Extraction

Epilogue

Prologue

Twenty years prior…..

Herrata Yamashita was a privileged and trusted member of the Imperial family of Japan . Herrata often wondered what the world outside the island of the Empire was like. He had traveled extensively within the limits of his country's borders, but never seen other societies or foreign cultures.

In 1942 Japan was at war and Herrata was inducted into the imperial army as an officer. A full Colonel. His limited travel experience was about to change extensively and it would give his family great honor to have Herrata in such a position of responsibility for a person of only 23 years of age.

Carlos Dario was working in his office in Manila the day the Japanese Army invaded the Philippines. He was an educated man and had a family that included two very lovely little girls and a wonderful wife. His position as a master chemist and metallurgist made him a valuable employee for the mining company where he worked. His background and education was published in the company literature along with his photograph and he was recognized as one of the best precious metals authority in Southeast Asia.

It took the Japanese Army only a few weeks after their occupation to have the mine and plant running to top speed and all the employees indoctrinated into the new work order. The mine, plant and smelter became a very important provider of lead and copper for the manufacture of munitions for the imperial Army.

Carlos had continued his job as well as he could under the conditions. He wanted to join the guerillas fighting in the hills but his better judgment said that his family needed him at home with them.

Colonel Yamashita promptly became one of the most important officers in the Imperial Army. Not because of his family’s influence but because he was entrusted by the Emperor to bring all of the treasures to the homeland that the Army had taken from the occupied countries that they had overrun in their rapid advance through China and the islands of the Pacific. He had a disciplined close cadre of soldiers that followed his orders unquestionably and to the letter. It became a tremendous job to assemble all the gold, gems and artifacts and get them safely on to Japan. It was therefore necessary in many instances to hide the material in hidden locations within the occupied country for transport later. Yamashita became a much feared individual even within the Imperial Army. Stories were told of how he dealt with officers and company commanders that decided that the treasures and gold they obtained by killing and torture of civilians should be shared and not turned over to Col. Yamashita.

Lt. Yoto had just taken Colonel Yamashita his morning tea and rice cakes into the Colonel’s office when he noticed him reading an advertising brochure from a Company in Manila. The photograph of Carlos Dario had been circled.

Bring this man to me immediately. Herrata instructed the Lt. Instruct your men that he is to be treated honorably but firmly and that I want him here in Singapore before the end of this month. He is to have priority transportation and proper meals and rest on this journey. Leave instructions with the local commander in Manila that his family is to have proper care and protection during his absence." Thinking about this in detail, I have decided that you will go to Manila to escort this man to my area here. Do it rapidly and as I have instructed.

When Lt. Yoto entered the laboratory where Carlos was doing a strength test on a sample steel bar, he was accompanied by the local Japanese Commander in charge of the area.

You will have the rest of today with your family and then tomorrow you will leave on a journey with us. Your family will be in trusted hands and provided for so long as you comply with the orders and instructions from Colonel Yamashita.

Carlos was astonished. Who will test the metal and provide the reports if I am not here? Why would the Japanese treat me with such courtesy?

Carlos left the office after taking only several books and reference material with him. He had no idea why the Japanese would want him.

I do not know how long I will be in the service of these monsters. He told his wife and children that evening which was the last time he would see them for an unknown time.. He found his friend and neighbor Antonio willing to watch out for his family regardless of what the Lt. had promised.

Carlos---you must do me a favor. Antonio’s request was even more surprising to Carlos. Antonio was in the underground and provided information to the gorillas and in turn to the allies on the daily happenings of the Japanese. He wanted Carlos to provide him with information on the operation and movement of Col. Yamashita. Antonio showed Carlos how to encode the messages in his letters home to his wife. He surely would be able to write his wife?

After the first six months working with the Col. In China and other Asian occupied countries, Carlos was told one day that he was to accompany the Col on his next assignment in the Philippines. Carlos was delighted to find that he was finally going to be close again to his wife and family.

The encampment in the Philippine jungle was heavily fortified by the Japanese. The excavation was being dug by American and Australian prisoners of war. The cave was nearly completed and the entrance was designed to collapse if the doors were entered without the proper authorization. Several hundred tons of rocks and dirt were on the top of the entrance to the excavation. The prisoners were instructed not to talk about their work and where they were in the jungle under penalty of death. Only a small detail of twelve soldiers were privy to the location and happenings at the excavation. It was Carlos’s job to make sure the treasures and gold bars were properly encased in the crates marked Munitions. He had worked melting and smelting the bars assisted only by one of the gorillas captured in the area.

The work party climbed from the truck and slowly entered the excavation to do their work. The prisoners all knew that the cave was nearly complete and they wondered where their next prison was going to be. The guards all entered the cave with the prisoners this day. Col. Yamashita had said there would be a ceremony that day to celebrate the occasion of completion. He wanted all the soldiers that had part in the detail to wear their class A uniforms that day and take enough money to have a good time in Manila. The Colonel told the soldiers they would leave directly from the excavation and would not be returning for twenty days. The soldiers were all telling of what they were going to do in Manila with the young Filipina girls they would find. The remaining few soldiers in the camp were told to be ready to move on to their next assignment.

The day was a usual hot and humid one when the party all entered the cave. Evidently there was now a night crew working the excavation because there were several large crates marked with the symbol for ammunition piled a distance into the mine. The ceremony would be conducted in a military manner with the prisoners assembled in the rear of the mine and also the guards in their spotless class a uniforms would form ranks in front of the prisoners. The party would greet Colonel Yamashita and Carlos with the usual salute when they reached the back of the mine where the entire excavation party was assembled. Sergeant Metiko was about to ask what was taking so long when he heard the colonel and Carlos approach the entrance. The party came to attention and waited on the commander and his trusted engineer to enter their area.

Do not go into the mine today Carlos. Stay close to me at all times instructed the man responsible for stolen gold movement throughout the Japanese Empire.

As the colonel and Carlos approached the entrance, the colonel did not enter the opening. Instead he went over to the bushes back about a hundred yards from the excavation opening and picked up something from the bush. It was a detonator. Carlos watched in astonishment as he plunged the small handle into the device and the opening to the cave with tons of rock and dirt tumbled down the mountain sealing the cave. The colonel smiled as he congratulated himself that this operation had gone as smoothly today as the many he had accomplished prior to today. It was the usual success. Any person that knew of the cave’s location and what was in it was inside the tomb. That is, with the exception of him and Carlos.

Extraction

Ex’trac’tion (noun)

[ik stra’ksh’n

1.taking out of something

The process of extracting something

Or of being extracted

Chapter1

Just another Drill Weekend

Base Gate, Naval Air Station Los Alamitos California 0700 hrs. 07 January

Aviation Machinists mate first class Timothy Ryan USNR presented his reserve identification card to the sentry and as the Marine waved Ryan's vehicle on he replaced the ID card in his wallet. Weekend drill every month provided the training and discipline that was needed to keep the squadron mobilization capable in the words of his squadron commander, Captain Warren Page USNR. It also provided some extra income for the Ryan household in a chance to drink some beer with his buddies on Saturday night.

He followed the line of cars into the parking area and found a decent spot close to the area where his unit would assemble for the morning duty muster. The driver of the new black Mustang parking next to Ryan looked over and smiled as he greeted him.

Another month, another drill, Ryan

Well, if it isn't Petty Officer Coleman, the best friend a new car dealer ever had.

You have heard this story before, Ryan they gave me a deal I couldn't resist……-again

The two were now walking side by side toward the mustering area. Hanging out with the guys for two days out of the month was a welcome break from their civilian jobs and lifestyles.

Tim Ryan had been in the reserves for over 17 years and was accustomed to doing his two weeks active duty every year in addition to his one weekend a month at the local naval air station. Congress had shuffled funding for the reserves quite a bit and the Navy had found it difficult to pay for training and transportation to and from their mission base which was Naval Air Station Cubi point, Republic of the Philippines. The value of the reserves changed however when Vietnam started heating up. Consequently they now had budgets for flight pay and money for additional training.

Ryan's unit was a transport squadron. They flew everything including required materiel for troops in all parts of the world, VIP congressmen that were on fact-finding nations and boot recruits coming or going to training facilities. It was 1967 and a Vietnam conflict was making demands for cargo flights from every available aircraft in the system. They had three aircraft in their unit; Vintage C 54 transports As they referred to them. These aircraft had been flying for over 20 years when they were assigned to the reserve organization. The detailed logbooks with years of data had entries recording each airlift flight in and out of Berlin during the Berlin airlift after WWII.

This documentation was living proof that by taking great care of any type of machinery and performing proper maintenance as required it will go virtually forever.

This unit trusted all of their Charlie 54’s and never had lost a one, or brought one home broken or in bad shape. Looking back it seems almost impossible that they would fly these antiques for training each year all the way to Africa Morocco and Europe and back home again. The journey to just get the squadrons to the mission base sometimes took three days. Their mission would be to support the active duty squadrons at these mission bases.

Upon their arrival, they usually received a great welcome aboard party consisting of a tub of iced beer waiting at the bottom of the ramp when the aircraft came to a stop. The active duty people were always glad to see them. They knew that the extra manpower for at least the following two weeks would help the base get caught up on their cargo flights and engine maintenance and that was a stroke of luck.

Ryan's buddy, Roger Coleman was the guy that used his Navy skills to good advantage. When he was discharged from active duty three years ago. He obtained a job at McDonald Douglas on the flight line. He was a good mechanic and a great part of the reserve aircrew.

Working my butt off said Roger. However it does have some great advantages what you think of my new Mustang?

I’m not even going to ask what you had to put down for that. You deserve it just hope you get the time to get out and it and go someplace.

I will, you'd better believe it. What's the scoop for this weekend and schedule?

I called Barty in flight operations yesterday and he said we have one hop to Dallas ,the usual Phoenix Tucson RON and that's about it.

The squadron had a standing flight requirement from the operations group to fly reservists to the station from wherever their home was. This required a flight to Phoenix Arizona to pick them up for their weekend drills. On Sunday, the unit would fly them back and returned to the base. It was a milk run. Like many perhaps most of the squadron veterans, Ryan liked to have a leg up on what was going to take place on his drill weekend so he would often called the day prior and chat with one of the active duty sailors in administration.

Attention to muster came over the loudspeaker at the corner of the grinder. As the Squadron commanders assembled a reported to the base commanding officer they stood at attention in straight military formation. The commanders returned to the front of the group after reporting in and began to relay some of the last minute instructions.

The lucky number this morning is the number four. If your social ends in that number gentlemen and ladies you will be required to report to medical and provide them with... their required data

Drug testing was a required procedure in all reserve units. It was always done randomly so that no one knew in advance when he would be called to provide a urine specimen. During the breakfast meeting with all of the commanding COs the commanding officer of the base would pull the number for the week from a jar. If the reservist’s social security number ended in that number, they reported to medical immediately following muster to perform that required discipline.

Each Captain of his unit left the front of the unit formation and went up to the base commanding officer turning square corners in his military manor. He saluted the CO and announced VR 773 ready for drill, Captain.

The base CO returned the salute and stated very well Commander, let's make it a safe and productive drill weekend. Squadron commanders take charge and carry out the plan of the day.

The Captain then returned to the position in front of the squadron and after a few brief comments, would announce division officers take charge and carry out the plan of the day.

The division officers made a few announcements to their individual groups and turning to the division chiefs repeated the command. Ryan's division officer was a salty, well-experienced engine mechanic named Larson who is in his late fifties and worked as a maintenance crew chief for one of the major airlines. Larson was a matter of fact person with no problem communicating with his men. He only gave instructions once giving a sailor all he needs to know to do the task. Those who questioned his command took a risk of getting a lecture of leadership or perhaps what he had in mind in order to improve one's skills for understanding his instructions. He came from the school that said you make a good sailor out of a recruit by shiting all over him and after you break him down then rebuild him back up into the mold of the disciplined fighting man. Larson looked over the heads of the men standing in the ranks in front of him and proceeded to place his attention squarely on the reservists eyeball-to-eyeball as the words came out of his thunderous voice.

Ryan you will meet the career Counselor in his office at 0930 today. Are you in the called group for medical today? The division chief asked Ryan. No, senior chief, mine is a duce, not a four Good, then be there on schedule. Aircrew on 39459 today is as follows; Bell, Scott and Brady. Are you all here?

The men responded affirmatively from the ranks behind him .Tomorrow for the same aircraft; Ryan, Coleman and Lindquist.

Ryan looked down the rank and saw Roger lean out far enough so that they could see each other. He gave Ryan a smile and thumbs up indicating his pleasure that they would be flying together again this weekend.

The chief brought the division to attention and then dismissed them, instructing the sailors to report to their respective work areas.

Roger came up to him as they started walking toward the flight line.

Looks like we caught a local for tomorrow, Tim that's cool. We'll let Brady take the Dallas RON and we will have been in the blue all local, for five hours when they get back, right?.

He was referring to the flight announcement. Brady was the aircrew headed by Matt Brady and the RON was a route overnight flight. The crew would fly the mission to Dallas, stay there overnight, and return back to Los Alamitos by the next morning.

You got it pal, I never left anything in Dallas that I want to go back there for. I hate those barracks and it's a mile to the flight line.

At the small building on the flight line referred to as the line shack, they checked in with the station keepers who were the active duty personnel in charge of the base. These were the active duty personnel that were charged with training the reservists in their individual jobs. They were sharp on the aircraft and had a maintenance procedures down pat that it was made by McDonnell Douglas in it was used on a Charlie 54, these guys knew where went, how much it cost, if there were more than two in the Navy wide system inventory .

Look at this, Brady is already in the left his seat in 39695 and starting his preflight

Ryan said to the group that was walking with him to the flight line.

That's the way you make chief, Ryan said one of the men behind him.

Ryan looked back over his shoulder to where the comment came from and saw Jim Andrade, a relatively new addition to the maintenance division.

Andrade, I have to tell you something, he said as they continued walking toward the flight line. The only way you, or I, or even our friend Brady out there is going to make chief is for about 20 active duty and reserve to retire or die. Then, and only then, would there be an opening in this damn rate of aircraft mechanic reciprocating engines. This Navy classification is about the same rating category in the Navy now as sail makers. Unless you get in a A D J. school on jet engines on your two weeks active duty training period just before the Navy-wide rating exam, you don't stand a chance. Beside that Andrade, I’m a lover of round engines-not jp4 burners."

Ryan took the opportunity to recite one of his favorite sayings ;"We gotta get rid of those turbines, they're ruining aviation and our hearing...

A turbine is too simple minded, it has no mystery. The air travels through it in a straight line and doesn't pick up any of the pungent fragrance of engine oil or pilot sweat.

Anybody can start a turbine. You just need to move a switch from OFF to START and then remember to move it back to ON after a while. My PC is harder to start.

Cranking a round engine requires skill, finesse and style. You have to seduce it into starting. It's like waking up a horny mistress. On some planes, the pilots aren't even allowed to do it...

Turbines start by whining for a while, then give a lady-like poof and start whining a little louder.

Round engines give a satisfying rattle-rattle, click-click, BANG, more rattles, another BANG, a big macho fart or two, more clicks, a lot more smoke and finally a serious low pitched roar. We like that. It's a GUY thing...

When you start a round engine, your mind is engaged and you can concentrate on the flight ahead. Starting a turbine is like flicking on a ceiling fan: Useful, but, hardly exciting.

When you have started his round engine successfully your crew chief looks up at you like he'd let you kiss his girl too!

Turbines don't break or catch fire often enough, leading to aircrew boredom, complacency and inattention. A round engine at speed looks and sounds like it's going to blow any minute. This helps concentrate the mind! Turbines don't have enough control levers or gauges to keep a pilot's attention. There's nothing to fiddle with during long flights.

Turbines smell like a Boy Scout camp full of Coleman Lamps. Round engines smell like God intended machines to smell." Ryan smiled and looked back at Andrade.

Attitude attitude my friend came the response from behind Ryan. You'll live longer to enjoy all of these wonderful bennies we come here for once a month. Roger looked at him with a grin as he took a pair of Mickey Mouse ears off of the rack in line shack. The sound protection gear was a new requirement for all flight line personnel all that were turning up Aircraft engines on the flight line.

Ryan signed in with the chief and told him he had a meeting he had to go to with administration.

You, Coleman and Lindquist have a local tomorrow at 0930 said the chief.

How local and how long? Ryan questioned.

The question by Ryan was not necessarily as to how much work was involved as it was two the extent of pay he would receive for the time of the flight. The Navy pays aircrew extra for their flight time. Reservists had to get 2.5 hours logged each month to stay qualified for flight crew and get paid..

Probably five hours. You have Major Strom as plane commander so you will probably go over to Nellis Air Force Base in Vegas and do touch and goes for the afternoon while some of your hard-working administration personnel go into the casino and play the slots. There was a slight attitude showing with the chief in his remark but Ryan passed it by and let the line shack heading for the administration building. Ryan remembered several instances when they had duty doing required touch and goes landings over at Nellis. If the word got around the squadron that one of the aircraft was going to Nellis and do the practice landings, several of the yoemen from the office who had very little work to do for the squadron that weekend, we come along for the ride. On the first landing at Nellis Air Force Base they would get off the aircraft and go into the casino and play the slot machines. When the aircraft made its last practice lending in take off the pilot would stop by the terminal to recover the people he had let off and then return to the base.

Ryan had a good idea why they wanted him in administration. His EOS, or end of service date was fast approaching. He was time to make a decision to reenlist for another four years or leave the reserve. There was always a contest between the recruiting personnel of the squadron and the aircrew members as to what they would give and take in respect to recruiting benefits. The retention of qualified aircrew personnel in the squadron was a task designated to the career Counselor. In addition to the squadron readiness standing, it was always a mark of good leadership to have a high retention rate within the squadron. Therefore the career Counselor's objective was not only to recruit and retain personnel to stay in great favor of the commanding officer of the squadron by doing so.

To stay up on Navy procedures and to keep operations synchronized, each squadron has what is known as an Admin Inspection every six months. Personnel from another base in the command system came into operational offices of the squadron to review the performance records. Reenlistment of personnel especially those on flight status gave the squadron a checkmark in a right place on the evaluation sheet to him.

Tim Ryan walked into the office and was immediately greeted by his faithful and obedient career Counselor Leo. Leo was considered faithful because he had been on squadron for about six years and had never missed a weekend drill. He was the same rate as Ryan and a lot more qualified the newer engines, especially jets; however he didn't care to fly. Preferring the office atmosphere, He had a nice slot in the squadron and the right personality for it.

Coffee? Asked Leo at the same time smiling at Ryan as to say, I have a new car I want to sell you grin on his face.

It's going to cost you more than a cup of coffee to get me to sign for more than two years Leo I'm thinking of like maybe just extending" for two. Let's put it this way Leo. My EOS is April and this is January so we have some time for you to get me a real sweet deal like maybe

pro pay and some re-up bonus. What's available?"

Nada, man. Especially for mechanics with seventeen years in and no jet engine school training.

Whoa, Tim, not me good buddy. It's BUPERS that says there will be no more ADR types in the Navy. Next year they will change the designation to just AD and that combines you with the jet engine guys-happy thought, huh? Remember that I wear the same prop and wings insignia as you do. I'm in the same chow line waiting to see what's for lunch.

Bullshit, Leo. You are going to change your rate to Career Counselor now that they have made it a designated rate, and guess what? You'll probably make chief the first time up for selection. Ryan walked over and took the coffee that the arrogant CC had offered and sat down in the large, comfortable black chair behind Leo's desk.

I wish you well guy, I really mean it. You'll make a good chief. One of the first things you ought to do when you do get the hat, is have some decaffeinated coffee available in here for your customers. This is rank shit. Don't you guys believe in cleaning the pot at least once a year?

During their brief conversation, Ryan told Leo that he wanted to think about what he wanted to do. He loved flying and knew the Charlie 54 inside and out. He had heard that the squadron was to possibly get some new aircraft and he wanted to see what that could be like. The Navy had bought some DC-9 aircraft for two active duty Navy

Transport squadrons and they were all dreaming that they may be in line for some or at least one of those for the base. That would mean that the mechs would all go to jet engine school and a lot of good things would happen.

The weekend drill went well. The squadron completed their flight to Nellis Air Force Base and did the five-hour local, which completed their training for the weekend

The sailors mustered out at 16:30 and promptly reassembled at the enlisted men's club for beer and peanuts. Ryan bought the third round at the table and left. He was home by 18:30.Petty Officer First Class Tim Ryan's reserve obligation and was completed for another thirty days.

As he came in the door to his house, he saw his father-in-law John and Tim’s son Billy sitting on the patio through the living room window. John was Becky's dad and a wonderful grandpa. He came out just about every weekend and would often take the kids down to the mall for an ice cream cone and a movie.

Hey fly-boy, where'd you go this weekend?

His greeting was warm and genuine.

Vegas. We did some touch and go and then came back. Tim replied.

Can I get you a beer? Tim volunteered as he opened the refrigerator.

John liked Tim and they had had some great times together in Mexico fishing for yellowtail tuna

Nope, I'm fine. What's this about the company may be moving to,- where? Fresno?

John obviously had been talking to Becky who had given him the bittersweet news. The kid's favorite grandpa would sorely miss them if they had to move, but Ryan

was sure that both he and Becky would have his support if it happened. The company where Ryan worked was building a new factory in Fresno, California and they wanted him to take charge of the marketing. The move would mean a VP slot in two years and he was looking forward to getting more information tomorrow morning when he went to work the following day.

He was in the shower when the phone rang. He heard Becky answer it as he was getting out. Walking toward the bedroom while drying himself off with a towel, his head jolted up when he heard her calling the person on the other end Captain.

What's this shit. . . Captain? he said in a whisper as she handed him the phone.

Hello, this is Tim

ADl Ryan? The voice on the other end corrected him.

This is Captain Page. I'm sorry to bother you. We need to know if you could get fourteen days off from your civilian job to do a somewhat extended STARP.

He never did know what the hell the acronym STARP meant. All he knew was that was what the Navy called it when they had to fly a mission in the middle of the month, or during the week when there were no Reserves available, or when the active duty guys were