«That might prove very useful,» the President said.
«What about Operation Gobi?» Knox asked. «Is that compromised too?»
«This signal officer—his name is Dempsey—asked Colonel Banning what McCoy and Zimmerman—«
«McCoy?» Roosevelt interrupted again. «The young chap who was with Jimmy at Makin Island? Who briefed us on General Fertig?»
«Yes, sir. He's going into the Gobi Desert to try to establish contact with the Americans there.»
«What's this signal corps officer got to do with that? I thought it was agreed that you and Bill—the OSS—were going to undertake that mission.»
«Apparently, Mr. President, this fellow wanted to know what Captain McCoy's special mission was. On the JCS orders on which Banning and the devices went to Chungking, it was referred to, vaguely, as a JCS mission. When Banning refused to tell him—«
«As well he should have,» the President interrupted.
»—this General ordered Banning to have McCoy report to the OSS Station Chief in Chungking,» Pickering went on.
«I don't understand,» the President said.
«Until I got Colonel Banning's Special Channel, Mr. President, I didn't know there was an OSS station in Chungking.»
«You didn't know about an OSS station in Chungking?» the President asked.
«No, sir, I did not,» Pickering said, looking at Colonel Donovan.
«That's odd, isn't it, Bill?» the President said to Donovan. «The signal officer in Chungking knows about an OSS station there, and the OSS Deputy Director for Pacific Operations doesn't?»
«Mr. President—« Donovan began.
The President held up his hand to shut him off. Then he kept him waiting while he fished a cigarette from a silver box, stuffed it into his holder, and waited for the steward to produce a light for it. Then he went on, calmly, not smiling: «Do what you have to do, Admiral,» the President said, «to straighten out this 'administrative matter.' Just as soon as we finish our lunch.»
«Yes, Mr. President.»
note 64
The White Room
The Office of Strategic Services
The National Institutes of Health Building
Washington, D.C.
1405 28 March 1943
Immediately after lunch, in the corridor outside the presidential apartment. Colonel Donovan suggested that the most suitable place to conduct their business would be at the OSS. «It would attract attention if Pickering, Rickabee, or I appear at the Joint Chiefs of Staff,» he argued. «The White Room will provide a secure space, and it's equipped with microphones, in case Admiral Leahy would like a written record of what was said.»
Admiral Leahy nodded his agreement.
When Admiral Leahy's Cadillac limousine, the White House Packard limousine that had carried Pickering, Hart, and Rickabee to the White House, and Donovan's Buick Roadmaster rolled up outside the White House, Donovan made a «follow me» gesture to the Buick's driver and climbed into Leahy's Cadillac.
Once they were in the White House Packard, Rickabee gave voice to what Pickering was thinking: «I wonder what that sonofabitch is saying to Leahy?»
«We'll find out soon enough, I suppose,» Pickering replied.
As soon as the small convoy arrived at the National Institutes of Health Building, Leahy and Donovan got out and waited for the others to join them. «Colonel Donovan,» Leahy began, «has pointed out to me that he is an attorney and has experienced distasteful interrogations. Would either of you object to his conducting the interrogations? We will be able to listen on earphones, he tells me.»
«Sir, what if we have questions Colonel Donovan didn't think to ask?» Rickabee asked.
«Colonel Donovan brought that up himself,» Leahy said. «When he is finished with the individual, he will join us. If you have any questions, he will either ask them himself, or you may. Having an experienced man do the interviews strikes me as the quickest way to get to the bottom of this.»
«I think it's a fine idea, sir,» Pickering said.
Rickabee gave him a surprised look.
But first they had to get into the building. In the belief that he and Hart would not be returning to OSS headquarters before traveling to the Pacific, Pickering had ordered Hart to place their red-striped Any Area Any Time identification badges in the safe in his apartment in the Foster Lafayette. Neither General Rickabee nor Admiral Leahy had OSS identification badges.
If he were Donovan, Pickering knew, he would have just marched past the guards, saying something like, «these people are with me,» especially since one of the people with him was the chief of staff to the President of the United States.
But he didn't.
«Sorry about the inconvenience, Admiral,» he said. «We didn't plan on having you with us this morning.»
Leahy and Rickabee were furnished with Visitor 5th Floor Only badges, and pinned them to their lapels.
Though Donovan was visibly annoyed when Pickering told the guard lieutenant, «Lieutenant Hart and I will need a couple of those, too, please,» he said nothing.
They rode the elevator to the fifth floor and walked down the corridor to Donovan's office.
The Deputy Director (Administration) was behind his desk. He rose to his feet. «Good morning, Admiral,» he said. «Mr. Director.» He nodded at Pickering, Rickabee, and Hart, but didn't say anything.
«Something's come up, Charley,» Donovan said. «Is anyone using the White Room?»
«No, Mr. Director.»
«How long will it take you to get… let's say, three stenographers up and running?»
The DDA didn't respond directly. Instead he picked up one of the telephones on his desk, pushed a button on it, and announced, «The Director requires three stenographers in the transcription room immediately.» He put the receiver back in its cradle and went on: «By the time we walk down the corridor, Mr. Director, you'll have your stenographers.»
Donovan nodded. «Call JCS,» he ordered. «Tell General Adamson that Admiral Leahy wishes to see him and Colonel… What's his name. Fleming?»
«Albright,» Pickering furnished.
»… Colonel Albright here as soon as possible. Have badges waiting for them downstairs.»
«General Adamson has a badge, sir,» the DDA said.
«And locate the Deputy Director (Operations) and tell him I need to see him immediately.»
«He's on his way here from the training establishment, Mr. Director.»
«Is there a radio in his car?»
«Yes, sir.»
«Contact him and make sure he is coming here,» Donovan ordered. «And then join us, please, in the White Room.»
«Yes, Mr. Director.»
«I don't believe you've seen the White Room, have you, Admiral?» Donovan said to Leahy.
Leahy shook his head, «no.»
«If you'll follow me, please, Admiral?» Donovan said, and led the group down the corridor to the White Room. By the time they had satisfied the two guards at the door that they were who they represented themselves to be, and Donovan had authorized Rickabee and Leahy to go inside, the DDA had caught up with them.
They entered the White Room.
«Charley, explain to the Admiral and these gentlemen how the transcription system works,» General Donovan ordered.