Against the Tide Imperial: The Struggle for Ceylon (The Usurper's War: An Alternative World War II Book 3)

by James Young

  Kaku continued to look at him, shock clearly on his face.

  "I have no trouble with dying as a samurai," Yamaguchi continued. "I will not throw these men as snowballs into a furnace."

  Kaku looked like he was about to argue, then bowed.

  "Admiral Yamamoto can countermand my orders if he thinks they are improper," Yamaguchi continued. "Have a signal prepared for the Soryu to send."

  It only took a moment for Kaku to realize what Yamaguchi's orders meant.

  "Sir..." Kaku said.

  "The time for pleasantries is past," Yamaguchi replied. "I will give the Soryu what CAP we can as long as she is in range, but I am not losing four carriers to save another."

  Kaku nodded, then exited the compartment. Yamaguchi turned to regard the Indian Ocean map on the starboard bulkhead.

  Regardless of what happens the next few hours, we own Ceylon. If the Italians continue to move their fleet south into the Indian Ocean, the Americans will not be able to surprise us like this again.

  Pacific Fleet Headquarters

  2130 Local (0330 Eastern)

  9 August (10 August)

  "Bill, I got the message and came over as quickly as I could," Admiral Dunlap said as he walked into the Pacific Fleet's status room. "Now tell me what was so urgent you had some poor ensign drive from this building to my house at reckless speed.

  Vice Admiral Halsey turned around from where he stood at the map. The look on the man’s face made Dunlap’s stomach drop. He kept his own face confident despite Halsey's funereal appearance.

  Oh shit, Fletcher has gotten his ass kicked. But panic is contagious, and there will be none of that in this headquarters.

  "Frank has gotten himself in a bit of a bind," Vice Admiral Halsey said, holding up a message flimsy. "It's roughly an hour old."

  Admiral Dunlap took the message and read it quickly, then shook his head.

  "I'd say it's a mixed bag," Dunlap said. He turned to the young officer Halsey had sent to fetch him.

  "Ensign MacDonnell, I need you to go back to my quarters and collect Vice Admiral Wake-Walker," Dunlap said. "He may bring his aide or a flag captain, but no one else."

  "Aye aye, sir," the ensign said, his blue eyes earnest. He hurried out of the headquarters, and Dunlap looked back at the message once more.

  Mixed bag indeed, Dunlap thought as he finished rereading Vice Admiral Fletcher's report. Looking up, he regarded Halsey, then the other man standing with him. Like Halsey, Vice Admiral John Towers looked like he was about to attend a funeral.

  "How did we get this status report?" Dunlap asked. "Please tell me Fletcher did not break radio silence to send something this long."

  "Jack dragged the Curtiss out from Brisbane to operate with his tankers," Towers explained.

  "The Curtiss?" Dunlap asked, confused for a moment. Halsey and Towers looked at one another.

  "Gentlemen, pretend that I'm someone who just got dragged off the retired list and has yet to receive the full update from the staff," Dunlap stated with a smile. "Because you may recall, that is exactly who I am."

  "Sorry sir," Vice Admiral Halsey said, his tone sincere. "When war began, I detached the Curtiss to the Asiatic Fleet once we were sure that the Japanese weren't coming back to Hawaii for an extended stay."

  Which, to be fair, some would say we're still making a big assumption on. However, they hardly even nicked the Army’s air forces back in March, so they'd have needed all those big carriers again.

  Admiral Dunlap allowed himself a small prayer of thanksgiving that his predecessor had at least managed to bag one Japanese carrier and mauled another.

  Even if it seems like the damaged vessel got back into action quicker than we expected, it sure has kept the Japanese from being overly aggressive in this direction.

  "So Fletcher is using her as a relay station?" Dunlap asked. "How?"

  "I assume some sort of flying relay, sir," Vice Admiral Towers answered. "Put a dispatch on a SBD, fly it back to the Curtiss, she transmits the message."

  Dunlap considered the map of the Indian Ocean that was now stapled to a rolling blackboard and wheeled in front of the main Pacific map.

  I am still at a loss on how half my fleet ended up in the Indian Ocean. Although I'm sure that's exactly what poor Husband is thinking right now as well. He's going to be super happy to find out he's fresh out of battleships.

  Pushing thoughts of Admiral Kimmel’s likely reaction from his mind, Admiral Dunlap turned to his own staff.

  "So explain to me why you both look like your dogs died right after your wives filed for divorce," Dunlap said.

  Once again, Halsey and Towers shared a look as if they were wondering about their new commander's mental facilities.

  "Yes, it sounds like the Massachusetts is pretty hard hit and the Indiana is going to need some time in the repair yard," Dunlap continued. "Both of which triggers Fletcher's orders to disengage. But he thinks he's severely damaged or sunk three Japanese carriers, and last I checked he has all four of his left to pursue."

  "Sir, that's part of the problem," Halsey said firmly. "Unless you release Fletcher from Admiral King's orders, he cannot catch the remaining Jap carriers."

  Now we come to the meat of it. They want me to authorize Fletcher to disregard Admiral King's last directive.

  "I am willing to admit my ignorance of carrier operations, gentlemen," Dunlap said. "That's why I have you both. If that map is correct, the Japanese are still well within range of Fletcher's forces."

  Halsey and Towers looked at each other as Dunlap continued.

  "Even if he is forced to start shepherding some cripples, it seems like he has more than enough firepower and time to finish the job," Dunlap stated. "Tell me what I'm not understanding before I agree to countermand a former superior."

  Towers must be a helluva poker player. However, Vice Admiral Halsey I can read like a book.

  "Sir, with all due respect, Admiral King is dead," Vice Admiral Halsey exploded, gesturing at the map. "We have a chance to finish the Jap fleet off."

  Halsey did not answer my question.

  Dunlap briefly considered whether he wanted to push harder in the face of the man's near insubordinate response, but decided to take a different tack.

  "I have a distinct advantage that neither of you gentlemen possess," Dunlap said. "Namely, I got to speak both with Secretary Knox and President Roosevelt before I got on a plane to fly out here."

  Dunlap paused to make sure both men understood the implications of what he was saying. Seeing that both of them recognized that it was not only King's orders that Fletcher had been given, Dunlap continued.

  "So, yes, Admiral King, like Winston Churchill, belongs to the ages now," Dunlap stated. "The first did not want any British vessels taking part in what he considered to be a two party war between the United States and Japan."

  Both Halsey and Towers' expressions indicated they could imagine one Admiral Ernest J. King's likely profane statements in favor of British exclusion. King's disgust with all things British had not exactly been a secret among the USN's senior officers.

  I hope it's not true that he cursed at the Queen back when Secretary Knox and he went to collect that poor Cobb kid back in August. Still, I could easily believe it to be so.

  "The second was quite willing to parlay some of the last heavy units the Royal Navy had left to support our Central Pacific advance if it meant we dispatched vessels to the Indian Ocean."

  Dunlap turned and gestured out the window of the headquarters towards where the Nelson and Rodney had tied up along Battleship Row along with the Maryland earlier that evening.

  "The British kept their end of the deal," Dunlap stated. "It was made clear to them that we were only upholding our end provided it did not result in the loss of the Massachusetts or Indiana."

  Dunlap walked over towards the map, grabbing a long pointer from the bin where they were kept.

  Time to educate both of them on how averse to risk I am. This w
ill teach me not to have a staff meeting before I have a meet and greet with my subordinates.

  "Yes, Admiral King belongs to the ages," Dunlap began, then pointed to the icons representing the Japanese force off of Ceylon. "However, these Japanese carriers don't, and despite my clear question neither one of you have explained to me why Fletcher can't attack the other flattops he's surprised from where he's at right now."

  "He doesn't have enough fighters for both missions," Towers said, his tone defeated. Dunlap saw Halsey start to turn and look at Towers before the other vice admiral caught himself.

  Ah, now I see. Guess ol' Bill thought that was something to keep from the boss. Best nip that in the bud.

  "Now gentlemen, that sounds dangerously like you were wanting me to gamble with money that doesn't belong to me," Dunlap said, trying to keep his tone conversational after a long, pointed look at both his subordinates.

  "Sir, those Japanese carriers up by Ceylon have their hands full with the invasion," Halsey spat in response to his rebuke. "We asked the G-2 and he's sure of it."

  Dunlap considered the map, then pointed at the fleeing Japanese force.

  "I bet you, unless he got killed by Fletcher's first strike, there's a Japanese admiral who regrets listening to whatever his G-2 told him several hours ago," Dunlap said. He then smacked the map where Vice Admiral Vian's force was.

  "Yesterday, before he got himself killed, Vice Admiral Cunningham probably wished he'd ignored all the reports that those same Japanese carriers you guys want Fletcher to "bag" were up by Ceylon.."

  With that last comment, Dunlap fixed Vice Admiral Halsey with a glare that could have welded a battleship's turret armor.

  "At least my predecessor's intelligence officer had the courtesy to die from his mistake," Dunlap said. "Of course, he did get Admiral Greenman killed doing so. I guess distance will keep the same from happening to me, but that's going to be cold comfort if I have no carriers left."

  Vice Admiral Halsey exhaled heavily, his jaw clenched.

  I think I've made my point.

  He turned back to the map to give Vice Admiral Halsey a chance to rein in his temper.

  I need to get this man back to sea before it kills him or makes his relief necessary.

  "Tell me more about this fighter problem," Dunlap continued, changing the subject. "I see the numbers on this report, but they don't tell me anything."

  "It seems like Vice Admiral Fletcher lost quite a few fighters in his first strike and trying to defend the surface ships," Towers said. "It's likely they weren't all shot down and the numbers may change between today and tomorrow, but there are only so many planes to go around."

  "Roughly twenty-five to thirty percent losses," Vice Admiral Halsey further explained. "Problem is, a large number of those are the new Hellcat and Corsairs, which are the only aircraft that can match up with that big Japanese fighter they showed up with back in March."

  Speaking of intelligence failures.

  Dunlap watched as Halsey reached into his pocket for a pack of cigarettes. Taking one out, the Vice Admiral offered the pack towards Dunlap.

  "Sir?"

  "No thank you," Dunlap said wistfully. "Decided to quit after the heart attack."

  Halsey nodded sympathetically as he turned and offered the pack to Towers.

  Well, guess that confirms they've asked around about me.

  The heart attack that had contributed to his retirement wasn't common knowledge, even if the feud between Admiral King and he was.

  Might have been a bit embarrassing to ol' Ernest's memory if the circumstances came to light. Most men don't nearly kill themselves chasing a superior officer out of their marital bed.

  "So you're telling me even if Fletcher could strike, he would likely lose more of his fighters because they're inferior?" Dunlap asked, resuming the conversation.

  "Between us and the British, I'm sure we've reduced the Japanese numbers," Halsey said after a pause. "Their other carrier fighter, the Zero, is only slightly superior to the Wildcat."

  Slightly superior isn't going to be a whole lot of comfort to young men expected to fight it.

  "So when will we have some of the new Corsairs and Hellcats for Fletcher's carriers?" Dunlap asked. "Since it appears the Atlantic Fleet's supply is going to need some replenishing before the Bonhomme Richard and Independence go back east."

  "The first two replacement air groups are expected to arrive in the next week," Vice Admiral Towers said without missing a beat. "There will be another twenty each of Corsairs and Hellcats in reserve."

  "But the carriers will have to come back to Pearl to get these aircraft, yes?" Dunlap asked.

  "Yes, sir," Towers replied. "Unless we send them south on one of the escort carriers."

  "Which would mean the battle line would have no air cover as opposed to very poor air cover, apparently," Dunlap noted. Towers stiffened slightly at that.

  "Not your fault, Vice Admiral Towers," Dunlap said, then gestured towards the Royal Navy symbol near the Maldives. "But given our allies' reports, the Enterprise and Yorktown will be the only two serviceable modern carriers remaining in the Pacific when the Bonhomme Richard and Independence head home."

  "Yes sir," Towers replied.

  "Well, as Vice Admiral Halsey knows, I was already planning on bringing the Enterprise and Yorktown back to Pearl," Dunlap said. "This only reinforces that decision."

  "Sir, is there a reason we're not asking the Combined Staff to allow those two carriers to remain out here?" Halsey asked.

  "Yes," Dunlap snapped, then caught his temper. "Namely that I was told the answer would be 'absolutely not' and that asking would be frowned upon."

  In an instant, Halsey's face went back to forlorn.

  Wondered if you were going to remember the Atlantic Fleet's carrier problem.

  Once more Dunlap looked at the map, watching Halsey angrily puff on his cigarette while clenching his left fist.

  I see part of the reason I was sent out here was Vice Admiral Halsey would lose the entire fleet in a fortnight. Sure he'd take most of the Japanese fleet with him, but that still wouldn't help the Nervous Nellies back in Washington.

  "There was a terrible rumor that you'd ordered torpedo tests to begin next week, Vice Admiral Halsey," Dunlap said after a moment.

  "Yes sir, I did," Vice Admiral Halsey replied, stiffening.

  "Yes, the head of BuOrd had apparently petitioned Admiral King to order you not to waste weapons," Dunlap stated, referring to the Bureau of Ordnance. "Given that the Atlantic Fleet has also reported torpedo problems at the Battle of Iceland, Admiral King had a very blunt response to that."

  Dunlap looked back at the map, then shook the dispatch in his hand as he spoke.

  "Would you say, Admiral Towers, that based on the losses to the torpedo squadrons that Vice Admiral Fletcher also sent most of them with the first strike?"

  "Yes sir, I would," Towers replied.

  "Does he have enough remaining to do a second strike?" Dunlap asked.

  Towers looked at the notepad he had in his hand. Dunlap watched as the man's brow furrowed, much like a secondary student doing a difficult algebra problem. Halsey crushed out the cigarette in his hand and immediately lit another.

  I think Halsey knows what this answer should be and is not happy about it.

  "Raw numbers, yes," Towers said. "But I would need to know what the squadrons each had left."

  "How much damage can the dive bombers do?" Dunlap asked.

  "Quite a bit to carriers, sir," Towers replied. "Especially if they're caught while refueling and rearming."

  "But it's typically not fatal without torpedo bomber help?"

  "No, sir," Towers replied.

  "To go back to my earlier question, Vice Admiral Halsey," Dunlap started, "I want you to start the tests immediately. I want you to figure out a way to put dummy warheads on the British torpedoes, and test them alongside ours."

  Halsey looked at Dunlap in surprise.

 
"I want you to select the torpedoes at random, and I want you to test submarine, surface, and aerial torpedoes. At least twenty of each."

  Both men looked at Dunlap in shock.

  "Sir, that's going to make some people quite annoyed back in Washington," Halsey said quietly.

  "Then those people can get on a plane and come out here," Dunlap snapped. "And I'll put their asses in the back of a damn Avenger or aboard a submarine going out on patrol as an observer."

  "Sir, are you going to direct Admiral Hart to make the same tests?" Towers asked. "That might make him a little short on aircraft torpedoes if the Bonhomme Richard and Independence resupply in Sydney before going home."

  It's probably about time I get ol' Thomas used to the fact he now works for me.

  Technically Admiral Hart, as the commander of the Asiatic Fleet and a four star, had been senior to Halsey. Nominally to avoid overloading Hart during the defense of the Dutch East Indies, the Combined Chiefs of Staff had enacted a dividing line between the Southwest and Pacific spheres. In reality, it had been to keep Hart from meddling with the Pacific Fleet while he was senior. Dunlap's assumption of command orders explicitly directed that Hart was subordinate to him while still maintaining the Southwest Pacific Area's responsibility.

  Glad they outlined the command relationship in the orders. Seniority gets kind of sticky when they've brought you out of retirement with a promotion to boot.

  "Yes, direct Admiral Hart to carry out the same tests," Dunlap said. "I expect that he can have it completed within two weeks."

  Vice Admiral Halsey scribbled down the note with a smile. Seeing Dunlap's curious expression, Towers spoke up.

  "Rear Admiral Christie is not going to like your orders, sir," Towers explained. "He was the former head of torpedoes at Newport and has been loudly insisting that nothing is wrong from Brisbane."

  "If he or anyone else down there wants to get a free reassignment to the Great Lakes, they can go ahead and raise a fuss," Dunlap replied sharply. "While BuPers is being their usual stupid selves about personnel rules, I've been told by Secretary Knox himself that anything I ask for, I'll get. I don’t think the man who might be the root of our problems wants to test me."