Keynes' Cruisers Volume 2

[Trevayne]

Tokyo, June 20 1945

The southern districts of the city were in flames. The red glow could be seen almost a hundred miles away. A few anti-aircraft batteries were still firing at the photographic recon planes that were making an early morning pass. No one would be able to fully assess the damage or the losses for weeks as bodies were discovered in nooks and crannies of alleys and others who were only a few steps ahead or behind of those dead had been able to run for several kilometers until they could get to the other side of waterways and fire breaks.

Hours later, the bomb groups on Ishigaki received word that the strike had been successful and new targets were to be designated once the front from Siberia cleared the Home Islands.

Interesting, is this the equivalent of the OTL Operation Meetinghouse, the 9-10 Mar 1945 fire raid that burned out over 15 square miles of the city and killed more than 100,000 (this raid per wiki is the single most destructive air raid in history, doing more damage than either atomic bomb)?

Given it is happening in June rather than March, did the Americans stick with conventional attacks longer?

Bombing of Tokyo (10 March 1945) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[fester]

Interesting, is this the equivalent of the OTL Operation Meetinghouse, the 9-10 Mar 1945 fire raid that burned out over 15 square miles of the city and killed more than 100,000 (this raid per wiki is the single most destructive air raid in history, doing more damage than either atomic bomb)?

Given it is happening in June rather than March, did the Americans stick with conventional attacks longer?

Bombing of Tokyo (10 March 1945) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Nope. Fire bombing has been in effect since late winter. Just a supplemental raid

 

[Trevayne]

Nope. Fire bombing has been in effect since late winter. Just a supplemental raid

I'm am a little surprised it is still on the target list. In OTL, it was taken off the list after about 50% of the city was destroyed. The last OTL raid on Tokyo was 25-26 May 1945. If the raids started earlier, would they really still be bombing it, or perhaps the earlier raids were not as devastating as the OTL 9-10 Mar 45 raid? I expect the bomber campaign against Tokyo is more reminiscent of the campaign against Berlin that the one against Hamburg.

Further incendiary attacks were conducted against Tokyo, with the final taking place on the night of 25/26 May.[146] By this time, 50.8 percent of the city had been destroyed and more than 4 million people left homeless. Further heavy bomber raids against Tokyo were judged to not be worthwhile, and it was removed from XXI Bomber Command's target list.

Bombing of Tokyo (10 March 1945) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[fester]

I'm am a little surprised it is still on the target list. In OTL, it was taken off the list after about 50% of the city was destroyed. The last OTL raid on Tokyo was 25-26 May 1945. If the raids started earlier, would they really still be bombing it, or perhaps the earlier raids were not as devastating as the OTL 9-10 Mar 45 raid? I expect the bomber campaign against Tokyo is more reminiscent of the campaign against Berlin that the one against Hamburg.

Bombing of Tokyo (10 March 1945) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Firestorms are a function of tactics, technology, and highly variable environmental conditions --- they did not bomb on a night with a heavy wind the first time.

 

[fester]

Devils Peak, New Territories June 21, 1945

"One hundred long"

The observer waited a moment before repeating his comments into the field telephone.

Thirty seconds later another 25 pounder shell exploded perhaps ten yards short of the target. It was good enough.

"On target, fire for effect"

An entire battery opened up. Seven shells soon reached their peak high above the observer before tipping over and accelerating to their own destruction and hopefully the destruction or least suppression of the Japanese trench line across the channel. Five shells exploded near the dug-out. One shell was short and another was too far to the right. The gunners were experienced but by this time in the campaign, most of the guns should have had their barrels replaced at least a thousand shells ago.

Over the next two minutes the gunners worked hard to fire a dozen shells apiece. At the end, the observer waited for the smoke and dust to settle. The dug-out had been caved in. The three dozen DUKWs making their way across the narrow channel were receiving a touch less fire.

Other batteries were searching out the Japanese hard points up and down the coast.

 

[Trevayne]

Is the battery short a gun or did one misfire? Artillery batteries usually have either six or eight guns. I haven't heard of any with seven, unless it is understrength with a gun either lost or down for maintenance.

 

[Finbarr the Fair]

Is the battery short a gun or did one misfire? Artillery batteries usually have either six or eight guns. I haven't heard of any with seven, unless it is understrength with a gun either lost or down for maintenance.

British 25pr batteries usually had eight guns. Meant they could deliver the same shell weight per salvo as 6x105mm guns (US or German battery) and possibly fire more rapidly (lighter shell weight?)

ETA. Possibly the remaining seven guns fired as soon as being on on target was confirmed. Then all eight fired subsequent salvoes together? Or, as you say, one gun was out of service.

 

[jlckansas]

Given the state of barrel wear that is discussed, they might just not want to use that one tube unless they absolutely had to use it.

 

[Cryhavoc101]

Is the battery short a gun or did one misfire? Artillery batteries usually have either six or eight guns. I haven't heard of any with seven, unless it is understrength with a gun either lost or down for maintenance.

One was fired for ranging?

 

[fester]

Is the battery short a gun or did one misfire? Artillery batteries usually have either six or eight guns. I haven't heard of any with seven, unless it is understrength with a gun either lost or down for maintenance.

Long campaign means losses and mechanical challenges!

 

[Trevayne]

Long campaign means losses and mechanical challenges!

Fair enough. I just thought seven shells seemed odd.

 

[RanulfC]

Fair enough. I just though seven shells seemed odd.

Well it is odd.... Eight would have been even as would six have but seven is always going to be odd

Randy

 

[diestormlie]

Well it is odd.... Eight would have been even as would six have but seven is always going to be odd

Randy

Booooooo.

 

[fester]

Kure, June 22, 1945

Two submarines left the pier. The coal fueled coastal escort belched brown smoke ahead of them as she sanitized the channel. American and British bombers would frequently lay mines off any port that was large enough to shelter more than five wooden hulled fishing boats. One of the few Imperial Navy bases that remained quasi-functional guaranteed regular attention. The fleet submarines, both commissioned in the past two years, steamed past the wrecks of cruisers and destroyers that had guarded the hulls of dozens of merchant ships and auxiliaries. Air raids, battleship bombardments, mines and an accidental explosion all claimed some blood.

Two hours later, the submarines turned away from each other. One would be on a long patrol near Guam to interdict American warships that were using the island as their intermediate level fleet base. The other was heading to Ishigaki to provide raid warning and to sink the ships that supplied the bombers the bombs that continually rained down on the cities of the Empire.

 

[jlckansas]

Will we see a version of the Indianapolis Speech happen?

 

[173rd LRRP]

One was fired for ranging?

I think one ranging gun sounds likely. It has fired and is waiting to fire another ranging round while rest of battery fire.

 

[mudhead]

I think one ranging gun sounds likely. It has fired and is waiting to fire another ranging round while rest of battery fire.

They probably usd the gun assessed as most accurate for the ranging shot.

Typically, a battery of eight guns will have one down for routine maintenance at any time - unless they're in action, or ready to execute a fire plan.

So, 1+7 here. They might reserve the best piece for ranging right through the operation.

 

[173rd LRRP]

They probably usd the gun assessed as most accurate for the ranging shot.

Typically, a battery of eight guns will have one down for routine maintenance at any time - unless they're in action, or ready to execute a fire plan.

So, 1+7 here. They might reserve the best piece for ranging right through the operation.

Brother was a section leader ( 2nd LT Commanding 2 guns) of 155 mm towed howitzers in I Corps. The batter of 6 gu s was usually split into two gun sections and might be 200 lm apart

 

[fester]

Attu, Alaska June 23, 1945

The Coast Guard cutter's gangway was busy. Two dozen men had joined the weather monitoring team. Nineteen of them had previously been stationed in New Mexico or Tennessee. They were all struggling with the concept that this weather was the height of summer. Enough supplies for the station had been unloaded for another three months. There would be another two supply runs before the weather turned nasty.

At the pier almost thirty men were shuffling about. They were going back to Dutch Harbor and then many were heading back to the Continental United States for either re-assignment or demobilization. One of the men who was almost completely forgettable in his appearance tramped around nervously. He had not see a bird in years and he wanted, no needed, to see and sweet talk a broad. But the last time he had successfully done that, it had involved a Senator's wife and daughter and it had landed him here for twenty six months. Could he resist the temptation? He doubted it.

By the time the sky got as dark as it would be, the cutter had pulled away from the island and began to steam to rendezvous with a sister ship that had made a similar run to Kiska where another party of internal exiles would watch the weather and count puffins for Uncle Sam.

 

[fester]

Los Alamos, New Mexico June 24, 1945

The security chief for the entire project grabbed his stomach. The ulcer was acting up once again. The detonators had left the compound in the trunk of a 1939 Oldsmobile driven by one of the scientists. A sleepy eyed sergeant in civilian clothes was riding shotgun with him and they both looked like they needed coffee when they went past the first gatehouse before breakfast. The explosive section had left the labs last night in an unmarked Army truck. The convoy carrying the rest of the device was leaving now. A platoon of MPs would lead the fifteen vehicles including a tow truck and two jeeps carrying mechanics. Soon, they would know if everything worked, and then he could start worrying about new problems. The talkers and curious lookers had been taken care of. The American people would soon learn much more about puffins and penguins.