The Saddle

Dear Readers,,Apologies to those I have already sent this narrative

                                                                      JMJ
Kumwah,North Korea (1951)
"L" Co, 5th RCT 24th Div.
Phillip Meyer S/Sgt Ret.

                                                              The Saddle Autumn 1951
   It was still autumn and for some reason we were going off the hill being relieved by another company.
As we left our fox holes they were filled up by the new troops.It was a long walk down the ridge line and at one point the Sgt said "Take a break" I saw a boulder by the path about four feet high, I sat down with my back on the boulder looking up in the sky.Then I heard a noise I did not recognize going over my head.,,Then "Time stood still" That is the only way I can explain it.,,My mind saying "What is it?"It did not take long.We had stopped because a large saddle in the hill which meant we would go down then up a steep climb.So the sgt had thought it be better we were rested. The explosion came from the saddle.The Chinese were firing the big mortars at us. Not the small ones which made a whistling sound.The explosion sent pieces of rock flying.Then another explosion.One soldier and I got on our knees and started praying before another explosion hit,As I looked in the saddle  a mortar hit I saw small pine trees fall as the were hit by shrapnel.
We waited then he Sgt said "We have to move out" So he told us one by one we would run through the saddle. On the path above the saddle was a bunker with a soldier in it.Then we ran through the saddle.I bless myself as I got to the bottom,Later we had got far away from the saddle when we hear multiple explosions coming from the saddle area,.............If we had not stopped for a break,,,,,,,,,,,,,someone would have not made it...................Phillip Meyer S/sgt Ret........