Divided We Stand (The Fighting Tomcats Book 2)

by M. L. Maki

  “You’re right. Do we know where we are going?”

  “Yes, the Blue Diamonds fly off today. We’re going to England. I don’t recall the name of the field we’ll be using.”

  “You know what the English blokes thought of us in 1942? They said, we were over paid, over sexed, and over here.”

  She smiles, “Well, Fluffy, what are we going to do about it?”

  He grins back, “We can’t stop the course of true love, ma’am. But, I’ll make it clear our people need to respect our hosts. Put the fear of God in them. You just beat the Krauts, ma’am. I got the easy job.”

  “Fluffy, the Germans have jets. A NATO airfield in Germany came back like we did. Russia and Britain are being hammered.”

  “How many birds do the Germans have?”

  “At least twenty, probably more. From the pictures I’ve seen, they have MIG-29’s. They probably have other types as well. They sure moved fast after the fall of the Wall to consolidate the German air force, and we’re paying for it.”

  “Damn. The ’29 has that look and shoot helmet.” He pauses, thoughtful, “That means East German pilots came back, too.”

  “Yes, and they’ll probably be okay with attacking the West. We have a real problem to solve when we get to England.”

  “Like I said, I have the easy job, Spike.”

  CHAPTER 15

  ROYAL AIR FORCE BASE, ALCONBURY, HUNTINGDON, ENGLAND

  1000, 26 February, 1942

  Brigadier Walter Altman rides in the back of a sedan moving down the concrete runway. The aircraft hangars for the jets are actually single plane armored and buried revetments. From the air they look like grassy hills. The ordinance bunkers are also disguised. The squadron offices and barracks are being built behind the revetments. He turns to Admiral Lee, “Is this all really necessary? These new aircraft, do they need runways so thick and bomb proof hangars?”

  “They need thick runways because they land fast and hard. The bomb proof hangars are there because they are the only fighters England can have. We don’t want them destroyed on the ground.”

  “So, they will work for me? I will have operational and administrative control over the whole unit.”

  “No, General. They are a Navy squadron. They work for me.”

  “You’ll be in Washington. I’m the general officer on the ground. They will work for me.”

  “General, you understand, the squadron is commanded by a woman. She’s the best pilot we have.”

  “Some skirt who thinks she’s Amelia Earhart? I’ll take care of her for you.”

  “What do you mean, General?”

  “Well, I’m sure you don’t want her in command. I’ll send her home where she belongs. I’ve heard they are standing up a female unit for delivering aircraft. Maybe that would be suitable work for her.”

  “And that, General, is why you will never, ever have administrative or operational control over the squadron. She’s an amazing pilot, General, and a good leader. Captain Holtz will have total control. He will coordinate with the British and have autonomous management of his unit.

  “And, General, she’s like a daughter to me. Any mistreatment by you, or anyone else, I will take very personally. And, I brief General Marshall all the time. Do we have an understanding?”

  Altman glares at Lee, “We do.”

  The car parks in one of the hangars. As they get out, an RAF officer approaches and salutes, “Squadron Leader Maugham, sirs. I’m the liaison officer to the air marshal’s office. This is James Patterson, the contracting officer for construction. May we show you around?”

  FORECASTLE, USS CARL VINSON

  1500, 2 March, 1942

  ‘Gunner’ Hardin is setting up his keyboard and the amplifiers while he’s waiting for Speedy, Too Tall, and Gloria. It’s the first time they’ve been able to practice since Christmas. “Hey, Too Tall, about time. I’ve just about got it all set up.”

  “Good. Remember the sound needs to be down. The acoustics in here are such we can take out ears. Too bad we can’t turn that into a weapon. I wonder….”

  Gloria walks in with Speedy, “Wonder what, Too Tall? Looks like we’re all pretty much set up. Shall we?”

  They take their positions and Gunner does the sound check. “Sounds good. Let’s do it. How about we start with some Patsy Cline, then move on to Barbra Streisand. I think you can carry it, Gloria.”

  “Okay. I hope I can. Now, one, and two, and three…” And they begin with Walking After Midnight.

  O3 LEVEL, CAPTAIN’S CONFERENCE ROOM, USS CARL VINSON

  1825, 2 MARCH, 1942

  Lt. Jackson leads LCDR Hunt and Captain Holtz to the captain’s conference room. When they arrive, Johnson’s yeoman motions them in. Captain Johnson is doing paperwork at the head of the table. He hands off some papers to his assistant when they walk in, “Type these up, please. I’ll get back to you later.” Then he looks at them, “Come in, get a cup of coffee and a cookie, and sit down.”

  “When they are settled, “Okay, Thud, what’s this about?”

  “Well, sir, I was writing a letter to Lt. Severn and I realized something. Japan didn’t have any nuclear weapons in 1990, but Russia did. I was thinking, what if an area of Russia came back and they have nukes? Thank about Stalin with nukes, sir. So, I mean, we need to have a nuclear detergent to stop them.”

  Johnson looks at Thud quizzically, “Nuclear detergent?” Then he realizes Sam is struggling to keep a straight face.

  Thud turns red, “I mean, deterrent, a nuclear deterrent.”

  Johnson grins, “Did you write your girlfriend about the nuclear detergent?”

  Thud, even redder, “Um, no, I mean, she isn’t my girlfriend. I started to, but realized it’s too classified to talk about in a letter. That’s why I knew we needed to talk to you.”

  Johnson looks at them, “Do any of you know if we have a nuclear device on board?”

  All three nod their heads, and Sam says, “Of course, sir. That’s why we had all the security for a few hours in San Diego.”

  Johnson shakes his head, “That’s the problem with security. If we loaded it in with a pallet of potatoes, no one would have a clue. Okay, this is being discussed at the White House level. You are not to discuss anything about nuclear weapons with anyone, especially those from 1942. As for detergent,” smiling, “we need to trust our leadership to make the best decision. I want a quiet talk with every ’90 crewmember to keep their yap shut. Oh, and thanks, Thud.”

  Sam says, “Another thing, sir. I have a picture of our battlegroup from the ship’s store. It shows a submarine, the USS San Francisco, as part of the battle group. Do we know what happened to it?”

  “It was sent on a classified mission shortly before the transference. Its status was kept from the brain trust.”

  Thud says, “Then, it did come back.”

  “Thud, I didn’t say that.”

  Sam says, “Sir, it’s like the potatoes. If it didn’t come back, there is no reason to keep a secret. Therefore, the need for secrecy dictates it must have come back.”

  Johnson sighs, “Potatoes. Yes, it came back. It’s currently transiting to the Atlantic. Now, people, that’s a closely held secret. Am I clear?”

  In unison, “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. It’s almost dinner time. I think we’re having potatoes.”

  GERMAN MiG-29A, 38,000 FEET ABOVE GERMANY

  1110 local time, 3 MARCH, 1942

  Colonel Henrik Getz surveys his instruments then looks at the clear blue sky. Amazing flying weather and an amazing mission. In his flight are 114 aircraft; 24 MiG-29s, 24 Alpha jets, 28, F-4 Phantom IIs, 26 Tornados, and 12 F-104 Starfighters. His flight, it took some getting used to.

  They’re returning from a beautiful text book strike on England. Just days ago, Hitler himself gave him the Iron Cross. As a child he used to joke about Hitler. He was ridiculed as a buffoon. But, now, he’s met Hitler, and he knows just how wrong he was. What an amazing charismatic leader. H
enrik had pledged to do all he could to bring England to its knees and Germany to victory. Hitler listened as Henrik detailed what must be done. Hitler then promoted him to Colonel and gave him command of the jet units.

  Coming out of his reverie, “Stone, Hans, tighten up your formation. We’re not flying cargo planes.”

  BRIDGE, USS FIFE, 50 MILES SOUTH OF THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

  1400, 2 MARCH, 1942

  Commander Wakefield sits in her chair on the port side of the bridge. It’s one story lower than before, but just as large. Canvas walls separate navigation from combat immediately behind the bridge. After a month of training her crew was functioning well. The OOD, Lt. Coats was boatswains mate a little over a month ago. The conning officer, Lt. JG Potter, came off the destroyer Duncan, and a quarter of her crew was from ’42, but they were working together. Even the Petrakis family was alright, and smiles, thinking about a great uncle and nephew on her crew.

  Over the speaker, “Conn, sonar, submerged contact bearing 242 at 20 thousand yards. Designate contact Sierra one. Contact is at 100 feet, steering 010, at about 3 knots.”

  The OOD says, “Very well. Boats, go to general quarters. Call flight quarters to launch Easy Rider 31 and Easy Rider 32.” As the familiar gong goes through the ship, he picks up the ship to ship radio, “Carl Vinson, Fife, we have a submerged contact about 10 miles ahead of us. We are launching helo’s to prosecute. Do we have friendlies in the area?”

  COMBAT, USS CARL VINSON, 20 MILES EAST OF FIFE

  1402, 2 March, 1942

  Sam is standing Tactical Action Officer (TAO) under instruction as the radio call comes in. She picks up the VHS ship to ship radio, “Fife, Vinson, acknowledge contact. We are launching a Viking to support. Stand by on friendlies. Recommend weapons tight until confirmed.” Then, “Launch Bird 626.” She then looks at Captain Tucker, the RO, and the actual TAO, “Sir, am I right?”

  “I’ll tell you if you’re not. You’re doing fine.”

  BRIDGE, USS FIFE

  1403, 2 March, 1942

  Wakefield picks up the radio, “Vinson, Fife actual, acknowledge and concur, weapons tight.” She changes radio’s “Easy Rider flight, Fife actual, weapons tight. Repeat back.”

  “Fife actual, Easy Rider 31, acknowledge, weapons tight. What do we have?”

  She pushes another button, “Combat, give our helo’s a steer to Sierra one and an update.” She gets up and goes back through the curtain to combat.

  “Captain off the bridge.”

  She goes to sonar. They’d just fixed and calibrated their waterfall displays. She’s silent, looking over the display chart. She’s already in range of the submarine’s torpedo’s, but it wouldn’t be an easy shot, not yet. “It’s a world war two submarine submerged, so it knows we’re here. Sonar, yankee search.” A ‘boo waa’ sounds through the hull.

  SO2 Patricia Hart says, “Confirmed, ma’am. Contact is at 125 feet depth, turning toward us at 4 knots. Ma’am, it’s starting to dive deeper.”

  On radio, “Fife, Vinson. We have confirmation from the British Navy in South Africa, there are no friendly submarines within one thousand miles of our position. You are clear to engage.”

  “Vinson, Fife actual, acknowledge, no friendlies in the area. We are weapons free.” She hangs up the radio, “Weapons, do we have a resolution for ASROC?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” says, GMM3 Thomas, “18000 yards at 240. Weapon is spun up and ready.”

  She picks up another radio, “All aircraft be advised, Fife will be firing an ASROC at a bearing of 240. Stand clear. Acknowledge.”

  “Conn, sonar, torpedo in the water. Correction, two torpedoes in the water, bearing 240, range 18,000 yards.”

  “Fife, Easy Rider 31 is clear of launch.”

  “Fife, Bird 626 is clear of launch.”

  “Fife, Easy Rider 31 is clear of launch.”

  Wakefield says, “Fire ASROC.” She pushes a button, “Conn, Captain, left full rudder, ahead flank emergency, come to new course 180.”

  There’s a thud, whoosh sound as the rocket propelled torpedo fires. The ship shakes and rolls to the starboard as the rudder puts her hard over and the engine room answers the bells. She asks, “Sonar, are the torpedoes going to miss?”

  “Yes, ma’am. If they are unguided they will pass to the rear.”

  She picks up the ship to ship. “All surface units, Fife actual, be advised we have two torpedoes passing to our rear. Course is 120 and speed is 35 knots. I do not know the nationality, so cannot estimate range.”

  COMBAT, USS CARL VINSON

  1415, 2 March, 1942

  Sam acknowledges, walks to the NTDS chart, and sees the torpedoes are already charted. She picks up a phone, “Pri-fly, TAO, suspend flight operations immediately for maneuvering.”

  “Admiral in Combat,” and Admiral Halsey walks in.

  She changes channels on the phone, “Bridge, TAO, come to new course 210. Come to ahead flank, 25 knots.” Switching back to radio, “All units, Vinson, come to new course 210, make your speed 25 knots.” She turns to Halsey, “Admiral, we have two torpedoes in the water bearing 265 at 20,000 yards. Flight operations are suspended while maneuvering. Formation is informed. Fife is prosecuting with air support.” She picks up a phone and calls Captain Johnson to report.

  Halsey says, “Very well, Commander.” Then walks to Tucker and whispers, “What is she doing here?”

  “She is standing TAO under instruction. It’s required for her SWO qualification.”

  “I can see that. Is it really necessary?”

  “Sir, you would have to bring that up with Captain Johnson.”

  The Admiral turns away, sitting in his designated chair. Captain Johnson walks in.

  CONNING ROOM, U-116

  Commander Gunther Holbein listens to his torpedoes through the loud boo waa of the destroyer’s sonar. “Make our course 195, come to depth 150.”

  “Yes, Commander.”

  Lt. Kruse asks, “Our torpedoes? We missed, Captain?”

  “Yes, we missed. If we are careful, we may get a stern shot.”

  Sonar shouts, “Captain. Torpedo close aboard! It just started.”

  “It will miss, Victor. You cannot hit a submarine with a torpedo. It will pass above.”

  “Captain! The torpedo has its own sonar!”

  “Right full rudder. Engines full power. Dive planes up.”

  It is way too late. The Mark 46 torpedo acquired the submarine right after hitting the water and tracked it. Programmed to detonate right under the submarine, it dives under and detonates. When it does, the u-boat cracks in half. Everyone dies instantly.

  COMBAT, USS CARL VINSON

  1417, 2 March, 1942

  Sam picks up a phone, “Bridge, TAO, the submarine is sunk and we are clear of the torpedoes. Resume base course and speed.” Then, she picks up a radio, “All units, Vinson, resume base course and speed.”

  Johnson comes up to her, “So, Commander, what have you learned?”

  She says, “Training is everything. We practiced this very thing around the table about a dozen times. When it happened, I knew what to do, and in what order.”

  “Good. At the next training session, I want you to share this with all the other SWO students.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Why didn’t you go to general quarters?”

  “Because we were maneuvering well clear, I didn’t see the point of causing the disruption.”

  “I agree. Commander, Captain Tucker, carry on,” and leaves.

  Half an hour later, Sam turns over to Groovy Miller. As she leaves, Admiral Halsey gets up and follows her out. She stops so he can continue and he motions for her to join him. In the passageway he says, “Walk with me.” In a moment, they are in his conference room. “I don’t understand you, Commander.”

  “Sir?”

  “Why did you fight with the Governor in Australia? Why can’t you be nice?”

  She gives him a stunned look, “Sir, I didn’t do an
ything, sir.” She braces her shoulders and looks him in the eye, waiting.

  “You’re a woman. Women know how to win over assholes like the Governor by being nice. Why aren’t you nice?” He turns his back and sits in his chair, then spins around and motions, “Have a coffee.”

  She stays standing, “Sir, what do you mean by nice?”

  “Jesus Christ, Commander, nice is nice. Is that a 1990 culture thing? When my wife is around an asshole like the Governor, she has him eating out of her hand in five minutes. Why can’t you do that? Why are you so God damned prickly?”

  “Sir, I do not like to make assumptions, but, sir, I think you mean this: She starts in with her full southern drawl, “Why Governor,” batting her lashes and smiling, her head tilted, “I do declare, I had no idea the gentlemen of Australia had such strong opinions. Please accept my apologies for your discomfort, but sometimes a woman just has to do what’s right. Why, my great-grandmother, Melanie, held off a company of Yankee soldiers with a shotgun and two grooms. It runs in the family, you see. I hope you understand.” She straightens up, “Is that what you meant, Admiral?”

  “God damn, Commander, that was straight out of ‘Gone With the Wind’. If you had talked like that, he would have eaten it up.”

  “Yes, sir, you are right. But, sir, I don’t dare. If I use any feminine wiles I lose the respect, and the loyalty of my people. I would also lose the respect of the command because the assumption would be that I was sleeping my way up the career ladder. That is the absolute truth of being a woman in the military.”

  “I’ll say this Commander, you speak your mind. You may go.”

  CHAPTER 16

  HANGAR BAY 3, USS CARL VINSON, 45 MILES SOUTH WEST OF THE AZORES

  1200, 3 MARCH, 1942

  Thud and Speedy watch out the open hangar bay door as two large cruisers and three destroyers heave into view. Blinker lights start flashing and Thud says, “Speedy, it’s the HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter. These two ships are famous.”