#45_1119_2: The Advance North to Tsuno - PzC 22 Japan '45

Date: November 19, 1945 - Size, Small - Location: Southern Kyushu, Japan - Intended for Head to Head or Solo play as either side. For Solo Victory Conditions see the file "J45-Solo-Vic-Cond.pdf" in the main game folder. Narrative: The US forces of I Corps had broken out of the beachhead area in the east. One of their objectives was to capture Tsuno on the east coast. This was the "stop line" marker for the eastern side of the 6th Army. But taking the town would prove harder than expected. The 25th US Army Infantry Division was given the task of securing Tsuno. Along for the ride was the 323rd Infantry Regiment of the 81st Infantry Division. The Japanese had blown the bridges over the Tsuma-sen (river) so the US engineers were called in to build pontoon bridges or repair the existing bridges. The initial advance by the 27th and 35th Infantry Regiments to the Tsuma-sem but the engineer's attempts to build an infantry pontoon bridge were stymied by the combined fire of the Japanese defenders. Add in that suicide fire boats were launched down the river from upstream and they succeeded in damaging part of the bridge. The 9th ended with the US having no path across the river. On the 10th the 325th was thrown in to the fray and along with naval gun fire was able to drive the defenders away from the river. Up came the engineers again and this time they were able to complete two pontoon bridges: one for the infantry and another treadway bridge for the heavier vehicles. The advance north of the Tsuma was met by a fierce defense in the Takonobe area but by the end of the 10th the US forces had taken all of the area south of the Omaru-gowa (river). On the 11th they had to attempt to build bridges but at first the Japanese were able to foil their attempts. It was not until the late afternoon that the engineers succeeded in completing the bridges. It was obvious by now that the Japanese units were spent. A strong push up the coast, supported by naval, artillery and air power, succeeded in taking Tsuno but not without cost. The 25th Division suffered 1,800 casualties while the 323rd Infantry Regiment took 700 losses. Thirty armored vehicles had been disabled or destroyed in the four day fight. The US had reached their goal but now the tedious part of the operation would begin: holding the line and watching out for surprise attacks by the Japanese from the hills to the west of Tsuno.