Page 99 - 100 Hours to Destiny

DAY TWO

Feb 25th, 1991 @ 0400 hours

Listen: 2/25 Morning
Radio Broadcast

Knock, knock, knock on the back of the massive Logistics doors.
Knock, knock, knock….
“Hey, Witcher…. it’s your watch…. You’re 0400 to 0500.”
“Roger that.”
I had been laying in one of the suspended racks, sort of just resting
my eyes when my fellow Marine from Sgt Yancey’s vehicle let me know that
it was my watch. So up I jumped to take my place on the roving watch as well
as to conduct a radio check. Scrambling out of my safe habitat I took my
place to pull duty, guarding the rest of us.
I relieved the other Marine as he ceremoniously told me, “OK, it’s
now your watch.” Officially relieving himself of the task.
I made my way into the driver’s hatch to conduct a radio check, as
Gunny was dozing in his Commanders hatch. It was the crew of Delta 5 that
was handling the hourly radio checks from the entire Company.
“Delta 5, Delta 5 this is Delta 7. Radio check. Over. This is Echo 3
Whiskey for Delta 7.”
“Roger, Echo 3 Whiskey. Be advised we are hearing that the Air Force
is going to drop a massive bomb somewhat close to this vicinity, in about 60
Mikes. It could be a massive explosion and you need to prepare everyone
over there for it.”
“Roger that Delta 5. Will advise.”
After hearing the news of this massive bomb soon to be dropped, I
took off my comm helmet and replaced it with my Kevlar battle helmet, and
thought “geez what is this going to be like…This…THIS BOMB?” I began to
rove around the vehicles with my M16A2 service rifle doing my share in the
protection of all Marines in the area. Sgt Steven Yancey happened to be up in
his vehicle’s Commander compartment, in the turret, as the flames flicked
still from the demolished tanks, I could see Sgt Yancey looking sort of
mesmerized as he too stared at the destruction from just hours ago.