Devil's Army

Chapter 1942: The Battle to Recapture Jianli County Begins

Because the Japanese army in Jianli County was heavily fortified, the brigade commander planned to first use air force to destroy the Japanese defense system in Jianli County and break through the Japanese defenses.

Infantry and navy launched another joint attack on the Japanese forces in Jianli County.

In the evening, Captain Meng of the First Squadron of the First Army Navy led a small group of soldiers to the headquarters of the First Brigade.

Political Commissar Guo briefed everyone on the Japanese defense situation in Jianli County as they had gathered. He then presented his proposed operational plan for both the army and navy.

Political Commissar Guo had a good understanding of the enemy situation in Jianli County, and the plan he proposed was quite practical and feasible.

The brigade commander ultimately agreed to Political Commissar Guo's operational plan. However, he also joined the air force in the battle, including some important Japanese strongholds and fortifications that Political Commissar Guo had identified within the air force's bombing range.

Given the strategic importance of Bailuo Airport, the brigade commander decided to seize it by strategy. It could be used as a springboard for future bombing of Japanese forces in Hunan.

(To prevent the Japanese from resorting to desperate measures and destroying the airport's infrastructure, fuel, and ammunition.)

To the brigade commander's delight, Grey Wolf was very supportive after he proposed the idea to him. Grey Wolf said that the First Parachute Battalion was currently not on combat missions and he could arrange for them to come and participate in the fighting.

With the elite Paratrooper Battalion coming to join the battle, the results will be twice as good.

Because Bailuo Airport is protected by the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and the dike, it has ten major projects inside, including a parking apron and bunkers, and two lines of defense on the outside.

Two kilometers away, a pillbox was built at the main road intersection, and an electric fence was buried in the weeds. Bunkers were set up at the internal main road intersections.

After the attack on Bailuo Airport in 1941, the Japanese army built earthen walls to isolate the aircraft and transferred ammunition and fuel to the valley on the opposite bank.

The brigade commander ordered the first paratrooper battalion to seize the Japanese ammunition and fuel depots in the valley.

The First Brigade and the First Regiment, along with the Jiangling Independent Battalion of the New Fourth Army, were responsible for attacking Bailuo Airport.

The other three regiments of the brigade, the directly subordinate units, the Jiangling County Brigade of the New Fourth Army and the First Company of the Navy of the First Army launched an attack on the Japanese and puppet army strongholds in Jianli County, Yanjiapu, Ditou, Wangqiao, Yubu, Xigou, Daijiachang and other towns.

Around 11 a.m. the next day, the First Parachute Battalion of the First Army replied: The First Parachute Battalion had completed its assembly.

The brigade commander ordered a full-scale attack on Jianli County at 7:00 a.m. the next day, with the paratroopers' attack scheduled for 9:00 a.m.

All units have entered a state of intense combat readiness.

At 7:00 a.m. the next morning, the Nanjing Air Force launched its attack on Jianli County.

Because the Nanjing Air Force knew in advance that the Japanese army had fighter planes at Bailuo Airport, it dispatched four fighter squadrons and three bomber squadrons to bomb a small county called Jianli.

More than 20 Zero fighters at Bailuo Airport received intelligence and had to take off to engage them.

Since the start of the First Army's full-scale counterattack against Japan, the most unfair air battle has begun.

In the past, due to the absolute advantage of Japanese fighter planes and pilots, they often used three fighter planes to deal with one Chinese fighter plane from the Chinese army.

Now the tables have turned, with one army using three Chinese fighter planes to fight against one Japanese Zero fighter.

From the very beginning of the aerial battle, the situation was overwhelmingly one-sided.

The Japanese army was constantly on the defensive against the artillery fire of the First Army's fighter planes.

The air battle lasted for more than half an hour, during which all 23 Japanese Zero fighters at Bailuo Airfield were shot down. Meanwhile, the First Army only suffered damage to eight Huaxia III fighters.

Thus, the Japanese 48th Air Group, which had already suffered heavy losses in the previous Jiangxi air battle, was completely annihilated.