The last fight of the KB! : g+ A* s) d8 F! f8 G
1 | {3 F3 X8 \* O, R/ KWith several enemy carrier formations moving in from Marcus Island the KB is trapped.
& W' q) i$ {. ?1 D! y" a' T6 _# @I gambled on that Andy would be moving after the KB – not staying in the exact same area we attacked yesterday. Unfortunately our last strike was another grossly uncoordinated strikes with all escorts and 8 bombers in one raid and the bombers in another. / n6 Z7 j D- D6 n
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In a way I’m glad I don’t have to worry about the KB anymore, it’s good to have as a fleet in being from 1944-45 – but the results are usually very disappointing. 7 M8 m4 K$ H+ D# C' t
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The Taiho is only moderately damaged and can manage 20 knots.She will retire with the 2 seaplane tenders. One of the Shokaku’s can still make 9 knots, but I doubt she’ll make it.
* D3 J5 \1 I& p1 ~* c% ]2 i4 oAll other ships but a cvl are scuttled. , j0 B4 k6 N' k
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Day Air attack on TF at 69,54 x) h) Z' K4 D7 V n$ {
; ]( O0 V& V! H1 a; i6 }0 P+ S, Q
Japanese aircraft - M# u) B* ~" ]; Q6 X1 {
A6M2-N Rufe x 8 ( i6 i/ K5 q. p+ o
A6M5 Zeke x 85
% e9 K* S3 U. H4 F4 o& s( a }, Z$ l& Q, e" k; U% P
Allied aircraft
- Z; ~* C6 e4 JFM-2 Wildcat x 24
" o) q1 V6 i; @" ^F6F Hellcat x 120 / [. x7 ?/ x7 e" O
F4U-1 Corsair x 5
( _( Z, V3 ~5 i' k: bF4U-1D Corsair x 16 ! K! S! P: n; M+ N$ h0 B
Corsair IV x 5 . n" C4 V# R# D+ f
SB2C Helldiver x 84 0 B, z& S2 P: Z" `: D, [7 q
TBM Avenger x 48
0 n0 N2 P% p9 q! C* N0 h! S- ?: ^0 u$ ~9 ]2 w! Q. ~# q5 M
Japanese aircraft losses
- Y8 D3 O6 m: yA6M2-N Rufe: 8 destroyed c5 N3 A& }( l$ u$ z0 J! p
A6M5 Zeke: 84 destroyed
; i' S+ y( R/ j2 \+ q/ p6 _; N! [7 R% }) s0 k9 S. O6 p
Allied aircraft losses 7 A9 a7 v9 O, T2 Y9 S
FM-2 Wildcat: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged ( c! x7 h B2 ~% K+ |( C- D9 |
F6F Hellcat: 20 destroyed, 7 damaged - q1 { O9 Z% j) e+ j
F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged - e6 W1 Y& Q' F
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
n v: q2 I7 j ]1 ^SB2C Helldiver: 4 destroyed, 23 damaged 3 V9 I* Q2 k8 z& j( w( ]
TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 28 damaged
0 o X4 w, p, e/ S) u
n/ } N% B- @( oJapanese Ships # o5 ?" R& d+ u# K; e: X
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2, on fire % x: K. a6 M, U( d% @* |1 C5 `
CV Katsuragi, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage # P+ G. F- }3 N1 P% p6 ~
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ! U9 G9 v4 b. Q {+ y
CVL Chiyoda, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
7 v& ]1 L# p+ l: M: p$ D" [. S6 ECV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
/ G$ p/ |1 u, f, s6 qCV Taiho, Torpedo hits 1
D% W3 T y) Q8 C, lCVL Ibuki, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage 1 z- |% a) r* |( N+ f, ]1 j
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; ?: O# g/ t( S0 {Day Air attack on TF at 69,54
* f3 l D' Q* {- H, g
5 q6 Z# Y/ Z g. Z$ a* I) xAllied aircraft 1 O: E+ V- L; s6 k/ k# ?& P
FM-2 Wildcat x 9
0 Y" V: _3 _. R/ \4 VTBM Avenger x 12 ! b* k2 S4 E- }/ b5 {3 O
9 n e. R1 K. N; r3 d* B( \. _
Allied aircraft losses
2 P* ]. X6 B n7 oTBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged
/ I# j; ?* G: N' L: A' ]! P7 y! q7 t' ]
Japanese Ships - b& t- J. q% B# J0 `8 ?9 o. Y F
CV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage
: j4 R# ^: ?3 |6 Y( T: tCV Taiho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire ( S2 L3 n6 h3 u7 ?. x4 ]/ I; R0 m
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7 S6 G8 L- }) W4 K
Day Air attack on TF at 69,54
/ r% i' O; C$ x7 u. H7 T, [9 S! L# w) j4 Q, G
Allied aircraft
& @. a5 [, |' o9 z, pFM-2 Wildcat x 6 - R" a' ]; X7 |2 f: j1 b5 T8 v
TBM Avenger x 12 7 C5 A' `( l$ x. q- H
9 P l" E$ V2 z ZAllied aircraft losses
! ^1 l* H( g& L* ^TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged 2 }: E. V+ h* z; y2 }+ L `5 s. T
) s) X/ f% F7 J9 ?4 _/ X! V
Japanese Ships 8 c4 ]( q A; m- [/ Q; T
CVL Chiyoda, on fire, heavy damage
% r+ Y% p, R# o2 ~! I+ ?6 K7 ?, aCV Taiho, on fire 2 \; b$ Q8 C; s" ^
CV Shokaku, on fire
/ M- R+ p1 v: o' KCVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage ( _, W4 q/ W1 k3 _; e1 u
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8 k+ \+ D. J5 b) v& m1 `Day Air attack on TF at 69,54 6 J8 n+ h, G' p$ m) M
% I5 {0 Z$ u7 v1 D( eAllied aircraft - }& m) G) P7 u& a7 ?, n# C* A
FM-2 Wildcat x 2
! y; ]5 E( u( L0 X+ gTBM Avenger x 5 4 Q" v0 D" }( |/ ~
/ h3 \- B8 G- p$ G: ^Allied aircraft losses 1 Y7 o- K9 [+ R l! X) }
TBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged ! N) I: t( F$ `/ J1 K5 U1 D
1 i) c7 }# g: ~3 m' b( G9 `4 o9 b' u
Japanese Ships
8 l3 E Y+ I7 K( Z7 E' @CVL Ryuho, on fire, heavy damage
4 L3 z) _# \# f6 V3 F n$ BCV Shokaku, on fire / v+ u4 j7 v& G( Y- Z
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4 Z m% J' }' @1 i9 Z1 Q' L* W/ j2 o
Day Air attack on TF at 69,54
) S4 @2 Q, r6 ^8 w9 B0 w# d3 j3 m: D, f& f9 A& F7 ^
Allied aircraft 2 m a7 a( T2 q! T* X$ H& q) n4 X! h
F6F Hellcat x 3 - U) z& Q' u- p! u
F4U-1 Corsair x 6
' o* K6 O- v- H6 WSB2C Helldiver x 11
6 ]' d% a( o' M& e' \3 B" nTBM Avenger x 17 9 S; ?" ~: w. D0 y) J9 L9 j
- J3 s" I f4 O1 o7 J$ R" Z
Allied aircraft losses
( H& D: Q0 N7 R' R& XSB2C Helldiver: 3 damaged
' O5 u1 G% x* A" f; f3 XTBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
7 ~" } }* `0 z, a; g* E9 c A) N3 O) x6 j" ?" R' N( I
Japanese Ships
/ b" R" u0 A0 ?6 z1 V. O# B* ^CVL Chiyoda, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
+ C+ W2 U4 _: {; l- rCV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage 1 Q4 j: p) \: c, b) o( L
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage ( R2 F" |. V& T B
CV Taiho, on fire
. |+ G6 P$ z; @ P7 ZCVL Ibuki, on fire, heavy damage |