Finally

“Yes my Fuhrer!” I shout just as the door to the Chancellery bunker glides open.

In walks General Dietrich von Saucken, newly reinstated from being fired last month for insisting it is pointless to continue the war.

How will The Fuhrer treat this Prussian aristocratic general? How will a general who was just fired and rehired handle meeting The Fuhrer?

General von Saucken slowly and casually walks into the room wearing his cavalry sabre and monocle.

He has his sword and monocle on, not to mention his sidearm, all are forbidden in The Fuhrer’s presence.

Seeing the Fuhrer, the general offers a soft, almost half-hearted military salute without removing his monocle.

The Nazi salute has been compulsory for all officers since the assassination attempt last July.

I eye Bormann; he looks back at me.

What will The Fuhrer do to this general who is blatantly disrespecting him?

“General Guderian, brief General von Saucken on conditions in East Prussia, and the Danzig area, where he will take over 2nd Army Group,” Hitler orders.

Did The Fuhrer not notice the general’s contempt? The general is eying the Fuhrer with such loathing.

I provide a short brief to the general, informing him of Russia’s disposition in the area and the current strength of the 2nd Army.

“And, in Danzig area you will have to accept the authority of Gauleiter Forster,” the Fuhrer adds, as an afterthought.

Ah, The Fuhrer is making General von Saucken report to a local Nazi party official, rather than a military commander. That can’t go well! No Prussian general would take orders from a party functionary.

Bormann gives me another insecure look. General von Saucken stiffens with a withering look aimed directly at the Fuhrer, who doesn’t seem to notice as he looks down at the maps on the table.

Leaning over the table, General von Saucken, who still has the monocle in his eye, slams the flat of his hand down on its solid wood surface of the table with the full force his powerful arms can deliver. The room falls silent.

Surprised by such insubordination, the Fuhrer looks up directly into General von Saucken’s eyes.

“I have no intention, Herr Hitler, of placing myself under the orders of Gauleiter!” General von Saucken declares with utter contempt for the man he sees as some mere corporal, rather than the esteemed leader of a now crumbling nation.

A small bug walking across the carpeted floor would make an echoing boom across the whole of the room in such a silence. General von Saucken just refused to take a direct order and belittled him by addressing him as “Herr Hitler” instead of “Mein Fuhrer.”

Bormann looks at me again, then looks toward General von Saucken. I look at both with an imploring visage.

Please don’t get The Fuhrer angry today! It seems Hitler is physically shrinking from the general’s words. His face looks even more waxen, his body more bowed than ever.

After a few tense moments Hitler quietly mumbles, “Alright Saucken, keep the command to yourself,” while waving the general away.

Making a half-hearted bow, without providing a Nazi salute, General von Saucken turns his back on Hitler and leaves the room.

Someone stood up to Hitler in his presence. It can be done! Finally, it has been done.

*****

General von Saucken

http://www.jmarkpowell.com/the-man-who-said-no-to-hitler-and-lived-to-tell-about-it/

On March 12, 1945, Hitler was so blatantly talked back to by one of his generals, but this time the general was not fired. The conservative Prussian aristocrat General Dietrich von Saucken did not take orders from what he referred to as the brown mob of Nazis. When Hitler ordered him to defend Danzig, he was agreeable. But, when Hitler told the general that he would take orders from the local Nazi party official, the general would not have it. Hitler relented, and the general was able to command as he saw fit, leading to a strong defense by under equipped and ill-trained men in the German 2nd Army. Hitler was feared by many, but yet he succumbed to the force of a clearly better man. Not intimidated by Hitler’s ravings nor hypnotized by his charisma, General von Saucken replied as he saw fit. How many times in Hitler’s rise to power could someone have stood up to him, preventing the horror he wrought on the world, if only they had as much nerve as this Prussian general?

General von Saucken was the last German awarded the Diamonds of The Knight’s Cross (on May 8, 1945) for his masterful defense of Danzig. He was offered a flight out to safety in the West but refused, insisting instead to surrender with his army. After surrendering, von Saucken went into Soviet captivity. He refused to sign a false letter and was subsequently sentenced to 25 years of imprisonment and sent to a Siberian work camp. Here he was tortured and spent twelve months in solitary confinement. He returned to Germany in 1955 as a marked man and settled in Munich, where he took up amateur painting. He passed away in 1980.

(Source: Beevor, Antony. Berlin the Downfall 1945 ISBN 0-670-88695-5. p.120.)

Surrounded

“HERE THEY COME AGAIN.” Strained words project from the dark ridgeline as at least two battalions of North Korean infantry storm up toward my platoon.

My voice is cracking, as are my men.

We’ve been holding a forward perimeter, just south of the main peak of Hill 931, ahead of the rest of C Company, since our Battalion’s attack stalled early this morning.

Instead of sending reinforcements, Battalion told us to stay put.

We volunteered to hold the front. Now, even with support from artillery, mortar, and heavy machine guns, we’re about to be overwhelmed.

“STAY LOW AND FIRE!” I order, hoping my guys stay out of the crossfire between the rest of our battalion and the oncoming red tide.

“LIEUTENANT, WE CAN PULL BACK,” Sanchez, my radioman, yells toward me.

God Bless!

Battalion must have realized our position is untenable. How nice of them!

“ALRIGHT, WE’RE PULLING OUT!” I yell to the men. “FIRST SQUAD, I’LL STAY WITH YOU. SPREAD OUT AND COVER THE REST OF THE COMPANY. EVERYONE ELSE, PULL BACK.”

As my hands fumble with a belt of ammunition for our light machine gun, I order Sanchez, “Leave the set, I’ll need it.”

He climbs out of the harness while moving the Motorola behind a rock.

At least most of my boys will be able to rejoin battalion.

Men start running back toward the line, leaving first squad and me out in front of the whole unit.

“KEEP FIRING, THEN MOVE!” I yell, hoping to stave off a wholesale sprint by most of my men.

“COVER FIRE! MAINTAIN COVER FIRE!” I scream as I tap the light machine gun twice to signal to Perez it’s loaded.

Before I can even take my hand off the device, it’s already heating up from projected rounds spewing forth toward the reds.

Tracer rounds streaking overhead keep me low as I move toward the Motorola.

We need more artillery support.

“THIS IS C COMPANY. WE NEED MORE FIRE SUPPORT NOW!” I yell into the device, fingers trembling on the speak button.

“There’s too many of them!” Napier yells from somewhere in front of me.

We’re going to be slaughtered out here if we wait any longer.

“FIRST SQUAD, EVERYONE BACK TO BATTALION!” I order in the loudest voice I can muster.

I can’t let these boys die out here while the rest of the unit is on the ridge.

Thomas starts heading back, followed by Richards.

Then Wallace and Zopa pop up from an outcrop.

Where’s Pililaʻau, my BAR carrier?

“PILILA’AU, GET BACK!” I call out, not knowing exactly where he is after so much movement to cover the whole position by just a few men.

“I’ll stay LIEUTENANT!” I hear from in front of a rock outcrop about 10 meters from me.

“I SAID EVERYONE!” I yell back.

“YOU’LL NEED COVER LIEUTENANT!” he replies, fire still coming from his position.

I can order him to get out of here, but he’s right, I do need cover.

Just 20 meters ahead of my positions, massive explosions burst as our artillery finally shows up. Despite this onslaught of explosive and shrapnel, I can see reds advancing through it. Limbs flying, bodies flung about; yet they continue up the hill.

“USE WHAT AMMO YOU HAVE, THEN GET OUT OF HERE!” I order.

Back on the Motorola, I scream above the din, “PUT EVERYTHING ON US, THEY’RE STILL COMING!”

The staccato firing of the Browning automatic rifle reassures me Pililaʻau is still out there as I look over the rocks toward the ever-advancing North Koreans.

Some must have seen me as rock splinters shoot out in every direction, inches from my shoulder.

I’ve gotta move.

Sliding away from my rock, I take the Motorola with me to find another safe perch from which to call in the artillery. Looking right and left, I’m lost in time for a moment. I cannot see beyond the small black-filled night, interrupted intermittently with tracer rounds, and finally, the bright burst of explosive shells as artillery is plowed over our position.

Finding a rock about fifteen feet from my original position, I hide behind it to catch my breath.

I haven’t heard Pililaʻau since the last burst of artillery.

“YOU STILL THERE?” I yell, not knowing in which direction I should be calling to him.

“YES LIEUTENANT, BUT RUNNING LOW ON AMMO FOR THE BAR,” he replies from somewhere in front of me. I can’t make it out in the darkness.

“PULL BACK NOW!” I order into the darkness.

More lightening, like bursts of artillery, with the accompanying crash of thunder, as round after round lands among the onrushing red tide. Bullets again start striking near me. Tracer rounds as long white perfectly straight lines, streak across the night, shattering rock near my head.

Shit, I must move again!

“I’M MOVING AGAIN, GET OUT!” I scream into the ether as I run back toward where I think the rest of the unit is holding the line.

During my ascent up the slope, an unstoppable crescendo of rounds striking rocks and dirt streams forth from all directions.

Both sides must be shooting at me!

Just twenty meters away from where I think our line is, the dark outline of dug-in soldiers is illuminated by the tracer rounds following me up the slope.

“THIS IS LIEUTENANT HAGAR, DON’T SHOOT!” I scream in an almost failing voice, hoping my guys can hear me above explosive artillery rounds landing nearby.

“GET HERE!” someone yells from in front of me.

Yes, they heard me!

“HAS PILILA’AU GOTTEN BACK YET?” I ask all as I jump into a dugout.

“Lieutenant, he’s not only not come back, but look,” Zopa replies, pointing back out toward where the artillery is bursting. By the light of explosive rounds, I can make out a single man throwing grenades toward the onrushing Koreans.

DAMN IT, HE DIDN’T GET OUT OF THERE!

“GIVE HIM COVER BOYS!” I order, not knowing how many men heard me.

Flashes of artillery keep his silhouette visible as we fire all around him. From just in front, behind, and to his sides, I can see Korean soldiers thronging, thrusting, and thrashing at him.

Within reach lays an unused rifle, so I pick it up.

“FIRE ALL AROUND HIM!”

Firing tirelessly to his left I see him pick up rocks to throw.

He’s out of ammo and grenades.

“KEEP FIRING!”

Pililaʻau pulls out his trench knife and lunges at a Korean soldier as a new set of explosive rounds lights up the whole face of the hill. Revealed by the explosion, a mass of Korean soldiers flows like a wave toward us, except in the area where Pilila’au’s fighting them off tooth and nail as an island in a sea.

His silhouette crumples, as if hit by a bullet in the mid-section.

He’s down!

Then the mass of Koreans continues forth over where he was fighting. Another round of bright explosive bursts reveals a Korean standing over something, bayonet in hand, stabbing at the ground.

He’s gone.

*****

Herbert Kailieha Pililaʻau

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_K._Pililaau

On September 17, 1951 Company C, 1st Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 2nd United States Infantry Division was ordered to take Hill 931 near Pia-ri, Korea. After the attack stalled at the ridgeline south of Hill 931 and north of Hill 854 a platoon of Company C was ordered to hold a forward position while the rest of the Company rejoined the main body behind the ridge. At around 10:00 p.m. two battalions of the 13th Infantry Regiment, 6th Division, Korean People’s Army, began a concerted attack on the American position. The North Korean attack overwhelmed this small force, compelling them to retreat to rejoin the company. Private First Class Herbert Kailieha Pililaʻau’s squad was assigned to stay back momentarily and cover the retreat. Eventually, only Pililaʻau and his squad leader remained at the platoon’s original position.

The squad leader and forward observer Lt. Richard Hagar called in artillery fire continuously ahead of Pililaʻau, trying to cover him while he moved, also calling fire on the two hilltops, while Pililaʻau continued to fight off the attack. At one point, Hagar became afraid that the artillery was too close and that he hit Pililaʻau. Hagar called out for him, and Pililaʻau said he was ok and told Hagar to keep going. After exhausting the ammunition for his BAR, Pilila’au began throwing hand grenades until those too were gone. As some of his comrades watched from their new position further down the ridge, Pililaʻau threw rocks at the attackers before charging at them, wielding his trench knife with one hand, and punching with the other. He was soon surrounded and killed by bayonet. When his platoon retook the position the next day, they found forty dead North Korean soldiers around his body.

A Native Hawaiian who was born and raised on the island of Oʻahu, Pililaʻau was a talented singer and ukulele player and an avid reader. Drafted into the Army, he briefly considered declaring himself a conscientious objector, as his Christian faith made him unsure of killing others, but decided against this idea. He was sent to Korea in March 1951. Aged 22 at his death, Pililaʻau was buried at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu on February 26, 1952 (Section P, Grave 127). For his actions on, what would later become known as Heartbreak Ridge, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor citation

Pfc. Pililaʻau, a member of Company C, distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and outstanding courage above and beyond the call of duty in action against the enemy. The enemy sent wave after wave of fanatical troops against his platoon, which held a key terrain feature on Heartbreak Ridge. Valiantly defending its position, the unit repulsed each attack until ammunition became practically exhausted and it was ordered to withdraw to a new position. Voluntarily remaining behind to cover the withdrawal, Pfc. Pililaʻau fired his automatic weapon into the ranks of the assailants, threw all his grenades and, with ammunition exhausted, closed with the foe in hand-to-hand combat, courageously fighting with his trench knife and bare fists until finally overcome and mortally wounded. When the position was subsequently retaken, more than 40 enemy dead were counted in the area he had so valiantly defended. His heroic devotion to duty, indomitable fighting spirit, and gallant self-sacrifice reflect the highest credit upon himself, the infantry, and the U.S. Army.

Unexploded

“You’re Mr. B, and I’m a dragon slayer!” seven year old Masaki yells as he chases me across the school playground.

These kids and their imaginations, pretending they are fighter pilots taking down American bombers while in reality running mad across a dusty field of drying brown grass.

“I’m 20 seconds from Osaka, locking on target.” I call out so all the little dragon killers can hone in on me.

“Bamm, Bamm, Bamm, Bamm, Bamm” Kosaku bursts in syncopated rhythms to match those of a 20 millimeter cannon attempting to rip through the silver skin of an American B-29.

Flapping my arm to portray a damaged wing, I belt out, “You got me, You got me, my wing is on fire.”

The kids run at me, tackling me to the ground with squeals, giggles, and a few mouthed machine gun bursts for good measure.

They are in good spirits, even though we are far from home.

We roll a bit, giggling as we head toward the edge of the field. Masaki rises first, running parallel with the field’s edge, brushing his arms against the wild weeds growing just beyond.

I miss my family. They must all miss theirs so much. To be so far from their mothers. Their fathers either old or away at war. At least they are usually safer here in the countryside. The bombers only come out here by accident.

The other children chase Masaki, arms stretched out to rub along the summer flush weeds.

“A Bomb, A Bomb, Teacher, A bomb!” Kosaku yells out, frozen in place directly before a tangled mass of weeds.

The other children gather around Kosaku, staring into the growth, hoping to catch a glimpse of a bomb.

“Stand back children.” I say gently so as not to scare them as I approach Kosaku to see what he’s talking about.

The children step back.

I step into Kosaku’s place as he points inside the tangled weeds.  “Look, right there Teacher!”

We’ve been warned about what we’re supposed to do when we find an unexploded bomb. Don’t play with it. Don’t pick it up. Call the Air Raid Warden. They will dispose of it.

“Children, what do we do when we find a bomb?” I ask of the group as I strain to see the hexagonal metallic object in the weeds. It is about half a meter long with two tones of metallic hue. One shiny, the other darker. A bit of rust seems to be forming on the end most exposed to the air.

This must have been here for some time. We should leave here if it is a bomb, marking the spot with a stick or something so we can show the Air Raid Warden.

“Kosaku, since you found the bomb, you find a stick to mark the spot. We’ll then go get the Air Raid Warden.”

The children cheer and start running back toward the village, yelling at the top of their lungs “A Bomb, A Bomb, Air Raid Warden, We Found A Bomb!”

This is the most excitement they’ve had since we were evacuated from Osaka.

As we approach the edge of the village an old man steps out of one of the small houses. He is wearing a vest with characters signifying he is the Air Raid Warden for the area.

“What is this racket?” he demands from me, completely ignoring the children.

“Air Raid Warden, we found a bomb at the edge of the field where we were practicing air raid drills.” I offer, hoping to pay due respect.

We were practicing air raid drills in a way, as I was teaching the children how to be fighter pilots.

With a huff, the Air Raid Warden stumps forward while releasing a few words “Show me what you think is a bomb.”

“Yes Air Raid Warden, this way.” I suggest, offering him my arm as a guide.

The children respectfully lead the way back toward the field.

As we approach the edge of the field in silence, I look toward Kosaku.

Perhaps he would like to show where the bomb is, since he found it.

Kosaku looks back at me, bowing a bit while lowering his eyes to show respect.

I guess not.

The Air Raid Warden sees the stick in the ground, turns to me with a look of disgust before saying “This is it?”

“Air Raid Warden, it is in the weeds behind the stick. We placed the stick to remind us where it is.”

“Of course you did.” He replies.

“Go in and get it.” He orders.

I look at him, confused.

Does he want me to go into the weeds to fetch out the bomb?

He looks back at me, shoving his shoulders and arms forward to signify forward movement.

Yes, he wants me to go in to get it.

“Air Raid Warden, how should I handle it?” I ask, hoping to not have to admit that I don’t know what I’m doing.

“You are a teacher?” He says in a most disrespectful way before diving into the bush himself.

Yes, I am a teacher and I want to make sure these kids are safe.

“Children, let’s step back to give the Air Raid Warden some space to work” I suggest to the very quite and eager children formed up in a neat half circle two paces off.

Out of the corner of my eye I see the metallic object flying through the air toward the children.

Why is it in the air? Did the Air Raid Warden throw it?

As it sails through the air I hear the words “It’s a dud, see!” coming from within the weeds.

The incendiary bomb lands right in front of the children before exploding into a fiery ball of flame.

My whole world is engulfed in red, orange, than black hues before I lose sight completely. Screams from young voices envelop all other sounds.

The children, how hurt are they?

I hear nothing more as I fade into emptiness.

B-29’s were called B-San (Mr. B) by the Japanese out of grudging respect for the American bombers.

 In July 1945 a group of children and their teacher who had been evacuated out of Osaka for their safety were playing on the playground of their new school located in a small village over 40 miles from their home and families. When the group found an unexploded incendiary cluster from an American bomb they notified the local Air-Raid Warden. The warden, who did not believe the device to be live, threw it to show the kids. Unfortunately, he was wrong. The bomb went off, killing eight of the children outright and fatally wounding the teacher and another child. Often those trying to escape war have it come back to find them. This is true even long after the guns fall silent. To this day unexploded bombs and other munitions litter the battlefields, and civilian countryside, across vast swaths of the world. Old bombs kill hundreds of people every year. War never stops finding ways to kill.