A larger detachment than was previously stationed at George, under the command of a captain, will replace the detachment that was at George.
“If it proves possible to land in the L-20 very early tomorrow—Colonel Supo believes it unlikely but possible that the Simbas may have rendered the runway unusable—it will have aboard two trackers, who will immediately begin to locate both the Simbas and the Congolese soldiers of the original Outpost George detachment. The trackers will carry with them radios to communicate both with Station George and the reaction force.
“If the runway has been rendered unusable—which Colonel Supo believes unlikely, as the Simbas probably did not have the equipment to cause it serious damage—then it will be necessary to await the arrival at Station George of the reaction force, which will make the runway usable. If the L-20 can land, this will give the trackers a two-hour advantage.
“Lieutenant Colonel Dahdi and Major Tomas proposed to Colonel Supo that Major Dahdi and the two trackers be parachuted onto Outpost George as the first order of business tomorrow, but Colonel Supo decided against that proposal.”
Colonel Supo said something in Swahili, and Major Totse translated:
“Colonel Supo is highly appreciative of the offer, but felt that there was a possibility that the Simbas might be on the site, or have it under observation, and he could no more afford to lose the two trackers than Colonel Dahdi could afford to lose Major Tomas.”
When he had finished, Totse looked at Supo.
“Does that about cover it, sir?”
Supo replied in Swahili, and Totse translated:
“Colonel Supo would be pleased to hear from Colonel Dahdi and his officers any recommendations or suggestions.”
“Anybody got anything to say?” Father Lunsford asked.
One by one, starting with the junior American officer present—Lieutenant Jacques Portet—the Americans shook their heads, no.
Supo spoke again.
“Colonel Supo again apologizes for interfering with our dinner, and suggests we now finish it,” Totse translated.
The entrée was broiled fish, large firm white filets, served with asparagus and steamed potatoes.
[ FIVE ]
County Highway 17
Laurinburg, North Carolina
1725 6 April 1965
“What is this stuff?” General Hanrahan asked, gesturing out the window of the olive-drab Chevrolet sedan at tiny green buds sprouting through the earth in the fields on both sides of the dirt road.
“Tobacco?” Captain Zabrewski guessed from the front seat.
“Maybe soybeans,” Chaplain (Lt. Col.) T. Wilson Martin suggested. “They grow a lot of soybeans in North Carolina.”
“Not a bad-looking farm,” Zabrewski said, and then the tone of his voice changed. “Check out the guy on the tractor at three o’clock.”
All eyes moved to the left off the highway. At the far end of the field was a man riding a very large tractor.
They reached the house several minutes later. It was a rambling structure, mostly of concrete block construction but with additions of frame. It was neatly painted, and there was a neatly trimmed lawn running the length of the covered porch.
There were three barns, one of which looked as if it was about to fall down, the other two in much better shape.
Tony, General Hanrahan’s driver, stopped the car on a concrete pad, large enough for half a dozen cars, in front of the house. Hanrahan was out of the car before Tony could open it for him.
Hanrahan walked briskly up the three steps to the porch and rang the bell. Chaplain Martin and Captain Zabrewski came after him as soon as they could. Sergeant Tony Calzazzo, the driver, looked indecisive for a moment, then leaned on the fender of the staff car.
There was no answer to the doorbell.
Without realizing that he was doing it, Hanrahan made a hand signal ordering flankers forward left and right. Captain Zabrewski immediately dropped off the porch and started to move around the house to the left. After a moment’s hesitation, Chaplain Martin started to do the same.
“Heads up,” Sergeant Calzazzo called softly.
Hanrahan turned and saw the tractor that had been in the far side of the field. It was now approaching the house.
Hanrahan walked off the porch onto the concrete pad and waited for the tractor driver to appear. Without really thinking about it, Chaplain Martin took up a position beside him, and Zabrewski and Calzazzo took up positions behind them. Calazzo came to the position of Parade Rest.
The tractor driver was a tall, lithe man in washed-nearly-white blue jeans and a light blue shirt. He had a straw cowboy hat on his head.
He stopped the tractor, looked at the four men, shut off the tractor, and crawled down from it.