Cuttlefish
Posts: 2454
Joined: 1/24/2007 From: Oregon, USA Status: offline
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May 8, 1945 Location: 550 miles northeast of Marcus Island Course: North-northeast Attached to: TF 21 Mission: Surface combat System Damage: 2 Float Damage: 0 Fires: 0 Fuel: 307 Orders: Return to Ominato --- Transmission from Marcus Island, picked up aboard Hibiki at 1500 hours: We are under heavy attack from enemy carrier planes. Nittsu Maru sunk. Estimate 150 to 200 planes. --- “What direction?” mutters Kuwaki, staring at the message just delivered to the bridge from the radio room. “Where are they coming from? That makes all the difference to us.” “Perhaps from the south, sir?” offers Ensign Konada. “Captain is on the bridge!” someone barks. Everyone except the helmsman comes to attention as Ishii climbs up the ladder from below. They return to their duties as Ishii crosses to Lieutenant Kuwaki and examines the proffered flimsy. “From the west, I think,” says Ishii after a moment. He glances at Konada, having heard the ensign’s last statement. “If the carriers came from the Marianas, Ensign, they would not go to where our attack occurred. They would go northeast, hoping to cut us off. That would put them west of Marcus.” “Then they got there fast, sir,” says Kuwaki. “Yes, very fast,” says Ishii. “Now you know why we have been bearing northeast ourselves and not heading straight north towards home. Admiral Yamamoto is no fool.” “Do you think they can catch us, sir?” asks Ensign Konada. The young officer tries not to sound nervous about the prospect. “They are maybe 1200 kilometers away now, if I am correct,” says Ishii. “They don’t have to catch us, just get their planes within striking distance. Yes, they can do it, if they guess well or learn our location.” He pauses, mindful that what is said on the bridge is usually soon heard all over the ship. “But it is a big ocean and the enemy has a difficult task. I like our chances.” “Yes sir,” says Kuwaki stolidly. “Just think of it as a very large game of hide-and-seek, Ensign,” says Ishii. “Yes sir,” says Konada. He tries, but he does not recall that he and his siblings ever played the game using torpedoes and armor-piercing bombs.
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