standard, one that transcends logic. What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong. He was hot-tempered, aggressive to a fault, and a man who valued honor as the ultimate virtue. His decisive victory at Midway elevated him to God-like status among subordinates in the Imperial Japanese Navy.
Ten silent naval officers and Hiryu’s Captain, Tomeo Kaku, surrounded the Vice Admiral on the bridge. All were surveying flight deck operations.
“How long till deployment, Captain Kaku?” Yamaguchi asked in Japanese to the nearby officer.
“Ten minutes, Admiral. The enemy escort task force was identified only five minutes ago.”
Yamaguchi turned and glared at the Captain who reacted with an apologetic bow. “Our first attack must overwhelm and render them impotent unable to counter strike.”
“Yes, Admiral.” Captain Kaku continued, “In the first wave, as you ordered, we are launching twenty torpedo bombers, six fighter escorts, and five dive bombers. Soryu is launching the same configuration.”
“I want to move up the launch of the second wave attack from Akagi to ten minutes behind the first.”
“I will make certain they receive the revised launch order, Admiral.”
Yamaguchi nodded as Kaku moved closer to him for a private conversation.
“Sir, about your orders to the bombers to avoid heavy damage to their carriers…”
“Yes, Captain?”
“Admiral, sir, it is simply our superior firepower could sink all three of their light carriers destroying the heart of battle group.”
Yamaguchi looked at him a moment. “Yes, Captain Kaku, what you say is entirely correct. Do not underestimate, however, the preference for death over dishonor to the Americans. They will surrender their carriers, and it will be a greater blow than if we had sent them all to the bottom of the sea.”
A phone rang near the back of the bridge. An officer picked up the shipboard telephone receiver, listened a moment, then shouted. “First attack squadron ready for take off, Admiral.
Yamaguchi barked, “Launch all strike force aircraft.”
At that moment more than 62 Japanese attack force planes began to launch from the flight decks of Hiryu and Soryu .
Wildcats and Avengers launched from the Liscome were already in the air. The planes on Corregidor (CVE-58) and Coral Sea (CVE- 57) were five minutes behind them. Pilots of the American planes had no idea they were on a collision course with the overwhelming number of Yamaguchi’s strike aircraft.
The Wildcats flew above the low flying Avenger torpedo bombers providing a screen. Wildcat lead pilot, Tug Sunderland, twenty years old, former crop duster out of Topeka, Kansas, spotted numerous black dots at ten o’clock silhouetted against the northwestern clouds ten minutes into his sortie from Liscome .
“Jesus,” he said, immediately realizing his force was outnumbered at least two to one. Sunderland knew his squad’s only chance was to employ the Wildcat’s best fighting tactic against the more agile zeros – attack them head on.
The Wildcat, heavier and less maneuverable than the Japanese Zero, had six wing mounted .50 caliber machine guns, which could deliver 200 rounds in a four second burst. The 5,500 pound Zero, faster and lighter than the Wildcat, had two 7.7mm machine guns and two 20mm cannons. Its vulnerability was its three wing and fuselage fuel tanks and it’s unprotected glass pilot canopy.
Sunderland, knowing his squad had lost the element of surprise, readied for a slugfest. Attacking head on into the Japanese squadron at 600 mph would be a high stakes game of chicken with no one wanting to flinch.
“Squadron leader to base, numerous enemy aircraft inbound. We’re gonna need some help up here.” On the flagship Admiral Mullinnix had already ordered all perimeter ships as well as the three carriers to man their Bofors 40mm and Oerlikon 20mm anti aircraft guns. Every available man was on the line.
Pilot Sunderland had radioed his squad the attack
Ten silent naval officers and Hiryu’s Captain, Tomeo Kaku, surrounded the Vice Admiral on the bridge. All were surveying flight deck operations.
“How long till deployment, Captain Kaku?” Yamaguchi asked in Japanese to the nearby officer.
“Ten minutes, Admiral. The enemy escort task force was identified only five minutes ago.”
Yamaguchi turned and glared at the Captain who reacted with an apologetic bow. “Our first attack must overwhelm and render them impotent unable to counter strike.”
“Yes, Admiral.” Captain Kaku continued, “In the first wave, as you ordered, we are launching twenty torpedo bombers, six fighter escorts, and five dive bombers. Soryu is launching the same configuration.”
“I want to move up the launch of the second wave attack from Akagi to ten minutes behind the first.”
“I will make certain they receive the revised launch order, Admiral.”
Yamaguchi nodded as Kaku moved closer to him for a private conversation.
“Sir, about your orders to the bombers to avoid heavy damage to their carriers…”
“Yes, Captain?”
“Admiral, sir, it is simply our superior firepower could sink all three of their light carriers destroying the heart of battle group.”
Yamaguchi looked at him a moment. “Yes, Captain Kaku, what you say is entirely correct. Do not underestimate, however, the preference for death over dishonor to the Americans. They will surrender their carriers, and it will be a greater blow than if we had sent them all to the bottom of the sea.”
A phone rang near the back of the bridge. An officer picked up the shipboard telephone receiver, listened a moment, then shouted. “First attack squadron ready for take off, Admiral.
Yamaguchi barked, “Launch all strike force aircraft.”
At that moment more than 62 Japanese attack force planes began to launch from the flight decks of Hiryu and Soryu .
Wildcats and Avengers launched from the Liscome were already in the air. The planes on Corregidor (CVE-58) and Coral Sea (CVE- 57) were five minutes behind them. Pilots of the American planes had no idea they were on a collision course with the overwhelming number of Yamaguchi’s strike aircraft.
The Wildcats flew above the low flying Avenger torpedo bombers providing a screen. Wildcat lead pilot, Tug Sunderland, twenty years old, former crop duster out of Topeka, Kansas, spotted numerous black dots at ten o’clock silhouetted against the northwestern clouds ten minutes into his sortie from Liscome .
“Jesus,” he said, immediately realizing his force was outnumbered at least two to one. Sunderland knew his squad’s only chance was to employ the Wildcat’s best fighting tactic against the more agile zeros – attack them head on.
The Wildcat, heavier and less maneuverable than the Japanese Zero, had six wing mounted .50 caliber machine guns, which could deliver 200 rounds in a four second burst. The 5,500 pound Zero, faster and lighter than the Wildcat, had two 7.7mm machine guns and two 20mm cannons. Its vulnerability was its three wing and fuselage fuel tanks and it’s unprotected glass pilot canopy.
Sunderland, knowing his squad had lost the element of surprise, readied for a slugfest. Attacking head on into the Japanese squadron at 600 mph would be a high stakes game of chicken with no one wanting to flinch.
“Squadron leader to base, numerous enemy aircraft inbound. We’re gonna need some help up here.” On the flagship Admiral Mullinnix had already ordered all perimeter ships as well as the three carriers to man their Bofors 40mm and Oerlikon 20mm anti aircraft guns. Every available man was on the line.
Pilot Sunderland had radioed his squad the attack
Similar Books
