[Fritz]

This will be better with maps, but that will be later

Week 2, Jan 1944

Central Pacific: 27th Infantry Division ("New York Division"), supported by Engineers and some armor, landed at Eniwietok island under the cover of fire from 5 Battleships. CINCPAC had hoped that a sudden unexpected effort could keep casualties down. 4 bloody days later, the 27th was able to move off the beaches enough to grab most of the island. Retreating Japanese force still have a foothold on the island and have been making ferocious counterattacks.

Lessons from this action: These islands are going to need softening up. The central theater can get their hands on about 120 long range bombers, so operations should be planned within their service range. These bombers will be used for pre-invasion bombings hammering likely locations for costal guns. Nearby islands with airfields also need to be targeted. Kwajalein atoll is next up for invasion and will be a test of these hard learned lessons.

A high seas battleship replenishment force is being assembled in Pearl Harbor now. In the future, this force will move with the main invasion group. Allied planners hope this will allow the ammunition hungry Battlewagons to stay on station.

South Pacific: The Buka Invasion force has orders to gather about 180 East of the Allied base on Tulagi in the eastern Solomons. Air operations vs. Rabaul and Buka continue. Japanese transports looking to resupply or evacuate Buka have been sited and are under fire.

South Pacific command is considering a request from Southwest for a transfer of Marine raider and parachute battalions.

Southwest (NG): for a second week, operations in eastern New Guinea have focused on using allied air power to reduce Japanese positions. 3 days of massive air strikes have put the port and airfields of Madang out of operation. After mission flights reveal a high degree of carnage with over 100 planes reported destroyed on the ground.

The 503 Parachute infantry regiment has been alerted to prepare for a move westward. Allied planners believe the DEIs are lightly defended and suited for small airborne operations.

Southwest (DEI): An Australian Brigade captured the western NG town of Babo, which is now being prepared for base operations. Air operations in the region are starting to move in on Japanese sea lanes. Thus far, the japanese convoys have been ill prepared for the increased allied air presence.

Another American CVE was struck, this time with loss of the entire crew. A review board is looking at ways to use these.


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Allied Naval power got a big boost this week as the CV Hornet joined the fleet, along with 2 battleships of the new Iowa class (Iowa, New Jersey). The CV is of the Essex class, boasting 90 aircraft. The Battleships sport 9 huge 16 inch guns, superior radar and armor, and can move at 30 knots. Older fleet battleships are restricted to speeds of around 20 knots.