Pawling, NY Battle
Aug 23-24, 2003
Allied Fleet Decimated in Two Day Sea
Battle
by Tom Tanner, AP (Axis Press)
PAWLING, NY Aug. 25 ---
In the heaviest action since
the Rhode Island campaign, Axis naval forces routed an Allied incursion into
the New York Operations Area August 23-24, sinking every Allied ship but one in
a two day running gun fight.
Sources tell us that the
Imperial German Navy 1st Scouting Group composed of SMS HINDENBURG
(flagship – Vice Adm. Tom Tanner) and SMS DERFFLINGER (Capt. Ken Kelly)
encountered a small Allied task force in the neutral Pennsylvania regionof Lake
Redman and learned of the Allied intentions to move into the New York OpArea to
escort the recently completed USS NEW JERSEY during her shakedown cruise.
The High Seas Fleet mobilized a force of two battlecruisers, three
battleships and a heavy cruiser for the operation.
As required by the Tripartite Pact, Japan sent the IJN MUSASHI (Adm.
Carl Camurati-san) specifically to test the metal of the new American
super-dreadnought.
Near Pawling, New York the Axis
Fleet intercepted the Allied task force composed of three battleships, one
dreadnought and a light cruiser. In
the first of a series of sharp actions that would last throughout the night and
into the next day, the HMS NEWCASTLE (Cdr. Scott H.) was an early casualty
after being taken under fire by DERFFLINGER and was left sinking and adrift.
Elements of the 1st and 3rd Battle Squadrons
composed of SMS NASSAU (Capt.
Cameron Moury), SMS POSEN (Capt. Bill Garthaffner) and SMS BADEN (Capt. Matt
Moury) inflicted serious damage to the USS NORTH CAROLINA (Capt. Dave Vogtman)
and USS NEW JERSEY (Capt. John
Boyer) while directly contributing to the sinking of the USS ARIZONA (flagship
– Adm. Don Fisher). In the
afternoon Allied reinforcements arrived in the form of the USS SOUTH CAROLINA
(Capt. Chris Gamaliy) and two vessels that looked remarkably like NASSAU class
dreadnoughts. But the Allied fleet
continued to suffer heavy losses. At
the end of the engagement SOUTH CAROLINA would be the sole Allied-built ship
not to be sunk.
As the engagement lasted into
the night, a furious firefight erupted around the NEW JERSEY which apparently
failed to detect the approach of the BADEN, NASSAU, POSEN, ADMIRAL SCHEER (Cdr.
Barry T.), DERFFINGER, and
MUSASHI. The Axis ships, renowned
for their night fighting prowness, surrounded the NEW JERSEY close to shore,
inflicting such serious damage. Drifting
off into the night to await her five minutes, she was intercepted by the
darkened HINDENBURG and engaged at extremely close range before her time ran
out and she was brought to shore with all hands called to action to run both
main bilge pumps to prevent the massive ship from sinking.
Meanwhile, the NORTH CAROLINA, suffering a main propulsion lubrication
problem, dodged the Axis Fleet, judiciously using her spotlight avoid giving
the Axis a datum to shoot at.
In the middle of this action the Spanish dreadnought ESPANA (Cdr. Kevin
Plummer) was sunk, the unearthy glow of her lights beaming from the bottom of
the pond.
In the confusion of the night
battle, the BADEN was captured by the Allies and taken into service as USS
BAIDIN during the engagements Sunday morning.
In the morning the NORTH CAROLINA was finally put under along with the BAIDIN,
leaving the Allies only the SOUTH CAROLINA and NEW JERSEY afloat for action in
the afternoon. Running short
on fuel and ammunition or needing to return to base for repairs, the smaller
ships were not present for a two sortie engagement between the NEW JERSEY and
MUSASHI. Superior training and
material showed as the newly commissioned NEW JERSEY suffered badly at the
hands of the hard-hitting MUSASHI.
NEW JERSEY was already down by the bows when Axis light forces composed of the
SMS SCHARNHORST (Capt. Ken Kelly) and IJN OKINOSHIMA (Capt. Tom Tanner-san)
supported by POSEN and ADM SCHEER returned to the OpArea for the next two
sorties. The SOUTH CAROLINA and
the salvaged ESPANA attempted to defend the ravished NEW JERSEY, but despite
two pumps furiously spitting forth water she soon found herself slipping
beneath the waves.
With the Allied ships dispatched, the Axis crews began to celebrate and of medicinal brandy and saki were authorized. Unfortunately a little too much alcohol was inbibed, words were exchanged between the crews of the smaller ships and the crew of the MUSASHI, resulting in an unfortunate incident – the SCHARNHORST, POSEN and OKINOSHIMA began to attack the MUSASHI! Hounded on all sides, suffering from three straight sorties, short on fuel and far from home, the MUSASHI fought valiantly but eventually rolled over and sank with all hands.
Why it's tough to be a German
by Barry Tighe
Tom Tanner's Hindinburg's damage at Pawling
