Yellow Rose of Texas

Practice Makes Perfect

I call my crew Joe(driver) Andrew (loader) Mike (gunner).

The next day we had finished our classes the longest being math (comment if this the same for you) we got to our first practice.

"Hey Andrew you ready". excited to actually fight in a tank

"Yeah everyone else is in the Jackson already fully stocked with ammo". I nod as we receive our orders for todays practice.

dd/mm/yyyy

Commander Kay

todays practice will be a free for all every, man for himself last one to survive gets a 20$

Chick F La gift card for each of the winning tanks crew members.

"Oh yeah I love Chick F La". Says Andrew and we start practice. We start in a small clearing in a forest that ends about 100 feet later to an open field. Then a airhorn is sounded signaling the start of the match.

Joe Move to the edge of the woods and find a spot where there is some good cover then after that cut off the engine so they won't see our trail of fume from the engine". I shot as the engine is louder than expected. "roger that Jacob this will be hunting some Whitetails" I laugh as we enter our position. not seeing anyone for about ten minutes I get an idea.

"Mike fire the gun they come this way knowing that someone is once they here the gun go off". he nods and fires and sure enough three M4-Shermans arrive they fire at each other while Mike takes careful aim.

"FIRE"! one Sherman goes up in smoke Andrew loads an AP shell and Mike targets the second Sherman "FIRE"! it out as well the last of the three Shermans tries to make a run for it but we give chase and take it out as well. Now out in the vast field with several M4s scurrying around firing at each other however unknown to them we toke a position on a hilltop and begun to take them out one by one. Then a large shell hit near the M36 shaking the Jackson I poke my head out of the turret to find a Sherman Firefly has its barrel pointed at us I quickly get back in.

"Joe go as fast as you can in those woods over their and Mike and Andrew I want you two to fire at firefly as fast you to keep them on their toes until we reach the woods got that guys". I tell them

"Yes sir" they say in unison as we rush towards the woods as we exchange shots with the Firefly one of the shells grazing the turret. We make it to the woods however and Firefly stops firing we then wait in ambush and the Firefly cautiously enter the woods as they creep forward and into the our gunsight when it was only a matter of pulling the trigger. The Firefly it taken out and we rush out into the open and see the remaining tanks which are quickly taken out by us at range giving us victory.

As we drive to the tank sheds and receive our gift cards and prepare a small cookout to celebrate.

"Alright boys fire up the deep fryer and light up the grill". We bring made burgers, hot dogs, french fries, ceasar salad, and some tortilla chips with salsa as well as sweet tea . we set up our plates and enjoy ourselves some female members asked to have some food which we let them have some and were surprised at how good it was and cleaned up and had left the sheds for the day.

I later forgot something at the shed and ran and come to find Kay crying I slowly approach her and she jumps when she notices me.

"Sorry commander I didn't you were here and are you all right". She looks down at a photograph of what seems to be a younger her with older man.

She wipes away her tears " That is my grandpa, I knew him well we would go fishing, make us snacks, and would babysit us when we were kids, but now..." the hesitation in her sounds like it would hurt here if she continued. "But now he's...he's" she reaches in for a hug and she cries her heart out I pat her on the back telling her it's okay. She eventually clams down. I let go of her and thanks me for comforting her.I check the time and tell we should get back to our dorms. She agrees and we go our separate ways.

I never did get what I went there for.