Part 1056: Operational Report: 27/10/44
We trade a torp on a Tanker for several hits on the Tambor
We get a few more night hits, but I'm seriously considering resting these planes up to replace their numbers.
Mwah ha ha!
These ships are a bit lost, and pay for it.
Maybe their not lost, and this is just suicidal bravery to resupply their islands.
The carriers strike at Peleliu, which has a strong fighter presence but less supplies now.
The Japanese sneak a squadron of Judys through my fighter screen, the results are not pritty.
It then gets worse from there, I should have expected this, its been going to well for to long....
We make a strike at the islands, but the planes are shot down, this base is better defended than I expected by far.
A large number of planes divert to Sorong, but we get a list of pilots who do not make it.
We make another attack at Peiping, it costs us men, but the losses are fairly even, and we break another layer of defences.
Well, today was an unmitigated disaster, I have gotten over confident, the lack of planes in the Marianas Islands led me to believed that other areas would be empty. I'm moving my invasion force to Rabaul until I can secure the landing zones more. The carrier force is now out of action.
I expect to lose the Lexington II tomorrow. The others may limp to Rabaul for minor repairs, but this is a major hit for me.
We did sink some enemy shipping though, but the invasion of the Philippines is now on hold.