George over his radio. He was frustrated. They both were. Every briefing said the Germans were moving by night and hiding during the day. On a few occasions they’d shot up some hayfields and barns or some woodlands, especially if they saw tracks that might mean Nazi activity. Aside from destroying some farmer’s livelihood or mutilating some trees, it wasn’t clear that they’d accomplished anything.
“We need to be able to see in the dark,” said Bud. There were rumors that the military was actually working on something that could sense heat, thus enabling a pilot to “see” in the dark. They were not counting on getting it during this war.
“Convoy,” said George. The two planes swooped down. Three vehicles were parked by the side of the road. Red Crosses were plainly visible on their sides and tops. “Damn it,” he added. They had seen a number of ambulances in the last few days and all were displaying the symbol of the Red Cross.
The military and their own sense of morality told them they could not strafe an ambulance full of wounded even though they were doubtless Nazis. For all they knew, the Germans could be hiding Adolf Hitler in one of the vehicles, but they would not intentionally fire, which was why ambulances often drove in daylight. Less of a chance of an accident, was the reasoning. Nor was there any firing at them from antiaircraft guns.
They flew low and swept over the ambulances. “Somebody’s in the road,” said George. “I’ll check it out.”
“Roger.” Bud would watch out for any danger to his friend and eliminate that nuisance if it occurred.
“Hey, it’s a nurse,” George chortled. “And, damnation, she’s a blond.”
“You wanna land and have her check your blood pressure along with the pressure behind your dick? Or why don’t you signal her to show you her tits.”
George ignored him. “She’s waving and smiling and there’s a doctor in front of one of the ambulances. I guess we should play nice.”
The two pilots again flew over the ambulances. The waved from their cockpits and wagged their wings. They flew off to their base in France where their planes would be fueled and ammo reloaded. Down below, people were dying in cold and mud and filth. While death in the air could be just as violent and ugly, this night they would eat warm food and sleep in beds.
* * *
“Fucking American bastards!” screamed Magda Goebbels as she waved at the American planes. She’d yelled in English even though the two pilots couldn’t possibly hear her. The smile was frozen on her face as the planes disappeared.
Despite himself, the “doctor,” Josef Goebbels, laughed hugely. “I hope they can’t read lips.”
They’d decided to heed advice and hide in plain sight. Americans wouldn’t shoot up ambulances, they’d been told, and so far the advice had proven right. Despite those assurances, each time American planes looked them over, there was the real fear that a killer pilot would make a small and intentional mistake and strafe them, later saying he couldn’t see the Red Crosses. So sorry, he would say. He would apologize, have his wrist slapped, and be forgiven. Each ambulance had a driver and a guard. The Goebbels family occupied two of the ambulances while the third was filled with what remained of their personal possessions. It was galling that they’d been reduced to being able to put all of their possessions into one ambulance.
“Did you learn to swear like that when you visited the United States?” Josef asked. As a young woman Magda had spent a number of months in America and spoke English fluently.
They had stopped by the road so the children could answer calls of nature and had been shocked when the two fighters had suddenly appeared. But now they were gone and the danger was over. She called the children who ran and laughed as they got back into the ambulances.
Josef Goebbels was pleased with their progress. Another day or two would see them at
“We need to be able to see in the dark,” said Bud. There were rumors that the military was actually working on something that could sense heat, thus enabling a pilot to “see” in the dark. They were not counting on getting it during this war.
“Convoy,” said George. The two planes swooped down. Three vehicles were parked by the side of the road. Red Crosses were plainly visible on their sides and tops. “Damn it,” he added. They had seen a number of ambulances in the last few days and all were displaying the symbol of the Red Cross.
The military and their own sense of morality told them they could not strafe an ambulance full of wounded even though they were doubtless Nazis. For all they knew, the Germans could be hiding Adolf Hitler in one of the vehicles, but they would not intentionally fire, which was why ambulances often drove in daylight. Less of a chance of an accident, was the reasoning. Nor was there any firing at them from antiaircraft guns.
They flew low and swept over the ambulances. “Somebody’s in the road,” said George. “I’ll check it out.”
“Roger.” Bud would watch out for any danger to his friend and eliminate that nuisance if it occurred.
“Hey, it’s a nurse,” George chortled. “And, damnation, she’s a blond.”
“You wanna land and have her check your blood pressure along with the pressure behind your dick? Or why don’t you signal her to show you her tits.”
George ignored him. “She’s waving and smiling and there’s a doctor in front of one of the ambulances. I guess we should play nice.”
The two pilots again flew over the ambulances. The waved from their cockpits and wagged their wings. They flew off to their base in France where their planes would be fueled and ammo reloaded. Down below, people were dying in cold and mud and filth. While death in the air could be just as violent and ugly, this night they would eat warm food and sleep in beds.
* * *
“Fucking American bastards!” screamed Magda Goebbels as she waved at the American planes. She’d yelled in English even though the two pilots couldn’t possibly hear her. The smile was frozen on her face as the planes disappeared.
Despite himself, the “doctor,” Josef Goebbels, laughed hugely. “I hope they can’t read lips.”
They’d decided to heed advice and hide in plain sight. Americans wouldn’t shoot up ambulances, they’d been told, and so far the advice had proven right. Despite those assurances, each time American planes looked them over, there was the real fear that a killer pilot would make a small and intentional mistake and strafe them, later saying he couldn’t see the Red Crosses. So sorry, he would say. He would apologize, have his wrist slapped, and be forgiven. Each ambulance had a driver and a guard. The Goebbels family occupied two of the ambulances while the third was filled with what remained of their personal possessions. It was galling that they’d been reduced to being able to put all of their possessions into one ambulance.
“Did you learn to swear like that when you visited the United States?” Josef asked. As a young woman Magda had spent a number of months in America and spoke English fluently.
They had stopped by the road so the children could answer calls of nature and had been shocked when the two fighters had suddenly appeared. But now they were gone and the danger was over. She called the children who ran and laughed as they got back into the ambulances.
Josef Goebbels was pleased with their progress. Another day or two would see them at
Similar Books
