Page 27 - 100 Hours to Destiny

GENTS, WE ARE DELTA

146 US Marines and Navy Corpsmen (excluding the 15 still on watch)
of Delta Company watched without moving as the chopper faded from view.
You could still hear the rotor blades thumping, then fading into absolute
silence. Slowly each man began to turn, to look at one another and wonder,
“will I be that guy that makes it through, will it be my best friend that I see
fall in battle to these horrific traps… and guns… and bombs… and mortars….
and firepits… in these surprise attacks that the Captain had mentioned in his
briefing.”
Delta Marines were very close, true brothers tested in battle already.
We trained day after day, night after night together. We pretty much each
knew what the other was thinking before he even said a word. Hours upon
hours of standing watch together, freezing in the night, sweltering in the day.
It is these bonds that no one else shares, it is just you and your battle buddy,
and the rest of your Company, Platoon, Squad, and Crew. Marines are a
team, and you don’t want anything to come in and harm your team. It’s a
family affair.
Suddenly from within the group of Marines, Captain Pollard pushes
through and stands where the S-2 Marines were standing just minutes
before. He stood there quiet, looking into his Marines eyes with complete
confidence, his Marines looked back at him waiting, anticipating what he
may have to say in response to the dark news.
No one said a word for at least a solid half minute. Then it was all
Captain Pollard, in a loud booming voice for everyone to hear. Our response,
our leader was laying it out. Captain Pollard was a Mustang Officer, meaning
he came from the enlisted ranks, and with spectacular dedication, boosted
himself with his own skill into the Commissioned Officers ranks.
“DELTA! I want every man to listen very closely to what I have to say,
and you let what I have to say right here, right now sink through your brain
housing group. Are you listening?” “Yes sir,” came a somewhat subtle reply.
Captain Pollard, more forcefully “Are you listening Delta?!” with a loud
booming response, “Yes Sir!” was returned this time, with ten-fold
enthusiasm, now the Captain had our attention.
Captain Pollard pointed in the direction of where the chopper was
last seen leaving, and as he was pointing, he began to speak, and he was
speaking with his heart for every man in Delta Company to hear. “I don’t
believe THAT to be true, I say again, I do not believe that information to be
true. Oh, it’s highly likely that those traps are set; indeed, they are there. And
there will be enemy troops right there, following orders. And the Iraqis