called to his platoon sergeant. “Mark Jones’s body. We’ll come back for him when we can.”
The battalion radio net was a madhouse now, a whirling, screeching, buzzing, ringing cacophony. Always gave the code word to move to the alternate frequency, “Bayonet!”
The TOC barely heard it over the jamming and began repeating it over the radio. By its standard procedures the TOC would leave one radio on the old net for a few minutes while shifting the others to the new frequency. Always was concerned about the infantrymen on CHOPPER and ordered the TOC to get aradio up in the red (in the unsecure mode) to continue listening for them. For ten minutes confusion raged over the nets as the subordinate elements scrambled around trying to figure out if and when they should shift frequencies. Those few minutes were fatal.
While the madness on the radio nets was unfolding, the air force lieutenant came scrambling up atop Always’ Bradley. “What do you want, Lieutenant Smith?”
“Sir, I couldn’t reach you on the radio. I got a spot report from some of our fast movers (fixed-wing aircraft) that enemy vehicles are moving down the pass from the northwest toward CP4.”
“Are you sure?” That was the flank Always was concerned about, but it did not seem likely that the enemy would approach from that direction. The brigade commander had indicated the enemy ‘was coming from the north. It was possible, however, that he had meant the northeast, or that his intelligence was faulty.
“Yes, sir, I’m sure. I asked them to confirm and they did. They estimated about one battalion.”
“Okay. Get back to your track and tell the artillery officer to put in the scatterable mine field at the mouth of the pass.”
On the alternate frequency the scout was reporting enemy movement from the north, with a large dust column coming out of the pass at 781. Simultaneously, the battalion executive officer called in a report that the artillery was pulling back into the valley they had left that morning. The artillery pieces had jammed up the routes, interrupting the following battalion trains. Ominously, the artillerymen were reporting enemy approaching from the southeast. Major Walters needed to know where Always wanted to move the trains, and if he wanted the TOC to move to CP 4.
Always held the trains and the TOC back in the vicinity of the LD. The battle was in too much a state of flux to risk pilingthem into CP 4. With all the conflicting reports he had received he did not know from which direction he was about to be attacked. Brigade was currently being jammed off the air. Always would have to figure it out for himself.
E Company was the first to reach CP 4. Evans had gotten only a part of the message to move there on the original frequency. After that he had heard nothing, not the call to change frequency or the call over the artillery net that the mine field was going in. The message was never passed over the battalion net. Two of Evans’ lead vehicles exploded as they rushed into CP 4. The mines worked.
Lieutenant Colonel Always led Alpha and Delta into an arch north of CP 4, oriented to the north and northeast. After raising Captain Evans on his internal net and learning of the disaster in the mine field, he had them face his two remaining antitank vehicles at the exit from the pass. He then brought in Bravo and Delta, facing them to the east and southeast, respectively. As the battalion commander literally circled his wagons, the first wave of the enemy appeared, coming at him from 3,500 meters out of the north.
The helicopters chose this moment to return. They had indeed discovered the correct cipher, but were not aware that the task force they were supporting had shifted frequency. Although the TOC had stayed up on the old frequency, it was operating in the red for the sake of Lieutenant Rodriguez. The aviators, not knowing this and talking in the green, were completely unheard. Nor did they have the alternate
The battalion radio net was a madhouse now, a whirling, screeching, buzzing, ringing cacophony. Always gave the code word to move to the alternate frequency, “Bayonet!”
The TOC barely heard it over the jamming and began repeating it over the radio. By its standard procedures the TOC would leave one radio on the old net for a few minutes while shifting the others to the new frequency. Always was concerned about the infantrymen on CHOPPER and ordered the TOC to get aradio up in the red (in the unsecure mode) to continue listening for them. For ten minutes confusion raged over the nets as the subordinate elements scrambled around trying to figure out if and when they should shift frequencies. Those few minutes were fatal.
While the madness on the radio nets was unfolding, the air force lieutenant came scrambling up atop Always’ Bradley. “What do you want, Lieutenant Smith?”
“Sir, I couldn’t reach you on the radio. I got a spot report from some of our fast movers (fixed-wing aircraft) that enemy vehicles are moving down the pass from the northwest toward CP4.”
“Are you sure?” That was the flank Always was concerned about, but it did not seem likely that the enemy would approach from that direction. The brigade commander had indicated the enemy ‘was coming from the north. It was possible, however, that he had meant the northeast, or that his intelligence was faulty.
“Yes, sir, I’m sure. I asked them to confirm and they did. They estimated about one battalion.”
“Okay. Get back to your track and tell the artillery officer to put in the scatterable mine field at the mouth of the pass.”
On the alternate frequency the scout was reporting enemy movement from the north, with a large dust column coming out of the pass at 781. Simultaneously, the battalion executive officer called in a report that the artillery was pulling back into the valley they had left that morning. The artillery pieces had jammed up the routes, interrupting the following battalion trains. Ominously, the artillerymen were reporting enemy approaching from the southeast. Major Walters needed to know where Always wanted to move the trains, and if he wanted the TOC to move to CP 4.
Always held the trains and the TOC back in the vicinity of the LD. The battle was in too much a state of flux to risk pilingthem into CP 4. With all the conflicting reports he had received he did not know from which direction he was about to be attacked. Brigade was currently being jammed off the air. Always would have to figure it out for himself.
E Company was the first to reach CP 4. Evans had gotten only a part of the message to move there on the original frequency. After that he had heard nothing, not the call to change frequency or the call over the artillery net that the mine field was going in. The message was never passed over the battalion net. Two of Evans’ lead vehicles exploded as they rushed into CP 4. The mines worked.
Lieutenant Colonel Always led Alpha and Delta into an arch north of CP 4, oriented to the north and northeast. After raising Captain Evans on his internal net and learning of the disaster in the mine field, he had them face his two remaining antitank vehicles at the exit from the pass. He then brought in Bravo and Delta, facing them to the east and southeast, respectively. As the battalion commander literally circled his wagons, the first wave of the enemy appeared, coming at him from 3,500 meters out of the north.
The helicopters chose this moment to return. They had indeed discovered the correct cipher, but were not aware that the task force they were supporting had shifted frequency. Although the TOC had stayed up on the old frequency, it was operating in the red for the sake of Lieutenant Rodriguez. The aviators, not knowing this and talking in the green, were completely unheard. Nor did they have the alternate
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