Chapter 6: The Bloody Battle in Willville Village at Night

  ument.write(

  On the second day, my D Company was not ordered to continue yesterday's mission, but instead gave us an extremely arduous task. My D Company had to lightly equip and infiltrate deep into the German army's rear, to rescue F Company of the US 101st Airborne Division, who were surrounded by a large number of Germans. Colonel Rommel's order was that after rescuing F Company, we also had to occupy the village of Wiltz and consolidate this important highway connecting Omaha and the Golden Coast.

  This was the order of the Allied Command, they did not want Company F of the 101st Airborne Division to be eaten up like this, so they decided to send a crack troops to rescue them. So they thought of their valued guerrilla officer Major Rom, and Major Rom had his eyes on me, the unlucky one.

  Jones, who was slightly less talkative, also started grumbling with his colleagues.

  "Oh God, since Lieutenant Konti came to our D company, our lives have become more and more wonderful! I hope we can come back alive, God bless!"

  Lively Joe surprisingly spoke well of me for the first time, which left me somewhat surprised.

  "Jones! Don't talk like that about our brilliant Lieutenant, sir! These are orders from above and we just have to carry them out, it's not the lieutenant's fault."

  I smiled in approval: "See, Joanson is a wise man after all."

  Qiao Sen smiled slyly at me. "I hope Lieutenant can lead us back alive, otherwise, I will not let go of Lieutenant's sister!"

  I kicked up one foot and kicked it on Jo's buttocks, laughing and scolding: "Shut up your stinky mouth!"

  Qiao Sen covered his butt and jumped out of my tent in a dodging manner, and went to gather the troops!

  Today, unlike in the past, our marching speed was extremely fast to rescue F Company which could be annihilated at any time. Moreover, in order to save time, we basically took shortcuts. The road was also very turbulent, and we encountered several German patrols, fortunately without incident, the Germans did not discover our small team.

  The team moved in silence, except for the sound of quick footsteps and urgent breathing. Even Chaucer, who was normally talkative, had closed his mouth at this moment.

  According to the map and the scout's guidance, we have determined that we have already arrived at the outskirts of Willerville village, and it is already more than 8 o'clock in the evening. The sky has turned pitch black. We are about to encounter the Germans!

  The Allies launched a massive airborne operation, with nearly three divisions of paratroopers landing behind enemy lines. The objective was to secure key bridges over the major rivers in Holland still controlled by German forces, and thereby enable the Allies to cross the Rhine River, the last natural barrier into Germany, before the Germans could regroup and reorganize their defenses, ending World War II within a short period of time.

  But unexpectedly, due to weather conditions and intelligence as well as many other troubles, the airborne troops' assault action was a complete mess. Many units were scattered and easily annihilated by the Germans like catching small white rabbits underground. The F Company of the 101st Airborne Division was one of the few organized American parachute troops that miraculously jumped into the area around Wiltz village, an important supporting point for Omaha Beach and Gold Coast. The F Company had to put up a desperate resistance in the German encirclement. The US command could not withdraw troops from nearby to provide support, but only selected a crack team from the landing troops to provide light and rapid support.

  The American airborne operation was far from over, as wave after wave of transport planes and gliders continued to pour troops into the German rear areas. The Americans were conducting a brazen aerial promenade without German permission, thoroughly infuriating the German quad-mounted 20mm anti-aircraft guns.

  Everywhere anti-aircraft guns were firing rapidly, countless high-magnification searchlights shining in the sky, making American planes like clumsy ducks with nowhere to hide. Dense anti-aircraft fire, constantly having planes explode in mid-air, one by one huge fireballs, illuminating the entire horizon. On the ground, everywhere was scattered with wreckage of planes and limbs of US soldiers.

  Suddenly, a transport plane with thick black smoke billowing behind it came roaring towards the empty space in front of me. The pilot was clearly trying to make an emergency landing, but unfortunately his efforts were in vain. The plane crashed into the field in front of me, and a huge fireball erupted into the air. At the moment of the explosion, the desperate cries of the soldiers inside the plane still echoed clearly in our ears. Jones and the D Company soldiers under my command witnessed this tragic scene with ashen faces.

  "We must make these anti-aircraft guns stop!" Not a single person went against this decision of mine!

  The village was filled with the sound of gunfire and the thud of German quadruple 20mm anti-aircraft guns, indicating a fierce battle. We skirted around the plane that had been shot down and was still burning in the distance, and crept into the village.

  At night, the telescope was not good for use. After sending David to scout, he reported that the German peripheral defense force was not strong. The Germans had an infantry platoon stationed in the defensive fortifications at the head of the village, and there were no machine guns, but there was an anti-aircraft gun which posed a great threat to us. It seemed that the Germans did not anticipate that the Americans would launch an attack from outside the village with a considerable number of troops. So they withdrew their troops to eliminate the US military who had mistakenly entered the German defense circle.

  The way to the village head is almost a piece of farmland, with no shelter, my D company wants to pass through quietly and carefully, but it's absolutely impossible not to be discovered. The four-barreled anti-aircraft gun guarding the village entrance will tear us apart like shooting rats! This is not something that can be solved by bravery alone!

  The German quad 20mm anti-aircraft gun not only has great lethality against aircraft, but also has a reputation as a "god of war" against infantry. For example, the German Ostwind self-propelled gun is a quad 20mm anti-aircraft gun mounted on the chassis of a Panzer IV tank. In combat, its rate of fire was second only to machine guns and its powerful firepower and penetration were slightly lower than those of tank cannons. It was particularly effective against Allied infantry and light armored targets, even more so than the German Panzer IV main battle tank. The only drawback is that its armor is extremely weak, and it can be destroyed by a heavy machine gun firing armor-piercing rounds. Otherwise, the German Ostwind self-propelled gun would have been invincible, rampaging across Europe without any opposition! But I don't have any weapons in my hand to destroy it from a distance! Not even an anti-tank rocket launcher!

  "Jones, take four men and sneak past them quietly, try not to alert the Germans. First use explosives to knock out their anti-aircraft gun! That's a big nuisance for us!" If we can take out the anti-aircraft gun, leaving only one platoon of infantry, it'll be much easier to deal with!

  After several days of discovery, among these squad leaders, the bravest in battle is Bruce, the second squad leader, the most flexible is Chaison, the most cerebral and fond of using strategy is still my fourth squad leader, Lieutenant Jones. Such a task obviously suits him best; as for the third squad leader, Linberna, I have not yet discovered any outstanding advantages on his part, but it is said that his explosive ability is unmatched by the others, perhaps this is also a kind of specialty.

  "Yes, sir!" Jones led his soldiers quietly to the head of the village. As I watched him go, I suddenly felt that these officers under my command, whether it was Jones, Linberna, Josen or Bruce, although they were always grumbling and liked to contradict me from time to time, but when it came to executing my orders, they did so immediately without hesitation!

  "Briggs, you're to follow Jones at a distance and keep out of sight. If Lieutenant Jones is spotted by the Germans, you're both to make a run for it and hold the gap so no German troops can get through to reinforce them!"

  Jones had long since discovered that Bruce was quietly following in the second row, and muttered a curse. "Damn lieutenant, actually looking down on me."

  "Sergeant Moser, you lead your squad quietly around to the east and take out the German anti-aircraft gun from behind, then immediately attack the German infantry. I and the others will also launch a simultaneous attack, pincer movement, must quickly wipe out these few Germans."

  Mausert nodded and immediately separated from Jones' team, circling east in the darkness. The Germans in the bunker had not yet discovered that a large number of American soldiers were quietly approaching them, still discussing F Company's fall into the village.

  "Damn Americans! They've actually run all the way here! If it weren't for orders from above, I'd go back and take care of them!"

  "They can't get away from us, Hans! Don't worry, just look at all the American planes up there in the sky, you'll have plenty to shoot at!" another German soldier said.

  "Damn this war, when will it end!" exclaimed Hans, a young German soldier, who had been silent until then.

  Every German soldier in the bunker fell silent, the war had reached its final stage in 1944, even a blind man knew that Germany could no longer withstand the Allied attack. The military officer who spoke later finally broke the silence in the bunker and said in a low voice: "For Germany, for Deutschtum!"

  The speaker is a German veteran who has experienced almost all the major battles on the European battlefield and witnessed the miserable scene of the entire occupied area! In fact, the Germans are not willing to become slaves easily. As the war progressed to this point, the entire German people, including Hitler and his generals, are no longer invading but defending Germany!

  "For Germany, for the Fatherland!" The German soldier clenched his fist tightly in the bunker, saying to himself quietly.

  Mosen didn't dare to be careless, if he was discovered by the German anti-aircraft guns, he and his dozen or so men could be torn to pieces in an instant, which was something that the small broken walls and rubble couldn't withstand. Mosen almost crawled up close to the German bunker, but didn't dare move from a distance of several tens of meters away from the German anti-aircraft guns! The Germans had actually set up layer upon layer of warning cords, if it wasn't for Mosen's caution, they would have sounded the alarm long ago!

  "Damn it, those Germans are too clever!" Morse cursed loudly!

  "What's going on? Why has Morrison stopped moving!" Jones suddenly discovered that Morrison was no longer advancing and felt a bit anxious.

  The soldiers who had gone to reconnoitre ran back and told Jones that Sergeant Morrison was being held up by a German outpost. Jones suppressed the anxiety in his heart and forced himself to calm down. It seemed that the Germans had become very cunning and clever in the war, and it was necessary to turn this surprise attack into a strong assault again?

  Mossen Sergeant lay motionless on the ground, observing carefully, and found that although the German sentry was very thorough, it may have been done hastily and not perfectly. The distance between the warning ropes set by the Germans was a bit too large, and there were not many makeshift alarm bells made of tin cans. Mossen estimated that as long as he was careful, he could destroy these obstacles without being discovered by the Germans in the bunker. Mossen nodded to two soldiers, made a careful gesture to sabotage the warning facilities, and then carefully cooperated to sabotage the German warning facilities!

  "Tell Jones to calm down and wait!"

  I immediately understood the situation at the front. As for this problem, I couldn't solve it either, and could only hope that Morrison would destroy the German warning device without being detected. I didn't want my D company to be left with just a few men in this open field before we even reached the village entrance, after being attacked by the reinforced Germans. If Jones and Bruce's strong attack was hopeless, I could only retreat immediately and try to break into the village from another direction.

  Morse finally let out a breath, destroyed the last warning rope, waved his hand back, and made a V-shaped gesture. Morse can now clearly see the movements in the German anti-aircraft bunker. The Germans apparently have not yet discovered their approach, four gunners operating the anti-aircraft guns, under the guidance of the high-magnification searchlight operator next to them, are constantly firing at the American planes in the air, and from time to time, a US military plane is hit by them and becomes a ball of fire, which makes them scream!

  Morse signaled to the soldiers under him not to move, and he himself aimed at the German anti-aircraft searchlight with his M1 Garand rifle, feeling that it was still usable.

  "Bang!" A sudden shot, and the searchlight was immediately extinguished! The sudden loss of sight made the Germans very uncomfortable, but years of war experience also made the Germans react quickly. They shouted: "Americans!" and fired in the direction of the gunshot. The German anti-aircraft guns, forgetting about the American planes in the sky, hastily lowered their barrels and slowly turned towards the open area at the village entrance.

  Maus's position was quite hidden, but there were not a few obstacles, and it was not suitable for infantry to rush in! A few guns can seal this place. Jones saw Maus get one shot, although he wouldn't hit the Germans in the bunker, they also opened fire on the Germans to suppress them, hoping that their own pinning would make the German infantry squad unable to take care of Maus's attack.

  "The main attack of the Americans is in the south!"

  The firing of the 20mm quadruple anti-aircraft gun, if you haven't seen it before, can't truly imagine its power. The bowl-mouthed shells hit the ground in front of Jones, blasting out small pits. Several American soldiers who were hiding behind a tree trunk as thick as an adult's waist were accidentally hit by its intense firepower. The tree trunk was shot through, while half of the soldier's body was blown to pieces by its power.

  The main firepower of the Germans was drawn away by Jones. Sergeant Moisan didn't dare to slack off, got up from the ground and charged towards the German position, throwing hand grenades at the Germans in the trenches as he ran. The explosion of the hand grenades instantly killed or wounded several Germans, and after a few steps, he jumped into the German trench and smashed his rifle onto the head of a German soldier. The soldiers following Moisan closely with Thompson submachine guns swept the trench with a burst of fire, regardless of whether the Germans were dead or alive. The Germans suddenly fell silent, apparently this close-range attack had brought the power of the submachine gun to its extreme.

  The German anti-aircraft gun had lost its usefulness, the operator jumped off the anti-aircraft gun and was about to pull out his pistol in self-defense. But he was rushed by several quick American soldiers, knocked to the ground with a rifle butt, and then held at gunpoint!