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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

For the Halo nerds out there... do y'all prefer the aesthetic of UNSC or Covenant ships?

CAS Kerel-pattern assault carrier Shadow of Intent

Modified Phoenix-class support vessel UNSC Spirit of Fire

kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Throughout the afternoon, sporadic Japanese counterattacks were beaten back by the Marines with the help of armor and naval gunfire. By the nightfall on the 15th, however, only half of the day's objectives had been reached. A dangerous corridor still separated the 4th and 2nd Divisions.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Later in the afternoon the arrival of the 4th and 2nd Tank Battalions, as well as artillery in the form of 75mm and 105mm howitzers allowed the Marines to begin overcoming the Japanese beach fortifications and pushing through the enemy defenses. It was a generally slow, methodical process.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Fighting inland proved incredibly difficult under withering fire from Japanese machine guns, concealed infantry, and artillery positioned in the hills. Ships offshore could only watch as no calls from shore parties came in due to confused and disrupted communications.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The trees, trenches, and shell holes made movement by the relatively underpowered and thin-skinned LVT(A)s incredibly difficult. Rather than carrying the Marines inland, they were forced to offload at the beach. As fire intensified, many of the amtracs were soon knocked out.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Nevertheless, the actual landings had gone relatively well. Between 0843 and 0907, over 8,000 troops were successfully put ashore, with shockingly few LVTs knocked out on the way in despite the heavy fire. But getting ashore was one thing. Getting off the beach was another.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Due to either undetected currents or organizational error, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines, as well as both 2nd and 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines drifted north of their assigned beaches. This not only congested the beaches, it created a much larger gap between the 2nd and 4th Marine Divisions than planned.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Over 700 LVTs were secured for the landings. They were supported by LVT(A) amphibious tanks, armed with either 37mm or 75mm guns, followed later in the day by Shermans of 2nd and 4th Marine Tank Battalions. Around 8,000 Marines were to hit the beaches in the first waves.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The landing area was spread out over four beaches, each with a particular unit assigned. The 6th and 8th Marine Regiments, 2nd Marine Division would take Red and Green beaches, north of Afetna point. The 23rd and 24th Battalions, 4th Marine Division would take Blue and Yellow.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

The landing craft would make a roughly 27 minute journey to the beaches from their departure points 4,000 yards offshore. A last minute delay to 0840 was granted to allow more time for the landing craft to form up into their assault waves. At 0812, the signal was given to begin.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

At 0542, Admiral Richmond K. Turner gave the order to "land the landing force." The first boots would hit the beaches, as scheduled, at 0830. After 0700, LSTs moved into position and began to disembark their LVTs as Higgins boats and other landing craft assembled into formation.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 16/06/2026

Saipan, June 15th, 1944. D-Day. After the preparatory bombardments of the following day and the incredible work of Underwater Demolition Teams to prepare the landing beaches, H-Hour is fast approaching. At 0530, the naval bombardment of Saipan resumes.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

It would also be the first time in the war that American troops came in contact with Japanese civilians. They, along with the native Chamorro people, would suffer heavily during the battle. The civilian death toll would have a serious impact on the rest of the Pacific War.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Saipan was unlike anything that American soldiers in the Pacific had experienced thus far. The island was large, with mountainous terrain that made assault difficult. The Japanese would make very good use of this terrain during the next several weeks.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Over 30,000 Japanese defenders awaited the 70,000 odd Americans that were tasked with taking the island. Using new defensive tactics, General Yoshitsugu Saito intended to turn Saipan into a killing ground. Though he had little time to prepare, he would achieve his goal.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

New Mexico's pre-invasion bombardment footage gives a good sense of the scale of the force that had amassed off Saipan and Tinian. Seven escort carriers, seven battleships, eleven cruisers, and 69 destroyers stood by to provide invaluable fire support for the invasion.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

In this video and the one above, the battleship New Mexico (BB-40) spends her time on June 14th doing just that. As she bombards Tinian through much of the day, the mountains of Saipan can occasionally be seen in the background.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Throughout the day on June 14th, warships of Task Force 52 bombarded Japanese positions along Saipan and Tinian to prepare for the landings of the 4th and 2nd Marine Divisions on Saipan scheduled for June 15th.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Two Wildcats and nine Dauntlesses lost, or about a quarter of Lexington's overall dive bomber complement. Heavy losses, but good results from the strike. Certainly some typical overclaiming in this report, but it's not too far off.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

By 1112, Yorktown has recovered both the morning search and her strike. Lexington's strike is orbiting now, and will begin recovery shortly. Followup searches and strikes will come after.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

As annoyed as I am by the Yorktown strike's target selection, they finally sent that transport to the bottom. The question now is how many of Lexington's Dauntlesses are going to make it back alive.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

0933. They did not let me down at all. At least four solid hits on the lead carrier, and two on the second. Both flattops are afire and almost certainly out of action.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

0931. The moment of truth, as Lexington's battered strike noses over on CarDiv 5. Yorktown's strike has diverted for some reason, turning back to target the transport by Tulagi. Against swarms of Zeroes, Lexington's Dauntlesses push through despite heavy losses.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

0923. Lexington's strike is forming up on approach to the target, fighting off determined attacks by enemy CAP Zeroes. The strike is taking losses, but so are the defenders. Yorktown's strike follows behind by a few miles, generally undisturbed.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

0739. Lexington and Yorktown turn into the wind to launch their combined strikes, with Lexington launching a bit earlier so that her escorted strike goes in first.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Got you. It's 0738 hours. They don't have a clue that I've flanked them from the east. They're about to get a very painful wake up call.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

The damaged transport from yesterday is still trucking along, but I'm not about to send 27 dive bombers after her. Still waiting for any news of Carrier Division 5's whereabouts.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

By 0642, Yorktown's meager strike package of 27 Dauntlesses is prepped on the flight deck, awaiting a target. Meanwhile, Lexington prepares a heavier package consisting of 36 SBDs escorted by six Wildcats.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Day 2, 0607 hours on May 5th. Lexington is putting up the early morning combat air patrol while Yorktown prepares a search to the northwest to locate the enemy. She and Lexington will prepare strikes after launching so as to be ready to strike immediately.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

A last-minute scare as air ops for the day come to a close. The Japanese send out two hail-mary strikes as the sun sets, failing to spot the task force and missing by about 30 miles. It's 1851, and I now need to start planning operations for the following morning.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

The Wildcats don't get the chance to tag him, though, as Minneapolis secures the kill. Still, even one Val getting through is a bit too close for comfort.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Incredibly, this lone Val makes it through. Braving the Wildcats and AAA fire, he makes his dive and misses Yorktown by only a few dozen yards. He certainly won't make it out alive, though.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

It's a massacre. By the time AAA opens up, only a single Val is still flying, and with about a dozen angry Wildcats licking their chops and lining up behind him.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

After linking up with Lexington and consolidating into a single task force, TF17 now comes under attack by a small evening raid of unescorted dive and torpedo bombers. They're too late, though; Lexington's fighters are still at full strength and meet them head on about 40 miles out.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 04/05/2026

Amazingly, the second wave also failed to spot Yorktown and turned back. TF17 has now rendezvoused with TF44, and Crace's cruisers have taken station as part of Yorktown's screen. Unfortunately, though, she's down to just two fighters and will have to link up with Lexington ASAP for air cover.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Buuuuuut there's the second wave. And with most of my fighters still ocuppied with the first, this could be a real problem.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Yorktown's course changes threw off the Japanese strike; they missed her by a good distance and are heading back to CarDiv5 empty handed. Wildcats have taken some heavy losses in their intercept, but have managed to exact a pretty heavy toll from the strike.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

That's a lot of guys. And this is only the first wave. There's always at least two.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Oh boy. Here they come. Time to hope the number of fighters I put up is sufficient.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

The loss of my CAP has put me in a dangerous spot. TF17 is now racing south to fall under the protection of Lexington's air cover as quickly as possible, as I know that strikes are coming.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Things have certainly escalated. TF17 has been detected, and all six of my CAP fighters were shot down. Turns out that unidentified contact was a division of Zeroes. Enemy carriers have been located, and are likely preparing to launch a strike against me. Things aren't great.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Small group of bogeys popped up on radar headed towards TF17. Yorktown has vectored six Wildcats from her combat air patrol to intercept.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

I want to get that transport. Lexington is thankfully within range of Dauntlesses, so I'll send up a medium-sized group to finish it off.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Spotted and intercepted a Jake at 0942, about 30 miles out from TF17. No indication that it detected the task force or radioed our location, so we're good for the moment.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Yorktown's scouts report that the largest merchant of the Tulagi group has been left behind by the rest of its force due to damage received during the attack. She'll be easy to finish off later in the day should we get the chance.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

Yorktown's strike has returned about 15 minutes earlier than expected, at 0930. Recovery is probably going to take 20-30 minutes.

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kangaroo attack ‼️🦘🦘🦘 @comradethomas.bsky.social · 03/05/2026

All scouts are airborne by 0858. Now all I can really do is wait for my strike to return.

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