The Supreme Sacrifice

By Brandon Petterson

Pilot Dan Martin sees his duty written on the face of a copper penny—and prepares to make the supreme sacrifice!

• Language: English
• Publisher: BrandonPetterson Publishing
• Release date: Dec 1, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201050146

Book preview

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A World War II Story

Pilot Dan Martin sees his duty written on the face of a copper penny—and prepares to make the supreme sacrifice!

1

CLINT MALLARD, pilot lieutenant, drew the death penny. He picked it from among twenty-two, pocket-worn pennies in the black hat, made blacker by the darkness. If cold beads of sweat popped out on Mallard’s youthful face, they were concealed by the moist veil of the tropical night.

Check your watches, said Flight Commander Joyce, glancing at the luminous dial on his wrist. When my fingers snap it will be five-ten exactly. At five-forty dawn will break, and I mean break.

Up like thunder outa China ’cross the bay, quoted one of the twenty- two shadows about the planes on line. Kipling knew his stuff. That’s the way the sun comes up—with a crash.

We'll forego Kipling, said Commander Joyce a bit tensely. At five-twenty we take off for Luzon and hope we have a clear sky above Palau. The yellow sons are thick there. When we hop off that will leave exactly twenty minutes to sunrise.

Twenty minutes to hell for Mallard, growled the voice which had quoted Kipling.

Can it, you chump! The tone was brittle. The words came from Pilot Officer Dan Martin. In the darkness, he added, Commander, may Jenkins hold the Curtiss last on the line? I’d like a word with Mallard on the take- off. I won’t hold up the flight.

Sure, Lieutenant Martin, but make it snappy, assented Commander Joyce. "We’re taking a chance with the take-off lights, and we’ll have to get altitude during that twenty minutes of darkness, if the Japs

Reviews for The Supreme Sacrifice

[Hence Poli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

The story is good. I like it, hope there is a sequel. Very touching