5
United States Rifle Model 1903
Billy Martens
It could be John Strange. Or Bud, the conscientious objector. Today it was Billy Martens. It didn’t matter to Drill Instructor Butterworth. Anytime he got to hammer one of the three Mennonites in his company, he saw the opportunity as a gift from God—and his God was not a Mennonite God.
“Are you going to fight, Mennonite?” hissed the Drill Instructor, his nose inches from Billy Martens’ face, his voice like steam erupting from a cast-iron kettle.
“Sir, yes, Sir!” Martens roared back, standing at attention outside his barracks.
“I’m having trouble hearing you. Do I need a corpsman to check my ears out?”
“Sir, no, Sir!”
“NO? You mean you’re not going to fight for your country, Mennonite?”
“Sir, yes, Sir, I’ll fight!”
“What am I hearing
