That Time When I Was Suddenly Reincarnated in a Fleet Battle

Chapter 40 - Indomitable Bull

When the communication of Task Force 19 was cut off, and a telegraph like a scream from Midway Base, saying "We are under bombardment," came in, even the formidable Admiral Halsey lost his composure. Before the battle, the American military had prepared three arrows against the approaching Japanese fleet near Midway. They were the carrier strike force, surface strike force, and the Midway base air force.

The carrier force consisted of two groups, with Task Force 16 deploying all surviving regular carriers since the beginning of the war, namely the Enterprise and Hornet, and Task Force 17 deploying the Yorktown and Ranger. Among these carriers, the Enterprise, Hornet, and Yorktown, each carried 36 F4F Wildcat fighters and SBD Dauntless dive bombers, along with 15 newly deployed TBF Avenger torpedo bombers since the summer. The slightly smaller Ranger carried 36 F4Fs, 27 SBDs, and 9 TBFs. To protect these carriers, TF 16 and TF 17 each had four heavy cruisers, two Atlanta-class anti-aircraft cruisers, and 12 destroyers.

On the other hand, TF 19, the surface strike force, was a formidable force with four new battleships, six large cruisers, and sixteen destroyers. However, at present, there is no response to calls from this force. The Midway base air force, representing one of the two pillars of air power, had 48 F4Fs, 36 P-40s, and 24 TBFs. As for large planes, there are 48 B-17 heavy bombers responsible for reconnaissance and bombing, and 36 PBY flying boats for anti-submarine patrol and crew rescue.

The plan was to systematically combine these forces to strike the Japanese fleet. However, the defeat of TF 19 and the destruction of the Midway base significantly disrupted this plan. The loss of two out of the three arrows overnight, even for Admiral Halsey, was beyond imagination. As a result, it was clear to anyone that the American advantage had already been lost.

"But that doesn't mean we can just retreat to Pearl Harbor without a care."

The immense shock, on the contrary, brought a calmness to Admiral Halsey. Ideally, retreating when the chances of winning were gone would be the best course of action. Even if the side at a disadvantage counterattacked without careful consideration against a superior enemy, it would likely lead to unfavorable outcomes.

However, Admiral Halsey was in a situation where he couldn't just withdraw. During the Battle of Midway in June, Admiral Fletcher, who was then the commander of the carrier task force, attempted to annihilate the Japanese mobile fleet by sending in attack groups. However, the attack squad was annihilated by the formidable interception of enemy carrier-based planes, leading Fletcher to judge that there was no chance of success and withdrawal.

While the decision to withdraw was justified since there was no chance of success, it resulted in the personnel at Midway base becoming prisoners of war. Among them were not only naval personnel but also officers and soldiers from the Army and Marines. From the perspective of the army and marines, if the American carrier task force had stayed on the battlefield, they might have avoided becoming prisoners of war. In fact, even when the American carrier task force decided to withdraw at that time, more than 100 carrier-based aircraft were left on the three carriers, and there were over 50 fighter aircraft, crucial for gaining air superiority.

After the Battle of Midway, there was intense condemnation from the Army and Marine Corps towards Fletcher. Nevertheless, Admiral Nimitz, the Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Fleet, defended Fletcher and appointed him as the commander for the Second Battle of the Coral Sea in an attempt to restore his honor. He entrusted Fletcher with a fleet centered around three aircraft carriers.

However, in that battle, Fletcher committed a blunder by simultaneously losing the carriers Saratoga and Wasp. Even Nimitz, despite his support, couldn't fully shield him, and Fletcher had to be relieved of his position as the commander of the task force. As a result, Halsey stepped in to fill the void left by Fletcher. However, if Halsey were to mimic Fletcher and retreat from the Japanese fleet at this point, it would seriously damage the Navy's trust, decisively so from the Army and Marine Corps. In his distress, Halsey received input from an aviation staff officer who seemed to understand his inner thoughts.

"It's somewhat reluctantly, but I believe we should adopt the tactics employed by the Japanese mobile fleet in the Battle of Midway in June. We still have around 140 Wildcats and Dauntless each. We'll use these aircraft to intercept the Japanese carrier-based planes, and reduce the attacking power of the enemy mobile fleet. After annihilating the enemy carrier-based air squadrons, we'll organize an attack using the remaining Dauntless and Avengers, delivering a decisive blow to the Japanese fleet. Once we clear the enemy's air power, we can handle surface vessels as we please."

Halsey, while feeling a bitter emotion, considered the success or failure of this proposal. The American and Japanese mobile fleets were already within striking distance of each other. Despite the speed of the carrier task force, evading aircraft was impossible. If they were to engage in battle, Halsey preferred a mutual exchange of attack squads rather than a solely defensive strategy. However, considering the disparity in forces, engaging in a direct exchange would undoubtedly result in greater damage on their side. With fewer carriers and aircraft, the situation was clearly disadvantageous. Therefore, whether attacking or defending, a half-hearted response would be akin to digging their own grave.

"Let's adopt the suggestion of the aviation staff. I detest mimicking the tactics of those yellow monkeys from the East, but in the current situation, there is no other choice. In the previous Second Battle of the Coral Sea, the enemy used a first wave consisting only of fighters and a second wave with a combined formation of fighter-bombers and torpedo bombers. Therefore, we'll respond to the enemy's first wave using Wildcats exclusively, and for the subsequent enemy second wave, Wildcats will continue intercepting, while the Dauntless will primarily attack the enemy's dive bombers and torpedo bombers. Fighter pilots will be engaged in continuous combat, but we have no other option."

Having given these instructions, Halsey looked around at the staff members, asking if there were any questions. Despite facing adversity, everyone nodded with determined looks in their eyes. Satisfied with the staff members' continued fighting spirit in the overwhelmingly unfavorable situation, Halsey nodded emphatically and issued his orders once again.

"All fighter squadrons, bomber squadrons, and reconnaissance bomber squadrons, prepare for interception against the enemy's attack squads. The objective is the annihilation of the enemy carrier-based air squadrons. Leave no planes alive! Kill those Japs!!"