Chapter 5 hunting peacocks

The U.S. pilots didn't know that it was Yamamoto's plane that hit them. They only knew that none of them should be missed. In an instant, Ugaki's No. 2 plane became the focus of pursuit. Ferocious firepower is a prominent feature of the P-38.Under the intensive strafing of the P-38, the tail and wings of the No. 2 aircraft were all interrupted, and the aircraft crashed into the sea.At the moment of entering the water, an engine of the fuselage flew out with a "click". Except for Yu Yuan, who was seriously injured and three others who were rescued, the crew of No. 2 aircraft were all killed.

Within three minutes, both bombers were shot down, and Michel ordered to return.During the return flight, Lanfell, the greatest hero of the battle, reported to Guadalcanal: "We captured Yamamoto!" Among the attacking fighter planes, Lanfil was the last to land. At this time, the fuel was exhausted, and he had to glide to the ground.The pilots and ground crew who heard the news stepped forward to congratulate him. Lanfil was bathed in glory and felt like a football shooter who scored a good goal in a crucial game. . According to the agreement, Guadalcanal Island sent a signal to Halsey that the "Avenger Action" had been successful: "Daddy went to see Weasel (referring to Yamamoto)."

When receiving the good news, Halsey was talking with Turner, and Turner cheered for it, but Halsey didn't care. "What is this kind of treatment, what good is it? I really hope that this rascal villain will be chained and led to parade on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington. It's the best way to kick it hard!" Obviously, the resentment of Pearl Harbor has not been erased from the mind of "Brute Bull". He thinks that it is too cheap for this "rogue villain" to simply shoot down the Yamamoto landline. Not only Halsey, many Americans will never forget the psychological pain caused by the attack on Pearl Harbor. Yamamoto's end today is the price he paid for it.After MacArthur heard about it, he also had the refreshing feeling of drinking dozens of beers. He said: "People can almost hear the louder and louder sounds from the countless flashing white wreckage at the bottom of Pearl Harbor."

The pilots who participated in the ambush then received a congratulatory message from Halsey himself: "Congratulations to the hunters for their successful battle. It seems that one of the wild ducks in your pockets is indeed a peacock!" It was called the "hunting the peacock". April 18 is a lucky day for the United States. The air raid on Tokyo a year ago had shocked the "Peacock" and the empire behind it. A year later, they knocked the "Peacock" off the high platform. However, the U.S. military is still unable to determine the life and death of "Peacock" and can only wait for Japan's response.

On April 19, the search team sent by Rabaul conducted a comprehensive sea, land and air search at the accident site, but found nothing for two consecutive days. Finally, an army search team stationed in Bougainville found the wreckage of the plane. The plane has been smashed, and there are several dead bodies scattered around the fuselage.One of them was sitting on the ground with his head bowed, holding a saber in his hand, and the seat belt on the seat in the plane was fastened around his waist.From a distance, I thought I was resting in the forest, but when I looked closely, I realized that he was dead.

Of the corpses thrown out of the plane, this one was the only one that could maintain a sitting posture, so it could be seen that something was different.The searchers noticed that the epaulets worn by this unusual corpse, which symbolized military rank, were embedded with three golden cherry blossoms. In addition, the person had only three fingers on his left hand, missing the index and middle fingers. A notebook dug out from the deceased's coat pocket confirmed his identity because it was signed "Yamamoto Fifty-Six". This is the all-powerful and prominent Japanese admiral. The two fingers he lost were commemorated during the Russo-Japanese War, and he was awarded the No. 1 Disabled Soldier Badge for this.

After the body was transported back to the base, the military doctor conducted an examination.He was killed by two machine gun bullets, one in the head and one in the back, before the plane crashed. When Midway was defeated, Yamamoto, with a heavy heart, wrote in a letter to his friends: "My life is only the last hundred days." Regarding Yamamoto's death, the Japanese side also kept it strictly confidential.More than a month later, the battleship "Musashi" that transported Yamamoto's ashes arrived in Japan, and the announcer of Tokyo Radio announced in a choked voice: "(Yamamoto) died a heroic death on a military plane."

Yamamoto was regarded in Japan as the greatest war hero, the most important naval strategist and tactician. His tragic death dealt an "unbearable blow" psychologically to all levels of Japan from top to bottom. Before the outbreak of the Pacific War, not only did Yamamoto and Tojo not have a deep relationship, but they also didn’t want to see each other. However, the attack on Pearl Harbor made Yamamoto and Tojo both become “imperial talents” and reached the peak of personal reputation in Japan almost at the same time.From this, Tojo knew the weight and value of Yamamoto. He gradually understood that if Japan wants to win this war, it cannot do without a handsome man like Yamamoto.

When he heard the news of Yamamoto's death, Tojo burst into tears. Regardless of the identities of Prime Minister and Prime Minister Lu, he burst into tears.Crying and crying, he even got nervous in front of the chief military advisor Sato Kenro: "General Yamamoto can't die, no, he's not dead! Quick, send a plane to pick him up from the front line, I want to personally Report to His Majesty the Emperor to reward him!" Death is like a lamp being extinguished, and everyone will go down this path.Yamamoto's former friend, Mitsumasa Minai, who was at home at home, acted more rationally. While weeping, he closed his eyes and said to others: "Maybe Yamamoto himself is willing to die like this, and he may be satisfied, but no matter Japan or the Japanese navy, As a result, they have lost pillars that should not be lost."