Republic of Korea in Yeokcheon - Chapter 48



Only Krnovel

#48. Wasn’t it fate that was decided anyway?

October 24, 1944, 10:55.

US Navy 3rd Fleet flagship New Jersey.

“Hwiyu! “That’s awesome!”

“It’s amazing! Total annihilation! annihilation!”

Admiral Halsey, commander of the 3rd Fleet, and his staff could not close their mouths.

This is because the results of carrying out the operation under the instructions of Korea One, despite being dubious, were revealed before our eyes.

Although there was no aircraft carrier, the powerful Japanese fleet, including the world’s largest battleships Yamato and Musashi, was annihilated without a single ship surviving.

Even though it was the result of their own creation, they couldn’t believe it.

And now I had no choice but to trust in Korea One’s abilities.

That the cheap Admiral Kim’s abilities are outstanding, contrary to his personality.

“What about the damage to our fleet?”

“Four SB2C Helldivers, three TBF Avengers, and one F6F Hellcat were shot down.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes, Admiral.”

There has never been a Mahayana like this.

In total, only 8 aircraft were shot down.

Honestly, at this level, it can be said that there is no damage.

“Huh! This is it! Should I buy that cheap bastard a drink?”

“I think you should live big, don’t you?”

“ha ha ha! Do I buy it? Let’s ask Nimitz or Admiral King to buy it for us!”

“Ha ha ha ha ha!”

“Fuhahaha!”

Although it received help from Korea One, it was a victory so great that it is difficult to find an example in history.

Thanks to this, all the staff, including Admiral Halsey, were able to laugh lightly.

“ruler! Then what remains is the Southern Fleet and the Northern Fleet.”

“Admiral Kincaid’s 7th Fleet will take care of the Southern Fleet, so we only need to worry about the Northern Fleet.”

“Yes, Kincaid deserves credit too, so let’s not worry about the dregs of the Southern Fleet. “Then what is the current location of the Northern Fleet?”

“According to Korea One’s information, it has currently come down to around 19 degrees 13 minutes north latitude and 124 degrees 12 minutes east longitude.”

“good! Call McCain and Davidson and tell them to catch them! Especially Zuikaku, he catches it no matter what! “We must avenge Pearl Harbor!”

“All right.”

October 24th 13:32.

Philippine Sea 18 degrees 05 minutes 02 seconds north latitude, 124 degrees 49 minutes 05 seconds east longitude.

Four regular aircraft carriers, including the Essex-class Hornet, Wasp, and Hancock of Admiral John S. McCain Sr.’s Task Group 38.1, and Franklin and Enterprise of Admiral Ralph Davidson’s Task Group 38.4, and the Independence-class light carrier Bellow Wood. About 300 aircraft from a total of 8 aircraft carriers, 4 ships, headed north.

Their target was Ozawa Jisaburo’s 1st Mobile Fleet, which the U.S. Navy called the Northern Fleet. The Northern Fleet served as a decoy to lure the U.S. Navy’s 3rd Fleet for Kurida’s Central Fleet.

October 24th 13:55.

Philippine Sea 18 degrees 53 minutes 23 seconds north latitude, 124 degrees 03 minutes 18 seconds east longitude.

Japanese Navy 1st Mobile Fleet flagship aircraft carrier Zuikaku.

“Are you ready for sortie?”

“Everything will be ready in less than 10 minutes, Your Excellency!”

Admiral Jizaburo Ozawa, who is unusually tall and nearly 2 meters tall and has an ugly face, is called Onigawara (鬼瓦) by the Japanese Navy and a gargoyle by the U.S. Navy, and looks with a stern expression onto the deck of Zuikaku, which is busy preparing for a sortie. I was watching.

“Tell them to sortie out and not return whether they find the U.S. Navy’s 3rd Fleet or not.”

“yes? What do you mean?”

“Aren’t we bait anyway? If you do it for no reason, you will die together. So, don’t take my word for it and tell them to go to the land base in Luzon, Philippines.”

“dismissal! “Hehehe!”

“hey! Don’t panic. Wasn’t it fate that was decided anyway?”

“…”

However, the Ozawa fleet’s aircraft did not even have a chance to make a sortie.

Wooooow!

As soon as Ozawa finished speaking, a large squadron of about 300 SB2C Helldivers, TBF Avengers, and F6F Hellcats sortied from the aircraft carriers of TG 38.1 and TG 38.4 began an air attack.

“It’s the right time!”

“What a chick show! “Why, at this time!”

Ozawa’s face turned black with despair.

His own fleet was a decoy fleet consisting mainly of three light carriers, including the regular aircraft carriers Zuikaku and Zuiho, and did not have a decent escort force.

But why did such a large-scale squadron launch an air strike just before it was dispatched?

It’s over.

Hehe! chuck!

Kwakwakwauk!

The 1,000-pound bomb dropped by the SB2C Helldiver while diving penetrated the deck and caused a huge explosion, causing the aircraft and bombs lined up on the deck to explode in succession.

Kwaaaaang!

It was the end of Zuikaku, the last surviving aircraft carrier that attacked Pearl Harbor, and it was the wish of Admiral Halsey, who sincerely wanted to kill Zuikaku, saying, “When this war is over, Japanese will be a language only used in hell!” It was a moment that came true.

Quawang!

Subsequently, the light aircraft carrier Chiyoda was hit by countless torpedoes and bombs and burst into flames, and Zuiho and Chitose soon suffered the same fate.

About 10 minutes later, not a single surviving Japanese ship could be found at sea, so some US Navy aircraft waiting in the sky had to turn back without even being able to attack.

October 24, 1944, 16:55.

West of Surigao Strait, 9 degrees 40 minutes 15 seconds north latitude, 125 degrees 07 minutes 09 seconds east longitude.

Northampton-class heavy cruiser Louisville, flagship of Task Force 77, 7th Fleet, U.S. Navy.

“You mean it’s coming? “They?”

Major General Jesse B. Oldendorf, commander of the 77th Task Force, opened his mouth with bright eyes.

“That’s right. Korea One just informed me that the Southern Fleet is heading exactly this way.”

“Will we finally have a chance? Big! As you all know, Bull’s 3rd Fleet defeated the Japanese. And that too with almost no damage.”

“I know.”

“Okay, but is it okay for us to just suck our fingers here? “Yeah, isn’t it?”

“If you do that, you will be criticized for a long time. “We will continue to hear the sound of MacArthur’s fleet.”

“yes? ruler! Then, shall we move slowly? What is it? “What did Korea One tell you?”

“I said it was Hakichin. “They said it was the best way to deal with guys like that.”

“Well, the name is also strange. Anyway, the 3rd Fleet listened to Korea’s words and succeeded, so we will follow suit. “The entire fleet unleashes hagichin!”

“Yes, Commander!”

The 77th Mobile Unit began to form a formation following the shape of a crane spreading its wings.

The Crane Wing Battle launched by Admiral Yi Sun-sin on Hansan Island has reappeared in the Bohol Sea in the Philippines after a long time.

October 24th 17:21.

Although it is not yet visible, the fleet commanded by Vice Admiral Shoji Nishimura approached the front of the 77th Task Force in a wedge-shaped formation and came within range of the main guns of the fleet’s battleships, and the expeditionary force command and control center began guiding artillery fire without delay. .

Quang! bang! bang! bang!

Six battleships, including West Virginia and Maryland, attacked the Nishimura fleet with 48 14-inch guns and 16 16-inch guns spitting out flames.

Puff! pop! pop!

“I am the enemy!”

“It’s enemy artillery fire!”

“Chick show!”

Nishimura bit his molars.

This is because, when he narrowed the gap between the fleet camps to pass through the Surigao Strait, he sensed that the enemy fleet’s barrage would be a disaster for his fleet.

However, rushing towards the narrow Surigao Strait was now tantamount to suicide, so there was only one path for Nishimura to choose.

“The entire fleet spreads out and retreats! “Retreat!”

“The entire fleet spreads out and retreats! “Spread out and retreat!”

And disaster struck the Fuso-class name ship Fuso first.

Quang!

At first, a single 14-inch naval gun shell hit the bridge directly, and then a 16-inch naval gun shell hit the No. 1 main gun tower and hit the ammunition magazine under the turret.

Kwaaaaang!

A huge explosion occurred and a third of Fuso’s bow was blown away.

“Spread out! Spread out!”

The Nishimura Fleet is a small fleet consisting of only two battleships, one light cruiser, and four destroyers.

Among them, one battleship was lost less than two minutes after the bombardment began.

This time, 35 8-inch guns mounted on four heavy cruisers, including the flagship Louisville, opened fire on the destroyers and light cruisers, who were spreading out hastily following Nishimura’s orders.

Quaaaang! bang! bang!

First, the light cruiser Abukuma, which was relatively large, was hit by intensive artillery fire and burst into flames, followed by the destroyer Michishio.

As the main forces of the Nishimura fleet exploded, four ships, including Denver, rushed like a pack of dogs, including a light cruiser and 28 destroyers, beating the three remaining destroyers and the flagship Yamashiro.

It’s literally an excessive amount of firepower, and with this level of firepower, even Yamato in the world wouldn’t be able to withstand it.

When the flagship Yamashiro was destroyed and disabled, the battleships of the 77th Task Force all at once closed the distance and took their breath away.

Kwaaaaang!

Yamashiro sank after a huge explosion.

The only remaining vessel of the Nishimura fleet was the destroyer Yamagumo, which was half-destroyed and a white flag was raised.

It was unusual for the Japanese Navy, but perhaps the captain was a bit clueless.

In any case, this led to the destruction of the Nishimura fleet.

Most of it was to battleships such as West Virginia that were salvaged from the bottom of Pearl Harbor and resurrected.

October 24th 17:37.

Vice Admiral Kiyohide Shima, who was following at a point 64km behind the Nishimura fleet, sensed that something was amiss from the sound of gunfire coming from the front.

“The entire fleet retreats! hurry! “It’s a trap!”

“under! All right. The entire fleet retreats! “The entire fleet retreats!”

The fleet consists of two heavy cruisers, one light cruiser, and four destroyers, but in the current Imperial Navy, even these had to be saved.

However, disaster was already approaching in the skies above the Shima fleet, which was trying to escape in a hurry.

A squadron of about 150 FM-2 Wildcats (escort carrier version of the F4F Wildcat) and TBM Avengers, sortied from 12 Casablanca-class escort aircraft carriers of the TG 77.4 Escort Carrier Strike Group under the 77th Task Force, attacked.

The force was too much for the Shima fleet, which had only 7 ships and no battleships, but even so, they charged in without any mercy, waiting for their turn in the sky.

Wooooow! chuck!

Numerous torpedoes fired by the Avenger raced in search of prey, and the Wildcats distributed bombs wherever they were.

Quack! bang! bang!

“Wow! Abandon ship! Do this! Do this!”

bang! bang!

In less than 5 minutes after the Shima fleet was attacked, all ships were sunk or destroyed.

And again a few minutes later.

After the sinking of the Myoko-class heavy cruiser flagship Nachi, no Japanese Navy ships were found in the Bohol Sea.

As a result, all four fleets, the last bastions of the Imperial Japanese Navy mobilized in this naval battle, were sunk.

In fact, the Japanese Navy was virtually annihilated.

Now there are not enough ships to patrol Japan’s territorial waters.