World
War II is raging. A young father must choose between his family and
duty to his country- a decision that could cost him everything.
Based
on actual
experiences of United
States veterans
and official military
aviation history records
from World
War II,
this is the thrilling story of a family’s journey into war. While
his loved ones struggle with shortages and rationing at home, Sam
endures relentless Japanese attacks against his unarmed aircraft over
the treacherous mountains and torrid jungles of Asia. His job is to
drop supplies to Merrill’s
Marauders
and
over 750,000 allied soldiers fighting in the perilous jungles of
Burma. If the enemy is not stopped, the American
way of life will end.
If
you like non-stop action with a touch of humor and romance and the
chance to learn about the “forgotten
front”
of WWII,
then this is the book for you.
18
April 4, 1944 - Dinjan
Airbase, India
Sam
and Bobby Joe were totally exhausted when they crawled into their
charpoys. The harrowing events of the day had taken its toll on them
physically and mentally. In spite of the heat and noise of the
jungle, Sam felt the blessed relief of sleep approaching soon after
his head hit the pillow. However, as he drifted off, a feeling of
unease came over him. It was a feeling that something was wrong, not
here in India, but at home. He didn’t know if he felt uneasy
because he still hadn’t received mail from home or because of some
unknown reason, but the feeling stayed with him until he finally
succumbed to his exhaustion and slipped into a deep sleep.
Thankfully,
his slumber was not disturbed by his recurring nightmare, and he
slept soundly until the wee hours of the morning when he suddenly
awoke not knowing what had disturbed him. A light rain was falling
outside, and except for an occasional flash of distant lightning, the
basha was in total darkness. He lay very still, listening to the
sounds around him. He strained his hearing, but no sound came except
for the steady breathing of the sleeping men around him. After
several minutes, he relaxed, thinking his imagination was playing
tricks on him. He was almost asleep again when he thought he detected
a faint unfamiliar sound coming from somewhere in the basha. Once
again, he listened intently, not sure he had heard anything; but then
he heard the sound again—only this time it seemed closer, and he
was sure it came from within the basha. He couldn’t quite place the
sound, but it seemed like something soft brushing against an object.
He listened closely, but all was silent. None of the other men in the
basha stirred, and after an extended period of silence, he relaxed
once again in anticipation of sleep.
He
was in that dreamy state just before slumber when he felt the
presence of something or someone nearby. Once again, his senses came
to full alert, and he made a conscious effort not to move. He
listened carefully, bringing all his senses to bear. He could see or
hear nothing, and yet he was sure something was there. He was
startled when someone at the other end of the room moved, but then
all was silent once again. He was lying on his back, so he slowly
moved his head to the right and scanned the darkness.
At
first he saw nothing, but then attention was drawn to a slight
movement at the foot of his bed. He couldn’t make out what it was.
It appeared to be an undistinguishable shadow against the darker
background of the room. As he watched, the shadow moved, and he held
his breath as it silently glided along the side of his bed. There was
no sound as it moved, and it slowly drew nearer and stopped near the
head of his bed. He could tell that it was something large, but due
to the extreme darkness, he was unable to see what it was. His
instincts told him this was something dangerous and evil, and the
hairs on the nape of his neck stood erect. At that moment, a distant
flash of lightning faintly illuminated the scene, and in that instant
of light, Sam could see the large form of a tiger standing beside
him.
The
animal’s head was enormous. Its eyes, momentarily reflecting light
from the faraway lightning, gave the beast an evil, devil-like
appearance. This was death incarnate staring directly at him.
Sam
was frozen with fear, and his heart seemed to stop. His .45-caliber
pistol hung on the wall not three feet away, and he cursed himself
for not keeping it inside the mosquito netting with him. He knew the
tiger could see that he was awake, and he feared any movement would
cause it to attack. The animal stepped closer, and Sam could see its
dim outline and smell its damp fur and the fetid odor of its breath.
The tiger appeared to know its victim was helpless. The great beast
took its time as it sniffed the mosquito netting as if testing its
strength. Slowly it raised a huge paw and placed it against the puny
impediment. The tiger’s claws caught in the netting, and with a
mighty swipe, it ripped the flimsy material away from the bed.
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