Who Was There?
NOTES: This entry is based on Season 1, Episode 2, The Life Against Death Raid written by Anthony Lawrence. All quotes come from that episode. Since my timeline is different regarding when Hitch enlisted and was in basic training, he wouldn't have been at Ft. Bragg in 1942. He was already in the desert by then. So, I have chosen to completely ignore the tattoo on his arm that caused the German doctor to realize he was an American. The tattoo isn't present in earlier scenes in the episode and is never seen again in the series.
How do I write about something I don't really remember? We were taking out a supply convoy that was accompanied by two tanks and a motorcycle. We easily took out two of the trucks carrying fuel, so the explosions were pretty good. Doc disabled one tank's treads with a grenade and Sarge took out the gunner with another. Something set fire to the camouflage netting and blankets in the back of the jeep so Troy and I had to break off our attack. I stopped the jeep and grabbed the fire extinguisher while Troy continued firing the Browning. I was about to put out the fire when a German hand grenade exploded nearby, and I was thrown several feet from the jeep. I felt a searing pain in my gut and briefly lost consciousness.
When I came to, Sarge was putting out the fire and the Germans were retreating. Tully had put a folded blanket under my head and Doc was examining my wound. I heard him say it was bad. There was a shrapnel fragment wedged next to a main artery. He couldn't remove it for fear of nicking the artery and said I wouldn't make it back to our lines which were a hundred miles away. Tully commented he had seen a German field hospital a few miles back and the next thing I know they've decided to take me there, get me patched up and get out, even though there is a price on our heads. I tried to protest but the pain was pretty intense.
I was in an out of consciousness but the next thing I knew, Tully and Doc had managed to bring a German ambulance from the field hospital, and they were intent on carrying out their plan. A German nurse was with them. She was absolutely gorgeous with the most amazing blue eyes. I told Sarge it wasn't worth the risks they were taking but he told me to "keep my mouth shut and if I had to moan, do it in German."
The guys told me later that a German colonel suffering from battle fatigue stopped them as they were taking me into the surgical tent and accused them of being Americans. Doc answered in German that he was mistaken. The surgeon came out of the tent and the officer accused him of also being American. He was escorted away under guard.
It didn't take the surgeon long to realize we were American. There are differences in our uniforms, including the color, belt buckle, and boots. They said he was still going to do the surgery and the beautiful nurse put me under with ether.
Then the crazy colonel came into the tent pointing a gun at everyone and I guess the doctor led him to believe he had injected me with an overdose of morphine. Moffitt knocked out the Colonel with ether while Sarge strangled the surgeon, thinking he had killed me. Moffitt noticed I was still breathing, and forced Troy to release the doctor who removed the shrapnel and stitched me up.
Somehow in the middle of everything, the German ambulance they had used to get into the field hospital was gone and they loaded me into a coffin before placing me in the back of a truck as though they were taking bodies for burial. Troy tucked in some bottles of ether and cotton gauze. As they were attempting to leave, the Colonel regained consciousness and apparently rallied some men to follow us.
With Moffitt driving, they had a bit of a head start and stopped long enough to unload the coffin in which I was traveling and left Tully to watch over me while they turned around to take care of those who followed. Tully said Troy used the ether as an explosive to take out the two German halftracks.
When we reached the jeeps, they radioed for help and met up with a Red Cross unit. As they were loading me in the truck they briefly told me what had happened. I can't believe what they went through for me. I wish I had been awake but at least I had a great memory of a beautiful woman with gorgeous blue eyes. Sarge was skeptical but I asked him, "Who was there, you or me?" He told me to do what the doctors told me to do and leave the nurses alone. Tully knows me too well. He knows that won't happen.
I am so lucky to have friends like these three guys. They really put their lives on the line for me. I hope I have a chance to do the same for them someday. I hope this doesn't keep me out of action for too long. I don't do lying around quietly very well, even if pretty nurses are close by. We're a team and we don't like being separated. I wonder who they'll assign to cover for me? I just want to heal as quickly as possible so I can rejoin them in the field. I am grateful for all they did and I'm thankful for the Jerry doctor who saved my life. He sounds like a decent guy, and I hope he comes through this war okay.
Here Isla paused in her reading to prepare for going on stage. She too gave thanks that Mark had such good friends who were quickly becoming her friends as well. She had seen the battle scar from this wound. The surgeon had done a great job, and she said a quick prayer of thanks for his expertise and humanity. She prayed for him to come safely through the war and live a long and happy life.