The T.V. show Hogan's Heroes belongs to CBS and was a Bing Crosby Productions. No ownership of the Hogan's Heroes characters is implied or inferred, and no infringement is intended.

The Home Of The Brave

By M Breedlove

Chapter Four

—Next morning at "roll call"—

The harmonious sound of wooden wind chimes echoed across the compound from Klink's office where, on the porch, a large collection of them had been secretly, and strategically, hung in place by the prisoners.

Hogan stood informally at attention with a smug grin on his face. He glanced down the ranks at his men as they shuffled their feet and swayed, still half asleep, awaiting Klink's and Burkhalter's arrival.

"Ein, zwei, drei…" Schultz began his count as Klink and Burkhalter exited the building.

Klink paused, as the sight and sounds of the wind chimes accosted him, causing Burkhalter to bump into him from behind.

"…vier, funf, sechs, sieben…"

"Klink!" Burkhalter began, annoyed with the sudden stop. Then noticing the chimes, questioned, "What is this, Klink?"

"…acht, neun, zehn, elf"

Klink swung his fist and harrumphed. "This is Colonel Hogan getting back at me for making him face reality."

"It looks to me like he needs a little more reality!" Burkhalter commented.

"…zwolf, dreizehn, vierzehn, funfzehn."

Hogan glanced around at his men, and exchanged grins and nods of amusement.

"Repooort!"

Burkhalter stood next to Klink eyeing the prisoners…and Hogan.

"All present and accounted for, Herr Kommandant!"

Klink breathed a sigh of relief. At least Hogan hadn't organized an escape to further embarrass him in front of Burkhalter. Feeling more secure, Klink dove into his morning address, sharing demoralizing news of the war and Allied defeats for Burkhalter's satisfaction.

"Schuuullltz!' Hogan called in a whisper from behind.

Schultz glanced at Hogan, fixed him with a ShhStare, and then went back to attention.

Hogan persisted. "Schultz!"

Schultz, annoyed, motioned for Hogan to keep quiet.

The commotion caught Burkhalter's attention and he cleared his throat, prompting Klink to take action.

"Colonel Hogan!" Klink called out. "Am I boring you?"

Hogan pursed his lips and tilted his head, considering letting the retort on the tip of his tongue escape, but succeeded in resisting the urge. He didn't want to end up in the cooler…too soon.

"No Kommandant, it's not that. I just thought you'd like to know that we seem to have had an unexpected visitor during the night," Hogan answered, openly.

Klink felt his stomach tighten He couldn't bring himself to ask the question sticking in his throat. He stood helplessly waiting

Burkhalter frowned. Unlike Klink, his voice was in full force and he demanded to know, "What are you talking about, Colonel Hogan?"

Hogan pointed up over Burkhalter's and Klink's heads.

Turning, the German officers saw what appeared to be a parachute draped over the flagpole.

"It looks like you shot down one of our planes last night!" Hogan continued.

"I didn't hear any battle last night," Klink muttered, hoping he was wrong.

"Bring that parachute here," Burkhalter ordered.

The Kommandant shot a glance back to Hogan, who flashed him a smug smile. Klink's heart began pounding in his ears and he fought to keep from hyperventilating.

Everyone in camp watched as two guards climbed onto the roof and began pulling the silk off of the flagpole.

As the last of the silk slid from the pole, the prisoners suddenly snapped to attention saluting. There on the flagpole in glorious red, white and blue, waved the Stars and Stripes.

The camp froze for a moment in time. The only sound the snapping of the "Colors" as they furled and waved in the obliging breeze.

Klink and Burkhalter briefly stood in shocked disbelief. Within seconds Burkhalter's face turned a luscious shade of crimson red and Klink's face a ghost white, as their eyes were drawn to the top of the flagpole.

The snickering from the prisoners began to grow, rising in volume until the laughter exploded across the compound.

There, sitting on top of the flagpole, was an American Bald Eagle, expertly carved out of wood, facing backward with his tail raised showing his…backside and a picture hanging below his tail of a German soldier, puckered up to give a kiss!

"Kliiiiink!"

Burkhalter's voice echoed across the compound, out done only by Klink's…

"Hogaaan!"

Hogan, with his thumbs stuck in the pockets of his open bomber jacket, his cap perched on the back of his head, and a large roguish grin lighting up his face, looked pointedly at Klink and proudly proclaimed, "Happy Fourth of July, Kommandant!"

Uncontrolled laughter broke out as the prisoners of Stalag 13 tossed their hats in the air in triumph!

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

--Later that night—

Moonlight filtered through the small ceiling level window, as Hogan lay in the damp darkness of his cell, hands clasped behind his head. He closed his eyes and replayed the morning's events, relishing the surprised looks on the Germans faces and the uplifted spirit of his men. Even Burkhalter's red-faced tirade and subsequent sentencing of the brash American to the cooler, did little to dampen the energized mood of the camp over having gotten the best of the enemy. It had been a satisfying day and, Hogan decided, well worth the time he would spend in disciplinary confinement for pulling it off. In fact, this could just be the vacation he needed from the entourage of men constantly traipsing through his quarters. A few days of uninterrupted sleep would do him good.

WHOOSH-BLAM-POP-POP-POP

Hogan quickly propped himself up on one elbow and watched as colored lights danced across the wall opposite his cot. Hogan's eyes twinkled, as his laughter echoed through his cell. Pulling his elbow out from under him, he dropped onto his bunk and said, "You tell em, Andrew!"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Across the compound, Klink jumped from his bed and slammed open his window, his mouth once again left standing open. The beauty of the dancing fire in the night sky, momentarily coaxed a smile onto his face. But it was short lived, as the reality of Burkhalter's voice reached his ears.

"KLIINNK!"

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Laughter and back patting was the order of business outside of Barracks Two, as Hogan's men reconnoitered. Gathering together under the crackling sky, they watched Carter's handiwork send their message to theSuperior Race.

"Boy this is the best Fourth of July, ever!" Carter beamed, his eyes glued on the colorful fireworks lighting up the sky.

"Mate, I'll never look at that bloody colonist rebellion in the same way again." Newkirk draped his arm over Carter's shoulder.

"Oui, you Yanks made it a day of independence for all of us!" Louis added, grinning.

Carter became sullen, "I wish the Colonel could've been here to see it."

"Its okay, Carter," Kinch smiled gently. "The Colonel knew with Burkhalter here his punishment would be more than just being confined to barracks. That's why he decided if he was going to end up in the cooler anyway, we might as well steal some gunpowder and make the fireworks, too."

"I never once thought about that when Klink told the gov'nor about Burkhalter. Why didn't he call it off?" Newkirk questioned.

"Mon Colonel would not call it off. He is like me! It makes it all the more satisfying to have a 'bigger' audience," Louis answered, proudly. His eyes, too, were on the fireworks coloring the black summer sky.

"This one's for you, Colonel!"Kinch snapped to attention, saluting. LeBeau, Carter and Newkirk joined him, as did the men who began spilling out of the other barracks.

Soon, the twinkling fire show rupturing across the nighttime heavens, revealed a camp of tattered Allied prisoners, standing tall and unbeaten, joined together in their fight for freedom, and proudly declaring their Independence.

The End

(Have a wonderful Fourth of July)

We've earned it!