Major Jake Dillon marched into General Underwood’s office, stopped exactly eight inches from the desk, came to rigid attention, stared over General Underwood’s head, and barked, “Sir, Major Dillon, Homer C.”
General Underwood examined Major Dillon carefully, and reluctantly came to the decision that, public relations feather merchant or not, he looked like a Marine. Nevertheless, to set the stage properly, he kept him standing there at attention for sixty seconds-which seemed much longer-before saying, softly, “You may stand at ease, Major.”
“Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir,” Dillon said, and assumed the position of parade rest. Instead of standing rigidly with his arms at his side, thumbs on the seam of his trousers, feet together, he was now standing rigidly with his feet precisely twelve inches apart and with his hands crossed precisely over the small of his back. He continued to stare over General Underwood’s head.
“I understand you wish to discuss the matter of Staff Sergeant McCoy?” General Underwood said quietly, with ice in his voice.
“The General is correct, Sir. Yes, Sir.”
“And I am to presume you are speaking for the Director of Public Affairs? He sent you here?”
“No, Sir. If the Major gave the General that impression, Sir, it was inadvertent, Sir.”
“Excuse me, Major,” Colonel Frazier said. “Have we met?”
“Yes, Sir. The Major has had the privilege of knowing the Colonel.”
“Where would that have been, Major?”
“Sir, in Shanghai, China, Sir. When the Colonel was S-4 of the 4th Marines, Sir.”
“Goddamn it, of course! Jake Dillon.”
“You know this officer, Colonel Frazier?” General Underwood asked.
“Yes, Sir. In ’38 and ’39 he had the heavy-weapons section under Master Gunnery Sergeant Jack (NMI) Stecker.”
“Jack (NMI) Stecker has the Medal,” General Underwood said.
“Now Captain Stecker,” Colonel Frazier said.
“He made major,” General Underwood corrected him. “I can’t imagine Jack (NMI) Stecker even using the term ‘motherfucker,’ much less screaming it at an officer.”
“Begging the General’s pardon,” Dillon said. “It is now Lieutenant Colonel Stecker.”
“Well, I hadn’t heard that,” Colonel Frazier said. “Are you sure?”
“Sir, yes, Sir. I saw Colonel Stecker a few days ago, Sir.”
“On Guadalcanal?” General Underwood said.
“Sir, yes, Sir. Colonel Stecker commands Second of the Fifth, Sir.”
“Dillon, I said ‘at ease,’ not ‘parade rest,’ ” General Underwood said.
“Aye, aye, Sir. Sorry, Sir,” Dillon said, and allowed the stiffness to go out of his body.
“Are things as bad over there as we hear, Dillon?” General Underwood said.
“They’re pretty goddamn bad, General. The goddamned Navy sailed off with all the heavy artillery and most of the rations still aboard ship. For the first couple of weeks, we were eating Jap rations; we didn’t have any of our own.”
“You were there, I gather, Dillon?” General Underwood asked.
“Yes, Sir. I went into Tulagi with Jack (NMI) Stecker’s battalion.”
General Underwood and Major Dillon were now looking at each other.
“This was easier, frankly, when I thought you were a goddamn feather merchant,” General Underwood said.
“Jake, are you really here to try to talk us into letting this sonofabitch go?” Colonel Frazier asked. “Do you know what all he did?”
“Yes, Sir, I read the reports. But on the other hand, Sir, I heard what he did on Bloody Ridge. He’s one hell of a Marine, Colonel.”
“He’s a goddamn animal who belongs in Portsmouth!” General Underwood said angrily.
Dillon and Colonel Frazier both looked at him.
“Sir, the word is already out that they’re going to give him the Medal of Honor,” Dillon said. “If it comes out why he-”
“That’s enough, Dillon,” General Underwood said sharply.
“Yes, Sir.”
General Underwood stood up.
“I can’t waste any more time on this individual,” General Underwood said. “You deal with it, Frazier. If Dillon has any reasonable proposals to make, that you feel you can go along with, I will support any decision you make. That will be all, gentlemen. Thank you.”
Colonel Frazier stood up. Both he and Major Dillon came to attention.
“By your leave, Sir?” Colonel Frazier asked.
General Underwood, his eyes on his desk, made an impatient gesture of dismissal. Colonel Frazier and Major Dillon made precise about-face movements and marched out of his office.