Pearl has been attacked. The Philippines under invasion. It's Jan in Surabaya. I'm given one of the older boats, a Salmom, but it will do.
Before we leave we are instructed all the way to the Halmahera Sea. I'm mad, the invasion is coming to Java, but the Admiral thinks Carrier Divisions will be leaving Palau to support the Java invasion.
The Doc hears reports a few of the guys have been over to Madaam's why on shore leave...I swear, they'll never learn.
"Well, step up, lets have a look" says Doc.
Doc: "Captgeo,..turn your head and cough...you're good."
Doc: "Alright Blowtanks, what's up..Geesh..."
Blowtanks: "That's all Johnson Doc..."
DOc: "Including the red sores, oh well, bend over."
NEXT..."What, Wernher, who do you think you're fooling with that hat...Oh my, you really had a time, at least the swelling makes it look bigger...I'll need my hammer."
We leave Java, not long we see smoke, but just some burning ships, we move on.
Intel says two enemy carriers will be leaving Palau to raid Ambrom. We look off the coast of Ambrom. Looking at my map, we decide to try to cut them off on the return leg. We spot a Hiryu and Soryu class.
We do a end around and sink both.
We are told to refit at Darwin since it's just two days away. Why at Darwin we get some fresh intel. The Japs will be sending a large Carrier group through the Halmahera pass. We're told to get there ASAP. We arrive on station, after a few days we get many sonar contacts.
We ID 4 Carriers, 6 CA's,including two Mogami's, a few BB's and at least 14 DDs. I track to where I can shoot bow and sterns at seperate carriers. We shoot, the torps arrive and strike both carriers at the same time.
No misses, all eight hit, one sinks quickly, I have to finish one off dead in the water. The TF passes over. We evade and give chase. This group should be headed to Kendari, just a day away, we start our end around. The DD's had a double ring extending over 10nms around the carriers. We lost visuals with the remaining carriers and track with sonar. Often DD's came back and chased us off.
Here is the chase. We had sunk 2 carriers before the refit and two in the Buru strait. The group is now headed for Kendari as we work around to the left. We want those last two carriers.
We get around at dawn and work to the front and start tracking on the two remaining carriers.
The plan is the same, get between both carriers and shoot bow and sterns at the same time. Tracking was off, I shoot 4 at the bow target at over 2000 yards...but all four hit.
I had only two stern remaining, he was zigging, but I got him with both.
The front target sinks.
The rear target takes a rear list, but moves on.
I chase it almost into Kendari Harbor..but sonar shows it had turned SE...dang..it was way off headed south. I chased it until noon. It was lagging far behind the TF, soon they left it and it became easy prey...
We head back to Darwin for fuel to get back to Surabaya..Dang, ran into a huge 30 plus ship convoy...no torps, had to leave it.
Made it to Darwin, 4 carriers sunk, but no rest for us. We are told Java is under attack. Intel has another large Carrier group coming through the Timor pass just 11 hours away from where we are, the Akagi, Kagi, ect...Loaded up, we're vectored to ambush this TF...You would think we've done enough.
We're on our way..