| All Combat! Names and indicia are licensed to: ABC entertainment company, and Selmur Productions… I think COMBAT! Copyright, August 5, 2004, Jessica A. Worley Point Hanley took the point, Caje had the rear, Saunders was the middle man this trip, This trip of an ambush they did fear. Kirby carried the BAR, Doc the stretcher, To the rest their guns, They hoped of this trip, Than the last it would be better. Little John thought for sure, The Lt would have called him for point, But was found mistaken, Did the Lt. want his life in jeopardy of being taken? Saunders hadn’t understood it either. Had he heard procedures wrong in basic? Or was this just his friend’s way, Of dealing with the command forsaken? Of the mission preceding, Shot was the man sent to point, The bullet was lodged, He was killed of bleeding. It had been a new man to the squad, Barely eighteen, Just a young boy, To prove his worth he seemed keen. Hanley’d read the report, Nick Josten had been good, Best kid in basic, To give him a go he thought he could. So the point Josten took, A secret grin on his face after he turned, He led on at a steady pace, Eyes wide his were just as he’d learned. They passed under the shade of trees, They walked on through vast fields, And it was then, That the young boy named Nick Josten was killed. Bullets flew high and low, Far and loud, From the trees surrounding the field. The squad ducked and hid among the tall wheat stalks, Their weak cover they’d found. “Medic!� Billy had called, For he’d been following Josten, And seen him hit. Doc raced forward on his stomach, Life saving tools in his kit. But it was found to be too late, For the point man was dead. After the mission, on the way back, Hanley’s face was blank, His expression lax. Saunders had called Kirby to the point, And he thought that was the end of that. Now the next mission had come, And the Lt. had come too, The point he’d assigned to himself, Had he deemed his life through? No, Saunders thought, It couldn’t be that, But this war had suddenly gotten personal to his friend, And that he now knew to be a fact. Hanley walked forward, Leading his men on, It was another day, And another mission, But the memory of his mistake, Would not be long gone. He shouldn’t have sent the fresh kid to the point, Not there, not at the front, He was too young, Still learning, He wasn’t as experienced as the rest of the bunch. Saunders moved up to the front by his Lt, Man by man, And the friend he stood beside now, On his trusty gun kept his hand. “You know, it would have been somebody else if not him,� Saunders told his long time friend. “Caje, Kirby, Little John, me, that kid died a hero, And to his family, that’s what he’ll be.� Hanley remained silent as they walked. The other men were further back, They couldn’t hear, Of the conversation, That would have showed their CO’s fear. “It was a decision that had to be made. Somebody makes it each time,� Saunders told him, Trying of the reason to make his Lt. find. “Don’t beat yourself up Gil, This is war, and it’s awful, And each day young men get killed.� “He was too young Sergeant,� Hanley told him, “One of the others might have had a chance.� There was silence for a moment, As at the trees they did glance. “No Lt, no. The trees were too far off. None of us would have seen it coming,� Hanley flinched as the other man talked. He looked at his Sergeant, his friend, The retribution he thought he had coming to him, Had to end. “If it makes any difference,� his Sergeant said, “I would have made the same choice. He was a good soldier, Just a little too young to be an officer, and it’s too bad he’s dead.� Hanley looked at the trees around them, In search of krauts, He knew Saunders was right, He just needed a push to bring it to his sight. A loud shot rang out, and Hanley had seen it, But not even he could duck in time, He’d been hit in the shoulder, Of the kraut he thought, He’s mine. As he fell to the ground, He spun to face the tree, And his finger pulled the trigger, Of the tree, the kraut fell free. Saunders face appeared over him, As did Doc’s. “Are you done now Lt?� Saunders asked, “You saw him, but still got shot.� Hanley closed his eyes without a word. Above him, he heard the chirping of a frightened bird. As Doc and Saunders lifted him up To treat his minor wound, “I hear you Chip,� he told the other man, “Thank you. I finally understand.� |