Chapter 918: Still Defeat 10

The bombing of the USS Breton was just the beginning of a series of disasters for escort carriers. Since the Essex-class, Yorktown-class and Independence-class aircraft carriers in the 58th Task Force were all key protection targets, they were not only protected by cruisers and destroyers, but also followed by a battleship with abnormal anti-aircraft firepower.

Therefore, the experienced Japanese pilots wisely avoided these main aircraft carriers that were protected by the enemy and led the team to rush to the escort formation with poor protection, and the escort aircraft carrier became the most ideal target.

At 4:10, just 5 minutes after the USS Breton was hit, another Borg-class aircraft carrier Block Island, which was on fire, was also hit by an aerial torpedo. This aircraft carrier had been hit by a bomb before, and the bomb directly penetrated the power compartment of the aircraft carrier. After a loud bang, the escort aircraft carrier with a standard displacement of 11,420 tons lost all power and caught fire, becoming an iron coffin floating on the water. Now the torpedo that hit it again became the terminator of this aircraft carrier. After only 10 minutes, the aircraft carrier capsized and sank, and nearly half of the sailors and officers on board were killed.

Three minutes later, the "Borg" class aircraft carrier "Tracker" was hit by two torpedoes again. Although Japan's aviation torpedoes cannot be compared with their 93 lance torpedoes, they can still cause fatal damage to the "Borg" class aircraft carrier. The two torpedoes directly opened two huge holes on the port side of the "Tracker", and the seawater rushed in, and the aircraft carrier soon tilted. The captain of the "Tracker" had to issue an order of "everyone leave the ship" at 4:33.

At 4:20, the Casablanca-class aircraft carrier "Manila" was hit by a "Comet" dive bomber dragging black smoke! The plane and the bomb exploded violently on the deck of the aircraft carrier, instantly engulfing more than a dozen F4U and F6F that were refueling and adding ammunition. The deck crew also suffered heavy losses, and 10 pilots on standby were also buried in the sea of ​​fire.

A few minutes later, the disaster occurred again. The escort aircraft carriers "Molotovsk" (not a Soviet aircraft carrier, but a name given to highlight the friendship between the United States and the Soviet Union) and "LeMay" (in memory of the internationalist fighter LeMay), which had been severely damaged by the bombs dropped by dive bombers before, were hit by torpedoes. The hull soon tilted seriously...

"Commander, great victory! Our second attack wave has just sunk at least 5 escort aircraft carriers!" At 4:40, Major General Kameto Kuroshima, Chief of Staff of the 10th Fleet of Japan, loudly reported the battle report just received to Commander Onishi Takijiro.

"Onboard!"

"Great Japan, onboard!"

There was also jubilation in Onishi's headquarters. For the Japanese Navy, which only has 19 aircraft carriers in total, 5 aircraft carriers is definitely not a small number. Even if they are all escort aircraft carriers, it is enough for a great victory.

And these are only the second attack wave. The fighters sent by the First Mobile Fleet will soon deal a heavy blow to the third and fourth waves of the US fleet, and Christmas Island is fully capable of sending the third attack wave.

Today's battle seems to be a great victory.

"Ya Xi!" Onishi Takijiro showed a satisfied expression, "Order the third attack wave to go! Give the Americans another blow before dark."

"Hai!"

The third attack wave sent by Christmas Island is mainly based on the Type 1 land attack. These twin-engine attack aircraft will carry torpedoes and attack, targeting the burning US warships floating on the sea - they can't be allowed to put out the fire and escape back to San Diego, otherwise they will be a good ship again after a few months of repair!

"By the way, when will the first attack wave return?"

Hearing Onishi Takijiro's question, the joyful atmosphere in the headquarters suddenly froze, and no one answered Onishi's question for a long time.

Because everyone knows that the first attack wave encountered a hard battle! According to the report of Takahashi Kakuichi, the commander-in-chief of the first attack wave, they encountered at least 500 American fighters and suffered heavy losses. According to incomplete statistics, more than 140 Japanese fighters could not be contacted and confirmed to have crashed after the two sides separated!

If these planes cannot return in the end, the "god-making rate" of the first attack wave will exceed 40%.

According to the report of Kusami Masaru, the commander-in-chief of the second attack wave, they encountered no less than 500 American fighters. Considering that the second attack wave uses torpedoes as the main means of attack, the losses will definitely be greater!

"It may take until after 5:30 before the planes return one after another." Kuroshima Kameto finally spoke to break the silence.

"Okay..." Onishi Takijiro suddenly asked, "Kuroshima-kun, do you think the US fleet will be frustrated and retreat?"

The current results are sinking and damaging more than 30 transport ships and landing ships, and sinking 5 aircraft carriers. For the US fleet, it is just a loss of less than 10% of the ships. Even if the two attack waves sent by the mobile fleet later achieve the same results, at most 15%-20% of the ships of the US fleet will be destroyed.

"It shouldn't be!" Kuroshima Kame shook his head.

The local tyrants are so hateful, there are so many ships that they can't be defeated! Even if they can sink 100 of them today, they still have at least 300.

Onishi Ryujiro sighed and said, "Prepare to transfer the planes... All the planes must be transferred to Oahu tonight."

"Transfer to Oahu?" Black Island Turtle Man shook his head subconsciously, "Oahu is more than 2,000 kilometers away from Christmas Island. If the planes are transferred to Oahu, they will have no way to participate in combat."

"There is nothing we can do about it," Ryūjiro Onishi said. "If we don't change the scene, the American battleships will destroy the airport before dawn tomorrow morning, and by then neither the planes nor the pilots will be able to escape."

Onishi's worries were very reasonable, just when the remnants of the second wave of attacks from Christmas Island fled the battlefield in embarrassment, chased by US fighter planes. Spruance is already preparing for tonight's battleship assault.

"It's finally over..." Spruance let out a long breath and said to Browning beside him, "There are still at most two waves of attack aircraft sent by the aircraft carrier, but we should be able to withstand them."

"Yes!" Browning nodded, "The seaplanes did not detect the Japanese fleet. They should be far away from Christmas Island... Tonight we should be able to launch an artillery formation to penetrate."

"Deploy the 58.0 Battleship Group, the 58.1 Battleship Group, the 58.3 Cruiser Group and the 58.7 Destroyer Group." Spruance said, "Transfer the headquarters to the USS Essex."

Excluding the landing ship and transport ship formations, the 58th Task Force has a total of 10 squadrons, including 2 battleship squadrons, named 58.0 Group and 58.1 Group respectively.

Group 58.0 is composed of three battleships: Iowa, New Jersey, and Washington. They are all cutting-edge battleships equipped with 406mm main guns. Group 58.1 is composed of 7 old battleships. Although these old battleships have little value in decisive battles at sea, they are still very useful for bombarding the coast. If these 10 battleships arrived near Christmas Island, they would be able to fire at least tens of thousands of large-caliber shells in a day, and the airport on the island would definitely be blasted into craters, as if it were the surface of the moon.

As for the main force of the 58th Task Force, the landing ship formation, and the transport ship formation, they will sail south after dark to avoid the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Just when Admiral Browning was about to issue the order according to Spruance's instructions, a staff officer suddenly reported loudly: "Sir, the seaplane has discovered the Japanese fleet, numbering more than 50 ships, in the L8 sea area, a distance of We’re about 300 nautical miles…”

The staff officer was just halfway through his report when a harsh air defense siren suddenly sounded over the radio.

"The radar detected enemy aircraft, with a number of more than 200, an altitude of 6,000, a distance of 140, and a bearing of 312."

Spruance took a breath and said to Browning: "Another wave of enemy planes... It seems that today is a good day to hunt Japanese turkeys. I wonder if I can get 1,000 of them?"

Hearing Spruance's vivid metaphor, Major General Browning laughed: "If you can get enough, you can always get enough! The days of the Japanese's arrogance are over, and it's time for our American industrial strength to show its power. "

…

"More than 500 aircraft again?"

At 5:45, Lieutenant General Ozawa Jisaburo received the report from the staff on the Shokaku aircraft carrier. He took one look at it and gasped: "How many fighter jets and aircraft carriers do the Americans have?"

"Your Excellency, Commander," Ozawa's chief of staff Keizo Furumura replied, "I estimate that the Americans have 2,000-2,500 fighter planes and 80 aircraft carriers..."

"80 ships?" Ozawa Jisaburo shook his head, "Really, are there really that many?"

Furumura nodded and said: "There should be... The industrial strength of the United States is very strong. The oil production currently controlled accounts for about 75% of the world's total production. The steel production before the war was about the same as that of the entire Europe. The scale of the shipbuilding industry is also the same as that of the entire Europe." The total in Europe is comparable. Isn’t the German naval shipbuilding plan now to build aircraft carriers by the dozen? The Germans still have to deal with the Eastern Front battlefield, and they can build ships like this, let alone the United States, which is fully developing its navy?”

This is the war of the rich!

Jisaburo Ozawa suddenly felt helpless. American aircraft carriers can serve dozens or hundreds of aircraft carriers a year. Japan has only 19 aircraft carriers in total until now...

"Commander, telegram from the 10th Front Fleet Headquarters."

While Ozawa was sighing, the telegram from Onishi Takijiro had arrived.

"Commander Onishi said that all planes on Christmas Island will be evacuated tonight because the island may be bombarded by the US fleet early tomorrow morning. In addition..."

"What else?" Ozawa looked at Chief of Staff Furumura and asked, "What happened?"

"The first wave of attacks on Christmas Island has returned..." Furumura said: "There are 140 aircraft that have not returned yet!"

"140 planes!?" The words "Panama" immediately came to Ozawa's mind.

The first attack wave on Christmas Island only had 336 aircraft, and now 140 have not returned. The success rate has exceeded 40%! This battle on Christmas Island might be a more brutal war of attrition than the Battle of Panama!