by Rod Carstens
"Marine."
Tom reacted immediately to the tone of his voice, then seeing his rank he came to a semi-attention.
"Yes, sir." Tom said.
"Your rank is corporal is it not?" He said in what he thought must be his best officer voice.
"Now see here." Jack started to say. The young Lieutenant ignored him.
"Yes sir, it is."
"Then explain to me how you have three rows of ribbons. You should be at least a sergeant."
"Just fucking lucky I guess there Lieutenant."
Kate was startled by the vehemence of Tom response. His eyes were hard and fixed on the Lieutenant's face. The Lieutenant's face reddened. This seemed to give the Lieutenant reason to push harder.
"You will stand at attention when speak to an officer." Tom stiffened to full attention his arms rigid at his side his thumbs aligned with the seam of his trousers but his eyes never left the Lieutenants. "I want an explanation of each of those ribbons."
"What the.." Tom stuttered. He was changing before Kate's eyes, nothing obvious but around the edges. This was not good. It would not turn out in any good way. Kate was becoming scared for reasons she did not understand.
"Your at attention. Now what is this for?" The Lieutenant said point to a ribbon.
Tom's face changed it became harder. He was keeping himself in rigid control.
"That is the Presidential unit Citation my unit just got for Hue."
"I see you have a Purple Heart."
Tom looked the Lieutenant in the eye, not staring into nothing when he had been 'at attention', as if he were deciding on something. Then with a shrug he just pulled up his shirt and t-shirt. He exposed a jagged purple scar on his side.
Kate gasped when she saw the scar. It looked so fresh and if it had only healed weeks ago. He had not mentioned he had been wounded. The Lieutenant face changed, she could see doubt beginning to creep in around the edges, and he was starting to realize he had started something he should not have.
"That is a Silver Star is it not." He voice more hesitant, trying to sound confident.
Tom's face turned red. He glanced at Kate, and did not answer immediately. Thinking he had an opening the Lieutenant pressed, believing he had discovered something. Maybe even a lie.
"Now why don't you tell me about how you won the Silver Star and are still a corporal?"
Tom looked the Lieutenant directly in the eye again and then started slowly.
"We were in Hue. Mac and I were the first two to cross the street. Then the NVA opened up. They had been waiting for us. Setting an ambush. When got trapped across the street they had split the unit. They knew the platoon would not leave us. Mac and I were the bait. So Mac and I were trapped across the street from the rest of our platoon. The Gooks were on the second floor of the house; we were on the first floor. We had to clear the house, or they were going to kill us and the guys trying to get to us."
Tom took a step forward he spoke through clenched teeth as if it were taking everything he had to get the words out.
"We cleared the downstairs. But we could still hear them upstairs. That is when we realized we were going to have to go upstairs and clear that to if we were going to live. Mac went up first."
Tom hesitated his eyes changed; it was as if he were looking up those stairs.
"He got to the top of the stairs and when uh he uh turned...Mac got blown the fuck away when stepped on the second floor landing. He died right there not three feet in front of me."
Tom paused he leaned closer to the Lieutenant. "So I figured they would come for me next. The rest of the platoon was across the street, and weren't going to be able to get across the street until they had a tank for cover, and it was not there. I was dead. So I thought, I might as well take as many of them with me as I could before they kill me, because I sure as shit wasn't going to be taken prisoner. I had seen what they did to those guys. So I went up the stairs."
"That's all right corporal. I understand it was my mistake." The Lieutenant stammered his face shocked by what he was hearing. It was not going as he had thought it would.
Kate glanced over at Jack he was red faced with anger. Tom did not stop. He grew more rigid by the second as if he getting ready to pounce.
"I went up the stairs, and I guess there five or six of them. I don't remember." He paused and looked away as if he were trying to recall what had happened. "I don't remember much about what happened next. But they tell me they found me with all these dead gooks around me."
He took a very deep breath before he said. "I was holding Mac. You know...."
He had to take another deep breath before he could go on.
"So the fucking Gunny put me in for the Navy Cross, but you know how that goes don't you. Enlisted men always get one ribbon less than some fucking officer would if he had done the same thing. We're expected to do that shit, where you officers are supposed to giving us the orders to do it."
Kate now understood those sad eyes and everything they stood for, in that short story she had gotten a glimpse of what war was, and what it had done to Tom. What it had done to Jack and all the others. She would always remember that moment. She felt the basic female desire to hold him, and take some the pain away, as only a woman can. Kate put her hand on his arm to comfort him, but he was not there. It was as if he were back in the house. There was no stopping him this time. He began to move toward the Army Lieutenant.
"Jack!" Kate said frightened at what Tom was going to do.
Before Jack could say or do anything. A voice boomed through the airport.
"Marine stand down!"
The voice froze Tom in tracks. A Marine officer and Gunnery Sergeant pushed their way through the crowd that had gathered. The Marine officer was a Captain with as many ribbons as Tom. He was tall and handsome, and looked as if he had stepped out of central casting for what a Marine officer should look like. He stepped between Tom and the Army officer. The Gunny, a huge black man with a shaved head, grabbed Tom by one arm, and Jack grabbed him by the other. They pulled him a few feet away.
The Marine Captain stood in front of the Lieutenant looking down at him.
"Lieutenant, you will not now, or ever, dress down a Marine in public. Not until you earn the right to do so, and by the looks of your ribbons you haven't been anywhere or done anything to earn that right. Do you understand?"
"But he's only a corporal and I saw the ribbons." The Lieutenant stammered his face turning red and his eyes darting around at the crowd of people that had gathered.
"Is that how you address a superior officer?"
"No sir. Sorry Sir. But his rank and ribbons were..." The Lieutenant said coming to attention the way Tom had done.
"Were what Lieutenant?" The Captain leaned closed to the Lieutenants face.
"They did not seem to match."
"So you were going expose the impostor here in the middle of the L.A. airport?"
"Something like that, yes sir."
"Well let me explain just who this young Marine is, and maybe you will understand your mistake. He was in Hue less than thirty-six hours ago. Ever hear of it? It's in all the papers." Sarcasm dripped from his voice. The nightly news was filled with images from the fighting in Hue.
The Captain paused letting the Lieutenant squirm under his gaze.
"This Corporal is the only surviving member of the platoon that walked into Hue a few weeks ago. Everyone else is either dead or wounded."
Kate put her hand to mouth. The wonderful young man she had come to know had been through more hell than she could have imagined even after all that he had told during their night of talking. She looked at Tom standing by himself. She could almost feel the weight of what he had been through on him.
"He is escorting the body of the Marine, he received the Silver Star trying to save, home for burial. We are here to pick him up."
The Captain paused. The young Lieutenant seemed to physically shrink.
"Now Lieutenant let me see your travel orders
, because I want to make sure your unit, knows just exactly what kind of officer they are getting."
The Lieutenant pulled out his orders and handed them to the Captain. The Captain looked at them, then looked at the Lieutenant. He pulled out a notebook and took notes from is orders.
CHAPTER 14
The Gunny and Jack had pulled Tom to one side away from the crowd. They knew he needed to cool down before he did something that could not be ignored no matter what the provocation. Kate stood aside letting them handle Tom in spite of her own urge to go to him.
"Corporal." The Gunny said. "Corporal!"
Tom slowly relaxed his eyes finally leaving the young Lieutenant. He turned his back to him and carefully tucked his shirt back into his trousers. Then said. "Thanks Gunny. I'm all right now."
Tom took some deep breaths and took a couple of steps away. Kate started to go to him.
"Give him a minute." The Gunny said. "I've had a few of these. When they are escorting a body home, they are still over there and they are a little dangerous. They can get things mixed up. Are you two family?"
"No I just met him on the plane." Kate said.
"Are you her father?" The Gunny said to Jack.
"No." Jack said.
"Oh, sorry."
"No offense, Gunny." Jack said.
"Gunny?"
"Yeah, I was in during World War II. The Second Mar Div." Jack said.
The Gunny stuck his hand out and said.
"Semper Fi."
Jack seemed more than a little pleased at the recognition.
"What do we have here Gunny?" the Captain said as he walked up as he put his notebook back in his pocket.
"Just greeting an Old Corp Marine."
The Captain smiled. "Nice to meet you Old Corp."
He glanced over at Tom who was standing a few feet away smoking a cigarette.
"We need to get going. We've got a car. The body has been taken care of, and is on the way to the funeral home. We have a billet for him at Pendleton."
Kate walked over to Tom.
"Tom, they're here to pick you up. Are you ready now?"
Tom looked at Kate as if he were coming back from someplace distant and terrible.
"Yeah. Yeah." Tom walked over to the Captain.
"Thank you sir."
"Anytime Corporal, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm really going to enjoy writing a report for his unit."
"Sir, I promised Mac. Well, we promised each other. That if either one of us were... Well we promised to go see our parents as soon as we got back. Could I get a ride to Mac's house? I have his address."
The Captain looked at the Gunny who nodded.
"Certainly. I'm going to take care of your friend and make sure the arrangements are taken care of. The Gunny here has a car he can take you to the home."
"Thanks sir."
Tom turned to Kate.
"Thanks for everything. I really can't thank you enough. I'm not sure I could have made it without you."
Kate looked up into those old eyes. "It was my pleasure there Marine."
Tom smiled. "You finally got it right."
"Finally." Kate said with a smile. Without thinking she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek.
Tom actually blushed then turned to Jack and stuck out his hand.
"Nice to have met you sir."
"Don't call me sir. I work for a living." Jack said and shook his hand warmly. "Take care of yourself there Marine."
"I will."
With one last long glance at Kate, Tom turned walked away flanked by the Captain and Gunnery Sergeant. They were both much older and bigger than Tom, yet Tom somehow seemed to belong with them. Kate stood there watching them until they finally disappeared into the crowd.
CHAPTER 15
Kate stood still watching the crowd where she had last seen the three Marines waking away when Jack finally said.
"Kate is something the matter?"
"I don't know Jack. He just seems so alone."
"They'll take good care of him Kate it's their job." Jack said putting his arm around her shoulders.
"I know but..."
"Let's get your bags I've got a reservation tonight for the Brown Derby to celebrate you wrapping your first film. We can go to the beach house. You can change take a long nap then we can head out for dinner."
Kate smiled and kissed Jack on the cheek. "My favorite joint, just like your promised."
Then she looked back in the direction that Tom had disappeared.
Jack watched her closely. "Kate?"
"Jack what will happen after the funeral? Where will he go? What will he do?"
"I don't know. Maybe go home. Generally on an emergency leave like this he has got thirty days off."
Kate said nothing she just kept staring at the crowd where Tom had disappeared with the other two Marines. A frown crossed her face and she turned to Jack.
"Jack we could stay at the beach house? He would have a place to stay and well have some good memories to take back with him."
"With you?"
Kate hesitated as if it were the first time she had realized what she was asking. "Of course."
"Kate honey you don't know anything about this kid. This is going to be a very difficult time for him. It won't be fun at any level. Are you sure you know what your getting yourself into?"
Kate face suddenly turned fierce. "Yes I do. More than you understand."
Jack looked at her for a long moment. He had never seen her like this, much less about some boy she had just met.
"Of course. You know you can. You have a key and are welcome to use it whenever and with whoever you please."
Kate suddenly beamed and leaned up and kissed Jack. "Thanks."
She turned ran off in the direction Tom and the Marines had disappeared. They were almost at the exit when Kate caught sight of them.
"Tom. Tom stop."
When he heard his name Tom turned and when he saw Kate his face lit up. She ran up to them and said.
"Tom what are going to do after the funeral?"
Tom's face reflected the fact that he had not really thought that far ahead. He had just been trying to get through one thing at a time. After the funeral seemed like a long time away at this point.
"I really hadn't thought about it. I don't want to go back to home...I.."
"Look Jack says we can use the beach house. You would love it."
Tom face reflected genuine excitement at the offer and confusion all at the same time.
"I don't know. I mean you don't know me and...."
Kate looked up at him and with a smirk said. "We just spent the night together there cowboy. Of course I do."
Tom smiled and said. "Now that you have put it that way. But I have the funeral. I guess I could call you when I am finished."
Jack walked up to join the small group. "How are you doing?"
"He is not sure." Kate said.
"Look one gyrene to another your welcome to use the beach house. I'll be in the city most of the time for the next few weeks. The place is already stocked with booze and food so it is just sitting there empty."
Tom hesitated then said.
"Sure I guess I could call you after the funeral."
Kate saw real sadness in his eyes each time he mentioned the funeral. She suddenly did not want him to face that by himself.
"I can go with you. I feel as if I got to know Mac after last night." Kate said.
"Miss I know you mean well but this is going to be a very difficult day for the family and these things are never easy. I done too many of them," The tall Captain said.
"He's right Kate. I don't know Mac's family. I don't know how they.." Tom said.
Tom hesitated his gaze searching her face trying to believe it was true. He knew if she were with him it would be much easier than facing them by himself. Kate reached over and took his hand.
She squeezed his hand and said. "It will be a little easier with two of us."
Tom gave o
ne of his rare smiles and said. "Thanks."
"Lead on there general." Kate said to the Captain.
"Thanks for the promotion. The car is outside."
Kate turned and gave Jack a quick hug.
"Call you tonight."
Jack said under his breath so no one else could hear. "Proud of you kiddo."
CHAPTER 16
Los Angeles, California
Watts
1968
Once they retrieved their baggage, and were settled in the back of the government car Tom handed the Gunny the address.
"Do you know where this is?"
"No it is just the address Mac gave me."
The Gunny turned and gave them both a concerned look.
"It is in the middle of Watts. The worst part."
"So?" Tom said.
The Gunny shrugged.
"Just so you know. White faces down there are not always welcome."
"I'll take the chance." Tom said.
Kate put her hand in his. It was crazy but Kate felt safe with Tom even going into the worst of Watts.
"Me too." Kate said.
"Ok. Here we go."
It was long silent ride. Neither Tom nor Kate spoke during the drive through the L.A. traffic, the difficulty of what they were about to face was too close for small talk. The Gunny did not try to force the conversation; he had been through too many of these. So they rode in silence through the streets of L.A. The closer they got to the address, the worse the neighborhood got. Angry black faces stared at the government car as it passed. Finally the Gunny pulled up to a tiny well-kept house single story concrete blockhouse. It was painted white that had faded over the years to a dull dirty grey. The windows had bars on them, and the street was littered with trash. A group of young black men lounged on the front porch. With their Afro's, sunglasses, and slouching posture, they looked just like the pictures Mac had shown Tom of himself before the Corp. Tom got out of the car. Several of the young men stood.
"Is this the home of Randall McClendon?"
"Who's the fuck asking?"
"Tom Ballard."
"Who the fuck is Tom Ballard?"