Guadalcanal PbP In-Character Thread

[cssmythe3]

After listening to the crew going through the numbers on medical supplies, mortar rounds, and such, Regan notices Bogdin shifting from side to side on his feet. "Is there anything else you'd like to add soldier?"

"Well sir, I thought you should know that I don't think any of us have fire a single round at an actual enemy, let alone an enemy Talent. We didn't get any orders until we were three minutes from the beach, and um, we didn't plan on how to coordinate our powers until then."

Carl seems a bit miffed at being cast in an 'un-soldierly' manner.

[Hobbie]

"That's alright Marine. Remeber your training and trust in your fellow Marines and you will get through this."

Looks around at the Marines gathered, "So, what's this outfits SIS number?"

[countrysamurai]

I want the men to muster here so we can get acquainted and I can get a better idea of our equipment status and combat preparedness. More importantly," looks over notes, "I'd like to know you are capable of--like what the hell does energy dampner mean," smiles.

"Also, I'd like a full ammo and weapon count."

Extends hand to corpsman as well, "I'd also like a medical supply inventory and some idea on the general health of the Marines."

Looks back at Sgt. Collins, "So I take it you're my senior NCO? How long you been in?"

The weapons inventory is low. There is a Johnson M1941 MG. Standard M1 rifles, sidearms and trench knives. Fix says he's got a great idea about making some mines and has the equipment too, he just needs the time away from the airstip to work on them. (The only break he gets is the daily Tojo Time bombing and straiffing runs and that's not the best time to be monkeying with explosives.
You do seem to have more than your fair share of ammo at least. Rumor has it that only 1/3 of the supplies, including ammo were sent over initially. There have been a few supply drops to help with more ammo and medical supplies.
In front all of the men, Doc Rock tells you that everyone is doing fine and in top shape. But later, in privacy, he confides in you that the kid they call "Hollywood" isn't doing so hot.
"During the day, he sounds fine. But in the night, you can hear he's having a hard time breathing. But you go over to help him and we wakes up in top shape again. I don't know, it's the damnedest thing. I keep telling him I want him to get more rest and quite running around all the time like he's Errol Flynn. But he doesn't listen."

[countrysamurai]

A day after Regan arrives, on the evening of Aug. 17, Henderson Field officially opened for business.
General Vandegrift comes out and is standing next to the strip when, from the east a flight of 12 SBD dive bombers come into sight. "I don't think I've ever seen anything more beautiful in my life," the general said.
The first plane lands and taxis in and the handsome pilot practically leaps out with the plane still running. "Major Richard Maners, of the Cactus Air Force reporting for duty, General." He said with a big smile and a salute.
"Thank God you have come," Vandegrift replied. The bombers are followed in by 19 Wildcats.
The celebration is short-lived. The following day it is learned that Japanese troops have landed on the island about 20 miles east of the air field.

[countrysamurai]

Three nights after the field opened, the attack finally came. Unfortunately, the Devil's Own were ordered to hold in reserve and protect the air field. You never even got called up.
The fight was a slaughter. The Japanese waited until dark, then they charged in chanting "Marine, you die!"
Anti-tank guns, artillery (what little there was) and machine guns tore them to ribbons as they hit what little wire there was to be had. Even as they were getting mowed down, they kept coming. They came all night long, wave after wave. They were enveloped and killed almost to the last man.
Then, something weird happened. According to witnesses, they were mopping up survivors when something came crashing through the woods. Something big. It looked like a big, black aligator, covered with scales except it was long, really long, like a snake.
They shot at it, but the bullets bounced off and it jumped into the Ilu River and was gone.

[Hobbie]

I'm going to set the team up on a fire watch rotation during the night with some eyeballs scanning the surroundings during the day. I want Fix to focus all his time on those mines and any upgrades he thinks he can make to the tractor in spare time. I'll rotate into the nigth watch and will roll up the sleeves during the day. We will follow orders and stay near the airfiled; keeping a lookout for nips in the wire.

[cssmythe3]

"Chiiiiiierist! The cook over in D company said this fricken snake thing just shoot across the clearing right at this guy who was opening up with a BAR. Thing just opened up its jaws and SWALLOWED the guy WHOLE. You could still hear the gun firing as the snake slithered away into the jungle, happy as a clam. I think maybe its a Dragon, ya know, like King George?"

Bogdin looks up as he finished cleaning & assembling his rifle. "St. George?"

Carl is standing up swing a stick now "That's what I said, and damn, Lenny, didn't you say some guy had a sword he found? I need a sword or a spear or something to kill a dragon proper. Mebbe fix could rig like a bazooka round or three on the end of a spear, and if the snake makes a go for me, blamo! Give him a fragmentation popsicle! YEAH!"

[diablorojo]

Lenny interrupts an ongoing conversation among the Devil's Own. "Giant snake? Did somebody actually say the words 'Giant Snake?'" He quickly puts another cigarette in his mouth. "Jumpin' Jesus on a pogo stick! How the hell do we kill a giant snake? Can anybody turn into a giant mongoose?"

[Hobbie]

"Did the BAR have any effect on the snake whatsoever? Did it appear mechanical or living? I'd like to see how it handles a pinapple grenade down its gullot. We should make up some mock turrent positions with whatever supplies we have. If we have some extra uniforms we can make up some dummy nests and plant them around the air field. Keep the japs guessing and maybe give us the room we need to kill this snake."

[cssmythe3]

[1 second after mongoose comment]

Bogdin burst out laughing, a deep belly laugh. A few others join in the laughing, but Bogdin keeps going -- too long to sound totally sane. He's been wound so tight, so long, and he just wasn't expecting a joke like this. His laughter dies down, and picks up again. No one else is laughing with him now. He finally stops, bent over with his hands on his knees. "Woo - mongoose. That's funny."

He's blushing, a bit ashamed of what he knows is a 'scene'. He clears his throat, and wipes a tear off of his cheek.

[chuck LOL on the mongoose thing, bye the bye!]

[mteague]

Fix looks up at all the talk of dragons/snakes.

"Dragon huh? I remember reading somewhere that the nips look at em like they're gods or somethin'. It's probably just one of their talents doing some wierd presto-change-o shtick. I bet a claymore or two'll take care o' that bastard. See if I can't rig up something portable-bigger 'n a grenade. Lemme think on it. So, L-T, did I hear you right? you want me doin' Mines? then Tractors and bulldozeer4s? AND night watch? You want me to maybe peel some spuds while I'm at it?"

Rebound looks genuinely intereted for the first time. "Dragon? You say like king george? knights and swords and stuff? I wonder if he's big enough to ride? I bet it'd beat hell out of bustin' broncs on my Pa's ranch. How much rope you figure to hog tie somethin' like that?" then he chuckles to himself for a while as he preps for his first watch. (full weapons check, ammo, finds himself a comfy spot with a good view, etc etc.)

[Hobbie]

Smiles, " No KP for you Fix and lights out at zero dark thirty. We'll handle the watch. We need weapons more than we need extra eyes at night."

[countrysamurai]

The stalemate on Guadalcanal lasted one month.
For a month, the planes and ships played their cat and mouse games. The Japanese would come in, the Cactus Air Force would scramble. After a few bombing and strafing runs, they would retreat and return the next day.
During one run, Super Swabbie decided heíd had enough. He stood out on the airfield, dropped trou, and told the Japanese to kiss his ass. Zero bullets bounced off of his protective ìforce fieldî and he gave the pilot a bird as the plane flew off. He wasnít half a bad guy for a swabbie. Too bad he wasnít allowed to stick around with the Devilís Own for long.
He got himself in a pickle when he refused an order to get on a boat and off the island. Heís supposed to be in a brig now, but really heís just being kept in low profile at HQ.
The month hasnít been a kind one. Everything is soggy from heavy rains. The whole island smells like one stinking rotting swamp, which it kind of is. And the bug! Spiders as big as your fist, wasps the length of your finger, centipedes that leave an inflamed track across your flesh just by walking on you. The mosquitoes come in clouds.
Everywhere you look, men are sick. Malaria and dysentery is threatening everyone. Youíve all lost weight. Youíve been on reduced rations for almost two months and your clothes are starting to sag.
At the chow line Corpsman ìBoggieî and other medics is posted to make sure each man takes his Atabrine pill before he is allowed to eat. Some try to fake it believing it will make them impotent.
Leonard ìThe Lipî is having another problem. There are no more cigarettes to be found on the island. Heís had to cut back, way way back. And itís made him really cranky.
Sgt. Fix is still busy from sun up to sundown. Heís turned into a first rate aircraft mechanic overnight and is daily patching up the Cactus Air Force. Heís managed to put together four very formidable anti-personnel mines with the material at hand.
Dimwiddle has been having a grand time. Heís managed to down a few Zeros by simply standing on a roof and waving at them as they come in on a run. But after one of the planes with a dead pilot almost landed on headquarters, some higher ups decided it was not such a good idea. Dimwiddle himself was almost killed by the same plane as passed within a few feet of him, but he didnít even flinch.

Then the stalemate ended. For six straight nights, Japanese destroyers dropped hundreds and hundreds of men on the island. The nightly sorties were dubbed the ìTokyo Expressî. With each ship load, the balance for the island tipped in the Japanese favor.
Marine Raider battalions do what they can to slow the enemy down, but there are just too many.
The guess is that the enemy attack will come along a low grassy ridge about a mile south of the airstrip, roughly parallel to the Lunga River. The Devilís Own are assigned to defend that ridge.
You are deployed along the lower slopes leading down the Luangís eastern bank. Next to you on the line is 1st Marine Raider Battalion under Lt. Colonel Merritt A. Edson.

[Hobbie]

I make sure that I go over the maps looking any potential holes in our lines that the japs could exploit and any way they could get behind us. I make sure that we are up to speed on any passwords that are passed around. We will rotate the watch as needed to stay frosty. I instruct the men to boil water before putting it into their canteen to drink.

[countrysamurai]

As the boys of the SIS Squad # 1014 were getting comfortable in their sandy foxholes of Sept. 12, for their daily ìTojo Timeî bombing, it became apparent that the Japanese had a different plan in mind. One Japanese Betty ignored the airfield and neatly laid a stick of bombs along the top of the ridge to your rear. The one you are dug in protecting.
Lt. Col. Edson sent word down the line that this action was a sure sign that the Japanese were coming.
By dusk, tension was high. There was bad news from the airstrip. A couple of planes ìate shitî as they came in because the ìSIS pothole crewî wasnít there to patch things up after the bombing runs. There were also rumors that the line is stretched too thin. None of the units were looking too good after a month in the jungle.
The battle of Bloody Ridge began with a barrage of shells from Japanese warships offshore. Next came mortar and rifle fire. The Japanese soldiers wiggled through the underbrush on the lower slopes probing the Marinesí position.
Truthfully, it wasnít all that bad.
The next day Lt. Col. Edson gave the order to pull back to higher ground ñ that same ridge that was bombed a day earlier. The move would leave a grassy no manís land between his line and the Japanese.
Lt. Col. Edson met with his men and Lt. Regan in the late afternoon. ìThis is it,î he said. ìThere is only us between the airfield and the Japs. If we donít hold, we will lose Guadalcanal.î