"Commander, the American fleet in front is running fast, about 25-26 knots. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ”

"The Colorado isn't that fast, it looks like it's a North Carolina-class." Yamamoto Isoroku showed an excited expression.

The North Carolina class is the real worthy target, and the old and slow Colorado class has long been outdated, just a chicken rib.

"Commander, it's likely that you won't be able to catch up." Ugaki said with some concern.

"What's the weather like tomorrow?" Yamamoto asked about the weather.

"There may be thundershowers near the Hawaiian Islands in the morning, and it will clear after noon, and carrier-based aircraft should be ready in the afternoon." Ugaki reported the forecast of the Japanese Navy's meteorological department, which was not very accurate.

"Send a telegram to Nagumo Tadaichi and let him move closer to our fleet with three aircraft carriers." Yamamoto Fifty-six smiled and said, "Since I encountered it, of course I can't tolerate it escaping!" If the Yamato doesn't have a chance to attack, let the carrier-based aircraft solve it. ”

"Hay!"

……

"Looks like the super battleship is chasing us!" Nimitz also made an accurate judgment.

Then he also thought of carrier-based aircraft, and this time he also brought two aircraft carriers, the Raider and the Wasp. The two carriers, now commanded by Rear Admiral Fletcher, are now lurking somewhere off the northeast coast of the Hawaiian Islands.

"What's the weather like tomorrow?"

"There's a thundercloud near the Hawaiian Islands that will gradually move south, and if we continue to sail northeast, we'll be able to get out of the thundercloud belt tomorrow morning."

The Aleutian Islands to the north and the Gilbert Islands to the south are also British and American territory (the Gilbert Islands are British colonies). Americans have been collecting meteorological data in the area for decades, and there are weather stations in the Aleutian and Gilbert Islands that can observe weather changes in nearby areas. As a result, Americans' weather forecasts are more accurate than those in Japan.

"Great," Nimitz said after a moment's thought, "to go to war with the Japanese before dawn, it should be two to one...... Even if you can't sink it, hit it hard, and let the TBD torpedo bomber solve it! ”

"Sir, an urgent telegram from the Hawaiian Command," the communications staff officer of the Pacific Fleet suddenly shouted, "the counterattack launched by General Short has failed...... Because a Japanese army suddenly waited on Waikiki Beach near Honolulu, and now it has washed up to Diamond Head! ”

"What?" Nimitz was stunned, "Already rushed to Diamond Head?" And what about Scaffield Barracks and Pearl Harbor? Can you still hold it? ”

There was a makeshift airfield between the barracks and Pearl Harbor, and hundreds of planes flew from the aircraft carriers USS Lexington and USS Saratoga. If the Japanese captured or destroyed the airfield, Nimitz would immediately have hundreds of usable aircraft in his hands.

"Can't hold it," replied the communications staff, "Admiral Short is preparing to withdraw all his troops to the Kurau Mountains, and he has ordered the pilots on the island to immediately board the destroyer and retreat. ”

Spruance led a squadron of cruisers and destroyers to reach Kaneohe Bay on Oahu safely, but due to the critical situation, the three cruisers did not dare to dock and only let the destroyers dock. As a result, the number of people able to retreat was greatly reduced, and it was already difficult for ordinary white civilians to get on ships, except for minors. However, the pilots on the island have been ordered to retreat, and now is not the time to be heroes, and the elite pilots on these aircraft carriers are a valuable asset even in the United States.

However, it will not be easy for Spruance to get this fortune back, because the Japanese already know that an American fleet has reached the vicinity of Caneohe Bay. Vice Admiral Mikawa Gunichi, who remained in the waters near Oahu, sailed to Caneohe Bay with his flagship "Hiei" and the destroyers "Hatsukaze", "Tanikaze", "Shiranui", and "Akigumo" to engage Spruance in Kaneohe Bay.

"Rear Admiral, the Syms has discovered 5 Japanese ships with a direction of 322 and a distance of 18 nautical miles."

The first to discover the other side was the Americans' "auspicious ship" destroyer USS Syms. Because the two North Carolina-class battleships were equipped with the British's 279 radar, the Syms was assigned to Spruance's team as eyes and ears.

Spruance's opponent, Mikawa Junichi, had no radar to use, and the "Emperor Frederick III" missile cruiser, which had been monitoring the Spruance warband, was now following the Yamato.

As for the radar on the "Hiei", it was very unlucky to break down, and its Fumo23 radar imported from Germany was damaged during the shelling just now, and it has not been repaired until now. Therefore, the Mikawa army could only rely on the Great Japanese cat-eye warriors to find the enemy.

"What bad luck!" Although Spruance knew that sooner or later he would encounter this kind of thing, the timing was really bad. Several destroyers were rescuing valuable pilots in the bay of Kaneohe, and it was impossible to run away immediately. And he, of course, could not leave the pilot and the destroyer and run away on his own.

"Well, no matter how lucky you are, you can't escape!" Spruance muttered, and then ordered, "Form an artillery formation in the order of the Syms, New Orleans (heavy cruise), Brooklyn (light cruise), and Philadelphia (light cruise). ”

"Sir, are you really going to shell? There are probably battleships on the Japanese side. The captain of the USS New Orleans hurriedly reminded Spruance.

"No problem," Spruance said, taking a breath, "let's not get too close, fire at a distance of 20,000 meters, fire a few shots and run, and divert the Japanese fleet." ”

……

"Commander, the enemy ship is slow, it should be Colorado-class."

Just as Spruance was about to lead the cruiser to provoke the battleships, the Japanese battleships Nagato and Mutsu were also about to catch up with the American battleships Colorado.

"What's the distance?" The commander of the Japanese 1st Fleet, who commanded two Nagato-class ships, asked Shiro Takasu.

"About 30,000 meters."

It's still night, so this distance can't be measured optically, but detected by the Fumo23 radar on the Nagato, so the error is large and cannot be used as a basis for shooting.

"Send out seaplanes," Takasu Shiro preferred to believe in Cat's Eye to radar, and he ordered, "Nagato and Mutsu each eject 3 Zero Hydro Scouts." Also, regroup now. A column, in the order of Shiyu, Mutsu, Nagato, Xuefeng, Tianlong, Yefen, Kuroshio, Qinchao, and Tianjin Wind. ”

……

"Sir, the radar has spotted 6 planes, with a direction of 300, flying towards us."

"Six?" The new captain of the battleship Colorado, Theodore. Colonel Larkin was taken aback when he heard the news, "There aren't so many seaplanes in the Nagato-class, could it be that Japanese super battleship!" ”

Colonel Larkin gasped a few times, and then a fierce expression appeared on a sun-tanned face.

"Catapult the two seaplanes out and let them search for the most visible position of the Japanese seaplanes." Colonel Larkin made a very correct decision.

Because the battleship Colorado did not have a sea-to-sea search radar, only an air-to-air search radar. Therefore, it is impossible to determine where the Japanese army that is pursuing him is, and he can only guess. Larkin believed that the Japanese fleet was in the immediate vicinity of the location where the radar first spotted the Japanese seaplanes, most of which had been detected by the radar as soon as they were ejected into the sky.

"Where are we now?" Larkin asked, frowning.

"In the M2 sea zone, about 12 nautical miles northeast of Maui."

"To the south of us is the Alainuihaha Strait?"

"Yes, sir."

"Turning around to 200 degrees, we crossed the strait and sailed close to the island of Hawaii."

The Alenuihaha Strait is located between Maui and Hawaii and is about 25 nautical miles at its narrowest point. After crossing the channel, Colonel Larkin's team was able to sail along the west and south shores of the island of Hawaii, where the hydrological conditions were relatively complex. The Japanese Navy's lack of knowledge of the hydrology in the area may have slowed down, giving the Colorado a chance to escape.

However, Larkin's wishful thinking did not go as planned, and when the Colorado had just completed its turn and rushed into the Alenuihaha Strait with the fleet, the Japanese cat-eye warriors had already spotted the Colorado.

"Flares, we've been discovered!"

A dazzling light flashed outside the conning tower, causing everyone's hearts to sink.

"Prepare for battle!" Before Colonel Larkin could shout, eight huge fireballs flashed out on the sea 20,000 meters northwest of the Colorado.

"It's Nagato-class!" Seeing the number of muzzle flames, Colonel Larkin shouted in surprise. The Nagato-class and Colorado classes are both seven warships of the Navy's holiday era, and they are just battleships shoulder to shoulder. However, his surprise did not last long, as three flares fell over the Japanese ship formation, and two behemoths appeared on the sea.

"God, it's 2 Nagato-class!" Colonel Larkin roared, "Send electricity to Admiral Nimitz, we have encountered 2 Nagato-class battleships!" ”

He inhaled sharply, as if trying to suppress the fear in his heart, "Turn to 140 degrees, and we'll face the enemy on the port side." Gunner, close to 18,000 meters and open fire immediately, concentrating fire on the Nagato-class ship in front! ”

"Yes, sir!"

At 2:55 a.m. on January 3, 1942, the U.S. battleship Colorado and the Japanese battleships Nagato and Michinoku met near the island of Hawaii, and the final battle to decide the ownership of the Hawaiian Islands began. (To be continued.) )