Komandorski Islands
27 March 1943 0400 hours
It was dark but dawn was about 39 minutes away. The wind was a Force 3 Westerly at 10 knots. Smoke will last a bit thought Rear Admiral McMorris to himself as he peered to the NW where he expected contact to come from. The sky was cloudy and the moon state was a quarter consequently. There were squalls coming with the wind and more to leeward; visibility was reduced (1,000 yards) looking in or out. There was sea haze to the West as well that also reduced visibility (4,000 yards). McMorris expected visibility to improve with dawn, but of course it would remain dark to the west and visibility there would be reduced (3,000 yards) until full daylight. McMorris had it that he could expect good visibility (25,000 yards) after full daylight (He had an in with a WAVE who did the weather in Pearl and he went with Flo).
Task Group 16.6 was on a NE heading at 20 knots looking for anything ending in Maru. Intel had the IJN 5th Fleet sortieing a supply convoy to Attu. Intel reported that there were three Marus and estimated the escort at 1 heavy cruiser, 1 light cruiser and 4 destroyers. And wonder of wonders that is what Admiral Kincaid had given McMorris to stop the convoy with. McMorris flew his flag in Salt Lake City (Old Swayback) with Richmond and DesRon 14 (Coghlan, Bailey, Dale & Monaghan) in support. TG 16.6 was in line ahead, cruisers leading the destroyers. Why was McMorris leading in the only ship present without radar? Well, she was the most powerful ship present and someone forgot to check the ships logs before deciding the TG’s formation. Some might see this as a bad omen but I prefer to see it as just one of those things.
0409 hours
Swayback’s masthead reported unknown ships (he could see 2) heading east off the port bow and estimated their range at 6,000 yards. Those sons of Nippon could not wait for the rising sun, thought McMorris and ordered the Task Group to open fire. The Swayback (w/o FCR) shot poorly with her triple turrets but her twins scored 3 hits each (rolled two 2s) on the leading cruiser (later identified as Nachi). Nachi suffered a hit to her FP facilities that started a major fire (the FPs were still aboard), knocked out her starboard fore TT and started a second major fire (type 93 does that), knocked out a starboard SB, damaged a bulkhead, knocked out her fore turret and hit her bridge killing VAdm Hosagaya (but not the partridge in their pear tree). Richmond not be out done targeted the second ship (later identified as Maya) and hit her thrice. Maya lost her fore turret, hull and engine damaged. Both ships now had EDR fires that illuminated them. Nachi’s return fire missed (ouch). But Maya hit Richmond 4 times in return. Richmond lost her fore turret and took 3 to the hull (the pharmacist’s mate offered the captain 2 for the head) limiting her to 15 knots as well as an EDR fire illuminating her.
The Japanese continued the action (made their morale with a 4).
0412 hours
Nachi failed to repair and took 3 more hull from her 2 fires and bulkhead that limited her to 21 knots. Maya repaired her engine hit but was restrained from accelerating due the state of the flagship. Richmond failed to extinguish her EDR fire and remained illuminated as did the Nachi and Maya.
Richmond fired her PS TT at Maya. McMorris ordered Richmond to withdraw under smoke as he accelerated to 25 knots and ordered DesRon 14 to accelerate to flank and torpedo attack the Japanese cruiser line. McMorris ordered FPs jettisoned.
The Swayback shifted fire to Maya and hit her thrice. Maya suffered hull damage and 2 hits to her engines that knocked her DIW. Nachi missed again, but Maya hit the Swayback thrice. The Swayback suffered a hit to her FP facilities that started a major fire, a hit to her engines and one to her bridge killing McMorris. Coghlan fired rapidly at a third cruiser (later identified as Tama) and hit her once (EDR adjustment) that knocked out her fore starboard TT. Tama’s return fire hit Coghlan twice, damaging her DC and starting a minor fire as well as damaging a bulkhead. Bailey fired rapidly at the next ship (later identified as Wakaba) and hit her once. Wakaba lost her fore TT. Dale fired rapidly at Hatsushimo and hit her 4 times. Hatsushimo took a hit to her DC that started a fire, suffered damage to her hull and a bulkhead and lost her fore gun mount. Hatsushimo’s return fire missed. Then Monaghan fired rapidly at Abukuma and whiffed. Abukuma’s return fire also missed.
Now it was the Americans’ turn to check morale and they failed (needed a 5 and got a 7).
0415 hours Nachi failed to repair and took 3 more hull reducing her to 5 knots. Maya broke one of her engines beyond repair. The Swayback put her fire out but remained at 21 knots and illuminated by her EDR fire. Coghlan repaired her bulkhead. Hatsushimo failed to repair her bulkhead and took more hull damage.
Task Group 16.6 (except for the Swayback) now turned away under smoke. The IJN continued on course with Tama going around Maya.
The Swayback under fire from every IJN ship with the ability to missed Nachi. Nachi and Tama hit the Swayback twice. The Swayback lost her fore turret and took a critical that jammed her rudder amidships.
0418 hours
The Swayback fixed her rudder. Nachi failed to repair and sank. Maya failed to repair and remained DIW and illuminated by her EDR fire. Hatsushimo failed to repair her bulkhead and slowed to 10 knots while still illuminated.
The Swayback turned away to starboard. The IJN continued on course. Richmond’s old 21” torpedoes hit Maya who was DIW and unable to evade. These old torps had never heard of the Mark VI imploder and when they go bump in the night they go BOOM. Maya took another hull (hull damage is halved) and lost a turret.
The Swayback fired at Maya and hit her 7 times. Maya took 2 hits to her FP facilities starting 2 major fires, lost a starboard SB, two turrets and damage to her hull and a bulkhead. Maya without power could not reply, so, Tama and Abukuma did it for her, hitting the Swayback twice. The Swayback suffered damage to her FP that started a major fire and a critical hit to her rudder that jammed it amidships again..
0421 hours.
The Swayback put out her fire. Maya failed to repair and took 3 more hull, sinking her. Hatsushimo failed to repair and slowed to 5 knots.
The Swayback retired under smoke and the IJN resupply mission went through.
Hatsushimo would sink from her unrepaired bulkhead. The Swayback took a bit but repaired her rudder and rejoined the Task Group.
The engagement was decided in the IJN’s favor by morale failure brought on by bridge hits that killed both admirals. I don’t think that this is what Simon and Garfunkel had in mind when singing about bridges and troubled waters but it ended this act just the same.
WMC
