Captain Konrad von Zehntner sat atop the back of the APC as it churned through tropical dirt, throwing dust and grit into the humid air.
A cigarette rested between his fingers, steadying the tremors that had plagued him ever since the initial landings weeks earlier.
His helmet lay in his lap beside his rifle, the collar of his BDU jacket unbuttoned and his sleeves rolled to the elbow.
Despite the moisture-wicking jungle equipment designed for heat and humidity, men like Konrad found little comfort even beneath their lighter plate carriers and ripstop uniforms.
He wasn't the only one perched on the roof. In that heat, the interiors of the vehicles turned into saunas. Many of the men preferred the risk of open exposure to the suffocating stench of sweat and steel.
Next to him, the radio operator hunched over his set, adjusting the dials as static hissed through the receiver.
