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Operation Shoe String (part 2)
Operation Shoestring (Part 2) The Japanese Navy changes the equation
In May the Japanese had 2 light cruisers, 12 torpedo boats (corvette sized warships that are old destroyers), 6 patrol boats (fast gunboats), 8 minesweepers, and several minor support vessels plus 30 float planes (various types), 9 Mavis Flying boats. The Battle of Batangas Bay cost the Japanese the light cruiser Tatsuta sunk, PB32, PB1 and PB2 badly damaged (and sent home to Japan for repairs), 4 minesweepers sunk or wrecked, and the career of Rear Admiral Ifune was ruined. He is relieved on May 30, 1942 and replaced by Vice Admiral Masaichi Niimi, is given command of all Japanese Naval Forces in the Philippine Islands and the newly organized Southwest Fleet. Picked because he was handy (previously commanding the 2nd China Fleet) along with many of the reinforcements assigned, he turns out to be an inspired choice.
Niimi brings with him 3 Special Naval Land Forces (1st Maizura, 4th Yokosuka, 8th Sasebo), 60 landing craft, 4 more minesweepers, 4 Tomozuru class torpedo boats (giving him 13 total), plus the large gunboats Saga, Ataka, Hashidate, and Uji, all taken from the China Fleet. Soon after his arrival, once the extent of the Army fiasco during their landing attempt on May 24-26 becomes clear, Niimi requests and is given 30 Susie Dive Bombers, which are assigned to an operational training group.
Suspecting that the Americans are supplying their garrison by submarine, his hunch is soon validated as coastwatchers spot an American submarine anchored off Corregidor on June 2. An expert on antisubmarine warfare as he wrote a report on British efforts during the Great War (and fluent in English) Niimi is well aware of the usefulness of submarines as a blockade runner. He requests additional material in the form of mines, and those begin arriving on July 2. Meanwhile he orders stepped up night time air patrols by his float planes, and has his aircrews practice laying mines in rigorous training in Lingayen Gulf.
On June 10th, Admiral Niimi meets with General Tanaka and discusses the situation. The Army will not be ready to begin the bombardment again until June 21, and cannot make a landing until July 6 as the newly arrived assault regiment (5th Imperial Guards Infantry) will need training and to remedy some of the problems of the first landing the new amphibious engineer regiments are undertaking remedial training as soon as they arrive as well. However the Navy can be ready by June 20th, and Niimi persuades Tanaka to let him send his SNLF units against Caballo Island (Fort Hughes) which when taken will enable the Navy to put guns close enough to the main American fortress as to prevent any further reinforcement or evacuations by submarine.
Meanwhile on June 10th the American submarines are leaving Rabaul en route to Manila Bay and Ormac Bay. It is a 2,200 nautical mile voyage, and the submarines will take nearly 20 days to reach their destination, as they can only cruise at 18 knots during night time hours after the first day to avoid Japanese air and sea patrols and their speed submerged is only 5 knots.
Vice Admiral Masaichi Niimi
In May the Japanese had 2 light cruisers, 12 torpedo boats (corvette sized warships that are old destroyers), 6 patrol boats (fast gunboats), 8 minesweepers, and several minor support vessels plus 30 float planes (various types), 9 Mavis Flying boats. The Battle of Batangas Bay cost the Japanese the light cruiser Tatsuta sunk, PB32, PB1 and PB2 badly damaged (and sent home to Japan for repairs), 4 minesweepers sunk or wrecked, and the career of Rear Admiral Ifune was ruined. He is relieved on May 30, 1942 and replaced by Vice Admiral Masaichi Niimi, is given command of all Japanese Naval Forces in the Philippine Islands and the newly organized Southwest Fleet. Picked because he was handy (previously commanding the 2nd China Fleet) along with many of the reinforcements assigned, he turns out to be an inspired choice.
Niimi brings with him 3 Special Naval Land Forces (1st Maizura, 4th Yokosuka, 8th Sasebo), 60 landing craft, 4 more minesweepers, 4 Tomozuru class torpedo boats (giving him 13 total), plus the large gunboats Saga, Ataka, Hashidate, and Uji, all taken from the China Fleet. Soon after his arrival, once the extent of the Army fiasco during their landing attempt on May 24-26 becomes clear, Niimi requests and is given 30 Susie Dive Bombers, which are assigned to an operational training group.
Suspecting that the Americans are supplying their garrison by submarine, his hunch is soon validated as coastwatchers spot an American submarine anchored off Corregidor on June 2. An expert on antisubmarine warfare as he wrote a report on British efforts during the Great War (and fluent in English) Niimi is well aware of the usefulness of submarines as a blockade runner. He requests additional material in the form of mines, and those begin arriving on July 2. Meanwhile he orders stepped up night time air patrols by his float planes, and has his aircrews practice laying mines in rigorous training in Lingayen Gulf.
On June 10th, Admiral Niimi meets with General Tanaka and discusses the situation. The Army will not be ready to begin the bombardment again until June 21, and cannot make a landing until July 6 as the newly arrived assault regiment (5th Imperial Guards Infantry) will need training and to remedy some of the problems of the first landing the new amphibious engineer regiments are undertaking remedial training as soon as they arrive as well. However the Navy can be ready by June 20th, and Niimi persuades Tanaka to let him send his SNLF units against Caballo Island (Fort Hughes) which when taken will enable the Navy to put guns close enough to the main American fortress as to prevent any further reinforcement or evacuations by submarine.
Meanwhile on June 10th the American submarines are leaving Rabaul en route to Manila Bay and Ormac Bay. It is a 2,200 nautical mile voyage, and the submarines will take nearly 20 days to reach their destination, as they can only cruise at 18 knots during night time hours after the first day to avoid Japanese air and sea patrols and their speed submerged is only 5 knots.
Vice Admiral Masaichi Niimi
- galveston bay
- Word Count: 530