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Yeah, it's bad. Just bored, thought I would write. What do you think? I like it, but then again I wrote it, so I am guessing it you will think it's poor.
Anyhow, this is not a true story, it is based on Omaha beach D Day though.
--
The Jump into the Lion's mouth
"The beaches will lay littered with the fallen souls, the seas will carry them home."
I couldnt stand up. No matter what I held onto, I was too nervous to support any feelings in my legs. Every few minutes I would start to fall to my knees, holding onto the side of the landing craft like it was saving me from oblivion. But the oblivion wasnt below me, it was ahead of me, forever getting closer, I could do nothing about it. Every single second I gasped for air, as if I was going to die. I could die any moment. As could the men around me, packed together.
For once, safety in numbers didnt feel so safe. I had never been claustrophobic in my life, but now I would do anything to get out of this moving target. I could jump over the side, my equipment would hold me down. I would die. At times I thought that could be better than the suspense. No one talked, we all stood, waiting for something to happen. Not even the spontaneous rumble of the near by artillery shells exploding could distract anyone from their seldom thoughts. I watched as the shells landed randomly upon the beach, not hitting anything. Id be thankful though, Id rather have it hitting nothing than hitting us.
60 seconds! I heard from behind me.
Clear the ramp, remove the columns! followed, as the helmet at the front of the craft prepared to open the ramp. Thats all I could see. Helmets. Thats what we were, helmets, soldiers, statistics. I checked my name badge, Lt Cornell, just a name, a name to be placed on a letter when I died. That letter would have been sent to mom, but shes not around to receive the news. I kept trying to find my confidence again, but it had already left the landing craft. As the landing craft droned in its short journey to the beach, the beat of my heart soon drowned out all noises around me. I focused on the tall grey structures towering over the beach.
I never heard anyone say Go, I just followed. The ramp opened swiftly, and men clambered out of the craft, right into the firing line. Men fell, but no one did anything except cover their own hide, it was all they could do in a moment of instinct. I followed the helmet in front, safety in numbers started to kick in. The moment he stepped on the beach he was thrown back into me as the shell exploded right in front of him. Small pieces of shrapnel scattered across the men clambering out, as I was pushed back. I landed back on the landing craft, men still trying to get out, stepping over me. They thought I was dead.
I wasnt. I wasnt even injured, I think. I couldnt tell. I saw blood around me, but I couldnt feel any pain. At this moment I couldnt feel anything. In absent mind, I managed to get up, and checked to see if the soldier was okay. He was no where to be seen. I looked around, totally oblivious to what was going on, men were dying, I just wanted to find this soldier. Then I found him, lying there, to the right of where I had fallen. I found another part of him floating in the sea, and blood scattered everywhere. I was about to stand up, but the shock immobilized me. Someone grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from the craft.
What the fuck are you doing?! You stay in the craft and youre a prime target! shouted the soldier as he dragged me to a near by crater. I could hear bullets zipping past, I kept thinking The next ones gonna get me.
Im not hurt. I said to the soldier, as we lay in the crater.
You looked like it from back there! What happened- lost your teeth?
Before I could reply, the soldier picked up his gun from his side and ran up the beach. I had nothing better to do than follow him, but I had no gun. I looked around; there were plenty of guns to choose from. Some I just had to pick up, others I had to remove from cold, dead hands.
For some reason, I felt like a criminal as I picked up the Garand from a dead soldiers hand. He looked surprised, like he didnt know what had hit him. I think we all felt like that. I blessed him, and then took cover from the MG42s.
I didnt know what I had to do, the soldier had long gone. I spoke to soldiers, always cautious of how close death could be, but nonetheless I scurried across the beach, trying to find out what our mission was.
I kept checking myself for wounds, I never felt any, but I felt so numb I had to check.
I was surprised when the lone soldier told me our objective was to get off the beach. I really wasnt expecting to have to get past the looming German bunkers.
Something distracted me. There was this smell that nauseated me, it only just rose. I think it was the smell of melting steel mixed with human flesh. I looked back for a second. Poor souls, they were blown to pieces while in their craft. Made me thankful.
Theyre hitting us! shouted soldiers across the beach.
Theyre hitting us! Our own ships! Theyre hitting us! shouted many more, as they all realised that many of their fellows, despite taking cover from the German bunkers had been killed by the shells. I think I saw a radio operator the other side of the beach, making a call out. I hope he was telling them to hold fire. Soon, what now had become a steady rhythm of explosions, stopped. It made the threat so much more clearer, as now the constant firing of MG42s was noticeable. I also noticed more men being killed by the enemy, not ourselves.
Then I had that feeling, like having the light switched off in a room. We were in the dark. We had no support whatsoever. The steady flow of landing craft coming in had fallen to a slow trickle, I felt like we were being cut off. Abandoned.
Anyhow, this is not a true story, it is based on Omaha beach D Day though.
--
The Jump into the Lion's mouth
"The beaches will lay littered with the fallen souls, the seas will carry them home."
I couldnt stand up. No matter what I held onto, I was too nervous to support any feelings in my legs. Every few minutes I would start to fall to my knees, holding onto the side of the landing craft like it was saving me from oblivion. But the oblivion wasnt below me, it was ahead of me, forever getting closer, I could do nothing about it. Every single second I gasped for air, as if I was going to die. I could die any moment. As could the men around me, packed together.
For once, safety in numbers didnt feel so safe. I had never been claustrophobic in my life, but now I would do anything to get out of this moving target. I could jump over the side, my equipment would hold me down. I would die. At times I thought that could be better than the suspense. No one talked, we all stood, waiting for something to happen. Not even the spontaneous rumble of the near by artillery shells exploding could distract anyone from their seldom thoughts. I watched as the shells landed randomly upon the beach, not hitting anything. Id be thankful though, Id rather have it hitting nothing than hitting us.
60 seconds! I heard from behind me.
Clear the ramp, remove the columns! followed, as the helmet at the front of the craft prepared to open the ramp. Thats all I could see. Helmets. Thats what we were, helmets, soldiers, statistics. I checked my name badge, Lt Cornell, just a name, a name to be placed on a letter when I died. That letter would have been sent to mom, but shes not around to receive the news. I kept trying to find my confidence again, but it had already left the landing craft. As the landing craft droned in its short journey to the beach, the beat of my heart soon drowned out all noises around me. I focused on the tall grey structures towering over the beach.
I never heard anyone say Go, I just followed. The ramp opened swiftly, and men clambered out of the craft, right into the firing line. Men fell, but no one did anything except cover their own hide, it was all they could do in a moment of instinct. I followed the helmet in front, safety in numbers started to kick in. The moment he stepped on the beach he was thrown back into me as the shell exploded right in front of him. Small pieces of shrapnel scattered across the men clambering out, as I was pushed back. I landed back on the landing craft, men still trying to get out, stepping over me. They thought I was dead.
I wasnt. I wasnt even injured, I think. I couldnt tell. I saw blood around me, but I couldnt feel any pain. At this moment I couldnt feel anything. In absent mind, I managed to get up, and checked to see if the soldier was okay. He was no where to be seen. I looked around, totally oblivious to what was going on, men were dying, I just wanted to find this soldier. Then I found him, lying there, to the right of where I had fallen. I found another part of him floating in the sea, and blood scattered everywhere. I was about to stand up, but the shock immobilized me. Someone grabbed my shoulders and pulled me away from the craft.
What the fuck are you doing?! You stay in the craft and youre a prime target! shouted the soldier as he dragged me to a near by crater. I could hear bullets zipping past, I kept thinking The next ones gonna get me.
Im not hurt. I said to the soldier, as we lay in the crater.
You looked like it from back there! What happened- lost your teeth?
Before I could reply, the soldier picked up his gun from his side and ran up the beach. I had nothing better to do than follow him, but I had no gun. I looked around; there were plenty of guns to choose from. Some I just had to pick up, others I had to remove from cold, dead hands.
For some reason, I felt like a criminal as I picked up the Garand from a dead soldiers hand. He looked surprised, like he didnt know what had hit him. I think we all felt like that. I blessed him, and then took cover from the MG42s.
I didnt know what I had to do, the soldier had long gone. I spoke to soldiers, always cautious of how close death could be, but nonetheless I scurried across the beach, trying to find out what our mission was.
I kept checking myself for wounds, I never felt any, but I felt so numb I had to check.
I was surprised when the lone soldier told me our objective was to get off the beach. I really wasnt expecting to have to get past the looming German bunkers.
Something distracted me. There was this smell that nauseated me, it only just rose. I think it was the smell of melting steel mixed with human flesh. I looked back for a second. Poor souls, they were blown to pieces while in their craft. Made me thankful.
Theyre hitting us! shouted soldiers across the beach.
Theyre hitting us! Our own ships! Theyre hitting us! shouted many more, as they all realised that many of their fellows, despite taking cover from the German bunkers had been killed by the shells. I think I saw a radio operator the other side of the beach, making a call out. I hope he was telling them to hold fire. Soon, what now had become a steady rhythm of explosions, stopped. It made the threat so much more clearer, as now the constant firing of MG42s was noticeable. I also noticed more men being killed by the enemy, not ourselves.
Then I had that feeling, like having the light switched off in a room. We were in the dark. We had no support whatsoever. The steady flow of landing craft coming in had fallen to a slow trickle, I felt like we were being cut off. Abandoned.
