August, 1942. A small chain of islands in the Pacific Ocean... A small, seemingly insignificant island in the chain... The site of some of the most intensely fought battles of World War II! The Solomons were the stepping stone to New Guinea, a vital stretch of the northern journey into the heart of the Japanese Empire.
A few months earlier, the first clash of Japanese and American carriers took place just south of the Solomons in the Battle of Coral Sea. The two navies traded blows akin to a heavyweight boxing match. Both sides lost a carrier, the
Shoho for the Japanese and the
Lexington for the United States. The
Yorktown was severely hit and limped away. The
Shokaku was heavily damaged, and the
Zuikaku lost a hefty portion of its airwing. Both Japanese carriers were veterans of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The United States Navy had bloodied the nose of the mighty Combined Fleet of Japan. A month later, far to the north, the Battle of Midway occurred. The
Shokaku and the
Zuikaku were still unavailable from Coral Sea, while the
Yorktown was able to fight, though she was lost in the Battle. The Japanese Navy suffered greatly at Midway. Four carriers were lost, the
Akagi, the
Kaga, the
Hiryu, and the
Soryu. All took part in the attack on Pearl. The battle had opened the door to the Pacific for the United States, which now set its eyes on the Solomons.
The Marines land in the Eastern Islands in early August, capturing several of the islands outright and securing an airfield on Guadalcanal; it would be named Henderson Field. A day later, a naval battle took place just north of Guadalcanal between cruisers and destroyers of both fleets. The US lost 4 ships and had 3 damaged, while the Japanese only had 2 ships damaged. The US Navy retreats from the area, and the Japanese briefly control the waters around Guadalcanal. On August 20th, reinforcements to Henderson Field finally arrive in the form of USMC Wildcats and Dauntlesses. A small squadron (67th Pursuit Squadron) of USAAF P-40Ds arrived shortly after. The Japanese are intent on recapturing the Eastern Solomons and send in reinforcements and a strike force. The main body of the Combined Fleet came down from Truk in the Caroline Islands, while Admiral Yamamoto detached the light carrier
Ryujo farther south to cover the reinforcement fleet coming down The Slot and to be in position to strike Henderson Field. On August 24th, the planes of the
Enterprise along with USMC planes from Henderson catch the
Ryujo with her planes off on a strike against Henderson or on the decks. The strike makes short work of her and the
Ryujo is lost. The
Shokaku and the
Zuikaku retaliate and their airwings score 3 hits on
Enterprise. A second strike wave failed to locate the damaged carrier and
Enterprise was able to transfer the majority of her fighter wing to Henderson before retreating to the southeast. Yamamoto then recalled the Main Force of the Combined Fleet back to Truk. This left the reinforcement convoy under Tanaka's command in The Slot wide open. Planes from Henderson Field located the convoy on August 25th damaging several ships. Tanaka withdrew the reinforcement convoy. The Battle of the Eastern Solomons was over, yet the war on and around Guadalcanal was just beginning...
(dates courtesy of Skernsk)
May 7-8 - The Battle of Coral Sea
June 4 - The Battle of Midway
August 7 - The first US land offensive in the Pacific see Marines land at Florida, Tulagi, Gavutu, Tanambogo and Guadalcanal in the Solomons. The landings are put ashore by Amphibious Force, South Pacific and supported by carrier and land-based aircraft and naval surface forces. The destroyer USS Mugford is damaged by a torpedo bomber in the Solomons.
August 8 - US Marines capture Tulagi, Gavutu and Tanambogo in the Solomons and capture an unfinished air strip on Guadal Canal, renaming it Henderson Field. In the Solomons, the transport USS George F. Elliot (AP-13) is damaged by suicide bombers and sunk by US forces and the destroyer USS Jarvis (DD-393) is damaged by aircraft torpedoes.
August 9 - Battle of Savo Island. A Japanese force of seven cruisers and a destroyer approaches undetected west of Savo Island in the Solomons, and sinks the heavy cruisers USS Astoria (CA-34), USS Quincy (CA-39), USS Vincennes (CA-44) and the Australian Canberra. The Japanese force also damaged the cruiser USS Chicago (CA-29) and the destroyers USS Ralph Talbot (DD-390) and USS Patterson (DD-392) before retiring. Allied ships depart, leaving Japanese forces temporarily in control of the Guadalcanal.
August 20 - Thirty-one USMC aircraft delivered to Henderson Field on Guadalcanal by the aircraft escort vessel USS Long Island (AVG-1).
ARRIVAL OF THE CACTUS AIR FORCE
On August 20th twelve SBD dive bombers of VMSB-232 and nineteen F4F fighters of VMF-223 flew off of the escort carrier Long Island and arrived at Henderson Field. They were warmly greeted by the ground Marines, who had felt abandoned ever since the American naval forces had left the area.
With few supplies and very little help from the outside world, the Marines really were "on their own". Everything depended on the aviators and aircraft stationed at Henderson Field to protect the Marines on the ground, who had their hands full fighting off the frequent Japanese attacks. The pilots and planes at Henderson Field soon became known as the "Cactus Air Force", since Cactus was the Allied code name for the island of Guadalcanal.
A few days after the arrival of the first U.S. aircraft, the Japanese made their first attempt to reinforce their own troops on Guadalcanal. This effort was supported by a Japanese fleet that included three aircraft carriers. American Admiral Fletcher sent in his two available carriers (the Enterprise and the Saratoga) to oppose the Japanese, and the resulting Battle of the Eastern Solomons became the third carrier clash of the war. The Japanese lost the light carrier Ryujo and a number of skilled naval pilots, while the U.S. suffered serious damage to the Enterprise. Cactus pilots also got their licks in, downing seven planes from the Ryujo, at a cost of three Wildcats and two pilots.
August 24 - Battle of the Eastern Solomons. Naval carrier-based aircraft supported by Marine and Army aircraft turn back a major Japanese attempt to recapture Guadalcanal and Tulagi. The carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) is damaged by a dive bomber and the Japanese carrier Ryujo is sunk by US carrier-based aircraft.
USN - F4F-4, SBD-5, TBM-3 (Frame 1 for sure, will reassess for Frame 2, no for Frame 3), P-40E (Frame 2&3 only)
IJN - A6M2, D3A1, TBM-3(Frame 1 for sure, will reassess for Frame 2, no for Frame 3) (note, I might use the Ju88 in Frame 3 only. We'll see how frame 2 goes).
USN squad commit
Nightmares VMF-101 21-25
Marine Air Wing 16-20
Shillelagh 11-15
DAMNED 11-15
NightHawks VFA-136 7-10
=Groverats= 7-10
880 Squadron Fleet Air Arm 4-6
457th BG Fait Accompli 4-6
Total 81-107
IJN squad commit
332nd Flying Mongrels 16-20
Arabian Knights 16-20
Marine Air Group 33 ~MAG-33~ 11-15
412th FS 11-15
3./JG2 7-10
Fat Drunk Bastards 7-10
56th Fighter Group 7-10
The Screamin Blue Messiahs 4-6
Rogue Squadron 4-6
Total 83-112
Frame 1 Allied CO - Aub
Frame 1 Axis CO - Rip (since he's been talking about short and concise orders!)
Will let the rest of you volunteer for Frame 2 and 3, or I'll assign people by the end of the week.
A second post is coming detailing what to expect (and why) in the 3 frames.
