Chapter 1166: Wrath of Thunder

Fighting continues in Afghanistan.

The same is true in Iraq!

After exhausting its air defense weapons, Iraq's air force was almost completely destroyed.

The joint forces' precision-guided bombs and missiles were also basically exhausted, and they were unable to launch air strikes again.

The high-intensity battles have made the air force and navy soldiers very dissatisfied, and they asked for a rest.

At this time, the huge ground forces of the joint forces finally began to move.

Thunderous Fury!

The joint forces named this ground force's military operation "Thunderous Fury", which not only implies that the military operation will succeed as quickly as thunder, but also implies the anger of the United States!

The pride of the US military and the pioneer of rapid response, known as the "US Emergency Corps", the 18th Airborne Corps of the United States, is a military-level unit of the US Army that can quickly complete deployment in any region of the world. Rapid response forces. This force includes the 101st Airborne Division, the 82nd Airborne Division, the 24th Mechanized Infantry Division, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, and the 10th Mountain Division!

This unit is the trump card of the United States. It was founded as the 2nd Armored Tank Army in January 1942, renamed the 18th Armored Tank Army in October 1943, and was reorganized into the 18th Airborne Army in the UK in August 1944. It participated in a series of battles in northern France and Germany, and had a brilliant record. After the end of World War II, the army withdrew to the United States and was disbanded.

It was rebuilt during the Korean War in May 1951. Its headquarters was located in Castle Bray, North Carolina, USA. Because there was a blue dragon head spitting arrows on the military emblem, it was named the "Blue Dragon Army".

The 18th Airborne Army participated in the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and invaded Grenada and Panama. In the Gulf War, this unit annihilated an Iraqi armored division, and this unit was also seen in the war in Africa.

The main tasks of the 18th Airborne Army are: to be ready to quickly deliver troops to the target area by air, sea and ground, to reach any hot spot in the world, and to deal with various emergencies; to fully support allies and pro-American regimes by expanding military presence, showing off military power, and directly using force when necessary.

The total number of personnel in the entire 18th Airborne Army is 90,000. The officers and soldiers of this unit are generally well educated, but they advocate the use of force, treat the enemy ruthlessly, and everyone believes in the principle that "only the strongest can survive on the battlefield."

The main force of the "Thunder Fury" this time is the 18th Airborne Army, which will smash the Iraqi army's defense line through a combination of frontal mountain warfare and airborne operations.

The Americans' investment in the 18th Airborne Army shows the great determination of the Americans.

In addition to the 18th Airborne Army, the "Thunder Fury" also has an ace unit - the First Infantry Division of the US Army!

The First Infantry Division of the U.S. Army is the trump card among the trump cards of the U.S. Army. It is called the "Big Red First Division". It occupies many firsts in the history of the U.S. military. The division was established in 1917 and initially became the First Expeditionary Division of the United States, an ace mechanized division.

In the First World War, it was the first to engage in fire with the enemy, the first to suffer casualties, the first to capture prisoners, and the first to enter France; in the Second World War, it was the first to reach Britain, the first to land in North Africa, Sicily and France, and the first to break through the Siegfried Line in western Germany.

The division has always regarded itself as an ace, arrogant and domineering.

When a U.S. military officer mentioned this division, he said indignantly: "In the eyes of the First Mechanized Infantry Division, the U.S. Army is simply composed of the First Mechanized Infantry Division and 10 million replacement soldiers."

In its more than 80 years of fighting career, the First Mechanized Infantry Division has formed a brave and tenacious fighting style. Its division training reads: "There is no difficulty that cannot be overcome, no sacrifice that cannot be made, mission first, duty first!"

The mission assigned to it by the US government is: to be ready to go to Europe or the Middle East to fight at any time, to reinforce the front-line deployed troops, and to repel the enemy's attack. Therefore, the 1st Marine Division is required to be quickly airlifted to the scene of the incident. In case of an emergency, it can arrive within 3-5 days and can be put into battle as soon as it gets off the plane.

Since the 1960s, the 1st Marine Division has participated in the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, the Kosovo War, and the Afghanistan War.

In November, the 1st Marine Division was transferred out of the Afghan battlefield by the US military and dispatched to the Iraqi battlefield.

At present, the total number of personnel in the 1st Marine Division is 18,000, and its main equipment includes 290 M1A2 main battle tanks, 280 M2 infantry fighting vehicles, 100 M3 cavalry fighting vehicles, 308 M113 armored personnel carriers, 167 C2V armored command vehicles, 8 M9 armored combat engineering vehicles, 36 AH-64 attack helicopters, 8 AH-1 attack helicopters, 24 UH-60 multi-purpose helicopters, 44 OH-58D observation helicopters, 3 EH-60 electronic jamming helicopters, and "Javelin" anti-tank missile launchers. There are 180 units of the military equipment, 36 "Avenger" air defense missile systems and 24 improved "Vulcan" anti-aircraft guns, 72 155mm self-propelled howitzers, 9 multiple rocket launchers, 66 107mm mortars, 24 90mm recoilless guns, 1,112 40mm grenade launchers, 484 12.7mm tripod heavy machine guns, 966 7.62mm mobile machine guns, 5,748 various combat and transport vehicles, 5,281 various types of radio stations, 4,983 various night vision equipment, and 3,066 various radiation dose detectors.

Originally, the 1st Marine Division belonged to the 5th Army. Except for its 1st Brigade stationed in Fort Riley in the United States, the rest were stationed in Würzburg, Germany. It was the only mechanized infantry division deployed by the United States on the front line of the European theater. Later, the United States evacuated its troops in Germany, and the entire 5th Army was dispatched to Turkey to join the joint forces to fight the Iraq War.

The 24th Mechanized Infantry Division, the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, the 10th Mountain Division of the 18th Airborne Army launched a frontal attack with the 1st Marine Division.

Fighters and bombers dropped bombs in the sky, and tanks and artillery on the ground launched artillery fire.

Until now, the road has not been repaired and it is impossible to march normally.

However, Iraq's fortifications can be destroyed through air strikes and artillery.

Above the sky, the sudden roar of artillery shells tore through the silent night over the Kurdish mountains. The Iraqi soldiers guarding the defensive positions on the mountains looked up. In the dark sky, artillery shells fell rapidly like raindrops. The sound transmitted by friction in the air was like scratching iron sheets with nails, and the sound was sharp and piercing.

From the trenches in the distance came the shouts of soldiers: "Enemy attack!"

The Iraqi army entered the trenches and air-raid shelters one after another, and then covered their ears with their hands or plugged their ears with cotton.

Since the outbreak of the Iraq War, there have been many artillery battles here. It is normal for the ground forces or air forces of the joint forces to launch artillery and bombing on Iraqi defensive positions.

This has allowed the Iraqi army to accumulate rich experience.

When the enemy launches air strikes and artillery attacks, the safest thing is to enter the trenches, trenches and air-raid shelters.

Then it is best to cover or plug your ears, otherwise you may be deafened. (End of this chapter)