Then the Chairman indulged me. He said that he certainly appreciated the offer of cooperation and suggested that I get together with Captain Douglass after the meeting adjourned.
“Douglass told me, of course, that he would welcome any help the Navy could give the project. And he went on to say that there’s still one Navy officer on the project, a lieutenant named Kennedy. His ‘action officer, this man Canidy, is also a former naval officer.
He’s no dummy–Douglass, I mean–and I think he understands my concern.
He said he would have word with Canidy and that there would be no objection if we beefed up our liaison staff with the project.”
“I see, “Admiral Hawley said.
“So I came to see you with two questions in my mind, Enoch,” the DCNO said. “First, I wanted the name of an officer of suitable rank and experience we can send over there to represent the Navy’s interests, and second, in the profound hope that you could disabuse me of the notion that there is no aircraft in the Navy inventory that can do what has to be done.”
“The bad news first, Admiral,” Admiral Hawley said.
“The problem is the weight of explosive throw. The submarine pens have been carved out of rock and then reinforced with concrete. It’s going to take tons of explosive, very precisely placed, to cause any real damage. Skip bombing has been tried, and it failed. Torpedoes you know about. If the pens could be taken out with bombs, it would have to be a bigger bomb than anything now available. A bomb far too large to be carried in any Navy aircraft. I think this flying bomb concept, turning a B-17 into an explosive-filled drone, is going to be the only answer.”
“Someone has to pilot the drone from the control aircraft,” the DCNO said thoughtfully. “There’s no reason he cannot be a naval officer.” He looked at Bitter, “Are you on flying status, Commander?” “No, sir,” Bitter said.
“Medically grounded? Because of your knee?” the DCNO asked.
“Yes, sir.”
“There are such things as medical waivers,” the DCNO said. “Is there any reason you can see, Commander, why you could not control a drone from an aircraft piloted by this Lieutenant Kennedy?”
“No, sir,” Ed Bitter said.
“Did I detect a moment’s hesitation, Commander?” the DCNO asked.
“Sir,” Bitter said. “The question would be whether I would be permitted to do so.”
“Captain Douglass has said he will have a word with your friend Canidy,” the DCNO said.
“Major Canidy is sometimes difficult, sir,” Bitter said.
“Christ, Commander, he’s a major. Majors, even Army Air Corps majors, do what they’re told.”
“Sir,” Bitter said. “The thing is, he’s not really a major. He’s really OSS and wears a major’s uniform because it permits him a certain freedom of movement. I doubt if Captain Douglass would order him to let me fly the drone.
Or if he did, that Canidy would accept the order if he didn’t think it was the thing to do.”
“Hmmph,” the DCNO snorted. “Well, let me put it this way, Commander.
When those submarine pens are taken out, I want them taken out by naval officers. Preferably by Navy officers in Navy aircraft. But in any event by Navy officers. How you arrange that, I leave up to you.
If necessary, start singing sauld Lang Syne’ and Anchors Aweigh. Do I make my point?”. j_.
“Yes, sir,” Bitter said “I’ll do my best, sir I’m grateful for the chance ”
“How soon can you leave for England?” the DCNO asked
“Immediately, sir,” Bitter said The DCNO sat for a moment tapping the balls of his fingers together
“I think the way to handle this, Enoch,” he said, “is to put the Commander on temporary duty That way, if it becomes necessary, he can hoist your flag And you can approve his application for waiver of physical condition and get him back on flight status ”
“Aye, aye, sir,
“Admiral Hawley said stake a couple of days at home, Commander,” the DCNO said
“And then get yourself to England You know whatxs expected of you ” “Aye, aye, sir,” Bitter said [SWO] 115arburg “D d-r Lah -rmasy 31 December 1942 Hauptsturmfuhrer Wilhelm Peis had had to consider the possibility that once he actually met Fraulein Gisella Dyer, Standartenfuhrer Johann Muller might not like her Or that he would be put off by her negative attitude More than once Fraulein Dyer had for gotten her situation She did not in these moments become openly defiant But with some alcohol in her she tended to lose her sweetness and innocence and turn into a flippant and sarcastic bitch Obviously, Standartenfuhrer Muller had to be entirely pleased with the evening Peis hoped there would be an opportunity afterward to discuss his future with the Standartenfuhrer Peis had nothing specific that he wanted from the Standartenfuhrer, he simply wanted the Standartenfuhrer to look upon him favorably There was no overestimating the influence of a Standartenfuhrer SS-SD on the staff of the Reichsfuhrer-SS in Berlin A favorable–or unfavorable–word from a man like that in the right ears would have a pronounced influence on his career A few little words could mean the difference between staying here with maybe a nice promotion or being assigned to the Eastern Front Peis had to keep reminding himself that underneath, Muller was probably a man much like himself, that Muller had in fact once been a lowly Wachtmann on the Kreis Marburg police A man didn’t change his spots, even if he came to wear the corded silver epaulets of a Standartenfuhrer Since he was a man, he wanted to spend a couple of pleasant hours on New Year’s Eve over drinks and dinner with an attractive young woman And afterward he wanted to snuggle up with her in bed It was little enough for him to expect of Peis, and he would likely be annoyed if things didn’t go well Because of the very real possibility that Fraulein Dyer might show up in one of her difficult moods, Peis considered that it might be best for her not to show up at all and to solicit the help of Frau Gumbach Frau Gumbach operated a whorehouse near the Bahnhof, a regular whorehouse with resident whores She also had available a dozen women who operated outside the law–that is, who didn’t have the prostitute’s yellow identity card These girls were available by appointment to men who could not afford being seen in the whorehouse, or picking up whores in bars or along the street The problem was that Standartenfuhrer Muller had expressed a specific interest in Fraulein Dyer If Fraulein Dyer did not appear at supper at the Kurhotel, Standartenfuhrer Muller might conclude that Peis was saving her for himself It would not be desirable for Muller to harbor any such suspicions When he telephoned Frau Gumbach, she assured him that she understood his dilemma perfectly and that it would be her pleasure to help She knew just the girl She had been bombed out of her home and employment in Kassel and the Hessian Labor officer had sent her to work in the aircraft engine plant in Marburg Not only would she be pleased to make a little extra money, but she would like the opportunity to associate with important people “You’re not suggesting that I pay her?” Peis asked incredulously “of course not, Herr Hauptsturmfuhrer, Frau Gumbach said She was fully aware that Peisxs friendship kept her house open and her girls free not to avolunteer” to become manual laborers for the Todt Organization “I will, of course, give her a little something, but you should consider this to be a simple gesture between friends