“We can go inside,” Vandegrift said.
“Sir, you’re not going to need me for this, are you?” the Lieutenant asked.
“No,” Major Banning replied.
“I’d like to go see my brother,” the Lieutenant said. “Go ahead,” Banning said.
“Where is your brother, Lieutenant?” Vandegrift asked.
“With the 1st Raider Battalion, Sir.”
“My driver will take you,” Vandegrift said. “But you can’t keep the jeep.”
“Thank you, Sir. No problem, I can get back on my own.”
The Lieutenant saluted, and walked toward the jeep. Vandegrift gestured toward his command post, then led the others inside to what passed, in the circumstances, for his private office.
A sheet of tentage hung much like a shower curtain provided what privacy there was. Inside the curtained area was a U.S. Army Field Desk, a four-foot-square plywood box with interior shelves and compartments; its front opened to form a writing surface. It sat on a wooden crate with Japanese markings.
“One of your officers, Dillon?” Vandegrift asked as he pulled the canvas in place and waved them into two folding wooden chairs. He was obviously referring to the Lieutenant he’d just lent his jeep to. “I heard about Lieutenant Hale being killed. I thought there would be a replacement for him.”
“One of General Pickering’s officers, Sir,” Banning replied.
“That’s Killer McCoy, General,” Major Dillon said.
“That’s Killer McCoy?” Vandegrift replied, surprised. “I would have expected someone more on the order of Sergeant Oblensky.”
“That’s the Killer, Sir,” Dillon said.
“I wish I’d known who he was,” Vandegrift said. “I could have saved him a trip to the Raiders.”
“Sir?” Banning asked, obviously concerned.
“If his brother is who I think he is, he was flown out of here the day before yesterday,” Vandegrift said. When he saw the looks on their faces, he hastily added: “In near-perfect health. I’m surprised you don’t know, Dillon. Sergeant Thomas J. McCoy was ordered back to the States by the Director of Public Affairs. They seem to think he can boost enlistments and sell war bonds. The press is calling him ‘Machine Gun McCoy.’ ”
“I’d heard about that, Sir. It just slipped my mind.”
“I could understand Sergeant McCoy being called ‘Killer,’ ” Vandegrift said, shaking his head in a mixture of surprise and amusement. “Not only did I recommend him for the Navy Cross, for what he did on Edson’s Ridge with his machine gun, but he’s built like a tank and looks like he can chew nails. But that young man…”
“In his case, Sir, the Killer’s looks can be deceiving,” Banning said.
“What’s he doing here?”
“I don’t know how familiar you are with the Buka Operation, General?”
“The Marines operating the Buka Coastwatcher station were at the end of their rope, and you went in and replaced them?”
“Yes, Sir,” Banning said. “McCoy set up the Buka operation for General Pickering. And went in with it. He went ashore from the sub before the plane got there. That was his second rubber-boat landing. He was on the Raider raid on Makin.”
“He gets around, apparently,” Vandegrift said, and then asked, “What’s he going to do here?”
“He’s returning to the States, Sir, via Espiritu Santo.”
Vandegrift nodded, then, ending the casual conversation, said, “You say General Pickering sent you to see me, Major?”
“Yes, Sir,” Banning said, then turned to Major Dillon. “Jake, will you excuse us, please?”
Dillon nodded, then pushed the canvas aside and left them alone. General Vandegrift looked at Banning.
Banning took a sheet of flimsy paper from his shirt pocket and handed it to the General.
=TOP SECRET=
NOT LOGGED
ONE COPY ONLY
DUPLICATION FORBIDDEN
FOLLOWING IS DECRYPTION OF MSG 220107 RECEIVED 090942 2105 GREENWICH
FROM SECNAV WASHINGTON DC
TO SUPREME COMMANDER SWPOA
EYES ONLY MAJOR EDWARD BANNING USMC
SECNAV DESIRES THAT MAJOR BANNING
[1] PREPARE AN ANALYSIS OF JAPANESE INTENTIONS AND CAPABILITIES REGARDING GUADALCANAL
BASED ON ALL INTELLIGENCE AVAILABLE TO HIM AND HIS STAFF
[2] PERSONALLY OBTAIN FROM COMGEN 1ST MARINE DIVISION HIS EVALUATION OF HIS CAPABILITIES
TO COUNTER THREAT, YOU ARE DIRECTED TO MAKE YOUR ANALYSIS [[1] ABOVE] AVAILABLE TO COMGEN
1ST MAR-DIV.
[3] PROCEED TO PEARL HARBOR T.H. WHERE BOTH ANALYSES WILL BE TRANSMITTED VIA SPECIAL