On June 4, 1941 the Main Mexican Fleet including, the Combined Fleet that left Papua New Guinea after repairs and refueling, the Indian Imperial Navy, and the new three fleet carriers:
Alamo, Independencia, and
Emperatriz under the command of Admiral Heriberto Jara Corona. So in total the Allied Fleet had 3 fleet carriers, 7 cruisers, 7 light cruisers, 16 destroyers, and 233 planes, while on Ceylon air command there were back up 130 Stuka dive bombers.
View attachment 475357 Admiral Jara Corona
The Japanese Combined Fleet under the control of Admirals Nagumo and Kondō Nobutake had the strength of 4 fleet carriers, 2 battleships, 2 heavy cruisers, 12 destroyers, and 248 planes. Along with 2 heavy cruisers and 2 destroyers that supposed into enter the battle if things go wrong.
View attachment 475359 Admiral Kondō
On June 4 the battle begun at 4:30 P.M. when Admiral Nagumo launched his attack on the island base itself with Aichi and Nakajima dive bombers escorted by Zero fighters, however the Japanese reconnaissance was useless in the poor weather and because of this they failed to notice the Mexican battleships. Ceylon's radar picked up the enemy formations and fighters were scrambled and unescorted bombers went off to attacked the Japanese carriers while the fighters stayed back to protect the base.
View attachment 475386 Ceylon
The Japanese bombers heavily damaged the base, but they themselves in turn were torn to shreds from the new Mexican wildcat fighters and accurate anti-aircraft fire so of the 110 Japanese aircraft used in the attack on Ceylon base: 30 were destroyed and damaged and the base was still functional and able to refuel planes. Japanese reports were unsatisfactory and requested another attack to neutralize the base. Meanwhile Mexican Douglas Dauntless dive bombers began to attack the Japanese carrier force, the attack was viciously repealed with them losing 5 bombers, one suicide attempt was made to crash the bomber into the
Akagi, Nagumo's flagship the attempt failed and convinced Nagumo to attack Ceylon again.
However, Nagumo was now in a dilemma; he order his planes to use contact fuse bombs against land targets but he was given reports from scouting planes of a large squadron in the East but without it's composition. Hearing the faulty reports Nagumo rescinded the order and gave new orders to use ordinary bombs against the Allied fleet, indecision followed and precious minutes were lost and the results were the Allies had time lick their wounds refuel and set out again.
View attachment 475387 Mexican Wildcats ready for takeoff
The Allies took the initiative and sent out 117 fighters against the Japanese 108, the attack was being beaten back until by a stroke of luck and Mexican fighting spirit overwhelmed the Japanese and the fighters were defeated. By midnight the fighting died down with occasion skirmishes between Japanese cruisers and Commonwealth destroyers. By sunrise June 5, the Japanese launched a all out attack, but not on the base but on the carriers. The onslaught was so ferocious, that the
Emperatriz was badly damaged and had to be abandon. Just as victory was secured and the Allies were about to be defeated, devastating news arrived: In their excitement they left the carriers vulnerable and the base on Ceylon noticed and immediately took advantage of this and sent out all of the Stukas and battleships on or near the base. The results:
Hiryu and
Kaga, 1 heavy cruiser, and 5 destroyers were sunk and
Akagi was severely damaged. Realizing they committed a horrific error in leaving the carriers unprotected the attack was called of. Admiral Nagumo called off the battle and the IJN limped back to Japan, but the Allies weren't finished.
View attachment 475388 Emperatriz under attack
View attachment 475389 Hiryu survives
View attachment 475390 Hiryu goes down
June 6: slowly and silently the fleet followed the IJN all the way to Formosa and just as the Japanese docked for repairs, the attack was launched; Wildcats and Douglas Dauntless bombers unleashed hell onto the Japanese with Mexican pilots screaming "Remember Cam Ranh!" The Japanese desperately tried to scramble their fighters but were blown to oblivion before even getting the chance. After two hours the attack was finished and the Allied fleet retreated back to Ceylon.
The Battles of Ceylon and Formosa were decisive: the Japanese lost 4 aircraft carriers, 1 heavy cruiser, 7 destroyers, and 250 aircraft were lost including 3,100 pilots and crew. The Allies suffered only 1 carrier sunk, 1 destroyer sunk, and 150 planes destroyed.
After the battles the IJN was now shadow of it's former self and they immediately placed the blame on the United States for the following reasons:
- After the victories in Indochina, Hong Kong, and Malaya the US placed an embargo on precious resources the Japanese needed: oil, rubber, and metal which damaged Japanese industrial potential.
- They saw what planes the Mexicans were using and immediately knew those were American planes and they immediately put two and two together and realized it was the Americans that warned the Allies of the attack.
Tojo was furious and broke all relations with the United States and was secretly conferring with generals of invading the Philippines as retaliation for American assistance to the Allies.
