(C-36)
‘The second seal was opened and
I beheld a horse that was red:
And his rider was given the power to destroy:
And there was given unto him a great sword.’
Revelations 6:4
'The hand of the righteous when unleashed,
will be hard and deadly.'
Anon
‘Stolen the fire from cannons flaring,
foes of freedom fear this declaring,
from Saratoga to Sacramento
beware of the Militiamen.’
The Militia Men
“This is excellent goose Colonel, you have a very good cook and the American wine you chose to go with it is first class.” In jest he then said, “If I knew you were such an excellent host I would have arrived early with my staff maybe even yesterday.” The other officers at the main table either clapped their hands or voiced agreement.
General Qigong Commander of the 25th Corp Artillery Division continued making small talk as he said, “I saw that the troops are having fresh chicken served to them, America is a land rich in food. And with the weather still very nice and warm for this time of year, this is a pleasant place to be stationed at. It is a pity that we couldn’t work out terms with them and have a mutual peace instead of the small scale fighting we are involved in here. At least it’s not as bad as the fighting going on down below Death Valley, and into northern Mexico.” He shook his head at the thought of the waste in men and material both sides were suffering in the continuous hard fighting there.
Hearing the whine of diesel motors and the clank of tank tracks, a few of the senior officers in their separate mess tent looked out of the door at a convoy of tanks and tracked infantry vehicles with four six wheel and two tracked AA guns following in the rear all heading northwest toward the river. Qigong just glances at the vehicles that are a little over 300 meters away, but doesn’t give them a second thought, as he takes a fork full of fresh cooked green beans and enjoyed the savory taste and smell of the smoked bacon that had been used to accent them.
The two senior officers from the attached armor company take a closer look at the passing vehicles; both recognize that the four tanks are the American M60’s, two of the tracked APC’s are M113’s and the other two are similar to the M2 Bradley’s. But the last four tanks they don’t recognize at all, then the last four wheeled vehicles they look familiar, two are wheeled 6x6 and the other two are some type of mortar carrier as they can see the tubes sticking up. The last two vehicles are some type of tracked AA guns following at the end and they talk it over for a minuet. The Armor CO has an uneasy feeling and asks their host, “Colonel Sho are any of our local units using any captured American Equipment?”
The Colonel holds up a hand with one finger up indicating just a second as he finishes chewing the food in his mouth, then he takes his serviette and wipes his lips, its not proper to talk with food showing. He then takes a sip of wine to clear his throat, then another wipe with the serviette before he says, “Yes we are using a lot of their equipment, I have over six hundred of their large tractor trailers hauling supplies, fifty of them just for fuel. And we have fifty buses to help carry part of your division back to Sacramento.”
“I don’t mean supply vehicles sir I’m talking about armor just like the ones that drove by.”
“I’m sorry captain, I wasn’t paying attention this is a very busy road, and we send trucks and support vehicles including armor escorts down it every day to supply the units around Lake Tahoe, and further south. Why?”
Hearing more vehicle traffic driving up the road the two Armor officers excuse themselves to their host and get up to step out side in time to see four more tanks followed by at least ten wheeled infantry carriers. There is a small break in the convoy then two four wheeled armored cars leading two more of the six wheeled troop carriers followed by a light tank, again all driving northwest. The captain has seen picture of these wheeled vehicles before but doesn’t recall what they are, the last tank looks a lot like our type 63 amphibious tanks that the navel marines use, maybe? The two 6x6 looked a little similar to our type 92 IFV. The turrets on these are a little larger, and they have a distinct space between the first and second set of wheels. Maybe a unit variation since they are very similar to the WZ-523’s, but not one he is familiar with.
This must be a good size convoy as the two officers can hear more vehicles on the road, but the other mess tents obstruct the view to the north, so both officers start walking between the tents toward the road, to get a closer look.
A few seconds pass then another of the small scout cars drives by followed by two more tracked infantry carrier these two have some type of quad AA guns mounted behind on a flat bed instead of the normal infantry compartment. Closely following them is another of the tracked mounted heavy twin AA guns and it is followed by one more of the small armored scout cars, then again by two of the wheeled infantry carriers.
With a laugh the Capt. tells his Lt., “I think those small vehicles are the British built, ah I think they call them Weasel or Sable, something like that,” not sure of himself, so his statement is also a question?
One more of the small vehicles drives past followed by another infantry carrier then one more of the quad AA vehicles all of them are slowing down now and it looks like a couple are pulling on to our side of the road. Curiosity is now overriding any sense of alarm as the two officers step between the last tents for a closer look. There is a large space between the road and the row of tents that have the several well-made soccer fields spaced out for the support troops and reserves passing through to use for sports or as we did earlier a parade field.
This level ground gives the two Armor officers a clear view of the road for about a kilometer in either direction, and they see over two-dozen vehicles spaced out along the road some of them with troops unloading from the back, these men are spreading out and rushing toward the convoy vehicles, the Captain turns to warn his Lt.
With out any warning the middle vehicle, one of the types’s with the quad AA guns levels its weapons and starts a murderous fire of it's heavy machine guns, hammering into the tents on his left. In a split second all of the vehicles are now firing and the sound is deafening. The Captain first glances back at the firing vehicles then turns to run and trips over his dead Lt.. falling down he hears a louder thunderous sound in the barrage. Tank fire at point blank range followed by the instant explosion of the shell as it hit’s the target, one of the tents explodes and he sees men and parts of men being tossed in the air. Mixed in among this cascading sound of hell, is that very unique sound of the pom-pom from the heavy AA guns firing and their rounds exploding instantly, crashing into more tents. Among this ground shacking noise he hears a strange ripping or burrr sound that is continuous.
Still sprawled face down on the ground he turns over to look and can see what looks like a laser beam cutting through the tent beside him, as he realizes that’s the ripping sound he hears. He is confused, what is wrong, what, why are the convoy troops firing on our own people. Standing up and waving his hands to get the vehicles to stop firing he is instantly hit with a large bullet that shatters his chest and rips through his spine, he is dead before he falls back to the ground.
Back in the Commanding Officers tent, it is instant bedlam; General Qigong with out thinking takes cover with Colonel Sho under the heavy wood of their table. Most of the other officers stand up and quiet a few of them drop dead or are mortally wounded as bullets are now cutting through the tent sides from at least two directions. Added in to the noise are grenades exploding and the mouthed cries of the wounded. Not all of the men present are numb with fear, a few of the officers are thinking and start crawling over the dead and wounded bodies to the weapons rack by the tents entrance and secure rifles getting ready to defend themselves from a ground attack.
Suddenly there is a blinding flash of light as a tank round slams into that end of the tent killing anyone there and throwing limbs, blood and pulverized flesh and other body parts on top of the dead and wounded. Col Sho is screaming but no one can hear him as the noise from outside drowns out any sound a human voice could make.
Then the awful noise stops just like it started, having lost all sense of time those on the receiving end that are still alive as the firing lasted only a single minuet. The few survivors are momentarily deaf, all of their senses are completely numb, shocked and overwhelmed from the sudden deadly murderous hammering they had just taken, and in seeing the destruction all around them.
General Qigong slowly stands up and looks around him, it’s like a scene right out of Hell. In just sixty short seconds his command ceases to exist, all that is left are survivors, so few of them after the devils brooms has swept over a whole division. The dead must outnumber the living as a sizable number of his men have been torn asunder by the exploding tank and 40 mm rounds; in some cases what is left is not easily recognizable as human remains.
Some of the tents they had been sitting under are now just wisps of material clinging to a few standing scattered splintered poles. The many overturned and shattered tables are splintered and either smashed or riddled with holes, several of them have the back half of the 2-inch long flechete’s sticking out, letting the survivors know that beehive rounds had also been fired. The most numbing sight is the heap of bodies or parts of bodies that are laying everywhere.
General Qigong stands there, surveying the carnage all around him that a few seconds before had been dozens, many dozens of tents filled with his men, his men, out of over 7000 soldiers a few seconds ago there are only several hundreds still alive. Some of the men who are standing have escaped harm with no wounds, and they start helping the wounded, where they can. For those less wounded, the human body is tough and as most wounded people have a will to live their wounds will mend, they will survive. Even today this still astonishes the best doctors in how tough and resiliency our bodies are, to overcome catastrophic damage.
Others of his men that are lying among the mangled and broken have been knocked unconscious by the concussion of the exploding tank shells; the one’s wounded the worst will die with out knowing pain. But for many others that are still conscious, the majority of then that are mortally wounded, they will die in the next few minuets and hours, and a few will hang on to life a day or two longer, for now they are screaming in pain and agony. The ones not hurt and the ones less wounded can’t hear a thing, as they are deaf from that one minuet of listening to hell’s orchestra.
There are only two tents that are still standing, both are so riddled with holes they look like a window screen. And other tents now resembles what one sees after a booted foot has stepped on several bugs grinding them into the ground.
General Qigong, temporarily deaf from listening when the door to hell was opened, can’t hear the sound of weapons firing over by the airfield, or even the approaching piston engines of the airplanes. The first two planes over the target drop their silver bundles at the far end of the camp among the barrack tents and the next wave closer to the middle as the last two planes finish off those closer in, the rest and sleep areas just west of the mess tents are now ablaze.
Anyone who might have been away from the mess tents and storage areas and in that area where the bombs have dropped are gone finished, period. As the first silver bundles hit the ground they burst into sheets of searing flame as their momentum spreads the hot burning napalm almost fifty yards forward from their impact point. Six two hundred pounds containers per plane, times eight planes does the job; nothing is going to come out alive from that inferno as planned. Robin two a flight of eight more planes drops their napalm on some of the designated homes south and west of Brockway Rd. taking out any Chinese troops that are off duty in the occupied homes, then the sixteen converted crop dusters regroup turn east and head back to their airfield to reload and to stand by if needed. They are replace by four A-4 Sky Raiders along with four more of the crop dusters, circling in two groups both ready, and in an over watch position orbiting just above Gooseneck flats to the southwest of Dan’s position. Lt. Col. Mike Withers flying the lead A-4 keys his mike and tells the first flights, “Well done Robin One, Robin two, head home, reload and get ready to stand by, over.”
“Thanks Sandy-seven will do, out.”
“Tango-Sierra-niner this is Sandy-seven, you have the go ahead to land, over.”
“Coming up on final turn now Sandy-seven, we just cleared the pass, four more clicks to go over.”
Mike looked back east and saw the two gray painted DC-4’s as they came out of the pass. Lt. Kur Galli was doing all right; unless the plan changed he would land and unload the drives and pilots, turn around and go back for another load. Mike knew he had picked a good man for that job, cargo jockeys have to keep cool. Because being a big and very slow moving target wasn’t a glamorous job, but a very important and necessary one that took a lot of courage.
Dan can smell the burnt powder and taste the acid left from the firing of their rifles, using his binoculars he quickly surveys the carnage from his position, and then he quickly hands the binos over to Eli as he takes a few steps away and throws up.
Eli knows exactly how Dan feels; he did the same thing years ago, he won’t take a closer look unless he has to. He holds the binoculars in his hand not looking through them as he tells the rest of the men. “Unless you guys have a morbid interest, I wouldn’t recommend taking a closer look. Dan as our commander had to, that’s one of the responsibility that unfortunately comes with the position.”
Taking his advice none of the other men in the command team used their binoculars, Dan’s reaction and Eli’s warning was more then enough.
Dan still bent over says in a weak voice, “Sorry guys, I should know better then to eat anything just a few hours before battle. It’s something I forgot.”
A & B Companies of the 1st Kansas Militia battalion had taken up a concealed hide in the creek and ravine line that runs west to east, a little over 150 meters just south of the mess area and just north of the Joerger Ranch. This position offered them complete cover from the weapons fire of their vehicles.
Dan and his team were 150 meters behind the two companies on a small knob roughly sixty feet higher in elevation with a complete view of the whole battleground spread out in front of them.
Over a hundred Chinese soldiers with weapons had tried to escape the murderous fire by fleeing south or southwest, most of them were cut down by a platoon of A company positioned there to block that escape route. Any further resistance by the Chinese ceases and weapons are tossed aside and they raise their hands to surrender.
Gen Qigong, Col Sho and four other officers including the Artillery Divisions G-2 are the only ones among the 70 senior officers not wounded or dead in their tent. They are easily rounded up with the rest of the survivors in the mess area when the Militia sweeps over them.
The napalm drop of Robin One and Robin two to the west stopped any thought of survivors fleeing that way. The sniper teams hidden in the woods to the southwest of the mess area are at an 80 to 100 feet higher elevation then the kill zone and safe from their columns fire, they quickly pick off any men running that way or with weapons or anyone who is making an attempt to organizing their men to continue the fight. Any of the individuals who drop their weapons and raise their arms up to surrender are spared, others seeing this do the same and soon they number a couple hundred. The few Chinese medics among these surrendering troops pull out their Red Cross armbands, but them on and head back to the mess area to treat their fellow wounded soldiers.
(C-37)
Clean Up and secure.
A Company quickly reloads their weapons, as the fire from the convoy stops, and the Chinese begin raising their hands to surrender. Dan gives the all clean, then A Co. sweeps forward to secure the prisoners, not a single one of the survivors offer any resistance as most are already disarmed, in shock or completely numb, still not able to comprehend what has just occurred. B Company waits in over watch positions ready to lend a hand.
Using the lower power setting on his radio Capt. Morales the CO of A Co. calls Capt. Brockman of B Co. and says. “Alpha seven to Bravo seven, we about have this wrapped up. I need as many of your medics as you can spare, there are a lot of wounded here that need help, over.”
“Will comply, Alpha seven, over.” Dan listening in then tells them, “Alpha and Bravo, this is Zulu seven, have a team secure an area by the main road to handle the wounded. Use the ferrets to set up a box and corral the rest of the unwounded POW’s to one side, Alpha detail as many people as needed to act as guards. I will have Mike-One bring his vehicles forward to assist, over.” Mike-one is the medical team that was back with the reserve force.
“Alpha seven, will do Zulu seven, I’ll keep a look out for mike-one, both positions will be just across from the airport approach road over.”
“Bravo seven, Wilco Zulu seven,” a short pause, “Alpha-seven, sending bravo-two, two and papa-lima four and five, over.” That meant the company XO and two platoons, close to eighty men.
“Alpha-one copied, thanks, out.”
Dan had his aide Sgt. Simms call the three medical APC’s to come forward and assist.
Eli calls D and informs him where the POW’s are going to be so his team of interrupters can head in, to do some quick Intel gathering.
The command group then heads down from the military crest of the hill toward the Airfield.
The Assault on the airport and adjoining hangers started at the same time as the convoy opened fire, and their assault takes less then two minuets to complete, just as the napalm strikes start. Only one pocket of resistance puts up a stiff firefight that kills eight militiamen and wounds another nine. This intense firefight quickly comes to an end with a single 105mm tank round that destroys the building the Chinese MP’s were fighting from.
The Chinese security detachment that had arrived with one of the two C-130 fire a few shots toward the approaching militia and then scramble to take up fighting positions. They stop shooting when they are ordered to surrender by their ranking officer as an M60 tanks turns its cannon towards them. Wisely so as they have no cover and are completely exposed.
The traffic control towers doors are locked, but this is quickly fixed with two shots from an FN, the four air controllers who had been trying to broadcast that they were under attack surrender with out a fight, never realizing that their transmissions were Jammed by the Militia’s Signals detachment.
The rest of the flight crews and the aircraft mechanics in the maintenance buildings surrender with out firing a shot, as most of them are unarmed, except for the pilots and they just have pistols. The mechanics weapons are all stored safely in the locked armory, and the man with the keys is over in the AA battalions area. The radio man for the CO of first battalion calls Dan to report, “Zulu seven, this is Kilo seven, target secure, ready for boomerang over.”
“Kilo-seven, Tango-Sierra-niner just came around the bend, can I speak to the actual over.”
“Zulu seven, we have eight KIA’s, actual is one of them and we have several wounded. We want to send them back on the flight’s, over.”
Continuing to move down the hill toward the Airfield Dan is hurt deeply, Bill Williams his life long friend is one of the KIA's and to hear that seven more of his men are dead. He says a quick pray asking the Lord to keep safe the rest of him men on this mission.
Dan changing frequencies calls Mike, “Sandy-seven, hold both of the Tangos when they land, we will quickly sort prisoners and send back some of the priority POW’s with our wounded and dead, over.”
Mike replies with a, “Willco, Zulu seven”
As the shooting starts over in the main mess area all of the Chinese AA Battalion positions raises a white flag and then every one of their AA weapons systems are pointed to the North, and preparations are quickly finalized as they strike camp. Major Jeff Green the 1st Battalion XO who is with Charlie Company and its attached armor platoon accepts the surrender of Col. Fu and his brigade. The Colonel speaks excellent English and hands Jeff a packet of codes and the maps with all of the Chinese 25th Corps major Head Quarters positions marked and suggests a plan.
Jeff nods his head as he says; “I’ll pass this on to my commander, Sir. How many of your men will we need to do this and how long would it take to set up before they can fire?”
Col. Fu is impressed that this American would show respect for him and his rank when none was expected, as he says, “I will need one hundred forty-four of my men to man the trucks and another twelve men to work the three firing solutions and then link with each launchers on board computers. We will need to move the 36 trucks to an area they can fire from safely, once there it will take five minuets to set up and fire the first mission. Three to four minuets to reload and fire the second two solutions, total time I estimate once we are at the convoy will take maybe twenty to twenty five minuets.”
“And Major please tell your commander that I have two of my four battalions present from my Brigade, plus my HQ and maintenance companies, we will be ready to move all of our equipment in thirty minuets. I have another three hundred and fifty spare drivers to assist in moving the captured artillery convoy.”
Jeff said his thanks and calls Dan and informs him of Col. Fu’s offer of drivers and his suggested plan.
Dan like’s the idea of using the 36 truck mounted, 122MM launchers to attack the HQ and the rear areas of the 25th Corp.
He answers, “I think we will get the OK, when it come’s in plan on launching when we pull out, and as soon as he can organize his people into a convoy move it down to the road junction making sure your troopers are watching them all the way. Just to keep us safe have his people below the rank of Sergeant turn in their small arms, to be carried in three of the captured trucks, over.”
“My people are having them do that now, over.”
“Good, once you are at the road junction send one of your vehicles with ten of his drivers up toward the airport to take the last ten buses back. Four are for the crews to man the type 90 MLRS the other six are for the spare drivers. Tell Col. Fu we will move the launchers in to position at 1330 hours, I suggest the area just northeast from the end of the runway, and we will fire them off at 1530 and then destroy any equipment we are leaving behind. Our planes with our wounded and any important prisoners will be long gone by then. The rest of the plan for now stays the same. Also if you didn't hear it, your the acting Kilo-seven, head up to the tower area and take charge, over.”
Because of the misty drizzle coming down and low clouds hanging over the valley the Chinese MP Company up by 80 highway can’t see the smoke but they hear the weapons firing, using a land line one of their Sergeants calls the supply base to see what the shooting was all about.
Dan and D had planned for this, by having an intercept team tap into the line, Gary Yuan the INS interpreter is waiting with a story; the Base commander was shooting off some captured American weapons and a large fireworks display as a farewell gesture for the departing units. The MP operator accepts this and passes the message on to his Company CO.
A quick inventory is taken of the huge stockpile of stores and bunkers full of ammunition and the hangers full of equipment. One more call to Gen. Greene and another transport plane is arrange to fly in 11 of the Navy’s and Air Force better pilots present, and the two DC-4’s make another round trip bringing in one hundred twenty more drivers. And then both fly out with 20 tons of electronic equipment and weapons aboard. Within one hour eleven of the Chinese Jets are flown back to Fallon NAS, five of them ate the WS10-A fighters and the other six are the Su-30MKK2 fighter-bombers; all these planes had been delivered in crates aboard ship and then had been assembled at Travis AFB in the hangers, undercover from our satellites. Then they were tested out and flown up here and were ready for the next Chinese push east.
If their plan had been allowed to come about, two of the Chinese stealth fighters would have damaged the defenses of Fallons NAS at night. Then when the forty fighters and fighter-bombers suddenly appeared on their radars, they would have quickly over come the US CAP and easily destroyed the base runways. Such an attack would have stripped any effective air support available for the American Division at Reno, leaving them to cope with a Chinese Air superiority and facing a major ground attack at the same time.
To say that the US Division would have been decimated is just a polite word for being totally annihilated.
A list of killed, wounded and captured, and a partial list of the captured Chinese equipment.
(Five Star General Marshall started the practice of having American casualties printed in red for his reports during WWII) Dan decided to adopt that practice in his reports back to his superiors. Not to shock anyone, but to remind himself that with all victories comes a price.
Attack at
Martis Valley American KIA) 16 including 8 more killed when a truck rolled over.
Wounded 37
Chinese KIA) 6273 (Intercepted communique of Chinese body count)
Captured 3231 (two Generals, 93 pilots, + the walking wounded,
and non injured)
2750 wounded that were in too bad shape to move were
left behind with 150 Chinese medics and doctors to take
care of them.
Another 1450 Men surrendered in the AA Brigade, they
would be the beginning of the free Chinese Army.
Attack at
Kings Beach and Incline Village
American KIA) 93
Wounded 165
Chinese KIA) 411
Wounded 1512
Captured 1009 (Including the Infantry. Bde. CO all of his HQ
element and all of the Bde. support weapons)
Lt. Col William Summers CO, 1st Battalion Kansas Militia is one of the KIA's.
Dan prays that this is not going to become a temporary position (KIA) for those who follow in this command? The Romans would have said, it is the will of Mars, their God of War and his price for success.
From the intercepted communique the next day another two hundred and forty Chinese were killed and over 500 injured at the various Divisions Head Quarters in the 25th Corp areas when the truck mounted 122mm multiple rocket launchers salvos slam into them. Col. Fu’s planned surprise decimates several division commands. General Jiu Chen is away from his HQ inspecting his forward troop positions and is spared.
Intelligence material gathered was beyond all expectations and within hours the Air Force and Navy launch close to 300 cruise missiles at hundreds of widely scattered munitions storage areas destroying some of the Chinese newest weapons systems, or spare parts for these systems.
Captured Weapons and munitions trucked out, (short list)
Specials 6 Atomic warheads that could be mounted on missiles or dropped as bombs.
12 Atomic 155mm artillery rounds
60 155 mm artillery rounds loaded with VX
60 Missile warheads of various sizes for carrying Biological or chemical agents.
30 45kg cylinders containing VX gas.
20 100kg storage units, containing genetically modified smallpox, anthrax and plague cultures.
19 Long-range land-attack cruise missile (LACM) mounted on captured American Semi trailers, each missile has a range of over 2100 miles with the ability to carry, a nuclear, biological or chemical warheads.
One battalion of A-100’s, 12 trucks mounting 10 launchers each for 300mm rockets (range up to 100 km, each carries a 275kg warhead with 500 High Explosive anti-armor sub-munitions)
60 Chinese copies of the Russian Tor M-1 anti-missile systems, it has been used to intercept our cruise missiles as well as all of our airborne missiles launched at them.
1 ZT mobile anti-radar unit (The Chinese counter radar and clocking system)
2 VERA-E (Chinese copies) a passive surveillance system used to detect stealthy aircraft.
Aircraft.
2 J-XX stealth fighters in shipping containers. A complete surprise to the US Air Force that they even exist.
5 WS10-A fighters flown out, and three more in shipping containers trucked out.
6 Su-30MKK2 fighter-bombers flown out, and six more in shipping containers trucked out.
2 C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
26 Wuzhuang Zhisheng-10 or WZ-10, attack helicopters.
12 WuZhi-9 night attack helicopters
41 SA 321Ja, Heavy lift Army transport helicopters.
12 combat capable unmanned aerial vehicles (CUAVs) with controls.
The whole 25th Army’s Aviation vehicle mounted support facilities and all spare parts, plus all of the weapons systems and stored ammunition for all of these aircraft join the convoy.
Plus
12 HongQi-9 (HQ-9) a long-range, all-altitude, all-weather surface-to-air missile systems
6 Electronic warfare (EW) vans and support vehicles
36 KaiShan-1 (KS-1) a medium- to long-range, all-altitude surface-to-air missile systems
62 PLZ45 155MM SELF-PROPELLED GUN-HOWITZER (36 from the Artillery Division, the rest from the storage and reserves. Each PLZ-45 battalion consists of 2 command and control vehicles, 3 observation and reconnaissance vehicles, 1 target correction radar, 1 weather radar, 1 repairing workshop vehicle, 1 potable cabin for repairing and testing, as well as three howitzer companies. Each CA (Chinese Army) company has one observation and reconnaissance vehicle, 6~8 howitzers, and 6~8 ammunition transport/reloading vehicles. Each howitzer is supported by a tracked ammunition vehicle, which can carry 90 rounds and reload the howitzer at a speed of 6~8 rounds/min.
Each gun carries 30 rounds in the automatic loader and can fire 4-5 rounds per minuet, ( that’s 6 minuets to fire 30 rounds each. Devastating if you are on the receiving end.)
59 PLZ89 122 MM SELF-PROPELLED GUN-HOWITZER (36 from the Artillery Divisions, the rest from the storage or reserve)
46 Type 89 tracked 122mm multiple rocket launcher (36 from the Artillery Division, the rest from the supply dump)
46 Type 90 truck mounted 122mm multiple rocket launchers (36 from the Artillery Division, the rest from the supply dump)
6 A-100 300 mm multiple rocket launcher, plus the reload and support vehicles
32 Type 83, 273 mm Multiple Rocket Launchers (very similarly to the US Army MRLS)
136 supply and support vehicles most are tracked for the above weapons systems that carry a ready reload, either of missiles or artillery rounds.
180 other trucks of various sizes that are the combat support units for the artillery division including motor transport, survey, maintenance and reconnaissance units.
2 semi-loads of spare barrels for the PLZ45.
2 Chinese airport fire trucks,
2 American airport fire trucks
Air Defense units manned by the two Battalions and their Brigade HQ, which switched sides.
32 Lu Dun-2000 Air-defense close-in weapon system or LD-2000 CIWS it has a turret mounted seven-barreled 30mm cannon Gatling style gun with six SAMS (surface-to-air missiles) three to a side
26 YITIAN/TY-90 AIR DEFENCE MISSILE SYSTEM
36 PGZ-95 Tracked 25mm AA guns, each vehicle has four cannon in a quad system.
6 of the PGZ-95 vehicles with out guns that mount a CLC-2 PD surveillance radar these are the battery commander’s vehicles.
18 of the PGZ-95 vehicles with out guns that serve as ammo carriers and another
6 vehicles that carry spare parts for each AA battery.
6 new American made SUV’s (the Artillery commander and his senior staff’s vehicles)
205 Chinese designed Jeeps made by the Beijing Jeep Corporation Ltd they have a 5-speed gearbox, with a turbo charged diesel engine.
65 North-Benz heavy-duty all-terrain trucks loaded with various caliber artillery ammunition.
300 American Semi’s, each truck pulls a flat bed trailer with 26 tons of captured supplies. (Half are loaded with either missiles or Artillery rounds; the other half is small arms and ammunition, grenades, land mines, rocket launchers and mortar rounds.)
18 Semi’s with 40-foot cargo containers full of Clothing, boots, field rations, field cots, six of the containers are full of field kitchen supplies, enough to equip three divisions. One of the containers is packed full of a rubberized silk type ground sheet, they must be spares to issue out to the soldiers when his gets damaged. Funny that none of the dead or captured Chinese had them though.
Several other containers had 15,000 brand new Chinese copies of the Americans latest night vision goggles plus 450 rifle thermal sights made in San Francisco, and capture by the Chinese right after the invasion.
2 containers full of Chinese land mines type 72-A anti-personal mine, called a toe popper, and their style of claymores called a Palm-zed.
36, of the 4 shot HJ-83 wire-guided anti-tank missiles launchers and the guidance controls from the 16 WuZhi-9 night attack helicopters we destroyed (4 from the stores) + 374 missiles.
38, of the 19 shot 57mm unguided missile pods, + 2900 missiles
11, of the 7 shot 90mm unguided missile pods, + 750 missiles
40 American Kenworths, Peterbuilts, Fords and Volvo-Whites, each pulling a loaded 8,000-gallon fuel tanker trailer
36 type 82 a 107mm rocket launchers mounted on trucks, along with their 36 ammo carriers.
26 PTL02 Assault Tank Destroyers equipped with 120mm cannons
18 ZTZ-98 Main battle tanks (on lowboys pulled by Mack trucks. Dragon Wagons)
50 American buses loaded with 3000 captured Chinese soldiers all blindfolded and zip-cuffed, with seat belts fastened (The other prisoners, the VIP’s were flown back with the American dead and wounded and the Two DC tens make two more flights bringing in more drivers, and returning completely full of Chinese equipment.)
6 of the thirty-six 130mm towed cannons and their trucks.
12 of the Type 63 Towed 107mm rocket 12 barrel launchers, + 1440 HE and 288 WP rounds
And half of the medical brigade for the 25th Corp is captured along with its supplies and their impossible to replace Doctors, and nurses.
In total a little over 3,000 tons of other supplies is captured and taken back to be used by us against the Chinese.
Unfortunately we had to destroy over 1000 vehicles, 42 helicopters and twenty-six fighter jets, plus set fire to, or blow up an estimated 180,000 tons of supplies, weapons, and ammunition we could not move. We also destroyed the 30, 130mm towed cannons and their trucks by fire and thermite charges set off in the closed breach of each one, we didn’t want to give them back to the 25th Corp, to be used against us at a later date. If we can’t steal them blind, then we will deprive the enemy of the stores they will need to use in the coming fight against us.
A normal Chinese Army corps-sized combined units consisting roughly of:
One armoured division
Two to three infantry divisions
An artillery division
An air defense (SAM/AAA) brigade
A communications regiment
An engineer regiment
A reconnaissance battalion (group)
A chemical defence regiment
Other combat service support units such as medical and transportation
In a few cases, an army aviation (helicopter) group
The twenty-fifth Corp had on day one of the invasion.
Two Heavy Armour Div
Two Medium Armor Div
11 Infantry Div
1 Artillery Div
2 Independent Artillery Regiments
1 Air Defense Brigade
A communications regiment
An engineer regiment
A reconnaissance Brigade (w/ one group of Special forces soldiers numbering 190)
3 Div of service support units and transportation units
Two complete medical brigades each with three hospital/ surgical detachments.
1 Aviation (helicopter) Brigade w/ attack and transport craft
The Chinese Twenty-fifth Corps is three times the size of a normal Corp due to the large number of reserve units added, or at least they were before losing several detachments transferred to the two corps in Southern California, and now with the loss of its entire Aviation Group, one/half of its AA brigade and now of course the entire Artillery Division.
The 25th Corps commander knows he can’t afford any more lose of face, and he makes plans to finish the southern prong of his advance and capture the town of Bridgeport. So he orders the Commander of the Southern Corp attached to his command, to finish his plans and to continue the advance.
For now he has to keep his northern units waiting while he builds up another supply dump, one that he will keep dispersed so it’s not such a tempting target for the Americans, a grave mistake that he had made with the first one.
(C-37)
Our best Spies
(The American news media)
‘Loose lips, sink ships.’
From a WWII poster
“You were correct sir the American news media can’t keep a secret, it made their news channels last night, two days after the attack. The American unit that attacked our Artillery division is a Militia unit and the operations name was ‘Trenton’ and had two sub parts those two names were, Snot Squirt, and Weasel.”
“A Militia Unit?” Jiu said a puzzled frown on his face, “the American army had no organized militia units listed. Our pre-war Intel said nothing about any Militia units. What size and where did they come from?” His voice started getting louder, “We were assured that it would take at least six months for any new units to be formed and equipped. In two weeks it will be the third month since we invaded America, and our intelligence people knows less now then when we arrived,” the 25th Corp Commanding General, Jiu Chen shouted angrily at his Intel chief.
“What type of operation would be named Snot Squirt,” he lowers his voice thinking as he says, “and Weasel what the hell does that mean?”
“No mention of the units size, from what the survivors of the massacre reported they said it was at least a Brigade plus in strength. That means we face two divisions now not one.”
“That size of a unit wouldn't have escaped our spies notice. Where are they from?”
“The Militia is from the state of Kansas, they weren’t suppose to arrive until today. They didn’t go on leave, instead they deployed before our spies knew about them. We did know that a Army unit was forming and training in Kansas but we didn’t have any details.”
Jiu thinks, ‘Snot Squirt I have head that phrase before, where, when?’
“Sir, I looked up the definition for the word Weasel, it is a small furry animal a lot like the Sable. The animal is very quick and strong for its size, and when they attack their prey it goes for the neck or at the base of the skull, and with one quick bite kills swiftly.”
“Just like they did to our supply depot and the Artillery division, a very quick and fast kill. I won’t fall victim to them again.”
Looking at his map he then says, “They hold the north end of the lake and expect us to attack them, pushing them back, or maybe by just sitting in the middle, they hope for us to abandon Reno and the southern part of the lake and pull back our units. We will do neither and stay where we are, have some of our Special Forces unit keep a close eye on them. The American Division to our front is not strong enough to attack us and we will bottle up whatever the size this Militia unit is. Very little has changed they still have to make us move, if not, as soon as I can move more supplies up, we will attack and remove them.”
Three days after the battle of Martis Valley the late fall snows that had held off starts and as if to make up for lost time it snowed for five days straight. A very wet heavy snow closing all of the passes through the mountains. With only enough snow removal equipment to keep one pass open the Chinese decide on keeping open Highway 80. The units on the west and south side of Lake Tahoe are faced with the threat of being starved out, and with their landlines cut and all radio traffic being jammed they can’t contact their HQ and ask for guidance. So they make their decision early and in one-day pack up and move up highway 89 to join the regrouping forces above Truckee.
General Jiu Chen was furious and had the units senior officers arrested. Their commander is shot on the spot and he sends the other officers back to Sacramento for Court Martial. They made the correct choice for their commands, but acted without authority, if nothing else he was a stickler for following orders, his orders. He tells his staff, “Make sure all of my commanders know they must clear all unit movements before they act. I won’t stand for any retreat unless I give the order.
His Intelligence chief points out that the supply trucks would have had to be supported by heavy armor and at least a battalion of infantry, as any smaller force would have been attacked and destroyed. This Militia was now a very painful thorn in his side. “I’ll shall deal with them later, amateurs playing at war, they will find out soon enough what playing in the big leagues means.”
The weather wins as the heavy snows decided the outcome before another large battle is fought, thus the Kansas Militia achieved a small bloodless victory for the American forces, all of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding area is under their control. 'Just another step in the long road back to home' is the term Dan used, and they have taken the first two steps in freeing California from the Khan. But the men preferred using the phrase Sgt. Little coined, Counting Coup, and in shaming the enemy.
Dan asks Gen. Greene permission to keep most of the captured Chinese Artillery and MRLS systems, to be used by his unit and the other militia units that will be following on, for they will need the heavy fire support weapons. Except for four of each system that is sent back to Ft. Sill for evaluation his request is granted. D and his detachment of Special Forces people help themselves to a truck full of selected small arms, some to be used by his teams in deep penetration patrols, they also get four of the heavy lift helicopters, that way he won’t have to ask for air support to do his missions.
The Air force takes all of the winged fighter aircraft plus all of the supplies and weapons for them and of course the working ZT Mobil anti-radar unit. When they figure out how it works then counter measures can be developed. Same with the 2 copies of the VERA- passive surveillance system used to detect our stealthy aircraft.
Anything Atomic, Biological or Chemical is taken back to Fallon NAS and sent on back east, along with four of the captured tanks as well as a sizable quantity of the small arms and company support weapons, this still leaves almost two thirds of the material captured and the trucks it was all hauled back on, Dan details a team of men to work with these weapons and to know them inside and out, then in turn to teach everyone in the Militia how to use them. The transport vehicles are all saved and plans are made to set up and establish a transportation unit.
Two days later the Militia request to use the captured Artillery is put on hold by the Army ‘Awaiting Review’ is the official term used.
Dan makes the trip up to see General Greene, “Sir, I’m not going to go behind your back sir but I had to let you know just how I feel about the paper shuffle parade going on back east.”
General indicates to Dan to continue, he won't interrupt, he will let him vent the frustration he also feels.
“In my first action I was promised air support. The morning just before we attacked that air support was withdrawn and we made provisions to use our own assists. Your Division my Militia brigade was assigned to have had similar promises before, in most cases any promise of that air support never materialized, and now once again we are once more promised air support for the next operation.
Damn-it don’t those guys get it, today’s fighting man has the ability to take on the heaviest armor and any ground attack air craft the enemy cares to send his way, just let him do his job, and give the support promised. If not, don’t make the offer, our men will not expect it or have to wait for nothing, and they will plan accordingly.
With out the air support the only thing left for us is tube Artillery or the MLRS, not some oh my a wiz-bang $200,000 dollar per shot missile system, that sure looks good on parade. Don’t get me wrong they have their place but they don’t begin to replace metal and HE on target.
With just eight of the 155 guns I have either, the South African or the captured Chinese, a single battery firing in thirty seconds can put 24, 120 pound HE rounds on target simultaneously, or as the Army calls it TOT, or Time on Target. And then can pack up and move before any counter battery rounds fall on their positions. Four batteries, one battalion, each unit working in a coordinated back-to-back fire mission can shoot and move one after the other without missing a minuet of firing, and fear of being hit, by counter battery fire.”
“One 155mm round cost $275 dollars, verses at the cheapest a $4,700 missile or smart bomb. One captured Chinese PLZ45 cost the American taxpayers nothing, except the crew to maintain it, the cost of Ammo and the petroleum-oil-lubricants to run the system. What does one of our precious F-16’s or F-18’s cost plus maintenance? It’s in the millions I know. And why endanger a pilot that takes years of training when artillery can do the job, as they just shoot-en-scoot.”
As Dan pauses General Greene chuckles and interjects, “Your thinking, and that is a good thing. To use what we have on hand and to get the job done. Just remember this is a war that will take all of the military forces to win. Not just the Army!”
“Don’t get me wrong Sir, I’m not belittling any of our pilots or the necessity of aircraft, we need all of the military fighting together if we are to have a chance to win. And for me to do my job I need those guns my men captured, all of them, short of a few that are sent to Fort Sill, or Fort Riley to train our new crews on. Even the regular Army units are short of artillery and they say I can’t use what I captured; it makes no sense to me. And what will I tell the dead soldiers family when he couldn’t get the necessary fire support, sorry.
Well sorry in my book won’t do and it shouldn’t ever be used because some pencil pusher back in DC made a bad decision. Not one that will cost good men’s lives, and maybe keep us from winning a battle.
In all due respects sir, all I ask is give me and my men the tools we need or some of the ones we captured, with the proper tools we will do our best to help win this war.”
Tom laughs along with several of his senior staff officers who are present, his executive officer says, “Dan’s not afraid to say what needs to be said, he’s one hundred percent correct you know.”
“Dan we weren't laughing at you, it could even be considered gallows humor. Your just saying what I’ve been saying and asking for the last two months, if just a couple of the perfumed princes from back east would come out here for a week to the front line, they would be singing as our chorus.”
“One thing I ask is please do not place your complaints in writing. Instead come see me like you have or the XO. If word were to get back to DC about some legitimate complaints, action would have to follow. And they would, you would get fired, because they can’t stand someone who is right and also pointing out their shortcomings.”
The Executive Officer echoed Gen Greene, “Dan Keep your thoughts private or voiced like now among close friends we can’t afford to lose you just because you spit on the sidewalk.”
Tom laughed as he said, “Your to PC, Dan would piss in their punch bowl if he knew that was the only way to get their attention.” All of the officers laughed at the General’s analogy as it was the same spirit they saw in General Greene to. If it would get result from DC and Dan was ‘pissing in the punch bowl,’ Tom Greene would have been there at his side pissing away too.
Within three days General. Greene tells Dan to disregard the ‘Awaiting Review’ and to go ahead and make plans on using what is captured, but he might have to give it up if directed too.
After capturing the Chinese artillery a fairly new member of the Armor battalion a Major Sam Rengo asked to be in placed in command of the guns. He already commands the one battery of South African 155’s and was a former Artillery Battalion XO during desert storm, and he is the most qualified man available outside of Colonel Red Stoddard who has his hands full training the 2nd Bde.
Major Rengo has no problem getting over three hundred volunteers out of the 12,000 men from the California volunteers. And they start training on the Chinese guns, especially with the number of prior service members who had experience in artillery stepped up. They start’s forming the nucleus of what would later become four Brigades of Artillery, but I’m getting ahead of myself.
Working with Offices and senior NCOs from the Chinese AA brigade that surrendered these Militia volunteers quickly learn their trade on the captured equipment. After a week of hard work, drills and some live fire training Lt. Col. Rengo estimates that he has enough rounds for all of his captured weapon systems to last them through at least eight major battles; that is if they are allowed to use them. As for the Chinese 155 Artillery their rounds are compatible with the American made ones and we won’t run out of those.
(C-38)
Long Range Plans
‘If you do something right,
you don’t always get the phrase.
If you do something wrong,
everyone gives you the credit.
-anon
“Yes Mr. President, I think you must sign and send this letter, as it is written,” The Secretary of State advised.
“You misunderstood me I’m not arguing with the content, it’s just some of the titles that are used to describe this Khan that I disagree with. He is a self-imposed ruler a want to be emperor. We and the rest of the world stand in the way of his empire, I won’t concede that point to him.”
“I’ll have that part changed to the ‘Leader of China’ from the ‘Emperor of China’. Anything else?”
“Good, and yes change the part from requesting that they pull back their special weapons from the storage depots that are close to the front lines to a demand that they do so. I want them to clearly understand that even an accidental biological or chemical leak or nuclear explosion on our soil, even if our forces cause it during an attack, will force me to respond with our own nuclear option on their soil.”
“That’s implied in the letter sir..”
“Damn-it, you people over at foggy don’t get it do you. I don’t want it implied I want it spelled out in clear language so there is no misunderstanding. One incident on their part here in the United States and we will H-bomb three of their cities, that’s the language and the message I want to send. Include copies of the photos our troops took of the storage bunkers they had this stuff in it. With the serial numbers on the weapons we captured, so they know we have them.”
“Yes sir. But this is harsh language to be used, something you have refrained from before.”
“Yes it is but the Khan stated that both sides shouldn’t use WMD’s* that it should be a war of skill, and men fighting men. Well our men kicked their men’s butts to capture these weapons, and I don’t want some Chinese General to think that if they are losing it’s OK for them to cross that line. That if they hit one of our cities with any type of an NBC attack, that we will ask for terms and will then settle for a peaceful negotiation to end this conflict. We will not cave in to that threat and they have to know we mean it too.”
The Secretary of State stood there fuming, and thinking if I had won the election this mess would never have happened.
As the President said, “Congress Declared War and we are going to win this war. The same as out fathers won back in World War two. On our terms, it has to be Unconditional Surrender because that is what the congress has demanded, from the Khan and the murdering Jihad front countries. Anything else is not acceptable. Now do you understand me?”
“Yes Mr. President I’ll see your Staff Director and have one of the White House typist make a new copy with the requested changes for your signature.”
The President sits back down at his desk to finish reading the after-action report from the battle of Marits Valley. After finishing the three-page summary he sits back in his chair and reflects for a few seconds thinking, this Militia Brigade from Kansas, they must be made up of some very stubborn SOB’s. The summation of the report indicates that they are fairly decent soldiers too, or damn lucky, especially to achieve the kill and wounded ratio in regards to their own dead and wounded.
I used my bully pulpit to rebuff them and to scare them, and still they stuck with it, even growing in size since the HLS report called them domestic terrorists. With a smile he thinks of a term they use to call themselves, ‘Bitter Clingers’, his died hard political rival supporters, this will be an easy way to get rid of a bunch of them, so they can’t ever vote again.
When the Joint Chiefs told me they were needed on the front and I gave my permission to deploy them, I had to laugh. How could a bunch of want-to-be Militia in two months get ready to go and fight and we are still trying to form up NG and Reserve service units into combat units.
And once on the line, and in less then a week they score a big prize, capturing a sizable portion of the special weapons this middle Chinese Army brought with them. Then wounding, killing or capturing almost 13,000 Chinese and we suffered, looking back at the summary he reads, a total of 251 men and women, either KIA’s or wounded.
As a half smile shows for an instant on his face he shakes his head yes, I’ll have to admit it, I was wrong and they were right. But in the end I’ll still be here and most of them will be in graves, yes we will use them, and use them until there are none left. They volunteered to stand in my way, so let them volunteer to die for the America I’m making, now that’s sacrifice.
Writing a note he attaches to the report, to be sent back to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, ‘See that these people get as much support as needed or that we can possible give, do not cut them off, listen to their ideas, and use them where we can.’ Setting back in his chair in the Oval office he smiles as he thinks, I see the big political picture and where I want to go with this and now they play into my hand. Patriotic fools, to be used up, and they can’t see it coming. He then chuckles out loud, ‘lead the charge boys, lead the charge.”
(C-39)
An offer of Help
‘And a debt repaid’
‘Charity begins at Home’
A Christian saying
‘The home doesn’t rest on it’s foundation,
It rest on a women’s back’
A Mexican saying
‘Always do right.
This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.’
-Mark Twain
And when he opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say. Come and see. And I beheld,
and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.
And I heard a voice in the midst of the four-beast say,
and three measures of barley for a penny;
and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.
Revelation 6 & 7
“Evelyn, how are you, it’s good to see you, sorry to drop by with out calling ahead but its urgent.”
“That’s OK Reverend Compton why don’t you and your guest come on inside, the wind has picked up a bit and it’s just a little blustery outside today.” As the two men stepped inside Evelyn told them, “Excuse the mess please, I’m going through our stored food and donating some of it to the county food pantry. With the war on every one is in short supply, and Dan had almost a two year stockpile saved up us and for his brother and sisters.”
Stepping inside with his friend they can see dozens of boxes and several five-gallon pales sitting on the floor of the living room. With a knowing smile after looking at all of the open boxes Ivan Compton says, “Please don’t worry about the mess, a lot of folks will be glad that you have extra and you’re willing to share. The people who prepared in our community like your family are doing the same, the pity is that more people didn’t store food back in case there was a disaster or like now a war with terrorist attacks that has disrupted the normal trucking and supply routes that distribute food to the stores.” He then said, “Evelyn, I’d like to introduce Reverend Rooie Kloppers, Rooie this is Evelyn Marion.”
They shake hands as Evelyn says with a smile, “Rooie Kloppers are you from Suid Afrika.”
With a chuckle he answered, “Yes, though I was born in Fort Victoria and lived a large part of my life there, except for going to collage later and Seminary school after the War. And Rooie is just my nickname, as you can see from my red hair. Hyannis is my real name, since a little boy I have always gone by Rooie.”
With a heart-warming smile she says, “Well, well someone from home, this is a welcomed surprise, it’s a small world isn’t it. Would either of you like a cup of tea or coffee I have the water on?”
Rooie says, “A cup of tea would be nice, with milk please.”
Ivan says, “I have never had milk in my tea, Rooie has tried twice to get me to drink some. So if that’s how you are having yours Evelyn, I’ll give it a try?”
“OK, three cups it is. It will take just a sec to finish boiling the water, would you care to sit here in the front room, or come on into the Kitchen?”
“The kitchen sounds fine, my wife says that the important things get done in the kitchen, the lounge is just a pleasant place to chat and to be comfortable,” Rooie said with a soft chuckle.
Leading them the few steps into the kitchen Evelyn sets out two more mugs, as she ask. “Is your wife a Rhodie too, Reverend Kloppers?”
“Please call me Rooie and no she’s a South African, I meet her while attending University at the Cape, after getting married and finishing seminary we moved back north, were we spent 10 years at the rebuilt Dandera mission near Nyamapanda, that was up above Mtoko.”
“Oh, it’s to bad Dan is not here that was one of his favorite places, especial up around the Mt. Setyskwe area. Right after the war he became the Adjutant for the Armored Car Regiment and took me for a ride up to Mtoko. That's where he had to assign the units buildings and vehicle park there back over to the BSAP. We drove on up to see the Gomos, it was Super, very impressive.”
“Gomos,” Ivan asked?
“Yes a Gomo, it’s just another name for a high steep hill, a boulder covered hill, sort of like Stone Mountain down in Georgia,” a gleam of remembrance twinkled in her eye, a when we moment, as she smiled.
Rooie said, “It was super no doubt about that Evelyn, have you been back recently?”
“No not since 94’ when we took our children over for a month at Christmas, we spent most of the time in SA and only ten days in Zims, six of those at the falls. The last four we were at a farm northeast of Bindura. Broke my and Dan’s heart to see the ruin in the country even then.” Turning her face to hide the hurt, Evelyn placed two tea bags in the teapot and added the now boiled water, to let it steep for a few minuets.
Adding milk to the three mugs she then poured in the tea and offered them the sugar bowl and a teaspoon each. “Sorry I don’t have any Shrewsberry fruit biscuits or Rusk to offer, I just sent the last packet of Shrewsberry to Dan in a goodie box yesterday. But I do have some good homemade oatmeal and raisin cookies we made this last weekend.”
“Oatmeal cookies would be fine, I haven’t had any Shrewsberry for at least two years now. Do you still have relatives in SA?”
“Yes, several cousins and a lot of friends, but the Shrewsberry came from the Farmers Market down in Atlanta, my sister lives there and sends us a nice box at least twice a year or we pick up things when get down their for a vacation. But with Dan gone it doesn’t look like we will make it this year. You said two years do you and your wife live in the states now?”
“Yes we have been here for six years now, we had to close the Dandera mission back in 96’ and then moved down to Tzaneen, South Africa. We lived there for two years that’s where our main mission and refugee center is. We now live in a mixed Boor and Rhodie community just out side of Theodosia in southern Missouri.”
“Tzaneen, Dan did some training in Phalaborwa, I went to visit him and drove through Tzaneen, a very lovely town, and we got to see the back side of the Kruger Park around Letaba. I’ve heard of your communities down there in southern Missouri a couple hundred families in four or five small towns now isn’t it?”
“We have close to a thousand families now, with over three hundred Rhodie families, with the majority of them coming through from SA and we now have two families from South-west Africa. In southern Missouri we are scattered across five counties and over a dozen small towns. Several of the ladies make a very good sour milk Rusk, I will ask them to send you some when I get back there.”
“Thank you,” Evelyn said, “If you don’t mind me asking, but you didn’t have Reverend Compton bring you out to just visit did you?”
“No Evelyn I didn’t, but it is a pleasure to talk to someone from home. I’ll get to the point, the reason for my visit is I have word from our mission in Tzaneen and they are in a dilemma. The papers back there are covering the news of the war and some of the local battles out west and about Dan and his unit’s recent success in the war and also mentioned Elijah Maritz name.”
“He’s a good friend of Dan’s.”
“That good, because he’s a good friend of mine too, we were Scouts together, but that was in a different world, sorry never mind. Anyway at Tzaneen it seems like most of the refugees we are helping are former Rhodesian soldiers and their families. Father O’Toole is our senior member in charge there, he was a Padre for KG Six Barracks and HQ in Salisbury, over the years he has continued to minister to the needs of our soldiers.”
Evelyn just nodded her head as she sipped her tea.
“So when Dan’s and Eli’s names were mentioned several men stepped up and asked to volunteer their help, three of them had served with Dan and six with Eli, another sixty former soldiers also stepped forwards. They want to come over here, and to help America in this fight, so we then contacted the American Ambassador’s office in Pretoria and they sent up the American military liaison officer to visit our mission. He’s a Green Beret and after talking to the former soldiers for a while he knew immediately that the tracking ability of these men and their son’s is something the American Army needs.”
“So he is arraigning to enlist the younger men and to get them and their families over here, the young men will join the regular Army and the ones in there forties or older could join the Militia, they will start arriving as soon as next week.”
“War does seem to get the bureaucratic cob web malaise moving and the paper work shufflers to do something faster then in super slow mode,” Evelyn said with a smile.
“Yes it does, now as to why I’m here talking to you, we need community sponsorship and help for some of the families. My group in Missouri will help with five dozen and I would like your help setting up a sponsorship group here in Kansas for five or six more families?”
“I would be glad to host one family myself but I’m not into politics or real big in any of the community services, most of what I helped with was school activities. I’m not sure I would be of much help to you there?”
Ivan had politely listened with very little commit until now as he said, “Evelyn, your too modest. Since Dan stepped forward and made the word Militia respectable again, your family’s stature has changed. If you would ask for people to help any organization they will, or to just lend your name in support, you would be amazed at the out pouring of help that would come forward. I’m talking from job offers, homes for rent at reduced rates, cloths, furniture, even free older cars and maybe scholarships for those young adults that might be heading to college later.”
Evelyn placed her hand over her mouth to hide an embarrassed smile, “You mean if Dan were to ask?”
“No not just Dan, any one in your family has some celebrity status. Dan is now a local hero, he made the whole state wake up and rediscover what it means to be a patriot again. Something the decent people knew, and the elitists wanted to keep hidden or labeled as bad. He has up set their apple cart on the road to socialism, lead by these elite’s, and we are going to use that to do what is right.”
Evelyn emphasized, “I want you to know that Dan didn’t do any of this to make a name for himself or for our family. He did what he knew was right, what had to be done. He prayed hard, that what he was preparing for would never happen. A few months before the invasion I know that the lord was speaking to Dan in his dreams, getting him ready. He was very restless and murmuring about flanking movements and getting men into position. At first I thought it was from his years in the bush and all the fighting and it was coming back on him, I know differently now.”
“You’re correct Evelyn, Dan did what had to be done, the right thing and I know that now too. And I do thank the Lord for his speaking to Dan and inspiring him on all these year,” Ivan said. “Dan over these last few years was a little like Noah, working hard for that rainy day he knew was coming while the sun was shinning, and the rest of us just looking on not understanding why, myself included.”
Ivan took a breathe then continued, “I know nothing about Africans except from your family Evelyn, I suspect the ones Rooie is asking our help for are just folks like all of us, just ordinary people with different customs. They may speak a strange tongue, but they are our brothers and sisters, with some of them willing to step into the line of fire and risk their lives for us; will then we must help their families.”
Rooie added, “Ivan some of the men offered to come and fight because they know and respect Eli and Dan, and a lot of other Americans who went over and helped fight for there country and it's freedom, quiet a few Yanks died trying to keep them and their families free. For those men who knew them this is their way to repay a debt. For others, they are trying to escape oppression and they see this as the only way out for their families, whatever the motive is, they are offering us help. In return I just want to help those families coming over with good sponsors as this is going to be a big change, a very big adjustment for them.”
“A big adjustment is correct,” Evelyn said with a slight grin. “To come to a new land, as we know it’s not semi-topical around here, and coming now to be facing four months of what might be a harsh winter to start with, will take some adjustment.”
“You know growing up in Salisbury we only had frost two times in twenty years, winter to us meant no swimming in the pool for 35 to 45 days, the average night time low was maybe forty degrees and almost every afternoon the temperature got up to at least seventy.”
“I adjusted and I know they will be able too,” Rooie offered as encouragement.
Evelyn didn’t need any more persuasion, “Alright I’m in. We will have to set up classes on using all of the modern appliances and even on what to shop for in making a balanced diet. We will need sizes before they get here so we can give them good winter coats at the airport and…..”
(C-40)
Another Shovel Full
‘If you take more than your fair share of objectives,
you will have more than your fair share of objectives to take.’
Murphy’s Laws
“Dan, operations Snot Squirt and Weasel were both a complete success, and even more so in the Intelligence gained. As was your tactical estimates in moving the line forward and its expected aftermath affecting the other Chinese units south of the lake was correct too.”
“When the second heavy snow fall last week and with the Chinese having their supply lines under constant watch and artillery fire by your people the rest of the 66th Division withdraw from all of their positions around Lake Tahoe as you predicted they would. Your actions two weeks ago have now forced them to give up that region. If they hadn’t pulled back they would be cut off and we would be in the process of starving them out. Instead they decided to save their men to fight another day and withdrew them. Then your men just walked into their old positions and occupying them without a shot fired.”
“Yes Sir, that possibility was in the back of my mind, when we started our planning to attack and occupy the northern part of the lake?” Dan answered wondering what the General was now planning. He continued “I’m glad it worked with out any more bloodshed. And besides using the captured artillery I do have a couple of request for some of the other captured Chinese equipment we are holding and some other stuff we will have to purchase. These last request come from several of my older Sergeants, they put forward ideas that might save some lives down the road.”
“The captured equipment is yours, what do they need from me?”
“They are asking for the following, 12 of the M99’s that the Chinese 12.7MM sniper rifles, 12 of the type 63’s that’s the twin barreled 14.5MM AA guns. They would like all of the LG3 35MM Grenade Launchers*, and six of the W99 82 MM auto mortars*.”
“We already have several dozen of the captured PKM’s and RPD’s that they want to use in their R&D project.”
“Usually there is a monetary cost associated with R&D, any idea on what they plan too do Dan?”
“Remote controlled vehicles with heavy weapons, money wise for the R&D prototypes they are asking for two thousand dollars, that’s for some heavy duty radio controlled servos, they say they have most of the other stuff on hand or they can fabricate what they need. If the idea pans out and you accept it, down the road they would need maybe another forty thousand dollars or so later on so we can set up a fake company position if needed.”
“Two thousand is cheep, what’s the overall plan?”
Taking a deep breath Dan continued, “For the end results we plan to be able to set up a fake forward companies defensive position with remote controlled vehicles like the sword project, with lots of fire power so the Chinese would think this is the front line and attack them, while the rest of the Battalion or Brigade would be in concealed positions three to four hundred meters to the rear. As the enemy forces sweep over the fake company and consolidate, our units in hiding would then rise up and engage them. I can see the merit if time is available and it becomes necessary to set up the dummy unit.”
“Not a bad idea Dan, I’ll see that they get the two-thousand dollars, have them go ahead and start work, we will see if they can make it convincing. As I said since your people are guarding the captured stores take what you need, just give a list to the J-2 and J-4 on what they are pulling out, that way my people will know what’s on hand or who has what, in case it’s needed elsewhere.” Then smiling he added, “After they conduct some test firing let me know so I can see what they have, I just might have an idea or two that I could offer?”
“Thank you sir, Sgt. Ski likes ideas, he lives for the chance to fabricate and make things.”
“Fair enough Dan, now this request is off the record, I want you to tell me how D was able to get the information and location for all of the Chinese special weapons depots that our cruise missiles destroyed the night after your raid?”
With a laugh Dan said, “Don’t worry sir he didn’t use any torture, in fact it was quiet easy. When we captured the supply depot, as you know we got almost all of their supply trucks and all of the delivery records. Gary Yuan that’s D’s friend grabbed all of the trucks logs books and quickly went through the routing info and then pulled the necessary records from the files as to what load they carried and the location they were picked up from. The Chinese Drivers had written the addresses all down just like they would in peace time back home in China. D knew they would do this, as old habits are hard to break. All of the drivers are 3rd echelon reserve troops or there local militia and not as well trained as they should be. And I think their officers didn’t think it was necessary to pay attention to detail, like informing their men about basic Intel security as a duty.”
“Anyway in less then an hour he had over two dozen targets that were crossed referenced in dozens of trips and covering the last two months. He worked for another three hours and was able to pinpoint over forty sites as must hit targets. D then brought in four drivers separately who had made these trips, and each of them when confronted with their own vehicles log books and signatures for having made these trips, they confirmed they had been to these sites. D then showed them the cargo manifest they picked up and they said that was correct to. Using aerial photos of the locations the drivers pinpointed the exact buildings where different material was stored. Our attached navel air liaison officer shouldn't have by-passed you as he sent the info up his chain of command. Anyway he was able to get the local Admirals ear; and he in turn got the Navy to launch the cruise missiles from ships or subs stationed off the coast. My liaison officer told me the attacks were a complete success and the follow up information Gary gave them the next day for another sixty targets was just as valuable and those were all hit the next night.”
General Greene laughed as he added, “Ha, you can say that again, our Intel estimate gave me the latest assessments this morning, we destroyed or damaged the majority of their long range missiles storage that’s not forward deployed, and one hell of a lot of other equipment they can’t replace. Plus we also got quiet a few of their top electronics warfare people. Your people’s attack and the capture of those files and log books have helped more then you know, but I have to ask that all of this be kept under wraps. No one outside of the few who already know can be told about how we got the Intel, so I’m classifying it as Top Secret, you understand the why!”
“Yes sir, D already told Gary, Navy Captain Morrison and myself that, he said we could keep using this source for a long time if only a few of us knew about it. We agreed and no one outside of the four, now five of us will know where it came from. Even the Admiral doesn’t know where our list came from and he didn’t ask, he did say if we could give him any more targets like that we would have top priority. Something about getting a leg up on the Air Force and all,” Dan said with a chuckle.
“You’re learning quick Dan, and making a good friend in Admiral Gross. You are correct, the Intel you passed up should have been cleared by my people first and then forwarded from my HQ. But if you had done it through normal channels another dozen people or more within my command and higher up the chain would have questioned on where you got it. With that many people knowing it gets harder to keep quiet. I don’t give a damn whom gets credit for what, when we achieve results like this we all win and more Americans are alive because of it. That’s what matters, but now I have some bad news for you Dan!” Gen Greene paused.
“Go ahead sir,” Dan said as a slight apprehension look flashed in his eyes for a second, and he thinks ‘no good deed ever goes unpunished’.
“All of that ground your Brigade captured two weeks ago, and your positions around Carson City you are to turn it over to the newly formed 1st and 2nd Brigades of the 22nd Divisions. That’s the new unit I’ve been setting up, their CO and his staff will be here at 1400 hours to work out the details on replacing your men on the line. And I want those units to start moving into your forward position no later then noon tomorrow. This move will be completed no later then midnight tomorrow night. You’re to start making plans to draw your unit back below Carson City to the Minden Gardnerville area. Once there I will give you one week to refit and reorganize, then I want you to deploy down here.” He pointed to a position on the map hanging behind him on the wall. He then passes across a dozen typed orders pages as he continues, “Here are your orders and mission, there are a few stray units of the Chinese 15th Corp that need to be dealt with and stopped from advancing any further east. Even though you will be separated by many miles from my HQ you’re still my Brigade and under my command.”
“Yes sir.”
“Now for the good news the 2nd Militia Brigade that your people have been training back at Ft. Riley shipped out Monday, there command group and first battalion arrives at Fallon NAS in about two hours, and the rest of the Brigade will be here in two days. I will be placing them under your command. That’s if you think you’re up to it?”
“I don’t think you would make the offer if you had any doubts sir.” Dan replied, as Gen. Puckett, Lt. Col. Dix, CSM Cody and several other men entered the room and stood quietly listening.
“Then I’ll take that as a yes Dan.” Then Gen. Greene smiled as he said, “Or, until either your dead or I find someone better.” All of the men present chuckled, then he added, “This will give you a command of over 12,000 men and women, plus a lot more work to bring that 2nd brigade up to speed as a front line combat unit.”
“I’ll do my best sir.”
“I know you will, now just my two cents, but might I suggest you have Col. Dix take over for you as the acting 1st Brigade Commander, you’ll be too busy setting up a HQ element and some support elements so that you can control and work both of the Brigades. With the Artillery you guy’s captured and the number of people from California you have in training here and the other Militia units back at Riley, you’ll soon have more then three brigades to command. And that brings me to the next reason I had you come up to my HQ, here put these on, one for each collar,” General Greene handed Dan two separate subdued stars, the rank of a Brigadier General.
Dan looked at the two stars in his hand in disbelief as he said; “I haven’t been a full bird colonel for three months and now your kicking me up where the air is really thin. There will be a lot of people on the Potomac pointing fingers my way, saying that I haven’t the training, the schools etc., to be selected for this position you know.” Then with a chuckle he added, “And aren’t you afraid my brain will freeze solid?”
“Won’t have time to freeze, and you answered that your self a few seconds ago Dan when you said I wouldn’t make the offer if I had any doubts. Just to let you know this does goes a lot higher then just my decision, four different Governors with troops in your brigade or soon to be added units to your command, all of them insisted, and your men proved that the Militia could fight, win a couple battles and hold onto ground. Besides the Commander of two brigades should have at least one star. Your soldiers action, your leadership and your staff’s attention to planning this last few weeks dispelled any doubts, congratulations Dan” Gen Greene said as he offered his hand to shake.
Still with a bit of shock showing Dan took the offered hand and said, “Thanks I think sir? But my staff and some good people you knew coming out of retirement have done the majority of the hard work for me, we wouldn’t be here with out them.”
General Puckett said, “Always remember those people that help you on the way up Dan, and that TEAM is spelled with out an I.”
“Yes sir, it is a team, and it always will be.” Dan answered, then leaned forward and whispered, “But I’m not sure I’m wanting this job or the rank sir.”
“I understand Dan, believe me I understand,” Gen Greene chuckled, “but your druthers doesn’t count, it’s a done deal.”
Lt. Col Dix and CSM Wolf stepped up to shake Dan’s hand next, “Let me help you sir.” Jim said as he took the stars out of Dan’s other hand and handed one to Cody as he said, “CSM Wolf would you pin the other one on too?” A Staff Sergeant from division took several photos then said, “I will place them on a secure web site so you can access them, I’ll make a dozen hard copies, that should be enough to post in all of the units archives, for any future press releases and give you at least one to send home.”
“Thanks staff, the family will like a copy or two I’m sure. But about the web site though, it could be hacked,” Dan said, “Your not going to include my home address are you?”
“No sir, your home address will not be included.”
“Good thank you,” then turning back to Gen. Greene Dan asked, “Sir I would like to have a few minuets to read my orders and give Jim and Cody a heads up, and if it’s alright to call home?”
“Dan, generals do not address each other as Sir or General, unless the junior one is receiving a well deserved dressing down. They talk to each other by using first names as gentlemen do. And you don’t need to ask permission to make a call home, a man with a star for his rank knows the rules, he enforces them and decides when such calls can be allowed, this occasion is one of them. See the J-2, his small briefing room should be available!”
“Thanks again Tom, I have one favor to ask, I’m going to need a top notch recon team, I know Eli works for D, who works for you General Puckett, but I know what he and men like him can do, I have worked with his people before and I could really put his talents to work and use him.”
“Dan my first name is Carl, congratulations on the promotion, I’ll arrange it with D, and Eli will be assigned to you in the morning along with any other men D can spare, though it might be only two or three. I also have another ten good men available that I can spare from the Taiwan army battalion, they were here training with the Rangers when the war started and we asked to keep them over here for their language skills. There will be two Lieutenants and eight enlisted men, I’ll assign them to your G-2 as Intel Specialists, they all speak excellent English and can serve as interrupters,” Gen Puckett offered.
Dan acknowledges his thanks, “Appreciate that Carl,” then turning to Tom he asked, “How much leeway do I have in appointing my ADC?”
“That’s your choice since you’re a little outside of what the Army considers a regular unit, and the final approval has to go through me back to DC, if it’s not too outlandish I’ll will give my OK. Whom do you have in mind?”
With out any hesitation he said, “Then I’d like to have Jim Dix promoted to full Colonel and fill in as 1st Brigade Co and also act as my ADC then.”
Dix blurted out with an astonished laugh, “What, I don’t think that dog is going to hunt. The fair-haired princes in waiting back at the five-sided palace in DC won’t stand for that. You’re wasting your time asking sir!”
“Maybe,” Dan retorted, “but that is my wish.”
Turning back to Gen. Greene he asked, “Tom?”
“It’s a fair enough request and as I’m the acting Corp commander, you have my OK, we are the men up front and fighting here and now. I’m sure the Chief of Staff will back me on this one.”
Dan with a smile said, “Thanks,” turning back to his men he said, “We have work to do gentlemen if you please.”
*LG3 Following the successful development of the Type 87 35mm automatic grenade launcher, NORINCO revealed its latest LG3 40mm grenade launcher in 2006. The LG3 is a recoil-operated, fully automatic weapon developed by NORINCO for export market. It is capable of firing the U.S. 40mmX53mm SR series grenades as well as Chinese indigenous 40mm HE or HEAT rounds. The weapon is belt fed from a 30- or 40-round can, with a maximum range of 2,380m.
Calibre: 40mmMuzzle velocity: 244m/sFiring mode: Single, burst Max range: 2,380mWeight: 39kg Elevation: -10~42 degreesTraverse: 360 degreesRate of fire: N/A Grenade weight: N/AAmmunition: HE, HEAT
*W99 this automatic mortar has the ability to fire 4 round in 1.5 seconds and is fed from a clip, it has a computerized fire-control system for direct or indirect firing.
Calibre: 82mmRange: min 800m; max 4,270m Rate of fire: 4 rounds in 1.5 seconds Combat weight: 650kg
(C-41)
Sideshow Battles
(more Politics)
“10 million rounds of 7.62 ammo is the combat load and ready reserve for 2 brigades of Militia. And if we will have four brigades in each of the planned two divisions that equals 80 million rounds needed by late winter, and that does not include training ammo for our replacements and to keep the men sharp, so the government should either contact Portugal or South Africa and purchase the ammo from either of them. Tell them not to waste time or money on any ammo purchases from Argentina or Chile because their ammunition is lacking, it’s not consistent. South Africa is the best bet to have over 100 times of what we need in stock, plus the 7.62x25, 5.56, .45 .50 and 60mm mortar rounds. Buck said they are willing to sell us anything we wanted, but since the Chinese collapsed the paper currencies of the west a few months ago they will want to be paid in gold.”
“The people in Washington aren’t going to part with any gold Dan, that’s a gimme, they will tell us to wait on Lake City to catch up.”
“We can’t wait Tom, Americans are being slaughtered in untold numbers just 100 miles away. We really need that small arms ammo on hand, I can’t do any long term planning waiting day to day for small shipments to arrive.”
“We are all in the same boat Dan, first not enough troops, now not enough arms or Ammo. The supply is limited, production is lagging and will take months just to catch up.”
“In all due respect sir, are their brains frozen solid back there at the Pentagon, don’t they read their own Intel reports? The answer it’s right in front of them, it’s easy to see that all of Southern Africa is in the midst of a drought cycle Angola, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa? All of them can’t raise enough food right now. So we trade them food for bullets three or five ships to one if we have too. Believe me the South African Government will make the deal because they have no choice or options open to them. It’s that or watch their people starve or revolt and they have enough problems without that.”
“I’m glad to know that at least one of my commanders has been reading the world situation reports.”
With a snort Dan replied, “I lived there for years, I would still be there if the political climate hadn’t changed for the worse.”
“I’m glad you’re here now Dan, and for working up the Militia all those years and now making them into a fighting unit.”
“I was just one of many people who restarted the Militia sir, and it is the quality of the people I had to work with that makes the Militia work not me. Hey I just remembered something Buck told me right after he got back from Johannesburg, he said the South Africans have a Chinese problem to. They have a space vehicle tracking facility and satellite control center outside of Swakopmund, that’s just north of Walvis Bay in Namibia; the Chinese have at least a Brigade of troops there disguised as support people. If the Navy were to use a dozen missiles, that area would be toast. And if we decided to aid them with some food shipments, we are again friends with Pretoria.”
“Dan I’ll forward that suggestion back to DC it should get some ones attention? All we can do is try?”
Two days later the Khan orders his Chinese commander in Panama to have his troops seize SERVIR and to begin installing new programs to lock out control from Houston Texas. SERVIR is a “situation room” or “nerve center,” which opened in Panama in February 2005. From there scientists use a whole constellation of existing NASA, commercial and international satellites observing Earth at visible, infrared, and radar wavelengths. By seizing this center they gain access to and receive information from all of the surviving US and European satellites, this will enable the Chinese to focus their attention on the American forces in California, and provide a real time information flow to the commanders fighting there, using American satellites and their own equipment against them, fitting as they see it.
As soon as the Pentagon is notified of this new and very deadly threat they request permission to destroy the whole installation. Even with a war raging NASA and several Peace party senators have anticipated the military’s move and try to block them by going directly to the President.
The President can see the danger of this facility in Chinese hands and orders a strike.
A nuclear sub lurking one hundred miles off the west coast of Panama fires six cruise missiles carrying fuel air explosives and destroys all related equipment housed on site and all of the satellite dish up links. The Chinese techs had been working diligently for six hours to by-pass the American secured codes and lockouts. And they have just started to install their own software: never having operational control they were not able to switch programs and turn over the master control to a base in China or send a link to the captured JPL center in Southern California. The center is completely destroyed along with all of the best technical people the Chinese have in country.
At 8 A.M. the next morning two B-2’s out of Whiteman AFB in Missouri make that long flight to Namibia, sixteen-hours later and thirty miles out at sea off the African coast, they each drop six Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile or JASSM. These are a new stealth cruise missile that fly at 450 miles an hour. Just like the planes that fired them they are invisible to radar. In less then four minuets after the missiles were launched the targets and most of the support personnel at the base are obliterated, without any warning. The Chinese radar crews never saw it coming and no alert was sent back to China that they were under attack.
The two B-2 bombers turn around to head home after the successful mission. They land after 33 hours of continuous flying with several mid-air refueling rendezvous required each way. Another highly successful Top-Secret mission completed by the nearly impossible to detect Spirits.
The next day the US Ambassador in South Africa offers aide to the South Africa government and it’s people during the prolonged drought with shipments of grain. This is gladly accepted; later behind closed doors a deal is worked out for the US to acquire surplus munitions as payment for the grain. Both sides are happy as this exchange benefits each others needs.
The South African government then asks if a long-term arraignment can be worked out for a contract in supplying munitions for the war effort, negotiations are started, and soon a mutual accord comes about.
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