“You looked pretty damned unhappy a minute ago,” Vandegrift said. “All that was was having to give up your battalion?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“The Corps doesn’t give people battalions until they die or retire, Jack. At least, not anymore. You ought to know that.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Or had you hoped to turn it over to your exec? What’s his name?”
“Young, Sir,” Stecker replied automatically, and then went on without thinking. “No, Sir, Young’s not ready for a battalion yet. He just made major.”
“Good company commanders do not necessarily make good battalion commanders, is that what you’re saying?”
“You need experience, Sir, seeing how a battalion is run. Give Young a couple more months…” He stopped. “General, I don’t know what made me start crying in my soup. I apologize, Sir.”
“You looked just like that, Jack, like you were going to cry in your soup.”
“I’m sorry, Sir. By your leave?”
“I’ll tell you when, Colonel. Please keep your seat.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.”
“I’ll tell you why you’re crying in your soup, Jack. You’re worn out, that’s why.”
“I’m fine, Sir. Is that why I was relieved?”
“There’s two kinds of relief, Colonel. You are not being relieved because you weren’t doing the job, or even because you’re tired… but, frankly, being tired entered into it. You have been relieved because Newberry-through no fault of his own-has never heard a shot fired in anger, and it’s time he was given the opportunity. And because The Corps has other places where you can be useful. By taking you out of there now, The Corps is going to wind up with two qualified battalion commanders, Newberry and Young. They will teach each other; Young will show Newberry how to function under fire, and Newberry will show Young how to run a battalion… what is expected of him as a field-grade officer.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“We’re going to need a lot of battalion commanders. The last thing I heard, there may be as many as six Marine divisions.”
“Six, Sir?” Stecker was surprised. Even in World War I, there had only been one Marine division.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if it went higher than six. We’re going to have to have that many battalion commanders. That means we’re going to have to train them.”
“Yes, Sir. Is that what I’ll be doing?”
“I’d bet on it, before we’re through. But that’s not what’s on the agenda for you right now. You probably won’t like this, but you’re the best man I can think of for the job.”
“As the captain said to the second lieutenant when he appointed him VD control officer.”
Vandegrift looked at Stecker in surprise and with a hint of annoyance. But then he chuckled.
“At least you don’t look as if you’re going to weep all over the place anymore,” he said, “and now that I think about it, this will almost certainly involve protecting our people from social diseases.”
“Sir?”
“We’re winding down here, Jack, and probably just in time. The Division is exhausted. Malaria is just about out of control. We haven’t been able to feed them properly, and we have demanded physical exertion from them unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.”
“Yes, Sir,” Stecker agreed.
“The Army’s sending more troops here. I think we can probably call the island secure before they take over, but maybe not. In any event, the Division is going to have to be refitted and brought back to something resembling health. That means Australia and New Zealand. I’m sending you there as the advance party… we’re not calling it that, yet, but that’s what it is.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.”
“I don’t have to tell you what’s needed. Just get it ready.”
“Aye, aye, Sir.”
“Fleming Pickering is there,” Vandegrift said. “I never asked you how you felt about him being a general officer. You were his sergeant in France, weren’t you?”
“No, Sir. We were there at the same time, but he was never one of my corporals.”
“And you worked for him here, when he was filling in for Colonel Goetke, didn’t you?”
“General, I happen to feel that General Pickering is a fine general officer. But I couldn’t say a word against him if I didn’t. He really took care of Elly when our boy was injured. He got her to Hawaii, and then found an apartment for her.”