Kirov III-Pacific Storm (Kirov Series) (29 page)

The night
folded quietly about the ship, the
seas rising a bit with the rain, though the storm was not severe. A little
after 02:00 hours Fedorov was awakened by the deep drone of planes, high up,
and called up to the bridge to find out what it was. Rodenko reported that
there was a small flight of six planes coming up from the south, at high
altitude, and on a heading that would take them to Port Moresby.

“Those will be American B-17 bombers,
Rodenko. They probably took off from Cairns or Cooktown a few hours ago for a
run up to Port Moresby. It obviously isn’t a serious raid, just harassment. I
would not think they pose much of a threat. In fact, I don’t think they even
know we are here.”

“We’ve been running dark all night,”
said Rodenko.

“Then leave them alone. Take your next
rest leave, and I’ll be back on the bridge soon. You can turn your station over
to Kalinichev.”

Rodenko took the friendly advice and
was glad that he did. It was to be the last chance for a little peace and quiet
the ship would have for some time.

 Events to the east were broiling
up into a major air/sea battle, and far off in the Solomons, another Admiral
was taking undo interest in these reports coming from Hara’s group. The name
Mizuchi
was discussed, and decisions were made—decisions that would pose the greatest
challenge ever faced by the beleaguered Russian battlecruiser and its weary
crew.

Chapter
21

The reports
coming in from the Western operation
were very strange. Staff spent hours sending coded messages trying to sort them
all out before they brought them to Admiral Yamamoto, and now it was time to
brief him in full. Yet Yamamoto had already learned the worst about the
incident, and the name
Mizuchi
was uppermost in his mind as he gazed at
the plotting table before the circle of men. The starched white uniforms were
immaculate, the gold braided caps and cuff bands representing decades of
seasoned naval experience, all gathered here on the eve of a decisive
engagement.

Chief of Operations Captain
Kimetake
Kuroshima and late arrivals fresh off the cruiser
Nagara
had just entered the room: the Chief of Staff of the First Air Fleet, Rear
Admiral
Ryunosuke
Kusaka
and staff officers, Captain Tamotsu
Oishi
with
Commander Minoru Genda. A raft of junior officers followed in their wake.

“The plan, like all plans before it,
has been altered due to action by the enemy,” said Yamamoto beginning the
meeting. “Tonight we decide whether or not we can adequately cover a counter
operation aimed at Guadalcanal. Kuroshima has worked out the details.” The
Admiral looked at his God of Operations, obviously intending him to take the
floor.

“The enemy attack at Guadalcanal was
not unexpected, but the timing achieved the element of surprise in light of our
present operations,” said Kuroshima. “It has been necessary to maneuver both
arms of our planned Operation FS to an earlier closing point now aimed at
Guadalcanal. The difficulty is that our invasion elements are now widely dispersed.
Our bombardment group, with three battleships and supporting units, is
presently with the first wave troops of the 3rd Division poised off New Georgia
and ready to strike south to support our counter invasion at Guadalcanal. But
second wave troops are still well out into the Coral Sea, and moving northeast.
The need to mass both carrier divisions will leave these troops exposed. The
two carrier strike groups assigned to this operation are now converging on
Guadalcanal, leaving only an escort of five destroyers with the second wave
convoy.” He gestured to a table map where small wooden models indicated the
positions of principle task forces involved in the operation. “We expect a
battle with the American carriers somewhere near Guadalcanal within twenty-four
hours.”

“It is my belief that the Americans
will be northeast of the Solomons,” said Genda, one of the Fleet’s most
experienced air planning officers.

“The General Staff concurs,” said
Kuroshima. “Yet our worry is that the two arms of our carrier forces might be
engaged separately by the combined American force, and defeated in detail. It
is therefore necessary to closely coordinate our air strikes, so that both our
carrier divisions function as a combined unit. This will require close
coordination with all air staff officers, who will report to Genda in eight
hours to finalize our strike once we have pinpointed the enemy’s location.”

“With four fleet carriers we should
outnumber the enemy,” said Yamamoto.

“Correct, sir, but the aircraft ratio
will not be great. The American carriers can support over eighty aircraft each.
If there are three carriers present that will give them at least 240 planes
against the 280 aircraft our four fleet carriers can bring to the battle.”

“Yet our experience and skill further
multiplies our numbers,” said Air Fleet Chief
Kusaka
.

Genda spoke again. “It will be very
simple,” he said. “Whoever strikes first will prevail. We are already
initiating an aggressive search to locate their main body.”

“What about Hara's group?” asked
Yamamoto, and the question prompted an uncomfortable silence around the table.

Kuroshima was the bringer of bad news.
“Sir, Admiral Hara’s carriers are still attempting to transit the Torres Strait
at this time. It seems the operation against the British battlecruiser has
become more complicated than expected.”

“Complicated?” There was a flash of
anger in Yamamoto's eyes. “Yes, I call the loss of over seventy percent of
Hara’s strike aircraft a complication indeed.
Zuikaku
and
Shokaku
are now little more than cruise ships on a sightseeing voyage. Now we have
further news. Hara informs me that the battleship
Kirishima
has run
aground in the Torres Strait, though I suspect there is more to the story than
we have been told.”

Kuroshima knew the worst, that the
battleship had been hit multiple times by some lethal new rocketry, and that
her guts had been ripped apart by a massive explosion as she attempted to
follow the enemy ship through the narrow waters of the Torres Strait. Now she
wallowed like a beached whale, waiting to die on the coral shoals and reefs
north of Cape York. But he said nothing of this to Yamamoto. The Admiral’s
anger was well justified, and he did not wish to bring shame into the equation
as well. Yamamoto continued.

“This enemy ship has moved into the
Coral Sea and is now headed southeast. It is said to be using some very unusual
weapons, naval rockets, and with these it savaged Hara’s strike wing, kept
Iwabuchi’s covering force at bay, and has outrun them all to now threaten the
troop convoy out of Rabaul… Kuroshima?” It was clear that Yamamoto now wanted
an explanation, and the recommendation of his Chief of Operations.

“Another unpleasant surprise, sir. We
have not been able to determine what this ship could be, or how it came to be
involved with the Darwin operation in the first place.”

“That is of no concern now,” said
Yamamoto. “The ship is in the Coral Sea. What should we do about it?”

“Sir, we have already detached Captain
Furuichi
and the Light Carrier
Ryuho
to
reinforce Hara’s 5th Carrier Division.”

Yamamoto smiled, shaking his head. “Do
you realize how ridiculous that sounds? A light carrier sent to reinforce the
entire 5th Fleet Carrier Division? That will put four carriers in the Coral Sea
and they won't be able to muster fifty strike planes between them! Plenty of
fighters, yes, but what good are they against naval targets? Hara is of the
opinion that this ship must be engaged by heavier units, and I have come round
to that opinion as well. He was hoping Iwabuchi would catch it before it passed
through the Torres Strait. But apparently that will not happen now.
Furthermore, we also lost a submarine,
Ro–33
, another victim of this
unexpected enemy ship.”

Clearly the Admiral had already been
briefed, thought Kuroshima, the heat rising on the back of his neck “But Hara
reports they have hit this ship,” he put in, trying to salvage the situation.

“Yes,” said Yamamoto, “and it has hit
them
as well. We have lost the cruiser
Haguro
, seventy percent of Hara’s
strike planes, a submarine, and now a battleship is sitting on a reef in the
Torres Strait like a big fat goose waiting for American B-17's to pay a visit!
This is disgraceful.”

All the officers lowered their heads,
but
Kiroshima
spoke again, a new plan in mind. “Sir,”
he said. “Given that most of the second wave transports are still in the Coral
Sea, and considering the fact that we appear to have no capital ships in Hara’s
task force capable of engaging this enemy ship on even terms, I suggest this is
a job where armor and guns may do what Hara’s planes have failed to accomplish.

One way to move things along was to
agree with your commanding officer, he reasoned. “Perhaps we should detached
one or two battleships and send them west to cover the transports and intercept
this British ship, whatever it may be. We could send
Hiei
,
sir. She can make 30 knots.
Fuso
is too slow.”

Yamamoto thought for a moment. “What
about this ship? We have the necessary speed, and we certainly have the guns.
Hara's report indicated they had difficulty closing the range against this
enemy ship. The fourteen inch guns on
Kirishima
proved inadequate to the
task. Our guns can fire at much greater range, and with better accuracy.”

“But sir, this is Combined Fleet
Headquarters. This ship is irreplaceable.”

“Oh? It has already been replaced,
Kuroshima. Combined Fleet Headquarters has been moved to
Musashi
at
Truk, as you know all too well.”

“But sir, this ship is a symbol of
Japan’s prestige and power. It cannot be risked in battle.”

“Listen to yourself! Do you realize
how ridiculous that sounds? We render this ship powerless in one stroke with
that mindset. I took this ship to sea with the intention of using her. Yes, I
have heard what she has been called, gentlemen, but I will tell you now that
this is no longer
Hotel Yamato
. This is a fighting ship and I believe we
have exactly that in front of us now, a naval surface action. That appears to
be the only solution to this British interloper. It is time the Imperial
Japanese Navy taught the British a lesson once and for all.”

It was clear that Kuroshima was
uncomfortable with the notion of his commanding officer sailing into the danger
of major surface engagement, but he was in no position to contradict Yamamoto
under the present circumstances. He expressed his concerns, and now proffered a
brief bow acceding to the Admiral's wishes.

“In that event, sir, I would suggest
an escort of several cruisers and at least three destroyers, all with the speed
to form a scouting force and screen for
Yamato
. And perhaps we should
send
Hiei
as well.”

“That will leave only
Fuso
to
support the planned landing on Guadalcanal. No. If this ship cannot engage and
sink a British battlecruiser then we had no business building it.
Yamato
will be sufficient, but yes, we will detach cruisers
Yura
,
Nagara
and
Jintsu
, along with three destroyers. It will be my intention to move
west at once, and I wish to be well south of Milne Bay by dawn.”

“That will mean running at high speed
all night, sir.”

“Yes, it will. See that the orders are
given. Now…Where will Hara and
Furuichi
be at dawn
tomorrow?”

Kuroshima shifted, then set his mind
to the plotting table, extending a wand and gently pushing two carrier models
as he spoke.

“Sir, assuming Hara has no problem
transiting the Strait, he should be north of Cooktown and 170 miles west of the
enemy. Approximately here. As for the
Ryuho
group, it will be about 175
miles southeast, approaching the enemy’s present course head on. Both carrier
forces will be within easy strike range.”

“And where do you anticipate we could
be at that time?”

“About here, sir. A hundred and fifty
miles due east of where we expect the enemy given their present course and
speed.”

“A little too far for even our guns.”
Yamamoto smiled.

Genda spoke up now. “Sir, Hara should
coordinate an air strike at dawn.”

“And lose the remainder of his
aircraft?”

“That may not happen this time,” Genda
suggested. “That ship was hit before and it can be hit again. Hara must buy us
the time we need to close and engage with
Yamato
.”

“My thinking exactly,” said Yamamoto.
“And once we have dealt with this ship we will be in a perfect position to
cover and support the second wave troops in the Coral Sea. Do I hear any
objection?”

No man at the table spoke further.

 *
* *