“Okay, get your coordinates for that truck written out. Get your first rounds on it and then adjust from there to the tree line,” Jeffery instructed him.
“Masher Two-Zero, we’re going to be adjusting arty on the area. Can you get flares on target?”
“Masher One-Five, roger, I will stay at twenty-five hundred and move right over the target to the drops. We’ll drop the first just before they shoot. What freq will Arty be on?”
Jeffery passed the Artillery frequency to Masher Two-Zero so he could monitor the fire mission. In the meantime, Lobo, who had no more ammunition to expend, headed for Song Be to rearm in case he was needed later.
Jeffery tuned in Song Be Artillery, and Pile made the call. “Song Be Arty, Masher One-Five, fire mission. Troops in bunkers, multiple locations, grid…” And Pile sent the location of the truck.
“Roger, Buffalo One-Five, understood. Will you observe and adjust?” Song Be Arty asked.
“Roger, standing by.”
“Masher One-Five, are you requesting illum on first rounds?”
“Negative, Song Be, we have flare ship providing support,” Pile informed the Artillery.
“Roger, HE with delay,” Song Be came back.
Pile asked, “What’s he mean?”
“He’s telling you that they’re going to shoot high-explosive rounds with a delay fuse so the round will bury itself into the ground before it blows, since you told him troops in bunkers,” Jeffery said.
“Roger Song Be, HE with delay,” Pile confirmed to Artillery.
A minute later, they heard, “Masher One-Five, one-five-five are not available currently. One-seven-five will shoot.”
“Tell him roger,” Jeffery said to Pile.
“Roger, understand one-seven-five support,” Pile responded.
“Evidently the one-five-fives that are within range are tied up supporting a ground unit, so Arty has given the mission to a one-seven-five battery out of Bu Gia Map, which has the range. Unfortunately they don’t have the rate of fire of the one-five-fives, but they do make a bigger bang,” Jeffery added.
“Masher One-Fiver, shot over,” Song Be notified them.
“Song Be, shot out,” Pile answered as a flare ignited at about one thousand feet above the target.
“Masher One-Five, splash.”
“Roger, Song Be, splash.” A single explosion went off in the middle of the valley floor.
“Okay, adjust to the truck,” Jeffery said. “Visualize where the firing battery is at, Bu Gia Map. Visualize the gun target line and the point of impact. Now adjust the round to the target. Forget that bracketing stuff they taught in school. On the ground where you can’t see, it’s necessary. Up here you can see the gun target line, almost see the shooting battery and the target. Bracketing wastes time at this point. Go for the target.” After a slight pause, Jeffery asked, “Got it?”
“Got it,” Pile responded. “Song Be, add five hundred, left five hundred.”
After a short pause, they heard, “Masher One-Five, shot over.” And another flare ignited.
“Roger, Song Be, shot out.”
“Masher One-Five, splash, over.” Before Pile could respond, another explosion erupted, covering the burning truck with dirt and trees.
“Close enough. Have him drop one hundred and fire for effect on the tree line where we first took fire,” Jeffery told Pile.
“Song Be Arty, drop one hundred and fire for effect, over.”
“Roger, drop one hundred and fire for effect.” Thirty seconds passed. “Masher One-Five, shot over.” Another flare ignited the predawn sky.
“Roger, Song Be, shot out.”