by David Coplan

 

0822 hours, September 23rd (Military Calendar)

During Operation Market Garden

Arnhem, Germany

 

            Private Joshua Garrows dove behind a bullet-ridden car, lying flat against the cold, wet

ground to escape the German grenade to his left. He locked his fingers securely over his helmet,

holding onto the steel bucket strapped to his head, he lost himself in the darkness behind his

eyelids. Waiting for death, waiting to wake up in a hospital bed missing a limb, he snapped. He lost control of his mind and it tormented him with gruesome images of the war which he had been thrown into. His head echoed with the screams of fallen comrades, and he saw himself being carried away, screaming just like them. In an instant the wait was over, and he was thrown into a nearby storefront. Glass and stone rained down on him, and his head filled with the ringing of bells. He quickly moved his hands across his body, feeling his face, down his arms, across his chest, and down and instinctively between his legs, checking to make sure everything was were it should be. After making sure everything was in place, he expressed his thanks with a long and heartfelt expletive. As the ringing in his head began to subside, and his vision slowly returned, he lifted his head and saw his commanding officer, the man he and thirty-seven of his brothers in arms trusted with their lives, Captain Peter Honnes, leader of the 82nd infantry company. As Garrows picked himself up from the glass covered floor, he looked up at Cpt. Honnes, just as a perfectly placed round tore through his chest and he dropped to his knees, he heard the shot a second after the bullet hit. Garrows stopped in awe as he stared into the lifeless eyes of his commanding officer, his mentor. Just hours before, those same eyes had been filled with such passion, now his dark, piercing eyes only showed the fear that a man knows when he faces death. As windows shattered and the earth shook beneath him, Garrows let himself drift away, he closed his eyes and once again lost himself in the safety of unconsciousness.

 

 

1131 hours, September 16th (Military Calendar)

The Day Before Operation Market Garden

Northumberland, England

 

            "Sir, with respect, the men aren't prepared. They're poorly trained, undersupplied, and they haven't gotten a good night's rest since we left Carentan. With your permission I'd like to send them with the second airlift later in the week so that they could have some more prep time."

 

            Captain Peter Honnes kept a steady gaze out the open window, careful not to keep eye contact with Major Thorton for more than necessary. He glanced back and forth between the men marching outside and the Major's confused, menacing glare.

 

            "Captain! Since when do I dismiss a senior officer from duty because his soldiers don't want to do their jobs! Tell them that they should be damn proud to serve their country, and they will be jumping out of those planes tomorrow whether they feel up to it or not! Now remove yourself from my office before I have you discharged god damnit!"

 

            "....Sir.... Yes sir!"

 

            The Captain spun on his heel and stormed out of the room, then disappeared into the barracks.

 

            "If it weren't for you, he'd be the leader of this brigade. Sir."

 

            His aide had been so silent throughout the meeting that his voice startled Major Thorton.

           

            "What did you just say to me Lieutenant Mehan?" Asked Thorton with a hint of disdain.

 

            "I was only saying sir, that were you in a dangerous position, Honnes would jump at the chance to take command from you."

 

            "I'll take that into consideration. Thank you for your input Lieutenant Mehan, You're dismissed."

 

0822 hours, September 23rd (Military Calendar)

During Operation Market Garden

Arnhem, Germany

 

            Sergeant Jean Baptiste lay motionless. He had been stalking his prey for three hours, watching his every move from twelve-hundred yards away through the scope on his M1-Garand  rifle. He had been waiting for the perfect moment to strike, when the marines below him were fully engulfed in the thick of battle, so nobody would notice the shot was from a sniper. Baptiste did not question when his superior officer gave him his mission, because it was simple. There was a spy in the ranks of the Marine force in Arnhem that was feeding the Germans across the river information. This was the man that he was watching through his scope, waiting. What seemed like hours passed by as the soldiers below walked about, adding to their fortifications, as Jean's prey appeared in and out of his scope. He was startled when he heard the sound of the German gunfire from down the street, followed by hurried shouts and a volley of fire from behind the American lines. Jean kept his eye on his target, this was his chance. As he began to pull the trigger, a grenade exploded between him and his target, kicking up dust and making the shot nearly impossible. Baptiste waited for the smoke to clear, centered his crosshair on the target's chest, held his breath, and slowly pulled back on the trigger.

 

 

 

 

1415 hours, September 24th (Military Calendar)

During Operation Market Garden

Arnhem, Germany

 

            Major Thorton sat at his desk in Headquarters, writing his after-action report of the day's fighting. He grinned as he hit the buttons on his typewriter, "...encountered light resistance while on patrol, 2 injured, 1 Killed in Action-Captain Peter Honnes..." He finished with his report and looked up, he watched Lieutenant Mehan salute the French soldier, and then briskly turn towards him. As the French soldier walked across the parade grounds Thorton couldn't help but admire the M1 Garand sniper rifle that hung from his shoulder. The sound of Mehan awkwardly landing in his seat disturbed Major Thorton's thoughts.

 

"Sir. You requested my presence?" Asked Lieutenant Mehan timidly.

 

"Yes, yes, yes..." replied Thorton absentmindedly, "I wanted to congratulate you on successful completion of the task you were given. The safety of our soldiers supercedes that of any one man, especially one with as much personal ambition as Honnes. And in lieu of his "untimely death," chuckled Thorton, "I would like to present you with these...Congratulations Captain Mehan...."