18 May 1942
Aerial defeat in Strait of Malacca attempting to strike ARG
Timor
We didn't do as well here as on previous days, 2 P-40s down in exchange for an Oscar and 2 Lilies. Our bombers made it through to the enemy troops without much complication.
Strait of Malacca
A flight of 8 Martlets escorting my remaining 3 Vildebeest torpedo bombers was bounced by 14 Zeroes and 16 Oscars. 5 Martlets were shot down, the rest routed, and the Vildebeests were wiped out. The Martlets didn't shoot down anyone. A follow on raid of Wirraways escorted by Mohawks was also routed, 1 Wirraway shot down as the mission was aborted due to too many opposing fighters. Both my torpedo bomber squadrons here are now effectively out of action and it could be months before I have enough replacements to bring them back to readiness.
SouthPAC
I scrapped together a few destroyers to go looking for the enemy tenders supporting their Pago op. I've lost track of the KB again, probably because so many aircraft at Pago have been disabled that scout routes don't have available aircraft to be assigned to them. Of course, he could always be going somewhere else.
Ships at Pago are succumbing to damage sustained yesterday:
xAK Arkansan sinks in port
AK Fomalhaut sinks in port
xAK Missourian sinks in port
Reinforcements and refits
SS Seadragon taken out of commission to begin refit at Brisbane
Repairs completed on BB Arizona at Seattle, ship returned to service (the last survivor of the initial Pearl Harbor attack requiring repair. She also got an AA upgrade while she was in the yard)
Repairs completed on DD Conyngham at Alameda, ship returned to service
Repairs completed on DD Shaw at Alameda, ship returned to service
Repairs completed on DD Farragut at Alameda, ship returned to service
Repairs completed on DD Dale at Alameda, ship returned to service
(DDs are all upgrades, mostly AA, some radars and K-guns)
23rd FG/HqS arrives at Aden (2/5 P-40s)
10th USN Naval Construction Battalion arrives at Port Hueneme (full strength, restricted)
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