Rewind, DaBigBabes. 1941

[zuluhour]

[:D] RL keeps getting in the way of fantasy! I also have to confess it is difficult to post disaster after disaster. The feelings in Nimitz's HQ and Washington must have been very trying. I am trying (again) to resist the temptation to strike back except in positively advantagous situations. The mobile force, both main and mini must soon need to retire at least for a little while so I can flex some muscle. If the Mini Kido Butai had closed on Horn Island from the eastern DEI at the same time as the Kido Butai proper operated in the Coral Sea I would have lost a reinforced Force Z, the two Australian cruisers, an Australian brigade, an RAF base force and a dozen freighters and merchantmen. The first half of January may lead to Zulu HQ discarding Port Morseby as the line in the sand in SwPac as well Ndeni. On the 16th coast watchers picked up IJN or IJA recon over Shortland Island. I may have an Aussie cruiser TF ready for a run at them if Kido Butai continues NNE from Rabaul. Force Z disbanded on the 15th for refitting at Sydney.

[zuluhour]

January '42

There is not enough of anything and what we have is poorly trained and in bad moral. A fighter squadron staged into Port Morseby yesterday on drop tanks and was called to action at first light where Zekes from Rabaul shredded the formation even with altitude advantage. The ABDA group is only mid 30s trained and just above the 50% moral line. Bettys hit the port and damage a sub. The airfield and maintenance facilities are heavily damaged from a prior raid. Australian cruisers are ordered into Rabaul harbor from Shortland Island where they arrived undetected in overcast skies. One small Liberator squadron is ordered against Rabaul from the Australian mainland at Cairnes. Enterprise, Saratoga, Lexington, and Wasp leave the west coast for SoPac, more of a long shake down cruise than a strike force. The 22nd bomb group is transferred back to the east coast for deployment in south east asia. An IJA formation has been spotted approaching the Sittang River line 50mi from the coast. Two shakey reinforced brigades await them. An advanced armor unit reaches Akyab and digs in. A brigade with artillery are 100mi behind. RAF cadre squadrons from Malaya are parked on the strip. A base force should arrive in 48 hours. Two task forces are at sea from Columbo where they prepare to hit Moulmein in two days.

[BBfanboy]

Quote - The ABDA group is only mid 30s trained and just above the 50% moral line.[:D]

Let me guess - ABDA stands for Alcohol, Babes, Drugs and Arms [illegal]? Better send those guys for morals training at the local church boarding school for a few months.
OTOH, if morale needs improvement, just stand them down and send them someplace that has alcohol, babes and what not ...[:D]

[zuluhour]

It's like working with the handicapped.[:D]

As the emporer landed in Shanghai yesterday, I do not expect a rapid turn exchange for awhile. He expressed some jet lag from the flight from Vancouver and whilst I hoped for a "knee jerk" turn with which I could take some advantage, I now believe I'm going get another "offensive" turn in the next twenty four hours.

[zuluhour]

Some news from the front as a long distance email reaches Zulu HQ....

Australian cruisers cross the T off Rabaul. The IJN suffers damage:

Night Time Surface Combat, near Rabaul at 106,125, Range 4,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Hiei
BB Kirishima, Shell hits 6
CA Aoba
CA Kinugasa
CA Furutaka
CA Kako
CL Abukuma
DD Harusame
DD Yudachi
DD Yugure
DD Ariake

Allied Ships
CA Australia, Shell hits 2, on fire
CA Canberra, Shell hits 3

Australia will put her fires out and down some Bettys in the morning. Both cruisers make time to open ocean.

at Port Morseby: IJAF raid goes in against unloading transports: It is ineffective.

at Bataan: counter battery dishes out more punishment than the incoming. A short Huzzah!

On the Malayan penisula: Heavy raids and lop sided fighting continues. The IJA has cut off substantial elements to the north including the Malayan Army CO.

China: A small group of Hudsons catch some japs in the open and claim almost 100.

Port Morseby: 17th pursuit group loses two more of there number and are down to 19 pilots and 6 airframes. Five pilots are transferred from reserve (we take a dozen pilots from training squadrons in the states and relieve some on New Guinea) The rest of the Warhawks in inventory are transfered to the beleagered port. II Fighter command arrives Suva an awaits escort to the front. Mechanics and engineers are at a premium.

Tarakan: Only mentioned because of the boost to ABDA moral.

Night Naval bombardment of Tarakan at 67,91

Japanese Ships
CL Kiso, Shell hits 6
CL Tama, Shell hits 2
CS Mizuho, Shell hits 1

Allied Ships
DD Kortenaer

Airbase hits 8
Runway hits 11
Port hits 1

DD Kortenaer firing at Tarakan

Under the waves: Both the USN and the Dutch score.

[zuluhour]

Zulu HQ: surprise! a turn in the in box.

West Coast: 720nm to the SSW of San Diego, the now full crews of the CV TFs steam for the equator. There will be no "turtle backs" soon. The 22nd bomb group arrives back on the east coast but I can't pull the trigger and send them to Africa yet. I struggle with the timing. I want to reinforce Port Blair with a brigade.

Pearl Harbor: Additional fighter groups placed on CAP as a radio intercept at 360nm due west of French Frigate Shoals puts Pearl on alert. There is a healthy cruiser force there, that is all. DD Litchfield sent to investigate.

SwPac:Australia: Port Morseby: CMDR Weakly ordered to take the John D Ford on a raid to Shortland. 14 P40s are flyable now. Some better trained pilots are scheduled to begin arriving tomorrow. Canberra and Australia seperate with CPT Trayhorn on Australia making for New Caladonia for fuel and onward to Sydney for repairs after the night action off Rabaul. CPT Getting on Canberra is ordered back into the fray at Shortland. Ammo is good and damage to her very light. CPT Craven is relieved on board Pensacola and CPT Shaforth is ordered to take her for a rendevous off New Caladonia with DD Stuart.

DEI: The CL Durban leaves Java for an ambush position in the southern DEI.

India: Burma: There are now 4 enemy formations accross the Sittang. It looks like the northern force is closing on the river. Port Blair has staged the rest of the DEI stragglers into Burma and India. Three cruisers NNW of Port Blair prepare to hit the southern IJA positions on the Sittang. (I hope you can bombard a non base hex!)

China: IJA concentrates on Wenchow and a couple of stragglers caught in the great retreat of 1941.

[zuluhour]

January 20th 1942

West Coast: Colorado and Warspite leave Pudget sound behind and begin shakedown cruise. Cargo and Fuel loading is complete; task forces will form as escorts arrive.

Pacific Ocean Areas: Moral slowly improves accross the theater. Fuel transfer depot gradually builds port facilities. The 808th aviation engineers still stranded awaiting transport to Suva and onward to Port Morseby. II Fighter Command expects escorts in 48 hours for movement to Port Morseby. The Canberra hits Shortland for 4 port hits. How much supply will it take to the Japs to fix the damage? The Australia makes time to Sydney for repairs. The Pensacola will relieve her and Canberra in several days. Port Morseby: 17th Persuit group has 17 aircraft at the ready now with 5 more expected tomorrow. No raids today and we fill some holes on the runway. A few better trained pilots filter in. The ABDA group is still low moral and greener than spring grass. The heavies await airfield construction and train hard in southern Australia.

Malaya-DEI: The lop sided battles continue with a large group surrounded with very little combat strength left. We expect a major surrender 100mi north of Singers within 48 hours. Smaller transport shipping evacs Java and the last of the oil we can safely load leaves for Perth from Java. A couple of small surface TFs converge in the south central DEI to try and ambush at Ambon or Kendari (sp).

India: Hurricanes begin to arrive and are hurried east. IJA seem to have pulled up at the Sittang and halted. No you cant bombard a non base hex. Engineers reach Akyab and begin construction.

China. The lines in the north are almost secure. The south is a large worry now.

Terry is still traveling in China and reports he is ill with the flu and coping with a very intense schedule (tour). The situation in the Yellow River area below:

[DOCUP]

Nice map not going to ask how long it took you to do that.[:D]
 
How you doing fromt he storm?

[zuluhour]

1-pot of coffee and four cigs.[:D]

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: zuluhour

Zulu HQ: surprise! a turn in the in box.

West Coast: 720nm to the SSW of San Diego, the now full crews of the CV TFs steam for the equator. There will be no "turtle backs" soon.

????

Folks post-crossing the Line are Trusty Shellbacks. Before that they're Pollywogs. [:'(]

[DOCUP]

What the hell is a shellback and pollywog?  Educate this soldier.  Swabby

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: DOCUP

What the hell is a shellback and pollywog?  Educate this soldier.  Swabby

A shellback is a sailor who has crossed the equator and been fully initiated into the secrets and duties inherent in being a subject of His Royal Highness King Neptune. A pollywog is everyone else, IOW, whale scum at the bottom of the slimy sea. [:)]

And yes, I am a pollywog. I've crossed the equator a couple of times at 35,000 feet, but boomers of my era tended to go closer to the Arctic Circle than the equator. My dad is one of the rarest of creatures: a Golden Shellback. One who became a trusty shellback AT the International Date Line.

He frequently reminds me of this.

[BBfanboy]

There otta be something similar for those sailing across the Arctic Circle - making the transition from jellyfish to Icemen!

[zuluhour]

I should learn to write less from memory and actually look up my sources. Thank you Moose for the clarification. Hey what would you expect from TWIT HQs?

January 21st 1942

Bad news everywhere. I open my mouth about Port Morseby and insert entire Japanese army boot. Really, I need 24 hours to off load the rest of a unit and repair my facilites and the Kido Butai or some elements of it show up, PRESTO, port, airfield, and maintenence areas creamed. Not only that but I spy more than one BB in the mix less than 100nm from Milne Bay. All mine sweepers are sunk as well as a hit on my ASW DD and a valuable xAP (long legged and fast)

Pacific Ocean Areas: Now under Nimitz: Our carriers are over 1400nm from the west coast heading SSW. Moral is recovering at Pearl but the fighter strength is not. Every available P40E (none really) replacing losses to the ABDA squadron being cut up on New Guinea. The fuel transfer supply depot in SoPac needs 24-48 hours to get to the next level so we can begin transferring fuel to the front. Tankers laden with supply and fuel await. The short legged tankers bring in the fuel from San Diego and return without refueling and the long range ones make the journey to Melbourne, Aukland, and Suva.

Australia: SwPac: 79 escorted carrier strike aircraft with their trusty A6M2s hit Port Morseby with ships unloading and the solitary fighter squadron recovering. We do claim one Zeke by a pilot with "38" experience. In four days some more 60ish pilots will arrive. Our first replacements do survive the strike. Needless to say I have not added up all the damage yet. Bettys arrive in the morning to, lest I forget, and score well on port attack. I cannot remember total AV there yet but I think it to be about 250. IJ must bring a division to this party? We do have submarine patrols watching the waters for a carrier shot off New Guinea. A bit better news a large fast xAK escapes unscathed from a sub off New Castle.

Malaya: The real disaster is here today. At Malacca: Malayan Army HQ with III Corp HQ, two brigades and support are heavily bombed and wiped out by direct assault by the Imperial Guards reinforced with many tanks and other formations. The losses are over 7ooo KIA/MIA. To the Northeast the 8th Indian Brigade repulses an assault but is short everything and it shows in AV.

Bataan: Nothing unusual; heavy air raids but the jungle is thick and casualties are very light.

Burma: The tenasserin Bn sent to recon accross the Sittang is forced to shock attack (a day late and pound short) and wiped out. The actual combat report is more gruesome:

Assault collapses, attacking force wiped out

China: The two corps surrounded east Ichang are in big trouble. They are the only units not saved in the great retreat of 1941 less the Wenchow and Hong Kong garrisons.

[Bullwinkle58]

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

There otta be something similar for those sailing across the Arctic Circle - making the transition from jellyfish to Icemen!

I think it's called The Order of the Blue Nose. You get a certificate and they paint your nose with prussian blue. Not as famous as being a shellback, which goes back centuries.

[DOCUP]

Thanks for the education Bull.  That hurts Kurt.  I kinda agree with you putting up atleast some of a fight for PM.  I have that dream but know its really a nightmare.

[zuluhour]

The war still moves along slowly as Terry's tour of China continues. He reports having asian biologies attacking the body and I fear his trip will be memorable for more than he bargained for. In the mean time I will put together the rest of southern China for posting. It may be a good tool for locating the the big group armies with their general locations for planning Ops.

[DOCUP]

updates dang it

[zuluhour]

It is now March 1st '42 and the battle for Port Morseby rages. I appologize for the lack of updates.

RL updates:

Zulu staff car hit by large stupid deer.
Youngest was issued a driving license [X(]
New BMW C600 sport added to motor pool [8D]
and
we are back to three a day turns.

[DOCUP]

Sorry about your car.[:(]
 
But its damn time you updated.
 
So you have an American Kamikaze driving a German Vehicle.  Ironic
 
Also how do you know the deer was stupid?  Maybe it was an assasin from the evil Japanese.  I trained squirrels to spy on Koniu.