From Here to Eternity_ The Restored Edit - Jones, James [430]
“What the hell are you doing up there, Sergeant?” he yelled. “Why arent you down here taking care of the Company? We’re going to move out for the beach in less than an hour. Its probably alive with Japs already.”
“It’s all taken care of,” Warden yelled down. “The men are rolling full field packs right now in the squadroom.”
“But we’ve got to get the kitchen and supply ready to move, too, goddam it,” Lt Ross yelled up.
“The kitchen is bein pack,” Warden yelled down. “I gave Stark the orders and he’s doing it now. Should be all ready in fifteen minutes.”
“But the supply—” Lt Ross started to yell up.
“They’re loading clips and belts for us,” Warden yelled down. “All they got to do is carry the water-cooled MGs for the beach out to the trucks and throw in Leva’s old field repair kit and they ready to go.
“And,” he yelled, “they makin coffee and sandwidges in the kitchen. Everything’s all taken care of. Whynt you get a BAR and come on up?”
“There arent any left,” Lt Ross yelled up angrily.
“Then get the hell under cover,” Warden yelled down as he looked up. “Here they come.”
Lt Ross dived under the porch for the supplyroom as another single came blasting in from the southeast and the roaring umbrella of fire rose from the roofs to engulf it. It seemed impossible that he could fly right through it and come out untouched. But he did.
Right behind him, but flying due north along Waianae Avenue and the Hq Building, came another plane; and the umbrella swung that way without even letting go of its triggers.
The plane’s gastank exploded immediately into flames that engulfed the whole cockpit and the plane veered off down on the right wing, still going at top speed. As the belly and left under-wing came up into view, the blue circle with the white star in it showed plainly in the bright sunlight. Then it was gone, off down through some trees that sheared off the wings, and the fuselage, still going at top speed, exploded into some unlucky married officer’s house quarters with everyone watching it.
“That was one of ours!” Reedy Treadwell said in a small still voice. “That was an American plane!”
“Tough,” Warden said, without stopping firing at the new double coming in from the northeast. “The son of a bitch dint have no business there.”
After the Jap double had flashed past, unscathed, Warden turned back and made another circuit up and down the roof, his eyes screwed up into that strained look of having been slapped in the face that he sometimes got, and that made a man not want to look at him.
“Be careful, you guys,” he said. Up the roof. Down the roof. “That last one was one of ours. Try and be careful. Try and get a look at them before you shoot. Them stupid bastards from Wheeler liable to fly right over here. So try and be careful after this.” Up the roof. Down the roof. The same strained squint was in his voice as was in his eyes.
“Sergeant Warden!” Lt Ross roared up from down below. “God damn it! Sergeant Warden!”
He ran back to the roof edge. “What now?”
“I want you down here, god damn it!” Lt Ross yelled up. He had his belt buckled and his shoes tied now and was smoothing back his hair with his fingers under his cap. “I want you to help me get this orderly room ready to move out! You have no business up there! Come down!”
“Goddam it, I’m busy!” Warden yelled. “Get Rosenberry. Theres a goddam war on, Lieutenant.”
“I’ve just come from Col Delbert,” Lt Ross yelled up. “And he has given orders we’re to move out as soon as this aerial attack is over.”
“G Compny’s ready to move now,” Warden yelled down. “And I’m busy. Tell that goddam Henderson to send up some clips and belts.”
Lt Ross ran back under the porch and then ran back out again. This time he had a helmet on.
“I told him,” he yelled up.
“And tell Stark to send us up some coffee.”
“God damn it!” Lt Ross raged up at him. “What is this? a Company picnic? Come