arrived for Korean duty yesterday in Pusan, the ranks were filled with recent basic training graduates; there had been no opportunity for the unit to train together; no opportunity for the men to zero their individual weapons; and that their crew-served weapons, heavy machine guns and mortars were still packed in cosmoline. ” He paused and looked at McCoy. “That is the essence of what you said?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“So my question to you, Major, is what is the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade like, in that context?”
“I think it will be in much better shape than that, sir,” Pick said.
“Is that Marine Corps pride speaking, or do you know?”
“Sir, I know a lot of the officers who are with the brigade. They tell me that most of the officers, and non-coms are War Two veterans, and most of the Marines have been with the 1st Marine Division for some time. When they formed the brigade, they didn’t just send in bodies, but intact squads, platoons, companies from the division, with their officers and noncoms. Men who have trained together, sir.” He chuckled. “Sir, these are Marines. I can’t believe they haven’t zeroed their rifles. Or that their machine guns are packed in cosmoline. They’ll get off their ships ready to fight.”
“How is it that you, an aviator, know the officers of a division? ”
“Sir, we train together. When we get a call from the ground to hit something, we usually recognize the voice asking for the strike.”
“How far down does that go? Battalion? Company?”
“Sometimes to platoon, sir.”
“Well, I’m impressed,” Almond said. “And frankly a little relieved. Generals Cushman and Craig told me essentially what you’ve been telling me, but I like to get confirmation from the people actually doing things. Senior officers can only hope the junior officers are doing what they’re supposed to do.”
“Yes, sir,” Pick said.
“General,” General Pickering said, “Pick made an interesting observation a little while ago, just before you came. He said that most senior officers have more logistical support than they actually need.”
“Interesting,” Almond said. “Tell me, General, why am I getting the feeling I am about to be ambushed by Marines?”
“I have no idea, General,” Pickering said.
“And that there’s a hook in the phrase ‘more logistical support than they actually need’?”
“Now that you mention it, General . . .” Pickering said.
“What, Pickering?” Almond said, smiling.
“Pick wants to borrow a light aircraft, and make a personal survey of airfields in Korea,” Pickering said. “And my aide-de-camp tells me that having access to a light airplane in Korea would make his work there considerably easier.”
Almond looked at Pickering for a long moment.
“Is that an official request from the Assistant Director of the CIA for Asia?”
“Yes, sir, it is.”
“There are very few light aircraft left in Japan,” Almond said. “I ordered almost all of them sent to Korea.”
Disappointment showed on Pick’s face.
“I was afraid that might be the case, sir. But I had to ask.”
"There are four at SCAP,” Almond went on. “Two L-19s, one L-4—that’s a Piper Cub—and one L-17, that’s a four-seater North American Navion.”
“Sir, if I could have the Cub for a couple of days . . .”
“You can’t,” Almond said. “That’s mine. I call it ‘The Blue Goose.’ ”
“I understand, sir,” Pick said.
Curiosity overwhelmed General Pickering.
“Why the ‘Blue Goose’?” he asked. “Goose suggests . . . the index finger raised in a vulgar manner.”
“Somehow that lettering appeared on the nacelle shortly after every other general officer on the SCAP staff got a new L-19 but me,” Almond said. “You are the first senior officer to ask me what it means.”
Pickering chuckled.
“The L-19s are out, too,” Almond went on. “One belongs to General Willoughby, and the other to the G-3, who really needs it. That leaves General MacArthur’s Navion. He rarely uses it. General Willoughby uses it rather often. So what I’m going to do is go back to the Dai Ichi Building and inform the Supreme Commander that General Pickering asked to see me here to meet his son, and to ask for the use of a light aircraft. I’m going to tell the Supreme Commander that I told you, General Pickering, that I would bring your request to his attention, and that, barring objections from him, I would see if I could find one for you. I don’t think the Supreme Commander will object. Then I’m going to send Al Haig, my aide, out to Haneda to inform the people there that with the permission of the Supreme Commander, the L-17 will