At dawn we slept...in the cab on the way back from Olongapo

[Cap Mandrake]

No significant attacks of Tanna or Noumea

[Cap Mandrake]

Air losses

[zuluhour]

That's positive thinking!

[Cap Mandrake]

..

[Cap Mandrake]

Fun Thanksgiving. Not as insanely warm as last year but nice enough to eat outside. We had a brined and then smoked turkey that was seriously good. Somebody invited a Canadian for some odd reason. He was missing a tooth from hockey but could really sing and play the guitar so when the sun when down everyone hung out by the fireplace outside and did sing-a-longs (sort of) and drank Scotch.

Thank you pilgrims. That was fun.

[Cap Mandrake]

**************FOB, G&T, Suva Lawn Bowling Club***************


Young man in nicely pressed uniform:..Yes, take Idaho for example, original capital expenditure $12.5 million..say...22 years of
depreciation...perhaps $3 million in residual value. Now figure $120,000 fuel cost for transit back to Pearl and then $3.8 million for the June triple A upgrade and you are already in the hole to the tune of $1 million.

FAM: Wait, do you mean it is cheaper to let Idaho be sunk?

Young man in nicely pressed uniform: Well, sir, she still has value. Perhaps some type of lease arrangement?

FAM: Lease? To whom? The Australians and New Zealanders don't have any cash. Why, the only ones around here with any money are the..the...well, you know.

Young man in nicely pressed uniform: Precisely.

[Cap Mandrake]

*******************March 8, 1942(e)****************


N&IC: JJ is parading around trying to bait our SBD's into a flak trap. They may also be waiting for the BB's to get back after a rearm trip (presumably to Rabaul)
We don't take the bait again. The SBD's have been chopped down to 3 hex range.

Morning Air attack on La Foa , at 114,159

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 21 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 12

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 10

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 4 damaged

Runway hits 4

JJ has LRCAP back over La Foa. This will be bad news for the A-24's'

Morning Air attack on La Foa , at 114,159

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 33 NM, estimated altitude 12,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 5

Allied aircraft
A-24 Banshee x 8

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
A-24 Banshee: 4 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

That's it. No naval bombardment. No attack by Jap bombers on our AK's. Nothing.

[Cap Mandrake]

Oz: Raid on Sydney. They come in low and take flak damage.

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 27 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 7 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 20
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 37

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 2
P-40E Warhawk x 12

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 destroyed, 19 damaged
Ki-43-Ic Oscar: 1 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 1 destroyed

Airbase hits 13
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 31

Aircraft Attacking:
20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet
Airfield Attack: 4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Fighter sweep

Morning Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 23,940 feet.
Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 28

Allied aircraft
P-40E Warhawk x 4

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
28 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 20940 feet

This might be to get us to move more fighters away from Noumea.

[Cap Mandrake]

I think JJ are trying to repair Koumac and attrit or air forces at Noumea. The SBD's head back to Suva and Norfolk and the operational B-17's and medium bombers fly in to Noumea for an attack on Koumac
tomorrow. Noumea is at 4.95 and should go to level 5. This means the B-17's will suffer penalties tomorrow but they may just wear out the Zeroes at Koumac.

[Cap Mandrake]

******************March 9, 1942(e)*****************


N&IC: LB-30's bomb Koumac at night but only hit the runway once. PT boats sent up to Koumac get a good opportunity.
...and blow it.

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,156, Range 15,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
xAK Taito Maru
xAK Toko Maru
PB Kenan Maru
PB Mikage Maru

Allied Ships
PT-38
PT-42
PT-46

But they do achieve an intelligence goal...and perhaps burn up some ammo

Day Time Surface Combat, near Koumac at 113,156, Range 22,000 Yards

Japanese Ships
BB Mutsu
CL Isuzu
DD Isokaze
DD Michishio
DD Hibiki
DD Shikinami

Allied Ships
PT-38, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-42, Shell hits 1, and is sunk
PT-46, Shell hits 1, and is sunk

[Cap Mandrake]

We couldn't spare any escorts to attack Koumac. The idea is to fatigue the Zeroes. [:)]
This is about as good as you could expect with 66 Zeroes darkening the sky and no escorts. Too many fighters so there must be LRCAP from the carriers.

orning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 66

Allied aircraft
B-17D Fortress x 2
B-17E Fortress x 5
B-26 Marauder x 9

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 1 damaged
A6M2 Zero: 1 destroyed on ground

Allied aircraft losses
B-17D Fortress: 1 damaged
B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged
B-26 Marauder: 3 destroyed, 4 damaged

Airbase hits 1
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 11

[Cap Mandrake]

This kind of thing is bad for morale.

Morning Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 18 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 63

Allied aircraft
A-20A Havoc x 9

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
A-20A Havoc: 2 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

No other combats near N&IC. Noumea goes to level 5. Time to bring in more 17's and reduce Koumac to baked
taro salad.

Zeroes from 5 different carriers squadrons are identified over Koumac.

[Cap Mandrake]

Oz: Can't cover everything.

Afternoon Air attack on Sydney , at 90,167

Weather in hex: Thunderstorms

Raid detected at 16 NM, estimated altitude 23,940 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 28

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 3
P-40E Warhawk x 3

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 2 destroyed
P-40E Warhawk: 2 destroyed

Aircraft Attacking:
27 x Ki-43-Ic Oscar sweeping at 20940 feet

They go after Port Kembla. Maybe they plan to land at Kembla or Newcastle or Sydney?

Afternoon Air attack on Port Kembla , at 90,168

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 21,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft
Ki-21-IIa Sally x 11
Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 33

Japanese aircraft losses
Ki-21-IIa Sally: 8 damaged

Airbase hits 8
Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 12

[Cap Mandrake]

China: We hold again at Chingkiang. We take more destroyed squads but our little yellow bastards don't cost as much

Ground combat at Chihkiang (78,50)

Japanese Shock attack

Attacking force 44643 troops, 475 guns, 295 vehicles, Assault Value = 1334

Defending force 30738 troops, 228 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 716

Japanese adjusted assault: 963

Allied adjusted defense: 1375

Japanese assault odds: 1 to 2 (fort level 1)

Combat modifiers
Defender: terrain(+), preparation(-), experience(-)
Attacker: shock(+)

Japanese ground losses:
2595 casualties reported
Squads: 15 destroyed, 290 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 38 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 26 disabled

Allied ground losses:
1495 casualties reported
Squads: 59 destroyed, 92 disabled
Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 41 disabled
Engineers: 1 destroyed, 10 disabled
Guns lost 17 (1 destroyed, 16 disabled)

Assaulting units:
13th Division
3rd Tank Regiment
23rd Tank Regiment
21st Division
9th Tank Regiment
116th Division
5th Tank Regiment
40th/A Division
1st Army
21st Mortar Battalion
14th Medium Field Artillery Regiment
15th Ind.Medium Field Artillery Regiment
6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:
5th Chinese Cavalry Corps
28th New Chinese Division
9th Chinese Corps
3rd Chinese Cavalry Corps
69th Chinese Corps
38th New Chinese Division
1st Artillery Regiment
22nd Artillery Regiment
1st Group Army
7th Artillery Regiment
20th Artillery Regiment
39th Group Army
18th Artillery Regiment
56th AT Gun Regiment
.

[Cap Mandrake]

************March 10, 1942(e)*********

Aside: This San Bernardino thing really pisses me off. We are trying to come up with some kind of overhead page code for jihadi-a-hole attack. Maybe "Code Aisha"? Anyway, enough of that.

N&IC & the New & Improved Hebrides: Jap subs all over place. 8 pt AK's don't warrant escorts.

Submarine attack near Tanna at 121,157

Japanese Ships
SS I-21

Allied Ships
xAK Arkansan, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage

The KB was unspotted yesterday. I didn't believe for a second they went away. I can't bear to watch the replay to see dud torps plow into Akagi.[:@]


Sub attack near Belep Islands at 113,152

Japanese Ships
CV Akagi
CA Chikuma
CS Chiyoda
DD Arashio
DD Yunagi
DD Harukaze
DD Kasumi

Allied Ships
SS Plunger

SS Plunger launches 4 torpedoes at CV Akagi
Plunger diving deep ....

[Cap Mandrake]

Efate has gone level one so we take it down.

Morning Air attack on Efate , at 120,154

Weather in hex: Light cloud

Raid spotted at 9 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 2 minutes

Allied aircraft
Hudson III (LR) x 5

No Allied losses

Runway hits 5

Efate has no combat troops? Hmmmm? I wonder how much assault value 2nd Korea-mens diaper battalion has?

Afternoon Air attack on 2nd Naval Construction Battalion, at 120,154 (Efate)

Weather in hex: Heavy cloud

Raid spotted at 15 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft
LB-30 Liberator x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese ground losses:
10 casualties reported
Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled
Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled
Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
3 x LB-30 Liberator bombing from 4000 feet
Ground Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

[Cap Mandrake]

Generally, one should not use P-40B's for a fighter sweep against hotshot Zeroes but we are trying to fatigue the defenders of Koumac by giving them blisters on their trigger fingers. A squadron of F4F's stayed in their bunks
70 of the Little Yellow Bastards over Koumac. They are still being covered by fighters from the KB while the KB stays out of attack range.

Afternoon Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 44 NM, estimated altitude 21,700 feet.
Estimated time to target is 15 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 70

Allied aircraft
P-40B Warhawk x 19

Japanese aircraft losses
A6M2 Zero: 2 destroyed

Allied aircraft losses
P-40B Warhawk: 9 destroyed

[Cap Mandrake]

This is the only B-17 squadron of 5 to take off from Noumea. [:@]


Afternoon Air attack on Koumac , at 113,156

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Japanese aircraft
A6M2 Zero x 61

Allied aircraft
B-17E Fortress x 6

No Japanese losses

Allied aircraft losses
B-17E Fortress: 1 destroyed, 2 damaged

Airbase supply hits 1
Runway hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:
3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb
2 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 9000 feet
Airfield Attack: 8 x 500 lb GP Bomb