The Sound and the Silence

After dark, Bob and I joined some others on the top of the hill behind the camp. The ships back at the beach were under attack by Kamikazes. The air was full of anti-aircraft fire, tracers laying a heavy crisscross lace above the water. Ships were exploding and burning at their moorings and planes were detonating in midair. We could easily hear the rumble of the explosions from where we were. It made me think of watching a fireworks show back at home, on the Fourth of July. But this time th...