Volume 1: The First Battle Chapter 17: Battle of Jiulong River (I)
The road from Wenjing to Longtoudong was the only way for the puppet Sixth Division to retreat. The road zigzags along the Jiulong River valley, forming two large bends. The Longxing River flows into the Jiulong River here, and a stone arch bridge is built at the intersection of the two rivers. This bridge is the focus of the volunteer soldiers' defense.
In fact, in the Korean War, once the enemy's position was known, it was easy to analyze the enemy's marching route, because both the US and South Korean troops could not march without roads. This allowed the volunteers to choose an ideal ambush location, build fortifications and wait for the enemy to come.
Just like this time, knowing that our army would be surrounded by enemy forces more than ten times its size, Captain Chu chose this terrain that was favorable to our army as the battlefield.
Experience is always the best. I waved the engineer shovel and shoveled up a piece of soil under my feet, then piled it in front of the trench and patted it down firmly. In my heart, I was still thinking about the troop deployment of Captain Chu.
After all, Commander Chu was a veteran who had fought against the Japanese and the Kuomintang. He dispersed the troops to the hills north of the stone arch bridge in companies and platoons. For example, my company was guarding the highest point closest to the bridge. I thought that if we didn't do this, but concentrated all the troops of a regiment on a hill, the enemy would only need to surround the foot of the hill and bombard them with planes and artillery, and the battle would be easily resolved.
But now, there are only a few hundred people on each hill, and some hills have only dozens of people. With such scattered personnel and so many high grounds guarded by the Volunteer Army, it is almost impossible for the enemy to resolve the battle with planes and artillery.
"Platoon Leader Cui!" The old squad leader patted my shoulder from behind.
"The trench is deep enough, dig deeper." The old squad leader pointed to the small hole he dug inside the trench, half a person high and one person deep, and said, "If we dig a small air-raid shelter like this and prop it up with a few logs, we won't have to worry about the Yankee planes and artillery! We'll also have a place to store our ammunition!"
"Oh, so there is this secret." I secretly praised in my heart. I was so busy thinking about my own things that I didn't notice this single-person air-raid shelter. It has a hole dug into the inner wall of the trench. Even if the bomb hits the trench directly, as long as it doesn't explode directly facing the air-raid shelter entrance, it is difficult to cause casualties to the soldiers hiding inside.
Moreover, the ammunition is safe inside and will not be accidentally detonated. People can even hide inside to rest, and it is windproof and rainproof. It has many advantages. No wonder in many battles of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, there were still soldiers who held their positions after the positions were bombed many times by the U.S. military.
"Platoon Leader Cui!"
Looking in the direction of the voice, I saw a few people sitting around a map on a hill not far behind me. I met them last night when Captain Chu held an emergency meeting to discuss my promotion to platoon leader. One of them, a tall and thin man, smiled and waved at me.
" Comrade, please take a seat!"
"Comrade, sit here!"
Before I got close, they enthusiastically gave up their seats. A short and sturdy soldier with a dirty face came up to me and pulled me to his side, making me feel a little embarrassed.
"Comrades!" The tall and thin man laughed, "Because the war was intense, we didn't get to know each other well, but you don't need me to tell you, you should all know this platoon leader Cui Wei Cui who broke !"
"How could I not know?" The soldier who pulled me to sit down laughed, "I was watching from the side. I was only a few meters away from Platoon Leader Cui. I tried to stand up and charge several times but was suppressed by enemy bullets. I never thought that Platoon Leader Cui would slide down like that! I will try this trick of Platoon Leader Cui tomorrow."
"Yes!" Another volunteer soldier with a mustache also looked at me with admiration and said, "Platoon Leader Cui's shooting skills are so accurate. He slid very fast on the snow and shot down one person with one shot. Later, he used both hands to strangle the necks of two puppet soldiers at the same time. I say, Platoon Leader Cui, you have to teach me this skill. I will worship you as my master!"
As he said this, he actually raised his hands to me and pretended that he wanted to become my disciple, which made everyone laugh. I was a little amused and didn't know how to respond.
"We don't have much time, let's get down to business!" The tall and thin man laughed for a while, then straightened his face and said, "Platoon Leader Cui is a newcomer. Let me introduce myself first. I am Zhang Shuguo, the captain of the second company, and this joker is Zhao Yongxin, the captain of the first platoon..."
"I'm Liu Mingquan, the platoon leader of the second platoon." Without waiting for the company commander to introduce me, the soldier sitting next to me smiled and stretched out his dirty hand to me. I shook it awkwardly and felt a layer of dirt on my hands.
It turned out that they were the company commander, deputy company commander, instructor, and platoon leaders. I couldn't help but feel ashamed. I had joined the company for almost two days. Although I had become familiar with the regiment commander and the political commissar, I had just met the backbone of my own company.
"Well! Let's talk business." Captain Zhang cleared his throat and pointed to the map in front of him and said, "This battle is not easy to fight! To the north, there is the main force of the puppet Sixth Division, and to the south there is the enemy's rescue force. Captain Chu estimates that there will be at least one division. Our company's mission is to hold the position and blow up the stone bridge over the Longxing River when the enemy's rescue force arrives, and cooperate with Hill 163 and Hill 219 to do our utmost to prevent the enemy from crossing the river. What do you think, comrades?"
"No problem!" Liu Mingquan raised his fist and said, "We will kill as many enemies as possible and make sure they don't cross the river!"
"Captain!" Looking at the road on the map passing between Hill 219 and Hill 121 where my company is located, I couldn't help but say excitedly, "What our army lacks most is bullets. Do you think we can blow up the bridge later, let some puppet troops cross the bridge, and then get some of their guns and ammunition?"
"No problem! I think so too." Captain Zhang nodded and said, "The enemy has many people. As the battle progresses, we will definitely run out of ammunition. It is only right to get some ammunition first."
"That's right!" Zhao Yongxin said with a smile, "If others can't cross the river, then of course those who do have to pay a bridge toll, just to show their appreciation!"
Zhao Yongxin's words once again caused everyone to laugh, and the atmosphere suddenly became very harmonious ! But what I didn't know was that my suggestion almost caused a big mess, and several volunteer soldiers were sacrificed for it, which made me regret it all the time in my future marching career.
