Chapter 25 Priceless

Aviation staff officer Okumiya is in charge of pilot training in Singapore at this time. Even in Singapore, he can hear the "March of Warships" that symbolizes victory every time, and see the "good news" of battles coming one after another.Okumiya was an old military officer who had experienced the battle of Midway Island. He was a little confused and couldn't figure it out at that time. Although this group of pilots in the First Aviation War is the old base of the mobile force, most of them are new pilots who were added later.In the past naval battles between the United States and Japan, the air combat skills of those old ace pilots were so high. It is not easy for an aircraft carrier. Why is the score getting higher and higher now?

Akumiya was skeptical and did not dare to speak out, but the loss of troops in the first flight battle was certain.From November 2nd to 11th, with three "air battle victories", the First Aviation Battle has lost 70% of the aircraft, and half of the pilots died in Huangquan.Nearly half of the most important troops in the First Aviation Battle, those skilled flight captains and squad leaders were killed or injured-new pilots can still be replenished, and old pilots will die when they die, leaving a blank forever. As the backbone of the Japanese navy, the Mobile Force once again lost its combat effectiveness after the Solomons Battle of Guadalcanal. On November 12, Koga expressed his satisfaction with the "great results" and announced the end of "Operation Lu".

Regardless of whether Koga really believes that the Japanese army has won the air battle, judging from the fact that he hastily ordered the withdrawal of heavy cruisers after the attack on Rabaul, he actually showed weakness in the naval battle. But the army commander Hyakutake who was in charge of the defense of Bougainville still refused to bow his head and admit defeat. In the first few days after the U.S. military landed, Hyakutake never mobilized heavy troops to launch an attack on the U.S. beachhead from the land. To some extent, it was the experience of Guadalcanal that deceived him.He believes that the U.S. military will occupy the airport on the island as it did in Guadalcanal. If they send heavy troops out, it will be a trick of the U.S. military to divert the tiger away from the mountain.On the other hand, the Cape Torokina area is full of swamps, and it is impossible to build an airport, which also strengthens Hyakutake's understanding.

The island could not withdraw troops, so they transferred troops from elsewhere. Hyakutake decided to send the 23rd Infantry Regiment (one brigade was missing) to carry out anti-landing warfare. On the eve of the "Second Bougainville Sea Air Battle Victory", the first echelon of the 23rd Infantry Regiment, with a total of 475 people, took four destroyers and set off from Rabaul to Cape Torokina in the form of "Tokyo Express". Hyakutake wanted to attack overnight, but unfortunately, he didn't know the correct location of the US beachhead. The landing site of the first echelon was still far away from the left flank of the US Marine Corps, and it happened to be within the sight range of the US sentry.Therefore, this group of Japanese troops was in a tragedy as soon as they landed. The options for them were one or the other, either to fight the U.S. troops without breathing, or to disperse and flee into the jungle.

The first echelon chose the former, established a beachhead on the spot, and prepared to hold out on the island before the subsequent large forces landed. An important feature of the Japanese army's proficiency in jungle warfare is that they have a strong ability to build positions in the jungle, and the positions are usually built well and quickly. Anyone who has fought against the Japanese in the Pacific has this experience.Although the U.S. army quickly outflanked it, the Japanese army was already defending behind solid fortifications. Under the cover of field artillery and mortars, it took the Marine Corps a day to break into the Japanese position, but it was getting late at this time, and it would be a disadvantage to fight the Japanese army at night, so the team members withdrew automatically.

There is a saying that white wine has a red face, and gold has a black heart.The Japanese army was let go, but they thought of taking the opportunity to launch a night attack on the U.S. army, but their timing was really unlucky. The U.S. army was mobilizing more artillery to prepare for the next day's attack, so "officials and officials sent troops to attack the U.S. army." It’s not bad to come here.” The Japanese soldiers who tried to infiltrate the position all made supper for the artillery. In the next few days, the first echelon was wiped out.From the seized documents, Vandergrift learned that Hyakutake planned to send nearly 3,000 anti-landing troops from Rabaul.

This situation actually happened before the battle at Cape Torokina was over. At that time, the follow-up troops of the 23rd Infantry Regiment first landed in the northeast, and then attacked the US troops. The deep swamp on Bougainville Island is a headache for the U.S. military. It not only restricts the advancement of troops, but also hinders the establishment of an airport, but this time the swamp has helped the Marine Corps a lot.The 23rd Infantry Regiment found that there was only a swamp in front of them, and only a detour path could pass. On the battlefield, annoying swamps are invaluable assets for defenders.Vandergrift had long realized the value of detours, and established blocking fortifications in advance on the trails. With only one company guarding them, all the large groups of Japanese troops that kept coming were repelled.

After solving the first echelon of the Japanese army, the main force of the US military gradually concentrated in the northeast until the 23rd Infantry Regiment was expelled from Pifa Village.When the Third Marine Division entered Bougainville, Hyakutake only launched this offensive, and it ended in complete defeat.