Istfemer
Posts: 190
Joined: 7/19/2014 From: Kyiv, Ukraine Status: offline
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Amphibious operations continue in the Central Pacific region, centered on the Marshall Islands. 1. Surface Combat TF under command of Vice Adm Lee bombards Kwajalein and destroys some Ki-48s and Ki-43s. The Mai 2nd Batallion suffers MASSIVE and light disruption, and loses 2 arty, 3 afvs. 2. Transport TF 67 [4 Clemson DDs, 9 EC2 Liberties] carrying supplies to Jaluit is attacked by Jap aircraft. Hostile planes from Kwajalein strafe and hurl 250 kg. bombs at our precious/expendable Liberty cargo ships. 1 EC2 Liberty is sunk. 3. Mitscher's Carrier TF attacks Kwajalein airfield. Losses: 7 fighters, 3 bombers for Allies vs. 9 Ki-43s, 8 Ki-48s in the air and 9 Ki-48s on the ground for Japanese. 4. Transport TF 60 [1 Benham DD, 12 Henderson APs] carrying supplies to Maloelap delivers them without any troubles. 5. Transport TF 69 [3 Bristol DDs, 13 EC2 Liberties] also delivers supplies without any troubles, except it does so to Wotje. 6. Transport TF 70, which includes x2 Bogue CVEs and an AV (all loaded with aircraft), sails to Wake. Unfortunately, it stumbles into a well-planned ambush soon after it leaves port. Japanese subs make only two attacks, but both hit home (two 5*****s from Type 95.m1 torpedoes). One CVE sinks outright. The other CVE demonstrates remarkable feats of damage control in spite of being mortally wounded. Wait for it. Not only will this mortally holed ship sail all the way from Wotje to Wake (6 hexes, over 600 nautical miles), this CVE will also sit through all amphibious action at Wake, successfully unload a TBF Avenger squadron on Wake and sink a full day later. Simply amazing. 7. Bombardment TF 52 [CL Montpelier, 10 DDs] under command of Rear Adm Merrill bombards Wake, further reducing the garrison's capability to resist. 8. Transport TF 53 [9 Empress APs], commanded by Turner and carrying the 13th Canadian Brigade + loads of supplies, sails to Wake and unloads them on the atoll's beaches. Combat ensues. 4 attempts are made. For reasons unknown, British Vice Admiral J. Somervile usurps command of the amphibious invasion from American Vice Admiral R. Turner, thus endangering the whole operation! This is bound to cause tensions between two Allied nations, regardless of the invasion's outcome. ### Vice Adm Somervile vs. Lt Gen Iida Odds 0. Allies lose 4 squads. ### Vice Adm Somervile vs. General Terauchi Odds 0. Allies lose 3 squads. ### Vice Adm Somervile vs. Lt Gen Iida Odds 0. Allies lose 10 squads; Japanese lose 3. ### Vice Adm Somervile vs. General Terauchi Odds 0. Allies lose 4 squads and 4 arty. Not very good results. The price of Somervile's blunder. 9. Transport TF 61 [12 8000t cargo ships] carrying vital supplies sails to Wake and unloads them all onto the beachhead. 10. The leaderless Transport TF 64 [CLs Detroit and Richmond, 7 DDs, 18 Henderson APs and 13 8000t cargo ships] carrying the 40th US Inf Div and supplies that were not unloaded during the last week's operations, for some reason, doesn't sail to Wake as it is there already. It simply unloads its division and resupplies every friendly on the beach. Combat ensues. ### Admiral Nimitz vs. Lt Gen Iida Odds 8. Success! The 4/48th Inf Batallion is ELIMINATED. Nimitz saves the day again. Allies lost 40 squads, 5 arty and 1 afv. Japanese lost 14 squads and 6 arty. Strange, but I didn't get the notification about Iida committing sepukku. Could it be that he wasn't the local commander at Wake? 11. Transport TF 63 [3 Sims DDs and 3 Cimarron oilers] unloads fuel at Wake. Freshly captured Wake needs fuel and supplies. TF 70 unloads its aircraft while the poor Bogue CVE I told you about earlier slowly lists and finally capsizes. Too bad it couldn't be grounded somehow. G4M Hamaki bombers from Truk attack Lee's SCTF and hit one CA with a 250 kg. bomb for superficial damage. Lastly, the Lightning and Marauder squadrons from Maloelap make a raid on Kwajalein airfield. We lose 4 P38Gs for 4 Japanese Ki-43 shot down. No aircraft were destroyed on the ground. Presumably, every Jap plane on the ground that could ever fly is already a burning wreck beyond repair. --- I get the feeling that Zeke doesn't consider my invasion of the Marshall Islands especially distressing, else he would have committed more air and naval (possibly also land) assets to the area. I have met only light resistance so far.
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< Message edited by Istfemer -- 5/18/2019 10:02:44 PM >
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