On May 29, in the northwest waters of Hawaii, 400 nautical miles from Hawaii, in the bridge of the aircraft carrier Hornet.

Admiral Halsey looked through the window, looking out at the endless blue, his gaze resting on the distant boundary between sea and sky.

His eyes were very focused, as if there were Japanese naval warships wandering there.

Seemingly in a daze, Halsey was calculating the battle plan.

In order to ambush the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet in the waters off Midway, Admiral Nimitz sent all three aircraft carriers at his disposal to form two task forces, the 16th and 17th task forces, and Halsey was in charge of the battlefield.

As the supreme commander of the battlefield, Halsey is well aware of the great mission he has on his shoulders.

Before leaving, Admiral Nimitz personally told him: "The principle of warfare that we must follow is that it is worth taking risks before taking risks, and that we should not expose our fleet to superior enemy forces if we do not have the opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the enemy." ”

As Halsey pondered, an SBD dreadnought dive bomber landed on the deck of the Hornet.

A few minutes later, a rear admiral with a pipe in his mouth and deep nasolabial folds on his face walked into the bridge.

Halsey warmly extended his arms to Rear Admiral Fletcher, the commander of Task Force XVII, and after the two warmly embraced, Halsey said to Fletcher: "This battle is so important, there are many details that I have to discuss with you in person, so I have to trouble you to make a trip." ”

Fletcher opened his mouth, first exhaled a puff of smoke, and then said, "I've been waiting for this meeting for a long time, and this meeting is essential." ”

"If, I mean, the Japanese really attacked as intelligence said, I think their fleet must have moved that way. The landing fleet launched an attack southwest of Midway, and the mobile fleet led by Nagumo attacked from the northwest. Halsey said.

"It must be so, the southeast wind is blowing this season, and they approach Midway from the northwest and attack, just in the direction of the wind, and there is no need to make a U-turn for the aircraft carrier to take off." Fletcher said.

"So my battle plan is. Let our fleet lie in ambush two hundred to three hundred nautical miles northeast of Midway, and wait for the defenders of Midway to give us a signal. In this way, when we attack, it is equivalent to a surprise attack on the left flank of Nagumo's fleet. ”

Fletcher raised the corner of his eye and looked at Halsey strangely.

"This is something we have discussed before we leave the port, and there is no need to discuss it anymore."

"I know it's verbose to say something like that now, but I've always had a concern."

"What concerns?" Fletcher asked.

"Again, because of the accuracy of the intelligence, I was impressed by the ambush of the Japanese convoy in the South Pacific, which was originally planned to take out sixteen enemy warships, but the enemy only had eight, which was half as much as the intelligence suggested. You don't know. How disappointed I was when I received the report from the reconnaissance plane. ”

"I understand that half the number of enemies is less than the intelligence will bring you disappointment, but if there is half more than planned, it will bring you fear, it will bring you the pressure of losing the battle, I understand you. However, the commander has already said that if there is a mistake in intelligence. There are more enemies than intended, and it is necessary to withdraw from the battle in time. In addition, looking for fighters, you can't do it brutely. Fletcher voiced Halsey's concerns.

"You are only half right, if the number of enemies suddenly increases, it will not frighten me, but only disappoint me, because a merit that has almost been achieved will fly away. I would be very unwilling. That's why I invited you to come. ”

Fletcher heard the hidden meaning in Halsey's words and took the initiative to ask, "What do you want to do?" ”

"If the enemy is much more numerous than we have in our intelligence, we cannot flee immediately, but attack. One round. We only attack once, and then we retreat, what do you think? ”

Halsey's eyes were fixed on Fletcher, and Fletcher could see the hidden fighting spirit and anticipation in it.

Avoiding Halsey's fierce gaze, Fletcher said lightly: "However, this is not in line with the order given to us by Mr. Admiral, and it can even be said to be disobedient. ”

"I know that this is very risky, but we have a great advantage, we clearly know the existence of the enemy, but the enemy does not know our existence, our attack is extremely sudden, they will fight in a hurry, before they find us, we have completed a surprise attack and retreated victoriously, the risk is not very great." Halsey said.

Fletcher ignored Halsey, just smoking his pipe, and Halsey didn't rush Fletcher.

After a long hesitation, Fletcher's composure was finally overwhelmed by the desire to fight.

"Okay, we can try."

Halsey smiled when he got the reply he wanted, and his smile was like a crying child who got his favorite toy.

"Then it's decided, if that happens, you wait for my signal."

No sooner had the two reached an agreement than they saw a staff officer rush onto the bridge.

After reading the telegram sent by the staff officer, Halsey said with a smile: "It is a telegram from Hawaii, the last fleet of the enemy, the main fleet led by Yamamoto, has left the Japanese mainland, and at present, the enemy's actions are exactly the same as the time detected by the intelligence station." ”

"This is good news, and hopefully the number of enemies will also be the same as on the intelligence station, especially the timing of the appearance of the submarine force." Fletcher said.

"We must speed up our march and get to the ambush position before the enemy's submarines are in place." Halsey said.

"I'll go back now." Fletcher took his own initiative.

Halsey stopped Fletcher and handed him a box of cigarettes from his lieutenant.

"This is the tobacco I got from the pipe master, from Cuba, how about you taste it."

Fletcher knew that the pipe principal Halsey was talking about was MacArthur, and MacArthur's iconic look was perennial

Corn stalk pipes.

A meaningful smile appeared on Fletcher's face, and he unceremoniously accepted the box of tobacco.

"Thank you for the tobacco, and when you return victorious, I'll invite you to drink."

After Fletcher returned to the USS Yorktown, the flagship of Task Force XVII, the two task forces suddenly accelerated and headed northeast of Midway.

According to the intelligence provided by Rocherford. The Japanese Navy's submarine force will have 11 submarines rushing to the vicinity of Pearl Harbor to conduct alert patrols.

Four of the submarines will be deployed 500 nautical miles west of Hawaii's Oahu, and the other seven will be deployed on the Pearl Harbor-Midway route.

The arrival of the eleven submarines was July 1, and Halsey and Fletcher had to rush to the predetermined ambush site before the Japanese submarines arrived, in order to avoid detection by the Japanese submarines.

On the evening of the 29th, two task forces. Nearly 30 warships, large and small, were speeding through the waves, but they did not know that directly south of the fleet, about two nautical miles away, a periscope was spinning around.

When the two task forces disappeared into the vast sea, a submarine surfaced, and a wave of radio quickly flew out of the submarine······

To the west of Midway, in the main fleet led by Yamamoto Isoroku himself, a small storm had just occurred.

It was less than a day before leaving the military port. Yamamoto fifty-six suddenly received a report from the destroyer.

"It was reported that the destroyer Yukikaze, which was responsible for escorting the Zuizuru, sent a telegram that the ship's propeller had failed, and the maximum speed could only be maintained at twelve knots, and it was still decreasing, and the maintenance department could not deal with the fault at sea and requested to return home."

Yamamoto Fifty-six said with a straight face: "Before leaving, all the battleships have been overhauled. Confirmed to sail in good condition, why did a major failure occur just after sailing? Who is the captain of the Yukikaze? Sent to the country. After the Yukikaze returned home, the captain of the Yukikaze was given a major punishment. ”

Minoru Genda reminded Yamamoto in a low voice.

"Commander, the Snow Wind is the only surviving battleship in the First Transport Fleet, they have just returned home and have been incorporated into the escort fleet of the Zuihe and set off with the main fleet less than two days ago, and this kind of problem will occur before it has time to be completely overhauled."

Hearing Minoru Genda's explanation, Yamamoto's face looked better.

"It turned out to be the lucky guy. Since he is a hero, and he participated in the battle in a hurry, this time the punishment will be waived, let the Yukikaze return. ”

Minoru Genda secretly breathed a sigh of relief for his younger brother, Kenjiro Tokita, the captain of the Yukikaze. Yamamoto's order was issued.

When Minoru Genda returned to Yamamoto Fifty-six, there were two more telegrams in his hand.

"Commander, the propeller of the Snow Wind has stalled, and it has been towed back by the destroyer Shiyu."

Yamamoto let out a rough breath from his nose.

"Let's put it this way, before the battle has even begun, we have already lost two destroyers in non-combat battles."

"Yes, it's just two destroyers, and it doesn't affect the overall situation." Minoru Genda heard the depression in Yamamoto's tone and hurriedly enlightened Yamamoto.

Yamamoto nodded slightly, expressing his agreement with Minoru Genda's statement, and did not care about this "Shuangxiang Rui's Lost Voyage" incident that was not worth mentioning in his opinion, but was talked about by countless military fans in later generations.

Among the fans of World War II in later generations, the glorious achievements of the two auspicious ships, the Snow Wind and the Shiyu, which killed countless friendly warships, were widely spread.

In the Battle of Midway, which decided the course of World War II, the two ships returned home before the battle began, adding a layer of mystery to the Japanese victory at the Battle of Midway.

Materialist historians say that the Yukikaze hurriedly returned to the Japanese mainland from Rabaul and was joined to the main fleet within two days of rest, and it is reasonable that the propeller malfunctioned.

Among the extremely large number of idealistic World War II military fans, after extensive and in-depth discussion and research, a conclusion was reached that was most accepted by the majority of military fans.

The Battle of Midway was planned behind the scenes by a certain Excellency known as "Diablo", and under the illumination of the aura of victory carried by His Excellency Diablo himself, the death aura of the Snow Wind and the Shiyu were also tragically restrained, and the "Return of the Twin Auspicious Fans" incident occurred.

Yamamoto had no way of knowing what was going to come, and he didn't pay attention to it, but focused his attention on another thing.

"Commander, this is a telegram just sent by the I-162 submarine, the main force of the Pacific Fleet has set off, and judging by the course, the enemy's intended ambush location is northeast of Midway, the same location we predicted."

"Very well, we already know their general location, and this battle has been won fifty percent."

"I propose, in order not to alarm the Americans, not to allow the submarine to continue tracking, and to give the task of concretely determining the location of the enemy to the reconnaissance aircraft." Minoru Genda said.

"Yes, it is possible to determine the approximate location of the enemy, the tasks of the submarine forces have been largely completed, let them continue to patrol in place. There are at least two aircraft carriers in the enemy's formation, and for us it is already a delicious meal. ”

"Do you want to inform General Nagumo of this news?" Genda asked.

"They don't necessarily receive this information, they must be informed." Yamamoto said.

During the boring and boring voyage, a few days flew by.

On the night of 2 June, among the main fleet commanded by Yamamoto, the light aircraft carrier Fengxiang quietly left the main fleet under the escort of four destroyers.

At 10 o'clock in the morning of the next day, the light aircraft carrier Fengxiang joined the First Mobile Fleet led by Nagumo.

Just as the light aircraft carrier Fengxiang was rounding up with the First Mobile Fleet, southwest of Midway, over the Midway Landing Fleet, a US PBY seaplane drilled out a thin cloud and circled the huge fleet on the sea, and then sent a telegram in the direction of Midway.

At this time, the Midway landing fleet was about five hundred nautical miles from Midway.

After several hours of searching, the air force of the Midway garrison decided to take the lead in attacking the Japanese landing fleet without finding any other Japanese fleet.

Because the Midway landing fleet was far from Midway, the task was completed by B-17 strategic bombers on the island.

Carrying fuel tanks and bombs, nine B-17 strategic bombers launched an air attack on the Japanese landing fleet at 5 p.m., but in the face of ships moving at high speed on the sea surface, the aerial bombs dropped from an altitude of more than 5,000 meters were useless, and did not cause any damage to the Japanese ships except for creating a number of fountains on the sea surface for Japanese sailors to see.

Before nightfall, four more seaplanes flew over the Japanese landing fleet with bombs.

In addition to inflicting minor damage on one destroyer, the second round of attacks by US air forces was declared a failure.

In the common anticipation of the warring parties, the night flew by, and the calendar turned to the fourth of July.

At four o'clock in the morning, although the sun had not yet jumped above sea level, two hundred and sixty nautical miles northwest of Midway, the ground crews of the mobile fleet led by Nagumo, the aircraft carriers Wyvern and Soryu, were already busy.

At 4:40 a.m., with Nagumo's order, fighters, torpedo planes, and bombers on the two aircraft carriers rushed out of the deck one after another and assembled over the fleet.

The offensive begins. (To be continued.) )