Chapter 1 Summary

Charles Dunn is viewing the Pagoda, or control tower, at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal. He is one of two original VMF-229 pilots remaining on the island and is waiting for the rest of his group to be airborne. Since the parts for the planes came from other inoperative planes, Dunn asked his group to check their guns, which they did. One of the six planes only has three guns functional but decides to fly with them instead of turning back. The planes headed in a northwest direction.

Dunn was Acting Commander because Captain Charles M. Galloway was away on a secret mission. Lieutenant Colonel Clyde W. Dawkins, the Commanding Officer knows that Dunn is young and that they are breaking regulations making him the Acting Commander, but he feels that Dunn is a natural leader and the best man for the job. Dunn and...