No Name Key, (Part 8, Excerpt 17)
In this part, Our two main characters, Manuel and Hector have arrived at their basic training camp in Guatemala. Actually they missed basic training being the last group to arrive. They and three others are to be trained as two heavy weapons teams. Their group leader and trainer, Sergeant Jimenez is briefing them.
“We have two primary weapons: the bazooka and the 57 millimeter Recoilless Rifle. Each is a two-man operation, a weapons man and combination amo carrier-loader. John and Sam, Bazooka, Manuel,
Hector, 57 millimeter. Corporal Enrique will be in charge. You will learn how to disassemble your weapons and put them back together, even in the dark! Today I will show you how to disassemble, clean and transport. You will practice this over and over and over, until you know it by heart! Tomorrow we will go to the range,* learn how to fire, and then fire and hit a target.”
“We will be using high explosive armor piercing ammo. Each loader will carry at least six rounds, and Endrique three of each. When you’re in the field, make sure that resupply always keeps up with you.”
The next day it was full packs, K-rations, full load of ammo and a two-mile march up a steep narrow single-lane dirt road to the range. They hung red flags* at both ends of the range and at the entrance to the road leading in. Sergeant Jimenez and an Anglo guy dressed in the usual khaki pants, tan dress shirt, and dark glasses were already at the range. They could see a jeep parked near by.
“OK men, pay careful attention. It’s important, life or death! Our life may depend upon your performance today, and your life when you are in Cuba. Both of these weapons load from the rear. The Bazooka is an anti-tank 3.5 inch rocket launcher. It has two wires on the round. This round is a rocket. It will accelerate as it heads to the target. The wires attach to the weapon like this. See two easy-on clips. Red to red and black to black. Then, for Heaven’s sake, do not stand in back of it! Stand off to the side. The back blast will hurt you bad,” Sergeant Jimenez instructed.
“Manuel, let’s set up the .57 on its stand. It fires a modified high explosive artillery shell at reduced velocity. It is breach-loaded, that means from the rear. The tube is designed to allow some of the propellant gasses to escape out of the rear of the weapon. That is why it is called ‘Recoilless’ Rifle.”
“Men, step off to the sides. John and Manuel, load, flip off the safety, aim down the barrel, and fire down range as you are ready.”
Pow!...Swish! Bam!...Fooo...sh! Two tremendous explosions shook the ground down range.
This drill continued. Day after day. Hike in, load, fire, tear down, clean, and reassemble. Each time when they arrived at the range there was Sergeant Jimenez and one or two Anglo civilians in khaki pants, tan short-sleeved shirt and wearing dark sunglasses. These guys, together with Sergeant Jimenez, showed them how to set up defensive positions along the roads.
“Who are these guys?” Hector asked Enrique.
“Either American CIA or Green Beret.”
“Hey Enrique! How many guys on this base? By the number of barracks, it looks like a lot!” Manuel questioned.
“I’m guessing at least 1000. But as soon as they complete their weapons training, they move them down to the coastal plains. Paratroops have trained at another location with the C-46’s and the tankers at Fort Knox, Kentucky.”
“How do you know all this, Endrique?” Hector asked.
Oh, you know, I get around.”
Every day as they neared the base, they would double time with a paratroop shuffle* and sing out as they came into the camp;
Left...Left...Left-right, Le...ft...
We are going to Ha...va...na, Honey...
We are going to Ha...va...na, Babe...
We are going to Ha...va...na...
To kick Cast...troo...o...oa...
O...O...Honey…Oh...Ba...a...bee...Mine...
Go to your Left...Your Right...Your Left...
Next, they would secure their weapons, go to the mess hall, eat, clean up, and crash in their bunks.
Then it happened, a couple of weeks after they arrived. Sergeant Jimenez came through the barracks door after supper.
“OK, men, this is it. When you get up tomorrow morning, pack it up. We’re moving out. You won’t see this place again, unless you come back as a tourist!”
It was April 10th. They filed outside the barrack’s with all of their equipment, including side-arms, rifles, heavy weapons, and ammo in carriers. There was some hustle and bustle about the base, but there were surprisingly few troops. A big army truck pulled up. Sergeant Jimenez came out of the barracks.
“All right men, load up. We’re going back down to the airfield you came in at. Then we’re off to Trampoline, the jumping off place. The 2506 is on the move!”
They bounced down the mountain to the base, pulled through a guarded gate and up onto the flight line. Sergeant Jimenez got out, ran into the office and came right back out.
“OK men, get over to that C-54, the one with its engines idling. It’s waiting for us, and it’s ready to go!”
They got on the plane, stowed their gear and buckled up. The plane taxied out to the end of the runway, did a 180, revved its engines and headed down the runway in a rush of speed, propellers screaming.
Manuel looked around. There was a lot of gear in the rear and another fifteen or so fatigued-clothed men. These guys had already pulled the black tape from the windows. They all settled in and in different positions, either sleeping or starring off into space, lost to reality, each fighting his own fears.
They were awakened to reality when the plane began to bank and lose altitude. Enrique, was looking out his window, and said, “It’s Puerto Cabezas! I saw the long pier going out into the Gulf.”
The plane touched down, the tires squealed, the pilot reversed the air flow, the plane slowed and then taxied over to the tower.
“Pile out men!” Sergeant Jimenez roared, “Don’t leave anything! Form up on the tarmac. I’ll be right back.”
He bounced out of the plane, went over to the administration building, and came right out just as the men got into formation.
“That truck will take us right out to the docks. We’re loading just as soon as we get there and find Brigade 6.”
They first saw it from the army truck. A rusty, dirty old cargo ship, the Rio Escondido.
Sergeant Jimenez proclaimed, “This is it men. It doesn’t look like we’ll be having any room service. I just talked to the Brigade commander. We’re leaving early. This ship can only travel max six knots. The rest will rendezvous with us.”
“Tell you what, men. Grab these four empty fifty-five gallon drums, and get them on the back of this cruise ship. I’ll be right back with some rope. Stow your gear, and talk it up with the rest of the Brigade 6’s men. See what’s happening.”
Enrique came back discouraged. “They scrapped the Trinidad plan.”
“What was that?” Hector asked.
“It was the original plan. We were going in to the city of Trinidad next to the mountains. If the invasion failed we could run into the mountains and join up with other rebels. Instead we’re going into a swamp. Called the Bay of Pigs. No way out! Well, ours is not the reason why. Only do or die!” he said.
“How did you find this out?” Hector asked.
“Well, I told you, I get around. One of the 6th guys overheard some brass talking.”
From the Author: My second full-length book, Florida Keys’ Watercolor Kapers is composed of 336 pages. There are 12 stories running from 6 pages to as many as 72 pages. It is fully illustrated with 88 watercolors and sketches. The watercolors I made roaming around Key West after I finished my 750 mile hike from Georgia to Key West. (See book or Don Browne’s SouthWest Florida News records, A Walk Across Florida.) As you read these stories you will experience Key West, the Keys, and the Caribbean. These stories span the time of the early 1800’s to 1969. bkranich.wixsite.com/bobkranich
