New World War II Eagle Strikes the Sky

The Germans did not do much damage to the airfield when they evacuated it, almost not at all - if poor maintenance is not counting beneficial damage.This is unlikely to be due to lack of time, Ron guessed, it is more likely to be a lack of manpower and supplies.There are only more than 4000 defenders in the city of Cherbourg, and there are not many people stationed at the airport.Coupled with the fact that this airport is too close to the sea, it has been suppressed by the aviation power of the Americans and the British for several months, and the deployment of German aircraft here has become extremely dangerous.So in the last month, this airport has actually been abandoned by the Luftwaffe.When the Allied forces attacked the airport, the guards at the airport did not even exceed a platoon, and they retreated after only a token resistance.

After the Allied forces occupied the airport, they immediately made small-scale repairs to the semi-abandoned airport.Then, the fleet of the 21st Attack Aircraft Wing began to land here.

It was already 81 o'clock in the afternoon when Ron drove the p-4 fighter jet to land on the airport.At this time, the people in the logistics department have been busy at the airport for a long time.They tidied up the pilot's lounge and swept it clean; they cleaned out the German galley and captured two big fat pigs in the pigsty behind the galley.The logistics personnel in charge of the electronic system are the most hectic, because they are not like the guys in front of them, they have ready-made things left by the Germans to use.When the personnel of the Luftwaffe left the airport, they took away all kinds of communication equipment.Moreover, even if the Germans keep these things here, because they are just different, the Americans will not use them well.So they have to re-erect these things themselves, which takes more time.Until Ron arrived, the entire system, except for the equipment related to take-off and landing, hadn't been installed yet.

This is a permanent airport.Pilot quarters and the like are of course readily available.Those places haven't been cleaned yet, but it's still early before dark, and the people in the logistics department told Ron that by night, these things will be taken care of.

At about 5 o'clock, six PA-47 attack aircraft also landed at this new airport.Then it was dragged by a tractor and driven into the hangar.The salt fog is very heavy in the seaside area, and the aircraft is parked in the open air, and various equipment is easily eroded by the salt fog and malfunctions.So in inland areas, planes can spend the night on the tarmac, but in coastal areas, planes are better off indoors.

By the time the attack planes were settled, the sky had already darkened.The supper was sumptuous because of the capture of the Germans' big fat pigs.But Ron couldn't eat the meal.Because he has now left the airport to attend a military conference in the Seventh Army.The Americans have just occupied this area, and have not yet wiped out all the remaining German troops on the outskirts of the city. There are still small groups of German troops operating in many places.So, when Ron and the others traveled this time, in addition to Ron's jeep, there were two M-4 tanks and a Dodge truck following them.Needless to say, the trucks were all heavily armed American soldiers.

Relying on such a lineup, ordinary small groups of stragglers naturally dare not come out to make trouble.So Ron arrived at the temporary headquarters of the Seventh Army safely.This headquarters was placed in a church in a small town less than ten kilometers away from the port of Cherbourg.Here Ron met General Collins, the youngest commander of the United States.

General Collins was nicknamed "Lightning Joe," which of course meant his speed.But Ron felt that this nickname could also be used to describe his speed of promotion.To say that this is not the first time Ron met General Collins, the first time Ron saw him was in Guadalcanal Island.In the later period of the Guadalcanal operation, the troops of the 25th Division of the Army began to gradually take over the defensive tasks of the 12st Marine Division.At that time, the commander of this division was Major General Collins.Two In just two years, he has become the commander of the Seventh Army.In the previous landing operation, it was the army under his command that successfully captured Utah Beach.Under Bradley [First Army Commander and No. [-] Army Group Commander] and Hodges [successor First Army Commander], he has been the most trusted army commander.In the end, the U.S. troops that joined forces with the Soviet army on the Elbe River were also the Seventh Army under his command.

The meeting started shortly after Ron arrived.

Collins is worthy of being "Lightning Joe". Although the main force of the Seventh Army has not yet arrived, Collins has already arranged several tentative attacks.And the information obtained in these tentative attacks has also been reflected on the large sand table placed in the middle of the combat conference room - the chapel of the church.

Collins' adjutant briefly introduced the situation of the German army on the opposite side, and then Collins asked the officers under his command to discuss the next attack strategy.

"General, according to the information we have, the number of enemy troops should not be too many. Compared with the defense of such a city, it is obviously insufficient. Tomorrow, various departments of our army will arrive one after another. I think we should take multiple assaults In this way, the enemy will have difficulties in the distribution of troops. Although their fortifications are very good, if they have insufficient troops, no matter how strong the fortifications are, what effect will they have?" said a staff officer.

"At sea, what kind of fire support can we get?" someone asked.

"The navy has sent a naval gun fire support unit. There are a total of 3 battleships, 4 cruisers, and 11 destroyers. They will all be in place by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning." Someone replied.

"Good guy, so many! The firepower of these guys can compare with our entire army!"

"For these guys in the navy, um, we still have to be careful. They are not our army's artillery, they just practice things like barrage advance. Moreover, the accuracy of naval guns is greatly affected by sea conditions, and has always been inferior to land artillery. .Especially the 127mm guns on the destroyers. In the case of high sea conditions, the spread is really scary! I don’t know who they are hitting. Those big guys on the battleships are even more terrible. , If it’s not good, we don’t even have a single battalion. So, those guns in the navy, everyone can’t regard them as cannons, they should, um, should be regarded as heavy bombers of the Army Aviation.” A guy may be in the navy After suffering the loss of a mistaken attack, such words came out immediately.

"We should require naval ships to only fire at targets we point out at them, or to fire at or return fire at enemy troops who fire at them. They are not allowed to fire at other targets by themselves," someone suggested.

"Right! We should send a liaison officer to every ship in the Navy."

"The air team first covers the firepower once, and then the navy covers the key targets again. Then we first launch a feint attack in the area that was hit just now, and then the troops from all directions launch a general attack from all directions. We have to fight until it gets dark tomorrow. , break into the urban area." Collins finally made a decision.Then he said to Ron, "By the way, General Ron, do you have any ideas about tomorrow's mission?"