The Depths of Courage by Flint Whitlock

Author:Flint Whitlock
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Penguin Group US
Published: 2010-03-01T05:00:00+00:00

U.S.S. Seal, photographed March 1943.

(Courtesy Naval Historical Center)

Smitty’s mind wandered on, trying to make some sense of the situation. I’m only eighteen and I haven’t even had a chance to live. I’d like to get married and have kids. I haven’t even really been with a woman.

And just think of all the money this war is costing. Just this submarine cost millions of dollars. What a waste. Shit, one torpedo costs more than fifteen new cars. I could buy fifteen new Pontiacs and have money left over.

As if he could read Smitty’s mind, Big Ski broke into his thinking. “Smitty, you’re a fool. You should be going to your senior prom about now instead of being out here on this stinking boat.”

Smitty looked at him with pleading eyes. “Ski, are we gonna make it out of here?”

“Sure, kid. You’ll live to be fifty-five and bounce your grandkids on your knee. Keep the faith. Remember what Seagull says: ‘Stay loose. Just stay loose.’ ”

Smitty wished it were that simple. I’m glad I didn’t have to fight the Germans. At least they’re Christians. These heathen Japs, what the hell are they? They think their emperor is God. They should all be killed, these dumb shits who think they’ll go to heaven if they die for their emperor. I wish I had that son of a bitch Hirohito here right now. I’d show them he was human.

Click ... KaBLOOM! Click ... KaBLOOM! Click ... KaBLOOM!

The seven sub hunters hung around all day, taking turns gleefully bombarding Seal, like bullies beating a puppy. The air in Seal was getting really foul, with oxygen levels dropping and carbon dioxide levels rising. Nobody tried to smoke; cigarettes wouldn’t stay lit, anyway. The batteries, too, were running out. Might not even last two more hours. Smitty didn’t know if there was even enough high-pressure air left to blow the ballast tanks and bring her to the surface. They were, Smitty knew, as good as dead. The destroyers just had to stay up there a few more hours and it would be all over. Maybe he should just close his eyes and give up.

Click . . . KaBLOOM! Click . . . KaBLOOM! Click . . . KaBLOOM!5

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