Part 34 (1/2)
And when, after more than a half hour in the stack, the Gooney Bird from Seoul finally touched down and taxied to the tarmac in front of base operations, there was even a Lockheed Constellation of Trans-Global Airways sitting there taking on enough fuel to get it to j.a.pan, where it would be topped off. The glistening, sleek, triple-tailed aircraft looked out of place among the others.
When the Gooney Bird shut down its engines and the door opened, sixteen people, ranging in rank from PFC to full colonel, got off and most of them walked into base operations to see about getting themselves some ground transportation.
Four of the pa.s.sengers-a lieutenant colonel, a major, a captain, and a lieutenant, the latter three wearing the wings of Army aviators-did not go into base operations but started walking across the field to a hangar before which sat a small fleet of Army aircraft.
When they got close to the hangar, they saw a small group of officers and men standing around an L-20 DeHavilland Beaver, watching as a corporal put the final touches to the insignia of the Eighth United States Army he had painted on the door. The aircraft looked as if it was not only just about brand new but also freshly polished.
The senior of the officers was a major, also an Army aviator. He saluted the lieutenant colonel and smiled at his brother aviators.
”Good morning, sir,” he said. ”This came off the s.h.i.+p at 2100 last night,” he went on, indicating the Beaver. ”And as soon as that paint dries, it's going to Eighth Army Forward. How's that for efficiency?”
”Commendable,” the lieutenant colonel said, then spoke to the soldier with the paintbrush: ”Son, have you got some paint thinner in your kit?”
”Yes, sir,” the corporal said, visibly confused.
”Then how about taking that off the door?” the lieutenant colonel said. ”I don't want that insignia on there.”
”Sir?” the major asked incredulously.
”I said I don't want that insignia on the door,” the lieutenant colonel explained, reasonably, and asked the corporal to start taking it off.
”Sir, this aircraft is a.s.signed to Eighth Army Forward,” the major said.
”It was was a.s.signed to Eighth Army Forward,” the lieutenant colonel said. ”Now I'm taking it.” a.s.signed to Eighth Army Forward,” the lieutenant colonel said. ”Now I'm taking it.”
”Sir, you . . . you can't do that,” the major said.
”Yes I can. And I will also require two L-19s.”
”Sir, I can't just give you this airplane,” the major said, ”or any aircraft, for that matter, without authority from United Nations Command.”
”You are are the officer in charge?” the lieutenant colonel asked. the officer in charge?” the lieutenant colonel asked.
”No, sir. I'm the deputy.”
”Well, then, son, if you have problems with this, why don't you ask the officer in charge to come talk to me?”
”Yes, sir. I'll do that, sir.”
”And in the meantime, Corporal, you start getting that insignia off the doors,” the lieutenant colonel said.
The major walked quickly-almost trotted-to a Quonset hut set up beside a hangar and returned in less than two minutes, followed by a portly lieutenant colonel wearing pilot's wings and the insignia of an aide-de-camp to a three-star general, and another lieutenant colonel, also a pilot, whose collar carried the insignia of the Transportation Corps.
”Colonel,” the portly lieutenant colonel said, ”this is some sort of joke, right?”
”What's a joke?”
”About you taking this airplane.”
”I wasn't joking about that.”
”This airplane belongs to General Walker,” the portly lieutenant colonel said. ”Do you understand that?”
”Colonel, this airplane belongs to the U.S. Army,” Vandenburg said. ”And I have what I'm sure is the highest priority to put it to use.”
”I'd like to see that authority!”
”Certainly,” Vandenburg said, and handed him an envelope.
The eyes of both lieutenant colonels grew wide as they read it.
THE WHITE HOUSEWAs.h.i.+NGTON, D. C.JULY 8TH 1950TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:MAJOR GENERAL RALPH HOWE, USAR, IN CONNECTION WITH HIS MISSION FOR ME, WILL TRAVEL TO SUCH PLACES AT SUCH TIMES AS HE FEELS APPROPRIATE, ACCOMPANIED BY SUCH STAFF AS HE DESIRES.GENERAL HOWE IS GRANTED HEREWITH A TOP-SECRET/WHITE HOUSE CLEARANCE, AND MAY, AT HIS OPTION, GRANT SUCH CLEARANCE TO HIS STAFF.U.S. MILITARY AND GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES ARE DIRECTED TO PROVIDE GENERAL HOWE AND HIS STAFF WITH WHATEVER SUPPORT THEY MAY REQUIRE.
Harry S Truman HARRY S TRUMAN.
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES1st Indors.e.m.e.ntHeadquarters, Presidential Mission In the Field (Korea) 7 October 1950Lieutenant Colonel D. J. Vandenburg, USA, of my staff is designated Deputy Chief of Mission.Major Kenneth R. McCoy, USMCR, of my staff is designated Vice Chief of Mission.
Ralph Howe RALPH HOWE.
MAJOR GENERAL.
CHIEF OF MISSION.
”Are there any questions, gentlemen?”
”General Walker's not going to like this!” the lieutenant colonel with the aide-de-camp insignia said as he handed the orders back.
”Colonel,” Vandenburg said, man-to-man, ”I understand how you feel. In your place, I'd feel the same way. h.e.l.l hath no fury like a general who doesn't get what he wants, right? But what can I do? We all live under the Chain of Command. General Howe, who reports directly to the President, doesn't need any more authority than what I've shown you he has. And he sent me here to get a Beaver and two L-19s. I don't have any more choice in this matter than you do.”
Neither lieutenant colonel replied.
”Now, while the corporal is taking that paint off the door, can we look at what L-19s are available?” Vandenburg asked reasonably.
”There's only one here at the moment,” the Transportation Corps lieutenant colonel said. ”There should be some more coming in in the next three or four days.”
”I can only hope General Howe will understand,” Vandenburg said, his voice suggesting he didn't believe that at all. ”He sent me to get two.”
[FIVE].
HANGAR 13 KIMPO AIRFIELD (K-14) SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA 1245 8 OCTOBER 1950.
Major Kenneth R. McCoy was driving the Russian jeep and Major William Dunston was sitting behind him. The Marines on perimeter guard around the hangar recognized them and pa.s.sed them without question, but the moment they reached the hangar, Staff Sergeant Sam Klegger, who had been left in charge when the others went to Socho-Ri, came through the door.
He saluted, and McCoy and Dunston returned it.
”From the look on your face, Sergeant,” McCoy said, ”you have a question on your mind.”
”Good afternoon, sir,” Staff Sergeant Klegger said. ”Yes, sir. Actually, some of the men have been a little curious why we're guarding a hangar with nothing in it.”