Chapter 22, The Iron Storm

Our Tanks rolled in firing at NVA Tanks, seeing American Tanks fighting against Soviet Tanks despite being occupied by NVA was like America and Soviet Union decided to fight.

Firing off my Carbine taking down a NVA then I fired again scoring a hit into the head of another Soldier. Paul was slowly advancing while firing the MG and tried to shrink his head down far as possible.

I kept running while firing my M14 and once I got close to what I believe to be Officer NVA or some high rank I stuck him with my bayonet. I proceeded to throw him off and to side as I kept running.

Kyle was dragging a wounded Soldier into a fox hole while Scully was covering him, I didn't see Bucky so I assumed he was somewhere providing Sniper cover.

Marshall was plugging one ear while talking into the radio. Paul was with me as we jumped into a trench and used to for cover, Paul mounted his M60 and fired while I kept our flanks cleared.

"Get some fire on those tanks!" Someone's C.O. shouted as two Soldiers ran with a LAW and fired into a Tank destroying it.

"NAPALM INCOMING!" Someone shouted as we hit the deck when our planes came and dropped a wave of flames onto the enemy.

The smell of burning flesh was just disgusting, I held my nose tightly once you get whiff it you continue to smell it.

After the Counterattack we continue to push into North Vietnam, I heard Soldiers talking about the U.S. Government thinking of pulling out the Marines.

The only Marine I know is Bucky, hate to lose our sniper he's one hell of a crack shot. Whenever I'm in a filthy fox hole I think back to my family and the family I'm starting with Chau.

Far as I know I'm missing out baby girl's first steps and words while I'm stuck in a warzone, I can't remember what was the reason we came to Nam.

Something about a Domino Theory if Vietnam falls so does all of East Asia? I don't even know anymore so I stop thinking on it. Holding my bayonet as I looked at it, I have shot more Charlie then I have stabbed them.

Almost every weapon we have has fixed bayonets, the last recorded bayonet charge was in Korea. But if you ask me a bayonet will save your life by taking the enemy's.

"Hey Tony" I turned to face Kyle as he handed me a cola which I accepted and shared my MRE with him.

"Shits getting more intense brother...Is it me or our progression getting bog down?" Kyle asks me, "I don't know Kyle...I stopped caring after we took that city last week"

"Yeah I remember that those Jarheads were pretty stoked to see the Hell trooper" He says patting my thigh, "Hell trooper...heh" I snickered at the name.

"That Sniper...Hancock I believe his name was White Feather? he's a legend I'm just another soldier" I said drinking my cola.

"Tony...Do you ever feel like you just wanna die but you can't?" He asks me to which I turned to him.

I was actually surprised, Kyle's a medic I thought death would be the last thing on his mind. "Kyle I-I what's wrong?" I asked.

"This shit is getting to much on me...I mean we're just kids...We're just fucking kids!" He shouted, "Why are we even here?! How long do we have to suffer in this God forsaken place!" He begin crying as I held him close to me.

Letting his head rest on my chest as he sobbed, when I thought I was at the point of breaking Kyle did it for me. I held him tightly til he calm down, he's right why are we still here?

What are we fighting for? We have fought VC, NVA and Spetsnaz. We're just kids playing soldier til one of us dies.

Eventually Kyle calm down enough for us to keep moving and regroup with our unit. Gillan lead us through a swamp as we're being tasked with sapping a bridge to prevent anymore enemy armor from passing.

We were tired, we are angry, we want to go home but we kept pushing through. "Alright the bridge is over there, everyone stay alright area could be crawling with VC" He says.

Gillan always had our backs never once had he lead us astray, even in the deepest of holes we pulled through and survived.

We were always by ourselves rarely we were with a platoon then again we were given specific objectives like clearing out tunnels, weapons cache or giving some Vietnamese General a headache.

"Alright boys we actually have a second objective after we get rid of the bridge our new objective is to find eliminate a VC leader known as Red Sparrow, he's a twisted fuck who tortures anyone doesn't matter if their American, Aussie, New Zealander or hell if your his own kin if he thinks your a traitor you better pray for death" Gillan says.

As we approached the bridge, there were a small VC group sitting around Gillan ordered up me, Scully and Paul to clear them out.

Paul went behind a log while Scully went behind. tree. I just stood behind some rocks then we ambushed them.

They didn't last for a few seconds before they dropped. "Sergeant get those explosives" Gillan says as I ran over to the bridge placing some explosives then ran back.

After Gillan gave me the "Go ahead" The bridge fell apart all the debris fell into the lake, "Command this is Golf bridge is gone moving to secondary objective"

"Copy that Golf, Intel says Red Sparrow has been sighted near a village by the Cambodian borders possibly to recruit more forces, do not let him gain anymore ground go into Cambodia if needed over and out"

"Boys..We're going sparrow hunting" Gillan said with a smirk.