BBfanboy Good counsel.
Very good Intel indeed
My Amphib HQ(s) status at present (30JUN43):
San Diego - I US Amphib Corps, CORPs HQ
Command Radius: 1
+ Reinforcements
V US Amphib FORCE, Amphib HQ
Command radius: 1
Future ETA: 15 JUL 43 at Pearl Harbor
V US Amphib CORPs HQ
Future ETA : 11 AUG 43 at March Field
------------
30 Jun 43
Status of Wake
[Supply limit - 53K]
[Fuel limit - 33K]
Wake now has a Level 1.45 port, open for business. That means only one respectable sized transport pierside at a time. At Wake, there is @23K of supply and 759 (units?) of fuel. The repairship USS Hector is presently making the APA American Legion fit for sea, as she was hit by an aerial torpedo and is @40% damaged across the board. DMS USS Perry was sunk in the same attack on 6/24. There are also Aviation Tenders (AVP/AVD) on site. Over 100 Engineers and vehicles are working to improve port facilities then will start working on fortifications.
The airfield is back in service at Level 3 (maximum) with 101 Aviation Support personnel (including Navy types) on hand. Presently there are two fighter squadrons, with 18 F4U-1 Corsairs each, presently ensuring no more IJA bombers make pests of themselves at/near Wake. And there is a Squadron of PB4Y Liberators searching local waters. I can base a 4th Squadron here. I'm thinking SBDs in case of any stray Marus wandering nearby. If I understand correctly, an airbase has to be level 5+ to fly 4E bombering missions.(?)
For ground forces, there are two USN Base Forces, the 20th Seabees, a Combat Engineer Regiment and a Coastal AA Regiment. Still about 960 hungry mouths still too many. Since 36 Corsairs are here now, I will likely send the Coastal AA (@2000 troops) back to Pearl. Similarly, with base repairs done and improvements well underway, I'll send a base force or more likely the Combat Engineers back to Pearl. These transfers should let me drop a USMC Defense BN into Wake.
On a related note, Floating Drydock 1 (AFDB-1) has arrived at Midway without incident and is repairing it's first patient. USS Nautilus was badly depth charged off the coast of Japan and clawed her way back to Midway. She presently has five floatation dmg, three ENG dmg and about 20 structural dmg remaining. I can give brave Nautilus the boot any day now, and let Pearl finish Nautilus's repairs - and I think she may also have a refit due soon(?). I just wanted to get an idea how the floating drydock conducts business.
It appears AFDB-2 will arrive in California mid/late October this year so will have to plan where it will go. I'd like to get one these wonders to Java or Darwin, just not sure how to do that. Perhaps start AFDB-1 trudging down to Oz now, and then send #2 to CentPac later. If memory serves, three or four more will arrive over the next 18 months. I would really like one or two in/near Java. 'Course General MacArthur will likely want Singapore and Manila, with their superior respective shipyards, liberated before then. I should figure if an AFDB could be sent to Aden through the off board route or rather calculate how many months of transit factoring 2 hexs per day. Yewl.
Small coastal TFs are moving supply around Java. And several convoys are heading towards Java. One to pull a Brit Brigade out (to form a Division in BTO), some bringing more planes, some bringing cargo. I need more dedicated transport and bomber squadrons. I found one strange thing noteworthy in Soerabaja while doing admin stuff. Comment if you sea
it. Not sure how this situation came to be, I had nothing overtly to do with it. A bit weird, but it's working. Leading the sinking of Akagi proved that. Nevertheless, it is inappropriate and I suppose I need to intercede☆.
Best news on Java is all Japanese resistance has ended. Time to shuffle garrisons, including posting large tough semi-permanent ones in key locations, just in case the AI hasn't received the memo on No Trespassing. Time to also get Merek and Batavia's ports and airbases "sorted". Batavia has most damage repaired as well as some items of interest from clearing the port*. Local convoys are already shuffling supplies from Soerbaya locally, as well as exporting fuel to Darwin's empty fuel farms. Excellent.
ALL of the Kido Butai is now confirmed permanently moored at the bottom of Davy Jones' locker, as well as two additional fleet carriers and six CVLs. The Allies now enjoy Air Superiority over the Java Sea, and almost everywhere else; so it is time to figure next where to strike. Immediately up for consideration is Bandjermasin aka The Graveyard of the Japanese Merchant Fleet and oft referred to as Band Aid Bay. This will re-project air coverage over Balikpapan, The Makassar Strait as well as Madjene and Makassar proper on Celebes; as well as the center course to and from the PI. Next target, (first?) for a couple reasons, will be the oil interests at Oosthaven, and then likely going back into Pamberjang. At that point, Singapore will be coming into focus. Recon seems to indicate no enemy air or ground units in Oosthaven. Hmmm, weird. Following those, I am of mixed mind regarding Makassar on Celebes, but I'm pretty certain it's port and airfield are out of action barring IJN resupply etc. But Celebes, particularly Kendari, will need sorting out as it is the southern gate access to the PI. Recon indicates there is an IJN CA and @four DDs holed up in Kendari. I have four subs patrolling nearby. When I get some B-24s to the new Aussie Base at Lautem (72,115) I'll get a better picture of what is going on there. Sounds like a good job for the Liberators at Christmas Island IO (45,104) which are doing some R&R for their missions/work in the Java campaign.
30 Jun 43 Stats
[Feb '43 Stats in brackets for comparison]
Allied a/c pts lost: 4,958
IJA/IJN a/c pts lost: 10,462
[Allied a/c pts lost: 4158]
[IJA/IJN a/c pts lost: 8143]
Allied Army pts lost: 11,564
IJA Army pts lost: 7,817
[Allied Army pts lost: 10,429]
[IJA Army pts lost: 6,149]
Allies ships sunk: 271
Pts for sunk Allied ships: 1,850
IJN ships sunk: 1,537
Pts for IJN ships sunk: 17,131
[Allies ships sunk: 254]
[Pts for sunk Allied ships: 1,684]
[IJN ships sunk: 1,302]
[Pts for IJN ships sunk: 13,503]
Political pts: 1845
Japanese score: 23,637
Allied score: 45,852
Major Victory
☆HMNZS Light Cruiser Leander profile
*Recovery of main gun turret from BB Mutsu's wreck