Disclaimer: The Rat Patrol is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.
Author's note: The OQ-2 was originally a small radio controlled aircraft model designed by Walter Righter. The design, along with its engine design, was purchased by actor Reginald Denny. Calling the new design the RP-2, Denny demonstrated several updated versions to the Army as the RP-2, RP-3 and RP-4 in 1939. In 1940, the Army placed an order for 53 RP-4s, designating them the OQ-1, the OQ meaning a "subscale target". This small order led to a much bigger 1941 order for the similar RP-5, which became the US Army OQ-2.
The Drone
By Suzie2b
When the Rat Patrol reported to Captain Boggs, they found Captain Anthony Dobbins with him. The four men saluted and Troy said to Boggs, "You wanted to see us, sir."
Boggs nodded. "Yes. I assume you remember Captain Dobbins."
Moffitt smiled. "Good to see you again, captain."
Dobbins returned the smile with a nod of acknowledgment.
Boggs said, "Captain Dobbins is here to pick up a Corporal Andrew Carter from our airfield. The captain would like you to help him and his men get the corporal to his destination."
Dobbins said, "Corporal Carter is bringing a OQ-2. We need to get him to a German battalion fifty miles north of Fes."
Troy asked, "What's a OQ-2, sir?"
"It's a UAV … an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The plan is to get aerial photos of what's going on."
"Why not send one of our planes over with a camera, captain?"
Dobbins replied, "High Command wants 'close-up' photos, which a larger plane can't get without being shot down."
Moffitt nodded. "I've heard of these remote-controlled airplanes, captain. They're being used in Europe and Asia."
Dobbins said, "And they've been very successful."
Hitch asked, "May I ask what's so important about this German battalion, sir?"
"The encampment appeared suddenly. High Command thinks they may be planning an offensive and using this battalion as a staging area."
Troy said, "Fes is eighty miles behind enemy lines, sir. It's in a perfect position to attack several of our main supply routes and depots."
Boggs agreed. "They could hit our people and be gone before anyone knew they were there."
Moffitt said, "It's not going to be easy to get out there without being seen…"
Troy said, "But we've done it before."
"Yes, but it was just us with two jeeps. This time we'll have Captain Dobbins' patrol to worry about too."
Dobbins smiled slightly. "You won't need to worry about us too much, sergeant. We can take care of ourselves."
Moffitt quickly said, "I meant no offense, sir, but if you and your men are a part of our assignment, we're obligated to worry about you as well as Corporal Carter."
"No offense taken, sergeant Moffitt. I understand."
Troy asked, "When is the corporal going to be here, captain?"
Boggs replied, "His plane is due to land at 0900 tomorrow."
#################
At just past 9am the next morning, a cargo plane landed at Ras Tanura's airfield. The Rat Patrol, with Captain Dobbins and his men, watched as the men began to offload what the plane was carrying.
Five minutes went by before they saw someone exit the cargo hold and begin to give orders as to how a particular pallet was to be removed from the hold.
Moffitt said, "That must be Corporal Carter."
Dobbins nodded. "And that must be his UAV."
The corporal walked beside the forklift, continually saying loudly to the driver, "Easy! Easy does it! Don't drop it! Just take it slow!"
Finally the pallet was set on the ground and the forklift driver looked grateful to be rid of it and the corporal.
Captain Dobbins along with Sergeants Troy and Moffitt walked the few yards to join the corporal, who was beginning to remove the straps holding a trailer on the pallet. Dobbins said, "Corporal Carter?"
The corporal turned and immediately saluted. "Yes, sir. Are you Captain Dobbins?"
The captain returned the salute and said, "Yes, I am. You look a bit pale. Are you all right, corporal?"
"It wasn't a smooth flight, sir. Now that I'm on the ground I should be all right."
Dobbins smiled a little. "I know the feeling. This is Sergeant Troy and Sergeant Moffitt. They and their men will be traveling with us."
Carter suddenly looked nervous. "This is my first time in a war zone. How bad is it out there?"
Troy said, "It's bad enough." He turned to his men. "Tully, Hitch, get that trailer off that pallet and hooked up to one of the halftracks."
"Umm … you'll need more men than that to move it. It's pretty heavy."
Hitch and Tully made quick work of the remaining straps. Carter watched in stunned silence as the two men pushed the trailer off the pallet. The trailer's wheels hit the sand with a slight bounce and Carter got protective again. "Whoa! Easy, men! That equipment is very sensitive!"
Captain Dobbins questioned, "It's a remote-controlled plane, corporal. How sensitive can it be?"
As the halftrack with the hitch rolled over so the trailer could be hooked up, Carter said, "It's not the OQ-2 itself, sir. My little plane is pretty solid. It's the electronics and the camera equipment. One wrong move and I won't be able to control Roxy or the camera."
Dobbins smiled at the name and said, "All right, Carter, we'll be as careful as possible. Let's get going."
#################
With Corporal Carter's constant worry about his equipment, the little convoy moved through the desert at what felt like a crawl.
Once they crossed into German territory, Troy chose to basically run circles around Dobbins' patrol, continually scouting for any sign of the enemy.
They reached their destination five miles outside of Fes as the sun began to disappear on the horizon.
Only after Corporal Carter had checked everything over did he relax. And after dinner, he spread his bedroll on the sand next to the trailer where he would sleep.
Dobbins saw Troy and his men checking their guns and loading extra clips. "Expecting trouble, sergeant?"
Troy smiled slightly. "No, sir. We're going into Fes and see what's going on. There's always a German patrol or two stationed there. Hopefully we'll be able to get some information about that battalion."
"You do realize that you're going to stand out like sore thumbs."
Moffitt picked up one of the thawbs out of the back of the jeep and said, "We came prepared, captain. We plan to blend in."
Knowing that this is the very thing the Rat Patrol excelled at, Dobbins said, "All right. Just make sure you're back here before morning."
Troy nodded. "We've been in there before and know what we're looking for. We should be back by midnight … one o'clock at the latest."
##################
Hitch and Tully stopped the jeeps in some cover about a mile from Fes. They donned their Arabic thawbs and headscarves, kept their guns beneath the robes, and walked the remaining distance to the town.
They weren't questioned when they walked through the gate. It was dark, but still early enough to check the local bar that the Germans tended to frequent.
Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully blended in well and followed a group of Germans into the bar. Moffitt went to the bar and ordered a drink called arak for each of them while the others found a table.
They sat as close to the three tables occupied by German troops as possible. The Arabs in the bar stayed to themselves, speaking in low, hushed tones. However, the Germans were loud and obviously didn't care what they said or who heard it.
The Rat Patrol sat and sipped their drinks. Moffitt and Tully listened carefully to what was being said. Something about a girl one of the men had taken a shine to—something else about being bored while out on patrol and complaining about the heat—just general chitchat. Several of the Germans left as three more walked in and took the vacated seats. They ordered drinks and spoke among themselves. Two more entered, got drinks at the bar, and joined the other three.
At 2300 hours, a horn sounded to announce curfew and the Germans left. Once the bar was occupied only by locals, the place came alive with Arab voices. Troy, Moffitt, Hitch, and Tully stayed awhile longer to allow Moffitt a chance to possibly glean any useful information.
When Moffitt had heard enough, he gave his friends a nod and the four of them filed out into the streets.
Back at the jeeps, as they got out of their Arab clothing, Troy asked, "What'd you hear?"
Moffitt said, "There is something being planned and that battalion encampment is to be the staging area, but nothing specific."
Tully dropped his thawb and headscarf in the back of the jeep as he said, "I heard they're expecting a convoy with explosives in a day or two." He looked at Moffitt. "Isn't Eisenbahn German for railroad?"
The sergeant nodded. "Yes, it is. What did you hear?"
"They were talking about blowing up a section of railroad tracks southeast of here."
Hitch said, "The only tracks southeast of here are ours. They go through Al-Ahwaz."
Troy said, "That's right. It's a supply line the Allies are using. But that can't be why that battalion is here."
Moffitt agreed. "They wouldn't need more than a squad to carry that plan out. No, the battalion is here for something else. Probably something big."
"But what could it be? Didn't you two hear anything else?"
Tully frowned as he sorted through what the Germans had been saying. Then he said, "I heard someone mention radar and building material."
Hitch said, "They could be going to build a radar station."
Troy said, "Could be. Did you hear anything of interest from the Arabic side?"
Moffitt shook his head. "Not really. Only that they don't like the Germans being in Fes." He smiled as he continued, "If they could, they would 'rise up' against them to run them out."
"Okay, let's get back and talk to Captain Dobbins. He can contact headquarters about the railroad situation."
When they returned to their camp, Troy and Moffitt explained what they'd discovered. The captain agreed with their findings and went to make a coded message to send to the nearest Allied base about the railroad.
##################
The next morning, they were all up early to eat and be on their way. And the closer they got to the coordinates where the German battalion was, the more patrols were spotted.
Not wanting the Germans to know they were in the area, and with Corporal Carter's UAV being towed, they couldn't run, but they could hide. And that's what they did. Troy had the convoy stick close to the surrounding hills where they could quickly find cover as it was needed.
They were about five miles from the battalion when Troy had them pull into the cover of some stunted trees and scrub. Captain Dobbins moved quickly to join Troy and Moffitt as Hitch and Tully were instructed to keep watch. The captain asked, "Is there a problem?"
Troy said, "No, sir. I just need to talk to Corporal Carter."
The captain sent one of his men to get the corporal, then sent several others to help out on watch.
When Carter arrived, he asked, "You wanted to see me, captain?"
Dobbins said, "Sergeant Troy would like a word with you."
Carter turned to Troy. "What would you like to know, sergeant?"
Troy asked, "How close do you need to be to do your job?"
"I need to be within line of sight. I can't maneuver Roxy if I can't see her. But if there are no obstructions to block the signal, I can be up to several miles away. The higher the better."
"All right." Troy looked at Captain Dobbins and said, "You and your men stay here and keep your eyes open, captain. We're going to scout out a position that works for both cover and where the corporal can fly his plane."
Dobbins nodded. "Very well, sergeant."
##################
The Rat Patrol was gone a little over an hour before they found a satisfactory location. Then they returned and led the convoy up a disused road that had been cut into the hills.
At the top there were boulders jutting upward and plenty of scrub to hide them. Troy took Dobbins and Carter to survey the desert below. "I figure we're about a mile and a half from that battalion. Plus we've got good cover here."
Carter took the binoculars Troy offered and looked out at the battalion in the distance. "This should work well, sergeant … that is if the equipment survived the trip." He lowered the glasses and asked, "Could you have found a worse road to get us up here?"
Troy smiled ever so slightly. "Actually, that was the best of what we found. The other two were barely trails that even the jeeps had trouble getting up."
Carter sighed. "All right, I'll go get started."
He went to the trailer and untied the canvas covering. When he pulled the canvas off, he smiled at the small plane and its parts that had been so carefully packed. Carter smiled and whispered, "Hi, Roxy. It's time to get ready to work."
Hitch and Tully walked over to the trailer as the corporal began to unload it. Hitch asked, "Need any help, corporal?"
Without looking at them, Carter said, "You can help by not touching anything."
The privates glanced at each other and grinned. Tully asked, "How big will it be when it's put together?"
As he worked, Corporal Carter said, "She'll be eight feet, eight inches long with a wingspan of twelve feet, three inches, and weigh precisely 104 pounds."
Hitch asked, "What kind of engine?"
"Seven horsepower Righter O-15-1. She can get up to eighty-five miles-per-hour and can fly for about an hour before she needs refueling." Carter finally looked at Hitch and Tully and said, "On second thought, you two can give me a hand attaching the wings. Just be careful and do exactly what I tell you."
Hitch and Tully held first one wing, then the other steady so Carter could ratchet down the nuts and bolts.
As they watched him ready the engine, Tully asked, "Why is it painted gray? I saw a picture of one in a magazine a while back and it was red."
Carter made sure the remote control was working properly as he replied, "That would be a Target UAV. They're most commonly used by the navy for target practice, therefore painted red so they can be seen. Roxy here is covered with a matte gray finish, making her less visible from the ground and without a reflection." Finally, an hour later, the corporal had checked the camera and attached it to the UAV with a timer system. "There, she's ready to fly. All we need is a runway for takeoff. Hitchcock, Pettigrew, come with me." They followed Corporal Carter out to the boulders. The corporal surveyed the desert below, then pointed and said, "Right there. Take the UAV down there. I'll control the takeoff from here."
Troy and Captain Dobbins joined them and the captain asked, "Are you ready to fly, corporal?"
"Yes, sir, captain. I've instructed the privates here to take the UAV down so we can takeoff."
Troy asked, "Down there? Can't you takeoff from up here?"
Carter said, "No, sergeant, there isn't enough room."
"Okay. Hitch, Tully, take one of the 50s off so the plane can lay across…"
"No, they're going to have to carry it down. I can't take a chance that some damage could be done driving down that road with all its rocks and potholes."
Hitch and Tully looked at Troy, who reluctantly gave a nod. Hitch said, "We'll need someone to support the tail section on the way down."
Captain Dobbins said, "Grab Private Larson."
"Yes, sir."
##################
It took nearly an hour for the three men to carry the UAV down the road and to the spot Corporal Carter had indicated. Before they set the plane down they looked up to make sure they were in the right place. Then they backed away as the engine sputtered to life. After watching the UAV take off and head for the Germans, Hitch, Tully, and Larson ran all the way back up the hill to watch.
Hitch and Tully stood next to Troy and Moffitt. Carter was wearing a set of goggles with lightweight binoculars attached so he could follow Roxy's progress.
In mere moments the UAV disappeared from sight and Dobbins asked, "Can you still see it, corporal?"
Carter said, "Yes, sir. She's responding normally. As soon as she's circling the battalion, I'll start the camera."
Moffitt questioned, "Won't the German's hear the UAV's engine?"
"Most likely they'll hear something, but they shouldn't be able to see her to know what's making the sound." A minute later, Corporal Carter flipped a switch on the remote control box and a red light came on. "She should be shooting pictures now."
The corporal began to count so he knew when the film was used up. Then he turned the plane back. Just before it was overhead, Carter removed the goggles, cut the engine, and pushed a button to eject a small parachute, allowing the UAV to float easily to the ground to be caught by several men.
Carter detached the camera and said, "I'll set up my darkroom and see what we have."
An hour and a half later, the corporal walked out of the small tent that acted as a darkroom. Captain Dobbins asked, "Well, did we get anything?"
Carter gave a satisfied smile and said, "Yes, sir. The camera did its job. As soon as the negatives are dry I'll print the pictures."
Dobbins was pacing as he waited for the pictures. Tully called Troy over to where he was standing watch. The sergeant hurried over and asked, "What do you see?"
Tully pointed at a column of dust that was rising in the distance. "It could be just the wind … but I don't think so."
Troy took the binoculars and searched the horizon. The dust cloud was plain to see, but there was no sign of what was making it. He said, "Go get Moffitt and Hitch. We'd better check it out."
Tully gave a nod. "Right, sarge."
Troy went back to Captain Dobbins and explained, "There's a good sized cloud of dust out there, sir. We're going to go take a look."
The captain stopped his pacing and asked, "Could it be a dust storm?"
"Could be, but I'd feel better if I knew for sure."
"Just be careful. We can't afford to let the Germans know we're out here."
##################
The Rat Patrol swung wide around to the west to where they would be least likely to be seen. They stopped next to a hill and climbed to the top with binoculars in hand.
After a minute the dark shapes of military vehicles could be seen in the rising dust from their wheels. It was a large German convoy.
Moffitt said, "Normally I'd say its supplies for the battalion … but the equipment I can see tells me it's much more than that."
Troy nodded and handed the binoculars to Hitch. "It's looking more and more like a radar station is going up."
Hitch questions, "A construction crane? Don't they usually put most of their controls underground?"
Moffitt replied, "Yes, that's right."
"I don't see any digging equipment."
Tully had taken Moffitt's field glasses and was surveying the convoy. "Those are pretty big steel universal beams they're haulin'. Looks like the Germans are planning to build something tall."
Troy said, "Let's get back to camp."
When they returned, Troy and Moffitt reported their findings. Captain Dobbins listened carefully, then said, "You're right, it does sound like the Germans are getting ready to build, but I don't think it's a radar station. I could understand it if they were in those hills to the north … but here? It doesn't make sense."
A couple of hours passed before one of Dobbins' men reported the convoy was arriving at the battalion. The captain joined Troy and Moffitt as the trucks began to park outside the circle of tents, halftracks, and tanks.
They watched the action for a while, then Tully pointed and said, "See those trucks there … the three right behind the crane truck? Those are cement mixing trucks."
Dobbins asked, "How do you know that?"
"When I was in basic training, they were doing some building on base. Other than the fact these are German, they look like the ones I saw then, sir."
"I see."
Corporal Carter appeared and said, "I have the pictures, captain."
"Good, let's take a look."
Carter handed the still damp photos to Captain Dobbins and said, "There isn't much to see I'm afraid, sir."
He was right. The pictures were fairly well focused and did show the battalion up close compared to what a full-sized aircraft could do. However, they mostly showed German soldiers wandering around, on guard duty and such. Occasionally one or two would be caught looking up, as if trying to see what was making the distant, rather high-pitched buzzing sound.
Captain Dobbins said, "Good work, corporal. I need you to go up again. I want to know what's in that convoy."
Carter looked out at the trucks, most of which were covered, and said, "I'm sorry, captain, the UAV can't hover. There's no way to get pictures of what's in those covered trucks. But, if we wait for them to be unloaded…"
The Germans began to unload the trucks about an hour after their arrival. They were still offloading and moving empty trucks when it became too late in the day to safely fly the UAV.
##################
Early the next morning in the twilight before sunup, Tully was walking through camp to take up his position on watch. He spotted Corporal Carter checking over his precious little plane with a flashlight. "Mornin' Corporal. You're up early."
Carter glanced up and said, "Good morning, Pettigrew. I didn't sleep well last night. I finally gave up and decided to do my preflight checks early."
"How soon can you go up?"
"Not until after sunrise. I need a bright, cloudless sky to keep Roxy as undercover as possible."
Tully smiled. "Roxy, huh?"
Carter returned the smile, but didn't look up as he said, "Seems to fit."
"Yeah, like Olive seems to fit my jeep."
The corporal stood up and looked at Tully seriously. "Can I ask you something?" When the private nodded, Carter continued, "How do you guys stay sane out here? Suffocating heat during the day … freezing cold at night. Always looking over your shoulder for the enemy. How…"
Tully smirked. "Who says we're sane, corporal?" Then he turned and headed out towards the boulders, leaving Carter to wonder if the private had been serious.
The sun was slowly making itself known when Troy appeared next to Tully with a cup of coffee. "Anything going on?"
Tully took the mug gratefully. Thanks, sarge. Not much. Camp's starting to wake up. The night shift has gone in for breakfast."
"Okay, let's go get our own breakfast. You, Hitch, and Larson will be walking the UAV down again as soon as Corporal Carter gives the word."
It was about 0800 hours when Captain Dobbins went to Carter and said, "Let's get this show on the road, corporal."
Carter looked up at the brightening sky and said, "I'd like to wait until the sun is a little higher, sir."
"I need to know what the Germans are up to down there."
Reluctantly, Carter nodded and said, "All right, captain. The UAV is ready to go."
Hitch, Tully, and Larson carried Roxy down to the spot where she'd taken off from before. The privates backed away and headed back up the hill when the small plane's engine started up.
Corporal Carter stood in the same place he'd stood last time with his goggle/binocular setup. He took the UAV up to about three hundred feet before he flipped the camera on and began to circle.
After a few minutes, Captain Dobbins asked, "Can you go in lower and get pictures of what they brought in last night?"
Carter said, "I can try, sir, but we run the risk of being seen in this light."
"I'm afraid that's a risk we'll have to take, corporal."
Carter brought Roxy in as low as he dared and did two sweeps over the supplies. However, just after the second flyby, there was a burst of machine gunfire. A small puff of smoke came from the UAV. "Oh no! She's been hit!"
Troy growled, "Get it outta there, corporal!"
"Already on it, sergeant!"
Carter had little control over the plane and the rudder must've been damaged because he couldn't turn it. He decided to try a landing before it got too far for remote control contact. He cut the engine and pushed the button that would release the parachute … nothing happened. With a gasp, the corporal tried to restart the engine, but there was no response. All he could do was attempt to guide the UAV down for a crash landing.
Captain Dobbins turned to Troy and said, "Go get that plane, sergeant! We can't allow the Germans to get their hands on it!"
##################
As the jeeps appeared on the desert floor, it became a race against two German halftracks to get to the UAV first.
Hitch and Tully sped up behind the halftracks. Troy and Moffitt opened fire with the 50s before the Germans knew they were being followed. Before anyone could man the 30 caliber machine guns, Hitch pulled alongside one halftrack and Troy swept the vehicle with heavy 50 caliber slugs. With everyone dead the halftrack coasted to a stop.
Moffitt had dispatched the three men in the back of the second halftrack, then Tully got close enough for the sergeant to toss in a grenade. The explosion finished the job.
They found the UAV in pieces, scattered across the sand. As Troy jumped out of the back of the jeep, he yelled, "Hurry up! Pick up everything you can find! Moffitt, watch for the Germans!"
Troy, Hitch, and Tully were frantically grabbing parts and putting them none too gently in the jeeps when Moffitt yelled, "Here they come!"
Seconds later Troy quickly scanned the area and told his men, "That's it! Let's shake it!"
As Hitch and Tully sped off, throwing up sand as they accelerated, the second set of halftracks opened fire.
Captain Dobbins and his men, along with Corporal Carter watched from the hill. When the Rat Patrol and Germans disappeared, the captain called to his men, "Pack up! We're going after them!"
Carter asked, "Do you think that's wise, sir?"
"There aren't many places to hide out there. They may need help."
"But won't the Germans see us when we leave here?"
Dobbins shook his head. "If we stay close to the hills, they shouldn't spot us. Especially since they don't know we're here."
Carter frowned. "Won't they suspect there are more than just the four men…"
"The Rat Patrol normally works alone. The Germans won't be looking for us."
##################
The German halftracks weren't about to give up the running gun battle. Finally, the Rat Patrol came across a bit of cover in the form of the dilapidated ruins of a small stone house. It wasn't much, just the entryway door, broken walls, and no roof.
Troy and Moffitt continued to fire the 50s while Hitch and Tully grabbed machine guns to shoot from cover.
The Germans kept moving, making them a harder target to hit. They circled the ruins, forcing Hitch and Tully to constantly change their position. However, it wasn't too terribly long before reinforcements arrived. The Germans quickly realized they were outnumbered and headed back in the direction of their battalion.
Captain Dobbins had his driver stop next to the wall and looked at Troy on the other side. The sergeant said, "Thanks, captain."
Dobbins gave a nod. "Everyone all right?"
Troy looked around at his men. "Looks like it."
"Were you able to get the plane?"
"Most of it, sir."
"Then I suggest we get moving before the Germans come back with some friends."
Moffitt said, "If you'll follow us, sir, we know of a place where we can hide and rest for a while."
Dobbins said, "Lead the way, sergeant."
##################
They drove in the general direction of Fes, but when they stopped they were thirty miles west in the shade and cover of a waterhole.
Corporal Carter jumped out of the halftrack he'd been riding in and ran to the jeeps. He looked at the UAV parts in both and appeared as if he might cry. "Aah, Roxy."
Hitch said, "We picked up everything we could, corporal."
The corporal nodded as he looked at the engine parts, broken wings and tail section, and the bullet riddled body pieces. "Thank you for that, private. Maybe I can salvage her."
Tully pulled something out of the back of his jeep. "I found the camera." Carter took it and looked at the bent body and cracked lens as Tully said, "Could be the film's still good."
Suddenly there was a spark of hope and Carter said, "Yes, it's still sealed. It very well could be." He nearly yelled as he ordered, "I need my darkroom … now!"
The tent was quickly set up and the corporal disappeared inside. Moffitt leaned against the jeep and wondered aloud, "Do you really think the film survived?"
Troy shrugged. "Anything's possible." He looked at the UAV parts in the jeeps and said, "Let's load this stuff into the corporal's trailer."
Two hours passed before Carter excitedly exited his darkroom and went straight to Captain Dobbins. "Sir, it took some work to get the camera open, but the film's intact. I'll be able to print pictures shortly."
The captain said, "At last, some good news. Good work, corporal."
Sometime later, Corporal Carter appeared with the pictures. The ones of the building material were of the most interest. Captain Dobbins sighed and said, "There's nothing here that points directly to a radar station. What in the heck are they planning?"
Moffitt found the photos fascinating, and Troy noticed the look on his friend's face. "What is it, Moffitt?"
"There's something familiar about some of this. I just can't put my finger on it." Moffitt looked at Troy and said, "It was something I read about not too long ago." He hurried to the jeep and rifled through the glove box. A minute later he returned with a triumphant smile. "I knew I recognized it." Moffitt sifted through the pictures until he found the one he was looking for. "These parts here—key parts—and the cement mixers. They point to a Fliegerabwehrturm."
Troy frowned. "What's that?"
Moffitt looked at Tully, who said, "Anti-aircraft tower."
Moffitt smiled. "Also known as a 'Flak Tower'." He handed the report he had to the captain and said, "I came across a copy of this report and picture. I found it interesting. The Germans have been building these anti-aircraft towers throughout Nazi Germany to protect key cities."
Captain Dobbins said, "And now they're going to build one here."
"It would appear so, sir."
Troy asked, "How do we handle this, captain? Obviously the Germans don't have everything they need to start construction."
Hitch said, "If we destroy what they have now, they'll just replace it all."
Dobbins nodded. "I'll get this information to headquarters and see what they want to do … but I have an idea what they're going to say."
Troy sighed. "So do I."
Captain Dobbins had a coded message sent and they waited for a reply. It was evening when it came. The captain met with the Rat Patrol and handed the decode message to Troy as he said, "They want you to go back and watch for more supply deliveries. Then they'll send in an airstrike."
Troy glanced over the message and handed it Moffitt as he said, "I kinda figured this would happen."
Moffitt read the message and said, "It says you're to take Corporal Carter and go back to headquarters."
Dobbins gave a nod. "Yes, we'll head out first thing in the morning." He smiled and offered his hand as he said, "It was good working with you and your men again, Sergeant Troy. At least no one got hurt this time."
Troy took the offered hand and returned the smile. "Glad to know you've adjusted to life out here, captain. Your men appear to really respect you."
"I can thank you and your men for that. I took what you told me to heart and it seems to be working."
##################
Stay tuned…