“No reason to be,” McLaughlin said. They turned and walked away from the hut. “You seem to have a real love for your men.”
“It goes with the stripes, sir. They’re all young, ambitious and scared. It’s up to us older guys to teach them.”
“How old are you, Anderson?”
Twenty-two, sir.”
“McLaughlin mumbled and they continued. They were heading back toward the medic’s hut. “Now, who’s in charge of the outgoing and incoming?”
“Well, I’m not exactly sure if we have a real assigned person on the job, sir, but Corporal Newmark is probably the man who’s most on top of it.”
“He’ll be in charge of the wounded and KIA?”
“Normally, would, sir, would you like me to assign him?” McLaughlin nodded. They were close to the medic hut now and the lights that were still on, inside, made the sergeant able to make out some gestures and features of his new CO. “Tomorrow at zero-eight-hundred, I’ll want a list of the wounded that we’re shipping away and the KIAs, along with their nearest relative and addresses.”
“Yes, sir,” Anderson replied as they stepped into the hut. “Would you like me to send you clothes to be cleaned, sir?” McLaughlin looked down at his shirt and trousers. There was blood all over them. “Nah,” he said. “They’ll probably see more than that. I’ll wash them some other time. I’ll want to have a conference with Gates sometime tomorrow as well. You know him better than I. When he is ready for me, send him over to me.”
“You don’t want to talk to him now, sir?”
“He’s been through a lot for one day.”
“Yes, sir.”
“I’m going to get some sleep now.”
“Good night, sir.”
“Same to you, sergeant.”
McLaughlin made his way back to his room. He took off his bloodied and dirtied clothes and put on fresh ones. As he often did on the field, he preferred sleeping with his clothes on. He checked his rifle to be sure the chamber was empty and the safety was off. He then loaded a full twenty-round magazine. He leaned the weapon, barrel up, against the bed and post. He then checked his web gear, which he had placed next to his helmet and boots, and the two belts of rifle magazines he had taken from the camp’s armory.
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