John Schettler - Fallen Angels - 9 Days Falling, Volume II

“Ain’t nothin’ flying for the Japs these days,” said one man as he dabbed paint on a kill flag symbol. “They get many more and we’ll have to find more space on this bulkhead.” Beneath the air flag toll there were score marks for 114 ships sunk, and another 234 ships damaged, a fairly impressive tally. The tonnage of bombs and rockets dropped and fired was also compiled. It was ample evidence that the carrier was the preeminent weapon of war in the world, a template that would hold true for decades to come.

“You’re going to have to repaint all those numbers if things get hot today, and save room for more ships too,” said Malkasian. “Only paint the next three red. Scuttlebutt says we’re going after the damn Russians now.”

“The Russians? What are they getting into it for?”

“Beats me, but our boys will finish the job.”

Seaman James Long scratched his head. “I got room here for two more ships, and that’s it. Someone tell the flyboys to lay off the Russkies and let Big T handle them. Then they can spend another hour revising their scorecard.”

“Right,” said Malkasian. Then he was off to the engine room, expecting another dull day at sea keeping the big turbines cool.

Wasp , (CV-18) was a short hulled Essex unlike her companion Ticonderoga , the first of the long hulled carriers in that class. The flight deck had been busy that morning as the planes were spotted and launched, but the air crews were feeling light hearted. There had only been fifty-four planes to arm and spot and the air crews were accustomed to running out the whole ship’s compliment of nearly a hundred planes, so the work seemed light that day.

Originally slated to be named the Oriskany, the Wasp was, of course, renamed in honor of the venerable CV-7, sunk just before the war in the Atlantic off Iceland. There was another plaque near the scorecard on the bulkhead that read: “Dedicated to the men of CV-7, who never got their chance.” The men of CV-18 were going to get their chance today, and more than they imagined.

Gunner’s Mate 3rd Class Alfred J. Lewis was also going to get his chance as he reported for duty that morning. He was a “Plank Holder,” on the ship with an official certificate to prove it, #408. He displayed it proudly above his bunk below decks where it read: “To all sailors of the sea and aviators of the sky wherever ye may be—Greetings! Know ye by these presents that: Alfred James Lewis, Gunner’s Mate Third Class, was a member of the original crew which commissioned the USS Wasp and is therefore entitled to all the rights and privileges of a Plank Holder on said ship, including a clear and unencumbered title to one plank in the flight deck.” It was signed by C.A.F. “Ziggy” Sprague, right next to the buxom mermaid in the corner and the two fish giving her ample chest a wide eyed appraisal. Silhouettes of all three plane types adorned the certificate, and the image of the Wasp herself was drawn at the top.

AJ, as the rest of the crew called him, was also known as “Lucky Lewis” for his skill at cards. He had already staked out his claim to a plank on the carrier’s flight deck, a place he often liked to sit with his buddy “Ski” Kotoski, right up near the bow. Now he was settling in behind a quad 40mm and looking into the clear skies up ahead.

It was finally over, he thought, or very nearly so. If it were really over then why would he be sitting behind these four steel barrels? If it were really over he’s be out on his plank on the bow taking in the sun and sea with Ski. The Emperor had thrown in the towel and made his announcement, but there were many who would refuse the order to surrender in Japan. At that very moment dissident Japanese airmen were flying over Tokyo and dropping leaflets urging revolt and a continuation of the war. Their actions prompted officers loyal to the Emperor to order all Japanese warplanes disarmed and drained of their fuel, but some slipped away, the last of the Kamikazes led by Admiral Ukagi.

“You figure this thing is ever really going to end?” AJ asked his buddy.

“Everything ends, Lucky,” said Ski. “Don’t worry. The day will come when you’ll miss your time on this ship.”

“Well I’m taking that plank with me when I go,” said Lewis.

“Who says they’ll retire the ship as soon as we make port, AJ?”

“Well if they don’t I’ll leave it here on lend-lease, but nobody scraps this baby without checking with me first. I get my plank, one way or another.”

Karpovwas staring at the big Plexiglas display illuminated in luminescent green, blue, and red to indicate the position of all surface traffic in the vicinity.

“I knew they would push things,” he said to Rodenko, his acting Starpom . “That’s a sizable task group heading our way.”

“What’s the plan, sir? Are you thinking to engage or avoid conflict here?”

Karpov thought for a moment, then took a deep breath. “If we’re going to start changing things it may as well begin here.”

“We could just as easily sail due east if you need more time to consider the situation, sir.”

“Yes, we could sail east, but that won’t stop what you just reported Rodenko, will it? Those are planes in the air, and heading our way. Every time I turn around someone is flying an air strike my way. I just beat off the best the US had on CVN Washington . Now these little men want to pick a bone with me. What does our SAM inventory look like?”

“We used half our S-400s and a good number of other missiles in that last defensive action before the Demon blew its top. That leaves us with 100 medium range missiles on the Klinok system, but only 32 long range S-400s. Close in Kashtan system fired 12 missiles, leaving us with 52 there. That means we have exactly 184 SAMs of all types for this ship.”

“Have the other ships reported in?”

“Yes, sir. Orlan was in the inner screen with S-400s as well. They fired only 16 missiles and have a substantial inventory remaining, 180 in all. These are the 9M96E and E2 missiles, sir. They will only range out between 40 and 120 kilometers. The long range S-400s are with us, the 40N6Es, but Orlan’s missiles are lightning fast—Mach 15 and capable of thrust vectored high G maneuvers. The damn things can pull 60 Gs at sea level and 20 Gs at 30,000 meters!”

“A superb air defense ship,” said Karpov. “I want her station keeping on our bow at all times.”

“One more thing, sir. This is a hit to kill weapon system. Orlan is going to have to put a missile on every plane they take down.”

“No proximity fragmentation warheads?”

“Not on this particular version, sir. We have them, but not Orlan . That said, I’ll guarantee one thing—they’ll hit what they fire at.”

Karpov thought about that, then decided he would also cover his undersea battle space. “ Admiral Golovko will be out on the starboard side as an ASW picket, and I trust Tasarov has the horse tail sonar out behind us.”

“He does, sir.”

“I’ll want a KA-40 up as well.”

“It will be ready in ten minutes, sir.”

“Good. Golovko , is not configured for air defense. They have Kashtans , but I’ll use the frigate for some good SSM punch if we need it. That means we’ll have to provide the air umbrella along with Orlan .”

“Feels a little different this time, Captain, now that we’ve got company here.”

“It does, but I have no idea how the officers and crew on the other two ships are responding to this situation. We may have convinced the two Captains, but the rest of the crew will have a lot to learn.”