The 442nd Special Platoon was a Imperial Garmillas Defense Force special forces team of second class garmillan citizens active under the Alien Volunteer Corps, Special Warfare Group B in 2199. It participated in the Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster and was tasked with the mission to board the Earthling battleship Yamato and retrieve the Iscandarian Third Princess Yurisha
History[]
The 442nd Special Platoon was a platoon of Special Warfare Group B. Its soldiers were considered among the best and most courageous Zaltzi volunteers. Since its formation, the 442nd Special Platoon was deployed on the empire's most brutal battles and was regularly treated as cannon fodder to protect pure-blooded garmillan units. The platoon's soldiers survived various missions, and its members gained the elité soldier status. However, these dangerous conditions eventually led the platoon to be reduced to only soldiers under the command of Second Lieutenant Gelt Berger.[3][2]
The 442nd Special Platoon examin an hologram of their target
In late 2199, the team was assigned the task of kidnapping Yurisha Iscandar from the Earthling battleship Yamato by Colonel General Erich Domel. During the Battle of the Rainbow Star Cluster, after the vessel had been blinded by a bomber rait, the 442nd Special Platoon boarded itfrom a FS-Classt Torpedo Boat nicknamed Suckerfish attached to its stern. After disguising themselves as Yamato crewmember, the platoon soldiers secured the airlock they entered through and moved in to secure the Princess, all except Corporal Norren Oshetto who remained to behind to guard their exit point.[2][4]
Meck covers the platoon's retreat moments before being killed
The infiltrator were soon found out by security officer Toru Hoshina, who was immediately shot. The Earthling Lieutenant Yuki Mori heard the gunshots and approached the assault team. Believing her to be Yurisha, Sergeant Beris Reitse drugged her and the team retreated to the Suckerfish. Before being able to leave, they got into a shootout with security officers and Yamato tactics officer Susumu Kodai. Sergeant Major Barsch Meck and Reitse were killed in the crossfire and Berger was injured. Having ordered Oshetto to escape with the prisoner, Berger activated a grenade to cover his subordinate's retreat, dying in the explosion. Having completed the mission, the dimensional submarine UX 01 retrieved Suckerfish and moved out of the battlefield.[4]
Legacy[]
Oshetto and Mori sabotage the city fortress
Despite the death of most of the platoon members and the fact they had mistakenly taken the wrong person, the mission to kidnap Yurisha was considered to be a success and the prisoner was transfered to Garmillas to serve as part of Supreme Leader Abelt Desler's plan to achieve the Great Unification. Oshetto, the last survivor of the team, was assigned as Mori's personal guard. He fell in love with the Earthling and ultimately found out about her real identity, but decided not to reveal it to his superiors. Together, the two sabotaged the orbital city fortress Baleras II during the Battle of the Imperial Capital as Desler tried to turn the station's superweapon against Yamato. Oshetto stayed behind to sabotage the orbital city, but forced Mori to escape the before it exploded, dying but allowing her to survive the battle.[1][5][6]
Reitse's body is deposed in a capsule before the funeral cerimony
The bodies of the dead 442nd Special Platoon members were recovered by Yamato's crew and were sent floating into space after a proper funeral together with all those who died during the battle. An Earthling officer noted that, despite being on opposite sides "they too died for what they believed in".[5]
Personnel[]
- Second Lieutenant Gelt Berger (Commander)
- Sergeant Major Barsch Meck
- Sergeant Beris Reitse
- Corporal Norren Oshetto
References[]
Japanese language information[]
第442特務小隊 Dai 442 tokumu shōtai