Disclaimer in chapter 1.
Thanks to everybody for the reviews-Laura, Captrico and Lt.Cmmdr. XFile,USS Enter, CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur
This chapter jumps right into Pearl. I doubt children were in the hospital unless they were victims, but I put Angela Jackie there for the sake of my story., if that bothers anybody I'm sorry!
Chapter 12
Witness to Pearl
"It was a Sunday, a day of rest, or so intended. For some reason I woke up early that morning. I put on my Sunday dress and slipped out onto the screen patio to watch the sun rise over the water. It was about seven o'clock and my dad and mom had just gotten up." Angela Jackie paused she glanced at the captain, she had his complete attention.
"When I first saw the Jap planes, I thought they were a flock of birds, but as they got closer I realized they weren't. When I saw they were planes I guessed that it was either a delivery of new planes, or the military running some exercises, that happened but not frequently. I'll never forget what happened next. Out of the belly of a plane a torpedo dropped right into pearl. The ground shook, but the sound, it sounded like a drum being beat hard but not that far away. That began the full-scale attack, planes swooped low dropping torpedoes and opening fire on the ships and the men in the harbor. My mom and dad came running out to see what was going on. My mom ran back in to get dressed and get to the hospital." Angela Jackie paused.
"That's right your mom was a nurse for the navy and your father was a captain in the army." Picard remembered.
"Mom loved her job, and she knew that the hospital was going to be in chaos soon, unlike here what it had been in the past with a couple of cases and there. There was not time to put on her uniform so she threw on a skirt, shoes, and was buttoning her blouse as she ran for the hospital which wasn't very far away. Dad was dressing in his uniform, but it was very sloppy, I don't think anyone really minded. He was about to get to Hickman when he saw how close the fighting was, he pulled me off the patio.
"Stay her angel don't leave not even when you think its safe, wait till someone gets you." With that he left. I flipped over one of the smaller couches and pulled up the mattress from my bed. From there I witnessed the attacks. I watched as men abandon their ships and became targets for the Japs. I watched smoke billow from the once proud ships, I watched others set ablaze, others tilt to there side, and I watched the destruction of the Arizona. My best friend's dad was serving on the Arizona, he died that fatal day. The Arizona was hit right in the middle so it split and flames erupted from within' the ship, the torpedo also hit some magazines that ignited. I still wake up in a cold sweat when I remember the pain and horror. The air was no longer a sweet, tropical smell but a smell of smoke and oil. There was a lot of screaming, the sound of gun fire was constant as well as the sound of the ships metal under the stress, howling in pain, the planes would fly low overhead and either move on to another target or turn around for another attack on Pearl. I didn't even realize until later when my dad came home that the airbases were targets as well." Angela Jackie held a dramatic pause as she collected her thoughts.
"The attack lasted for about two hours, when it was done the entire island was in chaos." I moved from behind the mattress and went and sat out on the patio the sun was fully up when my dad finally returned. His cover was badly damaged and his clothes were soaked with dirt, blood and oil.
"I'm taking you to the hospital to be with your mom, you'll be safe there, maybe you can assist. Then I'm going to the harbor, there a lot of men still in trouble in the ships I'm going to go help." I nodded in understandment. Dad then took of his covering and put it on my head. He told me to keep it and never loose it. I wore it everywhere. My dad dropped me of at the hospital. It was probably the heart of the chaos. People surrounded the hospital trying to get in. I threaded my way through the mass of people. Inside the hospital it smelled of medicine, blood, and burning flesh. I waited for my mom in, at the time, an abandon room, but soon was filled with nine wounded. I asked the doctor if he could send in my mom and he said he tried. There was this soldier with gunshot wound in his arm I crawled next to him, and we began to talk. By the time my mom got in he thanked her and me, he admitted that he was scared and I was like his guardian angel. For the rest of the evening I comforted soldiers and sailor I didn't see much of the agony and pain as my mom did, but I could tell they were happy to have someone to talk to." Angela Jackie paused.
"What happened next?" The captain was intrigued.
"We got home really late, Dad was still in the harbor working on rescuing the few men trapped within the ships. Mom was tired, she had been on her feet all day despite her condition, and she fell asleep in her blood soaked clothing and all. I put a blanket on her and waited for dad to get home. I listened to the radio reports as they poured in, and all the safety precautions we were to take. I remember turning off all the lights in the house and sitting in a corner huddling over a single candle. That was December 7th 1941." Angela Jackie concluded. She then stood.
"If you'll excuse me Captain, I'm tired." The captain stood as the small child made her way for her bed. The captain smiled her story was just like a story before bed time, he was tickled to hear the eyewitness account to Pearl, in the mean time he to had to go to bed as well tomorrow they were working on a way to get Angela Jackie home.
I'm sorry it took so long to update, and I know the chapter is written different compared to the others, but this story had to have her experience, I promise next chapter will be back to normal. Hope y'all liked it!
