I CASTLE'S COMMAND
CHAPTER EIGHT
Author's note: As I stated earlier, this is alternate history story, so where major actions and dates remain the same, some details are different for the sake of the story, particularly surface combat actions. Actual names of U.S. Warships are used, but in a fictious manner.
Operation Dragoon having large commonwealth forces involved it was decided that The British flotilla would be ordered to support the invasion of Southern France as well. Kate was overjoyed at this, as it meant that she wouldn't be separated from Rick. The Island of Corsica had been liberated and returned to French control in October 1943. It was, by July 1944 a major allied base. The PTs and MTBs would be based there. They began arriving in Late July and setting up their headquarters at Bastia. There were several allied airfields on Corsica, so, supplies of high- octane aviation fuel was no problem. Torpedoes, depth charges, ammunition, spare parts and all other necessary supplies were brought in by ship.
As it was 155 miles from Bastia to the coast of France a supply ship, fuel tanker and a destroyer escort would be constantly on station at the halfway point. The Germans had damaged or destroyed many of Bastia's buildings in the fighting before they were evacuated. Allied engineers had been busy repairing those they could and building temporary buildings where they couldn't. The squadrons didn't need any of the major port facilities other than the docks and those were in good repair.
The invasion was set to launch on 14 August. By the fourth, the headquarters was set up and fully operational. Kate was now leading both the British and American intelligence staff which was kept extremely bust collecting and collating the flow of information from the various sources, the most valuable being arial reconnaissance, the second, reports from the French resistance.
She wasn't sure why they had been transferred to the area, as the German naval forces weren't particularly strong. Despite that the squadrons began patrolling on the seventh. But not encountering any German warships of any kind until the morning of the tenth When they encountered a force of eight S-boats operating out of Genoa. The American force of thirteen boats had a slight edge over the Germans. This time it was Semmes' squadron with Rick accompanying in the PTCC. The PTs were in an arrowhead formation with Rick's boat at the base of the formation.
The Germans were in a similar formation and outnumbered, they should have broken off. They didn't. PT608 opened fire at fifteen hundred yards with the two forward cannons and the five- inch rockets. The rockets didn't hit anything but they confused the leading S-boat's skipper, causing him to swerve, offering 608 a broadside target, that was raked by cannon shells. Several shells hit the engine room. The boat slowed and began to smoke, quickly going dead in the water. It didn't catch fire; its crew would be captured and the damaged boat scuttled.
The second S-boat showed a little better sense as he kept to his course, closing close enough to score hits on 608 killing or wounding the forward 37mm crew and wounding the helmsman, The helmsman was quickly replaced as the forward 20mm kept on firing. PT606, Semmes on board swept in on the flank taking out the twin 20mm mount then moving his boat into position to bring his 40mm to bear, targeting the twin 37mm station. That too was destroyed, leaving the S-boat with just it's machine guns as torpedo hits were very difficult on fast light craft. Semmes circled around and pounded the boat with all his guns. The 40mm punched shells through the hull and detonated the magazine.
609 and 611 caught a third boat in a classic pincher movement. That boat caught fire, the crew abandoned ship, those that could. It became obvious that these Germans were not first- rate crews, if they were even fully German crews.
With three boats lost without sinking a single American boat and now facing three to one odd, the German commander ordered a withdrawal into Genoa. Castle did not order a pursuit. It turned out to be unnecessary. The next day, all five S-boats were destroyed by RAF Mosquito fighter-bombers flying out of Corsica.
Castle was sitting in the officer's mess with Kate.
"I don't know why the brass even transferred us out here. The Germans don't have any significant naval forces in the area. Just a few U-boats and couple of destroyers or corvettes, nothing really suitable targets for our group. The smallest ship that will be doing shore bombardment is a destroyer."
"I'm glad that it's this way my Darling. The less risk to you, the happier I am. Yes, this operation cost a lot of time effort and money, but compared to the actual invasion time and money and effort it's not that much. More important loess chance of causalities and damage to your boats or worse, lost boats and crews."
"You're right, Sweetheart. I'm just frustrated. The brass should have left us at home."
Kate was thrilled Rick was calling England home. Maye when the war was over, he'd take his discharge there.
"It has been a long day, my Darling, let's go to our quarters"
As the group commander, Rick had a small bungalow for quarters, which allowed he and Kate time to themselves and privacy. It was stretching regulations, a bit but the two were so effective in their respective roles, the brass had no interest in upsetting the apple cart.
On top of that Kate and Rick were both quite popular with most of the officers and men of the squadrons. It was made plain to any complainers that causing trouble would cause swift and painful repercussions.
The bungalow had a small but comfortable bedroom with a double bed a dresser, a closet and an armchair. The bathroom was also small, but complete with a commode, sink, and a small tub with a flexible shower hose. The sitting room held a sofa, coffee table, two armchairs and a radio. The kitchen was also small, but that didn't really matter, most of their meals would be eaten in the officer's mess.
Rick fixed them drinks as Kate shrugged out of her uniform jacket and took off her shoes. Rick set the drinks on the table, then removed his own jacket and the well- polished Wellington boots. Once again, they weren't regulation, but the toe profile matched that of the standard low-quarters, so no one cared. Hi usual operational uniform consisted of blue wool trousers, blue sweater, black leather pilot's jacket (won in a poker game) the Wellingtons and a blue service cap.
Here in the Med, it was warmer, so he switched to khakis with the leather jacket if the wind came up. Rick sat on the sofa and picked up his drink as Kate snuggled into his side. They sipped their drinks. It was good Scot's whisky, too good to gulp down.
"I'm so tired, Kate said. This whole move has been exhausting."
"Then maybe we should go to bed early and get a good night's sleep." Rick said. Kate pinched his ear.
"I'm not that tired my darling. I have been denied my wifely rights for too long and I will not be denied any longer. Take me to bed!"
Rick was happy to oblige. He picked Kate up and carried her, bridal style into the bedroom. They quickly undressed, but Kate took the time to hang up uniform shirts, skirt and trouser they had to be presentable in the, morning. That is as far as her patience would take her. She literally pounced on her husband, catching hm by surprise, knocking him onto the bed. She quickly took advantage, slithering on top. She released her bra, dropping it on the rug, then sat back enough to give Rick clearance to remove his t-shirt. Tonight, she was the aggressor, eagerly seeking Rick's mouth with a fierce kiss, demanding and getting entrance, exploring the now familiar territory, loving the taste of him and enjoying dueling with his tongue. After a few minutes Kate lifted her mouth away, presenting her elegant neck for attention, especially the sensitive spot under her ear, Rick kissed down her throat, toyed with her pulse point and then took one already engorged nipple into his mouth, lightly nipping it then soothing it with his tongue. Kate moaned with pleasure and felt the heat building quickly as he repeated the performance on her other breast, He placed open mouthed kisses down her abdomen hen bypassing where she really wanted him, kissing and lightly nipping her inner thighs, she could already feel the warm wetness seeping from her core.
"Stop teasing me, you rat! Put that tongue of yours to good use and I don't men talking!" Rick cheerfully obliged, using talented tongue and fingers together to bring Kate to her first shuddering orgasm. She barely recovered from that, when Rick began working her up again, but Kate took charge, "Enough play my Darling, I want you in me now."
Quickly sheathing himself, he slipped into Kate's waiting warmth establishing their now familiar rhythm, bringing them both to climax within seconds of each other.
In the afterglow of their love making, Kate lay snuggled safely in Rick's arms.
"Let's stay like this for a few more minutes, my Darling then we need to bathe. Separately, or we'll have to each bathe twice. In the morning, all we'll have time for is a quick rinse."
On the night of the of the thirteenth, under cover of darkness a German task force slipped out of Toulon and headed for the invasion fleet. Intending to disrupt the initial landing in a hit and run raid. It consisted of the heavy cruiser Litzow, he light cruisers Leipzig and Nurnberg. Four destroyers two corvettes and twelve S-boats. The Germans had depended on the cover of darkness and the morning fog to screen their actions and the scatter from the nearby islands to confuse allied radar. It didn't work. The task force was picked up on the improved radar on Corsica and ships were detached from the naval force to meet them. The heavy cruisers U.S.S. Omaha and U.S.S. Portland, the lightcruisers U.S.S. Denver and U.S.S. Santa Fe, four destroyers. The U.S.S. Moale, U.S.S Ingraham, U.S.S. Cooper and U.S.S. English and the British corvettes HMS Arrowhead and HMS Bluebell
Just before dawn, Rick and Kate were awakened, Rick was to lead out one squadron from his group and one from the British squadron. Half an hour later they were underway.
Aboard the Litzow:
Kapitan zur See Karl-Heinz Hauser reported to Konter Admiral Friedrich Georg Lange.
"Herr Admiral radar has picked up an allied force heading to intercept our force. We appear to have parity at least in hulls We can't tell at this range if the cruisers are heavy or light. Shall we abort?"
"Not yet. Our orders are firm we must delay this landing force if at all possible."
Although both the allied and German torpedo boats were out front scouting the action was initiated at ten miles by the Litzow. The initial salvo was a ranging salvo and fell short.
The Portland returned fire, also a ranging salvo, also short, but not by much, coming within one hundred yards of the Litzow. The Allied ships spread out and the German commander realized what he was up against. He was appalled. He knew that his raid had turned into a full battle which he had little chance of winning. He was outnumbered in ships by only one ship but the second heavy cruiser outgunned and outranged his light cruisers.
His only chance was to disengage and run. He knew that he would probably be shot for it, but at least he could save most of his men.
He gave the order to withdraw, but it was far too late.
The Omaha also opened fire. Her salvo coming even closer to the Litzow than the Portland's had. The American ships had radar gun directors, coupled with the visual directors and the reports from the four-scout aircraft spotting the fall of shot.
Although the withdrawal had been ordered, a massive warship doesn't turn quickly. The allied task force came to full speed ahead, radar tracking the German force as well as the spotting aircraft.
The German commander ordered his destroyers and torpedo boats forward to attempt to delay the allied force and give his major ships a chance to escape. Again, too late. The destroyers and S-boats went to flank speed, but the cruisers had Litzow's range. Both ships turned slightly so that all her main guns could bear. Each heavy cruiser had nine eight- inch guns in three turrets and eight five-inch guns in four turrets all eighteen eight-inch guns and eight of the five-inch guns could be brought to bear on the Litzow.
Radar tracked the German ship as she started her turn. A veritable rain of shell fell on the Litzow. Only about one shell in three hit the cruiser but within ten minutes she taken fifteen hits from the eight-inch shells and twelve from the faster firing but fewer fives.
Two shells hit the number one turret within seconds of each other taking that turret out of action. Far more serious, in an event that mimicked the Bismarck's fate she was hit in the stern, which damaged her rudder and warped one starboard propeller shaft another shell caused a leak in an oil bunker. The German ship was fought with great skill and courage and did manage to score hits on both American cruisers, the outcome was never in doubt.
Aboard the Litzow:
"Herr Kapitan we cannot steer properly, the rudder is damaged, the steering motor heavily damaged. The damage control officer reported. We have also lost number one turret and one of the fire directors."
"Very well, commander see what you can do about making repairs."
Admiral Lange was no fool. Two heavy cruisers to his one, the American light cruisers and destroyers were newer and better armed than his own, He couldn't win unless the Americans made a major. error and he didn't think that likely. He would save as many good sailors as he could.
As he was pondering exactly what to do, the number two turret was taken out. He called the political officer to the bridge. Not a true naval officer, SS scum in a naval uniform.
"You wanted to see me, Herr Admiral?"
"Yes, I did, Zeitler. You are under arrest. The admiral took his pistol from behind his back, aiming at Zeitler's head Before he could react Zeitler was disarmed. The admiral called in his aide
"Take him to the brig."
The two German light cruisers only exchanged a few salvos with their American counterparts before they turned to disengage. In both cases, the political officers suffered fatal accidents. One fell overboard, the other fell down a companionway, breaking his neck.
The Litzow was still turning, although, slowly. Admiral Lange ordered the aft turrets to cease fire, hoping that the allies could see that he was disengaging. Another shell hit, taking out the radio and radar masts. Lange couldn't countermand the order to his destroyers and S-boats.
Four more heavy hits and Lange ordered all stop. Indicating that he was surrendering. He wouldn't scuttle the ship. He knew the war was lost and there wasn't a damn thing the Nazi high command could do to him. Better for his men and officers to be prisoners of war than dead.
Aboard the Portland.
"Admiral Johnson, the Litzow has stopped firing and is slowing. I'm pretty sure that she' out of the fight. Maybe surrendering.".
"You may be right, Captain Wayne. But there's no message."
"We may have knocked out her radios and the light cruisers are bugging out!"
"Very well, order cease fire on the cruiser and shift fire on the destroyers.
The destroyers valiantly did their best, but they had no chance at all. With eight ships firing on them, three were quickly sunk wi8thout doing any significant damage. The fourth managed to get a torpedo off but it's exploder was faulty and it exploded short of the Omaha's hull showering the ship's side with shrapnel. Two men on a forty- millimeter mount was killed and two more wounded.
Not two minutes later, the German destroyer was hit by two torpedoes from the U.S.S. Cooper and sank within minutes. The two German Corvettes didn't even try to make a fight of it. They both turned and fled. Ion less than an hour, the battle was, for all intents and purposes, over
The S-boat squadron commander was neither a dedicated Nazi nor a fool. Seeing double his number of allied torpedo boats coming at him, he ordered the squadron to split up and head for the nearest friendly ports.
Aboard the Portland.
"Will we pursue the fleeing ships, Admiral?"
"No, let them go. They're not a significant threat and a stern chase is a long one. I doubt if we could catch them before they make port. I'm more interested in finding out what Litzow is up to. Tell the little boys to stand by. No need to waste fuel chasing the S-boats."
The order was given. Castle was perfectly happy to follow that order. A brilliant, aggressive commander when he needed to be, he wasn't bloodthirsty, not having to risk his men was fine with him.
The Germans had managed to jury rig a radio mast and antenna.
Aboard the Litzow.
"Communications officer, do you have a technician who speaks English?
"Jawohl Herr Admiral."
"Have the technician see if he can raise the American commander on the international emergency frequency."
"Jawohl Herr Admiral."
"KMS Litzowcalling the American task force commander, KMS Litzowcalling the American task force commander, KMS Litzowcalling the American task force commander, over.
There was a space of a few minutes when a reply came in.
"KMS Litzow, this is Rear Admiral Jason Johnson aboard the U.S.S. Portland. To whom am I speaking?"
Like many German officers, Lange spoke English.
"Í am Konter Admiral Friedrich Lange I have the honor to command KMS Litzow. My ship is heavily damaged and I have many crewmen wounded. I wish to save men. I wish to surrender my ship."
"I will accept your surrender under the terms that you not scuttle your ship. All small arms to be thrown overboard except those of yourself and your executive officer. I will send a security team aboard. Any man resisting, after the surrender will be shot. After the surrender, you and your executive officer will come aboard my ship. You have my word that your men will be well treated, under the Geneva convention."
"I accept your terms, Herr Admiral."
Lange put armed men he trusted, guarding the scuttling valves and explosive charges.
When the Portland and Omaha came up on either side of the Litzow and security teams went aboard and American doctors went aboard to aid the German doctors with the wounded.
The rudder was partially repaired but nothing could be done, at sea for the warped propeller shaft. The Omaha and the Santa FE would escort the ship to England, where the seriously wounded went into hospitals. The healthy and lightly wounded were put on ships bound for America to end the war as prisoners of war.
On 17 August a U.S. destroyer sank two German corvettes and that pretty much ended the naval actions except for shore bombardment.
By mid- September the Germans were pushed back almost to the border og Germany, Toulon and Marsalis were taken and Genoa blockaded.
With southern Italy now on the allied side the threat of axis naval forces in the southern Mediterranean was effectively over. The group returned to Dover relieving the green American squadron that had been serving
With coastal Command until the group returned and that squadron joined the group giving the American forces three full squadrons under Castle's command, although there was little for them to do other than patrolling as the German naval forces were withdrawing to German home ports.
By the time the time the group had returned, refitted and rearmed. Cherbourg had been liberated. Rick and Kate had a solid month and a half together at home before Castle's group- was transferred again based in Cherbourg This time it was just the American squadrons. Leaving Kate with her unit at Dover.
TBC
Author's note: As I did with Burning Blue, this story will continue beyond WWII with the lives of the Castle clan.
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Swordwriter
