Tucker's Last Stand (37 page)

“Our presence here?”

“No. I think we have a right to be here, and I think the Vietnamese want us here. But Tucker didn't think we'd stick it out, match will against their will. And I think he was right. Told him so, in fact. I'm not against fighting apparently lost causes if there is at least the possibility of righting a wrong, of winning, but I don't see that there is, in Vietnam—in this climate, in this way.… So—it's time to go, after thirteen years. The best of it has been—you, Rufus.”

Rufus got up. For a moment Blackford thought he was coming over to him. But he stopped.

“Where are you going?” He paused. “Mexico?”

“Yes,” Blackford said. He picked up his glass, and looked at it. “Mexico.” He took the drink and sipped at it, then put it down again.

Blackford stood up, reached for his briefcase, and extended his hand.

“Goodbye, Rufus.”

“Goodbye, Blackford.”

“I hope you will visit us there.”

“I will visit you, Blackford.”

“You will always be welcome.”

Blackford lowered his head, turned to the door, and let himself out.

Author's Note

Re: Tucker's Last Stand

This is a work of fiction.

The most conspicuous historical characters are, obviously, characters in history, and some of the episodes are drawn from official and nonofficial, but creditable, sources.

Among the books and materials I have relied upon are the
Facts on File Yearbook
for 1964;
Tonkin Gulf
by Eugene G. Windchy (Doubleday, 1971);
Truth is the First Casualty
by Joseph C. Goulden (Rand McNally, 1969);
Vietnam
by Stanley Karnow (Viking, 1983); and
Goldwater
by Barry M. Goldwater with Jack Casserly (Doubleday, 1988). I shouldn't need to say that constructions of events, as distilled by me, are not necessarily those as seen by the authors cited; but I shall.

Operation 34-A is accurately described, as is Operation Igloo White.

The second Gulf of Tonkin episode remains something of a mystery, though it is, I think, correct to say that the historical consensus is that there was no attack, merely confusion caused by defective sonar work, addled radar readings, and sights and sounds resulting from eccentric meteorological conditions. The sequence of reported events is accurately reproduced.

Colonel Bui Tin was the principal architect of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, and was interviewed by Morley Safer in his book
Flashbacks
(Random House, 1990).

Acknowledgments

I am grateful to friends who read the first draft and made many useful suggestions, including my wife, Pat, my siblings, Reid and Priscilla Buckley, and my obliging friends Charles Wallen, Jr., Professor Thomas Wendel, and Richard Clurman, and Lois Wallace.

Tony Savage not only typed all the drafts, but encouraged the whole enterprise and also made valuable suggestions.

Dorothy McCartney, as ever, was invaluable in research matters, and I am ever so grateful to her for the pains she took.

Frances Bronson provided the usual editorial coordination, irreplaceable.

Mrs. Chaucy Bennetts, the superb copy editor, rescued me yet again.

Joseph Isola (he keeps count) has, with this book, proofread twenty-five of my books, with diligence and flair and patience.

Alfred Aya, Jr., who in many ways reminds me of Tucker Montana, gave me all the technical data I used: not only a technical description of the paraphernalia that went into our Igloo White operation, which he got from research; but also the counterweapons, which he invented; as also such details as I used in describing the mission of Blackford Oakes on August 4, 1964, in the Gulf of Tonkin. I have all along suspected that an unpublished feature of the ABM Treaty forbids the United States Government from availing itself of the resources of Alfred Aya, Jr.

I have previously recorded my indebtedness to Samuel S. Vaughan of Random House for his prodigious contributions. But this time around he read my manuscript, in line-by-line detail, twice, contributing much of the best that is there. I am obliged to him as an editor, and as a friend.

W.F.B.

Stamford, Connecticut

August 11, 1990

All rights reserved, including without limitation the right to reproduce this ebook or any portion thereof in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 1990 by William F. Buckley, Jr.

Cover design by Barbara Brown

Cover illustration by Karl Kotas

ISBN: 978-1-5040-1857-9

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