Drastically Modified Combined Fleet

Chapter 50 - Mopping Up

In order to allow their injured comrades to escape, the four heavy cruisers and six destroyers that stood against them fought fiercely and ultimately rendered them all powerless. Although the four American heavy cruisers were afloat, each one suffered significant damage to its engines, causing them to be immobilized on the water. Furthermore, their ship superstructures were in terrible condition, with visible destruction marks from hits all around. Some even have smokestacks and main gun turrets blown off. The situation was more severe for the destroyers; half of the six had already sunk beneath the sea, and the other three, with numerous holes in their hulls, seemed destined to follow suit. The four Myōkō-class heavy cruisers and a total of eight destroyers from the Asashio and Kagerō classes achieved remarkable results in this battle, to say the least.

Among the remaining enemy forces, there are only two cruisers and fifteen destroyers in the American fleet. These, too, have been relentlessly pounded by the aircraft of the Second Fleet. Both cruisers were in a heavily damaged state, barely afloat, and hardly capable of moving with any speed. The destroyers, on the other hand, were all moving sluggishly, indicating damage to their engines or hulls. The sinking of these ships seemed only a matter of time.

Nevertheless, Rear Admiral Kakuta of the 6th Cruiser Division, the temporary commander of the surface strike force, had no intention of pitying or overlooking these American ships. Both the enemy cruisers and destroyers possessed an unusually strong anti-aircraft capability, causing significant damage to their friendly carrier-based aircraft. Their prowess was not limited to anti-air combat; in ship-to-ship combat as well, they were a formidable threat. Having engaged them in actual combat, they have come to understand that their artillery capabilities were by no means inferior. Therefore, allowing such troublesome opponents to survive and return could spell unknown disaster for the Japanese in the future. If it were possible to deal with them, it should have been done decisively.

The Japanese forces had no significant issues. The heavy cruisers Myōkō and Haguro from the 6th Cruiser Division, commanded by Kakuta, as well as the Nachi and Ashigara from the 7th Cruiser Division, had all sustained hits from multiple 20 cm shells in the exchange with the American heavy cruisers. However, their defense had been reinforced when they upgraded from 20 cm to 23 cm guns. While their superstructures were destroyed, none of the ships had suffered damage to vital areas. All ships were capable of full engine power, and except for the Haguro, which had lost the use of its third turret due to damage, all ships had all their main guns operational. As for the eight destroyers that engaged the six American destroyers, the early saturation torpedo attacks proved effective, resulting in minimal damage to their side. Even though these eight ships had disposed of their torpedoes, all their main guns remained operational.

Kakuta decided to postpone the attack on the two heavily damaged cruisers and focused on eliminating the fifteen destroyers first. The heavy cruisers engaged the American destroyers one-on-one, while the destroyers formed pairs to confront the American destroyers two-on-one. The twelve Japanese heavy cruisers and destroyers, with significantly reduced mobility due to damage to their engines, skillfully positioned themselves advantageously against the impaired American destroyers, shooting shells from beyond the torpedoes' range. Unlike battleships and heavy cruisers with thick armor, destroyers, with their almost nonexistent armor, were vulnerable when on the defensive. Additionally, lacking the mobility to coordinate with their companions, the American destroyers, unable to escape, were riddled with holes by the 10 cm and 12,7 cm shells of the Japanese destroyers that crossed their T. Destroyers targeted by the Myōkō-class heavy cruisers were torn apart by 23 cm shells.

With the sinking of the eight destroyers, the two surviving cruisers and seven destroyers raised white flags. Kakuta did not feel surprised by this turn of events. Perhaps, if it were Japanese commanders, they might have fought to the last ship. However, for the rational and above all, the adverse to dying like a dog attitude of the American military, such a choice was unthinkable. Moreover, the radar on the Myōkō detected a formation approaching from the west. Perhaps the remaining American fleet had also spotted these formations on radar, which might have been a decisive factor in them losing their will to fight.

Kakuta ordered the third attack group, which likely launched from the Second Fleet and Third Fleet, to cease the attack using all communication means such as radio and light signals. The game was over. There was no need to shed any more futile blood.