NT - Guadalcanal Grand Campaign – Turn 2: Battle of Cactus Air Force

Eric Lew: for this campaign – the storyline, execution and outcome are purely based on IJN players’ point of view with inputs from the GM (YS Oon) and all players in the IJN faction (Hyiktsay and Chor Ghee). This is in no way a representation of actual historical battle that had taken place.

“Cactus Air Force refers to the ensemble of Allied air power assigned to the island of Guadalcanal from August 1942 until December 1942 during the early stages of the Guadalcanal Campaign, particularly those operating from Henderson Field. After December, the official name of the unit became Commander, Aircraft, Solomons (AirSols), but Cactus Air Force was still used frequently to refer to the organization. The term "Cactus" comes from the Allied code name for the island. In April 1943 the organization was re-designated as AirSols.

On August 20, Marine pilots from Marine Aircraft Group 23 with eighteen F4F Wildcat fighter planes of VMF-223 led by Major John L. Smith, and a dozen SBD Dauntless dive bombers of VMSB-232 led by Lt. Colonel Richard Mangrum, flying from the escort aircraft carrier USS Long Island, landed at Henderson Field, and these warplanes were conducting combat missions on the next day. They were joined on August 22, by the U.S. Army's 67th Pursuit Squadron, under Major Dale Brannon, with five Army P-400s and on August 24 by eleven SBD dive bombers that came from the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise because they were unable to land on their own carrier, with battle damage sustained during the Battle of the Eastern Solomons. At the end of August, these warplanes were joined by nineteen more Wildcats from VMF-224 under Major Robert E. Galer, and twelve more SBD dive bombers from VMSB-231, also part of the Marine Air Group 23. This varied assortment of Army, Marine, and Navy pilots and warplanes was the beginnings of the Cactus Air Force.”

Snippet from Wikipedia

On August 20, 1942, the IJN received signal intercepts that a large vessel with slow screws are approaching the area nearby of Guadalcanal – among a corridor of waters leading towards the Island. Admiral Eric Lew took upon himself to patrol the location and with the blessing of Divine Wind, seek and destroy any approaching enemy warships. With a vast corridor of waters to cover, multiple taskforces were formed – codename Nippon Kaigun, to patrol the area and report in any USN warships within the proximity to the signal received.

Come noon that day, Task Force Nippon Kaigun 2 managed to detect approximately 12 warships and among them a light aircraft carrier heading towards Guadalcanal. Without much hesitation, the patrol taskforces converge to meet the enemy – supported by air cover from IJN carriers.

On top of the heavy cruiser Kinugasa, Admiral Eric Lew heads out with its fleet, telling the boys victory will be near – the Empire’s long awaited victory is fore coming.

IJN Order of Battle: Nippon Kaigun 1 Nippon Kaigun 2 Nippon Kaigun 3

Battle Cruiser Hiei Destroyer Tokitsukaze Light Cruiser Nagara Destroyer Urakaze Heavy Cruiser Kinugasa Destroyer Yukikaze Destroyer Yuzuki

House rules: We are using our own tested and proven spot & detection rules. Warships were grouped together and “blinded” (represented by paper) on the table. Only the faction’s players and GM knows what consist in the blinds – the other faction will have to spot them.

“Admiral, all available bombers are en-route to the enemy location. May Divine Wind bring glory to the Empire, BANZAI!!” – Fleet Carrier Zuikaku

Pre-turn air sorties saw both sides engaged in a tough naval strike. With the IJN Zeroes still much intact, managed to gain air superiority and destroyed all of USN combat air patrols, paving a clear way for IJN’s bombers to do its strike.

“Payload delivered, a confirm hit. I repeat, a confirm hit. Enemy flattop is sinking” – IJN dive bomber.

Various IJN bombers managed to find its mark and confirm the sinking of USN light carrier and the heavy cruiser Indianapolis.

“Admiral, this is Captain Tokitsuke Anhoi, the enemy planes had managed to hit our side hull and it’s taking too much water. I had ordered abandon ship” – On board battle cruiser Hiei.

On the USN side, their bombers too were able to attack IJN fleet with minimal combat air patrols and landed a critical blow – destroying the battle cruiser Hiei and light cruiser Nagara. Besides that, heavy cruiser Kinugasa was also suffering critical damages, thankfully still being afloat.

“Enemy surface vessels spotted, 3 clicks away” - DD Yuzuki

With the smokes cleared from the air strikes, both fleets soon engaged. IJN deployed its fleet into 2 groups – a group consists of heavily damaged heavy cruiser Kinugasa while the other being the bait force.

“Admiral, it’s been great working under your command. May you continue to lead us to glory. We are going in!! - DD Tokitsukaze

By turn 7, IJN bait group consist of DD Yuzuki and DD Tokitsukaze managed to reach the right flank of USN warships. No sooner, both ships were sunk at that turn, before they managed to deal several hits and sank USN DD MacDonough.

“Breaking away from formation to engage the enemy” – DD Yukikaze

In turn 8, DD Yukikaze and DD Urakaze broke away from formation and engaged in a kamikaze run – rewarded by a torpedo hit and subsequent sinking of USN light cruiser San Juan.

 

Came turn 9, the battle was over with heavy cruiser Kinugasa managed to retreat from the battle surface. Admiral Eric Lew’s fleet was at the losing end of this battle. 7 IJN warships headed out to engage the USN warships, only 1 survived.

Back in Rabaul –

Standing at the port in full military attire, Admiral Eric Lew salutes the badly damaged Kinugasa as she heads towards the setting sun, en-route to Kawasaki naval port for major repairs.

Kinugasa, named after Mount Kinugasa, had served the IJN all her life and seen many battle since its completion in 1927. Since 1940, she had served Admiral Eric Lew well, from the time when he assumed command of her – from Pearl Harbor till now, Guadalcanal.

Sailing towards the horizon ever slowly, Admiral Eric Lew stood unmoved and uninterrupted at the port, as he bade farewell not only to her but to the sailors that lost their lives in the prior battle. A gesture of final salutation - knowing that the importance of every single IJN warship, every single asset, every single sailor and their embodiment will determine the Empire’s future – a future slipping away from the victory that it sought.