Age of Rebirth

The Second Fleet in the Banda Sea area was suddenly attacked by the land-based aircraft fleet of the Independent Division Air Force. After reaching the hands of the combined fleet commander, Admiral Yamamoto, this experienced naval combatant almost wiped out the entire US Navy. The famous Japanese navy general suddenly had cold hands and feet, and his consciousness was in a trance for a while.

If it is said that Takasu Shiro's First Fleet was destroyed by the aircraft fleet of the Independent Division Air Force, he did not expect it, then it is absolutely unexpected that the Second Fleet is attacked by the same enemy now outside.

Admiral Yamamoto knew very well that Kondo's Second Fleet and all its carrier-based fighter jets were entangled by the Chinese fleet in the Sulawesi Sea and airspace. The current Second Fleet is a toothless tiger. A fleet of carrier-based aircraft is almost like a living target!

Reinforce Kondo Nobutake? Now we have this strength. However, from the western part of the Java Sea to the Maluku Strait in the eastern part of the Banda Sea, even if it is a carrier-based aircraft, it will take nearly two hours. It's too late, even if you arrive in time, how long can the carrier-based aircraft last for air combat with the remaining fuel in the aircraft after a long-distance flight?

The only solution is to land on the ship for refueling, but the problem is that the current Kondo's Second Fleet is under attack. This solution is no longer possible. Moreover, General Yamamoto still has a heartfelt fear that the Will the aviation commander of the independent division on the Southwest Pacific battlefield use the tactics against the First Fleet and the Second Fleet again on the main force of the United Fleet?

General Yamamoto was not sure. He felt intuitively that the commander of China's land-based air force was a daring guy who played against common sense. Ruthless enough, accurate enough, and enough money in hand.

General Yamamoto can also judge that the commander of the China Independent Division's aviation unit is a guy who has never commanded a naval battle. The tactics he adopts are completely land and air combat. The First Fleet and Second Fleet of China are both shrouded in the scope of the attack, but they have nothing to do.

"Matsuda-kun, does the Fleet Intelligence Headquarters have any information on the commander of the Intelligent Independent Division aviation unit in the Southwest Pacific?" Admiral Yamamoto asked through gritted teeth.

Chief of Staff Matsuda thought for a while, and replied: "Yes, but I don't know the details. It was transferred from the General Intelligence Bureau of the base camp. Le Yiqin, whose age is unknown, is a major general. In the independent division army, known as the "air warrior", commanding a powerful air force, it is estimated that there are more than [-] to [-] combat aircraft of various types!"

"This person is the confidant of Tang Qiuli, the devil of China, and he has made many military exploits. During the Indochina Peninsula Campaign two years ago, many air teams of the Imperial Army and Navy were all folded into the hands of this person, forming the Imperial Army and Navy Air Force. rival!"

"Le Yiqin!" General Yamamoto shook his head slowly, saying that he had never heard of it. When the empire was engaged in the Indochina Peninsula Campaign, he commanded the United Fleet and was in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, beating the head of the US Navy's Pacific Fleet. At that time, the land-based air force of China could not enter his eyes, but now he remembered the name.

"Matsuda-kun, it seems impossible to reinforce Kondo's Second Fleet now. According to your estimation, what is the worst outcome of the Second Fleet?" Admiral Yamamoto withdrew his thoughts and asked Chief of Staff Matsuda.

"Self-protection is okay, but there will inevitably be losses. It's hard to judge how much the loss will be!" Chief of Staff Matsuda said truthfully.

"En!" General Yamamoto didn't say anything, and slowly sat back on the chair, but his pupils tightened, and a dangerous cold light flashed in his eyes.

In the sea area of ​​Banda Sea, the attacking independent division aircraft group had returned to the voyage after fighting recklessly for nearly an hour. Lieutenant General Kondo sat back on the chair limply. He tilted his head, and through the porthole, he could see ten Several warships were burning with fire and emitting thick smoke, and there were continuous bursts of violent explosions, and several of them were gradually sinking.

In the command cabin of the fleet, there was complete silence. More than a dozen staff officers were watching the silent but livid Commander with nervous expressions.

More than ten minutes later, Chief of Staff Ichikawa Osamu came in, "Commander, the battle damage of the fleet has been calculated. Eighteen warships have been severely damaged and lost combat effectiveness. Among them, eight warships are sinking, and the rest are damaged. Under emergency repair!"

"How about the fleet's aircraft carrier?" Lieutenant Admiral Kondo is most concerned about the aircraft carrier. Without the aircraft carrier, does the Second Fleet still have enough meaning to exist?

"Fortunately, because our aircraft carrier is within the protective circle of the fleet's anti-aircraft firepower, it has not been attacked and is intact!" Chief of Staff Ichikawa replied.

"Huh!" Lieutenant General Kondo breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly remembered another thing, "Chief of Staff, has the carrier fleet started to return?"

The face of Chief of Staff Ichikawa suddenly collapsed, swallowed his saliva with difficulty, and replied: "The situation is very bad. The land-based aviation of the China Independent Division has increased the number of fighter jets. Now, our fleet is at Being divided and surrounded, we continue to fight hard, but the result is not optimistic!"

"Baga! Why did this happen?" Lieutenant General Kondo roared angrily, but who could answer his question, even he himself didn't know why he was so passive?Going to rescue others, but I became the target of being rescued!

Chief of Staff Ichikawa comforted: "Commander, this is the end of the matter, you have to take care of your health. Fortunately, the loss of the fleet warships is not too big, and the crisis is finally over!"

Lieutenant General Kondo shook his head, his intuition told him that the land-based aviation of the China Independent Division would definitely not let him go, they were a pack of hungry wolves, "Chief of Staff, order the severely damaged warship to leave the fleet immediately and sail back The Darwin naval port in northern Australia has undergone major repairs, and the rest of the ships are still in air defense formation and on high alert, and we will be completely safe until dark!"

In Balikpapan, Kalimantan Island, at the frontline command post of the Southern Flying Group, Le Yiqin was listening to Chief of Staff He Zhijun's report on the results of the raid on the Japanese Second Fleet. After listening, he was very dissatisfied.

Frowning, Le Yiqin said with a gloomy face, "What? The Second Fleet of the Little Devils, which has no carrier-based aircraft, only sank eight warships, and there is no aircraft carrier. What the hell? Is it a battle to take advantage!"

"This Guo Pinhe, the more he fights, the less promising he is! What a great opportunity to cut off such a little meat from me?" The Guo Pinhe he mentioned is the head of the Second Fighter Regiment of the Southern Flying Group. Commander of the air fleet that raided the Japanese Second Fleet.

He Zhijun explained: "Commander, is there an objective reason? The fleet commanded by Commander Guo has not many troops, and the anti-aircraft firepower of the Japanese Second Fleet is also strong enough. It can be done. Eight warships, not a small record!"

"Is it just so promising?" Le Yiqin glared at He Zhijun, looked at his watch, then looked at the sky outside, and said, "Fighting opportunities are rare, if you don't take this opportunity to bite the second fleet of little devils, you'd be a fool!"

"Chief of staff, the order has already returned, and all the fleets have replenished ammunition and fuel, and take off immediately. The target is the second fleet of the little devil near the Maluku Strait in the northeast of the Banda Sea. Don't let go of the little devil's blood. No more troops!"

This afternoon, for Lieutenant Admiral Kondo's Second Fleet, it was a horrible and painful afternoon like hell. The independent division aviation land-based aircraft fleet flew in wave after wave, and then, it was a heavy blow, Banda Hai On the surface of the sea, gunpowder smoke filled the air, flames and thick smoke were everywhere, the water column soared into the sky, and the sound of explosions continued.

The bloody setting sun finally fell into the depths of the sea. The last batch of land-based fleet of the Independent Division returned to the sea, leaving behind the Japanese warships that were still burning violently, the ammunition that died, and sometimes loud noises and exhaustion. Exhausted and shocked Japanese officers and sailors, bloody corpses lying on the warship, and drowning soldiers shouting desperately on the sea.

Looking out of the porthole, the sea was reddened by the fire, Lieutenant Admiral Kondo's heart was bleeding. After half a day of fierce battle with the independent division's land-based fleet, the Second Fleet paid a heavy price. An aircraft carrier was sunk. One was severely damaged, and another eleven warships were sunk, and more than a dozen were severely damaged to varying degrees. The carrier-based aircraft of the First Fleet were reinforced, and only fifteen of them returned to the voyage in the end, all of which were injured.

Six of them rushed out of the runway of the aircraft carrier deck and crashed into the sea when they landed on the ship. Only nine of the carrier-based aircraft actually came back. More than 900 officers and soldiers were killed, and more than 500 were injured. The Second Fleet was badly wounded, not only a toothless tiger, but also a sick cat covered in cuts and bruises, lacking even the ability to defend itself.

The night was dark, the wind was blowing, and the sea was surging in the Banda Sea. Lieutenant General Kondo watched the last warship burning in flames and was swallowed by the boundless sea. He withdrew his sad eyes and gave an order: " Order the fleet to approach the main force of the United Fleet overnight, and at the same time, report the loss of the fleet to Commander Yamamoto of the United Fleet!"

The dark night saved the Second Fleet. Lieutenant General Kondo absolutely believed that if the dark night was an hour or two later, the land-based aircraft fleet of the China Independent Division Air Force would not let him go, and the attacks would come one after another. The fleet ceased to exist.

The defeated remnants of the Japanese Second Fleet, with boundless fear, left the Banda Sea and headed for the Java Sea. The commander, Lieutenant General Kondo, locked himself in the rest cabin without being disturbed by anyone, and was alone , Cup after cup of stuffy wine, drunk to the point of intoxication, singing the penetrating ballad.

Bali Baban, in the frontline headquarters of the Southern Flight Group, Le Yiqin slammed the table, but shouted loudly, "Good job!"

(to be continued) r1152