The Germans did not destroy the airfield too thoroughly when they evacuated it, and it can almost be said that it was not destroyed at all, if poor maintenance was not beneficial destruction. Baidu Search: Reading Novels // It's unlikely that it's because of the lack of time, Ron guesses, and it's more likely to be a lack of manpower and supplies. There were only about 4,000 defenders in the city of Cherbourg, and there were not many people stationed at the airport. Coupled with the fact that the airfield was too close to the sea and had been suppressed by the aviation of the Americans and the British for several months, the deployment of German aircraft here became extremely dangerous. So in the last month, the airfield has been effectively abandoned by the Luftwaffe. When the Allies attacked the airfield, the airfield was guarded by no more than a platoon, and they retreated after a mere sign of resistance.

Immediately after the Allies occupied the airfield, the semi-abandoned airfield was renovated on a small scale. Then the group of aircraft of the 21st Attack Aircraft Wing began to land here.

By the time Ron landed on the airfield with a P-81, it was already 4 o'clock in the afternoon. At this time, the people in the logistics department have been busy at the airport for a long time. They tidied up the pilot's lounge and cleaned it up; They cleaned the kitchen of the Germans and also captured two large fat pigs in the pigsty behind the kitchen. The logisticians in charge of the electronic systems were the most busy, because they didn't have ready-made things left over from the Germans to work with, unlike the guys in front of them. When the Luftwaffe personnel left the airfield, they took all kinds of communication equipment with them. And even if the Germans leave these things here, because they are just different, the Americans will not be able to use them well. So they have to re-erect these things themselves, and that takes more time. By the time Ron arrived, the whole system, except for the take-off and landing-related equipment, had not been installed.

This is a permanent airport. Something like a pilot's quarters is, of course, ready-made. The place hadn't been cleaned yet, but it was still early before dark, and the back office told Ron that by night, the things would be taken care of.

At about 5 o'clock, six P/A-47 attack aircraft also landed at the new airfield. He was then dragged into the hangar by a tractor. The salt spray is heavy in the seaside area, and the aircraft is parked in the open air, and various equipment is easily damaged by the salt spray and malfunctions. So in inland areas, the plane can stay overnight on the tarmac, but in the coastal area, it is better to park the plane indoors.

By the time these attack aircraft were settled, the sky would have already darkened. Because the big fat pig of the Germans was captured, the dinner was very rich. But Ron couldn't eat the meal. For he had now left the airfield to attend a military conference in the Seventh Army. The Americans had just occupied the area, and had not yet been able to wipe out all the remnants of the German army on the outskirts of the city, and there were still small groups of German troops in many places. So, this time, when Ron and the others traveled, in addition to Ron's jeep, there were two M-4 tanks and Dodge trucks following. Needless to say, the trucks were all heavily armed American GIs, of course.

Relying on such a lineup, the average small group of stragglers naturally did not dare to come out and make trouble. So Ron arrived at the temporary headquarters of the Seventh Army without incident. The headquarters was housed in a church in a small town just over a dozen kilometers from the port of Cherbourg. It was here that Ron met General Collins, the youngest commander in the U.S. Army.

General Collins has a nickname called "Lightning Joe", which of course means that he moves quickly. But Ron felt that the nickname could also be used to describe the speed with which he was promoted. This is not the first time Ron has met General Collins, the first time Ron met him, it was still on Kuah Island. In the latter part of the Kuah operation, units of the Army's 25th Division began to gradually take over the defensive tasks of the 1st Marine Division. The commander of this division at that time was Major General Collins. Second, in just two years, he has become the commander of the Seventh Army. In the previous landing operation, it was the army under his command that successfully captured Utah Beach. He was the most trusted army commander under Bradley [commander of the First Army and commander of the Twelfth Army Group] and Hodges [successor commander of the First Army]. The last American unit to join the Soviets at the Elbe was also the Seventh Army under his command.

Shortly after Ron's arrival, the meeting began.

Collins deserves to be called "Lightning Joe", although the main forces of the Seventh Army have not yet arrived, Collins has already arranged several tentative attacks. And the information obtained from these tentative attacks has also been reflected in the large sand table in the middle of the war room, the chapel of the church.

Corinth's adjutant gave a brief introduction to the situation of the German troops on the opposite side, and then Collins asked his officers to discuss the next attack strategy.

"General, based on the information we have, the number of enemy troops should not be too large. Compared to the defense of such a city, it is obviously insufficient. Tomorrow all the units of our army will arrive one after another. I think we should attack in a multi-way assault way. As a result, the enemy will have difficulties in the distribution of forces. Although their fortifications were good, if they did not have enough troops, even if they were strong, what good would they do? A staff officer said.

"What kind of fire support can we get at sea?" Someone asked.

"The Navy sent a detachment of naval artillery fire support. In total, there were 3 battleships, 4 cruisers, 11 destroyers. They will all be in place by 8 o'clock tomorrow morning. Someone replied.

"Good fellows, so many! These guys have the same firepower as our entire army! ”

"To these guys in the Navy, well, still have to be careful. They are not artillery of our army, and they have nothing to practice just barrage Xu Jin or something. Moreover, the jīng degree of naval artillery is too affected by sea conditions, and it has always been inferior to land artillery. Especially the 127mm guns on those destroyers. In the case of high sea conditions, that scattering is really scary! I don't know who it was beating. The big guys on the battleship are even worse, if they do a crooked shot, we don't have a battalion left. So, those guns of the Navy, everyone can't look at them as artillery, they should, well, look at them as heavy bombers of the Army Aviation. "A guy may have suffered a mistake in the Navy, and he immediately came up with such a thing.

"We should demand that the Navy's warships fire only at the targets we point at them, or at enemy forces that are firing at them. Do not fire at other targets on your own. Someone proposed.

"That's right! We should send a liaison officer to every ship in the Navy. ”

"The air force first covers the key targets once, then the navy covers the key targets again, and then we launch a feint attack in the area where we have just hit the key attack, and then the troops from all sides launch a general attack from all directions. We're going to fight for it and break into the city before it gets dark tomorrow. Collins finally clapped the shot. Then he said to Ron, "By the way, General Ron, do you have any ideas for tomorrow's mission?" ”