Chapter 64: Crisis! 77!! (Seeking recommendations and collections)

  On the afternoon of July 7, 1937, the Japanese North China Garrison's 1st Regiment's 3rd Battalion's 8th Company, led by Battalion Commander Kiyono Ichirō, marched with live ammunition towards the area between Longwangmiao and Dawayao adjacent to the Chinese garrison at Lugou Bridge.

  At 7:30 pm, the Japanese began their exercise. At 10:40 pm, shots were heard from the Japanese exercise area and a soldier (Kikujirō Shimamura) "went missing". The Japanese immediately requested to enter the Chinese garrison's Wanping City for a search, but the 219th Regiment of the 110th Brigade of the 37th Division of China's 29th Army refused.

  The Japanese army was fighting on one side, and on the other hand, it was negotiating with the Chinese side due to "gunfire" and soldiers "missing". Around 24 o'clock, the Hebei-Chahar authorities received a phone call from Matsui Taikuro, the head of the Japanese special agency in Beiping.

  Matsumoto said: The Japanese army was exercising outside Lugou Bridge yesterday, and suddenly heard gunfire. They immediately gathered to take roll call and found that one soldier was missing. They suspected that the shooter was from the Chinese troops stationed at Lugou Bridge and believed that the soldier who fired the shot had already entered the city. They demanded to enter the city immediately for a search.

  The Chinese side refused, citing the reason that it was late at night and the Japanese soldiers entering the city might cause local unrest, and the Chinese officers and men were still asleep. Soon after, Matsui again called the Hebei-Chahar authorities, saying that if the Chinese side did not allow it, the Japanese army would forcibly enter the city to search with force.

  At the same time, the Hebei-Chahar authorities received a report from the Chinese garrison at Lugou Bridge that Japanese troops had formed an encirclement and were attacking Wanping City. To prevent the situation from escalating, the Hebei-Chahar authorities negotiated with the Japanese side, and both sides agreed to send personnel together to investigate at Lugou Bridge.

  At this time, the Japanese side claimed that the "missing" soldiers had returned to their units, but were secretly hidden.

  From then on, the July 7th Incident began, and the Japanese army fully started its invasion of China. Sun Xiang led his first squadron of 110 aircraft to depart from Nanchang at 5:00 pm on July 7th, arriving at Taiyuan Airport an hour and a half later under the guise of a drill. The 110 fighter jets filled the sky, and after a brief rest in Taiyuan, Sun Xiang telegraphed Chiang Kai-shek, and Shanxi warlord Yan Xishan greeted him at the airport.

  Sun Xiang was surprised by Yan Xishan's hospitality, because Yan Xishan and the old general had a bad relationship, neither side yielded to each other. Sun Xiang, as the commander of the National Revolutionary Army Air Force, unexpectedly received Yan Xishan's warm hospitality and felt puzzled.

  Lao Yan saw it in his eyes, such a heroic figure naturally understood Sun Xiang's thoughts. His voice was slightly lowered: "Although I don't get along with Jun Zuo, but on the matter of national righteousness, I still know what's important. You, the top ace of the air force, although serving under Jun Zuo, I understand you're back to drive out the Japanese. A person like you, I admire, that's why I came."

  Sun Xiang faced a 50-year-old overbearing old man with full respect, this is a Chinese person, no matter what time the national righteousness is put first, it is always worth respecting.

  Dinner was without wine, everyone used tea instead of wine. Sun Xiang didn't tell Yan Xishan about the start of the war, but instructed Yan Xishan to pay attention to the Japanese army's movements at all times, and there may be big changes in the near future! Yan Xishan's face tightened, nodding to indicate that he understood.

  This time, all the people who came out with Sun Xiang were Sun Xiang's own men, the Paulin Air Force Base Land Aviation Troops. Sun Xiang's deputies were Eric and Gregory Boyington. These were all elite pilots who had undergone two years of flight training and had three months of experience using F4U, forming Sun Xiang's Flying Dragon Sword Squadron!! (Tribute to Chuck Yeager! Tribute to General Tian Xingjian! Tribute to the 72nd!)

  After dinner, all pilots rested and trained under Sun Xiang's command to build up their physical strength. On the 8th day at dawn, all pilots had breakfast and made preparations for flight.

  At 3:50, all pilots were in position, engines started, and the entire airport was filled with engine roar. Sun Xiang pushed the control stick and his plane took off first, followed by Eric, Boyington, Andy and others. The 110 fighter jets were divided into eleven small teams, each team leader responsible for commanding ten planes, fifty planes formed a medium-sized team, and the last ten planes carried out reconnaissance tasks.

  At 4:50, Sun Xiang's Flying Dragon Sword squadron arrived above the city of Beiping at an altitude of 6,000 meters. As the sun slowly rose above the horizon, the bombardment began at 4:55. The deafening sound of the artillery shook awake the sleeping citizens on the outskirts of Beiping, many of whom were still in a daze, wondering if this was another Japanese drill, which had been going on for several months.

  On the morning of the 8th, at 5 o'clock, the Japanese infantry's 3rd battalion, under the command of Ichiki Kiyota, launched an attack on the area of Hui Long Temple north of Wanping City, on the east bank of the Yongding River. The 3rd Battalion of the 219th Regiment of the 110th Brigade of the 37th Division of China's 29th Army, under the command of Ji Xingwen and Jin Zhenzhong, bravely resisted.

  At this time, the Japanese army launched a fierce attack on Hui Long Temple under the cover of artillery fire. Suddenly, the sound of roaring engines came from the sky!!! The commander of the 3rd Japanese regiment, Kazukiyo Iwata, was overjoyed and shouted wildly: "Kill! Give it to them!!!" The Japanese army went crazy and charged forward!

  The 37th Division of the 29th Army of the National Revolutionary Army, Commander Ji Xingwen of the 219th Regiment of the 110th Brigade suddenly lost his composure as a massive fleet of over 100 aircraft appeared above them. This was the largest fleet he had ever seen in Chinese airspace. Ji Xingwen felt a wave of despair and didn't have time to say much, the Japanese were already upon them. Ji Xingwen let out a loud roar, setting an example for his men, and opened fire!

  The Japanese crazy attack gave the 219th regiment a lot of pressure. The enemy's heavy firepower was quite strong, with light and heavy machine guns plus howitzers, and it seemed that they were about to break through the position. Unexpectedly, the planes in the sky dropped a wave of bombs, all of which landed on the Japanese position. The bombs rained down on the ground like raindrops.

  The Japanese troops on the battlefield were instantly thrown into chaos, and this time, a 50-plane F4U bombing squadron inflicted heavy casualties on the densely formed Japanese troops. The Third Infantry Battalion was instantly killed or wounded over 400 people, with wails filling the fields.

  Wen Xixi was overjoyed and hastily organized a counterattack. More than 1,000 people jumped up from the position to counterattack. The weapons in the hands of the National Army were called "made in all countries". This is indeed not blown out. In this thousand-man team, some soldiers had Soviet-made Mosin-Nagant rifles, German Mauser guns, Japanese Type 38 Arisaka rifles (estimated to be captured), domestically produced Zhongzheng rifles, and Czech-made ZB26 light machine guns. There were all kinds of weapons, but it was these "made in all countries" that caused significant damage to the Japanese army.

  Ji Xingwen's surprise wasn't over yet, he and Battalion Commander Jin Zhenzhong saw the planes flying back in a big formation. The two were shocked and frightened, wondering if they had mistakenly attacked the wrong target earlier? But something unexpected happened, the planes in the sky split into two groups, one group patrolling in the air, the other dropping bombs, after finishing the bombing, the planes started strafing the Japanese soldiers, 6 double-barreled machine guns spewing out flames that made Ji Xingwen unable to bear watching anymore, it was a completely one-sided massacre!

  The F4U flew low, and Jixingwen could even see the pilot waving at them from the plane! Our plane? In an instant, Jixingwen felt his hair stand on end, and the electrifying feeling made this strong man burst into tears, muttering to himself: "It's really our plane... our plane..."

  Ji Xingwen hadn't even had time to wipe away his tears when he saw the blue sky with a white sun flag painted on the aircraft, and cheers erupted from his own team!

  The Fulong Sword squadron attacked the ground and then pulled up to a high altitude, immediately disappearing into the clouds...

  "Commander! Commander!! The Blue Sky with a White Sun flag! The Blue Sky with a White Sun flag!!" the Regimental Commander shouted loudly!

  "Down with those damned Japanese devils! Brothers, follow me and charge!!!"

  "Kill!!!!!!" The 29th Army had been holding back their breath for two years, and it was released in an instant! However, the standard of the Japanese army was indeed very high. This charge only took down more than 200 Japanese soldiers before being held off by the enemy's defense.

  The second time the roar of engines came from the sky, this time it was Japanese planes, Nakajima Ki-97, biplane Ki-95 and land-based Ki-96, a mixed squadron of three types of aircraft, 40 planes poured down ammunition on the National Army's position, pressing the National Army to lift their heads.

  Ji Xingwen had a feeling in his heart, our plane will come back...