Hunter Sniper

“Right back into the fire, huh?” Philly complained. “No rest for the weary. I thought I might sit on the beach for a while and work on my tan.”

It was a measure of the patrol’s informality that Steele deigned to explain the circumstances to Philly. “You know how the army works,” the lieutenant said. “If someone important sees us standing around long enough, they’ll either put us to work guarding these piles of supplies or send us on some harebrained mission to capture some Japanese general hiding in the hills. Or we can go with Captain Merrick. Which would you prefer?”

Deke spoke up. He was still feverish, and the hot sun on the beach felt broiling. He welcomed the idea of getting back under the trees and some shade. “I don’t want to stand around here guarding boxes of Jeep parts and bandages. I say we go where we can fight some Japanese.”

“There you have it,” Steele said. “Get ready to move out.”

* * *

Now that they were reunited and unofficially attached to Captain Merrick’s company, the scouts and snipers moved out to help protect the small harbor where the Malbasag River ran out into Ormoc Bay.

Deke had hoped for some shade, but he was disappointed to find that their route followed the beach. The soft sand made for hard going — it was almost as bad as slogging through snow in its own way. Worse than that was the feeling of being totally exposed, out in the open. Fortunately no Japanese snipers seemed to be around, because nobody was shooting at them. Still, the hot sun was enemy enough.

Just north of the harbor they were assigned to guard was Ormoc itself, where the Japanese still held the town and the nearby airfield. US forces had pushed right up against the Japanese lines, establishing their own perimeter at what came to be known as Camp Downes. Although the Japanese had fallen back from the actual coastal area, it was clear that they were dug in and intent on fighting for every inch of ground around Ormoc.

The Japanese had not given up, not just at Ormoc but on the northern areas of Leyte into which US troops had not pushed yet. The enemy forces had determined to make a stand there no matter the cost. Of course Leyte was just the start, one of the many Filipino islands. The grand prize itself would be Manila, where bitter fighting was expected.

Despite their heavy losses, including the naval defeat in the waters off Leyte, the Japanese were determined to wrest the Philippines back from the invasion forces. At the very least, they intended to inflict such heavy losses that it would leave the American forces damaged and licking their wounds for some time to come.

To that end, Japan’s ships loaded with supplies and transports filled with troops continued to steam toward the Philippines, converging on the fight like moths to a flame. Like those moths, they seemed headed for their own destruction. Most of the vessels never reached shore, but were bombed and sunk. The sheer number of Japanese troops lost at sea was tremendous, numbering into the thousands. Oblivious, the Japanese high command sent more men to die.

These heavy losses were inflicted by the superior air power and naval forces of the United States, especially in the wake of the decisive battle of Leyte Gulf. There was not much left in terms of a Japanese Navy to defend its supply chain across the vast Pacific.

However, the Japanese still had some teeth. There were enough airfields within Japanese control that they were able to harass both US ground and naval forces.

This situation soon became apparent to Patrol Easy and the rest of Merrick’s company as they set up a defensive position at the small harbor in the distance.

With his sharp eyes, Deke was the first to notice the vessel. The sun was going down, and the sea had taken on the color of gunmetal, interrupted by the dark blur of the distant ship.

“What the hell is that?” Deke asked. He put his rifle to his shoulder so that he could get a better view of the ship through the telescopic sight.

It appeared to be a small troop transport, all alone on the ocean. Although it could technically be called a small ship, it appeared to be more akin to a floating shoebox — an ungraceful vessel cobbled together with wood and metal, then filled to the brim with troops.

“I hate to say this,” Honcho said once the lone ship had been brought to his attention. He studied the distant vessel through binoculars. “But I don’t think that’s one of ours.”

“Japanese? You’ve got to be kidding me,” said Philly.

By now word had spread, and the rest of the company was intent on the ship. They all watched in wonder as the lone transport continued its journey toward shore.

“Don’t tell me those guys are planning a one-ship invasion,” Steele muttered. “They can’t seriously think that they can take back an island with one ship.”

“It sure looks like that’s what they’re planning to do,” Deke said.