Edge of Valor by John J. Gobbell

you please return the flaps to the full up position?”
    Reaching for the flap lever, Radcliff said, “I’ll put a man right on it.”
    Berne, the navigator, said in a falsetto, “Lieutenant Peoples, please try to remember we’re not hauling Spam today.”
    Radcliff muttered, “Yeah, just a bunch of generals, admirals, and Japs.”
    â€œYes, sir.” Peoples called over his shoulder. “Oh, Captain?”
    Berne growled, “How can I help you?”
    â€œAh, sir, you got a course for us?”
    Berne said, “You sure you can handle all this at one time, Leroy?”
    â€œDo my best, Captain.”
    â€œOkay, then,” said Berne. “Steer course one-nine-three and try not to screw it up. Twelve thousand feet.”
    â€œYes, sir, Captain Berne. One-nine-three, twelve thousand, and don’t screw it up. Yes, sir.” Peoples reached to set the autopilot.
    Radcliff said to Hammer, “Chief, time to give the box lunches to the Japs.”
    â€œRight now, sir?”
    â€œMight as well. And break out the orange juice, too. See that they’re comfortable. Blankets, anything they want.”
    â€œWell, I mean, these are Japs! Shouldn’t we—”
    â€œSergeant. Orders are orders,” said Radcliff.”
    Hammer scratched his belly and stood. “What about our guys? All that brass. What do they eat?”
    â€œRemember, this morning we all dined on eggs, bacon, toast, orange juice, and coffee. Some of us alfresco, I might add.”
    â€œAl Fresco. I remember him,” said Hammer. “He was in the 229th. We used to get drunk all the—”
    Radcliff interrupted, “I repeat. The box lunches are for Japs only. And especially not that little turd Neidemeier.”
    Actually, Neidemeier is smarter than I give him credit for , thought Ingram.
    â€œJaps only. Nothing for the little turd. Yes, sir. Orders is orders.” Hammer walked out.
    The plane droned on with Radcliff and Peoples checking their instruments and writing in logbooks. That done, they began talking politics: Radcliff hated Truman; Peoples loved Truman. Then their talk turned to women. Radcliff loved Jane Russell; Peoples disapproved of her. Berne folded his arms on his chest, put up his feet, tipped his cap over his eyes, and dozed.
    The C-54 gained altitude and settled on course through smooth, bright blue skies. Six P-51s with long-range tanks gathered around, three on each wing.
    With a sigh, Ingram opened the envelope and began to peruse his orders. As he turned pages the name kept ringing in his mind: Fujimoto .

Chapter Five
    19 August 1945
    One hundred miles south of Okinawa Prefecture en route to Nichols Field, Manila, Luzon Island, Philippines
    â€œA mazing,” said Ingram.
    â€œWhat’s that, Commodore?” called Radcliff.
    â€œJust damned amazing,” Ingram repeated.
    â€œWhat the hell are you reading, Esquire magazine?” asked Radcliff.
    â€œOrders, Bucky. Something completely unexpected.”
    â€œYou mean the Navy is as screwed up as the Army Air Corps?”
    â€œWorse.”
    â€œSo, where are you headed?”
    â€œSame place you are, Nichols Field.”
    â€œSwell. I already knew that. How bout when we get there? Say, you play poker? We need a fourth.”
    Ignoring Radcliff, Ingram tried to digest what he was reading. A State Department summary enumerated that General MacArthur had been appointed supreme commander of all forces in the Pacific. One of the general’s first demands was that the Japanese provide a delegation to meet with his staff in Manila, hence the two white planes with the green crosses at Ie Shima. The number in the delegation—sixteen—was selected because the Japanese passenger version of their G4M2 could hold only eight people. Once in Manila, they were to negotiate a surrender ceremony to be conducted on board an American ship, yet to be named, in Tokyo Bay. More