Germanica (37 page)

* * *

Why am I tied up? he thought. He wanted to strain at the bonds that restricted his movement, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. His brain wouldn’t function. His thoughts were coming out mushy and incoherent.

And he couldn’t see. Am I blind? He twisted as much as he could but nothing seemed to be working. He was able to blink and felt something over his eyes. What had happened? The last thing Ernie recalled was being in a shelter and something exploding. He thought he recalled a man scolding him before the man disappeared.

Oh God. Had Winnie been with him? He couldn’t recall. Was she okay? He had to find out. He tried to move again and thought there was some feeling in his right leg but nothing in his left. He took a deep breath. Okay, I’m alive. He tried to say something but only a squawk came out and he wasn’t certain he’d made any sound anyhow.

Something grazed his right hand. “Ernie? Can you hear me?” It was Winnie’s voice, and he exulted. She was alive and clearly in better shape than he was. “If you’re conscious, just nod.”

It took willpower but he did. “Wonderful,” Winnie said. “Now I’m going to put a straw in your mouth so you can get some water in you.”

A few moments later he was sucking on a straw and drinking cold, clear water. A few more moments and he tried to talk. It came out as a croak so he drank some more water. Better.

“Where am I?” he whispered.

“In a hospital in Arbon, and don’t try to talk too darn much. Since you can hear me, just listen. You were found in the rubble of that bomb shelter. You were very lucky. Several people were killed.”

Ernie nodded, recalling the explosion and the death of the old man.

“You were injured pretty badly. While I was thrown clear and am unhurt except for some more bruises, you’ve got a broken leg and several smashed ribs. Fortunately, it’ll all heal but it will take some time, although you will be up on crutches in a short while. I hope you weren’t counting on dancing anytime soon.”

He smiled and felt her tears fall on his cheek. “A bunch of American bombers got lost and dropped their load on Arbon. The Swiss government is furious. You and I are technically under arrest, although you are obviously not going to escape. They’ve decided to let me stay with you for the time being. Dulles is a major diplomat so he has more immunity than we do and he’s trying to straighten out the mess with the Swiss government. He thinks he will succeed since the Swiss are such pragmatists.”

Ernie reached for her hand and squeezed it. “Am I blind?”

“Oh God, no. You’ve got some serious cuts on your forehead and around your eyes. You caught a lot of debris with your thick skull, which knocked you out. Your head is bandaged up and you’ve been restrained so you won’t pull your bandages off or thrash around and hurt your leg even more than it is already.”

“Take off the bandages. I want to see that you’re really okay.”

“Tomorrow. Right now a nice nurse is going to give you some more morphine so you can sleep in happy land and get some rest. They tell me that when the morphine wears off, you will be in great pain, so be prepared.”

“Will you be with me?”

“Yes, dear, of course.” Again he felt her tears and then her lips grazing his. Then it was time for a deep sleep.

* * *

Ensign Ted Kubiak, USNR, looked on in disbelief as one of his small crew leaned over the side of the boat and donated his lunch to the little fish. The rest of the crew were laughing hysterically.

“Dalton, you cannot be sick. This is a river and the water is barely moving. There are no waves. You’ve ridden out storms with no problems. What the hell is wrong with you now?

A very green Dalton stood up. To Kubiak’s disgust he had slobbered down his chin and onto his shirt. “Don’t know, sir. Maybe it’s because it isn’t rough enough. I’d love to stop barfing but I just can’t seem to.”

The twenty-four-year-old Kubiak shook his head and joined in the laughter. Despite his stomach problems, Dalton was a good guy, a draftee from West Virginia. Like Kubiak, Dalton had never seen combat. He and all the others had missed the landings at Normandy and in Southern France. They’d been scheduled to attack the Japanese island of Kyushu, but the Japanese surrender had put a welcome halt to their preparations for what promised to be a terrible fight against an insane and fanatic enemy. They’d gotten new orders and these sent them to France—and now up the Rhine. “Up the Rhine” seemed strange. Every time he looked at a map he wanted to say down the Rhine, but he was assured that they were going up the Rhine towards its source, which he thought was in Switzerland.

The long column of landing craft had made it up the Rhine to the Swiss border. There had been multiple stops for the boats to be refueled and the crew allowed time to eat and sleep. Numerous other columns of boats were towed by tugs with the crew simply along as passengers. None of the craft carried any troops, only U.S. Navy crews. Soldiers would come on board at the small German town of Lindau, a few miles away from the Nazi capital of Bregenz. This was assuming that the American forces had taken the city.

They had been further delayed by the need to ensure that the river was clear of obstructions. Channels had been made through the remains of the bridges that had been destroyed by German demolitions. Buoys had been laid to mark the existence of other potential dangers. Mines were not a major factor, although the possibility of their presence had not been ignored. Minesweepers kept a lookout for them and sharpshooters were constantly present and alert. If a mine was spotted, the riflemen would shoot and detonate the mine.

There were no problems. And the trip had taken on the feeling of a Rhine cruise vacation. The days were still bright and sunny. Numbers of sailors had stripped to their skivvies and lolled the sun, enjoying the scenic cliffs and historic castles as they passed them by. Heidelberg was pointed out along with the Rock of the Lorelei and everyone was curious about an ugly, squatty little fortresslike thing in the middle of the river. One of the men said it had been a medieval toll booth, which the guys thought was funny. The idea of boats paying tolls had never occurred to them.

None of them had ever seen the Rhine, and they had been stunned by the steep earthen walls that nature had carved, forming a natural line of fortifications. It was easy to see that the Germans could have held the river line for a very long time and how fortunate the American army was to have taken the bridge at Remagen before it collapsed.

Earlier in the war there had been problems with a shortage of landing craft. Increased production had partly solved that, while the transfer of the small boats from the now dormant Pacific theater had completed it. Thus, there was an abundance of landing craft of all sizes heading up the Rhine. Their destination was Lake Constance.

Kubiak’s landing craft was relatively large. It was able to hold one hundred men or a tank and fifty men. Some genius in Cologne had decided that the tank could be shipped with the landing craft and later joined by a crew, so a Sherman tank was tied down in the hull. Scores of other craft had similar cargoes. Nor was the craft totally defenseless. Two fifty-caliber machine guns were mounted in the prow.

He had written his parents and girlfriend that he’d gotten his first independent command and implied that it was a major warship. He’d then intentionally spoiled the illusion by sending a photo of the squat and homely vessel. The crew had voted to name her
Brunhilde
.

Nor were they alone one their journey. On several occasions they’d had to pull off to the west bank of the Rhine and wait while American destroyers surged ahead, like slow traffic on a highway letting faster vehicles go by. Someone joked that the destroyers were going to take on the legendary Swiss navy. Most didn’t think it was funny. The presence of the destroyers simply emphasized the seriousness of their situation and reminded them that their respite was likely temporary.

Kubiak bit his lip at the thought of taking his men into combat. There was no doubt that the landing would be a difficult one. The Germans were dying and those who were left were the worst of the worst. And what the hell were the rumors about
gas
?

Still, they all consoled themselves that they weren’t fighting the crazy Japs. At least most of the Germans were willing to surrender, excepting of course the SS.

* * *

Allen Dulles was stern and unsmiling. “Of course we regret the tragedy, but it was an accident of war, nothing intentional. We have apologized and, when the fighting is over, we will make reparations.”

Swiss General Henri Guisan was equally stern. They were in the lightly damaged Arbon City Hall. Dulles’ nose was running, caused by the lingering scent of burned buildings and living flesh. He was fighting the nausea caused by the several comingled stenches.

Guisan declined to notice the other man’s discomfort. “More than a hundred Swiss civilians were killed and an equal number injured. Several city blocks have been flattened and burned. We want the guilty parties punished.”

“I would too, if there was a guilty party to blame. Unfortunately, the pilot and crew of the lead bomber were all killed. I consider it possible that key members of the crew were injured when the plane was hit and went off course as a result. That led other bombers to follow their leader. If you wish to go higher up the chain of command to try to find guilty parties you will get nowhere. Why don’t you pin the blame on the late Herr Hitler who, if memory serves me, started this whole mess? If you want guilt, I would suggest that you nominate yourself and others in the Swiss government.”

Guisan nearly jumped out of his chair but caught himself in time. “What! That’s preposterous.”

“Yes, General. If you had cooperated more fully with us and opened your border to German soldiers who wished to surrender instead of turning them back to the SS, it is entirely possible that the Nazi government would have collapsed. In fact, I urge you to do that now. Announce that you will give sanctuary to any German soldier who crosses over and perhaps there won’t be any German soldiers left when the real fighting begins. Wouldn’t you like to see Herr Goebbels walking around Bregenz alone and confused and the world at peace again?”

Guisan’s expression softened. “I’ll admit the vision has some merit. I will further admit that what happened was indeed an accident. I am, however, required to protest vehemently, but I know that
you
know that as well.”

“Then let me make another suggestion. At some point in the fighting, when the moment is appropriate, send the Swiss army across the border to attack the rear of the German forces. This could be done unilaterally by Switzerland without signing any formal alliance with the United States. This would preserve your position of neutrality. You could simply state that it was necessary to protect Swiss lives and property. It would also assure you of the good will of the United States by shortening the war and saving American lives. And perhaps it would save Swiss civilians from further accidents as the fighting gets closer.”

“You have incredible gall.”

Dulles checked his watch with dramatic flourish. “Time is short, General. Please think about it. You would not want to find out that your precious neutrality is a fiction.”

* * *

Cullen grabbed Tanner’s arm. “I think you should come outside with me.”

Tanner did as he was told. It was evening and the first thing he noticed was a distinct chill in the air. It was further evidence that the days of warm weather were drawing to a close. The mountaintops were often hidden by mists. They formed a cover that did not always disappear the next day. In only a few more weeks, serious snowfalls would begin, making campaigning in the Alps a virtual impossibility.

Cullen again grabbed Tanner. “Quit gawking at the scenery and come with me.”

“Yes, Mother.”

They came to the tent that housed Father Shanahan’s Catholic chapel. Cullen pushed Tanner inside and closed the flap, leaving him alone. It took a couple of seconds for his eyes to adjust. When they did, he saw Lena standing by the makeshift altar. She was crying and had an envelope in her hand.

He ran to her and held her while Cullen tactfully disappeared. “Is something wrong?” he asked and realized it was a terribly dumb question to ask. Of course something was wrong. She handed him the envelope. “It’s a letter that Father Shanahan got. It’s from my father. He’s alive,” she laughed and added, “obviously.”

“That’s great. How is he?”

“He says he’s in good health and has been looking for me. Even more amazing, he’s in
New York
.”

Tanner laughed. “How on earth did he get there?”

“He says it’s a long story and he’ll tell me when we’re together. He’s working in a pharmacy and trying to get his doctor’s license back. He says that isn’t going to be difficult once his English improves. He wants me to come to New York as well.”

“Is that what you want to do?” Of course it is, Tanner thought. There would be nothing for her in Czechoslovakia.

“Yes, but I’m not going anywhere without you. The army will give me a glowing recommendation to expedite my status as an immigrant. But you have to come with me. You
do
love me, don’t you?”

“You wouldn’t believe how much,” he said and they hugged again.

Lena stroked his cheek. “Once upon a time, you told me that you could get a medical discharge because of your problems with trench foot and pneumonia. Why don’t you do that, and we can get married and go to America.”

Tanner took a deep breath. “That sounds like the greatest idea I’ve heard in a long, long time. However, I don’t think we’re going anywhere until this war is over or at least this battle has ended. Not only would the army shoot down any request of mine right now, despite what Hagerman says, but I don’t think I could leave without doing my part.”

“I understand. However, that means you have to do one more thing for me. You have to promise me that you will do everything in your power to stay alive.”

Sure, he thought as he made the promise. Words are easy. But how would it be on a landing craft headed for the coast of Lake Constance and the German capital of Bregenz? Survival had always been his number one priority, and it was even more important now that he’d met Lena.