Two Sons of Nippon

'Anything else in sight, Mike?'

'No, Captain, just a floating wreck or something with some nips on it. Maybe four or five more hanging on the side.'

'How about you, sound man, anything at all?'

'Not a thing, Captain. No blips on the screen. No radar contact, nothing.'

'Do you think it could be a trick, Captain? A raft with a mine or some other explosive device attached to it?'

'I don't know, so let's circle in real slow like and take a closer look. Just idle up a bit and then we'll cut the motors. Let me have the scope now and I'll zoom in on them.'

After taking a 360-degree sweep as slow as he could the captain adjusted to the highest power and focused in on the men on the raft and in the water.

'I'll be damned, take it up fast. Gun crews on deck. Double the lookouts to the bridge and keep a good eye out for planes and periscopes. Rudder amidships, all stop.'

Hokai and the rest of the men thought it was the end of the world come gushing up out of the water, there was that much noise before the long shape of a submarine surfaced. They were all frightened and for a moment Hokai was too until he realized what it was and could not believe his eyes. As blurry as they were, he thought he recognized who was on the conning tower shouting commands to the sailors appearing on the submarines deck.

The sub drifted closer to them and the man in the conning tower pointed at Hokai and waved him over. Weak as Hokai was, he did not think he could swim even that short distance but he slid into the water and tried. He had to get some kind of help or they would all perish. The officer on the bridge noticed his slow struggle and ordered a raft lowered to pick him up.

The men on the makeshift raft were shouting, as best they could, for Hokai to come back. They were afraid the American's would kill him or take him prisoner and then kill them all. The American sailors reached Hokai and gently lifted him into their raft and rowed back to the sub where they handed him to the men on deck. He was barely able to stand.

'God dammit, Hokai, what the hell are you doing out here in the middle of the Pacific? And stop that damn bowing!'

'We are in a bad way, Webb, can you help us at all? Torpedoed and drifting for maybe twelve days now, no food or water, man needs medical atten . . . ' Hokai passed out and fell to his knees before a sailor caught him. The exertion of trying to swim to the sub was too much.

'Get that man, and get some food and water up here and over to that raft or whatever it is. Get a first aid kit up here, too. You lookouts never mind what's going on down here just keep a sharp eye on the sky and all points of the horizon.'

Webb Jones came down from the conning tower and went over to take Hokai from the man who was holding him. His red hair never looked so good to Hokai.

'Damn, Hokai, you're in a bad way, fella. Drink some of this water but go slow. You men bring up some orange and pineapple juice and some of those emergency rations for them. Better bring up some dried biscuits, too. Have the corpsman come up here on the double?'

'Thanks, Webb. I could not believe my eyes when I saw you on the conning tower. It even hurts to talk. My mouth and throat hurt so much.'

'Drink a little more and then take some of this biscuit and juice.'

'I know I can't keep you on the surface for long, too dangerous, even though you are the first thing we have seen in over two weeks. We were sunk just north of Savo Island. How far have we drifted? I don't even know about where we are.'

'I can't give you the exact coordinates but you have come quite a way from where you were hit. No search party out for you?'

'It doesn't appear that there is one looking for us. My rating lost a leg to a shark, they have not left us alone. I started out with about fifteen men and now I'm down to eight. Can I get a medical kit from you, Webb? Something especially for a missing leg.'

'You mean to tell me that you cut off the guy's leg?'

'The shark did that I merely folded the flaps of skin and tied off the veins and arteries. He is in a bad way though. I know the rules or I would beg you to take him aboard with you. You are even breaking them by stopping to help us right now. I must let you go.'

'I know, dammit, I know, Hokai. Look let me make the exception and take you with me. I can always say I took you as an officer for interrogation and information. Stay aboard with me, Hokai. I can make you comfortable. At least let me save your life. You need medical attention too. I don't know how much more you or I can do for the others, they look pretty bad.'

'I can't. I can't leave these men. They are dying like flies on me. What kind of officer would I be to abandon them? Give us some food and water and be on your way. A raft, can you spare a raft for us, Webb? Maybe if I can keep his leg dry, I can save him.'

'I'll give you more than that, even some of that new shark repellent that just came out. They say it works. Chief load up that raft and have a crew take him back to his men. Hokai, I want you to know it was not us who sunk your ship. We just came into this zone a day or so ago and you're the first sign of life we've seen. I mean there has been nothing around at all.'

While the corpsman is seeing to Hokai, Webb tells his executive officer.

'It was probably Ed Shepherd and his exec. Bob Fisher aboard the Halibut. They like to lay on the bottom like a flounder and then strike at their prey as it comes by.'

Webb kneels down beside Hokai. 'Hokai, I always knew you didn't want this damn war, stay with us. You know these guys have had it and you're as weak as a kitten. How long do you think you can last out here? Dammit Hokai, stay with me, please.'

'As long as it takes, Webb. I'm sorry for this war we brought to you and everyone caught up in it. Thanks for this, Webb. I won't forget it.'

'One more time, Hokai, come with us, I'll even take the man with the missing leg. My corpsman could look after him. Stay aboard.'

'No, I can't abandon these men not even to save myself. Maybe now we will make it with the food, water and life raft. Thanks Webb, and good luck to you.'

Two sailors helped Hokai into the raft and before being taken over to the float he and Webb Jones saluted each other. With the help of American sailors already at the float, Hokai was lifted up and placed with Mitsuro and the others were placed into the life raft. Before the sub disappeared below the surface Webb Jones shouted as loud as he could, 'Good Luck, Hokai!'

Hokai acknowledged it with a weak wave of his hand. Once again there was the silence, the sun, the sea and the sharks.

'Ya know, Skipper, I kind of hated to leave those poor souls just floating around out there. God knows what they're in for.'

'Yea! I know what you're saying and they had a hard enough time of it already. They may be nips but they had a life back in their hometown. Maybe a wife and children or a sweetheart. I met that Japanese officer back in the states in Washington, D.C. before the war.

I know he didn't want war. An intelligent guy, too. I liked him, though not at first. I guess just because he was a nip but after a while I liked him, we all did once we got to know him better. Had him to a barbeque at Annapolis where we all had a great time. I hope he makes it.'

'How are you going to list this one in the log, Skipper?'

'Just the way it happened, just the way we saw it. No lies or half truths will ever go in my log. I wish I could have kept him aboard.'

'Some of the wheels at Pearl may not see it your way.'

'Some of them may have done the same under the circumstances.'

'Maybe, maybe not. It will be a hard one to call.'

'Well, I still hope they make it. Any sailor would hope that.'