Just Us Yanks

Ducky woke up feeling something very cold under his nose. When he opened his eyes he was looking directly into Johnny’s eyes. Johnny had his bayonet under Ducky’s nose.

“If you snore one more time I will take that damn nose right off,” Johnny whispered. “Those krauts are too close for that kind of crap.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t know I snored,” he whispered back.

The men took turns standing watch. They had to keep an eye on the German soldiers in the new machine gun nest at the top of the hill. They were really hungry but afraid that opening the rations would make too much noise and give their position away. One time Miller’s stomach growled so loud they were afraid the Germans would hear it but they were too busy talking. They must have been telling jokes because of all the laughter. ‘In a few hours they won’t have anything to laugh about,’ Johnny thought to himself.

Soon Miller was waking the other two, “Hey it’s getting dark, lets kill these two so we can eat,” he whispered.

“Do you know how awful that sounds,” Ducky said sounding surprised.

“Do you want to eat or lay here and starve,” Miller answered back.

“How do we kill them with out drawing attention to ourselves,” Ducky asked.

“Let me think a minute,” Johnny said quietly, “I can’t believe we are having this conversation.” Johnny thought it over not believing he was going to kill two men so he could eat before he went to kill some more men. How he missed the neighborhood. He always wanted out of the neighborhood more than anything else. Right now he would give anything to be back in the neighborhood sitting on the front stoop listening to the radio holding Brandy in his arms.

“Hey Kaletti, Don’t get scared on us now,” Ducky whispered.

“Scared? I’m so not scared it scares me,” Johnny said trying to make sense of it all. “Ok, Miller get your bayonet ready, we’re going to have to do this the hard way.”

“Bayonet,” Miller asked, “No shit?”

“We have to be quiet about it or we might have a hundred Krauts on top of us,” Johnny tried to explain, “Be as quiet as you ever have been in your life and when we get there grab them by the mouth real tight and cut their throat.”

“Their throats?” Miller asked.

“Yes that way there won’t be much struggle and it will be quicker for them too,” Johnny hoped.

When Miller didn’t say anything Johnny said, “If you’re not up to it I will take Ducky.”

“No!” Ducky said, “He’s up to it, aren’t ya.”

“Yea, hell let’s get going I’m hungry enough to eat a damn jackass,” Miller whispered back.

So the men climbed out of their protective hole and slowly crawled toward the machinegun nest. They could just barely see the Germans but they could hear them talking. Johnny hoped they would keep talking it would make it easier for Johnny and Miller. Slowly they crept forward hoping they wouldn’t step on a twig or move a rock. Finally they were only inches away and they jumped on the soldiers in the nest. Johnny grabbed his man by the mouth and quickly brought his bayonet up to his throat and dug deep and fast. He could feel blood spray out all over the place and the man went limp.

Miller let out a yelp and had a struggle on his hands. Just as Johnny reached out to help him his man went limp also.

“What was that all about?” Johnny asked.

“That bastard bit me,” Miller answered.

“How bad is it?” Johnny asked.

“I can’t see but I think it went right to the bone, anyway it’s bleeding something fierce,” he answered.

They quickly searched the Germans to see if they had anything they might be able to use. Johnny found a tiny flashlight and put it in his pocket. He was hoping to find information about the positions of the machine gun nests still in operation. Since they were unable to come out to look around they still had no idea where to look. At least tonight they had all night to work.

“Let’s go eat,” Johnny said.

They headed back to the rocks where they were hiding and jumped in with Ducky.

“What took you guys so long?” Ducky asked.

“Shut-up and eat,” Miller said.

They huddled in a circle on their knees and put a raincoat ove