10 True Tales Read online

  To Mike Gorospe, everyone’s friend and Sasha’s hero

  —AZ

  Title Page

  Dedication

  The War and Its Heroes

  “We’ve Got to Fight Back!”

  The Stowaway

  American Bushido

  Attack in the Devil’s Sea

  Hero Without a Gun

  Flying Blind

  Mission Impossible

  The Ghost

  From Jerk to Hero

  Buffalo Soldier

  Sneak Peak: 10 True Tales: Secret Agent

  About the Author

  Copyright

  Powerful, ruthless countries rolled out their fearsome war machines in the 1940s in a fanatical attempt to rule the world. It was up to the defenders of freedom to stop them. Answering the call, courageous soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines willingly sacrificed life and limb to preserve liberty for tens of millions of people around the globe in the most horrific war in history.

  World War II started after Germany, led by dictator Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party, invaded Poland in 1939. This caused Great Britian and France, which were allies of Poland, to declare war on Germany. Nazi forces then invaded and occupied Denmark, Norway, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg, France, Yugoslavia, and Greece. Italy teamed up with Germany, and together they battled British forces in North Africa. By the summer of 1941, Germany had conquered most of Western Europe and then attacked the Soviet Union. For nearly six years, the Nazis battered Great Britain with devastating air assaults night after night, but the Germans underestimated the headstrong resolve of the British, who put up a steely resistance.

  For two years, the United States stayed out of the war, although it sent a steady stream of vital supplies to Great Britain.

  Meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Japan, which had invaded China in 1937, was trying to conquer East and Southeast Asia, despite protests from the United States. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched surprise attacks against several countries, as well as the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.

  The United States had no choice but to declare war on Japan, Germany, and Italy — the three major countries that formed an alliance called the Axis Powers. America joined the Allied Powers, which was made up of dozens of nations that opposed the Axis Powers. The Allies were spearheaded by the United States, Great Britain, the Soviet Union, Australia, and Canada.

  The American military — Army, Army Air Corps (now known as the Air Force), Navy, Marines, and Coast Guard — were forced to fight German and Italian forces in Europe as well as the Japanese throughout the South Pacific.

  After devastating early setbacks, the Allies rallied and began winning raging battles in Europe and successfully invaded Italy in 1943. On June 6, 1944 — forever known as D-day — the Allies launched the world’s greatest invasion, at Normandy in France. Less than a year later, they drove the Germans out of Western Europe, liberating all the once-conquered countries. Germany finally surrendered on May 8, 1945.

  In the South Pacific region, the Japanese scored major victories early in the war, but then Allied forces fought back with a vengeance. American submarines blocked supplies of oil and raw materials to Japan, and Allied invasions of key islands, such as Iwo Jima and Okinawa, further crippled the Japanese. On August 15, 1945 — just days after the United States dropped the first atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki — the Empire of Japan surrendered.

  World War II, which involved more than 70 nations, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 60 million people, making it the deadliest conflict in recorded history. The men and women in the U.S. military paid a dear price for victory: 406,000 killed; another 671,000 seriously wounded.

  Those fighting for our country were everyday citizens who felt duty bound to protect and preserve the values that made America great. An untold number of them found deep within themselves incredible courage they didn’t know they had. In firefights in the bombed-out fields of France, in dogfights over the flak-filled skies of Belgium, in hand-to-hand combat on the bloody beaches of Okinawa, Americans discovered an intense bravery that spurred them to reach far beyond their personal limits.

  They became the valiant heroes of World War II.

  You are about to read the gripping stories of 10 of them. These accounts are based on memoirs, battle reports, and military files. Using real names, dates, and places, the stories are written as factual versions of their heroism, although certain scenes have been dramatized and some dialogue has been re-created. For realism, the dialogue contains a few words referring to the Japanese and German soldiers that by today’s standards are considered offensive but were commonly used in the heat of combat back then.

  Most of the heroes featured in this book earned the Medal of Honor — our country’s highest award for valor in combat above and beyond the call of duty. Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, only 440 were awarded the medal, including 250 who received it after they had died.

  These 10 stories spotlight soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines who stared the enemy — and death — in the face and still managed to carry out their missions. They were among the ones who performed heroic deeds despite their fears. They were the ones who succeeded against overwhelming odds. They were the ones who helped win the war and save the world.

  When John Finn woke up on a bright Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, he planned a relaxing day off with his wife, Alice, in their palm-tree-shaded bungalow on the Hawaiian island of Oahu.

  By the time he went to bed the next night, his life and the world he once knew had changed forever.

  Chief Petty Officer Finn was in charge of ammunition at a small naval air station nestled on a cove at Kaneohe Bay a mile from his house. The little base was the home of 36 twin-engine seaplanes known as PBYs that were anchored in the water, tied down on a parking ramp, or sheltered in one of three hangars. At the time, the United States was not at war with anyone. But because Japan was becoming a growing threat, the men at the air station were on limited alert. They flew routine patrols looking for Japanese submarines off the coast and checking on nearby Pearl Harbor, where several Navy destroyers, battleships, and other vessels were moored.

  “Wake up, honey,” Finn cooed to Alice. “It’s almost eight o’clock and it’s another beautiful day in paradise.”

  Alice pulled the covers over her head and mumbled, “You start the coffee, and then I’ll get up.”

  As Finn padded barefoot into the kitchen, he heard the sounds of machine-gunfire in the distance in the direction of the base. It’s Sunday morning. Why would anyone be firing machine guns at the range today? he wondered. Finn filled the pot with water and spooned in the coffee. Then he heard the whines of small planes. They weren’t the usual rumbling sounds of the PBYs. Maybe some wise-guy aviators are buzzing the barracks. He looked out the window and didn’t see anything unusual. But he sensed that something wasn’t right.

  Finn returned to the bedroom and put on his white Navy uniform shirt, pants, hat, and black shoes. “Honey, I’m going to the station for just a few minutes, and then I’ll be right back.” He kissed Alice, walked out, and hopped into his 1938 Ford.

  On the way toward Kaneohe, Finn, a 15-year veteran who had joined the Navy when he was only 17, thought about how far he had come from those troubled teenage days back home in Compton, California. I have a great wife, I live in Hawaii, and I’m making decent money. Not bad for a high-school dropout.

  A loud roar from above interrupted his thoughts. Peering out of his open car window, he spotted a silver plane flying low and fast. When it banked, he saw a red ball painted on the underside of the wing. It could mean only one thing — it was a Zero, a fast single-engine fighter-bomber with the Japanese insignia on it. br />
  “Oh, no!” he shouted. “The Japs are attacking us!”

  He floored the accelerator and sped toward the air station. On the way, he heard the screaming of more Zeros, dozens upon dozens of them heading west. They’re going to bomb Pearl Harbor!

  When his Ford squealed around the last curve before the air station, he stared in disbelief. Like angry hornets, Zeros were dive-bombing the airfield as one explosion after another erupted into orange balls of fire. The planes’ machine guns were raking the parked PBYs while panic-stricken sailors were running helter-skelter in confusion and fear, ducking behind anything that provided cover. The unlucky ones were being mowed down by strafing or were already sprawled on the ground dead or dying. Smoke was billowing up from scores of fires. My God, all hell is breaking loose!

  Finn’s car screeched to a stop near the seaplanes’ parking ramp, and he made a mad dash for one of the hangars. During his sprint, a Zero skimming only 100 feet off the ground fired several rounds that kicked up dirt just inches from Finn’s feet. He rushed into the hangar as bullets pelted the metal siding. Inside, several men were crouched under desks.

  “The war is on!” Finn bellowed. “The Japs are here!”

  One of the sailors muttered, “I didn’t know they were that sore at us.”

  “Come on!” Finn yelled. “We’ve got to fight back!”

  “With what?” countered another sailor. “We don’t have any antiaircraft guns.”

  “We’ll fight ’em with whatever we’ve got. Our country is being attacked, so we must shoot back. Let’s go!”

  He led the small group to the armory next door, flung open the back of an ordnance truck that was parked inside, and passed out machine guns and ammunition. “Just start shooting at those Zeros, and let ’em know we’re not taking this lying down.”

  When Finn emptied the truck of weapons, he told the rest of the men to yank out the .50-caliber and .30-caliber machine guns in the PBYs. In the fiery, explosive chaos outside, men darted into the burning wreckages and retrieved ammo and any guns that weren’t damaged. Then they began firing at the Japanese planes.

  How dare those Japs attack us! Finn thought. How dare they think they can sweep over our island and bomb our planes and ships without any resistance. Well, we’ll show ’em!

  Filled with a fury he had never felt before, Finn picked up a .30-caliber machine gun, which weighed more than 30 pounds, and ran outside and began firing it in the sky. “No one attacks America and gets away with it!” he shouted. But without having a tripod to rest the heavy weapon on, the slightly built five-foot nine-inch Finn found it almost impossible to shoot with any accuracy.

  This probably isn’t the smartest thing to do, but we need to retaliate. Finn realized that to be effective, he needed a bigger weapon. He charged back into the burning armory and hauled out a .50-caliber machine gun, which weighed more than 80 pounds, and set it on a tripod on an instruction platform in the open by the parking ramp. His only cover was from the billowing smoke of the nearby hangar that was burning out of control. But he didn’t care. He had no fear — only rage. I’m going to shoot ’em down until they shoot me off this platform.

  Armed with several lengthy belts of ammunition, he began firing back at the Zeros as they continued their deadly bombing and strafing runs. Explosions still rocked the air station and bullets tore into the PBYs on the field and in the water, causing several of them to burst into flames.

  The loud rat-a-tat-tat fire from his machine gun drowned out the shrieking and whining of the swooping Zeros. Not for a second did Finn think of his own safety — not even when bullets from the planes slammed into the platform. They have to pay a price for this! They have to know that they can’t get away with a surprise attack without losing their own lives!

  Every time he saw the painted red ball — the Japanese symbol for the rising sun — under the wings of the Zeros, he seethed with anger and vowed to use it as a bull’s-eye. When he used up one ammo belt, he swiftly loaded another into the machine gun and kept up his fire as the enemy roared overhead.

  Because he was out in the open and harassing the Japanese, Finn could no longer be ignored by the enemy. While he was focused on trying to knock down a Zero coming in from the left, he failed to notice that another plane zooming in on his right was taking aim directly at him.

  Bullets ripped into the platform, sending sharp bits of wood and metal ripping into his legs. Finn stopped shooting and dropped to his knees in pain. Seeing blood start to seep through his pants, he looked up at the sky and hollered, “Now you’ve really ticked me off!” He took a few deep breaths, stood back up, and continued firing at the enemy.

  A different Zero on a strafing run peppered the parking area. Once again, Finn was struck, this time in the upper left arm and right thumb. “Ahh! Damn!” He let go of the trigger and looked at his wounds. He noticed that the bullet had gone through a fleshy part of his bicep and, although it hurt, he told himself, It’s no big deal.

  He ignored his bloody thumb and returned his focus to shooting. The barrel of his machine gun was getting red-hot. Low on ammo, he jumped off the platform and limped into the smoke-filled armory where he lugged more heavy belts of ammo. On his way back to the platform, he spotted sailors helping wounded comrades to safety. He saw men firing at low-flying Zeros with rifles and even pistols in a defiant defense of the air station. A sense of pride surged through his wounded body. We Americans are tough.

  Hobbling past a group of sailors who were firing from behind a truck, he yelled, “We won’t give up. We’ll never give up!”

  The men cheered. One of them then said, “Hey, Finn, you’re not going back out there, are you?”

  “Yep. That’s my post.”

  Just then a bullet slammed into his thigh, and he tumbled to the ground.

  “How badly are you hurt, Finn?”

  “It’s nothing,” he grunted. “The bullet went straight through. It’s only a flesh wound.” He gathered his ammo belts and limped back to the platform where he loaded his weapon and began shooting again. Just when he had a Zero in his sights, the gun jammed. Can my luck get any worse? As he feverishly worked to fix the weapon, a bomb exploded a few yards away, sending small pieces of shrapnel flying into his belly. He fell backward from the impact, leaving him woozy.

  His once-crisp white shirt and pants were now covered with blood. After making a quick assessment of his latest injury, he told himself, I’m hurt, but it doesn’t seem to be that serious. Time to get back on my feet. I’ve got Zeros to shoot down.

  Finn pulled himself up and worked on the machine gun until it was operating again. He had no way of knowing how many planes he hit or damaged or destroyed. All he knew was that he would never quit shooting.

  During a brief lull, he felt the pain from his wounds growing in intensity. One of the sailors came over to him and said, “Finn, you’re a bloody mess. I’ll get you a medic.”

  “Don’t worry about me,” Finn said, trying hard not to wince. “It looks worse than it is. Just keep manning your guns. Now, get back to your post!”

  Moments later, Finn spotted a Zero far in the distance. It grew larger as it headed directly toward him. Here’s my chance. The plane dropped lower and kept on its straight-ahead course through a black cloud of smoke at the far end of the air station.

  As the Zero emerged from the smoke, Finn saw its propeller churn the smoke in a wispy circle that reminded him of a holiday wreath that his wife, Alice, had hung on the front door the day before. The plane came in lower and looked like it was aiming straight down Finn’s gun barrel. Then he saw bursts of light flashing from its wings, its deadly bullets striking the ground in a pattern that tracked right toward him.

  Wait, wait, don’t shoot too soon, he told himself. Finn’s sweaty, bleeding fingers gripped the trigger. The plane was so close now that he could see the pilot’s face. He’s grinning at me! The Jap is grinning at me! Not for long!

  Finn squeezed the trigger and fired off several
rounds as the plane roared just a few feet over his head. Finn swiveled his machine gun around and shot more bullets at the rear of the Zero. Suddenly, it started spewing smoke from its left wing. The engine coughed, sputtered, and burst into flames. The plane banked sharply to the left and plunged into the woods. Seconds later, Finn heard an explosion and saw smoke rising over the trees.

  “I got him!” Finn yelled. “I got him!”

  He jumped up in exultation and promptly collapsed on the platform in agony. He looked down at his right shoe, or what was left of it. One of the Zero’s bullets had struck Finn’s foot. He hadn’t noticed the pain while he was shooting at the plane, but he did now. This wound hurt more than the others.

  “Finn,” yelled a medic who was tending to a wounded sailor about 20 yards away. “Let me help you!”

  “Stay where you are,” he ordered. “You take care of the others first. I’ve been scratched up, that’s all.” He was more than scratched. Finn had bullet holes in his arm and thigh, and shrapnel wounds in his legs, stomach, and chest. He was losing blood. But he wasn’t ready to give up; he wasn’t willing to abandon his post.

  So what if he was badly wounded? It was important to him to keep fighting back. No matter what, those Japs can’t go unpunished — not by me, my comrades, or my country.

  And so Finn continued to fire his machine gun at every passing Zero. The more he shot, the more he caught the attention of the enemy. Soon every strafing run included gunfire directed at the tough-as-nails chief petty officer. He just kept on shooting. Again and again, he got grazed by a bullet or struck by shrapnel, but he never wavered except for those times when he was brought to his knees momentarily after getting hit. But every time, he rose and continued to man his machine gun.

  More than once, fellow Navy men begged him to leave his post and seek medical help, but he waved them off. “I’m not ready yet,” he yelled at them. “I’ve got more Zeros to shoot down.”

  Finally, after nearly two hours of fighting, the Zeros left almost as quickly as they had come. When the last plane had flown off, the air station fell into an eerie silence except for the crackling of the fires. Finn scanned the skies, wondering if another wave of Japanese planes was on its way. But when he looked around, he knew there was no need for another attack. The Zeros had accomplished their mission. They had virtually destroyed the air station.