A Soldiers Family

[versageflames]

[This is all based on a book that I'M writing and shall be used as a post for vers... it'll also be part of a novel that Vers is writing as well.. sooo... enjoy]

James stared silently at the blank computer screen and tilted his head a bit to the side. He wasn't to terribly sure of exactly WHERE to start. This was after all the first time he'd ever decided to go and try an make a book. Suddenly an idea hit him and without hesitation he began to write.

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Chapter 1

July 6, 1944- D-day

James awoke with a start and looked around silently. He heard the splashing of water and the hum of a motor boat. Sitting up he rubbed his head and clutched his rifle close to him. Like every other man around him on the transport boat he was scared shitless. It was D-day.. and they were being sent to the Omaha Beach. He was part of the Bravo element of the 29th infantry divison. In only ten minutes, on June 6th of 1944, him and his friends that sat beside him, no.. not friends... BROTHERS! Would be most likely marching to their doom.

James lifted his head as he heard the officer manning the landing craft call out that in meer seconds they would be landing. Already he heard the rattle of machine gun fire from the Germans. Already he knew that this could possibly be the last day that he ever was to see the faces of the men around him. Men that he'd gone through training with and had become family with. He heard the clink clink clink and a loud splash-smack, of the ramp being dropped and instantly he was blinded by blood splatter as the rounds pierced those infront of him, most of the bullets impacted and killed them quickly, others... weren't so lucky. He slipped on a bit of brain matter that a private he'd known and had came to trust, Rico, had been shot through the head. He forced away the emotions of seeing this and quickly dove over the edge to avoid the fire and ran quickly to the turtle shell that was set up to hide under it's protection. Around him he saw his comrades dieing left and right. Off to the side he saw a granade land by someone and didn't have time to call out to save him before it exploded.

The image left on his mind from that, would leave a mental scar, Garret lay there, his leg and half his body blown away. Blood coating the ground, mixing with the sand. He stared into the dieing mans eyes as he struggled for air, air that would never reach because his right lung had been blown away, most of his innards exposed to view and a piece of shrapnel stuck in his throat. James looked away quickly as Garret went silent.

"You f*cking bastards." He cried and was all for charging it if haden't been for Private First cla$$ Mark grabbing him and pulling him back. "What the f*ck are you doing James? You think you can bring him back by rushing out and getting yourself killed?" James felt like crying but he knew better. "Sorry sir..." Mark looked over the edge and ducked down as a bullet pinged off where his head was just moments ago. "Alright we'll have to go forward slowly. We aren't going to make it if we just run blindly up towards them there towers." Like James, Mark had been born in the south, only a bit deeper south. He had a heavy accent that only showed when he was overly stressed. James nodded a bit and when the fire moved away from them they made their way up slowly. They had to, it wasn't like they had much of a choice. Diving behind the nearest turtle shell, James panted a bit before he heard a voice ring out, "GRENATE!!!" He blinked a bit, grenate. Grenate was german fo- Ohh shit. He saw the Grenade land beside him and quickly grabbed it. "Grenate this you bastards." He threw the grenade as he spoke and ducked down. He heard a long german word, "Nehmenabdeckung (Take cover)" Then heard a loud explosion and silence from the men that had been there.

Looking to Mark, James nodded a bit to him and they advanced. With a quick look, James was surprised to see a couple of men had joined them. Nodding quickly they slipped around behind a pit and dove down into a trench that had been built. "ALRIGHT FOLLOW THIS PATH!" Mark screamed over the gunfire, "I WANT ALL OF YOU TO STICK TOGETH-!" He was cut short as a grenade went off near them and they had to duck to keep from getting hit by shrapnel. James barely heard the German, "Schnell sind sie hier!" Which ment, to him if his German was good enough. That they needed to get their a$$es moving. He grabbed Mark and pulled him along and the other two followed. Just as they rounded a corner they heard gunfire begin to rattle. James pressed his back to the wall and heard the shots becoming louder. He pulled a grenade from his belt and pulled the pin but didn't flick the fuse yet. He waited and then let it go as he tossed it around the corner. "FIRE IN THE HOLE!!" He dove off as a loud explosion was yet again heard and the gunfire nearest stopped. "Go, go, go. MOVE NOW!!" He pushed them along. Even if Mark was the highest ranking Non commissioned officer here, it seemed like James was the one who knew best what to do so Mark let him take command.

They rounded the next corner and with a quick glance, James a$$essed that they were only a few hundred feet from the nearest tower and by the looks of it. A lot of other groups were advancing just like them. It was only mear moments before they were silently moving along the side of the tower and towards the stairs.

"Alright," James said. "Keep it quiet and don't let yourself be seen." Having said that he moved ahead and poked his head in to see the two Germans manning the gun. One of them spoke as he heard a dry click. "Ich bin leer, schnelles Zupacken die Extramunition und hilft mir, sie an zu setzen." The other soldier nodded and ran to grab the ammo only to see the rifle of James pointing right at him. "Verbündete Soldaten! Der Feind ist er-" that was all he said as James put a round through the bastards head and the other turned to him. He reached for his gun but it didn't get there as James placed a round through his head as well and dropped him.

That was when he noticed the silence now. The lack of gun prattle. He ran up to where the mounted gun was and looked to see that the beach had been taken. The battle had been no more than thirty minutes, within the first ten. Most, if not all of the officers had been wounded or killed. Leaving them without a commander. The allies... had suffered over 2,400 casualties on this single beach alone that day. This day would be remembered as one of the worst days in history This.. was the invasion... of Normandy.

[versageflames]

Chapter 2[/i]

D+3 9th of June, 1944

The reports of American casualties continued to come in. Even three days after the innitial battle on Omaha beach, it seemed like the death toll wouldn't stop. Often times, many years after the war, James sat around and wondered. Just what would have happened had he not had his three men with him through most of the war after this.

Looking at the dog tag of a friend. He pulled off half of it for identification later. Standing from his crouched he glanced around the somewhat quiet battlefield. Supplies were being moved around. New soldiers were being brought forth. Just a couple days ago, he'd gotten word by radio that the allies would be bringing Mulberry Harbours to get a supply route going. Down the beach he saw a few men pulling dead troops from the DD tanks that were supposed to have been deployed, but never made it past the tides. Looking away James sholdered his rifle and walked up to one of the commanding officers

"Sir, Private James Ro-" He was cut short as the CO looked at him then looked back at his papers. "I Know who you are Private... I've been instructed to promote you to Sergeant." He looked up at James, who had a shocked look on his face. "Is that understood soldier?" He asked with a smooth voice. Though he could sense the kids excitement and fright. James nodded and snapped off a salute. "Yes sir, I understand," he said. The CO looked at him for a moment then leaned back. "You have... four men left in your unit correct?" He asked. James looked at him and nodded, "Uh.. yes sir.. me... Mark, Roop and Hutchens." The CO nodded to him a bit. "Alright... those men are under your command now understood?" James nodded and the officer dismissed him.

He finally managed to get the full report on exactly WHAT was supplied to the American allies. The totals were as such; 314,504 men, 41,000 vehicles, and 116,000 tons of supplies. That was enough for now. Though James was pretty sure that it would only get worse as the war went on. He had to pick his way through the bodies, so as not to step on them or disfigure them anymore than they already were. The smell was horrible and it a$$ulted his senses and a couple of times he had no choice but to stop and either vomit or take deep breaths to try and steady his nerves. Hehad to get a hold of himself but, the visions infront of him were so graphic that. Even if I were to describe it, you would still have needed to be there with him to understand. Eventually he managed to stand up and closes his eyes. Finally he made his way to an open and clear area where the other troops were setting up their tents and began to set up his own.

That night he read over a report from a first day of the attack. Apparently the German 21st Panzer division had mounted quite the counter attack between the Sword and Juno beaches. From what he could tell, they did manage to reach the seas but.. that was as far as they went. Seems like by the end of the day the bird boy's scared the piss out of them and chased them off. James laughed at that and shook his head slightly before sighing and placing the reports aside. Laying back on his bed in his tent he stared up at the cloth ceiling and listened to the heavy rain outside.

This would only serve to delay any other supplies that were to have come to the allies. Sitting up once more he glanced quickly over his next set of orders. It seemed like him and the rest of his men, including other elements of the remaining groups, were to occupy the Cotentin Penninsula, more importantly, Cherbourg. James knew he had to lead his men possibly to their deaths to get this mission finished. He also knew that if this were to be taken, that they allies would have a deep water harbour set up. What he didn't know, was the terrain and the huge amount of losses that the U.S. would take in gaining this position.[/i]

James scratched his head and chuckled as he sighed and placed the first couple of chapters in a folder and shut the computer down. He didn't know what people would think of it, but maybe they'd like it, who know's. With that he got up and decided it was time to go and eat.

[I'm not sure what all your opinions on it are but feel free to leave comments, it is an actual novel i've decided to start.]