by Unknown
“Aye, sir,” said Hammond as he turned and left Flag Plot, heading for the bridge. Climbing the starboard ladder he walked into the pilot house and headed to the navigator’s chart table. He noticed the ship’s position had been updated just a few minutes ago. He grabbed some dividers and pulled down the compass. The Chief came over. “Can I help you, Captain?”
Hammond grinned without taking his eyes off the chart. “How about a beer?” he asked.
“I wish, Captain.”
“Your wish is granted Chief. Firm up a plot to Sasebo. I want to be in mid-afternoon. I’m going to turn us around to 190 and increase speed to twenty-five. Work me out a smooth and give it to the OOD,” he said as he straightened up.
The chief nodded. “About damn time,” he said. “Been a long time since I’ve been to Sasebo. I wonder if she’s still there,” he said with a sly look.
Hammond wondered if he was really serious but turned and walked up to the front of the pilot house. “OOD, come about to 190 and increase speed to twenty five knots. That will take us away from land. When we get fifteen miles out, set Condition 3. The navigator will be giving you an updated course and speed shortly,” he said grabbing the 1MC mike. He pressed the button.
“This is the Captain. I want you guys to know you have done a fantastic job over the past few days. Aside from one other ship we have shot more sixteen-inch rounds than any other. But that means we are starting to run a little low and will have to replenish. Normally I would call in a replenishment ship, but instead I guess we’ll have to pull into Sasebo for a few days.”
A cheer rang out across the ship and Hammond could hear it in the distance. “I hope you don’t mind if we have liberty tonight. But it means we’ll have to bust our hump tomorrow. We will refuel and rearm. So don’t go out and get so wasted you drop one somewhere. I’ll let you know more as we get in,” he said. As he looked around the bridge, everyone had a smile on his face.
The XO walked onto the bridge. “That was good news,” he said.
“Not too shabby. Do we have any masts to do this afternoon before we get in?”
The XO shook his head. “Not really. I have a couple guys with some minor infractions. They’re getting some extra attention from their division chiefs. The only thing I’m worried about is what will happen when these guys get ashore. Some of these old guys can party hearty,” the XO grinned.
“Then maybe I should say something before we get going this evening. If I put a little concern out there we might be okay. What are your plans?”
The XO gave a sigh. “Besides a mountain of paperwork and getting ready for tomorrow I should be done by about 0300.”
Hammond laughed. He remembered when he had his XO tour. It was all the same. “Good. Let’s get out and go to dinner. Maybe invite Ops and Danner to join us. You can go to bed tomorrow,” Hammond said.
“What about we take the PAO and Westin too. He’s a pretty good guy.”
Hammond gave a sideways glance. “I know the PAO is. But Westin? Just because you liked his story.”
The XO laughed. “Yeah, I did. But he really is OK.”
Hammond shrugged. “Okay, you, me, Danner, the PAO and Westin. I even know the place to go.”
“I’d like that. I’ll meet with Suppo, Deck, and Weaps and get the plans for tomorrow. I’d like to fuel and onload food day after tomorrow and then spend tomorrow just with ammo. That will give them a little time to get the food and supplies lined up. If anyone has anything they need, they’ll have to get it to Emmett before we get in. We’ll have the arrival conference in the Wardroom right after we arrive. Do you have any requests for your mess?” the XO asked.
“Chicken and fish. But if you really want to make me happy, throw in some real meat. I’m too busy to watch cholesterol,” Hammond said.
“I’ll pass it along. I need to get with Cheng. The aft emergency generator is running hot and he would like to get someone onboard to take a look at it. Did he brief you yet?”
“This morning. Talk to the Navy rep during the arrival conference and make it a priority. I don’t like the idea of going dark at the wrong time. Have them also look at the number two fire and flushing pump. Kimberlain told me it’s not meeting specs. I know we probably can’t change it out, but have them look at it for the future. Then it looks like we need to get the RPV repaired. I know the guys like showing it off, but we need both at 100 percent,” Hammond said.
“On top of it,” the XO said. He glanced at his watch. “I’m meeting with Weaps in a minute to get things settled on his end. I’ll check back before we head in,” he said.
“Good enough. I’ll get the party ready for tonight,” Hammond said. “I’ll be down in my import cabin if you need me,” he said to the OOD as he left the bridge.
Near the DMZ, South Korea
Claire Richardson was really pleased. Once word came in saying the North was pulling its units away from the coast, she sent two brigades of the First Marine straight up the coast roads. She was able to contact Vice Admiral Thacke. He had USS Alabama moving up the coast along with the lead elements. Already the combination pushed the North back to Sokcho, near the old border.
“They captured the port and have secured it for our forces. I told Colonel Thomas to secure the port and the surrounding hills. If we can keep it, that would be a good base for bringing in supplies,” said Colonel Davis, the operations officer for the division.
“Good. Get the word to our supply ships to start making their way up here. I want these guys resupplied and ready in 48 hours. So far we have progressed to Guangyang in the middle of the country and Sokcho on the east coast. Here’s what I want to do,” she said leaning over the map. “Get as many pieces of men and equipment as you can along the coast. Then in 48 hours I want them all to start swinging west in a line toward our objective – Seoul. The guys in Guangyang need to move north. I’ll get hold of the Army types to coordinate. They are the ones who want to take Seoul, but if I can get there first, the Marines will win the cup,” said Richardson.
“General, the Army units are still meeting some stiff opposition. It will mean we will trap a lot of the enemy in the pocket we form,” said another officer.
“You bet. I want to trap them. Cut off their supplies and let them wither. Have units secure the main escape routes and bottle them in. I don’t mind taking prisoners,” she said.
“General, do you think we are moving a little too fast?” asked another officer.
Richardson looked at the man. “John, right now I’m counting it as a blessing that these guys are off balance and performing poorly. I know we’ve only been at it for a few weeks, but I’m not going to give anything up just yet. What we take is ours and will not go back. Our supplies are getting through and we aren’t losing many men so far. We need to keep a good eye out and keep going. The other side has a million-man army out there somewhere. I won’t forget that. Now let’s get the facts and figures up and ready. I want the word to go out in the next six hours,” she said before leaving the tent.
Richardson walked out along the row of tents and ran into a young man rounding a corner. Lieutenant Dickson was knocked over and started brushing himself off. He was smudged and dirty from hard fighting and had a tired look reserved for someone who had been on the move for days.
“Damnit, can’t you ever…” he caught himself as he saw the stars on the uniform. He sprang up and helped the general to her feet. “I’m sorry about that, General. I didn’t see you coming,” he stammered out.
At first Richardson was pissed. But when she recognized the young lieutenant who spent the evening talking with her on the ship, her mood changed. “Lieutenant Dickson! It’s good to see you again.” She slapped him on the arm. “How’s it been going?”
Dickson smiled broadly. He was surprised a general would even remember his name. “Really good, ma’am. My unit just pulled in. I got them squared away and I was going to the mess tent. It’ll be the first hot meal I’ve had since we got here,” he said.
“Good. I need someone to talk to over lunch. Why don’t you join me?”
Dickson looked at his uniform. “Ma’am, I look a little beat up to be eating with a general,” he said modestly.
She laughed. “You probably smell better than half the guys around here. Come on, let’s eat,” she said taking him in tow.
The officer’s mess was only a few yards away and she led Dickson to her table and sat him down. Immediately a hot meal was placed before them on white linens and with real silver and plates. Dickson couldn’t believe what was happening. He had just come from combat and eating semi-warm MREs. Now this! He waited as the General started eating before diving in. Dickson’s appetite was ravenous and he found himself finished long before Richardson. When he realized what he had done he started looking embarrassed.
“Don’t worry,” she said between bites. “I know a hungry guy when I see one. Now tell me what you’ve run into.”
Dickson began relaying all the events up to the day. His patrols ran into some North Korean infantry just outside of Ulsan. They pushed them until helicopter units came in and finished the job. Dickson was surprised at how fanatical the enemy was. It seemed as if troops were being sacrificed to defend the ground they lost instead of using tactical maneuvering and select force where it would do the most good. After it was over, they found there had been nearly 500 troops thrown against their platoon. At first Dickson thought it might be just a one time thing, but he saw it again and again as his men moved inland. They encountered tanks on two occasions, but they were sacrificed much as their infantry. They were thrown against the American units almost haphazardly. Close coordination between American tanks, infantry, and tank-busting helicopters left a brigade of DPR tanks in smoldering pieces along the roadsides.
Dickson and his men had been fighting since they landed. They were the ones to liberate Sokcho airfield and hold it until more units arrived. He and his men had been ordered to Andong to debrief and rest for a day. Dickson hadn’t known this was where the headquarters had been temporarily set up.
All along Richardson asked a few questions but mainly listened. The information he was giving was helping her understand her enemy. By the time Dickson finished, he was near collapse. The food and the conversation helped him relax and slough off the tension of battle. His eyes were heavy and his head occasionally dipped, but he maintained his conversation.
They were interrupted by a major who walked up behind the general while looking at Dickson. “There you are, Dickson. We’ve got a debrief in ten. Let’s…” he stopped himself when he recognized the General. “Sorry, ma’am. I didn’t know he was talking with you.”
“Ma’am, this is my CO, Major Garrison.”
Richardson shook the major’s hand. “Have a seat, Major. Have you had lunch?”
“Yes, ma’am. I have,” he said sitting down.
“Lieutenant Dickson has been briefing me in on all you guys have been through. Sounds like it’s been non-stop all the way.”
“Yes, General, it’s been a little more intense than I expected. Our group led the way up the coast. It’s been fast and we’ve lost a bunch of guys doing it. Thank God for that battleship out there. She kept the worst off our backs,” he said. Garrison had the same worn out look as Dickson.
“That was what Dickson here said,” she gestured to the Lieutenant. “Tell me, did they seem to be just throwing things at you without reason?”
“Yes, ma’am. They do it a lot. It’s almost as if they never had any real training in combat tactics. Their discipline is okay, but pretty harsh. I saw one of their officers shoot an enlisted man during one engagement,” the major said. He gave a slight grin, “I took the bastard out myself. I noticed once he was gone, several of the men surrendered.”
Richardson nodded. That was something important. “So maybe the enlisted are more afraid of their officers than of us?”
“Could be. Since they’re conscripted, I doubt any of them really want to be here.”
Richardson looked over at Dickson who was barely hanging on. “Dickson, why don’t you go ahead and grab some sack time. We’ll reschedule the debriefing for tomorrow morning. Now I want to talk to the Major a bit,” she said smiling.
“Thank you, ma’am,” he said sleepily. Dickson stood up from his seat and headed out of the tent. Richardson watched as he left. “How’s he doing?”
The Major grinned. “One of my best junior officers. He led his men up against a whole company in one engagement and came out on top. I guess that training at Quantico made a real Marine out of him. I usually don’t have to repeat myself or explain much to him. His troops are good and tight. Couldn’t ask for more, especially out here.”
“Good. I had a feeling that was so when we met on the ship.” She related how they met one evening on deck and talked a while. “A lot of JOs would have gone quiet and not said a thing to a general, but he held up his end. Sounds like he’s got a set of brass ones. How about keeping me informed how he does,” she said.
“General, you aren’t planning on taking him away to be some kind of staff puke are you?”
She gave the Major a sly look. “Hell no. He’s better off where he is. Only the kiss asses do real staff time. At least until they get a little more senior,” she kidded. Both had a small laugh. “Major, I had already heard about you and your guys. You’ve been the tip of the spear and fighting hard. Take some time to rest, we’ll do this debrief a little later on. I need the information, but not when you’re falling over.”
“Aye, aye, General.” Garrison said as they stood.
Both shook hands and left the tent. Richardson had learned more from the two than from her own intelligence staff. Now it was time to put what she had learned to good use.
Pyongyang, North Korea
Kim Sung Nua had been forced to take full control. The missiles, bombs, and fires took a toll on his capital and government. It had taken time to get people together and back in some order. Kim was down to third level officials. The Defense Ministry building was totally demolished, the sub-basement became blocked and, being below the water level of the river, flooded. The new military commanders were rounded up and brought in, but the information had been kept in the Defense Ministry. Communications lines and information had to be restored and re-gathered. The news was not good. He and his new cabinet were sitting in the locker room of the stadium.
“Comrade Chairman, it is obvious our predecessors underestimated the abilities of our enemies and their ability to respond to our forces. As a result our military has lost over half of its assets. With the exception of the underground bunkers, we have lost almost all our inventories. Our air force has lost 87 percent of its planes and helicopters. All of the airfields have been damaged severely. The Navy has a few missile patrol boats. Fortunately the enemy has not hit the underground pens for our submarines. We have been able to protect the remaining units there. We still have ten submarines available. The rest have never returned from their missions. The Army lost two-thirds of our tanks during the initial invasion and during current operations. From the information we have from our force commanders, there have been over 400,000 casualties among the services. Our antiaircraft missile systems have been nearly totally demolished. Our gun systems are reduced by 40 percent, but they are nearly useless against high flying jet aircraft. Artillery systems are faring better. We have lost only half of our artillery pieces; however, we have to transfer many of these pieces across the former dividing line to replace what we have lost in combat,” the new Defense Minister reported. The man was shaking as he spoke. He knew full well what had happened to people reporting bad news before.
Kim watched the man and held his emotions tightly. Kim was seething with rage that his military had failed him, but this was not the time for reprisals. The men in front of him had not had a hand in any of the things leading up to this. The new Defense Minister was his cousin, and more used to business than a military organization. He would not show his wrath here
. “Please continue, Comrade,” he said calmly.
“One area that is still fully capable is our defense cruise missile systems. Although the radars have been destroyed, the missiles and their replacements have been relocated and are fully operational. One of the things I have directed is to set up listening posts near the coasts so that we can use our direction finders to locate enemy ships using radars and radios. We will be able to triangulate the positions of these vessels and when in range, launch our missiles for greatest effect,” he reported.
Kim nodded. “Very good, Comrade. Are there any other ways to strike at the enemy far at sea?”
“Yes, Comrade Chairman. Our tactical ballistic missiles are still intact. As you know, we reserved twelve of our nuclear missiles for possible use if things turned against us. I am happy to report the missiles are still operational and well protected. We do not have the capability to launch from shore, but the ship they are on is still safely in port. However, the technicians for the missiles were killed when their shelter was struck by bombs. We have more technicians and I have ordered them to the area so that we can have them ready. I am told there is one problem. These missiles are all programmed to go off at high altitude. Each warhead would have to be individually reworked for them to be used to strike a fleet or a shore target. I have ordered that the procedures be drawn up to do just that. I do not yet have a timeframe when they might be ready, but we are getting things in place to be able to respond to your orders,” he said.
“What about the army in the field?”
“Our current positions are all still in the former South Korea.” He used a pointer to outline the different positions. “Our units are fighting along a line from here, to here. With the loss of our tunnels, our supplies are being driven across the former dividing line at the old crossing points. I have ordered that crews begin removing the mines from the line so that we may have better access. Our largest problem is trucks to move the supplies. Because the enemy has air superiority, we cannot move things on the open road during daylight. Our supply trucks must move only at night. This severely curtails our abilities to resupply our troops. The transportation Minister can address this better than I can,” he said.