The last fight of the KB!
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With several enemy carrier formations moving in from Marcus Island the KB is trapped.
3 _& W `- r- I) K5 _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. # F b* U* c: Z* C; M+ \1 r7 M
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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. U+ w1 a* B8 ]: j& f+ i
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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. 0 j- `2 e7 R7 t" [
All other ships but a cvl are scuttled. # Q$ d8 u% B' ^# ?% a! U3 M- L
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Day Air attack on TF at 69,54 5 Y- j% B; c8 I% L1 j S
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Japanese aircraft
6 a$ i. ~" }2 SA6M2-N Rufe x 8
$ g ]( N6 i5 f# H' Y2 R. D( }A6M5 Zeke x 85
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Allied aircraft
9 l' b( g$ g3 Z `3 x; `) BFM-2 Wildcat x 24 - \: {: X; Z3 j
F6F Hellcat x 120
* {; ^* Y* Q2 y% [# WF4U-1 Corsair x 5
% L6 V6 N) ~4 ?- V6 zF4U-1D Corsair x 16
7 z5 |+ O( S8 A) N3 F0 }* oCorsair IV x 5 1 W7 `$ o- n# D" i: q
SB2C Helldiver x 84 & g, L. D4 b/ T. [
TBM Avenger x 48 * N( N$ E8 v+ P& k
& S! @0 M' {/ R" L- H5 O( LJapanese aircraft losses : c; Z9 O) U( }- E+ u1 s- M
A6M2-N Rufe: 8 destroyed ( K8 f9 a0 D% e7 B' v1 X
A6M5 Zeke: 84 destroyed , Z0 ~; }: t. {, X2 t5 H# i, L3 {
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Allied aircraft losses
5 `& P. r9 }* `' x* ~: O& IFM-2 Wildcat: 4 destroyed, 2 damaged 4 L( n/ y# Q7 ?5 O4 E* p S- I. S
F6F Hellcat: 20 destroyed, 7 damaged
2 |* i+ F: w8 M- ?F4U-1 Corsair: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged $ b% h2 ]7 s. p( S0 i/ o3 x# M X, C
F4U-1D Corsair: 1 destroyed, 1 damaged
- b7 [* n* k4 TSB2C Helldiver: 4 destroyed, 23 damaged " u* t" N: }! A% _: I. o
TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 28 damaged 7 J& X( G- ^) V# S' F) R
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Japanese Ships + i) D" S7 Y# U+ v# q
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 2, on fire
" o5 b) @! s1 \7 HCV Katsuragi, Bomb hits 3, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage * U! w8 Y8 B( w2 s2 Q; n! U
CVL Ryuho, Bomb hits 4, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
3 L5 u0 t1 V% L" D+ V& B; FCVL Chiyoda, Bomb hits 9, on fire, heavy damage
7 F8 |+ K. h* g \( K3 iCV Zuikaku, Bomb hits 12, Torpedo hits 3, on fire, heavy damage
7 [$ l# _* N. y3 L8 J' G8 _CV Taiho, Torpedo hits 1 3 X$ I8 ~- m: y( E! O- U
CVL Ibuki, Bomb hits 7, Torpedo hits 2, on fire, heavy damage
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Day Air attack on TF at 69,54
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Allied aircraft
- Q- A9 e( {" o4 @6 PFM-2 Wildcat x 9 6 P4 s- `1 Y% y; F, [; }3 T# y
TBM Avenger x 12 0 r4 E: J, Q$ z( _ ^+ i: [
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Allied aircraft losses
" N2 ~+ ?* A8 j! ]" m8 ?TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 9 damaged 5 y S1 F, t3 O' v
9 O( b! u0 F7 R t CJapanese Ships ( Z; L; p E' l$ A6 {; R. a1 @
CV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage
) b- ?# P% F6 e! RCV Taiho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire
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2 a; [$ ^5 r3 N+ b/ ]! c/ YDay Air attack on TF at 69,54
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Allied aircraft . r4 U U7 K0 J2 Y
FM-2 Wildcat x 6
. K) h8 g# |1 z/ ^- z0 }TBM Avenger x 12 : g2 C" r" S ~6 ]- J
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Allied aircraft losses # c: L) N& b3 L2 J- R! e7 |
TBM Avenger: 1 destroyed, 10 damaged
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% r" D0 F5 }; }6 gJapanese Ships
. x: u% P* C: ?! ^CVL Chiyoda, on fire, heavy damage $ k4 I/ C( ~0 D$ V% Y8 I; i- y ?
CV Taiho, on fire
; |' m' D1 B4 M0 UCV Shokaku, on fire 7 _0 [" Q+ N' D. `+ j
CVL Ryuho, Torpedo hits 1, on fire, heavy damage
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Day Air attack on TF at 69,54 + c) O! w6 d8 J; a& G5 }
% M" V. ~& ? ~Allied aircraft 3 J7 [; ~. S z
FM-2 Wildcat x 2 6 m' u7 g1 {( M, G& g0 n
TBM Avenger x 5
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Allied aircraft losses
0 Z+ z+ i% c, f) _. oTBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 1 damaged 7 X3 \ Z9 V( ^$ o4 _5 g
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Japanese Ships
3 o6 K# X, c8 V S+ P3 M) Y1 rCVL Ryuho, on fire, heavy damage
! H. N( s& I' I$ c- YCV Shokaku, on fire 1 z3 T# [8 c* F: S1 o
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
! }4 u; U9 N$ sDay Air attack on TF at 69,54
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Allied aircraft
6 {' M; G# i6 z( MF6F Hellcat x 3
; V# n' E4 a8 h9 RF4U-1 Corsair x 6
- F9 L. K) _3 v+ o$ N7 x* I" ]) m uSB2C Helldiver x 11
/ {6 g1 E( t# _* r* ~. a1 J7 DTBM Avenger x 17
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8 z8 r8 j7 M- Q: s5 kAllied aircraft losses
7 v! |# v3 Z3 \! q) ?1 f1 mSB2C Helldiver: 3 damaged
8 J. q* X R! S& ^# Y; ?TBM Avenger: 2 destroyed, 12 damaged
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# E6 q4 T" E9 aJapanese Ships ( Q! a7 O2 U$ x! s0 f
CVL Chiyoda, Bomb hits 1, on fire, heavy damage % B& K) x; ~9 h- Z
CV Zuikaku, on fire, heavy damage # X* N0 O" [0 ~5 h! h: s! M# l" n
CV Shokaku, Bomb hits 4, on fire, heavy damage * W, s" d3 G# x x2 z
CV Taiho, on fire 0 o) r; k T6 y+ r. K% ~8 E2 ~
CVL Ibuki, on fire, heavy damage |