Chapter 126

0445 Friday 3rd of February Lt Col Harvey

The MCAS Wolverine Field Artic Assault Games team all gathered for breakfast at the Longhouse, and we went over our assault plans in a secure environment. We had a hot filling meal that would carry us through this morning’s mission.

The weather was as predicted air temperature 26 F light snow with a half inch on the ground and about One to Two more before it stops. The wind was calm but would pick up later this afternoon. This is the weather we hoped for. Our assault plan was based on it.

The course the Engineers built had a pond in the middle of the course a Thousand yards from the start. There were Two crossings One on the left side of the course across the pond dam and the other a road and bridge on the right side of the course.

We planned to put smoke in the middle of both crossings and fain those crossings. I had checked the ice, and it was Two inches thick at the center of the pond. Just enough to bare the weight. We were going to send Johanna and Lela across the ice with just their rifles and grenades simulators to attack the road crossing from behind. This is where we believed the Air Force would set up the majority of their forces to cover both crossings but leave the middle open.

1130 Friday 3rd of February The plan worked like a charm. The girls attacked from the Air Forces rear caught them totally off guard. With the laser receivers we all wore to show a casualty and the Simulated grenades that had a “Kill Radius” of Five Meters. The girls with rifle fire and the grenades wiped out a Third of the USAF people covering that road. The rest of us then rushed the road with the platoon going to the dam and clearing the people there out well the second platoon pushed up the course and enveloped the USAF’s second position before they were set.

The Umpires credited us with capturing or killing all our opposition at the cost of Five wounded, and none killed. We lost Thirty-Five points. Five points each for a minor non-debilitating wound and Fifteen points for a debilitating wound. the USAF team lost One-Hundred-Fifty points for the Fifteen we killed. and One-Hundred-Fifty points for the Ten we captured. That made them down Three-Hundred points.

I told everyone excellent job, now go, clean your weapons, and go to your quarters. Watching others will only get us doubting our plans and then trying to adjust what we planned. Rember US Grants philosophy. Do not worry about the enemies’ plans, make yours and stick to them, only adjusting when in contact with the enemy. Make the enemy react to you and what you are doing, so go. Report tomorrow at 1100.

I also did not stay and watch but cleaned my weapons and went home. I attended Dinner at the Longhouse as well as our whole team and families. We talked of the future and the past but not what we are doing the next day. After dinner we all went bowling. The Davis boys beat all commers. At 2200 we all went our way. The next day was to be a late busy day.

1530 Saturday 4th of February we had Thirty minutes to set our defense before the Active Army team arrived. We set Six of our training Claymore mines Four inches inside the course with Three covering the dam access and Three covering the road access. We set our remaining Six with Two on the dam, Two on our side covering the pond, and the last Two on the road.

Our Sniper team of John Boy, Roseland, and Maybell with Rosland the shooter, Maybel the spotter and John Boy watching their back set the M-107 Barret Antimaterial Rifle up just of the right side of the road with the ability to cover the dam also.

We had both machine guns Two-Thousand yards back from the pond on our final defense line. We had Ten simulated Mortar rounds we could use. The accuracy was based on our Ten rounds we fired on our range day score. Our score was perfect and when the Umpires checked our targeting math the rounds scored hits of everything within Five Meters of our planned target. I had them set to cover the sniper team. The Squad Automatic Rifle was covering the dam crossing, but I was sure they would fain the dam and rush the road.

We were set and the army just started a rush for the road and hit the Claymores just inside the training area and lost Four killed and Five wounded Three with debilitating wounds. They complained about our Claymore placement. The umpires ruled We had placed them inside the training area, and they counted.

They regrouped and tried to force the road. Before withdrawing to our second defense line our sniper team killed Three more. John Boy received a debilitating wound but killed Two more. We had cut their team numbers in half. They tried using smoke grenades to cover their attack on the road, but the wind cleared it. Effectively using their simulated mortars, they forced our team back from covering the road. I had our people withdraw to our final defense line.

We had Rosland and Maybel receive debilitating wounds and our sniper rifle was out of play. When? from our possession Fifty yards in front of the ridge. We opened fire with our mortar rounds and machine guns. It was all over. The remaining ones surrendered.

Again, we cleared the field and finished Five-Hundred-Ninety-Two points in front of the Marines. They had finished Seventy-Three points ahead of the Engineers. The Engineers were just six points ahead of the Alaskan National Guard. Then the Army. The USAF finished last in a fight they did not belong in, wrong skill sets.

I called my team together and Robert addressed us all with a well done and added Mrs. Ruth has prepared with our ladies help Spaghetti with meatballs and sweet sausage and all the trimmings for dinner. So, turn in your weapons, shower, change into comfortable civilian clothes and be at the Clan Recreation center at 2000 hours for dinner. I will authorize cleaning weapons tomorrow before the party, now get moving.

John Boy Flaherty

Before everyone goes the Chefs are planning an all-night cook out in Hangar #4 to cook the whole hogs, Whole sides of beef, and in the early morning whole chickens. We will also be roasting ears of corn, white potatoes, and sweet potatoes. All are welcome to come help, hang out, or just stop into fellowship. We will be adding lobster and shrimp to the menu tomorrow. We will be serving at 1200 after church.