Patriot Dawn: The Resistance Rises

by Velocity, Max

  As Jack assessed the situation he saw that there was enemy fire coming from the north of the DZ, from the buildings and some Humvees. He noticed that the Regime troops that he could see were wearing blue uniforms.

  So the reports were true, The Leader did not trust active duty army units within DC, and had entrusted his protection to a praetorian guard of blue shirts.

  The paratroopers from the other two aircraft were landing around him, the three C-130s banking off to the south past the drop zone to begin their run back south to the Federation lines.

  As the Company started to recover from the jump, along the line they were getting their weapons into action. The Company was still in the open on the grassy Mall and they needed to move. The fire support platoon was closest to Jack and they got their 240s into action, hammering away at the Regime forces to the north.

  As the platoons rallied, they started to put down suppressive fire and move to the north, covered by the gunners of the fire support platoon. There were some stragglers, ones who had landed in trees or into the Constitution Gardens Pond, straggling out soaking wet. Orders were to move once the elements reached seventy percent strength at the rally points, so the platoons were already moving on the objective.

  This operation had to be bold to succeed, and there was no time to waste bogging down in an urban fight to the White House through the surrounding buildings. Jack got on the radio and ordered them to move rapidly north, as planned, and this spurred the platoon leaders into action.

  1st Platoon began to run forward, fire and maneuvering by squads towards the ellipse. The resistance from the blue shirts was rapidly overcome. It appeared they lacked the moral or physical courage to stand in the face of determined opposition. 2nd Platoon followed 1st and soon the two platoons had eclipsed the fire support provided by the gunners so they had to cease fire.

  Jack rapidly organized the Company into a classic formation at the southern end of the ellipse and they pushed north towards the White House.

  Across the frontage of the ellipse 1st Platoon was on the right, 3rd Platoon was on the left, tactical HQ central and behind with 3rd Platoon following a tactical bound behind. The Fire support platoon was split with a squad to each flank and the third squad to the rear. It was a ‘two up, one back’ Company formation and they started to jog across the open ground towards the White House.

  Enemy fire was light and sporadic, not effective. It seemed that at the heart of darkness, the eye of the storm, it was just a paper tiger.

  The White House itself was an incongruous sight. Rather than the Stars and Stripes flying proudly above the building, it was the new Regime flag, looking entirely out of place.

  When they were two hundred meters from the White House the Company encountered some effective fire and went into fire and movement, popping smoke and bounding forwards by squads.

  Shortly after, there was a roar of engines and from behind the White House, to the north, rose up two Apache helicopters. The attack helicopters climbed into a hover, framing either side of the Regime flag atop the building. They fired their cannon towards the Company, who were forced to the ground, seeking cover.

  Then, also from behind the building to the north, Marine One rose up along with two Chinooks. The helicopters turned and banked away, streaking away low towards the north west.

  Jack screamed to engage them, but the Presidential helicopter was already gone, low over the city, followed by the two Chinooks. The Apaches were not making a serious effort to annihilate Jack’s command; they rapidly turned away and followed the other escaping helicopters, flying escort.

  Jack shouted to move and they were up again, running towards the White House. Resistance was fading away in front of them.

  They fought across the south lawn, veering towards the west wing. They used breaching charges to smash into the Oval Office, through the bullet proof windows. Once they had gained entry the Company poured into the building and started clearing the corridors, moving through the West Wing and into the main part of the White House. There was no resistance, just a bunch of terrified staffers.

  Jack stood in the Oval Office and looked around him. He saw the framed portrait of The Leader on the wall, above the fireplace, looking messianic. The broken glass from the blown windows was scattered across the rug. Jack walked over and pulled the portrait from the wall, throwing it to the ground. He also noticed that all the historical paintings had been removed. There were a number of other new paintings on the walls, all of famous socialist personalities. Karl Marx was in a prominent position, but not so as to eclipse The Leader.

  Jack turned to Jim, “Looks like the bird has flown. Let’s get that horrific flag down and get the Stars and Stripes up.”

  “Roger that Boss, it’s about time.”

  Jack deployed his Company around the White House, the grounds and put OPs up on some of the key surrounding buildings. Ned set up the satellite radio and they sent the situation report back to the Federation Command.

  Shortly afterwards the lead element of the light infantry battalion arrived. They had successfully landed at Reagan National and seized control of the airfield. Concurrently to their assault on the Pentagon they had seized the bridges between Reagan National and the White House.

  The commander was a Lieutenant Colonel Dunn. He had left a Company at the airfield to secure it. In the planning they had been very concerned about the two bridges, the Rochambeau Memorial Bridge and the 14th Street Bridge that led directly from Reagan National across to the Capital.

  Lt-Col Dunn had left two companies to protect the lifeline of the bridges, one at each end including a sapper section to check them out and ensure they were not wired to blow. He had advanced with a reconnaissance element and his tactical HQ to link up with Jack at the White House.

  The Federation infantry had marched up the roads accompanied by several gators loaded with ammunition and supplies for Jack’s Company. Lt-Col Dunn also informed Jack that the mortars were set up at Reagan and were available on call to support Federation forces in the area.

  Now that the objectives were secure, they would await news on the ground operation and updates on when they could expect a link-up. In the meantime, Lt-Col Dunn was expecting to use the airhead at Reagan National for additional C-130 flights bringing heavier equipment and resupply flights.

  It was all a little quiet. They had expected a harder fight. Could it be that The Leader and his trusted Regime cronies had simply fled? And where had they gone?

  Jack gathered his commanders in the Oval Office. No-one sat at the desk; it seemed a form of sacrilege to do so. It was an incongruous sight, a bunch of sweating bearded Resistance fighters sitting on the sofas and stood around the room, the carpet covered in glass from the blown windows. Some of them still wore their parachute harnesses over their tactical vests.

  Megan had set up an aid station in the West Wing, but casualties were light overall. It had not been the fight that they had expected.

  Jack addressed his command team, “Ok gentlemen, we have seized our objective. Well done on an excellent operation. It looks like the Regime leadership escaped in those helicopters, I am not sure to where. I don’t know whether the defense of Washington really has collapsed, or whether we can expect a counter attack. We need to dig in and be ready for it, to hold this position until relieved.

  “Caleb, I want you to take your platoon on a clearance and recon patrol around the local area. Check for any surprises. As part of that, collect any suitable vehicles you can find. Blue Shirt Humvees, any suitable military stuff, whatever works. Also check out the garage for Secret Service armored vehicles, whatever is useful.”

  Caleb nodded, as Jack went on.

  “We will now await news on the Federation assault up the I-95. We have linked up with Lt-Col Dunn and can expect resupply through the air bridge at Reagan National. Remember, if the ground assault does not link up, and we face an overwhelming counter-attack, we will be forced to withdraw from here. The rendezvous will be th
e cache at Yankee. If we can collect suitable armored vehicles, I aim in the case of our withdrawal to fight out of here in a strong armored column. Any questions?”

  There were a few clarification questions before people dispersed to their various tasks.

  The parachute and TALO airborne assault onto DC had been so bold and unexpected that it appeared that the city was in shock. Either the Regime had literally fled, leaving the city for exile, or they would be planning a counter attack using available military forces. The inability of the Regime to trust army units within the Capitol beltway had been a critical failure – their ‘praetorian guard’ had proved more useful for bullying and murdering unarmed civilians than fighting a force of determined American Patriots who wholeheartedly believed in their cause.

  Either way, the Resistance and Federation forces were now in a honeymoon period.

  Caleb returned from his patrol mission having collected a large number of abandoned regime armored vehicles, of various types. They had enough to mount and transport the Company and with the turret mounted support weapons on these vehicles, Jack rapidly moved to incorporate them into the White House defenses as a series of mobile bunkers and a quick reaction force.

  As night fell, they were in a good defensive position, well-armed and supplied. Caleb had reported that the streets around the area were deserted; the place was a ghost town. Trash was piled up in the streets and it appeared that DC had become a nightmare of failed promises. The elites were provided for, while the people lived in poverty.

  Jack relieved Caleb’s 1st Platoon and moved 2nd Platoon into the recon role for the time being, assigning Owen to a series of vehicle mounted ground domination patrols in the surrounding area, in an attempt to gather Intel and detect any approaching threats.

  Towards midnight, Ned reported to Jack that he had received a situation report on the secure satellite radio. It appeared that the ground advance had been halted in North Carolina, close to Fayetteville where the I-95 bridged across the Cape Fear River.

  The Regime forces out of Fort Bragg, including elements of the 82nd Airborne Division, had staged a defense of the river crossing, blowing the road bridges. A huge battle had ensued, ongoing right now. It looked like it would last through the night.

  According to the rather terse situation report, the Federation forces were attempting to seize the bridge crossing in an attempt to bring up engineer bridging equipment assets and continue the advance.

  Jack grunted, deep in thought.

  Those that fail to learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it; Operation Market Garden? A bridge too far?

  Jack had passed back to the Federation command the news on the flight of the Regime leadership. There was no news back about where they may have fled to. Jack surmised that they would have likely gone to one of the underground nuclear command or continuity of government bunkers to wait out the attack and coordinate their forces to respond.

  The Company spent a quiet night in and around the White House. Jack managed a couple of hours sleep on one of the couches. In the early hours before morning, waiting for the next situation report on the ground forces advance, Jack and his command team sat around in the oval office, drinking coffee.

  Ned came in, looking excited, clutching some paperwork.

  “Jack, take a look at this. It was partially burned, the staffers had the shredders going full out and had started to burn stuff in waste bins, but we stopped them before they got it all done. I’ve been looking through what was left overnight and this here is dynamite.”

  Jack took the partially burned folder. It was a classified folder and he could still see the words ‘Red Dawn’ typed on the front. He started to thumb through it but much of it was obscured and blackened.

  “Ok Ned, give me the lowdown.”

  “Roger that. From what I can make out, it’s a summary of an operation to entirely subdue and disarm the American population, including the military. The military is useful for now, but will serve its purpose.

  “The Chinese invasion, you see, it’s not really an invasion. The Regime enabled the Chinese to overcome the PACFLEET defense of Hawaii using cyber warfare to shut down defense systems. The ultimate aim is for Chinese forces to integrate with Regime forces as a ‘Peacekeeping’ force across America.”

  Jack interrupted, “So it’s grand treason by the Regime?”

  “Yep. The kicker is, General Wall and USPACOM were not supposed to be so successful in blocking the Chinese in California. This is why the previous commanders did not try so hard, until he took over. Wall threw a spanner in the works. The next phase was supposed to be a ‘truce’ with Chinese forces and a joint military command working in the ‘best interests’ of America.

  “The United Nations is going to support it. The motivation is the disarmament and subjugation of the American people because we are seen as the world’s greatest threat to one world United Nations government, standing in the way of world socialism.”

  Jack interjected, “What, we hold our freedom too dearly?”

  “Looks like it. There is a report here,” Ned showed Jack the relevant section, “detailing the situation with General Wall and the options. One option is to ‘terminate’ Wall personally, but the report states that it may be hard to get to him. The other option is limited tactical nuclear strike to severely degrade USPACOM forces and allow the Chinese to overcome them.”

  Jack stared at Ned, and then he looked around at the shocked faces of his command team.

  “Ok Ned, you did a good job finding that. Let’s get what you can recover of the report summarized, and then get me Federation command on the satellite radio. We need to pass this up.”

  “Will do.” Ned headed out.

  “Oh yea, and let’s see if we can get an update on the Federation advance?” Jack called as Ned turned back in the door. Ned nodded and walked out.

  Jack walked over and looked out of the shattered windows of the Oval Office, over the south lawn as the dawn lightened the sky. He thought of Caitlin and the kids, and wondered how this situation was going to pan out.

  Above him atop the White House flew Old Glory, fluttering in the dawn breeze. Just below, where Jim had strung it up, was the yellow Gadsden flag, the coiled snake with the words “Don’t Tread On Me’ inscribed below.

  Now we wait.

  Glossary of Abbreviations

  A-10 - Close Air Support Aircraft ‘Tank Buster’

  AAR - After Action Review

  AC-130 - Gun Ship/see C-130

  AFV - Armored Fighting Vehicle

  AH - Attack Helicopter

  AK - 7.62 x 39mm semi-automatic rifle

  Apache - Attack Helicopter

  APC - Armored Personnel Carrier

  AR-15 - .223 semi-automatic rifle

  ARF - Airborne Reaction Force

  AT-4 - Anti-Tank Rocket

  Barrett .50 - .50 caliber sniper rifle

  C-130 - Transport Aircraft

  CAT - Combat Application Tourniquet

  CH-47 - Large Transport Helicopter – CH-47

  Chinook - Large Transport Helicopter – Chinook

  Claymore - Anti-Personnel Mine, directional

  Company - 90-120 men, 3-4 Platoons + HQ

  COP - Combat Out Post

  DZ - Drop Zone

  ECP - Entry Control Point

  EFP - Explosively Formed Penetrator

  EOD - Explosive Ordnance Disposal

  ERV - Emergency Rendezvous

  FLIR - Forward Looking Infra-Red - TI

  FOB - Forward Operating Base

  HEAT - High Explosive Anti-Tank – Tank Round

  Hercules - Transport Aircraft

  HESCO - Fortification Bastion

  HESH - High Explosive Squash Head – Tank Round

  HQ - Headquarters

  IED - Improvised Explosive Device

  IFAK - Individual First Aid Kit

  IR - Infra-Red

  KIA - Killed in Action

  LMTV - Light Medium Tacti
cal Vehicle – Army Truck

  Lt-Col - Lieutenant Colonel

  LZ - Landing Zone

  M203 - 40mm under slung grenade launcher

  M4 - 5.56mm semi-auto/auto rifle

  MANPAD - Shoulder fired anti-aircraft missile

  MBT - Main Battle Tank

  MFC - Mortar Fire Controller

  MIA - Missing in Action

  MRAP - Mine Resistant Ambush Protected - Vehicle

  NATO - North Atlantic Treaty Organization

  NOD - Night Observation Device

  NVG - Night Vision Goggles

  OP - Observation Post

  Op Order - Operations Order

  OPSEC - Operational Security

  ORP - Objective Rally Point

  Platoon - Approx. thirty men, 3 Squads plus HQ

  QRF - Quick Reaction Force

  RPG - Rocket Propelled Grenade

  RTOC - Regional Tactical Operations Center

  RV - Rendezvous

  SAM - Surface to Air Missile

  SAW - Squad Automatic Weapon

  SF Role - Sustained Fire Role

  SITREP - Situation Report

  SMAW-D - Bunker Busting Rocket

  SOF - Special Operations Forces

  Squad - Approx. 8 or 9 Men, 2 x Teams of 4

  UAV - Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (Drone)

  VSI - Very Seriously Injured

  TI - Thermal Imaging

  TOC - Tactical Operations Center

  .50cal - .50 caliber machine-gun

  240 - 7.62 x 51mm machine-gun

  Contact! A Tactical Manual for Post Collapse Survival

  This manual is the result of a detailed consideration of a societal collapse and the civil shift and aftermath that would impact individuals and families who are intent on survival.

  The purpose of this manual is to provide information to enhance security, tactics and survival skills of law-abiding citizens who are faced with civil disorder, lawlessness, violence and physical threat in a post-collapse environment.