Page 116 - 100 Hours to Destiny

on gun turrets and Marines peering through binos never ended. Delta knew
the danger that surrounded the Company, and we were watching.
“TOWs this is Delta 6, push forward 1000 meters of our current
position and conduct combat overwatch. Let’s go TOWs, Move! Get out
there and protect us! If you see an enemy on the move, report immediately
to the Six. All activity will be reported to Delta 5 as well. Be advised we have
air on-station, but we need you out there Gents. Silver Two take control of
your assets. Create a TOW Platoon Company Wedge, and let’s get those
hammerheads up. Be look-see at our left and right flank too. Nothing but bad
guys in front of us TOWs….be ready. Make sure your vehicle Commander has
his hands on his 7.62 pentel mount moving forward. The Seven will be
bringing provisions and fuel to you after the 25s fuel up.”
And there I was listening to it all. The transmissions of radio comms
crackling loudly in my headset. And I said to myself, those TOW guys, those
brave SOBs. Always pressing out front, sitting on top of enough explosives to
sink a battleship. And keeping good humor all the way. Damn… what a proud
bunch of Marines they are. Hearts of steel encased in steel…but with the
best optics and weapon systems on the battlefield. Deadly like a king cobra,
hidden in a silhouette raising its ugly head, striking with deadly accuracy; A
venom completely and utterly deadly…. unmatched by any other weapon
systems of the time.
“Guess what Witcher, I’m going to put Delta 10 in charge of the
FARP. SSgt Steven Metcalf is going to run the FARP along with Sgt Cote and
Tennison. Let’s go explore….” I leaned back in my driver’s hatch and smiled;
here we go. Gunny wants to go see things, and I’m the guy to take him there.
“Talk to me Gunns. Your wish is my command.” At this point, the
battlefield had turned into our maniacal playground. Sights and sounds and
moments of missiles firing, TOW rockets launch from somewhere in the
distance, intimidating combat aircraft circling overhead was just something,
somewhere, in another place and another time. But it was happening right
before our very eyes, and Gunny and I wanted to experience it all, and we
had the capabilities of free reign. Probably on behalf of GySgt Steven Dell
being the GySgt/ logistics officer of Delta Company, I was given the
opportunity far beyond most to see things that many were not privy to. I had
seen so much destruction at this point, dating all the way back to the battle
of Observation Post 4, and now here I was closing in on the last hours before
victory. I had become so accustomed to seeing death and destruction that at
this point it had almost turned into a strange game. A game with deadly
consequences, but I was at this point beyond a shadow of a doubt
hardened…. A Marine with a heart forged in actual combat scenes. I
grimaced and worried for a split second, will these images always be present