Changjin Lake: From Xinxingli to Seoul

Chapter 61 Twenty Rounds of Artillery Fire Provide Cover for the Steel Seventh Company!

Artillery position

"Brother, Lei Gong, Commander Kong Jie has agreed to my request!"

"Our Steel Seventh Company can take whatever cannons and shells we capture!"

Upon returning, Wu Wanli immediately said with delight.

"Really? You can just move in anywhere?!"

Lei Gong swallowed hard and asked.

"As long as we can carry it and it doesn't affect our march, it's fine!"

Wu Wanli nodded with a smile.

"Okay!"

"Those mortars with a lot of wear and tear, the old ones, just throw them aside!"

"Take whatever you like: the best ones, the biggest caliber ones, the ones you can carry around!"

Lei Gong shouted excitedly, like a happy child.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers in the artillery platoon immediately rushed towards the cannons with their eyes shining.

"Brother, the same goes for guns and ammunition; just take as much as you can."

Wu Wanli glanced at Wu Qianli and said.

"Fine! I won't stand on ceremony!"

"But Lao Yu, keep an eye on the comrades, don't let them all grab machine guns and submachine guns..."

"After all, accuracy and range are also important. In addition, if we take all of these, our logistics and personal ammunition will not be able to keep up."

Wu Qianli thought for a moment and then gave Yu Congrong some instructions.

"Don't worry, Company Commander, I know what the firepower is all about!"

"Pinghe's reconnaissance platoon is all armed with rifles to ensure range and accuracy, while our firepower platoon is all armed with submachine guns and machine guns!"

Yu Congrong leaned close to Wu Qianli's ear with a grin and offered his suggestion.

"I will join the army!"

"What do you mean by a reconnaissance platoon all carrying rifles!"

Pinghe hit Yu Congrong with a bullet casing and shouted loudly.

"Pinghe, when did you sneak over here!"

"Your reconnaissance platoon walks so quietly!"

Yu Congrong turned around and saw Pinghe standing behind him, and quickly said.

"nonsense!"

"If the reconnaissance platoon doesn't lie in wait, how can they conduct reconnaissance?"

"Company commander, we can't listen to his biased attitude!"

Pinghe turned to look at Wu Qianli and said.

"Old Yu, did you hear that?"

"The firepower platoon can focus on multiple heavy firepower points, but don't go too far. Go ahead."

Wu Qianli smiled and waved his hand.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Congrong and Ping He also led their men to select firearms and ammunition.

Soon after the Seventh Steel Company underwent reorganization, its firepower was upgraded once again.

The fire support platoon consists of three squads, each equipped with one M2 heavy machine gun, two Browning light machine guns, three Thompson submachine guns, and the rest of the equipment is Garand rifles.

The reconnaissance platoon consisted of three squads, each equipped with one Browning light machine gun and two Thompson submachine guns, while the rest of the men were equipped with half Springfield rifles and half Garand rifles.

The artillery platoon consists of six 81mm mortars and ten 60mm mortars.
In addition, each squad was equipped with one Browning light machine gun, two M3 submachine guns, and the rest of the rifles were Garand rifles.

It can be said that the current firepower of the Steel Seventh Company is stronger than that of a whole battalion of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army!

"Wanli, our firepower is strong, but will we be able to supply enough ammunition?"

Gao Daxing carefully touched a Garand rifle and asked.

"Don't worry, since Commander Kong Jie promised Wan Li, he will guarantee our ammunition supply."

"The 27th Army's logistics are more than enough to support a company equipped with American weapons."

"Besides, we've fought our way here, and there's always been a situation where we can't take everything we want. When have we ever run out of supplies?"

Yu Congrong, carrying a light machine gun, patted Gao Daxing on the shoulder and said.

"Company commander, we have received orders from above."

"After resting for eight hours, we'll head to Hagaru-ri!"

"It seems the 27th Army is about to join forces with other units to launch the decisive battle on the eastern front of Chosin Reservoir!"

Mei Sheng walked over at this moment and said.

"it is good!"

"Comrades, there's plenty of candy, chocolate, and canned meat to eat!"

"After eating, rest for seven hours, then head to Hagaru-ri immediately!"

Wu Qianli nodded slightly.

"Yes!"

The soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company were indeed starving. After agreeing, they sat down and began to eat heartily.

....................................

1st Marine Division Command
"Sir!"

"The troops in Liutanli and Xinxingli were besieged by the Chinese People's Volunteer Army!"

"The 5th Marine Regiment at Yudam-ri has suffered heavy losses and is on its way to Hagaru-ri, but it is still being blocked by the Chinese army. It is estimated that it will lose even more soldiers!"

"The Polar Bear Regiment in Xinxing, also known as the 31st Regiment, has been completely wiped out..."

The chief of staff of the 1st Marine Division handed over the battle report and said.

"what?!"

"completely annihilated!"

"How exactly was this battle fought?!"

Major General Smith, commander of the 1st Marine Division, slammed his fist on the table, stood up abruptly, and roared.

"Yes, General."

"Not long after the battle began, the 31st Regiment command lost contact, presumably because it was ambushed by a small unit of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army."

"Then the artillery positions also lost contact, presumably because they were also..."

The U.S. Chief of Staff lowered his head and said in a low voice.

"You mean, a small contingent of Chinese troops influenced the outcome of the Battle of Xinxingli?!"

"China actually has such an elite force?"

"What is the situation on the western front of Chosin Reservoir? Are we in the direction of the Volunteer Army's general offensive?"

Major General Smith looked intently at the battle map and asked.

"On the western front of Chosin Reservoir, the Ninth Army was also besieged."

"Damn the Chinese army, their marching speed is even faster than our mechanized troops!"

"One of their divisions made a rapid raid on Sansuoli and blocked Longyuanli, cutting off the Ninth Army's retreat!"

The U.S. Chief of Staff said in shock.

"What? The Ninth Army, equipped with mechanized armor, has been outflanked and surrounded by Chinese light infantry?!"

"Fuck you!"

"The Chinese army intends to fight a decisive battle on both the eastern and western fronts simultaneously, and wipe us out along with the Ninth Army!"

Major General Smith looked at the battle map of Chosin Reservoir and said with a hint of surprise.

"Sir, many Chinese military reconnaissance units have also appeared near Hagaru-ri. I estimate they will be coming over soon."

The U.S. military chief of staff added.

"Telegraph Tokyo immediately and tell General MacArthur that we need a large number of carrier-based aircraft and other air support!"

"Damn it, thank goodness I built the airport in Hagaru-ri beforehand. We still have a chance to extricate ourselves from this battle!"

Major General Smith gave the order.

"Yes, sir!"

The U.S. Chief of Staff immediately responded.

....................................

Hagaru-ri, 20 kilometers away
"Reporting, Company Commander, the unit ahead is an artillery battalion!"

Pinghe ran back and reported.

"Artillery battalion? Hmph!"

"I still remember when you said our casualties were glorious!"

Yu Congrong snorted coldly and muttered under his breath.

"Old Yu, we're all comrades in the revolutionary ranks, don't hold a grudge!"

Mei Sheng patted Yu Congrong on the shoulder and said.

"It's nothing, Instructor. I just... wanted to say something."

Yu Congrong turned his head to the side and explained.

At this moment, a military vehicle in front slowly stopped. Battalion Commander Yang, who was in the vehicle, saw the Steel Seventh Company and waved with a smile.

"Great! Qianli, your Seventh Steel Company is going to strike it rich this time!"

"With this firepower, even two battalions couldn't take you down, right?"

Battalion Commander Yang of the artillery battalion glanced at the equipment of the Steel Seventh Company and said enviously.

"Old Yang, you're just being hypocritical after getting a good deal!"

"You've all replaced your 75mm mountain guns with the American devils' 105mm howitzers, and you're still not satisfied?"

Wu Qianli smiled and looked at Battalion Commander Yang, saying, "Hahahaha..."

"We have to thank your Steel Seventh Company. If it weren't for you, we probably wouldn't have been able to save these artillery pieces!"

"And I heard that Commander Kong Jie specifically expanded the artillery regiment!"

"A 155mm howitzer, just hearing about it makes my mouth water!"

"Thank you so much, my dear brother, for seizing so many cannons for us!"

Battalion Commander Yang jumped out of the car, handed a cigarette to Wu Qianli, and even lit it for him.

"Old Yang, since our Steel Seventh Company has helped you so much, how about we bombard the direction of our attack a couple more times when we're fighting?"

Yu Congrong approached with a grin, his earlier disdain completely gone.

"Are these shells yours?"

"You say how much bombing, then we'll bomb!"

Battalion Commander Yang feigned seriousness, suppressing the upward curve of his lips, and spoke to Yu Congrong.

"Old Yang, I'm begging you."

"One round, just one more round will do..."

Seeing this, Wu Qianli took out the M1911 pistol and handed it over, saying sincerely.

"What are you doing? Bribing officials!"

Battalion Commander Yang couldn't help but laugh and said...

"Don't worry, without your Steel Seventh Company, we wouldn't have these cannons. I, Old Yang, am not a fool."

Battalion Commander Yang leaned closer to Wu Qianli, pushed the pistol back, and whispered.

"Thank you."

Upon hearing this, Wu Qianli grinned.

"Which one is Comrade Wu Wanli?"

Battalion Commander Yang looked up and searched among the Seventh Company's ranks.

"I'm."

Wu Wanli said.

"Well fought!"

"man!"

Battalion Commander Yang gave a thumbs-up, praised him, and then planned to continue the march.

However, at this moment, Wu Wanli's heart was pounding, and he felt uneasy when he looked up at the sky. He quickly said...

He knew that this was the battlefield threat detection system coming into play again!
"and many more!"

"Battalion Commander Yang, the artillery battalion's convoys must immediately disperse and find places to hide!"

Wu Wanli frowned and quickly warned.

"What happened? Why the rush?"

Upon hearing this, Battalion Commander Yang was slightly taken aback and asked.

"Battalion Commander Yang, it's broad daylight, and the convoy is brazenly towing artillery—it's far too risky!"

"I had a feeling something was going to happen after staying there for so long."

"Let's spread out and hide for now, and then we'll disperse and disguise ourselves to transport the goods later!"

Wu Wanli looked at the batch of cannons and said without any politeness.

Keep in mind that this is the strongest artillery firepower currently in the 80th Division.

If it gets bombed, the 80th Division will have to fight to the death to capture Hagaru-ri.

"Only someone like you...would I believe you!"

"Artillery battalion! Disperse and conceal your vehicles, and camouflage them properly!"

After hesitating for two seconds, Battalion Commander Yang immediately roared out the order.

If an ordinary soldier said that, Battalion Commander Yang would ignore it completely, or even scoff at it.

However, Wu Wanli became famous in the battle of Xinxingli. His tactical skills and battlefield judgment were almost unmatched, and he established great prestige!
"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the artillery battalion immediately moved all the cannons to different distances by vehicle and covered the cannons and vehicles with white cloth and snow.

After a period of time, the concealment was perfectly completed.

Battalion Commander Yang lay prone next to Wu Wanli, gazing intently at the sky.

"Wanli, I know you're doing this for the good of the artillery battalion, but isn't it a waste of time to keep doing this?"

Battalion Commander Yang looked at the fighter jets and said with some hesitation, "They haven't arrived yet."

"Ten minutes. If you're not here in ten minutes, you're leaving!"

Feeling an increasing sense of threat, Wu Wanli spoke with certainty.

And he remembered very clearly that the artillery battalion did indeed suffer this bombing during the original process.

"Okay! Let's just consider this a break, anyway..."

Battalion Commander Yang stretched and was talking.

"Air raid! Air raid is coming!"

At this moment, Pinghe was the first to react, pointing to the sky and saying.

Upon hearing this, everyone was startled and immediately looked up at the sky.

"Buzz buzz----"

At that moment, the sky seemed to be cleaved by invisible blades, and a sharp roar shattered the tranquility of the sky.

The massive American bombers pierced through the clouds with an imposing manner, sweeping across the sky like arrows.

The bomber's silhouette was projected onto the ground like a moving steel mountain, and the soldiers of the Steel Seventh Company and the artillery battalion brought a powerful sense of oppression.

Everyone who saw this looked at Wu Wanli in astonishment, their hearts filled with horror.

This is all the artillery firepower of the 80th Division; it's the source of their confidence for the attack!

If it weren't for Wu Wanli's reminder, these cannons would probably have been blown to smithereens by now!

"Don't find us, don't find us."

"The cannons we finally captured haven't even been warmed up yet..."

Battalion Commander Yang stared intently at the departing steel behemoth, silently praying.

US bombers in the sky

"Target not found, over."

"No target found, number two. Over."

"..."

"Damn it, is the intelligence wrong? Keep flying forward, we must destroy the Chinese army's heavy artillery, over!"

Soon, the American bombers could not find the artillery battalion. After exchanging information by radio, they flew away into the distance.

A faint smell of oil and soot filled the air, traces left by the bombers.

As the roaring sound gradually faded into the distance, Battalion Commander Yang finally breathed a sigh of relief and stood up with a sense of relief.

"Didn't I lie to you?"

Wu Wanli smiled slightly and said.

"I'm convinced, I, Old Yang, am truly convinced!"

"Without Wu Wanli's reminder, our 80th Division would have had to use mortars to cover the general offensive at Hagaru-ri!"

"Wu Wanli is a fucking battlefield genius!"

"If you had joined the army earlier, those Japanese devils wouldn't have had a chance!"

Battalion Commander Yang excitedly shook Wu Wanli's hand and praised him loudly.

"Hahaha... That's an exaggeration, Lao Yang."

Seeing that Battalion Commander Yang was so excited, Wu Qianli patted him on the shoulder and said.

"No exaggeration!"

"Qianli, Yu Congrong, I apologize to your Steel Seventh Company for some of the bad things I said before. I'm sorry!"

"Comrade Wu Wanli seized the cannons and saved the artillery battalion. I, Old Yang, will always remember this kindness!"

Battalion Commander Yang felt a pang of pain in his heart as he recalled his earlier words, and said with considerable guilt.

"It's alright, Lao Yang. We're all comrades fighting the American devils together, don't take it to heart!"

Mei Sheng quickly stepped forward to comfort him.

"It's just a couple of sentences. What grown man would remember them forever? He's long forgotten!"

Seeing this, Lei Gong also smiled and said.

"That's it."

Yu Congrong coughed twice and chimed in.

"Okay, okay, that's good."

Upon seeing this, Battalion Commander Yang expressed his gratitude.

"Alright, time is limited, it's time to go."

"Steel Seventh Company, check your equipment and continue marching!"

Wu Qianli estimated the time and quickly gave the order.

"Yes!"

Upon hearing this, the soldiers of the Seventh Steel Company quickly checked their weapons and ammunition, and after confirming that everything was in order, they continued their march toward Hagaru-ri.

"Company Commander Yang, see you in Hagaru-ri!"

"Remember to give our Steel Seventh Company a few more rounds of artillery fire."

Wu Wanli stayed until the end, pointed at Battalion Commander Yang with his finger and made a "two" gesture, then said...

"Don't worry, Comrade Wu Wanli, if it weren't for you, these cannons would have been gone long ago!"

"It's just twenty rounds of artillery cover, let's bombard them!"

Battalion Commander Yang steeled his heart and made up his mind.

(End of this chapter)