Chapter five hundred and ninety-eight paratrooper brigade waiting
A paratrooper brigade of the Soviet Army had four paratrooper battalions, each with 458 men.?
In addition to ordinary paratroopers, the brigade artillery also has 6 76mm infantry guns, 12 45mm infantry guns, 6 82mm mortars, and even more than 100 bicycles.
However, the 233rd Paratrooper Brigade will go into battle lightly, and supporting heavy equipment may be able to be transported there in the future. At least this time they will only carry light weapons.
Paratroopers are paratroopers after all, and their equipment level and training investment are far superior to ordinary infantry.
Therefore, their main equipment is sVT4o, dp light machine gun and German submachine gun. In terms of infantry support weapons, only mortars are brought.
Even so, because a large number of sVT4o are equipped with elite paratroopers, their individual combat capabilities and firepower density are superior to those of the German infantry.
According to the plan in front of the station, the Soviet Union's industrial strength was enough to equip all its soldiers with semi-automatic rifles like the United States. However, because the war broke out too suddenly, the replacement had just begun, and only a few troops received the new rifles. But all the paratroopers
, they have completed the semi-automation of firearms.
Increased firepower means that the consumption of ammunition has also increased significantly. The paratroopers who are about to be airdropped into the swamp will have a large amount of ammunition in their equipment. In addition to personal daily necessities, food, and a full set of parachute bags,
Each person's load reached an astonishing fifty kilograms. Coupled with their own weight, when dozens of people are crowded on a transport plane, it will undoubtedly test the aircraft's carrying capacity.
Fortunately, these problems are not a problem at the moment. Since some heavy equipment originally scheduled to be transported to the swamp has been suspended due to cost-effectiveness reasons, the space vacated is filled with very light military uniforms and other military supplies.
For several days, unloading yards have been everywhere around the airport in Severodonesk.
Dozens of divisions of the Southwest Front are gathering towards this generation. The soldiers believe that their actions are not only consolidating the defense line, but also preparing for a new round of offensive. A large amount of supplies are piled in this city, making it easier to distribute them to the incoming troops.
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Similarly, this airport is also one of the main bases of the Air Force. Fighters take off frequently. In addition to intercepting enemy planes trying to attack here, they also drop firepower on German positions.
At eight o'clock in the evening on March 29, the airport was busier than ever.
Under the moonlight, more than two hundred planes had begun to line up, and the huge plain turned into a huge airport.
Each transport plane is towing a transport plane behind it, with an exaggerated wingspan, so that it does not require much power to obtain enough lift. After all, such a glider carries at least twenty tons of cargo in its belly.
The upper limit of load capacity is thirty tons. If it is heavier, I'm afraid we will only need to add another main wing.
Timoshenko's front headquarters was not in this city. Since the operation involved paratroopers, a Stalin's commissioner from Moscow came here to personally supervise the entire operation.
However, this commissioner, who was equivalent to an "imperial envoy", could not dictate the task, because there were more professional people here. The commander of the Second Paratrooper Corps arrived in the city early under great pressure.
On March 23, the front army headquarters decided that the paratroopers would join the airdrop operation. Army Commander Rechkalov was full of doubts at first. After all, sending a brigade to the swamp would not make the best use of it no matter how hard he thought.
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But after listening carefully to Timoshenko's explanation and his vision for the future, he agreed with the decision of the front commander.
Since the Soviet army is going to counterattack sooner or later, and maybe it will be counterattacked across the entire front in a few months. Why not organize a surprise force in the enemy's hinterland, for example, send the paratroopers to the swamps, and then suddenly confront the enemy during the major counterattack. By then, both sides will be in trouble.
The total strength of ten thousand people is enough to deal a huge blow to the enemy!
The only pity is that after arriving at their destination, the paratroopers will be assigned to the leadership of the 284th Guards Division, so the number of troops Commander Rechkarov can command will be too small. What if all the paratroopers are
After transporting it, all he had on hand was a handful of military tanks.
An order is an order! Unless you jump out of a plane in the future and continue to lead your own troops.
As a military commander, I feel uncomfortable following the leadership of an infantry division. But then I thought about it, maybe that infantry division will be upgraded in the future?
The operation was about to begin. General Rechkarov invited three senior military officers and political commissars to his temporary office next to the airport, which was a large field tent.
His invitees were Brigade Commander Teplov, Deputy Brigade Commander Besonov, Brigade Political Commissar Zarasky of the 233rd Brigade, as well as Moscow Commissioner Sarinchkin.
Everyone has already had dinner, and before leaving, they can have another late-night snack - some bread.
Seeing his subordinates, Rechkarov couldn't help but sigh.
"You are all here. You seem to be in good spirits. In a few hours, the short-term operation will begin. What awaits you is an unknown fate. It is really embarrassing to send you to a swamp surrounded by German troops and living a difficult life.
You guys!"
"It is the bounden duty of a soldier to obey orders. Besides, this operation was approved by the leader! Even if I risk my life, I must complete the mission." The words of the regiment leader Teplov were not just his inner thoughts;
It was more flattering, and it was addressed to the Moscow commissioner.
So Commissioner Salinchkin nodded with satisfaction. "I believe in your strength. If you have this awareness, this operation will definitely succeed."
This commissioner was politically strong, but knew nothing about military knowledge. He did not want to give instructions in this regard because he knew nothing about the work of paratroopers. However, his colleague Mehris was giving instructions on Soviet military operations in Crimea, which caused
The essential difference must be because the commander of the Southwest Front Army is Timoshenko!
In terms of military matters, Rechkalov has told his subordinates many times that he does not need to worry too much.
When it was time to take action, he took out a bottle of vodka as a sign of the future.
Everyone stood up with their full glasses of wine raised. There was no tragic feeling in the atmosphere that a hero would never return, only the expectations of an officer for his subordinates.
Rechkalov said: "Soon you will enter the swamp. The 284th Guards Division is a very powerful force, and you are also an elite force. In the swamp you will obey the command of the infantry division. As paratroopers, we are originally
They have strong autonomy, and because the combat environment of that unit is too special, they have even greater autonomy. In the future, you must obey their leadership, just like you obey me, the commander. It is true that the living environment there is very harsh.
You will say goodbye to your comfortable and dry wooden bed, your daily delicious bread and beef, and even your vodka!"
"This is not a problem!" the brigade commander said again: "The paratroopers have this awareness. After all, we are born to be surrounded by enemies. When it comes to performing tasks and fighting hard in a tight encirclement, I believe we are the strongest."
Rechkalov nodded with satisfaction. He looked at the others and asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"
"there is none left!"
"Okay, let's drink this glass of wine. At ten o'clock, the paratrooper brigade group will gather urgently. So we will only have one drink tonight." 8