Chapter 137 Start of Action

Gus got a day's vacation from the hospital. He took a ride back to Aldburn, but Company E was no longer here. He learned from a left-behind officer that Company E was at Momberley Airport, waiting to participate in a major operation.

"Second-class soldier Forrest? Gu Si!" When Gus was about to look for a hitch a ride to Momberley, he heard someone calling him behind him.

He turned around and saw a face that he didn't want to see - Herb? Sober.

Gu Si frowned, and then when Captain Sobo came to him, he saluted him and said, "Captain!"

Shober nodded to him and said, "You just came out of the hospital? Stealing away? Do you know what kind of stupid thing you have done? You are not going out. It's against military discipline.

Gu Si's face changed. He was suddenly a little afraid. If this guy told the secret, he would have to go back to the hospital and may even be sent to the military court. He knew that this guy was not a good guy.

"I just don't want to miss it!" Gu Si said hesitantly, "I don't want to be sent to another unit. I want to be with the brothers of Company E, sir!" Gu Si knew that if he could not return for 90 days, he would be sent to other units when he was able to fight again. This is unacceptable to him anyway.

Sorber looked at him and suddenly smiled and said, "What are you doing? Want a ride? Well, I'm about to deliver the package to Memberley Airport, so I can take you with me!"

"Your officer?" Gu Si couldn't believe his ears, and he looked at Thorber doubtfully.

"Let's get on the car. It's the big truck. There is still room behind the car. Go find it yourself. We're leaving soon!" Sober glanced at Guth and turned to the big truck.

On September 17, 1944, it was a beautiful day at the end of summer in northwest Europe, and there was no wind in the cloudless sky. Twenty-four airports in the central region of the south of the United Kingdom are busy. The ground staff and the airborne troops and glider troops on board make the airport look dense. From the airborne navigation aircraft flying through the air, they are simply a group of ants.

"E Company brothers, board the plane!" Captain Winters still shouted loudly to the skydiving captain of each E company's boarding team as if he were landing in Normandy, reminding them. Then he stood at the hatch and personally pulled every soldier in the same plane onto the plane.

At 10 a.m., the plane began to start. A huge roar suddenly swept through the entire Momberley Airport, and the fuselage of the C-47 suddenly trembled, and then began to slide forward. Then the nose of the plane went up, as if it was about to break free from the shackles of the fat swan, dragging its heavy body and sliding into the sky. From his wings, the black planes were like locusts, covering the sky.

1131 fighters, 1,545 transport aircraft, and another 478 towed gliders took off from 24 airports in the central part of the south of the United Kingdom and flew west to the North Sea along two routes. The largest airborne battle of the Allies kicked off.

"Boom!" The sound of ground anti-aircraft guns came out, and then the smoke exploded in the air. The voice was very sparse. Obviously, this action was completely unexpected by the Germans. They were completely unprepared at all. But then came the roaring sound of the fighters, and the anti-aircraft fire on the ground soon became hoarse under the shooting of the fighters.

The formation of the aircraft was very calm, without any panic or disrupting the formation, which was completely different from the panic when landing in Normandy. This is a good start for all the soldiers who participated in the airborne.

The green light for skydiving is on. Winters shouted to the brothers in the cabin: "Let's jump!" With that, he plunged into the blue sky. Without ground fire, no flustered German MG42 machine gun, everyone landed smoothly in the predetermined skydiving area.

"Oh, God, there are German armored vehicles!" Picak, who was still floating in the air, saw a nearby road with seven or eight German tanks in the air. He suddenly became very worried. If they attacked them before they landed or landed, it would undoubtedly be a disaster.

"Wow--" The sound of a few fighters flying by, and then several fighters dropped bombs on those armored vehicles. There was a continuous explosion. Suddenly, five armored vehicles were hit by fire, and the other two wanted to escape. They were hit by the fighters who rushed behind with rockets. The gas caught fire, and several The German climbed out of the chae and was immediately shot by the plane's machine gun bullets, and a German [***] official was hit twice by bullets.

"Oh - long live, we air warriors!" Picak cheered loudly. Obviously, this is the beginning of an exciting battle for skydivers, which seems to be a good start.

The parachute is like a flower blooming in the sky, and then gently falls to the ground. The soft soil gives the falling paratroopers a very comfortable feeling.

Winters quickly packed up his umbrella, and then began to shout loudly: "E Company, gather!"

"Hurry up, brother!" Paul? After Rogers fell down, he looked at Gu Si, who was limping on his leg, and said with a smile, "Come back and jump by sky. Aren't you used to it? You really shouldn't have come out."

Gu Si sorted out the equipment and followed him, "Rogers, I don't want to be assigned to other units. I want to be with my brothers. My injury is completely healed!" The bullet went through, and I should have come back long ago!"

"Okay, let's hurry up. Captain Winters is calling us!" Rogers took Gus's arm and ran to the assembly point with him. The brothers of Company E were the first to gather, which reflected their superior quality than other companies.

The mission of the 101st Airborne Division is the 15-mile-long road of Eanderhofen-Weigherr, which was later known as Hell's Highway. The five hundred feet of land around the highway is a low-lying and flat land, most of which are swampy wetlands. The streams and rivers surround this land, and the terrain point is the bridge over the river barrier. Rows of shrubs and woods, like the fences of Normandy, shortened the horizon to only a few hundred yards, and the vehicles left the road and immediately fell into the mud. This kind of terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack.

The mission of the U.S. airborne forces is to control the roads and many bridges above to open roads for the British 30th Army. With the Guards Armored Division as the vanguard, the army will go to Anum and cover the entire Lower Rhine region.

The landing of Company E is 30 kilometers from the front line and about 15 kilometers from the north of Eindhofen. The primary target of the 506th regiment was Thorne, followed by Eindhofen, which determined that it must march south first. The whole regiment began to move. The first battalion crossed the field to the west of the road, the second battalions advanced along the road, and the third battalion was behind the palace. The marching sequence of the 2nd Battalion is: Company D, followed by Company E, Battalion and Company F.

Company D is advancing on the highway, while Company E is on the flank of Company D, followed by the battalion headquarters and Company F. The flank of Company E is a piece of farmland, and it feels very soft when walking on it.

"The great war has begun!" Nixon walked beside Winters. He rushed to the front from the rear battalion. He just wanted to march with Winters.

"Yes, a great war. I hope everything goes well!" Winters nodded.

Nixon also nodded: "I hope Reis can successfully meet the British First Airborne Division. This is their only chance!"

Winters did not answer immediately. After walking for a while, he suddenly said to Nixon, "Nick, why did Parks ask a platoon of brothers to participate in this operation!"

Nixon was stunned, and then immediately realized the problem: "I also feel very strange. If I simply carry out a reconnaissance mission, it is obvious that there are too many people. You mean..."

"Yes, I just noticed this problem now. If it's just a simple investigation, there won't be a platoon. Unless Parks had a plan or expectation, he must know that even if they detect real intelligence, they may not be adopted by the proud British. They won't do it for a lieutenant. Give up the whole huge battle plan. So, Parks must have his plan!"

Nixon smiled and said, "In that case, what else do we have to worry about him?"

"Yes, now we should frown for our task. Obviously, Parks's intelligence is accurate, and the Germans will not make us feel better!" Winters nodded and then looked at the endless road, with some uneasiness in his heart.

As Winters expected, Parks did expect that they were now quietly ambushing around the Arnam Bridge. He and Wales were lying in the front, behind them were all the brothers in a row disguised with weeds. They held their breath and waited quietly.

"There is nothing to do with the Germans!" Wales put down the telescope, then handed it to Parks and whispered, "They behaved as if they were on vacation, leisurely. I really envy them!"

Parks took the telescope and looked at it, and then whispered, "Before the war, it will always be more peaceful, so that the war can reflect its cruel surname."

"Wonderful theory!" Wales smiled.

Then when he has to say something else. There was a faint roar in the sky. He turned around in surprise and looked at the sky to the north of the bridge, where a large group of black clouds floated faintly.

"It's the sound of an airplane!" Although the sound was not loud, Wales quickly judged the characteristics of the sound.

Parks nodded, then looked at his pocket watch and said with a smile, "Yes, it's an airplane, a fighter, a C-47 transport plane, and a lot of gliders. Operation Garden has begun, Harry!"

Sure enough, the sound became louder and louder, and gradually became a huge roar, and then the huge black cloud became closer and closer, and it became clearer and clearer that it was a huge group of Allied aircraft.

"It's so spectacular!" Wales couldn't help admiring, "This is a great action!"

Parks shook his head and said, "This is also a huge and failed operation. Harry, don't forget the German armored cluster. They waited quietly here, then waited for the British to land, and then surrounded them and devour them one by one with these steel beasts. The failure of the British is obvious.

"What should we do?" Wales couldn't help laughing bitterly, "We only have one row, and we can't do anything!"

Parks smiled and said, "Let the British suffer enough. Let's save them again and let them know that they are so wrong!"

(to be continued)