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"Hey Jacky boy. Wake up." I could feel the cold hands of someone patting my face awake. I opened my eyes begrudgingly and adjusted in my seat. Sitting up straight and looking at the man who had woke me up. "I'm awake just resting my eyes." The others laughed out loud. "If you weren't asleep then you would have heard Adam talk about the squeeze of yours back in New York." I looked from my close friend Frank then to Adam. Wiping the drool from sleep off my chin. Its been rough to sleep lately knowing that this trip was about to be our call to action. I then said. "Fine, I was asleep but what the hell did you say about my girl, Adam?" The boys laughed and Frank said. "I'm pulling your leg Jacky. But you should look alive we all don't wanna arrive and our squad leader is sleeping like a baby." He chuckled as the thought struck home on what they were going to be arriving to do.
We all wore what looked almost secondhand gear where some of the coloring didn't match but still had the uniform factor to them. If they had arrived earlier they would have been handed the freshly made equipment. But they had taken the time to enjoy a night out drinking before deployment. And arrived late. There were a lot of men heading out and there was bound to be the unlucky few. My girlfriend who was pregnant wasn't too happy about me being sent out but we both knew it had to be done. I began to miss her soft smile and that strong southern accent she had when she was upset. Especially her southern home cooking. I could kill for a pot of her homemade chili right about now.
I shook out of my day dream as I heard Junior speak up. "My mama is prolly thinking to call the White House right now demanding I go back home to her." He laughed nervously as he was adjusting his pack while he was on one knee in the middle of our tightly packed boat shoulder to shoulder. Not a whole lot of room to move. I then patted Junior on the shoulder and said. "No worries buddy we will get you home to your mother. And make sure to have Kyle away from here alright." They all laughed as Kyle said in defense. "In my defense it's not my fault that Adam's mom wanted to sample the Boston goods." He then laughed as Adam socked him in the arm sitting next to him.
They were all good men.
Large booms and cracks of weapon fire dilled the air around us. I took a look in the direction and could see through early just barely sunrise morning sparks light up the sky with the most horrific look on fireworks across the sky. We could start to hear orders being shouted and some being cut short from the possibility of being shot dead being so high. My heart started to beat faster and faster as we listened to the screams and bullets ripping through the air. This is what fear was meant to be. I turned to my men. And started to shout orders to fight back that very fear of hell beyond the mist ahead. "Keep low and when we touch land stay low and run to cover, don't look back just get to cover and wait for a clear time to move in! Again don't back! And stay the hell alive!" They all nodded in acknowledgement as we all got low.
We had hit land a few moments later and we kicked down the hatch ramp and with a large war cry we started to run out. Bullets started to collide and rip through out front line and I began to yell. "Stay lo-!" As a body had hit me hard from the left and sent me to the back of the boat. Slamming into the hard metal. Stars filled my eyes as tried to sit up but a body was laid on me and when my vision cleared and what caught my eyes made my heart sink into a broken heart as junior soft grey blues met mine. Through the blood that started come from the young man's mouth was. "I want my mama…" then his eyes rolled up and he was dead. I looked about and could see all my buddies mowed down dead around me "No!" And with a burst of fear induced adrenaline. I pushed his body off to the side and quickly climbed up and out the side of the boat, and into the cold water below. I pushed myself up and ran to the sand staying low and with the pumping of my legs and boot hitting the blood-covered sand. Making the task so much harder on me. I ran up the beach and dived behind a wall of sand bags and with heavy breaths. I started to checked for my automatic and pulling it in front of me I closed my eyes, listening as the scream of Allies and foe surrounded all end of the battlefield. With a small bit of courage and anger of the loss of friends and company. I leaped from my hiding spot and charged up the field. Where soon we were met with victory but at what cost.
We all wore what looked almost secondhand gear where some of the coloring didn't match but still had the uniform factor to them. If they had arrived earlier they would have been handed the freshly made equipment. But they had taken the time to enjoy a night out drinking before deployment. And arrived late. There were a lot of men heading out and there was bound to be the unlucky few. My girlfriend who was pregnant wasn't too happy about me being sent out but we both knew it had to be done. I began to miss her soft smile and that strong southern accent she had when she was upset. Especially her southern home cooking. I could kill for a pot of her homemade chili right about now.
I shook out of my day dream as I heard Junior speak up. "My mama is prolly thinking to call the White House right now demanding I go back home to her." He laughed nervously as he was adjusting his pack while he was on one knee in the middle of our tightly packed boat shoulder to shoulder. Not a whole lot of room to move. I then patted Junior on the shoulder and said. "No worries buddy we will get you home to your mother. And make sure to have Kyle away from here alright." They all laughed as Kyle said in defense. "In my defense it's not my fault that Adam's mom wanted to sample the Boston goods." He then laughed as Adam socked him in the arm sitting next to him.
They were all good men.
Large booms and cracks of weapon fire dilled the air around us. I took a look in the direction and could see through early just barely sunrise morning sparks light up the sky with the most horrific look on fireworks across the sky. We could start to hear orders being shouted and some being cut short from the possibility of being shot dead being so high. My heart started to beat faster and faster as we listened to the screams and bullets ripping through the air. This is what fear was meant to be. I turned to my men. And started to shout orders to fight back that very fear of hell beyond the mist ahead. "Keep low and when we touch land stay low and run to cover, don't look back just get to cover and wait for a clear time to move in! Again don't back! And stay the hell alive!" They all nodded in acknowledgement as we all got low.
We had hit land a few moments later and we kicked down the hatch ramp and with a large war cry we started to run out. Bullets started to collide and rip through out front line and I began to yell. "Stay lo-!" As a body had hit me hard from the left and sent me to the back of the boat. Slamming into the hard metal. Stars filled my eyes as tried to sit up but a body was laid on me and when my vision cleared and what caught my eyes made my heart sink into a broken heart as junior soft grey blues met mine. Through the blood that started come from the young man's mouth was. "I want my mama…" then his eyes rolled up and he was dead. I looked about and could see all my buddies mowed down dead around me "No!" And with a burst of fear induced adrenaline. I pushed his body off to the side and quickly climbed up and out the side of the boat, and into the cold water below. I pushed myself up and ran to the sand staying low and with the pumping of my legs and boot hitting the blood-covered sand. Making the task so much harder on me. I ran up the beach and dived behind a wall of sand bags and with heavy breaths. I started to checked for my automatic and pulling it in front of me I closed my eyes, listening as the scream of Allies and foe surrounded all end of the battlefield. With a small bit of courage and anger of the loss of friends and company. I leaped from my hiding spot and charged up the field. Where soon we were met with victory but at what cost.
to my grandson Jackson Graves,
As the man who now bores my namesake remember as in these papers I've given you that that day. June 6th, 1944 is the day I truly witnessed what the fabled Hell was on the shores of Normandy.
I give you these words. We of the Graves name. Are Warriors of Vengeance and we protect our family, friends, and all that need a hero to stand for them in their most dire time of need. My boy. Fight and may god have mercy on the souls that face you in combat that have done great evil.
Signed, Jackson Theodore Graves
As the man who now bores my namesake remember as in these papers I've given you that that day. June 6th, 1944 is the day I truly witnessed what the fabled Hell was on the shores of Normandy.
I give you these words. We of the Graves name. Are Warriors of Vengeance and we protect our family, friends, and all that need a hero to stand for them in their most dire time of need. My boy. Fight and may god have mercy on the souls that face you in combat that have done great evil.
Signed, Jackson Theodore Graves
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