19 January 1942
The Dutch submarine service strikes again: Scratch one flattop!
Battle of the Coral Sea in progress....
Hawaii
Just 4 BBs pounded Pearl again. Where did the other 2 go? Two of the BB took hits from coastal batteries, nothing serious though. Hickam remains incapacitated, and just about every ship in port is shot up. Did I mention I'm glad I decided to evacuate when I did?
I have a confession to make. I was holding out on you. The Lexington and Yorktown were hanging out near Palmyra. Those token forces I sent there were bait, trying to get him to detach something from Pearl that I could defeat in detail. He didn't bite. My carriers bombed his troops on Palmyra and are now moving West towards the action.
Battle of the Coral Sea
This is shaping up to be a major engagement. Those two task forces pressed on, in spite of yesterday's damage. The enemy's order of battle appears to be:
2 Task forces, approx 20 ships, including: CA Suzuya (damaged yesterday), CL Nagara (damaged yesterday), CL Yubari, CL Tatsuta, 3 DD, 3PB, 2 AK (1 damaged yesterday), 2 AMC
(1 AK sunk or aborted mission yesterday)
Air support: One squadron of Oscars (12+ planes) and 3 of Zeroes (~45 planes)
Ground forces: At least 1/3 army division and 2 marine units, plus an armored regiment
Reinforcements: probably Betties and more Zeroes. Possible the Soryu CVBG is lurking--one of the Zero squadrons is hers but it looks like they are flying from Rabaul.
My forces:
Enterprise + Saratoga CVBG (full air wings)
1 P-39 squadron (18 planes)
1 A-24 banshee squadron (18 planes with a few reserve)
4 Hudson medium bombers
Total ground strength approx 1/2 division, including an armored regiment, and an AA regiment
Scoutplanes everywhere!
Reinforcements:
1 Wirraway Squadron
At least 2 P-40 squadrons
1 A-24 Banshee squadron
Surface task force: 2 CA, 3CL, 2 DD
He started landing troops before dawn. Shore batteries scored hits on two AKs (one that was damaged yesterday) and 2 AMCs. He began sweeping with Oscars and Zeroes but I gave him nothing to shoot at. We then sent 17 Banshees and 17 P-39s up against a CAP of 11 Zeroes to try to get at the ships. The Zeroes were pros, they got 5 P-39s and 5 Banshees without loss. The Banshees that got through hit an AMC and an AK--which appeared to have already disembarked all their troops. A raid of 3 Hudsons followed that up, but the Zeroes tore into them. All were shot down, two managed to attempt an attack first, but missed. Our Banshees rearmed and tried again, just 10 this time with 6 P-39s escorting. They shot down one Zero this time, but three more Banshees went down. 6 Banshees survived long enough to attempt attacks, but all missed.
So that's where things stand now. My CVBG is still out of range but should be able to join in tomorrow or the day after. I'm moving fighter squadrons to help out. The amount of troops he landed is a problem, but they're disrupted from being bombed twice plus taking fire on landing. Will the cavalry arrive in time to save the day? The biggest question, though, is Rabaul's Betties. There might be a lot there. And possibly more Zeroes to escort them than I realize. But range is on my side, I doubt I'll ever need to get inside Zero range, and I'll be right at the limit of how far a Betty can carry a torpedo. Decent odds they can't even find me, and if they do, it'll probably be unescorted Betties and they might only be carrying bombs. The Wildcats--and Butch O'Hare--are waiting for them.
Dutch East Indies
Submarine KXIII won a game of cat-and-also-cat against an ASW squadron, putting 2 fish into a TB and slipping away.
Submarine O24--the likely killer of the Ryujo--once again encountered the CVLBG near the Makassar coast. This time it targeted the Hosho, hitting it with 2 of 4 torpedoes. The torpedoes caused multiple secondary explosions, including a magazine that cooked off. No doubt about this one, she's gone.
Enemy troops have landed in Makassar.
Oscars swept Palembang but we were unable to get any Buffalos in the air to meet them. None were shot down yesterday, but they all got shot up. Bombers took advantage and caused significant facility damage.
Philippines
The S-36 torpedoed and likely sank a cargo ship in the Luzon Strait.
China
He attacked in Chusien but he's way short on strength to succeed there right now. He lost 3200 men for trying and only killed about 300 of mine.
Malaya
Another attack on Singapore, more dead Japanese soldiers. 3472 to be exact, we only lost 39 and the forts are holding. Looks like he's up to two divisions across the river though.