The Last Battle

Suddenly, enemy gunfire erupted and a battle raged all along the right flank. The enemy started to move in and we responded in kind. They slowed and stopped. We pressed forward and gained some ground.

We had moved forward several more yards when Arnie signaled for everyone to get down. He pointed at a clump of bushes about twenty-five yards ahead and indicated that he had seen movement. We watched the bushes and when they rustled, Arnie gave the signal to fire. Shots rang out from both sides. More of our troops moved in to help reinforce. After an intense exchange we pushed them back and they scurried to a thick line of trees.

We advanced slowly towards the trees. Their response weakened and it felt like we had them out-gunned. They had lost the element of surprise and now seemed disorganized and sporadic.

We hammered away at them. Doc slid up to me, “Colonel, how are we doing over here?”

“We’re hanging in there, with one wounded. How’re Toms and the platoons up front?”

“Sir, I have two of my medics up there supporting him. We’ve lost one and have a couple more wounded.”

“Danny, get on the horn and find out the ETA of the choppers. Send one our way, and give them the coordinates where Toms is, and send the rest there.”

“Yes Sir, Colonel Sir.”

The shooting intensified. The enemy scrambled about and fired randomly. It felt like they were trying to appear reinforced. We pressed forward. They tried to dig in and hold their ground, but we slowly advanced.

Suddenly, enemy troops came running out from the tree line and headed directly toward us, bursts of gunfire scattering from their rifles. We had readied ourselves for this final surge and we hunkered down. They ran closer and were practically on top of us. Guns blazed with fury from both sides. One by one they fell until the last couple turned and ran away.

“Doc, Sergeant Arnold’s been hit,” Johnny called out in his southern drawl.

“How is he?”

“He’s bleeding bad Doc.”

“Where’s he hit?” Doc started to crawl toward him with his medic bag in tow.

“In the leg.”

I made my way toward Arnie too. He’d been hit mid-way inside the thigh. “Doc, can we move him back a little, where it’s safer?”

“Sir, I wouldn’t yet. Let me get in there and see what I can do.”

“Okay Doc… Men, secure our positions and continue to provide cover.”

“Yes Sir!”

There was some intermittent gunfire ahead of us where Toms and Hoff were, but it was trailing off. I relaxed a little seeming like we had a couple minutes to give Arnie the attention he needed, but I stayed alert.

Doc grabbed his bag, took out a tool and sliced Arnie’s pant leg all the way up. “Sergeant, how are you feeling?” Doc inspected the wound.

“It hurts a little Doc, but I’m doing fine.”

“The good news is, it looks like the bullet went all the way through. The bad news is, your femoral artery, the big one, has been grazed and you’re losing blood. I’m not going to be able to fix this out here Sergeant, but I’m going to stop the bleeding and we’ll get you back to the MASH ASAP.”

“Danny, get another chopper over here. Did you get the ETA on the first one?”

“Yes Sir, Colonel Sir. It’ll be here in less than a minute.”

Doc looked at me, “I can get it done by then, Colonel.”

“Okay, we’ll send Arnie first.”

“Definitely Sir!”

Doc took a cord out of his bag, did some maneuvering and repositioning, and then tied it high around Arnie’s thigh. Arnie let out a muffled groan.

“Okay Arnie, that should hold you.”

“Thanks Doc.”

“Sergeant, can I say a little prayer for you?”

Arnie nodded and closed his eyes. Doc put his hand on Arnie’s shoulder and prayed.

Oh no, that can’t be good. “Doc isn’t there anything else we can do?”

“Well Sir, you can say a prayer too.”

I didn’t want to decline, and I’d just heard Doc’s prayer, so I nodded and followed Doc’s lead, “Dear Lord, be with Arnie. Help Doc’s work hold him till he gets back and the MASH Docs can get him fixed up. Watch over him… ah, Amen.”

“Amen. Thank you, Colonel.” Arnie opened his eyes and said with a weakening voice, “I just want you to know Sir, that if I …well, it has been a privilege to serve under you.”

“Has been? You mean is and will continue to be.”

“Yes, Sir.” Arnie sounded weaker. “You’ve been a good leader, Sir. The men are lucky to have you.” The sound of the helicopter’s whirling blades approached.

“These men are lucky to have you Sergeant…and the next class will be just as lucky,” I shouted above the noise of the blades.

“Colonel, I appreciate that Sir, but...” The roaring helicopter hovered and descended a few yards away.

“Sergeant, that’s enough. We’re getting you on this chopper.”

The chopper landed. Danny and Johnny crouched down and ran over to it. They unhooked the stretcher from the side and brought it back. On Doc’s instructions, we lifted Arnie onto the stretcher and fastened him in.

Arnie squeezed my hand “Colonel…thank you.”

“Arnie, I’ll see you when I get back.”

“…see you, on the other side, Sir.”