I intended that little vignette to be a reminder of the war from the POV of a non-combatant who will never be a physical risk. Her world is turning upside down as her boys have all joined the military.
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I intended that little vignette to be a reminder of the war from the POV of a non-combatant who will never be a physical risk. Her world is turning upside down as her boys have all joined the military.
Did you ever watch the Battle 360 10 part series that History Channel did on USS ENTERPRISE about 10 years ago:
It had its positives and negatives and sometimes it was kind of corny but overall I think it was good and the interviews with the ship's veterans were great, particularly since just about all of those guys have since passed away.
I have it. Didn't watch all thru, but not bad. A little bombastic sometimes.
Me too. I liked it myself.
That's before you know, History Channel became... weird and odd with programs that define toy don't talk about history.
*sigh* I've said this before, I'll say it again. This is pretty much ASB.
King.
I keep saying this, but without direct and point blank orders, from FDR, which he won't give, (because in this case, cold blooded? King's right, British are wrong. The Carriers are not needed to keep the Twins a non threat. Just keep frigging sending bombers til they can't move!) would have already cut their orders to the Pacific. Period. This is not taking into account the American PUBLIC.
Yorktown should be transiting the Canal, with Connie following ASAP.
The whole idea about Bathhouse, is "good" from a paper view. Would I do it? Toss up. Fact of the matter is, the British have more ships and capability, King will point this out, point out that they HAVE Bomber command (heh, heh, Mitchell is laughing) etc, point out that the US PacFlt needs immediate reinforcement, et al.
King, bluntly, after Pearl Harbor REALLY wanted the Japanese brought to book. Period, Dot. He also wanted it strictly American. Brits can stay where they are, the US is going to take the Pacific, was his view.
8 Weeks? No. Just no.
This is not taking people into account, period. "Oh, great strategic idea" (so so, actually, the benefits are not worth the other issues associated btw, to use the carriers, when Bomber command or frag, park a couple of subs as a picket line, the twins leave, torp them.)
Just because you (MageOki) don't agree with this operation doesn't make it ASB
Allies do plan joint operations both real and theoretical.
Plans can generate their own momentum and political support
Career officers usually read the signs that a plan is politically popular and react accordingly
A successful sinking of two major units would be a massive boost to all the Allies
An unsuccessful raid is still a good propaganda result
A disaster well very unlikely but any positve will be spun (in modern parlance) for all it's worth
The alternative is the USN move ships to act as reinforcements, to do what?
Allies do plan joint operations both real and theoretical.
Plans can generate their own momentum and political support
Career officers usually read the signs that a plan is politically popular and react accordingly
A successful sinking of two major units would be a massive boost to all the Allies
An unsuccessful raid is still a good propaganda result
A disaster well very unlikely but any positve will be spun (in modern parlance) for all it's worth
The alternative is the USN move ships to act as reinforcements, to do what?
Why do you keep doing this? I genuinely don't understand the point of it.
Something about Admiral King derailing everything? Despite butterflies?
Story 1066
January 13, 1942 0800 Norwegian Sea
Six carriers were struggling through the cold seas. Wasp had almost been left back at Scapa Flow as her air group at this point was more defensive than offensive. A small cruiser group led by Force H veteran Sheffield was twenty miles ahead of the British carrier group. The cruisers were scouting and also raid warning and coordination. Seven miles behind the British carriers, the American destroyer screen also probed for submarines.
Indomitable turned into the wind to launch the fighter and anti-submarine patrol as the combined fleets moved to their attack position.
Six carriers were struggling through the cold seas. Wasp had almost been left back at Scapa Flow as her air group at this point was more defensive than offensive. A small cruiser group led by Force H veteran Sheffield was twenty miles ahead of the British carrier group. The cruisers were scouting and also raid warning and coordination. Seven miles behind the British carriers, the American destroyer screen also probed for submarines.
Indomitable turned into the wind to launch the fighter and anti-submarine patrol as the combined fleets moved to their attack position.
Story 1067
January 13, 1942 Paris
Anna Marie’s handler scowled. That young girl was going to get herself killed. And if she got herself killed, she was also placing her handler in danger. The young woman could not stop herself from getting fucked by her good doctor. She was supposed to be playing the role of an obsequious mistress who had little to no autonomy and who worshipped the ground of the middle-aged logistican who had taken a fancy on her. She was not supposed to arouse any insecurity that could lead to a termination of the relationship or official notice.
At the same time, she was one of the best remaining sources in Paris. That was not always the case, but the Gestapo had rolled up the Interallies ring so she was what she was. The most recent dead drop proved it. Seven divisions were due to be withdrawn from the Eastern Front and rebuilt in France by May. She had the initial rail movement orders and the base camps identified. There were also notes about the Luftwaffe shifting fighter units from near Paris to closer to the Channel for a week in early February.
The handler scowled one last time before she stepped outside and resumed her day.
Story 1068
January 13, 1942 2100 Wilhemshaven
Three minesweepers had finished their task. The path to the sea was clear.
Two destroyers and a light cruiser advanced. Minutes behind them, the mighty battleship Tirpitz followed her escorts. Another pair of destroyers followed the battleship. As the force made it to the open waters of the coastal shipping lanes, the destroyers formed a half moon in front of the battleship while the cruiser took up the rear. An hour after leaving the Jade, the six ships were cruising north at twenty two knots. Lookouts were anxiously examining the sea for British periscopes even as the anti-aircraft crews were sleeping near their guns in case of a night time air attack.
Story 1069 Start of Drumbeat January 13, 1942
January 13, 1942 2200 Near Cape May, New Jersey
The voyage north had gone well. San Juan had to edge further out to sea to dodge a nasty storm that was working its way up the coast. She was heavily loaded and her master did not want to risk cargo shifting around. The running lights had been dimmed and three look-outs were on the watch. As she had turned back in behind the storm, she hugged the coast and used the light houses and bouys and sea side towns to aid her navigation. Atlantic City's glow was visible on the distant horizon, and the vision of good food, cheap beer and cheap women filled the navigator's head as he maintained his watch as the captain and the other other officers slept.
800 yards away from the merchant ship waited a submarine. The skipper, an experienced man of seven war patrols could not believe his luck or the naivety of the Americans. The shore was lit up, back-casting the coastal traffic and this ship had been plowing through the water at a steady eight knots. In the past hour, there hadn't been a deviation from her course. He had brought his boat to an almost ideal attack angle and then dove to wait for the ship to lumber into range.
Two torpedoes were in the water. The look-outs did not see them until they were three hundred yards away from the ship. The navigator did not start to respond until they were 200 yards away from the ship. The rudder started to bite into the water as the torpedoes were 100 yards away from the ship. It did not matter. Both ran hot, straight and true. Both detonators worked. The forward cargo hold started to flood through a 20 by 12 foot wide gash while the engine room was destroyed by the second torpedo. The call to abandon ship was put out within three minutes and the ship's long boat entered the water seven minutes later. Slightly more than half the crew was in the water by the time she went under.
The voyage north had gone well. San Juan had to edge further out to sea to dodge a nasty storm that was working its way up the coast. She was heavily loaded and her master did not want to risk cargo shifting around. The running lights had been dimmed and three look-outs were on the watch. As she had turned back in behind the storm, she hugged the coast and used the light houses and bouys and sea side towns to aid her navigation. Atlantic City's glow was visible on the distant horizon, and the vision of good food, cheap beer and cheap women filled the navigator's head as he maintained his watch as the captain and the other other officers slept.
800 yards away from the merchant ship waited a submarine. The skipper, an experienced man of seven war patrols could not believe his luck or the naivety of the Americans. The shore was lit up, back-casting the coastal traffic and this ship had been plowing through the water at a steady eight knots. In the past hour, there hadn't been a deviation from her course. He had brought his boat to an almost ideal attack angle and then dove to wait for the ship to lumber into range.
Two torpedoes were in the water. The look-outs did not see them until they were three hundred yards away from the ship. The navigator did not start to respond until they were 200 yards away from the ship. The rudder started to bite into the water as the torpedoes were 100 yards away from the ship. It did not matter. Both ran hot, straight and true. Both detonators worked. The forward cargo hold started to flood through a 20 by 12 foot wide gash while the engine room was destroyed by the second torpedo. The call to abandon ship was put out within three minutes and the ship's long boat entered the water seven minutes later. Slightly more than half the crew was in the water by the time she went under.
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Significant forces are already in the Far East for the British public --
11th Army in Malaya (6 divisions that are being reinforced right now)
2 Divisions in Burma
Prince of Wales, Ark Royal and Victorious are either there or will soon be in the Far East plus significant cruiser forces
Hermes is doing her best to stay out of the way of the front line combatants
The Allied carrier force in the Norwegian Sea for a raid on Norway, and the Tirpitz just leaving and one assume planning to head north. Thr Tirpitz, four destroyers and a light cruiser, and no air cover to speak of. If they end up in the same general area this will be interesting. With the escort the carriers have and the patrols out, only criminal incompetence would let the Tirpitz get within gun range of the carriers. I doubt that the Kriegsmarine has requested the Luftwaffe provide continuous coverage for this voyage, and given the dysfunction between the two should the need arise for help it will take some time to get there. If this group is out of sight of land, the ability of the Luftwaffe fighters to provide useful air cover is doubtful. The Luftwaffe anti-maritime strike staffeln were decent at overwater navigation and finding ships, but fighter units never really practiced doing so...
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