In front of Commander Whiteman, there were several shocking reports on the battle situation, "The First Air Force, while pursuing the Japanese fighter group, was ambushed and surrounded by the superior Japanese fighter group in the airspace of the Babuyan Strait, and after more than an hour of fierce fighting, the commander of the air formation, Colonel Rijkaard, was unfortunately martyred, more than 200 fighters were shot down, and only six fighters were wounded and left the battlefield and returned to the base. ”

"At about 6:25 a.m., the Second Air Force, while pursuing the Japanese fighter group, was ambushed and surrounded by Japanese fighters twice its size in the airspace of Lingayan Bay, and as a result, the air formation commander Colonel Frasis was unfortunately martyred, more than 300 fighters were shot down, most of the pilots were killed on the spot, and the rest of the pilots were strafed by the Japanese fighters in the process of parachuting, and they were also killed, and only 13 fighters broke through the encirclement of the Japanese fighters and returned to the base."

"At about 6:40 a.m., the bomber groups of the First and Second Air Forces, in the airspace over the Calais Mountains to support our ground forces in counterattacking the Japanese army, were attacked by a Japanese fighter group, a total of more than 300 bombers, all of which were shot down, and none of the crew members survived."

"At about seven o'clock, the second-line troops of our Third Army carrying out the counterattack mission, after meeting with the troops of the first line of defense, were suddenly divided and surrounded by the superior Japanese army, and now, all units are in a fierce battle, and by the time the telegram is received, all the units of our Third Army have fallen into a bitter battle, and they can no longer withdraw to the second line of defense."

This is the basic battle situation of the battlefield in the mountains of Calais that the General Staff of the Third Army has summarized from 4:30 a.m. on 13 August to the present. The two air squadrons were lost, even the commander was killed, and together, the fighters who ran back, but only nineteen, not even one brigade were enough, that was two air squadrons! After a few hours of hard work, it was gone.

What's even worse is that all the troops of the Third Army are stuck in the first line of defense. Surrounded by nearly 100,000 Japanese legions, without aircraft to provide air fire support, there was no hope of breaking through the encirclement of the Japanese army, and Commander Whiteman's mind went blank. There is no doubt that the Third Army had more than 40,000 troops. After being surrounded by Japanese troops. He became the commander of the light pole, except for the more than 300 people in the guard battalion around him, there were no extra soldiers.

In the cave where the headquarters of the Third Army was located, there was a deathly silence, even the usual noisy and annoying "ticking" of electric keys. All disappeared, and a large group of staff officers looked blankly at the lost Commander Whiteman, counting on the supreme commander. Come up with a solution to the crisis, otherwise, no one will survive.

Commander Whiteman, who now seems to understand, that from the very beginning, the Japanese set a huge trap for themselves, and this trap, which wiped out all the two air flotillas plus their own Third Army, was ruthless enough that in less than four days, the defense line in the Calais Mountains collapsed.

If you still have enough troops in your hands, you can immediately start a second counterattack, you can rescue the surrounded troops, retreat to the second line of defense, and you can still support two or three days, but there are no soldiers in your hands, and all the personnel of the military department are gathered together, but five or six hundred people, thrown into the battlefield where more than 100,000 soldiers are fighting, and they can't even stir up a small wave, not to mention, these officers of the military department, going up is almost like sending them to death.

The chief of staff cautiously reminded: "Commander, the top priority is to immediately report to Commander-in-Chief MacArthur the catastrophe facing the Third Army and ask for reinforcements, or ......" The chief of staff hesitated, and the following words were obviously difficult to say.

Captain Whiteman's dull eyes turned a few times with difficulty, and he subconsciously asked, "Or what?" ”

The chief of staff said with some hesitation: "Either ......, or ask Commander-in-Chief MacArthur to allow the military headquarters to withdraw to Manila and command the battle in the Calais Mountains in Manila!" "No wonder the chief of staff said it so hard, this idea is too shady, it is equivalent to leaving behind the more than 40,000 soldiers who are fighting the Japanese army, and the bigwigs of the military department, and run back to Manila first.

Major General Whiteman smiled miserably, the military headquarters was withdrawn to Manila? Having lost two air forces himself, the Third Army and the Calais mountain defense line, could MacArthur spare himself? With MacArthur's ruthless personality, the only thing that awaits him is a court-martials or a firing squad.

However, it is still appropriate to ask for reinforcements, even if the first line of defense is lost, and the third army is all wiped out, with enough troops, you can still hold on to the second line of defense, and survive the damn one-week period, at least you can save your own life, this can be regarded as an expedient measure!

Captain Whiteman, staggering over to the telephone, pondering any words in his head, snapped, "Jingle bell!" The telephone rang without warning, which startled him a lot, and at this time, the only person who called the command headquarters could only be Commander-in-Chief MacArthur. Or is it a fuss?

Whatever the attitude of Commander-in-Chief MacArthur, a violent storm could not be avoided, and Major General Whiteman, with a bad premonition in his heart, swallowed a mouthful of saliva with difficulty, moistened his smoking throat, trembled his hands, and picked up the phone.

"Whiteman, you stupid pig and mediocre talent, in less than four hours, you lost more than 600 planes of my two air fleets, and I put the command of the two air groups in your hands based on great trust in your ability, but how did you do it? All the air power of the headquarters of the Southwest Pacific Theater is destroyed in your hands, you are a sinner of the United States, don't explain, the military police of the headquarters will immediately go to the mountains of Calais and escort you back to the headquarters for investigation! ”

Sure enough, General MacArthur, as soon as he opened his mouth, there was a thunderous rage, even those staff officers in the distance, they could hear the roar of His Excellency the Commander-in-Chief, through the telephone receiver, MacArthur was almost mad, all the family resources of his air force were pressed in the Calais mountains, but the whiteman who should be shot was all tossed in less than a morning, and in the next battle of Manila, what to use against the Japanese planes?

If Major General Whiteman was in front of him, he would personally take out his gun and smash the head of this bastard, not only ruined his battle plan, but also tossed his last hole card, and it was difficult to convince the public if he didn't kill him!

Just before calling Whiteman, he received a report from the fighter pilot who was desperately fleeing back, his eyes were dark, and he was so distressed that he almost fainted, if it weren't for the acting chief of staff, Colonel Kleist, who was quick to hold on to His Excellency the crumbling Commander-in-Chief, and stuffed a few life-saving pills into his mouth, I'm afraid that at this moment, he would still be unconscious!

In the face of Commander-in-Chief MacArthur's temper, or even the threat of sending military police, Whiteman did not even have the heart to argue, and in all fairness, he could not argue that Colonel Rijkaard and Colonel Frasis were ambushed because they were pursuing Japanese fighters, and they did not know anything beforehand, so to speak, they were on their backs, but they could not shirk responsibility.

The two commanders who made the decision are both dead, and there is no proof of death, and the command of the two air groups is in their own hands, and now, being beaten to the point of annihilation, this responsibility can only fall on their own heads, so Commander Whiteman does not want to defend himself, what he wants to say is another thing.

"Your Excellency Commander-in-Chief, I do not want to shirk the responsibility for the heavy losses of the First and Second Air Forces, and I am willing to accept any punishment given to me by the headquarters, now, the most urgent thing is that all the units of our Third Army are divided and surrounded by superior Japanese troops on the first line of defense in the mountains of Calais, if the Commander-in-Chief does not send reinforcements, the destruction of the Third Army will be today!" Major General Whiteman arrived, took all the responsibility, and then pleaded!

"What?" On the other end of the phone, only a chilling exclamation from Commander-in-Chief MacArthur was heard, and then, there was silence, unbearable silence, only the faint "squeak" of electricity, monotonously repeated on the phone.

After a full five or six minutes, I heard the voice of Commander-in-Chief MacArthur, and as soon as he spoke, that cold tone made Major General Whiteman shudder, "Whiteman, you listen well, I will not hold you responsible for the annihilation of the two air squadrons, but I also have no extra troops to reinforce you, you and your troops, even if there is only one person left, you must nail the defense line in the Calais mountains, and the only thing that can return to Manila is your corpse, or the news that you died with the soldiers!" ”

Then, without waiting for Major General Whiteman to react, he hung up the phone, and Major General Whiteman stood by the telephone like a fool, and in his heart, a wave of despair spread irrepressibly, MacArthur's cold tone penetrated into his bones and nerves, and he knew that in the eyes of the commander-in-chief, he was already a corpse, not only himself, but also the tens of thousands of soldiers left in the Third Army.

The reason why he seems to be magnanimous and does not hold him accountable for losing hundreds of planes is that before he dies and the Third Army is completely annihilated, there is still a little use value, which can entangle the Japanese army for him for a while, Commander Whiteman, suddenly figured out a lot of things, that MacArthur Commander-in-Chief has always refused to withdraw the Third Army to Manila, because he has long planned to abandon this chess piece.

Commander Whiteman, with a miserable smile, said to dozens of staff officers in the cave: "I have received an order from the commander-in-chief, the Third Army must not take half a step back, everyone, pick up the gun, let's go to the front together!" Suddenly, the faces of all the US military officers suddenly turned pale!

(To be continued) (To be continued.) )