East Kodiak Disaster

The East Kodiak Disaster was a series of engagements on the East Kodiak peninsula between Mill Bay and Monaska Bay between September 1st 1997 and March 20th 1998. The protracted fighting began with what was expected to be a swift and decisive offensive by forces of the Kodiak Oblast attempting to back the Eastern regions of Kodiak city. 
However it devolved into bitter and prolonged fighting, with Oblast forces having to overrun Yelloman positions as well as track down and eliminate Yelloman forces in the dense forest. The fighting lead to Yelloman forces being wiped off the peninsula, as well as the collapse of all Yelloman territory south of the Monaska mountains
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==Background==
===Prelude===
The only major engagement between the Kodiak Oblast and the Church of Yelloman was the Battle of Borough in 1996, which although a Yelloman victory did not change the fortunes of the forces in the area. Since mid 1996 Yelloman forces had obviously been on the decline, losing the Anton area as well as the collapse of the Southwest pocket towards the end of 1996. 
Apart from small regional victories the Yelloman forces found little to no success, gaining no ground and barely being able to maintain what they had. East Kodiak, under the control of the church since it’s founding had been holding its own against the Oblast despite repeated attacks. Kept alive by the lifeline of the Monaska bay road, East Kodiak was continually reinforced and resupplied in order to maintain the church of Yelloman’s access to the sea, should they need it. 
However after a series of further setbacks, the Monaska bay road was cut off by Oblast forces leaving East Kodiak cut off and on its own. A sizeable Yelloman force under Joseph Valera held the peninsula, determined to brave the Oblast onslaught and fight until the end. They were kept alive by the hope that Yelloman forces would retake Monaska bay road and relieve them. Further fortifications were erected and the forces prepared for the fight ahead.
===Battles of Monaska Road and East Kodiak City===
The two most valuable positions held by the Church of Yelloman on the peninsula were the portion of Monaska Bay road still in their control, and the portion of East Kodiak City they held, which had a small dock that could be used for sea travel. These were also the first targets of the Oblast, which prepare their offensive with artillery and armored vehicles.
Quickly sweeping through the Bay View community, Oblast forces moved up Monaska Bay road and toward the Yelloman fortifications. They hit the fortifications on the 2nd of September and slowed their offensive to prevent reckless casualties. The Yelloman fortifications along the road featured a network of entrenchments, buildings constructed of wood from the dense forests as well as fortified buildings. These would be the cornerstones of the Yelloman defense in the area. 
A siege of these fortifications would last until the end of September, when after continuous shelling had rendered the fortifications nearly indefensible, Oblast forces swept in and overran the positions.
East Kodiak City would first be attacked from the south of the peninsula, through the streets of East Kodiak City under the control of the Oblast. Forces would also advance through the forests towards the city in an attempt to cut it off. Knowing that these attempts into the city would be easily stopped but take up precious amounts of Yelloman troops, plans were drawn for an amphibious assault on the docks of East Kodiak City. 
On September 7th Oblast troops landed on the beaches and dock of East Kodiak City, quickly sweeping up the Yelloman forces present there. With their access to the coast cut off, Yelloman forces prepared for bitter urban combat in the city. However Oblast troops did not attempt to storm the occupied buildings, instead resolving to let the Yelloman troops in the building starve. 
A small fraction forces would surrender to the Oblast, the majority choosing a hopeless assault on the Oblast troops occupying the city. 
===Battle of the Old Cemetery===
On October 2nd, forces of the Oblast moved in against the Yelloman defenders of a historical cemetery called “The Old Cemetery.” The cemetery was heavily fortified, with trenches running along hills, as well as tombstones being dug up and used to reinforce positions. To add to the potency of the position, the Yelloman forces dug a series of ditches and holes on the approach to the cemetery in order to prevent access by armored vehicles, as well as curbing the speed of advancing infantry.
As the Oblast infantry advanced they were initially bogged down by the obstacles, launching sporadic firefights between the entrenched Yelloman troops and the Oblast troops struggling across the broken landscape. As Oblast artillery began blasting the cemetery fortifications the Oblast infantry were able to advance into the fortifications and sweep them of Yelloman troops.
Fierce fighting ensued as Oblast troops methodically cleared each stretch of the Yelloman fortifications, engaging in close quarters combat as they overran foxholes. By nightfall the Yelloman positions around the old cemetery were completely overrun, with any surviving troops falling back to Fort Abercrombie
===Siege of Fort Abercrombie===
Fort Abercrombie was the strongest position held by the Yelloman troops on the East Kodiak peninsula. Formerly a WW2 coastal defense fort, Abercrombie proved a very easily defensible position for the Yelloman forces and provided a commanding position over the Monaska Bay, should they acquire the artillery to properly utilize it. 
The Kodiak Oblast was well aware of the value of the fort to the Church of Yelloman, and considered the capture of the fort to be the primary objective of the seizure of East Kodiak.
Knowing that sweeping the fort would be a costly and slow effort, the Kodiak Oblast shelled the fortress in an attempt to cause a collapse in the forces holding out there. However due to the strong construction of the walls, as well as much of the fortification being underground. 
The shelling lasted from the 2nd of October until the 4th, yielding little to no results. It succeeded in destroying many of the remaining above ground structures, although there were actually no troops stationed in these structures. 
At 2 AM on the 5th of October, Oblast troops approached the fortress and swept the ruins above the ground, finding nothing. The troops found the entrance to the underground levels of the fort, but refrained from entering until they had a proper read on the situation. When they finally gained the confidence to advance into the fort, Oblast troops attempted to clear the way by throwing frag grenades down the stairs into the fort. After they had detonated, the Oblast troops entered, but were immediately caught in crossfire by the Yelloman troops inside. Oblast reinforcements then entered, and were caught in an extended firefight inside the entrance to the fort.
By 6 AM, the Oblast had gained a tenuous control of the entrance to the fort, bringing in reinforcements in preparation to sweep the rest of the fort. The rest of the combat inside Fort Abercrombie would see Oblast troops take another chamber of the fort, before losing it a counter attack to the Yelloman troops, then regain it the same day. Brutal combat continued well into the 10th of October, with the Oblast making almost no gains in the fort. 
However the fortunes of the Oblast troops would change when they received a fresh supply of grenades that would better allow them to clear the fort. Utilizing frag grenades, smoke grenades and even tear gas, Oblast troops flooded the room they were going to clear with these explosives, rush through, and then flood the next room with explosives. This tactic proved effective but costly, with many Oblast troops still being killed as quickly as the Yelloman troops.
 
In the final move to clear the fort, the Oblast forces flooded the fortress with smoke grenades of various colors, making the interior nearly impossible to navigate. In addition, the smoke made breathing inside the fort incredibly difficult and the Yelloman troops would likely capitulate. Knowing their fate was pretty much sealed, the Yelloman troops resolved to gather their remaining ammunition, and make a desperate breakout.
On the 12th of October, Yelloman troops gathered in their rooms and prepared to charge when the Oblast deployed their next salvo of smoke grenades. When the smoke had filled the fort, the Yelloman troops began their ferocious advance, catching the Oblast troops inside off guard. Many Oblast troops were ran through with bayonets or beaten to death with butts of rifles in the confusion. In the chaos the Oblast troops fell back from the fort, abandoning their hold on the entrance of the fort. 
They regrouped outside of the fort, leaving behind weapons they had stashed in the ruins of the fort. After this successful counter attack, there would be a lull in the fighting until the beginning of January.
===Stalemate===
As October came to a close, Oblast forces ceased offensive operations because their supplies were reaching their end and they needed a chance to resupply and consolidate. They also took the chance to combat Church of Yelloman forces on the Western end of Monaska Bay, fearing they were trying to reinforce the Yelloman troops on the East Kodiak peninsula. After these attempts had been thwarted, the fighting in East Kodiak reached an uneasy ceasefire, with neither side being willing to make any offensive actions. 
The Oblast troops entrenched themselves in the portion of East Kodiak they possessed, preparing for a proper siege to cut off the Yelloman forces and wait for them to starve out. 
The Yelloman forces on the other hand, although able to cling onto Fort Abercrombie, were in a desperate situation. They had lost the majority of the peninsula, and most importantly the dock in East Kodiak City that would allow them access to resupply by boat. 
The troops lived off of animals they hunted in the forests they held, as well as seizing food from the small lodgings among the forestry of East Kodiak. In addition to this, they would receive minimal supplies from Yelloman forces who crossed the Monaska Bay in small boats and would deliver food and ammunition. 
Some of these forces would volunteer to stay, slightly bolstering the defenses of Yelloman-held East Kodiak. 
As the new year of 1998 dawned there had been no fighting no nearly a month. Both sides uneasily held their positions, ready for the other side to make a move. The Oblast forces did not bother with shelling the Yelloman troops, since they had no targets, nearly all Yelloman fortifications were deep in the forests or underground in Fort Abercrombie.
Category:Battles