Part 220: Operational Report: 14/07/42
The Herring has at least one live torpedo on board, and she puts it into the torpedo room of a freighter near the Marshall Islands.
Off Midway, the Japanese carriers are withdrawing back towards Japan, they make another raid on the Island, wit mixed results.
Another bombardment of Port Moresby occurs, and we lose more planes, as well as one of the cargo ships in the harbour being hit.
Moving south cruiser runs into the British carrier force that is moving north to try and intercept the bombardment force. They get the drop on the British ships, and put shells into both carriers.
But the Royal Navy rallies, and round after round hits the Maya, who soon turns and flees.
Swordfish take to the air, and are soon bearing down on the ship that hit Port Moresby. The pilots now identify the Battleship Ise to the north.
Two torpedoes impact into the side of the battleship, leaving it burning. A squadron of Albacores follow them up, and another three torpedoes slam into the side of the now crippled battleship.
The Maya hasn't escaped yet, as the Albacores find her and put another bomb into her, its not know if it penetrates, but the ship is still burning many hours later.
The afternoon rolls around, and the reloaded planes take once more to the air.
With hits to her flack guns and turrets, its now sure that the Ise is pretty much combat ineffective.
The still burning Maya gets the same treatment, being pounded by bombs.
The Port Moresby Banshee's make a strike east, but are intercepted by Nicks.
Another wave of Japanese troops are put down at Sinyang.
While our attack at Kiukiang show us that the Japanese defences are just to strong, and we are not going to move these men through force of arms.
quote:
Doubters said:
Ohh the British carriers are useless! The Swordfish are obsolete your best of throwing rocks at the Japanese
That was a great day for us, both the Ise and the Maya are at least crippled! Its let down a bit that the escort carriers are going to escape, but I can live with that. The other two carriers are now repaired, so I can make that raid on the Wake area, then rearm and refuel in time for the Tarawa assault.
The Ise is already being claimed, but the two carriers will remain in the region to try and confirm.
