Promotions and Replacements

(Source)

1st Sgt. Mort Saeger stepped into the CP, "Cap'n, there's a brand new lieutenant here. Says he's supposed to take over 3rd Platoon?"

"All right, Mort, send him in." Newly promoted to captain, Stephen Hernandez was already noticing that running a company required a lot of paperwork. He wasn't sure how he felt about that, but if he wanted to make the Army a career, company command was a good step to take.

The new man stepped into the room and came to attention, then snapped a salute while bellowing, "Sir, 2nd Lt. Mitch Hornsby reporting for duty! Sir!"

Hernandez looked at the man, everything about him said "NEW!" His uniform looked as if it had just been issued, as did all his gear. Hernandez looked down at the man's boots, a little mud on the bottom but that was all.

"At ease Lieutenant. You will not be taking over 3rd Platoon..."

"But Sir, my orders..."

"I don't care what your orders say son, but your ass belongs to Charlie Company now and you'll go where I put you. You're green as grass, so until you have a bit more experience, you're going to be the Company XO. I hope you're good with paperwork, because you're going to be doing a lot of it."

"XO, wow, thanks Sir!" Hornsby thought that was better than being a platoon commander, which it was in some ways, especially for the men he might have gotten killed because of his absolute lack of combat experience.

"Don't thank me just yet lieutenant. Go see 1st Sgt. Saeger, he'll get you situated."

"Sir, yes Sir!"

"And you can knock that shit off right now. Dismissed."

Brad Woodstock watched as Otto Walls and his crew brought the new tank into camp, it was an M4A3(76)W. The long-barreled 76mm gun stuck out like a sore thumb among the short-barreled 75mm guns of the rest of the platoon.

M4A3(76)W
(Source)

Sgt. Walls dismounted and walked up to Woodstock, he paused then said, "Does battalion know that you're impersonating an officer?"

"I reckon they do, they promoted me this morning." 2nd Lt. Woodstock looked at his shoulders and shook his head. "Times must be tough if they made me an officer."

"Heh, no comment Brad, er, I mean, Sir." Walls threw his platoon commander a ragged salute which made both men chuckle.

"Nice tank Otto. We finally have a big gun in the platoon. Nice."

"She's yours if you want her Brad." Sgt. Walls assumed when they were issued the tank that his platoon commander would want it.

"Negative Otto, I'm comfortable with Catamount. The old girl has gotten us this far, I'd hate to swap horses in mid stream." Woodstock grinned as he said that. "Besides which, that big gun is gonna attract Kraut fire like a candle attracts a moth."

"Hhmm, don't do me no favors Brad, but she is a nice tank. I'm going to name her 'The Great Wall.'"

"That's in China ya know." Woodstock offered.

"Damn it, I know that Lieutenant, but I always name my tanks 'Wall', this one is too big and nice to be just 'Wall' 'so she's 'The Great Wall.' Is that okay with you, You Highness?"

"Well, she's your tank buddy, you get to name her."

Hernandez handed a sheaf of paper to his new XO, "Send these names up to battalion. I've taken the liberty of promoting these guys to the indicated rank. Let the major know that I need his blessing on these."

Hornsby looked at the names...

Garrett Weber promoted to Corporal, Assistant Squad Leader, 1st Platoon/1st Squad

John Chapman promoted to Sergeant, Squad Leader, 2nd Platoon/2nd Squad

Daniel O'Neill promoted to Corporal, Assistant Squad Leader, 2nd Platoon/2nd Squad

Robert Poole promoted to 2nd Lieutenant, Platoon Leader, 3rd Platoon

Then Hornsby remembered something, he checked his field jacket pockets, found what he was looking for and handed it to Hernandez, "A list of the new replacements, Sir. 1st Sgt. Saeger already has a copy."

S/Sgt Homer Kincaid

Pvt. Matt McDaniel

Pvt. Jeff O'Neal

Pvt. Matt Swanson

Pvt. Billy Pires

Pvt. Jim Wilhite

Pvt. Charles Bennett

Pvt. Tomas Ramos

Pvt. Dan Jackson

Pvt. Bob Carroll

Pvt. Drew Morgan

Pvt. Drew Lewis

"Other than S/Sgt Kincaid, they're all fresh recruits from the States. I rode up here with Kincaid, he was wounded in Normandy, late June, he's just been released from the hospital." Hernandez listened as Hornsby told him that. Good, the kid pays attention, he thought.

"Top!"

Saeger poked his head in, "Sir?"

"Bob Poole needs a platoon sergeant, how about..."

"Kincaid Sir? Already done."

"Thanks Top."

"Hornsby."

"Sir?"

"Your first lesson in Charlie Company, listen to the sergeants, they've been around. Learn from them, they'll keep you alive if you do. Understood?"

"Well, of course Sir, but..."

"Understood, lieutenant?" The glare Hernandez gave the new lieutenant was enough to peel the paint off a Tiger tank at a thousand yards.

"Sir, I understand."

"Good, dismissed."

The 1st Infantry Division in the Harz Mountains
April 1945
(26th Infantry is underlined in blue)
(Source)

Author's Note:  Condolences to MrGaribaldi on the recent loss of his Dad. Been there, done that, still hurts. Thoughts and prayers brother. If you're so inclined, stop by his place to wish him well. Good men, father and son.

Link to all of the Chant's fiction.