Before Qiu Gengbo sent back the reconnaissance report, the fleet sounded a total of three anti-submarine alarms, although it was finally confirmed that they were all false alarms, but this still made Tan Renhao feel very uneasy, this is a sea area where US submarines are frequently active, and most of the submarines deployed on Hawaii Island and even the west coast of the United States will pass through this sea area. The fleet could encounter US submarines at any time, and now those few wounded aircraft carriers are certainly ideal targets for submarine strikes.

When the fourth anti-submarine siren sounded, Tan Renhao became even more uneasy.

"It's a false alarm again, the sonar on the destroyer is malfunctioning." Zhu Rongzhe was also emaciated, "I have already given an order to let the captain of the destroyer that had problems write an inspection report, and pulled the alarm several times, which has made people panic now." ”

"There's nothing wrong with being cautious." Tan Renhao glanced at the navigation clock, "When can we complete the rescue work?" ”

"It's going to take at least two hours, and it's going to take even more time to rescue the pilot. I've been in contact with Task Force 2, and they'll be in charge of rescuing a group of pilots who have made a forced landing near the U.S. fleet, which will ease our pressure. ”

Tan Renhao nodded. "Hurry up, this sea area is not safe, let the warships scatter, and the warships that can run are all speeding up to more than 18 knots, let the destroyers strengthen their vigilance, don't punish the captain, he is also doing his duty."

"Okay, I'll arrange it now."

Before Zhu Rongzhe could walk away, the communications staff officer ran over. "General, Colonel Qiu Gengbo sent a telegram back and found the American fleet."

Tan Renhao immediately turned around, and the communications staff officer handed over the piece of paper that recorded the detailed information of the US fleet, and after Tan Renhao glanced at it, he gave it to Zhu Rongzhe.

"It's 360 nautical miles away from us, it's too far!"

"It's really too far, ready to contact Task Force 4." After Tan Renhao gave instructions to the communications staff officer, he walked quickly to the chart table. He only made a brief measurement, "The 52nd Task Force of the US Army is 360 nautical miles away from us, and now it is more than 450 nautical miles away from the Fourth Task Force, and it is still sailing in a northeasterly direction at a speed of more than 30 knots. ”

"He must have turned as soon as he let the bomber take off, but Qiu Gengbo's route was not here."

"Anyway. He found Task Force 52, and we couldn't attack. Tan Renhao felt very regretful, "Even if the Fourth Task Force is allowed to change course and take the shortest route at the fastest speed, it will be impossible for the 52nd Task Force to catch up with the 52nd Task Force before dark." ”

"Maybe Task Force 52 is just making a temporary turn to reclaim the bomber group."

"Is it possible? Now there is basically no wind, and the aircraft carrier is able to recover the bomber in any direction. Moreover, Qiu Gengbo's report clearly mentions that it is the entire 52nd Task Force that is sailing in a northeasterly direction. Tan Renhao glanced at his partner, "I know what you're thinking, I also want to take out the 52nd Task Force, but the problem is." Our bombers can't fly. Even if you fly over, you can't fly back! ”

"Then we can't just watch Task Force 52 slip away." Zhu Rongzhe didn't realize that his tone was too heavy when he said this.

"So what can we do?" Tan Renhao yelled, and then wiped his face vigorously. Forcing himself to calm down, he hadn't closed his eyes for almost two days, and his emotions were a little out of control. "Xiao Zhu, we should retreat now, it's not that I don't want to pursue, it's that we don't have a way to pursue. Task Force 4 will also cover our return to the rear ports, and will need to continue to support the Marines in their attack on Kauai with the other fleet. We've managed to defeat the U.S. Fifth Fleet, and maybe even the Spruance will be blown up by us. Even if the 52nd Task Force escapes, with those three aircraft carriers, there is still a little ability of Turner. Less than half of the remaining bombers simply cannot pose a threat to us. ”

"But the U.S. military will soon replenish the 52nd Task Force with bombers, and when the time comes, the 52nd Task Force will become our enemy again." This time, Zhu Rongzhe's tone was also much calmer.

"Yes, I know, but we can't risk it now." Tan Renhao straightened his waist, "This is the sea area where US submarines are active, and we have stopped for nearly two hours, and we will wait any longer." It's tantamount to letting U.S. submarines encircle us. Moreover, the fleet has not yet left the strike range of US heavy bombers, and if we do not retreat in time, we will only be besieged by US submarines and bombers. At the very least, our two aircraft carriers, as well as the two aircraft carriers of Task Force 2, can be repaired, and we don't have to pay for it anymore. ”

Zhu Rongzhe lowered his head, he still felt very unhappy, watching the enemy slip away, this was indeed a very unpleasant thing.

"The fleet will set sail in an hour, let the fourth task force rush over, the fleet will be in a new formation, let the fourth task force be behind." Tan Renhao touched his forehead, "Get all the pilots back as soon as possible, don't leave one, and the wounded and prisoners of the American army must be settled." ”

"I'll deal with it right away, but, General Tan, I think we should still attack."

Tan Renhao looked at Zhu Rongzhe. "I'll listen to you, but now, you have to carry out the orders I just given, and if you have any doubts, when the fleet returns, you can report to the Theater Commander, or directly to the Navy Command, it's your right, and you have to do your duty now, understand?"

Zhu Rongzhe did not continue to defend himself with Tan Renhao, and he also knew that the words of the fleet commander were orders.

After Zhu Rongzhe left, Tan Renhao sat down, and he suddenly felt very tired and exhausted, as if the whole person was suddenly about to collapse.

"General, have a hot cup of coffee." The navigation staff officer came over and delivered a cup of hot coffee to Tan Renhao's hand, "Chief of Staff He is also thinking about everyone, this battle is so fierce, the brothers are holding their breath in their hearts, and now they are looking at ......"

Tan Renhao raised his head with a smile. "Are you worried that I will have a prejudice against the Chief of Staff?"

The nautical staff officer smiled awkwardly, then nodded.

"Don't worry, he said what he had to say and I did what I had to do. You've been following me for years, haven't you? It should be known that in the First Task Force, we only do things and not people, right? Tan Renhao smiled and let the navigation staff member sit next to him, "Don't think so much, everyone has their own ideas." I can understand that. The Chief of Staff is also doing his duty, and you have nothing to worry about. ”

"General, I didn't mean that, I'm Jue Yu ......",

"Okay, let's go and plan the return route, in an hour, we'll be on the way back, don't delay now. If you want to talk, we'll have a good chat when we get out of the dangerous sea. ”

The colonel immediately took his leave, and from '22 he was a member of the 1st Task Force, and from '24 he was in the command of the 1st Task Force, and for two years he had been in the position of seafaring staff officer. It can be said that he admires Tan Renhao very much and understands Tan Renhao very well. Zhu Rongzhe is a "newcomer". A lot of times I don't know the rules of the fleet. In the past, even Hao Dongjue didn't dare to talk to the commander in that questioning tone.

After drinking the coffee, Tan Renhao felt a little warmer and a little stronger. Only then did he fall silent. Why didn't he want to attack Task Force 52? The bombers of Task Force 4 were able to catch up with Task Force 52. But those bombers could only fly one way, and there was no possibility of even returning to the "Longganhu" aircraft carrier to land. In the absence of absolute necessity, this kind of attack with no return must not be carried out. This is common sense that every fleet commander possesses. Tan Renhao didn't want to lose more fighters and more pilots. Enough pilots have been sacrificed in this battle, and enough fighters have been lost. Anyway, you have to leave some money for the Imperial Navy. More importantly, what kind of effect will this have on pilots who attack the ground in a decisive attack? Perhaps, they will embark on the voyage without hesitation, but how many will be able to return?

Maybe. In his eyes, it was completely worth losing dozens of bombers and dozens of pilots to take out the 52nd Task Force, and perhaps, it was worth it to let the fleet take another risk, after all, the fleet had already taken risks several times. But Tan Renhao saw more problems. The Fourth Task Force had only recently recovered, and the pilot team was already inferior to the other two task forces. Plus, they've taken enough risks. Is it worth risking three task forces for the sake of one task force? And, is it possible to win such an adventure? These are all things that Tan Renhao must consider, and they are also the first things he considers. Luck is not always on the side of the Imperial Navy, in this battle, the luck of the Imperial Navy is good enough, maybe one more step, the bottomless abyss ahead!

Let's consider it from the perspective of the overall battle situation. Now that the First Task Force and the Second Task Force have lost their combat effectiveness, even if the two task forces still have one aircraft carrier that can continue fighting, they have lost almost all their combat aircraft, and their air forces have suffered several percent casualties, and both task forces need to rest and recuperate, and the damaged aircraft carriers also need to return to port for repair as soon as possible. At present, only the Fourth Task Force maintains a relatively complete combat strength, including the Seventh Task Force and the Eighth Task Force, which did not participate in the war, and the Third Task Force. The Imperial Navy had four task forces to fight, while the United States had only one task force left. The power gap between the two sides continued to widen, and the U.S. Navy had lost the ability to hold back the advance of the Imperial Navy. Therefore, even if the 52nd Task Force was allowed to escape, it would not be possible to turn the tables, and the Imperial Navy had already achieved absolute superiority in sea supremacy.

Looking at the long term, the damage to the four aircraft carriers of the 1st Task Force and the 2nd Task Force is not too serious, and even the speed has not dropped much. As long as these four aircraft carriers return to the ports of Apra and Naha, they can be repaired within two months, at least according to the captain of the aircraft carrier. Two months later, the Imperial Navy will reach the peak of its strength, and by then, there will be two more aircraft carriers in service, plus more escort carriers, and the Imperial Navy will have an even more obvious advantage in strength. On the contrary, in July, the US Navy will only be able to acquire at most a few aircraft carriers without outstanding officers and men, and its strength will not be able to reach the current level. Therefore, in two months at most, the Imperial Navy will dominate the Pacific Ocean, and even if Task Force 52 is finished, it will not be able to gain a foothold in the Pacific Ocean.

Tan Renhao also considered that the 51st Task Force was a fleet under the personal command of Spruance, and all the battleships above the cruiser in the fleet were sunk, and perhaps Spruance had been buried in the sea, or mixed in with the captives. In any case, if Spruance could be eliminated, it would be impossible for Turner to meet the challenge of the Imperial Navy. Of course, Tan Renhao didn't know by this time that Spruance had actually left the Fifth Fleet early on the cruiser and was now on his way back to San Francisco.

"General...... General ......"

Tan Renhao shook violently, and then raised his head.

"The route has been worked out, and the chief of staff has begun to come, the search and rescue work will soon be completed, and the repair work of the 'Hongzehu' aircraft carrier will also be completed, and the speed will be able to reach 27 knots."

"Very well, what about the 'Gaoyou Lake'?" Tan Renhao immediately stood up.

"The emergency repair work of the 'Gaoyou Lake' aircraft carrier has also been completed, and the aircraft carrier is in no major trouble, and the flight deck will soon be repaired, and the bombers will be able to land."

Tan Renhao smiled. "Let's get ready to sail back, contact Task Force 2 and determine the rendezvous area. Also, has Task Force 4 been contacted? ”

"We've been contacted, Task Force 4 is coming towards us, their fighter planes will arrive in about ten minutes, and we will withdraw with Task Force 2 first."

"What about those two aircraft carriers in Task Force 2?"

"It can't be sunk, but it's not lightly injured, and it can only reach cruising speed at most."

Tan Renhao walked to the front of the command cabin, and he looked towards the sea in front of him. "Contact General Liao Hanxiang and say that we are returning home, and let him arrange the pick-up work."

The nautical staff officer immediately looked over to the communications staff officer, and it was not his purview to draft telegrams.

"Contact Task Force 7 and Task Force 8 and have them meet us in the north of Kauai......"

When Tan Renhao gave the order, the First Task Force had already embarked on the return route, and after a fierce battle, many officers and men in the fleet were so tired that they could not stand up. Many aviation crew members fell asleep on the floor, and it can be said that they were the most important unsung heroes in this battle!