Welcome To The Iles Soldier.

Chapter 6: Operation Husky.

*Disclaimer. This chapter portrays period racism towards Asian Americans including the use of a derogatory term. No harm is meant to be caused to America's Asians who I consider to be rightful citizens.*

Sicily

July 10 1943

3:00 AM.

Hunter dropped into the Higgins boat with a slight stumble as the small craft bobbed on the water. "Careful, Wittebane. Don't wanna knock someone in the Gonads." An Italian American joked. Hunter couldn't help but chuckle as he gained his footing and leaned on the hull. "Oh trust me, Romano. I know full well what it's like to take one of these steel caps to the balls."

Then another G.I. dropped in. This time a Mexican. "The hell are you two pendejos on about?"

"Oh y'know, just reminiscing about the time you rammed your head into my into my crotch." Hunter said.

"Hey the instructor told us to fight dirty alright? I was only following his orders." The Chicano defended himself. "But he never said to make someone infertile, Iglesias." Hunter said back.

"Save your grudges for later" Another voice cut in. The three looked ahead to see their Captain Jacob Albert. "Right now we've got a job to do, and the only enemies we have right now are the Krauts and Italians. So don't waste your breath on something that happened in basic." He ordered firmly.

The three privates replied in unison. "Yes, sir."

Hunter leaned out of the boat to get a better look at the rest of the fleet. He saw a battleship fire all of it's main guns, and he followed the shell's through the air before they landed behind the Sicilian beaches creating plooms of fire. "Think they can survive that?" Hunter asked nobody in particular. "If the first war was anything to go by, then they probably did." Romano said with a hint of grim.

The boat then suddenly jolted forward as it's motor started up. It then turned to port and towards the the beaches alongside a fleet of landing craft.

Hunter then felt a man poke on his shoulder from behind. Hunter turned his head to see the familiar freckled face of private Murphy. "You feeling alright, Wittebane?"

"I'm doing okay. You got any prayers?"

"Yes I do, you can join if you like." The ginger offered. "Certainly."

Murphy then placed his hand on Hunter's shoulder and closed his eyes while holding a crucifix.

"Praise be the Lord my rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle." Hunter joined in as he began to remember how the prayer went. "He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who-"

The two were cut off as an explosion went off on the starboard side, rocking the boat back and forth. "Everybody down!" Albert yelled. The platoon and crew ducked as artillery rounds continued to go off around them.

Then they heard this whirring noise come in from above, it got louder, and louder, it was became loud enough to where the men could point it out as a siren. They looked up, and realized that there were enemy planes coming down on them. Then a whistling noise was heard, and the planes began moving away, before a craft next to theirs exploded.

Hunter stared in horror at the sight, he could hear the remaining men screaming in agony as the craft sank beneath the waves. A hand then grabbed his head and pulled him down. "Stayed focused, Wittebane!" Romano yelled. The teen quickly nodded his head as his hands trembled. Then bullets began ricocheting off the front of the boat. The two gunners returned fire to try and give the army men some cover. "Clear the ramp! Thirty seconds!" The driver yelled.