WI: an alternate Midway and delayed Guadalcanal scenario

[Kantai Kessen]

Hello, alternate historians!

In my mind recently, I have constructed a scenario that basically goes as follows. It's a long read, but I hope it's understandable:

Preliminaries

• At the Battle of the Coral Sea, Takeo Takagi actually listens to Chuichi Hara and so does not send out his dusk strike on 7th May (this is the POD). This allows him to include more torpedo bombers during his strike on TF 17 on 8th May.
• Yorktown, compared with no torpedo hits in real life, is struck by two or three fish and loses all engine power, with water flooding her machinery spaces and an alarming list developing. She survives, just, but has to be towed out of the combat zone and is clearly in need of months of repairs.
• Meanwhile, Lexington eats an extra fish, bringing her total up to three, but due to the extra damage her DC teams are a tad bit cautious, and prevent the ship from being lost to the av-gas explosions that doomed her historically. Meanwhile, with Shokaku banged up and Zuikaku's air group decimated, Takagi turns away as OTL.
• Frank Jack Fletcher takes stock of the situation, and, realising that his own original TF 17 is going to take a long time to get back to Pearl, orders Aubrey Fitch and TF 11, centred around the now damaged Lex, to hustle back to Pearl as quickly as they can. They get there around the time Yorktown arrived historically.
• Chester Nimitz looks over Lex, and decides, justifiably, that she is too badly damaged to risk in the upcoming battle around Midway. Instead, some of her pilots and planes, say 18 Dauntlesses and half a dozen Devastators, are transferred to Midway Island's air garrison.
• Aubrey Fitch himself is slapped onto the Hornet to take charge of her flight operations. Marc Mitscher is not promoted en route as OTL, because Nimitz decides, entirely reasonably, that he will wait on the promotion until he sees how well Mitscher can handle himself in combat.
• The American fleet sails to the intercept point in two separate formations: TF 16 under Spruance, centred on Enterprise, and TF 18 under Fitch, centred on Hornet. Spruance, as the senior American admiral, is in overall command.

Midway: Morning

• As nothing has changed on the Japanese side, the attack on Midway proceeds as OTL. The extra planes stationed at Midway make things a bit more difficult for the Japanese, but they do no extra damage. However, a Japanese recon plane sees the Enterprise in pretty much the same way the Yorktown was spotted in OTL, and Nagumo's decision making proceeds as OTL.
• On the American side, Spruance has been using VS-6 for recon, keeping VB-6, VT-6, VB-8, VS-8 and VT-8 in reserve for strike. As his Dauntlesses fulfil pretty much what Yorktown's planes did IOTL, they get off the correct sighting reports of the Japanese fleet and allow Spruance to launch his strike.
• As Aubrey Fitch, who actually knows what he is doing, is running air ops on Hornet, VB-8, VS-8 and VT-8 all follow the correct heading upon launch and eventually come into contact with Tamon Yamaguchi's CarDiv 2 around the same time that Waldron and the boys did IOTL. Hiryu and Soryu are immolated by this attack.
• Shortly afterwards, VT-6 makes its doomed attack on CarDiv 1. However, VB-6 then turns up. Despite the best efforts of the Japanese CAP, which is now focused on defending the two remaining Japanese carriers, Kaga is bombed and turned into an inferno. This leaves Akagi as the sole surviving Japanese carrier.

Midway: Afternoon

• Nagumo, as IOTL, wastes no time in launching a counterstrike. Once his 18 Kates and their escorts are armed, he sends them off on the return vector that VB-8, VS-8 and VT-8 took. This leads Akagi's strike package to Hornet. Faced with intense AA and numerous Wildcats, the Japanese suffer heavy casualties. Nevertheless, the best torpedo squadron in the world strikes Hornet with three torpedoes and, like with Yorktown at TTL Coral Sea, leave her dead in the water and with a bad list.
• Aboard Enterprise, Spruance is still running recon missions using VS-6, and manages to relocate Akagi later in the day. However, around the time he is preparing a strike with what he has left, Akagi's Val squadron shows up, having been launched with orders to destroy another American carrier. Enterprise is struck by three 250kg bombs. Although the blast and fire damage is manageable, it prevents her from conducting flight operations, and so the American strike does not go out.
• The two Japanese air attacks have shown Nagumo that the Americans are not closing for a surface action, but are busy running away. Therefore, he turns what remains of Kido Butai away and heads back towards Midway. This saves Akagi from any further harm.
• Spruance, meanwhile, keen to cut his losses and get out before any Japanese surface units appear, orders the still-unmanageable Hornet to be scuttled. This is done, and the American force withdraws.
• As one of his carriers is still intact, and has many fighters left on board, Yamamoto decides to press ahead with the invasion. Takeo Kurita's CruDiv 7 bombard Midway as they were ordered too, and do not collide with each in silly ways as they withdraw.

Midway: The Next Day

• The Japanese landing goes ahead. As we all expect, it is an utter disaster and the landing force is near totally destroyed. To make matters worse, a prowling American submarine manages to torpedo and destroy the Zuiho as it tries to support the landings alongside the Akagi.
• This double-whammy of bad news finally persuades Yamamoto to call off the invasion, and return to Japan with what he has left.

The end result of this is a clear victory for the Americans. Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu and Zuiho have all been sunk, for the loss of Hornet and damage to the Enterprise. However, Nimitz now only has two carriers operational in the Pacific. Enterprise, Lexington and Yorktown will all need repairs. Ent will probably be back around August; Lexington, in dire need of an upgrade and modernisation, will probably be back around October; Yorktown around November.

On the Japanese side, half of the vaunted Kido Butai has been destroyed. However, Akagi, Shokaku and Zuikaku survive. Added to this are Hiyo, Junyo and Ryujo. The Japanese carrier force is reorganised, with the former three making up the new CarDiv 1 and the latter three making up the new CarDiv 2.

It is clear to the US that they can now make a counteroffensive, and Operation WATCHTOWER is formulated - for November 7 1942, i.e. it is set back three months.

On that day, the US Marines go ashore on Tulagi and Guadalcanal, and the first Allied counteroffensive in the Pacific begins...

Is this mini-TL realistic? Do you think the IJN and IJA will do better at Guadalcanal, as the former has an extra CV, while the latter has actually learnt to respect the USMC, and has had more time to consolidate the base on Guadalcanal?

Thoughts, please?

 

[Cryptic]

Is this mini-TL realistic? Do you think the IJN and IJA will do better at Guadalcanal, as the former has an extra CV, while the latter has actually learnt to respect the USMC, and has had more time to consolidate the base on Guadalcanal?

Thoughts, please?

The Achilles Heel for both the IJA and the IJN in the southwest Pacific was logistics and military training programs that were simply not geared towards producing the levels of replacement men and equipment needed for war on the scale they were fighting.

I think the Japanese could do better at Guadacanal, but would still end up being ground down. In the end, the USA could land and support entire divisions with full, western equipment including large numbers of the amazing 2 1/2 ton trucks. The IJA could land and support brigade size units of very light infantry.

Maybe, the IJA anticipates that Guadacanal would be the first counter offensive? They then supplement the Korean construction troops and Japanese service troops at Guadacanal with a reinforced infantry regiment. The Marines take far heavier casualties seizing the airfield and are thus weaker in the face of future IJA attacks.

But..... with the USA combining vastly superior logistics with first rate units willing to fight the IJA on their own terms, there would still be no way out for the IJA other than being ground down.

In the end, the IJA was short not only logistics, but also favorable geography. Small islands eliminated their blitzkriegs down alternative jungle trails, only to materialize deep in the enemy rear.

Instead, the IJA was fighting in a confined space at Guadacanal. The only path to victory led directly up hills defended by the very lethal USMC who had access to copious quantities of supplies that the IJA could not match. There was just no way to really alter the equation.

 

[Kantai Kessen]

The Achilles Heel for both the IJA and the IJN in the southwest Pacific was logistics and military training programs that were simply not geared towards producing the levels of replacement men and equipment needed for war on the scale they were fighting.

I think the Japanese could do better at Guadacanal, but would still end up being ground down. In the end, the USA could land and support entire divisions with full, western equipment including large numbers of the amazing 2 1/2 ton trucks. The IJA could land and support brigade size units of very light infantry.

Maybe, the IJA anticipates that Guadacanal would be the first counter offensive? They then supplement the Korean construction troops and Japanese service troops with a reinforced infantry regiment.

The Marines take far heavier casualties seizing the airfield and are thus weaker in the face of future IJA attacks. But..... combine vastly superior logistics with first rate Marines willing to fight the IJA on their own terms and there would still be no way out for the IJA other than being ground down.

I don't think the anticipation would happen. However, the IJA would be far better entrenched on the island - I think.

There would also be support from the airfield at Lunga Point by November, so I don't even know if the USMC could take the airfield on day one, like they did in real life. I mean, they still might get it, but who knows?

And also bear in mind that US naval logistics are also not optimal, and if the US is to support four or five fleet carriers, their battleship escorts and lots of other vessels, it will have a hard time like it did in real life. Add to that the still very threatening IJN submarine corps, and you've got a problem.

 

[Kantai Kessen]

I've also realised that it is entirely possible that, with three carriers available to him on September 7th, Nimitz just decides to go ahead with the operation then and wait for Lexington to rock up in October and Yorktown about in December. However, OTOH, as he knows three Japanese fleet CVs are still alive, he might wait until he has his optimal force composition.

 

[seyak]

What kind of plans did the japansese have to reinforce Guadalcanal and the area? In OTL by November they had allocated so much troops and planes to the area that it may not be possible to take Guadalcanal&Tulagi with resources available to the US. But of course these reinforcements were sent there due to loss of Guadalcanal in August.

 

[Kantai Kessen]

What kind of plans did the japansese have to reinforce Guadalcanal and the area? In OTL by November they had allocated so much troops and planes to the area that it may not be possible to take Guadalcanal&Tulagi with resources available to the US. But of course these reinforcements were sent there due to loss of Guadalcanal in August.

The airfield was completed literally the day before the USMC landed. I expect numbers of planes pretty similar to that packed by Rabaul.

 

[Dorknought]

It is clear to the US that they can now make a counteroffensive, and Operation WATCHTOWER is formulated - for November 7 1942, i.e. it is set back three months.

Watchtower was timed to go in before the Japanese completed the Guadalcanal base in August and as a way of getting the USN involved without coming under the control of the US Army (Macarthur). Taking 3 months longer may be politically indefensible and that the opportunity of a cheap victory be lost. May as well kick off Tarawa a year early.

 

[1Big Rich]

• Chester Nimitz looks over Lex, and decides, justifiably, that she is too badly damaged to risk in the upcoming battle around Midway. Instead, some of her pilots and planes, say 18 Dauntlesses and half a dozen Devastators, are transferred to Midway Island's air garrison.

The problem with posting carrier air groups into Midway was it was very, very full at the time. If the Dauntlesses and Devastators go in, something has to come out. B-26s, B-17s, SB2Us, F4Fs, F2As, something....

• Aubrey Fitch himself is slapped onto the Hornet to take charge of her flight operations. Marc Mitscher is not promoted en route as OTL, because Nimitz decides, entirely reasonably, that he will wait on the promotion until he sees how well Mitscher can handle himself in combat.

Historically while Mitscher was promoted before the battle, Nimitz didn't want to change command right before a major battle, so Mitscher stayed in command, Hornet's new skipper going along as a passenger. Given the failures of Mitscher and Ring historically, they should have been shuffled off to other employment, say commanding a Navy yard and a floating drydock respectively.

Having Fitch in command gives both cover. but it also helps Hornet, as she will have access to Level 5 codes, both reading and sending. Historically. when Waldron found the Japanese carriers, without a flag officer on board, Hornet couldn't tell Yorktown nor Enterprise as both were out of range of signals (semaphore) and TBS.

The end result of this is a clear victory for the Americans. Kaga, Hiryu, Soryu and Zuiho have all been sunk, for the loss of Hornet and damage to the Enterprise. However, Nimitz now only has two carriers operational in the Pacific. Enterprise, Lexington and Yorktown will all need repairs. Ent will probably be back around August; Lexington, in dire need of an upgrade and modernisation, will probably be back around October; Yorktown around November.

With Enterprise back around August, Watchtower should still proceed as historical. Wasp's RN service will likely be cut short with so many carriers damaged, so the US will have Saratoga, Enterprise and Wasp for the Pacific by then. As @Dorknought points out, part of the goal was to act before the Japanese could complete the airfield.

On the Japanese side, half of the vaunted Kido Butai has been destroyed. However, Akagi, Shokaku and Zuikaku survive. Added to this are Hiyo, Junyo and Ryujo. The Japanese carrier force is reorganised, with the former three making up the new CarDiv 1 and the latter three making up the new CarDiv 2.

Preserving Akagi and so many of her veteran air group are going to make things interesting for the operations around Guadalcanal, if Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz still occur or there are similar battles at different times.

My thoughts,

 

[Kantai Kessen]

Watchtower was timed to go in before the Japanese completed the Guadalcanal base in August and as a way of getting the USN involved without coming under the control of the US Army (Macarthur). Taking 3 months longer may be politically indefensible and that the opportunity of a cheap victory be lost. May as well kick off Tarawa a year early.

I did not know that bit about Mac. Thanks for the tidbit. BTW, I now think that if the Pearl Harbor workers swarm over Enterprise, who has only received moderate bomb damage, she should be good to go for an OTL WATCHTOWER start on August 7th. What worries me is that there probably won't be any major reinforcement until November; even if Lexington finishes her repairs and upgrades on October, she'll have done so on the West Coast. Getting to the combat area will take time. Likewise for Yorktown. This may make things very sticky for the US in the long run of the campaign.

 

[Kantai Kessen]

The problem with posting carrier air groups into Midway was it was very, very full at the time. If the Dauntlesses and Devastators go in, something has to come out. B-26s, B-17s, SB2Us, F4Fs, F2As, something....



Historically while Mitscher was promoted before the battle, Nimitz didn't want to change command right before a major battle, so Mitscher stayed in command, Hornet's new skipper going along as a passenger. Given the failures of Mitscher and Ring historically, they should have been shuffled off to other employment, say commanding a Navy yard and a floating drydock respectively.

Having Fitch in command gives both cover. but it also helps Hornet, as she will have access to Level 5 codes, both reading and sending. Historically. when Waldron found the Japanese carriers, without a flag officer on board, Hornet couldn't tell Yorktown nor Enterprise as both were out of range of signals (semaphore) and TBS.




With Enterprise back around August, Watchtower should still proceed as historical. Wasp's RN service will likely be cut short with so many carriers damaged, so the US will have Saratoga, Enterprise and Wasp for the Pacific by then. As @Dorknought points out, part of the goal was to act before the Japanese could complete the airfield.


Preserving Akagi and so many of her veteran air group are going to make things interesting for the operations around Guadalcanal, if Eastern Solomons and Santa Cruz still occur or there are similar battles at different times.

My thoughts,

For the Midway air group, perhaps we could swap out some of the planes in the Marine squadrons, who actually had no anti-ship experience, for planes from Lexington. I don't think that would change much, but it would make things a tad more uncomfortable for the Japanese.

Good point about Fitch. I still think he is underappreciated for his part in the Pacific War, specifically in the Solomons campaign. This ATL may help him shine. OTOH, if he gets Hornet shot out from under him then he may earn the wrath of Semper Iratus, like what happened to Frank Jack Fletcher IRL.

It's also worth noting that, historically, Akagi was due to undergo a major refit in 1942, which would have entailed, amongst other things, swapping out her six twin 4.7" guns for eight twin 5" guns and moving them up a deck to give some measure of cross-deck fire; there was also probably some other stuff involved. If Combined Fleet chooses to have that occur right after Midway, she probably will not be ready for combat until, say, mid-September 1942. So Eastern Solomons will have the IJN committing just Zuikaku and Shokaku - the other three, smaller carriers are still training up their carriers. However, Santa Cruz and subsequent battles will be much more in the IJN's favour.

 

[phx1138]

Kurita's CruDiv 7 bombard Midway as they were ordered too, and do not collide with each in silly ways as they withdraw.

Does that mean Murphy in Tambor never sights or gets a shot at them? Or does it mean one of the other fleet boats does? (If so: )

a prowling American submarine manages to torpedo and destroy the Zuiho

Two things: which boat, & how does she get close enough to get a shot? (I'll leave off the obvious, how do the Mark XIV/Mark VI happen to work; that's not impossible... )

It is clear to the US that they can now make a counteroffensive, and Operation WATCHTOWER is formulated - for November 7 1942, i.e. it is set back three months.

It's not clear to me why Nimitz can't get carriers from ATO for it.

Is this mini-TL realistic? Do you think the IJN and IJA will do better at Guadalcanal, as the former has an extra CV, while the latter has actually learnt to respect the USMC, and has had more time to consolidate the base on Guadalcanal?

In general, I'm not finding anything seriously wrong with it. It appears Watchtower is going to be harder, if Japan has a stronger force on Guadalcanal at the start. (She might still only have engineers and a small defending force, much as OTL {AIUI}).

If Nimitz is forced to delay until November, what's he doing in between? More to the point, doesn't the enforced delay (if we accept it is, due to fewer operational CVs) offer opportunities for him to take other options? Such as, frex, putting Carlson's Marine Raider Battalion into Tulagi before Japan lands? (One of my favorite ideas. ) OTOH, he might pull a dumb one, as OTL, & raid Makin, instead, thereby alerting Japan to her weakness in the Gilberts...

May as well kick off Tarawa a year early.

I like the idea, but doesn't it require more CVs than Nimitz has? IIRC, that was the limiting factor OTL.

 

[1Big Rich]

For the Midway air group, perhaps we could swap out some of the planes in the Marine squadrons, who actually had no anti-ship experience, for planes from Lexington. I don't think that would change much, but it would make things a tad more uncomfortable for the Japanese.

Either that or displace some Army Air Corps. But the B-17s and B-26 historically played a role, while scoring no hits, they did keep the Japanese occupied and maneuvering, preventing sailing into the wind for launches.

Good point about Fitch. I still think he is underappreciated for his part in the Pacific War, specifically in the Solomons campaign. This ATL may help him shine. OTOH, if he gets Hornet shot out from under him then he may earn the wrath of Semper Iratus, like what happened to Frank Jack Fletcher IRL.

Maybe you have the makings of a Fitch timeline, where he has more of Frank Jack Fletchers role in 1942?

It's also worth noting that, historically, Akagi was due to undergo a major refit in 1942, which would have entailed, amongst other things, swapping out her six twin 4.7" guns for eight twin 5" guns and moving them up a deck to give some measure of cross-deck fire; there was also probably some other stuff involved. If Combined Fleet chooses to have that occur right after Midway, she probably will not be ready for combat until, say, mid-September 1942. So Eastern Solomons will have the IJN committing just Zuikaku and Shokaku - the other three, smaller carriers are still training up their carriers. However, Santa Cruz and subsequent battles will be much more in the IJN's favour.

Interesting, I did not know that. So you have Lexington and Akagi on similar paths. It will be most interesting when they meet...

Regards,

 

[Kantai Kessen]

Does that mean Murphy in Tambor never sights or gets a shot at them? Or does it mean one of the other fleet boats does? (If so: )

Two things: which boat, & how does she get close enough to get a shot? (I'll leave off the obvious, how do the Mark XIV/Mark VI happen to work; that's not impossible... )


It's not clear to me why Nimitz can't get carriers from ATO for it.

In general, I'm not finding anything seriously wrong with it. It appears Watchtower is going to be harder, if Japan has a stronger force on Guadalcanal at the start. (She might still only have engineers and a small defending force, much as OTL {AIUI}).

If Nimitz is forced to delay until November, what's he doing in between? More to the point, doesn't the enforced delay (if we accept it is, due to fewer operational CVs) offer opportunities for him to take other options? Such as, frex, putting Carlson's Marine Raider Battalion into Tulagi before Japan lands? (One of my favorite ideas. ) OTOH, he might pull a dumb one, as OTL, & raid Makin, instead, thereby alerting Japan to her weakness in the Gilberts...

I like the idea, but doesn't it require more CVs than Nimitz has? IIRC, that was the limiting factor OTL.

Tambor doesn't sight or shoot, but given Murphy's OTL questionable decisions, even if he did make contact I don't think much would have been done. Also, the intention is that CruDiv 7 doesn't encounter any enemies in or out, and makes a high speed getaway. This may have impacts at Guadalcanal.

Choose your favourite boat, and roll the dice.

The only big US carrier in the ATO was Ranger, and no way in hell was she being sent to the Pacific. And Churchill isn't going to lend anything just yet. Remember that Operation TORCH is still very much a thing.

Increasingly, though, I am starting to think that Guadalcanal can still go ahead as planned on August 7th, or at most delayed to September 7th.

Interesting about the Gilberts. So say Saratoga and Wasp, to gain combat experience while Enterprise finishes up her repairs, raid the islands in July. What do you think the consequences of that could be?

 

[Kantai Kessen]

Either that or displace some Army Air Corps. But the B-17s and B-26 historically played a role, while scoring no hits, they did keep the Japanese occupied and maneuvering, preventing sailing into the wind for launches.



Maybe you have the makings of a Fitch timeline, where he has more of Frank Jack Fletchers role in 1942?



Interesting, I did not know that. So you have Lexington and Akagi on similar paths. It will be most interesting when they meet...

Regards,

Yeah, I'd probably keep the Army Air Corps flyboys. Besides, Midway was important for helping the US realise that they were not suited for attacking strong hostile fleets.

A Fitch timeline would be interesting, but I think Fletcher would need to die before that happened. Basically, here is the situation post Midway for the major US admirals:

• Halsey, recovering from his illness, has proven himself as aggressive and capable. No changes.
• Fletcher, at Coral Sea, has shown he is willing to take risks, and successful to boot. He also has not lost any carriers. A bit better than OTL.
• Spruance, at Midway, has shown himself to be a great planner and a great executor of said plans. His losses were caused by insufficient resources. No changes.
• Mitscher is in a much better place, because the stupid Flight to Nowhere has not happened. He might even be given his own carrier TF later in the year, as was Nimitz's intention before Midway happened.
• Fitch has shown himself to be capable at Coral Sea and Midway, but has lost a carrier - to no real fault of his own. Basically same as OTL.

Time for me to make a stupid meme for when Akagi meets Lexington during the Guadalcanal campaign, and recognises her as basically her US equivalent:

 

[phx1138]

Choose your favourite boat, and roll the dice.

Let me have a look at the deployments. I'll get back to you.

The only big US carrier in the ATO was Ranger, and no way in hell was she being sent to the Pacific.

No, but she could replace Wasp on Club Runs to Malta...

Interesting about the Gilberts. So say Saratoga and Wasp, to gain combat experience while Enterprise finishes up her repairs, raid the islands in July. What do you think the consequences of that could be?

I don't think that's changing much. Nimitz was running a few "tip & run" raids in this period; my guess is, Japan treats them all the same. If Watchtower's going off more/less on schedule, Tarawa's off the table anyhow, & AFAIK, nobody thought of going to Tarawa before (or instead of) Guadalcanal. If (as others suggest) the aim was to pre-empt Japan completing (or using) the airfield, that pretty well rules out Tarawa in late '42 no matter what.

 

[Kantai Kessen]

Let me have a look at the deployments. I'll get back to you.

No, but she could replace Wasp on Club Runs to Malta...

I don't think that's changing much. Nimitz was running a few "tip & run" raids in this period; my guess is, Japan treats them all the same. If Watchtower's going off more/less on schedule, Tarawa's off the table anyhow, & AFAIK, nobody thought of going to Tarawa before (or instead of) Guadalcanal. If (as others suggest) the aim was to pre-empt Japan completing (or using) the airfield, that pretty well rules out Tarawa in late '42 no matter what.

Wasp's club runs were done in early May anyway, and she was brought back to the Pacific.

 

[phx1138]

Wasp's club runs were done in early May anyway, and she was brought back to the Pacific.

Thx.

Also, after a bit of digging, let me nominate L/Cdr Frank Fenno in Trout for any success achieved against the Midway Invasion Force.

 

[1Big Rich]

Yeah, I'd probably keep the Army Air Corps flyboys. Besides, Midway was important for helping the US realise that they were not suited for attacking strong hostile fleets.

I wonder if the B-26 crews ever practice torpedo attacks before they were in action at Midway?

A Fitch timeline would be interesting, but I think Fletcher would need to die before that happened. Basically, here is the situation post Midway for the major US admirals:

[*]Halsey, recovering from his illness, has proven himself as aggressive and capable. No changes.

"Halsey at Midway" is another great 'what if'

[*]Fletcher, at Coral Sea, has shown he is willing to take risks, and successful to boot. He also has not lost any carriers. A bit better than OTL.

Fletcher gets poor treatment from many historians, in my opinion. In this timeline, he should still see some work in the South Pacific.

[*]Spruance, at Midway, has shown himself to be a great planner and a great executor of said plans. His losses were caused by insufficient resources. No changes.

I've always found it amusing that when he commanded the fleet, he usually flew his flag on Indianapolis, named for his home town. Of course, she and Portland were fitted as fleet flagships, so she had the capability. And he WAS a cruiser admiral before ascending to Task Force and Fleet command.

[*]Mitscher is in a much better place, because the stupid Flight to Nowhere has not happened. He might even be given his own carrier TF later in the year, as was Nimitz's intention before Midway happened.

He did lose his ship here, though. He might get a TF of escort carriers, at least for a while, if he gets carriers at all.

[*]Fitch has shown himself to be capable at Coral Sea and Midway, but has lost a carrier - to no real fault of his own. Basically same as OTL.

Fitch did some great work as Commander Aircraft South Pacific, and he had Army, Navy, Marine and NZ air power under him. If he has a command at sea, who gets plugged into his historic position?

Time for me to make a stupid meme for when Akagi meets Lexington during the Guadalcanal campaign, and recognises her as basically her US equivalent:
View attachment 657520

BRILLIANT!!! LOL!

Regards,

 

[phx1138]

"Halsey at Midway" is another great 'what if'

A frightening one, considering what he did at Leyte Gulf.

 

[Spencersj345.346]

Another interesting POD is what if Saratoga gets to Midway on time and she and Yorktown divide the two airstrikes between them with Yorktown taking the bombs and Saratoga the torpedoes which leave both ships damaged but capable of going home. Or Saratoga's bomber could show up at the same time as Yorktown's and none of th Japanese carriers are left intact to counterattack. Oh and Lexington surviving Coral Sea of course.