afterglow

Chapter 648 Look at you, you are anxious again; unexpected surprise

Cheng Jian thought that instead of thinking of such a strategy, it would be better to attack the Hawaiian route directly, forcing the US fleet to come forward and engage in a head-on confrontation between the two sides.

This has two great advantages. First, you don't have to disperse your strength because of the bait, and second, it avoids the possibility of things going wrong.

The more complicated the chain of plans, the greater the possibility of an unexpected failure leading to a complete loss.

Although Cheng Jian was highly appreciated by Ouyang Zhanghua, he was not constrained to refute the opinions of his successors.

"Hey, look at you, you are anxious again. The ancient saying 'Don't attack a large formation' is not without reason. A large formation means a strong army, and a strong army is difficult to defeat. Naturally, this is not the best strategy. You should avoid the strong and attack the weak, and attack where the enemy must defend. Using a combination of the real and the false, and multiple feints to lure the enemy into exposing their omissions and making mistakes, this is undoubtedly more appropriate." Ouyang Zhanghua objected.

He felt that although Cheng Jian, the young man who stood out, was extremely smart and meticulous, he was still a little rigid and superstitious about fair and open fleet battles.

If the battle is one in which the strong attacks the weak, Cheng Jian's style is the most suitable. He can ensure that nothing goes wrong and the enemy is left without any chance of fighting back.

But now it is a showdown between two strong forces after all. If they don't find a way to gain extra advantages through strategies, the outcome will most likely be a lose-lose situation.

However, that was not possible. The bottom line that the Ming Navy could accept was to injure one thousand enemies and lose eight hundred of their own.

Cheng Jian's proposal was not adopted in the end.

After the staff worked day and night, the battle plan was completed. The task force organized by the Ming army was:

The Type 99 Special Forces Fleet that attacked Hawaii acted as bait to deceive the real thing.

①空袭舰队——2艘舰队航母、1艘轻型航母、3艘护航航母、3艘防空巡洋舰、10艘驱逐舰。

>Ziwei Zuoyuan No. 1

>Ziwei Youyuan No. 1

>HMS Fomalhaut

>Baoding escort aircraft carrier

>USS Zhending escort aircraft carrier

>Escort aircraft carrier Yanping

>H.T.H. Anti-aircraft Cruiser
>Iris anti-aircraft cruiser
>HMS Hollyhock

② Bombardment fleet: 2 Zhenguan-class battleships, 2 Yinshan-class heavy cruisers, 1 seaplane carrier, and 4 destroyers.

> Battleship Zhenguan
> Battleship Yonghui
>HMS Yinshan

>HMS Yanshan

>Dongting Lake Watercraft Mothership
③ Torpedo Fleet - 3 light cruisers, 2 super destroyers, and 15 destroyers.

>Heishuijiang light cruiser
>Jinshajiang light cruiser
> Yujiang light cruiser

In addition, there is a support squadron consisting of 1 high-speed oiler, 7 low-speed oil tankers, and 6 ammunition supply ships.

Then there was the Type 120 Special Forces Fleet, which was responsible for annihilating the main force of the Pacific Fleet.

① The 2st Air Attack Squadron - 1 fleet aircraft carriers, 3 seaplane carrier, 6 anti-aircraft cruisers, and destroyers.

>Taiwei Zuoyuan aircraft carrier

> Chang Gung Ship Mother

>West Lake Watercraft Mothership

>HMS Chlorophytum
> Jasmine anti-aircraft cruiser
> Suzuran Air Defense Cruiser
②The Second Air Attack Squadron - 3 fleet aircraft carriers, 1 seaplane carrier, 3 anti-aircraft cruisers, and 8 destroyers.

>Qiming Ship Mother

>Tianshu Equipment Mother

>Gou Chen aircraft carrier

>Taihu Watercraft Mothership

>HMS Bauhinia air defence cruiser
>HMS Clove
>HMS Hibiscus anti-aircraft cruiser
③炮击舰队——3艘战列舰、2艘战列巡洋舰、2艘特务战列舰、2艘重型巡洋舰、7艘驱逐舰。

> Battleship Yongle
>Xuan De battleship
> Kaihuang battleship

> Yongyuan Battle Cruiser

> Battlecruiser Yuanxing

>Chenghua Special Operations Battleship
>Zhengde Special Operations Battleship
>Qinling Heavy Cruiser

>HMS Nanling

And a support squadron consisting of 7 high-speed oiler ships, 3 low-speed oil tankers, and 4 ammunition supply ships.

明军参战序列达到了7艘舰队航母、1艘轻型航母、3艘护航航母、2艘水机母舰、5艘战列舰、2艘战列巡洋舰、2艘袖珍战列舰、4艘重型巡洋舰、12艘轻型（防空）巡洋舰、50艘驱逐舰。

The Qinling-class heavy cruiser was the new favorite of the Ming Navy last year, but it was short-lived and fell out of favor this year.

Her standard displacement is 1.85 tons. Her power configuration is the same as the Wuyishan class, with eight heavy oil boilers and four steam turbines. The maximum power is 12 horsepower. Her beam is 24.8 meters, which is relatively fat. However, by optimizing the ship shape and increasing the propeller diameter, the maximum speed can still reach 31.5 knots.

The most eye-catching feature of the Qinling class is its firepower. The three triple-mounted seven-and-a-half-inch (3㎜) and fifty-four-caliber main guns mean that it has no rivals among heavy cruisers of the same class. In addition, the main armor belt on the side is 240㎜ thick and the deck armor is 160㎜ thick, with moderate protection capabilities.

The artillery battle between surface ships is extremely unreasonable. It is true that an inch bigger gun can kill a person.

The big ship and big gun faction in the Ming Navy firmly believed in this truth - a firing rate that is twice as fast is not as good as a caliber that is one inch larger, so they chose this type of main gun which could be regarded as the finishing touch.

Apart from this, there is nothing else to praise about the Qinling class. The rest of the design is quite traditional and conservative, and the slightly slower speed has become the most complained about aspect.

But there was a good side as well - the Qinling and Nanling were completed and commissioned in time to catch up with the most intense and heated stage of the war, rather than arriving late at the end of the war or even after it ended.

The Ming Navy was stationed in various anchorages in the Pacific Ocean. The action plan was kept highly confidential. To ensure safety, all departure orders were delivered by special personnel by plane.

After intensive training against all odds, the Gou Chen has basically developed combat effectiveness, but it cannot compare with solid training with more time.

After the delivery of Tianshu on August 8, it took more than half a month to fix some minor problems. The training time was too short and it was impossible to organize the fleet to attack. The Ming Navy took her with it mainly to further improve the fleet's air detection capabilities, so Tianshu only brought 25 carrier-based fighters.

Starting from September 9, the Ming army warships set out from Guam, Truk Atoll, Midway Island and other places, and did not complete assembly until October 24.

The fleet then split into two and rushed eastward.

A few days earlier, the 44th Infantry Division, which had captured Dutch Harbor earlier in the year, sent out a troop.

This was essentially a temporary mixed regiment, based on an infantry regiment with additional engineering, artillery, and logistics units, totaling more than 3,000 people. They were ordered to advance northeastward along the Aleutian Islands and advance to the vicinity of Lake Iliamna, thus posing a threat to Anchorage.

There were almost no roads along the way, and these more than 3,000 people could only cut a path through the mountains and build bridges over the water. In order to ensure the smooth flow of the long and fragile supply line, they had to set up a logistics station every few dozen kilometers.

Because the Ming army moved more slowly, the American army became the first to become restless.

Under pressure from all sides, Chester Nimitz, after weighing the pros and cons, ordered the task force to head north to the Aleutian Islands and counterattack Unalaska Island (Dutch Harbor).

After comprehensively analyzing past battles, he estimated that the Ming army must be playing tricks again this time, and might have planned a huge conspiracy waiting for them.

Therefore, the unexpected counterattack on Dutch Harbor should be able to disrupt the deployment of the Ming army, lead them by the nose, and take the initiative into their own hands.

Anyway, now we are seeking a decisive battle. If the Ming fleet comes to support, it will be a good opportunity to start a decisive battle, and we will achieve the same goal by different means.

On October 10, the TF-5 task force left San Diego and headed north.

"What a pity! If it was a month later, we could have more Essex." Someone said regretfully.

"It doesn't make sense. It's the same for us and the Chinese," Raymond Spruance said calmly.

Looking at the war game being played on the table, Major General Mark Mitchell said worriedly: "Our forces are very close. This will not be an easy battle."

"Just do your best." William Halsey said easily, imitating Nimitz's tone.

In fact, the three Essex-class aircraft carriers, Franklin, Hornet, and Wasp, have also been completed and put into service. However, the US military faces the same difficulties as the Ming army, that is, these brand-new aircraft carriers cannot keep up with this naval and air battle.

The sky over the Pacific Ocean was shrouded in clouds of doubt, and the fleets of both sides were heading towards the unknown amid suspicion and caution.

The largest aircraft carrier task force in human history is in action, leaving hundreds of white tracks on the deep blue sea, stretching for hundreds or even thousands of meters...

Zhou Changfeng had learned about the Navy's arrangements a few days ago. In order to make the fake look real, the Navy requested that the Hawaiian Corps' aviation force also launch a massive attack to create an all-out and all-out attack.

"They sent out two armored aircraft carriers as bait. How generous of them," he said with emotion.

Since a naval battle that will determine the situation is about to take place, Zhou, as the commander of the theater, must make comprehensive plans.

Although the Ming army on Maui Island is currently being tied down, it has sufficient manpower, equipment, and supplies and its combat effectiveness is good.

If the side has the upper hand after the naval battle, then a full-scale offensive plan will be activated; otherwise, a plan to hold on to the spot or a plan to retreat will be activated depending on the situation.

By the eve of this unprecedented naval and air war, the two sides' shore-based aviation forces had deployed more than 2,800 aircraft in Hawaii.

Kauai - 199 fighters, 36 medium bombers, and 12 transport aircraft.

瓦胡岛——战斗机790架、中型轰炸机292架、战斗轰炸机140架、岸基中型鱼雷机141架、侦察机33架、运输机134架、水上飞机35架。

Lanai Island - 92 fighters, 9 reconnaissance aircraft, and 8 seaplanes.

The Ming Army Air Force and Naval Aviation had a total of 1921 combat aircraft. Although they had been replaced several times in the long-term air attrition war, the average full-strength rate reached 97%, and they still maintained a nearly fully equipped and fully staffed state.

However, due to casualties and the Ministry of War's implementation of the "Draft Measures for the Rotation and Training of Experienced Pilots", a large number of veteran pilots were transferred back to their home country.

If the original Hawaiian Air Force could be called experienced, then now it can only be considered as initially trained.

In addition, there are 144 fighter jets and 29 seaplanes of the North Korean Air Force. Although this force is small in size, its performance has always been acceptable.

They can be said to be the only reliable combat unit of the vassal state of North Korea. The army cannot even perform the task of maintaining public security and stability, and the navy's anti-submarine escort is also lackluster.

After repeated disappointments, the Ming army concluded that the Joseon army was useless except for its air force, and that it might only be useful in building roads and bridges.

On October 10, the Ming army's decoy fleet was discovered by the U.S. submarine Dart (SS-10) while sailing along the Tropic of Cancer.

Upon learning that this fleet consisted of five or six aircraft carriers, Chester Nimitz, who was at the headquarters, ordered the task force to abandon the counterattack on Dutch Harbor and immediately move south to engage in battle.

It can be said that the Ming Navy's strategic deception was relatively successful.

Submarines were difficult to observe and distinguish between true and false, and most of the seaplanes sent out for reconnaissance were intercepted. Therefore, for a long time the US military mistakenly believed that the ships in the Ming army's decoy fleet were fleet aircraft carriers.

At the same time, the Ming army's shore-based aviation force also conscientiously carried out the order and launched a large-scale attack under unfavorable conditions where the aircraft performance was at a disadvantage.

On October 10, the escort carrier USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-11), which was performing an offshore airfield mission, was sunk by several golden eagles.

Raymond Spruance, who received the order, did not dare to delay and immediately led the fleet to change course and head straight for Hawaii.

At this time, the US task force was roughly near the 45th parallel north latitude.

If the fleet sails south at a cruising speed of 14 knots, it will take 118 hours to arrive.

During this period, the main fleet of the Ming army maneuvered to the sea 1200 km north of Hawaii, sailing in a Z-shaped anti-submarine mode, waiting for the opportunity.

The flagship of the A-120 Special Forces Fleet, Chang Gung, conveyed pre-war instructions through lantern language: "A war is imminent. This war concerns the overall situation. All officers and soldiers must respond decisively and annihilate the main force of the enemy fleet. Let's encourage each other."

What Ouyang Zhanghua and others did not expect was that the U.S. military could not wait and marched north, but halfway through the journey suddenly turned south.

They estimated that the enemy should come from the east or southeast, but the US fleet actually came from the north.

At this moment, the straight-line distance between the two fleets was 1510 km, and both sides knew nothing about each other.

Time passed minute by minute, and the fierce battle over the Hawaiian Islands lasted from dawn to dusk.

Two days later, on October 10, the US aircraft fleet that set out from Oshima to attack the Ming army's decoy fleet confirmed a terrible fact - several ships in this fleet were not fleet carriers at all, but only escort aircraft carriers.

Subsequently, the TF-58 task force received an urgent telegram from the Pacific Fleet Command, informing them that there were likely 3 to 4 Ming fleet aircraft carriers hiding in the dark and lurking, and they must be careful.

"Oh my God, this is terrible. Listen, execute the reconnaissance plan, I want the reconnaissance squadron to take off immediately. Now! Now! Now!"

Raymond Spruance was horrified and hurriedly implemented the search plan ahead of time.

The fleet is surrounded by calm seas and clear blue skies, but beneath this tranquility lies danger!

隶属于VS-10、VS-11、VS-16、VS-3中队的寇蒂斯SB2C地狱俯冲者纷纷起飞，向西南方、南方、东南方展开航向相互重叠的搜索，从而最小化错漏的可能性。

这一刻是10月13日13：30，明美主力舰队之间相距690㎞，大约十几个小时后就会进入舰载机的作战半径。

But at this moment, an accident occurred on the Essex-class ship HMS Valiant, and one of its boilers malfunctioned. Similar situations occurred on the other two boilers half an hour later.

Did the rookie sailors screw up? Was the heavy oil contaminated with impurities? Was the heavy oil heating equipment faulty?
It is not yet clear what the exact reason is.

The Intrepid was unable to maintain its cruising speed, now only reaching 12 knots, and the incomplete combustion of heavy oil caused billowing black smoke to billow out of the chimney and go straight into the sky, as if it had been severely damaged. TF-58.1 Fleet Commander Mark Mitchell could only order her to hurry up to troubleshoot the problem and send three destroyers for protection.

【Pictures——Famous scenes】

(End of this chapter)