Re: After The Last Full Measure (AU)
Posted: Thu Oct 17, 2024 3:54 am
03 January 1990
HQ, Joint Task Force 251
Fort Bragg, NC
Sophie came to attention and saluted. "Good morning, sir."
Josh returned the salute. "Morning, Sophie. What's this 'sir' shit?"
"I hear Uncle Sam Actual commissioned you as Regular Air Force."
"You heard correct. Is it true his call sign is Rolodex?"
Sophie nodded. "He always knows somebody."
* * *
The hangar was filled with officers, some conversing, some looking around with curiosity.
Mantell stepped into the hangar, and a voice from behind him called, "Group, a-ten-SHUN!"
Everyone shut up, faced towards Mantell, and came to attention.
Mantell walked up and said, "At ease, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Major Joshua Mantell, United States Air Force. I recently transferred in from the Marine Corps; I was an aerial gunner on Day One, and subsequently served as an infantry squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader, and infantry company commander. I am a fully qualified JTAC and have served as one for the past year in addition to being a company commander."
He turned slightly and gestured to the man behind him. "This is Chief Master Sergeant Kowalski. He's been an Air Commando roughly as long as I've been alive, so I am going to be listening closely to him, and I urge you to do likewise. He answers to me, and only to me.
"Now, I hope you people like training, because me and Chief Kowalski absolutely love it. Amat Victoria Curam."
Mantell noticed the confused looks on some of the men and women, and the smiles on others.
"For those of you who don't know Latin, that means, 'Victory Loves Preparation.' So, get ready to star in your very own Rocky training montage, everybody."
* * *
04 January 1990
Mantell smiled. "Well, now that we've had a bracing round of PT, let's do some of that JTAC shit."
* * *
Mantell noticed Kowalski keeping a stoic expression.
"Say it, Chief."
"Sir, that was shit."
"Indeed it was, Chief. Let's get really precise as to what flavor of shit it was, whether it had sprinkles on it, and let's start fixing things."
"Yes, sir."
* * *
12 January 1990
Kowalski said, "Sir, you didn't make a proper set of pre-arranged calls."
"So I noticed. I completely missed that bridge to the west."
* * *
28 January 1990
Mantell looked over the exhausted, bruised, and (in a few cases) lightly bleeding JTAC officers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am not entirely dissatisfied."
There was a tired round of laughter.
"All right, back to quarters, clean up, get supper, and then everybody get some sleep. Take care of what needs to be taken care of tomorrow, because tomorrow night at 1800, we will be on Green Ramp, getting ready for the graduation exercise. After that, we will be preparing for actual operations with your Tactical Air Control Parties and the assault teams."
* * *
01 March 1990
NAS Key West, FL
Colonel Nicholas Fury grabbed Mantell's shoulder. "Major, I need to know right now if your people are go or no-go."
"We are go, sir."
"Good. Tomorrow night."
"What the hell?"
"Radio Havana announced that the POWs are going to be tried for war crimes beginning March 15th. BUCCANEER FURY just got the green light to begin early morning on March 3rd, we jump on our objectives tomorrow night."
* * *
02 March 1990
NAS Key West, FL
The hangar was full of men and women organized into chalks for aircraft loading.
The PA system came alive.
"This is General Downing. You've heard the news, you know the mission. You should also know there is only one way that this mission ends: and that's with the successful rescue of our people from Cuba. Look around you."
Mantell looked around, wondering where Downing was going with his speech.
* * *
Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico
Sophie looked at her assaulters, then at Lieutenant Barton and his tactical air control party, then around the hangar.
Downing continued.
"Take a good look at the men and women that stand next to you. Remember their faces, for one day you will tell your children and your grandchildren that you served with such men and women as the world has never seen."
* * *
NAS Key West
Mantell felt a surge of strength and determination flow through the assembled assaulters and TAC parties.
"And together, you'll accomplish the feat that will be told and retold down through the ages, and find immortality as only the gods once knew. I'm proud to serve with you. Good hunting."
Mantell called, "Five minutes for the padre."
He then went down onto his right knee, and bowed his head.
"Lord, as usual, my choices have brought me to the wrong place and time. I don't want to be a hero this night. Grant that I might render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto Thee what is Thine. Amen."
The chaplain's voice cut across the hangar:
"And shepherds we shall be.
For Thee, my Lord, for Thee.
Power hath descended forth from Thy hand.
That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command.
So we shall flow a river forth to Thee.
And teeming with souls it shall ever be.
In Nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."
Every voice repeated, "AMEN."
A voice called, "BOARD PLANES!"
HQ, Joint Task Force 251
Fort Bragg, NC
Sophie came to attention and saluted. "Good morning, sir."
Josh returned the salute. "Morning, Sophie. What's this 'sir' shit?"
"I hear Uncle Sam Actual commissioned you as Regular Air Force."
"You heard correct. Is it true his call sign is Rolodex?"
Sophie nodded. "He always knows somebody."
* * *
The hangar was filled with officers, some conversing, some looking around with curiosity.
Mantell stepped into the hangar, and a voice from behind him called, "Group, a-ten-SHUN!"
Everyone shut up, faced towards Mantell, and came to attention.
Mantell walked up and said, "At ease, ladies and gentlemen. I'm Major Joshua Mantell, United States Air Force. I recently transferred in from the Marine Corps; I was an aerial gunner on Day One, and subsequently served as an infantry squad leader, platoon sergeant, platoon leader, and infantry company commander. I am a fully qualified JTAC and have served as one for the past year in addition to being a company commander."
He turned slightly and gestured to the man behind him. "This is Chief Master Sergeant Kowalski. He's been an Air Commando roughly as long as I've been alive, so I am going to be listening closely to him, and I urge you to do likewise. He answers to me, and only to me.
"Now, I hope you people like training, because me and Chief Kowalski absolutely love it. Amat Victoria Curam."
Mantell noticed the confused looks on some of the men and women, and the smiles on others.
"For those of you who don't know Latin, that means, 'Victory Loves Preparation.' So, get ready to star in your very own Rocky training montage, everybody."
* * *
04 January 1990
Mantell smiled. "Well, now that we've had a bracing round of PT, let's do some of that JTAC shit."
* * *
Mantell noticed Kowalski keeping a stoic expression.
"Say it, Chief."
"Sir, that was shit."
"Indeed it was, Chief. Let's get really precise as to what flavor of shit it was, whether it had sprinkles on it, and let's start fixing things."
"Yes, sir."
* * *
12 January 1990
Kowalski said, "Sir, you didn't make a proper set of pre-arranged calls."
"So I noticed. I completely missed that bridge to the west."
* * *
28 January 1990
Mantell looked over the exhausted, bruised, and (in a few cases) lightly bleeding JTAC officers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I am not entirely dissatisfied."
There was a tired round of laughter.
"All right, back to quarters, clean up, get supper, and then everybody get some sleep. Take care of what needs to be taken care of tomorrow, because tomorrow night at 1800, we will be on Green Ramp, getting ready for the graduation exercise. After that, we will be preparing for actual operations with your Tactical Air Control Parties and the assault teams."
* * *
01 March 1990
NAS Key West, FL
Colonel Nicholas Fury grabbed Mantell's shoulder. "Major, I need to know right now if your people are go or no-go."
"We are go, sir."
"Good. Tomorrow night."
"What the hell?"
"Radio Havana announced that the POWs are going to be tried for war crimes beginning March 15th. BUCCANEER FURY just got the green light to begin early morning on March 3rd, we jump on our objectives tomorrow night."
* * *
02 March 1990
NAS Key West, FL
The hangar was full of men and women organized into chalks for aircraft loading.
The PA system came alive.
"This is General Downing. You've heard the news, you know the mission. You should also know there is only one way that this mission ends: and that's with the successful rescue of our people from Cuba. Look around you."
Mantell looked around, wondering where Downing was going with his speech.
* * *
Ramey Air Force Base, Puerto Rico
Sophie looked at her assaulters, then at Lieutenant Barton and his tactical air control party, then around the hangar.
Downing continued.
"Take a good look at the men and women that stand next to you. Remember their faces, for one day you will tell your children and your grandchildren that you served with such men and women as the world has never seen."
* * *
NAS Key West
Mantell felt a surge of strength and determination flow through the assembled assaulters and TAC parties.
"And together, you'll accomplish the feat that will be told and retold down through the ages, and find immortality as only the gods once knew. I'm proud to serve with you. Good hunting."
Mantell called, "Five minutes for the padre."
He then went down onto his right knee, and bowed his head.
"Lord, as usual, my choices have brought me to the wrong place and time. I don't want to be a hero this night. Grant that I might render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and unto Thee what is Thine. Amen."
The chaplain's voice cut across the hangar:
"And shepherds we shall be.
For Thee, my Lord, for Thee.
Power hath descended forth from Thy hand.
That our feet may swiftly carry out Thy command.
So we shall flow a river forth to Thee.
And teeming with souls it shall ever be.
In Nomine Patris, et Fili, et Spiritus Sancti. Amen."
Every voice repeated, "AMEN."
A voice called, "BOARD PLANES!"