1275psi
Posts: 7979
Joined: 4/17/2005
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21/2/43
0100
Captain Hara stands at his binnacle, his legs two trees of iron.
Every bone in his body aches –one’s body refuses to accept that it is of such a rank as captain, that captains never tire, never waver –and calls, and calls for sleep.
But there can be no sleep. Not now.
Sleep now –slip up now –and potentially sleep forever.
The bridge –as always, is quiet –only the passage of messengers slipping in and out –the movement of his navigator and his 2 junior assistants disturb it.
It is almost utterly dark – almost – the horizon is barely visible –a difference in the degree of blackness.
Akagi’s bridge continues to vibrate –her great engines pushing her hard due west now.
“ Aircraft status report sir, from the group commander”
He doesn’t need to look – earlier he has visited the hanger, talked to the pilots. Akagi’s spear still burns bright.
No –they would be ready. But what worried him was ahead. For at least 40 miles there was no horizon, just blackness. A storm front.
What would Yamada do?
Almost as Hara asks the question, a bustle at the rear. Yamada and Genda enter.
Yamada looks younger now – good –the battle will continue.
The Admiral speaks aloud into the dark –knowing full well that the whole ship will get the news through the grape vine in minutes “ We are coming south west as soon as we punch through that crud ahead –I intend to attack. Begin spotting as soon as you can”
0800
Akagis decks are empty.
The storm front now behind.
In the strengthening light Akagi leads the fleet - 6 fleet carriers, 6 DDs
Hara’s XO turns from watching the great strike head south “11 to 5, maybe 6. Looking good”
“Yes –but where the hell is Yamaguchi?” Hara demands
“Yes –why the hell did he go around the front? –it will take him 3 hours to join us now. Splitting fleets is bad Sir, very, very bad”
Akagi’s captain surveys the fleet. Not good. And no Battleships with us either. Raiding convoys with out those fuel hogs may have been a good idea then –but now –heavens, if they’d been available last night!
“ Enemy Formation –bearing 030! “ the voice rising in shock – “140 plus!”
Hara grabs his glasses –raises them. The raid covers the sky. By the Gods. So many!
Remain calm, above all remain calm. You are a captain of his Imperial navy, and now you get to show your skills as a ship driver.
Ok you Barsteds –bring it on
“Full ahead all!”
The bridge is too crowded. Crud this –I cannot see.
“EX –Im going to command from the roof – relay my orders please!. Helmsman – no hesitation . Everybody –helmets on!”
He pushes past the Admiral –That includes you too sir –somebody is bound to get banged up today”
It’s a grand sight from up on Akagis bridge roof –the sea –now calm –the sky, too clear. The breeze, and the guns seeking, seeking.
Hara follows the director – and suddenly he feels so calm. He is not here, its some one else –watching as if a great movie is about to play.
The raid is getting through –it was never going to be stopped…………..
“hard to port!”
Akagis guns begin to fire –rapidly, the 4.7’s barking, barking, now the 25’s begin hammering.
9 black shapes begin to shorten on him –aiming straight at him….
“Steady ex!”
His great ship is beginning to lean to stbd, crashing sideways into the sea, piling it up against her great steel flanks – bombs whistling down –men diving for cover –and he stands –exhaultant as the bombs hammer, ONE, TWO, THREE –alongside – great shocks, mountains of water alongside –spray in his face –he is wet, wet,
“Missed YOU TRUKERS!”
“ADMIDSHIPS!” –he has to scream the orders above the crashing of the guns – Akagi responds, destroyer like.
A bloom of an explosion on Shokaku –hurt ?
Hara glances sideways –the great boom, boom , boom of hits thunders across the water – Soryu –OH God –Soryu is a column of smoke and fire.
‘barsteds!”
“Bearing 220! SIR!”
Nine more bombers !
Wait, wait, -here they go- “FULL ASTERN ALL!” HARD TO STBD!”
Akagi shudders
From her great funnel a great shriek of steam adds to the bedlam –some poor stoker has lost control of his boiler pressure –the safeties blast steam –it curls over the flight deck.
Again the scream of the bombs –again the crash -again they miss
“FULL AHEAD ALL” – and tell ENGINES that the very beasts of hell are on our tails”
And then the guns fall silent,
For a minute Hara stands –he’s still alive, and Akagi lives.
And the rest of the fleet?
His heart almost freezes. Zuikaka burns. Soryu is stopped – a bright flame lights up her stern –the flames so bright he can hardly see the rest of her.
Hara groans – Kaga too burns –and he can see clearly part of an elevator rests upon her bridge front…………
And the nightmare is complete. Hiryu too is a column of destruction rising to the sky.
Suddenly all his years, the 2 sleepless nights stagger him.
He collapses –wearily sitting onto the hot steel.
‘Oh god, Oh god…………”
Suddenly the Admirals face pops up the ladder to the roof “ Sitting down on the job? hey –come on captain –this isn’t over yet. Good driving. Now get down here and help me win this battle”
On the bridge, as crowded as ever, Some one is bringing the reports in
“Soryu 5 bombs –many fires –am fighting them”
Zuikaku – One torpedo hit . Severe shock damage –unable to operate Aircraft”
Kaga – single hit –ammunition explosion forward – fires in hand
Hiryu – command dead –many fires. Am unable to control ship.”
“very good” replies the admiral –as if he’d just received an invite to the Emperor.
The admiral speaks aloud again.
‘gentlemen –Yamaguchi’s strike has rendezvoused successfully with ours. This is not over yet. Stand to your duties. We win this war –here –now, today. Or die trying.”
0947
The radio crackles –one can only imagine the battle
“Am attacking”
“get the big one!”
‘Look out –fighters!”
“Follow me!”
‘Am attacking”
“BANZIA!”
‘I strike!, I strike!”
“MOTHERRRRRRRRRRRRR”
“get the third one, get the third one!’
‘he’s finished!”
“Yorktown sighted!”
“Hornet sighted!”
“Genda to nest –Lexington, Saratoga sunk. Am coming home.’
Yamada smiles
“That’s still 7 against 2 men –plus our navy bombers.”
“Spot the second strike…………”
“Extract from Shattering the sword, a cantona production
Yamadas confidence for the afternoon was of course shattered.
The Allied Task force commander aggressively charged his fleet –maybe guessing that the Japanese lacked any surface strength – a surface engagement could still salvage victory from disaster.
The allied strike – Hornet and Yorktown caught Yamaguchi still launching – and although the CAP shredded the strike to just 2 bombers left –these incredibly brave men showed that courage alone can sometimes overcome all. Two bombers –2 bombs –and CV Hiyo joined the growing list of Japanese cripples.
Aggressive the attack may have been – but costly
Kwaljien now gets into the fray –and along with Yamaguchi’s strike –Hornet too is sent rapidly to the bottom.
Only the BB Mississipi taking the loins share of the attention , allows the Yorktown to find shelter in the storm front.
Dusk finds two shattered fleets.
Marines still stuck on the beaches at majuro – the 25th division and 150th regiment gaining at jaluit.
1 allied CV, a unknown number of CVE, a huge number of surface ships.
This is what Yamada faces at dusk
His carriers are ammunition exhausted
His land based air power all but expended.
5 burning cripples to attempt to salvage
3 Cv, 3cvl left
But at 1700, electrifying news
“Continue to attack Battle divisions 1, 2, 3, will arrive midnight.”
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