SOPAC:
The USN and RN CVs charge north into the Coral Sea after refueling at Luganville. KB in turn withdraws to the north out of the Coronado naval search radius. Rennel Island has enough of a breather to repair airfield damage and Cactus Air Force becomes operational....Marine F4F-4s are again staged off the CVs to provide Rennel with its own intrinsic CAP.
Japan sends a sweep of A6M3as from Buin to hit Rennel but Catus Air Force is ready for them:
Day Air attack on Rennell Island , at 65,103
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 25
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 46
P-38F Lightning x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 9 destroyed, 3 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
P-38F Lightning: 5 damaged
Then Liz 4Es from Rabaul hit Rennel only to be rebuffed by the VMF squadrons:
Day Air attack on Rennell Island , at 65,103
Japanese aircraft
G5N Liz x 26
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 44
P-38F Lightning x 6
Japanese aircraft losses
G5N Liz: 2 destroyed, 18 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 5 damaged
The festivities the next day are no different:
Day Air attack on Rennell Island , at 65,103
Japanese aircraft
A6M3a Zero x 16
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 45
P-38F Lightning x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 4 destroyed, 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 2 destroyed, 3 damaged
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Day Air attack on Rennell Island , at 65,103
Japanese aircraft
G5N Liz x 13
Allied aircraft
F4F-4 Wildcat x 43
P-38F Lightning x 3
Japanese aircraft losses
G5N Liz: 1 destroyed, 7 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
F4F-4 Wildcat: 4 damaged
Japan loses 22 AC in A2A vs 4 Allied.....16 A6M3as and 9 Lizzies....thats 52 Nakajima engines...are lost over 2 days. Cactus Air Force is determined to stay and Allied CVs are positioned to provide close support.
Tonys from Buin provide LRCAP over heavily damaged Munda:
Day Air attack on Munda , at 65,98
Japanese aircraft
Ki-61-Ib Tony x 12
Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 6
B-17E Fortress x 18
Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-61-Ib Tony: 1 damaged
Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 4 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 10 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
12 casualties reported
Runway hits 2
Nobody stays at home on Buin and LB-30s from Luganville go in the back door:
Day Air attack on Buin , at 64,95
Japanese aircraft
no flights
Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 30
Japanese aircraft losses
A6M3a Zero: 2 destroyed
Ki-49 Helen: 1 destroyed
Allied aircraft losses
LB-30 Liberator: 4 damaged
Japanese ground losses:
14 casualties reported
Airbase hits 1
Runway hits 22
Farther north, Allied medium bombers at Thursday Island hammer a Japanese transport TF at Wewak:
Day Air attack on TF, near Wewak at 54,84
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 18
B-25C Mitchell x 37
A-29 Hudson x 3
No Allied losses
Japanese Ships
DD Murakumo
DD Nokaze, Bomb hits 1
DD Hiyodori
DD Yukaze
AK Fugi Maru, Bomb hits 1, on fire
AK Aratama Maru, Bomb hits 5, on fire, heavy damage
AK Keisho Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
DD Takanami
AP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire
Day Air attack on TF, near Wewak at 54,84
Allied aircraft
Hudson I x 26
B-25C Mitchell x 43
A-29 Hudson x 4
Allied aircraft losses
B-25C Mitchell: 1 damaged
Japanese Ships
AP Kobe Maru, Bomb hits 1
AP Kitano Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
DD Nokaze, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Murakumo
AK Columbia Maru, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
AP Mizuho Maru, Bomb hits 3, on fire
AP Kashima Maru
DD Takanami, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Hiyodori
DD Yukaze
AP Yoshino Maru
DEI:
Japanese transports bring in massive reinforcements at Palembang:
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AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR 09/24/42
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TF 153 encounters mine field at Palembang (20,55)
TF 153 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55
Japanese Ships
MSW W.13
MSW Tomozono Maru #3
MSW Ataka Maru
MSW W.21
PC Shonan Maru #17, Mine hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
APD Patrol Boat No. 37
PC Ch 20
PC Ch 7
Coastal Guns at Palembang, 20,55, firing at TF 153
808 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
PC Ch 20, Shell hits 25, on fire
AK Hyuga Maru
CA Kinugasa, Shell hits 5
PC Ch 7
PG Kamitsu Maru, Shell hits 12
PG Akitsu Maru
AP Kyuden Maru
AP Banshu Maru #21, Shell hits 1
Japanese ground losses:
3810 casualties reported
Guns lost 4
Vehicles lost 1
Allied ground losses:
22 casualties reported
Coastal Guns at Palembang, 20,55, firing at TF 153
TF 153 troops unloading over beach at Palembang, 20,55
325 Coastal gun shots fired in defense.
Japanese Ships
CA Kinugasa
PC Ch 7, Shell hits 9
PG Kamitsu Maru
PG Akitsu Maru
Japanese ground losses:
2040 casualties reported
Japan now has over 1200 AV at Palembang:
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Ground combat at Palembang
Allied Bombardment attack
Attacking force 7959 troops, 61 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 224
Defending force 65956 troops, 232 guns, 28 vehicles, Assault Value =
1249
Japan definitely brought enough to the party this time...Palembang will fall shortly and hopefully the Japanese economy wont crash in 1942.
SEAC:
Japan moves 6 LCUs containing 62,000 troops into Lashio with another 7 LCUs right behind them...Lashio will provide nothing more than a speed bump.
