A/N: Ah right, I should have uploaded chapters continuously to reach 15k word count. My bad, my bad.
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As we left the briefing room, I cant help but think. This mission was crucial, if the ambush we will do is successful and cut of the NVA's supply route, the Vc's weapon supply will be temporary stopped in this region, putting pressure in them so their activities here will be massively reduce.
But as this is one of the main supply route in this region and the brass deemed this important, the resistance we expect will be intense, so we will conduct this operation with another two squad and will be lead by a Lieutenant, making us a platoon.
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(SEPTEMBER 1965)
(500 Hours)
Early in the morning, we began preparing our gear. The tent was filled with the familiar sounds of zippers, clinking metal, and murmured instructions, the usual banter is temporarily muted cause of the mission ahead of us. The others have solemn expression as they prepared their packs. I'm fairly excited about this though.
Mack shot me a playful glare, a tick mark appearing on his forehead. "This is big, guys. Let's make sure we get it right."
"I didn't take you for a motivational speaker Mack." I cant help but comment.
Mack gained a tick mark and said. "Huh, oh yeah? You know, Jim, if you get hit again, you're gonna owe me a beer when we get back."
Argh, this guy know how to deal low blows, I smirked, tightening the strap on my pack. "Hoh, is that a challenge Mack? Alright, if I get hit again, Mack, you can have my whole stash. But if you got hit, you'll owe me a hundred bucks."
Tom chimed in with a chuckle. "Yeah, and if I blow something up that I'm not supposed to, I'll owe all of you a round."
Chuck grinned as he fiddled with his equipment. "Just make sure the only thing you blow up is the enemy, Tom. I've got enough to worry about without dodging friendly fire."
"Hey!!!" We all laughed at this, the friendly banter temporarily easing up the heavy atmosphere that built up.
Sergeant Savage interrupted us, "Alright, that's enough guys, listen up. This mission is critical. Stick to your roles and watch each other's backs. We've trained for this, and I know you're ready."
Tom, with his usual bravado, raised his hand. "Sarge, you can count on us. We're the best damn squad out here."
Savage nodded. "I know you are. Now let's show them what we're made of."
We finished gearing up in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts.
Bob, our medic, checked his supplies one last time. "Everyone make sure your first aid kits are secure. Let's hope we don't need them, but be prepared if we do."
Carter, our point man, tested the edge of his knife and adjusted his gear, he slung his machete in his shoulder. "Stay sharp, everyone. This jungle can be as dangerous as the enemy."
Bungum slapped me on the back. "Just another day in paradise, huh, Jim?"
I chuckled. "Yeah, something like that."
I said as we prepare to move out to the designated rally point.
He couldn't be more further from the truth though, because for me, this war is my paradise.
"Oh right, by the way, bring some extra ammo, I got a feeling we'll need it." Sarge said as he started packing some extra ammo.
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As we gathered and formed a line outside the base, I can see other squads compromising of 10 soldiers each including the Sergeants. Their are two individual at the front standing, seemingly about to give a speech.
"Men, I am Lieutenant Andrew Taylor and this by my side, is Sergeant First Class Barnes." Lieutenant Taylor said while surveying us.
He nodded for a bit and continued. "The objectives here are crucial, we have to cut of the supplies that the NVA's supplying the guerrilla's in this region. So no fuck ups! Are we clear?"
""YES LIEUTINANT""
"Good," he continued. "I expect nothing less than excellence from each and every one of you. Now, gear up and prepare to move out!"
With that, he and SFC Barnes boarded a Willy's jeep, while the rest of the platoon climbed into an M54A2, the standard transport truck used by the Army.
The ride was a blur of green scenery, the dense jungle of Vietnam whipping past us as we headed towards our destination.
Before I realized it, we arrived. We disembarked quickly, the trucks could only take us so far; we were dropped off ten clicks away from the target cause the terrain is too rugged for vehicles to proceed.
(1 click= 1 kilometer= 0.6 miles)
We gathered in a huddle, checking our gear one last time and going over the plan.
Lieutenant Taylor and SFC Barnes stood before us once more. "Alright, listen up," Barnes said. "From here, we move on foot. The terrain is rough, so stay close and stay sharp. We need to reach our positions without alerting the enemy."
We nodded in unison, no ones dumb enough to be killed before the start of the actual mission.
As we moved out, the jungle became our cover as its the camouflage of the enemy. We stayed alert, not to be caught off guard by sitting gooks ready to maul us. The path we take was treacherous, filled with thick underbrush and hidden roots that can trip somemone if not careful. The silence was only broken by the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds.
Mack whispered to me, "Feels like we're in a damn nature documentary."
I chuckled softly, trying to ease the tension. "Yeah, just watch out for any 'predators' and traps along the way."
Tommy added, "Let's just hope we don't end up as the prey."
After what felt like hours of trekking through the dense jungle, we finally reached our designated positions. Our squad took the hill, having a high ground giving us a clear vantage point over the supply road. The second squad, led by Sergeant Burns, took the eastern flank in the dense jungle, and the third squad, under Corporal Hayes, positioned themselves in the ravine to the south.
"Remember, no one moves until we have the convoy in sight," Lieutenant Taylor's voice crackled over the radio. "We need to catch them off guard."
We settled in, waiting for the convoy to arrived. We waited for what feels like hours, not moving a single inch from our positions, scared that it will jeopardize the mission. As the minutes ticked by, the long awaited convoy finally arrived.
The faint sounds of engines finally reached us, my heart rate quickened, the familiar feeling of adrenaline pumping in my veins. As the first truck rolled into view, we held our breath, waiting for the signal.
"Now!" Lieutenant Taylor's voice came through, and all hell broke loose.