Saturn

[Prussian to the Iron]

Chapter 3: Landing

The 51st Army entered Stalingrad on July 21st, 1942. Even though the Red Army had occupied the city a week earlier, the ammunition was still in short supply, and had to be shipped in across the river. Being one of the last fores to arrive, and the one with the least men, the rear of our column was given naught but knives. The division in the back of the column....it...was mine.

As we boarded a boat to cross the Volga,we could hear the metallic clings of Katyusha's being loaded with rockets, and driving back to the shore to get a clear arc into the German positions. Approaching nearer, the fog began to lift and the sun rose, shining off the Katyusha artillery. Unloading from the boats, there was the song 'Katyusha' playing from a radio at the small harbor. Oh, that song kept us cheery even as we disembarked and were handed knives. I enthusiastically grabbed the one issued to me, smiling back at Boris. Boris grabbed the knife, shifted it in his hands, and looked grimly back at me. I could tell he was scared. Grabbing him, I tried to cheer him up. 'Come Boris!' I told him, 'Look inside yourself! You can drive back theses German bastards! Just think about your family. Think about the day you kill the last German here, and we march on and free your family. We will save them Boris, it is only a matter of time. Now let's go kill some Germans.' He faintly smiled at me, and we headed up to our division headquarters.

Upon reaching the building, a tank factory, we headed up to the control room, where Starshina Polski awaited us.



further update of this chapter to follow