Working quickly, Hufham saturated as much of the ground as he could while Ricks dragged the bodies of the North Korean soldiers around one of the pumps. The last thing they did was to raise the American flag once more over the compound. Ten minutes later Hufham and Ricks stood by the Jeep as Hufham pulled the pin on a grenade and lobbed it into the compound.
The explosion knocked both men off their feet as the whole facility seemed to ignite at once. Buildings, shops, and other facilities began burning fiercely. As planned, it even penetrated the main gasoline and diesel tanks. The resulting explosion blew parts of the fuel depot far into the sky and set fire to the surrounding woods. But by that time Hufham and Ricks were long gone. The trusty Jeep was sprinting through the dense woods around the far hill as it was designed to do. By nightfall, they were far away searching for the American lines.
Vice Admiral Thomas Granger was the Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command. He was a surface line officer who had been in the Navy for 29 years. During that time he had commanded a destroyer, a cruiser, a destroyer squadron, and a task group. It was a good career on paper, but there had been some problems along the way. His destroyer had nearly run aground at one time because he decided to take his ship outside a marked channel. Only the quick response of his executive officer saved his bacon. His cruiser had failed an operational propulsion plant examination, but he had just been relieved by the new CO prior to the event, so it did not occur on his watch. Finally, as a task group commander he had drilled his ships to the breaking point and when a sailor accidentally launched a missile at a civilian plane, he blamed the CO of that ship for poor leadership. Luckily the missile was self-destructed immediately after launch.
The only reason he continued to rise in rank was because he had made all the right friends and offered the right favors. Along the way he had several tours in Washington, DC, giving him the chance to become friends with a number of influential congressmen and senators. Since his last tour at sea, he spent almost the entire time around Washington. On the outside he was a respected Naval Officer, but in the Navy Surface Line community he was more of a serious joke. He was better known for going with the flow than making a real decision.
His type of rise in the Navy wasn’t supposed to happen. The selection boards were supposed to be fair and impartial — simply looking at the merits of each officer. But insiders knew this was not the case. All it took was the right word from a briefer or a nudge from a senior member of the board and you were either out or in. This allowed the board to become more “selective.” In Granger’s case, he always seemed to have a friend on the board who got the word to the members that Granger should be advanced.
Now he was making decisions on all shipbuilding in the Navy — and that included all the systems on the ships as well. He was tasked by the CNO to go to Lockheed Grumman Newport News Shipbuilding to see about how more ships could be built as quickly as possible.
He was seated in the helicopter beside RADM Mike Shranski, his Supply Officer, and Captain Hammond from the White House. Granger didn’t like either man. They said “no” too much to suit him, and he wanted people around him to say “yes” with a “sir” tacked on the end. But they were necessary. First he needed someone to talk contracts and Shranski was the best in the Navy at that. If anyone could make sure he didn’t make a contracting mistake it was Shranski. Hammond had been invited along to appease the President and show him the Navy was trying to make things happen. Hammond had a good reputation in the Surface Line and that was a plus. If he could convince Hammond of his ideas, Granger knew the President would not be far behind.
The Chief of Naval Operations had talked to Granger about what he thought was the proper way to get things moving and Granger was going to carry out those ideas. He sat back and shouted over the scream of the turbines. “We’ve got to get these big shipyards to start turning out new ships right away. Some of the ships we have can be overhauled and made ready locally, but this is the Navy’s chance to get a whole new line of equipment in a short amount of time. If we can get just a few frigates and destroyers online this year, it will set the stage for further shipbuilding at a lower cost per unit than what we are currently paying,” he said. “All we have to do is convince these civilians to get off their duffs and build ships,” he said with a smile.
“At what cost?” Hammond asked. He knew what Granger was saying was not quite true. Operations like Newport News were run by top engineers and former Navy men and women with a lot better reputations than he had. They knew shipbuilding from front to back and they did not like paper pushing admirals trying to tell them how to do their jobs. He also knew that getting geared up to build a ship was expensive and time consuming. What he didn’t know, and had come to find out, was what capabilities they still had. Hammond glanced over at RADM Shranski. He looked a little uneasy. Either he didn’t like flying or he didn’t like Granger — or both. At one point in their conversation he noticed Shranski roll his eyes. That was what really gave him the answer.
“Costs aren’t as important as getting the ships Hammond,” Granger continued. “We have us a war starting and the purse is open. Besides, we at the Pentagon know best what is needed to fight a war, don’t we?” he said with a grin. Shranski turned his head away and sat back in his seat. Hammond smiled and nodded. There was no use getting into an argument. Granger sat back and smiled at himself. He took Hammond’s nod as agreement with him.
The helicopter continued heading south and after a few minutes Shranski motioned for Hammond to come over to the bubble window. Looking down, he saw a sight people rarely saw these days. Sitting in the drydock at the far end of Newport News was a monster of a ship. Her nine 16-inch guns were pointed skyward as if ready for action. A few workmen were working along her sides apparently sandblasting off a layer of barnacles she had acquired sitting as a museum piece. “I wonder which one she is,” Hammond said.
Shranski shrugged. “Pretty though.”
It was then that Hammond noticed the surface warfare badge Shranski wore. He pointed to the pin. “I didn’t think Pork Chops got these things,” he said smiling.
Shranski’s grin broadened. “I was a SWO before I became a chop. I always have loved ships and being at sea. If I had my choice I’d still be there,” he said.
Hammond nodded in acknowledgement. He knew the feeling well. “Well, at least we can still get close,” he said over the din.
The helicopter began banking as it made its way to the pad by the Norfolk Naval Base. Sitting beside the pier were all kinds of ships and swarms of men. A purposeful bustle seemed to always go on at the base. The helicopter circled a set of buildings just beyond the base and settled in a grassy area beside some older brick buildings. Very quickly the engines were shut down and the rotors stopped. VADM Granger was met by a Rear Admiral that Shranski knew as the Deputy CINCLANTFLT. Granger greeted him warmly. “Tom how are you doing?”
“Pretty fair Admiral. Admiral Johnson asked if you would join him for lunch,” he said formally. Then he turned to Hammond and Shranski. “If you gentlemen would like to freshen up, I have a place in our main office. I have a vehicle running that will take you to your meeting at 1400 hours.
Rear Admiral Shranski waved him off. Don’t worry about us Tom, the Captain and I will go to the mess and then meet outside your office just before 1400.” Then he turned to Hammond, “Roger, let’s get a bite to eat and talk about ships,” he said with a grin. Both men made their way to the officer’s mess just a few doors down. Once inside, they ordered their meal and sat in one corner of the room away from the rest. Shranski looked around first, then leaned in to Hammond. “Roger, I need to know something. How do you really stand on this meeting?” he asked.