The Endless Blue

Chapter 1 - Life's Clock

  Chapter 1 - Life's Clock

My eyes clenched shut as the wind rushed through every crack and crevice of the glass in front of my face. Maps and papers rushed about the cockpit with the sheer force of a tornado. The smell of burning oil was strong in the air. Black smoke engulfed the entire aircraft. I was exhausted; I had been up here for 4 hours. My face was drenched in sweat. I could hardly muster the energy needed to move my smallest finger. Only the heavy thuds of the engine kept me from slipping into unconsciousness.

My adrenaline was really the only thing keeping me aware of my situation. I knew that I had only so much of it left. I had to use what was left of it to my advantage. Moving my hand up, I slowly wiped the motor oil from my goggles. In a excruciating struggle, I managed to motivate the muscles in my neck. As my head began to turn I noted what amount of immense damage had been done.

The wings that I had trusted my life with were now filled with immense gaping holes. The skin that once protected the inner-skeleton was peeled back as if it were a can of sardines. It was grim. There was simply no other way for me to put it. One thing still poked at the back of my mind though.

Was it there? I had to know if it was still there; still watching. I knew it was; it simply had to be.

There it was. The body was as white as the clouds it danced with. Its decal representing the empire of the rising sun. All I could make out was the simple silhouette. Except the aircraft was no mystery to me. At the time, this aircraft owned and dominated the Pacific. It was an A6M2 Zero. Although it had the upper-hand in combat, it was piloted by a man no different than I. 

I focused my attention back to the elaborate instruments strewn about in front of me. There was one gauge that hooked my attention. I watched as the numbers decreased in value. That sole gauge was essentially the time I had left on this Earth.

I closed my eyes.

I thought about my life in what short time I had left. I remembered playing baseball on those dry San Francisco fields. I remembered my first day of high-school, my first car, and prom.I remembered myself standing in line at the Armed Forces recruitment office. I remembered being surrounded by posters spitting propaganda into the ears of those to naïve to know what they were getting themselves into. The posters typically conveyed the youth into a war using slang of the time. That being said, young men across the entire country lined up to fight.

Even myself.

I recalled standing there, pen in hand, thinking of which branch would be best. I couldn't have looked like more of a fool standing there.  It was embarrassing to watch as other young men came in with a plan. Running up to the desk

“What’s your name son!” he yelled.

His manner of speech startled me.

“Gordon Jones, sir!” I yelled back cautiously.

“You’ve been standing here catching flies for five damn minutes!” he screamed.

It took courage to gather myself to reply. “I’m trying to decide Army or Navy, sir!” I replied. The man laughed to himself a little bit before firing back.

“Krauts or Japs recruit!” he exploded back.

It really put a spotlight on America's opinion about the enemy. Racist slang was plastered across the walls in cities and even near schools. One of my nephew's first words was Jap. I almost wanted to consider it an epidemic. Even though it was an inappropriate way to put my decision; he was still right. 

I recalled many of my father’s stories. He and my uncle sat outside on our porch and talked about their time in the Great War.  Being packed into a trench and suffocating with each and every gas attack. Watching as your friends and fellow soldiers squirmed and squealed in pain in front of you. It was such narratives that drove me into the navy and away from Germany.

“Japs, sir!” I yelled back, still hesitant. The man’s face lit up in excitement:

“Excellent damn choice recruit!” 

The following months went by very quickly. I navigated my way through basic training and flight school and was quickly assigned to a new addition to the Navy's fleet; the USS Hornet. Getting there, although, was going to be a challenge.