Evening star., 1942-12-27

aboard knew It, AS SCn ana Oy Virtue Oh CusloH "hI
stemned back to Barry and John Paul Jones no captain
or admiral would question of his, would pass for
ward of the bombbay bukhead except his invitation
1t law absolute and nexbe Before apprentice sea-
man had learned to distinguish bow BEAM and quarter he
had heard stories of esgns warrant officers and even CPO
caapulted command by the deaths in action OF their
superors. had temporarily outranked admiras
Benson followed close behind Mr. Sherwin Hed had his
going for half hour and he distributed cups OF
steaing coffee The radioman passed to Les IN the
greenhouse the topsde blister which the engineers
post when the motors did not require his attention Mcue
red head passed beneath him. headed aft to relieve Skosy
the tail Morning coffee patrol formal ceremony on
the BT40 MIR Sherwn talking to the two Army nurses
This is Wednesday, isn't t?' said Gosh, last Friday
in Brooklyn Will we see any Japs, Captaln?'
Not if them first, said Sherwn, and the officers
the cabin laughed O jobs get where you're going
hghting's for specialists
What did tell you. Mary Lou? Action? Not one single bis
tered chancei
IT CANE on the second day. two hours from Ilo-o
The transport slipping and of the scattered cloud
islands rabbit dodge from brush to brier when from
behind the piled cumuus three slvery notes danced
between Les Cuys eyes and the He swung the twin
es and fired several warning bursts he shouted the
alarm Sherwns voice calling Action stations all hands!
came through nterphone above the suffering reports
Les held the leader of the diving ships in the lnnemos
sight-ring Strange how in split seconds ones eyes
could observe and ones brain record things They were
but sturdy Jobs, these NIP Tg[lerS, Win
motors Singe-seaers with fixed wheels Caerbased.
Now, what
The guns bucked under his hands the first of the diving
Zero came range Got him. by goh Look at that black
smoke pouring his engine The two Others firing
Then the transports dropped suddenly that ne
found himself hanging his belt and staring at the water
nearly two miles below He could two of the Zeros
still bechng smoke from its engine the other in flames
from nose to tail Mr. Sherwn could pull out of his dive
and then Les metal and clustered holes where the
bullets from the other Zero had poured into the pilots cock
pit He erked his belt release and let himself drop sliding
along the steep-ptched floor to the of the ship
The cockpit was of blood, mixed with oil from
smashed hydraulic line Sherwns body jammed against
the control column pressing forward and holding the ship
in it's dive Les cawed release of the pilots belt and
tubed the body from the His feet found the rudder
pedals and he horsed back the controls. The
thank God the ppers hadn't been shot off and the trans
port came out of the dive.
Good work. Oh, good work."
Les looked down quickly man sprawed on the messy
floor man whose golden shoulder tabs bore the stars
of rear admiral Il what happened the admiral said
81 tried to get the controls but you beat them
And he repeated: Good work.
Les glanced toward the other seat Mr. Lang should have
taken when the Jap bullets had crashed into Mr. Sher
wins body But only his belt held Lang his seat His head
was his limp knees and he fought gangy for breath
Those nurses aft snapped Les Curry Get eln here
Please turn to puge IL