The USS Breton's aircraft carrier was only the beginning of a series of disasters in the escort aircraft carriers. Because of the Essex-class, York City-class and Independent-class aircraft carriers in the 58th Special Mixed Fleet, both the key protection targets, not only are cruisers and destroyers protected, but each aircraft carrier is surrounded by a battleship with abnormal air defense firepower.

Therefore, the Japanese pilots who had been through battle all wisely avoided these main aircraft carriers protected by the squad, led the team to the escort formation with relatively poor protection, and the escort aircraft carrier became the most ideal target.

At 4:10, just 5 minutes after the USS Breton was shot, another aircraft carrier was burning and burning, the Borg-class aircraft carrier Brock Island was also hit by an aircraft torpedo. The aircraft carrier had been hit by a bomb before, and the bomb directly penetrated the power compartment of the aircraft carrier. After a loud bang, the escort aircraft carrier with a standard displacement of 11,420 tons lost all its power and ignited a fire, becoming an iron coffin floating on the water. Now that the torpedo hit it again became the terminator of the aircraft carrier. Just 10 minutes later, the aircraft carrier capsized and sank, and nearly half of the sailors and officers on the ship were killed.

Three minutes later, the Tracker, the same aircraft carrier of the Borg class, was hit by two torpedoes. Although the Japanese aviation torpedoes cannot be compared with their 93 spear torpedoes, they can still cause fatal damage to the Borg class aircraft carrier. The two torpedoes directly opened two huge holes on the port side of the Tracker, and the sea water surged in, and the aircraft carrier quickly tilted. The Captain of the Tracker had to issue the order to "all leave the ship" at 4:33.

At 4:20, the Casablanca-class aircraft carrier "Manila" was loaded with another "comet" dive bomber dragging black smoke! The aircraft exploded violently on the deck of the aircraft carrier with bombs, instantly swallowing more than a dozen f4u and f6f that were refueling ammunition. The deck personnel also suffered heavy losses, and 10 pilots on standby were also buried in the fire at the same time.

A few minutes later, the disaster reappeared. The escort aircraft carrier "Molotovsk" (not the Soviet aircraft carrier, but just a name given to highlight the friendship between the United States and the Soviet Union) and "Li Mei" (to commemorate the internationalist fighter Li Mei) hit the torpedo, and the hull quickly tilted severely.

"Hisser Commander, a great victory! Our army's second attack wave has just sunk at least 5 escort carriers!" Major General Kuroshima Turtle, chief of staff of the 10th Fleet of Japan, loudly reported the battle report he had just received to Commander Takijiro Oshiki at 4:40.

“Onboard!”

"Big Japan, onboard!"

The headquarters of Daxi was also full of joy. For the Japanese Navy, which only owned 19 aircraft carriers in total, 5 aircraft carriers were definitely not a small number. Even if they were all escort aircraft carriers, it would be enough to win a great victory.

Moreover, these are only two attack waves. The fighter jets sent by the First Mobile Fleet will soon hit the third and fourth waves of the US fleet, and Christmas Island is fully capable of sending the third attack wave.

In today's battle, it seems that it will be a complete victory.

"Yashi!" Oshi Takijiro showed a satisfied expression, "Order the third attack wave to set off! Before dark, give the American another blow."

"Hayi!"

The third attack wave sent by Christmas Island is mainly based on a one-style land attack. These twin-engine attack aircraft will carry torpedoes to attack. The target is that US warships floating on the sea and caught fire and burning cannot let them extinguish the fire and flee back to San Diego, otherwise it will be a good ship in a few months!

"By the way, when will the first attack wave return?"

When he heard Takijiro Oshi's question, the joyful atmosphere in the headquarters suddenly solidified, and no one answered Dashi's question for a long time.

Because everyone knows that the First Attack Wave encountered a tough battle! According to the report of the First Attack Wave commander-in-chief Hiroichi Takahashi, they encountered at least 500 American fighter jets, and the losses were very heavy. With incomplete statistics, more than 140 Japanese fighter jets were unable to contact and confirm the crash after the two sides left!

If none of these aircraft can return in the end, the "god-becoming rate" of the first attack wave will exceed 40%.

According to the report of Mimasa Miku, the commander-in-chief of the second attack wave, the number of American fighter jets they encountered was less than 500. Considering that the second attack wave uses torpedoes as the main attack method, the losses will definitely be greater!

"It may take 5:30 before planes will return one after another." The Kuroshima Turtle finally spoke and broke the silence.

"Okay..." Takijiro Oshiki suddenly asked, "Kukushima, do you think the American fleet will retreat after being frustrated?"

The current result is to sink, injuring more than 30 landing ships of various transport ships and sinking 5 aircraft carriers. For the US fleet, it has only lost less than 10% of the ships. Even the two attack waves sent by the mobile fleet will achieve the same results, at most 15%-20% of the ships of the US fleet.

"It shouldn't be!" The Black Island Turtle Man shook her head.

The rich are so hateful. There are so many ships that can’t be beaten! Even if they can sink 100 of them today, there are at least 300 of them.

Ryujiro Oshiki sighed and said, "Prepare to transfer the plane... All planes must be transferred to Oahu tonight."

"Transfer to Oahu?" The Black Island Turtle Man shook his head subconsciously, "Oahu Island is more than 2,000 kilometers away from Christmas Island. If the plane is transferred to Oahu, they will not be able to participate in the battle."

"There is no way," said Ryujiro Oshiki. "If there is no transition, the American battleship will destroy the airport before dawn tomorrow morning, and neither the plane nor the pilot will run away."

The concerns of Daxi are very reasonable. Just as the remnants of the second attack wave sent by Christmas Island were fleeing the battlefield in a panic as US fighter jets chased. Spruins was already deploying a battleship assault tonight.

"It's finally over..." Spruins breathed a long sigh and said to Browning beside him, "There are at most two attack aircraft groups sent by aircraft carriers, but we should be able to withstand it."

"Yes!" Browning nodded, "The seaplane did not find Japanese fleets. They should be far from Christmas Island... They should be able to launch artillery formations tonight."

"Send the 58.0 Battleship Battalion, 58.1 Battleship Battalion, 58.3 Cruiser Battalion and 58.7 Destroyer Battalion." Spruins said, "Transfer the headquarters to the USS Essex aircraft carrier."

Excluding landing ships and transport ship formations, the 58th Special Mixed Fleet has a total of 10 units, including 2 battleship detachments, named 58.0 and 58.1 respectively.

The 58.0 battalion consists of three battleships including Iahua, New Jersey and Washington, all of which are new battleships equipped with 406mm main guns. The 58.1 battalion is composed of seven old battleships. Although these old battleships have no value in fighting decisive battles at sea, they are still very useful to bombard the coast. If these 10 battleships are near Christmas Island, one can bombard at least tens of thousands of large-caliber shells during the day, the airport on the island will definitely be blown into a pothole, as if it is the surface of the moon.

As for the main force of the 58th Special Mixed Fleet and the landing ship formation, the transport ship formation will sail south after dark to avoid the main force of the Japanese Combined Fleet.

Just as General Browning was about to issue an order as Spruins' order, a staff officer suddenly reported loudly: "Sir, the seaplane discovered a large Japanese fleet, with more than 50 ships, in the 18th waters, about 300 nautical miles away from us..."

The staff officer's report was just halfway through when suddenly a harsh air defense alarm sounded.

"Radar discovers enemy aircraft, with a number of more than 200, altitude of 6000, distance of 140, and azimuth of 312."

Spruins took a breath and said to Browning: "Another wave of enemy planes... It seems that today is a good day to fight Japanese turkeys. I don't know if I can get enough 1,000?"

Hearing the metaphor of Spruins' image, Major General Browning laughed: "What can be collected, you can always be collected! The days of the Japanese are so arrogant, and it's time for our American industrial strength to exert its power."

...

"Another 500 more aircraft?"

At 5:45, Lieutenant General Ozawa Shisaburo received the report handed over by the staff on the USS Shototsu, took a look and took a breath: "How many fighters and aircraft carriers do the Americans have?"

"Hiss Commander," Ozawa's chief of staff, Kizo Komura, replied, "I estimate that the Americans have 2,000-2,500 fighter jets and 80 aircraft carriers..."

"80 ships?" Ozawa Jisaburo shook his head, "Really, are there so many?"

Gucun nodded and said, "It should be... the United States has a very strong industrial strength. The oil output currently controlled by the company accounts for about 75% of the world's total output. The steel output before the war was similar to that of the entire Europe, and the scale of the shipbuilding industry was comparable to that of the entire Europe. Isn't the German naval shipbuilding plan now also a battle to build aircraft carriers? The Germans have to deal with the Eastern Front battlefield and can build ships like this, let alone the United States, which is fully committed to developing its naval force?"

This is a war between the rich!

Ozawa Jisaburo suddenly felt powerless. American aircraft carriers can serve dozens or hundreds of aircraft a year. Japan has only 19 aircraft carriers so far...

"Commander, telegram from the 10th Fleet Command."

When Ozawa was just sighing, Takijiro Oshiki's telegram had arrived.

"The Commander of the Great West said that all planes on Christmas Island will be evacuated tonight because the island may be bombarded by the US fleet in the early morning tomorrow. In addition..."

"What else?" Ozawa looked at the Chief of Staff Komura and asked, "What's wrong?"

"The first attack wave on Christmas Island has returned..." Gucun said: "There are 140 planes that have not returned yet!"

"140 aircraft!?" The words "Panama" immediately appeared in Ozawa Shisaburo's mind.

The first attack wave of Christmas Island is only 336 aircraft, and now 140 have not returned, and the rate of success has exceeded 40%! This battle on Christmas Island may be a more tragic war of attrition than the Battle of Panama!
Chapter completed!