April 21 1300 Hours-
They looked around on the sullen island. They knew it would be hard for anyone to find them here. The island was covered in very thick forest that extended almost to the ocean water. Their ship was far enough inland that it was almost completely covered by trees. They didn’t know it but it was totally invisible by air.
April 20 800 Hours-
“Major is that ship ready to go”, the Naval Port Director said. “Yes sir! just waiting on the men and their families to load up then we’re gone”. Then all marines and their families loaded onto to the U.S.S. Mayport. The ship was on its way back to a U.S. Naval base in Italy, to supply the front lines in the war against Russia. “Are you excited to go see Rome and Venice, Katy?” Private Henderson, one of the 7 marines operating the ship, asked his six-year-old daughter. She was silent staring at the cold blue water feet below. They all had rough night on the ship because of stormy weather. Early the next morning, during a terrible storm there came the cry of the alarm “ALL hands man your battle stations”! “Give me an update private”, the captain said to Henderson as he came crashing into the bridge. “Two bogeys coming in north west sir, they appear to be MIG 25s sir”. “Range”? “Two miles and closing sir, they’re coming in at 400 knots 600 feet above sea level. “Tell the men to man the machine guns”, the captain shouted as he left the bridge. Thirty seconds later there was a tremendous explosion to the left of the ship and water flew over the ship. A missile had narrowly avoided the ship. The planes then flew out to just within radar range of the vessel.