pp. 264-281, Wine for the Mess at Segi Summary

The narrator recalls meeting Tony Fry at a small plane strip at Segi Point, New Georgia. There is always comfort and plenty of whiskey at Tony's Wine Mess. It is before Christmas and the big strike is approaching. Tony, along with the narrator, gets Bus Adams to fly a condemned TBF-plane called the Bouncing Belch to find some liquor. At the first stop there is no liquor, so they fly to Bougainville. When they land there is still fighting going on near the airstrip. The men end up staying on the island for a couple of days and Tony trades for two ice-making machines. The men fly to Ondonga, after being briefed on local dangers, but find no liquor for sale there either. In their next flight to Munda...