War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1015 Their American Hero

In the early morning, just north of Helen Reef shrouded in drizzle, an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer with the string number "97" slowly stopped with the sound of a long siren.

On Helen Island, Wei Ran, who was awakened by the siren sound, rubbed his sleepy eyes and got out of his tent.He raised his hand to feel the drizzle outside the tent, but Wei Ran turned around and went back into the tent.

When he came out again, he had already changed into a set of quick-drying underwear, and on his shoulder was a canvas gas mask bag issued by the US Navy in World War II.

Pretending to reach into the bag and take out the British Army kettle in the metal book, Wei Ran took a sip of the slightly hot cocoa, and then calmly took out the MK43 that belonged to Captain Evans from the bag The binoculars were raised and looked at the USS Halsey guided missile destroyer shrouded in drizzle.

The reason why the Americans sent this destroyer is self-evident. In terms of symbolism, it is really appropriate for "Halsey" to pick up his "soldiers" and go home.

As for Wei Ran, it's just a joke, but he doesn't have much ill feeling towards General Halsey.This Patton of the Sea is known for his hatred of little devils, but everyone has flaws. The flaw of this Halsey is that he is too reckless and likes storms too much.

While he was holding up the binoculars, the reporters and photographers who were also staying on the island also ran out of their tents carrying various equipment and pointed their lenses at the sea in the distance.

Before keeping everyone waiting for long, Wei Ran noticed that two carrier-based helicopters had taken off from the destroyer.

Soon, the two US Navy-painted carrier-based anti-submarine helicopters landed on the beach not far from the marine protection station after circling the island.

As the hatch opened, the first to jump out of the cabins of the two helicopters were two waves of reporters carrying long guns and short cannons.

Just as these reporters rushed towards the cemetery on the south side of the island, which was still protected by the tents of the Indian boys, the two ship-borne helicopters took off again, and it didn’t take long to take Kou Kou and her Tantu, the Indian housekeeper, Xia Shushi, Tantu's nominal historical adviser, and a white man wearing a U.S. Navy uniform and holding the rank of lieutenant colonel were sent to the island.

As soon as these people landed, they were surrounded by reporters who had been stationed on Helen Island before. They held up their microphones and began to interview the lieutenant colonel and Kou Kou. During the round-trip round trip, three coffins and a group of guards of honor with guns were delivered.

He beckoned to Xia Shushi who was squeezed out of the crowd, Wei Ran waited for him to run over, and led him directly into his tent.

"Everything is going well?" Wei Ran asked in a low voice after closing the tent door.

“It went well”

Xia Shushi took out a bottle of mineral water from the box, unscrewed it and drank it, sat down on the folding chair, and whispered while teasing the hermit crabs that Wei Ran kept in the storage box "The day before yesterday, Kou Kou and Sister Tantu took the notes left by Mr. Hawks and knocked on the gate of the US naval base in Hawaii, and with the help of Carlos' lawyer, they successfully met a general.

I don’t need to tell you about the rest, we only waited for less than a day, and under the arrangement of the general, we flew from Hawaii to Guam, and then boarded the destroyer Halsey. "

Before he could finish speaking, the voice of a password sounded outside the tent. The two exchanged a glance, and immediately got out of the tent, followed behind the reporters, watching the upcoming ceremony.

Witnessed by many cameras, the cemetery protected by the Indian boys was completely dug up, and three red and white rubber floating bladders were also dug out one by one.

Out of respect, the detailed process of transferring the corpses into the coffins was not made public, but when the guards of honor lifted up the three coffins, another team of guards of honor also followed the clear and clear voice of password A salute was fired.

"How much performance do you think there is in it?"

Outside the crowd, when Wei Ran asked this question, his eyes never left the three coffins.

"America is no longer the America it used to be"

Xia Shushi replied, "Of course, the Halsey who came here to pick up the soldiers is not the Halsey at that time."

"Objectively speaking, I still admire General Halsey."

Wei Ran smiled and said, "In the entire United States during World War II, it is really difficult for me to find a second person who can hate nuclear recruitment like General Halsey."

"If it's just such a standard, I can list a lot for you."

Xia Shushi lowered his head, lit a cigarette, and said casually, "For example, Li Mei, such as Dolittle, and even MacArthur, the founding father of nuclear enlistment. Unfortunately, as I just said, the United States is no longer the United States."

"Anyway, at least they can go home."

Wei Ran smiled, reached out and took out Robert's camera that had been put in the satchel in advance, and finally took a group photo for the three sailors who were about to return home.

Just as he put away the camera, Kou Kou also walked over from a distance with Tan Tu.

"Victor, what should I pay you this time?" Koko asked in French with her hands behind her back and a smile on her face, "Also, isn't Aurora on this island?"

"She has already left Palau ahead of schedule, as for the payment, forget it"

Wei Ran smiled, this investigation is for both parties to get what they need, if Kou Kou really intends to pay some compensation, he will lose out instead.

Kou Kou smiled and joked, "It seems that I saved a lot of money, and I was even thinking about making a fake transaction with you to get some money out of the Elk Foundation."

"Sorry Koko"

Wei Ran cleared his throat solemnly, "Although your proposal moved me very much, unfortunately, I am also the supervisor of the Elk Foundation, so I will not let you cheat even a single coin from the Foundation."

"You are really dedicated"

Kou Kou, who had no intention of paying, finally stopped joking, raised her little finger and pointed at the reporters who were busy in the distance, subconsciously lowered her voice and said, "Victor, you have to help me with an interview later. "

"No problem, let him be my interpreter later."

Wei Ran patted Xia Shushi's shoulder without thinking, and said in Chinese, "There is an interview later, you will be my interpreter, I don't know English."

"You really don't know English?" Xia Shushi asked unexpectedly, "Didn't you learn it in school?"

"I learned it, but it's almost as if I didn't learn it." Wei Ran said proudly, "The English I use most is ABCD in the multiple-choice questions."

Xia Shushi shook his head with a wry smile, "Don't be complacent about such things."

"I'm not proud." After Wei Ran finished speaking, he raised his chin towards the guard of honor in the distance, "Are they planning to transport them away by helicopter?"

"I heard from Lieutenant Colonel James that the official ceremony will be held on the deck of the destroyer USS Halsey." Kou Kou explained on the side.

"That's not bad," Wei Ran subconsciously muttered in his heart, but he no longer had the desire to chat.

While the four of them waited, the three coffins were lifted onto the helicopter and flew to the destroyer USS Halsey, watched by many cameras.

Immediately afterwards, those reporters, guards of honor, and even the lieutenant colonel boarded the Halsey one after another by helicopter.

During the round-trips of the helicopter, only Wei Ran and others remained on Helen Island, and those Indian boys headed by Tatanka who were picking up garbage, plus a grave that was not buried at all and scattered on the beach. of tents.

“It’s time for us to go for an interview too”

Kou Kou finished speaking and looked at Tatanka, "Uncle Tatanka, take the things of your father, Mr. Hawkes, and come with us."

“already ready”

As Tatanka said, he pulled out the pipe ax that had been pinned around his waist, and handed it to Koko, and then called two Indian boys to help him, and brought out a bulging sailor bag from his tent.

At the same time, Kou Kou handed the pipe ax he just got to Tan Tu beside him, "Hold it, you are the protagonist today."

Taking the pipe ax with both hands solemnly, Tantu and her father exchanged glances, and then nodded earnestly at Koukou.

Under the leadership of Kou Kou, a group of people boarded the waiting helicopter with bulging sailor bags, while the Indian boys who stayed behind took out their engineering shovels from their tents and walked to the island together. north side.

In less than 10 minutes of flight, the helicopter originally used for anti-submarine landed on the deck of the Halsey.

Almost at the same time when the propeller stopped turning, Wei Ran and others followed Kou Kou to the front deck of the destroyer.

"beep--!"

Amidst the low whistle, the guards of honor who had already made preparations immediately walked towards the three coffins placed side by side with extra slow steps, holding the American Star-Spangled Banner in their hands.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" Amidst the deafening noise, the destroyer named after Halsey also fired a salute for the three marines.

In the sound of 21 consecutive salutes of the highest standard, the three coffins were slowly covered with the Stars and Stripes. The soldiers of the whole ship also gave a military salute to the three well-deserved warriors under the camera amidst the whistle.

Inexplicably, Wei Ran thought of the other person's worries when he met the sailor Hawkes for the last time: "I'm afraid that the Americans at that time had forgotten the great chief, Captain Sterling and the moose. They forgot their bravery and courage. Justice they defended with their lives."

Looking at the American soldiers in the distance, Wei Ran is sure that at least at this time, they think of the destroyer DD-557 Johnston, the heroic Captain Evans, Captain Sterling, and their father and grandfather Half-breed sailor moose who are all rapists.

But he was not sure whether these American soldiers could remember the three of Evans longer than they could remember Captain America in the movie.

He is even less sure whether those American soldiers standing under the camera, those American soldiers who performed solemnly, still remember, or even care about the justice that Captain Evans and others have defended with their lives.

For Wei Ran, this is destined to be a question that cannot be truly answered and is itself meaningless.Even, he subconsciously thought of the words that Hawkes added after expressing those worries: "Forget it, I'm a grown-up man, and I'm just a 20-year-old Indian. I'm afraid it's not my turn to do this kind of thing." I'm worried."

"Yeah, I'm a Chinese, just an insignificant historian, and it's not my turn to worry about this kind of thing."

Wei Ran muttered something in his heart, and his face showed a trace of relaxed expression. In any case, at least, those three warriors could finally go home—in the name of well-deserved American heroes.

(End of this chapter)