still very excited. “Request permission to fly over?”
“Negative,” Sergeant Moore said quickly and very firmly, before Pebbles could say anything. He smiled and glanced at Colonel Lemay, whose eyes were wide as the view of the buildings filled the monitor.
“Breathe Colonel,” Peebles said softly with a smile, jerking his number two man back to the camp.
“This is unreal,” he whispered so that only the General could hear. Peebles nodded.
“Captain Gardner calm down and remain in position,” the General added, knowing the rebuke would achieve the desired result, and it did. Gardner instantly took it for what it was and once again became a distant, cold professional observer of the surrounding terrain.
“Yes Sir!” Gardner replied immediately. “Target area is clear, no sign of any boogies. Sergeant Moore will arrive at my position in two minutes.
They all waited, marveling that two minutes could last so long, but finally the radio came to life.
“We’re in position on the road. It runs to the northeast as well as the southwest,” Moore reported back. “It’s crude but will help us to increase our speed. Heading southwest toward the target area; Captain, do you see anything?”
“Negative. No movement. No sign of life.”
“Roger moving out...speed passing thirty-five miles an hour...now forty.”
“Sergeant, can you see the target area?” Colonel Lemay suddenly asked.
“Negative.”
“Distance to target area 3.75 miles,” Gardner said. The entire camp was completely silent now.
“Sergeant, report when you have visual,” was all that Peebles said, and then they all waited tensely. As he waited with the others, the General forced himself to relax and loosen his grip on the side of the table. The excitement for the reconnaissance party must be nearly overwhelming he knew and was fiercely proud of their control.
“Visual sighting,” Moore finally said with just a trace of emotion.
“Target 1.22 miles,” Jefferies chimed in.
“Confirmed,” Sadao reported from his hummer, his laser sighting already set and ready. Sergeant Moore chided himself silently for not being as ready.
“Captain Gardner begin fly over of the target,” the Sergeant ordered and above the Bot shot toward the buildings. “Keep your current altitude Captain.”
“Roger,” Gardner replied and then the ultra-light was over the target area.
Sergeant Moore touched a button on the side of his helmet magnifying the surrounding area by twenty times in order to get a better look at the buildings. The view was unimpressive, three squat buildings built mostly of rock, mud and grass. One seemed to be partially collapsed, but still the Sergeant was left breathless; it may have worked. They could have gone back. Peebles switched views and came to the same conclusion.
“Target area clear, no sign of boogies,” Gardner reported, as he circled around for a second pass.
“Maintain visual,” Sergeant Moore responded. “All right let’s go,” he said and the hummers leaped forward, racing at the maximum safe speed, which in this case that was just over forty-five miles an hour. As they moved forward, the men manning the M60’s continuously adjusted their weapons to cover the approaching buildings. The two vehicles slowed approximately seventy yards from the nearest hovel, one moving off the road to the right, the other to the left, they stopped flanking the buildings perfectly. Two sides of all three buildings were visible from one vehicle or the other.
“Target area clear,” Gardner reported watching the progress of the men below.
“Move,” Sergeant Moore yelled, and eight men jumped quickly out of the safety of their vehicles and made for the south and north ends of the nearest shack. As they rushed forward, they were covered closely by the men manning the M60’s. The building was low only about five feet to the edge of the thatched roof, and there were no windows on the visible side. Sergeant Moore led
“Negative,” Sergeant Moore said quickly and very firmly, before Pebbles could say anything. He smiled and glanced at Colonel Lemay, whose eyes were wide as the view of the buildings filled the monitor.
“Breathe Colonel,” Peebles said softly with a smile, jerking his number two man back to the camp.
“This is unreal,” he whispered so that only the General could hear. Peebles nodded.
“Captain Gardner calm down and remain in position,” the General added, knowing the rebuke would achieve the desired result, and it did. Gardner instantly took it for what it was and once again became a distant, cold professional observer of the surrounding terrain.
“Yes Sir!” Gardner replied immediately. “Target area is clear, no sign of any boogies. Sergeant Moore will arrive at my position in two minutes.
They all waited, marveling that two minutes could last so long, but finally the radio came to life.
“We’re in position on the road. It runs to the northeast as well as the southwest,” Moore reported back. “It’s crude but will help us to increase our speed. Heading southwest toward the target area; Captain, do you see anything?”
“Negative. No movement. No sign of life.”
“Roger moving out...speed passing thirty-five miles an hour...now forty.”
“Sergeant, can you see the target area?” Colonel Lemay suddenly asked.
“Negative.”
“Distance to target area 3.75 miles,” Gardner said. The entire camp was completely silent now.
“Sergeant, report when you have visual,” was all that Peebles said, and then they all waited tensely. As he waited with the others, the General forced himself to relax and loosen his grip on the side of the table. The excitement for the reconnaissance party must be nearly overwhelming he knew and was fiercely proud of their control.
“Visual sighting,” Moore finally said with just a trace of emotion.
“Target 1.22 miles,” Jefferies chimed in.
“Confirmed,” Sadao reported from his hummer, his laser sighting already set and ready. Sergeant Moore chided himself silently for not being as ready.
“Captain Gardner begin fly over of the target,” the Sergeant ordered and above the Bot shot toward the buildings. “Keep your current altitude Captain.”
“Roger,” Gardner replied and then the ultra-light was over the target area.
Sergeant Moore touched a button on the side of his helmet magnifying the surrounding area by twenty times in order to get a better look at the buildings. The view was unimpressive, three squat buildings built mostly of rock, mud and grass. One seemed to be partially collapsed, but still the Sergeant was left breathless; it may have worked. They could have gone back. Peebles switched views and came to the same conclusion.
“Target area clear, no sign of boogies,” Gardner reported, as he circled around for a second pass.
“Maintain visual,” Sergeant Moore responded. “All right let’s go,” he said and the hummers leaped forward, racing at the maximum safe speed, which in this case that was just over forty-five miles an hour. As they moved forward, the men manning the M60’s continuously adjusted their weapons to cover the approaching buildings. The two vehicles slowed approximately seventy yards from the nearest hovel, one moving off the road to the right, the other to the left, they stopped flanking the buildings perfectly. Two sides of all three buildings were visible from one vehicle or the other.
“Target area clear,” Gardner reported watching the progress of the men below.
“Move,” Sergeant Moore yelled, and eight men jumped quickly out of the safety of their vehicles and made for the south and north ends of the nearest shack. As they rushed forward, they were covered closely by the men manning the M60’s. The building was low only about five feet to the edge of the thatched roof, and there were no windows on the visible side. Sergeant Moore led
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