A different Leyte Gulf

[johnboy]

0805 24 October 1944

Kondo perused the dispatches one last time. The fleet was steaming steadily through the Mindoro Strait. Today was crucial day. If things went according to plan the Americans should receive a visit from 3 separate strike forces.

Firstly, Ozawa was in position and should be launching a strike very soon. He was also, as arranged, to start radio broadcasting at the same time in the hope of attracting the American's attention.

General Tominaga had planned a strike by much of the 4th Air Army's strength on the carrier groups off Samar. He hoped to have almost 150 planes available.

Lastly, the First and Second Air Fleets had approximately 180 airplanes they hoped to use on the American carrier group operating off central Luzon. This would exhaust nearly all strength aside from the "Special Attack Units". Kondo would have counseled using those to but Toyoda had wanted to see the results of more conventional strikes first.

No further mishaps had occurred and his mood had brightened somewhat. The Americans seem not to have detected his presence. 2nd Air Fleet had even provided a CAP. Four planes! He smiled wryly. Today and tonight would go a long way towards deciding not only the course of the war but his own place in history.

 

[johnboy]

0829 24 October 1944

Admiral William "Bull" Halsey was a happy man. Finally the Japanese had emerged from their rabbit holes and he would have his chance to crush their fleet after all. Kenney had been wrong. Halsey had thought pre invasion that the Japanese would be likely to contest the possession of the Islands. Yet Kenney had been adamant that after June humiliation that they would not have the resources to do so. Well, one thing about the Japs is that they sure did not know when they were beaten.

He looked at the first signal. "5BB, 10CA, 21DD". Mindoro Strait. It had arrived only 8 minutes ago. Coincidentally only 6 minutes after that "5BB, 10DD". Heading towards the Suragio Strait. This must be it. It seemed their whole strength. Except their carriers. He'd give his left arm to know where they are, he mused.

He gave the necessary orders to "Mick" Carney to implement, concentrating Task Groups 38.3, 38.2 and 38.4. He also issued a recall order for McCain's 38.1 from it's planned rest and replenishment at Ulithi.

 

[sharlin]

This is going to be one hell of a brawl. I assume that the USN/USAF has already smashed the Japanese air power on the islands so the planned air cover is simply not available.

 

[zert]

Just caught up with the action. Three cruisers sunk orvoutvof action from subs, but the Japanese still have fairly strong air assets. Add to it that so far no air strikes and the Japanese have a better situation than OTL. I look forward to your next updates. Thanks for the 5 in a row.

 

[zert]

This is going to be one hell of a brawl. I assume that the USN/USAF has already smashed the Japanese air power on the islands so the planned air cover is simply not available.

I had wondered about that but with nothing yet posted yet will not rule out snafus on the USN side. Guess we shall see as new updates are posted.

 

[sharlin]

Just caught up with the action. Three cruisers sunk orvoutvof action from subs, but the Japanese still have fairly strong air assets. Add to it that so far no air strikes and the Japanese have a better situation than OTL. I look forward to your next updates. Thanks for the 5 in a row.

Thing is the Japs have strong air assets only in numbers, their aircraft are for the most part inferior and their pilots utterly lacking in training whilst the US pilots for the most part know how to deal with Japanese aircraft and are flying superior machines. The US AA barrages are also going to be lethal. Japanese air power will probably play as great a part in this fight as it did in the original Leyte. That is very little.

 

[johnboy]

0814 24 October 1944

Kondo scanned the information on submarine dispositions. 14 submarines committed plus 3 more to the attack on Ulithi, plus two more nearing the combat area. It may be some help.

Nishimura confirmed uninterrupted progress so far and did not believe he had been spotted. Kondo worried whether he was the right man for the job. Nishimura had been silent and withdrawn at Singapore. He knew his only son had recently been killed in a seaplane accident. It seemed to affect Nishimura with a fatalistic lassitude.

An aide passed over another message confirmed Kondo's fears. The fleet had been likely both sighted and reported. One of the B6N's from Amagi running unexpectedly into an American dive bomber. After some moments of indecision at 0832 he ordered the fleet brought to 25 knots. It was the maximum that could be expected of the lumbering Nagato.

 

[johnboy]

0842 24 October 1944

Rear Admiral Frederick Sherman scanned Halsey's communication, routed direct to himself rather than through Mitcher. It ordered a strike on the force transiting the Mindoro Strait. May be a mite difficult at present was his first thought.

Radar had picked up a large Japanese raid of 60+ aircraft closing on the fleet. The CAP currently aloft amounted to only 7 Hellcats, admittedly led by the vastly experienced Essex air group commander David McCampbell. More fighters had been launched, of course, but would take some time to reach altitude.

The Task Group should not lack for AA firepower, boasting as it did no fewer than 4 battleships, namely Alabama, Washington, Massachusetts and South Dakota, in addition to Essex, Lexington and the two CVL's Cowpens and Independence.

By 0912 the initial attack was all over. Upon interception the Jap bombers had scattered and the fighter formed a defensive Lufberry circle. McCampbell had waited for this to break up before savaging the Japanese formation. Within 20 minutes he had personally shot down 10 aircraft. Indeed 29 had been "splashed" by the 7 Hellcats- only one of which had been lost in return. AA fire had been particularly devastating on the small number of TBF's the Jap's had deployed and if claims were to be believed another 16 planes had been brought down by the Task Groups AA fire.

The only hit obtained during the melee has a 60kg bomb hit on the Alabama, smashing a 20mm mount and killing one man even though the bomb itself had ironically failed to explode.

Radar had detected another strike, perhaps slightly smaller, inbound, however. Going to be a busy morning, he thought......

 

[zert]

A continuing number of air strikes to tie up the carrier groups delays a launching of a strike against Kondo. Even if they do not hurt anything they use up daylight and ammo that could be putbto use against the IJN.

Just wondering, but are the numbers of IJN subs the same as OTL or TTL?

Also the Japanese did not have TBFs. I think you meant TBs.

 

[zert]

Thing is the Japs have strong air assets only in numbers, their aircraft are for the most part inferior and their pilots utterly lacking in training whilst the US pilots for the most part know how to deal with Japanese aircraft and are flying superior machines. The US AA barrages are also going to be lethal. Japanese air power will probably play as great a part in this fight as it did in the original Leyte. That is very little.

Well you are provingb to be right so far.

 

[johnboy]

A continuing number of air strikes to tie up the carrier groups delays a launching of a strike against Kondo. Even if they do not hurt anything they use up daylight and ammo that could be putbto use against the IJN.

Just wondering, but are the numbers of IJN subs the same as OTL or TTL?

Also the Japanese did not have TBFs. I think you meant TBs.

The number of Japanese subs is increased only by two on OTL. They did have a large number of subs committed and swanning around. As with most IJN subs, they tended to try and attack heavily defended forces, usually with poor results.

Yes, should be TB's

 

[zert]

Thanks for the info. In OTL the IJN subs did very little during Leyte. I have the feeling they will get some parting shots at later stages.

 

[sharlin]

The number of Japanese subs is increased only by two on OTL. They did have a large number of subs committed and swanning around. As with most IJN subs, they tended to try and attack heavily defended forces, usually with poor results.

Yes, should be TB's

Yeah the IJN had an interesting doctrine for their subs...but they were not suitable for the role, slow diving and against US destroyers who know their job very well indeed by this point.

 

[johnboy]

0844 24 October 1944

Rear Admiral Ralph Davison scanned Halsey's order before turning again to the two contact reports. Obviously the main threat was the force heading to the San Bernadino Strait. However, TG 38.4 were in the best position to hit the smaller group. He was tasked to "keep an eye on it" with recon planes anyway. Perhaps a smaller strike to attack this force whilst most of the Task Force prepared a major strike against the main target.

Like many admiral so far in this war, he looked across the way with confidence at the Enterprise steaming to port. Perhaps a small element of VB-20 combined with the San Jacinto's air group may sow some confusion in the Southern Force.

It was worth a try he thought...

 

[johnboy]

0910 24 October 1944

Rear Admiral Gerald Bogan looked aloft with profound satisfaction. TG 38.2 had launched it's first strike with a second on the way. They were the closest placed to the enemy force in the Sibyuan Sea and therefore the best placed to attack. Unlike Sherman's task force they had not seen any enemy planes and his crews had worked like the well oiled machine they were. 21 Hellcats, 12 Helldivers and 12 Avengers circled aloft as a testament to their labours.

He was confident he could crank out another strike of 30+ machines in the next hour and a half or so. That should give the Japs something to think about.

 

[johnboy]

0913 24 October 1944

Kondo had issued the necessary orders to close up the fleet in a steaming formation for air attack. It would seem a matter now only of time.

He had high hopes for the San Shiki 18 inch anti aircraft rounds. They had supposedly been tested quite successfully.

He had no illusions that the small number of aircraft protecting the fleet would be able to keep the American aerial armada off his back for long. Four fighters still droned overhead plus he had ordered a CAP flown from the Amagi of 6 more A6M's. Looking over at the Amagi he could make out the new, larger fighter parked in the "ready" spot on the deck. Shame they had only one. Well, they had wanted a combat trial he mused. At least they had given him the best pilot. Aside from the fighters aloft he only had 6 other fighters available. The 15 others being dive and torpedo bombers respectively, little use in aerial combat.

Unless one counted the two A6M's that had arrived crated at the dockside just prior to departure with no real explanation, according to the Amagi's Captain. It seemed almost as mysterious as the pallet full of anmitsu that had arrived for loading on Shinano. In his years in the navy he had met many incompetent officers. Yet it seemed more than a coincidence that so many seemed to reside in the IJN Supply Branch. What use they thought he could find for a pallet full of desserts he had no idea, let alone where they had been found in a country where food was increasing hard to find.

 

[sharlin]

Oh lord the san shiki rounds how to destroy the rifling of your 18.1 inch guns in four easy steps.

1. Load a san shiki round.
2. Fire it.
3. ????
4. Profit!

 

[zert]

Well mysterious hints about crated planes. Then we have the strange pallet loaded that suppossedly contains a dessert. Look forwardvto what they may be.

I will wonder if the oversized shotgun shells will be more effective than OTL? Guess we shall see when the first US strikes arrive.

 

[zert]

Oh lord the san shiki rounds how to destroy the rifling of your 18.1 inch guns in four easy steps.

1. Load a san shiki round.
2. Fire it.
3. ????
4. Profit!

Well if this is a one way trip, I do not think the IJN will care about warping the rifling of their pop guns.

 

[sharlin]

Well if this is a one way trip, I do not think the IJN will care about warping the rifling of their pop guns.

If only they made them for 5 inch guns, they built 'em for 14 inch and up :s Madness really, they are such low angle weapons that unless an attacker flies obligingly low prior to an attack then they did nothing but bugger up the rifling for the big guns, probably explains why the Yamato's shooting was so bad at Samar, I think she's credited with MAYBE one hit if I recall.