The Storm

Chapter Twenty-Three

Front And Center

H enry continued: "The weeks passed, and I lay exhausted in my bunk. The sun had not risen to shine light into the quanset hut yet. I was thinkin' that we would never dump this place and get on with the mission, and the men were gettin' antsy as well. I got up and showered and shaved and got prepared for another day. My team was at morning chow. I stayed behind and fixed myself a hot cup of coffee and was readin' the morning base news when a knock came from my office door. 'Enter,' I replied, and the door swung open. It was a young man in a plain uniform with military starch. 'Commander Henry Forester?' he asked. I replied in the affirmative. 'Please follow me.' I had been up early, wonderin' what the next step would be, and I instinctively knew that I was about to find out. The sun was comin' up and castin' it’s light across the base, which was quiet, as we both headed to some unknown location." "We went to the commanding officer's headquarters, made our way up the long stairs, and entered into the main lobby. My escort spoke up and said, 'Please have a seat, Sir. You will be called soon.' And with that, he disappeared down the hall. Several minutes went by, and I was called by the personal secretary to the major's office. She said, 'You may enter the commander's office now, Sir.' Major Olan Lemmit's name was written on the door of the office. I remembered that he was one of the first to greet us after wheels-down at the base. I

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