There is mention made of an unpleasant incident of a sexual nature having taken place in this chapter. But there is no explicit or graphic description made.
Chapter 6
"You overheard something between the Colonel and Sergeant Dietrich?" asked LeBeau with narrowed eyes. "Like what? A conversation perhaps?"
"A conversation? Try an argument," Baker replied. "And I mean a serious argument."
Carter, Kinch and LeBeau exchanged troubled looks. They could tell each was thinking the same thing.
"What happened, man?" asked Kinch. "What did you hear?"
Baker took a sip of his coffee. "Well, like I said, I accidentally overheard them. They weren't even aware I was there. Colonel Hogan approached Dietrich about three days ago in the compound near the motor pool where the guard was posted. The Colonel was enraged. I could tell by his face. I had seen the Colonel two hours before when he was speaking with Corporal Sanger outside barracks ten. Sanger looked really upset when he was talking with the Colonel. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but as they spoke, the Colonel's face got darker and darker like it does when he gets really angry."
The men all agreed. They had seen their commanding officer extremely angry many times over the years, and they knew it was always best to stay out of his way when he was like that. They also knew he didn't like the Sergeant at all.
"What happened then?" asked Carter.
"I've seen the Colonel really angry before," Baker continued. "But this time was different. I mean, he looked like he could physically kill someone. That's how angry he was. I was afraid for him and what he might do in that state, so I followed him at a safe distance. He never even noticed me. Anyway, I saw him head straight to the motor pool where Sergeant Dietrich was posted. I hid nearby just in case the Colonel needed help. That's when the argument started."
Kinch was beginning to have an idea where this was going. Glancing at LeBeau, the radioman could tell LeBeau was thinking the same thing. Carter, of course, had no idea.
"The Colonel grabbed Dietrich by the collar, shoved him against one of the vehicles, and got right in his face. He warned him he'd heard what he had done to Corporal Sanger, was going to report him to the Kommandant, and if it was the last thing he ever did, he would see Dietrich sent to the Russian front. I thought the Colonel was going to hit him he was so enraged."
"What did Dietrich do?" asked LeBeau, not liking where this was heading.
"Dietrich pulled the Colonel's hands away from his collar and smirked. I heard him tell Colonel Hogan that nobody would believe a prisoner of war because Sanger would never repeat his story to anybody, especially not the Kommandant, and that Colonel Hogan would look like a fool. Then the Colonel told him that when he was done, everybody, including Klink and General Burkhalter would not only know what he'd done, but the kind of man he really was. That's when I heard it."
"Heard what?" asked Carter.
"Dietrich threatened Colonel Hogan. He told him before he let a worthless American dog threaten him, he'd do the same thing to him he did to Sanger and mess him up physically, and then he'd see him dead and that he'd better watch his back from that moment on."
"What did the Colonel say to being threatened by Dietrich?" asked Kinch. He and the others all knew Hogan didn't take kindly to personal threats.
"He smirked and told the Sergeant that what he just said would be added to the list of things he would tell the Kommandant and the General. Then, the Colonel turned and stormed away in the direction of the barracks."
Seeing that Baker was finished with his story except for one missing detail, Kinch looked at him and thought about what he was about to ask. "Richard, what did Sergeant Dietrich do to Corporal Sanger? Do you know by any chance?"
Baker's eyes looked pained as he stared at Kinch. "Yeah I do, Kinch. I asked Corporal Sanger and while he was reluctant to tell me, he gave me enough to give me a good idea of what happened with Dietrich. I just don't know if I can repeat it."
Kinch could sense the young Sergeant's discomfort, especially if what happened is what Kinch suspected. He rested a hand on Baker's shoulder. "It's okay, Richard. But I have to know. Especially as I'm currently the Acting Senior POW until the Colonel gets back. I need to know if what I suspect is true."
Baker let out a deep breath. He then studied the faces of Kinch, Carter and LeBeau. "Corporal Sanger gave me the impression that Sergeant Dietrich sexually abused him with his rifle because he wasn't satisfied with the job he did cleaning the delousing station the day before yesterday."
"That's what I suspected," Kinch explained to the others with anger in his voice. "And I know the Colonel probably went ballistic when he heard that. We all know how protective he is when it comes to the men under his command."
LeBeau let loose a stream of French words which the others suspected were probably a string of obscenities. Kinch clenched and unclenched his fist. Right now he wanted to hit something, or someone was more like it. Then he saw Carter looking confused as only Carter could.
"What don't you understand, Carter?" Kinch asked gently.
"I don't understand how somebody could be sexually abused with a rifle. I mean, it seems to me that someone would have to take their rifle and…" he suddenly paused as what confused him became clear. "Oh…" he said, horror showing on his face. He looked at Kinch and swallowed. "That's an awful thing to do to somebody, anybody."
Kinch let out a deep breath. "I guess in the morning after roll call I'd better go talk with Corporal Sanger." He suddenly rubbed his chin while lost in thought. "I wonder…"
"What is it, mon ami?" asked LeBeau.
"You know, there is something definitely strange when you think about what happened to Colonel Hogan only days after he had an argument with this Dietrich."
"Oui, I agree," the Frenchman concurred. "I believe this Sergeant Dietrich probably shot the Colonel hoping to kill him and keep him from exposing what he had done to Corporal Sanger."
Just then the barracks door opened and a very tired Newkirk trudged in, closing the door. He immediately noticed the grim faces of the other. "What's goin' on?" he asked. "If it's about the Gov'nor he's still alive."
"We know. Klink came and told us after receiving a call from one of the guards and Joe Wilson from the hospital. By the way, Peter. I'm Acting Senior POW until the Colonel recovers," Kinch explained.
Grabbing a coffee cup, the Englander poured a half-cup of coffee and sat down. He took a drink. "Then what's with all the long faces?" he asked.
"Guess who's replacing Schultzie as Sergeant-of-the-Guard," said LeBeau.
"Who?" Newkirk asked before taking another drink.
"Sergeant Dietrich," Kinch replied.
Newkirk's eyes widened as he made choking sounds after swallowing his coffee too suddenly. "Blimey. The old pain in the ass himself. Charming."
"And that's not the worst of it," Kinch added.
He and LeBeau repeated what Baker had told them, including what had happened to Corporal Sanger and the threats made to Colonel Hogan. They saw Newkirk's eyes flash dangerously. The Englander slammed his fist down hard on the table causing his coffee cup to jump, hot coffee splashing about.
"That bloody perverted animal! No wonder the Gov'nor was so angry. And then to threaten to do the same thing to him and to kill him as well. Is Corporal Sanger all right?"
"He seemed okay when I spoke with him earlier," Baker explained. "But he was definitely upset and appeared still traumatized by what happened. But he told me the Colonel had sent Wilson to check him over."
"I'm gonna speak with him tomorrow and take Joe with me," Kinch said. "I want him to check the corporal again just to make sure everything's okay with him."
"Y'know somethin'…." Newkirk began, his eyes narrowed. "I think Langenscheidt was right after all."
"About what, mon ami?" asked LeBeau.
"Langenscheidt doesn't believe Schultzie shot the Gov'nor either. And now that I've had time to think about it, he's right. I mean, ole Schultzie always kept his rifle unloaded. And isn't it bloody convenient that his rifle just happened to be loaded the same day and time the Colonel gets shot which is also a couple of days after the Gov'nor gets into a row with this bastard."
"We were discussing the possibility of Sergeant Dietrich being the one who shot the Colonel before you walked in, " said LeBeau. He looked at Newkirk, Kinch, Baker and Carter. "I think we'd better check into this more before Schultzie is sent to the Russian front or worse."
"I agree, mate," Newkirk added. "It's not a stretch to think this Sergeant Dietrich would hesitate to frame ole Schultzie for what he did. If he becomes the permanent Sergeant-of-the-Guard we're gonna be in a bloody fine mess we will. Besides that, we gotta protect the Colonel. I mean, if Dietrich was clever enough to shoot him and frame Schultz for it, then he might find a way to get to the Colonel in the hospital. Dr. Prust says the Gov'nor has to stay heavily sedated for at least two weeks because of where the bullet hit. That makes him vulnerable."
"I agree with Newkirk," Kinch replied. He looked at his watch. "I suggest we all get some sleep. We've got a long day ahead of us tomorrow. Starting with getting protection for Colonel Hogan before role call."
Sergeant Karl Dietrich lay awake in his bed in the guards' barracks. He had a sickening smirk on his face. Come morning, he would be introduced to the prisoners as the new Sergeant-of-the-Guard. And that fat simpleton Schultz would soon be on his way to the Russian front or in front of the firing squad. Whichever General Burkhalter decided was fine with him.
His mind turned to that whiny little corporal in barracks ten, Sanger. Tomorrow he would put the fear of God into him so he would never open his mouth to another person about what happened. If that didn't work, he would simply come up with an excuse for having to kill him. Shot while trying to escape was always one he could rely on as a last resort.
Then there was the problem of one Colonel Robert Hogan. He had shot him in the chest and hoped he hit him in the heart killing him instantly, or at least hoping he would die within minutes or hours. But from what he'd been able to find out from Langenscheidt was that Hogan was still alive and that the bullet had nicked the heart muscle. Hogan had to die. Nobody talks to me, Karl Dietrich, like that dog did, he thought to himself. Hogan was nothing more than a mongrel who needed to be put to sleep. Dietrich couldn't believe his luck when Langenscheidt told him that Hogan was to be kept sedated for two weeks. That was perfect. A cunning smile appeared. All he had to do was find a way to get into the hospital and kill the American dog and his death would be attributed to his injury. Dietrich sighed. It was just too bad he wouldn't be able to use his rifle and do to Hogan what he had done to that whiny little corporal. It certainly would teach the American to watch his mouth when addressing a member of a superior race. Then again, maybe I'll have fun with him anyway before I kill him. I might not be able to use my rifle, but perhaps there will be something else I can use to mutilate him and hear him scream in agony before I put him to sleep permanently.
Kommandant Klink lay in bed but couldn't sleep. He was too uptight to sleep. He couldn't get over the fact that after roll call in the morning, he would contact the hospital and check on Hogan's condition, then, he would have to call General Burkhalter and report the incident. He also knew once he did that, Schultz would either be shipped to the Russian front or executed.
How could this have happened? Klink asked himself. "How could Schultz have done this? I can't believe this is happening. I just can't.
Then Klink's mind turned to Colonel Hogan. All he knew was that Hogan was still alive, and hopefully he would recover completely. But what if he died without regaining consciousness? After all, the bullet had nicked Hogan's heart muscle. No, Klink would not allow himself to even think such a thing. Hogan would live and he would recover. Klink just couldn't imagine Stalag 13 without the brash and irritating American. Right now the Kommandant would give anything if Hogan was here to help get Schultz get out of this mess. As far as Klink was concerned, Schultz was an incompetent guard, a coward, and a klutz; but regardless, he did not deserve to die or be sent to the Russian front for it. But the Kommandant realized without Hogan in camp, Schultz had two chances of surviving; slim and none.