Post by Huy "Speedo" Nguyen on Jan 2, 2010 3:10:02 GMT -6
Out of Uniform
Basic Information
Name: Huy T. Nguyen
Call sign: Speedo
Radio Call Sign: Sierra-Five-Too
Age: 23
Rank: E-5 Sergeant
Branch: United States Marine Corps/Task Force 120
Date Of Birth: 7 November 1993
Place Of Birth: San Jose California
Country Of Origin: United States Of America
Appearance/Other
Height:5 ft 8.5 inches
Weight: 140 lbs
Hair Color: Dark Brown with faded tips
Hair Style: High and Tight
Eye Color: Dark Brown
Personality: Huy is easy to get along with, good with following and giving orders if need be, have a hard time trusting people unless they are friends or people I know very well. Good personality and try to stay out of trouble for the most part. Huy cares for his friends and will do everything to protect them. He is a bit forgetting at times due to his rather short attention span.
Because of his relatively short attention span, one has to remind him sometimes to get something done.
Huy likes to associate with those who are smart, or has skills, often taking them to his advantage. He’s a good leader and is mostly fair when it comes to keeping the group on task and tasking everyone with a fair amount of duties. He is a bit selfish and lazy and would use his leadership role to his advantage, staying back as others do the hard work, though he works his subordinates effectively and efficiently.
Huy is a quick learner. He can learn something in a matter of minutes (obviously depending on what’s being taught. Some tasks take longer to learn.) He also is for the most part, a trial and error self-learner. He would rather do something himself and learn from trying and repeating rather than relying on someone to take him step by step or watch or read tutorials.
In contrast from being easy to get along to, he is also a bit defensive when it comes to his own image. If he feels insulted he will make it known, and especially if he feels that there is insubordination to either himself or to the chain of command.
Huy also have a obvious love for the service, any tarnish in its good name and he will make it known. Referring back to the previous point, if there is insubordination, he will see to it that it dissipates.
In viewing others, he is highly opinionated and judgmental. When he sees someone, he doesn’t immediately form an opinion, but when he makes his mind, it’s normally set. Huy has a extreme dislike for people who brag their skills and when asked to perform cannot. He always tries to see the good in people however, but once again, having a set mind makes it hard for him to do so. Huy will not hesitate to voice his opinions and sometimes, that has…disastrous effects.
Likes:
- The Marine Corps
- Girls
- Piano
- Swimming
- Guns
Dislikes:
- Faggots
- Jews
- Stupid People
- People who think they’re all that when they’re not
- Dying
History
[/center][/color]Bio: Huy was born on Earth on 7 November 1993 in Atlanta Georgia, United States to Thuc Nguyen and Tien Nguyen. Huy is flanked two brothers: Minh, his younger brother and Nam his older brother. His parents had no daughters which made life at home a huge sausage fest. Huy was born in Atlanta, but his parents were simply on a business trip. They moved back to San Jose California where they had resided before.
There, Huy went to elementary school at a place called: Ruskin Elementary. He didn’t do all too well in his studies as he had no real life aspirations, he just tugged along and lived life day to day. One day, Huy’s father brought home a world war two RTS simulator. The game addressed an old time in history, but perked Huy’s interests in the world and in its history. Huy instantly became a history buff. He would spend hour after hour reading old books and articles about the famous battles.
Also in this time, Huy began to take up sports at his parents’ request. He did many sports as a kid, starting off with the classic youth league sports. He did little league soccer first. He didn’t do extremely well, but he was a quick learner picking up the basics quickly. After soccer, he tried out t-ball, then baseball, a little bit of tennis, volleyball, badminton, football, and even golf. None of these sports really appealed to Huy though he did well, but not excellent in all of them. Huy tried out swimming next. He began swim lessons when he was 5 years old. At first he hated the water, he dreaded every lesson and almost always refused to get in the pool until pushed or thrown in. After a few summers of swimming, Huy started to become relaxed in the pool and really started to improve his swimming ability. By the time he was 8 years old, he joined a competitive swim team and started racing (amateur).
Middle school wasn’t a walk in the park for Huy; he did well though not beastly. He did keep his grades up though much to the urging of his parents. He maintained a 3.8 GPA receiving only one ‘B’ Grade through his whole time in middle school. His life was mostly uneventful at this time and he just flew by under the radar.
Huy always did youth group programs like Cub Scouts and later Boy Scouts. He flew through the ranks, but he really didn’t enjoy scouting all that much, for him, it was too relaxed and undisciplined. Huy joined a youth program called Young Marines, basically a JROTC program that was very similar to Boy Scouts, but more military. Huy went through boot camp and graduated top of his training platoon.
In High School, Huy really didn’t fit in all too much. He was in many advanced classes giving him shit from the upper classmen who looked down on him for being a “nerd”. Huy didn’t mind too much though, he just really wanted to get through it all. Huy took many advanced classes through his four years including: World History AP, Chemistry Honors, AP US History, Calculus AB/AP, Physics, and Statistics AP. He didn’t only fit the “nerd” mold; he was very much a swimming jock. He swam on the Varsity Swim Team starting freshman year. He continued swimming through out all of High School making many finals, and championship titles. Huy didn’t do extremely well, he came out of High School with only a 3.68 GPA weighted, but that was good enough for him. Huy decided to enlist straight into the Marine Corps after high school against his family’s wishes.
He was meritoriously promoted to PFC because he had obtained a rank higher than Sergeant in Young Marines. He enlisted in MOS 0311 Infantryman. He quickly moved up the ranks and achieved promotion to Lance Corporal soon after SOI. Huy’s first assignment was with 23rd Marines Echo Company Stationed at San Bruno California. He went in as a reservist to stay close to home. Huy performed outstanding in most aspects of his military career and was promoted to Corporal by the end of his second year in the Corps.
Huy continued training and serving and reenlisted after his 4th year was over in 2015. He was promoted to Sergeant after reenlisting and given command of a squad. His high marks made him recognized and he was offered a spot to train with Task Force 120. He accepted the position and was transferred to the elite unit.
In 2016 when the United States was attacked, TF-120 was among the first units to engage the enemy.
Weapons/Other
[/center][/color]Primary:M4A1 -- AN/PEQ-2 laser Module, Forward Grip Assist, EOTech 557 and 3x FTS, QD suppressor
Secondary: MEU(SOC) M1911 Pistol -- SureFire TacLight
Melee:Ka-Bar
Other Equipment: Marine Corps Uniforms
- Marine Corps Combat Utility Uniform
- Woodland
- Desert
- Blouse
- Trousers
- Blouse
- Woodland
- OD Undershirts
- ”Wooly-Pooly” Sweater
- 8-Point Utility Cover x2
- Woodland
- Desert
- Woodland
- Bonnie Cover
- Woodland
- Desert
- Woodland
- Suede Coyote Brown Infantry Combat Boots (Bates)
- Khaki Web belt
- Grey MCMAP Belt
- Coyote Brown Polartec fleece
- E.C.W.C.S. Gortex MarPat Jacket
- Woodland
- Desert
- Snow
- Woodland
- Black/OD/Coyote Tan Boot Socks x4
Battle Gear
Head Gear
- Lightweight Helmet
- Helmet Cover (Reversable)
- PVS-14 PASGT Night Vision Mounts
- Helmet bands
- Coyote Brown
- PROVEN™ MX SAND w/ CB Cover
- Helmet Cover (Reversable)
Body
- Modular Tactical Armor
- Triple M4/16 Magazine Pouch (2 magazines each)
- Double Secondary Ammo Pouches (2 magazines each)
- Improved First Aid Kit (IFAK)
- Black ballpoint pen
- Black Sharpie
- Grenade Pouch
- Flashlight
- Green Chem light x2
- Tactical Mirror
- CamelBak 3L Coyote Brown Hydration Pack
- OD Duty Belt w/ side release buckle
Other Gear
ILBE Assault Pack ArcTeryx
- OD Sleeping Bag
- OD Sleeping Pad
- OD Poncho
- Entrenching tool
- Tent half and Steaks
- CB Micro-fleece cap (beanie)
- OD Scarf
- Elastic Boot Blousers x4
- OD Liquid filled lensatic compass
- Nomex Flight Gloves (OD)
Other
- Dog tags x2 w/ silencer
- Wallet
Communications Gear
- LITE Headset
- Extra Batteries x2
RP Example:
[/center]The day finally, came, after years of training, years of drills and maneuvers, the invasion of Europe Finally was happening, Hitler’s great “Atlantic Wall” was going to be crushed, right here, right now.
The Higgins boat crashed into a wave, the brisk, cold water spray splashed into Hobbar’s face. Hobbar shuddered as he brought his right hand up to his face, palm facing away from him and wiped off the water from his face. His nose stung, the salty ocean burned a small cut on his nose. Hobbar winced. He could feel his helmet shuddering on top of his dome. Hobbar put his hand back onto his M1 rifle, tightly gripping it. The wood felt rough, most likely from the sea salt, and it seemed to swell up from the water that it absorbed.
“Thirty Second! the boat driver called out. Hobbar looked out, he could see the shoreline coming close, growing longer. He began to be able to make out some beach obstacles that laid ahead. Hobbar’s stomach queezed, Damn Hobbar thought to himself, I shouldn’t have eaten that breakfast. Hobbar tried to joke to himself, keep his spirits up, try to become uptight. Hobbar took two deep breaths. Just then the Higgins boat smashed into another swell. The small troop transport bounced up, sending some troopers falling to the deck, and some tumbling towards the bulkheads of the small craft.
This landing was Hobbar’s first combat action, and he was expecting hell. He knew how that landing at Diepe a few years back ended up; mass casualties, many captured, surely a total defeat. In the back of Hobbar’s head, he kept trying to tell himself, This will not be like Diepe, this will not be like Diepe. It worked… for a little bit, but with each crash into an ocean swell his moral dropped just a bit. Each toss and turn in the heavy seas were a reminder of the hardships ahead. Hobbar gulped as the boat driver called out once more. “Get ready!” The driver paused, he quietly whispered “Give them hell soldiers” a whistle blew as the driver quickly dropped the bow ramp. “Go, Go, Go!”
With that, all the soldiers in the Higgins boat charged out. A hail of MG-42 fire rained death upon the boat. The lead trooper didn’t even move when he was hit. He barely flinched as his head exploded and shards of helmet and bits of brain flew back into the landing craft. The scene was similar with many of the troopers in front; they were cut apart with in the first 5 seconds. Hobbar was near the middle and when he saw the young troopers in front get chewed up, he instinctively pulled himself up along the side of the boat and rolled off into the sea off the Higgin’s port side bulkhead. He didn’t look back to see what was of the rest of the men, he just hoped enough of the troopers followed him over the sides.
Hobbar splashed into the arctic waters. He had experienced such chills back in swimming when the pools went un-heated, but never clad full of combat gear. The sheer weight of his rucksack and other gear started dragging Hobbar towards the ocean depths. @@#+ man! Hobbar thought, I don’t need to die like this! Got to get my self up! Hobbar unstrapped his gear, leaving only his day-pack and shovel. Getting rid of that 20 or so pound pack really made the difference, Hobbar was able to paddle up towards the surface. As Hobbar broke the surface of the chilly, salty ocean waters, he took a long, deep breath.
Hobbar saw a few of the men gathering up behind the beach obstacles. Hobbar thought that he’d join them and hopefully get in a position to move up and do some good. Hobbar started moving when he noticed something missing, he wasn’t holding his rifle in his hands. “@@#+! Hobbar screamed aloud.
“Move up the beach!”
“Get up there!”
“Keep moving!”
Hobbar heard all sorts of screaming, nothing seemed to be where it was supposed to be, no-one was moving as fast as they should’ve been, nothing was going right…
Hobbar miraculously was able to wade his way towards shallow waters and into cover behind a beached Higgins boat, it was ripped apart by mortars, but the heavy hull shielded dozens of troopers from the onslaught of the machine guns. The waves pounded limp corpses back and forth along the rising tide. Hobbar looked at the bodies, the faces, some no older than 18, some looked even younger. This one private’s body smashed against Hobbar’s leg, Hobbar looked at the boy, his eyes wide open, his chest ripped apart by MG-42 fire, it was a nightmare. That could’ve been me…I could’ve been ripped apart by those machine guns up ahead. Hobbar didn’t want to look anymore, he turned his head away from the boy. He still was missing a weapon, he saw weapons all over the beach, scattered about in the sand, bloodied, some torn apart by the mortars and machine guns.
Hobbar reached out for the nearest rifle without exposing himself to the machine guns up ahead. He didn’t want to end up like that poor private. Hobbar extended his fingers, inching his way up towards it. Just as he almost reached the strap, the waves pushed the rifle forward, “Damn!” Hobbar screamed, “Stupid rifle… Hobbar exhaled deeply as he slammed his eyes shut then opened them back up.
Officers were scrambling to get some men organized, but most ended up being unsuccessful. A few NCOs were able to lead squads up at a time. Hobbar looked back, landing craft were still coming towards the beach, if the first wave couldn’t get off the sand and off the beach, any more landings would definitely be cut down. Hobbar scanned the horizon, during the briefing, the brass said that they were getting DD tanks on the beach. “Where are those damn DD Tanks!” Hobbar impatiently twisted his head side to side, but he couldn’t see the instantly recognizable inflatable sides of the tanks.
A Corporal looked at Hobbar, “We’re done for!” he was scared as heck, and you could see it in his eyes, he almost refused to move any further. “Those DD Tanks are sunk! At the bottom of the damn channel! We can’t get off this beach!” The young corporal seemed right, but Hobbar couldn’t give up, not just yet.
“Stow that talk Corporal, we’re not done for, not by a long shot, as long as we’ve got boots on the deck and out hearts are beating, we WILL push on… Hobbar paused, he could hardly believe himself, how could he expect the Corporal to believe him too? Hobbar shook out that thought, if he was to be a leader, he had to demand success, Hobbar continued, “Now get you’re ass off this beach! There’s cover by the shingle! Get to that seawall!”
Just then Hobbar heard loud explosions, Ships? Firing? He looked at the destroyers just off shore, smoke billowed from their cannons, Hobbar now heard the shrieks of the large Navy rounds flying over head. “#%%!$!* A!” Hobbar screamed and cheered, a few of the younger enlisted saw him and followed suit.
“We’re going to be okay?”
“Damn straight we are!” Hobbar apparently spoke too soon, the shells only hit a little before the bluffs, kicking only dirt and sand into the air. @@#+… that didn’t help. Only a few second later did he realize that the guns did help. Smoke rose up and clouded the beach, making it possible for troops to advance. By god, that did it… Hobbar looked at a few enlisted men behind him, “Lets go! Move your asses!” Hobbar started sprinting towards the shingle, machine gun fire still picked men off slowly, but without being able to aim, the gunners had to just blind fire, which was to the advantage of the Americans on the beach.
Hobbar made it up to the shingle and dove onto the sand barricade, he’d just remembered AGAIN that he still didn’t have a rifle. How the heck am I going to fight this war without a weapon? Hobbar shook his head. Hobbar looked around for a rifle, a dead soldier laid a few yards away, with the smoke cover, Hobbar got up and dashed for the weapon, he grabbed it, Good, operational.
Down the line, troopers were being called upon to get some Bangalores up into position, At least someone is thinking, Hobbar thought, he just kept low and waited for the clearing to move forward.
Hobbar had his head tucked into the sand, keeping hit low and hidden from the enemy gunners up on the bluffs. Screams of the wounded were everywhere, and the beach was full of weapons and ammo, blood from the fallen and limbs blown off by artillery and mortars. Hobbar lifted his head and took a peak back, just to see what was going on back on the beach, a few more waves were making up towards the shingle, that was good, men were getting out of the waters finally, but the only problem was, unless the soldiers could get past this shingle, they would all be completely decimated.
The call came rushing down the lines with lightning fast speed. Hobbar even repeated the call, “Fire in the hole!” The soldiers pushed their heads into the sand as the Bangalores fuse slowly burned.
A section of barbed wire exploded into oblivion. Sand, mixed in with a few pieces of wire and debris rained down onto the beach , smoke obscured the gunner’s view, which was good for the moment, “Lets go!” Hobbar screamed, he slid down the small embankment and pushed on two privates who were standing near him, “We’ve got cover, get off the beach!” The two privates that Hobbar pushed up slowly slugged themselves up and off the shingle, unfortunately, MG fire cut one of the young privates up. @@#+... Hobbar thought, Those guns are going to get us all unless we diddy bop on up there! Hobbar took a deep breath then screamed, “Move! Those mortars have this whole beach pre-sighted, and unless you move, those shells are going to be raining in right here!” Hobbar viciously pointed at the shingle, “Now get your asses up and to that defilade over there!” Hobbar pointed at the areas just under the bunkers.
Hobbar got up and made a mad dash towards the bunkers. MG fire was landing all around him, kicking up sand and dirt. Hobbar couldn’t be bugged down by it though, he had to keep moving, or he was a dead man. The path towards the bunkers and even at the base of the bunkers was filled with impact craters, perfect for the American soldiers, they had concealment and defilade from the German gunners that were firing from atop of the bluff and bunkers.
“Everyone stay in cover!” Hobbar kept his body pressed right against the concrete bunker’s base, it was antiquate protection for the time. Hobbar looked back at the beach, men were starting to pour past the shingle and towards the bluff, the with the bunker gunner still firing, the beach was far from clear. Hobbar looked around, “Where are all the officers?!”
A private behind him shrugged his shoulders
“Then who’s in charge here?!” Hobbar screamed. He waited for any officers to arrive and take charge of the situation.
The Americans were really starting to get off the beach now. About two squads worth of troopers gathered up by the base of the concrete bunker, everyone was huddled up, trying to keep close to the wall in defilade from the MG42 gunners on top of the bluffs. Soon, an officer showed up to lead the soldiers. Hobbar couldn’t help but to laugh. The man was toting his Thompson and munching on a cigar. The Lieutenant looked confident and seemed to inspire the rest of the young troopers huddled down in the sand trying to stay alive for as long as possible.
Hobbar didn’t have a rifle grenade, so as the Lieutenant started throwing out the orders, he moved back behind everyone who had the specially mounted weapons.
The soldiers got ready and in an almost elegant motion, fired all of their grenades up the bluff. The first volley didn’t do much damage, the grenades simply exploded just below the sandbag bunkers. The gunner noticed the Americans trying to take him out and shifted his fire to the bottom of the cliff. The 7.92x57mm rounds slammed into the beach, kicking up sand into the young American’s eyes. Luckily, Hobbar had backed up and was safely back away from the fire. The grenadiers re-mounted their grenades on the tip of their rifles and all stood at the ready once more.
Hobbar looked at the soldiers, they got ready. The enemy machine gunner paused, most likely to reload or cool down his weapon.
“Fire!” The Lieutenant called out seeing that the machine gun had paused in its deadly rain. In an almost symphonized movement, the grenadiers moved out of cover, aimed up and fired their rifle grenades. This time, the rounds were effective and smashed directly into the sandbag bunker. The German gunner tumbled down the hill, cut and bruised, but still alive.
A young Private lunged forward and bashed the German soldier to death. The Private seemed to keep hitting the young German until a Sergeant Major had stopped him. Hobbar couldn’t blame the young Private, he would’ve kept hitting the German, Hobbar was scared shitless right now.
"We have an opening. Move, move, move!"
The tide was finally turning for the Americans on the beach, the company had achieved the first confirmed German kill of the day and an opening off the beach was created. Hobbar looked at the soldiers cluttered by the base of the bunker, “Lets go boys!!!” Hobbar shouted as he moved out of cover and headed up the hill.
Hobbar started running, the dirt was up the hill was difficult to navigate up. At some parts, the dirt and sand was loose, making it hard to climb up. At other parts, the soil was hard and compact, easing the climb up. Either way, the climb up was treacherous; Machine gunners from the bunkers had complete enfilade of the route up. Rounds smashed everywhere around Hobbar, at times making him want to just jump back down. No… Hobbar thought to himself, I can’t turn back now…there’s no retreat, no turning back now.
Hobbar quickly made it up the hill nonetheless and found himself in a trench. Good, at least we have some cover and protection from the hail of bullets from both the bunkers and from further behind the enemy lines. Hobbar kept low, steering away from the enemy fire. He looked back and saw a few fellow Americans on his rear. Good to see that some more men made it up. Hobbar looked at them and screamed, “Cover fire boys!” Hobbar took a quick rise from his cover and aimed at the German’s general direction. He fired off a few rounds, not minding if he was hitting or not, he was just trying to keep the German’s heads down.
The Higgins boat crashed into a wave, the brisk, cold water spray splashed into Hobbar’s face. Hobbar shuddered as he brought his right hand up to his face, palm facing away from him and wiped off the water from his face. His nose stung, the salty ocean burned a small cut on his nose. Hobbar winced. He could feel his helmet shuddering on top of his dome. Hobbar put his hand back onto his M1 rifle, tightly gripping it. The wood felt rough, most likely from the sea salt, and it seemed to swell up from the water that it absorbed.
“Thirty Second! the boat driver called out. Hobbar looked out, he could see the shoreline coming close, growing longer. He began to be able to make out some beach obstacles that laid ahead. Hobbar’s stomach queezed, Damn Hobbar thought to himself, I shouldn’t have eaten that breakfast. Hobbar tried to joke to himself, keep his spirits up, try to become uptight. Hobbar took two deep breaths. Just then the Higgins boat smashed into another swell. The small troop transport bounced up, sending some troopers falling to the deck, and some tumbling towards the bulkheads of the small craft.
This landing was Hobbar’s first combat action, and he was expecting hell. He knew how that landing at Diepe a few years back ended up; mass casualties, many captured, surely a total defeat. In the back of Hobbar’s head, he kept trying to tell himself, This will not be like Diepe, this will not be like Diepe. It worked… for a little bit, but with each crash into an ocean swell his moral dropped just a bit. Each toss and turn in the heavy seas were a reminder of the hardships ahead. Hobbar gulped as the boat driver called out once more. “Get ready!” The driver paused, he quietly whispered “Give them hell soldiers” a whistle blew as the driver quickly dropped the bow ramp. “Go, Go, Go!”
With that, all the soldiers in the Higgins boat charged out. A hail of MG-42 fire rained death upon the boat. The lead trooper didn’t even move when he was hit. He barely flinched as his head exploded and shards of helmet and bits of brain flew back into the landing craft. The scene was similar with many of the troopers in front; they were cut apart with in the first 5 seconds. Hobbar was near the middle and when he saw the young troopers in front get chewed up, he instinctively pulled himself up along the side of the boat and rolled off into the sea off the Higgin’s port side bulkhead. He didn’t look back to see what was of the rest of the men, he just hoped enough of the troopers followed him over the sides.
Hobbar splashed into the arctic waters. He had experienced such chills back in swimming when the pools went un-heated, but never clad full of combat gear. The sheer weight of his rucksack and other gear started dragging Hobbar towards the ocean depths. @@#+ man! Hobbar thought, I don’t need to die like this! Got to get my self up! Hobbar unstrapped his gear, leaving only his day-pack and shovel. Getting rid of that 20 or so pound pack really made the difference, Hobbar was able to paddle up towards the surface. As Hobbar broke the surface of the chilly, salty ocean waters, he took a long, deep breath.
Hobbar saw a few of the men gathering up behind the beach obstacles. Hobbar thought that he’d join them and hopefully get in a position to move up and do some good. Hobbar started moving when he noticed something missing, he wasn’t holding his rifle in his hands. “@@#+! Hobbar screamed aloud.
“Move up the beach!”
“Get up there!”
“Keep moving!”
Hobbar heard all sorts of screaming, nothing seemed to be where it was supposed to be, no-one was moving as fast as they should’ve been, nothing was going right…
Hobbar miraculously was able to wade his way towards shallow waters and into cover behind a beached Higgins boat, it was ripped apart by mortars, but the heavy hull shielded dozens of troopers from the onslaught of the machine guns. The waves pounded limp corpses back and forth along the rising tide. Hobbar looked at the bodies, the faces, some no older than 18, some looked even younger. This one private’s body smashed against Hobbar’s leg, Hobbar looked at the boy, his eyes wide open, his chest ripped apart by MG-42 fire, it was a nightmare. That could’ve been me…I could’ve been ripped apart by those machine guns up ahead. Hobbar didn’t want to look anymore, he turned his head away from the boy. He still was missing a weapon, he saw weapons all over the beach, scattered about in the sand, bloodied, some torn apart by the mortars and machine guns.
Hobbar reached out for the nearest rifle without exposing himself to the machine guns up ahead. He didn’t want to end up like that poor private. Hobbar extended his fingers, inching his way up towards it. Just as he almost reached the strap, the waves pushed the rifle forward, “Damn!” Hobbar screamed, “Stupid rifle… Hobbar exhaled deeply as he slammed his eyes shut then opened them back up.
Officers were scrambling to get some men organized, but most ended up being unsuccessful. A few NCOs were able to lead squads up at a time. Hobbar looked back, landing craft were still coming towards the beach, if the first wave couldn’t get off the sand and off the beach, any more landings would definitely be cut down. Hobbar scanned the horizon, during the briefing, the brass said that they were getting DD tanks on the beach. “Where are those damn DD Tanks!” Hobbar impatiently twisted his head side to side, but he couldn’t see the instantly recognizable inflatable sides of the tanks.
A Corporal looked at Hobbar, “We’re done for!” he was scared as heck, and you could see it in his eyes, he almost refused to move any further. “Those DD Tanks are sunk! At the bottom of the damn channel! We can’t get off this beach!” The young corporal seemed right, but Hobbar couldn’t give up, not just yet.
“Stow that talk Corporal, we’re not done for, not by a long shot, as long as we’ve got boots on the deck and out hearts are beating, we WILL push on… Hobbar paused, he could hardly believe himself, how could he expect the Corporal to believe him too? Hobbar shook out that thought, if he was to be a leader, he had to demand success, Hobbar continued, “Now get you’re ass off this beach! There’s cover by the shingle! Get to that seawall!”
Just then Hobbar heard loud explosions, Ships? Firing? He looked at the destroyers just off shore, smoke billowed from their cannons, Hobbar now heard the shrieks of the large Navy rounds flying over head. “#%%!$!* A!” Hobbar screamed and cheered, a few of the younger enlisted saw him and followed suit.
“We’re going to be okay?”
“Damn straight we are!” Hobbar apparently spoke too soon, the shells only hit a little before the bluffs, kicking only dirt and sand into the air. @@#+… that didn’t help. Only a few second later did he realize that the guns did help. Smoke rose up and clouded the beach, making it possible for troops to advance. By god, that did it… Hobbar looked at a few enlisted men behind him, “Lets go! Move your asses!” Hobbar started sprinting towards the shingle, machine gun fire still picked men off slowly, but without being able to aim, the gunners had to just blind fire, which was to the advantage of the Americans on the beach.
Hobbar made it up to the shingle and dove onto the sand barricade, he’d just remembered AGAIN that he still didn’t have a rifle. How the heck am I going to fight this war without a weapon? Hobbar shook his head. Hobbar looked around for a rifle, a dead soldier laid a few yards away, with the smoke cover, Hobbar got up and dashed for the weapon, he grabbed it, Good, operational.
Down the line, troopers were being called upon to get some Bangalores up into position, At least someone is thinking, Hobbar thought, he just kept low and waited for the clearing to move forward.
Hobbar had his head tucked into the sand, keeping hit low and hidden from the enemy gunners up on the bluffs. Screams of the wounded were everywhere, and the beach was full of weapons and ammo, blood from the fallen and limbs blown off by artillery and mortars. Hobbar lifted his head and took a peak back, just to see what was going on back on the beach, a few more waves were making up towards the shingle, that was good, men were getting out of the waters finally, but the only problem was, unless the soldiers could get past this shingle, they would all be completely decimated.
A loud cry came, echoed by everyone. "Fire in the hole! Bangalores!"
The call came rushing down the lines with lightning fast speed. Hobbar even repeated the call, “Fire in the hole!” The soldiers pushed their heads into the sand as the Bangalores fuse slowly burned.
A section of barbed wire exploded into oblivion. Sand, mixed in with a few pieces of wire and debris rained down onto the beach , smoke obscured the gunner’s view, which was good for the moment, “Lets go!” Hobbar screamed, he slid down the small embankment and pushed on two privates who were standing near him, “We’ve got cover, get off the beach!” The two privates that Hobbar pushed up slowly slugged themselves up and off the shingle, unfortunately, MG fire cut one of the young privates up. @@#+... Hobbar thought, Those guns are going to get us all unless we diddy bop on up there! Hobbar took a deep breath then screamed, “Move! Those mortars have this whole beach pre-sighted, and unless you move, those shells are going to be raining in right here!” Hobbar viciously pointed at the shingle, “Now get your asses up and to that defilade over there!” Hobbar pointed at the areas just under the bunkers.
Hobbar got up and made a mad dash towards the bunkers. MG fire was landing all around him, kicking up sand and dirt. Hobbar couldn’t be bugged down by it though, he had to keep moving, or he was a dead man. The path towards the bunkers and even at the base of the bunkers was filled with impact craters, perfect for the American soldiers, they had concealment and defilade from the German gunners that were firing from atop of the bluff and bunkers.
“Everyone stay in cover!” Hobbar kept his body pressed right against the concrete bunker’s base, it was antiquate protection for the time. Hobbar looked back at the beach, men were starting to pour past the shingle and towards the bluff, the with the bunker gunner still firing, the beach was far from clear. Hobbar looked around, “Where are all the officers?!”
A private behind him shrugged his shoulders
“Then who’s in charge here?!” Hobbar screamed. He waited for any officers to arrive and take charge of the situation.
The Americans were really starting to get off the beach now. About two squads worth of troopers gathered up by the base of the concrete bunker, everyone was huddled up, trying to keep close to the wall in defilade from the MG42 gunners on top of the bluffs. Soon, an officer showed up to lead the soldiers. Hobbar couldn’t help but to laugh. The man was toting his Thompson and munching on a cigar. The Lieutenant looked confident and seemed to inspire the rest of the young troopers huddled down in the sand trying to stay alive for as long as possible.
"Alright, listen in," drawled the man, thinking quickly, "We're gonna clear ourselves some room by putting some rifle grenades in to that bunker. Should clear us enough room to get up there, so we can kill some #%%!$!* Krauts."
Hobbar didn’t have a rifle grenade, so as the Lieutenant started throwing out the orders, he moved back behind everyone who had the specially mounted weapons.
The soldiers got ready and in an almost elegant motion, fired all of their grenades up the bluff. The first volley didn’t do much damage, the grenades simply exploded just below the sandbag bunkers. The gunner noticed the Americans trying to take him out and shifted his fire to the bottom of the cliff. The 7.92x57mm rounds slammed into the beach, kicking up sand into the young American’s eyes. Luckily, Hobbar had backed up and was safely back away from the fire. The grenadiers re-mounted their grenades on the tip of their rifles and all stood at the ready once more.
"Slightly higher. Should take them out."
Hobbar looked at the soldiers, they got ready. The enemy machine gunner paused, most likely to reload or cool down his weapon.
“Fire!” The Lieutenant called out seeing that the machine gun had paused in its deadly rain. In an almost symphonized movement, the grenadiers moved out of cover, aimed up and fired their rifle grenades. This time, the rounds were effective and smashed directly into the sandbag bunker. The German gunner tumbled down the hill, cut and bruised, but still alive.
A young Private lunged forward and bashed the German soldier to death. The Private seemed to keep hitting the young German until a Sergeant Major had stopped him. Hobbar couldn’t blame the young Private, he would’ve kept hitting the German, Hobbar was scared shitless right now.
"We have an opening. Move, move, move!"
The tide was finally turning for the Americans on the beach, the company had achieved the first confirmed German kill of the day and an opening off the beach was created. Hobbar looked at the soldiers cluttered by the base of the bunker, “Lets go boys!!!” Hobbar shouted as he moved out of cover and headed up the hill.
Hobbar started running, the dirt was up the hill was difficult to navigate up. At some parts, the dirt and sand was loose, making it hard to climb up. At other parts, the soil was hard and compact, easing the climb up. Either way, the climb up was treacherous; Machine gunners from the bunkers had complete enfilade of the route up. Rounds smashed everywhere around Hobbar, at times making him want to just jump back down. No… Hobbar thought to himself, I can’t turn back now…there’s no retreat, no turning back now.
Hobbar quickly made it up the hill nonetheless and found himself in a trench. Good, at least we have some cover and protection from the hail of bullets from both the bunkers and from further behind the enemy lines. Hobbar kept low, steering away from the enemy fire. He looked back and saw a few fellow Americans on his rear. Good to see that some more men made it up. Hobbar looked at them and screamed, “Cover fire boys!” Hobbar took a quick rise from his cover and aimed at the German’s general direction. He fired off a few rounds, not minding if he was hitting or not, he was just trying to keep the German’s heads down.
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