE, 6 ML and 2 escorts to Etorofu Jima.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 11 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on the runway.
In the morning a barge was destroyed SE of Rabaul by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
In the afternoon 19 B-24D, 4 B-25C and 9 B-17E from Dobadura, 17 B-25C from Kiriwima and 17 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 11 casualties and scored 3 hits on the airbase and 38 on the runways, 24 B-25J, 33 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 5 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 18 men and scored 9 hist on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 20 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 6 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 11 Corsair and 27 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 6 on the runways.
The Allied CAP over the Admiralty Islands shot down during the day a Dinah III and a Jake.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 777 supplies (-0) for 4423 (-8) required, Wewak 12/0/0, Kavieng repaired all damage.
To reduce the air losses the range of the Japanese patrols was reduced to not include Admiralty Islands and Madang where Allied fighters shot down several aircraft daily those last days.
Blockade runners were now off Sarmi, Hollandia and Noemfoor and had not been seen by Allied airmen.
Allied engineers expanded Buna airfield to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
For once Kai Island sent two sweeps in the morning: 22 P-38J to Kendari and 19 to Menado. Both saw nothing and suffered an operational loss. In the afternoon, 25 B-24D, 21 B-24J and 16 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari, destroyed on the ground two G4M1 Betty, did 83 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 51 on the runways. Amboina was attacked by 8 B-25C from Kai Island escorted by 5 Kittyhawk III that did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 5 on the runways. A B-17E was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 64% (+5%)), Koepang had no more damage and fort 6, 80% (+3%), Dili 11/0/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 90/12/38, Amboina 42/24/0 and Kendari 49/78/0, other bases undamaged.
The Betty Chutai based in Kendari flew to Macassar to avoid Allied bombing raids.
Burma
Allied airmen increased their presence over Burma but it wasn’t still back to the normal status after the heavy losses suffered two days ago. 40 Liberator VI and 30 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N raided again Mandalay airfield, destroyed a J1N1-R Irving on the ground, did 201 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 85 on the runways. Two divisions of the garrison of Myitkyina were attacked by 34 fighter-bombers, 16 B-25J and 35 escorting P-40N from Ledo and Dimapur and lost 149 men and 3 guns. A P-40N and a Vengeance I were lost in accidents.
On the ground everything was quiet as both sides were still recovering from the last battles.
The evening report showed damage of 100/78 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11457 (-859). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/79, other base were undamaged.
China
184 training and 44 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 39 men for two operational losses (a Val and an A6M5c).
Japan
Five Japanese submarines left Nagoya and Tokyo for Saipan and will form with the two submarines remaining at Truk a submarine squadron operating from here.
The production of the Oscar II was restarted in Tokyo and Harbin, as the reserve level was now around 100 after the heavy losses of the last month.
Another new PC, the Mikura, was commissioned in Tokyo.
30 October 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the SS USS Flasher attacked on the surface a barge convoy off PJ and sank one with two torpedoes and some shells…
In the afternoon 40 B-24D and 38 B-24J from Attu escorted by 22 P-38J attacked PJ, did 81 casualties, disabled 4 guns and scored 6 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 55 on the runways. A P-38J was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 26 men, Japanese ones were 152 men, 1 vehicle and 4 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 244 105 men (+678), 2484 guns (+25) and 572 vehicles (+5) for 4770 AV (+30) against 124 712 men (+329), 1037 guns (+8) and 11 tankettes (+1) for 2397 AV (+8).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 14/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 620 engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 36 815 supplies (-689) and 10 aircraft (all available). The local Emily Chutai had now 7 crews but only two aircraft and flew to Etorofu Jima to receive replacement aircraft.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 15% (+6%)). It had 30 832 supplies (-182). Six Topsy arrived from Toyohara and will ferry troops to PJ.
The barge convoy coming from OJ unloaded supplies in PJ and loaded 690 men of the 6th Aviation Rgt, as more air support was needed in OJ.
The ML squadron in Toyohara had finished laying the planned minefields off this base (10 873 counted today) and sailed with 1 MLE, 6 ML and 2 escorts to Etorofu Jima.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 11 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on the runway.
In the morning a barge was destroyed SE of Rabaul by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
In the afternoon 19 B-24D, 4 B-25C and 9 B-17E from Dobadura, 17 B-25C from Kiriwima and 17 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 11 casualties and scored 3 hits on the airbase and 38 on the runways, 24 B-25J, 33 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 5 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 18 men and scored 9 hist on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 20 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 6 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 11 Corsair and 27 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 6 on the runways.
The Allied CAP over the Admiralty Islands shot down during the day a Dinah III and a Jake.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 777 supplies (-0) for 4423 (-8) required, Wewak 12/0/0, Kavieng repaired all damage.
To reduce the air losses the range of the Japanese patrols was reduced to not include Admiralty Islands and Madang where Allied fighters shot down several aircraft daily those last days.
Blockade runners were now off Sarmi, Hollandia and Noemfoor and had not been seen by Allied airmen.
Allied engineers expanded Buna airfield to size 4.
Timor-DEI-Australia
For once Kai Island sent two sweeps in the morning: 22 P-38J to Kendari and 19 to Menado. Both saw nothing and suffered an operational loss. In the afternoon, 25 B-24D, 21 B-24J and 16 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari, destroyed on the ground two G4M1 Betty, did 83 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 51 on the runways. Amboina was attacked by 8 B-25C from Kai Island escorted by 5 Kittyhawk III that did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 5 on the runways. A B-17E was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 64% (+5%)), Koepang had no more damage and fort 6, 80% (+3%), Dili 11/0/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 90/12/38, Amboina 42/24/0 and Kendari 49/78/0, other bases undamaged.
The Betty Chutai based in Kendari flew to Macassar to avoid Allied bombing raids.
Burma
Allied airmen increased their presence over Burma but it wasn’t still back to the normal status after the heavy losses suffered two days ago. 40 Liberator VI and 30 B-25C from Dacca escorted by 22 P-40N raided again Mandalay airfield, destroyed a J1N1-R Irving on the ground, did 201 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 9 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 85 on the runways. Two divisions of the garrison of Myitkyina were attacked by 34 fighter-bombers, 16 B-25J and 35 escorting P-40N from Ledo and Dimapur and lost 149 men and 3 guns. A P-40N and a Vengeance I were lost in accidents.
On the ground everything was quiet as both sides were still recovering from the last battles.
The evening report showed damage of 100/78 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11457 (-859). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/79, other base were undamaged.
China
184 training and 44 escort sorties were flown from Changsha and Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 39 men for two operational losses (a Val and an A6M5c).
Japan
Five Japanese submarines left Nagoya and Tokyo for Saipan and will form with the two submarines remaining at Truk a submarine squadron operating from here.
The production of the Oscar II was restarted in Tokyo and Harbin, as the reserve level was now around 100 after the heavy losses of the last month.
Another new PC, the Mikura, was commissioned in Tokyo.
RE: 30 October 1943: another still day before the storm comes
Hi all,
Ahh... I somehow hoped that it would still be possible someway... [:(]
BTW, look at the bright side - they are stuck on PJ and you know where they are - so they can't bother you elsewhere... [;)]
Leo "Apollo11"
ORIGINAL: AmiralLaurent
Sadly veji1 is right: destroying Allied troops in PJ is impossible. The Allied fleet will always be able to supply them, even with losses, and it will require the whole Japanese Army to defeat the Allied forces already there.
Ahh... I somehow hoped that it would still be possible someway... [:(]
BTW, look at the bright side - they are stuck on PJ and you know where they are - so they can't bother you elsewhere... [;)]
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
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
31 October 1943: back to the usual pounding in Burma
Leo, for each Japanese soldier in PJ there are 2.5 Allied men, and they are probably better supplies than Japanese ones. So destroying them is not an option, but I agree 100% with you that having them strandred here is a good thing.
31 October 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 41 B-24D and 35 B-24J from Attu escorted by 37 P-38J attacked PJ, did 93 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 40 on the runways. Two P-38J were lost operationally. A patrolling B-24D heavily damaged a barge off OJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 23 men, Japanese ones were 135 men and 7 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 244 579 men (+464), 2508 guns (+24) and 573 vehicles (+1) for 4797 AV (+27) against 124 339 men (-373), 1045 guns (+8) and 10 tankettes (-1) for 2400 AV (+3).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 22/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 (+1) engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 35 645 supplies (-1170) and 7 aircraft (all available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 21% (+6%)). It had 30 644 supplies (-188). The barge coming from PJ brought back 49 more aviation support squads and 23 more Topsy arrived from Toyohara to ferry troops to PJ. The local Val unit left the base to join the KB in Japan but was replaced by 19 Ki-49 that will fly naval search from there. Also a small convoy arrived with 7000 tons of fuel and scattered to unload without being attacked by Allied airmen. This fuel will be used by barges that were loading supplies and will carry it to PJ.
The Betty force gathered in Toyohara will fly south to continue to fight together with the KB. 18 Betty flew today to Marcus Island and will fly naval search from here in a first time. And 54 G4M2 flew from Shikka and Toyohara to Palau to join the Southern Betty Force. But 114 Betty still remained in the area in case Allied ships returned to the Kuriles.
The last damaged DD being in Etoforu Jima finally repaired the last FLT damage and sailed to Wakkanai and will then go to a Japanese repair yard (for a long time as SYS damage was 95…). The AR based here sailed with her under escort by 6 DD and MSW.
Central Pacific
20 big and medium AP and 4 escorts left PH for the Southern Pacific to take port in the reorganization that will be necessary in this area. They will sail first to Tarawa.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 4 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield but did no damage.
In the afternoon 27 B-24D, 7 B-25C and 11 B-17E from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, did 5 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 34 on the runways, and 24 B-25J and 15 TBF Avenger from Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Corsair and 4 Kittyhawk I and 28 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 43 casualties and scored 11 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 21 on the runways.
Another Dinah III flying a recon mission to the Admiralty Islands was shot down by the Allied CAP.
During the day Allied patrol aircraft sank two barges off Rabaul. In the evening the submarine USS Sunfish attacked a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank one with gunfire.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 639 supplies (-138) for 4408 (-15) required, Wewak no damage and 0 supplies for 2032 required and Kavieng 29/1/0 and 100 supplies for 979 required.
9 Tabby will start tomorrow to evacuate troops from Kavieng to Truk, and 24 Tina arrived in Truk from Kwajalein to join this operation (one more crashed on the way with the loss of the crew).
12 Ki-59 Theresa flew from Palau to Hollandia and will carry supply to Wewak.
Japanese blockade runners were still not seen by Allied patrols off Sarmi, Hollandia and Noemfoor. The SNLF sent to Sarmi finished unloading. Two AP loaded two Const Bn in Palau and will carry them to Sarmi and Noemfoor to build fortifications. And an ASW TF will sail again to the area west of Ulithi where an Allied submarine was again seen.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Lunga to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
There was only one raid today. Amboina was attacked in the afternoon by 9 B-25C and 3 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 12 Kittyhawk III that did 11 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 9 on the runways. A B-25C was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a Catalina I over Timor.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 68% (+4%)), Koepang had no more damage and fort 6, 84% (+4%), Dili 1/0/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 90/4/38, Amboina 43/31/0 and Kendari 49/60/0, other bases undamaged.
The IJA BF tasked to hold Wasile had now finished to unload there and started to build fortifications. A small convoy loaded a Const Bn in Palau and will carry it to this base to accelerate fort building.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” was now SW of Banjarmasin, Borneo, and split in two parts: 5 TK, 13 AK and 6 escorts sailed to Soerabaja and then Batavia, while the main convoy will sail to Balikpapan and Singapore.
The small transport TF sent from Singapore to Bankha, Toboali and Kuala Lumpur reached their destination and will load respectively 9k oil, 21k resources and 42k resources to join the Gold Convoy when it will arrive.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 407 sorties today, all against the garrison of Myitkyina: 240 fighter-bombers, 112 bombers and 55 escorts from Kohima, Jorhat, Dimapur and Dacca attacked three divisions of the garrison (468 men, 4 tanks and 14 guns hit). Four P-47C, a B-25C and a P-40N were lost in accidents.
After three days of rest, Allied forces in Myitkyina restarted their artillery pounding of Japanese lines, hitting 296 men and 2 guns. The Allied AV was 2496, the Japanese one 2485.
The evening report showed damage of 100/74 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12932 (+1475). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/74, other base were undamaged.
China
69 training and 29 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 7 men for three operational losses (two Oscar II and an A6M5c).
A new Chinese unit was seen in Yunan and another was reported between Yunan and Kunming. These units might go to Burma or at least to the Salween River and will stop the Japanese attempt to send supplies by trail from Lashio to Myitkyina. So the China Expeditionary Army was asked to do something about it and the forces in Kweiyang (2 Army HQ, 5.66 Div, 1 Bde, 3 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt and 6 Artillery units) were ordered to march to Kunming. One of the divisions holding the road east of Kweiyang will also join this army. And the China Expeditionary Army HQ will move from Wuhan to Kweilin to support this diversion attack.
The Ki-49 based in Hanoi were ordered to bomb Yunan airfield tomorrow.
27 Kate having finished basic training in Manchoukuo arrived in Wuhan to fly operational training.
Japan
The KB arrived in Tokyo this afternoon after four month of intense operations in the North. It was now a shadow of the powerful fleet that left on 4 July 1943, despite having received as reinforcements most of the available Japanese warships.
On 4 July 1943 the KB strength was 10 CV and 4 CVL carrying 675 aircraft, 7 BB, 9 CA, 7 CL and 36 DD (all with 0 SYS).
Today the fleet returned with 11 CV and 4 CVL (two CVL had been damaged, but two other and a CV joined the fleet) but they only carried 350 aircraft and the escort had been reduced to 1 CA, 2 CL and 14 DD. SYS damage of the ships was between 7 and 0.
Anyway the KB unloaded all its air units and all available Zero, Val and Kate training unit having experience over 65 (some of them were waiting in Japan the return of the KB, while 33 A6M5, 25 Val, 24 Kate and 23 A6M3a flew from China to Japan having just finished their operational training tour). The KB air units will be recompleted and upgraded with new models. Two Val units already at full strength received new Judy model when they reached Tokyo.
The vulnerability of the KB was total for some days but submarines an picket boats (small AK) were deployed between Japan and Aleutians to see a coming Allied raid (the goal here being to cover the passage of the convoy carrying the main body of the 2nd Div from Toyohara to Marcus Island).
30 big and medium AP and 3 escorts left Kitakyushu for the Southern Pacific to take port in the reorganization that will be necessary in this area.
31 October 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 41 B-24D and 35 B-24J from Attu escorted by 37 P-38J attacked PJ, did 93 casualties, disabled 2 guns and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 40 on the runways. Two P-38J were lost operationally. A patrolling B-24D heavily damaged a barge off OJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 23 men, Japanese ones were 135 men and 7 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 244 579 men (+464), 2508 guns (+24) and 573 vehicles (+1) for 4797 AV (+27) against 124 339 men (-373), 1045 guns (+8) and 10 tankettes (-1) for 2400 AV (+3).
The evening report of PJ showed a damage at 22/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 (+1) engineers repairing it before building fortifications (level 5, 7% (+0%)). The base had 35 645 supplies (-1170) and 7 aircraft (all available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 21% (+6%)). It had 30 644 supplies (-188). The barge coming from PJ brought back 49 more aviation support squads and 23 more Topsy arrived from Toyohara to ferry troops to PJ. The local Val unit left the base to join the KB in Japan but was replaced by 19 Ki-49 that will fly naval search from there. Also a small convoy arrived with 7000 tons of fuel and scattered to unload without being attacked by Allied airmen. This fuel will be used by barges that were loading supplies and will carry it to PJ.
The Betty force gathered in Toyohara will fly south to continue to fight together with the KB. 18 Betty flew today to Marcus Island and will fly naval search from here in a first time. And 54 G4M2 flew from Shikka and Toyohara to Palau to join the Southern Betty Force. But 114 Betty still remained in the area in case Allied ships returned to the Kuriles.
The last damaged DD being in Etoforu Jima finally repaired the last FLT damage and sailed to Wakkanai and will then go to a Japanese repair yard (for a long time as SYS damage was 95…). The AR based here sailed with her under escort by 6 DD and MSW.
Central Pacific
20 big and medium AP and 4 escorts left PH for the Southern Pacific to take port in the reorganization that will be necessary in this area. They will sail first to Tarawa.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 4 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield but did no damage.
In the afternoon 27 B-24D, 7 B-25C and 11 B-17E from Dobadura bombed Rabaul, did 5 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 34 on the runways, and 24 B-25J and 15 TBF Avenger from Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Corsair and 4 Kittyhawk I and 28 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 43 casualties and scored 11 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 21 on the runways.
Another Dinah III flying a recon mission to the Admiralty Islands was shot down by the Allied CAP.
During the day Allied patrol aircraft sank two barges off Rabaul. In the evening the submarine USS Sunfish attacked a barge convoy off Kavieng and sank one with gunfire.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 639 supplies (-138) for 4408 (-15) required, Wewak no damage and 0 supplies for 2032 required and Kavieng 29/1/0 and 100 supplies for 979 required.
9 Tabby will start tomorrow to evacuate troops from Kavieng to Truk, and 24 Tina arrived in Truk from Kwajalein to join this operation (one more crashed on the way with the loss of the crew).
12 Ki-59 Theresa flew from Palau to Hollandia and will carry supply to Wewak.
Japanese blockade runners were still not seen by Allied patrols off Sarmi, Hollandia and Noemfoor. The SNLF sent to Sarmi finished unloading. Two AP loaded two Const Bn in Palau and will carry them to Sarmi and Noemfoor to build fortifications. And an ASW TF will sail again to the area west of Ulithi where an Allied submarine was again seen.
Japanese engineers expanded the port of Lunga to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
There was only one raid today. Amboina was attacked in the afternoon by 9 B-25C and 3 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 12 Kittyhawk III that did 11 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 9 on the runways. A B-25C was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a Catalina I over Timor.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 68% (+4%)), Koepang had no more damage and fort 6, 84% (+4%), Dili 1/0/0 (system/runway/port), Lautem 90/4/38, Amboina 43/31/0 and Kendari 49/60/0, other bases undamaged.
The IJA BF tasked to hold Wasile had now finished to unload there and started to build fortifications. A small convoy loaded a Const Bn in Palau and will carry it to this base to accelerate fort building.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” was now SW of Banjarmasin, Borneo, and split in two parts: 5 TK, 13 AK and 6 escorts sailed to Soerabaja and then Batavia, while the main convoy will sail to Balikpapan and Singapore.
The small transport TF sent from Singapore to Bankha, Toboali and Kuala Lumpur reached their destination and will load respectively 9k oil, 21k resources and 42k resources to join the Gold Convoy when it will arrive.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 407 sorties today, all against the garrison of Myitkyina: 240 fighter-bombers, 112 bombers and 55 escorts from Kohima, Jorhat, Dimapur and Dacca attacked three divisions of the garrison (468 men, 4 tanks and 14 guns hit). Four P-47C, a B-25C and a P-40N were lost in accidents.
After three days of rest, Allied forces in Myitkyina restarted their artillery pounding of Japanese lines, hitting 296 men and 2 guns. The Allied AV was 2496, the Japanese one 2485.
The evening report showed damage of 100/74 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12932 (+1475). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/74, other base were undamaged.
China
69 training and 29 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 7 men for three operational losses (two Oscar II and an A6M5c).
A new Chinese unit was seen in Yunan and another was reported between Yunan and Kunming. These units might go to Burma or at least to the Salween River and will stop the Japanese attempt to send supplies by trail from Lashio to Myitkyina. So the China Expeditionary Army was asked to do something about it and the forces in Kweiyang (2 Army HQ, 5.66 Div, 1 Bde, 3 Eng Rgt, 1 Tk Rgt and 6 Artillery units) were ordered to march to Kunming. One of the divisions holding the road east of Kweiyang will also join this army. And the China Expeditionary Army HQ will move from Wuhan to Kweilin to support this diversion attack.
The Ki-49 based in Hanoi were ordered to bomb Yunan airfield tomorrow.
27 Kate having finished basic training in Manchoukuo arrived in Wuhan to fly operational training.
Japan
The KB arrived in Tokyo this afternoon after four month of intense operations in the North. It was now a shadow of the powerful fleet that left on 4 July 1943, despite having received as reinforcements most of the available Japanese warships.
On 4 July 1943 the KB strength was 10 CV and 4 CVL carrying 675 aircraft, 7 BB, 9 CA, 7 CL and 36 DD (all with 0 SYS).
Today the fleet returned with 11 CV and 4 CVL (two CVL had been damaged, but two other and a CV joined the fleet) but they only carried 350 aircraft and the escort had been reduced to 1 CA, 2 CL and 14 DD. SYS damage of the ships was between 7 and 0.
Anyway the KB unloaded all its air units and all available Zero, Val and Kate training unit having experience over 65 (some of them were waiting in Japan the return of the KB, while 33 A6M5, 25 Val, 24 Kate and 23 A6M3a flew from China to Japan having just finished their operational training tour). The KB air units will be recompleted and upgraded with new models. Two Val units already at full strength received new Judy model when they reached Tokyo.
The vulnerability of the KB was total for some days but submarines an picket boats (small AK) were deployed between Japan and Aleutians to see a coming Allied raid (the goal here being to cover the passage of the convoy carrying the main body of the 2nd Div from Toyohara to Marcus Island).
30 big and medium AP and 3 escorts left Kitakyushu for the Southern Pacific to take port in the reorganization that will be necessary in this area.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
Monthly report of October 1943
Monthly report October 1943
Japanese score: 64 593 (+ 2 672)
Bases 16 202 (+ 21)
Aircraft 14 357 (+ 1 240)
Army 22 009 (+ 694)
Ship 11 238 (+ 660) 724 ships sunk (+ 75, including 2 CA, 3 CL, 26 DD…)
Scuttled ships 29 (+ 17)
Strategic 758 (+ 40)
Allied score: 14 279 (+ 2 773)
Bases 1 457 (+ 38)
Aircraft 8 291 (+ 1 434)
Army 1 478 (+ 196)
Ship 3 056 (+ 1 100) 249 ships sunk (+ 50)
Strategic 0
Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 4 671 000 (bases) + around 160 000 (TFs) = around 4 831 000 (+195 000)
Fuel : 4 408 000 (bases) + around 191 000 (TFs) = around 4 599 000 (-24 000)
Ressource centers : 19 247 (+ 50)
Ressources : 1 358 000 (bases) + 92 000 (TFs) = 1 450 000 (- 29 000)
Oil centers : 2 791 (+ 0)
Oil: 2 284 000 (bases) + 140 000 (TFs) = 2 424 000 (+ 57 000)
Manpower centers : 818 (+ 0)
Manpower pool : 1 306 000 (+ 109 000)
Heavy industry: 14 268 (+ 21)
Heavy industry pool: 454 000 (+ 15 000)
Naval shipyard: 1402 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 1043 (+ 0)
Armament industry: 683 (+ 0)
Armament stock: 231 000 (+ 18 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 22 700 (+ 3 400)
Aircraft engine factories: 1693 (+ 0)
Aircraft frames factories: 1720 (+ 171) (Jill in production)
Aircraft research: 306 (- 77) (George, Frances, Frank researched)
Aircraft production:
498 A6M5 Zeke (462), 256 B6N Jill (251), 167 D4Y Judy (159), 135 Ki-61 KAIc Tony (123), 92 G4M2 Betty (86), 56 J2M Jack (48), 34 A6M5c (31), 33 Ki-46-III Dinah (31), 29 J1N1-S Irving (23), 21 Ki-21 Sally (20), 20 E13A1 Jake (20), 16 A6M-2 Rufe (14), 14 Ki-57 Topsy (10), 11 Ki-44-IIb Tojo (57, restarted at the end of the month), 11 B5N Kate (0, all factories converted to Jill), 10 L2D2 Tabby (10), 9 Ki-43-IIa (159, restarted at the end of the month), 8 L3Y Tina (5), 4 H8K Emily (32, restarted at the end of the month), 4 E14Y1 Glen (4), 3 D3A Val (0, all factories converted to Judy), 0 Ki-45 KAIa Nick (44, suspended), 0 Ki-48 (capacity 40, stopped), 0 Ki-45 KAIb Nick (25, suspended), 0 Ki-49 Helen (23, suspended), 0 Ki-51 Sonia (18, stopped), 0 J1N1-R Irving (16, suspended), 0 MC-21 Sally (5, suspended), 0 H6K2-L Mavis (4, suspended)
Total: 1432 aircraft (725 fighters (including 16 Rufes), 267 torpedo bombers, 170 divebombers, 113 level bombers, 34 fighter-bombers, 33 recon, 32 transport, 29 night-fighters, 24 floatplanes, 4 patrol aircraft)
Japanese score: 64 593 (+ 2 672)
Bases 16 202 (+ 21)
Aircraft 14 357 (+ 1 240)
Army 22 009 (+ 694)
Ship 11 238 (+ 660) 724 ships sunk (+ 75, including 2 CA, 3 CL, 26 DD…)
Scuttled ships 29 (+ 17)
Strategic 758 (+ 40)
Allied score: 14 279 (+ 2 773)
Bases 1 457 (+ 38)
Aircraft 8 291 (+ 1 434)
Army 1 478 (+ 196)
Ship 3 056 (+ 1 100) 249 ships sunk (+ 50)
Strategic 0
Economic situation (stocks rounded to the thousand):
Supplies : 4 671 000 (bases) + around 160 000 (TFs) = around 4 831 000 (+195 000)
Fuel : 4 408 000 (bases) + around 191 000 (TFs) = around 4 599 000 (-24 000)
Ressource centers : 19 247 (+ 50)
Ressources : 1 358 000 (bases) + 92 000 (TFs) = 1 450 000 (- 29 000)
Oil centers : 2 791 (+ 0)
Oil: 2 284 000 (bases) + 140 000 (TFs) = 2 424 000 (+ 57 000)
Manpower centers : 818 (+ 0)
Manpower pool : 1 306 000 (+ 109 000)
Heavy industry: 14 268 (+ 21)
Heavy industry pool: 454 000 (+ 15 000)
Naval shipyard: 1402 (+ 0)
Merchant shipyard: 1000 (+ 0)
Repair shipyard: 1043 (+ 0)
Armament industry: 683 (+ 0)
Armament stock: 231 000 (+ 18 000)
Vehicles industry: 113 (+ 0)
Vehicles stock: 22 700 (+ 3 400)
Aircraft engine factories: 1693 (+ 0)
Aircraft frames factories: 1720 (+ 171) (Jill in production)
Aircraft research: 306 (- 77) (George, Frances, Frank researched)
Aircraft production:
498 A6M5 Zeke (462), 256 B6N Jill (251), 167 D4Y Judy (159), 135 Ki-61 KAIc Tony (123), 92 G4M2 Betty (86), 56 J2M Jack (48), 34 A6M5c (31), 33 Ki-46-III Dinah (31), 29 J1N1-S Irving (23), 21 Ki-21 Sally (20), 20 E13A1 Jake (20), 16 A6M-2 Rufe (14), 14 Ki-57 Topsy (10), 11 Ki-44-IIb Tojo (57, restarted at the end of the month), 11 B5N Kate (0, all factories converted to Jill), 10 L2D2 Tabby (10), 9 Ki-43-IIa (159, restarted at the end of the month), 8 L3Y Tina (5), 4 H8K Emily (32, restarted at the end of the month), 4 E14Y1 Glen (4), 3 D3A Val (0, all factories converted to Judy), 0 Ki-45 KAIa Nick (44, suspended), 0 Ki-48 (capacity 40, stopped), 0 Ki-45 KAIb Nick (25, suspended), 0 Ki-49 Helen (23, suspended), 0 Ki-51 Sonia (18, stopped), 0 J1N1-R Irving (16, suspended), 0 MC-21 Sally (5, suspended), 0 H6K2-L Mavis (4, suspended)
Total: 1432 aircraft (725 fighters (including 16 Rufes), 267 torpedo bombers, 170 divebombers, 113 level bombers, 34 fighter-bombers, 33 recon, 32 transport, 29 night-fighters, 24 floatplanes, 4 patrol aircraft)
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
Strategic analysis, start of November 1943
Strategic situation, start of November 1943
I) Burma (and China):
The battle for Northern Burma is now raging for more than four months (the Allied troops reached Myitkyina on 11 June and Katha five days later) but the situation was now critical and this area was probably the most probable place in the Empire for a disaster to happen. Allied troops were now attacking from four bases (along the coast to Akyab, from Imphal/Kohima to Katha, from Ledo to Myitkyina and from Yunan to Myitkyina). Each of these thrusts is studied below:
_ the Allied advance on Akyab (by an Indian Div, a Chinese Corps and a third, unidentified unit) should be stopped by the 55th Div and fortifications level 9, and anyway the Allied troops will arrive in 6-8 weeks so this area is not the priority.
_ at Katha, Allied troops should be surrounded in three weeks. Allied units will take at least one month and maybe two to break the surrounding circle. The main risk will be to be defeated at Katha before this date (as Allied AV is 2.5 times more than Japanese one). Field fortifications here are level 5 for several units and so should resist Allied attacks, but reinforcements will come from Mandalay too
_ Myitkyina is the main battlefield and the key here is supplies. Thanks to the marvellous WITP land model, new Japanese units can arrive by the railway but not supplies, and units may only leave the city by the trail SE of it... and will march 3 months to reach Lashio. So the only possibility is to hold the city and open a supply path by this trail that is currently under Chinese control but has no more Allied unit on it. This is the task of the 28th Army that is currently marching out of the mountains SW of Myitkyina to Lashio. As soon as it will have reached Lashio it will march east to defend the trail. The supply path itself will be opened by a Const Bn being already along the Salween River. It will cross it in two-three weeks and will then cross it again towards Myitkyina one month later. So Myitkyina should hold at least one month and a half...
_ Chinese units from Yunan might cut again this supply path... so the task of the 28th Army (with the 3rd Tk Div as his main unit) will be to hold the trail 120 miles east of Lashio and repulse any Chinese unit marching there from Yunan. The China Expeditionary Army will launch a new major offensive against Kunming to assure that Chinese forces won't go in force to this area.
_ a Bde recently created in Palembang is currently sailing to Burma. In the next weeks, a Bde will be transferred there from China and two other will be created in Bangkok and Camranh Bay and will go to Burma too. All these troops will prepare to defend Mandalay, that will be the place to hold if either Katha or Myitkyina fell before a supply path could be established.
_ the next month will be decisive... If Myitkyina fell, the situation will become really bad for Japan with its main force thrown in the jungle and with at least three months to reach Lashio... while Allied forces will advance on the railway to Mandalay. So preparing to defend Mandalay is critical.
II) Kuriles
Japanese staff officers have probably said that already three of four times before events proved the contrary but "the situation in the North is now under control". The Allied offensive in PJ was stopped even before a new division arrived there and so will need several new Allied divisions to restart. The great numbers of engineers in the Japanese base was also allowing to repair most damage done by Allied heavy bombers, and to build fortifications if they don't bomb one day. So situation should in fact improve with time (at least if Allied bombers are grounded sometimes by bad weather...). The only problem with PJ is to keep it supplied. The base is using around 1000 supplies a day and despite Allied submarines AK will be sent with light/no escort to bring supplies to this base.
By the way the fact that P-38J can reach PJ and OJ from the Aleutians made then unbearable airfields in normal circumstances and only patrol and recon units will be based there.
The Japanese objective in the next weeks will be:
_ to finish to reorganize the units used in the OJ operations, and to bring together units fragments scattered here and there.
_ to build OJ port and then forts, and PJ forts
_ to bring more supplies in both places
_ and to keep an eye on Allied activities in Aleutians
AFAIK the Allied CV are still at Kiska, and Attu and this base still have hundred of ships and tens of units. I already said once that the Allied should now retreat from PJ and they sent more troops, but I now think an Allied evacuation is more probable than a new offensive. Given the recent naval losses, the IJN can no more contest the control of the sea in the area and so will do little either against a reinforcement or an evacuation operation, but Japanese LBA might do something if an opportunity arises.
PJ is safe, OJ is well defended and will be well fortified in the next weeks. More south Ketoi Jima will be occupied by a regiment-sized fragment and Etorofu Jima is held by a Bde and has fort 9.
III) DEI and New Guinea
Of the three Allied offensives launched so far, the advance from Australia is the weakest, but as Japanese forces in the area were even weaker it is the only one so far to have taken ground. On the other hand none of the retaken bases (Gili Gili on 16th May, Goodenough Island on 25th, Buna on 7th June, Dobadura on 9th, Kiriwima on 13th, Lae and Woodlark Island on 22nd August, Salamaua on 28th , Finschafen on 2 September, Madang on 17th, Hansa on 19th, Saidor on 21st, Kai Island on 1st October and Admiralty Islands on 16th) had been defended by Japanese troops, and air and sea battles were not especially intense. With major crisis in Burma and the Kuriles, these areas were left to their own weak forces by the Japanese command.
But now the situation here was though to be serious enough to send serious reinforcements in this area. In these two areas, Kendari and Truk were the only real Japanese active bases, while other bases were used for air ambushes or quick bombing raids. But since two weeks, Kendari airfield had to be abandoned after repeated attacks by P-38J and Truk will probably suffer the same fate in some time.
And with both of these bases neutralized the next Allied advance will bring them close to places too important to be neglected. The Mariana Islands, Mindanao, or Borneo, were just behind the next screen of Japanese bases, and this screen was reinforced since some months but probably too thin to support an Allied attack.
At the end of the Japanese advance at the start of the year the Japanese High Command was expecting that the Allied will counter attack in the Pacific, either because they might grab an atoll and leave before the KB could react, and because by doing so they may reopen a direct supply path for Australia. So many Japanese troops were left in this area. More and more troops have been retired from this area since the Allied offensives in Burma and the Kuriles, and more will follow now to man defensive positions in the Marianas.
The Allied advance along New Guinea bypassed the Solomons. Rabaul and Kavieng were now useless as Japanese bases and their garrisons were starving. Solomon bases still had some supplies and were not attacked by air, but were almost useless as offensive bases on the Allied flank. So they will mainly be abandoned for more useful defensive positions north and east of them. This will be done as soon as possible by aircraft or by ship when it will be possible (at Lunga for example).
One of the problems to do this massive redeployment is the lack of ships in the area but many transport will be sent (or are already sailing) from PH and Japan to this area.
In DEI more troops were available to hold the main bases (and several new brigades will be created locally in the next weeks) but there were too many small bases to hold all of them, and the Allied air force was too powerful to be countered. But the Allied had not so much troops and ships in the area, compared to New Guinea.
On the other hand the recent battles off Kai and Admiralty Islands showed the vulnerability of Allied invasion forces even under LRCAP cover. Relatively weak Japanese forces managed to sink some Allied ships and damage some more. So the idea is to send there enough air and sea power to do the same but with far more strength. Most Allied CV were in the North, and so sending there a weakened KB was possible.
So the KB will spend a week to reorganize and upgrade air units (Jill and Judy will be far more surviceable than Kate and Val) in Tokyo and then the combat worthy units will sail aboard the faster CV under escort by the remaining Japanese surface warships. A strong force of Betty will also be gathered in Palau while the fighter units that will be created in two weeks in Japan will also join this force. And then this force will wait for an Allied invasion force to be seen and will strike it when it will arrive off its target, when the Allied LRCAP will be out of range or near to it.
I) Burma (and China):
The battle for Northern Burma is now raging for more than four months (the Allied troops reached Myitkyina on 11 June and Katha five days later) but the situation was now critical and this area was probably the most probable place in the Empire for a disaster to happen. Allied troops were now attacking from four bases (along the coast to Akyab, from Imphal/Kohima to Katha, from Ledo to Myitkyina and from Yunan to Myitkyina). Each of these thrusts is studied below:
_ the Allied advance on Akyab (by an Indian Div, a Chinese Corps and a third, unidentified unit) should be stopped by the 55th Div and fortifications level 9, and anyway the Allied troops will arrive in 6-8 weeks so this area is not the priority.
_ at Katha, Allied troops should be surrounded in three weeks. Allied units will take at least one month and maybe two to break the surrounding circle. The main risk will be to be defeated at Katha before this date (as Allied AV is 2.5 times more than Japanese one). Field fortifications here are level 5 for several units and so should resist Allied attacks, but reinforcements will come from Mandalay too
_ Myitkyina is the main battlefield and the key here is supplies. Thanks to the marvellous WITP land model, new Japanese units can arrive by the railway but not supplies, and units may only leave the city by the trail SE of it... and will march 3 months to reach Lashio. So the only possibility is to hold the city and open a supply path by this trail that is currently under Chinese control but has no more Allied unit on it. This is the task of the 28th Army that is currently marching out of the mountains SW of Myitkyina to Lashio. As soon as it will have reached Lashio it will march east to defend the trail. The supply path itself will be opened by a Const Bn being already along the Salween River. It will cross it in two-three weeks and will then cross it again towards Myitkyina one month later. So Myitkyina should hold at least one month and a half...
_ Chinese units from Yunan might cut again this supply path... so the task of the 28th Army (with the 3rd Tk Div as his main unit) will be to hold the trail 120 miles east of Lashio and repulse any Chinese unit marching there from Yunan. The China Expeditionary Army will launch a new major offensive against Kunming to assure that Chinese forces won't go in force to this area.
_ a Bde recently created in Palembang is currently sailing to Burma. In the next weeks, a Bde will be transferred there from China and two other will be created in Bangkok and Camranh Bay and will go to Burma too. All these troops will prepare to defend Mandalay, that will be the place to hold if either Katha or Myitkyina fell before a supply path could be established.
_ the next month will be decisive... If Myitkyina fell, the situation will become really bad for Japan with its main force thrown in the jungle and with at least three months to reach Lashio... while Allied forces will advance on the railway to Mandalay. So preparing to defend Mandalay is critical.
II) Kuriles
Japanese staff officers have probably said that already three of four times before events proved the contrary but "the situation in the North is now under control". The Allied offensive in PJ was stopped even before a new division arrived there and so will need several new Allied divisions to restart. The great numbers of engineers in the Japanese base was also allowing to repair most damage done by Allied heavy bombers, and to build fortifications if they don't bomb one day. So situation should in fact improve with time (at least if Allied bombers are grounded sometimes by bad weather...). The only problem with PJ is to keep it supplied. The base is using around 1000 supplies a day and despite Allied submarines AK will be sent with light/no escort to bring supplies to this base.
By the way the fact that P-38J can reach PJ and OJ from the Aleutians made then unbearable airfields in normal circumstances and only patrol and recon units will be based there.
The Japanese objective in the next weeks will be:
_ to finish to reorganize the units used in the OJ operations, and to bring together units fragments scattered here and there.
_ to build OJ port and then forts, and PJ forts
_ to bring more supplies in both places
_ and to keep an eye on Allied activities in Aleutians
AFAIK the Allied CV are still at Kiska, and Attu and this base still have hundred of ships and tens of units. I already said once that the Allied should now retreat from PJ and they sent more troops, but I now think an Allied evacuation is more probable than a new offensive. Given the recent naval losses, the IJN can no more contest the control of the sea in the area and so will do little either against a reinforcement or an evacuation operation, but Japanese LBA might do something if an opportunity arises.
PJ is safe, OJ is well defended and will be well fortified in the next weeks. More south Ketoi Jima will be occupied by a regiment-sized fragment and Etorofu Jima is held by a Bde and has fort 9.
III) DEI and New Guinea
Of the three Allied offensives launched so far, the advance from Australia is the weakest, but as Japanese forces in the area were even weaker it is the only one so far to have taken ground. On the other hand none of the retaken bases (Gili Gili on 16th May, Goodenough Island on 25th, Buna on 7th June, Dobadura on 9th, Kiriwima on 13th, Lae and Woodlark Island on 22nd August, Salamaua on 28th , Finschafen on 2 September, Madang on 17th, Hansa on 19th, Saidor on 21st, Kai Island on 1st October and Admiralty Islands on 16th) had been defended by Japanese troops, and air and sea battles were not especially intense. With major crisis in Burma and the Kuriles, these areas were left to their own weak forces by the Japanese command.
But now the situation here was though to be serious enough to send serious reinforcements in this area. In these two areas, Kendari and Truk were the only real Japanese active bases, while other bases were used for air ambushes or quick bombing raids. But since two weeks, Kendari airfield had to be abandoned after repeated attacks by P-38J and Truk will probably suffer the same fate in some time.
And with both of these bases neutralized the next Allied advance will bring them close to places too important to be neglected. The Mariana Islands, Mindanao, or Borneo, were just behind the next screen of Japanese bases, and this screen was reinforced since some months but probably too thin to support an Allied attack.
At the end of the Japanese advance at the start of the year the Japanese High Command was expecting that the Allied will counter attack in the Pacific, either because they might grab an atoll and leave before the KB could react, and because by doing so they may reopen a direct supply path for Australia. So many Japanese troops were left in this area. More and more troops have been retired from this area since the Allied offensives in Burma and the Kuriles, and more will follow now to man defensive positions in the Marianas.
The Allied advance along New Guinea bypassed the Solomons. Rabaul and Kavieng were now useless as Japanese bases and their garrisons were starving. Solomon bases still had some supplies and were not attacked by air, but were almost useless as offensive bases on the Allied flank. So they will mainly be abandoned for more useful defensive positions north and east of them. This will be done as soon as possible by aircraft or by ship when it will be possible (at Lunga for example).
One of the problems to do this massive redeployment is the lack of ships in the area but many transport will be sent (or are already sailing) from PH and Japan to this area.
In DEI more troops were available to hold the main bases (and several new brigades will be created locally in the next weeks) but there were too many small bases to hold all of them, and the Allied air force was too powerful to be countered. But the Allied had not so much troops and ships in the area, compared to New Guinea.
On the other hand the recent battles off Kai and Admiralty Islands showed the vulnerability of Allied invasion forces even under LRCAP cover. Relatively weak Japanese forces managed to sink some Allied ships and damage some more. So the idea is to send there enough air and sea power to do the same but with far more strength. Most Allied CV were in the North, and so sending there a weakened KB was possible.
So the KB will spend a week to reorganize and upgrade air units (Jill and Judy will be far more surviceable than Kate and Val) in Tokyo and then the combat worthy units will sail aboard the faster CV under escort by the remaining Japanese surface warships. A strong force of Betty will also be gathered in Palau while the fighter units that will be created in two weeks in Japan will also join this force. And then this force will wait for an Allied invasion force to be seen and will strike it when it will arrive off its target, when the Allied LRCAP will be out of range or near to it.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
1 November 1943: KB reorganized in Japan
1 November 1943
Northern Pacific
Patroling PBM Mariners sank a barge off OJ in the morning and were more successful in the afternoon, bombing the AK Bisan Maru (damage 25/6/23).
The daily recon of Kiska reported that the Allied CVs were still there, as 163 F6F and 24 FM-2 were flying CAP among other types. A G4M2 Betty was shot down in the area by one of these fighters.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 46 men, Japanese ones were 187 men and 5 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 245 706 men (+1127), 2529 guns (+21) and 577 vehicles (+4) for 4816 AV (+19) against 125 262 men (+923), 1048 guns (+3) and 11 tankettes (+1) for 2415 AV (+15).
The evening report of PJ showed no more damage and 621 (+1) engineers building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+11%)). The base had 35 065 supplies (-580) and 7 aircraft (all available). Seven Emily returned from Etorofu Jima to this base.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 24% (+3%)). It had 30 192 supplies (-452, barges brought some to PJ). One of the Topsy Chutais based here finished ti ferry the last men of the 21st Eng Rgt to PJ and will now bring troops of the 2nd Div to Toyohara.
The ML squadron formerly based in Toyohara arrived in Etorofu Jima. The MLE disbanded in the port and the 6 ML will operate from there. An ASW TF of 2 PC and 2 MSW was sent to Ketoi Jima to check if an Allied submarine was still there.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 6 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground and scored 1 hit on the runway. AA fire shot down of the attacker.
In the afternoon 17 B-24D, 4 B-25C and 7 B-17E from Dobadura and 27 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 22 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 42 on the runways.
A barge was sunk by a B-24D off Green Island and another off Rabaul by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Lae. Two barges survived off Rabaul in the evening and were disbanded in the port to refuel.
A Mavis transport was lost in an accident while evacuating troops from Green Island.
In the evening the submarine USS Gudgeon was chased by the 6 ships of a Japanese ASW group west of Ulithi and was depth charged by the DD Harusame that scored a hit and 3 near-misses. The submarine wasn’t heavily damaged and escaped.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 544 supplies (-95) for 4400 (-8) required, Wewak no damage and 31 (+31, brought by air) supplies for 1872 (-160) required and Kavieng repaired all damage and 424 (+324) supplies for 599 (-380) required.
The 24 Tina now based in Truk will start tomorrow to evacuate the 9th Eng Rgt from Kavieng.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was bombed by 24 B-25C from Derby and reported 40 casualties, a disabled gun, a hit on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 21 on the runways, while Lautem was attacked by 6 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 9 Kittyhawk III that scored 1 hit on the runway and 9 B-25C from Kai Island escorted by 16 P-38J and 2 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring two hits on the runway. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C and a PBY over Koepang, and a P-38J was lost operationally. On the Japanese side a Dinah III was shot down by an Allied fighter during a recon mission to Kai Island.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 73% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 7/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK (but didn’t build anything to spare supplies), Lautem 87/0/38, Amboina 43/24/0, Kendari 49/37/0, Sorong had repaired all damage before the evening and other bases were undamaged.
SRA
The submarine USS Grampus, hit on 18 October north of Luzon by a Ki-48, sank during the night 240 miles ENE of Morotai while trying to return to an Allied base.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 140 sorties today: 70 LRCAP sorties (18 over Akyab and 52 over Myitkyina) and 70 against the 1st Tk Div in Myitkyina: 30 fighter-bombers, 24 bombers and 16 escorts from Dimapur and Dacca hit 65 men and 3 tanks. A P-40N was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina and two other were lost operationally.
On the ground, Allied forces in Myitkyina continued their artillery pounding of Japanese lines, hitting 238 men and 6 guns. The Allied AV was 2545 (+49), the Japanese one 2476 (-9). More west Allied forces in Katha also restarted artillery fire against the enemy lines and hit 96 men and 6 guns. There the Allied AV was 1198, the Japanese one 700.
The evening report showed damage of 100/70 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12638 (-294). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/57, other base were undamaged.
China
44 Ki-49 and 12 Ki-48 from Hanoi and Kweiyang bombed Yunan airfield and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 34 on runways, doing 34 casualties.
59 training and 32 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 32 men for no loss.
The 67th Chinese Division was identified by Japanese recon aircrew east of Yunan and reached this city during the day.
Hanoi and Kweiyang bombers were grounded in the evening for some rest.
Japan
The last units to be used to rebuild the air units of Kido Butai arrived in Tokyo from China. There were 272 fighters, 179 dive bombers and 131 torpedo bombers. Five Kate units were upgraded to Jill, and two Val units were upgraded to Judy. Three other Val units were brought to full strength but there were no more Judy available to upgrade them. And the last KB fighter unit to have A6M3a received A6M5 Zeke. But seven CV fighter units (BI-1, BII-1, EIII-1, JI-1, JII-1, F1/653rd and F2/653rd) were degraded to training status.
Finally, after much fragment shuffling and disbanding, the KB had at the end of the day the following strength:
_ 261 A6M5
_ 86 Judy and 78 Val
_ 107 Jill and 20 Kate
And the reorganization will continue tomorrow, while more Japanese surface warships will arrive from all over Japan.
Northern Pacific
Patroling PBM Mariners sank a barge off OJ in the morning and were more successful in the afternoon, bombing the AK Bisan Maru (damage 25/6/23).
The daily recon of Kiska reported that the Allied CVs were still there, as 163 F6F and 24 FM-2 were flying CAP among other types. A G4M2 Betty was shot down in the area by one of these fighters.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 46 men, Japanese ones were 187 men and 5 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 245 706 men (+1127), 2529 guns (+21) and 577 vehicles (+4) for 4816 AV (+19) against 125 262 men (+923), 1048 guns (+3) and 11 tankettes (+1) for 2415 AV (+15).
The evening report of PJ showed no more damage and 621 (+1) engineers building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+11%)). The base had 35 065 supplies (-580) and 7 aircraft (all available). Seven Emily returned from Etorofu Jima to this base.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 24% (+3%)). It had 30 192 supplies (-452, barges brought some to PJ). One of the Topsy Chutais based here finished ti ferry the last men of the 21st Eng Rgt to PJ and will now bring troops of the 2nd Div to Toyohara.
The ML squadron formerly based in Toyohara arrived in Etorofu Jima. The MLE disbanded in the port and the 6 ML will operate from there. An ASW TF of 2 PC and 2 MSW was sent to Ketoi Jima to check if an Allied submarine was still there.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 6 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield, destroyed a F4F-4 on the ground and scored 1 hit on the runway. AA fire shot down of the attacker.
In the afternoon 17 B-24D, 4 B-25C and 7 B-17E from Dobadura and 27 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 22 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 42 on the runways.
A barge was sunk by a B-24D off Green Island and another off Rabaul by 12 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Lae. Two barges survived off Rabaul in the evening and were disbanded in the port to refuel.
A Mavis transport was lost in an accident while evacuating troops from Green Island.
In the evening the submarine USS Gudgeon was chased by the 6 ships of a Japanese ASW group west of Ulithi and was depth charged by the DD Harusame that scored a hit and 3 near-misses. The submarine wasn’t heavily damaged and escaped.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 544 supplies (-95) for 4400 (-8) required, Wewak no damage and 31 (+31, brought by air) supplies for 1872 (-160) required and Kavieng repaired all damage and 424 (+324) supplies for 599 (-380) required.
The 24 Tina now based in Truk will start tomorrow to evacuate the 9th Eng Rgt from Kavieng.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was bombed by 24 B-25C from Derby and reported 40 casualties, a disabled gun, a hit on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 21 on the runways, while Lautem was attacked by 6 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 9 Kittyhawk III that scored 1 hit on the runway and 9 B-25C from Kai Island escorted by 16 P-38J and 2 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring two hits on the runway. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C and a PBY over Koepang, and a P-38J was lost operationally. On the Japanese side a Dinah III was shot down by an Allied fighter during a recon mission to Kai Island.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 73% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 7/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK (but didn’t build anything to spare supplies), Lautem 87/0/38, Amboina 43/24/0, Kendari 49/37/0, Sorong had repaired all damage before the evening and other bases were undamaged.
SRA
The submarine USS Grampus, hit on 18 October north of Luzon by a Ki-48, sank during the night 240 miles ENE of Morotai while trying to return to an Allied base.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 140 sorties today: 70 LRCAP sorties (18 over Akyab and 52 over Myitkyina) and 70 against the 1st Tk Div in Myitkyina: 30 fighter-bombers, 24 bombers and 16 escorts from Dimapur and Dacca hit 65 men and 3 tanks. A P-40N was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina and two other were lost operationally.
On the ground, Allied forces in Myitkyina continued their artillery pounding of Japanese lines, hitting 238 men and 6 guns. The Allied AV was 2545 (+49), the Japanese one 2476 (-9). More west Allied forces in Katha also restarted artillery fire against the enemy lines and hit 96 men and 6 guns. There the Allied AV was 1198, the Japanese one 700.
The evening report showed damage of 100/70 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12638 (-294). The fortification level was still 2, 158%. Mandalay was damaged at 52/57, other base were undamaged.
China
44 Ki-49 and 12 Ki-48 from Hanoi and Kweiyang bombed Yunan airfield and scored 7 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 34 on runways, doing 34 casualties.
59 training and 32 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 32 men for no loss.
The 67th Chinese Division was identified by Japanese recon aircrew east of Yunan and reached this city during the day.
Hanoi and Kweiyang bombers were grounded in the evening for some rest.
Japan
The last units to be used to rebuild the air units of Kido Butai arrived in Tokyo from China. There were 272 fighters, 179 dive bombers and 131 torpedo bombers. Five Kate units were upgraded to Jill, and two Val units were upgraded to Judy. Three other Val units were brought to full strength but there were no more Judy available to upgrade them. And the last KB fighter unit to have A6M3a received A6M5 Zeke. But seven CV fighter units (BI-1, BII-1, EIII-1, JI-1, JII-1, F1/653rd and F2/653rd) were degraded to training status.
Finally, after much fragment shuffling and disbanding, the KB had at the end of the day the following strength:
_ 261 A6M5
_ 86 Judy and 78 Val
_ 107 Jill and 20 Kate
And the reorganization will continue tomorrow, while more Japanese surface warships will arrive from all over Japan.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
2 November 1943: Allied troops broke Japanese defences in Myitkyina
2 November 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 39 B-24D and 36 B-24J from Attu escorted by 41 P-38J attacked PJ, did 105 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 15 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 70 on the runways. A B-24J was lost due to engine failure.
The daily recon of Kiska reported 108 F6F on CAP, a sign that the Allied CV were still there.
In the evening the submarine USS Tarpon unsuccessfully chased barges off OJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 44 men, Japanese ones were 136 men and 1 gun. Allied troops on the island numbered 246 536 men (+830), 2549 guns (+20) and 580 vehicles (+3) for 4838 AV (+22) against 125 320 men (+58), 1042 guns (-6) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2415 AV (-).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 29/51/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 34 340 supplies (-725) and 14 aircraft (13 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 25% (+1%)). It had 30 099 supplies (-93). The AK unloading fuel at the base finished to unload and reformed a convoy to sail back to Toyohara.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
In the afternoon 21 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 29 casualties and scored 19 hits on the runways, 12 B-25C from Madang escorted by 19 Corsair raided Wewak, hit 28 men and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 6 on the runways, and 29 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 11 on the runways. A B-25J hit by AA fire over Kavieng crashed on the way back.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/88/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 542 supplies (-2) for 4392 (-8) required, Wewak no damage and 12 (-19) supplies for 2502 (+630) required and Kavieng repaired all damage and had 281 (-143) supplies for 717 (+118) required.
A BB, two CA and 3 DD were reported 120 miles west of Kavieng by a Pete. No transport was seen but the Japanese air patrols were seriously reduced those last days. All air support personnel was flown out from Kavieng to Truk and the last floatplane based here, the Pete, flew to Shortlands in the evening.
But this fleet could only be there only to support an Allied landing operation. Anyway the Japanese forces will wait and see one more day. The Betty reserve (89 bombers with experienced crews) flew from Palau to Truk to be ready to attack the Allied fleet but won’t attack tomorrow.
Allied engineers expanded the Admiralty Islands airfield to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was bombed by 15 B-25C from Derby and reported 14 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 13 on the runways, while 12 B-25C and 11 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 66 P-38J and 9 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring one hit on supplies and 2 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 78% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 5/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK, Lautem 79/0/38, Amboina 43/17/0, Kendari 49/13/0, and other bases were undamaged.
In the evening 25 Ki-44 flew from Macassar to Koepang and will fly CAP over this base tomorrow.
SRA
The convoy bringing from Brunei two Const Bn arrived in Balikpapan and unloaded troops there.
A part of the “Gold Convoy” reached Soerabaja and will load there 49k resources and 41k oil.
Burma
This day saw a new general Allied attack in Myitkyina with the support of all 508 sorties (223 by fighter-bombers, 198 by bombers and 87 escorts) flown today by Allied airmen over Burma. The Japanese troops lost 605 men, 13 guns and 5 tanks and then were attacked and… overwhelmed by a shock attack by Allied troops, that took all defensive positions around the city and reached its center in bloody street fighting (2532 Allied AV x 2 = 5064 vs 1782 Japanese, adjusted to 2488 vs 737, so a 3 to 1 success that destroyed the last two fortifications level of the base, but failed to take it). Only there did the exhausted Allied troops stopped. The shock attack was a surprise for the Japanese command, but proved successful… but costly, as the Allied lost 6006 men, 91 men and 7 tanks (+40 troop losses points), against Japanese losses of 2801 men, 12 guns and 1 tank (+10 troop points). Air losses included a Blenheim IV shot down by AA fire and 2 P-40N, 1 B-17E, 1 P-47C, 1 Liberator VI and 1 Thunderbolt II lost operationally. The lack of supply was finally too much for the Japanese garrison…
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines but hit nothing. There the Allied AV was 1996 (-2), the Japanese one 705 (+5).
The evening report showed damage of 100/67 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 15829 (+3191). The fortification level was now 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/39, other base were undamaged.
Air patrols reported four AP in Chandpur and an Allied amphibious operation, for example to cut the trail south of Akyab, was a possibility. With the crisis in Myitkyina the local air commander didn’t want to send aircraft attacking these ships but asked reinforcements to Japan. 72 G4M2 Betty so arrived in the evening in Bangkok from Toyohara (two more crashed on the way with their crews) and will rest there for some days… or until the Allied fleet sailed south.
The ML squadron based in Kuala Lumpur (a MLE and 4 ML) sailed for Rangoon to operate there before the control of the air will be lost. Three submarines also left Kuala Lumpur and 3 PT Singapore and will sail north to be ready to attack any Allied fleet sailing south.
Burma local air units will again be committed over Myitkyina. Both Tony Sentai (with a total of 50 AC) and an Oscar II Chutai (with 12 AC) flew from Rangoon to Lashio and will LRCAP the battlefield tomorrow. 35 Ki-48 and 33 Ki-21 also arrived in this base and will bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina (under escort by another Oscar II Chutai), together with 47 Ki-49 based in Pagan and 22 Ki-21 based in Taung Gyi. During these moves a Ki-48 was lost in a crash.
On the ground there was no plan to send more troops to Myitkyina. On the opposite plans were made to organize the retreat (it was hoped that Japanese troops will retreat westwards along the railway that was the only hex under Japanese control around the city. It they did so the situation might be kept under control at Mandalay, or even at Katha). And that will leave enough time for the troops of the 28th Army currently in the jungle to reach Lashio. By the way the 23rd Bde that had orders to hold the mountains SW of Myitkyina and keep there the Chinese Corps facing it received also orders to march to Lashio.
But changes had to be done in Myitkyina and the commanders of the 17th and 46th Div and 1st Tk Div were sacked and replaced by other officers after their bad show today.
Plans were also made to evacuate a part of the garrison of Akyab by air if Myitkyina falls quickly. All available troops will be needed to stop the Allied Army in Central Burma.
China
164 training and 67 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 50 men for one operational loss (an A6M3a).
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 39 B-24D and 36 B-24J from Attu escorted by 41 P-38J attacked PJ, did 105 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 15 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 70 on the runways. A B-24J was lost due to engine failure.
The daily recon of Kiska reported 108 F6F on CAP, a sign that the Allied CV were still there.
In the evening the submarine USS Tarpon unsuccessfully chased barges off OJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 44 men, Japanese ones were 136 men and 1 gun. Allied troops on the island numbered 246 536 men (+830), 2549 guns (+20) and 580 vehicles (+3) for 4838 AV (+22) against 125 320 men (+58), 1042 guns (-6) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2415 AV (-).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 29/51/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 34 340 supplies (-725) and 14 aircraft (13 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 25% (+1%)). It had 30 099 supplies (-93). The AK unloading fuel at the base finished to unload and reformed a convoy to sail back to Toyohara.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
In the afternoon 21 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 29 casualties and scored 19 hits on the runways, 12 B-25C from Madang escorted by 19 Corsair raided Wewak, hit 28 men and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 6 on the runways, and 29 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 13 casualties and scored 1 hit on supplies and 11 on the runways. A B-25J hit by AA fire over Kavieng crashed on the way back.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/88/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 542 supplies (-2) for 4392 (-8) required, Wewak no damage and 12 (-19) supplies for 2502 (+630) required and Kavieng repaired all damage and had 281 (-143) supplies for 717 (+118) required.
A BB, two CA and 3 DD were reported 120 miles west of Kavieng by a Pete. No transport was seen but the Japanese air patrols were seriously reduced those last days. All air support personnel was flown out from Kavieng to Truk and the last floatplane based here, the Pete, flew to Shortlands in the evening.
But this fleet could only be there only to support an Allied landing operation. Anyway the Japanese forces will wait and see one more day. The Betty reserve (89 bombers with experienced crews) flew from Palau to Truk to be ready to attack the Allied fleet but won’t attack tomorrow.
Allied engineers expanded the Admiralty Islands airfield to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, Koepang was bombed by 15 B-25C from Derby and reported 14 casualties, 2 hits on the airbase and 13 on the runways, while 12 B-25C and 11 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 66 P-38J and 9 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring one hit on supplies and 2 on the runway.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 78% (+5%)), Koepang had damage 5/0/0 (system/runway/port) and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK, Lautem 79/0/38, Amboina 43/17/0, Kendari 49/13/0, and other bases were undamaged.
In the evening 25 Ki-44 flew from Macassar to Koepang and will fly CAP over this base tomorrow.
SRA
The convoy bringing from Brunei two Const Bn arrived in Balikpapan and unloaded troops there.
A part of the “Gold Convoy” reached Soerabaja and will load there 49k resources and 41k oil.
Burma
This day saw a new general Allied attack in Myitkyina with the support of all 508 sorties (223 by fighter-bombers, 198 by bombers and 87 escorts) flown today by Allied airmen over Burma. The Japanese troops lost 605 men, 13 guns and 5 tanks and then were attacked and… overwhelmed by a shock attack by Allied troops, that took all defensive positions around the city and reached its center in bloody street fighting (2532 Allied AV x 2 = 5064 vs 1782 Japanese, adjusted to 2488 vs 737, so a 3 to 1 success that destroyed the last two fortifications level of the base, but failed to take it). Only there did the exhausted Allied troops stopped. The shock attack was a surprise for the Japanese command, but proved successful… but costly, as the Allied lost 6006 men, 91 men and 7 tanks (+40 troop losses points), against Japanese losses of 2801 men, 12 guns and 1 tank (+10 troop points). Air losses included a Blenheim IV shot down by AA fire and 2 P-40N, 1 B-17E, 1 P-47C, 1 Liberator VI and 1 Thunderbolt II lost operationally. The lack of supply was finally too much for the Japanese garrison…
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines but hit nothing. There the Allied AV was 1996 (-2), the Japanese one 705 (+5).
The evening report showed damage of 100/67 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 15829 (+3191). The fortification level was now 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/39, other base were undamaged.
Air patrols reported four AP in Chandpur and an Allied amphibious operation, for example to cut the trail south of Akyab, was a possibility. With the crisis in Myitkyina the local air commander didn’t want to send aircraft attacking these ships but asked reinforcements to Japan. 72 G4M2 Betty so arrived in the evening in Bangkok from Toyohara (two more crashed on the way with their crews) and will rest there for some days… or until the Allied fleet sailed south.
The ML squadron based in Kuala Lumpur (a MLE and 4 ML) sailed for Rangoon to operate there before the control of the air will be lost. Three submarines also left Kuala Lumpur and 3 PT Singapore and will sail north to be ready to attack any Allied fleet sailing south.
Burma local air units will again be committed over Myitkyina. Both Tony Sentai (with a total of 50 AC) and an Oscar II Chutai (with 12 AC) flew from Rangoon to Lashio and will LRCAP the battlefield tomorrow. 35 Ki-48 and 33 Ki-21 also arrived in this base and will bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina (under escort by another Oscar II Chutai), together with 47 Ki-49 based in Pagan and 22 Ki-21 based in Taung Gyi. During these moves a Ki-48 was lost in a crash.
On the ground there was no plan to send more troops to Myitkyina. On the opposite plans were made to organize the retreat (it was hoped that Japanese troops will retreat westwards along the railway that was the only hex under Japanese control around the city. It they did so the situation might be kept under control at Mandalay, or even at Katha). And that will leave enough time for the troops of the 28th Army currently in the jungle to reach Lashio. By the way the 23rd Bde that had orders to hold the mountains SW of Myitkyina and keep there the Chinese Corps facing it received also orders to march to Lashio.
But changes had to be done in Myitkyina and the commanders of the 17th and 46th Div and 1st Tk Div were sacked and replaced by other officers after their bad show today.
Plans were also made to evacuate a part of the garrison of Akyab by air if Myitkyina falls quickly. All available troops will be needed to stop the Allied Army in Central Burma.
China
164 training and 67 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 50 men for one operational loss (an A6M3a).
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
3 November 1943: Allied troops landed on Emirau Island north of Kavieng
3 November 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 39 B-24D and 35 B-24J from Attu escorted by 44 P-38J attacked PJ, did 153 casualties, disabled 4 guns and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 81 on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 12 men, Japanese ones were 126 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 247 440 men (+904), 2575 guns (+26) and 583 vehicles (+3) for 4859 AV (+21) against 125 358 men (+38), 1041 guns (-1) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2411 AV (-4).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 42/25/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 33 657 supplies (-693) and 14 aircraft (11 available). A replacement Dinah III was flown there.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 26% (+1%)). It had 29 712 supplies (-387, barges loaded supplies for PJ).
The ASW group sent off Ketoi Jima reported no submarine in the area and the 6 ML now based in Etoforu Jima will go there to lay mines.
Japanese intelligence confirmed that the LST-471, badly hit by CD fire while landing reinforcement on PJ on the 7th of October, was scuttled by her crew.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night, the Allied fleet seen yesterday west of Kavieng arrived off Emirau Island, NW of Kavieng, and began to unload troops on the undefended island. Seven DD of the escort reported Japanese mines and destroyed 10 of them without damage. The landing continued during the day with no more opposition and cost a total of 1896 amphibious casualties. Japanese airmen were able in the afternoon to identify the BB Ramillies off the beachhead and also reported that despite probably flying LRCAP over this fleet the Admiralty Islands airfield was still defended by a CAP of 50 fighters, but lost also during the day a Dinah III shot down by an Allied fighter in the area.
In the afternoon 33 B-24D, 12 B-25C and 15 B-17E from Dobadura, 31 B-25C from Kiriwima and 21 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 7 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 66 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 91 on the runways, 37 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 25 men and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 28 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 17 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Corsair and 5 F’F-4 and 29 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 21 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 40 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down another B-25J over Kavieng while a B-24D, a B-25C and a B-25J were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 377 supplies (-165) for 4393 (+1) required, Wewak 15/0/0 and 76 (+64, by air transport) supplies for 2496 (-6) required and Kavieng 15/18/0 and had 27 (-254) supplies for 824 (+107) required.
In the evening an Allied unit with 14840 men and 76 guns (an infantry division) was reported on Emirau Island. Four TF were off the island, a transport one (10+ AP/AK) and three surface TF (biggest seen with a BB and 9 “CA”, another with two “CA” and one with two “DE”). The BB Ramillies and the CL Durban were identified off the island.
Emirau Island was at 360 miles from Truk… and so in range of all bombers and fighters based here. Leaving Truk defence to 26 Nick night-fighters flying by day, the local air commander ordered a general attack the next day against Allied ships off Emirau. 60 more KI-21 arrived there today from Ponape and Lunga (a Ki-21 was lost during the transfer flight) and so brought the attack force to 167 bombers (78 Ki-21, 49 G4M2 and 40 G4M1), escorted by 155 fighters (54 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 34 Tony, 18 Oscar II and 13 A6M2). 11 Dinah III will fly naval search and try to identify the Allied unit landed on Emirau Island.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, 17 B-25C from Derby attacked Koepang but were intercepted by 15 Ki-44 of the 47 Sentai. A bomber was shot down by the Tojo and four other turned back after being hit, one ditching on the way back. On the Japanese side a pilot was shot down by return fire but bailed out safely. The remaining bombers than ran into heavy AA fire that shot down two more of their number but still managed to score 4 hits on the airbase and 8 on the runways, doing 8 casualties. In the evening the 47 Sentai flew back to Macassar from Koepang leaving behind 5 damaged aircraft.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 82% (+4%)), Koepang had no damage and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK, Lautem 71/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 43/10/0, Kendari 39/0/0, and other bases were undamaged.
The local commander had identified three possible targets for the next Allied advance: Babo (on the western coast of New Guinea), Bulla (south of Amboina) and Namlea (west of it). All three bases were empty size 1 airfields. He was now trying to find troops to send there.
SRA
In Singapore, 12 AK started to load the available resources without waiting for the “Gold Convoy” to arrive, but will then join it. Also a ML based there will start to lay mines off Johore Bharu the only passage for Allied submarines based in India to enter the area (even if I have never seen a submarine hit a mine while crossing a hex).
More north two AK will load 10k resources in Rangoon and bring them to Singapore.
Burma
After their success of the day before, Allied forces were given the day off. There was no raid at all during the day, and the Japanese fighter pilots flying LRCAP over Myitkyina (for a total of 50 sorties by Tony and 14 by Oscars) only saw a total of 13 Thunderbolt II flying LRCAP over the Allied lines and didn’t engage them. Both sides suffered operational losses, a Japanese pilot being killed while two Thunderbolt didn’t return to base. On the ground Allied guns pounded the city where the Japanese troops were waiting the final assault and hit 157 men and 1 gun. The Allied AV was now 1894 (-651 in two days), the Japanese one 2337 (-139 in two days) but the Allied received supplies to recover while the Japanese won’t.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 23 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2000 (+4), the Japanese one 714 (+9).
The evening report showed damage of 100/63 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 13130 (-2699). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/22, other base were undamaged.
IJAAF bombers will have same orders tomorrow: bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina. All Lashio fighters will escort them, rather than fly LRCAP over the city, as Allied fighters will probably be heavily committed here.
On the Salween front a Chinese unit (8500 men) was seen NW of Yunan and will probably chase the Japanese Const Bn sent there.
On the coast a second Allied unit arrived NW of Akyab. The Sasebo 8th SNLF holding the trail had still 16 miles to march to reach Akyab and will probably be attacked before that, but no help was available.
The Allied convoy seen yesterday was still off Chandpur and now 10+ ships were counted and an AK identified. Betties in Bangkok will rest another day but 26 A6M3a having finished their operational training in China flew to Rangoon in the evening.
China
94 training and 38 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit nothing for one operational loss (an A6M3a).
The first unit of the Southern China Army, the 13th Tk Rgt, arrived south of Kunming and will wait the rest of the army here. 25 Ki-48 from Kweiyang will bomb the Chinese base tomorrow. The Chinese garrison was still strong of 22 units.
Japan
A convoy of five fuel-laden AO and four escorts left Kitakyushu for Saipan to be ready to support the KB in this area.
The merchant shipyard of Kitakyushu was ordered today to be converted to naval shipyard and will help to build more ASW escorts and submarines.
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 39 B-24D and 35 B-24J from Attu escorted by 44 P-38J attacked PJ, did 153 casualties, disabled 4 guns and scored 10 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 81 on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally while Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner flying recon over PJ.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 12 men, Japanese ones were 126 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 247 440 men (+904), 2575 guns (+26) and 583 vehicles (+3) for 4859 AV (+21) against 125 358 men (+38), 1041 guns (-1) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2411 AV (-4).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 42/25/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 33 657 supplies (-693) and 14 aircraft (11 available). A replacement Dinah III was flown there.
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 26% (+1%)). It had 29 712 supplies (-387, barges loaded supplies for PJ).
The ASW group sent off Ketoi Jima reported no submarine in the area and the 6 ML now based in Etoforu Jima will go there to lay mines.
Japanese intelligence confirmed that the LST-471, badly hit by CD fire while landing reinforcement on PJ on the 7th of October, was scuttled by her crew.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night, the Allied fleet seen yesterday west of Kavieng arrived off Emirau Island, NW of Kavieng, and began to unload troops on the undefended island. Seven DD of the escort reported Japanese mines and destroyed 10 of them without damage. The landing continued during the day with no more opposition and cost a total of 1896 amphibious casualties. Japanese airmen were able in the afternoon to identify the BB Ramillies off the beachhead and also reported that despite probably flying LRCAP over this fleet the Admiralty Islands airfield was still defended by a CAP of 50 fighters, but lost also during the day a Dinah III shot down by an Allied fighter in the area.
In the afternoon 33 B-24D, 12 B-25C and 15 B-17E from Dobadura, 31 B-25C from Kiriwima and 21 B-25J from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 7 Kittyhawk I bombed Rabaul, did 66 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 91 on the runways, 37 B-25C from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 25 men and scored 8 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 28 on the runways, and 15 TBF Avenger and 17 B-25J from Admiralty Islands escorted by 5 Corsair and 5 F’F-4 and 29 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 21 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 40 on the runways. Japanese AA fire shot down another B-25J over Kavieng while a B-24D, a B-25C and a B-25J were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/92/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 377 supplies (-165) for 4393 (+1) required, Wewak 15/0/0 and 76 (+64, by air transport) supplies for 2496 (-6) required and Kavieng 15/18/0 and had 27 (-254) supplies for 824 (+107) required.
In the evening an Allied unit with 14840 men and 76 guns (an infantry division) was reported on Emirau Island. Four TF were off the island, a transport one (10+ AP/AK) and three surface TF (biggest seen with a BB and 9 “CA”, another with two “CA” and one with two “DE”). The BB Ramillies and the CL Durban were identified off the island.
Emirau Island was at 360 miles from Truk… and so in range of all bombers and fighters based here. Leaving Truk defence to 26 Nick night-fighters flying by day, the local air commander ordered a general attack the next day against Allied ships off Emirau. 60 more KI-21 arrived there today from Ponape and Lunga (a Ki-21 was lost during the transfer flight) and so brought the attack force to 167 bombers (78 Ki-21, 49 G4M2 and 40 G4M1), escorted by 155 fighters (54 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 34 Tony, 18 Oscar II and 13 A6M2). 11 Dinah III will fly naval search and try to identify the Allied unit landed on Emirau Island.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the afternoon, 17 B-25C from Derby attacked Koepang but were intercepted by 15 Ki-44 of the 47 Sentai. A bomber was shot down by the Tojo and four other turned back after being hit, one ditching on the way back. On the Japanese side a pilot was shot down by return fire but bailed out safely. The remaining bombers than ran into heavy AA fire that shot down two more of their number but still managed to score 4 hits on the airbase and 8 on the runways, doing 8 casualties. In the evening the 47 Sentai flew back to Macassar from Koepang leaving behind 5 damaged aircraft.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 82% (+4%)), Koepang had no damage and fort 6, 84% (+0%), Dili was OK, Lautem 71/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 43/10/0, Kendari 39/0/0, and other bases were undamaged.
The local commander had identified three possible targets for the next Allied advance: Babo (on the western coast of New Guinea), Bulla (south of Amboina) and Namlea (west of it). All three bases were empty size 1 airfields. He was now trying to find troops to send there.
SRA
In Singapore, 12 AK started to load the available resources without waiting for the “Gold Convoy” to arrive, but will then join it. Also a ML based there will start to lay mines off Johore Bharu the only passage for Allied submarines based in India to enter the area (even if I have never seen a submarine hit a mine while crossing a hex).
More north two AK will load 10k resources in Rangoon and bring them to Singapore.
Burma
After their success of the day before, Allied forces were given the day off. There was no raid at all during the day, and the Japanese fighter pilots flying LRCAP over Myitkyina (for a total of 50 sorties by Tony and 14 by Oscars) only saw a total of 13 Thunderbolt II flying LRCAP over the Allied lines and didn’t engage them. Both sides suffered operational losses, a Japanese pilot being killed while two Thunderbolt didn’t return to base. On the ground Allied guns pounded the city where the Japanese troops were waiting the final assault and hit 157 men and 1 gun. The Allied AV was now 1894 (-651 in two days), the Japanese one 2337 (-139 in two days) but the Allied received supplies to recover while the Japanese won’t.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 23 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2000 (+4), the Japanese one 714 (+9).
The evening report showed damage of 100/63 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 13130 (-2699). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/22, other base were undamaged.
IJAAF bombers will have same orders tomorrow: bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina. All Lashio fighters will escort them, rather than fly LRCAP over the city, as Allied fighters will probably be heavily committed here.
On the Salween front a Chinese unit (8500 men) was seen NW of Yunan and will probably chase the Japanese Const Bn sent there.
On the coast a second Allied unit arrived NW of Akyab. The Sasebo 8th SNLF holding the trail had still 16 miles to march to reach Akyab and will probably be attacked before that, but no help was available.
The Allied convoy seen yesterday was still off Chandpur and now 10+ ships were counted and an AK identified. Betties in Bangkok will rest another day but 26 A6M3a having finished their operational training in China flew to Rangoon in the evening.
China
94 training and 38 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit nothing for one operational loss (an A6M3a).
The first unit of the Southern China Army, the 13th Tk Rgt, arrived south of Kunming and will wait the rest of the army here. 25 Ki-48 from Kweiyang will bomb the Chinese base tomorrow. The Chinese garrison was still strong of 22 units.
Japan
A convoy of five fuel-laden AO and four escorts left Kitakyushu for Saipan to be ready to support the KB in this area.
The merchant shipyard of Kitakyushu was ordered today to be converted to naval shipyard and will help to build more ASW escorts and submarines.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
4 November 1943: Myitkyina held against a new Allied attack
4 November 1943
Northern Pacific
The small AK Tsurugisan Maru sent to PJ with 3500 tons of supplies arrived off the port just after dawn and so was seen by the SS USS Trigger that sank her with 3 torpedoes.
In the afternoon 36 B-24D and 31 B-24J from Attu without their usual P-38J escort attacked PJ, did 92 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 50 on the runways. A B-24J was lost operationally.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 153 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 248 159 men (+719), 2594 guns (+19) and 586 vehicles (+3) for 4868 AV (+9) against 125 373 men (+15), 1043 guns (+2) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2407 AV (-4).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 57/15/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 32 665 supplies (-992) and 15 aircraft (9 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 30% (+4%)). It had 29 556 supplies (-156). The I-174 and seven barges loaded the last men of the 48th Div still there to bring them to PJ. The Ki-49 sent there to chase submarines didn’t achieve anything, maybe because the AF (size 2) was too small and returned to Toyohara. A Ki-51 Chutai will come from China to replace it in the ASW role.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night, the damaged SS Gudgeon was chased by a Japanese PG that saw her 300 miles north of Biak while escorting transports to New Guinea but escaped.
During the night, the Allied convoy finished to unload its troop on Emirau Island but this time with a cost. The AK Helios was heavily damaged by a mine and 17 men and 2 guns were hit by the explosion aboard her. Five DD of the escort destroyed 8 other mines. 53 more men were disabled during landing operations. After dawn there was no more troop landing but the convoy and its cover remained off the island. Six TF were reported today off the island: three convoy (10+ AP/AK, 2 APD and 1 AP, and a “CA” and 2 AP), two surface TF (biggest seen with a BB and 9 “CA”, another with two “CA” and one with three “DE” and five unidentified ships) and a PT TF (9 PT). The BB Ramillies was again seen off the island. But heavy clouds closed Truk airfields all day long and no raid was launched against these ships. A Corsair crashed in the area, probably during a LRCAP mission over this fleet. On the other hand another Truk-based Dinah III was shot down in the area by an Allied fighter.
In the evening the Allied troops (10 911 men and 64 guns of the 6th Australian Division) occupied fully Emirau Island.
The only Allied air raid launched during the day was an attack against Rabaul by 24 B-25C from Kiriwima that did 11 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 18 on the runways.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/89/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 377 supplies (-0) for 4359 (-34) required, Wewak had no more damage and 83 (+7, by air transport) supplies for 2479 (-17) required and Kavieng 3/0/0 and had 28 (+1) supplies for 535 (-289) required. One of the Tina transport aircraft evacuating troops from Kavieng to Truk was lost in an accident.
The weather forecast for tomorrow was still overcast and so the planned naval attack against Allied ships off Emirau was maintained in the hope that the weather gods will be more clement for Japan tomorrow. With repairs and replacement aircraft, the strength of the attack force was now 168 bombers (79 Ki-21, 49 G4M2 and 40 G4M1), escorted by 160 fighters (56 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 36 Tony, 19 Oscar II and 13 A6M2).
Eight barges left Truk in the afternoon and will sail to Green Island with supplies aboard. From there they will try to reach Rabaul.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning, 24 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari, met no target in the air and returned to base without one of their number that ditched after engine failure. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 53 B-17E, 28 B-24J and 27 B-24D from Darwin and reported 135 casualties, 4 disabled guns, 15 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 79 on the runways, Koepang was bombed by 8 B-25C from Derby that were intercepted by the 3 Ki-44 remaining here, 4 bombers turned back and the other scored a runway hit, while 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 9 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring 2 hits on the runway. A B-24J hit by AA fire over Kendari ditched on the way back.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 87% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 89% (+5%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 64/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 43/3/0, Kendari 55/54/0, Sorong repaired all damage and had fort 5, 99% (+2%),and other bases were undamaged.
A small AP reached Kendari and will load 600 men of a fragment of an Eng Rgt to bring them to Macassar, where her ASW escort waited, and then to Borneo.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” arrived in Palembang and started to load 86k oil and 15k resources. Due to the fact that many local AK were loaded to integrate this convoy, 25 big AK were now useless and will sail to Singapore under escort. On the other hand the Convoy had not enough TK to load all the oil in Palembang (259k available).
Another part of the convoy arrived in Batavia and started to load 25k oil and 49k resources.
A patrolling Ki-21 bombed and hit the American submarine Shad southeast of Legaspi, Luzon.
Burma
It was another quiet day over Burma and Allied airmen only flew 23 sorties, all LRCAP patrols over Myitkyina. They saw no Japanese activity and lost a P-40E to engine failure.
On the ground the Allied troops launched another attack in the ruins of Myitkyina and gained some ground but failed to chase the Japanese of the city (1430 Allied AV vs 1796, adjusted to 1299 vs 1159, 1 to 1 ratio). The Japanese straving units suffered and lost 3324 men, 112 guns and 5 tanks, while the Allied lost 1854 men, 11 guns and 23 tanks.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 34 men. There the Allied AV was 2003 (+3), the Japanese one 715 (+1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/60 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 15681 (+2551). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/4, other base were undamaged.
IJAAF bombers will have same orders tomorrow: bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina. Tomorrow the weather forecast was overcast and so not bad enough to hope that Allied raids will be heavily disrupted. On the other hand Allied troops will probably rest, and so Japanese fighters based in Lashio received again orders to escort bombers rather than fly LRCAP.
On the coast a third Allied unit, an Indian Div, arrived NW of Akyab. The Sasebo 8th SNLF holding the trail had still 14 miles to march to reach Akyab and will probably be attacked tomorrow but again can hope no help from anybody.
The Allied convoy seen yesterday was still off Chandpur and now 10+ ships were counted and an AK identified. The 72 Betties in Bangkok flew to Rangoon in the evening and received orders to attack it tomorrow under escort by 34 Oscar II and 26 A6M3a.
China
23 Ki-48 from Kweiyang bombed Kunming airfield and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 28 on runways but lost one of their number to AA fire.
157 training and 45 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 11 men for one operational loss (an escorting Oscar II).
The main part of the Southern China Army was now south of Kunming but will still wait the rest of the army here. A Chinese unit left today the city to the NW reducing the garrison to 21. The Ki-48 from Kweiyang will again bomb the base tomorrow (the airfield was damaged at 2% in the evening).
Japan
A Val unit preparing to board the KB was upgraded to Judy in Tokyo.
As the “Gold Convoy” reported a lack of TK to load oil from Sumatra ports, most of available TK in Japan were ordered to gather off Takamatsu and will then sail to the DEI as a special Convoy. The total capacity of the convoy was of 350k but not many escorts were available to protect it as almost all undamaged DD were reserved for KB escort.
Northern Pacific
The small AK Tsurugisan Maru sent to PJ with 3500 tons of supplies arrived off the port just after dawn and so was seen by the SS USS Trigger that sank her with 3 torpedoes.
In the afternoon 36 B-24D and 31 B-24J from Attu without their usual P-38J escort attacked PJ, did 92 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 3 hits on the airbase, 6 on supplies and 50 on the runways. A B-24J was lost operationally.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 153 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 248 159 men (+719), 2594 guns (+19) and 586 vehicles (+3) for 4868 AV (+9) against 125 373 men (+15), 1043 guns (+2) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2407 AV (-4).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 57/15/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 32 665 supplies (-992) and 15 aircraft (9 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 30% (+4%)). It had 29 556 supplies (-156). The I-174 and seven barges loaded the last men of the 48th Div still there to bring them to PJ. The Ki-49 sent there to chase submarines didn’t achieve anything, maybe because the AF (size 2) was too small and returned to Toyohara. A Ki-51 Chutai will come from China to replace it in the ASW role.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night, the damaged SS Gudgeon was chased by a Japanese PG that saw her 300 miles north of Biak while escorting transports to New Guinea but escaped.
During the night, the Allied convoy finished to unload its troop on Emirau Island but this time with a cost. The AK Helios was heavily damaged by a mine and 17 men and 2 guns were hit by the explosion aboard her. Five DD of the escort destroyed 8 other mines. 53 more men were disabled during landing operations. After dawn there was no more troop landing but the convoy and its cover remained off the island. Six TF were reported today off the island: three convoy (10+ AP/AK, 2 APD and 1 AP, and a “CA” and 2 AP), two surface TF (biggest seen with a BB and 9 “CA”, another with two “CA” and one with three “DE” and five unidentified ships) and a PT TF (9 PT). The BB Ramillies was again seen off the island. But heavy clouds closed Truk airfields all day long and no raid was launched against these ships. A Corsair crashed in the area, probably during a LRCAP mission over this fleet. On the other hand another Truk-based Dinah III was shot down in the area by an Allied fighter.
In the evening the Allied troops (10 911 men and 64 guns of the 6th Australian Division) occupied fully Emirau Island.
The only Allied air raid launched during the day was an attack against Rabaul by 24 B-25C from Kiriwima that did 11 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase and 18 on the runways.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/89/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 377 supplies (-0) for 4359 (-34) required, Wewak had no more damage and 83 (+7, by air transport) supplies for 2479 (-17) required and Kavieng 3/0/0 and had 28 (+1) supplies for 535 (-289) required. One of the Tina transport aircraft evacuating troops from Kavieng to Truk was lost in an accident.
The weather forecast for tomorrow was still overcast and so the planned naval attack against Allied ships off Emirau was maintained in the hope that the weather gods will be more clement for Japan tomorrow. With repairs and replacement aircraft, the strength of the attack force was now 168 bombers (79 Ki-21, 49 G4M2 and 40 G4M1), escorted by 160 fighters (56 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 36 Tony, 19 Oscar II and 13 A6M2).
Eight barges left Truk in the afternoon and will sail to Green Island with supplies aboard. From there they will try to reach Rabaul.
Timor-DEI-Australia
In the morning, 24 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari, met no target in the air and returned to base without one of their number that ditched after engine failure. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 53 B-17E, 28 B-24J and 27 B-24D from Darwin and reported 135 casualties, 4 disabled guns, 15 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 79 on the runways, Koepang was bombed by 8 B-25C from Derby that were intercepted by the 3 Ki-44 remaining here, 4 bombers turned back and the other scored a runway hit, while 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 9 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring 2 hits on the runway. A B-24J hit by AA fire over Kendari ditched on the way back.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 87% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 89% (+5%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 64/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 43/3/0, Kendari 55/54/0, Sorong repaired all damage and had fort 5, 99% (+2%),and other bases were undamaged.
A small AP reached Kendari and will load 600 men of a fragment of an Eng Rgt to bring them to Macassar, where her ASW escort waited, and then to Borneo.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” arrived in Palembang and started to load 86k oil and 15k resources. Due to the fact that many local AK were loaded to integrate this convoy, 25 big AK were now useless and will sail to Singapore under escort. On the other hand the Convoy had not enough TK to load all the oil in Palembang (259k available).
Another part of the convoy arrived in Batavia and started to load 25k oil and 49k resources.
A patrolling Ki-21 bombed and hit the American submarine Shad southeast of Legaspi, Luzon.
Burma
It was another quiet day over Burma and Allied airmen only flew 23 sorties, all LRCAP patrols over Myitkyina. They saw no Japanese activity and lost a P-40E to engine failure.
On the ground the Allied troops launched another attack in the ruins of Myitkyina and gained some ground but failed to chase the Japanese of the city (1430 Allied AV vs 1796, adjusted to 1299 vs 1159, 1 to 1 ratio). The Japanese straving units suffered and lost 3324 men, 112 guns and 5 tanks, while the Allied lost 1854 men, 11 guns and 23 tanks.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 34 men. There the Allied AV was 2003 (+3), the Japanese one 715 (+1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/60 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 15681 (+2551). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 52/4, other base were undamaged.
IJAAF bombers will have same orders tomorrow: bomb Allied troops near Myitkyina. Tomorrow the weather forecast was overcast and so not bad enough to hope that Allied raids will be heavily disrupted. On the other hand Allied troops will probably rest, and so Japanese fighters based in Lashio received again orders to escort bombers rather than fly LRCAP.
On the coast a third Allied unit, an Indian Div, arrived NW of Akyab. The Sasebo 8th SNLF holding the trail had still 14 miles to march to reach Akyab and will probably be attacked tomorrow but again can hope no help from anybody.
The Allied convoy seen yesterday was still off Chandpur and now 10+ ships were counted and an AK identified. The 72 Betties in Bangkok flew to Rangoon in the evening and received orders to attack it tomorrow under escort by 34 Oscar II and 26 A6M3a.
China
23 Ki-48 from Kweiyang bombed Kunming airfield and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 28 on runways but lost one of their number to AA fire.
157 training and 45 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 11 men for one operational loss (an escorting Oscar II).
The main part of the Southern China Army was now south of Kunming but will still wait the rest of the army here. A Chinese unit left today the city to the NW reducing the garrison to 21. The Ki-48 from Kweiyang will again bomb the base tomorrow (the airfield was damaged at 2% in the evening).
Japan
A Val unit preparing to board the KB was upgraded to Judy in Tokyo.
As the “Gold Convoy” reported a lack of TK to load oil from Sumatra ports, most of available TK in Japan were ordered to gather off Takamatsu and will then sail to the DEI as a special Convoy. The total capacity of the convoy was of 350k but not many escorts were available to protect it as almost all undamaged DD were reserved for KB escort.
-
AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
5 November 1943: another slaughter done by Corsairs…
5 November 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the SS USS Trigger chased unsuccessfully barges off PJ.
In the afternoon 35 B-24J and 29 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, did 59 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 62 on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally.
The daily recon of Kiska reported 124 F6F on CAP and identified the USS Essex off the island.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 12 men, Japanese ones were 161 men and 7 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 248 548 men (+389), 2612 guns (+18) and 589 vehicles (+3) for 4879 AV (+11) against 125 417 men (+44), 1040 guns (-3) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2404 AV (-3).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 67/13/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 31 537 supplies (-1128) and 15 aircraft (8 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 31% (+1%)). It had 29 347 supplies (-209).
Six ML laid 600 mines off Ketoi Jima, 120 miles SW of OJ.
The 68 Sentai left Shikka for Tokyo and will ultimately fly to Truk to replace the decimated local Tony unit. During the first step of the flight, a Tony crashed and was lost with his pilot.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
In the morning, Truk launched a heavy attack against the Allied ships off Emirau Island: 92 bombers (35 Ki-21, 32 G4M2 and 25 G4M1) escorted by 151 fighters (49 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 36 Ki-61, 19 Oscar II and 11 A6M2). When they reached the target area, they reported that 12 Corsair and 10 Kittyhawk I were on LRCAP and more were coming from nearby Allied bases.
The Japanese escort engaged these fighters and again the Corsair proved its worth in air combat… 61 of the Japanese fighters were shot down (22 A6M3a, 14 Ki-61, 14 Oscar, 7 A6M2 and 4 A6M5) against 20 Allied (12 Kittyhawk and 8 Corsair). The escort anyway managed to cover almost all bombers, only one Ki-21 being shot down by a Corsair.
The remaining bombers attacked the convoy off the island. AA fire shot down 2 G4M2 and 1 Ki-21 but the DD Barker and 3 AK were each heavily damaged by two torpedoes each, while another destroyer, an AK and an AP were set on fire by one hit each (by bomb or torpedo).
Truk airmen returned in the area in the afternoon with 21 Ki-21 escorted by 90 fighters (34 A6M3a, 28 A6M5, 19 Ki-61, 4 Oscar II and 5 A6M2). The Allied LRCAP was now reduced to 8 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk but they still won this new battle, shooting down 34 Japanese fighters (12 A6M3a, 11 Ki-61, 7 A6M5, 2 A6M2 and 2 Oscar II) for the loss of 3 Kittyhawk and one Corsair. The Ki-21 then attacked the BB TF covering the Allied fleet and bombed it. Two bombs hit the BB HMS Resolution and destroyed an AA position aboard her, two others hit the CL HMS Durban and if one bounced the other penetrated the armor, destroyed a turret and set the cruiser on fire). AA fire shot down 5 Ki-21.
Add to the losses given so far 4 Japanese operational losses (2 A6M3a, 1 Ki-21, 1 G4M2) and 1 Allied (a Corsair), and at the end of the day Truk airmen had lost 97 fighters and 11 bombers while the Allied lost 15 Kittyhawk and 10 Corsair and had a DD and 3 transports heavily damaged, and a CL, a DD, an AP and an AK set on fire… The Japanese Command was not pleased at all with these results…
On the Allied side, in the afternoon 23 B-24D and 8 B-25C from Dobadura, 22 B-25C from Kiriwima and 28 B-25J and 6 B-17E from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 7 Corsair bombed Rabaul, did 94 casualties and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 78 on the runways, 38 B-25C and 15 TBF from Madang escorted by 20 Corsair, 18 P-38G and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 25 men and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 23 on the runways, and 25 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 25 casualties, and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on the runways. Three B-25C and a B-24D were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 195 supplies (-182) for 4349 (-10) required, Wewak had 13/0/0 and 44 (-39) supplies for 2485 (+6) required and Kavieng 3/0/0 and had no more supplies (-28) for 648 (-113) required.
Both barges docked in Rabaul loaded in the evening 120 men of the HQ 7th Air Army and will bring them to Buka.
The air armada gathered in Truk had lost most of its fighters. The A6M2 Daitai and two A6M3a Daitai were reduced to 4-5 pilots each and all left to be rebuilt with rookies in Luzon, and the Oscar II Sentai reduced to 3 pilots left to be rebuilt too, in Tarawa. So only 26 A6M5, 14 A6M3a and 13 Ki-61 remained there, and will defend the base. The Tony Sentai reduced to 13 pilots will be replaced by the 68 Sentai coming from the Kuriles front and will then become a training unit too.
So the bomber force was scattered to avoid being lost in unescorted attacks, or destroyed on the ground. Ki-21 flew to Ponape and Guam, while all Betty flew back to Palau, except two dozen of damaged bombers and a Ki-21 Sentai that will bomb Admiralty Islands airfield tonight.
Japanese engineers expanded Palau airfield to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
As the day before, 23 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari in the morning, met again no target in the air and returned to base this time without loss. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 38 B-17E, 30 B-24D and 19 B-24J from Darwin and reported 68 casualties, 11 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 80 on the runways, and 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 10 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring 2 hits on the airbase and one on the runway. Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner over Kendari and a PBY Catalina over Timor while a B-17E was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 92% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 94% (+5%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 57/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 39/0/0, Kendari 69/73/0, Sorong repaired all damage and had fort 6 (and will stop building fortifications to keep supplies), and other bases were undamaged.
The convoy brining to Wasile a Const Bn will arrive from Palau tomorrow and as usual will be LRCAPed by the Oscar Sentai based in Menado.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 738 sorties today, including 710 in Myitkyina area: 51 LRCAP sorties (44 over Myitkyina), 327 fighter-bombers, 193 bombers and 146 escorts from Ledo, Kohima, Jorhat, Dimapur and Imphal attacked two divisions of Myitkyina garrison (819 men, 12 tanks and 17 guns hit), and 21 P-40N from Chandpur attacked the SNLF NW of Akyab and hit 12 men. A Beaufighter Mk 21 was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina and a B-24D, a P-47C, a Thunderbolt II and a P-40N were lost in accidents.
On the other hand, 103 Japanese bombers coming from Lashio, Taung Gyi and Pagan (41 Ki-21, 33 Ki-49 and 29 Ki-48) attacked three Allied divisions on the battlefield of Myitkyina. At this time there was only two P-40N of the AVG on CAP there and they only shot down a Ki-48. The attack was inefficient and only 38 Allied men were hit.
On the ground Allied guns pounded again the city and hit 13 men. The Allied AV was now 1743 (-151 in two days), the Japanese one 2141 (-196 in two days). More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 68 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2005 (+2), the Japanese one 722 (+7).
Just before dusk 24 G4M2 coming from Rangoon appeared over the Indian port of Chandpur to attack the Allied convoy reported here. Their escort, 21 A6M3a and 8 Oscar II, engaged the Allied CAP, 13 Spitfire Vb and 13 Hurricane II, but lost the battle. At the cost of 2 Spitfire and one Hurricane, the RAF pilots shot down 6 Zero, 2 Oscar and 2 Betty with no survivors. The remaining bombers dropped their torpedoes against the anchored convoy and hit 3 AK (the Samwater, Samarina and the Sambridge) with one torpedo each while losing one of their number to AA fire. All three hit ships were reported in fire when they left but none appeared to be sinking. On the way back a fourth Betty was lost in an accident.
The evening report showed damage of 100/57 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12640 (-3041). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 38/0, other base were undamaged.
In the evening all IJAAF bombers based in Central Burma (at Pagan, Lashio and Taung Gyi) flew back to Rangoon (a Ki-21 Sentai) or Bangkok (all others). Of the three Betty units in Rangoon, one flew to China, one was ordered to fly naval search and the last will bomb Chandpur port during the night. All Rangoon-based fighters were ordered to fly 90% CAP over this base.
Weather forecast for the next day was rainy and so with the hope of some disorganization in the Allied air attacks 51 Ki-61 and 7 Oscar II based in Lashio were ordered to LRCAP Myitkyina.
On both flanks news were bad today… In the east a second Chinese units was seen NW of Yunan and so all hopes to open a supply path to Myitkyina by this path were shattered. In the west, the three Allied units didn’t attack but the Sasebo 8th SNLF reported 22 000 men there chasing it and will probably not manage to escape without loss to Akyab.
China
15 Ki-48 from Kweiyang bombed again Kunming airfield and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 10 on runways but this time three of them were shot down by AA fire.
168 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men for one operational loss (an A6M5c).
Expect two divisions that were a bit late the Southern China Army was now south of Kunming and received orders to advance to the city tomorrow. The Ki-48 from Kweiyang will rest tomorrow (the airfield was fully repaired in the evening).
Northern Pacific
During the night the SS USS Trigger chased unsuccessfully barges off PJ.
In the afternoon 35 B-24J and 29 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, did 59 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 62 on the runways. A B-24D was lost operationally.
The daily recon of Kiska reported 124 F6F on CAP and identified the USS Essex off the island.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 12 men, Japanese ones were 161 men and 7 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 248 548 men (+389), 2612 guns (+18) and 589 vehicles (+3) for 4879 AV (+11) against 125 417 men (+44), 1040 guns (-3) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2404 AV (-3).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 67/13/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 31 537 supplies (-1128) and 15 aircraft (8 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 31% (+1%)). It had 29 347 supplies (-209).
Six ML laid 600 mines off Ketoi Jima, 120 miles SW of OJ.
The 68 Sentai left Shikka for Tokyo and will ultimately fly to Truk to replace the decimated local Tony unit. During the first step of the flight, a Tony crashed and was lost with his pilot.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
In the morning, Truk launched a heavy attack against the Allied ships off Emirau Island: 92 bombers (35 Ki-21, 32 G4M2 and 25 G4M1) escorted by 151 fighters (49 A6M3a, 36 A6M5, 36 Ki-61, 19 Oscar II and 11 A6M2). When they reached the target area, they reported that 12 Corsair and 10 Kittyhawk I were on LRCAP and more were coming from nearby Allied bases.
The Japanese escort engaged these fighters and again the Corsair proved its worth in air combat… 61 of the Japanese fighters were shot down (22 A6M3a, 14 Ki-61, 14 Oscar, 7 A6M2 and 4 A6M5) against 20 Allied (12 Kittyhawk and 8 Corsair). The escort anyway managed to cover almost all bombers, only one Ki-21 being shot down by a Corsair.
The remaining bombers attacked the convoy off the island. AA fire shot down 2 G4M2 and 1 Ki-21 but the DD Barker and 3 AK were each heavily damaged by two torpedoes each, while another destroyer, an AK and an AP were set on fire by one hit each (by bomb or torpedo).
Truk airmen returned in the area in the afternoon with 21 Ki-21 escorted by 90 fighters (34 A6M3a, 28 A6M5, 19 Ki-61, 4 Oscar II and 5 A6M2). The Allied LRCAP was now reduced to 8 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk but they still won this new battle, shooting down 34 Japanese fighters (12 A6M3a, 11 Ki-61, 7 A6M5, 2 A6M2 and 2 Oscar II) for the loss of 3 Kittyhawk and one Corsair. The Ki-21 then attacked the BB TF covering the Allied fleet and bombed it. Two bombs hit the BB HMS Resolution and destroyed an AA position aboard her, two others hit the CL HMS Durban and if one bounced the other penetrated the armor, destroyed a turret and set the cruiser on fire). AA fire shot down 5 Ki-21.
Add to the losses given so far 4 Japanese operational losses (2 A6M3a, 1 Ki-21, 1 G4M2) and 1 Allied (a Corsair), and at the end of the day Truk airmen had lost 97 fighters and 11 bombers while the Allied lost 15 Kittyhawk and 10 Corsair and had a DD and 3 transports heavily damaged, and a CL, a DD, an AP and an AK set on fire… The Japanese Command was not pleased at all with these results…
On the Allied side, in the afternoon 23 B-24D and 8 B-25C from Dobadura, 22 B-25C from Kiriwima and 28 B-25J and 6 B-17E from the Admiralty Islands escorted by 7 Corsair bombed Rabaul, did 94 casualties and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 78 on the runways, 38 B-25C and 15 TBF from Madang escorted by 20 Corsair, 18 P-38G and 4 Kittyhawk I raided Wewak, hit 25 men and scored 5 hits on the airbase, 5 on supplies and 23 on the runways, and 25 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 25 casualties, and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on the runways. Three B-25C and a B-24D were lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 195 supplies (-182) for 4349 (-10) required, Wewak had 13/0/0 and 44 (-39) supplies for 2485 (+6) required and Kavieng 3/0/0 and had no more supplies (-28) for 648 (-113) required.
Both barges docked in Rabaul loaded in the evening 120 men of the HQ 7th Air Army and will bring them to Buka.
The air armada gathered in Truk had lost most of its fighters. The A6M2 Daitai and two A6M3a Daitai were reduced to 4-5 pilots each and all left to be rebuilt with rookies in Luzon, and the Oscar II Sentai reduced to 3 pilots left to be rebuilt too, in Tarawa. So only 26 A6M5, 14 A6M3a and 13 Ki-61 remained there, and will defend the base. The Tony Sentai reduced to 13 pilots will be replaced by the 68 Sentai coming from the Kuriles front and will then become a training unit too.
So the bomber force was scattered to avoid being lost in unescorted attacks, or destroyed on the ground. Ki-21 flew to Ponape and Guam, while all Betty flew back to Palau, except two dozen of damaged bombers and a Ki-21 Sentai that will bomb Admiralty Islands airfield tonight.
Japanese engineers expanded Palau airfield to size 5.
Timor-DEI-Australia
As the day before, 23 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari in the morning, met again no target in the air and returned to base this time without loss. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 38 B-17E, 30 B-24D and 19 B-24J from Darwin and reported 68 casualties, 11 hits on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 80 on the runways, and 14 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 10 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring 2 hits on the airbase and one on the runway. Japanese AA fire shot down a PBM Mariner over Kendari and a PBY Catalina over Timor while a B-17E was lost operationally.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 92% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 94% (+5%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 57/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 39/0/0, Kendari 69/73/0, Sorong repaired all damage and had fort 6 (and will stop building fortifications to keep supplies), and other bases were undamaged.
The convoy brining to Wasile a Const Bn will arrive from Palau tomorrow and as usual will be LRCAPed by the Oscar Sentai based in Menado.
Burma
Allied airmen flew 738 sorties today, including 710 in Myitkyina area: 51 LRCAP sorties (44 over Myitkyina), 327 fighter-bombers, 193 bombers and 146 escorts from Ledo, Kohima, Jorhat, Dimapur and Imphal attacked two divisions of Myitkyina garrison (819 men, 12 tanks and 17 guns hit), and 21 P-40N from Chandpur attacked the SNLF NW of Akyab and hit 12 men. A Beaufighter Mk 21 was shot down by AA fire over Myitkyina and a B-24D, a P-47C, a Thunderbolt II and a P-40N were lost in accidents.
On the other hand, 103 Japanese bombers coming from Lashio, Taung Gyi and Pagan (41 Ki-21, 33 Ki-49 and 29 Ki-48) attacked three Allied divisions on the battlefield of Myitkyina. At this time there was only two P-40N of the AVG on CAP there and they only shot down a Ki-48. The attack was inefficient and only 38 Allied men were hit.
On the ground Allied guns pounded again the city and hit 13 men. The Allied AV was now 1743 (-151 in two days), the Japanese one 2141 (-196 in two days). More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 68 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2005 (+2), the Japanese one 722 (+7).
Just before dusk 24 G4M2 coming from Rangoon appeared over the Indian port of Chandpur to attack the Allied convoy reported here. Their escort, 21 A6M3a and 8 Oscar II, engaged the Allied CAP, 13 Spitfire Vb and 13 Hurricane II, but lost the battle. At the cost of 2 Spitfire and one Hurricane, the RAF pilots shot down 6 Zero, 2 Oscar and 2 Betty with no survivors. The remaining bombers dropped their torpedoes against the anchored convoy and hit 3 AK (the Samwater, Samarina and the Sambridge) with one torpedo each while losing one of their number to AA fire. All three hit ships were reported in fire when they left but none appeared to be sinking. On the way back a fourth Betty was lost in an accident.
The evening report showed damage of 100/57 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12640 (-3041). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 38/0, other base were undamaged.
In the evening all IJAAF bombers based in Central Burma (at Pagan, Lashio and Taung Gyi) flew back to Rangoon (a Ki-21 Sentai) or Bangkok (all others). Of the three Betty units in Rangoon, one flew to China, one was ordered to fly naval search and the last will bomb Chandpur port during the night. All Rangoon-based fighters were ordered to fly 90% CAP over this base.
Weather forecast for the next day was rainy and so with the hope of some disorganization in the Allied air attacks 51 Ki-61 and 7 Oscar II based in Lashio were ordered to LRCAP Myitkyina.
On both flanks news were bad today… In the east a second Chinese units was seen NW of Yunan and so all hopes to open a supply path to Myitkyina by this path were shattered. In the west, the three Allied units didn’t attack but the Sasebo 8th SNLF reported 22 000 men there chasing it and will probably not manage to escape without loss to Akyab.
China
15 Ki-48 from Kweiyang bombed again Kunming airfield and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 4 on supplies and 10 on runways but this time three of them were shot down by AA fire.
168 training and 40 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 20 men for one operational loss (an A6M5c).
Expect two divisions that were a bit late the Southern China Army was now south of Kunming and received orders to advance to the city tomorrow. The Ki-48 from Kweiyang will rest tomorrow (the airfield was fully repaired in the evening).
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
6 November 1943: another successful ambush over Myitkyina
6 November 1943
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 38 B-24J and 23 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, destroyed on the ground a Dinah III and an Emily, did 61 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 6 hits on the airbase and 36 on the runways. A B-24J hit by AA fire ditched on the way back.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 111 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 249 283 men (+735), 2629 guns (+17) and 589 vehicles (-) for 4889 AV (+10) against 125 304 men (-113), 1036 guns (-4) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2405 AV (+1).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 74/29/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 30 916 supplies (-621) and 13 aircraft (8 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 33% (+2%)). It had 29 231 supplies (-116). 22 A6M5 and 26 Ki-44 flew in the evening in OJ from Shikka. They will rest one day and then will LRCAP PJ as the American raids of these last days were unescorted.
Six small AK loaded 21k supplies in Aomori and will bring them to PJ.
Central Pacific
The six submarines sent south of California deployed on a line 1100 miles south of San Diego. Three of them were carrying Glen floatplanes.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
An Australian patrol coming from Emirau Island reconned the nearby Hannover Island, reported it empty of Japanese troops and set a coastwatcher station here.
During the night the American submarine Halibut met 180 miles north of Sansapor one of the Japanese blockade runners bringing supplies to advanced Japanese bases and sank her with 3 torpedoes. Her victim was the AK Holland Maru that was sailing to Morotai after dropping half of her cargo at Noemfoor without being detected.
In the afternoon 32 B-24D, 11 B-25C and 2 B-17E from Dobadura and 11 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 29 casualties, disabled a gun and scored one hit on the airbase and 34 on the runways, and 18 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 9 casualties, and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on the runways.
Japanese airmen licked their wounds of the day before and only flew routine naval search and recon but continued to suffer. Allied fighters shot down an Emily, a Dinah III and a Jake in the area during the day.
The two barges trying to evacuate 120 men of an Air HQ from Rabaul were sunk without survivors during the day west of Buka by a patrolling B-24D and 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
During the day another patrolling B-24D was successful, bombing and damaging the minelayer submarine I-124 near Truk. She was docked in the evening in the port with damage 47/57/0 for emergency repairs.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 195 supplies (-0) for 4337 (-12) required, Wewak had no more damage, fort 5,72%, and 53 (+9) supplies for 2042 (-443) required and Kavieng 10/2/0 and still 0 supplies for 617 (-31) required.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Madang to size 3.
Timor-DEI-Australia
It was becoming a routine: 22 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari in the morning and turned back after meeting no target there. This time two collided in the air and crashed in the sea.
In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 26 B-17E, 24 B-24D and 15 B-24J from Darwin and reported 96 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 2 hits on the airbase and 55 on the runways, and Koepang was bombed by 15 B-25C from Derby that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 6 on the runways. It was a good day for Japanese AA gunners that destroyed 6 allied aAircraft in the area: 2 B-24D over Kendari, a B-25C over Koepang, a PBM Mariner, A PBY Catalina and a Catalina I.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 96% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 97% (+3%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 49/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 32/0/0, Kendari 71/85/0, other bases were undamaged.
A small blockade runner started to load supplies in Palau and will bring them to Morotai to replace the transport sunk today.
Burma
During the night 9 G4M2 from Rangoon raided Chandpur trying to hit the port and its beached ships but did no damage. Later during the day a Dinah II sent to take pictures of the port was shot down by the Allied CAP.
During the day, bad weather closed the Allied airfields of Imphal, Kohima and Jorhat, so only Ledo, Dimapur and Dacca sent 90 fighter-bombers, 100 bombers and 57 escorts to attack 3 divisions of the garrison of Myitkyina. But this time, Japanese fighters were waiting them. 31 Ki-61 and 5 Oscar II flying from Lashio engaged the various Allied waves:
_ the first Allied group was made of 6 B-25J escorted by 14 P-40N. The bombers were not intercepted but 13 of their escorts were shot down for the loss of 3 Ki-61.
_ the next wave was flown by 17 bomb-carrying P-40E, 10 Vengeance I and 9 B-25J escorted by 19 other P-40E. The latter shot down 6 Ki-61 but Japanese pilots still won and shot down 6 P-40E, 3 Vengeance and 2 B-25J.
_ then arrived 42 P-40N, 40 of them carrying bombs. 3 were shot down by Ki-61 and they shot down an Oscar II.
_ the first group coming from Dacca was made of 17 Liberator VI escorted by 3 P-40N. Score was even with 3 Ki-61 lost against 2 P-40N and a Liberator VI.
_ then the Japanese pilots intercepted an unescorted group of 14 Vengeance I and 9 Beaufighter VIC and shot down two of each type without loss.
_ the last wave came again from Dacca with 42 Liberator VI and 26 B-25C escorted by 19 P-40N. Four more Ki-61 were shot down by the escort but 4 P-40N, a Liberator and a B-25 were also shot down.
Add to that the operational loss of 3 Ki-61 on the Japanese side and a Liberator VI and a P-40E on the Allied side, and another P-40E shot down by AA fire, and the end result of these air battles over Myitkyina was that for the loss of 20 Japanese fighters (19 Ki-61 and 1 Oscar) and 16 pilots (at least 3 were only wounded), the Allied lost 43 aircraft. They anyway reached their targets and hit 215 men, 5 guns and 5 tanks.
Other Allied air units flew LRCAP near by (16 sorties by P-47C) and bombed the SNLF NW Akyab, hitting 9 men (18 P-40N), bringing the total of the Allied air sorties to 281 sorties over Burma. Five P-47C were lost operationally when a patrol ran into a tropical storm and ran out of fuel, hopelessly lost.
On the ground Allied guns pounded the defenders of Myitkyina and hit 225 men and 1 gun. The Allied AV was now 1791 (+48), the Japanese one 2161 (+20). More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 24 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2009 (+4), the Japanese one 721 (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/54 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12051 (-589). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 20/0, other base were undamaged.
All fighters based in Lashio returned to Rangoon in the evening.
The convoy carrying the 25th Ind Mixed Bde from Palembang arrived in Rangoon and started to unload these badly needed reinforcements.
China
154 training and 42 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 36 men for one operational loss (a Kate).
The 16th Mixed Bde was transferred from the China Expeditionary Force command to the Burma Army in Shanghai and boarded ships that will carry it to Bangkok, from where it will then go to Burma by rail and train. This unit prepared for Mandalay since a dozen days.
Japan
The emergency TK convoy gathered in Takamatsu with all available tankers (total capacity 322k) and will sail along the Chinese coast and Indochina to Singapore and Palembang.
Northern Pacific
In the afternoon 38 B-24J and 23 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, destroyed on the ground a Dinah III and an Emily, did 61 casualties, disabled a gun and scored 6 hits on the airbase and 36 on the runways. A B-24J hit by AA fire ditched on the way back.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones were 111 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 249 283 men (+735), 2629 guns (+17) and 589 vehicles (-) for 4889 AV (+10) against 125 304 men (-113), 1036 guns (-4) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2405 AV (+1).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 74/29/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 30 916 supplies (-621) and 13 aircraft (8 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 33% (+2%)). It had 29 231 supplies (-116). 22 A6M5 and 26 Ki-44 flew in the evening in OJ from Shikka. They will rest one day and then will LRCAP PJ as the American raids of these last days were unescorted.
Six small AK loaded 21k supplies in Aomori and will bring them to PJ.
Central Pacific
The six submarines sent south of California deployed on a line 1100 miles south of San Diego. Three of them were carrying Glen floatplanes.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
An Australian patrol coming from Emirau Island reconned the nearby Hannover Island, reported it empty of Japanese troops and set a coastwatcher station here.
During the night the American submarine Halibut met 180 miles north of Sansapor one of the Japanese blockade runners bringing supplies to advanced Japanese bases and sank her with 3 torpedoes. Her victim was the AK Holland Maru that was sailing to Morotai after dropping half of her cargo at Noemfoor without being detected.
In the afternoon 32 B-24D, 11 B-25C and 2 B-17E from Dobadura and 11 B-25C from Kiriwima bombed Rabaul, did 29 casualties, disabled a gun and scored one hit on the airbase and 34 on the runways, and 18 B-25J from Lae attacked Kavieng, did 9 casualties, and scored 2 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 10 on the runways.
Japanese airmen licked their wounds of the day before and only flew routine naval search and recon but continued to suffer. Allied fighters shot down an Emily, a Dinah III and a Jake in the area during the day.
The two barges trying to evacuate 120 men of an Air HQ from Rabaul were sunk without survivors during the day west of Buka by a patrolling B-24D and 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima.
During the day another patrolling B-24D was successful, bombing and damaging the minelayer submarine I-124 near Truk. She was docked in the evening in the port with damage 47/57/0 for emergency repairs.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 195 supplies (-0) for 4337 (-12) required, Wewak had no more damage, fort 5,72%, and 53 (+9) supplies for 2042 (-443) required and Kavieng 10/2/0 and still 0 supplies for 617 (-31) required.
Allied engineers expanded the port of Madang to size 3.
Timor-DEI-Australia
It was becoming a routine: 22 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari in the morning and turned back after meeting no target there. This time two collided in the air and crashed in the sea.
In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 26 B-17E, 24 B-24D and 15 B-24J from Darwin and reported 96 casualties, 2 disabled guns, 2 hits on the airbase and 55 on the runways, and Koepang was bombed by 15 B-25C from Derby that scored 2 hits on the airbase and 6 on the runways. It was a good day for Japanese AA gunners that destroyed 6 allied aAircraft in the area: 2 B-24D over Kendari, a B-25C over Koepang, a PBM Mariner, A PBY Catalina and a Catalina I.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 5, 96% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 6, 97% (+3%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 49/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 32/0/0, Kendari 71/85/0, other bases were undamaged.
A small blockade runner started to load supplies in Palau and will bring them to Morotai to replace the transport sunk today.
Burma
During the night 9 G4M2 from Rangoon raided Chandpur trying to hit the port and its beached ships but did no damage. Later during the day a Dinah II sent to take pictures of the port was shot down by the Allied CAP.
During the day, bad weather closed the Allied airfields of Imphal, Kohima and Jorhat, so only Ledo, Dimapur and Dacca sent 90 fighter-bombers, 100 bombers and 57 escorts to attack 3 divisions of the garrison of Myitkyina. But this time, Japanese fighters were waiting them. 31 Ki-61 and 5 Oscar II flying from Lashio engaged the various Allied waves:
_ the first Allied group was made of 6 B-25J escorted by 14 P-40N. The bombers were not intercepted but 13 of their escorts were shot down for the loss of 3 Ki-61.
_ the next wave was flown by 17 bomb-carrying P-40E, 10 Vengeance I and 9 B-25J escorted by 19 other P-40E. The latter shot down 6 Ki-61 but Japanese pilots still won and shot down 6 P-40E, 3 Vengeance and 2 B-25J.
_ then arrived 42 P-40N, 40 of them carrying bombs. 3 were shot down by Ki-61 and they shot down an Oscar II.
_ the first group coming from Dacca was made of 17 Liberator VI escorted by 3 P-40N. Score was even with 3 Ki-61 lost against 2 P-40N and a Liberator VI.
_ then the Japanese pilots intercepted an unescorted group of 14 Vengeance I and 9 Beaufighter VIC and shot down two of each type without loss.
_ the last wave came again from Dacca with 42 Liberator VI and 26 B-25C escorted by 19 P-40N. Four more Ki-61 were shot down by the escort but 4 P-40N, a Liberator and a B-25 were also shot down.
Add to that the operational loss of 3 Ki-61 on the Japanese side and a Liberator VI and a P-40E on the Allied side, and another P-40E shot down by AA fire, and the end result of these air battles over Myitkyina was that for the loss of 20 Japanese fighters (19 Ki-61 and 1 Oscar) and 16 pilots (at least 3 were only wounded), the Allied lost 43 aircraft. They anyway reached their targets and hit 215 men, 5 guns and 5 tanks.
Other Allied air units flew LRCAP near by (16 sorties by P-47C) and bombed the SNLF NW Akyab, hitting 9 men (18 P-40N), bringing the total of the Allied air sorties to 281 sorties over Burma. Five P-47C were lost operationally when a patrol ran into a tropical storm and ran out of fuel, hopelessly lost.
On the ground Allied guns pounded the defenders of Myitkyina and hit 225 men and 1 gun. The Allied AV was now 1791 (+48), the Japanese one 2161 (+20). More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 24 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2009 (+4), the Japanese one 721 (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/54 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 12051 (-589). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 20/0, other base were undamaged.
All fighters based in Lashio returned to Rangoon in the evening.
The convoy carrying the 25th Ind Mixed Bde from Palembang arrived in Rangoon and started to unload these badly needed reinforcements.
China
154 training and 42 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 36 men for one operational loss (a Kate).
The 16th Mixed Bde was transferred from the China Expeditionary Force command to the Burma Army in Shanghai and boarded ships that will carry it to Bangkok, from where it will then go to Burma by rail and train. This unit prepared for Mandalay since a dozen days.
Japan
The emergency TK convoy gathered in Takamatsu with all available tankers (total capacity 322k) and will sail along the Chinese coast and Indochina to Singapore and Palembang.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
7 November 1943: Myitkina repulsed another Allied attack
7 November 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the American submarine Hake patrolling on the surface near OJ met a barge convoy and attacked with gunfire and torpedoes, sinking one of them. She saw the cove where the barge went, submerged during the day and then returned at dusk and bombed the Japanese anchorage, destroying another barge.
In the afternoon 37 B-24J and 24 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, did 104 casualties, disabled 3 guns and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 38 on the runways. A B-24J and a PBM Mariner on recon over the base were critically hit by AA fire and ditched on the way back.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 24 men, Japanese ones were 238 men, 1 vehicle and 8 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 023 men (+740), 2641 guns (+12) and 589 vehicles (-) for 4900 AV (+11 against 125 175 men (-129), 1031 guns (-5) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2404 AV (-1).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 81/42/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 30 029 supplies (-887) and 12 aircraft (5 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 34% (+1%)). It had 29 110 supplies (-121). The 22 A6M5 and 26 Ki-44 that arrived today will LRCAP tomorrow PJ.
In Shikka were still three ships badly hit during the October battles. Two, the DD Kishinami (SYS 95) and the AO Shiretoko (SYS 96) finally reached 0 FLT recently and sailed for Japan under escort by four ASW ships. The last one, the small AP Masayan Maru, still had damage 94/57/0 two weeks after being docked here.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 8 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield but missed.
During the morning, a Dinah III from Truk flew to Emirau Island and reported an Allied LRCAP of 27 fighters before being shot down, the 10th kill of a Corsair ace.
In the afternoon, Rabaul was attacked by 21 B-25C from Kiriwima and 24 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 24 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 45 on runways, while 16 B-25J from Lae bombed Kavieng, doing 8 casualties and scoring 3 hits on the runways. A B-25C was lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/91/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-154) for 4329 (-8) required, Wewak repaired all damage and had 62 (+9) supplies for 1856 (-188) required and Kavieng also was fully repaired but still had no more supplies for 602 (-15) required.
Both barges docked in Rabaul loaded in the evening 120 men of the HQ 7th Air Army and will bring them to Buka.
Timor-DEI-Australia
As usual in the morning 22 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari and turned back after meeting no target there, this time without loss. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 24 B-17E, 15 B-24D and 13 B-24J from Darwin and reported a Dinah III destroyed on the ground, 32 casualties, a disabled gun, 2 hits on the airbase and 44 on the runways, 9 B-25C from Derby raided Koepang, did 4 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 5 on the runways, and 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 10 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring one hit on a supply depot. 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island attacked barges west of Namlea but missed. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C over Koepang.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 1% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 0% (+3%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 41/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 25/0/0, Kendari 73/91/0, other bases were undamaged.
The 47 Sentai flew again from Macassar to Koepang and will again fly CAP over this base tomorrow, but lost a pilot and a Tojo during the transfer flight.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” reached Singapore and its empty AK were disbanded in the port. The convoy was reformed with transports laden these last days with 154k resources and 36k oil, and twelve ASW escorts having arrived with the convoy. This TF then sailed back to Palembang.
Burma
During the night 8 G4M2 from Rangoon raided Chandpur trying to hit the port and its beached ships. They missed it but did 8 casualties. A Betty hit by AA fire ditched on the way back. In the morning Japanese airmen reported that the convoy had left Chandpur and saw it sailing westward.
Allied troops launched a new attack against Myitkyina with heavy air support. After the heavy losses over the city the day before, the Allied air force commanders were cautious, and the day began with a sweep by 31 British and American Thunderbolts, that met no Japanese CAP. 38 LRCAP sorties were also flown by P-47C and Thunderbolt II during the day over the battlefield, but no Japanese aircraft attacked. Japanese troops were bombed by 100 fighter-bombers and 260 bombers escorted by 76 fighters from Imphal, Jorhat and Dacca and lost 456 men, 15 guns and 2 tanks, against 8 Allied operational losses (3 Liberator VI, 2 P-40N, a B-25C, a P-47C and a Blenheim IV). The Allied troops then attacked with some success but not enough to chase the Japanese from the ruins of the town (1649 Allied AV with 1504 Japanese, adjusted to 1239 vs 625, 1 to 1 ratio… but it was close…). Japanese losses were 1726 men, 8 guns and 7 tanks, Allied ones 2339 men, 24 guns and 21 tanks.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 32 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2008 (-1), the Japanese one 724 (+3).
Still more west the XXXIII Indian Corps (HQ, 23rd Indian Div, 9th Chinese Corps) advancing along the coast finally launched an attack NW of Akyab against the Sasebo 8th SNLF before it managed to retreat to Akyab. Before the attack the Japanese troops were bombed by 17 P-40N from Chandpur that hit 16 men. They were then defeated at 16 to 1 (498 AV vs 40, adjusted at 322 vs 19). The Japanese lost hundred of mens and 7 guns, while Allied losses were limited to 20 men.
Japanese recon identified NW of Yunan both Chinese units marching to the NW to clear the Burma road: they were the 100th Corps and the 67th Division.
The evening report showed damage of 100/51 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 14373 (+2322). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 2/0, other base were undamaged.
The 4th Eng Rgt received orders to march from Katha to Myitkyina and will help repair the base and so maybe rebuild the fortifications before the town fell.
The Sasebo 8th SNLF retreated to Akyab and was ordered to continue to march SE to Pagan.
The 25th Ind Mixed Bde had finished unloading in Rangoon and boarded trains to go to Mandalay as soon as possible.
The convoy that was off Chanpdur left westwards and sailed 240 miles during the day. Japanese forces will attack it with all available means. Three submarines sent towards the Indian coast to intercept it will sail at full speed tomorrow and will patrol south of Yanam. With their help to find targets, the 39 G4M2 still based in Rangoon will try to launch another torpedo attack against the convoy. 18 Dinah III also arrived in Andaman Island from Singapore to fly naval search and help to find the convoy. Lastly the DD Hatsushima sailed at full speed from Rangoon to a waiting position north of Andaman Island to be ready to attack the convoy the next night.
This destroyer was in Rangoon to escort the ML squadron coming from Malaya, which arrived today. The MLE was docked in the port and the four ML immediately started to lay mines off the port (that was covered by 563 mines today).
China
61 training and 23 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit nothing but suffered no loss.
The Southern Army commander finally decided to take more risks and reduced the blocking force east of Kweiyang from 3 to 2 divisions, the third one being ordered to march to Kunming to join the attack force gathered there.
Japan
The PC Amakusa was commissioned in Tokyo, while the large TK Tachibana Maru was launched in Nagasaki.
Northern Pacific
During the night the American submarine Hake patrolling on the surface near OJ met a barge convoy and attacked with gunfire and torpedoes, sinking one of them. She saw the cove where the barge went, submerged during the day and then returned at dusk and bombed the Japanese anchorage, destroying another barge.
In the afternoon 37 B-24J and 24 B-24D from Attu attacked PJ again without their usual P-38J escort, did 104 casualties, disabled 3 guns and scored 4 hits on the airbase, 3 on supplies and 38 on the runways. A B-24J and a PBM Mariner on recon over the base were critically hit by AA fire and ditched on the way back.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 24 men, Japanese ones were 238 men, 1 vehicle and 8 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 023 men (+740), 2641 guns (+12) and 589 vehicles (-) for 4900 AV (+11 against 125 175 men (-129), 1031 guns (-5) and 11 tankettes (-) for 2404 AV (-1).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 81/42/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 30 029 supplies (-887) and 12 aircraft (5 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 34% (+1%)). It had 29 110 supplies (-121). The 22 A6M5 and 26 Ki-44 that arrived today will LRCAP tomorrow PJ.
In Shikka were still three ships badly hit during the October battles. Two, the DD Kishinami (SYS 95) and the AO Shiretoko (SYS 96) finally reached 0 FLT recently and sailed for Japan under escort by four ASW ships. The last one, the small AP Masayan Maru, still had damage 94/57/0 two weeks after being docked here.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
During the night 8 Ki-21 from Truk bombed Admiralty Islands airfield but missed.
During the morning, a Dinah III from Truk flew to Emirau Island and reported an Allied LRCAP of 27 fighters before being shot down, the 10th kill of a Corsair ace.
In the afternoon, Rabaul was attacked by 21 B-25C from Kiriwima and 24 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 24 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 45 on runways, while 16 B-25J from Lae bombed Kavieng, doing 8 casualties and scoring 3 hits on the runways. A B-25C was lost operationally.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/91/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-154) for 4329 (-8) required, Wewak repaired all damage and had 62 (+9) supplies for 1856 (-188) required and Kavieng also was fully repaired but still had no more supplies for 602 (-15) required.
Both barges docked in Rabaul loaded in the evening 120 men of the HQ 7th Air Army and will bring them to Buka.
Timor-DEI-Australia
As usual in the morning 22 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to Kendari and turned back after meeting no target there, this time without loss. In the afternoon, Kendari was attacked by 24 B-17E, 15 B-24D and 13 B-24J from Darwin and reported a Dinah III destroyed on the ground, 32 casualties, a disabled gun, 2 hits on the airbase and 44 on the runways, 9 B-25C from Derby raided Koepang, did 4 casualties and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 5 on the runways, and 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island escorted by 10 Kittyhawk III raided Sorong, scoring one hit on a supply depot. 7 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island attacked barges west of Namlea but missed. Japanese AA fire shot down a B-25C over Koepang.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 1% (+5%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 0% (+3%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 41/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 25/0/0, Kendari 73/91/0, other bases were undamaged.
The 47 Sentai flew again from Macassar to Koepang and will again fly CAP over this base tomorrow, but lost a pilot and a Tojo during the transfer flight.
SRA
The “Gold Convoy” reached Singapore and its empty AK were disbanded in the port. The convoy was reformed with transports laden these last days with 154k resources and 36k oil, and twelve ASW escorts having arrived with the convoy. This TF then sailed back to Palembang.
Burma
During the night 8 G4M2 from Rangoon raided Chandpur trying to hit the port and its beached ships. They missed it but did 8 casualties. A Betty hit by AA fire ditched on the way back. In the morning Japanese airmen reported that the convoy had left Chandpur and saw it sailing westward.
Allied troops launched a new attack against Myitkyina with heavy air support. After the heavy losses over the city the day before, the Allied air force commanders were cautious, and the day began with a sweep by 31 British and American Thunderbolts, that met no Japanese CAP. 38 LRCAP sorties were also flown by P-47C and Thunderbolt II during the day over the battlefield, but no Japanese aircraft attacked. Japanese troops were bombed by 100 fighter-bombers and 260 bombers escorted by 76 fighters from Imphal, Jorhat and Dacca and lost 456 men, 15 guns and 2 tanks, against 8 Allied operational losses (3 Liberator VI, 2 P-40N, a B-25C, a P-47C and a Blenheim IV). The Allied troops then attacked with some success but not enough to chase the Japanese from the ruins of the town (1649 Allied AV with 1504 Japanese, adjusted to 1239 vs 625, 1 to 1 ratio… but it was close…). Japanese losses were 1726 men, 8 guns and 7 tanks, Allied ones 2339 men, 24 guns and 21 tanks.
More west Allied artillery in Katha still fired against Japanese lines and hit 32 men and 1 gun. There the Allied AV was 2008 (-1), the Japanese one 724 (+3).
Still more west the XXXIII Indian Corps (HQ, 23rd Indian Div, 9th Chinese Corps) advancing along the coast finally launched an attack NW of Akyab against the Sasebo 8th SNLF before it managed to retreat to Akyab. Before the attack the Japanese troops were bombed by 17 P-40N from Chandpur that hit 16 men. They were then defeated at 16 to 1 (498 AV vs 40, adjusted at 322 vs 19). The Japanese lost hundred of mens and 7 guns, while Allied losses were limited to 20 men.
Japanese recon identified NW of Yunan both Chinese units marching to the NW to clear the Burma road: they were the 100th Corps and the 67th Division.
The evening report showed damage of 100/51 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 14373 (+2322). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... Mandalay was damaged at 2/0, other base were undamaged.
The 4th Eng Rgt received orders to march from Katha to Myitkyina and will help repair the base and so maybe rebuild the fortifications before the town fell.
The Sasebo 8th SNLF retreated to Akyab and was ordered to continue to march SE to Pagan.
The 25th Ind Mixed Bde had finished unloading in Rangoon and boarded trains to go to Mandalay as soon as possible.
The convoy that was off Chanpdur left westwards and sailed 240 miles during the day. Japanese forces will attack it with all available means. Three submarines sent towards the Indian coast to intercept it will sail at full speed tomorrow and will patrol south of Yanam. With their help to find targets, the 39 G4M2 still based in Rangoon will try to launch another torpedo attack against the convoy. 18 Dinah III also arrived in Andaman Island from Singapore to fly naval search and help to find the convoy. Lastly the DD Hatsushima sailed at full speed from Rangoon to a waiting position north of Andaman Island to be ready to attack the convoy the next night.
This destroyer was in Rangoon to escort the ML squadron coming from Malaya, which arrived today. The MLE was docked in the port and the four ML immediately started to lay mines off the port (that was covered by 563 mines today).
China
61 training and 23 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit nothing but suffered no loss.
The Southern Army commander finally decided to take more risks and reduced the blocking force east of Kweiyang from 3 to 2 divisions, the third one being ordered to march to Kunming to join the attack force gathered there.
Japan
The PC Amakusa was commissioned in Tokyo, while the large TK Tachibana Maru was launched in Nagasaki.
RE: 7 November 1943: Myitkina repulsed another Allied attack
Hi all,
Thanks for the update(s)! [:)]
Leo "Apollo11"
Thanks for the update(s)! [:)]
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
8 November 1943: Allied troops invaded Timor !!!
You're welcome, Leo.
8 November 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the submarine USS Tarpon chased twice unsuccessfully barges off PJ. In the afternoon 36 B-24J and 19 B-24D from Attu raided the airfield but were intercepted by 19 Tojo and 15 A6M5 flying from OJ shot down 8 bombers for one operational loss (an A6M5). The base reported 55 casualties, one disabled gun, 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 20 on the runways.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 13 men, Japanese ones 139 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 446 men (+423), 2650 guns (+9) and 589 vehicles (-1) for 4910 AV (+10) against 124 818 men (-357), 1020 guns (-11) and 9 tankettes (-2) for 2397 AV (-7).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 77/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 29 361 supplies (-668) and 12 aircraft (6 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 38% (+4%)). It had 28 797 supplies (-313). Both fighter units left the base in the evening and flew to Shikka for some rest and to see what the Allied bombers will do tomorrow.
Central Pacific
The convoy bringing the main part of the 2nd Div arrived off Marcus Island and started to unload it.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
Wewak was bombed by 38 B-25C, 15 TBF and 14 B-25J from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk I that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 49 on the runways, and did 13 casualties. Rabaul was attacked by 35 B-25J and 10 B-17E from Admiralty Islands escorted by 10 Corsair and by 22 B-24D and 10 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 80 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase and 70 on the runways. 14 B-25J from Lae raided Kavieng and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on the runways. 13 B-25C from Kiriwima raided Shortland Islands but missed their target. An Allied fighter also shot down in the area an E13A1 Jake on naval patrol.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-0) for 4313 (-16) required, Wewak 28/0/0 and had 44 (-18) supplies for 2464 (+608) required and Kavieng was fully repaired and had 39 supplies (+39) for 490 (-112) required.
In the evening the Allied AK Cold Brook, torpedoed 3 days ago off Emirau Island by Japanese airmen, sank north of Sag Sag.
Timor-DEI-Australia
With Japanese airmen concentrating on the Emirau Island sector, the Allied managed a surprise landing on Lautem, the easternmost base of Timor. The so-far undetected Allied fleet arrived off the base during the night and started to unload troops, continuing all day for a total of 2043 amphibious casualties. The landing was covered by Kittyhawk III and Beaufighter Mk 21 probably flying from Tenimbar (17 sorties during the day), but no Japanese aircraft attacked during the day.
Allied airmen also supported this landing by trying to neutralize Koepang airfield. In the morning 24 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to this base but were bounced by 18 Ki-44 of the 47 Sentai that shot down two of them without loss. A third P-38J was lost operationally. In the afternoon 10 B-24J and 10 B-24D from Darwin raided the base and were intercepted by 13 Tojo that shot down 4 bombers, two of each type. The other bombers hit the airfield, destroying 2 Tojo on the ground, scoring 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on runways and doing 13 casualties.
For other Allied airmen it was business as usual. 17 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari but almost totally missed it, only scoring a runway hit. Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island flew 20 sorties, sank a barge off Amboina and scored one hit on the airbase of Sorong (escorted here by 9 Kittyhawk III) but lost two of their number in accidents. And a PBM Mariner was shot down by AA fire during a recon over Macassar.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 5% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 2% (+2%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 33/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 18/0/0, Kendari 73/76/0, other bases were undamaged.
The 47 Sentai flew in the evening from Koepang to Balikpapan that will need defences once an Allied airfield will be open in Lautem. Such a base will allow B-24 to reach this oil-producing base.
The initial reaction of the Japanese local commander was to ask the Betty reserve in Palau to move to Macassar to attack the Allied fleet. But without escort and with no good knowledge of what was there it was considered to be a waste, especially as the Betty force was still resting after being used off Emirau Island.
So Lautem was more or less left to its own fate… and will probably fall tomorrow, the first Japanese defended base to be taken by Allied forces. By the way two Allied units (14 920 men, 179 guns and 1 vehicle) were reported on the beach at Lautem.
SRA
With the Allied landing in Lautem the “Gold Convoy” path south of Borneo was no more secure. The various parts of the convoys will form two convoys, one coming from Java, Sumatra and Singapore will gather in Palembang and sail north of Borneo, while ships off Balikpapan and Tarakan will escape to the NE. Of course this will be done after ASW ships will join them in some days.
Burma
19 P-40N from Chandpur bombed a SNLF in Akyab, hitting 27 men, while 7 more P-40N flew LRCAP over the airfield. Other Allied air units were grounded by bad weather, except a strong LRCAP over the battlefield of Myitkyina (30 fighters reported in the afternoon).
On the ground Allied artillery hit 358 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 1985 Japanese AV (-168) faced 1634 Allied (-231). More west Allied guns pounded Japanese troops in Katha (71 men and 3 guns hit), where 726 Japanese AV (+2) faced 2012 Allied (+4).
The evening report showed damage of 100/48 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11996 (-2377). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... All other bases were undamaged.
Along the Indian coast the Allied convoy again sailed 240 miles during the day and was now 120 miles SE of Yanam. The three submarines chasing it will continue to patrol on its probable path but the main attack will be launched tonight by the DD Hatsushima that will try to intercept it SW of Yanam before escaping at full speed southwards. The G4M2 based in Rangoon will keep their orders of naval attack even if a raid at this range is unlikely.
China
159 training and 42 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of this latter base, and hit 33 men without loss.
Japan
The 68 Sentai left Tokyo towards Truk. Its first stop was the Bonins but one of its 36 Ki-61 never arrived and was lost at sea with its pilot.
Two new Japanese submarines were commissioned, the I-42 in Shimuzu and the I-179 in Tokyo.
8 November 1943
Northern Pacific
During the night the submarine USS Tarpon chased twice unsuccessfully barges off PJ. In the afternoon 36 B-24J and 19 B-24D from Attu raided the airfield but were intercepted by 19 Tojo and 15 A6M5 flying from OJ shot down 8 bombers for one operational loss (an A6M5). The base reported 55 casualties, one disabled gun, 6 hits on the airbase, 2 on supplies and 20 on the runways.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were 13 men, Japanese ones 139 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 446 men (+423), 2650 guns (+9) and 589 vehicles (-1) for 4910 AV (+10) against 124 818 men (-357), 1020 guns (-11) and 9 tankettes (-2) for 2397 AV (-7).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 77/0/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 621 engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 29 361 supplies (-668) and 12 aircraft (6 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 38% (+4%)). It had 28 797 supplies (-313). Both fighter units left the base in the evening and flew to Shikka for some rest and to see what the Allied bombers will do tomorrow.
Central Pacific
The convoy bringing the main part of the 2nd Div arrived off Marcus Island and started to unload it.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
Wewak was bombed by 38 B-25C, 15 TBF and 14 B-25J from Madang escorted by 22 Corsair and 2 Kittyhawk I that scored 7 hits on the airbase, 8 on supplies and 49 on the runways, and did 13 casualties. Rabaul was attacked by 35 B-25J and 10 B-17E from Admiralty Islands escorted by 10 Corsair and by 22 B-24D and 10 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 80 casualties, 1 disabled gun, 3 hits on the airbase and 70 on the runways. 14 B-25J from Lae raided Kavieng and scored 1 hit on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 2 on the runways. 13 B-25C from Kiriwima raided Shortland Islands but missed their target. An Allied fighter also shot down in the area an E13A1 Jake on naval patrol.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/93/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-0) for 4313 (-16) required, Wewak 28/0/0 and had 44 (-18) supplies for 2464 (+608) required and Kavieng was fully repaired and had 39 supplies (+39) for 490 (-112) required.
In the evening the Allied AK Cold Brook, torpedoed 3 days ago off Emirau Island by Japanese airmen, sank north of Sag Sag.
Timor-DEI-Australia
With Japanese airmen concentrating on the Emirau Island sector, the Allied managed a surprise landing on Lautem, the easternmost base of Timor. The so-far undetected Allied fleet arrived off the base during the night and started to unload troops, continuing all day for a total of 2043 amphibious casualties. The landing was covered by Kittyhawk III and Beaufighter Mk 21 probably flying from Tenimbar (17 sorties during the day), but no Japanese aircraft attacked during the day.
Allied airmen also supported this landing by trying to neutralize Koepang airfield. In the morning 24 P-38J from Kai Island flew a sweep to this base but were bounced by 18 Ki-44 of the 47 Sentai that shot down two of them without loss. A third P-38J was lost operationally. In the afternoon 10 B-24J and 10 B-24D from Darwin raided the base and were intercepted by 13 Tojo that shot down 4 bombers, two of each type. The other bombers hit the airfield, destroying 2 Tojo on the ground, scoring 4 hits on the airbase, 1 on supplies and 14 on runways and doing 13 casualties.
For other Allied airmen it was business as usual. 17 B-17E from Darwin raided Kendari but almost totally missed it, only scoring a runway hit. Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island flew 20 sorties, sank a barge off Amboina and scored one hit on the airbase of Sorong (escorted here by 9 Kittyhawk III) but lost two of their number in accidents. And a PBM Mariner was shot down by AA fire during a recon over Macassar.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 5% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 2% (+2%), Dili was OK, Lautem at 33/0/38 (system/runway/port), Amboina 18/0/0, Kendari 73/76/0, other bases were undamaged.
The 47 Sentai flew in the evening from Koepang to Balikpapan that will need defences once an Allied airfield will be open in Lautem. Such a base will allow B-24 to reach this oil-producing base.
The initial reaction of the Japanese local commander was to ask the Betty reserve in Palau to move to Macassar to attack the Allied fleet. But without escort and with no good knowledge of what was there it was considered to be a waste, especially as the Betty force was still resting after being used off Emirau Island.
So Lautem was more or less left to its own fate… and will probably fall tomorrow, the first Japanese defended base to be taken by Allied forces. By the way two Allied units (14 920 men, 179 guns and 1 vehicle) were reported on the beach at Lautem.
SRA
With the Allied landing in Lautem the “Gold Convoy” path south of Borneo was no more secure. The various parts of the convoys will form two convoys, one coming from Java, Sumatra and Singapore will gather in Palembang and sail north of Borneo, while ships off Balikpapan and Tarakan will escape to the NE. Of course this will be done after ASW ships will join them in some days.
Burma
19 P-40N from Chandpur bombed a SNLF in Akyab, hitting 27 men, while 7 more P-40N flew LRCAP over the airfield. Other Allied air units were grounded by bad weather, except a strong LRCAP over the battlefield of Myitkyina (30 fighters reported in the afternoon).
On the ground Allied artillery hit 358 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 1985 Japanese AV (-168) faced 1634 Allied (-231). More west Allied guns pounded Japanese troops in Katha (71 men and 3 guns hit), where 726 Japanese AV (+2) faced 2012 Allied (+4).
The evening report showed damage of 100/48 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11996 (-2377). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... All other bases were undamaged.
Along the Indian coast the Allied convoy again sailed 240 miles during the day and was now 120 miles SE of Yanam. The three submarines chasing it will continue to patrol on its probable path but the main attack will be launched tonight by the DD Hatsushima that will try to intercept it SW of Yanam before escaping at full speed southwards. The G4M2 based in Rangoon will keep their orders of naval attack even if a raid at this range is unlikely.
China
159 training and 42 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan and Changsha against Chinese troops NW of this latter base, and hit 33 men without loss.
Japan
The 68 Sentai left Tokyo towards Truk. Its first stop was the Bonins but one of its 36 Ki-61 never arrived and was lost at sea with its pilot.
Two new Japanese submarines were commissioned, the I-42 in Shimuzu and the I-179 in Tokyo.
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AmiralLaurent
- Posts: 3351
- Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2003 8:53 pm
- Location: Near Paris, France
9 November 1943: Lautem fell, while Allied merchant crews crippled an IJN DD
9 November 1943
Northern Pacific
The SS USS Hake chased unsuccessfully barges off OJ three times, once during the night and two in the evening.
In the afternoon, 25 B-24J and 11 B-24D from Attu escorted by 31 P-38J raided PJ, did 25 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 27 on the runways, for one operational loss (a P-38J). A patrolling PB4Y sank a barge off OJ.
An Emily flying naval search in the Aleutians flew too close of Kiska and was shot down by the CAP.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones 125 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 937 men (+491), 2664 guns (+14) and 591 vehicles (+2) for 4918 AV (+8) against 124 877 men (+69), 1019 guns (-1) and 10 tankettes (+1) for 2397 AV (-).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 79/24/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 619 (-2) engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 28 969 supplies (-392), less than what was needed for two months (pink status), and 12 aircraft (6 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 41% (+3%)). It had 28 659 supplies (-138). An experienced Ki-51 Chutai arrived in the evening to fly ASW patrols from here.
The Betties based in Etoforu Jima will recon Kiska tomorrow to check if the Allied CV were still there.
Two small convoys will bring respectively 21k and 10k supplies to PJ in the next week, the main threat against them being the Allied submarines. An ASW group left Wakkanai and will do sweeps off OJ and PJ to chase Allied submarines.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
The empty Mussau Island was occupied by an Allied patrol coming from the nearby Emirau Island.
The British AK Empire Pennant, badly damaged four days ago by two torpedoes off Emirau Island, sank during the night east of Finnschafen, and the destroyer USS Barker, also hit by two torpedoes during this attack, sank during the day just a little more south..
Bad weather reduced the air activity. Rabaul was bombed by 20 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 16 casualties, one hit on the airbase and 28 on the runways, Shortlands were attacked by 18 B-25C from Kiriwima that hit 8 men and scored 1 hit on a supply dump and 1 on a fuel dump, and a barge convoy was attacked west of Green Island by 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima that sank one. One B-24D was lost operationally. On the Japanese side only recon and patrols flew. One reported 29 Allied fighters flying LRCAP over Emirau Island.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/89/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-0) for 4299 (-14) required, Wewak repaired all damage and had 53 (+9) supplies for 2022 (-442) required and Kavieng was fully repaired and had 92 supplies (+53) for 390 (-80) required.
Allied engineers expanded the Admiralty Islands airfield to size 6. Admiralty Islands will become one day a major heavy bomber base and it will then be the end of Truk as an active front base. The first step back was done today with the evacuation of Truk port. All surface ships (some MSW and about 25 transports) sailed to Saipan, while the damaged SS I-124, having finished to repair FLT damage, sailed to Tokyo for full repairs.
The 68 Sentai arrived today in Saipan on his way to Truk. It lost again a Tony in an accident, but this time the pilot was saved.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The Allied landing continued off Timor all night and day with a total of 401 amphibious casualties. After dawn 18 P-38J and 4 Kittyhawk III flew CAP over the Allied invasion fleet, and this number increased to 27 P-38J and 4 Kittyhawk in the afternoon but there was again no Japanese reaction, while a Lightning was lost operationally. And on the ground the Allied troops (the 43rd US Div and the 126th USAAF Base Force) attacked the base, held by the 136th IJNAF Base Force and easily repulsed it (165 AV vs 14, adjusted to 155 vs 2 with no fortification) and took the base, the first manned Japanese base to fall to Allied forces since the start of the war (with the exception of the Allied landing in Hilo in August 1942, but the base was retaken some weeks later and the whole Allied force killed or captured). This time a Japanese counter-attack to retake this base was not an option… Japanese losses in the battle were 148 men and 2 guns, and some hundred of sick and wounded men unable to retreat into the jungle towards Dili with the remains of the units committed suicide (6 more troop loss points than usual today). Allied losses were limited to 2 men and 1 gun.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 12 B-25C from Derby and reported 35 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 11 on the runways. 5 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island attacked barges off Amboina and sank one.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 9% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 3% (+1%), Dili was OK, Amboina 11/0/0 (system/runway/port), Kendari 73/55/0, other bases were undamaged.
A large AK was still unloading off Koepang… and will continue despite the risks, as supplying Koepang will become increasingly difficult.
The 136th IJNAF BF chased from Lautem will march to Dili and will be evacuated from there by air… if possible.
A small AP began to load the Air HQ of Kendari to bring it to Macassar. From there transport aircraft will bring it to Balikpapan. The short-range Ki-54 Sentai will be used for that.
The barges off Amboina were ordered to sail tomorrow to Buru Island and to wait there another attack by the Beaufighter of Kai Island. 20 Oscar II based in Menado will LRCAP them.
Several transports started to load supplies in Palau and will bring 14k supplies to Menado, 7k to Morotai and 3.5k to Wasile.
SRA
The part of the Gold Convoy left in Balikpapan left this port for Tarakan under escort by two APD. The transports were carrying 114k oil and 56k resources.
Burma
During the night, the Japanese destroyer Hatsushima attacked 120 miles SE of Yanan the Allied convoy followed since several days on the Indian coast, but things didn’t go as planned. The destroyer surprised the Allied convoys and heavily damaged an AK with a torpedo and some shells in the first minutes. The convoy was unescorted but the crews of the 14 AK didn’t panic, but returned fire against the lonely attacker and won the gunnery battle!! The Japanese warship retired slowly southwards, heavily damaged by five shell hits fired by the merchant crews. During the gunnery exchange, only two other AKs were hit once each, one being set on fire but the other escaping heavy damage.
Allied airmen flew 468 sorties today, all of them in Myitkyina area: 15 Thunderbolts flew a sweep over this city, 36 other fighters flew LRCAP there, and 177 fighter-bombers, 154 bombers and 86 escorts from Imphal, Kohima, Ledo and Dimapur against three divisions of the garrison (302 men , 9 tanks and 8 guns hit). A Liberator VI, a Beaufighter VIC, a P-40N and a P-40E were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 89 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 1973 Japanese AV (-12) faced 1705 Allied (+71). More west Allied guns pounded Japanese troops in Katha (16 men hit), where 684 Japanese AV (-42) faced 2011 Allied (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/45 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11291 (-705). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... All other bases were undamaged.
With damage 78/59/31 the DD Hatsushima only sailed 60 miles south during the day and was unable to return to a Japanese base. Ashamed by their defeat against unescorted merchant ships the crew decided to sail north during the night and try at least to achieve the AK they damaged last night. The three submarines in the area will wait for the same cripple between their current position and Madras tomorrow. And the Mavis based in Andaman Island received orders to try a night naval attack.
Rangoon Betties had been unable to attack this convoy for two days and so received new orders. Before leaving Burma they will bomb tomorrow the resource centers of Asansol. This town was now undefended by Allied fighters and such a raid may reduce the supply available for the Alleid advance in Burma.
China
61 training and 32 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 5 men for one operational loss (an Oscar II).
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sining to size 8. The base was now finished (AF 8, fort 9) and the three Const Bns that were working here left the area to go to Central China.
Japan
Another D3A Val unit of the KB upgraded to the Judy in Tokyo.
The DD Matsu, the first of her class, was scheduled to be delivered in 6 months. Orders came to accelerate her as much as possible. These ships will be excellent AA and ASW escorts and were what the IJN needed now. Also they were rather cheap and accelerating them was so possible.
Northern Pacific
The SS USS Hake chased unsuccessfully barges off OJ three times, once during the night and two in the evening.
In the afternoon, 25 B-24J and 11 B-24D from Attu escorted by 31 P-38J raided PJ, did 25 casualties and scored 2 hits on the airbase and 27 on the runways, for one operational loss (a P-38J). A patrolling PB4Y sank a barge off OJ.
An Emily flying naval search in the Aleutians flew too close of Kiska and was shot down by the CAP.
On the ground at PJ, both sides exchanged artillery fire. Allied losses were nil, Japanese ones 125 men and 2 guns. Allied troops on the island numbered 250 937 men (+491), 2664 guns (+14) and 591 vehicles (+2) for 4918 AV (+8) against 124 877 men (+69), 1019 guns (-1) and 10 tankettes (+1) for 2397 AV (-).
The evening report of PJ showed damage of 79/24/0 (airbase/runway/port) and 619 (-2) engineers repairing it and building fortifications (level 5, 18% (+0%)). The base had 28 969 supplies (-392), less than what was needed for two months (pink status), and 12 aircraft (6 available).
At OJ engineers continued to expand the port (size 2, 41% (+3%)). It had 28 659 supplies (-138). An experienced Ki-51 Chutai arrived in the evening to fly ASW patrols from here.
The Betties based in Etoforu Jima will recon Kiska tomorrow to check if the Allied CV were still there.
Two small convoys will bring respectively 21k and 10k supplies to PJ in the next week, the main threat against them being the Allied submarines. An ASW group left Wakkanai and will do sweeps off OJ and PJ to chase Allied submarines.
New Guinea-New Britain-Solomon Islands
The empty Mussau Island was occupied by an Allied patrol coming from the nearby Emirau Island.
The British AK Empire Pennant, badly damaged four days ago by two torpedoes off Emirau Island, sank during the night east of Finnschafen, and the destroyer USS Barker, also hit by two torpedoes during this attack, sank during the day just a little more south..
Bad weather reduced the air activity. Rabaul was bombed by 20 B-24D and 11 B-25C from Dobadura and reported 16 casualties, one hit on the airbase and 28 on the runways, Shortlands were attacked by 18 B-25C from Kiriwima that hit 8 men and scored 1 hit on a supply dump and 1 on a fuel dump, and a barge convoy was attacked west of Green Island by 10 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kiriwima that sank one. One B-24D was lost operationally. On the Japanese side only recon and patrols flew. One reported 29 Allied fighters flying LRCAP over Emirau Island.
Rabaul reported damage of 100/89/28 (airbase/runway/port) and 41 supplies (-0) for 4299 (-14) required, Wewak repaired all damage and had 53 (+9) supplies for 2022 (-442) required and Kavieng was fully repaired and had 92 supplies (+53) for 390 (-80) required.
Allied engineers expanded the Admiralty Islands airfield to size 6. Admiralty Islands will become one day a major heavy bomber base and it will then be the end of Truk as an active front base. The first step back was done today with the evacuation of Truk port. All surface ships (some MSW and about 25 transports) sailed to Saipan, while the damaged SS I-124, having finished to repair FLT damage, sailed to Tokyo for full repairs.
The 68 Sentai arrived today in Saipan on his way to Truk. It lost again a Tony in an accident, but this time the pilot was saved.
Timor-DEI-Australia
The Allied landing continued off Timor all night and day with a total of 401 amphibious casualties. After dawn 18 P-38J and 4 Kittyhawk III flew CAP over the Allied invasion fleet, and this number increased to 27 P-38J and 4 Kittyhawk in the afternoon but there was again no Japanese reaction, while a Lightning was lost operationally. And on the ground the Allied troops (the 43rd US Div and the 126th USAAF Base Force) attacked the base, held by the 136th IJNAF Base Force and easily repulsed it (165 AV vs 14, adjusted to 155 vs 2 with no fortification) and took the base, the first manned Japanese base to fall to Allied forces since the start of the war (with the exception of the Allied landing in Hilo in August 1942, but the base was retaken some weeks later and the whole Allied force killed or captured). This time a Japanese counter-attack to retake this base was not an option… Japanese losses in the battle were 148 men and 2 guns, and some hundred of sick and wounded men unable to retreat into the jungle towards Dili with the remains of the units committed suicide (6 more troop loss points than usual today). Allied losses were limited to 2 men and 1 gun.
In the afternoon, Koepang was attacked by 12 B-25C from Derby and reported 35 casualties, 3 hits on the airbase and 11 on the runways. 5 Beaufighter Mk 21 from Kai Island attacked barges off Amboina and sank one.
The evening area report listed the airfield status as: Maumere was OK (fort 6, 9% (+4%)), Koepang repaired all damage and had fort 7, 3% (+1%), Dili was OK, Amboina 11/0/0 (system/runway/port), Kendari 73/55/0, other bases were undamaged.
A large AK was still unloading off Koepang… and will continue despite the risks, as supplying Koepang will become increasingly difficult.
The 136th IJNAF BF chased from Lautem will march to Dili and will be evacuated from there by air… if possible.
A small AP began to load the Air HQ of Kendari to bring it to Macassar. From there transport aircraft will bring it to Balikpapan. The short-range Ki-54 Sentai will be used for that.
The barges off Amboina were ordered to sail tomorrow to Buru Island and to wait there another attack by the Beaufighter of Kai Island. 20 Oscar II based in Menado will LRCAP them.
Several transports started to load supplies in Palau and will bring 14k supplies to Menado, 7k to Morotai and 3.5k to Wasile.
SRA
The part of the Gold Convoy left in Balikpapan left this port for Tarakan under escort by two APD. The transports were carrying 114k oil and 56k resources.
Burma
During the night, the Japanese destroyer Hatsushima attacked 120 miles SE of Yanan the Allied convoy followed since several days on the Indian coast, but things didn’t go as planned. The destroyer surprised the Allied convoys and heavily damaged an AK with a torpedo and some shells in the first minutes. The convoy was unescorted but the crews of the 14 AK didn’t panic, but returned fire against the lonely attacker and won the gunnery battle!! The Japanese warship retired slowly southwards, heavily damaged by five shell hits fired by the merchant crews. During the gunnery exchange, only two other AKs were hit once each, one being set on fire but the other escaping heavy damage.
Allied airmen flew 468 sorties today, all of them in Myitkyina area: 15 Thunderbolts flew a sweep over this city, 36 other fighters flew LRCAP there, and 177 fighter-bombers, 154 bombers and 86 escorts from Imphal, Kohima, Ledo and Dimapur against three divisions of the garrison (302 men , 9 tanks and 8 guns hit). A Liberator VI, a Beaufighter VIC, a P-40N and a P-40E were lost in accidents.
On the ground Allied artillery hit 89 men and 1 gun at Myitkyina (where 1973 Japanese AV (-12) faced 1705 Allied (+71). More west Allied guns pounded Japanese troops in Katha (16 men hit), where 684 Japanese AV (-42) faced 2011 Allied (-1).
The evening report showed damage of 100/45 (airbase/runway) in Myitkyina. In this town there were zero supplies for needs of 11291 (-705). The fortification level was still 0, 385%... All other bases were undamaged.
With damage 78/59/31 the DD Hatsushima only sailed 60 miles south during the day and was unable to return to a Japanese base. Ashamed by their defeat against unescorted merchant ships the crew decided to sail north during the night and try at least to achieve the AK they damaged last night. The three submarines in the area will wait for the same cripple between their current position and Madras tomorrow. And the Mavis based in Andaman Island received orders to try a night naval attack.
Rangoon Betties had been unable to attack this convoy for two days and so received new orders. Before leaving Burma they will bomb tomorrow the resource centers of Asansol. This town was now undefended by Allied fighters and such a raid may reduce the supply available for the Alleid advance in Burma.
China
61 training and 32 escort sorties were flown from Wuhan against Chinese troops NW of Changsha, and hit 5 men for one operational loss (an Oscar II).
Japanese engineers expanded the airfield of Sining to size 8. The base was now finished (AF 8, fort 9) and the three Const Bns that were working here left the area to go to Central China.
Japan
Another D3A Val unit of the KB upgraded to the Judy in Tokyo.
The DD Matsu, the first of her class, was scheduled to be delivered in 6 months. Orders came to accelerate her as much as possible. These ships will be excellent AA and ASW escorts and were what the IJN needed now. Also they were rather cheap and accelerating them was so possible.