Age of Rebirth

Dazuo Terayama was surprised. He couldn't figure out whether Commander Takasu's words were a compliment or a sarcasm to him?

"Terayama-kun, don't be surprised!" Lieutenant General Takasu smiled gently and said, "As you said, we have been searching for a few days without success. This small fleet of China appeared too suddenly. I can be sure that this bait is a lure. Our First Fleet will pursue it!"

Chief of Staff Terayama was even more confused, and asked like a goose: "Commander, the department doesn't understand, since you have concluded that this is a conspiracy by the Chinese, why did you send a carrier-based aircraft group to attack? "

"Terayama-kun, although it is a decoy, it is a prey before it works!" Lieutenant General Takasu said confidently, "The attack aircraft group I sent out is only one-third of the current combat power of our First Fleet. But it is enough to eliminate this bait, isn’t there a saying in China that goes, ‘You can’t lose a lot of rice if you steal a chicken!’ It’s time for the Chinese people to have a taste of this!”

"Terayama-kun, order the fleet to turn around and sail to the waters of Sulawesi. At the same time, report the situation we found to Commander Yamamoto, and request the Joint Fleet Command to send the second fleet to reinforce us. I estimate that in the Sulu Sea There may be a large-scale decisive battle in the sea area!" General Takasu arranged calmly. ￠￡top￠￡point￠￡small￠￡ said,

So far, Chief of Staff Terayama has completely understood Commander Takasu's intentions and tactical arrangements. He couldn't help but look at his superior with admiration, raised his chest, and replied loudly: "Yes! Your Excellency, Commander, convey your order immediately. !"

Ten minutes later, there were more than 30 Japanese carrier-based fighter jets and more than 30 carrier-based bombers.Take off from the two aircraft carriers, and then form a mixed formation in the air.Pounce at full speed towards the waters near Busuanga Island, and at the same time.Dozens of warships from the First Fleet drew a large arc on the surface of the Sulu Sea, turned around and sailed towards the waters of Sulawesi.

In Balikpapan, Kalimantan Island, at the front-line command post of the Southern Aviation Group of the Independent Division Air Force, Le Yiqin wandered around the house with his hands behind his back. The weather in the Southwest Pacific in early July was already very hot.He was sweating profusely, and his heart seemed to be on fire.

The division commander entrusted himself and Tang Qiuquan with the task of besieging and killing the First Fleet of the Combined Fleet of the Japanese Navy to form the joint naval and air combat command. The radius is a bit large.

According to the battle plan, the third squadron of the fleet moved forward to expose the target.The First Fleet that lured the little devil into pursuit, now that the bait has been thrown out, can the little devil take the bait?

It was at the stall where Le Yiqin was anxious.Chief of Staff He Zhijun came in, "Commander, report from the ground radar station. The Japanese First Fleet in the Sulu Sea has already moved. More than 30 carrier-based fighter jets and more than 30 bombers have been dispatched to kill our Third Fleet." past!"

"That's good!" Le Yiqin let out a long breath of relief. "As long as the little devil reacts, the First Fleet will follow closely behind?"

He Zhijun shook his head and replied: "Commander, according to the reports from the ground radar station and our reconnaissance plane, at the same time as the Japanese carrier-based aircraft group was dispatched, the First Fleet of the Japanese Navy's Combined Fleet turned around and headed southeast!"

"What?" Le Yiqin exclaimed in surprise, he immediately realized that the bait's trick had been seen through by the little devil's commander, "Zhijun, immediately send a telegram to Commander Tang to inform him of the situation and put forward our suggestions, Immediately dispatch land-based fleets from Kalimantan, Mindanao, and Luzon to attack the little devil's fleet!"

"By the way, where is Commander Tang's fleet now?" Le Yiqin asked again.

"In the waters near the Barak Strait!" He Zhijun replied, seeing that the commander did not speak any more, he hurriedly sent a telegram.

"It's neither far nor close to the little devil's first fleet. It seems that we can't count on it for the time being!" Le Yiqin said to himself. According to the battle plan, the third squadron will take the little devil's first fleet The fleet was attracted to the waters near Busuanga Island. Then, the main force of the fleet passed through the Barrack Strait and followed the route. After several rounds of strikes by the land-based aircraft fleet, it gave the final blow to wipe out the little devil's first team at the lowest cost. a fleet.

Now, the commander of the Japanese First Fleet has clearly seen through this situation. If Tang Qiuquan's fleet follows the original plan, it will meet the Little Devil's First Fleet head-on. Although its strength is far greater than that of the Little Devil's First Fleet, It is obviously not cost-effective to fight such a battle. The Japanese combined fleet lost half of the First Fleet.

"Damn it! The little devil is smarter than a monkey!" Le Yiqin cursed angrily, wiping the sweat off her face.

"The situation is serious!" After seeing Le Yiqin's telegram, Tang Qiuquan's face suddenly became serious, and he said to Chief of Staff Xin Xiguo: "Xiguo, the situation has changed, order the first and second carrier-based fighter regiments to immediately Take off, cover the third squadron, and wipe out the Japanese mixed carrier fleet!"

"At the same time, order the fleet to pass through the Barak Strait at full speed, rushing to reach the waters of the Cagayan Islands before the Japanese First Fleet is complete, and block its southward retreat."

"Call back, Commander Le, I agree with your plan. The land-based fleet of the Southern Flying Group will attack immediately. The fleet will intercept the Japanese First Fleet retreating south in the waters of the Cagayan Islands!"

On the flagship Nagato, the main force of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy in the Java Sea, Admiral Yamamoto looked at Lieutenant Admiral Takasu’s telegram and said to Chief of Staff Matsuda with a smile: “Matsuda-san, the bait Takasu Shiro has finally caught Yu, he is very smart, he saw through the tricks of the Chinese people, did not let go of the bait, and immediately ordered his own fleet to move closer to the second fleet!"

"In this way, after swallowing the five warships of the China Fleet, my own fleet was not fooled. Sure enough, my head was calm, and I ordered the Second Fleet to immediately go to the waters of the Sulawesi Sea to meet the First Fleet. fleet!"

"Commander, what actions will the main force of the fleet take?" Chief of Staff Matsuda asked.

"Continue to search in the Java Sea!" Admiral Yamamoto said, "I believe that baits will continue to appear. Well, let's deal with the commander of the China Fleet!"

"Aren't you going to reinforce the First Fleet and Second Fleet?" Chief of Staff Matsuda couldn't help reminding.

Admiral Yamamoto couldn't help laughing, and said: "Matsuda-kun, when did you become so cautious, the First Fleet and the Second Fleet together, there are five aircraft carriers and nearly one hundred main battleships, do you think, Do you need reinforcements?"

"Oh!" Chief of Staff Matsuda smiled self-consciously, and explained the ridicule: "I am worrying too much!"

Tang Qiuquan's reply soon reached Le Yiqin's hands, and he said to Chief of Staff He Zhijun: "Chief of Staff, give an order, the first wave of attack aircraft will take off immediately, mainly to kill the little devil's carrier-based aircraft. The second wave fleet is on standby!"

A sea-air battle that took place in the Sulu Sea finally broke out. The first to take over was the mixed fleet of aircraft carriers of the First Fleet of the Japanese Navy. , captured the traces of Tu Guoxi's third fleet, five warships.

The commander of the Japanese fleet who led the team suddenly became excited and gave the order to attack. However, what he saw were not only five solitary warships of the independent division, but also more than 60 warships of the independent division swooping down from high altitude. Carrying fighter jets.

The number of combat aircraft on both sides is basically equal, but half of the Japanese army are bombers. In terms of the number of fighters, they are at an absolute disadvantage. Not only that, more than 30 bombers are now a burden. To face the independent division's carrier-based fighter jets and protect its own bombers, the result can be imagined.

The Japanese First Fleet was sailing towards the Sulawesi Sea at high speed. The commander, Lieutenant General Takasu, was silently calculating the time for the carrier aircraft fleet to take off. Suddenly, a staff officer came in and reported: "Your Excellency, Commander, received According to the report of the commander of the sortie fleet, Lieutenant Officer Hongo, his fleet has spotted the small fleet of the China Independent Division, and when it was about to attack, it was attacked by more than [-] carrier-based fighter jets of the China fleet!"

"Currently, the air combat situation is very unfavorable to Lieutenant Commander Hongo's fleet, and ten fighter jets have been lost!"

Lieutenant General Takasu's eyelids jumped, and he made a decisive decision, "Order Hongo Lieutenant Commander, immediately abandon the mission of attacking the small fleet of China, and quickly leave the air combat battlefield and return home!"

Lieutenant Admiral Takasu is not a fool. On the contrary, he has rich experience in commanding sea operations. He immediately judged that the main force of the China Fleet is in the waters near Busuanga Island. There are dozens of carrier-based aircraft, and he can be sure that the main fleet of the China Independent Division will definitely catch up!

The thinking was very clear, and the determination was decisive enough, but the actual situation on the battlefield was not as Lieutenant General Takasu had imagined. Since Tang Qiuquan was determined to kill this mixed Japanese fleet, he would not let it leave the battlefield and return to the voyage.

Lieutenant Admiral Takasu did not wait for the main naval fleet of the Independent Division to chase after him, but instead waited for the land-based fleet of the Southern Aviation Group of the Independent Division Air Force to come overwhelmingly.

The shrill siren echoed over the First Fleet, "Report to the commander, the Chinese army fleet is approaching the sky above our fleet!" A staff officer hurriedly reported to Lieutenant General Takasu.

"Quantity!" he asked urgently.

"About more than [-] fighter jets and more than [-] bombers!" The staff officer replied.

Lieutenant General Takasu's forehead was covered with cold sweat. This could not be the carrier-based aircraft of the China Independence Fleet, and it couldn't come so fast. Then, there is only one possibility, which is the land-based aircraft group of the China Independence Division Air Force.

This enemy, whom he has always despised, now shows his sharp fangs. There are more than 400 fighter jets, far exceeding the number of fighter jets in his own fleet!

(to be continued) (to be continued...)