World War IIIWorld War IIIBy: Nicky GretoBy: Nicky Greto

The year is 2067 and the The year is 2067 and the world has broken out into world has broken out into an all out war. Bitter an all out war. Bitter relations between relations between continents have divided continents have divided the world. No civilian the world. No civilian communications are communications are available. The United available. The United States has begun drafting States has begun drafting troops due to the need to troops due to the need to control Indonesia. General control Indonesia. General Frank Mason has begun to Frank Mason has begun to draft troops for the 456th draft troops for the 456th tank battalion. tank battalion.

One of the first among his troops One of the first among his troops is me George Nixon who would be is me George Nixon who would be appointed as a Private who will be appointed as a Private who will be deployed in May along with deployed in May along with around 40 others. We will invade around 40 others. We will invade an island on the northern chain in an island on the northern chain in the pacific. the pacific.

When I told my wife she broke into When I told my wife she broke into tears because she has family on tears because she has family on those islands. I thought about how to those islands. I thought about how to avoid the invasion but couldn’t avoid the invasion but couldn’t convince his sergeant to call it off convince his sergeant to call it off

After about two months of After about two months of training in a camp in the Middle training in a camp in the Middle East I was put on a military East I was put on a military aircraft with the rest of my aircraft with the rest of my battalion. None of the men on battalion. None of the men on the plane looked familiar, but I the plane looked familiar, but I saw one man who couldn’t be saw one man who couldn’t be more than 16 who was scared more than 16 who was scared for his life. I went to comfort him for his life. I went to comfort him and told him that I would help and told him that I would help him through it. He was still him through it. He was still terrified and gained little terrified and gained little confidence confidence

Later the plane touched down on a remote Later the plane touched down on a remote tarmac in a dense jungle. Machine gun fire tarmac in a dense jungle. Machine gun fire erupted from the forest before we could erupted from the forest before we could enter the tank the kid I met on the plane enter the tank the kid I met on the plane fainted. Enemy troops stormed the landing fainted. Enemy troops stormed the landing strip and raided the plane. The enemy strip and raided the plane. The enemy soldiers took all the wounded as P.O.W’s.soldiers took all the wounded as P.O.W’s.

The attack left us with little supplies and we The attack left us with little supplies and we were desperate for water in the hot humid were desperate for water in the hot humid tropical environment. My sergeant assigned tropical environment. My sergeant assigned me a position on the turret of an M1 Abrams me a position on the turret of an M1 Abrams that was used in Iraq and still had sand in that was used in Iraq and still had sand in the floor. After an hour of preparing we the floor. After an hour of preparing we embarked on the long journey to the base in embarked on the long journey to the base in a particularly dense jungle. a particularly dense jungle.

Mid-way through the journey I Mid-way through the journey I saw a flutter in a fern. I alerted saw a flutter in a fern. I alerted my sergeant and he ordered my sergeant and he ordered me to fire. I lit up the bush with me to fire. I lit up the bush with rounds and crossfire erupted rounds and crossfire erupted and bullets fired from all and bullets fired from all angels. There was one gunner angels. There was one gunner that had incredible skill that that had incredible skill that was taking troops left and was taking troops left and right. I aimed and fired taking right. I aimed and fired taking him out. The enemy started to him out. The enemy started to flee the battle. flee the battle.

After the battle I started to mull about the After the battle I started to mull about the people that I had killed. I wondered if they people that I had killed. I wondered if they were in the same situation that I was and were in the same situation that I was and if they had families that were worried for if they had families that were worried for them like me.them like me.The battle killed 21 soldiers and wounded The battle killed 21 soldiers and wounded the young boy. He was hit in the lower leg the young boy. He was hit in the lower leg and wasn’t life threatening but he felt like and wasn’t life threatening but he felt like he was going to die. He demanded that he he was going to die. He demanded that he be evacuated and refused to fight. The be evacuated and refused to fight. The boy was given a dishonorable discharge. boy was given a dishonorable discharge.

Later that day we were sent to Later that day we were sent to patrol the beach on the southern patrol the beach on the southern coast. The night was calm but coast. The night was calm but mosquitoes and other flying insects. mosquitoes and other flying insects. In the morning my arms and neck In the morning my arms and neck were covered in red from all the were covered in red from all the insects. “SNAKE!!!” the man next to insects. “SNAKE!!!” the man next to me yelled. He had a long diamond me yelled. He had a long diamond covered snake under his cot. He and covered snake under his cot. He and I both ran as fast as anyone who I both ran as fast as anyone who had just woken up could. My had just woken up could. My sergeant who clearly didn’t care for sergeant who clearly didn’t care for animals went in and shot the snake. animals went in and shot the snake. We returned and prepared to patrol We returned and prepared to patrol the same beach we did the previous the same beach we did the previous night. night.

The troops were already getting anxious because The troops were already getting anxious because we would be going home next month. Me and we would be going home next month. Me and some other guys were playing cards when small some other guys were playing cards when small civilian boat started to approach the shore. The civilian boat started to approach the shore. The sergeant picked up a megaphone and asked for sergeant picked up a megaphone and asked for identification but there was no response. As it got identification but there was no response. As it got closer a turret became visible and we were closer a turret became visible and we were ordered to fire. The boat unleashed a 50cal ordered to fire. The boat unleashed a 50cal machine gun on us and I was immediately hit in machine gun on us and I was immediately hit in the elbow and it broke my arm. It was the most the elbow and it broke my arm. It was the most pain I had ever felt blood was flowing out of my pain I had ever felt blood was flowing out of my arm. I took my shirt and wrapped my arm. arm. I took my shirt and wrapped my arm.

was to be sent home was to be sent home the same day to a the same day to a hospital in my hospital in my hometown of hometown of Winchester. On the Winchester. On the plane I tried to figure plane I tried to figure out how to explain the out how to explain the invasion to my wife invasion to my wife but couldn’t.but couldn’t.

When I returned she had hired a When I returned she had hired a divorce attorney. She divorce attorney. She approached me in tears and approached me in tears and cried into my chest. She told me cried into my chest. She told me that she couldn’t live with that she couldn’t live with someone who had help kill her someone who had help kill her mother. I was left the house but I mother. I was left the house but I will have to sell it and settle in will have to sell it and settle in an apartment until I find a job. an apartment until I find a job. The only thing that I was worried The only thing that I was worried about more was my “X”-wife about more was my “X”-wife who was left with nothing accept who was left with nothing accept her personal belongings and the her personal belongings and the poor bank account. My life was poor bank account. My life was ruined by war. ruined by war.