From the early morning of 20 July, after a sneak attack on the US airfield on Gardner Island, to the morning of 22 July, the First Task Force bombed and shelled the island for nearly 50 hours, and the battle did not end.

Comparatively speaking, the First Task Force was the most complete of the fleets, except for the absence of battleships. At that time, in addition to three aircraft carrier battle groups, the 1st Task Force also had a powerful artillery strike group. With six cruisers and 12 destroyers, it was the largest of all aircraft carrier task forces at the time. It can be said that the comprehensive strike capability of the First Task Force is the most powerful among all fleets, especially in supporting the Marine Corps, and the First Task Force has a much more obvious advantage than the Fourth Task Force.

"After the afternoon bombardment, the fleet went to this area to rendezvous with the supply fleet." Tan Renhao marked the meeting point of the supply on the chart, "Pay attention to the speed, just don't be late." ”

"No problem, I'll design the route now."

After the navigation staff walked away, Hao Dongjue walked over. "The bombers departed at two o'clock and returned to the fleet at about half-past four. I've already said hello to the pilots and asked them to pay attention to the bombing altitude and minimize casualties. ”

Tan Renhao nodded. "Is there any news from the Fifth Fleet?"

"We haven't seen the Fifth Fleet since the last time we spotted it."

"It seems that Spruance is deliberately avoiding us." Tan Renhao touched his chin, "That's it." After the departure of the bombers, the fleet will begin to maneuver, since Spruance does not want to confront us head-on. Then we're going to have to force him out and make him have to fight us.

Have you contacted General Han Shaofeng? ”

He sent a telegram in the morning. The landing fleet arrived this evening. Hao Dongjue took out his cigarette, "If everything goes well, they will land on Gardner Island tomorrow morning." ”

"Then, we have to return the shelling formation to the landing ground tomorrow morning to assist the marines ashore. The fleet also had to maneuver in place. If Spruance wants to do it, then either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, we will have a decisive battle with the Fifth Fleet. ”

"The point is that we have to find the Fifth Fleet first."

Both of them know where the key is, but the problem is that since the last time they were spotted by submarines outside Pearl Harbor, the Fifth Fleet has completely "disappeared," and the more than 20 submarines sent by Liao Hanxiang to the waters of the Hawaiian Islands have never been able to find any trace of the Fifth Fleet. This can't help but make Tan Renhao a little worried, judging from Spruance's ability and the characteristics of the combat location of the command fleet. If the Imperial Marines land on Gardner Island this time, then it is very likely that his tactic will be to defeat Task Force 1 first and seize sea supremacy. Wait until Task Force 1 is finished, then go and clean up the Imperial Marines who landed on Gardner Island.

In fact, Task Force 1 was tasked with a dual mission, supporting the Marines on Gardner Island. To capture this important island, on the other hand, we must find a way to find the Fifth Fleet and complete the task of seizing sea supremacy. This is also the problem: if the Fifth Fleet suddenly appears when the Marines land, then the First Task Force will have to turn to deal with the Fifth Fleet, and it will be difficult to continue to fully support the Marines, and the result will inevitably lead to a major setback in the landing operation.

What's even more troublesome is that Spruance is likely to hide in a place where the First Task Force can't attack, and then knock out the landing fleet first, and by the time the First Task Force arrives, the Fifth Fleet has already disappeared without a trace.

In the afternoon, the last group of three squadrons of bombers bombed American positions on Gardner Island, dropping bombs on a group of newly discovered targets. At the same time, more than a dozen bombers (lost in the two-day bombing) of the replenishment of the fleet by the Navy were also transferred. By the time the bomber group returned, the fleet had already begun to move towards the supply area. At this time, the sky also darkened.

In combat operations, Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue rotate every four hours, and the two of them only rest for four hours every day. This is already the habit of the two, and according to this state, the two can hold on for more than ten days. Exhaustion is inevitable, but at this time, everyone is tired.

"Spruance hasn't appeared yet, even if the Fifth Fleet moves at a cruising speed of 16 knots, it should be near the battlefield at this time."

"Maybe he's somewhere nearby." Tan Renhao looked towards the sea to the south, "Have you arranged the supply work for the night?" ”

"It's all arranged, the shelling formation will complete the supply first, so that it can return to the landing site in time." Hao Dongjue flicked the cigarette butt out, "Our supply work will be completed around four o'clock in the morning, have you figured out how to fight tomorrow?" ”

"I'll give the nautical staff an order later." Tan Renhao sighed, "Let's go to dinner, I'll be a little full tonight, I don't know if the supply ship has brought some good coffee." ”

"Don't worry about this, Liao Hanxiang doesn't know that you like to drink coffee when you fight? He's sure to bring you a few bottles, and they're all fine coffee. ”

The two of them laughed all the way to the officers' cafeteria, the officers on the battleship and the fleet headquarters had not yet changed shifts, and the staff officers on duty at night did not come to the cafeteria, and it looked a little deserted inside. The cook quickly brought over the prepared meals, which had long been arranged by the general's adjutant.

When the two returned to the command cabin, an important telegram came, which was still sent by Liao Hanxiang, and the information sent back was a submarine that had completed the combat mission of breaking the diplomatic relationship and received a temporary order to carry out a reconnaissance mission in the waters of the Hawaiian Islands when returning home, and the Fifth Fleet appeared!

When Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue were reading the telegram, the navigation staff and communications staff marked the location of the US fleet on the chart, and also marked the course and speed of the US fleet when it was discovered.

"Renhao, don't you think it's a little strange?"

"What?" Tan Renhao stopped at the chart table and looked at Hao Dongjue.

"There is no mention in the telegram of whether there are aircraft carriers, only judged as a large fleet. It is even possible that there will be a large fleet. ”

Tan Renhao nodded and motioned for Hao Dongjue to continue.

"Look at the location." Hao Dongjue walked over, "It's about 250 nautical miles away from Gardner Island. And it's in the eastern part of the island. If this was Spruance's Fifth Fleet, then he would have been here for at least 20 hours. Perhaps Spruance continued to wait and see, and when the submarine was discovered, the fleet was doing normal anti-submarine evasion. But the question is, does Spruance have a reason to let the Fifth Fleet hide behind? ”

"You're saying there's a good chance it's not the Fifth Fleet?"

Hao Dongjue nodded. He took out a cigarette. "I'm not sure, but I just think that at this critical time, if this is the Fifth Fleet, then Spruance's purpose is to destroy our landing fleet, not to come to fight us. In addition, Spruance could quite well count on the cover of shore-based aviation on Necker Island. But the most important thing is that if Spruance stays here, it will be easy for us to catch him when he attacks the landing fleet. Our bombers have already flown over, and the US shore-based air force can hardly guarantee that the Fifth Fleet will not be killed by us, and it will not even be able to stop our bomber group. Then he's going to be finished. ”

"If you were the commander of the Fifth Fleet, what would you do?" Tan Renhao asked directly.

"This ......" Hao Dongjue frowned and thought for a while, "If I am in command of the Fifth Fleet, then it is better to take a gamble." It would be even more surprising to put the fleet to the north of Gardner Island, or to the south, or even a little to the west, without expecting to be covered by shore-based aviation. In addition, if the Fifth Fleet's first task was to strike at the landing fleet, Spruance could quickly withdraw from the battlefield after dropping bombs. ”

"The most important thing is that we all probably think that he will stay within the cover of shore-based aviation, so this is the safest place to look, but in fact the most dangerous."

"Yes, that's what it means. And Spruance knew that this time he would fight with us, even if Nimitz ordered him to attack the landing fleet first, he would definitely determine our position first, and then attack the landing fleet, and", Hao Dongjue looked at his partner, "Most likely, he will attack us first, and then go to deal with the landing fleet." ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, and then looked at the chart and pondered. Hao Dongjue also quieted down, in fact, both of them knew very well that if Spruance adopted more conservative tactics this time, then he would definitely fail, and in the absence of choice, Spruance could only take a risk!

"Dong Jue, let me ask you a question." Tan Renhao broke the silence, "How well do you know my tactical command?" ”

"What do you mean?" Hao Dongjue glanced at Tan Renhao, very puzzled.

Tan Renhao shrugged his shoulders and motioned for Hao Dongjue to speak directly.

"You mean, if I were your opponent, how would I judge your actions?"

"That's what it means, if you were my opponent, how would you think I should command the fleet this time?" Tan Renhao sat down and waited for Hao Dongjue's reply.

Hao Dongjue pondered for a while, and then said slowly: "If I were on Spruance's side now, then I would definitely think that you would risk sailing the fleet to the northeast or southeast of Gardner Island, and based on the whereabouts of the Fifth Fleet, I would finally determine which direction the First Task Force should be placed in. If the Fifth Fleet's whereabouts cannot be determined, then judging by the geographical conditions, it is very likely that you will have the First Task Force appear northeast of Gardner Island, hiding out of the patrol range of US shore-based reconnaissance planes on Necker Island.

Tan Renhao immediately laughed.

"Is there a problem with my analysis?" Hao Dongjue looked at his partner.

"Actually, I'm starting to think so." Tan Renhao smiled and nodded, "If your initial judgment is correct, it is very likely that it is not the Fifth Fleet, but the transport fleet sent by Nimitz to Gardner Island, then we did not capture the Fifth Fleet, and it is very likely that I will put the fleet to the north or northeast of Gardner Island." ”

Hao Dongjue also laughed. "Do you think Spruance would have made such a judgment?"

"Chances are, at least, Spruance knows us well." Tan Renhao stood up, "At the same time, we know him very well. If we had sent the fleet to the north of Gardner Island, Spruance would have had the Fifth Fleet appear south of Gardner Island, and then attack our landing fleet and artillery formation first, and by the time we arrived with the carriers, he would have retreated south and would not engage us at all. ”

"Then we'll put the fleet south of Gardner Island."

Tan Renhao shook his head. "What if we put the fleet south of Gardner Island and Spruance to the north?"

"This ......" Hao Dongjue scratched his scalp and couldn't answer.

"If we're just going to play against an ordinary opponent this time, I won't have too many concerns, and you should know what kind of opponent Spruance is." Tan Renhao sighed, "Perhaps, we thought we were right, but in fact, we were 108,000 miles away. Let's be clear first that Spruance is the first to strike at Task Force 1, and he will only strike the landing fleet first if he is sure that Task Force 1 poses no threat to the Fifth Fleet. ”

"You mean......" Hao Dongjue glanced at Tan Renhao in surprise, "to create a false impression for Spruance that we are no threat to the Fifth Fleet?" ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly and asked, "The U.S. seaplane base on Gardner Island has been destroyed, right?" ”

"It's been destroyed, everything that can fly has been blown up."

"Then we have a chance. Since Spruance wants to play with us, let's have a good time and let him take his life. Tan Renhao sneered, "Let's complete the replenishment of the fleet as soon as possible, you go and keep an eye on it, in addition, let the pilots and aviation service personnel not have to participate in the replenishment work, let them recuperate, and tomorrow it will be time for them to show their skills." ”

Hao Dongjue originally wanted to ask what Tan Renhao was for, but he didn't ask in the end. He also paid attention to his jacket, and Tan Renhao showed a very strong confidence, which was a strong self-confidence that he had not shown in many previous battles with Spruance!