ssgtc
Sub-lieutenant
Posts: 496
Likes: 740
|
Post by ssgtc on Feb 7, 2022 14:50:34 GMT
February 28, 1959
Jakarta, Indonesia
President Sukarno and General Nasution had the latest reports from General Suharto in front of them. The progress of Operation Trikora was good. The loses to their aviation units had been heavy, but the destruction that had wrought was worth the price. An Americanism crept into Sukarno's mind, "You can't make an omelet without breaking a few eggs." Well, they had broken their eggs and were making their omelet. The Dutch fighter squadron based on Biak had been decimated and had not even tried to contest their latest bombing mission. The question now was whether the Dutch defenses were sufficiently weakened to allow them to begin landing soldiers on the islands.
General Suharto believed that a few bombing missions should be flown against possible beach defense sites and what he believed to be a Dutch supply depot that had been identified in a reconnaissance photograph. But Suharto did not have all the information that he did. For in addition to the reports from his own military, he had several intelligence reports from their "friends" in the USSR. The Dutch were sending a carrier group to press their claims to the island. The KGB believed that the Dutch would not arrive before the end of March. The reports that had been provided to them suggested that the Dutch would need to stop to refuel in Tenerife, South Africa and Australia. The Soviets promised to do what they could to stir up the dockworker's unions in those countries to delay the ships as much as they could.
Across from him, General Nasution was not overly concerned with the Dutch carrier. "An old ship with outdated planes," was what he called her. Their own fighters and bombers were much more modern. Had they not just demonstrated the ability to target a carrier at sea when they had sent their bombers against the American interloper in the Banda Sea? Should the Dutch prove foolish enough to send their carrier within range of their bombers, they would receive a warm welcome.
Sukarno made his decision. The bombing missions General Suharto wanted would be approved. Due to the small number of aircraft they had, and the small stock of bombs available however, the missions would have to be carried out over the next two weeks. They also couldn't afford to ignore Mokmer Airfield either during that time. Their bomber fleet would be quite busy it seemed.
After a few more hours discussing their options for the planned attack and the logistics involved in it, final approval was sent to General Suharto to begin final preparations for the invasion of West Irian. Baring bad weather, the invasion would begin on March 14th.
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021 
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 14:51:28 GMT
February 26, 1959
Cape Town, South AfricaHNLMS Zeeleeuw cast off the last of the lines securing her to the fueling pier in Cape Town's vast harbor. She had made a fast passage from her homeport in Amsterdam. With a stop along the way in Las Palmas to top off her tanks, she had made the entire journey at her flank speed of twenty knots. Her next stop was in Freemantle, Western Australia. Again, for fuel. After that, it was straight up to Hollandia and they would start local operations against Indonesian shipping. Captain Roel Hordijk, the commanding officer of Zeeleeuw, was quite familiar with the waters around Indonesia. He had been posted there as a junior officer prior to World War II, had seen his submarine O-20 sunk by the Japanese, been a prisoner of war, escaped and was able to continue the fight. Now he was going back to wage another war. He had put his crew through intense drills during their voyage and he would continue to do so. By the time they reached the waters around West New Guinea they would be a well oiled machine. At the moment, they were scheduled to reach Hollandia on March 13th. Photo: Good update, this picture of HNLMS Zeeleeuw fits well here, taken at Las Palmas during this period.  |
|
ssgtc
Sub-lieutenant
Posts: 496
Likes: 740
|
Post by ssgtc on Feb 7, 2022 14:54:50 GMT
Great shot of her following her GUPPY IB conversion. She's more streamlined and has better underwater performance than she did in her WWII configuration. Didn't really lose any above water performance either.
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 15:09:45 GMT
Great shot of her following her GUPPY IB conversion. She's more streamlined and has better underwater performance than she did in her WWII configuration. Didn't really lose any above water performance either. She looks good. Will she be the only Royal Netherlands submarine operating there. |
|
ssgtc
Sub-lieutenant
Posts: 496
Likes: 740
|
Post by ssgtc on Feb 7, 2022 15:20:14 GMT
Great shot of her following her GUPPY IB conversion. She's more streamlined and has better underwater performance than she did in her WWII configuration. Didn't really lose any above water performance either. She looks good. Will she be the only Royal Netherlands submarine operating there. At the moment yes. She was the only one available on short notice. If the conflict drags on though, more could possibly be sent |
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 15:21:39 GMT
She looks good. Will she be the only Royal Netherlands submarine operating there. At the moment yes. She was the only one available on short notice. If the conflict drags on though, more could possibly be sent Well as long as they make sure she is not caught in the open while at Hollandia, then she will be fine. |
|
oscssw
Senior chief petty officer
Posts: 967
Likes: 1,575
|
Post by oscssw on Feb 7, 2022 16:38:19 GMT
Better keep her away from the USN CSGs. Enough said! 
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 16:39:18 GMT
Better keep her away from the USN CSGs. Enough said! Senior Chief ( oscssw), you mean HNLMS Zeeleeuw. |
|
oscssw
Senior chief petty officer
Posts: 967
Likes: 1,575
|
Post by oscssw on Feb 7, 2022 16:50:13 GMT
Better keep her away from the USN CSGs. Enough said!  Senior Chief ( oscssw ), you mean HNLMS Zeeleeuw. Yup. As I see it things are pretty damn tense. With an "unknown" sub in close proximity to a USN CSG "Shoot first and ask questions later" would be the admiral's only prudent order.
But that kind of thinking is probably why I never made it to O-8 
A senior Chief is an E-8; a Rear admiral Upper Half (usual level of Officer commanding a Carrier strike group) is an O-8.
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 16:52:22 GMT
Senior Chief ( oscssw ), you mean HNLMS Zeeleeuw. Yup. As I see it things are pretty damn tense. With an "unknown" sub in close proximity to a USN CSG "Shoot first and ask questions later" would be the admiral's only prudent order.
But that kind of thinking is probably why I never made it to O-8  A senior Chief is an E-8; a Rear admiral Upper Half (usual level of Officer commanding a Carrier strike group) is an O-8.
Well she is a former US sub commanded by a United States ally, do not think it will happen, unless things go real crazy. |
|
oscssw
Senior chief petty officer
Posts: 967
Likes: 1,575
|
Post by oscssw on Feb 7, 2022 16:57:14 GMT
Yup. As I see it things are pretty damn tense. With an "unknown" sub in close proximity to a USN CSG "Shoot first and ask questions later" would be the admiral's only prudent order.
But that kind of thinking is probably why I never made it to O-8 A senior Chief is an E-8; a Rear admiral Upper Half (usual level of Officer commanding a Carrier strike group) is an O-8.
Well she is a former US sub commanded by a United States ally, do not think it will happen, unless things go real crazy.
Do you know what is written on the heart of every CPO in the USN Lordroel my friend? "Shit Happens!"  |
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 17:14:25 GMT
Well she is a former US sub commanded by a United States ally, do not think it will happen, unless things go real crazy.
Do you know what is written on the heart of every CPO in the USN Lordroel my friend? "Shit Happens!" Well i do not hope it happens. I want to see how the US Navy shows how they deal with Indonesia if they attack. |
|
oscssw
Senior chief petty officer
Posts: 967
Likes: 1,575
|
Post by oscssw on Feb 7, 2022 17:47:24 GMT
Do you know what is written on the heart of every CPO in the USN Lordroel my friend? "Shit Happens!"  Well i do not hope it happens. I want to see how the US Navy shows how they deal with Indonesia if they attack. So do I Lordroel my friend.
Good work ssgtc. Interesting story. |
|
ssgtc
Sub-lieutenant
Posts: 496
Likes: 740
|
Post by ssgtc on Feb 7, 2022 19:14:20 GMT
Thanks guys! I'll say this, there are PLENTY of examples of surface ships firing on friendly submarines under the belief that the only good submarine is a dead one. And those are from ships and boats in the same navy! With multiple foreign Navies involved, the problem gets much more acute. There's a bunch of issues to deal with though in the area and Indonesia is only one of them.
Just some general background information, from what I can tell, there are 2 American Admirals in the combined task force, Rear Admiral Upper Half William Schoech, Commander Carrier Division Three (of which both Bon Homme Richard and Ticonderoga are a part of), and Rear Admiral Upper Half Edward Colestock, Commander Carrier Division Seventeen. As far as I can tell, Ticonderoga did not have a flag officer onboard (though it's possible the Deputy Commander of CARDIV 3 was embarked). From what I can tell, the two men are very close in date of rank, so I flipped a coin and said Schoech was promoted first.
|
|
lordroel
Administrator
Member is Online
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 49,423
|
Post by lordroel on Feb 7, 2022 19:18:19 GMT
Thanks guys! I'll say this, there are PLENTY of examples of surface ships firing on friendly submarines under the belief that the only good submarine is a dead one. And those are from ships and boats in the same navy! With multiple foreign Navies involved, the problem gets much more acute. There's a bunch of issues to deal with though in the area and Indonesia is only one of them. Just some general background information, from what I can tell, there are 2 American Admirals in the combined task force, Rear Admiral Upper Half William Schoech, Commander Carrier Division Three (of which both Bon Homme Richard and Ticonderoga are a part of), and Rear Admiral Upper Half Edward Colestock, Commander Carrier Division Seventeen. As far as I can tell, Ticonderoga did not have a flag officer onboard (though it's possible the Deputy Commander of CARDIV 3 was embarked). From what I can tell, the two men are very close in date of rank, so I flipped a coin and said Schoech was promoted first. I assume the Royal Netherlands Navy has informed the United States Navy where and how HNLMS Zeeleeuw will operate so as to prevent unfortunately friendly fire mishaps. |
|
