Chapter 385: The U.S. Army's huge aircraft carrier fleet suddenly appeared
On July 14, 1943, when Roosevelt decided to go to the Manhattan Project in Black Oak Ridge to discuss the progress of the atomic bomb with scientists, six Essex-class heavy aircraft carriers and nine Independence-class light aircraft carriers had secretly sailed from the Pacific Ocean to Britain.
The Independence-class light aircraft carrier was converted from a Cleveland-class light cruiser into a light aircraft carrier, because in World War II, the U.S. Navy urgently needed a large number of aircraft carriers to serve, but the newly built Essex-class class could not quickly meet the needs of the war, so the U.S. military rushed out the Independence-class light aircraft carrier to participate in the battle.
In addition to the six Essex-class heavy aircraft carriers and the nine Independence-class light aircraft carriers, there are also two Syban-class light aircraft carriers that were made in advance to imitate the Independence-class and rebuilt on the basis of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, which resemble the Independence-class, but have a slightly larger displacement, similar to the "Raider", and the guns on the aircraft carrier are: 5 quadruple 40 mm guns, 10 twin 40 mm guns, 20 mm machine guns and other weapons and equipment.
In addition, there are 12 C3 standard cargo ship hulls converted into new escort aircraft carriers, namely the Borg-class escort aircraft carriers, and the same 12 Casablanca-class escort aircraft carriers, which include Casablanca, Liscom Bay, Coral Sea, Corregidore, Mission Bay, Guadalcanal, Manila Bay, Natoma Bay and other ships.
The St. Lo and Gambier Bay, the Bismarck Sea, Gambier Bay, Liscombe Bay, and Omani Bay, as well as the St. Law, are still under construction.
Finally, there are 3 Conmensment Beach class escort carriers, as well as 44 battleships, and 60 cruisers, as well as more than 200 destroyers, and more than 2,000 carrier-based aircraft.
These fleets were all transferred from the 3rd Fleet in the former Central Pacific Theater and the 7th Fleet in the Southwest Pacific Theater.
And also add the ships in the reserves.
And the person who commanded this huge aircraft carrier group, which had not yet appeared in history, was Vice Admiral Kincaid.
Nimitz and MacArthur opposed and disagreed with President Roosevelt and the Anglo-American Joint Staff Committee for sending him to the Mediterranean for a European campaign, because they both needed Vice Admiral Kincaid to command the fleet and tear apart the Japanese in the Pacific.
But for President Roosevelt, who had always supported Europe before Japan, and Britain, he strongly refuted Nimitz and sent Lieutenant General Kincaid to the Mediterranean.
The main ports in the UK are: Flickstowe, Southampton, London, Manchester; Ipswich, Plymouth, Port Thames, Belfast, Liverpool.
However, these aircraft carrier fleets of the US military only chose Manchester and Liverpool; The three ports of Plymouth are temporarily berthed.
When these aircraft carrier fleets arrived at these famous ports in the UK, Harold? Deputy Commander Alexander hurried back to England from Pantella and Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower, who had remained at the front to direct the battle, in the fastest transport plane to meet with Vice Admiral Kincaid and the officers in command of the aircraft carrier fleet.
Harold? Alexander was not only a British field marshal, but also a division commander, army commander, commander-in-chief of the Middle East Theater, and Supreme Deputy Commander of the Allied Forces in the North African Theater during World War II, as well as the commander of the 18th Army Group, the Supreme Deputy Commander of the Allied Forces in the Mediterranean Theater, and the commander of the 15th Army Group.
He was also awarded the title of "Lord Alexander of Tunisia" for his command of the Battle of Tunisia.
Of course, in addition to Alexander, who was still angrily insulting the German army, Churchill, who received such a huge aircraft carrier fleet of the US army, also received the news and immediately hurried over by plane.
In fact, Eisenhower also wanted to rush to England with Alexander to meet Lieutenant General Kincaid, but because the battle situation in Sicily was very unoptimistic and fierce; So he didn't feel at ease to leave, and he could only focus all his energy on the increasingly white-hot battlefield.
"I'm glad you brought us such a large aircraft carrier fleet! Lieutenant General Kincaid! ”
As soon as he saw Vice Admiral Kincaid, who was dressed as a naval officer, Deputy Commander Alexander immediately said with a smile on his face.
"You should thank our President Roosevelt, if it weren't for his full delegation of power and support, as well as our strong industrial capacity in the United States, I am afraid we would not have been able to produce so many aircraft carriers and ships in half a year! Commander Alexander! ”
Lieutenant General Kincaid also greeted the other party with a smile.
"That's right! I want to thank not only your President Roosevelt, but even all of you, the peace-loving people and businesses of America! Without their efforts, we really would not have been able to see the appearance of so many aircraft carriers, which is really a miracle of industry and science and technology! ”
"I very much believe that even if our British Empire is a nationwide force, it may not be able to produce so many aircraft carriers and ships in just half a year! You Americans are truly remarkable enough to create such a miracle! ”
Hearing this, Alexander also admired from the bottom of his heart.
At the same time, his eyes were still reluctantly staring at the densely packed aircraft carriers and ships moored on the sea, as well as the officers and men in white naval uniforms; The majestic posture of lining up on the deck is simply majestic, amazing, and shocking.
At this moment, Alexander, as one of the most powerful and proud big men in Britain, also sincerely admired the industrial potential of the American army, which was so powerful.
In fact, not only Alexander, but even Prime Minister Churchill and various high-ranking British naval generals who arrived later were dumbfounded, shocked, and shocked.
It's just that in this situation, Dönitz, who was still fighting fiercely with the British and American fleets in the waters of Sicily, and Chen Yanlong didn't know anything, otherwise the two of them would have been surprised.
Especially if Chen Yanlong knows that this scene is completely different from the original history; I'm afraid he'll be sleepless at night, restless in eating, and unable to sleep.
Because no one can do other things in the face of such a huge aircraft carrier fleet that suddenly appeared, and still be able to do other things in peace and carefree without worrying.
In particular, the goal of this huge fleet is to kill itself and its own troops.
This kind of pressure of the unknown is the most inexplicably frightening.
After a lively and lively reception, Vice Admiral Kincaid's aircraft carrier fleet was also anchored by Prime Minister Alexander and Prime Minister Churchill, and all the American troops on board began to rest, eat and drink.
As for Vice Admiral Kincaid and all the senior commanders of the American fleet, they were greeted with great merit by all the British upper classes, and they were celebrated happily at the welcome banquet.
Originally, Vice Admiral Kincaid was still thinking about whether to immediately lead his aircraft carrier fleet to the battlefield in Sicily to deal with Chen Yanlong's German army.
But he was pulled by British Prime Minister Churchill and Alexander, as well as the British upper class, to attend the banquet first.
And they also kindly persuaded Vice Admiral Kincaid to let the soldiers of the U.S. Navy who had come after a long journey rest first to recover their strength and spirit; Only after a good discussion of the new operational deployment was we able to attack Sicily and defeat the German army in one fell swoop.
In response to the persuasion and enthusiasm of Churchill and others, Lieutenant General Kincaid reluctantly agreed to the other party's proposal when he was forced to have diplomatic relations and his own troops really needed to recuperate in order to have strong combat effectiveness.
"Schroeder! See, are those ships really the aircraft carrier fleet of the US military? I'm not dazzled! How could they have such a huge aircraft carrier fleet! ”
"I don't know! But I'm sure we're not dazzled now, those are really the aircraft carrier fleet of the U.S. military, and it seems that our imperial navy is about to have a crisis this time! Let's go and report to the Führer right away! ”
"That's right! Fast! We must not allow these US aircraft carrier fleets to wipe out our navy! ”
While Vice Admiral Kincaid and a group of senior U.S. Navy officers were leaving the harbor with Churchill and the others to attend a reception, several German spies were hiding, observing, and talking to each other in horror in the warehouse near the port.
After saying that, they left in a hurry, went to the secret meeting place in the distance, and sent a telegram to Chen Yanlong.
And at this moment, a super crisis is also coming towards Chen Yanlong, and at this moment, history has really begun to change.