Special Forces of Crossing: Cloud's Anti-Japanese

Chapter 1848 Decisive Battle

When the Second Army of the Scholar Expedition was gathering in Mindanao, the U.S. military also began its own withdrawal plan.In addition to the three divisions commanded by Sharp, the US-Philippines still has five divisions in Mindanao.In order to withdraw all five divisions in one fell swoop, MacArthur can be said to be willing to go all out. He ordered Hatton's crippled mixed fleet to detour through the Guimara Strait, and then enter the Bohol Sea from the Tannion Strait.A large number of merchant ships, ferries, and troop carriers were also assembled. On the same morning when Xiao Anbao led his troops into the mountainous area of ​​Nagabei, he was preparing to implement the withdrawal and merger plan and withdraw the troops of the five divisions to the Visayas.

After the Naval Battle of Negros Island, the Japanese-Western Expeditionary Fleet actually obtained an important channel to enter the Bohol Sea. MacArthur also knew that it would be extremely dangerous to withdraw troops from Mindanao under such circumstances, so he attached great importance to secrecy.But people are not as good as heaven, and on the night when Hatton's mixed fleet entered the Bohol Sea through the Tannion Strait, a Japanese frigate on a security mission happened to detect it.The Japanese actually did not know the motive of the mixed fleet entering the Bohe Sea, but based on the idea of ​​killing it once and for all, Masamune Soma decided to carry out a sneak attack on the mixed fleet after seeking the opinion of Koizumi Toshiichiro.As a result, a scene that directly changed the war situation in the Philippines was staged unexpectedly.

At 07:30, at the Makahala Bay in the northwest of Mindanao, from Hasaan Wharf, under the command of Hatton, the mixed fleet escorted about [-] ships and began to cross the Bohol Sea.

At nine o'clock, because the fleet had already entered the middle of the Baohe Sea, and it would take only a few more hours to reach the destination of the trip, Li'an, Hatton's tense heart could not help but relax a little.However, just as he was about to go back to the captain's room to take a rest, an exclamation of "enemy plane" rang out. He looked around and saw a Japanese plane clearly painted with the red sun flag logo, and his expression became serious. .Taking a deep breath and exhaling, he ordered loudly: "Order all ships to advance at full speed and at full speed! Tell Sean to prepare for air defense!"

"Yes!" Immediately someone responded loudly and then began to pass orders to the ships.

The news of the arrival of the Japanese plane spread, and all the Americans and Filipinos panicked.And although those commanders tried to calm down, they couldn't help being filled with gloom, because they really didn't know that this fighter plane just happened to fly by, but it was a purposeful reconnaissance, and if it was the latter, then—— No one dared to continue thinking about it.

After issuing a series of orders, Hatton immediately contacted MacArthur by telegram, and then called Gunnart and Wainwright IV to discuss corresponding countermeasures with them.

The Japanese plane did not hover over the fleet for long, and left soon.And after the Japanese plane left, Hart's heartstrings became even tighter—this time the troops withdrawn from Mindanao accounted for nearly one-third of the Philippine guard force, and if you count the Sharp's three divisions with an uncertain future, if the Japanese seized the opportunity to wipe them out, then the next battle would be impossible to fight.

After receiving the telegram from Hatton, MacArthur was shocked and immediately called Brereton at Clark Air Force Base, ordering him to organize air forces to reinforce the Bohol Sea. .Then he thought about it with a pale face, and called Washington to report the situation.

Twenty or ten minutes later, when a group of as many as 10 Japanese planes roared from the western sky, Hatton, Gunnert and others suddenly turned pale, and the American soldiers screamed loudly—— After the naval battle of Gross Island, the air defense force of the mixed fleet has dropped to a pitiful level.At this time, let alone more than [-] enemy planes attacking, even if there is only one plane, they can't guarantee that they can stop it.

In naval warfare in this era, the loss of air supremacy is fatal.Although the U.S. air defense forces of the mixed fleet were desperate, the huge imbalance of power made their efforts all the more tragic.

In the first round of Japanese attack, Hatton's flagship was sunk, along with an armed troop carrier full of American soldiers.Amidst the huge rumbling explosions, there were miserable howls and cries for help in the battle area of ​​Baohe Sea, and this sea area suddenly became a hell on earth...

The entire battle lasted only half an hour. Half an hour later, as the armed ships of the mixed fleet were almost all sunk or lost their combat effectiveness, with tens of thousands of officers and soldiers falling into the water and Hatton's life and death unknown, Gunart had no choice but to Not letting his subordinates raise the white flag, this naval battle that directly changed the situation of the entire Philippine war and even the North Pacific war ended like this.

It was a service, because the US Far East Army and Navy suffered as many as 8000 casualties, and more than [-] were captured. In addition, the Philippine army under the control of the US military was also bombed and drowned. More than a thousand, so it was later called the "Bohol Sea Tragedy" by the Americans.

When the U.S. fighter planes from Krakow arrived at the battle area, they only found tens of thousands of drowned people and those ships emitting heavy smoke. Then, they didn't dare to search for the Japanese ship to the west at all, and returned directly.

The Bohe Sea naval battle had just ended, and the telecommunications room of the "Longxiang" aircraft carrier suddenly boiled.Amid the screams of more than a dozen devils, a major staff officer held a telegram in his hand and went straight to Koizumi's headquarters in great excitement. After entering, he shouted directly: "Your Excellency, big victory, big victory!"

"Arakawa, why are you so excited?" Koizumi put down the two-color pencil in his hand, and raised his head to ask.

"Your Excellency Soma's surprise attack on the US mixed fleet was successful. The mixed fleet was completely wiped out. More than [-] US-Philippine troops escorted by them were killed, and all others were captured—"

"What?" Koizumi stood up, took a look at the telegram from his hand, and then burst out laughing.After laughing twice, he said with a concentrated expression: "Report the victory to His Excellency Yamamoto immediately, and the military department! By the way, send a congratulatory telegram to His Excellency Soma."

"Hai!" Arakawa responded, and walked away in a hurry.

Watching Arakawa leave, Koizumi smiled and said to other people in the headquarters: "Put down your work, Hatono, and go get a bottle of red wine. I want to celebrate with you all!"

"Hay!"

"After this battle, the Philippine campaign should be over soon. I never thought that the Americans would make such a low-level mistake at this critical moment, haha!" Koizumi said looking around.

"Your Excellency, do you mean that the Americans will surrender?" asked a lieutenant.

Koizumi: "Surrender is not guaranteed, but do they still dare to fight? If I don't expect it, the Americans should withdraw to Australia next!"

"Then shall we block their escape route?"

"There is no need for this, let's talk about taking down the Philippines first. Next, our attack direction will be Taiwan!"

"Taiwan?"

"There is also Hainan Island. Humph, it's time for the Xuebing Army to disappear from this world!"

(End of this chapter)