The Enemy Child of a Traitor - Chapter 658

Judgment of Midway (5)

1942

central pacific

It wasn’t a common sight to see snow at sea, and there was no chance of seeing an avalanche.

However, something rare and not easily seen occurred on the bridge of the flagship of the 2nd Aviation Squadron under the Combined Naval Task Force (1st Air Fleet).

patter

“Oh, s-sorry.”

Although it was a huge structure made mostly of wood and steel, the aircraft carrier Hiryu, like other warships, was full of paper-based items.

Various types of documents, including charts, maps, reports, and manuals, that were densely packed on the bridge poured onto the floor like a small avalanche.

The commander of the 2nd Aviation Squadron, Major General Yamaguchi Tamon, just sighed and gave a simple order to his subordinates.

“It’s okay, so just pick that up for me.”

Several officers, including Hiryu’s Captain Domeo Kaku and squadron commander Captain Joichi Tomonaga, had to share the not-so-wide space of the bridge.

Yamaguchi often clashed with Lieutenant General Juichi Nagumo, the commander of the damn mobile unit. Still, I had no choice but to agree that this facility was a truly stuffy space.

As Yamaguchi carefully bent down to pick up the scattered documents on the bridge floor, a rather ominous report caught his eye.

“hmm···”

According to the report he was reading, communications units on the mainland had recently detected a suspicious increase in U.S. military communications coming from Hawaii.

As a result of analyzing and synthesizing the volume and location of communications, we were able to draw a chilling conclusion regarding the Pacific Fleet.

As initially assumed, they may not have remained stuck in Pearl Harbor after the Battle of the Coral Sea, but may have been operating in the distant ocean.

“Hey, Tomonaga.”

“Yes, Commander.”

Captain Tomonaga, who was picking up the last of the documents that had fallen on the floor and organizing them, was ready to answer Yamaguchi’s question.

Then, I was startled when I heard a completely unexpected question that was too heavy for someone with the rank of captain.

“What do you think was the true priority in this operation?”

“H-didn’t you hear well…?”

“Attack and capture of the Midway Islands and attack enemy fleets whose location we cannot determine but may encounter. “If you had to choose between these two, which would you choose?”

Yamaguchi shook his head as he looked at Tomonaga, who couldn’t answer and was breaking into a cold sweat.

I realized too late that asking a senior-level squadron leader questions that I would have asked my own staff, or even a superior like Admiral Nagumo, was tantamount to being mean.

“I asked a useless question for no reason. “If you think about it with common sense, it would be right to prioritize annihilating the enemy fleet.”

“…The Commander-in-Chief would have said that too.”

When the story of the Commander-in-Chief of the Combined Fleet, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, came up, Yamaguchi again remembered his meeting with Vice Admiral Teruhisa Komatsu before departing from Hiroshima.

‘Wait a minute. The Commander-in-Chief was an international student at Harvard University. Weren’t you also a graduate of Princeton University?’

‘Yes, Marquis.’

Admiral Komatsu joked pleasantly that Yamaguchi might also be able to receive a title if he returns after winning this battle.

Unlike the Marquis, who maintained a bright and optimistic attitude, strong emotions continued to burn in his heart.

‘Uh huh, that means you also understand the psychology of Americans to some extent!’

‘Although it was too short a time for that…’

Therefore, like many Japanese, Yamaguchi simply harbored dissatisfaction and disgust with his powerful neighbor on the other side of the Pacific.

There seemed to be many reasons to put forward, including blatant immigration restrictions in the western region, second-class citizen treatment of Japanese immigrants and second-generation people, and various economic and social restrictions.

However, the feelings that burned fiercely toward the United States in Yamaguchi’s heart took the form of a Korean-born naval captain.

“I hope the enemy fleet that needs to be annihilated also has a Yorktown-class aircraft carrier.”

Admiral Daiichi Lee sent a force, including Enterprise and Yorktown, to the Marshall-Gilbert Islands a few months ago.

Among them, the Enterprise attacked a base in the Marshall Islands, causing dozens of people, including officers and sailors, to be instantly killed.

Including the base commander, a classmate of the 40th class at the Naval Academy and a long-time friend of Yamaguchi.

“Are you doing this because of Admiral Yatsushiro?”

“···”

Rear Admiral Sugeyoshi Yatsushiro, who became the first admiral to die in this war, was so brutally torn to death that it was impossible to properly recover his body.

Yamaguchi, who personally visited the shocked bereaved family to deliver the grim news and expressed condolences, of course did not mention that part.

However, Yamaguchi, who hung his head from the bridge, made one promise to the bereaved family. I will definitely get revenge on Admiral Daiichi Lee.

“Which one is on board the Enterprise?”

Admiral Lee Daiichi, who was infinitely cruel, never chose any commander just like he did during the Marshall-Gilbert Islands raid.

To the Marshall Islands, they sent Admiral William Halsey, nicknamed Bull, who boldly declared that he would kill Japanese and kill more immediately after the attack on Pearl Harbor.

At any rate, it was clear that this time it was either Halsey or an equally violent and hot-tempered admiral.

*****

“···”

Rear Admiral Raymond Spruance, commander of the 16th Task Force, worked quietly and expressionlessly on the bridge of the flagship Enterprise.

Vice Admiral Halsey actively recommended him for the vacant position, and Admiral Dae-il Lee, Commander of the Pacific Fleet, expressed infinite trust in him (and Admiral Fletcher), saying he would entrust him (and Admiral Fletcher) with this operation.

And although Spruance was not the greatest expert on naval aviation, he was fully prepared and willing to meet expectations.

“hmm.”

Instead of feeling burdened by the enormous support and trust from the two Annapolis seniors, Spruance maintained his usual calm expression.

However, one fact that Admiral Lee kept recalling even before he set sail felt eerie even to him.

To be precise, all aircraft carriers, including Yorktown and Enterprise, can burst into flames in an instant.

‘Listen, Raymond. Don’t forget to apply the newly updated damage control system.’

In addition to petroleum products such as lubricants and fuel, Admiral Lee repeatedly emphasized that there were countless items vulnerable to fire, such as free bedding and clothing in cabins below deck and flammable chemicals in the medical room.

Not to mention that aviation fuel supply pipes surround the entire aircraft carrier, and during air operations, many of them are filled with highly flammable aviation fuel.

And through the sailors rescued in the Battle of the Coral Sea, naval intelligence seemed to have uncovered information that admirals usually do not mention.

‘I think the Japanese’s aircraft carrier uses a folding fire curtain to isolate the area where a fire breaks out in a hangar and then begin firefighting operations. ‘Fletcher, what’s the worst thing that can happen with this structure?’

‘Are you saying that if the fire curtain is damaged, there is no physical barrier to prevent the flames from spreading through the hangar?’

‘answer.’

Even during the aircraft carrier design process, he strongly insisted that the fire extinguishing main that sprays fire extinguishing fluid must be divided into several subcompartments.

They say that if only one part is installed on the port and starboard sides, a catastrophe will occur where half of the fire mains will become unusable even if only one part is damaged.

Seuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu

While listening to Admiral Lee’s class on fire suppression and damage control (who was suspiciously serious about safety issues), Spruance jotted down important points in his notebook.

After taking out and reviewing what he had organized, he came to a new conclusion: If the Japanese military’s fire suppression facilities could be damaged by an attack from a ship-based aircraft, the damage would also be maximized.

At the same time, he was very curious. There is no way he received any systematic firefighting training during his time at Lowell High School, let alone Annapolis, but where on earth did he get this experience?

“···”

Spruance, whose mind was filled with surreal and bizarre possibilities, shook his head and decided to focus on more realistic issues.

After thinking about it for a while, he discovered that, in addition to the ship’s vulnerability to fire, there was one fatal weakness of the Combined Fleet Task Force.

“···Weak attack power.”

The task force itself was too powerful to be ignored, as Admiral Lee had repeatedly warned them not to let down their guard.

But what if the goal is to capture the Midway Islands? It would be impossible to project enough firepower to completely neutralize the target using only the fighter planes of the attack group and escort group launched from the aircraft carrier.

Moreover, at least according to the analysis by the Naval Intelligence Department, unlike the U.S. Navy, the Japanese Navy pilots seemed to have been continuously deployed in combat without proper rest after the Pearl Harbor attack.

“···”

Perhaps the Combined Fleet believes that the Japanese military can overwhelm the American military regardless of location, time, and situation.

No matter what the enemy thought or what attitude they showed, Spruance and Fletcher decided to remember and keep in mind Captain Dae-il Lee’s instructions.

The Goddess of Victory takes the side of those who desperately strive to win.

*****

midway islands

“Let the word of the Lord not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written. Then you will make your way prosperous and prosper.”

The voice of Second Lieutenant John Lee, an officer in the Midway garrison, reciting Bible verses spread early in the morning.

Despite his monstrous size and grandiose status as the son of the commander of the Pacific Fleet, his voice exuded a gentleness that brought peace to those who heard it.

It seemed necessary in many ways to the garrison of Midway, who had been terrified by the news of the Japanese mobile unit approaching.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord is with you wherever you go…”

Meanwhile, Colonel Cyril T. Simard, who was in charge of the island’s defense along with Colonel Harold Shannon, made a tragic decision as if he was inspired.

“They say they are approaching. I think it would be best to strike the Japanese fleet as quickly as possible.”

“···You mean us?”

“Gather all the flying boats equipped with radar. “So that we can intercept the Japanese army.”

“uh···”

Colonel Simard, like all U.S. military commanders facing this battle, was prepared to act as aggressively as possible no matter how the Japanese army came out.

However, at that time, an unprecedented situation occurred that no one from the Japanese Navy Combined Fleet and the United States Pacific Fleet could have imagined.

···Due to the actions of a general who played a crucially important role.