Chapter 462: A belated medal

Just when our Xia bureau was busy arresting the Japanese in Chahar's spy network, a warship from the United States also came to Dalian Port, and Su Tong, Chen Shaokuan, Shen Honglie, and other naval generals also went to the port to welcome the arrival of the warship.

On the deck of a huge warship outside the port of Dalian, several US ** officers were standing on the bridge looking at the port that was about to dock. A young captain smiled and said to his companion beside him: "Major Frank, the construction here is not bad, you look at the several large cranes and hoists in the port, this is not something that ordinary ports can afford." ”

"Well, but I doubt what the use of such a big crane and hoist they are building? Could it be that their builders think they have too much money? Major Frank was also surprised by the large equipment in the port, which was very expensive.

But Frank didn't know that Su Tong, who came from later generations, found that all those ports were built with large cranes and hoists when watching TV, so he also asked those engineers by the way when building Dalian Port. But the engineer's answer surprised him. Because in this era, most countries still rely on manpower to move goods, and large cranes and cranes on the docks are not absent, but they are only equipped on important docks in very few countries. The engineer also advised Su Tong that there was no need to equip large cranes and cranes on this dock, which was mainly for military purposes, but at the insistence of "Commander Su, who insisted on going his own way, those equipment were still built on the dock." That's why the Yankees were so surprised.

At this time, six huge warships sailed into the port, including two 9,700-ton "Treaty"-class heavy cruisers and four "Omaha-class" light cruisers of more than 7,000 tons.

On July 9, 1938, eight Fletcher-class destroyers and four training ships belonging to the Dalian Naval Academy were covered with colorful flags. The two "R"-class submarines of the submarine group, the "Seahorse" and the "Sea Serpent," which sailed from the Vladivostok Military Port, also surfaced in front of the public for the first time, and they were also covered with colorful flags. Today is the festival of the Chinese Navy, whether it is the Vladivostok fleet or the Dalian fleet. After a lapse of 44 years, the Huaxia Navy once again welcomed back its capital ship.

"It's coming!"

When the shadow of the mast of the "New Orleans" and "Astoria" appeared on the distant horizon, "the people who had been waiting for a long time on the harbor raised their toes and looked towards the horizon, and after a while, six warships were heading towards the port, looking at the six warships that were getting closer and closer, some excited people on the harbor even shed tears, forty-four years, the Chinese navy finally appeared in the shadow of a large warship!

"It's ours! The capital ship of our Huaxia Navy! Longyu Zhuang said excitedly to Mu Yu, the captain of the "Sea Snake" beside him.

Mu Yu rolled his eyes, "Dude, why are you so excited, don't forget, we are playing underwater work, so no matter how big this battleship is, you won't have a share."

As the commander of the Chahar Navy, Chen Shaokuan's Fujian line may have one or another contradiction with Shen Honglie's Qingdao line, but he will never do anything with Shen Honglie in such a matter, which is why two months ago, "when Shen Honglie approached him and hoped to send 600 sailors and officers from the Vladivostok fleet to Dalian to receive these six warships in conjunction with the officers and men of the Dalian fleet that was being built, Chen Shaokuan did not make any obstruction. Instead, he immediately sent the most elite sailors he had painstakingly trained from the Vladivostok fleet to Dalian.

Because Chen Shaokuan clearly knew that "personal contradictions will always give way to the interests of the country, and the Huaxia Navy has waited for 44 years for this day." Forty-four years have passed, the Huaxia Navy has not added a new large warship, this time finally added a big guy, how could Chen Shaokuan obstruct it, even if the destination of these warships is Dalian Port instead of Vladivostok" He did not hesitate at all, because these warships have a common name, they are all "Huaxia Navy"

Looking at the warships that drove into the port, Chen Shaokuan's face was so excited that a drunken flush rose, and he pointed to the warships that came and said to Shen Honglie: "Brother Chengzhang" With these six warships, our navy can be regarded as a little confident, and it will have the strength to fight a war when it encounters the Japanese. ”

Shen Honglie nodded, "It's just that it will take at least half a year to form combat effectiveness" At this stage, our task is to train personnel, whether it is engineers, gunners, communications, and side measurements, the training of these personnel does not require time, and Chief Su is right, "We are now racing against time!" ”

Unlike those admirals who were happy about the arrival of the warship, Su Tong's mood at this time was scratching his head in the construction of the port of Dalian. The warship is coming, but the warship is different from the general thing, the thing is coming, but the follow-up maintenance and maintenance is enough for him to scratch his head, a warship generally has to do maintenance once every six months, not only to clean up the conch, seaweed and other microorganisms that are stained on the bottom of the warship, the biggest problem of the warship is actually the ship's rest is eaten by seawater and the aging of the ship when it runs for a long time. These are huge expenses, and a fleet cannot be managed without a qualified port and a series of logistics bases dedicated to them, especially large ships.

Now what Su Tong has to do is to cooperate closely with the Yankees to build the port of Dalian and a series of shipyards, although these warships have just been maintained in the United States before they come to Dalian, but this period is only half a year, after half a year, if the construction of Dalian port has not been done well, then these warships can only go to the United States for maintenance, and Chief Su, who has always wanted to save face, cannot afford to lose this person.

"Woo woo" a long whistle sounded in the harbor, and the warship docked.

At this time, Zhang Shouye on the side quietly asked Chen Shaokuan, "Sir, when will we add a big guy to the Vladivostok fleet."

"Maybe it's going to be soon." After all, the center of the construction of the Chahar Navy has been transferred from Vladivostok to Dalian, and everyone understands the importance of the Dalian fleet, which will be an important port to defend against the Japanese Navy, and the distribution of new warships will inevitably be tilted here for a period of time in the future.

After a short time, thousands of engineers and technicians from the United States went ashore, looking at the engineers and technicians from the United States who disembarked one after another, "Chief Su Da's heart blossomed, these people are indispensable talents for the construction of Dalian Port in the future, Su Tong can imagine that when Dalian Port is built, the level of those Chinese workers and scientific and technological personnel who follow them to study and work will be improved by leaps and bounds, with Dalian Port and these workers and engineers in Vladivostok as seeds, as long as it will be another ten years, China's shipbuilding industry will reach a new level.

Turning his head to Chen Shaokuan beside him, he asked, "Fu Gong, have you prepared a dormitory for those experts and skilled workers from the United States?" ”

Chen Shaokuan said with a smile: "Sir, don't worry, you are ready, and you will definitely not treat them badly!" ”

"That's good, this Yankee is a baby, and in the future, we will rely on them to build our ports and shipyards. You have to tell our people that they have to learn all their skills, and only when we master the technology can we stand up. We've put in a lot of effort to get these people this time, but I don't want to do this again, you know? Su Tong's expression was very serious at this time.

"Sir, don't worry, I've already instructed those college students and workers, if I don't take out all the bezoar and dog treasures of those foreign devils this time, I won't be able to spare them." Chen Shaokuan patted his chest and promised.

"Well, that's good!" Su Tong said to Shen Honglie again: "Brother Chengzhang's ship has arrived, I will only give you half a year, if these warships can't form combat effectiveness after half a year, I won't be the first to spare you!" ”

Shen Honglie smiled and said: "Sir Su, don't worry, you have driven the warship here, if I, Shen Honglie, can't complete the goal in half a year, you will punish me, and I will jump into the sea by myself." ”

"Hahaha" After hearing Shen Honglie's words, the officers beside him all laughed, and Su Tong couldn't help but smile and said, "This is not enough, I can give you a word here." Half a year later, we will have two battleships and aircraft carriers to enter the navy service, and a large number of personnel will be needed at that time, so you Shen Honglie must be mentally prepared! ”

"What, Sir Su, we need aircraft carriers and battleships? Where did you order it? As soon as Su Tong's words were spoken, it didn't matter, Chen Shaokuan, Shen Honglie, and the officers beside him all had red eyes when they heard it, did Chief Su start ordering aircraft carriers?

Su Tong said with a straight face: "How! Don't believe what I say? I said yes, yes, and I can also tell you clearly, these two aircraft carriers and battleships are just the beginning, we will add new large warships one after another in the future, and the captains of these battleships will also be selected from among you, you all have to fight for Lao Tzu, if anyone gives Lao Tzu a thin belt, let alone be the captain, even cleaning the toilet is not your share, do you understand?"

As soon as Su Tong's words came out, it was like a handful of salt withdrawn from the oil pot, and the naval officers present were boiling, and all the naval officers turned their eyes to Shen Honglie and Chen Shaokuan. Those are battleships and aircraft carriers, not a few destroyers and frigates like small sailboards, if they can be snatched into their own fleet, the size of their fleet will show explosive growth, the eyes of the officers are red when they think of this.

Looking at the eyes of the officers, Su Tong smiled faintly, "Don't be too happy, although it has been decided like this, I haven't decided who these warships will end up with." Want an aircraft carrier? Yes, want a battleship? It's okay, as long as you can do something that satisfies me, in half a year I want to see these two heavy cruisers and light cruisers appear in front of me with a new look, and at the same time they must form a strong combat effectiveness, whoever wants to satisfy me will make him satisfied, and if anyone only cares about fighting in the nest but does not train well, then I'm sorry, Lao Tzu doesn't want waste here, do you all understand? Su Tong's voice instantly raised an octave.

"Understood!" All the naval officers replied loudly, and a green light appeared in their eyes like wolves.

"That's it!" Su Tong waved his hand, let this matter go for a while, now we still have to welcome a few important guests, you all come with me.

After speaking, Su Tong took all the officers to the dock in front, at this time the thousands of engineers and mechanics who came with the ships on several warships had already disembarked, and the last to get down was Hawkins, the special envoy sent by Roosevelt from the United States, and Alice, the chief correspondent of the Washington Post in Asia, who came from Chahar, behind them were more than a dozen special guests from the United States, among whom there were old and young, gray-haired old women, middle-aged men and women, and teenagers.

Hawkins walked up to Su Tong and whispered, "General Su, these people are the people from Major Majifen's family, and they are all here today. ”

Su Tong nodded solemnly, he turned around and said loudly: "Now there is a full holiday, and the two of them will sort out each other's military appearance!" ”

After a while, Su Tong ordered loudly: "Okay, now everything is lined up in a column with me as the center, and all of them are standing upright!" ”

After Su Tong gave the order, he came to the front of the dozen or so old and young people who had just disembarked, and standing in front of them was an old American lady with white hair and nearly eighty years old.

Su Tong gave the old woman a standard military salute and said loudly: "Dear Mrs. Majifen, please allow me to pay high tribute to you and the family behind you on behalf of the Chahar government and the one million soldiers of Chahar!" ”

After finishing speaking, Su Tong picked up a retinue and handed over the words, and said loudly to the surroundings: "Distinguished gentlemen and ladies.

You may not know who this gray-haired lady is, but now I can tell you that her husband's name is Fironorton Magifin, and that Forty-four years ago, Major Fironorton Magifen served in the Beiyang Fleet in China. Forty-four years ago, on the eve of the First Sino-Japanese Naval War, Major Magiffen was thirty-four years old, he had served in the Beiyang Fleet for ten years, he dedicated his most precious youth to the Beiyang Naval Division, on the eve of the start of the naval battle, he was supposed to take a leave of absence to return to the United States to reunite with his family, but unfortunately at that time China and Japan declared war, Major Majifen said in a letter to his family: "China and Japan are about to go to war, we may well say goodbye, but I must stay at my post." During the ten years of my service in China, they have always been kind to me, and how shameful it would be to abandon them at this time," said Major Majifen, who took the initiative to withdraw his leave of absence, and expressed his loyalty to the Huaxia Navy and the government in his actions. In that naval battle forty-four years ago, Major Magifin demonstrated courage and loyalty to his Chinese colleagues with his bravery and deeds. ”

At this time, "the engineers and mechanics who stayed on the dock all heard Su Tong's crouched American English, and at the same time, the thousands of US Navy officers and officers who had disembarked from several warships realized that the identities of the dozen or so people who had been drifting across the ocean with them for more than half a month were under the orders of the officers."

Su Tong continued: "After the defeat of our Beiyang Naval Division, Major Majifen wrote in his last letter to his wife: "My dear, I have served in this fleet for ten whole years" I have regarded this fleet as my home, and I have also regarded this land as my second motherland" Now that this fleet has been defeated, hundreds of colleagues who have shared life and death have also died, and now it is time for me to fulfill my promise. Did you know, dear? How I love this fleet, and now that it is gone, my soul will go with it. Major Magiffen also committed suicide immediately after leaving a will, and our Qing government at that time sent the remains of Major Magiffen back to the United States, to his hometown, but I regret that such a heroic soldier was unjustly treated in his hometown, and here I can't help but ask the US government, is this how they treated a brave man of the United States of America who died generously? ”

After hearing Su Tong's question, the many engineers and mechanics who came from the kitchen ship couldn't help but curse in a low voice: "This son of a bitch's government, he dares to treat a warrior of our United States of America like this!" ”

Although those US Navy officers and men did not curse out loud after hearing this, they couldn't help but secretly curse a few words in their hearts about the US government, these sons of bitches.

"Although Major Magifin was treated unfairly in both China and the United States at that time. But his contribution to the Chinese Navy, and his loyalty to the Chinese land. Now, on behalf of the Chahar government and the 70 million citizens under the jurisdiction of the Chahar government, I would like to pay my respects to Major Majifen and his family, and hereby award Major Fironorton Majifen, the highest medal of the Chahar government, the Order of the Special Black Tiger! Dear Mrs. Magifin, allow me to dedicate this medal and this flag to you in the name of a grateful country and the Chahar government! In gratitude for your husband's honorable, loyal and honorable service to the country, allow us to express our gratitude to him and to you on behalf of the entire country and the Chahar government with this flag, and you have a wonderful husband worthy of our admiration. ”

After speaking, Su Tong slowly took out a silver Black Tiger Medal and a certificate issued by Chahar and a black tiger flag folded in a triangular shape from a tray beaten by the soldiers next to him and handed them to Mrs. Ma Jifen.

At this time, a bugler standing behind Su Tong raised the bronze trumpet from his armpit, put it to his mouth and slowly blew the lights-out trumpet, in a low trumpet, a group of soldiers wearing white dresses and holding rifles came from the side, they slowly came to the side and stood in turn under the officer's order, pointed the muzzle of the gun at a forty-five degree angle to the sky, listened to the commander's command, and prepared to see off their robes in the way of soldiers.

"Ready! Put! ”

"Bump!"

"Ready! Put! ”。

"Bump!"

After receiving the medal and seeing the eulogy on the certificate, the gray-haired Mrs. Magiffen who stood in front of Su Tong still collapsed to the ground and wept silently, and more than a dozen family members behind her also cried.

When the gunfire was over, the soldiers lined up again and saluted Mrs. Magiffen and the family behind her before walking away.

At this time, the eight destroyers anchored in the harbor turned their guns and began to fire salutes. The white smoke from the destroyer resounded through the harbor with a loud roar. In this way, they pay the highest respect to the warrior who shed his last drop of blood for Huaxia although he was not a native of Huaxia.

At this time, the camera in Alice's hand standing aside kept flashing, Alice pressed the shutter vigorously while crying, she wanted to record this scene, and she also wanted to send these photos back to the United States, so that those bitch politicians could see that they were hurting a brave soldier of the United States of America in such a way.

When Alice's story and photos were sent back to the United States, the Washington Post ran the news the next day with a front-page headline: A belated medal. In this report, Alice writes that a warrior who fought for the banner of allegiance and died for his esteemed companion, a military uniform and a battle flag is the best consolation for the soul of the prodigal son of Annapolis, Major Magifin. Majifin is unfortunate and at the same time lucky, unfortunately in Majifen's hometown, his people are still suffering from discrimination and injustice by people and the government, fortunately on the other side of the ocean, in another ancient country, a local government has taken the lead in restoring his honor and giving Major Majifen's family the title of honorary citizen of Chahar. The chairman of Chahar Province, General Su, claimed that they would welcome Major Majifen's people to settle in Chahar at any time, and that they would welcome them with open arms as if they were their own relatives.

Alice's report caused a sensation in the United States as soon as it was released. They didn't expect that a beautiful ** person who died in a foreign country was so respected in other countries after being treated so unfairly in his own country. The whole of America was boiling, and the Chahar government spread throughout the United States with the name Firo Norton Magifin, and many Americans became curious about this magical place in the East.

And Su Tong's goal has also been achieved, he has let more and more Americans know about Huaxia and Chahar, which is more and more beneficial to the development of Ji Ge in his future. RH！ ~！