Dispatches from the Pacific

[dialectic2003]

glad u guys r liking it so far but as Paddy says, this is only the start of our long road to Tokyo!

as far as the feedback goes, it helps immensely to read what u guys think of the reports ... and if u have any little tips, tricks, ideas , bad points, good points ... whatever! bring em on

if u wanna just sit back and enjoy the ride ... thats all good too

[dialectic2003]

dp

[Paddy]

January 1943 TOP SECRET
From Allied Command Centre San Francisco America
To Allied Command Centre Sydney Australia

Celebrating the anniversary of our response to the naked aggression of the Japanese, we witnessed the first small step toward ending this unprecedented threat to peace and stability in the pacific. Having maintained a ceaseless bombardment of the tiny island of Turk, we maneuvered our ground forces into their jumping off positions for the attack. After some suppressive fire from the nearby battleships and heavy cruisers, the tankers of the 5th & 6th Lt. Tank regts were to attack en echelon. Due to the constrictive nature of the islands topography there was only one avenue of attack and no chance of surprise, we had made our presence felt.

General Jackson gave his troop's morale a boost with a quick speech before the action commenced. The tankers receiving his most ardent support for theirs was the most dangerous mission. When they moved in for the attack the 5th Lt. Tank regt launched an assault on the damaged, but still deadly, entrenched positions of a battalion of enemy machine gunners. These positions overlooked the forward approaches to the garrison's gateway and thinly held interior, and were the essential precursor to any further assault. The 5th initially made good progress, but when they closed with the enemy, perhaps a little too eagerly, the enemy revealed their hidden artillery batteries and opened up a hellish storm of fire and metal which completely unnerved these previously untested troops. To their credit, they rallied and charged back into the fray a further two times before they became exhausted. General Jackson was forced to pull them out of the effort when he saw their chances of making the vital breakthrough as ebbing below requiring a miracle. They lost two thirds of their full complement of men and machines and will require a complete refit.

This first effort boding ill, General Jackson wasted no time in urging on the 6th tankers with the radioed message 'Give 'em hell boys, lick em for the 5th!' This had the desired effect. Erased were any doubts from seeing the 5th's mauling, the tankers spurred on their steel chargers and took pains to eradicate the now much-depleted enemy machine gunners wherever they were emplaced. Their first combat a complete success they felt like veterans; gone were the old fears and jitters when faced by the enemy, a job had to be done that was all. As the 6th Lt. Tank regt had taken relatively few casualties, they abandoned their previous caution and raced to take the town. The garrisons AA flak unit weakly tried to stop them, but the 20mm cannons posed no real threat to the M5 Stuart light tanks and they were destroyed with quick and well aimed cannon fire. Truk was ours! For their bravery and efforts General Jackson recommended the 6th Lt. Tank regt for a unit citation and they were elevated to elite status. The 5th was brought in by the repair crews and work began almost immediately on their refit, the rest of the troops garrisoning the town to prevent rioting by resisting locals. We envisage it won't take long before we can quell any angry locals through the use of kind, peaceful and generous initiatives, but for now the threat of brute force was most effective.

On the home front, rumours of a hostile fleet just offshore preparing for an attack ignited latent festering grievances about overcrowding and the lack of decent television programming, turning the city of Portland into a riotous war zone of looting and general chaos. Even though the 'hostile fleet' was actually one of our transports making its way down the coast to pick up further troops in Los Angeles, the people of Portland were intent on disruption and dissent. We have dispatched Bob Hope in an effort to alleviate the general malaise of boredom and blackouts. Also considered was a popular firing squad for TV executives, this being dismissed out of a desire to preserve ammunition for the war effort. We settled on just rehiring our entertainment officers and spending a little more on luxuries for the general populace. To solve the overcrowding we may draft some citizens or create some workers to rebuild the Philippines after our arrival.


January 1943TOP SECRET
From East Coast Australia Allied Command Centre Sydney
To West Coast America Allied Command Centre San Francisco

The Airport is ours, and we are at the gates of Saigon.

Jap has moved what may remain of his air Corp in the area to Hue.

We continue to move on his position. At this rate we may relieve the Hong Kong Garrison well before Christmas, as stated in our last dispatch. Jap continues to through resources against Hong Kong, we continue to airlift more in. 4 fresh veteran Anzac units arrived in Hong Kong this month alone. It must be driving Jap mad trying to work out how this little island and a few square yards on the main land can drive such a wedge in his plans. With a certain amount of pride, I must admit that this month we airlifted a battalion of troops from Singapore to Hong Kong. How the story has changed so dramatically in just one year. I feel a certain amount of shame that I had ordered the settlement destroyed and as many evacuated as possible only 14 months ago. Some very valuable lessons there for me.

We have swung to the production of some fighters in Australia. Our squadrons have been screaming for new equipment, well any equipment, for some time now.

Our fleet has gathered around the southern side of Borneo. At this time they are of no major use in this location, my plan is to bring them up the Malaysian peninsula to assist the ground troops and attempt to deal with any Jap Naval forces still in the south China seas, as clearly demonstrated below. Can they be of any major assistance to you instead?

The Sub SS Tally-Ho came across an interesting convoy of the Jap Cruiser Kako, 2 destroyers and a transport. Unfortunately, as she moved in for the kill, a Jap bomber jumped, we have had no word since. I have an aerial of the Saigon peninsula with units as noted just before the bomber attacked. The loss of the Tally-Ho leaves me one operational submarine. Although I have another in production at a secret facility in the south pacific.

[Paddy]

February 1943 TOP SECRET
From Allied Command Centre San Francisco America
To Allied Command Centre Sydney Australia

With the recent success on Truk island still fresh in the minds of all US personnel in the pacific, the attack was launched on Kwajalein with full confidence of success. After all, the troops involved in this assault were Marines, amphibious assaults were their stock-in-trade. A thunderous preparatory bombardment was undertaken by the forward elements of TF Charlie aimed at the enemy troops manning the defences. Unfortunately, the inherent inaccuracy of firing from the long distances involved allied to the early hour and meteorological conditions resulted in a very poor level of suppression and almost no casualties amongst the well concealed and protected Japs. After the dust had settled from the last shell, significant damage had only being inflicted on the naval vessels still stuck in Kwajalein dock, unable to flee for the close proximity of TF Charlie's battleships and their 16" guns. This was radioed to the officer in charge of the operation, General R. McPherson, but the order to attack was not rescinded and no abort code was ever issued. He knew the marines already on their way to their H-hour landing points just wanted to get the job done and wouldn't want to wait another few weeks for the next tidal alignment to have another shot at it. He regretted that decision for the rest of his life.

Though all efforts had been made to ensure solid intel, the Japs again had hidden artillery batteries, which wreaked havoc on the lead companies of the 1st Marine regt. The enemy's fire was murderous. From the moment the landing crafts' front ramp went down, the incessant and accurate light and heavy machine gun fire took a heavy toll on these courageous, but doomed young men. Struggling up the sandy rise towards the escarpment, which crested the beach junction with the hinterland, the few remaining marines from the 1st regt attacked the tenacious machine gunners with concentrated rifle fire, grenades and what bazookas they managed to get ashore. Some damage was done, but the 1st marines ceased to exist as a fighting force; a couple of shell-shocked survivors were later found clinging to beach obstacles gibbering insanely. Though a valiant effort, it was simply not enough to oust the Japs from their hardened positions.

According to the plan laid out by General McPherson, the 2nd marines were to follow up and attack through the 1st regt after they had secured the beach foothold. The foothold not having been secured, the 2nd marines arrived to a hot welcome, though the fire had slackened somewhat compared to the hellish reception meted out to the first wave. The debris of their destroyed brother regt all around them, the 2nd marines resolved to teach these defenders a lesson they would not soon forget. Through small unit coordination, hard work and a lot of satchel charges, the 2nd marines worked methodically though the machine gun nests ringing the beach, eliminating all resistance. No quarter was asked, nor given. When the last enemy machine gun was silenced, the weary marines struggled onwards, with one last bound they hoped to take the base. The last rays of the day's sunlight glinting off the barrels of enemy AA flak guns atop the perimeter fence dispelled any hopes of a quick capture of the facility. General McPherson ordered the 2nd marines to rendezvous back at the beach to secure a perimeter for the night. A base camp had to be established, supplies would have to be organized and troops rested; but the 2nd marines regt would be back to finish the job.

Word was received from the SS Pollack that the carrier Ryujo and escorts had been spotted just to the Nth of Palau. They must have been patrolling the weak link between that island and the chain that extends from Guam up to the Jap home islands as there was a large CAP in evidence and recon aircraft were rotating through the landing deck at constant intervals. The commander of the SS Pollack, no less than all the other sub commanders in the region, had viewed the intercept order with a certain amount of mixed dread and relish. All wanted to avenge the destruction of the Seawolf, but he also knew that the Seawolf commander was one of the best in the entire US sub fleet; if he had tried and failed, how would the SS Pollack fare? Nevertheless, the sub closed to within range from an angle 45' rear port. Though a sub attack is obviously best timed for during the night when maximum stealth is achieved, the SS Pollack also knew he couldn't maintain the high speed of the Japs fully submerged and would need to recharge his batteries with the diesel engines before too long. Thus the decision to attack at the earliest possible moment was taken. A fateful decision as it turned out. The attack was tragic, simply tragic, judging by intercepts of the Jap naval traffic in the region. As near as we can piece together, the SS Pollack was making its final preparations when it was spotted by enemy recon elements. The commander knew he had little time and launched his torpedoes, only to see them pass harmlessly by the carrier. Moments before a second salvo could be launched or an appropriate depth achieved, the sea around the SS Pollack exploded and the shockwave from the all-too-close depth charge ruptured the hull and sent her to the bottom. A Jap destroyer was much closer than the SS Pollack had apparently calculated and the depth charges were damn effective. No further reports or transmissions were received from these courageous submariners and I have added them to the official KIA lists for this month.

In relation to your advised surplus naval assets, we could certainly make use of some additional power projection into the area around Palau as this will allow us to keep the entire Jap pacific fleet occupied while we bring across the transported units en route from the continental USA. I am currently awaiting the completion of the new sub at the Manila dry docks, once that is complete I will be upgrading the facilities there with a proper airport. This will aid fast redeployment of troops forward and then they can be easily shuttled from the Philippines out to the islands and the mainland as we see fit.


February 1943 TOP SECRET
From East Coast Australia Allied Command Centre Sydney
To West Coast America Allied Command Centre San Francisco

The Wagga Light Tanks are the only battalion of 4 that has survived the attack on Saigon. The bloodbath was full on, the courage of these young tankers. I read your dispatch of last month, then read General Scotts report of Saigon. The similarities were quite frightening. We have Saigon, the Anzac are doing amazing stuff, in combination of the tankers, the multiple artillery rgts and the flak battalions.

The air attacks continue, the Jap seems to have a never ending supply of aircraft.

To this end we air forward baseing to Singapore and Hong Kong refitted and new squadrons of fighters.

Our boffins are hoping against hope to bring on line our new fighter bombers. We feel that these amazing craft will greatly assist in resting control of mainland china and the numerous islands under Jap control.

The fleet continues to gather.

After many exhaustive meetings, many many hours of facts, figures and wild arguments we have moved our scientific research to possibly a very dark path... we must discuss where our boffins are taking us.

The good news of above must be tempered by some sadness. A lot of Chinese forces moved into the surrounding hills of Canton, The Hong Kong garrison decided to move out and take the battle to Jap in their assistance. Of the 9 units that attacked Canton, only one made it back to base, and that battalion needed a complete refit. It is only the fact that the airport continues to stand, that allowed me to almost instantly get 4 veteran battalions in to defend this city.

From one battle that was so successful to another that was a total failure, so the winds of war will blow.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Simply lovely stuff chaps

[vovan]

I'm loving both the quality and the quantity. Keep it up, folks.

[Paddy]

March 1943 TOP SECRET
From Allied Command Centre San Francisco America
To Allied Command Centre Sydney Australia

Studying the situation map in my offices in San Francisco, I could see that we were beginning to make good progress in peeling back the Jap stranglehold over the Pacific. As our TFs Alpha and Bravo make their way across to the Philippines and your fleet makes its way up to the area around Palau we can expect to see greater coordination to result in more effective action from all of our individual elements. I believe the next phase of our almighty endeavor will be to concentrate on the complete destruction of enemy power in the SE Asian-Philippines axis before moving North to the Jap home islands.

Orders were issued for the resumption of the effort to take the Kwajalein base from the Japs. The small base camp initially established to feed and shelter the 2nd marine regt had grown in size to a small tent city. TF Charlie had recently been augmented by the addition of a new Carrier recently arrived from the docks of San Diego, and the commander, Adm. Pellinger, was keen to move on to assist TFs Alpha and Bravo with the reduction of the enemy strongholds closer to the heart of the Jap empire. After reviewing reports of the debacle that was the preparatory bombardment during the first attack on Kwajalein, General McPherson and his naval liaison reorganized and reenergized the attack matrix for this coming assault by the 2nd marine regt. The additional weight of fire provided by the Hvy. Cruisers Chicago and Honolulu resulted in a very effective spread of damage, reducing the AA flak units to acceptable levels before the first wave of the 2nd marines ever reached the outer perimeter of Kwajalein's defenses. This resulted in a relatively easy victory. With a quick dash the defenses were overcome and the base was ours. With a feeling of anticlimactic fury the 2nd marines followed their orders and ushered the civilians, the newly captured artillery batteries, and the 2 groups of P.O.W's out of Kwajalein before setting demotion charges and razing the base to the ground. There may have been feelings of embitterment over the destruction of the base their buddies and comrades had fought and died for, but there was no point to keeping the base as the garrison requirements were huge for no real appreciable gain. In order to maintain the integrity of our intel from the region however, an outpost was ordered to be constructed with one of the groups of enemy P.O.W's

After the destruction of the SS Pollack and Seawolf, the need to remove the threat from the elite Ryujo carrier became a paramount concern for the local fleet commander, Adm. Spruance. I gave him a wide operational latitude and allowed him the use of both TF Alpha and Bravo to achieve this objective. First, the cunning adversary had to be found. Dispatching the destroyer DD Paul Jones to the area where the SS Pollack last transmitted, we were finally furnished with a touch of luck. The enemy was steaming back to Palau naval yards, and we were fortunate to catch him from the sunward side. The SS Grudgeon moved in for the attack, Spruance wanting to remove the carrier borne dive and torpedo bombers from the picture before our battle fleet closed to within range. The surprise was total. The first wave of torpedoes was unnoticed until they rent the side of the Ryujo in 2 places. With the enemy carrier starting to list dangerously to one side, the accompanying Destroyer and Hvy. Cruiser escorts attempted to interject and depth charge any further torpedo strikes. A futile gesture really as the second firing solution had been prepared in advance and the torpedoes loaded with an energy I don't think even the SS Grudgeon's commander expected. The trails of the torpedoes were upon the carrier before the order to abandon ship could be given. With a thunderous roar she was hit 3 times amidships, she immediately broke in half and slipped from sight within seconds. Their job done, the SS Grudgeon dove to a safe depth and left the destruction of the Destroyer and Hvy. Cruisers, now frantically trying to find her with sonar and depth charge, to the oncoming battle fleet of the combined TFs Alpha and Bravo.

Battle, of a sort, was joined at a range of some 10 miles. The big 16" and 14" guns of the battleships Maryland, Nevada and Pennsylvania crossed the 'T' and opened a crescendo of violence, which racked the hulls of the enemy Hvy Cruisers. Both were quickly crippled, having taken hits in the magazine and bridge. Starting to limp for Palau port they were caught by the bombers of the 15th squadron out of the Carrier Enterprise and soon were naught but bubbles quietly rising to the surface. The destroyer was somewhat more difficult as it was making good speed due Sth in an effort to reach the cover of the unsinkable aircraft carrier of Palau. Two Torpedo bomber squadrons, the 10th sent from the Saratoga and the 23rd from the Yorktown, were shot down by enemy interceptors. The job of finishing the naval engagement was, in the end, aptly taken by a submarine. The SS Tambour, sneakily submerged behind the enemy fleet ready to interdict any attempt to disengage, struck a fatal blow at the destroyer's desperate attempt to flee. The commander correctly calculated the time over distance solution programmed into his time-fused torpedoes and launched a full spread of 4. The results were awe-inspiring as they were deadly. 2 out of the 4 exploded at a good 10 feet from the hull and opened a great yawning gash in the side of the doomed destroyer. The ship's crew was unable to escape as the ship went down bow first, the propeller still turning in a useless show of defiance.

Over closer to your area of operations, a recon flight of P-38 fighter bombers revealed a significant fleet escorting a transport near the Jap held base of Hue. Weighing up the options, a squadron of heavy bombers was ordered to attack, but the enemy's zero fighters were too quick and in short order all planes had been shot down. Though the chances of there being enemy interceptors was large, the order was given in the belief that they had been considerably weakened by your recent capture of Saigon and its nearby airfield. This is obviously not the case and we will re-evaluate our offensive efforts in this area until such time as we have assured air superiority.


March 1943 TOP SECRET
From East Coast Australia Allied Command Centre Sydney
To West Coast America Allied Command Centre San Francisco

Thank you for your response to this Jap Fleet near Hue. With the rail cut, at Nanning / Hong Kong, and the Chinese unwilling to give ground at Hankow / Foochow, ol’ Jap has to rely heavily on naval forces to get his relief troops through. This point will only do well for our efforts in this area.

I must admit that this change in operational orders for the transport came at the bequest of Gen. Douglas Macarthur. He does go on about the Philippines with such raw passion. And I am more of an advocate of his plans every day. I am thinking of sending him forward with a few units in the coming months, could I have your opinion on this.

Chinese and Anzacs continue massive raids on Jap around Canton. It is our prayer that Hong Kong will stand the test of time, until the relief column arrives. To this end we have continued to airlift available troops to the island, these now include the Combat Engineers that are so effective.

We march on Hue... I have moved all of the artillery to the northern outskirts of Pnom-Phen. They have wrecked much havoc on Hue. Without being too optimistic, we should march into Hue in the coming two months.

From there, only Hanoi remains in the way of relieving Hong Kong. Then the city of Kiungchow on the southern peninsula would be the only Jap land west of Hong Kong on the mainland.

Port Moresby, in the Guinean Islands, has turned into a first rate bomber production facility. They have quite a production line going there. I must commend the people from you Air Department that have spent so much time bringing this set of facilities on line.

My fleet is on its way to the rendezvous. The fleet is currently in the channel north of Donggala Island. I have included a TOE of the fleet, as you can see they have a full Anzac battalion, several light tanks, a medium tank, and a flak unit. I am rushing the few destroyers that I have left to meet up with them. The transport that is with the fleet was originally to be apart of the relief of Hong Kong, yet with the stunning success of this battles of Bangkok, Pnom-Phen and Saigon, I feel that these forces just may be put to better use elsewhere.

While in the channel, the Fleet has just witnessed a Jap naval force arrive, bombard, land Para’s (of all things) then depart. We believe the force consisted of a BB, 2 Cruisers, and a transport. If we get to the tip of this island in time, we just may cut them off on the way back north. I am encouraged by the Dutch. They are holding Donggala against great odds. My reports indicate that the Jap Para’s did not survive the battle for Donggala.



May your battles go well…

[Paddy]

April 1943 TOP SECRET
From Allied Command Centre San Francisco America
To Allied Command Centre Sydney Australia

After the mayhem that was my headquarters over the last month, we are experiencing a lull in combat operations. Seems the Jap's have all but abandoned the deep pacific after the demise of their elite Ryujo carrier. I am glad, we could use the respite to reorganize our offensive campaign for the attack on Palau. With that objective in mind, I have ordered the unloading of the elite 6th Lt Tank regt, with the 1st and 2nd GI regt's in support. Adding to this combat team, we have rolled down the landing craft ramps something the Jap’s should be familiar with, one of their 122mm artillery batteries. We have redesignated this unit the 1st retribution battery. Our boys are hoping to mete out to the Jap’s some of the punishment their army and marine fellows have experienced from the wrong end of this monster of lethality.

In addition to our landings in Palau, we have brought up TF Charlie and are preparing to make an amphibious assault in the coming weeks to recapture Guam from the enemy's clutches. While our main TFs Alpha and Bravo will continue on the way to relieve Phillippines, TF Charlie will swing Nth and apply pressure along the Jap’s protective chain of islands, Saipan and Iwo Jima. I have detailed the 7th Lt tank regt, the 5th and 6th marine regts and the 1st combat engineer bn to this task. This will undoubtedly require further additional forces, but I envisage a light commitment of assets in this area could yield dramatic results. At a minimum, we could expect to divert Jap attention from the mainland and possibly even strip away the enemy's most productive island in the deep pacific. This allied to the potential as an airbase that Iwo Jima represents is enough to warrant such an endeavour.

As for sending General MacArthur on an attack on the Philippines, I would commend this as a solid idea. I can give my complete support in about 2 months. I suggest that Davao and Tenate would be good first objectives as this would seal in the Jap’s, depriving them of any forward bases in the pacific. Also, insofar as this enemy fleet around Donggala is concerned, I will conduct reconnaissance in the next few weeks in this area. If the enemy fleet is spotted and you require assistance, I can detail TF Bravo to swing Sth and close the door on its escape.


April 1943 TOP SECRET
From East Coast Australia Allied Command Centre Sydney
To West Coast America Allied Command Centre San Francisco

Jap fights back. The resupply of Jap forces continues. I have attached a map of our forces lined up around Hue. Artillery bombardment continues, and the forces will strike next month. Yet Jap has jumped the gate, sending tanks rolling behind my lines.

Further up the peninsula there has been a great deal of Chinese movement in and around canton, these troops have effectively sealed Hong Kong off from any Jap attack at this time. We are not sure if this is a good thing yet, but it is our hope that they are able to take Canton from the Jap.

I have also attached a aerial of our bombers over Puerto Princess. These bombers are based in the fields outside of Saigon.
The fighter squadron of Sibu bombed Davao this month. Sibu has been made into quite and airbase, with 6 dirt field having been dug. Another squadron has now been rebased to Sibu, with several more on their way next month. We will take back the skies.

The fleet has slowed for a battle with Jap forces over Donggala. Jap has taken this city, but left many naval vessels within sight of my fleet. As I send this dispatch to you, Admiral Wally Peterson has started to lay into the Jap fleet on the other side of the island.

Gen D Macarthur read with considerable amount of Joy, the words of your last dispatch. I have ordered a transport about to depart Darwin to wait a few weeks, so that Douglas, and another new tankers rgt can leave with them.

[Paddy]

The promised Puerto Princess Aerial Shot

[unscratchedfoot]

You can write faster than I can read. Keep the war coming. I wouldn't want to be a crewmember on one of your subs. I'd probably live longer joining the al queada.

[Paddy]

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Yeah, I have had bloody hard time keeping my subs from Jap air attacks... Considering how many I had, to only having one in production... ouch !!!

Yes, we are both getting into writing these dispatches.

The scenario is one worth playing, and yet another great reason to get C3C.

I am glad that you are enjoying the story so far.
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[Paddy]

Supposedly onboard a transporter outside of Darwin...

General Douglas Macarthur arrives at the 17 Mile Airstrip outside of Port Moresby on his 'Personal' B17 Bomber 'Bataan'.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Another excellent update Paddy, well done to you and your comrade

[Paddy]

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Thanks Chris,

We are enjoying it too.

How are you finding the pics and maps?

Are they assisting the story along?

Or are they just getting in the road?
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[ChrisiusMaximus]

No mate, they are wonderful, the whole thing is wonderful. Dont stop please