The sun rose, and it was another beautiful sunny day in the war.
Trevor was the only one still sound asleep in the Humble Abode.
Ben walked over and shook him. "Time to get up," he said.
Trevor woke up and saw Ben standing by his bed in his flight suit.
"Get dressed. We're getting some chow after you brush your teeth," Ben told him.
That reminded Trevor of the days when he would sleep over at Carl's house, and he would tell him to brush his teeth after he woke up.
Trevor got out of his bunk and walked over to his locker.
Trevor grabbed his flight suit out of his locker, got dressed.
He removed the time machine key out from under his pillow and shoved them in his leg pocket of his flight suit. He removed his Corsair checklist from his locker and shoved them in another pocket on his flight suit. Trevor then removed some toothpaste and toothbrush he bought in El Toro.
Trevor walked out of Humble Abode with Ben.
After Ben showed him where the latrine tent was located, and he brushed his teeth and peed, they walked over to the chow tent.
After they ate some powdered eggs, toast, and coffee, Ben and Trevor walked over to the briefing tent.
Then after their briefing for their mission, Ben, Carl, Trevor, Henry, and the other pilots walked to the planes. But Ben and Trevor made a stop at the supply tent to get Trevor a pistol and holster.
At the flightline, many bare-chested enlisted Marines prepared the Corsairs for flight.
Ben, Trevor, Henry, Carl and other pilots, including Hall, walked up to the Corsairs.
All the pilots walked up to their Corsairs, including Trevor.
They all climbed up and got inside their planes.
After he got inside his plane, Trevor looked around the cockpit. He looked over and glanced at Ben while he reached inside his Corsair.
"What the hell have I gotten myself into?" he said quietly to himself then placed his flight helmet on his head.
Trevor went through his checklist and started up his Corsair, as did the other planes.
One by one, the Corsair's taxied to the end of the runway. Trevor was the last plane to taxi.
A Corsair took off, and it was Hall.
A Corsair took off, and it was Ben.
Another Corsair took off, and it was Carl.
Another Corsair took off, and it was Henry.
Another Corsair took off, and it was Kurt Poole.
Another Corsair took off, and it was Dave Brooke.
Then Trevor was the last Corsair to take off.
Later that morning, the six Corsairs flew in formation over the ocean that looked so peaceful at around 20,000 feet. Trevor was nervous, so he lagged behind the other planes.
Seven Japanese Zeros flew below the Corsairs at 15,000 feet.
From his Corsair, Trevor looked out his window and loved the view of the peaceful ocean.
"Okay Fireballs, time to earn our pay," Hall called out from the radio net.
Trevor looked ahead and saw the ten Zero's below at 15,000 feet. He swallowed hard as he was scared to death to engage in battle.
The formation dove after the Zero's while Trevor stayed behind at 20,000 feet.
It wasn't too long before it looked like a swarm of bees with Corsairs chasing after Zeros.
On the console of Ben's plane, he had that Santa Monica picture wedged between some of the instruments.
Ben had a Zero in his gun sights, and he fired his machine guns.
The Zero was hit, and flames shot out of its engine compartment and it dove to the ocean.
Ben had a smile as he watched that Zero spin out of control and crash in the ocean.
Ben looked ahead and saw another Corsair after a Zero at his two o'clock position. He saw smoke pour from the Zero's engine and it tumbled down to the ocean.
"Got me another one," Henry called out all excited from the radio net.
From inside his plane, Trevor watched the Corsair and Zero dogfights down below.
Ben had another Zero in his gun sights while he made a banking turn to the right. He immediately fired his machine guns at the Zero, which made an evasive turn to the left.
Ben banked his Corsair to the left after the Zero and fired his machine guns.
Ben's bullets hit the plane, and he watched the Zero spin uncontrollably to the ocean.
He then looked around and saw a Zero race after Carl's Corsair.
"Fireball eleven, you have a Jap coming after you," Dave yelled out from the radio net.
Ben watched while Carl made evasive maneuvers and the Zero was hot on his tail.
"Fireball ten, Zero at your five o'clock position," Dave yelled out from the radio net.
Ben made evasive maneuvers to get away from that threatening airplane.
"Fireball eleven, you still have a Zero on your tail," Henry called out from the radio net.
From up above, Trevor watched while the Zeros were chasing after all the Corsairs.
From inside his cockpit, Carl had his Santa Monica picture on wedged between some instruments. He frantically looked all around the area. "Fireball fourteen, can you help? I can't shake this Jap off my tail," Carl cried out to Trevor into the radio net.
Trevor looked scared to death while he continued to watch the dogfights down below.
"Fireball fourteen, where the hell are you?" Carl yelled out from the radio net.
"He's hiding above us," Kurt called out from the radio net
"Join the party, Fireball fourteen. That's an order," Hall yelled from the radio net.
"I need help!" Carl cried out from the radio net in a panic.
"I can't, I now have a Jap to deal with," Henry replied from the radio net.
"Me too," said Dave from the radio net.
"I'm busy at the moment," said Kurt from the radio net.
"I'm in hot pursuit of a Jap. Can't help," Hall called out from the radio net.
"I can help," Ben called out from the radio net.
"Ben to the rescue again," Henry called out from the radio net.
Trevor saw a Zero race after Ben's Corsair. "Fireball ten, you have a Jap at your five o'clock position," Trevor cried out in a panic into the radio net.
Trevor watched while Ben performed numerous evasive maneuvers.
Trevor watched while another Hall shot down a Zero then it exploded into a fireball and tumbled down to the ocean.
"I can help, Fireball eleven," Hall called out from his radio.
Trevor looked out the other side of his canopy and saw Hall's Corsair race after the Zero that chased after Carl's plane.
Trevor watched while Hall's Corsair shot down the Zero chasing after Carl's plane.
"Thanks, Fireball one. At least someone has some balls," Carl called out from the radio net.
Trevor looked ashamed of himself then he saw another Zero race after Hall's Corsair.
"Fireball one, you have a Zero coming after you," Trevor called out into the radio net.
"So what Fireball fourteen, you're ball less," Carl said with a spiteful tone from the radio net.
Thought for a second, Trevor started to look brave. Then he looked around his console to figure out how to fire his weapons. He tried to recall how he did it from his video game, and he soon remembered.
He dove his Corsair after the Zero that was chasing after Hall, who made numerous evasive maneuvers.
From inside his plane, Hall heard the sounds of bullets penetrating his Corsair. He quickly looked at this console instruments, and everything appeared to be in proper working order.
Trevor dove after the Zero that fired at Hall's plane. He soon had the Zero in his gun sights and fired his machine guns.
Trevor's bullets hit the Zero, and smoke poured out of the plane where it spun out of control to the ocean.
"I got him, Fireball one," Trevor called out into the radio net proud of himself.
"Thanks, Fireball fourteen. It's about time you played ball," Hall replied from the radio net.
"Way to go, Fireball fourteen," Ben said from the radio net.
"Anybody still fighting a Zero?" Hall asked from the radio net.
"The last one ran away," Carl called out from the radio net.
"We're free and clear," Ben added from the radio net.
"Good, then let's finish our mission. Our target is up ahead," Hall told everybody from the radio net.
They flew for fifteen minutes and came upon a lone island.
Ben dove his Corsair to the island below were numerous fuel storage tanks, tents, an airstrip, and countless Japanese soldiers.
The other Corsairs followed Ben's plane.
Ben fired his rockets at the Japanese base.
The other Corsairs all fired their rockets at the base.
A fuel storage tank exploded into a huge fireball.
Two Corsairs flew away toward the ocean.
Japanese soldiers scrambled for cover once they saw the Corsairs.
Another fuel storage tank exploded.
Two more Corsairs flew away toward the ocean.
Another fuel storage tank exploded into a huge fireball.
A Corsair flew away toward the ocean.
There were more explosions from the Corsair rockets while they hit targets.
The remaining Corsairs flew away to the ocean.
The island was a fiery inferno after the Corsairs flew away.
The Fireballs climbed up to 20,000 feet and flew in formation while they headed home.
While the Corsairs flew home, Trevor felt terrible for acting the way he did during most of the mission.
Thirty minutes later, all seven Corsairs landed back at Engebi. They parked their planes and shut off their engines. The pilots all got out and climbed down their aircraft.
Trevor walked away from his plane and still felt ashamed.
Trevor hung his head low when Ben ran up to him. "I'm so sorry about freezing like that. I'm so ashamed of myself," Trevor said.
"It happens," Ben replied in a comforting tone.
"Coward!" Carl cried out while he lunged at Trevor with fire in his eyes.
Trevor's eyes were as big as baseballs when he saw lunging at him. Carl tackled him, and they tumbled in the dirt. Carl pinned Trevor down and punched him twice in his face. "You almost got me killed by hiding up in the sky," Carl yelled and punched him again. Trevor was in shock and accepted the punches from his step-grandfather.
The other pilots watched the Marines fight like school kids.
Ben dove on Carl and knocked him off Trevor.
Carl jumped up to attack Trevor again, but Ben tackled Carl, and they tumbled into the dirt.
Carl sprang up and tried to go after Trevor again, but Ben tackled him and pinned him to the dirt.
"Enough, Carl!" Ben yelled in Carl's face.
"But he froze and almost got me killed."
"I remember your first time," Ben yelled back at Carl.
Carl thought for a few seconds then recalled that moment, and he calmed down.
"And how you pissed inside your flight suit?" Ben said.
Carl looked embarrassed over Ben, reminding everybody of that moment.
Then it hit Trevor what Henry tried to tell him back in 1995, and he fought to hide his smile.
"Give Trevor some slack," Ben demanded then got off Carl and assisted him off the dirt.
Hall walked up as he saw the whole event from his plane.
"What the hell is going on?" Hall yelled at the troops.
"Nothing sir, just a little misunderstanding between Carl and Trevor," Ben replied.
Hall looked at Trevor, who hung his head in shame.
"Shake hands, Walker and Eastman," Hall ordered.
Carl walked over and extended his hand. Trevor shook it.
"Don't worry Walker, they all freeze during their first mission. You'll do better the next time," Hall said. "Let's get to the debrief," Hall told everybody then he walked away.
The other Marines walked away and followed Hall while he headed to the tents.
Ben placed an arm around Carl and Trevor while they all walked away.