“Monsoons of Death” 1942 short story written by Gerald Vance

Thanks to the industrious folks at Project Gutenberg and ManyBooks.net, you can read or download "Monsoons of Death," a science fiction short story written by Gerald Vance. Originally published in the December 1942 issue of Amazing Stories magazine, the story revolves around Lieut. Ward Harrison, who gets himself into a payload of trouble when he takes his first assignment at the meteorological Martian Observation Station on the Red Planet. Here are the opening lines:

THE GLEAMING INSIGNIA STRIPES on Lieutenant Ward Harrison's broad shoulders were less than two days old when he received his first assignment.

"Lieutenant Harrison," his commanding officer said, glancing from the papers he held in his hands to the young man who stood at attention before his desk, "this will be your first touch of action since you were commissioned. A lot depends on how you handle yourself."

"Yes sir," Ward answered....

[via Tinkoo Valia of Variety SF]