[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
that particular sector, the young general quickly saw a set of conditions he
felt he could capitalize on.
Captain, contact the commanders of these four armored battalions from the
73rdand the
27thmechanized infantry division here, that are now approaching the battle. I
have new orders for them.
In the meantime, contact General Abin and inform him of my intention to draw
from our air force s assets towards the coast. I want another wing of J-10s
and two wings of SU-35 aircraft directed here immediately.
May 21, 2009, 04:17 local time
Rock Outcropping
85 Miles Northeast of Damascus
Syria, GIR
Marty Walker surveyed the terrain and the conditions around him. Thus far he
had been able to call in significant air and fire support on advancing GIR
formations and avoid capture or death.
Those GIR units that had initially tried to capture him and the colonel had
all been destroyed or
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
dispersed by the support he had received, but the overall GIR advance had
continued and had partially enveloped his position to either side. A few
moments ago several American Bradley Fighting Vehicles had gotten to within
two hundred yards in an attempt to rescue them, but they had then had to
withdraw under intense enemy fire that had destroyed three of the units and
sent the others back to the west.
During the fighting there had been three SAR wave-offs, and one SAR helicopter
Page 61
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
had been shot down by enemy fire. From the fireball that had resulted off to
his south and west, he knew there were no survivors. But he knew that the
situation had gone beyond saving him or Colonel Simmons& although keeping
Colonel Simmons out of enemy hands was something he had been directed to
ensure at all costs, and something to which his command was willing to
dedicate tremendous resource as well.
Now there was a pitched battle going on all around him. The enemy was pouring
more and more men, materiel, and aircraft into this area of the battlefield,
matching and trying to outdo American efforts.
Based on what he was hearing over the radio, over twenty enemy aircraft had
broken off from one of their large formations and attacked the U.S. JSTAR
aircraft that was covering the area well off to the south.
Although all twenty of those enemy aircraft had been shot down, five of them
had gotten close enough to the JSTAR to launch medium ranged radar-guided
missiles at the large American aircraft and it had been hit and brought down,
lost with all of its crew. It was a tremendous loss to allied forces and it
would prove to be a costly one.
Marty was amazed that he and the colonel were still alive. There had been a
few very close calls involving tank fire, enemy air attacks and enemy missile
attacks. Twice, enemy infantry, despite the supporting attacks by American
aircraft, had very nearly overrun his position, and he had been forced on one
of those occasions to use his service pistol to shoot and kill the last two
attackers.
The colonel remained unconscious, but his condition had stabilized as a result
of instructions Marty had received over his radio and the crude application of
a tourniquet to his mangled leg. Every so often Marty loosened that tourniquet
a little for a few moments in the hopes that some circulation would get down
into the lower leg. But from the looks of the horrible wound, and the extent
of the severed flesh, Marty doubted much blood was getting there or that the
leg could be saved unless they got Colonel Simmons out of here very soon.
Now, a final attempt to reach their position and extract him and the colonel
was about to be made by an entire company of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and a
battalion of mechanized infantry. It was to be accompanied by the largest
surge of American aircraft yet that would try to gain at least temporary air
superiority over this section of the battlefield. If they did, a helicopter
extraction would be attempted under the covering fire of the armor and the
mechanized units. If not, then those units themselves would extract the two
men from that outcropping of rock that was now serving as their fragile
fortress.
May 21, 2009, 04:32 local time
Forward Headquarters, GIR 7thArmy
95 Miles Northeast of Damascus
Syria, GIR
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
The Americans were committing their strength just as Abduhl Selim had hoped.
When it came to rescuing one of their own, they were very predictable. What he
considered the foolish American resolve to rescue their own at all costs was
something Selim had seen used against them on a smaller scale several times.
He now intended to use it against them on an even larger scale.
Their major thrust was now underway, pointed towards that insignificant
outcropping of rock& and that seemingly insignificant rock formation had their
full attention. He had committed just enough forces there& actually large
numbers of men and equipment& to hold their attention and convince them that
they would have to themselves make an equal or larger commitment if they were
to accomplish their objective.
It had been a quick-witted and dicey decision. Too little force, and the
Americans would accomplish their task too quickly and pull back away from the
Page 62
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
trap Selim planned for them. Too much force, and the
Americans would realize they could not accomplish their objective and would
withdraw from the trap as well. Abduhl believed he had timed and proportioned
it just right.
Now, though, it looked like the American rescue effort, if indeed that was
what it was, would be at least temporarily successful. It would only appear
that way because the GIR forces in the area were using that initial degree of
success as a lure. The GIR forces in that immediate area would intentionally
appear not strong enough to stop them.
And that was just fine. As Selim hoped, it would serve to pull the Americans
further in. For that very purpose the general had spent the last half hour
rerouting and redirecting significant forward forces to the west of the
outcropping to serve as his main thrust. With the destruction of the American
battlefield control aircraft, despite the significant losses in achieving it,
Abduhl was now confident he could pull off his overall plan successfully.
Turning to his chief of staff, the general issued the necessary orders.
Have the 73rdand the 27thbegin their advance now. Make sure they understand
that our air forces and other committed units will be holding the enemy in
place to their east, and that their main task is to completely envelope the
partial envelopment we have already accomplished at the focal point& and to do
it in strength. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl chiara76.opx.pl
that particular sector, the young general quickly saw a set of conditions he
felt he could capitalize on.
Captain, contact the commanders of these four armored battalions from the
73rdand the
27thmechanized infantry division here, that are now approaching the battle. I
have new orders for them.
In the meantime, contact General Abin and inform him of my intention to draw
from our air force s assets towards the coast. I want another wing of J-10s
and two wings of SU-35 aircraft directed here immediately.
May 21, 2009, 04:17 local time
Rock Outcropping
85 Miles Northeast of Damascus
Syria, GIR
Marty Walker surveyed the terrain and the conditions around him. Thus far he
had been able to call in significant air and fire support on advancing GIR
formations and avoid capture or death.
Those GIR units that had initially tried to capture him and the colonel had
all been destroyed or
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
dispersed by the support he had received, but the overall GIR advance had
continued and had partially enveloped his position to either side. A few
moments ago several American Bradley Fighting Vehicles had gotten to within
two hundred yards in an attempt to rescue them, but they had then had to
withdraw under intense enemy fire that had destroyed three of the units and
sent the others back to the west.
During the fighting there had been three SAR wave-offs, and one SAR helicopter
Page 61
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
had been shot down by enemy fire. From the fireball that had resulted off to
his south and west, he knew there were no survivors. But he knew that the
situation had gone beyond saving him or Colonel Simmons& although keeping
Colonel Simmons out of enemy hands was something he had been directed to
ensure at all costs, and something to which his command was willing to
dedicate tremendous resource as well.
Now there was a pitched battle going on all around him. The enemy was pouring
more and more men, materiel, and aircraft into this area of the battlefield,
matching and trying to outdo American efforts.
Based on what he was hearing over the radio, over twenty enemy aircraft had
broken off from one of their large formations and attacked the U.S. JSTAR
aircraft that was covering the area well off to the south.
Although all twenty of those enemy aircraft had been shot down, five of them
had gotten close enough to the JSTAR to launch medium ranged radar-guided
missiles at the large American aircraft and it had been hit and brought down,
lost with all of its crew. It was a tremendous loss to allied forces and it
would prove to be a costly one.
Marty was amazed that he and the colonel were still alive. There had been a
few very close calls involving tank fire, enemy air attacks and enemy missile
attacks. Twice, enemy infantry, despite the supporting attacks by American
aircraft, had very nearly overrun his position, and he had been forced on one
of those occasions to use his service pistol to shoot and kill the last two
attackers.
The colonel remained unconscious, but his condition had stabilized as a result
of instructions Marty had received over his radio and the crude application of
a tourniquet to his mangled leg. Every so often Marty loosened that tourniquet
a little for a few moments in the hopes that some circulation would get down
into the lower leg. But from the looks of the horrible wound, and the extent
of the severed flesh, Marty doubted much blood was getting there or that the
leg could be saved unless they got Colonel Simmons out of here very soon.
Now, a final attempt to reach their position and extract him and the colonel
was about to be made by an entire company of M1-A1 Abrams tanks and a
battalion of mechanized infantry. It was to be accompanied by the largest
surge of American aircraft yet that would try to gain at least temporary air
superiority over this section of the battlefield. If they did, a helicopter
extraction would be attempted under the covering fire of the armor and the
mechanized units. If not, then those units themselves would extract the two
men from that outcropping of rock that was now serving as their fragile
fortress.
May 21, 2009, 04:32 local time
Forward Headquarters, GIR 7thArmy
95 Miles Northeast of Damascus
Syria, GIR
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
The Americans were committing their strength just as Abduhl Selim had hoped.
When it came to rescuing one of their own, they were very predictable. What he
considered the foolish American resolve to rescue their own at all costs was
something Selim had seen used against them on a smaller scale several times.
He now intended to use it against them on an even larger scale.
Their major thrust was now underway, pointed towards that insignificant
outcropping of rock& and that seemingly insignificant rock formation had their
full attention. He had committed just enough forces there& actually large
numbers of men and equipment& to hold their attention and convince them that
they would have to themselves make an equal or larger commitment if they were
to accomplish their objective.
It had been a quick-witted and dicey decision. Too little force, and the
Americans would accomplish their task too quickly and pull back away from the
Page 62
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
trap Selim planned for them. Too much force, and the
Americans would realize they could not accomplish their objective and would
withdraw from the trap as well. Abduhl believed he had timed and proportioned
it just right.
Now, though, it looked like the American rescue effort, if indeed that was
what it was, would be at least temporarily successful. It would only appear
that way because the GIR forces in the area were using that initial degree of
success as a lure. The GIR forces in that immediate area would intentionally
appear not strong enough to stop them.
And that was just fine. As Selim hoped, it would serve to pull the Americans
further in. For that very purpose the general had spent the last half hour
rerouting and redirecting significant forward forces to the west of the
outcropping to serve as his main thrust. With the destruction of the American
battlefield control aircraft, despite the significant losses in achieving it,
Abduhl was now confident he could pull off his overall plan successfully.
Turning to his chief of staff, the general issued the necessary orders.
Have the 73rdand the 27thbegin their advance now. Make sure they understand
that our air forces and other committed units will be holding the enemy in
place to their east, and that their main task is to completely envelope the
partial envelopment we have already accomplished at the focal point& and to do
it in strength. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]