Battering Ram of the Sea

Chapter 52 - Bloody Anti-Ship Attacks

54 Zero fighters, which sortied as the first wave from the six carriers of the Third Fleet, faced an interception by 72 F4F Wildcat fighters that launched from the Enterprise, Ranger, and Wasp. The Zero fighter pilots of the first wave, tasked with air superiority, bravely engaged the larger number of F4Fs without hesitation. To prepare for combat in a distant airspace far from their carriers, the Zeros had predominantly skilled or experienced pilots, without navigational concerns. On the other hand, the F4Fs, which were fighting near the friendly fleet, had many pilots with navigational uncertainties and less combat experience.

Surprisingly, despite their numerical advantage, the F4Fs were being outmatched by the Zero fighters. For every Zero fighter they shot down, the F4Fs lost two to three planes. As the Japanese and American fighter planes engaged in a fierce battle, the second wave of attackers passed through a slightly different area. A few F4Fs attempted to intercept them to prevent them from getting closer to the friendly fleet. However, due to their small numbers, all these intercepting F4Fs were repelled by the Zero fighters accompanying the second wave.

The second wave, dispatched by the Third Fleet, consisted of nine Zero fighters from Shōkaku and Zuikaku, eighteen D3A dive bombers, and twelve B5N carrier attack bombers. From Hiryū and Jun'yō, there were also nine Zero fighters and nine D3As each, along with twelve B5Ns, making a total of 138 planes. Lieutenant Commander Murata of the second wave spotted three circular formations as they bypassed the vanguard fleet centered around four battleships and issued orders simultaneously.

"Shōkaku air group to the left flank, Zuikaku air group to the center, and Hiryū and Jun'yō air groups to the right flank."

Following Murata's orders, the 54 dive bombers and 48 torpedo bombers scattered toward their designated targets. The first to initiate the attack were the D3As. For each carrier group, eighteen D3As dived in squadrons, targeting cruisers and destroyers ahead of the circular formation.

The anti-aircraft fire from the American ships was fiercer than ever before and remarkably accurate. Black clouds of high-explosive shells burst in close proximity to the D3As, while machine gun bullets and cannon shells inundated them. As a result, nearly twenty percent of the dive bombers suffered fatal damage and fell into the waters of the Solomon Sea, emitting smoke and flames.

However, the surviving D3As retaliated, each releasing their bombs. Water spouts erupted one after another along the sides of the targeted cruisers and destroyers, with simultaneous billows of smoke rising on their decks. Although the hit rate had decreased to slightly over thirty percent compared to the beginning of the battle, the damage inflicted on the enemy was substantial, causing the circular formation to disintegrate completely.

The weakened coordination among the American ships didn't go unnoticed by the crews of the B5N carrier attack bombers. They seized the opportunity, exploiting the breach in the circular formation to approach the carriers. Murata led half of the Shōkaku attack group from the starboard side of the carrier. Six planes from the port side continued to close in on the enemy carrier's belly. The targeted carrier had a relatively small bridge with no visible funnel.

"Is that the Ranger!?"

Among the American carriers, which included the Enterprise, Wasp, and Ranger, the Ranger was considered the least tactically valuable. For a moment, Murata thought they had drawn the short straw. However, he quickly revised his opinion, recognizing that the Ranger was still a formidable regular carrier.

The bullets launched from the Ranger were unexpectedly intense, far from what would be expected from an older carrier. In an instant, one of his men erupted in flames, and another was hit by machine gun or cannon fire just before releasing the torpedo. Despite losing four planes, Murata's group still managed a successful torpedo release at the ideal firing point and attempted to retreat.

As they attempted to slip through the front of the enemy carrier's bow, Murata suddenly felt a shock and lost consciousness permanently. Machine gun fire from the Ranger had hit his torpedo bomber.