WW2:Nolan's Story

Chapter One: D-Day

On June 6th, 1944, the men of the 1st Infantry Division prepared for what would come. They took the time to write their last letters, smoke a cigarette, play a final game of cards, and clean their service weapons as they were called upon to load. The landing crafts hit the sea as the two squads awaited the opening of the main doors. Sergeant Nolan and his team wait in the rear, preparing for what's to come. The cluster of men waits in the boat as they count off how long until they hit land in their heads.

"Five...Four...Three...Two...One..."

The doors open as a hail of machine gun fire meets the first few men to rush off the crafts. Nolan orders his men off the sides, using a fallen comrade as a human shield to get onto the beach. Ian Davis is the first to follow the sergeant's lead, wishing to stay alive. Davis trips, trying to get out of the water as Nolan helps him.

"Private, get down. I don't need you losing your head on me."

Davis nodded as he followed behind Nolan, trying to avoid machine gun fire and explosions around them. As they ran up the beach, they witnessed death and carnage that only a few could ever imagine. The two men get to the ditch line as they are met by Private Micheal Corlion. Sergeant Nolan looks to Micheal, holding his hand and motioning to him.

"Private, hand me a Bangalore!"

Hearing the sergeant scream over the chaos around them, Micheal hands him the Bangalore breaching charge, helping Nolan set it up as the dirt mound blows open for them and other 1st Division to get through. Nolan is the first through the opening as he lets his BAR rip through the air, suppressing fire for his squad as Davis follows behind him. Entering one of the bunkers, Davis goes in with his M1 Garand and sweeps the interior, spotting none of the Germans inside; then, suddenly, Davis is struck from behind. Dazed from the blow, Davis is knocked prone to the ground as he looks up to see a German officer with a Luger pistol ready to shoot Davis.

"Please, don't shoot."

Davis begins to beg for his life as the German smiles; Davis looks past the man to see Nolan, and Davis returns the smile with the German looking unamused. Nolan then announces his presence, ordering the German to surrender in his mother tongue. The officer puts his hands up in surrender. 

 "Good, no sudden movements."

Nolan looked to Davis, motioning for him. to grab the officer's pistol. Davis got up, still a bit dazed, with a sharp pain going through his head as he attempted to grab the gun. The officer began to wrestle for it, forcing them both to the ground before Nolan could respond. 

 "Get the fuck off me!"

Davis yelled, trying to get the officer off, who now had the gun. Davis grabbed the officer's knife, stabbing him repeatedly in the stomach until he collapsed. Nolan dragged the body off Davis as Davis crawled back to regain his composure.

"I'm Sorry, Sarge, I should've done better."

"Don't worry, just do better next time. Now, let's get out of this bunker."

A sudden sharp pain is felt in Nolan's side as he collapses; Davis rushes over to catch Nolan as he looks over to the officer with the Luger in his hands and collapses dead on the floor in a pool of blood. Davis checks Nolan's wound and tries to apply pressure on it. 

 "Sarge, stay with me."

"Get me to a fucking medical tent Davis."

Nolan grabs Davis by the collar as Nolan points to the door, grabbing his 1911, while Davis drags him out the bunker door and toward the Army medical tent. Nolan covers Davis with pistol fire as German soldiers try to fire on the pair until they are at the tent's entrance, where the Medics take Nolan off of Davis's Hands.