Friends until the End

Whether it was the happiest of times or the darkest of times they were always together (well not always together). Daklin Gates and Daniel Peters were best friends since preschool so literally before they could remember.
They learned and rode their bikes to school every morning for four years. Took all the same classes, played on the same sports teams. They did everything together (well not everything). They passed every milestone side by side (well not every milestone).
When news came down from President Nixon that additional troops, most likely from the drafting pool, would be needed to fight off the communists.
Fearful that one or both of them may be drafted to Vietnam, Daklin and Daniel went to an Army office to inquiry about the likelihood of them being drafted.
“I’m not going to sugarcoat any information, you two will be drafted. You both have brothers, single, not too educated. It’s not a matter of if but when,” said general Bishop.
Daniel and Daklin looked at each other and nodded assuming that each of them was thinking the exact same thought.
“All right, what if we enlist right now? Could you guarantee that we would be in same infantry, squad, platoon, etc?” said Daklin.
“I’ll have to ask my superior, please give me a second.”
No sooner than when the general closed the door, Daniel slapped Daklin with a back hand across the chest.
“What was that for?” demanded Daklin.
“You should be lucky I didn’t aim for your face, why did you enlist us?” answered Daniel.
“I looked at you and nodded,” replied Daklin.
“I thought you were thinking about a road trip to Canada.”
“I should’ve known that’s what you were thinking.”
The general re-enters his office and congratulates the boys on joining the 6th rank ground unit.
The first days of live action was just that—live action.
Daklin and Daniel’s squad crossed enemy lines and were met with mine fields and heavy fire from the opposing side. Commander Roberts screamed at the top of lungs for all of his men to return and wait for aid and recovery to arrive.
The one thousand man group only had a quarter of the men remaining when they returned to safety and wait for reinforcements.
“To think, that were going to die because of a misinterpretation of facial expressions,” said Daniel.
“What?” answered fellow Cadet Roger Murphy/
It was at this moment that Daniel realized that Daklin must have been shot and wounded or worse died out on the field and dropped his equipment to try to save him.
Before he took one step on his own rescue mission commander Roberts grabbed his him and said, “Not so fast private Peters, we gotta wait until General Sheppard relieves us.”
“With all do respect sir I believe my best friend, Daklin Gates is out there and I have to try to save him.”
“LISTEN TO ME! THAT”S EVERYONE’S BEST FRIEND, BROTHER, FATHER, HUSBAND, if he’s alive he will hold on for seven more minutes.”
Despite the commander’s warning Daniel shrugged him off and recrossed enemy lines after turning over dozens of bodies he found Daklin but too late. As he painfully walked back to camp, Daniel was shot three times; twice in the leg and once in the back.
“ALWAYS LISTEN TO ORDERS. SEE, YOUR FRIEND WAS ALREADY DEAD AND NOW YOUR WOUNDED, what a bone-headed move and for what? For nothing,” said commander Roberts.
It wasn’t for nothing, when I turned his body over he said, “I knew you would come.”