Page 24 - 100 Hours to Destiny

The team from S-2 were a serious bunch, a total of 8 Marines
working feverishly to set up the desert classroom. The Captain of the bunch
was the first to take the initiative to set the class in motion.
Many of the Delta Marines were focused on the chopper in the
background just out of curiosity, and it took the Gunny to jump in and slam
the Marines’ attention back to focus on what we were about to hear. GySgt
Steven Dell stepped in front of the Captain and said, “One moment sir,
Marines get your eyeballs up here and listen to the Captain. Quit eye-fucking
the chopper and listen up!” That’s what it took sometimes to get 146
Marines focused again.
The S-2 Captain had a flip chart, the Corporal assisting him in flipping
the pages was standing by to roll the pages back to reveal the maps of pure
hell that we soon would be facing as we traversed in the grand assault into
Kuwait City. As the wind blew, the Corporal was having problems controlling
the flip chart, so one of our Scouts, Corporal Whitehead, went forward and
held the other side to help control the flapping chart. Somehow seeing one
of our Marines up there made me feel better about the whole damn thing.
The S-2 Captain took center stage and began to speak. I was standing
no more than 8 feet from him and was able to see the chart clear as day.
Marines in the back were yelling, “Down in front, down in front, and shut the
fuck up everybody I can’t hear what the hell he’s saying!” So, I got down low
because I was in the front, and everybody was finally able to see and hear.
And rest assured, the Marines of Delta were not going to be happy about
what was to be said.
The Captain used a pointer stick and told Corporal Whitehead and
the S-2 Corporal to flip the first page. “First and foremost, I want to
congratulate you Marines as being chosen by the 1st Marine Division to be
the first through the breach for Task Force Ripper, you will be the tip of the
spear. You did a great job driving back the Iraqis at OP4, and we’re sorry
about the loss of your fellow Marines there. You guys have made a name for
yourself already, but now we’re going to ask a whole lot more of you. It’s
going to be Delta Company, that being you, that’s going to be the first eyes
on the target. You will lead the way when the whistle blows. Now I’m not
going to tell you exactly when that’s going to be, but I will tell you that it
could be any day now so get ready. And I mean get ready in every way. Get
your mind wrapped around what you will be up against, as THEY, that being
the Iraqi military, have set death traps for you every step of the way. The
bastards don’t want you to make it and WILL DO everything in their power to
kill you quickly.”
He continued by pointing to obstacle number 1, minefield, “You’ll be
crossing two minefields with thousands of anti-tank mines, some so powerful