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Oran

  

The Allies needed to beat Hitler to Tunis and starve

Rommel's Afrika Korps into submission.  The docks of

Oran's port would provide the supplies needed to

defeat the Germans in Tunisia.  Time was critical.

Hitler had already begun sending troops to Tunis

to counter this American thrust.

Commodore Peters was given two old American

coast guard cutters to secure Oran's docks for

the Allies.  His plan was to make a mad dash

across the length of the harbor to wrest control

of the docks from the French.  Surprise was his

only hope for success if the French turned out 

to be hostile.

A battery of large cannon defended the harbor from a cliff

nearby.  Along side this fortress was stationed a brilliant

searchlight used to illuminate their target.  It would be used

with devastating success.

There was never any hope of surprise.  

The attack from the sea on the harbor was to

come two hours after Americans began landing on the

shores bracketing Oran.  No one would be sleeping on

guard duty with all this commotion going on about them.

Hundreds of American GIs were crammed in holds

under the decks of these unarmored relics.

They prayed this wouldn't be the suicide mission

of their fears.  Turns out their fears were right.

Two-thirds of the 700 men involved in the mission

were killed or wounded.  The rest were fished from

the water and taken prisoner.  Peters ordered the 

operation to proceed despite a message from HQ

stating Oran was about to fall and his mission 

may not be necessary.  

Peters led his charge from the bridge of the Walney.

His vessel reached Pier 1, its objective, as a ghost

ship.  After machine gun fire raked its decks and

cannon shells exploded among those stuffed 

below, there just didn't appear to be any room left

for those hoping to live.  The same was true for

those souls that sank with the second lifeless cutter.  

The French had a score to settle with the Brits.

Killing Americans was unfortunate but it was

a matter of French honor.

Tomorrow, though, would be different.

*  *  *  *  * 

©  Tom Taylor

OVER   EASY 

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