War in the Pacific AAR Thread - ML vs JFranzen

[Molon Labe]

18 November 1943
Mostly uneventful.

-We attacked at Truk and brought the forts down to Level 4. Casulaties 933(J) to 234(A). We're getting there.
-DD Luce arrives at Eastern USA


19 November 1943
-Sulu Sea: USS Thresher sank a PB patrolling near the southern Luzon route. USS Aspro sank an SC that was part of the same ASW task force.
-USS Bonefish succumbed to damage sustained after her attack on Zuikaku.

SS Parche arrives at Balboa
SS Clyde arrives at Aden
PF Tacoma arrives at Mare Island


20 November 1943
-Philippine Sea: USS Gudgeon torpedoed an oiler just outside of Leyte Gulf. Damage was severe but I think it survived.

-Marianas: USS Cod was depth charged and sustained serious damage, limping back to base.

-I'm in the process of putting a wall of submarines up between the Marianas and the Philippines. That's the logical place for him to send the troops that just defeated me on Tinian.
-China: we've gotten into a skirmish near the Vietnam border as two enemy units are trying to flee. One tried to attack Pakhoi on the way, but my garrison is stronger. Casualties 95 to 9 favoring us.


21 November 1943
-Marianas: USS Scorpion sustained light depth charge damage from patrolling SCs. I'm backing my "wall" out to sea a little bit to avoid these guys and the air patrols.
-Truk: Avengers bombed 2 subs, both confirmed sunk. These were probably those recently damaged by aircraft near the Yankee Butai. A task force of 3 light cargo ships tried to sneak into Truk and got wiped out by SBDs. A 4th AKL was hit by scouts on patrol and may still be out there. On land, our troops attacked again, casualties 836 to 601 favoring us.

-Rangoon is so out of supply I've dropped my bombers down to 10,000ft and no one is shooting at them. Final assault greenlit.
-Same situation with Ambon. Phibs will rendevoux near Babar with the Arizona and New Mexico as we try to get their big guns rearmed (they've been shelling Koepang).
-China: I've attacked Kuikiang in the central region, casualties 320 to 749 favoring the enemy. This is part of an operation to isolate the industrial base of Wuchang/Hangkow. There will be only road left to block after I take this base.
DD Sproston arrives at Eastern USA
DD Walker arrives at Balboa
SS Flier arrives at Eastern USA
AP Gen. W.A.Mann arrives at Cristobal
231st USN Base Force arrives at San Diego



22 November 1943
DEI: one of my new airbases is nearly at level 5, the minimum size needed to operate B-24s without penalty. This base is in B-24 range of Surabaya, and recon consistently says there are ~90 ships in port there, including a large number of destroyers. I've been quietly standing down several B-24 squadrons in the region as B-25s take over a lot of the day-to-day pounding of their airbases and troops. I'm hoping to have as many aircraft as possible ready for a surprise attack soon.
Truk: Our engineers have taken the forts down to Level 3. Casualties 287 to 191. The scout-damaged AKL is still out there; a scout bomber hit it again.

China: We attacked Kiukiang again, casualties 634 to 329 in our favor. The skirmish at Pakhoi continues as well.
DD Caperton arrives at Eastern USA
DE Martin arrives at Mare Island


23 November 1943
Japan: USS Tang torpedoed and destroyed a PB near Torishima.
Truk: We spotted that last AKL again and sent a proper strike out to sink it. It was dead in the water for the SBDs to easily finish off.
China: The border skirmish is over. The enemy unit at Pakhoi (22nd Ind.Mixed Brigade) has been wiped out. The other has escaped into Vietnam.
DE Deede arrives at Eastern USA
SS Pampanito arrives at Balboa
PF El Paso arrives at Mare Island

[Molon Labe]

24 November 1943
It's been awhile since we've had air-to-air combat...Kido Butai intervening at Truk?

Japan
USS Tuna hit a 4875-ton cargo ship with 3 torpedoes in a night surface attack over 500 nautical miles east of Japan. Not sure what they were doing that far out; maybe a radical dogleg course for the Marshalls.


Philippine Sea
USS Seadragon torpedoed and destroyed a PB (215 tons) near Legaspi (port base, southeast Luzon).


Java
Our surprise B-24 raid came in waves. Thunderstorms made the attack somewhat lackluster. We still got a few ships. They had 5 Tojos and 9 Nicks on CAP--enough to get past the P-38s escorting the bombers (who didn't have enough fuel to really mix it up this far west) but not enough to actually shoot any bombers down. The bombers shot down 1 Nick.
E W-25, Bomb hits 1, and is sunk
DD Murasame, Bomb hits 1, on fire
DD Yamakaze, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage


Truk
The regular B-24 raid encountered 24 Zeroes on CAP. P-38 escorts, also lacking fuel, took 4 losses while only downing 1 Zero. No bomber losses. No aircraft are being spotted on the ground by recon, so these Zeroes probably came from carriers. He may be trying to extend a protective umbrella to allow cargo ships to deliver supplies.

Speaking of which, Hellcat escorted SBDs bombed two more cargo ships approaching Truk; 4 Zeroes defended them resulting in a furball in which two Zeroes and 1 Hellcat went down. Both cargo ships were sunk by multiple bomb hits.

Avengers attacked Truk's port--mostly to get any cargo ships that might have made it to the docks. 19 Zeroes intervened and fought the 49 Hellcats escorting the package. This was a low-altitude flight, which gave the Zero a maneuvering advantage, so despite the overwhelming nubmers, losses were 9 Zeroes to 5 Hellcats. They never made it to the Avengers, which caused moderate damage to the port but found no ships to bomb.

Aircraft on ASW patrol around the Yankee Butai reported 3 hits on enemy submarines. Maybe they'll end up crippled in Truk to get picked off like the last 2.

Reinforcements
DD Brown arrives at Los Angeles
DD Wickes arrives at Eastern USA
SS Flounder arrives at Balboa
494th BG/865th BS arrives at Wendover Field
854-875-1871 Engineer Aviation Battalion arrives at San Francisco



Strategic Map. Note the progress in the Dutch East Indies, especially the thrust north up near the Philippines.

[Molon Labe]

25 November 1943

DEI
Sally bombers attempted a night bombing on our new island base of Salajar. They hit the "runway" once, but that runway is basically trampled grass at this point.

Truk
If I haven't mentioned it already, the enemy appears to be Winchester. I'm reducing the altitude of the heavy bombers since they aren't taking flak anymore.

Reinforcements
SS Templar arrives at Aden



26 November 1943
Ambon: Take two

Japan
USS Darter was engaged by an ASW patrol near Chichi-Jima and severely damaged. I'm really surprised she managed to elude the patrol after taking so much damage. Let's see if she makes it to port.

Sulu Sea
I laid a minefield along the northern route here and it was immediately detected and cleared by enemy PBs. But the price they paid for using PBs instead of real minesweepers was one of the PBs.

DEI
Amphibious landings at Ambon are underway. The enemy troops should be beaten down from weeks of continuous bombing and months of supply shortages, so I expect little resistance beyond just the fact that there are about 50,000 of them here.

Truk
We attacked and brought the forts down to Level 3. Didn't we already hit level 3? That's concerning if true, I didn't think they had the supplies left to rebuild. It would seem some of those cargo ships got through and docked after all. Casualties 426(J) to 138(A).

Burma
I used paratroops to seize 3 unprotected bases in the mountains (Chaing Mai, Raheng, Uttaradit). Rangoon's time is up.

[Molon Labe]

27 November 1943

DEI
A night raid on Salajar cost the enemy two Sallies this time, as I had stationed F4U-2 night fighters there.

The enemy garrison at Ambon attacked US!!! It didn't go well...casualties 776 to 226 favoring us.

Somehow, part of my amphibious group turned around instead of merging with the main force, so I'll have to order them back. For now, we're outnumbered, so I'd rather wait a bit even though the enemy is bombed out and starving.

Our airbase on Salajar is now large enough to support offensive operations.


Truk
I'm cycling one CV and one CVL out of the Yankee Butai to replenish aircraft sorties. Meanwhile, a few of those ships that still have plenty remaining are hitting Truk again to try to cause supply-sucking base damage.

USS Narwhal was bombed near Truk, but damage was slight and she's remaining on station. Probably just a floatplane, or one of the baby bombs carried by a Betty.


Burma
I made a probing bombardment attack to reveal the enemy troop strength at Rangoon as my last few units I need for the assault worked their way into position. It's 50k against 28k, and we're the side with supplies and air support. This is going to be a slaughter.




28 November 1943
Rangoon recaptured in a single day of combat

Marianas
West of Guam, USS Bowfin hit a former-minesweeper-turned-Kaibokan with two torpedoes, sinking it.

Truk
My bombers are back to 20k feet... the flak guns are definitely back in business. Which means so are the coastal batteries, so inbound supplies and reinforcements will probably have to wait.

Burma
The enemy resisted as well as they could, but even that plus their fortifications couldn't hold us off. Rangoon is ours. A few enemy units retreated to the river delta swamplands, but most of them are still in the base hex. A few more were destroyed. Casualties 5460 to 3983 favoring us... a great result for taking a fortified major base. And remember those tanks giving me so much trouble? Of 700 defending vehicles, 626 were destroyed! And of course, the enemy is eventually going to lose all 50k troops, so consider that the totals will be 50,000 to a little over 4,000 overall by the time this is over.

The enemy got a small measure of revenge, putting an airborne assault of much greater size than mine together and retaking Raheng.

[Molon Labe]

29 November 1943

Truk
We attempted to take the base again but didn't make much headway, forts holding at Level 3 and casualties 247 to 341 favoring the enemy.

Burma
At Rangoon we continue to hunt down the enemy units that have been pushed out of the base but remain in the hex. Casualties 4473 to 1040 favoring us.

Japan recaptured Uttaradit with paratroopers.



30 November 1943
Light cruiser and destroyer disabled by mines in southern Luzon route chokepoint.

Philippines
The destroyer Fubuki and the light cruiser Yura hit mines near the eastern exit of the shipping route passing south of Luzon. The rest of the task force was able to clear out the minefield. Fubuki was transporting troops. Both ships likely sank.


Java
I attempted a P-38 sweep of Surabaya. Didn't go so well; first wave was 15 P-38s against 57 enemy fighters, and then 5 stragglers showed up after the hornet's nest had already been kicked. We ended up losing 5 P-38s while taking out just 4 Tonies and 3 Nicks--simply not good enough considering how few P-38s we have. And our actual losses were probably double that if you account for damaged planes that didn't make it back to base or got scrapped after they got there.


Burma

We're still hunting down the enemy around Rangoon. We got 2544 of the 16787 they have left. Friendly casualties 625.

Japan tried to retake the 3rd base we took by paratroopers, Chiang Mai, but this time we had enough of our own paratroops there already to fight off the attack. 64 enemy casualties to 0.

1 December 1943

DEI
The enemy attempted a sweep of Manado with Georges from Davao. Just 5 of them... vs 19 Hellcats, 4 Corsairs, and 4 P-40s. We shot down 3 of the Georges with no losses.


Truk
We attacked the base again, bringing the forts down to Level 2. Casualties 614 to 364 favoring us. It's getting close, we should have the base within a week. I've got some more reinforcements standing by, but I'm going to have them hold off until the AA guns fall silent again. I'm spotting subs near the port--it looks like he might be using them to run supplies to keep those guns in action. So I'll have a few destroyers there on patrol with some Hellcats overhead.


Burma
Getting close to finishing the mop up. Casualties 3003 to 226.
We eliminated the enemy paratroops at Chiang Mai. (Correction: no we didn't, still working on it)


Reinforcements
DD Hickox arrives at Balboa
VB-116 arrives at San Diego
No. 681 Sqn RAF arrives at Rangoon
18th FG/12th FS arrives at San Francisco

[Molon Labe]

2 December 1943

DEI
Current bombing targets:
Kendari (airfield): 1 B-24 shot down by flak. 35 base hits, 12 casualties.
Koepang (ground forces): ineffective
Ambon (ground forces and airbase): 9 base hits
Makassar (airbase): 19 base hits

Land battles in progress:
Ambon: Allied deliberate attack--forts holding at Level 4, casualties 520 (A) to 236(J); but enemy losses included 39 destroyed vehicles so this isn't as lopsided as it may appear.


China
Current bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces - 103 casualties)
Anking (ground forces - 47 casualties)
Kiukiang (ground forces - 11 casualties)


Burma
Current bombing targets:
Rangoon (ground forces): 198 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 166 casualties

Land battles:
Rangoon: Allied deliberate attack, casualties 166(A) to 3215 (J).
Chaing Mai (paratroopers vs paratroopers): Allied deliberate attack; casualties 17 Japanese to 0 Allied.


Truk
Bombing port, airbase, and ground forces. 2 port hits, 14 airbase hits, 17 casualties
Land combat: enemy bombardment attack--ineffective; Allied deliberate attack--forts reduced to Level 1, 365 to 45 casualties favoring us. Next attack might put us over the top!

I'm rotating carriers out to replenish aircraft fuel/ammo supplies. Essex and Belleau Wood have completed that task today and are headed back to rejoin the Yankee Butai.


Papua New Guinea
For several weeks, I've had an amphibous group picking off empty bases from near Rabaul west along the PNG coast. We've been stopped at Hollandia by a minor force there that we are now engaging. Casualties this turn 73 to 18 favoring us, forts at Level 3.


Palau Islands
USS S-45 was bombed by enemy aircraft yesterday, and sank today. Based on a search of this thread, S-45 doesn't appear to have been lost without any victories in its career.


Reinforcements
CVE Wake Island arrives at Portland
DD Cogswell arrives at Eastern USA
VMB-413 arrives at Eastern USA
18th FG/12th FS arrives at Los Angeles
11th RAAF M/W Sqn arrives at Sydney

[Molon Labe]

3 December 1943
Allied Victory Points overtakes Japan's

Japan
USS Wahoo and USS Sculpin took light depth charge damage from sub chasers near Chichi-jima.
USS Whale torpedoed and destroyed an enemy subchaser near Aogashima.

DEI and Mindanao
Hellcats from Manado swept Davao (the suspected originating base of the George sweep a few days ago)--no joy.

Bombing targets:
Koepang (ground forces): 7 casualties
Ambon (ground forces): 4 casualties
Makassar (ground forces): 14 casualties
Kendari (airbase): 1 hit

Land combat:
Ambon: Japanese bombardment attack--ineffective.


China
Bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces): 21 casualties
Anking (ground forces): 23 casualties
Kiukiang (ground forces) 7 casualties


Burma
Bombing targets:
Rangoon (ground forces): 91 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 50 casualties


Land combat:
Rangoon--Allied deliberate attack: 226 enemy casualties, 0 Allied.
Chiang Mai--Allied deliberate attack, 24 enemy casualties, 0 Allied.


Truk
Bombing port, airbase, and ground forces: 22 casualties, 4 port hits, 5 airbase hits
Land combat: Allied deliberate attack--forts reduced to 0, casualties 536(J) to 151(A).

At least 2 enemy subs are approaching Truk, perhaps to drop off supplies.
ASW patrol aircraft from my carriers claimed 3 hits on enemy submarines.


Reinforcements
DD Charles Badger arrives at Eastern USA
DD McCord arrives at San Francisco
DMS Palmer arrives at Eastern USA
TK K.R. Kingsbury arrives at Portland

[Ostfriese]

I guess Rangoon caused that spike.

[Molon Labe]

Been busy and on vacation lately... time to get caught up!


4 December 1943

Mariannas
USS Pargo was depth charged by an enemy destroyer near Guam. Damage was light enough that she's remaining on station.

Truk
The minesweeper YMS-138 was torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine.

Bombing:
Airbase, port, ground forces: 4 airbase hits, 0 port hits, 15 casualties


China
Bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces): 35 casualties
Anking (ground forces): 58 casualties
Kiukiang (ground forces): 9 casualties


DEI
Bombing targets:
Kendari (airbase): 28 hits, 5 casualties
Koepang (ground forces): 11 casualties
Ambon (ground forces+airbase): 9 airbase hits, 0 casualties
Makassar (ground forces): 0 casualties

Land combat:
Ambon: Japanese bombardment attack - 4 guns lost to our counterbattery; Allied deliberate attack - enemy forts holding at Level 4, casualties 674 (J) to 309 (A).


Burma
Bombing targets:
Rangoon (ground forces): 112 casualties
Pisanuloke (ground forces): 67 casualties

Land combat:
Rangoon: Allied deliberate attack - casualties 11 (A) to 3524(J).


Papua New Guinea
Land combat:
Hollandia - Allied Deliberate attack, casualties 89(J) to 44(A)


Reinforcements
SS Stonehenge arrives at Aden
417th BG/673rd BS arrives at Eastern USA

[Molon Labe]

5 December 1943

China
Bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces): 5 casualties
Kiukang (ground forces) 27 casualties


DEI
Bombing targets:
Koepang (ground forces): 0 casualties
Makassar (ground forces): 83 casualties
Kendari (airbase): 21 hits

Ground combat:
Ambon: Japanese bombardment attack, casualties 7 (J) to 0 (A)


Burma
Bombing targets:
Chiang Mai (ground forces): 38 casualties
outside Rangoon (ground forces): 4 destroyed vehicles, 28 disabled

Ground combat:
Chiang Mai: We're trying to wipe out the last of the enemy paratroopers here--no breakthrough today.


Truk
Bombing ground forces: 15 casualties

You can probably see I'm taking a different approach to land combat than my opponent here vs his recent successful defense of the Mariannas, resting my forces after attacks vs his attacking on several consecutive days. I'm not sure my approach is faster, but it definitely costs fewer troops.


Reinforcements
AS Anthedon arrives at Cristobal
TK Mission Loreto arrives at Alameda
VF(N)-75 Det 10 arrives at Eastern USA
No.27 Sqn RAF Det arrives at Comilla
417th BG/675th BS arrives at Eastern USA

[Molon Labe]

6 December 1943
Enemy paratrooper unit at Chiang Mai finally wiped out


South China Sea
USS Jack torpedoed and sank a subchaser off the north Borneo coast.


DEI
Bombing targets:
Koepang (ground forces): 0 casualties
Ambon (ground forces, airbase): 31 casualties, 10 airbase hits
Kendari (airbase): 10 hits

Land combat
Ambon: Japanese artillery attack: ineffective


Burma
Bombing targets:
Chiang Mai: (ground forces): 12 casualties
near Rangoon (ground forces): 0 casualties, 7 vehicles lost

Land combat
Chiang Mai: allied deliberate attack - casualties 7 (J) to 11 (A). Japanese shock attack - casualties 91 (J) to 0 (A).
So the enemy holds out against our attack, then counterattacks and gets wiped out!


Truk
Bombing ground forces and port: 19 casualties, 4 port hits
An Avenger claimed a hit on an enemy sub


Papua New Guinea
The transport William Ward Burrows took a hit from a 75mm artillery piece during the amphibious operations at Hollandia. Damage isn't that serious.


Reinforcements
CVE St. Lo arrives at Portland
DD Hailey arrives at Seattle
DD Hunt arrives at Balboa
DD Miller arrives at San Francisco
SS Lancetfish arrives at Balboa
SS Ling arrives at Balboa

[Molon Labe]

7 December 1943
USS Dorado lost, Kido Butai defeats USN/USMC air attack in Celebes Sea


Philippine Sea
USS Greenling torpedoed and likely sank a PB off Legaspi, one of at least 2 escorts for a tanker. The tanker got away.

USS Salmon laid a minefiled on the interior side of Legaspi.

Further south near the Palaus, B-25Gs and Beaufighters attacked 3 enemy cruisers from low altitude, scoring a single bomb hit on the heavy cruiser Kinugasa, setting it on fire. Nothing that can't be repaired. 4 Nicks attempted to intercept but there were no losses on either side.

Also near the Palaus, USS Dorado attacked a replenishment group comprised of at least 3 oilers and 4 destroyers. It missed, only to be sunk by the escorting destroyers' counterattack. It doesn't appear that Dorado ever had any victories in this campaign.



Celebes Sea
The KB made a brief appearance near Jolo, an island separating the Sulu Sea from the Celebes Sea. This drew airstrikes from our bases at Manado and Talaud-elanden, and as you might imagine these strikes went about as well as other relatively small strikes against the KB.

The initial battle was 16 SBD-3s and 16 TBFs escorted by 9 Corsairs and 18 Hellcats, up against a CAP of 78 A6M5 Zeroes and 18 A6M2s. All of our attack aircraft were wiped out, along with 5 Hellcats and 3 Corsairs. We splashed 2 Zeroes.

The second wave was 11 Corsairs escorting 16 more Avengers; the enemy CAP was still overwhelming with 68 fighters in the air. We shot down 1 Zero while losing 1 Corsair and all 16 Avengers.

Wave three was a second attempt from the first group. 4 Avengers escorted by 13 Corsairs and 9 Hellcats vs 92 enemy fighters total. We shot down 3 Zeroes while losing 1 Hellcat, 2 Corsairs, and 1 Avenger. The other 3 Avengers aborted and escaped.

I've trained enough attack pilots to replace these losses... barely. Further losses will result in decreasing pilot quality, I'm stretched pretty thin on qualified Avenger pilots already.


China
bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces): 43 casualties
Anking (ground forces): 57 casualties
Kiukiang (ground forces): 23 casualties


Burma
bombing targets:
Moulmein (ground forces): 0 casualties
near Rangoon (ground forces): 10 vehicles lost
Uttaradit (ground forces): 14 casualties


DEI
bombing targets:
Ambon (ground forces, airbase): 0 casualties, 14 base hits
Makassar (ground forces): Raid of 10 B-26s escorted by 12 P-47s intercepted by 9 George fighters. 4 Georges shot down, no friendly losses. 6 enemy casualties on the ground.
Kendari (airbase): 22 hits

ground combat:
Ambon: allied deliberate attack - forts reduced to Level 3, casualties 334(J) to 364(A). Japanese bombardment attack - ineffective.


Truk
bombing ground forces and port: 16 casualties, 2 port hits

land combat:
Allied deliberate attack: no fortifications left. Casualties 1201(J) to 297 (A). We're getting close.

An Avenger reported another hit on an enemy submarine near the Yankee Butai.


Reinforcements
SS Truculent arrives at Aden
No.621 Sqn RAF Det arrives at Socotra
417th BG/672nd BS arrives at Eastern USA

[Molon Labe]

8 December 1943

Philippines and Philippine Sea
An enemy ASW task force got to work on the minefield we started near Legaspi.

A bit east of Leyte Gulf, the S-42 torpedoed an oiler (10,000 tons) in a large replenishment group--the same task force responsible for sinking the Dorado. Intel believes it sank the next day, I'm not so sure.


Burma
A P-47 squadron had been sweeping the enemy force at Chiang Mai but with that force gone the sweep assigment reverted to AI control and they got sent all over the place; 3 P-47s went to Pisanouke, facing 32 enemy George fighters. They were able to escape without taking losses.

Bombing targets:
Moulmein (ground forces): 0 casualties; 1 Blenheim VD lost to AA fire
near Rangoon (ground forces): 15 vehicles lost


China
Bombing targets:
Sinyang (ground forces): 20 casualties
Anking (ground forces): 6 casualties
Kiukiang (ground forces): 18 casualties


DEI
Bombing targets:
Kendari (airbase): 7 hits
Koepang (ground forces): 0 casualties
Makassar (ground forces): 11 B-26 Mauraders attempted intercept by 5 George fighters--intercept failed, likely due to fighters at 40k feet vs bombers down at 20k.
Ambon (airbase and ground forces): 4 hits, 6 casualties

ground combat:
Ambon: Japanese bombardment attack--5 Allied casualties


Truk
Bombing (ground forces and port): 20 casualties

Avengers reported 2 more hits on IJN subs.


Reinforcements
DD Dortch arrives at Balboa
DE Harmon arrives at Eastern USA

[Molon Labe]

9 December 1943
Port Blair evacuation attempt foiled by air raid? USS Pompon lost.


Burma and Andaman Sea
USS Pompon made contact with a large transport convoy (at least 6 cargo/passenger ships, 7 escorts) outside Port Blair. It doesn't make sense for him to double down here, so that's an evacuation convoy. Pompon was sighted by the escorts and prosecuted successfully by 3 enemy destroyers.

Pompon had only brought down one 4875-ton cargo ship in her career, back in September, in the same area where she was sunk.

We swept Port Blair with 19 P-38s, drawing in 2 Irvings and 2 Nicks on CAP. We shot down 1 of the Nicks with no losses.

Up next, 10 B-25Gs attacked the convoy from low altitude. Thanks to the sweep there were no fighters opposing:
xAK Meiten Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAP Yoshino Maru, Shell hits 1
xAK Hoeisan Maru, Bomb hits 2, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Tamahoko Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
xAK Kinkasan Maru, Bomb hits 3, heavy fires, heavy damage
DD Yudachi, Shell hits 1
DD Usugumo
xAK Kusuyama Maru, Shell hits 2

Between the Pompon's contact report and the report from this raid, this task force has 1 AP and 8 AKs. 4 AKs are now sunk or disabled. Not bad, but that still leaves more than half, including the AP, available for the evacuation. This cost us 1 of the B-25Gs, lost to AA fire.

Other air raids:
Pisanuloke (sweep): 18 P-51 drew 16 Georges; 2 Georges and 3 P-51s shot down.
Raheng (ground forces): 10 casualties
near Rangoon (ground forces): 20 vehicles lost
Uttaradit (ground forces): 12 Wellington BXs and 12 Blenheim VDs nearly intercepted by 11 George fighters on CAP. Intercept failed as the raid was only detected 1 mile out, CAP was at 41,000ft vs bobmers at 10,000 feet. 19 casualties.


DEI
Air raid targets:
Makassar (sweep, ground forces): 13 Corsairs and 22 P-40N5s swept Makassar, pulling 5 enemy George fighters. We shot down 3 with no losses. 12 B-26s attacked with no opposition, 10 casualties.
Kendari (airbase): 12 hits
Ambon (ground forces and airbase): 41 casualties, 9 base hits
Koepang (ground forces): 10 casualties

APA Feland was hit by an artillery shell at Ambon while unloading supplies in support of the ongoing amphibious invasion. Damage was not severe.

Ground combat:
Ambon: Allied deliberate attack--enemy forts reduced to Level 2. Casualties 940 (J) to 149(A). Japanese bombardment attack: ineffective. We're getting really close to cracking this nut.


China
Bombing targets:
Anking (ground forces): 90 casualties
Kuikiang (ground forces): 39 casualties


Truk
Bombing (port, ground forces): Submarine hit in port, believed sunk. 9 casualties


Papua New Guinea
Ground combat in Hollandia--Allied deliberate attack, casualties 81(J) to 19(A), forts holding at Level 3.


Reinforcements
CVL Langley arrives at Balboa
DE Tisdale arrives at Mare Island
SS Bashaw arrives at Eastern USA
No.31 Sqn RNZAF arrives at Gisborne

[Molon Labe]

10 December 1943
USS Ray lost in attack against surface action group, Port Blair evacuation in progress while under air attack

Philippine Sea
USS Ray attempted an attack against a task force of 1 CA, 3 CL, and 5 DD off Legaspi, and missed. Ray was sunk in the counterattack.

The Hoe was in the same area and made a failed attack on a PB. It missed but only took slight damage before it escaped.

Near Leyte, the Flying Fish got a little bit of revenge, sinking a subchaser.


DEI
Air Raids:
Makassar (sweep): 9 Corsairs vs 3 Georges--2 Georges shot down. Followup by 25 P-40N5s--no joy.
Makassar (ground forces): 12 casualties
Ambon (ground forces and airbase): 3 casualties, 2 airbase hits
Kendari (airbase): 3 hits
Surabaya (sweep): 3 P-38s vs 4 Tojos and 5 Nicks: no losses. 22 P-38s vs 4 Tojos and 5 Nicks: 2 Nicks, 3 Tojos shot down.

The sweeps at Surabaya are meant to decrease the risk of a proper port attack by heavy bombers tomorrow.

Land combat:
Ambon: Japanese bombardment attack - 4 allied casualties


Burma
Air Raids:
Rahaeng (ground forces): 0 casualties
near Rangoon (ground forces): 5 vehicles lost

At Port Blair, 7 B-24s attacked the port opposed by a CAP of 20 Georges and 3 Tonies. The fighters were mostly ineffective with no victories and 2 Georges shot down by the bombers. One already heavily damaged cargo ship was hit by a bomb--no other damage. A second wave of 3 bombers came with 7 P-38s escorting. They shot down 4 more Georges but did no damage on the ground.

4 B-25Gs followed that up. 4 Georges attempted to intercept but failed--this was a low-level attack and the fighters were at 41,000 feet.
xAP Yoshino Maru, Shell hits 1, Bomb hits 1, on fire
xAK Chowa Maru, Shell hits 4, Bomb hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
+140 enemy troop casualties reported

So the evacuation is proceeding but at least I hurt them a little in the process. The British CVBG is currently sprinting here to try to catch them before they finish loading.


Truk
Bombing port and ground forces: Sub in port hit 3 times, confirmed sunk (same sub as yesterday). 2 port hits, 63 casualties

Land combat:
Allied deliberate attack - forts reduced to Level 0, casualties 1415(J) to 175 (A). So close!


China
Air Raids:
Sinyang (ground forces): 10 casualties
Anking (ground forces): 0 casualties
Kiukiang (ground forces): 0 casualties


Papua New Guinea
Deliberate attack at Hollandia, casualties 110 to 8, forts reduced to Level 2.