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Battle of Kure Atoll December 9 1941
Night action December 9, 1941 (part 1)
15 miles east Kure Atoll (43 miles west of Midway)
The Ships (US)
The Americans are steaming with a line of 5 heavy cruisers (1,000 yards apart)
In the lead is the Chicago, which has a CXAM radar, which can detect surface ships at a range of 14 miles.
The Chicago is a Northhampton class heavy cruiser commissioned in 1931, and is flagship of Cruisers, Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet, as well as Cruiser Division 4. Aboard is Rear Admiral Newton who has limited experience with radar but is one of the few admirals in the US Navy with any experience at all. The Chicago (as well as the Chester) have the following details
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/N/o/Northampton_class.htm
all of the float planes from the cruisers are flown off with orders to fly to Midway Atoll (which with its bright white sand is easily visible in the dark)
Next in line is the Portland http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/o/Portland_class.htm
which is a bit newer, and a bit better armored (authors note: Richardson had his cruisers get their 1.1 inch guns earlier than OTL, but the 20 mm guns have not yet been added (.50 caliber machine guns are in place instead)
Next in line is the Minneapolis, a New Orleans Class heavy cruiser (as is the Astoria) which are newer still. They are heavier armored than the other American cruisers present.
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/N/e/New_Orleans_class.htm
the cruisers are 1,000 yards apart in line ahead formation with the Chicago in the lead, followed by the Portland, Minneapolis, Astoria and Chester
2,000 yards behind the cruisers is Destroyer Division 9 (Commander George Kriner), 4 Mahan class destroyers
in line ahead, with 1,000 yards between them are the Drayton, Flusser, Lamson and Mahan)
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/M/a/Mahan_class.htm
ahead of the column, 2,000 yards ahead of the lead cruiser, and 2,000 yards to the starboard (right for you non sailors) is the destroyer Alywin (Destroyer Division 2, Commander Flynn commanding), and 2,000 yards off to her starboard is the destroyer Farragut. Their mission, as well as the Monaghan, which is 2,000 yards ahead and 2,000 yards to the port of the lead cruiser as well as the destroyer Porter which is 2,000 yards to the port of the Monaghan, is to illuminate the enemy fleet with starshells once it is discovered, as Newton is not certain of how effective his radar will be in providing early warning.
the Alywin, Farragut and Monaghan are all Farragut class destroyers
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/F/a/Farragut_class.htm
The Porter is the only ship of her class present (and is the lead ship of her class)
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/o/Porter_class.htm
In total the American force covers an area 12,000 yards across (the picket destroyers), and in all stretches over 14,500 yards from beginning to end
(6 miles across by almost 8 miles in length) from beginning to end.
The American force is steaming at 30 knots, on a course to the northwest which will encounter the Japanese force at just after 2205 Hours local time.
Visibility: Lunar conditions Waxing Quarter Moon, sea state: 6 foot swells, with partly cloudy skies (40% cloud cover).
(authors note: for those who have never been to sea, it is pretty damned dark)
15 miles east Kure Atoll (43 miles west of Midway)
The Ships (US)
The Americans are steaming with a line of 5 heavy cruisers (1,000 yards apart)
In the lead is the Chicago, which has a CXAM radar, which can detect surface ships at a range of 14 miles.
The Chicago is a Northhampton class heavy cruiser commissioned in 1931, and is flagship of Cruisers, Scouting Force, Pacific Fleet, as well as Cruiser Division 4. Aboard is Rear Admiral Newton who has limited experience with radar but is one of the few admirals in the US Navy with any experience at all. The Chicago (as well as the Chester) have the following details
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/N/o/Northampton_class.htm
all of the float planes from the cruisers are flown off with orders to fly to Midway Atoll (which with its bright white sand is easily visible in the dark)
Next in line is the Portland http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/o/Portland_class.htm
which is a bit newer, and a bit better armored (authors note: Richardson had his cruisers get their 1.1 inch guns earlier than OTL, but the 20 mm guns have not yet been added (.50 caliber machine guns are in place instead)
Next in line is the Minneapolis, a New Orleans Class heavy cruiser (as is the Astoria) which are newer still. They are heavier armored than the other American cruisers present.
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/N/e/New_Orleans_class.htm
the cruisers are 1,000 yards apart in line ahead formation with the Chicago in the lead, followed by the Portland, Minneapolis, Astoria and Chester
2,000 yards behind the cruisers is Destroyer Division 9 (Commander George Kriner), 4 Mahan class destroyers
in line ahead, with 1,000 yards between them are the Drayton, Flusser, Lamson and Mahan)
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/M/a/Mahan_class.htm
ahead of the column, 2,000 yards ahead of the lead cruiser, and 2,000 yards to the starboard (right for you non sailors) is the destroyer Alywin (Destroyer Division 2, Commander Flynn commanding), and 2,000 yards off to her starboard is the destroyer Farragut. Their mission, as well as the Monaghan, which is 2,000 yards ahead and 2,000 yards to the port of the lead cruiser as well as the destroyer Porter which is 2,000 yards to the port of the Monaghan, is to illuminate the enemy fleet with starshells once it is discovered, as Newton is not certain of how effective his radar will be in providing early warning.
the Alywin, Farragut and Monaghan are all Farragut class destroyers
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/F/a/Farragut_class.htm
The Porter is the only ship of her class present (and is the lead ship of her class)
http://www.pwencycl.kgbudge.com/P/o/Porter_class.htm
In total the American force covers an area 12,000 yards across (the picket destroyers), and in all stretches over 14,500 yards from beginning to end
(6 miles across by almost 8 miles in length) from beginning to end.
The American force is steaming at 30 knots, on a course to the northwest which will encounter the Japanese force at just after 2205 Hours local time.
Visibility: Lunar conditions Waxing Quarter Moon, sea state: 6 foot swells, with partly cloudy skies (40% cloud cover).
(authors note: for those who have never been to sea, it is pretty damned dark)
- galveston bay
- Word Count: 590