War Sonnets
by Susannah Willey
Publication Date: July 5th, 2023
Publisher: Utter Loonacy Press
Pages: 364
Genre: Historical Fiction / World War II
1942: In the war-torn jungles of Luzon, two soldiers scout the landscape. Under ordinary circumstances they might be friends, but in the hostile environment of World War II, they are mortal enemies.
Leal Baldwin, a US Army sergeant, writes sonnets. His sights are set on serving his country honorably and returning home in one piece. But the enemy is not always Japanese…Dooley wants Leo’s job, and he’ll do whatever it takes to get it…Leo finds himself fighting for his reputation and freedom.
Lieutenant Tadashi Abukara prefers haiku. He has vowed to serve his emperor honorably, but finds himself fighting a losing battle. Through combat, starvation, and the threat of cannibalism, Tadashi’s only thought is of survival and return to his beloved wife and son.
As Leo and Tadashi discover the humanity of the other side and the questionable moral acts committed by their own, they begin to ask themselves why they are here at all. When they at last meet in the jungles of Luzon, only one will survive, but their poetry will live forever.
CHAPTER 44
NEAR ANTIPOLO, LUZON—JUNE 1945
“You wanted to see me, sir?” Leo stood at attention as he addressed Captain Mickelson. The summons had come after a long night of recon patrol. He was hot and dirty, and all he wanted was a little sleep.
“I did, Sergeant.” The captain set aside the papers he’d been reading. “At ease.” He gestured toward the empty chair and waited for Leo to sit. “We’ve got a problem.”
“Sir?” Leo searched his brain. Had he made a misstep somewhere? Did this have something to do with Ryan’s sudden interest in Dooley?
“There’s been a complaint.” Mickelson lifted the paper in front of him. “Someone thinks you’re putting your soldiers in harm’s way unnecessarily.”
Leo’s eyes widened. He opened his mouth to speak.
But Mickelson raised a hand to stop him. “The formal charge would be reckless endangerment.”
A wave of cold electricity spread through Leo’s body. According to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, that could mean a dishonorable discharge, maybe even confinement. Could he be subject to criminal charges? He trembled slightly as the adrenaline diffused. He clasped his hands together to steady them and took a slow, deep breath.
“May I ask who filed the complaint?” It had to be Dooley—didn’t it? Leo ran through the names of his men, trying to remember any beefs they might have. He came up blank. He couldn’t imagine any of them not coming to him first.
Could it have been someone outside of his squad? Possibly, Leo thought, but who? And why?
“All I can say at this time is it’s one of your men.” Mickelson closed the folder and set it aside. “This will be an Article 15 investigation for now. I’ll be the one to decide if the charges are legitimate. If our findings support the claim, a court-martial under Article 114 may be in order.”
Leo’s mind was reeling. An Article 15 was meant for a minor offense and usually resulted in not much more than a slap on the wrist. At worst, he might be demoted or lose pay. What bothered him most was the stain it would bring to his service record, but it was better than going to jail. Still, if he should have done something more to prevent Richards’s death, he deserved to be punished.
“This meeting is simply to inform you of the complaint,” Mickelson said. “For the time being, you’ll remain in command. This is still a war zone, and we can’t afford to take anyone off duty. Lieutenant Ryan and I will look into this matter further and advise you when we’ve reached a decision.”
Leo felt as if he should say something, but what? That Dooley was out to get him? Should he tell the captain he thought Richards’s death might be his fault? Would that be considered an admission of guilt that would bring criminal charges? Maybe the best thing was to say nothing.
“Do you have any questions, Sergeant?” Mickelson asked.
“No, sir.” Leo shifted nervously in his chair. He so wanted to tell the captain how he really felt, but he knew that now was not the right time.
“You’re dismissed.”
Leo stood and saluted, waited for Mickelson to return the salute, then turned and left the tent. He might not be able to say much to the captain, but he sure as heck had words for Dooley.
X X X
“What the heck are you up to, Dooley?” Leo stormed into Dooley’s tent, his fists clenched, his eyes ablaze.
Dooley looked up from his cot. “Whaddaya mean, buddy?”
“That’s Sergeant Baldwin to you,” Leo growled. He struggled to control the shaking in his body, to contain the anger and feeling of betrayal.
“Okay, Sergeant Baldwin.” He waved his hand dismissively. “What’s the problem?”
What’s the problem? Could Dooley seriously think Leo didn’t know? He desperately wanted to grab him by the shirt, throw him up against the tent, and beat the tar out of him. Instead, he took a deep breath and forced the tension from his voice.
“You filed a complaint, didn’t you?”
“What complaint?” he said, feigning innocence. Dooley suppressed a smirk.
Unbelievable. Leo pushed down his anger. “You know damn well,” he said. “Nobody else would have done it.”
“Maybe nobody else had the balls to do it.” Dooley didn’t try to hide the triumphant grin. “Course Richards ain’t got balls at all anymore, does he?”
Leo lunged at Dooley. “So, you are the one who complained.”
“Cool it, man,” Dooley leaned back and held his hands up. “I never said I filed any complaint. But I am sayin’ I ain’t surprised.” He crossed his arms. “That was a pretty bone-headed thing you did with Richards. You coulda got us all killed just ’cause you didn’t want to get rid of your little buddy.”
“He wasn’t my little buddy.” Oh, how he wanted to punch that smirk off Dooley’s face. “He was a kid in trouble, and I did what I thought was right.”
Dooley raised an eyebrow. “Like you did with your pal Furness?”
Leo took a step back. “You’d better stay out of my way, Nelson.”
He stormed out of the tent, picked up a rock, and threw it as far as he could, wishing it was Dooley.
Dooley waited until Leo was out of earshot. “It’s a little too late for that, buddy.”
Susannah Willey
Susannah Willey is a baby boomer, mother of four, grandmother of three, and a recovering nerd. To facilitate her healing, she writes novels.
In past lives, she has been an office assistant, stay-at-home-mom, Special Education Teaching Assistant, School Technology Coordinator, and Emergency Medical Technician. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Instructional Computing from S.U.N.Y. Empire State College, and a Master’s Degree in Instructional Design from Boise State University.
She grew up in the New York boondocks and currently lives in Central New York with her companion, Charlie, their dogs, Magenta and Georgie, and Jelly Bean the cat.
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