They landed at Anacostia a little after two, checked into the THE LAUT UKNU&ft NA transient quarters, and then took a taxi to Temporary Building G-34, one of the buildings on the mall which had been built to provide temporary office space for the Navy during World War 1.
It soon became apparent that Commander Porter knew only that higher authority had decided that Lieutenants Bitter and Canidy were to be honorably discharged for the convenience of the naval service-and as quickly as possible. Commander Porter was not aware, Canidy thought cynically, that the two of them had volunteered to sweep the Japanese from the skies over China in defense of Mom’s Apple Pie and the American Way of Life, and thus he had reasonably concluded that the reason they were being dischargedand as quickly as possible-was to spare the naval service the inconvenience of court-martialing them for having been caught with their hands in the till of the officers’ club, or in the pants of some brother officer’s wife.
Commander Porter therefore treated them with icy courtesy, according to the book, and informed them that while the paperwork was being prepared to effect their separation, they would undergo a complete physical examination at the naval hospital. It did not matter, Commander Porter told them, that they had six weeks before been certified as physically fit for aviation duty. That was an aviation physical; this was a separation physical.
When they went to the naval hospital, they were told that separation physicals were given at 0800 in the morning, and they should return then.
“Look at the bright side, Eddie,” Canidy said as they came out of the naval hospital. “With a little bit of luck, we can get laid.”
“Christ, is that all you ever think about?” Bitter snapped.
Something was bothering Bitter, Canidy knew. It was probably that Naval Academy graduates who wished to become admirals did not leave the Navy. Commander Porter’s icy disdain had given weight to his fears.
“Let’s go get out of our uniforms,” Canidy said, “and then treat Ourselves to a good dinner. And maybe a movie.”
Bitter gave him a weak smile.
When they returned to the Transient Officers’ Quarters at Anacostia, a tall, handsome Army Air Corps second lieutenant was waiting for them. He was wearing a green blouse, to which were pinned silver pilot’s wings. There was a glossy Sam Browne belt. He wore pink riding breeches, and rested his glistening riding boots on the low table in front of him. His uniform cap, perched on the rear of his head, exposed light blond hair. The stiffener had been removed from the crown of the cap, and the cap itself looked as if it had been driven over by a coal truck. The crushed hat was the mark of the fighter pilot.
The handsome young officer was Jim Whittaker, who displayed a lot of white teeth and a warm smile when he saw Canidy, but he did not get up.
“What the hell are you doing here, Jim?” Canidy asked, smiling broadly. He went to him and shook his hand.
“I came to save you from this nautical squalor,” the young aviator said, gesturing around the almost elegantly furnished foyer. “But the question is, what the hell are you doing here? And I don’t mean ‘why aren’t you at the house?… “Eddie,” Canidy said, “this is Jim Whittaker. Jim, Ed Bitter.”
Bitter smiled, but not warmly. He had, he was sure, just come across yet another Canidy, that is, someone who would embarrass him somehow within the hour.
They shook hands.
“Are you involved in what he’s done?” Whittaker asked. “Of are you his guards”
“We’re together.” Bitter smiled uneasily.
“How the hell did you find me here?” Canidy asked.
“When I called Pensacola,” Whittaker said, “and got a mysterlous runaround about you, I called back and led them to believe I was an aide-de-camp to an unspecified general officer who absolutely had to get in touch with you. After some hesitation, they said you could be found here. I came straight from the airport. What the hell is going on?” ,We,re going to China,” Canidy said.
“Dick ‘ ” Bitter protested. “China?” Whittaker said thoughtfully. “I don’t think you can get go to San Francisco and take to China from here. I think you have to the Southern Pacific and Yangtze River.”