"The Bells are Calling" (Part 2/2)
1/2 & 1/3 dash across a field to seize the west approach
Some resistance is met,
but nothing superior firepower can't fix.
The building complex is secured. Both German teams seen in the shot retreated after a short firefight.
With the church now empty, I order 1/3 to climb up to the tower as they have both .30-cal
and a sniper rifle.
On the southern flank, 2/2 & 2/3 slowly make their way towards the south approach.
Not much opposition here either. Few Germans are holed up inside the building across
the street, so while 2/2 provides covering fire, 2/3 assaults and finishes off the last Germans.
This would be much easier if my silly mortars hadn't wasted all their grenades in the first mission.
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Decision time!
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"No Platoon Left Behind"
0345 6 June 1944, Village S of C CO. DZ
Evans stared down the main street, his ears still ringing from the sounds of
gunfire. Finally, the moment he had been waiting for arrived as Lt. Ford emerged
from a house at the end of the road and walked calmly back to Evans' position.
"All clear, sir. We searched everywhere, and there're no Krauts left 'cept for
dead ones."
Evans allowed himself to relax a little. "Good work. Let's go to the church and
see how Johnson's getting on."
The three officers and their headquarters elements walked wordlessly up the
small hill to the village church. As they were about to enter the church,
Lt. Johnson came out to meet them.
"Well, we needn't have worried," said the stocky Minnesotan. "Church isn't in
good shape; the stairs up to the bell tower are broken. No way anyone's getting
up there."
"What about a ladder?" mused Bautz. "Is there anything nearby anyone could use?"
Johnson shook his head. "No, sir, there were no Krauts up there. If there were,
we'd have known by now."
"No, I think Ben's talking about anything we could use," said Evans.
"Think we could get someone up there?"
Johnson thought for a bit. "I'll get some guys on it, sir." It would provide an
awfully good vantage point."
"Right, get to work," said Evans. Evans, and Ford began to walk back down the
small hill to the main street, when one of Ford's paratroopers approached the pair.
"Captain, sir," said the soldier. "There's a street sign a bit down the road.
Says Sainte-Mére-Èglise is down the road that way. Also, 1st Platoon managed
to find us."
Lieutenant Spurgin emerged from one of the houses. "Good to see you, sir. Thanks
for providin' all that gunfire. Made for one hell of a beacon."
"Glad you could make it, Lieutenant," said Evans, clasping the tall Texan's hand.
Ford, looking at the road sign, shook his head. "That doesn't make sense. This says
Sainte-Mére-Église is to the west."
Evans groaned. "****. I knew this was too good to be true. Looks like we landed
between the 505th and 101st."
Bautz demurred. "I don't know, sir. If we landed between them, I would expect to
have seen more of their guys. We haven't seen anyone except ourselves and the Krauts."
"I know, Lieutenant, but it's the only thing that makes sense. We've got to get
to Sainte-Mére-Èglise before the 505th gets their asses kicked."
"Agreed, sir. Let's go."
"Hold on, sir," said Spurgin. "Are we going to leave anyone in the village?"
"I don't see why we should," said Ford. "Keep our combat power at maximum."
"And if we're wrong about where we are, we'll have nowhere we can come back to.
What if the Germans take it back when we leave, and we've got nowhere safe to hole up?"
Evans thought about it for a moment, and came to a conclusion.
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1) Leave a platoon in the village
2) Take your whole company westward