It's night time.
I'm in the hotel sitting there boredly listening to the radio when I heard a knock.
"Can I come in?"
"Danny?"
"Yeah."
I walked and opened the door and smiled at him. "Hey.what is it?"
"nothing just bored. Can I come in?"
"sure."
"your mouth looks cleaner.." He said teasing.
"don't ask."
But Danny perferctly knew what happened since him and the rest of the crew heard.
I sat down and he sat down too as well listening to the tunes.
I got up. "hey let's dance."
"Naw it's okay really."
"come on."
We started to dance but horribly. (Blame Danny that kid doesn't have two left feet. because trust me. a person with two left feet dance better)
"you don't get any better do you?"
Little did I know what Rafe found himself looking at in his hotel room while me and danny acted like a bunch of fools.
Rafe enters his room and finds the light on...and Evelyn's there waiting. "What?... Evelyn?"
" They were bringing back a ship full of wounded and needed extra nurses along. I wrote Colonel Doolittle, and told him I needed to see you before you go. "
" It must of been a convincing letter. "
"It was. I couldn't have you go away, wherever it is...to war...without knowing something. You think I made a choice, of Danny over you. I didn't. I didn't have a choice. I just came here to apologize. I know what I'm looked up as now. The nurses hate me. Lia probably wants to destroy me. Knowing how much she loved Danny I still went off with him"
Rafe sighed. "you're wasting your time. Evelyn just get out."
By Evelyn didn't move.
"I want you thinking about that too. Just come back. Rafe, I see it in your face. You're thinking you don't have anything to live for. Don't you dare think that way. I'll never write a letter, or look at a sunset, without thinking of you. I'll love you my whole life. And I want you to live. "
She looks at him, her eyes bright with tears, but still she refuses to cry. They both know they can't touch, or they'll never let go.
She has the feeling of kissing him and she walks up to him kissing him but he pulls her back.
"I think the exit is through that door miss."
Evelyn looked at him. "I wish it wasn't."
She walks past him.
"I'm just sorry.and I still love you Rafe.I just hope one day.you can forgive me.you and Lia." She walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
We started laughing as me and Danny kept playing around with the pillows (pillow fight!).
I was happy he was with me but as a friend now. I didn't want to remember what I heard with Rafe and Evelyn. I then stopped. I hit him one more time chasing him out the room.
"hey no good night kiss!" danny said laughing.
He turned and then oushed me down with a pillow. I fell to the floor looking up at him who fell on top of me while trying ti push me down.
I can only smile. He then started to kiss me when I got a flash back..
I want to ask you..why? just why? Evelyn just tell me why?"
Evelyn sighed and was crying. "Rafe I'm pregnant."
My heart skipped a beat.
Rafe from what I saw was shocked too.
"I found out the day you turned up alive.and.."
Rafe sighed and walked off.
I was crying. Now I knew that between me and Danny is was really .over..
I then pushed danny back.
"Dan get off.just go.go away..leave my room."
"Lia what's---"
"nothing get out."
"am I a bad kisser or something or?"
"just leave." I pushed him out the room closing the door loudly. I closed my eyes as I leaned against the wall. I sighed. It was over and he would know soon enough.
I turned off the lights and tucked myself into the warm sheets and closed my eyes drifting away.
Rafe Danny and I were standing on the flight deck, watching the city recede behind us.
Evelyn is on a hilltop watching us go. Danny can't see her, doesn't know she's there. Rafe can't see her either -- but he knows and I.well I have no clue.
Then we hear through the ship intercom.
"Army pilots to the briefing room.!!! I repeat Army pilots to the briefing room."
"come on that's us" Bravlio said stuffing his face with another brownie for breakfast.
We were gathered expectantly in the carrier's conference room. Doolittle walks in.
" Gentlemen, I can now tell you that the target of this mission is Tokyo...and we're going to bomb it!!!"
We all started to cheer.
"whooo!!!!!!"
I whsitled real loud and so did many guys.
Raymond even had some chapagne (don't ask where he got it from.) and sprayed it on all of us.
We kept laughing and cheering as the champagne wet us all.
Rafe, Danny, Anthony, and Red were quieter, savoring the prospect of revenge.
We were back in the elcturing room as we were told to ask questions before last mintue takeoff.
Red rose his hand. " And where's the secret base, Sir? The one we t-takeoff from."
"The navy will get us to within 400 miles of the Japanese coast. We'll launch off the carriers from there."
Suddenly the excitement was taken from us. We obviously didn't like what we heard. " Sir, has this ever been done, launching an army bomber off a navy carrier? "
Doolittle answered like if it was no problem. " No. Any other questions?"
Raymond rose his hand. "Colonel, we been practicing takeoff's, but I ain't sure we can land on these carriers decks."
Doolittle once again answered cooly. " We won't have the fuel to get back to the carriers, they'll turn and run back to Hawaii the minute we're airborne."
Bravlio stuffed his face with the whole brnwine and then swallowed it whole raising his hand.
" Then where do we land? "
"I have a phrase I want you all to memorize"
He took a breath in and walked around saying this phrase.
"Lushu hoo megwa fugi."
I gave a confused look.
It means "I am an American.."
He smiled. ". In Chinese. "
Silence hit among us. Right there I knew. The Chinses were our allies.
The sailors who man the flight deck look at each other with bafflement as the worried pilots (as in them. I wasn't worried at all) pace from one end of the deck to the other.
We're all in line like a bunch of ducks. Rafe in the lead and the others following, counting steps, each of us measuring the distance.
Shaking their heads, worrying. I stood still. I loved the ocean but Raymond and Bravlio always have to do something.
They stop at the end and look down at the sea far below them; it's dizzying. Raymond shoved Bravlio for fun before grabbing his shoulder to stop him from falling.
"asshole!... Maybe it's longer going this way." He starts pacing back the other way, as if the ship's longer in that direction.
The other pilots watch him for a moment, then follow him, counting again. Rafe and Danny are left standing alone at the end of the flight deck. Far over the surging sea.
I stood close to Rafe. Danny then turned smiling.
" It's shorter than our practice runway. "
Rafe turned to him. " They'll turn the ship into the wind before we launch. That'll help.
I then turned to him.
" We'll be loaded with 2,000 pounds of bombs and 1,500 pounds of fuel. I got another Chinese phrase for Doolittle. "Mug wump rickshaw mushu pork." It means "Who the fuck thought up this shit?"
Danny burtsed up laughing but then rafe gave a serious look and he shut up quickly.
Doolittle appears right beside them.
I turned and smiled real quick.
"Learning Chinese Lia?"
"yeah..I'm getting good huh?"
"yeah.hope that little phrase of yours works out when we find the Chinese" He walked off leaving me blushing.
Rafe then smiled turning to me. " Maybe we'll be lucky with the weather.at least"
There's ferocious storm. The Hornet tosses, bashed by a vicious storm. The ships is rolling; most of the fliers are green. Doolittle stands at the podium.
" Since we'll be on our own once we're in the air, I thought I had a good idea letting each crew select it's own target." He looks at a pile of paper slips in front of him.
I shouted over the rain. "what was that you saying about been lucky with the weather?!"
"me!!! I never said a thing!" Rafe said shouting over the noise of the weather.
Doolittle talked like if it was nothing.
"Now we have fifteen requests for the Emperor's Palace...and one for Tokyo baseball stadium."
I looked confused. "they have a baseball satdium?"
Bravlio raised his hand. " I don't think Japs ought'a be allowed to play baseball. "
"yeah I mean IT IS AN AMERICAN STORM!!!"
"SPORT LIA SPORT!"
Doolittle kept talking calmly. It was real hard to hear him.
" I'd like to bomb their Emperor too. But I think that'd just piss 'em off. The idea here, Gentlemen, is not revenge. We're here to prove to them that they're neither invincible nor superior. So let's try this again. Military targets only."
Raymond then spoke shouting over the wind.
" Colonel, to fight you need strategy. To have strategy, ya gotta practice. And to practice it, ya gotta play -"
Doolittle kept on with the "baseball" thing. " No baseball diamonds"
I can only smirk.
"Yes Sir" was all Raymond responded.
Later on the rain calm down but the rain was still pouring.
Doolittle kept talking as he had for the past few days.
"We'll take off late this afternoon. I'll hit Tokyo at dusk, and drop incendiary bombs. You'll come after me at night, guided by the fires. Then it's on to China, where you'll arrive at dawn, guided to their airfields by the homing beacons the Chinese are going to switch on for us. That's if everything is perfect -- like every other military mission I've ever been involved with."
Doolittle looks around the room. No one's smiling. Not even me. I just had a confused face since I really didn't get what he said since he spoke REAL fast.
" Listen you guys. I'm the first plane -- then McCawley, Walker, the rest of you. I'll have the shortest run. If I don't make it, you don't go. Oh and I have to talk to you Ms. McCawley later."
I nodded only.
" Colonel...we're all going. Whether you make it or not." Rafe said as if he was in command for the moment.
Doolittle only sighed. " I know. "
Later on I was talking with Doolittle.
"you see Lia there has been a new law passed down that.relatives especially brothers and sisters.can't go together.on the same plane ..boat understand?"
"why not sir?"
"because .let me tell you a story.one day there was a woman with 3 sons.they were all in the same boat.that boat was bombed and all three of them died.it was great grief to their mother when she received the news."
I sighed. "but our parents are."
"I understand Lia but you're been switched. you'll be flying with Walker.you'll be his co-pilot.I would make you pilot.but it's too risky."
"how come?"
"let's just say.people don't know yet that I have a girl in my military force.." he winked and patted me on the back and left.
"then what on earth do they think Natalia is?"
"a male "chinese" name" he said teasing me and walked off.
I then headed to the bunks and laid down while Danny was in the low bunk. "Hey Dan I'm your co-pilot."
"but I taught---"
"new law.realtives can't be together."
"oh.um about that kiss last---"
"let's forget that happened."
I then jumped off my bunk and looked at him. "Danny is there a gift you want to give me?"
Danny blushed. "I----I was planning to give it to you.who told you?"
"a little bird." I said laughing. "with no wings.." I said remebering Billy with no wings.
"well.um.here it is." He took it out and it was..a necklace. Billy lied to me! I taught it was going to be a ring.
He gave it to me.
"thanks Dan."
"um.it's a real early wedding present."
"WEDDING PRESENT?"
Danny blushed even more. "if we come out alive.would you.."
I smiled. "marry you?"
I put the necklace on and then kissed him on the cheek. "thank you Danny."I walked off just like Billy told me to. Until of course.love was put to the test.
The cruiser Nashville is at the perimeter of the task force. It's lookouts spot Japanese patrol boats ahead.
The message is handed to Admiral Halsey.
The Officer shouted. "Sir, lookouts on the cruisers report patrol boats, ten miles away!"
Halsey then said " The Japs have set up a picket line! Order the cruisers to open fire! We've got to sink them before they get a message away."
The cruiser Nashville begins firing rounds at the Japanese patrol boat; round after round misses
The operators hear the excited voices of Japanese radio traffic in the radio room.
The Operator widens his eyes and shouts.
" They've reported our position! Tell the Admiral. "
Doolittle hurries up to the command bridge, with the naval officers sent by the Admiral to fetch him. Doolittle sees the cruisers next to the carrier firing its guns at Japanese boats in the distance.
Doolittle finds the Admiral gathered with his staff, their mood is grim.
Doolittle says loudly.
" How far are we from Tokyo?
" Seven hundred miles."
"and how far were we suppose to be."
The Admiral looks down. "not until 400 miles or so."
"argh!!" Doolittle said madly.
"so what do we do?" Doolittle said panicing.
Admiral looks down not knwoing what to do. "sorry..there's nothing we can do."
"now! We take off now!!!"
Rafe, Danny, and the other pilots are alone at their bunks, taking advantage of the lull before the mission. Rafe has paper and pen to write a letter, but he can't think of anything to write.
Then started to draw a stick figure and on top it said "Lia"
He started to laugh as if he was entertaining himself with the picture.
Danny holds the "Picture of Paradise" that Sammy took, of Evelyn and the nurses in the sun. He tucks it inside his shirt wanting to rip it but then doesn't do much. He then spots a picture in the desk. He walks up to it and sees it's of him Lia and Rafe.
He's about to take it when he hears over the loudspeaker.
" Army pilots, man your planes!"
I turned as I heard that. "but.we're to far away." I looked out the window and saw a Japanese plane. "oh shit they found our position!"
The pilots run onto deck. The cruiser next to the Hornet is still firing away at the Japanese patrol boat. Doolittle runs onto deck, shouting orders.
Doolittle keeps shouting. " Load in every bit of extra gas you can carry! And strip everything you don't need out of the planes. I mean EVERYTHING! "
I jump in the plane when this officer comes up to me. "Pick your favorite gun missy!"
"what?" Raymond said confused.
"Pick a gun it's way to heavy you want to get out of here you pick your favortie gun and throw all the piece of shit that's not worthy away!!! You got it?!"
It's starting to rain but the guys don't notice at all. They're stripping seats out of the planes, tossing out their own gear.
Admiral looks at Bravlio. "you!!! Get all the brooms we have and cut them out into sticks and paint them black you got it? Go!"
I jumped out and this guy gave me 2 black sticks.
"what the hell is this?" I said looking at the guy.
"300 b.c guns."
I looked at him. "so do I look like I'm from 300 b.c?"
"talk to dollittle" he said as he started to run off.
I turned to Danny and Rafe
Danny walked up to we were together shouting.
"they're using sticks to replace the guns. Broomsticks instead of tail guns. .cool huh?" He said sarcastically.
Rafe laughed. "Hey maybe it'll scare them."
"hey we can always beat them with it right?" I said smiling.
Greening pulls the machine guns out of the rear of the planes and puts in broomsticks painted black. Off in the distance the Japanese patrol boat takes a hit and explodes.
Rafe then turned to me and Danny. "We'll get separated over the target, but you and I will rendezvous for the run to China. I'm on your wing. "
Danny smiled hugging me. "And we're on yours" Danny then sighed saying.
"Land of the free."
Rafe and I said in unison. " Home of the Brave."
He looked at me and pulled Danny off hugging me. "Take care alright.." He gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I never felt this brotherly affection from him before but I kissed him back on the cheek and walked off not looking back climbing on the bombers.
The engines are revving. The tachs are showing redline. The crews are in their planes. Doolittle is first, just ahead of Rafe and Danny's B-25's. The battle pennants whip, the props blur, the wheels strain against the brakes; from the cockpits the flight deck looks impossibly short...and the American flag cracks in the wind.
And now every pilot looks at Doolittle's plane... Doolittle starts the run down the flight deck...faster...the end looming. He turns the plane almost vertical, standing it on its props...and lifts away smoothly. The sailors on deck cheer, like the Japanese did before Pearl Harbor.
Rafe, Danny, and the others take off too.
The B-25's head toward Japan. The sailors and everyone else on the ship watches as the last plane takes off. The planes recede in the distance, racing just a few feet over the water, toward Japan.
At first the planes are together; Rafe and Danny can see each other off each other's wing, and Doolittle's plane is ahead. The others are grouped after them. They maintain strict radio silence, and can communicate only with gestures, hand signals, or a flasher for Morse code.
When Rafe speaks to the crew of his own plane, it's by pressing an intercom sender to his throat.
" What's our ETA for Tokyo? The bombardier/navigator is already working out the numbers at his plotting table in the center of the plane. Almost exactly at 12 noon."
Bravlio shrugged. " High noon. I kinda like that."
Rafe looks over to Danny and me giving us a thumbs up.
" We got a 25-mile-an-hour head wind. How we doing with fuel?"
The Gunner looked at Danny.
" How do you think?" The gunner is already pouring gas into the tanks from the extra cans.
Anthony stands and moves back to the rear of the plane, pulls a piece of chalk from his pocket and writes on the nose of the bombs -- "For America," "For Pearl Harbor," "For the Arizona,"
I got up and took the chalk writing.
"For Billy." -- Rafe flies, lost in thought... -- Evelyn is back at Pearl, struggling to keep her mind on her work. -- Danny is looking at his gauges, then at the picture in his shirt and Lia is been herself. Rafe laughs a bit snapping out of it.
At the Japanese defense station..
this is the nerve center of tokyo's defense. an officer receives a message and reports to his supervisor. japanese defense officer coastal stations report a low flying plane coming in off the sea. supervisor from the sea?... that couldn't be right, it must be part of the air raid practice this morning. the planes reach the japanese coastline, and start skimming over treetop level.
the office of an anti-aircraft battery blows its whistle; his crew mount their guns and swerves them around. the officer whistle's again and checks his watch. anti-aircraft officer not bad. the crew dismount their guns; just a drill.
(on the radio) it is another beautiful day in tokyo, as all of japan basks in a new day of victory
danny's navigator, picks this up. coma listen to this -- it's tokyo rose. tokyo rose (on the radio) our brave sailors and soldiers, inspired by our divine emperor, have pushed the americans from the pacific. these words go through the plane; and in the other planes they hear it too. tokyo rose (on the radio) but hiding at home will not save them. each time the americans have tasted the samurai spirit, they have learned the bitter taste of defeat, while japan is embraced by the divine wind that has protected our island for seven centuries.
I get mad with what I heard.
"we'll give that bitch something to announce."
Everyone there on the plane started to laugh, but I wasn't trying to be funny. I was just getting real sick of them.
We then turn heading for our separate targets so we're a few feet away from each other now.
Our plane lowers by 200 feet heading towards our targer. We scan for fighter or anticraft fire. There's none so ipush a botton and the bomb bay doors open.
I was going to hit the first switch but then I felt I couldn't.
Danny pushed it.
"remember Lia they had no mercy on us."
The bobs hits for the factory.
BOOM!!!!
"whoo hooo!!!!!"
"yes!!!"
We keep throwing our bombs while Raymond did count.
"2 away .3 away.4 away"
Our bombs were highly accurate. planes drop their bombs, four per plane, on shipyards, factories, oil supplies, weapons facilities.
The bombing was amazing. Something I never seen ebfore. The fames go hgih, the pieces going higher then our elevation.
I had not tasted the feeling of revenge but I felt the action of it all.
Then we hear over the radio.
"Tokyo is been bombed!!!"
"yeah and try to add in all this America is now officially kicking Japanese ass!!!"
Then I see slowly in slow motion as a bullet head and slolwy breaks the window.
"oh crap duck!!" I magane to say.
They had already started to fight back.
"come on we have to get higher."
The bombing is amazing. I had also felt fear right thten and there.
I ducked still managing to run the plane.
Danny had fallen back with the pressure.
"Dan let me run the plane."
"do it Lia.." He said running in the back to go help the others finding the gunner dead.
He smacks him twice but doesn't repond.
I was using the control stick.
"Rafe!!!! Need my back up?"
Rafe picked up the radio. "Lia???? No go get out hide in the clouds anything!!!"
I turn not litening to him and fly shooting many of them.
"they had no mercy on us." was all the kept running through myhead.
"LIA GET YOUR DAMN ASS TO THE CLOUDS NOW!"
I sighed and picked up the radio. "sorry bro but we in war I don't get order from you but doolittle."
Doolittle chuckled. "that's right.now if you don't mind.GET BACK TO FORMATION!"
rafe sees clouds coming in, and fog. "Lia run for the clouds!"
We start to race for the clouds and we make it.
"how's your fuel?" danny ask.
I turn to him shaking my head.
"no good."
roosevelt is at his garden trying to keep his mind of the war.
when general marshall enters. general marshal then says.
"l we have bombed tokyo, mr. president. radio tokyo interrupted it's own broadcast to make the announcement."
" have the planes made it to china?"
" there've been some complications, sir. the chinese didn't receive our request for homing beacons until is was too late to get them set. and the planes had to take off so early they may lack fuel to make the mainland anyway."
"so those souls are flying blind and running out of fuel."
"the chinese are sending out search parties to try to find the crews before the jap patrols do, if any of the planes make it. "
"God help them. "
We've climbed above the clouds; we are exhausted.
the sun is beginning to set. rafe stares at it
Back in Pearl Harbor.
the white of bandages and casts. everyone is busy, and even the wounded are looking out for each other; a man with his arms in an airplane splint holds a spoon and feeds a badly burned buddy. evelyn and her overworked nurses are looking after the critical cases. but as she covers the windows with blackout curtains, she stops for just a moment to stare at the sun's last rays.
Lisa sits down helping to feed a young man as well.
She smiles. "you'll be okay.you're a brave soul and everyone many years from now will look up at you."
The man managed to say. "thank you miss."
"don't worry.it's my duty."
She gave a spoonful of the food she was feeding him.
Amy sweeps the floor and then drops it to help a man who needs to get a drink of water.
"there I have you."
Sam and checking the bandages.
"well sir congrats! You are a cured man." She says as her green eyes shine.
The man takes her hand. "thank you miss.please may I help others."
"certaintly."
The man smiled as his emarld eyes shine as well.
Back where we were.
colonel doolittle can make out mountains below them.
doolittle then says over the radio.
"we'll fly till we run out of fuel, then bail out. "
just then his engines start to sputter.
Doolittle gets mad at the sudden surprise.
" shit! "
he puts the plane on auto-pilot and the men move to the hatches.
three guys go out; it's just doolittle and his copilot left.
" nobody else is gonna make it either. if i live through this, they're gonna put me in leavenworth prison. "
they jump.
Lia turns to them still running the plane.
" we're running out of fuel. and i can't find the beacon. "
danny gestures across to rafe that he hears nothing in his radio phones. rafe gestures the same thing back. they look down and the entire ground is covered with clouds.
" i don't know if we're over sea or land."
Drop flares and try to spot something.
Night soon hits.
"well that would be the last sunset I would ever witness.." Lia said looking down.
"why?" Danny said confused.
"I feel like I'm not going to live."
He took my hand smiling. "you will.." I smiled back saying. "I love you Danny.."
Danny seemed shock but then look down turning slightly pink.
"yeah." he said laughing.
"never taught I would ever say this to you.this way.but I love you too."
Suddenly the engines are sputtering; Now that our gunner is dea, we had to get Red to pour the last drops of gas into the tanks.
Suddenly over the coast we strain to see it but..it's the coast!
"we're going to make it!!!" Rafe said. "hear me Lia.we're going to make it!"
"just follow me."
we followed him when suddenly the last engine stop running.
We paniced as we looked down.
"There are Japanese patrols.SHIT!"
We sees as Rafe's plane slowly goes downward
We see it go faster and faster and hits the hard ground.
I let out a fast scream.
"oh my God RAFE!!!"
"Lia clam down.here let me get it."
"no.no I'm fine."
Tears flow down. I'm nervous but I can concertrate. I still got fuel. We'll make it.let's hope Rafe did..
I'm in the hotel sitting there boredly listening to the radio when I heard a knock.
"Can I come in?"
"Danny?"
"Yeah."
I walked and opened the door and smiled at him. "Hey.what is it?"
"nothing just bored. Can I come in?"
"sure."
"your mouth looks cleaner.." He said teasing.
"don't ask."
But Danny perferctly knew what happened since him and the rest of the crew heard.
I sat down and he sat down too as well listening to the tunes.
I got up. "hey let's dance."
"Naw it's okay really."
"come on."
We started to dance but horribly. (Blame Danny that kid doesn't have two left feet. because trust me. a person with two left feet dance better)
"you don't get any better do you?"
Little did I know what Rafe found himself looking at in his hotel room while me and danny acted like a bunch of fools.
Rafe enters his room and finds the light on...and Evelyn's there waiting. "What?... Evelyn?"
" They were bringing back a ship full of wounded and needed extra nurses along. I wrote Colonel Doolittle, and told him I needed to see you before you go. "
" It must of been a convincing letter. "
"It was. I couldn't have you go away, wherever it is...to war...without knowing something. You think I made a choice, of Danny over you. I didn't. I didn't have a choice. I just came here to apologize. I know what I'm looked up as now. The nurses hate me. Lia probably wants to destroy me. Knowing how much she loved Danny I still went off with him"
Rafe sighed. "you're wasting your time. Evelyn just get out."
By Evelyn didn't move.
"I want you thinking about that too. Just come back. Rafe, I see it in your face. You're thinking you don't have anything to live for. Don't you dare think that way. I'll never write a letter, or look at a sunset, without thinking of you. I'll love you my whole life. And I want you to live. "
She looks at him, her eyes bright with tears, but still she refuses to cry. They both know they can't touch, or they'll never let go.
She has the feeling of kissing him and she walks up to him kissing him but he pulls her back.
"I think the exit is through that door miss."
Evelyn looked at him. "I wish it wasn't."
She walks past him.
"I'm just sorry.and I still love you Rafe.I just hope one day.you can forgive me.you and Lia." She walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
We started laughing as me and Danny kept playing around with the pillows (pillow fight!).
I was happy he was with me but as a friend now. I didn't want to remember what I heard with Rafe and Evelyn. I then stopped. I hit him one more time chasing him out the room.
"hey no good night kiss!" danny said laughing.
He turned and then oushed me down with a pillow. I fell to the floor looking up at him who fell on top of me while trying ti push me down.
I can only smile. He then started to kiss me when I got a flash back..
I want to ask you..why? just why? Evelyn just tell me why?"
Evelyn sighed and was crying. "Rafe I'm pregnant."
My heart skipped a beat.
Rafe from what I saw was shocked too.
"I found out the day you turned up alive.and.."
Rafe sighed and walked off.
I was crying. Now I knew that between me and Danny is was really .over..
I then pushed danny back.
"Dan get off.just go.go away..leave my room."
"Lia what's---"
"nothing get out."
"am I a bad kisser or something or?"
"just leave." I pushed him out the room closing the door loudly. I closed my eyes as I leaned against the wall. I sighed. It was over and he would know soon enough.
I turned off the lights and tucked myself into the warm sheets and closed my eyes drifting away.
Rafe Danny and I were standing on the flight deck, watching the city recede behind us.
Evelyn is on a hilltop watching us go. Danny can't see her, doesn't know she's there. Rafe can't see her either -- but he knows and I.well I have no clue.
Then we hear through the ship intercom.
"Army pilots to the briefing room.!!! I repeat Army pilots to the briefing room."
"come on that's us" Bravlio said stuffing his face with another brownie for breakfast.
We were gathered expectantly in the carrier's conference room. Doolittle walks in.
" Gentlemen, I can now tell you that the target of this mission is Tokyo...and we're going to bomb it!!!"
We all started to cheer.
"whooo!!!!!!"
I whsitled real loud and so did many guys.
Raymond even had some chapagne (don't ask where he got it from.) and sprayed it on all of us.
We kept laughing and cheering as the champagne wet us all.
Rafe, Danny, Anthony, and Red were quieter, savoring the prospect of revenge.
We were back in the elcturing room as we were told to ask questions before last mintue takeoff.
Red rose his hand. " And where's the secret base, Sir? The one we t-takeoff from."
"The navy will get us to within 400 miles of the Japanese coast. We'll launch off the carriers from there."
Suddenly the excitement was taken from us. We obviously didn't like what we heard. " Sir, has this ever been done, launching an army bomber off a navy carrier? "
Doolittle answered like if it was no problem. " No. Any other questions?"
Raymond rose his hand. "Colonel, we been practicing takeoff's, but I ain't sure we can land on these carriers decks."
Doolittle once again answered cooly. " We won't have the fuel to get back to the carriers, they'll turn and run back to Hawaii the minute we're airborne."
Bravlio stuffed his face with the whole brnwine and then swallowed it whole raising his hand.
" Then where do we land? "
"I have a phrase I want you all to memorize"
He took a breath in and walked around saying this phrase.
"Lushu hoo megwa fugi."
I gave a confused look.
It means "I am an American.."
He smiled. ". In Chinese. "
Silence hit among us. Right there I knew. The Chinses were our allies.
The sailors who man the flight deck look at each other with bafflement as the worried pilots (as in them. I wasn't worried at all) pace from one end of the deck to the other.
We're all in line like a bunch of ducks. Rafe in the lead and the others following, counting steps, each of us measuring the distance.
Shaking their heads, worrying. I stood still. I loved the ocean but Raymond and Bravlio always have to do something.
They stop at the end and look down at the sea far below them; it's dizzying. Raymond shoved Bravlio for fun before grabbing his shoulder to stop him from falling.
"asshole!... Maybe it's longer going this way." He starts pacing back the other way, as if the ship's longer in that direction.
The other pilots watch him for a moment, then follow him, counting again. Rafe and Danny are left standing alone at the end of the flight deck. Far over the surging sea.
I stood close to Rafe. Danny then turned smiling.
" It's shorter than our practice runway. "
Rafe turned to him. " They'll turn the ship into the wind before we launch. That'll help.
I then turned to him.
" We'll be loaded with 2,000 pounds of bombs and 1,500 pounds of fuel. I got another Chinese phrase for Doolittle. "Mug wump rickshaw mushu pork." It means "Who the fuck thought up this shit?"
Danny burtsed up laughing but then rafe gave a serious look and he shut up quickly.
Doolittle appears right beside them.
I turned and smiled real quick.
"Learning Chinese Lia?"
"yeah..I'm getting good huh?"
"yeah.hope that little phrase of yours works out when we find the Chinese" He walked off leaving me blushing.
Rafe then smiled turning to me. " Maybe we'll be lucky with the weather.at least"
There's ferocious storm. The Hornet tosses, bashed by a vicious storm. The ships is rolling; most of the fliers are green. Doolittle stands at the podium.
" Since we'll be on our own once we're in the air, I thought I had a good idea letting each crew select it's own target." He looks at a pile of paper slips in front of him.
I shouted over the rain. "what was that you saying about been lucky with the weather?!"
"me!!! I never said a thing!" Rafe said shouting over the noise of the weather.
Doolittle talked like if it was nothing.
"Now we have fifteen requests for the Emperor's Palace...and one for Tokyo baseball stadium."
I looked confused. "they have a baseball satdium?"
Bravlio raised his hand. " I don't think Japs ought'a be allowed to play baseball. "
"yeah I mean IT IS AN AMERICAN STORM!!!"
"SPORT LIA SPORT!"
Doolittle kept talking calmly. It was real hard to hear him.
" I'd like to bomb their Emperor too. But I think that'd just piss 'em off. The idea here, Gentlemen, is not revenge. We're here to prove to them that they're neither invincible nor superior. So let's try this again. Military targets only."
Raymond then spoke shouting over the wind.
" Colonel, to fight you need strategy. To have strategy, ya gotta practice. And to practice it, ya gotta play -"
Doolittle kept on with the "baseball" thing. " No baseball diamonds"
I can only smirk.
"Yes Sir" was all Raymond responded.
Later on the rain calm down but the rain was still pouring.
Doolittle kept talking as he had for the past few days.
"We'll take off late this afternoon. I'll hit Tokyo at dusk, and drop incendiary bombs. You'll come after me at night, guided by the fires. Then it's on to China, where you'll arrive at dawn, guided to their airfields by the homing beacons the Chinese are going to switch on for us. That's if everything is perfect -- like every other military mission I've ever been involved with."
Doolittle looks around the room. No one's smiling. Not even me. I just had a confused face since I really didn't get what he said since he spoke REAL fast.
" Listen you guys. I'm the first plane -- then McCawley, Walker, the rest of you. I'll have the shortest run. If I don't make it, you don't go. Oh and I have to talk to you Ms. McCawley later."
I nodded only.
" Colonel...we're all going. Whether you make it or not." Rafe said as if he was in command for the moment.
Doolittle only sighed. " I know. "
Later on I was talking with Doolittle.
"you see Lia there has been a new law passed down that.relatives especially brothers and sisters.can't go together.on the same plane ..boat understand?"
"why not sir?"
"because .let me tell you a story.one day there was a woman with 3 sons.they were all in the same boat.that boat was bombed and all three of them died.it was great grief to their mother when she received the news."
I sighed. "but our parents are."
"I understand Lia but you're been switched. you'll be flying with Walker.you'll be his co-pilot.I would make you pilot.but it's too risky."
"how come?"
"let's just say.people don't know yet that I have a girl in my military force.." he winked and patted me on the back and left.
"then what on earth do they think Natalia is?"
"a male "chinese" name" he said teasing me and walked off.
I then headed to the bunks and laid down while Danny was in the low bunk. "Hey Dan I'm your co-pilot."
"but I taught---"
"new law.realtives can't be together."
"oh.um about that kiss last---"
"let's forget that happened."
I then jumped off my bunk and looked at him. "Danny is there a gift you want to give me?"
Danny blushed. "I----I was planning to give it to you.who told you?"
"a little bird." I said laughing. "with no wings.." I said remebering Billy with no wings.
"well.um.here it is." He took it out and it was..a necklace. Billy lied to me! I taught it was going to be a ring.
He gave it to me.
"thanks Dan."
"um.it's a real early wedding present."
"WEDDING PRESENT?"
Danny blushed even more. "if we come out alive.would you.."
I smiled. "marry you?"
I put the necklace on and then kissed him on the cheek. "thank you Danny."I walked off just like Billy told me to. Until of course.love was put to the test.
The cruiser Nashville is at the perimeter of the task force. It's lookouts spot Japanese patrol boats ahead.
The message is handed to Admiral Halsey.
The Officer shouted. "Sir, lookouts on the cruisers report patrol boats, ten miles away!"
Halsey then said " The Japs have set up a picket line! Order the cruisers to open fire! We've got to sink them before they get a message away."
The cruiser Nashville begins firing rounds at the Japanese patrol boat; round after round misses
The operators hear the excited voices of Japanese radio traffic in the radio room.
The Operator widens his eyes and shouts.
" They've reported our position! Tell the Admiral. "
Doolittle hurries up to the command bridge, with the naval officers sent by the Admiral to fetch him. Doolittle sees the cruisers next to the carrier firing its guns at Japanese boats in the distance.
Doolittle finds the Admiral gathered with his staff, their mood is grim.
Doolittle says loudly.
" How far are we from Tokyo?
" Seven hundred miles."
"and how far were we suppose to be."
The Admiral looks down. "not until 400 miles or so."
"argh!!" Doolittle said madly.
"so what do we do?" Doolittle said panicing.
Admiral looks down not knwoing what to do. "sorry..there's nothing we can do."
"now! We take off now!!!"
Rafe, Danny, and the other pilots are alone at their bunks, taking advantage of the lull before the mission. Rafe has paper and pen to write a letter, but he can't think of anything to write.
Then started to draw a stick figure and on top it said "Lia"
He started to laugh as if he was entertaining himself with the picture.
Danny holds the "Picture of Paradise" that Sammy took, of Evelyn and the nurses in the sun. He tucks it inside his shirt wanting to rip it but then doesn't do much. He then spots a picture in the desk. He walks up to it and sees it's of him Lia and Rafe.
He's about to take it when he hears over the loudspeaker.
" Army pilots, man your planes!"
I turned as I heard that. "but.we're to far away." I looked out the window and saw a Japanese plane. "oh shit they found our position!"
The pilots run onto deck. The cruiser next to the Hornet is still firing away at the Japanese patrol boat. Doolittle runs onto deck, shouting orders.
Doolittle keeps shouting. " Load in every bit of extra gas you can carry! And strip everything you don't need out of the planes. I mean EVERYTHING! "
I jump in the plane when this officer comes up to me. "Pick your favorite gun missy!"
"what?" Raymond said confused.
"Pick a gun it's way to heavy you want to get out of here you pick your favortie gun and throw all the piece of shit that's not worthy away!!! You got it?!"
It's starting to rain but the guys don't notice at all. They're stripping seats out of the planes, tossing out their own gear.
Admiral looks at Bravlio. "you!!! Get all the brooms we have and cut them out into sticks and paint them black you got it? Go!"
I jumped out and this guy gave me 2 black sticks.
"what the hell is this?" I said looking at the guy.
"300 b.c guns."
I looked at him. "so do I look like I'm from 300 b.c?"
"talk to dollittle" he said as he started to run off.
I turned to Danny and Rafe
Danny walked up to we were together shouting.
"they're using sticks to replace the guns. Broomsticks instead of tail guns. .cool huh?" He said sarcastically.
Rafe laughed. "Hey maybe it'll scare them."
"hey we can always beat them with it right?" I said smiling.
Greening pulls the machine guns out of the rear of the planes and puts in broomsticks painted black. Off in the distance the Japanese patrol boat takes a hit and explodes.
Rafe then turned to me and Danny. "We'll get separated over the target, but you and I will rendezvous for the run to China. I'm on your wing. "
Danny smiled hugging me. "And we're on yours" Danny then sighed saying.
"Land of the free."
Rafe and I said in unison. " Home of the Brave."
He looked at me and pulled Danny off hugging me. "Take care alright.." He gave me a kiss on the cheek.
I never felt this brotherly affection from him before but I kissed him back on the cheek and walked off not looking back climbing on the bombers.
The engines are revving. The tachs are showing redline. The crews are in their planes. Doolittle is first, just ahead of Rafe and Danny's B-25's. The battle pennants whip, the props blur, the wheels strain against the brakes; from the cockpits the flight deck looks impossibly short...and the American flag cracks in the wind.
And now every pilot looks at Doolittle's plane... Doolittle starts the run down the flight deck...faster...the end looming. He turns the plane almost vertical, standing it on its props...and lifts away smoothly. The sailors on deck cheer, like the Japanese did before Pearl Harbor.
Rafe, Danny, and the others take off too.
The B-25's head toward Japan. The sailors and everyone else on the ship watches as the last plane takes off. The planes recede in the distance, racing just a few feet over the water, toward Japan.
At first the planes are together; Rafe and Danny can see each other off each other's wing, and Doolittle's plane is ahead. The others are grouped after them. They maintain strict radio silence, and can communicate only with gestures, hand signals, or a flasher for Morse code.
When Rafe speaks to the crew of his own plane, it's by pressing an intercom sender to his throat.
" What's our ETA for Tokyo? The bombardier/navigator is already working out the numbers at his plotting table in the center of the plane. Almost exactly at 12 noon."
Bravlio shrugged. " High noon. I kinda like that."
Rafe looks over to Danny and me giving us a thumbs up.
" We got a 25-mile-an-hour head wind. How we doing with fuel?"
The Gunner looked at Danny.
" How do you think?" The gunner is already pouring gas into the tanks from the extra cans.
Anthony stands and moves back to the rear of the plane, pulls a piece of chalk from his pocket and writes on the nose of the bombs -- "For America," "For Pearl Harbor," "For the Arizona,"
I got up and took the chalk writing.
"For Billy." -- Rafe flies, lost in thought... -- Evelyn is back at Pearl, struggling to keep her mind on her work. -- Danny is looking at his gauges, then at the picture in his shirt and Lia is been herself. Rafe laughs a bit snapping out of it.
At the Japanese defense station..
this is the nerve center of tokyo's defense. an officer receives a message and reports to his supervisor. japanese defense officer coastal stations report a low flying plane coming in off the sea. supervisor from the sea?... that couldn't be right, it must be part of the air raid practice this morning. the planes reach the japanese coastline, and start skimming over treetop level.
the office of an anti-aircraft battery blows its whistle; his crew mount their guns and swerves them around. the officer whistle's again and checks his watch. anti-aircraft officer not bad. the crew dismount their guns; just a drill.
(on the radio) it is another beautiful day in tokyo, as all of japan basks in a new day of victory
danny's navigator, picks this up. coma listen to this -- it's tokyo rose. tokyo rose (on the radio) our brave sailors and soldiers, inspired by our divine emperor, have pushed the americans from the pacific. these words go through the plane; and in the other planes they hear it too. tokyo rose (on the radio) but hiding at home will not save them. each time the americans have tasted the samurai spirit, they have learned the bitter taste of defeat, while japan is embraced by the divine wind that has protected our island for seven centuries.
I get mad with what I heard.
"we'll give that bitch something to announce."
Everyone there on the plane started to laugh, but I wasn't trying to be funny. I was just getting real sick of them.
We then turn heading for our separate targets so we're a few feet away from each other now.
Our plane lowers by 200 feet heading towards our targer. We scan for fighter or anticraft fire. There's none so ipush a botton and the bomb bay doors open.
I was going to hit the first switch but then I felt I couldn't.
Danny pushed it.
"remember Lia they had no mercy on us."
The bobs hits for the factory.
BOOM!!!!
"whoo hooo!!!!!"
"yes!!!"
We keep throwing our bombs while Raymond did count.
"2 away .3 away.4 away"
Our bombs were highly accurate. planes drop their bombs, four per plane, on shipyards, factories, oil supplies, weapons facilities.
The bombing was amazing. Something I never seen ebfore. The fames go hgih, the pieces going higher then our elevation.
I had not tasted the feeling of revenge but I felt the action of it all.
Then we hear over the radio.
"Tokyo is been bombed!!!"
"yeah and try to add in all this America is now officially kicking Japanese ass!!!"
Then I see slowly in slow motion as a bullet head and slolwy breaks the window.
"oh crap duck!!" I magane to say.
They had already started to fight back.
"come on we have to get higher."
The bombing is amazing. I had also felt fear right thten and there.
I ducked still managing to run the plane.
Danny had fallen back with the pressure.
"Dan let me run the plane."
"do it Lia.." He said running in the back to go help the others finding the gunner dead.
He smacks him twice but doesn't repond.
I was using the control stick.
"Rafe!!!! Need my back up?"
Rafe picked up the radio. "Lia???? No go get out hide in the clouds anything!!!"
I turn not litening to him and fly shooting many of them.
"they had no mercy on us." was all the kept running through myhead.
"LIA GET YOUR DAMN ASS TO THE CLOUDS NOW!"
I sighed and picked up the radio. "sorry bro but we in war I don't get order from you but doolittle."
Doolittle chuckled. "that's right.now if you don't mind.GET BACK TO FORMATION!"
rafe sees clouds coming in, and fog. "Lia run for the clouds!"
We start to race for the clouds and we make it.
"how's your fuel?" danny ask.
I turn to him shaking my head.
"no good."
roosevelt is at his garden trying to keep his mind of the war.
when general marshall enters. general marshal then says.
"l we have bombed tokyo, mr. president. radio tokyo interrupted it's own broadcast to make the announcement."
" have the planes made it to china?"
" there've been some complications, sir. the chinese didn't receive our request for homing beacons until is was too late to get them set. and the planes had to take off so early they may lack fuel to make the mainland anyway."
"so those souls are flying blind and running out of fuel."
"the chinese are sending out search parties to try to find the crews before the jap patrols do, if any of the planes make it. "
"God help them. "
We've climbed above the clouds; we are exhausted.
the sun is beginning to set. rafe stares at it
Back in Pearl Harbor.
the white of bandages and casts. everyone is busy, and even the wounded are looking out for each other; a man with his arms in an airplane splint holds a spoon and feeds a badly burned buddy. evelyn and her overworked nurses are looking after the critical cases. but as she covers the windows with blackout curtains, she stops for just a moment to stare at the sun's last rays.
Lisa sits down helping to feed a young man as well.
She smiles. "you'll be okay.you're a brave soul and everyone many years from now will look up at you."
The man managed to say. "thank you miss."
"don't worry.it's my duty."
She gave a spoonful of the food she was feeding him.
Amy sweeps the floor and then drops it to help a man who needs to get a drink of water.
"there I have you."
Sam and checking the bandages.
"well sir congrats! You are a cured man." She says as her green eyes shine.
The man takes her hand. "thank you miss.please may I help others."
"certaintly."
The man smiled as his emarld eyes shine as well.
Back where we were.
colonel doolittle can make out mountains below them.
doolittle then says over the radio.
"we'll fly till we run out of fuel, then bail out. "
just then his engines start to sputter.
Doolittle gets mad at the sudden surprise.
" shit! "
he puts the plane on auto-pilot and the men move to the hatches.
three guys go out; it's just doolittle and his copilot left.
" nobody else is gonna make it either. if i live through this, they're gonna put me in leavenworth prison. "
they jump.
Lia turns to them still running the plane.
" we're running out of fuel. and i can't find the beacon. "
danny gestures across to rafe that he hears nothing in his radio phones. rafe gestures the same thing back. they look down and the entire ground is covered with clouds.
" i don't know if we're over sea or land."
Drop flares and try to spot something.
Night soon hits.
"well that would be the last sunset I would ever witness.." Lia said looking down.
"why?" Danny said confused.
"I feel like I'm not going to live."
He took my hand smiling. "you will.." I smiled back saying. "I love you Danny.."
Danny seemed shock but then look down turning slightly pink.
"yeah." he said laughing.
"never taught I would ever say this to you.this way.but I love you too."
Suddenly the engines are sputtering; Now that our gunner is dea, we had to get Red to pour the last drops of gas into the tanks.
Suddenly over the coast we strain to see it but..it's the coast!
"we're going to make it!!!" Rafe said. "hear me Lia.we're going to make it!"
"just follow me."
we followed him when suddenly the last engine stop running.
We paniced as we looked down.
"There are Japanese patrols.SHIT!"
We sees as Rafe's plane slowly goes downward
We see it go faster and faster and hits the hard ground.
I let out a fast scream.
"oh my God RAFE!!!"
"Lia clam down.here let me get it."
"no.no I'm fine."
Tears flow down. I'm nervous but I can concertrate. I still got fuel. We'll make it.let's hope Rafe did..