20 December 1941
Maybe the "building towers on my base" analogy wasn't that far off.
Pearl Harbor
Kido Butai returned, which sucked. The supply convoys and ASW patrols became targets for Kates. My fighters, though numerous, didn't stop them. And to top it off, two entire squadrons of my dive bombers were shot down trying to counter attack. Did I mention this sucked?
My losses: 7 P-40, 7 P-36, 2 F4F, 18 Vindicator, 18 SBD-1, 1 DMS, 2 DD, 2 tankers damaged.
His losses: 5 Zeroes, 9 Kates.
I found it very suspicious that Vals did not participate in these raids.
B-17s from Pearl hit the forces landing on the western atolls and caused heavy troop casualties.
It seems the KB is just going to sit off Midway, rotate into Pearl to dish out some punishment, then return to Midway to replenish off tenders. Rinse and repeat. I'm not sure I have an answer. My fighters just aren't cutting it. The silver lining might be that if I know where his carriers are, then I know where mine can go.
Malaya
We lost 7 bombers trying to hit the troops landing in Mersing.
The submarine O20 returned to port in Singapore for a change of command.
Mersing was captured.
Java Sea
Enemy sub attacks claimed an AP and an AKL east of Surabaya. Cruisers shelled Kendari, and there was a battleship-supported landing at Ambon. I had been using both as bomber bases to hit Ternate and Manado. Damage at Kendari was light, but I don't think I'll hold Ambon for long. Carrier based Kates hit Koepang, sinking 4 minesweepers.
Philippines
The bright spot of my day was finally, one of my B-17 raids on a captured airfield actually hit a base full of planes! 11 planes from Clark hit the San Fernando base, destroying 25 planes on the ground and causing significant facility damage.
The air war over Manila went our way too, we got 3 Nates, 3 Zeroes, an Oscar and two bombers; they got 3 P-40s. The US got its second ace and this time, he's still healthy and ready to fight some more.
Elsewhere
-USS Sturgeon sank a cargo ship off Tsushima in a night surface attack. It bounced 5 dud Mk14s off its hull before finally getting two to detonate. This was probably a resource transport from northern China or Korea.
-We captured Sinyang, China with minimal resistance--which means the armies that started there have gone somewhere else.
-I'm monitoring two task forces in the Solomons. If my patrol planes can be believed, the burliest ships in them are minelayers. I have my doubts.
Today marked the biggest aircraft losses of the war for both sides, even exceeding the losses during the original Dec 7 Pearl Harbor raid.