Semper Fi

MID FEBRUARY 1945
Captain Mike Adams awoke in a cold sweat, it was early dawn. He sat upright and took a deep breath as his heart raced. Sleep never came easy and when it did it was filled with night terrors. Squinting in the low light at his watch, it was 4:45 in the morning. Adams rose from his cot and dressed, stepping out from his tent. The sky was pink and a warm breeze cooled his sweat soaked scalp. Taking his time, enjoying the dawn, he made his way to the company HQ tent.
"Morning Captain," A sentry said as he walked by.
Adams gave the soldier a breezy salute.
Adams mused silently to himself, "Captain! That will take getting used to."
He entered the tent and sat at his desk.
Adams had been given the commission out of necessity. Adams's Company was part of the Marines 1st Division. He had been a lieutenant, in command of a platoon during the invasion of Peleiu that prior September.
The Brass had predicted the island would be taken in 4 or 5 days. They were wrong.
Because of Japan's well-crafted fortifications and stiff resistance, the battle lasted more than two months. The price of victory had been high. The 1st division was badly mauled and had suffered 70% causalities and the survivors would never ever be the same again.
The division had been taken off the front line and had returned to Hawaii to rest and be rebuilt.
His company was now back to full strength, a mix of old salts and new recruits. Adams trained and drilled the men without mercy. They had Japan on the ropes but the war in the pacific was far from over.
The night before Adams had taken in a movie with his men. Before the movie started, they had watched a news reel. The men cheered and whistled at the news that the allies were poised to cross the Rhine and the war in Europe was reaching its conclusion.
Then the news reel showed films of the invasion of Iwo Jima and the men grew silent. It was a grim reminder that their job was not done.
A staff officer had told Adams that the fighting on Iwo Jima was fierce and progress was being measured in yards, and once again Marines were dying at alarming rates.
Pearl Harbor in Hawaii had recovered from that devastating air strike by the Japanese and was full of transport ships. The scuttlebutt was that the 1st division would be shipping out soon to fight again, but where?
Mike could read a map and had a good hunch where they would be heading, but being just a Company commander and for security reasons would only learn their destination once the task force was out at sea.
Martha Simmons sipped her drink, then looked at her watch and let out a sigh. A Naval Nurse, she now held the rank of lieutenant. Before the war she was a nurse in San Francisco and a newlywed. Then in 1940, a car accident took the life of her husband. She grieved for months, then carried on her life working. Once more trying to get her life back on track.
December 7th 1941 changed everything. After that attack on Pearl Harbor, she answered her country's call and joined the Navy. Now 4 years later, her job was training Naval corpsmen, medics who went into battle with Marines. She took her duty very seriously. These young men she trained and the techniques she taught them could mean life or death to a wounded soldier.
Martha smiled to herself recalling how she had met her now very late date, Captain Mike Adams. Part of the medics training was classroom and the medics from his company would show up limping from sprains, bruises and were battered or exhausted.
Seeking out the infamous captain, she tried to give him a piece of her mind. His callous uncaring demeanor and sarcastic remarks enraged her and she took her complaint to her superior who sat her down and told her what had occurred at Peleiu.
Her Superior was a surgeon who had been there. He told her of the carnage, the oppressive heat and the lack of fresh water. He told her about the repeated attacks to take the ridge that had led to appalling casualties and many dead marines in the span of 10 days. Reaching for a file he read Martha the final butcher's bill for taking the Island. 1300 killed, 5450 wounded and 36 missing in action.
She left the meeting stunned and let the matter go. Then a few days later at the restaurant she was now at, he had approached her and apologized for his behavior and bought her a drink. One drink led to another and she began to see his human side. Mike was funny with a wry sense of humor and very handsome. Though only 30 years old, his dark hair showed streaks of grey at the temples and his eyes were of a man who had seen death face to face.
Martha smiled as she saw Mike enter the restaurant and pause at the bar to greet some fellow officers before making his way to her table. Giving her a peck on the cheek he sat down.
"Hey Marty, sorry I am late, but duty called," Mike smiled.
"Semper Fi," Martha said rolling her eyes affectionately. It was the short version used by US Marines of "Semper fidelis," the Marine's Latin motto meaning gaziantep escort ""always faithful" or "always loyal."
"Semper Fi," Mike echoed smiled in toast and took a swig of the beer Martha had ordered him when she arrived.
Over dinner they engaged in small talk about their duties and current events. Martha reminded him about the big USO dance that Saturday night. Martha loved dancing and was looking forward to it.
The USO, United Service Organization was set up in 1941 and provided military personal free entertainment and recreation.
"You better not stand me up Captain Adams," Martha warned him.
Mike took her hand and said quietly, "Might be the last dance for a while. We got orders."
"Oh no Mike," Martha said in almost a whisper holding his hand tight.
Martha knew better than to ask details, and Mike would never tell her. He might not even be privy to the 1st Marines' destination. She had feared this news and had hoped this horrible war would be over before it happened.
The couple finished dinner then took in a movie but Martha could not concentrate on the film. Her mind was going every which way. She had been dating Mike for about 6 weeks and their relationship was moving to the next phase. Was it love? She was not sure but she cared for Mike dearly and treasured their time together.
When Mike dropped her off at her apartment, they kissed goodnight and she ran up the steps. Relieved her roommate was asleep, she flopped on her bed and cried, muffling her sobs with her pillow. She didn't want to lose another man she cared so deeply about. She eventually fell into an exhausted sleep.
SATURDAY NIGHT
The dance was being held in an enormous Air hanger on the base. The couple had agreed to meet at the dance and when Martha showed up with some of her girlfriends the party was in full swing. Officers and enlisted men from all branches of the military mingled 3 deep at the long bar and buffet.
The men looked smart dressed in their uniforms and the girls had all made the effort to pretty themselves up.
Martha was no exception. She was lucky enough to have managed to get her hands on a pair of fine tan nylon stockings. They were difficult to find, what with most nylon manufacturing going towards the war effort and making parachutes and uniforms and such like.
She wore the tan stockings with a floral blue and pink dress. It was sleeveless with a shallow vee neck front and back. It hugged her body to her waist and then the skirt part flared out. Its length reached mid-calf and showed off her curvy figure to perfection. She wore black lace up shoes with a one inch heal which matched her handbag.

Captain Adams spotted her immediately even among the crowd. She was to him the prettiest girl at the dance. He ordered himself a beer, a rum