Mustang: War in the Pacific and Europe

Mustang

War in the Pacific and Europe

Dr. Warren Chernick

MUSTANG: War in the Pacific and Europe

Published by Warren Chernick at Smashwords

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard word of this author.

Copyright © 2015 by Warren Chernick

All rights reserved.

Freeze Time Media

Cover illustration by Di Freeze

Cover artwork: catwalker / Shutterstock.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my wife, Marsha, whose work and encouragement is largely responsible for the completion of this novel. I also dedicate it to my daughter, Michelle, son-in-law, David, and my grandsons, Eric and Steven. Enjoy!

Mustang Definition

A Mustang is United States military slang for a commissioned officer who began his career as an enlisted service member and did not earn his commission from one of the service academies or an Officer Candidate School. In many cases, he is awarded his commission for heroic action.

Chapter One - Tragedy in Vienna (1933)

Chapter Two - Only in America (1933—1935)

Chapter Three - The Baron’s Motive (1935)

Chapter Four - Assassination Attempt (1936)

Chapter Five - Enlistment (1938)

Chapter Six - Affair in San Francisco (1938)

Chapter Seven - Race to Manila (1938)

Chapter Eight - Arrival in Manila (1938)

Chapter Nine - Preparation for Battle (1938)

Chapter Ten - Moro Attack (1938)

Chapter Eleven - Promotion (1938)

Chapter Twelve - Eisenhower Departs (1938)

Chapter Thirteen - Ben Wadi Exposed (1938)

Chapter Fourteen - Elena (1938)

Chapter Fifteen - Mother’s Correspondence (1938)

Chapter Sixteen - Return to Mindanao (1939 — 1940)

Chapter Seventeen - Anna’s Trip to Manila (1940)

Chapter Eighteen - Pearl Harbor (1941)

Chapter Nineteen - Chrysanthemum Gold (1942)

Chapter Twenty - Lament and Reprisal (1942 — 1943)

Chapter Twenty-One - Hollandia (1944)

Chapter Twenty-Two - Island of Biak (1944)

Chapter Twenty-Three - Washington D.C. (1944)

Chapter Twenty-Four - White House (1944)

Chapter Twenty-Five - Vengeance (Europe, August 1944)

About The Author

CHAPTER ONE

Tragedy in Vienna (1933)

Vienna had sustained an unusually harsh winter. Temperatures registered below normal, and large drifts of snow blanketed most of the city’s structures. The inclement weather matched the difficulties and challenges recently faced by the Hershal family. Captain Wilhelm Hershal sat in the office occupied by his late father. The elder Hershal had been an extremely successful banker until the current depression wreaked havoc on the financial community. Most bankers suffered untold losses and, no doubt, these catastrophic events contributed to his heart attack and death.

Wilhelm was a member of the elite Austrian Imperial Guard. Since he received his commission, he had been fortunate to receive numerous plaudits bestowed by the senior staff of the guard. Military leaders constantly invited the young officer to lecture throughout Europe on the various tactics armies would use in future wars. He had a solid reputation as a brilliant innovator of new concepts. Until recently, countless German military printing houses had been eager to publish his works.

A number of thoughts raced through the officer’s mind as he read the papers before him. Perhaps for the thousandth time, Wilhelm stared at the handwritten pages lying among his reading material. These papers had drastically changed his life. Merely touching the report brought on wave after wave of melancholy. It was all so disheartening that it elicited a massive trembling of his fingers. The handwritten document, written by Baron von Slitz, indicted Captain Wilhelm Hershal for grand theft of Imperial Guard funds. Several of von Slitz’s colleagues substantiated these thefts. If someone in the Imperial Guard’s administration had not given details of the accusations to a local reporter, Wilhelm’s reputation would not have suffered so much. The scribe quickly expanded the case into a great scandal, and promptly published the accusations in a leading Viennese newspaper.

Countless hours were devoted to the question of why the baron would want to destroy Hershal’s career. Wilhelm could not remember any instance of an insult that would merit such retribution from the baron. Naturally, Wilhelm and his lawyer vigorously denied all of these allegations. Nevertheless, the Guard had no choice but to suspend him from active duty and schedule a hearing as soon as possible. During this period Wilhelm and his lawyer, together with his father’s former associates, gathered a mountain of evidence that they believed would refute these allegations. They were convinced that the forthcoming hearing would provide an opportunity to present all the evidence needed to clear Wilhelm’s name.

The afternoon sun was rapidly fading. The captain carefully secured all of the evidence supporting his position into his father’s confidential file drawer. He could only open this special hiding place by pushing the icons embedded in the wall in a precise sequence. It was a system developed many years ago by some crafty Austrian cabinetmaker.

Wilhelm’s face assumed a resplendent glow with the entrance of his beautiful wife, Anna, and their nine-year-old son, David. A mournful gloom became a constant companion to Wilhelm for subjecting his family to the ignominy of public exposure concerning his Guard suspension. This and the absence of lucrative speaking engagements contributed to his sadness. Only the resolute manner with which Anna managed these difficulties lessened the nature of his woeful feelings and strengthened his love for his wife. He offered a warm kiss to both of them before their departure to attend a meeting with a new school director.

Vienna was in the midst of a busy day, and traffic clogged the narrow streets as Anna and David ventured out on this cold afternoon. They avoided the usual crowds heading toward the shows at the Spanish Riding School and the Opera House.

The family’s current limited monetary situation forced a reassessment of David’s educational program. Because of this, the head of the private school David attended suggested they should apply to the prestigious, state-financed Central Gymnasium for Superior Students. The headmaster stated that the school usually admitted only students over sixteen years of age, but he thought that they should try because of David’s demonstrated aptitude.

They hailed a taxi for their meeting with the school director at the academy, which was located on Breite Gasse Square. When they arrived, the cold wind permeated their clothing in spite of the precautions taken to keep warm. Anna shivered briefly from the icy wind as they climbed the ornate marble steps of the entrance. Once inside, an assistant conducted the pair into the director’s office.

Anna’s first impression of the director, Herr Joplin, was of a man of diminutive stature, displaying a full jet-black beard punctuated by broad streaks of grey interspersed between unruly locks. His eyes were wide open and he appeared very alert.

The director was at his desk thinking that this boy before him was tall, with an abundance of striking blond hair. He thought that he appeared much too young for normal admittance to the school, yet the young man’s tests were phenomenal. The next step Herr Joplin needed to do was determine whether the boy possessed the maturity needed to progress in an academy environment.

Anna was intrigued with the system of questions the director asked David. Director Joplin framed them with increasing difficulty. He also intermingled them with simple mathematical problems and current events. Anna thought that this was a wonderful system for evaluating the student’s intellect. She made a note in her mind to remember this approach. Her uncanny ability to read a person’s eyes revealed that the director was very pleased with the answers David offered in response to the barrage of questions.

Herr Joplin said to Frau Hershal, I am very impressed with your son. I do not think David will have any difficulty in gaining admission to the Gymnasium. I also think it will be a simple matter to acquire a sponsor to pay the matriculation fee. It looks like we can conclude these arrangements by next month. The school looks forward to welcoming this young man to the Central Academy’s family.

Anna was relieved about this arrangement. I thank you very much for your time, Herr Joplin. I know that the Central Gymnasium is one of the finest schools in Austria. We look forward to David being here.

With maturity far beyond his years, David stood up and held out his hand. Thank you, Herr Joplin. I am very happy to be coming here.

Joplin was impressed with David’s attitude. He stood up and shook the boy’s hand. He then ushered Anna and David out of his office. When they left the building, the two of them ambled down the strasse with the cold wind blowing. The stinging cold meant they needed to stretch the family’s budget by hailing another taxi.

Anna had a sense of foreboding when she and David arrived home. There was only a faint glow of light from deep inside the house. She immediately noticed that Wilhelm’s usual cheerful greeting was absent.

She held David’s hand as they entered the front door and headed for the lighted office. The young woman suddenly uttered an unintelligible shriek. Anna’s beloved husband lay on the floor adorned in an Imperial Guard’s white uniform accented by a pristine red and gold collar. Blood spattered his beautiful blond hair and she could see a revolver clutched tightly in an extended hand. Anna quickly bent down and touched her husband’s neck. Feeling no pulse, she knew that he was dead. Anna began crying uncontrollably and her breath came out in short gasps.

When David saw his adoring father in this state, spasms of sobbing started. Tears streamed down his face. They both sat crying on the floor next to the body. Anna cuddled David and tried to gather solace by kissing the boy’s cheeks repeatedly. They continued weeping for a long time.

Eventually, David slowly went to the telephone. He called Herr Schmitz, a neighbor who lived several houses down the street from their home. He was a prominent jeweler and friend of the family. Through tears, David gasped out, Herr Schmitz, this is David Hershal.

On the other end, Herr Schmitz could hear the panic in the boy’s voice. David, what’s wrong?

Between gasps, David said, My father...he’s dead...there’s blood all over.

I will be right there, David. Where is your mother?

She is here with me.

Don’t move, David. I will be right over.

Herr Schmitz was true to his word and arrived at the Hershal house in a matter of minutes. The scene shocked him. After hugging Anna and David, he went to the telephone and called the police.

Shortly, a caravan of police vehicles noisily arrived followed by a multitude of officials who moved about the office and viewed the body. A tall, neatly dressed man with a spotless white starched shirt and a red vest entered the house and quickly looked over the scene. After a brief discussion with the officers present, the police inspector addressed Anna.

He said, Everyone is deeply sorry that Captain Hershal chose to commit suicide.

Anna’s face turned beet red and she shouted, This was not a suicide. My husband was murdered.

The arrogant gruppen inspector vehemently denied such a conclusion and glibly detailed the reasons for declaring this a suicide.

First, everyone has read in the newspapers of the suspension of Captain Hershal from the Imperial Guard. I am sure he was depressed over this. Secondly, the black powder burn on the skin is a classic sign that he held the revolver very close to his head when he fired. The result is a self-inflicted wound that has a specific look. That is exactly what we have here. Lastly, you found the captain dead in a white dress uniform, indicating he was performing a somber ritual. Frau Hershal, this is a definite suicide and I will label it as such. Gute nacht.

Anna was dazed as the detective departed. She thought about how stupid some law enforcement officials could be. Any moderately intelligent person would notice that the blood had splattered all over, yet there was not one speck on the pristine white uniform. To Anna, it was obvious that someone put the uniform on Wilhelm after he was dead. There was no way someone could continually clutch a gun in their hand after they shot themselves and fell to the floor.

The idea began to form in Anna’s mind that the detective had come under the influence of the wealthy and powerful von Slitz family.

Finding her voice, she said, I wonder if the baron was behind this. He hated your father.

David tried to wipe his eyes with his shirtsleeve. You mean Baron von Slitz? The boy paid attention to the conversations his mother and father had concerning the captain’s sudden difficulty with the guards. Von Slitz’s name often came up as the culprit behind the troubles.

Yes, David, said Anna as she started to cry again. Truthfully, though, these facts did not matter right now. The complete enormity of the loss once more overtook the widow and she again sought David’s embrace to calm their grief. No matter how they tried, both were unable to cope with the anguish they felt.

David felt the tears starting to flow again. As he buried his head into his mother’s shoulder, Anna heard him say, One of these days, I will kill the baron for this!

Following Jewish tradition, Anna arranged the internment quickly, and the family buried Captain Hershal in the family plot. Many neighborhood friends were in attendance, as well as a large contingent of the Imperial Guard. They all wore their dress uniforms. Colonel Lobetz, a member of the senior staff, approached Anna and said, Frau Hershal, you have my sincere condolences over this tragedy.

Without hesitation, Anna responded, Wilhelm did not steal money from the officers’ accounts, nor did he commit suicide.

The colonel nodded and said, Most of the senior staff know the facts and believe the charges are bogus. After the hearing, they were about to start a full investigation. Captain von Slitz could not allow such an inquiry and, in all probability, killed Wilhelm.

The colonel continued, Anna, please understand the political situation in Austria at the present time. More than ever, Germany subtly controls many aspects of Austrian life. The colonel then listed some of the reasons that Captain von Slitz would now be untouchable. He is very close with the powerful National Socialist German Workers’ Party, the Nazis. The baron spends considerable time recruiting guard members to join the party. He has established a very close association with the anti-Semitic new chancellor of Germany, Adolf Hitler. I have to tell you, Frau Hershal, most of the senior staff of the Austrian Imperial Guard will soon be asked to resign.

The colonel reached out and took one of Anna’s hands into both of his. He lowered his voice, Anna, listen, you and your son are in danger from this maniac. Leave Europe now!

When everything was over, Anna was alone in the house with David. She thought about what the colonel told her. He was very stern and unambiguous when he said, Leave now. The phrase echoed in her mind. Anna knew this was not an easy decision. The family had lived in Vienna for generations. All of their friends lived nearby. It would mean moving to an entirely different setting, making new friends, learning a new language, and acquiring a new job of some type.

All these factors made moving an arduous task. Nevertheless, the young woman was sure that a fanatic like von Slitz would eventually need to terminate a family that continually accused a power-grabbing soldier of murder. This constant thought decided the matter for Anna. She arranged to meet the family’s lifelong lawyer, Fritz Baruch. He had spent considerable time in preparing material and witnesses in the event that Wilhelm was court-martialed.

Herr Baruch welcomed Anna into his office. I am so sorry I was not at the service. I had to be in court and the judge would not change the date. I am so sorry about Wilhelm. How are you and David holding up?

As well as we can, considering the circumstances, answered Anna.

Baruch said, I saw that ridiculous report that your husband committed suicide. We both know that did not happen. We were well on our way to proving that all of those accusations were false.

I know, said Anna. The thing is that I have a great fear that this is not finished. The baron is a zealot and he may believe that he also needs to exterminate David and me. I believe that I need to get out of Austria now.

The attorney thought for a few moments. I believe you are right, agreed Herr Baruch. Unfortunately, the biggest asset you own is that elegant house of Wilhelm’s father that you live in. In the past, it would have been worth a fortune, but today’s market is not very forgiving. We need to sell it to get you some travel money. I will need a few days to obtain a buyer. Please prepare for a quick journey and wait for my phone call.

Anna and David quickly determined which household items to keep. They placed some pictures and books that had sentimental value in a strong cardboard box. They stored it in Herr Schmitz’s cellar for him to mail to them when they reached their destination, whatever that ended up being. During their sorting, Anna suggested, We should only take a minimum amount of clothing. We need to travel light and we should only have one suitcase apiece.

David demonstrated unusual maturity by saying, Mother, you should change your appearance. You are very pretty and we don’t want men continually coming up to you.

Anna laughed for the first time in days and said, David, what a nice thing to say about your mother. You are right, though. We want to blend into the crowds. We don’t know if we will be followed as we try to get out of here.

Anna looked through her bureau and closet to see what she could assemble to make herself less conspicuous. She found a large dress to hide her very feminine figure. She tied her attractive blonde hair into a bun and donned a hausfrau hat. Reading glasses completed the disguise.

A few days later, Herr Baruch summoned Anna and David. When they entered his office, the lawyer described his efforts over the last few days. I managed to sell the house. It went for a ridiculously low price. I bought you two railway tickets. He handed these to Anna along with a leather billfold. The trains will take you from Vienna to Venice. There you will board another train to Naples. Most of the passenger ships to New York leave from Naples. In that billfold are enough shillings to support a journey through Austria.

Herr Baruch then pulled two money belts out of his desk drawer. He gave one to Anna and one to David. These contain enough liras to cover the trip through Italy, including hotels in Naples. The rest of the money in the belts is in U.S. currency. Almost anyone will accept that in exchange for anything else you might need. The last pocket in the belts contains several flawless diamonds that you can use for future expenses.

Anna said, We are both so grateful for what you have done.

Herr Baruch gave a slight nod in appreciation. Here is something else that may be helpful. He handed Anna an envelope addressed to I. Brodsky. That is a cousin of mine, said the lawyer. He owns a clothing store in Brooklyn. Since you plan to head there to be with your own cousins, you should not have much of a problem finding him. Look him up for a job when you get settled.

Baruch took a deep breath before continuing. Unfortunately, the necessity of obtaining a buyer for the house and money this quickly removed any secrecy around the transactions. Therefore, the word may be out that the Hershals are leaving Vienna. Herr Baruch handed Anna a small handgun, a derringer, to place in her purse. Hopefully, you will not need it, but better safe than sorry. Good luck to both of you. The lawyer hugged each one lovingly.

Back at the house, David scanned the railroad tickets. He suggested to Anna, There is an inherent danger in departing from the main train station where many people may know us and see us leaving. Why don’t we take a bus ride to Innsbruck and board the train at that station?

Anna marveled at her young son’s ingenuity. That is a wonderful idea. But if we want to make that happen, we need to leave now.

They gathered up their suitcases and left. Outside, the cold air penetrated through their clothing. For one last time, they both tearfully looked at grandfather’s house. It had been their home for so many years. They were about to lock up the house and call a taxi when David noticed a large black sedan stationed across the street. It was in an area where most neighbors or visitors would not park. David realized that they might be under surveillance. Thinking this might force a change in their travel plans, David told Anna of the danger. Then, in the darkness, he slipped out the back door and crept behind the sedan.

With only the dim light of a gas streetlight for aid, David saw two men, possibly in uniforms, sitting in the car. The sedan bore a license plate from Bavaria, Germany. Returning stealthily to the house, David told Anna that they should exit via the back door and slowly make their way to Herr Schmitz’s house. They quietly did this and David tapped lightly at Schmitz’s rear door.

Herr Schmitz cautiously opened the door in response to David’s knock. Looking at the two callers, he asked, Why are you coming to my back door at this hour?

Anna said, We are trying to leave, but there is a car outside our house. We think they are watching for us.

Without hesitating, their neighbor said, Go to the garage and get in the backseat of the Mercedes. Get down on the floor so they cannot see you. I will drive you where you need to go.

They told Herr Schmitz that their destination was the bus station, not the railroad terminal. With that information, their loyal neighbor proceeded in that direction. They both thanked their friend profusely, and Anna suspected that the jeweler had contributed the gems in their travel cache. She further thanked him for this.

Please, be safe, Herr Schmitz said, unable to keep the emotion out of his voice.

Anna and David could see very few passengers as they boarded the heated bus. They realized their departure from Austria had taken on a new dimension since discovering they were under surveillance by a group from Germany. Such information meant that they both needed to pay particular attention to their surroundings during this journey.

The bus ride to Innsbruck was uneventful and, with the exception of insufficient sleep, they both felt somewhat elated at the prospects ahead. A cozy restaurant allowed them to have a sumptuous breakfast. After eating, they still had four to five hours left before their train arrived. When they left the restaurant, they both paid attention to their surroundings. They kept their eyes open for anyone suspicious following them. They saw nothing to raise any alarms, but they were well aware that neither of them was professional enough to easily detect any pursuit.

They tried to be unobtrusive in a corner of the rail station until their train pulled up to its platform. When they boarded, the train conductor raised an eyebrow when noticing a Vienna starting point on their tickets. Other than that surprised look, he nonchalantly escorted the mother and son to their compartment. The morning sun was unusually bright for January, with a golden glow shining on the distant mountains. The winter’s abundant snowfall was quite visible on the mountaintops as the train hurried on the way to Italy. Two elderly women shared their compartment, but were very uncommunicative throughout most of the trip. At one point, they did comment on the fact that the ride seemed to go on forever. Suddenly, the conductor announced that they would be stopping at the border and everyone should have their passports available for inspection.

The conductor and a border control soldier stopped at each compartment to scan passports. As she was looking through the door of their compartment, Anna suddenly gasped when she viewed a young man further back in the passageway wearing a brown uniform with a prominently displayed black swastika Nazi armband. So, Anna thought, the notorious German Brown Shirt gangsters who caused so much civil unrest in Germany have arrived in Austria.

Everyone in Austria followed the events in Germany very closely. The appointment of the radical, anti-Semitic, and power-grabbing head of the National Socialist Party, the Nazis, troubled everybody in both nations. People’s fears heightened when the German Parliament building, the Reichstag, caught fire. The Nazis blamed the communists and said they wanted a revolution similar to the one they staged in Russia. The Brown Shirts, so named because of the color of their uniforms, gave themselves more power after the burning. The Brown Shirts consisted of thugs and criminals who beat up anyone opposed to Hitler’s policies. Everybody in Germany was afraid to speak up to these barbarians.

Anna leaned over and whispered to David, No matter what happens, we must not be taken off the train by the Brown Shirts. No way!

The conductor and border guard quickly viewed their passports and left. Then the young storm trooper came into the compartment and harshly told the two elderly women to move to another compartment. The flustered ladies retrieved their luggage and scampered off. The young Brown Shirt, hardly taller than David, then said to the mother and son, You are to leave the train. Ask no questions and follow orders.

Anna instantly took out the derringer, pointed it at the youth, and sternly said, Sit down or be killed.

While she was saying this, David picked up a wooden tray in the compartment and smashed the trooper on the head with sufficient force to render the man unconscious. Pulling out his pocketknife, he cut some cords from the window shades and tied the unconscious man’s arms and legs. Anna shoved a gag into the youth’s mouth and secured it. She then placed a blanket over the incapacitated man and used a few moments to plan their next move.

Anna and David did not think they had the physical strength to shove the man through the high railcar window, and they had not reached the stage where they thought of killing the youth. The only possible choice was to secure him tightly and leave the train as soon as possible.

As they were discussing their options, the train started to move and they could read signs indicating that they had crossed the border into Italy. Once more, the train halted, presumably to change engines