Islamic States of America (Soldier Up Book 2)

by Unknown

  While this was going on Captain Turners RTO received word, “30 seconds out!” The RTO passed this on to the Captain. Both men laid prone eyes peering through binoculars then several fighters appeared dropping their payloads along there interstate severely damaging it but not taking it out entirely. Then flying overhead a very large airplane appeared something that wasn’t in the briefing, it opened it large Bombay doors and dropped its huge payload of bombs, it was a B-29. It was striking a huge swath of the highway which included the bridges he asked to be hit. As the bombs hit the ground shook as everything exploded or caught fire. The Captain and RTO had never seen so much destruction in their lives caused by a single plane. The platoon that was below them at the bottom of the hill felt the ground shaking before their feet some of them had been knocked to the ground.

  Even where Lieutenant Prowess and the two platoons could hear and feel the explosions miles away. It was enough of a diversion that it allowed them to completely clear the area. They were done within thirty minutes but it wasn’t all bells and whistles either they had lost ten men, ten good men. He would make sure their bodies were recovered for now they would have to be buried in shallow graves and marked, they wouldn’t be marked in the traditional method with the bayonet mounted on their rifle

  and then stuck in the grave to mark it with at least one of their dog tags. They couldn’t afford to leave the weapon behind.

  Charlie Company was dropped near Flint because scout planes stated they believed this was where the AA had set up their field hospitals. Nothing was off limits as far as they were concerned now Geneva Convention could take a flying leap off the Golden Gate Bridge as far as Charlie Company was concerned. They were briefed prior to deployment that the AA had brutally murdered and enslaved their countrymen it was time for some payback as far as they were concerned. Their CO was Captain Payton Wilson, he was another Afghanistan veteran, good combat leader and a man his men would follow through the gates of hell.

  He did his best to discourage his men from killing the wounded when and if they ran across them. He also reminded them that most if not all of the medical staff were conscripted to help and if they refused their families would have been killed that when they ran across them and they would don’t kill them besides they were going to need them too.

  The scout planes reported two field hospitals not too far from each other the first one was located between Buick Freeway and the I-69 in Flint and the other was located at the I-69 and I-75 interchange. It looked like they kept them near the major interchanges easily accessible by vehicles who were returning from the front.

  Captain Wilson was going to have to split his forces with 1st and 2nd platoons heading to the field hospital at Buick Freeway and I-69 and 3rd and 4th platoons would go to the field hospital at I-69 and I-75. The CO would accompany 1st and 2nd while the XO would go with 3rd and 4th each of them had an RTO and each had the ability to call in an air strike if need be. The scout planes didn’t have any information nor could they see how well defended they were. Generally a field hospital was lightly defended with they didn’t want to draw enemy fire by having combatants nearby, ones that were hurt or wounded anyway. A combat outfit near them would draw enemy fire and might very well engulf the hospital itself. That’s one of the reason a field hospital was located a few miles behind the line because it was considered safe, well more safe than being on the line.

  1st and 2nd Platoons would be the first to reach their objective, the field hospital at Buick Highway and I-69 once there 1st platoon took a position on a small hill that was overlooking the field hospital if that’s what you wanted to call it, it certainly didn’t look like one by US standards. The hospital was made up of large family tents that you might get at a sporting goods store as well as shacks that had been thrown together which looked like the main part of the hospital, there were several of these type of building. With the recent snow the roads into it were one huge mud pit through his binoculars the Platoon leader of 1st platoon, First Lieutenant Greg Napster, could see in the back of one of the shack like discarded limbs – arms and legs. The Lieutenant couldn’t believe it he even asked his Platoon Sergeant SFC Farrow to take a look. Sergeant Farrow shrugged and looked through his own binoculars, then looked again a bit harder, “I’ll be damned!” he said. “Looks like you’re right Lieutenant.”

  “Wow,” was the only response the Lieutenant had.

  Neither platoon leader could see any type of security in or around the hospital, Captain Wilson over the radio net told them both they needed to get off their asses and get to work they were burning day light.

  Lieutenant Napster ordered first squad to circle around to the rear of the hospital, cross the road and move into the woods and hold there. He ordered second squad to go with them but not to cross the road, hold on this side of the road and back in the woods. He sent third and fourth squads to the left and right of the front of the hospital but don’t leave the cover of the woods at this time. Captain Wilson, the XO and First Sergeant kept an eye on the operation from the hill top they were all on recently.

  1st and 2nd squads were ordered to hold in place to act as a blocking element to stop anyone from leaving the hospital as well as stopping anyone from entering the hospital. 2nd platoon for now was held in reserve in the event all broke loose and 1st platoon needed back-up. Lieutenant Napster would lead 3rd and 4th platoons right in the front door, using hand signals the Lieutenant indicated that 3rd squad would take the lead, PFC Gomez would take point. As 3rd stepped out of the woods and moved towards the hospital they would move in a typical V formation with the Lieutenant and his RTO in the center he wanted 4th squad to follow in an over-watch roll primarily because they had the M-60 and if needed they could lay down suppressing fire to bailout 3rd squad if needed.

  3rd and 4th squads moved out from cover heading to the hospital as they got closer Soldiers who were there and wounded or injured looked up from their bunks or cots to see the US Soldiers coming in. The US Soldiers kept a close eye on them many had weapons near them then a shot rang out from the left one of the AA Soldiers who was in a cot fired his weapon killing one of the Privates in 4th squad the immediate reaction by the US Soldiers was to spray the area where the offending round came from not only killing the man who fired it but the dozen Soldiers that were laying near him.

  Two people came running out of the building yelling for the US Soldiers to stop. PFC Gomez raised his weapon aiming directly at them, “Halt!” he yelled. The two people quickly stopped. By now everyone in the squad had their weapons trained on them and 4th squad was covering them while they took care of business.

  “On the ground now!” yelled PFC Gomez.

  “But, but I’m a doctor!” said one of the two people.

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass if you’re the President of the United States. On the ground now!” said PFC Gomez.

  Lieutenant Napster moved up to PFC Gomez he also had his weapon up pointing at them, “I’d listen to him if I were you, on the ground now!”

  The two people looked at each other than back at the PFC and Lieutenant they slowly put their hand above their heads then lowered to their knees then using their hands lowered themselves to the ground. The Lieutenant continued to cover them as PFC Gomez moved to them and searched both of them. The rest of the squad was covering the area directly in front of them while 4th squad took a broader view and kept an eye on the hospital at least the areas they could see. The RTO hustled over to the Lieutenant the Captain was on the horn and wanted to know what all of the shooting was, Lieutenant Napster briefly explained what happened and that they had 1 KIA. He then told the Captain, “Meaning no disrespect Sir I’ve got a situation here I need to deal with now.”

  “Roger that LT.” the Captain responded.

  Gomez completed searching the two and Lieutenant Napster then ordered them to their knees, “Who are you?” asked the Lieutenant.

  “I’m Doctor John Salk, no relation and this is my nurse Melanie Minifield.” s
aid the Doctor.

  “Alright Doc what’s going on here?” asked the Lieutenant.

  “Can we please stand? We’re no threat to you.” asked the Nurse.

  Lieutenant Napster signaled to them to get up, “Gomez if they make any stupid move blow their heads off.”

  “That’s a bit uncalled for don’t you think?” said the doctor.

  Lieutenant Napster ignoring the question, “I’ll ask you one more time, what’s going on here doc?”

  Doctor Salk responded, “This is an ISA field hospital which I assume you already knew or you wouldn’t be here.”

  “True, true Doc.” said the Lieutenant. “Outside of the man who fired on us what’s the status of the others?”

  “Most of the men here are in no shape to fight we really don’t have the facilities to treat them we have less than a 30% survival rate. The Supreme Commander threw this altogether at the last minute. The two other doctors and five other nurses are conscripts are families are being held hostage back in Dearborn we either do what they wanted or they kill them.”

  “Is that right.” said the Lieutenant. He had actually heard this happening from there briefings and they were under orders to be careful when it came to the doctors and nurses. “Well Doc I’m going to send my men through the camp and confiscate all of the weapons we can find and I’m here to tell you if another of them fires on us we won’t hesitate to put them down and anyone near them.”

  The doctor nodded that he understood, “If you approach them slowly I don’t think you will have any more problems. The other doctors and nurses are going through the other buildings now and tents to make sure there are no issues.”

  Lieutenant Napster signaled for 3rd squad to move out and search the camp and collect the weapons, if anyone gave them any problems, outside of the doctors or nurses, put them down. He instructed 4th squad to say sharp and stay in over-watch if the hits the fan they were responsible for pulling their asses out of it.

  As 3rd squad cleared the first three buildings they heard heavy machine gun fire coming from 1st and 2nd squads at the rear of the camp. Their radio’s kicked alive there were several light trucks with machine guns mounted in the back coming down the road towards the hospital fast and stupid so they lit them up. They took out two of the three light trucks but one escaped heading north they had abandoned four deuce and a half’s filled with wounded. 1st and 2nd squads didn’t know what they were at the time they fired grenades from their M-240 grenade launchers taking out all of the trucks and setting them on fire. It wasn’t until they later inspected them they found them filled with wounded who were now dead.

  3rd squad completed searching all of the building and tents and they found all of the weapons they could find. They were shocked at what they found it wasn’t right leaving the men in the condition they were in even the enemy, it was pretty bad. The Lieutenant walked through the areas after they were secured he was also shocked by what he found. He instructed 4th platoon to secure the entrance to the hospital and for 1st and 2nd to sit tight who knows where that other light truck went to and it’s possible he might bring back friends, he told them to go ahead and dig in they were going to be there for night.

  He then called the Captain, the XO and First Sergeant down to take a look at the hospital frankly the Lieutenant had no idea what they were going do. They had been told up to this point they weren’t allowed to take any prisoners. This was different though as far as he was concerned all of these men were already injured or wounded and now unarmed it didn’t sit well with him if he was ordered to kill them, he’s not sure the doctors and nurses would let them not that they could really stop them. It would look real bad though if something happened to the medical staff which they were ordered not to harm.

  The Captain and the others did there walk through of the hospital he found it hard to believe all of the limbs disposed of by literally being tossed out a window then burned. There was so much horror and death here. He spoke with the doctors who told him they hard very rudimentary tools to treat the men as well as nothing to kill their pain, they had some alcohol to sterilize the wound then give the man a shot or two prior to performing surgery.

  Captain Wilson couldn’t order the killing of these men either he wasn’t going to have it on his conscience he told Lieutenant Napster it was above his pay grade and he would pass it up the chain of command.

  Eventually the men in the hospital would be moved north to the field hospital at Camp Grayling and once they were better they would be tried in a military tribunal at least Colonel Rodgers would have company in the Stockade.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  The Air Force pilots were exhausted the ones flying the scout planes were constantly in the air circling one area or another. They were responsible for flying over any given CBA every thirty minute to relay messages from the ground unit to command. There were enough of them up at any given time that there was always one in a CBA and able to relay messages calling in for an airstrike or getting information to Command that the leaders on the ground needed answers too.

  In addition, they were spotting for the ground units who were slowly pushing forward driving AA back one bloody yard at a time. They would notify the ground troops when they saw large troop movements so those US ground units could counter those moves. The new Soldiers from Fort Irwin were having a real impact on the fight not to mention moving the Marines up from the rear. The bulge had collapsed and they were all driving down into the heart of ISA’s Army of Allah their numbers were dwindling quickly with the combined assault of air, artillery, infantry, airborne infantry and special operations. The overwhelming firepower was having its desired effect on the AA driving them back further and further.

  As the retreated they found there rear echelon in taters from the 184th Infantry Regiment which had been running rapid through their rear. Special Forces units had tainted there water supplies when possible and harassed many of the units day and night almost driving the AA Soldiers insane. They weren’t trained for this type of warfare. Truth be told the only type of warfare they were trained for if you want to call it that was killing of civilians who might try to stand up to them. They did have early successes against the US military who they out numbered 2-1 but it was short lived until the US was able to better reinforce their lines.

  The ISA lines were collapsing with many of the men dropping their weapons and running heading south where they would try to dodge US forces and make it back home. Unfortunately for them home no longer existed anymore much of it was leveled by the B-29 and B-52 bombings. Those areas would also be reclaimed by the United States of America.

  There was a plan that once the hostilities ended much of the US force would not be heading back to their bases immediately. They would move south in pursuit of any ISA forces that were left they would hunt them down and kill them. The plan was also to show the flag to let the population in those areas know they still belonged to something much bigger then themselves. That the United States was alive and well and would not pass from the face of the earth.

  While the US forces were pursuing the ISA into the states and cities they had come from the Air Force would be ferrying in civilian security forces that would then be moved in the larger civilian areas. Once there and they had secured an area civilian planners would be brought in to help rebuild. The military leadership believed that they now had enough knowledge in this pre-apocalyptic world to get the ball moving again and get the country back on track, well back on track the best they could. It would take civilian leadership to accomplish most of it and the hope was with the additional states welcomed back into the union they might finally be able to get a new President, Vice President and Congress, hope was eternal.

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 184th Infantry Regiment was out on a limb and they knew it. If something happened there would be no quick reinforcements if at all. There was supposed to be a scout plane circling during the day and into the early evenings. So far they
hadn’t seen or heard it not that they knew there were supposed to or not. The RTO had tried to raise it a few times with no success maybe something happened with the operation going on to their east and there were none available.

  It didn’t matter to their CO, Captain Arron Wellington, they had a mission and they were going to execute it. The Company was dropped along the shores of Whiting as close as they could get to Whiting Refinery owned and operated by BP and was actually located in Indiana but still considered Chicago, East Chicago actually. Their purpose here was that Senior Military Officers knew that the oil and fuel they currently had in and near Camp Grayling was finite they needed the extra reserves that the refineries would provide. The one at Whiting was just one of several they would secure granted the fuel at these refineries was also limited it should give them time to figure out something, then the revelation that there were ships off coast still waiting to offload their oil was great news the more the better. The only problem was how to get the ships in and unloaded. LTG Watkins told his staff let’s take it one step at a time, let’s secure the refineries, get some engineers in there to get it back up and running then we’ll find us a ship Captain and crew to bring them in.

  The refineries in California were up and running and were producing fuel it was finite and would run out at some point. There were off shore platforms that pumped oil but they were abandoned after the event they were now in the process of trying to find crews to man and work them, so far they had been unsuccessful, LTG Watkins just wanted one crew who could train Soldiers to do it, sort of OJT, he had no problem creating a new MOS for it.