The only regret Brannigan had was that with only fourteen men, he would be unable to organize a baited trap ambush. If they were a stronger force, the SEALs could use the original ambush as bait to draw in enemy relief forces. These would be hit by one or more harassing ambushes as they rushed to aid their pinned down buddies. The harassing elements did not have to destroy the targets, only delay and disorganize them while inflicting casualties. The tactical situation that developed would dictate the method for breaking contact and melting back into the countryside. But with a little more than a dozen men, this was not going to be feasible.
Brannigan came to the conclusion that in the future if the SEALs were going to be participating in longer in-country missions, the platoons were going to have to be reorganized and beefed up. This would be something to put in his after action report.
.
0845 HOURS LOCAL
WI LD Bill Brannigan kept his thoughts to himself until they reached a perfect site to lay an effective ambush. When he perceived the possibilities of the location, he viewed the area with a ferocious happiness. The ravine narrowed and deepened slightly, with excellent areas of cover and concealment along the top. During a potential ambush, if the victims decided the best course was to charge through the incoming fire, they would be slowed when they tried to crowd themselves through the confined space at the end.
Brannigan spoke into the LASH. "Let's hold it up. Point men report to me."
The SEALs went into a defensive posture, covering all sides as Mike Assad and Dave Leibowitz came back from the point and trotted down to where the skipper waited for them.
"Hey, guys," Brannigan said: "I've got a short recon for you. I need to have the top of this ravine around the immediate area checked out. See what's up there. Cover and concealment is what I'm interested in."
"Aye, sir," Dave replied.
Brannigan and Frank Gomez boosted them up so they could climb out of the deep gulley. While the Odd Couple was gone, the Skipper decided to take the opportunity to have a stroll down the platoon column for an informal visual inspection. He visited the Bravos first, finding Senior Chief Buford Dawkins restless as usual. He was standing up while his only companion, Chad Murchison, sat comfortably on the ground with his back resting against the ravine wall. Gutsy Olson, normally a member of Bravo Fire Team, had been sent over to the Charlies, then further dispatched to accompany Joe Miskoski on rear guard.
The senior chief eyed the Skipper somewhat suspiciously. "What've you got on your mind, sir?"
Brannigan grinned. "What makes you think I've got something on my mind, Senior Chief?"
"You got a devious look in your eye, sir," Dawkins said with country-boy candor. "You look like an ol' bear that's just sighted a beehive of honey."
Brannigan lowered his voice. "I'm thinking of springing an ambush."
Dawkins glanced around the immediate area. "This looks like a pretty good place. What's up on top?"
"I've sent the Odd Couple to find out," Brannigan said. "Hang in there. I'll be getting back to you."
"Aye, sir."
Brannigan went on down to where Chief Matt Gunnarson, Bruno Puglisi and James Bradley, the hospital corpsman, were strung out along the ravine. The chief also gave him a shifty look, so Brannigan beat him to the punch by saying, "I'm seriously considering setting up an ambush right here."
"All right, sir!" Gunnarson exclaimed. "Is that why you sent Assad and Leibowitz topside for a look-see?"
"You bet," Brannigan said. He nodded at James. "The guys may be getting pretty tired before this is all wrapped up."
"I've got some pep pills that will give them some oomph," James said. "I think we might end up with a water problem though."
"Nothing is ever easy in this line of work," Brannigan remarked, moving down the line.
Lieutenant Jim Cruiser nodded a greeting to the platoon commander as he approached. "Welcome to the aft end of the column, sir."
"Thank you:' Brannigan said. "How's it going?"
"Fine, thanks," Cruiser said. "Milly Mills and I are hanging in here while Joe Miskoski and Gutsy Olson are playing tail-gunners. I thought it would be a good idea if Milly and I relieved them for a while. They need a break."
"Don't bother about it right away," Brannigan counseled. "I'm working on setting up a special reception for the rag-heads at this spot. I'll be getting back to you later."
He walked back toward the front, reaching Frank just as Mike and Dave slid back into the ravine. Mike did the talking. "There's a flat area about a kilometer to the front where we could go after we break contact from the ambush."
"I didn't say anything to you two about an ambush," Brannigan said.
Dave shrugged. "Hell, sir, it was obvious as hell."
"Right, sir," Mike agreed. "Me and Dave found a place where it'd be easy to get back into the cover of the ravine."
"Right," Dave agreed. "We'd be long gone by the time the bad guys recovered from the attack."
"What about cover and concealment along the top of this area?" Brannigan asked.
"It couldn't be better, sir:' Mike said. "You can look right down into this fucking ditch without having to worry about anybody spotting you from below."
"Okay," Brannigan said. He pressed the throat mike of the LASH. "All right! Listen up. We're going to set up an ambush here. I don't want to waste grenades since the mujahideen are going to be pretty much confined in this space. They'll make very easy targets."
Senior Chief Buford's voice came over the system. "What kind of ambush do you have in mind, sir?"
"A line ambush:' Brannigan said. "To refresh your lessons from Ambush 101, let me remind you that means we will be deployed parallel to the bad guys' direction of travel. In other words, we'll be positioned for flanking fire. And that means it has to be heavy."
"But no grenades?" Bruno Puglisi asked.
"You'll have to control your base emotions, Bruno," Brannigan said. "You'll do more damage with your M-16. Anyhow, there'll be too much of a chance that those steel pellets would fly back in your face in this confined space. Okay. Listen, guys. Here's the order of battle. The rear security force will be the Deltas, with the responsibility to see that none of the enemy escape back in the direction they came from. Understood, Delta Leader?"
"Yes, sir:' Chief Gunnarson responded.
"The front security force will be the Charlies," Brannigan said. "It's your job to make sure no bad guys charge forward to safety. Okay, Charlie Leader?"
"Got it, sir:' Jim Cruiser said. "Right now we're under strength since Kevin Albee is KIA and Gutsy Olson and Joe Miskoski are assigned to rear guard."
"Thanks for reminding me," Brannigan said. "Olson and Miskoski, you will rejoin the Charlies. After this thing goes down, you can be the rear guard again." He waited a moment. "The entire First Squad--I say again--the entire First Squad will be the attack force. That means delivering heavy fire into the target. Remember, men, we don't want any of those sons of bitches getting through the ambush at the front or running away at the back. Got it? Good! The firing will commence when Charlie Fire Team sees that all the bad guys have passed into the kill zone."
"When does the firing halt?" Milly Mills asked.
"When every one of those raghead bastards is dead," Brannigan said. "Now let's climb up there on the edge of this gulley and get set up."