Cole didn’t fall asleep so much as he passed out.
He awoke a few hours later in the gray light of dawn. The fire had burned down to coals and he felt cold. His whole body ached and he felt feverish. But the pain felt good in a way because it meant that he was still alive.
With an effort, he managed to get back to his feet.
Covering the first twenty feet that morning took him half an hour. He was that stiff.
“Gonna have to pick up the pace,” he told himself.
It was easier said than done, and mostly he was dragging his hurt leg, but the next twenty feet took considerably less time to cover. He kept going.
By the time he reached the Imjin River, the sun was high overhead. There wasn’t any sign yet of the U.S. forces. He might still have miles to go following the riverbank before he came to any friendly forces — assuming that he didn’t run into the Chinese first. Helpless as he was, they would make short work of him.
Also, he saw that he had a logistical problem. He needed to cross the stream. He was on the eastern shore, which meant that the stream itself blocked him from following the Imjin downriver.
Slowly, Cole waded into the stream. He hated water, having almost drowned as a boy during a trapping mishap. The water was deeper here where the stream emptied into the river, and he took his time, fighting against the tug of the current. If he went under, that would be that. He didn’t have the strength or agility to do anything like swim. He cursed himself for not crossing the stream earlier, where it had been shallow, but he hadn’t always been in his right mind.
When he finally reached the opposite bank, he had to crawl out and rest for a while. When he lifted his head, the sun had traveled some distance and he was shivering. He realized that he must have passed out again.
“Better get moving, you dumb hillbilly,” he urged himself. He doubted that he would survive a second night out here at the mercy of the elements and animals, so he pushed on.
It was just getting dark when he saw the bridge ahead, then trucks and soldiers. To his relief, they were Americans. In fact, this was the same bridge that the tanks under Lieutenant Dunbar had protected during the monsoon flood by blasting debris out of the river.
He tried to call out to the soldiers, but his voice was a croak. He had no choice but to keep hobbling. The sentry on duty at the bridge clearly saw him, but ignored him. Then Cole realized that the man thought the ragged, bloody figure holding himself up with a stick was a Korean peasant.
“Go away, you damn gook,” the soldier said. “No civilians across the bridge. No ticky, no laundry, get it? Now, beat it!”
Cole kept shambling forward, his voice a rusty rasp in his parched throat. “American,” was all that he got out.
“Yeah, I’m American,” the soldier said, annoyed. He took a step toward the figure on the road and raised his rifle butt, intending to teach the peasant a lesson. Then he halted and stared, wide-eyed, as he recognized that the ragged figure wore a torn U.S. uniform and had an American face, though bloodied and bruised.
The sentry hurried to help him, shouting for a medic.
“Holy cow, buddy,” the sentry said, getting an arm around Cole to support him. “What happened to you?”
“I fell,” Cole said.
For Cole, the fighting was over. A medic helped him into a Jeep and rushed him to the aid station. Early the next morning, when there was enough light to fly, choppers arrived to airlift him and other wounded to a MASH Unit. It would be the start of a painful recovery and a long journey from Korea to Japan to the United States, but Caje Cole was finally on his way home.
Thank you for reading Fallen Sniper.
What to read next:
Sniper’s Justice (Caje Cole Book 9)
Pacific Sniper (Pacific Sniper Book 1)
Note to Readers
This novel was inspired by several unconnected events from the Korean War that came together here for the story. In the late stages of the war, the conflict entered the stalemate phase described by historian Max Hastings. Instead of fighting back and forth, the two opposing sides were now facing each other across a wide and fluid front. Communist forces still probed and attacked in an effort to gain as much territory as possible for when the negotiations of a truce finally reached a conclusion. Meanwhile, many fought and died as the “peace talks” dragged on.
Outpost Kelly was one of the places where that fighting took place. The background for the battle comes from Outpost Kelly: A Tanker’s Story, an engaging memoir by Jack R. Siewert. The story of the 65th Infantry Borinqueneers that resulted in actual court-martial charges comes from the fight over a different hill, which has been combined here with events at Outpost Kelly just to streamline things. There’s no doubt that the Borinqueneers faced many obstacles in terms of training, language barriers, and 1950s prejudice.
The last stand at Outpost Alamo draws upon several separate incidents but is itself fictitious. Interestingly enough, there really are many ancient mountain fortressses throughout Korea, which has such a fascinating history. Finally, it’s worth noting that the dogfight against MiGs imagined here was inspired by several accounts. Thank you as always for reading.
— D.H.
Acknowledgments
No book would be possible without a lot of support from friends, family, and readers. In particular, special thanks go out to the home team that includes Joanne, Mary, and Aidan, who put up with my wandering mind. Many thanks go out as well to the reading scouts that include Michael, Dan, and Paul. Also, where would I be without my weekly phone calls with dad to discuss writing progress and Christmas trees?
My interviews for The Big Thrill have been an enjoyable way to connect with other authors and get the word out about their books. Finally, audiobook narrator Scott Bennett and the artistic team at Streetlight Graphics have been so supportive through eight Caje Cole books so far, and hopefully more on the way, if the Good Lord’s willin’ and the creek don’t rise. I owe you all many thanks.
About the Author
David Healey lives in Maryland where he worked as a journalist for more than twenty years. He is a member of the International Thriller Writers and a contributing editor to The Big Thrill magazine. Join the newsletter list at:
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Also by David Healey
GHOST SNIPER
American hunter Caje Cole and German marksman Kurt Von Stenger first encounter one another in the wake of the D-Day invasion, playing a deadly game of cat and mouse across the hedgerow country of Normandy.
IRON SNIPER
When German sniper Dieter Rohde’s older brother is unjustly shot for desertion by the SS, he will stop at nothing to win the Iron Cross medal and redeem his family’s name by targeting as many Allied troops as possible. The German sniper’s efforts bring him into direct confrontation with Caje Cole. As the final pitched battle for France takes place around them at the Falaise Gap, these two snipers declare war on each other.