Wings of Honor: Tales of Pyrrhia

Chapter 3: A New World

Man, it felt good to sit for a while. My new squad sat along with me in two opposing rows along the C47.
I already did the things I wanted to do. I left all my European souvenirs and a letter to my father, responding to the last letter I got from the rest of my family. I was so happy when Gabriel managed to piss off the recruiter so much with so many "why" questions that he was stricken from the draft! I have never been so angry with him for being rude with people, but so happy with his life now secure. But I was still fighting my own war.
We rearmed in Hawaii, prepared to rondevu in Iwo Jima with the Marines, before paradropping somewhere in Japan. Over the trip for the next couple of days, I got to know some of my guys better.

We've already met Travers. While we were stateside, I offered him a promotion to a tech sergeant, T-4, for his value and luck in combat. I'd trust him with my life in a heartbeat. I have a good feeling about him. We now call him Sergeant Travers. He still carries his trusty M1, only now he is one of three in the squad to carry a rifle Grenade launcher.

Sergeant Roger Kish, assistant squad leader. I was told he talks real cryptic like. Almost like he never wants to actually give orders, rather suggestions. But he really likes dynamite, which I can approve of. I heard he talked his company commander into letting him come with us on the bases of winning the war or something in the other. A real mysterious but competent guy. No one knows how he found himself an automatic carbine with a folding stock.

Tech-Corporal Lawrence Wessly, our designated marksman with a rare sniper M1 rifle, C class, fresh off the press in Springfield. I learned he dropped with Travers when they attacked Adanti, Sicily, in Operation Husky. The damn Navy, the branch my father served in the last war, fired on us. They somehow made it out alive, only to be counter-sniped. But then Travers counter-sniped the countersniper. Ha. He's a quiet guy, but he talks in his sleep. He has a vendetta against the Axis for killing his friend Harding and will stop at nothing to put a nice tunnel through the head of any enemy he comes across.

Tech-Corporal Clayton Goldman, big, burly guy. He was so tall, that he nearly smacked his head on the roof of the plane. Well built for a paratrooper, I heard he spent a fortune just getting a chute that held him. With a standard combat load, plus all of him, he was too darn heavy for the T-5 parachute. They had to make one specifically for him, dubbed the T-5A. Otherwise, he passed all his physicals with near-perfect scores, the highest I've ever seen. He lugs this big ass, modified, aircraft machine-gun made by Hastings specifically for him. How he managed to convince him to do it? He probably "asked" for his help or his lunch money. I don't want to know. What cracks me up, is that he also carries a tiny para carbine as well, fricken hilarious sight. From what I've heard around, he's a bit of a bloodlust. His former sergeant guessed that's why he joined in the first place. But having someone like that on my squad, in a fight, he'll be worth his weight in gold. Probably literally.

Corporal Danial Hastings is Goldman's assistant. He's a bit of a gun nut like me but knows more about our weapons than their own mothers. Not scrawny, but thinner than average. He also seems to hold his lip, likely not to piss off his other squad mates. And how the hell is he an Airborne with bifocal glasses? Whatever he did to make his way in, he's prepared for almost any occasion. If we were stranded on a deserted island, I would want myself and Hastings by my side.

Tech-Corporal Nicholas Towne carries one of our B.A.R.s. He also served with Travers, dropping with him in Normandy. He's a big teddy bear and cares as much as I do about the squad. The mystery around him is that he also carries a German Luger pistol, PO8. How he managed to get it, no one knows. However, everyone thinks there was no chance he looted it from a fallen officer. The question still stands, however. He's good friends with Rossum, despite the rank difference. I don't really care, as long as they do their jobs, and do them well.