In Danger's Path (94 page)
Maybe
, he thought, as he climbed out of the seat,
I could just leave it parked here and see about getting a ride back to the States. God, I know better than that. I'm stuck in this frozen wonderland until I can fly this airplane out of here
.
“Everybody stay put, please, until I sort things out with the authorities here,” he called, and then walked toward the fairing that had replaced the bubble. As he passed Gunnery Sergeant Zimmerman, the tough Old Breed Marine was in the process of changing a diaper. As he passed Mrs. Banning, he saw that she was weeping uncontrollably.
Tough lady
, Williamson thought admiringly.
She didn't break down until she knew she and her baby were really out
.
Williamson jumped to the ground. The machine guns in the jeeps swiveled in on him. Only half in jest, he raised both hands above his head.
The Marine lieutenant colonel snapped something furiously in Chinese, waited until the muzzles had been diverted, and then walked toward Williamson.
Williamson saluted. “Major Williamson, sir. Avery R. I've just come, believe it or notâ”
“I have a very good idea where you came from,” the Lieutenant Colonel said. “Is Captain McCoy all right? And Zimmerman?”
“Everybody is, sir. Zimmerman is aboard the aircraft.”
“Zimmerman is? What's that all about? Is he injured?”
“He's carrying a message for a Lieutenant Colonel Banning, sir.”
“I'm Banning,” Banning said. “What kind of message?”
Before Williamson could begin to reply, Banning spotted Zimmerman getting out of the airplane. “There he is,” Banning said, and, raising his voice: “Zimmerman, over here! What have you got for me?”
“Colonel, I think the message can wait a couple of minutes,” Williamson said.
Banning turned to him with surprise and disbelief on his face. “I beg your pardon, Major?”
“Mrs. Banning and your baby are on the Cat, sir.”
“Excuse me? What did you say?”
“Sir,” Williamson began, but he didn't have to repeat any more.
Mrs. Edward J. Banning had appeared in the fairing opening and her husband was rushing to her. And the child she held in her arms.
The Oval Office
The White House
Washington, D.C.
1430 5 May 1943
The President's Naval aide opened the door and announced, “Congressman Westminister and Colonel Donovan are here, sir.”
“Show them in,” President Roosevelt said.
Donovan entered the office first, followed by Representative Westminister, a tall, portly man with long silver hair, wearing a loose-fitting linen suit.
“Thank you for coming so quickly, Congressman,” the President said.
“Mr. President,” Westminister replied in a thick South Carolina accent.
“You're in distinguished company, Congressman,” the President said. “Now that Colonel Donovan has found time to come over to see me, we have two Medal of Honor winners in the room. Do you happen to know Colonel Stecker?”
“No, sir,” Westminister said. “I am truly honored to make your acquaintance, Colonel.”
Stecker, looking a little uncomfortable, shook the Congressman's hand.
“You know Senator Fowler, of course?” the President said. “And I suppose you met Colonel Donovan coming in?”
“Yes, sir, I did. Always good to see you, Senator,” Westminister said.
“Congressman,” Fowler said.
“And my son Jim,” the President said. “Major Roosevelt, of the Marine Corps, on which I am again smiling with great pride.”
“A great privilege, Major,” Congressman Westminister said.
“Before we go any further, Congressman,” Roosevelt said. “I think you better read this.” He handed him a very long sheet of teletypewriter paper, and then added, “I suspect from the look on his face that Colonel Donovan has already seen this.”
“Mr. President,” Donovan said. “The moment that came across my desk, I called to see when you could find time for me.”
“Then I guess my telling Admiral Leahy that I wanted to see anything dealing with the Gobi Desert operation and/or Captain McCoy the moment it came in was a good idea. My copy came into my hands an hour ago.”
Donovan smiled. It was obviously an effort.
Congressman Westminister read the long Special Channel message.
TOPSECRET
VIA SPECIAL CHANNEL
FROM OSS DEPUTY DIRECTOR FOR PACIFIC
OPERATIONS
OSS STATION CHUNGKING
1845 LOCAL TIME 4 MAY 1943
TO DIRECTOR OSS WASHINGTON
EYES ONLY WILLIAM R. DONOVAN
1. REFERENCE YOUR PERSONAL TO UNDERSIGNED DATED 26 APRIL 1943 IN RE DIRECTIVE FROM COMMANDER IN CHIEF TO IMMEDIATELY PROVIDE BY MOST EXPEDITIOUS MEANS POSSIBLE ALL DETAILS REGARDING ACTIVITIES OF CAPT K.R. MCCOY AND OPERATION GOBI.
2. FORWARDED HEREWITH AS ATTACHMENT 1 IS VERBATIM AFTER ACTION REPORT FROM CAPT MCCOY RECEIVED 1640 LOCAL TIME THIS DATE. THE UNDERSIGNED BELIEVES THE COMMANDER IN CHIEF WILL PREFER TO RECEIVE THIS INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY, RATHER THAN HAVE IT DELAYED FOR HOWEVER LONG IT WOULD TAKE TO PREPARE IT IN A MORE FORMAL FORMAT.
3. FOR YOUR INFORMATION, THE UNDERSIGNED HAS DECIDED TO IMPLEMENT ALL REPEAT ALL OF CAPT MCCOYS RECOMMENDATIONS. COLONEL JACK NMI STECKER, SPECIAL ASSISTANT TO THE COMMANDANT USMC, SHOULD BE MADE AWARE IMMEDIATELY OF CAPT MCCOYS REQUIREMENTS VIS-A-VIS THE MARINE CORPS.
4. ALTHOUGH IT WAS NOT MENTIONED IN CAPT MCCOYS AFTER ACTION REPORT, LT COL EDWARD BANNING'S WIFE, LUDMILLA, AND THEIR INFANT SON EDWARD EDWARDOVITCH AND GUNNERY SERGEANT ERNEST ZIMMERMAN'S WIFE, MAE SU, AND THEIR THREE CHILDREN WERE FLOWN OUT OF THE DESERT AND ARE PRESENTLY IN CHUNGKING.
5. AT THE TIME LT COL BANNING WAS FORCED TO LEAVE HIS WIFE IN SHANGHAI, CONGRESSMAN ZACHARY W. WESTMINISTER III (D. THIRD DISTRICT S.C.) HAD INTRODUCED A PRIVATE BILL AUTHORIZING THE ENTRANCE OF MRS. BANNING TO THE UNITED STATES. THE STATUS OF THIS LEGISLATION IS NOT KNOWN. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS COL BANNING IS UNDERSTANDABLY EXTREMELY ANXIOUS TO SEND HIS FAMILY TO THE UNITED STATES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
6. PLEASE CONTACT SENATOR FOWLER AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AND SOLICIT ON MY BEHALF THE INTRODUCTION OF A SIMILAR PRIVATE BILL FOR THE ENTRANCE INTO THE UNITED STATES OF MRS. ZIMMERMAN AND THE CHILDREN.
RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED
FLEMING PICKERING BRIG GEN USMCR
ATTACHMENT 1
STATION NOWHERE
2 MAY 1943
DEAR COL. BANNING:
IF YOU HAVE TO, SHOW THIS TO GENERAL PICKERING, BUT WHAT I'D REALLY LIKE YOU TO DO IS READ IT, PICK OUT THE PARTS YOU THINK MAKE SENSE, AND THEN GO TO THE GENERAL WITH THE GENERAL IDEA. I'M NOT VERY GOOD AT PUTTING THINGS DOWN ON PAPER.
THE THING IS, ZIMMERMAN WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG. THE WAY TO DO THIS WEATHER STATION OPERATION IS BY USING CAMEL CARAVANS. THAT WOULD HAVE WORKED FROM THE BEGINNING IF THE GYPSIES HAD A RADIO THAT WORKED, AND WE COULD HAVE FOUND OUT WHERE THEY WERE.
WELL, WE NOW KNOW WHERE THEY ARE, AND THE WEATHER STATION WILL BE MAKING ITS FIRST REPORT TOMORROW MORNING. THE PROBLEM IS NOW FIRST HOW TO KEEP IT WORKING, WHICH MEANS BOTH RESUPPLIED AND WITHOUT THE JAPS FINDING OUT ABOUT IT, AND SECOND GETTING OUT THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN, FIRST, AND THEN THE REST OF THE GYPSIES.
THAT BRINGS US BACK TO ZIMMERMAN'S CAMEL CARAVANS. I FOUND OUT IN YÃMEN AND ON THE WAY HERE THAT THE WAY TO DO THAT IS VERY SIMPLE. GIVE ZIMMERMAN WHAT MONEY HE NEEDS, AND IT MAY TAKE A LOT, AND LET HIM HIRE THE CARAVAN PEOPLE AND PAY OFF THE BANDITS.
THIS IS WHAT I THINK SHOULD BE DONE.
ZIMMERMAN WILL STAY IN YÃMEN AND ONCE A WEEK OR TEN DAYS SEND A CARAVAN TO ULAANBAATAR. IT WILL BE A LEGITIMATE CARAVAN, EXCEPT THAT IT WILL ALSO BE CARRYING RATIONS AND SUPPLIES FOR THE WEATHER STATION AND GAS FOR THE TRUCKS. THEY WON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE ARE, JUST THAT WE'LL MEET THEM ON THEIR WAY, SO THEY CAN'T SELL US OUT TO THE JAPS.
THE FIRST CARAVANS SHOULD CARRY WITH THEM SIX MARINES AND SOME BETTER WEAPONS THAN WE HAVE HERE. AIRCOOLED .30 BROWNINGS AND BARS AND MAYBE EVEN A MORTAR. WE WILL SEND OUT AS MANY GYPSIES AS YOU SEND IN MARINES. THIRTY WELL-ARMED MARINES WILL GIVE US ALL THE PROTECTION WE NEED. AT LEAST TWO OF THEM SHOULD BE HIGH SPEED RADIO OPERATORS.
I KNOW THAT THE MINUTE HE HEARS ABOUT THIS, THAT OSS LIGHT BIRD IN CHUNGKING IS GOING TO COME UP WITH ALL SORTS OF REASONS WHY WE SHOULD HAVE TWO COMPANIES OF CHINESE INFANTRY OUT HERE PROTECTING US, AND BE RESUPPLIED BY AIRPLANE. THAT WOULD BE THE WORST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN. THE JAPS WOULD BE ALL OVER US, AND IT WOULD BE OUR FAULT.
DON'T PUT GENERAL PICKERING ON THE SPOT BY TELLING HIM THIS BEFORE HE MAKES UP HIS MIND WHAT TO DO, BUT I'M GOING TO SEND PICK AND LIEUTENANT STEVENSON OUT WITH THE FIRST CARAVAN, IF THERE IS A FIRST CARAVAN, BECAUSE THEY'RE OF NO USE TO ME HERE. WESTON HAS VOLUNTEERED TO STAY, AND ONE PART OF ME WANTS TO LET HIM, BECAUSE HE UNDERSTANDS WORKING BEHIND THE LINES, BUT THE OTHER PART OF ME SAYS THAT YEAR HE SPENT IN THE PHILIPPINES SHOULD GET HIM EXCUSED FROM A SHIT DETAIL LIKE THIS ONE. PARDON THE FRENCH. LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU WANT ME TO DO WITH HIM.
SO FAR AS THE OTHERS ARE CONCERNED. ZIMMERMAN IS BRINGING OUT WITH HIM A ROSTER OF THE GYPSIES, PLUS THE NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF THEIR NEXT OF KIN. I REALIZE THAT IT'S A DIRTY TRICK TO PLAY ON THEM, BUT I AM GOING TO SEND OUT THE MOST USEFUL PEOPLE LAST, MEANING THE MARINES FROM PEKING WILL BE THE LAST TO COME OUT, AND THE. RETIRED PEOPLE FIRST, RIGHT AFTER THE WOMEN AND CHILDREN. DO YOU THINK WE COULD GET THE MARINES PROMOTED? IT WOULD MAKE THEM FEEL BETTER, AND AS YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN A LOT OF PEOPLE WE KNOW PROMOTED LATELY WHO PROBABLY SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN.
WHEN WE ARE DOWN TO THIRTY MARINES AND THE WEATHER PEOPLE, I'M GOING TO SEND CAPTAIN SAMPSON OUT. HE'S TURNED OUT TO BE NOT SO MUCH OF A CANDY-ASS AS I FIRST THOUGHT, AND I WANT HIM TO TRAIN WHOEVER IS GOING TO COME IN HERE TO COMMAND THE DETAIL. I GUESS WHAT I'M SAYING IS THAT, IF POSSIBLE, I'D RATHER NOT SPEND THE REST OF THE WAR HERE.
FINALLY, I NEED A FAVOR. PLEASE TELL ERNIE BOTH THAT I'M ALL RIGHT AND LOOKING FORWARD TO COMING HOME SOMEDAY, AND ALSO ASK HER TO MAKE SURE, WHEN THIS OPERATION IS RUNNING SMOOTHLY AND ZIMMERMAN AND HIS WIFE CAN LEAVE YÃMEN, THAT HE HAS WHATEVER MONEY HE NEEDS TO GET HIS WIFE AND KIDS INTO THE STATES AND SET UP THERE.
BEST REGARDS AND RESPECTFULLY,
KEN
K. R. MCCOY, CAPT, USMCR
END ATTACHMENT 1
TOPSECRET
Congressman Westminister finished reading the Special Channel and looked at President Roosevelt.
“That's a lot to put on your plate at one time, Congressman,” the President said.
“Yes, sir, it is,” Westminister said. “But so far as my private bill is concerned, it is the law of the land. But I'm going to have to think a minute about how that applies to the child.”
“My understanding of the law, Congressman,” Senator Fowler said, “and I just got off the phone with the Attorney General before you came in, is that any child born outside the country to an American officer serving abroad is considered to be a native-born citizen. That clearly applies to Colonel Banning's child, and the Consul General will be directed, today, to issue him a passport.”
“The Attorney General wanted to split a hair,” the President said, “about whether that applied to Sergeant Zimmerman, who is a noncommissioned officer, not a commissioned officer. I told him that so far as I was concerned, an officer was an officer, noncommissioned or not, and that he was to immediately direct our Consul General in Chungking to issue passports to Sergeant Zimmerman's children, and further to issue Mrs. Zimmerman a nonquota immigration visa, to which she is entitled as the next of kin to an American citizen.”
“I believe that is the law, Mr. President,” Congressman Westminister said.
“The question then was Mrs. Banning's status, whether she could come here as Mrs. Zimmerman will, or whether your private bill had become law,” the President said. “You have answered that question.”
“I'll have a copy of my private bill on the Attorney General's desk within the hour, Mr. President,” Westminister said. “May I inform Colonel Banning's parents, Mr. President? Thisâthis message, whatever it is, is classified Top Secret.”
“I'm glad you mentioned that,” the President said. “I don't think the security of the nation would be seriously imperiled if you informed the Colonel's parents that their daughter-in-law will shortly be at their door. But do not get into the circumstances.”
“And their grandchild,” Congressman Westminister said emotionally. “They don't know about him. Mr. President, Colonel Banning's daddy and I were classmates at The Citadel. I was best man at their wedding. This news will be very welcome in South Carolina.”
“Well, then, Congressman,” the President said, “why don't you get on the telephone and deliver it? Together with an expression of my gratitude for the splendid service their son is rendering to the country?”
“Yes, sir, Mr. President, that's just what I'll do,” Congressman Westminister said. “Thank you, sir.”
He handed the Special Channel message to the President and left the Oval Office.
The President waited until the door had closed after him.
“You know what I've always wanted to do?” he asked. “Put someone with a South Carolina accent like that one together with somebody from say, Ogonquit, Maine, and see if either of them could understand a word of what the other was saying.”
There was dutiful laughter.
The President turned to Colonel Jack (NMI) Stecker. “Colonel, it should go without saying, but perhaps it would make things easier if you told the Commandant of my great interest in seeing that Captain McCoy gets whatever he wants from the Marine Corps.”
“Aye, aye, sir,” Colonel Stecker said.
“Sir,” Major Roosevelt asked. “Where are you going to get the Marines to send to the Killer?” He paused. “I was thinking about Raiders.”
“So was I,” Stecker said. “I saw a personnel report a couple of days ago. There's at least that many Raiders in the States, really serious malaria cases sent here to recover. They're all right now, but the medics say it would be best if they weren't sent back to the Tropics. Whatever it is, the Gobi Desert is not the Tropics.”
“Wouldn't they have to be volunteers?” the President asked.
“Dad, they're Raiders,” Major Roosevelt replied, smiling. “They'll volunteer, especially if they hear the Killer's involved.”
“And the promotions Captain McCoy asked for?” the President asked.
“That will be no problem, sir,” Stecker said. “I think a two-stripe promotion for all the Marines would be justified.”
“I'd like to decorate them,” the President said, and then went off at a tangent. “What was behind that crack McCoy made about he and Banning knowing people who shouldn't have been promoted?”
Colonel Stecker looked uncomfortable.
“Let's have it, Colonel,” the President said.
“Sir, Captain McCoy questions whether he has the education and experience to be a captain,” Stecker said.
“He obviously has the intelligence and experience to carry off an operation that a large number of far senior officers thought couldn't be done,” Roosevelt said, looking at Colonel Donovan as he spoke. “So he's wrong. Please tell the Commandant, Colonel, that the Commander in Chief feels that both Captain McCoy and Sergeant Zimmerman are deserving of promotion.”