he indicated Em and Jack—“to get up top and be deck hands. We have been the crew since we got on. The regular crew took some time off to be with their families. Captain Nakahara felt like it would be safer for us if he was the only one on board.”
Em and Jack decided not to ask questions and quickly began to get their rain gear on. Em wanted out of this storm so bad he was willing to do anything to help. He felt like there would be time for all his questions later. Right now, all he could think about was calm seas. It had literally been weeks since he had been on land. He could not wait to get off this boat. Even though he had only boarded a short while ago, he wanted his time on this rocking tub to end.
Two hours later, he and Jack were soaking wet and exhausted. Sergeant Cannon had given them a crash course in sailing. The storm had accelerated their understanding. It was getting close to dawn, and Em could see some light on the horizon. He hoped that it meant they were coming to the edge of the storm. The Indianapolis was still nowhere in sight. Jeff had assured them they were on the right track. He spoke to Captain Nakahara at least once every half an hour. He was translating to the rest of them. The captain said that they were about four or five kilometers behind the Indianapolis and were holding steady. The cruiser was cutting a path directly out of the storm. Em hoped he got to see her one more time. Now that he was no longer aboard, he was beginning to miss it. It sure beat the seesaw he was on now.
During one of the lapses in the storm, Jeff had been talking to him and Jack. To Em’s amazement, he learned that not only were Jeff’s parents on board but his grandmother was also with them. She had made the difficult decision to migrate to the United States. Her husband, Jeff’s grandfather, had contacted her and informed her that the only way he would come home was if the war ended. Jeff suspected that his grandmother knew that the war was not going to end the way they had anticipated when it started. He felt that she was also afraid of what her husband might do if defeat was imminent. He was proud, just like the entire Japanese population, and she knew that defeat was not acceptable. She feared that she would never see her husband or her sons again.
Em stood on the deck of the small boat and watched as the Indianapolis came into view. She was cutting through the water effortlessly. The storm was behind them now, and Em felt better than he had in days. He had not felt anxious since he had been working. The endless tasks were keeping his mind occupied. He had not thought about the submarine that was chasing the Indianapolis in more than three hours. When it abruptly entered his mind again, he sought Jeff as fast as he could. “Jeff. What did the captain say about the sub?”
Jeff did not even look up when he answered. “He’s not worried about that sub. He says the Japanese subs are not very good at tracking. The storm would keep them away. He wants to stay behind the Indianapolis until we get closer to Saipan. Then we will turn and head to quieter and safer waters. He does not expect any trouble.” This seemed to satisfy Em, so he continued to work.
The sun was climbing into the sky. Em thought that it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The boat was close enough to the Indianapolis that Em could make out the wake. Their small transport was staying directly behind it. He was watching the ship as it moved along and did not notice the ripple in the wake in front of them.
When the water no longer reflected the sun as it was rising but looked to be disturbed, he squinted and put his hand over his brow to get a better look. He thought he was seeing something spectacular and waited for the whale to come up to breathe. Instead, the surface of the water became black. He heard Captain Nakahara scream. The men on deck all stopped what they were doing and ran to the front of the boat. The submarine was emerging from the depths. The Indianapolis started to zigzag in front of them. Em was close enough to see the sailors on deck as they scrambled to get to their stations. The ship’s warning siren was wailing loud enough to be heard from even this distance. Em did not know what to do. Jack was climbing the stairs to the bridge.
“Where are you going?” Em knew that Jack did not hear him, so he decided to join him. The submarine was only a quarter mile in front of them. The distance between the sub and the Indianapolis was only a few hundred feet. Why the sub got so close was a mystery to Em. He knew that its torpedoes could sink a ship like the Indianapolis from a much greater distance. He frantically looked around the bridge and saw Captain Nakahara. He did not look alarmed anymore. The scream he had heard was only to make everyone aware of their situation.
Now Em could feel the boat turning. The Indianapolis was beginning to create a much greater distance between itself and the submarine. The sub had surfaced in just a minute or so. Now it looked to be diving again. As fast as it had appeared, it was now disappearing. Em could feel that their boat was now heading in another direction. Jeff was up top talking to Colonel Roth and Captain Nakahara. Jack had a look of excitement on his face. Em could tell his adrenaline was pumping. Both of them went to the side of the boat where they could still see the Indianapolis. The sub had totally vanished. Em knew that it was most likely chasing the Indianapolis, but a feeling of dread suddenly overwhelmed him. His mind would only think things like, “What the heck am I doing here?” and “Where in the world am I right now?” He was as close to understanding Sergeant Barnes as he ever would be.
The Indianapolis finally disappeared over the horizon. Em muttered the words, mostly to himself, “Godspeed, Indianapolis.”
Chapter 5
The Long Winter
My dearest Emory,
I find myself waking up every morning with no other thoughts but the ones I have of you. I will not wait until the end of this letter to tell you how much I love you. I wake up and start to worry. I reread your letters time and time again. It is so hard to understand what is happening. The news reports promise us day in and day out that the war is winding down. Ever since the invasion in France, the reports indicate that we are advancing toward Germany very quickly. I try to read every newspaper that I can get my hands on. It is agonizing when I do not hear from you. I know that you write every chance that you get. I talked to your mother. She says that you are doing just fine and for me not to worry. I can see that she is hiding her real feelings, but the comfort that she offers is genuine. I am trying to understand that this job of yours is important and necessary. However, when the only news I hear from you is vague and misleading, I wonder just how important it is. This Colonel Roth is obviously a very able man. I know he chose you because of your level head. I hope that he is satisfied with his choice. If I ever get to meet him, I will tell him that he is lucky to have you. You must remember that your most important mission is the one where you come home to me.
I cannot believe that it has been a year since you and Corby boarded that train. Even though it has only been a year, in some ways, it feels like an eternity. There are several more men leaving on the train next week. I cannot bear to watch them leave. I assume that you are aware of the ones we have lost. If you are not, then I have to tell you that the Cummins family lost both of their sons. The D-Day invasion may have been a monumental military success, but the loss of life seems pointless. Most of those young men had no idea where in the world they were. Now they will never make it home. At church last week, their mother spoke, and her strength overflowed to each person in attendance. The tears could have filled a swimming pool. I could not even approach her afterward. All I could think of was you, and it made me feel so selfish that I was ashamed of myself. Is that wrong? My life would be so incomplete without you. I realize that we are young, but this war has a way of maturing even the most immature. I wonder if you are in contact with Corby. You do know that he is in France. He and his friend, Larry, have remained together. When I read Corby’s letters, I can see how much he has grown up. I hardly recognize his words. If it were not for his recognizable penmanship, I could not tell it was really him. His sister lets me read all his letters. He asks about you in every one. I will enclose his address in case you want to write to him.
He has been working on the bombers that fly the missions over Germany. He says some of them should not be in the air. His frustration is apparent. He talks of his friend Larry like he is talking about a child. I feel that Corby is taking care of him. Corby also says that he is anticipating his homecoming. He wants the girls around here to know that he is available. I honestly never thought that he gave them much thought. I do know that he will surely