The driver slowed down and let them climb on.
“What outfit, buddy?” he asked Jimmy.
“One Hundred and Third Field Artillery, Jack.”
“Thought you looked like a YD man,” answered the driver as he changed gears.
They made about four kilometers when the driver complained of feeling hot. He stopped his truck and started taking off his leather jerkin. There was a Croix de Guerre pinned over his heart. O. D. saw it and his eyes bulged out.
“I see you’re a hero,” said O. D., pointing to the bronze medal attached to the green ribbon.
“Hero, hell!” exclaimed the driver. “Anybody can get one of these things. The Frogs wear ’em as souvenirs of the guerre. You can buy a dozen for a few francs. I was lucky enough to have this one given to me,” he explained.
“What did you do, swipe a bag of white sugar and give it to some French general?” asked Jimmy.
“Well, I’ll tell you, buddy, this thing was given to me for bravery under fire and devotion to duty. That’s the way the paper read, anyhow. I was drivin’ up to Château-Thierry in this junk with some bread. Got pretty near Saacy when I run into beaucoup shell-fire. The big boys was bustin’ ahead of me and behind me—all around me. Wasn’t anything else to do so I climbs down and gets under the engine, thinkin’ that the truck would give me a bit of protection from splinters. Had on my jumpers and in my jumpers was a little hammer. Lucky for me it was. A bunch of Frogs includin’ a colonel gets chased out of the woods by shells. Happens that they come straight toward me. I had sense enough to start tinkerin’ with the engine so as to leave a good impression. The colonel spots me. He could talk some English. Tells me all kinds of bull about bein’ brave under shell-fire. I didn’t spoil his speech by tellin’ him I was scared to death. He takes my name and outfit. Few weeks later I get a paper citin’ me and givin’ me right to wear a Craw de Guerre. Well, I stayed right under there tappin’ away until the shellin’ quit, which happened toot sweet. Can you beat it? The guerre’s a farce so long as it don’t get you, eh, buddy?” to Jimmy.
“I’ll say so. That’s what I tell my friend here. He ’ain’t never been up yet,” answered Jimmy.