Field Exercise Three - Support By Fire

It was the first time I genuinely felt like I was out to kill someone.

The Machine Gun squad moved in formation through the forest. Everyone's stepped lightly on the leaf covered ground. No one seemed to take a breath, fearing that the enemy would hear. The wooden area was sparse of trees, but the cover of darkness creeped with us. Every movement had a purpose, every face, a determination.  My large machine gun rested in my hands. I scanned with my Night Vision Goggles (NVG's) to the right and refocused the lens.

Somewhere out there was the front line of another platoons defensive position. They had been diggin in there for almost two days. They were waiting for us.  The M240B medium machine gun felt a little lighter in my hands now that I wasn't carrying a full 65 pound combat load. I was eager to employ it after carrying it all day. However, I was more eager to employ my weapons system on them... before they employed their weapons on us.

My anxiety grew with every step. My ears were perked and attentive, listening for any movement to the right. The trees were becoming more and more spread out. Something wasn't right. From the order we received in the assembly area, we were supposed to be nearing a hill to set up the guns. None of this looked right.

Lt. Switchblade walked a few meters in front of me looking through his Night Vision Goggles (NVG's) at the ground. Blank rounds of ammunition dangled from his neck. He stepped in a dirt patch clear of leaves and flowed the silent snake of Officers toward our support by fire position. I scanned behind me to look for my section leader, Lt. Troublemaker. He had the steel machine gun tripod open and ready to set. He gave me a thumbs up.

SNAP

Someone at the head of the formation stepped on a branch. Everyone froze in place. Adrenaline shot immediately through my veins.

Silence proceeded for several seconds.

That was kinda close, I thought, I'm glad they didn't hear... 

B-B-B-B-B-B-BANG!  B-B-B-B-BANG !

Instincts took over when the blank rounds sounded. Everyone hit the deck immediately. Off to the right, the flashes of an automatic weapon lit up my small green circle of vision. It was almost blinding. Their defensive position was much closer than we anticipated. I flipped the switch and moved the NVG's up off my head. I gripped the weapon in my hand and took a deep breath. There was a lot of work that was about to begin.

 "Guns! Get up here! 25 meters, set up. Let move!" Said the squad leader.

Troublemaker pushed up from the prone and ran ahead toward the gunfire. I followed in trace. I heard the jingle of the rounds that Lt. Switchblade had around his neck as he ran right behind me. My heart pounded, sending the adrenaline strait through my body. The weapon felt as if I wasn't carrying it. I could see much clearer despite how dark it was. I felt my breathing stop. Everything moved in slow motion.

More gun fire sounded as the rest of the defense we were attacking started to engage. 

Troublemaker slammed the tripod into the ground. I took a knee and fit the gun into the holder, then took time to fit the second lever on the traversing bar. Troublemaker took the long belt of ammunition from Switchblade and opened up the feed tray cover. I laid down and settled myself behind the weapon and ensured the rounds were placed properly, then slammed the cover shut. I racked the charging handle back with a quick grind and creek, then a locking sound.

"Set!" I yelled.

Lt. Troublemaker got in the prone and rested on top of me. I squeezed the end of the weapon into my shoulder as hard as I could. He tapped the top of my helmet. I pulled the trigger.

B-B-B-B-B-BANG

The end of the muzzle flashed in bright successions. Despite only firing blank rounds, the baritone explosions were deafaing. The belt of ammunition fed through the side then dumped hot brass and links onto the ground.  The Weapon jumped up and down. If it weren't for Troublemaker holding me down with extra weight, the weapon would have moved out of control.  We waited. The other machine gun in our squad a few meters to our left discharged a volley of rounds. I sighted back in and readied myself to fire again. Another 'tap-tap' on the helmet.


B-B-B-B-B-B-BANG

Several minutes of firing went by. We started to hear shouts coming from the enemy defensive position. The sound of gun fire doubled on the right of the defense.

THOOONK

A very distinctive spark streamed up through the trees about 100 meters away. A pop sounded in the sky, followed by 5 green stars that streamed down back into the forest.

 "Shift fire!" Yelled the squad leader.

I swung the machine gun to the left and repositioned myself behind it. I continued to fire. The smell of hot brass and carbon was becoming more and more prevalent. There was more gun fire and yelling off in the distance.

THOOOK

Another star cluster shot through the tree and up to the sky, this time showing a white star cluster instead of green.

"Cease fire!" Yelled the squad leader. "Wrap up those guns, lets move up to the objective."

Switchblade zipped up the ammo bag and got to his feet. I unlatched the machine gun from the tripod and felt it in my hands. The barrel steamed. If it were not for the gloves I was wearing, I would have burned myself. Trouble maker swung the tripod over his shoulder, then put down his NVG's to his face. I did the same and walked behind him to the objective in the forest.


"Thank God you shot a lot", Said switchblade." This makes my load so much lighter now."


My machine gun still felt the same weight.



Thanks for reading.