The little ship that could.

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1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

The fire takes but minutes to extinguish.
But the cleanup nearly an hour
The changing into another clean uniform another painful 30 minutes
Waiting for the next leave "boat" an agonising 25 more

.
It is late, late indeed in the night when Hirate steps upon his doorstep.

The night still, quiet

Broken by the healthy sound of a newborn in full force..................
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

12 July

new air units rotated to the Manchurian front

Another day of bloody conflict,
Today 92 russians destroyed, a bare 12 japanese.

If war was for points, this would be a profitable day.
But it is not, of course.
This is twelve planes Japan finds increasingly impossible to replace
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

13 July
The Imperial Palace

The room is quiet.

The emperor, figure head to a 100 million "human bullets' stands at the map table, and notices the silenc

Almost as quiet a a tomb,..........as well that it may be..........

The intelligence officer is giving a briefing.

"at this stage, we can confidently claim the following enemy carriers sunk:
Lexington
Enterprise
Hornet
Saratoga
Two, as far can be detirmined, Yorktowns
Bennington
and , five light carriers.
12 enemy battleships have been sunk, 1 battle cruiser..........30 plus cruisers, and ..."
the officer pauses
"35 escort carriers"

"Thirty five?" ...............how can a navy suffer to lose so many ships, and yet keep fighting?..........and yet they do...............


And yet.
35 escort carriers.so may battleships. And for every carrier sunk how many still in the yard hands?. And my brave soldiers still hold so many at bay in Minando.
The allies must be despairing............must be. They cannot hope to keep on like this, can they?

Alright then.........
"Thank you Commander............your news is good"

Yes, the lid of the coffin closes, the light dims.
But the news is "good'
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

15 July
her name will be Akari
But Hirate will have but one day to meet his new daughter, the war calls Susuzuki again
She has a new captain........how many has Hirate and Okano served under now?

Does it matter?
Another Captain...........Watanabe Yasuma, a short, bloody short bulldog of a figure. And, as her crew will find out shortly, his attitude matches his looks.
Rumours have it he has lost destroyers under him.....in battle, surface battle at that.
The crew gather on the focastle to hear from him.

he stands, hands on hips......and Okano cannot think that he fairly bristles.
"I understand this ship can do 36 knots...........good, you can expect that..many times"
"I understand that this ships guns are fast and accurate..............good again..........they will need to be"
'And I believe still in our fish..........and I pray that we get a chance to use them again..........this ship, men, is built to steam fast, fight hard.and this I intend to do."

Silence. The Captain eyes his men.
We sail for Nago, escort for a fast transport run..........this ship will be ready for sea at 1800 hours"

The Short man steps down.
vanishes, the quiet deep behind him

Another captain, yes.
Another glory seeker?.........we will see, thinks Okano, we will see
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

DD Susuzuki and one other will sail from Hiroshima, then at dawn meet 4 APD's south of Kagoshima. The mission calls for a dash to Nago ( north Okiwano), an overnight unload, and return.
Once a mission barely worthy mentioning.
Now............
The SS are still thick.

Most of the southern coast of China is now in back in their hands............and there are many airfields well in range of the plotted course
Enemy destroyers are active at Hong kong.
But most importantly............a enemy CV task force is near Legaspi, striking targets at will, and coming north.

Coming north
Coming hard.
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Mike McCreery
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Mike McCreery »

You are doing excellent in the game. Nobody can resist the allied advance in '45 if done properly.
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1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

16th July
Susuzuki spends the day finishing preparations, final ammunitioning, a final topping of the tanks
Like a rash of measles, sandbags sprout all over her, around the bridge, the guns, the searchlights.
She comes to full steam, burning and turning..............and then the word comes down, a delay.
The other destroyers are not ready, or some damn thing.
It doesn't matter, for most of the crew this delay is in fact a blessed relief, a chance for rest, for tonight at least

But Watanabe places her on one hours notice for sea.

For the stokers this means the watches remain, the two boilers remain online, the turbines remain warm on reduced vacuum, on turning gear. The majority of the auxiliary machinery will remain running.
Four on, 2 at defence stations, 4 off.

And the four on will drag, and drag, and drag. The two at defence stations will not be much better.

So what are these four hours like?
These days are gone now, a memory in greying bodies.

In the boiler room the watch will begin with a walk around the space by all of them, the steamer (hirate has the firsts) more concerened with the system alignments, the furnace flame(is it bright, even, no "frazzle"), the smoke mirror clear, the fuel pump strking nicely, the log filled correctly.
The water tender will check his pumps, roll the standby to confirm its ready to go, prove the guage glass, stroke the fed controller.
The sprayer punchers will check and drain the oils, vent the coolers, turn the striners

And then, all that done, the tedium will begin

The blower will hum, the fans whir, the sweat stream. The fuel pump will throb.
Once an hour, a set of rounds
there is brass to polish (and thank the gods that there is at times like this), but little else can be done, the ship a such short notice
At 2200, sprayer change out, this gives 15 minutes work, they have to be scrubbed, dis assembled, inspected, re assembled, the plunger on them proved.

But the tedium will remain.
And with it, the mind must turn to the future
Susuzuki will sail soon, and yet again face the ever strengthening enemy.

And what will that bring?

Better, one would think, to concentrate on the brasswork.





big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

Tsinan is lost
Tientsin too
Northern china is being swept clear of Japanese.
The enemy CVs strike again, vigan today.
4 tankers are lost near Manilla, submarines this time

And everywhere through out the empire, the signals come

Supplies all but exhausted...................
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Long pig
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by Long pig »

The noose is tightening, how long do you think you can last at this stage?
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

I will fight forever!!!!
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

17 july45
Susuzuki remains at readiness for another day
SNAFU..somewhere it seems.

The American carriers strike takao, and finish of the tanker convoy so savaged by the SS the day before. two more gone, so few left now.

The russians are coming, at last
At taonan, a city to the north of Korea, 4 armoured corps roll into the town.
There are few defenders though, the real resistance line is far to the south, whether it will ba adequate in the faceof this juggernaught remains to be seen.
But tanks struggle in forest and hill, and there are many of these ahead yet.

We will fight on!!


At 1800 hours the word comes down.
Susuzuki raises to full vacuum, disengages turning gear, brings her plant to instant readiness.
By 2100 hours she joins destroyers Kiri, Eonok, Kaba, shapes to the south, and leaves Japan yet again

The weather tomorrow is forecast to be clear.
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

18 July 1945

Captain Watanabe with Susuzuki leads the other three destroyers south at a wake carving 20 knots south west towards nago, Okiwano province, the other destroyers decks piled high with vital supplies, cement, reinforcement steel rods, camoflage matting, and mail.
The sea is brilliant deep green blue, the water mared by barely a ripple other than what their pasage creates.
He is pleased.
Pleased to be at the helm again of a warship. Pleased WITH the warship, one that already impresses him.
But more than pleased that action becons........

"Signal from 22nd Flottilla, Okiwano sir"
"lets have it"
"Enemy carrier aircraft active and sighted in this area. Enemy attacking minor vessels Takao area. Position and course of enemy carrier fleet unknown, believed to be south of Okiwana. can we expect your arrival as planned?"


They want me to break radio silence?.............are bags of cement THAT vital?

Susuzuki trembles lightly beneath his feet, the funnels stream a light haze...........she is barely trying even now at 20 knots.
Arrive at dark............unload...........full power run away...........

"Signal 22nd flotilla, tell them...........tell them.........yes"
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

The betty bomber
Such a maligned creature now.

japan has done what they can with her now, self sealing tanks, armour, a dorsal turret.
But you still would not be happy risking an engagement in one....

There are few russian fighters though operating near Sakahlin..........and betties good attributes, the ability to carry and deliver torpedoes over a great, great range can still shine

Enemy LSTs, obviously bound for Okha.
Miss betty bites again.
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by John 3rd »

Keep it UP!
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Member: Treaty, Reluctant Admiral and Between the Storms Mod Team.
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

19 July 1945

Nago area

Susuzuki works steadily towards 30 knots, her funnels streaming.
There have been "difficulties" unloading the destroyers in the anchorage, now the sun is already over the horizon, the early morning haze has burnt off, and the day is going to be bright and sunny.
Her bow cleaves a small 1 metre swell, a swell speckled with the occasional whitecap, the wind a steady 15 to 20 knots.
Already the spray occasionally comes across the decks.

Susuzuki works towards 30 knots.

It takes experience to understand this term, 30 knots , slight swell, chop, head wind, in a destroyer.

She is alive under captain Watanabe feet, the wind in his face, the salt on his lips..........now if he can just keep her that way.

The enemy carriers have been sighted
200 miles due south
Susuzuki does thirty knots now, cleaving north
Watanabe urges her on...............faster, faster!






Hirate watches the smoke mirror carefully............almost full firing rate now.........almost. Carefully he closes the fuel throttle a quarter inch, screws the blower open another..............to its stop.
"Watch your bloody water level tender!".............minus two inches.steady though......
The boiler room is a bedlam of noise now, the screaming howl of the blowers, the ca........ullunk, ca.ullunk of the fuel pumps, the hiss of their exhuasts, the whine of the feed pumps.
But above all of them, the roar, the consuming bellow of the furnaces, the hellish sound of the fuel being consumed ton upon ton in ten great blazing cones of flame.

the stokers stand at the boiler front, faces aglow from the reflection of this hell , peering time to time through the inspection glass, squinting.
Susuzuki reaches 31 knots...........faster, faster!



The gunners squint too, eyes against the sun, watching the sky carefully. Overhead, tiny dots 10000 feet, 5 miles away, the Tojo's and tonies circle........comforting, yes, but every minute takes the little task force further and further away from their nest.
men check ammunition, check movement, check comms. Then, they check them again.

The four destroyers are in two columns, 2000 metres apart, 500 yards spread. Kiri, Eonok, port column, kaba, Susuzuki the stbd. The others are 32 knotters, in this race, Susuzuki has power to spare.
But she cannot leave behind her brothers.

Watanabe has just finished his tea, done his 100th lap of the bridge
'Enemy aircraft reported, starboard, 20 miles............50 plus"
Carefully he moves to his place, dead centre of the bridge.........takes his helmet, takes the strap, agressively tightens it

Bends to the voice tube
'Engineroom..........standby to give me everything you have ever got"
And to the Coxswain.........."I expect to throw her around Swain............do not let me down
the great hulk of the coxswain merely smiles, nods. Knuckles tighten upon the wheel

'All hands, prepare for air action"







Okano closes the voice tube......." one last glance about the space, all is secure yes?...........makes a decision
He steps to the main throttle, gently takes it from his throttly.
Thirty one knots................but you have a lot more in you don't you girl...............well, lets wring it from your stubborn heart
And then, from above, the steady bark of the forward 4.5's...........
And the telegraphs move to Flank
There is no point in thinking of what stoops from above, yes?...............we have been through this many times before. Do your duty, do your duty..........faster Susuzuki, faster!


The arial battle begins on the horizon, glints, smoke trails..........growing crosses, closing, closing, , now on the starboard flank, bearing 045, hell divers, Avengers at 90 degrees as well.......hammer and anvil
"All guns fire!"

6 planes stoop on the column............port 20!.........bring the other guns to bare.........and now they all are, the bombers screaming down, the howling whine of the bombs, the chatter of machine guns.the awful crump, BANG!, BANG!, of two vanishing deep into Kaba's guts.
"Admidships!, starboard twenty..............Susuzuki passes up the already slowing, broken destroyer, flames roaring from her admidships.
better not to look to hard.............

Another attack is coming in, Avengers, bombs, no fish..Watanabe orders hard rudder, the coxswains arms blurr, she heals hard, hard, the gunners , the cooks, the stokers, everyone hanging on for grim death.

A million drummers slam her flank as she charges almost sideways the ocean, it piles against her, spray flying in great sheets, water rushes across her decks.....
her speed falls, dragged away by the turn.
Death comes at them again. Black eggs swing down, thundering water spouts..shrapnel, tracer..a plane spinning into the sea.
Susuzuki does a lap around Kaba............trying to do her best to protect her...........but she is done

Admidships!...............Susuzuki straightens......the great screws can bite properly again, the stern bites down. the rooster tail builds anew....she races to catch her remaining sisters.....too late...............Kiri vanishes in a mountain of water, ..fire flame........stumbles out of the white forest......listing already..........

Watanabe grimaces....grim work...........and Eonok too is plastered.
Damnation!!...........last one left

'new course, due north...........flank!"






Full ahead.flank!

Open the emergeny blower throttles.....open all the cocks wide...........Hirate senses, no, knows...........from the noise about them, the clangs, the endless pounding of the guns.............the wild gyrations that things are desperate indeed.........faster you bitch..faster!

Okano knows too..............he can give Watanabe no more............Susuzuki straightens, allows her props to bite smoothly, cleanly....faster, faster...........33, 34..........




The last avengers came from dead astern..........3 only...........a fighter slashes at them.two only, Watanabe watches almost transfixed.......4 bombs...........faster..gods faster................watches them plunge down 50 yards astern...................................

36 knots
Susuzuki runs for her life................
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by pws1225 »

Wow! I do believe my chair shook from the percussion of the bombs as I read this. Excellent stuff, and much appreciated.
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by obvert »

[&o][&o]
"Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm." - Winston Churchill
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

20 July

Susuzuki will make home waters, down to the very dregs in fuel.
Alerted to the menace of the carriers, all of southern japan comes to high alert, bombers are manned, and fighters fuelled. Combined fleet raises steam in Kobe, and sails, skirting the coasts it will linger , trailling its coat, maybe the allies will react towards her?
It is a vain hope

The allied carrier task force vanishes, no surprise there, japanese air search has more holes in its garment than clothe now.
Only 4 Emily flying boats remain, a handful of irvings, one sentai of Mirts.
It does not really matter though now, does it?.
When they come, they will come. A day or two less notice is not going to make any difference now.
The snowballs will still have to be pitched into hell regardless............



Supplies, carefully selected supplies have been successfully run into Rashin, manchuria front
Spare engines, spark plugs, O2 cylinders, ammunition....................and avgas.

2000 precious tons of supplies.
Ogowa takes just his Sentai north to Rashin, a short hop across the sea of Japan..
The eagles are refuelled in the rain.
The field is muddy, wet, puddles everywhere.
A miserable place
The Russians are STILL coming every day.
Ogowa again addresses his men. " A chance to hone our skills men.............."

To whet our steel in Russian blood
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1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

Watanabe brings Susuzuki alongside the wharf at Hiroshima.
It is raining, raining hard. The water runs from the concrete, sweeping days of rubbish and spilt fuel and oil into the black waters. Bright coloured circles and patterns spread, dissapate, are replaced with others

The Dock yard workers are quiet, backs bent, heads bowed..grimness fills the air.
Susuzuki's men , too, are quiet, sombre.
Four have departed, only one, one that can run hardest, it seems, has returned.

They live, but shame hangs heavy in the dark grey clouds overhead.
It is not hard to imagine the rain a million tears.

But Watanabe has little time to think of the past. The future, now, calls.
"Finish with main engines.............engines to remain at immediate notice for sea"
he turns to the engineer, the gunnery officer.
"Fuel, ammunition. Immediately. We sail again in 4 hours, three if I can"

In the roads , 8 more APD await .
Destination, Rashin..supplies for the navy airforce apparently................

There has been no sleep since departure from Hiroshima
And now it seems, little chance of any today.........


big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
1275psi
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RE: The little ship that could.

Post by 1275psi »

(from E mail exchange with cantona)




"from"
The president of the United states
to
Commander Allied forces, Pacific.

List of possible targets for deployment of "special weapon" approved
Earliest , and continued deployment of the weapon desirable
Final deployment of weapon remains in your hands, subject to tactical situation.


melt the barsteds

yours..........
big seas, fast ships, life tastes better with salt
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