closed behind them, then looked at Colonel O’Halloran, who was smiling at him.
“Major Pickering is an interesting officer, isn’t he, General? ”
“ ‘Interesting’ is an interesting choice of word, Colonel,” General Taylor said. “Let me ask you—”
The telephone on what had been Lieutenant Colonel O’Halloran’s desk rang. O’Halloran picked it up.
“Colonel O’Halloran,” he said, and then: “Yes, sir. He’s right here.”
He handed the telephone to General Taylor.
“It’s General Dawkins for you, sir,” he said.
General Taylor took the telephone.
“Good morning, General,” he said.
“You getting settled in all right over there?” Dawkins asked.
“I’m working on that, General.”
“Did Pick Pickering—Major Pickering—show up there yet?”
“Yes, he did. As a matter of fact, General, he was fifty hours late in reporting.”
“He said he was in Scotland,” Dawkins said. “He was just in here, suggesting that his recall be delayed for a week or ten days so he could go to Japan and set things up before his squadron gets there.”
“He so informed me.”
“I told him that you were the person to see about that, but after he left, I gave it a second thought.”
“I see,” General Taylor said. “Colonel O’Halloran and I were just about to discuss that—”
“I decided I could probably handle it easier than you could,” Dawkins interrupted. “I just got off the horn with Eighth and Eye. When the mobilization order comes down, it will state that Pickering and his exec, Captain James, will enter upon active duty effective on the arrival in the Far East of VMF-243, or on 21 August, whichever occurs first.”
“I see,” General Taylor said. “Isn’t that a little unusual, General?”
“These are unusual times, Taylor, and Pickering is an unusual man.”
“I’m sure you gave the matter thought, General,” Taylor said.
“Actually, it didn’t require much thought,” Dawkins said. “The question was the best way to do it. I have to run, Taylor. Let’s see if we can find time to have lunch.”
The line went dead.
Taylor put the telephone in its cradle and looked at O’Halloran.
“General Dawkins,” he reported evenly, “has arranged for Major Pickering and Captain James to enter upon active duty on the arrival of VMF-243 in the Far East, or on 21 August, whichever occurs first.”
“Yes, sir.”
“In these circumstances, I suggest that we call him back in here and so inform him. Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Tell me, Colonel, is that the way things are normally done in Marine aviation?”
“Well, sometimes, sir, we bend the regulations a little to get the job done.”
“So I am learning,” General Taylor said.
[THREE]
THE SUPREME COMMANDER’S CONFERENCE ROOM HEADQUARTERS, SUPREME COMMANDER, ALLIED POWERS THE DAI-ICHI BUILDING TOKYO, JAPAN 1035 25 JULY 1950
The briefer, a natty, crew-cutted major, turned from the map on which he had just located the positions of the North Korean forces advancing on Pusan, came almost to attention with his pointer held along his trouser leg, and, addressing Major General Charles A. Willoughby, who sat at the end of the table closest to the maps, said, “That’s all I have, sir.”
“Do you have any questions, sir?” Willoughby asked.
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur, the Supreme Commander, who was sitting at the far end of the long, highly polished table, took a long pull at a thin black cigar and after a moment, shook his head, “no.”
“Anyone else?” Willoughby asked. He looked at Major General Edward M. Almond, the SCAP chief of staff who was at the left side of the table next to MacArthur. “General Almond?”
Almond shook his head, “no.”
“General Stratemeyer?”
Lieutenant General George E. Stratemeyer, the senior Air Force officer on the SCAP staff, who was sitting next to Almond, shook his head, “no.”
“Admiral Joy?”
Rear Admiral C. Turner Joy, the senior Naval officer on the SCAP staff, who was sitting across the table from Willoughby’s own empty chair, shook his head, “no.”
“General Whitney?”
Major General Courtney Whitney, the SCAP G-3, who was sitting next to Stratemeyer, shook his head, “no.”
Willoughby looked at Brigadier General Fleming Pickering, who was sitting next to Stratemeyer and across from Almond.
“Thank you, Major,” Willoughby said. “That will be all.” Then he added, “Leave the map,” and took his seat.
“Yes, sir,” the major said, and walked out of the room.
General Almond got to his feet and walked to the end of the table, so that he was standing in front of the map.
“Sir?” he asked MacArthur.
“General Pickering,” MacArthur asked, “have you anything to add?”
Brigadier General Fleming Pickering rose.
“No, sir,” he said.
Was that simply courtesy on El Supremo’s part? Or was he letting Willoughby know he shouldn’t ignore me?
“Then I believe our business is concluded,” MacArthur intoned, getting