The Resurrected Fleet: Isekai World War 1942

Chapter 144 - 149

CHAPTER 144

At Dawn

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Mundus Empire Pacific Fleet Main Force, Flagship Anarithmitos

Reports of the vanguard fleet being attacked came in, waking up the fleet commander, Admiral Caspagne, who was in an extremely foul mood.

"Annihilated!? That's impossible!"

They were attacked at night. He had anticipated the possibility. He had warned to be wary of submarine attacks and not to wake him up unless it was serious, while preparing for the battles in the coming days. However, the situation was far beyond his imagination. This was not just damage caused by a few submarines. The vanguard fleet had suffered considerable damage, and Caspagne screamed.

"The Japanese fleet was closer than we expected!?"

He thought it might have been a torpedo squadron's assault. Even after yesterday's reconnaissance, no enemy fleet had been confirmed within their operational range. Yet, the vanguard fleet had been attacked.

The Pacific Fleet had lost its carriers to Japanese aerial attacks during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. From that experience, they had split their forces into multiple groups. The vanguard fleet, moving ahead of the main force, was divided into three groups, each of a considerable size. They had suffered significant losses before reaching the Mariana Islands.

"To suffer such damage overnight...!"

It was completely unexpected.

There was a possibility of a powerful enemy submarine fleet attack. It was conceivable that a few ships might sink. But losing eleven carriers was unimaginable!

Ten carriers from the central and left vanguard groups had been destroyed by the Japanese attack. Moreover, the right vanguard group was surrounded by numerous mines, rendering them immobile. They were struggling to deal with the irregularly moving mines at night. The worst part was that this attack had gutted the air power of Caspagne's Pacific Fleet in half.

The main force had ten carriers, but they were all light carriers. On the other hand, the vanguard had been equipped with large or medium-sized carriers, and their loss had drastically reduced the number of aircraft. This situation made the decisive battle with the Japanese Navy, advancing towards the Mariana Islands, look bleak.

The Japanese Navy was said to have nearly twenty aircraft carriers. Several were deployed in Palau, but even so, they had over ten carriers, most of which were likely sent to the Marianas.

'We have light carriers, but they have large and medium-sized carriers...'

The difference in numbers was meaningless. They were outclassed in terms of aircraft capacity.

"Dawn is about to break," said Chief of Staff Natale. "Let's join up with the surviving ships of the vanguard fleet."

"What about the right group? Their carrier movements are paralyzed by the enemy's mysterious mines. If we can't clear them, we can't recklessly approach."

If the Japanese Navy realized that one of their fleets was stranded at sea, they would surely target it. Those mines were a troublesome creation.

"Once it gets light, the pace of mine clearing will increase. We must defend the Mariana Islands. If we lose them—"

"I know! If we lose, the army will push us out, and we'll lose our jobs too!"

The Otherworldly Empire's Pacific Fleet continued to advance.