Kitty's War

by Barbara Whitaker

  After forcing himself to swallow, the airman shook his head. He took a sip of tea.

  “Here, take mine.” Ted handed him a slice of plain toast and scooped up the offending slice slathered in jam. “I’ll eat it.”

  “Thanks.”

  Ted chomped on the toast, remembering his grandmother’s cooking. She’d made all kinds of jam, baked bread, canned vegetables and made it all taste good. Too bad he hadn’t appreciated it at the time.

  “What about you?” Ted asked. “Where will they send you? Back up there?” The wings told Ted the man was a flier.

  The man shook his head. “Nope.” He leaned back and patted the stump where his lower leg used to be. “That last flight took care of that. Crash landed. They said I was lucky the plane didn’t catch fire, but there was nothing left but fumes.” He popped the last of his toast into his mouth and sipped some tea.

  Ted had forgotten about the man’s disability. He’d been too caught up in his own self-pity.

  “No more flying for me,” the flier continued. “I’ll be headin’ home, soon as they can get me on a boat.”

  Ted just nodded. He couldn’t bring himself to congratulate the man. Maybe Rollins and Bud and the guys were lucky, going down like they did, together. At least they wouldn’t go home crippled.

  A pang of guilt caught in his throat, nearly choking him. He clenched his jaw, pressed his lips together, willed the food to stay down.

  He should have been with them. Should have gone down with his crew.

  He still saw them. Saw their faces. Waking or sleeping, it didn’t matter. They were with him. Every last one. You didn’t fly nineteen missions together without forming a bond, an unbreakable bond, without feeling like you were part of each other.

  “Would you like some more tea?” The small, gray-haired woman smiled sweetly.

  Ted nodded. “Yes, ma’am.” He watched her pour and thought she would have been a real beauty in her youth.

  The image of another beauty leapt into his mind. An angel with a wild halo who watched over him. Why did every pretty face always bring her to mind? Would a real woman ever make him feel the way he had that day when she smiled down on him?

  Maybe he didn’t deserve an angel. Maybe what he deserved was a good-time girl like the WAC that visited the hospital. She liked to flirt, and so did he. She’d look good on his arm, and that alone would cheer him up.

  Maybe he’d look her up while he waited to go back to the bombers. His days were numbered, so he might as well enjoy himself while he could.

  Chapter Four

  Somewhere in England

  April 20, 1944

  Dearest Milton,

  We’ve settled into our new home with the Air Force. I’m including my new location in hopes the censor won’t mark it out. The farms and rolling hills around here remind me a little of back home, even though all the houses look ancient, and the hills are much smaller. There’s a bomber air field not far from here. All the noise when they’re taking off—before dawn—wakes me up. Guess I’ll get used to it. I’m hoping to get out and explore—when I get some time. They keep us pretty busy in the castle.

  Yes, I said Castle. That’s what they call it, only it’s not what you would imagine. No stone walls or towers. Just a huge old country house. And I mean old as in centuries. You should see it. Hundreds of rooms and very fancy inside—not at all what you would expect in England. More like the Taj Mahal, if you can believe it. Some Indian Maharaja decorated the place like his home in India. Being old makes the place drafty. Plus bad wiring, poor lighting. Not good for the kind of work we do. The military had to set up temporary buildings for a lot of the equipment.

  I hope your quarters are better than ours. We’re sleeping in these little Nissen huts, ten girls to a hut and the latrine in a separate building. I guess it’s better than tents but not much. At least the weather’s cleared up some. I remember you telling me I’d have to adjust to whatever the Army throws at me, but you know me—I like to have a little corner I can call my own. A place to escape to when everything starts getting to me. I have learned to live in close quarters. Had to or I wouldn’t have survived. But part of me longs for our shelter in the woods or the little attic room. Places I could go when I needed to be alone. Get away from Suzanne and Olivia. Remember? You always knew where to find me. And you knew when to leave me be. I always loved you for that.

  When you write, give me a hint as to where you are. I can’t find out anything here. Sure wish I could see you. I was counting on us getting together once I got to England. Maybe you can arrange a meeting somewhere. You’re the one who could always pull things off, so work your magic.

  Your loving sister,

  Katherine

  ****

  “What’s up? Bertie said you wanted to see me.”

  Kitty looked up from her typing. Madge stood beside her, perfect in every way. From her neatly coiffed, blonde hair to her freshly pressed uniform, polished shoes, and nails, Madge made all the other WACs envious. Yet her infectious personality insured that everyone liked her, both men and women. All these positive qualities went a long way to make up for her less than stellar work performance.

  “I proofread this report you typed, and I’m afraid some of it doesn’t make sense.”

  “Well, I can’t help it if they talk so fast. I can’t get it all down. Besides, half the stuff they talk about doesn’t make sense, so there’s no wonder it sounds that way.”

  “Madge, you have to ask questions. And you have to check your spelling.” Kitty studied her careless friend then drew a deep breath for strength. She tried to remember that everyone wasn’t as picky as her. The other girls may call her “Miss Perfectionist,” but she didn’t care. When it came to work, it had to be right. She handed Marge the report. “I have marked the areas that need attention. Go talk to Lieutenant Sutton. He should be able to help you reword it.”

  “All right. At least he’s nice and won’t eat me alive like that old Lieutenant Rooker.”

  Kitty returned to her typing, but Madge didn’t leave. Instead she leaned closer.

  “I saw that dreamy guy again. The one I told you about when we first got here, from the hospital.”

  “You mean the wounded officer?”

  “Yes, that’s the one. His name is Ted, and he asked me out.”

  “Out! You can’t go out with an officer. Besides, he’s in the hospital.”

  “No, he’s not. Not anymore. He got assigned to the Group Operations Officer, right here in the castle.”

  “Oh, Madge. I recognize that look. You’d better be careful.” The girl had a knack for getting into precarious situations.

  “Don’t worry. They’re not as strict over here.”

  Her friend slipped a mirror from her pocket and checked her perfect hair. The action made Kitty painfully aware of her own tightly-pinned mane. She’d learned to keep her wild tresses rolled tight to accomplish the neatness required by the military. Trying to remain casual, she reached up and self-consciously checked for any wayward curls.

  “I don’t know how you plan to date someone in a place like this. Where would you go? It’s not like you could have dinner at the Officers’ Club.” Kitty raised an eyebrow and gave her friend a warning look.

  “I know, but he said we could go to the pub in the village.” From the mischievous grin on Madge’s face, Kitty knew it was already too late to rein her in.

  “Madge, you’re asking for trouble if you go out with an officer. Surely there’s some nice, equally handsome, enlisted man you could date.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about it,” Madge replied nonchalantly then eyed her carefully. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were jealous.”

  Kitty balked at her friend’s accusation. She might envy Madge’s looks and ease around men, but she certainly wasn’t jealous of Madge’s new boyfriend. She hadn’t even met him.

  No, Kitty was the careful one, the one who didn’t go out with just any Tom, Dick, or Harry. And
she wouldn’t dare date an officer. Madge, on the other hand, had been in and out of trouble for “bending” the rules ever since they met. Yet somehow she always managed to get by with it.

  “I have to finish this,” Kitty said, shaking her head.

  “He said to bring a friend—for his friend. I forget his name.”

  “Oh, no. Not me. I’m not getting sent back to the states for improper behavior. We just got here. And I worked too hard to get here. Count me out.”

  “Okay.” She didn’t sound too disappointed. “But you’ll never have any fun if you keep sticking to the rules. Life’s too short to miss out. Didn’t I teach you anything? Didn’t you have a good time in Boston?”

  “Don’t remind me.” Kitty wanted to forget her foray into the wild world of dancing and booze and men. She’d quickly learned to limit her drinking and be very selective about the men she danced with. Some guys moved way too fast for her taste. Thankfully, Madge watched out for her like a big sister. But right now, Kitty felt like the mature one. She looked into her friend’s mischievous eyes. “Just be careful, okay?”

  “Aren’t I always?” Madge quipped over her shoulder as she walked away.

  Kitty had to smile. She envied her friend’s self-confidence with men. They made Kitty uncomfortable, tongue-tied. The only male she’d ever been able to talk to was her big brother, Milton.

  A pang of loneliness struck her. She missed him, wished she could talk to him, tell him all she’d learned, all she’d accomplished, and all she wanted to do. He’d understand.

  She said a quick, silent prayer for her brother. Please God, keep him safe. Even though he was no longer fighting in Africa or Italy, he could still be in danger. Training could be dangerous, too. In her own training, she’d seen women collapse from exhaustion in the summer heat and one who got her feet tangled in communication wires and broke a leg. Not that Milton would be careless or clumsy. Still she worried.

  Despite the fact Milton was somewhere in England, she hadn’t been able to find his unit. Right after her arrival in England, she had asked the captain how to find out where the First Infantry Division was stationed. That’s when she had learned just how secretive the military could be. “Don’t even ask,” was the ma’am’s advice. Kitty hadn’t given up hope, though. She had to find him.

  Maybe if the censors didn’t cut out too much of her letter to him, he could get word to her and come up with a way for them to get together.

  “Corporal.” The captain’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

  Kitty stood. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “General Lake has a meeting scheduled this afternoon with officers from the entire Wing. He wants someone to take notes. From what I’ve been told, there will be a number of officers present, so I’m assigning two of you to insure you get everything.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Kitty fought to maintain her composure. The general. Wow!

  “Where’s Sorensen?” Captain Weatherby paused and glanced around the room. “She’ll be assisting you.”

  “She just stepped out. I’ll find her.” Madge will be thrilled, too. She loved hobnobbing with the brass.

  The officer nodded, her demeanor still serious and businesslike. “Both of you, be ready at thirteen fifty. I’ll take you up and introduce you to General Lake before the meeting starts at fourteen hundred.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  As soon as the captain was out of sight, Kitty let the grin she’d been holding back explode across her face. The general. Taking notes for the general. So much more exciting than typing up dull reports.

  She glanced around restlessly. She had to find Madge.

  ****

  “General Lake,” Captain Weatherby addressed the Commanding General. “This is Corporal Greenlee and Corporal Sorenson. They will be taking notes during your meeting.”

  Resplendent in his uniform, dark hair with just enough gray at the temples to give him an air of wisdom, the officer exuded authority. “Ladies, glad to have you on board.” He ushered the three women into the generous, second-floor chamber.

  Kitty’s fascination with history sent her mind spinning. The room had none of the main floor’s oriental decor, no intricately carved arches, no white marble columns. Traditional, heavy door frames and the dark colors in the thick drapery, rug, and wall covering created a somber space. With the room stripped of its original furniture, she could only speculate as to its intended use. A sitting room, perhaps, or a spacious bedroom intended for guests—or even royalty.

  An officer stood beside a long table that would have fit nicely into the dining hall downstairs. Above the table, where she imagined a portrait might have hung, a huge map of Europe covered the entire wall, dominating the room. Colorful pins marked various locations and arrowed ribbons extended across the map from England to points in Germany.

  The officer looked up from the papers he held and moved closer. She recognized him as the colonel who gave the not-so-friendly welcome that first day.

  “Colonel Snyder, my Operations Officer, will be running our meeting.”

  The three WACs saluted smartly, and the colonel returned their salute.

  “We will dispense with the formalities during the meeting, ladies. Otherwise the saluting will never end.” General Lake smiled as he spoke, giving an air of friendly authority. Kitty decided she liked him.

  Frowning, Colonel Snyder’s steely gaze pinned her. “I will introduce the officers as they arrive so you girls know who you’re dealing with.”

  Kitty cringed at the condescending tone beneath Colonel Snyder’s polite words. She’d heard it before. Officers who thought women shouldn’t be wearing a uniform, thought they should be home cooking, cleaning, and having babies. She drew herself up and stood tall, determined to prove herself by doing the best job she could do. She’d earn his respect, for herself and for her fellow WACs.

  “An excellent suggestion, sir.” Captain Weatherby beamed. Either she hadn’t detected his attitude, or she chose to ignore it. Knowing the captain, Kitty decided it was the latter. “I’ll leave you to it.” Weatherby eyed Kitty and Madge, giving a silent warning before she snapped a smart salute and made her exit.

  General Lake casually returned the salute, then he turned back toward Kitty and Madge. “Ladies, during the meeting you will sit there.” He pointed toward two straight chairs against the wall at the far end of the room.

  Madge stood silent at her side while Kitty surveyed the area—the long table, the distance from one end to the other, the heavy drapes on the window at the far end that would muffle the sound. “Sir, may I suggest that one of us sit near either end of the table? That way we could hear better, not miss anything.”

  General Lake shot her a questioning look but continued to listen.

  “And perhaps out from the wall a bit, about here, so that we can see the map.” She glanced over at Colonel Snyder, hoping he wouldn’t object. “I’m assuming that the map will be part of your discussion.”

  He held up a manila folder. “This report is what we will be discussing.” His frown made it clear he did not like her speaking up. “Your job is to take down each man’s comments, verbal reports, et cetera.” He glanced at Madge who stood in rigid silence beside the table. “And I’m sure it will take both of you to keep up.”

  “One at each end will be fine,” the general interjected, his voice warm and confident. He shot Colonel Snyder a look that instantly silenced the officer.

  Kitty and Madge moved quickly to grab the chairs and move them to their new positions.

  “Don’t let me down,” Kitty murmured.

  “It’s a cinch,” Madge whispered. “I’m better at names than you are, remember.”

  “I’m counting on it.”

  As soon as the chairs were in place, the WACs joined Colonel Snyder by the door just in time to greet the officers streaming in from the hallway.

  Kitty focused on the tricks Madge taught her for remembering names as Colonel Snyder ticked off one after another. Fa
ces, names, ranks, memory triggers. She filed it all away in her brain.

  A handsome, vaguely familiar face appeared. She blinked and momentarily lost her focus.

  “Kruger. Did you get it?” The colonel’s voice boomed in her ear.

  “Yes, sir.” The good-looking lieutenant held out a paper.

  The colonel grabbed it and began reading. Without looking up he said, “Take over here, Lieutenant.” He headed for the table where the general and other officers were settling in.

  A grin spread across Lieutenant Kruger’s face. He winked at Madge who beamed back at him.

  “Corporal Sorensen,” he spoke with familiarity, “Who’s your friend?”

  “Oh,” Madge uncharacteristically stuttered. “Corporal Kitty Greenlee.”

  “Corporal.” He acknowledged her with a smug expression. “And what exactly am I continuing?”

  “Introductions.” Kitty hoped her voice didn’t sound too wobbly. There was something about him. Something unsettling. But two more officers appeared, and she had to force herself to focus on names and faces again.

  During the meeting Lieutenant Kruger didn’t sit at the table with the higher ranking officers. Instead he stood back and assisted the colonel whenever the officer beckoned.

  Kitty wanted to stare, wanted to figure out what it was about this handsome lieutenant that made her ill at ease. But she had to focus on her job, focus on the words spoken and who said what in the rapid-fire discussion.

  Her pencil flashed across the page creating the shorthand symbols she had perfected in training. She only allowed herself to look up when she couldn’t distinguish the voice speaking. Page after page filled with notes until the meeting finally came to an end.

  The general dismissed the group, and they quietly filed from the room. A few made comments among themselves on their way out. Lieutenant Kruger gathered papers from the table, and Kitty saw him flash a discreet smile at Madge.

  Kitty joined her co-worker and shot her a questioning look.

  “Isn’t he a dream?” Madge whispered.

  Kitty followed her friend’s gaze to Lieutenant Kruger who was talking to Colonel Snyder.