/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ "Semarak Api" The 88th Firebirds Official Newsletter Website: http://ftp.sarawak.com.my/org/firebirds/ Volume Eight, 15 January 1998 Part B /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ PART B: >From the Quill Pen Addresses and Sites /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ <^><^><^><^><^><^><^> >From the Quill Pen <^><^><^><^><^><^><^> "Operation White Wing - Fight for Hill 375" (part 5) by Kingfisher Hammerheads flew down, slashing and burning everything in their path. A plume of smoke rose slowly into the sky, a firmaments of light, towering in crescendo about a mile from where Private Jae stood. The Chig's ammunition bunker, a chaotic roiling ascendant blaze of glory, utterly ceased to exist. Bunkers were destroyed; grenades thrown in, then automatic fire were sprayed in to ensure that no Chig lived to tell the tale. Lt. Kingfisher stood beside a kneeling Majo Yap. She was on the PRC, talking in the evac ships for the wounded..and the dead. "You'd better get that wound on your hand checked," KF said "I'll live, but what about you?" Spar answered gesturing to the Lieutenant's head. Kingfisher touched a hand to his temple, it came off with blood. "Don't worry, my brains still intact. Its the rib's that bothers me. I think I broke one or two when I dove for cover back there," winced KF, feeling his side throbbing. Kingfisher viewed the carnage. Already the Marines were picking up their dead, laying them out in a row. Dogtags taken for keepsake. "I got the evac coming, ETA 3 minutes. I'm having somebody popping yellow down there, where Gossy is," Spar said pointing somewhere down the hill Kingfisher nodded. He took a gulp of water from a canteen a Ranger had given him. The liquid tasted hot and salty. It didn't matter her needed something to wash down the taste of blood and smoke from his throat. He passed the canteen to Spar who took it. Private Ahmad came running from behind a destroyed Chig bunker, oddly excited, "Man, you should have seen it, " he exclaimed to both KF and Spar. " I had a front row seat. First a lone Hammer came in low, at once those dumb Chigs started to open up with anything they had. Taking several hits, the fighter slowly turned south, trailing smoke. Then 4 Hammers came in guns strafing. The last plane landed a 300 pounder on top of the Chigs. Those Chigs are roasting in hell right now." "You'll be roasting in hell if you don't help those Marines over there collect our dead," KF said. "Yessir," drawled Jae, obviously unhappy at giving something to do. "Hey, private," called KF Jae turned. "Nice work on the pillbox back there, "said KF Jae answered back with a grin. "I'm setting up a defense perimeter around here," KF said to Spar. "You want anything else?" Spar shook her head, but added, "Try and get a body count, KF" "Will do, " KF answered. Kingfisher called a few Marines who were doing nothing and set up guards around the immediate area. Noticing the one of the Marines' patch, the Weapons Officer enquired, "Aren't you with 3rd Battalion on the eastern side of this hill? "Yes sir, Chigs threw everything they got on us," replied on us. "But we rallied behind our Platoon Leaer and took out the machine gun nests on the ridge. My PL was killed while we were trying to capture the main bunker. "You found the Lidar installations there," asked KF The Corporal nodded, "We blew 'em, the Chigs around it turned tail and we chased them right into you here. Sandwhiched between us and your platoon, they were spammed" Kingfisher nodded grimly and proceeded with the security detail. A few minutew later, Spar came running to him, "I got word that we have suppressed all Chig resistance on this hill. All bunkers and emplacements have been captured or destroyed. The Toga's sending in reinforcements. We're required to secure the area and make a bridgehead here....and they told me the 58th has just been landed 2 mikes north of here. Kingfisher smiled, unable to hide the stupid grin which was beginning to form on his face. It had been 4 months since he last saw his wife, Captain Shane Vansen, Platoon leader of the 58th. And news that she was here, was a nice substitute to the death and destruction that he had faced for the past two weeks. The sound of an ISCCV made them look up. The ISCCV landed near them, blowing dust everwhere. Shielding his eyes from the dust, KF ordered, "The evac ship's here. Get the wounded on it" At once Marines began to gather the wounded, carrying some with strethers and some, propping up a friend towards the ship. Spar ran to ISCCV when she saw Gossy inside, propping up Vully's head on her lap. Garry sat beside her, legs in a hastily made crutch, grinning at Spar. Spar saw Vully's breathing was slow and labored. But she would live. Gossy's jaw was taped with vast layers of bandages, now crimson in color. Spar later found out that Gossy had bandaged herself up and continued with treating the wounded until she collapsed later, due to fatigue and loss of blood. "You look like hell," cried Spar. Gossy just nodded, she then took out a note book from her pocket and scribbled something and gave it to Spar. Spar took it and read. On it were the words..'Semper Fi' <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> Addresses and Sites <^><^><^><^><^><^><^><^> The newsletter will be posted every fortnight (hopefully). For suggestions and contributions to both the newsletter and mailing list e-mail Garuda . I will forward any message intended for the whole squadron to the mailing list. If you want your message to be seen by the whole squadron, state it clearly and I will put it up on the Bulletin Board column as well. I am also responsible for Communications, so e-mail me if you have any other problems, except those concerning your membership in the 88th, as that falls under Peregrine's wing. /~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/~/ ENDS VOLUME EIGHT