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Here's your guest post 
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Corporal Eric McHale liked Sanford better by the hour. In the distance, artillery from land units roared, bombs whined from planes up above. At naval guns sounded like freight trains before they hit, but best of all, no Russians. Yet
Major Ericson had told them they had to hold Sanford, so the tank units could use Route 99 to get to the front. So, with that his company has been given the downtown area to set up defenses on.
As he walked to the front of the small Methodist church, he saw men digging trenches along the road, and saw his squad setting up artillery pieces in a small house across the church. As he walked over to them, he could feel, almost taste their eagerness.
The 10-man squad got along just fine. Sgt. Harper had seen action in the pacific and was respected. He was the only corporal. The 8 privates were from all walks of life, From a farmer in Illinois, to a pickpocket from New York. They truly were Americans.
He was tasting something else too, an air of tension, of uncertainty. No one had expected the Russians to hit as hard as they did. He helped a smallish Private named Derek set up a 120 millimeter anti tank gun in the front room. Derek was a good kid, young , he grew up poor in a Florida orange country. Always doing his best, he had set the gun up perfect.
“The only thing left now is to wait, and pray,” Sgt. Harper signed, “Now, I want y’all to get some rest, you’ll need it.
In the distance, McHale heard small arms fire.
“Paratroopers” he said to nobody in particular.
“You think they’ll attack tonight?” Derek asked
“Nah, they won’t attack without tanks, they need the heavy support.” Harper cut in., “now, get some damn sleep. Both of you.”
It seemed like only minutes since he closed his eyes, but Harper shook him awake.
“They’re comin’ up soon. Get the squad ready, I’m going to the church for orders from Captain Foley.”
“Ok Sarge”
Then, less than 10 minutes later, McHale heard the thud whistle of mortars. As he saw men scramble for cover, the sky was lit with flares. Less than a minute later, Russian paratrooper started their attack. Small arms fire light up everything around him, as tracer’s whizzed past his head and he saw that Pvt. Mason was giving it to them good with his machine gun.
Then, silence. The paratroopers faltered, and fell back. A few cheers went out in other buildings, but not in his. Instead, he heard Derek scream for a medic. He was hit badly.
A piece of shrapnel hit his stomach, and tumbled as it entered. Before the medic was there, he was dead.
There was no time for remorse, in the 10 minutes that had elapsed, the paratroopers tried again. This time, with tanks along side them.
“Mason, don’t fire, tracers will give us away. McHale, Young, McClung, get the 120 loaded. Lets see if we can bag us a few Russian tanks.” Harper barked.
As the Russians pushed along the road, he could see they were taking heavy casualties. Anti-tank guns were kept hidden until they could attack their rear armor.
His ad-hoc crew cheered every time they destroyed a tank. But, when one blew up, 2 more took its place. All around him, he saw fires. Sgt. Harper lay dead on the floor, from a burst of machine gun fire. Around him were ammo casings, the shells of spent 120-mm rounds, and bloody bandages, even he was wounded.
Then blackness.
When McHale woke up again, most of his squad members were dead, and he was badly wounded in his leg. He looked at the 120-mm gun. Destroyed, tank round right into it. He saw a paratrooper squad move up to the house. McHale grabbed his Thompson, and propped himself against the wall. If he was gonna go down, he’d bring some more Russians down with him.
When the paratroopers saw he was still alive, they shouted for him to surrender. He answered with a burst of .45 slugs. He fought for about 2 minutes, but ran out of ammo. As he fumbled to get his Colt .45 out, a Russian charged. As he slumped to the ground, he saw the town blazing all around him. Sanford was taken. There alone, surrounded by Russians, Corporal McHale died of his wounds. He wouldn’t live to see the end of this war, and not many people would.
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Corporal Eric McHale liked Sanford better by the hour. In the distance, artillery from land units roared, bombs whined from planes up above. At naval guns sounded like freight trains before they hit, but best of all, no Russians. Yet
Major Ericson had told them they had to hold Sanford, so the tank units could use Route 99 to get to the front. So, with that his company has been given the downtown area to set up defenses on.
As he walked to the front of the small Methodist church, he saw men digging trenches along the road, and saw his squad setting up artillery pieces in a small house across the church. As he walked over to them, he could feel, almost taste their eagerness.
The 10-man squad got along just fine. Sgt. Harper had seen action in the pacific and was respected. He was the only corporal. The 8 privates were from all walks of life, From a farmer in Illinois, to a pickpocket from New York. They truly were Americans.
He was tasting something else too, an air of tension, of uncertainty. No one had expected the Russians to hit as hard as they did. He helped a smallish Private named Derek set up a 120 millimeter anti tank gun in the front room. Derek was a good kid, young , he grew up poor in a Florida orange country. Always doing his best, he had set the gun up perfect.
“The only thing left now is to wait, and pray,” Sgt. Harper signed, “Now, I want y’all to get some rest, you’ll need it.
In the distance, McHale heard small arms fire.
“Paratroopers” he said to nobody in particular.
“You think they’ll attack tonight?” Derek asked
“Nah, they won’t attack without tanks, they need the heavy support.” Harper cut in., “now, get some damn sleep. Both of you.”
It seemed like only minutes since he closed his eyes, but Harper shook him awake.
“They’re comin’ up soon. Get the squad ready, I’m going to the church for orders from Captain Foley.”
“Ok Sarge”
Then, less than 10 minutes later, McHale heard the thud whistle of mortars. As he saw men scramble for cover, the sky was lit with flares. Less than a minute later, Russian paratrooper started their attack. Small arms fire light up everything around him, as tracer’s whizzed past his head and he saw that Pvt. Mason was giving it to them good with his machine gun.
Then, silence. The paratroopers faltered, and fell back. A few cheers went out in other buildings, but not in his. Instead, he heard Derek scream for a medic. He was hit badly.
A piece of shrapnel hit his stomach, and tumbled as it entered. Before the medic was there, he was dead.
There was no time for remorse, in the 10 minutes that had elapsed, the paratroopers tried again. This time, with tanks along side them.
“Mason, don’t fire, tracers will give us away. McHale, Young, McClung, get the 120 loaded. Lets see if we can bag us a few Russian tanks.” Harper barked.
As the Russians pushed along the road, he could see they were taking heavy casualties. Anti-tank guns were kept hidden until they could attack their rear armor.
His ad-hoc crew cheered every time they destroyed a tank. But, when one blew up, 2 more took its place. All around him, he saw fires. Sgt. Harper lay dead on the floor, from a burst of machine gun fire. Around him were ammo casings, the shells of spent 120-mm rounds, and bloody bandages, even he was wounded.
Then blackness.
When McHale woke up again, most of his squad members were dead, and he was badly wounded in his leg. He looked at the 120-mm gun. Destroyed, tank round right into it. He saw a paratrooper squad move up to the house. McHale grabbed his Thompson, and propped himself against the wall. If he was gonna go down, he’d bring some more Russians down with him.
When the paratroopers saw he was still alive, they shouted for him to surrender. He answered with a burst of .45 slugs. He fought for about 2 minutes, but ran out of ammo. As he fumbled to get his Colt .45 out, a Russian charged. As he slumped to the ground, he saw the town blazing all around him. Sanford was taken. There alone, surrounded by Russians, Corporal McHale died of his wounds. He wouldn’t live to see the end of this war, and not many people would.
Nice guest post Deacon. I really enjoye reading AARs or books for that matter from the perspective of an ordinary soldier and not a General or a politician.
Good Job you two.
Good Job you two.
I dont know if I should continue this AAR .. i mean my writing skills really arent that good.. nothing compared to the better AAR's here
String, your writing is EXCELLENT. I only follow 2-3 AAR's at a time and yours is on that short list.
Btw. I get the impression you have served in the Red Army. Am I right? Since you claim to live in Tallinn nowadays, it must have been 15-20 years ago. That kind of experience would add a lot of credibility to a Soviet AAR!
Btw. I get the impression you have served in the Red Army. Am I right? Since you claim to live in Tallinn nowadays, it must have been 15-20 years ago. That kind of experience would add a lot of credibility to a Soviet AAR!
String your writing is quite good, at least on par with some of the top AAR's around here. Plus, it has a unique format, and reminds me of the move "Red Dawn" (I think thats the name).
Well no... I'm only 19 at the moment. But i all my uncles, my father, and most of my male relatives of over 35 have served in the soviet army. And all of them like to tell their army stories so..
I can consider myself well informed in that area. and yes i do live in Tallinn .. Ever been here as a tourist?
So falls Sanford. Good thing my grandparents would have been down in Mass. at the time.
This reminds me of the Red Alert 2 scenario (except in Red Alert, the soviets invaded from Mexico and both the coasts.)
i wonder who will come out on top
(except in Red Alert, the soviets invaded from Mexico and both the coasts.) i wonder who will come out on top
String, I've visited Tallinn almost once every year since 1994. Sometimes for just one day, sometimes for two days. I haven't been to Mustamäe, although it used to be a huge tourist attraction a few years ago... I just love the city. I think Tallinn is "väga ilus linn"! (I hope that was right. I've been trying to learn Estonian for a few years already, but I'm really slow...)
Great AAR! I hope you can overcome the writer's block soon!
Great AAR! I hope you can overcome the writer's block soon!
bleh... i really dont think this AAR is going to continue ...
by now i've really run out of the ideas i wanted to implement.. *shrug*
by now i've really run out of the ideas i wanted to implement.. *shrug*
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