Battle Cry - Leon Uris [246]
“It kept running through my mind,” Marion answered.
“Home is the sailor, home from the sea, and the hunter home from the hill. It sort of fits, doesn’t it?”
“Yes.”
“A buddy told me something once about finding peace of mind. But you can’t help wondering. The third time in less than two years.”
“Who knows, Danny? Every man on this ship will give you a different answer. His own piece of land, his own dream, his own woman, his own way of life. None of us has the same answer.”
“But a guy has got to know. He can’t go on forever just being led by the nose.”
“This much I can say, Danny: don’t let anybody tell you that you were a sucker. Something better has got to come from it all, it has to. Sure, we’re going to get kicked around and they’ll tell you it was all for nothing. But it can’t be for nothing. Think of the guys like Levin. For him, the issues were pretty clear cut. I wish ours were.”
“I want to believe that, Mary.”
“Don’t let them tell you that we are going to hell. If we were, we’d have done so long ago. Just don’t forget that this out here is only part of the fight.”
Danny nodded, paused a moment, and walked out of the head.
CHAPTER 3
THE bosun’s pipe blared through the intercom, shattering the silence: “General quarters.” Above us we could hear the sailors rushing to their battle stations. I drew myself up: two o’clock.
“Hit the deck, drop your cocks and grab your socks. Half the day gone and not a drop of work done.”
“Ah, fair sunrise,” L.Q. said.
“Somebody turn on the goddam lights!”
“Lights!”
I laced on my boondockers and shook my head a couple of times to wipe out the clammy stink. Thump, Thump. The Navy big guns were pounding the target for the fourth day.
“Sixteen-inchers.”
“I hope they knock down something besides coconut trees this time.”
“Wait till Spanish Joe hits the beach. I just hope them gook women is the friendly type like on Tarawa,” he bellowed. “Stick with me, Marion old buddy, I’ll take you over the rough spots.”
The mass of sweating humanity moved slowly into their business clothes in the steamy, sealed, dimly lit hold.
THUMP, THUMP. A distant drone, lumbering lazily.
“Heavy bombers.”
Screech. “Now hear this. Chow down in the mess hall, chow down.”
THUMP…THUMP.
The hours move slowly when you look at your timepiece every thirty seconds.
“They’re sure pasting the hell out of them this time. Maybe we’ll hit a clean beach.”
Speedy began singing:
“Send me a letter,
Send it by mail,
Send it in care of,
The Birmingham jail….”
The Injun joined in another chorus.
“Did I ever tell you jerks about the time I saw a python eat a pig at the zoo?” L.Q. said. “Well, they decided to even the match up, so they greased the pig and gave this snake a gallon of bicarbonate of soda. Damnedest thing you ever saw…this old snake…”
THUMP…THUMP.
Hold it! Stop! What’s that? We lifted our eyes. We could hear the gentle splash of water against our hull. The high hum of dive bombers streaming in like angry little hornets.
“It won’t be long now.”
“About that sawbuck you owe me. I’d be willing to make a generous settlement.”
I looked at my watch…THUMP…THUMP.
“All the gear in order?”
“Roger.”
THUMP…THUMP.
I steadied the Injun’s hand so he could light a cigarette. L.Q. moved through the squad slapping them on the back and joking. His eyes met mine. He was very pale but he managed a grin.
“I’m going to puke, Mac,” Andy whispered.
“It will all be over soon as they blow the whistle. Say, isn’t Pat due to have that baby soon?”
“Jesus, I forgot. Hey, men, I’m going to be a poppa—I forgot to tell you guys!”
“Well, I’ll be go to hell.”
“I didn’t think you had it in you, Andy.”
“There goes the old malaria theory shot to hell.”
THUMP…THUMP.
“What’s the matter, Marion?” I said quietly.
“I…I was just thinking