by Alexa Kang
For herself though, Anthony's letter delivered the first concrete piece of information she could grasp.
The Third Infantry Division of the Sixth Army Corps. Finally, she had what she needed to begin her quest.
And what a lucky coincidence. The Sixth Corps. Ellie had been assigned to the Sixth Corps. How wonderful it would be if she could join up with Ellie! She wondered if Ellie might be able to help her find a way to get assigned to the same hospital unit.
Yes. There was hope. She had a target to go after now.
"Tessa, the military doesn't work that way," Dr. Donovan tried to explain to her. "Your overseas assignment is not a vacation. You don't get to choose where you go. You go where you're needed. That's why it's called an assignment."
"But I really, really want to be with the Sixth Army Corps," Tessa said. "Surely the medical units supporting them can use one more nurse. You're ranked as a colonel. Isn't there something you can do? Don't you have any say in where your trainees are assigned?"
"Tessa, have you not heard a word I said?" Donovan leaned forward at his desk, exasperated. They had been talking in circles like this for almost half an hour. "I don't want to discourage you from service. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated, but you are asking the impossible," he said. "Why do you want so much to join the Sixth Corps anyway? Is it because of Ellie Swanson?"
Ellie? Certainly, she would love to join up with Ellie, although that was not the reason why she was here today making her request. But if that was what Dr. Donovan thought, and if his misunderstanding could help...
"Yes," she said. "Ellie has been so supportive to me since I became a cadet nurse. I made it this far only because of her." She saw a look of sympathy in Donovan's eyes. "The idea of going to war... it is frightening." She tried to sound as scared as possible. "I want to serve but now it has struck me that I'll be going far away from home to the war zone. I would feel so much better if Ellie were with me."
"Tessa, I want to help, but what you're asking is beyond my power. I'm just a small unit in a much, much larger machine that operates entirely by its own rules, and so are you."
A large machine that operates entirely by its own rules. Tessa frowned. She didn't care. She wanted to shove those rules away and impose her own rules. This was her life.
"You're a good nurse. You've done well here. I have absolute confidence you will do fine on your own without Ellie. Wherever you'll be assigned, there will be other doctors and nurses there to support you."
Frustrated, Tessa thanked him and left. She closed the office door behind her and tried to think of what she could do next. What she wanted felt so daunting.
In the hospital library, Tessa stared at the open book on the table, trying to read but could not absorb anything. There had to be a way to get what she wanted. She couldn't give up only because Dr. Donovan said it was impossible. She had to keep trying.
Deep in her own thoughts, she didn't notice when Sarah Brinkman came up to her. "You looked so focused, I didn't want to disturb you." Sarah put her books on the table and sat down. "But then I saw you're sitting here this whole time and haven't turned your page at all, so I figured you probably aren't reading." She pulled her chair closer. "How did it go with Dr. Donovan? Will he help you get the assignment you want?"
"How did you know?" Tessa asked, surprised. She hadn't told Sarah anything about her plans.
"All right, don't be mad, but Ellie told me."
Ellie told her? But Ellie had promised not to tell anyone.
"I know. She promised you she would keep this a secret," Sarah said. "Don't be angry with her. I'm the only one she told. She was worried about you. She wanted to make sure someone would be here for you in case things don't work out. I swear I haven't said a thing to a single soul." Sarah held her hand up as if making an oath.
Skeptical, Tessa asked, "You seriously haven't told anybody?" Sarah was not one to hold back when it came to talking and blabbering.
"Cross my heart." Sarah made a cross gesture over her chest. "I know this is important to you. I wouldn't even be asking you about it if I didn't see you looking so distraught all day after talking to Dr. Donovan this morning."
Tessa still had reservations. Ellie had been gone for two months now, but this was the first time Sarah had brought up the subject with her. How was Sarah able to stay quiet for so long? Could she trust Sarah with a secret?
"So what did Dr. Donovan say?"
"He said it's beyond his power to help."
"I'm sorry," Sarah said. "Don't lose hope yet."
"You don't think it's a crazy idea? Me trying to get assigned to a specific unit?"
"So what if it is? That shouldn't stop you from trying if that's what you really want."
Tessa felt her guard falling. She didn't realize how much she needed to hear that someone understood and supported her.
"Have you thought of anyone else you can ask for help?" Sarah asked.
Touched by Sarah's encouragement, Tessa decided to tell Sarah, "As coincidence would have it, Ellie is with the medical unit serving the same army division as Anthony."
"How about that? Write to her. Ask her if some senior officer in her medical unit can request for you to be assigned to them."
Tessa had thought of that already. What she hadn't thought of was that Sarah cared about her. She had never considered Sarah as a close friend or confidant. To her, Sarah was a co-worker, initially convenient to have around to save her from mindless small talk with others at work, and later on, someone she preferred to work with simply because she got used to her. She had no idea Sarah was looking out for her and knew she had talked to Dr. Donovan this morning or that Sarah was concerned that she was distressed. Sarah was not usually an observant person, and she would not have guessed Sarah would notice these things. Besides, it must have taken a chatterbox like Sarah a huge amount of self-restraint to keep a secret.
"What about you?" she asked Sarah in return. "Are you ready for deployment?"
"Absolutely! My brothers will be so proud. I have you to thank for it too. If it weren't for you, I would never have thought of transferring to the Nurses Specialized Training Program. I wouldn't have had the confidence to go for it. You're an inspiration to me, Tessa."
"Don't say that. You know now why I did it. You're the one who wishes to go overseas to serve. You are the real inspiration."
Sarah shook her head. "I admire you, Tessa. When you want something, you just grab the reins and do it. You don't let rules and conventions stop you. You made me realize everything is possible."
Uncomfortable with such a direct compliment, Tessa gave her an uneasy smile.
"So don't give up. Keep trying," Sarah said.
Tessa nodded. It was good to hear someone say that what she wanted to do was not impossible.
VI
Part Six - Baptism of Blood
19
The ship moved closer and closer to the port of Licata on the southern coast of Sicily, sailing through the strong but balmy August wind of the Mediterranean Sea. From afar, Anthony could see the reddish-brown hills covered by deep green vegetation. Below the hills, the city appeared intact with white and yellow stone buildings lining the coastline. Only after he disembarked and walked through the city did he realize the ruin that the war had made of this place.
In July, the Allied forces had succeeded in driving the Axis troops back up north and secured both Sicily and Palermo as Allied bases. In the wake of their defeat, the Nazis had demolished all the cities they had occupied. All infrastructure was destroyed by bombs and aerial attacks to stall the Allies and deprive them of roads, bridges, water, and other resources. Licata was among the ruins on their trail of retreat. Along the streets, rubble piled up two to three stories high all over the grounds. Countless buildings were obliterated in parts, leaving some with only one or two walls still standing.
Passing by the weary local civilians cleaning up the wreckage, Anthony saw for the first time the gravity of the devastation affli
cting this part of the world. How fortunate the Americans had been to be so far removed from all these calamities. In their own comfort and safety, how easy had it been to turn a blind eye to the miseries that the people here were suffering? He wished he could do something to help. It all seemed so senseless.
He followed his instructions and came to the command post of one Colonel Callahan to report for duty. The Colonel was not there when he arrived. One of the two staff sergeants at work volunteered to look up his unit assignment records. While he waited, a familiar voice from behind greeted him. "Ardley. I heard an Anthony Ardley was coming. I was hoping it's the same Anthony Ardley I knew."
Anthony turned around. Behind him was his old college friend, Warren Hendricks. They had met in phys. ed. class back at the University.
"Warren!" Anthony couldn't believe his eyes. "No way! You're here too?"
"I sure am."
Immediately, Anthony noticed the two silver stripes on Warren's uniform. "You're a captain?!" Not only that, Warren looked well and in shape, nothing like the feeble classmate he had helped train.
The staff sergeant had by now located Anthony's records. "You're to report to Captain Gene Harding, sir." The sergeant handed him a stack of notes and papers with information about his unit, instructions as to his accommodation, and arrival procedures.
"Captain Harding," Warren said. "You're with Company M. Come on, I'll take you to him." He led Anthony out the door.
"I can't believe you're a captain. That's incredible." Anthony couldn't get over the surprise of finding Warren here. It had been almost two years since the last time they had seen each other. They had so much to catch up on. "What happened to you after you enlisted?"
"I went through basic training like everybody else. After that, I qualified for the OCS. I finished that and the army assigned me to the intelligence unit, probably because they didn't trust me to outrun your average infantry soldier. Suits me fine." He laughed. "I don't trust me either. I did okay with the physical training, all thanks to you, but you know me. I wouldn't rely on me for face-to-face combat." He was joking, but Anthony didn't believe it. Warren was being modest. He must have done exceptionally well to reach the rank of captain in such a short time.
"So how's this for coincidence? I'm the intelligence officer assigned to work with the 3rd Division."
"We're in the same Division?"
"Yep," Warren glanced at their division unit's blue-and-white striped insignia on Anthony's sleeves. "We're the Rock of Marne."
"We'll be working together!"
"That's right. I've been coming by Colonel Callahan's outpost all day waiting for you to arrive. What took you so long? I thought you would have enlisted long ago."
"Nah, I got held up." Anthony took the small photo of Tessa out of his uniform pocket and showed it to Warren.
"Cute! I wouldn't have wanted to come either if I were you."
Anthony put the photo back in his pocket. "What about you? You got anyone waiting for you back home?"
"In fact, there is a very special girl, but not the way you think," Warren took a black-and-white photo from his own pocket and showed it to Anthony. The picture showed Warren with a girl about twelve years old. "My little sister, Bessie. She has a heart condition and she's prone to getting sick a lot. The hardest thing for me when I enlisted was having to leave her. I worry about her a lot."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"She's a sweetheart. I miss her."
They came to Warren's jeep and his driver, a staff sergeant, drove them to a place that looked like it had once been a three-storey office building. "Central Command," Warren told him and got out of the vehicle. Anthony picked up his duffle bag and followed him. As they entered, a young officer with a silver stripe insignia on his shoulders exited the front entrance. "Captain," the young officer raised his hand and saluted Warren. His uniform could not conceal his well-toned physique.
"Lieutenant." Warren saluted back and Anthony did the same. "Good timing. If I could have a minute," Warren said to the young officer, "this is Second Lieutenant Anthony Ardley. He arrived earlier today. He's the new replacement for your company." Warren then turned to Anthony. "Lieutenant, this is First Lieutenant Wesley Sharpe."
Wesley looked at Anthony. His eyes reminded Anthony of those of an eagle. Although Warren was the ranking officer, Wesley carried more of an air of authority.
"Lieutenant," Wesley said in acknowledgment and went on his way again. Anthony couldn't help taking a second look at Wesley. Of all the people he had met since joining the army, Wesley was the only one who gave him the impression of a real combat soldier.
"He's a helluva first lieutenant," Warren told Anthony as they stepped into the building.
Inside, they found Captain Harding at his desk reviewing a set of maps. When they entered, Harding rose from his seat. He looked to be in his late twenties and much less intimidating than Wesley.
"Captain," Warren said. "I brought you your replacement for second lieutenant."
Harding turned his attention to Anthony. Without hesitation, Anthony stepped up. He wanted to make a good first impression. "Second Lieutenant Anthony Ardley reporting for duty, sir."
"At ease," Harding said. He seemed friendly enough. "You arrived just in time. Our afternoon training session begins in two hours. You can join us today."
"Yes, sir."
"I'm glad you're here. We've got a lot of work ahead."
"Yes, Captain," Anthony answered. Everything was off to a good start. The Captain and Wesley both gave him a good feeling. Now, he must prove himself worthy to join their rank. He had worked hard to prepare himself back at the OCS. He was ready. He would do the best he could to serve their unit. He would not disappoint them, or himself.
"Walk with me." Captain Harding personally invited Anthony to join him on the way to training before leaving the command headquarters. Eager, Anthony grabbed his rifle and backpack and followed Harding to meet up with the unit. "You've come at a good time," Harding continued. "Our unit's on reserve. You'll have a chance to get used to things and get to know everyone before we go on our next mission."
"Yes, Captain," Anthony said. Harding seemed to be a reasonable man.
They came to the edge of the woods. Wesley Sharpe and most of the men from their company had already arrived.
"All right, listen up," Harding called out to the men. "This is Second Lieutenant Ardley. He'll be in command from now on when I say so." The troop listened. No one seemed overly enthused one way or another. Only Wesley showed interest. He fixed his eyes on Anthony, observing him. Unsure of Wesley's intent, Anthony kept his face straight and pretended not to notice.
Harding then introduced Anthony individually to the noncom officers. "Sergeant Beck, he's our first sergeant. He's been with us since Africa." Beck, a stocky man with thick lips, stomped over and saluted. His biceps bulged when he bent his arms. "Sergeant Jones and Sergeant Oliver." The two sergeants saluted. After the initial introductions, Harding proceeded to lead the unit into the woods for a simulation exercise of camouflage in the forest, following a plan to combat an enemy unit set up by another company. "Beck, you're with me. Oliver, you go with Lieutenant Sharpe. Jones, you're with Lieutenant Ardley."
Divided into three groups, the troops headed in separate directions into the woods. Wesley's group went off first to the right. Harding and his men took the dirt path diverging to the left. Still taking in his surroundings and assessing the way his unit operated, Anthony surveyed the terrain ahead, paying no particular attention to those who were not following him until Beck passed by him. "Ninety-day wonder," Beck mumbled within earshot.
Anthony stopped. Unapologetic, Beck looked right back at him before turning away.
"Don't mind him," Sergeant Jones came up to him. "Beck's an old warhorse. He thinks he's better than everybody. Frankly, if you ask me, he's got nothing on anybody. He's dumb as a rock."
Mindful not to speak ill of his officers, even one who had just insulted h
im, Anthony did not reply but walked on.
"Don't you worry, though," Jones said, "I got your back if you need it."
"Thanks, Sergeant Jones."
"Jonesy," the sergeant corrected him. "Everybody calls me Jonesy." He walked alongside Anthony. A short man, about five-foot-six with a slim body, he didn't have the stature that commanded authority like Wesley Sharpe or Beck, but he carried himself with ease and it was clear he was very familiar with the ways of the army. "I've been with the company for a year. Ollie, that's Sergeant Oliver by the way, we're from the same hometown, La Porte, Indiana. Ollie and I joined the army together. He's not doing too well right now. That poor guy just got a Dear John letter yesterday. Turns out, his girlfriend's been running around back home with his old boss. Talk about a stab in the back."
"We're here, Lieutenant, Sergeant," said the young private who had been tracking their route. They had reached the spot where their simulation exercise would begin.
"What's your name?" Anthony asked the private.
"Fox, sir. My name's Zachary Fox." Fox looked no more than seventeen, but appeared smart and self-confident for his age.
"Fox is our company's best sniper," Jonesy said. "You can't go wrong with him around. Right, kid?"
Fox smiled but did not deny it. The rest of the platoon now stood at attention, waiting for directions. Anthony stepped up. He was ready to start when his mind jerked back to Beck. Ninety-day wonder.
The men stood waiting for his order. He looked at them. A trace of uncertainty slipped in. These men had fought real battles. In comparison, the training he received at the OCS felt like child's play. If he had to lead these men into battle tomorrow, would they listen to him? Would they trust him?
More importantly, would he trust himself to lead them to victory and safety?
