Tan Renhao was woken up from his bed by the adjutant at about 3 o'clock in the morning on the 11th, and by the time he arrived at the headquarters cabin in disheveled clothes, Zhu Rongzhe had already mobilized the staff officers of the fleet.

"A telegram from General Liao Hanxiang." Zhu Rongzhe immediately greeted him, "Our submarine discovered a large US fleet sailing westward more than four hours ago, and it was contact under the sea surface, so we can only judge that there are dozens of main warships of more than 10,000 tons, as well as a large number of aircraft carriers and battleships, and there is no visual contact. The submarine telegram was sent back half an hour ago, and General Liao Hanxiang directly forwarded it. ”

"Are you sure it's the U.S. fleet, not a fleet of 10,000-ton steamers?" Tan Renhao buttoned the button under his collar and walked towards the chart table.

"Absolutely sure it's the fleet, not the transport fleet." Zhu Rongzhe followed, "The one who sent the telegram back was the No. 319 submarine, and the captain is Colonel Wen Jiaqian, do you remember the one who sank the US aircraft carrier last time, Wen Haomao?" ”

Tan Renhao frowned slightly, Wen Haomao had already become a combat hero of the Imperial Navy, and he had heard Huang Xiaotian and Liao Hanxiang mention it many times, how could he not remember.

"Wen Jiaqian is Wen Haomao's eldest brother, and he killed an Italian battleship in the Mediterranean Sea before. The Project 319 submarine is one of our finest submarines, and if even they are mistaken, I am afraid that no submarine captain is qualified. Mobile station ap.

Tan Renhao just nodded, Zhu Rongzhe didn't know that Tan Renhao's brother-in-law was the captain of the submarine, and when Liao Hongpeng was still serving in the front-line army, I am afraid that captains like Wen Haomao and Wen Jiaqian had not yet shown up.

Zhu Rongzhe also didn't notice the subtle change in Tan Renhao's expression, he pointed at the chart. "This is the position of the sea area reported by the submarine, and the error is about 50 nautical miles. If it is not the U.S. fleet that passes through here, but a convoy, then where is this U.S. convoy going? Are they going to Japan? ”

Tan Renhao didn't bother with the chief of staff, he lay on the chart table. The Project 319 submarine spotted the U.S. fleet in an area between 35 degrees north-east of Kauai, about 27 to 320 nautical miles from Kauai. And at that time the fleet was heading westward, about 270 to 280 degrees. Obviously, this could not be a fleet, west of Kauai, only Necker Island is still under the control of the US military, and the island has no defensive value, not even offensive value. If Nimitz had gone mad to reinforce Neck, the fleet would not have traveled that far from Kauai. Of course. It is even more unlikely that this fleet was going to reinforce Kauai. The only explanation is that this is a fleet, and it is the US Fifth Fleet!

"Spruance, the old fox, is finally out of the hole." Tan Renhao straightened up, "Although the telegram is a few hours late, it doesn't have much impact, Xiao Zhu, what do you think is the purpose of Spruance's move?" ”

"It's definitely coming towards us!" Zhu Rongzhe didn't say this, and he added, "Judging from the course of the fleet, Spruance is not prepared to contact us directly. It must be going around to the north of us. Shore-based reconnaissance aircraft were used to determine our specific location, and then the fleet quickly pressed up and organized bombers to attack. Maybe. Spruance would also ask Nimitz to assist in bombing us first with shore-based bombers, and then with carrier-based bombers, to finally annihilate us, at least one of our main fleets! ”

Tan Renhao touched his chin and pondered for a while. "Yes, Spruance's aim must be to annihilate one of our main fleets without heavy losses, so that he will have a greater chance of turning the tide of battle. A telegram was immediately sent to the Third Fleet and to the Third Task Force, with the exception of the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Task Force shelling formations continuing to support the Marines in the vicinity of Kauai. The other task forces must withdraw from ground support operations before dawn, leave the waters near the islands, and move into the second phase of operations. ”

Zhu Rongzhe immediately called the communications staff officer over. At this time, the 1st Task Force was heading for the supply area, about 350 nautical miles from Kauai, and the U.S. fleet that suddenly killed was at least 550 nautical miles away from the 1st Task Force, so it was unlikely that the ground signal sent by the shortwave radio station would be intercepted by the U.S. military, and there was no need to worry about the fleet being exposed due to the use of the radio.

Neither Task Force 4 nor Task Force 3 sent a telegram back, except for the 2nd Task Force call. On the contrary, it was Han Shaofeng, who was organizing the third batch of marines on Nihua Island, who sent a telegram. Han Shaofeng also received an alert from Liao Hanxiang, knowing that the fleet was about to temporarily leave the landing ground, he didn't complain anything, and he also received a telegram from Tan Renhao, and learned that Tan Renhao had left all three artillery formations behind, which made him feel a little surprised and made him very grateful. Han Shaofeng sent the news back to the theater command through the long-wave radio and helped Tan Renhao contact the other fleets, so that he could avoid letting the first task force use the long-wave radio.

After receiving the telegram from Han Shaofeng, Tan Renhao did not continue to contact the Fourth Task Force and the Third Task Force. He first asked Zhu Rongzhe to arrange the task of the reconnaissance plane, and two hours later, Hao Dongjue sent a seaplane to send the new reconnaissance mission. This helped Tan Renhao solve a big problem. Hao Dongjue focused his reconnaissance on the north and east sides of the fleet, and the fleet was heading north at this time, so these two directions were the most dangerous. This is fully in line with the second phase of the operational plan previously drawn up. Tan Renhao did not revise the reconnaissance operation arranged by Hao Dongjue, and asked Zhu Rongzhe to deploy the reconnaissance plane according to Hao Dongjue's safety.

Before, when Spruance didn't appear, Tan Renhao was restless, and always felt that Spruance was planning a large-scale sneak attack. Now, Spruance appeared, but he was still uneasy, and he always felt that it was not like Spruance commanding a combat operation. Thinking of this, Tan Renhao laughed self-deprecatingly. To put it bluntly, Spruance is still a huge threat to the opponent, and it is an opponent who has left a shadow in Tan Renhao's heart. It is not easy to completely defeat such an opponent, Tan Renhao does not want to be the losing side, he must concentrate all his strength to defeat this opponent, and completely defeat this opponent.

Before dawn, reconnaissance planes on the aircraft carrier began to be dispatched one after another. The first task force is in the east, so its carrier-based reconnaissance planes are mainly responsible for searching within a 420-degree range to the east of the fleet, and the 36 carrier-based reconnaissance planes on the three aircraft carriers can ensure that this direction is found. Any enemy ship within 35 nautical miles. The second task force is in the west, and its carrier-based reconnaissance planes are responsible for searching the sea area within 120 degrees to the north of the fleet, and the reconnaissance radius is still 350 nautical miles, and its reconnaissance density is also very huge.

The carrier-based reconnaissance planes had not yet fully taken off, and the seaplanes on the escort cruisers were also ejected one after another. As in previous reconnaissance work, carrier-based reconnaissance planes with a longer range were responsible for reconnaissance in the outer circle, while seaplanes with a shorter range were responsible for reconnaissance in the inner circle. Both task forces each had 12 cruisers, for a total of 30 seaplanes. These seaplanes have a patrol radius of 25) nautical miles and can fly at sea for at least four hours, which is enough to ensure that the reconnaissance of the inner ring of the sea area can be completed after dawn.

Aviation combat operations were also arranged, and the US Fifth Fleet had nine aircraft carriers, four battleships, and dozens of cruisers, and it was very likely that these battleships would be organized into three task forces, and perhaps its battleships could also form a separate task force. All this information was confirmed, so Hao Dongjue arranged the aviation strike operation in advance. As long as the US Fifth Fleet is discovered, it must first ensure the destruction of the US aircraft carriers. And then there were the battleships. And finally the other warships. If the Third Fleet commanded by Huang Xiaotian can come over in time, then it is very likely that the strike strength of the two main fleets will be concentrated and the US Fifth Fleet will be completely annihilated. Of course, the premise is to find Spruance and not let Spruance slip away again!

At dawn, a seaplane flying from the Third Fleet landed on the sea near the aircraft carrier "Longganhu," and the seaplane delivered news from the Third Fleet.

Huang Xiaotian's Third Fleet was about 150 nautical miles south of Task Force 1 and was sailing at 24 knots, reducing the distance between the two fleets to within 100 nautical miles in about eight hours. The reconnaissance aircraft of the Third Fleet were concentrated mainly in the east, and part of them were also arranged in several other directions. In addition, Huang Xiaotian also proposed that if the US Fifth Fleet was discovered. Before the Third Fleet entered the strike range, the First Fleet provided landing sites for the bombers of the Third Fleet, so that the bombers of the Third Fleet could participate in combat operations. Fighter jets from the Third Fleet will come to assist in the First Fleet's air defense.

Tan Renhao had the news sent to the Second Task Force, and the specific aviation combat tactics were arranged by Hao Dongjue. Huang Xiaotian was able to receive the news in time and quickly followed, which already made Tan Renhao feel very satisfied. To put it bluntly, if there is only the First Fleet, Tan Renhao still has the confidence to completely defeat the US Fifth Fleet, as long as the Third Fleet arrives in time. Then the US Fifth Fleet does not even have a chance to win at all.

At about 10 o'clock in the morning, when the first batch of reconnaissance planes were returning home one after another and the second group of reconnaissance planes were taking off, the Third Task Force caught up with the First Task Force and sailed side by side to the east of the First Task Force. Chang Jianxin also sent a telegram saying that the Third Task Force would build an air defense barrier for the First Task Force, and if necessary, the Third Task Force could take the initiative to expose and lure the US military into being deceived.

Tan Renhao knew very well what Chang Jianxin's purpose was in doing this. At this time, the Second Task Force had already copied to the front of the First Task Force, so if the US Fifth Fleet was to the north, the Second Task Force would be the first to be discovered, and the Second Task Force would be the first to be attacked. Task Force 3 rushed over and sailed side by side to the east of Task Force 1, so that the danger from the east could be stopped. Tan Renhao was even sure that when Chang Jian sent out the new telegram, the radar on the cruiser of the Third Task Force must have been activated, and it was closely monitoring the surrounding sky. At the same time, Huang Xiaotian's Third Fleet is quickly catching up in the south, that is to say, at this time, the First Task Force is wrapped in the middle and is the least vulnerable to attack, if it encounters the US military, then the bombers of the First Task Force will definitely be the backbone of the strike.

For this arrangement of several other people, it is too late for Tan Renhao to change, whether it is Hao Dongjue, or Chang Jianxin, or Huang Xiaotian, or even Yan Yulong, Zheng Guanhua is actually thinking about the First Task Force, otherwise, they will not try to "protect" the First Task Force. Tan Renhao doesn't need the protection of others, but he also knows that it's not just protection. The aviation of the First Task Force is the best, and whether or not it can defeat the US Fifth Fleet depends on Renhao's decision-making, and the bombers of the First Task Force are also crucial.

Time passed rapidly, and the "water birds" on the aircraft carrier set off one after another, and in a high-intensity reconnaissance operation, it was impossible to let only the reconnaissance planes carry out reconnaissance missions, and bombers with reconnaissance capabilities also had to carry out reconnaissance missions. Each aircraft carrier has four squads of "waterfowl" on board, and these four squads take turns to fight, and during the day, each squad carries out a reconnaissance mission, which can not only ensure the density of reconnaissance, but also ensure that the pilots have enough energy. However, after four rounds of reconnaissance, none of the reconnaissance planes found the target.

"The U.S. Fifth Fleet must have temporarily changed course." Zhu Rongzhe also had a headache, and he was busy for a while. "It could be north, or it could be east. A turn to the north is the most likely, and if it is to the east, it should be discovered by our submarines! ”

Tan Renhao kept his mouth shut, he also felt very depressed, he dispatched hundreds of reconnaissance planes, but he was stunned that he did not find the shadow of the US warship, and he even doubted whether the report of the No. 319 submarine was true, after all, it was only contact under the surface of the sea. Or did the U.S. Fifth Fleet all dive to the surface?

The more he thought about it, the more depressed Tan Renhao felt. Was Spruance prescient, or did he anticipate an ambush? If Spruance had the foresight, then why did the U.S. Fifth Fleet move west? Obviously, this is not logical, and the only explanation is that Spruance must have sensed the danger, so he changed course halfway, so where did the US Fifth Fleet go?