13 February 1942
Showdown in Makassar Strait postponed as Lex and Yorktown wait for surface support
Japan
USS Tautog sank a cargo ship off Okinawa in a surface night attack using torpedoes and guns.
Hawaii
Air strikes on Pearl/Hickam cost Japan 6 medium bombers and a Zero as we only have enough flyable planes for our very best pilots.
Sumatra
One of our light cargo ships was shot up by a Japanese submarine while en route to Singapore for a supply run. We hit the sub with a little bit of return fire but nothing too serious--he found another ship to attack later in the day, a regular-sized cargo ship, which it torpedoed and sank.
Java
A Japanese submarine tried to transit into the Indian Ocean but hit a mine and likely sank.
Celebes
A Dutch sub torpedoed and sank a cargo ship transiting south of Celebes between the Banda and Java seas.
Borneo
In the South China Sea near Miri, a British sub torpedoed a troop transport. The ship is mortally damaged but might make port before it goes down.
Balikpapan was swept by Oscars, which downed 2 Allied fighters with no loss. Light and medium bombers from Balik are trying to stop the approaching invasion forces but can't hit anything; one Falcon bomber was shot down by flak. At least no fighters are trying to stop them. Another TB attempt on my ASW group was attempted, fighting them off cost us another P-40.
The Lexington and Yorktown failed to get in range to intervene today. I think this is because they waited for a surface force that I ordered to follow them to protect them from surface attack. It probably didn't help that I had to steer them away from an entrance to the Java Sea that had an enemy sub on patrol. I won't be able to stop the landings in time, but I can still cause massive casualties. The ambush will proceed.
Philippines
Enemy landing barges are assaulting Corregidor and hitting mines and getting shot up by coastal batteries for trying. These aren't just improvised minesweepers, at least one had troops on board.
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