Author's note: There are places and themes in this story that refer to my other fanfic "Diary of an Osean Paratrooper". It isn't essential to read it, but it's good for some background information. Be forewarned, it has Mature rating. It is full of gratuitous language and violence so it's not for the younger crowd. This story is unusual in it's perspective as it tries to tell two different perspectives of the same story.
Here are some of the acronyms I use so save me from doing it as I go.
PIR-Parachute Infantry Regiment; SAW- Squad Automatic Weapon; OCS-Officer's Canididate School; RCT-Regimental Combat Team; IED-Improvised Explosive Devices; SFC-Sargeant First Class; PTSD: Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
Also sometimes a battalion will be addresed like this 1/327, which means 2nd Battalion, 327th PIR.
The Blue Devils: Chronicles of the 327th PIR
written on May 25, 2018 by Penny Mallory
In the Beginning
"Ultima re madara"-The motto of the 13th Airborne Division, aka "The Blue Devils". Loosely translated from ancient Sotoan, "Always a devil" This has been the motto of the 13th Airborne ever since it's activation in 1998. It saw minor action during the Usea Civil War of 2004. It would participate in its first major combat action during the Circum-Pacific War of 2010. They are distinguished by the blue berets they wear during parades, troop reviews, etc. The 13th was smaller than the mighty 79th Airborne, with only about 10,000 in its ranks. However, perhaps the most storied of the regiments in the division was the 327th PIR. Consisting of nearly 2,100 troops, it was and currently is stationed at Cross Island 1000 miles north of Sand Island at a base called Fort St. Angeline. There was also Zalfron Air Base, home to the 177th Transport Wing, as well as Southpalm where the families of the 327th's soldiers live.
excerpts from The Long Ride Home by Christopher Andrews
The war was over. We were tired, beaten, and anxious to return. Time with family would replace occupation duty and the rebuilding in Yuktobania. There were some 12 C-141s carrying the paratroopers of the 13th Airborne Division home to Cross Island. However, only 17 people out of the 94 in one C-141 were in Juliet Company at the start of the war. I am Sgt. Christopher Andrews. I drifted between sleep and consciousness. In my mind , lied a muddle of relief, exhaustion, love, anxiousness, fear, and pain. I was a tan-skinned man of about 25, with a deep set of green eyes and a boyish, yet mature look. I stand about 5'12, shorter than the thin, freckled man sitting next to me at the time. Cpl. Alex Rosenberg, a long time friend of, was about 6'1. His hair was originally blonde with blue eyes that gave him a "farmboy" look as I described him. To my left sat the company medic, Spc. Cpl. Rachel Vahn-Remsing, a 24 year old short, black haired female. She stood at about 5'4 with a set of glassy blue eyes. Her peaceful slumber surprise me at the time. There must have been some nightmares in that mind of hers from all the whizzing bullets and violent results of artillery. The humming of the plane rocked me back to sleep.
In order to become a paratrooper, one must complete basic and advanced combat training. After that, they must volunteer for the Airborne. In essence, the Airborne soldiers are double volunteers. In the power tiers of the infantry, the Airborne are the elite. However, amongst the other elite special forces, they are at the bottom compared to the skills of Marine Recon or Delta Force. Osea's airborne program is second only to Yuktobania's program, in which the Yuktobanian Airborne troops are the true elite soldiers. The Airborne training program consists of three parts: Red Phase, a week of constant physical training and rudimentary airborne training. Then there is Yellow Phase, a 2-weeks of advanced training using jump towers and lessons on parachute control in extreme conditions. This phase is concluded by a full final examination testing physical fitness and knowledge of parachute-related skills. If one passes this test, they move on to the third and final phase, Green Phase. Green Phase is the real deal, where 5 actual parachute jumps must be made within the week. Afterwards is the pinning of the silver wings on the new trooper; afterwards they are assigned to either the 79th Airborne Division or the newer 13th Airborne.
The Division is divided into the regiments 327, 504, 335, and 328th. The 327th PIR was activated on March 15, 1998 with 1500 soldiers in its ranks. It's first commanding officer was Col. William Moses. The commanding officer during the Circum-Pacific War was Col. John Horn who at the start of the conflict had nearly 2100 men under his command. Col. Horn would call the shots during the war, but was a sort of backstage figure. In truth, it was the men and officers of the company that would receive the most adoration. However, despite their elite status, it seemed there would be no need for them. Or so it was thought...
That hit me hard, the war. It felt like a like brick had hit me. I had drifted in my own worried thoughts all month long...When it was all over, I wrote one last letter to Rebecca and I was on a plane heading over to a place I'll never forget.
The sudden war put Osea and it's military on high alert. Soon all the military was preparing to deploy in some unknown offensive. The first days of the war was almost exclusively an air war. Concern over a possible invasion attempt by Yuktobania, placed the shoreline based infantry divisions on full alert. When the attack was finally blunted in early October, the Osean military personnel began training for a possible counteroffensive. The word "possible" is used, since both countries attempted to settle the dispute though diplomatic means.
Planning quickly went in effect for the planned counteroffensive, Operation Footprint. Each branch of the military had it's role in subsidiary operations to support the main invasion. Thus it would fall upon the Army's Airborne Divisions to seize critical roads, bridges, and towns by air drop. Osea managed to deceive the Yuktobanians about the numbers of troops they would send and where they would strike. The cities Vijrundi and Mitar in South Bastok were the key objectives to allow seaborne infantry, the Marines and certain Army Divisions to proceed northward at a rapid pace. Popular to contrary belief, the two entire Airborne Divisions were not sent at once. Even some soldiers today, believed the entire division was sent. This was a double-blind operation; neither the Yukes nor the Osean military knew the exact details of the operation. 2 regiments from each division, totaling just under 8,000 men, would jump into South Bastok in their operation Neptune II. The 327th PIR would serve as the spearhead for the operation, with the 504th PIR from 13th Airborne and the 117th and 118th regiments from 79th Airborne behind them. The 79th would take Vijrundi and the 13th would take Mitar. The journey was a major venture for the air force, with the some 110 C-130s and C-141s needed as well as fighter escorts, jammer aircraft, and refueling aircraft. It was a wonder it ever succeeded at all. It was nearly a logistical nightmare in the arms-reduction era.
On October 29, word came for the invasion to begin as planned. However, it was never announced that the politcal talks broke down. Yet everything was ready to go forward. The 327th, stationed at Sand Island Airbase, would be the inital forces to get "boots on the ground" as it is said. Throughout the days on October 30 and 31st, preparations began for the jump. It was predicted that resistance would be of a medium amount. The general consensus of the Airborne was of a high morale. Bordering on unintentional arrogance, some believed as elite forces that their involment alone would turn the tide of war and end it quickly.
At 1100 hrs on October 31st, the 327th lifted off from Sand Island Air Force base, the first time such an operation occurred there. Soon the 504th and regiments from the 79th would be airborne as well in 15 minute intervals. Luckily, Bastok was not very far from Sand Island or the surrounding airbases so there was little trouble getting there. Unknown to the Oseans at the time, they had chosen the perfect time to strike. The Yukes' defense was lacking in the south, due to the deception; it was defended mostly by allied Verusan troops with little or no combat experience. There was a Yuke garrison near Mitar though.
We were so weighed down with all this stuff. They were checking and rechecking our chutes. Everyone was in a jovial mood. They were all anxious to get in on the action. I wasn't so anxious; I just wanted to be able to get out of the plane and make it through the first day. We all loaded up 64 to 94, depending on the transport craft used. It was so cramped in that plane. There was just equipment everywhere and it was all over me. Sleep was impossible for that first jump.
A Sucessful Failure
November 1, 2010
At about 0030 hrs, the first planes of the Airborne troops lumbered over the intended drop zone, nicknamed Romeo, Juliet, Othello, and Macbeth. The 327th approached DZ Juliet at 0032 hrs. The first man in the lead C-130 to jump was Lt. Alton Willow, 1st Platoon leader, Juliet Company, 1/327. 26-year old Willow, unlike many of the officers in J Company, was a product of the Osean Miltary Academy at Westhampton (class of 2007) not OCS.
The drop for the most part was successful. However, there were several AAA guns in the area. Several rounds hit the plane of J Company 1/327 as it came to the drop zone.When the plane was hit Willow was already out of the plane. He was the first Osean soldier to touch the Yuke soil. Behind him was Cpl. Christopher Andrews. The pilots struggled to keep the plane level, and only 17 got out before it crashed. Juliet Company, who's objective was to knock out a vital radar site, was wiped out and no one had put one man into combat.
Willow came down hard near a road, codenamed Road #4. Andrews hit the ground, and kissed a small pocket watch containing a picture of his wife, Rebecca. According to Andrews, Lt. Willow said, "Hell of a good luck charm you got there." Despite the disastrous drop, the remaining members came down where they were supposed to.
I was thinking about the days before. Then I woke up suddenly. I took one more look at the watch. Rebecca was about 22 with long jet black hair with red highlights(in the picture). Her skin is a smooth, unblemished beauty. She had deep blue eyes, to me her most attractive feature. It was a window into her soul, a deep hazel memory that kept me fighting the whole time. When I left her, we were expecting our first child. Little John or Elizabeth would have born either as I got on to the plane or when I eventually got off. However, only the memory then was of the past 4 months I spent in Yuktobania. Everyone was so excited when they got on the plane. Then all of the planning, all the excitement, just went out the window. I never felt so confused...everything was going so well. Then the plane went down and 70 people were gone. They had families, friends, children. All gone. What I did that day, what the gave me a medal for is irrelevant. It belongs to those people that never made it out of the damn plane.
Despite the chaotic situation at first, 1st. Platoon leader Lt. Willow regrouped the company as he was the only surviving ranking officer. Despite their lack of numbers, they still had an objective to accomplish. The morale was low, but Willow revived their fighting spirit and got them moving. Willow would known for his good leadership. He was younger than some of the NCOs, but he just had a natural aptitude for leadership. He took advantage to the confusion and a lax defense and came up with a battle plan to defeat the Yuke platoon guarding the site. Using the tried and true method of creating a base of fire and moving in under the fire, he confused the Yukes into thinking more troops were attacking than they really were. His improvised platoon perform exceptionally, and ruthlessly. There was no panic, just perfection. Rosenberg, Florentine, and Pvt. Johnny Moore stormed the inside as the others laid down harassing fire. They killed some 14 Yukes inside. Andrews took two privates, Julian Perez and Casey Black on a flanking action left. Andrews in a burst of adrenaline, rushed though the bushes and managed to capture 10 Yukes in a small defensive trench and killed three. Pvt. Al Doohan ran across the "no-man's land" of crossfire to rescue his wounded friend Pvt. Benny Ballard. As he was treated by Remsing, their position was hit by a grenade, yet both survived. Remsing, however, was bleeding from her head, neck and left arm yet managed to patch up Ballard. After 1st. Sgt Dante Spere and Pvt. Alan Fischer planted the demo charges they ran away as the site exploded, after drawing heavy fire from the west. Later that day, they found the assembly area near the town of Mitar. By now the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Div. had landed at Bastok. They were amazed that so few had survived and yet accomplished their objective. J Company had only 3 wounded. Yet 63 good men died before they got out of the plane. Most had families and some were only just teenagers. Despite this near disaster, casualties for the operation were lower than expected.
1st. Lt. Willow's exceptional leadership in a desperate situation would make him the 13th Airborne's first and only winner of the Seraphim Cross, Osea highest military honor. Remsing was given the 2nd highest the Angel Cross. Spere, Andrews, and Doohan were given the Silver Angel, 3rd highest. 5 others were given Bronze Angels, including Johnny Moore, Julian Perez, 2nd Lt. Ben Mathis, Cpl. Saita Battalini(Osea's first Verusan winner of an Osean military decoration), Sgt. Haley Halloway, and Cpl. Johnny Weaver. The platoon was decorated with a Presidential Unit Citation in late Febuary. Eventually, the rest of the 13th Airborne dropped into in Yuktobania. Men were plucked from the regiment to reinforce the 13th. Later the 5th Infantry and 11th Armored Divisions streamed through the area. The 327th then spent a almost uneventful 2 weeks attached to the 5th Infantry Division that really was a "grand tour" of Yuktobania.
There was no need for heroism anymore in my mind. I never hoped to do such feats again. We only succeeded because we were fired up. The war went well those first 2 weeks. However, there was the uncertainty of it all. It was a weird time for everybody. That stuff I did that day, I'd never do again. They were the marks of inexperienced soldiers with plenty of heart and morale. We were lucky. I still cannot believe we survived that. All of my thanks go the Lt. Willow's leadership. He always knew what to do, when to do it, and how to do it.
A Dynamic Front
November 16-27, 2010
The most eventful days of November for the 13th Airborne was the crossings of the Semya River on November 16-18. The 1/327's commanding officer, Major Molly Grovesbeek, was given the task of seizing a critical bridge over the lower Semya River near a town called Kerlen. The town itself was held by a small company of Yukes that were quickly overwhelmed by 2/327. It was expected that the Yukes would try to destroy the bridge; November company did stop an attempt to destroy the bridge. It was a strange, chaotic situation. 1st Battalion's position was a bulge of sorts into the lines of the Yukes. Yet the Yukes made no other attempts. Grovesbeek, ever the prudent Gothan, decided that the Yukes were waiting to ambush the upcoming mechanized division. The constant rains had flooded the 50 ft. high gap from the bridge to the river. Grovesbeek ordered a night patrol to make contact with the enemy. Only a few boats could be provided though by the engineers. J Company CO, Captain Maxwell, led the small patrol containing the first and second squads of his first platoon. Among them were Pvts. Johnny Moore, Julian Perez, Cpl. Milton Bannes, Sgts. Haley Halloway and Christopher Andrews(who had recommended for a promotion in early October, and was given on November 11). They paddled silently across the river.
We moved west then made a swing north. It was raining all week long. We got to Kerlen, had some minor combat, then dug in. Then some of us got picked to go on a patrol. "Whatever." I thought. I remembered the rain was miserable. The night was heavy with misty humidity when the rain stopped earlier that night. I had never been so uncomfortable. My movements were nervous, prudent. There was no rush of adrenaline this time. The footwork of the patrol was a mixture of silent, yet squishy moves. It was only the sounds of the forest we heard. We approached the roadway embankment out of the trees with a cautious deathly feeling...and there were the Yukes. They were in a large field camped out. No one had noticed them. There were some 19 men on the patrol. There were some 130 of them. They had not put up an OP(observation post) or mounted a patrol. They had plenty of anti-tank weapons though. Maxwell commented, "They either brave or stupid." So we were simply given the orders who to shoot and the duck shoot began...
With the high ground as well as artillery support the patrol raked the enemy with murderous fire. The Yukes fled with the patrol having killed some 50 Yukes and capturing 30. The bridge was in Osean hands...or it so it was thought. As the patrol crossed the bridge back to Allied lines, an enemy plane came out of nowhere and bombed the bridge. Maxwell was critically wounded and several members of the patrol were killed The rest of J company members had already crossed the bridge and dodged a major bullet. Maxwell was evacuated and the company command fell to Lt. Willow once again. He would die later in December.
The bridge was destroyed by the aerial attack. Engineers were called in the next day to build a improvised one. However, artillery had the town's side of the bridge zeroed perfectly and many casualties were suffered. In one area, the Yukes actually had crossed the river and attacked Romeo company, 3rd Battalion. On the 17th, another company crossed the river and attacked Mike Company, 2nd Battalion. The Yukes had pre-constructed light bridges that would stretch across the lower marshes and the troops could cross undetected. Kerlen was simply too long a front for the 327th alone. This fluid situation frustrated regiment as it tried to get troops in position only to come under attack.
On the night of November 21, the 327th commanding officer ordered 3rd and 1st Battalions to cross the river and drive the Yukes from the area. What happened next was what many soldiers described as the most spectacular. Both sides traded machine gun, artillery, and mortar fire as both battalions crossed the river. Then another pouring rain with black clouds swelled the area. 1st Battalion crossed the river at 1400 hrs to outflank the Yukes. The river consantly exploded with artillery rounds and stray bullets, as 2nd Battalion tried it's best to provide covering fire. Crossing the river was very difficult for 3rd Battalion; however, the 1st crossed with near impunity. The fighting was fierce. Under heavy pressure, the Yukes fell back. By the 18th, the river and the surrounding areas were in Osean hands. The rest of the division, fighting upwards towards the Sonza.
I saw Haley Halloway on the plane. A jovial, energetic, person who actually loved war. She loves the grand schemes, the explosions, the sounds of the planes flying by, and the prospect of "lighting up the enemy" with her M-249 SAW. A plain-jane, brown-haired, brown-eyed woman of 26. I knew her well; after all, she is married to one of my childhood friends, a man named Quinn Halloway. They were polar opposites. Quinn was one of the most mild mannered individuals in the world. He never drank or cursed, and rarely argued with people. Haley was a very rough and tumble person who had a ruthless, vicious side to her; yet she had a gentle, caring, pseudo-introspective side she only showed when around Quinn. Yet despite these vast differences, they still remained committed to each other. Opposites do attract in this case. She was one of the most popular soldiers in the company next to Lt. Willow. Yet, she was quick to excite over every enemy she killed; she kept a running count and verbally called each kill by number as they happened. This was not unusual...some rookies often reacted the same way in battle to some extent. They were all so wired for action.
Morale in the 327th as well as the rest of the army was very high. The war was going very well, and the Yukes did not seem to put up much of a fight. In the paratrooper's case, it was mostly due to their lightning attacks and generally low morale because of the "Four Wings of Sand Island." The 13th Airborne had a hard time understanding why these pilots were so well-known. They would be one of 4 divisions in the war that had no direct or indirect interaction with the pilots of Sand Island. The average 13th Airborne trooper was indifferent. In the rather blunt words of the outspoken 1st Sgt. Dante Spere, "Four Wings of Sand Island? I don't give a damn about them. We own the sky and the ground." Most of the 79th was about the same in their opinions. However, the 79th got a glimpse of them; a small handful would ever get to see them out of the plane, and one 79th Airborne trooper was the only infantry soldier to ever meet one in person.
After the action in Kerlen, the 13th was moved to Noskuv far in the east on November 23rd. There the 13th participated in a number of training exercises and troop reviews. Patrols were conducted into the still volatile Gublina area, were minor guerrilla attacks were conducted against allied troops there. Yukes were focusing their hit and run attacks against the 79th and southward to the Isiba region. This area was a very dynamic front, and fighting would continue to flare up until the end of the war.
Meanwhile, a secret operation was being planned. On November 25, the Yuktobanian defense line in the Jiliachi Desert collapsed. To many, the war was about to be over. Although the 13th was not used as heavily as the 79th, they would be given the honor of participating in Operation Phobos, the jump near the outskirts of Cinigrad. It was an operation that would become one of the greatest military disasters of modern times.
Psel amd Arzri: Calm Before the Storm
November 29-December 7, 2010
The briefings for the operation were given on November 29. The jump was to take place on December 1. At that same time, elements of the 8th Armored Division were attacking Cruik Fortress. The Airborne objective of Operation Phobos to seize the small city of Psel(pronounced "sel") with it's major roadways leading to Cinigrad. When Cruik was taken, the 11th Armored Division, the largest armored division in the world, backed up by 8th Armored would proceed straight towards Cinigrad. It was believed that Cruik Fortress was the Yukes' last line of defense. This assumption was proven true when the operation was delayed twice. Finally, on the 6th, the fortress fell. For the Airborne troops, the long awaited jump had arrived. At 2345 hrs, the paratroopers were in the air, 3 hours after the armored divisions moved out from Jiliachi and Ujuai. They were dubbed "Task Force Cinigrad".
"The million dollar jump" they called it, I remembered. The jump to end the war; and all we had to do was occupy one little this get any easier?" I thought. I remembered the jovial aura that hung over the marshaling area. It was going to be over. I remembered the letter I wrote to Rebecca, one full of confidence. "The next time you hear from me, I'll be in Cinigrad dancing mad from victory." he wrote. "It has all been easy, and this operation will be more of the same. I hope to see you and the baby soon." Yet there are no memories of any dancing in my mind, or of happiness about that operation in retrospect. They kept telling us the Yukes were done. Boy, were they wrong."
Operation Phobos was hastily planned. The operation had been made mostly on sheer assumptions. Yet an assumption is still an assumption. And this assumption would be the start of a bloody quagmire for the Oseans. The assumptions were grounded in one foolish idea, that the Sand Island pilots would lend their aid. That would not come true. Some time after the troopers jumped, they were shot down. Even if they weren't, who would say they were in their top form? By now, the overworked pilots had already lost one of their own, and were constantly facing criticism. Such stress no doubt would have taken its toll.
Despite this, everything went smoothly for the most part. The 13th Airborne came down exactly where they were supposed to be in cold blowing snow. They reached Psel without incident. The people there were not surprised to see troops there. The average Yuke civilian just wanted the war to stop, and could care or less which country in control as long as they could resume their lives. However, as the Division was setting up defensive positions, 2 Yuke armored divisions and 2 infantry divisions were less than 2 miles from the city; as well as three divisions along Road #7 between Ujuan and Psel. The 327th was dropped into Arzri, a small town 200 yards north of Psel itself, the 504th, 335th and 328th PIRs were to the south, west and east of Psel respectively.
The 327th was greeted with great admiration by the people of the small towns. They offered smokes, drinks, and such. The Oseans were treated as liberators to the people of Psel and Arzri. It was unusual to the average soldier to be treated as such. However, the burning question is why? Why did the people of Psel treat the Oseans as liberators? Such Osean atrocities as the Dresdene Incident, the Sevaspol Massacre(unknown to the 13th at this point), and the eventual execution of some 100 Yuke POWs by Marines following the battle of Nion in the near future certainly put a damper on peaceful relations. However, the people of Psel belived that the both sides were merely fighting a politician's war. The government started the war for no good reason at all. This resulted in many unnecessary deaths. The people of Psel saw no reason to support their government in particular.
Pvt. Al Doohan wrote of this period. "I feel like a hero here. These people respect us; they're happy we're here. I don't think it'll be same in Cinigrad; however, here everything is going our way. It's kinda cold here, but it's no different from being back home.
This was dramatically different from the 79th Airborne's experience with civilians in Rydling. The civilians, the majority of which were non-Yuktobanian native citizens, were very hostile. Some even took up arms and fought with the Yukes in guerrilla warfare. No one could be trusted, and the 79th lived in a dreadful, icy, xenophobic state. This helps explains why the fighting in Rydling was so savage.
Sgt. Damien Klien of B Company, 1/117th PIR wrote to his wife on the 10th about the tense situation in Sevaspol, "These people...I look at them. Their faces do not always tell it, but they detest our presence. Some let me know how they feel rather bluntly. There was one old woman that cursed at me, cursed our army, called us every horrible word in the book. Then she spat in my ace. Pratt nearly pulled his Baretta on her, but I stopped him. Frankly...I don't blame them. We came to liberate them, yet there isn't a single building that is undamaged here. We haven't helped anybody, and we have no intention to it seems. The feeling of hatred here is nauseating. Everyone here is icy, litterally. They hate us so much they want to kill us. I can't figure out why. Whenever I ask, they get angry and throw curse words at me. People have died to booby traps by insurgents...I have to sleep with one eye open tonight. I have to walk with my head to the ground tommorrow."
The 11th Armored was beginning to enter the proverbial "calm before the sun."They were moving north at a relentless pace along Road 7. The Yukes had secretly massed forces along the west side of Road 7. The 11th Armored were advancing in a narrow formation, mostly using up just that road. The Yukes would prove they were far from finished as the Osean armored column was very vulnerable on the flanks. Yet the 327th and the rest of the 13th Airborne had no idea of this. They were about to have their own problems..
Psel amd Arzri: The Yukes Strike Back
December 8-December 12, 2010
On the cold, frosty morning of D+2, the troopers were merely at their foxholes. Those lucky enough to man the indoor gun positions were entertained and fed by their civilian hosts. However, the Yuke 5th and 17th Infantry Divisions lay in wait; and on December 8th at 0800 hrs, they attacked Arzri and Psel.
The Yukes began its attack against the 335th PIR on December 8th. A fierce battle erupted there as the Oseans struggled to hold off the well armed division. The 327th fought furiously against the Yuke 4th Infantry. The attacks lasted all day. Then the right side of Psel was blitzed by tanks from the 80th Armored Division. The 13th struggled to stop them, and did with anti-tank weapons, mines and unorthodox tactics. Many thought the counterattack was over. Meanwhile, the Yukes had turned southward towards the bigger prize...11th Armored.
I'll never forget the memory of what happened on D+2. They came out of nowhere. Hundreds of troops bearing down on our positions. Everyone panicked, even the veterans. A counterattack was possible...but this was no mere counterattack. It was a full blown counteroffensive. I kept firing and firing and firing. Then the infantry fell back. Then artillery...seemingly endless artillery. After that, tanks, a platoon of tanks came. They had nearly pushed through, when one guy had to physically climb on a tank to drop a grenade inside. That was crazy. They were most likely probing our lines for weaknesses. Their artillery was perfectly zeroed on certain crossroads. The Yukes probably needed Psel as badly as we did too.
The Ferdelance Armored Brigade (5th Brigade), on point, decided to push ahead to reinforce the 13th as quickly as possible. They would never reach Psel. The Yuke tanks were hidden along a ridge. With the tanks holding the high ground and having their artillery perfectly zeroed, the full weight of the hammer fell on the Brigade. Almost every single tank was destroyed in the Brigade. It became a desperate battle the Oseans had no chance of winning. The infantry had little means to defend against such an attack. The ice storm had done wonders for the Yuke offensive. Air support was grounded. The Brigade would be annihilated by the end of the day. Burning vehicles, enemy and allied alike, clogged the roads. The Yukes had secretly fortified the areas around the crossroads. Ironically, this trap might have been sprung early if the 13th Airborne had landed further away from their intended DZ. Road 7 would become a death trap for the Oseans.
Commanders of the 11th Armored had failed to take heed of intelligence reports of Yuke divisions massing in the general area. The Division S-2, Lt. Col Raquel Herne, had tried desperately to convince the staff to hold off the attack days prior. Her request for a stand down was denied by the infamously arrogant General Jackson. He refused to believe the Yukes were in any combat ready shape. They would get a rude awakening.
Too many mistakes were made. For example, there was little air support. Their most experienced pilots were being lost to fatigue and in some cases combat stress. They were given little chance to rest, with some pilots flying 3 sorties a day. The Yukes had done everything right in this case. They had saved their most experienced pilots for the end. The bane of the Osean air force during this time was the legendary Yuke ace squadron Majonder, or Dragon. Among them, were a mix of seasoned, experienced pilots and skillful youth. The squadron was called out to do bombing runs over the area. They saved their bombs for the rear echelon vehicles they were told contained key staff. They would kill nearly all of the division staff by the end of the operation. The others were spared due to the fact they were left behind in Ujuai. Subsequently, the remaining Yuke divisions were pushed against the vulnerable left flank. However, they were beaten back by a costly, but tenacious defense. For the first time during the campaign, the Oseans were on the defensive. The allied forces were bunched together, and the Yukes quickly took advantage of the Osean's narrow front as it hit it from all sides.
As for Psel itself, the town's civilians were even more afraid of their own soldiers. Hiding in basements, the people of Psel hoped and prayed it would end. In Arzri, there was a different mood. The town of Arzri treated the 327th as heroes. They seemed to do whatever they could to help them. The town of Arzri would be hardest fought town in the entire theater of operations. The furious defense by the Oseans had pushed back the Yukes there. However, ammo and supplies were running low. Luckily for the 327th, D+4 was quiet.
The Fall of Psel
December 13-14, 2010
Even though the day was quiet, it was obvious everything had fallen apart by D+4. Task Force Cinigrad was in grave danger. The Yukes had cut the road south of Psel, and there was no indication of reinforcement for the 13th Airborne. However, they held the lines against constant attack. The strong defense of the 13th surprised and frustrated the enemy. The Yukes retreated and regrouped for one last attack to drive the 13th from Psel once and for all. The Yukes decided to fight fire with fire. They would shift elements of their elite Airborne units from Rydling to clear out the town.
The 11th was in even greater danger. The Yukes had concentrated all their main attacks against that offensive. The 11th was almost completely cut off. The chain of command had broken down and there was chaos in the Division. The 15th Brigade had slipped through the cracks in the Yuke offensive and slowly approached Psel; there was still hope for the 13th.
It was a normal dream and a nightmare in my mind. We were running low on supplies and ammunition. At any moment they would be wiped out. Hours turned to days, and they were still coming. We had to hold a little longer. I had thought about the people to my left and right. I would have to hold it for them, just in case I fell, so that one more guy could go home. D+4 was the coldest day of my life.
However, that hope would vanish on D+5. The elements of 11th made it to Psel at the same time the Yukes threw everything at the city. An entire tank division was pushed along the lines of the 504th. With no anti-tank ammunition remaining, they retreated. The 8th tried desperately to defend the town, but were no match for the premium Yuke tank, the RC-130, a worthy opponent to the M1 Abrams tank. The RC-130 had many advantages over the M1 Abrams, such as excellent fuel mileage and a better gun. That was nothing though compared to the overwhelming AX-18 which made it's debut against the 11th Armored. This tank's destructive capability was unprecedented. It was, as one soldier put it, "The Apocolypse on wheels."The situation was so grave, that General Alexander, 1st Army Commander, had his mechanized 2nd Corps push to reinforce Task Force Cinigrad. However, the damage was done.
On D+6, the 11th Airborne Honor Guard blitzed both Arzri and Psel with everything: tanks, artillery, planes, and many well trained, experienced soldiers. The 327th was overwhelmed and by the end of the day, the regiment was in full retreat. The Oseans were pushed to the edge of Psel as well. Finally, on the 14th, General Howell ordered a full withdrawal from Psel. There was little time to collect the dead or the wounded. The Yukes pressed as the soldiers retreated. The 327th and the rest of the division were literally running for their lives. Some officers abandoned their companies and ran off. Some tried to cover the retreat. By the time they reached the allied lines, they were cold, bloody, injured, exhausted and almost completely out of ammo. They limped to the rear in the fashion of defeated troops. It was a "walk of shame" as one soldier put it. They, and the remnants of 11th Armored, made it to Ujuan well out the reach of the Yukes. However, their relief units would struggle against the Yuke defenses for some 14 more days. It was an embarrasing blow the 13th Airborne.
"We are defeated,"S.SGT. Rodney Mackall of Lima Company wrote to his wife Miranda on the 14th, "and we will likely be here for many months. Everyone is angry, sad, tired and deceived. I no longer take guarantees from officers. Some of them were the first to run. Although my platoon leader is no coward, I no longer look at him the same. This war has been so mismanaged; I learned this from the people in Psel. We have done little to liberate them. They view us as a conquering army from their point of view. The high schoolers cannot grasp the fact that the civilians are not the enemy. They are just far too trigger happy. Despite our problems, there is nothing we can do except fight. I saw the war different 6 days ago as you can tell. Now I have seen the full picture. I was blinded by this strong desire to fight in a war that now I can't understand anymore."
I'll never forget the explosions in the forest, the tanks behind them, the bitter cold left the mind of a soldier as I ran across that harrowing land. My only desire was to survive. Some left the wounded and the dead behind, in a clear violation of the warrior creed. "How could this happen to one of the greatest armies in the world?" I thought at the time. Such an embarrassing retreat it was. Some officers left their soldiers behind, desperate to save their own lives. Panic. Fear. It was the low point of the army. I recalled that final artillery attack that forced me and Rosenberg to hide in the basement with that Yuke family. The wife was saying in her language, "I don't want to die." in rapid whisper. The husband tried to protect his two kids and his wife from falling debris. I have that image of the little girl's visage burned in my mind. There was no need to speak the words; She was asking, "Why?"
The Battle of Alene: Insult to Injury
December 16-20, 2010
On December 16, two days after Psel was retaken by the Yukes, the 327th was resupplied and ordered to move southwest towards Adane Rydling, or North Rydling. The 327th would be part of the largest battle of the war, and the largest since the battle of Aachen during the last war: the Kukof-Zalus salient. December 13-December 20 was filled with many small and large skirmishes. The 79th Airborne struggled to hold off the Yukes in Zalus. The 8th Armored Division and half the 13th Airborne was attacking towards Alene. The 4th Infantry was attacking Azaus; the Marines headed for Valensk, then Nion. The 13th Airborne was sent into the action to stop the Yuktobanian XVIII Airborne Corps from taking advantage of the gaps created in the Osean lines when Psel's defenses collapsed. This was also to help blunt the Yuke 4th Infantry Division's counteroffensive against the 79th Airborne at Zalus. This battle be even more critical. If the 79th was overrun at Zalus, the 3rd Army would be cut in half and would face being driven from Rydling. The bizarre thing was that Rydling actually had little strategic importance contrary to the belief of many officers. The only advantage was a possible 2nd road into Cinigrad...but it was already proving to be more trouble that it was worth. The Yukes knew this as well and were prepared to bog the Oseans down in the frozen landscape for as long as possible. Most of the towns had changed hands at least three or four times ever since the offensive started on November 20.
The men and officers of the 327th were not too pleased with being taken out of one poorly planned operation and thrown back into another one. After all, according to one 4th ID soldier, "This whole damn battle is a failure in the making." Alene was heavily fortified by the majority of the Yuktobanian XVIII Airborne Corps. They contained the 10th Aerotanagra Division(or 10th Airborne Division), the Ivana Derushka Honor Airborne Tank Division, and the 4th Aerotanagra Obrenki Regente(or 4th Airborne Special Forces Regiment). Unlike the Oseans, the Yuke paratroopers were part of the Air Force; the Airborne were among the Yuke's shock troops. The actual massive tank battle occurred on the east side of Alene, where in which nearly 900 tanks fought.
The 328th and the 335th was sent on December 18th to flank left along a hilly section nicknamed "Ice Heart Ridge". The 327th and 504th were attached to the 10th Tank Regiment of 8th Armored. However, Ivana Derushka Honor Airborne Tank Division was waiting for them. Named after Yuktobania's famous female ace of the Belkan War, and the current head of the 8th Fighter Wing, the formidable division had nearly 14,000 mechanized paratroopers and nearly 800 tanks with against some 4,000(of 13th Airborne) and 350 tanks with 10,000 infantry. The 8th Armored Division rushing to relieve the struggling 79th Airborne was pushing right. It all came to a head at the small, frigid town of Alene. As the 327th approached Alene, snipers from the ridge opened fire. Concurrently, half the Airborne Tank Division blitzed the 327th. At almost the same time, 8th Armored approached the other half of the Yukes on the east side of the town. At the head of the attack was the deadly AX-18 Murtadyne, the deadliest tank in the world. Nearly indestructible, the AX-18s had made mincemeat of the Osean M1 Abrams at Psel. A single AX-18 destroyed 9 Abrams. The 504th, in front, was overwhelmed, and the 327th was in grave danger...
I knew that Alene battle was just another SNAFU operation. I was so confident I'd get killed I actually gave my death letter to our company postal officer to mail it Rebecca once I got it. I wasn't far off, but I lived. Yet the guys from the 504 got torn apart by those goddamn monster tanks. I was so pissed off, I took two privates and ran up towards one. One guy of anti-tank crew, Brent, took his rocket launcher and blew out the treads. At the same time, two tanks from the 8th tried to blast it. I just ran up with Ballard. I literally came up with the plan halfway there. We'd run up and throw a grenade into the barrel. Lt. Willow was yelling at me to fall back, but I didn't listen.We ran along a ditch and the tank commander couldn't see us. So we waited until it fired, and then we ran up, shot the tank commander then managed to get the grenades in...the BOOM! Shrapnel everywhere. We barely got off. Ballard caught the worst of it. So I drag him to the rear, and the Lt. thinks I'm crazy, we call a medic, and then things get even more hectic.
As the companies tried to organize and form a defense line, the 504th were overrun by the tank division. There was nothing they could do against the armored onslaught. The terrible weather had also grounded air support, and there was nothing the paratroopers could do. The 335th tried in vain to take the ridge, only to fall to well-hidden artillery, snipers, and mines. The 13th Airborne could not make any headway in Alene. By the 20th, the 13th was in retreat once again. However, the 8th defeated the enemy tank contingent, and rushed to Zalus as planned. It managed to slip by the tanks at Alene, and made it to Zalus. The battle of Zalus was won, but at a heavy cost. The Yuke tank division had a rare chance to crush the 13th Airborne, but due to logistical reasons, it was called off.
Psel , Arzri, and Alene: Postmortem
December 20-23, 2010
Operation Phobos had failed. It was a costly 10 days. The 327th PIR had nearly 400 men killed(279 alone at Psel) with 600 wounded or captured. The division as whole lost nearly 2,500 soldiers, with 1,039 troopers killed and nearly 500 captured from the temorary hospital in Psel. The 11th Armored had nearly 4,000 men killed, 6,000 captured(mostly wounded) 78 of all the armored vehicles were lost. The Yukes lost 13,000 killed, wounded or captured. The battle of Zalus had cost the allies nearly 8,000 men and the Yukes 11,000. All in all, nearly 25,000 casualties were suffered in Operation Phobos alone; it was the bloodiest campaign in nearly 40 years, and it was only the beginning. This battle alone had plunged the battlefront into a month long bloody slugging match that would inflict appalling losses on both sides. The month of December, now known as "Bloody December", would take the lives of nearly 70,000 men and women, 90 of the overall death toll . The I Airborne Corps' losses made up nearly 15 alone. Nearly 1,000 would later die of their wounds.
The brief thrust into central Rydling was also costly, mostly for the 504th who lost 700 men killed, wounded, or captured. 8th Armored lost 2,000 men and 120 armored vehicles over the 10 day period. It was a foolish decision to send the lightly armed troopers against the full tank division. However, battle overall battle was won, at a very heavy cost. However, Zalus had broken the backs of the Yukes in the sector. No longer would they be on the offensive. It was a disaster for the 13th Airborne. Psel, however, wasn't so bad in terms of losses for the airborne. However, the questions now were...why did it fail and who was at fault?
General Jackson was killed in action. Despite the intelligence staff having had the right information yet was not applied by Division. The intelligence staff was court-marshaled on December 16th. Many were demoted. Herne and her adjutant Lt. Col. Joachim von Fostein were dismissed from the army. The unjust punishment, and the sheer cost of Phobos, enraged the public. Many believed she, Frost and everyone else were merely scapegoats to cover up for the massive leadership failures. Some even suggested that the harsh punishment was a culturally motivated. Both were native Belkans. With vicious fighting in Rydling and the Chazuto region to add to the misery of the common public, the vice President's speech about the war on December 13th only poured gasoline on the fire. He claimed the campaign was only a setback. That the public demanded total victory. This created an explosive situation. The Vice President was completely out of touch with reality. At home, it was clear to any idiot that he was more than willing sacrifice every last soldier for victory. Protests and riots broke out all over the country. The hot zones were November City, Sierra City(home of the 79th Airborne), and St. Jivan. Yuktobania wasn't much better off. They had a full scale resistance movement. The war had become a living hell. Paranoia, fear, depression, stress and anger were tearing apart the citizens and soldiers of both sides as fast as the war started.
"The riots I see on TV I see are unsettling. I feel so helpless here. Our world's gone crazy. I have no idea what's going to happen." said in a letter to Cpl. Tory Grant from his sister.
What was also clear, was that the Oseans had vastly underestimated the Yuke military. As said before, the Yukes saved their best for last and in the end Osea would pay a high price for poor strategy and overconfidence. Howell's vision of a modern blitzkrieg was over. Political views would also make things difficult. Gotha and North Point, who were lending aid to Osea, were considering pulling out of the coalition. Everyone was overstretched, even the Yukes. Their situation was just as bad. It would only be a matter of time before they would lose, most thought. However for the Oseans, victory would come a staggering cost. A cost the public was not ready or willing to deal with. Most people were angry that the so-called "diplomatic talks" were never done; world opinion was shifting against Osea. Yet there was no way out for anyone, except death. The 327th were a living testament to that. They had taken more casualties than any other regiment in the 13th Airborne.
Alene was a poorly planned operation. The Ivana Derushka Honor Airborne Tank Division simply outclassed the 13th Airborne in numbers and strategy. The 10th Airborne Division did an excellent job holding up the 335th and 328th on Ice Heart Ridge. Despite losing the overall battle, Ivana Derushka Honor Airborne Tank Division and the rest of the Yuktobanian XVIII Airborne Corps considered Alene to be it's greatest victory since the battle of Assen in the Belkan War. But why were the 13th sent to Alene? It was simple, a lack of troops. Osea had used less troops than expected, not unusual in a blitzkrieg strategy. Many would pay the price for such a limited mobilization. Of course, many officers realized the folly of some of the operations. However, their superiors forced them to follow what Lt. Willow refered to as, "orders to get everybody killed." Many officers were far too by the book to accept the reality of the situation. Ask any paratrooper who fought in Rydling and they will tell you the main reason for the arduous weeks of December were leadership problems. Some officers cracked under the desparate situations; ironically, most the same who insisted the battle plan be followed through no matter what. The Oseans were simply not expecting a counterattack, much less counteroffensive.
Yet at the same time, the Yukes also suffered heavy losses. The stubborn defense of the 327th at Arzri contributed to this. The 280 men killed in the 327th was nothing compared to the some 4,428 Yukes that died there. Only when was impossible to defend against the all out combined air and ground assault on D+6, did the Oseans give up the city. The some 500 captured in the hospital were treated better than most prisoners; however, everything was relative. The Yukes called the paratroopers, Carte Razgra, or White Demons. After the battle, the 13th was given 2 days rest then sent back to the front. However, things had changed dramatically.
To Know the Enemy...
December 24-30, 2010
By the time they returned Rydling on December 24, all resistance had ended. Over 40,000 Yukes surrendered. The 327th would be placed in charge of about 45,000 prisoners of war near the town of Nion, a half-mile away from Myzem. This area several days earlier was the scene of grisly battles that stretched over 10 days. The Yukes had prepared their final defenses well. The carnage and destruction was unbelievable to the 327th who had just survived two terrible, badly planned battles. A major cleanup effort was initiated and the 13th would remain in Yuktobania for nearly a month and a half sorting and releasing POWs, helping bury the dead, and general peacekeeping duties. Most of Rydling was in ruins.
It was miserably cold there. Even more cold than at Psel. I remember seeing the 79th leaving the area. They looked they were beat the hell up in a back alley fight. They were walking away, almost limping away like we were at Psel. However, they won their great struggle. We did not. There was no feeling the war would be over yet. It was more like how much it's going to cost us to win this war. I'd seen Sevaspol, Zalus, Myzem, and the countryside. The dead had been left in the frozen forests. The entire earth was scarred with artillery craters, blood, bodies, and most of all tanks and armored vehicles. They were...everywhere. The roads were clogged with destruction. The scars of those battles will no doubt remain for years. I just wanted to leave it all behind at that point.
Amongst the POWs, there were nearly 4,000 Sajains that were captured. The Sajains were a fascinating people to the 327th. They were non-native Yuktobanian citizens. They were from Osea, Wellow, Sotoa, Verusa, Erusea, North Point, Belka, Gotha, the list went on. They were men, women, teenagers. Rydling was heavily populated by Sajains; some even considered it a separate country. It was no surprise they fought. It was actually the Sajains that gave the Oseans the most trouble. They favored guerrilla warfare, which the Yukes used to its full advantage.
The 327th would learned the motives of the Sajains. The 3rd Army's artillery started shelling the largest city, Sevapol on November 20th without warning the civilian population. The Osean commander was advised to try to win the hearts and minds of the Sajains. General Collins, however, had no intrest in winning over the populace, and ordered the shelling anyway. He claimed the city contained a large garrison of enemy troops. The evidence refuting this was "lost" by his aides. He would later be tried for war crimes.
This attack was the true mishandling of the war many 13th Airborne troopers had come to believe. By mid-December, more than 950,000 of the population was homeless; they were fleeing the destruction as fast as possible. The Yukes had a little more respect for their allies territory, and was very hesitant to use artillery. This was apparent even in Psel, which explained the hesitant attacks of the Yukes. The Oseans smashed, burned, demolished, and even in some cases looted the cities. The reckless, destructive conduct of the Oseans made many Sajains furious. Despite the excess of precision-guided bombs, most bombs dropped are "dumb" bombs which kill and maim civilians over the course of the entire. Finally a band of volunteers formed a militia with help from the Yukes. The Yukes sent soldiers of the same heritage to help train and fight alongside the rebel army. For nearly 22 days, they set booby traps, picked off enemy soldiers(the rural Sajains were known be excellent marksmen), blew up roads and bridges, and made the Oseans pay every step of the way. They harassed the 3rd Army (79th Airborne, 8th Armored Division, 3rd Marine Division, 4th Infantry Division, and 5th Infantry Division) constantly with IEDs. Finally, the 3rd Marine Division trapped them on Nion mountain, a well entrenched fortress about 2000 ft high. After a bloody 10 day siege, the regiment surrendered after running out of ammo. Over the course of the 22 days they'd inflicted about 8,000 casualties. Commanders were baffled as how a militia army could nearly defeat one of the most well trained military units in the world.
There were several reasons why. Such guerrilla tactics were unnerving to troops who had little or no training on how to deal with such warfare. It was bad enough being in desperate, icy conditions; to have to suffer though random, savage attacks could a drive a soldier insane over time. The Yukes had lent several battalions of their own soldiers to reinforce the group. Amongst them were nearly 800 actual soldiers as well 300 of the elite 9th Airborne Sniper Battalion. The most famous, skilled, most importantly...the most hated were SFC Syio Diatia, S.SGT. Elena Diatia, and the Osean born SFC Valen Ulan. They were all captured on December 22nd. Diatia, his wife and Ulan had scored a combined 279 confirmed kills against allied troops. In Rydling, the sniper was the infantryman's worst nightmare. The inexperienced Osean Snipers stood no chance against the these men. The Airborne Snipers were the true creme of the crop. There are only perhaps 500 of them at any given time. Their ability to multi task was even more unsettling. They could fight in both direct and indirect combat. 12,000 soldiers were killed by enemy snipers during the war. It was so bad that by the record, every member of the ASB scored at least 10 kills from November 1 to the December 23. What was even more brutal was their love of the .50 caliber rifles that could hit a target a mile away and utterly flay a person's head in two. This is vividly remembered by Sgt. Damien Klien of B Company, 1/117th who writes about a encounter with such a weapon in the bloody battle of Zalus.
"Not two hours ago, 2 tanks and a bunch of infantry attacked along the west side of town. Captain Jones gets all the anti-tank units into action. Johnny and Miranda get set up to fire a missle. I was right above them in a bombed out section of the mansion. I hear a horrible sound and I see both of them go down...They had to be .50 cal rifles. Johnny's gotta a hole in his head the size of a baseball. That same bullet tore through Miranda's leg. I get down there only to see another guy behind him dead. Murphy. Damn sniper got three people with one shot, I couldn't believe it. So I'm calling for a medic, and he gets there. The tanks were still coming. As we try to stop the bleeding, this poor woman's getting hysterical. Amazingly, the artery wasn't hit; it just tore off a huge chunk of her thigh. The snipers are the worst. They are merely cowards behind massive guns who lack neither the bravery to fight in the open nor any kind of honor. There was one wounded guy blasted by one of those, then two more bullets hit him and literally tore him apart."
It was very strange that I actually admired these guys. Many belived these people were complete sociopaths given military status. When I met them, they were just average ordinary people. They were actually hunters, and farmers, and such. They only thought they were doing the right thing. They fought like demons these people. Somewhere along the line, I had forgotten they were soldiers here for the same reason I was. A lot of the soldiers felt the same way. For the Diaita couple, I guess a family that fights together stays together. We would have done the same thing if the war situation was reversed.
The Sajains were also very organized and they knew their land well. They had prepared for such a situation back in October. They were highly patriotic; they defending their homeland after all. Many 327th troopers were impressed with the tales of these people, calling them true patriots. This may seem strange, but many admitted they would do the same if the situation was the other way around. Many Marines did not share this view; many were bitter and vengeful. Several acts of violence would be committed against the Sajain POWs and civilians. One 327th trooper was nearly killed when a drunken Marine fired at him when he tried to stop him from beating a man and his wife. Luckily, the bullet only scraped his neck, and the situation was brought under control. Such incidents however, were aberrant; yet the animosity remained.
On December 29th, the war officially ended. There were apparently people in the governments of both countries as well as a whole other country that started the war. For the average soldier, it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out who was behind it. There was a wild emotional outburst of joy from everyone in the world despite this unusual circumstance. However, this did not mean an immediate withdrawal. Over the next few weeks, the Osean army slowly pulled out, this due to logistical reasons. However, the 327th was lucky. They withdrew in February. There were some units that did not withdraw until early April. While the waiting commenced, the 327th was still maintaining its peacekeeping duties. Although the scars of war were still around, many of the 327th became acquainted with local population. Some more than others.
"Remember that girl I told you about, the one I met in Noskuv, that did all our translating and such. Well, she actually lives around here. She was quite upset about her small apartment building being ravaged by war. So suddenly, were on sector patrol in that area, and I ran into her. We got to talking again. Then, I took the weekend off and helped her fix up the place. It's been a month since then. We're leaving in two weeks though. I seem like a lovesick puppy now don't I? Of course, you have your sweetheart over here too. Well guess what, they're leaving a small battalion of soldiers over here on further peacekeeping things. It's strictly volunteer, and I signed up. Besides, I've already seen Osea. If your thinking about it, they still got some spots in the airborne." wrote Sgt. Ben Brown, of November Company, to S.SGT. Charlie Seville Jr. of 79th Airborne.
On the day the war ended, a party began unlike any other. We literally had everybody there, from civilians to Sajain rebels, our guys, people from the 504th, the Yuke 10th Airborne, just everybody. From that day forward, the people were strangely hospitable. I thought the residual dislike would slowly reduce over time, but it was almost as if the war never happened. It was like this weird children's storybook ending. The only thing I was thinking about was Rebecca. I had a hard time explaining what went on here. Especially about Psel. Even today, I can barely get the words out. Yet Rebecca does not force them out of me; I don't have to relive all of it.
The Rebuilding and the Return Home'
January 1-Feburary 13, 2011
The rebuilding process was slow, but steady. Many found it ardrous and wondered why such tasks were delegated to combat troops. Combat lovers such as Sgt. Haley Halloway and Cpl. Bill Doyle found themselves wanting "find trouble". However, this actually benefitted the 13th Airborne. Studies showed that cases of PTSD was much less amongst the 13th Airborne than the 79th. Many in the 79th suffered from post traumatic stress; it also had the highest suicide rate in the army after the war. However, some like Medic Sgt. Remsing and Pvt. Rodney Moon took to their new responsibility with pride. The 327th then began the work of returning control of the area to the Sajains and the Yukes. The people cheered for the released Sajain militia members, who were treated as heroes and given a grand welcome home in Sevaspol.
Remsing wrote to her husband, "I finally feel like I'm in my element. No longer do I have to see so many ghastly wounds. There are things I have seen and treated that would make a horror movie fan cringe. However, now I can simply help people. For all of us, the horror is over. It's the next best thing to being at home with you."
We were tasked with helping the Sagains and native Yukes clean up and restore the towns of Nion and Zalus. Zalus was pretty messed up. The 79th had a savage battle with the Yukes here. With the civilians having fled days earlier, Zalus became a frozen killing field. By January 25th, we were still finding bodies in the snow. It was the low point of the time there. There was not a single building that looked anything like a building. Telemark was a very beautiful place. Now that I think about it, from the way the war ended, to Telemark storybook scenery...this whole thing is really some kind of weird fairytale. This war was nothing but a twisted, grotesque children's story from the mind of a sick person with too much time on his hands. On January 30th, we turned the area over the Yukes officially and prepared to leave. I was filled with anticipation, anyday now I'd have a little boy or girl back home. It was strange, I'm a maker and a destroyer all in one. We said goodbye to everyone, and we were off on Feburary 1st. We passed through Parachova, which still bore the scars of battle from early December. I hoped I could get home in time to see the birth. However, we did not leave immediately. So for the next few days, we relaxed in Vijrundi until the morning of the 13th; Willow came up to us and told us we were leaving later that day. I got to a phone and tried to call Rebecca, but nothing. I tried her mother's house, and she said she was at the hospital. She told me the hospital name, the phone and room number. I told her to tell her I loved her and I'll home pretty soon. I had no time to call Rebecca though. I was lucky enough to have time to get to the phone; we were leaving so soon. I wanted out of this place even as much as it had affected me, I knew I belonged at home. We gathered our gear, and we marched to the airfield. We lined up, and our battalion commander gave us a final speech. He told us we were all,living and dead, excellent soldiers. We had gone beyond the call of duty and had saved many lives in our efforts. I don't remember the rest. I was too focused on a special someone back home. I'm sure everyone else was just as single-minded. We got on the plane. The war was over for us, the job was done, and we were going home...I expect suprises from time to time. I never expected Rebecca to already be there, along with with a little addition, little Alex. For the first time since I was a kid I cried. I just held them both for a long time. I was where I belonged.Yet the tears was not for them alone, it was for all those guys I saw die in Bastok, Kerlen, Arzri, Psel, and Alene.
On Feburary 13, the 327th left Yuktobania for Cross Island. Their families were waiting on them at the base and they cheered as they landed. The soldiers poured off the plane to an emotional reunion. But there is still more to the story of the 327th. The aftermath of the war lay ahead. The peace of the world began to give way to reality.
The Cost of Peace
Belka's plan of revenge was not totally successful. A second nuclear holocaust had been prevented on Osea and Yuktobania. However, the cost of their revenge was high. Nearly 60,000 Oseans were killed, with another 40,000 wounded. Of those 60,000 killed, 10,000 of them were of the I Airborne Corps alone. The Oseans would lose nearly 1250 aircraft and 20 ships. The Yuktobanians would lose 40,000 killed, 80,000 wounded or captured(eventually released). They lost nearly 1180 aircraft and 34 ships. The Yuktobanian civilian casualties were near 8,000 with about 3,700 people killed mostly in Sevaspol Artillery Massacre by 3rd Army. Just under 140 Osean civilians were killed in the St. Hewlett raid, Yuktobanian counter-terror attack in Osea, and a few Air Force personnel were killed by falling shards from the SOLG, Belka's final vengeance weapon.
The 13th Airborne suffered nearly 3,100 casualties, with some 1,400 killed in action; 90 of these were in the Psel disaster. The 79th Airborne division had nearly 2,187 wounded and a staggering 5,100 killed in action. Other units suffered nearly 3,500 killed in action. The heavy casualties of the I Airborne Corps was a testament to will to fight. Not a single unit surrendered, and even in retreat the paratroopers inflicted grievous losses on the Yukes in pursuit.
Rydling and Psel had produced death and destruction on a scale not seen since the Belkan war. Because of the circumstances of each major battle in December, the campaigns were called ,"The Cold Blood War". This specifically referred to the constant urban combat, coupled with sub-zero temperatures, and just the general vicious nature of the entire month. It also referred to a comment made by Pvt. Tim Weathers of the 3/504th about what Zalus looked like when he arrived on the 24th. Many of both divisions believed in their respective battles that each human had been reduced to a savage animal. This was when they realized everyone had "hit rock bottom". Every rifle company soldier had the point where he would break. Some were constantly plagued by what they had become, even years after the war ended; it was the majority of these people that took their own lives. Even many of the famous heroes of the war, no matter what branch, suffered from this. Where they had become their most primal. Where the dark hearts are shown and where there are no restrictions on "necessary evil". This is often called the "Predator Syndrome".
By 2014, the 16 Seraphim Crosses would be awarded to the winners. Famous names include David Lovecraft(posthumously...unofficially) and Alvin C. Davenport(posthumous) of the 108th TFS. Sgts. Dante Johnson, Royce "Rider" Johnson(posthumous), and Katerina "Domino" Volken of the Marine Corps, as well as Johnny L. Woolworth(posthumous) of the 1st Infantry Division, as well as Sgts. Leo Saccamano and Leah Hazenkoff of the ill-fated 11th Armored Division. However, the grand majority of names are of the Airborne division. Sgts. Damien Klein, Roxanne "Roxy" Valentine, Shawn Ramsey, Peter Johansson, Jon C. Price(posthumous), and Captain Sarah "Dangerous" D'Mornay of 79th Airborne Division. Finally of the 13th, there was Lt. Alton Willow, and the PFC William Carnegie of Kilo Company(posthumous).
Despite these honors, the winners of such a prestigious award do not consider themselves heroes. Yet for a few of the winners would face a worse enemy than frontline combat...cultural bigotry. Half of the winners were from South Belka or Gotha originally. The minorities living in Osea would face tremendous scrutiny. Even the war heroes were persecuted heavily. Many were deeply angry at the Belkans for starting the war, after all, by now the public knew of Belka's involvement. Even though the president did not specifically say Belka was involved, people were able to put two and two together. The unjust treatment was never fully understood especially by Lt. Willow. He could never fully come to grips with such mistreatment. Verusan-born Oseans also faced harsh treatment, since Verusa was allied with Yuktobania.
The economy also took a huge hit from the war. The rampant spending by the aggressor inside both governments to support the war had sent both countries into a deep recession. The wounded and dead were becoming a tremendous expense, although less compared to amount of equipment lost. Both countries were right back in the situation they were in after the Belkan War. "It will probably take another 15 years to repair the damage." one political said. Thus began a major effort to revitalize both countries. However, the public was opposed to yet another massive arms buildup.
Now, the signs of revitalization have begun to show. Both countries are on the way to complete recovery. The Cypher team, the disgraced intelligence unit of 11th Armored were reinstated to head up a new National Security Organization which took effect in January 2012.
The Legacy of the 327th Parachute Infantry Regiment
The 327th left it's mark on the war and were amongst the war's unsung heroes. It won a unit citation for it's defense of Arzri. The 327's defense of the Arzri was depicted in the movie "White Demons" in 2015. The now Captain Willow's attack on the radar site and the Semya river crossings are currently demonstrated in military tactics classes at the Osean Military Academy at Westhampton. The most in depth account of the Psel disaster was retold in Sgt. Christopher Andrews book, The Long Road Home. As for Arzri itself, the town is where the 327th influence is greatest felt.
Today in Arzri, there lay 278 crosses with the names, dates of birth, death, and their platoon, company, battalion and regiment of every 327th soldier killed in action between December 6-13th. To the right of the village lay the nearly 7,000 Yukes killed at Psel. Along Road 7, there are still remains from the savage battles the 11th Armored Division fought in over that 6-7 day period. As of currently, August 2018. there are still some 376 MIA from that battle, who remains have not been recovered.
Despite this, there were some unusual incidents in Arzri, that are felt today. For example, a 327th soldier helped an expecting couple deliver a child during D+4. However, he was wounded on D+5 and had to be evacuated. Luckily, he was well enough to walk when the town fell and the temporary hospital fell to the Yukes. 2 years later, Sgt. Hartz Eddings of November Company, returned to the same house on his leave. The couple had named the girl...Harte, the feminine form of Sgt. Eddings name.
Perhaps it was the perseverance of J Company, 1/327 that made 327th. Some 86 soldiers passed through its ranks, making it one of the hardest hit companies of the war. It was also one of Osea's highest decorated companies of the war; second only to Bravo Company, 1/117th 79th Airborne. The highest medal winners were Sgt. Christopher Andrews with 1 purple heart, 1 Silver Angel(for Operation Neptune II), 1 Bronze Angel(helping evacuate the wounded at Psel), and the Angel Cross (for destroying the AX-18 in Alene), and 2 unit citations. Spc. Cpl. Rachel Remsing was the only female, much less soldier, to win 3 consecutive Angel Crosses. She also won the Golden Heart, a medal given for non-combat acts of bravery. Sgt. Hartz Eddings was also given this medal. Pvt. Al Doohan became the youngest winner of the Angel Cross at 19.
The 327th and the rest of the 13th Airborne held together at the most critical moments. They were brothers and sisters in arms in which everyone gave their all despite constant hardship. All though this is not just the story of this particular unit, but every unit of every country that ever fought for their countries despite whatever they may have believed. In the end, the Blue Devils fought like devils and lived like angels; this would give pride to every veteran who ever wore that emblem on their sleeves.
Now, I leave you with this...about why I did what I did. I did it for those people in that town, for those people who thought that what I was doing was at least half-right. I did it also for those guys on my left and right who looked after me as well. I mostly did because I fought for people who would miss me if I was gone.