WesWorld

August 7th TF2 N

"Woodside, do you realize we have to crawl all the way back across the Pacific at 12 knots? Can't that tanker go any faster? I can swim and pull the squadron faster than this!" Admiral Halsey declared quite red in the face.

"Well Admiral, the tanker is old. And unfortunately Lee took the newer one. He does have farther to go after all, what with him traversing the Indian Ocean, the South Atlantic, and the Mediterranean before he returns to Pearl Harbor. The State Department is even talking of a detour for him into the Baltic. It seems they want to show we can move 6 battleships around the world. And it is taking most of our logistical support available to do so. Thankfullly, we are building newer tankers than can average 3 knots faster. Quite an improvement in my opinion. At least we aren't in USS Texas. She isn't much faster than the tankers now." Captain Woodside replied calmly.

"15 knots! Its a good thing in wartime we aren't tied to our logistics squadon! We'd spend all summer just crossing the ocean without even fighting anyone!" Admiral Halsey let out explosively. "Woodside, is the band ready? We have made it a ritual it seems to greet each port with their national anthem."

"Yes Admiral, its not a difficult piece I am told."

"Good, I hope the Frogs have something decent to drink. 12 knots!"

And as Task Force 2 lead by USS Colorado sailed into Noumea the strains of La Marseillaise echoed out over the water.

"Quite stirring, Woodside."

"Yes, Admiral."

August 7th
Vice-Admiral Vassoigne watched the two American battleships coming slowly into Noumea's western harbour, following the pilot boat toward the Anse du Tir. Vassoigne thought the American ships seemed to lumber about. Though not as bad as the old Petain class ships I once commanded. Easy to turn, but painfully slow...

As the American guns fell silent, their salute finished, Vassoigne nodded. "Stand by to return salute," instructed Capitaine Salaun, the commander of the Paris.

The crew of the Paris - and Mogador and Marceau anchored astern of her - had turned out in their dress whites, lining the rail. As the visiting ships came abreast of the Paris, the crew at the rails drew up in salute, and the aftmost of Paris's 120mm guns fired. Precisely five seconds later came the next blank cartridge; then on to the next turret, on down the battlecruiser's port side, until the required twenty-one guns had been fired. In the silence after the gun salute, in response to the playing of Marsellaise, Mogador's band played the US anthem in reply.

"Well then," Vasssoigne said mildly, putting on his hat. "I do believe we should invite Admiral Halsey to dinner, Lieutenant Kieffer. The good champagne, if you please?"

August 7th
MN Paris

The battlecruiser's air conditioning blew refreshing cooled air into the flag quarters as Vassoigne gestured Halsey towards his seat at the table. "Please, amiral be seated," Vassoigne said. "Permettez-moi to offer you rafraîchissement, ah... le champagne before dinner is served. Later in the evening, I have a bottle of my Sauternes from le Château d'Yquem."

Five minutes later, with a bottle of champagne downed, salad was served; Halsey and Vassoigne had commenced with the small talk, about postings past and present. "Until one year ago," Vassoigne offered up, "I commanded le group de la défense de la côte cuirasses... ah, the coast defense battleship group based in Indochine - a good post, though I do enjoy commanding these ships of mine, these croiseurs de bataille. I understand your flotille came to us via Japon et la Russie, then the Philippines, oui? Such was once in the region of my command, the, ah, Mer de Chine du Sud..."

"So you are probably pretty familiar with the Chinese and Japanese fleets, then?" Halsey said, deciding to fish for information.

"Oui, amiral," Vassoigne answered, pausing as the main course - roasted maple orange glazed turkey - was served up. Once the attendants had served the roast beast, Vassoigne nodded sagely. "I was in le Forces Navale de Extreme-Orient when there was the Mer de Chine du Sud War."

August 7th

MN Paris

Halsey chewed his turkey thoughtfully. The turkey was perfect of course, savory and tender. "Ah yes, the South China Sea War. We didn't really consider it much of a war, what with neither side really anxious to devote substantial forces to the conflict. Still, I imagine it gave you some idea to the capabilities of both the Chinese and Filipino's. In my opinion, not that of the Navy of course, the Filipino's have made great strides from the conflict and are a much better force now than they were in 1940. The Chinese on the other hand, well I sympathize with their quartermaster. He's got quite the job!"

Vassoigne nodded. "Oui, amiral. As the British say, le guerre was a tempest in a teakettle - but for all that it was still a tempest. I oversaw much surveillance some surreptitious, of both fleets during and after the war. Le Filipinos learn their lessons at the top - le Chinese, they learn their lessons from the bottom."

Halsey looked puzzeled. "Perhaps admiral you would mind expanding your thought?"

"Certainly," Vassoigne replied. "Le Filipino naval staff, they recognized at the end of the war that they, to put the word bluntly, lost the war. It was very fortunate le Chinese decided to accept a treaty settlement - because they had bungled. For this they were replaced by officers more competent and daring, no political operators, but fighters. On the other hand, the Chinese naval staff think to some extent they won the naval war. In many ways, they are right. But they do not see so clearly that the Filipinos were reluctant to send in their modern and powerful forces. And on the one occasion the Filipinos did so, they fought triumphantly. Against a skilled and daring opponent, the Chinese Navy would suffer badly. But at the same time, I feel the Chinese Navy should not be dismissed lightly. They may be a pride of secondhand lions, but their seamen and officers, they are hungry men, defiant of conditions and dangers that might inspire mutiny amongst the sailors of the privileged West."

Halsey nodded thoughtfully. "It is quite true, the quality of the Chinese ships isn't likely up to that of their Western counterparts. However, you have a word, elan I believe it is, and the Chinese would certainly not find their sailors lacking in it. As the Filipino's found out, the Chinese are not to be underestimated. They have a variety of strengths which make up for their many weaknesses."

I have decided to end this story, as being told in the first person at least.

For clarification, TF1 leaves Sydney, stops in Singapore, then ventures into the Indian Ocean where it splits with USS Tennessee and USS California along with the Cimarron passing through the Red Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, and into the Atlantic, crossing the Atlantic where it will become part of the USN Atlantic Fleet after docking in Norfolk.

TF2 crosses the Pacific, and rejoins TF 3 in the South Atlantic after rounding Cape Horn. It then heads north through the South Atlantic, enters the Caribbean, passes through the Mexican Canal before rejoining the Pacific Fleet.

TF3 after splitting from TF1 crosses the Indian Ocean, rounds the Cape of Good Hope and joins TF 2.