Chapter 13: Coastal Patrol (Lieutenant)

I was up and in early the next day and found promotion orders to lieutenant on the captain's desk. There was also a note that lieutenant colonel Quincy had seconded my suggestion to give field promotions to staff sergeant Patterson and McBee. The general and the Troop commander arrived and I called both men to the office.

They accepted and I gave them the day off to start the process. The company did maintenance and cleaned equipment and I saw Mr Darken and Amberjack off. I had a lot to learn about running a company and sergeant major Smythe was the one to start helping me. A week later we had a Troop formation for awards.

We had the Field Marshal and the prince arrive and they were the ones to do the awards. They saved my third King's Cross for last. The prince grinned as he looked at the troops and had me kneel and received my oath to his father as a new baron. That was nonsense but the girls loved it and the money the barony would bring in.

After I dismissed the men for the day the prince and Field Marshal sat in my small office. The prince went over the normal duties I would have as a baron. He also smiled when he told me twenty men had joined the Order of Thorne as knight companions and two had been promoted to knight lieutenants.

After they left major general Dunn told lieutenant colonel Quincy that we had a week to fill before heading for the coast. Apparently the enemy was sending troops south along the coast so it would be easier to resupply them. He said we had priority on new men coming in. I asked for permission to go see the quartermaster about getting weapons and new scale shirts.

I sent the girls to their shop and made notes after they left and looked up when two second lieutenants walked in together and sat back, "yes?"

They looked around and one spoke, "we are looking for the company commander."

I gestured to chairs, "that would be me."

They looked at each other and then came to attention and saluted and reported. One was second lieutenant Hall and the other was Mendez. I assigned Hall to third platoon and Mendez to fourth. I made sure they were not idiots that would get my men killed and sent them to their platoon areas.

Next in were two staff sergeants, one was Vanzant and the other was Bosk. I assigned them to first and second platoon and sent them to the sergeant major. I called the charge of quarters in and told him where to put any new men that came in and to contact the sergeant major. I finished my paperwork and left for the day.

Over the next week we got men to replace the ones that had died or been wounded. My talk with the quartermaster got us new seven point five by fifty five semi auto carbines. We also got three more crates of the modified Tomahawks. I made sure each man had a new scale shirt and that every platoon had both tri barrel miniguns and grenade launchers.

The company commanders received our briefing on our operation area. I briefed the platoon leaders and sergeants with sergeant major Smythe. I was a little worried about leaving Anh, she looked like she would have the baby at any time but they pushed me out of the house. I packed and took my Tomahawk, over and under and the magnum pistol.

This time I made sure the short range radios I had used for my squad and then the platoon were given to the platoon leaders and sergeants. That way they would only have to carry the single larger one for the Troop and support comms. The Chargers came in all together and I loaded the first with my headquarters element and the sergeant major.

That would be a single radio man, a senior medic, two security men and the sergeant major. This time we shared the Charger with the Troop commander and his team. Like every time the Charger tilted and turned and lifted and dropped as it followed the terrain. It was like being on a roller coaster ride.

It took hours before they turned and slowed while dropping to the ground outside a small fishing port. I was more than a little wary around small ports and leaped out, "all Whiskey units lock and load. Whiskey One move forward and watch for focus mines or ambushes."

It turned out the port was what it looked like and the people waved and seemed okay. The Troop set up a base camp to the north on the far side of the last field. The jungle here was more a thin forest with almost daily rains. The ground under the trees had a few dozen types of ferns and I did not see any of the wait a minute vines.

Our operation area started twenty kilometers to the north. We would move the next day and when we reached the operation area we would create a small firebase to work out of. Actually being on the ground helped to get the new men adjusted. We maintained the perimeter that night and when the sun rose we started north.

We led and I put second platoon out front and stayed between them and third. Forth was next and first was in the rear. We walked with full packs so we stopped every hour. Just over ten kilometers out we saw the first signs of enemy. The point man reported boot prints on a trail. We did not use trails since it would give the enemy a chance to ambush us.

The forest became a little more hilly and had more creeks and streams we had to wade across. We stopped beside a larger stream in a valley. To the northeast was another small port town and we were sure the enemy was using it. My company set up a perimeter to the north of the stream and the other companies filled in around the sides with one in reserve.

We had a small clearing in the center of the perimeter so Chargers could land if needed or drop supplies. We dug positions with interlocking fire and Charlie and Delta companies sent recon patrols out to the north, east and the west. The next day the Troop was going to spilt up into company elements and move further north with a couple of kilometers between us.

All the company commanders got with the Troop commander and went over our routes, TRPs, rally points and where we would stop the next day. My company would be moving east to the coast. From there we would go straight north twenty kilometer to a small river only ten kilometers south of the port town.

Bravo company would set up their base camp only fifteen hundred meters to our west. The recon patrols returned and reported no recent enemy signs. I briefed my platoon leaders and we settled in for the night. It was one in the morning when the company radio whispered in my ear and my eyes snapped open to, "Whiskey we have movement forward of our positions."

I rolled as I reached for my Tomahawk, "next time add who you are Whiskey Three."

I shook my radioman and then the others, "all Whiskey units go to..."

Automatic fire shattered the night and I yanked the radioman up and after me, "return fire!"

I grabbed the handset from the radioman, "Roman this is Whiskey. We have enemy to the northeast engaging our perimeter. Request Roman Nine send illum."

That was our mortars, "copy Whiskey."

The whole third platoon was firing blindly and I growled, "get control platoon leaders! Use your flares and only fire at the damn enemy you see!"

The firing slowed before I reached third platoon and second platoon engaged, "Whiskey we have enemy to our front!"

I snorted as I knelt and looked around, "they are probing us. All Whiskey units cease fire unless you have a target or are being fired on. Whiskey Two do you see them?"

McBee snorted, "no sir. They are being real sneaky."

I nodded, "Whiskey One keep your people down but watch and be prepared for them."

I grabbed the handset, "Roman this is Whiskey. I think this is a probe to find our perimeter and get a count."

I spun as poppers went off and then shots and grenades a few seconds later. Patterson chuckled, "Whiskey we have six enemy down."

The Troop commander answered, "copy Whiskey. Try to..."

Six mortar illumination rounds popped a thousand meters above us and the whole forest was lit up. Suddenly all four platoons were firing and I brought my weapon up and shot a rushing enemy soldier in the chest. He was carrying a satchel and went down before it exploded and I used the radio, "FIRE! Roman we have sappers."

The miniguns were firing and grenades were exploding as I moved to the left, "Whiskey Two shift fire to the left and fire your FLD(finally line of defense). Whiskey Three shift fire right and do the same. Whiskey One I want all indirect grenades launchers on Two's front. Whiskey Four move forward and swing left and come on line. Let me know when you are set."

I switched to the troop radio, "Roman it looks like a company plus. We are holding and I am preparing to flank them and assault."

I could hear him moving, "hold position. Brandy(Bravo) and Cider(Charlie) are swinging around to your left flank. Ale(Echo) is moving up behind you to support and fill in and Gin(Delta) is swinging up on your right."

The firing grew heavy as I looked to the left, "Whiskey Four pull back and stand by. All other Whiskey units we will have friendlies sweeping across from the left to the right."

I glanced back as the Echo company slipped up and their company commander stopped beside me. I nodded and pointed out the major areas and he moved his platoons in to add their fire to ours. Mortar illumination rounds continued to give us light and the firing slowed. The lieutenant colonel growled, "Whiskey and Ale shift fire right!"

I repeated it and saw our soldiers rushing in from the left, "watch your fire Whiskey units we have our people in front of us!"

Two minutes and it was over and I only had three men wounded. Two minor gunshot wounds and the third was a broken ankle from a private falling into his position. At least we knew the enemy was here and they knew we were here. By the time the sun was up we had been resupplied, our wounded evacuated and our mission had not changed.

Second platoon led again and I followed and then the other platoons. We went east until we were a kilometer from the ocean and then turned north. My radioman kept contact with the Troop and reported our location as we moved. My two security men stayed on my flanks and the medic followed a couple of steps behind me.