What if, by chance, the Enterprise was sent out to Wake a day earlier, and began the journey back a day earlier, and ran into the IJN fleet? This is assuming that patrolling SBDs are what find the IJN, and not a visual sighting.
I am thinking that the Enterprise, even under orders to attack any sighted Japanese ship, would not launch due to confirmation of 6 fleet sized carriers. Instead, they radio back just before being shot down. Instead, the Enterprise heads south, and rendezvous with the USS Indianapolis and her 5 escorts. At the same time, 12 destroyers, the Helena, St. Louis, Honolulu, Phoenix, San Francisco, and New Orleans would head out and rendezvous with the Minneapolis and her 4 escorts south of Hawaii. They then would meet the Enterprise. The Louisville would be ordered to rendezvous with the Pensacola out around American Samoa. The Raleigh, Detroit, along with 4 destroyers would head out northeast and rendezvous with the Lexington. Out on the West Coast, I would send the Saratoga, Concord, Talbot, Waters, Dent, Smith, Preston, King and Humphreys to rendezvous with the Lexington also. The tankers Neosho, Ramapo, Platte, Sabine, and Tippecanoe would rendezvous east of Hawaii. The Enterprise's group would rendezvous with the Lexington's group at the same point as the tankers to refuel on Dec. 8th, 1941.
Back on Dec. 6, 1941, the Japanese, just east of Midway, shoot down 2 pairs of SBDs, thinking they were from Midway. At the same time, they attack Midway and knock out radio stations and aircraft. They remain seemingly unnoticed, but back at Pearl Harbor, things are heating up. The entire base is being evacuated of nonessential personnel, with the 71 PBYs being loaded up and launched to patrol. All of the 195 fighters were being armed and loaded, as well as the 26 SBDs and 8 SB2Us dive bombers. All other aircraft are stowed away. AA guns are all armed and ready, including those on the warships. Destroyers are moved around the harbor to provide AA cover, but the battleships remain untouched. By the time the attack actually arrives, %30 fall to American fighters. Another %45 fall to a combination of fighters and AA fire. The West Virginia is hit by 7 torpedoes, and the Oklahoma and California each take 3. The Tennessee, Maryland, and Arizona remain untouched. The Pennsylvania is hit by a single bomb, causing minor damage. While the attack takes place, the SBDs and SB2Us, with an escort of 20 Wildcats, head towards the IJN fleet, which was spotted by a patrolling submarine. They arrive just before the first wave returns. The inexperienced pilots train their bombers down towards the IJN carriers, but they are all shot down by highly experienced Zeroes and AA gunners. One bomb manages to hit the Kaga, but it's damage was very minimal, being a dud. The Wildcats tried to intervene, but tactics to shoot down Zeroes were not yet around, so only 3 were able to make it back to Pearl Harbor. The second Japanese wave was once again aimed at sinking ships. The US aircraft were able to intercept the Japanese farther away from the base, knowing from which direction they would come. They inflict a %45 shoot down rate at the loss of 17 aircraft. By the time the Japanese begin their attack, the US fighters have inflicted a further %12 of losses. The damage done was 1 destroyer hit, 2 destroyers sunk and a submarine sunk. The damage was so minor, there was need for a third wave to make any effect. The idea was changed, however, to a different tactic: shore bombardment. I would send the Tone, Chikuma, Hiei, and Kirishima, with air cover and submarine cover to bombard Pearl Harbor. Of course, the smoke from the West Virginia and Oklahoma conceal the undamaged Maryland, Tennessee, and of course the Arizona and Nevada. Other than 4 destroyers, the rest of the fleet would stay at Pearl Harbor to reduce damage to the base, and the all important oil fields. When the Chikuma, Tone, Hiei, and Kirishima do arrive, they are met by the big guns of the Arizona, Nevada, Maryland, and Tennessee, with the Pennsylvania right behind them. The battleships were ordered to block the harbor entrance with their big guns, along with 4 destroyers armed with torpedoes. The battleships open up, with quantity, more so than quality, on their side. The Japanese sail in single file, and the classic "crossing the T" battle begins. The US bombers managed to be armed with bombs, and they flew up at low level before the Zeroes managed to get in. The fighters were in the air, but low on fuel and ammo. The bombers fly in single file, a tactic just used now against a single file line. The old bombers drop their ordinance just as the US ships open up. Bombs drop onto the decks and off to the sides. A couple of torpedoes from the USS Ward, USS Monaghan, USS Farragut, and USS Dale, which were just returning upon orders, are added to the attack. The Tone and Chikuma are hit by a swarm of bombs, while the Hiei and Kirishima were hit by a swarm of aircraft that have been shot down by Zeroes. The Tone is hit by about 12 bombs, being the lead ship. The Chikuma is hit by another 9. The Hiei, behind them, was hit by a mere 4 bombs, but also, 12 aircraft. The Kirishima was hit by 22 aircraft. The Hiei was also hit by a single torpedo, while the Kirishima was hit by 3. They open fire on the Ward, which accelerated away. Shells land all around the Ward, until a salvo from the Hiei finally did damage, 2 shells slamming into the Ward. She jumps out of the water, with 2 holes into her hull. A hit by the Kirishima detonated her starboard torpedo tubes, dooming the Ward. The Farragut, which was masked by the Ward's smoke, made it out of the battle after firing all 8 torpedoes into the Kirishima. The Dale and Monaghan were able to move farther in, making the heavy guns of the Hiei useless. The Chikuma sinks after being hit by a full broadside of the US battleships. The Tone suffers the same fate. The Hiei was in the middle of turning when she was hit by 12 bombs from a flight of low flying A-20s from Hickam Air Base. She was then crippled extensively by a full broadside from the Tennessee. She was then sunk by 6 torpedos from the Patterson, 6 from the Dale, and 4 from the Monaghan. The Kirishima was hit by a number of shells, and only managed to damage the Arizona slightly from fire by her forward 14" guns. The Japanese fighters would begin strafing the decks of the US ships, and sink the Patterson by blowing up the port torpedo tubes. The Kirishima was sunk by a combination of hits from the Farragut, crashed aircraft and bombs, and being hit by a full boradside from the Arizona, Nevada, and Maryland.
The Enterprise, Lexington, and Saratoga would wait in between Pearl Harbor and Midway for any Japanese attack that may come. The Yorktown, Hornet, and Wasp would be transferred over to the Pacific, along with the North Carolina, Washington, Tuscaloosa, Wichita, Augusta, Milwaukee, Memphis, Nashville, Savannah, Philadelphia, Trenton, Richmond, and Cincinnati via the Panama Canal, to cover the area from Alaska down to Midway. As for the Asiatic Fleet, the Ranger would be sent there with Louisville and Pensacola, until the Japanese break far into the Philippines, when they, along with the Langley, Marblehead, and Boise would head back towards Australia. The New York, Texas, Arkansas, and Long Island would remain the only "capital" ships in the Atlantic once the Quincy and Vincennes are moved to the Pacific. Midway begins being beefed up after the fall of Wake. The Atlanta and Omaha are transferred to the Pacific in early 1942. A constant supply train of tankers and auxiliaries runs behind them. The Langley is pulled back during the attempt to bring P-40s to Java after the Mikuma and Mogami were sighted by the Houston. She was diverted back to Fremantle, where she unloaded her aircraft. She then picks up the Louisville, Pensacola, Marblehead and their escorts to go back to Pearl Harbor to retreat. There, the Langley loads up with F4Fs and SBDs and makeshift arresting gear for patrol up by the Aleutians. The Long Island operates as a convoy escort along with the New York, Texas and Arkansas escorting convoys from the US to Iceland. The New Mexico, Mississippi and Idaho would be transferred to the Pacific. The Battle of the Coral Sea would be between the Shokaku and Zuikaku vs. the Lexington, Saratoga, and Enterprise. The ships are all severely damaged, but they manage to make it back to Pearl Harbor. The Enterprise received the least damage, and was able to meet the Yorktown, Hornet and Wasp up north. The Lexington and Saratoga are able to make it, along with the Ranger, which was able to make it into port to refuel. The Langley was scheduled to go with them, but the repairs took longer than expected, and she departed a day early. The Long Island went with the Langley, but as an aircraft ferry bringing 22 SBDs to Midway. The USS Kitty Hawk was with them, bringing an additional 40 new SBDs to Midway, which was already overflowing with aircraft. The decision was made to just load them onto the Long Island and catapult them into battles when needed. Battleships Arizona, Tennessee, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Nevada went with them. The Japanese were terribly outnumbered, with 4 fleet carriers and 4 light carriers vs. 7 fleet carriers and 2 smaller carriers, plus the aircraft on the Kitty Hawk and on Midway. They never the less however, managed to muster a powerful surface fleet. The plan of attack was originally going to be a carrier battle, but the number of aircraft carriers the Americans had changed the minds of the Japanese. They launched against Midway, and began to bombard it. They had been spotted however, by a PBY. All of the aircraft had been launched in fast succession, including those on the Kitty Hawk. The US carriers were detected, and the second strike against Midway was postponed, all the aircraft armed for anti ship use. They launch, but just as they do, the Midway attack group comes in, and begins to pummel the IJN. The carriers begin dodging the falling bombs wildly, but the Kaga has the misfortune of being the target of 20 SBDs from the Kitty Hawk. They dive in groups of 4 and drop 1,000 lb. and 500 lb. bombs. They managed to put about 6 holes into the Kaga, with 5 of them being made by 1,000 lb. bombs. She began to list, and had to be scuttled after fires tore through her hull and gas lines were blown up. The rest of the attack force scored 3 hits on the Hiryu, 2 on the Soryu, and 11 on the Akagi, which was floating, but covered by flames. The IJN aircraft did manage to take to the skies, and they had even better fortune because the USN Buffalos and Wildcats were escorting the slow TBFs and B-26s on their bombing run. The Japanese took toward the US aircraft carriers, slinging torpedoes and bombs under them. They reached the US carriers, which had 70 Wildcats as air defense. To fix this, the US carriers were heading south, into the range of Midway's Wildcats. The Japanese torpedo bombers were the first to move, and all were shot down by the hundreds of AA guns and Wildcats. The Japanese dive bombers also began to attack, and suffered heavy losses. However, the Yorktown was hit by 6 bombs, and an aviation fuel truck in the hanger deck blew up next to the No. 3 elevator, blowing it up into the island. She was abandoned after 5 hours of fighting fires. A magazine for her starboard 5" guns blew up, tearing through her into the USS Smith, which lost usage of her forward 5" mounts. The Hornet and Ranger were also hit, but damages were minimal. Midway launched CAP fighters for the fleet, which were able to intercept 45 surviving fighters and bombers, and shooting down 12 of them. The light carriers in the IJN launched their own attack, which were soon joined by the aircraft surviving from the Soryu, and Hiryu. The Japanese Aleutian force was redirected back south, and was expected to arrive the next day. The IJN was still able to put up a powerful surface fleet, and the attacks formed up in a quick succession, so the Japanese could do battle at night with their new Yamato. They moved in towards the withdrawing US fleet, but were surprised to encounter the North Carolina, Washington, Arizona, Tennessee, Colorado, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Nevada, and about 35 cruisers. The USN ships were the first to open fire, with accurate radar guided fire from the USN. The IJN Yamato managed to sink the Maryland, but was forced to withdraw after taking 2 broadsides from the North Carolina and Washington. The Arizona and Pennsylvania, along with 10 cruisers, went north to draw fire from the main body. They had the Atlanta, Helena, Louisville, Salt Lake City, Pensacola, Brooklyn, San francisco, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, and Astoria. Also with them were 5 destroyers. The Atlanta, Louisville, Salt Lake City, Pensacola, and the destroyers had a primary mission of making a torpedo run under the cover of the Helena, Brooklyn, San francisco, Minneapolis, Indianapolis, Astoria, Arizona, and Pennsylvania. Another group was heading South: The Colorado, Tennessee, Northampton, Augusta, Chicago, Chester, New Orleans, Savannah, Phoenix, Boise, Wichita, and Tuscaloosa, with 6 destroyers. The Northampton, Augusta, Chicago, Chester, and destroyers will also make a torpedo run. They move in towards the Japanese, while the Nevada, North Carolina, Washington, New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho, Philadelphia, Nashville, Quincy, Portland, St. Louis, Omaha, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Raleigh, Detroit, Richmond, Concord, Trenton, Marblehead, Memphis, and 20 destroyers set up in front of the IJN battlefleet. The Japanese know what is happening, and for up the engagement. The Nagato, Mutsu, Chokai, Mogami, Suyuza, Haguro, Abukuma, Oi, Sendai, and 15 destroyers against the Arizona and Pennsylvania's forces. They also send the Hyuga, Ise, Mikuma, Atago, Nachi, Maya, Kitakami, Tama, Yuri, and another 15 destroyers after the Colorado and Tennessee's group. The rest of the ships would head forward against the main body of the US fleet. They had limited submarine cover, but it was not effective at night. The battle began in the middle of the night, with the North Carolina, Washington, New Mexico, Mississippi, Idaho and Nevada firing the first shots. The Haruna was the first hit, by a salvo of 6 shots from the North Carolina. She returned fire, splashing shells 100 feet off the starboard bow. The Omaha began to turn towards the Japanese for a torpedo attack with the Trenton and Marblehead. They opened fire with their 6" guns, splashing all around the Haruna. The Idaho was struck by a 14" shell fired from the Kongo. The New Mexico moved towards the Japanese, and managed to squeeze between the Kongo and Haruna, and at just 200 feet off to either side, she fired 6 guns at point blank range at each ship. They were hit by armor piercing shells, and the Haruna blew up and sank. The Kongo opened fire on her with the aft turrets, hitting her 4 times, but not before the New Mexico was able to turn all of her guns on the Kongo to fire a full broadside. She fired, and the Kongo slipped between the waves. The Yamato began to focus on the New Mexico, but she began to weave around. The North Carolina and Idaho began to fire at the Yamato, forcing the ship to lose aim on the New Mexico. Meanwhile, the Washington was slugging it out with the Yamashiro. She took hits, but after hitting the casemate gallery with 4 shells, the mid-section of the Yamashiro was ablaze. A salvo from the Mississippi ignited an aviation gas tank, and the stern of the ship was blown sky high. After 2 more broadsides from the Washington and Mississippi, the Yamashiro was sunk. The Yamato was still gunning to hit the New Mexico, but her two forward turrets were heavily damaged from close range fire. The North Carolina moved in to aid the New Mexico, and after a quick engagement in which the New Mexico and North Carolina were both hit by 2 18" shells, the Yamato's forward turrets were out of action. Now, the Omaha and the rest of her cruiser class had a path for firing torpedoes. They moved in single file, and trained the 60 torpedo tubes toward every ship in sight. The Omaha led the charge, and fired her guns at the destroyers Arashi, which was just 500 feet off the port bow. After about 32 shots, fires were set all over the destroyer. The Omaha had taken a number of hits in return, and was listing, only making 25 knots. She fired her torpedoes at the Takao and Asagiri. Scoring a hit on the destroyer and 3 hits on the Takao, the Omaha retreated back to the gunline a 15 miles behind. The cruisers split into two groups, then began to fire upon a group of 5 destroyers trying to make a torpedo run at them. Machine guns fire from the cruisers managed to detonate some of the torpedoes while they were being aimed. However, they could not prevent a torpedo from the Amagiri from hitting the Trenton on the starboard side, which slowed her down to 18 knots. She fired 3 of her torpedoes back at the destroyers, and while passing behind the other cruisers, she fired again at the destroyers, sinking the Amagiri. The other cruisers managed to detonate the torpedoes that were inbound underwater, and then they managed to sink or badly maul the attacking destroyers with guns. The Yamato was passing over the port side, and 24 torpedoes were moving towards her. She was hit by 17 of them, and began a terrible list. right behind the cruisers, 5 destroyers were inbound, and their mission was to finish off the Yamato. The cruisers continued on, and they fired the rest of their starboard side torpedoes and went back towards the gun line following the Trenton and Omaha. They sunk 8 more destroyers, and 4 additional ones on the return trip. The 5 USN destroyers, the Gridley, Case, Talbot, Dent, and King, moved towards the Yamato. They fired 28 torpedoes at the stationary Yamato, dooming her. Admiral Yamamoto, seeing the incoming threat, elected to move off the bridge, into a whale boat, and onto the Yukaze, which was about a mile off the starboard side, and incoming to pick him up. The torpedoes hit before he was taken off, and he was thrown into the water by the concussion of the blows. The Yamato fired on the destroyers with her aft 18" gun, but they were too close in and the splashes were too far behind them. She fired her starboard triple 6" mounts, and sunk the Talbot with 5 hits, and further damaging the Case and Dent. The North Carolina and New Mexico were joined by the Washington, Mississippi, Nevada, and Idaho for a final charge into the deteriorating Japanese fleet. The Yukaze was moving away from the battle towards the Nagara, which stood by to take Yamamoto back to Japan. The Japanese fleet began to crumble, and turned around. The US cruisers in total sank about 14 destroyers. Up north, the Arizona, Pennsylvania, and their escorts had their own great battle. The Japanese ships that faced the Arizona and Pennsylvania were outgunned. The Nagato and Mutsu were the first to open fire, gunning for the Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania was hit by 8 shells, throwing her out of the water, and she was forced to retire south. She none the less began to turn, and she fired a full broadside at the Nagato at close range of 4 miles. 11 shells hit, 4 of them in the near same spot. She fired another broadside, while taking an additional hit that ruined her casemate gallery. The 12 shells all hit their mark, and 4 hit in a huge opening where 4 had previously hit, and broke the Nagato's back. The Pennsylvania was forced to retire after being hit by 4 more shells, and losing her superstructure. She managed to fire off a last salvo of 6 shells before being hit by a torpedo, putting her out of action. The USS Vireo was brought in, and towed her back to Pearl Harbor. The Arizona began firing on the Mutsu, hitting the ship while it was still turning it's guns. The ship shook after a broadside of 12 shells hit, and then began to fire with her own guns. The Arizona was hit by 6 shells before returning the favor. She opened up with a full broadside once again, and spiked straight through holes made by the previous shells, and straight through the Mutsu. The US cruisers were engaging the IJN ships, and they have sunk 5 destroyers and the cruisers Mogami and Haguro. The Boise was sunk after being hit by 6 torpedoes from Japanese destroyers. The Salt Lake City was able to sink the Mogami after disabling its aft turrets and putting torpedoes into her. The IJN destroyers managed to sink 4 USN destroyers, but they were all sunk after a skirmish between the Arizona and the cruisers of the USN. Down south, the USN were the first to fire, being from the Colorado and Tennessee. They sank the battleship Hyuga with 4 broadsides of accurate fire. The Ise accelerates in, and begins firing upon the Tennessee. She is crippled severely when the Colorado's heavier guns destroy her fire control systems and start fires all over her deck. The Tennessee, after taking 4 hits, returns with a 12 gun broadside at 4 miles. 10 shells slam directly into the Ise, which becomes an inferno. The Colorado finishes her off after moving in to 2 miles to fire her 8 16" guns at close range. The US cruisers begin firing on the Japanese ships, and manage to sink 12 destroyers before the other 3 begin torpedo runs. They fired off their torpedoes, and hit the Colorado with 3 of them. The ship jumps up, and begins a list. She fires her guns in a last ditch attempt to hit the Japanese destroyers, and manages to hit one of them in the hull. A torpedo from the USS Northampton manages to makes its way into the hull of the damaged destroyer, which breaks it in half and sinks it. The Mikuma manages to sink the Tuscaloosa with her 8" guns, but not before she was hit by 3 torpedoes from the Augusta, and a 6 gun salvo from the Tennessee at a range of a mile. The Atago was hit in the aft section by the Tennessee, and after evading torpedoes from the destroyer Porter, she slammed into the hulk of the Mikuma. With critical damage sustained, she was sunk the next day by carrier aircraft. The other ships scattered and went straight back to Japan. The battle of Midway was an outstanding success.
Down at Guadalcanal, the US invasion forces are getting ashore. With the South Dakota, Washington, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, Mississippi, Nevada, Nashville, Louisville, and Wichita providing fire support, along with aircraft from the Saratoga, Lexington, and Ranger, the Japanese resistance was reduced. They were also not able to bring in enough supplies with the loss of so many ships at Midway. The Hosho provides the only air support, and her aircraft are shot down by the many aircraft thriving from Henderson Field, which only suffers bombardment from infantry weapons. US transports unload almost nearly undisturbed, while Japanese transports are continuously hampered by air attacks. After 3 weeks, the Japanese are forced to surrender. Japanese bombers from other bases run into the fighters of the Lexington, Saratoga, Ranger, and Henderson Field. The US ships manage to hold off the Japanese campaign to sweep away their navy in Santa Cruz, where the Yorktown, Enterprise, Hornet, and Wasp lay waiting. The Wasp is hit by 4 bombs, and sinks, while the Enterprise and Hornet each sustain 2 bombs, while the Yorktown sustains 5 torpedo hits. But the Shokaku manages to launch a last strike against the USS Hornet, which is sunk by 4 bombs and 5 torpedoes. The Enterprise is able to sink the Shokaku, and inflict serious damage to the Zuikaku and Zuiho. Both the Yorktown and Wasp are towed at the same time towards Pearl Harbor by the Quincy and Vincennes, but with the mistake of only having the Astoria, Hamman, and Blue as escort. They were all caught in the crosshairs of the IJN submarines I-19 and I-168. The sube fire off all of their possible torpedoes, and in the end, after the Blue sinks by a single torpedo, all ships present in the battle are sunk. The Enterprise, Lexington, Saratoga, and Ranger are the only remaining carriers. The Long Island, while in the middle of the Panama Canal, is ordered to go back through to the Pacific with the Langley. They head up north to pick up the slack of the fleet carriers that were sunk, but on the way, the I-25, on another run to try and attempt to fire bomb Oregon (my own mix into the story, which would make some sense) caught the two ships without escort, and fired torpedoes. THe Langley was hit by 4 torpedoes, and she began to list heavily. The Long Island was forced to accelerate away, and the sub put 4 more torpedoes into the Langley, and she capsized with all but 26 hands lost. The submarine was sunk after being spotted by an armed merchantmen, and was sunk after accidentally being rammed. The USN, bewildered by the loss of 4 carriers in two weeks, ordered construction of the carriers to be increased. The Casablanca class CVE was forced to make frontline duties in the meantime, operating out of Pearl Harbor around Midway. The USS Lexington, while heading to New York for a refit, was sunk after the I-400 was forced to go on alone to attack the Panama Canal. It fired a spread of torpedoes, and the Lexington was hit by all of them. The ariel attack was cancelled, and the sub went to a secondary target of Ulithi Atoll for a failed attack, which would result in the ship being sunk. The USS Bon Homme Richard, which was just about to be commissioned, had her name changed to Yorktown, and the USS Kearsarge, which was %95 through construction (actual numbers not known) was renamed USS Hornet, USS Cabot was renamed USS Lexington, USS Oriskany was renamed USS Wasp, and the second USS Oriskany, an Independence class carrier, was renamed USS Langley. The Yorktown, along with the Independence, Princeton, Belleau Wood, Cowpens, Monterey, Langley, and Cabot joined the fleet together, after being completed, and after a shakedown training cruise. They were able to pick up the slack of the sunken Lexington, Wasp, and Hornet, but 90 aircraft were still needed to match the lost Yorktown. The USS Intrepid, and soon after, the USS Hornet, USS Bataan, and USS San Jacinto were able to fill the gap in early 1944. Dozens of destroyers and cruisers were also able to join the fleet, releasing the older ships for convoy escort, and what seemed like "second line" duty in the nearly U-Boatless Atlantic.
Anyway, I am aware of the many inaccuracies, and any help would be grateful. My story (completely different from my alternate history, still in progress) is a little stretched, but I mainly did it for fun. Work on the second half of the war is in progress... until then
_________________ Current builds: Hobby Boss 1/700 Type VIIC U-Boat for my AH
Planned builds: 3 more 1/700 AH submarines
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