A round of red gradually disappeared under the sea level. At dusk, 38 landing ships carrying the 13th Division of the Marine Corps appeared at Su Afa Bay at the northern end of Maleta Island. Without any resistance, land was not encountered.
The 13th Division began to land smoothly.
The US military has a defensive force in the infantry regiment in Malaita Island. This regiment comes from the 27th Division in the United States. This is a army forces adapted from the National Guard.
There is a certain gap. More than 3,000 U.S. military is mainly stationed in the Aaki area in the middle of Maleta Island. This is basically not much different from that of Maleta Island with a area of nearly 4,000 square kilometers.
The afterglow of the sunset is reflected on the peaceful coast plains of the peaceful Saafa Bay coast, no matter how far, the undulating mountains and dense tropical jungles. Under the dim light at dusk, the entire coast looks blue and black, but instead, it is, but it is, but it is instead.
The mountains in the distance look a little gorgeous under the reflection of the sunset.
Fang Minghao stood on a high bridge about 5 nautical miles from the coast, and observed the landing of the army team through a high -power telescope. Due to everything, the six battleships who were ready to support the firepower were scattered on the sea.
. About ten miles, two combat formations were formed around the four aviation warships. On the farther sea surface, the expelbled fleet and guard fleet traveled back and forth to prevent the fleet from being attacked by the enemy submarine.
This possibility is not very high. The water depth of Su Ala Bay is only more than 50 meters. Such shallow water areas are not suitable for submarine operations.
The enemy's infantry is still 50 kilometers away. Although the beach is busy, the materials just ashore are piled up in the landing field. Because there is no battle, it seems a bit calm.
The officer restaurant on the second floor of the bridge, at this time it had passed dinner time, but there were some officers in the restaurant who had just changed their posts to eat inside.
The serviceman gave the fleet commander a stainless steel tray, which contains a package, the staple food is rice, and there are three kinds of side dishes. If it was during the battle, it would be difficult for him to eat so leisurely.
At this time, the chief of staff also came down from top. Sitting in front of him.
"Haven't you eaten yet?" Fang Minghao asked.
"After eating, give me a cup of coffee!" The chief of staff said to the serviceman.
"What's the emergency?" Fang Minghao scooped a few pieces of fried green peppers with a spoon.
"Nothing is a big deal. The radio monitoring ship reported that a long string of radio signals had just been intercepted just now, but it was impossible to decipher. The sending position was about twenty nautical miles away. I think our location was probably discovered by the enemy's submarine." Staff
Long say.
Fang Minghao didn't say a word. He put a piece of beef into his mouth. After chewing for a while, he said: "Oh, this is inevitable, we started to change the position after 12 o'clock."
"I don't think the enemy will easily abandon the Saro Men Islands. It will definitely not be too safe in the future!"
"According to the report of the submarine troops, the fleet of the two enemies found in the South Coral Sea in Vanuatu, but the seventh fleet that was originally moved in Gilbert has now lost trace. This is a dangerous signal. They are at any time at any time.
It may appear near us. "Fang Minghao quickly finished eating the food in the plate. He drank coffee and looked at the sea through the porthoisher. The light outside was dim.
Fang Minghao finished the meal and boarded the rail with the chief of staff to return to the bridge outside the combat. He felt some danger and asked the landing fleet to step up the unloading overnight, and transfer the materials near the beach to a relatively hidden place as much as possible to the relatively hidden place.
Then, then
The submarine forces found that there was a second surface fleet behind the Southwest Pacific Fleet for a long time ago to reinforce Guada Kanal Island behind them. This is not surprising.
Hong Kong, one in Minu, if you do not act together, it will make people feel strange. In the next one, the third fleet of Harstone conducted.
At 1 am on November 12, Fang Minghao ordered the fleet to withdraw to the southeast of Isabel Island. The Republican Army built a military airport on this island with a HNA aviation brigade, with about 92 combat aircraft.
According to intelligence, the U.S. military urgently expanded two military airports on the island of Gwadanal, which is about 300 combat planes that are about "Fairy Palm Air Force" that are stationed.
It must be a big threat.
At 1:18 pm, Cheng Yaoheng will send a telegram to find a large number of radio signals in the southwestern waters of Nauru, and the submarine force also reports that the enemy's aviation fleet found.
The seventh fleet was the main force, and he decided to lead the fleet from the northern part of San Cruise to intercept the "enemy's main fleet".
Fang Minghao, who had just slept, was called back to the combat room again. The combat staff had marked the position of the enemy fleet based on the intelligence that was forwarded from the "Guangdong" on the Haitu.
The telegram sent back on the submarine No. 5216, which reports a new location of the enemy fleet on the west of Nauru.
Fang Minghao watched the order of the Haitu fleet, and suddenly turned his head to his chief of staff: "What do you think about this situation?" It is clearly marked the direction of the enemy fleet on the Haitu.
It wasn't for them, but around the northwest.
"Chief, I think there are two possibilities. The enemy's fleet may think that our transport fleet just set off from La Baoer. They want to attack us in the north of Bug -Wil Island." Zhao Youting pointed at the trace on the Haitu.
"Another possibility is only the bait of the enemy. The purpose is to seduce the second fleet from northern San Cruise, so that their main force will come directly to us, so that we encounter trouble."
"There is such a possibility, but where can the enemy change from a special hybrid fleet? They don't have so many aircraft." Fang Minghao said, "But the enemy’s movement is very suspicious. You will think that they will shoot a shot in a shot
Are you scared if you don't let it go? "
"The commander of the Seventh Fleet is a cautious person, there is such a possibility."
At 5 am, Cheng Yaoheng, who is located in the southeast of Nukmanus Islands, also noticed the danger. He could not leave the transportation fleet too far away. Although the transport fleet was defended by the fifth fleet, they allowed them to resist the enemy's main fleet.
There is also a big risk of offense.
In the combat room of the "Guangdong" aviationship, the dispute about whether the enemy's fleet has been seduced by leaving has never stopped. Cheng Yaoheng did not expect to leave the transportation when he initially ordered the enemy's fleet to approach the fleet of the enemy.
The fleet is too far.
Now Suafa is far away from 180 nautical miles. If it is far away, he may not be able to return aid in time.
Cheng Yaoheng ordered the fleet to abandon the pursuit, began to turn around to the south, and stay in the waters of the eastern part of Wengtong Java Reef.
At about 5:10, white has been exposed in the sky. It seems that this will usher in a clear dawn. The fighters of the two squadrons perform search tasks in the white morning light from "Guangxi" and "Zhejiang" and "Zhejiang".
The top of the "No." rose, and searched the traces of the enemy fleet in the waters expected last night.
At this time, more than 800 nautical miles southwest, Chen Shiying and Kim Kaide's fleet also began to send planes to search for opponents. In the coral sea, due to the rain, it would be more difficult to find an enemy.
In about 30 nautical miles in the eastern part of Maleta and Isabel Island, Fang Minghao was not rushing to send reconnaissance planes. According to intuition, he believed that the enemy would definitely not give up attacking the landing fleet.
Dangerous position.
It seems to confirm his thoughts. About about 6:20, the enemy's reconnaissance aircraft appeared above the Su Afa Bay. This is the reconnaissance aircraft sent by the enemy from the airport of Gua Island.
The island's take -off water aircraft also appeared in this sea area.
At 6:45, Fang Minghao decided to send two batches of reconnaissance planes from the Santa Cruise Islands, because it was the most dangerous place, but the land aircraft on the island of Guada Kanal was not so worried.
The Republican Army can provide a cover for the landing troops of Su Afa Bay in the military airport of the New George Island and the northern part of Isabel.
His judgment is correct. At this time, Splerinus has led the Seventh Fleet to the north of the Daff Islands.