zuluhour
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Joined: 1/20/2011
From: Maryland
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Thank you Jeff!
October 18, 1942
SoPac : All of the bases in CenPac and SoPac have been at general quarters for two days. The Kido Butai, spotted moving south of Baker caused a great deal of angst and panic management. Transport shipping, tanker traffic, and supply convoys must all be given new sailing orders. Forward and rear areas are combed for fighters and attack aircraft and given new assignments. The Lexington and Hornet are at pier side and cannot be made ready for sea in time to insure a safe getaway and cause additional stress on command. It is at this juncture the Kido Butai is sighted right between the Fiji’s and Pago Pago, easy sailing distance to either one. The evening of the 17th is a difficult one at Zulu HQ. Orders have been issued for the day, but the feeling persists that something vital is forgotten or something ordered is suicidal. It is the Japanese that blunder. In the evening of the 17th, both surface groups are ordered to retire to Pago Pago. They are spotted off shore of Wallis Island with no air cover. Unbeknownst at the time, the IJN orders nine cruisers with two destroyers to Wallis or to Pago Pago. I don’t know which. One of our cruiser task forces makes Pago Pago, but the other, made up of two CLAA and two CLs picks up the IJN ships in an overcast, visibility at 20,ooo yds, patch of ocean 50nm NNW of Savaii and turns into them. The IJN ships are surprised and we are as well as the Zuikaku is with them. The ensuing gunnery duel is close in terms of shots landed but it is the beginning of a bad day for Zuikaku. USS Detroit takes the lion’s share of the damage absorbing 14 shell hits and battling heavy fires before noon. For the Japanese it is Zuikaku who cannot get screened in time to avoid the ambush. She takes 7 of the 24 hits meted out to her escort. She is not on fire but she is damaged. When Yamakaze moves to screen her the DD is set alight. The first strike from Pago Pago arrives soon after. Zuikaku manages to get 16 Zeros up but it is not enough to stop the 10 SBDs escorted by 25 Wildcats. One 1,ooo#er finds the flattop. She is on fire now. 30 more SBDs arrive reporting the carrier is obscured by smoke and fire and land three 1,ooo#ers on Naka. 14 Avengers arrive next and find 8 Zeros still orbiting the task force. They are unable to land a fish, but escape in good order. Zuikaku’s raid arrives over Pago Pago to seek revenge and picks out the responsible group for the morning affair off Savaii and is decimated by CAP. It’s early afternoon before the SBDs can return. There are only 11 DBs left which can fly and they pick up a small Wildcat escort and fly straight to the Zuikaku. They leave her with two more 1,ooo bombs buried in her hull and fire and smoke dancing on her flight decks. Mikuma is set on fire as well and Mogami swallows another big one . TBs can’t find the carrier in the afternoon but place a fish in Ashigara to finish the day off. Oddly, at the end of the day there is no sign of any IJN ships. They must have sailed NNW but Suva should have picked them up. The battle may not be over, but it has started well.
Burma: It is notable today. The Tojo makes its first appearance in numbers over Prome. Sweeping P38s can barely eke out a small victory. For the most part the allies have only faced A6M2s in air to air combat with the exception of Oscars over China. The big boys don’t fly and maybe just as well as I’m not sure how many Tojos would have rose to meet them.
SwPac: The IJAF and USAF exchange pleasantries over central Australia. The IJA is trying to move armor north towards Alice Springs. He will be decimated. There is no fear here anymore. I can move reinforced divisions by rail quickly without sacrificing security elsewhere now.
SoPac: Terapo is bombarded by encircling Japanese. The counter battery fire kills 50 of them. Forts are now at three and the position is being reinforced by air. B17s hit nearby Japanese held ports and supply still makes it in the perimeter by sea. It is tricky here but I think sustainable.
Day Time Surface Combat, near Savaii at 146,158, Range 21,000 Yards
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Shell hits 7
CA Maya
CA Nachi, Shell hits 1
CA Ashigara, Shell hits 1
CA Mogami, Shell hits 1
CA Mikuma, Shell hits 3
CA Kumano, Shell hits 3
CA Kako
CL Sendai, Shell hits 2
CL Naka
CL Yura
DD Yamakaze, Shell hits 4, heavy fires
DD Suruyame, Shell hits 1
Allied Ships
CLAA Atlanta, Shell hits 1
CLAA San Diego, Shell hits 1
CL Raleigh, Shell hits 1
CL Detroit, Shell hits 14, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Alden
DD Bulmer
DD Paul Jones, Shell hits 1, on fire
DD Le Triomphant
Maximum visibility in Overcast Conditions: 20,000 yards
Range closes to 21,000 yards...
CONTACT: Allies radar detects Japanese task force at 21,000 yards
From the last SBDs at the scene in the afternoon.
Afternoon Air attack on TF, near Savaii at 146,157
Weather in hex: Light cloud
Raid detected at 51 NM, estimated altitude 16,000 feet.
Estimated time to target is 20 minutes
Allied aircraft
F4F-3 Wildcat x 11
SBD-3 Dauntless x 17
Allied aircraft losses
SBD-3 Dauntless: 5 damaged
Japanese Ships
CV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
CA Mogami, Bomb hits 1
CA Ashigara
CA Kumano
CA Mikuma, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires
Aircraft Attacking:
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
3 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
9 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 4000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
2 x SBD-3 Dauntless releasing from 2000'
Naval Attack: 1 x 1000 lb SAP Bomb
Carrier support unable to supply air cover..
Heavy smoke from fires obscuring CV Zuikaku
< Message edited by zuluhour -- 12/26/2013 11:45:39 PM >
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RE: Zuluhour vs Zigurat666: Summer of '42 - 
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