Chapter 51: The Bloody Battle of Ping'an Village 6
Support new people
When the US 5th Cavalry Regiment with over 7,000 men crossed the Han River from Yipuri at 17:00 on the 14th and rushed to support Jeopyeong-ri, our army's general offensive against Jeopyeong-ri was about to start. The cannons were loaded with shells fitted with fuses, and the artillery had already aimed at the targets designated during the day. The tanks, which had replenished their ammunition after consuming it the previous night, waited in the forest at the foot of the mountain, with the vehicle commanders' hands on the starting levers. The infantrymen quickly entered the attack position along the repaired trenches and communication tunnels. Everything was ready to go, waiting only for a single order from the wounded Gaoquan in the command post. To continue commanding the battle without returning to the rear to receive emergency treatment, Gaoquan, who had used up all his penicillin, now had thick bandages wrapped around both thighs. With the help of guards, he took some anti-inflammatory medication and stood by the telephone, intently watching the ticking seconds quickly approaching 18:00.
Freeman and Jack, poking their heads out of the bunker, gazed at the setting sun rushing down the mountain, thinking about last night's stormy attack, couldn't help but feel a chill. Thinking about tonight's breakout, they couldn't help but laugh and cry, how many people would break through? The remaining mortar had concentrated all the enemy's remaining shells in front of it, and the soldiers also quietly stayed in the bunker after loading the remaining few bullets, waiting for that one command.
At 18:00, the command to "open fire" was given, and immediately, clusters of white smoke and scarlet flames burst forth from the three artillery groups. The sound arrived slightly later, a deafening roar that seemed to shake the entire sky, accompanied by the piercing whine of shells cutting through the air. It was as if the sky itself had become a giant drumhead, pounded relentlessly by countless massive hammers, causing the eardrums to ache and the ground beneath to shudder violently. The sky turned red from the intense artillery fire. About ten seconds later, the enemy's position erupted in a blaze of light and smoke, which quickly transformed into a sea of flames and a thick fog of smoke. The shockwaves from the explosions ravaged the white "banana leaves" like a stormy tempest, while more shells created massive craters on the enemy's position, rendering it impassable for humans. Several 155mm howitzers scored direct hits on the enemy's bunkers, sending blood-soaked debris flying everywhere. The artillery barrage lasted over 30 minutes, and just as the enemy was suffering heavy losses, their planes arrived to provide support, dropping flares that illuminated the night sky with an eerie white glow.
Suddenly, Gao Quan realized that something was wrong and his body was wracked with pain as he shouted into the phone "Zhang Da Biao, Zhao Zi Long, Shen Fei Hu, you must attack immediately, no tank support, regardless of casualties, just attack the enemy!" Hearing Gao Quan's anguished cry, several regimental commanders gave orders for their troops to launch a swift attack under the cover of mortar and machine gun fire. Dense flames illuminated the advancing road, while explosions from mortar shells covered the rapid charge of the independent division officers and men.
However, the US military in the bunker also rushed out after the arrival of the plane, and the two armies that had not opened fire quickly exhausted their ammunition and engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Feng Gui led the officers and men of the assault regiment to insert directly into the enemy's flank from the side, and the tens of meters distance allowed the firepower of the submachine guns to be perfectly demonstrated. The firepower of dozens of submachine guns quickly suppressed the enemy who was still resisting, and the sandbags of the machine gun bunker were shot into a sieve by dense bullets. Then, a grenade or 60 rocket tube swept out the fire points that hindered the advance of our army one by one. As a result, this small team with close cooperation quickly inserted into the middle of the enemy's position. The follow-up troops also followed up quickly, and the panicked enemy was soon cut off, with enemies everywhere and dense hand grenade explosions everywhere. In this environment, the US military still had to pay attention to whether there were falling hand grenades around them, while the bullet rain shot out by the small teams of enemies that flashed from time to time was a nightmare. Tense Freeman and Jack held M1 Thompson submachine guns and M1911 pistols tightly behind dozens of officers and men of the regimental search company, venturing through the hand grenades that exploded from time to time around them, and 60 artillery shells were firing wildly everywhere, trying to find a direction without our army.
The plane that had just flown in from the sky was shocked to find that the enemy and our army were fighting fiercely below, with explosions everywhere, flames everywhere, and it was impossible to distinguish between friend and foe. The battle was intense, the enemy was getting fewer and fewer, being suppressed and divided into smaller and smaller pieces, waiting to be annihilated.
Gao Quan, who had just taken some medicine for his burn and was feeling a bit dizzy, was leaning against the wall, pretending to rest. Suddenly, Qian Duo rushed in and said, "Old Gao, you really are prescient! The frontline soldiers reported that the enemy is indeed planning to attack under air cover while our army is attacking and defense is weak. But even if the enemy guessed it, they wouldn't know that there's another division waiting for them outside!" Qian Duo looked at Gao Quan with concern and said, "Old Gao, are you okay? If not, I'll immediately arrange for you to be transferred to a hospital in the rear. If your body collapses, this army will fall apart!" Gao Quan forced himself to sit up, gritting his teeth against the pain, and smiled weakly, saying, "How can that be? If something unexpected happens on the front line, as a division commander, I wouldn't be responsible if I didn't grasp the situation." Qian Duo sighed and asked, "Then what about the upcoming battle?" Gao Quan still smiled and said, "Just carry me on a stretcher. When we crossed the grasslands and climbed snowy mountains during the Long March, wasn't it just like this? This little injury doesn't matter."
When Gao Quan was sleeping in a daze, the outside was still filled with explosions and continuous gunfire. When the sun rose on the second day, everywhere were burning fortifications and trenches, our soldiers were escorting American prisoners of war or directing American troops to carry their lightly and heavily wounded out of the trenches. Many soldiers were also collecting weapons, ammunition and supplies, loading them onto trucks to be transported away.
Gao Gang, who was carried to the scene on a stretcher, excitedly breathed in the air filled with gunpowder and smoke, demanding to see Gao Gang. Freeman and Jack looked at this Chinese military commander lying on the stretcher in surprise, and couldn't help but feel a sense of respect. "You are the best military commander I have ever seen, your ability far exceeds your position." At this time, Gao Gang just smiled, then had Fang Gui translate for him: "I also appreciate you two officers who can stick with the soldiers in times of danger, just on this point, you two are better than your Commander MacArthur!" The two American officers awkwardly shrugged their shoulders and laughed.
Seeing the stretcher carrying his comrades, the officers and soldiers of the independent regiment all saluted. Gao Quan smiled as he looked at these victorious soldiers with a hint of joy on their faces, then went to see the fallen warriors for the last time. As one familiar face after another lay down in that cold earth, Gao Quan's heart was in great pain, more painful than his physical wounds!!
