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Weaving A Web To Freedom
Book Three: Fliegerabwehrkanonen Spells FLAK
Chapter 7
Assessing The Damage
"Guys, I know you want to see him, but he's sleeping. He's exhausted," Wilson explained.
The four nodded, but Wilson could see they weren't happy. "You can see him in the morning. The best thing would be for him to stay here and rest tomorrow." The medic said, as he looked back at the cot where Hogan lay. "But I don't have much hope of that happening."
"You don't have a prayer of that happening; I'm going to have some explaining to do myself if I don't wake him tonight. I have information for the Colonel from London," Kinch finished.
Wilson looked back at Kinch and sympathized. "Kinch, is the information you have something he can do anything about tonight?
Kinch, sighed, shook his head and relented, "I guess not." He looked over at Hogan, "You're right. He would have to be exhausted to be sleeping now."
Newkirk, Carter and LeBeau were making their own assessments. It was unnerving to see the Colonel sleeping. It wasn't like him. Not with everything that was happening.
"Yeah, doc, he isn't unconscious is he?" Newkirk frowned as he looked back at Wilson for an answer.
"No, he's sleeping. He breathed in a lot of smoke and heat. His body's natural reaction was to get it out. The coughing has exhausted him. Hopefully he'll sleep through until morning. In fact, you all look beat." Wilson began herding them toward the door. "I'll see you after roll call, goodnight!" Wilson whispered as he closed the door.
The door had only just closed when Hogan coughed lightly which set up a chain of more violent coughing waking him. He groaned as his battered stomach muscles protested and reached for his pillow to bury his face, trying to muffle the sounds of his chocking. Soon he felt hands on his shoulders offering their support. Taking in a ragged breath he pulled the pillow away.
"Sorry. ...didn't want to wake you."
Wilson rang out a cloth of cool water from the night stand and wiping the perspiration from Hogan's forehead assuredly answered, "I wasn't sleeping".
Hogan dropped back down on his side, his eyes half closed.
"Go back to sleep, Colonel. Everyone in camp has turned in for the night. There is nothing you need to be doing for the moment."
Hogan blinked once and closed his eyes. "I need to get up."
But he couldn't make his body respond. He drifted back into a light sleep.
Wilson pulled the blanket up and slipped away to make his rounds.
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"My camp is a shambles! I want to know who is in charge of the anti-aircraft cannons! They have to be moved!" Klink was bellowing into the phone.
The nurse at the desk where Klink was using the phone was frantically waving her hands in the air trying to quiet him down.
"Colonel, you have to keep your voice down, this is a hospital, and it's 3:30 in the morning!"
Klink nodded and attempted to comply.
"Yes, yes, that's right. Major Hochstetter was injured and is in surgery. Tell that to your superior…what?"
Klink's face reddened and his voice elevated once again.
"Klink, K – L – I – N – K! Kommandant of Stalag 13. The plane that was shot down rained debris down on my camp and…huh,...yes, he's at the hospital. Well hurry and get here, I have to get back to camp!" Klink slammed the phone down. "Imbeciles!" he muttered. Turning he came face to face with an angry nurse.
"Are you done screaming?" she asked, hands on hips.
"For the moment." Klink answered sarcastically. "The Gestapo is on their way here. I can't make any promises after that. If you think I was loud, just wait!"
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The bunk hiding the tunnels shook gently.
"What?" Kinch, half awake, raised his head.
Another gentle shake of the bunk confirmed what he thought. Someone wanted up from the tunnel. Apprehension gripped him, who could be in the tunnel now? He hesitated before rolling out of bed and poised himself next to the opening as the mattress rose and the slats lowered completing the ladder leading from the tunnel into Barrack Two.
"Wha's up Kinch?" Newkirk asked, still groggy.
Kinch, now totally awake, answered apprehensively. "Someone wants in."
LeBeau, awakened by the commotion, leaned over from the bunk above the opening and peered down into the tunnel. He blinked to clear his vision, thinking he wasn't seeing clearly.
"Colonel?"
"What's going on?" Carter asked still half asleep.
"Sorry to disturb your beauty sleep, men, but we have work to do. Come into the office," Hogan whispered, as he cleared the opening, lowered the bunk and headed for his room.
"Newkirk, you're stepping on me!"
"Well move out of the way, Carter! How do you expect me to see in the dark? Blimey!"
"Hey you guys knock it off!" The other men in the barrack protested, as they rolled over to go back to sleep.
"What are you complaining about? You get to go back to sleep!" Newkirk muttered.
"Shh," LeBeau frowned and pointed Newkirk in the right direction, as he wrapped his blanket around himself and followed behind the Englander.
Hogan poured himself a cup of water to try and forestall any unexpected coughing should it occur. Kinch threw a blanket over the closed shutters at the window as Carter lit the lamp.
"We've got a problem," Hogan began. "Now that we've been hit with flak, they'll be moving those cannons."
"Too bad we didn't have just one more night," Louis added as he wrapped the blanket more tightly around himself.
"Yeah, to bad for the men in that plane too!" Hogan said as he turned to pace.
"You don't want to go out now do you, Colonel?" Kinch asked.
"Yes…but we can't. It'll be light in thirty or forty minutes and that isn't enough time. We should have one more night to act before they move them. It'll take that long for them to sort out the details today, select the new location and send the orders out. I hope."
Hogan turned and buried his face into his right arm to muffle a cough and then took a drink of water.
Newkirk had found himself a place to sit on Hogan's lower bunk and rubbed his face as he watched his Commanding Officer. "Colonel, may I respectfully add," he paused trying to find the right words. "Well, sir, you may not be in any shape to go out tonight."
The others turned to look at him.
"I mean if you can't stop coughing…well, it's hard to sneak up on someone when you're coughing."
The men all turned back to Hogan. What Newkirk said was true.
"Newkirk, if I don't have this under control by tonight, I won't put myself or you in that position. All right?" Hogan answered abruptly and then paused. He was fighting his own inward battle about why he did what he did, which now caused him to be in the state he was in.
"Sorry, that's not directed at you. It's the whole situation. Let's worry about that when we get there. Pull up a seat, gentlemen, we have some planning to do."
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Joe Wilson quietly rolled over on his bunk and stared out the window. It was quiet and the sky was just beginning to lighten. Shadows stretched out across the room. Glancing around at the men in their bunks, his eyes stopped on the cot that was Colonel Hogan's. He looked closer and jumped to his feet. Arriving at the cot he sighed, "Well, at least he got some rest".
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"More coffee, Colonel?" LeBeau asked, holding the steaming pot. Hogan held out his empty cup and continued talking to Kinch.
"We're already one night too late." Hogan punctuated his complaint with a couple of mild coughs.
LeBeau answered, before turning to take the coffee pot back to the stove. "It's not because we didn't try, Colonel. Hochstetter got in the way. Besides, there was no way to know those cannons would target a plane last night."
Hogan nodded, not entirely convinced.
The sun was just peaking up over the horizon as a new day began. The sleep that had over taken him earlier helped. He was thinking more clearly and breathing easier.
Kinch's news about Black Paw was alarming. He couldn't help but wonder who Black Paw had been. The agent never came in person with his information. It was either left or sent via a messenger, who may or may not have known what he was carrying.
The door to Barrack Two sprang open.
"Roll call!" The portly Sergeant called . "Colonel Hogan what are you doing here? I thought you were in the infirmary?"
The bellowing sergeant effectively shattered Hogan's thoughts.
"Hi, Schultz." Ignoring his dull headache, he stood to join his men as they ambled out the door to line up.
"Schultz leaned over to LeBeau and repeated his question, "I thought Colonel Hogan was in the infirmary?" LeBeau smiled, and patted the guard on his massive stomach before following the rest of the men out into the compound.
"That was yesterday, Schultzie," Newkirk remarked, as he too exited the barrack.
"Yeah, you've got to keep up, Schultz," Carter called over his shoulder, pulling on his hat as he headed for his place in line.
Schultz paused perplexed and then ambled out of the barrack to begin his count.
Klink's office door opened and the Kommandant emerged, Swagger stick in place under his arm and his coat flapping around his legs as he approached. Schultz finished his count as Klink marched up and stopped in front of the formation.
"Repooort!"
"All present and accounted for, Herr Kommandant," Schultz answered.
"I want to thank…" Klink stopped when he noticed Hogan standing in his assigned spot in rank. "Colonel Hogan, what are you doing here?" Klink asked, surprised but relieved to see his senior POW.
"I don't know, I think it had something to do with my being captured," Hogan answered, his voice still slightly hoarse.
"Very funny," Klink retorted as he looked warily at his senior POW before turning back to address the camp.
"As I was saying, I want to thank everyone for their efforts last night in putting out the fires, helping the injured, and…" Klink quickly added, distastefully, "…saving Major Hochstetter. You can see there is still clean-up and repairs that need done. We will have shovels and rakes passed out…"
Hogan spoke up, "Hold on, Kommandant, my men aren't required to build their own prison!" He paused for a quick cough to escape. "What kind of compensation are you offering?" Placing his closed fist next to his lips he breathed in the air slightly warmed by his hand in an attempt to stop any further coughing.
"Colonel Hogan, I would think your men would want to clean up the camp. After all, they have to live in it."
"So do you and your men! Let them do it," Hogan stalemated, while failing to stifle another cough.
After staring at Hogan for a moment, Klink relented. "Come to my office later, we will discuss terms."
Hogan rocked back on his heels, but his moment of satisfaction was interrupted by a staff car pulling into the compound.
Klink looked back over his shoulder as a German Colonel stepped out of the car and surveyed the camp.
"Schultz, finish checking the other barracks and dismiss the men. Colonel Hogan, I will send for you later. Dismisssssed!"
Klink spun on his heals and approached the newly arrived Colonel.
"Now what?" Kinch asked as he walked up to stand next to Hogan.
Hogan frowned.
"I don't know."
He watched the two German Obersts greet each other and head into Klink's office.
"Kinch, get the coffee pot out. Let's listen in."
Hogan's "business as usual" attitude was a welcome change from the evening before and put his men at ease as they headed inside.
Taking up the rear of the procession, Hogan surveyed the camp. There were some minor repairs to be made to some of the barracks, but all in all it wasn't bad. They were lucky.
The guest quarters were another story. They would need to be completely rebuilt.
Smiling, he thought, We'll build a few "extras" into it this time.
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The nurses had called the surgeon to Major Hochstetter's room. The Major wanted out of the hospital and was being very loud about it.
"I cannot stay here," Hochstetter was yelling. "I have important business to take care of!"
"You are not going anywhere for the next two weeks," the doctor informed his irritable patient. The Major had undergone surgical intervention on the compound fracture and his right leg was now elevated in traction.
"Why do you have me in this!" Hochstetter indicated the traction apparatus.
The surgeon crossed his arms and began to tell him exactly why he was in traction, "It will stop muscle spasms, cause alignment of the bone fragments and increase the pressure on the tissue. This results in less bleeding and controls shock, while preventing nerve, vascular, and tissue damage. All of which reduces morbidity and mortality." The surgeon looked at the angry patient lying in bed and asked, "Any more questions?"
The Major dropped back on the pillow. "Nein."
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"I have come to see what damage was done to your camp, Kommandant. I was told a Gestapo Major was severely injured," Oberst Dozier announced, as he took a seat in Klink's office.
"Yes. Major Hochstetter was in the guest quarters when it was hit. He is in the hospital with a broken leg." Klink reached for the carafe on his filing cabinet and asked, "Won't you have some schnapps?"
"The Major was very fortunate to have survived." Dozier hesitated briefly, considering the early morning hour and then nodded. "I was told he was rescued by a prisoner."
"Yes, that's right. Colonel Hogan our ranking POW." Klink said, as he held out a glass filled with schnapps.
Dozier took the glass and nodded, "Danke." Pausing, he added, Isn't it a little unusual for a prisoner to save a German soldier?"
"Yes, I would think so...under normal circumstances anyway."
"Normal circumstances?" Dozier questioned.
Oops. Klink suddenly realized his own suspicions of Colonel Hogan's actions had slipped out. Colonel Hogan's unique circumstances were not widely known outside of the top brass.
Klink recovered, "Who knows whats normal for an American!"
Klink held up his glass in salute to Dozier. "I only know that Major Hochstetter was injured in the fall-out." he took a sip.
Dozier smiled. "It almost seems we are toasting the fact that Major Hochstetter was injured." Dozier emptied his glass and Klink choked.
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As Hogan listened to the conversation coming through the coffee pot, he grimaced at the mention of his name. But he couldn't stop a small smile from slipping out at that announced toast. If I had a glass I'd join you, he thought.
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"Oh no, not at all," Klink assured.
"But, well, you know how it is when the Gestapo comes in. It always feels so good when they leave."
Dozier nodded.
"Not that I was worried. I run a model prison camp…"
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Hogan, Kinch, Newkirk, Le Beau, and Carter joined in unison, "There has never been a successful escape from Stalag 13," and then dropped back into silence as they listened.
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"It's obvious that we need to move our cannons," Dozier agreed. "We seem to be dropping planes right into your lap."
"Yes, Colonel, I'm afraid you are. Last nights incident could have been disastrous if the fence and guard towers had been knocked down. It would be better if you found another location for the guns!" Klink affirmed.
"That is being decided as we speak. They will be moved further out. I'm just waiting on the paper work. Last nights downing was unexpected. It seemed to be a lone plane, must have gotten separated from its squadron and had engine or navigational problems. At any rate, it was a good practice run for our new targeting system, though not so lucky for the Gestapo Major."
"But not so bad for us." Klink was thinking out loud about Hochstetter being removed from camp as a result of the fallout. "I mean…" Klink said trying to correct his statement. "…we had no deaths and except for the guest quarters, minor damages."
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"Keep talking, Klink, and they'll have you up for treason," Hogan muttered, out loud to himself. "Has anyone caught this Colonel's name?"
The men looked expectantly at each other while shaking their heads negatively. Hogan turned his gaze back to the coffee pot.
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"Yes, fortunately the bulk of the plane landed beyond your camp."
Klink sat nodding thoughtfully. "Did you capture any of the airmen from the plane," he asked.
"Nein, there were no survivors. The radar we are testing found the target quickly and the resulting rapid firing of the cannons made short work of it."
At this news, Hogan turned his back to the radio and leaned against the table with his arms folded. I should have risked going out last night, but London wanted the location before we made any attempts to sabotage them. And without the radio truck being knocked out by falling debris, we couldn't have gotten that information to London. Well, men, your deaths won't have been in vain, you've made it possible for us to get that information to London, and now we'll go out and get those cannons before they bring down anymore of our planes. Having made that promise to his fallen comrades and himself, he turned back around to face his men. "Did you hear him say they were testing the use of radar with those guns?"
"That's what he said all right," Kinch answered, as he shoved his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight.
Dozier smacked his lips after taking a sip from his second glass and appeared thoughtful. "Colonel Hogan…that name sounds familiar."
"Oh, you probably know him from his bombing raids over the 'Fatherland'. He was quite the topic of conversation in military circles until we brought him down," Klink crowed.
"Ahh, yes that is where I heard the name, he managed to dodge our Eighty – eights. So this is where he ended up. Has he been much of a problem for you?" Dozier questioned.
"Colonel Hogan has been most cooperative. Once he became acquainted with the inside of the cooler, he realized I ruled this camp with an iron hand." Klink paused and then continued, "He is completely cowed!"
Dozier smiled and nodded, "Not surprising, put these American's in a face to face encounter and they shiver like children."
Laughter echoed over the speaker.
"Yes, we're definitely going out tonight," Hogan said, crossing his arms, "Before they move those guns!"
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"Black Paw is dead and Daniel, the man 'Black Paw' sent to meet with us, has sent word that he wants asylum and help getting out of the country." Armin was addressing his Underground unit. They had been told that the mysterious Underground agent had been picked up, but it wasn't until later that they had learned his name, Siegfried Reichmann.
"Horace, what was your impression of the man Reichmann, alias Black Paw, sent to the meeting?" Armin had called this gathering to decide whether to trust the unknown contact now asking for their help in getting to England, supposedly because he feared what information the Gestapo got from Black Paw.
I don't know, Armin, we had such little contact with him. He had barely told us of the anti-aircraft guns, when Bernd rushed in with the news of the Gestapo arrival. Whatever we decide to do will have to be based on faith I'm afraid," Horace answered.
"Yeah, that is what Lutz said too." Armin looked around at the others. "We'll bring him in, but let's keep him isolated. No information is to be given to him for now. Agreed?" Armin waited for comments.
"I have a bad feeling about this. Suppose they have Dirk and this is a trap? I'd feel better if we knew for certain that Dirk is at Stalag 13. I think one of us needs to go and find out." Willi, answered.
"That may be possible now. The Gestapo pulled out of Stalag 13 late this morning following the destruction those guns brought down on Stalag 13 last night. I guess Hochstetter has decided to abandon his search…" Armin began.
"That could mean that they do have Dirk," Willi interjected.
"True. All right, one of us will go and talk to Colonel Hogan. Are there any volunteers?" Armin looked around at the men.
Lutz stepped forward, "I'll go, I've been before and I remember the way in."
Armin nodded, "All right, Lutz, you go. We'll get Daniel into hiding and keep him isolated until we know more."
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"You sent for me, Kommandant?" Hogan asked, as he sat down in the chair next to Klink's desk and dropped his hat on the cigar box perched on the corner of the desk.
"Yes, Hogan, how are you feeling?"
Hogan had been trying to decide how to slip the pin out of the back of the cigar box and swipe a couple of cigars, when Klink's question caught him by surprise. "Huh," he said, looking up from the papers lying on the desk in front of him that he was toying with.
"After your ordeal last night, how do you feel?" Klink clarified, as he moved the official documents that had captured Hogan's attention out of his reach.
"Oh, that was nothing, I'm fine." Hogan made light of the whole ordeal.
"Well, General Burkhalter was impressed that you…"
"Burkhalter? What did you tell him for? A guy makes a mistake and acts on impulse…I really wish you hadn't said anything, Kommandant." Hogan wanted to forget the whole thing.
"Nonsense, Colonel, It was all part of the report I was required to make to General Burkhalter about the incident, explaining how Major Hochstetter was injured. In fact, according to the General, all of the General Staff is talking about it. They wonder if maybe your thinking hasn't changed a little after your time spent…in Germany." Klink was studying the American, trying to judge for himself if this could, in fact, be true.
Hogan could feel his blood heating up, "Well, you can assure them it hasn't. I still think the Nazis are sadistic, egotists, unable to think for themselves, following the ravings of a madman, with a queer little mustache and not much gray matter between the ears! If any of them would take the initiative to think for themselves, they would see what an idiot he is!" Hogan stood, grabbed his hat, and growled, "Is that all Kommandant?" The emotion behind his answer caused him to fall into another mild coughing bout.
Klink was still intently looking at his prisoner. "All right, Hogan, you may go for now. We'll talk again a little later, after you have cooled off. You're dismissed." Klink wondered if Hogan's thought patterns had been altered, would the American even be aware of it.
Hogan gave a curt salute and left slamming the door.
Swell, just what I don't need, Berlin focusing their attention in my direction!
Hogan took a few steps toward the outer door and then paused, Talk about what later? He glanced back over his shoulder at Klink's inner office door debating on whether to confront the Kommandant now, rather than later, and decided against it. At this point, I'd just end up in the cooler!