Kirov III: Pacific Storm

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