Chapter 15: Operation Free Bird
Newkirk could not believe his ears. Was Hogan really going to sell out the operation and himself just to save his men from being tortured by a mad man?
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Hochstetter smiled evilly. Could it have been this easy? "You have my word. Tell me Colonel, are you Papa Bear and have you been conducting sabotage operations in this area?"
Hogan looked at the ground and nodded his head and quietly said. "Yes."
"Woo Hoo!" Hochstetter yelled. "Tell me about your next mission."
Hogan took a deep breath. "Tonight… 2100. Bridge west of camp."
Hochstetter was so excited he was about to explode. This was better than he could ever hope for. "Who all will be there?"
Hogan remained silent. "Bring a man here." Hochstetter ordered
"Just me." Hogan answered quickly. In a quieter voice "Just me."
"Do you take me for a fool? You cannot accomplish this by yourself. Who else will be there? How do you get in and out of camp? Was Klink apart of it?"
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Newkirk listened to Hogan answer his questions, but as far as he knew, there was no mission for tonight except for escaping. This must be a wild goose chase to get most of the Gestapo out of camp so we can escape. Way to go gov'nor!
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"Kink didn't know. Near the front gate… section of fence… ordered the men… rig fence… lift up a foot." Hogan said trying not to focus on the pain
"Why doesn't the other men use it to escape?" Hochstetter inquired.
"Ordered not to... If they escape…Klink transferred…operation gone." Hogan answered out of breath.
After Hogan was finished talking, Hochstetter gave him a punch for good measure which laid Hogan on the floor "If you are lying to me, you will watch me torture every man in your barrack to death."
Hogan staid on the floor trying to conserve his strength and to get Hochstetter to believe that he succeeded in breaking him. "I'm…not"
"Why are you now telling me this?" Hochstetter inquired
"No more protection. Nothing left…to fight with."
Hochstetter smiled and squatted down next to Hogan. He grabbed a handfull of his hair and jearked his head back."I am glad you finally see things my way." Hochstetter left without another word.
Hogan heard the stone move "Yes Newkirk?"
'Ow did 'e know it was me? I guess that is why 'e is the gov'nor. "I figured…well I was wondering…" Newkirk didn't know how to ask the question
"Spit it out Corporal." Hogan said with some annoyance.
"I was wondering if you were going to need help during Operation Free Bird."
Hogan turned his head to look at Newkirk "Operation Free Bird?"
"That's what Kinch named it Sir. He said it was the birds on your colar that inspired the title."
Hogan let out a slight laugh and then got serious. "No. Goons leave…wait five then prisoners leave... Everyone gone…I call Hochstetter …He and men in compound…Boom!
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At 2000 hours, Hochstetter and a truck load of guards left camp. Kinch went to the cooler to get Hogan, but found him in the tunnel in his uniform and cleaned up. "Wait five minutes and then execute Operation Free Bird."
"Um Colonel, how…" Kinch started to ask but was cut off.
"I wasn't in as much pain as I let on." Hogan said and then walked down the tunnel that led to the explosives room.
When the five minutes was up, Kinch motioned for the men to start moving out. The men as quickly and quietly as possible moved out of the tunnel and into the woods. All had been told to go to different locations for safety reasons. Hogan's core group were the last ones in the tunnel.
"Why are you still here. You were ordered to move out and that is an order." Hogan said sternly.
"But Sir…" LeBeau started but was cut off.
"No butt's. I want you up that ladder. I will meet you in London. I don't want anyone here when Hochstetter comes back." Hogan walked down the tunnel now to the radio room.
The men looked at each other dumbfounded and shrugged. "Orders are orders." Kinch said and they all left the tunnel.
Hogan sat at the radio and in his best German voice said, "Stalag 13 calling Major Hochstetter."
After a moment, Hochstetter responded, "I thought I gave the order for radio silence?"
"Sir, the prisoners are rioting and trying to escape. Blowing up the bridge was just a trick to get some of the guards out of camp so the prisoners can escape."
Hochstetter turned red and screamed. "I will be right there! Keep them there at all cost. Shoot them if you have to!"
Hogan gave a hearty laugh and shut down the radio. "Good by Home." Hogan went through the tunnels and into each barrack to make sure all prisoners were out of camp. When he was satisfied that he was the only prisoner left, he went to the emergency tunnel exit and climbed up the ladder. All he could do now was wait in the bushes for Hochstetter to return.
Hogan didn't have to wait long. The two vehicles screeched to a halt in the middle of the compound. Hogan opened the lid to the tree stump and pulled a grenade out of his pocket. "Good bye Major" Hogan yelled. When he looked his way, he pulled the pin and threwit down the hole and ran as fast as he could away from camp.
When the explosions started he turned to watch. It was a bittersweet time. Stalag 13 had beenhis home for four years. During that time he made a lot of friends, even some unexpected ones. Hogan came to attention and gave a proper military salute. "Good bye Colonel Klink, and thanks."
"Colonel" came a voice from no ware "Colonel wake up. There is ten minutes to roll call and there is a message from London." Came the voice.
Hogan opened his eyes and saw his men standing in his room staring at him. "Message from London Sir." Kinch handed him the message.
Hogan took the letter and read it. "Glad to see Eva made it safely"
Kinch handed Hogan another piece of paper. "Another assignment Sir."
Everyone did their best not to show any emotion at the new assignment. "What does it say Colonel?" Carter asked
"Sleeping Beauty filled us in on how you got her away from the Gestapo. It has been determined that we have no other choice but to give you this new assignment. It has been brought to our attention that we have been pushing you and your men too hard and all of you are ORDERED to take a few weeks off."
"Good to know our efforts are finally appreciated." Hogan said climbing out of bed.
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Hogan and his men were standing in formation in front of the barracks. While Klink was giving one of his speeches, Hogan's mind drifted to his dream. He looked Heaven ward Thanks Lord for letting it be just a dream. Please keep protecting Klink and us so we will not have to find out what this camp would be like under Gestapo control. When Klink had finished his speech and dismissed the prisoners, they heard "Waaaaarrrrah" and froze in place.
"Hurumph" Klink shook his fist at the woods and stomped his foot before he went into his office.
Hogan turned to Kinch. "I thought I said that you could stop playing that recording when we got Sleeping Beauty. Oh I have been meaning to ask you, how do you get it to play when no one is down there to play it?"
The men looked at each other. Kinch answered, "That wasn't our recording. When I went to put the recording away when we got back and you were in Klink's office, I tripped and broke it. I thought the meeting with Tiger might have been to have the underground help with the sound making. I also don't have a device for playing the record with no one around."
Hogan shook his head "No the visit was personal…Not that kind of personal." Hogan defended the stares he received
"Well Sir, if that wasn't our recordin' and not the underground's, then what was it?" Newkirk asked
"I don't know." Hogan answered. Everyone stared toward the woods, each wondering if there was really a Sasquatch in their area or someone just playing a joke. Hogan faced back to his men and put his arms around Kinch and LeBeau "Don't worry about. Now come on men and lets start enjoying our well deserved vacation!"
