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

«So?»

Krantz walked to the wall of the office, took down a clipboard, and threw it to Corporal Martino. «You are supposed to read the goddamned thing every day. If you ever did, you would know people like that get special treatment. First, they go to the hospital, then they go to some rest hotel in West Virginia.

Jesus

, Martino!»

Staff Sergeant Krantz picked up the telephone and dialed a number from memory. «Sir, sorry to bother you at this hour, and on Sunday, but we have a little problem down here. I think you had better come down here, sir.»

Captain Roger Marshutz, an enormous man with a temper to match, arrived at the office ten minutes later. After hearing what had happened, he delivered a verbal chastisement to Corporal Martino that Martino would remember for a long time.

Then he set about solving the problem. He personally visited both the officer of the guard and the Shore Patrol Detachment duty officer and explained the predicament. Both officers were sympathetic and promised to do their very best to locate gunny Sergeant Zimmerman. He was not, of course, to be arrested. You don't arrest somebody who just got out of a POW camp, or wherever the hell he had been, and throw him in the back of a jeep. Whoever found him was to politely inform Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman that a little problem had come up, and would he please come with them and help them to straighten it out?

Captain Marshutz waited around the office until 1330, in the vain hope that Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman would be located and delivered to him. Then he went to his quarters, with orders to summon him immediately when anything came up.

Staff Sergeant Krantz waited around the office until 1630, in the same vain hope. Then he went to his quarters. Before he left, he informed Corporal Martino that he didn't give a good goddamn that he had previously promised Corporal Martino the day off, he would stay there for fucking ever, if necessary, until Gunnery Zimmerman was located.

Both Captain Marshutz and Staff Sergeant Krantz were back at the office at

Monday morning. With a little bit of luck, they told themselves, Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman, in compliance with that idiot Martino's instructions, just might show up at 0900 to pick up his tickets and partial pay.

Oh nine hundred came and passed. And so did 0930 and 1000. At 1025, just as Captain Marshutz was about to pick up the telephone and inform Lieutenant Colonel Oswald that they were having a little problem, and he thought he had better discuss it personally with the Colonel, Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman walked into the office, looked at Staff Sergeant Krantz, burped, and announced he had been told that by now he could pick up his tickets and draw a partial pay.

«Your name is Zimmerman, Gunny?» Captain Marshutz asked.

«Yes, sir.»

«Would you mind telling me where you've been?»

«No, sir.»

«You don't want to tell me?»

«Sir, the Captain asked if I would mind telling him.»

«So tell me.»

«Sir, I went downtown for a while, sir, and then I tried to get a hotel, but they wanted two dollars and fifty cents, so I told myself fuck that, sir, and come back out here and got a bunk in the transient Staff NCO quarters.»

«You've been in the Staff NCO quarters all this time?»

«Yes, sir. I told that fucking feather merchant charge of quarters to wake me up so's I could be here at 0900, and the fucker didn't do it. If the Captain is pissed because I'm late. I respectfully ask the Captain to get that little shit in here and ask

him

didn't I tell him to wake me up so's I could be here on time.»

«I'll take your word for it, Gunny,» Captain Marshutz said. «But there is a little problem.»

«Yes, sir?»

«There's a special program for men like yourself, recently escaped POW's…«

«Begging the Captain's pardon, sir. I was never no POW.»

«But you were behind the enemy's lines?»

«Yes, sir. Twicet. First, on the 'Canal, with the Second Raiders, and the last time we was on Mindanao.»

«In the Philippines?»

«Yes, sir.»

«So you escaped from the Philippines?»

«Begging the Captain's pardon, sir. Not escaped. They sent us in on a submarine, and then they sent the submarine back and it brung us out. What was the name of that fucking pigboat? The

Sunfish

. That's what it was, the

Sunfish

.»

«Well, welcome home, Gunny.»

«Thank you, sir.»

«As I was saying before, Gunny, there's a special program for men like yourself…«

«Yes, sir.»

«First, we run you through the hospital, to make sure you're shipshape, physically, and then you go to a hotel in West Virginia—all expenses paid, of course— for a month.»

«No, sir.»

» 'No, sir'?»

«Sir, begging the Captain's pardon, the General told me the first thing I do is go to Washington and check in with Major Banning.»

«Well, perhaps 'the General' wasn't aware of this program, Gunny. It's relatively recent.»

«With all respect, sir, 'An order received will be obeyed unless countermanded by an officer of senior grade.' The General told me to go to Washington and check in with Major Banning. Them's my orders, sir. With all respect, sir.»

Christ, he memorized that.

«Sir, I got Major Banning's number, if the Captain would like to check with him,» Gunny Zimmerman offered.

«Perhaps that would be a good idea,» Captain Marshutz said.

«Sir, Liberty Three, twenty-nine zero eight,» Zimmerman said. «That's in Washington, D.C.»

He memorized that, too.

A minute later, Staff Sergeant Krantz handed Captain Marshutz the telephone. «It's ringing, sir,» he said.

The telephone was answered on the second ring.

«Liberty 3-2908.»

«With whom am I speaking, please?»

«Will you tell me who you wish to speak to, please?»

«Major Banning,» Captain Marshutz said, a hint of exasperation in his voice. He added «please» as a late-coming afterthought.

«Sir, there is no one of that name at this number.»

«Gunny, they say they don't have a Major Banning.»

«Bullshit!» Gunny Zimmerman said. «I never forget no numbers. With respect, sir, you got the right number?»

«What is it again, Gunny?»

«Sir, Liberty Three, twenty-nine zero eight,» Zimmerman said

«Is this Liberty 3-2908?»

«Yes, it is. Who's calling, please?»

«There is no Major Banning at this number?»

«That is correct.»

Captain Marshutz looked at Zimmerman and shook his head.

«Sir, tell them the call is from me,» Zimmerman said.

«Would Major Banning be there if he knew it was Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman calling?» Captain Marshutz asked very politely, which was his manner when his temper was on the verge of eruption.

«Are you Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman?»

«Sir, if that don't work, ask for Captain McCoy,» Zimmerman said.

«Have you a Captain McCoy?» Marshutz asked.

«Captain

Kenneth R

. McCoy,» Zimmerman amplified.

«Captain

Kenneth R

. McCoy,» Marshutz parroted.

«Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman is calling for either Major Banning or Captain McCoy. Is that correct?»

«That is absolutely correct.»

«Hold on, please.»

There was the sound of another telephone ringing, just once, and then another voice came on the line.

«Yes?»

«With whom am I speaking, please?» Captain Marshutz asked politely.

«Whom do you wish to speak to?»

«Either a Major Banning or a Captain McCoy.»

«With regard to what? Who are you, please?»

«My name is Captain Roger Marshutz, USMC,» Marshutz said, as he sensed his temper going from simmer to boil. «I'm calling with regard to a goddamned gunnery sergeant named Zimmerman. Does that satisfy your goddamned curiosity?»