"What do you mean, Sir?"
"Stick this in your ear, Mr. Pickering," Dunn said, handing him the Teletype. "And then call me 'Sir.' Get in the habit of calling me Sir, as a matter of fact.
ROUTINE CONFIDENTIAL
HEADQUARTERS USMC WASH DC 1535 13 NOV 42
COMMANDING OFFICER MAG-59
MEMPHIS NAVAL AIR STATION TENN
1. FOLLOWING EXTRACTS GENERAL ORDER 205 HQ USMC DATED 10 NOV 42 QUOTED FOR INFORMATION AND APPROPRIATE ACTION.
*******
17. 1/LT WILLIAM C. DUNN, USMCR, HQ MAG-59 IS PROMOTED CAPTAIN, USMCR, WITH DATE OF RANK 1 NOV 42.
18. CAPT WILLIAM C. DUNN, USMCR, DETACHED HQ MAG-59 ATTACHED VMF-262, MAG-59, MEMPHIS NAVAL AIR STATION, TENN, FOR DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER.
*******
171. 1/LT MALCOM S. PICKERING, USMCR, DETACHED HQ MAG-59 ATTACHED VMF-262, MAG-59, MEMPHIS AIR STATION, TENN, FOR DUTY.
BY DIRECTION OF THE COMMANDANT
VORHEES, LT COL. USMC
"I'll be goddamned, Sir," Lieutenant Pickering said. "Better, Mr. Pickering, better," Captain Dunn said.
[SIX]
Water Lily Cottage
Brisbane, Australia
1015 Hours 19 November 1942
When Brigadier General Fleming Pickering, USMCR, entered the house, he had to look for Lieutenant Colonel Jack (NMI) Stecker, USMCR; Lieutenant Kenneth R. McCoy, USMCR; and Staff Sergeant Stephen M. Koffler, USMCR. He found them in the bathroom.
The bathtub was full. In it was floating a black object, about a foot square.
"Hold it under again, Koffler," Colonel Stecker ordered.
Sergeant Koffler knelt by the tub and with some effort submerged the black object. From the evidence on the floor, as well as Koffler's rolled-up sleeves and water-soaked shirt, it was clear to General Pickering that this was not the first time they had done whatever they were doing.
Lieutenant McCoy looked at his wristwatch.
"Two minutes this time," McCoy ordered, and Koffler nodded.
"What is that?" Pickering asked.
Stecker and McCoy, in a reflex action, came almost to attention.
"Actually, this is aspirin," McCoy said. "The other stuff is in short supply. We have a buoyancy problem. So we filled the pack with aspirin. If this stuff leaks, all we lose is aspirin."
"What is that stuff?"
"Something new; they're packing radios in it. Plastic is what they call it. Koffler found out you can reseal it-sort of remelt it together. So far it's working like a Swiss watch."
"I've had a number of Swiss watches that leaked," Pickering said, and then smiled at Koffler. "Good work, Koffler."
"Thank you, Sir," Koffler said, and then blurted, "General, can I ask you something?"
"Ask away."
"Can I go with the Colonel and Mr. McCoy?"
"What makes you think the the Colonel and Mr. McCoy are going anywhere?" Pickering replied.
Staff Sergeant Koffler didn't even acknowledge General Pickering's evasive reply.
"General, they're going to need a radio operator," Koffler said. "And I'm pretty good in a rubber boat."
My God, you haven't fully recovered from Buka, and you just got married, and you're volunteering to do something like that again?
"You just got married, Steve."
"If they can't get ashore in the rubber boat..." Koffler went on.
"McCoy, have you been running off at the mouth to Sergeant Koffler?"
"I think the sergeant has been getting information the way I've been getting mine," Colonel Stecker said. "Putting two and two together. The only difference between him and me is that I'm pretty sure I know where we're going-although no one has come out and said so-and that all he knows is that it's a beach somewhere."
"Jack, I've been pulling every string I know how to pull, and I can't get you released from this SWPOA assignment. Until I can, I can't just order you to go with McCoy."
"Sir, you can order me to go with McCoy..." Koffler said.
"I'm aware of that, Sergeant Koffler, thank you very much," Pickering said.
"... and Mr. McCoy can't paddle the boat by himself."
Stecker smiled at Koffler, then the smile faded as he turned to Pickering.
"I can't imagine why they won't release me," he said. "God knows, there's fifty officers I can think of who could set up for the Division coming here. And since I'm already on somebody's shit list..."
"What makes you think you're on somebody's shit list?" Pickering asked.
"I'm in limbo. I am neither fish nor fowl nor good red meat. What does that look like to you?"
I don't have an answer, Jack, goddamn it!
"Two minutes," McCoy announced, "Any bubbles?"
"Not a goddamn bubble," Koffler announced triumphantly. "I knew it would work."
"Hold it down for another three minutes," McCoy ordered. "That'll prove it, one way or another."
"I have something to tell you," Stecker said.
"Which is?"
"I sent a personal to General Vandegrift," Stecker said. "I asked him, if he wouldn't release me to you, would he let me resign my commission."
"There's no way they'll let you do that," Pickering said. "Christ, Jack, you commanded a battalion-and goddamned well. When did you send the message to Vandegrift?". "Yesterday."
"Did you mention this operation?" Pickering asked.
"I said I knew of a billet where I could make a contribution as a master gunnery sergeant. Nothing specific."
"Well, resigning your commission is out of the question," Pickering said. "I'm working on this, Jack. All I can tell you is trust me."
"This is important," Stecker said, pointing at the bathtub. "What I'm supposed to be doing isn't."
I completely agree, but I can't tell you that.
"In other words, you don't care if half the First Marine contracts the clap?" Pickering asked. "Because you failed to provide adequate prophylactic stations for them?"
"Now that you ask..." Stecker said.
"General?" Hart's voice called from the living room.
"In here, Hart," Pickering called back. "We're all playing with McCoy's rubber duck."
Hart came in and handed Pickering a large manila envelope.
"I thought you'd want to see this right away, Sir. It just came in."
Pickering ripped the envelope open and started to read it.
"Koffler, what the hell are you doing?" Hart asked.
=SECRET=
URGENT - VIA SPECIAL CHANNEL
NAVY DEPARTMENT WASH DC 2115 18NOV42
FOR: SUPREME COMMANDER SOUTH WEST PACIFIC AREA
EYES ONLY BRIGADIER GENERAL FLEMING PICKERING, USMCR
1. FOLLOWING PERSONAL FROM SECNAV TO BRIG GEN FLEMING PICKERING USMCR:
DEAR FLEMING:
THE FOLLOWING IS ABSOLUTELY CONFIDENTIAL. THE PRESIDENT IS SENDING THE NAME OF MAJOR GENERAL ARCHER VANDEGRIFT TO THE SENATE FOR THEIR ADVICE AND CONSENT TO HIS PROMOTION TO LIEUTENANT GENERAL AND COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS, TO TAKE EFFECT AT SUCH TIME AS MAY BE AGREED UPON BY GENERAL VANDEGRIFT AND GENERAL HOLCOMB.
IN PREPARATION FOR THE ASSUMPTION OF HIS NEW DUTIES GENERAL VANDEGRIFT HAS ASKED FOR THE EXTRAORDINARY PROMOTION OF AN OFFICER HE FEELS HE MUST HAVE ON HIS PERSONAL STAFF. IN THE BELIEF THAT THIS OFFICER WAS ON THE BRINK OF EXHAUSTION, GENERAL VANDEGRIFT HAD ARRANGED FOR HIM TO PURSUE PHYSICALLY UNTIRING DUTIES IN AUSTRALIA.