Chapter 18

Tank Warfare (1)

“We don't know how to do anything.”

“···Sir?”

“We can't drive tanks, we can't operate armored vehicles, and we can't fire self-propelled artillery.”

About fifty soldiers stared blankly up at Choi Pil, who stood on a small makeshift platform.

Since they had been gathered from all over, their backgrounds and military specialties varied, with many overlapping. They were such a jumble that it was embarrassing to even call them a unit.

And as Choi Pil had said, they had none of the key personnel needed for armored warfare. Soldiers trained to drive and operate tanks, self-propelled artillery, and armored vehicles had already been taken by other units as soon as they arrived at the 7th Corps.

Choi Pil continued speaking as though there were nothing unusual about the situation.

“Instead, we've gathered the bravest men in the 7th Corps.”

“···Sir?”

Another round of bewildered responses came from the soldiers. Bong-tae also tilted his head at Choi Pil's words.

‘Brave? How are you supposed to measure that?’

Choi Pil smiled as he looked straight at the soldiers' faces.

“You experienced the destruction of your units, yet you still made your way to the encampment of your higher command, the 7th Corps. And when I told you to come, you assembled immediately, didn't you?”

Several soldiers chuckled. Come to think of it, after war broke out, it wouldn't have been difficult to throw away their military uniforms and go into hiding.

With communications between units down, if someone hid in a sparsely populated rural area, the military police and civilian police would undoubtedly have a hard time finding him.

Yet everyone here had ultimately made it to the corps encampment, searching for their own units, which might not even exist anymore.

“There are no cowards here. At least, that's what I believe.”

Choi Pil unfolded the map he'd set aside. This place was now the 33rd Battalion's command and control post, except that it had no tent.

“Our unit will undertake reconnaissance missions. We'll move ahead of the armored forces and identify potential dangers in advance.”

Hwang Gi-tae raised his hand. Choi Pil nodded slightly.

“With communications down, how are we supposed to report our reconnaissance findings?”

“There are plenty of ways. Signal flares, whistles. But to maintain stealth, the best way is to run back to the main force and report directly.”

“O-on foot?”

“Can you think of a better way?”

“···No, sir.”

“By running back, I mean using whatever means necessary. You think I'm actually going to make you run a marathon?”

Choi Pil continued.

“Our unit currently has very few personnel. However, reinforcements will arrive from the mobilization divisions, and the corps commander has also promised to replenish our manpower as quickly as possible.”

Bong-tae breathed a sigh of relief. At present, there were only about fifty men, even counting Choi Pil, the battalion commander.

That was far too few to call a battalion. At best, they had the manpower of a company, and with so few soldiers, the missions they could carry out would inevitably be limited.

“We'll divide into two platoons. Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je will lead the 1st Platoon. Sergeant Kim Bong-tae will lead the 2nd Platoon. Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je will also serve as acting company commander.”

“Yes, understood.”

Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je had also been reassigned from the 332nd Special Operations Brigade to the 33rd Battalion, 8th Division. The soldiers who knew his abilities and composure nodded.

Bong-tae's 2nd Platoon consisted of thirteen men in total: twelve soldiers from the original 33rd Battalion Headquarters Company and Kang Min-jun, whom they'd brought from the medical battalion today.

Lee Jin-gu shot his hand into the air.

“What exactly are we supposed to look for up front?”

Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je answered Lee Jin-gu's question instead.

“Having one Retona drive down a road and having hundreds of tanks advance along that same road are completely different matters.”

“Ah. That makes sense.”

“We need to check whether there are obstacles on the road, whether any sections have collapsed because of landslides or artillery strikes, and which terrain would be suitable for enemy ambushes.”

“Yes, understood.”

Despite the surprise artillery bombardment on the first day of the war, the 7th Corps still had hundreds of tanks and self-propelled artillery pieces remaining. Including transport vehicles carrying wartime supplies, fuel tankers, maintenance vehicles, and infantry transports, the total numbered around a thousand.

If one tank encountered a blocked road, it could simply turn around. A U-turn would take less than thirty seconds. But what if that tank was at the very front of a convoy containing thousands of vehicles?

Taking a wrong road even once could cost them several hours, or at worst, an entire day. The 33rd Battalion had effectively been organized to check numerous things in advance and prevent such a disastrous situation.

“Which route are we taking north? Are we using the expressway?”

“The Jungbu Expressway would be best, but we can't use it right now. We have no information about the situation in Seoul. If our operational area overlaps with the Capital Defense Command's, it could cause confusion on their side.”

Lieutenant Colonel Choi Pil pointed to a national highway on the map that bypassed Seoul while connecting to the frontline regions of Cheorwon and Paju.

“The axis we'll be checking is National Route 37.”

The soldiers leaned over the map one by one. It was a national highway that passed to the right of Seoul.

“It's much longer than I expected.”

“That's right. We'll have to move quickly.”

“When do we depart?”

“Right after we eat.”

#

The larger an encampment, the more advantages it had. One of them was that supplies could be distributed to soldiers fairly quickly.

Especially now, when only one day had passed since the war began and they were still in its opening stages.

The wartime supply warehouses, which normally remained firmly locked, had just been opened, and military supplies stockpiled over the years were being issued to the soldiers.

Bong-tae also benefited from this.

He received a new combat uniform to replace the one that had been torn to shreds from being thrown around all day yesterday. He also changed into a fresh pair of socks.

However, he didn't replace his combat boots.

For soldiers, their feet were the most important thing. No matter how much the materials used in combat boots had improved compared to the past, every pair still needed time to break in.

If a trainee was limping around during basic training, nine times out of ten, it was because of his combat boots. Either his heels had been rubbed raw or he'd developed blisters on the soles of his feet. You could tell without even making him take off his shoes.

Bong-tae had also suffered quite a bit from ill-fitting combat boots during his trainee days. That was why he'd replaced his boots only once throughout his entire military service.

Under those circumstances, eagerly putting on a new pair just because one was available would be no different from deliberately reducing his own combat effectiveness.

He changed into fresh socks and underwear as well. As though he couldn't care less whether anyone was around, Bong-tae casually pulled off his pants and changed his underwear.

“Ah! Fuck! My eyes!”

“Sergeant Kim! Go do that in a corner!”

The soldiers were disgusted, but Bong-tae himself remained completely unconcerned.

“What's with all the fuss?”

“It's not fussing! There's such a thing as basic human modesty, you know?”

“Bullshit. What's the problem? We're all men.”

Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je appeared behind Bong-tae like a ghost. He firmly grabbed Bong-tae's shoulder while the latter still hadn't fully pulled up his pants.

“···Huh!”

Bong-tae spun around in surprise.

“Sergeant Kim.”

“Y-yes, Staff Sergeant Kim.”

“I'd like you to remember that the 7th Corps doesn't consist entirely of male soldiers.”

“Ah···.”

“So you shouldn't go stripping off your clothes in places like this.”

Bong-tae nodded.

Women made up approximately five to ten percent of South Korea's military personnel. Since the 7th Corps was an armored corps whose main forces consisted of tanks, armored vehicles, and self-propelled artillery, its proportion of female personnel was lower than that of ordinary units. Even so, the corps was so large that there were hundreds of female soldiers in the encampment.

Especially since they were currently near the corps command post and various support units. When Bong-tae suddenly came to his senses and looked around again, he noticed female officers and NCOs here and there. Cold sweat began forming on his skin.

“Yes, sir! I'll be careful!”

“And···.”

Kim Hong-je nodded, then slightly raised one corner of his mouth.

“It's not as though you've got anything particularly impressive to show off.”

“···Sir?”

“Well···. If you're proud of it, I suppose that's your business.”

“···W-what exactly do you mean by that, sir?”

“Hahaha!”

Bong-tae stared at Kim Hong-je in disbelief. The surrounding soldiers burst into loud laughter. It was such cheerful laughter that even soldiers and officers passing the command post glanced over.

#

They received a simple meal from a tent near the command post. After eating, the members of the 33rd Battalion were issued live ammunition.

A total of 150 rounds each. Five magazines were inserted into their combat vests.

Grenades were issued only to soldiers holding the rank of corporal or above. Under the wartime table of organization, every infantryman was supposed to receive two grenades, but the 7th Corps was concerned about accidental detonations during the early stages of the war.

The 33rd Battalion personnel lined up in front of the command post. Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je began a brief mission briefing for each platoon. Lieutenant Colonel Choi Pil would follow at the very rear of the four groups into which the 7th Corps had been divided.

Almost all of the 33rd Battalion's missions today would be directed by Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je, the acting company commander and field commander.

The 33rd Battalion was scheduled to depart before the 7th Corps began its full-scale advance. Once they checked the route ahead and placed red traffic cones, the 7th Corps' vanguard would follow behind them.

The foremost vanguard of the four groups making up the 7th Corps consisted primarily of K21 infantry fighting vehicles.

The K21 infantry fighting vehicle was outstanding enough to be called a masterpiece. It had a maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour and could travel at more than 40 kilometers per hour even over rough terrain.

Furthermore, its inflatable flotation system allowed it to operate on water. It was a combat vehicle capable of fighting on virtually any terrain in South Korea.

It was a far superior weapon to the K200 armored personnel carriers Bong-tae had seen with the 3rd Division. Its main weapon, a 40mm autocannon, possessed enough firepower to destroy any wheeled ground vehicle other than a tank.

Around forty of these infantry fighting vehicles lined up along the road. The 33rd Battalion soldiers also boarded their assigned vehicles. The lead vehicle carrying Bong-tae was the K151 they'd received from the 3rd Division.

Private First Class Nam Gi-baek took the wheel. Bong-tae had offered to drive himself, as he'd been doing until now, but Nam Gi-baek smiled and said.

“We may be short on manpower, but we've still got our pride.”

He meant that he couldn't bear to watch the acting platoon leader drive himself. Bong-tae took the passenger seat. Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je, the 1st Platoon leader, boarded another K151 following behind.

The remaining thirty or so members of the 33rd Battalion divided themselves between two two-and-a-half-ton trucks.

The 7th Corps' objective for today was Pocheon. Pocheon was located only thirty to forty minutes away from Cheorwon, the very front line.

Not only could armored forces be pushed toward the front line from there in an emergency, but the mountainous terrain connecting Pocheon and Gapyeong was also suitable for concealing tanks and armored vehicles.

“Move out!”

“Maintain a safe distance between vehicles!”

“Stay sharp while driving! An accident here would be a catastrophe!”

The lead vehicle slowly began moving. Bong-tae looked out the window. The vehicles leaving the encampment passed through Icheon and headed toward Yangpyeong.

The roads were quieter than expected. There wasn't a single civilian vehicle in sight. Only military vehicles filled the roads.

“What a sight.”

“···It really is.”

K21 infantry fighting vehicles, K808 armored personnel carriers, two-and-a-half-ton trucks carrying ammunition and supplies, fuel trucks with enormous tanks, maintenance vehicles, and medical vehicles stretched on endlessly.

Where the road curved, the long convoy looked like a snake winding around the mountainside.

Bong-tae leaned slightly out of the window and continued examining the road and its surroundings. The asphalt was in good condition, and there were hardly any obstacles blocking the route.

“Looks pretty straightforward.”

“Yeah. It's been quiet so far. The road's clear too.”

Bong-tae glanced around at the people in the vehicle. Everyone looked somewhat nervous. The person whose face was noticeably pale was Kang Min-jun, who had joined them yesterday. He kept biting his fingernails.

Unable to watch any longer, Hwang Gi-tae lightly tapped the man's knee.

“Hey, you're going to chew your nails off.”

“···I-I-I-I.”

“What? Speak properly.”

“A-aren't any of you nervous···?”

The soldiers inside the vehicle chuckled.

“Is that even a question? Of course we're nervous.”

“Then why do you all look so perfectly fine···?”

“We're not fine.”

Hwang Gi-tae answered as he looked out the window. His leg was also bouncing up and down incessantly. In truth, not a single person there was completely fine.

#

The 7th Corps vanguard completed its movement to a position overlooking Pocheon without encountering any resistance. But the closer they drew to Cheorwon, the more clearly they began hearing artillery fire.

At first, the sounds were so faint that they wondered whether they were imagining them, but now they were distinct enough to break the silence inside the vehicle. The soldiers flinched repeatedly at each sound.

Bong-tae, who had heard countless artillery shells falling yesterday, was no exception. Even though he'd just drunk some water, his throat was already dry again, and he raised his canteen to his lips once more.

A window suddenly opened in the vehicle beside Bong-tae's, and Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je shouted.

“33rd Battalion! Dismount!”

The vehicles stopped along the side of the road one after another. Bong-tae and the soldiers quickly jumped out. Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je approached Bong-tae.

“Lead your platoon up the mountain on the right. From the summit, you'll be able to see the route connecting Pocheon and Cheorwon.”

“Yes, understood.”

“Keep watching the north. If fighting breaks out in downtown Pocheon or you identify enemy troops, fire a yellow signal flare.”

Bong-tae checked the signal flares he'd been issued, then held up a red one.

“What about this one? Red.”

“Use it if North Korean troops have broken through Cheorwon and are advancing toward this position.”

“···And after that?”

“Fall back. Retreat toward Icheon, the way we came.”

Bong-tae blinked.

“Retreat?”

“Of course. What can you possibly do while tanks and armored vehicles are fighting?”

Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je spoke as though it were obvious. It wasn't that he was underestimating the combat abilities of Bong-tae and the 33rd Battalion soldiers. It was simply that courage alone couldn't accomplish anything in a tank battle.

If everything on the battlefield were functioning normally, infantry would still have a role to play. They could identify enemy positions visually or through reconnaissance assets and carry out the important task of transmitting that information to the fire-control system.

Then self-propelled artillery would use that information to strike the enemy, but right now the communications systems weren't functioning properly.

The self-propelled artillery and tanks in the rear would have to identify targets using their own surveillance systems before firing. Once steel machines weighing dozens of tons began spitting fire, there would be little need for infantry in the current situation.

The 33rd Battalion had been organized with mobility as its highest priority. They had even discarded their full field packs and reduced heavy equipment to a minimum. Their role was to move as quickly as possible, spot the enemy, and fire signal flares.

“Doing just that would mean you've fulfilled your mission admirably.”

“···.”

Bong-tae fell silent for a moment. One by one, Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je recalled the reckless actions Bong-tae had taken yesterday. Every one of them had ultimately succeeded, but with even slightly worse luck, he could have ended up a cold corpse.

Staff Sergeant Kim Hong-je gripped Bong-tae's shoulder firmly. He looked directly into Bong-tae's eyes.

“Kim Bong-tae.”

“Yes, sir.”

“You don't need to be a hero.”

“···Yes, sir.”

Bong-tae immediately understood what Staff Sergeant Kim meant.

“Now it's not just your own life at stake. The lives of your platoon members depend on you too.”

“Yes, understood. Don't worry, sir.”

© Jungle Pocket #22844