Long Lost War Hero

Chapter Two

John

Separating from my young wife and my only parent was the hardest thing I could ever do. I knew in my heart I had to give back just like my dad.

"Leroy would be proud, son." Dale said.

Dale being the commanding officer of the whole platoon and my wife's uncle it was easy to see the affection he had for me.

"Breath easy Johnny boy, we won't even be in any danger just flying the skies doing surveying ocean." Dale said happily.

Dale was always breeze easy, nothing held him back or held him down. Not even a seven month pregnant wife!

"I'm just worried about leaving our girls for so long." I stated to him.

The plane was full of military boys like us, all missing someone but knowing we have a duty to our nation. I looked around and saw a skinny guy about my age a row behind us. He was shaking from terror grasping the seat arms as if they were his salvation.

"Hey man, what's your name?"I asked as I turned half in my seat.

"umm Blake humm Conway, Sir!" he said mumbling as his eyes looked quickly at me before closing again.

"Blake Conway, we are Dale and Johnny!" Dale said joint in the conversation.

"Nice to meet you both, is this your first time flying or you both just pros?" Blake asked calming down slightly.

"Nah this is my quite a few time trip, but johnny's first with the platoon!" Dale exclaimed as he slapped my shoulder before turning completely around to face Blake.

"Johnny, how are you doing to stay calm?" Blake asked hoping for some advice.

"Just thinking about my wife at home." I said with sadness in my voice.

"Wow your married? Aren't you a little young?"Blake asked finally removing his hands from the seat arms.

"Yup, Boy Johnny here married a few weeks ago! My little niece better have a good man here son!" Dale laughed.

"Oh shut it Dale, you know we've been in love for four years! Where'd you grow up Blake?" I smirked at Blake.

"Ahh small little town of Winters, do you know of it?" Blake asked me as Dale got to talking to another guy near us.

"Yeah man, it's not to far from us! We live in Trura which is east of that." I said repositioning in my seat to get more comfortable.

"That means we both went to I-80 Highschool!?" Blake looked shocked as he tried to remember me in school.

"Yeah man, just graduated this year but what about you?" I questioned as I knew I didn't recognize him.

"Nah last year, my father wanted me to join the department but I couldn't do it. I wanted to go to college man, got accepted at state with a full ride scholarship!" Blake exclaimed madly.

"Oh no your the son of Sheriff Conway!?" I said laughing.

"Yup that's my old man. He is a pain in the Ass!" He laughed as well.

"He tried to say that I got into an accident when I was with my wife in a small little cabin south of Trura." I said getting irritated.

"He can be like that, always thinking he is right all the time!" Blake laughed at my irritation.

"Gentlemen, we are T-minius forty five minutes from TOA! Buckle in and get ready for some rocking landing!" The captain yelled as I turned around and got ready.

The plane landed with a lot of jolting, more than the pilot had explained. Once we had safely stopped, all of us got off the plane as we got on it. The sun hitting our eyes that adjusted to the darkness of the air craft caused pain. It was so bright that I grabbed my sun glasses from my bag just to be able to see where to go. The camp was on an island that was down in elevation than where we landed. You could see the ocean just a few miles away. The canvases tents littered the beach like little ants walking across the sand.

"Come on Johnny, the next six months will be in paradise!" Dale exclaimed while hitting my shoulder laughing.

"Hot damn! This is definitely worth the flight!" Blake yelled as he laughed with Dale.

" We only have to endure six months of this and then we get to go home to our women." I said with partial sadness.

We walked the few miles to camp where our C.O was with the General of the platoon.

"Gentlemen, come meet your General! General Garth! He has the only air combat experience of the entire Platoon! Of all platoons here on our island! My name is Ira Blanken and I am your commanding officer." Ira states as he shaked Garths hand.

" Men, we are gathered here to survey our enemies across the water just a few hundred cliques of here. Your ability to man an air craft with persision and accuracy. If you can't do that get back on the damn plane and go back to mommy and daddy!"Garth yelled as he strutted around the group of us.

"Sir Yes Sir!" we all yelled in confirmation.

"At ease gentlemen! Settle in to your bunks, School is in session 0600 tomorrow!" Garth yelled as he walked back into his tent.

Only for a moment was he in his tent before he popped his head back out.

"Private Allen and Lieutenant Sugggar! Get both your asses in here and brink Private Conway!" Garth yelled in disgust before spitting onto the ground.

"Damn already in trouble boys!" Ira said as he grabbed both Blake and my elbows dragging us after Dale.

In Garths tent was a dozen cots around a massive table that had actual water, sand and other materials on it. It was actually colder in here than outside which was unexpected since ninety degree weather should've effected the temperature in here.

"Sir Yes Sir!" all four of us saluted towards Garth.

"At ease boys! Now I have received a bunch of letters indicating that your father wants your nephew in custody for a crime that you committed prior to being assigned onto the incoming air craft that picked all of you up. Is this accurate? Do I need to place you into custody?" Garth asked as he grabbed a pair of handcuffs.

" Sir No Sir, I did not commit those offenses that Sheriff Conway states that I committed." I said staying in saluting position.

"I would know if he committed a crime Sir. He was down in a cabin on his honeymoon during such time. The car in the said accident was parked in his family barn" Dale explained.

" Is this correct, Private Allen?" Garth asked.

"Sir Yes Sir!" I exclaimed as I worried that I would be sent away from serving my nation.

"All right gentlemen untill Private Conway's father has proof I will settle for your explanation. But if any of you step a foot out of line, it will be pushed back into line with these here hand cuffs! Do I make myself clear?!" Garth yelled.

"Sir Yes Sir!" we all yelled relieved.

"Dismissed Privates, Lieutenant, Major!" Garth yelled as he turned his back to us and studied the table.

We all walked out of his tent as fast as we could. Once we got outside I allowed my shoulders to drop, relieved that I wouldn't be mistaken for the real culprit.

"Lets go to find our sleeping quarters, gentlemen!" Dale smiled proudly.

"I can not believe that my father would try to get you relieved of your station, John I am so sorry." Blake said looking down.

"Nah It's alright, I figured this would happen that is why Dale came out here with us, he transferred just to be with me!" I laughed at Dales sourpuss face.

"He's my boyfriend! Didn't you guys know? Our wives are just covering for us being romantically in love!" Dale joked as he walked faster so I couldn't hit him.

We finally got down to the coast of the Island just as the sun set high in the sky.

"Men you have today to reset your bodily clocks, reset your mind because tomorrow your Asses are mine on this island to train, to teach!" Ira yelled to the group that got held up because of us.

"Can we go swimming? I've never seen the ocean!" Another guy said without formal acknowledging the C.O.

"You will address me as Sir. Major or Daddy but you will address me with some respect magpie!" Ira yelled in the kids face.

"Sir Yes Sir!" the boy responded as he falled back into a salute.

"Sir Yes Daddy!" I yelled trying to get the attention off the demeaning kid.

C.O. Ira came up to my face with a smile on his face and put up a salute that forced me to salute in return.

"That's my name so don't wear it out!" Ira laughed as he walked away.

" Men let's go swimming so go put on your bottoms and meet back on this beach in twenty!!" Dale yelled as he ran to a random tent.

I followed the young kid who stepped out of line with the C.O.. He looked like he just got out of college.

"Thanks man, I got out of line there. I just forgot with seeing the ocean! I've never seen it before." he explained.

"It's okay dude. Names John, John Allen." I said offering my hand to shake his. which he extended quickly

"My name is Jake, Jake Luna like the moon." he offered as he opened the tent flap.

There was two double bunks on each wall. Dale was already changed and was putting on his manly flip flops.

"Hurry up you three! Waters not gonna wait for your asses!" Dale yelled before leaving the tent.

"Waters not going anywhere but you are!" Blake yelled pushing dale into a sand dune.

We both hurried and changed into our swimming trunks. We joined the dozen other men jumping off the dock. Jake paused and stepped back a few steps. There must've been a cliff under the water because it went from shallow to deep pretty quickly.

"I cant really swim, umm I'll just walk on in." Jake said uncertain about the dock.

"Yeah Ill go with ya, don't wanna be eatened by any sharkies!" I replied as I ran back to the beach to start wading into the water.

The water was so nice and warm that the breeze made the air above it seem colder.

For hours we played water football, volleyball with the dock while Jake just sat in the shallow end.

"Where's Daniel?" Dale yelled to the group.

Daniel was a nice kid, just five foot nine inches of muscles. He wasn't such a great swimmer so Dale kept him closer inland. The volley ball was floating some twenty feet away from the shore.

All of swam as fast as we could to that ball just to see Daniel barely swimming. He had his head slightly above the water doing the back stroke to stay afloat.

"Holy s**t kid, your gonna give me a heart attack!" Dale yelled as he grabbed his arm to pull him out of the water slightly pushing himself under the water.

We all grabbed an appendage of Daniel to get him to the shore quickly.

" Momma always said if the waters too deep where you can't touch the bottom to lay on your back and watch the bird. Whichever way they were going so were you!" Daniel explained.

" Son, you were heading to deeper waters! Don't go where you can't swim if you can't swim!" Dale yelled at him catching his footing on sand so he stood up and pulled Daniel to his chest almost shaking him.

The sun was falling onto the water reflecting the colors brightly on the water. A beautiful sight I wished Catherine could see.

"Lets hit the showers and get some grub! Dinner time is in forty minutes!" Dales yelled as he literally dropped Daniel into the shallow end.

Daniel came up spitting out water since Dale dropped him in between breaths. He must've pissed Dale off enough that through the entire dinner of REM's (ready to eat meals) Dale sat quietly stewing.

Once dinner was done and the ables cleaned off we all retired to our tents. Dale was below me and Jake was below Blake. it was only eight in the evening but sure did seem like it was a hundred year away from Catherine. My sweet beautiful wife, a blonde beauty that only stood five foot five with the most beautiful green eyes. This past weekend was the only time we ever consumated our relationship as man and wife. She was delightfully shy but beautiful. All I could ever dream was that she wanted me as her husband and when we finally married three weeks ago my dream came true. It had a short lived marriage as the military called for Dale to come over here I just couldn't let him go alone with no one to watch his back so I convinced Catherine to let me go so I could safely return Dale to his living wife Nicole and their beautiful little girl once she was born .I settled in as the wind picked up outside and started to howl as it ripped through the rows of tents on the beach.