Chapter 11 Private Sonny

The years did finally speed up to leave Sonny transformed into a resilient, self-reliant young man, sturdy, rugged and as sharp as a whistle. Having gotten through high school by 1947, 17-year old Sonny, still a raw and fresh-eyed teenager, volunteered his services to the army. Stationed in Fort Meade, Maryland, as a Buck Private, he earned a measly $75 a month, which satisfied him at the time, as the army provided him a room and board as well. 

The romantic in Sonny was enchanted by the location of Fort Meade. It was a nature’s paradise with virgin forestland, tall and shady beautiful trees and endless vantage points for Sonny to watch wildlife undisturbed.  The Hummingbirds, the bluebirds and the Purple Martins looked fascinating as they pecked about looking for grub. The black squirrels so furry and endearing scampered about looking for nuts to store for winter and spotted deer enjoyed free run of the base. Sonny would get so deeply moved by these encounters with nature, he turned his after hours into creative writing sessions, allowing his spirit the freedom of flight into poetic fantasy.

            The struggles his mother went through during his childhood had left an indelible mark on Sonny for he adhered to a frugal, almost reclusive existence without parties, drinking or smoking. He distanced himself from frivolity and extravagance. Living so frugally, he was able to set aside some money for a rainy day, even from the paltry salary he was paid.  His solitary existence it didn’t bother him overmuch. Books on any topic were his friends and when he was not absorbed in observing wildlife or writing poetry, he could be found with his nose buried deep in a book. He was not one for travel either. Though he loved the company of his mother and stepfather, he rarely spent time out of town. When his mother spoke with him on the phone, she would plead with him to come home on weekends. The yearning so obvious in her teary voice never failed to tug at his heartstrings and he would relent and plan a trip home. From Anne Arundel County where he was based, it was a two-hour bus-ride to Washington DC. To see his mother’s face light up on seeing him and the warmth of her hugs were worth all the hassle of travel. The man-to-man chats with his stepfather gave him the strength and reassurance he needed to be the totally committed soldier of his dreams. Or at least to come somewhere close to it. His doubts and fears miraculously vanished when Enas Broadway soothed his spirit with a gentle philosophical turn of phrase.  

So in time, Sonny adjusted smoothly to his soldier’s way of life. He already had an alert, vigilant disposition and he had trained himself to be observant. His ability to zero in on what interested him combined with his innate capability to steer a vehicle, made him a much sought after tank driver for the 2^nd Armored Cavalry Division, driving their M24 tanks and personnel carriers. The M24 Chaffee was arguably the best light tank of World War II, able to deliver relatively large caliber direct fire with an excellent 75 mm M6 gun. Sonny was proud of this fact even though his relationship with heroism was destined to remain vicarious. Every time he sat at the driving seat of an M24, his thoughts would wing back to the tales of bravery Enas Broadway had related. Time had dulled the pathos of life and death situations but the characters seemed so real yet. There were times when Sonny felt the tears stream down his cheeks as he felt the pain and heartache of his stepfather. Would he have measured up to him? What is the choice he would have made when faced with certain death in saving his buddy? For Enas Broadway there had been no choice. He saved his buddy and almost lost his life. Located in the relative safety of the US, there were times Sonny sorely wished to experience the spine-tingling thrill of danger in the air or the oppressive fear of his life constantly on the line.

Chapter 12 Valley Forge VA

A year or two later, Sonny realized that facing danger and dying was one thing, but facing danger and being incapacitated for life was something totally different.  The sobering truth struck him real hard during one weekend visit to Valley Forge Pennsylvania Hospital to participate in a boxing tournament dedicated to war veterans who were war wounded. Sonny, now 5’ 10” and weighing 170 pounds boxed in the Light Heavyweight category. Before the tournament while the other fighters were warming up, Sonny wanted to warm up his heart instead.  He decided to sit with the veterans, bond, share emotions and listen intently to their life stories.

 Each of those veterans had their own story of unsung heroism to relate. They had all been patriotic young men filled with a deep desire to make a difference in the world. They were young enough to believe they could. And they all paid dearly for it. Many were double or triple amputees and some had suffered severe burns.  One guy had sadly lost his ears and had just a small stub for what once used to be a nose.  His name was Phil, a P-38 Pilot from Baltimore who was attached to a unit in North Africa.  Flying missions over the Mediterranean, Phil spent much of his time escorting bombers to southern Germany or across the Balkans, attacking targets in Yugoslavia.

On only his 2nd mission to Vienna on August 1944 he was strafing a large concentration of trains and locomotives in Hungary when he caught a wing tip on a tree and cart wheeled forward crashing to the ground on its back.  Phil was badly burned and as he was climbing out of the flaming wreckage, the Hungarian soldiers captured him and lugged him in a horse-drawn cart to a Catholic hospital in Kormand, where he was expected to die. With resolute strength and stamina, he survived, and in a couple of months, a couple of Hungarian guards took him to another hospital in Budapest by train disguised as a Czech prisoner-of-war. On the train two German soldiers came up to him and put a gun to his head threatening to shoot him as a spy in disguise before letting him go. It was just one of the many close calls he was able to survive. 


Eventually Phil joined up with other Prisoners of War and were led to Frankfurt forty-five days after leaving Budapest.  Phil was interrogated and deloused then led to a huge room where several hundred starving Russians were lying on the floor.  The stench was so overwhelming one of the prisoners fainted.  A few days later they were all sent off to Numberg in crowded boxcars.    

Phil was in terrible shape. To sleep he had to roll his eyes up into his head. In the mornings he'd had to wipe the caked pus from his eyes with a dirty piece of gauze, while staring at his horribly disfigured face from a cracked piece of mirror.

Later in 1945, all the POWs were liberated and flown home for hospitalization.  Eventually Phil made it to the VA Rehabilitation Center in Valley Forge where he had been recovering for the last few years, hoping one day, soon to be back on his own two feet.

At the end of the talk, Sonny had completely broken down in tears.  His heart went out to the Veterans and War Wounded who had served unconditionally and sacrificed almost everything they had for their country and cause that they held so near and dear.

With some of their injuries, it became challenging to return back to normalcy and the lives they once knew. Some could not make their relationships with wives or girlfriends work. Their injuries and the pain and memories of the insuppressible horrors of war had taken a huge toll, but now they had embarked on a slow but steady road to recovery.  Some had become strangers to their own families.  Some who were severely wounded could not handle the compassion or perceived charity they received from their loved ones and preferred to live in a world away and to heal peacefully in this sanctuary where doctors and nurses catered to their needs and their brothers in arms who were coping with the same life situations consoled with each other so that they could come to grips with what had transpired.  It was not easy to comprehend, it was not easy to hear.  One or two broke down when speaking of their children who they deeply missed and wanted to be with again. The war was over and the world had moved on. It was their private tragedy now.

As Sonny listened and watched, he was filled with admiration for these hard-core men who had given their limbs and lives for our country and who had adapted themselves to life stoically, even cheerfully, despite their heart-wrenching handicaps. It seemed to him a reinforcement of what Valley Forge stood for, the suffering and stoic endurance of American soldiers – a modern day version of the patriotic young men in George Washington’s Army. In their own way these men appeared content with their lives, smoking and laughing as if they had no care in the world. Sonny was determined to do his very best to lift their spirits.  Unlike, them, he had never fought in combat, never even stepped foot on foreign soil.  But tonight, he would fight for them and tonight, they would cheer for him. 

Chapter 13 The Bout with Curtis Lowe

Sonny fought with single-mindedness in the ring, his spirits lifting each time he heard the cheering, the laughter, the cries of excitement – they were enjoying themselves, no doubt about that, and that was what Sonny wanted. With each cheering Sonny got an extra spurt of energy as adrenaline pumped faster into his blood stream. He surpassed even his own expectations. His opponent fell down heaving and gasping, glistening with sweat, with no energy to get to his feet. Sonny won by a huge margin that night.

The second night was more challenging for Sonny where he had to fight with champion boxer Curtis Lowe. Curtis was 5’7” and 159 lbs. Sonny was physically more intimidating at 5’10” and 175 lbs. But he was only 21. Curtis Lowe was a mature man,  chunky and stocky,  and  mean-looking. Twinges of nervousness struck him. Could he match up to Lowe’s fine-tuned skills and superior strength? He would definitely give his best shot. As during the previous night, what were important to him were the enjoyment and the entertainment the veterans derived from it. So, that evening, under bright ring lights he met with the formidable Curtis Lowe as the veterans cheered and yelled for him. He had become a veritable hero to them overnight.

The match started out pretty evenly matched. Curtis Lowe, his black eyes gleaming malevolently, his lips pursued stubbornly stood with fists clenched in readiness. Sonny reined in his emotions and stood equally prepared, undaunted. He made sure to circle his opponent, never staying more than a few seconds directly in front of him.  He adroitly avoided the punches that were rained on him. Neither lost balance. Sonny threw a left jab followed by a straight right.  Curtis responded with a right jab and a left hook.  They blended a good combination of punches that kept the crowd on their feet and cheering loudly. Curtis was a skilled boxer.  Sonny was a budding novice, but he was motivated and committed to fight hard.  Sonny tried hard to concentrate and not throw too many punches.  He was determined to save his energy to give the ultimate punch that would ensure victory for him.

In the second round, Curtis played foul and landed Sonny a low hook in the groin that dazed him had him writhing in pain. The crowd was tensed and breathless, anxious for Sonny as Curtis Lowe kept the pressure of agonizing blow after blow. Sonny needed a break.  Couldn’t wait till the round ended, as he said afterwards.

 

Two more rounds left.   Back in those days, they only fought four rounds to prevent guys from too much injury. For much of the time it was a tense and close fight. At one time Sonny feared he would have to concede victory to Lowe.   He looked around to search, yearning for divine inspiration.  In his blurred and unconscious vision, he could see  the many faces all around, some jeering, some grimacing, all torn.  The one that he made out and could not forget was the indomitable face of Ray, WW II veteran and fighter pilot extraordinaire.  He stood there, still, hopeful and impassioned and for that moment, he gave Sonny something to shoot for.

Instinctively, Sonny’s survival instincts revved full throttle. He wanted revenge.  He was so charged up that he jumped into the ring and went after Curtis with jabs.  It was his favorite punch and the most important punch in a boxer’s arsenal.  Sonny twisted his arm in a corkscrew-like motion before the impact. This produced a snapping sound so loud it reverberated through the entire arena.  Sonny willed his entire strength into a final hook punch that caught Curtis off guard. Sonny executed it with such precision and speed that Curtis was knocked off balance and fell immediately to the floor.  It was a clear knock out and it took 1 minute and 39 seconds to see it through. So, in the end, Sonny stole the limelight from Curtis Lowe and had all the veterans crowding him, cheering him and thumping him on the shoulder. The margin of victory was relatively small, but it was an unforgettable night for Sonny.

 

Chapter 14 Champion Fighter

This unexpected thrust onto the spotlight got him the Army’s attention and not long after that, in 1950, he had to face Curtis Lowe again at the All Army Boxing Tournament in Panama. He had been reaching beyond himself in training for this event and he was physically and mentally geared to face his arch rival. So as he met Curtis Lowe again in the boxing ring, this time around, Lowe’s tough, ruthless stance and expression did not throw Sonny off balance. With equal determination, he met him punch for punch and stood up unwavering against his overbearing manner.  But Sonny was champion once again. The thunderous clapping and cheering made Sonny’s spirits soar. Holding the glittering gilt trophy high in the air, Sonny faced the exultant spectators. Amidst the roar of the thunderous applause, he suddenly missed his parents. He felt a stab of loneliness, wanting to see the pride and joy in their faces as they watched him prove his skills and strength. As soon as he could get away, he went straight to a phone booth and called Sarah and Enas. They were absolutely overjoyed, stunned, never realized that a local boy from Armstrong could win a national title.

A little later after in the locker room, after the celebrating had subdued, two distinguished white guys in coat and tie approached him with an unexpected proposal.

“Son, what we want to find out is, are you interested in fighting off-post in Baltimore?”

Sonny looked surprised. “I don’t think the post would allow me.”

“The post doesn’t have to know. The matches are on Friday nights and on the weekends,” said one of the guys.

“And why should it interest me?”

“Well, you actually get to keep the prize money,” was the innocuous reply.

Images of the new car in town, the Studebaker, filled his mind. He might be able to afford it finally.

“Here you are, son. Think about it and call me when you get to Maryland,” one guy handed him his business card.

After much contemplation and several sleepless nights, Sonny made the call and accepted the proposal to play off-post despite a niggling fear that he could not shake off. And so, he trained and won two consecutive matches. He had a little cash in his hand now and he sent a major portion of it to his mother and kept a little aside to buy his dream Studebaker one day. He also decided not to push his luck too far. If the Army found out, he would be in deep trouble. All the money in the world would not be worth getting in trouble with his chain of command.

Chapter 15 Losing Virginity

It was now Sonny’s second year in the army and he was still a very solitary figure who rarely dated because he preferred his own company. The obvious charms of the opposite sex left him unmoved, probably because he was too shy to even look at them. Nevertheless, he did volunteer to drive the females to the regular Friday night dances, which the GIs enjoyed in the summertime. The long sultry summer evenings enticed the GIs and their partners to let their hair down on a Friday and sway to the R&B and Blues that wooed their stressed-out spirits. Sonny would look on with disinterest at the cuddling couples and the steamy embraces. He couldn’t relate to these feelings and felt more than a little isolated in his hermit-like attitude. Once in a while he would feel he was being stared at. He would look up to find an interested female gaze upon him, eyes which blatantly gave him come-hither looks. He would blush and look away, not yet ready to love a woman. Of all the women Sonny had come to know, he never imagined that Katherine Wilson would become such an ominous figure in his life. What made him a little uneasy were the intense glances Katherine Wilson would focusing his way. Katherine Wilson was a hefty middle-aged woman with a big bosom and voluptuous lips, a formidable chaperone for the young women after the dance. Sonny had to drop off the women at their residences in Baltimore and Washington DC before finally dropping off Katherine Wilson.

One Friday night as myriad stars glimmered in the sky and the full moon bathed the world with its' soft silvery light, Sonny drove through the silent streets of Washington DC and Baltimore, dropping off the young service women one by one. Finally, there was only Katherine Wilson left to be dropped off. From his rear-view mirror, Sonny saw the female figure making her way to the rear of the bus, not sure why she did so, he kept driving. As he drove in silence, Sonny had the weirdest feeling that the evening had a surprises ending in store for him yet he couldn’t fathom what it would be. Sonny stopped the bus in front of Katherine Wilson’s house and waited patiently for her to get off, but she did not attempt the leave the bus that night as tradition dictated. Instead, he heard her deep resonating voice, “Mr. Williams, would you please come check out this noise back here!” He felt bewildered as he sat there, not knowing she spoke off. What could possibly be wrong? He felt a little overwhelmed by Katherine Wilson and did not wish to antagonize her by disobeying. He strode to the rear end of the bus and tried to listen to the sound of the running engine. Everything seemed to be in order. “Well I don’t hear any noise, Ms. Katherine. It may just be the exhaust", he retorted. Back in those days buses had their motors in the back, rather than in the front, so it could have been anything. “No, no, no…there iiiiissss a noise and it is comin’ from the bottom of the bus. Would you pleasseee listen for this noise?” What was her problem he wondered. Later on as he reflected on the events that transpired that night, he could have kicked himself for not recognizing the ploys of a lust-filled woman. As Sonny crouched on the ground and put his ear to the floor attentively, trying to listen for this ghost noise that could be coming from under the bus, he felt the pressure of a body on his back. Suddenly one arm came under him and flipped him over with no struggle. Looking up into her lustful eyes, he closes his eyes thinking he had finally lost his mind and his imagination had gone rampant. But it was not his imagination for he felt the cold of damp air against his lower body as she pulled his zipper down. He heard the rustle of his cloths as she pulled them down his body. He could also feel clammy, yet warm hands groping him, touching, grasping, caressing. His body assaulted by alien sensations that were not altogether distasteful. In fact, he liked the feelings that were swamping his better judgment. He allowed himself to be led and gave into the pleasurable sensations Katherine Wilson’s surprisingly agile fingers were arousing in him. Then, she was on top of him, pushing herself onto him with deep, vigorous thrusts that first amazed Sonny, then, frightened him because of the acute pain it brought him, as if she were impaling him. He began to scream out, “Ms Katherine, please stop, you're hurting me, Ms Katherine, stop…….” But she didn't stop and he felt so used. He remembered the moment until this day when his body gave in and he erupted, and as she lifted herself from his body all she said was, "thanks for the ride". She left him there lost, dazed and completely disoriented. What could he do or even say about this moment. While he knew this moment could never be repeated, he also knew he could not speak of it, his pride would not allow any thought of it again. Later as he recalled that moment, and how he felt his world was going to end. He remembered fear in that early morning and even though it only took about 2 minutes, it affected his entire life from that moment on. A silent torment digging at his heart, carving out a place in him, a place he could never get back and a place he could never forget. Later on, in the quiet of his bed, Sonny reflected wryly that of all the ways of losing his virginity, he had never in his wildest dreams anticipated this. But he sure didn’t want to tarnish his views on sex by allowing the likes of Katherine Wilson to take advantage of his inexperience in that sphere. He made sure that he kept his distance from her and got down from the bus and stood away when he dropped her off after the Friday night dances. He was surprised she never tried anything again maybe it was because she saw his reaction. Once for just a moment, as she walked from the bus, she looked back at him and he saw something foreign in her eyes. Maybe it was remorse or maybe it was another attempt to throw him off so she could get her claws into him again, but he never found out. Luckily for him, summer was almost over and the dances stopped too and he never saw Katherine Wilson again. But in his heart, that secret torment she gave him, creeps out and he imagines where she maybe and who else she had scared with her brand of loving.