Michael J. Thompson. Chasing Shadows

MICHAEL J. THOMPSON

CHASING SHADOWS

© Copyright 1998 by Terry Aspinall

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ISBN: 9781311579690

Published by Terry Aspinall

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Short Story

This book is a work of fiction. All names, characters, locations and incidents are the product of the author's imagination, or have been used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, locals or events is entirely coincidental.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Copyright

Chapter 1 - Chasing Shadows.

Chapter 2 - Survival.

Chapter 3 - Man Missing.

Chapter 4 - Bruce Johnson.

Chapter 5 - Ambushed.

Chapter 6 - Crossing Borders.

Chapter 7 - Saigon.

Other books by this Author.

Authors Website

www.terryaspinall.com

Chapter One

CHASING SHADOWS

1968

With a loud crack a star shell exploded high above in the night sky, bursting open in a shower of sparks that lit up the heavens and bathed the area in a brilliant white light. A small parachute assisted the lights slow descent back towards the ground. Its swinging action brought about by a light breeze, made for some ghostly shadows in the jungle below. The light was welcomed by those entrenched below, allowing them to hopefully identify friend from foe.

Michael was lying in a shallow slit trench that he had hastily prepared for himself just a few hours earlier. Slowly he raised his body up on to his knees, as he peered very carefully over the top of the dirt barrier that he had thrown up while digging this temporary home. Staring out into the night he could see the shadows that the light was casting on the jungle. Make out ghostly figures moving from tree to tree just like shadows in the night, a term that Michael used on many an occasion. However, these shadows were not members of Michael's team, as they were on the other side of the barbed wire entanglements that lay sixty meters downhill in front of him. He was also aware that no members of the camp had been sent out on patrol that night. Therefore, it was a foregone conclusion that they were Vietcong soldiers. Picking their way through the jungle to launch an attack against them. For the moment they were still out of range, but Michael knew it would only be a matter of time before all hell would be let loose upon them. After counting more than twenty of the shadows he gave up, accepting that this was a large force that they were up against, and it was going to be a long hard slog of a battle.

In his estimation there was so many that a semi-automatic rifle was going to be of little use to him. It would not be able to keep up with the numbers that were about to be thrown at their defences. In a situation like this he knew that their only chance was to kill as many of the enemy as possible, using anti-personnel mines or homemade bobby traps before they were able to get too close to their position.

On the front side of his trench lay several small metal black boxes. Each had a small handle on its right-hand side and a wire leading away from his position out to a strategic position that lay in wait of the advancing enemy. These devices would detonate the explosive traps, mines and homemade bombs that had all been painstakingly set up only a few hours earlier.

Seeing this large enemy force advancing towards him, he also knew the worst thing he could do now was to panic. To beat them he was going to have to keep calm and use a cool head. He would also need to rely on his comrades who were scattered around the top of this small hill, that they had been ordered to hold at all costs until the following morning. When it was hoped that reinforcements were due to arrive.

However, they were thin on the ground, so thin in fact that instead of the usual two men per trench, tonight it would have to be just one. While the only communication between them would have to be the old well tried and tested human shout. The only way they were going to know who was dead, would be when no more shots were being fired from their position.

The wait started to become unbearable, especially as Michael had already psyched himself up for what was about to happen. Knowing that his team would also be ready and prepared, as he had trained most of them personally to react just like he would. In this way he knew that he could trust and rely on them no matter what sort of situation they found themselves in. The covering of each other's back was essential if you wanted to serve under Michael.

Michael waited until the first group of the enemy had started to penetrate the far perimeter barbed wire entrapment. Reaching forward he grabbed one of the little black boxes that he had previously numbered and hastily wound the handle on its side, and then pushed the button. That was the moment that all hell broke loose, as the battle commenced. It's out come at this stage was unknown. However, Michael knew that his small team would give their all, in order to hold the enemy at bay till day break. It was common knowledge that the enemy very rarely took prisoners in full on battles. This was to be a fight to the end by both sides.

At the very same moment that one of Michael's landmines planted near the barbed wire exploded, high above another star shell exploded taking the place of the first that had by now been extinguished. The noise became deafening with the sound of explosions and semi-automatic fire from both sides. The whole scene was one of explosions and tracer bullets winging through the night, of human cries for help and of stray ricocheting bullets glancing off anything that was solid.

The sheer number of enemy bullets coming Michael's way was enough for him to keep his head down for a few seconds. He knew that his explosion would have just wiped out a dozen or so enemy, but he also knew that there would now be another dozen arriving to take their place. Once again, he raised his head to take a quick look at what was happening and to grab another little black box. Just as he had thought, they were still coming at him only this time he swore there were twice as many as before. He was pleased to see that the first explosion had killed the first batch of the advance party. However, his jubilation was short lived when he realised that the explosion had thrown some of their bodies into the air and on to the barbed wire entanglement. The flattened wire would make it easier for the next expected batch to gain entry into the parameter of the camp easily. Now all they had to do was cross the wire by walking on the bodies of their fallen comrades.

Keeping his head down he gave the handle of the second box a steady turn and pushed its button. He saw the bright flash from the bottom of his trench, a split second later he heard the explosion.

While Michael was exploding his land mines, other members of his team were also carrying out the same procedures around their side of the hill. Orders had been given that nobody was to move or to try and crawl to other positions. This way they knew that anybody out in the open was the enemy and fair game to be taken out. If you were hit, then you had to stay where you were and stick it out till the morning.

Suddenly it all went quiet and the only noise that could be heard was the hissing of another star shell swinging high above them. It had been fired from their main base camp nearly eight kilometres away. Somebody to Michael's right shouted that the enemy were re-grouping and they should expect a bigger attack to follow soon. Michael could also hear one of his team to his left crying in pain, knowing it to be Alan. He was the youngest member of the group who had only just arrived in the country a few weeks earlier.

Here they come again, shouted somebody over to the right. With that Michael stuck his head up to see from which direction this second attack was coming from. After taking in the situation he grabbed a couple of his little black boxes and dragged them into the cover of the trench. He could swear that there were several hundred of them this time and they were already climbing the hill leading up to his trench.

This time he detonated both mines simultaneously and once he thought that the dust had settled he raised his head, only to be greeted once again by what looked like hundreds of the enemy all trying to climb the hill and over the bodies of their dead comrades which lay before them. Now it was getting a little scary because they were getting ever closer and seemed to be increasing in number. They were also positioning some of their men, who he suspected to be snipers, behind the bodies of the first wave that had all been killed. As cover to pick off anybody who stuck their head up from their trench. Michael started to curse the light above although he realised that it was essential, so he could see what was happening.

He could not understand why they did not crawl towards their enemy. After all they were very good jungle fighters and highly obedient towards their officers. Whatever they were called upon to undertake, they would carry it out to the letter and with no questions asked. If they were only to stalk their prey quietly, unseen and undetected, instead of just blundering their way through the jungle in the full glare of the star shells. Then they would be an enemy that would be very hard to defeat in battle.

The star shells were helpful for Michael and his team. However, it was realised that they would also assist the enemy, as they tried to pick their way through the maze of traps and obstacles that had been prepared and placed before them, in anticipation of their intended attack.

The battle had been raging for a couple of hours and during all that time Michael had not fired a shot, which said a lot for his courage. He was methodical in carrying out his orders. He knew that if the guys around him did not panic and did what was expected of them, there was a good chance that somehow, they might just survive the night.

Suddenly and almost as quickly as it had started, it was all over. Michael watched as those who had not been killed turned around and ran back towards the bottom of the hill. He also noted that there were far less retreating than had started up the hill, leaving behind heaps of bodies strewn around as far as the eye could see.

Michael decided to break one of his own golden rules and crawl over to Alan who was still moaning in agony nearby. His cries of help were upsetting, and Michael did not want it to unsettle other members of his team around him, who he believed had so far escaped injury. After shouting out to those close to him what he intended doing, Michael slid out of his trench. Keeping as low a profile as possible and sliding on his stomach he headed straight into Alan's trench, landing on top of him. Once again, he cried out with the discomfort of Michael's arrival. In the dark eerie light Michael assessed that Alan had taken a piece of shrapnel in his right shoulder as the hole was not a clean flesh wound, but jagged. Michael tore off the first field dressing from the stock of Alan's rifle and after fluffing up the bandage into a wad, he stuffed it into the small hole just above Alan's breast. He then stuck a morphine needle into his upper leg and whispered to him to hold the bandage tight up against the wound. He then reassured him that he would be back to him later and that he stood a good chance of making it through the night. Although deep inside he really didn't know. It was an automatic response saying the first thing that came into his head, trying to comfort and keep his moral up.

Not wanting to be caught out in no man's land Michael once again shouted to his friends before sliding back to the safety of his own hole. Making it just in time as the alarm went up informing everybody that the third round of attacks was about to get under way.

Just like before, wave after wave of the enemy tried to storm the well-protected hill. Michael once again waited until the last minute, so that the enemy in front of him were within striking distance of his mines, before detonating the first two. Although by now he was starting to get a little worried. He knew that he had not many mines left to rely on. If there were to be further attacks, then somehow, he would have to set up some more. If the enemy kept this up all night they would eventually be over run and swamped by sheer weight of numbers. He laid his rifle and flare pistol on top of the dirt barricade in front of him. He checked that the nine-millimetre Browning pistol was still in its holster on his right hip. This time he did not want to be caught off guard and unprepared. If they reached his trench it was going to be full on with no holds barred.

The bullets were flying thick and fast above Michael's head, and at times he could even feel the wind from them as they whistled very close. Just after he let off another mine he looked over the top to try and judge the situation. It was mayhem, there was bodies lying everywhere and a vast majority of them were moving around in agony from the wounds they had sustained. However, what