B004V9FYIY EBOK

by Unknown

  “This is Sierra Alpha, boss we were shelling a ship with lights on at the naval base when the things just went off. I have saved the RPV pictures and they might be able to tell us something. My RPV is long gone, over.”

  “This is Sierra Whiskey. OK, Chris. Break off and head straight to Pusan. I want some teams to get aboard and make sure things are okay. Don’t wash down your decks unless your teams pick up residual radiation. Then clean it up as best you can. I will meet you there. Is that understood, over?”

  “This is Sierra Alpha, understood. My DCA just came up and gave me another high sign. No problems on our end. But we’ll play it safe and see you in Pusan. I should be there sometime tomorrow morning, over.”

  “Good enough Chris. We’ll see you there. Sierra Whisky out. Break, Alpha Whiskey, this is Sierra Whisky did you copy, over?”

  “This is Alpha Whisky, roger, we copied. The Admiral is on his way. I’ll tell him your plan and we will get nuke teams down to the Navy piers by tomorrow morning. I agree this is one case to be more cautious than normal. I have put a call in to the local government and will contact the embassy, over.” Hammond could tell it was Thacke’s Chief of Staff speaking. “This is Sierra Whiskey, roger; recommend the Admiral meet us at the pier when we get in, over.”

  “This is Sierra Whiskey actual, I copy and will be there. Concur with your decision. Will save questions for later. Have Sierra Alpha send out the Navy Blue ASAP. This needs to get out fast, over,” it was the Admiral this time.

  “This is Sierra Whiskey, roger out.”

  “This is Sierra Alpha, I also copied and the message is already being drafted, out.”

  Then a new voice came across the net. “Sierra Whiskey, this is National Military Command Center. We have copied your transmissions and are taking steps on this end. Will send representative to Japanese and Chinese governments within the hour. Will also notify command authority. Will relay any questions regarding the detonation when provided. Notify this command if there is any need for further assistance regarding this incident, over.”

  Hammond pressed the transmit key again. “This is Sierra Whiskey, roger, we will be standing by. Thank you for your assistance, over.”

  “This is NMCC, roger out.”

  “Damn,” said the XO. “Nice to know the big boys are listening in.”

  Hammond chuckled. “Probably have been all along. OK, let’s turn the ship around again and head to Pusan.”

  “Aye, sir. I’ll try and get us there by 0800 if that’s okay.”

  “Perfect. Let’s get churning.”

  General Richardson’s HQ

  Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dickson,

  Words cannot express the sorrow I have for the loss of your son, William. It was my privilege not only to have him in my command but to talk with him on several occasions. He was a smart, insightful, and dedicated young man. Having spoken with his seniors, I understand he was one of the finest junior officers they had the pleasure to work with. We all miss his company.

  One of the best ways to know someone is to know what they stood for and what they cherished. In William’s case, I know from personal experience he valued the simple things in life. He spoke to me of his camping and his outdoor experiences, his thrill of serving his country and his enjoyment of working with others. He often demonstrated his high moral character with his men and they responded positively to him. William was a natural leader who held the respect of both his superiors and his subordinates. But the most telling part of William was how he made the ultimate sacrifice.

  Please understand that I share this with you because what William did fills me with great pride. William did more than simply serve his country. Many ordinary young men and women do that. He went above and beyond that model.

  On the night of the 11th, he and his men were assigned the job of rescuing children from a school the North Koreans were using as a fortress. The North Koreans were using the children as human shields against our forces. He and his men infiltrated the school and were able to get every child out of the building and to safety, but not before his small group was discovered. The North Koreans opened fire on William, his men, and the children. During the assault, he was fired upon while trying to get the last child out of the building. William died while protecting that child. He was found with the young boy still wrapped in his arms, keeping him safe.

  There is no greater measure of a man than something like this. His actions saved countless children and were in the highest honor and traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Armed Services. I have recommended him to receive the Navy Cross.

  Enclosed is a photograph of the young boy William saved. His name is Jua Jing, an orphan since the beginning of the war. He is very much alive and well, living in Seoul. We are taking very good care of this young man.

  Once again, you have my deepest sorrow at your loss. If I can be of assistance to you now or in the future, please do not hesitate to contact me.

  Sincerely,

  Claire Richardson

  Major General, USMC

  Pusan, South Korea

  The North Carolina moved into Pusan Harbor and was eased to the pier behind the Iowa. Teams of Nuclear, Biological and Chemical engineers were waiting on the pier to inspect the ship and find any traces of the weapon that detonated near them. Contrary to what the ship’s team found, traces of the weapon were on parts of the superstructure. It was all gathered and cataloged as evidence of North Korean war crimes. After a day of being tested and swabbed, the North Carolina’s crew was finally allowed to have liberty in Pusan.

  Early the next day Rear Admiral Hammond walked up the gangway of the North Carolina to six bells and “Iowa, Arriving.” He didn’t mind that they had forgotten he also commanded a task group. Captain Hustvedt was there to greet him.

  “Good to have you aboard again, Admiral,” he said shaking hands.

  “Thanks, Chris. I’m glad they finally decided to let you and your guys out of purgatory.”

  “We were getting a little punchy. What brings you aboard?”

  “Wanted to invite you to dinner. I thought you and your XO and a group I’m entertaining would go to a little restaurant in town. There’s some visitor coming in today from Washington and since I have to play host, I might as well have somebody there I know.”

  “That’s damn nice of you, Roger. I think my XO might like to talk with yours anyway. Who are these people coming in?”

  “Beats me. I got this cryptic message that said three people would show up. It didn’t say who or why, but I would venture to guess it will be some staffers of some kind. Let’s regale them with war stories,” Hammond said.

  “Sounds fine to me. What time do we leave?”

  “About 6:30 I think. They’re supposed to arrive around lunchtime.”

  “No problem. Any new word on the North Koreans?”

  “Not much from what I am getting. That Marine General has Pyongyang surrounded and the South Koreans will enter the city day after tomorrow. From what we are hearing the government is scattered to hell and back. That explosion you caused may have killed most of them. You know, you may have fixed it so there’s nobody to offer a surrender,” Hammond joked.

  “Breaks my heart. I just hope I never have to go through something like that again. When I saw that thing go off, I thought I’d wet myself. Next time you have a gut feeling, you go see about it.”

  Both men laughed amid the bustle of men doing their jobs around the quarterdeck.

  “Okay, Chris. I’ll stop by in a vehicle about 6:30.”

  “See you then, sir.”

  The men shook hands again and Hammond was bonged off. He shivered a little as he left the ship. Clouds had filled the sky the day before and a cold wind was blowing. But that wouldn’t keep them from having a good time.

  Gimhae, South Korea

  The 747 landed at the airport and disgorged its passengers. Hufham stood at the baggage area and waited holding up a sign that said “Ricks.” In a few minute
s he saw a couple in their fifties walk through the doors. The look on the woman’s face told him it was the Ricks family. She looked like an older version of his friend.

  Hufham walked up to the couple. “Mr. and Mrs. Ricks?”

  Mr. Ricks brightened slightly. “You must be Paul Hufham. Good to finally meet you,” he said as they shook hands.

  Mrs. Ricks reached up and gave the big man a hug. “Thank you for looking after our son,” she said.

  Hufham blushed. “Glad to help, Ma’am. I have a vehicle over here for you,” he said taking their meager bags and leading them to a waiting Humvee outside. They all crawled in and Hufham started the vehicle and pulled out.

  “I thought you might want to go see Dale before we go to the hotel. They moved him down to the hospital here yesterday,” he said.

  “Is he awake yet?” his mother asked.

  “Not yet. The doctor is concerned but not too much. He says it’s giving his body time to heal. Su Lynn is with him.”

  “So we get to meet that Chink girl he decided to marry,” the father said disgustedly.

  “David!” Mrs. Ricks called out in astonishment.

  Hufham hit the brakes and pulled the Humvee to the side of the road. He turned to Mr. Ricks and gave him a look that would melt a glacier. He spoke calmly but forcefully. “Mr. Ricks, let me warn you. If I ever hear of you saying an unkind remark about Su Lynn or Dale’s choice for a wife, I will personally hunt you down, wherever you may be and make you wish you had never seen the light of day. Su Lynn is a wonderful girl. We rescued her as she fought desperately to keep from being raped by North Korean soldiers. She was beside us as we fought our way through enemy lines. When she could have left for the safety of the country, she chose to remain in Pusan and feed refugees like herself. And when Dale was hurt, she did everything she could to be by his side. She is still there, talking to him every day. Now I don’t know what you’re used to but in my book the woman is a prize, and Dale is the luckiest guy on earth to get her. So you put your racial bigotry in the deepest, darkest closet you can and keep it there,” he said before turning back around and pulling back into traffic.

  After a few minutes, Mr. Ricks said, “Sorry.”

  “You should be, David,” said Mrs. Ricks. “You say something like that again and Sergeant Hufham won’t be the only one you have to watch out for.” She angrily turned and began looking out the window at the countryside as they drove by.

  Thirty minutes later Hufham pulled up to a large military style building six stories tall. It was painted white with a tiled roof, snuggled into the side of a mountain. It was surrounded by several well manicured courtyards with trees and plants. People in hospital robes were walking around. They got out of the Humvee and made their way inside.

  Ricks had been moved to a step down unit. It offered enhanced care but not the same as intensive care. He had only a couple of tubes now, although wires were still leading to the heart and breathing monitor. The cuts on his face were healing well and the nurses had shaved him that morning to look good for his parents. They walked in the door to see Su Lynn sitting beside his bed, holding his hand.

  Su Lynn almost didn’t know what to do. There before her were Dale’s parents. His mother looked very much like him. Her eyes danced just like Dale’s. She wondered what they were thinking. They didn’t know her and she didn’t know them, yet they were linked through Dale. Su Lynn stood and bowed slightly.

  Upon seeing Su Lynn, Mrs. Ricks immediately saw what her son saw in her. She was lovely to behold and there was something about her eyes that told her of Su Lynn’s strength. Hufham was right. She was by her son’s side. That alone meant everything. Mrs. Ricks walked slowly up to Su Lynn and wrapped her arms around her daughter. “Welcome to my family,” she said kissing her on the cheek.

  Su Lynn hugged her new mom hard. “I am so happy to meet you,” she said very relieved.

  “And there is so much we need to talk about. But first how is our boy?”

  Looking at the bed, you almost couldn’t tell there was anything wrong. But Su Lynn’s eyes became moist. “I so sorry. Dale lose legs.” She began to cry again. Mrs. Ricks pulled her back into a hug.

  “I know sweetie, I know. But he’s still with us. We’ll figure things out okay.”

  All this time Mr. Ricks was looking at his son. The boy who left home had changed. He wasn’t the little kid who got in trouble at school or stayed out too late anymore. His face had become more chiseled and lean. His chest was broader and more muscular. This wasn’t his little boy. He was a grown man.

  Mr. Ricks looked over at his wife and Su Lynn. He had grown up in the ways of rural Georgia. Anything from outside the country was suspect and ridiculed. This was the very first time he had even been outside the state. He had seen Asians before. There was a growing Asian community in Atlanta. He’d heard the stereotypes – smart and industrious; lived frugally. But now it was all staring him in the face. She spoke English. She was a good looker. She obviously cared for his son. Maybe Hufham was right.

  He turned to Hufham and extended his hand. “I take back everything I ever said or felt,” he said. They shook hands. Then he walked up to Su Lynn and hugged her as well. “I’m David and this is Amanda. We’re glad to finally meet you,” he said.

  The doctor came in and gave them a brief on Ricks’ condition. Then David Ricks and Hufham went to check them into a hotel while the two women stayed with Dale. They sat beside the bed as Amanda and Su Lynn got to know each other. Then they started to talk about Dale. Amanda told Su Lynn stories of his growing up — his love of anything outdoors, hunting, and of course NASCAR.

  During a lull in their conversation, Amanda pulled back the side of the sheets and looked at Dale’s leg. It was bare down to the knee and then heavily bandaged around the stump that was left. She felt it to see if it was warm to the touch and was surprised when Dale let out a small moan. The two women looked at his face and saw the eyelashes flutter and open slightly. At first he focused on Su Lynn, closer to him and holding his hand. His lips widened into a smile.

  “Hi there,” he croaked while looking into Su Lynn’s eyes. Then someone else came into view and he refocused. “Mom? What are you doing here?” he said a little clearer. He lifted his head and looked around the room. “Where am I?”

  Su Lynn placed her fingers on his mouth. “Shhh. You are in hospital. You not remember you get hurt?” She reached over and pressed the little call button.

  “Honey, from what we heard you’ve been asleep for almost a week. You are pretty banged up, but doing okay,” Amanda said. “The Army gave us a ride over here to see you.”

  Ricks smiled. “So I guess you guys have met,” he said laying his head back. That simple effort exhausted him.

  “Oh yes. We’re already sharing stories.”

  “She tell me about when you young baby,” Su Lynn said with a broad smile.

  “Oh no. Mom, you don’t have to tell her everything,” he joked.

  A nurse came in the room. “Well, look who’s back to the world of the living. Let me go get the doctor,” he said as he turned and left the room.

  “How bad am I hurt?” Ricks asked.

  “You feel pain?” Su Lynn asked.

  “Legs sore. They itch a little…” He looked down the bed and noticed that the blanket did not come up where his feet should be. He tried to lift his leg and saw where they ended. Tears formed in his eyes as Su Lynn hugged him close and his mother placed her hand on his chest. The memory flooded back. The shooting, the explosion, him getting knocked down and seeing the ceiling start to fall. “Dang it,” he said in exasperation. “Both of ‘em?”

  His mom nodded.

  Ricks felt like his life had just about ended. Anxiety and a fear of the future seemed to fill him. What was in store and what would he be able to do? He had seen some homeless amputees hobbling around in Atlanta; no job and no hope. Suddenly he saw himself begging on the street. What would happen now? What about Su Lynn? The emotions
began to wash over him. “Well, I guess that’s that,” he said with a sigh.

  Su Lynn sat up. She had a beautiful determined look on her face. “No it not. I talk to doctor. They give new legs. You must walk again,” she said.

  He held her hand. “It’s not that easy,” he stammered.

  “Yes is that easy. You must do it. Must do for me,” she said, then after a pause, “and for our baby.”

  Ricks looked up at her. “Baby?”

  She smiled at him and placed his hand on her stomach. “Yes. Doctor say baby. I hope it boy.”

  The doctor entered the room. “Hello. I’m Dr. Kelsey,” he said entering the room and extending his hand. “We’re very glad you’ve finally come around.”

  Ricks took his hand but wasn’t listening. Su Lynn had given him the reason to live. His anxieties and fears went away as quickly as they had appeared. Suddenly life was full again and he was going to live it. He had to for Su Lynn and his child.

  “Doc, when can I learn to walk again?”

  Kelsey got an astonished look. It wasn’t often that a guy with these injuries came back like this. “Well, it will take a little time. Give these stumps of yours some time to heal, then we will fit you out. You are in pretty good health by the way. Now that you are awake, we can start getting you back in shape.”

  “Good, Doc. ‘Cause in about eight months I want to be able to stand and hold my child.”

  USS Iowa

  The SH-60 landed on the pier and three people exited – two men and a woman. The Captain was called and walked out of his cabin onto the O-2 level and peered down to see the XO run from the side and speak to the OOD. Bongs were heard and the Bos’n announced “Mayor of San Pedro, arriving.”

  Hammond looked back at the small group making its way down the pier. There she was. He could see her hair blowing in the breeze. He almost couldn’t move. Beside her was his old friend Jim Butler. They looked up and waved at him.

  Hammond nearly jumped down the ladder and onto the quarterdeck as they climbed the stairs and crossed the brow. He extended his hand and welcomed his friend aboard, then looked at Patricia Crowell. He took both of her hands and stared into her eyes. “You don’t know how glad I am to see you,” he said. Then he noticed the tears in her eyes.