LCDR Madison stood on the quay, binoculars raised....scanning the horizon while Riley stood idly by with Gunny, a scrawny grizzled man that forgot more about the Navy than most Admirals ever learned.
"See the world, join the Navy, that was what my old man said and he got that right, but what in the sam hell are we doing here, helping these so called Allies? Heck, Gunny, they can't even hold their rifles right" Riley carped to Gunny, just outside of earshot of the man while he gave the evil eye to a few soldiers of the 100th Chinese Corp -- reportedly one of the best in all of China.
"Top Secret, Riley. Now, stow it, and secure those wagons" the Gunny barked, turned his back and walked to the Lieutenant Commander. With nobody within hearing distance that spoke English, the Gunny continued: "Well, you are the highest ranking American Officer here in country, so congratulations are in order -- but what are we doing in China? I hear Houston got torpedoed back near Luzon...she needs us. All these prime workers here, and for what?"
"For them, Gunny, for them," gestured the Commander "One o'clock off the quay's starboard side" and he handed the binoculars to Gunny. Gunny's eyes weren't the best, but he could make out the black oily smoke from ships, on the horizon...but there also seemed to white smoke too, now, mixing and growing with the black into a greyish blob.
"If they are ours, they are in trouble, making smoke now" Gunny replied handing the binoculars back to his young Commander. "We will be ready for them, if they get here" and he was off to oversee the dockworkers on the quay shouting about twin fiftys'....
But the words were lost to the Commander, as he concentrated thru the binoculars, but at this distance all he could see was the greyish smoke...and then minutes later, several twin engine Japanese torpedo bombers screamed by, low, and without their ordinary ordinance....long, lethal torpedoes, but with the Rising Sun painted on their fuselage. Was it an omen of things to come?
