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Authors: Harold Coyle
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sighting, then contact with the lead enemy element. As Team Yankee's artillery fire-support team, or FIST, was detached to the Scout Platoon while they were deployed forward, Bannon listened intently, hoping he wouldn't lose that valuable combat asset. The Scout Platoon's mission was to cover the withdrawal of the last of the cavalry, engage the enemy's lead elements in an effort to deceive them as to where the covering force area ended and the main battle area, or MBA, began, and then withdraw through Team Yankee. Their fight was to be short but important. Once they started firing, the battle had passed from the cavalry to the battalion. Though it still had to roll through sporadic artillery fire impacting in the village and up the little valley to the Team's right, the cavalry's battle was over. Team Yankee's first battle was about to begin.
The radio on the Team net came to life as First Sergeant Harrert called, "ROMEO 25-THIS
IS ROMEO 970VER." He was still in the village and still alive.
"ROMEO 97-THIS IS ROMEO 25-WHAT KIND OF SHAPE ARE YOU IN7-OVER." "THIS IS
97-1 HAVE ONE WHISKEY INDIA APLHA
-THE NOVEMBER 8 TANGO ELEMENT HAS COMPLETED PASSAGE-WAITING ON
THE TANGO 9
FOXTROT ELEMENT NOW-OVER."
"THIS IS 25-DO YOU NEED THE BANDAID FOR THE CASUALTY7-OVER." "THIS IS
97-NEGATIVE-HE CAN WAITOVER."
"THIS IS 25-THE TANGO 9 FOXTROT ELEMENT IS NOW IN CONTACT-I EXPECT THEM
TO
START BACK WITHIN THREE ZERO MIKES-HANG IN THERE-OVER."
"THIS IS 97-WILCO-OVER."
So far everything was working according to plan. In their haste to occupy firing positions, the Team had probably screwed up most of its camouflage nets. But right now, that was the least of Bannon's worries. He continued to listen to the Scout Platoon's fight, now being joined by reports from Team Bravo. Team Bravo, occupying the hill across the small valley from Team Yankee, was under fire from several battalions' worth of Soviet artillery. The initial and frantic report from the Team Bravo commander over the battalion radio net was cut off in mid-sentence. Attempts by the battalion S-3 to reestablish contact with Team Bravo failed. That meant that either its command track had had its antennas blown off or it had been hit.
The 1st Tank Platoon of Team Yankee was attached to Team Bravo. The I st Platoon was probably in the middle of the impact area, judging from the fragmented report Bannon had monitored. Although he was concerned that some of his people were under fire, there was nothing that he could do. The thought "Better them than me," flashed through his mind. For a moment, Bannon was ashamed that he could harbor such a selfish thought. However, he immediately was able to rationalize by reminding himself that he was only human. With that, he turned his attention to more immediate and pressing problems.
Reports from the scouts continued to come in. One of the scout tracks had been hit, and contact with another had been lost. From the reported locations of the enemy's lead element, the scouts weren't slowing him down. Finally, the scout platoon leader requested permission to displace. Realizing that leaving the scouts out there wasn't going to do the battalion any good, the battalion commander gave his permission to withdraw.
Unfortunately, this permission had come too late. The barriers and artillery that were supposed to slow the Soviet advance and allow the Scout Platoon a chance to pass through Team Yankee didn't slow the enemy. Ignoring losses inflicted on them by mines, artillery, and the Scout Platoon, the Soviets pushed forward. They were hell-bent for leather to break through and intended to do so regardless of the price. The Scout Platoon leader informed the battalion commander that rather than try for the passage through Team Yankee, he was going to withdraw to the south and cross at an alternate passage point.
This was not a good turn of events for the Team. With the scouts went Team Yankee's artillery FIST Team. Bannon had never been keen on the
The radio on the Team net came to life as First Sergeant Harrert called, "ROMEO 25-THIS
IS ROMEO 970VER." He was still in the village and still alive.
"ROMEO 97-THIS IS ROMEO 25-WHAT KIND OF SHAPE ARE YOU IN7-OVER." "THIS IS
97-1 HAVE ONE WHISKEY INDIA APLHA
-THE NOVEMBER 8 TANGO ELEMENT HAS COMPLETED PASSAGE-WAITING ON
THE TANGO 9
FOXTROT ELEMENT NOW-OVER."
"THIS IS 25-DO YOU NEED THE BANDAID FOR THE CASUALTY7-OVER." "THIS IS
97-NEGATIVE-HE CAN WAITOVER."
"THIS IS 25-THE TANGO 9 FOXTROT ELEMENT IS NOW IN CONTACT-I EXPECT THEM
TO
START BACK WITHIN THREE ZERO MIKES-HANG IN THERE-OVER."
"THIS IS 97-WILCO-OVER."
So far everything was working according to plan. In their haste to occupy firing positions, the Team had probably screwed up most of its camouflage nets. But right now, that was the least of Bannon's worries. He continued to listen to the Scout Platoon's fight, now being joined by reports from Team Bravo. Team Bravo, occupying the hill across the small valley from Team Yankee, was under fire from several battalions' worth of Soviet artillery. The initial and frantic report from the Team Bravo commander over the battalion radio net was cut off in mid-sentence. Attempts by the battalion S-3 to reestablish contact with Team Bravo failed. That meant that either its command track had had its antennas blown off or it had been hit.
The 1st Tank Platoon of Team Yankee was attached to Team Bravo. The I st Platoon was probably in the middle of the impact area, judging from the fragmented report Bannon had monitored. Although he was concerned that some of his people were under fire, there was nothing that he could do. The thought "Better them than me," flashed through his mind. For a moment, Bannon was ashamed that he could harbor such a selfish thought. However, he immediately was able to rationalize by reminding himself that he was only human. With that, he turned his attention to more immediate and pressing problems.
Reports from the scouts continued to come in. One of the scout tracks had been hit, and contact with another had been lost. From the reported locations of the enemy's lead element, the scouts weren't slowing him down. Finally, the scout platoon leader requested permission to displace. Realizing that leaving the scouts out there wasn't going to do the battalion any good, the battalion commander gave his permission to withdraw.
Unfortunately, this permission had come too late. The barriers and artillery that were supposed to slow the Soviet advance and allow the Scout Platoon a chance to pass through Team Yankee didn't slow the enemy. Ignoring losses inflicted on them by mines, artillery, and the Scout Platoon, the Soviets pushed forward. They were hell-bent for leather to break through and intended to do so regardless of the price. The Scout Platoon leader informed the battalion commander that rather than try for the passage through Team Yankee, he was going to withdraw to the south and cross at an alternate passage point.
This was not a good turn of events for the Team. With the scouts went Team Yankee's artillery FIST Team. Bannon had never been keen on the
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