The Great Raid Page #6

I'll deal with them.

Arrest anyone you find!

Go around back.

Agh!

OK, run. Run.

Don't look back.

No need to go in the church.

There's no one in there.

There's no one in the church.

Gents, here it is. At 1700 hours,

our combined forces will leave Platero.

We'll split up here

at the Pampanga River.

Captain Pajota, you'll continue to the Cabu

bridge, where you'll set up a roadblock.

Captain Joson,

do the same on the highway

in case the Japs send reinforcements

from Cabanatuan City.

Your objective is to seal off

the area of operation during the raid.

Any Japanese reinforcements

get through you, they get to us.

We'll need as much darkness as we can

to get the POWs out of the camp,

so we'll have to begin our approach

during daylight and risk detection.

We break the tree line, Lieutenant Riley's

platoon will head to the east of the camp.

Sir.

The rest of us will advance

at a low crawl for the main gate.

How much cover, Captain?

There's cover

up to 200 yards from the camp.

After that, we're totally exposed until we

reach a ditch 30 yards from the front gate.

This is the camp.

This is the main service road,

POW barracks - all enemy occupied.

Suspected tank shed, main gate.

This is the ditch we're trying to reach.

Until we get there

we're completely exposed,

so we may need to create some

diversionary action in this wooded area.

Sir, how about a plane? Could you have

one of your planes fly over the camp?

Not without breaking radio silence.

It's not a bad idea, Bob.

Might be worth the risk.

Good. As we make our approach,

Lieutenant Riley's men

will make their way along this ditch,

leaving men at 20-yard intervals

to engage and reduce the enemy.

Lieutenant Riley, soon as you're

in position here, the southeast corner,

- your first shot will kick off the action.

- Understood.

Good. Meanwhile, the rest of us

will be in position here.

Soon as we get the signal,

Lieutenant Foley's second squad

will take out the guard tower

and sentry shack,

and cover first squad,

who will open the main gate.

Soon as first squad is inside,

they'll flank right,

lay down suppressing fire

on the enemy officer area,

and cover the guys heading

toward the tank shed.

I want Corporal Aldrige

and his loader to run the 200 yards.

I want a backup team in case they don't

make it. Tanks get loose, we're in trouble.

- Yes, sir.

- Extraction's next.

Lieutenant O'Grady, second platoon will

make their way through the main gate

and force entry into the POW area.

First squad will spread

along the south fence

and lay down suppressing fire

to the enemy rear.

Make sure the POW barracks are protected

from enemy fire in all directions.

Once that's achieved,

Lieutenant O'Grady's second squad

will round up the POWs

and lead them to the front gate,

where Dr. Fisher and the medics

will be waiting.

Our aim is to make it

to the Pampanga River,

where carabao carts

will be waiting to escort the prisoners.

As soon as I'm satisfied

we've left no one behind,

I'll fire a red star cluster

to signal the raid's over.

Any questions?

Yes, sir.

Who's the last man out?

That'll be me.

You'll cover me at the front gate.

- Yes, sir.

- Anything else?

Brief your people,

get 'em ready to go.

We leave in two hours.

You OK, Top?

Yeah, I'm all right.

I want a word about Lieutenant Riley.

He's got a tough assignment.

What's that?

Why?

Nothing. Just curious.

250 Japs at that camp.

Another thousand at the river.

10,000 more nearby.

Only 120 of us.

I figure we're gonna need

a little miracle.

Go ahead, take it.

I got plenty to spare.

What do I gotta do, kiss it?

The time is now 1715.

And...

mark.

Plane'll buzz the camp at 1800.

Lieutenant Riley

fires his first shot at 1930.

Captain Pajota

blows the bridge at 1945.

God willing, we'll be out of there by 2100.

Any questions?

Let's all try to get back in one piece.

Good luck, gentlemen.

- Top, go with Lieutenant Riley.

- Yes, sir.

Good luck.

- What have you got, Daly?

- We're breaking cover, sir.

Captain, Prince saw

you could use an extra man.

Stick with me

till we get the fence line.

Where the hell

are those goddamn flyboys?

It's one of ours, sir.

Get them back to their

positions. Tighten security.

Guards, back to your positions!

CABANATUAN ROAD:

I'll be back in the morning, sir.

Just in case... I'm not here.

You'll give it to her yourself, sir.

Sir...

it's time.

First Sergeant,

if I'm going to be the

one to start this thing,

I wanna be sure

everyone's in position.

I'll check it out.

Come on, Lieutenant Riley.

What the hell is Riley doing, sir?

Lieutenant wants to make sure

you're in position.

We have been for the last ten minutes.

I'll tell him.

The guerillas are edgy. They're afraid the

bridge will blow before the raid begins.

Dammit.

We're in position, sir.

Sir...

it's your shot.

Fire!

The Japs are shooting us.

They'll kill us all.

Go! Go!

Aldrige, Lucas, go, go!

Shoot the damn lock!

Fire.

Up!

- Let's go, Two!

- You heard him! Move, move!

Run, run!

Go! Let's move, move!

Go!

We're good. We're go.

Take your squad to the left.

Push 'em out of here!

Lay some fire!

Go, go, go!

Go, go!

Cover fire!

Jammed! Riley!

Come on!

It's all right! We're Americans!

We're gonna get you out of here.

Those who can walk,

head for the main gate.

Those who can't, wait.

We'll come back for you.

Tank!

Come on!

Come on, Lucas!

- Shift fire left!

- Shift fire left!

- Cover me!

- Covering!

Covering fire!

Covering!

Son of a b*tch!

Riley, get your men in!

Hey!

It's OK. I'm an American.

We're here to take you home.

Don't be afraid. We're not gonna hurt you.

We're here to help you.

You're going home. Understand?

You're going home.

I-I can't leave him.

We won't leave him.

I'll take him myself, all right?

I need you to go out there and tell my men

there's people here need to be carried.

Can you do that?

All right, let's go. Let's go.

I got you.

No, no.

Here you go.

Wait. Soldier,

there's sick men back there.

Pajota's holding so far, but they're trying

to flank him 100 yards down the river.

Better take a look. Japanese get across

that river, we'll never get these men out.

Keep moving. Let's go.

- Get in there and help 'em out.

- Sir.

Everyone who can move,

get on your feet.

Hold your fire.

Miller, gimme the flare gun.

Wait till I light 'em up.

Withdraw! Withdraw!

Let's fall back!

Get 'em the hell outta here!

Let's go! Move!

Does the mortar work?

- It's damaged, sir, but still working.

- Target the main gate.

Let's go, let's go!

Move!

Head to the gate.

Head to the gate.

Dr. Fisher, sir, stay back.

It's not safe yet.

All right, I'll be on

the other side of the road.

Here, let me give you a hand.

Pull back!

Pull back!

Daly, pull back!

Fox Two, back to the rally point!

Let's go! Move!

Keep going!

Mortar! Get down! Down!

Lay some fire

on that son of a b*tch!

- Aliteri, Gutierrez, take this man.

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