The Curse Mountain - Chapter 3 (Part 1) (743 hits)
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Submitted by Avals (View user info) at 2005-03-15 14:01:16 EST
'The Curse Mountain' is the story of Gilad, a team-leader in the engineering company of the IDF's 'Givati' brigade. A sort of service diary, 'The Curse Mountain' describes Gilad's service in Lebanon, and was published on the 11th of May, 2001, in Yediot Ahronot.
Originally published in Hebrew, I have attempted to translate the article to English to the best of my abilities.
Chapter 1: http://www.ubersite.com/m/59575
Chapter 2 (Part 1): http://www.ubersite.com/m/59962
Chapter 2 (Part 2): http://www.ubersite.com/m/60385
Chapter 2 (Part 3): http://www.ubersite.com/m/61802
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Chapter 3 / Under Fire
Going out on an ambush; The reward pack; The jokes; The wisecracks; Raining Katyushas like crazy
Bisli snacks make noise; Bamba snacks make noise; 'Teami' waffles don't, provided you've taken the wrapping off; wrapping makes noise. Hard candy makes noise as well. When you go out on an ambush you give a lot of thought to the food you take with you. In the middle of hostile territory a pack of potato chips can be fatal. Rustled? You're exposed; Hizbollah can hear you. Dropped a wrapping? Brace for impact.
A reward pack is an ingenious invention, a must for every warrior. It's a green bag made of corduroy, adapted especially for ambushes. You put all your food inside it, attach it to your vest, and go on your way. Run, fall, tumble - nothing will make the pack rustle. It won't fall off, either. Just don't forget - no wrappings inside.
Before you leave the outpost you take supplies for the road from the kitchen. The IDF gives you some dry sliced sausage and a couple of chocolate bars; something fancy - a red cow with walnuts, so you feel they're investing in you. To that you add a supply of coated and gummy candy from home, and stick it all in the pack. Some sickos also put dates and raisins in there; an overbearing mother, I guess, or a rough childhood. Twenty minutes later everything's already mixed up in your bag. You find pieces of sausage on your chocolate, pieces of chocolate on your candy. Tastes like shit, but everyone gets hooked eventually.
That night of March 1999, the 'Teami' reserves ran out in the Beaufort. The company sergeant major reports there are no more waffles, take some extra kabanos and salami instead. The twilight has already begun, and my soldiers gather in the CGP (company gathering point, where they usually gather the wounded), filling up their packs. The CGP is a cement-roofed platform, where the wounded are taken in times of emergency. During routine it's the place where we gather before going out on an ambush.
Since we arrived on the Beaufort I go out with them almost every night for an ambush on the traffic arteries leading to the outpost. The objective: To repel terrorist attacks from the outside, to prevent the Hizbollah from getting close to the outpost and booby-trapping the traffic arteries. If the arteries are booby-trapped, we get stuck up there with no food, no fuel.
A half-hour before sundown Bendori the sergeant announces that they can start getting ready. They take off their army boots, and cover them with oil that prevents water getting through. Then they put on two or three pairs of socks. Put on long-johns and a fleece; over the fleece work uniforms; over these another fleece - sort of extra-thick wool. Finally you get into a storm suit. There's also a pair of gloves. On top of everything you wear a vest, and put on a Madonna - a microphone and earpiece set that plugs into your radio and attaches around your head with a black cloth harness.
In a large backpack you take a reserve radio, a regular receiver, spare batteries, eight magazines, two hand-grenades, a flashlight, and a red glowing stick light. You take a prodder, which is a kind of long sharp rod you use to check suspicious stones; tap on them to make sure it isn't actually a hollow object concealing an explosive device inside. You also can't forget a compass, a 'mouse' for night-vision, binoculars, helmet, and your reward pack, of course. I've got a short M-16 with a laser pointer on me; the kind that marks a little line on the target, so you can fire from the hip, without putting the gun up to your shoulder.
The soldiers are done getting dressed. As always, they use a free moment for a bit of barter. "Did you bring heating bags?" "Give me two, get a bag of gummy candy in return." "What, you've only got wine-flavored candy? Have some wild-fruit flavored ones."
Bendori is the last one to put on his gear, with the kids already assembled in a 'U'. "Equipment check," he says, and they all repeat after him: "Equipment check," "Equipment check." It means you check each other's vests, check the backpacks, make sure nothing's missing and that everything is written down in the documents that stay in the war room. If we get blown up, the war room and storeroom will know exactly what they're missing, or what kind of sensitive equipment fell into the hands of the Hizbollah.
In the meantime, I'm in the AR (aerial photographs) room, studying the material. Shmuel the regiment commander walks in, and whispers, "Don't panic, but tonight you encounter."
- "What do you mean, Shmuel?"
"Don't ask me, I don't know. Intel says they're coming. I don't know how, I don't know how many, but it looks like you'll finally get to meet the squad that's been wandering around the area lately."
- "How can you drop this on me a moment before we leave, and without any details?"
"Stay focused. Once you're out, you've got to remember we're here for a country. Everything you've done up till now was for this moment, so this is the time to give everything you've got, show us how good of a bunch you are. Good luck."
I look at him, and don't understand. Where's he getting all these slogans for me all of a sudden? Even regiment commanders don't talk like that, at least not during routine; maybe at funerals. He leaves the room.
I go over to the briefings room, to Carmeli the company commander. "Listen, I don't want to go," I tell him. "The moon's at 98 percent tonight, it's too dangerous. It's practically daylight." Carmeli chuckles. "What's wrong little girl, are you scared?" he answers with a wink. "I'm not scared," I answer, mimicking a little girl.
He opens the door. "Go on, get yourself out of here, let Bendori paint your face, and go on your way before you start sweating on me here." "Carmeli, no kidding now, it's irresponsible." "Listen to me," he replies, "we know they're coming. You've got to go. I'm counting on you and it'll be all right. I wouldn't send you out there if I wasn't sure it was reasonable."
I go back to the aerial photographs, telling myself it wouldn't hurt to study them for a few extra minutes this time. If tonight's the night, we have to know everything by heart. At which stone crossroads I break right, near which rock I cut to the left; where a gap could open up between the men; when we execute the first stopping point; where the communications and observation point is; where everyone is supposed to take position. Bendori arrives, and tells me we're running ten minutes late. "Come give them a speech," he tells me.
User Reviews
Submitted by Snark (user info) at 2005-12-10 19:05:51 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2005-03-16 13:56:25 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-03-16 13:37:02 (#)
Ranking: 2
It means you are mystia's poodle. Whenever she gets bashed by someone you jump right in to "defend" her. It's quite pathetic to look at from my end (especially when you're defending someone with a mental disorder. I suppose you have reasons), but I did enjoy the posts very much.
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It leads to some entertaining fights, though, so I really don't see what you're complaining about.
In other news: Bark! Bark!
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-03-16 13:37:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
It means you are mystia's poodle. Whenever she gets bashed by someone you jump right in to "defend" her. It's quite pathetic to look at from my end (especially when you're defending someone with a mental disorder. I suppose you have reasons), but I did enjoy the posts very much.
Submitted by Avals (user info) at 2005-03-16 00:34:01 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-03-15 16:27:21 (#)
Ranking: 2
I read the whole thing but I don't feel like making an effort an +2 the whole serie.
Not for you, someone else's puppy.
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Haha.
"Someone else's puppy"? What the fuck does that mean?
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-03-16 00:11:45 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This stuff is really interesting. I can't wait to see what happens next.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-03-15 23:21:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-03-15 14:12:46 (#)
Ranking: 2
This is a cool series.
And those guys look like Picasso put their face paint on them.
Submitted by Caulaincourt (user info) at 2005-03-15 16:27:21 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
I read the whole thing but I don't feel like making an effort an +2 the whole serie.
Not for you, someone else's puppy.
Submitted by jumpinjellyfish (user info) at 2005-03-15 15:28:24 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Excellent series. I've never read anything written from the point-of-view of the average Israeli soldier. I find it very interesting. Thanks.
Submitted by Adamdidit2u (user info) at 2005-03-15 14:33:02 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This was really good, and way underrated
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Submitted by BLITZKREIG_BOB (user info) at 2005-03-15 14:12:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is a cool series.
And those guys look like Picasso put their face paint on them.