i rise above to lead them to Salvation!
June 6th, 1944 the allied forces decided to invade Axis Normandy via sea. This plan was made so that the allied forces could suffer as little loss of men as they can, not to mention intelligence had told them there would be no retaliation. They were wrong. When the allied hit shore they were overrun by mortar, turret, and sniper fire. As man would walk to the shore they were shot down, massacred if you will. Very few men made it off that beach. One man was John Price.
Private Price was born in New York, enlisted at the age of 18. He knew what he was doing. Had no second thoughts, except that he was leaving his family back home, but that did not stop him from leaving. Intense training, made him ready for what was to come, or so he thought.
The first morning before the departure to Normandy, Price entered the cafeteria, grabbed his breakfast, ate it, went to work out. Doing such he never noticed that there was a female Lt., by name of Lt. Emma Herringway. Female Lt.’s were few and far between, but she proved herself more than worthy, she proved to everyone she can play with the “Big Leagues”. After Price had finished working out, he was on his way to the showers, on his way there, that’s when he saw her. He didn’t recognize her at first, then again, he was bad at remembering people. Price and Herringway standing there, locked eyes, fixated bodies, confused on why they didn’t keep on moving. Then they realized, because it was such a tight space to move out of the gym, neither of them could get past each other. Price finally spoke, “Hey, this might sound rude but…, your kind of in my way?” This Herringway’s mind didn’t sound rude at all, it was truth, she was in his way. “Oh, sorry, I didn’t mean to get in your way at all,” she said with a almost frightend smile “I was just wondering who was in there so early in the morning.” Price still fixated with her eyes, some odd reason, he knew that was a lie. She had been watching him do the same thing over and over, like some little high school crush. “Listen, can you please just get out of my way? I don’t feel like standing here covered in my sweat it’s kind of disgusting. If you want to talk with me, we can talk after, your eyes are telling me you want another encounter with me. Am I right?” Price read through her, she had no idea at all that Price was a capable soldier as he was. His intense training never ended for him. It had only just begun.
Before Price and Herringway could have that 2nd encounter, Price was sent off to the beaches of Normandy. His entire platoon wiped out in the first wave of fire. Leaving him the only one standing, few mortars were fired in his direction. Price maneuvered away from the blasts that the mortar’s created. Finally he hit the cliffs. The cliffs were climbable, perhaps one of two of the only ways to off the beach. The other way… covered by mortar fire. The only ones who were able to go through that fire, The Big Red One, an elite group of soldier who’s training was top of the line. Price met up with Foxtrot. He received his first set of orders, climb up the ropes to the top of the cliffs, take out 2 of the turrets that were suppressing they’re men at the beach. He did so. Price proved his worth that day, proved that his training was good enough to survive any harsh condition. One thought always crossed his mind, “Will Herringway still want that 2nd encounter?”
Herringway waited, for days, weeks, months, almost a year for Price. She never gave up, she knew he was coming back, or at least hoped he was. For her it was love at first site. She was there at the day of his orientation as a soldier, when he completed his basic training. They spoke briefly, not too short though, Herringway was a Lt. after all. After those talks, after those encounters, she knew he was for her. She always held onto a locket given to her by her mother who passed of leukemia, the locket had an engraftment that said “If you know it’s meant to be, if you feel it’s meant to be, then it is.” She never forgot those words and kept them close.
Price returned nearly a year later, Operation Normandy was over. The first person he looked for, the only person he looked for, was Herringway. She was no where to be found. Herringway thought his arrival was the day beforehand, so she didn’t show. Price continued to look. Finally the day was over, he failed. He couldn’t locate the ‘Princess’. On his way home, he found her. So unexpectedly too, she was on her way home as well. They had a lot in common, there was so much history to be shared in they’re time away from each other. They never left each others side since that day. Even today they still share stories with one another, but there is a 3rd listening into these stories. They got married and they had a son. Determined to be the best just like his father, but that’s an entirely different story.
Sgt. Price and Lt. Herringway a true story of Love at first sight.
