“UNITED STATES DECLARES WAR ON JAPAN.” It was the headline that Jimmy’s father read to him over breakfast on the brisk, December morning. Jimmy was eighteen, attending Annandale High School, in Annandale, Virginia. It was his senior year. Not much was said after that, but everyone could sense the elephant room, although no one wanted to address it, or think about it for that matter. To be honest, being drafted was rather inevitable for Jimmy. He just hoped that somehow, the letter would not come. He went to school and acted like it was a normal day, even though something was weighing him down at the back of his mind.

Jimmy got to school and everyone knew about the war. “You think we’ll get drafted?” Jimmy sighed to his cronies, Bobby.

“I duh know, I hope not,” muttered Bobby in a dull tone.

Bobby and Jimmy had been friends since birth, and their family histories seemed to stretch for miles. The two families had remained friends for generations, ever since both coming over to America from Ireland. As it turns out, the families had historically fought together in war. Jimmy’s and Bobby’s fathers fought together in the first World War

Jimmy somehow got through the rest of the week. The war was continually in the paper, forever reminding Jimmy of the imminent draft. Sure enough, a few short weeks later, Jimmy got the letter in the mail. He would be fighting in the United States Army before even graduating. Bobby had also been drafted, along with about twenty others in his grade. They would ship out to start his training in mid-January.

Jimmy was down to his final week at home with his family. He would leave on a Monday to report for training in South Carolina. The night before Jimmy left, his mother held a small little family celebration. His grandparents and some of his aunts and uncles were in attendance, as well as close friends. After the little gathering, Bobby offered “Hey, what do ya say we go out for some giggle water before we ship out?” The old bartender, who Jimmy’s family had known for years, put forth some advice, “Let me tell ya, fighting will change you kids. Yous two need to stick together over there.”

His words haunted Jimmy. He wondered what the old bartender meant by, “. . . the war will change you.” By the time he arrived in Europe, he already deciphered the meaning of the message.

The following morning, he and Bobby hopped on the train and made their way down to South Carolina for training. They trained c for about four months. It was a hard, strenuous four months. By mid-April, Jimmy found out he would be shipped over to Europe. As it turned out, he and Bobby would be in the same unit. Towards the end of May, they shipped out. Jimmy wrote a letter home, letting his parents know, just as he had been writing them since he arrived in South Carolina.

Jimmy and Bobby departed for Europe, arriving in London, but this was only a temporary respite. Soon after, they found themselves headed for France where the war was raging and the Germans had taken control of France. The United States and other allied troops were there to regain control. Many other units along with Jimmy and Bobby arrived in France. Upon arrival Jimmy and Bobby were put into units. Fortunately for them, they remained together in the same unit. They were issued uniforms, equipment, and weapons. It was only at this point that things became real for Jimmy. This was the first time he had felt fear while in the military. It was the first time he had come to grasp the thought that he would be shooting at people. He disliked the thought of carrying a weapon with him everywhere he went. He disliked the thought of killing a human being. He disliked the thought of other humans trying to kill him. After a few days in the barracks, each unit was trucked off into different parts of the countryside. When the truck’s engine stopped, Jimmy and Bobby found themselves in the French countryside, surrounded by farmland, and the thick, blanketing forest. For hours, their unit marched through the forest, the fields, and the dirt roads, on patrol. In the distance, they could feel the relentless artillery shelling pulsing right through them. They could feel the stench of manure in the air, and the rural setting made them feel as though they had traveled in a time machine, and went back to when things were simpler.

One morning, their unit received Intel that suggested a German unit would be moving through their area. Jimmy’s unit hunkered down in an open field. One captain commanded, “You two!” (Pointing towards Jimmy and Bobby) Go secure the left flank over by the woods!”

“Yes sir!” Jimmy and Bobby replied in unison.

As instructed, they dug a five-foot by five-foot trench, just spacious enough for the two of them. They were girded and ready to go. In the following hours, they just watched, and waited. The occasional call of a bird was audible. The silence was suspenseful and palpable; it was like they were just waiting to hear the first shot ring out. Abruptly, they heard something yelled in what sounded like German. Immediately following, they heard rapid, relentless gunfire. Both Jimmy and Bobby ducked down into their trench, terrified. Shaking with fear, they slowly poked their weapons out. Jimmy could not see anyone to even fire at. They heard an ice-cold yell, “ Krauts on the left flank!” The gunfire seemed to be coming from everywhere. It was invigorating. Jimmy just fired in the direction he thought the artillery was coming from. At once, all of the fire seemed to stop. There was a dead silence. All that could be heard was the eerie and halting sound of a singular bird chirping. Jimmy and Bobby still remained nestled in their trench. They both stood up, and gathered their scattered equipment. “What now?” Jimmy pondered, hopelessly. Bobby did not reply. He could only cast a terrified stare above him, with frightened eyes. Jimmy felt the cold, metal barrel of the German rifle on the back of his neck. “Drop Ihre waffen[1]!” commanded a German soldier. Neither Bobby nor Jimmy understood German, but they quickly grasped the message. Stripped of their weapons and blindfolded they were instructed to march. They walked for what seemed like miles and miles. Guided by the Germans, they finally arrived in an old, abandoned, decrepit farmhouse in the countryside. There, the blindfolds were removed as they were shoved to the ground. The Germans quickly restrained them by tying their hands to a pipe. The farm house had cracked walls, and it had a musty smell. Perched on a hill It was a rather stereotypical French farm house; only a few rooms, a few windows which allowed natural light to flow in, and of course, it was in a desolate, remote area. The Germans were brutally eloquent, and had a macho about them. They carried themselves with confidence, and seemed to control both boys with ease. In the following hours, both Jimmy and Bobby passed out from the pure exhaustion and stress of the situation.

Jimmy and Bobby awoke to two German soldiers in front of them. From what Jimmy concluded, they two had only captured them, as they were the only two that ever tended to the boys. Every few hours they were brought water and small amounts of food .At least one of the Germans always kept watch of Bobby and Jimmy with a gun. The Germans very rarely said anything to them. Jimmy realized that they were not much older than he was. Day after day, and night after night Jimmy and Bobby remained tied up. They just sat there, motionless for day after day. With each passing day, Jimmy made another tally mark that he scratched into the soft stone wall with a sharp stone he had found.

On the twenty-second day of captivity, Jimmy and Bobby awoke to find that the Germans were gone, never to return. The boys figured that the Germans really had no purpose for just keeping the boys captive there, so they must have just abandoned them. Once they realized the Germans were gone, their main priority became escape. With volition, in a desperate attempt, Bobby gouged at and dislocated his thumb in order to slip his hand through the noose. He then untied Jimmy. The two of them poked their head out of the door; no Germans in sight. They waited for nightfall until they ventured away from the farm house. They snuck away from the house, covered by darkness and the forest. They traveled through the night on the lonesome dirt roads and the thick forest. In the morning, they came upon an American unit of soldiers stationed in an old, abandoned church. They approached with caution, as to not startle anyone and provoke gunfire. Holding their dog tags forward to be identified they were accepted, and beyond relieved to have found safety. It was pure ecstasy for both Bobby and Jimmy. They were extremely alleviated to have made it through the strenuous situation. They told their story to the other soldiers who were in disbelief. In the following days, Jimmy and Bobby were guided towards an American base. From there, they were sent home.

Reflecting on their experiences the whole way home, Bobby and Jimmy discussed the hardships and terror involved with warfare. The two of them arrived back home in Virginia, and to the safety of their families. Their military experience only strengthened their friendship, and they remained friends for many years to follow, upholding the legacy of close family friendship.

Connection: This story connects to Before We were Free in the way that both stories involve the loss of a friendship. In this story, Bobby and Jimmy must part ways because of war. In Before We were Free, Anita and Oscar parts ways because of the stressful dictatorship.

[1] German for, “Drop your weapons”.