At noon on the 19th, less than an hour after Kimmel sent the telegram, Tan Renhao received a telegram from the Navy Command, confirming that the US battleship fleet had reached the waters south of the Mariana Islands and was advancing toward Guam and was about to enter the war zone. At the same time, the 3rd Task Force received an identical telegram. Behind the two telegrams was the first order of the two fleets, which was to go south and stand by in preparation for a decisive battle with the American battleship fleet.

"It's finally time to come!"

Tan Renhao told Hao Dongjue about this after lunch, and Hao Dongjue was in charge of the afternoon's work.

"It's not slow!"

Hao Dongjue quickly read the content of the telegram, "But it's still a step too late." The U.S. counterattack on Alamagan Island was temporarily terminated this morning, and it appears that the U.S. Marines have also received the news that they will not continue to counterattack until their fleet has seized sea supremacy. ”

"I'm afraid they won't have that chance."

Tan Renhao said as he took out the chart that had been marked by the staff officers on the waiting waters of the two task forces, "Now, the third task force is moving towards this sea area, although we have not yet received a specific battle plan, but judging from the arrangement of the chief of staff, the scheduled battle area will be near Aramagan Island." ”

Hao Dongjue looked at the chart for a while and said, "Is this too far south?" ”

"What is the purpose of the arrival of the American fleet?"

Tan Renhao took out a cigarette, "The U.S. troops on Agrihan Island are no longer saved, the Marine Corps is cleaning up the battlefield, and the first field airfield will be put into use in the next few days, and the Marine Corps will also build two field airfields on the island, and at that time, the HNA can deploy more than 500 fighters to Agrihan Island and Asunción Island, which is enough to seize air supremacy in the north of the entire archipelago and carry out a full-scale bombing of Pagan Island." When the Marines are free, they can immediately strengthen their deployment on Aramagan Island, and as long as the airfield on Aramagan Island is built, then we can deploy at least 700 tactical aircraft here. Air supremacy over the entire northern and central Mariana Islands will fall into our hands. When the time comes, the heavy bombers that go south to bomb Saipan and other islands will be covered by fighter planes, and it is only a matter of time before they seize air supremacy over the entire battlefield, and it is only a matter of time before they bomb Saipan and other islands to the ground! ”

"Here's the point!"

Hao Dongjue clicked on the location of Aramagan Island on the chart.

"Yes, this has become the focus of the whole battle."

Tan Renhao lit a cigarette for his partner first, "The victory or defeat of Allamagan Island determines the ownership of the entire Mariana Islands. In order for the U.S. military to recapture Alamagan Island, it must first seize sea supremacy in the central waters of the archipelago, and during the day can use bombers to force our fleet to leave. In the evening, their fleet will be used to accomplish this task. ”

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly. "So, the Third Task Force will take the initiative to go south to meet it?"

"Can we go back? Then look at our standby seas. ”

Tan Renhao nodded on the chart, "We are on standby in the western waters of the archipelago, about 250 nautical miles from Aramagan Island. It was a safe distance, and even if the American fleet of battleships had set out in the morning and had come at full speed towards us, it would not have been able to arrive in 24 hours, and there would have been plenty of reconnaissance planes to the south of us. This would force the U.S. fleet to fight a decisive battle with Task Force 3 first. As long as the night battle began, Task Force 3 held out until dawn, at least four hours. We're moving full speed ahead. You can enter the attack area before dawn and send out the first wave of bombers, when the time comes. Coupled with the bombers of HNA and the heavy bombers in Luo Yunchong's hands, the three forces joined forces, and they were afraid that they would not be able to defeat the Yankees' fleet? ”

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly, and then pondered.

"The order will be given soon, and the Navy Staff must have prepared the relevant battle plan for a long time."

Tan Renhao said as he lit a cigarette, "Dongjue, have you come up with your plan?" ”

"It's done."

Hao Dongjue didn't turn his attention, still looking at the map and thinking.

Tan Renhao smiled and looked at his partner. It seems that Hao Dongjue has something strange to think again.

"Renhao, do you think the Yankees will do any tricks?"

After a long time, Hao Dongjue raised his head, then his hand shook violently, and he threw away the cigarette butt that had burned out between his fingers.

"Tricks?"

Tan Renhao looked at his partner with an inquiring gaze.

"If the U.S. fleet moves to Anatahan Island, with the help of the U.S. fighter jets on the island, it will be able to move freely during the day."

"Unless they are confident that they can hold off the bombers of the Navy and the Strategic Strike Force. They won't be idiots enough to go to Anatahan Island, and they won't run around during the day! ”

Tan Renhao immediately vetoed this, "The number of US fighters on Anatahan Island is not large, and it is already within the combat radius of the 'Falcon'. As long as the US fleet appears in the waters around here, even if it loses 200 fighters, the naval aviation and strategic strike forces will immediately dispatch and concentrate all their forces to send this fleet to the bottom of the sea. Not to mention a battlefleet, even if the second task force comes, it can't withstand the concentrated bombing of hundreds of bombers! ”

"Well, even if the U.S. fleet stays between Guam and Saipan, it's safe enough, right?"

Hao Dongjue did not overturn his thoughts, "After the other party determines the time of the decisive battle, he will definitely take the initiative to go north." Then, they could have set off from the waters near Saipan eight hours before dark, so that they could enter the range of our fighters after dark, and at the same time get cover from shore-based fighters throughout the day. The U.S. Air Force will certainly do its best to cover the fleet's northward movement. Before dark, they were about 120 nautical miles from the island of Aramagan, and if they were to go at full speed at 24 knots, they would have arrived at about ten o'clock. With three hours to return home, they have a full five hours of combat time! ”

"It's impossible for Task Force 3 not to hold out for even five hours!"

"Yes, the initiative to attack is in the hands of the Americans."

Hao Dongjue sneered, "In addition, it is impossible for the Third Task Force to take out the enemy within five hours. At that time, unless the Fifth Task Force runs the risk of entering the strike range of the enemy's fighters and not being able to return before dawn, we will also have to move the operational area southward, and it is very likely that it will come within the strike range of the US fighters......"

"You mean that the spearhead of the enemy is against us?"

Tan Renhao was taken aback, and now he understood.

Hao Dongjue nodded vigorously. "Didn't you say that. The most direct way to seize sea supremacy is to take out the opponent's fleet. If the Nationals want to seize sea supremacy, the most direct way is to kill our two task forces. If the Yankees had used their fleet as bait and let us go south, I'm afraid the result would have been completely different. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, this possibility definitely exists.

"Well, we have a better chance, though, and why should we fight according to this plan?"

"After receiving a specific operational plan from the command of the Navy, we will make a decision."

Tan Renhao also quickly made up his mind. "Now I am not sure about the combat operations of the fleet, of course, I must be ready for battle, I don't want to be a target for the enemy!"

In the evening of the same day, the Navy General Staff sent a specific battle plan. The combat standby of Task Force 3 is about 300 nautical miles northeast of Aramagan Island. This distance is just about the same as the distance of the U.S. fleet to Aramagan Island (referring to the time required to sail), and the Navy has also deployed a large number of submarines and long-range reconnaissance aircraft near Saipan and Guam. If the U.S. fleet is found heading north, then Task Force 3 will immediately go to meet the enemy, and the time difference between the two sides to reach Aramagan Island will not be too great.

The combat standby area of Task Force 1 has been significantly adjusted, from the northwest sea of Aramagan Island to the northwest sea area, that is, about 120 nautical miles behind the rear of Task Force 3. After receiving the order. Tan Renhao immediately ordered the fleet to move towards the new combat standby area. At the same time, someone was sent to call Hao Dongjue back to the command cabin.

"From now on, the fleet is in the highest state of combat readiness, and pilots should be ready to go at any time."

Before Hao Dongjue rushed back. Tan Renhao also issued several orders that should have been issued by the chief of staff: "The officers and men of the fleet shall operate in two shifts and must be ready for battle at any time." ”

The staff officer quickly recorded orders given directly by the commander.

Tan Renhao nodded at Hao Dongjue, who walked in, and then said to the staff officer: "Go and convey the order, I will be on duty at night." ”

"I'm still on the night shift!"

Hao Dongjue walked over, "The order from the chief of staff has been sent?" ”

"I just received, it seems, the chief of staff thinks the same as us."

Tan Renhao handed the telegram to his partner, "Our combat standby sea area has changed. The order was a bit hasty, we are going to sail at least 210 nautical miles tonight. The fleet must sail at full speed. ”

"But we're running out of fuel."

Hao Dongjue replied while reading the telegram.

"We have about five days of fuel, and if we need to resupply it halfway, the fleet will come back to rendezvous."

Tan Renhao leaned on the chart table, "Now, the most important thing is to seize the opportunity. The U.S. fleet may strike tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, and it will be a decisive battle. Maybe your prediction is right, the American fleet will take a hit-and-run approach and not give us a force. Drag down Task Force 3 through multiple wars of attrition. But equally, the U.S. military urgently needs to ensure sea supremacy in the archipelago, and the U.S. military simply cannot afford to delay it on Alamagan Island. Fighting a protracted war will not do them much good. If it drags on for a few days, the marines fix the airfield on the island of Agrihan, and the advantage goes back to us. When the time comes, the 3rd Task Force will be able to move south to the waters near Aramagan Island, and the chances of the Americans will be even slimmer! ”

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly, he also thought about this question carefully during the day. The fact that the American fleet rushed over without waiting for the reinforcements to arrive proved that the Americans were eager to win, and that they were seeking a quick victory, not a victory after delay. Then the U.S. fleet will definitely take action immediately after arriving, looking for fighters, and finally seizing sea supremacy through a decisive battle of the fleet, and this is exactly what the Tang Imperial fleet wants to see, because the Tang Empire does not want to fight a war of attrition, a protracted war, both sides hope to quickly seize sea supremacy, and this can only be obtained through a large-scale fleet decisive battle!

"And what is our mission?"

Tan Renhao pointed to the telegram in Hao Dongjue's hand. "It's simple, support Task Force 3 and show up as a decisive winner when necessary, to deliver the final blow to the American fleet."

Hao Dongjue turned to the last page of the telegram, and only then did he see the short command on it. Task Force 1 has only this mission, and only mission, without a detailed mission statement. General Gan Yongxing has handed over all the operational power of the First Task Force to Tan Renhao, which is a sign of trust in the First Task Force and a heavy responsibility for the First Task Force.

"It seems that Major General Yan Shiqi has got the best opportunity to perform this time!"

Hao Dongjue sighed secretly, "If Lao Chang is here, he will definitely be envious to death!" ”

"That's not for sure, Lao Chang is like us now, he won't be as obsessed with the artillery battle of the decisive battle of the fleet as you think!"

Tan Renhao immediately laughed, among the four of them, Chang Jianxin was the one who was most obsessed with the decisive battle of the fleet.

"Maybe, but their situation ......"

"Forget it, let's go get something to eat first."

Tan Renhao didn't want to bring up this topic, because he had never received news from Lei Shaoqing and Chang Jianxin. "After dinner, let's have a good talk. This battle will be related to the outcome of the entire battle, maybe General Yan Shiqi is busy arranging troops. Let's plan and see what we can do to help Task Force 3 win! ”

Hao Dongjue nodded, and then sighed. "It's okay, if you want to have some supper at night, I'll treat you."

"You're in for a treat? Then I can't be soft-hearted, I think about it, what other stir-fry I haven't eaten! ”

The two of them left the command cabin with a smile and headed straight for the officer's cafeteria.

At this time, on the "Guangzhou", the flagship of the Third Task Force, Yan Shiqi was looking at the telegram in his hand and pondering. After learning that the American battleship had left Pearl Harbor, Yan Shiqi immediately became excited. After the aircraft carrier has become the dominant force on the battlefield, it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be able to fight the enemy's most powerful battleship fleet. Yan Shiqi's ambition is to be able to win a decisive battle at sea, a great victory like the "Battle of Hachijojima", which will be a great victory that will make him famous in history!