Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-02-11
Battle Courage
Capt. De Foney, U.S.N.
(WNU Feature-Through special Arrangement
with The American Magazine.)

(WHU Featme-Through special arrangement
with The American MaEazine.)
One of the first things to under
stand about military courage is that
you cannot apply a yardstick to it
In advance of action. Human forti-
tude cannot be measured like the
tensile strength of bar Of steel.
Only battle can write the answers.
Often as not, a lion turns out to be a
lamb in combat, or a lamb lion.
For several months I served on
one Of the biggest aircraft carriers
in the Pacific. On this ship was q
downy-faced 18-year-old kid whom
we called Babe. He was a tirnid,
interpretive sort of boy who read
books in his bunk at night, stam-
mered when you spoke to him, and,
while he was member of Social
Der gun crew, he appeared to be just
about everything a fighting man
shouldn't be.
Then, one azure morning, we were
attacked by enemy dive-bombers.
Down they came, peeling of one by
one and lancing straight at the car
rier. We had fighters up, and our
heavy antiaircraft slammed at the
Japs like hundred doors, but the
kids back Of the long file of Social
bers Just waited. During long, des.
perate seconds they simply had to
stand and take it.
was watching Babe anxiously.
He looked sick with fear. I wouldn't
have been surprised to see him col
lapse at his post.
But he didn't collapse. As the
bombers screamed into range and
the 50-calibers blazed into action, the
scared kid suddenly became a man
"a cool, efficient, and entirely dead
ly man. He never faltered for an
instant in the performance Of his
duties.
Wartime Emotions.
When the attack was beaten off,
Babe was transformed. His face
was flushed, his eyes bright, and
he danced up and down on deck in
kind Of unholy ecstasy. eve got
one Of 'em," he shouted jubilantly.
That illustrates a point which
many noncombatants do not under
stand about war. It was largely dis
cipline and training, of course, which
enabled Babe and his comrades to
stand fast during the terrible Sec
onds when the Japs dived straight
at them, but, once they were able
to strike back, they were immense
ly strengthened by an emotion which
old-time writers used to refer to as
"the fierce joy of battle"
There comes a time, however,
when the mental and nervous ia
tigue which results from constant
risk-taking can, if continued long
enough, sap the fortitude of the
bravest.
The case Of Johnny Allen was like
that. Razor-keen, spunky, blue
eyed kid with triangle Of ginger
hair on his forehead, Johnny had
everything a fighter pilot needs.
There wasn't anything in the air he
was afraid Of, and on the ground he
was invariably good-natured, happy
go-lucky, always up to some anus
ing deviltry.
After his arrival in the Solomons,
Johnny went on hazardous opera
tional missions day after day. Often
he would be in combat two or three
times in "a hours.
After a few weeks Of this, John
ny's personality underwent marked
change. In an airplane he seemed
just as daring as ever, but he
stopped enjoying life. Instead OF
horsing around with fellow pilots aft
er flight he would 60 off in cor
ner and read He groused lot.
One night he flew into rage and
took poke at his best friend merely
because he had scattered some
equipment on his cot.
Rest Cure.
The squadron's flight surgeon had
a quiet talk with Johnny. He broke
down and bawled in the middle Of
it. The flight surgeon knew the
symptoms. What really allied John
ny was fatigue. He wouldn't admit
it even to himself, but his nerve
was gone. The surgeon sent him
back to hospital for rest, followed
by leave.
When he returned 70 the squadron
he was himself again, as brave and
cheerful as ever, but if the doctor
had not acted promptly Johnny
might have suffered nervous
crack-up which would have cost his
life, and possibly those of some OF
the men who flew with him.
Modern improvements.
In the amphibious warfare Of the
Pacific, one of the chief dangers to
flier is that of running out of gaso-
line and being forced down at sea