Free The Far Reaches by Homer Hickam

“but when he loses his officers, he tends to get confused, even fold. It’s a weakness.”
    Shoup grinned, then said, “Well, look there now! Ain’t that a welcome sight!”
    Shoup was referring to a typical gaudy Pacific morning that was busily being produced on the eastern horizon, a huge scarlet orb bobbing up from the sea, all the while tossing out yellowish-red streaks of the purest light anyone could imagine. Josh studied the reef in the morning light and saw that it was now submerged, the tide well in. “We should have invaded today. Man figures and studies, but God don’t have to,” he said and shook his head.
    There came from inland a frightful big bang, and Shoup’s radio soon crackled. He listened to whoever was on the other end and said, “Well, knock it out. Who’ve you got there to do it?” He looked around. “I need a runner to carry a radio and some batteries to Red Beach Three.” Shoup’s eyes lit on Ready. “Bosun, how about it? Could you put on some boots and make a run for me?”
    â€œI guess so, Colonel,” Ready answered and took the radio and a pouch of batteries from a radioman. Another marine handed him some boots. There was no shortage of them.
    â€œHold on, Bosun,” Josh said. “Your mama’s probably not ever going to forgive me for bringing you out here, but if I get you killed for a radio and some batteries, I’d never be able to go back to Killakeet. I’ll go with you.”
    â€œBut you’re shot all to hell!” Ready protested.
    â€œJust little holes,” Josh said, though when he smacked his hand against the patch on his ribs to show how healthy he was, he nearly passed out from the pain. But he was a big man, and strong despite the loss of blood, and it wasn’t long before he and Ready were heading down the beach toward Red Beach Three, a radio on Ready’s back, a bag of batteries over Josh’s shoulder.
    Since the Japanese were no longer keeping up a steady fire, Josh andReady made good progress, although the stink of the corpses on the beach was nearly enough to knock them down. “So many men,” Josh said.
    â€œAmericans will never forget this place!” Ready cried in a burst of misplaced patriotism.
    â€œYes, they will,” Josh answered while feeling the hot sun burning against his cheek. It was going to be another scorcher. “Most folks will forget it by next month or the next island, whichever comes first. Oh, the families of the dead boys will recall for a while, but this spit of sand’s too far away for Americans to bother with for long. Anyways, worse battles are yet to come.”
    Although he was always inclined to defer to his captain, Ready chose to argue. “There can’t be any worse battles than this one, Skipper! The people won’t stand for it!”
    â€œOh, they’ll stand for it because they don’t have much choice. You see, Ready, we’re in the show now, us and Jap, and only one of us is going to be on our feet after it’s all over. A lot of men will have to die or wish they were dead before it’s done.” Josh went on a few more steps. “But I hope you’re right about there being no worse battles than this one.”
    A sudden storm of bullets flew in front of their faces, and Josh and Ready hit the sand, then looked out to sea when they heard the growl of engines. A line of Higgins boats was pushing straight at them, aiming for an opening between the dozens of empty boats still hung on the reef. Though the reef was underwater, it still snagged the boats, and seconds later, three of the landing craft were burning, one had sunk, and the rest were being pounded by big, unseen shore guns. Marines climbed out of the boats onto the reef, where they stood in waist-deep water, holding their rifles over their heads. “Get ashore!” Josh yelled, but snipers picked them off, and fresh