"In the middle of the Atlantic," Graham interrupted, "the Reine de la Mer was a peaceful merchant ship flying the flag of a neutral country. It's not against international law for a neutral ship to carry anything it wants tofuel, torpedoes, anything. It is only when it uses its cargo to the benefit of a belligerent power that it loses its neutral status."
"I don't quite follow that."
"We routinely intercept radio messages between U-boats and the Oberkommando of the Kriegsmarine," Graham explained. "Not without difficultya lot of difficulty, I was thereDonovan managed to convince the President that the Reine de la Mer has already begun to replenish German U-boats, and in so doing has lost its neutral protection."
"The President says the Navy can send a submarine?"
"Yes. But don't get your hopes up high. We are still forbidden to attack replenishment vessels until we have convincing proof they have supplied at least one submarine, which means they can't be sunk on the high seas on the way here. And so far as sinking the Reine de la Mer in Samborombon Bay is concerned, the Navy says submarines can't operate in Samborombon Bay. It's too shallow."
"Submarines operated in some pretty shallow waters off Guadalcanal," Clete thought aloud. "Without any charts."
"That's what Admiral Leahy said," Graham said.
"Who?"
"The President's Chief of Staff," Graham said. "I think what we should do now, Clete, is go take a look at the charts."
"Where are we going to get charts?"
"According to the Navy, the Alfred Thomas has the most recent charts available."
"She was supposed to arrive here today," Clete said.
"She arrived at 0500 this morning," Graham said.
Clete's eyebrows rose, but he didn't say anything.
"She has, under the Geneva Convention, seventy-two hours to refuel and leave Argentinean waters. If she leaves slowly, maybe she can take soundings of the Bay of Samborombon that will answer the question of whether we can bring a submarine in there or not. A submarine is on the way."
"Jesus!"
"Is there any reason you can't come with me to the Alfred Thomas?
"Give me ten minutes to get dressed."
His conversation with Colonel A. J. Graham, USMCR, so distracted First Lieutenant Cletus H. Frade, USMCR, that he completely forgot the visitor in his apartment. When he returned to his apartment and found the visitorclad only in one of his shirts, mostly unbuttonedsitting on his bed combing her hair, he thereupon became so distracted that he completely forgot Colonel Graham was in the foyer, expecting his momentary return. Consequently, Colonel Graham was forced to cool his heels for thirty-five minutes before Lieutenant Frade returned to the foyer, neatly dressed, though bearing on his neck what looked to Colonel Graham like the teeth marks of another human being. This is sometimes called a "love hickey."
[TWO]
D?rsena "B"
Puerto de Buenos Aires
1715 24 December 1942
Getting past the Armada Argentina and Polic?a Federal guards to D?rsena "B"Wharf "B"where the USS Alfred Thomas, DD-107, was docked proved considerably easier than getting past the two U.S. Marines, in dress uniform, stationed on the wharf barring access to her gangplank.
"I'm sorry, Se?ores," the Marine buck sergeant said, politely but firmly, in not bad Spanish, "but the vessel is not open to visitors."
"It's all right, son," Graham said, producing an ID card. "I'm Colonel Graham, and this is Lieutenant Frade."
"Sir, I'm sorry, but my orders are that no visitors are allowed aboard."
"Your orders from whom, Sergeant?"
"From the officer of the deck, Sir," the Marine said, nodding his head toward an ensign in dress whites standing by the gangway.
"Son, you think about this. Who would you rather have pissed at you? A wet-behind-the-ears ensign or a Marine colonel?''
"If the Colonel will tell the sergeant where he wishes to go aboard the vessel, Sir, the sergeant will be happy to escort him.''
"We're here to see the Captain, Sergeant."
"If the Colonel will follow me, Sir? The Captain is on the bridge, Sir."
The Marine walked up the gangplank. An ensign in dress whites and a sailor stood by a table.
"Sir," the Marine barked, "a colonel, United States Marine Corps, and a lieutenant, United States Marine Corps, request permission to come aboard, Sir."
The Ensign looked baffled, and made no reply.
"You're not considering withholding that permission, are you, Mister?" Graham asked.
By God,Clete thought admiringly, that sounded like a Marine colonel.
"No, Sir. Permission granted."
Graham stepped onto the deck. The Ensign saluted him. Graham returned the salute, then faced aft and saluted the national colors.
I don't think you're supposed to do that in civilian clothing,Clete thought. But what the hell!
He stepped aboard, saluted the Ensign, and then, facing aft, the national colors. He was surprised at his emotional reaction.
"How may I help the Colonel, Sir?"
"We want to see the Captain," Graham said.
"Sir, the Captain is on the bridge. I will escort you. You may return to your post, Sergeant."
"Aye, aye, Sir."
The Ensign led them to the bridge. A lieutenant commander, in a sleeveless white shirt and shorts, was seated in a nicely upholstered chair mounted on a pedestal, drinking a cup of coffee.
"Sir," the Ensign said, "these officers wish to see you."
"Good morning, Captain. I am Colonel A. F. Graham, USMC," Graham said.
The Captain got out of his chair. "I'm Commander Jernigan," the Captain said. "How may I help you, Sir?"
"Captain, as I understand your orders, you were, Direction of the President, ordered to proceed to Buenos Aires at maximum speed consistent with fuel exhaustion, there to hold yourself prepared to receive further orders, to be delivered by an individual who would identify himself by uttering a certain phrase."
The Colonel will understand that I cannot comment on a classified order."
"Complete cooperation, Captain."
The Captain smiled.
"That's the phrase. I'm at your disposal, Colonel. What can the Alfred Thomas do for you?"
"I chose the phrase." Graham smiled back. "I thought it would remove any possible misunderstanding."
"The orders, Sir, would be hard to misunderstand. What you want, you get."
"Captain, this is Lieutenant Cletus H. Frade, USMCR. He flew Buffaloes at Midway and Wildcats from Guadalcanal. He is down here on a mission of great importance, and our mission is to help him accomplish this. Do you understand?"
"Aye, aye, Sir."
"Is there somewhere we can talk?"
"My cabin, Sir. But in this weather, may I suggest the chart room? My cabin is stifling."
"The chart room is fine," Graham said.
"Let me recap all this," Graham said. "You can, Captain, as you exit the Rio de la Plata estuary, take soundings of Samborombon Bay. But, in your professional judgment, these won't be of much use to the skipper of the ... What's the name again?"
"The Devil Fish, Sir."
"... of the submarine Devil Fish, because the bay is so enormous, and the Reine de la Mer can be expected to move every day or so. So we won't know where she is."