The first month of 1945 was a day worth remembering for the paratroopers of the 101st Division - although many years later, they often actively or passively remembered the first month of 1945, but at that time, everyone was cursing this black month.

The sound of guns and explosions is the theme of January, and many years later, the most unforgettable thing in their memories is the cold of people who freeze to death.

Trench foot disease, chilblains, neurasthenia......

In the eyes of the paratroopers, everything that can torture people is a high incidence period in that month.

Although E Company was not spared, after the internal connection was closely connected, this external condition made them curse a few more times at most, instead of being in that state of anxiety both inside and outside. After all, the newly appointed ruthless company commander once again allows them to trust the official master above with confidence - they don't have to worry about whether they will be killed by the company commander.

In this atmosphere, the time passed to January 14th.

The Germans launched another attack on the Fova Line, and the first German troops to attack consisted of an infantry company and six tanks, but this force did not shake the line operated by the 2nd Battalion, and even without the need for the remaining two companies to attack, E Company easily beat the Germans back, and in Huebler's words, it was as simple as a fight.

The German commander was very keen, and after testing the attack and finding that the position on the side of the 2nd Battalion was not good, he immediately changed the target, and then dispatched 14 tanks and a battalion to attack the position of the 3rd Battalion next door.

After the end of the war, the troops always said how cruel the battle they had experienced, how big the battle losses were, how terrible the battle losses were, and how terrible the battle losses were, but in the end they had to withdraw from the battle because of heavy losses - but in the war, this kind of behavior of putting gold on their faces afterwards and saying that they had to be embarrassed was the most angry, hated, and hated by friendly forces!

It's like 3 battalions!

In the German offensive, the 3rd Battalion lost its position one after another, and finally the Germans took the lead with tanks as the lead, and broke through directly to the village of Fova, forcing the regimental headquarters to run away......

The commander of the first battalion roared angrily: "Our battalion faced a German armored division and held in Fowa for 48 hours!" Gan Teniang's 3rd battalion was chiseled through by a battalion in four hours! What about the face? What about the face? ”

3 Battalion Commander: "You can do it!" ”

Winters, who was promoted to commander of the 2 battalion, laughed silently.

Sure enough, at this critical juncture, the regimental headquarters immediately thought of E Company, so the order was transmitted to E Company at 1 p.m.:

Immediate reinforcements to Fuwa Village, and ensure the safety of Fuwa.

……

On the way to the village of Fowa, Hubler complained: "What the hell, when they were stationed, they left us on the outlying positions and were frozen, they hid in the houses and roasted the fire cats, and as soon as the Germans came over, they became mud, and a bucket became mud, and they had to tell us to block the muzzle of the guns?" ”

This guy's complaint resonated with many paratroopers - the 3rd battalion raised by the table, you rush the fastest when you are having fun, and you think of us when you are suffering and blocking the gun's eye?

Zheng Yingqi couldn't help but kick Hubuler, and scolded and said: "Gordon used to be the best at talking, but now that Gordon is hiding in the hospital, it's your turn to be yin and yang on his behalf?" ”

Hubler laughed and said, "I was brought bad by Gordon, didn't you say that there is an old Chinese saying that those who are close to Zhu are red and those who are close to ink are black?" I was blackened by Gordon. ”

A group of paratroopers burst into laughter, and Zheng Yingqi complained: "There is also a saying in China that it is called getting out of the mud without staining - there must be something wrong with your own color." ”

"Tsk, China's 'proverb' is really interesting, I must have a good understanding of this ancient and mysterious country in the future." Hubler said with emotion.

Zheng Yingqi on the side smiled secretly, he has instilled in these guys in E Company for so long, these guys have finally become interested in China, wow, I hope to promote more exchanges between the two countries in the future - in the future, you will know that there is no need to use meaningless praise words such as ancient and mysterious to describe China!

Spears has been paying attention to the situation of the three platoons, after all, this kind of partiality in the 3rd Battalion of Wushibao and the 2nd Battalion is too dissatisfied, and the soldiers will inevitably have complaints in their hearts, and he has to reasonably relieve this emotion, and not let this small emotion affect unity and combat.

Fortunately, E Company is not a loss to E Company, although they all have emotions, but the veteran non-commissioned officers and officers reasonably guide this emotion, and do not fan the wind or turn a blind eye.

Well, very good E company.

Of course, the most satisfying thing for Spears is the 1st platoon, the 1st platoon with 9 new people, in just a few days and ten days, it has already formed a good combat effectiveness, and the new and old soldiers get along well, Jacob really deserves his reputation! 、

"2 platoons, send a squad to search the perimeter, 3 platoons speed up their advance, go in and join up with 3 battalion C companies." Spears gave the order, and with the order, the marching E Company instantly entered the combat state, and the platoons had already completely unfolded according to the combat formation without his reminder.

This battle did not inspire as expected, the Germans who broke into the village of Fowa had become the end of the crossbow, and the 3rd Battalion C Company also fought desperately in order to defend its honor (for fear of being drowned by friendly saliva), plus E Company arrived at the critical time to support, the Germans gave up the attack after being entangled for an hour - the unlucky eggs of the 3rd Battalion escaped from death, jumping up excitedly one by one, thinking that they had completed a survival in a desperate situation, but E Company soon let them know the truth that "your uncle is always your uncle".

"Want to go? It's not that easy! Is this a place where they can come and go whenever they want? Pursue! Spears' roar could be heard in the ears of the soldiers, but the commander's contempt for the enemy and confidence in his own side made them feel like they had been beaten with blood—a personal charm that probably belonged to Spears alone.

More than half an hour later, the chased E Company returned to Fowa Village with more than 40 German prisoners of war, and everyone in E Company also re-recognized their commander - Spears!

"It's these Germans who beat you, are you crying dad and mother?" In front of many paratroopers in the 3rd Battalion, Spears said with disdain: "If the Germans we met in E Company were all of this virtue, believe me, our E Company would have hit Berlin a long time ago!" ”

The paratroopers of the 3 battalion were speechless, which can be described in this sentence:

Old heart, tie the iron!

Zheng Yingqi looked at Spears in that way, and smiled in his heart, from his contact with Spears, he was sure that Spears was not a domineering person, this deliberate style was nothing more than a meaning:

I! Spears! Fight money, phew, we are E Company, and we lead E Company that can fight more than all companies!

There are two company commanders who have the deepest imprint on E Company, the first company commander Sobel and the third company commander Winters.

Sobel created E Company, so everyone knows that if Sobel leads them to war, it is very unreliable.

Winters, on the other hand, led E Company to victory after victory - but Winters was a gentle man, and under his leadership, E Company did not have the spirit of being self-respecting throughout the division.

And now, Spears, is casting something unspeakable for E-Company.

Zheng Yingqi looked outside and said to himself in his heart: "I remember that after the war, the 506th regiment was disbanded? ”

……

When No. 1 attacked Fuwa, E Company was the main offensive arrow of the 2nd Battalion, but after the capture of Fuwa, E Company was sent to the forest outside to build a perimeter defense line - finally, after ten days, E Company was finally able to sleep in the village building in a dignified manner in the posture of "I Hu Hansan is back again".

This was the first time since the departure for Bastogne on December 16 that all the members of Company E had rested in a building house - unfortunately there were no hot baths to take in, and there were no girls......

The above is naturally the emotion of the soldiers. While the soldiers were lamenting in the room occupied by the smell of feet, all the officers of the 2nd Battalion came to the headquarters of Winters for a meeting - Zheng Yingqi, who had the rank of sergeant major of the third class, was the only exception, but the officers inside were not surprised by this, and flattered the officers of E Company who were holding the group.

"We have a new mission." Winters gets straight to the point.

Task?

As soon as Winters's words fell, the officers were in an uproar, and a platoon commander of Company D couldn't help but complain: "Mission? God, we've been here for a month, are we going to have to do a new mission? ”

"We have been fighting here for a month, and the battle losses of each platoon of our company are extremely serious......," the platoon commander said this, subconsciously glanced at E Company, and hurriedly changed his words: "Especially E Company, the battle losses are more serious than ours, we are almost exhausted, how can we still have tasks?" ”

The company commanders couldn't help but complain, because the platoon commanders said everything they had to say - are you blind at the command? Can't see that we're all crippled? Returning the task?

People complained, and after getting the resonance, there would be no door on their lips, and a platoon commander finally couldn't help but say: "I knew that General Taylor was eager to fight for honor when he returned!" ”

Zheng Yingqi glanced at the lieutenant who said this, and secretly gave a thumbs up, Okay, man, how many people have said what is in their hearts?

Winters smiled bitterly, knowing that these guys were angry, but he had to shout to stop, just complain a little, endless complaining, what is this for?

He knocked on the table, and the humming grumbling slowly calmed down, and after his gaze swept over everyone's faces, he said:

"Listen, it's not that General Taylor is anxious to fight for and consolidate the honor, but because the command is seriously short of manpower - now is the best time for a counteroffensive, and the command certainly won't waste such an opportunity, but General Eisenhower has too few troops at his disposal! To put it mildly, this is the result of the limited conscription policy of the United States! ”

Zheng Yingqi laughed, the United States mobilized nearly 2000W people to enlist in the entire World War II, but it was just ...... The quality is really not good, and the number of troops that really fought against Germany, Japan, and Italy is tsk......

Zheng Yingqi's smiling expression was seen by Winters at a glance, but he pretended not to see it and didn't pull the monkey out to kill the chickens.

"Of course, we have no say in the matter of policy," Winters continued, "The counteroffensive will begin tomorrow, and our 2nd Battalion will lead the battle against Norville," he said, pointing to the map and marking the route of the 2nd Battalion, which would depart from the south of Fois, make a detour from the left to the west, occupy the village of Recogne, and then attack a village west of Noville called Coblou.

When Spears saw the route of the march, he frowned and said, "Sir, we need to cross a 2-kilometer snowfield from the village of Roaster to Kaublu, and it's still daytime!" ”

Winters couldn't help but glance at Spears, the company commanders of the 2nd Battalion were trapped on the front line of Fowa during this time, and they didn't know much about the surrounding terrain and environment, but they didn't expect that Spears, who had only been in office for a long time, had learned about the surrounding environment - he felt that he hadn't promoted the wrong person!

"General Eisenhower wants to act, Montgomery wants to act, General Taylor wants to move, Colonel Zink wants to move - then, the 2nd Battalion must take orders, understand?" Winters said with a blank face—this was said to him by Zink when he received the order, and he now told his men as it was.

Who has an opinion?

"Well—" Spears said as he shrugged his shoulders, "but I'd like to send my men out tonight on the road from Kaugne to Kauplu." ”

"Yes, but not the target."

Winters agreed, Zheng Yingqi looked at Spears silently, and really wanted to say to him: You send it, don't send the 1st platoon.

But......

How can it be?

After the meeting, Spears really called him aside alone as Zheng Yingqi expected.

Zheng Yingqi said listlessly: "I accept the order." ”

Spears was a little embarrassed, patted Zheng Yingqi on the shoulder and said: "I know that this is very unfair to the 1st row, but those who can work harder, you know, I trust you 1st row the most." ”

I knew it was going to be like this, and I knew it always was. Zheng Yingqi complained, it has always been a capable person who works hard, and it has always been.

……

A row that slept in the snow and ice for almost a month fell asleep very early.

In the warm room, there is a stove not far away, and the cold wind blows but can't blow itself - this is something that everyone in E Company has been longing for a long time, and now that it has finally come true, who would dare to waste such a wonderful environment?

But Zheng Yingqi began to wake up the soldiers in the row one by one like a bastard, just like when he tortured those poor rookies in the depths of his memory, but at that time, it was for the sake of elimination and forging that made them suffer, but now ......

"Got a mission?" The dazed Hubul wiped his sleepy eyes and asked Zheng Yingqi, who had woken them up.

"Hmm."

"Going on a mission now?"

"Hmm." Zheng Da Demon King turned into an aggrieved nodding worm, and he hummed vigorously.

Hubler said, "Oh, I knew it would be like this. ”

Zheng Yingqi looked at Hubuler in surprise and couldn't help asking, "Why didn't you complain?" ”

Hubul sneered: "When the official put us into Fuwa Village, I knew that there would be no good thing!" ”

This sentence reached the hearts of other people, and they nodded their heads one after another, and the 2nd battalion is not the 3rd battalion born by the mother, and suddenly enjoys high treatment, can there be good things? Who doesn't know that the official master will give you a sweet date to eat before treating you as a cow and a horse?

[Thank you, Mr. Guan, for carrying a pot for me. 】

Zheng Yingqi, who felt that he was "too capable" and had to keep the task, thanked the commanders who took the blame, and then repeated the order he received to his subordinates.

"Hey, that's amazing," Hubler's complaint came - much later than expected: "I was attacked by the Germans during the day, but I didn't expect that in a blink of an eye, the offense and defense were transposed!" ”

"The daytime attack was the last counterattack of the Germans." Zheng Yingqi smiled and drew a big pie, but in fact it was not a big pie, and the battle in the entire Ardennes area was essentially the last return of the German army.

"We're going to kick the Germans into the abyss now!" Zheng Yingqi commented on the significance of this mission.