On the 27th, Task Force 1 returned to the anchorage at Iwo Jima. What surprised Tan Renhao a little was that there were not only supply ships but also several engineering ships that came to meet this time!

"What are these ships for?"

Tan Renhao felt very strange when he saw the cranes on those ships and the strange ship shapes.

"I heard what kind of engineering ship it is."

Hao Dongjue shrugged his shoulders, "Judging from the introduction I got, this kind of ship is used for warships that have been fighting abroad for a long time and have no time to return to their home port for maintenance, and can provide some maintenance capabilities in the front-line theater." ”

"What's that?"

Tan Renhao didn't understand it even more.

"It seems that it was originally intended for the Atlantic Fleet."

Hao Dongjue didn't know much either, "You also know that the conditions over there in Cape Town are not good, and there are not even a few docks to repair large warships." If it had been in the shipyard in Cape Town, it would have fallen into the hands of the enemy after the fall. Later, someone came up with the idea of building some of these engineering ships, which can provide the most important maintenance for the front-line fleet, so that the trouble of shipbuilding docks is saved, and these engineering ships can also be transferred in various theaters of operations, where they are needed, how convenient? ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, now many warships in the first task force need to be maintained, especially the boilers on the battleships, according to the past practice, the boilers on the battleships must be cleaned every two months (although the boilers use fresh water, but after the scale problem is serious, not only to reduce the efficiency of the boilers, but also easy to cause accidents) and now has been fighting outside for nearly three months, the problem of the boiler has been exposed, if there is no maintenance, then the problem is even more serious.

These engineering ships are indeed very important, and it was not until the maintenance work began that Tan Renhao understood that the engineering ships could do much less than the dock. Except for some repairs that had to be done in the dockyard, the engineering ship could do all the other ship repairs and maintenance, and removing limescale from the boilers was a trivial matter. Of course. Maintenance and repairs take time.

After determining that the fleet would take three days to maintain, Tan Renhao contacted the base on the island, and then asked the officers and men of the fleet to take turns to go to the island to rest. Although the conditions on Iwo Jima are not as good as those in the rear, they are still much better than staying on a battleship all the time. For the officers and men who have been out to sea for dozens of days, it is already a very happy thing to be able to set foot on six places.

"Luo Yunchong is at the West Airport, how about it, do you want to go over and look for him?"

When Tan Renhao arranged the supply and maintenance of the fleet, Hao Dongjue went to contact Luo Yunchong.

"Get the business done first."

Tan Renhao was a little speechless about this partner. What he does now should be done by the chief of staff. "You have a few more skilled officers to help maintain the boilers, and it's also important to replace the guns on the ground. Let the officers and men on duty take turns to work harder. ”

"Okay, then when are we going to ......"

Tan Renhao glanced at his partner, what time is it now, and he is still thinking about other things all day long.

Hao Dongjue stuck out his tongue and immediately ran away, he didn't want to make Tan Renhao angry, otherwise he would lose face in front of the staff officer, how would he be the chief of staff in the future?

Busy until the next day. Tan Renhao handled the matter of fleet supply and maintenance properly. Because it was the first time that an engineering ship was responsible for the maintenance of a battleship. So there are a lot of new problems. The only thing to be thankful for is that the officers and men of the 1st Task Force have matured a lot in the war, and a large number of outstanding officers and men have been produced. These people are the heart of the fleet. Tan Renhao also wanted to talk to Luo Yunchong, he hadn't seen Luo Yunchong for several months. After handing over the affairs of the fleet to several senior staff officers, he called Hao Dongjue to the flagship.

"Luo Yunchong, this kid hasn't called us, will he not welcome us over?"

Hao Dongjue is quite paradoxical, he was so excited yesterday, and now he is a little skeptical.

"No way, maybe he has a lot of things to do."

Tan Renhao jumped off the fireboat.

"Then isn't it appropriate for us to go now?"

"It's you who says the east, and you who says the west, so can you still go?"

Tan Renhao glanced back at his partner. "Aren't you kid very positive? How can you look like an aunt who goes to see her new father-in-law now? ”

Hao Dongjue scratched his scalp, and then laughed.

"What's over there?"

Just when Tan Renhao turned around, he saw a battleship approaching on the sea in the distance.

Hao Dongjue also immediately looked in the southwest direction, it was a few warships, not supply ships, and the appearance of the two ships was very different. Then, more and more warships emerged from the sea fog.

"It's Lao Lei, you see, that's an aircraft carrier!"

Tan Renhao also saw the aircraft carrier at the front. It was a "Yangtze River"-class aircraft carrier, and it was impossible to identify which one it was, but it was definitely the aircraft carrier of the Second Task Force.

"Damn, Lao Lei, why didn't they say hello to us, they came so soon!"

"Let's go, go over there and wait, they must have come out secretly, otherwise the naval command should send us a telegram!"

Without any hesitation, the two immediately ran to the beach in the southwest corner. At present, the southeast sea area of the anchorage has been occupied by the first task force, and the only area that can be used by the second task force to anchor is the southwest sea area.

More than 20 minutes later, the "Yellow River" subway anchor weighing dozens of tons was thrown into the sea. After Lei Shaoqing and Chang Jianxin waved to two friends on the beach in the corridor outside the bridge, they immediately ran onto the fireboat, and after a while, the two came to the beach.

"I haven't seen you for a long time, but it hasn't changed much!"

Tan Renhao rushed up and hugged Lei Shaoqing.

"You are the same, I thought you had a lot of tan, did your sister-in-law prepare sunscreen for you?"

Lei Shaoqing laughed out loud as he spoke.

Tan Renhao smiled and shook his head, now Lei Shaoqing's complexion is a lot darker, and he looks a lot healthier.

"Lao Lei, why don't you say hello this time? Otherwise, we might as well get ready! ”

"This was ordered by the chief of staff, the battleships of the second task force met on the route, and now no one knows that we have come to Iwo Jima."

Lei Shaoqing explained simply, and then glanced at the two of them in surprise. "How did you know we'd be here at this time?"

Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue were stunned for a moment, and immediately laughed. Hao Dongjue immediately told them that they were going to visit Luo Yunchongdi, which was just a coincidence.

"Alright, let's go together."

Lei Shaoqing glanced at his partner Chang Jianxin, "Old Chang, let's go and arrange the supply of the fleet, and then let's go over together." ”

"Let's go. I stayed to arrange the work of the fleet. ”

Chang Jianxin smiled honestly, he was not very familiar with Luo Yunchong.

"Okay, then we'll be back tomorrow at the latest!"

Lei Shaoqing didn't force it, he knew that Chang Jianxin and Luo Yunchong were just ordinary friends, and now the fleet really needed someone to keep an eye on it.

The three of them didn't say anything wordy and immediately hit the road. It is about 10 kilometers from the anchorage to the headquarters of the 1st Strategic Strike Army to the north of the island. The three of them went to the garrison at the anchorage and asked for a jeep, called a garrison driver, and sent them to Luo Yunchong's headquarters.

"What is the situation of the fleet now?"

Tan Renhao asked at this time. Task Force 2 must have been mobilized urgently. The state of the fleet is critical.

"All three aircraft carriers are in good condition, and this repair was also retrofitted incidentally. The aircraft carrier was replaced with new 8o mm anti-aircraft guns, and more than 8o small-caliber anti-aircraft guns were added, and I wonder if there is any place to stuff something else. ”

Lei Shaoqing shrugged his shoulders, "The morale of the officers and soldiers has almost recovered, and the last naval battle was an inspiration to everyone." The headmaster has asked for the investigation of us to be cancelled, and the officers who have been questioned have all returned, and they have been doing their ideological work. ”

Tan Renhao nodded slightly, he was most concerned about the morale and mood of the officers and men of the fleet. How to say. The backbone of the second task force was brought out by him. These officers and soldiers are like his relatives.

"I heard, how many new warships do you have?"

Hao Dongjue was always only most interested in weapons.

"Yes, replenished us with ten cruisers. Four of these large air defense cruisers, all of which were of an improved type. ”

Lei Shaoqing smiled faintly, "There are also six heavy cruisers and more than a dozen destroyers." Now the strength of the fleet has largely recovered. ”

"This has to be played, we have one more aircraft carrier than the Yankees, and there are so many warships, this time they will only come to die!"

Tan Renhao glanced at Hao Dongjue, who was a little carried away, and said to Lei Shaoqing: "The US fleet will recover its combat effectiveness in the next few days, and it will go to sea at the beginning of next month at the latest. What did the chief of staff command for this operation? ”

"Now the chief of staff has not given a specific order, by and large. The chief of staff meant that the two task forces would act separately so as not to be overwhelmed by the enemy. ”

Lei Shaoqing paused slightly, "If we join forces to fight, I will listen to your command." ”

"This depends on the specific arrangements of the chief of staff."

Tan Renhao did not continue this topic, although he and Lei Shaoqing are the most iron buddies, but now both of them are rear admirals, and they are both fleet commanders, and it is not good for anyone to listen to anyone. Other than that. Lei Shaoqing has only suffered a defeat once, and he needs to use victory to restore his status, and Tan Renhao is more willing to give credit to his friends.

Lei Shaoqing nodded and stopped talking about this topic.

"No matter how we fight, this time we will win more and lose less."

Hao Dongjue didn't see through this layer of powerful relationships. "Five to four, and we are waiting for work, the US fleet has come from afar, we have the support of aviation in the rear, and if we change our status, we will definitely be able to kill the enemy."

Tan Renhao and Lei Shaoqing didn't answer, after all, this topic is too sensitive.

"Why don't you speak?"

Hao Dongjue looked at the two of them in surprise.

"Shaoqing, do you know who the commander of the US fleet is this time? Halsey, or Fletcher? ”

Tan Renhao changed the subject.

"Nobody knows about this."

Lei Shaoqing sighed secretly, "The only thing that is certain now is that Halsey and Fletcher have not recovered from their injuries, and it is difficult for both of them to get out of bed, and I am afraid that they will have to lie in the hospital for a few months." In other words, if Nimitz does not take command himself, then he can only choose a general with whom we are not familiar. ”

"So is it a veteran, or is it a young man?"

Tan Renhao touched his forehead.

"No one knows, but with Kimmel's lesson, Nimitz will not use the veteran, after all, this is to command aircraft carrier operations, not battleship operations."

"And now what about those four battleships at Pearl Harbor?"

Hao Dongjue interjected.

"It should still be in the harbor, and it is impossible for these four battleships to rush to the front. If the U.S. aircraft carrier fleet can regain sea supremacy, then these four battleships may still be able to kill and help the island defending troops defeat our Deng-6 troops, but in a frontal naval battle, these four battleships are only less than 22 knots, which is simply a burden. ”

"Shaoqing's words are not wrong, what we have to consider is not the American battleships, but the aircraft carriers, and who will command the aircraft carrier fleet."

Tan Renhao took out a cigarette, "If the Young Zhuang faction is activated, then who is most likely to be the commander of the task force?" ”

"I can't say for sure, most of what we have is the information of the veteran admirals of the US Navy, and we don't know much about the generals of the Young Zhuang faction."

Lei Shaoqing took the cigarette, then shook his head, "Listening to the chief of staff, Nimitz's performance is indeed better than any of our previous opponents, he knows the battlefield situation very well, and he knows how to win, for this, he can even make a painful sacrifice." Such an opponent is the most difficult opponent to deal with. Moreover, we don't know what tricks he will make at all, perhaps, he will use a little-known general, or even promote a general temporarily. ”

Tan Renhao smiled bitterly, he had been on the front line for so long, and his feelings for the enemy commander were much more direct than Lei Shaoqing. Judging from the scene, Nimitz is at a disadvantage everywhere, but the problem is that the Tang Empire has concentrated almost all its forces to attack, while Nimitz has reservations from time to time. Take the battle on Anatahan Island as an example, from the beginning to the end, Nimitz kept his hand and left a way out for Saipan. Moreover, the Imperial Navy poured out of its nest, mobilized hundreds of thousands of troops, invested in three task forces, and fought fiercely for several months, but still did not take the Mariana Islands, which are tens of thousands of kilometers away from the continental United States. It can be said that Nimitz was preparing for a counterattack at every turn, as can be seen from the actions of the US Pacific Fleet.

"The headmaster said the same, Nimitz is a tough opponent, but we have to overcome this opponent!"

Tan Renhao sighed, and then lit a cigarette. Everyone wants to defeat their opponents, but the problem is that it is much easier to achieve this goal than to say a word!