PS: For the alliance master $ small day plus more, chapter 10. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ｂｉｑUｇE。 ｉｎｆｏ

"Rush over! Rush over! "On the afternoon of the second day after the U.S. Marines landed on Kiribati, the amphibious tanks that had just been sent to the island roared black smoke to cover the infantry and rush towards the defenders' positions. A large number of heavily armed American infantrymen prostrate on the ground with nervous expressions and followed the tanks.

The Americans were very arrogant when the landing operation began yesterday morning. They believed that after the baptism of onslaught from naval guns and air superiority, the island, which had no defensive territory at all, would not be long before it could be taken. But he didn't expect to be caught off guard by the Ming army on the beachhead.

The Americans first landed at the southern tip of the island. In addition to the fact that the terrain is very suitable for beach-grabbing landings, there is also a large airfield at the southern end of the island, which is an important position that the Americans will inevitably seize.

After a fierce baptism of fire, more than 1,000 US officers and men boarded a number of landing craft to directly storm and land on the southern beach. But he didn't expect that the defenders who had not said a word and endured under the fierce shelling and bombardment of the US army suddenly came to life. From the underground fortifications everywhere, dense machine-gun fire and ferocious and accurate artillery fire brought many menacing American soldiers to the ground.

Unable to expect such strong resistance, the Americans suffered heavy losses and had to call for emergency reinforcements. Many naval warships in the distance opened fire one after another, and the warplanes hovering in the sky swooped down and dropped bombs, but they still could not completely destroy the resistance of the defenders. The landing force was pinned down on the beachhead with heavy casualties.

The Americans continued to build up their landing forces, but they were never able to break through the beachhead. Large numbers of troops were suppressed, and it was only after the tanks came ashore that the situation improved. But it is far from the sweeping situation that the Americans envisioned.

By the next day, more than 8,000 American troops had landed, and the situation gradually improved by opening another landing site in the north of the island and dropping in a large number of tanks.

Although the Ming defenders were in an unfavorable situation, they still resisted stubbornly and caused great casualties to the American troops. Seeing that the landing operation was progressing much slower than planned, Halsey sent an artillery fleet directly into the lagoon on the island of Kiribati to provide close support to the landing force.

Kiribati is a coral atoll, with a large lagoon in the middle of the island. After the U.S. fleet rushed into the lagoon, it could provide fire support to the landing force at close range. This put a lot of pressure on the defenders.

"If the garrison fleet is still there, it will not make the Americans arrogant!" Located in the underground bunker of the main airport, the chief of staff of the defending army put down the telescope in his hand and shouted angrily. There was a hint of anger in his words that could not be concealed.

"That's not what I said." The garrison commander raised his hand and patted the floating soil that had fallen on him due to the shelling, smiled and said, "If they stay, they may not even have a chance to face the Americans, and they will all be sunk." "In the face of the Americans' strong sea and air superiority, everyone knows that even if the miniature fleet stays, it will only be sent to death in vain. They were also able to understand the departure of the fleet.

"I don't know how long we can hold out." Feeling the constant shaking of the earth, the chief of staff, whose face was covered with dust and sweat, shook his head helplessly, "Although it seems that we are still resisting stubbornly, in fact, it is impossible for us to hold out for too long in this situation." ”

"Hmm." The garrison commander looked out through the narrow observation hole. Look at the U.S. warplanes raging in the sky outside, look at the U.S. warships running rampant in the lagoon, and look at the U.S. infantry advancing under the cover of tanks. The garrison commander knew that his troops would not be able to hold out for long in the face of these overwhelmingly superior enemies.

"Anyway." The garrison commander nodded, and said softly, "We all have to do our duty as soldiers. ”

The garrison commander, who was still a colonel in his fifties, had originally worked in the Admiralty. However, all his life he learned was the tactics of giant ship artillery. When the Navy's aircraft carrier faction arose, the old colonel, who was about to retire, was pushed to the margins of dispensability.

It was also because of this war that the garrison commanders, who were about to retire, were given the opportunity to set foot on the battlefield. The fleet is basically a young man, and marginal figures like him have chosen to go to local units to serve in military positions. For this attack by the Americans, the garrison commander did not think too much about it, and just did his duty.

"Maybe this time I'll be posthumously promoted to general." The garrison commander chuckled and shook his head, "I didn't expect that I would become a general in this way." ”

The rank of general is not given casually. It is very difficult to become a general in peacetime. Even though it is customary for officers to be promoted to the rank of first rank when they retire, it is difficult to be promoted to general. If you do not have a very outstanding contribution and have not committed any mistakes during your military career, you will have a chance to be promoted.

Of course, this conventional rule will be much simpler in the years of war. If you die on the battlefield, you will generally be posthumously promoted to the first level. If the commander of the garrison, who was already in his fifties, had died in Kiribati, it was safe to assume that he would have been posthumously promoted to general.

"Commander!" The chief of staff's expression changed, and hurriedly spoke out to persuade him. This kind of frustration should not be said.

"Sir, an urgent call from the Shuangliu." The garrison commander waved his hand and was just about to say something when the communications staff officer brought an urgent message.

"Aren't they gone?" The chief of staff said with a dissatisfied face: "What else is there to say?" ”

"Huh?!" After a quick glance at the message, the garrison commander looked up in surprise: "They're back!" Launch a surprise attack on American ships in the early hours of tomorrow morning! ”

"What?!"

......

In fact, in war, it is difficult to ask everyone to fight without sacrificing their lives. It's human nature, after all, you only live once. No one can really give up without care. The choice is personal.

Most of the officers and men of the Kiribati garrison chose to return to the battlefield, and only a few of them boarded patrol boats with little combat effectiveness and continued on to Jarvis Island.

The miniature fleet, consisting of three torpedo boats and an old destroyer, began to speed towards Kiribati at about four o'clock in the afternoon, when the sky was getting dark. They had previously been hovering in the outer seas, avoiding possible long-range US reconnaissance aircraft. After calculating the time and voyage, Huang Chengjie led the fleet to their own battlefield.

"Report!" The communications staff officer came to the bridge of the Shuangliu and reported loudly: "Torpedo boat S517 reports that their boilers can no longer maintain high speed!" ”

Huang Chengjie, who was leaning over to study the chart, paused slightly, then pursed the corners of his mouth, and said, "Order them to return to Jarvis Island!" ”

The ships of this fleet are old ships, which have been maintained and maintained, but cannot support long periods of high-speed sailing. Especially since they have to travel long distances for a long time, which can be a very serious test for the ship.

Torpedo boat S517 turned its bow regretfully under the gaze of the officers and men of several other ships. The boilers could not provide more power to the ship, and it had to go to Jarvis Island at a slow speed of twelve knots.

"I hope everything goes well next." Watching the S517 torpedo boat that used the signal light to say 'good luck' gradually disappear into the dark night, Huang Chengjie clenched his fists and whispered to himself.

At the lookout post of the heavy cruiser CA37 Tuscaloosa, the flagship of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron of the U.S. Navy's Task Force 57 Task Force 3rd Cruiser Squadron in Kiribati, two sailors were hiding at their posts, smoking and chatting.

"Do you think the Marines can take this island tomorrow?" A brown-haired sailor took a deep breath of his cigarette and asked.

"I think it's difficult." His colleague leaned against the sentry post and said, "We have all blown up this island, and we have not seen any weakening of the resistance of those Ming defenders. During the day, I saw a lot of wounded Marines being sent to the Clemenceau, and the losses of the Marines were great. ”

The Clemenceau is a large hospital ship converted from a cruise ship, capable of providing more than 300 beds to treat the wounded, and is an important logistics ship. At this moment, the brightly lit battleship was moored a few hundred meters away from the starboard side of the Tuscaloosa.

"Those Ming people are really tenacious." The brown-haired sailor sighed and said, "Our strength is so strong, we have been fighting for so long, and this is still their local garrison force. What if we encounter their main force? ”

"Are you crazy?!" His colleague hurriedly threw away his cigarette and raised his hand to cover his mouth: "Do you want to be arrested by the gendarmes and sent to a military court?" How can such a thing be said? ”

"Hey, hey." The sailor also remembered that his frustrating words could not be known, and hurriedly smirked a few times and prepared to mix up. At this time, the island of Kiribati in the distance suddenly lit up in many places!

At this moment, it was already more than three o'clock in the morning and less than four o'clock in the morning, and most of the officers and men had already rested. However, the artillery unit of the Ming defenders, which had always been suppressed, suddenly launched an unprecedented large-scale artillery bombardment operation at this time. They used all their forces, including the hidden artillery, to launch a ferocious artillery attack on the American warships anchored in the lagoon on the island of Kiribati.

The actions of the defenders brought great confusion to the Americans. The U.S. Marines on the island thought that the Ming army was going to launch a night attack, and hurriedly entered the position to prepare for battle. The U.S. 3rd Cruiser Squadron, which was at anchor, hurriedly returned fire and began to start the warships. There was panic throughout the lagoon.

Just when the attention of the Americans was all drawn to the unexpected shelling of the defenders. No one noticed that at the entrance of the lagoon, a few dark figures quietly drove in! (To be continued.) )