Chapter 11: Rangers in the Mountains (2nd Lieutenant)

I could not even get out of bed the next day. Anh called the company and a medic came and give me a shot for the pain and pills to help with the swelling. It was three days before I was up and walking around normally. That was when the commanding officer of Fifth Cavalry and the troop commander, lieutenant colonel Quincy came to see me with my company commander.

The girls made tea and major general Dunn smiled when he sipped it, "they should think of a tea and coffee shop instead of a thrift shop."

I blinked because I did not know he knew of their plans. Anh whispered to Cam who grinned. The general sighed and nodded to the Troop commander. He looked at me, "sergeant the army is short officers. Arnold was an example of some we are forced to accept. Your record is very good."

They all nodded and he continued, "we want you to consider accepting a field commission to second lieutenant. First Troop is headed to a abbreviated Ranger course and your platoon needs you."

I looked at the girls and then at the captain, "what is going to happen to Arnold?"

The general growled, "court martial for desertion in the face of the enemy and conduct unbecoming an officer. He will likely get ten to fifteen years in prison if not death for the first offense since men died and up to five years for the second offense."

I looked at the girls again before I nodded, "okay."

The idea of a tea and coffee shop took hold and a week later they had the perfect place next to the base commissary and everything they needed. The first day saw constant visits from wives or girlfriends of soldiers. The shop opened at six in the morning and closed at six in the evening and was busy the whole time.

Of course there was paperwork and oaths for me and then a complete reissue of uniforms. I also had to stand in front of the whole Troop for another Wounded Lion and a POW medal. Both Higgins and Peeve were with me for those. I was also informed of another recommendation for a third King's Cross for what I had done after we escaped.

That I had a problem with but there was little I could do. I did send a note through the Field Marshal and to the king. It was about the damn issue rifle and body armor. I told him what I thought and asked if he would send the dumb bastards that made them to do a few combat patrols.

I was awarded another Order of Merit a few days later for my actions during the ambush. I was able to promote both Marks and French to corporal and a couple of the privates to private first class. Staff sergeant McBee was back and took me being the new lieutenant in stride. My first order had been to turn in the damn issue rifles.

The body armor was optional but I put up where the men could buy lighter and better armor like my scale shirt. I installed a weapon rack in my platoon office and brought some of my weapons in. I also set up my combat vest for the Tomahawk, the over and under and the magnum pistol.

Staff sergeant McBee and I paid a visit to the base security police. We talked to the armorer who sent us to his supply sergeant. He sent us to their quartermaster who showed us a case of twenty four prototype Tomahawks. They were not using them because they had twin under barrel ammo tubes instead of one.

Instead of carrying ten rounds with one in the chamber they could carry nineteen. We took the whole case and issued one to each team leader and the squad leaders. If or when we got new men we would exchange them for the issue rifles. They were a little heavier but if they used tactical slings it would carry most of the weight.

We got new soldiers to fill empty slots before we flew out and went south. The Ranger course was two weeks long and grueling. It was with little food, almost no sleep and a lot of work, mostly patrols and ambushes. After everything else I had been through it was my first chance to actually command a platoon.

It was different and harder than I thought but staff sergeant McBee helped me. By the end I had it down and the platoon was working well together. We returned to camp June and I was happy to see the girls again. Their tea and coffee shop was still doing very well and they even had two other wives working in the shop with them.

We were back three days and the whole company got a mission. I had never been to the mountains. They were not always steep but they were rough with thousands of gullies and streams. The jungle was not as thick and there were fewer wait a minute vines and no barbed trees I had learned to avoid.

We landed beside a mountain village and the company set up a perimeter. Our mission was a company movement to the northwest. The enemy had a trail they brought supplies down. They would send the supplies east and deeper into the country where small units were waiting. I was already missing the Chargers as we shouldered packs.

I watched and gestured to first squad once first platoon was moving away, "move out."

Like each squad I had the small radios with the vox system so each squad leader and staff sergeant Mcbee could hear everything. I also carried the radio for the company and McBee had the other one. Since we did not have the Chargers or support each man carried a couple of hundred rounds for the gunners, extra grenades for the launchers and focus mines.

It was several hours before we found the enemy trail. We moved north along one side for another hour and then stopped to set up the ambush. I put the squads online and had a two man security team to the rear. I did not have to, the other platoons were supposed to provide security. I checked each squad and directed where to place the focus mines.

Now it was just a matter of waiting to see if anyone came down the trail. The sun went down and it became extremely dark. I had the men take turns drinking and eating a ration. Finally close to midnight the captain pulled us back and into a perimeter. We went to fifty percent, half awake and half sleeping and McBee and I took turns checking our positions.

We were all tired when the sun came up and ate and drank before moving back into positions. The captain was going to stay here three days or until someone came down the trail. It was noon when three men appeared and walked down the trail. One had a radio and I was sure they were advance scouts.

We let them pass and it was over an hour before the captain clicked his radio to warn us. I hissed into my platoon radio, "time to dance."

Enemy soldiers appeared walking the trail carrying bundles and crates I recognized as weapons and ammo. We let them pass and they seemed to keep coming. Either the captain would start the ambush when he saw the last man or the fourth platoon leader lieutenant Samuels. The whistle came from the left which meant the first man reached the other side of fourth platoon.

Everyone fired and the focus mines were detonated. I came to my feet, "third and forth sweep across and around to the right! First shift right and second pull back and moved to the right and on line!"

On the other side of first platoon was constant firing and a few explosions as I moved forward with my Tomahawk against my shoulder. I shot an enemy soldier staggering to his feet as I reached the trail and turned to the north, "Knight this is Knight two. I am sweeping and bringing my platoon on line facing north."

He growled and I could hear the other platoon miniguns firing, "we are pulling back and through your people! Third platoon swing across the trail and move up on line! Fourth move right and up and link with second!"

I moved to a tree right beside the trail and spoke, "second platoon watch for our people moving back."

I saw enemy rushing down the trail and through the dead bodies and aimed and fired, "gunners on the trail."

It was only moments before the few became a lot and they were spreading out. Third platoon was the first to link up as first struggled through mine. They had wounded and were trying to break contact. When the enemy got closer my men with the modified Tomahawks opened up and they died.