19 February 1942
US-Philippine armies at Bataan surrender
East Java Sea
It turns out that surface group hadn't left after all, my scouts just missed it. I found this out because I had tried to take advantage of its absence to have Force Y bombard Makassar, hopefully catching formerly carrier-based fighters on the ground. We were intercepted. Neither side's gunner was great, but overall his hits were better as he had mostly heavy cruisers and I had mostly light cruisers, so more of his hits penetrated armor. His torpedoes were the major difference maker though. We lost the light cruiser Colombo, which was hit by two torpedoes, and two destroyers, each hit with a long lance.
East Australia
An enemy submarine torpedoed and sank a PG on ASW duty off Brisbane We're in the process to dropping off damaged ships at Brisbane and Sydney, he's moved his subs south to try to finish a few off. The PG was trying to keep a corridor open.
Sumatra and West Java Sea
Betties raided Palembang in 4 waves, trying to get a small SAG I had in port there. Not sure what I was thinking. We got lucky, 2 Buffalo traded for 2 Betties, no hits on the ships. I ordered the ships to leave to the south, at least until our CAP is good enough to hold them off (which might never happen).
They also raided Merak, the air battle there claimed a Zero, 2 Nells, 2 Hurricanes, a Buffalo , and a P-40. The bombers got through and sank two destroyers.
Malaya
We attempted another raid on Johore Barhu and were met by a swarm of Nates. Good thing Nates suck. We shot one down and took no losses, our bombers inflicted moderate facility damage.
Philippines
So much for a last stand at Corregidor in Bataan. Our troops arrived from Clark tired and starving, and there were only enough supplies for the first to arrive. Despite having fresh fortifications to defend them, they'd had enough and weren't going to do this all over again. The Japanese attacked, and we broke. 18,368 troops are now on their way to POW camps.
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