War Photographer's Notebook

Chapter 1731 Veterans will not die

When the white light faded again, Wei Ran found that he still had not returned to the world he was familiar with.

Looking around, I saw myself standing on a lawn beside a forest wearing a set of loose shorts, a T-shirt and flip-flops. I tried to scratch the skin and muscles on my arms, and the loose feeling suggested that I was no longer young.

Looking up and around, I saw a row of jeeps parked side by side under the shade of trees not far away.

If we break it down, these cars include the Willys MB used during World War II, the Willys MC that appeared on the Moss Field and is the same model used by Grant, and the Willys MD with round fenders.

Although the models were different, the cars were parked in an extremely neat manner. When he stood up and walked over, he could see different patterns painted on the hoods of the cars.

Some of them had the Moby Dick logo, some had Dumbo, some had an envelope pierced by an arrow with blood dripping from the tip, and one had the Statue of Liberty holding a bomb in one hand and giving the middle finger with the other.

Fortunately, there weren't seven condoms of different sizes on her head.

While looking at these cars, he also noticed in the rearview mirror of the jeep that he looked to be in his fifties, and on the driver's seat of the jeep next to him was a copy of "Bulwark" monthly magazine.

In this August 1965 issue of the newspaper, a large amount of space was devoted to reporting on the various crimes of the Vietnam War and various anti-war activities.

Putting down the newspaper, he turned his head and looked at the clearing in the woods behind the jeep, where there were several slightly outdated 1950-style cold-region hexagonal tents.

In the middle of these tents, several out-of-shape old men were either busy grilling or playing cards around a camping table. There was a radio on the table, which was also reporting on the Vietnam War.

At the edge of a nearby tent, there was an old man who looked somewhat younger than himself. He was holding a guitar and singing "Bug Out Boogie", a song mocking the 8th Army.

Upon closer inspection, the person singing seems to be Alvin, the postman in the previous scene.

"Victor, Brad hasn't come back yet?" Just at this moment, an old man who looked to be almost seventy years old and had a big belly asked.

At just one glance, he recognized that it was Captain Tom of the White Whale.

Before Wei Ran could speak, a bicycle came from a distance. In the bright sunshine, he recognized that the person riding the bicycle was Brad.

He looked much older, but he was still in good shape. On his chest was a Kodak Tank camera. In the rack and basket of the bicycle were boxes of beer.

"I'm back"

Brad said, already squeezing the brakes, panting, "Beer is easy to buy, but I had to go to several stores to buy film. Victor, come over and help me."

"coming"

Wei Ran walked over, helped the other party carry down the two boxes of beer, and handed them to an old man who came over. He was Philip, the mechanic on the White Whale. Naturally, he was not young anymore.

As these old men sat down at a long wooden table and took the cold beer and cigars that Brad gave them, Wei Ran also recognized everyone at the table.

Among them are the gunners Martin, Robert and Jerry who stayed behind from the Dumbo crew, as well as all the surviving members of the Moby Dick crew, and of course, the postmen Alvin and Brad from the Moss Field.

These people are no longer young, with thinning hair, bulging bellies, loose skin and muscles, and even age spots that have crawled onto their skin.

All of this seems to confirm what the boastful old Mac said: "Old soldiers never die, they just fade away."

"Brad, I heard your son joined the army?" asked co-pilot Paul.

"That idiot"

Brad sighed helplessly, "Martina and I tried to persuade him for a long time, but he still went."

"What unit was he assigned to?" asked Martin, the gunner on the Dumbo.

"Big Red First Division," Brad said helplessly, "I hope he can come back alive."

"He will come back alive," said George, the gunner of the White Whale.

"What about your children? Did any of them serve in the Vietnam War?" Brad asked.

“My children participated”

The first person to speak was Robert, the surviving gunner of the Dumbo crew, "He is also a brainless idiot."

"My child too," followed Bill, the White Whale's navigator.

"My child also participated, but he has returned injured." Gunner George said thankfully, "He lost an arm, but at least he is still alive."

"My child has been captured," said gunner Lewis worriedly, "I hope he is still alive."

"My child is missing," Philip sighed.

"Maybe they should have brought a streamer," sighed former co-pilot Paul.

"Those things, or that French must-eat, they don't protect anybody at all."

Brad cursed almost out of habit, picked up his beer, clinked it with everyone and said, "Friends, I'm ready to join the battle too."

"you?"

Tom, the former captain, almost choked on the beer he had just poured into his mouth, "Brad, are you crazy? Do you think you are still in your 20s?"

“I don’t intend to make it harder.”

Brad put down the beer in his hand and said, "I plan to go to the anti-war demonstration, for my Curtis, and for all of our children to come back alive from the battlefield as soon as possible."

“I’ve already participated.”

Jonathan said, “Last month, as the principal, I organized all the teachers and children in our high school to participate in the parade.”

"We also attended," Bill followed up, "I and some of my friends and former colleagues attended."

“I have participated in it many times.”

Alvin followed up, "My children also participated, as well as many veterans I met on the Tide Moss Battlefield."

"I asked you to come here so that we can organize a parade together."

Brad said, "Call all of our respective friends and comrades as veterans of World War II and the Tide War."

“I participate”

Captain Tom was the first to say, "When?"

"I'll join in too," said the navigator Bill, and the other old guys also raised their beers to show that they were "joining the war."

"How about the 15th?" Brad asked, "Let's go to Washington on the 15th of this month."

"Driving our jeep?" asked Gunner Jerry, pointing to a row of jeeps in the distance.

"That's right"

Brad nodded. “This may be the only thing we old guys can do for the kids.”

"We will be there on time," said Gunner George first, and the others followed suit.

"Do we need to wear the same clothes then?"

Paul asked, he even put on his reading glasses and took out a pen and a palm-sized notebook from his pocket.

"If you still have your uniforms and medals"

Brad said as he took out a key ring as thick as his wrist from his pocket. On the key ring were ribbons one after another. "Then put these on too."

As he spoke, he took off one ribbon after another from the old key ring and distributed them to everyone, including Wei Ran.

"Where did this come from?" Robert asked as he took the ribbon.

"Dumbo and Moby Dick," Brad said, "and the Statue of Liberty that crashed in the North African desert."

“We need to take another photo.”

Captain Tom suggested, "Gentlemen, we need to take another group photo, Brad. We also need the photos you and Victor took, and the photos Grant sent back from the front when he was alive. Print them out and put them on our car."

“That’s a good suggestion.”

Brad said as he took off his camera and handed it to Wei Ran, "Victor, take another photo for us."

"It's my pleasure, soldiers." Wei Ran said, standing up and taking the camera.

While he waited patiently, these soldiers, whose movements were no longer as agile as they used to be, walked together to a jeep not far away and stood in a row. They held the ribbons between their fingers and raised their hands to salute, allowing Wei Ran to press the shutter for the last time in the white light.

When the white light faded, Wei Ran took a tired breath. He was back, back to the world he was familiar with, back to the underground studio in the Time Library.

He rubbed his face gently, and the fatigue on Wei Ran's face was replaced by a smile.

Although I took a walk around the tide moss battlefield unplanned, overall

I feel very good!

He took out the cigarette box from the metal notebook, took out a cigarette, slowly put it on the tortoise-shell holder, lit it and took a puff. Then Wei Ran looked at the busy metal feather pen and the lines of text written by it.

Veteran never die

Dumbo crew:

On March 1945, 3, crew member tail gunner Steven was killed in the air raid on Nagoya. In the early morning of March 12, the Dumbo bomber crashed during a mine-laying mission, killing the crew captain Charles, co-pilot Baker, navigator Bob, mechanic Arthur, radio operator Jack, bombardier Ryan, and tail gunner Dean.

In September of the same year, the surviving gunners Martin, Robert and Jerry retired one after another and jointly operated the Dumbo Restaurant and the Dumbo Hotel in California.

In the winter of 1960, due to the first dollar crisis, the Dumbo Restaurant and the Dumbo Hotel went bankrupt due to poor management, and the three men moved to Philadelphia with their families.

Starting in 1963, the three joined the anti-war movement.

Between 1970 and 1975, the three died one after another.

Moby Dick crew:

On March 1945, 3, crew member tail gunner Anthony was killed in an air raid on Kobe.

In September of the same year, the remaining members of the Moby Dick crew retired.

In the winter of the same year, former Moby Dick captain Tom and co-pilot Paul joined United Airlines as captains.

Former navigator Bill joined National Geographic as editor.

Jonathan, a former radio operator, returned to his hometown to become a physics teacher and became the principal in 1958.

Mechanic Philip and former crew gunners Lewis, George, and Val jointly opened the Moby Dick Repair Shop in Philadelphia.

Since 1962, the above people have joined the anti-war movement one after another.

Between 1972 and 1992, all the survivors of the Moby Dick crew passed away.

Brad Downey, on March 1945, 3, was wounded by anti-aircraft gunfire while participating in a mine-laying mission as a bombardier with the Moby Dick crew.

On January 1946, 1, Brad Downey married his girlfriend Martina Kruger and had a son, Curtis Downey.

In August 1965, Brad Downey and his wife's friends joined the anti-war movement and organized large-scale anti-war marches and demonstrations for veterans of World War II and Tidewater several times.

In the spring of 1972, his only son Curtis was disabled and retired. On the night of August 8 of the same year, Brad Downey died suddenly in his own pawn shop. The next day, his wife Martina Kruger committed suicide by swallowing cyanide left over from World War II.

After the end of World War II, Grant Downey went to China as a reporter for the New York Times and followed and reported on the War of Liberation.

In the summer of 1949, due to the assassination of his good friend, he left China and returned to the United States.

In the summer of 1950, he once again went to the Chaoshan battlefield as a reporter for the New York Times.

On the evening of November 11 of the same year, he was shot and fell into the river during a robbery by refugees on the outskirts of Chaoshan Shunchuan, and his body was never found.

Alvin, a former Army courier of the 1st Cavalry Division of the U.S. Army.

1950年11月26日，为寻找好友格兰特尸体跳入大同江致低温冻伤，同年12月9日因伤退役。

In August 1965, at the invitation of Bullard, he joined the anti-war movement and the civil rights movement.

In the winter of 1968, on Thanksgiving Eve, he was murdered by a racist in the name of a car accident.

Having written here, the metal feather pen started a new line and wrote: A talented bombardier will kill more people, he will become a nightmare for all the living people on the ground, and he will live with nightmares for the rest of his life, but they can also end the war.

The bombardier.

Wei Ran couldn't help but smile. The grenadier named Brad had spent the first half of his life fighting to end the war, and he was also fighting to end the war in the second half of his life.

As he sighed, the pale yellow page turned to the back, and a metal feather pen wrote a line of words under the red swirl: To our friend Victor the Arsonist, may you never be troubled by nightmares, and may you become the ultimate nightmare of the enemies on land when you take off - in the name of the bombardier.

Was it the arsonist?

Wei Ran smiled and said to himself, "I thought of him as an arsonist, but that's right, it's not a crime."

However, before he could reach out his hand, the metal feather pen moved to a new page and quickly drew a pattern the size of a teacup.

This pattern is extremely simple. In the upper part, there is a faint outline of a B29 bomber against a black background. The lower part is scorched earth burned by flames and a head that seems to be burning with flames.

In the middle of this up and down interweaving is an E46 cluster incendiary bomb pointing straight up and down.

On the incendiary bomb, there is a white traditional Chinese character written on it: 發 (Fa).

Then, the metal feather pen wrote a line of text under the pattern.

Tu Wan: To commemorate the number of enemy casualties exceeding ten thousand on a single battlefield.

"Not enough, far from enough, I didn't even get it back."

As Wei Ran muttered neurotically, a red vortex reluctantly appeared beneath the pattern and text.

Things did not end here. The pages filled with stories and pain began to flip forward as the metal feather pen left, and finally stopped at the page about the Vietnam War. When the blue vortex where the backpack that reporter Zack gave him was located flashed, the pages began to flip forward again, and finally stopped at the first page.

As expected, this time, in the column for his nickname, the metal feather pen wrote the three words "Arsonist".

Only after the metal feather pen returned to its original position did Wei Ran put away the metal notebook. He then took out the backpack containing flushing potion and other things. He wanted to see what was extra in there.

However, when he saw what was taken out, he was stunned. This was not a US military backpack, but the suitcase used by the Downey brothers.

On the outside of the lid of the box, the brown horsehide is branded with the Dumbo and Moby Dick logos, as well as the English message written on the back of the aerial photograph that Brad gave himself: To our friend Victor the Arsonist, may you never be troubled by nightmares, and may you become the ultimate nightmare of the enemies on land when you take off - in the name of the bombardier.

Gently open the unlocked box. There is also a curtain on the inside of the lid, with ribbons hanging on it and a gold coin protected in a leather case.

Pulling aside this literally priceless curtain, on the inside of the lid hung the large-size aviation photo they had given them, as well as photos with the two crew members and a photo with Grant.

Inside this box, in addition to the developing tools, chemicals, and a large number of various types of films, the small drawers also contain the light meter and Nikon half-frame camera from the back bag, as well as a Kodak Gold Medal camera and a Hasselblad 1600F camera.

Unfortunately, there are no two photo albums that Grant left behind in China, especially the one containing his memories of Yang Minhua.

With regret, Wei Ran put away the suitcase for photographers and took out the things in the first red vortex that had just appeared.

However, when he saw the things that appeared in this fairly spacious studio, he was stunned.

This time he was given a special Willys MC jeep, but what made him curse was that between the driver and co-driver seats of the jeep, there was an extremely thick metal bracket that seemed to be able to be extended and retracted up and down. On the bracket was a K18 aerial camera, which was even equipped with a fake shutter remote control that required electricity to use.

Wei Ran immediately understood the hint from a certain dad: You've had enough fun, and giving you a B29 is pure wishful thinking, so I'll just give you a small jeep as a token of my appreciation.

Who would think of installing a special aerial camera on a car? This little jeep can't even fly, so what can it be used to shoot?

Wei Ran hummed incoherently, but that did not stop him from circling the small jeep with its windshield and canvas awning folded down.

In addition to a large aerial camera that shouldn't have been installed on a car, there were several other things added to the car.

There were two identical suitcases stacked on the passenger seat. He was almost certain that one of the suitcases was the camera box that had been used by both Downey brothers and that a certain dad had also given him as a reward.

The other one has the same style but has no markings on the outside.

In addition, the back seats are equipped with a folding camp bed, a duck down sleeping bag, an M1950 hexagonal tent carefully wrapped in a large piece of waterproof canvas, and matching ground nails.

Obviously, except for the aerial camera, the rest of these are replicas of the things in the jeep that Grant drove that year and given to him as a souvenir.

I always feel like I lost a B29.

While muttering in dissatisfaction, Wei Ran took out the two locked boxes and easily pried open their locks.

One of them was undoubtedly the photography box used by the Downey brothers. Except for the pistol and the camera, the rest of the things were still there. Of course, the gold coin was not there.

In the second box, there was a large amount of film, and most of the space was occupied by two large barrels of large-sized aviation film.

They were shot in the final months of World War II, either in the bomb bay of Dumbo or the bomb bay of Moby Dick, by Brad Downey and the non-existent bombardier Victor.

The remaining space was filled with the U.S. military backpack that originally belonged to Wei Ran, and in this backpack were rolls of Kodak 620 or 120 film with the time and location of the shooting carefully marked on them.

Thanks to the markings, he could clearly know that these were all from the Tide Moss Battlefield, all from Grant.

In addition to the basic shooting information, there is also a notebook with a pen on top of these sealed tubes.

Gently opening this notebook filled with battlefield records, its title page is written with a string of English words in black pen:

Grant Downey's experience of the Korean War:

I don’t know whether this war can be considered just or aggression, but these negatives that cannot be sent back to the United States by post record the other side of this war.

Fortunately, these cruelties and dark sides that I cannot describe in words were all captured by my camera.

Wei Ran sighed silently, having already guessed what was in it, then gently closed the notebook and stuffed it into his backpack, then casually took out a roll of film and pulled it out carefully.

Seeing that everything inside had been developed into negatives that could stand up to light, he breathed a sigh of relief and tore out the rest of the roll and placed it on the viewer.

I don’t know if it was a coincidence, but he happened to have seen the content captured on this film.

The moment when the captured volunteer soldier spat at his torturers, the shot of him being shot, and of course, the American-striped banner tattoo on the hand holding the 1911 pistol.

Wei Ran took a deep breath and was originally in a good mood. However, after returning to reality, he was prepared to endure the mental pain again.

While he was busy, rolls of film were pulled out one by one and frames were scanned into electronic files.

In these forgotten negatives, he did see, as Grant wrote, from another perspective the ugliness of that war that was hidden and photographed by the Americans themselves.