Post by Young90th on Nov 23, 2008 19:13:58 GMT -5
DUTCH DREAMS
Josh dumped the snuff from his pipe into the dark murky soil of Dutch barn where his squad of three men were held up for the night. “Jesus Christ “ he thought, “I’m 19 years old, I should be back home necking with Betsy not killing krauts half way around the world-”. He was leaning up against the barn wall. “ In this muddy hell hole.” Josh listened to the pitter-patter of the rain hitting the roof; it had been raining for days now, “I can’t remember when my feet were not wet.” He looked around in the barn, the dirt floor covered with ration boxes, cigarette butts, and shell casings from taking pot shots at a sniper somewhere inside the town.
“Josh!” Chris called from the hayloft. Chris was a short and skinny little guy from Dublin Ohio. Josh always trusted things with Chris and was respected by all in the unit.
“What is it?” He yelled back.
“Paul is back and you won’t guess what’s with him”
“Hey Guys “ said Paul as he entered the barn, his helmet dripping from the rain. Paul was a 2nd generation Pole from Connecticut. He was a baby of 17 naive and in Josh’s opinion just an empty uniform to get shot.
The light of the candles in the barn danced over Paul’s face as Josh walked over.
Clinging to Paul’s Leg was a small Dutch boy of 5 or 6.
“ Paul This is not a God Damn orphanage, we can’t take care of him” Josh Barked
Paul Sheepishly “ but he was all alone and I thought- “
“ Thought what? Huh? “
“We could use him to tell us where Jerry1 is “ Paul exclaimed proudly
“ That would be a good idea but wait non of us speak Dutch you dump ass “
“Hey Sarge “ called Squirrely from the hay bail “ maybe we could use him as sniper bait”
Squirrely was a squirrelfish guy getting his nickname “Squirrely” He was an old hand in the army since 1939 but his smart-ass attitude prevented him from rising in the ranks.
“Why doesn’t everybody just settle down” said Jim walking into the candle light “ Josh it would not hurt if we kept the kid till we could get him to the rear. Would it? It the right thing to do”
Jim was a Brooklyn boy like Josh; they had known each other since their school day. They had joined the army together and had seen hell together. After the war both of them planned to open up a restaurant together. But in Joshes opinion he was too much of a humanitarian and does not think of getting everyone out alive but of the civilians around him.
“ That’s not the point Jim, the point is I do not want to have this kids death on my hands, I could never live with his death, you know that Jim”
“wie zijn u? waar is Moma en Popa? Ik wil naar huis zijn. Gelieve te brengen tevreden gelieve me huis” The boy screamed
“ What the F*ck” Said Squirrely in astonishment.
“SHUT THAT KID UP!! KRAUT PARTOL” Chris yelled down to them from the hayloft.
“ Damn “ Josh muttered, “ Paul take the kid and in the back of the hay bail and keep the boy quiet. Squirrely get in that horse stall and keep low. Chris stay put, and Jim you run back to Platoon CP2 and tell them we need someone to get this kid.”
“Josh that’s just stupid, I won’t make it10 yards before I will get hit. ” Jim said back.
“Jim Do-“ Josh started
“Laat van me gaan, wil ik mamma en de papa liet van me gaan.” The boy screamed at the tops of his lungs
“Ah crap” josh thought “ the Germans must have heard that. Jim is right he won’t make it instead I will-“
“Ok Josh you’re the boss, I am going” Jim yelled from the door
“NO!” Josh yelled, but it was too late.
“Amerikanischer Eintragfadeneintragfaden fasten” He hears a German yell
“RATTATATATATATAT” Went the German guns shooting at Jim.
“ Ich erhielt ihn!” Another German called
Josh peered out of the barn seeing Jim’s body lying in that dirty Dutch mud.
“He is gone, Jim just gone like that. He was going to make it out of this war him and I were-“ josh thought
“Sarge what are we doing!” Chris yelled interrupting his thoughts. “They know we are here we should get the hell out of dodge “ Chris yelled down Squeezing off rounds at the Germans bellow. “BANG BANG BANG”
“Ok Guys We are” Josh yelled to the men but the rest of his order was drowned out buy the yelling of the Dutch boy. The boy bit Paul’s hand that was holding him down. He started to run for the door.
“Josh get Him” Paul called from the hay bail
“Oh crap” Paul thought as he dashed for the little child, bullets kicking up dirt all around him. He was almost out the door now. Josh had his hands almost reaching the kid; the kid’s head was out the door then
“WHOOP”. He tackled the kid to the ground, splinters from the bullets crashing through the wooden door showering them. Josh looked at the kid checking him over, he then noticed the small hole in the boys’ side leaking blood slowly but steady. He picked him up and started running for the back of the barn. Squirrely was yelling something josh could not hear then “BOOM” Squirrely was gone in his place a pair of smoldering boots and a couple pieces of fabric. Josh kept running the boy in his hands till he reached Paul. Paul was in shock rocking back and forth in hysteria his arm between his legs. There were more bullets crashing everywhere and explosions every couple of seconds.
“Paul snap out of it and keep up the fire on the Germans!” Joshed yelled shacking him. Surprisingly it worked and Paul started shooting back. Meanwhile Josh bulled out a bandage and started tending to the kid, he first dumped sulfa powder on the wounds, then applied morphine and wrapped on the wound, but within 5 minutes the boy was dead.
“Come on you can make it kid, your going to be fine, you stupid kid come on! You-“ Josh said trying to comfort himself as well as the boy.
“Josh we got to go he’s gone josh!” He looked up at Chris, the bullets snapping all around them.” He started up and saw Paul’s lifeless body half of his face eaten away by the hungry German bullets hitting everywhere
“JOSH COME ON” Chris yelled from the back door. Josh sprinted for the door seeing out of the corner of his eye the first German coming through the door, Chris dropped him with a shot from his rifle. He was there at the door with Chris.
“Josh run I will cover you” Chris yelled over the fire, which had reached a deafening din of death. Josh started running through the field to the tree line. He turned around to see Chris sprinting after him, a German coming our the back door now
“Chris gets down!” He yelled with cupped hands. Chris started down only to be twisted in pain as the bullet hit in the back of the neck, his face contorted in horrible pain. Josh opened up with his gun letting loose a burst at the German who dropped down to the ground like a sack of potato’s. He continued to sprint for the trees.
“stoppen Sie Amerikaner, oder ich schieß” A German yelled to Josh. He kept running.
He felt like someone just hit him in the shoulder with a baseball bat, then darkness.
“Josh I told you not to send me out the door” Jim Said
“I know I know it was that damn kid Jim” Josh told him
“ You should have told me sooner, I died in that field all alone, no kids no wife no business, remember both of us were going to open up a restaurant together? That never happened did it?” Jim said as he circled Josh.
“Stop please stop” Josh was yelling
“Stop what Josh? Making you feel guilty? Remember this kid Josh?” A picture of the dead boy flashed before Josh. Once again he was reliving that moment in the barn.
“You can make it kid! You’re going to be Fine! No No No!”
“Josh Dear are you OK?” said Betsy nervously. Josh awoke looking at his wife next to him in bed, his sweat dropping in beads on his head. “It must have been a bad dream dear,” she said again.
“Yes it was, I need an Advil” Josh said rubbing his shoulder where 60 years ago in an open field in Holland he was shot.
Foot Notes
1, Jerry, Slang term from WWII for German soldiers.
2, CP meaning Command Post
Josh dumped the snuff from his pipe into the dark murky soil of Dutch barn where his squad of three men were held up for the night. “Jesus Christ “ he thought, “I’m 19 years old, I should be back home necking with Betsy not killing krauts half way around the world-”. He was leaning up against the barn wall. “ In this muddy hell hole.” Josh listened to the pitter-patter of the rain hitting the roof; it had been raining for days now, “I can’t remember when my feet were not wet.” He looked around in the barn, the dirt floor covered with ration boxes, cigarette butts, and shell casings from taking pot shots at a sniper somewhere inside the town.
“Josh!” Chris called from the hayloft. Chris was a short and skinny little guy from Dublin Ohio. Josh always trusted things with Chris and was respected by all in the unit.
“What is it?” He yelled back.
“Paul is back and you won’t guess what’s with him”
“Hey Guys “ said Paul as he entered the barn, his helmet dripping from the rain. Paul was a 2nd generation Pole from Connecticut. He was a baby of 17 naive and in Josh’s opinion just an empty uniform to get shot.
The light of the candles in the barn danced over Paul’s face as Josh walked over.
Clinging to Paul’s Leg was a small Dutch boy of 5 or 6.
“ Paul This is not a God Damn orphanage, we can’t take care of him” Josh Barked
Paul Sheepishly “ but he was all alone and I thought- “
“ Thought what? Huh? “
“We could use him to tell us where Jerry1 is “ Paul exclaimed proudly
“ That would be a good idea but wait non of us speak Dutch you dump ass “
“Hey Sarge “ called Squirrely from the hay bail “ maybe we could use him as sniper bait”
Squirrely was a squirrelfish guy getting his nickname “Squirrely” He was an old hand in the army since 1939 but his smart-ass attitude prevented him from rising in the ranks.
“Why doesn’t everybody just settle down” said Jim walking into the candle light “ Josh it would not hurt if we kept the kid till we could get him to the rear. Would it? It the right thing to do”
Jim was a Brooklyn boy like Josh; they had known each other since their school day. They had joined the army together and had seen hell together. After the war both of them planned to open up a restaurant together. But in Joshes opinion he was too much of a humanitarian and does not think of getting everyone out alive but of the civilians around him.
“ That’s not the point Jim, the point is I do not want to have this kids death on my hands, I could never live with his death, you know that Jim”
“wie zijn u? waar is Moma en Popa? Ik wil naar huis zijn. Gelieve te brengen tevreden gelieve me huis” The boy screamed
“ What the F*ck” Said Squirrely in astonishment.
“SHUT THAT KID UP!! KRAUT PARTOL” Chris yelled down to them from the hayloft.
“ Damn “ Josh muttered, “ Paul take the kid and in the back of the hay bail and keep the boy quiet. Squirrely get in that horse stall and keep low. Chris stay put, and Jim you run back to Platoon CP2 and tell them we need someone to get this kid.”
“Josh that’s just stupid, I won’t make it10 yards before I will get hit. ” Jim said back.
“Jim Do-“ Josh started
“Laat van me gaan, wil ik mamma en de papa liet van me gaan.” The boy screamed at the tops of his lungs
“Ah crap” josh thought “ the Germans must have heard that. Jim is right he won’t make it instead I will-“
“Ok Josh you’re the boss, I am going” Jim yelled from the door
“NO!” Josh yelled, but it was too late.
“Amerikanischer Eintragfadeneintragfaden fasten” He hears a German yell
“RATTATATATATATAT” Went the German guns shooting at Jim.
“ Ich erhielt ihn!” Another German called
Josh peered out of the barn seeing Jim’s body lying in that dirty Dutch mud.
“He is gone, Jim just gone like that. He was going to make it out of this war him and I were-“ josh thought
“Sarge what are we doing!” Chris yelled interrupting his thoughts. “They know we are here we should get the hell out of dodge “ Chris yelled down Squeezing off rounds at the Germans bellow. “BANG BANG BANG”
“Ok Guys We are” Josh yelled to the men but the rest of his order was drowned out buy the yelling of the Dutch boy. The boy bit Paul’s hand that was holding him down. He started to run for the door.
“Josh get Him” Paul called from the hay bail
“Oh crap” Paul thought as he dashed for the little child, bullets kicking up dirt all around him. He was almost out the door now. Josh had his hands almost reaching the kid; the kid’s head was out the door then
“WHOOP”. He tackled the kid to the ground, splinters from the bullets crashing through the wooden door showering them. Josh looked at the kid checking him over, he then noticed the small hole in the boys’ side leaking blood slowly but steady. He picked him up and started running for the back of the barn. Squirrely was yelling something josh could not hear then “BOOM” Squirrely was gone in his place a pair of smoldering boots and a couple pieces of fabric. Josh kept running the boy in his hands till he reached Paul. Paul was in shock rocking back and forth in hysteria his arm between his legs. There were more bullets crashing everywhere and explosions every couple of seconds.
“Paul snap out of it and keep up the fire on the Germans!” Joshed yelled shacking him. Surprisingly it worked and Paul started shooting back. Meanwhile Josh bulled out a bandage and started tending to the kid, he first dumped sulfa powder on the wounds, then applied morphine and wrapped on the wound, but within 5 minutes the boy was dead.
“Come on you can make it kid, your going to be fine, you stupid kid come on! You-“ Josh said trying to comfort himself as well as the boy.
“Josh we got to go he’s gone josh!” He looked up at Chris, the bullets snapping all around them.” He started up and saw Paul’s lifeless body half of his face eaten away by the hungry German bullets hitting everywhere
“JOSH COME ON” Chris yelled from the back door. Josh sprinted for the door seeing out of the corner of his eye the first German coming through the door, Chris dropped him with a shot from his rifle. He was there at the door with Chris.
“Josh run I will cover you” Chris yelled over the fire, which had reached a deafening din of death. Josh started running through the field to the tree line. He turned around to see Chris sprinting after him, a German coming our the back door now
“Chris gets down!” He yelled with cupped hands. Chris started down only to be twisted in pain as the bullet hit in the back of the neck, his face contorted in horrible pain. Josh opened up with his gun letting loose a burst at the German who dropped down to the ground like a sack of potato’s. He continued to sprint for the trees.
“stoppen Sie Amerikaner, oder ich schieß” A German yelled to Josh. He kept running.
He felt like someone just hit him in the shoulder with a baseball bat, then darkness.
“Josh I told you not to send me out the door” Jim Said
“I know I know it was that damn kid Jim” Josh told him
“ You should have told me sooner, I died in that field all alone, no kids no wife no business, remember both of us were going to open up a restaurant together? That never happened did it?” Jim said as he circled Josh.
“Stop please stop” Josh was yelling
“Stop what Josh? Making you feel guilty? Remember this kid Josh?” A picture of the dead boy flashed before Josh. Once again he was reliving that moment in the barn.
“You can make it kid! You’re going to be Fine! No No No!”
“Josh Dear are you OK?” said Betsy nervously. Josh awoke looking at his wife next to him in bed, his sweat dropping in beads on his head. “It must have been a bad dream dear,” she said again.
“Yes it was, I need an Advil” Josh said rubbing his shoulder where 60 years ago in an open field in Holland he was shot.
Foot Notes
1, Jerry, Slang term from WWII for German soldiers.
2, CP meaning Command Post