Chapter 1611: Chapter 1528: Flying Ashore
A Tang Army soldier sat somewhat nervously in the cockpit of the helicopter, a safety belt wrapped around his waist, his only safety measure, and just beside him, separated by another person, the open helicopter cabin door stayed open.
This Black Hawk Helicopter was flying over the sea, not too slow, with the sea breeze blowing through the cabin, making the soldier riding a helicopter for the first time extremely tense.
He hasn’t had any training in this aspect, and sitting in such a helicopter with the cabin door completely open is much more thrilling than accompanying a child on a roller coaster.
He really didn’t believe it when he was meant to land ashore by a landing craft, but everything went too smoothly, so he was directly sent to an amphibious landing ship.
Before he could react, he was stuffed into a helicopter, exposed to sea breeze, rushing toward the smoke-filled beach. Honestly, he wished the helicopter’s door could be closed, but unfortunately, no one cared about that.
Below his feet were densely packed landing boats, some unloading fuel, some unloading infantry, in short… all very busy.
Because the boats were too occupied, there was no way to deploy more to transport personnel ashore, which was why some were transferred to helicopter mother ships to change their way of landing.
After all, it was initially expected to lose half the helicopters to barely complete the stereoscopic landing. Due to everything going too smoothly with the first plan, helicopter losses were saved and could now be used for subsequent transports.
It turned out slightly troublesome to transport supplies on amphibious landing ships, so they sent people up and then used helicopters to carry them.
“We’re approaching the coastline!” The soldier sitting on the outer side was trained, he understood that although it looked dangerous, they were actually quite safe.
As long as they don’t face enemy machine gun fire, helicopters are quite agile, capable of dodging most anti-aircraft guns. Moreover, they didn’t need to approach the frontline, landing at a rear-area drop zone would be fine.
Due to their speed, they quickly began to descend in altitude, eventually stopping the helicopter on ground level yet the rotor blades didn’t stop spinning.
“Lower your head! Bend over as much as possible! Quickly leave the rotor area!” While opening his chest’s safety belt, the soldier responsible for ensuring safety loudly reminded everyone.
Though this had been reminded while boarding the aircraft, he insisted on performing the procedure by shouting once more to ensure everyone’s safety as much as possible.
The soldiers feeling as if having just ridden a roller coaster, previously jostled by air currents nearly vomiting, now bent low charging out of the helicopter rotor area finally reaching a safe place to collapse on the ground.
With pale faces, they received a cup of water from soldiers stationed there, gulping it down into their stomachs feeling somewhat comforted.
At this moment, the helicopter that brought them already took off again, heading toward the sea. They were very busy, for many, many soldiers awaited landing.
“How does it feel?” asked a soldier arriving by hovercraft curious about the comrades arriving by helicopter.
The soldier blown by the sea breeze while flying waved hand, thought himself quite unlucky, if given another chance, he’d have definitely chosen landing by a craft.
After struggling momentarily to regain composure, he saw some balding dwarves sitting together, dispiritedly held by a soldier.
“Dwarf captives?” He slung his rifle across his shoulder, asking the comrade who gave him water, “Why are they here?”
“Those ones? They’re pilots, their plane was shot down, bailed over here, and ended up captured.” The soldier guarding the drop zone introduced carelessly, “Because having studied at the Tang Empire’s aviation school, they get to be placed here, as long as they don’t cause trouble, able to mix with our people for some food and drink.”
For after all, some acquaintances or friends existed here on the Tang Empire side, someone who studied at the Tang aviation school generally received some special treatment post-capture.
For instance, receiving food rations, the privilege to write letters to family, occasionally even sent to rear lines permitted a leisurely wartime existence.
“They’re indeed a lucky bunch.” A soldier having just set foot on the battlefield glanced again at the weary dwarven paratroopers remarking.
“Do you envy a group about to lose their nation?” asked a soldier tending the airlift point disdainfully.
“Of course not, I just think in comparison to those doomed to perish under my muzzle, they’re somewhat lucky.” Just recovering slightly from airsickness, the Tang Army soldier replied, then noticed a familiar figure arriving to fetch him.
Troops landing were dispersed, hence the beach was full of soldiers, officers searching for subordinates or higher units.
Return to organizational structure is essential for engagement isn’t it? Though temporary squads happen during special occasions, under feasible conditions, all troops aimed to locate their belonging soldiers.
Otherwise, how to account casualties? How do usual training tactics function? How would those heavily invested trained combatants execute their roles?
“How to reach Navy Marine Corps 2nd Division 2nd Regiment?” Leaving the drop zone, weapons and gear pack encumbered, navigating the densely packed beach, this yet-to-find superior unit Tang Army soldier dodged a Type 96 Tank asking the smoking soldiers across the tank tracks.
“Over there! Keep going far! About 2 kilometers.” A smoking soldier pointed toward the distance answering.
“Thanks.” The soldier seeking directions waved then proceeded toward the indicated path. What bothered him now were the sea sands repeatedly filling his shoes.
Where he had disembarked was a firm terrain, Tang Army deliberately chose suitable helicopter landing spots, now walking the beach felt irritatingly soft.
In the sky, planes still roared past even visible were far-traveling H-6 bombers, under Yinglong’s protection, flying over Tang Army’s heads.
Distant rumbling of artillery resounded, Tang Army’s heavy firepower landed ashore pouring over the distant dwarf positions, smoke rose in patches over the horizon reminding everyone that the battle had far from ended.