Sergeant Goddard

By:AliasCWN

Chapter 9

Goddard leaned heavily on the 50 and closed his eyes. The faces of the others were starting to spin around him as his grip loosened on the handles of the gun. "Take it easy." Troy's voice urged from somewhere far away. Goddard nodded and let his body relax. He was unconscious before he fell into Troy and Tully's waiting arms.

He forced his eyes open as he felt pressure on his chest.

"Hold still." Troy growled as he worked to stop the flow of blood from the chest wound.

Goddard looked down at Troy's bloody hands and smiled. "That all mine?"

"Yeah." Troy growled again. "Why didn't you tell Tully you were hit?"

"I figured that we needed to get out of there." The sergeant answered breathlessly.

"You could have said something after we got clear."

"I was too busy holding on by then." The sergeant answered. "I didn't have enough strength to hold on and talk too."

"Here Sarge." itch handed roy another roll of HH HHhhh

H

Hitch handed Troy another roll of gauze.

"Don't waste your medical supplies." Goddard protested. "The way you guys operate you may need it before you get home." The sergeant smiled to show that he was only kidding. "Really, save it."

"You need them now." Troy answered as he added more pressure to the wound.

Goddard managed to laugh before he started to cough. "If you believe that you're only kidding yourself. We both know I'm a goner. If you haven't figured that out yet just look at the faces of your men, they know."

Troy looked up into the faces of Hitch and Tully and saw the sadness there.

"I have to tell you Troy. You lived up to all of my expectations. You made me proud." Goddard gasped as the pain hit.itch and Tully and saw the sadness there.

"Thank you Sergeant, that means a lot." Troy replied solemnly.

"You take care of your men Sergeant, they're keepers."

"I'll try." Troy promised.

Goddard smiled through bloody teeth and nodded at the privates. "You take care of your sergeant, he's a keeper too."

"Yes sir." Hitch answered.

"You're a keeper too." Tully answered.

"Me? No, not me." Goddard gasped. "I'm just a relic from the past. You learn from Sergeant Troy, he'll teach you right."

"If I can teach them half as much as you taught me they'll be all right." Troy assured him.

"Take care of yourself Troy."

"Thank you Sergeant." Troy responded.

Goddard nodded once and began to cough. His body shook with the force of the spasms. He sucked in a deep breath and held it a moment. As he slowly released the breath his body relaxed and his head rolled to the side. Troy gently reached over and closed his eyes.

No one spoke for several minutes. It was the sight of the blood on Hitch's arm that drew Troy back to the moment. "Tully, take care of Hitch's arm. I'll find a blanket; I'm not leaving Sergeant Goddard out here. We'll take his body back to the base."

Tully nodded and helped Hitch to his feet. Hitch sat in the jeep while Tully redressed his wounded forearm. Neither of them spoke as Troy removed a blanket and wrapped Sergeant Goddard's body. When Troy was ready Tully quietly rose and helped him lift the body and gently place it in the back of the jeep. Hitch made sure that there was nothing in the way as they tucked the body in next to the gun mount.

The ride back to the base was a quiet one. Troy was not talkative and for once Hitch couldn't think of anything to say. They dropped the body off at the morgue and then went to see Captain Boggs.

"Where is Sergeant Goddard?" The captain demanded as soon as his aide announced the arrival of the Rat Patrol.

He glared angrily at the door as Troy and the others walked in. At the look on the faces of the three men he paused. "Oh."

Troy pulled Sergeant Goddard's dog tags from his pocket and handed them to the captain.

"What happened?" The captain asked as he accepted the disk.

"We got jumped by a patrol. Hitch and I were pinned down next to our jeep. Tully and Sergeant Goddard came back to help us. The sergeant got hit in the resulting battle. He saved our lives Captain."

Captain Boggs sighed. "Maybe it's best this way Sergeant."

"Best? What's that supposed to mean?" Troy asked angrily.

"Calm down Sergeant." The captain warned. "I just meant that maybe this is the way that Sergeant Goddard wanted it."

Troy still looked angry.

Captain Boggs sighed. "I just got a letter from Sergeant Goddard's former commander. According to him Sergeant Goddard asked for front line duty specifically. He didn't understand it either." The captain continued as Troy looked confused. "But then he found out that Sergeant Goddard has been seeing a civilian doctor off base. Apparently the sergeant was having medical problems. He must have suspected that it was serious; he didn't tell anyone on base. By going to a civilian doctor he was able to keep the news from the Army."

"What news Captain?"

"Sergeant Goddard didn't have long to live. He had a condition that was terminal and there was nothing that could be done."

"What condition?"

"I'm afraid that I am not at liberty to say, but believe me, it would have been a long, painful death."

"He knew he was dying?

"Yes, I'm afraid so. He kept it a secret from everyone. His commander only found out when the sergeant missed an appointment and the doctor got worried and called the base."

Troy frowned, remembering the shortness of breath the other man had displayed. "Why didn't he tell someone?"

Captain Boggs shrugged. "Maybe he was afraid that the Army would discharge him. He didn't have any family outside of the Army. Maybe he didn't have anywhere else to go."

"At least he didn't die alone Sarge." Tully said quietly. "He had us there with him."

"And he knew we cared." Hitch added.

"Yeah, at least he had that." Troy agreed.

"And he had the satisfaction of knowing that we finished the assignment." Tully added.

"You got the convoy?" The captain asked.

"Yeah, thanks to Sergeant Goddard and his suggestion to use the M1A1's." Troy answered. "We couldn't have done it without the bazookas."

Captain Boggs smiled. "I'll be sure to add that into his permanent record Sergeant. Even if he didn't have any outside family his Army family can read that with pride."

"Thank you Captain."

"Write up your report and get it to me by tomorrow afternoon. I imagine you could use some rest right about now. Take some time and unwind; I'll see you tomorrow."

Troy nodded, saluted and turned to leave.

"Oh Troy."

"Yes sir?"

"Sergeant Moffitt is back. He said he'd be in your quarters if you got back before supper."

Troy nodded again. "Thank you sir."

A few minutes later Troy, Tully, and Hitch were telling Moffitt all about Sergeant Goddard.