Part 408: Operational Report: 18/01/43

It seems, from the much decreased volume of fire from the enemy at Jaluit, that we did indeed storm the coastal fortress yesterday.



There is also reduced fire at Kwajalien, but the enemy are still putting up a fight at Mili.



Our forces arrive at Maloelap, which, surprise, surprise, also has a bloody coastal fortress.



This also helps to cause severe casualties to our troops as they come ashore.



All the while, the guns are pounding away at our ships.



Our men ashore are immediately attacked by waves of screaming Japanese soldiers, but are able to hold them off admirably, taking out what it thought to have been over a quarter of them.



The few remaining Bettys in the region make another strike at one of our battleships.



Oddly enough, the Japanese decide that this is the best time to land their own invasion of Eniwetock.



I mean, when has that ever gone well for them?



We see some minor fighting at Kwajalien, but nothing that's going to end this battle quickly.



And the same situation is seen at Mili.



While the fighting at Maloelap, we run into some stiff opposition.







Our B17s were redeployed to Finschaffen recently, and make their first raid on Rabaul, its less than spectacular, but gives the Japanese something to worry about.



We also sweep over the rest of New Britain, moving our planes forward has moved our men onto the offensive rather than the defensive, which I like.



The Japanese are reinforcing Salamua, a base I have bypassed for now, but our torpedo bombers make sure that over six hundred of their soldiers will never bother us again.







There is an inconclusive battle over Darwin as the Japanese send in another fighter sweep.



This is followed by a more normal raid, which lands a few bombs on our runway, but is seen off as normal.







The Japanese attack Akyab once more, but we have some fighters in the air to put a stop to them.






The Japanese launch yet another attack on Kaingtu.



Their men at Nanning have pursued our men and attack them again.









A day of heavy fighting, but at least we're ashore on all the major islands now. Taking out the remaining defenders will take time, but its something that needs to be done. This is a hard nut to crack, but one that will secure the central Pacific area for us, and allow us to threaten Japan and cut the length of our supply lines.



I am getting tired with our ship losses though.