A Sword in the Darkness Read online

  A Sword

  in the

  Darkness

  By

  JEFFREY A. ROMERO

  Copyright © 2017 Jeffrey A. Romero.

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

  This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

  WestBow Press

  A Division of Thomas Nelson & Zondervan

  1663 Liberty Drive

  Bloomington, IN 47403

  www.westbowpress.com

  1 (866) 928-1240

  Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

  Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

  Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

  ISBN: 978-1-5127-8651-4 (sc)

  ISBN: 978-1-5127-8653-8 (hc)

  ISBN: 978-1-5127-8652-1 (e)

  Library of Congress Control Number: 2017907614

  WestBow Press rev. date: 06/23/2017

  Contents

  Prologue

  I

  II

  III

  IV

  V

  VI

  VII

  VIII

  IX

  X

  XI

  XII

  XIII

  XIV

  XV

  XVI

  XVII

  XVIII

  XIX

  XX

  XXI

  XXII

  XXIII

  XXIV

  XXV

  XXVI

  XXVII

  XXVIII

  XXIX

  XXX

  XXXI

  XXXII

  XXXIII

  XXXIV

  XXXV

  XXXVI

  XXXVII

  XXXVIII

  XXXIX

  XL

  XLI

  XLII

  XLIII

  XLIV

  XLV

  XLVI

  XLVII

  XLVIII

  XLIX

  L

  LI

  LII

  LIII

  LIV

  LV

  LVI

  LVII

  LVIII

  LIX

  Epilogue

  Book Edited by Stephen C. Lemons, LTC, United States Army (Retired)

  Special Thanks to:

  Ron Smith, Professor of History, Massachusetts Maritime Academy

  Judy Scofield, Cape and Islands Veteran Outreach

  And a grateful thanks to Len Deighton who wrote Good Bye Mickey Mouse, the book that inspired me to write this story. And to Steven Pressfield who wrote Gates of Fire (My favorite book) who inspired me to complete and publish this book and hopefully many more.

  For all warriors: Past, present, and future.

  By decision and design, you served. You put your life on the line for freedom for an entire planet.

  These warriors had the American Spirit that was forged at Valley Forge when men and women, too cold, too hungry, too tired, and missing their families tremendously, followed leaders who were considered outlaws with death sentences. They had lost almost every major engagement. What if they decided it was too much to bear and just went home…

  Yet, they stayed.

  That’s integrity!

  That integrity became the ‘Spirit’ of the American service members who willingly lay down their lives for freedom. This ‘Spirit’ has been confirmed by Americans facing great disadvantages yet prevailing. Such as the men of Taffy 3 during the Battle of Samar and the Men of the 20th Maine holding Little Round Top. It was also exhibited by the Marines and Air Force personnel defending Khe Sanh and the Seals as described in the inspiring book Lone Survivor or the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc.

  Some of you will never know how grateful we are for your sacrifice.

  I for one, see it every day in my young daughter who is fearless and determined. I know she can become anything she puts her mind to without any boundaries.

  And last, to my Brother ‘Rangers’ who lead the way every day!

  Man is a complex animal. The only animal who has the ability to do “good” according to conscience, and yet many have chosen and continue to do “bad.” The greatest tragedies of life are largely caused by man’s fight against integrity, his lack of respect for his fellow man, and for himself. Greed has blinded him to the dynamic process of balance. He is driven by the position, the title, the dollar, and takes little note of who loses as long as he gains. His righteousness is devoured by this greed as every sacred boundary is steadily eroded. It is the rich man who does not make the world a better place yet demands others do so. It is the poor man who blames others for his predicament and demands others provide for him while he squanders every opportunity. It is those, regardless of status, who choose to do evil when they could do so much good and the good provided would be its own rewards.

  The future: Destiny’s signpost portends total destruction and the end of humankind.

  He is Radical, Liberal, Moderate, Conservative, and Reactionary. His words sound good for those he chooses to side with though his actions differ. He demands fairness and equality, yet lives an extravagant lifestyle that includes multi-million dollars homes and never waiting in line with the masses for which he lobbies. Private flights and people who wait on him at his call while he argues how “others” should divide their earned wealth with those who have very little and have not been so lucky. However, his wealth is his because he earned it through talent and hard work. He will argue against war all the while profiting from it both financially and politically.

  He exercises power crushing others for his own benefit as he rises to the top. He does what he wishes for what good is power, if not, to look out for your own interest. Yet he gives himself a constant reminder that he is doing the correct thing as called for by policy, never realizing that, the fine line we all walk, right is based primarily on the perception of people, but actions are in the hands of those with power. Lies and deception become as acceptable as the concept of “the ends justify the means.”

  For these “leaders” hurting people is an acceptable loss. They exchange men’s lives and dreams for the color of money and the position of power. “What does it matter? Everyone is doing it, why not me. I deserve it as much as they do,” or “This is how it’s done.”

  With that power, he can take what others have earned and give it to those who won’t get up and earn it themselves, thus, bribe his way into their heart, all the while taking away from the few who truly deserve aid.

  While there are those who fight for profit, there are those who fight for freedom.

  Those who refuse the opportunity to be a force for good in the circle of life will walk in darkness, in spite
of their gain. But those who wish to serve mankind and stand for what is right, they will shine. They are people who live by a different standard. Honesty is not an option. Selflessness is a way of life. Integrity reigns in the face of conflict and disparity. They have committed their lives to defending the defenseless. No darkness can blot out the deeds of these fair and sincere few. The fruit of their efforts will pierce any darkness. Those few are A SWORD IN THE DARKNESS.

  Prologue

  From the late 1930s to the mid-1940s, the planet earth was engaged in a brutal and vicious world war that saw the advancement of many killing tools. One of those tools was the airplane. A magnificent mechanical design that allows man to fly. Aerodynamics and power created a thing of beauty. It was said that if man was meant to fly, God would have given him wings. In fact, God did give man wings. The wings he dreamed of, then created, and finally perfected.

  Enter the warrior. A person, by decision and design, who chooses to pick up the rifle and defend freedom for those who cannot defend it themselves. Like a Spartan Hoplite who swears to never let the Spartan people see Sparta burning, the warrior dedicates himself to be the best he can be so that he may effectively and efficiently accomplish his goal. Unfortunately, that means becoming a deadly and decisive killer.

  It is sometimes necessary to kill in order to protect.

  During World War II, three groups, one in the Pacific and two in Europe, were exacting their will on innocent people for the purpose to rule and enslave. To dominate all inferior people was the view of Japan, Germany, and Italy. Anyone who disagreed was killed. The only choices offered by the Axis powers was submission, death, or war.

  In the end, there was only one choice for free people. No one wanted the war except the Axis powers. Many people tried to talk to them and many of those people died. Millions died for no other reason than the Axis wanted them dead. In the end, there was only one thing left to do and that was fight. The men and women who died remind us that we should never allow any force dedicated to the idea of a Super Race or a Super Religion or a Super way of life, impose their will on a free world. (Inspired by Actor Leon Ames in the movie BATTLEGROUND)

  This brings us back to the warrior and the collision of man and machine…the combat aviator.

  They are the bomber pilots and crew, the reconnaissance pilots and crew, the transport pilots and crew, and of course… the fighter pilots and their ground crews.

  The fighter pilots, picking up where the World War I aces left off, take up the mantle of challenge to defeat the enemy at high rates of speed and from distances farther than most rifles could shoot. For the American pilots, it was escort missions to protect the bombers, search and destroy missions, and forward fan missions designed to break up enemy aircraft forming up for mass attacks before the bombers arrive.

  Every day, thousands of planes took to the sky over Europe, the Atlantic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Mediterranean Sea, where men would die.

  In the end, it would be known as the greatest air battle ever and it would be won by young men barely old enough to shave. The future of the freedom of the planet rested in their hands.

  This is just a fictional novel, an example of their story.

  For my Wife and Daughters

  I

  A sudden explosion amplified the pain in 1st Lieutenant Tegan Allen Braden’s aching head. The hangover was suddenly forgotten as two more near simultaneous explosions occurred close to the building.

  Tegan went to his window curious to see what the Navy was doing to add continued pain to his already sad condition. The situation seemed very odd.

  “What is the Navy doing and why are they training on a Sunday morning especially in the middle of Oahu,” said Tegan as he approached the window to figure out whom to lodge his complaint against.

  As he peered out the window, something in the sky caught his attention. He gazed upward, but the sun hurt his eyes. Suddenly more explosions followed by an aircraft appearing about 100 feet off the ground. It had gone over the bachelor officer’s quarters and came out in front of his window and then slowly banked to the left.

  What Tegan saw next shocked him into forgetting all the pain in his body. The sight of the Japanese “meatball” on a white plane was sobering.

  In an instant he was moving to get dressed. He didn’t have to see another “meatball” to know they were under attack.

  Tegan wondered why the Japanese were attacking as he searched for his pants on the ground. He suddenly realized that he had passed out fully clothed.

  He was out the door in a blink of an eye and found soldiers exiting their rooms and shouting in a panic. Everyone was running somewhere.

  The fact that his shirt was untucked caused Tegan only enough concern to make a mental note as he headed for Wheeler Army Airfield.

  Tegan was stunned. He knew tension between Japan and the United States were strained, yet it seemed unconscionable that Japan would attack without a formal declaration of war; especially, here in the Hawaiian Islands.

  Once outside, Tegan saw pandemonium everywhere as soldiers were running for cover.

  Tegan now could see heavy black smoke rising to the south. The smoke was evidence of a large Japanese force over Pearl Harbor.

  The Japanese must be attacking the war ships that are “conveniently” lined up for them.

  For a moment Tegan remembered seeing a carrier sailing out of Pearl Harbor several days ago. He remembered not seeing any carriers yesterday while flying over the ship yard; however, the battleships, cruisers, destroyers, and submarines were anchored in the harbor. Stationary targets.

  Tegan saw an opening in the enemy’s attack and was on the move. He ran across a lawn with its sign ‘KEEP OFF GRASS.’ “Does it really matter?” was the only thing that came to mind.

  The massive amounts of black smoke rising from Pearl Harbor that had him thinking that today was a good day to be a torpedo pilot. But he wasn’t a torpedo pilot; he was a fighter pilot flying The United States Army’s most advanced Pursuit Aircraft, the P-40B “Warhawk.”

  His Warhawk was waiting at the airfield. Tegan visualized climbing into the cockpit and taking off, anything to put up a fight.

  His daydream was broken as he realized that a Japanese Zero fighter was making a gun run on him.

  He sprinted for cover as thoughts of getting strafed didn’t seem like a good way to start a war, or continue on in life for that matter. To die at the age of twenty-three was not his idea of being a positive contributor to society or to the effort it was going to require to win what was most likely a new war for the United States.

  The entire world was at war because of the Japanese and the Germans. Everyone said that it was only a matter of time before the United States was completely involved. Well, it was obvious to Tegan that the time was now at hand.

  In seven days he would be twenty-four, maybe, if he could just get to the hanger without getting shot or blown-up.

  For eighteen months, Tegan had been flying as a fighter pilot for the Army Air Corps. He had graduated second or third in all his flying classes and was first to solo. There were some who pushed to have him assigned to reconnaissance or bombers.

  Tegan, however, impressed his flight instructors so much that they went to bat for him and the training school commander overruled those who believed Tegan’s ethnic background would prove he could not perform in combat conditions.

  In the end, Tegan remained a fighter pilot due to his own performance.

  Tegan was the first of the new pilots at Wheeler to get promoted to First Lieutenant and he knew best what he was capable of in a dogfight.

  As for today, Tegan knew if he could just get to his P-40, he could make a difference.

  Tegan was up and moving as soon as he was sure the Zero was past. He dodged in and out of bushes and around buildings as soon as he heard the sound of engines grow near enough to forc
e him to seek cover or concealment.

  The sound of machine-guns firing was equally motivating to cause him concern. Don’t look back, just find cover. Hesitating can get you killed. Turning and looking can cost you that split-second you need to survive. It’s just better to assume that they are all trying to strafe you.

  Everywhere he heard explosions and machine-gun fire. He heard bullets impacting on the ground, the sound of men crying out in pain and people shouting instructions and warnings.

  He saw several men lying on the ground not moving. He couldn’t help them now, so he kept moving towards the airfield.

  Men were dying! U.S. troops! Tegan knew he had to do something about it. He had to try and stop the loss of American lives.

  He was a fighter pilot. That was his job and the best way he could stop the carnage.

  Nothing seemed to be making much sense at the moment, but Tegan stayed on the move until he managed to make it to the side of his squadron hanger.

  He peered around the corner to see a P-40 gaining power to take off. He could see the Zero already in position making a run on the Warhawk. He knew in an instant that the plane was doomed.

  Tegan was moved by the courage of that man trying to take off despite the situation. The Zero’s fire was deadly accurate and Tegan knew the P-40 was crippled severely as it began to swerve and the pilot lost control. The plane burst into flames and crashed into the row of Warhawks that now seemed to be too conveniently and neatly aligned for the Japanese.

  Who was it? Who was just killed? Tegan knew that it was one of his squadron mates but which one? He was suddenly filled with anger, sorrow, rage, pride, and fear, all at the same time. Whoever the pilot was, he gave his all and deserved justice.

  Tegan knew then that he must make every effort to do something to put up some kind of fight. He entered the hanger door to get into his flight gear and never noticed the diving “Val” dive-bomber high above the hanger.