May he follow us[Sam]

[Matthew Graham]

Location: Skies over large fields of hedgerow
Time: 21:30
Weather: Fairly clear night with few clouds

There was a low hum with the engines in the air but that was the only thing that cleared the quiet night. It wasn’t all too loud for the night air but it sure was a beautifully lit sky. The way the moon shined down on the earth with the stars made a great appearance but it was very hard to see anything actually flying in the sky. Still the clouds were able to cover everyone as the hung fly in the night sky above everything else.

Matthew looked out his cockpit of his P-47 war plane. The ground was speckled with little campfires that the German’s had made for warmth and light. Yup they were in the right area but had yet to have been sighted or even heard. Matthew looked up in the sky knowing that they would be sighted soon if the planes had not made a change in course so Matthew looked for some sort of cover before being seen in the sky too easily.

Coming a crossed the radio Matthew signaled the others with this Angel one to team, Angel one to team. there was a short pause in the radio as Matthew waited for a quick answer. He heard one and proceeded with his orders. We’re going to pull up into those clouds and use them for cover. If we stay here in the open they’ll turn on those lights and we’ll be shot down with fifty hole sin us just like Switzerland style cheese.

Matthew let out a grunt like laugh before pulling up towards the clouds hoping the would help out with some cover and all. He knew that the transport behind him was to be protected until the men inside could be dropped to the ground. Also strapped to all of the P-47’s was one HE bomb. It was a very easy drop, you pull the rope that was strung through the floor boards and it would drop to the ground.

Pulling up towards the clouds Matthew heard a very loud click and then a light streamed into the dark night sky followed by another one, and another one, and it kept on going until the whole sky was lit up like mid afternoon. All the lights also sent off sirens followed by AA firing into the sky. It almost looked as if they were just trying to fire tracers at them like a training session because no one had gone down yet but Matthew knew he had to speed up greatly. Angle one to Team, we need to throttle up and increase our altitude, we’re under attack!

[Deleted]

The night sky was beautiful. From the cockpit of the C47 Sam could see the countless bright little lights shining like diamonds against a black silk sheet. Sam had always loved flying on clear nights; the isolating feel it gave was wondrous, the feeling of being so high up, able to see far beyond to the distant horizon, looking down upon the world and seeing things that are so large look so small and insignificant. It was an empowering feeling, and Sam was addicted to it. He looked around the night sky, his co-pilot; Gregory Phillips was also scanning the heavens. Greg was a good pilot, but a better photographer. Sam was happy to have him and his keen eye for details searching the skies as well.

Sam looked back into the body of the C47. Lining both sides of the fuselage where elite paratroopers, the best of the best. The would be dropped behind enemy lines and cause as much damage to the enemy forces as they possible could, acting as a guerrilla unit. Sam did not envy them, he was quite happy flying over the battles and dropping bombs on the enemy far below, giving them a chance to shoot back did not sound very appealing to him. He sometimes wondered what sort of man could charge towards an enemy line filled with men who wanted to kill you, he also wondered what he would do if he where to be grounded and faced with a kill or kill situation. Dropping bombs was easy, but killing someone while actually looking at them, let’s face it, Sam was not a front line soldier.

He pushed all of those thoughts from his mind when a voice crackled over his radio transceiver. Greg waited for the Angle team to respond to Angel One before answering.
“Transport here, go Angel One.” Greg said into the radio, they listened as Matthew gave his orders.
“Copy that Angel One, heading to cloud cover.”
Sam was glad that there where few clouds around, even though they would keep him safe from enemy fire from the ground he liked being able to see the stars. He pulled back on his controls and the C47 began its accent into the clouds.

Suddenly the night sky didn’t seem so dark, Sam and Greg looked back down to earth as searchlights sprang to life along with the shrill wailing of air raid sirens. White-hot tracers flashed past, the lights flying high and seeming to join the stars in space. Sam heard Matthew’s order over the radio and immediately pushed to full throttle, pulling back harder to make the bulky aircraft gain height quicker.
“Copy that Angel one.” Greg said back into the radio. Sam plane shot upwards into the clouds, he lost all sight of his escort fighters but at least the enemy had lost sight of them as well. The clouds where filled with bright flashes like lightning as tracer rounds soared past. So much for an easy mission.

[Matthew Graham]

[[ooc: kind of short but I needed to get this up]]

The now black sky was lit up pretty brightly. Matthew’s heart was racing and beating ninety miles per hour. It felt like it would soon beat straight form his chest and go flying out the cockpit window as he began to think of ideas that he could use to get out of the situation. The way he saw it was if the pack of planes didn’t get out of there soon they would be another burning heap on the ground. That would be something Matthew couldn’t let happen as there was a transport behind him that was full of human and living bodies that were in his hands now. If he were shot down and that plane were shot down it could total up to 40 casualties that were not needed right now.

Matthew began to react a little as he rose up into the sky hoping the Angel crew would follow. He didn’t have time to scan the ground but out of the corner of Matthew’s eye he saw a plane come up, the Angel crew was following. Matthew knew that he could use the bombs now instead of using them for the mission but that could wreak havoc on the ground troops bellow. Either way someone could die in the matter but if the bombs were to hit square on their mark, the Flak guns could be knocked out too causing a loophole in the German Defenses and could possibly allow the ground troops to get armor onto the ground and take the post for the Allies. In his mind that was the only way that he could get this bad situation turned into a good one.

Matthew Confirmed what he was going to do as he pulled down on the joystick controls and spoke out the plan over the radio at the same time Angel One to team, we’re going to pull up into the sky and escort the Transport, Gecko, then once you are in position Sam the rest of us will dive down to the Anti- air and Flaks to drop our load on them. Once clear we will continue to our objective.

Matthew paused as he continued upwards into the heavy cloud cover and avoided the AA tracers at the same time. He killed the silence over the radios once more by asking Sam a question, more like and order. Gecko, will you tell HQ our change of plans on this one?

[Deleted]

[OOC: I’m glad you came up with a call sign for me, I was stumped for some reason. I’m horrible at coming up with names.]

The clouds where a welcome haze over the cockpit, even with the lightning flashes of tracer rounds ripping though the air in search for them, Sam couldn’t help but feel a little safer. Without a direct line of sight to them the AA on the ground would have to guess where they where, but he knew their luck could only hold out for so long, if you spray enough bullets at something one of them is bound to hit its mark, and judging by the sheer amount of rounds exploding past them they could catch that one bullet sooner rather then later. Sam remembered something someone in a pub had told him once.

It’s not the bullet with your name on it you need to worry about. Cause it could never be delivered. It’s the bullet marked ‘To whom it may concern,’ that you need to watch out for.

Despite the danger they where in Sam couldn’t help but laugh. Greg looked at him a little worried,
“Enjoying this are you?” Sam shook his head and got his mind focused back on what he had to do. The Lieutenant commanding the ground troops had managed to crawl his way to the cockpit.
“What’s going on? I thought we weren’t meant to run into enemy AA.”
“Go sit back down Lieutenant, I promise you you’ll be on the ground soon enough and you can rectify the little problem of the AA.” Greg said as he turned in his seat to look at the Officer, the man looked as though he was about to snap at Greg but Sam spoke up first.
“Its safer for you back in your seat, they’re aiming for the cockpit you know.”

The Lieutenant looked at the tracer flashes out the cockpit windshield before shuffling back to his seat. Sam and Greg both smiled, it was rare to have ground officers obey a flight officer, and this was just one small victory for the winged men of the USAAF. The C47 rocked and shook as it hit a bit of turbulence, Sam listened hard to the sounds of the engines and the wind, there where no pings or groans of metal to suggest they’d been hit, but it would have been a close call. The transceiver crackled to life again with the sound of Matthews voice.

Following the plan Sam pulled back on the controls a bit more, he needed to get out of the danger zone so his escorts could break off and bomb the ground AA. He hoped it would work; he didn’t want to see Angels with clipped wings falling from the skies into the fires of a German hell.
“Copy that Angel One, ascending to a safer altitude.” Greg replied. The radio spoke again and Greg responded once more. Obeying the lead fighters orders Greg began to call into HQ.

“Transport Gecko to HQ, come in HQ, over.”
“HQ receiving you Gecko, over.”
“HQ we have an opportunity to eliminate enemy ground units and AA. This could open a hole in the German lines, requesting permission to proceed, over.”
“Gecko, will your primary mission be compromised? Over.”
“Negative HQ, primary mission is on schedule, over.”
“Gecko you have permission to proceed with secondary objective. HQ out.”

Greg forwarded the message to Angel one.
“Gecko to Angel One, you are clear to commence bombing run.”

[Matthew Graham]

The wait for an answer from HQ seemed like it would take an hour. Matthew didn’t want this for they were under fire and every thing that he wanted to speed up, his plane, the call from HQ, and even the time of this mission, The less he could be in his cockpit was the better. The way Matthew saw it was that if he spent the least amount of time in the cockpit and his mission was successful he had done a great job up in the sky. You never wanted to be in the sky for too long for that is just more time that you are taking up of your life. When you’re up in the air, in your cockpit, your life was on the line greatly.

Matthew and the Angel crew waited for what seemed to be almost an hour as Gecko transmitted the message to HQ. Things began to race through Matthew’s mind, What if they wouldn’t let them go down and bomb the emplacements? Would they make it out alive? What would be the plan B to that plan?

Finally the message was answered as Gecko came a crossed the radio giving Matthew and the Angel crew the answer. A distant smile came onto Matthew’s face as his orders were crisp and clear to the others Did you guys hear that? We’re going in and bombing those fuckers to pieces, Gecko Copy that we are now going to begin the maneuvers. Matthew began to make a barrel spin to the right as the plane dove down at around a 45 Degree angle towards the emplacements. Angel one to Angel two, Follow my lead to the right of me, There is an emplacement to the right of the Flak guns, take that one out and follow up with a strafing run on those Flak Emplacements. We can make it easier for those airborne boys in the back of Gecko. Angel Three follow me and tear off to the left to drop onto those two Anti- Air guns, easy targets for us. Angel four follow him at the same spot.

Matthew had finally finished his orders as his P-47 began to gain speed as he decreased altitude and felt the air rush past the plane almost ripping it apart into pieces. He could no see the AA gun that he was targeting. Before he could zero in he heard a distant Explosion as he looked out of the corner of his eye he could see that Angel two had gotten to its first target and succeeded.

Matthew then returned his focus to the AA emplacement that he had targeted before. His hand was ready on the rope for the bomb and looked as the Tracers began to move from the transport to him. Shit gotta hurry this up. Matthew put the throttle up as far as he could as the plane began to shake violently, almost tossing Matthew out of his seat. He could hear another explosion followed by a third. It was now Matthew’s turn as he flew right above the AA emplacement and yanked the string as he pulled up and began to gain altitude. The loud explosion shook Matthew’s insides but helped a curtain of excitement fulfill him.

A smile came a crossed his face as the night was finally silent again. He scanned the area as he heard the guns of the other P-47s of the Angel crew begin to fir eon the Flak 88’s. Matthew heard the Machine Guns silent once again. He picked up his transmitter and relayed a message to the team Ok Angel Crew silence your guns now. Angel One to Gecko, Clear to lower altitude and proceed with normal procedures.

[Deleted]

“You boys want to see a show?” Greg called back to the paratroopers as they passed though a convenient break in the clouds.
“Ladies and Gentlemen this is your pilot speaking.” Sam started shouting over the roar or the wind and engines. “If you look to your right you will see the clear night sky, dotted beautifully with stars and setting quiet a romantic scene for any new lovebirds, and if you look to your left you can see our escort fighters about to bomb the Jerries to hell!” He let out a laugh as he looked out the left side of the cockpit.

Far below them he could see the four P 47’s of Angel team dive towards the ground like the angered servants of the Lord himself. They where able to see two of the explosions that ripped into the AA guns and bunkers before they where swallowed by the clouds again. The C 47 was filled with joyful woops and laughter at the sight of the fireballs that where scattering parts of German weapons and bodies across the countryside.

Sam thought it a little strange, listening to everyone cheer and laugh about the deaths of others. Just a few short years ago those same men would probably scream in horror at the sight of such destruction and rush to help those who survived. But now they cheered, and where they to come across anyone who survived they would place the barrel of their weapon against their heads and pull the trigger without a moments hesitation. Such is war, Sam guessed, and he steeled himself against such thoughts, he knew in order for him to do his job he could not think of such things. Those thoughts would surly get him killed.

Looking once more out the cockpit the clouds seemed infinitely darker without the flashes of tracer rounds illuminating them. The world had become a dark grey place and Sam was become quiet eager to leave the so-called safety of the clouds and break into clear air. The radio crackled to life again and Greg snatched at the small mic.
“Copy that Angel one, descending to primary altitude and continuing on course to drop zone.”

Sam lowered the transport out of the clouds, he actually felt quiet relieved to see the fires burning far below them. He knew that many people had probably lost their lives, but he would get to keep his. He adjusted his heading and reduced the throttle to mission speed. Greg was looking over the maps and charts and everything had returned to normal, almost as if no one had tried to kill them, as if the flames licking at the twisted metal and bodies of a ruined section of the German War Machine had happened to someone else. Sam didn’t even notice the sudden detachment, the lack of caring, maybe he was becoming a real solider after all. He had never flown a fighter before, and until now had never even considered it, but something in him wanted to be in one of those small yet powerful Thunderbolts. Dealing direct death to others, instead of dropping bombs and saying ‘good luck’ to those under them, it was a powerful thought.

“Hey Sam.” Greg said, looking up from his charts.
“Do you think those Jerries down there had a radio?”
Sam looked at his friend and co-pilot. “They probably did. Why?”
“What if they managed to get a call off to an airfield? Would they send out enemy fighters?”
“Damn it Greg, don’t think stuff like that, you’ll jinx us.”

Greg smiled and looked back to his charts.
“We should be coming up on the drop zone in about three minutes.” He said as he flicked a switch above his head, in the back above the door a red light burst into life and there was a shuffling of movement as the paratroopers got to their feet. Their Lieutenant started taking them though their checks while Greg radioed the Angel team.
“Gecko to Angel one, we are nearing the drop zone, preparing to deploy.”

[OOC: You can control the jump if you like?]

[Matthew Graham]

Matthew’s P-47 had finally been able to throttle down to the correct speed for the mission. He had to push it up to full throttle before or he would have been shredded down by the enemy Anti- Aircraft fire that was being fired at them. Luckily they had bombs strapped to their bellies or else they would have been in really deep trouble for the moment. Now that the Areas of AA guns were taking out and on fire the mission would take its regular course.

Matthew breathe out a sigh of relief as he pulled up a little bit to nose to a higher altitude so that he could watch the Paratroopers drop to there correct drop zone. There was only one more thing for the Angel crew to do as the escorts. They would have to fly a bit lower and look for the signal smoke. After the skies had been lit up Matthew was sure that the men on the ground were aware that they had to toss out their smoke signal.

Matthew listened to the chatter of the others in the Angel crew as he chuckled a little bit before getting ready to bark out his orders again. Ok one last thing Angle team, we need to look for that smoke signal and then point it out to Gecko.

Matthew Flew back down towards the ground again as he scanned the area. There wasn’t much of any movement down below except for a few areas of trenches. Those he knew were American because as they flew over head they would get the standing up of young men that waved there helmets and guns or anything else they had. This sent a very warm feeling to Matthew’s heart as he knew that to them the men in the sky were like heroes. More like angels sweeping down to help guide them to victory.

Then with a loud crack of a Howitzer gun Matthew’s thoughts were stopped abruptly as the smoke shell went flying to the ground and hit behind the enemies lines. Matthew figured that was the smoke signal as the green began to fulfill the area. Picking up his transmitter Matthew came a ccrossed the radio and Gave Sam the signal to drop. Over there is the smoke, we will be flying over head of the signal in about 4 seconds. Remember the drop is critical for us as that area is where they MUST be droped. If they miss not only will the mission be terminated those Paratrooper’s lives will be too. It’s in your hands Now Gecko. Clear to drop. Matthew roared over the smoke with the rest of the Angel crew. Angel one to Angel Team, Clear to turn towards home.

[[ooc: GO ahead ]]

[Deleted]

Sam watched out his view ports as his escort P47s split away from his flanks and dove back towards the ground, far below them where the trenches and bunkers of their fellow Americans who guarded the front lines. This section of the line had been stalled due to a heavy German presence, but with tonight’s bombing run and the deployment of elite troops behind enemy lines Sam was sure that these trenches would soon become forgotten and buried under the advance of thousands of soldiers and tanks.

With the main AA guns gone the only things Sam and the Angel team had to worry about was small arms fire from what remained of the scattered German line. It was a good feeling to actually see that your efforts made a difference. Not that Sam did much other then hide in the clouds, but he still played his part. The radio came to life once again as Matthew’s voice cracked out an order to the rest of his team. The search was on for the smoke that would (Hopefully) pinpoint the drop zone.

Greg looked down at the trenches and at the men who stood waving up at them.
“What a waist.”
“What?” Sam said.
“They could be advancing into the German line that we took out, but instead their standing they’re waving up at us.”
“Ease up Greg, take some pictures or something.”
Greg glared at Sam for moment before shrugging and pulling his ever-present camera out of a shoulder bag that was nestled safely beside his seat. He jumped up and made his way into the jump area, the troopers had to sit back down for him to get past, he knelt down at the tail of the plane and turned to face them.
“Smile Boys!” He shouted and raised his camera. The troopers where still sitting and didn’t look too impressed by Greg’s actions, but never the less they sat still for the shot, though none of them wore a smile.

The crack of a howitzer echoed though the sky. Sam tensed, ‘They can’t be trying to hit us with heavy guns.’ He thought as he looked around, Greg was back in his seat in seconds. Looking around for any indication that they where under attack again. Matthew’s voice filled the cockpit, and both Sam and Greg scanned the area for the lead plane. Sure enough a plume of green smoke was rising up from a clear field. Sam angled towards it, the red light was still on so the troopers should still have been ready to jump, he could hear them shuffling around in anticipation.

Twenty seconds before they passed over the green smoke Greg hit the switch that sent the red light green. There was a shouting of “Go, Go, Go,” as the paratroopers filed towards the door, leaping out of the solid aircraft for the decent to a hostile earth. Their parachutes deployed as they fell away from the C47, the canopies spreading out to catch the wind and slow a fatal fall to an easy glide. It only took about 30 seconds for the plane to be empty. Looking out his view port Sam could see the men floating towards the ground, they had dropped almost perfectly. Parachuting was a less then precise way of dropping men into the field, but they done it. The troopers where landing in the field within an easy distance of each other meaning they could link up quickly and go straight onto their mission.

“Gecko to Angel One, drop is complete. Mission successful, preparing to follow your lead and head for home.”


denverpost.slideshowpro.com/albums/001/496/album-96527/cache/dday05.sJPG_950_2000_0_75_0_50_50.sJPG?1275397489[/img]

[Nathan Whyte]

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Graham - 7CP
Coller - 6CP[/color]