Hey, everybody. I decided to write this fanfic as my answer to a question I've seen before: What if the modern US military carried out the Normandy invasion? In this case, I'll be adapting my answer slightly. In this, the militaries of the United States, Britain, and Canada, from the year 1989, will be carrying out the invasion. I chose 1989 because it allowed me to use certain assets no longer in use, and also because military units and their assets at the time were extremely well documented.
So, the idea behind this is that a portal has opened between the 40s and 1989, and the militaries of 1989 have taken over the invasion, but still assisted by resources from the 40s. I know, kind of cheating, but that's how I'm writing it.
This chapter will cover the initial leadup to the invasion beginning the night before. I hope you like what I do with this story. Let's get to it.
Chapter 1- Pre-Invasion
The night is dark over the English Channel. Night has fallen hours earlier, and the heavy overcast make it difficult to see anything. However, tonight will be anything but peaceful.
Massing in the channel are the ships carrying the invasion force bound for Normandy. Leading the way are the ships of the US and Royal Navies from the future, including future minesweepers and trained dolphins to search out German mines and destroy them. Following behind the ships of the future are the ships of the 40s, ready for the invasion. Aboard the ships, the men are a mix of nervous, confident, and anxious.
Far to the south-west, at the southern end of the English Channel are the supercarriers USS Kitty Hawk and USS Theodore Roosevelt. The carriers were not within the Channel to protect them, but they were still within range for the tasks they had been assigned in assisting the Normandy invasion.
It is now 2200 local time on June 5. On board the virtually blackened carriers (every non-essential light turned off), deck crews are manuevering a number of fighters around. While the Hornets and other strike fighters are still hours away from needing to take off, and their pilots are taking a quick nap, a number of F-14 Tomcats aboard both carrier are being moved into position for take off as the pilots are making their final checks. The Tomcats are assigned to patrol over the English Channel as top cover for the invasion fleet. A total of 28 Tomcats are assigned to this. Each Tomcat is armed with 4 radar guided missiles (either Sparrows or Phoenixes), 2 Sidewinders, and two external fuel tanks
On board the Theodore Roosevelt, the lead pair of Tomcats is being prepped on the catapult. In the cockpit of the lead Tomcat, the pilot, Commander Alex Turner, is making his final checks. He is the leader of the Tomcats assigned to patrol duty.
"Alright, everything is ready. Let's go!" Turner calls back to his RIO, who chuckles and gives a thumbs up.
Seconds later, out of the canopy, Turner sees the shooter giving them the sign to warm up. Both Turner and his wingman throttle up into full afterburner. Then, the guy in the shooter's post gives a thumbs up and presses the buttons. The catapults leap forward, pulling the Tomcats along and hurling them into the air. The Tomcats climb into the sky over the task force, gaining crucial speed and altitude before dropping the afterburners. The Tomcats, with all their lights turned off to try and further hide their presence, head towards their patrol stations as the next pair of Tomcats launches from the Kitty Hawk.
The two carriers continue launching their fighters, getting all 28 Tomcats into the air in a few minutes. The Tomcats streak towards their patrol stations, ranging all the way from slightly west of Cherbourg peninsula to just east of Calais. Each pair of Tomcats sets up a patrol circle in their designated patrol area, each at about 10,000 feet. The Tomcat pilots settle in for a long night, knowing they're likely to get targets showing up over the Channel all night long.
Meanwhile, at RAF Bodney, another American unit is preparing for takeoff. The F-15C Eagles over the 1st Fighter Wing had been stationed at Bodney. Now, 36 of the wing's F-15s are being prepped for takeoff, with the remaining four being kept at the base on standby as spare aircraft. The F-15s are assigned to patrol over France itself. The area the F-15s will be covering is massive, ranging from Brest down to Nantes, east to Paris, and then north to the Belgian border. The F-15s will be patrolling in 9 flights of four. Unlike the Tomcats, the F-15s will be patrolling miles and miles apart. Each flight of Eagles will be patrolling at 25,000 feet. Each Eagle is equipped with FAST Pack fuel cells to extend their time on station, and will be fully armed with 4 Sparrows and 4 Sidewinders. Their job is to interdict German aircraft early before they can even get close to Normandy or the Channel, while the F-14s serve as the next line of defense after the Eagles.
As the clock reaches 2215, ground crew at RAF Bodney watch as one by one, the Eagles taxi towards the runway. The British and American crew from the 40s watch the fighters in amazement, still in awe by the F-15s.
The first two Eagles reach the runway. Pausing temporarily for clearance, the pilots then throttle up and start their take off roll. Ground crews used to the sounds of propellors cover their ears a bit as the fierce roar of the F-15s PW-100 engines echoes across the base. The first two Eagles smoothly lift off the ground and pull up into the climb as the next pair of Eagles start their take off roll.
The Eagles rendezvous with 4 KC-135 tankers over the English coastline and top off their tanks, then separate and turn eastward, heading for their patrol stations over France.
As one of the flights of Eagles is passing over the coastline, one of the Eagles picks up a handful of contacts on long distance radar. "This is Blade 3. I've got four contacts on radar, distance about 40 miles," the pilot calls out over the radio.
Seconds later, a controller aboard the E-3 Sentry currently circling over the Channel says, "We have confirmation no friendlies in the area. Cleared to engage."
The flight leader immediately calls over the radio, "Alright, boys. Lock up those contacts on radar. We launch at 25 miles."
Without fear of a premature radar lock warning their targets, the four F-15s lock up their targets on radar and arm their AIM-7 Sparrows. Watching the range count down, the pilots sit with their fingers twitching over the triggers. Finally, at 25 miles, Blade 1 squeezes the trigger, and an AIM-7 drops from the Eagle's fuselage as its rocket motor ignites and streaks away. "Fox One!" he calls out over the radio.
Immediately, the other three pilots see this and squeeze the triggers, calling out "Fox One!" as three more Sparrows launch from the other three Eagles.
The missiles streak through the night sky towards their targets, accelerating quickly to Mach 3. In less than a minute, the first Sparrow strikes one of the incoming planes, a flight of four FW-190s, right on the nose, blowing it to pieces. The Fw-190 pilots sit in shock for a split second at the sudden explosion of their leader, thereby losing their chance to avoid the remaining three missiles. Within a few seconds, the three remaining Sparrows hit home. Two of them explode and destroy the Fw-190s. The third fails to explode, but the missile's impact is enough to down the Fw-190.
In his cockpit, Blade 1 is watching his radar intently, knowing that he won't be able to see the explosions at this distance through the clouds. Sure enough, in the space of about two and a half seconds, the four dots representing the Fw-190s disappear from the radar.
"This is Blade 1. Splash four. Repeat, splash four," he calls out over the radio.
"Copy that, Blade 1. Continue on to patrol station," one of the Sentry controllers calls out on the radio.
The Eagles proceed over the French countryside to their patrol stations, still monitoring their radar. A few more Eagles spot random German planes on their radar and shoot them down at long range with Sparrows.
By 2315, the Eagles have all reached their assigned patrol stations. Each flight of Eagles separate into a circle about 8 miles in diameter, ready to intercept any German planes within their area of responsibility. The Eagles settle at an altitude of 30,000 feet and 350 miles per hour, a good altitude and speed to conserve fuel.
As they settle into their patrols over western France, the Eagle pilots feel a sense of great anticipation, knowing the minimal combat they've seen so far is only the beginning, and they are going to be a part of something much bigger.
As the Eagles are settling into their patrol patterns, and the two carriers are preparing some KA-6 tankers to refuel the Tomcats sometime after 0100, the next action is beginning in England.
At bases across the UK, bombers of the USAAF and the RAF are preparing for their next step of Operation Overlord. Almost 2,000 B-17s, B-24s, and Lancasters are being prepped for takeoff, armed with their max bomb load. However, leading the bomber force will be a force from the future: 30 B-52Gs and B-52Hs from the three bomber units from the USAF of the future. Each B-52 is carrying either a hundred 500 pound bombs or 52 1,000 pound bombs. The B-52s will be leading the bombers, either pounding targets inland or bombing defenses along the beaches. Several bombers will be attacking a German division much further inland.
As the clock winds past 2330 local time, the lead B-52 begins taxiing to the runway. Reaching the runway, the massive bomber throttles up its engines and accelerates down the runway before climbing into the air. The remaining B-52s, and the other bombers of the USAAF and RAF, follow the first into the air. Assembling over southern England, the massive fleet of bombers set off for France at midnight, crossing over the Channel.
As the bombers begin reaching the coastline, and a few B-52s lead a number of bombers in bombing the defenses close to the beach, another move to prepare for the landings begin. Not far from the beaches, a series of submarines surface. These are both Los Angeles class submarines from the future and American and British submarines of the time. As the submarines surface, hatches open, and US Navy SEALs begin to file out onto the outside of the submarines, setting up a number of inflatable Zodiacs. The SEALs, numbering two full SEAL teams, which number over 250 men, divided into smaller teams of 51 men each. Each smaller 51-man team is assigned to one of the landing beaches. The SEALs, armed with demolition charges and other equipment in addition to their normal weapons, are assigned to destroy as many of the barricades on the beaches designed to prevent landing craft from reaching the beach. Although a number of landing craft from the future can overcome these barriers, General Eisenhower still wanted them removed.
On board the USS Dallas, one of the leaders of the SEALs looks out at his men, all gathered on the outside of the submarine. "Godspeed, men," he says before he motions for everyone to board the Zodiacs. On each of the five submarines, the men board the Zodiacs, then slowly move off towards the beaches.
The invasion is about to begin.
And, I'll end the chapter there. I know, it was kind of quick, but it was kind of just to set everything up. Next chapter, we will start the action.
Next chapter will be up soon. Until it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!