Звездный десант

           Heheadedforthehorizonlikeascaredjackrabbit.

           IhadCunhasendhisfirstsection’sscoutsouttolocatetheforwardcornersofmypatrolareaandIsentmyplatoonsergeantofftomylefttomakecontactwithapatrolfromtheFifthRegiment.We,theThirdRegiment,hadagridthreehundredmileswideandeightymilesdeeptohold;mypiecewasarectanglefortymilesdeepandseventeenwideintheextremeleftflankforwardcorner.TheWolverineswerebehindus,LieutenantKhoroshen’splatoonontherightandRustybeyondhim.

           OurFirstRegimenthadalreadyrelievedaVthDiv.regimentaheadofus,witha"brickwall"overlapwhichplacedthemonmycorneraswellasahead."Ahead"and"rear,""rightflank"and"left,"referredtoorientationsetupindeadreckoningtracersineachcommandsuittomatchthegridoftheBattlePlan.Wehadnotruefront,simplyanarea,andtheonlyfightingatthemomentwasgoingonseveralhundredmilesaway,toourarbitraryrightandrear.

           Somewhereoffthatway,probablytwohundredmiles,shouldbe2ndplatoon,GCo,2ndBatt,3rdReg—commonlyknownas"TheRoughnecks."

           OrtheRoughnecksmightbefortylight-yearsaway.TacticalorganizationnevermatchestheTableofOrganization;allIknewfromPlanwasthatsomethingcalledthe"2ndBatt"wasonourrightflankbeyondtheboysfromtheNormandyBeach.Butthatbattalioncouldhavebeenborrowedfromanotherdivision.TheSkyMarshalplayshischesswithoutconsultingthepieces.