按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
en in over a day。
〃I came from the west。 I can get back there now； with the truck lighter； and it's only six kilometers to the old logging road。〃
〃Very well； but do it quickly； corporal。 If they see you； they'll blast you。〃
〃Farewell then； rade Captain。〃 The corporal got back into the truck； started up； and turned to the north to loop around。
〃I hope someone gives him a drink tonight。 He's earned it；〃 Buikov said。 There was much more to any army than the shooters。
〃Grechko； where are you？〃 Aleksandrov called over his radio。
〃Four kilometers south of you。 They're still dismounted； Captain。 Their officer seems to be talking on the radio。〃
〃Very well。 You know what to do when they remount。〃 The captain set the radio microphone down and leaned against his track。 This business was getting very old。 Buikov lit a smoke and stretched。
〃Why can't we just kill a few of them； rade Captain？ Would it not be worth it to get some sleep？〃
〃How many times must I tell you what our fucking mission is； Sergeant！〃 Aleksandrov nearly screamed at his sergeant。
〃Yes； Captain；〃 Buikov responded meekly。
CHAPTER 56
March to Danger
Lieutenant Colonel Giusti started off in his personal HMMWV； the new incarnation of the venerable Jeep。 Using a Bradley would have been more fortable； even more sensible； but overly dramatic； he thought； and there wouldn't be any contact anytime soon。 Besides； the right front seat in this vehicle was better for his back after the endless train ride。 In any case； he was following a Russian UAZ…469； which looked like a Russian interpretation of an American SUV； and whose driver knew the way。 The Kiowa Warrior helicopter he'd seen at the railyard was up and flying； scouting ahead and reporting back that there was nothing there but mostly empty road； except for some civilian traffic being kept out of the way by Russian MPs。 Right behind Giusti's mand vehicle was a Bradley flying the red…and…white guidon of the First of the Fourth Cavalry。 The regiment had； for American arms； a long and distinguished history…its bat action had begun on July 30； 1857； against the Cheyenne Indians at Solomon River…and this campaign would add yet another battle streamer to the regimental standard 。 。 。 and Giusti hoped he'd live long enough to attach it himself。 The land here reminded him of Montana； rolling foothills with pine trees in abundance。 The views were decently long； just what a mechanized trooper liked； because it meant you could engage an enemy at long range。 American soldiers especially preferred that； because they had weapons that could reach farther than those of most other armies。
〃DARKHORSE SIX to SABRE SIX； over；〃 the radio crackled。
〃SABRE SIX；〃 LTC Giusti responded。
〃SABRE； I'm now at checkpoint Denver。 The way continues to be clear。 Negative traffic； negative enemy indications； over。 Proceeding east to checkpoint Wichita。〃
〃Roger that； thank you； out。〃 Giusti checked the map to be sure he knew exactly where the chopper was。
So； twenty miles ahead there was still nothing to be concerned about； at least according to the captain flying his lead helicopter。 Where would it start？ Giusti wondered。 On the whole； he would have preferred to stand still and sit in on the divisional mander's conference； just to find out what the hell was happening； but as cavalry…screen mander； it was his job to go out forward and find the enemy； then report back to IRON SIX； the divisional mander。 He really didn't have much of a mission yet； aside from driving up to the Russian fuel depot； refueling his vehicles there； and setting up security； then pulling out and continuing his advance as the leading elements of the First Armored's heavy forces got there。 It was his job； in short； to be the ham in the sandwich； as one of his troop manders liked to joke。 But this ham could bite back。 Under his mand were three troops of armored cavalry； each with nine M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks and thirteen M3A2 Bradley cavalry scout vehicles； plus a FISTV track for forward observers to call in artillery support…somewhere behind him； the First Armored's artillery would be off…loading soon from its train； he hoped。 His most valuable assets were D and E troops； each with eight OH…58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters； able both to scout ahead and to shoot with Hellfire and Stinger missiles。 In short； his squadron could look after itself； within reasonable limits。
As they got closer； his troopers would bee more cautious and circumspect； because good as they were； they were neither invincible nor immortal。 America had fought against China only once； in Korea nearly sixty years earlier； and the experience had been satisfactory to neither side。 For America； the initial Chinese attack had been unexpected and massive； forcing an ignominious retreat from the Yalu River。 But for China； once America had gotten its act together； the experience had cost a million lives； because firepower was always the answer to raw numbers； and America's lasting lesson from its own Civil War was that it was better to expend things than to expend people。 The American way of war was not shared by everyone； and in truth it was tailored to American material prosperity as much as to American reverence for human life； but it was the American way； and that was the way its warriors were schooled。
I think it's about time to roll them back a little；〃 General Wallace observed over the satellite link to Washington。
〃What do you propose？〃 Mickey Moore asked。
〃For starters； I want to send my F…16CGs after their radar sites。 I'm tired of having them use radar to direct their fighters against my aircraft。 Next； I want to start going after their logistical choke points。 In twelve hours； the way things are going； I'll have enough ordnance to start doing some offensive warfare here。 And it's about time for us to start； General；〃 Wallace said。
〃Gus； I have to clear that with the President；〃 the Chairman told the Air Force mander in Siberia。
〃Okay； fine； but tell him we damned near lost an AWACS yesterday…with a crew of thirty or so…and I'm not in a mood to write that many letters。 We've been lucky so far； and an AWACS is a hard kill。 Hell； it cost them a full regiment of fighters to fail in that mission。 But enough's enough。 I want to go after their radar sites； and I want to do some offensive counter…air。〃
〃Gus； the thinking here is that we want to mence offensive operations in a systematic way for maximum psychological effect。 That means more than just knocking some antennas down。〃
〃General； I don't know what it looks like over there； but right here it's getting a little exciting。 Their army is advancing rapidly。 Pretty soon our Russian friends are going to have to make their stand。 It'll be a whole lot easier if the enemy is short on gas and bullets。〃
〃We know that。 We're trying to figure a way to shake up their political leadership。〃
〃It isn't politicians ing north trying to kill us； General。 It's soldiers and airmen。 We have to start crippling them before they ruin our whole damned day。〃
〃I understand that； Gus。 I will present your position to the President；〃 the Chairman promised。
〃Do that； will ya？〃 Wallace kille