General Marshall cabled MacArthur that he fully agreed Rabaul should be the first target, and that he would make the case for that before the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Admiral King, however, not only flatly disagreed with that, but was so sure that his position would prevail when the final decision was made by the Joint Chiefs of Staff that he "unofficially" alerted Nimitz, who in turn "unofficially" alerted Ghormley, that a Navy force, with or without MacArthur’s support, would attack the Solomons as soon as possible-probably within a month or six weeks.
"Presuming" that Nimitz certainly would have told MacArthur of the Navy’s plans, Ghormley discussed (by memoranda, hand-carried by officer courier) Nimitz’s alert with MacArthur. This, of course, resulted in more emphatic cables from MacArthur to Marshall. It was still possible that the Joint Chiefs of Staff would decide against King and in favor of striking at Rabaul first.
The decision of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was not yet made, although it was clear that it would have to be made in the next few days.
Pickering had briefed Banning on his meetings with Ghormley and all that had happened after that. He now wondered if that had been a serious mistake. Had Banning told his old friend, Goettge, the First Division G-2, any-or all-of what Pickering had told him in confidence?
"Captain Pickering," Colonel Goettge said, "it’s been my experience that when you have something delicate to say, you almost always get yourself in deeper trouble when you pussyfoot around it."
"Mine, too," Pickering replied. "What’s on your mind?"
"I can only hope this won’t leave this room-"
"You’re pussyfooting," Pickering interrupted.
"The word in the 1stDivision is that General MacArthur’s attitude toward the Navy generally, and the Marine Corps in particular, is ‘Fuck you,’" Goettge said.
"That’s unfortunate," Pickering said.
"There’s a story going around that he wouldn’t give the 4thMarines a Presidential Unit Citation in the Philippines because ‘the Marines already get enough publicity,’ " Goettge said.
"I’m afraid that’s true," Pickering said. "But I’m also sure that he made that decision under a hell of a strain, and that he now regrets it. MacArthur is a very complex character."
"General Vandergrift thinks we will invade the Solomons. Or at least two of the Solomon Islands, Tulagi and Guadalcanal," Goettge said.
"Where did he get that?" Pickering said.
"I don’t know, Sir."
Pickering looked at Banning. Banning just perceptibly shook his head, meaning I didn‘t tell him.
I should have known that,Pickering thought. Why the hell did I question Banning’s integrity?
"My job, therefore," Colonel Goettge said, "is to gather as much intelligence about Guadalcanal and Tulagi as I possibly can. Phrased as delicately as I can, there is some doubt in General Vandergrift’s mind-and in mine-that, without a friend in court, so to speak, I won’t be able to get much from General Willoughby when I go to see him tomorrow."
My God,Pickering thought, sad and disgusted, has it gone that far?
"And you think I could be your ‘friend at court’?"
"Yes, Sir, that’s about it."
"It’s all over Washington, Flem," Jake Dillon said, "that you and Dugout Doug have become asshole buddies."
A wave of rage swept through Fleming Pickering. It was a long moment before he trusted himself to speak.
"Jake, old friends or not," he said finally, calmly, "if you ever refer to MacArthur in those terms again, I’ll bring you up on charges myself." But then his tone turned furious as anger overwhelmed him: "Goddamn you, you ignorant sonofabitch! General Willoughby-who is a fine officer despite the contempt in which you, Goettge, and others seem to hold him-told me that on Bataan, MacArthur was often so close to the lines that there was genuine concern that he would be captured by Japanese infantry patrols. And on Corregidor they couldn’t get him to go into the goddamned tunnel when the Japs were shelling! Who the fuck do you think you are to call him ‘Dugout Doug’?"
"Sorry," Dillon said.
"You fucking well should be sorry!" Pickering flared. "Stick to being a goddamned press agent, you miserable pimple on a Marine’s ass, and keep your fucking mouth shut when you don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about!"
There was silence in the room.
Pickering looked at them, the rage finally subsiding. Jake Dillon looked crushed. Colonel Goettge looked painfully uncomfortable. Ed Banning was . . .
The sonofabitch is smiling!
"You are amused, Major Banning?" Pickering asked icily.
"Sir, I think Major Dillon was way out of line," Banning said. "But, Sir, I was amused. I was thinking, ‘You can take the boy out of the Marines, but you can’t take the Marines out of the boy.’ I was thinking, Sir, that you sounded much more like a Marine corporal than like the personal representative of the Secretary of the Navy. You did that splendidly, Sir."
"Christ, Flem," Jake Dillon said. "I just didn’t know ... If I knew what you thought of him . . ."
"Jake," Pickering said. "Just shut up."
"Yes, Sir," Dillon said.
"Do something useful. Make us a drink."
"Would it be better if I just left, Sir?" Colonel Goettge asked.
"No. Of course not. I’m going to get on the phone and ask General Willoughby out here for dinner. I’m going to tell him that you’re an old friend of mine. If he comes, fine. If he doesn’t, at least he’ll know who you are when I take you in tomorrow morning to see him."
"Sir," Banning said, "I thought it would be a good idea to put Colonel Goettge in touch with the Coastwatchers-"
"Absolutely!"
"To that end, Sir, I asked Commander Feldt-he’s in town-"
"I know," Pickering interrupted.
"-and Lieutenant Donnelly to dinner."
"Good."
"He’s bringing Yeoman Farnsworth with him," Banning said.
"It was my idea, Sir. I thought it would be nice to radio Lieutenant Howard and Sergeant Koffler that we had dinner with their girls. I asked Ensign Cotter, too."
"If General Willoughby is free to have dinner with us, Ed, I can’t imagine that he would object to sharing the table with two pretty girls. God knows, there’s none around the mess in the Menzies."
Chapter Fourteen
(One)
TOP SECRET
Eyes Only-The Secretary of the Navy
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
ORIGINAL TO BE DESTROYED AFTER ENCRYPTION AND TRANSMITTAL TO SECNAVY
Water Lily Cottage
Manchester Avenue
Brisbane, Australia
Tuesday, 21 July 1942
Dear Frank:
I ‘m not sure if it was really necessary, but the emperor decided to move the court; and so here, after an enormous logistical effort, we are. It is (MacA.‘s stated reason for the move) "1,185 miles closer to the front lines. "
El Supremo’ s Headquarters are in a modern office building, formerly occupied by an insurance company. MacA. has a rather elegant office on the eighth floor (of nine). I am down the corridor, and was surprised to learn that General Sutherland himself assigned me my office. I would have wagered he would put me in the basement, or left me in Melbourne.