Griffin W.E.B. - The Corps 08 - In Dangers Path

Stillwell's pale face colored, and he met Pickering's eyes for a long moment. Finally, he shrugged.

«Ernie, get yourself a cup of coffee,» he ordered. «And take the lieutenant with you.»

«Yes, sir,» Colonel Easterbrook said, and with Hart trailing him, left the room.

«Frankly, General, you're not what I expected,» Stillwell said when the door had closed behind Easterbrook and Hart. «When General Marshall informed me you were coming, I got out my Navy Register to look you up. You don't seem to be listed therein, General.»

In peacetime, the Navy Register, issued annually, provided a brief biography of every officer in the Naval Service, which of course included the Marine Corps. The biographies included the dates of promotion, assignments, and schooling. Pickering had subscribed to it for years, both to keep track of his World War I friends who had stayed in the Corps, and to identify Navy officers who had some sort of business with Pacific & Far East Shipping.

«I don't believe I am, sir,» Pickering said.

«So I went from that—the reputation of the OSS precedes you, unfortunately…«

Oh, Jesus, this is really going to be bad.

He doesn't like the OSS any more than Douglas MacArthur or Nimitz does.

»… to the presumption that I was about to be visited by one of Colonel Donovan's—what is it they call them?—Twelve Disciples? A distinguished member of the business community, perhaps. Or an academic. A

civilian

given a brevet rank as a general officer to better carry out his clandestine intelligence duties…«

«I must confess, sir, that's pretty close to the truth,» Pickering said.

«Then that Navy Cross on your chest is part of—what shall I say?—your disguise? The Navy Cross and the Purple Heart with how many clusters?»

«I am wearing no decoration to which I am not entitled,» Pickering said.

Pickering's quietly cold—even angry—tone of voice penetrated Stillwell's contemptuous rage.

«That's your Navy Cross?» he asked dubiously.

«Yes, sir.»

«The Navy Cross isn't passed out with the rations,» Stillwell said. «Where'd you get it?»

«In France, sir. At Chateau-Thierry.»

«And you were wounded four times in France?»

«Three times in France, sir. Once in this war.»

«Where in this war?»

«I was aboard a destroyer, sir, between Guadalcanal and Espiritu Santo. We were hit by a Japanese bomber.»

«You were on Guadalcanal?»

«Yes, sir.»

«Doing what?»

«I was filling in as G-2 of the First Marine Division, sir. Until a replacement could be sent in to replace the G-2 who was killed in action.»

«And the Silver Star? Where'd you get that?»

«Aboard the destroyer.»

«Why?»

«I assumed command when her captain was killed, sir. We got the Jap who bombed us.»

«There's more to it than that,» Stillwell said. He put what he thought of as two and two together. «You didn't happen to be wounded when you took command?»

«Yes, sir. I'd been hit.»

«Where did you learn to command a destroyer?»

«I'm a master mariner, sir. That's what I did before I came back in the Corps.»

«That adds up to two things. General,» Stillwell said. «First, that I owe you an apology for thinking what I did.»

«No apology is necessary, sir.»

«And also, as someone used to exercising command, that you should understand how I felt when General Marshall ordered me to place in arrest-to-quarters two general officers in whose professional ability and character I have great confidence. One of whom has been a friend for years.»

«I'm sure it was distasteful sir,» Pickering said.

«I'm a soldier. I comply with whatever orders I am given. Even orders I consider grossly unjust and stupid. But I don't have to pretend I like it, and I won't.»

«The decision to relieve Generals Dempsey and Newley, sir, was made by the chief of staff to the President. I had nothing to do with it, sir, but I must tell you frankly that I wholly agree with it.»

«You don't really think, do you, General, that the Japanese are unaware we're reading their messages?»

«1 can only hope they are,» Pickering said.

«There is really no such thing as a military secret. You should know that.»

«I respectfully beg to disagree, sir. magic, so far as anyone knows, has never been compromised.»

«Until General Dempsey compromised it, you mean?»

«We have no reason, at this point, to know if it was compromised by General Dempsey or not. sir.»

«Then why was I ordered to place him and his deputy—another fine officer— in arrest-to-quarters?»

«I have an opinion, sir. That's all.»

«All right, in your opinion.»

«He was tainted by those who did act in a manner that made compromise a real possibility. He learned about it, and he should not have. I think it's entirely possible that Admiral Leahy, or General Marshall, wanted to make an example of him. And of General Newley.»

»

Pour l'encouragement de les autres

?» Stillwell quoted sarcastically.

»

Oui, mon general

,» Pickering replied.

«You take my meaning? You remember in France, in the First War, when certain regiments mutinied, the French shot every tenth man in those regiments, innocent men, to 'encourage the others'?»

«Yes, sir. I know that happened.»

«Would something like that have 'encouraged' you, Pickering?»

Pickering hesitated.

«Would it have, General?» Stillwell pursued.

«I was about to say, sir, that as far as I know, Marines have never refused to fight. But that wouldn't answer your question, would it?»

«No, it would not have,» Stillwell said.

«No, I don't think it would have,» Pickering said. «I was a kid at the time. If they had shot innocent Marines, I would have hated the Corps. But that's not the situation here.»

«What is the situation here, General? You tell me.»

«I am reluctant to do so, sir.»

«I don't give a damn if you're reluctant or not.»

«General Dempsey behaved in an unacceptable manner, considering the importance of keeping magic uncompromised. He is a general officer. General officers have to be held to a higher standard.»

«But he did not, Pickering, compromise magic.»

«He took action which might have compromised it.»

«Whoever told him about it before he was supposed to know is the man who took such an action. What about him? Who was he? What happened to him? Can you tell me, or is that something else you are 'not at liberty' to discuss?»

«There were two men, General, the Secretary of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and—«

«General Adamson?» Stillwell asked incredulously.

«Yes, sir.»

«What happened to General Adamson?»

«When I left Washington, he had been relieved and placed in arrest-to-quarters. I was led to believe he will be reduced to his permanent rank. He may be court-martialed.»

«I wasn't aware Adamson was involved in this,» Stillwell said, and added: «You said there were two officers?

«The OSS's Deputy Director for Administration, sir. He was also relieved of his duties.»

«That's all?»

«Colonel Donovan ordered him placed in St. Elizabeth's Hospital for evaluation.»

«He was crazy? I have to ruin the careers of two fine officers because some civilian in the OSS was crazy?»

«Sir, so far as I know, this man was not out of his mind.» Stillwell looked at him curiously for a moment, then took his meaning. «That's what happens to OSS people who talk too much?»

«It's what Colonel Donovan believed to be the appropriate action to take in the case of someone who jeopardized the security of magic.»

Stillwell paused to take a cigarette from a battered case and light it. He did not offer one to Pickering, and it was obvious to Pickering that Stillwell was thinking over their conversation.