128th Field Hospital
US Naval Station
Keflavik, Iceland
24 December, 1943
2330 Hours

Jordan, a Navy Nurse Corps Lieutenant and the duty charge nurse, heard the door of the vestibule close. Kensington, fresh out of Johns Hopkins and Newport's OCS was her relief. Early, too, for the briefing she needed before her watch began.

'Hi, good to see you. Sorry we haven't met earlier. I'm Laura. Kensington, right?"

"Katherine, please," she said, newly arrived on the station and beginning her first 0001 to 0800 tour at the base hospital.

"Welcome to our cold storage facility. Katherine. Hang up your coat and hat and take a seat." A smile and she continued from her notes after Katherine was seated. "It's been quiet. The big news is the two Kriegsmarine patients: Both are serious but stable. Still under guard.

"The two merchantmen suffering from pneumonic petro-chemical ingestion and aspiration are still on watch. One, Conrad, is shaky even with oxygen. The other merchantmen are recovering well from the extreme exposure. The frostbite cases are showing good recovery. No more amputations are expected. Otherwise, everything is normal.

"That's it," she said, pushing away from the desk and standing.

Katherine stood, too. "Thanks, lieutenant. I have the watch."

Jordan stepped away from the desk, yawned and smiled. "Call me Laurie. Everybody else does. You guys are Santa Claus, tonight, too. That's nice!"

"Thanks."

"Fun tomorrow, watching them wake up and finding that surprise. First Christmas away?"

"No."

"Really?"

"Uh huh. I enrolled at Johns-Hopkins for the fall '38 class and came here right from Newport."

"Where's home?"

"Palo Alto."

"California? Really? Why not a college on the coast, like Stanford or San Francisco?"

Katherine smiled. "That's what my parents said. I wanted to travel. So I went east. Then the war started."

"So that's where you got the experience with the petro cases! You impressed Dr. Raines, I heard."

Katherine shrugged. "Right away we had a lot of merchantmen casualties. Those first few months saw a lot of ship-sinkings, almost daily along the coast. Many were oilers and that meant burns and lots of immersion and chemical exposure. The proximity was right so we took in a lot of them."

"Missed all that. I heard about it while I was at Memphis, though," Laurie said, taking her great coat off the rack and shrugging into it.

"What's it like outside?" putting her fur hat on.

"Clear and cold, -25."

"Iceland," Laurie said, pulling her gloves on. "Good night."

"Sugar plums dancing in your head ... ."

Laurie laughed. "I wish, thanks." She waved and walked straight to the vestibule door, opening it and out of sight when it closed.

Making the new log entry for her watch, Katherine finished the boiler plate and stood to begin her rounds. Her staff of two corpsmen were already working their way down the rows of beds along the walls of the extended Nissan Hut.

Feeling a little chill, she held her hand up to the heater and felt the hot air blowing into the hut. "Barely enough!"

"Drake, Andrews," calling them to her.

"Morning lieutenant, Merry Christmas."

She smiled. "Yes it is, thanks. Same to you." She looked at the senior petty officer, Drake. "I want to check the two POWs first, then Conrad,"

"Aye, ma'am." They followed her to the end of the hut and the two Germans' beds. Seeing them for the first time it was surprising to see their left wrists handcuffed to the bed frames.

"Why are they handcuffed here?"

"They are POWs, Lieutenant. Their ankles are also shackled," Drake said.

The army private stood when they approached. "Their guard?" Drake nodded.

"Good morning, lieutenant." Standing at attention, he saluted. Inside and uncovered, the three navy nodded to acknowledge the courtesy.

"As you were, private. Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yes, lieutenant."

"We'll be a few minutes, you can go get a cup of coffee if you want."

Looking at Drake, "Uh, well, thanks, lieutenant. I have to stay with the prisoners until relieved. Besides, I have my Thermos."

"Oh?" Drake affirmed the order with a nod.

She read the tag and notes on the foot of the endmost bed as the heavily-bearded German watched her.

"Good evening, Lieutenant. You're new. Welcome." He smiled. His greeting to her in nearly accent-free middle Atlantic English was surprising. "I am Feldwebel Schoentag. I will speak for my comrade, Matrosenobergefreiter Scheiffle, if necessary."

"First class petty officer and a seaman," Drake said. Katherine nodded.

"Petty Officer, are you in pain?."

"A little from the bullet wound in my leg."

She looked at Drake. "It's the gunshot to his upper thigh," he said.

"Let me see it."

"Best let us do it, lieutenant," Drake said.

Andrews cleared the blankets away. "On your side, please." Familiar with the drill, Schoentag awkwardly rolled over, handicapped by his cuffed left wrist. Katherine watched as her corpsmen carefully opened the dressing on his left upper leg and exposed the gunshot wound. "It's a through and through without hitting the bone or tapping the femoral," Andrews said. "No complications. The wick is clear. Looking good, no inflammation. It's healing well. We'll replace the dressing after the doc checks it on morning rounds."

"Thank you," Katherine said.

At the next bed, she checked the chart. "Scheiffle is showing a persistent elevated temperature?"

"Aye, lieutenant, we've been watching him. "

"I hate to wake him, but I need to have his vital signs." Turning to the other prisoner, "Petty Officer Schoentag, we are going to wake him and check for vital signs and the incision."

"I understand, nurse."

"Thank you." She took the chart off the bed. The abdominal bullet wound notation stood out. She looked up at him, "So young." The wispy facial hair did not hide the youth of his features. The war came in hard. These men were enemies; had been in combat, and shot.

Andrews shook the man's pillow. Scheiffle came awake groggily staring at the men standing over him. He looked at his petty officer as Schoentag spoke to him, then replied. It was a brief conversation.

"Nurse, he understands and says, thank you."

Andrews fitted his stethoscope and pumped up the sphygmomanometer. Drake had the thermometer in the patient's mouth while also timing for the pulse rate.

Katherine entered the numbers from Drake; temp 10
2, pulse 104, then Andrews; 135 over 85.

Drake checked the sutures. "Everything looks good, Lieutenant. No inflammation or signs of any infection."

"That spike bothers me. We can give him another Sulfa tablet now for the fever. Dr. Greene's order has already okayed that if necessary."

"Aye, lieutenant.

"Goodnight, petty officer, and your crewman."

"Goodnight, nurse. Thank you."

"You're quite welcome, sleep well."

Conrad was a tad worrisome, but stable.

It was quiet in the ward after they finished their rounds. The three of them reviewed the records of the men in the ward and their injuries. Katherine asked them for their impressions of the men's injuries. making notations in her journal.

The vestibule door banged open catching their attention. An individual with a large shoulder bag pushed past it and waved. "Merry Christmas, gang," as he approached them.

"Same to you, Dukes. Lieutenant, it's the mid-rations brought from the galley by their runner."

"Coffee, hot chocolate, and eggnog with soup and horsecock sandwiches and doughnuts for you guys," Dukes said as he dropped off the bag onto the table. "Later, folks, colder'n a well digger's ass outside."

Drake cast a wry smile her way after he left. "Not quite like the cafeteria at the hospital I guess?"

"No. Still it does hit the spot. I didn't know they did this. I brought my own."

"I'll put it away in the fridge and you can take it with you when we are relieved," Drake said.

They were quiet for a bit as they snacked on the meal. Andrews policed the area. Drake held up the large Thermos. "Warm yours up, Lieutenant?"

"No, thank you. "

He corked it and set it down at the table's center.

She looked at the clock hanging on the bulkhead, 0330. "I'd like to start putting the packages out for the men."

"Aye," and they all stood. The packets were already made up and bagged for distribution earlier on that eve. Now, they only had to pull each of them out and carefully slip them under the pillows of the sleeping men.

Task completed they relaxed around the table. Andrews took one of the extra packets and opened it. "Wow! Look at this. A couple of cookies, a pack of gum, toothbrush, paste and a comb, with a give-away pack of four cigarettes. Lucky Strikes, too. Nice. You smoke, Lieutenant?"

Katherine shook her head.

"Pass a couple over," Drake said. Taking one, he passed the other to Katherine.

"Thanks." She smiled.

"Whose idea was this, anyway? You know?" Drake asked.

"The Chaplain's." Katherine said. "I thought it was kind of nice, too. Similar to what we did at the hospital when I was in training."

"Where was that, lieutenant," Drake asked.

"Maryland, at Johns-Hopkins. It was mostly for the kids we had to hold over during the holidays. The adult patients appreciated it too."

"At Christmas, for sure," Andrews said.

Katherine checked her watch. "I want to check Schieffle and Conrad again. Right back."

The two men stood up. "Stay, I can do this," she said.

"Lieutenant, we should go with you." Drake's words and expression were adamant and Katherine wondered why.

"Okay, thanks."

The two Germans were asleep. Katherine listened to Scheiffle's noisy breathing though it was regular with no apparent discomfort.

Conrad was different. He was awake and coughing. His breathing was rapid and shallow. She checked the oxygen flow. It was near maximum. "Elevate his torso to upright."

Andrews came back with several pillows from the empty beds and with Drake's help repositioned the man. He seemed more comfortable.

She moved him forward to listen to his breathing with her stethoscope. It worried her.

"That better,?" she asked.

He nodded, "Yes. Easier. Still--hurts--to--breathe."

"Drake, please run a set on him. He looks to be running a temperature, too," noting the perspiration on his forehead,

"Aye, Lieutenant."

She waited until they had the numbers.

"103, and 92."

"A couple of aspirin to start with. I'm going to call Dr. Enders."

After his examination, Dr. Enders walked back to the ward nurse's desk with Katherine. "I'm prescribing a regimen of Meperidine. We have to get him breathing deeper and this will help." He signed the log and the prescription. "If these symptoms don't subside we'll have to admit him to the lab for x-rays. You were right, it is chemical pneumonia from aspirating a petroleum distillate.

"God, this war is insanity."

She nodded and unlocked the cabinet to pull out the sterilized syringe and bottle.

A few minutes after the injection, the pain subsided and Conrad was breathing normally.

"Goodnight, nurse," Dr. Enders said. "You did well to call me. I'll be back first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, doctor."

Alone at the table, Katherine shuddered and clasped her hands. Reflexively, she pressed her blouse to feel the miraculous medal inside that her parents had given to her when she left for Baltimore. She prayed, "Saint Agatha, patron saint of nurses and healers, help us to bring these men to good health again. In Jesus' name, Amen." After signing, she clasped her hands and leaned her forehead onto them. "Why do I keep remembering those we ... that we lost because we didn't know what to do? Now I am so afraid for these men."

She went to the sink and washed her hands and face. Drying them she looked into the mirror. Straightening, there came a new determination and she smiled.

Back in the ward, she looked at the clock, only 0520. Almost three hours were left. When she had asked, the weather people warned her that daylight wouldn't come until another six hours at this high latitude, then for only about four hours before sunset at about 1400. It would be a weak light at best even so near noon.

The two corpsmen were making their routine pass along the patients again, helping those needing assistance to walk to the head.

Seated at ease around the table again, Katherine looked at the two of them and wondered. "How'd you fellows get here?"

"They were aiming to get me in the first round," Drake said. "My dad wanted me to stay since I was exempt. I said I'd rather enlist. He had enough help on the ranch and didn't need me, too. So I enlisted in the Navy."

"Where was that?

North-central Wyoming, boot camp at Farragut, Idaho. I helped the vet sometimes when we needed him. Since I worked with the vet on the ranch, they put me in with the guys helping in the base hospital at Balboa. Seemed like a good thing. They approved my application for the "A" school. I want to go ahead and learn more after this is over."

Andrews grinned. "I'm a big city boy, worked in a drug store in the Bronx as a soda jerk. I watched them making up these medicines all the time. They taught me a lot. I want to learn more and be a pharmacist, too."

"Okay, my turn," Andrews said. "How about you, lieutenant?"

"My father is an internist and my mother is a pathologist. I loved working with the nurses as a volunteer for my public service requirement in high school. The staff and the director arranged for me to interview for the next nurse training class at Johns Hopkins. I passed their entrance and aptitude exams and matriculated in August, 1938. Then it was here after graduation from the college and OCS. I ... ."

They were startled by a scream from the ward, "Nurse, nurse, help, please, help!"

"I'm warning you, lay down or I'll shoot!"

"What the hell is going on?" Galvanized, Drake leaped up. The other two close behind. The army guard was standing with his pistol drawn. Schoentag was out of bed, having overturned it and was standing over his comrade.

"He's not breathing. You've got to help him. Oh please, Bern. Not now!"

"Stand back or I'll shoot," Carrington screamed aiming his gun at Schoentag.

Drake waved him away. "Carrington! Put that goddamned thing away before you do.

"Schoentag, back off or we can't help. Now dammit, or I'll boot you into the middle of next week."

The German pushed his bed away to give them room and stood defiantly by it.

Drake shouted at the confused guard. "Carrington, unlock this man's handcuffs, we need to get him off that bed. Now, goddamnit,"

"I can't. It's my orders to guard this ...."

Katherine screamed at him. "I don't care, guard that man and unlock this one. Do it now or I swear I'll see you complicit for this man's death. That's international law. Now do it. That is a direct order from a superior officer."

Carrington fumbled for the key, and handed it to Andrews. He released the man's wrist from the restraint.

She paused to feel for a pulse and listened for any breathing. "Put him prone on the deck. Quickly!"

Drake tossed a blanket on the deck and the two lifted and placed him on it.

That's good. Andrews, get Dr. Enders. Tell him I said it's an emergency."

"Aye, lieutenant."

Checking his mouth clear, with the man's head between her knees, she pressed down with all her weight on his back at the lower part of his ribcage. Then sat up to take his elbows in her grip and pulled them up and toward herself. And again, and again, even after Dr. Enders came.

"What are you doing, woman?"

Without stopping, Katherine explained. "It's a new technique for rescue breathing, Holger-Neilson."

"Stop a minute," he said, "Let me check for a heart beat." After a few seconds, he sat up. "There's none. He's gone. Stop this now. YOU can't save him."

Katherine began again, 'I have to, I have to," tears running down her cheeks.

"You two, take her away and put her on a chair somewhere. Just get her away from here. And stay with her. I'll take care of her when I finish here."

Taking her arms, Andrews and Drake gently lifted her away and walked her to the lunch table.

Enders was still on his knees. He bowed his head for a minute clenching his fist before he looked up and saw the private still with his gun out of the holster and looking thoroughly frightened and confused.

"Boy, put that gun back in its holster before you do something we'll all regret.

"Feldwebel Schoentag," Enders said.

"Jawohl, mein herr," he answered, snapping to attention.

"I am so sorry about your man. We will take care of him exactly as required. Now help me put that bed back in order and let me check that wound."

Later that morning, Katherine sat still and alone in the chapel. She had gone there directly from the ward. Dr. Enders had talked with her afterward before he ordered her relieved. It was a blur and she had not slept. Now she sorted through her thoughts. This was a young boy, sent to war and had died a senseless death for no good reason.

"I've seen death before." The question was still there. "Why is this one so hard to understand?"

A hand on her shoulder brought her back. It was Commander Jensen, the Navy Nurse Corps Officer in Command at this station. She sat quietly beside her nurse for a long while with her arm over her shoulders as Katherine cried.

"Oh dear," she said finally. "We all mourn these losses, too. We ... I don't want to lose you, too. Pray with me." Together they knelt and quietly prayed for the young man's soul.

Done, they signed and walked to the door. Dipping fingers into the font, they turned to the crucifix under the eternal light and made their Sign of the Cross together.

Jensen held Katherine close for a minute. Standing back, at attention, "Lieutenant, you need some rack time before we have the Christmas party for the children. I want to hear that program you brought with you for your school parties."

"Aye, Commander."

"Carry on, Lieutenant."

"Aye, aye, Commander," saluted, about-faced and marched to her quarters.

Katherine sang a beautiful a capella solo for the choral program that afternoon before reporting for her watch that evening.

Scheiffle, Bernhard T., Matrosenobergefreiter Kriegsmarine was interred a week later. His shipmates and a respectful US Army guard detail with a Navy security contingent witnessed the ceremony. It was directed by Schoentag, Louis R., Feldwebel Kriegsmarine with a U.S. Army chaplain assisting. Katherine represented the hospital, saluting as the honor guard fired the three volleys marking a fallen warrior's final rest.