マヌスの港に大空襲

しばらく連合軍の大きな空襲はなかったのですが、昭和17年9月12日、マヌスに6波146機からなる大きな港湾空襲がありました。五月雨的に6波に分かれてしまったようですが、第一陣はポートモレスビーとブナに加えて、オーストラリア北東部の飛行場から飛来したもの、おそらく四発爆撃機も含めてcoordinateされていて7機種89機の大編隊でした。高度は7000が130機、3000が6機、1000フィートが10機。この爆撃でマヌスにdisbandしていたPB Chiyo Maru #4が撃沈され、港の施設に22のダメージを受けました。

連合軍機が大挙してマヌスの港を襲ったのは、しばらく前からマヌスに碇のアイコンが表示されていた(マヌスの港に艦船がいるしるし)からだと思います。PB Chiyo Maru #4はトラックからマダンにサプライを積んだFasttransport任務中の8月25日、マダンのすぐ手前でSS S-18に攻撃され、魚雷が一本命中して、積み荷のサプライ1000トンのうち845トンは使い物にならなくなり、Sys27, Flt 68(56), Eng 23(15), Fire 2のダメージを受けました。幸い火災はまもなく鎮火して沈没は免れましたが、マダンにそのまま向かうのは危険と考えて、マヌスに避難させたのでした。4日かけてマヌスに辿り着き、その後15日間Pierside modeで修理を続け、ようやくSys 27, Flt 56(56), Eng 20(15)まで浸水が減ってきていたところでした。爆撃機を146機も動員した割りには小さな獲物で、連合軍もがっかりしたかも知れません。

それにしても、連合軍が本気を出すとこれだけ多数の爆撃機を動員できます。ダメージがひどく、寄港しての修理がどうしても必要な場合はやむを得ないとしても、やはり連合軍爆撃機の攻撃可能圏内の港はほとんど使えないと思った方がいいですね。

追記：先ほど届いた今日のメールによると、連合軍のコーストウォッチャーがマヌスにCVLとARの存在をなんどか報告していたので、大空襲を敢行したとのことでした。泰山鳴動してPB一隻におわったわけですね。

AFTER ACTION REPORTS FOR Sep 12, 42

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TF 164 encounters mine field at Kwajalein Island (132,115)

Japanese Ships

      AMc Shonan Maru #7

      AMc Hagoromo Maru

22 mines cleared

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ASW attack near Fraser Island  at 98,156

Japanese Ships

      SS I-170

Allied Ships

      APD Kilty

      PG Moresby

SS I-170 launches 4 torpedoes at APD Kilty

PG Moresby fails to find sub, continues to search...

PG Moresby fails to find sub, continues to search...

Escort abandons search for sub

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TF 164 encounters mine field at Kwajalein Island (132,115)

Japanese Ships

      AMc Shonan Maru #7

      AMc Hagoromo Maru

19 mines cleared

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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid spotted at 16 NM, estimated altitude 15,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 4 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      Ki-44-IIa Tojo x 26

No Japanese losses

Aircraft Attacking:

      26 x Ki-44-IIa Tojo sweeping at 11000 feet * 

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Morning Air attack on NW Australia Base Force, at 76,131 (Daly Waters)

Weather in hex: Moderate rain

Raid spotted at 25 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      G4M1 Betty x 19

      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 19

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:

      12 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:

      19 x G4M1 Betty bombing from 9000 feet

               Ground Attack:  2 x 250 kg GP Bomb,  4 x 60 kg GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on 87th Chinese Corps, at 80,53 (Hengyang)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 29 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      Ki-21-IIa Sally x 56

      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 37

      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 51

Japanese aircraft losses

      Ki-21-IIa Sally: 3 damaged

      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 2 damaged

Allied ground losses:

      861 casualties reported

         Squads: 5 destroyed, 44 disabled

         Non Combat: 1 destroyed, 35 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:

      17 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

       3 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      17 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      17 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      24 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      20 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

       9 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 60th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 8th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 94th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 9th Prov Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 78th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 73rd Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 31st Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 58th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 72nd Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 44th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 54th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 87th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 60th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 94th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 9th Prov Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 78th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 9th Prov Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 78th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 87th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 60th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 94th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 78th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 73rd Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 72nd Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 87th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 60th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 94th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 9th Prov Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 78th Chinese Corps ...

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Morning Air attack on 87th Chinese Corps, at 80,53 (Hengyang)

Weather in hex: Light rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      Ki-21-IIa Sally x 13

No Japanese losses

Allied ground losses:

      44 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:

      13 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Liuchow , at 74,55 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 26 NM, estimated altitude 6,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 8 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      Ki-21-IIa Sally x 35

      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 9

      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 17

Japanese aircraft losses

      Ki-21-IIa Sally: 1 damaged

Allied ground losses:

      233 casualties reported

         Squads: 2 destroyed, 21 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 11 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Airbase hits 1

Airbase supply hits 4

Runway hits 17

Aircraft Attacking:

      17 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 6000 feet

               Airfield Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      19 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      16 x Ki-21-IIa Sally bombing from 6000 feet

               Ground Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

Also attacking 84th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 46th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking Liuchow  ...

Also attacking 79th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 14th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking Liuchow  ...

Also attacking 7th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 95th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking Liuchow  ...

Also attacking 11th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 9th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking Liuchow  ...

Also attacking 13th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 65th Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking Liuchow  ...

Also attacking 81st Chinese Corps ...

Also attacking 85th Chinese Corps ...

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Morning Air attack on Imphal , at 60,40 

Weather in hex: Partial cloud

Raid detected at 38 NM, estimated altitude 11,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Japanese aircraft

      Ki-43-Ic Oscar x 30

      Ki-49-IIa Helen x 57

Japanese aircraft losses

      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 10 damaged

      Ki-49-IIa Helen: 1 destroyed by flak

Allied ground losses:

      17 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Aircraft Attacking:

      19 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet

               Port Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      19 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet

               Port Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

      19 x Ki-49-IIa Helen bombing from 11000 feet

               Port Attack:  4 x 250 kg GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 12 minutes

Allied aircraft

      B-25C Mitchell x 9

      Hudson III (LR) x 6

      Mitchell II x 5

      Bolingbroke IV x 12

      B-17E Fortress x 18

      B-17F Fortress x 24

      B-24D Liberator x 15

Allied aircraft losses

      B-17F Fortress: 1 damaged

Japanese Ships

      PB Chiyo Maru #4, Bomb hits 1,  on fire,  heavy damage

Japanese ground losses:

      7 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

Port hits 4

Port supply hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:

      12 x Bolingbroke IV bombing from 7000 feet * 

               Port Attack:  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

       5 x Mitchell II bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

       6 x Hudson III (LR) bombing from 7000 feet * 

               Port Attack:  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

       9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 7000 feet * 

               Port Attack:  3 x 500 lb GP Bomb

      12 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

      12 x B-17F Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

       3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

      12 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

       3 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

      12 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

       3 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 36 NM, estimated altitude 10,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft

      Beaufighter Ic x 16

Allied aircraft losses

      Beaufighter Ic: 1 damaged

Aircraft Attacking:

      16 x Beaufighter Ic bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  2 x 250 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 37 NM, estimated altitude 8,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 11 minutes

Allied aircraft

      B-17E Fortress x 9

      B-24D Liberator x 7

Allied aircraft losses

      B-17E Fortress: 2 damaged

Japanese Ships

      PB Chiyo Maru #4, Bomb hits 1,  heavy fires,  heavy damage

Port hits 3

Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:

       9 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

       7 x B-24D Liberator bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack: 10 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid detected at 18 NM, estimated altitude 5,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 5 minutes

Allied aircraft

      B-25C Mitchell x 6

No Allied losses

Japanese Ships

      PB Chiyo Maru #4, Bomb hits 2, and is sunk

Port hits 2

Aircraft Attacking:

       6 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 3000 feet

               Port Attack:  6 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 20 NM, estimated altitude 9,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 6 minutes

Allied aircraft

      B-17E Fortress x 9

Allied aircraft losses

      B-17E Fortress: 1 damaged

Port hits 2

Port supply hits 1

Aircraft Attacking:

       9 x B-17E Fortress bombing from 7000 feet

               Port Attack:  8 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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Morning Air attack on Manus , at 101,119 

Weather in hex: Heavy rain

Raid spotted at 31 NM, estimated altitude 7,000 feet.

Estimated time to target is 9 minutes

Allied aircraft

      B-25C Mitchell x 10

Allied aircraft losses

      B-25C Mitchell: 1 destroyed by flak

Port hits 3

Aircraft Attacking:

       9 x B-25C Mitchell bombing from 1000 feet

               Port Attack:  3 x 500 lb GP Bomb

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ASW attack near Truk  at 111,109

Japanese Ships

      DD Takanami

      DD Naganami

Allied Ships

      SS Searaven

SS Searaven launches 4 torpedoes at DD Takanami

Searaven diving deep ....

DD Naganami fails to find sub, continues to search...

DD Naganami fails to find sub, continues to search...

DD Naganami fails to find sub, continues to search...

DD Naganami attacking submerged sub ....

DD Naganami fails to find sub, continues to search...

Escort abandons search for sub

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Ground combat at Nanyang (85,45)

Japanese Bombardment attack

Attacking force 61956 troops, 605 guns, 246 vehicles, Assault Value = 2183

Defending force 180613 troops, 757 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 5409

Japanese ground losses:

      44 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 6 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:

      70 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 7 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:

    36th Division

    35th Division

    110th Division

    70th Division

    32nd Division

    10th Ind. Mountain Gun Regiment

    6th Medium Field Artillery Regiment

    12th Army

    Botanko Hvy Gun Regiment

    20th Ind. Mtn Gun Battalion

    3rd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion

    2nd Ind.Hvy.Art. Battalion

    11th Field Artillery Regiment

Defending units:

    19th Chinese Corps

    30th Chinese Corps

    36th Chinese Corps

    34th Chinese Corps

    16th Chinese Corps

    82nd Chinese Corps

    77th Chinese Corps

    92nd Chinese Corps

    76th Chinese Corps

    3rd Chinese Corps

    17th Chinese Corps

    1st Chinese Corps

    33rd Chinese Corps

    91st Chinese Corps

    55th Chinese Corps

    57th Chinese Corps

    61st Chinese Corps

    47th Chinese Corps

    41st Chinese Corps

    23rd Chinese Corps

    90th Chinese Corps

    4th Chinese Cavalry Corps

    22nd Group Army

    7th Group Army

    6th Group Army

    2nd Group Army

    4th Group Army

    5th War Area 

    Red Chinese Army

    2nd War Area 

    8th Group Army

    34th Group Army

    19th Chinese Base Force

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Ground combat at 81,56 (near Kanhsien)

Japanese Deliberate attack

Attacking force 4578 troops, 30 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 180

Defending force 7950 troops, 0 guns, 0 vehicles, Assault Value = 6

Japanese adjusted assault: 116 

Allied adjusted defense: 33 

Japanese assault odds: 3 to 1 

Combat modifiers

Defender: terrain(+), disruption(-), fatigue(-), experience(-)

 supply(-)

Attacker: 

Japanese ground losses:

      18 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 2 disabled

         Non Combat: 0 destroyed, 1 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Allied ground losses:

      141 casualties reported

         Squads: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

         Non Combat: 2 destroyed, 23 disabled

         Engineers: 0 destroyed, 0 disabled

Assaulting units:

    11th Indpt Infantry Regiment

    8th NCPC Infantry Brigade

Defending units:

    7th War Area 

    70th Chinese Corps

    12th Group Army

    63rd Chinese Corps

    28th Chinese Corps

    86th Chinese Corps