Stories tagged “RTC-31”

  • November 27, 1950; Hill 1278 (co-author challenge)

    The moon rose shortly after sundown. From our position on the hill we had a good view of the road west of us, and the frozen lake just beyond. The moon, just three days past full, gave a silvery half light to the hill with out a name. For us it was hil...

  • Pie

    “Dulles,” I hissed, “move it! We’ve got company!” He grunted softly. I threw my pack at him as I whipped out my Grease Gun. I checked it—sure enough, it was locked, loaded, and ready to go, just as I knew I had left ...

  • First Volley

    There was a groan. I couldn’t tell who or what it was, but I knew that I had managed, somehow, to hit a target. “Shove ’em in the dirt!” Kirkegaard, who was several meters away in another foxhole, shouted. At that point, everybo...

  • Next Episode

    They came again about half an hour later. Their approach was rather obvious; one of them broke a twig rather loudly on the approach up the hill. Upon hearing this, I shouted the prerequisite “Apple.” The only reply was in a language other t...

  • Boom

    I was getting severely fatigued, but I did not doze off for two reasons: One, I had a duty to accomplish, and two, it was freezing. None of us heard anything. I still don’t know how we managed to not die during that third engagement, other than t...

  • How Nice of Them to Visit…

    After that deafening explosion, we could just barely hear the frenzied screams of what few survivors the detonation had left retreating. For a minute, all was quiet. Stimson’s tinny voice wafted over the network of holes. “We still alive?&#...

  • A look of surprise

    Dulles and I worked quickly to clear fire lanes. When we first set up this position we expected that any threat would come down the road to us. But the Chicoms were coming from the east. Instead of our defenses just facing northwest, we needed 360 degr...

  • Visitors comming

    As I got to the lip of the foxhole, a hand reached out and grabbed me by the collar and dragged me down and in. Kirkegaard held his fingers up to his mouth and shook his head. He silently mouthed the word “enemy” and pointed out into the dark. I go...

  • Three's company, but four...

    In a crouch I race to the next foxhole. As I slow I hear the challenge “apple”. “Cobbler”, I whispered back. “Come on in.” I slid into the foxhole with Rosenberg and Stimson. “We’ve got company coming. Maybe two, three minutes out. “G...

  • To Leave in Five

    “I’m not hungry,” I spat back. Stanislaw continued, speaking as quickly as he could. “There’s more.” “Oh great,” Rosenberg declared. “Brass is saying pull back. Them Chinese are on the move. You thi...

  • Staccato

    Casting a wary eye at the barely visible Chinese forces, I went to the foxhole Kirkegaard and Thorvald occupied and broke the news to them. They were nonplussed but were nevertheless not going to bicker about the situation. The moonlight was interrupte...

  • Twing

    The ambient light was visibly increased, albeit only slightly, and apparently one of the others had judged that the enemy was within fifty yards of us. As per my orders, whoever it was fired. This time, the Chinese did not hesitate to fight back, retal...

  • Advancing in a Different Direction

    The effects of the grenade seemed to catch the Chicoms off-guard, and they moved away from us. “Go! Go!” Stanislaw shouted. He brought his M2 carbine up and shot off several rounds as we popped out of our foxholes, firing at our attackers a...

  • Apple

    We kept on our press toward the ravine, ceasing to run and instead opting for a more stealthy approach so that we would not announce our presence to any enemy forces. Time seemed to drag on to infinity as we approached out destination. A few times we h...

  • Forward Observation Post

    “Cobbler”, spoke Stanislaw. “Come on in” said the voice in the dark. We walked at a crouch forward until we saw the others. The small group of soldiers in the Observation Post were camouflaged in the dark. They lay in hollows below the crest of...

  • The Crest of the Ridge

    Dulles looked blankly at the Sgt. for several moments, then slowly took the cigarette out of his mouth with his other hand. “Sorry” he mumbled. “You boys better come with me”, he said and we started up the hill. Just before we got to the ridge ...

  • Command Post

    “Yes sir, our OP reports that they have stopped their advance and are looting the camp” said Lt. Brooks. He paused and listened to the handset. Lt. Brooks looked about and nodded as he said, “Will do, sir.” “First Sgt, how’s it look out the...