Divided We Stand (The Fighting Tomcats Book 2) Read online

  BOOK TWO

  OF

  THE FIGHTING TOMCATS

  DIVIDED WE STAND

  M. L. Maki

  Rose Hill Press, Olympia, Washington

  Divided We Stand is a work of historical fiction and speculation using well-known historical and public figures. All incidents and dialogue are products of the authors’ imagination and are not to be construed as real. Because of the speculative nature of this work, we have changed some timelines of the present, such as the fact that the aircraft carrier battlegroup depicted in this book has never existed. Also, we have changed the historical timeline in the present to suit the nature of the work. Any resemblance to persons living or dead who are not historical figures is entirely coincidental.

  The views presented are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the DoD or the United States Navy.

  DEDICATION

  To our Beta readers:

  ETNC (SW) Scott M. Richardson, Michael S. Mohr, Robert Maki, and Penny Sevedge.

  Thank you.

  The Fighting Tomcats

  Book One

  Fighting Her Father’s War

  Lieutenant Samantha ‘Spike’ Hunt thought she knew what she was getting into when she transferred from flying E-2C Hawkeye radar planes into the F-14 Tomcat fighters of the VF-154 Black Knights. She was planning her career to lead to astronaut training, but she found not all her fellow aviators were interested in sharing the squadron with women. Her Executive Officer, LCDR John ‘Book’ Carleton, undermined her anyway he could.

  Then a lightning storm caused by a British experiment performed in the Australian desert caused her aircraft carrier, the USS Carl Vinson, and her battlegroup, to travel back in time from December, 1990 to December, 1941. Admiral Ren and Captain Johnson formed a brain trust, led by Reactor Officer, Captain Klindt and an assembled team of experts, including Lt. Hunt, to find out what just happened.

  After an attack by a Japanese submarine sank the destroyer, USS Benjamin Stoddert, and they were able to piece together enough information, the brain trust determined they had come back in time to December, 1941, a few days after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Admiral Ren, and the commanding officers of the remaining battlegroup, decided it was time to join the war, and they launched an ‘alpha strike’ to hit the Japanese who were invading the Philippines. In a day of fighting, they destroyed hundreds of Japanese aircraft, many transports, destroyers, cruisers, and one aircraft carrier, and saved their own battlegroup from a direct attack by the Japanese. Lt. Hunt racked up twenty-two aerial victories in the two engagements.

  Her success angered Carleton, resulting in a confrontation between him and her flight leader, Lt. Stephan ‘Swede’ Swedenborg. Carleton is busted to Lieutenant and Lt. Hunt became the XO of the squadron.

  It was a difficult time for the crews of the battlegroup, who are struggling with the loss of their families, their homes, and their place in time. Most of the people they love have not yet been born. So, they had a somber Christmas as they withdrew to report to Admiral Nimitz.

  When they made contact with Admiral Nimitz, it does not take him long to understand the value of the ships, their equipment, and their people. He sends Admiral Ren, Captain Klindt, the CAG, Commander Lee, and other key people to Washington DC to re-engineer the 1990’s technology. The squadron leader of the Black Knights, Commander James ‘Papa’ Holtz becomes the CAG, and Lt. Hunt is promoted by Admiral Nimitz to Lt. Commander and the command of the squadron.

  Nimitz sends the battlegroup, under the command of Admiral Halsey on a Doolittle-like raid over Tokyo. Carleton’s hate and anger escalated to the point he attempted to rape Lt. Hunt, but was interrupted by a Chief White, whom he killed. But, just like the Doolittle raid, the battlegroup was discovered by a Japanese picket boat and they had to launch early. Carleton escaped from custody and joined the air battle.

  In the attack over Tokyo, they discovered that a Japanese military airfield also had come back in time. They were successful in their raid on Tokyo, but the Japanese sent a missile counter-strike against the battle group. The sailors from the combined fleet found themselves fighting for their lives off the coast of Japan.

  During the engagement to take out the Japanese F-15’s that had attacked the battle group, Carleton attacked Hunt’s plane. In the blue on blue furball, he forgot the enemy they were fighting and was shot down by a Japanese fighter.

  When the squadrons returned to the fleet, it is on fire, and seven American ships have been hit.

  LCDR Samantha Leigh Hunt of Stone Mountain Tennessee is fighting her father’s war.

  CONTENTS

  Dedication

  Summary of Fighting Her Father’s War, Book One of the Fighting Tomcats

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Glossary

  Acknowledgements

  Copyright

  About the Authors

  One’s mind, once stretched by a new idea, never regains its original dimensions.

  Oliver Wendell Holmes

  CHAPTER 1

  BLACK KNIGHTS READY ROOM, 03 LEVEL, USS CARL VINSON

  600 MILES SOUTH OF TOKYO

  1604, 14 January, 1942

  LCDR Samantha ‘Spike’ Hunt is exhausted. Fighting her fatigue, she struggles to formulate a plan to counter another air strike by the Japanese. After hitting Tokyo Bay with an alpha strike, the remaining F-14’s then ambushed F-15’s that had come back on a Japanese air base. The ambush was successful, but the Japanese had mounted a major attack on the battlegroup. The squadrons had come back to a damaged Carl Vinson, sinking cruisers and destroyers, and the loss of too many of their own.

  “Swede, we have enough planes. You…” Her head drops and she stiffens, shaking her head and squeezing her eyes tight, “You, Hot Pants, Glow Rod, and Jedi man up a flight and report ready.”

  “Spike, you’re exhausted. Let me handle, it. Okay?”

  “I’m not going to fly, Swede. I know I can’t, but the Japanese could counterstrike any time. Go.”

  “Yes, ma’am.”

  Spike turns to her RIO, “Puck, more coffee, please.” Lt. JG Eric ‘Puck’ Hawke, a Lakota Sioux, grabs her cup, fills it, and sets it by her hand.

  “Here. You know Swede is right. Your wiped out. Even Pappa told you to go to bed when he left.”

  “Okay, Puck. I’ll go. Just keep things running here. We have seven operational birds and four on ready five. The Tomcatters assume ready five in about 40 minutes. Wake me up if anyone gets hurt, or any additional birds need to be taken out of…”

  Admiral Halsey walks in and Cooper, her Yeoman, says, “Attention on deck.”

  They all stand and Spike finishes, “of the lineup. Sir?”

  “Are you alright, Commander?”

  “I’ll live, sir.”

  “I know what happened between you and Lt. Carleton.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “It was exactly what I was afraid of when I heard of female sailors. Are you going to be able to continue?”

  “I thought y
ou would be more worried we might die. I’ve got it, sir.”

  “Good.” Then he turns and walks from the room.

  GERMAN MiG-29A, 150 FEET ABOVE THE ENGLISH CHANNEL

  Captain Henrik Getz scans the skies and his instruments as his aircraft approaches England. He is cruising along at full military power, just below the speed of sound. When he sees the white cliffs, he climbs to clear them, checking that his wingman is doing the same.

  Getz scans the skies, then his instruments, as his aircraft approaches England. He musing over the last months of training Germans to fly jets, he is still amazed. Time travel? How could it be? But, still, today he will get to attack the enemies of his country, East Germany. Yes, Germany was united again. In truth, at this time his beloved Germany has never been separated.

  As the countryside flashes by only 200 feet below him, he knows he is on target. At the correct moment, he rolls his plane to the left and pulls into a smooth turn. As he does, he sees the roofs of Canterbury below him. It won’t be long.

  LONG BEACH, 02 LEVEL, FORWARD SUPERSTRUCTURE

  1712, 14 January, 1942

  MM1 Walters, leading a hose team he’s managed to cobble together, and on his second OBA canister, makes it up the port ladder. On the O2 level the fire is everywhere. The water boils when it hits the bulkheads and decks. He has another team trying to keep his team cool with low velocity fog. In places, the aluminum structure is burning, blue flames flaring out. When he sprays the aluminum bulkhead, the water flashes to steam. He turns his head and shouts down the line, “Send for PKP!”

  He continues trying to knock down the flames, but they just flash back as he does. Then the forward bulkhead begins a slow collapse, falling forward. MM3 Small arrives with a hand-held extinguisher, sprays the bulkhead, and, for a moment, the fire goes out. They relight quickly, but, now the water can start cooling the metal. They spray the PKP every few seconds to keep the flames down, then hose down the bulkheads to cool them. In time, the aluminum is too cold to support combustion and the fire goes out.

  BLACK KNIGHTS READY ROOM

  1715, 14 January

  Spike stands, “Okay, Puck. Keep me posted. I’m going to bed.”

  “Do you need help getting to your stateroom?”

  She shakes her head, “I got it.” Then stumbles. She looks up at Puck and grins, as he offers a hand, “You’d think I’d had a few too many. Damn. I’ll be fine.”

  “Spike, it’s okay to ask for help.”

  “I know, but I need you here,” she makes her way out of the ready room. The movement of the carrier through the light seas is enough to force her to put a hand on the bulkhead to steady herself. Turning, she walks into the stateroom she shares with Gloria. Grabbing her shower bag, she goes to the head. As she holds down the button to get wet, the tears come in wrenching sobs.

  If she wasn’t so damn tired. If she could just stop seeing Chief White’s face. If. If. If. I’ll get through this. I will. I can do it. So much death.

  CHAPTER 2

  USS SAN FRANCISCO, BRIDGE

  1732, 14 January, 1942

  Captain Cassin Young is still on the bridge wing. His steward puts a cup of coffee and a sandwich in his captain’s hands, hoping he’ll eat. LCDR Valentine Carmichael, the Damage Control Assistant, approaches and salutes. Captain Young returns the salute with his coffee cup, “How bad?”

  “Sir, we have two dead, seven wounded, fires out. We lost mount 54. It’s mangled and will need yard repairs. The turret barbette held. It’s dented, but that’s all.”

  “That’s good news. Mount 2 still functional, then?”

  “Yes, sir, fully functional.”

  “Thank you. I need to send this to Halsey. I need the list of the dead and wounded.” Carmichael hands him the list, “Good job, Commander. See about sending anyone we can to the Long Beach and the Salt Lake City.”

  “Yes, sir.” He salutes and leaves.

  EIGHTBALLER 4, SITE WHERE THE FANNING WAS LOST

  0134, 15January, 1942

  Sandra “Cargo Britches” Douglas is hovering thirty feet above the waves as another load of sailors is hoisted aboard. Her SEALs, HM1 Larry ‘Munchkin’ Shockley and ENS Russel ‘Triage’ Jeremy, are gathering the swimming sailors and trying to keep the sharks at bay. Out of her lower windshield, she sees one of the SEALs diving under the water. A moment later a shark is thrashing the water and there is blood everywhere.

  Soon her bird is full and the two crazy frogmen are hoisted aboard. Munchkin is holding something under his t-shirt and the two are doing a high five on the way up.

  Once aboard, and tending the sailors, Triage puts on a crew helmet. “Lieutenant, we have three critical. One is a bad bleeder and the others have multiple compound fractures.”

  “Understood, we are heading for Vinson. What’s under Shockley’s shirt?”

  “Shark steak. He figured if he had to kill it, we might as well get some grub out of it.”

  CAPTAIN HENRIK GETZ’S MiG-29 APPROACHING LONDON

  Getz is thrilled as he sees the roof tops of London appear ahead of him. He’s flying at just below Mach 1, so he knows his approach is silent. Nine years of flying for the East German Airforce, he dreamt of this day. When unification happened, he was thrilled for his people, but sad, as it meant East Germany had lost. The Soviet Union had fallen. It was like losing the world cup without ever playing a game.

  Then his squadron was assigned to Brendenmeyer Air Base, and the whole thing went back in time to World War II. Well, at least, he would get to fight. He would prove himself to be the best. Many of his peers refused to fight and were imprisoned. Insanity.

  Adjusting west in a shallow curve, he levels his wings and lines up on a fuel tank. As he flies over it, he pickles off a 500-pound bomb. As he circles back, the flak begins, making it harder to see the streets below him. His next target was maddeningly small and hard to find, which was the point. Missing it the first time, he circles and tries again. As he does, he sees a warship in the Docklands area and drops a 500-pound bomb on it. Then he recognizes the street he’s looking for, lines up, and drops a 500 pounder on the corner of the Treasury building, hitting what is supposed to be the War Cabinet Rooms.

  Now he turns his attention to the Spitfires and Hurricanes his wingman was dealing with, quickly downing two fighters. Calling on the radio, he says, “Herman, we go home.”

  ON THE TOWER BRIDGE, LONDON

  Prime Minister Winston Churchill climbs from his hastily stopped Bentley and looks off to the east as the jets wing away. Rolling a cigar between his fingers in thought he climbs back into the car, “Take me to the Treasury building.”

  As they pull up, he can see the fire brigade working. “Yes, right. William take me to Downing.”

  03 LEVEL FORWARD SUPERSTRUCTURE, USS LONG BEACH

  0150, 15 January, 1942

  Walters continues through the melting structure to the 03 level and repeat the process. By the time he makes it to the 05 level, the only thing burning is normal combustibles. Three hours and five OBA canisters later, the fire is out.

  When Walters takes off his face mask, the stench of burning plastic, wood, metal, and flesh hits him. Handing his hose to one of his team, he grabs a rake, digging through the mess looking for hotspots. The missile hit here, and it is here that the fire was hottest. He crouches down under the partially collapsed 03 level to rake out coals. With his back to the 06 level and his feet on the 05 level, he can feel movement between them. Stepping back out he sees Captain Tenzar.

  “Careful, sir, it’s not stable.”

  “Are you MM2 Walters?”

  ‘Yes, sir.”

  “I understand it was you who called for the PKP.”

  “Yes, sir, it seemed reasonable at the time.”

  Tenzar laughs, “It was brilliant. I’ve never heard of anyone putting out an aluminum fire.”

  “Thank you, sir.”

  “No, son, thank you. How are we doing here?”

  “Sir, we need
to do something about the box. If we’re caught in a storm it could break off. I can feel it move now.”

  Tenzar puts a hand on the overhead feeling the slight movement, “I see what you mean. Any ideas?”

  “I was thinking, sir, if we punched holes along the 02 and 03 floor beams and wove a cable through them, we could use a chain fall to tighten it up and then clamp it in place.”

  “Uh. You propose to sew the ship together? Why not weld it in place?”

  “Sir, it’s moving. The welds would break as we made them.”

  “Good point. I’ll talk to the DCA. You go and get some rest. Thank you, again.”

  BRIDGE, USS SALT LAKE CITY

  0216, 15 JANUARY, 1942

  CDR Brewster Flanagan, the CHENG, walks up to Captain Zacharias, his uniform soaking wet and covered in oil and grime. Saluting, he says, “Fires are out, over haul is in progress. Fire main is restored aft of mount 2. Mount 2 is flooded. The bulkhead between mount 2 and the store room is sprung. We have five submersibles going, but we are losing the battle. The forward bulkhead to fire room 1 is leaking, but I’m hoping we can hold it there. If we do, we should be able to limp back for repairs.”

  “If we lose the fire room, what then?”

  “Sir, if we lose the fire room, we lose the ship.”

  “What do you need?”

  Flanagan shrugs, “More pumps, more shoring, more people that know how to use it. Maybe a couple of cutting torches to remove debris.”

  “I’ll get them for you. You are doing wonders, Brewster. Please give your men my thanks.”

  Flanagan salutes, “Aye sir, I will.” He looks out over the battle group, “I see the fires on Long Beach are out. Good.” Turning, he heads back below.