Big-Ship Big-Gun Combined Fleet

Chapter 84 - The Bull Rages

Admiral Halsey, who commanded the Third Fleet and simultaneously led TG 3.3 on the aircraft carrier Essex, couldn't believe what he was witnessing. After banking, the reaction of the ships in TG 3.3 to two enemy planes disguised as friendly aircraft was delayed, allowing them to penetrate the formation. It was only when it became clear that the two planes were enemy Zeros that the anti-aircraft combat finally began. Firing 40 mm and 20 mm autocannons stacked like mountains on each ship, they successfully shot down one plane and set the other on fire. However, the surviving plane had the audacity to ram itself on the aircraft carrier Franklin.

At that time, the flight deck of the Franklin was lined with planes carrying fuel. The Zeros crashed into this lineup, causing explosions, and the impact and heat set the planes on the flight deck on fire. Fortunately, the explosion damage was limited to the upper part, sparing the hangar. Although the Franklin lost her ability to launch and recover aircraft, it could still navigate without hindrance, allowing for a swift withdrawal from the frontline. Nevertheless, the fact remained that the Franklin had lost more than 100 planes before engaging in combat with the Japanese fleet.

Halsey reluctantly accepted the situation up to this point. He realized that the Zero pilots, realizing survival was unlikely due to damage, chose self-destruction instead of a traditional bombing run. If he were in the same position as the Zero pilots, Halsey thought he might have made the same choice. Despite not wanting to praise the enemy, he acknowledged their admirable spirit as a fellow military man.

However, Halsey soon realized he had a gross misunderstanding. The next attack, again by two Zero fighters, saw one shot down by anti-aircraft fire, but the other made no indication of a dive bomb. Instead, it plunged into the Lexington, punching a large hole in the carrier's flight deck. It was then that Halsey understood – they were not conducting reconnaissance attacks; they were using suicide attacks as their method of assault.

Worse news kept pouring in for Halsey.

"Enemy suicide attacks hit the Bunker Hill and Yorktown. Both carriers are unable to launch or recover aircraft!"

"Enemy aircraft have penetrated all carriers, and none of them can launch or recover aircraft!"

Task Group 3.4 lost two out of four ships, and Task Group 3.5 lost all the Essex-class carriers in a short period.

"This isn't how you fight wars! What do those yellow monkeys think of their pilots' lives!?"

The subordinates were unable to say anything to the furious Halsey. That was how shocked they were by the suicide runs. Everyone here knows that there is much about the spiritual culture of the United States and Japan that is incompatible. Still, they thought that they all shared the common understanding as human beings that human life was more important than anything else. However, the Japanese military sacrificed the lives of their men, who were supposed to be their comrades, in order to seize immediate victory.

"Fight back! We can't let these bastards waste more of their own men to suicide runs, even if they volunteered to do so!" Halsey roared, and a report came in that friendly reconnaissance planes had spotted two surface strike groups and three mobile fleets. Among the enemy mobile fleets, the central group notably featured a large carrier distinct from the others.

"Task Group 3.4 will concentrate their attacks on the enemy's central carrier group. No need to keep the fighter cover. Use all aircraft to annihilate the enemy carriers. Drive those inhumane bastards out of this world! Kill those Japs!"

The unexpected suicide attacks by the enemy reduced the supposed eleven Essex-class carriers to only four. Yet, Halsey's fighting spirit remained unyielding. He had no intention of letting those who sold their souls, or rather, their pilots' lives, survive.