The Old Breed
Assault Into Hell
In chapter four, Assault into Hell, Sledge details the initial assault on Peleliu. H Hour is 0800; numerous 16" and 8" naval guns open fire from the band of warships brought along for the attack on Peleliu, along with smaller naval guns, airplanes, to pulverize the landing zone. Sledge watches in fascination while nearly collapsing with fear. The bombardment lifts moments before the amtracs hit the beach. Sledge and the other marines jump over the side of the amtrac and rush inland, finally putting into practice all of that training they had been through in order to move as quickly and efficiently off the beach. The Japanese fire they receive upon arrival is intense and effective, leaving behind a frightening path of destruction, slowly wreaking havoc as they assaulted the shore. Moments later on the shore Sledge watches a marine DUKW explode from a direct hit and notes how the sea lit up with Geysers prickling across the ocean surface as enemy mortar fire peppers the waves in hopes of sinking more of the assaulting vehicles emerging from the surf in droves. Sledge than briefly alludes to what amounts to a splintering of the mental state as another veteran calmly stands as motor fire falls all around him, proclaiming, “Calm down sledge, they’re not even close. They’re grazing the leaves “despite the fact that the nearest vegetation was 800 yards away from them. This dissociation from reality was but the first of the many results from the battle to come. After fighting hard into the advance a momentary lull in the fighting allows for a slow breath to be taken. Amidst this lull a group of veteran’s come up to Sledge as he stands near a fallen Japanese corpsman who was apparently administering aid to some of the Japanese soldiers that were littered around him, as indicated by his medical box being open and all the neat bandages ready to be grabbed from their neat little compartments, when the blast from a mortar ended his life before his mission
In chapter four, Assault into Hell, Sledge details the initial assault on Peleliu. H Hour is 0800; numerous 16" and 8" naval guns open fire from the band of warships brought along for the attack on Peleliu, along with smaller naval guns, airplanes, to pulverize the landing zone. Sledge watches in fascination while nearly collapsing with fear. The bombardment lifts moments before the amtracs hit the beach. Sledge and the other marines jump over the side of the amtrac and rush inland, finally putting into practice all of that training they had been through in order to move as quickly and efficiently off the beach. The Japanese fire they receive upon arrival is intense and effective, leaving behind a frightening path of destruction, slowly wreaking havoc as they assaulted the shore. Moments later on the shore Sledge watches a marine DUKW explode from a direct hit and notes how the sea lit up with Geysers prickling across the ocean surface as enemy mortar fire peppers the waves in hopes of sinking more of the assaulting vehicles emerging from the surf in droves. Sledge than briefly alludes to what amounts to a splintering of the mental state as another veteran calmly stands as motor fire falls all around him, proclaiming, “Calm down sledge, they’re not even close. They’re grazing the leaves “despite the fact that the nearest vegetation was 800 yards away from them. This dissociation from reality was but the first of the many results from the battle to come. After fighting hard into the advance a momentary lull in the fighting allows for a slow breath to be taken. Amidst this lull a group of veteran’s come up to Sledge as he stands near a fallen Japanese corpsman who was apparently administering aid to some of the Japanese soldiers that were littered around him, as indicated by his medical box being open and all the neat bandages ready to be grabbed from their neat little compartments, when the blast from a mortar ended his life before his mission