The Humvee accelerated hard, I lost sight of it in the dust and grit it threw up into my vehicle, but knew it would turn hard to the left when it reached the entrance to the town and my driver would follow close on his six. The lads knew what's up.
I squeezed hard on the grab-handle as the vehicle veered left to follow but my helmet still hit the thick window as I was shoved right; I paid it no mind but wondered if the gunner was still in his turret above me...There was dust everywhere adding to the chaos and then it started...The tink, tink, thunk tink tink tink sounds of incoming small-arms fire peppering the vehicles. I wanted to get small, to shrink inside myself and away from the bullets but peered quickly though the windshield at the three-story building ahead where, from the dim recesses of doors and windows, bright muzzle-flashes sparkled.
"Get those fucking fifty's up!" I yelled into the radio, and within a second they were banging away pouring fire into the building ahead even as we raced towards it.
The sound of roaring engines and heavy machine guns drowned out the sound of the incoming rounds as they struck the vehicles but it poured in striking the windshield in front of me, the panel work...We were definitely in the shit having driven right into the ambush.
I felt detached for a moment...I was there, but feel apart from it, like I watched it all unfolding from above, safe from harm. I could feel the jolting of the vehicle as it raced along the street, now almost totally lined on both sides by two and three-story buildings, an urban canyon. A killing field. I could see the the wisps of smoke or dust left by the passage of the bullets cutting through the air, both incoming and outgoing...It felt like it all happened in slow motion...And then I was back...It was time to work.
"This is Delta One, in contact. Taking small arms left and right. We're engaging."
"Copy, Delta One," the captain crackled over the radio. "We copped some too, keep rolling. Keep rolling."
Just then the vehicle swerved left to avoid a huge pothole and my side of the Humvee was exposed to the right earning it a spray of small arms fire...I winced and swore..."Would you fuckers shoot back at these assholes," I yelled, but they were. My platoon was fully-engaged making aimed shots, calling their targets and operating as the trained unit they were. Fucking legends.
My job was simple, get my vehicles through town shooting enough to keep the enemy from aiming and getting us the fuck out of here to the other side. Thinking back now I felt torn at the time...Survival and command taking me in different directions; Curl up in a ball on the floor and hide, or shoot...Training said shoot and that's what I did along with the lads, but that floor seemed safer.
I called over the radio.
"Delta-three Delta-three, how you goin' back there?" I was concerned a driver or vehicle would get hit and we'd have to go back for survivors. Stopping here would mean dying. I stayed on comms to let the boys know were in it together and to spur them on.
"Delta-three is up, runnin' and gunnin'."
Legends, I thought to myself as I brought my rifle up and started shooting.
Gain and maintain fire-superiority...That was the training so that's what I did. With me included there were twenty five guns...It was just us. No artillery or air support, just twenty five twenty-something's rolling along a bomb-destroyed street in a far away land gunning for our lives. I leaned into my rifle and started firing into the voids of windows and doors. My fire was critical - All my rounds were tracer-rounds to mark targets, direct fire, for the rest of the platoon...I worked at being accurate.
I heard the pops of M203 grenades being fired from the grenade launcher of one of the lads, the pop sounding almost comical amongst the deafening sounds of rifle and heavy machine gun fire, but the explosions weren't...They were glorious.
That's when I saw him just slightly back down an alley, no more than thirty metres away from the moving vehicle...Looking back now I think that's the moment hyperclarity hit me...He was young, maybe in his teens, and had on dark blue trousers and a lighter blue collared shirt, like one from the 1970's with a big collar. His belt was black as were his sandals and he kneeled on one knee, one shoulder leaning on the building beside him for stability, his AK-47 spurting flame, muzzle-flash from his shots coming in my direction. I raised my rifle and squeezed off two rounds both of which struck him in the chest...It's not like in the movies...He just dropped really, crumpled upon himself, and then we were gone leaving him behind, my eyes in search of targets again...
...That was my first contact. We weren't even meant to be in that nameless town; Command had sent bad intel and we'd paid the price...Two injured, one who would never walk again and for what? Nothing. Same old story and so it goes.
Years later I can still see that lads face...The young lad in the alley with the light blue shirt. He looked surprised right before he crumpled and dropped to the ground. I didn't see that at the time I guess but now I see it all the time. Hyperclarity on the battlefield is one thing, but it often lingers. I tell myself it kept my men alive, as did the other actions I was involved in, that I did what I had to do, just as the enemy did in return, but that doesn't often make it any better.
Go and do your duty they said, and we were willing, eager to do so really; It justified the training I suppose. Now go home and get on with life, your fight is over. But it's never over, and the clarity, chaos and consequence of the battlefield doesn't lessen over time.
Design and create your ideal life, don't live it by default - Tomorrow isn't promised so be humble and kind
Track: Bad company
Discord: galenkp#9209
Now the war thingy not quite up my ally, that Humvee another story I would seriously imagine enjoyment of driving that down to town...
Taxi gets in the way I could literally shove them aside, great for the bush moving around too.
Call me selfish, those wheels would do me good in the city, move over Rover, Humvee is in town!
!BEER for after your dusty day 😄 get that grit out of your teeth....
Hmm, yeah I'd say a Humvee would make city traffic less of a problem...Thanks for the beer, just what I needed! Lol.
One thing for sure no one will try hi-jack you in a hurry...
Lol yeah I'll say...Especially with a Browning M2 50 .cal machine gun on the top.
Automatically go wherever you wish, no one going to bother you in this!
Yep, straight over those little cars...No need to worry about traffic lights either.
I love to join the army and enjoy the action of war. Your post made me re-live my fantasy!!!
I'm not sure how old you are or what your physical condition is however if you wish to enter military service I'd say go for it...There's no time like the present and living with the regret of not doing so will be unpleasant.
View or trade
BEER.BEERHey @galenkp, here is a little bit of from @joanstewart for you. Enjoy it!Learn how to earn FREE BEER each day by staking your
BEER.A great writ here Galen, in the heat resulting from an erroneous command. I wonder at times how many were sacrificed by sending troops into traps. Had any of the enemy in your case had a bazooka, the situation would have resulted in a slaughter. Limpet mines laid in a road like that would also make matters so much worse and the enemy luckily were not very adapt at laying a trap.
But yeah, even as it was, you guys should never have been sent into a situation like that to draw the fire.
I hope that this was fiction writing.
Thanks for your compliment on the piece Zac, it's not something I'd usually write but I find myself wishing to explore different things lately, stretching myself a little, so I hope it came out ok. Readable.
Yeah, it was indeed a captivating piece my friend.
Well written and like I said, if our ex 32 battalion laid that trap, you would never have gotten out of there.
The ground crews should have peppered those buildings first with mortars and then they should have sent the calvary in.
But in saying this, there are many cases where soldiers have to go in blind and that was the gripping part of your story. Survival.
Well done mate.
A well written story, many will see the action, a few will see the consequencies.
Thank you sir, I appreciate it. Cause and effect...There's always a consequence to any action.
We cannot rewind the tape of our life. The worst of times carry some of the most priceless lessons, much like some of the best times can hold a weight so heavy you feel unable to bear it.
Brilliant writing as always.
Poignant and timely words, especially so the best of times portion. Sometimes these can seem a double-edged sword right? Still, I'm happy to be cut from them for the sheer amazingness that they truly are.
Fortunately I'm not one to get an over-inflated ego...All these compliments you pay me could be dangerous. They are welcome though, and I'm pleased you see what you see in me.
I'll second that!
Just being honest.
Me likey honesty Jayne.
Well that's a relief ;)
:)