If you haven't read Day of Wrath you should ....
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Wrath-William-R-Forstchen-ebook/dp/B00MU1NNRO
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Warning correct spelling and punctuation is purely accidental.
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My bail out kit was less than impressive , USGI surplus pistol belt , holster , mag pouches and a butt pouch. I had a total of four spare magazines, three 30 round steel ar15 mags and one 17 round Glock magazine. With rounds already in my weapons I had 121 rounds of 64 grain .223 Winchester Power Points and 35 rounds of 9 mm Winchester Ranger ammo. Not exactly loaded for bear but it was better than harsh language. In my butt pack I had odds and ends, a tourniquet, caffeinated protein bars, air activated hand warmers , caffeinated drink sticks, a wicked sharp Buck folding knife and a quarter roll of gorilla duct tape.
I'd run around with this war belt , plain old Rock River AR15 and a Glock 17 in my trunk for years. Sometimes it seemed silly but now I'm driving hell for leather towards my daughters school and wishing I had more.
In my rearview mirror a silver dodge one ton pickup loomed large, then whipped around and passed, almost crashing in the process. I recognized Ron's truck by the Molon Aabe sticker in the window. We hit the edge of the small town, Ron barely slowed, I slowed more. I could see Ron whip his truck into a parking lot. Ahead cars were lined up in the street like a traffic jam. The town of Dukeville never had traffic jams, it didn't have enough cars for a real one.
Ron had pulled into hardware store parking lot so I followed suit. By time I got there Rod had jumped out and already had a tac vest / plate carrier on. I didn't even know Ron had plate carrier. It had at least 8 AR15 mags with the de'ringure mag pulls on them. Above the mags he had a chest holster with a huge 1911 style pistol. His AR was a rule beater short barrel rifle, an AR15 pistol with 10" barrel, Sig Brace stock and single point sling and a red dot optic. Basically the whole enchilada. I felt inadequate, by comparison my full size Rock River looked as long as a Revolutionary War musket.
We walked to the school several blocks away. It was mostly mom's in the cars. Frantically typing away or screaming into electronic devices. Ahead we could see the road was blocked with the Maroon and White 'Spirit Bus'. A few women were streaming the other direction, 'School is locked down you can't get in.'
We'd have to see about that....
There was a trim figure at the bus. It was Holly Cool, Holly was in her mid 50's, trim and fit. Holly had served 28 years in the Air Force and IL Air Guard mostly as a security specialist. She'd been places, Kosevo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Springfield Illinois , and most dangerous of all Gary Indiana. She had a plate carrier too with almost as many magazines as Ron. I was starting to feel really inadequate here. She had slung a short AR15 carbine commonly called an M4orgery and holstered as Sig pistol - probably an M11A1. As we approached she recognized me , I thought she was going to wave but she popped to rigid attention and saluted.
After four years at Virginia Military Institute and four more years as surface warfare officer in United States Navy I returned the salute more out of reflex.
"Sir you are the senior and only officer present at this time, you are in command. The schools are locked down. They are not communicating with us. It seems they placed school busses on First , Second and Third streets, Elm and Maple avenues as a sort of road block. I have seven men under arms at this time, not including yourselves ..."
Holley was on the board of trustees at church. I'd known her for 10 years or so but generally she was in charge of some project at Church and I was unskilled labor. I stammered 'Hey uh Holly I was just a boat driver, this is more your deal. Why don't you…'
'No sir. I am enlisted, a technical specialist. I will advise you and implement your directions.'
Turning to Ron, 'Ron you're on both the school board and village trustees correct?'.
'Uh yah uh.'
'Sir you are then both the senior civil and school official we have contact with.'
She gave out names, well known retired gentlemen. Part of the VFW, they had removed the blank firing adaptors from M1 Garand rifles and had a few bandoleers of M2 ball ammo.
Oh doom on me. I just want to snatch my kid and go.
-------
Men and women arrived in a steady trickle. I didn't know so many people owned AR15's. I also didn't realize the percentage of AR15 owners who had only a single magazine for their rifle and no place to carry extra magazines if they had any or even a sling to hold their rifle.
On the other hand there were guys with plate carriers, a dozen magazines , an optic and a drop leg holster who looked like the just got out of a Black Water suburban.
In between were a lot of guys with the traditional Illinois deer gun, a short barreled pump or semi-auto shotgun with rifle sights or even a scope. These guys had on average about 7 deer slugs and half a box of bird shot with him. Not ideal but an ounce of lead slug roughly 3/4 of an inch across would certainly hurt a whole lot. Plus how many religion of peace missionaries would aloha snackbar through a cloud of birdshot.
Single point slings were improvised for most rifles that didn't have anything else. The hardware store donated several three inch wide tow straps. A length was cut and tied into a loop that would fit over one shoulder and across the chest. A length of simulated 550 paracord was cut and one end tied to the grip of the rifle or shotgun in question, the other tied in a loop around the webbing loop. In this way the firearm would be held vertically, muzzle down to the user. It did constantly muzzle or sweep the user's feet but nobody else’s.
Holley's husband Jim arrived in a golf cart. He had a Benelli combat shotgun , printed and laminated google overhead views of the school , a folding table and a pop up tent. Holly marked the current barricades mostly at intersections.
"What's next?" I asked.
"Either a Quick Reaction Force Or secondary barricades. Find guys with infantry or security training, well equipped and put together in one place maybe with a vehicle or two so they can react quickly. Or build barricades right in front of the school entrances. " She pointed to the school entances on the High School and Grade School. There were an astounding number on the High School.
"How would you do secondary barricades? Drive vehicles right up to the doors? Can we even do that?"
Ron replied, "You can drive anything anywhere as far as I'm concerned."
"That's pretty much exactly the way I'd do it. It's more psychological than anything else. But mind matters. Also you need to get out and go to the checkpoints."
There were eight barricades now, five of them were school busses parked blocking the roads. The others were a few pickups parked end to end. I was surprised at how well it was accepted that I was in charge.
Each barricade had more or less organized itself with highest ranking people taking charge. I did a quick talk about the four safety rules, treat every gun as if it's loaded , keep the muzzle in a safe direction , finger off the trigger until you've decided to shoot and be sure of your target and what is around it.
It was discovered the radios in the busses worked so there was communication. As people approached the barricades they were advised that nobody was being let out of the school. If they wanted to go pound on the door they were welcome to. Some did, most did not. Some left and returned later, armed. Others returned with chairs or pop up canopy shelters. The canning factory brought white plastic snap lid buckets as 'privies'.
My phone buzzed, it was Dennis. Dennis was an FFL holder and father of one of the kids on our BB Gun team. "Hey I got a trunk full of AR15's , a couple gross of mags, and a few cases 5.56 and buckshot 12 gauge ammo to donate to the cause."
"That's great, but I can't guarantee you'll get them back."
"That's ok , I'll paint pen the rifles and mags, what comes back comes back what doesn’t doesn’t."
"Ok I'll , meet you at the Cordis / Evans barricade."
"I'm actually stuck back at the fire ... wait a second ... " pause "hey Andrew is going to haul this gear down in the Fire Department gator."
Dennis had brought 18 Rock River AR 15 pattern rifles of varing descriptions. He had his personal rifle slung on his back and a Glock 17 on his hip. Andrew had claimed a compact AR15 for himself and they were ripping open packages of single point sling adaptors and installing them.
"Who do I give them to?" Denis asked.
"They're your rifles give them to whoever you want, maybe guys who qualified with them in the military?"
From inside the bus a voice called "You're needed down at the North Street barricade right away."
"Ok be right there, Dennis why do..." But he and Andrew had already take off in the gator.
At the barricade was Sgt Steve. We'd grown up across the road from each other.
"Steve man I'm glad to see you." We shook hands.
"I appreciate what you folks are doing but you have to send these people home. I can't have civilians running around with rifles in public and on school property."
Ron piped in, "Now we're on the school board and we've given permission for them to temporarily be on school property." Two more school board members, armed no less, had arrived while I was out.
"Steve you're a civilian too here and what makes you think they'll go if I tell them to?"
Steve looked thoughtful.
"How about you come do the rounds with me. If you get a SWAT team here or platoon from the National Guard I'm sure everyone will pack up. Hey do you have comms inside the school?"
"I think so and ok but as soon as back up arrives ..."
As the took off in the golf cart toward the Grade School a ladder rose up. Six men with scoped deer rifles and day packs climbed up then scattered to different parts of the roof.
Steve observed, "Sniper overwatch? I'm going to be sooo fired if anything goes wrong."
But as they went from position to positon Steve felt better. While not tier one operators there was a level of discipline and organization. Each position had a radio or smart phone streaming news from other attacks around the country. It's near dark when we finished the circuit. My stomach is starting rumble.
I see a pickup approaching the North street barricade - the now de-facto HQ. Out of it jumps a short, Mexican man. My old friend Manual who owned one of our town's two restaurants.
"I bring you gringos tamales and burritos! Ellen has her place open too and she's bringing up grilled cheese and coffee." Andrew brought the gator over and they were off to feed the troops. The tamale I snagged was warm and filling. It was getting dark. Holly had the maps up to date. She had taken to picking up map copy and walking from post to post updating it. Back at the CP she's update the map there and start again.
All of the entrances to each school were now guarded by at least two armed people. Holly had a quick response force organized. They were in the softball and baseball diamond dugouts. She had a fire team of 3 former marines and a second with three army vets and a reserve police officer.
They had maps and were talking up reactions to threats. Truth be told if it went to guns it was going to be a goat rodeo. With half the people running to the sound of the guns, half the people running in panic and half the people curling in a fetal ball. Wait was that three halfs?
My salvation came in the form of a thin older man approaching with a slung m1 carbine and holstered 1911 . I'd know him since he was my cub scout Pack Master, but he was also a retired Major and thus was the senior officer present. I drew to attention and saluted.
He wasn't here to take charge of anything, he was here to retrieve grandchildren if possible.
Fifteen minutes later he saluted and formally announced formally 'I relieve you sir!.'
'I stand relieved.' Boy was I ever relieved.
Andrew fired up the 'gator for another tour. The Major , officer Steve and I rode along. At the outer barriers half then men , ok and some women, were 'on watch' and half were resting. Long guns were slung and handguns were holstered. Those with shotguns had pulled the magazine plugs and were now loaded with buckshot with a pocketful of extra rounds. Some posts now sported flags. American flags, Don't Tread on Me aka Gadsden flags one even had a Pirate flag.
We saw squad car lights in the distance out in the country headed to town. Steve tried to raise whoever it was and called dispatch. Reply he got was 'maybe national guard?'
What we got was two humm vees with seven armed Army reservists, none of them from town. Roughly the first words out of the Sgt in charge's mouth was 'Get these effing civilians the eff out of here.'
After a bit of growling Holly managed to settle things down without shots being fired or punched thrown.
The reservists with their comm gear and night vision would be primary QRF. The militia would stay in place and current QRF would move to listing posts , sitting in their cars , on the entrances to the small town.
Everyone settled into a long night.
Around midnight the reserve NCOIC got a radio call about the same time as officer Steve. The door to the High School opened and they were allowed in along with Major Bates. A platoon from the IL National Guard would arrive in the morning with vehicles to escort busses.
As word got out cheers went out at the posts. With the sunrise came a convoy. It took only a few minutes to get the barricades moved. Hands were shaken and back slapped. Loaned rifles and magazines were returned. Two hours later only tire marks on school lawns were left.
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Nobody would ever know that in those first hours a car had passed by. A car with three armed men. They saw the men with rifles by the school buses and headed off to the interstate...
https://www.amazon.com/Day-Wrath-William-R-Forstchen-ebook/dp/B00MU1NNRO
---------
Warning correct spelling and punctuation is purely accidental.
---------
My bail out kit was less than impressive , USGI surplus pistol belt , holster , mag pouches and a butt pouch. I had a total of four spare magazines, three 30 round steel ar15 mags and one 17 round Glock magazine. With rounds already in my weapons I had 121 rounds of 64 grain .223 Winchester Power Points and 35 rounds of 9 mm Winchester Ranger ammo. Not exactly loaded for bear but it was better than harsh language. In my butt pack I had odds and ends, a tourniquet, caffeinated protein bars, air activated hand warmers , caffeinated drink sticks, a wicked sharp Buck folding knife and a quarter roll of gorilla duct tape.
I'd run around with this war belt , plain old Rock River AR15 and a Glock 17 in my trunk for years. Sometimes it seemed silly but now I'm driving hell for leather towards my daughters school and wishing I had more.
In my rearview mirror a silver dodge one ton pickup loomed large, then whipped around and passed, almost crashing in the process. I recognized Ron's truck by the Molon Aabe sticker in the window. We hit the edge of the small town, Ron barely slowed, I slowed more. I could see Ron whip his truck into a parking lot. Ahead cars were lined up in the street like a traffic jam. The town of Dukeville never had traffic jams, it didn't have enough cars for a real one.
Ron had pulled into hardware store parking lot so I followed suit. By time I got there Rod had jumped out and already had a tac vest / plate carrier on. I didn't even know Ron had plate carrier. It had at least 8 AR15 mags with the de'ringure mag pulls on them. Above the mags he had a chest holster with a huge 1911 style pistol. His AR was a rule beater short barrel rifle, an AR15 pistol with 10" barrel, Sig Brace stock and single point sling and a red dot optic. Basically the whole enchilada. I felt inadequate, by comparison my full size Rock River looked as long as a Revolutionary War musket.
We walked to the school several blocks away. It was mostly mom's in the cars. Frantically typing away or screaming into electronic devices. Ahead we could see the road was blocked with the Maroon and White 'Spirit Bus'. A few women were streaming the other direction, 'School is locked down you can't get in.'
We'd have to see about that....
There was a trim figure at the bus. It was Holly Cool, Holly was in her mid 50's, trim and fit. Holly had served 28 years in the Air Force and IL Air Guard mostly as a security specialist. She'd been places, Kosevo, Iraq, Afghanistan, Springfield Illinois , and most dangerous of all Gary Indiana. She had a plate carrier too with almost as many magazines as Ron. I was starting to feel really inadequate here. She had slung a short AR15 carbine commonly called an M4orgery and holstered as Sig pistol - probably an M11A1. As we approached she recognized me , I thought she was going to wave but she popped to rigid attention and saluted.
After four years at Virginia Military Institute and four more years as surface warfare officer in United States Navy I returned the salute more out of reflex.
"Sir you are the senior and only officer present at this time, you are in command. The schools are locked down. They are not communicating with us. It seems they placed school busses on First , Second and Third streets, Elm and Maple avenues as a sort of road block. I have seven men under arms at this time, not including yourselves ..."
Holley was on the board of trustees at church. I'd known her for 10 years or so but generally she was in charge of some project at Church and I was unskilled labor. I stammered 'Hey uh Holly I was just a boat driver, this is more your deal. Why don't you…'
'No sir. I am enlisted, a technical specialist. I will advise you and implement your directions.'
Turning to Ron, 'Ron you're on both the school board and village trustees correct?'.
'Uh yah uh.'
'Sir you are then both the senior civil and school official we have contact with.'
She gave out names, well known retired gentlemen. Part of the VFW, they had removed the blank firing adaptors from M1 Garand rifles and had a few bandoleers of M2 ball ammo.
Oh doom on me. I just want to snatch my kid and go.
-------
Men and women arrived in a steady trickle. I didn't know so many people owned AR15's. I also didn't realize the percentage of AR15 owners who had only a single magazine for their rifle and no place to carry extra magazines if they had any or even a sling to hold their rifle.
On the other hand there were guys with plate carriers, a dozen magazines , an optic and a drop leg holster who looked like the just got out of a Black Water suburban.
In between were a lot of guys with the traditional Illinois deer gun, a short barreled pump or semi-auto shotgun with rifle sights or even a scope. These guys had on average about 7 deer slugs and half a box of bird shot with him. Not ideal but an ounce of lead slug roughly 3/4 of an inch across would certainly hurt a whole lot. Plus how many religion of peace missionaries would aloha snackbar through a cloud of birdshot.
Single point slings were improvised for most rifles that didn't have anything else. The hardware store donated several three inch wide tow straps. A length was cut and tied into a loop that would fit over one shoulder and across the chest. A length of simulated 550 paracord was cut and one end tied to the grip of the rifle or shotgun in question, the other tied in a loop around the webbing loop. In this way the firearm would be held vertically, muzzle down to the user. It did constantly muzzle or sweep the user's feet but nobody else’s.
Holley's husband Jim arrived in a golf cart. He had a Benelli combat shotgun , printed and laminated google overhead views of the school , a folding table and a pop up tent. Holly marked the current barricades mostly at intersections.
"What's next?" I asked.
"Either a Quick Reaction Force Or secondary barricades. Find guys with infantry or security training, well equipped and put together in one place maybe with a vehicle or two so they can react quickly. Or build barricades right in front of the school entrances. " She pointed to the school entances on the High School and Grade School. There were an astounding number on the High School.
"How would you do secondary barricades? Drive vehicles right up to the doors? Can we even do that?"
Ron replied, "You can drive anything anywhere as far as I'm concerned."
"That's pretty much exactly the way I'd do it. It's more psychological than anything else. But mind matters. Also you need to get out and go to the checkpoints."
There were eight barricades now, five of them were school busses parked blocking the roads. The others were a few pickups parked end to end. I was surprised at how well it was accepted that I was in charge.
Each barricade had more or less organized itself with highest ranking people taking charge. I did a quick talk about the four safety rules, treat every gun as if it's loaded , keep the muzzle in a safe direction , finger off the trigger until you've decided to shoot and be sure of your target and what is around it.
It was discovered the radios in the busses worked so there was communication. As people approached the barricades they were advised that nobody was being let out of the school. If they wanted to go pound on the door they were welcome to. Some did, most did not. Some left and returned later, armed. Others returned with chairs or pop up canopy shelters. The canning factory brought white plastic snap lid buckets as 'privies'.
My phone buzzed, it was Dennis. Dennis was an FFL holder and father of one of the kids on our BB Gun team. "Hey I got a trunk full of AR15's , a couple gross of mags, and a few cases 5.56 and buckshot 12 gauge ammo to donate to the cause."
"That's great, but I can't guarantee you'll get them back."
"That's ok , I'll paint pen the rifles and mags, what comes back comes back what doesn’t doesn’t."
"Ok I'll , meet you at the Cordis / Evans barricade."
"I'm actually stuck back at the fire ... wait a second ... " pause "hey Andrew is going to haul this gear down in the Fire Department gator."
Dennis had brought 18 Rock River AR 15 pattern rifles of varing descriptions. He had his personal rifle slung on his back and a Glock 17 on his hip. Andrew had claimed a compact AR15 for himself and they were ripping open packages of single point sling adaptors and installing them.
"Who do I give them to?" Denis asked.
"They're your rifles give them to whoever you want, maybe guys who qualified with them in the military?"
From inside the bus a voice called "You're needed down at the North Street barricade right away."
"Ok be right there, Dennis why do..." But he and Andrew had already take off in the gator.
At the barricade was Sgt Steve. We'd grown up across the road from each other.
"Steve man I'm glad to see you." We shook hands.
"I appreciate what you folks are doing but you have to send these people home. I can't have civilians running around with rifles in public and on school property."
Ron piped in, "Now we're on the school board and we've given permission for them to temporarily be on school property." Two more school board members, armed no less, had arrived while I was out.
"Steve you're a civilian too here and what makes you think they'll go if I tell them to?"
Steve looked thoughtful.
"How about you come do the rounds with me. If you get a SWAT team here or platoon from the National Guard I'm sure everyone will pack up. Hey do you have comms inside the school?"
"I think so and ok but as soon as back up arrives ..."
As the took off in the golf cart toward the Grade School a ladder rose up. Six men with scoped deer rifles and day packs climbed up then scattered to different parts of the roof.
Steve observed, "Sniper overwatch? I'm going to be sooo fired if anything goes wrong."
But as they went from position to positon Steve felt better. While not tier one operators there was a level of discipline and organization. Each position had a radio or smart phone streaming news from other attacks around the country. It's near dark when we finished the circuit. My stomach is starting rumble.
I see a pickup approaching the North street barricade - the now de-facto HQ. Out of it jumps a short, Mexican man. My old friend Manual who owned one of our town's two restaurants.
"I bring you gringos tamales and burritos! Ellen has her place open too and she's bringing up grilled cheese and coffee." Andrew brought the gator over and they were off to feed the troops. The tamale I snagged was warm and filling. It was getting dark. Holly had the maps up to date. She had taken to picking up map copy and walking from post to post updating it. Back at the CP she's update the map there and start again.
All of the entrances to each school were now guarded by at least two armed people. Holly had a quick response force organized. They were in the softball and baseball diamond dugouts. She had a fire team of 3 former marines and a second with three army vets and a reserve police officer.
They had maps and were talking up reactions to threats. Truth be told if it went to guns it was going to be a goat rodeo. With half the people running to the sound of the guns, half the people running in panic and half the people curling in a fetal ball. Wait was that three halfs?
My salvation came in the form of a thin older man approaching with a slung m1 carbine and holstered 1911 . I'd know him since he was my cub scout Pack Master, but he was also a retired Major and thus was the senior officer present. I drew to attention and saluted.
He wasn't here to take charge of anything, he was here to retrieve grandchildren if possible.
Fifteen minutes later he saluted and formally announced formally 'I relieve you sir!.'
'I stand relieved.' Boy was I ever relieved.
Andrew fired up the 'gator for another tour. The Major , officer Steve and I rode along. At the outer barriers half then men , ok and some women, were 'on watch' and half were resting. Long guns were slung and handguns were holstered. Those with shotguns had pulled the magazine plugs and were now loaded with buckshot with a pocketful of extra rounds. Some posts now sported flags. American flags, Don't Tread on Me aka Gadsden flags one even had a Pirate flag.
We saw squad car lights in the distance out in the country headed to town. Steve tried to raise whoever it was and called dispatch. Reply he got was 'maybe national guard?'
What we got was two humm vees with seven armed Army reservists, none of them from town. Roughly the first words out of the Sgt in charge's mouth was 'Get these effing civilians the eff out of here.'
After a bit of growling Holly managed to settle things down without shots being fired or punched thrown.
The reservists with their comm gear and night vision would be primary QRF. The militia would stay in place and current QRF would move to listing posts , sitting in their cars , on the entrances to the small town.
Everyone settled into a long night.
Around midnight the reserve NCOIC got a radio call about the same time as officer Steve. The door to the High School opened and they were allowed in along with Major Bates. A platoon from the IL National Guard would arrive in the morning with vehicles to escort busses.
As word got out cheers went out at the posts. With the sunrise came a convoy. It took only a few minutes to get the barricades moved. Hands were shaken and back slapped. Loaned rifles and magazines were returned. Two hours later only tire marks on school lawns were left.
---
Nobody would ever know that in those first hours a car had passed by. A car with three armed men. They saw the men with rifles by the school buses and headed off to the interstate...
