Balto:Operation Pitchfork

During war, there is no such thing as wolf or dog, only soldier. The men of the 231st airborne knew this better than anyone else. Sergeant Balto, commanding officer of the 231st paced back and fouth inside the command tent. His best men sat at the table behind him, among them were, Corperal Steele, Private First Class Boris, and his own son Kodi. There was a map laying on the table, it had the battle plan drawn on it. "Okay, the drop is here, after we touch down we're going to high tail it across the field, unfortunatlly, MGs are gonna be battering us the whole way there. So we need to have Rickson stationed here with the sniper, that way when the MGs first start shooting, he can take em down one by one." Balto explained.

"And how do we take out the tanks?" Steele asked.

"We have three different pathways, Steele, you'll take Jazz and his bazooka crew across the left, they shouldn't be expecting you, but be aware nonetheless, Boris, you take Kodi and the LMG team up the right, they're going to be expecting you there, so be ready for that, and I'll go straight up the middle with the assault squad, there's plenty of cover to use against the tanks, so this should be an easy in and out, the hardest part will be the drop." Balto answered.

"Why will that be exactly?" Boris asked.

"Because that's the only time that the MGs can get a shot on us, it's a high risk, but it's the only road into Berlin." Balto stated. "Find your squads and brief them on the mission, as of now, Operation Pitchfork is in effect. Dismissed."

Three drop planes were waiting at the strip, engines running and ready for the men to board.

Before they boarded, Balto adressed the group. "Alright, this is what you've been training for, this is the beginning of the end of World War Two. I know that its most of you're first time going into battle, and I can't say anything except for, good luck."

And with those few words the men boarded the planes, and they took off as they headed down the strip. There were five men in each plane, all of them, including Balto were tense as they flew towards the drop zone. As they approached the drop zone, Balto yelled to his squad. "Alright get ready! Now.... go go go go!" After the fourth man, he jumped out as well, freefalling towards the earth. He ripped the deployment chord, and his parachute opened, as they all drifted down towards earth, the MG fire rained up towards them from the farm house, there were four emplacements, and they were all unloading on the paratroopers. He watched as Steeles' and Boris' teams deployed their parachutes. Suddenly one of the empacements stopped firing, then a second, a third, and then the final one stopped firing,Rickosn had got them. All three of the teams touched down in their correct spots. "Status report!" Balto yelled.

"No one injured sir." One of his squad members responded. There was a loud BANG, as one of the planes they dropped from was shot down, in a split second more, all three planes plummited towards the earth as flaming wreakages.

"Shit, German birds." Balto told his squad. Rickson jogged up to them.

"Did you expect this sir?" Rickson asked.

"No, I didn't think they would've had fighters flying around." Balto replied. Just then Baltos radio crackled.

"Balto, did you see that, we've got flying Jerries!" Steele said through the radio.

"Roger that Steele, this ads a twist to the operation, be careful." Balto replied.

Boris, Kodi, and the LMG team moved along the right side of the field. They could see the German soldiers about 200 yards out. "Set up the guns here." Boris ordered. The two soldiers set the captured MGs up. "Ready." They both said simultaniusly.

"Fire!" Boris yelled. The two MGs spat out rounds at the men. Dirt flew up as the German soldiers fell like bowling pins. Balto heard the MGs, but didn't look.

"Alright men, move." Balto ordered. His squad and Rickson moved up the center.

"Shit tanks!" One of the others yelled as the two tanks drove out of each side of the farmhouse. the one the drove out of the left suddenly exploded as the bazooka team fired the rockets at it. The one on the right was being pelted with MG rounds, but they were of no effect. The tank fired a round at Boris and his squad. Dirt flew up everywhere as the shell impacted the ground. It fell short of the team, but the shock blew them back.

"Fall back!" Boris yelled. The LMG team ran towards the treeline. The tank then turned its attention towards Balto and the assault squad. BANG! Another shot from the tank, and this one didn't fall short. Balto and his team were thrown everywhere. "No!" Kodi shouted.

"Fire!" Steele yelled to Jazz as the rocket hit the tank at cast it into a buring wreakage. Kodi yelled out his fathers name as he ran into the open to check the blast zone.

"Dad, where are you?" Kodi yelled

"I'm right here Kodi."Balto responded. Kodi turned to find his father lying in the dirt, blood was trickling down from his forehead, and out of his mouth.

"Dad, I'm gonna get you out of here, it's gonna be okay." Kodi reassured his dad.

"Kodi, I want you to tell your mother what happened. You know how before you left, you got into a fight with Dusty,well, I want you to go home and apologize to her, she's a good girl, and you shouldn't let her go. That is all I ask.

"No dad, you can't go." Kodi sobbed.

"All people die Kodi, and my time is now. Don't worry, take care of Jenna and Dusty." Balto choked out.

"Dad." Kodi was starting to cry.

"I love..." Baltos head dropped into the dirt, and everything went black. The squad still had to get out of there, and the German fighters were closing in fast.

"The planes are headed this way!" Boris shouted.

"We have to leave Kodi." Steele yelled.

"No. I'm not leaving him." Kodi ordered as he hefted Baltos body onto his back, and ran towards the hills.

"Help!" Rickson yelled. Kodi turned around.

"Steele, Rickson needs help!" Kodi shouted.

Steele spun around, ran over to Rickson and lifted him up. The ground suddenly was being pounded by artillary and machine gun fire as the planes closed in on them. In a hopeless attempt, Jazz fired a rocket at one of the four planes, and there was a loud thud as the plane burst into flames and collided with the barn.

"Haha, hell yeah!" Jazz shouted to the others.

The three other planes were suddenly peppered with MG fire and they too fell and collided with the dirt in the field. The artillary fire however, kept coming. Suddely there were six grey blurs that flew over the soldiers and towards the mountains.

"American mustangs!" Boris shouted.

There were three distant thuds, and the artillary stopped. The whole squad began celebrating in victory. Steele was jumping for joy when he noticed Kodi kneeling over his fathers body. Steele walked over.

"Kodi, you gonna be okay?" Steele asked.

"I don't know." Kodi replied.

"He was a good man Kodi, I knew that more than most people." Steele said further. The whole squad suddenly fell silent as they all slowly walked over to Baltos body. Boris removed his hat, as did the rest of the squad.

"Balto." He said silently.

Epilogue

There was a blinding flash of light as Balto woke up in a hospital, his eyes only slightly open. He could see people stading over him. His vision started to clear, and he could make out Kodi, Steele, Boris, Dusty,Rickson, and Jenna. His eyes suddenly popped open. "What the!" He yelled. Everyone was jolted by the sudden outburst of the 'dead' Balto.

"Balto!" Jenna yelled as she tightly embraced him.

"Am I dead?" He asked. Jenna let go of him.

"Are you dead? No, apparently not." Jenna yelled with joy.

"Dad!" Kodi hugged his dad. "You scared me shitless."

"I thought that I was dead. I felt myself dying." He said. He looked towards Dusty.

"He took your advice." She said as she walked up and kissed Balto on the cheek. He then looked towards Steele, who was standing next to Boris.

"As soon as I heard that you were down, I radioed in and yelled at them to send evac." Steele explained

"I am just glad you are alive!" Boris shouted. Balto looked at Rickson, who was in crutches, and was missing a leg.

"Didn't think that I'd just leave would I?" Rickson asked.

"I don't know." Balto said. "Thank God I'm back."

More stories about WWII are soon to come, this is reall far from the end.