Pacific War Redux
- Thread starter CalBear
- Start date
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Just caught up!
I like it very much. Keep writing and I will keep reading. If I think of any cogent comments I shall let you know!
I like it very much. Keep writing and I will keep reading. If I think of any cogent comments I shall let you know!
Here is January 27 & 28, 1942
As always, comments are encouraged.
Enjoy!
January 27, 1942
(PI) War Department informs General Wainwright that WPO-3 is still strategic plan. American troops are expected to withdraw to the fortified Bataan Peninsula and deny enemy forces the use of Manila Harbor until relieved if conditions warrant. Message does not include any warning about current strength of U.S. Fleet or likelihood of relief within six month period outlined in WPO-3.
Having completed a flight that spanned four continents five replacementVT-122 Tubes, along with other spares, arrive via B-17 for SCR-270 sets on Luzon.
43rd Regiment (PS) ordered to Bambang to reinforce severely depleted ranks of 1st/4th Marines. While titled a regiment, the 43rd’s total strength is under 330 men.
Attempt by 14th Army to bypass Lingayen Bay defenses by using coastal route stopped near Santa Cruz by 3rd Battalion, Philippine Division (PS) backed up by company of tanks from 194th Tank Battalion. Fighting from prepared positions, including a thin, but well placed mine field, the Battalion destroys a regiment of the 51st Japanese division at the cost of nearly half its strength.
(Washington) USAAF orders 1,500 B-29 Bombers from Boeing before the first prototype has flown.
Reinforcement transports arrive in Lingayen Bay. Japanese 228th Regiment, 5,400 men freshly released from conquest of Hong Kong, and large amounts of supplies are added to 14th Army’s reserves. Including forces currently bottled up in Northern Luzon, Japanese forces on Luzon now outnumber trained U.S./Philippine forces by more than 2-1.
(Tinian) Marine Defense Battalion moves three batteries of 155MM guns into partly prepared position near Point Tahgong and two additional batteries into positions at Point Asiga. Batteries are able to bring direct artillery fire against southern third of Saipan, including the airfield and part of the harbor facilities. SeaBee and Marine work parties also begin installation of five inch gun emplacements, barbed wire, rifle pits, and machinegun nests, while majority of Construction Battalion continues to scrape out airfield.
(Malaya) Heavy air attacked against Alexander Line by JAAF 3rd and 5th Divisions. Attacks continue throughout the day. By sunset, RAF fighter command is reduced to three Hurricanes and six Buffaloes, RAAF is effectively destroyed, along with fourteen DEI Buffaloes and seven P-40s. Japanese losses are also heavy, with twenty Ki-21 Sally heavy bombers lost and all twenty-seven Ki-30 Ann bombers from the 16th Light Air Regiment destroyed. Japanese losses also include eight Oscar and eleven Nate fighters shot down. A further 30 Japanese aircraft are badly damaged. Damage to the Alexander Line defenses are surprisingly light, although two companies of the 53rd Brigade are mauled when caught in the open during the opening moments of the attack.
(DEI) Task force centered on HMS Indomitable arrives in DEI, unloading 48 Hurricane fighters destined for Singapore.
January 28, 1942
(Marianas) Code breakers decrypt enough of IJN message traffic to Admiral Nagumo to determine probable orders and destination. Information is sent, via undersea cable, to Wake and then on to Guam where it is decoded. Decoded message is flown to Enterprise by Marine SBD where it is hand delivered to Admiral Halsey. After brief discussions with his staff and the commander of the Enterprise, Halsey issues his orders to the Task Force as well as to the garrisons of both Tinian and Saipan.
USS Pollock, patrolling 350 miles northwest of Marianas sights Kido Butai. Sub’s commander avoids contact with escorting destroyers and radios information to Guam.
Shortly before sunset CB supervising engineer reports that airfield is ready to act as emergency landing strip for fighter aircraft. Estimates that strip will be ready for fighter operations within four days.
(PI) General Wainwright makes decision to withdraw to Bataan after confirming all possible supplies have been shifted to the Peninsula. Selected units are withdrawn fro Lingayen defensive lines to position that will allow rest of Luzon garrison to withdraw without “hot pursuit”.
After several days with virtually no activity USAAF mounts major attack against Lingayen Bay beachhead. Thirty-three B-17 bombers, flying in three groups, escorted by nearly all remaining fighters attack troop concentrations and supply depots with 250 pound GP and 100 pound fragmentation bombs. Japanese fighter opposition is less than expected and is swept from skies by fighter escorts. Japanese losses in material are serious, with nearly two weeks of rations and several thousand gallons of gasoline destroyed. Personnel losses are less severe, however total casualties exceed 500. Planned Japanese attack on remnants of third defensive line is postponed due to confusion from air attack. Largest impact is on morale of troops on Lingayen defensive lines who are finally able to cheer something.
Several small attacks against Bambang positions are turned back by Marine/Scout defenders.
(Darwin) Two USAAF Pursuit Groups equipped with P-40E fighters complete deployment to airbases outside of city, joining 12 RAAF Buffaloes operating from fields. Three SCR-270 sets are also operating in the region, providing early warning for air attacks.
(DEI) Celebes Island invaded by Japanese, who come ashore unopposed.
As always, comments are encouraged.
Enjoy!
January 27, 1942
(PI) War Department informs General Wainwright that WPO-3 is still strategic plan. American troops are expected to withdraw to the fortified Bataan Peninsula and deny enemy forces the use of Manila Harbor until relieved if conditions warrant. Message does not include any warning about current strength of U.S. Fleet or likelihood of relief within six month period outlined in WPO-3.
Having completed a flight that spanned four continents five replacementVT-122 Tubes, along with other spares, arrive via B-17 for SCR-270 sets on Luzon.
43rd Regiment (PS) ordered to Bambang to reinforce severely depleted ranks of 1st/4th Marines. While titled a regiment, the 43rd’s total strength is under 330 men.
Attempt by 14th Army to bypass Lingayen Bay defenses by using coastal route stopped near Santa Cruz by 3rd Battalion, Philippine Division (PS) backed up by company of tanks from 194th Tank Battalion. Fighting from prepared positions, including a thin, but well placed mine field, the Battalion destroys a regiment of the 51st Japanese division at the cost of nearly half its strength.
(Washington) USAAF orders 1,500 B-29 Bombers from Boeing before the first prototype has flown.
Reinforcement transports arrive in Lingayen Bay. Japanese 228th Regiment, 5,400 men freshly released from conquest of Hong Kong, and large amounts of supplies are added to 14th Army’s reserves. Including forces currently bottled up in Northern Luzon, Japanese forces on Luzon now outnumber trained U.S./Philippine forces by more than 2-1.
(Tinian) Marine Defense Battalion moves three batteries of 155MM guns into partly prepared position near Point Tahgong and two additional batteries into positions at Point Asiga. Batteries are able to bring direct artillery fire against southern third of Saipan, including the airfield and part of the harbor facilities. SeaBee and Marine work parties also begin installation of five inch gun emplacements, barbed wire, rifle pits, and machinegun nests, while majority of Construction Battalion continues to scrape out airfield.
(Malaya) Heavy air attacked against Alexander Line by JAAF 3rd and 5th Divisions. Attacks continue throughout the day. By sunset, RAF fighter command is reduced to three Hurricanes and six Buffaloes, RAAF is effectively destroyed, along with fourteen DEI Buffaloes and seven P-40s. Japanese losses are also heavy, with twenty Ki-21 Sally heavy bombers lost and all twenty-seven Ki-30 Ann bombers from the 16th Light Air Regiment destroyed. Japanese losses also include eight Oscar and eleven Nate fighters shot down. A further 30 Japanese aircraft are badly damaged. Damage to the Alexander Line defenses are surprisingly light, although two companies of the 53rd Brigade are mauled when caught in the open during the opening moments of the attack.
(DEI) Task force centered on HMS Indomitable arrives in DEI, unloading 48 Hurricane fighters destined for Singapore.
January 28, 1942
(Marianas) Code breakers decrypt enough of IJN message traffic to Admiral Nagumo to determine probable orders and destination. Information is sent, via undersea cable, to Wake and then on to Guam where it is decoded. Decoded message is flown to Enterprise by Marine SBD where it is hand delivered to Admiral Halsey. After brief discussions with his staff and the commander of the Enterprise, Halsey issues his orders to the Task Force as well as to the garrisons of both Tinian and Saipan.
USS Pollock, patrolling 350 miles northwest of Marianas sights Kido Butai. Sub’s commander avoids contact with escorting destroyers and radios information to Guam.
Shortly before sunset CB supervising engineer reports that airfield is ready to act as emergency landing strip for fighter aircraft. Estimates that strip will be ready for fighter operations within four days.
(PI) General Wainwright makes decision to withdraw to Bataan after confirming all possible supplies have been shifted to the Peninsula. Selected units are withdrawn fro Lingayen defensive lines to position that will allow rest of Luzon garrison to withdraw without “hot pursuit”.
After several days with virtually no activity USAAF mounts major attack against Lingayen Bay beachhead. Thirty-three B-17 bombers, flying in three groups, escorted by nearly all remaining fighters attack troop concentrations and supply depots with 250 pound GP and 100 pound fragmentation bombs. Japanese fighter opposition is less than expected and is swept from skies by fighter escorts. Japanese losses in material are serious, with nearly two weeks of rations and several thousand gallons of gasoline destroyed. Personnel losses are less severe, however total casualties exceed 500. Planned Japanese attack on remnants of third defensive line is postponed due to confusion from air attack. Largest impact is on morale of troops on Lingayen defensive lines who are finally able to cheer something.
Several small attacks against Bambang positions are turned back by Marine/Scout defenders.
(Darwin) Two USAAF Pursuit Groups equipped with P-40E fighters complete deployment to airbases outside of city, joining 12 RAAF Buffaloes operating from fields. Three SCR-270 sets are also operating in the region, providing early warning for air attacks.
(DEI) Celebes Island invaded by Japanese, who come ashore unopposed.
Markus
Banned
IMO we can´t ignore the soldiers of the Philippine Army, which can´t possibly be as ill-trained and as ill-equipped as in OTL. 2nd rate troops are still useful for defending prepared positions in set-piece battles like this one they need to be counted. That makes the decision to withdraw hard to understand.
Here is January 29 & 30, 1942
Comments encouraged
Enjoy
January 29, 1942
(Marianas)
Battle of the Marianas Islands
(0400 Local time) Admiral Nagumo, his force 250 miles Northeast of Tinian, sends out search planes to locate U.S. fleet near Tinian. Following doctrine, search aircraft are all float planes off escorting cruisers. Search is substantially limited by earlier loss of the cruiser Tone in Battle of Lingayen Gulf. Specifically designed to act as a floatplane platform, the ship’s loss reduces the search by four aircraft. Search aircraft all take off well before dawn.
(05:00) Eight PBYs take off from Guam to search of Japanese fleet.
(05:30 Local) Kido Butai receives word that Harbor and air base facilities on Saipan are under artillery fire from enemy forces on Tinian. IJN commander on Saipan confirms to Nagumo that American air strength on Guam is roughly 20 fighters and six bombers. Wanting to eliminate this threat, Nagumo orders his force to launch sixty-three dive bombers (including the fifteen D1A biplanes), twenty-one level bombers (Kate torpedo bombers carrying bombs), escorted by forty-two Zero fighters to attack Guam. A reserve of twenty-nine dive bombers and eleven torpedo planes is kept on board in case the U.S. fleet is located.
(05:40 Local) Reinforced Dawn Patrol of twelve Corsairs launches from Guam. Fifty miles southeast of Guam all three American carriers launch their first CAP of the day along with search aircraft seeking Japanese fleet.
(06:00 Local) Navy PBY sights Japanese float plane inbound toward Guam. Course of aircraft is radioed to Guam. PBY instructed to fly reciprocal heading in search of IJN fleet.
(06:05 Local) Based on Sighting of float plane additional sixteen Corsairs launch to reinforce dawn patrol. Other aircraft begin warm up of engines.
(06:20 Local) Guam based radar locates Japanese attack force headed for Island. Mass scramble of aircraft from Guam begins. Guam CAP turns toward enemy contact.
(06:25 Local) Halsey orders half of TF fighters into the air as CAP. Soon twenty-seven Wildcats are airborne, as they climb to altitude the Navy pilots find themselves reviewing, yet again, the reports from the Philippines and Singapore on the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese Zero. The extremely expensive information has been coming out of the Islands for nearly two months and many of the squadron commanders, including James Thatch, have begun to consider counters to the superior maneuverability of the Japanese fighters.
(06:30 Local) Mavis flying boat out of Truk sights American fleet on Horizon. Contact report is immediately sent.
(06:32 Local) Two Wildcats from Fighting Forty-One attack Japanese snooper.
(06:33 Local) Kido Butai air strike is sighted by Corsair Baker-Five. Corsairs have 8,000 foot altitude advantage as they begin their attacks.
(06:34) First two Japanese fighters are destroyed by gull-winged U.S. Marine fighters.
(06:35) Japanese formations are blown apart by diving attacks of twenty-eight Marine Corsairs. As instructed, Corsair pilots do not attempt to turn with their Japanese opponents at low speed, zooming up from dives at full power. Japanese escort fighters, already engaged against more land based aircraft than they had been briefed existed on Guam, turn into American attack and fight for altitude. Entire air battle drifts towards Guam at 120 knots.
Having received word of the flying boat’s contact report, Nagumo immediately orders his ready force to attack the American ships. In doing so he is violating standard doctrine, which calls for a massive strike, not a piecemeal attack. Despite this, and against the advice of his air staff, Nagumo orders his planes into the air. Privately, Nagumo confided to his Flag Captain that he is concerned that, if he delays, he may miss his only chance to strike the American ships before they escape.
(06:40) Flight of twelve P-38 fighters finds formation of D1A biplanes that has become separated from the rest of the Japanese strike. Leaving half of his twin-boomed aircraft to fly top cover at 24,000 feet, the squadron commander leads the other six aircraft into the attack. Obsolete 1934 biplanes, flying at the edge of their range, prove to be no match for the 400 mph U.S. interceptors. Before climbing back to altitude the flight leader has collected seven kills, with each of his element leaders having shot down four enemy aircraft.
(06:45 Local) American PBY locates Kido Butai. Lacking radar, the Japanese ships do not realize they have been discovered.
(06:47 Local) Japanese dive bombers see Guam appear in their windshields.
(06:48 Local) Having found some friendly clouds, U.S. snooper radios position of Japanese task force to Halsey’s ships.
JNAF strike package finished launching and heads toward last reported position of U.S. fleet, 125 miles due south of Guam. A total of fifty-one aircraft are headed towards the Americans.
(06:53 Local) U.S. fighters, following direction from the ground break off attacks on Japanese attack aircraft as they enter AAA range. The seventy airborne American fighters turn their attention to the remaining Zero escorts.
(06:54 Local) Radar Guided three inch AAA guns open fire on Japanese D3A bombers. As Vals begin their dives 40mm & then 20mm cannon join in the barrage.
(06:56) “Pilots man your planes” is sounded on all three American carriers. U.S. TF turns into the wind.
(06:59 Local) Surviving Kate level bombers come under fire from three inch batteries.
(07:04 Local) D3A bombers finish attacks and flee target area with a gaggle of U.S. fighter in hot pursuit.
(07:10 Local) Torpedo Six TBD is first aircraft of American strike force off the deck.
(07:12 Local) Six remaining Kates leave target area. Radio operators on the aircraft are making continuous calls for fighter assistance.
(07:15 Local) Kido Butai strike commander reports initial attack results to flagship. Pilot reporting was sixth most senior dive bomber pilot when mission began.
(07:20 Local) Guam ground control recalls fighters from further pursuit. Radio check comes up ten Corsairs and three P-40Es short. Fighters are directed to land based on fuel state, with dawn patrol aircraft first in line.
Damage to Guam facilities is light overall, although a B-25 that was undergoing maintenance has been destroyed, as has a PBY in the lagoon. The air field is usable, although somewhat damaged on the southwest end.
(07:25 Local) Torpedo Six, escorted by fourteen Wildcats of Fighting Six pass between Guam and Tinian. Devastator torpedo planes are at 5,000 feet with fighters flying cover at 17,000. Bombing and Scouting Six are hot on their tails.
(07:27 Local) Torpedo Eight, off USS Hornet, is tracked by Guam radar as it passes the Island forty miles to the east. Fighting and Scouting Eight are three minutes behind.
(07:30 Local) Guam radar picks up large radio contact fifty miles to the west, headed due south at 140 mph. Warning is transmitted to Fleet. With majority of fighters on ground refueling and rearming decision is made to not send CAP after contact.
(07:31 Local) USS Yorktown’s attack force passes Guam. In all the three American carriers have launched forty-six torpedo planes, fifty-five dive bombers, and twenty eight fighters towards the Japanese carriers.
(07:40 Local) Akagi is first IJN carrier to begin recovery of her aircraft. The first Val reaches Kaga moments later.
(08:10 Local) Initial count of losses is handed to Admiral Nagumo, along with report by senior surviving escort pilot on opposition encountered. Both make appalling reading. Japanese losses are twenty-four D3A dive bombers, seventeen Kate torpedo planes, and twenty-eight Zero fighters actually shot down. Unsurprisingly, Nagumo also notes that all fifteen of the ancient biplanes that HQ had forced him to carry are missing and presumed lost. Based on his experience with the Americans at Pearl Harbor and over Luzon, Nagumo expects at least an additional twenty aircraft to be so shot up that they will be pushed over the side. The estimate of his escort leader is, in many ways, even more disturbing. The man reports that there were at least one hundred-fifty American fighters defending the target, P-40s, P-38s and a strange gull-winged aircraft the flight officer had never seen before.
(08:15 Local) Kaga and Zuikaku sail into a rain squall and disappear from the view of their two sisters.
(08:19 Local) Scouting Six flight leader calls Tallyho! Identifies target as Japanese fleet including two carriers. Torpedo and Scouting Six head toward closer flattop. Moments later, approaching from a slightly different angle, Hornet’s attackers make the same decision.
(08:20) Heavy Cruiser Mogami warns of approaching bogeys. Following standard practice the cruiser fires her main battery in the direction of the intruders to alert the fighter CAP.
(08:21 Local) Torpedo Six reports that Japanese battleship is attempting to knock down his low flying aircraft with water spouts.
(08:23 Local) Airborne CAP of five Claude fighters heads toward approaching enemy aircraft. Akagi & Shokaku begin to launch additional aircraft.
(08:27 Local) Kido Butai CAP fighters are engaged by Fighting Six as the move towards Devastator formation. Outnumbered two-to-one by faster American fighters, the A5M pilots abandon their attack and begin to fight for their lives.
(08:28 Local) CLAA USS Atlanta picks up large approaching formation 80 miles to the north. CAP fighters head towards contact.
(08:30 Local) Copying the contact report from Atlanta, Guam Ground Control orders the freshly refueled and rearmed P-38s of Pursuit Groups 52 (composite) south.
(08:32 Local) Akagi opens fire on slow moving American torpedo planes.
(08:35 Local) Admiral Halsey is informed that there is an enemy formation approaching the Support Group. He immediately order that half the airborne CAP head for the Support Group some 70 miles to the southeast. Additional fighters are ordered into the air from all three carriers.
(08:37 Local) Three freshly launched Zeros pounce on Torpedo Six. Three torpedo planes go down in the first pass.
(08:39 Local) First torpedo dropped by Torpedo Six.
(08:41 Local) Two more Devastators are shot down, one by AAA one by a Zero, after they have launched their fish.
Fighting Six, minus the one fighter lost in destroying the A5M CAP, dives on the unsuspecting Zeros savaging Torpedo Six. All ten remaining torpedo bombers escape.
(08:42 Local) Torpedo Eight begins attack run on Akagi
(08:44 Local) Six Wildcats from Fighting Forty-Two go to full wartime power in hopes of intercepting Japanese planes headed toward Support Group.
First three torpedoes from Torpedo Six miss Akagi.
(8:46 Local) Akagi absorbs first torpedo hit well forward. Second torpedo strikes hull at nearly the same instant but breaks in half rather than exploding.
(08:47 Local) Six fighters from Fighting Forty-One, all of whom had only arrived onboard USS Long Beach the day before, having traveled to Tinian as extras on Hornet, plow headlong into Japanese Val formation, scattering it in the process. One Val is shot down during this pass. Breaking into two plane elements the fighters come out of their dives only to be pounced in turn by the ten escorting Zeros.
(08:50 Local) Utterly unmolested by fighters, Torpedo Eight begins textbook hammer/anvilattack. All fifteen aircraft drop their weapons with two minutes of each other. One Devastator is lost to AAA from Akagi during pull out.
(08:52) Four Zeros from Shokaku attack Torpedo Five. Six Wildcats from Fighting Forty-Two attempt to intervene.
(08:54 Local) Six torpedoes from Torpedo Eight strike Akagi. Five detonate. Nagumo’s old flagship goes dead in the water.
(08:55 Local) SBD’s from Scouting Six begin dives on Akagi. Three 1000 bombs, all dropped by the same three plane element, strike flight deck nearly simultaneously. Two other bombs are near misses.
(08:58 Local) Lookouts on USS Maryland report inbound enemy aircraft.
The only remaining Wildcat from Fighting Forty-one dives away from the Japanese formation. Wounded, and with a badly damaged airplane, the pilot turns for home, hoping that Long Beach will still be afloat when he arrives. Two Zeros dive after the fleeing fighter. Intent on getting their kill, neither pilots checks behind them. It is a fatal mistake as Guam’s P-38s arrive on the scene.
(09:00) Bombing Five begins diving attack on Shokaku. Lead bomber, using large Rising Sun on flight deck as aiming point watches Zero fighter move through his sight picture as it takes off. At 1,400 feet he releases his 500 and two 100 pound bombs. Only the 500 pound weapon hits, just abaft the forward elevator.
Fighting Forty-two’s Wildcats arrive near the U.S. Support Group and immediately attack the formation of Kate torpedo planes nearing the outer screen.
(09:02 Local) Nearly wrecked by Zero attacks the seven surviving torpedo planes from Torpedo Five launch their weapons toward Shokaku. All miss.
(09:04) Shokaku is stuck by three bombs in quick succession. One 1000 pound weapon strikes well forward, blowing off the front forty feet of the flight deck but missing the ships vitals. The second and third bomb hits are far more severe. Both weapons penetrate the flight deck into the hanger deck. Here they wreak havoc in the enclosed space. Fragments of one bomb tear through the fuel lines running the length of the hanger deck while the second missile, this one a 500 pounder, enters the hanger deck at an angle and explodes against the bulkhead starting fires and sending fragments through the air intakes for the ship’s engines. Massive fires show through the carrier’s damaged flight deck with the sound of secondary explosions echoing over the water.
(09:05 Local) Both primary targets aflame Bombing Eight’s commander selects the battleship Kirishima as the next highest value target available. With Fighting Eight engaging the few remaining Cap fighters the Hornet’s dive bombers make what is close to a bombing range attack on the Japanese dreadnaught. The attack is not exactly like one on the range, since the range doesn’t move at thirty knots or shoot back, but the nineteen Dauntless bombers still take their time.
(09:07) Pulling up as the last Kate cartwheels into the sea, Fighting Forty-two’s pilots turn away from the Support Group, which had begun shooting at the attacking Kates and work for altitude. 12,000 feet above them the Lightnings of 58th Group also break off their attack as AAA begins to explode around them. The big twin engine fighters move off to the north to await the survivors of the next few minutes action
(09:09 Local) Their attack finished Bombing Eight turns for home. Kirishima has taken eight direct hits, five from 1000 bombs, and six near misses. As they depart the Americans are pleased to note that the ship has taken a visible list to port and seems to be out of control.
(09:11 Local) Having reoriented the Support Group’s formation in response to the approaching threat the Americans present a wall of flak to the approaching Japanese. Their formation completely disrupted by the U.S. fighter attacks, the fourteen remaining Val dive bombers now fly into the heaviest AAA barrage of the war to date. USS Atlanta & USS San Juan, both purpose built Anti Aircraft cruisers, along with the other ships of the screen are pumping out 510 five inch/127mm flak shells a minute.
(09:13 Local) Facing reality, and with no enemy carrier is sight, the D3A flight leader leads his planes into an attack on the Maryland. As they dive, the dive bombers come into the engagement envelope of the fleet’s 40mm guns. Three Vals are blotted from the skies before they can release their weapons. Seven aircraft miss their target, but the Marylandtakes three hits and a near miss. Equipped with 550 pound bombs intended for the tender wooden decks of U.S. carriers or thinly armored Treaty cruisers, the D3A had never been intended for the mission of sinking battleships on the high seas, that was the job of the Battle Force.
(09:15 Local) Coming out of therain squall, Kaga & Zuikaku find the other half of the Kido Butai’s carriers burning and dead in the water.
(09:17 Local) Guam’s P-38s collect six D3As trying to flee the area. Low on ammunition, the Lockheed fighters turn for home allowing the rest of the dive bombers to escape.
(09:40 Local) Marylandreports all fires out and ship ready for action except for Number Three Turret which is jammed in position due to bomb damage.
(09:45 Local) Seven remaining aircraft from strike on American carriers return to Kido Butai. Three of the survivors are Zeros belonging to Shokaku. They are the only Zero pilots left from the men who struck Pearl Harbor seven weeks earlier. The survivors of the attack claim two battleships sunk and a carrier damaged.
Shokaku’s portrait of the Emperor is transferred to the Mogami.
(09:50 Local) Emperor’s Portrait removed from Akagi and transferred to Kaga.
(09:55 Local) With only 20 fighters left, and just seven flyable attack planes, Nagumo orders surviving carriers of Kido Butai to withdraw at high speed to the west.
(10:00 Local time) Last aircraft returning from strike on Japanese Task Force traps aboard Yorktown. American losses are high,Nine Wildcats, ten SBDs and seventeen Devastators are missing and presumed lost. Five more TBD torpedo planes and four SBDs are considered to be beyond repair and are jettisoned to reduce the amount of flammable material onboard the carriers.
(10:25 Local) Akagi sinks.
(10:45 Local) PBY out of Guam finds Kido Butai gone. Flying boat does locate a seriously damaged carrier dead in the water, along with a crippled battleship making about six knots, all of which are being protected by two cruisers and five destroyers. No Japanese aircraft of any kind are visible. PBY is ordered to loiter in area.
(11:00 Local) Guam ground control orders attack on cripples by Marine Dive bombers, with Corsair escort. Eighteen dive bombers, ten SBDs and eight Vindicators, escorted by twenty-four Corsairs (including 12 carrying one 500 pound bomb each) head northeast to the reported location of the Japanese cripples.
(11:15 Local) Safe inside a huge squall line, Nagumo radios Combined Fleet with the news of the battle. The rest of the fleet, including Admiral Yamamoto’s new flagship, the 18.1 inch gunned battleship Yamato and the light carriers Shoho & Zuiho is some 400 miles west of the Nagumo’s current position proceeding at 16 knots. The two light carriers total air group consists of 32 A5M Claudes and 28 D2A biplane dive bombers. Combined Fleet increases speed to 21 knots.
(11:25 Local) Admiral Nagumo receives message ordering him to wait for arrival of Combined Fleet. A second effort to defeat the Americans will be made at that time. Reluctantly, Nagumo reduces speed to await the rest the fleet
(11:45 Local) Admiral Halsey orders USS Hornet with her escorts to move to the south and provide additional cover for the Support Force. Admiral Jack Fletcher is instructed to take command of both formations.
(12:00 Local) Halsey orders follow-up attack on Japanese formation to ensure that none of the remaining ships escape.
(12:35 Local) Marine force arrives over hulk of Shokaku. Vindicator formation is ordered to finish the carrier off while the SBD flight, carrying 1,000 pound bombs, will attack the Kirishima. The bomb laden Corsairs are directed to attack the cruiser Suzuya.
(12:50 Local) Struck by five more 500 pound bombs Shokaku breaks in half and sinks. The last Vindicator diverts to the cruiser Mogami. This bomb misses, causing no substantial damage.
After absorbing five more 1,000 pound bombs, the Kirishima shudders to a stop, taking a 22 degree list.
(13:10 Local) Hit by four of the Corsair flight’s bombs, with her hull sprung in two locations by near misses, the Suzuya rolls over to port and explodes as cold water pours down her stacks to the red hot boilers.
(13:35 Local) Having used most of their ammunition strafing the remaining Japanese destroyers, the Marine strike force turns for home.
(14:00 Local) Search plane finds Main Body of Combined Fleet through gap in clouds. Japanese force is 550 miles northwest of Guam, moving towards the Island. Fighters sent after the PBY lose her in the clouds.
(14:25 Local) Halsey’s attack force, thirty-four SBD’s from Scouting and Bombing Six , escorted by twelve Wildcats from Fighting Six, reach battle scene. Only two undamaged Japanese ships, the Mogami and the destroyer Kagero are present, along with two other badly shot up destroyers and the hulk of the Kirishima.
(14:40 Local) Kirishima sinks after taking six more 1,000 pound bomb hits.
(14:45 Local) After consultations with Admiral Halsey, Guam launches twenty-eight B-25s, with escort of twelve P-38s flying high cover and sixteen F4U flying close cover in effort to attack Main Body of Combined Fleet. One P-38 loses an engine on take-off and crashes into the hills beyond the airstrip.
(15:00) Hit fourteen times by 1,000 bombs, what is left of the Mogami turns turtle and plunges to the bottom. Remaining Japanese ships flee scene as Enterprise’s planes depart.
In expectation of possible surface action the following day, Admiral Halsey recalls the Tennessee and Maryland along with the heavy cruisers San Francisco & Chicago from Fletcher’s command.
(16:00 Local) PBY reacquires Main Body, radioing updated position to Army bombers.
(16:40 Local) D2A on submarine patrol stumbles over approaching American force. Before being shot down by escorting Corsair, plane gets off a warning to the Yamato.
(16:45 Local) Japanese light carriers scramble all available fighters. American bombers are approaching at 17,000 feet, above A5M’s practical ceiling.
(17:00 Local) P-38’s flying high cover sight first nine aircraft of Japanese CAP. Three elements of the top cover head for the obsolescent Claudes, leaving five Lightnings to cover the bombers. Eight of the F4Us flying medium cover also head toward Japanese fighters.
(17:15 Local) American escort fighters find themselves engaging nearly thirty agile, if slow, enemy aircraft. Remaining escorts head for furball.
(17:30 Local) Dogfight ends in gathering darkness. Three Corsairs and a P-38 have been lost, one in a mid-air collision with an A5M, with two more F4Us damaged, while the Japanese have lost twenty-three aircraft shot down and four of the five survivors shot to ribbons.
(18:00 Local) After searching for a half hour, the U.S. bombers decide that they have lost the enemy ships in the gloom of sunset and yet another rain squall. The formation turns for home, the bombers leading the fighters back to Guam.
(18:30 Local) Mitchell bombers turn on landing and marker lights to ease the task of the following fighters.
(19:00 Local) After meeting with his command staff, and considering most recent losses to his fighter cover, Admiral Yamamoto decides to break off advance towards Guam. Yamamoto has withdrawal order sent to Kido Butai.
(19:10 Local) Nagumo orders his depleted force to 33 knots and moves to the northwest.
(19:30 Local) With the Guam air field illuminated by truck headlights and barrels of burning refuse, the attack force returns home. In addition to the four combat losses, three fighters and two bombers fail to return, their eventual fate unknown.
(22:00 Local) Last PBY returns to Guam without sighting enemy shipping. Aircraft brings word that entire area searched; a sector 550 miles to the northeast of the island is covered by heavy storms.
January 30, 1942
(Marianas) Heavy weather prevents any worthwhile flight operations.
(Japan) Imperial Naval GHQ orders withdrawal of BatDiv 1 & 2 back to Home Islands. Combined Fleet is instructed to detach CruDiv 4 & 18 along with DesDiv 6, 17 & 22 for operations in the Southern Resource Area. CarDiv 1 & 2 are directed to return to Home Anchorage at Hashirajima to await further orders.
(Singapore) Large Japanese air attack damages port facilities.
(Malaya) Extremely strong attack against eastern flank of Alexander Line by 143 Regiment of the IJA, supported by tanks from the 1/3 Tank Brigade. Japanese forces actually reach first line of prepared positions before being stopped. Australian losses are very high, however the 143 Regiment has a battalion destroyed and 1/3 loses fourteen Type 97 tanks.
Comments encouraged
Enjoy
January 29, 1942
(Marianas)
Battle of the Marianas Islands
(0400 Local time) Admiral Nagumo, his force 250 miles Northeast of Tinian, sends out search planes to locate U.S. fleet near Tinian. Following doctrine, search aircraft are all float planes off escorting cruisers. Search is substantially limited by earlier loss of the cruiser Tone in Battle of Lingayen Gulf. Specifically designed to act as a floatplane platform, the ship’s loss reduces the search by four aircraft. Search aircraft all take off well before dawn.
(05:00) Eight PBYs take off from Guam to search of Japanese fleet.
(05:30 Local) Kido Butai receives word that Harbor and air base facilities on Saipan are under artillery fire from enemy forces on Tinian. IJN commander on Saipan confirms to Nagumo that American air strength on Guam is roughly 20 fighters and six bombers. Wanting to eliminate this threat, Nagumo orders his force to launch sixty-three dive bombers (including the fifteen D1A biplanes), twenty-one level bombers (Kate torpedo bombers carrying bombs), escorted by forty-two Zero fighters to attack Guam. A reserve of twenty-nine dive bombers and eleven torpedo planes is kept on board in case the U.S. fleet is located.
(05:40 Local) Reinforced Dawn Patrol of twelve Corsairs launches from Guam. Fifty miles southeast of Guam all three American carriers launch their first CAP of the day along with search aircraft seeking Japanese fleet.
(06:00 Local) Navy PBY sights Japanese float plane inbound toward Guam. Course of aircraft is radioed to Guam. PBY instructed to fly reciprocal heading in search of IJN fleet.
(06:05 Local) Based on Sighting of float plane additional sixteen Corsairs launch to reinforce dawn patrol. Other aircraft begin warm up of engines.
(06:20 Local) Guam based radar locates Japanese attack force headed for Island. Mass scramble of aircraft from Guam begins. Guam CAP turns toward enemy contact.
(06:25 Local) Halsey orders half of TF fighters into the air as CAP. Soon twenty-seven Wildcats are airborne, as they climb to altitude the Navy pilots find themselves reviewing, yet again, the reports from the Philippines and Singapore on the strengths and weaknesses of the Japanese Zero. The extremely expensive information has been coming out of the Islands for nearly two months and many of the squadron commanders, including James Thatch, have begun to consider counters to the superior maneuverability of the Japanese fighters.
(06:30 Local) Mavis flying boat out of Truk sights American fleet on Horizon. Contact report is immediately sent.
(06:32 Local) Two Wildcats from Fighting Forty-One attack Japanese snooper.
(06:33 Local) Kido Butai air strike is sighted by Corsair Baker-Five. Corsairs have 8,000 foot altitude advantage as they begin their attacks.
(06:34) First two Japanese fighters are destroyed by gull-winged U.S. Marine fighters.
(06:35) Japanese formations are blown apart by diving attacks of twenty-eight Marine Corsairs. As instructed, Corsair pilots do not attempt to turn with their Japanese opponents at low speed, zooming up from dives at full power. Japanese escort fighters, already engaged against more land based aircraft than they had been briefed existed on Guam, turn into American attack and fight for altitude. Entire air battle drifts towards Guam at 120 knots.
Having received word of the flying boat’s contact report, Nagumo immediately orders his ready force to attack the American ships. In doing so he is violating standard doctrine, which calls for a massive strike, not a piecemeal attack. Despite this, and against the advice of his air staff, Nagumo orders his planes into the air. Privately, Nagumo confided to his Flag Captain that he is concerned that, if he delays, he may miss his only chance to strike the American ships before they escape.
(06:40) Flight of twelve P-38 fighters finds formation of D1A biplanes that has become separated from the rest of the Japanese strike. Leaving half of his twin-boomed aircraft to fly top cover at 24,000 feet, the squadron commander leads the other six aircraft into the attack. Obsolete 1934 biplanes, flying at the edge of their range, prove to be no match for the 400 mph U.S. interceptors. Before climbing back to altitude the flight leader has collected seven kills, with each of his element leaders having shot down four enemy aircraft.
(06:45 Local) American PBY locates Kido Butai. Lacking radar, the Japanese ships do not realize they have been discovered.
(06:47 Local) Japanese dive bombers see Guam appear in their windshields.
(06:48 Local) Having found some friendly clouds, U.S. snooper radios position of Japanese task force to Halsey’s ships.
JNAF strike package finished launching and heads toward last reported position of U.S. fleet, 125 miles due south of Guam. A total of fifty-one aircraft are headed towards the Americans.
(06:53 Local) U.S. fighters, following direction from the ground break off attacks on Japanese attack aircraft as they enter AAA range. The seventy airborne American fighters turn their attention to the remaining Zero escorts.
(06:54 Local) Radar Guided three inch AAA guns open fire on Japanese D3A bombers. As Vals begin their dives 40mm & then 20mm cannon join in the barrage.
(06:56) “Pilots man your planes” is sounded on all three American carriers. U.S. TF turns into the wind.
(06:59 Local) Surviving Kate level bombers come under fire from three inch batteries.
(07:04 Local) D3A bombers finish attacks and flee target area with a gaggle of U.S. fighter in hot pursuit.
(07:10 Local) Torpedo Six TBD is first aircraft of American strike force off the deck.
(07:12 Local) Six remaining Kates leave target area. Radio operators on the aircraft are making continuous calls for fighter assistance.
(07:15 Local) Kido Butai strike commander reports initial attack results to flagship. Pilot reporting was sixth most senior dive bomber pilot when mission began.
(07:20 Local) Guam ground control recalls fighters from further pursuit. Radio check comes up ten Corsairs and three P-40Es short. Fighters are directed to land based on fuel state, with dawn patrol aircraft first in line.
Damage to Guam facilities is light overall, although a B-25 that was undergoing maintenance has been destroyed, as has a PBY in the lagoon. The air field is usable, although somewhat damaged on the southwest end.
(07:25 Local) Torpedo Six, escorted by fourteen Wildcats of Fighting Six pass between Guam and Tinian. Devastator torpedo planes are at 5,000 feet with fighters flying cover at 17,000. Bombing and Scouting Six are hot on their tails.
(07:27 Local) Torpedo Eight, off USS Hornet, is tracked by Guam radar as it passes the Island forty miles to the east. Fighting and Scouting Eight are three minutes behind.
(07:30 Local) Guam radar picks up large radio contact fifty miles to the west, headed due south at 140 mph. Warning is transmitted to Fleet. With majority of fighters on ground refueling and rearming decision is made to not send CAP after contact.
(07:31 Local) USS Yorktown’s attack force passes Guam. In all the three American carriers have launched forty-six torpedo planes, fifty-five dive bombers, and twenty eight fighters towards the Japanese carriers.
(07:40 Local) Akagi is first IJN carrier to begin recovery of her aircraft. The first Val reaches Kaga moments later.
(08:10 Local) Initial count of losses is handed to Admiral Nagumo, along with report by senior surviving escort pilot on opposition encountered. Both make appalling reading. Japanese losses are twenty-four D3A dive bombers, seventeen Kate torpedo planes, and twenty-eight Zero fighters actually shot down. Unsurprisingly, Nagumo also notes that all fifteen of the ancient biplanes that HQ had forced him to carry are missing and presumed lost. Based on his experience with the Americans at Pearl Harbor and over Luzon, Nagumo expects at least an additional twenty aircraft to be so shot up that they will be pushed over the side. The estimate of his escort leader is, in many ways, even more disturbing. The man reports that there were at least one hundred-fifty American fighters defending the target, P-40s, P-38s and a strange gull-winged aircraft the flight officer had never seen before.
(08:15 Local) Kaga and Zuikaku sail into a rain squall and disappear from the view of their two sisters.
(08:19 Local) Scouting Six flight leader calls Tallyho! Identifies target as Japanese fleet including two carriers. Torpedo and Scouting Six head toward closer flattop. Moments later, approaching from a slightly different angle, Hornet’s attackers make the same decision.
(08:20) Heavy Cruiser Mogami warns of approaching bogeys. Following standard practice the cruiser fires her main battery in the direction of the intruders to alert the fighter CAP.
(08:21 Local) Torpedo Six reports that Japanese battleship is attempting to knock down his low flying aircraft with water spouts.
(08:23 Local) Airborne CAP of five Claude fighters heads toward approaching enemy aircraft. Akagi & Shokaku begin to launch additional aircraft.
(08:27 Local) Kido Butai CAP fighters are engaged by Fighting Six as the move towards Devastator formation. Outnumbered two-to-one by faster American fighters, the A5M pilots abandon their attack and begin to fight for their lives.
(08:28 Local) CLAA USS Atlanta picks up large approaching formation 80 miles to the north. CAP fighters head towards contact.
(08:30 Local) Copying the contact report from Atlanta, Guam Ground Control orders the freshly refueled and rearmed P-38s of Pursuit Groups 52 (composite) south.
(08:32 Local) Akagi opens fire on slow moving American torpedo planes.
(08:35 Local) Admiral Halsey is informed that there is an enemy formation approaching the Support Group. He immediately order that half the airborne CAP head for the Support Group some 70 miles to the southeast. Additional fighters are ordered into the air from all three carriers.
(08:37 Local) Three freshly launched Zeros pounce on Torpedo Six. Three torpedo planes go down in the first pass.
(08:39 Local) First torpedo dropped by Torpedo Six.
(08:41 Local) Two more Devastators are shot down, one by AAA one by a Zero, after they have launched their fish.
Fighting Six, minus the one fighter lost in destroying the A5M CAP, dives on the unsuspecting Zeros savaging Torpedo Six. All ten remaining torpedo bombers escape.
(08:42 Local) Torpedo Eight begins attack run on Akagi
(08:44 Local) Six Wildcats from Fighting Forty-Two go to full wartime power in hopes of intercepting Japanese planes headed toward Support Group.
First three torpedoes from Torpedo Six miss Akagi.
(8:46 Local) Akagi absorbs first torpedo hit well forward. Second torpedo strikes hull at nearly the same instant but breaks in half rather than exploding.
(08:47 Local) Six fighters from Fighting Forty-One, all of whom had only arrived onboard USS Long Beach the day before, having traveled to Tinian as extras on Hornet, plow headlong into Japanese Val formation, scattering it in the process. One Val is shot down during this pass. Breaking into two plane elements the fighters come out of their dives only to be pounced in turn by the ten escorting Zeros.
(08:50 Local) Utterly unmolested by fighters, Torpedo Eight begins textbook hammer/anvilattack. All fifteen aircraft drop their weapons with two minutes of each other. One Devastator is lost to AAA from Akagi during pull out.
(08:52) Four Zeros from Shokaku attack Torpedo Five. Six Wildcats from Fighting Forty-Two attempt to intervene.
(08:54 Local) Six torpedoes from Torpedo Eight strike Akagi. Five detonate. Nagumo’s old flagship goes dead in the water.
(08:55 Local) SBD’s from Scouting Six begin dives on Akagi. Three 1000 bombs, all dropped by the same three plane element, strike flight deck nearly simultaneously. Two other bombs are near misses.
(08:58 Local) Lookouts on USS Maryland report inbound enemy aircraft.
The only remaining Wildcat from Fighting Forty-one dives away from the Japanese formation. Wounded, and with a badly damaged airplane, the pilot turns for home, hoping that Long Beach will still be afloat when he arrives. Two Zeros dive after the fleeing fighter. Intent on getting their kill, neither pilots checks behind them. It is a fatal mistake as Guam’s P-38s arrive on the scene.
(09:00) Bombing Five begins diving attack on Shokaku. Lead bomber, using large Rising Sun on flight deck as aiming point watches Zero fighter move through his sight picture as it takes off. At 1,400 feet he releases his 500 and two 100 pound bombs. Only the 500 pound weapon hits, just abaft the forward elevator.
Fighting Forty-two’s Wildcats arrive near the U.S. Support Group and immediately attack the formation of Kate torpedo planes nearing the outer screen.
(09:02 Local) Nearly wrecked by Zero attacks the seven surviving torpedo planes from Torpedo Five launch their weapons toward Shokaku. All miss.
(09:04) Shokaku is stuck by three bombs in quick succession. One 1000 pound weapon strikes well forward, blowing off the front forty feet of the flight deck but missing the ships vitals. The second and third bomb hits are far more severe. Both weapons penetrate the flight deck into the hanger deck. Here they wreak havoc in the enclosed space. Fragments of one bomb tear through the fuel lines running the length of the hanger deck while the second missile, this one a 500 pounder, enters the hanger deck at an angle and explodes against the bulkhead starting fires and sending fragments through the air intakes for the ship’s engines. Massive fires show through the carrier’s damaged flight deck with the sound of secondary explosions echoing over the water.
(09:05 Local) Both primary targets aflame Bombing Eight’s commander selects the battleship Kirishima as the next highest value target available. With Fighting Eight engaging the few remaining Cap fighters the Hornet’s dive bombers make what is close to a bombing range attack on the Japanese dreadnaught. The attack is not exactly like one on the range, since the range doesn’t move at thirty knots or shoot back, but the nineteen Dauntless bombers still take their time.
(09:07) Pulling up as the last Kate cartwheels into the sea, Fighting Forty-two’s pilots turn away from the Support Group, which had begun shooting at the attacking Kates and work for altitude. 12,000 feet above them the Lightnings of 58th Group also break off their attack as AAA begins to explode around them. The big twin engine fighters move off to the north to await the survivors of the next few minutes action
(09:09 Local) Their attack finished Bombing Eight turns for home. Kirishima has taken eight direct hits, five from 1000 bombs, and six near misses. As they depart the Americans are pleased to note that the ship has taken a visible list to port and seems to be out of control.
(09:11 Local) Having reoriented the Support Group’s formation in response to the approaching threat the Americans present a wall of flak to the approaching Japanese. Their formation completely disrupted by the U.S. fighter attacks, the fourteen remaining Val dive bombers now fly into the heaviest AAA barrage of the war to date. USS Atlanta & USS San Juan, both purpose built Anti Aircraft cruisers, along with the other ships of the screen are pumping out 510 five inch/127mm flak shells a minute.
(09:13 Local) Facing reality, and with no enemy carrier is sight, the D3A flight leader leads his planes into an attack on the Maryland. As they dive, the dive bombers come into the engagement envelope of the fleet’s 40mm guns. Three Vals are blotted from the skies before they can release their weapons. Seven aircraft miss their target, but the Marylandtakes three hits and a near miss. Equipped with 550 pound bombs intended for the tender wooden decks of U.S. carriers or thinly armored Treaty cruisers, the D3A had never been intended for the mission of sinking battleships on the high seas, that was the job of the Battle Force.
(09:15 Local) Coming out of therain squall, Kaga & Zuikaku find the other half of the Kido Butai’s carriers burning and dead in the water.
(09:17 Local) Guam’s P-38s collect six D3As trying to flee the area. Low on ammunition, the Lockheed fighters turn for home allowing the rest of the dive bombers to escape.
(09:40 Local) Marylandreports all fires out and ship ready for action except for Number Three Turret which is jammed in position due to bomb damage.
(09:45 Local) Seven remaining aircraft from strike on American carriers return to Kido Butai. Three of the survivors are Zeros belonging to Shokaku. They are the only Zero pilots left from the men who struck Pearl Harbor seven weeks earlier. The survivors of the attack claim two battleships sunk and a carrier damaged.
Shokaku’s portrait of the Emperor is transferred to the Mogami.
(09:50 Local) Emperor’s Portrait removed from Akagi and transferred to Kaga.
(09:55 Local) With only 20 fighters left, and just seven flyable attack planes, Nagumo orders surviving carriers of Kido Butai to withdraw at high speed to the west.
(10:00 Local time) Last aircraft returning from strike on Japanese Task Force traps aboard Yorktown. American losses are high,Nine Wildcats, ten SBDs and seventeen Devastators are missing and presumed lost. Five more TBD torpedo planes and four SBDs are considered to be beyond repair and are jettisoned to reduce the amount of flammable material onboard the carriers.
(10:25 Local) Akagi sinks.
(10:45 Local) PBY out of Guam finds Kido Butai gone. Flying boat does locate a seriously damaged carrier dead in the water, along with a crippled battleship making about six knots, all of which are being protected by two cruisers and five destroyers. No Japanese aircraft of any kind are visible. PBY is ordered to loiter in area.
(11:00 Local) Guam ground control orders attack on cripples by Marine Dive bombers, with Corsair escort. Eighteen dive bombers, ten SBDs and eight Vindicators, escorted by twenty-four Corsairs (including 12 carrying one 500 pound bomb each) head northeast to the reported location of the Japanese cripples.
(11:15 Local) Safe inside a huge squall line, Nagumo radios Combined Fleet with the news of the battle. The rest of the fleet, including Admiral Yamamoto’s new flagship, the 18.1 inch gunned battleship Yamato and the light carriers Shoho & Zuiho is some 400 miles west of the Nagumo’s current position proceeding at 16 knots. The two light carriers total air group consists of 32 A5M Claudes and 28 D2A biplane dive bombers. Combined Fleet increases speed to 21 knots.
(11:25 Local) Admiral Nagumo receives message ordering him to wait for arrival of Combined Fleet. A second effort to defeat the Americans will be made at that time. Reluctantly, Nagumo reduces speed to await the rest the fleet
(11:45 Local) Admiral Halsey orders USS Hornet with her escorts to move to the south and provide additional cover for the Support Force. Admiral Jack Fletcher is instructed to take command of both formations.
(12:00 Local) Halsey orders follow-up attack on Japanese formation to ensure that none of the remaining ships escape.
(12:35 Local) Marine force arrives over hulk of Shokaku. Vindicator formation is ordered to finish the carrier off while the SBD flight, carrying 1,000 pound bombs, will attack the Kirishima. The bomb laden Corsairs are directed to attack the cruiser Suzuya.
(12:50 Local) Struck by five more 500 pound bombs Shokaku breaks in half and sinks. The last Vindicator diverts to the cruiser Mogami. This bomb misses, causing no substantial damage.
After absorbing five more 1,000 pound bombs, the Kirishima shudders to a stop, taking a 22 degree list.
(13:10 Local) Hit by four of the Corsair flight’s bombs, with her hull sprung in two locations by near misses, the Suzuya rolls over to port and explodes as cold water pours down her stacks to the red hot boilers.
(13:35 Local) Having used most of their ammunition strafing the remaining Japanese destroyers, the Marine strike force turns for home.
(14:00 Local) Search plane finds Main Body of Combined Fleet through gap in clouds. Japanese force is 550 miles northwest of Guam, moving towards the Island. Fighters sent after the PBY lose her in the clouds.
(14:25 Local) Halsey’s attack force, thirty-four SBD’s from Scouting and Bombing Six , escorted by twelve Wildcats from Fighting Six, reach battle scene. Only two undamaged Japanese ships, the Mogami and the destroyer Kagero are present, along with two other badly shot up destroyers and the hulk of the Kirishima.
(14:40 Local) Kirishima sinks after taking six more 1,000 pound bomb hits.
(14:45 Local) After consultations with Admiral Halsey, Guam launches twenty-eight B-25s, with escort of twelve P-38s flying high cover and sixteen F4U flying close cover in effort to attack Main Body of Combined Fleet. One P-38 loses an engine on take-off and crashes into the hills beyond the airstrip.
(15:00) Hit fourteen times by 1,000 bombs, what is left of the Mogami turns turtle and plunges to the bottom. Remaining Japanese ships flee scene as Enterprise’s planes depart.
In expectation of possible surface action the following day, Admiral Halsey recalls the Tennessee and Maryland along with the heavy cruisers San Francisco & Chicago from Fletcher’s command.
(16:00 Local) PBY reacquires Main Body, radioing updated position to Army bombers.
(16:40 Local) D2A on submarine patrol stumbles over approaching American force. Before being shot down by escorting Corsair, plane gets off a warning to the Yamato.
(16:45 Local) Japanese light carriers scramble all available fighters. American bombers are approaching at 17,000 feet, above A5M’s practical ceiling.
(17:00 Local) P-38’s flying high cover sight first nine aircraft of Japanese CAP. Three elements of the top cover head for the obsolescent Claudes, leaving five Lightnings to cover the bombers. Eight of the F4Us flying medium cover also head toward Japanese fighters.
(17:15 Local) American escort fighters find themselves engaging nearly thirty agile, if slow, enemy aircraft. Remaining escorts head for furball.
(17:30 Local) Dogfight ends in gathering darkness. Three Corsairs and a P-38 have been lost, one in a mid-air collision with an A5M, with two more F4Us damaged, while the Japanese have lost twenty-three aircraft shot down and four of the five survivors shot to ribbons.
(18:00 Local) After searching for a half hour, the U.S. bombers decide that they have lost the enemy ships in the gloom of sunset and yet another rain squall. The formation turns for home, the bombers leading the fighters back to Guam.
(18:30 Local) Mitchell bombers turn on landing and marker lights to ease the task of the following fighters.
(19:00 Local) After meeting with his command staff, and considering most recent losses to his fighter cover, Admiral Yamamoto decides to break off advance towards Guam. Yamamoto has withdrawal order sent to Kido Butai.
(19:10 Local) Nagumo orders his depleted force to 33 knots and moves to the northwest.
(19:30 Local) With the Guam air field illuminated by truck headlights and barrels of burning refuse, the attack force returns home. In addition to the four combat losses, three fighters and two bombers fail to return, their eventual fate unknown.
(22:00 Local) Last PBY returns to Guam without sighting enemy shipping. Aircraft brings word that entire area searched; a sector 550 miles to the northeast of the island is covered by heavy storms.
January 30, 1942
(Marianas) Heavy weather prevents any worthwhile flight operations.
(Japan) Imperial Naval GHQ orders withdrawal of BatDiv 1 & 2 back to Home Islands. Combined Fleet is instructed to detach CruDiv 4 & 18 along with DesDiv 6, 17 & 22 for operations in the Southern Resource Area. CarDiv 1 & 2 are directed to return to Home Anchorage at Hashirajima to await further orders.
(Singapore) Large Japanese air attack damages port facilities.
(Malaya) Extremely strong attack against eastern flank of Alexander Line by 143 Regiment of the IJA, supported by tanks from the 1/3 Tank Brigade. Japanese forces actually reach first line of prepared positions before being stopped. Australian losses are very high, however the 143 Regiment has a battalion destroyed and 1/3 loses fourteen Type 97 tanks.
Thge loss of the Tone was a major blow to Nagumo. The Chikuma has four of the E13A1 Jake (AKA Type 0) while both Mogami & Suzuya have two apiece. That gives him eight Jakes, but they are dead meat against the Guam based fighters.
The Jakes have had a tough war. They were used in an effort to bomb Guam and chopped to pieces, lost on the Chitose & Mizuho, and sunk with the Tone.
Thanks for the feedback
With Nagumo? None.
There are about twenty in Japan with the other two carriers (Soryu & Hiryu). The JAAF is suffering serious losses, similar to those that happened IOTL, but later in the war, during the Solomons campaigns.
Thanks for the feedback.
I am sorry to say this, but although this ATL is really good, it's a bit of USA-wank.
The command&control&communications implied here to make such a good coordinated attack and defence is a bit exaggerated in my opinion. The US aircraft seem to always be at the right place at the right time. The Japanese are torn to pieces and seem to have completely lost the initiative.
I am not sure if all this is feasible in 1942.
The command&control&communications implied here to make such a good coordinated attack and defence is a bit exaggerated in my opinion. The US aircraft seem to always be at the right place at the right time. The Japanese are torn to pieces and seem to have completely lost the initiative.
I am not sure if all this is feasible in 1942.
Markus
Banned
The extremely expensive information has been coming out of the Islands for nearly two months and many of the squadron commanders, including James Thatch, have begun to consider counters to the superior maneuverability of the Japanese fighters.
He was already doing this before the war started and information on the Zero had been available for an even longer periode of time.
Search is substantially limited by earlier loss of the cruiser Tone in Battle of Lingayen Gulf. Specifically designed to act as a floatplane platform, the ship’s loss reduces the search by four aircraft.
If the search capapbility has been reduced that badly one would expect Nagumo to react to this.
And I agree with MUC the US suddenly gets everything right, the Japanese nothing at all.
He was already doing this before the war started and information on the Zero had been available for an even longer periode of time.
Search is substantially limited by earlier loss of the cruiser Tone in Battle of Lingayen Gulf. Specifically designed to act as a floatplane platform, the ship’s loss reduces the search by four aircraft.
If the search capapbility has been reduced that badly one would expect Nagumo to react to this.
And I agree with MUC the US suddenly gets everything right, the Japanese nothing at all.
The Ameri-wank aspect was the main reason that I hesitated so long to do this TL. The ACTUAL Pacific War was pretty much an Ameri-wank starting in June of 1942. All that has been done here was the introductrion of some fighters and bombers that could easily been available had the U.S. gotten off the dime a bit earlier.
Thanks for the feedback.
Given the Japanese aren't doing as well as they did historically in the early phases of the war, might they not develop "victory disease" and actually do better than OTL?
Actually, I modeled the action in the Marianas on a slightly less successful Midway/Coral Sea, with the addition of land based airpower for the U.S. that meets the same POD as has been in use since the start of the TL.
As I mentioned earlier, the Japanese had a fairly consistant habit of underestimating the U.S. aircraft inventory on land bases. It was a problem that they never overcame, I have never seen any evidence that they even considered it to be a problem. They got away with it a few times thanks to the poor quality of the American aircraft involved(Midway's land based air being slaughtered is a decent example), but even then they had no clue as to what the Americans had on the island. When the U.S. did have some decent, if not superior fighters, as was the case with the Cactus Air Force, the JAAF got chopped up pretty badly (and consistantly).
Thanks again for your feedback.
With the beating the Japanese are taking I would imagine they are increasing aircraft construction and pilot training then? Along with eliminating aircraft lines that have proven so far to be useless?
Great update btw.
Great update btw.
Faeelin
Banned
I've heard mention of Japanese victory disease before, but what does it entail that they did?
The Japanese are just starting to realize they have a serious problem. By sweeping up their Advanced Carrier Training classes they managed to put the four carriers back into action, even though they had to dip into reserve aircraft stocks to pull it off. Now they are worse off than post Midway, since they at least had many of the pilots still available and the Philippines had been finished off, along with the Southern Resource Area. That is going to take some time to penetrate.
The Japanese also had a rather nasty habit of wasting resources on worthless aircraft long after their time had come and gone (if, indeed, it had ever arrived) even after the tide had definitely turned on them. A perfect example was the Ki-46 Dinah recon plane. The Japanese built 1,700 of the damned things and they were useless as the day is long. They did nothing that could not be done by a twin engined bomber, except, of course, the bomber could actually use it in combat. They also built almost 1,200 F1M Pete recon seaplanesall the way into 1944, well after the ships meant to carry them were on the bottom of the sea.
Thanks for the kind words.
- Status