Location: 10km East of Ladek Starey
Time: 0615 20 July 2000
<The convoy moves out with due haste, led by the Mk19 humvee (SSG Martinez driver, CPT Cappanetti gunner), the
captured Duece (SGM Martinez driver), Big Bertha (SSG Cutter driver) and followed by the M60 Humvee (CPT Wolfe
driver, SGM Brantley gunner).>
CPT Cappanetti glances ahead, and sees a hardball road. A quick glance at his map identifies it as Highway 43.
A call comes over the radio "Rattler 1 this is Cobra 2. I have a stowaway. Claims he's Sargeant Major in the
green beanies. Says he's got a wounded EPW (enemy prisoner of war) with him. Your call, over"
SGM Stewart tells SGM Martinez hey I'm going to keep a eye out the back of the truck so if ya here any shooting
put your foot in the carb of this gas hog. And just so as you wont be too surprised I have a pow with me that I
shot back there , but don't sweat him he's hog tied." SGM Stewart then holsters his .45 and rolls the canvas
back, so that SGM Martinez can see him. SGM Stewart then watches out the back of duece with his M16 at the ready.
Not wanting to be caught by the trailing infantry, CPT Cappanetti gives the command to take the road by force.
After a few brief minutes of tension, the convoy clears the highway with no problem. Reaching a spot in the forest
about a klick southeast of village CPT Cappanetti calls for a halt.
Location: The village of Ladek Stary
Time: 0605 20 July 2000
<CPT Lee watches as the vehicles slow to a creep, with the UAZ-469 about 150 meters out and the BTR 250 meters
out... He sees antennas protruding from vehicles, as well as a red star on the front of the BTR.>
"Geez, they are close. You recognize these guys, Josef? Red star probably means government troops." Lee
then looks for a covered position. He works the bolt of the Mauser, then begins chambering rounds. He then yells
over to Josef. "Get some molotov cocktails ready, some glass bottles, a rag and some flammable liquid. And
get them quick." Lee then sets his sights on one of the crewmembers of the UAZ. "Get the PK gunners to
fire a few warning shots at the UAZ, I don't think you have anything that can penetrate the armor on that BTR.
Maybe we can persuade them that this village isnt for the taking. If they don't pull back open up with everything
you got. Be ready to fall back if Ikeman can't knock out the BTR. If that tin can comes into the village he's gonna
have a hellauva time in the streets."
Lee then motions to Josef to get the PK gunners to fire at the UAZ. He mumbles to himself "Come on Army puke
get that BTR."
SFC Ikeman stays covered and concealed as he waits for the vehicle to get closer. He thinks to himself "max
range is 300m on the 203, need to make this one count." He starts to adjust the quadrant sight and picks an
aiming point at the engine compartment toward the rear of the vehicle.
Just as Ikeman is about to take aim, Josef orders the PK machinegun to open fire. The PK gunners tear up the ground
in front of the UAZ. The BTR-80 lurches to a halt and troops pile out of the BTR and dive for cover. The turret
on the BTR begins traversing, looking for the machinegun. The driver of the UAZ throws it into reverse and backs
up looking for cover.
"Damnit" mutters Ikeman as he lets loose with the 203...the round slams into the passanger compartment,
just forward of the engine. The turret traverses towards Ikeman's location, looking for a target...
The militiamen open fire (from left to right) upon the enemy. The miltiamen open fire, scoring several hits. CPT
Lee takes aim, and fires at the UAZ gunner, flipping him backwards as the round enters the gunner's head. (3 enemy
hit). The enemy returns fire, coming close, but hitting no one.
Ikeman reloads, while everyone around him opens fire...striking 2 more enemy soldiers. The return fire is beginning
to become more accurate, cutting down a man near the machinegun nest. The BTR opens fire, hitting the machinegun
crew, shredding the gunner. CPT Lee picks another target, and fires, making the soldier wish he was even lower
to the ground than he already was.
Ikeman takes aim again, and lets loose at the BTR...this time the round drops just forward of the front of the
BTR. The militiamen hit another enemy, making it 6 dead or wounded. The return fire costs the village another defender.
The enemy begins to pull back, dragging their dead and wounded with them. The BTR and the UAZ continue to fire,
covering the retreat of the infantry, inflicting another casualty upon the defenders.
Josef issues a quick command, then explains to CPT Lee that he told his troops to ceasefire, the range is too great
to hit with accuracy.
The enemy has fallen back several hundred meters, and seems to be preparing to vacate the area. The defenders in
the barn report that the enemy has left the vicinity.
Josef calls for a quick head count, and though the village gave better than it got, the toll was still heavy...3
dead. Josef then tells everyone to stand-to until 0800, then to double the guard after that.
SFC Ikeman comes back in, meets up with CPT Lee, and discusses the battle.
Location: 5 km south of Ladek Starey
Time: 0620 20 July 2000
<Tomorrow we'll head north to that town. Grab what info we can and head out to the west. Let's get what rest
we can and move out at dawn. Then getting up the CPT sets up four grenades in some of the blind spots of the clamores.
"Don't forget these are out here Kartz. We can grab them when we leave.">
Cpt Whitedog sits down but keeps his weapons next to him, and says "we will need our
rest so get someplace out of sight and rest."
Kartz makes himself aware of the grenades, rolls out his sleeping gear, and offers to take first watch. "I
figure two hours on, two hours off and we should be allright, Capt. Get some
shut eye and ill get you up at the appointed hour."
CPT Whitedog rolls out his sleeping gear and falls asleep quickly, even though it's just after dawn.
Location: Just West of Highway 43, 12 km Southeast of Ladek Starey
Time: 0815 20 July 2000
<MAJ Gunn quickly steps behind a tree and crouches, watching to the north. He quickly checks his map, and realizes
that they are closer to Highway 43 than he thought. Through the brush he sees a BRDM-2 and a half dozen trucks
of various sizes moving south, followed by two UAZ-469s. He glances over to MAJ Pickett, then begins to slither
back from his position.>
MAJ Pickett hits the ground, and watches the convoy travel down the highway with his naked eye, not wanting the
reflection off his binos to give him away. MAJ Pickett decides he'll swap his ball cap for his helmet now and put
his cap in his butt pouch with his doctors kit, since we essentially found the war. He then reminds himself where
his grenades are.
MAJ Gunn watches the convoy pass into distance, then moves over to MAJ Pickett. "About how far are we from
your wreck? Since a convoy just went through, we should cross the highway now."