The Fall of America | Book 6 | Call Sign Copperhead

by Benton, W. R.

  Suddenly, the turret flew into the air and fuel ignited, increasing the size of the flames, and now they were rolling inside of each other as they rose in the air. The turret came to rest about fifty feet from the tank and landed on its side. Then compressed gases, ammo, and other flammables began to cook off. My machine-guns opened fire with a steady rat-tat-tat. All of us had a mad minute as we emptied a magazine toward the Russians and then we retreated, after setting some mines.

  We had tested the weapon system, which was mainly my reason to be there, so we moved toward our base camp. As we returned to camp, I wondered how many Russians we'd killed. I left Ledford behind, high in the trees, to see how much damage we'd done. I doubted we killed many soldiers, but an expensive tank had been destroyed and each one we took out of action hurt the Russians.

  When I returned, I discovered the other T-90 was destroyed as well, but it cost the Chinese two attack helicopters and one crew. The second chopper destroyed the tank but had limped home damaged, and to the extent it was cheaper to replace the aircraft than repair it. I reported the HJ-12 missile system worked very well and completely as advertised. What I love about it was we could now attack tanks at longer distances and didn't have to move in close, which increased our risks of being killed or injured. I also liked the fact, once locked on a target, you could fire it and then forget about it, because it would stay on the target.

  Ledford returned later in the day and reported four dead Russians and a good dozen injured. Now, we had no idea how they were injured and some, I suspected, were injured when the tank blew.

  I didn't think it mattered how they were injured, as long as we took some Russians out of the field for a while.

  Two nights later, we were to hit a small, poorly guarded warehouse on a remote section of the fort. I selected two squads to do the mission, along with all the bicycles and horses we had to carry the loads we would take. My squad would kill the guards and steal the contents, as Eller's squad provided us security. There was one guard tower with a powerful search light, two guards on the ground, and the doors were locked with padlocks. My man, Corporal Jones, was deadly with a bow, and quiet, too. I'd have him take out all three guards if he could do so. The man in the tower might be a problem, so I'd have my .22 with silencer, if needed.

  It was near three in the morning as we moved in close to the chain linked fence that ran around the fort. We were wearing NVGs and I noticed the guards on the ground were wearing them as well. I watched the guard using the light for about ten minutes and noticed his routine. He'd always start with a long look at the fence checking, I suppose, to see if it had been cut or breached in some way. Then, he'd look around the bunker that held the supplies, then he'd scan the woods near the fence. Usually, he stopped at that point, and I saw he was a smoker. He'd smoke for a minute or two, then started moving the light all over again.

  I took the bolt-cutters we had, removed a wide section of the fence, and then sent my folks in one-by-one. I then moved to the base of the tower and made my way up the ladder. At the hatch that was installed in the floor, I tapped the wood. The guard immediately opened the door.

  I aimed for his face and fired four shots, each making a low sound as the cartridge fired. The man fell back and blood began to drip from the open hatch. I climbed inside the tower, waved to my people on the ground and saw Jones prepare an arrow. When one of the guards rounded the corner, the arrow was released and the guard dropped without a sound. The four slicing blades on the arrowhead stuck deep in the middle of his chest and continued out his back. I watched the bloody arrow stick in a tree. The next guard must have suspected something because he stopped, pulled his AK-47 and called out something in Russian. I had continued to move the light, so he had no reason to suspect I was an American. I moved the light near the body of the dead man and the guard moved to the downed form. I hadn't pointed my spotlight at the body or the live guard previously, but I did now, knowing the bright light would be hard on his eyes and the NVGs.

  It was then Jones released another arrow, and it took the last guard low and in the belly. When he screamed, two more arrows struck him dead center of his chest. He dropped to the ground without a sound, but the tips of two arrows were sticking from his back. I climbed from the tower, glad to be away from the coppery smell of blood, and knew I was covered in red from the ladder. It seemed every rung was wet and sticky.

  The lock on the bunker was quickly removed by the bolt-cutters and tossed to the side. The door was opened and inside we discovered a mountain of rations, chemical warfare gear, heavy and light machine-guns, six flamethrowers, ammunition, grenades, and a good hundred or more winter parkas with gloves and mittens. Green walked to the fence and removed a large section so our horses and bicycles could move to the door and be loaded.

  Near the back of the room I found a dozen cases of mines, which I'd put to good use. After everything was stripped from the bunker and the dead guards, I mined each body, the trap door on the tower, and the entrance walkway to the supply bunker and the bunker door. I removed all of the mines, but left the boxes against the wall and booby-trapped them as well. Removing the lock on a small storage shed marked “flammables”, I removed two five gallon cans of gas and placed them next to the mine boxes. If the mines went, they'd explode the gas cans too.

  Now, all we had to do was leave and move back a few yards. I hoped the guard didn't have to report in each hour or I was screwed, but I expected all to go well until the changing of the guards at daylight. Usually an NCO and three replacement guards would show. I'd pulled enough guard duty in the army to know how the detail was done. If we worked this properly, we'd kill the four of them too. The first squad was gone with all the supplies, so all I was doing now was inflicting injuries on the Russians. If we killed these men, we'd booby-trap their bodies too.

  Right at sunup an old American Jeep with a huge Russian flag painted on the hood neared with four occupants. I spotted the Senior Sergeant right off, because he was driving. His passengers were all privates and they looked bored.

  It was then I realized I should have dressed my folks as Russians and given him a hell of a surprise, but it was too late now. The two guards had been killed behind the bunker, so they were not seen, and the door was closed with the padlock hanging on the hasp. You'd have to get close to see the lock had been cut.

  The Sergeant turned the Jeep off, stepped from the vehicle and slipped the safety off his Bison. He then called out, “Сообщение охранников! Ваши замены - здесь! Охранники?”

  Xue whispered to me, “He's telling the guards we killed their replacements are here.”

  The Sergeant motioned for the men in the Jeep to come with him. I watched all safeties switch off on all the weapons they held. One man went around the bunker on one side while another went around the other way. They must have discovered the bodies and checked them, because I heard a loud explosion minutes later. The explosion was followed by piercing screams as dust and smoke rose toward the sky. The Sergeant and the last man ran to the rear of the bunker. Minutes later they returned with one man dripping blood from where his left arm used to be. The other man who'd walked behind the building returned with what appeared to be a minor injury to his cheek.

  The Sergeant picked up a small radio from the Jeep; it looked like a military walkie-talkie, and I watched him, I guess calling base to report the breach in the fence and the three, maybe four, dead men. I saw him shaking his head, nodding it, and then he said something and threw the radio to the passengers front seat in the Jeep.

  He then walked to the door, saw the lock was cut and removed it from the hasp. Now, obviously angry about something, he kicked the door open, which was the wrong thing to do. The door, booby-trapped, exploded, killing the Sergeant and a private instantly in a loud explosion of fire and dust. The remaining man, still by the jeep, picked up the radio. I pointed at the man, tapped my sniper on the shoulder and moved so he'd get a clear shot. Ledford fired once and t
he young Russian collapsed; the heavy slug struck him in the chest and penetrated his body, taking part of his spine with the bullet when it left. I heard the bullet strike the Jeep and then zing off into space.

  We then began to move home, but only after I neared the man at the Jeep. I found him dead and then dropped a grenade, with the pin pulled and with a rubber band around the spoon, in the gas tank. At some point in the future the gas would eat through the rubber band and the grenade would explode. As I was leaving I stuck an ace of spades card in the mouth of the dead Private. I wanted them to know we were back.

  We hadn't covered much distance when I heard a powerful explosion, I'd guess ten minutes after we'd left the bunker. When I looked over my shoulder, I saw smoke moving toward the sky so I knew someone had moved the empty boxes marked “mines.” Ledford had remained behind in a tree maybe a 100 yards from the Jeep. I'm sure he'd fill me in, and I looked forward to his report.

  Once back at main camp I did an after action report, praised the bravery of my troops, and then returned to my office. Sergeant Parsons said all was well and that Carol had been by to see me earlier. I detected a bit of jealousy, but let it go.

  The week earlier I'd caught Parsons removing her shirt and wearing only a vee neck tee. I only had to glance at her to see her cleavage. I knew what she was trying to do, only it wouldn't work because I loved Carol. I'd simply told her that I was the Commander, so I didn't want her running around in a tee shirt half naked. I felt she should be fully dressed at all times because we lived by example. While she was well endowed in the breast area, I didn't want my visitors drooling in my office. She'd complied, but didn't like it much and told me so. I simply told her it was an order and not open for discussion.

  Ledford returned after dark, and he'd seen a lot from his tree.

  “The first to arrive were the security cops and they surrounded the place, then about a company or so of grunts arrived. The security police entered the bunker and one of them must have moved the boxes marked mines, because the roof blew off the bunker and the flames shot out the door as the roof disappeared. I know that blast killed all ten men inside, because I watched it happen. Then, when they tried to move the bodies of the guards we'd killed, three more troops were seriously injured by booby traps. Finally, where you mined near the hole cut in the fence, a dog team went up in flames, along with a Captain, so we had a good day.”

  It was near two in the morning when I awoke hearing tank engines and there was more than one. I grabbed my weapons and ran to the communications tent.

  “Relax, sir. We have ten Chinese Type 79 tanks being assigned to us. According to the Chinese, you'd know how to use them on your mission against the fort.”

  “Contact Headquarters and ask if my mission to put down Xinya and Shui is still a go. Send the request in code, of course. Let me know immediately when they reply.”

  I took Sergeant Warren with me to meet the tank commander and discovered the tanks were driven by Americans. I honestly expected to see Chinese troops. The Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge (NOIC) was an Army Master Sergeant Alfred Brown and I liked him right off. He informed me they were to be used for a mission that involved entering Fort Wood, but that was all he knew. Each tank had a large white star on the side, and stenciled under the star were the words, United States of America. I grew proud just reading the words.

  I met his smile and said, “Come to my tent, Sergeant, and I'll give you an idea what our mission is to be.”

  Once in my tent, I poured both of us a double whiskey, handed a glass to him, and asked, “Drink?”

  “Just this one. I ain't much of a drinking man. Strong drink has ruined more than one black man.” he said, his white and even teeth bright against his dark skin.

  I gave a low chuckle and said, “It's ruined more than one white man too, so I don't think it's a problem that either race can ignore. Now, I don't think just one will hurt either of us, nor a second, if you want one. How much were you told about your mission and Fort Leonard Wood?”

  “Just that we were to go where you wanted us to go and we were being permanently assigned to your headquarters.” He took the glass of whiskey, drank about half of it, and then smiled.

  “I'm waiting confirmation and a date for the mission as we speak. I imagine the mission will be at night, so do your tanks have Night Vision installed in them?”

  “Yes, sir, and infrared too, along with a fully computerized system. Each Type 79 tank has a range finder, the hatches will automatically lower and lock when we enter a chemical biological area, and I can track aircraft in the air on my radar. My primary armament consists of 105 mm rifled gun and my secondary armament is a 7.62 mm coaxial and bow machine guns, along with a 12.7 mm antiaircraft machine gun. This tank is armed for bear, and I think you'll find us a valuable asset to your team, sir.”

  “How big are the crews?”

  “Four men per tank, sir. Each tank has a commander, driver, loader and gunner.”

  “Did you bring anything with you? I ask because we lack tents for forty men.”

  “We brought tents, individual weapons, chemical warfare gear, ammunition, grenades, some clothing, and enough rations for a week.” The Sergeant finished his drink.

  “Sergeant Parsons?”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “Take Master Sergeant Brown to the supply tent and wake up Manny. Tell him to give Sergeant Brown what he needs now and in the future. I'll have to radio Headquarters later this morning and increase my food supply, because feeding forty more men will take a lot of food.”

  “Yes, sir. Sergeant, if you'll follow me.” Parsons said, and away they went.

  No sooner than had they left than Eller stuck his head in the door and said, “Classified mission order in the communications tent for you, sir.”

  Chapter 17

  Captain Ilik Georgiy was eating with his troops when the tank commander opened his hatch and the top half of his body came out. He called out, “Thermal imager shows partisans about a hundred yards away and they are to our —”

  A huge explosion occurred that no one understood. The commander instantly ceased to exist, blown into minute pieces, and the tank was gone, covered in a twisting and turning ball of hot red flames. Then the turret went high into the air and the ammo started cooking off. In a matter of seconds, the three members of the tank crew were gone, instantaneously blown to bits.

  Intense small arms fire came on them from the west and it was devastating to the Russian infantry troops. Then machine-guns opened up on them. Their radioman was caught in the open, bullets stitching him down the middle of his body from the front and exiting the radio on his back. Plastic and rubber blew out behind him, all covered in ruddy blood and gore. Yakovic danced an almost comical dance as the many bullets struck him. He then fell to the ground, dead before he knew he was falling.

  The gunfire didn't last long, so when it stopped, Ilik positioned his people in better spots and caught no more fire from the resistance. From what he could remember of the tank, he'd seen a brief view of a rocket or missile before it struck beside the tank commander. Now he had to get his folks home without a radio or tank support, and he'd have to worry about Chinese helicopter gunships too.

  Finally, about an hour later, he said, “Let us get out of here. I want Pugin on point and Senya bringing up our rear. Pugin, move on a compass heading of 065 and it will take us right to the fort. Keep your eyes open for mines, of course, and I will rotate the point person every two hours.”

  The weather was cooperating, and not a cloud was seen in the sky. As they moved, Ilik kept seeing the tank commander flying apart. In his over twenty years in the Army, he'd never seen a tank destroyed so easily, and never by the resistance. He needed to get back to report what he'd seen to intelligence. I suspect the weapon is from the Chinese, because the Americans do not have the capability to make such a thing, he thought. Partisans are usually crude and while what they make usually works, to destroy a tank is not an easy task.

/>   It was middle afternoon when the sound of a helicopter was heard and looking up, his stomach knotted with fear—he saw it was a Russian aircraft. He waved his arms and jumped up and down. The aircraft landed and a crew member ran to him. Captain Georgiy explained about his radio and the pilot said the helicopter would return to base and get one for him. In the mean time, the crewman left his survival radio so he could at least communicate if he needed help.

  They remained in their spot and an hour later he had a replacement radio and gave the crewman his radio back.

  By dusk they were nearing Fort Leonard Wood, but knew they'd have to spend the night.

  “Base, Cobra One, over.

  “Go, Cobra One.”

  “I am calling in my night position at this time.” Georgiy gave his position.

  “Understand; Black Sharks have seen a number of partisan groups moving in the area. These groups vary in size from five soldiers to almost a company. If you run into trouble, we have both attack helicopters and artillery available to assist you, over.”

  “Copy, and Cobra One out.”

  Ilik opened his 'green frog' ration and discovered he had a portion of stewed beef, two meat-with-vegetables dishes, two spreads, one was a sausage stuffing, the other was a processed cheese. There was much more in the frog, but that was all he wanted right now. The box was nicknamed 'green frog' by Russian troops, because it came in a sturdy olive drab plastic blister pack. It provided enough food for one soldier for a whole day. The Captain only ate once a day usually, so his evening meal was big. He'd nibble on the crackers and breads later, along with the jellies.

  Just after eating he was handed the radio by Junior Sergeant Timur and he said, “Base for you, sir.”