5 November 1942
50,000+ enemy troops now in Burma
Celebes Sea
One of the medium tankers from the convoy attacked yesterday hit a min,e and in all likelihood, sank. Finding this route has clearly paid dividends--it's even better than a chokepoint because it's a very predictable path when I know he's maximizing his time in shallow water to try to sink or avoid my subs.
Solomons Area
3 heavy cruisers and 3 destroyers shelled Roussel Island and got away before we could airstrike them, causing significant troop casualties and damaging half the P-40s based there. This is a problem. For now, I'm sending a minelayer here to leave a treat for the next bombardment run. I might also use my carriers to try to get these guys when they finally get here--but that might not be any more successful than land-based air. I think the real solution here is to start flying at night. The long-range variants of the Hudsons have radar. I don't think I'll be able to attack at night, but if we spot them at night we might be able to respond more quickly at first light.
The P-38 sweep of Rabaul performed poorly. 5 fighters lost, no kills.
Kates hit Ndeni again, 33 of them with 28 Zeroes escorting.
We hit the enemy troops on Ndeni with 14 B-17s, but there were 53 Zeroes on patrol that harrassed the bombers to the point they were completely ineffective. 2 B-17s and 1 Zero were shot down. The P-38 sweep arrived after that, shooting down 8 Zeroes with just 1 loss.
I'm fairly sure the CVBG includes CARDIV3 and the Hiryu. Not sure if Akagi is there yet. All the numbers so far would be consistent with a total force of 3 carriers, with 4 being absolutely possible if he's holding back more fighters than he needs to.
Noumea's Beauforts reported another submarine hit. I wonder how many of these reports are just pilots being optimistic.
Banda Sea
Babar was shelled by a heavy cruiser and 5 destroyers. We haven't quite moved fighters in here yet but it's coming. Same issue, though. I was already going to send more aviation support here from Sydney, I'll escort those transports with destroyer-minelayers so I can leave a present for the enemy here too.
Battle of Rangoon
Less action here today as severe storms hampered most air operations. The enemy swept to the West at Magwe, where we're trying to get a Beaufighter strike into the mix. Traded a Hurricane for an Oscar there. A few Hudsons got off the ground in Rangoon and tried to attack the enemy beachhead, but we didn't get any fighters to support them so they retreated after one was shot down. Fighters did battle for control over the area afterward, with a loss of 2 P-40s, a Hurricane, and 4 Zeroes.
Our advance force from Moulmein was attacked and routed with a loss of 1300 men to the enemy's 471. More enemy forces are on the move from the beachhead, headed northwest, apparently intending to cut Rangoon off from all supply lines.
Recon confirmed an empty base behind Rangoon is in fact empty, so one of the special forces paratrooper units I had been trying to get to Hainan Island will be headed here to reinforce Rangoon. I'd send them directly, but I'd probably lose planes trying to land on the cratered runways. (No, I don't think they'd parachute into a friendly hex with a nominally functioning airbase.)
Total enemy force present is now 4 Divisions+ near Rangoon with at least 1 additional division (the 5th) still in Bangkok or following our main force back towards Rangoon.
China
The production model of the Tojo (they started with a squadron of prototypes) got its combat debut over Amoy today, with 10 of them sweeping our base. They shot down a P-66 without loss. A few Sally bombers came in after and bombed the base without resistance, cratering the runways a bit. In response, I'm moving my Hudsons back a bit and moving the nearby P-40 squadron up. I lose a little bit of MPA coverage over the Luzon Strait, but I need to deal with these attacks for now. There was also a shelling of the base by a destroyer but it wasn't very effective.
The enemy army at Amoy is sufficiently de-fanged that I'm sending the reinforcing unit back to Foochow.
All enemy armies have withdrawn from Chenchow. It appears the battle for this front is over (unless I want to try to counterattack).
Refits and Reinforcements
DD Allen beginning refit in shipyard at Los Angeles
No.160 Sqn RAF arrives at Aden (11/16 B-24s, headed to India)
11th Marine Defense Battalion arrives at Eastern USA (full strength, unrestricted)
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