The crew chief opened the back hatch of the C-130 as everybody stood. Francis joined in the chanting but made a time-out signal, which made everyone stop. All attention was on the incredible turbulence that kept on going, and the Sarge.

[i]"Do you feel those shocks? That ain't an amazingly big pocket of turbulence, that is anti-aircraft fire! When this here light goes green, y'all will jump into it! I will give each and every one of you two seconds, [u]TWO FUCKING SECONDS[/u], to jump out before I will push you! And that would break my fucking heart! Do you fine gentlemen understand that?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Sorry, the Ack-Ack is too loud!"

"SIR, YES, SIR!"
[/i]

Francis pressed the button that lowered the hatch. The guys heard the awful roar of the engines get louder, the gunnery getting louder, and felt their bowel movements intensify. Those who stood close to the back, including Bobby, saw a beautiful orchestra of bombing explosions, AAA guns, fires, and airplane lights breaking the darkness of the night. To the left of bobby, the Crew Chief stood with an 8mm camera, filming the paratroopers before their jump. 

[i]"TEN SECONDS!"[/i], Francis shouted. The paratroopers repeated him in unison. And then the light went green. 

[i]"GO, GO, GO!"[/i]

And out they went. Francis gave everyone a forceful, encouraging pat on the back or shoulder before they jumped away. There were a few guys who stopped thinking and jumped. And then there were those, like Dixon, who hesitated. He stood right in front of Bobby, who saw Sarge Jackson grab the back of Dixon's jacket and tossed him out of the back like a bouncer would throw a troublemaker out of a club. Then it was Bobby's turn. [i]"Jumping is much better than being jumped!"[/i], Francis said as he looked him in the eye and gave him a double pat on his shoulder. And then, when the last paratrooper was out, Francis shook the hand of the crew chief and went himself, shouting 'Geronimo!'

The cold air cut his breath, and he looked down in awe at the battlefield. The AA batteries at the Cuban encampments at the bases, which were hastily erected and just as hastily bombed by the American Super Sabres and Thunderchiefs. Pot shots were taken at the paratroopers in fall, but most of them went very, very wide as the AA lost track of them. But he had little time to admire the pretty picture, as they jumped from around 1000 and they'd be on the ground within a minute. The Sarge pulled the cord and felt the shock, and enjoyed the bliss and floaty feeling for as long as he could before he hit Terra Ferma again. He ditched his chute, readied his M14, and looked around for the rest of his stick, calling out for his section to rally. When they gathered, he pointed to the [url=http://bit.ly/1dCI5KZ]collection of shacks about a football field to the north[/url]. [i]"That, boys, is a farm! Secure it and prepare to move to the beach, it's less than a mile! Off your asses, on your feet!"[/i]