This news is like a ray of light that disperses the gloomy clouds in the sky these days, and even the continuous rain these days seems to have become lovely.
Doolittle was also overjoyed. As long as they could contact the local government and army, they could return to the United States.
Richard was even more happy and grabbed the young man, "Man... what did your government say, when will they send someone to pick us up?"
"This..." The young man looked helplessly at Richard who looked anxious. It wasn't that he didn't want to answer, but that he really couldn't understand English.
Or Doolittle saw the clues and quickly stopped the excited Richard: "Hey...Richard, let him go first, he won't understand what you say?"
"Oh...sorry..." Richard quickly let go of his hand.
At this time, Zhu Lisan was able to step forward to ask, and after a while he told Doolittle and his party: "We contacted the Third Theater Command, and the people from the headquarters told us.
Because the road here is too difficult, and there are Japanese troops everywhere, they entrusted a local army in the World War II zone to send planes to pick us up. However, since there is no airport here, we need to open a runway within a day.
For their planes to take off and land."
"What...create a runway, are you kidding me?"
Before Doolittle could say anything, Richard and several other crew members took the lead and exploded.
"What do you think the runway is? Is it a field in your countryside? Just a few people with hoes and shovels can dig it out?"
"God... there are no bulldozers, rollers or large machinery. Isn't it a joke to want to build a runway?"
"Hey... Mr. Zhu Lisan." Doolittle pulled Zhu Lisan and said solemnly.
"I don't mean to offend, but if you want to test people like us, even if you add all the villagers here, trying to open up a runway that is five to six hundred meters long and more than ten meters wide in this weather is just a fantasy.
, it is absolutely impossible to succeed without a few months of hard work.
And the most important thing is that the surrounding areas are all hills and mountains, and there is no flat land suitable for opening a runway, you know?"
Seeing that Doolittle and his team were all in a panic, Zhu Lisan spread his hands and said, "I'm sorry, these are the exact words of the headquarters, but they also said that this runway does not need to be too long, only 60 meters long.
, five or six meters wide is fine.”
"Sixty meters long? Five or six meters wide?" Doolittle frowned.
"What kind of plane can take off and land on such a short runway? Isn't this a joke?" Richard said displeased.
Seeing the angry Americans, Zhu Lisan was a little puzzled, but he still patiently said to everyone:
"I am following the order of the World War II Zone Headquarters to tell you. Whether you listen or not is up to you. If you are not willing, then you can only follow us and walk more than 200 kilometers of mountain roads to Quzhou."
As soon as Zhu Lisan's words came out, Doolittle and his party all looked at each other.
God knows how hard they have been walking for more than a month. This damn mountain road seems to never end. If it were not for the local guerrillas leading the way, they thought they would stay here forever.
Seeing that everyone was silent, Zhu Lisan laughed: "Well, in order to return to the United States as soon as possible, everyone should work as soon as possible. Please remember that we only have one day. If we see it when the plane comes tomorrow morning
The pilot won't wait for you until you get to the runway!"
Well, in order to return to the United States as soon as possible, these Americans chose to swallow their anger.
Except for Fred, the bombardier who was suffering from a high fever, everyone, including Doolittle, followed hundreds of villagers and guerrillas and began to dig the runway in the open space at the entrance of the village.
Doolittle swore that this was the most tiring job he had ever done in his life. From noon until the next morning, a 60-meter-long and 6-meter-wide runway was finally completed.
What makes them most frustrated is that because this runway is related to their lives, they don't even dare to think about cutting corners.
As pilots, they know better than anyone that once a problem occurs when a plane takes off or lands, it will often result in a crash and fatalities.
Fortunately, it had stopped raining for several days at noon, otherwise they would have suffered even more.
After finishing the work, the villagers dispersed, and the American pilots who had been busy all day and night all collapsed on the ground.
Machine Gunner Paul is the youngest. He is only 18 years old and he is lying on the wet lawn nearby.
While he was squinting at the rising sun, his stomach suddenly made a growling sound.
Paul not only wailed: "Now if anyone can give me a sandwich, a cup of hot milk and a pack of cigarettes, I am willing to exchange all my savings for him. I never want to drink that bitter and astringent multigrain porridge again."
.”
"Hahaha……"
Paul's words elicited a burst of helpless laughter.
The navigator Henry joked: "Little Paul, if I remember correctly, your entire savings is less than twenty dollars. Are you sure you want to spend it all?"
Henry's words caused even greater laughter.
Doolittle clapped his muddy hands: "Okay, everyone has been busy all day. Now let's go back and have breakfast. And you, Paul, don't just lie on the lawn wantonly because of your youth. You can use it like this."
It’s easy to catch a cold, don’t forget that Fred’s high fever hasn’t gone away yet.”
"All right!"
Although he was too tired to move a finger, Paul still managed to stand up.
When the group was preparing to return to the village, a slight roar suddenly came from the sky.
"It's the sound of the plane's engine!" Gao Luo shouted.
For these professionals, the sound of the aircraft engine is like the voice of a loved one, and it is unmistakable.
"Yes, it is indeed the sound of an airplane engine, but this is the first time I have heard this kind of engine sound."
When it comes to his knowledge of airplanes, Doolittle would say that he is second. No one here dares to claim to be first.
"The plane is here to pick us up!"
The originally tired Americans suddenly became as excited as if they had been given a shot of blood.
Something suddenly rang out and Doolittle shouted again: "Quick... Richard hurry up and prepare the flares! Paul, go and light the prepared fire right away!"
After a while, two small black spots began to appear in everyone's sight and began to hover in this area.
"Bang bang..."
Soon, two green flares flew into the sky.
As the signal flare took off, two small and exquisite aircraft flew in the direction pointed by the signal flare. When they lowered their altitude, they saw several piles of eye-catching black smoke rising from the ground.
Then the plane lowered its head and began to plunge towards the ground...