Chapter 3 - The Invasion of Sicily Before the Invasion of D-Day in 1944, the 1st Marine Raiders 2nd Platoon had been given a task by Major Benjamin Parker. "Italy would be a task
that only Raiders can accomplish" he stated to Captain Geoffrey Gooderham, then CO of 2nd Platoon. "You know what to do. Invade Sicily, starting
at the town of Gela. Push the Italians back to their home country, then strike hard and give the British the edge they need to finish this war
with us. "Understood Sir. Dillon, start Rallying, we leave at 0900 hours." Sergeant Major Tyler Dillon had been at the Command of 2nd Platoon for
nearly 2 years, and he knew damn well what he was doing. "With Pleasure, Captain. Boys, and Lass, lets get hot!" 2nd Platoon was small enough to fit itself into only 2 boats. 12 in each boat, let by the one Captain Gooderham at the helm. The italians would
not let this invasion penetrate their defenses, as shots were fired from Anti Aircraft guns at the 2nd Platoons fire missions, rendering them
almost useless. They had proved a great distraction, as the mighty Raiders and their British backup, the British Eighth Army, landed on the
beach and scrambled their to different parts of the rather small town, hitting it hard from both directions. Dillon's squad, comprised of two
Master Sergeants, Matthew Sarsons and Gustavo Luna, and approximately 6 buck privates, lead by Staff Sergeant Smokey Magic, pushed the eastern
town gate, planting explosives at 3 key AA emplacements. Dillon was exceptionally proud of Staff Sergeant Magic and what was considered to be
Magic's protege, Private Nicholas Walts, for their amazing shots and multiple Italian Sniper's KIA. The Western Group was under heavy fire at the Western Gate. The Italians must have known that Captain Gooderham was in that hail of fire, along
with Machine Gunner Specialist, First Sergeant Shea Magoo. "Private Peaker, Private Bryant, lay down covering fire on that small building so
Magoo can hit it from the other side of the Street!" The Captain called out, and to his pleasure, the orders were followed almost immediately, as
Peaker and Bryant's shots and grenades provided great protection for Magoo to set up his onslaught. At the same moment, Staff Sergeant Justin
Pangilinan, nicknamed "Pang" was holding down the fort with his M1918A2 BAR, picking off many assault troops and rifleman with insane distance
before catching an injury from shrapnel expelled by a grenade. "I'm still able to shoot, Damnit!! Try Harder next time assholes!" he cried out
as he obliterated the culprit with a one handed 10-round burst. Pang was a hell of a soldier, gaining 2 purple hearts in Sicily alone and went
on to become First Sergeant before Retiring in 1956. After both gates were secured, the town hall was next in line. The one that stood out, in the Captain's mind at least, throughout all of Gela,
was the Sniper of the group. Sergeant Yanik St-Denis, The Canadian Crack Shot as his unit mates called him. in Gela alone, he knocked out 120
Italian soldiers, including 25 Snipers, 30 Close range hip shots, and even 2 tank drivers through the supposedly "impenetrable" steel of the
tank's armor. He was given a task that some U.S. OSS Officers wouldn't even be given the job to do: take out three German Officers at the town hall
and gain the intellegence they had with them. With the cover of 2nd Platoon at his side, the three Kraut officers were no chance for St-Denis'
Sniper skills, and he had gained intellegence of German Influence in Palermo, Sicily, a heavily guarded fortress town with reports of a new
Italian tank force in the works, lead by a Waffen SS Elite soldier. "Captain," said St-Denis "check out these reports!" Gooderham read intently
and chuckled, stating "these Waffen SS soldiers don't give up do they? Well it's time we headed to Palermo, and bombed the bloddy hell out of
them. "HOORAH!" yelled the marines, and they were then off to continue the next mission Captain Geoffrey Gooderham would never know the dangers he was about to face in the fortress of Palermo. 2nd Platoon itself didn't know what
they were up against...
End of Chapter 3
