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Queen High

by Jack Johnson

431 pages; quality trade paperback (softcover); catalogue #02-0877; ISBN 1-55395-163-8; US$32.50, C$38.50, EUR27.00, £19.00

"Queen High" describes the many adventures of an air group in the Pacific "Bathtub Fleet", and how they provided pinpoint close support for ground troops as those made their beach landings to regain many enemy held Pacific Islands. Also described are these pilots' adventures on liberty.

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about the book      about the author      sample excerpts      catalogue info

About the Book Here is an intimate story, almost a log, that finds one young college student, Jim, determined to do his part after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Jim has two very strong interests, aviation and his favorite movie actress, Charlene Clairemont, whose color picture hangs above his desk. He completes the university sponsored CPT flying course and qualifies as a Naval Aviation Cadet.. He gets his wings as a torpedo pilot, and ends up in a fleet squadron assigned to a baby flat top, a CVE. His group are to provide close support for the ground troops landing on a number of enemy held Pacific Islands. Like most Naval Aviators he dates a few good looking ladies during the groups stateside training period. In the Northwest one of these is Norene, and when they move to "Saltville"in the "Calipatria"desert, he dates an ingenue actress, Berta, who has appeared in some of his favorite stars pictures. Next the squadron moves to a base, "Los Altos", fairly close to the movie capital, "Shadow City". The squadron skipper asks Jim and another group member to attend a civilian family get-together in response to their invitation through base personnel. They do and Jim meets a an attractive brunette who caims to be writing a play. He finds her quite attractive, but does not ask to follow up on this meeting. Later, the two ensigns Jim and Rod, decide to check out the roller coaster at the amusement area of neighboring "Paradise Beach"beach. They find two girls also riding and climb into the next car, but Jim thinks one girl is somehow familiar. Later, she rides alone and Jim follows in the same car. After each have a shouting conversation above ground, they land and Jim presses her for a name. She will be known as Brandi. As the group continues their flying at Los Altos, Jim and Brandi become closer, and when the couple visit the Sky Room observation deck of the boardwalk hotel, Jim learns why Brandi has seemed so familiar to him. She is actually his all time favorite, Charlene. Their romance blossoms and finally they are married, but away from his shipmates and unknown to her studio and the public. He introduces her, incognito, as a bit player, to his squadron mates, and they find a cottage to rent. It is afterward the couples lives are changed for good. When practicing firing his wing guns at the tow sleeve, Jim, in a dive, catches the tow cable with his wing. He is forced to bail out, but his chute fails to open properly, and he drops at a good speed some twenty-five hundred feet to the water. He suffers a concussion, which causes a partial but solid amnesia for the two or so previous months. He thinks Brandi is one of his nurses. A few days later, he is returned to duty with no obvious injury except the memory loss which doesn't affect his flying. He has no recollection of the accident. Jim next meets Brandi, believing she is a girl he has only just met and he falls in love with her again. Brandi makes the best of the resulting mess, by trying to repeat every date the couple had before the accident, hoping the locations and surroundings might jog his memory, but in the end his complete disbelief of their previous association causes her much distress, especially since she has a part in a picture and must go on location abroad. It turns out that the squadron is to complete training further north at "Alomar," and Brandi suggests they should not keep on seeing each other at least for some time. At Alomar, Jim, believing Brandi is through with him, looks up the little red head, Norene, he dated at Northwest "Cedar Base" and who now works at NAS "Alomar". As the group finishes training romance blossoms for Jim and Norene, and when Jim is ready to go overseas Norene is there at "San Leandro" to say good bye. Now the ship carries the group to Pearl Harbor and to a base in the Marshalls and then to their first combat assignment, the landing on Saipan. During this Jim is shot down and captured, but his declared execution backfires and he subjugates three of his captors. After the island is secured the group rearms and refuels on "Tipitiki" where Jim is very surprised to meet Brandi, now a Red Cross Nurse Aide at the hospital there. They discuss old times and when the ship leaves Brandi is allowed to come on board to say good bye to Jim. The group continues to support the landings on Guam and the Palaus, and finally they assist McArthur*s landing on Leyte in the Phillipines, They run into a large portion of the enemy fleet and loose several of their carriers and destroyers. During the course of the Battle for Leyte Gulf Jim makes several torpedo and bombing runs, being hit personally by a kamikaze, but being able to continue until shot down into the water. A day later he is picked up by a sub, and ultimately returns to "San Leandro" finding the members of his squadron who have similar battle experiences. Upon receipt of orders back to the Northwest to rejoin a new version of the squadron, Jim picks up Norene and they journey To his parents home, east coast, to marry at the Naval Air Staion on "Great Island". In a brief Epilog, after the war, we find Jim regaining his memory bit by bit, and recalling first the accident, and then the startling fact that he and Brandi were actually married for about two weeks. He realizes that MacKenzie,. Their ACI Officer, had helped Brandi obtain an anullment, (he was best man when he married Norene). By now Jim is a senior engineer at a defense plant, and he and Norene have three children. The story ends when Jim having followed many performances of Beverlee Beauchamp, an actress who somehow reminds him of Brandi, attends one of her plays. He thinks enough of her work to take a dozen roses to her dressing room. When she greets him , he finds she is actually Brandi, using a different name. A limited number of hard cover copies of Queen High are still available. Please contact the author for details.

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About the Author Jack Johnson was a Naval Aviator in WWII and Queen High is basically a "log" based on our experiences during our campaign in the Pacific and our training experiences.

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Sample Excerpts

Pg. 10 "At this time we break into our program to bring you the following announcement. At approximately eight fifteen this morning, Hawaiian time, the Japanese staged a vicious and cowardly attack on Pearl Harbor, destroying and crippling units of our Pacific Fleet. There was no warning whatever until the bombs began to rain. Many fires were started and hangars and aircraft in Hickham Field were set aflame. The battleship Arizona was sunk, and several others severely damaged. *.More news as it comes in."

Pg. 13

"Gosh! I hope you get what you want. What you're going in for takes guts and ambition. Have you ever done any flying?" the pretty blonde asked.

"Yup. I just got my private pilot license at Two Cities Airport. I have forty hours under my belt."

"Gosh, that's great," she told him. "Then you're on your way. Isn't that military flying more tough though?"

"You bet!" Jim assured her. After some minutes had passed in pleasant talk, Jim was ready to go. "...Well, I guess it's about time. I don't think I can put it off any longer."

" I'll go with you," the pretty blonde said. I'll walk you all the way to the door, arm in arm, and kiss you good bye. How's that?"

"Okay, let's get started. ...Let's give it a whirl!"

Pg. 31

"Well, I'm flattered, and my nerves are shattered, at finding such lovely ladies all in one place," Jim declared.

"Hear, hear, that's the spirit," Rod approved. "Jim, tell them they all look pretty. That's what I did. Which one do you pick?"

"I pick this one, the beauteous blonde, ...or is it redhead?"

"Both I guess, ...a little. I see you're a flier, too," Norene said.

"You bet. Rod and I both are."

"Do you dance?" Norene asked.

"I'm not very good at it, but I'll try. Anything for you, Norene."

Pg. 54

"It's about eleven miles, ...as the crow flies," he said.

"Oh so! As the crow flies? ...Very good." Karla was amused. "And so, we'll fly like crows across this desert." She added,"They don't have crows in these parts."

"All they do have, apparently," Jim said,"...is sand, sand and more sand,...and maybe a few bushes scattered here and there." "There isn't much greenery," Karla agreed.

"Mostly desert sand," Berta said. She had a question for Jim. "May I ask if you have ever been in a dog fight?"

Amused at her question, Jim hesitated.

"You go up," she continued. "Do you chase other planes by their tails and such? ...Like the Baron Von Richthofen?"

"No, ...we mostly drop bombs," Jim told her.

Pg. 96

"Good morning, Ensign. What voulez vous?"

"Well, here I am. I couldn't leave without saying good bye. We fly to Los Altos tomorrow morning early. I wish I could take you along. I really do."

"Oh, and would I just crawl into the back of your plane, like a stowaway? I wish I could. Tell me will you miss me very much?"

"Yes I will, ...very much."

"Then let's consider," she said. "Have we time for a talk?"

Pg. 152

"My you're full of vim and vigor for a boy that just got back from a serious exercise where the planes were bent up. What gives?"

"You do. I want you," he said.

"Well, you'll have to wait. We have a little business to transact."

"Such as?" he asked.

"Such as where do we go in the morning to get hitched?"

"I don't know. Where?" he asked. "I'm all for it. Don't get me wrong."

"I won't. Let's see. We need a preacher, and something to wear, ...any old thing, ...preferably a dress. You don't get married in overalls" she said. "Not in church."

"What church will it be? he asked.

"I don't know. Let's head for the border tomorrow and get married in the first one we find, wherever it is."

Pg. 205

It was a fairly steep dive and soon he was moving over three hundred and thirty knots as he approached the target. This was perhaps a little fast, but it seemed all right. He fired a long burst, and as he started to move under the tow and recover, he felt a strong shudder. Something was very wrong with his ship. There had been a hard impact, and it slammed the canopy shut. His control stick started to shake, and he was still diving. About then he heard Terry on the VHF.

"Now hear this. This is Cordova. I said look out. What's Happening? Who's that?" He continued. "Will somebody see who that is? There's something wrong, isn't there."

"My God no!" Gem exclaimed. "It's J-J! He must've ripped his wing in that pullout!"

Pg. 253

Brandi looked at Jim, elbows on table and chin in hands. "Do you really want me to dance on the table?" she asked.

"No, dear," Jim told her. "I'm afraid you'd fall off and break a leg, and I'd get the blame."

"That's a filthy rotten thing to say", Brandi told him. "...and you're a werewolf."

"Schultz," Karen said.

"Thanks a lot," Brandi told her. "I'll remember that."

"Thanks dear, do. What'll we play?" Karen asked.

"Think up some game." After a pause, she looked over to Brandi. "Has Jim asked you to marry him yet?"

"Jim and I are engaged," Brandi said.

"Well, this is a surprise!" Gem exclaimed. "Let's celebrate then. Whoopee! Give me that noisemaker. This does call for a celebration. Last week you were married, ...and now you're engaged. Things are looking up!"

Pg. 305

"How many girls did you know while you were in Calipatria? Did you know a lot?" "No, of course not," he told her. "How about the one in the restaurant that was sitting across from us?" "I did know her slightly, but we broke up. We decided not to see eachother any more."

Norene looked somehow relieved. She looked at him. "Well, in that case I'm glad you're here in Alomar. Hen you can take me out a little if you want to. At least you'd have a friend here."

He smiled. "Good. I'm glad, Norene. I'd be delighted to take you out anytime."

Pg. 316

"Dear, I'm so happy I could see you off," she told him. Jim wrapped his arms around her and they kissed. He helped her handle her baggage. "I hear the bus is late."

"Yes," she said. "I didn't want to miss you. I'm glad you could meet me." "Well, let's get your gear together. I'll carry it and we'll get you checked into your hotel. It's the Green House. It's in the big park in the City. It's ladies only. Men aren't allowed past the lobby after ten PM."

"Yes, you told me that when you called, Jim. All right. I can pay the expenses."

"You wont be here that long. Actually Norene, we aren't leaving right away. We have to do our rocket training first. That's in the desert."

"Oh? Well, at least I'm here to see you again. I love you, Jim. Here's hoping you'll be safe, and come back to me."

Pg. 343

"Then my deeds of help must end. I can tolerate no further putting off. We must be about our fatal cause. It is with great regret that I announce you shall be put to death with all the honor due a Samurai. You are a brave soldier. We will walk back to my office where I may enter the record of your crime and punishment, that is all. Let us walk and return. Good soldier.

Pg. 363

"Brandi? I don't seem to recall." Then there was recognition. "I should," he said. "I think I vaguely do. Yes, I seem to remember you. Was it in San Leandro? ...I think we used to know each other in Paradise Beach. Wasn't that it?" They were gathered around a small fire, where cans of beer were available. They were piled in a drum, cooled by chunks of ice. Several of the squadron and of ship's company had come ashore. Now various members of both were strolling the beach on this warm day in Tapatiki.

"Yup. You got it," Brandi said, happier. "Paradise Beach, remember. I know it was a long time ago. How are you doing?"

"Where did you get that nurse's uniform?" Jim asked, in sudden surprise.

"I joined the volunteer corps, ...Red Cross."

Pg. 410

He had prayed on and off that he might be picked up. He had one comforting thought. He still had his souvenir, the transponder, clasped between his knees. He decided he'd turn it on and off, for a given length of time, to save the battery. He started to do just that. He worried that if he waited till daylight, would there be any ships left around the area to hear a signal. It sounded like a very, very rough situation to be in, and he was scared. Jim wanted to stop the rotation of his raft, but he had nothing to use. As complete darkness fell, the ocean seemed calmer, and most of the spinning had stopped.

Pg. 432

Jim was beginning to get nervous. "It's almost time for the wedding to begin," he complained. "Where's Norene?"

At that time the whole family arrived in the chapel.

"Here she is, and here's your sister and the rest of the family," Mac said. "Thank God," Jim said. "I was hoping they'd make it okay in that car in the snow."

"They're all here Mac assured him.

Norene came in wearing a beautiful frock from one of the better stores in Blossom City. It was of an attractive aqua color trimmed in white lace. She carried a corsage of violet orchids. She was escorted by Jim's father, and made an unusually pretty picture. She looked very lovely, as she and the others entered the chapel. "Well, James J ...Here we go!" Mac exclaimed.

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Catalogue Information

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