CHAPTER SEVEN
SILENT STORM
And then, like autumn leaves caught in a miniature whirlwind, they were sent spinning away in all directions. There was one happy evening hour when Sally, Nancy, Barbara, and Danny had lunch together in the Purple Cow, just off the campus. Theirs was the hail-and-farewell of good fellows well met, of soldiers who might never meet again. And yet, behind all their jokes and laughter was a feeling of friendship and devotion to one another that in all the years could never die.
“We’ll be seeing you,” they shouted next morning.
“Oh, sure! We’ll be together again, sooner than you think!”
“Good-by!”
“Good-by!”
Sally and Nancy were sent to the beautiful campus of a great mid-western university where they would learn much more about radio and communications. Barbara was shipped off to a big airport to receive her final training in the art of rigging parachutes. Danny remained behind, but not for long. The autumn winds would soon whisk him away to new fields of adventure and duty.
Both Sally and Nancy had dreamed of attending some truly great university. And, at last, here they were. But for how long? Just long enough to make you efficient in your chosen field, was the precise answer. “And always remember, your services are badly needed right now. Good communications and radio men are scarce. They are badly needed overseas.”
“But won’t we two be sent overseas?” Nancy asked of the major who gave them the information.
“That remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain, no WAVE will be sent overseas until she has perfected herself in her particular branch, and has served long enough at one of our bases here in America to prove that she will be a valuable addition to our Navy, either aboard ship or overseas.”