It should be said that the US Navy is not unprepared for this battle, after all, as a navy, they still have professional knowledge.

Therefore, after Zhang Chi took Cape Lunga and occupied the airfield, the U.S. Navy deployed the main force of the fleet in the area where Japanese planes were likely to pass and focused on defending Cape Lunga.

Cape Lunga soon became lively, with landing craft carrying supplies and troops to Cape Lunga...... The supplies were ammunition and food for the Sino-US allied forces that had been deployed ashore, and most of the troops were the Chinese troops of the new 1st Division, which were also mixed with some US engineers and logistics troops.

However, at this time, the U.S. Navy once again showed its poor organizational and command skills: while a small number of troops were busy carrying supplies from the landing craft, the rest of the troops had nothing to do on the beach, they either watched the ships come and go from the shore, or leisurely basked on the beach, and a large amount of supplies, including gasoline and ammunition, could only be temporarily piled up on the shore without anyone to command them to evacuate.

Of course, this may also be caused by a lack of coordination between the Chinese and American militaries or a language barrier, but the U.S. Navy, which is responsible for command and coordination, should have thought about this and contacted the U.S. instructors in the Chinese military in advance and issued clear orders.

But the US Navy did nothing.

As a result, more and more supplies piled up on the coast, and then there was no room for the newly unloaded, which brought the unloading work to a standstill from time to time, and the beach at Cape Lunga was in chaos for a while.

However, it seems understandable that they are a navy, and the idea of amphibious warfare is also new in this era, and they think more about how to defend against the possible attack of the Japanese in the direction of sea and air.

The US Navy has indeed taken some effective measures to prevent the Japanese attack, and the "Coast Watch" is one of them.

The term "coast watch" refers to the civilian population recruited along the Australian coastline...... Of course. These civilians should do some careful investigation before recruiting to ensure that they do not leak secrets, and after the investigation, they will be given some necessary training, mainly on how to keep secrets, how to identify the enemy and their models, how to use the radio, how to effectively report in short words the movements of the enemy they have observed, etc., and finally give them a radio station.

As a result, the entire Australian coastline and even some small islands have the eyes and ears of the US Navy, which enables the US Navy to accurately grasp the movements of Japanese fighters.

As a result, an hour before the Japanese launched an air raid on Kuah Island, the troops on Kuah Island were alerted: "The Japanese planes are coming, get ready!" ”

But what made the landing force on Kuah a little helpless...... Even if it was known an hour in advance that the Japanese were coming for an air raid, the mountains of supplies piled up on the shore still did not have time to move away.

An hour later, the Japanese air raid fighters flew over Kuah Island, and more than 30 Type 97 bombers pressed towards Kuah Island under the escort of more than 10 Zero fighters. As soon as it flew over Kuah Island, it was covered with bombs, and occasionally a few bombers swooped down to drop torpedoes on the warship.

However, the ships of the US Navy were already on high alert, and the formation of fighters taking off from the aircraft carrier suddenly appeared at this time to fight with the Japanese fighters...... Although the American Wildcat fighters could not compete with the Japanese Zero fighters in the air, under the superiority in numbers and the simultaneous offensive of warships on the sea, the Japanese aircraft group still suffered a heavy blow, and hastily withdrew from the battle after being shot down seven fighters. (Note: The Wildcat is an F4F fighter, which was the main carrier-based fighter of the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps in the early days of World War II.)

Fortunately, the main target of the Japanese bomber group was the warships off Cape Lunga.

If one of the Japanese bombers spotted the mountain of supplies on the beach at Cape Lunga, he dropped a few random bombs to detonate it...... Then the outcome of the Battle of Kuah Island is only afraid to be rewritten.

But this is not a good thing in Zhang Chi's eyes.

"I think the Japanese are targeting the American fleet!" Zhang Chi said.

"Why?" Clifton asked: "Is it because the Japanese planes only bombed warships?" ”

"That's just one factor!" Zhang Chi replied.

"One of them?" Clifton was a little surprised. Because he only thinks of this one.

Zhang Chi didn't answer and asked: "What is the biggest threat to the Japanese at this time?" ”

Clifton, who was eating canned beef, didn't feel anything at first, and still stuffed a piece of beef into his mouth, but soon stopped chewing, looked up at Zhang Chi and said, "You mean the airport?" ”

Zhang Chi nodded: "We know the importance of the airport. Of course, the Japanese know it. Once the airfield is built and put into operation, the Japanese will be completely passive in the sea and air near Kuah Island. So...... Their first priority should be to bomb the airfield, then to bring supplies to the island and pile up on the beach, and finally to warships on the sea. But they only bombed warships......"

"Let me guess!" Clifton seemed to understand something. While casually stirring it in the canned food box with a military thorn, he said thoughtfully: "The Japanese are not willing to bomb the airfield, nor are they willing to bomb the materials piled up on the island...... That's because they want to take the airport back. Even the supplies we shipped to the island! This way, they can put it into use as soon as they recapture the airport. ”

"Yes!" Zhang Chi nodded: "Because they are confident in defeating us, that is, they are confident in recapturing the airport and supplies, especially the Japanese are in dire need of supplies, so they are unwilling to do this!" ”

"Why do they have the confidence to defeat us?" Clifton was a little puzzled: "Our warships, and our people...... All set! ”

Zhang Chi didn't speak, just looked at Clifton.

Only then did Clifton remember what Zhang Chi had said before, and nodded with his mouth half-open: "Their target is the fleet, as long as they defeat our fleet...... Then we will not have reinforcements and supplies, and at the same time, we will not have naval guns and air cover, but the Japanese will land on Kuah Island one after another, so it will not be difficult for the Japanese to recapture the airfield and the supplies in our hands!"

Zhang Chi nodded: "Therefore, not bombing the materials on the airport and the beach is not that the Japanese are stupid, but that they deliberately do it!" If my guess is correct, at this time they should be preparing a large-scale sneak attack on the American fleet! ”

Clifton was stunned, then quickly threw the can aside in his hand, hurriedly got up and shouted to the communications soldier not far away: "Wick, pick up Brigadier General William for me immediately!" ”

(To be continued.) )