The heavens start from Changjin Lake

Chapter 902: Advance into Seoul!

They transported the supplies outside the village.

When enemy planes discover a village, they will bomb it. Even if the village has been bombed by them before, the enemy planes will not let it go.

It is not safe to leave the supplies in the village, so just leave the village and find a place to camouflage them with branches.

The second platoon leader came back and captured three prisoners: "Company commander, the other foreign devils ran very fast and disappeared. I didn't dare to chase them any further."

"enough."

Xia Yuan briefly interrogated them and learned that they were from the 24th Division of the US Army, so he released them. Before they left, he also distributed canned food and coats to them: "We, the Volunteer Army, treat prisoners well. Don't be afraid. If you cooperate with us, we will not embarrass you. You can leave now."

The American prisoners were a little surprised.

It was the first time they were captured, and they were almost in despair when they were captured, because their superiors had told them many times that the volunteers were killing innocent people indiscriminately and that if they were captured, they would be tortured to death.

Therefore, few people are willing to be captured.

Now it seems that the situation is completely different from what their superiors said.

The three captives took the things Xia Yuan gave them tremblingly and fled.

"Hurry up and move all the supplies away. At daybreak, enemy planes will come and bomb this place."

Xia Yuan turned around and joined the ranks of transporting supplies.

It’s a pity that there is no car. However, even if there was a car, it would not be enough to pull all the goods.

At least five or six vehicles are needed.

Moreover, the enemy's cars ran faster than the infantry. As soon as the news came, their cars drove away.

Before the war, the Zhisi requested the 38th Army to send one division to Qifeng Mountain to block the enemy's reinforcements from the north. On New Year's Day, the 340th Regiment of the 114th Division advanced rapidly in depth. In order to find the designated location, Qifeng Mountain, as soon as possible, Regiment Commander Guan considered that the entire regiment had penetrated deep into the enemy's rear and it was difficult for enemy aircraft to distinguish between friend and foe. He adopted the actual combat experience of the 113th Division infiltrating Sansoli, boldly adopted the method of marching in two columns, and marched forward along the highway in a swagger.

During the day, they encountered enemy planes circling overhead many times along the way, but they continued to advance in a mighty manner. The enemy planes mistook them for retreating friendly forces, and even watched them advance on foot and dropped some airdropped supplies in front of them.

During the march, they clearly saw the distant mountains, the vast land and the villages in the snow in southern Korea. They also saw the destroyed villages and the innocent people killed along the way.

They marched for 19 hours, covering a distance of 55 kilometers, and arrived at Qifeng Mountain at around 9 o'clock.

Commander Guan and Political Commissar Su decided to use the 1st and 2nd Battalions to occupy Fengyangli and Songnaili west of Qifeng Mountain, control the highway and prevent the enemy from escaping to the south.

After the Third Battalion seized Qifeng Mountain at 12 o'clock, it left a small number of troops to control it while the main force continued to advance southward.

At 14 p.m., the 20st Battalion advanced to the south of Fengyangli and discovered that more than enemy planes and more than ten tanks were covering the escape of more than people of the puppet th Division to the south. The road was crowded with a large number of cars and tanks, and they were retreating towards Uijeongbu.

The first battalion quickly attacked and launched a blocking operation. The acting deputy company commander of the third company, Tumen Baiyi (Mongolian), led the second platoon to run across the road, seized the Cheongdamcheon Station, destroyed four enemy vehicles, killed dozens of enemies, and covered the first and third platoons to seize the high ground on the left wing of the road, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy and cutting off the enemy fleeing south from the convoy.

Under the cover of aircraft and artillery fire, the enemy swarmed towards the second platoon's position with two companies of troops. Surrounded by enemies and with few men and little strength, the second platoon fought calmly, fighting one against ten and launching four consecutive counterattacks.

When the enemy attacked for the fourth time, most of the platoon suffered casualties, but the comrades vowed to fight the enemy to the death. When the enemy rushed to the second platoon's position, the deputy platoon leader Tumen Baiyi engaged in fierce hand-to-hand combat with the enemy and died heroically.

Comrade Zhao Youcheng, the second platoon leader, took off his cotton coat, raised his bayonet and fought with more than a dozen enemies. The sounds of killing, the collision of bayonets, and the enemy's death cries were mixed together on the battlefield.

The vicious enemy was finally defeated and retreated. After 4 hours of fierce fighting, the entire battalion killed more than 400 enemies. The remaining enemies fled back to Qifeng Mountain, trying to seize the commanding heights and cover the main force's escape to the south.

Chilbong Mountain is located on the east side of the railway and highway from Seoul to Pyongyang. It is a steep peak with an altitude of more than 700 meters. There are layer upon layer of mountains, one higher than the other, and there is no way to climb the mountain. The seven comrades from the first row of the eighth company walked on the snow, holding on to branches, thorns, grass roots and rocks with their hands. They were exhausted and sweating, and finally climbed to the designated mountain top in one breath.

The cold wind was biting, and a layer of frost covered the outer surface of the sweat-soaked military uniforms, and their socks were frozen stiff, but they didn't care about these things. Even if they were tired and wanted to take a breath, it was too late, and they immediately went to build fortifications.

Some of them were soldiers who had just been recruited from the kitchen squad, and some were fighting the enemy with guns for the first time, and they couldn't help feeling a little nervous.

Before the three battles, each division had transferred guards and general staff from the headquarters to the combat companies. They were all high-spirited and extremely brave.

It was late at night, and after a burst of artillery fire at Qifeng Mountain, the enemy began to attack. Unexpectedly, the volunteers had already occupied the high ground. After a fierce battle, they were quickly defeated.

Prepare to continue the attack.

Soldiers Li Huiyou and Yang Zhizhou were both participating in combat for the first time. They were very nervous at first, but as they watched the enemy retreat, they began to feel proud of their victory. Combat team leader Yang Zhankui encouraged them:

"After this battle, you should have a better idea, right? I know that the first time I was on the front line, my four pillars (fingers) didn't obey me. I should be able to do it next time."

Li Huiyou and Yang Zhizhou rushed to say: "I promise not to panic!"

Yang Zhankui said, "Just don't panic. You fired two rounds just now, but did you hit any enemies?"

"what?"

The two of them were stunned.

It seems that it didn't hit.

"The enemy is climbing up the mountain from the bottom of the high cliff. If we lie down and shoot here, the bullets will fly over their heads."

"No wonder you were shooting while standing."

The enemy charged again, like a swarm of locusts. When they were counterattacking, Yang Zhizhou's automatic rifle became silent. He anxiously asked Li Huiyou, "Li Huiyou, my rifle won't fire. What should I do?"

"Go ask the team leader."

Yang Zhizhou crawled to the team leader Yang Zhankui again and anxiously asked him what to do. Yang Zhankui said while shooting:
"Go back to where you were and kick the bolt open with your foot. It might be frozen."

Yang Zhizhou climbed back and tried the team leader's method, which worked, and he started shooting again.

After the enemy retreated, the squad leader went down to contact for ammunition. While Yang Zhankui was beating his frostbitten feet, he took out a small pipe from his arms and started smoking by covering it with his hand.

"Team leader, it's so late and you're still smoking." "Xiao Li, we can't let the enemy deprive us of our freedom to smoke. Smoking a pack of cigarettes warms us up and gives us energy. I'll finish this pack and you can smoke too."

"Team leader, you are so calm."

"The calmer we are, the more nervous the enemy will become."

After repelling the enemy's sixth charge, they had no more ammunition. Li Huiyou was anxious, his feet were numb from the cold, and he stomped on the ground.

now.

Xia Yuan led the remaining soldiers of the Third Company and, after hiding the supplies, continued to advance in depth, following the enemy's escape road to the south, and soon arrived near Qifeng Mountain.

It was late at night and the moonlight was dim when they heard gunshots and headed to the scene of the battle.

At this time, the enemy had just retreated from the mountain and was resting listlessly at the foot of the mountain, preparing to regroup and charge again.

The enemy's forces were small, about one or two hundred men.

He decisively led his men to encircle the enemy, and fired a barrage of grenades, quickly driving the enemy into flight.

Li Huiyou listened to the gunshots below and said in great surprise: "Team leader, is this our reinforcements?"

Yang Zhankui looked around, but the dark mountains and fields made it hard to see clearly: "It should be."

Soon, their squad leader went down to investigate. Not long after, when he came up again, he brought a group of unfamiliar comrades. Li Huiyou said happily: "They are really our reinforcements."

After everyone got to know each other, Yang Zhankui and his colleagues discovered that this unit was actually from the 112th Division, which surprised them very much.

Because the 112th Division is the reserve force. Could it be that the battle was so difficult that even the reserve force was mobilized?

Later we learned that it was the Songgufeng Special Merit Company, and that they were approved by their superiors to participate in the battle independently.

This made them very envious, as it was a huge honor.

With the support of the third company, the enemy realized that the situation was hopeless and retreated into the mountains and forests.

Overall, this battle was still not ideal. Although the 340th Regiment reached the designated location on time and intercepted the enemy, it only reported to the division once since breaking through the 38th parallel. Because the radio station was damaged, it had not been able to get in touch with the division. The division also did not know that the 340th Regiment had occupied Qifeng Mountain, and failed to allow other troops to move closer.

Thirty-three hours later, the radio was repaired and the division learned that the 340th Regiment had occupied Qifeng Mountain, but it was too late. The enemy had broken through the defense line and fled south through other roads in the mountains.

The Second Battalion of the regiment changed its route and entered Songnae-ri from the north of Qifeng Mountain, thus losing the opportunity to reinforce the First Battalion and thus achieving a greater victory.

Afterwards, the division issued combat missions to the 340th Regiment and conveyed the missions to the 3rd Company, asking them to cooperate with the 340th Regiment in its operations.

At 3 a.m. on the 3rd, when the th Regiment approached Shuiluo Mountain, part of the th Division of the US Army occupied the commanding heights of Shuiluo Mountain in an attempt to stop the advance of the Volunteer Army.

The 340th Regiment then began to attack the defending enemy. Under the cover of a large number of aircraft and artillery fire, the enemy made a desperate struggle. In order to effectively strike the enemy, the regiment braved the bombing of enemy aircraft, disassembled the artillery and transported it to a high ground where it was reassembled for firing, which effectively supported the assault of the attacking forces.

Under the leadership of Xia Yuan, the Third Company fought more and more courageously. Before the artillery support of the 340th Regiment could be obtained, they had already broken through the enemy's front-line positions and engaged in a fierce battle with the enemy. On the frozen hillside, Xia Yuan led the soldiers to charge.

The second platoon leader died in the charge, and the soldiers' hearts were filled with passion, vowing to take down this enemy group.

The battle lasted until dusk, when the enemy's attack failed and they retreated hastily towards Seoul.

The 340th Regiment successfully occupied Shuiluo Mountain and covered the army advance team's passage through Shuiluo Mountain. The third company had strong combat effectiveness and accompanied the army advance team to Seoul.

During the march, some soldiers' legs and feet were frozen and they could not walk. The team could not carry them on its back while continuing to move forward, so it had to discuss with the local people and leave the soldiers with disabilities behind.

The local people were very enthusiastic and agreed to the advance team's request, saying they would take good care of them.

The advance team did not know that there were still two American soldiers left in the village at the time, and the local people did not offend each other, which was a common occurrence in guerrilla areas.

Fortunately, the wounded on both sides did not meet each other and were in peace. After four battles, the two wounded recovered and returned to the team safely.

Zhang Kuiyin is the captain of the advance team. He gets along very well with Xia Yuan. He is a talented and courageous commander and is loved by everyone.

They passed Uijeongbu and searched towards Seoul, where they discovered an enemy supply station. The numerous rice, flour and oil barrels here were about two kilometers long, one hundred meters wide, and three stories high.

It seems that the enemy intends to hold the 38th parallel for a long time, but they withdrew from the 38th parallel just as the supplies were transported here, and now they have sent planes to bomb the abandoned supplies.

When the advance team arrived near Seoul, they could still see a huge fire burning in Uijeongbu.

After dusk, the advance team stopped at Chilsaeng Mountain, more than ten kilometers away from Seoul. There was a large round cliff on the mountain and a mountain spring under the stone. According to local people, drinking the water here can cure diseases.

There is a temple on the Seven Sacred Mountains, where monks preside over the incense burning.

After they settled down, they planned how to enter Seoul. Xia Yuan volunteered to serve as the platoon leader of the reconnaissance platoon and led a platoon to search the city and make a decision after finding out the situation.

Xia Yuan and his team entered quite smoothly. The enemies were fleeing, and there were traces of destroyed supplies and discarded broken guns everywhere.

After reconnaissance outside the city, he led his men back and said, "The city is in chaos. The enemy is busy retreating and the defensive formation is in disarray."

Zhang Kuiyin said: "It seems that the enemy has no intention of holding on and is preparing to abandon the city and flee."

At the same time, he reported the situation to the army to avoid preparations to enter the city.

Comrade Liang replied, and the advance team immediately crossed the Han River from the ferry east of Seoul, seized the beachhead, and covered the follow-up troops crossing the river.

After receiving the order, Zhang Kuiyin gave up the idea of ​​entering the city and immediately set out to the east of Seoul. However, not long after, due to changes in the situation, he returned to the Seven Sacred Mountains to await orders.

At this time, the enemy was in disarray and was more panic-stricken than a frightened bird.

Ridgway recalled: "On the morning of New Year's Day, I drove out of Seoul from the north and saw a depressing picture. North Korean soldiers were rushing south in a continuous stream of trucks. They had no order, no weapons, no leadership, and were in a complete retreat."

"Some soldiers fled here on foot or in various requisitioned vehicles. They had only one thought - to escape as far away from the Chinese army as possible. They threw away their rifles and pistols, and abandoned all artillery, mortars, machine guns and weapons operated by several people."