Washington to do something, and there is a good chance they would hop on one idea that ultimately wouldn’t work, or reject another one that would.
I can give him that much.
“I will report to the President that you have several plans under study,” Pickering said, “and that I will furnish further details as they become available.”
“If you think that’s what you should do,” MacArthur said. “One further question: Can you tell me about General Howe?”
“I’ve only met with him briefly. Apparently, he and the President became friends after World War One, in the National Guard.” Pickering paused and went off at a tangent. “Did you know the President is a retired National Guard colonel?”
“No. But I did know he served with distinction in France, as a captain of artillery.”
“Well, sir, it appears Howe rose to major general, and commanded a division in Europe. He enjoys the President’s confidence. From what I’ve seen of him, he’s a good man.”
“As you and I have both learned,” MacArthur said with a smile, “it can be very useful for a field commander to have direct access to the commander-in-chief via a good man.”
There comes the soft soap.
“Jeanne insists on having you for lunch,” MacArthur went on. “If I sent a car for you at one, would that give you enough time to get settled?”
“Yes, thank you very much,” Pickering said.
He was halfway down the corridor to General Almond’s office before it occurred to him that (a) he had been dismissed; (b) the reason he had been dismissed was that El Supremo had something important to do; (c) which was most likely a conference about either the war at the moment, or his plans for the war in the future; and (d) that not only did he have every right to attend such a conference, but that’s what he was supposed to be doing.
You got me that time, and good, Douglas MacArthur, but that will be the last time.
VIII
[ONE]
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH UNITED STATES ARMY TAEGU, KOREA 0530 15 JULY 1950
Captain Kenneth R. McCoy, who was wearing obviously brand-new USMC utilities and 782 gear, and had an M-1 Garand rifle slung over his shoulder, saluted the U.S. Army transportation corps major in charge of the Headquarters, Eighth Army motor pool, and said, “Good morning, sir.”
The major was a portly man in his mid-thirties, armed with a .45 ACP pistol. His fatigue jacket was sweat-stained under his armpits, and there were beads of sweat on his forehead. His eyes showed lack of sleep, and he needed a shave.
He returned McCoy’s salute with a bored gesture.
“Yes?” he asked, impatiently.
“Sir, I’m going to need a Jeep, and a trailer and some gas in jerry cans.”
“Out of the fucking question, Captain,” the major said. Then he took a closer look at McCoy’s utilities. “Marine? I didn’t know the Marines were here.”
“So far, there’s just two of us, sir,” McCoy said, and handed the major what he thought of as “the Dai-Ichi orders”; they had come from SCAP headquarters in the Dai Ichi Building. “But we are going to need some wheels.”
The major took the orders and read them.
SUPREME HEADQUARTERS
Allied Powers Tokyo, Japan
14 July 1950
SUBJECT: Letter Orders
TO: MCCOY, K. R. Captain USMC ZIMMERMAN, E.W. Master Gunner USMC1. In connection with your mission, you are authorized and directed to proceed to such places in Japan and Korea at such times as may be necessary.
2. All U.S. Army, Air Force and Navy organizations under SCAP are directed to provide you with such logistical support as you may require. Priority AAAAA is assigned for travel.
FOR THE SUPREME COMMANDER:
Edward M. Almond
EDWARD M. ALMOND
Major General, USA
Chief of Staff
EMA/ah
“So?” the major asked.
“Sir, the logistical support I need is a Jeep, trailer, and some gas in cans.”
“Captain,” the major said, “I don’t give a good goddamn if you have orders signed by the President himself, I don’t have Jeeps for bird colonels, so there’s none for a captain. Now do us both a favor and get the fuck out of here!”
McCoy saluted—it was not returned—and did an about-face movement and marched out from under the canvas fly that presumably was intended to shield the motor pool officer’s portable field desk from sun and rain.
Although General Pickering had told Captain McCoy that Eighth Army Headquarters had been “set up” in Taegu, when he and Zimmerman had arrived there after midnight—via the K-1 airfield at Pusan, and hitching a ride on a truck the rest of the way—it was immediately clear that “set up” was an intention rather than a fait