Age of Rebirth

The words of Lieutenant General Tang Qiuquan, the commander of the independent division fleet, seem a bit superfluous, almost like nonsense. As for the implementation of the Solomon Islands campaign plan, as early as two days before the departure of the fleet, commanders at all levels have studied thoroughly. All operational details, The navigation route is almost engraved in the mind. %,

The fleet departs from Bangkok and Phnom Penh Air Force Base at night, then forms a combat formation in the South China Sea, enters the Sulu Sea through the Balabac Strait, enters the Sulawesi Sea through the Sulu Islands, and then enters the scheduled destination through the Maluku Strait. Combat area - Solomon Islands waters.

The fleet has spent so much time and energy on detours. It has only one purpose, to avoid the main force of the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet entrenched in northern Australia. Before the fleet departs, in two days, all the action plans have been thoroughly studied. said?

However, the generals of the fleet know that Lieutenant General Tang Qiuquan, the commander, is not a person who is used to talking nonsense. Since it is purposeful to let everyone talk about their opinions, but this topic has already been talked about indiscriminately, and everyone is really useless. There is nothing to say.

For a while, there was silence in the command cabin. Lieutenant Admiral Amosiyev, the deputy commander of the fleet, broke the silence and said: "Commander, the plan for the Solomon Islands campaign will severely damage or completely wipe out the Fourth Fleet of the Japanese Navy. , for our fleet, it is not too difficult!"

"Many favorable factors can ensure that we have an absolute advantage in this battle. Previously, the reconnaissance ships deployed by the Southern Fleet in the waters of the Solomon Islands, as well as the intelligence network of the Intelligence Department, could provide our fleet with the accurate information of the Japanese Fourth Fleet. Intelligence, we can do it by surprise!"

"Especially our fleet is coming out in full force this time. There is one more aircraft carrier than the Japanese Fourth Fleet, which has an advantage in combat power. In addition to the land-based special mixed combat brigade fleet that has moved to Irian Island, the number of combat aircraft Go up. Far surpassing the Japanese Fourth Fleet, there is no suspense in this battle!"

When Amosiyev said this, everyone listened quietly. This is the number two person in the fleet, but this is still something that has been studied many times, and there is nothing new. Everyone knows it in their hearts, and Tang Qiuquan is also smiling. No words, he knows.My deputy is not repeating what I said before.

Sure enough, Amosiyev went on to say: "I think it's the second task assigned to the fleet by the division commander, which is more difficult. 'Drag the main force of the Japanese Navy's joint fleet in the Southwest Pacific Ocean, so that it cannot look around. Indian Ocean, and look for opportunities to inflict heavy damage!' These are the exact words of the order."

"How to do it. This is the next important issue we should consider. If we want to attract the main force of the combined fleet of the Japanese Navy, our fleet must not be the same as before. After a battle, we will flee away. Let Nagumo Tadaichi not be able to do it for us The traces of the fleet, using the entire wealth of the fleet as bait, is very dangerous in itself!"

"You don't need to use the entire fleet as a bait. Nagumo Chuichi will not pounce, and the division commander's second mission cannot be completed. Therefore, the headquarters should seriously consider this issue, that is, how to act after the Solomon Islands campaign is over. The problem!"

After Amosiyev finished speaking, everyone fell into contemplation. Indeed, in the Solomon Islands campaign, many favorable factors combined together have a great chance of winning, and everyone's all thoughts are put on it. If It wasn't the deputy commander who made it clear that he almost ignored the division commander's second mission.

Tang Qiuquan nodded towards Amosiyev very satisfied. They have commanded the fleet together for many years and fought side by side. The tacit understanding between the two has reached the level that does not need to be expressed in words. Amosiyev came to make it clear that the thinking of the officers of the headquarters should be expanded to the depths. This is the purpose.

"Deputy Commander Amosiyev's words have been made very clear, we can't just focus on winning the Solomon Islands battle!" Tang Qiuquan said slowly: "About completing the second task assigned by the division commander, we have to wait for this After the first battle is over, we will make a decision according to the specific situation, but the staff department has to come up with several sets of plans in advance, and you two chiefs of staff, please work hard!"

Ge Zhenzhuang and Tang Yunfei stood up and replied together: "Yes! Commander, the staff will start working immediately!"

Tang Qiuquan nodded, and then said: "I researched it with Deputy Commander Amosiyev, and decided that all the carrier-based aircraft units of the fleet will be commanded by the deputy chief of staff, Colonel Tang Yunfei. Are you familiar with it?"

Tang Yunfei was not surprised or excited at all, and calmly replied: "Yes!" A simple word.

In the southwestern Pacific Ocean in September, the wind and waves are not strong, and the sea is undulating. The weather today is good, the wind is not strong, and the sky is clear. Nearly a hundred warships of their respective models in the Fourth Fleet of the Japanese Navy’s United Fleet are executing Escort mission, carrying the Japanese No. 40 Eighth Division and No. 40 Ninth Division with more than [-] soldiers boarded from the east coast of the United States. Under the escort of warships, they are heading for the Australian mainland at full speed.

The commander of the escort fleet and the commander of the Fourth Fleet, Lieutenant Admiral Inoue Narumi, walked to the broad deck of the flagship "Kashima" out of boredom. In his opinion, the undulating waters of the Southwest Pacific Ocean are very monotonous. The scenery is nothing new.

The Fourth Fleet has carried out escort missions, and it has been several months between the North American continent and the Australian continent. No matter how beautiful the scenery is, there are times when it gets boring. This is the case for Lieutenant Admiral Inoue Narumi at the moment. It used to be more boring and depressed.

Just yesterday, I sent a telegram to Admiral Nagumo Tadashi, the current commander of the United Fleet, requesting that the Fourth Fleet be transferred to perform new tasks, and that the task of escorting the army will be handed over to other fleets to perform.

Lieutenant Admiral Inoue is a young man among the generals of the Imperial Navy. He is only in his forties. He is also one of the fleet commanders who are valued by Commander Yamamoto. He is full of fighting spirit, eager to ride on the sea and make contributions to the empire. He was tired of the lack of challenging escort missions.

In the eyes of Lieutenant General Inoue, there is no safer route than the Pacific route from the North American continent to the Australian continent, except that a few months ago, a small escort fleet and several troop carriers that deviated from the route were attacked by China. Apart from the fleet's sneak attack, there were no surprises anymore!

Therefore, the Fourth Fleet, which is very powerful in combat, undertook the unlucky escort mission. According to the information that the Fleet Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Matsuda, privately disclosed to himself, the United Fleet is about to start the west-to-east Indian Ocean combat plan. Naka Inoue The general's heart became extremely active, and he hurriedly asked Commander Nagumo Chuichi to fight.

But Commander Nanyun's call back was simple and unbearable, "Currently, the most important task of the United Fleet is to escort the army. Also, young people should not be too ambitious, but be down-to-earth, guard against arrogance and impetuosity! Remember, you Not the only one in the Combined Fleet!"

"Damn it!" Lieutenant General Inoue tore up Admiral Nagumo's call back to pieces, cursing in his heart. If Commander Yamamoto taught him such a lesson, he would accept it humbly, but you, Nagumo Tadashi. Brother, I haven't fought many decent battles, but I lost one battle. If it wasn't for Commander Yamamoto's absence due to illness, you would still be sitting on the bench in China!

"Commander, do you want to order the reconnaissance plane to take off immediately for routine reconnaissance?" The voice of Rear Admiral Anxi, the chief of staff of the fleet, rang in his ears inappropriately, interrupting Lieutenant Admiral Inoue's unpleasant memories

"Do you still need to ask me for instructions on routine reconnaissance missions?" Lieutenant General Inoue said angrily, "The commander of the fleet's carrier-based aircraft is fast asleep?"

"Uh..." Chief of Staff Anxi was speechless for a moment. He didn't know why Commander Inoue got angry?

Ten minutes later, four Japanese carrier-based reconnaissance planes took off, and two of them formed a group and flew in different directions. One of the groups, led by Captain Murayama, headed for the Solomon Islands in the northwest direction. Come on, go out to the escort fleet for reconnaissance. At this moment, the Japanese Fourth Fleet and the troop carrier formation have sailed through the waters west of Banaba Island. In two more hours, they will enter the waters of the Solomon Islands, which is not far from the Australian mainland. too far away.

While the huge Japanese escort fleet and troop carrier formation were sailing through the wind and waves, on the sea not far from Banaba Island, several local fishermen's fishing boats were casting nets. On the masts of the fishing boats, flying big The Sun Flag of the Japanese Empire, the officers and sailors of the [-]th Fleet are already used to it, and they are sincerely proud and proud to see fishing boats flying the flag of the Great Japanese Empire in seas far away from the mainland!

Not only the imperial navy regards the Pacific Ocean as the inland sea of ​​the empire, but ordinary fishermen also cast their fishing nets here. What does it mean? It means that the empire has expanded its territory and arrived here. The officers and sailors of the Japanese Fourth Fleet are very proud What I didn't know was that one of the fishing boats, a man in his 40s, shouted to the bottom warehouse: "Send a report and report the target's position to the headquarters. Route, speed and scale!" He spoke in authentic Chinese.

In the eastern airspace of Irian Island, a huge aircraft fleet is flying rapidly at high altitude. More than 400 latest fighter jets form three batches of echelons. The fighter pilots flying in the command position are impressively the commander of the Southern Aviation Group of the Independent Division. The official music Yiqin Major General.

Le Yiqin should not have appeared in the fleet. This is the newly formed land-based mixed combat brigade of the independent division fleet. Naturally, there is a brigade commander. However, just last night, Le Yiqin and Tang Qiuquan exchanged telegrams several times. In the end, Tang Qiuquan Gave in, Le Yiqin served as the commander of the land-based assault fleet, and the current brigade commander, Colonel He Luming, the former head of the Southern Aviation Group's First Fighter Regiment, was aggrieved as the deputy commander of the fleet!

Looking at He Luming who was full of reluctance, Le Yiqin patted him on the shoulder and said a few words, "He Luming, don't worry about you being transferred to the fleet, what's the matter, you're still under my command!"

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