«There really hasn't been time for that yet, sir,» Pickering replied.
«I was thinking that I would be honored to decorate them myself,» MacArthur said thoughtfully, and then announced, «And by God, I will!» He looked at Colonel Huff. «Sid, go down the hall to G-1»—the General Staff section that dealt with personnel—«and get a couple of Silver Star medals,» he ordered. «Silver Stars would be appropriate, don't you agree, Fleming?»
«Yes, sir. I think they would be. But General, there were two enlisted men on McCoy's team.»
«Silver Stars for the officers, Bronze Stars for the men,» MacArthur decreed. «General Pickering can prepare the citations later.»
«Yes, sir,» Huff said, and left the room.
Chapter Three
note 14
Quarters of the Supreme Commander
Supreme Headquarters
South West Pacific Ocean Area
Brisbane, Australia
1815 11 February 1943
Jeanne (Mrs. Douglas) MacArthur offered Brigadier General Fleming Pickering her cheek to kiss. «I'm delighted to see you back, Fleming,» she said.
«Thank you.»
«And I would offer my congratulations on your new appointment, but I'm not sure that's the thing to do.»
My God
, Pickering thought,
she knows all about it. That message from the President was classified Top Secret, and wife to El Supremo or not, she had no right to know what it said
.
I wonder what else she knows?
Dumb question. She knows whatever El Supremo feels like telling her, which probably means she knows more Top Secret material than most of the officers around here.
«Darling,» MacArthur said, «would you please ask Manuel to bring us two stiff drinks of Fleming's excellent Famous Grouse scotch?»
Master Sergeant Manuel Donat, late of the Philippine Scouts, was MacArthur's orderly. Pickering had provided the MacArthurs with several cases of Famous Grouse whisky from the stores of a P&FE freighter that had called at Brisbane. Fleming Pickering was Chairman of the Board of Pacific & Far East Shipping.
«Then congratulations
are
in order?» she asked.
«What we're celebrating is the safe return of two of Fleming's officers from their mission to see this Fertig fellow. I had the privilege of decorating both of them.»
So she knows about that, too. Why am I surprised?
«Curiosity overwhelms me,» she said. «I hope Charley was wrong.»
Charley was Brigadier General Charles A. Willoughby, MacArthur's intelligence officer. Though Pickering thought that Willoughby was actually bright, he had also concluded that his closeness to MacArthur was based more than anything else on his absolute loyalty to, and awe of, the Supreme Commander.
«Charley was wrong about what?» Pickering asked.
«He said the poor fellow was… that the stress had been too much for him.»
«Jeanne, according to my people, General Fertig is perfectly sane, and, if we can get supplies to him, is going to cause the Japanese a good deal of trouble.»
«Would you ask Manuel to bring us the drinks, Jeanne, please?» MacArthur said.
Obviously, El Supremo wants the subject changed
, Pickering thought, but as soon as his wife had left the room, MacArthur proved him wrong.
«And that, presumably, is what your officers are going to tell the people in Washington?» MacArthur asked. «That this Fertig fellow knows what he's doing?»
«Yes, sir.»
MacArthur raised his expressive eyebrows and shook his head.
Pickering thought it over for half a second and decided he was obliged to make the Supreme Commander even unhappier.
«Fertig made quite an impression on both McCoy and Lewis, General. What Lewis thinks, of course, he will report to Admiral Wagam, and more than likely to Admiral Nimitz. And just before I went back to Espiritu Santo, there was a Special Channel message from Colonel Fritz Rickabee, suggesting I prepare McCoy to brief the President just about as soon as he gets off the plane in Washington.»
«Who is Rickabee? How would he know what the President wants'? For that matter, why would Franklin Roosevelt want to hear what a captain thinks?»
«Rickabee is my deputy—
was
my deputy—before this OSS thing came up. I don't know this, but I suspect the President told Frank Knox that he wants to talk to McCoy.»
«Why would he want to do that?»
«McCoy is held in high regard by Jimmy Roosevelt; they were both on the Makin raid.»
MacArthur snorted.
«And Frank Knox told his assistant, Captain Houghton, who told Colonel Rickabee,» Pickering finished his thought.
MacArthur considered that for a moment. «Don't misunderstand me, Fleming,» he said. «I admire this Fertig fellow. And I will move heaven and hell and whatever else has to be moved to see that he gets the supplies he needs.»
Sergeant Donat, in a crisp white jacket, arrived with a tray holding glasses, ice, and a bottle of Famous Grouse.
«Good to see you again, General,» he said.
«Thank you, Manuel,» Pickering said.
Donat poured two stiff drinks, then looked at Mrs. MacArthur, who smiled and shook her head, «no.»
«A toast, I would suggest, is in order,» MacArthur said. «To your brave young officers, Fleming.»
«And the enlisted men they had with them,» Pickering responded. «Better yet, to all the brave men who are carrying on your fight in the Philippines.»
MacArthur considered that, then sipped his drink. «So what are you going to do now, Fleming?» he asked.
«Now that my nose is under your tent flap?»
MacArthur smiled and nodded.
«I'm going to meet with Colonel Waterson first thing in the morning,» Pickering said.
Colonel John J. Waterson was OSS Brisbane Station Chief, which is to say head of the Office of Strategic Services detachment assigned to Supreme Headquarters, South West Pacific Ocean Area.
«In your new role as Deputy Director for Pacific Operations of the OSS?»
«Yes, sir.»
«You have not previously met the gentleman?»
Pickering shook his head, «no.»
«Coast Artillery Corps. Class of '22 at West Point,» MacArthur recited. «Resigned in 1934, with twelve years of service, after failure of selection for promotion to captain. Commissioned as major artillery, reserve, in 1939. Called to active service October 1940. Instructor—mathematics—at the Artillery School, Fort Bliss. Detailed to the OSS January 1942. Promotions to lieutenant colonel and colonel came shortly after he joined the OSS. In his civilian career, Colonel Waterson was a vice president of Malloy Manufacturing Company—they make hubcaps for automobiles—which is owned by his wife's family.»
It was not a very impressive recitation of military credentials, and both men knew it.
MacArthur, looking very pleased with himself, smiled at Pickering.
«You know more about him than I do,» Pickering confessed.