Chapter 31: A Difficult Journey
It could be said that their days at the camp in Alabama were the most pleasant for the brothers of Easy Company. Although there was training, the focus on assault and urban warfare was undoubtedly more interesting and enjoyable for them. Some of them even grew to love it. Training was only one part of their life; the rest of the time, many of them went to town to have fun.
"You know, Betty is a real sweetheart. And of course, she has those huge, soft breasts. If it were possible, I'd ask her to be my girlfriend," a brother from Easy Company named Carson said, describing those carefree days. "I spent the most wonderful night with her."
"Oh, Carson! I just hope you didn't get so lost in her huge, soft breasts that you forgot the way back to camp!" Luz shouted, then switched to his Captain Sobel impression. "Private Carson, did you use a condom? Do you intend to wage war against your own countrymen before the real war has even begun, and leave behind a sin of that war—a little Carson?"
Everyone roared with laughter.
"Sobel would also think your dick isn't long enough and wouldn't let you go to Europe. You'd embarrass the US Army in front of the European women," Perconte chuckled.
This was a common scene at the USO club. The brothers were so happy in those days.
"Parks!" Rhys, who was standing by the door smiling at the men, heard someone call his name. He turned to see Winters and Nixon approaching and gesturing to him.
"Sir," Rhys said, saluting.
Winters returned the salute. "That's enough activity for today. Have the men go back to the barracks and pack their bags. We're moving out tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?" Rhys suddenly remembered. This was around the time when the 506th was supposed to transfer to a new training base.
"That's right. We're going to Camp Mackall in North Carolina. It's a comfortable place, but we're not going there to enjoy ourselves. There will be even more arduous training waiting for us," Winters said with a smile. "Go and tell the brothers." With that, he and Nixon turned and left, leaving the task to Rhys.
This was the duty of a First Sergeant.
"Alright, fellas, an order has come down," Rhys said, walking to the front of the room. "I hate to interrupt the fun, but I have to announce that today's party is over. Everyone head back to the barracks and pack your bags. Tomorrow, we're going to Camp Mackall in North Carolina. There, we will undergo more complex training."
As soon as Rhys finished speaking, someone let out a loud cheer. "Whoo—Camp Mackall! I love it!"
Luz turned to Tipper excitedly. "If this place already feels this comfortable, then Camp Mackall will be heaven. I love that place!"
Camp Mackall was named in honor of the first American paratrooper killed in action in World War II, Private John T. McCall of the 82nd Airborne Division. He died in North Africa on November 8th, the same day construction on the camp began. Camp Mackall was the main base for the airborne.
"Here, you will become the best airborne soldiers in the world," Captain Sobel said on their first day, immediately setting a harsh tone. "Forget the five movie theaters, the six huge beer gardens, and the heaters in the barracks. Remember, you are not here to enjoy yourselves. You should come to this training with the expectation of being tortured."
"We are going to conduct the most complex airborne drops," Winters explained during a training session. "That includes dropping with your weapons, food, ammunition, maps, grenades, explosives, compasses, shovels, gas masks, camouflage nets, canteens, mines, and your clothing. All of this gear will add up to nearly your own body weight, but we have no choice. We must jump from the sky with all of it."
Clearly, this was going to be difficult.
"Luz, you'll also have to add the weight of your condoms," Guarnere said with a grin. "Maybe that'll be like three Luzes in freefall from the sky."
"Hey, Mr. Gonorrhea, keep a close eye on your little bird. Don't crush it when you land, or it'll go on strike to protest," Luz shot back. Everyone who heard it chuckled.
"Maybe everyone should just look at Parks. His way is what we should be learning," White suddenly shouted. Everyone turned to look at Rhys. While they had all been grumbling, he had already gotten all his gear in order.
"Hey, how did you do that? This is my first time doing this. I don't even know where to put my rifle," Tipper said, looking enviously at the perfectly geared-up Rhys.
"Brothers, cut the chatter and get your equipment on! Captain Sobel is probably hiding somewhere nearby, watching us. If he catches you, forget flying in the sky—your little birds won't escape his wrath even after you land," Rhys said with a grin.
No sooner had he spoken than Sobel's voice, growing louder, could be heard roaring in the distance. "What are you waiting for? German artillery shells?"
"Remember, you are paratroopers, not a bunch of idiots," Captain Sobel said as he approached. Everyone quickly fell into formation, staring straight ahead, motionless.
"You have five minutes! Then we board the planes and jump. If some of you aren't ready, then you can just wait to become the first paratrooper to fall to his death from a plane. I imagine all the other paratroopers will be ashamed of you," Sobel said, unwilling to let them off easy.
All the soldiers of Easy Company began to frantically organize their equipment. Then, Sobel noticed Rhys. "You've done well, Parks," he said, a rare word of praise.
"Thank you, Captain," Rhys replied calmly.
Sobel looked at him, his lips moving as if he wanted to say something more, but in the end, he didn't. He turned and began to yell at the other brothers of Easy Company again.
The result of the first full-equipment drop was, as one might expect, a disaster. Some men were not ready, and some were even injured. The incident did not please Colonel Sink.
The brothers of Easy Company had also suffered. Tipper's chin was cut open and bleeding profusely. Private Robert Wynn sprained his ankle, and Private Carson injured his hand. It was a tragedy.
Rhys knew the brothers had some complaints, but this kind of training was necessary. It was a basic requirement for airborne combat. If they couldn't do it, survival on the battlefield would be a major problem.
"Actually, Captain Sobel was right," Rhys said, praising Sobel for the first time in front of the men. "You have to remember, in the future we will be facing the Krauts, and we will be isolated and without support. This is a basic condition for staying alive. Alright, brothers, quit complaining and do what you need to do."
The brothers might have dismissed Sobel's words, but they clearly understood what Rhys was saying. His authority in Easy Company had been firmly established through his continuous success in training.
"Alright, alright," White grumbled. "Maybe if I just pretend Sobel is that nagging old lady from next door who I can never get rid of, I'll feel a little better."
"Better make him an old man," someone else joked, and everyone couldn't help but smile.
The second time, the brothers' preparations were clearly much better. Although they still had to carry the heavy equipment, their fighting spirit was high. Some even started singing on the plane.
Winters was full of praise for what Rhys had done. He knew that Rhys had done exactly the right thing. In a company, it wasn't just the officers who needed to unite the soldiers. If there was an NCO among the men who could rally his brothers, it was an invaluable asset for unity and morale.
After several more full-equipment jumps, the brothers of Easy Company had become accustomed to it, and there were no more injuries due to hasty, inadequate preparation. They were becoming more and more proficient at airborne combat operations.
***
It was around this time that Rhys received another letter from Virginia.
To be honest, the development of the AK-47 was not going smoothly. After prototyping, test-firing, and ammunition pairing, a small number of samples had been produced, but there were still some minor issues, possibly related to the manufacturing process.
"We have taken the samples to the Army, where we will step up our public relations efforts. Perhaps there is still hope," Virginia wrote. Although her tone was not completely dejected, it was clear her hopes were not high.
It seemed that getting this weapon into the standard U.S. Army arsenal would not be so easy. Perhaps, he thought, he should have taken a step back. What if he had designed the Type 56 semi-automatic rifle instead? With modern improvements, the magazine could have been modified to hold 20 rounds, and with a few small changes, it could have been made compatible with the M1 Garand's ammunition. It would have been a powerful competitor to the M1. But no matter what, for now, all he could do was discuss these things with Virginia and wait for more information from her.
*****
Hey guys,
If you're eager to know what happens next, you can now read up to 20 chapters ahead over on my Patreon.
I've also posted some chapters for free, so feel free to check them out as a little sneak peek!
Patreon.com/CanonTwist
P.S. psst... Don't forget about the Power Stones.