Author's Notes:
I may have listened to too much Sabaton while writing this. Anyways, sorry for the late update. Got distracted by games and had to do a shit ton of research about Blue Archive Combat just to properly implement and balance it for the Vietnam War environment (I still don't know how to make Hifumi's Peroro appear un-ridiculous if she pulls it out in the middle of the fucking Vietnam war), and boy was it worth it. Hopefully I nailed it well, though if I did not feel free to correct me.
Chapter 5: And Shattered
"The first casualty of war is innocence." – Oliver Stone
Cam Lo Primary Defensive Line
April 4, 1972
7:32 AM
Mike ducked as another artillery shell nailed the ground 50 meters behind their foxhole.
David beside him on the other hand kept a silent gaze in the distance before he aimed his M60 and fired off burst after burst on the enemy.
M48 Tanks continued gunning down the enemy, as tracer fire was exchanged between both sides.
Already they have been struggling with their dwindling supplies due to the continuous NVA attacks in the entire night.
"Ah fuck!" David cursed as he ran out of ammo.
Mike simply peeked up and began firing semi-auto towards the now pinned but covered enemy troops.
For the entire night, the NVA slowly advanced towards them, taking land bit by bit and creating improvised cover, usually in artillery craters, but it proved to be better than charging head-on.
Now they are separated in a 700-meter range, with both sides exchanging fire with each other as the NVA occasionally probed the static marine line.
Steeling himself, Mike fired off 3 rounds at an exposed NVA soldier, forcing him to duck down. He didn't nail him but in this game, pinning them is enough.
"Crap! I doubt we're going to hold out much longer...we're running out of supplies-" David exclaimed as he reloaded his M60, just in time for another artillery shell to land 34 meters away from their foxhole, forcing both to duck down.
"Fuck!" Mike cursed as he ducked down, while David simply covered his ears.
After that, Mike and David immediately stood up to resume returning fire.
As Mike aimed his M16, bullets began whizzing towards them, forcing both to once again duck down for cover.
Machinegun fire and rifle fire intensified around them, as Mike peeked again, and saw the NVA assaulting again.
The artillery fire died down just as they charged, but the Marines wouldn't just let them gain ground without losses.
Mike fired off his rifle in semi-auto, nailing multiple NVA soldiers every 3 or 4 bullets sent to their general direction, in moments the enemy once again took cover, and began firing back at them.
"Fucking commie bastards!" he heard Alex cursing from the trio's foxhole beside them, as he fired off bursts after bursts of his M16 in response to the enemy fire.
The M48 Tanks on the other hand continued to lay down MG fire and occasional HE shots to NVA concentrations, but the PAVN already successfully took a few dozen meters.
They are getting closer, as supplies continued to dwindle.
Gunfire slowly silenced on both sides as the NVA decided to take a temporary rest from their assault.
While they are far from defeating the marines, their tempo of attack is increasing, which rapidly caused supply issues to intensify.
Mike ducked down in the foxhole as he slapped another mag in, breathing deeply he looked towards David, who is already sweating profusely.
"Fuck Mike, at this rate we'd run dry by the afternoon…" he muttered as he ducked down and began inspecting their dwindling ammo stockpile.
"Well crap…I guess we're retreating soon then," Mike mumbled as he cautiously peeked up from their foxhole.
Suddenly, artillery dropped towards the enemy positions, multiple booms nailing them as US Marines relayed their positions to the artillery kilometers away.
Mike pulled out his binoculars and stared at the enemy being blown to bits systematically, just as the US artillery stopped, NVA soldiers from behind the frontlines rushed forward to reinforce their forward position.
He puts down his binoculars as a staccato of scattered semi-automatic gunfire emanated from the Marine line, attempting to disrupt enemy reinforcements.
He pulled out his M16, and began firing off as well, the NVA however didn't sit idly by and began firing back in bursts of 7.62 bullets in an attempt to cover their comrades.
A burst whizzed above Mike's helmet, forcing him to duck down from danger.
"Fuckin shit…when will these commie bastards stop!" he cursed as he stood up again and began unloading lead at the now taking cover NVA, just as the M48's machineguns and David's M60 opened fire at the approaching NVA reinforcements.
On the other hand, in another foxhole, 3 soldiers continued firing off semi-auto gunfire at the PAVN's general direction, occasionally hitting enemy troops but usually really only pinning them down.
"This is really a suicide mission, a suicide mission, a fucking suicide mission…" Alex nervously rambled in between his shots as he fired off his M16, until he ran out of ammunition in his mag, forcing him to duck down to reload.
Jordan also temporarily ducked down as well, as the gunfire once again lightened up.
Jimmy on the other hand tuned in on the radio to report their situation.
"Angel Actual, this is Angel 1-3, we're low on ammunition, over."
"Angel Actual to 1-3, evacuate your positions carefully and join the rest of Angel 1 in the Secondary Defense Line."
"Copy that Actual, out."
He turned to Jordan who is now observing the NVA positions using his binoculars.
"Sarge!" Jimmy called out.
Putting down his binoculars, Jordan turned. "Yeah, what did Captain say?"
"We're low so we are now evacuating this position to the secondary defense line, just as planned, once low we retreat to the town, then get our asses hauled out later."
"Alright," he turned towards the direction of Mike's foxhole. "Head's up, we're evacuating to the town!"
"Roger that Sarge!" a loud reply emanated from the foxhole.
Moments passed as they readied themselves for a sprint, it was just 50 meters towards the town, but it was still 50 meters, with lots of chances to die.
And so in the count of 3, Jordan shouted go.
The 5 men squad rushed out as quickly and as low as they could towards the sandbags at the entrance of the town.
Bullets whizzed above their heads as they rapidly sprinted, other squads also passed them, carrying wounded or just retreating.
But in just moments they reached the second defense line, where Angel 1-2 was already positioned at the ready.
"Hey Lee, what a good morning…isn't it?" Jordan greeted in ragged breaths after he narrowly avoided a bullet whizzing past above him.
His Squad simply dropped in relief behind the comfort and safety of the sandbags.
Dennis grinned, "You all look like shit."
"Try running like 50 meters with bullets screeching all around you Sarge!" Alex snapped at the grinning man.
"Eh, we all do it..." he lighted up a cigarette. "Nothing special bout it."
"Still sucks!"
"Yeah sure, whatever kid, anyways you guys are low right?" Dennis asked.
"Yeah, I'm down to 1 mag," Mike confirmed.
"We got some ammo, but unfortunately, we can't get more soon, arty fucked the next convoy in Route 9, Captain said we're retreating to the front's defensive line soon, and hold Route 9 again," Dennis informed them, gaining a snort from Alex.
"So after this, we're fighting again?" he asked in an irritated manner.
"I'm afraid that's the case son, frontlines are stretched thin, if the PAVN touches us wrong the entire front will just collapse."
"And we're basically at the furthest position away from the Quang Tri bridge…" Mike mutters quietly, with helicopter evacuation becoming increasingly impossible due to NVA anti-air, their only route to retreat is Route 9 and Route 1 down in the Dong Ha.
And there at the farthest position, with the NVA attacking the South, specifically FSB Pedro, if they ever break through that base Route 1 would be under threat.
And then it would be a race for everyone to evacuate down to Quang Tri to avoid encirclement, and they are going to be the last in such a race.
In other words, if anything bad happens, they're fucked. They get cut off from land connection, and they aren't getting out of it even in the air, not with the NVA anti-air around.
"And I thought the goddamned VC was bad…"
"In the East, Dong Ha is already under attack, while the ARVN is barely holding the forests…" Dennis continued, "The rest of the 1st is already positioned down south, near Quang Tri, while we are still stuck in this precarious position."
Jordan hummed, and then spoke, "In other words, our fucking lives are based on how well Firebase Pedro and Dong Ha holds?"
Alex frowned further, "Fucking brass must be retarded, we should all pull out from here and fortify Quang Tri."
"Running away won't look very good for PR, plus they say the ARVN needs to control this area for a possible counterattack. And if they ever need to retreat, they need a rearguard again anyway, and that's just going to be us. So even if we retreat, we are still…" Dennis trailed off, as he sighed.
"Fuckin hell…" Alex exhaled in nervous anger.
"…What about the girls then?" Mike asked, it was a question he had since yesterday, they had no business here, or even on Earth either, but then again they have no escape either.
Their only chance of leaving Earth is finding out what the fuck happened, and that's only going to happen if they're in Quang Tri to investigate, and if they decide not to and escape, well again the CIA and Uncle Sam would ensure that they would have a… undesirable experience.
Jordan pinched his nose, "For now Captain said that the best we can do is keep them under wraps in this unit until everything is under control, they really have undesirable options all around-"
Artillery sounded again, as gunfire erupted from both NVA and Marine positions, with both sides once again.
Mike sighed in annoyance, "When the hell's all this going to end, for fuck's sake!"
Moving towards the ammo dumps, he grabbed ammo for himself, sighing a bit as artillery rained down, he can only think of one thing.
"We are definitely fucked…"
…
"Lieutenant, you do know what you are proposing is a…war crime," George asked carefully as he considered the proposal of Angel 1's platoon leader.
"Sir, with all due respect, our unit already has a…very undesirable record at this point anyways…this could all just be swept under the rug."
"Like all the other ones…"
"Still, Lieutenant, I have a line that I don't want to cross, I know your boys…or we have been doing… unpleasant things for the past years now, but we never employed child soldiers, and how can you be so sure that these… angels," he highlighted in suspicion, "is really as capable as the Marines describes them to be?"
"I trust my men sir, I know Jordan and Lee wouldn't lie to me, I have known both for years, and lying to me is something that has never occurred."
He then grinned. "Sir if these girls are that capable, they are an additional force for our unit, the brass is practically sacrificing us as rearguard again and again here anyways…you know it too, we are an unpleasant unit, which means the perfect sacrificial pawns for holding the enemy, having these girls with us is an extra resource we may need in an emergency."
"And trust me Captain, an emergency will definitely happen to us…"
"And the perfect thing about it is, soon they would be forced to defend themselves from the NVA as this… skirmish…progresses, so we would see their abilities, and we could use it if true.
"Sir…I lament that we have to use child soldiers to buff ourselves a bit, but this is the best for our men…we need extra manpower in our situation…and perhaps for them as well, from what I have investigated, their appearance here was an accident, and they won't be finding out how to get back to wherever they came from if they end up in whatever place Uncle Sam sends them to."
George Albert sighed, as he pinched his nose, just as McKenzie spoke again, "And I would add, their not normal defenseless children, from what I have heard, and observed, they are capable of defending themselves."
Albert simply groaned. What his subordinate is proposing has an incredibly shallow reasoning to keep them here. But at the same time, he prioritizes the safety of his men. Using teenage angels to help his goal for that is…nothing compared to what he has ordered or tolerated in the past.
"Surely, it won't hurt to use them a bit until we all get our asses out of here?"
George sighed, and then nodded. "Fine Lieutenant…just…"
He pinched his nose. "…You know what, whatever…we're all probably damned to hell anyways…"
McKenzie smiled grimly. "Nothing we can do can change it…"
The man turned and left the command headquarters, straight to the frontlines.
George sighed with a guilt-stricken face.
"I'm committing a crime I can never absolve from…but then again…we already did it again and again to save my men…this is no different…"
Cam Lo Secondary Defense Line
Route 9 Road
03:33 PM
"Hold the fuckin' line!" a loud shout emanated from the Marine lines as the other Marines began abandoning their frontal defensive lines en-masse.
By 02:00 the NVA launched another artillery barrage, before a rapid attack comprised of at least 2 Infantry Battalions straight to the beleaguered Marines.
While the assault was successfully blunted, the Marines in the Primary Defensive Ring outside of Cam Lo ran out of supplies, forcing them to abandon their foxholes and fortifications and retreat towards the Town itself.
Boom!
Mike flinched a bit as the Sheridan's 152 mm fired in front of them.
The Tank positioned itself just in front of their sandbag fortifications.
David and Riggs beside them fired bursts after burst of MG fire from their Defensive Firing Positions.
Marines rushed towards their line, keeping their heads down as they retreated towards safety.
The thunder of guns, artillery, and tank cannons rocked the Town.
Mike peeked from the sandbag, and began firing semi-auto gunfire towards the enemy, keeping them pinned.
"Keep up the fire, we need to cover our boys!" Lieutenant McKenzie shouted, as the 3 squads of Angel 1 kept up their fire towards the NVA forces 300 meters away.
From Houses to other Defensive Positions, the Marines fired down lead at the NVA.
It was the beginning of the worst part of warfare for every soldier.
Urban Battle.
As Mike fired off his hot M16, he felt a hand pull him down into cover forcefully.
"Get the Girls son! We're retreating soon!" Jordan shouted at him in order for him to hear him in the loud orchestra of Modern Warfare.
Nodding, he picked himself up and began rushing towards the compound they occupied, keeping himself down, he watched the scene unfolding around him.
Marines left and right moved rapidly, bringing in supplies, injured, and etc. towards where they are supposed to be.
Another artillery shell hits a house near him, forcing him to drop to the ground on the road.
White noise filled his ears, as he began standing up.
As the noise of the battlefields filled him again, he steeled himself and began running towards their compound, ignoring the screams of agony around him.
In seconds, he reached it, opening the door he rushes down the stairs.
As he stopped at the door, he recomposes himself, and forces it open.
There he sees the 4, already fully prepared, their guns on the ready, though they looked nervous.
Shiroko cleared her throat.
"I'm assuming that we are evacuating this place?"
"Y-yes…oh god, shit has gone fubar, pardon my language…but the NVA is assaulting us, and we are retreating." He replied in ragged breaths as Koharu moved towards him.
"A-are you injured?" She asked in a concerned tone.
"Nah, I'm good-" an artillery shell explodes near them, making everyone flinch.
"As you can see, this place is not very safe anymore…"
The teens nodded in agreement grimly, no more words needed to be said as they climbed the stairs, following Mike.
As they emerged, Mike turned to them.
"Alright girls, keep your heads down, keep alert, just follow us, also please don't stare too much at the injured…" he warned, before they exited the compound.
Hifumi's eyes widened at the sight, many soldiers moved around, firing off in the distance.
Tanks fired their cannons in ragged volleys, while MG Nests and Buildings manned by marines fired lead down at the 'enemy'.
But what was most disturbing, was the injured, some were being carried in stretchers, while some just sat on the roads covered in bandages.
Grimacing at the sight as nausea started affecting her, she followed Mike and the rest.
The other Marines noticed the strange group of teenagers.
One Marine stared at them as they passed him, before the man mutters something in confusion. "I'm pretty sure I didn't drink jack-shit since morning."
The Marine shook his head, before deciding to ignore them and do his task.
In moments, they reached the position of Angel 1, as the gunfire slightly lightened as most Marines finally retreated and repositioned themselves inside the town.
Spread out across Cam Lo, they took positions in Defensive Fortifications and the houses/buildings the town sported, but still, their supplies proved inadequate.
Jordan looked over the 4 confused teens who were simply staring eerily silent at the wounded being sent to the rear.
"For fucks sake…"
He turned to McKenzie and walked towards him, just out of the hearing range of his men and the girls, he spoke to the Lieutenant.
"El-Tee, can we send the girls back to the trucks west of the town?"
His superior turned around him.
"No Sergeant, I want to test them."
Those words hit him hard.
"What the fuck is he saying?"
"Sir?"
"I said I want to test them, from now on they're with us, Captain already approved it. We're going to use them."
Jordan's eyes widened.
"Sir, you can't be seriously suggesting this. There's no way-"
"Yes way, we're low on manpower. We have to use what we can use."
"T-this is illegal, they literally civilians! Children no less!"
McKenzie simply laughed at him. "James," he used his first name, "you know all kinds of illegal shit we did here in Nam'. What's another crime gonna do? Orders are orders, we do what we gotta do. So are you following?"
Jordan seethed as he remembered all that he and his men did during their stay in Vietnam. His superior reminding him made him feel a new level of hate, the kind that results in officers like McKenzie exploding in their sleep.
Glaring at him, Jordan simply nodded grimly. "Alright, you win this time."
McKenzie simply grinned at him. "It's alright Jordan, we'll get them out of here, after we're done using them. Oh, and remember, good soldiers follows orders."
Bawling his fists he moved towards Angel 1-3's position, as the gunfire all around them began lessening, the NVA assault now stopping temporarily.
He looked over the 4 girls. "Can you guys defend yourselves?"
Serika raised her head, then responded, "What? Off course, but why would we?"
"NVA is gonna assault the town, sorry but you guys will be dragged into this shitshow." He felt rage bubbling inside of him.
Whatever he was doing.
Was not good.
"W-we have to kill?" Hifumi fearfully asked.
"I'm so sorry-"
"It's alright," Shiroko stood up in determination. "We can defend ourselves."
"Right?" Shiroko turned to the rest of the students, who simply blankly stared at her.
While Serika and Shiroko already got a tad bit used to shooting actual people that dies, Hifumi and Koharu is a different case.
"D-do we really need to? We're not a part of this, right?" Hifumi reasoned.
Alex stared at them, then chuckled. "War drags everyone near it to conflict, even the innocent." His smile faltered as he remembered the screams of civilians. Civilians they shot. "You can run sure, but in this case, you have nowhere to run. You guys are a part of this now."
"I'm a fucking asshole, aren't I?"
"Surely you jest!" Koharu exclaimed in anger. "Why should we join in this scuffle of you, y-you adults!"
"It's your choice," Jordan spoke. "It's your choice if you want to fight or not, we won't be forcing you, but please keep your heads down and just follow our orders. We're going to evacuate this town soon."
Silence befalls the group, as the students considered their options.
"F-fine, I'll fight, but only to defend my friends!" Hifumi decided.
"Alright-" Jordan nodded just as a screeching sound filled their ears.
The Sheridan in front of their line exploded in a fiery blaze, alerting the Marines, immediately artillery sounded as gunfire and cannons erupted on both sides.
NVA infantry stood and began unloading lead at them, others began firing RPGs straight to defensive fortifications.
PAVN Light Tanks charged through the Route 9 road, accompanied by infantry, but what was truly worrying was the vehicles leading them.
T-54 Tanks appeared on the roads, charging angrily at them, a kilometer away.
And the Battle has begun.
…
There are a lot of things you would like when fighting an armored spearhead charging at you.
One of those things is having a lot of munitions, and supplies, it's all about logistics.
Unfortunately for Angel Company, Beta Company, and Bravo Company, being in combat for almost 2 days without reliable supplies has, for a lack of better words, fucked them.
M48 tanks near Route 9 began firing their main guns at the priority targets, resulting in 2 T-54s exploding.
Hifumi tensely held her assault rifle as she and the rest of the students took cover in the sandbags in the streets.
They were a bit far away from the frontline itself, as Sergeant Jordan sent them a bit into the rear.
Yet the sight still made her blood run cold, gunfire and tracers rained all around them.
To be in another world was bad, but to be in the middle of a war made it worse.
In front of the students was a burning APC, hit by a tank shell just minutes ago.
They were all still frozen stiff because of it, as they watched the soldiers being dragged from the wreck.
Filled with heinous injuries.
Even Serika and Shiroko, who already saw such things, were still badly affected by it.
"To die in such a way...why?" Hifumi thought. To be on the sidelines was hard, as they vowed only to defend themselves.
And as a consequence, they have to watch men die all around them. All while doing nothing.
Koharu looked uncomfortable, biting her lip as she watched the injured being dragged, their screams of agony filling their ears.
"I-I need to do something…I need to…I need to heal them, I can't just watch this!"
Pulling out a box, she pulls out the holy hand grenade, and tossed it towards the group of marines and medics.
"W-what the he-" a marine exclaimed as the overly designed grenade landed on them, before exploding in a brilliant light that didn't seem to blind them, but still caught them in surprise.
And then all the injured around them were healed, completely.
"W-what the fuck! Carl, look at this shit, I'm now uninjured!" a previously half-burned man exclaimed in shock and relief.
The other marines simply stared blankly at her and the group, resulting in Koharu immediately dying internally from embarrassment.
"Bravo, bravo, I knew it, I fuckin knew it, you girls are really the real deal!" McKenzie clapped and grinned as he walked towards the group, completely ignoring the gunfire whizzing all around him.
"El-Tee what the fuck was that? Magic?" One of the shocked Marines asked as he stared at his previously nonexistent and exploded limb now existing once more.
"Yes son, Magic, these girls are angels, you hear me. Look at them, look at what they can do, god's on our side gentlemen!"
Serika and Shiroko simply frowned at the man.
"He just wants to use us." Shiroko thought.
"This is a joke, this is a joke, I'm delusional, my mind is playing tricks…" one of the Marines muttered in disbelief. He was literally bleeding to death a while ago.
"I assure you all, it's no trick." Jordan's voice was heard as he and the rest of Angel 1 Platoon rushed back to their position as they retreated.
Immediately the other Marines snapped out of their dazed state and rapidly moved in position.
4 PT-76's and 1 T-54 charged into the entrance of Town, entering through the initial position of Angel 1 before they retreated.
No time for dazed gawking at 'magic' or 'angels'.
Mike rushed towards the students.
"GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE! TAKE COVER THERE!" Mike pointed at a house a few meters behind the line, running the 4 went to the covered positions, while Mike pulled out his M72 Law.
Taking aim at the T-54 in front, he stood up, and fired, before ducking back to cover.
The rocket traveled 50 meters, hitting the lower glacis of the tank.
It exploded violently.
NVA troops rushed behind the PT-76's, covered by the light tank's machinegun fire, but the Marines cannot allow this.
Another Marine from the first squad of Angel 1 Platoon aimed his M72 at a PT-76 on the right side of the road, before letting out a rocket, resulting in another PT-76 exploding.
One of the 3 PT-76's turned its turret to the house garrisoned by the Marine, before firing its main gun, definitely killing the man.
David readied his M60 in his defensive position covered by sandbags, before pulling the trigger, starting to pin down squads of NVA soldiers in the road, while Riggs set up in a window on the opposite side of the road, unleashing torrents of MG fire as well.
One of the PT-76's turned its turret to David, but Alex had his M72 on the ready, and fired it off, destroying another light tank, before disposing the anti-tank weapon.
Keeping the gunfire, the Marines unloaded lead towards the NVA troops that were now pinned due to losing more than half of their armored support.
Hifumi covered her ears as she watched both sides trade severe gunfire, resulting in losses in both.
One of the Marines ran towards her, before crouching behind a pile of sandbags and firing his rifle.
"Aghhhh!" she heard Koharu scream in terror, turning her head, her eyes froze.
One of the Marines dropped dead in front of the duo, his head bleeding out.
They simply froze at the sight.
But the Marines didn't, as a hand dragged them both out from the area.
Mike and Alex pulled them both out of that area, both of them still frozen stiff, before Koharu turned beet red from being princess carried by Alex.
"W-what the, PUT ME DOWN!" she screamed as both Alex and Mike ducked down in cover and dropped them.
Koharu simply seethed at the embarrassment she received, but the Marines didn't care.
They are literally in a life-and-death situation.
"Alright, slow orderly retreat, just calm down…" Mike muttered as he tried to calm himself down. The plan was simple really, fight, retreat, fight, retreat, rinse and repeat till their out of here.
The rest of Angel 1 retreated slowly, as more and more NVA troops poured into their area.
Shiroko and Serika seemed to understand this, and are following the Marines when they retreat, as the flexible defense line continued to be pushed back.
Breathing heavily as they both ducked in cover, Serika turned to Shiroko.
"D-do we join them? We're under attack anyways-" she stopped as Jimmy roughly ran and took cover beside them.
"It would really be appreciated if you girls help us," Jimmy suggested in a tense voice.
Shiroko and Serika looked at each other, before nodding. They were under attack, and with Hifumi and Koharu still frozen in shock, they have to act and help defend their fellow students.
And the men helping them.
"Fuck my ass!" Brooke cursed as his rifle jammed, besides him, Nguyen fired off bursts after bursts, before running out of ammo in his mag.
Dennis turned towards them, just as Riggs behind them unleashed another burst of mg fire.
"Alright, let's go," the trio stood up and ran to retreat to the next area they are defending, but as they ran, they both noticed something.
2 of the 'angel' girl students were firing their guns towards the NVA forces behind them, giving them cover fire.
"OH THANK FUCKING GOD-" a torrent of 7.62's whizzed near Brooke, forcing him to duck as he ran to cover.
In moments they finally reached cover, and began returning fire as well.
The slow delaying tactics they conducted were proving to be painfully tedious.
Each time the NVA gets uncomfortably close, they retreat, the problem was keeping it as orderly as possible.
Morale is already down bad, the constant combat taking a toll on the men, but at the very least, most Marines now fought extra harder at the sight of teenage angels fighting on their side.
Koharu and Hifumi looked over the 2 marines beside them, both firing their rifles wildly, while ducking whenever gunfire gets directed at them.
To see adults fight, was truly terrifying, there was death and gruesome injuries everywhere.
It made them both nauseous.
Hifumi looked around the battlefield, the troops firing their guns, the bullets going all around them, the craters from artillery, the burning houses. And the injured and dead marines.
"I-It's hell! This is madness!"
They were killing each other, murdering each other over disagreements. This was not a simple skirmish between students in Kivotos.
This is war.
…
Jordan watched as Shiroko and Serika began firing behind them and nailing NVA troops.
He knew that sooner or later, this would happen, still, he wished the other 2 would be spared from it.
To take a life.
But it seems that would not be possible, being on the battlefield requires defensive measures to protect yourself, and the two are in danger.
Soon they will both have no choice but to join the fight.
"Or I could just use them to help the wounded, pinkie seems to be capable."
He looked behind him, and saw McKenzie ordering his men in glee, it seems like having immortal angels with him got through his head.
But he had to give it to the man, his "God is on our side" shtick seems to have worked for their morale, the Marines were now fighting much more fiercely as took notice of the superhuman capabilities of the duo.
Not to mention that magical grenade that healed a dozen injured a while ago.
"I didn't know pinkie can do that, I still can't believe it, how did she even do that?...You know what, best not to think of bullshit…"
Motioning to David, they evacuated their position under cover fire from the rest of the Marines and the 2 students.
"Alright, so you two are now in the fight?" Jordan asked as he took cover next to Jimmy.
Shiroko nodded, before responding in a detached tone, "Under attack, no choice."
Jordan nodded, before returning fire at the NVA.
Behind them, an M48 Patton moved behind them from the streets.
The two PT-76's fired a volley of their main gun at the American tank, but it simply bounced.
The M48 Patton's turret turned to the light tank on the right side of the road, and fired off its 90 mm main gun.
The light tank immediately turned to a wreck, while the other PT-76 besides it began retreating.
The NVA troops themselves began retreating as well, as the M48's turret turned to the sole armored support they had.
Firing its main gun, the PT-76's turret flew to the sky as its ammo detonated.
The NVA troops routed to back as the Marines returned heavy fire on them.
And they fell one by one under the gun.
Cam Lo
5:00 PM
The burning town/base was a hellish scene as the sun went down, for hours the 3 Marine Companies holding it fought in a stubborn delaying action, keeping the almost 3 NVA Battalions from completely taking it.
Outnumbered 3 to 1, holding out proved to be gruesome, as multiple tanks of B(Bravo)-Company were now reduced to a burning wreck.
The APC wrecks by B(Beta)-Company littered multiple streets of the Town/Base.
All while the NVA artillery rained in Cam Lo, creating a gruesome urban battle in its ruins.
But for Hifumi, what she focused on was the amount of injured they had to deal with.
And the dead soldiers. It was horrifying.
For the past hours, she and Koharu were assigned with the medics to help, while she mainly guarded Koharu as she did her work, thus they are a bit behind the frontlines.
Still, watching burned, bombed, shot, and even stabbed soldiers pile-up was a grueling experience.
Koharu on the other hand frantically healed the soldiers. At the very least she seems to be doing her job well.
Even with a shaking hand.
But some were unfortunate, shot and left to die on the frontlines, they sometimes arrived dead.
Never has she been in a place filled with so many dead.
Keeping herself steeled, as tears threatened to spill in her eyes, a Marine tapped her soldiers.
"Are you fine lass?" the Marine asked in concern.
"Y-yes, I'm just fine…I guess." She returned a nervous smile, which the Marine didn't trust.
"…You kids shouldn't be here." the marine remarked, before turning around and joining his squad.
She remembered what Mike said.
"Because you are not old enough for it…"
Another artillery shell dropped a few dozen meters away from them, just as Koharu finished healing the last Marine in their makeshift healing camp, the medics giving her thanks.
She walked towards Hifumi in a dazed manner, the amount of blood she has seen had practically drained her.
"Hifumi, what now?" She asked, as a building in front of them burned.
"We need to…we need to help Shiroko and Serika, find a way home. While helping these people."
Koharu looked around. "I-I guess we really have no choice."
No choice indeed.
…
Mike breathed nervously as he gripped his gun tightly, keeping it aimed at the streets ahead of them.
A burning M48 Patton wreck blocked half of the street, while scattered rifle shots filled their surroundings.
The battle has now turned into a full-fledged urban combat, with squads stuck in a hide-and-seek-like situation in the rubble.
Tanks and Armored Vehicles proved to be vulnerable on both sides, as they find themselves ambushed by AT-holding troops on street corners.
Not even infantry support can save them.
Still, he was thankful for Bravo Company, their tanks saved them innumerable times in the battle already.
The worst part was that US air power is useless for now, as the NVA was practically hugging them.
"Sarge, I see hostiles on the left building!" he heard Alex shout, just as 6 NVA troops ran through a corner in the streets.
Leveling their rifles, they let out a hail of 5.56s, killing the NVA squad caught in the open.
Alex wiped the sweat on his forehead. "Damn, when are we getting out of here?"
"Captain said we hold out till 17:20 before retreating to the center. We pull out from Cam Lo by 18:00."
Mike sighed, what they were doing was tedious. It was a miracle they haven't completely broken yet with the number of retreats they had to do.
"Keep Alert, movement." Jordan's voice warned.
Dennis aimed his M60 down the streets, while Jordan pulled out his M72 Law as the sounds of a PT-76 was heard.
In moments the light tank passed the corner of the streets, just as Jordan fired his M72.
The light tank violently exploded, just as NVA troops rushed in and began firing on the building they garrisoned.
David's M60 fired, just as gunfire from another building on the other side of the street opened fire as well on the NVA troops in the streets, no doubt Riggs's work.
"Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, DIE YOU FUCKIN COMMIES!" Alex went complete apeshit as he unloaded automatic gunfire at the NVA troops.
"KEEP UP THE FIRE, DON'T LET THEM FIRE BACK!" Jordan ordered as the Marine gunfire intensified on the pinned NVA troops, who now began cracking at their situation.
Soon, the NVA forces completely broke, and retreated.
"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" Jordan ordered, wasting ammo on retreating troops was a pointless endeavor, especially with their already atrocious supply situation.
He looked over the 2 students with them, both looking completely weary from the constant combat they faced for the past hours.
"You girls good?" he asked.
Both nodded, before Shiroko spoke to ask him something. "What now?"
Looking at his watch, he turned back to her. "We're retreating and regrouping, this position is untenable."
She just nodded in agreement, with the scattered engagements in the town, they could easily be cut off from the rest. Regrouping now was the best option.
Jordan turned to Jimmy and called him. "Radio Sergeant Lee and McKenzie, ask them about what to do."
Jimmy nodded, before getting an answer. "El-Tee said Angel 1 is retreating to the Tertiary Defensive line, Angel 1-1 will cover us."
The Tertiary Defensive Line, composing half of Cam Lo and cutting it in the Center was the final and the weakest Defensive Line in Cam Lo.
It would be where they fight one last time in Cam Lo, before completely retreating and calling a Carpet Bomb attack on the town/base.
"Or at least that's the plan."
He nodded and turned towards the rest of Angel 1-3 and the students.
"Alright boys and girls, we're getting out of here."
Cam Lo
Tertiary Defense Line
05:25 PM
Mike stared over the streets from their defensive positions inside a building, still panting from the mad dash by his squad did for the last few minutes.
Besides him are Serika and Shiroko, he doesn't really know why the fuck did Sarge make him a some sort of Liaison with the girls, but whatever. Orders were orders.
He looked to his right, Serika and Shiroko silently but tensely aimed their rifles at the streets. He wondered how their magic or whatever it's called would work in the urban environment.
As his pants halted, he found himself relaxed in the cold cement, not as bad as lying down on rubble he noted.
"How do you do it?" Serika asked while staring in the distance.
"Do what?"
"…Killing people."
"Just control the recoil." Mike joked, but she seemed unamused by it. "…what?"
She was frowning at him.
"…Well," he sighed. "You just don't think too much about it, I guess. Or at least that's how I do it."
"I doubt it's the same for everyone though, people deal with it differently, some succeed some don't. That's just how it is." He shrugged a bit.
"It is what it is."
Serika on the other hand simply looked at him a bit, noting his appearance a bit.
His helmet looked, strange, she noted, in fact, a lot of them had these decorations in their helmets.
Mike had a "Peace through War" graffiti on his helmet, an ace of spades, and six bullets strapped in it, alongside a peace button on its side.
"I…I guess we're a part of your team now huh?" she muttered quietly, that Mike barely even heard it over the sounds of combat.
"Everyone gets dragged to the Vietnam War. Even angels." Mike thought.
"Well, just keep yourselves useful I guess, have our backs and we'll have yours. How about that?"
Serika looked back at him, seemingly in thought. "As long as you guys help us, I-I guess I could agree with that."
"How about you Shiroko?"
She simply sighed. "Fine, but for the record personally I don't want this…"
"Neither do I," Mike then elbowed Alex, who was silently eating chips. "Hey, can I have some?"
"Fuck off man…nothing is free. If you want some you got to buy it."
"We are literally in a warzone you animal."
"Capitalism doesn't end in the warzone you hippie shit. And we are literally fighting for it as we speak, if you're fighting for it then you follow its principles." Alex then grinned at him as he ate.
"Honestly fuck you, you greedy shit."
"You really do sound like a goddamned commie…maybe you should join the NVA." Mike merely rolled his eyes, just as he heard a giggling sound from his right.
Serika was giggling at them. "A-are you soldiers really like this? I thought they would be like disciplined and stuff."
Alex immediately took offense. "Oi you lass! Don't call us soldiers, we're Marines, MARINES, drill that into your head. Oh and this man right here." Alex grabbed Mike. "Is just a bad influence, this guy is an undisciplined hippie shit, not like all the other Marines out there."
Mike immediately removed Alex's hand and pushed him away. "Shut the fuck up."
Alex simply moved back to his position, as Serika giggled at their antics.
"Don't listen to that guy, trust me, he is an asshole and a greedy ass," Mike warned in an an annoyed manner. How dare he call him a hippie!
"Hippie propaganda."
"I swear if you don't shut up-"
"HEADS UP!" Jordan alerted the group. "HOSTILE MOVEMENTS FRONT, READY YOUR GUNS! THE BIG PARTY IS ABOUT TO START!"
The fatigued Marines prepared themselves, while some grinned bloodthirstily, ready to avenge their fallen brothers.
A rumbling of tank threads rumbled through the streets, as Mike and Alex readied their M72 Laws in anticipation. All they have is one shot.
"Bet 20 dollars I'll get the first tank kill." Alex cockily offered to Mike, who simply grinned.
"Bring it on, you greedy fuck!"
A T-54 tank rounded the corner of the streets, prompting Alex to aim his AT weapon at it, before firing.
The rocket traveled towards the Tank, but it hits its upper armor at an angle, failing to destroy the Tank but definitely rattling those inside.
"What a shit aim," Mike commented as he fired his M72 while Alex was cursing his luck, and just like Mike's Tank kill earlier, the AT rocket successfully slammed at the lower glacis of the communist tank, fully penetrating it and disabling the tank.
Mike cheered in glee as 3 seconds passed before its ammo cooked, and exploded, sending the tank's turret high in the air, hitting multiple NVA soldiers running away from the tank wreck.
"So 20 dollars?"
"Alright, you fuck." Alex responded as he puts down his used AT weapon, before equipping his M16 to join in the fight.
"You have no permission to die till I get my pay," Mike said as he too joined in the firefight.
"Sure." Alex began firing his gun at the pinned-down NVA squads in the streets, courtesy of David's M60.
Shiroko and Serika already joined in the fight, firing away their rifles in a coordinated efficiency.
On another defensive position, Riggs is going apeshit with his M60, firing his gun at charging NVA trucks towards them.
"Get sum, get sum, get sum you Charlie fucks!" He chanted in murderous glee as he gunned down dozens of NVA troops attempting to assault them.
Besides him, Paul was calling in support from 1-3, and sure enough, David answered, providing suppressive fire for them from his positions.
A loud boom sounded as a 90 mm cannon fired its main gun in the streets, the HE shell from the M48 Patton exploding on an exposed NVA squad.
The M48 moved forward, firing its machine guns at the NVA, while Jordan looked towards the right flank of the tank, seeing a group of NVA soldiers appearing from another lane.
"Squad, right flank! AT guns!" he alerted, just as Serika also turned and fired her rifle towards the group.
But it was too late, as an RPG fired off towards the soft sides of the M48, immediately disabling the tank, before its ammunition cooked off and exploded in flames.
Angel 1-3 gunned down the perpetrators in cold vengeance, but the deed was done.
A hatch opened up from the Patton tank's turret, and a figure emerged while burning in agony, jumping down he painfully limped to the ground, before his head was shot, silencing him and releasing him from his fiery torment.
"What?" McKenzie asked as he stood over the burning corpse, his pistol still smoking. Besides him were Koharu and Hifumi, looking like they have both seen a ghost.
"Y-y-y-you shot him!" Hifumi squeaked in fear as she stared at the burning corpse.
"What? I just gave a mercy kill, that man was a dead man when he exited the tank."
"K-koharu could have-"
"I doubt her abilities can do something about that guy… anyways do focus on healing the injured." The Lieutenant commanded before he confidently strolled towards the rest of his Platoon that is still in a brutal firefight, ignoring the gunfire around him.
Hifumi and Koharu simply stared at the burning corpse as Serika and Shiroko rushed towards them.
The 4 students stared at each other in silence, broken only by Shiroko clearing her throat.
"I suggest we move." The others simply nodded and moved towards Angel 1-3's position, while the 5 man squad desperately tried covering the retreating Marines carrying their fellow injured soldiers to safety.
"SHIROKO!" Jordan shouted as they moved towards their position, he turned towards them, her blue irises meeting a tired veteran brown iris. She always noted Jordan as an effective but diplomatic leader, unlike the other officers that seemed to be really only interested in using them.
"YOU GIRLS COVER THE RIGHT FLANK, BE CAREFUL!" He ordered, to which the 4 simply nodded and dashed towards the edge of the building they garrisoned, facing the right flank of their position.
To defend themselves and keep their selves safe, they concluded that they have to help these soldiers, even if they refuse to kill, they are already the enemy of the other side.
So there is really only one side for them left. Going neutral was not an option, no matter how powerful they are, their still only 4 young students, stuck in a battle of two gigantic armies.
Hifumi never wanted it, but if she has to do it to protect her friends.
So be it.
Aiming her gun at the 'NVA' troops assaulting them, she readies herself to take life.
Gunfire thundered from the 4 girls in the garrisoned building, using their skills and 'magic', their firepower became turned extreme.
The NVA troops didn't even get a chance, as blue bullets ravaged their ranks, forcing them to an immediate retreat, much to the benefit of the Marines.
The students stared at the mountain of corpses in the streets as the NVA troops retreated.
"We're killers now I guess…" Hifumi mutters as she stared at the streets.
"…Damn" they heard a blank comment behind them, turning around they see Mike and Alex staring at their work as well, their mouths agape at the work of the students.
"I'm still not used to it." Mike groaned.
"Me too mate." Alex nodded in agreement.
"I-is the fight over?" Hifumi asked as the gunfire all around them took a temporary lull, as the NVA troops broke off from their assault.
"Nah, not really… they're going to reform and attack again, and if we don't break, again, rinse and repeat till we're out of here."
"Koharu and Hifumi, can I request your assistance please?" Jordan walked towards the group.
"U-uh sure sir!" Hifumi responded.
"There's a lot of injured outside, can you guys help the medics?" The two nodded, and went outside.
"Also Shiroko, we need to talk," Jordan ordered, to which she nodded.
"Ok."
"I am coming too!" Serika exclaimed, gaining a look from the other Marines. "What?"
"Sure, come with me, both of you. Mike and Alex, cover David, keep alert, Charlie won't stop just because we made them run."
"Aight."
"Wilco."
The 2 dashed straight near to David, who is still scanning their frontlines with his M60, locked and loaded for combat.
They were tired, and almost at the edge, while the appearance of angel-like beings helped a bit for their dwindling Morale, it won't be long till the 3 Companies holding Cam Lo breaks.
…
"So that's the plan," Jordan concluded, as both Shiroko and Serika nodded in agreement.
"I'm still unsure if my drone can destroy tanks," Shiroko said, while she was sure that she could hold off infantry, her drone support was not really for anti-armor.
But as it appears, the lighter PT-76's according to Sergeant Jordan is possibly easy to put down.
"That's alright, Captain already ordered it, we need a shock for the NVA, before we retreat completely so they don't pursue. Anyways does any of you have a good distraction as one of your 'abilities' or 'magic' or whatever?"
"Hifumi may have one, with her Peroro thing…" Serika mutters, seemingly in thought.
"Alright, good, perhaps we can use it, in any case, we need to force the NVA to crack temporarily to get a clean escape, so this plan must go, can I trust you 4 for this?"
Serika and Shiroko looked at each other, before Shiroko sighed, and looked at him.
"As long as you keep your end of the deal." She responded.
"We'll do our best." Jordan sighed internally.
"How do I even help them get home anyways?"
Goddammit, he was supposed to be back home already, but he still has to deal with this shit.
"Well I'm still alive, so I guess there's a bright side in life."
The 3 immediately rushed back to their original positions, just as a bright light washed over everyone.
"T-there, I healed them all." They heard Koharu in the streets, where injured Marines sat in disbelief.
"…WHY THE FUCK DID THE HEALING MAGIC OR WHATEVER HAVE TO BE IN A GODDAMNED GRENADE?!" One Marine shouted in disbelief, and anger. He thought the girl was a lunatic for pulling a grenade in front of them, and it did explode.
But now he was not bleeding. Suffice to say he was pissed off at the ridiculousness of it. And the pink-haired girl (pink hair, what the hell even is that?) stared at him in anger.
"Y-you ungrateful-"
"Alright let's all calm down, I know it's ridiculous, but hey life's ridiculous anyways, no point in seething over it, RIGHT MARINES!" Jordan cut in.
The Marines stared at him blankly, before staring at the 4 girls behind him.
One of them simply face palmed in frustration. "I don't get paid enough for this shit."
"Well whatever, I guess I'll live…well I guess I'll just thank you…uhh what's your name again?" the Marine asked Koharu.
"Shimoe Koharu," she responded, albeit still annoyed at one of the Marines who dared to complain at her. She healed them for heaven's sake!
"Boys."She thought in disdain.
"Well, thanks Shimoe Koharu, could have died out there." She simply accepted the man's gratitude. At least he wasn't like that other Marine!
The group soon parted away, quickly and efficiently moving back to their combat positions.
Being in the middle of Cam Lo, the street Angel 1 Platoon covered was going to be extremely important, as it was directly connected to Route 9, which is their exit route.
It is also where the hardest NVA assault would punch through, and so with limited Armor support, they must hold and force the NVA back, before the 3 Companies can do a mad dash out of the town/base.
Their role in the Battle has just increased.
Cam Lo
Tertiary Defense Line
05:46 PM
Hifumi stared over the distance as she aimed her rifle towards the street in tense anticipation.
She couldn't believe it, she was here, killing people.
People.
It was almost surreal, to take a life was considered extreme, nay almost unimaginable back where she came from.
But here?
It was almost normal, it was everywhere, like a routine for its participants.
To slaughter those on the other side.
She watched soldiers lose their comrades, yet none of them broke down in tears, it was almost like nothing to them.
Yet they defend their comrades hard, even to their death.
Death. It was everywhere here, it's so common that the men here are almost…used to it.
And she is horrified by it. To see so much death, they turned numb to it.
Is that how she, and her friends would end up too in her stay?
"Thinking about something?" Mike tiredly asked beside her, his gun still aimed at where he anticipated the NVA troops to appear.
"There's so much death and violence here." She began tearing up as she turned to him with pleading eyes that were asking 'why? Why is all of this happening?'
Mike stared at her back with a tired face, his old cheerful façade now nothing. "Get used to it."
That was all he can say. They already saw it, experienced it, and they will have to go through more of it before they either get home or get out of Quang Tri.
Their innocence is already shattered, all they can do is get used to it.
"Defend your friends, defend your comrades, kill if you have to, survive the war, it's kill or be killed, that's the ugly truth Hifumi." He explained, the truth was ugly.
And they have to face it.
A rumble of tank threads broke them out of their stupor, as 3 PT-76's appeared in the streets.
Their guns fired, hitting multiple Marine positions, but the Marines responded by launching their dwindling AT weapons.
2 Light Tanks exploded as NVA troops rushed out of the Vehicle's cover to charge at the Marine line.
David continued firing off his M60, his bullets gunning down dozens upon dozens of communist soldiers with no mercy.
Besides him, Alex fired his M16 too, alongside Shiroko, who already prepared her 'drone support'.
Minutes passed as both sides exchanged gunfire while the NVA inched ever closer, determined to finally break the last Marine defensive line.
An M48 appeared from the corner of the streets in the Marine line.
Jordan smirked, the NVA was breaking. And with Hifumi, Serika, and Shiroko positioned in the right areas, the plan was going smoothly.
A Drone flies off towards the skies, as 4 more PT-76's parked themselves in the streets, firing their guns futilely at the M48 Patton, before the tank fired its 90 mm straight to the NVA armor, destroying 1 of the 3.
A Barrage of missiles rained down on the NVA position, exploding and ravaging the armored formation.
Suddenly a ridiculously massive ducked mascot thing appeared in the NVA line, killing those near it, and distracting the communist troops with the ridiculous sight.
Jordan motioned to Serika for her part, watching her aim her gun at the NVA infantry concentration, a blue effect engulfed her, before a massive rain of blue bullets rapidly wrecked the entire NVA formation.
Gunfire exploded from the Marines, while a 90 mm HE shell impacted another NVA position.
It proved to be the final nail in the coffin, and utterly shattered the remaining NVA troops, forcing them to retreat.
"CEASE FIRE! CEASE FIRE!" shouts were heard from the Marine line, as they began cheering for the 4 students and shouting their war cries at the retreating NVA soldiers.
In moments they began retreating as well, while with a heavy and guilty heart, the students followed them.
On the other hand, Shiroko turned one last time towards the NVA light tanks she wiped out.
The town was burning and in rubble, filled with corpses and wrecks. It was almost like hell.
And they are now really in the fight in this hell.
Route 9
06:34 PM
Hifumi tearfully watched in the distance from the truck they were riding as Cam Lo exploded as bombs rained on the small town/base.
"Such an extreme waste of life. Why?"
She doesn't even know anything about the enemy, but she knew they were people.
There were still people back there, even if they were enemies.
Watching them die from afar was almost…detached, but it was still a lot of death.
The faces of those she shot down and killed back there were still ingrained in her head.
Hugging her backpack, Mike noted that she looked extremely cute. It was just not fair, war once again took an innocent child.
"No wonder they call us baby killers back home."He mused, before ruffling Hifumi's head, just like what he did to his little sister back home.
She didn't react, looking down he notices that she has fallen asleep. She was after all, completely tired.
He also notes that her halo disappeared from her head, making her look like an average girl out there.
"Poor kid…hope she will be fine, this goddamned war must have mind fucked her…"he looked back towards the town, as 2 more F-4 Phantoms rushed in fast, before a sudden missile shrieked from the ground.
One of the F-4 Phantoms turned frantically, but it was too late, and the missile successfully intercepted it, the other Phantom simply sped away as another missile chased it.
He watched as the F-4 crashed near Cam Lo.
"Another pilot down…goddammit."
No one is safe in this war, not even the innocent. Not even those in the goddamned air force, which he always thought to be in the safest branch (barring helicopter pilots) but as he stared in the distance, it was clear no one is truly safe.
He looked in front of him, Koharu already dozed off on Alex's lap, whose face was hidden by his helmet, while he himself was unmoving.
"Definitely asleep." He grinned in amusement. Behind their convoy were the 8 remaining M48 tanks, following and protecting the infantry convoy, they lost too much today.
"How much more will we lose?"Mike thought. These students already saved their skins…2 times.
But their luck will only get them so far. He wondered if they will even get home.
Or if death was his, and his unit's fate.
He sighed, at the very least, he hoped the girls will find a way out, or get back home.
For they don't belong here.
Author's Notes:
And with that, the fight in Cam Lo is over. But the Battle of Quang Tri is still far from over. Our band of possible war criminals and lost students turned to child soldiers still has a long way to go.
I honestly don't know if I used the 4 students well in supporting the Marines in combat, so if you guys have any suggestion, feel free to suggest.
