An American Soldier's report

The Report

One evening the tropic sun took its sudden plummet into blackness just as 15 soldiers staggered into the company lines. Among them they carried five bodies, wrapped in blood- stained shelter halves. The lieutenant in charge of the ragged platoon made his report to the captain.

That morning, he had taken 20 men on a reconnaissance patrol a mile in front of the lines. He had led his men along an old, seemingly deserted Japanese trail, overgrown with vines and bushes. After a futile search for signs of enemy activity, he turned back at 4 o'clock, intending to be in his own company area before dusk.

As they trudged along the gloomy trail, the Japanese machine gun opened up suddenly and killed two men before the platoon could flatten into cover. The gun was fiendishly placed on high ground, commanding the entire area. There was no way around it; to rush it meant sudden death.

The lieutenant attempted a mass maneuver with his remaining 18 men, and two more died.

The situation was critical. If they could not break out of the trap before nightfall, the Japanese would move in. With the machine gun cutting off the only possible avenue of escape, the enemy was in no hurry..... 

What went on behind Young's spectacles and between his rather deaf ears no one knows. What is known is that he began to inch forward, cradling his rifle in his arms, past the lieutenant and toward the machine-gun nest...

The lieutenant saw him slither by, and tried to grab his leg. But Young was in a hurry and evaded his superior's grasp. Furthermore, the Japanese saw the rustle of grass and loosed a burst that singed the lieutenant's hand and tore his collar.

''Come back here! '' the lieutenant screamed at Young. ''It's suicide. Come back-- that's an order! ''

Young hesitated a moment, then twisted his head around and grinned at the lieutenant. '' I'm sorry, sir, '' he said, ''...but you know I don't hear very well.''

He turned then, and continued to snake his way toward the Japanese emplacement. They saw him coming, of course. A stuttering burst cracked into Young's left arm and splintered the stock of his rifle.

Young let the useless weapon drop. Still, he pressed forward. His buddies fired blindly at the emplacement, trying to divert the spitting stream of death. It didn't work.

Another burst of fire sewed a scarlet seam down Young's left leg, from thigh to ankle. But he kept going, and finally reached a shallow hole about five yards from the machine gun. It was deep enough to afford him rather tenuous safety as the Japanese apparently couldn't depress the muzzle of their gun far enough to get a clean shot at him.

''For God's sake, Young, '' the lieutenant shouted, '' stay where you are! We'll get you out somehow.''

Maybe that time Private Young really didn't hear. He might have been dying at that moment. In any case, he wasn't in the mood for playing possum...

Painfully, he reached into his belt with his good right hand for a grenade. He pulled the pin with his teeth. Then, rearing up and back-- up out of his position of relative safety-- he lobbed the grenade toward the machine gun...

The gun answered with a blast that caught him full in the face. Rodger Young died as the grenade left his hand. Still, well thrown, it lit in the center of the machine-gun crew -- and killed every one of the five Japanese manning the weapon.... the 15 survivors were on their interrupted way back to Company D. 

Silently they carried their five dead. Rodger Young didn't need to worry any more about being responsible for the lives of his buddies...

"Greater love has no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends..." John 15:3

Still greater love is this...

"For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:7, 8

This love is directed toward those who are, by nature, enemies of God. That includes me and you, dear reader.  God's invitation of love is unlimited and inclusive of all mankind, but the application of His love is exclusive of only to whomsoever will come to Him.

Have you come to Him?

Keep looking for another post to complete this compelling story.

Steve McMurray