The Hill, Early Afternoon

Pfc. Miles Adair of Leon, Io, (left) and Sgt. Norbert Brzycki of Chicago, Ill., infantrymen of the 5th RCT, dig in on a hill captured from the Chinese Communist forces overlooking the Han River, Korea, as UN troops continue their offensive in the area. 7 February 1951. Korea. Signal Corps Photo #FEC-51-3582 (Chang)
(Source)

1Sgt Hernandez rushed into the low-slung bunker holding Baker Company's command post, a flurry of Chinese automatic weapons fire filled the air over the trench he had just vacated.

"Forget to duck, Top?" Captain Nate Paddock chuckled as his former commander gathered his wits about him.

"I tell ya what, Nate, those Chinese can't hit shit at this range."

"Whaddaya got, Top?"

"2nd Platoon is improving their positions, dumb bastards didn't dig near deep enough. Ground isn't frozen yet but another night like last night and it won't be long before we'll need a backhoe to dig any deeper. I chewed L.T. Carlson's ass about it, he's seen the light now."

Paddock shook his head, at the end of World War II, Stephen Hernandez had been a Captain commanding a company, Paddock had been a 1st Lieutenant commanding a platoon in Hernandez' company. Now he was the company commander and Hernandez was his 1st Sergeant, he felt bad about that. It didn't bother Hernandez at all.

"Hell, Nate, you're a ring knocker, I'm just a volunteer from the boondocks of Colorado. It makes sense to keep you guys in, me I'm ready to head back to civilian life!" Hernandez had told Paddock that over a beer in Germany.

Both men had stayed on with the Army, still in the Big Red One, still in Germany, until late in 1948. At that time Paddock had rotated out to attend an Army school back in the U.S. and Hernandez had resigned his commission and headed home.

Hernandez had shown up at the Army Recruiting office two days after the North Koreans had invaded the Republic of Korea. Though he had been an officer, he was sent to boot camp like any other volunteer, as a buck Private.

During training he had been recognized by a number of soldiers as being from the 1st Infantry Division from World War II. Hernandez wasn't big on blowing his own horn, but men who knew him realized that a valuable combat veteran was wasted in the insanity of Army boot camp.

Two weeks after reporting for Boot Camp he'd been on a train to an advanced training course, as a Staff Sergeant. After training, he was assigned to the 5th Regimental Combat team in Hawaii. Which he soon discovered, was actually in Korea. So to Korea he went as a Master Sergeant.

Now he and his friend from the big war were together again, fighting the Communist Chinese now, not the Germans.

"Did you get the mortar teams moved?" Paddock asked as he looked down the hill towards the Chinese lines.

"Yessir, they bitched about it but when I explained that the Chinese had probably nailed their old positions down by now and probably had their artillery dialed in on them, they were happy to displace."

"Happy?"

"Well, they didn't bitch quite as much."

"Hey, remember back in the big one when all those Krauts surrendered to us?"

"Yeah, a whole battalion, well, company-strength at best, but a battalion on paper. What about it?"

"There's a replacement in 3rd Platoon claims he was there."

"Seriously? Whose platoon?"

"He was a Kraut officer."

"Get out."

"No, seriously. He emigrated to the States in '48 after getting de-Nazified. Moved to Iowa, was trying to start a pig farm up there, something he did before the war."

"Why the Hell is he in the Army? He could have stayed put, being a former German soldier and all."

"Sumbitch volunteered."

"Huh. What's his name?"

"Sauer."

"In 3rd Platoon, eh?"

"Yup, Masterson says the guy is a natural soldier. Wants to make him a squad leader or something."

"Well, if L.T. Mike Masterson speaks highly of him ... I need to go down to 3rd Platoon anyway, I'll check this new guy out."

Paddock turned and grabbed a small sack from the rear of the small bunker, "Take this with you, 3rd's mail."

"They'll appreciate that."

"Yup, tell Mike that I expect we'll get hit tonight. Make sure those boys are dug in and make damned sure they're tied in with Charlie Company on their left."

"Roger that, Boss. Back in a flash."

"Keep yer f**king head down, Stephen!"

"Yessir, absolutely Sir."

With a nod and a wink, 1Sgt Hernandez headed out the way he came in. This time the Chinese didn't fire, probably some overeager kid had opened fire when he'd seen Hernandez' helmet for a split second.

"Come on kid, shoot this way again, we need to know where you bastards are at!"