The In box contained a curling sheet of teletypewriter paper.
Major Macklin opened the upper right-hand drawer of his desk and took from it a large ashtray, which had a box of matches in its center. He placed this on the right side of his desk, then went back into the drawer and came out with a straight-stemmed pipe and a leather tobacco pouch. He filled the pipe, carefully tamping the tobacco, and then lit it with one of the wooden matches from the ashtray. Then he returned the tobacco pouch to the drawer and reached for the teletype message, which had apparently come in overnight.
ROUTINE
HQ USMC WASH DC 1405 6 JUNE 1950
TO COMMANDING GENERAL
CAMP PENDLETON, CAL
ATTN: G-1
REFERENCE IS MADE TO MESSAGE HQ USMC DATED 27 MAY 1950 RELIEVING CAPT K. R. MCCOY FROM NAVAL ELEMENT HQ SCAP TOKYO JAPAN AND ASSIGNING HIM TO CAMP PENDLETON CAL FOR SEPARATION FROM ACTIVE DUTY.
SUBJECT OFFICER, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS DEPENDENT WIFE, DEPARTED TOKYO JAPAN FOR CAMP PENDLETON VIA COMMERCIAL AIR 4 JUN 1950. EN ROUTE TRAVEL TIME ESTIMATED AT NINETY-SIX (96) HOURS.
SUBJECT OFFICER’S SERVICE RECORDS ARE CURRENTLY BEING EVALUATED BY ENLISTED PERSONNEL SECTION, G-1, HQ USMC TO DETERMINE AT WHAT ENLISTED RANK OFFICER WILL BE PERMITTED TO ENLIST, SHOULD HE SO DESIRE, AFTER HIS SEPARATION FROM COMMISSIONED STATUS. PRIOR TO ENTERING UPON TEMPORARY ACTIVE DUTY AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER IN 1941, SUBJECT OFFICER WAS CORPORAL, USMC.
ON ARRIVAL AT CAMP PENDLETON CAPT MCCOY SHOULD BE COUNSELED BY AN OFFICER OF EQUAL OR SUPERIOR RANK MAKING CLEAR TO HIM THE FOLLOWING:
HQ USMC DOES NOT WISH TO ENTERTAIN ANY REQUEST FOR RECONSIDERATON OF HIS RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER. HE WILL BE SEPARATED FROM THE USMC NOT LATER THAN 30 JUNE 1950.
IT IS THE INTENTION OF THE G-1 SECTION USMC TO DETERMINE AT WHICH ENLISTED GRADE CAPT MCCOY MAY ELECT TO ENLIST ON SEPARATION AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE TIME. SUCH DETERMINATION WILL BE FURNISHED BY TELETYPE MESSAGE TO G-1 CAMP PENDLETON, AND IT IS ANTICIPATED THIS WILL OCCUR BEFORE 30 JUNE. ON RECEIPT OF ENLISTMENT OPTION, CAPT MCCOY WILL BE OFFERED THE OPTION OF IMMEDIATE RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENLISTING IN THE USMC; OR OF IMMEDIATELY BEING SEPARATED FROM THE NAVAL SERVICE TO ENTER CIVILIAN LIFE. SHOULD CAPT MCCOY ELECT TO DO SO HE MAY REMAIN ON ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL 30 JUNE 1950.
CAPT MCCOY HAS TWENTY-NINE (29) DAYS OF ACCRUED LEAVE. HE SHOULD BE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO ON LEAVE STATUS IF HE SO DESIRES UNTIL HE ACCEPTS OR DECLINES REENLISTMENT IN THE GRADE TO BE OFFERED, OR UNTIL 28 JUNE 1950 WHEN ABSENT PRIOR SEPARATION AS OUTLINED ABOVE HIS SEPARATION PROCESS MUST COMMENCE.
FOR THE COMMANDANT:
ROSCOE L. QUINCY LT COL USMC ASST CHIEF OFFICER PERSONNEL OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT CHIEF OF STAFF, G-1 HQ USMC
ROUTINE
Major Macklin puffed thoughtfully on his pipe as he considered the message, then read it again to fix the details in his mind.
Although this was not mirrored on his face, Major Macklin had an emotional reaction to the message. He was surprised at its intensity.
At 0735, five minutes after Lieutenant Colonel Peter S. Brewer, USMC—a short, muscular, thirty-seven-year-old—who was Chief of Officer Records and Major Macklin’s immediate superior, had entered his office, he saw Major Macklin in the open door of the office, waiting for permission to enter.
“Good morning, sir,” Macklin replied. “I wondered if the colonel had seen this?”
He handed Brewer the TWX from Eighth & Eye.
Brewer read it, then looked up at Macklin to see what he had to say about it.
“The phrase about encouraging this officer to take leave before he’s separated, sir.”
“What about it?”
“Sir, I’d like to find something for this officer to do around here, so that he wouldn’t have to take leave.”
“Why?”
“Sir, I know this officer. May I speak frankly?”
Lieutenant Colonel Brewer made a “come-on” gesture with his left hand.
“Sir, McCoy was commissioned when the Corps really needed officers. And, frankly, he was one of those who never should have been commissioned.”
“Why not?”
“Well, sir, he lacks the education to be an officer, and . . . this is difficult to put in words. He doesn’t really understand the unwritten rules on which an officer has to pattern his life. He’s not an officer and a gentleman, sir, if you take my meaning.”
“Where are you going with this, Macklin?” Lieutenant Colonel Brewer asked.
“I know McCoy well enough to know he’s living from payday to payday,” Macklin said. “You know the