Dimly outlined by a half-moon breaking from clouds, Norman drove toward a waving figure near the building partially hidden by jungle growth.
“You men grab your gear and hightail it to a clearing about fifty yards behind that building. Now hide your truck from the air. Pull that truck into the bushes over there. Everyone camouflages their own,” Lieutenant Kerns ordered. “Keep your sidearms ready. We don’t know if Jap saboteurs are mingling in this area or not. But they’ve made their presence in Manila known.”
They followed instructions, met at the rear, and found their newly assigned vehicle—a half-track with tank treads—with a machine gun mounted on a moving turret and a 75-mm selfpropelled cannon good for close range fighting.
“From here, men, you will be spread out to all hell and gone. We have no communications equipment to speak of. You’ll be supporting whoever, whenever you get a command from a superior officer. My job will be to inform you the best I can. To keep you on my maps and communicate by runner and when practical through the other units in the field you may be assigned temporary duty with.” The lieutenant paused. “This is a helluva way to fight a war. I know you men would prefer to stick together, but we have our orders.”
Assignments were given. Norman commanded the half-track with Lucian and Johnny manning the guns.
“You think you can drive this thing?”
“It’s got tracks,” Norman replied, smiling as he worked the gears while playing with the ignition.
“It’s not a locomotive … you actually have to steer the thing, Norm,” Lucian drawled as he worked cosmoline off the guns.
“You watch. I’ll be the best darn driver in this outfit,” he replied.
“Whoever thought of putting this gooey stuff in gun barrels and breaches, and smothering firing mechanisms with it ought to be courtmartialed and given a sentence to clean cosmoline off guns for the rest of his life,” Lucian protested as he struggled at wiping the petroleum-based goo off the guns without enough rags. “How the heck are we supposed to fire these things?” he complained.
“The lieutenant dropped off this here map. Oh, and here’s a pile of rags he handed me for that cosmoline stuff. Looks like you boys are back in the train business,” Johnny offered as he came from the darkness where he had been called by Lieutenant Kerns. “Lookie here,” he said, pointing, unfolding the map on the ground. He pulled his Zippo cigarette lighter out and began to strike at it.
“Cover that thing! No lights!” Norman scolded. He put his poncho over the map and the three ducked under to safely use the lighter and take a look at their assignment.
“Train depot outside Intermuros,” Lucian said excitedly.
“Where’s Intermuros?” Norman asked.
“Here,” he pointed, “it’s the walled city area on the map with narrow streets. Old part of town. By the docks. I passed through it on my way to Corregidor a few days ago. We’ll be outside on the tracks right here at this point.”
“I guess Kerns knew we’d feel at home on the railroad.” Norman smiled.
“Yep. Looks like we got a sweet assignment, boys. All the stuff being shipped back and forth. We’ll be in fine shape. Let’s go.” Lucian folded the map and handed it to Norman. “Tank commander, sir? Your map,” he laughed.
Norman beamed. “Come on, Johnny. This is a good omen. It’s like going home.”
“So do you think we will be hearing from the army?” Mary Jane asked Jason Parker as she set the table. Jason was a permanent guest for dinner now that he was all alone.
He shook his head. “It takes weeks in all the confusion to sort things out, darling. I was in the first war, 1918. The National Guard from Kansas. I was there one week when we were sent to the front and I was wounded within one hour of our first fight with the Germans. Just seriously enough to get out, get a disability.
“So I didn’t see much of the war. But I was nearly back to the States before my family heard a word about it. I don’t know if you knew this, but I was married too. My wife, Maria Linda, had our boys while I was over there in France. I can tell ya from experience, Lucian is as concerned about you being worried over him as you are about him being safe.”
“Well, I can’t help it. I think about both of them, you know. Do you think that’s strange, Mr. Parker?”
“No. I don’t believe you can think about one without considerin’ the other. I know I can’t. Mother never could either.”
“I’ll turn up the radio,” Harry said with a slight cough. “This winter sure has me feelin’ low,” he said as he ambled from his easy chair to the Zenith radio set on an end table by the sofa. “I do look forward to some of that chicken broth to ease this chest pain I’m feelin’,” he added as he went to his chair at the table.
“Grandpa, you need to get to Redemption and have Doc Willis take a look and listen to those lungs of yours,” Mary Jane counseled lovingly but with sternness.
“Nonsense. Nothing like good food and workin’ through a bout with a little cold that fixes a man,” he responded, coughing with a wave of his hand.
“She’s right, Harry. I’d be glad to run you on down there tomorrow with a load of lumber I’m takin’ for the Johnsons to the mill. Seems the demand for pine has picked up all the sudden like.”
“Guess I know who to call for the right size pine box,” Harry chuckled.
“Grandpa, you knock that off!” Mary Jane scolded.
“Seems to me if you are callin’ for a pine box, you’d have a right hard time gettin’ through, if you were already dead set on needin’ one,” Jason added with a grin, then a hearty laugh.
“Haaa! That was real fine. Mighty good,” Harry offered loudly, happily at the man-style jest.
Mary Jane frowned. “You men!” she scolded as she turned to the kitchen to bring the soup and bread.
“Offer grace, will you please, granddaughter,” Harry asked weakly as he sipped from a glass of water.
“Yes, grandpa,” she replied grabbing at both men’s hands.
“Almighty God our Father. We give thee thanks for this daily bread and all that has been so generously provided to this home. We pray for our boys in the war …” She stumbled on her words. “Bless them, oh Father, to have food, shelter, and protection from the enemy. Give them strength. Give them our love.” She paused. “Bring them home to us. We pray this offering of thanks and put all things into thy caring hands, in Jesus’ name. Amen.” Breaking her grip she wiped at her eyes then excused herself to the kitchen.
“Our boys,” Jason whispered, staring into his bowl as if something there could answer the question gnawing at his mind too. Mary Jane returned with bowls of hot baked rolls, feigning cheerfulness.
“Thank you, granddaughter. Now for the grub.” Harry pointed to the chicken soup and rolls with a handkerchief covering his chronic cough.
They ate quietly as the news of war offered dark tales of increased damage to Manila, bombings, and now the first landings of Japanese troops on Luzon.
Mary Jane could read her father-in-law’s mind as he clenched his fists, struggled to eat, stirring the soup in circles with his spoon as he listened intently to the CBS news reports.
Jason’s eyes watered at the thought of his gentle sons suddenly being forced into manhood, danger. “War’s no damn good. It’s no damn good,” he finally declared, getting up to leave the room for some brisk December air. “I’ll see ya all in the mornin’.”
“He’ll be okay, sweetheart. Just give him time.” Harry patted his granddaughter’s hand.
She shook her head knowingly as she struggled for composure. She had to be strong for Lucian and Norman’s father and for herself.
“I just think I’ll retire early,” Harry said with a raspiness to his voice, an unsteady breathing. “You get me up early. I think I’ll take that ride into Redemption tomorrow with Jason to see the doc.”
Mary Jane smiled and gave him a kiss and wondered how to comfort her father-in-law with the faith she knew she had to muster up. Then
she would retire and try to get through one more day. Just one day at a time, her mother would tell her whenever she had gotten to worrying about something. God just gives one day for us to live, she could hear her counsel.
Morning came with a deathly chill spreading across the plains states. She had not wanted to cause her grandfather any discomfort on such a cold day and had decided to call Doc Willis to see if he was making house calls up Warm Springs ways.
She went to his room. He must have finally gotten some relief, she thought at the stillness coming from his slumber. She left him alone and greeted Jason Parker at the door.
“Welcome. Come on in. I wasn’t expecting you this early, Mr. Parker,” she said politely.
“Well, I guess you would like to see what I got,” he smiled.
He held a cablegram out to her.
She excitedly read it.
Dear Pa,
This will have to be short. Me and Lucian and cousin Johnny Mead are fighting this war together. All is well. Found a military unit handling these cables. Assigned to guard a train in Manila. Safe. Well armed. Looking out for each other. Tell Mary Jane Lucian sends love. Me too to all. Norman.
“Now how about that?” Jason beamed.
“Oh!” Mary Jane squealed delightedly. “Oh! I’ve got to tell Grandpa,” she said, running down the hallway calling him in childlike excitement.
Jason stood there, thankful to God for word from his sons. He should have known, as resourceful as they were, they would find a way to get word out. Proud, yes sir mighty proud, he thought to himself And relieved.
“Mr. Parker!” Mary Jane screamed in a shrill, alarmed voice from the bedroom. “Oh, Mr. Parker he won’t wake up! Wake up Grandpa! Don’t! Oh, no!” she cried as Jason dashed down the hall and entered the room. She was kneeling with her head on her grandfather’s chest, trying to discern a heartbeat. “Is he … ?” Her watering eyes begged as she crumpled to the floor beside him.
Jason picked her up gently and took a look, felt for pulse, opened his eyelids. He listened for a breath, heartbeat. He turned to her and put his arms around her as she fell into them, sobbing.
“He’s gone. Real peaceful. Real happy. A real saint of a man. I’m sorry, Mary Jane.”
CHAPTER 42
Norman was glad he had sent the cable. He didn’t have time to go tell Lucian about his discovery. He had been sent into the army headquarters, the Hotel Manila in the Intermuros section of town with Lieutenant Kerns and found the sergeant handling cables, willing to take ten dollars for the short telegram.
He was called by Kerns to go with him to check out the possibility of handling the train schedules for army deployment of munitions and equipment to rear areas in the event of an evacuation from Manila.
“Seems someone looked over our records and saw your work history on the railroads for the Santa Fe. Must have impressed someone to have us here in MacArthur’s HQ.”
A siren sounded as bombs started falling in the distance. The artillery outside fired protecting bursts into the sky. Norman and Lieutenant Kerns followed staff as the headquarters was quickly evacuated to makeshift bomb shelters.
“We ought to go out there and help those boys. They’re from the 515th,” Kerns said as they sat through the blasts that appeared to be blocks away. “I don’t fancy sittin’ here waitin’ for a bomb to hit me. What do you say, Parker? We in this war?”
“You go, I go,” Norman replied, washbasin helmet strapped firmly around his chin, Colt .45 strapped to his waist.
“Let’s go, Corporal Parker,” Kerns whispered and waved his hand for Norman to follow.
They ran from the safety of the shelter to the front of the building, pulled their weapons from the jeep parked in an alley, and then headed for the sandbagged 37-mm gun firing at the bombers overhead.
“Howdy do, Lieutenant,” said a smiling New Mexico guardsman noticing the familiar New Mexico Guard shoulder patch on the two newcomers. “Welcome to the war.” He grinned.
“Good to be with you boys too!” Kerns shouted back. “Here,” he said handing the ammo over to the gunners as Norman began transferring it from a nearby bunker.
Lucian and Johnny manned their guns at the train depot as the train left for a side-rail and camouflaged shelter. No sign of fighter planes. The bombers seemingly passing over the depot as a target on this day left them anxious, but not firing yet.
“Wonder how Norm’s doing in all that stuff.” Lucian nodded nervously toward the downtown district and the waterfront. “Can’t see how a man comes out from underneath all that, but they do every time,” he noted with a hopeful sigh.
“He’ll be fine. We aren’t gonna get it,” Johnny assured him. “Maybe some other guys, but not us,” he added, certain of his youthful immortality.
“Bombs don’t play favorites,” Lucian replied.
“Just the same. It ain’t our time,” the young man responded.
“I like your attitude, Johnny.”
“Sure. Anytime, Lucian. You know how to drive this thing?”
“Sure do. Went over it with Norm for about fifteen minutes. Think we ought to give her a go?”
“Maybe,” Johnny replied anxiously, suddenly not so sure of himself as bombs began to hit a mile closer.
“Here we go,” Lucian shouted as he cranked the engine over. “Just like a tractor, more than likely. At least it has front wheels,” he said as he lurched forward with a jolt, then hit the brakes just as hard.
“Hey!” Johnny called. “Careful! I about set this gun off!”
“Take your hand off the trigger!” Lucian shouted back as he put it in reverse.
“Bombs are sure fallin’ closer,” the young man shouted down to Lucian.
“Here we go,” he called back and sent the half-track into full speed forward in the direction of the camouflaged trains. “I kinda like this,” he yelled up to his cousin with a smile.
The young man replied with a look of controlled terror.
“The General saw what you two boys did,” a major from MacArthur’s headquarter’s staff said approaching Lieutenant Kerns. “He wants to know your names, rank, and unit.”
“Lieutenant Jeremiah Kerns, newly formed 515th Coast Artillery, New Mexico National Guard.”
“Norman Parker, sir. Corporal, same unit, sir.”
“Hmmm. Not even regular army. The General is going to appreciate this.” He smiled. “You boys were outstanding. That’s the kind of fighting spirit this army needs to keep Manila and the island from falling to the Japs. Both of you are to be commended. I am instructed to inform you that each of you are to be elevated in rank effectively immediately. You will both be receiving citations and I wouldn’t be surprised about medals as well. Congratulations Captain Kerns. Congratulations Lieutenant Parker.”
“But sir, I’m just a Corporal and …”
“Are you being ungrateful to General MacArthur, son?”
“Well no, sir, but see, I …” Kerns looked on with a wide grin of appreciation for the spot Norman had just been put in.
“Well then, you were a non-commissioned officer. That’s what corporals and sergeants are. You have received a battlefield commission to replace this man Captain Kerns here. You doubt your abilities?”
“No sir, it’s just that I guess I should be a sergeant first and my brother see, he fights with me and he’s a private. And …”
“Captain Kerns. What’s the name of this man’s brother?”
“Private Lucian Parker, sir,” the new captain replied.
“Fine. Private Parker is to be made a sergeant. See to the paperwork. Sergeant!” the major called to a staff member cleaning the debris from his desk. “I want you to get all the information down regarding these men. They are being promoted in rank. Fill out the papers and get them to me immediately.” He turned back to the two New Mexican guardsmen. “You men will fill the sergeant in on our conversation. I must get back to the general. That will be all.”
“Yes, sir,” Kerns saluted.
“Yes, sir,” Norman added with a salute.
“Oh, and Lieutenant Parker?” the major asked. “What’s your specialty?”
“Well, all the guns in our outfit, really, sir. I’m here on some matter about running a train schedule for the army though, sir.”
“Fine. You and your gun crew are now to be assigned to headquarters’ staff. Captain Kerns, I assume you are here on the same matter?” the major inquired.
“Yes, sir. I was ordered to bring Corporal … I mean Lieutenant Parker here.”
“Well, you have real fighting spirit. Let’s see what we can do for you. We need more of that spirit on this staff. These men have had it too cushy. Thank you, gentlemen.”
“Thank you, sir,” they both replied.
“Well. Life sure can offer its surprises, wouldn’t you say, Parker?” Kerns smiled.
“Yes, sir, I’d say so. I still can’t see why, I mean this seems too much, too unreal for just doing our job. Heck sir, I just didn’t want a bomb falling on me without fighting back. I’m not so brave. I just don’t like sitting around, that’s all.”
“Funny how we all see things different. I’m sure even you and your brother Lucian have seen the same thing different on occasions.”
“Oh yes, sir. That we have. That we surely have.”
CHAPTER 43
“It doesn’t seem much like Christmas, does it Mary Jane?” Jason Parker said as he wiped his face with a napkin. “It was a fine meal though.”
“Thank you,” she said somberly. “No, it does not feel like Christmas. I can’t believe how suddenly events can make everything so topsy-turvy. One day life is good, the sun is shining, we’re laughing and singing, the next …” She shook her head sadly. “The next day the ones we love are gone. Just gone.”
“Sure does make one stop and think,” Jason sighed.
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