afterglow

Chapter 531 The cruelest battle; who should surrender?

The average width of the Kaukonawa River is only thirty meters, and it can only be regarded as a stream at best.

The 9th Infantry Regiment, the only main force of the U.S. 47th Infantry Division, selected an area with a front width of meters as a storm target. Two companies went into battle together, and the remaining four companies followed closely behind, ready to take over at any time.

On its two wings, the other two companies were responsible for assisting the attack and containing nearby Ming army units for reinforcements.

Brigadier General Jacob Devers' determination was very firm, and the division's 15th Combat Engineer Battalion also entered the battle. Under the cover of their own fire, they set up pontoon bridges despite incoming bullets, and even directly participated in the battle carrying large amounts of explosives and blasting canisters. Cooperate with the infantry to break through the Ming army's positions.

"Sergeant, bring your men over here for the ropes, we need more ropes and oil drums!"

"Roger that, Lieutenant!"

"David is down! Medic! Medic!"

The empty oil barrels were pushed down the river by US military engineers and then connected together using ropes to form the foundation of the pontoon bridge.

More than twenty M2A1 half-track armored vehicles were parked in a preset position on the east bank of the Kaukonawa River, about 7.62 meters away from the river. The 12.7mm and mm heavy machine guns on the roof of the vehicles were firing continuously and long bursts.

The forward firing boundary was originally cleared by the Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers, and barbed wire fences and mines were placed in front of the position. However, the high-intensity shelling basically destroyed them - this is one of the main functions of artillery preparation.

Occasionally, a combat defense team uses Type 14.4 combat defense guns to focus on an armored vehicle. The mm armor-piercing tracer bullet penetrates bulletproof glass or weak steel plates and kills the members in their iron coffins, or ignites them. Combustibles inside.

"We need to take this place! Byron, take your men to the trenches to clear out the Chinese, and the rest keep moving forward, you hear me?!"

"Yes, sir!"

After forcibly crossing the Kaukonawa River, as long as they rush through an open area of ​​tens of meters, they will be the Ming army's position.

When the disgraced Wang Qixian struggled to crawl out of the mud, dozens of U.S. infantrymen almost leaned in front of him.

The bullets flying from the direction of the Ming army's position on the west bank hit the armored vehicles with jingling sounds, and a few sparks burst out from time to time.

Only now did two platoons of American troops approach the position.

The first team to bear the brunt was the 60nd Battalion and 155st Team of the 203th Regiment of the rd Marine Brigade. Their position was bombarded by thousands of artillery shells of different calibers in just half an hour, ranging from mm to mm. A mm train survived. The cannon also fired several times during this period.

Without any chance to breathe, the two sides immediately started throwing grenades at each other. The Ming-made Type 18 and the American-made MkII grenades flew back and forth over the river beach, like beach volleyball.

He pushed away the unresponsive private, then picked up his submachine gun and pulled the trigger forward to shoot.

This distance was chosen after the US military paid tuition fees for the destruction of several armored vehicles and more than 20 casualties - those armored vehicles destroyed by rocket launchers and recoilless rifles on the river beach are still burning.

The second platoon next door joined the enemy later, because the three rapid fire rounds of the 64mm mortar suppressed the US infantry unit here, and they were also unlucky to trigger an anti-infantry jumping mine. Even the Ming army's He killed a dozen people without even meeting him.

The GMC half-track armored vehicle equipped with a 75mm field gun was parked further away, aiming at any exposed Ming army machine gun fire points and firing.

Under such intense devastation, the position was filled with smoke and dust, and more than half of the transportation trenches, firepower points, and anti-gun holes were blown down, and the entire position was torn to pieces.

Soldier Wang Qixian was buried by artillery shells together with his gun in the collapsed shell-proof hole. Private soldiers from another fighting position ten steps away rushed to dig up the earth to rescue him.

The dense gunshots of "ta-da-da-da" resounded on both sides of the Kaukonawa River, and countless dazzling tracer bullets flew left and right!

U.S. soldiers used large and small craters as cover, "jumped" intermittently forward one after another, and then launched an impact at a very close distance.

One row was the first to engage in the battle. More than thirty enemy soldiers swarmed forward, shouting and screaming, shooting as they walked. If you listen carefully, you can indeed hear a very faint crisp sound, which is the sound of the Garand semi-automatic rifle ejecting the empty clip.

A magazine of thirty rounds of 9.6×20mm bullets was used up in one swipe of the finger. The enemy soldiers who were shot fell down like wheat cut by a scythe. Three or four people were on the ground howling miserably and calling for help.

At this time, multiple armored vehicles would hurriedly turn their guns and pour bullets desperately toward the dazzling muzzle flash and dusty direction in the distance, hoping to suppress the ghostly Ming army combat defense teams.

Under the greetings of non-commissioned officers and officers, some people broke into the position in an attempt to clear the trenches, while the rest jumped over the trenches and moved forward to search in depth.

The position was filled with gunfire that was as dense as popping beans. Wu Hong, deputy corporal of the second platoon's second squad, was shot through in the left calf, and bright red blood trickled out.

The medical soldier's special shoulder bag contains tampons for packing and stopping bleeding, but the individual soldier's first aid kit is not that complete. Wu Hong cut off a section of the bandage with a bayonet, wrapped it around a rifle round, then inserted it into the wound, and then wrapped it with the bandage.

Suddenly, the grenadier who had been shot in the head collapsed to the ground. Wu Hong picked up the rifle from his still twitching body, dragged his left leg a few steps to the side, and shot towards the corner of the trench on the left. A rifle grenade.

"Bang! Boom!"

After the grenade hit the side wall of the trench, it fell to the ground and rolled several times. The explosion and screams sounded almost at the same time, and several enemy soldiers were instantly swallowed up by the smoke!
The U.S. infantry that broke into the position was like an ice blade. After being pierced into the hot molten iron, it quickly evaporated, but a steady stream of follow-up troops were still coming across the river.

"Are we facing a desperate battle now?!" Seeing that the tactical reserve team sent for reinforcements not long ago was all gone again, a battalion commander said in disbelief.

"There are people left behind in the mainland, who are they?" Cheng Maochang glared and slammed the table, "The flag is still there and the people are there, but we won't give an inch!"

By 13:10 in the afternoon, all the forward positions of the rd Marine Brigade and th Marine Regiment had fallen, and the main position changed hands twice.

A U.S. combat patrol even unexpectedly penetrated into the No. 1 oblique position from the weak point of the defense line and raided two mortar bunkers. The artillerymen who were caught off guard were killed and injured many people, and the mortars inside were also blown up. .

Angry, Cheng Maochang sent a chemical defense platoon and a military police platoon to clear out the troops - this is now the only tactical reserve team left in the regiment.

"Let's go, burn them to death!!!"

"Fuck you! Come on!"

"This should be called 'roasting foreigners alive'."

A dazzling light suddenly appeared, and two blazing fire dragons appeared!
The American soldiers were driven out of the trenches by flamethrowers. A few firemen were running around in the rough fields, and more than ten people were killed by Ming army military police with heavy machine guns while fleeing...

The fighting on the ground was so fierce that the sky over Oahu was also affected by the smoke.

The planes of both sides were taking off non-stop, launching a dizzying fight in the vast blue sky. The downed aircraft fell into the distance dragging black smoke, or disintegrated and fell into pieces on the spot.

The south and east sides of the Ming army's defense area were attacked successively. As of the afternoon, only the west side had received the weakest attack intensity.

In order to concentrate his troops on the front as much as possible, Zhou Changfeng's deployment on the west side was rather special. It consisted of multiple warning positions, solid support points, and bunkers, rather than being connected into a whole defense line.

Therefore, the total strength in the west is only the third battalion of the 136st Regiment of the 136th Division and the division's scout battalion, totaling about people, and is temporarily codenamed Xishan Cluster. The most important one is a small hill at the northeastern foot of the Waianae Ridge. On the map drawn by the Ming army, its elevation is , so it is called Highland.

There is a commanding height behind the highland that is also under the control of the Xishan Cluster. Zhou Changfeng thinks this place is very tricky - not only does it have a wide range of shooting, but it also has a certain back slope.

So a small group of selected capable soldiers accepted the mission. They climbed up the rugged mountains, disassembled a 12.8mm anti-aircraft machine gun and a 20.8mm anti-aircraft cannon and brought them up.

The effective range of small-caliber anti-aircraft guns when firing flatly can reach 1800m, and anti-aircraft machine guns can also reach 1200m. They can suppress invading enemies to a great extent from a high position.

Several armored vehicles mainly equipped by the US military are as fragile as tofu in the face of armor-piercing tracer bullets and armor-piercing incendiary bombs. As for the infantry units, there is no way to counter this high-altitude commanding height.

Three hundred meters southeast of the commanding heights is Highland 136. More than people from the Third Battalion of the st Regiment stayed up almost all night, taking turns to build fortifications. A solid circular position was arranged around this small hill and completed. Various calculations of various direct fire support firepower were made.

The bright sunshine in the afternoon shines on the mountains, and the shadows are mottled. The foothills of Waianae Ridge are covered with green grass, shrubs, cypress trees, and box trees. Being in it feels like arriving in a paradise.

It was so peaceful here, and the fight of blood and fire had nothing to do with it. It was in complete contrast to the sound of gunfire and shouts of killing that lasted for a long time a few kilometers away.

"Good news Lieutenant Colonel, the enemy resistance is very light and we are continuing to advance."

"Pay attention to their tricks. I don't think those guys will give up resistance easily. This is probably a trap."

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Schink is the current commander of the 501st Airborne Regiment. He was ordered to attack the left flank of the Ming army along the foothills and continue to exert pressure.

However, the operations throughout the morning went surprisingly smoothly. Although they encountered several patrols and security positions of the Ming army, they were only minor troubles.

The lieutenant colonel was very vigilant, but the grassroots officers and soldiers below did not think so.

The bravery of the own fleet and the ferocious offensive of the rest of the land forces excited the soldiers to the extreme. Many people firmly believed that the invaders on the opposite side had reached the end of their strength and were just holding on. As long as they continued to exert pressure, they would soon collapse.

"Guys, they have only two choices, either surrender! Or go to hell to meet Satan!" A corporal waved.

The soldiers laughed, but soon one of them said: "But they have their own gods, and they don't believe in God or Satan."

"Then who is their god in charge of hell?"

During the chat, two platoons of U.S. paratroopers approached the position on Hill 136 little by little in search formation. They were already halfway up the hill.

The soldiers of the Ming army maintained maximum restraint. The safety guards of their rifles, submachine guns, light machine guns, and heavy machine guns were all turned off. Everyone breathed carefully, for fear that the range would be too large to affect their aim.

It wasn't until he was able to see the faces of the enemy soldiers at an extremely close distance that a captain on the main position pulled the trigger of the signal gun toward the sky.

"call out--"

The moment the red signal flare took off, light and heavy firepower started immediately, and dense 7.36mm infantry ammunition and 64mm mortar shells rained down on the dozens of enemy soldiers.

The original peace and tranquility were suddenly torn apart at this moment. The US paratroopers who were suddenly hit had no power to fight back and could only lie down on the ground and find cover to hide nearby.

Many people were killed by booby traps placed in piles of rocks and depressions by the Ming army, and a life-and-death crisis suddenly enveloped this reconnaissance team.

However, blocked by light and heavy firepower, two platoons of U.S. paratroopers were unable to advance or retreat. Ming army snipers who did not know where they were always shot at random, specifically targeting officers and non-commissioned officers.

Company B, which was trying to rescue, was also strafed by anti-aircraft guns from the commanding heights midway. It suffered heavy casualties and was forced to throw smoke grenades and retreat in a hurry.

The remaining trapped paratroopers were wiped out half an hour later, with only a few taking advantage of the chaos to escape.

Lieutenant Colonel Robert Zink quickly organized a formal attack, and the 34th Field Artillery Battalion was ordered to provide support. Hundreds of rounds of 105mm high-explosive bombs blasted Hill 136 into a mess.

However, the 501st Airborne Regiment was obviously a little impatient, and the artillery preparations before the attack did not last long. This may have something to do with the style of the paratroopers.

Although most of the minefields and obstacles on the front were destroyed, the minefields on both sides of Highland 136 were almost intact.

At 16:00, the U.S. paratroopers who launched attacks from three directions showed commendable tenacity and bravery and continued to advance against the fire net intertwined by various weapons.

However, the landmines that exploded one after another caused heavy casualties to them. The commander of Company C was killed on the spot by a jumping mine. The attack on the left wing had to be suspended. The attack on the right wing was also forced to be suspended after four minutes. The US paratroopers could only use blasting tubes a little. Clear the minefield bit by bit.

The frontal attack seemed to be quite successful, at least they broke into the Ming army's position.

The U.S. military continuously deployed four companies to carry out successive attacks. The main position was subjected to tons of steel and explosives. The reserve assembly area on the reverse slope was also bombarded by mortars. The deputy battalion commander died of serious injuries.

Such a desperate and ferocious offensive soon triggered brutal hand-to-hand combat. All Ming Dynasty officers and soldiers on the high ground suffered casualties, and the main position was in danger.

Blocked by U.S. military blocking artillery fire, only one-third of the reserve team arrived. As soon as they climbed to the top of the mountain, they passed through the thick smoke and launched a counterattack against the U.S. paratroopers on the main position!
"Paratroopers? Drive them down the mountain and see if they can fly!"

"kill!"

"Here they come! Reinforcements are here!"

The few remaining officers were leading the attack. Seeing the timely arrival of reinforcements, the morale of the remaining Ming soldiers on the main position soared. The two groups of people soon merged together, and in the blink of an eye it turned into a bloody hand-to-hand battle!
The officers and soldiers of the Ming Dynasty fought bravely, but more and more American troops rushed to Hill 136, and follow-up troops were constantly following up.

At the critical moment, Liu Changlun, the main shooter of the heavy machine gun, who had been hit in the abdomen by a shell fragment and fainted due to excessive blood loss, woke up slowly.

The deputy shooter and ammunition hand were dead beside him, several ammunition boxes were empty, and the half-collapsed bunker was full of yellow bullet casings. Liu Changlun groped around with difficulty, and finally pulled out a bullet chain from the collapsed soil.

After a moment, this Type 37 heavy machine gun, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly rang again!
Flank fire is an extremely deadly threat. The American soldiers who were struggling to climb the hill were unprepared. At least ten of them were shot and rolled down the hillside...

At the same time, next to the command post at the northwest foot of Waianae Ridge, a burning SBD Dauntless dive bomber crashed here. A large ball of fire suddenly appeared. The ground shook and the mountains shook, causing a lot of damage to the top of the command post. dust.

Zhou Changfeng, who was slightly sleepy, yawned, stretched out his hand to wipe the map, and dusted off the dust covering the map.

Although the battle situation does not look good, the US military's offensive has obviously weakened, and it is estimated that it has probably exhausted its available troops.

While he was thinking, the communications staff officer wearing glasses suddenly walked in quickly and handed over a leaflet.

"Commander, there are several artillery shells that have fallen. They are propaganda shells, and they contain things like letters urging surrender. Would you like to take a look at them?"

(End of this chapter)