Just my personal guess, but I’d imagine the officers and crew of the Liaoning aircraft carrier must be having some unique feelings during this extended blue-water mission. After all, this special operation beyond the Second Island Chain passes through quite a few former battlegrounds where the Japanese and Americans fought fierce sea and air battles in the Pacific.
For those in our carrier force who are deeply familiar with the history of the Imperial Japanese Navy, no amount of reading about the great carrier battles between Japan and the U.S. can compare to actually sailing to the sites in person. Now that they’re piloting the carrier through these historic waters—visiting the very places where Showa-era staff officers clashed with Nimitz and Halsey—their outlook is bound to be different.
Never mind the more well-known sites like the battles east of the Philippines or places like Iwo Jima and Okinawa. Take Minamitorishima (Marcus Island) for instance. If I remember correctly, this is where the U.S. Essex-class carriers first saw combat. The Essex (CV-9) and Yorktown (CV-10) launched their first strikes here using F6F Hellcats. It has some historical weight to it. If the Fujian carrier is deployed in the future, there’s a good chance it’ll sail through these same waters just like the Liaoning.
This grand cruise by the Liaoning isn’t over yet—China’s carriers are still breaking new ground. All in all, it’s genuinely exciting to see our carrier sailing through these iconic WWII battlegrounds. The Japanese, having lost all their chips at the table, can now only act as record-keepers. When it comes to big carrier face-offs, it’s finally our turn.