Page 48 - 100 Hours to Destiny

and sat down to make an audiotape, letting my family know that the time
was getting short. I wanted to catch this ever-important communication
from our Company Commander and have that in the case that something
happened it would at least be on the record. As I was making my statement
on the audiotape inside the logistics vehicle, I heard several Marines outside
yelling, “Where’s Witcher? Let’s go devil dog! It’s time to go!” It was Jacques
Merino and Matt Torres rounding everybody up. “Let’s go devil dogs!
Everybody to the COs vehicle now!” Jacques and Matt were old-timers; they
had been with Delta Company from its initiation, they were salty Lance
Corporals, and we listened to them. I popped out of the logistics vehicle and
said, “I’m here, and moving.” Jacques and Matt looked at me and gave a nod
of approval. I joined the ranks of the rest of my fellow Marines as we all fell
into a scattered movement across the openness of the Company Coil. Several
fellow Marines/friends walked with me… questions were coming out, “What
do you think Witcher, is this it? Got any scuttlebutt to share….you’re with the
Gunny, surely he’s been talking to you…. Maybe you’ve heard something.
Come on brother, share it! Spill the beans.”
As I walked, I put my hand up saying, “Brothers, I’m in the dark as
much as you. Truly I don’t think anybody knows except The Actual…and soon
enough we’re all going to know, so let’s just all cool our engines and standby
for the word. I will tell you this, there’s no doubt in my mind that within
about an hour we’re all going to know.”
With that, everybody just started marching in the deep sand, it was
like we were marching in mud, as I can now see Marcus Mitchell, Terry Davis,
Chris Gilmore standing with the Company Commander over the planned-out
map. Each step felt like I was walking into a time capsule, this moment
caused me to pause as I knew that this was truly “It” and things would never
be the same. I suddenly felt very, very important, like an invaluable chess
piece. Every man, every weapon, every single bit of training was all coming
down to this. I drew a deep and pushed the final steps on over with the rest
of Delta Company now gathering around the CO, but not before off to my
right Marcus Mitchell started with the comic relief, “Oh welcome to the
party Witcher, glad to see you could make it. And I see you brought your
nephew Stuck with you. Hey, I haven’t received any tootsie rolls in my MREs
lately. Witcher, have you been harboring all of the good MREs, seeing that
you’re with the Gunny now? I bet you and Stuck have a truckload over there
of the very best. Poor CO looks emaciated. You and Stuck had better start
divvying out the good stuff.”
I looked at Mitchell and started shaking my head, “Marcus…
baby…you’re dropping dimes on me…. right in front of all of Delta. No
brother, in fact, you’re really dropping manhole covers. You know I’ve got