We had no way of knowing

 Page 13.

We had no way of knowing that Brian’s radio message had been intercepted by that passing ship we had seen earlier and they forwarded the transmission on to our Military forces in the area. United States Marines had already landed just outside of our view in a hidden cove just below us and were making their way to our location at this very moment. Miguel raised the binoculars to his eye’s for a closing look of our surroundings when suddenly a shot ran out striking him up above his left shoulder.  The force of the rifle shot spun him around and passed through his body and that same bullet nearly struck Smokey who stood just behind him. We immediately took cover back inside the cave as a barrage of gunfire bursts peppered all around us causing bullets to ricochet deep into the blackened cave.  I could hear a large number of Japanese soldiers climbing the face of the mountain and knew it would be only minutes before they would be on top of us. Mr. Roberts crouched down beside me and scribbled a note down on from his pad and tied it under my collar with a strip of clothe.

Smokey held two sticks of dynamite in each hand while Brian inserted the fuses until several sticks were ready. Mr. Roberts looked me in the eye’s and said, “ Maxwell, lives depend on this message getting through to our men”. The Japanese continued to fire on us in volley’s and my ears rang like it did when our ship exploded. I watched Smokey holding a bandage to Miguel’s shoulder wound as he winced in pain while Mr. Roberts threw a lit stick of dynamite deep into the jungle below us. Trees shook when the dynamite exploded and screams from the Japanese soldier indicated a direct hit. It was then I took my final look at the men I learned to love and instantly I bolted from the cave just as the shooting started up again. Bullets whistle and snapped over my head while others struck the ground all around me but I twisted and turned and bounded from sharp boulders to steep run offs. I finally made it to a sheer cliffside that overlooked the hidden lagoon were the Marines had landed and that’s when I felt a sharp pain in my side.

I looked over the ledge and saw at least thirty Marines crawling toward me as two more sticks of dynamite exploded near the mouth of the cave. Somewhat light headed I took a deep breath and sprang forward losing my balance and sliding down a gravel slope until caught in the arms by three Marines. “He’s be hit” yelled out one of the Marines who’s hands were now covered in my blood while other called out for a medic. One of the men quickly removed the note from my collar and I was carried back to the beach and treated. The fight continued until noon when the shooting stopped completely and I could hear several Marines cheering as they saw their comrades in arms entered the mouth of the cave. Before I know it Mr. Roberts was the first to rush by my side just after a large bandage was wrapped around my body but it was hard for me to stand. Tears filled his eye’s as Smokey, Brian and Miguel surrounded me and all together we boarded and small boat and transferred to a larger vessel. I was just fine with the care I received from the Marines but Mr. Roberts had a top notch military veterinarian patch me up as good as new. I heard some of the men say the war was over for a dog like me and that I was going home.