"That will be all, Huff, thank you," MacArthur said, waited until Huff had closed the door, and then looked expectantly at Howe.
"General," Howe began carefully, "I fully understand that my role here is solely that of observer, and that I have neither the authority—and certainly not the expertise—to offer any sort of suggestion. . . ."
The Bataan began to taxi away from the hangar.
"General," MacArthur said, "I decide who has the expertise to offer a suggestion to me, and I would welcome any suggestion you might be good enough to offer."
"That's very gracious of you, sir," Howe said. "It's about those helicopters."
"Those helicopters?" MacArthur asked, surprised. "Or helicopters in general?"
"Those two helicopters, sir."
"Okay. Let's have it."
"While we were waiting for you to arrive, sir, Major Donald—the Army pilot in charge of them?"
MacArthur nodded.
"—gave General Almond and myself a well-thought-out briefing about those specific helicopters, and the future role of what he calls 'rotary-wing aircraft' in providing battlefield mobility."
"And you were, or were not, impressed?"
"May I speak frankly, sir?" Howe asked, and when MacArthur nodded, he went on, "Are you familiar with the phrase 'dog and pony show,' General?"
"I wouldn't be surprised if they used it at Valley Forge," MacArthur said.
"There are only five of those machines in the Army, General, according to Major Donald. Two are at the Army Aviation School at Fort Riley being studied, and the Air Force has a third, which they are subjecting to destructive engineering tests. In other words, the two here are the only two which are operational. I can't think of a place where they can be used for a really practical purpose, except perhaps to carry senior officers around, and neither can General Almond."
"So this is a dog and pony show?"
"I would suggest that it is, sir."
"In France, I staged more than one dog and pony show myself, to convince my seniors that a new gadget called the tank had a place in ground warfare."
Howe didn't reply directly.
"During Major Donald's enthusiastic presentation," Howe said, "I had two questions about the actual usefulness of these machines. The first thing, I thought, when he was telling us how useful they would be to transport senior officers, was that it would really be pretty stupid to load half a dozen generals or colonels on one of them. They are not immune to ground fire, and I don't know how safe they are, period."
MacArthur grunted.
"Same thing for carrying half a dozen wounded," Howe went on. "You don't often find half a dozen wounded in one place except in some place where what got them would also likely get a large, and fragile, helicopter."
"I hadn't thought about that," MacArthur said softly.
"They're capable of carrying six or seven infantrymen each. Say seven. But I can't think of a situation where fourteen men being flown into it would have much real effect."
"I take your point," MacArthur said. "So what is your suggestion? That I order these machines out of Korea? We can't really use them, and we shouldn't be wasting time and effort on a dog and pony show?"
"We haven't rescued Major Pickering, sir. Major McCoy told me he thinks he missed him on his last attempt by less than a couple of hours. Of course, he was riding in a jeep and weapons carrier convoy, and couldn't make very good time getting where he had to go."
"And McCoy could have flown in these machines to wherever he went in time to establish contact with young Pickering?"
"Possibly, sir. In fact, probably. With a dozen of his men, in case there was resistance when he got there."
MacArthur looked at Howe intently for a moment, and then glanced out the window.
"If those tents are where we're going, we're almost there," he said. Yes, sir.
"You and I are both aware that General Pickering might regard this as special treatment for his son," MacArthur said, "and not like it at all."
"I also think you and I would agree, General, that keeping the son of the Deputy Director of the CIA out of enemy hands is the first consideration, even at the risk of offending General Pickering's sense of chivalry. Or, for that matter, offending the entire Marine Corps."
"Well, I'd hate to do that," MacArthur said. "I have reason to suspect that I'm not a hallowed figure in the Halls of Montezuma as it is."
Howe chuckled.
"What I'm going to do, General Howe . . ." MacArthur began, then stopped, smiled, and said, " 'Oh what a tangled web we weave when ere we try to deceive,' " and went on: ". . . is wait until we're just about to take off for Tokyo, and then direct that these machines be immediately placed under the control of the CIA here in Korea, and state that my decision is not open for discussion."
He paused again, then explained: "That way, Colonel Huff will not connect our little chat with that order. And further, with a little luck, General Pickering will not hear of this until it is a fait accompli."
"Yes, sir," Howe said.
"And when that inevitably happens, and he comes to me, as I strongly suspect he will, I will resort to the last defense of the Machiavellians. I will tell the truth. These machines were brought to my attention; I concluded that at the moment I could see no really practical operational use for them, but thought that the CIA might find some use for them."
[FIVE]
The Capitol Building
Seoul, South Korea
12O5 29 September 195O
"Mr. President," General of the Army Douglas MacArthur sonorously intoned, "in God's name, I herewith return the city of Seoul to you as the chief of its lawful government."
There came the shock wave of what most experienced soldiers and Marines in the building recognized as coming from a massive 155-mm cannon "time on target"—that is, the firing of perhaps ten, fifteen, or more heavy cannon nearly simultaneously, so that their projectiles would all land on the target at the same instant.
The shock wave caused plaster and glass to fall from the ceiling and walls of the bullet-pocked building. Many people cringed.
MacArthur did not seem to notice.
"I invite you now to join me in recitation of the Lord's Prayer," he went on. "Our Father which art in heaven ..."
"Am I allowed to ask questions?" Captain George F. Hart, USMCR, asked of Brigadier General Pickering ten minutes later.
"Shoot," Pickering said.
"That was the DSC El Supremo gave Almond and the other guy, Walker, wasn't it? The cross, as opposed to the medal? As in DSM?"
"A little decorum would be in order, Captain Hart. Yes, General MacArthur has just decorated General Almond and General Walker with the Distinguished Service Cross."
"I thought that was like the Navy Cross, that you only got it for courage above and beyond in combat."
"The DSC is the Army version of the Navy Cross. And General MacArthur apparently feels that the service of both general officers was above and beyond the call of the duty in combat. Any further questions, Captain Hart?"
"No, sir."
"Good," Pickering said. "One day, George, your curiosity is going to get us both in trouble." He paused. "Where's McCoy going to meet us?"
"Outside," Hart said. "He sent Zimmerman back out to Kimpo to see if Colonel Dunn had sent any fresh aerials, and wasn't sure they'd let Zimmerman in here without a fuss."
"Let's go. El Supremo told me he wants to get out of here as soon as possible."
Miss Jeanette Priestly was sitting in McCoy's Russian jeep and he and Zimmerman were leaning against it. The men stood erect when they saw Pickering coming.