Chapter 326 Destination - China

A sharp whistle broke the silence of the early morning, and the barracks of the Black Panther Assault Company suddenly boiled, and all the team members quickly got dressed and equipped, and quickly went to the playground to assemble. June 12, 1945 was the day when the Black Panthers were ordered to march to the Pacific Ocean. Trucks were waiting there on the playground, like a long queue. The company would travel by truck to a nearby airfield, then by plane to port, and finally to the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown in the Pacific Ocean, where they would be transported by carrier-based aircraft to the place where they were to be on duty.

But until now, Major Parks didn't know what mission they were going to do. Now he has no foresight, in the midst of such a small change. But it is certain that this mission must be related to the content of the exercise.

But one thing that was surprising was that when they came out, they saw a large group of soldiers on the outskirts of the camp, and they were waiting there. Seeing the soldiers of the Black Panther Assault Company coming out, they couldn't help but cheer and applaud warmly. Everyone was stunned by this scene, especially the veterans of Company E.

The soldiers of the entire 2 battalion were waiting here. They had apparently gotten up early in the morning, which was a very rare thing for these GIs who had nothing to fight and drank all day looking for women.

"Maraqi, I know you're in the limelight. God, defeating a strong opponent in front of Mr. President, what could be more exciting than this" Avery suddenly squeezed out of the crowd, and then hugged Malaki who was passing by, "Man, be careful, the Japanese are no worse than the Germans." Don't get hurt."

"I know, Eli, I hope I don't see you in the Pacific, to be honest, now that we're going, I suddenly don't want you to go to the Pacific Ocean too, you know, we'll win the Japanese on your behalf" Malachi smiled, then patted Eri's shoulder, the two shook hands, and they separated. One stood there and watched, and the other moved forward without hesitation.

The brothers said goodbye with hugs and handshakes. Everyone's heart is full of reluctance. Yes, they are all brothers who fought together on the battlefields of Europe. Now this is possible, it is possible to say goodbye. Everyone's mood is not very relaxed. And the GIs of the 2nd Battalion are still worried about whether they will go to the Pacific theater.

"Maybe we'll be airborne in Tokyo and capture the Emperor of Japan, so the war will be over." Heflang smiled at Spina and said, "Man, when the time comes, I'll bring Sakura from Tokyo to you"

"I know, I wanted to join the company too. But you know, Major Parks turned me down. Earlier I was even glad that I was just impulsive, but now I have to say that I missed the opportunity. It's unfair to me, I'm a veteran, and I'm experienced, maybe President Truman will meet me again in the future" Spina was joking, but his language was a little gloomy, and the parting made people really not interested in anything.

Major Parks and Captain Wales met Major Winters and Captain Nickerson again. The two of them stood on the side of the road, and then smiled as the members of the Black Panther Company walked past one by one, some of whom were veterans of the 2nd Battalion or E Company they knew, and they saluted Winters and Nickerson, who also took the trouble to return the salute.

"I didn't expect you to come back" Major Parks and Captain Wales walked towards them, Parks couldn't help but smile and stretched out his hand, the four of them shook each other's hands, Parks nodded at Winters, "You always surprise me"

"I'm going to watch you go." Winters smiled slightly, shrugged his shoulders and said, "That's what it's called a farewell." He shook Parks' hand vigorously, "I'm going to miss you." Take care Harry," he said, shaking hands with Captain Wales again.

"And this, take it with you," Nickerson pulled two small bottles of wine out of his pocket, "You can't drink such good wine in Asia." They all drink very unpleasant white water-like wine, and I don't think you're used to it. He shook hands with Parks and Wales.

When Parks left, Major Winters was still standing there like a sculpture of a pen tǐng. The company boarded the car, and then, with the roar of the motive, began to move slowly. Winters didn't move, he was looking at Parks. They used to be comrades-in-arms who fought together, born and died on the battlefield, taking care of each other and being like brothers. In the past, trucks carried them from one place to another, and they never separated. But now Parks and the others are gone, but he is still here. This caused an infinite emotion in Major Winters' heart.

"I really don't know when and where we will meet again?" Nickerson suddenly shook his head and smiled a little self-deprecatingly, "Dick, even if you go to the Pacific Ocean, you may not be able to meet Lacey"

Major Winters nodded, "You're right, Nick. But why do I have to meet him when I go to the Pacific? With that, he turned and jumped into his jeep, while the companies were assembled and ready to march back to the camp. The jeep roared, then curled up in the crumbs and drove in the other direction Parks had left.

"Where are we going back?" Kaber asked the big bull Landauman beside him.

"I don't know. There's always somewhere to go, Kaber," the bull Landauman narrowed his eyes and looked at the camp that was fading away. After more than a month of training here, I'm finally leaving, but I still don't know where I'm going.

Soon they arrived at the airport and started boarding, and this time, instead of jumping down, they took a plane to Hamburg, and the mood of sitting on the plane again was different than before. But many people still remember the days when they used to jump down. Parks watched the white clouds, villages, and small towns beneath the plane, getting smaller and smaller, and then gradually leaving behind him, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion.

"Sir, what are you thinking?" Sergeant Major Lipp looked at Parks looking down, as if thoughtful, and asked.

Parks turned his head to him and smiled slightly, "I was thinking, when we used to come, there were Germans everywhere down there, and their anti-aircraft weapons, and now I feel like we're on a really good air trip." I've never had such an easy flight since landing in Normandy."

Li Pu couldn't help but smile slightly. Then he turned his head downward, looked at the very small ground below, and nodded, "You're right, sir, at least my hands aren't shaking now. Lip said and turned his head and smiled.

But in any case, many people look very solemn as if they were going out for the first time, and this is also because they will appear on a new battlefield, and perhaps it is the first time to carry out a mission in such a special operation mode. This tension was not eased until they boarded a U.S. Navy warship.

The magnificence of the sea can relieve tension. Almost all of the men in the assault company were boarding the warship for the first time, and although they had also crossed the Atlantic from the Americas to Europe on a steamer, they were all on commercial cargo ships, and many of the soldiers were excited about the novelty of the warship. The 127-mm large-caliber naval guns on the warship also delighted the guys.

After nine days of sailing, the warship formation encountered an American aircraft carrier formation. Then the warships gradually moved closer to the aircraft carrier formation. They had already arrived at the transit point of the aircraft carrier, the USS Yorktown.

Relative to warships, aircraft carriers are undoubtedly a huge behemoth for brothers. When the dinghy boarded the aircraft carrier with the brothers, everyone's eyes couldn't help but widen.

"God, this is our warship, right?" Maraki opened his mouth wide, "We have such a behemoth, God, why do we have such a behemoth, and we still need our company to come here?" I can't believe it."

"Malachi," Parks couldn't help but laugh when he heard him from the sidelines, "You must know that the Japanese also have such behemoths, but now most of them don't exist anymore." As he spoke, he couldn't help but smile. To his surprise, as soon as he stepped on the deck of the aircraft carrier, a general was greeting them with officers and sailors on the warship.

The general saw Parks, then walked over to him with a big laugh, opened his arms and said, "Hello man, I finally saw you again, and it seems that your wish has come true." You finally went to fight the Japanese on this aircraft carrier. As he spoke, he and Parks suddenly came to a hug.

Parks suddenly remembered that when he first went to the United States, he stayed on this aircraft carrier. At the beginning, he told the general that he hoped that one day he would be able to fight the Japanese on this aircraft carrier. I didn't expect that hope would come true.

"Hello, General John," Parks saluted, apparently his old friend.

After Major General John returned the salute, he still looked very excited and said, "I know you'll be back one day." Now, young man, it seems that my prediction was accurate. Later, I also heard about some of your deeds. To be honest, I'm really looking forward to working with you. But not this time. You can only stay here for a short time, and then our carriers will send you to another place. ”

"Another place?" Parks glanced suspiciously at Major General John, and at this time, he saw several people coming from the other side of the deck, and the one in the middle of the deck Parks knew was Major General Weisman, General MacArthur's staff officer, whom he had talked to at the beginning. He saw Parks, and walked briskly over to him.

"Hello, General," Parks saluted.

"Hello, Major," Major General Weisman returned the salute and immediately shook Parks' hand, "I'm very sorry, Major, I'd be very interested in talking to you here if possible, but now we don't have time, you must immediately go to the place where your mission is carried out, General MacArthur means, you are going to land in China." And perform a task there. ”

"China?" When Major General Weisman's words fell, Parks' heart suddenly stirred.

"Yes, Major." Rear Admiral Weisman nodded, then made a clear gesture and walked with Rear Admiral John and Parks and Captain Wales towards the carrier's war room.

A huge map in the war room. Weissman walked to the map and pointed to a location on the map, "This is Yantai, China, and on the side of Yantai there is a Liuting Airport, which will be where you land." There is a squadron there that is responsible for your reception, and there are our people who provide you with weapons and ammunition. We'll ship your specific weapons and ammunition together. ”

"Liuting Airport?" Parks couldn't help frowning, "Isn't it still occupied by the Japanese?" ”

"No, not now," Major General Weisman smiled slightly, "this time the squadron has already taken over that place with the intervention of General MacArthur, and that will be where you will take off again." When you arrive, there will be someone from the US Pacific Command to convey the specific mission. As he spoke, he looked straight at Parks and said, "Any more questions?" Major"

Parks was full of emotion in his heart, but he didn't expect to go around the European battlefield and return to this familiar land: "Yes, General"

"Good luck, Major," General Weissman saluted the two of them.