Cole wasn’t much for emotion, but he felt a lump in his throat. Look at all these ugly bastards, he thought. Every last one of them deserves a medal.
He straightened up and asked the kid, "You hungry?"
"You kiddin' me? I could eat a horse."
"Be careful what you wish for, kid. There’s no telling what they’re serving up in the mess tent. Anyhow, let's take our chances and go find some grub."
If the medics in the aid station were doing the best they could for the wounded, the mess staff was no less heroic. Tents had been set up, and while they were not as warm as the hospital tents, they did keep the wind off and they smelled a whole lot better.
Supplies remained limited, but the emphasis was on hot grub. That meant gallons of strong coffee. Pancakes and syrup. Pots of soup that was mostly salty broth with some potatoes in it, but served piping hot. Cole and Tommy loaded up on all of it and then sat down on a couple of wooden boxes to eat. There weren't any tables, but there were a few familiar faces. He spotted Sergeant Weber, who gave him a nod, locking eyes with him for a moment. Coming from the gruff German, it was a sign of respect.
Drinking coffee nearby was Kelwick, the driver from the truck. He did a double-take when he spotted Cole. "I’ve got to say that I never thought I’d set eyes on you again. Not living, anyhow. What happened?"
"I held them off as long as I could, and then I got the hell out of there."
"We never would have made it if you hadn't bought us that time," Kelwick said. He flexed his arms and shoulders. "That was one hell of a long way to carry a stretcher. They'll fly more of the wounded out at daylight, your buddy with them. They're posting guards at the planes on account of guys trying to get out who aren't wounded."
"Trying to get out of Dodge,” Cole said. “Can’t say I blame them. But the fight ain't over."
"Yep. Eat some chow, get some sleep. The war starts again tomorrow, unless the Chinese decide to attack tonight."
Cole shook his head. "They've got to be just as cold and hungry as we are, if not worse. But they keep on coming."
"Yeah," Kelwick agreed. "So much for being home by Christmas. That sure as hell isn’t happening now."
Had it really been just a few days ago that so many soldiers had actually thought that the war was almost over? The drive to the Yalu River had promised to end the conflict. He shook his head, musing that generals were a bunch of fools. It always fell on the troops in the field to sort things out.
Cole ate his fill, surprising himself by how much he ate, but was truly amazed by the number of pancakes that Tommy put away. Did that kid have a hollow leg, or what?
Finished, they walked out into the night, looking for a place to sleep. Cole stood for a while, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, surveying the surrounding hills and mountains that were just visible in the starlight reflected by the snowy peaks. He had a feeling that he was about to get to know these mountains a whole lot better. Somewhere up there, an untold number of Chinese and ROK troops were bedded down. Even now, they might be looking down at him.
“Come on, kid,” he said, nodding toward a shelter that had been rigged against the wind. They could just squeeze in there for the night.
Like Kelwick had said, the war started again tomorrow.
NOTE TO READERS
It is hard to imagine the difficulties faced by the troops who fought at the Chosin Reservoir that bitter year of 1950. Their sacrifices helped lead to the free nation of South Korea today. Please note that the order of some events in this book has been changed somewhat to better suit the story.
Of course, this is a fictionalized account of events. For a good overview of the Korean War, consider The Korean War by Max Hastings or watch the documentary film, Task Force Faith, directed by Julie Precious. Thank you for reading, and to those who served in Korea, we are forever grateful.
— D.H.
About the Author
David Healey lives in Maryland where he worked as a journalist for more than twenty years. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and a contributing editor to The Big Thrill magazine. Visit him online at www.davidhealeyauthor.com or www.facebook.com/david.healey.books
Thank you for reading! If you enjoyed the story, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com.
Also by David Healey
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