The Pacific Fleet had good luck. Just after 9 o'clock, almost at the end of the reconnaissance aircraft's range, observers discovered Tsukahara's mobile fleet. Although the air defense fighter quickly shot down the bold SBD, the exact location of the Japanese fleet was passed back and found that the Japanese mobile fleet had 2 regular aircraft carriers, 1 medium aircraft carrier, 4 light aircraft carriers, 4 heavy cruisers, and more than 16 light cruisers or destroyers.

Sure enough, everyone in the Essex Bridge was refreshed, and God blessed them, they were the first to discover the enemy fleet.

"Notice the specific location."

"It is located about 245 kilometers southeast of Tarawa, and the center of our fleet is currently 570 kilometers. If the movement situation of our enemy and us remains unchanged, the distance between the two sides will be shortened by about 65 kilometers per hour..." The staff officer quickly calculated the results through the operation on the map.

"The carrier-based aircraft is ready to set off, and the whole attack..." Halsey looked at Nimitz, who nodded slightly.

At 9:17, the first SBD took off from the Essex, and soon the first TBF also took off from Sarato and the technical movements of the B fleet were much more skillful than the A fleet.

At 9:39, the first attack wave was assembled, with 36 SBD dive bombers, 32 TBF torpedo attack aircraft, and 32 F6F fighters, which happened to be a formation of 100. Soon they roared to the south and rushed to the south. According to the operation on the map, the distance between the two fleets should have been reduced to about 540 kilometers.

After the first attack wave took off, the remaining aircraft of the US fleet's three aircraft carriers took off one after another, but where did the second attack wave be used, Halsey and Nimitz had a big difference. Halsey believed the report of the fleet's carrier-based aircraft group and believed that they had sunk/hardly damaged at least 2 enemy battleships, 4 cruisers and some small warships. He believed that even if this battle report was exaggerated, it would not be too far away from the facts. After all, Fleet A used more than 100 aircraft.

Halsey believed that "at least they should have killed 1 battleship." This judgment was slightly different from the facts. Fleet A actually only severely damaged the Hazel Name, and the other results were insignificant. According to his logic, he believed that the second attack wave should attack the enemy's shelling fleet and kill 1-2 battleships. Then the shelling fleet of our side would have an advantage and could break into the attack. Even if it was not a question of defeating the Japanese fleet, it could force the enemy to withdraw from Tarava.

Nimitz did not deny the results of the fleet A, and was even more optimistic than Halsey estimated. His idea was to attack the two attack waves simultaneously and completely kill the Japanese aircraft carrier formation. As for the artillery formation, if you have the chance, you will fight today, and if you don't have the chance to stay until tomorrow or in the future, wait for the two domestically supported battleships. Even if the Pacific Fleet is in traditional naval gun operations, the threat of the Japanese aircraft carrier formation is too great and there are many. He is not optimistic that the first attack wave can play full effect. Good luck like Midway Island cannot be replicated repeatedly.

The two sides argued for 5 minutes, and some of the staff officers supported Nimitz and some supported Halsey, and the number of people was similar.

Major General Giffin is the third most influential person. He has never expressed his opinion because he is afraid that his statement will bring uncontrollable consequences.

Time passed by minute by minute. As it was almost 10 o'clock, the second attack wave was about to be prepared, and he was finally ready to echo Nimitz's opinion. Suddenly someone shouted: "Japanese reconnaissance plane..."

Halsey and Nimitz rushed over and saw an Ar-372 water reconnaissance plane hovering in the distance to observe the situation of the fleet. Even when the F6f fighter of our side rushed over, they had not yet escaped in a hurry, and they were still slowly sending telegrams in circles and sending telegrams, which was so arrogant!

"The fleet is exposed!"

As soon as this variable came out, all the debate disappeared immediately. Halsey immediately stated: "The air strike target of the second attack wave is still the enemy aircraft carrier!"

At 10:7, all more than 80 aircraft of the second attack wave of the US military were dispatched, and Halsey left only 32 cover fighter jets for the fleet.

At this time, the Shochi Shangzuka had just received a report on the location of the US aircraft carrier: the enemy fleet is 200 nautical miles northeast of Talawa, with 2 regular aircraft carriers, 1 light aircraft carrier, 3 battleships, and more than 20 warships below.

The atmosphere inside the Xianghe bridge was very tense. First, the location of the mobile fleet was exposed earlier than the enemy's position; second, the first attack wave of the fleet a had just returned after the air strike and was preparing to land.

Unlike the US military, the mobile fleet Uchizukahara is an authority. His orders are done. He pondered for a moment and asked: "How far is the guerrilla fleet from the enemy fleet? How far is it from this fleet?"

"The guerrilla fleet is 620 kilometers away from the enemy and 550 kilometers away from the fleet."

"Very good!" Tsukahara nodded, "Let the entire Kakuda army attack without leaving air defense fighters! This fleet sends 20 attack aircraft to assist him! Gather 100 kilometers east of Tarawa!"

Kushu Ryunosuke immediately took his order

"The remaining attack aircraft of this fleet took off. The air defense aircraft of the artillery fleet belonging to the commander distributed 18 air defense aircraft to the guerrilla fleet to replenish oil bombs and cover them on the spot. The remaining aircraft will give priority to the Bolzano to prepare for landing and replenish oil bombs; the first attack wave aircraft is alert and waiting in the air. This direct guard aircraft provides air defense protection parachutes for the artillery fleet..."

"Hayi!" Gendashi immediately executed.

"I inform all personnel, speed up, and give full play to 120% efficiency. The US military may attack at any time!"

At 10:14, more than 20 comets were changed/Tianshan started, and the first attack wave that was hovering in the air and waiting for it immediately went down.

Just at the critical moment of decision just now, Tsukahara implemented an extremely complex aircraft group dispatch, which was dazzling: 67 aircraft of the guerrilla fleet + more than 20 attack aircraft of the 20 attack aircraft of the guerrilla fleet gathered into the first attack wave to attack the US military; 43 artillery fleet air defense fighters led by Akamatsu Sadaki (formerly a total of 54 aircraft, a total of 11 were lost in the repelling fleet), 18 were assigned to the guerrilla fleet to supplement and undertake cover on the spot, and the remaining 25 were landed and supplied in the mobile fleet; 32 mobile air defense fighters led by Iwamoto Tsubasa were relatively sufficient for oil bombs (the first round was not in battle, and only used fuel tank fuel) went to the air above the artillery fleet to provide cover; Mizuo Fukuda led the first attack wave to wait temporarily, and waited for all the attack aircraft groups to take off before landing and supplying.

"Quick! Quick!"

Genda Min shouted in her throat!

The situation was unprecedentedly tense. Even confidential staff members who had always been above the top ran out of the bridge and rushed to the deck to help the ground crew load ammunition and replenish fuel. The pilots stuffed rice balls handed over by others in one bite, swallowing them all in big mouthfuls without chewing. The rushing Mizuo Furida seemed to be in the "5 minutes of fate" in the Battle of Midway... (To be continued.)
Chapter completed!