8.(6-7) Rest and Rescue

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6. Rest

Sitting around fire with 10 men outside a cave on a ridge of Mount Austen, the fire-brewed coffee tastes good. I wash down soggy rice with it and sit experiencing a mental high from my first food and coffee in many hours. A medic attends my wound. Lucky for us the Americans are not interested in climbing Mount Austen. Apparently, the absence of any resistance has got the Americans thinking they have nothing to fear. They are correct as far as these men go, who are mainly forced labor and certainly have no plan to die for the Emperor in this hellhole.

7. Surprise

Morning. Euphoric from just continuing to be rather than not to be and also because the petty officer got a radio order to deliver me to Taivu Point which must mean transfer to Rabaul since I am probably the sole survivor who can give an intelligent, intelligible account of the Yankee landing.

   After many an hour and no dying swan – trekking through razor sharp high grass filled with angry giant spiders and fending off a scorpion and hacking through dense jungle in a buzz of massive mosquito marauders while large land crabs drop from low limbs – we suddenly burst out onto a brilliant coral-white beach.

   An hour basking and my consciousness is captured by sound of approaching airplane. Before I can say “Lucky Lindy” several times, a two-engine flying boat with rising-sun markings on wings is landing beyond the breakers. Rear hatch opens and rubber raft drops out, followed by a man. Paddling, he heads in our direction and, at the breakers, surfs in.

   Wading out to greet the new arrival, I get shock of recognition: “My God, the God of Operations!” I say to myself.

   “Oi, Kimura, are you enjoying vacation on the beach? More interesting than Hotel Yamatomoto, what? No native girls, huh?”

   Mumbling greeting I assist him to the beach.

After reorganizing the men in a military manner, Fuji takes me aside. “Well Kimura, now I see why I sent you here: An excuse for me to go to your rescue and have some fun.”

   I grunt and he continues: “Now you are rescued we go to the fun part.”

   Knowing Fuji's idea of fun, I shudder. He assembles the men and after a speech promising to cite them for the Emperor's soldier of the month list, he and I push raft out past the breakers and paddle to waiting seaplane. “Rum crew that!” He spits in sea. “You can bet those scum will surrender to the first Monkee that comes their way.”
   Grizzled Old Sergeant-pilot who dumped me here helps us in. Fuji orders him to take off and over-fly the American position. Now comes his fun part!
   To read on, click 8.(8-10) Roosevelt Eat Shit! Eleanor Eat Shit! B...