War in the Pacific AAR Thread - ML vs JFranzen

[Molon Labe]

8 January 1944
Beaufighters from China strike troop convoy moving through Strait of Luzon

Philippines and surrounding seas
USS Sargo hit an ammunition ship (3675 tons) twice in the Strait of Luzon, sending it to the bottom.


Also in the Strait, a troop convoy of at least 10 ships is approaching from the east and was engaged by 10 Beaufighters flying out of Amoy:
xAK Enzyu Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, on fire
xAK Achou Maru, Bomb hits 4, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Denmark Maru, Shell hits 1, Bomb hits 2, on fire
So that's very likely one ship sinking, and those fires on the other two are going to cause DOT-like casualties to the troops aboard. That they're moving such vulnerable convoys through here really shows how badly the noose has tightened.



Near Jolo, the two DDs I detached from the carriers found both enemy subs. One was severely damaged an almost certainly sank shortly after the engagement. The other was moderately damaged and escaped, but based on Avengers' claims later it appears this sub was retreating and getting bombed along the way. In any case, our CVBG can enter the Sulu Sea now.


But, recon of Manila shows that instead of an air force balanced between fighters and bombers, it's just fighters now. 100 of them. I don't know where the bombers went. My concern now is that a strike on Manila might set up a riposte--they have enough fighters to chew up my airstrike, and then my weakened CVBG might face a powerful retaliatory attack, perhaps from the KB. So for now I'm going to give Manila a pass and hit Legaspi instead. There is troop movement in that area so maybe I'll catch some transports. More likely an ASW group. And, I might be able to get a portion of Manila's fighters if they have a long-range CAP over them--better than taking on all 100 at once.


DEI
Air strikes:
Babeldaob (airbase): 7 hits (possible destruction of Jake on the ground)
Koepang (ground forces): 10 casualties
Kendari (ground forces and port): 2 port hits, no casualties



Burma and Thailand
Air strikes:
Bangkok (airbase and sweeps): 9 hits; No joy on the sweeps

Pisanuloke (ground forces): 11 B-25s escorted by 6 Hurricanes and 17 P-40Ks intercepted by 18 Georges. 2 Georges shot down, 3 P-40s and 3 Hurricanes lost. Bombers completed mission, 168 casualties on the ground.








Reinforcements and Repairs
USS Princeton has been repaired from the torpedo damage sustained in the Truk operation. I'm giving her a screening force and sending her to Wake for now. May link up with the big fleet later.
DE James E. Craig arrives at Eastern USA
SS Surf arrives at Aden
No.1833 Sqn FAA arrives at Colombo
VMF(N)-532 arrives at Los Angeles
VP-18 arrives at Eastern USA
VB-151 arrives at Oak Harbor

[Ostfriese]

What are the green dots in the middle of Australia?

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

What are the green dots in the middle of Australia?

Alice Springs (with the 11th RAAF Base Force).

[Molon Labe]

9 January 1944

Japanese Home Waters

USS Haddock was depth charged for moderate damage after a failed attack on a troop transport convoy near Aogashima.


Philippines and surrounding seas
West of Luzon, USS Seawolf scored a torpedo hit on a repair tender--possibly evacuating from Manila. It was severely damaged, but probably survived.

I attempted a P-38 sweep of Manila; 21 P-38s vs 24 Georges, 4 Nicks, and 1 Zero. Did not go well...6 P-38s shot down while only taking out 1 Nick and 3 Georges.


Strait of Malacca
HMS Templar was seriously damaged in an attack by subchasers led by a kaibokan. She's been doing a pretty good job dewatering her compartments, so she'll be OK.

HMS Tactician was bombed by enemy aircraft


Thailand and Burma
P-38 and P-51 sweep of Bangkok; 1 Tony shot down.
P-40 sweep of Pisanuloke; 2 Georges and 1 P-40 shot down
Bangkok (airbase): 4 casualties, 21 hits, 1 George destroyed on ground
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 1 P-40 shot down by Georges on CAP, 40 casualties on the ground


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 25 casualties
Kendari (ground forces and port): 1 hits, 5 casualties
Babeldaob: (airbase) 4 hits


Reinforcements
AO Cahaba arrives at Balboa
APA Knox arrives at Balboa
APA Leon arrives at Cristobal
AKA Alshain arrives at Eastern USA
TK W.H. Berg arrives at Portland

[Ostfriese]

Originally Posted by Molon Labe

9 December 1944

I didn't notice earlier, but December doesn't seem right.

[Molon Labe]

Originally Posted by Ostfriese

I didn't notice earlier, but December doesn't seem right.

Fixed. Thanks!


10 January 1944
Allied troops land on Makassar
US CVBGs retiring from Philippines due to enemy airpower concentration in Luzon


China
Air raids:
Sinyang (ground forces) 47 casualties


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 9 casualties
Kendari (ground forces and port): ineffective

US troops are now landing on Makassar. Resistance is light.


Burma and Thailand
P-40s and Georges faced off above Pisanuloke, with 5 Georges and 2 P-40s shot down. B-25s being escorted by the P-40s caused 28 casualties on the ground. Nearby at Raheng, we lost another P-40 and a P-47 fighting George fighters, shooting down 1 of them.

24 B-24s hit Bangkok's airbase, getting only 9 hits, with 1 George destroyed on the ground.


Luzon Strait
10 Beaufightes went after some ships we spotted but were routed by Zeroes and Nicks flying CAP. We lost 4 Beaufighters and took one Zero with us.

2 Beaufighters went after a different target, which turned out to be unprotected--a troop carrying cargo ship. They hit with one bomb, leaving it on fire and seriously damaged (I think this ship had been hit previously).

USS Sargo hit an AO with a torpedo near Laoag. The oiler will survive this hit.


Philippines
54 SBD-5s from captured airbases in Mindanao hit Legaspi's port, sinking 5 mine tenders.

Manila and Clark Field are becoming hornets' nests of enemy aircraft--over 200. A carrier-launched strike on the ships sheltering in Manila is no longer feasible as it's likely they'll be able to get bombers through against us, and it's been awhile since my CVBGs have received any routine maintenance anyways, so I'm having them all retire to Darwin.



Reinforcements
CVE Kitkun Bay arrives at Portland
CVE Kasaan Bay arrives at Portland
DD Rocket arrives at Aden
AV Currituck arrives at Eastern USA
ARD AFDB-4 arrives at Mare Island

[Molon Labe]

11 January 1944
USS Thresher crippled near Singapore; operation to try to catch enemy carriers in Stait of Malacca called off


Philippines and surrounding seas
USS Amberjack torpedoed and sank a troop-carrying cargo shp in the Luzon Strait, while USS Finback torpedoed and sank minesweeper that was escorting the already-burning repair tender previously torpedoed west of Luzon.

Just outside Manila, USS Devilfish hit the submarine IJN I-26 with 2 of 4 torpedoes fired, sinking it. I-26 was the sub previously severely damaged and believed sunk by the 2 DD detachment at Jolo on 8 January.

Sarmi has been captured.


South China Sea
USS Cabrilla torpedoed and a 6840-ton cargo ship slightly east of Singapore. The damage was probably already lethal, but HMS Truant came by later and put 2 more fish into her to be sure.

USS Thresher tried to attack an ASW group east of Singapore, which was a horrible idea. It missed and then was caught in shallow water for a depth charge attack. It was severely damaged and is now limping back to base for repairs.

We've been exposing ourselves in shallow water in and near the Strait for too long trying to catch the enemy carriers that were operating off Burma. I'm not sure where they went, but we're just going to lose subs if we stay here.


China
Air Raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 48 casualties


Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Bangkok (airbase): 22 hits
Ayuthia (near Bangkok; ground forces) 31 casualties


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): ineffective
Kendari (ground forces and port): 0 casualties, 1 port hit
Tarakan (airbase): 15 B-24s opposed by 7 Tony fighters; 1 B-24 shot down. Raid ineffective.

Makassar has been captured.
2 LSTs ripped their bottoms open during the amphibious landings and are sheltering in nearby harbors until we can get a repair tender out here. No rush, we have a lot of LSTs now.

[Molon Labe]

12 January 1944

China
The enemy attempted a night raid on Amoy (the Beaufighter base) with 6 Sallies. We had 4 Vanguard fighters on night patrol. No shootdowns, no damage on the ground.

Air raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 6 casualties


Philippines and surrounding seas
USS Seawolf torpedoed and sank a PB just outside Manila.

Land combat:
Butuan, allied deliberate attack: 276 enemy casualties, 0 Allied, forts reduced to level 0.


DEI
Air raids:
Tarakan (airbase): 6 hits, 4 casualties
Koepang (ground forces) 16 casualties
Kendari (ground forces): 6 casualties


Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Ayuthia (ground forces): 117 casualties


Reinforcements
CVE White Plains arrives at Portland
DE Manning arrives at Eastern USA
DE Fair arrives at Mare Island

[Molon Labe]

13 January 1944

China
6 Helen bombers made a night attack on Hong Kong's airbase, causing minor damage.


Other Allied raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 21 casualties


DEI
Allied raids:
Koepang (ground forces) 5 casualties
Kendari (ground forces: 11 casualties



Burma and Thailand
Allied raids:
Ayuthia (ground forces): 45 casualties
"road to Bangkok" (ground forces): 9 casualties


Philippines
We've retaken Butuan.


Reinforcements
DD Hopewell arrives at Los Angeles
AO Kennebago arrives at Eastern USA
KV Sudbury arrives at Balboa
5th FG/26th FS CACW arrives at Karachi
5th FG/27th FS CACW arrives at Karachi
5th FG/29th FS CACW arrives at Karachi
VMSB-332 arrives at Eastern USA

[Molon Labe]

14 January 1944
Ace sub HMS Truant finished off in Java Sea


Strait of Malacca
USS Permit was withdrawing from the area after laying mines near Singapore when it was spotted and depth charged. It retreated with moderate damage. Apparently I hadn't yet given Cabrilla the orders to fall back; it too was spotted near Singapore and depth charged for severe damage.


Philippines and surrounding seas
USS Flounder torpedoed and sank a light cargo ship in the Luzon Strait. It attempted a second attack on the same convoy but ended up missing and getting damaged by depth charges from a PB.

8 Beaufighters attacked a tanker convoy in the Luzon Strait and was intercepted by 4 Nicks. They shot down 1 Nick without taking any losses and proceeded with the mission, striking a tanker and a PB with one bomb each and setting both ships on fire.

Advancing US armor engaged retreating enemy forces in Butuan and caused 114 enemy casualties.


Java Sea
HMS Truant, transiting the Java Sea after withdrawing from the Singapore area, was bombed by enemy aircraft, then approached an enemy surface combat task force that included IJN Ise and Mushashi. She was spotted by escorts, prosecuted, and sunk.

HMS Truant had an accomplished combat record, sinking 7 enemy ships totaling 22,466 tons.


China
Allied raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 39 casualties


Burma and Thailand
Allied Raids:
Road to Bangkok (ground forces): 9 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 251 casualties
Ayuthia (ground forces): 61 casualties


DEI
Allied raids:
Koepang (ground forces) 29 casualties
Kendari (ground forces): 0 casualties

Allied armor is advancing on Celebes, inflicting 157 enemy casualties outside Makassar.


Reinforcements
DD Gatling arrives at Balboa
DE Sanders arrives at Seattle
AKA Andromeda arrives at Eastern USA
PF Eugene arrives at Mare Island
VMF-124 arrives at Mojave
163rd USA Base Force arrives at San Francisco

[Molon Labe]

15 January 1944

Philippines and surrounding seas
USS Tinosa attempted to attack an already-burning tanker in the Strait of Luzon but missed and ended up taking some depth charge damage. On the west side of Luzon, USS Finback was more successful, putting 2 fish into a 4875 ton cargo ship with troops aboard for a confirmed kill.

Air raids:
Babeldoab (ground forces): 0 casualties
Butuan (ground forces): 5 casualties

Ground combat:
Butuan - Allied Shock Attack - 474 enemy casualties/no losses.



China
9 Helens made a night raid on Amoy's airbase, the only damage was 1 Helen shot down by flak and another shot down by a P-40 on night CAP.

other raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 16 casualties



Strait of Malacca and South China Sea
HMS Clyde was detected transiting the Strait and was damaged by a kaibokan.

HMS Truant is losing control of its flooding, but isn't gone yet.


Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Road to Bangkok (ground forces): 0 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 412 casualties
Ayuthia (ground forces): 80 casualties


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 7 casualties
Kendari (ground forces): 0 casualties


Reinforcements
DE Loeser arrives at Eastern USA
DE Manlove arrives at Mare Island
AP Joseph T. Dickman arrives at San Francisco
DE Cauvery arrives at Aden

[Molon Labe]

16 January 1944

Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Road to Bangkok (ground forces): 16 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces):69 casualties
Bangkok (ground forces): 12 casualties; 1 P-40 shot down by Tonies on CAP
Bangkok (sweep): 10 P-47s vs 5 Tonies; we shot down 1 Tony with no losses.


DEI
Air Raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 0 casualties
Balikpapan (airbase): Didn't think this one through. Thought I'd be catching unprotected bombers on the ground with a raid of unescorted B-24s. Ended up running into 30 fighters on CAP. We lost 7 B-24s while shooting down one Zero. The raid was ineffective.


Land combat:
Watampone, Celebes: Deliberate attack on enemy units retreating from the base in Makassar by the 192nd Tank Battalion. 198 enemy casualties, no losses.


China
Air raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 16 casualties

Land combat:
I tried a deliberate attack in Sinyang, which I recently added reinforcements to. Casualties were 1595 to 4536 favoring the enemy, BUT the number of squads destroyed instead of disabled was the same, so this isn't as bad as it might look.


Philippines and surrounding seas
Air raids:
Butuan (ground forces): 10 casualties

Land combat:
Butuan, Mindanao: Allied deliberate attack against enemy forces retreating from Cagayan. 215 enemy casualties; wiping out the 89th Nav Gd and capturing the base/hex.


Reinforcements
DE Neuendorf arrives at Eastern USA
VMF-323 arrives at Eastern USA
48th Aviation Base Force arrives at Los Angeles

[Molon Labe]

17 January 1944


China
Air Raids
-Ineffective enemy night raid on Amoy by Helens
Hangkow (ground forces): 24 casualties
I've shifted targets from Sinyang to Hangkow as it looks like (corrected) its twin across the river, Wuchang, has very little garrison troops due to how much he's moved to Sinyang and I want to make sure he's not just moving troops between the two bases to make Wuchang look undefended. I'll gladly take either of these from him even if he ends up taking Sinyang. Sinyang has far less strategic value and he's going to take a mountain of casualties in the process.


Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Road to Bangkok (ground forces): 0 casualties
Pisanuloke: 5 casualties


DEI
Koepang (ground forces): 22 casualties


Philippines and surrounding seas
Air raids:
Ilolio (ground forces): 1 SBD-5 lost to flak, 53 casualties. This is an invasion target I'm softening up. Still at least a week away, need to capture Cebu first.


Reinforcements
DD Capps arrives at Balboa
DD Halligan arrives at Balboa
SS Storm arrives at Aden
KV Moncton arrives at Balboa
VMF-312 arrives at Eastern USA
738th Coast AA Regiment arrives at San Francisco

[Molon Labe]

18 January 1944

China
Another ineffective night attack on Amoy, Sallies this time, plus the Helens.

Hangkow (ground forces): 0 casualties


Philippines and surrounding seas
air raids:
Ilolio (airbase): 18 hits, 2 Topsy transport destroyed (B-24s this time instead of SBDs)


Burma and Thailand
Air raids:
Road to Bangkok (ground forces): 55 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 6 casualties


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 18 casualties
Kendari (ground forces): 6 casualties


Reinforcements
AKA Artemis arrives at Eastern USA
AP Gen. O.H.Ernst arrives at San Francisco
PF Gascoyne arrives at Sydney
Eighth US Army arrives at Pearl Harbor

[Molon Labe]

19 January 1944
USS Seawolf lost off west coast of Luzon
Japan cedes Wuchang back to China


Philippines and surrounding seas
It seems the days of our subs easily picking off their pursuers may be at an end. In another case of "maybe pick a different target", USS Seawolf fired at an ASW task force, missed, and was successfully prosecuted. Seawolf had been in the Asiatic fleet since the beginning of the campaign and ended up with surprisingly few confirmed sinkings, perhaps due to how much time she spent under repair from close calls. 3 ships total, 16335 tons.

USS Swordfish did choose a better target, putting two fish into a 4875-ton cargo ship off the northern tip of Luzon for a kill.

Air raids:
Ilolio (airbase): 10 casualties, 23 base hits, 1 Judy destroyed on the ground


China
-Another night raid on Amoy, no damage
Allied air raids:
Wuchang (ground forces): 42 casualties


Land combat:
Allied Shock Attack in Wuchang: Base captured, casualties 1031 to 247 favoring us. There was essentially no resistance, just 1000 troops defending a major base. I asked my opponent about this and he said he just didn't think it was worth holding onto, so he moved out.


Burma and Thailand
A P-47 sweep over Bangkok shot down 3 Tonies. 45 B-24s followed that up by bombing the airbase, destroying 1 more Tony on the ground along with scoring 47 airbase hits. Bangkok's airbase is effectively neutralized at this point.

Other raids:
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 74 casualties


Java Sea
USS Hake was spotted and depth charged while transiting away from the Malacca Strait area. Moderate damage.


DEI
Air raids:
Koepang (ground forces): 14 casualties
Kendari (ground forces): 0 casualties


Reinforcements
DE Foreman arrives at San Francisco
PF Everett arrives at Mare Island
VMB-433 arrives at Eastern USA