My one shot stories

To the bitter end...

William's Point of View

A frosty morning on the Belgium front near Bastogne soldiers freezing in their foxholes while keeping their eyes on the Germans. "Damn, it's cold," I said to my friend James.

"You got that right, maybe the Krauts will be nice enough to help us out," James said jokingly. We huddled close to each other to keep warm in the cold. "Soon it'll be Christmas," James added.

"Soon We'll be in Berlin," I said. "The war is pretty much over, Ivan won't stop for nothin'" I added.

"How's it going over here?" Captain Turner asked.

"It's goin' fine and dandy over here sir," I responded.

"You two will be next to get your messes. Get going in two minutes, got it?" Captain said.

"Yes sir," James and I said in unison. After Captain Turner left we sat down in our foxhole for a few more minutes until we got up to have some hot chow. After a few minutes by a fire while eating some nice chicken soup we headed back to our foxhole.

"I wonder how Staff Sarge is holding up," I said.

"He's more than likely doing well," James said. "I wish we were back home, in the comfort of our families," James chuckled slightly and then looked down. An explosion went of meters in front of them, they jumped to cover as quickly as they could.

"We're under attack!" I yelled I picked up my M1 Garand And run to my foxhole, as more explosions went off soldiers scrambled to their fighting positions. James jumped into the foxhole and quickly started leaning on the hole while aiming his B.A.R. (Browning Automatic Rifle) at the Germans. I kneeled next to him awaiting the Germans. "The damn Krauts chooses to attack us near Christmas," I said. The mortar bombardment lifted and there was a few moments of silence. "Is that it...?" I asked.

"Is everyone ok?!" Captain asked.

"Specialist James and Sargent William, we're alright!" I said. "Keep your eyes peeled for them damn Krauts," I ordered James.

"Panzers!!" Someone yelled as Panzer IVs, Panthers, and Tigers appeared from the treeline. The Panzers rushed through the treeline with German Volksgrenadiers, Panzergrenadiers, and SS Panzergrenadiers.

"Open fire!" I yelled as I fired my Garand. James was giving the Germans a hail of 30.06s.

A Sherman 76 W named Betty started firing on the Panzers.

"Stay here and give me covering fire, I'm going to radio to Command that we're under attack," I said to James.

"Roger," James said while he reloaded his B.A.R.

"Now!" I said as I jumped out of our foxhole and started running to the radio station... if it was still intact.

"Covering fire!" James said as he held down the trigger to his B.A.R.

Once I reach the radio station it was chaos. I saw Captain and ran up to him. "Sir, the Northern front is under heavy fire. Tons of Panzers and infantry are smashing through our defenses." I said.

"Hold for as long as you can if you don't have enough troops to hold then fall back. Reports say it's a mass German offensive. We're pulling out and moving into more favorable defenses. We can't let the Krauts take Bastone." Captain said. "Now get back out there," he ordered.

Sir yes sir," I said as I ran back to my position.

"What's our orders Willaim?" James asked.

I looked around seeing fist to fist fighting and soldiers fighting each other at point-blank range, a horror to watch. "We're falling back, we don't have the men to defend this position," I said. I got out of my foxhole and took several shots at the Germans taking the lives of three young men. I didn't think much of them, I didn't have the time to all I could think of is bringing as many of my boys home as possible. "Begin a slow withdrawal!" I yelled. Soldiers got out of their foxholes one by one L.M.G.s (Light Machine Gun) stayed behind until the infantry pulled out then they left. I hopped on the Browning 50. Caliber H.B.M.G. (Heavy Barrel Machine Gun) and pushed down on the trigger. I tried to suppress the Germans as Betty fell back. Once we made it to a better defensive position we dug in as quickly as we could.