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Rio nods, then wonders if she should have saluted, so she does The lieutenant salutes smartly in return, then with a smile he adds, “I appreciate the respect to my rank, but on balance I’d say we should dispense with saluting e’re on the line: kind of makes me conspicuous”
“Beebee, you go with her,” Cole says
“But, Sarge,” Beebee protests weakly
“Kid, as ere charging the barn you tripped, dropped your weapon, and if you was to look down the barrel of that weapon you’ll see it’s packed with dirt So you stick to Richlin, she’ll keep you alive For today Hopefully”
15
FRANGIE MARR—GELA BEACH, SICILY
Most of Walter Green’s platoon is scattered, wounded, or dead, and since they will not iie is loaned to the colored aid station, where she has worked feverishly since co ashore
The doctor, when he finally arrives, is harried, annoyed, and iie has ever seen, and she is drawn to the mystical power conferred by the letters “MD” that follow his name He’s also a captain, but that doesn’t matter so much in a frontline aid station
“Gunshot, through and through, perforated intestine We cleaned and bandaged,at an unconscious soldier lying on a stretcher on the ground Moving on to a feie says, “Broken tibia, simple fracture, we’ve splinted This fellow here is, well, battle fatigue, I suppose He al ashore, and his buddy took one in the chest SoAnd over here we have ers loading a howitzer, he’s bandaged”
She goes on through her two dozen patients, cal the doctor
Finally, the doctor says, “Good” Just that Just “Good”
His name is John Frame, Captain John Frame, US Arh no fault of his own Frangie would give her next meal to be able to sit down and throw questions at him for an hour, but he does not seem to be that sort of captain or doctor or person
“Okay,” Dr Frame says brusquely “Transport him, him, him, her, and those two The rest we’ll keep for a while”
“Yes, sir”
There is paperwork to be done—this may be war, and this may be a combat zone, but the army is still the army and there are forms to be filled out Outside the tent, out in the sunshine, Frangie finds a seat on an overturned food crate and props a clipboard on her knee