The Navy Cross Ceremony
The buzzing from the alarm clock woke Charlie and Emily from a deep sleep. Emily covered her ears it was so loud.
"Charlie, turn it off."
"I'm trying to find the on and off switch."
Charlie finally found it and pushed it to the off position. The buzzing remained in their ears a few seconds.
"Goodness that was loud!"
"I suppose it must be. The hotel management doesn't want any guests being late for an important meeting. At least we have more than enough time to get dressed. I need to use the bathroom but I'll let you use it before I take a shower and shave."
Emily took her turn there. She freshened up before putting on her under-garments. She was wearing only her full length slip when she traded places with Charlie.
Emily very carefully put on full-length nylon stockings; each was attached to the clips of her garter belt. Then she took the dress she was wearing from the wardrobe. She was fully dressed when Charlie came from the bathroom in his underwear.
Charlie saw her; and Emily was looking at him. His face beamed with a broad, dazzling somewhat surprised smile.
"Emily, you're absolutely stunning. Your dress is perfect for the occasion."
"I found it your store. I don't know why it appealed to me. I've never worn anything so sophisticated."
Emily was wearing a navy blue dress with long sleeves. What looked like a suit jacket was actually attached to the skirt with nylon lining material. The jacket hung past her hips; it did not cling to them. The same crepe fabric made the skirt. It made soft folds as it hung from the lining material. It fell well below the bend of her knees. If she were to twirl it would flare slightly.
"Charlie you need to stop staring at me and get dressed."
"You really are stunning, Emily. I can stare and put on my shirt."
"I don't mind. I just want you to be ready when your dad knocks on our door."
Emily humored him by continuing to stand where he had full view of her in her dress. She watched him dress. After his shirt, he put on his trousers. He sat to put on his socks and then his polished black shoes. Charlie looked in the mirror to tie his tie.
"You're an expert just like my dad. He always had the ends the perfect length."
"I suppose it comes from years of practice."
As he finished, they both heard the knock on their door. They both knew who knocked. His dad spoke when Charlie opened the door.
"Bus asked me to make sure you woke up early enough to have breakfast before he arrived. I see you are."
"We woke up to a very loud alarm clock. I know where we can have a quick breakfast."
Emily stepped out first and stood beside her mother. She noticed her dress.
"Your dress is very attractive and perfect for this ceremony. It's very dignified yet feminine for the occasion."
"Charlie likes it too."
This group of five walked towards the elevator. The attendant smiled when he saw them. He couldn't imagine why the ladies were dressed so fancy this early in the morning. He didn't ask.
Upon leaving the elevator on the first floor, he saw Charlie take Emily's hand. He knew they were newlyweds. His face held a smile as he watched them walk away.
Charlie led them to the business man's café in a corner of the lobby. A café designed for those men who were in a hurry to leave for an important meeting.
It had a small breakfast buffet. Under heating lamps were biscuits, pastries and even soft cooked eggs and fried bacon. In pitchers, designed to keep drinks hot, were coffee and tea.
They sat at high tables on stools to eat. Charlie paid the set fee for their meals at the cashier stand near the exit door. They hurried to exit the hotel. Bus was waiting there with the limousine.
He noticed his friend and his bride. "Charlie, you look especially sharp this morning. And Emily your dress is absolutely perfect for the occasion."
Emily gave him a courteous smile; she couldn't understand all the fuss over her dress.
Everyone took their seat in the limo. There was little traffic on the street this morning. Bus had them to the navy building quickly. A Petty Officer on the admiral's staff was waiting to greet them.
He opened the door of the limo. Charlie exited first. He offered his hand to Emily. His dad was next; he helped both ladies.
"Commander, the ceremony is being held in Admiral Jessup's greeting room for dignitaries. Follow me please."
Emily had firm hold of Charlie's arm. He noticed. "I'm excited too Emily."
"I hear music."
"It's the navy's ceremonial quartet. They're playing the Navy Hymn."
The music Emily heard was slow and somber; it was often referred to as a musical benediction. It reminded Emily of a hymn she had sung many times, Holy, Holy, Holy. She didn't know that the same composer penned both of them hence the similarity of their melodies.
The Petty Officer spoke as they approached the door. "Sir, you and your wife need to wait here. I need to seat the others."
He knew everyone's names. "Mrs. Barham will you please take my arm. I will escort you to your seat."
She and Emily exchanged smiles. She didn't loop her arm around her escort's arm; her hand rested on top of his bent forearm.
The first row of chairs was reserved for her and Charlie's parents. After Elizabeth sat the Petty Officer returned for Maryann. She was escorted in the same manner and her seat was next to Elizabeth. The Petty Officer simply walked Earl to the seat next to his wife.
Before this piece of music concluded, all the officers, and enlisted men on Admiral's Jessup staff and a representative from the office of the President took their seats. They sat behind the family.
Charlie and Emily were still waiting at the door. Emily was surprised with the music she now heard. She asked in a whisper.
"Why are they playing England's national anthem?"
And Charlie whispered. "They're really not. That same melody was used for our first national anthem."
The admiral now stood in front of everyone. He waited for the music to end.
"A few days ago most all of you were on a ship far away from here. Duty had called us; a duty to serve even in the face of approaching danger. Officers bared the responsibility for sending army soldiers, navy engineers, Marines and even photography teams to the beaches of France.
"The first navy officer on Omaha Beach is with us today. Will you please stand as the Quartet plays Anchor's Away and Commander Charlie E. Madison and his bride, Emily come forward."
This piece of music was marching music. The joyful, brisk melody caused Charlie to walk faster than he had been. Emily walked in sync with him. Charlie stopped in front of the admiral as the quartet finished playing. Immediately the admiral spoke.
"Please remain standing and say the Pledge of Allegiance with me."
Everyone turn to face the flag of the United States of America. Their right hand rested over their heart. Emily and Elizabeth did the same. Although neither knew the pledge; they listened and heard the others.
I pledge Allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.
And now the quartet began to play America's National Anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner. No one sang it. Emily and her mom would later learn it was not an easy song to sing.
As soon as the last note was played, Admiral Jessup spoke again.
"Charlie, please come forward."
They stood side by side. "The Navy Cross award was created after World War One. It was created to honor those navy men whose actions in war were accomplished in the presence of great danger, or at great personal risk.
"You, Charlie Madison, not only documented our navy engineers risking their lives in order to defuse all the mines the Germans had place in front of the beaches. You were wounded when you sought cover from the unexpected barrage of artillery fire which zoomed past you as you ran onto the beach.
"For these acts, I will now award you with The Navy Cross. Turn around please."
Charlie now saw all three ladies dabbing their eyes with handkerchiefs. The admiral took the cross shaped medal attached to a brilliant sky blue ribbon from the table next to him. He held both ends in one hand as his other hand took hold of the end of the ribbon with the clasp and stretched it under Charlie's chin.
He hooked them together; the cross fell about six inches from his chin. And the group assembled applauded with respect.
"Please join me in the next room for refreshments and a time to congratulate Charlie."
The admiral led them there. He stepped aside and let Charlie and Emily stand near the door to shake hands with everyone.
Over the next twenty minutes or so everyone enjoyed a beverage and munched on nuts, chocolate candies and small cocktail sandwiches.
The other officers and navy personnel left first. The admiral spoke to Charlie and Emily.
"Have you given any thought as to where you might live?"
"Not really sir. I only know we can't stay in the hotel much longer."
"Recently the navy purchased a house on "E" street to use as officer housing. You can be its first occupants."
"Emily and I will take your offer."
"You and your parents can go there now; there's an attendant waiting to show it to you. Bus can drive you there in the limo."
Charlie reached for the admiral's hand to shake. "Thank you, sir. We'll leave now. I'll see you in two days when I report for duty."
The admiral heard Emily as they walked away. "I can't believe we'll be living on an alphabet street. Mum's friends and mine will think it's odd."
"I suppose they will. Mom, Dad, Elizabeth, did you hear the admiral? Bus is driving us to a house on "E" street. It's on the list of housing for officers."
"Good, I was hoping to see where you and Emily would be living before we returned home."
Charlie knew it wasn't very far away. Bus had them there in less than ten minutes.
He was able to park in front of it.
"Mum, this is a lot like our house in London; all the houses share a common wall."
"That's true but look there are trees."
Maryann added. "And there's a park right across the street."
Bus spoke to the attendant. "Admiral Jessup sent Charlie Madison and his bride to look at the house."
"He told me he would. Hello everyone, my name is Audrey. Commander, can you tell me who's with you."
"Of course I can. This beautiful young woman next to me is my wife Emily. Next to her is her mother, Elizabeth Barham. And beside her are my parents, Earl and Maryann."
"Thank you. I know you're anxious to see inside. Follow me."
The group climbed two small flights of steps on this terraced hill. The hills were covered in ivy. A few flower pots filled with colorful flowers were on the porch along with several chairs.
The front door opened into a large room with a sofa and several other upholstered chairs. A large dining room table occupied another part of this room. To the left were the stairs to the second floor. They heard Audrey tell them about the house.
"This house was built in 1919. It has been updated twice since then. The most recent was to install electricity and to modernize both the kitchen and the bathrooms.
"The kitchen is in the basement along with an attached apartment. We can take the stairs down to see both of them."
They arrived in a large room with modern appliances, an electric stove and a large refrigerator.
Earl asked about an opening in the wall which had shelves. "What is this?"
"It's called a dumbwaiter. It's an item found in Thomas Jefferson's home in Monticello. It serves as a way to bring your food to the dining room. Much easier than carrying it up the steps.
"This is a new electric model. It replaced the one which used ropes and pulleys."
"I never knew Jefferson was also an inventor."
"He was a very gifted man. He also really enjoyed farming the land around his home. Now let me show you the apartment."
A back door opened into an alley. And near that door was a short hallway to the apartment.
"Mum, this is perfect for you."
"Elizabeth, let's have a good look at it."
Charlie and Earl followed the ladies. "Look Mum, you have a nice sitting room. I wonder what is beyond those two doors."
"One must be my bedroom."
"The one on left is." Audrey told them.
Elizabeth and Emily looked all around this more than adequate bedroom. Now they were both wondering about the other room. Elizabeth opened that door.
"It's a garden room Emily. I can grow my African Violets here; the sun looks perfect for them."
"Emily, you and Charlie need to see your bedroom."
"We're headed there now, Elizabeth."
The group followed Audrey up two sets of stairs to the second floor. Up there they discovered two rather large bedrooms. Charlie and Emily decided to use the one which overlooked the park.
Emily walked a short distance from there and discovered one more room. "Charlie, come see this. It's a perfect size for a nursery."
"You're right Emily and you can see the dome of the Capital out this window."
"Audrey, this entire house is perfect for us."
"Admiral Jessup thought you would like it. I'll take it off the list of available navy housing. When we go back downstairs, I'll give you both sets of keys including keys to the alley door."
"And we'll move here tomorrow."
Audrey watched them drive away. She had the same reaction the admiral had told Emily. They're a perfect couple.
In the limo the conversation centered on the good fortune of Charlie and Emily living in such a nice home, their parents were as happy as the couple.
A/N: I know the Navy Cross is real medal. I didn't want the inclusion of its ceremony in my story to trivialize it in any way. My ceremony is pure fiction. The presentation of it I've seen on television doesn't have a real ceremony. The President says a few words before he places the medal around the recipient's neck. There's no music. But the medal really does have a bright sky blue ribbon.