The final report of the fierce battle between the 2nd Task Force and the 16th Task Force of the United States was sent to the Imperial Navy Headquarters at about 15:10 a.m. (an hour after Deng Zi and Zhang Naiding's group returned home, because the "Huaihe" could not receive the returning bombers, most of the bombers of Zhang Naiding's group were arranged to land at the field airfield on Asunción Island) was sent to the Imperial Navy Command, and the news was immediately transferred to the First Task Force. By the time Task Force 1 received this report, radio silence had been restored for about half an hour.

When Tan Renhao finished reading the telegram, he was also surprised. He couldn't figure it out, why Lei Shaoqing would make such a huge mistake (underestimate the enemy) What made Tan Renhao even more incomprehensible was why Lei Shaoqing completely believed the information provided by the Navy Command? Since entering the Fifth Fleet, Tan Renhao has actually been suspicious of every piece of information provided by the intelligence department, and he will never easily believe it (this can be reflected in all the naval battles he commands) If Lei Shaoqing can have doubts about the information provided by the Navy Command, even if there is even the slightest suspicion, the Second Task Force will not be plotted by the Americans.

"How so?" …． bsp; Hao Dongjue couldn't believe his eyes, "Three aircraft carriers were heavily damaged, dozens of planes were lost, and a large number of officers and soldiers were killed, how is this possible!" ”

Tan Renhao took out a cigarette, his hands shaking slightly. "The opponent is the US 16th Task Force, two aircraft carriers. Shaoqing and Lao Chang are lucky. ”

Hao Dongjue took the cigarette, he knew the meaning of Tan Renhao's words. If the combat effectiveness of the US naval aviation is similar to that of the Imperial naval aviation, then even one less aircraft carrier is likely to take out the three aircraft carriers of the second task force in the rush attack, and not just heavy damage. The air defense fighters of the Second Task Force shot down more than half of the enemy bombers in the battle, while the guns of the air defense battleships shot down more than 30 percent, and less than 20 percent were able to drop bombs. If the penetration ratio of US bombers is a little higher, then I am afraid that one or two of the three aircraft carriers will not be able to go back.

"Fortunately, Shaoqing and Lao Chang are fine."

Tan Renhao lit a cigarette, "The injuries of the three aircraft carriers are not very serious. At least I can drive back and go to war again in a few months. Of course, we still won! ”

Hao Dongjue did not speak, and it was the First Task Force that won, not the Second Task Force.

"Now, we still have an advantage!"

Tan Renhao walked up to Hao Dongjue and patted him on the shoulder. "We still have two aircraft carriers, and the Americans don't have a carrier in their hands that can fight. The initiative in the battle area is still in our hands. Isn't it? ”

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly, the second task force was not actually a complete failure, at least in its all-out counterattack, it severely damaged the US 16th task force (this was the main reason for Lei Shaoqing's later exemption), and maybe also killed one or two aircraft carriers (the telegram did not mention whether the American aircraft carriers were sunk) Therefore, the Imperial Navy still had an advantage, and it expanded this advantage.

"Now, what makes me most curious is which American general commands the 16th Task Force!"

Tan Renhao suddenly laughed.

"This is important?"

Hao Dongjue didn't understand it now, that American general almost wanted the life of the Second Task Force, would Tan Renhao still respect such an opponent?

"Of course it's important. Come and see! ”

Tan Renhao called Hao Dongjue to the chart table. Then he turned up a nautical chart of the waters near the Mariana Islands. "Task Force 16 has been lying in ambush northeast of the archipelago, and was first found less than 3oo nautical miles from the Ogasawara Islands. Look at the distance from Task Force 17 and the core islands of the archipelago. ”

Hao Dongjue frowned. "A little too far. Could it be that the two US fleets are acting alone and not cooperating with each other? ”

Tan Renhao shook his head slightly. "It's certainly not like that. If the US side judges that we have only one task force to participate in the war, it will concentrate two task forces and fight a decisive battle with us with superior forces, so that we have a greater chance of victory. On the contrary, it will not be dispersed, giving us each opportunity to break through, although we missed this opportunity. Combined with the situation of the 17th Task Force going north, the 16th Task Force will be deployed to the eastern waters of the archipelago at most, rather than the northeastern seas. ”

"This is also the judgment of the command of the Navy."

"Then why are they here?"

Tan Renhao clicked on the chart. "Admiral Nimitz, commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, would never make such a deployment. That would only be a decision made by the commander of Task Force 16 on his own! ”

Hao Dongjue nodded slightly, this is very possible.

"Why did the other party make such a decision?"

Tan Renhao looked at Hao Dongjue, paused, and then said, "Because he dares to take risks, is very bold, and trusts his own judgment more, he will never change his decision easily, and dare to use the most precious power desperately." You said. Is such a general the most fearsome opponent? ”

Now, Hao Dongjue understood. "You mean, Lao Lei and Lao Chang have met a very powerful opponent?"

"Yes, otherwise Shaoqing would have been defeated by the enemy so easily?"

Tan Renhao pulled the chair over, sat down and continued, "In fact, the US military's attack reflects its commander's determination and confidence, and more importantly, its decisive decision-making ability. The two waves of bombers barely had any gaps, and the attack was decisive and determined. Such an opponent is indeed terrifying! ”

Hao Dongjue glanced at Tan Renhao and suddenly laughed.

"What are you laughing at?"

This time it was Tan Renhao's turn to be puzzled.

"I'm thinking about what the enemy thinks of you."

Hao Dongjue also sat down, "The 17th Task Force was killed by us, so what will the enemy say about you?" Resolute, resolute, determined, and swift are all words that will be used, right? ”

Tan Renhao shook his head and laughed, he also felt that the American general who commanded the 16th Task Force had a resemblance to him. The other side also deeply understands the essence of naval combat tactics with aircraft carriers as the core. This made Tan Renhao even more curious, and he hoped that one day he would be able to meet this opponent on the battlefield, and then see who was more powerful.

While the two were chatting energetically, the communications staff officer ran over quickly, holding a telegram in his hand. "Commander, an urgent call from the Navy Command!"

Hao Dongjue immediately took the telegram, and then looked at it quickly.

"Isn't it for us to go north immediately and go to support Team 6 to climb 6?"

Tan Renhao stood up.

Hao Dongjue glanced at Tan Renhao in surprise. "How do you know the contents of the telegram?"

"Do you still have to guess?"

Tan Renhao walked to the front of the bridge, "Let's go and prepare for the turning of the fleet first." Immediately come up with a new sailing plan. ”

Hao Dongjue called the staff officer in charge of navigation and sent a telegram to the officer, asking him to arrange a new route according to the requirements of the naval command, and then he walked to Tan Renhao's side.

"Haven't figured it out yet?"

Tan Renhao glanced at his partner and lit a cigarette first, "Although the Second Task Force has lost its combat effectiveness, the US Navy is no longer able to continue to compete with us for sea supremacy. We have the overall advantage, and the battle is still up to us. Right now. Task Force 3 was fully combat-ready, and the U.S. plan to counterattack Asunción had failed. We will continue to push forward. Who else can take our place, you say? The chief of staff will definitely not let us go back on vacation, and now it is our turn to fight the main force! ”

Hao Dongjue immediately laughed. "We're the main fleet now!"

Tan Renhao smiled and nodded. "When will the fleet reach the predetermined seas?"

"Tomorrow evening at the earliest, if ......"

"There's no need to rush for time."

Tan Renhao turned around, "After leaving the dangerous sea area, the fleet will return to the cruising degree of 18 knots, as long as it can reach the predetermined sea area early the day after tomorrow, anyway, we can't do much at night." ”

"Then I'll arrange ...... now"

"You go and rest."

Tan Renhao glanced up at the navigation clock, "It's your time to rest." Go to bed. I'll arrange these things, and you'll do it for me at eight o'clock in the evening." ”

Hao Dongjue didn't compete with Tan Renhao for duty, and he was also tired. The eyelids are fighting.

Soon, Tan Renhao found the navigation staff and reset the sailing plan. The fleet left the dangerous sea three hours later, and it was getting dark. The U.S. bombers, which had always worried Tan Renhao, did not appear. Once nightfall, the fleet only needs to watch out for American submarines.

The next day, Tan Renhao again received a telegram from the naval headquarters, which had two main contents, which also made him happy and worried.

Happily, the "Lexington," which did not sink immediately after Yang Qinkai's bombing, was spotted by an Imperial submarine at night, and was subsequently hit by four torpedoes fired by the submarine. In the end, the commander of the submarine watched the aircraft carrier sink into the sea (after the devastating bombing, the American officers and men did their best to rescue the "Lexington", but after several hours of fighting, the ammunition depot of the aircraft carrier exploded, losing the value of salvage, the captain gave the order to abandon the ship, and then a destroyer fired six torpedoes at the aircraft carrier, and after determining that the aircraft carrier would definitely sink, the destroyer left. But actually. The torpedoes fired by this destroyer were all hit on the right side of the aircraft carrier, but instead helped the aircraft carrier to turn back to the left, instead of sinking immediately. A few hours later, the submarine of the Tang Empire appeared floating on the surface of the sea "Lexington", and only then did the aircraft carrier that had been hit by dozens of bombs and torpedoes be solved with torpedoes) The two aircraft carriers of the 17th task force are finished!

Worryingly, the two aircraft carriers of Task Force 16 struggled to embark on the voyage back to Pearl Harbor after being heavily damaged. The Enterprise and the Hornet did not sink, but returned to Pearl Harbor at 12 knots. Both aircraft carriers have been seriously flooded, but the tendency to sink has been controlled! The Tang Empire submarine of the 16th Task Force, which was now returning to the sea, also carried out a sneak attack, and all the torpedoes that could be fired missed (too far away), and later it was besieged by destroyers. The submarine evaded more than 100 depth charges, and just when the officers and men on the submarine thought they were dead, the US destroyer suddenly stopped attacking and quickly left. The captain of the submarine then telegraphed back to base, proving that the two carriers of Task Force 16 had not been sunk.

Tan Renhao is not worried about these two aircraft carriers, but the trouble that Lei Shaoqing will encounter. The Second Task Force had suffered heavy losses, and if he could have killed even one American aircraft carrier, Lei Shaoqing would have received much less blame. But now, it is equivalent to exchanging three aircraft carriers for two, and the second task force loses the battle. Lei Shaoqing, like Tan Renhao, does not have a broad foundation in the navy, if Jiang Zhongmin and Fan Peikun are replaced, he may be able to exculpate, but Lei Shaoqing has nothing to do with it at all, how can he exonerate himself?

The more I thought about it, the more annoyed Tan Renhao became, and Hao Dongjue was also very annoyed. Both of them are the kind of young Zhuang generals who don't have many arms, and the only thing they can do is to try to make the First Task Force perform better, as long as they win the battle and achieve the battle and strategic goals, then they can let Nie Renfeng come forward to intercede. Of course, Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue both believe that as long as the navy does a better job this time, then the marshal will vouch for Lei Shaoqing and Chang Zhixin, and will not embarrass them. When the time comes, those who point fingers will have no reason!

On the night of the 5th, Task Force 1 reached the waters near the island of Asunción and immediately made contact with nearby troops. That night, Tan Renhao received two telegrams in succession. The first telegram was the time and place of rendezvous with the supply fleet, and Task Force 1 was to arrive at the supply area before dawn and complete the replenishment work as soon as possible. The second telegram was the next stage of combat duty for Task Force 1.

When the fleet sailed to the supply area, Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue first discussed and determined the combat operations of the fleet. The naval command did not cancel the plan to land on 6 Agrihan Island, but only postponed the time to 10 days instead of 8, giving the 6 squadron two more days, and at the same time asked the 3rd task force and the 1st task force to prepare for the 6 more days. The next task of Task Force 1 is to serve as the main support force for the 6th Sentai to ascend to the 6th Agripan Island, providing air cover and air fire support for the 6th Sentai Group!

This is not a simple task, Tan Renhao and Hao Dongjue both feel that using the First Task Force like this is simply a "waste", but they can't disobey the order!