Late Again

This story is for fan fiction purposes only and not for profit. The Combat Characters that we have come to know and love belong to ABC but this story plot belongs to Linda Hubley AKA Ranger. Copyright 2004. It is with sincere appreciation that I thank DocII for all the wonderful assistance of being my beta reader for my first Combat story. Enjoy.

                                                                 Late Again

The red tips of cigarettes could be seen through the thick smoke permeating the room as Item and King Company leaders lined the table near Captain Jampel to get their orders. The Captain continued. “We head out at oh four hundred tomorrow. Make sure everyone is equipped with extra ammo. From recent reports, we’ll be heading into territory with increased numbers of Germans.” He had the Lieutenant of Item Company hand out the maps.

Lieutenant Hanley stared at the extra map on the table, tension lines visibly seen in his forehead and worry etched through his emerald green eyes. “Lieutenant” Captain Jampel called again, this time more sternly to bring the young Lieutenant out of his fog. “Lieutenant Hanley.”

“Yes Sir,” Hanley replied.

“Lieutenant. You will have charge of sector D. Reports indicate it will be rough brambly cover with some light wooded areas.,” the Captain explained

“Yes Sir, my men will be ready” Hanley said.

“Fine. See you at oh four hundred. Dismissed.” Captain Jampel saluted and dismissed the men.

Lieutenant Hanley walked out of the room with his remaining two sergeants and headed towards King Company’s battered shelter. Sgt Avery was the first to speak. “Lieutenant. I’m sure Saunders‘ squad will be back before we push out.”

The Lieutenant kept walking, keeping silent. Just as they departed, the Lieutenant spoke. “We leave with or without him and his squad, Avery. Have your men ready.” The Lieutenant veered off to the door of his makeshift office.

Passing Brockmeyer, the Lieutenant asked the same question he’d been asking for the last ten hours. “Any word from Saunders’ squad?”

Brockmeyer reluctantly answered “No, Sir”.

Lieutenant Hanley, replied back, “Try one more time than get some sleep, big day tomorrow.”

“Yes Sir,” Brockmeyer replied. He called a few more times to a vacant radio. “No answer, sir.” Brockmeyer left the radio for the night.

Hanley tried to catch some sleep, but he was too restless. Rolling out of the bedroll he quietly made his way to the door and the little road leading out of town. Catching a seat on a flat rock near the stone wall, he lit a cigarette, gazing off towards the woods and fields thinking about tomorrow and wondering where was his number one squad.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Already Saunders knew the squad was running out of time trying to locate a small unit to take back a prisoner for the Lieutenant. The mission had not been accomplished yet and they were nearing the deadline when they should have started to turn back.

Saunders and the others waited in the brush for the point man to come back. They were going to check just one more rise and then turn around. Caje returned out of breath. “Sergeant, Looks like a big buildup. Lot’s of activity setting up bazookas and machine gun nests. Trucks unloading men.”

Saunders sat back staring intently into Caje’s flushed face. He knew from the look on Caje that this was no exaggeration. He marked the area on his map where Caje had indicated the activity and placed it back in his jacket.

The sergeant contemplated his next move. He knew the radio would be of no use. It had stopped working hours earlier. “Ok, saddle up, we’re heading home.”

Billy spoke up. “But sarge we don’t have our prisoner.”

“That’ll have to wait, we need to get the Kraut buildup info back to Lieutenant Hanley,” he said and motioned the others up to follow. “Caje point, Kirby rear.”

They had traveled maybe a few miles and had to cross the small field that they had traversed earlier that day. Cautiously, they spread out to make their way across the clearing. Nearing the south end of the clearing Caje yelled “ hit it”. Several of the squad made it to the tree-line before the pounding of gunfire raked the air. Private Casing crashed to the ground dead, the other new recruit Buckner took a hit in the shoulder. Kirby and Saunders had been following the two new recruits. Saunders grabbed Buckner’s jacket on the run and pulled him to the shelter of the trees as Kirby gave them running cover.

Saunders shouted for Caje and Littlejohn to flank off to the right while Billy emptied his rifle at the Krauts.”   Kirby fired his BAR and Saunders his Tommy. Doc pulled up next to Buckner and started working on his wound. Doc explained “Doesn’t look too bad, Sarge, he’ll make it.” Saunders only nodded and continued with the cover fire. A loud explosion rocked the
branches followed by another as Caje and Littlejohn tossed grenades behind the rocks protecting the Krauts.
Caje hollered across the little field, "All clear!”

Saunders and Kirby got up, guns at the ready and ventured out into the clearing. Kirby went over to grab one of Casing’s dog tags and handed it to the Sarge. On the opposite side of the clearing came Caje with Littlejohn bringing up the rear with a Kraut sergeant. Standing in the clearing, Tommy gun on his hip Saunders watched the small group approach. The Kraut stood in front and between Caje and Littlejohn now. Saunders carefully patted the sergeant down, withdrawing a map from his breast pocket and now placing it in his own.

Hollering over to Doc, Saunders yelled “Billy, Doc, Buckner” and waved them into the clearing. Speaking to all he said, “Let’s go” and pointed with the tip of the Tommy Gun for the prisoner to head out in front of him. “Caje, point. They left the clearing, Caje at point, Billy, Littlejohn, the prisoner, Saunders, Doc and Buckner followed by Kirby to the rear.

Saunders called for a ten minute break. Littlejohn and Billy watching over the Kraut Sergeant. Kirby sat rubbing his ankles through his boots absently saying “how much further sarge?” Getting no response Kirby continued to rub his ankles, contemplating if he even had time to take the boots off.

Saunders pulled out the kraut map and his map to compare them. He noticed the German map was showing an area to their right flank heavily marked with machine gun nests. Where they had come through on patrol earlier now looked occupied by German infantry. Saunders squinted at the maps and up at the terrain they were on. Peering back at the maps he decided to strike out more to their left. That would put them on track for Lieutenant Hanley and the platoon but in a round about way and with a river crossing.

The Sarge didn’t like the plan much but thought he hadn’t much of a choice. It was going to set them back a few more hours. Standing up and looking around at his squad he commanded “saddle up”. He conferred with Caje about the new route home and Caje struck out leading the way.

The terrain proved to be a task to get through. With thick briars and brambles, up and
down the slopes, Kirby muttered to himself about the trip.

This was the second extended re-con patrol in a week and Saunders knew his squad
needed rest and some good food. Tiredness only makes for mistakes he thought as he trudged along the narrow trail.

Soon the slope descended through dense trees and down a steep embankment to a swiftly running river. Though not wide and deep, the current was fast over a rocky base. Caje plunged into the near waist deep waters. He scrambled up the other side to take point and check the nearby woods. Billy was next and took a position at the opposite bank to help the others as they came out of the river. Billy reached out to grab Littlejohn’s hand and just as he did the Kraut Sergeant leaped into Littlejohn, his head banging into Littlejohn’s ribs knocking him spinning crazily into the side of a boulder leading up the trail. Even though hands were tied behind his back the Kraut sprang like a gazelle up the river bank.

Surprised by the swiftness of the maneuver, Saunders was just fast enough to get off a burst of shots in the air and yell “Halt”. Hearing the commotion, Caje sprinted back to the river in time to face the runaway sergeant. He motioned to the prisoner to get on his knees. Saunders came sloshing up from behind, spinning the man around so he lay sprawled on the ground. Pointing the tommygun at him he yelled in English, “Don’t try that again.” Disgusted he walked back to check on his men at the river.

Doc ran up alongside Billy now supporting Littlejohn. “You ok, Littlejohn?” Doc said as he started to feel for breaks.

“It’s my ribs, Doc,” Littlejohn gasped.

Doc quickly checked him over. Littlejohn winced as Doc’s hand passed over his ribs. “Must have cracked his rib from the fall onto the boulder. “Sarge, I’m going to have to tape them before he moves much.”

Sarge told Doc, “Make it quick."

Doc finished taping Littlejohn. He and Billy hauled him to his feet. “Ok Sarge” Doc said. Saunders gave them the nod to move out.

With Littlejohn’s rib injury and Buckner’s shoulder beginning to ache more as time went on the going was getting slower. Sergeant Saunders grim look reflected the slow movements of the squad. Glancing at his watch and the beckoning storm clouds he shook his head and cursed softly to himself as the squad continued the slow trek home.

Darkness had settled in as they began to reach the last fields and hedgerows from where

they had started. Another few miles and they’d be home. Saunders called another short break so that Doc could readjust the bandages on his patients. The Sarge checked the Kraut sergeant’s
bonds and when he was sure they were still tight he motioned him to sit down. Once again pulling his map out and lighting his zippo to read it he made a decision to cut diagonally across the fields to narrow the distance between the them and home. Doc motioned to him he was all set and the
Sarge got up saying “saddle up” and conferred with Caje again to the slight change in plans.

Saunders figured it was just one more hedgerow and field and they would be at the small farm village used as headquarters. Just as they neared the hedgerow the fog and drizzle that had beckoned all afternoon began to roll in. It was about oh one hundred when Caje pulled up just before the village and the squad gathered around before entering it.

Saunders said, “Doc and Billy, take Littlejohn and Buckner to the aid station. Kirby and Caje, grab new ammo and c rations and then get some sleep. I’m taking the Kraut over to Hanley now.”

Everyone mumbled their agreement to his orders but not without Kirby venturing forth. “Don’t know if my feet can walk that extra distance Sarge”.

“Make them,” was the curt reply back from the Sarge.

They were crossing over the stone wall, the Sergeant now in the lead with the prisoner. He could see the faint red light of a cigarette. Thinking it was a sentry he called out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lieutenant Hanley had drifted off in his thoughts but he could hear softness of footsteps leading down the trail striking a rock here and there in the darkness. He felt the drizzle falling down his neck and strained in a crouching position to see into the blackness. He quickly ditched the lighted cigarette, cursing softly that he had lit it.

He heard a voice that he wasn’t sure he would ever hear again and a relaxing smile came to his lips. All clear to come in was the response he gave to his best squad. “Sergeant Saunders, you’re’ late again.”

“Sorry, sir. Had a few run ins but here’s a gift for you.” Saunders said as he pushed the German sergeant forward. “Lieutenant. I’ve got a few casualties to report, Casings is dead,” as he handed the dog tag to Hanley. “Littlejohn has a cracked or broken rib and Buckner took one in the Shoulder.”

Hanley softly said to Kirby, “ Take the prisoner down to the MP’s, I’ll interrogate him later.”

Caje left with Kirby to take the prisoner and then do the Sarge’s request. Doc headed out with Buckner and Littlejohn with Billy assisting him. This left the Lieutenant and the Sergeant alone.

Hanley lit two cigarettes and passed one to Saunders.

“Thanks Lieutenant.” Saunders quietly replied.

Standing in the dark mist and fog, Hanley studied his sergeant for a bit before inhaling
deeply and letting out a sigh as he stated in a matter of fact voice, “You and your men grab what sleep you can get. We’re leaving at oh four hundred.” It was quick and to the point but he knew that a comeback was being readied.

Saunders his voice sounding gruff, replied “Lieutenant, My men are beat.”

Hanley could only reply with “I know, grab some sleep,” and off he went to interrogate the prisoner.

When Kirby and Caje had returned back to their rough shelter Saunders repeated the orders of the day and told them to get what sleep they could.

Kirby just grumbled softly to himself as he rolled his bedroll out and lay his stiff body down on the uneven ground.

Doc and Billy walked into the shelter a bit later.

Saunders raised himself up on his elbow and looked up at them, asking, “How are they, Doc?”

“Sarge, they won’t be on patrol for a bit. They’re in for a few days rest.” Doc responded, taking off his supplies and helmet and lowering his body to his bedroll.

“Doc get some sleep, we leave at oh four hundred.” the sergeant wearily replied. He need not have bothered as Doc was already asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sergeant Saunders was up and about strapping on his ammo belt and hefting his tommygun and helmet at oh three thirty. He stepped carefully around the room nudging everyone’s heel or toes waking them from their needed sleep. Grumpiness seemed to pervade the little shelter. “Saddle up, near oh four hundred. Kirby, Caje you get those supplies last night? Doc you all set?” Saunders questioned the group.

“All set, Sarge” the squad members announced unanimously. Caje passed Sarge clips and grenades he’d picked up for him. Placing them in their appropriate pockets Saunders turned and
headed out followed by his squad of four men. They met Lieutenant Hanley not one hundred feet from their shelter. He was bringing up two new recruits for Saunders squad and handed him the map and giving him a few instructions on this morning’s objective since the sergeant had missed the briefing the night before.
“Sergeant, this is Watters and Langlois. “They’ve had a little front line experience.”

The Sarge nodded at the two men in the early morning light.

“Your squad will be taking the left flank Sergeant. From what I understand from that prisoner and the map you handed over last night, it could be tough. Watch yourselves.” Hanley said as he headed to join the rest of King Company.

Saunders checked the map Hanley had given him before placing it inside his jacket. Turning to his squad he said, “let’s move.” They headed to join the rest of the platoon. Another look back at his men told him it was going to be a tough day. It had been nearly two weeks since they’d had a good day’s rest. They were soldiers though and they were tough. He knew he could depend on them in a tight situation but still he hated to have to test their strength and durability like this. They double timed it to catch up to the rest of the platoon and took their place on the left flank waiting for the order to move out.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sergeant Saunders recognized the terrain as they neared the treed gully to their left. The allied line had moved steadily forward for most of the day without incident. The sergeant knew that was going to be coming to a sudden end soon. He and his squad had witnessed the German buildup over the ridge the day before. His squad knew it too as they crouched lower to the ground inching their way up the incline.

They were nearing the crest of the hill and into a lightly wooded area when the squad heard the outbreak of gunfire to their right flanks and the middle front. Heading for cover Saunders squad reached some nearby boulders near the ridge as machine gun fire roared over their heads. Peering around a boulder , Saunders could see that the main thrust of the King and Item company platoons stretching out to his right had been caught on the down sloping side of the hill. Halfway up the next hill were several securely dug machine gun nests and a line of German infantry in the nearby hedgerows. Another blast from the machine gun scattered branches, stone and dirt near his face and he ducked quickly back behind the safety of the boulder.

“Kirby, you and Langlois cover us. Doc, stay here. Caje, Billy, Watters you’re on me. Let’s go,” Saunders said as he took the first roll down the slope to his left to the heavily covered gully. Billy went next followed by Watters and Caje bringing up the rear. They half slid, half ran the rest of the way, zigzagging the sloping sides until they were safely crouched behind stands of thick brush.

“Caje we’re going to try to circle around from the back and knock out the guns closest to our flank.” Saunders didn’t have to say much more for the Cajun understood completely the mission and headed quietly out. Saunders patted Billy on the shoulder next and then Watters to move out.

There was no letting up of the firestorm further up the lines. Sarge could hear Kirby’s
BAR and the sound of Langois’s Garand giving cover from above. He was just hoping that the Krauts would be paying more attention to the hillside fighting rather than covering their flank. Caje gave the signal to halt. Saunders moved up the line. Peering through the brush, they were no more than fifty feet from the first nest. Looking upwards to the slope behind the German machine gun, Caje and Saunders estimated the distance, speed and the need to be unseen in their attempt to flank the Germans from behind their positions. Saunders gave the signal to crawl further up the gully.

Caje found an protected opening from which they could emerge into the lightly forested hillside behind the Germans. Storms must have ravaged the area at one time as the downed tree trunks offered much needed protection from being spotted as they moved quietly through the forest.

Coming to a large tree trunk, the Sarge motioned to Billy and Caje to hang back and on his signal blast the first nest with grenades. He and Watters moved up a couple hundred feet to do the same to the next machine gun. So far they’d been lucky not to be spotted. Had Saunders been in charge of the German outfit he was now flanking he would have had a spotter on the gully side but this group had none.

The mist of the other night once again began to settle in and the fog was quickly and quietly starting to envelope the opposing groups of soldiers. Getting into position Saunders flashed a signal to Caje to let go with the grenades. In co-ordinated timing the two Kraut machine gun nests were obliterated. Some of the infantry near the hedgerow began to run up the hill to check on their comrades only to be shot down from both sides as Kirby and Langlois raked the area and Sarge’s small group did the same.

Saunders waved to Kirby to bring his crew down. When Kirby’s group approached Saunders position they once again spread out using the wooded hillside as cover but now moving more to the middle of the allied push to assist the rest of King Company. It wasn’t long before the day’s battle had dissipated for a time.

Lieutenant Hanley reorganized his men taking account of casualties on both sides. The right flank had taken the worst of the day’s fighting. Three dead, four wounded including one of Item’s sergeants. Doc administered first aid. Hanley had a few litters made and sent back some sorely needed men with a medic from Item. The fog and drizzle had encased the hillside now. Men were putting on their rain-gear.

Hanley gathered his sergeants and made plans for the following day. They were going to be taking an area over the next hill that would afford a view towards the main road that would become their next objective. Once again he told Saunders to keep to the left flank.
Saunders returned to his men. He put Billy on sentry duty and told the others to grab what sleep they could. He knew in this cool fog and mist on wet ground it would be a fitful sleep at best. They chose an area between two large fallen snags and hustled up nests of leaves to make it
as comfortable as they could. Saunders caught himself nodding off a few times that night. He knew he needed the sleep too but he couldn’t commit himself to such luxury at this point in the game.

It was once again oh four hundred when Lieutenant Hanley crept over to Saunders’ squad, hailing Kirby now up as sentry.

“Morning sir. Sarge?” Kirby gently shook Saunders shoulder. “Sarge, the lieutenant’s here for ya.”

Sergeant Saunders awoke with a start, grabbing for his tommygun as Kirby jumped out of the way. Sarge quickly got to his feet and went over to stand at the Lieutenant’s side. “We’re pulling out in fifteen minutes, Sergeant, have your men ready. Watch yourselves. I sent a re-con patrol out last night. They came back and reported machine gun nests and mortar outposts and quite a few infantry. Looks like it’s going to be one of those days. Only good thing is that more of battalion has started to move behind us and should be here sometime this afternoon.”

“Yes sir” Saunders simply replied to the retreating Hanley.

“Ok, you heard em, saddle up” was all Saunders had to say and his men were up and ready.

The squad spread out taking their positions., Caje once again taking point a little further up and to the left. Saunders was to the right of the squad squinting in the early morning fog for the signal for advancement. When it came down, they were ready and swung out, headed up the short distance to the top of the hill. Saunders heart sank when they reached the top to find very little in the way of cover for his men between them and the German line. But they weren’t alone. The entire company found themselves in the same predicament.

Fierce fighting started to break out along the line. No time for building foxholes as the mortars started to fly into their ranks. Screams and yells could be heard, the men started to rush the German line while attempting to place themselves in the meager cover of a few boulders and trees. Coming up on the left flank some of Saunders’ squad managed to pull into cover of the treed gully, covering their squad-mates who were left in the open.

Langlois went down. Doc sprang from behind one of the rocks and pulled the boy to safety. The young soldier was shot in the side and bleeding heavily. Doc put some sulfa and bandages on, holding them in place with his bare hands and trying to stem the bleeding. Doc stared down into the young boy’s eyes and saw fear and shock. He wondered how many more eyes he would peer into with that same look before this war ended. It wasn’t long before
Langlois took his last breath and Doc released his hand and closed the boy’s eyes. He pulled one of the tags, pocketing it for later transfer to Sarge.

Doc peered around the rock and saw that the Sergeant and Kirby were still stuck out in the open with not much cover. Caje and Billy were trying desperately to pull the Kraut fire their way so Kirby and Sarge could make a run for it. The fog closed in once again, so thick it was difficult to see, but it gave Kirby and Sarge enough needed time to head for the cover of the gully once again. Swinging by the rock that hid Doc, Saunders shouted for him to join with them. The three reached the gully gasping for air but they had made it. Luck had been with him again, Sarge thought to himself.

They could still hear the sporadic firefights but due to the fog it seemed to have waned some. This gave the squad enough time to recover so that they could advance again. Doc handed Saunders the tag for Langlois. Sarge just stared at the tag in his hand for a long moment, wondering how many more he would have to hold in his hand. The men sat, quietly watching their leader.

“Ok, let’s move,” was all Sarge said as he stood and solemnly put the tag in a pocket. Slowly through the drifting fog the squad maneuvered up the slope. The silence of the fog pockmarked with the firing of weapons made an unsettling courtship of the air around the men. Keen hearing and observance would be their savior more than eyesight in this pea-soup fog.

The wind shifted a little and the weather lifted momentarily in time to find themselves in the midst of heavy machine gun fire. Watters went down with a hit to the thigh. Everyone dove for the ground in unison. Kirby took a graze to his right shoulder.

The fog settled back in but the firing continued. The entire squad lay prone and quiet not giving their positions away. Several more minutes ticked away before Saunders, who was the furthest out from the wooded gully, signaled to his left for Kirby to start crawling towards it. Kirby got to Billy and Caje and tapped them quietly to do the same. The wetness of the leaves allowed them to be quieter than had they been dry.

Doc had crawled to check on Watters and now Saunders was abreast of them. Motioning to Doc with hand signals, he gave the signal that they’d make a quick pickup and drag Watters towards the gully. Saunders knew that this move would make noise and took a deep breath before the undertaking. Clambering to their knees, the two men hooked onto Watters and ran like the devil himself was chasing them. They could hear the splatter of bullets glancing off the ground as they dove for the cover of the gully.

Doc had Billy hold the bandage on Watters as he tended to Kirby’s scratch. “Good as new Kirby” Doc said.

“Thanks Doc,” Kirby replied. “Don’t think I’ll get to rest on those clean sheets back at the aid station.”

“Not today, Kirby” Doc replied and looking to the Sarge, continued. “Kirby’s fine but Watters needs to get to a hospital.”

Saunders studied the situation for just a minute. “Doc take Billy and have him help you carry Watters back. Use the gully and carry and drag him ‘til you get a safe enough distance to make a litter.”

Doc looked at Sarge with a questioning face “What about the squad?”

“We’ll be fine, now do as I say,.” Saunders curtly replied. “Billy help Doc.”

“Yes Sarge,” Billy answered.

After Doc and Billy had quietly slid down the slope with Watters, Saunders glanced at his watch. Looking up only to gauge the thickness of the fog and decide his next move.

The wind shifted again, pulling the fog up and away, revealing the enemy soldiers in the woods and on the hillside. The sounds of the firefights broke the silent cloud barrier again. Something in the back of Saunders’ mind kept speaking out to him about the gully and how it had been left unprotected. Why? He had an uneasy feeling about it. He felt trapped between the protective cover of the gully and the semi-openness of the wooded hillside. Something just wasn’t right. He could hear more volleys of King and Item companies clashing with the German lines. It appeared the allies were advancing, even if slowly.

Bringing his mind back to the present, he motioned to Caje to take point and for Kirby to fall in the middle. Traversing near the top of the gully, the trio managed to snake their way around to a jumble of boulders sitting at the edge. Staying low and glancing over the hill, Saunders found the area to be barren of any troops. Caje and Kirby peered around the rocks with the same wonderment.

“Sarge, where’d they go?” Caje asked.

“Don’t know” was all the reply Saunders could muster as he pulled field glasses from the case. The fighting seemed to be more towards the east and up slope from them. They were now separated from their platoon by a wide swath of land. Hanley had told Saunders the objective for the day would be the next hill over from where they now were, but scanning the hillside the sergeant could not pick out any enemy on the hillside.

“We’ve got to work ourselves back to Lieutenant Hanley’s position.” Saunders wryly said as he got up to start off. Seeking cover and staying just below the crest of the gully, they continued forward motion. They were about to strike out for the open area when a shot rang out from somewhere across the gully, sending Sgt. Saunders crashing to the ground, his right leg just above his boot bleeding and seething in blazing hot pain. Caje scrambled for Saunders, grabbing his arm and dragging him to the other side of a nearby boulder. Kirby grabbed the tommygun as he also bolted for the safety of the rocks.

Teeth clenched, Saunders exclaimed “Snipers. I should have known..” Blood was filling his boot. Caje was already ripping Sarge’s pantleg to access the wound with sulfa and a field bandage. Saunders winced and shook as Caje tightened the bandage. Kirby, who had been watching the area where he thought the gunshot may have came from caught a flash in the woods. The BAR pounded the area felling the sniper.

“Got him, Sarge,” Kirby turned back at Saunders.

Looking questionably at Saunders, Caje asked the inevitable “What do we do Sarge?”

Early on he had led a squad of seven, including himself. Now Sarge thought there was only one man left who was at one hundred percent. The shooting was coming closer, moving back their way. Which side would get to the open hillside first, Saunders didn’t know. What he did know is that they needed cover from both directions and fast. His mind kept clicking about why the gully was so unprotected but he chose that route anyway.

“Caje the gully, but be careful. I can make it on my own.,” said the Sarge. But as he went to stand he staggered and Caje assisted Saunders up to his feet. Saunders thought to himself he didn’t want to be the one to slow the squad down now. Kirby took the point heading further down the gully to flatter terrain. Saunders put his arm around Caje’s neck and limped along as they followed Kirby.

They hadn’t gotten too far into the brush when they heard the gunfire of tommyguns and M1's off in the distance over the hill behind them. Saunders said it must be the rest of Battalion coming to rescue King and Item companies.

They were about to leave the protection of their brushy area when they heard a voice in English. The voice was very familiar to the three of them. Kirby was the first to whisper “They have the lieutenant, Sarge.”

Saunders nodded. “Caje. Check it out the best you can.”

Without comment, Caje was quietly on his way. He had gone only a short distance when he spotted Lieutenant Hanley, hands tied behind his back, walking ahead of two Germans. Hanley was sporting blood down his left sleeve and his forehead showed considerable bruising even from this distance. He followed them to within a quarter of a mile of a small clearing in the middle of the densely treed area where a well hidden command post of the SS was located.

Caje had been careful about the path he had chosen. He wisely had not only checked for ground forces but snipers laying in wait in the trees. He could make out the forms of at least two snipers hidden within the thick branches. The tent was guarded by at least 2 sentries and he spotted two and maybe a third guard patrolling the perimeters. He was sure that there would be a high ranking SS officer inside the tent. Counting the two that had Hanley as prisoner, Caje figured a minimum of ten Germans within the vicinity.


Stealthily backtracking and making sure he’d not missed any foreign shapes in the trees, he made his way back to Sarge and Kirby to give his report.

“Sarge, this will be a rough one. The Lieutenant has been shot and they look like they may have worked him over.” Caje reported to Sergeant Saunders, “There is a lot of cover up the gully about a quarter mile.”

Saunders looked away, grimacing with pain. His face was etched in worry about how to rescue their lieutenant with two of them wounded. Turning back to face Caje and Kirby, Saunders stated “That’s why the gully went mostly unprotected. Had they built up in the area and been spotted, the SS would have compromised their position also.. This way having so few men around leaves it pretty well hidden. What about the other side? How many men? What’s the cover like?”

Caje began to draw the plan in the dirt.

“I’m already ahead of you Sarge.” Caje replied. “If we can get you and Kirby into place, I can point the snipers out to you. There is plenty of cover around the back of the tent to the other side if I can get past the guards before we strike.” Caje didn’t want to be making decisions Sarge should be making but was hoping he could camouflage them enough to take some of the worry off the sergeant and his bad leg.

“Guess that will have to do. What if, Caje, you use your bayonet on the guard behind the tent, gain access from the rear as we open fire from the side?” Saunders was thinking of the various possibilities and scenarios. Caje would be taking the most chance and could pay dearly. “If you could take the SS officer alive maybe we could all get out alive.”

Caje gave the Sarge a smile and a nod, “We think alike.”

“Ok, let’s go” Sarge said, as Kirby helped him to his feet. His leg was getting stiffer now but he fought back the pain and tried to use it as much for himself as to also free up Kirby and his BAR. Nearing the place where Caje had confirmed the presence of the SS tent, they began to crawl into position. Caje carefully pointed out to the two possible snipers in the tree. Within seconds the Cajun had disappeared into the trees to Saunders left. Saunders and Kirby gave Caje ten minutes to get into position. On Saunders’ signal, he and Kirby opened fire. Kirby raked the trees for the snipers who dropped to the ground dead or mortally injured. They then attacked the advancing guards.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lieutenant Hanley stood tall before his tormenter. His face was bloody and bruised from the rifle butt to it earlier. His shoulder was aching and his clothing stuck to his skin with the drying blood, and yet he still stood expressionless facing the SS Major.
“You will not answer?” the Major snarled again.

Hanley thought to himself what a stupid question. He shifted his eyes around the tent. It held a simple desk and chair and the only people that were there was he, the SS Major and the sergeant who had brought him in. With his hands tied and the shoulder injury, he didn’t think he’d have much of a chance but he was waiting for it to come.

Little did Hanley know that the moment had arrived. Caje managed to knife the guard at the back of the tent. He saw the snipers fall and the flank guards run towards the front where Kirby and Sarge were firing. Caje dashed inside the tent just as the German Sergeant was about to fire at Hanley who lay sprawled on the tent floor on top of the SS Major. Caje quickly dispatched the Sergeant.

At the sound of the gunfire, both the SS Major and the sergeant had turned their heads to the open flap of the tent. That had given Hanley enough time to kick out with his legs and catch the SS Major totally by surprise, knocking him to the ground.

Caje crossed over to the Lieutenant and cut the bonds to Hanley’s wrists and assisted the officer to his feet. He then motioned the SS Major up and patted him down for any weapons. Caje looked up at his Lieutenant with that Cajun smile of his.

Hanley just grinned back but then changed to a serious look .“Where are the others?”

“Right here, Lieutenant and I see I’m not too late this time,” Saunders said as he attempted to steady himself on his bad leg. Kirby stood just outside the tent keeping watch.

“No Sergeant. You are right on time,” Hanley grinned.

“And the others?” Hanley was afraid to ask.

“Not sure about the rest of King Company. Doc and Billy left carrying Watters. Langlois died. This is it. You ready to go back?” Saunders asked.

“You bet, Sergeant” Hanley exclaimed.

Kirby hefted his BAR and hitched Saunders up higher against his shoulder and they turned to head out of the tent leading the way. Caje had tied the SS Major’s hands behind his back and prodded him to leave the tent ahead of him. Hanley picked up his carbine that the Kraut Sergeant had tossed to the corner of the tent and followed his men out.

They had traversed the better part of the gully and were just about to climb out of it when American voices were heard approaching the crest. They were greeted by Lieutenant O’Roake from Item Co and his squad that had been dispatched to look for the missing men. Doc was with them too. They helped the men the remaining way.

Doc updated Lieutenant Hanley on King Company. They had been hit hard, several dead and many had been wounded. Billy was back at the aid station with a sprained ankle after tripping over a root carrying Watters in the makeshift stretcher.

Carefully Doc looked his three patients over. Working on Lieutenant Hanley first, he gently pulled the jacket off and opened the cloth of his shirt for further inspection. Cleaning and bandaging the wound, he then placed Hanley’s jacket back on him and slung the lieutenant’s hand into the buttoned jacket as a makeshift sling.

He moved over to the Sarge next, working on the bullet hole above his boot. He cleaned it and put a clean field dressing on it. He suggested a litter but he knew that would be hopeless as the Sergeant waved him away saying, “I’ll be okay, just help me get to my feet.”

Kirby was next.   Doc tore the old bandage off and cleaned and replaced it with a new field dressing. “All set, Kirby,” Doc said as he re-packed his medical bag.

“So Doc? Will this get me a ticket for a bed and a dame to care for me?” Kirby asked.

Doc grinned, shaking his head. He thought how fortunate he was to have been placed in this squad. It was his family away from home. Doc gave a glancing look to the sky to say thanks.

As he rose from the ground Doc told Lieutenant O’Roake that his patients were ready for travel. Saunders slung the tommygun over his left shoulder and with assistance from Doc fell out with the small group from King Company escorted back to the aid station with the assistance of Item Company soldiers.

The End