by Unknown
Ricks took some binoculars and scanned the line. “There’s a new emplacement over there,” he said. “They tried to cover it up, but I can see the slit and some activity inside. Let me get a better view,” he said. Ricks skirted through the trees and over near the old trash barrels that had been there seemingly forever. Cautiously, he peered over the top of the barrels.
The DMZ was like it always was. The North side had watchtowers and some emplacements along with the barbed wire fence that was standard issue with a border. But something was different. He motioned Hufham over. “Take a look along our side of the line,” he said.
Hufham eased up and looked down the South Korean side. The ground had been disturbed recently and in some places the recent rains caused the soil to compact where it had been dug up. Every few feet there was a sort of indentation in the ground. Even though there was some grass covering the place, it was not at the same height as the rest. Hufham scanned the far side. There were no such indentations. Looking further along the edge, it appeared some poles on the fence had grown. Closer inspection of the base of the poles gave another clue. A portion of the dirt was not quite the same color as the rest. There was also another pole leaning up against the fence pole from the back to give it support. Every fourth pole was the same.
“You looking at the new poles?” Ricks said interrupting his thoughts.
“Sneaky sumbitches. Looks like they turned the Z into a killing ground. They mined both sides and set in new pillboxes. Let’s take a trot down to the old road,” Hufham said. They gathered a squad of men and walked back to the trail in the woods behind the South side. Ten minutes later they came on the old crossing that had been there before the first conflict in the late Forties. The road had grown over except for two ruts that were too compacted for a plant to take root in. The old road ran through the woods and met up eventually with another road inside South Korea. The younger soldiers didn’t see anything worth noting, but Hufham and Ricks caught it immediately. They backed their men into the woods.
Hufham brought them together. “Okay, listen up. We have enemy troops around our side. That fence has been changed and the road was traveled very recently. Did you notice the grass is almost gone?” The guys shook their heads. “Well, we were here before. What else did you notice, Staff Sergeant Ricks?”
“The leaves have been disturbed along the line and head off into the trees. There are also two mounds of dirt that weren’t there before. They tried to cover it up with some grass and leaves, but the leaves don’t match the trees around them. I bet we either have a trap door or some sort of tunnel. I bet there are even some snipers in the trees. What kind of equipment are we carrying?” he asked.
“Just rifles mostly. I have some grenades that we carried along, but nothing heavy,” said the Sergeant.
“Anything with a silencer?”
“Nothing like that.”
“Okay, we fall back to the compound. When we get there get two guys to go back in the truck and bring up some explosives, a sniper, a large battery, and about twenty more guys. Tell the Colonel we have DPRs on our side all settled in. Tell him we’re going to try and clean them out,” Hufham said. “Now get your guys and head back.”
The men began walking casually but on alert through the woods. Ricks stayed behind just a minute then caught back up. He settled in beside Hufham. “Paul, I caught sight of two dense notches in some trees along the road. There are also some thick clumps of vegetation about twenty yards back. You know what I think?”
“That this is one of their supply lines. They didn’t open up on us because they want to keep it a secret. They probably open the fence at night and then close it during the day to keep it from being discovered,” Hufham said nonchalantly.
“Glad we think alike. You figure on sneaking up on them just after dusk and doing it really quietly?”
“As quiet as we can. I’d like to do it as the first trucks come across. If we can stop a bunch in the Z, it would make it tough to use that road again. If I know the colonel, he’ll rustle up some air cover and follow the line back.”
“Makes sense. What’s the battery for?”
Hufham stopped a second and took a draw from his canteen. “You remember our system of mines. They were controlled in the watchtower.”
“Yea, but we lost electricity.”
“Actually, there is a battery backup, which I’ll need to replace. All the wires and the control panel are on the undamaged side of the tower. If we can activate our side, when the trucks start spilling over…”
Ricks grinned as the idea struck him. “Those things will go off killing everything in sight. When will you turn it on?”
“I’ll have a guy here with his hand on the switch. When he hears the first explosion, he punches them all on.”
“Not bad at all, Sergeant Major, sir.”
They arrived at the clearing and Ricks grabbed a man and took off in the Jeep for the command post. Hufham stayed back and kept everyone hidden. He wanted everyone to think they left the area.
Late that evening, Sgt. Ben Miller inched forward wearing his night vision goggles. Ten pair were sent forward for the troops on this mission. As he slowly made his way up the road the outline of men hiding in the trees and in the surrounding area became clear. All of the American troops were behind him or holding a position to the left of the road. When the men came up from the command post, Ricks stopped them at the junction with the old road. The truck made its way to the compound. Only two had gotten off the truck. The second sniper was ten feet behind and to the left on the other side of the road. Using hand signals he indicated for the other man to take the second target in a tree just twenty yards further on. Both men got down on one knee and aimed. There was a soft “pap” as the muzzled rifles went off. It almost sounded like a tree limb falling somewhere. Miller knew the shots were good as both targets jerked from the impact and slumped in their perch.
The two men continued up the road. Forty yards farther they caught sight of two men preparing what looked like a machine gun behind a blind. The blind had cut off some of the body heat, but the gun and the movement in the open revealed them. Miller directed the other sniper around to the left and he moved to the right. Using techniques actually taught to him by the Cherokee Indians, he was able to silently walk through the leaves until he was in a good firing position. He waited until this partner was in position and raised his hand. Once again, he took aim and squeezed the trigger. One man went down slightly before the other and there was a low moan that came from the position. Luckily no one responded.
The third position was a problem. The men were walking just thirty feet away when suddenly a door flipped open on the ground and men began to come out. There was light in the bunker they were in and as a result, the exiting soldiers had no night vision. There were four men. They walked past the snipers and up to the fence. One began working with some sort of latch on one side and the barbed wires slid aside.
Scanning the area from side to side the snipers noticed there was some heat coming out of two openings at the base of the fence posts. Another door opened down the fence line and several more men came out stretching their legs and arms. Across the DMZ the sound of a truck starting alerted everyone.
Miller scanned the trees again and found them clear. He looked deeper in the woods on the left of the road and caught the outline of a number of men crouching and waiting. He raised his hand and waved for them to move forward.
Miller saw one of the men raise up, followed by the rest and begin moving up. Miller signaled the other sniper to back away and target the men standing closest to the now open fence.
Hufham led the squad to the left. He sent Ricks back to the old road to come up the road behind the snipers. The snipers wore a special patch that reflected into the night vision goggles so they could be identified. Ricks saw the snipers crouching on the left hand side of the road. One turned and saw them coming. Ricks raised a hand and waved. The figure waved back. He eased up to one of th
e men and crouched beside him. “When the truck comes through, take out the driver and any passenger.” Miller nodded and relayed it to his partner while Ricks fell back to his men.
The truck churned up the road and approached the open gate. One of the soldiers was caught in the glare of the shaded headlights. The soldier waved them on. The driver gave the truck some gas and pushed past the gate. He was a little surprised to see something black in the road. The last thing he saw was what looked like a small flash and a puff of smoke.
The lead truck swerved off the road and into the trees on the right hand side, striking a thick tree and coming to a halt. Its bed blocked the road for the others. Two of the soldiers ran up to the truck to see what was wrong and were dropped like stones from the silenced rifles. The lights from the second truck clearly illuminated their fall.
Another soldier cried out an alarm as Hufham and his men began throwing grenades along the trucks and fence line. The explosions filled the air with deadly shrapnel, further stopping the line of trucks. Some of the drivers saw what was going on and tried to get off the road and turn around.
At the sound of the explosion a private sitting in the old watchtower hit the switch activating the mines. Immediately mines started going off under trucks up and down the roadway. Those still on the road had no place to run. As several men jumped out of their cabs and began to run back to their line, the mines went off under their feet. Flashes of light were appearing all along the DMZ line where the trucks and men were. Each outlined something almost like a strobe light in a disco.
At the same time the call went out for air cover. A flight of ten Warthogs suddenly zoomed over the hills and began following the road back into North Korea. The line of trucks was over a mile long and many more were making their way to the same point. Within 30 minutes nearly 200 trucks were burning wrecks.
As the explosions began, Ricks and his men poured up the road into the small compound. The North Korean soldiers fought back as best they could, but there was no way for them to win. Several threw up their hands. Ricks detailed some men to guard the prisoners while he and a man with the flamethrower followed Miller to the doors they had seen. The first door was opened and Ricks jumped in with his 9mm pistol. The small cave like enclosure had some bunks on one side and a few cases of food and water. Other tunnels led out of it. Ricks followed one to a room where a radio operator was telling his people what was happening. Ricks shot the transmitter and held the gun on the operator. The operator grabbed for a pistol on the table and Ricks shot him in the head. A shout came from another tunnel and Ricks waited until an officer walked into the main room. Ricks clubbed him over the head and watched him fall to the floor.
Fire erupted from the two enclosures below the fence posts. The men topside began to dive for cover as the bullets sprayed the area. Hufham grabbed a grenade and threw it, but there was no effect. He saw two of his men go down from one burst and tried to get the snipers to try and hit the slits. Nothing seemed to work and the machine guns continued to pepper the area. Hufham was about to rush the enclosures when first one and then the other stopped firing.
The area became very quiet. Then a door opened nearby and Ricks shouted, “Tunnels clear!”
Hufham let out a sigh. “Thank god,” he said. “I was about to frag your ass, Ricks.”
“Thanks for waiting on me. This place is honeycombed with these damn little tunnels. I suggest we finish cleaning them out and then blow them,” Ricks said.
Shouts came from the road and the men saw several truck drivers running up with their arms raised. A squad of soldiers began running along the road of trucks and Hufham and his men opened up on them, mowing them down as they reached the center. In one case, a soldier strayed off the road and tripped another mine. Machine guns had now opened up along the North Korean side spraying the general area.
Hufham made a second call for air support and within minutes napalm was spread along the fence on the north side. In a few minutes all shooting had ceased. Using their night vision glasses the snipers set up shop beside the first truck. As heat blooms appeared, the men took their shots. It didn’t take long before no one was appearing on the other side.
The men began clearing the area and setting up their own guard post. Another was set up at the old observation compound a few hundred meters away. The men found a third partially completed post 100 meters to the right of the road. This provided an excellent crossfire for that crossing. Ricks supervised the return of the prisoners. He gathered them on the road 50 meters away from the fence. A truck was sent up with some additional guards and the prisoners were loaded in. The officer began shouting something at the men, but Ricks’ pistol shoved under his chin silenced him. He was gagged and thrown in the truck tied hand and foot. The enlisted men seemed to enjoy it. When the truck left, Ricks returned to the compound.
Hufham handed him a cup of freshly made coffee. “Here you go, Dale. Have some of this MRE horse grunge they call coffee.”
Ricks took the mug and took a long sip. The warmth felt good. “Mmmmm. Just like Mom used to make,” he said. “The prisoners are on their way.”
“Give you any trouble?”
“Not really. The officer started saying something but I stopped him. We tied him up and gagged him for the trip south.”
“Serves him right. Colonel Peterson is on his way up. He’s going to chew you out.”
“What for?”
“Jumping down in that hole and playing mole. You’re going to get your ass shot, Dale. Then what will I tell Su Lynn?”
“I died with my boots on. Come on, Paul, we both know it had to be done. Otherwise you would still be pinned down by those two pillboxes.”
“I know, but he has to play papa. Just take it and let it go. I can’t stop you, so I know he can’t,” Hufham grinned. “Nice job by the way.”
“Humph,” Ricks grunted. “Did anyone think to bring up some MREs for dinner? I’m starved.”
“They’re coming with the Colonel,” Hufham said. He noticed one of the snipers walking past him. “Hey, Miller! Nice job man. You guys are slick as glass.”
Miller walked over and sat down next to the men. “Thanks, Sergeant Major. Glad we could help out.”
“Where you from, son? You shoot like nothing I’ve ever seen,” Ricks said.
“Raised in the woods near Franklin, North Carolina. Been shootin’ since I was three.”
“Man, I can tell. What kind of rifle is that?” Ricks asked.
“Miller pulled the rifle around. ‘It’s an M40A5, a Marine Corps weapon. Based on the Remington 700. I like it ‘cause I can put on this night vision scope. Feels real nice,” he said, not letting go of the weapon.
Ricks looked it over but didn’t take it. He heard snipers were particular about their weapons and he respected that. “I may just find me one of these when I get back. Thanks for the help.”
“You guys Army?” asked Hufham.
“No, sir, we’re with the First Marine Division. We joined up with your guys just a few hours ago and when they said they needed some sharpshooters, we volunteered to come up. It’s been a hell of a walk,” he said pleasantly.
“Well, welcome to the Army, Miller. You guys going to hang around?”
“For a bit. When we’re not really needed we’ll head back to the CP. Till then we might just watch the other side and see what pops up,” Miller said.
“Semper Fi!” said Hufham.
“Hoo rah!”
The men chuckled as Miller made his way back to the fence.
“The Marines have landed,” Ricks joked.
Hufham chuckled. “From what I heard there’s a shit load of different services starting to pile up behind us. Dale, I think the push is on.”
A Humvee made its way up the road and stopped below the crest of the hill. A figure got out of the passenger side and walked up to Hufham and Ricks.
“You two still lounging around?” Peterson growled.
The two men came to their feet. “
Everything’s secure for now, Colonel. We captured six including an officer. They are on the way back. The snipers are on the line looking for bad guys and we have secured the area.”
“Good. We’re bringing some mortars up in case they try and retake this place. Just make sure everybody’s ready. Ricks, I want to talk to you a minute,” he said taking him by the arm and walking him out of earshot.
“Ricks, am I going to have to kick your ass? What the fuck are you thinking jumping into a set of tunnels?”
“Colonel, they were too spread out and separate for a flamethrower to work. Somebody had to get in there and take care of business. If we didn’t there were still guys in there shooting at us and might have killed a few of my guys. It just had to be done.”
“Yeah, but we have other guys who can do the hard jobs. I need your experience and your leadership to get this job done and I can’t use it if you’re dead. Sergeant, you have to delegate things like that out damnit. You know better!”
“Yes, sir,” Ricks said. There was no feeling in his voice.
“Look, Ricks, you’re one of the best non-commissioned officers I have. I need you. It’s going to take a long time to get this over with and without you it will make it tougher on me and everyone else. So be a little more careful will ya.”
Ricks smiled. “Okay, Boss. Paul already gave me the Su Lynn speech.”
“Just another reason I want you to be careful. The other one is me having to write your parents and tell them how you died an honorable death. Don’t make me do that,” he said pointing his finger in Ricks’ face.
Ricks threw up his hands. “I give up. I promise not to be a hero, Papa,” he said.
Peterson shook his head. “You jerk.”
The truck with the mortars and ammunition came up. Ricks took charge of unloading them and setting up the stations, three there and three at the other compound. Lt. Colonel Peterson assigned a young Captain to be in charge of the station along with some new men. At 3 am the position was shelled from across the line knocking out the mortars and killing half the new crew. More reinforcements were rushed in and a line of field artillery set up on the opposite hill. The artillery on the north side was located and bombed. There was something about that crossing that the North wanted.
