readytorunbook Chapter 244: The Final Battle of Mandalay (1): DD-1 'Zhenzhong' in Action
Chapter 244: The Final Battle of Mandalay (1): DD-1 'Zhenzhong' in Action
The night was as dark as ink, and the surface of the Irrawaddy River was shrouded in dead silence.
The moon was dim and the stars were sparse. The faint moonlight sprinkled on the water, reflecting the silvery-white waves on the water, as if a layer of gauze covered the earth.
Occasionally, a few frog croaks could be heard faintly in the distance. The sound was so weak that it was almost indistinguishable, but it seemed particularly abrupt in the silent night sky.
After a moment, these sounds were swallowed up by the sound of slowly flowing water, and the river surface returned to silence again.
However, just when the silence was becoming somewhat depressing, a faint roar suddenly came from the river surface, which was the low roar of an engine.
Then, the sound of high-speed rotating propellers stirring the water gradually became clearer, like the footsteps of a wild beast approaching.
The Japanese soldiers stationed on the shore immediately realized something was wrong and became alert. However, what they were about to face could not be solved by vigilance alone.
"Amphibious Marine Regiment, move out!"
The command on the radio was like a heavy hammer, breaking the tranquility of the night sky.
As this order was issued, the LVT-A1 amphibious tank roared and started on the shore, and various types of anti-submarine boats and torpedo boats in the river fleet also turned on their searchlights. Dozens of beams of light instantly pierced the darkness and illuminated the Japanese positions along the river.
The beams of light intertwined into a net, like countless eyes, staring coldly at the Japanese defense line.
In the distance, the 75mm mountain artillery of the 188th Artillery Regiment of the Marine Corps under the Anmin Army Navy began to roar.
The sound of artillery was deafening, and each flare with a parachute pierced the night sky with a pale light, instantly illuminating the entire war zone as if it were daytime.
The strong light makes it impossible to open your eyes, but in this intense light, all darkness seems insignificant.
Then, tracer bullets from groups of machine guns and cannons on the ships and amphibious tanks began to fly in the air.
Countless bullets drew fiery tracks, like countless lines of fire, leaving scorching marks in the night sky.
These lines of fire pierced through the night, carrying anger and murderous intent that could not be ignored, and rushed enthusiastically towards the devil's simple fortifications, ruthlessly tearing open their defenses.
7.62mm、12.7mm、20mm、37mm、40mm、76mm，各种口径的武器相继加入这场炽烈的大合唱。
With the roar of artillery fire, the battle on the river became more and more intense, and the surrounding air seemed to be suffocated by the scorching artillery fire.
At the same time, in the darkness in the distance, three huge shadows were slowly approaching.
That was the main force of the People's Army Navy - three Clemson-class destroyers with a length of nearly 100 meters. They were like three steel behemoths, marching towards the war zone with heavy steps.
Their figures are particularly eye-catching in the dark night, and their huge hulls make people feel a sense of awe.
Compared with these three giant ships, the small speedboats on the river and the amphibious tanks moving along the coast all look like "miniatures", like insignificant toys.
On the deck of the DD-1 destroyer USS Town Middle, dim lights illuminated a busy crowd.
Inside the bridge, Lieutenant Commander You Hongxuan of the Anmin Army Navy stood there, holding the railing tightly with both hands, watching the three 102mm 50-caliber main guns on the side continuously firing to suppress the artillery deployed by the Japanese on the riverside.
Every shot of the cannon stirred up waves of emotion in his chest.
"Continue to suppress the enemy artillery and maintain fire coverage." You Hongxuan's low voice came.
On the bridge, the fire control officer was quickly mobilizing the mechanical computer to solve the data, and then passing the latest fire control data to each gun position.
As the new data came down, the three 102mm main guns on the destroyer pointing to the left almost simultaneously emitted a violent roar.
You Hongxuan stood in the bridge, watching the roaring artillery, and an indescribable sense of pride ignited in his heart.
His feet were firmly planted on the shaking hull, feeling the power of this steel behemoth.
He knew that this was the "home" he had fought for.
With the roar of artillery fire, the hulls of the three destroyers slowly advanced like huge ghosts in the dark night.
"This is my boat!" You Hongxuan said silently in his heart.
Since he was not from Fujian, You Hongxuan was naturally marginalized in the Republic of China Navy, which was dominated by Fujianese.
And here with Zhang Chi, he finally gained the ability to use his fists and feet after a long time.
Not only was he able to pass on the skills he learned from John at the Nanyang Naval Academy, he also got the opportunity to command a destroyer alone. This made him feel extremely honored and full of gratitude to Zhang Chi, his "mentor".
As the destroyer's firepower covered the Japanese, You Hongxuan became more and more excited.
He knew that if the battle of Mandalay was won, the Anwar fleet would break through the enemy's blockade in one fell swoop, go straight down the Irrawaddy River, head straight for the estuary, and advance towards the wider ocean.
By then, this destroyer division will be able to truly fulfill the responsibilities of a navy and sail freely in the real ocean.
As for the huge combined fleet of the Japanese on the other side of the sea, he was not afraid.
The main forces of the Combined Fleet were mostly deployed along the Pacific front. In the Andaman Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the Japanese could only send a squadron led by a heavy cruiser.
And those students in the Naval Aviation Class of the Nanyang Naval Academy who are practicing hard to throw aerial torpedoes and dive bombing will give the Japanese fleet a hard time.
"The target has been destroyed and the Japanese positions are collapsing." The fire control officer's report interrupted You Hongxuan's thoughts.
"Commander Zhang informed us that we can cease fire. The Marines are about to go ashore, so we should be careful not to cause accidental injuries." The communications officer also brought the order from Navy Commander Zhang Guangjun in a timely manner.
You Hongxuan nodded slightly, staring coldly at the sea of fire in the distance, but he did not relax at all.
After successfully defeating the Japanese on this riverside defense line, the next step was to bombard the city of Mandalay.
However, in order to bring the city of Mandalay within the range of the naval guns, the destroyer detachment needs to sail forward for a further distance.
"Increase the speed to five knots." You Hongxuan's voice was low but undeniable. "Maintain a slow course. Everyone, pay attention to the river."
"Yes, increase the speed to five knots!" The helmsman responded quickly. The destroyer shook at first, and then the vibration gradually subsided.
The thousand-ton ship began to glide on the surface of the river like a quiet big fish.